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The Pat McAfee Show
PMS 2.0 1414 - BA Day with Bruce Arians, MNF Recap, Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell, Keenan Allen, Lavonte David, Darius Butler, & AJ Hawk
02:44:36
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- [00:00]
Pat McAfee
Hello beautiful people and welcome to our humble abode, the Thunderdome on this BA Day, September 23, 2025. This program begins right now. Football. Ladies and gentlemen, that's the man who coach football for 47 years. Bruce Arians is here. Coach B.A. good to see you. Can't wait for another edition of BS or no BS with BA about the NFL's headlines. Another headline was added last night as we saw a team be the brand new version of its yet again we thought this Lions team after losing Ben Johnson, who was the bell of the ball, the super genius on the offense and Aaron Glenn, the absolute dog that was running the Detroit Lions defense as they had this resurgence back to relevancy and being a good football team for the first time maybe in forever. They look like ass at the beginning of this entire thing. Jared Goff looked like the guy at Rams or whenever he was getting benched, maybe even third stringer at the end of it, lost all his confidence. Is this guy going to suck again? And then what we've seen here the last two games out of this Lions team is oh no, no, no. They are still the Lions huge win last night and in the biggest moments they do what the brand new Lions do, which is go for it on fourth down. We're getting some stats about them going for it on 4th down 32% of the time they go for it. Okay, that's obviously the highest in the NFL. 91 conversions, that's the most in the NFL. Lions were 33 for 3 and scored 21 points last night after converting on fourth downs. Now those stats are from Himbo, but if you saw the game, there was late in the game, there was a fourth down that they went for that you think to yourself, okay, now this is first quarter, fourth three. You know Monroe St. Brown does the how you doing? Let me go ahead and check each quad dance. And he obviously understands you're going to go for it. Then I think mcdc was trying to set a point and also there was going to be a high scoring game. Everybody thought we can go for it. That's normal. Less than two minutes left though. Okay. Whenever you 156, you're up one score at the 50. Damn near. Okay, fourth and two, 156. This is one of those ones that Dan Campbell calls that nobody else really does. People that love going forward on fourth down even in this situation would be like Lamar Jackson 49 going in. We're up touchdown right now.
- [02:14]
Ty Schmidt
No thanks.
- [02:15]
Pat McAfee
This feels like we should maybe just go ahead and try to get stuff. But on that same note, Lamar Jackson. Are we going to be able to get a stop? Minute 46 left anyways. And MCDC says let's go for it. Not only do they run it with Sonic and Knuckles, guys are incredible. Okay, there, you got a great run game. They. They throw this thing and it's not an easy throw. This is Jared Goff dropping it in a bucket with under two minutes to Amon Ross St. Brown, their star wide receiver, who, if you listen to Troy talk about him last night, he does everything right. Everything. He's not a diva at all. He works hard, he blocks, he does everything. You ask him and it's like the Detroit Lions win. Because this is how the Detroit Lions play football. It is quite a no risk. It no biscuit operation up there. And it feels like Lions fans woke up this morning a lot more confident than they had for the rest of the NF season. Is that accurate, Foxy? Spot on, Pat. I'll tell you what. In the MCDC era, that was the best regular season win we have had by far. And away, we were able to run the ball. All right. Monty and Gibbs both. Two touchdowns each, over 200 yards rushing. And then on defense, we were somehow able to stop Lamar. Seven sacks. Before this game when I said we had a game between Jared Goff and Lamar Jackson and one of them is going to get sacked seven times and the other is going to get sacked zero times. I would have bet $10 billion that it was Jared Goff getting sacked seven times. Instead, this defense stepped up. Kelvin shepherd stepped up. It was amazing. And last but not least, we stopped Derrick Henry. Hutch punch out of there. Huge game changer right there. I love everything about it. It was amazing. And the Lions are all the way back. I love to hear that passion and excitement. Foxy, good for you. Good for Lions fans because obviously this has been a good time with McD, seeing him coming to town and Michigan. Man, the Michigan face, Aiden Hutchinson having a huge P out to, you know, win that thing and Derrick Henry. Now we're starting to talk about what's going on. Hey, once a Fumbler, always a fumbler. But he was never a fumbler. Now he's a fumbler. Are we worried 3 for 3 here? Now Derrick Henry, very inopportune timing of it all. And obviously Derrick Henry is a stud. I mean, Derrick Henry is a massive piece of their offense. But you lose the ball late like this and continue to do it, you set your defense up for absolute failure and you lose games. The Baltimore Ravens are now 1 and 2 and they're staring down a potential 1 and 3. But. Or is it going to be the Chiefs toxic tables here at Boston Connor and at Ty Schmidt. Ty Schmidt, the NFC North Green Bay packers were the kings for a long time. I see you got the coach's hat on your head right now with the G there representing the Packers. This Lions team doesn't seem like it's going anywhere. You know I, I think the packers had to represent or had to recognize the Lions as an actual opponent in the division. Okay, that was the first stage.
- [04:50]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, without a doubt.
- [04:51]
Pat McAfee
From being the same old Lions to the brand new Lions.
- [04:54]
Ty Schmidt
Going to beat these guys by four touchdowns every single time. That's not the case.
- [04:56]
Pat McAfee
Oh, Thanksgiving's cute guys. You get to watch the Detroit Lions. You know what happen every other time. They're not a part of the conversation here in the NFC North. So the first stage was recognizing that they are a part of the NFC North. I think we've witnessed that happen with you over its entire then whenever they got really good, there was still a lot of denial out of you. There was nope, this is still the Lions and they forever will be. You view the Bears the same exact way. It feels like that is how packers fans feel, especially packers ownership. Like you then last year whenever their number one seed in the NFC there was a recognition I think by packers fans like okay, this team is a team. Then Ben Johnson leaves Aaron Glenn leaves of holes first week they look like ass. I think there's been some confliction on whether or not everybody legitimizes the Lions. There's no questions asked now after.
- [05:40]
Bruce Arians
Right.
- [05:40]
Pat McAfee
They, they are the brand new Lions and will be going forward for as long as mcdc is there.
- [05:45]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, without a doubt. I mean I don't think there's. They punched the, the Ravens in the mouth last night like that is that, that's the Lions who we've come to know like and as a Packers fan, like you expect to see that every single time you know the Lions play the packers. Like hey, they're going to out physical them. They're going to go forward a bunch. And that's kind of. That was MC whole point when everyone was making a big deal when both of the coordinators left, he's like, hey, theoretically the way we've built things here, if, if I take a step back like this thing should be able to kind of hum on its own. Like they have unbelievable players on both sides of the ball. They're super physical and then we probably Overreacted. Way too much A on both sides of the spectrum. Like, hey, the packers looked really good week one against the Lions. And wow, the Lions are a completely different team without Ben Johnson. And the defense doesn't look the same. Like, it obviously is going to take a little bit of time. And now we see last night. Like, I don't think that's crazy for Foxy to say that. I mean, we've been watching the Lions a lot. Like this probably was the most convincing and you know, like impressive win that they've had in the Dan Campbell era. Because this silences everything. Like these guys are legitimate contenders to go to the Super Bowl.
- [06:52]
Pat McAfee
I love the fact that Marlon Humphrey was running a 4:2 at this stage of his career. Love everything about it. Absolutely. Catching up there as Sonic and Knuckles were just that last night, weren't they? That's right. A lot of people week one were calling them ass and cheeks. I didn't like it one bit. But now we're Sonic and Knuckles. I didn't like that one bit either. I thought that was a little premature. D. But what do you use your takeaway from last night? First of all, defense coordinator Kelvin Shepard, man, Hell yeah, dude.
- [07:16]
Darius J. Butler
Hell yeah.
- [07:17]
Pat McAfee
Former teammate of ours. What is your takeaway from last night's Monday Night Football game? It was over. The over definitely did hit for sure.
- [07:23]
Joe Budden
But exactly what Todd said. It's one thing to go on the road and I was with BA and just that environment coming out. BA Asked me soon as the intro started, national anthem, he's like, have you ever played a big time night game or big time game at this stadium? The energy is different at that stadium. So to go on a roll early in the season against a team that beat your ass last year, great quarterback, great whatever. And just punch him in the mouth like to get out physical like that two 95 yard plus TD drives like you rarely ever see that you rarely see.
- [07:52]
Pat McAfee
One was 16 plays.
- [07:54]
Joe Budden
I think 18.
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Darius J. Butler
One of them was 18 or 19.
- [07:57]
Joe Budden
I know so. And that's when you really feel like the Sonic and Knuckles because it's one thing to be on the side of a team throwing for 500 yards on you a bunch of. But when the team can just run the ball down your throat on your home fields, the defense that that just takes all the pride out of you as a defense. So the Detroit Lions, huge, huge win. And Dan Campbell, look, he is the fourth down, go for it type of guy. And that the team knows what you're getting, that the offense knows what you're getting to be a, you know, first year coordinator with this team and be put in that moment on that stage and then to get it and executed. He had the flag. They would have got it anyway with the penalty. But to make that throw on a dot like under pressure. They were calling him gooflowski too. I know. Ass in cheeks, Gooflow.
- [08:36]
Pat McAfee
He. People were loud about this line.
- [08:38]
Darius J. Butler
That one was valid.
- [08:39]
Joe Budden
Yeah. And hey, this is a big time moment for this team, for this quarterback, this coach, these coordinators. I shout out Shep Dog. This defense. Seven sacks against Lamar Jackson. It was some. Obviously, you know, he put himself in, in those bad situations, but that's why he is who he is, because he can make those special plays and then keep Derrick Henry, you know, 50 yards in a huge fourth quarter.
- [08:57]
Pat McAfee
Fourth.
- [08:58]
Joe Budden
It wasn't just a fumble. That was a great punch out by Aiden, man. So just a big time, big time win early in the season for him. Obviously a lot of ball left, but they really went and punched a. What we see as a physical team. I don't know, the numbers are saying something else about this Baltimore Ravens team, especially the defense. But we, that's, that's the aesthetic we always think with the Baltimore Ravens, but he just got punched in the mouth by a more physical team.
- [09:18]
Pat McAfee
With the Detroit Lions last two seasons, I think through the first three quarters they're like number three or four in the league in giving up points per game. And then in the fourth quarter they're at like 9.3 points per game, they're giving up and it's 31st in the league or something like that.
- [09:33]
Joe Budden
Not good.
- [09:33]
Pat McAfee
Not good. Especially for a team that we think of being tough with what you're saying now on the flip side of that, coach, whenever you took over down in Tampa, I think they had a 5 and 11 season going into that season. You obviously become super bowl champion down there. And there's a lot of moving pieces to that. But with what MC DC has been able to do with this Detroit Lions thing, what is the most impressive part as like another coach, like what do you guys see him doing at Detroit that maybe nobody ever thought could happen there? And what have you seen the way. How have you seen him operate that most coaches like kind of look and I don't want to say give a shout out to, but like respect the way he's doing. Yeah.
- [10:05]
Bruce Arians
I think it started with his first press conference when they go bite their kneecaps off. And he set the tone that this is how the Detroit Lions are going to play. And that's how he lives. And the team embraced it. And I never thought I'd see anybody going to Baltimore on a big night and beat him up. And they beat him up. And that's Dan Campbell. I mean, his personality personifies everything about this whole organization now and the team. The guys rally around him. Jared Goff's playing fantastic. Yeah, that was a very impressive win.
- [10:37]
Pat McAfee
You talk about Baltimore, obviously you're in the AFC north for a long time. You're in the Pittsburgh Steelers Baltimore Ravens rivalry for a long time. A lot of respect on both sides of the ball there for like how they play football and what they can do and their environments, especially home game at night, which is what you referenced to him as the game was starting. We were there for Ray's last game. Yep, we were there for Ray's last game.
