PMS 2.0 1303 - Andrew Whitworth, Daniel Jeremiah, Supercross Legend Colt Nichols, & AJ Hawk

Summary

The Pat McAfee Show - Episode PMS 2.0 1303 Summary

Release Date: March 7, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of The Pat McAfee Show, host Pat McAfee, along with co-hosts AJ Hawk, the Toxic Table, and friends, delves into significant happenings in the NFL and the world of Supercross racing. The show features insightful discussions with NFL insiders like Daniel Jeremiah, commending former Pro Bowl punter Andrew Whitworth, and highlights from Supercross legend Colt Nichols.

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1. NFL "Massacre Week" and Player Releases

The episode kicks off with an intense discussion about the ongoing "Massacre Week" in the NFL—a period marked by significant player releases as teams navigate salary cap constraints and roster overhauls.

• Pat McAfee (10:01): "Jonathan Allen... is now available after being released from the Commanders. He is just the latest in a lot of dudes around the NFL that have been released this week."

• Evan Fox (11:01): Lists notable players released, including Raekwon Davis, George Fant, Roy Robertson-Harris, and Devin Duvernay.

• Pat McAfee (11:58): Emphasizes the emotional toll on players and families, stating, "But a lot of these guys, for the first time in their lives, they've been told they're not good enough to make a football team."

• Daniel Jeremiah (24:08): Criticizes the Cincinnati Bengals' approach to contracts and player retention, highlighting, "If you don’t ever change, you’re going to always get left behind in these situations."

Key Takeaway: The NFL's high turnover rate during this period underscores the harsh realities of team management, player contracts, and the financial challenges teams like the Bengals face in retaining talent.

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2. Interview with Daniel Jeremiah: Team Management and Player Retention

Daniel Jeremiah, a renowned NFL analyst, joins the show to provide deeper insights into the complexities of team management, especially concerning player retention and financial strategies.

• Daniel Jeremiah (16:26): "I spend my offseason still training. I got four little kids to chase around. So I can't ever let these boys feel like they're hitting that teenage stage."

• Pat McAfee (25:22): Discusses the Bengals' financial decisions and their impact on team dynamics. "The Bengals are their only business. It's crazy because there's other owners that like $106.5 million. Not that Mark Davis is this way... some ownerships can literally just $106.5 million."

• Daniel Jeremiah (26:50): "You want the Packers, you want, you want good character people who are great football players. That's what you're in the business of acquiring."

Key Takeaway: Effective team management requires balancing financial commitments with player satisfaction and performance. Teams must evolve their contract strategies to retain top talent and maintain a competitive edge.

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3. Andrew Whitworth's Community Impact and Derek Barnes' Success

Pat McAfee highlights the inspirational story of Andrew Whitworth's mentorship through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, leading to the success of Derek Barnes.

• Andrew Whitworth's Speech (00:25): Discusses mentoring Derek Barnes, who secured a $25.5 million contract with the Detroit Lions. "Whenever Andrew Whitworth won the Walter Payton man of the Year award... Derek Barnes just made it to the NFL. Not just made it to the NFL, he's getting paid 25 and a half million dollars."

• Daniel Jeremiah (48:05): Reflects on the mutual impact of mentorship. "Derek Barnes changed my life every bit as much as I changed his and his mind."

Key Takeaway: Mentorship programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters play a crucial role in shaping young athletes' careers, highlighting the importance of community involvement and personal development in professional sports.

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4. Supercross and Dirt Bike Segment with Colt Nichols

Former Supercross champion Colt Nichols shares his experiences in the high-octane world of Supercross racing, emphasizing the sport's demands and thrill.

• Colt Nichols (04:10): "Supercross is in Indianapolis this weekend... am I getting on a dirt bike for the first time in my life today? I think so."

• AJ Hawk (122:37): Praises the growth and excitement of the Supercross circuit. "Supercross is a really, really good time to be a fan of our sport."

• Pat McAfee (136:01): Discusses the technical aspects of Supercross tracks. "There are like some guys out there, same thing, like... they got to be careful with it."

Key Takeaway: Supercross racing is a physically demanding and rapidly growing sport that captivates audiences with its intense competition and dynamic tracks. Riders like Colt Nichols exemplify the dedication and resilience required to excel.

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5. NFL Trade Speculations: DK Metcalf and Myles Garrett

The conversation shifts to high-profile NFL trade speculations, focusing on wide receiver DK Metcalf's potential move and Cleveland Browns' defensive end Myles Garrett's trade request.

• Pat McAfee (70:24): Highlights John Schneider's openness to trading DK Metcalf. "We are talking to a ton of teams taking offers, seeing what that looks like."

• Ty Schmidt (84:37): Discusses the market challenges for Metcalf. "If you're a team that feels like you're close, you got to call DK and sell DK on like not going to be able to give you 30 million a year."

• Daniel Jeremiah (83:08): Critiques the Cincinnati Bengals' financial strategies affecting player retention, mentioning, "You look at how many draft picks they've spent on the defensive side."

Key Takeaway: High-profile trades like DK Metcalf's potential move reflect broader NFL dynamics where financial constraints and team-building strategies significantly influence player transactions and team competitiveness.

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6. Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James Conflict

A heated exchange between sports media personality Stephen A. Smith and NBA superstar LeBron James is discussed, highlighting tensions within sports media.

• Pat McAfee (161:15): "LeBron says, now you're going to get treated like an NBA is the way it's going to go. Hopefully they settle that and figure it out."

Key Takeaway: The interaction between Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James underscores the complexities of athlete-media relationships and the impact of personal disputes on public narratives within the sports community.

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Conclusion

This episode of The Pat McAfee Show masterfully intertwines critical NFL discussions with engaging segments on Supercross racing. From dissecting the harsh realities of player releases during "Massacre Week" to celebrating community mentorship and exploring the adrenaline-fueled world of Supercross, the show offers a comprehensive look into the multifaceted nature of sports in 2025. Insightful interviews with industry experts like Daniel Jeremiah enrich the conversation, providing listeners with a deeper understanding of the strategic maneuvers shaping today's sports landscape.

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Notable Quotes:

• Pat McAfee (10:01): "Jonathan Allen... is now available after being released from the Commanders."

• Daniel Jeremiah (24:08): "If you don’t ever change, you’re going to always get left behind in these situations."

• Andrew Whitworth (00:25): "I made it to the NFL. Big Whit."

• Colt Nichols (04:10): "Supercross is in Indianapolis this weekend..."

• Pat McAfee (70:24): "We are talking to a ton of teams taking offers, seeing what that looks like."

• Daniel Jeremiah (83:08): "You look at how many draft picks they've spent on the defensive side."

• Pat McAfee (161:15): "LeBron says, now you're going to get treated like an NBA is the way it's going to go."

These highlights encapsulate the episode's blend of strategic sports analysis and personal storytelling, offering listeners a rich and engaging narrative.

Transcript

[Pat McAfee]

Hello, beautiful people, and welcome to our humble abode, the Thunderdome on this Feel good. Friday, March 7, 2025. This program starts right now. Sports are awesome. We're lucky that we get to talk about them every single day. And today will be no different. We have a stacked guest lineup from, you know, the football world and then also Dirt Box.

[Boston Connor]

Whoa.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. We got Andrew Whitworth joining us in about 13 minutes or so. Obviously he is very familiar with everything happening in this of the league year. Also can't wait to catch up with him about his TV gig with Amazon on Thursday nights alongside the entire team. And then also, a kid that he helped mentor in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program as he was growing up in the league in Cincinnati, Derek Barnes just signed a massive deal with the Detroit Lions. If you do recall, whenever Andrew Whitworth won the Walter Payton man of the Year award, he gave a speech. And a part of his speech was talking about this lad running up to him after a game, acting as if they had known each other forever. And Whit had no idea who it was and just so happened to be a kid that he talked to in Cincinnati whenever he was donating his time at the Big Brothers Big Sisters program there. And he ended up making the NFL. He didn't just make it the NFL. Now he's getting paid 25 and a half million dollars. Congrats to Derek Barnes. Cannot wait to talk to Andrew Whitworth because obviously everything going on with Trey Hendrickson and everything happening in Cincinnati. Another meltdown from Bengals fans understanding that they're not going to be able to pay everybody. Although the Philadelphia Eagles are able to, not everybody's going to be able to. And certainly not the Bengals with their trajectory. Daniel Jeremiah will join us in the second hour. First time talking to him since combine. Remember, he's the voice of the combine. He and Rich Eisen are the ones that kind of delivering the goodness alongside, you know, many celebrity. I had a chance to sit down in there. David Spade was in there. Obviously they were taking a lot of time trying to do the entertainment because it is a golf event, watching guys work out. What is Daniel Jeremiah's big takeaway? We can't wait to chat with him. And then, ladies and gentlemen, we're going dirt.

[Boston Connor]

Come on.

[Ty Schmidt]

Hell yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

If it's raining a little bit, we'll go to mud. Finally, Supercross is in Indianapolis this weekend in Colt Nichols. He's a 2021AMA Supercross 250cc East Champion. Holy in 20, he was the 450cc Rookie of the year. He's won in Indianapolis twice. This guy's got to be the odds on favorite down at Lucasol Stadium this weekend. And we'll be chit chatting with him and did I say absolutely. Would love to do this without a proper amount of information. Certainly. Is it going to be a great show this weekend in the stadium? Definitely. And am I getting on a dirt bike for the first time in my life today? I think so.

[Ty Schmidt]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Ever since I watched that Rough Riders anthem music video, they had quads, ATVs, wherever you're from, whatever you call it, Dirt bikes going through the middle of town. You know, you see those videos, it's like, oh, that looks like a good time. I've rode Heavy box.

[AJ Hawk]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

For about the past 15 years or so. Both Harley and Indian motorcycles. Heavy Box. You know, a little bit of. Little bit of. A little bit of metal on those things. Hydraulics, you know, that thing's dropping down whenever I get out there now. A little bit lighter, these dirt bikes. A little bit lfcc. But all the possibilities. Yeah. And I don't know how it's gonna go, but I asked him, gotta ride one of these dirt bikes. And they said, we'll bring one up for you.

[Boston Connor]

And I said, boom.

[Pat McAfee]

All right. So I think there's gonna be some content coming from that. It's gonna go one way or the other. Yeah. And I want to let you know, I'm going full bore out there.

[Boston Connor]

Hell yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. I'm be wide open on that thing. Can't wait to talk to Colt. Cannot wait to chit chat about, you know, their sport that is electrifying and travels around town to town and fills up and sells a lot of seats. A lot of people enjoy the shit out of it. And it's obviously a great show because those boys are flying and those boys are rubbing.

[Ty Schmidt]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And those boys are putting the leg down and sweet. And they commit their life to this shit. Colt Nicholas first race was when he was four years old.

[Evan Fox]

Crazy.

[Pat McAfee]

Four years old was his first time getting on a bike. And he's just committed to it ever since. And can't wait to catch up with him in the third hour on YouTube, ESPN, Disney, and TikTok Live. Currently on ESPN News as well. Huh.

[Evan Fox]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

The toxic table is here at Taishi Schmidt, Nap Austin Connor. Sweet helmet, brother. What's going on here?

[Boston Connor]

Thank you very much. Yeah, look, I mean, this is your typical lake trout. You know, I actually caught this thing. Took it to a taxidermist, said, let me get this thing on a hat, you know, make it look like it's still swimming. Kind of get the tail. Get the tail in there with the. With the head still going.

[Pat McAfee]

Take me to the river. Yeah, that's what it looks like right now. Exactly.

[Boston Connor]

Kind of one of those. You want to frame a fish like this. And I said, you know what? No better place to frame it than right on the top of my head. So it's one of these nice little things that I have. And, you know, it's feel good Friday. Well, why not make it a feel good fish at Friday?

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know if anybody's ever mounted a fish on their forehead. Let's go to Ty Schmidt, Big ten angler. At one point he said he caught that thing. What do you think he was doing? Was he doing any tricks, any slips? And he sleeps. What do you think he was doing to pull this trout out of the lake?

[Ty Schmidt]

I doubted it. I mean, he says lake. I'm thinking this could have been a stock pond somewhere. Yeah, yeah. You know, because we're not exactly. I mean, this isn't, you know, for. For the layman. This isn't prime time fishing season yet. Still really cold.

[Boston Connor]

You know, you're down and south.

[Ty Schmidt]

You're only going to see the dock. Hard anglers out there, what kind of bait you use to get that thing.

[Boston Connor]

You know, a fish hook.

[Ty Schmidt]

On top of another fish.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

He actually quadrupled dragging it around water. And he actually, he. It was like a net almost of hooks that he got that particular.

[Boston Connor]

Got some hot dogs, you know, a little bit. A little hot dog, but spit in the water. You know, people. People don't know you spit in that water here, driving the trap, you know.

[Pat McAfee]

So what hold you find that you knew the spots on the lake. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

You know, you do some research, you know, fishhole.com and make sure you spell that right. Folks don't spell that right at home.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, yeah, you don't want to spell that wrong. But, you know, thing that fishermen do is as soon as they find a hole they deal with, they want to report it for everybody else to know. Yeah. Bingo.

[Boston Connor]

It's deep, dark web. Another thing you want to spell correctly when you get on the Internet.

[Pat McAfee]

But do you want to buy fishold.com I think you could. Right now we just search. It is available on godaddy if you would like to purchase.

[Boston Connor]

Because you spelled it wrong.

[Pat McAfee]

It may be for sale fishold.com because.

[Boston Connor]

You spelled it wrong. And I'm not going to say how to spell it because If I did, then all of a sudden I'm giving out all my best fish holes in there.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Okay. So nonetheless, absolutely very normal.

[Boston Connor]

Thank you.

[Pat McAfee]

And then you got an octopus down there as well.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, yeah. That just kind of came together. You know the shirts are typically.

[Pat McAfee]

You're a real aquaman today.

[Boston Connor]

Well to be honest, the. The octopus shirt that just came together. Holy. I'm wearing an octopus shirt and I grabbed a fish hat because closet. You know I didn't turn the lights on this morning. I just grabbed a shirt and let's. Let's hit the road. You know.

[Pat McAfee]

Let's get in there now. Lake obviously is where you pulled that trout of. And I can respect the work that you have to do to get that. That probably good fight from that. It was that trout right there.

[Boston Connor]

It was tough. And it wasn't just this trout, you.

[Pat McAfee]

Know, that's an alien though on your chest.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, no doubt about it.

[Pat McAfee]

The learn about these things. Yeah. The more documentaries and things that feels like that is not from here, you know. And that might be one of the most sophisticated things that we have. Beings that we have. They can go invisible. They can change. They could. I even saw one put eyes out there. I mean it is more. One became friends with. Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Morph.

[Pat McAfee]

They go flat. They turn into their shape shifters. Yep. That's an interesting creature down there. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Not as interesting as the man in my octopus teacher. To your point.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. He was. He was trying to bow in that. He felt like he caught some real feelings. But finding out that an octopus could be sentient was another. A completely added. That was a whole nother element of these things. We should be taking care of those. Yeah. I. I think those things. I think they have some powers. Try to get one in a can't. Oh they're smart enough.

[Ty Schmidt]

I get out.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. What if I get a massive tank and give it the best life it's ever. Let's just say I don't. I don't even want to ask how expensive it is, but let's just say I get a massive tank. Biggest tank possible. Can I get an octopus in there? What are the chances to get an octopus? Because these things are sweet. And they say yeah, the octopus will just figure out how to fucking open it. Will watch you and then it'll figure out how to open it and get out. It'll be a. It'll be a. It's an uncontam containable species is how they sold it to me. What's that?

[Evan Fox]

I mean you could always make the roof Electric.

[AJ Hawk]

Good luck.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, but it is also.

[Ty Schmidt]

I mean, you don't want to kill the thing.

[Evan Fox]

Well, if you want to teach it a lesson, show its friends.

[Pat McAfee]

I want to take care of this. Nonetheless. I don't think you should harbor octopi. No, is what I've been told.

[Ty Schmidt]

But if Tell after the people in Detroit who are clubbing them over the head and killing them and tossing them on the ice.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, they need to stop doing it. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Believe me, they haven't done it in a while.

[Pat McAfee]

No, they need to start doing it so we can win some damn games here. No, you need to take care of those octopi. Every time I've seen these aliens just get through the air and then boom. On some hard ice, it's like, is that. Make your hockey people throw hats out there to celebrate a hat trick?

[Ty Schmidt]

I get that.

[Pat McAfee]

People throw other things out there. You guys are throwing aliens out on a. Greatest tradition in hockey.

[Boston Connor]

That's not true.

[Pat McAfee]

Greatest tradition hockey. What about the. What about the handshake line after a playoff?

[Boston Connor]

Playoff beard along with that? Playoff beards, though.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

I hate handshakes, man.

[Pat McAfee]

What are you talking about? It's only one time.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Don't need it. Other sports do it on a very regular basis. Hockey's like. But in the end, we will shake their hands. And that's like the tradition, isn't it?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I guess I don't like it, but that's just me.

[Pat McAfee]

Playoff beard's great. Minnesota high school hockey flow. Yeah. Oh, man, That's a good hockey tradition.

[Boston Connor]

State of hockey. There's a massive game last night.

[Pat McAfee]

Pittsburgh. In Minnesota.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And in Pittsburgh, you know, they win. That's what the hockey does.

[Boston Connor]

Well, that's what they do, is that. That's what they did.

[Pat McAfee]

One half of the hammer died. Cowboys toad.

[Ty Schmidt]

Wait a minute.

[Boston Connor]

Wait.

[Pat McAfee]

What's going on with the cowboy hat, brother?

[AJ Hawk]

It's Friday.

[Evan Fox]

And so it felt good.

[Pat McAfee]

It felt right.

[Evan Fox]

And like I said, I reserve the right to put this hat back on whenever I want.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. So the first couple days didn't go as well as you wanted to?

[Evan Fox]

No, I thought they went swimmingly. Shout out, Connor.

[Boston Connor]

Not like this.

[Pat McAfee]

I was going swimmingly until it all ended quick. With a hook on top of a hook on top of a couple hot dogs. Yeah.

[Evan Fox]

But no, I felt like that's what I used everyone going into the weekend, Chicago up a bit and I needed that in my life.

[Pat McAfee]

So you're a feel good cowboy. I can respect that. Boys in the back. Great work this week. Thus Far. Let's have a good show today. Okay? Big news coming around the NFL. Jordan Allen has been. Jonathan Allen, sorry, has been released from the Washington Commanders, obviously captain for that team. They're in the middle of a fast rebuild with new ownership, new leadership, new everything, including a new quarterback in Jaden Daniels. Jonathan Allen, now, which we thought was going to be one of the pillars of this team for a long, long time, is now available after being released from the Commanders. He is just the latest in a lot of dudes around the NFL that have been released this week and it'll continue all the way up through Monday and even until next Wednesday as teams try to figure this out before free agency starts. And ladies and gentlemen, we don't want to do this, but it does feel like we are directly in the center of massacre week. AP Tone, Jonathan Allen's the most recent one. Who are some other guys that have been released this week that maybe we forgot about or should definitely know about?

[Evan Fox]

Yeah, we thought massacre week may be a little more quiet this year because of the salary cap going up, but. But no, it's been an eventful massacre week. I got a list of guys, you know, just some of the notables that have been, you know, part of this massacre week. Raekwon Davis, George Fant, Roy Robertson, Harris, Devonte Adams.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, no.

[Evan Fox]

You know, then you got, you know, Rayshawn Jenkins, Devin Duvern, Joey Bosa.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, no.

[Evan Fox]

Jamal Williams, Javon Von Hargrave. Those are Evan Ingram. Oh, no, we can't forget. Draymond Jones, Darius Slay, super bowl champion.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, no.

[Evan Fox]

Same team. James Bradbury. You got Gardner Minches out there.

[Boston Connor]

Tyler Lock.

[Evan Fox]

So, yeah, those are just some of the few to mention. It's been an eventful massacre week.

[Pat McAfee]

And we say, oh, no, because this isn't just a player getting fired. This is a dream potentially ending. This is a family having to get up and move. This is somebody giving their oath through an organization. Them being told, we don't want you back next year. These are tough times now. It is the business, okay? This is the NFL. This is how it goes. And I think I forget who was on the show earlier this week to talk about the amount of turnover in a locker room regardless, let alone if it's a big turnover year, it's at least 30 to 40%. Every single year your roster is going to be different because, you know, the pillars that we know about, the big time names Tone stopped on there are going to be there year to year and obviously the team is going to try to build around their brands, their images. They're going to be the ones that are associated with the team. But this is 53 dudes, and it is changing on a very regular basis, especially at the bottom half, let alone what practice squad is now, because they were able to open it up to more people and older folks as well. So when you talk about people getting cut, very normal in the NFL sucks. It's part of the business. A lot of these guys, for the first time in their lives, they've been told they're not good enough to make a football team. That is obviously a mental thing that can weigh on some guys, but also it's maybe an opportunity to start an. Maybe go have a fresh first impression in a place. Maybe try to reprove yourself. Maybe get into a different system, little different system, maybe different building, and have your best football that you've ever had in your entire life. I saw Evan Ingram, tight end from Jacksonville who got released. He said, this is no offense to Jacksonville. They just released a dog out into the free agency. So he's motivated by it, obviously. Jacksonville also made a play by sending Christian Kirk. Yeah, here he is. It's all love, Jax, but they just love motherfucking dogless. Sorry for what's next. Hashtag be easy, easy. Evan Graham, tight end for the Jacksonville Jaguars, now available. Christian Kirk from the Jacksonville Jaguars was traded yesterday to the Houston Texans. Now, it was announced that he was going to be released. And then they do this game where they say, yeah, we're getting rid of him. And unless you want to kind of catch in, beat free agency, then you're going to have to do your own thing, do your own deal. So Christian Kirk out of Jacksonville to Houston, and Evan Ingram out of Jacksonville to the free agent market. And there's a lot of big names, a lot of big names that are now available. It feels like next week's going to be heating up. Some of these deals have already been completed at the combine. So whenever Monday opens up and it's the, you know, the launch of the tampering period, and then Wednesday is the new year and yada, yada, yada, all that stuff happens, there's going to be deals that are already announced, those things are already done. Whenever new guys get released, like Jonathan Allen, how much does that change? How much does it rattle? Some things would love that D tackle on my particular squad. Yeah, Trout man, Boston Kohner.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, that'd be awesome. And I feel like because of the D tackle, kind of like expectation, I think it's Milton Williams from Philadelphia is expecting like an $80 million deal. And obviously we just saw OSA get a massive payday. So you'd assume something like that might affect the Jonathan Allen, but yeah, he becomes one of the premier players.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, no. Master Week continues. Dig just sent in from Schultze Starbucks Air. The Texans have informed starting guard Shaq Mason that he's being released. He started 15 games this past season. Okay, so Shaq Mason goes into the free agency market. I mean, Master Week's real. We did think with the way sack salary cap was going up, we didn't think the Master Week was going to, you know, be as heavy. Maybe we didn't think it was going to be as many folks, but instead we're finding out more money. Yeah. And we got different ideas on which way we're going to go. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, super bowl champion Walter Payton. Man of the year, three time all Pro, four time Pro Bowler. He's obviously a national champion from College. He had five years with the Rams, 11 years with the Bengals, was a second rounder out of LSU. Ladies and gentlemen, coming big handsome from Thursday Night Football on Amazon prime and the Wit and Fitz podcast. Andrew Woodward.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Appreciate you, baby. Appreciate you.

[Pat McAfee]

How you doing?

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I like your wording there. Wit and Fitz podcast. That's correct.

[Pat McAfee]

Is that what it is? Is that what it is?

[Daniel Jeremiah]

It's the Fits and Wit podcast, but I'm trying to get it changed. Pat, we're in a disagreement. That's every week I I argue with him.

