PMS 2.0 1399 - BA Day with Bruce Arians, Joe Montana, Peter Schrager, Darius Butler, & AJ Hawk

Summary

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The Pat McAfee Show – PMS 2.0 1399: BA Day

Date: September 2, 2025
Special Guests: Bruce Arians, Joe Montana, Peter Schrager, Darius Butler, AJ Hawk, The Toxic Table, Tone Digs

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Main Theme & Episode Overview

This episode celebrates the official start of football season and features a packed roundtable of football legends and analysts. With just two days until the NFL’s first kickoff, Pat McAfee welcomes the debut of “BA Day” – Bruce Arians’ new weekly segment where the Super Bowl–winning coach offers his unvarnished takes. Joe Montana drops in to talk Niners, Peter Schrager breaks down NFL narratives, and the whole crew digests news from the NFL and college football, focusing notably on the Dallas Cowboys' ongoing drama and college football’s opening weekend.

McAfee and his ensemble cast leverage their deep football knowledge and irreverent energy, bouncing from Cowboys front office intrigue to on-field Xs & Os (with live video breakdowns), the new landscape of college football, personnel moves, and the business of winning. From roundtable debate on the Micah Parsons saga to candid reflections on evolving coaching, leadership, and sports media, PMS 2.0 1399 is packed with laughs, strong opinions, and a whirlwind of NFL and college takes.

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Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Football Season Begins: NFL Storylines & the Arrival of BA Day

[00:00–02:39]

• Pat McAfee hypes the return of football, the season opener (Eagles vs. Cowboys), and the excitement of launching "BA Day"—weekly segments with Bruce Arians.
• Arians’ Career Montage: Introduced as a three-time Super Bowl champ, known for stories and "the greatest club thrower of all time" on the golf course; BA warmly recalls his history and style (“club in the pond” tales at Greatwaters).

Notable Quote

“This year will be a fun one. Have you looked forward to what the season's going to be… Tuesday you're setting our thoughts and narratives for everything.” — Pat McAfee [02:06]

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2. Cowboys Drama: The Micah Parsons Negotiation & Dallas’ Super Bowl Hopes

[03:35–13:01]

• Recap of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ public spat with Micah Parsons’ agent David Mulugheta regarding the “stick it up your ass” comment.
• Arians and crew discuss the messiness of contract negotiations becoming public—a modern development—and how money heals some wounds but not all relationships.
• Extended debate on whether the Cowboys, with all their distractions and “business first” approach, can win a Super Bowl in the current NFL landscape.

Notable Quotes

“I've seen a few [negotiations] get really hot, and then owners pay the fine when they don't show up. But never like this. Not this public. These things never used to get this public.” — Bruce Arians [06:39]

"Bygones can be bygones when the money flies, you know, but those feelings never go away. It’s hard to reshape that relationship.” — Bruce Arians [08:06]

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3. Dallas as a Football Spectacle vs. Winning Culture

[13:01–18:00]

• The table debates whether the relentless spectacle, “VIP practice viewers,” and business built by Jerry Jones have become the very reason the Cowboys can’t win, despite elite talent.
• Arians: “Distractions” are the operative word, and modern players are different—more brand-driven, with football often not the central focus.

Notable Quotes

“A lot of distractions, man. I’m just saying, it’s a lot of distractions.” — Pat McAfee [12:53]

“Today's days, the guys are different... they’re always looking for that next opportunity to sell my brand.” — Bruce Arians [13:01]

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4. North Carolina vs. TCU: The Bill Belichick College Era Begins

[17:28–27:40]

• Recap of UNC vs. TCU, where Belichick’s Tar Heels laid an egg after a dominant opening drive.
• Darius Butler and BA break down the realities of coaching transitions, the challenge of building a roster from scratch, and honest post-game messaging.
• Arians: “Players win games, coaches lose games”—even Belichick is nothing without talent. College recruiting “bags” chat and NIL era cynicism included.

Notable Quotes

“You gotta have players. Coaches don’t get to play... If you ain't got no players, you ain't got no chance.” — Bruce Arians [23:27]

“Honesty. You gotta be honest with the guys… We can't get our ass kicked up front like they kicked our ass.” — Bruce Arians [26:00]

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5. Joe Montana Joins: NFL Storylines, QB Tiers, and Niners Outlook

[30:48–44:55]

• Montana discusses his new whiskey partnership and the Niners’ season.
• Brock Purdy: Montana likes his poise and decision-making.
• On the cyclical nature of the NFL moving back toward “power football.”
• Montana’s personal QB rankings (excluding Purdy): Josh Allen (“the guy in Buffalo”), Joe Burrow, and Justin Herbert (“the guy in the Chargers”), with an honorable mention for Jalen Hurts.

Notable Quotes

“Usually when you start making mistakes, you’re out of your comfort zone… what I really like to do is get hit early. That wasn’t happening. I didn’t get into the flow until a 300 pounder lands on you.” — Joe Montana, on big game comebacks [40:43]

“I think I’d take the guy in Buffalo, Josh Allen… and Joe Burrow… and the guy with the Chargers, Herbert. I like the way they all play.” — Joe Montana [43:00]

• Arians: “I thought he might have thrown Mahomes in there. I think I would have if he was younger; but also, these guys in today’s league probably play forever.”

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6. "B.S. or No B.S. with B.A."

[47:52–50:13]

• New weekly rapid-fire segment for Arians to declare if hot takes are “BS or no BS.”
  • Is Micah Parsons worth two first-round picks?
    “No bullshit, brother. He’s the best game wrecker in the game.”
  • Is Brian Schottenheimer a good head coach because dad was?
    “Total BS. He’ll be a good coach because he’s himself – an offensive mind. Completely different than his dad.”
  • Is Tom Brady right that Aaron Rodgers is the best thrower of all time?
    “A little BS. Danny Marino spun it better. Johnny Unitas for me.”

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7. NFL & College Xs & Os with B.A.

[139:20–141:23 & 141:57–145:50]

• Arians lays out how spread offenses and up-tempo systems have simplified QB reads, which creates a challenging transition to the NFL.
• Video breakdown: Patricia’s Ohio State defense confuses Arch Manning by showing Cover 0 pre-snap, rotating post-snap—NFL-level disguise in college.
• Arians: Coaching young QBs is radically different; “you have to teach them how to huddle, how to call plays, how to use a cadence.”

Notable Quotes

"Guys were never reading post snap anymore... Everything was pre snap." — Arians [139:35]

“You got two seconds to figure out where this ball’s going. You don’t see it in your first three steps, you’re throwing it to the wrong guy.” — Arians [140:08]

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8. NFL Outlook: Rams, Niners, and AFC/NFC Predictions with Peter Schrager

[81:15–99:44]

• Schrager likes the “reloaded Rams” and Niners as contenders in a competitive NFC West.
• High on Matthew Stafford’s health and WR tandem (now with Davante Adams).
• Thinks both Niners and Rams can win 11+ games, Packers defense is now “unblockable” after the Micah Parsons trade.
• AFC talk: caution about the Denver Broncos “hype machine.” There’s always a surprise team (maybe Dolphins or Panthers this year).

Notable Quotes

“Jerry Jones can make the Parsons trade because he doesn’t answer to anyone... He’s 82. He wanted to make the trade, so he did.” — Schrager [86:59]

“I think the Rams are superior... can go 11, 12 wins... I think the Packers, Vikings, and Lions could all be playoff teams this year.” — Schrager [99:22]

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9. Analytics, 4th Down Decisions, and Coaching Philosophy

[125:31–128:28]

• Arians rants against “analytics” ruling out field goals and glamorizing every 4th down attempt.
• "Football is not baseball": momentum, player matchups, injuries matter and aren't captured by stats.
• “Coaches get blamed for going with the numbers, but it doesn’t tell you if your right guard can block Ndamukong Suh.”

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10. BA’s Coaching Career Stories: Adapting, Substitutions & Bear Bryant

[161:13–164:51]

• Arians reminisces about his days under Bear Bryant at Alabama:
  • Bryant personally managed substitutions for waves of players (“66 players played every game”), used hockey line-style rotation, trusted even the 3rd/4th string to set up drives for the starters.
  • Football’s cyclical nature, shout outs to the wishbone’s historic role.

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• "Honesty. You gotta be honest with the guys. Look, this is what we did good. This is what we did bad. We did a lot of bad."
  — Bruce Arians [26:00] on coaching after a blowout.
• "Players win games, coaches lose games."
  — Bruce Arians [23:38] on what makes a difference at every level.
• "Analytics don’t believe in momentum. They’re talking about numbers, not blocking and tackling.”
  — Bruce Arians [128:44] on the limitations of football analytics.
• "Today's days, the guys are different, all right? They're not wired like the old guys used to be... this is a totally different new era.”
  — Bruce Arians [13:01]
• “Joe Montana saw me make some plays, complimented it. That’s huge for me.”
  — Pat McAfee [35:00], giddy after Montana shouts out his highlights.

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Timestamps by Segment

| Segment | Start Time |
|---------------------------------------------|--------------| | Football Excitement / Cowboys Drama | 00:00 | | Micah Parsons Trade/Bruce Arians Intro | 02:00 | | Cowboys Business Culture Dissected | 10:00 | | UNC/TCU Recap: Bill Belichick in College | 17:28 | | BA on Moving from NFL/Coaching Challenges | 26:00 | | Joe Montana Interview | 30:48 | | BA’s “BS or No BS” Hot Takes | 47:52 | | Schrager’s NFL Predictions | 81:15 | | In-Depth: College Coaching, QB Development | 139:20 | | BA’s Bear Bryant Stories | 161:13 | | Show Wrap-Up / BA on Substitutions & Legacy | 183:28 |

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Flow & Tone

The episode is irreverent, fast-paced, and packed with insider anecdotes. McAfee guides the conversation with humor and bluntness, allowing guests—especially Arians—to deliver blunt, unfiltered football wisdom. Everyone in the room is an ex-pro, current insider, or diehard fan, producing a rapport that mixes sharp football insight with locker room banter. The episode oscillates between football nerdery (film breakdowns, contract analysis) and witty, often self-deprecating debate about the game's evolution and the cultures of various teams.

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Episode Takeaways

• Bruce Arians emerges as the pillar of candor, blending wild stories with coaching truths that cut through modern media noise.
• The Cowboys’ approach, once innovative, is now the source of endless distraction—a self-inflicted wound that may keep them from another Super Bowl.
• College football’s chaos—realignment, NIL, defensive innovation, coaching legends like Belichick jumping in—signals an unprecedented era.
• QB evaluation and development is more complex than ever (“never ran a huddle, never called a play, never used a cadence”).
• The NFL’s next tier of superstars, as chosen by their peers (Mahomes, Lamar, Saquon, etc.), continues to shift as the league embraces youth, versatility, and power football.
• The human side of football—trust, authenticity, the ability to lead—is as important as ever, and no data will ever fully capture it.

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This episode sets the tone for a new football year, balancing nostalgia, skepticism, and relentless optimism, with a rotating panel of all-stars delivering the truths only insiders (with nothing left to prove) will say on air.

Transcript

[Pat McAfee]

Hello, beautiful people, and welcome to our humble abode, the Thunderdome on this BA Day, September 2, 2025. This program begins now. Football is magical and obviously there's so much to talk about. We are just two days away from the NFL season kicking off. We're completely wrapped with week one of the college football season. And football season has officially begun. You can almost feel the crisp in the air saying, hey, welcome to football season. Hey, know what's around the corner? All the holidays. You know what else meaningful? Football literally starting on Thursday night as Philadelphia host the Dallas Cowboys. A lot of stories coming out of Dallas. David Mullicotta, who is Micah Parsons agent, was on with first take this morning and said a lot of from his side that we hadn't heard. You know, the whole shove it up my ass is what Jerry Jones said that the agent told him. He said, that's not what I said at all. He gave a couple answers. We'll talk about that. But we know it's football season whenever we start getting our weekly guests.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, that's right.

[Pat McAfee]

We announced last week Coach Rule will be joining us every single week. We announced Coach Saban will be joining us every single week. Pumped. As you saw in the opening shot, there was a Kangol hat sitting in the back corner. That can only be one man. That man happens to be football coach for 47 years of his life. Only fired nine times.

[Bruce Arians]

Wow.

[Pat McAfee]

Three time Super bowl champion. Ladies and gentlemen, Bruce Harrians, B.A. we can't appreciate you enough for doing this. I'm obviously a huge fan of yours. I got a chance to watch you work both whenever I was a fan, at home as the Pittsburgh Steelers and then with the Indianapolis coach for the year where you were the interim coach. I just so happened to sit next to you in the team meeting for the first couple weeks before you became the head coach. Got a chance to learn about you quickly and we all watched you work and do your thing. Not only respectful to Chuck Pagana, the man that hired you as the head coach, but the way you were able to command everybody's excellence because of who you were and the amount of respect everybody had in the room for you. It was really cool to watch you do your thing. And then obviously you're the only person that's given AQ Shipley a job. So we are very thankful for that.

[Bruce Arians]

Two of them.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. A lot of them. Yeah, we are. We're very appreciative of you, man. And this year will be a fun one. Have you looked forward to what the season's going to be having to talk about it every single Tuesday. This is a pretty big spot here. Monday night football is going to end. The entire weekend's going to wrap and we are going to be looking through your brain to tell us how we should feel about everything. Right boys?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. So Tuesday you're going to be setting our thoughts and narratives for everything. Have you thought about that? And thank you for agreeing to do this.

[Bruce Arians]

Oh man, it's my pleasure boys. It's an honor to be here and looking really forward to Excited, ready to roll.

[Pat McAfee]

You're one of our first guests. Whenever we were still doing the show in the basement of my house, you joined us and you've always been incredibly cool to me both while you were coaching, while I was retired, while I was playing. And we can't thank you. And you look so cool. I can feel the cool, you know, kind of radiating from the nine year NFL vet. Darius J. Butler is here. Is that your son? Day red from Tiger woods right there.

[Darius J. Butler]

They wouldn't presence of greatness today. So I had to, you know where the gold stuff, you know, had to do it.

[Pat McAfee]

Bruce a big time golfer. Bruce also a guy ba is not scared to let a wedge know that it is no longer supposed to be in a bag. It is supposed to be in the bottom of a pond. One of the greatest club throwers of all time. I think what people would say about you.

[Bruce Arians]

I think we tried to count them the other day. They're 16, 17 and 18 are Greatwaters. Where I live it's all water. I've lived there 19 years now. I think there's 37 clubs in this. Seven irons, eight irons, few putters.

[Pat McAfee]

A lot of putters, a lot of putter.

[Bruce Arians]

I actually paid one kid to go in there get 500 bucks. You go, I like that damn putter. I don't know why I did.

[Pat McAfee]

That's that competitive spirit. 47 years as a coach, you gotta love ball. And you have more stories about players from the history of the game. We can't wait to hear them all literally just sitting over here. It's hard not to just hey, hey, hey. We're for three, four hours before the show starts. It's hard not to just ask about everything. We got to save some of the stuff for the air which we will talks to tables here at Boston Conner and at Ty Schmidt. Hey, David Mulaguetta on with first take. Intriguing. Yeah, I think it was certainly so while I was in Australia down under. Beautiful country, great food. Don't have to get into that again, but Michael Irvin had Jerry Jones on his show. And I must have missed this clip until very recently. Here's Jerry Jones chit chatting about, you know, following up on the negotiated agreement that he had with Micah Parsons over dinner or whatever it was, and reaching out to the agent to make it official in the conversation. Here's how Jerry Jones says that way.

[Bruce Arians]

We wanted to send the details to the agent the agent sold us to. Stick it up our ass.

[Joe Montana]

Oh, oh, wait, wait, wait, wait.

[Pat McAfee]

Now, see, I'm just.

[Bruce Arians]

Hope you're clear.

[Pat McAfee]

Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean? So. So wait, what do you mean?

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, Mike and I talked and then we were going to send it over to the agent and we had our agreements on term amount guarantees, everything. We were going to send it over to the agent and the agent said, don't bother because we've got all that to negotiate. Well, I'd already negotiated. I'd already moved off my mark over several areas.

[Pat McAfee]

So he said, listen, I already gave up a lot in this negotiation with Micah. And then, you know, the conversation then leads. How much can you really get negotiated at a dinner? Did Micah know he was in the middle of a negotiation? Well, Mulagueda responded about the stick it up your ass comment and don't even bother. Here's how he says it went down.

[Bruce Arians]

When he made a contract offer. He brought up some stick it up your ass comment that came out of your mouth of the representation for Micah Parsons. I want you to address that and whether or not there's any truth to.

[Pat McAfee]

What he articulated to myself, to Michael.

[Bruce Arians]

Irvin and others in regards to that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you know, it might be hard for some to believe, but I don't think I've ever used that phrase in my life. And in my 40 plus years, I.

[Darius J. Butler]

Definitely wouldn't use it with somebody that.

[Pat McAfee]

I have to work with or somebody.

[AJ Hawk]

That I plan on working with in the future.

[Pat McAfee]

So, no, that wasn't true. And it was a misrepresentation of what I said. What I did tell them was if.

[Darius J. Butler]

They believe that the contract was already.

[Pat McAfee]

Finalized and they were sending it over to me to be rubber stamped, then, you know, they probably shouldn't send it over. Okay, so he said, this is not over. We're still in the middle of this. Now, you obviously. 47 years coaching, who knows how long, three decades plus. I assume with the NFL in the NFL still around. The NFL, when these types of negotiations get this tense and this ugly, is this a definite outcome of a trade or have you ever seen, like, money make up for these. Is this normal to have this much tension in a negotiation that happened?

[Bruce Arians]

I've seen a few get really hot, and then owners pay the fine when they don't show up. But never like this. Not like this. Not. Not this public. These things getting so public now. They never used to get this public.

[Pat McAfee]

Jerry Jones, you never coached for the Dallas Cowboys, right?

[Bruce Arians]

No.

[Pat McAfee]

You obviously have a lot of friends who have been down there. Different place because it's operated fully like a business. I think after watching that documentary, everybody's takeaway is like, Jerry is obviously one of the greatest promoters of all time. He was maybe supposed to be in wrestling and maybe fighting promotions or something like that. Instead, he had a love of the Dallas Cowboys and of football. He runs it like a business. Tours through the building throughout the season. You know, the weight room, you're being watched. There's. I think there's actually an office building next to the practice field so people can rent the offices to watch. Everybody around here has such a panic and a fear of what Bill Belichick's watching practice. Like, if there's a plane flying over top of practice. Bill Polian was shutting down practice. Nobody move until that thing gets out of here. Who is it? That's them. We know. That's like. That is how I think, like, yeah, exactly. That's exactly how you feel as well. So, like, when you hear that stuff out of Dallas and then you see how loud this type is, that suitable to win or conducive to win a Super bowl, like, you think you can do it with how hard it is to win a Super bowl already? Like, I think a lot of Cowboys fans are like, instead of running, like, a business and wanting to stir up drama, like, let's try one of the Super Bowl. Yeah, like, that would be cool. Do you think it's possible with how hard it is to win a game in the NFL?

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, I think bygones can be bygones when the money flies, you know, oh, that fixes everything. But those feelings never go away, you know, And I think it's very hard to reshape that relationship. It's going to be a new relationship now. Yeah, it might have been. I love playing for you now.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, this is business. Him and Mike are done. I think the locker room. We haven't heard the locker room. Dak Prescott said both sides are happy about this. You know, both sides are happy with the outcome, I think. Is Dax exact quote whenever he was chit chatting about Micah Leaving get two first round picks. Obviously, Jerry Jones says, hey, the future's bright with these four first round picks over the next two years. Who says I don't make a move right now?

[Boston Connor]

That's right.

[Pat McAfee]

And they paid Duron Bland. He was able to do that. But it's like. Do you think everything that Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys do haven't been, what, 29 years.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Been since they get. Do you think it is capable of winning a Super bowl this time?

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, I think so. The one thing they do everything they believe is the best for the Cowboys. Now, if we believe it, that's a different story. But what they believe that and Jerry and Steven really think every move they make is the best thing for the Dallas Cowboys to win a Super Bowl.

[Pat McAfee]

Do you think it is, though? Do you think, like, tours around the building and stuff like that?

[Bruce Arians]

I would go crazy.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes. Yeah, yeah, exactly. That's what I'm trying to get at here.

[Bruce Arians]

I would go crazy.

[Pat McAfee]

Like, it's really hard to win. And they're selling VIP tickets for people to overlook practices. It's like, even me as a punter, bottom of totem pole, which I think is actually like the most powerful position. But the saying is bottom of totem pole as if it means nothing. So let's just say bottom of totem pole reality. Top of totem pole, though. Least important person in there. If we have a fake punt practicing and there's five people that I don't know watching, I, as punter gonna go, I'm screwed. That person is gonna tell somebody. It's gonna do that. Imagine that for every practice. I don't know. Coach Mike McCarthy said it's just a part of it. You just gotta do that entire thing. I think Dr. Pepper's in the building. I think they. They actually are in the building. Which, by the way, 88 years supporting college football. I think Jerry Jones should be pumped that Dr. Pepper's in that office building overlooking the practice field, as opposed to somebody El runs the Eagles or the Giants.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Or the Washington Commanders. Anything like that. It is wild. Like, that feels like something that is very unique to the Dallas Cowboys than anywhere else in the NFL.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, I go way back to the days when you knew people were skunking practice. Back in the sec, you see somebody up in a tree and go get him. I remember Danny Ford got caught jumping over the fence one time as a young assistant scouting Ole Miss.

[Pat McAfee]

Danny. That baby. Danny, you over for the team.

[Bruce Arians]

So it's like, I've always had that Phobia. Who the hell's that? Nobody watching our practice. Nobody's around our practice. I want black tarps everywhere. You know, And I think way back at Alabama, Coach Bryant, there was a pizza shop across the street, and all of a sudden he had a rooftop bar. He shut that down quick.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I can imagine. I'm telling you, it felt like that with everybody. I mean, up there in New England with the greatest dynasty. Bill Belichick said nothing to them. I mean, there was. They were trying to get everything from everybody else is what everybody assumed. Like, Bill Pollian was shutting down people that had hoodies too close to their eyes at training camp. That's a little suspicious. Go check that guy. What's he got? He's probably got those. He's probably got a camera on his thing. Getting our practice in, our calls right now, like, that was the heightened sense of, like, we are not allowing anybody to get any of our stuff. And then down there, just the entire show. I think it's great for us as, like, outsiders. Sure. But I think, like, a lot of Cowboys fans are like, hey, we became Cowboys fans probably because of something like this, because of the spectacle, because of the show. But now that we're here, hey, let's win a little bit. Let's try to do that.

[Darius J. Butler]

I don't know if they can still win, though. I mean. Cause you gotta think there was Super Bowl. They were so far ahead of the times, you know, 30 years ago, but they were still winning. But it was so much shit. They were like the Beatles, you know, they were all superstars. Michael Irvin, Emmett Smith, Troy Aikman. All these guys bringing in Deion Sanders. But they got the job done. Once they got inside those white lines, the coach, whether it was Jimmy Johnson or Barry Switzer, whoever it was, they got the guys going. So that's what it's gonna come down to. They have drafted well, you know, they have had good guys in the building. Good enough players and good enough teams to win 12 and 10 and 13 games in season. So you have the talent. So you can't use that as an excuse, as a player, coach, or staff. Once you get in there, hey, you know. Because if you got a playoff game at home, like, you get the shit kicked out of you by the packers, they ain't got nothing to do with the tours and all that. And this at that point now, well.

[Pat McAfee]

Unless they know your offseason's gonna be.

[Darius J. Butler]

Live, every time you turn on ESPN or any network, you're gonna be talked about. That's but to be, to be an excuse to say that they can't win. Will it be tougher? Yeah, for sure. But I think they can still get the job done and win the games. And ultimately winning super bowl is hard. You, you're three time champ. It's tough to do. A lot of things got to go right, but you got one of the better quarterbacks in the league. You got a decent roster around them. I, I, I still think they can get over that hump and win. But with Jerry running the show.

[Pat McAfee]

A lot of distractions, man. I'm just saying, it's a lot of distractions.

[Bruce Arians]

I think that's the key word, distraction.

[Pat McAfee]

It's a lot of them, you know, because you got to be like a certain type of guy.

[Bruce Arians]

Today's, today's days, the guys are different, all right? They're not, they're not wired in like the old guys used to be. So they're looking around, they're, they're always looking for that next opportunity to sell my brand. All right? So, yeah, it's like this isn't the same guy. The guys you used to coach, the Michael Irvins, it's not those guys. This is a totally different new era.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, and that's, and you can't blame them because it's literally all been surrounding them. This is just a reality. Their entire lives they've been surrounded by this and like, capitalizing off opportunities and bringing a lot of money. A lot of these guys are making a lot of money very, very young. So brand building and money and business and everything is very, it's something that's just who they are at this stage of life. And I think everybody's going to be going forward. But I think even back in the day, if social media was as prevalent as it was right now, I think Michael Irvin might have got distracted a little bit. The business opportunity.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

Like, not that he wasn't.

[Darius J. Butler]

Playmaker handled it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, Playmaker certainly show up on Sundays. Ball out. Mike. Mike would have hammered it.

[Bruce Arians]

I don't give Mike his due.

[Pat McAfee]

We love Mike.

[Ty Schmidt]

I think that's what you're saying. Like, if you're the fans, they take everything, the debut saying, it's like, yeah. Now imagine if football was the main focus and everything else wasn't, you know, secondary, where it's flipped. It's like they have a lot of good players, they have all these things, but it still seems like at the end of the day, like they're the most valuable franchise in, in the world. And that is the End all, be all. Like football. Obviously if you win, like that will help that. But at the end of the day, like all the other stuff comes before the actual football does.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Like it feels like the rise of the Cowboys is because of Jerry and the fall of the Cowboys is because of Jerry. Like what he has done to build the Cowboys. The reason the Cowboys are the Cowboys is because of Jerry Jones. And that was very necessary for the NFL. Like that was the big thing. Learning from the documentary was realizing, you know, how small compared to today is. The NFL was in the 80s, in 90s and Jerry helped build all that. And it was awesome. And you needed the soap opera, you needed to build the brand of the team because the Cowboys are kind of the first and then everyone else followed. But that was to get money and to make the league successful. Like now every team is worth billions of dollars and now the league is successful. So all that stuff that made the Cowboys, you know, great in this soap opera, in the most valued franchise in football, is now the same exact thing that is killing their entire.