- [10:57]
Darius J. Butler
How'd that go?
- [10:59]
Pat McAfee
Well, he, he actually was in the backfield for the kneel down that they had after they were winning. And yeah, he was the last line and he just stood in the middle of the field basically as the kneel down was happening. And it was another full on embrace of him. But that place, the seven Nation Army. Yep. Gets real loud. They come from a similar city as you know, the likes of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in Boston and other places that love to talk shit. Okay. Like Baltimore loves to talk shit. So you get that combined with our team plays a physical style which is representative of the city. You would think, you know, that would have an effect on the Detroit Lions maybe if they were a little bit soft. But this Baltimore Ravens team and the numbers are not, not good. Why? What is. What the hell is going on? What. What is going on with the Baltimore Ravens? Do we need to ask that question? Go to. Go ahead, comment.
- [11:51]
Darius J. Butler
Well, I was just going to say, I mean, they're missing two of their best defensive linemen. I mean, Mattabuque is the highest paid player on the defense. I think before Kyle Hamilton signed his extension, like without him in the middle, they ran all over him. And that's why. And then you think about Van Noy, like, where were they gashing him up the middle and on the outside. And that's where Matabike and Kyle Van Noy are supposed to be. And then when you think, talking about the tough teams, like what are the tough teams? Do they pound the football? And you know, Derrick Henry can do that. But you know what helps Patrick Ricard, like they're. The Ravens might never be healthy completely as an offense or a defense this whole year. It sucks.
- [12:24]
Pat McAfee
But every year for them, doesn't it? It happens every year.
- [12:26]
Darius J. Butler
And that's the thing about the Lions. Like right now we're seeing the Lions healthy. Hopefully they stay healthy. They're unbelievable. And then think about the offense for the Ravens. They scored 40 and 42 in their first two weeks like that. 30 points against Ravens is going to be a massive win for defenses this year.
- [12:41]
Joe Budden
They giving up the most points this year.
- [12:43]
Pat McAfee
How about Lamar? How about Lamar Jackson though? There was a roll left.
- [12:48]
Darius J. Butler
He's ridiculous.
- [12:50]
Pat McAfee
He's so good.
- [12:51]
Darius J. Butler
Mark Andrews being back like once likely gets back how much better you know they're going to be on. But will they get back at the right time where they have enough time to continue to go?
- [12:59]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. There's crazy stats about how many points they've scored and how they are the only team in the history. One and two or whatever. And you watch Lamar the highest passer rating and that whole conversation just doesn't really still happen with Lamar. And some of the throws he makes are just absurd. And then when he starts running like this one right here, I'm not going to take a big hit and I'm going to pull away. There's multiple times he is dynamic, always will be.
- [13:20]
Joe Budden
But you got to finish fourth quarter. You got to finish whether. Whether that's, you know him making plays in the past game and sometimes best play is to throw it away and it's hard to do. We play with Andrew Luck which he never wanted to give up on a play. Big Ben was that type of quarterback. But sometimes it is best. You can't be in second 18 or third and 21. You just can't put yourself in those situations. And defense giving up 97 points through three games. But defensively facing this Lions team and all the betters know anybody watch this thing like when you have Montgomery getting four or five hard nose carries and do you see him jogging off to the sideline unsnapping and you see fucking zero jogging on the field snapping his. That's tough. That's tough dude. That first draft when they showed the old line on the bench, you know, just gutted sweating getting their Gatorade Gator Lights in like as a defense that is just. I mean that takes it out of you having those fresh backs who are always going to and they. Because every carry means it matters a little bit more to them because they know that next guy is going to be in there getting it. But that is bad. 295 Like I can't say that enough. Man. That's how they won the game, just imposing their will on another team.
- [14:24]
Pat McAfee
And they were talking a lot about how they get along, you know, and they enjoy each other's success and everything like that. They definitely know how much everybody has, though. Sonic and Knuckles definitely know who's doing what.
- [14:35]
Joe Budden
Oh, yeah.
- [14:36]
Pat McAfee
You know, yeah, they don't want to let each other down, first of all, but also they don't want to give an inch. And that is a good thing to have, especially if they get along. Like, if the guys get along. If you got two dogs that get along, they're also trying to do the same thing. And then offensive line wise, I think there's a couple where gives maybe got stopped for like a couple losses in a row, and he, like, got upset. And I'm like, there's so much to what he could be mad about there. Is it like he didn't see something? He didn't like it. There wasn't a whole maybe offensive line or. Oh, Montgomery's been rolling all over the place right now. And I'm like, there's just an added dynamic whenever you have two ones at any position, I think. And the fact that they're kind of going in the same direction. Great. For Dan Campbell and the Lions, Jameer.
- [15:13]
Darius J. Butler
Gibbs got lit up. I mean, I thought he was going to get hurt because he got like right in the middle, catch right onto the goal line, and I honestly thought he was hurt. But then they, you know, he comes off and here comes Montgomery in, and that was Montgomery's first touchdown. Like, you talk about having an ego or anything like that. Like the guy that gets you all the way down there, literally to the one yard line while taking a vicious hit. I mean, I truly was worried about him when it happened. I'm very glad he was okay. Tough, tough son of a bitch. And then, you know, Montgomery comes in and scores. I was thinking about this last night. What draft pick do you think Jameer Gibbs is if you were to go back? Because remember when Jameer Gibbs got drafted 12, it was like, what are the Lions doing? Drafting a running back is high. And then they traded back up to get Jack Campbell. It was like, what the hell is going on?
- [15:56]
Pat McAfee
They got buried for the job. That was the worst first round of all time. Yes.
- [16:01]
Darius J. Butler
And so, like, now you look back on it, it's like Jameer Gibbs probably the fricking first pick of that draft.
- [16:06]
Pat McAfee
If you were to re.
- [16:07]
Darius J. Butler
I mean, quarterbacks and all that. But seriously, the way that has panned out for Brad Holmes and mcdc too like talking about just knowing ex exactly what you're doing when you are nine and eight and teams don't respect you as much, but you still know like, you give us a couple years, we're going to be that team. It's. It's sweet.
- [16:23]
Pat McAfee
The Ravens obviously have been perennial good and great at times. Their fans are starting to get antsy. It sounds like who's going to win the AFC north, you think Coach Baltimore.
- [16:33]
Bruce Arians
All right, Hands down.
- [16:36]
Pat McAfee
Why is that?
- [16:37]
Bruce Arians
I think they're the best team in the AFC North. I mean, AFC north, they, they got a good coaching staff. They got Lamar, they're scoring points out the butt. And that defense is going to come back sooner. They're going to get those guys back. They're not going anywhere. And I think a game like this sometimes can galvanize a team. Like, hey, they embarrass the shit out of us at our place playing our style ball. This ain't happening again.
- [17:01]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, it could be a lot to pull from, I think if you're a coach. Right. I would assume there's a lot of questions about John Harbaugh. I mean, anytime they lose a game, obviously there's a lot of conversation about everything around there. And John Harbaugh's name get mentioned a lot in it, you know, because of the amount of double digigit leads and then losses and yada that they're in it every single year. Is this the year that they can figure out how to rally from this point and maybe a 1 and 3 start, you know, like there, there's a chance that is. That is around the corner here.
- [17:30]
Ty Schmidt
I mean, this game on Sunday, like, you know, it's obviously still very early, but this could be the kind of game where it's like the trajectory of both teams changes completely based on who wins and who loses. That game.
- [17:40]
Pat McAfee
Chiefs, Ravens. Yeah. Both one and two.
- [17:42]
Ty Schmidt
Right.
- [17:43]
Pat McAfee
What are you going to do? I don't know what the stats are exactly. We're trying to pull them one in three teams. I have no idea what the stories are. I assume it's pretty similar to the other shitty. That is such a first quarter. You talk about the season in four quarters now it's 17 games. So it's four quarters obviously and a bonus in there, but it's starting out that big of a deficit depending upon what division you're in. Because there's a couple of divisions that are shite, but there's a couple other that are very good. That's a long way back. Like Cincinnati Bengals last year, they Put themselves in such a hole. Then they got hot late, remember? And it was just like a never ending supply. So even if you have a very good team, which all these teams on rosters in theory should be good teams that we talk about in the championship thing, but it's still sometimes too much, sometimes early. You kind of find yourself in a hole too much. In the AFC north, though. I don't know what those holes going to look like. I don't know what the rest of that's going to look. Cleveland. Okay, what happens there? Their defense.
- [18:34]
Ty Schmidt
Football team.
- [18:35]
Pat McAfee
Phenomenal. Unbelievable.
- [18:37]
Ty Schmidt
They're a great football team. They are a great football team.
- [18:40]
Pat McAfee
Who'd they beat this best?
- [18:41]
Ty Schmidt
They beat the packers, which, you know, a lot of people were saying was the best team in the NFL. And I'll tell you what, what I saw for 60 Minutes on Sunday, that, I mean, that's a great football team.
- [18:51]
Pat McAfee
Cleveland, obviously. Yeah. Great football team. Pittsburgh Steelers going all in. Aaron's going incognito mode. Yeah, you see that? Totally Hoodie up Mike Tomlin gonna get the defense good. We're gonna be good.
- [19:02]
Bruce Arians
He better.
- [19:03]
Pat McAfee
Whoa.
- [19:04]
Darius J. Butler
They forced five turnovers. BA it's one of the best defenses.
- [19:07]
Pat McAfee
In the fricking league.
- [19:09]
Bruce Arians
Right? Right. Turnovers are the big. They are huge. And Mike preaches the turnovers. And when they win a turnover battle, they normally win the game, but it hasn't happened a lot.
- [19:21]
Pat McAfee
Let's go to hammer dad£AP tone. Tone, you took a alternate spread last night for the Baltimore Ravens. I think minus nine. And I think that only comes from your respect for the Ravens because AFC north football. What are your thoughts on AFC north as a whole? The Pittsburgh Steelers and the situation they're in and the Baltimore Ravens losing a huge one here early.
- [19:43]
Tone
Yeah, I was shocked. I did take -9 and a half on the Ravens and for all the reasons you guys said. I like going into Baltimore, the Lions doing that was an incredible win. I do still think the Ravens win the AFC North. I don't think they have anything to worry about there. I, I think, I still think they win the super bowl as well. The Ravens are my, my super bowl pick. Listen, they've had some ups and downs to start the year.
- [20:06]
Pat McAfee
They're.
- [20:06]
Tone
But the offense, the defense is going to figure it out. They're going to get those guys back. Zach or the D.C. they, they kind of started slow last year too and figured it out. So I'm not worried about the Raven Jet. I think they still definitely win the division and I still think they win The AFC too.
- [20:20]
Pat McAfee
Hey town, what's a blessing at your desk?
- [20:24]
Darius J. Butler
What the hell, dude?
- [20:27]
Joe Budden
Super old picked him.
- [20:28]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, we got quarterback DK Metcalf. Jalen Ramsey.
- [20:32]
Tone
I could sit here and lie to you if you want.
- [20:34]
Darius J. Butler
John Usman, he's an AP voter.
- [20:37]
Pat McAfee
He's an AP voter. He said, I'm all, I'm journalist now. I'm part of the Associated Press.
- [20:41]
Tone
Sometimes you got to separate your fan from your. From your life and your job.
- [20:44]
Joe Budden
Nah, sometimes you gotta lie.
- [20:46]
Pat McAfee
Well, Debug is not lying. I think he just actually just kind of picks everybody but you. You thought the Steelers are going to win the super bowl whenever Aaron Rodgers signed with team, did he not? He said, that's right.
- [20:59]
Tone
I didn't say division though.
- [21:01]
Pat McAfee
Oh, you said, you just said the Ravens gonna win division and the Super Bowl.
- [21:04]
Joe Budden
You just.
- [21:05]
Pat McAfee
You. Oh yeah, yeah.