[Pat McAfee]

We should flip it well, see if it means anything.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

You're on my team. That's what I like.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, on. Unbeknownst to me, I am on your squad. To be clear, in my head, there was an eenie, meeny, miny, moe situation happening while I was talking about you. Is it Fitz and Wit or is it Wit and Fitz? And then in my head I thought I saw Wit first, but maybe that means I am on your side completely. Yeah, maybe the natural thing is to say the non plural sounding name first and then Fitz second. You know, because of the Z at the end. Fitz and Wits. A good name though. Great show. Great show too.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Thank you.

[Pat McAfee]

You guys have gotten great shit out of there in such a short amount of time. How do you feel? You look amaz. Amazing.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I appreciate it, brother. You know, just trying to keep it moving. Pat, you know, I spend my off season still training. Like I think I'm playing, I guess. You know, it makes me feel young at heart. I got four little kids to chase around. So I. You Know, I can't ever let these boys feel like they're hitting that teenage stage.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

They can't feel like they can take Pops down. So I got to stay in a dominant position.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you got to be alpha. You know, if you have a pet orangutan or something, be careful. Anytime that thing thinks it is the alpha of the house. Now, you got to do dynamic. I don't have any baby boys, but I would assume it is a very similar feeling on your end. Can you tell me about these workouts a little bit? We talked off air. I don't want to air out your laundry. You can say whatever you want, but these workouts are every day at 6:00am yeah.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah. Me and Sean this year decided this offseason we were going to try to connect in the mornings, get some training in. Sean McVay is trying to, you know, I think he's trying to relive his Miami, Ohio days a little bit. He still thinks he can get out there and make it happen out there on the field. So we've been training every morning, 6am at a gym I have here in Westlake Village called the. We actually call it the Village. She's just a mixture of the people in my life and my trainer that I trained with while I was playing. So we got a lot of guys there. Cooper cup and Puka Nakua, and all those guys trained still. Tyler Higby, Jordan Whittington. We got some guys coming in, so it's fun, man. I get to be a part of the locker room a little bit. Still that feeling you love, man.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And they get a chance to train at a place that isn't the facility. You know, you're there all. All the time, but you get to train with the guys without having to go anywhere else. That's an excellent opportunity for all parties involved, especially with the camaraderie building that needs to happen for a team to be great. Happens in the off season. You said Cooper, Cooper cup in there. How's that going with everybody? He's cool with everybody because he understands the business.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah. I think, you know, obviously, it's nothing in your career, man. Anytime you. You kind of see a door closed and you feel like something's going to change, I think it gets emotional and. And, you know, obviously what Cooper's meant to this franchise will never change.

[Colt Nichols]

He.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

He's made all our lives better and brought a freaking super bowl championship here in an insane season he had. But Cooper's also driven in the passion of who he is every Single day. So he trains. You know, I watched him yesterday with Puka Nku and Jordan Whittington and you know, giving them some insight of route running and some of the things that he, you know, emphasizes when he's doing things. It's, it's not just about the football field to him, man. It's about the legacy of who he is as a man and the impact he has on guys around him. And he's always been wired that way. So I can imagine whatever team gets him, they're going to be excited to have a guy who's not only going to be a great football player, but what he's going to be able to teach and bring to a locker room and a group is going to be really special because he's like having a coach on the field from his ability and really from the mental part of the game, what he understands.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so he's training, you said, as of today. So he's in good shape. Body feeling good, everything all systems go.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

He's shirtless in there every day. He's just letting the guys know, I still got it, baby. He's showing off the six pack. I think it's a little shot at Puka. Like, you better stay in shape because this is the kind of shape I'm in. You know, Puka's known for throwing up in the trash can. Coop wants to show off the six pack. That's what it is.

[Pat McAfee]

Puka getting after it all the way to the point where he throws up. Respect, dog. Absolute dog. What an ooze in there. And then Cooper cup definitely has spray tan though, right? You're not gonna be that white with a shirt off unless there's at least a little bit of a tan. See down there at the beach, maybe toning that up a little bit.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I don't think Coop puts any chemicals on his body, including deodorant. So I think he's an all natural guy.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, we got a hippie coming to your town. You got a hippie coming to your town who's a incredible wide receiver especially could be a great addition to a locker room. Let's talk about you. You obviously were synonymous with the Bengals for a long, long time. And I remember when you left the Bengals there was some sort of something. I don't remember the exacts of it. Then you end up with the Rams. Yeah, some sort of something. Yeah. I don't. I just. It feels like there's teams that are getting in that position now, obviously not just the Bengals, who Trey Hendrickson is Allowed to go look for a trade. Sam Hubbard just retired. We thought that might open up some money for Trey Hendrickson, but they tell him he can go seek a trade because they got T. Higgins, Jamar Chandler. A lot of people they have to figure out over there. San Francisco 49ers seemingly have to deal with it every single year. Whenever you're talking about, we don't have to just talk about the Bengals, but obviously they're a part of this conversation as a whole. Whenever you have to pick and choose who you're giving money to and how much money you're giving to people, how uncomfortable does that actually get behind closed doors, do you think, that we don't talk about.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I think it's really uncomfortable. I think it's one of the things maybe the fan bases sometimes don't understand. This week isn't just about who's getting acquired or who's leaving and who we're cutting. There's a lot of emotions involved and a lot of nerves because you're hoping that a lot of these decisions, decisions or quality decisions you're making as a personnel group and you're saying, hey, we feel like we want to move money this direction or we want to add money here to our team. And you look at the Cincinnati Bengals situation, which is a great one. You know, obviously Joe Burrow has been very outspoken about wanting T. Higgins and Jamar Chase back, and the Bengals have always done things financially a certain way, and so it's kind of one of those things, like maybe, hey, listen, Joe, we're going to try to do this, but these are the people that are going to have to go, and there's going to be people that aren't going to be a part of this team if we're going to do it that way. So you look at Trey Haynes danger situation, I think it's the Max Crosby deal that really probably sent this to this point, because now they go, wow, if that's the asking price, you know, you probably need to go out there and see if there's another team that would offer you that and then give us some compensation to really make it worth our while to move on.

[Pat McAfee]

106 and a half million dollar extension from Max Crosby, completely earned. We're not saying deserves every bit of it. Every play with this guy plays just like Trey Hendricks.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Crazy, man.

[Pat McAfee]

It is. The engine is obviously absurd, but the impact on the game that a pass rusher has, especially for Trey Hendrickson, the pass sack king last year and then last three years, most sacks out of Anybody, it's like, I assume somebody will be like, yup, we will make that play for Trey Hendrickson. And the Bengals are going to be back at a spot that they're always in, which is get talent, can't keep talent. Business always gets in the way because there's a lot of stats floating out there about paying Joey Burrow. And then obviously the Eagles paid Jalen Hurts. And somehow the Eagles are able to keep everybody, and the Bengals are very rarely ever able to keep anybody. So how do you view the situation as somebody that's been so close to it in the past?

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Well, the issue is, is the Bengals are never going to, you know, issue out lots of guarantees and contracts and unfortunately, they've just continued to be way behind times in that, that spot because it's like that's the part of the business now. And eventually, you know, you may have had an old way of doing things, but if you don't ever change, you're going to always get left behind in these situations. Contin continuously, they've let big free agents leave. Now, it's not that every team hasn't done that, but then they've also not been able to replace them. You look how many draft picks they've spent on the defensive side of the football since they lost Jesse Bates and DJ Reader and now possibly Trey Hendrickson. And they just haven't been able to find guys that match up to that standard of play. So if you can't pay them to stay and you also don't draft their replacement, you're living in a world where we just keep spinning the circle and you're going to be keep putting yourself in this position where you're going to have to overpay to keep some talent. And right now, now you look at it, you've gone this long with T. Higgins being upset with his contract. Jamar Chase obviously needs to get taken care of. Those are the things I just hate to see teams do to continue to allow it to fester, make a decision, pay the guy, move on from the guy, but stop letting it just linger in the locker room because to me, that's what you really see. Start to have an effect. Like what the Cowboys did with CD Lamb and Dak last year. You just, it just continues to fester your team and affects your locker room because you create a bad vibe every single day about. About who's going to get paid that's deserve the opportunity to get paid. You got to make those decisions and make a clean cut of what we're going to do and let's move forward.

[Pat McAfee]

And your stars get jaded towards the organization. And once again, the Bengals aren't the only team that does this. Historically, though, they have been a team that's been in the spotlight of doing this because they get so many good players and then can't keep them. And it's like, have a guy right now. Are they going to be able to figure out the business to keep these talented gentlemen in Cincinnati? You know, whenever you provide a guarantee for somebody, ownership has to put that money up into a fund. So they actually have to have that money right now. You have to be able to put that in there. So that's obviously a question with the Brown family. Would they be willing to put that amount of money? Because the Bengals are their only business. It's crazy because there's other owners that like $106.5 million. Not that Mark Davis is this way. Even though he sold to some funds, I think some venture got 10% he sold. There's some owners that can literally just 106 and a half million dollars just be like, yeah, whatever, we don't care. And then there's some ownerships that the team is all they got. And it's like, fluidity of cash is not necessarily in abundance. I'll be excited to see how that kind of continues to work itself out. And you talk about taking care of guys early. JJ Watt literally just said that yesterday. It's like, it's good for all parties to take care of somebody early. Saquon, Barclays do. How about that? That just awesome, right?

[Daniel Jeremiah]

You talk about another one just like Max Crosby like that. That's what you want to see. You want to see this relationship with organizations where when a guy plays to a certain standard and you go, hey, you know what? This is what we want to encourage. A guy comes in here, the character he plays with, the style he plays with, how he achieved. We're going to make sure these kind of guys get taken care of early. That also helps us make decisions down the road. And that's what I think is the issue is sometimes the cat and mouse game of the team and the player and trying to figure out, all right, do we want to keep leveraging and holding off paying them? Like, the sooner you can make a commitment to guys. And that's really what the Eagles have done. Great, hey, let's pick our five, six, seven guys that we know without question the character they are and the football. Football player they are. We're going to commit to them to move forward and now, that gives us the space to go. All right, when these other situations come up, can we make a move? Can we not? And that really is what, to me, separates. What Howie Roseman's been able to do is not just these ghost years and these contracts. People are talking about how they put them together, but he comm guys that he knows. This is a guy that I'm going to want my organization no matter what. And it's the same thing that's been the criticism of the Giants with R and Saquon leave. How do you let talented football players who are also great characters, awesome for your culture ever walk out of your building? You know, to really validate what that number is that you say is too much is crazy to me because you want good character people who are great football players. That's what you're in the business of acquiring. You don't let those people walk out of your building.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And we watch it all unfold on that Hard Knocks offseason. Boy, that was a. That has all just come back completely the other way. And Mara, the owner, has to feel like a super genius. Yeah, he's probably. Whenever he's going around conversation, have you seen Hard Enough? I know ball.

[Boston Connor]

I knew it.

[Pat McAfee]

I. I know. I know ball. I told him. I. I tried to give him a hint. I tried to give him a tip. Because remember, it was said back in the day, just a few years back that Mara was sick of telling his friends why his team sucks, which is why he invested a bunch of money. Invested a bunch of money. And then this whole situation happens to Mara's like, I'm tired. Fucking know it. They don't let me.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah, the craziest comment, Pat, to that whole situation was when Sheen said that you don't pay a running back, you know, 12 to 15 million, you know, and have your $40 million quarterback hand the ball off to him. And I'm like, wait a minute. Isn't 55 million what all the great quarterbacks are getting paid? So wouldn't you pay your quarterback less and then you're running back more? And then that adds up to what the great quarterbacks are like? That isn't. Even the math actually adds up to. That would be the equivalent of what those guys actually get paid. And that would be the dynamic. If you have a quarterback for $40 million and you look at the. So to me, it just never made any sense.

[Pat McAfee]

And you look at the picture right next to your head right now, it's like the Philadelphia Eagles, they paid a guy a Quarterback. And yeah, he did hand the ball off a lot. They handed the ball off more than they threw the ball. And they're still a okay with paying Jalen. Hurts the amount of money that they're currently paying him. It's a wild time, you know, and it's crazy how this all works, but. But, you know, maybe the Bengals, maybe the Giants, maybe all these teams, they figure it out this offseason. Let's go. Let's go. The one team that I don't even think their fans have any hope and maybe even the people in the building, the Cleveland Browns. Interesting situation as we stay in. Yeah, they're in it. They are in it right now. Miles Garrett has requested a trade. He also requested, allegedly, a meeting with ownership. I assume he was going to go up to Haslam and just say, yeah, I'm never coming in this building again, so the right thing to do is just to get me out of here. Haslam allegedly declined the meeting. So they were not able to catch up is what's being reported at this exact moment. Andrew Barry has done a media round. The general manager for the Cleveland Browns done a media round saying Myles Garrett's going to be a Cleveland Brown. Myles Garrett's going to be Cleveland Brown. Now it's being reported that Myles Garrett is willing to miss games because he said he wants to go and play meaningful football. What are your thoughts on how this works out and where do you rank Myles Garrett as a guy amongst the defensive end, pass rusher? Is this a Mount Rushmore player already?

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Well, there's no question he's a Mount Rushmore type player. He's also like the win the game off the bus guy. Every time. I mean, I don't. Every time you see this guy, it's impressive. Just the physical stature he has. But you look at this situation, Pat, it's crazy me because as much, you know, hard time, I give the Cincinnati Bengals some of these decisions, obviously I loved playing there, but one of the things I respected the most is every time a contract situation came up or I was upset and my agent and I talked, I would go upstairs and Mike Brown was an open door policy at all times. Anytime you want to come meet with me, you want to talk about these things, we could sit down and have man to man conversations in distance, disagree, and that be okay, but we're going to talk about it. You can feel better about the fact you communicated in my face about it. And I just. I hate the idea that you would turn down that request because regardless of what you're going to do. And just from. I tell this to players all the time. As a leader of a locker room, you're a man before you're anything else and always live your life that way and make decisions that way. Stick true to who you are. And so to reject an opportunity to sit down with a guy, I don't even understand that, that doesn't even make any sense. Allow him to come in and tell you how he feels because maybe, maybe you would understand him a little better. Maybe you'd understand the situation a little better or maybe even for him, if you got a chance to convince him why you feel this way, why we'll never trade you, maybe that convinces him to stay a little more. I just think it's a bad way to do it. And unfortunately, they have put him in situations in his eight years he's been there to where you, you got to say, hey, Miles, we haven't done a very good job of giving you competitive teams and making good decisions. But at the same time, you know what? You're an unbelievable football player. And we're not in the business of getting rid of great football players who are also great people. Like I just said about Saquon, but those conversations have to be had. That man to man conversation will matter to Myles Garrett either way. It shakes out because I still, even though my Cincinnati Inn wasn't great, left with a great appreciation for the man Mike Brown is. And I actually have the letter he wrote me when I left in free agency on my wall right here behind me because. Because it meant so much to me that we always had that relationship, no matter how it ended.

[Pat McAfee]

That's awesome to hear that. And that's business. You know, the reason why all this is happening is because it is a business. The way you go about doing business is explaining your side like that is. And then you're negotiating. Miles could go in there and be negotiating with Haslam and Haslam will be negotiating with Miles. Now, it might just sound like a recruiting conversation, but that's negotiating. Getting a guy back or why you're back or how much you're worth and everything like that. Maybe has some experience, explains why he pulled the trigger on Deshaun Watson and gave the contract that he gave Myles. I did that to make a team for you. Like that is what I try to do this for. Because I saw Joe Thomas sit here forever. I'm watching Joel Batonio now sit here forever. I'm watching you sit here forever. So the reason why I did this with desean is because of you. So it's like there is a sell that you can do in there in that conversation as well. Both sides, you know? And maybe even Miles goes in there and goes like, Mr. Has. I'm very honored to be a Brown. It has been. I love the city. I love playing for you, but you guys have no avenue to success over the next three years. And who knows how long I have. So I'm just trying to. And then maybe has him's like, all right, you got it. And then shake hands, and he's on his way out. It's like, those things can happen and probably have happened in the past. Wait, I would assume.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah. And, I mean, you think about it. What if Miles says, listen, my heart's just not here anymore, and it's not a place I want to be? Do you want to be in the business of paying a guy who's that great, who you're obviously you're paying a lot of money to, that just doesn't want to be there? I mean, I think that, yes, two teams do have the right to own you and possess you if they want to and keep you there. But, you know, Mike Tomlin has said it best, right? We want volunteers, not hostages like you. You got to think about your culture as well when you make these kind of decisions. And it's not like Myles Garrett just angrily sent out a tweet and said, I want out of here. The guy wrote a freaking letter, like an address, like he's retiring of. I'm basically retiring from being a Cleveland Brown, and I'm ready to move on. And I think back to my situation in 2011 in Cincinnati with Carson Palmer, who did basically the same thing with the organization and just said, listen, I'm not done playing football, but I am done being a Cincinnati Bengal, and I will retire before I ever play here again. And he did. He sat out most of that season until about week eight when Hugh Jackson, who had been here with us, was able to call Mike Brown and convince him not to let Carson go out that way, trade him to us in Oakland with the Raiders, and that. That really extended his career. But Mike Brown was going to put his feet in the ground. Ground. And allow Carson to just walk off and retire. And so they had their head to head. But eventually, I think you gotta. You gotta ask yourself if you want that in the building. If Miles really genuinely never wants to be a Cleveland Brown again.

[Pat McAfee]

That's a tough culture. And, you know, there has been money that is obviously sued over these types of fractures in Relationships in the past. Maybe we'll see that. But, yeah, let's go shake their hands, boys. Let's go shake their hands. And nobody's got to go in there and be combative. Hey, that happens. Happens, yeah. Especially like. But at the end. Yeah, exactly. You need to go represent in there. Now let's talk a little bit about another team that has been notoriously terrible, but making some moves that don't look bad. Ty Schmidt has a question for you.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, Whit? What do you think about what the Bears have done so far this off season? Obviously, it seems like Caleb Williams got sacked like 500 times last year. Some people think, you know, part of that was on him. Part of it was definitely on the offensive line. But then Ben. Ben Johnson right away goes out and trades for Jonah Jackson, who he had in Detroit and was great in Detroit. And then they kind of shock everyone and go out and get Joe Tuney. How big of an impact will this have almost immediately on the Bears next year?

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I think it has a huge impact. I mean, you really look at what Ben Johnson came from. I mean, we talk about all the weapons and all those type things, but let's not forget where the Lions really get their bread and butter in the sense of they are built up front, and that's who they were and have been. And protecting Jared Goff was. Was obviously the number one priority for them. And all the pieces could come to life because of that. And you really look at the great coordinators across the league, you'll hear them talk about how the quarterback's number one, the offensive lines number two, and that can flip, just depending on who can do what. That's got to be the priority of how I call a game, and when I'm making a play, call every snap, it has to do with those two things. And the Chicago Bears had to find a way to protect Caleb Williams. And if we think he's similar in style, possibly to a Mahomes or some of these guys, it's going to have an ability. Yeah, we got to get to playing in time and a rhythm better, but also going to have that opportunity to extend plays and make plays, then I want to provide him an interior offensive line that's going to give him time to have those opportunities. Because you really look at Patrick Mahomes, a lot of his success has been because of having Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey and Joe Tunney in that interior 3. And really, we've seen guys coming in and out of the lineup at right tackle and left tackle. So adding a Joe Tunney and a Jonah Jackson, a guy Ben's familiar with who already is going to know his system. This just adds another layer of, hey, Caleb, we're going to make you a little more comfortable in this offense, and we're going to be able to do some things, run the football, use athletic guards that can pull and move. I think those are things that are going to give confidence to Ben Johnson as a play caller and then also can provide some space to the quarterback to be able to stay in that pocket and make plays.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, how much is confidence in the offensive line from the quarterback paramount in the success of everything? Because I think there's some conversations about some of these younger quarterbacks and not all of them, obviously. And Caleb, he has never said this. We're just kind of looking. Whenever you think you're going to get your ass beat on every single play, there is a chance that there is a lack of, like, going through your progressions and just trying to survive. Now, that can't be how you play your entire NFL career. You have to grow out of that. You have to be able to just stick in there and have faith that the people in front of you will do that. But it felt like Caleb got that. You know, Caleb was very uncomfortable. I think even Bryce Young, if you go back to before he got benched, to after he got benched, it's like it feels like he had a lot more confidence in the boys in front of him. Maybe that's because Andy Dalton, but if you lose that confidence middle of the season, that's going to be hard to get back. So hopefully this will help bring back Caleb with some confidence with the old line.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah, that's the thing you really look at. I was just going to say that, Pat. You look at the Carolina situation, a lot of times when people say, what is it? Sit the quarterback early or not? When I think you see these young guys, really what they need to see sometimes is a veteran like Andy Dalton that Bryce Young got to watch going in there and balls coming out in time in a rhythm. Guys like the offensive line gets more confidence because they can trust that this quarterback, he's going to hit his back foot and he's going to let it go. The receivers get more confident in their route and what they're doing, that, hey, I'm going to get a ball on time. I got to be ready to catch it. So they speed up and now the offense starts to move at a faster pattern with everybody having a trust and belief of how we're going to Operate. Oh, and then Bryce Young comes back in and he kind of sticks to that script, and it's like, oh, man, I'm starting to have some success. Success. Then he starts to get confident. Then you start to open yourself up. I mean, Pat, I know you play golf. You know what it's like when you hit that one great shot and you're like, oh, oh, wait a minute. Today's my day. Then what do you do? You feel like you can start opening up all the options. I could draw it, I could cut it. I can start to play the different things. That confidence is real in sports, and so I think you saw that with Bryce Young this year, and I think that's what the Bears are looking for. And the other thing that I think is really important to the Bears situation, Pat. I was with Andy Dalton when he was a rookie, veteran offensive lineman. He had a couple other vets with me that we could be around for him and help him. You look at it, when I came to LA with Jared Goff, he had a struggle his rookie year, and then his second year with Sean McVeigh and us, John Sullivan, other vets in that group, Roger Saffold, we were able to kind of be there and give him, hey, man, we got you, like, trust us to protect you. I think adding two veteran guards who've done it at a high level that you believe in, it's not just how they play. It's those little moments in the huddle of, man, it's third and eight. Hey, we're going to give you one more tick, man. We're going to give you another second to get this ball out. You do your thing, man. Just being able to have that veteran presence in the offense. Think of what he had last year. He didn't have a veteran backup. He didn't have a veteran lineman in that group that had really played and had a lot of experience over time. So this is going to be something that's not just about their play. It's also about who they are as human beings. It's a success.

[Pat McAfee]

They've had a Pat on a helmet. It. Hey, we're good. You know, like that type of. That's a big deal.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Hey, stay your ass up in the pocket.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, I'm not holding on for 20 seconds. Yeah, all that type of stuff.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Hey, listen, I've told Jared Goff every play call. Hey, what's this one? Seven step, five step. Hey, eight yards, nine yards. Don't you dare get deeper than that.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, Jared, I'm running.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Hell, no.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, Jared, I'm running them, okay? So you're back there. This is on you, okay? We need you.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

You're back there. It's on you, baby.

[Pat McAfee]

That is a big deal. You forget about the human side of this whole thing, you know? And it's like Caleb, I don't know if he felt like he had to project as if he knew everything, but he did have to project as if he knew everything. And it's like, you look around that team, there wasn't a lot of people that were like, hey, also this. Hey, also this. To work alongside of him. I think he has that confidence to be a leading man, like I think he does. I think he has the ability to do it, too. I think if they put the right people around him. Why not Chicago, Zito? Why not Chicago? Why not? Let's go. Well, history tells us it won't be.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Don't forget Jonah. Jonah Jackson's also traded at the Village, baby. So, hey, we got.