[Pat McAfee]

Maybe, maybe, maybe. That's why we got. That's why I don't like all the definites. Like Nico down there in Dallas with the Mavericks. Like if he ends up getting a team, if he ends up building a team within the next couple years, everybody that's saying you're the biggest doofus of all time has to like kind of.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, but, but two, like Nico had a half percent chance to win the first pick and he got it and they got Cooper flag and that's going to work out for Nico and it's great. But that was fucking lucky. Excuse me. I didn't even realize I was.

[Pat McAfee]

Jacked up. Pretty jacked up.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. But now like with the Cowboys, it's different. Like if Nico doesn't get the first pick and they end up with some guy.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm saying they do.

[Boston Connor]

They did. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm just saying about the reality of the situation. That did happen.

[Bruce Arians]

But they're straight to shitter then.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, they don't get the one. Yes, we agree. But they did. So the reality of the situation is Nico could say knew there was always a possibility we'd get the number one overall pick. Especially with these things, it ends up happening. People say it was half percent, you know, half percent. I'll trade Luka. Yeah. You know, like there's a way that he could spin that as being a success. It's just like the Atlanta Falcons when they draft Mike Michael Pennock right after Kirk Cousins. They pay him $180 million. They draft Michael Penix, we all kill him. We all kill him pretty big. And then Michael Penix ends up being their starter because Kurt goes through a funk. It's like, all right, I guess maybe they had a plan there. Jordan Love draft, Green Bay packers, same exact thing. We all kill him. It's like sports are interesting.

[Boston Connor]

Jerry might get arch. There's a chance they might get arch in the next two years.

[Pat McAfee]

His Arch.

[Ty Schmidt]

Well, yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Do they want him or Jeremiah?

[Pat McAfee]

There is, but you're just saying like you never. It could end up working out very well for Jerry, definitely. But it's just all the shit that happens on the day to day that makes you Wonder, like, is 20, 25 the right time to have all that distraction and still win? I don't know. You're going to have to get people to walk locked in.

[Bruce Arians]

I will say this, everybody that I know that's worked for the Cowboys loves Jerry. That he gives you everything you need and ask for as a coach or a manager to win. And so I am a fan of Jerry and Steven. I think they'd be fun to work for. But man, those distractions would drive me personally crazy.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I guess the weight room watching is a hilarious ass. Just people walking through.

[Boston Connor]

Mike McCarthy was the same though. He, I mean, he didn't say he loved one bad thing about Jerry.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, love Jerry. And that was fresh. Like, that was. Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Right after he got let go.

[Pat McAfee]

Fresh out of the. The entire situation. Now let's go to a guy who's experiencing something brand new, who's very good as an NFL coach. For a long time last night, we felt it. Oh boy. We were there in chapel, Bill. Hey, that first drive, I, I would say five minutes before kickoff, maybe ten. Ten minutes before kickoff. Kickoff, first drive. Touchdown.

[Darius J. Butler]

Here we go.

[Pat McAfee]

Place going crazy. Light show. New light show in the stadium. Okay. They had Petey Pablo out there. TCU kind of stole Petey Pablo. I'm gonna say it. Petey Pablo comes on screen, says North Carolina. Then they start playing a song. North Carolina's walking out from the tunnel, but the entire stadium's dark. They're up on a Jumbotron up here. Petey Pablo is North Carolina going. And Razor these jerk starts playing. I'm like, this is awesome. Lights start hitting on the seats. It's like North Carolina's doing it right now. TCU middle of as beach, dropping on that jogs out booze from everywhere. Oh, no. So now the Petey Pablo thing is dead. Just TCU stole it. Just completely Stole it with the booze. So we're like, oh, no, we got to recalibrate here. Change the song up there. Then the boys come out, place goes apeshit then. That was the first time the lights were on. The place was packed. 20 minutes before that game was about to be kicked off. It was not packed out. There was a lot of seats. There were still a lot of seats. We were doing that kickoff show, and I think Matt Berry said, like, this place is gonna be packed and full of energy. And I, like, looked around. I mean, Des looked around like, we hope so, man. We are literally hoping so. And it did. And I think with the hills and the traffic to get in there, I think that's a tough place to navigate. Yeah.

[Darius J. Butler]

How's the tailgating, too?

[Pat McAfee]

They had great tailgating, baby.

[Bruce Arians]

It's all tailgate.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Darius J. Butler]

Perfect weather. It was.

[Pat McAfee]

It was great setups. I saw some real nice barbecue rigs.

[Bruce Arians]

Oh, yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Jordan Brand on it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, there is some good stuff. Phillip goes crazy. TC almost steals it. They come back, place goes apeshit. They get the ball. Interesting little coin toss there, you know, because they deferred till the second half. Asked the North Carolina guys what they wanted to do. Looked like there was a little bit of confusion. Bill Belichick, situational football here is the first time we get an opportunity to do that. Want the ball, don't want to kick both halves here. That's what you want to do. Ref says that you want the ball. Got it. You'll take the ball, kick off, they go down and score. Place goes crazy. We're sitting there. This place is going to host college football playoff game. We're saying that this could be a college football playoff game here. Bill Belichick, of course, we just saw what Matt Patricia did to the Texas offense. Bill Belichick, obviously doesn't matter if he's got all the five stars. He's going to be able to out navigate out coach. He's going to be the superior product on the field. He's going to be a Bill Belichick team. That's what was being said. Sure, by us. And everybody on his place was going crazy. Music, all of it. All the lights. They turned off the lights after a touchdown. Did the whole thing. It was like, this is what it is. Welcome North Carolina back to big time football. It changed. They scored a lot of points. That other team scored a lot of points. And it all goes back to there was one timeout where they didn't play music. It was just a band playing.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, geez.

[Pat McAfee]

Lights Were out during a timeout. Just band playing over there. Drumline did a great job early. Just band playing over there. I. I felt it. I felt the entire. The air just come out of that.

[Ty Schmidt]

Here comes the storm.

[Pat McAfee]

And on the other side, it was a TCU smack in a moth vest. You know, there's a lot of things that are going to happen here. You know, Johnson comes in at the end of the game after snapping his leg in half last year. What a great story. Throws a touchdown to his little brother. That was cool for the North Carolina Tar Heels, but I think we. We all were reminded DCU's got a good football team.

[Boston Connor]

Yes, they do.

[Pat McAfee]

Now, I even said during my pick, DCU's got a lot to pull from here. Only reason why we're here is because Bill Belichick is here. Like, let's just. They knew that. They heard that they had 16 returning starters. A lot of vets. Quarterback can spin it. And Sonny Dykes, I think, really loved this as opening night for his team. And they put on quite a show. And they beat the hell out of North Carolina last night. Boy, did they ever. And I don't know what the Tar Heels look like. They got Charlotte on Saturday. Charlotte is in North Carolina. Good opportunity. Okay. That is a short week. They got Charlotte. A lot of people around there saying, if we would have won last night, Bill was going to be miserable because we got Charlotte coming up. If we were to lose tonight. Charlotte coming, Boy, it's going to be bad. It is. It's a big one on Saturday for this North Carolina team. D. But you were down there boots on the ground. You've seen it for yourself.

[Darius J. Butler]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Desmond said on the kickoff show, he's picking tcu, but I'm pulling for these North Carolina guys. It felt like there was two different levels on the field last night for most of everything but the first drive. How long does it take for Bill Belichick's coaching and development to kick in for that North Carolina team to become a squad? You know, what are your thoughts on that?

[Darius J. Butler]

I mean, look, look, the coaching. Look, I trust Bill. Bill knows football. The guys are going to be prepared. You mentioned Matty P. Matty P's dealing with different ingredients, you know, different ingredients going into that recipe. So when you're especially in the college level, it's a little more fair, a little more even picking on the NFL level and at college level, he was kind of late to the party with recruiting as well. One. One big thing that stood out yesterday, especially when we had paid on And I talked to some guys who are tapped into the college game on the sideline before the game. Nobody had a clue what that UNC team, what that roster was going to look like. Nobody knew. They couldn't tell me. Five players on that roster, so that was alarming. You mentioned Sonny Dykes and this team. We know it's a, a talented ball club. I don't know if it turns around. I don't know if it gets better. It was ugly last night. It started great. Look, they can never take that first drive away from that first came out and executed it. It was great environment. MJ in the building. Lt's back.

[Pat McAfee]

They didn't get to play.

[Darius J. Butler]

None of them, none of them ran out of that tunnel in the smoke. But it.

[Pat McAfee]

Randy there with him. He's a jack stand. I always say this.

[Bruce Arians]

Coaches don't get to play.

[Pat McAfee]

Nope.

[Bruce Arians]

You gotta have players.

[Pat McAfee]

And they have eight players.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, yeah, but if you're, if you're.

[Bruce Arians]

Playing, they have eight players. Look, there are other Tide in white and purple. They have players.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes. All right.

[Bruce Arians]

And Sonny Dax is one hell of a coach. I actually coached with his dad Spike, who was a great man, hell of a coach. Built Texas Tech back up. But coaches, they don't win games. Players win games, coaches lose games. You can have the great. They had the greatest coach in the world. You ain't got no players, you ain't got no chance.

[Boston Connor]

You gotta think like all those things you just mentioned. Like if you're a high school kid and you see Lawrence Taylor and Michael Jordan and all these legends at a game, you might think, okay, that's cool. But I believe they already got like the number one QB of one of the draft classes coming up.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, there's plenty of time to switch that around.

[Bruce Arians]

So where these kids decommit now talking about the cash, brother.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, exactly.

[Ty Schmidt]

And if they're leaning on that, like you think Michael Jordan's coming next week after last night, you think Michael Jordan's flying?

[Pat McAfee]

I know Michael Jordan gets, I assume UNC Duke every time it's played there fills up that stadium. 51,000 is max capacity. I assume he goes to the basketball games and gets a lot of love. I mean that was 51,000 people strong giving MJ a lot of. I mean, Coach Williams sit right next to him. They're not, not even a thing, not even a thing said about. And she's like Michael Jordan right here. Don't worry about his next home couple national champions. Just, just look at Michael Jordan. And at the beginning, whenever he got a 51,000 going strong for him. It was awesome. Place went crazy.

[Darius J. Butler]

Fireman was amazing.

[Pat McAfee]

What we felt that first drive. They're going to be hunting that.

[Darius J. Butler]

Okay, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

That is the. That is everything we need. That is what we're searching for, for and for the TCU team. We, all of us on the set talking before the game, and everybody that was on the field very much understood that you had all the motivation in the world. Nobody was talking about you guys at all. But to be clear, your game's probably on Saturday at noon.

[Bruce Arians]

If.

[Pat McAfee]

If not. So, like, true, you're on Monday night because of Bill Belichick showcase, and it was great for your team to go and kill it. And they did dominate. And that Hoover boy.

[Ty Schmidt]

Oh, he can spin it.

[Bruce Arians]

He can spin it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes, he can.

[Boston Connor]

Running back.

[Pat McAfee]

He can spin it.

[Darius J. Butler]

Coach, what's the message to the team after that? You know, you come out there, you give up. You have all these expectations, you have all these eyes. You're trying to seriously, you're building a new culture, and you don't. You're dealing with younger, much younger kids now. But, like, what's the message to that team in the locker room if you are Bill Belichick going forward?

[Bruce Arians]

Honesty. Honesty. You got to be honest with the guys. Look, this is what we did good. This is what we did bad. We did a lot of bad.

[Pat McAfee]

All right?

[Bruce Arians]

We can't get our ass kicked up front like they kicked our ass. We got to get better in the trenches on both sides quick. And for Bill, it's all about fundamentals. You know, Bill, I mean, he's just going to go back to the fundamentals and do his thing. They'll be well coached. We all know that. And. But old saying, you can't make chicken salad out of chicken shit.

[Darius J. Butler]

Ain't that the truth?

[Pat McAfee]

All right.

[Bruce Arians]

And that's the first time Carolina football ever looked like that. I've watched Carolina football for a long, long time, and they've never had that atmosphere.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, you're talking about the vibes.

[Bruce Arians]

The vibe at their basketball school.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes.

[Bruce Arians]

Now, Mac did a couple. He had a couple great teams, but Carolina is never known for football. I mean, they're the tailgate city, and it's like, that was a great vibe to see. Now, if they can build off that, that'd be awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, would be awesome if they had.

[Bruce Arians]

If they had 30 recruit top recruits there. They. They leave them. Leave at the first quarter, get them out first drive.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, right. I'll tell you that. First drive. All right. We got a lot of people at.

[Boston Connor]

The FBO that's like, I don't know what he's telling his team, but I am pretty sure Bill knew that they were going to get the doors blowing off him going into that game. If we're talking about a guy who would go in on Saturdays or Fridays and tell the entire team how an NFL game is going to go and then for that to happen in an NFL game, like, I, I'm assuming he knew Sonny Dykes is gonna beat the piss out of my boys tonight, but this is a three year thing.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, no, dude, I was talking to the. I'm telling you.

[Darius J. Butler]

Yeah, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

They don't think like that.

[Bruce Arians]

No, that ain't never entered his mind.

[Boston Connor]

He also never said, hey, have fun out there. I think this is a different Bill. And he's telling guys to have fun. I'm assuming he knew, hey, I got a bunch of guys who are coming from Holy Cross. I, I'm assuming my, my center's probably going to give a half hour, you know, pump up speech before the game and then we're gonna go out there and get killed. But that's okay because I signed a 10 year deal. I'm gonna be here for all 10 of them. And probably halfway through this, we might turn it around a little bit.

[Pat McAfee]

Congrats to tcu. Huge win.

[Darius J. Butler]

Their Twitter X account.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, social media. Good work.

[Boston Connor]

They're ready.

[Pat McAfee]

They were going last night. Their general manager, Ryan Dorchester door. Used to be equipment manager at WVU whenever I was there. Great dude. Now he's a gm. I did not know that. I should have known that. I saw him right before I go out to do the show and I go, dude, good to see you or whatever. He's like, yeah, I'm GM here or whatever. I'm like, that's sick. Because he worked his way up into the coaching ranks and everything like that and through football ops and he was with Dana for a little bit and then I think he was somewhere else and then now he's the GM there and boy, it really felt like they, they were excited for the opportunity. Like, I think they were very pumped. I think they didn't know exactly what Bill's team was going to look like because I think we all, there was a chance. Nobody did. There's a chance that Bill's gonna be able to get these guys we never heard of to all have perfect. They didn't have spring ball. These guys were only here for training camp three weeks. We thought there was a chance that he was Gonna be able to get, you know, the schemes in.

[Boston Connor]

Of course.

[Pat McAfee]

And maybe keep the under to keep this a low score. Right. That said, TCU said we'll get it. Yeah. We got no problem. We'll go get it ourselves.

[Bruce Arians]

You should have got Maddie P to send Katie Browns and some of them other players.

[Pat McAfee]

Definitely needed that. We should have given. We need to get more love to tcu.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, definitely.

[Pat McAfee]

And Saturday is a big one for unc. I mean, this is a. This is a must win for lands 14 and a half now. This is a big one for the Tar Heels. I think he needs to go with Johnson's boy.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, I think you're right.

[Pat McAfee]

Big bad Brad Johnson, he was slinging it. I think he needs to kind of be the guy. Okay, ladies and gentlemen joining us now, he is here for Gold Bar whiskey. The official whiskey of the San Francisco 49ers. They have a first ever collab drink with somebody. Now, I was not able to enjoy it this morning. It's called. It's called the Joe Montana Gold Bar with Double gold.

[Boston Connor]

Double gold. Double gold.

[Pat McAfee]

Double gold. We knew that was the name. Yes. Didn't we be a. We talked about the name all morning, all day. Double. Well, maybe all day. We'll see.

[Boston Connor]

We probably will.

[Pat McAfee]

Ty, you tried one of these things? I did. It's a mule, right? It's whiskey.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, pretty much a whiskey mule. It was. It was delicious. And I'm not usually a canned cocktail guy.

[Pat McAfee]

It is something that seems delightful early. It's with that man, ladies and gentlemen. Four time super bowl champion, three time super. Super bowl mvp, five time all pro in eight time Pro bowl, ladies and gentlemen, paisano greatness, Joe Montana.

[Joe Montana]

Thank you, guys. Oh, my. How's everybody?

[Pat McAfee]

Well, we've already had a couple double Golds over here. How are you?

[Joe Montana]

Hey, you know what? I'm doing great. Just happy to be a part of. Had a great connection with these guys. And it's also, you know, part of the 49ers are involved and the drink and you said it best. I'm usually not a canned cocktail person either, but this has been something that was developed and it's pretty refreshing. And I have a friend of mine who tried it who doesn't like whiskey at all. He says now that he has it, he drinks one every night.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Boom.

[Joe Montana]

Yeah. And it's available in retailers now around California and on the. On their website, goldbarwhiskey.com along with the retro bourbon that they're doing for. It's an 85 proof for in coordination with the super bowl. Coming back to here. That was here in 85 in San Francisco. And it's another thing that we're involved with that I'm involved with that. I think people are going to love.

[Pat McAfee]

85 proof whiskey, 8% alcohol can. I mean, we got some good stuff coming out. Gold Bar distillery. You're right. Happy you're involved with it all. Happy that San Francisco 49ers and you are still so damn synonymous. What do you think about this season? It feels like Christian McCaffrey back healthy is a much better place to be than where we were literally one year ago when we just learned. I don't know how much you knew before everybody else. When we find out that Christian McCaffrey has the word Achilles involved in anything, we obviously immediately worried it was tendonitis. He basically missed all year. We found out like three days before the season started that kind of dampered everything. And I think the season went this year feels like could be a bounce back year for the Niners in a big way. How do you feel?

[Joe Montana]

Yeah, I think so. I mean, they definitely have the team. To be able to go in and compete with anybody, you know, obviously with Christian coming back is a huge plus of that. Offense takes a lot of pressure off the quarterback, so. And I think he got a little feeling the pressure where he felt like he had to do and contribute more instead of just going and, you know, doing what he's done for his whole life and just be yourself. And we always have that tendency that we want to make the change and make it quick and now we got to make something happen. And so I think he just got caught up in that. And I think you'll see a different player coming up this year.

[Pat McAfee]

You like Brock Purdy a lot, Joe. How have you got the chance to talk to him? It feels like you guys have similar mindsets. I'm not 100 sure if you feel that way, but he seems to be ultra competitive and very cool, which obviously you have similar traits.

[Joe Montana]

Yeah, I mean, I really like him. He. He usually doesn't make a lot of mistakes and, you know, he's careful with the football. He's got great placement of it, as you can see here. And I just. I just think he's got the right demeanor and, you know, everybody has those kind of years. I had them every. Everyone you can go to and look around at anybody. Brady, everybody. You know, when injuries start taking place, you know, your whole team changes and then the quarterback seems sometimes that it's all rides on their Back. They sometimes believe, and so they start doing things they wouldn't normally do. But I think he'll be fine.

[Pat McAfee]

Shanahan's offense has a lot of running law par. You know, obviously, we've seen Trent in motion and everything like that. The Philadelphia Eagles just blew out the Chiefs in the Super Bowl Bowl. Feels like we're getting back to some power football. You like that, Joe? I feel like we. We football people all enjoy the way it's headed as opposed to where we all thought it was going to go. Feels like it's cyclical right now. Yeah.

[Joe Montana]

I always said, you know, when you go back and you look at the teams who win consistently, they always got a pretty good running game and they stay consistent with it. And obviously, Philly has had that. But I also saw some guy named McAfee on a couple Whoa. Highlights a little while ago. You running with the ball.

[Pat McAfee]

Come on, Joe. Joe, I'm from Pittsburgh, bro. You get it. You know, you understand that this happens. I got you.

[Joe Montana]

I just want to let you know it didn't go unnoticed. He did a little bit of everything on the Twitter.

[Pat McAfee]

That's gonna be on my descriptor now. Joe Montana saw me make some plays, complimented it. That's huge for me. Joe Paisan, I want to let you know that is gigantic for me. Yeah, I think physical football is a good thing for our sport, and I think it's also. Anytime we got the trenches kind of deciding games, which I think we're at the point again, once it be in that, I think that's how the game was supposed to be played. Ty has a question for you about that Super Bowl.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, Joe, when you look at the Chiefs, you know, because they got beat so bad by the Eagles, I think everyone's kind of just writing them off this year, and maybe it's Chiefs fatigue. Everyone thinks, hey, they had their run, they're kind of done. But with the documentary coming out the Kingdom on espn, that kind of, you know, goes over the dynasty that they've created and everything. Do you think Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelsey, Andy Reid and the Chiefs are poised to have a big year this year? Because it feels like nobody's really giving them a realistic shot to win the Super Bowl.

[Joe Montana]

Well, you know, we. We always, obviously have an offensive player, but everybody points to the offense. But really, when it comes down to it, you can. The teams that win consistently up there have a pretty good defense. And you can go back over the years where we were, we had. And I always argue with Ronnie a lot about what was our better teams because we had a little bit more offense later in the years when you got Jerry Rice and that. But I think they'll be. I think they're fine. They just. But you got to be able to stop people also. And I think that's the. The thing about it is you can. You can go back and look and they. They just didn't. They couldn't stop Philadelphia. And when you can't do that, I don't. You know, you can score a lot of points, but you keep getting outscored. And although this was not that way. And like I said, we all guys who've had great years go back. You can go back when. When Danny came here. Unfortunately, Danny and I are great friends, but had a great year, but our defense was number one and everybody forgot about that. And then you go back with El. We played the Broncos in the super bowl and just bad days. It started off bad for me, too. Even Dave Craig said, are you worse MVP in this game there gets a little better, but yeah, we all have those kind of days. And, And I think that's, you know, the Chiefs been there, done that. Kind of maybe a little complacent thought. They, they, they. Everybody was overlooking him. But the. Philly would push on Philly, but Philly had a good team. Good team, Great team.

[Pat McAfee]

They're able to get home with just four guys, too. I think that was a bit. The offensive line, seemingly they had a guard playing tackle. They really didn't have it figured out. Anytime Patrick Williams is running for his life in a Super bowl, feels like they're not going to win. Ain't that right, B.A. ain't that right?

[Bruce Arians]

I think Vic took a nice lesson from our Todd did a great job of taking our front four and getting after Patrick. I think he ran five miles that night. But one of the greatest throws I've ever seen right in front of me. He's laying prone, about to hit the ground. Throws it and hits a guy right in the face mask and he drops it. And Michael, Mike Evans and Chris Gavin go. He's unbelievable.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes. Yes, he is. Yes, he is. Always will be. I'm excited to hear your answer to his question. Actually here in a couple moments. Joe, the two goats chit chatting about a position we obviously have massive respect for. Another person we assume you have respect for. Go ahead, con man.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Joe, speaking of KC you were there when Schottenheimer was there, and now his son is heading into his first year as a head coach of the Cowboys. How do you think, you know he's going to do and what do you think he needs to. To do to establish his culture, Whether that is a old school Schottenheimer culture, all the way back to Casey or his kind of new take on the Dallas Cowboys culture?

[Joe Montana]

Well, I'll take a page out of Bill Walsh's book and say when things were always going bad or falling apart, and I alluded to it a little bit earlier, where everybody wants to try to make something happen. Instead of going back to the fund, we went back to the fundamentals. He would go backwards, not forward, not looking for something new. I'm going to go back to what I know we do. And that's what he needs to do when he gets with the Cowboys. Go in there and like Pat said, you know, got to get to get that running game going, take some pressure off the quarterback and because there's a lot on him for sure playing where he's playing and, you know, the contract and controversial, all those things. They need to get the ball out of his hand as much as they can and that you do that with the running game and so hopefully they can get that established and get back to the old school cowboy football.

[Pat McAfee]

Jerry Jones wants to get back to that old school. That's right. Yes, he does. We watch that documentary. I'll tell you what, I did not know you'd get $100 million just from one oil rig, though. That's back in the day.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah. Imagine that.

[Pat McAfee]

That's what. Believe me, he's kind of saying it's like a scratch off. Speaking of, Powerball is 1.3 billion.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah. It's up.

[Pat McAfee]

Look alive. That's tomorrow night. Can't win if you don't play.

[Ty Schmidt]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

If I was, it sounds like there's. I could buy a lot of gold bar, double golds. Amen. And Maybe even that 85 proof bourbon whiskey we got up there.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Joe Montana]

You can't enjoy it if you don't try it.

[Pat McAfee]

Exactly. You can't win if you don't play. Yeah. Hey, I like what we're doing here, Joe. All right. Last question before BA and you put together a segment on this show that's gonna be talked about for a long, long time. Go ahead, D. Buck.

[Darius J. Butler]

Yeah, Joe, you kind of meant. You kind of alluded to earlier in that Broncos super bow started ugly. But you had a great comeback. You were named a comeback kid, Joe.

[Pat McAfee]

Cool.

[Darius J. Butler]

All those things. What. What is the difference with, like those great quarterbacks, like, I play against Peyton or Brady or Big Ben and Those second half adjustments were just huge. What's going through your mind to play caller's mind when it comes to making those adjustments? Investments and being in the middle of these big comebacks.

[Joe Montana]

Yeah, I think, I think the big issue is just trying to get back within what you were doing. Usually when you start making mistakes, you're outside of your, your comfort zone. And I mean in that, in that Super Bowl, I was skipping balls to the ground, so was John and he, David Craig, he's laughing at both of us. But, but, you know, you just get settled back into the game and what, what I really like to do was get hit early, hit me early, and, and that wasn't happening. I didn't get hit early. And you just don't, you can't get into the flow of the game until you get, you know, a 300 pounder land on top of you.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, of course.

[Joe Montana]

Wakes you back up and you, and you get right back. And then now, you know, hey, I don't know what else is going on, but I need to get back to what I know I do best. And that's what we, that's what we did. And we got back to our typical game plan. And, you know, we knew they did certain things where we could get a lot of chances down the field deep with Jerry and John. And so we ended up trying to just work that and go to, go to your sweet spot. And that's what we did with them.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, it worked out. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Everything about you.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, everything about you is great. And now we're moving some whiskey mules, Russian mules. And if you scan a QR code that's on one of these cans. Damn.

[Boston Connor]

Just scared, dude.

[Joe Montana]

Throwback, old throwback jersey.

[Pat McAfee]

It's clean. This is really clean shirt. As soon as Ty saw that this was potentially available, scanned a QR code immediately.

[Ty Schmidt]

Had to.

[Pat McAfee]

Now I, I do believe it's gonna be a little difficult to go pick up the shirt if you do not live near the Gold Bar Distillery.

[Ty Schmidt]

Correct. Yeah. You got to pick it up in San Francisco.

[Pat McAfee]

So if you're taking a trip out there, Treasure island, get yourself Treasure Island. Well, you'll be out here for.

[Joe Montana]

You'll be out here for the Super Bowl. So you'll be scan away.