- [21:06]
Darius J. Butler
But back then, back then it was.
- [21:09]
Tone
Ravens gonna win division, Steelers win the Super Bowl. They do better as a six, seven seater.
- [21:13]
Pat McAfee
Okay, so what is this year for the Steelers? We got Aaron for one year, right? Two years. What. What is this for the rest of the way?
- [21:18]
Tone
It feels like the last five years.
- [21:19]
Joe Budden
Ish.
- [21:21]
Pat McAfee
What about they just want. I mean, we're winning games. Yeah.
- [21:24]
Darius J. Butler
You beat a damn good Patriots team, brother.
- [21:27]
Tone
I'm just telling you what I see after three games. And it's the defense can't get off the field. They can't really stop the run. The offensive line isn't really blocking anybody. So when you can't do those things, it makes winning, winning football games hard. But you know, that's what the Steelers do is win football games. So they're still going to win, you know, just not win enough to win the big one.
- [21:43]
Pat McAfee
Well, I'll tell you what, they look better than Cincinnati.
- [21:45]
Darius J. Butler
They do look better in Cincinnati.
- [21:47]
Pat McAfee
Cincinnati. That was a tough one. That was a tough one. So back to your point. Baltimore Ravens going to win the AFC North?
- [21:52]
Bruce Arians
Totally.
- [21:54]
Pat McAfee
Good luck, Lamar. They better keep scoring points. Some point they'll get get a stop. Lamar being so nasty through the sky just does not get enough praise because the entire conversation is how good of a runner he is. Remember running back? He's a running back playing quarterback coming through the combine in the draft process. Hey, you ever think about maybe running some Ron Sports? Just want to kind of see you think. No, I'm a quarterback. You know, the only guy that really believed in himself alongside his mom, who was acting as his agent and manager, I think still the only ones publicly basically saying now he's quarterback, he's Quarterback. He's quarterback. Everybody else was like, he should be open to maybe trying to get on the field too at some places. Like that was a real convo because of how insanely fast, athletic, quick and elusive he is as a runner with the ball. He's just a different level of athlete. And then now that he's become the best passer is what the passer rating judgment says, you can obviously put a bunch of arms up there and say, hey, who's the best armed user? Who's the best passer? All that. Who has the strongest arm? I don't know if he wins every single one, but passwording some of these throws he was making last night. Yeah, filthy. Just. And then he makes the next one and then the next one and then the next one. I think that's the difference between good and great. Right. Is totally making the throws on a consistent level.
- [23:08]
Bruce Arians
He's always been able to spin it. Even back in Louisville. He could spin it now, you know, and I compared him a lot to Michael Vick coming out. Mike could spin it too, but Lamar was more accurate when Mike coming out. Now they're Both running what, 4, 2. And the legs were obviously their go to. And. But Lamar, Lamar can spin it as good as anybody in the league right now.
- [23:29]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, right now he was. I mean, fade away shots, big shots, deep shots, cross shot. I mean, every throw is just looking natural and it's. I think whenever you have good arm talent, you probably make that like one and then the next one's going to be a miss and then there's going to be a little inconsistency. There's going to be like a behind. It was like every throw was right where it was supposed to be. And it's like, I feel like that's what like Peyton, Tom, I assume Aaron, all the like high level throwers are like every throw needs to be in the perfect spot. Lamar is at that. That point. The fact that he's held himself to that standard to work to become to that level of thrower when he could just rely just. He would be a Hall of Fame quarterback just with his legs and what he was able to do with his arm, the fact that he put in the work, clearly throwing the ball to become this passer, it's like so much respect for everything going on over there.
- [24:22]
Ty Schmidt
Well, and that's what's weird when you bring up like the fourth quarter, you know, stats for the Ravens with them blowing leads and everything. Like, like Lamar almost seems like, like if you could create someone to kind of salt a game away in the fourth quarter, it'd be a guy like Lamar, he can make every single throw. Like if there's ever a third and long, it's like hey, there's a good chance if, if he needs to like he can get us 17 yards. He can pick up a long first down. And then not to mention Derrick Henry too. It's like you would think that that two headed attack right there, like that's what salts away games. And for whatever reason it's. It's just not. It hasn't been working.
- [24:55]
Pat McAfee
What the hell is going on with Derek Henry? We know how strong he is. Yeah, yeah. I'm one of Derek Henry's actual biggest fans. Just because, just like Cam Newton, when you see somebody that is just not supposed to like clearly their body type is not supposed to be able to do the job that it's doing, you can't help but just marvel like holy shit. This is. He is so big, so strong, so fast, so durable. Like just so all the. So many that you want to have. That's good. This is not who he is. No. They say once a fumbler, always a fumbler. That's what football people say now I got. I had a run. That was rule of fumble. I'd like to say I was down. Sure. You know, because the wrist bone in the hip, right. That's down.
- [25:36]
Darius J. Butler
Today's.
- [25:36]
Bruce Arians
Yeah.
- [25:37]
Pat McAfee
And hockey Lee didn't let in it. So I have a documented fumbler and I think I do have good balls. But that ref. One of the greats. Certainly that one up. But he is one of the greats. We would like him to potentially be in New York running a lot of things which we could potentially talk about later. But why is this start? Does it just ha. What do you think it is? And now guys know though, right? This becomes something you guys put a bullseye on on defense.
- [25:57]
Joe Budden
Yeah. So all the good things the one I mean bad, it's how big he is. It does give a bigger surface and it is easier to kind of hit that ball. And this was just a great play too by Aiden coming from behind because Derrick never sees him. So he's not tucking it. You know, we saw Tiki Barber switch it up. Kind of have whatever point through his career going super high and tight. Some runners I think I heard either Shannon Sharpe or I think it was Shannon Sharpe talking about Emmett. He was a left handed ball carry type of guy. So no matter where he was going, he was always going to have the ball in his left hand. So Maybe it's some of those things some people are talking about, maybe it's the sleeves. But I sent in something. I think Yahoo or somebody put in his fumbles by quarter because like fumbles, we've seen running backs get benched not to see the field anymore. Obviously that's not gonna happen with Derrick. But when you're in the fourth quarter of the game, we all saw the prime time against the Bills. They had the game in hand, fumbled it. And then last night again, like, I don't know, it's definitely in his head. You saw him on the sideline, you know, absolutely beside himself. You barely see him show that type of emotion. So it's in his head now and it's definitely a red dot for, for defense. Now you're going to be targeting. We know how prevalent the punch out is league wise. So everybody's going to be targeting Habar right now. But that number right there is staggering. First quarter, four fumble. Second quarter, three, three. Third quarter, two. And then fourth quarter to Ty's point. When you are trying to run the clock out, they always have these, you know, two, two score leads, 10 fumbles in the fourth quarter that you can't have that.
- [27:20]
Pat McAfee
Coach Ba. What are you saying to him? Because obviously your offense depends on him having success as well. So it's not like you can just say, hey, you fumbled again, I'm gonna take you out completely. Or is that something you have to say? I don't think you can say that to Derrick Henry though, especially on that.
- [27:32]
Bruce Arians
No, not at all. I think it's something that. Hey, let's look at how it happened. It was a backside punch out, but he had it high and tight. All right. He actually had it up here when it got punched out. I don't want him running with two hands on it, that's for damn sure. You know, just keep doing what you're doing and let's protect it better. Keep working at it. And I'm not gonna. I'm not harping on it because I don't want it to happen again. I don't want you thinking about it.
- [27:57]
Pat McAfee
Let's not focus on this thing. Okay? Yeah, a lot of good runs too. Okay. Yeah, we need to certainly balls program now. We need, we need to certainly take care of that, but it does. Maybe there's some misfortune too to it.
- [28:08]
Joe Budden
Three for three.
- [28:09]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, that's tough.
- [28:11]
Darius J. Butler
Three for three is tough, but there's got to be a little. I mean, there's some misfortune to it, of course. Yeah, Like Even that.
- [28:17]
Pat McAfee
Because if that punch hits his arm, which Aiden Hutch. Been training. Hey, he has been training. He's been dancing, too. He's been doing a lot of things. Oh, yeah, I seen him dancing.
- [28:25]
Darius J. Butler
He was dancing all over the place.
- [28:27]
Joe Budden
Hutch.
- [28:27]
Pat McAfee
Hutch.
- [28:27]
Ty Schmidt
Oh, yeah.
- [28:28]
Pat McAfee
Dance basically naked. It. I didn't see that. Okay. And that's why he can punch the ball out. No. Yeah, yeah. Shave the arms, the whole thing. I get what you're saying, but no. Like, I think he has been working possibly, and that's a good thing to get good at. Darius Leonard was here when he was playing great football. That guy was all over the place. He. I think he talked about taking actual boxing classes and, like, working on his punch, and that became a real weapon for him. He was punching one out every game, basically.
- [28:59]
Bruce Arians
The peanut punch.
- [28:59]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, the peanut punch. Pagano. Well, then Chuck Pagano made a video on. Listen, when you deliver this punch, we want guys to come from here. You know, you can't be doing this. And all of a sudden, Peanut got a little bit offended. Is this guy saying he created. Yeah, I got to check on Chuck. Chuck Pagano is in a basketball right now. A couple. Tough, tough, tough, tough work. Figure it out.
- [29:20]
Darius J. Butler
Chuck.
- [29:21]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, but you saw his guy. We talked about it last night. I sent it in the group text. One of his safety sacrificed his body. Yeah. Sawing an outside shoulder so that his. His. His brother could make a tackle. That is Chuck Pagano losing his mind right there. Love everything about a sacrifice. You're hearing. Proper shoulder. Proper. Everything you're doing.
- [29:38]
Joe Budden
That is. That's a full sellout right there. Brian Branch had one, too, which was a great play. Threw a penalty on it, but great, great play. That's an unbelievable play right there.
- [29:47]
Darius J. Butler
Marlon Humphrey, who chased down David Montgomery doing. Doing both things.
- [29:51]
Pat McAfee
What a run by him. I also, like. I don't know if DBOT would like to talk about all those Baltimore Raiders. There's a blackout. Why they got white gloves on.
- [29:59]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, I don't know.
- [29:59]
Pat McAfee
What's that all about? What is that? Yeah, I don't know why they got the white glove.
- [30:03]
Joe Budden
Look, it's kind of swaggy.
- [30:05]
Pat McAfee
Not when you knew I was.
- [30:06]
Bruce Arians
You know, we always talked about wear the gloves the color of the other team.
- [30:09]
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
- [30:10]
Joe Budden
Yeah.
- [30:10]
Bruce Arians
They can't see. Especially offensive lineman. You can't see your hold. So normally you wear the gloves of the color of the other team.
- [30:16]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, that's what I was implying. Looks like there's some cheating going on from Chocobo. Yeah, they're getting real handsy, huh? Getting real hate. Yeah, Right there on. Right there on Jersey.
- [30:28]
Darius J. Butler
As soon as they jump, yeah, you just grab them.
- [30:30]
Joe Budden
Raven fans are not. Not too happy with. Oh, Marlo.
- [30:33]
Pat McAfee
Right now we got Kevin Oak.
- [30:35]
Ty Schmidt
Throw away the podcasting equipment.
- [30:37]
Pat McAfee
Thank you. There is a time and a place for all things we believe.
- [30:44]
Joe Budden
Yeah, true.
- [30:45]
Pat McAfee
You know, and as somebody that was lucky enough to kind of work on second career, while first career was happening, there was quite a balance of like, hey, now he's much different than me, obviously. Vastly all these guys that have actual podcasts in play now are vastly different than who I was, a fucking punter, okay? So I'm three shanks away from getting cut regardless, let alone having a personality. So I very much knew, like, hey, we can't be like Lamar on every throw. The reason why I noticed, because I would hit three good punts. Fourth one would be bad. Okay, three good punts, maybe four good punts. Fifth one would be bad. There was, like, always a shank coming or a miss coming. Once you start getting a little bit louder, you know, a little bit of a platform and drawing some, let's say, attention to yourself. Yeah, we can't be having the three out of four.