[Pat McAfee]

We.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

We're going, baby. We're Team Bears over here too, right?

[Pat McAfee]

I did not know that. We got a factory happening over there with Whitworth. Now let's talk about. You said Jonah Jackson training over there. We're talking about Tuni going over there. We're talking about, you know, teams rewarding, you know, certain things. How about whenever the world champion rewards the offensive line and the running back? What does that mean? Connor has a question for you, Whit.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, Whit. All those things about the O line in the pass game are great, but it does feel like the running game, the trenches are all the way back. And that is kind of become a you the new thing once again? Because we always talk about how the NFL is cyclical. What do you think about kind of that structure to a team? Do you think more teams are going to try to do it like Philly, both in the draft and bringing in elite running backs and some of that offensive line talenting? You think those two positions all of a sudden are a much bigger deal? And also, do you think kind of the strategy that Cincinnati and some other teams are going with with kind of the, you know, high powered, throw the ball over the yard is kind of becoming old news almost, and that isn't a real way to win.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah, I think that's my biggest concern for Cincinnati. I'll answer the second one versus is that, yes, you can put up a lot of points and they got on a roll at the end of the season, but look how they've started every year. And it's like, if they don't start successfully. Then it's like they're always playing this game where, yeah, you're putting up points, but just because you're down in a lot of games and you're not controlling the time of possession and you're not dominating the other team, you're just able to put up a lot of explos. I think we're starting to see a switch in the league now. Back to time of possession, running the football, being able to sustain drives. And we know it's a copycat league. So I think it's going to be really interesting to see this offseason. I look at a guy like Ronnie Stanley, you know, some of these guys, Shaq Mason now just getting released, like some of these better in linemen. What's the market going to be? What are some like teams going to say, hey, we have to get better up front so that we can run the football. I think it's going to be interesting how many teams try to copycat. The only problem problem is, is to me it's. It's like when you have three great players on NBA team, You know those three superstar teams like Saquon Barkley should not be behind that offensive line. It's absolutely crazy that this even happened because of how good they are up front and now Saquon. But if you want to copycat the Eagles, it's real simple. You need a bunch of second round picks that get a chance to watch Jason Kelsey and Lane Johnson. Tremendous football players play. You need a guy like Lane Johnson in the last, you know, freaking over a decade and played a super high level. You need a rugby player who can come over after playing rugby and be an absolute freak at left tackle. Oh, and then find you a top 15 pick who's a bust, who can come in and move to position he's never played in his life and be dominant. So if you want to copycat it, go for it. Have fun guys.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, and get Saquon. Get a running back that can jump over people backwards. Saquon did say that he took less money to go to Philadelphia because of the big guys up front. He thought exactly what you said, exactly what a lot of people were thinking. At the end of the year, it's like that pairing greatest in history. He broke the record for obviously including playoff runs and playoff yardage, most yardage by running back in the history. And then his yards before contact was like a top five running back this year, let alone his total yards. But his yards before contact, like that one wasn't even Touched there his yards before contact. Contact living by itself as its own running back. Top five running back in the. In the entire league. So it's like that's directly to scheme and offensive line. And then I think his yak he has. He's like top 15 or something. It's unbelievable. It is unbelievable. And Howie and Sirianni and everybody in Philadelphia is like, yeah, we want to do that again. Yeah, we would like to do that. Let's see how many times we can run that. Yeah. No. Makai Becton, what a story.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Is that not unbelievable? What is he, 6 foot 6?

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah. When you see these guys get a chance like that after the super bowl, to reflect on the journey and even to watch him, how emotional he would get to just being a part of a winning program, being a part of something just bigger than yourself. I think that feeling, you guys know this success y'all had together, it's like to be a part of something bigger than just you, that all of a sudden you have all this success and it's going in the right direction. And yeah, you believed it, but you didn't really know if it happened. And then to sit there and be in those moments, to watch a guy like Mikhail, like, it's tough, man. When you get in the NFL, you have this expectation at one place that you're going to come in and be dominant. I can remember him running the 40 and we all freaking out about it was just a huge freak athlete. He was. And then to have the injuries he had, which were real stuff, right. That really a struggle to get through, and then to be labeled a bust. And you know what, when you say that about a top pick, it's like we say, man, your career is over. Like, you were a top pick and now you can't make it. It's over. And you get to a place, you play a position you never played in your. Your life, and you get around an awesome group that all of a sudden gives you confidence to believe in yourself. It's what's so freaking awesome about football, man, that you get that belief. And now there's a new, new fragrance to you, man. You feel like you smell good, you look good, you play good. That, to me, is the beauty of this game.

[Pat McAfee]

Stoutland University over there does it again with Sirianni. Putting him at guard is obviously something that not a lot of people would do. And for him, going from being a top 15 tag tackle to go to guard is like a cornerback being told you're going to go to safety. Like, you don't have it anymore. So for him to put his ego aside and be like, yeah, I just want to play ball, that's awesome. Now let's talk about the tackle coming into this year's draft out of lsu. Hey. Oh.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Death Valley.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you're right. Don't say it. Tone has a question for you. Yeah.

[Evan Fox]

Talking about top 15 tackles having to go to guard. I assume you know, Will Campbell, since you guys, I believe, went to the same hometown, same college, same position. Position. He's the number one tackle on the board. And then he goes to the combine and he has the shortest arms in 10 years or whatever it is. And now all the draft guys and all the. All the stack guys are saying he can't play left tackle in the NFL. How do you feel about, you know, teams saying that guys with shorter arms can't play tackle and moving them to guard? You think Will will be able to play out there? And just in general that. Just that whole. That whole situation going on with tackles moving to guard.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah, I mean, you look at his tape and really how he played in college, I mean, there's nothing that sticks out and says, oh, he can't play tackle. Sure, you can go find you some clips of a guy, long arm, long arming him or something, but guess what? Every tackle in the. In the entire group has got some play like that out there. But you look at really the physicality, the strength he has, I think he has a demeanor to play this game. And I say this all the time, man, never let people's opinions of you become your reality. And so his. His really willpower. Who is he made of? What's his mettle as a man to say, you know what? Give me that label that I can't play this position. I'll go show you I can. Because when I came out for the draft, not because of arm length or anything else, but because people thought I wasn't athletic enough, different than him, it was, hey, he could only play guard or possibly be a right tackle. That could start for you, but he'll never play left tackle. So to this day, I can list you anything about any left tackles that ever played in my time. Not because I hated any of those guys, but because some scouts said this guy won't play left tackle. I can list you the stats of who started the most games, played in the most playoffs, who was it, and won a Super bowl, division championships, you name it. All right, you want to list the stat, let's talk about it. But it's still something that Lives in you, man. And so his drive and will to prove them wrong, that'll be a separator. And maybe he'll be at left tackle, maybe be it being an all pro guard, who knows? But I think Will's wired right. I'm excited to see his journey.

[Pat McAfee]

Willpower Campbell.

[Boston Connor]

Boom.

[Pat McAfee]

I have good willpower down there at offensive line. If you're an offensive lineman down there in a bayou. I got. I'm impressed because how hot it is carrying that weight around. Which leads me to this. I was reminded of a part of your Walter Payton man of the Year speech this morning. Got sent back in from Foxy, who's a Detroit Lions fan. For those that did not hear it or see it, here's big wit. After winning the Walter Payton man of the Year at the NFL Honor show.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

In our game against the Detroit Lions, I had a young player from the Lions run up to me as soon as the 340 went off and I saw him sprinting over and I didn't know what was going on. Like we don't even other forever. I couldn't place him. It made me so nervous. Had I actually played long enough that like a coach's son or player's son is playing against me? He stopped that. He said, hey, man, you're not going to remember me. I'm Derrick Barnes. You spent time with me when you were a young player in Cincinnati at the Boys and Girls Club, and it meant the world to me. Used to sit with me and talk to me about life, and I was just a little kid. I want you to know how much it meant to me. I said, man. He goes, you know what the main thing I wanted to say, Whit, I made it. I made it to the NFL. Big Whit.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, getting choked up just watching it again. I couldn't imagine your feelings. He just signs a massive deal. Not only did it make it to the NFL, he just changed everything for him in the next generation of his family. 25 and a half million. I said, big brothers, big sisters. It was the Boys and Girls Club in Cincinnati. Hey, that had to be so cool to kind of experience that and see that. And also for somebody to come up and say that whenever you decided to go do something to make the community better, you did. I'm happy you got your flowers in real time, legit. I'm happy you got your flowers.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Appreciate that, brother. I appreciate it. I was a little hot and bothered right there. I was doing some sweating.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, what were you, 340 there? Three fit?

[Daniel Jeremiah]

What were you 340, Pat. I'd come straight from practice. We'd been practicing for the. We're obviously playing in the Super Bowl. So I came straight from practice, got a car service. Believe it or not, they actually forgot the car service, so we had to drive.

[Pat McAfee]

I believe it.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

We got a police escort, me and Cooper Cup. Cooper cup got offensive player of the year, and I won Walter Payton. But we were Holland butt down. The 101, the 405, trying to get to practice. I mean, trying to get to the honor. And it was an amazing night. You know, Pat, the cool thing about that speech that I will say real quick is, you know, obviously, you get put on the timer, we watch the award shows, the music's gonna start playing. You only got so long. Hey, we don't talk too much. We want you to talk a little bit. And so I. I gave that speech, and the only part I didn't get to finish it up with is, obviously, people walk away from that and go, man, you made an awesome impact in this kid's life at Boys and Girls Club. You were a rookie in the NFL, spending your twosies hanging out with these kids, throwing the football.

[Boston Connor]

Football.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

And developed a relationship. But I want to make sure people understand something, that.

[Pat McAfee]

That.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

That act of service sometimes is as much for you as it is for them. And so what I really wish I could have buttoned it up with is that Derek Barnes changed my life every bit as much as I changed his and his mind. Because the real truth is I was a Louisiana kid that had moved to Ohio. I was lost. I just gotten out of a longtime relationship. I didn't know who I was or what I was going to be. But the only thing that made me feel right is going to remind them myself. Playing with these kids, man, that I started playing this game because I loved playing the game, and I loved being around people who just loved playing it as well. And it just got me back to reminding myself who I was and what I came from. And that filled my heart and gave me the passion to go chase it every single Sunday, that I'm going to change my family's life. So to see Derek Barnes now, get this contract, have the opportunity that the game not only changed his life, but he's gonna be able to change everyone around his life because of what he's achieved. That's the coolest freaking part of it, man. And he deserves all the cred in the world.

[Pat McAfee]

Hell, yeah. Hell, yeah. Yeah. Hey, fulfillment's a real thing, isn't it? Isn't it crazy.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

It is, brother.

[Pat McAfee]

Fulfillment is really the only thing worth getting or chasing. And those community Tuesdays did a lot, not just for you, but across the league for young players. And I'm happy to hear that about Derek. What a story. I'm happy he remembered too, you know, because every once in a while, those things just kind of come and go. He obviously great dude. As are you. Connor had a question he wanted to ask you.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, big wit. We've heard this story a couple times from one of your buddies, Jay Glazer. Is it true that when you guys were down in Cabo, you're all hanging out in the pool and Drew Brees gave a big old cannonball and then somehow, some way, you and Sean McVay and all the guys recruited Stafford on that trip to come to the Rams.

[Pat McAfee]

Got him boozed up.

[Boston Connor]

Yep, got him boozed.

[Pat McAfee]

Jay Glazer's out there serving beer. Drew Brees is doing cannonballs and big wits like, hey, why don't you come meet my friend Sean McVay? He's younger than you, but he's fucking ready to go. Is that what happened? Were you the mediator there?

[Daniel Jeremiah]

We. You know what? We. We had a good time in Cabo. That's for sure. That. That I will say we had a good time. A lot of good people and a lot of those same people were still intertwined. Man. It's been an awesome ride, that's for sure. But that was. That was a cool moment, honestly. And then Drew Brees did cannonball in the pool. I. I don't remember us being in the hot tub part. I don't know where Jay got that one. He may be a, like, kind of little romantic at heart or something. I don't know.

[Pat McAfee]

I remember there was bubbles, there was bubble coming out. It was warm. It was heat.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah. You know, I think that's the salesman in him a little bit. But I do remember Drew Brees cannonballing in the pool and splash us with water while we were actually sitting there having a dinner with Sean McVeigh's birthday, actually, and he. He cannonballed us. I was. I thought that I got a lot of respect for Drew for that.

[Pat McAfee]

Absolutely. That doesn't sound like a Drew Brees. I respected Drew Brees.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I think he'd had a dinner and had him a couple too. Pat. He was feeling good.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

He was feeling good. Like, hey, you know what? Yeah, he. I think he remembered the NFC championship, the non call, and he said, you know what? These guys are a little too dressed up for me. I'm gonna give them a cannonball. Make sure they remember I changed football.

[Pat McAfee]

There for like a year. The pass interference was reviewable, and then it wasn't, and then now it stinks, and now it's back in with the who knows? That was a massive game. Massive year for you guys. Fun to watch and you're great, man. This is an incredible conversation. We can't thank you enough.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Anytime, brother. Appreciate you guys.

[Pat McAfee]

Waiting fits. Wait and fit fits. Let's go do this. Waiting fits and fits. Let's go do all of this.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I got the mug.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, you already got the merch. It's fits and win.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I'm holding it the wrong way.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Ladies and gentlemen, Thursday night football home prime super bowl champion Andrew Whitworth. That Derek Barnes story. Awesome. So cool. And he has one of the biggest plays in Lions history two years ago. Divisional round picks up Baker Mayfield, sends us to the NFC championship. MC DC guy through and through. It's awesome. Yeah, he's, you know, welter paid man of the year. They don't just hand those no right. You know, that is something you got to give back to the community in which you call home. And there's a lot more good around the NFL happening than bad. Although the negative headlines are always the ones that are going to be chit chatted about the most. Those community Tuesdays are awesome. I got a chance to meet a lot of people, you know, Children's Hospital. Tally got hooked up with the military group Wish for our heroes that I started working with. I built a house. At one point, I stopped by, you know, a food. I don't know if it was. It wasn't a pantry bank. It was like a food bank. But it wasn't. It was like serving food got a chance to be a part of that. It's like, it's really cool to kind of get in there in the feeling that you get, you know, And I started this. I got lucky to start doing this type of thing in college with Bill Stewart. Bill Stewart sent us over to the hospital, which was across the street from the stadium. Rest in peace to coach Bill Stewart. And it was like the first time going to see, like, sick kids and, like, families going through it. It's not just the kid or the patient that's going through it. It's also the family, the mom and the dad and the brother and everything that has stopped completely. To try to hopefully save the life or fight through something that's very devastating. That type of fulfillment is awesome. If you Get a chance to go and give back. I would recommend it wholeheartedly. It is a cool feeling, cool experience. And to wit's point, you're getting a lot more out of it than you could ever expect whenever you're doing that. So shout out to Whit. Being a good dude. Great. That was good football.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Pat McAfee]

That was really good football.

[Boston Connor]

Great insight.

[Pat McAfee]

We could have continued to go, what, 45 more Jay Glazer questions?

[Ty Schmidt]

Without a doubt. And actually, I believe Glaze was working out at the Village just yesterday with Chuck Lado. So he's there.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, he has that unbreakable performance.

[Ty Schmidt]

He does.

[Pat McAfee]

Glazer has that gym in la.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

I believe it's in Hollywood. Above the pink taco, correct? Sure. It's up the hill from the pink taco I've worked at out in there. And that's the Village right there, huh?

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Jake Laser has been traveling overseas to get injections so he can continue to roll with these guys.

[Boston Connor]

Good beard on.

[Pat McAfee]

I know you kind of see in.

[Evan Fox]

The background, I think. Is that the big bald headed guy in the background way back there near the door? Maybe not.

[Ty Schmidt]

Maybe not.

[Pat McAfee]

That looks like a warrior. That's a massive dude taking the photo there, though.

[Ty Schmidt]

I will say with the hat, another UFC guy.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I was gonna say. You see those ears?

[Pat McAfee]

Shout out to Jay. Shout out to Chuck. Likel the. The chuckle.

[Ty Schmidt]

Shout out.

[Pat McAfee]

Great Entourage episode. Shout out Johnny Drama. Hour one wrapping up here on ESPN News, YouTube, ESPN plus Disney plus and tick tock Live. We will continue next hour on ESPN2.

[Evan Fox]

Nice.

[Ty Schmidt]

Okay, moving on up the deuce.

[Pat McAfee]

Do we do it?

[Boston Connor]

How about it?

[Pat McAfee]

We'll also continue on YouTube, ESPN plus Disney plus, tick tock live. And then we'll propel into the greatest weekend of all time. Why? Because it's the next weekend. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change their life. Remember, we might be riding dirt bikes today.

[Boston Connor]

Look out.

[Ty Schmidt]

Does it ever feel like you're a.

[Pat McAfee]

Marketing professional just speaking into the void? Well, with LinkedIn ads, you can know you're reaching the right decision makers. You can even target buyers by job title, industry, company seniority, skills. Wait, did I say job title yet?

[Colt Nichols]

Get started today and see how you.

[Pat McAfee]

Can avoid the void and reach the right buyers with LinkedIn ads.

[Evan Fox]

We'll even give you a $100 credit.

[Pat McAfee]

On your next campaign. Get started at LinkedIn.com results, terms and conditions apply.

[AJ Hawk]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this.

[Pat McAfee]

But anyone can get the same Premium.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying.

[Pat McAfee]

It's not just for celebrities. So do like I did and have.

[AJ Hawk]

One of your assistant's assistants switch you.

[Pat McAfee]

To Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail] Switch upfront payment of $45 plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees, extra fee, full [e-mail] we're so incredibly thankful that we get to talk about them every single day. Thank you for watching. Listening wherever the hell you may be. Just a little housekeeping here. Big night in Pittsburgh. Date will be announced on Monday and then ticket sale will begin shortly afterwards. This is within the next couple months. This will be happening rather quickly and big laughs, big sing alongs, big giveaways, big night out. More info coming on Monday. We are so incredibly pumped to do this. It's like it's nothing like this particular program. It's nothing like any show I don't think that has existed in a long, long time. The giveaways are going to be gigantic. Gigantic. Millions of dollars gonna be given away both in the arena and maybe a couple hundred thousand dollars for potential people walk watching at home and maybe we'll see if that whole thing goes the big laughs. Yeah, we got some funny, we get some funny. There's some fun, there's some, there's a very funny things that'll be happening. We think, you know, you never know if anything's gonna hit but there is some hilarity and story and then the sing alongs give. Get ready, let's get those pipes. We're ready to enjoy the hell out of a night at in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I think you'll walk away from the show saying wow, I could have never guessed what that was going to be. I can't believe insert name was here. And what a night. And I'm truly, truly excited and pumped for the opportunity and Pittsburgh's right place to do it at too, you know, because the, the setup, the people and the amount, it's just gonna be great. So big night out information coming on Monday when it will be and then announcement of when ticket sales will be shortly after. We can't thank everybody enough for allowing us to be in a position to be able to do this. And the boys will be a part of the show, but it is not this show that needs to be stated. It is not this show, but the boys will be a part of show throughout the talks at tables here At Boss Connor and at Tai Schmidt. I don't think that lake trout will be making an appearance.

[Boston Connor]

Ah, you never know. Don't sleep on the fish. Look, I'm not going to say that it is. I'm not going to say that it isn't. And you know, who knows? Maybe you guys want to buy one of these things after. I don't know.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, you're. You're buy one.

[Evan Fox]

I thought you caught that fish.

[Boston Connor]

No, no, I know you would have to buy the hat to make it.

[Pat McAfee]

That's a good call. That's one half of the hammer feel. Good Friday, cowboys. AP Tone. Yeah. Did you buy that? No. No.

[Boston Connor]

You have to. Well, you have to buy the hat and then catch the fish. I just assumed you guys so.

[Pat McAfee]

That. Once again, that's a real. That used to be a fish. Yes. Took it to a taxidermist.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Tax taxidermists, you know, hauled that thing out and I told him, like, hey, can we keep the. The side. The fins?

[Pat McAfee]

Did you put any weights or lures or extra fillets inside of that trout so it would weigh heavier like those dudes in Ohio did that are currently in jail, I think.

[Ty Schmidt]

No, no, federal penitentiary.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I wasn't competing normally. If I was competing, that'd be a catch and release. You know, this is just more so fun fishing, which I do all the time.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And just. You're just like, show me your fear. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Bingo. Yeah, that's one of the better fishing songs out there, you know, And I'll listen to Hootie as well, just to get into the.

[Evan Fox]

The formerly known.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, of course. Well, in the. In the blowies. Hootie and the blowies. Not just Hootie.

[Pat McAfee]

No, no, no. Fish. Yeah, we're talking about this.

[Boston Connor]

Exactly, exactly. But no, I wasn't listening to. To anything like that. This was just a little casual.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, she was just out on Tuesday night.

[Boston Connor]

Bingo.

[Pat McAfee]

Just.

[Boston Connor]

Just hanging and banging.

[Pat McAfee]

Getting away from the family.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

Getting away from the world.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Just going out there and angling a little bit out on the water, screaming.

[Boston Connor]

Fish on solo, you know, that's how I like to relax.

[Pat McAfee]

Ty, you were a big ten angler.

[Ty Schmidt]

That's right.

[Pat McAfee]

When do you get out? When do you find time to get out? And how come we don't have any fish hats from you?

[Ty Schmidt]

Well, because, you know, if you're a real angler, you ain't doing Mickey Mouse like this.

[Pat McAfee]

What?

[Ty Schmidt]

You know what else you're not doing? You're certainly not baiting your hooks with hot dogs. Okay.

[Connor]

That's because.

[Boston Connor]

That's because I'm old school, so. That's because I'm old school. Sorry.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm an old school guy. Did you use a rod or.

[Boston Connor]

I mean, look, for some of them, not. Not for all this was a rod catch, but, I mean.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, somebody gave me, you know, throughout college game day. You get out of south, you go to a lot of different places, experience a lot of different things. Somebody gave me this fishing contraption that was just like, basically a hand. They're just pulling it out, like their suitcase or out of their bag. And it's just like a handheld thing, like for a small little.

[Boston Connor]

I got one of those.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I'm sure you do. I got. I got one.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. That's a good little thing. That is more. So the pond fishing. You know, I'll break out the hand if I'm going to a pond. This was. This was a full rod.

[Pat McAfee]

Were you on it? Did you have a boat? You have a fishing boat?

[Boston Connor]

No, no, I like to stay on the shore.

[Pat McAfee]

So you went to the lake and you fish on the shore?

[Boston Connor]

Well, I mean, it depends. It depends on where got. It depends on where.

[Pat McAfee]

I understand. Yeah, yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Lakes all the time. Yeah, you can fish. I mean, you got to find the peninsula of the lake. But I mean, look, the fish hole that I was looking up that I found on the Internet, it.

[Pat McAfee]

It was within a cast.

[Boston Connor]

It did not require a boat or a kayak. Now, I don't. I typically use a kayak. I'm not a. I'm not a boat guy. I don't need. I don't want all the fishes to know where I'm coming in from.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Kayak, I can kind of.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

I can disguise canoe. I can get into those. I can get into those tight holes, you know, that. That are in the corners.

[Pat McAfee]

We know you're able to get into real titles. Yeah. Just by looking at the hat.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You know, that I don't think I've seen. We're joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, is a college football national champion, a super super bowl champion, a Ryder cup winner, I assume, not an angler. Ladies and gentlemen, AJ Hawk. Are you an angler?

[Connor]

You. You'd assume, right. I'm not an angler. I'm not scared to fish. But, you know, I've said on here, if I'm not catching anything in the first five to six minutes, it's going to be tough to keep me around.