[Ty Schmidt]

There we go.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm gonna scan 10 of these things. I'm owed 10 shirts. I can't wait for their great shirts. Joe, you're the man. Bruce has a question for you here and I'm excited and eager to hear this, actually.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, Joe, I just wish you all the best, too. And especially in this endeavor, if you were general manager, head coach today, pick the top three quarterbacks you want to start your franchise with.

[Pat McAfee]

And why. I like this. I like this. And not Rock Bird.

[Bruce Arians]

You can't take Brock.

[Boston Connor]

Boom.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Brock is your number one pick. We know that.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

So you love Brock, Bernie. You love Brock Purdy? Yeah.

[Joe Montana]

I'm thinking I'm taking the guy in Buffalo.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Josh Allen.

[Joe Montana]

Yeah, Josh. You know the guy that surprised me that I thought would. Obviously Joe Burrows. Another guy I like a lot.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay.

[Joe Montana]

And. And believe it or not, I like the guy in the chart with the Chargers.

[Bruce Arians]

Just.

[Joe Montana]

Yeah, just Herbert. I think they just kind of. They've kind of, kind of gone by the wayside there. But I don't know. I just. I just like the way they. All those three guys are BA how.

[Pat McAfee]

Do you feel about his time?

[Bruce Arians]

I do like.

[Joe Montana]

I do also like the guy in Philly, though.

[Pat McAfee]

Jalen Hurts.

[Bruce Arians]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Super Bowl. We do. We do like him. Brock Party. Obviously, number one. He was left out. Josh Allen, Joe Burrow. Burrow. Justin Herbert. And Jalen hurts is his Mount Rushmore. Outside of Brock Purdy. B.A. did you expect that from Joe Montana?

[Bruce Arians]

I thought he might have thrown Patrick Mahomes in there, but, you know, I. I think it states how I would.

[Joe Montana]

I think I would have if it was. If he was younger.

[Ty Schmidt]

Although.

[Joe Montana]

Although I got to go back. They're not getting hit as much today, so we'd probably play forever. So I should probably added Patrick in there.

[Bruce Arians]

But for us, it states how well we are in National Football League right now with quarterbacks. I think everybody's worried about where these quarterbacks come from. We've got some really great young quarterbacks in the league right now, and I think the league's in a great shape.

[Pat McAfee]

Next generation, right, is in a good spot.

[Bruce Arians]

It's in really good shape.

[Joe Montana]

I went for youth.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Yeah. You're running a 10 year business plan here. Just like you want them stay on the rookie contracts. I know. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. We're getting some free agents out here.

[Boston Connor]

So somewhere we go contract for contract.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Double Gold with some people, you know, we'll have a good time. Well, we appreciate you, Joe. Good luck with the double gold. Congrats on another, we assume, very successful business venture. And good luck to your Niners this year.

[Joe Montana]

I appreciate it. Thank you and hope to see you in Lanai.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you will.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, you will.

[Pat McAfee]

I love that place. Ladies and gentlemen, Montana.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, go.

[Pat McAfee]

I'd assume that's where he is.

[Ty Schmidt]

Right now.

[Boston Connor]

I. Yeah.

[Darius J. Butler]

Is that Ellison's?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Yeah. You know, just bought it. Just bought the place. It's.

[Boston Connor]

Everybody bought the.

[Pat McAfee]

It's not good. It's a terrible place.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, I was gonna say, you better.

[Pat McAfee]

It's horrendous.

[Bruce Arians]

Don't go there.

[Pat McAfee]

Don't go there. Do not. Do not, please. It is really far away, but it is beautiful.

[Boston Connor]

I mean, basically, it sounds like everything sweet and cool and places to go to are really far, really far away. Australia and Hawaii.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, if it's Joe.

[Bruce Arians]

Joe's place, you know, it's cool because he invented cool.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Legit.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Always just like this. How about him waking up? Yeah. Oh, boys.

[Boston Connor]

I mean, does BA Know the story?

[Pat McAfee]

Which one?

[Boston Connor]

Of him stopping a kidnapping with a football?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. So it has not been. The details have not been exactly confirmed. They've never been denied or denied. We shall say somebody tried to kidnap his grandbaby and he stopped it. That's actual story. Now, how did he stop it? We've exercised our minds a little bit to see how it could have went. He's upstairs. Somebody comes in through downstairs. Can see the stairs. Maybe a spiral staircase. It's down there at the bottom. Kidnapper comes in. Give me you baby. Joe Montana. Excuse me. Here's that upstairs. He steps out, he sees it. He actually kicks the plaque.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

That has the football from the catch in it, I think. Boom. Grabs that ball, throws that thing down the stairs. Kidnapper holding baby right here. Bang. Right in the forehead. Boom. He slides down ramp, catches kidnapper before head, hits ground. And baby hits ground, snags baby foot on top of kidnapper. Somebody called 91 1.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

That's what Joe Montana did. And that's what Joe Montana does.

[Bruce Arians]

That's Joe. What else would he do?

[Boston Connor]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, that's why. That's why we say that had to be. Had to be, had to be. But that's a real situation that did happen. Somebody tried to kidnap his grandbaby and he actually stopped it. Wild times to be alive. Shout out to Joe Montana. Shout out to uba. We have a new segment that we're probably going to be doing each and every week with our guy here. And it's because he knows so much. And also he has a way of explaining things that are no B.S. or are they? Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to B.S. or no B.S. with B.A. okay, what we're doing is put some statements up here and BA Is going to tell us if the statement is BS or no bs. Pretty easy. Pretty easy segment here. Yeah. Let's start with the first one here. Micah Parsons is worth two first round picks. Is that BS or no bs BA.

[Bruce Arians]

That'S no bullshit, brother. He's the best game wrecker in the game. Okay, so you agree I'm giving two, plus maybe a fifth.

[Pat McAfee]

We all thought it was going to be a lot more than just two first rounds.

[Bruce Arians]

I was shocked. This was all it was.

[Pat McAfee]

How come that's always the case? It feels like whenever a player gets traded, it's always for something much smaller than we expect. I think Randy Moss was traded for a fourth rounder at one point and I remember reacting in a way like Randy Moss is only worth a fourth rounder. Why does it always feel like they go for a little bit less, especially if it's not right before draft time? And Michael Parsons, do you think there was a little personal stuff that got in the way and why it was only two first rounders?

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, I think this was a deal that was going to be done because of what was happening with the negotiations.

[Pat McAfee]

You think just wanted a deal done?

[Bruce Arians]

Let's get it out of here. The guy, Kenny Clark. They got to stop the Eagles. They got to beat the Eagles. I agree with Jerry saying we got to stop the run. Micah probably could do that a little bit, you know, I know if they go to third down, he's going to win. You know, so get him in third down and. But I think in Green Bay now, he will be a true game wrecker versus the Vikings. The teams are throwing the ball in the NFC North. I think it's great for the Packers. I think it's good for the Cowboys.

[Pat McAfee]

I think it's good for both parties. I think it's great for us. Dallas Cowboys traded Micah Parsons in the middle of the Dallas documentary. Marketing, Jerry. That's why. Always cooking. All right, let's go to the next statement, shall we? Shawty will be a good head coach because his dad was a good head coach. Is that definite? Is that BS or no bsba?

[Bruce Arians]

I think that's total bs.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, well, no, no, what are you talking about?

[Bruce Arians]

Because I think Scotty would be a good head coach because he's shoddy, he's an offensive guy. First of all, his dad was ultimate defensive coach. I worked for his dad and coached the running backs. And my son and Shady were ball boys together. But I think he'll be a hell of a head coach. But he's been around really good ones. He saw it since he was this tall. He knows how to do it. He's got his Own philosophy. And you know, being an offensive guy is totally different than being a defensive guy as a head coach. And Tom Brady was the first one to tell me that. I was the first head coach that was ever offensive guy for Tom. And I think, I think Brian would do a hell of a job.

[Pat McAfee]

What's the difference? What did Tom say? Just you, the focus being more offensive as opposed to defense wanting to win in practices and such.

[Bruce Arians]

A minute ten left at the half. We're winning by seven. We're just going to run it out, right? Hell no, bro. We're going to go score.

[Pat McAfee]

Got it.

[Bruce Arians]

Let's go.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Offense, offense. Coordinator. Yeah, yeah.

[Bruce Arians]

We get the ball back, start the second. Let's go score and let's score again.

[Pat McAfee]

There's a lot of biscuits out there to get that might be a part of this entire thing. All right, let's go with the next one, shall we?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Speaking of Tom Brady, Bruce, Tom Brady says Aaron Rodgers is the best ball thrower of all time. Is that BS or no bsba?

[Bruce Arians]

That's a little BS because Aaron can spin it, but I. Nobody could spin it better than Dan Moreno. I'm a little more biased toward Johnny Unitis. I'm a little older. I thought he was the greatest passer of all time.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so Johnny Unitis because of how old you were whenever you saw it. Like for instance, there's a nostalgia thing with Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan changed basketball so much. But when we were watching the last dance, people that didn't watch the NBA back then were like, okay, obviously basketball was at a much different spot before Michael Jordan. And then after Michael Jordan was Johnny unice to trailblazer with how he threw the ball. Like Ray Guy was with punting, for instance. Oh yeah, turning those things over. And it was like, who, who, what is this guy? Now everybody does does that. But is that the same thing you're thinking for Johnny Unitis or was it just like elite ball throwing ability?

[Bruce Arians]

He was just a great passer of the football. And there's one thing is throwing the football and passing the football, it's different. Passers don't necessarily have great velocity. They have great accuracy. Joe Montana didn't have great velocity. Just super accurate on time, knew where he was going all the time. But for me, I have to say, Danny Marino know, Pittsburgh guy, I'm okay.

[Pat McAfee]

With you saying that Italian guy getting after it. His quick release was obviously what everybody chats about. But what, what else was it?

[Bruce Arians]

Everything. He had velocity, he had accuracy. You know, when I First started coaching Don Stro. I backed up Don Stro in college and he's down there with the Dolphins, and I go down to practice and I was like, holy, this guy's better than I thought he was. Don could spend. Don led the nation in passing in college, and we played seven games in the rain at. At Virginia. You tagged and so it's like this.

[Pat McAfee]

Guy'S battling Mother Nature, dude. Yeah.

[Bruce Arians]

And it's like what I thought Don was great. And I see Danny, I say, oh, it's a different level.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so Aaron Rodgers is in the conversation.

[Bruce Arians]

Oh, he's in the conversation because I think Aaron can throw it any different way. He wants to throw and he's got that little flick that. That's just so special. Jordan Love kind of copied it. Now Jordan's getting pretty dag on good, too.

[Pat McAfee]

What do you think about Aaron with the Pittsburgh Steelers? Obviously, you know the Pittsburgh Steelers very well. Yeah, I.

[Bruce Arians]

It's an upgrade. It's an upgrade for me. I just, you know, they better protect him. They better protect him. They didn't protect Russell. They better protect him.

[Pat McAfee]

You're worried about that offensive line sounds like young. Let's go to one half of the Hammer Don Cowboys over in Hammer Don. Don, ladies and gentlemen, A.P. tone, A.P. town. How you doing, buddy? Good to see you.

[Tone]

How you guys doing?

[Pat McAfee]

Good. Hey, he said Aaron. Aaron Rodgers needs to be protected or it doesn't matter who's playing quarter. That's basically what you just said right there.

[Bruce Arians]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. It's an upgrade, certainly. But if we can't protect them, who cares? Coach.

[Tone]

Coach is not wrong.

[Bruce Arians]

That is.

[Tone]

That is the number one concern going into the season with. With the whole team. But last year's number one over or number one pick for the Steelers, Troy Fatana, who was hurt most of last year but looked great, he's back at right tackle. Broderick Jones is back at left tackle where he belongs. Frazier's at center. And then, you know, they got two guards to. McCormick was a rookie last year, so they're.

[Pat McAfee]

They're all.

[Tone]

They're very young. They're all one year older. They're all. They're talented. But, you know, I. The thing with Aaron is too, like, he's at least how I feel he's going to get them in the right looks like he's going to. Like he is going to check into the right play always and forever. So I feel like just Aaron being back there. No disrespect to Russ, and it's not like Russ wasn't a veteran quarterback, but I just trust Aaron to always make the right decision decision and he, Aaron knows that. So I, I feel like Aaron's. Aaron and Artie Smith are going to have a plan for that.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, do you agree with what he just said there? You think getting in the right position helps and will Artie Smith understand that maybe the offensive line isn't having a can you play Call out of a bad offensive line?

[Bruce Arians]

We've had a bunch of injuries in the past. We knew who we had to protect. You know, go back to Andrew's rookie year.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah.

[Bruce Arians]

You know who get who got hurt? McLEAN and, and AQ. Got to go and block Sue. Let's give him a little help. But I'll tell you what, Q. Blocked his ass the whole game.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes, he certainly did. And then he got a job for the next 10 years because of it. And that's certainly a reason why. Thank you. Thank you. Absolute dog. Yeah. Had to do it. Had the opportunity. I had to get those short little arms, 29 inches. Had to get those things out there before just getting eaten alive. I appreciate the fact though, that right now Steelers fans feel as if they can win a Super bowl. And I think that's a good thing to have before the season. Right, tone?

[Tone]

Yes, absolutely.

[Pat McAfee]

100%. Okay. Now, I don't know if everybody else feels that way, especially with how stacked the AFC is, but making that move and all the other moves that they made. They pay decaf 30 million or DK Metcalf 30 million a year. He's never been a Steeler before. They bring in Jalen, they pay him. John. Ooh. Smith. They bring him in. Darius Slay. They bring him in. Feels like the Steelers are going all in. Very abnormal for how the Steelers have always been running. But Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan making these massive plays, they obviously want to go in a damn thing. They want to bring something.

[Bruce Arians]

I think Omar's doing a great job. And yeah, they're all in. There's no doubt about it. They put a lot of cash out there. Some older players, some veteran players. And proof is always in the pudding. They got a tough ass division. I mean, they got to face Burrow twice. You know, that ain't easy. Lamar, Lamar, twice.

[Pat McAfee]

Lamar has not been brought up by Joe Montana. I thought Lamar was going to be. I, I for sure. For sure. Like as Joe is. I was like definitely going to be picking Lamar here. Josh Allen. Okay. Joey Burrows, probably because they get a lot of similarities.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, a lot of similarities.

[Pat McAfee]

A lot of conversation about those two. Cool Joe being similar.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And then Justin Herbert coming out of nowhere. It was like, hey, that was the.

[Bruce Arians]

One that surprised me. That was the one that surprised me. And he can. He should be there.

[Pat McAfee]

Big.

[Bruce Arians]

Oh, he's got it all. He's got it all.

[Pat McAfee]

What happens?

[Bruce Arians]

Just solid pieces around you, brother. I mean, quarterbacks get to blame and they get all the credit. Brady played all those years, he had a great defense and he had Bill put players around him. You know, Peyton, same thing. We started out really bad and we started putting the players on defense and build that whole thing.

[Pat McAfee]

And you're saying it's a team sport.

[Bruce Arians]

That's the beauty of the game.

[Pat McAfee]

We got about 10 seconds for this last one.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah. A lot of people saying that any QB can play and play well in Kevin Oconnell's offense for the Vikings. Is that B.S. or no B.S. b.A.

[Bruce Arians]

I would say it's B.S. because I probably couldn't.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, that's B.S. or no BS B.A. the last one, the actual last one. And this is a quick note. Go to the next one, please. Can you not risk it and still get the biscuit?

[Bruce Arians]

Hell no.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Yeah.

[Bruce Arians]

Hell no.

[Pat McAfee]

Gotta risk it. Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

You've seen the headlines, heard the debates.

[Pat McAfee]

The three point ball has created a.

[Ty Schmidt]

Monotonous rhythm to the game.

[Peter Schrager]

And other has the three pointer ruined basketball?

[Pat McAfee]

And how did we get here? The rise of the three point shot.

[Ty Schmidt]

Can be partially traced to an eccentric.

[Pat McAfee]

Kansas genius named Martin Manley, whose story didn't turn out quite the way he imagined.

[Boston Connor]

I decided I wanted to have one.

[Pat McAfee]

Of the most organized goodbyes in history. 30 for 30 podcast presents Chasing Basketball Heaven Available now wherever you get your.

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[Pat McAfee]

Football is awesome. Said hut. We're all going there.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. All right.

[Pat McAfee]

Bruce said, hut. We're going on that. You know, that's a football is what we're saying. Ladies and gentlemen, a man who coached that sport for 47 years, three time Super bowl champion, and is wearing the one that he won as a head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And it is big and it is blingy. Ladies and gentlemen, Kangal hat. Where Bruce, that ring is outrageous. It's awesome.

[Bruce Arians]

It is beautiful.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, it's beautiful.

[Bruce Arians]

I gotta thank Darcy Castlewich Glaser. She's. She designed it and she's the best, one of the best owners I've ever worked with.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so the Glazer family owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They also own Manchester United. If I'm remembering correctly, you guys went all in there, right? It felt like you guys went on bringing Gronk in. Bring Ab in.

[Boston Connor]

Fournette.

[Pat McAfee]

Lorna Fournette comes in. You guys really were going for it. Obviously, Mike Evans has been paid every single year that he comes up and I assume that's just going to happen forever. He's going to get to Larry Fitzgerald type situation down there in Tampa, which he has certainly earned. But that Glazer family and Jason Light, the gm, seem like you guys were all in lockstep throughout the entire process. Is that an accurate depiction?

[Bruce Arians]

Totally accurate. I mean, Jason doesn't get the credit he deserves, man. One of the greatest general managers, I think, in the game. We work together out in Arizona and that's really why I took the job. You know, I was, I was out of it. My son said, hey, you got to look into this. And I really. James Winston, I had in my football cap when he was 10th grade. And I thought, I thought we could fix it, you know. And so I took the job. And it was awesome to work for the Glazier family and Jason, Love.

[Pat McAfee]

How about how that all went? Going down there to work with Jamis, which obviously still playing through a lot of.

[Bruce Arians]

Still doing 5,000 yards, 36 touchdowns. It was the last two games he threw a couple picks that we had to look behind door number two. Now, did I ever Think behind door number two would be Tom Brady. No. But Philip Rivers. Tom Brady. Somebody else that year was coming was.

[Boston Connor]

A Stafford is available around. I guess that was.

[Pat McAfee]

I think it was Drew Brees.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, that might have been Drew.

[Pat McAfee]

If I recall. Drew was going to be.

[Bruce Arians]

I think I knew Drew wasn't coming out but Brady come out. I mean I thought Philip might be our guy. And next, you know Tommy's all in.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I heard there was a nice meeting down there in Tampa. I heard there were some real powerful players all involved there. Maybe we're going to build up the city a little bit. We might make Tom Brady town down here. TB Tampa Bay. I mean there was a lot of synergy seemingly with Tampa and Tom but nobody thought that's where he was going to end up at. Yeah, nobody.

[Boston Connor]

Darlington came out of nowhere because it was Tennessee with Vrabel and then it was another place. Then the first time was on espn. Darlington came out of nowhere and they were still using like the smart boards. And he wrote down on the. On the thing. Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a team that you should look out for for Brady.

[Bruce Arians]

Now Tommy recruited us as hard as we recruited him because we had everything he's looking for. He had a home in Florida. He was on the east coast. He want to see Jack. He could get up and back to New York easily. No taxes. And.

[Pat McAfee]

And some wide receivers.

[Bruce Arians]

A pretty damn good receiver.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Bruce Arians]

And a pretty good offensive line.

[Pat McAfee]

Exactly. And defense was fast. And everybody's ready to go and it ends up working out. What a beautiful city too. Tampa Bay. Beautiful city.

[Bruce Arians]

Great place.

[Pat McAfee]

Hot.

[Ty Schmidt]

Well like you said too that like the cranes and everything. That was. No we were going down there every week and as soon as they got Tom boom. Cranes everywhere. It's like okay, this is on right now.

[Pat McAfee]

And the Bolts won a couple Stanley Cups. You guys obviously hosted the super bowl and won the Super Bowl. First ever team to do that. Right?

[Bruce Arians]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

Now. So everything in Tampa was up and then you guys had the boat parade which was legendary.

[Bruce Arians]

Will be forever unbelievable. And I've been Pittsburgh has some great super bowl parades. That boat parade actually got scary when I saw the aerial view. It was like 5,000 boats out there. People on paddle boards with no. With no harness. There's sharks in there, man.

[Pat McAfee]

Toxic tables here at Boston. Connor Natashmid, nine year NFL vet Darius J. Butler is here. One half of the Hammer Cowboys is in Hammer Dad Todd AP Tone Tone. Last night. Jesus. What happened in North Carolina? It was all there. Did it was everybody hammering North Carolina no, everybody felt TCU was going to win. Okay. I think everyone hated the under, though. Everybody thought it was going to go under. And TCU said, we'll go get that. How did the betters do after last night? And what is your takeaway from the evening and what should we look at for Charlotte, maybe for North Carolina this weekend?

[Tone]

Yeah, to be honest, I. I could be wrong, but, like, when the lines opened up in June or July or whatever it was, I believe UNC was a slight favorite. And then it closed as TCU minus three and a half or whatever. So there was a ton of action on tcu. A lot of the offseason stuff going on in North Carolina didn't help that line. Tell you what it was. It was electric last night. The whole place was buzzing that we. And you said in the first hour, we will never, ever, ever forget that first drive. We were on the sideline. We were telling Stanford, Steve, you know what? This might be the best team in the acc. The ACC might be the best conference in the country is what we were saying.

[Pat McAfee]

And.

[Tone]

And can you imagine hosting a playoff game here? And then. And then they played football for another four quarters and it was a disaster. But you know what? Josh Hoover looked really, really good. TCU is a good football team. I do think UNC is probably going to take it out on Charlotte this week. And I believe they got their asses beat by App. State in week one.

[Ty Schmidt]

So App. State's good.

[Pat McAfee]

I think Bill.

[Boston Connor]

Unc. I don't know. I think.

[Tone]

I think Bill bounces.

[Boston Connor]

But yes, App.

[Tone]

State has, you know, gotten UN Number in the past, but I. I think. I think Bill bounces back in week two.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. All right. I love that he has to.

[Ty Schmidt]

He doesn't have a choice.

[Boston Connor]

I got Charlotte.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, this is.

[Tone]

And by the way, Brad's. Brad's boy came in at the end and was slinging Max Johnson's. I mean, he's. I think he's 25. He's been around a long, long time.

[Pat McAfee]

He's his third school. I do believe he. He's big bad Brad's dad or kid, and he takes shots like that and delivers a dime on third and long. So coming back from a snap leg where he has one of the gnarly most scars down his right side of his leg. TCU really had their way, though, last night. They really did. But that first drive, Ton to go back to your point, is the ACC the strongest conference in football? Florida State, Miami, Clemson, Now North Carolina.

[Boston Connor]

Is going to be.

[Tone]

We were asking Is Clemson the fifth best team in this conference?

[Pat McAfee]

Now, this is a real conversation.

[Darius J. Butler]

That was the first drive with my quarterback. Kind of look like Dylan Gabriel, that first draft.

[Pat McAfee]

He did kind of look like Dylan Gabriel, you're right.

[Boston Connor]

Except I saw. I saw Gio put all of his weight into a sturdy 40 yard dart. With the conversation around the Big Ten, though, as you're saying this, when it comes to like the Big Ten having all the money, like, you would think the ACC falls more into that category than like the sec, right? Do you think there's a lot of money in the acc?

[Pat McAfee]

I think there's a lot of money in North Carolina. There's a lot of money at Duke. Not for football. Yeah. Paul, they're Hoopers, right? Isn't that kind of their thing?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. So only UNC is the team now that's allotting, you know, 20 plus.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. So I allegedly, to that point, I guess the athletic directors are going to have to make those decisions going forward. I met the athletic director last Bubba. I guess I said some mean stuff about Bubba Cunningham.

[Ty Schmidt]

Did you?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. So he deserved it, though, at the time I remember. Certainly think he.

[Ty Schmidt]

What do you do?

[Pat McAfee]

So I didn't remember this in the time. He walks into the production room where we're at. He walks in and he's talking to somebody over here, and I'm sitting right here. And he goes, oh, public enemy number one's me. Points at me. I'm sitting down. He's over here. He walks over and I stand up. I go, hello. And he goes, I'm Bubba Cunningham, the athletic director here. I go, what's up, Bubba? Sweet name, I'm Pat. Nice to meet you. And I sit back down and then he walks away. And he like, we have a quick interaction and he walks away and he stands there and I'm like, public enemy number one. Why'd he say that? That had to be for a reason. That was an awkward interaction, too. That was not like a positive interaction. What was that all about? And I go, oh, yeah, you fucked us.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I point at him and I say that? And he goes, oh, yeah. I said, west Virginia basketball, you screwed us. I do remember that. That was you. I said, why'd you do that to us? And he said, it was not okay. We're not getting into this. He said, if you learned the details of how that all went down. I'm not your editor, but I understand that. I'm the head guy or whatever. I was like, oh, yeah. I said some bad stuff about you. Okay. You did screw us, though. Don't you think? You kind of. If I remember, there was all these things that we accomplished that in the history of the entire thing. If other teams had it, they all made the tournament. And then West Virginia didn't make the tournament.

[Boston Connor]

First team ever.

[Pat McAfee]

He was like, no, but there's a voting process. There's a lot of. This year was different or whatever. It was like, okay, I apologize for what I said about you. I get. But I do remember going pretty hard. It all bubble.

[Ty Schmidt]

Well, it was that and then North Carolina got in when a lot of people said they shouldn't have. And obviously he's the AD at North Carolina, so it was, you know, kind of. Maybe you were right to do that at the time.

[Boston Connor]

Definitely.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I was loud it. Boy. That's one of those things. Like a radio row when we go to the Super Bowl. Sure. And we don't know or we forget that we offended somebody, and then that person walks up, it's like, hey, good to see you. Had a great year. Or whatever. It's like, they don't think that at all. I can sense that. I can sense. Completely forgot. Yeah. Recognize the name. And then I'm like, oh, yeah, Pat. You kind of roasted his ass pretty good. Yeah, well, Washington got screwed. Yeah, exactly.

[Boston Connor]

His school went in. His name is Bubba Cunningham. He's gonna be all right.

[Pat McAfee]

He's been around a long time, too. He. He gave me a nice little resume check, too, about how long he's been in college sport. I mean, there was a lot. There was a lot that happened there. I'm gonna let Bubba know. I appreciate your moxie, Bubba. I do. And I hope. I hope you have that first drive.

[Ty Schmidt]

He'll remember it forever.

[Pat McAfee]

I hope they get that first drive again. A lot of work to get back to that.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

But that's what it was. I hope Lombardi was sitting in there.