- [31:32]
Ty Schmidt
Gotta eliminate that.
- [31:34]
Pat McAfee
We gotta every. You cannot be the liability ever. This can never come. So for me, that changed how I actually had to operate completely. And if I had a terrible game or if we lost or something, you gotta read that balance too. We talked about Mike I. And whenever he's with Cowboys, it's like, I respect and appreciate that Micah wants to build something, but also there's a time and a place, you know, to do it. You gotta kinda feel that out. But in the modern world, a lot of these guys potentially leaving a lot of money on the table if they don't kind of activate their own nil while all these college kids are doing it as well. It's just, you gotta find a balance, you know? Cause people don't wanna hear shit. Yeah, okay. We don't wanna hear shit from you, okay? Unless we're winning games, you gotta remember why they're there too. People are listening to you right now because you are a member of the team that you are a part of. So if team's not doing good, they don't care. And that's just a fact of the matter. Without a doubt, that is. Now, some guys, I think, have built their own brand outside of their team. Pretty good. Travis Kelsey, obviously. And by building brand, I mean just notable. And he had so many shows mahomes I think there's a couple guys. Lamar, I think, obviously, like, actual influencers.
- [32:39]
Darius J. Butler
Josh.
- [32:40]
Pat McAfee
Josh Allen.
- [32:40]
Ty Schmidt
A lot of the quarterbacks.
- [32:41]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, but not all the quarterbacks.
- [32:43]
Ty Schmidt
Not all of them, no.
- [32:44]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, but a lot of the quarterbacks are bigger or can sustain their brand without a team.
- [32:48]
Ty Schmidt
Correct.
- [32:49]
Pat McAfee
But everybody else, basically, and I am definitely the most part of this, the people are listening to you because of the team that you're on. So you just got to remember that whenever you're kind of balancing talking to them and your team stinks.
- [33:00]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, without a doubt. And then the flip side of that is if he picks off Patrick Mahomes two times, people are gonna be like.
- [33:05]
Darius J. Butler
We did an episode right now, tonight.
- [33:08]
Ty Schmidt
Let us know what you saw.
- [33:09]
Pat McAfee
You know, I mean, just ride it.
- [33:11]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, exact.
- [33:12]
Pat McAfee
If I was a player nowadays, with how many deals you guys are offered and shit like that, I would say don't agree to, like, a guaranteed release date for each show.
- [33:23]
Ty Schmidt
Need X amount every week or whatever.
- [33:25]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, don't do that. Just give them 10 of them. We'll do 10 of them. And then you hope you get 10 wins. Or maybe you drop two in one week after, like, then you can just do it in a positive way as opposed to these agents who are super geniuses. I got you some real comfortable options here. You're gonna need to make one every Monday and Wednesday. They're gonna pick the best of that. That's every game. And they're gonna want you to be authentic whenever you lose. You know, that's part of the podcast. And it's raw, it's genuine. You know, people don't get to see that. So we want two of those. Each one every single week. It's like, in theory, sounds good. Cause it's a guarantee and it's comfortable. But in the reality is, whenever you lose and you gotta do that, it's gonna fucking suck. And everybody is gonna tell you that you suck because of what you're doing. So, hey, we're in transition era.
- [34:05]
Darius J. Butler
Exactly.
- [34:05]
Pat McAfee
We're in a transition area. We're figuring it all out right now. We're figuring it all out. As a coach, I couldn't even imagine trying to balance it all. Honestly, the things that Chuck told me. And Chuck was dealing with me. I mean, I couldn't even imagine. You think he'd be a little bit better at punting balls? You didn't tweet so much. One of the first things he said to me, I was like, man, I tweet while I'm hanging out at my House. I don't play video games. I don't watch movies really. I mean, I used to go out. I guess I could start doing that again, but I just kind of. I'm just sitting at my house whenever I do that. And if I suck, I will stop for sure. Okay, deal.
- [34:39]
Joe Budden
That's the thing too, because it doesn't really impact your performance. Like, whatever you do in your off time, you're doing it your off time. But even like as a teammate, like, we just went out there and gave up, you know, 200 yards rushing or a big fourth day. We just lost a big game. Any game is a big. Every game is a big game. We just lost a game. And I got to see my teammate, you know, pot the next day or right after the game or some shit like that. I'm gonna feel some type of way. And I know it's not impacting your performance, too. I see you work every day, I see you practice every day, I see you in meetings. But hopefully it's just a bad look we used to have. Whether it's a radio show every week or something, when you lose, it's like, man, it's Tuesday. I don't wanna show up at Hardee's and sign on. You know, that's just what it is. So. But it's like you said, it is a. Part of. It is a lot of money on the table. I get that part of it. Everybody understands that as a professional. But it is just a bad look.
- [35:25]
Pat McAfee
Overall from our generation. I don't know what the younger generation thinks. That's just coming from us.
- [35:29]
Joe Budden
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [35:29]
Pat McAfee
True, true for you for dealing with it like it. What is the conversation. Because that had to evolve since you were coaching with Bear Bryant to now, you know, because that Tuesday show, that Tuesday radio show thing became a very. Just synonymous with football. Like, on Tuesday, the coach has a local show, a player mate do a local show, a radio show. Radio hit. That just became like normal operating business, I think, for teams. Was that a big transition when that happens. And then nowadays, how do you. Because you've been alive through all of it, coach, through all of this stuff. The transition of it all.
- [35:57]
Bruce Arians
Yeah, you to be just the coach's show players whenever on the. You know, and you watch it, just see if he's going to rip your ass on TV or is he going.
- [36:04]
Pat McAfee
They always.
- [36:05]
Bruce Arians
Hey, his mom and dad and, you know, Coach Bryant, his show was the best. And. But then it just kept evolving and players gotten more involved and now the players are on the coaches Aren't, you know, it's like, oh, that's a little different. And for me, it was disrespectful of your teammates. Whatever you say, tell the truth. Wait for. Just be respectful of your teammates, all right? I don't want you coming in here, somebody kicking your ass.
- [36:28]
Pat McAfee
True. There's no need for any drama to be in this room.
- [36:31]
Bruce Arians
We don't need drama in the locker room.
- [36:33]
Pat McAfee
And also, you can be respectful of your teammates on the field too. Like if it's a field goal and you're the holder, for instance, okay. And there's a D lineman that is very large and he says something to like, maybe the greatest of all time kicker, and then don't feel obligated as the punter to say something back to that guy. That is very, very high level shit talk. Do you not feel obligated to do that? Because you're not the person that has to actually do that. An offensive lineman now has to block said person. And offensive lineman says, I just got done with an 85 yard drive. Why are you starting any shit for me to have to deal with right now? And that's disrespectful. Respectful of me. So in the moment, I apologize. It's learning to both parties. Okay, let's move on. And can't do it on the show, can't do it on the field. You got to respect your teammates, build a winning culture. And still possible, I think, even with.
- [37:27]
Bruce Arians
The way the world is, I think for sure, I mean, that is, that. That's the world today. So as a coach, you got to adapt to it and hopefully the right guys have the shows.
- [37:36]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. I'll tell you what, I don't know if I was the right guy for it, but I think you go back and check one photo. That photo, I mean, he was in the back.
- [37:46]
Darius J. Butler
It was a good photo.
- [37:48]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, that was. That was problematic. Other than that, pretty clean. Everything's up. Everything's still up. Not deleted. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, is the embodiment of the next generation of coaching. I think he's already a guy that's been put on to coach Bruce Arian's top three coaches in the entire NFL. He's won the Coach of the Year. He's turned around an operation and a program to make us all believe that anybody could play quarterback for his team and they'd win. Ladies and gentlemen, the living legend. I'd say former quarterback got cut before he could sit down in a Jets building. Ladies and gentlemen, Coach Kevin o'. Connell. Hey, Coach, how you doing, dude?
- [38:30]
Kevin O'Connell
I'm doing well. You're about six feet away from a living legend there, right to your right, Coach Ba.
- [38:37]
Pat McAfee
Absolutely. You're 100, right? And on that note there, he thinks you're on your way, brother. He's a very big fan of yours. I don't know if you've got a chance to hear that. Do you know Coach BA at all?
- [38:46]
Kevin O'Connell
KO I got a chance to shake his hand, you know, when I was a younger coach and he was. He was rolling there in Tampa. Always been a huge fan, obviously, going back a long time watching his offenses play. But the. The. The side of it that he's talking about, I got a chance to hear some of what you guys were just talking about. He's. He's a standard setter for. For winning culture, whether it's now 20, 25 or going back a long way. Got nothing but respect for coach.
- [39:16]
Bruce Arians
Well, that's the same here, brother. I love what you're doing. And like, I, I think you could coach anybody to play quarterback except me. I went two games without completing a pass.
- [39:25]
Pat McAfee
Okay. I think that would not happen with K.O.
- [39:29]
Bruce Arians
He might.
- [39:30]
Pat McAfee
Me. Yeah, exactly. Or if you're calling your own plays, you might have been a little bit better. But KO let's talk about that. That whole narrative about you being able to coach or, you know, drop a play literally in the dirt for any quarterback. I think you have tried to humble that. Humble that, Humble that. We heard stories last year of you literally telling the quarterback in his headphones until 15 seconds on the play clock, like what everybody's route was and what everything was, and you were having success. So that obviously leads to Carson Wentz here being the most recent quarterback for you to have success with. That was by far the best football that I've seen him play. That was the most in structure I've ever seen him play. What did you see from Carson Wentz that got you excited for him to come to the Vikings? And then now that you've had a chance to play a game with him or coach a game with him, what are your thoughts about him and the Vikings offense as a whole if he has to continue to play?
- [40:15]
Kevin O'Connell
Yeah, well, I've always been, you know, a fan of Carson's going back a long way. I mean, I was in the division coaching in Washington as a quarterback coach and coordinator when. When he was playing at an unbelievable level for the Eagles. And then, you know, people forget how good of a year he had in Indianapolis, you know, there. And whenever that was 2021, I think it was. So I've always just known about the player going back to evaluating him coming out of North Dakota State, big, strong, smart. You know, I think the game make sense to him in a lot of ways, both pre and post snap. So I thought it would be a big thing for our team to add that kind of experience. You know, former second pick in the draft. A guy that's been on this quarterback journey at different stops and different capacities and has a unique perspective, I think now that not only can help our young quarterback, but can really help our whole team. So that was really the hope of bringing Carson to Minnesota. And then on top of that, once he's, once he arrived here, you start seeing a guy that this guy can do a lot of things to at a really high level at the quarterback position still. He's only 32 years old, which is, is turning into a young, a young quarterback nowadays with, with the way Tom kind of reset the number at the position age wise and what Aaron's doing now at his age, obviously. But here's what I know. I think Carson Wentz, when I think about him playing at his best, I mentioned it to Carson this past week and I mentioned it, you know, to our team and in the post game press conference. I really see him as a point guard, a guy that can see the whole field, he can put the ball in play. I thought he played with great fundamentals from the pocket, a base that allowed him to be grounded and kind of make quick decisions that played right alongside his fast eyes to be able to diagnose where to find the voids and vacancies to attack the defense. And really that's what our offense is all about. And we're trying to build plays that allow him to throw the ball in open areas to some really good players. As we see right here with Justin Jefferson. Unbelievable pitch and catch, you know, run after catch right there to start a two minute drive and allow us to score on three plays. I mean there was just a lot of, of Carson just kind of letting the game come to him, being really disciplined with his feet and his eyes and trusting in the system that we, we have here. But at the same time we wanted to put together a plan that he was really comfortable with, which is always the starting point to allow a quarterback to go into Sunday with a bunch of confidence. And I was really happy with the way he played.