[Pat McAfee]

Some of the worst moments of our entire professional career, for me at least, was when we were out on Lake Minnetonka and we were ice fishing in a shed and I didn't catch anything for two hours and everybody literally was catching fish all around me now it was cold out there. We walked past some wolves, I think to get out to the hub that we were at in the middle of Lake Minnetonka. I was promised to fish. I pulled a swordfish out at the end. Yeah, huge. With about four and a half hours into this thing was supposed to be there for about an hour and a half. I couldn't catch a fish. And it could have been worse, I guess. Remember Ty Schmidt was shitting in an outhouse that had no roof on the frozen Lake Minnetonka? Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Was an awful night. An awful night. Not only that, we did a podcast from inside the thing and went back to edit it when we got back and boy, all you could hear was the wind. So that was, that was a lot of fun doing that. Yeah, that. That is some ice fishing. More power to you if you like doing that. Cuz we did it like the, the creme de la creme.

[Pat McAfee]

We had a little TV monitor.

[Ty Schmidt]

Exactly. But. But boy, did that suck. And I will never do that again. That is for sure.

[Connor]

Is just ice fishing. Is, hey, let's go drink 35 beers in a tent and catch a little baby fish every once in a while.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. In a shed on ice. Yeah, yeah, I've gone. I went ice fishing with my dad when I was growing up. Tim big angler, Tim walking creeks. He's got raiders. He's doing the entire. I mean, he's out there. Has no idea that there's potentially holes that he should maybe try to find where there's actual fish. But he's gonna snoop around, you know, he's gonna, he's gonna cast around. He took us ice fishing and there was no shed or anything. It was just open lake, you know, open lake and you know, you cut the.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You do the entire thing to cut the hole. And me and my brother and dad are all in the same hole there. And I, I guess I got fed up with it. I'm done with it. I head back to the car, I find a thin piece of ice. I go in. Oh, I go into lake, into lake. Keep keys though, for Tim's car up above because boy, you lose keys, you're in a real bad spot. Especially after you're in the lake. Tim McAfee comes sprinting across the lake, grabs me like one handed, pulls me out, gets me wrapped up in blankets, tosses me in the car, turns it on. Everybody on the lake is worried, coming over, check on me. I look like the biggest asshole of all time. So it's like me and ice fish. I've gone twice. I've gone twice that time and then the Minnetonka time. And it has been absolute failures both times. Fishing's not easy. That's why you need that Van Damme wrist or you need to be able. Whenever you catch a trout, you put on a hat. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

When you lock eyes with that trout, you know if. If it's meant for a hat or not. And I just kn.

[Pat McAfee]

Had no idea you were a bass fisherman as well. We got pictures of Conor on the weekend. Competing con man. That's unbelievable.

[Boston Connor]

I didn't want to bring this up. Okay. But yeah, yeah, I dominated this weekend. It wasn't even close. Those guys with weights, I wish they were around still because I would have kicked their ass too. But yeah, it was good weekend. I appreciate getting some Nitro ZS or Z5 in there. One of my favorite parts brands. And of course, you know, as always, I wouldn't be fishing without bass Pro shops. Go, go visit your local one today. And naturally, I was driving one of those beautiful whalers out on that deck. And if. If we could also give a little love to my. My. My favorite shades, of course.

[Pat McAfee]

Chest Toyota GoPro.

[Boston Connor]

See, I can't be a Toyota.

[Pat McAfee]

There it is.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Mustard. Of course. I had a GoPro almost.

[AJ Hawk]

Don't forget Bush Light.

[Evan Fox]

Bush light, Bush Light.

[Pat McAfee]

My.

[Boston Connor]

One of my favorite pines always. And GoPro. Yes. I will be releasing a series with them. And naturally, a quantum. Quantum vision. Love working with them as well. But yeah, Toyota Corolla. One of my. That's a vehicle I drive. And that's the vehicle you should ride.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, absolutely. And that Mercury boat is the one.

[Evan Fox]

You think they only make Corolla.

[Pat McAfee]

Mercury boat.

[Boston Connor]

Go get yourself Mercury today. They also make kayaks, as I mentioned earlier.

[Pat McAfee]

That's right. And I believe this is actually Van Damme. This is the greatest of all time that we put your face on. Well, that's why there's 30 sponsors.

[Boston Connor]

That was me. I don't know Van Damme. His time's done. It's my time.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Shout out to you, con man. You out on the water. Your Aquaman day with that octopus. That's next, right? That's next. There's Mr. Van Damme. He's the greatest of all time.

[Boston Connor]

He photoshopped. They photoshopped Van Damme. Van Damme on there.

[Pat McAfee]

What's his name? Kevin or Keith? Kevin. Kevin. Kevin Van Damme, legend. He's invited me to go fishing a couple different times.

[Evan Fox]

You should do that.

[Pat McAfee]

No, but I want to tell him, like, buddy, I'm not the guy, pal.

[Ty Schmidt]

You is the guy.

[Evan Fox]

Six minutes with Van Dam, you're the guy.

[Boston Connor]

He's got some Lee fitting.

[Pat McAfee]

He does have a little leaf fitting, though, don't he? I see a little Lee in there. Little handsome Lee, no doubt. My thing is, like, this guy always pulls fish. Always.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I get out there on this guy's boat.

[Evan Fox]

Not with Van Dam.

[Pat McAfee]

Those fish know I'm there. I don't know if they get smarter when I'm around. I don't know what the case is, but getting out on Van Dam's boat will certainly be a dream come true. Yeah, and shout out to Toyota, getting us out there.

[Boston Connor]

I love Toyota and Mercury boats.

[Connor]

Corollas.

[Pat McAfee]

I was trying to tell him while he was talking. I'm like, look at the.

[Boston Connor]

I couldn't. I try to look up there, but this. The fish head so big, fully loaded.

[Pat McAfee]

Corolla, you got.

[Evan Fox]

I just.

[Pat McAfee]

Big news. Big news around the NFL, not just in a fishing community. In the NFL. There's some big news. DK Metcalf has announced to the world that he would like to be traded from the Seattle Seahawks. Obviously a pillar of the Seahawks program for a while. John Schneider, the general manager of the Seattle Seahawks, the man who is being tasked with rebuilding the Seahawks in a new image of McDonald as the head coach. The post Pete Carroll era was on with local espn, and this is what he had to say about DK Metcalfe's trade market. It's.

[AJ Hawk]

Everything's in a very cordial, you know, professional. Professional place. You know, obviously DJs or DK has requested a trade, and we are, you know, entertaining that. We are talking to a ton of teams taking offers, seeing what that looks like, and, yeah, here we go. I mean, you know, you know, you always have to do that. The thing to understand here is that, you know, our responsibility to, you know, Jody Allen, you know, the. The Twelves, you know, first and foremost is doing what's absolutely best for the organization, A, and then, B, what's best for the.

[Pat McAfee]

The player.

[AJ Hawk]

Hopefully, you know, both those things merge, and it's an ideal situation. Sometimes that happens, sometimes it doesn't. Hopefully, in this situation, it does, and that'd be great. But worst case scenario, I mean, we have a amazing, explosive, powerful athlete playing receiver for us again in 2025. So we'll we'll, we'll see where this goes.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so Schneider leaves the door open on the John Schneider show, brought to you by Pizza Hut. Out there on Seattle Sports Network. He alludes to maybe DK's back next year for not able to find a partner, but we are certainly fielding offers and he did. What most GMs will do is like, hey, my job is to make this team as good as as possible to ownership, to the fans. And if that involves moving on from dk, if we get a first rounder and a third rounder, or we get a second rounder and a third rounder for DK and we think that's going to make our team better, we'll do that. You know John Schneider pretty well, right? What do you think the takeaway from what he just said was about dk?

[Connor]

I thought it was, it was a very honest way to go about it. Yeah, of course DK requests a trade. You can't sit there and claim that he did not. But I think it's, he does a good job too, saying, yeah, we're feuding. Calls, lots of calls, lots of offers all around the league. That's a good job negotiating. Obviously you want, if a team comes out to get them, you want, you want them to know that, hey, you're bidding against a bunch of different teams, so you better, you better throw us some, some good compensation if you want this guy such a stud player. But yeah, I mean, I guess there is a chance that he, he can he come back and still continue to play for the Seahawks. I, I think it feels like it's not like personal. They're not letting business get in the way with like, personal feelings or whatever. They know dk, what, he wants to go to a contender. He feels like they might not be there yet. And the Seahawks aren't really like, taking it personally. There's kind of like a business situation and I respect him for that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, that's what he's saying now. There's a chance DK puts out a tweet of a baseball cap, which has happened in the past whenever a GM talks about a wide receiver situation. Just a few weeks ago, T. Higgins was the one to tweet. That's Cap. Everything you just said is a lie, even though we're negotiating. And yes, to your point, Schneider definitely wants people to think there's a lot of teams that are looking to get dk. Metcalf want that to be the narrative. Even if there's only one team, even if there's no team you would like that to be the narrative at this juncture, Even though from what we know about GMs, if they hear that there's trouble, they're going to call in, snoop around. So is that what he's hearing or is he hearing actual negotiations? I guess TBD on that front. You know, Brandon Bean would be a guy that would be immediately on the horn to Seattle as soon as he heard about him, potentially. Just from what we know, I'm not saying he's the only GM in the NFL that would do that, but from what he's actually told us, it's like, hey, I got guys money monitoring stuff. We have people checking stuff. If somebody says they want to be traded, we will definitely call if it's somebody we're interested in and snoop around. I know Bean's not the only one, but he has told us that. Could you imagine DK going to Buffalo now? Getting 30 million a year is going to be tough. Getting 30 million a year is going to be tough. But that would be on Bean and the Buffalo Bills to sell. Like, hey, we're not going to be able to do that, but we definitely are able to with what Shakir has become, with what Dalton can gate is with what Josh.

[Connor]

We had Josh Allen. We had Josh Allen. That's got to be your biggest sales pitch right away. Like, who wouldn't want to go be a receiver for Josh Allen?

[Pat McAfee]

And they just signed Bernard this morning. They just got a deal done. So they're in the middle of negotiating deals and figuring out what their salary cap is going to be. So congrats to linebacker Terrell Bernard on getting a deal. Four years, 50 million. And for the Buffalo Bills, Kyle Brandt broke that this morning live on Good Morning Football. Great insider stuff out of. Out of Kyle Brandon, but Bean's got him call. And he's not the only one. I, I don't think he's the only one that would certainly be snooping around.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, I think I read this morning Mike Garofalo reported that, like, there have at least been five teams that he knows of that have already reached out to the Seahawks about dk. So it's tough to think that he would go back just because they might not get a first and a third. But if there are five teams that we know of, potentially upwards of like 10 teams who are calling them, you would think that, that, you know, someone is going to end up getting closer to what they want in return. And then, yeah, it'll just come down to is someone willing to give him $30 million a year.

[Pat McAfee]

Now the Bills would not be able to do it with their salary cap situation.

[Ty Schmidt]

Correct.

[Pat McAfee]

They would have to do massive salary cap gymnastics. But it's like if you're a team that feels like you're close, you got to call DK and sell DK on like not going to be able to give you 30 million a year. If he wants 30 million and to go to a contender, obviously that widows away. That is like, guess who. Does he have a mustache? Sure, they all kind of knock down there. But with that being said, can there. Is there a happy medium where he ends up with a contender, gets 25, 22 and a half million a year? Is that what he's really looking for? Is he looking for the biggest check? I think we, we still don't know any of that information.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, because the biggest check thing, like he could just be wanting to be one of those top guys, you know, if he were to be offered $35 million. But maybe it is more of a rebuild situation. Of course I'm talking about New England. Of course that is what I would want. And you know, although it is known as tax Massachusetts, a few of those teams at the top there are like L. A obviously we know the LA tax situation is brutal. They're one of those.

[Pat McAfee]

He's in Washington now. He understands.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, okay. The Washington taxes are terrible.

[Pat McAfee]

I would just assume just my natural assumption is, is it's probably pretty good up there. The taxes are probably pretty solid in Washington. Okay, we should look that up. But in my first thought first, first few, the state of Washington probably has pretty good taxes.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, but aside, aside from, you know, with, with that situation, maybe that is good then. But like you can probably take off the Cardinals, you can take off the Rams, Vikings with, with a quarterback situation, you know, who knows? And then, you know, aside from that, like the Chargers and commies. When it just comes to strictly money and the opportunity to.

[Pat McAfee]

I just got information. Washington is maybe no income tax.

[Ty Schmidt]

Really?

[Pat McAfee]

Never heard that. You're in Tennessee so far out there.

[Connor]

We don't hear people go. We hear people going to Florida and Texas.

[Pat McAfee]

But yeah, I guess Tennessee, Florida, Texas. You never hear Nevada. Nevada. Yeah. You never hear about Delaware income tax. Zero percent. There is zero personal income tax in Washington. Holy shit. Let's add Washington. I apologize for my natural assumption being that Washington has massive taxes. Sales tax 9.38%. Sales tax rate is 6.5%. But some counties local sales tax up to 4.1%. I don't know.

[Boston Connor]

Wow.

[Pat McAfee]

I did not Expect that at all. At all. Sorry about that, Washington. I. I legitimately did not know that that was the case and. Shout out.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Evan Fox]

Shout out.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey. Shout out.

[Ty Schmidt]

Cool.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, that's very cool. And we will certainly add you in there. So yeah, I guess Tax Juice is going to have to do a pretty good little sell there.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. A few of them and I. Because I assume the DC area as well that that would be an assumption I have. Like their taxes must be an absolute.

[Pat McAfee]

The commanders with DK Metcalf and Debo and Terry.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

It kind of seems like an embarrassing minor riches. I don't know if they're going to be running.

[Pat McAfee]

They got $95 million.

[Ty Schmidt]

I mean I guess they. They did just get rid of Allen today too. So who knows. But.

[Pat McAfee]

And they got rookie quarterback salary right now which we talk about. If you have a rookie quarterback contract you can build up around. He's not going to want money until probably after next year. Right. So you got at least a two year run maybe after this season. He wants to redo it. But I don't think the commanders would feel obligated to do as such especially after second year quarterback. Unless he just goes bananas and maybe they do reward him which is what teams can and have done in the past. But they probably got two years here at least where they don't have a lot of money at the quarterback position which is quite a weapon whenever you're building a. A team. Dk Terry Debo and then Robinson running back.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Good luck. Brian Robinson. Another one.

[Pat McAfee]

That was Zach Ertz. Still the tight end. Yeah. Or is he a free agent?

[Ty Schmidt]

I think he's got one year left.

[Boston Connor]

I believe the a cool team. Just looking at that board too. Depending on who they have to pay. Still would be the Lions because lions have 50. You know, who knows if they're going to pay Hutch right now because he's coming off an injury and the money is so absurd. But a team like Detroit would be sweet and obviously Pittsburgh as well. Tony not Detroit style of play would.

[Connor]

Welcome DK I would imagine as well. You see, I've seen these clips going around the Internet too of DK just blasting dudes all over the field.

[Pat McAfee]

They got 51.3. There was a little bit of room. He is urgent free. I thought I saw his name on something the he. But they could probably get him back. I mean he had a great year. Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

I would assume that he'd be happy to go back and play with Cliff for another year.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Offense. He knows Jaden Daniels he knows also became like a leader feeling like from looking from outside in on that particular team. Detroit Lions with $51.3 million. What are you guys gonna do with it? I would absolutely love it because I don't think Tim Patrick has been signed yet. For the next coming year. He'd be the perfect. We'd have JMO Saint Brown and DK Metcalf. DK loves the block. He'd fit in there perfectly. I personally don't think they will do it. I think they're going to focus on the defensive side and focus on getting their guys that they already have paid. Just like they did with Derek Barnes. How about we just mention the Vikings matches? The Vikings with Justin Jefferson and DK Metcalf and Jordan Addison. I mean these are the teams that have just a shitload of money right now where we're sitting. And now granted, Vikings need to pay a quarterback potentially.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know. There's a lot of names being rumored back to the Vikings as veteran quarterback. Unless J.J. mcClure McCarthy is just the guy. Kirk Herbstream said the other day on the show, team's gonna get better with JJ McCarthy as quarterback. They went 14 and three last year. Said they're only gonna get better. Yeah. He said they might not win as many games. But whenever, whenever the time comes, JJ shows up is what Kirk Herbstreet said. He's not the only one. I think Herb street sent me somebody else saying something like very overwhelmingly positive about J.J. mcCarthy.

[Boston Connor]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

I forget who it was.

[Boston Connor]

I do not think we could find that statement from OH as being real.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. That's how it all came about. That's he got a cockt. Potentially.

[Evan Fox]

It was Brady.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Oh yeah. It feels like I'm talking to myself. Yeah. Yeah. Herbie said that over. I'm not the only one who likes jj but it does feel like there is a lot of positive convo around jj. Is that because the Vikings are ready to go with him and they need it to be positive around him or is it because, you know that team should go? So like whoever's that quarterback position is very important. They're talking about if Sam Darnold doesn't go there. Maybe Sam Darnold. There's rumors of him going to Pittsburgh. Yeah. Maybe Kirk Cousins goes back to Minnesota on a cheap deal because he's getting paid by Atlanta. What if Aaron Rodgers goes to Minnesota on a one year deal to lead J.J. mcCarthy or something small. The world is literally seemingly wide open at the quarterback position for the Minnesota Vikings. And I think they got a lot of great opportunity to be great. Joining us now is a man who has opinions, a man who studies the NFL. NFL studies all the draft prospects. He's got done with a four day combine where he talked about every single player that is potentially going to be a Hall of Famer and every single player that's potentially going to be a bus, and every single player that is potentially going to be insurance salesman. Ladies and gentlemen, Daniel Jeremiah. How you doing, DJ?

[Colt Nichols]

I'm doing great. AJ's face when you said that I correctly identified all the hall of Famers was pretty fantastic, by the way.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, yeah, he probably thinks I trust you. Nobody can do that. But if anybody could, it would be you. You were the one that Tone quoted as saying, maybe Kirk or Sam Darnold to Pittsburgh or Kirk too, he said.

[Evan Fox]

Both on the 40s and free agency show, I believe it was, I was listening to it this morning. He said, you know, if, if the Steelers don't sign Justin Fields and Sam Darnold doesn't go back to the Vikings, Sam Darnold to the Steelers. And then he was the first one to, you know, talk about Kirk potentially back to the Vikings, which would be.

[Pat McAfee]

Insane, especially after he goes and gets his bag. The Vikings didn't want to pay him, allegedly because they had to pay Justin Jefferson, everybody else. Then he's able to go back to the offense that he knows has done very well and he also got paid and the Vikings don't have to be the one. That would be the best case scenario for the Vikings. I feel like in their mind with the Kirk Cousins situations, how do you see it working out, especially after the combine with QBs.

[Colt Nichols]

Yeah, I think the quarterback carousel is fascinating. You know, let's start with Pittsburgh there, Pat. I, I just feel like the Pittsburgh Steelers, when we get to Monday when this whole thing kicks off, that they have to have either Justin Fields or Sam Darnold in the fold. To me, those are the two guys that make the most sense for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, whatever what they go, we'd have to wait and see. And then with Sam in Minnesota, you know, I think it's tricky because it makes sense for obviously the year he's coming off of Minnesota, try and bring him back, but I don't know how long the commitment would be. So if, if everything's equal, if you have Minnesota with a one year offer and say it's Pittsburgh and whoever else is in the mix there, if it's all one year, even for less money, I think you Stay in Minnesota if you're, if you're sitting there, Sam Darnold. But if one of these teams is willing to commit to you longer than that, I think you have to take it. And then it leaves Minnesota with, you know, I think people misinterpreted the Cousins thing. Like, why would he bring back Kirk and then. And then not let J.J. go? No, no. J.J. is going to be the starter, but you have to have some veteran insurance there. First of all, the guy needs to stay healthy. And with Kirk Cousins, I just thought it was a unique opportunity of somebody who, as you guys were mentioning, knows the offense inside and out. Atlanta's four foot in the bill, so it's going to cost you. It's going to cost you next to nothing. He can literally play for the league minimum like Russell Wilson did last year. So that's why I thought that was a fascinating one. And some people thought that Shadow maybe would be too big for J.J. but, Pat, you go to me on that one. Anybody that's met Kirk Cousins or been around Kirk Cousins, like, that's, that's not really who he is. I, I don't think that would be the case at all.

[Pat McAfee]

He had a lot of success in Minnesota. Would he want to go from, you know, being a backup to Michael Pennix Jr. To a backup to JJ McCarthy? Kirk Cousins would have to have that discussion because who knows what the market looks like for Kirk Cousins. And aren't people saying that maybe he's back with Atlanta as the backup quarterback for Pennix Jr. Anyways, you're saying no, from what you're hearing.

[Colt Nichols]

Yeah, I mean, I know that's. That's been out there, but that's in the, the Falcons best interest to put that out there, that, hey, no, we're comfortable. Nope, we're not going to cut them.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

We're going to.

[Colt Nichols]

We're going to hold on to them. So if you want them, you got to trade for him, and then you're going to have to eat some of this money so that I don't really read too much into what's coming out of Atlanta on that point.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so on that note, let's assume Kirk is available. There's probably some, like, what about the Raiders? You know, what about the Raiders that potentially would like a Kirk Cousins? You know, maybe Tom Brady says, you know, Kirk has played a lot of winning ball. He's obviously very quick at learning things. He's fast, he's smart. And even if we get a young guy, watch Kirk work for like a year or Two, Kirk is another like stopgap quarterback almost and he can maybe win some games. Kirk will win you some games. Now are they going to be able to win a Super Bowl? Who knows? But I'm excited to see who ends up where. What about Aaron Rodgers for the Minnesota Vikings? What about Aaron Rodgers from Minnesota Vikings? Kevin O'Connell, Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison. It would only be a one year deal, we assume so JJ McCarthy gets to watch, gets to see how Aaron would operate, you know, for one year. It's not a long term investment. I don't know if Aaron's looking for a two, three year investment. AJ Hawk would be the one that'd be able to give that type of information. But as you think about the Brett Favre path here, it's like you go to the jets, doesn't work out. You have it in Minnesota. It did though, big time, you know, and especially now it looks like it could work out, especially if you are an accurate quarterback. Who knows where the hell to go with the ball. That is seemingly what matters in a Kevin O'Connell offense. D.J.

[Colt Nichols]

Well, can you, can you just, just repeat it and say it again? With Minnesota and Aaron Rodgers, I wasn't looking at AJ. I want to look at AJ's reaction and to see if I'm a good poker player, if I can read it and get a good feel for whether what this looks like.

[Pat McAfee]

Aj, all time leading tackler for the Green Bay Packers. I think he would be okay with Aaron finding a good home, right? Aj? Isn't that kind of how you would view that? But packers fans would not be thrilled, obviously.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, no, I mean the Farf thing was one thing because he played with the jets and you just didn't. And then obviously he came in and kind of beat the packers ass when he was with the Vikings. But this one would just be, I mean I, I lived it once, I don't need to live it again. And this Vikings team, kind of like that Vikings team with Farve, like there's a chance they could if he plays the way he did end of last season. Yeah, they could win a Super bowl with which would be just the worst thing ever.

[Boston Connor]

And could you fathom Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. hawkinson, Devonte Adams, Aaron Jones.

[Pat McAfee]

Jordy Nelson coming off the Farmer. Aj, what are your thoughts on all of it? Obviously speculation. And who knows how much you know legitimately, who knows how much you know from that side of it, but these are all potentially possible right now with this current quarterback carousel. Aj.