[Ty Schmidt]

Going, this is it.

[Pat McAfee]

This is what we're talking about.

[Boston Connor]

We imagine we've got to do.

[Pat McAfee]

Andy Dalton's on the sideline. Randy Moss is there.

[Boston Connor]

Aaron Boone.

[Pat McAfee]

MIA ham air, boom. Aaron Boone was there.

[Darius J. Butler]

Spaceball.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, he was.

[Pat McAfee]

The Yankees.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah. I don't know what the. Aaron Boone was doing there. Okay, listen, the Yankees have the most important 12 game stretch of the season starting today, okay? And he's there with a sweatshirt tied around his waist, looking like an. So now I know where his priorities are at.

[Pat McAfee]

His son is on the staff at unc.

[Ty Schmidt]

I don't care. We're trying to win a pennant. Okay, I get it.

[Pat McAfee]

That's awesome. He's not a lot of supporters. Son, you hear what I hear?

[Bruce Arians]

With us, man, family's everything. Families first.

[Darius J. Butler]

Family first.

[Bruce Arians]

Family's first.

[Pat McAfee]

You hear that?

[Boston Connor]

Your team's your family.

[Ty Schmidt]

I was gonna say, yeah. You think, Judge, he's not like. You don't think he doesn't love Judgy like he loves his own boy. I'm sure he does.

[Pat McAfee]

He drove down.

[Bruce Arians]

He invited Judgy with him. Judge, you didn't want to go.

[Pat McAfee]

He must stay with the bank. Really? I didn't know that.

[Boston Connor]

Good.

[Ty Schmidt]

I'm glad Judgy didn't want to go.

[Pat McAfee]

Judge, he is a Jordan athlete. I assume he did get the invite and probably could be in the middle of the field if he would like to. Your reaction to him being there last night was epic. And it was. I think it was sent in 100% to R you up.

[Ty Schmidt]

Without a doubt. Multiple people sent it to me, and it did it. Chat my ass right when I saw it. But I. I get it.

[Pat McAfee]

He might be motivated by that first drive. He might be.

[Ty Schmidt]

You're right. Maybe he. Maybe he left after the first drive.

[Pat McAfee]

There was a lot of people thinking about doing that, from what I've been told.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, people that I was around.

[Ty Schmidt]

Let's bottle this up, save this forever.

[Pat McAfee]

Lombardi better have been out there going, we made it in three months. We created everything we needed, and then it's just gone.

[Boston Connor]

Maybe he left after. After the first drive, though.

[Pat McAfee]

They need to get the music in during that timeout. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, is a man who is a college football national champion, a Super bowl champion, a Rider cup winner, and a man who's currently in his attic in Ohio. Ladies and gentlemen, AJ Hawk Hawker. How you doing, buddy? They had it for a drive, buddy. They had it. They did.

[AJ Hawk]

They had me fooled. I thought they might be able to continue, like, what they did the first drive. But going back to this Aaron Boon situation, it sounds like the big reason ties pissed because he had a sweatshirt tied around his waist. Is that why you were the most mad?

[Ty Schmidt]

That's part of it. I love that.

[Darius J. Butler]

I can understand that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Like, he's representing the Yankees there.

[AJ Hawk]

What if he would put it over his shoulders? Tied over shoulders, you know, like the frat boy.

[Ty Schmidt]

I'm good with that. I'm good with that.

[Pat McAfee]

Remember, you weren't allowed to have a beard for so long because you're representing Yankees. Yeah. Go around there with it. And Randy Moss was there. It was great to see Randy. He's With a guy named Biggie right there. Who's the Jack Stanford Steve. Oh, yeah. Named Eric. He. I guess him and Randy together a lot. Biggie, big fan of program.

[Darius J. Butler]

Nice.

[Pat McAfee]

Biggie promoting program to Randy Moss.

[Boston Connor]

Nice.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Jack Stanford Steve. Okay. Not Randy, the other guy.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Here. Photo. He is an ally of ours for Randy. And it was cool to get to meet Randy Moss last night and chat with Randy. That was my first time, man.

[Bruce Arians]

Great seeing him back after camp.

[Pat McAfee]

Dude. That was the first time. Was he. Was that the first time he was on tv? So since at all. Super Bowl. He did the Super Bowl.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Darius J. Butler]

And you did a sit down with one of the major.

[Boston Connor]

But that is that. That's not till Thursday. The. The Good morning.

[Darius J. Butler]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

America one. Yeah. So that premieres on Thursday. So he's just. That was the first time I've seen.

[Pat McAfee]

Him since everything since. Yeah. While I was sitting up there, I'm like, is this. This is huge here that the world is seeing him.

[Darius J. Butler]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Beloved. And I let him know that too. I was like, hey, listen, I don't know how often I'm going to get this opportunity. I want to let you know we are all very happy that you are good. You are great for society. And him and Dion were my two favorite players growing up. You know, like, I just love the moxie. There's these tales about him during the recruiting process in full jeans, just beating everybody at college practice and then getting his scholarship rejected from him because they didn't want to bring him. Like, everything about Randy that I've learned is legendary. And then what he was able to do in the NFL and if you have something named after you that is just happening on a random regular basis now you're getting Moss. Like, you've obviously contributed to the game, but I don't think anybody could tell the story of football without saying Randy Moss's name. And he's just a kid from West Virginia, you know, who won over and took over everything. Loves fishing, loves ball. And it was nice to be able to say that to him. You know, I don't think. I don't think we do that enough. Getting a chance to do that to Lee Corso was cool this other day. Wanted Randy to know that as well. And I wonder where his perspective is. Would he get a chance to dive into all that. That. But God, it was good to see him and that. Once again, North Carolina got Randy Moss. Yeah. On the sideline, you know, like, it was all there. AJ it felt like a magical time there.

[AJ Hawk]

Next week.

[Bruce Arians]

Right.

[AJ Hawk]

They're gonna be there next week.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know if everybody's booked the second week, Charlotte, Saturday. It's quick turn around.

[Darius J. Butler]

NFL. NFL is here too, so.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, because D Butt was requested to be there maybe throughout the season, maybe lend an ear in hand. He thought they were gonna win me.

[AJ Hawk]

D Butt's gonna consult for them.

[Boston Connor]

D But you better.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. D. But it's a free consultation.

[Darius J. Butler]

I don't bet. But I have my. I have my question. You were in a spot where you had to pick him. Teddy probably had to pick him, too, with his relationship with Bill.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, Bill had. Yeah, Nick had to pick him.

[Darius J. Butler]

Yep. Nick and Nick. So I thought, hey, Des, you were the only one that could keep it real, huh? You knew what it was gonna be, but long season, a lot of ball left. But back to Randy, though. Got a chance to be his teammate. My first two years in the league, Obviously, everybody knows it's Randy Moss, but unbelievable teammate, even to, like a rookie on the defensive side of the ball. You know, at that time, you know, a bunch of guys was playing video games and stuff, so just being in there, I'm calling my brother's, hey, man.

[Bruce Arians]

I'm playing Call of Duty.

[Darius J. Butler]

Randy Moss, man. You know, check it out. Blah, blah, blah. So just a great teammate. Tom Brady. I saw him do an interview. I'm not sure who he was with, but him talking about celebrating with the offensive line and how he views quarterbacks, how that's something he watches. Does the quarterback celebrate with his teammates, being catching up with Teddy Bruski, like, those OGs, like, being great, great teammates. Randy was obviously one of the pillars in that locker room, so just, it was great to see him back. Great to see him in good spirits. It'd be great to see him obviously, back on TV throughout this football season, but just an amazing, you know, icon that we all looked up to.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he's back on Sunday NFL Countdown, which is great news. Teddy Bruski being there, though. I, I, I mean, now that from an expatriate like you were, it's like looking back, it was. It was an ISO reunion last night, you know, let alone the coaches and everything. And Lombard, I mean, once again, they had it all.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, they got a lot of good TV time. Lombardi and, and Bill on the, like, talking pregame when they're leading up and all the show you guys are doing. They got a bunch of good air time, too.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, Lombardi had a couple really cool shots, stoic shots, working out over the.

[AJ Hawk]

Practice, staring into the distance. Yeah, it was good. Like it looked like it was perfect night.

[Pat McAfee]

Do you ever think about getting back into college coaching? No.

[Bruce Arians]

No. I can't stand rookies. You got own freshmen and you got to pay them.

[Pat McAfee]

No.

[Boston Connor]

And you got to recruit them and recruit them again. Thirteen every year. Exactly.

[Bruce Arians]

I mean, I do a lot of work with Virginia Tech and it just drives me crazy. I mean, I recruited you once, now you want to raise. That's why college football will not be right until we, we get contracts and a salary cap.

[Pat McAfee]

Everybody that is an OG in the football world has said the same exact thing. Sounds like there's a chance. If you listen to Coach Saban and Coach Rod, who both been around college coaching a long time, there's a chance. It sounds like there's going to be a 60 team private power league. Doesn't it feel like that, A.J. i didn't think that was going to be possible. Chip Kelly, I think pitched it a couple years ago whenever he was with UCLA on this show. He's like, you just get all the power fours, you make them into one league. You do just like the NFL, you do regional divisions, you do the entire thing, then everybody's playing against each other. Then you have an actual playoff system. You have free agency, you have TV rights deals. Chip Kelly laid this entire thing out and I was like, okay, yeah, we all want, you know, fairy tale land. That's not possible. Then you hear Coach Saban bring it up. Then you hear Coach Rod bring it up. It's like, wait a minute. Are they really. Is everybody trying to get on the same page here? All the TV contracts would have to end at the same time.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Or if there was a delay for one or two conferences of years, they would have to sit with no contract or just pick up a one year deal which would be much smaller than that. Would be very hard to get done. But it feels like that is where they are trying to potentially get to. Which I'd like to say would be sick. You'd see like what we saw this past weekend, every weekend. I'm sure there'd be a lot of people pissed off though about it. If you're changing conferences in divisions and yada, yada, yada, it's like there's certainly going to be people pissed. But I think to his point, then you could have actual guardrails. There'd be an actual league with actual rules, with actual free agency, with actual everything. But how long does that take to get to. I don't even know how you would do that, A.J. honestly, especially like a school like Ohio State with how much money you're making off of everything that's happened.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, it's all depends on when the TV deals. Like, when do those run out and how you do.

[Pat McAfee]

Do you.

[AJ Hawk]

How do you work that logistically seems crazy, but what happens to the other teams? If you're not one of the six, where are you? What do you do?

[Boston Connor]

Sorry, dude. Not everyone makes the NFL.

[Pat McAfee]

So that's.

[AJ Hawk]

Are they considered, like Division 2? Then how does that work? What do they do?

[Pat McAfee]

So then that would just be like whenever the NCAA sold its rights, crown of champion in D1 football to the BCS, and then the NCAA actually ran D1 double A or whatever. You go the NCAA office or headquarters here. We were forced to go my rookie year and listen to them talk. That one. Terrible. No, they had no idea that somebody was going to ask a question back. Like, certainly, I watch you, Rob. Pat White and Steve Slayton. You okay, I watched it. I watched Pat White and Steve Slayton build this entire university up, and you guys basically combating him. And you made up the word amateurism, and now you use that as an excuse. What if I just made up a word and just started using that as my excuse for everything? They were not ready for that. They were not ready for that moment. So it was not. I would say it was a pretty bitter interaction between me and the ncaa. But we did the tour. It was nice. It was cool. They had a nice museum here. Everything like that. You know, I had a toothpick in my mouth after eating this one time. Guy comes in.

[AJ Hawk]

Really positive body language. I'm sure, too, the whole time.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah. Third, fourth guy comes in. I mean, the first three were all the same interaction between me and them. I don't understand why you come after somebody for a cheeseburger. I don't. I don't. Well, I can't get a cheeseburger. God wants. Buy me a beer after. After me game one and kick you. I can't. It's $1.50. You guys are gonna come after him for that? What. What's the purpose of that? So they obviously, they all have their answers about how we're paying for everything and everybody needs to be treated fairly. And if you're getting a beer, is everybody else getting a beer? Is gymnastics getting a beer? I'm like, they. They should. I mean, if they were there, I would certainly be advocating for them to get a beer. You know, just full interactions. Then we have lunch on the other side with toothpick. You Know. Cause I got some shit. One of the highest senior guys comes in. I guess he'd been told that I was probably not the easiest guy to speak to. So he comes in and tries to do like a whole sit up straight type thing. It's a job interview. I'm like, I'm never working here. This is not a job interview. I was forced to come here for rookie things. So do your thing. And he was like, take toothpick out of mouth. You want to be taken serious. I don't complete. I'm here to kick balls, brother. This is a whole rookie thing. But the tour of the museum was nice, really nice. Their national champion wasn't the D1 national champion. It was the D1 double A national champion. That was who the NCAA champion would be. So I think what the NCAA would do would probably take the.

[Boston Connor]

Whatever the South Dakota State, MT 60.

[AJ Hawk]

The South 70 get their own TV deals for all of those teams as well.

[Pat McAfee]

The big ones would operate and then they would have to get some sort of entry, you would think, into the cfp. Just like March Madness. Basketball has, you know, a thing. And in theory that feels like that maybe works.

[Boston Connor]

Or you could even.

[Pat McAfee]

How do you get everybody to agree to that? You got ads, presidents, coaches, conferences. How many lawyers, how many different people from everything that would have to agree to that? That'd be crazy. That'd be quite a big, big task.

[Ty Schmidt]

Luckily they do have a bunch of Runway if that's the way it's going to be. Because like you said, these TV deals extend into like 20, 35, the 2000-30s. You know, they just signed a bunch of 10 year TV deals for billions of. And billions of dollars. So like this isn't coming within the next two to three years. Unless you know, they would tear up those contracts, which you don't.

[Pat McAfee]

TV networks wouldn't want to do.

[Ty Schmidt]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

You'd have to renegotiate all those TV deals. FOX has a great deal. Awesome. ESPN has a great deal.

[Ty Schmidt]

Cbs.

[Pat McAfee]

CBS got. And these have all been very tough negotiations I think to get all these different things. So they would have to redo all of this. Good luck to them. Happy we're not doing it. Why don't you do that, Bruce?

[Ty Schmidt]

It's not a bad idea.

[Pat McAfee]

Why don't you pick up as you sign up for that job fixing college football?

[Bruce Arians]

No thanks, brother. No thanks.

[Pat McAfee]

I'd rather golf.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, that's right. Have a cocktail.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, maybe a white monster. What's the flavor? I don't know. It's the white one. It's white. I like the white one. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen. He's a man who might have all the answers for everything, and we appreciate that. He's an insider, he's an analyst, he's a host, he's a vibe. Ladies and gentlemen, Emmy award winning Peter Schrager. Shregs, we're breaking down college ball there a little bit about what potentially could happen in the future. Who knows what's real, who knows what anything looks like. We do know college football is back in a big way and the NFL is back in just two days. What should we be thinking about that maybe we're not thinking about? And where are you right now? You look awesome.

[Peter Schrager]

I feel awesome. Got a great tan. Just. Just getting back into it. So I'm going to be recording a podcast. I'm doing my own podcast with ESPN in Omaha. It's gonna be called the Schrager Hour, and we got a studio and everything and we're set up. So I'm speaking with Sean Payton a little bit later today and we're gonna get some coaches. Hopefully BA Will join me. I don't want to take any guests, but I love Bruce Arians. I love seeing him in the studio. He looked great.

[Pat McAfee]

PA. He'd be greater hour. Happy hours. An hour, all the hours. Yes, indeed. But, yeah, we're two days out here. You got a great tan. You look good. The Schrager Hours around the corner. Football season here is kicking off for the NFL. What are you looking at as we're two days out? What are some thoughts that you think we should be thinking about as well?

[Peter Schrager]

You know, every year there's a team that comes from nowhere. And two years ago it was the Houston Texans who had the second overall pick, and they skyrocketed to a playoff berth and a playoff victory and end up in the divisional round. Last year it was the Washington Commanders who came from the second overall pick to do it. I'm seeing everyone's predictions right now, and I say predictions because it's like, it's not bold to pick the same six teams that do it in each conference or same seven teams every year. I'm looking for someone who's going to take a big old swing and someone who is going to say, you know what, the Browns are going to the playoffs this year or the Giants are going to the playoffs this year. And who is that team? Because you look at these odds right now, everyone plays it safe and they think they're going out on a limb taking the same 14 teams but, Pat, I want to know what's the team that's coming from nowhere this year? I have. I have a read on a squad that no one is believing in. There is one man there in your truck or the back room who is a fan of that. I'm seeing plus 900 odds in the AFC East. And as everyone has fled, the Miami Dolphins fled, acting as if this team has the plague. I might be doubling down on the Miami Dolphins, on the fact that Mike McDaniel finally has his guys. They're going to be playing at 120mph those first few months of the season, and there is absolutely nobody, nobody on the Dolphins bandwagon right now.

[Pat McAfee]

They got the Colts.

[Joe Montana]

Week one, you triple down, Shregs.

[Pat McAfee]

Triple down on that one. There he is. Boys are ready. I'll tell you what, Shregs. You see Gumpy talking positive about the Dolphins right there? That's. That's only in the microphone.

[Peter Schrager]

We talked last week.

[Pat McAfee]

I know it is only in the microphones. I think everybody's kind of skeptical and worried with all the moves that take place. But I guess we have to remember the offense whenever they could protect, unstoppable. You know, they are unstoppable whenever they are moving and operating efficiently. The defensive side, Vic Fangio leaves and goes and wins the Super Bowl. You know, everybody said he couldn't coach the defense anymore. He leaves and literally wins the Super super bowl at his next stop, his next destination. So that's kind of tough to think about. Jalen Ramsey gone. He's out of the building. Let alone Calais Campbell, who was the og he's gone.

[Boston Connor]

John who?

[Pat McAfee]

John who? Smith. He was a Pro Bowler. He's gone. So. Tyreek Hill, first year, not being named captain. Sure, it's going great. Sounds like behind closed doors, Motivated. Of course. Motivated. Chip on his shoulder, wants to earn that C back. So I guess you could take everything as either adversity or just an awkward opportunity.

[Peter Schrager]

I'm looking for the team, Pat. You know it. There's always a team. So who's the team? No one's on. You look at it like there's going to be one. Every year there's one. Is it Jacksonville? Is it Carolina? Everyone can have their. I think Miami might be the team this year that no one's on that does a little something.

[Pat McAfee]

They.

[Peter Schrager]

They have the players and they have a coach that knows it's now or never and he's going to run his offense. Let's see how it goes.

[Pat McAfee]

Andy Dalton on the sideline last night. Year 15 for the Carolina Panthers. Panthers was there, obviously. Bryce Young benched last year for Andy Dalton. Then Bryce Young put back into the starting lineup. Andy Dalton has to take the back seat yet again. He understands what the role is. Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers get hot at the end of the year. They get hot at the end of the year. Do they have a wide receiver that can get open? We'll see. Will they be able to continue to go? We'll see. But maybe it is the Carolina Panthers who aren't complete this year. There, Dolphins. It's gonna be tough.

[Peter Schrager]

Here's what it is.

[Boston Connor]

Even the Cowboys.

[Peter Schrager]

Look there, guys. 32 teams, every fan base right now. I walk down the street in New York City, you can find fan. They all think this is the year. This is why the NFL is the best sport. It's parody. Everyone thinks this is the year because they've seen it. If Houston was C.J.

[Pat McAfee]

Stroud. Except I'm believing.

[Peter Schrager]

I'm looking for that team, searching for that team. I'm searching for him. Yeah. The truth is, I think the biggest story is the fallout of this Parsons deal. And I haven't been on with you since it happened. I got crushed online last week. Crushed.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, no.

[Peter Schrager]

In all my years, I have never, never been considered a Cowboys guy. I've never been considered a Jerry Jones. Oh, I don't know. Sycophant. It's just not. I don't even. I don't talk to Jerry. I don't know. Like Brian Schottenheimer. Well, I came out though, and I explained the Cowboys guys thinking on this and their thinking on this is we don't want to pay three players the top of their position salaries. This guy has not been what we consider valuable at $47 million. And it got down the road to such a point where Jerry wasn't going to pay him. He was lying on the table there on the sidelines. He demanded a trade. These are all things that made him different than Ezekiel Elliott and CD Lamb and Dak Prescott. And it got to a point where they made the deal. And you could have two things be true.

[Pat McAfee]

They.

[Peter Schrager]

They screwed this up by not paying him last year where it could have been 35 or 36 million dollars, but they rolled the dice. And you could also have it be true that, you know what? Jerry made the trade because Jerry wanted to make the trade. And whereas 30 other teams asides the packers, who I could get to as well, have general managers that cannot make this trade.

[Pat McAfee]

Trade.

[Peter Schrager]

You could take the best general manager in football, Brett Veach, he's not making that trade unless he looks behind him and says, Mr. Hunt, are we cool with this? Jerry doesn't do that. Jerry doesn't have to do that. You can find whatever. Gm, Howie Roseman isn't making a trade where he's trading the top player on his team. And looking back without saying to Mr. Laurie, are we sure we're good with this? Jerry Jones is the king of the kingdom. He can make the trade and he doesn't have to look back at anybody. He made the trade because he wanted to make the trade. He's 82 years old. He wanted to make the trade. He's not answering to anybody. So I got crushed because they're like, you just want to, you know, be Jerry's pal. Jerry's 82 years old and has been with every media guy in the world. As far as in a relationship, Edward and Jerry go back 40. I'm not getting in at 82 to be Jerry's guy. I promise you that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I was just saying. Yeah, I think we don't have a shot with him either. We put a lot of requests in. Jerry has ghosted us on all of them. Now it is nice that we're at the part of his life where he's lost his fastball, you know, and we have microphones. Great. You know, so it is nice to be able to remember, remind people, though, that Jerry is a dog and watch that documentary. And we can't be judging every move that he makes today off of who he is as a complete businessman and owner of a team. You're talking about an absolute beast of an owner. There's a reason he has the stubborn mentality that he has. If you've been successful in everything and somebody else is going to tell you that you're wrong, there's going to be a natural. Is that right? Oh, am. Okay.

[Bruce Arians]

Not so fast.

[Pat McAfee]

At 82, especially 82 years of that.

[Peter Schrager]

80 years old and he's self made.

[Pat McAfee]

I got the most valuable franchise in all the sports. Motherfuckers been running sports a long time. They've never done it like old Jerry Jones. So you're telling me I'm wrong? What the hell have you done? You sell some papers as a kid. What did you do? Like, that is his. You could see how he thinks that way. Like, you could see how he had a handshake.

[Peter Schrager]

He had a handshake with someone. That's how he looks at it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I guess. I mean, whether right or wrong. I know, I know. I Know, I understand. I understand completely. But Micah, 24 year old kid, 25. Yeah. Micah saying he was nodding his head along because of the. That's what Mulligetta said this morning is. Was Micah nodding his head to the owner of the Dallas Cowboys and his boss while he's talking to him about things? Yes. Did he necessarily think that that was a. Hey, we are negotiating a deal right now? No. Well, Jerry. Jerry should at least had somebody in room to say I was there. Yeah. This was very clear because Jerry said I was already off my mark on multiple occasions. I said, hey, I want to pay you 30 million. Is that good for you? And Micah didn't really say anything. I said, okay, 40 million, is that good? And Micah said, no, it didn't say anything. And I said, 40 and a half million. And Mike was like nodding his head and I was like, all right, so it's 40 and a half. Do you want this to be a three year deal? Mike is like, it could be a good five year deal. It'd be a five year deal. Okay, that's exactly what it'll be. So I was at 30.

[Bruce Arians]

30.

[Pat McAfee]

I moved 40 and a half.

[Darius J. Butler]

Mike is a good negotiator.

[Pat McAfee]

I offered up a three. Not like Micah. Did a nice job, came back with a five. No, he didn't. He's 40. And that was what the deal was.

[Darius J. Butler]

He's a good, but he, he ain't David.

[Pat McAfee]

He got what, 47? Yeah, 40. 47. Okay.

[Peter Schrager]

And here's the cool thing about the packers story and A.J. you could appreciate this. You know, Mark Murphy for 20 years was the man in Green Bay as the president. And you know, they don't have an owner there, so he was the highest guy on the org chart. He had to resign based on their bylaws. As a franchise, you get 20 years. In comes Ed Policy, who is in his first year as president. And if you want to make a splash and say, hey, things aren't going to just be the way that they've been, I'm here to kind of set business and we're going to do it in my mold. Now, Goody and LaFleur, as was reported on your show last week, they're still waiting on new deals, but Ed Policy is coming out and saying, you know what? My first major move as new president of the Green Bay packers, how about I get maybe the best young defensive player in all of football? And we do so by giving up two first round picks and a player who many in the league feel might be on the Back nine of his career.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, Kenny Clark is a leader for that Green Bay packers defense. I know a lot of people in Green Bay were not necessarily thrilled about losing him, but whenever you think about what they gave up to get Micah in return, I think everybody's jacked. Good luck to all parties. And you're talking about Carmen Policy's boy up there, Ed Paul. He's not scared to make a big time move. That's in his family jeans. Go ahead, A.J. yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

SHREGS A team. I think people, I mean, they do have the best odds to win the NFC west, but the San Francisco 49ers, I don't know if you saw. Brock Purdy has an awesome commercial out. He's line dancing, doing all kind of great stuff. It's really good. But Juwan Jennings reported back to practice. I heard from reports on the Internet. How is that going to go? And how do you think these Niners teams gonna fare this year?

[Peter Schrager]

Third, and I have not seen the clerk.

[Pat McAfee]

I think he's selling. He's selling boots.

[Tone]

I think he's selling Ariat boots.

[Pat McAfee]

It says.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, Lyman with them, too, I think.

[Bruce Arians]

Okay, okay.

[Peter Schrager]

I'm waiting for the B roll. I'm waiting for the B roll. Here we go. All right. Spinning a ball.

[Boston Connor]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

All right.

[Peter Schrager]

A little personality.

[Pat McAfee]

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Bruce Arians]

Look at that. All right.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, nice.

[Pat McAfee]

Any Kurt Warner in that thing? Remember Kurt Warner? American Underdog story. He met his wife line dancing actually, out there in Iowa. That's right.

[Boston Connor]

He better play Sunday.

[Pat McAfee]

Little slide there from. Oh, wait, wait. Okay.

[Bruce Arians]

Guitar pury.

[Pat McAfee]

What's this for?

[AJ Hawk]

Watch this.

[Pat McAfee]

Watch this.

[Bruce Arians]

Smile.

[Pat McAfee]

How do you do? He said arat. What's Ar? Ar?

[Bruce Arians]

I want to.