- [43:00]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, I'd say that that touchdown we just showed was to go up 48 to 3 in the third quarter, week three. That's a nice little start to a game. You know, that's an anxiety reliever. We're going to 48. 3. Okay, now I know what the Vikings did to the Colts. Okay, I understand that there was a whole, whole conversation about 33zip earlier today with Cam Bynum. But, like, whenever your team's rolling like that and you see how special it is, do you get excited about the. Like, do you know your team is the same team or better than the team that was last year? Like, when do you think you'll get a feel of that? Because last year you're fighting, obviously, for the number one seed in the NFC with the Detroit Lions last week of the season. This year, J.J. mcCarthy gets hurt. Carson Wentz steps in. He has success. Feels like you're going to be able to have success offensively this season, which might have been the only question mark at quarterback. Feels like you're going to figure that out. Do you feel like the same feelings as you had last year? What did you learn from last year? Maybe that kind of continues this trend that you're on.
- [43:56]
Kevin O'Connell
I think it's a. I think it's a really good question. But for us, it was more about from one Sunday to the next at U.S. bank Stadium. And I. I challenged our team after. After our Atlanta game of. Really? We don't even know what.
- [44:14]
Pat McAfee
We don't.
- [44:15]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah. No, we don't.
- [44:16]
Pat McAfee
And now we never will.
- [44:16]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [44:18]
Pat McAfee
Oh, you got frozen there. You're. Hold on. I think you're muted now. And you're back.
- [44:23]
Kevin O'Connell
You got me.
- [44:24]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. You said. You said. I told the team after the Atlanta game that we don't even know. And then. And it stopped. So we thought we'd never find out, to be clear. But your team did find out. You don't even know. Yeah. No.
- [44:34]
Kevin O'Connell
Yeah. You know, Pat, we didn't know really what we are. We did so many things in that game that, you know, didn't give us a chance to win the game by some of the things we were doing to ourselves. And what I asked for was to allow our philosophy on winning games to come to life. And that was forcing some turnovers on defense, protecting the ball on offense, you know, having some physicality at the line of scrimmage to be able to run the football and then generate a completion mindset in the pass game to allow our playmakers to make plays. I thought our kicking game, both our punter and our kicker were phenomenal. The coverage units with a bunch of young players on it were phenomenal. And I thought the way Flo called the defense from an attacking mentality from the jump, just kind of of allowed the energy and the momentum of the game to just play off of all three phases for 60 minutes. And I told our team afterwards, we now have the answer of what it can look like. But we've got to understand that it was about the preparation for the week, the mindset coming off of the fact that we had to deal with a little adversity head on. And in this day and age, if you allow things outside your building, from the noise and hey, this is what they are, this is what they aren't. And I understand all that. And that's what makes our game so great and popular, is people want to talk about our game 24 7. They want to watch our game 24 7. But it still is old school principles of figuring out what it's going to take to win a game. What is your identity of your team look like? And that may be different from last year, to answer your original question. And it's about the identity of this team and then putting that together and making it come to life against NFL teams and game plans where things are going to be hard at times. And that's when the best parts of this team, our leadership and our coaching staff need to band together to find a way to win a game a week. And I know that's a cliche, but you get too far away from that, you can find yourself searching for answers that don't need to be too far away. They're right in front of you. Sometimes you just got to go to work and fix some of the things that will give you a great chance to win a game.
- [46:43]
Pat McAfee
Hey, the process, the process, the process, the process, the process, the process. You're trying to win right now. Now, right now, right now. This meeting right now. Let's win this meal right now. Let's win this conversation right now. And then the game, guess what?
- [46:55]
Joe Budden
Yeah.
- [46:56]
Pat McAfee
Win itself. Okay? Everything else has to happen. The more you can get the team focused on that, the better. But boy, after beating the out of a team, it is tough to do that. That's why I would not be a good head coach, because I'd be with the boys. Hey, yeah, Carson, this backup quarterback, boy, we smoke the Bengals. They were talking about the Bengals maybe winning the Super Bowl. These. It'd be hard not to do that. Yeah. So we know we're part of the problem. So just know that we are part of the problem. But good on you being the one that has to handle all that. It's not just you, though. There's another legend on that coaching staff that you just referenced. Go ahead, D. Bud.
- [47:29]
Joe Budden
Yeah, Coach, I know you go way back with Brian Flores and Bruce. You could run a video while I'm asking this question, like, what is it like preparing, you know, against this guy? Sharpening, I guess, iron versus iron. Preparing going into the game, because his defense, you talked about the attacking style, but even before the snap is even had, if you're looking at the screen, all these different things that the quarterback has to deal with. So I want to know what it's like going into a game or even to a season with him. And then the performance of Isaiah Rogers. I want you to talk about that a little bit as well.
- [47:58]
Kevin O'Connell
Yeah, well, I can tell you D butt that I'm always probably the happiest guy when training camp's over because we no longer have to, you know, really prepare on a daily basis for just about anything. Because the way Flo and his staff operate, they're trying to give those players. And it helps a lot having a guy like Harrison Smith back on the field, Andrew Van Ginkel back on the field, to truly unleash kind of that think tank of Flo and his staff of disguise and applying, you know, mental pressure to go along with the physical pressure that they can bring every single snap. And then what are the counter punches off of that? How are they protecting some of those looks? Making, you know, a lot of things start out looking the same, but they're different. Just really good principles of football. And the best thing about Flo is his ability to teach it. His ability to give the players ownership of each and every plan each week, to allow them to just go out there and play fast and make it all come to life. You know, he. He allows me to go in there and talk to the defense on Saturdays, you know, the day before the game. The plans in, I kind of have a grit, a good feel for that plan. And it's one of the most fun times I have all week because these guys are absolutely ready to, you know, get to the stadium the next day and go play and go do their thing. But it's all the work that goes in that leads into that, that, that moment and then ultimately into these games that I think Flo and his staff do a tremendous job. And I'm so fortunate to have him here commanding that defense. And what it brings to the mentality of our whole team week in and week out is. Has. Has been a winning edge for us. There's no question about that.
- [49:37]
Pat McAfee
I love that you go in and talk to the defense. I also appreciate every time we have a mic'd up video of you talking to the team. You're a great communicator, bro. You're, you're, you're a great. I, I don't know. BA Phenomenal communicator. Had his own way of doing things. The way BA talked, obviously. Chuck Pagano, I heard him. He was more of a storyteller. Okay. He was telling stories out there and he would act that shit out every once in a while as well. Rich Rodriguez, this guy, hilariously intense human being, okay, like that is. Had a great message, was. All of them come in different ways. Your delivery and your messaging and your communication with the team. Obviously, because you're an ex player, you probably maybe saw a coach that acted similar to how you act now. Maybe got some influence from.
- [50:17]
Bruce Arians
Or.
- [50:18]
Pat McAfee
Or how do you find who you are and then how much are you thinking about the messages that you're sending? Are you reading books, watching movies, looking things up? Chat GPT crock, maybe? How are you figuring out, hey, AI's got a big brain. Whoa, Dumb Grock. Grok has gotten a few things wrong. What was Grok saying out there?
- [50:40]
Joe Budden
We can talk about after Coach, you know, I don't want to miss Co.
- [50:42]
Pat McAfee
Star Rock's been wrong a little bit. Grox been on a little bit of a tear. But on that note, how do you come up with the messages? And why do you think you communicate the way you do? Is it kind of following somebody else that you've seen or played for?
- [50:56]
Kevin O'Connell
Yeah, I think the one thing I learned after all these years and whether it was being a rookie around, you know, Coach Belichick, you know, getting to win a Super bowl with Sean McVay, there was a lot of great coaches in between along that journey of being a player and a coach. I could not do this job unless I was me. Just authentically me every single day. I think it'd be awfully hard to try to be somebody else and then try to handle the moments of adversity while you're playing the part of somebody else. That just seems like. That just seems like an impossible task. So what I've tried to do is just figure out the principles of who, you know, I want our organization to be, and then I want to consistently be the version of that for our guys so that they never have to wonder who they're going to get in front of them. They never have to question the authenticity of the message. They know it comes from a place that is in the best interest of them, both as players and as people. And ultimately about growth and development of everybody, me included. That's probably the best way to answer it. I would say that the messaging post game is authentic and as real as it gets because I really do not think about any of those things before I go in there. And it's more about making sure I acknowledge the people that had performances that day that led us to winning football games. Many times it goes back to conversations one on one with the player like a Christian Daresaw throughout the week of, hey, I envision handing you a football after this game and saying how proud I am of you and, and what you mean to me and what you mean to this organization. The journey you've been on post injury, that's where we're going. Let's figure out how we're going to get there. Throughout the week is what I believe the formula to doing that is. You can't be one without the other. That wouldn't be coaching. That would just be motivational speaking. At that point, you got to be able to fulfill your obligation as a coach to then back it up with the messaging that you have. And I do it all through the lens of, of as a former player who don't, I never really thought I reached my truest potential and it wasn't a coach's fault, but it was more of a mindset of me, you know, allowing my mind to worry and focus on things that were outside of my control. So I'm constantly trying to be that voice for our guys, to allow them to focus on the present, focus on what actually matters to help them win football games. And through that process, you build unbelievable relationships. I'm sure Coach can attest to this is what he probably looks back on the fondest is just the relationships on an individual level with players even in this day and age, with the dynamic of, you know, the college level that these players come from. Guys like you can still form relationships that matter. You can still form things that will glue together, glue together your team in a way that allows you to handle the ups and downs of an NFL season. And it's my favorite part of the job, if I'm being honest with you.
- [53:55]
Pat McAfee
That's awesome to hear. You just gave like a full synopsis on coaching and relationships and wisdom and passing things on to other people. That was wonderful. Listen, thank you for that. And Coach Ba, you coach with Bear Bryant, okay, All the way through, you know, coaching Tom Brady here in the boys down in Tampa Bay, how did you find who you were? And is it all just about finding the best version of the players? That's all you're trying to do?
- [54:18]
Bruce Arians
Yeah, I think.
- [54:19]
Pat McAfee
I think.
- [54:19]
Bruce Arians
I think players see through bullshit. First thing, you cannot bullshit players, man. You gotta be honest with them. And the truth hurts. Sometimes. I say my door's always open. You might not get the answer you wanna hear, but you'll get the truth.
- [54:32]
Pat McAfee
All right?
- [54:33]
Bruce Arians
And why you're not playing. You suck right now. All right? Now you can get better, but you ain't trying to get better, all right? They'll look at you like, I thought you were gonna hand me the job. No, you gotta earn this shit. And. But you got. You got to be real with them all the time. And I think they really, really respect that.
- [54:49]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, I think so. And Koc, not every ex player is a good coach either, man. So that's a trait that I think, you know, only very few have. Congrats on having that. And the game is lucky that you're deciding to give back. Now on that note, game giving back, you got a couple international games here going. Germany. No.
- [55:07]
Ty Schmidt
Ireland. Yeah. The McQuade Bowl.
- [55:08]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, I forgot. You got Pittsburgh in Ireland. Yeah. There's a chance. Carson McCarthy or Carson what? I don't know if the decision's been made. Whatever the case, I'm not putting you in a. Right now. Carson Wentz running around there in Ireland, though, you could pick up an entire country of fans first one off the.
- [55:22]
Darius J. Butler
Bus, no matter what.
- [55:23]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, yeah, definitely. And potentially make sure everybody sees that red.
- [55:27]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah. Maybe have him play with a leather helmet.
- [55:28]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. And wear. Yeah, do the whole thing. Do the whole thing. Okay. Have them do that. You might pick up the entire country. Pittsburgh Steelers have a deep history with Ireland. You know, ambassador over there and everything like that. Going to be electrifying. Their fans are awesome. From what our experience was with college ball, what is your thoughts quickly? We only have like 30 seconds or so on the back to back international games. And what you're saying to the boys about making history here in Ireland.