[Connor]

Yeah, I guess they are like Minnesota of seems weird for me for that to happen. I feel like with JJ McCarthy, you. Why would you want Aaron in there? I feel like you want JJ to come back and start and have like a maybe a vet backup that would, you know, you would feel good about. If JJ has a hiccup. Yeah. To help him out. Aaron is going to come in and be a starter wherever he goes. I would imagine that's what he, he plans on doing. But DJ like where do you think is actually a good fit for Aaron like coach wise, schematically where do you think you like are legit possibilities?

[Colt Nichols]

Well, I mean the one that was number one on the list was. Was the Rams until Stafford and that got all worked out. That was the one that made the most sense.

[Connor]

Are the Giants going hard at him? DJ we heard yesterday was that. Was that Art Art was telling us.

[Pat McAfee]

Art Stapleton said they're negotiating right now. He covers the Giants.

[Colt Nichols]

I have not heard the Giants connected with any of the veteran quarterbacks other than Aaron Rodgers. And for a team that feels like when you look at the situation there with coach and general manager like this, there's some urgency here. We need to get ready to go. We need to win right now. So who's the win right now quarterback? It's Aaron Rodgers. So that one to me seems like there should be some urgency on their part. I know. I felt like with the Giants if they had two tracks, they either trade up to one to sh to get Cam Ward and, and ensure that they have Cam Ward and then maybe they shop in, you know, kind of that, that second tier veteran backup market for just some insurance there for, for Cam to kind of help him, maybe buy him a little bit of time. But if they don't have a deal done as we go into free free agency, then to me it's like they got a. I mean I don't know who else is in on Aaron Rodgers, but it would seem to reason that nobody should outbid the Giants. They would have the most to the most to gain there.

[Pat McAfee]

Allegedly the offer they made to Stafford was very big and the comp for the Rams was worthy of a trade in less needs eyes and Sean McVeigh's eyes. And then Matthew Stafford met with them on Friday morning of the combine and decided he was going to stay with the Rams. Sean McVay has described that deal as being very selfless. So we don't know the actual numbers, but we think it's going to be a lot less than what the Giants were offering. That's kind of seemingly how the story was going would Day Ball and he'd be a good fit, you think?

[Colt Nichols]

Yeah, I think so. You know, I. Look, they've got some good pieces in place that they need to get a couple more offensive linemen. I mean, obviously with. With Saquon leaving it, you know, everybody's going to focus on that. But you know, Tyron Tracy is nowhere near Saquon Barkley, but he's a good player. Like he a good back. Neighbors is a legit number one wide receiver with New York. So they've got a couple interesting pieces in place and they need to be active here upcoming in free agency. I just. All these teams have money and to me I think you're going to see, you know, a lot of them are actually going to be kind of patient and wait for the second wave. The Giants, to me would be one of those teams that would serve to be a little bit aggressive here. Come out the shoot and get something done.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, come on, Giants. You know, because last off season we saw, you know, this offseason, let's do something different.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

Good luck out there. We're pulling for you. Let's stick with the quarterbacks, especially with the veteran ones. The. The conversation that's looming with all the vets, these young guys trying to make a name for themselves. Connor Aquaman has a question for you.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, D.J. it feels like those top five picks are huge, especially those first three, just kind of shaping the rest of the draft and kind of free agency. Do you see two quarterbacks going in the top five picks? You mentioned the Giants trading up up there and from reports that we've heard, the Browns are definitely taking a quarterback. And we saw Mary Kay Cabot report that, you know, they love Shador. That one man's brash is another's treasure is what was in the article she wrote about how they feel about Shador. Do you see the Giants and Browns definitely going quarterback here? Do you think that's possible? And then is. Are the Titans definitely not taking a quarterback? Is that completely out of the question? There's no way they're taking a qb. They're definitely going to roll with Levis for another year or sign one in free agency.

[Colt Nichols]

I would say up in the air on the. On the first pick with the Titans. I wouldn't rule out Cam Ward there. I think that's still a legitimate possibility. The interesting thing would be if Rogers gets done with the Giants. If Rogers gets done with the Giants and you're in a kind of all in right now. We need to win to, you know, survive, so to speak. To me, if you're sitting there and Travis Hunter's there and you're the Giants and I've got a chance to have Aaron Rodgers and I can go out on one side with Malik Neighbors and maybe, you know, the first year, maybe we want Travis Hunter to just, you know, kind of focus more on offense, man, that's, that changes that offense real quick and they become very interesting and very exciting. So that might pull the Giants out of the quarterback market even at Aaron's age. I just think there's an urgency there. So that one is tbd. The Browns, I've been saying all along made the most sense as a team that needed to take a quarterback. Now talking to people around the league, there's some that say, okay, yeah, no, they're going to take a quarterback, but I wouldn't necessarily make it a lock that they're going to do with their first pick. They, they've done their homework on this second tier quarterbacks as well. So don't, don't rule that out on.

[Pat McAfee]

Who, you know, on who. Daniel Jeremiah. Because I read a Kurt Warner tweet. I don't know if you guys saw this. Kurt Warner brought out a tweet. He's watching, watching all the film of all the guys. Okay. As you know, Kurt Warner, he does all his work. He's due diligent to a tee in everything that he does talking ball. Been watching the last four games for top NFL draft QBs and Will Howard had the best four game stretch of any quarterback I've watched so far and it really wasn't even that close. Great throws, consistent accuracy downfield throws, good reads, multiple concepts, etc. Etc. Etc. He continued to go on with etc. If he could. He ran out of characters in that, that entire thing and he saw the same four games that we saw live in person, which is why I felt the way I did going into comment. He had a bad day, huh? Throwing its combine, D.J. that's what they're saying. He had a bad day out there. What's the takeaway of Will Howard and is Jackson Dart solidified as the number 3 QB though?

[Colt Nichols]

Well, first of all, Kurt sent me that text. I was going back through it to pull it. Yeah, because he knew, he knew Will Howard going back to K State because his kid played with him at Kansas State. So he's known, he's known about Will for a long time. But yeah, look, I've, I agree with you in terms of that. Four Game stretch. It was, you know, it was, you know, a really nice run.

[Pat McAfee]

You agree with hall of Famer Kurt Warner? You agree with hall of Famer Kurt Warner? You mean. I'm sorry, you're not just me.

[Colt Nichols]

Yeah, no, but I mean, you gotta, you gotta do more than just.

[Pat McAfee]

More than just former Iowa Barnstormer Kurt Warner. You name star guy knows. The guy knows ball. You agree with Kurt Warner? In myself and America's underdog, many others. So I'm sorry, go ahead.

[Colt Nichols]

He's America. America's underdog. He's, you know, look, the thing with the thing when you look at him and Will Howard is just, you know, do you have, you know, can you drive the ball? Do you have enough. Just pure velocity and, and can you fit balls in windows that you didn't necessarily have to do much of there at Ohio State? That was the question. The combine. Look, Pat, he didn't throw it great there. I don't, I don't. I think you can help yourself with the combine in the throwing. I don't necessarily ever punish anybody for.

[Pat McAfee]

What you see in the US Neither. We like that.

[Colt Nichols]

It's just, it's, you know, come on, you're throwing the guys. You don't know. It's a weird, it's a weird atmosphere. So I don't, I don't hold that against him. You get a chance at his pro day to throw to guys he knows and he's familiar with. I think you'll see him throw it better. I think he's in that conversation for the, you know, third, third, fourth quarterback. The names you hear the most. I have Jackson Dart as the third. Tyler Schuck is in that conversation with a lot of teams who are high on him. And then there's. There's Will Howard. You know, if you're, if you're looking for a place for Will Howard, it's pretty easy dodge shots to connect. If the Raiders don't, you know, aren't super active in, in addressing the veteran side of things and they just get a stop back quarterback who knows Will Howard better than Chip Kelly. So why would that not be an opportunity for him somewhere on day two to, you know, to land with the, with a coach that he's very familiar with.

[Pat McAfee]

They have no quarterback in Las Vegas currently, although Max Crosby has come out and said would love Aaron Rodgers as a Las Vegas Raider, which adds whole nother because maybe Will Howard does come in behind Aaron Rodgers. There's just like so many situations where it sounds like signing the veteran free agent doesn't necessarily change the mindset of the team trying to get a young quarterback. And you know who's been doing this consistently? The Green Bay Packers. Yeah, you know, like it is, it's almost just like a. Yeah. This is what you need to do with the current model of NFL that we're in right now.

[Boston Connor]

Well, if, if.

[Colt Nichols]

You know what we need though. You know what we need though, guys. Sorry.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Sorry.

[Colt Nichols]

Boston. Connor. We got to get, we got to get a, a, a deal that we don't even know about. We, we are talking about the same names, right? The veteran names, the draft names. We've been talking about them forever. We need, the NFL needs to come through for us early next week and we need a quarterback trade that just, just shakes to the Lakers.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, yeah, I'll take that.

[Colt Nichols]

I don't know that we're going to get the Luca level, but who's like a mid tier, like 12 and 12 and six game.

[Pat McAfee]

Maybe there's big names on the potential trademark. It might not be a quarterback, but Tone has a question for you. Yeah, D.J.

[Evan Fox]

I wanted the Chargers since you cover them, you do their play by play. You know, it feels like we were talking about like they, they could be a wide receiver away from, from a deep playoff run. Obviously they hit on lad McConkey last year. They have Quinton as well in there. Like is a guy like dk. Do you see them potentially going after a guy like DK or devonte who said he's wanted to play out on the West Coast. You see them making a big splash in the wide receiver market this first free agency.

[Colt Nichols]

Those are interesting names. And Godwin would be another kind of veteran that's out there. That would really help to me if you're looking for the complimentary piece like DK would be. He fits because of the. He's like a jumbo sized Mike Williams who Herbert had a ton of success with with the big physical wide receiver on the outside would compliment lad McConkey a lot. I also think you can look at Devonte Adams. You know Devonte Adams skill set wise, like the way he plays is similar to the way Keenan. Adam Allen functioned with Herbert and, and Keenan Allen's numbers when he was with the Chargers were off the charts. So that one would make some sense as well. So I, I think they'll. Joe Ortiz loves draft picks and I was with him and worked with him in Baltimore and have known him forever and I know he is. He's a big fan of, of holding on to his picks. So that would Be the one thing on the DK side of it that, you know, depending on how much that costs in terms of draft picks now, maybe that pushes him towards one of these other free agents that you can go out there and just pay.

[Pat McAfee]

I do wonder where DK's gonna head to. Where's Miles Garrett can end up big name.

[Colt Nichols]

Everybody's saying decaded New England, man. Everybody in the league thinks that.

[Boston Connor]

I like that. I like that.

[Pat McAfee]

Dj, keep spinning. What do you mean in the league? What do you mean? You're getting texts from people around the.

[Colt Nichols]

League saying, yeah, DK comes available and you just talk to a bunch of buddies around the league and they're like it. That just makes too much sense. They have all the money, they have all the space. They have no weapons. The. The high second round pick.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

What.

[Colt Nichols]

What are they picking, like 38, something like that?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

And they got two thirds.

[Colt Nichols]

So they're. Second round pick DK Metcalf.

[Boston Connor]

Boom. Second and third, two thirds, 35 million dollars. Get your ass over here. You can't spell metcalf without me. Boom. You can't spell metcafe without.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, there's a Y in there. There's a Y in there. But the, the. The quote of Vrabel saying, we got compensation, we got opportunity up here. And he's trying to shift that culture. You get DK in there bought into. Not a bad person for Drake may to be able to.

[Colt Nichols]

What if Drake may like if you're the Patriots. And I think that they would have competition here from. From the Chiefs because of the moves that the Chiefs made. The Chiefs now have a hole at left guard, left tackle Ronnie Stanley makes a ton of sense for the Chiefs to kind of be aggressive in free agency. I would also say New England should be at least having the Ronnie Stanley conversation. You go out in the first week and you. You give Drake May a left tackle and a number one wide receiver. Now we're cooking.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Ronnie Stanley is reportedly the number one free agent target for.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's saying that? Stutz and Puts. Stutz.

[Boston Connor]

So I don't know about st Puts, but I. I do know that there are people in the area in the know that are saying Stanley is the top guy for them. And then a couple other names. Of course.

[Pat McAfee]

One of them up there said something terrible about me. Josh Pate went the bad for me. Appreciate you, Josh boy. Appreciate you. Pay. Appreciate you, Pete. Let's get back to some college conversation. Ty Schmidt has a question for you.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, DJ, you put out your top 50 again today and There was actually quite, quite a bit of movement post combine. Is that more so guys that didn't perform well at the combine or is that guys who performed very well and just, you know, by happenstance, other guys fell and how much is that going to actually change by the time the draft gets here?

[Colt Nichols]

I think that's a great question, Ty. I think there's a bunch of clumps in this draft. Like, if you look at different points in like the top 50 I have, you know, the receiver clump, I think all three of those guys are evenly graded. For me. You've got Matt, Matthew golden, you've got TMAC at Arizona, you got a book at Ohio State. They're all slightly different. I gave them the exact same grade. So at this point time I'm like, you know, I'm going to clump them together. I've got a lot of time between now and the draft. Now I can just do a project where I'm just going to watch those three guys one after another, go watch them against press, go through all those different, you know, cut ups you can and try and figure those three out. So it's kind of put those clumps together. We've got the edge rushers, you know, Mike Green, James Pierce, you got Israel from, from Boston College. Like, those guys are all kind of similarly graded. So you've got, you're kind of identifying these little clumps. But guys that moved up, you know, give you a couple examples. You look at Max Hairston from Kentucky. We talked about the fact he was gonna, he was gonna run really well, which he did. So that wasn't a surprise. That's not why he moved up. My thing was the tackling was a little bit inconsistent. When you're at the combine, I got more inc information on him and talking to teams that had visited with him, medical stuff and like, dude, he was playing with a messed up shoulder. So that's why the tackling wasn't as good. So I'm like, okay, I can forgive that sin. Move him up a little bit. Trey Amos, the corner from Ole Miss. I loved everything about him except the LSU game. I thought they kind of ran away from him a little bit and it caused me to question his, you know, pure top end speed. Everything else is really good, fluid, instinctive, can play the ball and he goes and runs 4, 4, 3. So I'm like, okay, well, that, that answered the question I had on him. So he moves up a little bit. So that's just kind of a look into the process and Sometimes you see a guy slide two or three spots and people like, what the heck did he do? Why did he fall? Like, he didn't fall. There's a couple guys behind him that answered some questions and ended up moving ahead of him. So that's what it is.

[Pat McAfee]

Your top 50 prospects are based on. These are the best 50 or this is how you think they'll go?

[Colt Nichols]

Just my. Just how I rank them, how I stack them. So nothing to go with where you know how high they'll go. I have two tight ends in the top six players in the draft. Those are two of the highest graded players in the draft. Now, I don't think when it's all said and done, they're both going to go there in the top six. But for me, I think they're the two of the six best players.

[Pat McAfee]

So you got Tyler Warren up there.

[Colt Nichols]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Tyler Warren's way up there. And then I have Loveland right behind him.

[Pat McAfee]

Loveland is going to be cleared for action, I do believe. I think he has a pro day or something like that. Some doctor came out and said that was like a big deal this year for the combine. This doctor has sent a note to all the teams letting him know he's not healthy enough to compete at the combine, although he'd want to. He will be back at a later date. That felt more prevalent this year than ever before. Leveling a dog Tyler Warren. A dog Arroyo. Right down in Miami. Then there's a western Kentucky guy.

[AJ Hawk]

Bowling Green.

[Pat McAfee]

Bowling Green guy.

[Colt Nichols]

Bowling Green, yeah. Fannin. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

So this tight end position is becoming more prevalent, you think as the years go on or just this class.

[Colt Nichols]

This is a really good class. It's as deep of a class. Mason Taylor's good to be a stud, too.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, that. Hey, that gauntlet. Gauntlet drill.

[Colt Nichols]

He's so smooth.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

He.

[Colt Nichols]

He didn't very off the line. You literally. He just drew a perfect line right, right down.

[Pat McAfee]

That's like titch tape, right? Like, hey, this is how the drill is run. And then I saw 25 miles an hour at one point. I think that was maybe the ball that came in. Yeah, it was picking, but nonetheless, he was still at like 20. And it's the tight end. 19, 20 miles an hour while just.

[Colt Nichols]

P. So my uncle's growing up, Pat. My uncle uncles growing up. One. One of them was. Was a pastor. One of them was, God bless him, drove a cab, right? His uncle, his dad, Jason Taylor, is uncle Zach Thomas. So I think, like there's a little bit different upbringing in terms of the football side of things there.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. But when you did it, app State, we'll never forget. We never forget up there on the rock, I do believe is the way it is described. Back to the NFL. AJ has a question for you.

[Connor]

Yeah, Quasi NFL thing. DJ we pop those quarterbacks up there and they're going to be throwing in. It got me thinking of these pro days that are coming up.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay.

[Connor]

Is there a chance any of these young quarterbacks go to these pro days and something happens and someone jumps up the board or so a team falls in love with maybe a guy other than Cam Ward? Shadur, we know Jackson Dart is up there. Is anyone on this list you think someone could fall in love with after their pro days? And can you actually gain something when you go and you watch a guy throw at his pro day?

[Colt Nichols]

Yeah, I would say more the pro private workout, you know, so if you're a team that's in the quarterback market, you'll go to the pro day, you'll watch them throw there, but you're going to see, you know, more impact based off of a private workout. We're going to go, we're going to ask you to run, you know, throw the routes that we like to feature in our offense. Maybe there's some holes in your game that we have questions about. So in our workout with you, we're going to put you through the paces and see if you can fill those gaps. And when that happens, that's when you see teams fall in love with them. And to be honest, usually when you have those private workouts, there are companies by a dinner, you're spending more time around the guy, you just get more comfortable with him and kind of, you know what he's all about. So, yeah, I think you can absolutely fall in love with a quarterback from here towards we get to the draft. I think there's, there's absolutely a chance that happens. Kyle McCord, by the way, we didn't mention him. He threw it well. He threw it really well in Indy and, you know, he kind of gave me like Derek Carr vibes coming out of Fresno State. And you know, Derek started a long time in this league, so he'll, he'll have some sponsors.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, Kyle McCord. A lot of football. Yeah, he's playing a lot of football. That's a big stat. I think especially here in Indianapolis, people are starting to respect a lot more.

[Colt Nichols]

You know, like dude experience, man. You're not, you're not. It's tough to, to develop these guys in the NFL. So the more experience, that's just more opportunity, not only on the game field, but on the practice field. You're seeing different coverages, you're making different throws like that. Those reps just stack up and responding.

[Pat McAfee]

Not only on the field to, to different things happening, but in life, in. And as a teammate and as a leader, like knowing how to respond to situations or how not to respond to situations because you've done it in the past or you've experienced all those. There's a lot of things happening for the first time with Anthony Richardson. Like, first time this happens. First time you actually take a big time shot from an adult. Okay, first time ever taking one of those. And then you feel that for the first time, how do you respond? You know, tapping out, making an ass of yourself, basically. You know, tapping out because you're tired. How do you respond to that? Being a professional, being a teammate, first time, how, how do you respond to that? So it's like he didn't have a lot of football, so he didn't have a lot of like learning curve. Obviously now we're hoping we're getting to the point where he can start kind of cracking into his potential because obviously he can be a superstar. But these guys that are having success, a lot of football. A lot, a lot, a lot. Jayden Daniels, a lot of football. Cam Ward, a lot of football. All of them have experienced multiple places too now, right? So I think that kind of helps. C.J. stroud, I guess only Ohio State Buckeye, but he played a lot of football. It's like Cam Ward, Shador, lot of ball. Dylan Gabriel, Jackson Dart, a lot of ball. Dylan Gabriel, lot of ball. Kyle McCord, a lot of ball. Quinn Ewers, a lot of ball. It's like Jalen Milro obviously played a lot of ball. It's like there's a lot of ball on these guys. Even though I guess the high top end conversation about a majority of these guys isn't there. It's like a lot of experience, a lot of success, which I think is.

[Colt Nichols]

And they've been through it. I think the most important point is they've been through some adversity. You know, like that was always. And I was in Baltimore, that was Ozzy Newsom's first question to every player that came through was, give me an example of some adversity you've been through and, and, and tell me how you got through it and got on the other side of it. And like Bo Nick should be the poster child for that. Like, he got run out of the state of Alabama. I mean, you know, the, the grief that he took from his time at Auburn and then he gets on the other side of that, goes to Oregon and, and takes off like a rocket ship, man. So that shows you somebody that's, that's dealt with real adversity has overcome it in the NFL. That day's coming for everybody where you're going to have those moments. So how do you respond to it? I think a lot of guys that have failed, not just at the quarterback position but at other positions, man, they're, they're a five star kid all the way going up through high school. They're highly recruited. They don't help really have any struggle on the college field. They're playing against guys they're always better than each and every week. And then all of a sudden some adversity hits and it's like they don't know. It's like, it's like a shock to them. They don't know how to handle it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And then the ability just to transfer anytime something maybe is mean said to you, you know, that adds into the whole. By the way, if you're a high school player or in transfer portal or want to get in the transfer portal. We're looking for dogs at West Virginia.

[Colt Nichols]

Okay, there you go.

[Pat McAfee]

We are looking for dogs at West Virginia. Just, just know West Virginia open this next spring transfer.

[Colt Nichols]

We're just selling opportunity at App State, baby. You go get your money elsewhere. We're about opportunity at our place.

[Pat McAfee]

Clyde's up there, I think.

[Colt Nichols]

Yes, he is. How about that? Put that on the sales pitch. You want to get coached by somebody who's coached Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Come on up the hill.

[Pat McAfee]

And Andrew, I mean you're talking about like that is, that is a weapon. He was at North Carolina, obviously alongside Drake, Maine. He said, he said Drake's the guy. Right, right. You pass on Drake, you pass on a hall of Famer.

[Boston Connor]

And he was right.

[Pat McAfee]

This guy's smart, athletic, he's fast, he's fast.

[Boston Connor]

Good kid.

[Colt Nichols]

Have you ever had. By the way, I think he slipped a little trump in there. Have you, have you seen, have you ever heard anybody say anything bad about coach, by the way, ever in your entire life? He's like the best, best human being.

[Pat McAfee]

He owed me five bucks for a couple weeks. There were some terrible things.

[Ty Schmidt]

Doesn't pay his debt.

[Pat McAfee]

No, no, he does. Fast paid fast friends. Right, right. That's his kind of, that's kind of his M.O. so I was on his board for A while, because he would have a putter and then obviously have like a hole in his office. So you'd walk by, hey, you know, like you're walking past a game show and he'd be like, two pots, two pots. Thinking, go out in the hallway. I'm rolling it into his office, see if he can make it. And it'd be five peanut M M's. Wouldn't be actual money, of course. And if you missed it, you go on the board. And then the next day, if you walk by, it goes. Still on the board, you know, it's like a reminder, you know. And I'd been up there for a little bit. I've been up there. He's a legend, man. Great coach. Great man.

[Colt Nichols]

He's a good man. Good man.

[Pat McAfee]

Him and Frank Reich were my quarterback.

[Colt Nichols]

Coaches, so how about that?

[Pat McAfee]

I've learned, respect that completely. Legends Frank Reich. I. I don't know how that all ended with him. I hope he's got a raw deal. I hope he's okay. I genuinely hope he's okay.

[Colt Nichols]

If there's anybody you know is going to come back, it's Frank Reich.

[Pat McAfee]

Two biggest comebacks. One in college, one in the NFL.

[Colt Nichols]

There you go.

[Pat McAfee]

What a legend. All right, we appreciate you, DJ. Enjoy the trip. Congrats on. On 25 years. Quarter of a century is a long time in love, brother.

[Colt Nichols]

Appreciate you, man. Appreciate your friendship. Appreciate you guys. Good to see you.

[Pat McAfee]

Happy anniversary. Anniversary, DJ. And thank you. Daniel Jeremiah, 25 years. He and his bride. That's all incredible.