[Tone]

The Western cowboy boot and Western wear Company.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, I get that. I can get that denim vest right there.

[Boston Connor]

You get it all.

[Pat McAfee]

I can get everything P's wearing right there.

[Tone]

Boar carries a lot of.

[Pat McAfee]

Can I get that rhythm that Brock P's got? Dude, you see him one, two in there, Bruce?

[Bruce Arians]

He was a hell of a line dancer.

[Pat McAfee]

I'll say he was one of those.

[Bruce Arians]

I bet a bunch of girls were jumping in behind that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, follow suit. Normally it's the guy in all black. For every square dance and line dancing place that I've been to, there is a fella that's going to be an all black. He's going to have a black cowboy hat. He will be in the front of the group. He knows every dance, and he is going to sweat, and he's going to lead the way for the next three, four hours. He's not drunk. You are. And you need to keep up with the man in black. From my understanding, that's from saloons in Blacksburg, up there in the hills of Virginia Tech, all the way to Los Angeles, rodeo places. You need the guy in the black. Will kind of show the way he's hitting that electric slide 10 different ways though. I mean, they are. They're doopty dooing in there. It's a good time. Copperhead Road comes on. Copperhead Road comes on. Get your hell out. Get the hell out of the way. There are people from the hills running to that dance floor for Copperhead Road. And Brock Purdy knows that.

[Ty Schmidt]

He knows Ariat knows that.

[Pat McAfee]

Are they gonna win because of that?

[Darius J. Butler]

You better play well week one.

[Peter Schrager]

Here's what the deal is with San Francisco.

[Pat McAfee]

Not hold this against him.

[Boston Connor]

I'm saving that video for Sunday. Just there it is. If at 4:30 when he runs one.

[Pat McAfee]

In, you're saying he's. He learned that, that touchdown dance with my friends at Ariat.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, well, maybe, I mean everybody, everyone in the NFC west is going to run one in this weekend, it sounds like. But if they do, you know, play pretty, you know, poorly, I'm assuming not just me, not just too much.

[Pat McAfee]

Why though?

[Peter Schrager]

This is, this is a team that, that, that re Peter.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay.

[Boston Connor]

Reason.

[Pat McAfee]

Brock doesn't deserve it. Brock's getting a little cowboy money. Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Brock doesn't care.

[Boston Connor]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

And he's got John Deer and. Yeah, yeah, he's got that big.

[Bruce Arians]

They read. They reloaded.

[Peter Schrager]

They reloaded in a way that was really interesting to me in that they doubled down on a lot of veterans this offseason. So use check they cut originally. Then they were like, you know what, let's bring them back. Kittle had a big, you know, contract situation. They paid him good money. They then of course, you know, paid Purdy. And then it's one guy after another. They're like, we're not Fred Warner. Like, we're not looking at last year as the trend. We're looking at last year as a complete outlier. And we see still believe that we could compete in the NFC West. My question, of course, is yes, Juwan Jennings, third in Jawan, who was so good two years ago, is, is, is it he and is it he and Ricky Piercel? Are they enough to really compete with a Rams offense, an Eagles offense, a Lions offense? You're looking at a running backs room that, yes, Christian McAffrey's there, but is it Isaac Gindo and Brian Robinson? Are they going to be enough to maybe give. Give McCaffrey the spells that he needs, considering McCaffrey's loss to injury as many times as he has been in the last few years. So I, again, no one's going to draw up an offense like Kyle Shanahan. You get back Salah. You of course, have three of the first four draft picks be defensive linemen. On paper, it's all there. Now these guys just have to do it. But I think they've been hearing a lot that they can't. And I think that's a veteran squad that thinks, wait, guys, we were in the Super Bowl 24 months ago. What are you talking about?

[Pat McAfee]

Our forgotten great team, the San Francisco 49ers. And it all started four days before the season. And whenever we Learned about Christian McCaffrey's fate and how Achilles tendonitis is on one side, then it jumped to the other side. It was like, oh, no. And the whole season went that way. Now they get an opportunity to get it back without anybody really talking about him other than us. Because it's hard not to think about Fred running all over that defense.

[Darius J. Butler]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And Bosa just stretching. Federico. I mean, I mean, they, they got a team. We gotta never forget that. The NFC west, though, pretty packed out there. And you mentioned one of those teams, the Rams. Go ahead, D. Bug.

[Darius J. Butler]

Yeah, Staying in the NFC west sounds like you love the Rams, just based on how you were talking about that stacked San Francisco roster. But what, what, how you feel about Stafford? You know, I know he was named week one starter, so it sounds like he's good. How are things going out there in Rams camp? Definitely outperformed expectations by a lot last season. What's your thoughts and expectations on this year?

[Peter Schrager]

Hopefully, yeah, they're fired up. Look, they hope that he's in there. Obviously, Lee and real one.

[Bruce Arians]

Here's.

[Pat McAfee]

Here's the truth.

[Peter Schrager]

Week one, Week one, Stafford will be out there and we'll go from there. The truth is, all summer, and I know you guys are rolling your eyes at home and you're rolling your eyes there in Indy. Jimmy G. Was slicing and dicing up the Cowboys defense when they had joint practices. Played well.

[Pat McAfee]

How about Stetson? Yeah, look good.

[Peter Schrager]

But Jimmy G, they were very, very happy about the way Jimmy G. Looked against the Cowboys in those joint practices. In that Ian Devonte, as much as he thought they might have issues because of the documentary and what Devonte said, like, they were good and Stafford is going to be great. And if he gets to injured, they don't Feel like the season is done if his back acts up. So the thing you need to take away, and I know there's a million teams that are going to be coming for them, they believe that Puka Nakua and Devonte Adams is a huge upgrade from Pukinakua and Cooper Cup. So you had a good offense last year. Devonte comes in and already they are speaking as if devonte Adams looks like the Devonte Adams that AJ Hawk saw in Green Bay and that the Devonte Adams that we saw tearing up the league for a good decade over the course of the mid 2000 teens, all the way up into the last few years where he kind of was jumping around team to team a bit. But now you've got a guy in Stafford who has two teams. He has Nukua and he has this one. And they have a running game and a guy that they just paid in Karen Williams. So defense is going to be key. But they got two rookies last year that they thought played at Pro bowl level and those guys are going to be leaders this season. So I am extremely high on the Rams and I think a lot of people should be higher than what they are.

[Pat McAfee]

Sean McVeigh immediately upon Devonte Adams arrival, showing the entire team a bunch of devonte highlights is a sick. Hey, welcome to the team. We're happy to have you. Obviously he'll gas Everybody up. OBJ's first game with the Rams, if you do recall, after getting kind of an ugly exit from Cleveland, OBJ was targeted like five times in the first five plays. Sean McVeigh, Monday Night Game. Yeah, Sean McVeigh wants his guys to play well. He's a great ball coach over there. He really is so young. Could have taken what, 30 mil to go call some games. Instead, sticks around, tries to do the rebuild with Matthew Stafford and hopefully they're all healthy and I'm excited to see what they do now. Let's stick with the NFC West. Coach BA has a question for you. Shreya.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, Shregs. You think anybody NFC west wins over nine?

[Peter Schrager]

Yeah, I do, I do. I think I, I, I think the rams can go 11, 12. I do. I feel like, you know, I remember, I mean, guys, you have to understand I was sideline reporter for Fox for many years and I did a many Jeff Fisher, Bruce Arians games and let me tell you, that Rams Cardinals rivalry was no joke. BA Are you giggling back there? Because those, those, those meetings were heated and those were good. But like now we have the Cardinals back a bit and now we have the Rams sitting on the top and the Niners are biting and the Seahawks are there. So I understand if we're looking at, we think everyone's going to go 7 wins, 8 wins, 9 wins and then the best team wins. I think the Rams are superior to those teams. I think the Rams are going to go 11 or 12 wins.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, well that would be over for the Rams, obviously. Do you see under on the Niners at ten and a half?

[Peter Schrager]

No, I think, I think they're going to be a 10, 11 win team as well. I don't know if I'm there yet. Seahawks and Cardinals.

[Pat McAfee]

How many guy, how many teams out of the NFC west making the playoffs?

[Peter Schrager]

Two, I would think.

[Pat McAfee]

Two?

[Peter Schrager]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Is that the strongest? Is there going to be a three team division?

[Peter Schrager]

I think the NFC north has an argument and you could pick your permutation of those of those four teams. I saw a lot of people high on the Bears. I would be interested in that because of Ben Johnson, but I don't think they're in that same conversation just yet with those other three teams. And I think the packers got a lot better with Micah Parsons. I know it's a big shiny object. A lot of people say, okay, but let's see how it actually works. I think Micah Parsons is an unblockable object off the edge and I think they've got a pretty good defense otherwise. So I think the Packers, Vikings and the Lions could all be playoff teams this year.

[Pat McAfee]

Three teams from the NFC north in the playoffs maybe. You know, last year two NFC north teams were battling in the last week for the number one overall seed in the nfc. Winner gets number one, losing is number five. Oh, they need to redo the playoffs. Eating is what everybody said for the office when I said teams are just too damn good. Speaking of a good team, let's go to the AFC Mile High. Go ahead, Ty.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, Shrigs. Last week every guest we had on and we asked question it was basically like, hey, watch out for the Broncos, they might win the super bowl this year. And it almost got to the point where it felt like picking the Broncos might have been jumping the shark a little bit. As we stand right now with the season kicking off this weekend, do you still think that the Broncos are one of those teams who are going to potentially, you know, be a Super bowl team at the end of the year?

[Peter Schrager]

I'm torn because I do believe that. But you are right, the amount of heat that they're getting, that never ends well. Like there's always that team that Just scratches the surface in year one. And then everyone jumps on their bandwagon and it doesn't go as smoothly in year two. And I say year one because of Bo Nicks. But like, gosh, from every, you know, guest we spoke to Last Week on McAfee, to Diana Rossini sitting with Sean Payton, to K. Adams sitting with Sean Payton, it feels like everyone came out of Denver just being like, yep, that's the team. That's the team. Because their defense was number one in the league and they got better on offense. And now you're expecting Bonix to take an even bigger leap in year two. So where is it? Where's the. Where's the.

[Bruce Arians]

Where's the hole?

[Peter Schrager]

Where's the. I don't know. And yet I'm cautious of just riding the bandwagon that everyone else is like, honestly, I look at this and I'm like, okay, if every single person is picking the Broncos over the Chiefs, well, then the Chiefs have to win the division. That's just how it's going to go. I think it's probably an even split if you ask around the league and you ask the media right now whether it's Broncos or Chiefs. And I think that's crazy, crazy considering what Kansas City has done and also considering what Kansas City did last year and that they lost one regular season game. And I know it was on a blocked field goal that they almost, almost lost to the Broncos earlier in the season, but guess what? They blocked the field goal and Leo Chanel got up there and blocked it. I can't take the Broncos over the Chiefs just yet.

[Pat McAfee]

I do like Bo Nix and Sean Payton.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, it's great.

[Pat McAfee]

Sean Payton, draft night, talking about Bo Nicks. This is the one. Yeah, this is the guy. And them going through some growing pains early in the season with how great they looked at the end. And that defense can stop anyone.

[Darius J. Butler]

Defense is stacked. But I, I, you know, second year, year now, a lot of defenses.

[Peter Schrager]

The Bills lit him up in the playoffs. We forget this.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, Defensive player of the year.

[Peter Schrager]

We got Zach Allen.

[Pat McAfee]

The AFC is packed. Yeah, they had 80 million dead cap or 50 million, whatever it was last.

[Boston Connor]

Year, 30 this year.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, whatever it is. They had the biggest dead cap in the history. So they're playing with, literally they're back there.

[Darius J. Butler]

I am interested, though. Second year, second year for Bo Nicks. You know, he is obviously, obviously older. You know, he's what, 25, 26 now, probably going into his second year. But obviously we know Sean Payton is a great. What makes Sean Payton a great play caller. BA you guys spent a bunch of time in the league at the same time.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Bruce Arians]

Known Shawn a long, long time. He's just got a great mind. He's got a great feel for the game. And, you know, trick plays are one thing. He's got the perfect timing for when he's going to get you, you know, and his quarterbacks always play smart. They never play scared, all right? And they don't beat. They don't beat themselves. That's the way he's always been. And he's just a hell of football coach. And, you know, really happy for Vance to be back there doing such a great job. That defense. I like the Broncos, too. I think the Broncos are the ones that challenge the Chiefs because Chargers already got injuries galore, and people don't talk about injuries, just wipe you out.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Bruce Arians]

And hey, we're great. No, we just lost our left tackle. We lost our right tackle. We got.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, no excuses here.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah. There are no such things as excuses but us.

[Peter Schrager]

BA Let me ask you, can I.

[Bruce Arians]

Can I jump in?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, go ahead.

[Peter Schrager]

Trs this, this Payton's not well liked by, by teams during the season. He does some antics like, did he ever do anything that got under your skin? As far as a coach goes, did he ever do anything that in the media or even on the field, something that kind of set you off off.

[Bruce Arians]

Track a little bit? Yeah, the playoff game, you know, the playoff game. Sean never came out before the game, and he was out shaking hands with everybody running around. And I said, oh, he's awful confident about this one. Now, they did kick her ass earlier in New Orleans, but he. I was like, that's not Sean. And I said, we. I think we're gonna get their ass this time.

[Pat McAfee]

What are you talking about, Shregs? What are you talking about, though?

[Peter Schrager]

Antics Always like. And that's why Sean has an edge in it. And the guy that, that I don't know, you knew Ornie, but Mike Ornstein, who used to very well be one of the NFL and just passed away last year. But Ornie would be kind of Sean's consigliere. And they would come out there and they would have a towel that you'd be rocking or something, or he'd say something in the media, or he'd be the one who would be throwing money around in the locker room, and he would be dancing in your stadium. And I think a lot of coaches. And it goes back to that Nathaniel Hackett deal that he did when he got to Denver. It was Basically like they weren't coached well. And Russ is going to have a shot because he's with me. Sean knows what he's doing. He's playing all the angles and he gets that from Bill Parcells. And it was always, hey, let's just have a little bit of edge here. And I got my guys backs and I know some of the other coaches around the league, they respect the hell of them, but it's like, gosh, I would love to beat Sean Payton as well.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, Sean Payton loves that. He has the second wealthiest owner.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

In all the sports, Right? Yep. The Walton family.

[Bruce Arians]

Yep.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

He's got to be one.

[Ty Schmidt]

No, I think Ballmer, I think is.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah. Palmer. He's living. Yeah. By the way.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

The more stuff I watch about him whipping God, he's been around.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

He's been bringing all the money.

[Boston Connor]

He's been sweating and bringing it for quite a long time. Yeah. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Long time. Same with the Waltons, though.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Amen.

[Pat McAfee]

How about the coaching salaries over there? Can pay whatever they want.

[Bruce Arians]

Oh, man, it's crazy what they're getting now. I almost thought about going back just for that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Something to think about. Especially if the Waltons are going to be. Once Elon gets a team, those coaches are going to make it. Yeah. Bezos or Zak Zuck gets a team.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, how much is he paying AI guys just signing bonuses. $250 million million. Right. That's.

[Boston Connor]

That's been called into question as of late.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, has it? Actually not true. Oh. Elon gets in there, Zuck gets in there, Bezos gets in there. Which we assume is going to happen with NFL teams. With the way the valuation's headed, there's only going to be certain people that can buy it.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You know, those people are all the coaches just having no salary cap there. We thought that was a weapon for the Waltons. I think it still is. They're gonna be able to probably keep those coordinators now. Kansas City has three hall of Famers. That coordinator that have been around, you know, Spags, obviously. Andy Reid and then Dave Taub. Tobin. Tobin Tobe. Sorry. Dave Tobe. He as a special teams guy. Hall of Famer as well. Them being able to keep those guys is a huge deal.

[Boston Connor]

And Veech. Veech. It might end up being a Hall of Fame GM when it's all set and done.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Because whenever you start getting coaches plucked, that's tough. I assume that it's very difficult. So if you're able to offer just a little bit More money. That's coordinator position. Especially if you're building something great, you'll be able to go. I think I'm not speaking for you guys. I don't want to speak out.

[Bruce Arians]

NFL is one thing. I'm shocked with the college coaches. They got coordinators making $3 million in college now, Bruce.

[Pat McAfee]

Like, I can drive.

[Bruce Arians]

I was one, I was one of, I was one of the first $140,000.

[Pat McAfee]

Guys in the SEC way back. Hey. What. Thank you for doing what you did for these coaches today. Thank you. All right, last question here. We know you got to go before two. Go ahead, con man.

[Boston Connor]

Straight. You had a tweet about the Trey Hendrickson deal from the Bengals. They get all three of their guys done, Trey, Jamar and T. Higgins this offseason. Did you see this coming with Trey Hendrickson and do you see him going back after this year?

[Peter Schrager]

It wasn't pretty. Right? Like, you don't, you don't want it to go that way. And it's never going to be as easy as it is for the fans in their heads when you start to.

[Pat McAfee]

So.

[Peter Schrager]

But if you look at it just as a 30,000 foot view, they got Jamar Chase resigned. Anti Higgins resigned. Something that most Bengals fans thought was not going to happen. And then they got Trey Henderson for another year. At the very least you could say, okay, let's kick the can here and see if we can get a long term deal done. I thought it was a great offseason for Cincinnati. It got ugly. The Shamar Stewart thing is ugly. This is ugly. But they're starting the season fully loaded. They played their guys in the preseason, so there's no excuse to start the year when they play Cleveland. That they're going to be rusty and Joe Burrow for the first time is 100% healthy going into the, the 2025 season. So I, I look at Cincinnati's all like, they made for a lot of great segments on espn, made for a lot of great talk radio, but at the end of the day, they're as fully loaded as they've been. And it seems like those guys are at least satisfied for now to go in and attack the season. So I feel pretty good about the Bengals right now.

[Pat McAfee]

We get a chance to talk about it again next year.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Right. I'm excited for that. The Trey Hendrickson situation.

[Peter Schrager]

We need content in June, dude.

[Pat McAfee]

Good. We're good. Yes, we certainly do. Yeah. The Schrager hour, obviously you know that good morning football. Yeah. The Pacers obviously a big deal, but yes. Need to continue to have conversations, but if Trey Hendrickson and M1A Super bowl, it'll all be worth it. Yeah. And the Bengals could. Why not? With Joe Burrow, top three quarterback in the league. In Joe Montana's eyes, somebody said he was the best quarterback in the league. Who was that?

[Boston Connor]

Oh, on the show, someone just came.

[Darius J. Butler]

A lot of people, man.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

That was very reasonable.

[Pat McAfee]

There was Will Orlovsky, maybe Will Compton said when healthy Joe Burrows the best quarterback in the league. Joe Montana says top three quarterback in the league. It's like, all right, we just didn't see him in the playoffs. So that's probably why he's left out of a lot of the chatter. I'm excited to see if the Bengals can do it. We appreciate you, Shregs. Good luck with your hour.

[Peter Schrager]

Appreciate it. I'm doing this prediction Special Thursday on ESPN after you guys at 3pm Eastern, and it's going to be all the predictions for the season right before kickoff. So I'm excited. And I got to say, Pat, thank you for everything.

[Pat McAfee]

You're the man.

[Peter Schrager]

And Bruce Arans, what a legend. Thanks, guys.

[Pat McAfee]

No, you're the legend, dude. You're the man, bro. You are. You're the man. J. Peter Schrager, Thursday prediction special. Peter's predictions. Love that.

[Boston Connor]

Pumped.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, Petey predictions.

[Boston Connor]

That's going to be a good hour.

[Pat McAfee]

What's PD predict? PD predictions for everything. What do you think? He's guessing. Sounds like he likes recording. No, I mean his record.

[Tone]

He gets a Super bowl, right?

[Pat McAfee]

Every year.

[Tone]

So he's getting a special for.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. And he. And he also. He had the commanders last year as the team that would make the playoffs. Kind of start from nothing. He does have some jokes.

[Pat McAfee]

Shreks quietly just knows all this, like draft day off draft. He knows all the week before draft. He doesn't know day of draft. Shregs knows everything. I do wonder if that's how he ended up on our draft show, because they might have had some, like, production meeting things beforehand to see if Shrek's gonna be good. What do you know? And he's like, nothing. Nobody really knows anything. Okay, sorry. And then on draft day, it's like, Shregs knows everything. On draft day. He was awesome with us. I'm happy he's getting more and more opportunities to kind of host. I think he's a host. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, dude, that'd be. That is hilarious. If that is what happened.

[Pat McAfee]

That's definitely what happened to a draft show.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

As we know how it works. Yeah, that's definitely what happened. All right, so what are some of your. What are some of your thoughts on what's going to happen at this? I don't think anybody really knows.

[Boston Connor]

I'll know on the draft maybe, I think, but not right now. No one knows.

[Pat McAfee]

So what are we supposed to slot you in there for? Just like maybe no guy. I don't know and we're sorry. And then. But if you go back and look at his resume, it's like, hey, Shregs get Shrag's nose. You just got to give him time. Yeah, you got to give Shregs time to operate those phones and for him to dive in there day of. He's the insider game. How do you feel about that? It's a huge part of your guys business, the insider game.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, I think guys that really know, they got connections. I love the draft when it's like, oh, I think they're gonna take this guy right here.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, we. We had to do a lot of that. We had to do a lot of that. Did you, did you worry about stuff getting out of your building?

[Bruce Arians]

I never did. Jason and the rest of the guys did. You know, it's like, no, I mean how we feel about players and I would tell the truth and they thought I was lying all the time.

[Pat McAfee]

If you tell the truth, that can't be real.

[Bruce Arians]

He's gotta be bullshitting you and like, no, that's how I got him ranked. I really do. That's it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Well, I appreciate that. You've always done that. That's why I think we like you and we think you're gonna be great for us. There's a lot of stories that have come out from you just telling the truth. You know, obviously Tom Brady stuff at the end there, there's a big conversation about big conspiracy about big fodder about you come out, address that, Tom addresses that. Then obviously the AB stuff, which we are certainly going to have to ask about at some point. One of the greatest football players of all time, Antonio Brown.

[Bruce Arians]

Like hardest working practice player I've ever coached.

[Pat McAfee]

Really?

[Bruce Arians]

Hardest working practice player ever.

[Pat McAfee]

I heard, yeah, like seasons, reps, everything we're getting. There's a reason why he takes it to the house.

[Bruce Arians]

Every time I say you take the titles, I wait for you to come back.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, we're not stopping practice. We're going to let you go ahead and finish and then you take a bit. We want everybody to do what you're doing. That's an interesting thing for what Antonio Brown is remembered for on the football field versus everything kind of outside of the football field, especially his retirement. I mean, cannot. I mean, everybody's still literally in their head right now. Sees him skipping off of MetLife Stadium. Going and rating, waiting for Cheech. Yeah, that's right. Get to ride. That was like, such a. You're right in the middle of all of that. We'll definitely chat about that. Cannot wait to get your thoughts on all the quarterbacks as we go through. Through the season. What the team decisions are situational. Like, you're the perfect guest for us this season. You need to know that we're very, very thankful for you.

[Bruce Arians]

I love it, man. I'm looking forward to it, bro.

[Pat McAfee]

Is it gonna be new Kangals every.

[Bruce Arians]

Every week?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Oh, hell. How many of those you think you got?

[Bruce Arians]

My wife keeps telling me. Is that whole closet hats? Pretty much. Can you throw some away? I said people keep giving them to me, so no.

[Pat McAfee]

What's your favorite one? The next one.

[Bruce Arians]

The next one. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

We'll make sure we.

[Bruce Arians]

I had probably my maroon. Maroon for Virginia Tech, but you love Virginia Tech. Tough losses.

[Pat McAfee]

I thought you guys were in that thing.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Thought you guys had a team.

[Bruce Arians]

Shane did a great job making us re. Punt.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, rekind.

[Bruce Arians]

And then watching those three offensive linemen go down and try to tackle that guy, I was like, ooh, that's not good.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Having the offensive lineman at PP is certainly a move that colleges have started doing. Three SHIELD offensive linemen to protect. They think they beat the game. What happens if. Whenever.

[Bruce Arians]

When the Gunners don't get there.

[Pat McAfee]

That thing's coming back. I don't know. Shane Beamer with a little Beamer ball.

[Bruce Arians]

A Beamer ball.

[Pat McAfee]

Shout out to Virginia Tech. Big loss over South Carolina. South Carolina might be for real, though.

[Boston Connor]

Sellers is good.

[Pat McAfee]

Lenore Sellers looks like a guy.

[Bruce Arians]

Oh, he's legit. He is legit.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. That's. These are the things I will continue digitally. We can't thank you enough. We'll see you tomorrow. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change their life. Goodbye. Rated zero there.

[Ty Schmidt]

Boom.

[Pat McAfee]

Really thick nails it. You see that BA connect on that zero? That was. That was a super professional expert. Send off there for ESPN2. We on ESPN2.

[Boston Connor]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah. U.S. open.

[Ty Schmidt]

Still happening for a while now. They're not even in the quarters yet.

[Boston Connor]

Still close.

[Pat McAfee]

Football starting. What's going on?

[AJ Hawk]

I think I've been watching that. I've seen it pop up for the last, like, month. The US Open.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Football is happening. What's going on isn't that it's got.

[AJ Hawk]

To wrap up in the next couple days, right?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. It's the same with like the, the Ryder cup coming up. Like this is they overlap just one weekend where the greatest sport plays and then all the other sports are doing their thing. This is kind of that time. I feel like.

[Pat McAfee]

I know, but don't we think we should just give a Runway there for a little bit? Maybe utilize the anticipation of these days right now to get these things accomplished. Ryder cup, we can't move that up.

[Boston Connor]

I completely agree.

[AJ Hawk]

I just think they out the golf season.

[Boston Connor]

I think they're not even thinking of a year.

[Pat McAfee]

Why not? It's over.

[Ty Schmidt]

Rider cup. Rider cup I'm okay with. Because it's not every single year. But like the US Open. Like they know like hey football season's right around the corner.

[Pat McAfee]

Imagine if Wednesday night they had their super duper final for why I don't even know what the super duper final will be because there's tag teams, there's super singles.

[AJ Hawk]

There's singles talking about ten talk about tennis.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, there it is. They do a lot of talk talking in between every serve. They do every serve. They're chit chat.

[AJ Hawk]

Are you saying if it was at a different time you would watch the US Open front to back if it was not during football?