- [55:52]
Kevin O'Connell
Yeah, I think it's, you know, from the jump, it's always been about a great opportunity for us. I mean, to get to play in Ireland first and foremost is going to be an unbelievable experience. We've had success doing the kind of the one game trip before. That's how we'll handle this first game and then we'll make our way over to London and we'll have a full week of preparation there before going into the buy. But I can tell you this much to get to play these games at these unbelievable venues that were technically the road team at both these games. But I know what it's like to have to go to Pittsburgh or have to go to Cleveland in those atmospheres and environments. You know, I know it's going to be electric, but. But it beats being the road team, the true road team on the, you know, going to some of these places to play these hostile environments. And we've got to go there and try to, you know, it's a great opportunity to build new Vikings fans, you know, make people learn about our team, how we roll, how we operate and go compete and try to win a couple games against two really good teams.
- [56:50]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, we got Kevin O', Connell, J.J. mcCarthy and Justin McEfferson coming off the bus. All right, good luck out there, man. Safe travels. You're the man. All right, we're back on the other side. This is Joe Budden.
- [57:03]
Joe Budden
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- [57:19]
Pat McAfee
Takes to the test.
- [57:20]
Joe Budden
The app is really simple to use and available in 40 plus states. States including California, Texas and Georgia. Just pick two or more players across any sport. Pick more or less on their projections and if you're right, you could cash in. With simple stats and fan friendly policies, Prizepix is the best place to make your picks. Most importantly, they don't play about your paper. All transactions on the app are fast, safe and secure.
- [57:43]
Pat McAfee
Click here to download the Prizepix app today and use code TPMS to get $50 in site credits after you play your first $5. That's code TPMS to get $50.00 in site credits after you play YOUR first $5. Prize picks. It's good to be right. Must be present in certain states. Visit prizepix.com for restrictions and details. Eight years ago, I blew my football career. He dropped it at the one yard line. On September 30, Chad Powers arrives on Hulu. If I can't play as Russ, I'll play as someone else. My name's Chad and last name Lijia. From executive producers Eli and Paige. Peyton Manning. Remember, I'm wearing a prosthetic mask. This is acting and starring Glen Powell. He Thinks you're a rubber chew toy. Not rubber.
- [58:24]
Keenan Allen
I'm a man made of flesh.
- [58:26]
Pat McAfee
The Hulu Original series chad Powers premieres September 30th. Streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney plus for bundle subscribers term supply. Football is mad. I jumped outside. Yeah, got some me. That's right. It's a hard count. That's a 47 year football coach. BA there obviously an incredible amount of wisdom and also stories and enlightenment on ball that have certainly changed the vibes in the Thunderdome every time he's in here. We appreciate the hell out of you. The talks and tables here at Boston Connor and at Ty Schmidt, nine year NFL vet, host of Everything DB Good D Bad D. The man to man podcast and NFL matchup show. Ladies and gentlemen, Darius J. Butler. Is that back?
- [59:08]
Joe Budden
It's not back yet, but Mr. Kim working. He's. He's on the board as well.
- [59:12]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah, he's busy right now, man. I mean, we've been working on the pause season two for months, brother. It's going to take some time.
- [59:20]
Pat McAfee
When's that coming back? Let's go to Detroit Lions super fan Evan Foxy. The pod not coming back is heartbreaking news on this glorious Tuesday for you. Listen, I'm so jacked up. There's not many things that can make me more happy after that Detroit Lions win. But if the pod came back, I'd be the happiest person on earth, truly. Oh, yeah.
- [59:37]
Darius J. Butler
Well, guess what? Not everybody has a cool team that does fun on offense and he's in a caboodle time. Okay, so once you shut up.
- [59:45]
Pat McAfee
Well then why don't you give me a cool podcast that I can listen to? Okay.
- [59:49]
Ty Schmidt
I was just gonna say you are in luck because it is in production right now. We've actually just been given the the heads up. We're looking at a 2028 season, so.
- [59:59]
Darius J. Butler
I didn't know we're allowed to say that.
- [60:01]
Ty Schmidt
Well, yeah, I didn't want.
- [60:02]
Darius J. Butler
I was so.
- [60:03]
Ty Schmidt
I know. I didn't want to just spit it out, but I figured you know what? They're asking for it.
- [60:08]
Pat McAfee
Let's just. All right. Yeah, let's get a countdown teaser. A teaser drops next week.
- [60:14]
Darius J. Butler
Don't forget.
- [60:14]
Pat McAfee
Let's get a cast like Avatar the movies. Yeah, exactly.
- [60:18]
Darius J. Butler
That big of a production it's gonna be.
- [60:19]
Pat McAfee
Just don't do anything to the whales, okay? Yeah, do whatever you gotta do. Just don't do anything to the whales.
- [60:24]
Darius J. Butler
We will say the villains will be similar.
- [60:27]
Pat McAfee
Okay. Live From Hammer, it's 1/2 of the hammer done. Cowboys AP Tone. Tone. In the first hour, we didn't chat much about college ball. Huge weekend this weekend for college. Obviously, we're heading up to Happy Valley for college game day for Oregon vs. Penn State, which is a real. Okay, here we go. Now we're playing football for both those teams, which we have for the rest of the year. What are some other games that we should be looking at? College ball is about to throw. I think 105. Maybe on the 10 tape.
- [60:58]
Darius J. Butler
Right on the.
- [60:59]
Pat McAfee
Right on the tape. Right on the black. Yeah, I didn't matter. It was painter tape. Both work. Okay, well, that's MLB talk, depending what.
- [61:05]
Ty Schmidt
League you're playing in.
- [61:06]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. And also I wanted to pump a couple Dean.
- [61:10]
Darius J. Butler
Shout out Kershaw.
- [61:11]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, shout out to Kershaw. What a run.
- [61:13]
Darius J. Butler
Hell yeah.
- [61:16]
Pat McAfee
But anyways, 105 right there on a paint says college football basically week in, week out, certainly this upcoming weekend.
- [61:22]
Tone
Yeah, week one was, was, was incredible with those three top 10 matchups. This is the best weekend since then. Obviously you talked about Oregon at Penn State. It'll most likely be a whiteout. Oregon going in.
- [61:33]
Pat McAfee
There it is a white out. There you go.
- [61:34]
Tone
Neither of these teams have played anybody yet, so it's, it's going to be really exciting to see that one. But there are a ton, Pat. Alabama is at Georgia, so, I mean, that one could decide the sec. Alabama has played much better since losing to Florida State, and obviously Georgia had that big win against Tennessee. USC goes into Illinois. Now, USC has been the talk of the Big Ten as far as teams that aren't getting talked about enough. You know, Stanford, Steven, all those saying USC should be ranked higher, they go into Illinois, who came off a huge loss to Indiana. But it's a, it's a chance for both of those teams to make a statement there. Ohio State goes to Washington. It's kind of really their first test since Texas this season. So that's an interesting one. LSU and Ole Miss. LSU ranked number four, but their wins now are against Florida and Clemson. So do we have a good view on LSU or not?
- [62:24]
Pat McAfee
So.
- [62:24]
Tone
And then going to ls Ole Miss.
- [62:26]
Pat McAfee
A six foot five safety. They got a six foot three corner. I think I believe in them. Do I believe in Brian Kelly?
- [62:33]
Ty Schmidt
He might not make it through the rest of the season.
- [62:35]
Pat McAfee
Two big hits already. Yeah. Two MRIs on Brian Kelly due to sideline shots. One from a race ref, one from two gigantic SEC linemen just taking him out while he's trying to call a timeout. Will Brian Kelly make It through the season. And is LSU for real this season? Obviously. Huge test this weekend. We shall see. Tone. Yep.
- [62:54]
Tone
And then Auburn.
- [62:56]
Darius J. Butler
Tony. Tony.
- [62:57]
Pat McAfee
Whoa.
- [62:57]
Darius J. Butler
What are we going to skip over the one storyline of Ole Miss, LSU that hit the wire yesterday?
- [63:03]
Tone
I don't. I didn't want to bring that up.
- [63:05]
Darius J. Butler
I mean, if I feel like I didn't want to.
- [63:07]
Tone
Well, maybe, maybe not.
- [63:08]
Darius J. Butler
Okay, fine. Then we won't.
- [63:10]
Pat McAfee
What do you think? I mean, I think there's a relationship that hit the Internet.
- [63:13]
Darius J. Butler
I don't even think we have to bet. We don't have to talk about the relationship. But the head coach didn't tweet something.
- [63:18]
Pat McAfee
So what did the head coach say?
- [63:19]
Darius J. Butler
The head coach said take the over. So I'm just saying that. And if the head coach says something like that, honestly, really, if anybody think about. If anybody says something to me like take the over, I'm going to do it. If the head coach says it, I mean, there's a chance I owe somebody my skin by Monday if they don't care.
- [63:37]
Tone
Ole Miss is a great overtake team.
- [63:39]
Pat McAfee
Great. Especially motivated. And I appreciate Lane Kiffin, the way he operates, too. Just everything that he does. He's been there, done that with everything. Did you cross with Coach Kiffin? Coach Lane Kiffin at all?
- [63:51]
Bruce Arians
I coached with his dad, Monty, who's one of the best ever. No, Lane. And really respect him. He runs a hell of an offense.
- [63:58]
Pat McAfee
He. So what is it about his offense? Do you. Do you like how aggressive it is? How wide open?
- [64:02]
Bruce Arians
Yeah, I think he's. He's kind of like Kevin o'. Connell. Whoever's playing, playing quarterback for him plays great. And Lane does a great job of putting him in great positions. Throws the ball down the field is going to score a lot of points. And it's going to always when. When Ole Miss is playing, it's going to be entertaining.
- [64:15]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, certainly. And he is a lightning rod as well. I mean, he'll throw the clip. I mean he'll do. He was throwing oops last week on his side. Absolutely crazy empty stadium. Did you see that?
- [64:24]
Joe Budden
Yes.
- [64:24]
Pat McAfee
In the background while he's throwing a noob. Was that a thousand to nothing?
- [64:27]
Tone
Yeah, that is at Memphis, so.
- [64:30]
Pat McAfee
Oh, okay. They left out.
- [64:32]
Tone
Yeah, Memphis or sorry, Tulane.
- [64:34]
Pat McAfee
Okay, sorry. They left out of there.
- [64:36]
Tone
I can. I confused. Arkansas was at Memphis. Arkansas lost in Memphis last week.
- [64:40]
Pat McAfee
Arkansas thought they were all the way back too. I heard last Texas Tech fans pissed that none of us picked them. They were certainly got some of that Tech stack. For real?
- [64:48]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah. Don't worry. They're going to get picked.
- [64:50]
Pat McAfee
Hey, going to be picking Texas Tech. Yeah. Going forward. Yeah. Message delivered. All right. Shout out to Colin Ball for always delivering. How's Ohio State? Not really talked about.
- [64:58]
Tone
They haven't played anybody since Texas and you know, Texas hasn't looked great on offense, so Washington's okay. It's not. It's. It's a tough travel for them so that we'll get some answers there this weekend.
- [65:09]
Pat McAfee
Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, is an Ohio State hall of Famer, a man who has a tree on campus named after him and also a bird, a hawk in the said tree that lives there has a hawk keeper that comes and make sure it lives in that tree and not any of the other other trees that all the alumni that are prestigious get on campus. And that hawk has created a family much like his family, where there's 10 children out there, that particular hawk can say it's a college football national champion, a Super bowl champion and Ryder cup winner. Ladies and gentlemen, AJ Hawk. How is that hawk that lives on the tree on Ohio State's campus that they do for you?