[Ty Schmidt]

Congratulations.

[Pat McAfee]

That's a long time. Long time. That's love.

[Connor]

He's a pro. He's a true pro.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he knows. I was wondering about his pull away speech against Ole Miss. You know, there's, there's pulling away from him. It's like, damn, dj. How much he. He. When he gets to the combine, he is excited to unload all of the information. He has watched 300 some guys.

[Evan Fox]

I don't know if he has an Excel spreadsheet or whatever. So I was listening to his podcast and they, they talked about a guy, he was like, what draft is that? 20, 21. He's like. And then he pulled him up real quick and he had, he had like three quick hitters. What he does on the draft about that player and like, what the prospect he was going to. He has so much information on every single.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. So I got to sit next to him, you know, whenever I'm doing the combine. And he does, he does have like. And he has like, little code things. Too. Because he can't have it all. So there'll be like. Like a letter, and that'll mean something. And then it'll be a comma, and there'll be something else, and there'll be something else.

[Boston Connor]

Color.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. It's like. It's pretty wild because it's all, like. It's pretty because there's so many. So it can't be, like, something that's too big. So it's just like one line with the person and one line with the person. And the person will go. And he would, like, literally, you see him, and he'd be like, oh, yeah, yeah. And then he would say, this guy. And he would get right into it. It's like 300 dudes and so many new every year.

[Connor]

New guy always change. Turning out new dudes, too. You gotta. Gotta go, man. I don't. It just seems, like, overwhelming to think of to be that.

[Pat McAfee]

Have that job. And then as he's watching him film, he's like, this guy's got no shot. But gotta know.

[Evan Fox]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Gotta know about things. Yeah. Because there's a chance he's gonna get drafted, so I have to be in. In the middle of it. We're very appreciative of Daniel Jeremiah, showcasing his intelligence with us every single year legitimately. He also called Houston Texans going back to back two, three, with CJ Stroud and Will Anderson before anybody else. A lot of people said, okay, we're just throwing shit at the wall these days. And he then ended up working out that way. And we forever said, DJ knows.

[Ty Schmidt]

Knows that shit.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Shrags does, too.

[Boston Connor]

Shrager. Yeah. Right before his last mock draft. He releases the week of the draft is typically very spot on. 20, like 20 to 30 correct things in there.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Cause he's just. He's talking to everybody.

[Colt Nichols]

What are you doing?

[Pat McAfee]

What are you doing? What are you doing? Okay. And he puts out like, day before it. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

It's right before it might even be morning up. I forget.

[Pat McAfee]

You know what? The draft is a good time, isn't it? So storyline, especially with these veteran quarterbacks. Aaron Rodgers with the Vikings. Holy.

[Boston Connor]

Excuse me.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Connor]

Seems crazy, right?

[Evan Fox]

Huh?

[Pat McAfee]

Whoa. What was that? Tell me. You tell me.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I don't know.

[Connor]

Hey, I wish I did. I don't know anything. I don't think anybody knows anything.

[Pat McAfee]

You think about ice fishing on Minnetonka, huh? With your friend Aaron. This year we shall see.

[Connor]

Getting a big old swordfish like you had that. That monster you pulled out.

[Pat McAfee]

Amen. You remember. Thank you. We Were all there. It was an honor.

[Connor]

Six ounces.

[Pat McAfee]

We'll be back on Monday. Great show. Coming on Monday.

[Boston Connor]

Holy crap.

[Pat McAfee]

Have a phenomenal weekend. Hour three will be on the digital version. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change their life. Goodbye. I think we hit it. I think we. I think we hit it. Yeah, you did. NASCAR week continues. The Tennessee Titans are releasing pass rusher Harold Landry iii.

[Evan Fox]

Great player.

[Pat McAfee]

Pro source. I just saw Connor celebrate. So he's hoping that they go. He goes up to the New England pack. Patriots. It sounds like.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I don't even have to hope. This is a variable guy through and through. He will be living in New England this year, boys.

[Pat McAfee]

That is interesting to think that Vrabel kind of built that place down there at this moment. And they're going through a turnover and a transition into what they want the Callahan team to look like. So a lot of those guys. Vrabel knows a lot about.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Everything about.

[Boston Connor]

And Landry's one of those guys to a tee. I believe his best years were with Vrabel. I'm not sure if he got his contract during Vrabel's last year. I believe he thought. Yeah, I thought he did. He was drafted during the variable era, so it does feel like that is an easy over.

[Evan Fox]

Over 30 sacks the last three years.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Okay.

[Ty Schmidt]

Pretty good.

[Boston Connor]

That's like the. Very similar to how, you know, DK to the Raiders is becoming a thing because of Pete Carroll. This when he first was granted, like, his ability to seek a trade immediately. It was a New England situation. But him getting released, is he even better for the Patriots?

[Pat McAfee]

All right. Well, hopefully your Patriots get better, but also they better. Maybe somebody else will drive up the price so that compensation and opportunity thing gets whittled away a little bit. Whittled away.

[Boston Connor]

I don't think.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't think that's put that salary cap back up. Look at how much money the Patriots have.

[Boston Connor]

Crazy.

[Pat McAfee]

This is a culture changing amount of cash in one off season. Yeah. Especially with Varo coming in there. 126 million. 125. Six, seven available. Yeah. And then you look down at like the saints negative 38 million available. So they're gonna have to do salary cap gymnastics yet again. This is the annual New Orleans Saints operation. We got to figure out how to become cap compliant. They'll redo contracts. They'll cut people. They'll do. This is their. This is New Orleans Saints football. They chew loudly into microphones with their gum. And then they're always behind the eight ball whenever it comes to salary cap. That's because they've gone all in a few different times. Even though they're. They haven't been able to win the Bills in that situation, you look at the Falcons, look at the Texans, and then look at the New England Patriots with a great pick and a lot of money. We got compensation and opportunity, says Mike Vrabel.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, there's like a real world because granted, the commies have to do the Deebo Samuel deal and then that might, you know, be a little less. There's a world where if T. Higgins were to be available, that the Patriots could pay T. Higgins and still have the most cap space. So it really is one of those. Those things where if, if you can get over the fact that it is going to have to be this new era turnaround, you know, come here, win some football games versus like right away going into the preseason knowing, you know, you're competing for a Super Bowl. I still think there's a chance because of Rabel, because of the guys in the pieces. Just some of those premier positions, you know, left tackle, pass rusher, wide.

[Pat McAfee]

Gonna have to get the Eagles. The Eagles are going to be a tough team to catch. We talk about the Chiefs. We talk about the Chiefs for last few years. Like, can you beat the Chiefs? Now the conversation has shifted to, can you beat the Eagles? And it's like, that's what everybody's hoping for. Vrabel has a style of football that might be able to at least keep it close and get a win in the fourth quarter.

[Ty Schmidt]

That's why I think if you're one of these teams in the NFC who's not in just like a terrible position, like, you have to be a spender. You have to go out and try to get like, the, the packers, like, not something they typically do, but they have more money this year than they ever have. Like, they should check in on trading for Trey Hendrickson. You know, like, they should try to get DK Metcalf because we know how good the Eagles are. Like, you can't just stand pat and expect like, hey, what we did last year is going to be good enough next year when it. Realistically, it's probably not going to be.

[Pat McAfee]

Trey Hendrickson's coming to the Colts, brother.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, but he wants to win.

[Pat McAfee]

Whoa.

[Evan Fox]

But he loves Lou Ann Arubo.

[AJ Hawk]

Whoa.

[Pat McAfee]

He actually was at the Saints when mcdc was at the Saints, so he'll be at the Lions. Whoa. Colts are just a play away, brother. Remember two years ago, we almost Went.

[Evan Fox]

He was at the Saints when Dennis Allen was at the Saints. He might be a Bear.

[Boston Connor]

Lions make sense.

[Pat McAfee]

It would be perfect fit.

[Ty Schmidt]

Let's all put $80 million into him and Hutch.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, that's how it works.

[Ty Schmidt]

I don't know.

[Pat McAfee]

Calvin Shepard would love that. Release the hounds.

[Boston Connor]

O line. D line.

[Pat McAfee]

If we can get home with four, we can just sit like the Eagles do. Seven, 14 eyes. Hopefully everybody's, you know, got two eyes.

[Boston Connor]

That was the whole thing with the commanders or Brady when the commanders came out. Halftime against Lions in the playoffs, where he's like, you know, maybe they. Maybe they mix it up. Don't blitz this half. And then first three plays, they blitz. Every single play. It was awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

Let's get to a break on the other side. We'll wrap up all the story lines of the week, and then we're talking dirt biking. Yeah, yeah. Supercross. Supercross. Who's the boss? It's Super Cross. Go get lost if you don't like all our friends at Super Cross.

[Connor]

Is that the theme song?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Super Cross.

[Connor]

Sweet. You guys didn't go jump. You got bikes out there. Didn't go jump somewhere.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know. That's the thing. Imagine if they brought in.

[Evan Fox]

Hey, Matt, I was actually thinking where, like, Z and Nick and Bruce park that hill.

[Pat McAfee]

Easy. Perfect. Yeah. So I used to, you know, all I want to do is. That's all I want to do. That's all I want to do.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

You.

[Ty Schmidt]

You could actually probably, you know, go over the greens. You know, that. That.

[Pat McAfee]

That be a little.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

On the other side.

[Ty Schmidt]

We'll just get those things treated like.

[Pat McAfee]

Got gravel, though. That's a tough gravel.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, but you.

[Pat McAfee]

I.

[Ty Schmidt]

You seen the tracks out there? They got. They got, you know, crushed rock and stuff like that.

[Pat McAfee]

You don't want loose rocks. I don't. They handle it.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

They handle it.

[Pat McAfee]

They do it all. I mean, definitely. What's. I don't think that's necessarily where you're heading to first. Hey, where's all the loose gravel at? Let me.

[Ty Schmidt]

Oh, it's tightly packed. It's tightly packed out there. You don't got to worry about that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, right. Foxy's been plunking golf. All those rocks are everywhere.

[Evan Fox]

Yeah, they're tight until 250cc's hit it.

[Ty Schmidt]

Maybe Colt just does it.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, jump the. Jump the thing.

[Boston Connor]

Go do it.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, I think one just pulled up.

[Evan Fox]

Oh, I see him.

[Boston Connor]

Hell, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Wait, wait, wait. Wa. Maybe turn Jabba around. Shoot right at the front door. I Don't know if we're able to get to the front door or not.

[Evan Fox]

Go a little right.

[Pat McAfee]

Go on. Dance, Jabba. Go on and dance.

[Ty Schmidt]

Back it up.

[Pat McAfee]

Back it up. I think I went the wrong way. No, pause. Zoom. Yeah. This is as far over as I can get. I know. Jab. Never going to work. Foxy.

[Evan Fox]

The track four.

[Pat McAfee]

Never going to work. Yeah. Move it a little.

[Boston Connor]

There you go.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, coming in. That right there, ladies and gentlemen, is Colt Nichols. Oh, it's four, four five. Yeah, the big four five. Hey, let's hop some fumes, boys. Bring those box into the. Bruce, hold on.

[Connor]

Bruce on.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Bruce can ride it.

[Pat McAfee]

Bruce ride that.

[Connor]

Bruce is super cross.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Come on, Bruce.

[Connor]

Get off.

[Pat McAfee]

Bruce. Watch it back that Ain't that that thing. Bruce. Number 45 Suzuki. If your football team had one option in their playbook, the results probably wouldn't be great. The same could be said for your investments. CBOE index options like SPX and XSP can help expand your investing strategies with cash settlement and potential tax advantages. If you're ready for a more dynamic game plan, head to betterwithoptions.com CBOE Life is Better with options. Your investments could be too. There are risks associated with SIBO Company products. Review the disclosures and disclaimers at SIBO.com usdisclaimers every cup of Nespresso coffee is an invitation to transform your morning routine into a ritual you can treasure each and every day. Using the Vertuo pop, a simple touch of the button, freshly bruised bold aromas and a rich velvety crema layer for delicious cafe quality coffee. Coffee at home. Whether you enjoy your coffee hot or over ice, every sip every morning is unforgettable. Nothing tastes like nespresso coffee. Visit nespresso.com or our app to explore our full range of easy to use machines and coffees not found anywhere else. Sports are happening. And that's A.J. hawk. He's a football player. The toxic tables here at Boston Connor and at Ty Schmidt, they're anglers. Clearly one half of the hammer. Dad feel Good Friday Cowboys. AP Tone is here. Bailey McComas is on the court. And right now, ladies and gentlemen, we got a 450cc absolute weapon that Colt Nichols flies around. And then the trophy right next to it is the SMX world championship trophy. It is currently owned by Jet Lawrence. Yeah, Jet on the dirt is a problem and that's what the racing for. Okay, that's what they're for. Trophy, okay, that's what they're leaning for. That's what they're rocking for. That's what they're jumping for, ladies and gentlemen. You're looking for the. You're trying to zoom in on the name. Yeah, I was. That was quite an aggressive move on technology. If that would have worked, I would have been very impressed, especially with the lack of lighting that we have out there and everything. Nonetheless, that's the SMX World Championship. That's what it's all about. This weekend they have an event down at Lucas Oil Stadium and shout to Supercross.

[Boston Connor]

Supercross.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's the dirt boss?

[Boston Connor]

Supercross.

[Pat McAfee]

Supercross. You don't like it, you can get lost. Boom. Supercross. Supercross. Also in the city, the NBA is happening. Indiana Pacers. Don't look now they're the team in the entire NBA. Well, maybe except for one. One particular team. Over the last 10 games, a team in Los Angeles has come alive, a fan base has been awoken, and a goat is obviously feeling better than he's ever felt. The LeBronCic era for the Lakers is very real and very exciting. Just last night they were down 10 against the New York Knicks and the fourth quarter was electrifying. Big time shots from LeBron James, big time plays from Luka Doncic, massive shots from Austin Reaves, and on the other side, Jalen Brunson gets hurt a little bit. But it is still a game that was must watch. It didn't end until like 1:32am So a lot of us missed it over here on eastern time. But just know that this Los Angeles Lakers team, if they're on TV, they're worth a watch right now. Luka Doncic and LeBron James have become a duo that has worked so perfectly together so quickly. I think it has a lot of people wondering why and how can this happen in 2025 in the NBA? I think Luka grew up a massive LeBron James fan. I think LeBron James has always been a massive Luka fan. So when they're put on the team together, you can showcase the respect that they have. LeBron will sit his ass in the corner, Luka will do everything. And now all of a sudden LeBron is having an opportunity to have wide open threes like he's ray Allen at 40 some years old. He's already scored 50,000 points the hard way. Now he's going to have an opportunity to do it. Whenever somebody else is controlling the ball and control controlling the defense, they're fun to watch. And I know Charles Barkley doesn't like this particular network talking about this Lakers team, But Luka and LeBron have been magical together and the way that he exited Dallas made him a must like player in my eyes, in Luka. And this is really good. I think even though Charles Barkley doesn't like this and we are friends and appreciate Charles Barkley and everybody over there, it is great for the NBA that this Lakers team is playing phenomenal basketball right now.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I love Chucky. Just the trade in general. I feel like the players in the NBA were like, holy shit, because Luke is getting traded. Like I do kind of have to be a little more personable maybe. Who knows? That could have been a factor to it because clearly being liked does matter when it comes to both the organization and fans. But yeah, you can tell Luke is jacked. He did the James Harden, get me out of here kind of situation and now he is a yoked up guy. He went, he did not do it.

[Pat McAfee]

Get me out of here. So you got kicked out? No, no.

[Boston Connor]

Body transformation. Rather not. Not the on purpose. You know, James Harden has done that a few times.

[Pat McAfee]

James Harden, James Harden is the ah, hammy we, we witnessed.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, oh, look, I'm bad all of a sudden. And then the next week, 50. Yeah, he's dropping 50. I don't mean to get me out of here like that. I more so just mean the body similarities. Luca is already in great shape. Obviously he's playing out of his mind. The big one is going to be be tomorrow night. Lakers, Celtics. This is kind of the first massive test for the Lakers, I would say, during the lebronic era. The Celtics are playing very good basketball as they typically do. And this is a game I think for Celtics fans as well to kind of look forward to just because it's like, hey, the whole Cavs thing, you're up 23 2. That was a, that was a tough loss. You kind of let your foot off the pedal now. LeBron Big Dog. LeBron Lakers Celtics rivalry coming to town. But yeah, it has worked out for the Lakers, obviously the Mavs injuries, it sucks for them. And you know, Mark Cuban actually he just did an interview and basically talked a little bit more about it, opened up about it a little bit and just said like, you know, no, nothing against Anthony Davis, but you know, if this trade is going to happen, which he said he had no idea was happening, like you need to get more, you know, Anthony Davis is a great player, but when you look at his age with you look at, you know, the injuries he's had, like a player like Luka you'd assume is going for eight first round picks and for them just to get a player in. In the pick is. Is kind of.

[Pat McAfee]

He drank beer though, and he smoked hookah. Yeah. Which got.

[Boston Connor]

Which got him to the finals, which we've hammered him.

[Pat McAfee]

I couldn't even imagine hookah in la. He's probably got some great hookah out there. Aj we went to that.

[Connor]

We went to hookah place. Where was it a D butt set us up with?

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, Houston. Houston.

[Connor]

Houston. Yeah. My. That was my first experience at one of those hookah spots. It's pretty cool. I understand why Luca goes.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, good vibes. Obviously. Any hookah spot and obviously the taste and the flavor and you know, this guy will just smoke just tobacco wraps from the street. If you gave it to him, you know, this guy will smoke whatever with his cigars. Get a little hookah in there, enjoy life, have a beer, enjoy the success and all the hard work that you've put in to get to this point. Lucalite, do it. Sue him. Well, Nico said, I'm not going to see you, I'm going to kick you out of town. And LA saying thank you. Thank you. Places happen quicker.

[Connor]

Didn't it happen? Like the fact that they were playing so well together happened much quicker than I thought could happen.

[Pat McAfee]

10 and 2 since the trade. Yeah. And they're now second in the West. They were seventh, I believe like a week ago. Now they're second in the West 10 and 2 and nobody wants to play them. So JJ Redick, I think that is a good spot to be. And J.J. redick was getting crushed, murdered whenever he took that job and how bad they were at the beginning and everything. Now there's like inside clips coming out of him, coaching and his strategy and obviously being able to get this team to coexist and work together and all their pieces and their bench is great. It's like Lakers are a real deal. And at halftime a guy won a hundred thousand dollars because he made a half court shot. I like that. This is 100 racks, you know, real pressure, real life changing stuff. As opposed to like let's say 19 grand. But what a make out of cuz MG. He sold his chest, you know, to MGM for the halftime shot. Our half court shot. And congrats him. Everything's going right for the Lakers right now. Yeah, everything's going right. Including halftime shots. Celtics great. Cavaliers great. Oklahoma City great as well. Right?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, those are kind of the top pacers. No, we can go. If we're going great top league, we're going numb four.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, you know who's back.

[Boston Connor]

Who's that?

[Pat McAfee]

Just like the City Chiefs, Just like Kansas City Chiefs, who've had massive success and they hadn't been playing good football year, even though they've been winning. Whenever the lights get the brightest, they show up. Say hello to Steph Curry in Brooklyn, New York, last night. Just vintage Steph Curry bullshit here. Just, you know, second quarter going into halftime. Buzzer beater and fade away. Walk on off buckets. So Draymond Green's got a lot of moxie right now. He's. He's doing a lot, saying a lot. He's not backing down either. He's saying, well, I apologize for that. The Draymond Green show rolls on, though. Just want.

[Ty Schmidt]

That's not what I meant.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you know that. That's not what I meant. Whenever I said it, I did not know that I was talking about something else. Tease a piece to all parties, but the Draymond Green show rolls on. Jimmy Butler, obviously a weapon for this Golden State warriors team. Feels like things are kind of shaping up here towards the end of the season. Con man.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, they're just like the Pacers, kind of hitting their stride right at the right time, and I guess different in the sense that they got Jimmy Butler and that made him much better. But, yeah, that's another team, another dark horse, just like Indiana, if you will. And then there's still some teams in the middle there. Milwaukee is still, you know, Giannis. No one really talks about them. Small market. That's a conversation for Charles Barkley to have. And then, you know, also the Knicks, of course, who everyone says can't beat a good team, and last night was kind of prove that, but they're still.

[Pat McAfee]

10 in the fourth.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, there's. They're still hanging around, so we. We'll see what happens. But if history tells us anything, you know, typically it is kind of the cream at the top that will get the job done. But Dallas was a five seed last year, and they made it all the way to the final, so who knows.

[Pat McAfee]

Why they do that.

[Boston Connor]

Luka Donkic kind of. Kind of did the entire deed, if you will.

[Pat McAfee]

And now he's where.

[Boston Connor]

And now he is with the Lakers with LeBron and Bronnie, which I don't know if you're allowed to say.

[Pat McAfee]

You're allowed to say Bronnie's a professional athlete, obviously. Okay. I think you just, you know, maybe if you have. Ah, interesting seeing that.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, that was the last thing.

[Pat McAfee]

We didn't really touch on that Interesting scene there at the end LeBron coming over, staying on business. So listen, next time I see that guy, I'm let him know I do not like the way he is operating. And he certainly did that. Right after the game, Stephen A. Gets announced he just signed a new deal with espn. Congrats, Stephen A. That has obviously been lingering overhead for a long time. He goes to the game, enjoys it, and, you know, LeBron comes over to him and says, let's not be talking about my kid the same way you've been talking about me for the last two decades. How about that? Stephen A. Obviously answered this morning. His response, I'll be excited to see how it is received by LeBron and LeBron squad. We will say this. Rich Paul will be on our show next week.

[Boston Connor]

Nice.

[Pat McAfee]

We can't wait to see how that kind of all ends up working out. But obviously in a public place. Never want to see this. Hopefully they're able to go shake their hands, but a lot of things have been said, and I know Bron said this is about Bronnie, not about me, but, like, I assume with a lot of things that have been said over the years, you know, there's been a lot. So hopefully this is the let's go shake their hands moment between the two. AJ Hopefully.

[Connor]

Yeah, it'd be. I mean, I think it'd be tough for anybody to read or watch people talk about your kid, let alone if you're on the same team as him and you're still in the same league. Like, it's such a unique situation. Yeah, I get it. I understand. Like, I'd be pissed if people were talking about my kids.

[Pat McAfee]

Not only kids, you gotta think.

[Connor]

But I get the situation. I understand Brian. Like, it's, It's. It comes with the territory. I get all that. But I understand being a human and reacting.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. In LeBron, saying it's about Bronnie for sure. Okay, it definitely is. But also, there's been a lot of things said about me, you know, in my game and my craft and everything like. Like that over the years. Not just by Stephen A. By a lot of people in sports media comparing him to Michael Jordan, what, since like, year two or year three of high school. So I think there's a lot of things potentially that lead into that. And then whenever it goes to his son, he's like, enough. I'm gonna. And Stephen A. Is obviously the most famous guy in sports media, especially whenever it comes talking day, day to day and basketball and everything like that. So, you know, hopefully they. Hopefully they get past it. You Know, and hopefully the conversation in dialogue about LeBron has been able to accomplish throughout his entire career here potentially changes a little bit as well. As opposed to just saying, this guy ain't Jordan. Jordan. Jordan would chew more gum. This guy ain't chewing in. I don't see this guy doing any of that. Jordan wouldn't have taken a pistol in the first half. He would add his bladder under control. Like, that is basically what this guy's entire career has been. So now that he has 50,000 points in the NBA and maybe the best team he's had in a long time, right now, maybe, maybe there is a little bit more of a, hey, this guy pretty good. For a long time. Maybe this guy pretty good. Pretty good at basketball. Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

And all the stuff that people have said like, you know, that that was one big thing Stephen A. Was saying was like, hey, he could have, he could have called me and we could have had this conversation man to man. I'm sure LeBron's like, well, you've been saying this on national television for. So that is calculated. I'm going to go ahead and dress you down in front of all these celebrities and all these people and maybe give you a little taste of what I've been feeling for the last, you know, two plus decades.