[Pat McAfee]

Yes. If we move Wednesday night, you know Wednesday night because we got Thursday is when it starts Friday. We got Chiefs Chargers in Brazil early. We got Patrick Mahomes on Friday. We got the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday. We got another pack slate of college ball on Saturday. Then we got a full NFL Sunday slate and then we got Monday night football. I'm sorry, tennis. Move your super duper final to Wednesday night. Just lead us into Thursday. It would be great. It'd be great for all of us. But instead now sounds like I'm going have to make decisions on what I watch.

[Darius J. Butler]

When is the super duper final next Sunday?

[Ty Schmidt]

It might be if they're not in the quarter.

[AJ Hawk]

Football you got turn off to us.

[Ty Schmidt]

Several days off in between.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, dude.

[Pat McAfee]

Can't even turn off the super duper late night games because they're electrifying because the quarterbacks are so good. That's unbelievable. Saga po.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I saw there, I saw JKS was being used very frequently. So that might be the go to jks.

[Darius J. Butler]

I like, I think you keep saying it though. See you.

[Boston Connor]

You got the name down.

[Pat McAfee]

I like saying I like like respecting the oozes, you know, I, I. Because nobody ever everybody Always says it's a hard name. It's like, well, my name could be pronounced McAfee. You know, it's like, hey, it's McAfee. So I would like this song of Polytele family to let me know if I'm saying it right or not. Okay, first of all, I would like a correction if possible. But also people should know this guy's name because this dude is a did. Have you seen NBA?

[Bruce Arians]

No, I haven't.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, superstar, freshman, 18 years old, out of Hawaii. Lefty. Look how big he is. Look how comfortable comfortable he is. And watch these balls, dude. This is first game. He went 6 for 6 to start the game. Bucket Bruce. This guy spin. It moves too. 18 years old, man. I I talking. Yeah, he teammates love him. I mean everything. Hey.

[Bruce Arians]

I mean yeah. So where's he playing away already?

[Boston Connor]

Bingo.

[Pat McAfee]

Well that you said he's being recruited away. He said where's he playing next year? That can't be how this goes. Oh yeah, that's it.

[Bruce Arians]

College football. I mean he's gonna. What's the cash?

[Boston Connor]

Belichick might have actually fucked up his game plan because he stayed up too late on Saturday to watching. To watch him play.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he was so good. Him and Devin Dampier for Utah, they were electrifying. They're playing at the same time. Games didn't end till 2:00am I'm like, come on man, we got once again, can we.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You know, I know you're on the west coast. Okay. And I know your fan base is over there and they're three hours behind. It's like these dudes are going to keep us up all night. I think think on Saturdays I, I legitimately think these two dudes have a chance of wrecking an entire sleep schedule. And I, I thank him for that. I certainly do thank him for that. But boy, they are electrifying. This 18 year old kid from Utah. No, I'm sorry. From Cal.

[Boston Connor]

From Cal, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

So much fun. He's, he's got the moxie too. He's got the like. I don't know if the team is going to be good enough for him to really go on a run or whatever. Hopefully maybe they are. But he's got like the shit in a fun to watch that type of stuff.

[Boston Connor]

Well, and those two dudes are like what I love about college football because I don't have a team. Like you're just kind of watching to roof for players and you just find two random dudes who I've never heard of, had no idea what team they play for, whatever. And you know, you just happen to have them on at 11, 11:30 at night on a Saturday. And you know, two guys who you're probably going to watch for the next few years now in college football you stumble upon. But. But that is kind of what stinks, is that for Cal fans, is that the immediate thought is that, you know, where is he going to play next year? Is he going to play for Bama or what?

[Pat McAfee]

Can this guy transfer mid season is what people were thinking. Can he leave and start. Can he start for a different school next weekend? Like, is that. That's the thought immediately. Cal fans who are awesome. I will never say a bad thing about Cal fans and the Calgorithm after going out there and experiencing that place during finals week and they were out there doing football instead of actual. Yeah. So I got mad respect for the cow fans. But it is an immediate thought. Like.

[Bruce Arians]

Well, yeah, what's crazy is they're an acc.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Bruce Arians]

I mean, so yeah, I'll be up watching them too, you know, so. Yeah. I mean, for Callum, Stanford have been the acc.

[Pat McAfee]

That's.

[Bruce Arians]

That's how up college football is.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. But Jeff Halfley, they got the all coast conference. The All Coast.

[Bruce Arians]

It's crazy. I mean, there should be four major conferences in the sections of the country where they belong and, and play each other and then. Then have championships.

[Pat McAfee]

That's the top 60 you're talking about.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And just break it into four quadrants. Still have the Southeastern Conference. Yep. Still have the Big Ten. It could be Northeast or whatever. I guess the Midwest would kind of be pissed off about that. That becomes Big 12.

[Ty Schmidt]

Well, yeah, because if they do that, then Oregon's gone, USC is gone. Like all the teams that they just added. Added. Will be out of there and then. Yeah, they'll start eating from the Big 12.

[Pat McAfee]

So they go southeast, northwest, Big 10, probably. I don't think Big 10, the SEC.

[Bruce Arians]

Are going to get PAC 10. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And then what would you do? Southwest, what would that be called?

[Bruce Arians]

I would think Arizona. Arizona State. Those guys go back to the Pac12, Pac10, Pac12.

[Pat McAfee]

I'll call it the Pac Song. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

[Boston Connor]

Because if they do PAC 10, they could just do what, six divisions of 10 teams instead of four.

[Pat McAfee]

So now we have the conferences. Now we have the. The divisions. We got the teams. We got the rules. Just do it.

[Bruce Arians]

It's not that damn hard. We fixed it already.

[Pat McAfee]

That was quick. We figured that out.

[Darius J. Butler]

It was easy.

[Pat McAfee]

Now there's just a couple billion dollars in Contracts. So we got to kind of sort through our department.

[Boston Connor]

Already finished. That's. That's a different department.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. We just kind of slide that across the desk and say, hey, get out of them.

[Boston Connor]

Good luck.

[Pat McAfee]

Get out of all these contracts. In Florida State and Clemson are going to say, we're going to get out. Out a couple hundred million dollar loan to try to get out of these. Turns out it would cost us 700 million bucks to get out of these contracts. Yep. So Everybody's gonna need 700 million to get out of these contracts.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know how we're gonna do that. Good luck. I don't know yet. Figure it out. Figure it out. We got our end figured out. We need four divisions. They're all gonna play each other. I. I don't know how it gets fixed with the amount of questions and the amount of people that you need to go in the same direction. And with all that being said, the product on the field, so awesome. Like North Carolina, that first drive, that's college football. Awesome.

[AJ Hawk]

It was awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

I agree. It was awesome. I met the. The commissioner of the ACC is Jim Phillips. Is that his name?

[Ty Schmidt]

Sounds correct.

[Pat McAfee]

Something Phillips, I think. Sure. It's on a sideline.

[Joe Montana]

Yes, sir.

[Pat McAfee]

Jim Phillips. Okay, sweet. It was a little loud. I meet him, he said, commissioner of the acc. During that first drive, I thought to myself, we're going to see a lot of commissioner Jim Phillips this year. Okay. We like. During that first drive, I was see the acc, Miami, Florida State, North Carolina. Now, obviously, Dabo's going to do his thing. This commissioner is about to have the biggest year of his life. And I just met him, I was kind of happy for him. I'm like, good for this guy that this whole thing's going to happen. And then, yeah, it all changed. I'm like, maybe Jim Phillips is not going to have as big of a thought. I was going to say the ACC was the best conference in football. I was going to say that. I was going to come on this show and say that after the first drive, I was locked into, I'm like, the ACC goes from the team that was or the conference that was going to be pissed about how many teams they get into the playoff and how everybody's kind of disrespecting them as a power. Everybody says, SEC, Big Ten. Nobody really talks about the Big 12. Nobody talks about the ACC. Big 12, certainly in third place, ACC. And football is just kind of a castaway. And then all of a sudden, one off season, bang, Miami's back Florida State's back, and then fucking Bill Belichick is gonna lead North Carolina. I'm like, Jim Phillips. Good for you, dude. You're the new Sankey. Your fucking new Sankey. It's you, Sankey, and Petiti now sitting at the table. And then what happens? The rest of the game, it's like, you know, all of a sudden, I think there's gonna be the same power structure amongst those commissioners. I think that's how it's gonna be. But they all have to get on the same page. And then all the presidents of all the schools, then all the athletic directors and all the coaches all have to get on the same page. When has that ever happened? And the TV networks.

[Boston Connor]

Well, that's the thing is. No, is this the first thing now. Can't be TV network and that, like, a streaming service could, in theory, come in and pay, you know, $10 billion in buyouts. And then this entire conference lives on prime or Apple, like X or X.

[AJ Hawk]

No way they let that happen.

[Boston Connor]

There's no way.

[Bruce Arians]

How.

[Pat McAfee]

What networks?

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, that'd be like the. The death of network TV if that happened. Because that's the only thing people are sticking around for, is this kind of.

[Pat McAfee]

This kind of watch, the way you speak about it.

[Ty Schmidt]

Well, I'm just saying, live sports in general, like, you start losing those, then.

[AJ Hawk]

Live football is what matters.

[Pat McAfee]

Have you seen Granowski at Iowa?

[Bruce Arians]

No. You can swing it.

[Pat McAfee]

Don't watch first quarter, Coach.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, they rush for 310 yards. You know, it would have been malpractice. That mouth, they're throwing 50 times. Times. You know, it's like, hey, Albany can't stop the run. But, you know, guess what? Gronowski. Eight rushes, 46 yards, touchdowns.

[Pat McAfee]

Do you think you're gonna have to throw it at some point, though?

[Ty Schmidt]

No, I. I told. I told Debut this. This was really all I needed to see because he was cramping up, too. It was a, you know, an unseasonably hot day at Kinnick. I think they were in the red zone. It was like third and nine, and he hit it out for, like, 15 yards to move the sticks. I was like, that hasn't happened once in the last eight years, so that's good enough for me.

[Pat McAfee]

And he lowers the shot.

[Ty Schmidt]

He does. He's a fee.

[Bruce Arians]

He.

[Ty Schmidt]

He's six. Three, two, three, two. You know, 235. Like, he. He's physical seed.

[Pat McAfee]

That was a seed right there.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Good placement on that ball.

[Boston Connor]

So talk about him.

[Ty Schmidt]

I'm not. I mean, this. This weekend Is. Is kind of the whole, like this is the measuring stick. We'll see.

[Pat McAfee]

Iowa State's got a good team.

[Ty Schmidt]

They do.

[Pat McAfee]

Iowa State's got a real good team.

[Ty Schmidt]

They do.

[Pat McAfee]

Cyclones are coming for that ass. That's fine.

[Boston Connor]

First point touchdown.

[Pat McAfee]

They got a kicker who kicks six, three yarders.

[Ty Schmidt]

I was. Kicker's pretty good too.

[Pat McAfee]

55 yarder.

[Bruce Arians]

That's what's crazy what the kickers are doing now.

[Pat McAfee]

Insane.

[Bruce Arians]

I mean, 70. 70 yards.

[Boston Connor]

Damn little.

[Bruce Arians]

I mean, come on, man. I mean, there better be no time left on the clock if you miss because they're going to turn around, kick the short one.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, exactly. You're giving up three immediately on those 70 yards.

[Bruce Arians]

Automatically. Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

I agree that the whole. I don't want to say aggression, but it feels like coaches have gotten a lot more aggressive. Fourth down, going for it more as more stats are being told. Like, hey, at this, you should be able to pick it up at this particular rate. Feels like people are going for it more. More long kicks are happening, I think. Do you agree with that?

[Bruce Arians]

Totally. And I'll ask our guys to look this up.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay.

[Bruce Arians]

Of those teams that are doing it, how many are offensive head coaches versus defensive head coaches?

[Pat McAfee]

Okay.

[Bruce Arians]

What's the defensive head coach say? Oh, no, no, we ain't doing that.

[Pat McAfee]

We're punishing.

[Bruce Arians]

We're punting all the way, brother.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, but look at the commanders. They were the ones who kind of like they, they did that a shitload last year. And, and Dan Quinn's a defensive guy. Maybe Cliff Kingsbury has a little more say in that. But like they. I mean, especially in the playoffs, Commanders were going forward on 4th and short.

[Pat McAfee]

Every single guy from Chargers that came from his mom and dad.

[Ty Schmidt]

Brandon Staley.

[Pat McAfee]

Brandon Staley, defensive guy. He was going forward a lot. He was super stats.

[Bruce Arians]

Where's he at?

[Boston Connor]

Good question.

[Bruce Arians]

All right. Something went wrong with football. You don't kick field goals anymore.

[Pat McAfee]

All right?

[Bruce Arians]

And I love Dan Campbell, don't get me wrong. I think he's a hell of a coach. I think he's the next Bill Cower. But they're in the Super Bowl. You kick three damn field goals instead of going for it on fourth down. You got a three score lead and you put your team in an oh, shit moment. You know what that is?

[Pat McAfee]

What's that?

[Bruce Arians]

Oh, fuck. We're tired now. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. I gotta call a different play. Oh, shit. We had a 20 point lead. Oh, now. Now it's a seven point lead. You're calling defense, you're calling different offenses because the head coach went for it and didn't make it.

[Pat McAfee]

Now they would say that if they didn't live like that all season they wouldn't have been in a position to go for it. Right. I think that is. Yeah, 1,000%. And also Josh Reynolds has to catch those balls on fourth down and then we're in the super bowl as well.

[Bruce Arians]

Well yeah, that's drop mark. Andrew should have caught some and they would be talking about Lamar not been the winner.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you're right. Yeah, right.

[Bruce Arians]

It's a risky. Don't ever get me started on analytics.

[Pat McAfee]

No, let's start on analy. They don't believe in momentum. Analytics don't believe in situational awareness. Analytics believe on the outcome. That's what.

[AJ Hawk]

Don't they claim to though? I thought they claimed to take in that stuff.

[Pat McAfee]

No, they don't believe in momentum.

[Darius J. Butler]

Momentum's not real.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, okay.

[AJ Hawk]

I thought they claim that they do take it all even like all of it.

[Pat McAfee]

No, they don't.

[Bruce Arians]

They don't know that your right guard can't block Nadam. Sue. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Where's the stats on. And Dominic and Sue lined up over AQ. Why did you go for it on 4th down?

[Bruce Arians]

Cuz a kill couldn't block his ass one on one.

[Pat McAfee]

AQ could have but AQ would have.

[Bruce Arians]

Nod and tore's up.

[Pat McAfee]

Up.

[Bruce Arians]

But it doesn't make any sense to me. Baseball, total sense. Can't hit a curveball, put a curveball pitcher in. But this going for it inside the 50 every time it's 4th and 5 or less. Those points add up, man. Well, the anal especially in the playoffs.

[Pat McAfee]

The analytics screen. The analytics on the screen tell us to go. Go for it.

[Boston Connor]

Go for it.

[Pat McAfee]

I've never seen it say don't go.

[Ty Schmidt]

I don't think it ever has.

[Bruce Arians]

That's it.

[Pat McAfee]

Why don't you listen to it? Go.

[Bruce Arians]

I hate it. Can't stand it.

[Pat McAfee]

No, you don't know what you're talking about though. These analytics clearly say 67% of the time you'd make it here.

[Bruce Arians]

Are they talking about blocking and tackling or numbers? They're talking about numbers over the history of the game. All right, that's it.

[Pat McAfee]

Sounds like the numbers are a much bigger risk it biscuit. Oh yeah, Operation Dude.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah. I mean I'm getting my ass kicked. I got. Why didn't I make it on third one? Well, fourth and one.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, the analytics said that you should have 82% of the time. Should have made it on third one.

[Bruce Arians]

Should have made It, Yeah, they got a better player. Michael Parsons kicked her ass.

[Pat McAfee]

You know, how do you think Green Bay does, Micah? You think it wins Super Bowl? I'm talking super bowl expectations.

[Bruce Arians]

I think it gives them a better chance.

[Pat McAfee]

Chance.

[Bruce Arians]

I mean it's going to excite that defense. Defense is already good and did Kenny even play that much last year?

[Ty Schmidt]

He, he was hurt a little bit and he did. But he, he had his, statistically, he had his worst year by far in a long time.

[Bruce Arians]

They're not going to miss him. They added something big and lost a little. So yeah, I think, I think it, they already got a great fan base, maybe the best ever. I mean the best place for me to ever go to win was Lamb.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Cool feeling.

[Bruce Arians]

And they had great brats for you after the game.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Drive through that neighborhood, show up at the stadium. Yeah. It's really cool. And you feel like you're in Sable's NFL films that you watch growing up.

[Darius J. Butler]

Oh yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

It's like, holy, I'm in the movie right now. I'm in the history of football. AJ's the All Time leading tackler for that program. I, I couldn't even imagine.

[AJ Hawk]

Wasn't that Scotty Miller?

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

You were there at the Scotty Miller at half.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, baby. Yeah, man. I, I told him to punt. I was pissed off because we missed it on third. I said punt and I said there have been timeout and like we've got, I think we had a 10 point lead, maybe seven. I said best they're going to get is a field goal. It. Go for it. And Tommy looked at me said go for it. And Byron called a great play.

[Pat McAfee]

You risked it and you got the.

[Bruce Arians]

Biscuit and you know, obviously we got a little bunch formation. They thought we're going to run a quick out, try to get a first down field goal and guy square squats and Scotty runs right by him.

[Pat McAfee]

Scoot. Is he still on the Steelers?

[Tone]

Yes, he is. He's on 53.

[Bruce Arians]

Yep. He, he's, he's turned into hell. Little gunner.

[Tone]

Aaron loves him.

[Bruce Arians]

You know what? He don't weigh 160 pounds. He's a hell of a little gunner.

[Pat McAfee]

He was great for you guys.

[Bruce Arians]

He was, he was.

[Pat McAfee]

Scoot, scoot. Scotty Miller came out of nowhere.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

So fast.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

So fast. By the looks of him. You don't think he's as fast as he is?

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, King didn't think so.

[Pat McAfee]

What's that?

[AJ Hawk]

Why is that Pat? It's because he like shorter or what?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. You just don't Think his stride length just by looking at him. You don't think his stride line could be. Look fast enough, you know, sneaks over.

[Bruce Arians]

He can turn him over, boy. He can turn him.

[Pat McAfee]

He can. He can't do.

[Boston Connor]

I heard pick him up.

[Ty Schmidt]

Picks him up and puts them down.

[Tone]

You mean like tyre Kill? Because he's like the same height as tyre Kill, so.

[Boston Connor]

No.

[Ty Schmidt]

What are you guys.

[Tone]

What are you saying?

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, different.

[Darius J. Butler]

We're the same number, too.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Bruce Arians]

That's his comp.

[Pat McAfee]

I think that was his calm. But nobody on TV would say that.

[Ty Schmidt]

There's just something about him.

[Pat McAfee]

Still a lot of Danny Amendola in him. Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Certainly wispy.

[Pat McAfee]

He's Julian Adam and Whis. High speed.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's that guy coming out of the white that was coming out of a Texas school? Ran like a 4:3 in there?

[Tone]

George Shipley was.

[Pat McAfee]

No, it was a Texas school. I don't remember if it was actually Texas. It was a. Maybe Texas Tech or something. Kid ran like a 4:3 or 4:2. Like, this guy's a lot like Danny Amendola. No, he's not. You're talking about strictly skin color, I do believe. Yes. Well, yeah, he is a white man.

[Boston Connor]

That makes sense.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes, he is. He is. He's a lot different than Danny, though. Not that Danny didn't have speed. You gotta have speed. But yeah, I think Scooty Miller had a hell of a run. Maybe the Pittsburgh Steelers the right place for. Maybe Aaron Rodgers needs a Scotty Miller. Do you think so, Tone?

[Tone]

Yeah, he's talked about it a bunch. This like he. He doesn't have to guess where Scotty's going to be. Scotty's always in the right place. And obviously as a veteran quarterback like Aaron, like, he really. We know Aaron appreciates that.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, let's take a break and then we'll wrap up with everything we didn't hit, including a little ba Breakdown of some defenses. Oh, hell yeah. Which I'm excited to see. Also some headlines. You know, there's a new voted number one player in the NFL. A lot of talk about that. Don't want to give it away. Jumped over somebody backwards.

[Ty Schmidt]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Ran for more yards in a season than any humans ever run for a yards.

[Boston Connor]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

His before contact numbers, if they were their own season, would have been a top five rusher in the NFL. So the entire offensive line's back and he's back and I'm talking about Saquon Barkley. He's number one player in the NFL. Where did everybody else fall in what are BA's thoughts on it? And we're just two days away from NFL. This is a beautiful thing.

[DraftKings Announcer]

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[Pat McAfee]

Void.

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[Pat McAfee]

Talk about stepping on.

[Darius J. Butler]

It'S time to.

[Bruce Arians]

Level up your game.

[Darius J. Butler]

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[Boston Connor]

The electricity is palpable.

[Darius J. Butler]

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[Pat McAfee]

It's the ultimate fan experience.

[Bruce Arians]

Level up.

[Darius J. Butler]

For more on the ESPN app or at stream.espn.com Sign up now.

[Pat McAfee]

Football set hot. Yeah, I guess what I was saying is we're all moving on the ball there and the ball. Whenever that beat drops, ball is being snapped and then football is what's coming in there.

[Bruce Arians]

Can he really hear this?

[Pat McAfee]

Who the every team.

[Bruce Arians]

So when I when you interview a quarterback these days. All right, call a play in. Huddle for me and give me your snap cap. Never have. What do you mean? Coach Huddle holds his thing up on the side and I just go like that.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't want to get into it.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't want to get into this right now. Now is not the time to get into that.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah. Don't get me started.

[Pat McAfee]

Why not? Just because here in Indianapolis we're having a situation.

[Ty Schmidt]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Where maybe a quarterback had next to no experience whenever he was drafted number four overall. And maybe experience is a really good thing to have as quarterback, especially if you're going to play in the NFL with all of the things that are going to come across the desk of the starting quarterback of the NFL, not just on the field, but off the field, how you handle everything. If you have next to no experience, I think it's going to be tough thing. Just get baptized at that particular position. And then you talk about how the expectations, a lot of these college quarterbacks at this level at this time, maybe not now because they got ears. So maybe they do have to call a play. Maybe it'll go back to that as opposed to what everybody was doing on the sideline where there were signs being stolen. But it feels like there was quite a run there where quarterbacks weren't expected to do as many things as they're going to be expected to do at the NFL. And it was almost setting them up for failure whenever they're getting the NFL. So we. We here in Indy see a guy with no experience, and then also, if he even had experience, he probably wasn't going to be necessarily providing pivotal pieces of information for him to be a professional quarterback. You're saying it was getting difficult there to find a quarterback throughout a bit of a run. It feels like I have about 12.

[Bruce Arians]

Years of interviewing quarterbacks who'd never called to play in a huddle, never used a snap count, and we had to teach them how to do that.

[Pat McAfee]

Now, you were a college football coach, right?

[Bruce Arians]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

Was it always that way, or was this like something that just changed mightily or something?

[Bruce Arians]

I think tempo started it. You know, everybody wanted to be uptempo, said he would just hold up a card and everybody knew the formation and the play or three coaches are signaling to the receivers where to line up, tight end, where to line up, running back, and. And they held up a card for the play. And, you know, I brought in a young guy who was a heck of a prospect for one of those spring visits, and I said, look, you get in the mirror, I'm going to give you a script. Call these plays in the mirror, and here's a snap count. And you, you look at yourself and we drafted him and he came back and he was ready to do it and did a hell of a job with it and, and, and did okay for us.

[Pat McAfee]

But that was the first time he was probably doing that, first time he'd ever done it. That's crazy to think about, just because that moment of you telling the play. Also, I think we heard Ryan Day talk about it with Julian S. About watching Will Howard command the huddle. And whenever you come into the huddle, just like whenever you're on this show, if you come in soft, weak, you are going to be assumed to be a man that lacks confidence on a show in the huddle. Whenever you go in there, first thing out of your mouth, how you're handling yourself is how you're going to be judged by everybody in there. I think that's what they talk about with J.J. mcCarthy up in Michigan. He was a freshman and he went into a huddle. It was like late in the game, something. Everybody was tired, miserable offensive lineman, retired J.J. mcCarthy. They said one into the huddle and everybody's like, this is a guy. Like the way he just kind of maneuvered and talked and acted and probably like the quick little thing he said afterwards and the way he handled it all, it's like, that's huge leadership. Part of the quarterback position. I think that carries into other things. I think we lost sight of that NFL stuff. I think they were just trying to have immediate success in college and they were thinking to themselves, we got to win. Now I ain't got to worry about developing this guy to be an NFL guy. But then you saw the NFL change a little bit to it, right? The NFL kind of change?

[Bruce Arians]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

It's like Tom Brady's big thing is like how easy and basic it's getting for quarterbacks. That was like a big pitching point whenever he retired. I think Peyton was saying the same things about how the reads quickly became like college type reads as opposed to NFL type reads. Did you see that as well throughout your career?

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah. Guys were never reading post snap anymore. Everything was pre snap. And I think I look at the Ohio State Texas game and I see Matt Patricia just totally bamboozled, one of the best young quarterbacks to ever come into the game because he had to learn to do it. You got two seconds to figure out where this ball's going, all right? And if you, if you're seeing this and they're playing that, if you don't see it within those first three steps of your drop, you're going to throw it to the Wrong guy.

[Pat McAfee]

So you're saying what Arch Manning was seeing was something that was by design to make him look and be as confused as he looked. He looked incredibly confused. And you're saying that, was it just Arch or is it the entire offense that has to kind of deal with it?

[Bruce Arians]

Oh, it's everybody, the coaches, everybody. And you know, when you don't know what to prepare for, that's college's problem. When, you know, don't play preseason games, you don't get to see anything. And the first time you see it, you're on national television playing number one versus number three. It's like, holy shit. And yeah, like that ain't easy. I mean it's not easy for a veteran quarterback in the NFL when you play that system.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, let's talk about that system. We actually have a couple, couple plays. Let's run this play here. And what we need to look at here is pre snap, what it looks like and then post snap, what it looks like. Right. And we'll have some screenshots of it. Let's run the play. So Arch Manning had to turn his back there a little bit and then he tried to decipher, figure it out, can't figure it out overthrows because it's kind of a rush of a throw. Let's go to the pre snap shot here. Okay, so what does this look like for what Arch Manning's looking at?

[Bruce Arians]

I think for any young quarterback and vet quarterback in the NFL, they're going to think that's cover zero. It's better about the all out blitz. You got man coverage all across the board. There's no deep safety. This guy's playing the tight end. And post snap, it's totally different.

[Pat McAfee]

Flip guide to the next one. Okay, so now you see the backside.