- [65:44]
A.J. Hawk
Yeah, I think he's doing great.
- [65:45]
Pat McAfee
I think they have.
- [65:46]
A.J. Hawk
They put a little collar on him. They chain him to the tree and give him like a hundred foot long. So we can't really go too far.
- [65:51]
Pat McAfee
Come 100 foots. Just what, three or four of these?
- [65:54]
Darius J. Butler
Nothing.
- [65:54]
A.J. Hawk
It's not that far.
- [65:55]
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
- [65:57]
A.J. Hawk
Yeah, I think you could do that.
- [65:59]
Pat McAfee
Could you.
- [66:00]
A.J. Hawk
Could you chain a hawk to a tree?
- [66:02]
Pat McAfee
The hawk's chaining you to a tree, brother. You ever seen those things? Yeah, I mean, you got to have your respects. How do you. How about last night? Feels like the brand new Lions are for real. Feels like that win is huge. And then for the Ravens, there's a lot of questions being asked about, you know, maybe the cut of the jib over there for what's been happening late in games to the Ravens. What are your thoughts, AJ on an electrifying over thriller last night between two of the game's best.
- [66:24]
A.J. Hawk
Yeah, this is an awesome game to watch. I mean, Detroit, what they had 11 play drive, 18 play drive those things. Like that's a special thing to do. That offense has to gain so much confidence. I feel like moving forward from that, but I didn't take it like, oh, the Ravens are garbage. The Ravens can't figure it out. I think the Ravens are going to be fine. I took it more as, hey, these Detroit Lions, they are. We slept on him, I picked against him. So that's on me. I the Lions let me know, hey, we are still here and we we're not taking a step back. I think this was a huge deal for them when getting a win.
- [66:52]
Pat McAfee
Like Coach Ba said, the Ravens still. Yeah, great hit. Coach Ba said the Ravens still going to win the AFC north. So they'll be in the playoffs. And to your point there, A.J. look good. Okay. Looked good. And I think Ravens fans probably, you know, not exactly thrilled about what's been happening maybe late here early in the season. But this lion seems to be around in the end. We all assume right. And this is how the game went. I think both sides take a lot from this and move forward better from this particular game. And then if you think about this Baltimore Ravens team, they got the Chiefs this weekend, one of these teams going to end up one in three. We got some stats from Himbo actually texted over what's the stat?
- [67:27]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah, it's about the NFL playoffs average. One team basically over the last like eight, nine years that goes one and three, starts one and three and ends up going to the playoffs. Last year it was the Rams. The Rams ended up one and three and they lost in the division. And I think there was a couple year gap and then there was one year, I think it was 20, 21 where three teams actually made it after starting one in three. So it should actually not be kind of a complete detriment if you start 1 and 3 and your season's not over.
- [67:55]
Pat McAfee
New England patriots actually started 1 and 3 and then won a Super Bowl. So that has happened in the past. And then since 1990, 90, 34 of 235 teams that started 1 in 3 made the postseason. Okay, so it's not like, no, it's not an it's over sentence there. Coach Ba, how do you feel about all the stats on how you perform early on what teams have done in the past? Obviously you got to keep it out, but their stats for a reason. And whenever your team's struggling early, what is the messaging is always long term. Still everything in front of us, you think everybody's saying, yeah, I think it's.
- [68:21]
Bruce Arians
The same thing that Kevin said earlier. It's week to week. You know, it's week to week and a lot of injuries from training camp. I think some teams not playing guys in the preseason start off slow, but then they start picking it up. And the real football starts at Thanksgiving. All right. When Thanksgiving's rolling, you want to be in the hunt from Thanksgiving to Christmas and then you finish it to New Year's and roll on.
- [68:43]
Pat McAfee
So you can't get yourself too far out before Thanksgiving. Right?
- [68:47]
Bruce Arians
The zero and threes, you're out. The one and fours you're out. But the one in threes, sometimes you're missing a key ingredient. Might be your quarterback and all of a sudden you get him back. Might be your left tackle, you get guys back and and you get it going.
- [69:01]
Pat McAfee
Then you get that stuffing, that ingredient for Thanksgiving.
- [69:04]
Bruce Arians
You know, that's when your rookie should kick in. All your draft picks should be ready to play by Thanksgiving if they're not the highest pick playing already.
- [69:11]
Pat McAfee
On that note, ladies and gentlemen, there has been a breaking of news for the New York Football Giants. Jackson Dart will be starting for the New York Football Giants going forward. Day ball was non committal at first to who was going to be a starter. Now Jackson Dart, the future of the New York Giants will be wearing the starter helmet. Congratulations to Jackson Dart. Congratulations to the Giants fans who I think were wanting this not just because of a fourth down in the fourth quarter, whenever you need it in the red zone, throwing the ball off the bottom of the upright and throwing it away, but also because if we're 03, why the hell would we not want to see what the future looks like? Well, the immediate comment is the schedule is not great to have him start. They don't have a buy until like week 14 or something like that.
- [69:58]
Darius J. Butler
Yep.
- [69:58]
Pat McAfee
Then you look at the schedule and it's like, well, their division's tough so they're going to have to play tough teams regardless. But boy, some of these are tough. You obviously have to take on an incredible, incredible Chargers team who's the DC Jesse mentor. Then you get a chance to go down to the Saints in your second start, which is good. Donna Superdome. But this might be positive with the.
- [70:18]
Ty Schmidt
D.C. it's Brandon Staley.
- [70:20]
Pat McAfee
Okay, so we got one game before we head down to the Saints and then immediately afterwards, Eagles, Denver, Eagles, San Francisco, Chicago.
- [70:27]
Ty Schmidt
There it is.
- [70:28]
Pat McAfee
Who knows what they are. Green Bay, Detroit, New England by okay, so that run is not going to be easy for any quarterback. But now for a rookie quarterback getting his first start with this particular New York Giants team. Coach Ba what are your thoughts on dropping him in there? Is there ever a right time to put a rookie quarterback in? Is that a real thing? And how do you think this kind of fares and how do you think they got to this decision?
- [70:49]
Bruce Arians
Yeah, I definitely think it was time to drop the clipboard. All right, Start getting the reps in practice. Start playing. I think his legs can add so much to that offense. Now be smart and slide. Don't. You don't have to show tough. You are all right, get your ass hurt, but his legs will help get some first downs, I think, that they haven't had. And the energy that he brings and he can throw the damn football really, really well.
- [71:12]
Pat McAfee
Making this decision, how hard? Very hard.
- [71:14]
Bruce Arians
Not hard for me. I'd have made it three weeks ago.
- [71:18]
Pat McAfee
You told us actually more three weeks ago. It would have been a few months ago. There would never been a decision made at the beginning in April to a decision to have to make. But getting reps, regardless of what they they look like, even if you're going against a terrible defense, is good for a quarterback's development in your eyes.
- [71:31]
Bruce Arians
Yeah, you got to get. You got to get reps, man. You got to see things. And you know, your scout team does a great job of posing the other team's defense and reading it, getting you. You can't learn anything just watching. You know, you got to physically do it. Your brain has to work so fast. And the only way to get that going is to get out there and.
- [71:50]
Pat McAfee
Play T But your thoughts on the move to Jackson Dart, I mean, I agree with him.
- [71:54]
Joe Budden
Even with everything else they did this offseason, bringing in Russ, bringing in Jameis. But once you draft a guy in the first round, if he what we saw in the preseason, which are glorified practices, but they're full speed, you got to do protections, you got to come out of the huddle, you got to take hits. We saw him perform at a high level. So most people didn't have high expectations for Russ in there or Jamis. So you drafted his kid to play high. He played in the SEC where there are big time was big time ball being played. And you talk about, hey, when is the perfect time to draw? Like it's the National Football League every week, you know, packers went and lost to the Browns. Like, no, nobody had that on their, on their menu. But every week you got to go out and win either at home or in a tough environment. So you got to throw in that fire. You got to throw them in that fire. Let him learn. BA said it can't learn holding the clipboard. I think prime said the same thing on with the Kelsey Bros on the podcast. So yeah, get him in that fire. Let him make some plays and bring. Bring some juice. We heard the crowd every time he came in the game and then we heard crowd every time he left. So starting on three, starting this hole, let's see what you got with the rookie early.
- [72:55]
Pat McAfee
Is he gonna wear the chain? He has to change. Yeah, I gotta keep the moxie. AJ what do you think defenses are thinking taking on Jackson Dart versus maybe a Russell Wilson?
- [73:04]
A.J. Hawk
Well, you know, that's the old. The old cliche. Coaches, hey, we're heat him up. We won't. We want this rookie to not feel comfortable, want to get him off the spot, blitz them all. That sometimes you might be giving him some quick options. If a quarterback is pretty good and he's. He can identify the blitz and, and get the protection set. But yeah, you got to find a way to make them uncomfortable. And I think, I think you got to hit him early. Like if he tries to run, if he wants to run a little his own read or whatever. We might take a 15 yarder, Bud landing on top of you, you know, four or five yards down the field. Not in any wet dirty way, but the way that we would tackle the running back, I think. And you just got to let him know early on. And Jackson dart, he'll probably pop up and it'll give him even more juice though. Sometimes you wake a guy up like that.
- [73:41]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Sometimes guys are looking for that. Remember Joe Burrow? That was one of his things. I like ticking a massive shot so I could just feel alive out there.
- [73:48]
Darius J. Butler
Danny Dimes.
- [73:49]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, Danny Dimes saying gotta hit to the job. Yeah. Sometimes that'll wake you up. Yeah, I'll go through the Tennessee got.
- [73:54]
Darius J. Butler
Jacked up too on the goal.
- [73:56]
Pat McAfee
Yes, exactly. Trying to go. Yeah, he is one of those guys. I. We don't like that. He likes it. But maybe Dart is one of those guys. Is that still exist? Coach? You heard A.J. right there. That's an old school mindset. You also old school, Coach D Butt also. We're old at this stage of the game. Him saying, yeah, first we're definitely going to get an extra. Sorry about that, buddy. That's still happening in the NFL. Always going to happen in a physical contact game.
- [74:19]
Bruce Arians
I. I'll be shocked if it ever stops.
- [74:21]
Pat McAfee
Okay. Yeah. Football. Football.
- [74:24]
Joe Budden
That divisional game we won against Broncos in Denver to go to the FC Championship. First drive, third in like five, six maybe. Peyton, he was kind of banged up that year. Late Cole. Boom boom. Throws it misses Art Jones late. Little low, maybe around the knees. Rest of the game. Pay wasn't the same rest of the like. So took the penalty at that point. We're pissed off. He just gotta.
- [74:47]
Pat McAfee
Come on, Art. Come on, Art.
- [74:48]
Joe Budden
But come on, Art. I see what you're Doing art had won the super bowl at that point coming over from Baltimore. You know, that's just football. Obviously, player safety. We're not trying to hurt anybody out there.
- [74:59]
Pat McAfee
But you're trying to win that game. Yeah, yeah. He's a rookie, you know, so like in the mlb. In mlb, you know, we've heard stories about umpires with rookie pitchers, you know, and what that strike zone looks like.
- [75:15]
Ty Schmidt
Like.
- [75:15]
Pat McAfee
Nah, we're throwing hittable balls up here.
- [75:17]
Ty Schmidt
Fuck this guy. Throw right down the middle.
- [75:19]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Like the way they're doing. It's like rookies in the NFL also have those moments as well, especially quarterbacks. Now Jackson's got a lot of moxie.
- [75:27]
Ty Schmidt
That's what I was going to say. He might be one of those guys. Guys where if you do hit him late like that, flips a switch and he just goes, yeah, starts jaw.
- [75:34]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, exactly.
- [75:35]
Ty Schmidt
And throws five touchdowns or never know.