[Pat McAfee]

He has Stephen A. Signs NBA deal. And LeBron says, now you're going to get treated like an NBA is the way it's going to go. Hopefully they settle that and figure it out. Two very important people to the sports society, obviously. And congrats to Stephen A. On the new deal. I know that has been talked about for a long, long time. Our names. Now granted, when I sign a deal, it's for like a 15 person company, which that kind of gets lost in the conversation a lot, you know, but like my name was getting projected into his negotiations a lot by a lot of people. And I just wanted Stephen A. To feel as if he got what he has deserved. The guy works his ass off. He's on TV all the time. He's been doing ESPN stuff for what, 13 years now? 14 years full time. So I'm happy to see he got paid. That's good news for all parties. And congratulations, Stephen A. And he says, I'll run for president. Okay, so he's sticking with sports there for a bit for now.

[Ty Schmidt]

Not now.

[Pat McAfee]

He's been doing politics though. He's been dabbling, babbling over there.

[Ty Schmidt]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Every night there's a new clip of Stephen A. Just cooking some politic conversation. It's like yeah. This dude's been doing debating and talking for a while now. He has been jousting. You know, they say 10,000 hours makes you great. It's like Stephen A. Has 10,000 hours of debating. Yeah. And if that's interesting, that feels like a pretty. I'm not gonna say it. What the political world gonna. Anything you say in the political world does massive numbers, you know, like, it is because people very genuinely care. But a lot of the people that are doing the. And once again, I don't pay attention. Close enough. I don't feel like there's a lot of good talkers over there. I don't feel like there's a lot of good talkers over there, you know, so Stephen A. Having a passion and also having an incredible ability of what he does and obviously intelligence to be able to understand all that shit, which I am nowhere near. But then his ability to speak is.

[Connor]

In real time on camera. Like, when stuff is brought up that you may not be super informed on, like, be able to do that is.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah.

[Connor]

The people that are great at it, they make it look easy.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And sports people, I think are good at it because kind of have to. That's kind of what the whole entire model is. So like Stephen A potentially dabbling over there. I've only seen a few clips of him and people and it's like, oh, they have no idea. They have no idea what's going on. And if they counter, he's going to have a counter. I mean, this is not a. This is not just a oh, yeah, you're right. Type situation. It's like, let me explain to you why you were wrong. And then a great promo and then just kind of leave it at their desk. And it's like, I don't know if any of these people expect that to be coming back from Stephen A. It's like, might be a whole new world over there in political commentary. If Stephen A. Takes his. Takes his talents over there, which it seems like he's dabbling, but at least we know ESPN is going to happen for what, five years? Yeah. Congrats to him. Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for us to talk about something that we. We don't know a lot about, but hopefully we'll learn. This weekend, a massive event is happening at Lucas Oil Stadium that is an annual event that always brings a ton of people to downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. Ladies and gentlemen, a man who's won twice here in Indianapolis, Supercross legend, racist for the Suzuki team. He's a former 450cc rookie of the year. Ladies and gentlemen, Colt Nicholson and then Colt Cole out of Oklahoma. This guy's from Oklahoma.

[Boston Connor]

Boomer.

[Pat McAfee]

If you can feel it, you can taste it.

[AJ Hawk]

Pleasure.

[Colt Nichols]

Absolutely.

[Pat McAfee]

Pleasure's all mine.

[Boston Connor]

How we doing? How we doing? How's it going?

[Evan Fox]

Pleasure.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, you got the Tyrese Halberton on. Oh, no. As long as it wasn't.

[Ty Schmidt]

He knocked out Rele.

[Boston Connor]

He broke me.

[Pat McAfee]

Broker. What the man. That's not a good start. That's not a good start, Colt.

[Evan Fox]

At least it was.

[AJ Hawk]

Was in Earnhardt.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, my God.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, my God. You're gonna have to give him your back.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Let's see it.

[Connor]

Ty, your head come off?

[Pat McAfee]

No, the feet.

[Ty Schmidt]

Goddamn legs broke off.

[Boston Connor]

She got no feet.

[Pat McAfee]

Lavar ball.

[AJ Hawk]

That is my bad. That's a party foul. That's my bad. I apologize.

[Ty Schmidt]

It is your bad.

[AJ Hawk]

It's 100% my bad.

[Pat McAfee]

But we'll move past it.

[Ty Schmidt]

Well, you got a big week. And I don't want you thinking about this when you, you know, riding your bike.

[AJ Hawk]

Fair enough. Fair enough.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Oh, no.

[AJ Hawk]

Whoa.

[Pat McAfee]

What a catch by Con man.

[AJ Hawk]

That was out of emotion.

[Pat McAfee]

He caught Lisa Blooder's torso and her head over there. I'll tell you, it was done because you wanted to show respect.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, that's all it was. Yeah, that's all it was.

[Pat McAfee]

Show respect to Ty.

[AJ Hawk]

It had to be done.

[Pat McAfee]

We got some super glue too. We'll be able to put her legs back on. Look at Chris angel in here. He'll be able to put those legs right back on Lisa Bluder. Don't you think think about any of that. Colt, how old are you?

[AJ Hawk]

I am 30.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay.

[AJ Hawk]

We're getting old, dude. We're getting old for our sport.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, what is average age of?

[AJ Hawk]

Actually, it's getting older like now. Top guys are going till 30, 35 range. It used to be like, you know, late 20s.

[Pat McAfee]

Physically demanding, right?

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Very.

[AJ Hawk]

I mean, it's a really, really tough sport. We get injured a lot, hit the ground. It hurts. That's what makes guys retire early. But a lot of guys make enough money and be able to retire by the time they're 30.

[Pat McAfee]

So. Love that you're able to turn something you love into a full time professor session. You're two time Indianapolis. What? It just Indianapolis?

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

At the time I was racing the 250 class. Now I'm in the 451 here twice in 2021. Almost had the third one crashed out on the first lap. Tumble. Big explosion type deal. But yeah, love this place. Good vibe here.

[Pat McAfee]

Love this Place big explosion is, is that. Are all tracks similar? They all have the same in it, just different designs.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah. Same obstacles. Whoops. Triple finish. All this kind of stuff just configurated all differently. The dirt's different every weekend. Like Indy's notorious for like softer, really ruddy conditions. Some of the tracks really hard pack. So it just depends on where you go. But this place is something special.

[Pat McAfee]

So you're a rudder. You enjoy the thick wood.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh yeah, I love that.

[Pat McAfee]

How come it's like it's damper, it's more damp or wide.

[AJ Hawk]

I don't know. I don't know if the dirt's frozen from outside. It rains a lot. They store the dirt usually some places, some places it's outside and this place just ruts up a lot. It's like what it's known for. But it's awesome. I love it.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so the out, the shoot, the big deal, right?

[AJ Hawk]

Big, big deal. You got 22 guys lined up. We're all going into the first turn and everybody there thinks they're going to get there first. So it's just chaos most of the time.

[Pat McAfee]

Surviving first lap, big deal.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, big deal.

[Pat McAfee]

First turn, I guess.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, you just got to position yourself good. That's literally half the race. Getting out of the gate good. Putting yourself in a good spot and then after that trying to make moves.

[Pat McAfee]

How many laps do we have?

[AJ Hawk]

We got 20 minutes. 450 class, 250 classes, 15 minutes plus one lap. 450 is 20 minute plus one. So it's demanding. Like you're, you're heart rate's probably 185. The, the whole time kind of peaking right there. And yeah, it just gets really, really hard. You're up and down a lot, standing, sitting, pulling, pushing. It's. It's tough, man.

[Pat McAfee]

So Buffalo Wild Wings went from like 12 wings to like a pound of wings or something. You could get like anywhere from 8 to like 13 or whatever.

[AJ Hawk]

It's one of those.

[Colt Nichols]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

20 minutes, same thing, more. It used to just be 20 laps, 15 laps. Now it's 20 minutes. They just wanted the racing to be a little longer. Some of the tracks are high, 40 seconds, low 50s. So the racing was done really quickly. So like we want to have these guys out there, the premier guys out there for 20 minutes so everyone could see a show for at least 20 minutes.

[Pat McAfee]

What's the week look like? You got practice leading into the weekend.

[Colt Nichols]

Practice.

[Pat McAfee]

We qualies when our qualies.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, we usually fly in Friday, we start in the morning. With a untimed practice. So you can just go out there, learn the track, you know, see how it's all pieced together, kind of bop around.

[Pat McAfee]

Sure.

[AJ Hawk]

Pretty much, yeah. We have two time sessions, questions after that. That depicts, like your gate pick for the night program.

[Pat McAfee]

Where do you want to be?

[AJ Hawk]

Inside, Typically, you want to be closer to the box or inside. There's usually like a. There's a starting house, 12 gates. 12 gates or 11 and 11. Depends on how long or short the start is. The strategy will change on where you want to be, but you want to get a good practice time so you can pick the best gate. They usually have these big ruts coming out of the front of them, and they're all jacked up. So you want to pick the best one, and you can only do that by getting a good, good gate pick.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. So that's what the core qualities are for. And when are the finals? Sunday?

[AJ Hawk]

No, all Saturday night. So we get done qualifying, you have a little break, you get out of your gear, usually sign autographs, meet the fans, do stuff like that.

[Pat McAfee]

A lot of fans, by the way. I think that was. That was a big. I don't want to say surprise. No offense. I did not grow up in a dirt bike community, but out here, racing is king, obviously, in Indianapolis and Indiana. I think the first time you guys came to town, I did not expect the amount of human traffic in. This is a lot. A lot of people come to town.

[AJ Hawk]

I mean, we'll sell out Lucas Oil Stadium and every stadium that we go to. Pretty much sellouts, you know, 40, 50,000 people every night. TV packages have grown. Like, you know, the peacock deal that we signed for Supercross is huge. And honestly, just the amount of money, like the guy that pretty much won everything last year is the kid on screen, Jet Lawrence.

[Pat McAfee]

Jet Lawrence. He's the SMX world champ.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, SMX World champ. I mean, that dude made, I mean, anywhere from 8, $10 million last year. It's a big, big money deal, you know, if you're winning races and doing good.

[Pat McAfee]

So I don't know. You're from Oklahoma, So I'm not 100% sure if a country. Can you move that mic a little bit? But country love the dirt bikes.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, we absolutely love it. We dig it.

[Pat McAfee]

That is the people that I know.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, we love it.

[Pat McAfee]

I've had an opportunity now to meet a lot of people with football and sports and traveling and everything.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And I've always rode, you know, heavy box. Okay. You're hopping on a Harley, Indian and Harley. Yeah, yeah, Heavy box. You know, we got hydraulics. Whenever that thing parks, it go. Goes on down there.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Do you guys, you, you kind of start with dirt bikes as like kids, it sounds like in ATVs.

[AJ Hawk]

I mean, you start on like a PW50, which is made by Yamaha. It's pretty much the bike that every, everyone started on. It's the smallest bike they make. Everyone started at three, four years old, probably. We start from there. Then you start going to local races, then you go to these bigger amateur events that they have scattered throughout the country and try to get sponsors and things like that. And it just grows and grows and grows. And eventually you can turn pro at, I want to say 18 years old now you can turn pro. Used to be 16, now it's 18. And then as soon as you do that, I mean, there's a lot of kids now that'll sign contracts at 13, 14 years old and they're making 100, 200 grand a year, you know, as a 13, 14 year old kid.

[Pat McAfee]

So a lot of that's going into the bike though, right, because you guys have to build your own bikes.

[AJ Hawk]

Depends. Like some of those kids, like all that's taken care of, you know, the bike stuff, it's taken care of from the team. This is pretty much money to go stay committed.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Go all over the country. Most of these kids go to training facilities. You know, they, they'll probably go homeschooled and they live at a training facility full time. All they do is train like dirt bikes every day.

[Pat McAfee]

That's awesome. Eight to $10 million is available, you know, at the end of the road.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah. So that's like the goal. I mean, that the guy that's winning everything now they're from Australia, you know, they're not even from the States. They had like this big move over here, all to chase the dream to race Supercross and be a Supercross champion. So it is, it's a crazy sport. It's exciting. Like we're in a really, really good time period for our sport. It's growing like crazy. Like I said, selling out stadiums, big TV packages, and the racing is just insane. It's a lottery on who's going to be at the top step of the podium every weekend. So it is just, man, it's a really, really good time to be a fan of our sport.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so you said Australia there. How many other countries are really into dirt biking? In my head I'm trying to think of like country places.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, I mean America, I mean, America number one. Don't forget it.

[Pat McAfee]

Don't even got much talk, you know, Ain't that right?

[AJ Hawk]

But the guy that is winning everything right now, he is, he is Australian. We have a, a writer from Japan, a writer from Germany. There's guys all over, but they all come here to race Supercross. Supercross is by far the premier thing. It's, you know, for you guys in NFL, top tier for dirt bikes. Supercross is it.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so what's the furthest jump we're doing in any given race? Is there like a certain track that is known for having a massive jump or are they all pretty much regulated.

[AJ Hawk]

More on the outdoor circuit? Like outdoor circuit is all tracks that have been there for years, you know, kind of carved out through the grass. They got hills, you know, a bunch of stuff. There's like huge jumps where we're jumping, you know, 130, 140ft. And Supercross, it's all regulated, so not.

[Pat McAfee]

With a heavy box. This is. You're jumping with the dirt bike 450cc.

[AJ Hawk]

At 450, I think a bark it can take off on. You got to be careful with it. But yeah, Supercross, all regulators, all the Supercross triples are 65ft. The finishes are usually, you know, 50, 60ft. They're all usually somewhat the same. Just so that whenever you build your track at home or wherever you train at, you know how to build it. So it's all kind of to spec, being regulated.

[Pat McAfee]

Seems smart.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, it feels like a smart inside the stadium.

[Pat McAfee]

It's a good move, especially for making 8 to 10 million dollars. This feels like a. Oh, yeah. A blossoming professional avenue for a lot of people. Go ahead, man.

[Boston Connor]

So how are the vibes like on tour? Like, does everybody hate the jet guy because he is wearing everything and he's Australian or have to get along, right?

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah, yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Like, are you flying in just on Fridays? Like, do you have a lot of time with the other people racing? Like, how does that work when it comes to everybody who's racing?

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, so, so, so like some guys will train together during the week. You know, like we stay at some of the facilities, some of us will train together, ride together during the week. Most of the time though, everyone tries to do everything separate because you don't want to give away any of your secrets, any stuff like that. But when we show up on the weekends, we usually fly in Thursday, flying Friday. Depends on if we have press or stuff to do on Friday. But yeah, I mean, for the most part you have like your rivalries like you would any other sport. You know, like this guy hates that guy or you know that team hates that team. Like in football you definitely have that. But for the most part we all have like a really big respect for each other because this sports tough dude. It's hard, you know, as soon as you got it figured out, you end up crash, get hurt. Then you're knocked out for the whole season. Like Jet Lawrence, he just tore his ACL if you weeks ago.

[Boston Connor]

Nice out for the whole season.

[AJ Hawk]

One more spot.

[Boston Connor]

We're not looking for that, you know, get up there.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, we're obviously teasing. Peace.

[AJ Hawk]

Jet honestly is a really good dude. I was teammates with him a few years ago. Good kid. He's just, he's so young and he's kind of taken the sport by storm just because he's so young. He's came in and done some incredible things at a really, really young age. That's not normal. You know, normally it takes guys five, six years to get into it and he did it first year out. He was a 450 champ his very first try. That's kind of incredible. He's. He's a badass. Like he's, he's a sick kid. A lot of us though, I mean all of us, we've been doing this for a long time. A lot of respect. But yeah, you definitely got the rivalries, you got your beef. You know on the weekends, guys taking each other out and then you're pissed off.

[Pat McAfee]

But you guys don't know each other right? Because you've been racing throughout your entire life. I feel like with like the car racers or the Indy car racers, they were go karts against each other. They kind of like know each other. Indie lights, they can came up against each other. You guys probably similar, right?

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, same exact thing. I've been racing the same guys that I'm still racing now in the 450 class. I started racing them when I was you know, 10. So like you know your tendencies about some guys like you know who they are, what they are. Because you've been racing for so long.

[Pat McAfee]

What's your style? What would they say your style is?

[AJ Hawk]

Probably a little more finesse I guess you would say. I don't really know how to describe it.

[Pat McAfee]

You're reading.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, trying to skill A lot of guys you would describe as like just. They just are on edge all the time. Like you never know if it's going to be good or bad. It looks really sketchy while they're doing it. Some guys are really calculated and honestly, it's poetry and motion though, what we do, because it is like there's a million lines everywhere. The bikes are so fast and it's just all so calculated. Just like anything else. The more reps you do, the better you get. The better you get. But our sport is, like I said, it's insane. I hope you guys can come out tomorrow because it's. It's going to be a hell.

[Pat McAfee]

A couple years ago we were going to go. It was on St. Patrick's Day too. We all got two hammered.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, yeah, that'll happen.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I was talking to Sean Brennan. I believe he's your PR guy. Y It was a great text conversation because we were downtown. We came downtown to go to the Supercross thing and then it happened. The showcase is amaz. I mean, yeah, what a spectacle. Piecing together, which is fantastic. Which is part of that TV deal and I assume licensing deal and everything like that. But we came downtown to do St. Patrick's Day to end up at the Supercross and then didn't make it. One thing led to another. Had to get home. Had to get home. Had to get home.

[Boston Connor]

Don't know how.

[Pat McAfee]

A little bit too old. No. I took an Uber home. It was a two hour ride and I was also very, very confused. But you guys. And we just showed it there. A little bumping and rubbing is racing.

[AJ Hawk]

That'll piss you off when that stuff happens. That's what gets the rivalries going. You know, Fans love it though, when.

[Pat McAfee]

You get low cut.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Low bridge.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah. Get hit right in the leg. Just barely tap the front wheel. That'll make you fall down. Then you're pissed and you got to come back, try to catch everybody again. Makes it chaos.

[Pat McAfee]

What was it last year or two years ago? We saw that guy.

[Ty Schmidt]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Was that last year? I think it was last year.

[Ty Schmidt]

It might have been.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Maybe we saw the video last year. Somebody went full.

[AJ Hawk]

Been there, done that. It ain't fun, I'll tell you that, right?

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah. Full speed. We're talking lose control.

[AJ Hawk]

I've broken myself off way too many times. I mean, like most of us, I mean, we've had, you know, just myself, shoulder, knee, you know, hip, femur, humerus, wrists, arms.

[Boston Connor]

Geez.

[AJ Hawk]

Like an orthopedic surgeon's dream. I mean, some guys, that's kind of like the hard part of our sport is literally just staying healthy. That's like the hardest part is being there every single weekend. The guys that can do that usually are you know, just a lot of steps ahead because then you get hurt, you miss races, you miss training, you're that much further behind. That's like. It's a really, really hard thing to do. And yeah, it's tough to keep getting back on that horse.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's taping cold up this week?

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, I'm about to take my shoulder up this weekend. It's a little dinged up. That's all Right.

[Pat McAfee]

Where are we in the season right now?

[AJ Hawk]

We're round. I think this is round eight in the season. Either round eight or nine. I keep losing track of where we are. So we have 17 rounds total.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. We're mid season.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, mid season form. Trying to get ourselves going a little bit. Then as soon as this ends, we have one weekend off and then we go to the outdoor circuit that I was talking about earlier. That's spread out all through. All through the country as well. There's 11 races in that, and that's considered like our regular season. As soon as that's over, two week break and then we're into the playoffs. SMX playoffs. It's essentially same thing as football. So we'll start out if it's like normally. It's all the same as far as, like your point system on how it works. As soon as you get to the playoffs. The first round is the same standard points. The second round's double points. Third round is triple points. And then at the end, a million dollars is up for grabs on whoever wins SMX title. Oh, just for that, those three races. Just for that one.

[Pat McAfee]

Pre tax.

[AJ Hawk]

Pre tax. Real bummer.

[Pat McAfee]

650,000 bucks. 630,000 bucks.

[AJ Hawk]

God, they're really cutting us on that.

[Pat McAfee]

Everybody, everybody, AJ has a question for you in Ohio.

[AJ Hawk]

What you got?

[Connor]

Yeah, Colt, I believe, speaking of injuries, I believe a couple years ago you broke both of your arms at the same time. I'm curious. What.

[Pat McAfee]

Was that you?

[AJ Hawk]

That was me.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Connor]

How do you. How do you handle.

[Pat McAfee]

What did your.

[Connor]

What did the cast look like and how did you operate dayto day?

[AJ Hawk]

Bad situation. Let me tell you that. Also big fan. I'm just gonna say that. But yeah, it was. It was not good. We were double cast. I couldn't even wipe my own ass. It was a whole. Who did? Luckily I had a girlfriend at the time. Or still same girlfriend. She was handling it for me. The girl, wifey stuff.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you.

[Connor]

God bless her.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, she was handling it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, God bless her.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah. God bless her soul. But that one was tough. I had to end up having the Wrist redone again because it was all messed up from the first surgery. That was like a five and a half, six month rehab. And then as soon as you're done with that, you're just trying to get back on the bike as quick as you possibly can. But same thing as you guys. We're trying to figure out ways hyperbaric chambers and C back and cold plunges and everything that we can do to get the body ready to go again. And yeah, that's where our sports kind of taken off from that athletic side recovery. Everything like that is getting pretty advanced with what we're doing. But that one was tough. That was really hard injury to come back from. But yet here we are.

[Pat McAfee]

Did you have this one? Is this what the cast look like? Were you literally.

[AJ Hawk]

I was stuck like this. Luckily this one was just here to the elbow. I think actually both of them were here to the elbow. But I was, I was stuck, couldn't do nothing. It was terrible.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

I mean, it's a bad deal.

[Connor]

Your girlfriend wasn't around. What if she wasn't around? Or you had to, you know, what do you do? You got to pull someone off the street. What are you doing?

[Pat McAfee]

Not wiping.

[AJ Hawk]

What do you mean? It would have been a bad deal. We had a bidet installed in the house. That was a help. It was going to be a bad deal either way. It was going to be.

[Pat McAfee]

You got to dry off the bidet too. Cuz if not, you're just walking around with moisture.

[Boston Connor]

Wet butt.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, that's not good either. That ain't good.

[AJ Hawk]

I'll out of love. I'll take that over the alternative, that's for damn sure. But it was a bad, bad deal. Yeah, luckily she was there, she saved me and yeah, we ended up getting through it. So it was good.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you, lady. God bless.

[AJ Hawk]

God bless her.

[Pat McAfee]

Why didn't you just tell us that that was your crash that we saw? You said, been there, done that. That's definitely the crash that we.

[AJ Hawk]

Well, I don't know. There's been. There's been a few big ones over the years. Not good, but broken both arms.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I'm assuming that's when it cracked into our algorithm.

[AJ Hawk]

It could have. Yeah, it certainly could.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, look at this. Dirt bike racer, supercross guy. He broke both of his arms on this. And then the follow up is as soon as he could, he. He got right back on.

[AJ Hawk]

Well, that's what I'm saying. We have an intense love for what we do. Maybe it's a little bit of stupidity as well. I'm not sure most people would be like, nah, I'm not doing. Doing that no more. But same thing. I mean, I broke my leg when I was 6, and, you know, as soon as I could ride again, I was riding again. So I'm like, I don't know why.

[Pat McAfee]

That is, but that's the difference. That's a separator. That's a talent and a trait. Not a bad thing. Ty has a question for you.