[Bruce Arians]

Safety running to the middle. He's trapping the next receiver coming over from the right. The defensive end's dropping to cover the back. And it's totally different than we saw pre snap. Now Peyton, his third, second or third year got this. Tom probably in his second year, third year got this because it's, this is complicated now for a college quarterback, especially young guy starting, this is, this is the highest level you get of defensive football. And Ohio State did an unbelievable job for their young guys. I think deo y of not showing, giving it away.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. So why, why do. I asked coach Saban this last night. I said it feels like people are making a big deal out of what Matt Patricia was doing. Now granted, everybody said he was getting that Arch got Belichicked or whatever because Matt Patricia runs a lot of what Belichick was doing. That's not normal in college ball. Why is it not normal in college ball? Because guys give it away. That seemingly was what you guys were talking about.

[Darius J. Butler]

Yeah, I mean these guys played together. First of all, you got Igmanosa, who's been there for a while. I think he's a senior, he played a lot of important ball. Caleb Downs, who we talked about not only what he is physically, but mentally, what he can handle, what he can communicate. You know, we just talked about preparing and how these quarterbacks were kind of ill prepared for the next level. Same thing with defensive backs. It would be guys who came in who never backpedal, never shuffle, never had to have a 2 to 1 read. Just played press man to man coverage. So to think about, you know, Bill and his operation in New England, it wasn't about just players that were talented, but it was about players that can get it between the ears. And that way you can communicate, you can adjust during games, you can adjust on the sideline, you can. And then week to week you can make those type of adjustments. So Matt Daddy P just brought that to Ohio State. And then the talent.

[Pat McAfee]

You said Caleb Downs is the key, right?

[Darius J. Butler]

Caleb Downs is the key. He's the quarterback of that defense. So you can do multiple things and when you can adjust those coverages and, and lie because you can have a disguise. But if I'm a nickelback and I'm showing something here, but it's a safety capping me, like the quarterback knows, okay, put him in the, put him in. He's possibly pressure but like if we're all on the same page, if I'm showing something, the quarterback, the safety showing middle post, close or something like that, now that's showing a real picture to that quarterback. And then post, snap, he has to process that in those, you know, two, two and a half seconds to get it off. And that's tough for NFL quarterbacks, let alone a freshman, I mean a junior making his first start against a big time program like that.

[Pat McAfee]

It's crazy to think though that like you mentioned rookie quarterbacks. Going to be tough to figure this type of shit out. More colleges should do this, I guess. It's just hard to find the guys, huh? That's like.

[Bruce Arians]

To have the athletic ability and the brains. Those cats are very few. They go to the NFL, you know, every what, 2% go to the NFL. Those guys go to the NFL. Ohio State just happened about four or.

[Pat McAfee]

Five of them and they had 14 of them last year. That's why reloading so many guys and both coordinators was such a big deal for this Ohio State team to see how they were going to be. Well, it feels like they got it right. And on the defensive side, it feels like Matt Patricia no knows that he walked into a loaded group, but also a very intelligent group. And congratulations. Number one team in the country, Ohio State Buckeyes. AP Pole just came out. Ohio State Buckeyes, number one in the country. Congratulations, A.J. i know this is what you guys wanted.

[Ty Schmidt]

That's right.

[Pat McAfee]

All off season.

[Boston Connor]

Wow.

[Pat McAfee]

That's what you guys want.

[AJ Hawk]

That's what we care about. We care about preseason polls and polls after week one. That really. That really gets.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, congratulations. Oh, yeah. Bio.

[AJ Hawk]

Hey, let's just do it in December and January, fellas.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, I. Oh.

[Pat McAfee]

Number one team in the country. Come on, now. Way to go.

[AJ Hawk]

Great, great.

[Pat McAfee]

Congrats.

[Boston Connor]

Good season.

[Pat McAfee]

You know what's awesome?

[AJ Hawk]

See if we're there at the end.

[Pat McAfee]

I said this on game day at the very beginning, this team won the national championship and their fans do not care. Yeah, they do. We don't care.

[Darius J. Butler]

New year.

[Pat McAfee]

Go ahead and lose today by a couple touchdowns. Go ahead. See, I dare you. We'll be right back into what it was last year. That is legitimately the expectations at Ohio State. That's why it's like, I think if you're Ryan Day, the way he talks about it and you heard Will Howard and you listen to everybody, it's like, it is an honor to play here. This is going to be around long after us. We are just kind of the wearers of the uniform at this current moment, and we know what all comes with it. And it feels like Caleb Downs out of Alabama. What a. Especially if Matt Patricia is going to lead this type of defense where it's like we're doing a lot of movement.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, you got to get a. On first and second down. You don't see that on first and second. They do a great job of getting you in third and sixth or more. Then God bless you if you can read that stuff.

[Pat McAfee]

What are you going to do? Run against these teams? Is that what you got to do? What is the. I think you get your shots early.

[Bruce Arians]

You get your.

[Boston Connor]

You get.

[Bruce Arians]

You got to run the football, but.

[Pat McAfee]

You got to get your shots on.

[Bruce Arians]

First and second down against them where they're normal, you know. And I know second down. If you're in three wides. Maddie's playing a 51. That's it. Going to stop it right that.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, five down, five down.

[Bruce Arians]

Cover everybody with one middle linebacker. Well, there's some good things to run against that, but there's only a few coverages you can run with that.

[Pat McAfee]

Have you ever thought about getting into college ball again at this stage of your life and call an offense?

[Bruce Arians]

Never.

[Boston Connor]

How easy would it be for you?

[Bruce Arians]

It'd be hard. You know, it'd be hard because of the rules. I mean, cats never. First of all, nobody knows how to block or tackle anymore because you can't practice it.

[Pat McAfee]

I love. I love that you're just this. I mean, last night.

[Bruce Arians]

Tacklin is a lost art. I say everybody's like a dummy with no arms.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, we gotta coach it. Coach.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, but you're not allowed to. In high school, you only allow, what, three days you can actually tackle.

[Pat McAfee]

So Pennsylvania, you're only allowed. Pennsylvania are only allowed one week of training camp before the season started. I had no idea that was a rule. That's an actual rule. I don't know if it's all of Pennsylvania or just Whitby. Tone, is that Whitby or all of Pennsylvania?

[Bruce Arians]

All of pa. All the pa Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I assume it's in other states, too.

[Darius J. Butler]

You like that? Ohio, A.J.

[Bruce Arians]

You got to go down the South. Spring practice. They got summer practice.

[Pat McAfee]

It never stops down there. Down there in the south, we're playing high school, so we're not.

[AJ Hawk]

What does that mean? One week at camp. What does that mean? What do they consider camp?

[Tone]

I read into it. The first week now has to be like this conditioning period.

[AJ Hawk]

Acclimation period.

[Tone]

Yeah, exactly. That's the acclimation period where, you know, you can only wear pads for so, so long, and then you can only be out there for two or three hours a day or whatever. They don't want people dying.

[Pat McAfee]

When did the boys learn how to tackle?

[Boston Connor]

Game day, Week two.

[Darius J. Butler]

Yeah, that's what. That's the toughest thing in the pros. That's why the early, like, week one, week two, like, you gonna see some shitty, shitty tackling. Even though defenses are ahead of the game, but guys making too much. We're not tackling Saquon and A.J. brown, these guys in practice. So the only live tackling reps you're gonna get is when the bright lights are on. And these guys get paid a ton of money to. To not get tackled one on one. That's why defense is all about running to the ball, tackling with leverage, taking your shots, trusting the guy on the inside or the outside of you, because guys are too Good at just tackle an open field, you know, one on one. So yeah, the only when and nobody's.

[Bruce Arians]

Playing in the preseason.

[Darius J. Butler]

Yeah, that's up now.

[Pat McAfee]

Now people back. Felt like this year there was more.

[Bruce Arians]

People playing because they're learning their lesson.

[Pat McAfee]

Last year there was nobody playing. It felt like we had ass football for a bit. It did feel like we had some shitty football early this year. Felt like more people played. Maybe we're just paying attention to it more because we're talking about it, but it did feel like more guys played.

[Bruce Arians]

No, I, I, I think you have to, I mean you got to get at least a half in, you know, just to feel as a team.

[Darius J. Butler]

It's like 10 city.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, come in, come out, you know.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Patrick Mahomes out there, Travis is out there. You know, they're doing their thing. They feel that way. What did Philadelphia do? Do we know?

[Darius J. Butler]

I don't.

[Pat McAfee]

They didn't play anybody.

[Boston Connor]

Tanner McKee had an unbelievable preseason. The Bengals state, they burrow and chase her out there.

[Pat McAfee]

First time first sergeant, big time Steelers fan over in Australia. He asked a couple of times. We don't think Aaron should just maybe taking a few snaps in the preseason, just kind of go through the warm up, just experience it. Pittsburgh Steeler maybe. Just so the fans could maybe see what it looks like too. Maybe just, you know something. I'm like, I don't think he's a big preseason guy. If he was to get hurt in a preseason game, you guys would all kill Tomlin for a him out there. So it's like that decision is always happening. He was like, yeah, but we could have seen a, at least a take a snap. Yeah, we could have just one couple warm ups. I was like, I don't think he's, I think he was actually trying to change the entire preseason. I think he was actually thinking about changing the entire thing.

[Bruce Arians]

But our super bowl year, we didn't have a preseason.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, co. You're right, it's co.

[Bruce Arians]

So for the first time we actually scrimmage. I like you talking about whole holding your breath, brother. First of all, Tommy never been in the stadium. And they had that decibel thing that they came out with. With no fans, they're going to have this decimal thing. I say, okay, we went in, we turned it up.

[Pat McAfee]

You couldn't hear really could be this loud.

[Bruce Arians]

And, and we're tackling, we're tackling. And I'm like, oh. So we had to do this twice.

[Pat McAfee]

Two scrimmages.

[Bruce Arians]

Two scrimmages.

[Pat McAfee]

And how Far apart.

[Bruce Arians]

Were they a week?

[Pat McAfee]

One week. But it was offense, defense, offense.

[Bruce Arians]

First, first, first. First basket on best.

[Pat McAfee]

How many different periods did we do? We did all periods and we did actual.

[Bruce Arians]

I think we tried 40 plays.

[Pat McAfee]

40 plays that.

[Bruce Arians]

I had enough of this.

[Pat McAfee]

Holding your breath every single step.

[Bruce Arians]

Oh, God. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Both sides there.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah. I mean, I was like vitus. Oh, man. Don't get me. It was. It was scary, bro.

[Pat McAfee]

Had to do it, though. You felt awful.

[Bruce Arians]

We had to. We had. We had. First of all, we had to tackle somebody. And it's like, we got to get the stadium and see our new guys. Get in there. Nowhere to go. And there's your locker room. And here's not going to be fans and stands, but it's okay. Here we go.

[Pat McAfee]

Crazy.

[Darius J. Butler]

I know you coached 47 years. Like, was that. I know is the most, you know, most unique. Was that the most difficult year by far?

[Bruce Arians]

I mean, that was challenging. But I got to give our players credit, man, and our owners. And we had a huge advantage being in Florida. I never did one zoom meeting the entire year.

[Darius J. Butler]

Great state.

[Pat McAfee]

I feel like you lose a lot of connectivity whenever you're doing zooms.

[Bruce Arians]

I don't. Even if they're watching.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Bruce Arians]

You know what I mean? Are they really over there? I mean, so we built outdoor facilities to locker rooms, eating, meeting rooms. Everything was outside all the way to the Super Bowl. Now the northern teams would be freezing their ass off, but we had this huge advantage.

[Pat McAfee]

That's not your fault.

[Bruce Arians]

No, I love it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, it's perfect down here, too. I'm actually happy we're outside. We should do this every year, actually. This is something. We should continue on here, man, but, man, that.

[Bruce Arians]

That we. Our guys bought in and I told them so. If we beat the virus, we'll win the pocket, we'll win the whole thing because guys are going to be missing time. We had, I think two or three maybe players miss a game individually.

[Pat McAfee]

That was stressful every week, though, right? You never knew who was going to be good.

[Bruce Arians]

But God got tested every day. And the playoffs got tested twice a day.

[Pat McAfee]

So in the NBA, they were. That's crazy. Were they shoving the thing up the nose, too? How about how far that was going?

[Ty Schmidt]

Remember that made you cry every time.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

They were shoving and touching it. We touched the brain.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

That's the only place they would tell us if you got it or not.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, but it worked.

[Pat McAfee]

Feels pretty uncomfortable. Yeah, it was very accurate.

[Boston Connor]

It worked. So, like, at the end of the.

[Pat McAfee]

Day, how about us pulling into that parking garage for WWE and people coming out in Ebola. Yeah. With those sticks about to shove up my nose. All right, roll your window. Don't look at us, though, please.

[Boston Connor]

Why are you in those?

[Pat McAfee]

Look straight ahead, gloves on, shoving that thing all the way up to my brain. All right, we gotta get. I don't know if it's up there yet. It is. I can feel it. No, no, we need a little bit more. All right. Can't get that contaminated.

[Ty Schmidt]

He's positive. That's almost what it felt like.

[Boston Connor]

I mean, remember the.

[Pat McAfee]

The. What was it?

[Boston Connor]

The Korean net? They were catching people over in, like, South Korea.

[Pat McAfee]

It was a wall talk.

[Boston Connor]

It was great.

[Pat McAfee]

So that's why when people attack, like the Lakers won in the bubble down there, it's like, is that a real championship? It's like, man, do you remember? There's a lot of bullshit going on. Oh, yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Everyone had to go.

[Pat McAfee]

The amount of obstacles that everybody had to go through, I would say. I would argue that if you could put that asterisk in proper perspective, people would be more impressed with that championship than without it. I legitimately think that because of all the obstacles. Nobody really talks about the NFL one because it happened in a stadium. Everybody watched it, the games are played, everything like that. It's not really. Ever chatted about as being one that's not viewed as equal. The NBA, definitely this one, I don't think it's ever been chatted about. But with that being said in the future, it's gonna be hard to explain how hard it was to even have that season. I mean, just play a game, let alone everything else.

[Ty Schmidt]

Remember early on, I can't remember remember what week it was, but I think it was like the Titans or someone like. And it went through the locker room, they had like 13 guys that were down for Sunday. And we were like, there's no way they're going to be able to play a full seat. This is going to happen every single week to a couple different teams. You're going to be expecting to go, and it's like, well, actually, you're going to have six starters on offense and defense that aren't going to be able to play on Sunday.

[Pat McAfee]

And the guys that you're signing that aren't in your building, they have to stay in a hotel, locked away from everybody for eight days or so. Eight days? Days. Eight days or something like that. So they can't practice. They're on your team.

[Darius J. Butler]

Let's say the antibodies.

[Pat McAfee]

The antibodies was the key.

[Bruce Arians]

I tell you what. What's crazy about that year. The. My wife met Tom Brady for the first time on the stage at the Super Bowl.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, cuz you guys weren't really able.

[Bruce Arians]

You weren't allowed to see anybody.

[Boston Connor]

That's crazy.

[Pat McAfee]

Which once again sucks with building camaraderie and building a team.

[Bruce Arians]

And it was. It was most bizarre year coaching. We're opening up New Orleans and it's empty. I'm a little loud. I cuss a little bit, you know, And I'm cussing out one of their players. He's like, damn, coach, it's gonna be like that. I said, hell yeah, brother.

[Pat McAfee]

He could hear you. Yeah. It wasn't as loud as what that first decibel thing they told you was gonna be was.

[Bruce Arians]

Any noise. It's crazy. I could hear Sean. He could hear me.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Ben Rothberger.

[Boston Connor]

Bingo.

[Pat McAfee]

The thing about Ben Rothsberger is bit a little, allegedly. The DBs could just hear him telling the wide receivers what routes to run. Because I guess Roethlisberger is a guy that just will say, hey, run, slant, like on the field. And I guess that was the story that was coming out, right?

[Bruce Arians]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You can hear it. DBs were like, just don't let him know we can hear him. We can hear everything he's doing out there. Ben was an old school guy, huh?

[Boston Connor]

Felt like go deep.

[Bruce Arians]

One of the best, brother. Are they games? I'll take him over all of them.

[Pat McAfee]

He's just a dog, right?

[Bruce Arians]

Total.

[Pat McAfee]

He is in everything. It feels like he's talk.

[Boston Connor]

Take him over all of them.

[Peter Schrager]

Br.

[Bruce Arians]

He in a big game.

[Boston Connor]

Bruce. Bruce. All.

[Bruce Arians]

You heard what he said.

[Tone]

You all heard what he said.

[Darius J. Butler]

We did. I. I heard.

[Bruce Arians]

He's the only one that I've had that had to go 92 yards to win the Super Bowl.

[Pat McAfee]

That's fair. And.

[Bruce Arians]

And he won. And Hines. Hines shouldn't have been in the game. He was. His knee was gone. Nate had a separated shoulder. He only had two guys that could catch Santo and he. And of course he kept feeding Tone.

[Pat McAfee]

Absolutely one of the greatest catches in the history of football.

[Bruce Arians]

But the throw was better. Ben should have been mvp.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, you're still bummed out about that?

[Bruce Arians]

I'm still pissed about it. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I think Ben.

[Bruce Arians]

If you look at that throw and it's like he bit. He lobs it back there and just sticks his hands up.

[Pat McAfee]

Yep. Great catch. Great toe tap. It's time to throw. Insane. The fact that you guys won. Awesome. And I love that you just said that about Ben Rothsberger. And I Don't know if you heard there was a climax in Hammer D. Tone, you love everything you just said right there. How you might put it as your X bio.

[Tone]

Yeah, I. I do. Because Ben gets a lot of credit or whatever, but, like, playing during Brady and Manning's era, and then Breeze was there as well, and, like, I don't know if he gets as many flowers as he should, but. No. Hearing. That was awesome. He's my hero. You know that.

[Pat McAfee]

Trying to get seven this year, though, maybe.

[Tone]

I woke up this morning and I literally thought to myself, I. I'm Will. I can't wait to go to Hell and Back with Aaron Rodgers.

[Pat McAfee]

Let's go. Hell. But you might go. It's not too hot.

[Bruce Arians]

It's not too hot down there, brother.

[Pat McAfee]

Exactly, Mother. I might be taking you on a trip, too.

[Ty Schmidt]

That's right.

[Tone]

I'll go to the Eighth Dimension and back.

[Boston Connor]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. All right. I like that. You should do that as a Maybe. You have to do that before the season. Really? No, no.

[Boston Connor]

Before the program one day, and then we just kind of sit with Tone.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I think before the season. Two to pay respects to Mother. I.

[Boston Connor]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

And to Aaron, obviously. I think you should have to do that.

[Tone]

No, he doesn't do that anymore.

[Boston Connor]

Make some calls.

[Pat McAfee]

Do you know. Do we know that?

[Tone]

Yeah, I talked to him yesterday.

[Pat McAfee]

What'd you say?

[Tone]

Say, what's up, dude?

[Darius J. Butler]

He said, I'm ready.

[Tone]

Can't wait.

[Pat McAfee]

And then you asked him about Iowa.

[Tone]

No, I didn't want to. I didn't want to talk to him too much. That was kind of like unwritten, unspoken words. Because words have curses.

[Pat McAfee]

No, spells. Words are spelled that are casted. They cast spells.

[Bruce Arians]

Watch it.

[Tone]

If that's how you guys want to.

[Pat McAfee]

Take it, that's how you. Oh, you. You received that message differently from your quarterback. And who's going to bring seven to Pittsburgh?

[Tone]

I can't wait.

[Pat McAfee]

Are you guys winning the super bowl this year?

[Tone]

I don't see why not, do you?

[Pat McAfee]

It. Why not? Packed. AFC packed. Yeah.

[Bruce Arians]

The only thing I can think of is Cincinnati and Baltimore where that might be a problem.

[Pat McAfee]

Cincinnati, Baltimore, Buffalo, Indianapolis, Kansas City.

[Boston Connor]

You know, one of those doesn't fit, but I got you.

[Tone]

I'm not worried about the division. Division. You know. You know how it is. B.A. the division. You take care of the division. You were there.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, that's it. You're right.

[Tone]

Bills, Chiefs.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, those, though.

[Ty Schmidt]

Broncos.

[Bruce Arians]

He's still got to show me.

[Pat McAfee]

Chargers.

[Bruce Arians]

He's got to show me what Ben did. That's winning Baltimore Yeah. I mean, hello. Dianada hit him one time, busted his nose. He came over the sideline. Is it okay? His nose was, like, over here somewhere. Byron goes, oh, he says that. Bad dog. You're good.

[Tone]

Bruce, was that you? Were you there? Was that with AB when he ran the, like, the slot go against the Ravens to win.

[Bruce Arians]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Bruce Arians]

That's one of his first big, big catches.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Antonio Brown, so good at football.

[Boston Connor]

Helotina's nose was off of his faces.

[Bruce Arians]

Fist right to the. No roughing the passer.

[Joe Montana]

No flag.

[Bruce Arians]

No flag whatsoever.

[Pat McAfee]

Ben never got it back from the ball.

[Boston Connor]

Was ball.

[Pat McAfee]

That's back when Ben was rolling out there with two.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Boots. Yeah, he was two boots. What a beast. Ben Roethlisberg, good podcast host as well. Is this it right here? Third and eighth. He's got his right foot taped. It's probably broken, if I had to guess that.

[Darius J. Butler]

AB A3.

[Boston Connor]

Mike Wallace.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, that was the punch in the nose from hello to nada. Okay. On the way down there, I think you saw him rap him. And a kick to the back of the head.

[Bruce Arians]

T sizzle got him in the back of the head.

[Pat McAfee]

Was that Suggs? Sorry. Yeah, Suggs with the kicker. Oh, yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Leaking.

[Pat McAfee]

Yep. Can't even tell, Ben. Can't even tell. You look good, Raven. Steelers. So awesome.

[Bruce Arians]

Oh, dude.

[Darius J. Butler]

Hello. He was a monster.

[Pat McAfee]

Boom. Left hand, right to the face. Hello. Dinada with a left hook to your face. Yeah. You're good, dude.

[Boston Connor]

His hand is.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I can't even tell. Oh, my God. That had to hurt so bad. Oh, my God. So you like Ben Roethlisberger, Obviously. Andrew Luck as a. No, I'm just saying I love him. Yeah.

[Bruce Arians]

I can't never say who's the best.

[Pat McAfee]

Tom Brady.

[Boston Connor]

Well, you can't.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah. Carson Palmer, even Timmy Couch. Timmy Couch took a Cleveland Browns to the playoffs. Tim Cow broke his leg in the last game. And then Kelly Hokum goes in and throws 420 yards against the Steelers.

[Pat McAfee]

That's so many quarterbacks that you've worked with, though, just like throughout the history of football. You getting Tom Brady at the end of it, I thought was really cool.

[Bruce Arians]

It was fun. It was a lot of fun.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Because, like your umbrella of coaches and your people, Tom Brady seemingly was never going to be able to experience. I would. I love. I mean, he's chatted about how you're vastly different than Bill, but I would like to get his entire thoughts on, like, your guys's operation versus how Bill run, because you guys both won Super Bowls. You know, so it's like such an interesting dynamic on how a building is run.

[Bruce Arians]

The funniest, the funniest. Tom Moore, who's hilarious.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah, they'll grow.

[Bruce Arians]

I gotta root for this. I've hated him for 20 years. I said we're gonna love him now, Tom. You damn right we are, brother.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Yeah. We have an opportunity to get Tom Brady in his building. We definitely love him.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I mean, he was talking about earlier when he was like starting out coaching or maybe not starting out when he was coaching for Bear Bryant.

[Pat McAfee]

It's like, I don't know. Alabama.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, for Alabama. It's like that. That's for. I mean, as a new school dude, if you will. That's like the first coach you hear about growing up as like the father of college football.

[Pat McAfee]

That's black and white film. Yeah, that's what that is.

[Bruce Arians]

And one thing about coach, he subs. We played 66 players in every game. He substituted every player. No assistant coach ever think about sending body on that field.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so. So he just wanted the whole team to play. He didn't want starters.

[Bruce Arians]

Alan Gray would start at quarterback the first series. Then he was the PP the rest of the game. And two other quarterbacks would come in and play.

[Pat McAfee]

This is Bear Bryant football. Is that how it always was?

[Bruce Arians]

Always. He always. He believed in just wearing you out with waves and waves of fresh players.

[Pat McAfee]

His soldiers. Waves of soldiers.

[Darius J. Butler]

You said he. He personally did all the substitution.

[Bruce Arians]

Everyone.

[Darius J. Butler]

That's crazy.

[Bruce Arians]

You all the way to the Liberty bowl at the end.

[Darius J. Butler]

Yeah. For people that don't know head coaches don't do. At least today like it's defensive. They have like one of the assistants, the coach who responsible for every group. Nickel, dime, offense. I'm sure it's the same thing. Special teams. You, hey, you have your punt unit. Like that's insane.

[Pat McAfee]

There's a lot happening there. Commotion coming on and off. Too many men, not enough men. I mean that is a real thing. So for 166 subs.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah. Unbelievable, bro.

[Pat McAfee]

Unbelievable. Other teams in hell, full speed. Who is this guy?

[Bruce Arians]

I did nine or 12 running backs get ready every game. Which phone?

[Boston Connor]

That's so cool.

[Pat McAfee]

I did not know this. How are we just now learning this? This is Bear Brian football.

[Bruce Arians]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

12 running backs.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You're going to have hell today. Our 10th. Our 10th running back. He's the most powerful. We got thunder, lightning, thunder, thunder, thunder, lightning, thunder, lightning, tornado, hurricane.

[Bruce Arians]

We're playing Kentucky. We're playing Kentucky. We're supposed to be beating them by 30. We're losing. Losing in the fourth quarter.

[Pat McAfee]

How.

[Bruce Arians]

Beat us. We got the ball in the two yard line coming out and the four string guys are in there. I'm in the press back going great. Mal Moore, who's our offensive coordinator. Great guy. Hired Nick and now. What the. What the are we doing? Get Lenny. Get the good guys. He ain't saying right, man. One dude makes an unbelievable one handed catch. The other guy makes. Makes the best block quarterback runs. We get out to the 20. Here come the thoroughbreds. We scored in three plays. I never questioned him ever again.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. You use the fours to get to the set up the ones.

[Bruce Arians]

He trusted them. He trusted them. They were all seniors. All right. He trusted them to do the right thing to get us out of there. And then he put the th Reds back in.

[Pat McAfee]

That's awesome. Crazy. I had no idea. Well, there are no famous anecdotes about a specific bear. Brian Sucker, substitute player. The legendary coach navigated several different areas of substitution rules during his career. One of his hallmarks was using platoon systems and substitutions to his advantage. Like hockey line 2. Ensuring players refreshing assignments were met. Wow. I didn't know that was the case.

[Boston Connor]

That's the coolest thing I've ever heard.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I didn't know that one too. Right. We won a lot.

[Bruce Arians]

They more than anybody. I mean what I think in the 70s they were 110, 105 and 10.

[Pat McAfee]

That's because they just. Yeah.

[Bruce Arians]

I don't know if you've seen the special on the wishbone. I have not. This came out okay. It's a great tribute to what? I think one of the brightest minds ever is Emory Ballard. He invented the wishbone. And Darrell Royal let Chuck Fairbank send Barry Switzerland guys down to Texas and learn the wishbone from Emory. And co sent his Jimmy Sharp and those guys over to learn the wishbone and. And that flipped both programs.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. So football.

[Bruce Arians]

It's a heck of a documentary.

[Pat McAfee]

You're saying football owes the wishbone.

[Bruce Arians]

Oh God.

[Pat McAfee]

He definitely says totally.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah. It's awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

It's like the model T car.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

It's like you need that at the beginning because you think about the wishbone. What army Navy was running it.

[Bruce Arians]

That's how they're beating everybody up up to three years ago.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Because everybody got to the air raid, which was it much like what you were talking about talking about there. Hal Mommy. Right. Starts the air raid. Then his people start like kind of going across. And the air raid takes over football, not just college football, takes over all the football, everybody starts getting smaller now this wishbone comes in and starts hammering everybody. It's like football is so cyclical. That is like such a. An obvious thing. Which leads to number one player in the NFL, running back Saquon Barkley. Congratulations. Well deserved running back. Just a couple years ago, you guys didn't want to pay him. You. You didn't want to pay running backs a couple years ago. And now Saquon Barkley got paid two years in advance. And how much is he making per year? 20.

[Boston Connor]

I. I want to say. Yeah, 19. 5. 20. He just got an extension. It was like two years. 42. I thought so Total money. I'm not sure on what he was making.

[Pat McAfee]

So from a time where, you know, he was let out of the Giants building all on Hard Knocks, where everybody saw it all unfold, to a time where no running backs were getting paid, he signs a deal with Philadelphia for less money than he probably, probably could have made. Some places does very well, and then they re up him immediately and say, hey, we appreciate you here. We're going to pay you. And then his peers around the NFL are going to vote him the number one player in the NFL. What an exit from the New York Giants for Saquon Barkley. Everything has gone great since leaving that organization. AJ Obviously well earned for Saquon and at all. And he carried the NFL there on his back for a bit. We were watching the Saquon Barkley show and the Philadelphia Eagles offensive a line show for a good three, four weeks during that playoff run with the most amount of eyes.

[AJ Hawk]

Well, yeah, I think that's a scary thing for their opponents this year. They're returning Saquon and the offensive line. So that's, you know, at the very worst, they're going to be still very, very good on the ground. But the thing is, other teams say, oh, there's the formula. That's what we're going to do. We got to run the ball. Like, there's only one Saquon, though. We know that. And there's only like, you got to put together an offensive line. You got to find either running back by committee or somebody Saquon esque to be your guy. But like, yeah, Saquon is a special, special dude.

[Pat McAfee]

Saquon has power 12 running backs like it was back in the day.

[Ty Schmidt]

That's right.

[Pat McAfee]

What are you seeing? Saquon and more specifically the offensive line and the way they go about running their offense over there in Philadelphia that you love.

[Bruce Arians]

BA Big, big fan of Nick Sirianna. He's got a great respect for the game, you know, and the history of the game. But that offensive line is not back.

[Pat McAfee]

Really.

[Bruce Arians]

Mekhi Becton's gone. Dickerson's hurt.

[Pat McAfee]

Yep. Yeah, but he was drinking beers after practice. We think he wouldn't be drinking beers after practice.

[Bruce Arians]

Practice on Monday for a Thursday night game. That scares me.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, but he was drinking beers on a practice show.

[Boston Connor]

They were expecting him.

[Bruce Arians]

That's okay. I mean, we. Who doesn't.

[Pat McAfee]

I guess you're right. I guess you're right. That shouldn't be an indicator that he's good. He's just feeling. Yeah.

[Bruce Arians]

It's not the same offensive line, but Saquon is. Is. He runs like a 100, 250 pound back. And he runs like a 250 pound back. He's got the feet of that shifty little guy, that scat back guy, but he's got the power of Earl Campbell. I mean, this guy, he's unique and he was unique coming out. And yeah, I would have paid him because he also can run routes and be a great receiver. He's a very unique player.

[Pat McAfee]

I guess he's a leader too, in the locker room love zone.

[Bruce Arians]

Great person. He got the whole. He's got the whole package.

[Pat McAfee]

Loves golf too, I guess. I guess he loves. Go. Yeah. Pennsylvania is obviously good news. And Sirioni, let's go back to that. You talk about respect for the game. His dad was a coach, right. If I do recall, in Western Pennsylvania. Where'd he coach at? Iup. Yes, sir. Coaching iup. Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Obviously that that place has a lot of good time in its history and I think probably in its presence, if I had to guess in future they have good. And probably in the future they're gonna have a lot of good times at iup. But you're talking about just like old school football. And what did he tell Howie that his dad thought of? Coach Siriani told how he.

[Ty Schmidt]

What O line. D line, Howie. O line.

[Pat McAfee]

D line. That's what his dad believes. That's what he believes. And they do their front four on defense and then their offensive line. Even though you point out a couple things that are certainly going to be maybe a little bit of adversity for them to figure out in the first, they build through the offensive line and defensive line.

[Bruce Arians]

Best way to do it.

[Pat McAfee]

I think so, too.

[Bruce Arians]

And that's always been my philosophy too. You know, if I get a quarterback, I'm not drafting two receivers, I'm driving two tackles. All right? In a center, smart inside out here. Yeah. But those two guys got to protect him, and that guy's got to run it up front. Jeff Saturday. All right, who came out of nowhere?

[Pat McAfee]

North Carolina.

[Bruce Arians]

And where was he last night?

[Pat McAfee]

Good question. He's North Carolina. Talk.

[Bruce Arians]

He just said, open her shirt. Surgery.

[Pat McAfee]

What? Oh, sure. Okay.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Jeff, we hope you're okay. We know where you were.

[Bruce Arians]

He had. He had an aneurysm. Had to have fixed.

[Pat McAfee]

What?

[Bruce Arians]

Jeff doing great. He's doing good.

[Pat McAfee]

That's scary. I'm happy to hear you.

[Bruce Arians]

It's real scary.

[Pat McAfee]

Jeff good human for society. So I'm happy to hear he's one of the best.

[Bruce Arians]

One of the best.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Okay, North Carolina, let's get some wins for Jeff. He's on the men. Geez Louise. But Jeff Saturday, center for Peyton Manning. Huge ordeal that obviously became a relationship for 11 years, 12 years.

[Bruce Arians]

Crazy how he got there. I forget who got hurt. We didn't have offensive linemen for camp, and we had drafted defensive lineman out of North Carolina. I forget who it was. He went in and told Bill Poland, you ought to bring Jeff Saturday in. You know, he's one of the toughest guys I ever went against. Howard goes. He too. Damn. Little Jeff comes in, he starts what, 14, 15 years.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Howard Mudd.

[Bruce Arians]

Howard, one of his favorite people.

[Pat McAfee]

Offensive line coach dog.

[Bruce Arians]

The best.

[Pat McAfee]

Absolutely. There's some legends on that coaching staff. Oh, Rest in peace, J.T. rest in peace. What an absolute beast on defensive side over there, too. Colts had a lot of great ones, man. And we're gonna do it again with Danny Dimes, who's another part of that. Hard knocks. You know, whenever Saquon left. Yeah. Number one player in the NFL, they stuck with Danny Dimes. It didn't work out. Now he's an idiot. He's gonna be an all Pro. Here's the top 10 voted on by the players. Congratulations. Lamar Jackson I. Number two, Josh Allen. Number three, Jamar Chase. Number four, Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Derrick Henry, Miles Garrett, Justin Jefferson and Patrick Certain II round out the top 10 players voted on by their peers going into the season. D. But how do you feel about top 10? Got a defensive guy up there.

[Darius J. Butler]

Yeah, I think it's a good list. Defensive player of the year at 10 with Patrick certain, Miles Garrett. You know, I guess his peers view him as the best pass rusher in the league. Lamar Jackson and back to back years at number two. I thought his season, last season has been his best so far in his career. He's already a Two time mvp, could have easily been number one. But Saquon deservingly so. I think he was deserving as well. Ja' Mar Chase, triple crown, best receiver in the game right now. Justin Jefferson right there behind him. I think this is a quality top 10. And Saquon, he got all the hype, deservingly so. But Derrick Henry had a phenomenal year last year. I think Jameer Gibbs will be in a conversation best running back in the league this year. And Bijan Robinson too, can be in that conversation as well. Some special special backs.

[Pat McAfee]

Right now it feels like the players here are talking about the Baltimore Ravens. Not a lot of talk about the Baltimore Ravens from media. No, no. Except for butter. Yeah, obviously. But is doing a lot of talking about the Ravens, which we appreciate.

[Darius J. Butler]

They got to get it this year.

[Pat McAfee]

They can though, right?

[Darius J. Butler]

I mean, they're stacked.

[Bruce Arians]

The guy that I think should be on there is teacher tj. What?

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. All right. You're saying in the division game record.

[Joe Montana]

He was number 11?

[Bruce Arians]

I mean.

[Tone]

No, don't say that to dbuts coach.

[Bruce Arians]

Okay.

[Tone]

He hates him.

[Darius J. Butler]

I love tj. He's a dog.

[Tone]

Oh, I heard what you said.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, look.

[Tone]

Feels like the players think Miles Garrett's the best passer.

[Pat McAfee]

I know. I heard what you did.

[Darius J. Butler]

I'm just saying what the peers say. I'm not in the locker room anymore. I'm just. I just talking about.

[Pat McAfee]

Did you do this top 100 vote?

[Darius J. Butler]

I did not. Oh, as a player?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Darius J. Butler]

Yeah. Just folks.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Darius J. Butler]

And Patrick Mahomes too. Want to disrespect Patrick Mahomes? He's up there at 5, which is based on his year last year, I don't think he was a top five player.

[Pat McAfee]

Wow.

[Darius J. Butler]

But coming into this year with how the super bowl ended, I think he's going to come in scorched earth this year. I think he's got something to prove.

[Pat McAfee]

But he left that Nebraska since he came a little early. Had to get to bed. Obviously had kids as well. You know, he. He actually commented. I don't know if you saw that some. They posted Patrick Mahomes living Dylan Raiola's game early. Geez. Like he was committed to staying in that whole game.

[Boston Connor]

Great Ryo memes because of that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Darius J. Butler]

How do you guys feel about.

[Pat McAfee]

I didn't like it at all. I like Patrick Mahomes underneath count. Yeah. I'm a adult, dude. I got kids.

[Ty Schmidt]

Three kids.

[Pat McAfee]

Sorry, man. I came to show love. I did try to come show love here. That guy does a lot of stuff.

[Tone]

Like him I don't like too much.

[Ty Schmidt]

I know. We're having Matt Rule on the program every year. I don't. You don't let. Be your own man.

[Boston Connor]

This thing sucks. He. Everything else fine. They don't do this. They don't do like the. The hurry up thing. This has never been seen except for my homes. And people don't really like it when my homes does it. So when apartments, which is definitely the best nickname for him when he starts doing it, then people. Apartments. Like apartments.

[Pat McAfee]

Mahomes set them home.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. A lot of people on the Internet. Apartments for Royola, which again is great. But. But this is the only.

[Ty Schmidt]

Like.

[Boston Connor]

Because the warm up stuff, it's like, okay, you're trying to emulate and be like condo.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Bingo.

[Pat McAfee]

My lake house Movilla. Okay. I love the Internet. I would never thought of that. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I love the Internet. It's the greatest place on earth. There's a lot of things. But he. I mean, why not emulate the next go.

[Boston Connor]

Exactly. No. And that's why the on the field stuff is cool.

[Ty Schmidt]

But this thing, it's not cool.

[Boston Connor]

This is the one. Yeah, you're right. That's right. The on the field stuff.

[Ty Schmidt]

Him coming out and jumping around like Mahomes. Him wearing exactly what Mahomes does with the glasses and the necklace. Like. I get it. Be your own man, dude. You're the number one, you know, ranked prospect coming out. You're not Patrick Mahomes. You don't.

[Pat McAfee]

And you know what?

[Ty Schmidt]

He doesn't even really look like him that much.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay?

[Ty Schmidt]

He doesn't. So we can stop that.

[Pat McAfee]

What are you talking about?

[Ty Schmidt]

I just.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know.

[Ty Schmidt]

No, he doesn't. No, he doesn't anymore. When you see it 400 times a day, every single day, the more you see it, it's like, you know what? They really don't look that much alike. They have a similar haircut. Sure. I mean, I'm sick of it. Be your own man.

[Pat McAfee]

My opinion does exist. Ty has a lot. Others have it as well. There are.

[Ty Schmidt]

And I didn't have a problem with it. I really didn't. And then I was watching the Cincy game, I was like, you know what? It. I'm done with this. I'm sick and tired of seeing it. Because it's all we talk about every game. Every game.

[Boston Connor]

You can see him realize it halfway through him doing this too. You've seen that clip. He goes like this like twice and then realizes, like, that's not what Mahomes does. And Then, and then like one like this on his helmet. And then waits. He go. Okay, never mind. Let's it.

[Pat McAfee]

Here it is.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, come on. No, no, tunnel. Let's huddle. Yeah, that, let's huddle up.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, see, Come on.

[AJ Hawk]

Trying to get the play into his helmet.

[Boston Connor]

The only thing. Sure. That's a reach.

[Pat McAfee]

Everything you just did was a reach right now.

[Boston Connor]

No, because when you partner it with all the dressing. Exactly. Like on the whole warm up thing, all that stuff when you partner them together.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, so you feel exactly how he feels too. It sounds like you were trying not to there for a bit. It feels like you kind of snapped.

[Boston Connor]

I am not a college football team guy. The Iowa thing, you could argue kind.

[Ty Schmidt]

Of factors may play a small role.

[Boston Connor]

You could argue that factors in. I, I don't, I like Raola. I think he's nasty and I don't think he needs to do all that. That's why the extra stuff. Also, he's the son of an old lineman. He's like six, eight. It's like, dude, you could, you could do some really cool stuff when you're six, eight.

[Pat McAfee]

I, I, I don't know.

[Boston Connor]

But, but Mahomes doesn't have all the cool. Like he's not eye to eye with Trey Smith. Like Raiola. You could just be like the biggest, toughest, grittiest son of a.

[Pat McAfee]

He's gonna be.

[Boston Connor]

I don't know. Because he's tick tocking and he's doing, he's doing this.

[Pat McAfee]

He's not tick tocking. Coach rule said no more.

[Boston Connor]

I've seen clubs.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know.

[Boston Connor]

All of a sudden I might be an Iowa fan. The more we talk about this, is.

[Pat McAfee]

It Iowa or Nebraska? Is that how that goes?

[Bruce Arians]

I can't be either at this table. It can't be one or the other.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, really? Is that real?

[Bruce Arians]

It's like Auburn Island, Alabama.

[Ty Schmidt]

Well, it's interesting you bring that up because in the last 11 years, I was beat Nebraska 10 times. Nebraska's won once. And people from Nebraska like to act like it's some big rivalry. It's not. They were never in the Big Ten. They are recently, you know, so. No, Iowa fans don't think like that at all.

[Pat McAfee]

But you hate this guy because he's at Nebraska. So maybe you.

[Ty Schmidt]

No, that, that certainly plays a role. So maybe I, I also hate him because like I said, Jesus, you can't.

[Pat McAfee]

Hate this, this guy.

[Ty Schmidt]

You, you put those words into my mouth because he's a college kid. I don't give a. You Know, do, do whatever. I'm just saying I'm sick and tired of. He threw 15 touchdowns at 11 interceptions last year. He ain't Patrick Mahomes.

[Pat McAfee]

So let's stop with what's Gi. Do we like where G's at? I don't know.

[Ty Schmidt]

He won the FCS Heisman last year. So if he wants to act like Josh Allen who won mvp, I think that makes a little bit more sense because he's, you know, proofs in the pudding. I mean, we'll. Again, like I said, we'll see. We'll see.

[Pat McAfee]

It's gonna be a good season.

[Ty Schmidt]

It's gonna be a good season.

[Pat McAfee]

Is he acting like Josh Allen? I didn't know that.

[Ty Schmidt]

No, not really. He's just a put your, put your head down and go to work kind of guy, which is what I appreciate about. Those are the kind of guys we want in Iowa city.

[Pat McAfee]

Granaski.

[Ty Schmidt]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

B.A. how much you follow college, Paul? Did you get your start in college ball?

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah, Start at Virginia Tech right after playing. Yep. Was a graduate school assistant. Bought, got hired full. Danny Ford left and went to Clemson. Charlie Pell went, was on our staff also. I was Charlie's graduate assistant. Then Danny left. I got a full time job making $10,000 in a car. Rich. But I thought I would hit the lottery.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, living baby.

[Bruce Arians]

And bought a house, had a baby and got fired.

[Pat McAfee]

No longer got 10,000 in the car.

[Bruce Arians]

Welcome, welcome to college football.

[Pat McAfee]

How long did you coach in college before you went to the NFL?

[Bruce Arians]

Oh, oh, 14, 15 years.

[Pat McAfee]

Holy. So you're very well versed in the college world.

[Bruce Arians]

That's head coach for six years in college.

[Pat McAfee]

Temple. Great time. See the pictures over there. You guys had some legends on your staff.

[Bruce Arians]

Yes, we did.

[Pat McAfee]

Right. Like, I mean there's like big names are on your staff there at Temple. If we're to pull that up, we pull that up. The picture has like a who's who. Temple. Are you guys great?

[Bruce Arians]

No, we. Well, we did beat everybody except Penn State and he east became close. Paul Palmer, the best football player I've ever coached.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's on your staff there?

[Bruce Arians]

Paul Davis was my defensive coordinator who was Shook Jordan's defensive coordinator for 15 years. Was the head coach at Mississippi State in 61 and 63 and he ran the split tackle six and I wanted. Everybody started going to trips in motion and he was actually coach. He was best friends with Coach Bryant and he was on our staff at Alabama the last year and I, I wanted him to teach me that defense. Then I talked him into coming to be our defensive coordinator to teach it to Nick Rapone. And then he retired. I brought in John Devlin, who signed me to my scholarship at Virginia Tech.

[Pat McAfee]

Then he hired him. Yeah, that's a cool moment.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah. And John stayed with us. Clyde Christensen. Well, half those guys were on my staff at Arizona to end.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, Clyde, that's what I'm saying. Clyde Christensen, obviously.

[Bruce Arians]

Nick Rapone, John Latina, Ray Zingler, who was from pit, had coach Hugh Green and those guys out there.

[Pat McAfee]

And yeah, remember, it's from. What year is this?

[Bruce Arians]

83 to 88.

[Pat McAfee]

Jesus.

[Bruce Arians]

So long, Bill Clay. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And then you. Your first job in the NFL is.

[Bruce Arians]

With Kansas City with Marty Schottenheimer, coach and running back. And I had to cut Paul Palmer. That was hard. That was the hardest day of my life.

[Pat McAfee]

Damn. Hey, I'm a no.

[Bruce Arians]

Marty did not like little backs. You know, Paul was the number one pick of theirs and runner up for the Heisman and led the nation of Russia in two years at Temple. And you know who we played. And that was. That was a hard day. But Christian, Nikoya, Barry, he liked big backs. We were like 240, 260, 250.

[Pat McAfee]

Hell yeah. How about you? You so Nigeria neighbors, Kansas City legend. Kansas City to Pittsburgh. When you end up in Pittsburgh.

[Bruce Arians]

Oh, not for another three or four firings.

[Pat McAfee]

Cleveland, you were there.

[Bruce Arians]

It was Cleveland. And went to the playoffs next year. Got fired. Went to. Went to Pittsburgh 2002. Maybe around there.

[Pat McAfee]

What a run you had at Pittsburgh.

[Ty Schmidt]

Unreal.

[Tone]

Tommy Gunn.

[Bruce Arians]

That was a good eight years. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Tommy Maddox. Tommy Gun. XFL sensation.

[Ty Schmidt]

Oh, yeah.

[Joe Montana]

It's his birthday today. By the way.

[Pat McAfee]

Happy birthday to.

[Bruce Arians]

Happy birthday, T. Happy birthday, Tommy Gun. Yeah, baby.

[Pat McAfee]

There's no way he thought that was happening today.

[Boston Connor]

There's someone else's birthday today, too. I forget.

[Pat McAfee]

Terry Bradshaw, another Pittsburgh Steeler legend. Terry Bradshaw, you know, he put his finger on pulling a ball when he throw it. He did.

[Bruce Arians]

I mean, unbelievable. Mega sling it.

[Pat McAfee]

Now, Doc, you didn't put them as your. No, we're not going to get back into that. Joe Montana's top three is doing some numbers on the Internet. Yes, it is. As I expected. As I expected. And at the end of this, UMBA are going to create a segment that everybody's going to talk about is what I said. Two questions into it.

[Ty Schmidt]

You did.

[Pat McAfee]

And then lo and behold. Yeah, pretty big. It's going pretty big out there. Wasn't your top three. Right. And also the. If you were a GM drafting right now, now Is potentially not getting in the conversation. You know, that's an important part of it. That's a big part of it. And also Brock Purdy can't be a part of it.

[Ty Schmidt]

Right.

[Pat McAfee]

Which people don't. I don't think they're seeing that either.

[Darius J. Butler]

Well, just because the age thing I think is a big, you know, pick. Josh Allen and Mahomes. I think they're pretty close.

[Bruce Arians]

They are pretty close.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. But there's a birthday. Sorry. To leap year too.

[Boston Connor]

Joe's just getting much, right?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Plus he was just waking wakey, you know, he's living his life. We got the cadaver. Double gold. Yeah, double golds.

[Boston Connor]

I mean, early on him going, oh.

[Pat McAfee]

I think he was in Hawaii. I think so. That's a six hour difference.

[Ty Schmidt]

Early morning.

[Pat McAfee]

Jeez.

[Boston Connor]

Pretty bright over there.

[Pat McAfee]

What are you guys doing? You guys are already up, huh?

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

We doing this? Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

You quiet down a little bit maybe you're talking pretty loud right now.

[Pat McAfee]

Double golds. I had about 10 of those last night. My head is maybe. All right, B.A. we appreciate you, man. You want to make a putt for the people.

[Bruce Arians]

Oh, what a putt? Oh, I got five or six putters in the lake right now.

[Pat McAfee]

Next week.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yep.

[Boston Connor]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, B. We appreciate you traveling out. We'll see you next week.

[Bruce Arians]

We'll see you next week, baby.

[Pat McAfee]

You're the man. Thank you for doing this. Hell yeah. You're gonna be great. Yeah. The BS or no BS with BA Is going to get out of control. I want to let you know that is going to become. That becomes the place where we can just really put all the absurd in there. The one that kind of guides us. And also you're gonna shape a lot of our thoughts. So. Yeah. Just think about that when you're watching these games.

[Bruce Arians]

Got it.

[Pat McAfee]

We appreciate it in advance. You're gonna make us smarter, make us better, make us more entertaining.

[Bruce Arians]

It's gonna be a lot of fun. I know that.

[Pat McAfee]

Are you gonna wear that ring every time?

[Bruce Arians]

I don't think so.

[Boston Connor]

Come on.

[Pat McAfee]

It looks awesome. It actually sounded awesome too because you can open that song Bitch at the top and then there's like. Like people that live inside. That's right. Whole world. There's like diamonds in there and stuff that are just living in there. And then you just gotta put the top back on. We could hear that a couple times that there was maybe an actual dome on top of something. It's a beautiful ring. They did a great job with that.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Can you open the.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah.

[Darius J. Butler]

Is that Adjacent.

[Pat McAfee]

Wow.

[Bruce Arians]

That's just. Our locker room's a diamond and all the scores.

[Pat McAfee]

You have to show the camera a little bit.

[Bruce Arians]

Then historic was the first team to ever win at home.

[Pat McAfee]

Home.

[Bruce Arians]

Then the Rams copied it to the tee and they won it home too.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, that used to be a thing you couldn't. Nobody would get lucky enough to have it be there year. The year that they're hosting. Yeah.

[Bruce Arians]

Never happened. Of course we only had 30,000. I think 32,000.

[Pat McAfee]

No, but remember there's 27,000 cardboard cutouts.

[Bruce Arians]

Oh yeah. Because I'm looking for my sister and all of a sudden I see something moving. And mom was 90. Gosh, 94. 5 then she was there.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, that's awesome. I'm happy to hear that happened.

[Bruce Arians]

She's 100 now.

[Boston Connor]

Legend.

[Pat McAfee]

Happy birthdays. We missed them all.

[Bruce Arians]

She had a hell of a party. I promise.

[Pat McAfee]

Yo, I could have met 100 years old.

[Bruce Arians]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Holy. That's a long time in the jeans.

[Bruce Arians]

Oh, gosh. Yeah, she's. She's amazing.

[Pat McAfee]

So you're gonna live forever?

[Bruce Arians]

I doubt I bore like my dad. He went to 79.

[Pat McAfee]

We hope not. We hope you around forever and we appreciate you. All right. We'll be back tomorrow. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change your life. We're in this thing together. Come on, Tone. Please. Tone.

[Boston Connor]

He's coming.

[Pat McAfee]

What was that? A good fist bump?

[Ty Schmidt]

Whipped his headphones out, I think.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh yeah. Cuz they can get a little feisty.

[Boston Connor]

Stuck a little bit.

[Pat McAfee]

Ears? Yeah, ears. The Buccaneers. Yep. All right, team, on me. Anything to say to the team, coach?

[Bruce Arians]

Let's fucking go.

[Pat McAfee]

Let's go. We'll see you guys tomorrow. Team on three. One, two, three. Team. Goodbye. This isn't just another ESPN Fantasy football season.

[Ty Schmidt]

It's your shot at greatness. With a refreshed design, the ESPN Fantasy.

[Pat McAfee]

App is sharper than ever.

[Ty Schmidt]

So you can draft like a pro.

[Pat McAfee]

And dominate your league. And introducing Gridiron Gauntlet, a new game mode where the best compete to be crowned the number one fantasy football player of 2025. One app, one shot, one champion.

[Ty Schmidt]

Download the ESPN fantasy app and sign.

[Pat McAfee]

Up to play ESPN Fantasy Football.