[Ty Schmidt]

You talked about this kind of being, like, a young man's game and how you're getting a little bit older. At what point are you in, like, the prime of your career? And, like, how long will you be able. Because now we're seeing football players, like, play until they're, you know, 43, 45. Obviously, that's an exception. It's not the rule. But, like, when are you in your prime? And how much longer do you think you'll be able to do this? And is there anything else over here that you'd like to throw on the ground?

[AJ Hawk]

I'm gonna have to go look at that desk a little bit more inside here, but I. I hope not, honestly. But honestly, for us, I'm. I'm not sure, dude, as far as how long we can go. Like I said, I think it's just advancements of, you know, how we recover, how we can come back from injuries. That's kind of changing the game and making it to where it's kind of like football guys are just going longer. Like, you can. Because you can take care of yourself better and perform better and for longer at a higher level. So the guy that's won a lot of titles in our sport, he just got hurt, too, right around the time that Jet did. He's 32, and he's still winning races, and that's been unheard of, you know, 10 years ago. So I hope I could go another, like, three to four years. If I could, that would be cool. But I would say your prime. Prime for our sport is honestly anywhere from 24 to 30. Like, there's been guys that just do it at different times, but that was usually, like, the rule of thumb. Like, there's been a lot of guys that never even won races. And to win past 30 was, like, literally unheard of until the past, like, three years.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's goat?

[AJ Hawk]

Who's Goat? Ricky the king is Jeremy McGrath. He was my idol when I was younger. He won 72 Supercross races. He's just a legend. But Ricky Carmichael's the goat for sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, pastrana was in this.

[Boston Connor]

I thought Pastrana was.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, Pastrana was like, he won an outdoor title whenever he was super young, but he was. He was too busy going here and doing everything. Was literally doing everything. Yeah, he was damn good talent, but he just didn't have enough of, like, I'm doing this only.

[Pat McAfee]

Do you. Do you have the. The flip into the hell?

[AJ Hawk]

No, no, no, no.

[Pat McAfee]

We're not going upside down.

[AJ Hawk]

We're working on speed only. I'm not trying to flip myself off or do anything.

[Pat McAfee]

How come we going through the checker line? You know, you're. You're. There's that big jump. Go ahead and take that some.

[AJ Hawk]

I mean, if you won and did a black flip as you're winning, you would be. I mean, that'd be some legendary. Pastrana did that at a supercross years ago, back in, like, 2009, in practice, he did a. A flip over the finish, and it was like, the craziest thing we'd ever seen.

[Ty Schmidt]

But.

[Pat McAfee]

So you guys aren't the flippers at all?

[AJ Hawk]

No, no, no, no. No flips, no tricks. We're just working on speed only. Like, how can you go from checkered to checkered faster than the other guy?

[Pat McAfee]

Ton has a question for you.

[Evan Fox]

Cole, you won the. The 250 back in 2021, I believe, and now you're doing 450. So it's like, 250. Is that like a minor league? And then you is. Are the more talented racers going up to 450 or how does that work?

[AJ Hawk]

I wouldn't say minor league or talent or anything. It's all just usually just age. Like, the 250 class is strictly. Not all the time, but usually that's just. That's where you start. Everybody that's gone through the professional ranks, you ride 251st. Guys graduate and go to the 450 class at different times, but it's always 251st. So for me, I raced 250 class for, I want to say, seven, six, seven years. Some guys it's two years, some guys it's five. It just depends on when you want to move up. And our rules are changing where guys are staying longer and things are different, but same thing. Like, there's some guys that are like, why would I move up to the 450 class when I can stay in the 250 class? The competition's not quite as fierce, and I'm making six figures still. Why would I do that? So it just depends, you know, Every guy's journey is a little Bit different for me. Once you win a championship, you can defend the next year and then as soon as you defend, you're out, no matter what. So as soon as you win, you got one year, then you're gone, whether you want to stay or. Or not. So that's what was tough for me in 2022. That was my year to defend. And then I crashed, broke both my arms. I'm like back to the couch for a little bit. So that was a bummer. I really wanted to defend that year and show those guys that, you know, I, I earned that championship the year before but didn't get a chance to do it. So that was a bummer. But yeah, into the 450 class now.

[Pat McAfee]

My first bike was a Titan Chopper, 1700cc.

[AJ Hawk]

Damn. Talk to him. Let's go, let's go.

[Pat McAfee]

Off the side of the road had a lot of juice and a lot of pizzazz. Top end speed was up there. Only did it one time and thought to myself, we should not go that fast ever again without it. What is top end speed for the 450cc and then the 250cc? What's the biggest difference?

[AJ Hawk]

I mean, they're probably pretty close. 450 weight, it's a lot heavier, a lot more torque. Obviously, 200 more cc's and it's just, it's got more, more bang for your buck on that thing. But we're, I mean, top speed is hard because we don't really ever just like straight line take off. But you're probably, I don't know, if you wanted to go 60, 70, probably down the road you could. But for us, you're never really hitting that outdoors. You will because like I said, those tracks are so spread out and big.

[Pat McAfee]

So you're wide open. There's a long.

[AJ Hawk]

Wide open a lot in outdoors. But supercross, it's so methodical and you're kind of just hopping and jumping around the track and a lot of obstacles. Like supercross, there's just a lot of obstacles. Outdoors, it's more natural, rolling hills everywhere. But yeah, supercross, you're. It's pretty tight. We're confined.

[Pat McAfee]

Is that your steel pony right there?

[AJ Hawk]

That's my steel pony right, right there. We're set up for the, we got the St. Jude graphics on for this weekend. Pretty cool thing Supercross does with St. Jude every year. So it's pretty cool getting to do this and change the bikes up. They usually don't look like that for the weekends, but. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

How many bikes do you have how many will you have for the weekend?

[AJ Hawk]

For the weekend, we just have two. You have this one.

[Pat McAfee]

They're fickle, right? I've heard dirt bikes are very fickle.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, very fickle. But then we all. Everyone will have a backup bike at the truck just in case something crazy happens. You got to switch out real quick. But the mechanic, they're on top of it. Something happens, something crazy from race to race, they're able to change it and get it going. And that'll be my one bike I'll ride all weekend.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, good luck.

[Boston Connor]

Let's go.

[Evan Fox]

Hell, yeah.

[Colt Nichols]

I think I'm old.

[AJ Hawk]

Rim.

[Pat McAfee]

How many?

[AJ Hawk]

Twisted tee all big on the side. Damn thing looks good.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Gorgeous.

[Pat McAfee]

Look at you. Yeah, we twisted. Twisted Tea St. Jude's who are the big sponsors for supercross?

[AJ Hawk]

For supercross.

[Pat McAfee]

This year it's Monster Energy.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, Monster is the biggest one, I would say. But they're just. Every year, it seems like they gain more and more and more. This team, in general is the team title sponsors. Twisted T, Progressive Insurance, xtar, and then, yeah, a bunch of stuff involved in moto. A bunch of other moto sponsors that, you know, tires, pipes, stuff of the engine bars, everything like that. So it's pretty head to toe.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm not gonna ride that one. Right. Is there other bikes out there?

[AJ Hawk]

Have you get on that damn thing. I'll start it up. Come on. Take off. Right.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know. I don't want to huff any of that.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, we got it.

[Pat McAfee]

But I would like to ride. I would like to ride a dirt bike.

[Evan Fox]

I see a lot of bikes out there.

[Pat McAfee]

Is it. Yeah. Is there?

[AJ Hawk]

They've brought a. Yeah, I think we got this one. And then the backup bike is outside. We got two. Any other takers? We hop on this damn thing.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, we need you to go do your thing on it. Don't break your arms here. I don't want to.

[AJ Hawk]

Hey, we can just rip around the parking lot. We'll do a quick. Watch out there.

[Evan Fox]

There's pools, there's light poles.

[Pat McAfee]

If I was to bring you my dirt bike that I got for Christmas, like, three years ago that was never able to be turned on, you guys would be able to fix that, I'm sure.

[AJ Hawk]

I'll give it to my mechanic, Joe. He's in there right now. I'll probably get that thing fixed up.

[Pat McAfee]

Joe seemed all right. We'll start. Yeah, it's down the street here. We'll actually bring that over. Joe seemed to be thrilled to be here. Is he the one with the big beard.

[AJ Hawk]

Joe has the beard.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

He was very, very excited. All of us were excited.

[Pat McAfee]

No, Joe was not excited. Complete opposite. No, Joe. Joe was here to work. Joe was on this goddamn thing. Yeah, he was.

[AJ Hawk]

He's a workhorse.

[Pat McAfee]

He was locked in. I mean, it was good beard. He was locked in.

[AJ Hawk]

In his D. Yeah, well, he said. I. It was a little bit last minute. I had no idea, John. Prepping the bike, getting everything ready, and they told me we got to load it up and take it up there. He was like, it's great. It was awesome. But, man, it was so stressful.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm like.

[AJ Hawk]

I was sprinting through the airport this morning, so my plane got delayed, and I'm like, son of a. I gotta go. I gotta get there.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, thank you for making it happen, both you and Joe. We appreciate that.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, yeah, we made it happen. It was awesome. I was very excited. This is an honor to be here with you boys. I'll be. I'll be honest. It's really cool. Really, really cool.

[Pat McAfee]

We don't have any dirt bikers. That's the thing. I've never encountered a professional dirt biker.

[AJ Hawk]

Biker in my life. I am just blessed.

[Pat McAfee]

How's the culture? Culture's good. Culture you guys got good.

[AJ Hawk]

Honestly, Incredible. Yeah, incredible, man. Everything about it. Like I said, the sport in general is growing a lot. What we do is. Is I think it's the greatest sport in the world. It's just awesome. Like, every weekend. You never know what's going to happen. And that's what makes it so fun.

[Pat McAfee]

Do you play any other sports?

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, I played basketball in high school.

[Pat McAfee]

Are you pretty good? Yeah. Koozie, no. Whoa, whoa.

[AJ Hawk]

Hey, calm down.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

No one.

[Boston Connor]

Okay. No one's cozy.

[Pat McAfee]

Easy. All right. We appreciate how tall? What's the tallest, biggest rider? Probably smallest rider. You got to be smaller.

[AJ Hawk]

You got to be usually kind of small. Like, my eyes. Size is very average. There's a guy that's probably like six'five six'six Jesus, that's. He's a unit. Yeah, he's a big boy.

[Pat McAfee]

That's very bad for him, though, right? Isn't it?

[AJ Hawk]

In some ways, like, he's got more leverage. That's good sometimes, but sometimes it can be bad. It depends on situation.

[Pat McAfee]

He's heavier on the back, so more weight is slower.

[AJ Hawk]

Hey, you got to be light. Power to weight ratio, man. That'll help you. No doubt. Goddamn.

[Ty Schmidt]

We could jock the cut of this guy's jib.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, me, too. Even though he's.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, but I. I like.

[Evan Fox]

She's retired.

[AJ Hawk]

Muskogee, Oklahoma, so it's closer to the Arkansas side right off I40.

[Pat McAfee]

Nice. Are you. Do you pay attention to other sports?

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, yeah. Big Thunder fan. How could I not be?

[Pat McAfee]

They're rolling right now.

[AJ Hawk]

One in the West. We're chilling. We are chilling. I'm very excited. SGA is just like. I'm a huge, huge fan. I think he's awesome. He's just balling. He's MVP this year. No doubt.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, well, SGA's name is actually MVP. Oh, that's Michael Greenberg. That's not me. I cannot. I cannot take credit for that. That is greeny.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, 100%.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. The other day. All right, Colt. Well, good luck this weekend. Good luck the rest of the season.

[Colt Nichols]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Thank you, guys.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you for stopping by and making us much, much smarter in this entire thing. We'll pay attention to the clips and we'll watch. It's on Peacock.

[AJ Hawk]

Peacock? Yep, Peacock. Every Saturday.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. We will watch that. And I can't wait to hop on one of these bad boys outside. It's cold out there, huh? Is it cold?

[Evan Fox]

You might need a hoodie or something.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Could be. You guys wear gloves out there, right?

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, we're full geared up. No doubt. Gloves, helmet, goggles. Goggles, Jersey pants, boots.

[Connor]

You're a cup.

[Ty Schmidt]

Shoulder pads.

[AJ Hawk]

No cup. It's the one thing it'll get you. No shoulder pads, but usually like an under protector or something like that.

[Pat McAfee]

You just won't let the balls.

[Connor]

How good was Robbie Knievel?

[AJ Hawk]

My boy Robbie Knievel could jump some jumps.

[Connor]

They were jumping heavy bikes, right?

[Pat McAfee]

Heavy bikes. He's jumping heavy bikes.

[AJ Hawk]

He would jump.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

That's what I'm saying.

[Connor]

Heavy bikes. So like Evil Knievel and Robbie, they're jumping heavy bikes, right?

[AJ Hawk]

Literally jump. That's unheard of now, jumping a Harley, you know what I mean? Like, that's not meant to be. Jump. That's not what you want to do. Like ours.

[Connor]

Is he just strong or is he crazy? What is he. How does. How. How would Ebo E Rob be able to do that?

[AJ Hawk]

Honestly?

[Colt Nichols]

Both.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah. I think he's just nuts. I would never try to jump a Harley over a bus. I. Robbie can.

[Pat McAfee]

Able is a dog.

[AJ Hawk]

Absolute dog.

[Connor]

People forget about Robbie. I try to remind them. They don't think about evil.

[Pat McAfee]

Everybody thinks about the evil. They don't ever think about Bob, though.

[Connor]

Come on, man.

[Pat McAfee]

Here's Robbie Knievel jumping over the Grand Canyon. No problem. That looks like a dirt bike.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, Light work.

[Pat McAfee]

That's a. Oh, my God. He goes on two Grand Canyons.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, no.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, no, Robbie. That's possible. That's possible. Hey, that's Knievel football right there.

[AJ Hawk]

See, that's more of a proper. That's got suspension. That's a proper, like bike. Back in the day to do this with. Now, Evel Knievel, no suspension. An animal. Like he was jumping. Like, I'm gonna break myself off. No doubt about it. I don't give a. That was his attitude.

[Pat McAfee]

I think Robbie was. He didn't have any. He didn't want any.

[Ty Schmidt]

Third hay bales are for. What are you talking.

[Pat McAfee]

Todd Hansen said Robbie could have hit the brakes. He chose not to hit a couple bumps. What you call them. Whoops. Whoops, Whoops. Whoops. He was.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, those are just Supercross only, so there'll be a stack of nine or 11 whoops. They're just spaced out different.

[Pat McAfee]

And that's the thing. You're doing a bop bop.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, so let's pull up the. This is the track, I believe, for Lucas Oil Stadium. That has been on this graphic here in front of me.

[AJ Hawk]

There it is. Yep, this is the track.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so what do we work? Those quick whoop de woos there in the middle. That's the one that's going to be the most difficult.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, probably so every weekend, that's usually the most challenging. That'll catch the most guys off. They're just hard. It's a hard obstacle for Supercross, but like I said, really wide, long start going to the.

[Pat McAfee]

You ever get lost because there's so many different ways you could go. Is that why the practice? Obviously.

[AJ Hawk]

So not necessarily lost. But every now and then you'll come around thinking you're, you know, hit a jump that's blind. You're like, yeah, I'm supposed to go left. Nope, it's right. You know, so you kind of forget sometimes. But for the most part, we do so many laps that it's just. It's so easy. You have it down like science.

[Pat McAfee]

What's the average lap time here in Indianapolis?

[AJ Hawk]

We're probably closer to 50 sec. A little under a minute, 50 seconds somewhere right there. But the track will deteriorate so much. The lap times will go up and it'll get more difficult to go around the track the same speed. You know, it slows down just a little bit as you go.

[Pat McAfee]

And then whenever there's an accident. Yellow flag, yellow flag.

[AJ Hawk]

You can usually still race. You can, like still jump the jumps On a yellow red cross flag comes out. That means somebody pulled a robicon Evil. They're. They're down back.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he actually broke his leg and along there or punctured along the.

[Ty Schmidt]

Nice.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, he did not do good. Red cross flag. You're rolling. You got to roll the obstacle. Can't jump it. You can't like race, so you can't pass anybody.

[Pat McAfee]

Do they stop the clock, the 20 minutes?

[AJ Hawk]

No, it doesn't stop the clock. But if they pull out a red flag, that's whenever you stop the clock, the race either restarts completely, you do a staggered start, or the race is over, depending on where you're at in the race.

[Pat McAfee]

So we're going have 20 minutes of racing.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, we're going to have 20 hard, tough minutes of racing.

[Boston Connor]

Let's go.

[AJ Hawk]

Going to be sick.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's. Who's got to watch h. Who's got to watch that?

[AJ Hawk]

I don't know, Guy sitting in the. Probably the flagger that's sitting there. As soon as the gate drops, time goes and we take off.

[Evan Fox]

Can you see a clock as you're going around the.

[AJ Hawk]

There's usually like a big scoring thing and it usually has just like the top five riders and it usually has a clock there so you can kind of see the time.

[Pat McAfee]

Do you have communications to your pit?

[AJ Hawk]

No. Communication. That's something that's been in our sport, like talked about for past few years to have like inner helmet stuff to where you could talk with your team or something like that. But we don't have it yet. Not for what we're doing.

[Boston Connor]

Sounds like next year it's gonna be hard to know. Know the time just because those jumbo chuns are so small.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, just.

[Pat McAfee]

Just. All right.

[AJ Hawk]

Every now and then you can jump up, look up, see a time. I'm like, all right, I got five.

[Pat McAfee]

Just this weekend.

[Connor]

Just this weekend.

[Boston Connor]

Just this weekend.

[Pat McAfee]

They're making fun of Lucasol stadium and they got a little baby jumbo.

[AJ Hawk]

It is. It is tiny, though, I'll be honest with you.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah. You know, you travel 17 weeks indoors.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. It's career, actually. Yeah. See those? And they're a little bit smaller, but hey, that's the added value of Lucas holster. Hey, man, you gotta experience it live more.

[Boston Connor]

That's right.

[Pat McAfee]

You know, you don't get tempted to look at the jumbotron because what the hell, eight or nine, they got that window too, just sitting there.

[Connor]

Yeah, there is a window blinding you for sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Blind.

[Connor]

It might blind the race. There's already race at Night though, right?

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, all the lights are on, obviously. Everything. It's super, super lit up in there. Just like it would be lights at pitch black race.

[Boston Connor]

That'd be cool.

[Pat McAfee]

We'd like to do one of those in here, actually.

[Boston Connor]

Glow in the dark.

[Pat McAfee]

We want a 450cc inside of Thunderdome pitch black race. 20 minutes. I don't know if any of you are going to make it.

[Boston Connor]

Donuts.

[AJ Hawk]

I don't know if I'm in for that one. I'll watch you boys participate in that one.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, fuck you, Colt. You're supposed to be outside. Do it over there. Okay. Good luck this weekend. Good luck the rest of the way. I can't wait to see these things in action both outside and at the stadium. Whether it's this trip or the next one, you guys are here all the time. We are lucky to host that. Know that the city of Indianapolis is very thankful that you guys come. It's packed downtown. I mean, it is. It's wonderful for the city and obviously it's electrifying. Why don't you go win that thing, Col? Come on, let's do it.

[AJ Hawk]

I would love to. I would love to. Thank you, boys.

[Pat McAfee]

One of by Saturday night.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, let's do it.

[Pat McAfee]

You do it. Yeah, let's do it.

[Boston Connor]

Us. We.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, you stay right there. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Don't leave you.

[AJ Hawk]

Fair enough.

[Pat McAfee]

There's a team, sports. I don't know if you guys do this. We're not going to do that.

[Ty Schmidt]

No, Come on.

[Pat McAfee]

We had a great week. We hope you did as well. We can't thank you enough for allowing us to do this for a living. Boys, in the back. Great work this week. Graphics department. Way to go, boys. Mitt's really been picking up some jobs here. Yeah, Mitt's been picking up some jobs this week, which we appreciate. Talks to table. Way to go this week. You too. You angler. You.

[Boston Connor]

You too, man. Yeah, I'm gonna get back. I want to get back on that lake.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he taught that. Yeah, he taught that out.

[Boston Connor]

Can you touch that coat?

[Pat McAfee]

I love. You're an angler. You're from Oklahoma. You fish?

[AJ Hawk]

Hey, every now and then. You know what I mean? When in Rome.

[Pat McAfee]

Hunt, fish.

[AJ Hawk]

A little bit of hunting, a little bit of fishing. I don't go back to Oklahoma very often. When I do my buddy, that's all he does.

[Pat McAfee]

So you're still a country. This is the man you're sitting with? I don't know.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, yeah, take that in. That's called a championship right there.

[AJ Hawk]

Toyota shout out.

[Pat McAfee]

He did not know.

[Boston Connor]

Got my Corolla outside.

[AJ Hawk]

I love it.

[Pat McAfee]

That's actually Mr. Van Dam, the greatest.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Great work this week. Talks to table.

[Boston Connor]

You too.

[Pat McAfee]

Right back at you. One half of the hammer ballpark Boys or ball cap? Boys, boys, boys. Maybe A.P. tone. Hey, great work this week. You debuted a new you.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, Big tone.

[Evan Fox]

Thank you.

[Pat McAfee]

He put a cowboy hat in the middle of COVID because he was a Covid cowboy. And this is the week you decided not to wear it every single day. So then he decided he needs to throw it back on for a Friday. I think mostly because he did not love having to be a ball cat boy there for a few days. I think he's fallen in love with the cowboy hat and I.

[AJ Hawk]

Looks good on you.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you.

[Evan Fox]

I appreciate it.

[Pat McAfee]

Damn, that's an Oklahoma thing.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Why don't you wear. Why don't you wear a twisted T?

[AJ Hawk]

Well, we got a guy that runs a cowboy hat 24 7. It's like his thing. He's known as Cowboy Aaron Plesser. He. He rocks the dogs. The cowboy hat. He's a dog.

[Pat McAfee]

Great mullet and a great, great. I think I follow him on social.

[Boston Connor]

Socials.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, he's a good, good dude. He's the man.

[Pat McAfee]

So you don't want to bite his gimmick.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You're from Oklahoma. They wear cowboy hats.

[AJ Hawk]

I know, I know. He already. He already had that thing, though. So where's he from? Just come in. Throwing the cowboy hat on. Feel like I'm copying ap.

[Pat McAfee]

I understand. I understand. You're trying to build your own brain. Yeah. I'm gonna break both my arms. Aaron doing that?

[AJ Hawk]

I don't think so.

[Pat McAfee]

New friend of the program called Nicholas. Thank you.

[AJ Hawk]

Thank you, guys.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you, Cole. All right, we're going to get the hell out of here and enjoy the weekend. We'll see you on Monday. It's going to be a great show. A lot of is about to happen. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change their life. We're in this thing together. Never forget it. Team on me. Team on three. One, two, three.

[Boston Connor]

Team.

[Pat McAfee]

There it is. Okay, Goodbye.

[AJ Hawk]

I was late.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

In case you didn't know, these young men are driven. They are prodigies, the savants, the ones we been waiting for, like Damian Lillard, for instance.

[Pat McAfee]

He doesn't seek guidance or mentorship.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

He's a leader. He isn't waiting for the baton to.

[Colt Nichols]

Be passed to him. He's taking it for himself.

[AJ Hawk]

He's relentless in a pursuit of greatness.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Always pushing to one up himself.

[AJ Hawk]

He is accomplished, but far from satisfied.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

He embodies what it means to have.

[AJ Hawk]

An unstoppable drive and are shaking up.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

The status quo in their community and beyond. And Damian Lillard drives a Toyota. A new generation of Toyota drivers are here and they want you to know one thing.

[AJ Hawk]

You can't stop my drive.