- [75:37]
Pat McAfee
Might be day ball's guy. Do you know day ball well and as you do know him.
- [75:42]
Bruce Arians
Yeah.
- [75:42]
Pat McAfee
So what is Jackson Dart you think like at just from outside looking in? I don't know if you got a chance to meet him during the whole combine draft process down there in Tampa Bay. Him and day ball, good for each other, you think? And does day ball feel the heat? Obviously he knows that there's a little bit of heat over there or do you think.
- [75:57]
Bruce Arians
I think Brian, we all know what's going on, you know, but I think starting Jackson Dart, getting him started, if he starts playing well, Brian saves his job. I don't think they have to win a lot of games. But if Jackson Dart starts playing well and he's coached well, which he will be because Brian's that damn good coach and he'll save his job that way.
- [76:17]
Pat McAfee
Interesting. Didn't even think about that because in my eyes, if this is last year year, he's not going to think about the future. But instead maybe it's not last year. Show some development, huh? Get these Giants fans to believe this is what the future looks like. Let's go to a Giants fan. Bruce, you're excited about this? Looks like that's first smile you've had since the game. Yeah, I'm, I'm fired up.
- [76:36]
A.J. Hawk
Hope springs eternal. I feel bad for all you guys.
- [76:38]
Pat McAfee
You guys only got one week one. I got two.
- [76:40]
A.J. Hawk
Now week four is now week one again.
- [76:44]
Ty Schmidt
I love it.
- [76:45]
A.J. Hawk
Jackson Dart has the opposite opportunity to be the first rookie quarterback to beat a 3, 0 team since Jerry Garcia or Jeff Garcia. Sorry.
- [76:53]
Pat McAfee
Jerry Garcia. He won a bunch. Yeah, Jeff Garcia Though remember his days. What a weapon.
- [77:02]
Ty Schmidt
Jeff Garcia was awesome.
- [77:03]
Pat McAfee
He was absolute weapon. Such an athlete. I remember him just bouncing around somehow. Bald head.
- [77:09]
Ty Schmidt
Yep.
- [77:09]
Darius J. Butler
Using the quarterback challenges those old ones.
- [77:12]
Pat McAfee
And winning at the Pro bowl, if I had to guess if he was doing that. First time since Jeff Garcia is on the line here at Darius J. Wow.
- [77:17]
Joe Budden
Now, I mean it's week four. So at this point in the season, you know, teams ba talked about not playing the preseason, but at this point we always talk about the quarter marks. You just mentioned earlier this point of season, these defenses, these off, they know who we are. We know who we are. Right. We're the Chargers. We know who we are. We know what we're good at, we know what we're not good at. We know what players are playing well in position. So putting Jackson Dart in it is the right time, but you're hitting it while these teams are in, in their hitting their form. And now he's, you know, the guys, the offense, the play callers, everybody's gonna get have to get used to Jackson dart while he's getting to used to real NFL live action too. So maybe rough at first, but he's a rookie and you got the talent. So I'm excited for. I know Giants fans are excited.
- [77:57]
Pat McAfee
Love the, love the face paint, love the moxie Aide Hutchin last night had that delivered quite a punch, you know, made me a cat carries over to Jackson Dart. Other breaking news that happened. AJ While we've been live, Mike Gundy fired from Oklahoma State football. We'll say, Mike, hell of a run.
- [78:12]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah, love Mike.
- [78:13]
Pat McAfee
I don't know. I don't know if that's how you're supposed to immediately respond to somebody being announced to be firing saying, hey, it was a hell of a run. This one seemed like it was on the horizon for a little bit. Let's go to Hammer. Felt like this was being like talked about a little bit. I didn't know if it was actually going to happen. Anytime a coach is at a place for so long and becomes the institution, obviously making this type of move requires a lot of people saying yes to and then also how you handle it, how the rollout is, is obviously a big part of the deal. Tony, did we expect this out of Oklahoma State? I don't, I don't, I don't know.
- [78:44]
Tone
Because like what you said, he's been there for 21 years and before last season he only had one losing season in those 20 years and that was his first season. Then his second losing season was obviously last Year when they were disappointing, they brought back 20 starters. They brought back Ollie Gordon like they were supposed to potentially win the Big 12 last season. Things have not gone well the last two years. Obviously the disappointment of last year and then this year, losing by 70 or whatever to Oregon, then losing to Tulsa last week. It just was going to happen at some point. I didn't know if they'd let him maybe walk away, keep a position at the university because of how long he's been there or whatever, but. But it just got to a point where it seemed like it had to happen. But being there for 21 years and two. Two losing seasons, 21 years, incredible run at Oklahoma State. And it's tough to see him go.
- [79:32]
Pat McAfee
Out like, what have you done for me today is what the world is. But it is a hell of a run. I'll be excited to see what they do next. He becomes the third college football coach that has been fired. UCLA fires Coach Foster. He that was bad from the beginning. I don't know if ucla, we love Coach Foster, but that one didn't go well. Literally from Big Ten media day all the way through the entirety. Got Nico Iamaliava. Then it goes worse somehow. I don't know how football related UCLA wants to be, but maybe they'll be able to get in. I don't know. I hope they do, though. I hope ucla, the Bruins are a great football brand. I hope everybody's a great football brand. And then Virginia Tech also fired Coach Pride. Now joining us live in the Thunderdale is a man that was just reported as of yesterday being a part of the consulting group basically for Virginia Tech. He is Virginia Tech Hokie alumni. Virginia Tech Hokie Belover. I mean, this guy loves Virginia Tech. And also I think he's. You have a. I don't know how many records you have, Virginia Tech at the quarterback position, but I know there's a lot of them that are very impactful to society as a whole. Virginia Tech looking for a coach. So now Oklahoma State's in the game, UCLA is in the game, and now you guys at Virginia Tech are in the game. How's that process go and what are you looking for at this point? It has to be business, almost like business angle of it as well, or how do you kind of view the entire process?
- [80:52]
Bruce Arians
Yeah, the whole thing's changed. It's all business now. And you got to find a businessman. I think first thing for Virginia Tech, we're going to hire a general manager and get him in charge of football. Then we'll get into the coaching search and we're just in the ground stages now, but the university is making a huge financial commitment so that we could compete in the ACC like we should be. And, you know, I want to see, I want to see Virginia Tech back when sandman's blasting and, and we're winning games.
- [81:29]
Pat McAfee
The whole place going absolutely insane. Had a chance to spend a night over there. And those hills are a good time. It was awesome. Went to a saloon. I think we were in a saloon. I mean, it was good times. And then the pregame festivities, the tailgating, outrageous. I mean, it was great time. And then the walk to the stadium is even its own little adventure. It's like that place was built to be a college football place. It feels like the vibes are that, will the team ever get there. You said Virginia Tech is offering up a huge financial boost for the football team. That's seemingly happening in a lot of different places. I saw West Virginia make an announcement that we will be a part of the top funded tier, whatever that. What does that mean? What does that mean? The.
- [82:11]
Bruce Arians
It's probably about $50 million into the athletic department and for all sports. But that's what you're going to have to have in NAR business now. And you may recruit a guy this year, you got to recruit him back next year. And you know, all they want to do is, what, how much money am I going to make? But, but it, it's changed. And you got, you got to get people now that are in tune with the new business.
- [82:31]
Pat McAfee
Pete Thamel reported what you were talking about here with Virginia Tech. Board of visitors officially proposes athletics budget increase. It is set to begin pending the current fiscal year. From the current 144 million is set to jump to 190 million. 204 million in the fiscal year in 2027 and 207 in 2028, which is when the pod will be coming out. And 212 million in the fiscal year of 2029. So an increased budget for athletics as a whole at Virginia Tech, hopefully it'll pay off. But remember, as you and Coach Saban have said in the past, you pay the wrong guy, you're out of luck. Making this decision is a big deal, especially because I think universities feel obligated to have patience with people like, hey, we hired this person to run this job because this was their plan. Whenever they suck early, early sticking with them, or if they suck early, believing in the vision is obviously a big piece of it. But what if the vision never, you know, Then what if you're just like this? That can happen. That's why I'm happy you're over there helping Virginia Tech legitimately.
- [83:29]
Bruce Arians
I'm really looking forward to it. I'm very honored to be part of it.
- [83:31]
Pat McAfee
What are you looking for? You're looking for somebody that loves ball. Exactly.
- [83:34]
Bruce Arians
I mean, I want to see a guy that. That not only can coach and make adjustments, but also get out there and get the folks excited and raise money, too, because that's a big part of it now. And we got to have a charismatic guy that. That actually can coach ball.
- [83:50]
Ty Schmidt
I think you're talking about it.
- [83:51]
Darius J. Butler
Here we go.
- [83:52]
Pat McAfee
Way too old for that, brother. I thought that fiscal year bump was for you, brother. They're building a golf course out there as well. Let's go to one of our favorite segments that has been added to this program. And AJ it is great to see you alive, but I think you even would say if it was, wasn't it?
- [84:09]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [84:09]
Pat McAfee
I didn't like that photo.
- [84:10]
Ty Schmidt
Me neither.
- [84:11]
Darius J. Butler
That was sad.
- [84:13]
Pat McAfee
It was sad.
- [84:13]
Darius J. Butler
It's upsetting.
- [84:14]
A.J. Hawk
Why I wasn't. I'm still here.
- [84:15]
Pat McAfee
I'm doing well.
- [84:16]
Darius J. Butler
But still you look at it for a second, you're like, wait, wait.
- [84:18]
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
- [84:18]
A.J. Hawk
Did he die? And does he look like that on camera? So I just died on camera, I guess.
- [84:22]
Pat McAfee
Is that what you would look like? I think so too. Because if they. I think your head tilted a little bit. I think it would hold it up.
- [84:29]
Darius J. Butler
Try it. Play dead.
- [84:30]
Pat McAfee
I think that is what it would look.
- [84:32]
Joe Budden
I don't like it either.
- [84:33]
Pat McAfee
He is not. That is not real. Real people that are watching.
- [84:36]
Darius J. Butler
Pretty real.
- [84:37]
Pat McAfee
That is not real people that don't. Don't know. What an absolute honor. But even you would say AJ or dead, you would say that BS or no BS With BA has become must watch and must do for us.
- [84:48]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [84:48]
Pat McAfee
Without a doubt. Ladies and gentlemen, it's another round of BS or no BS with BA where we will state headlines or statements of fact and BA Will tell us if it is bullshit or not bullshit. And this has become good because these are some headlines that come. Could potentially run a little bit. Ty has the first one for you, Coach.
- [85:05]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, BA in the first hour, we talked about John Harbaugh and you know, Pat laid out the stats, how many blown fourth quarter leads they have for whatever reason. You know, they. They just can't seem to. To close it out. We always expect them to be one of those teams to win a Super bowl. But now a lot of people are saying John Harbaugh has become a liability for the Baltimore. Yeah, I know. So I'm asking you, B.A. is that BS or no BS?
- [85:30]
Bruce Arians
No, that's total BS John Harbaugh's hell of a coach. And there's a lot of things that go into it. That fourth quarter. Defense got to get fixed, that's for sure. And I'm sure Chuck and the guys over there on defense are going to get it fixed, get those guys back healthy, and they're going to be there in November, December, Baltimore Ravens, they got Lamar, they got everything it takes. They're scoring points and that defense is going to catch back up for sure. John Harbaugh's one hell of a coach.
- [85:56]
Pat McAfee
Do you think just like Coach Tomlin, whenever you're around a place for a long time, and I guess Mike Gundy, we could say when you're around a place for a long time, you set your own standard and expectation. And if you're not consistently exceeding that, the fans naturally gonna say, are we getting better? Are we just like. Do you think that just comes with consistency at a position? Harbaugh's been there forever. He is the Baltimore Ravens.
- [86:15]
Bruce Arians
Yeah, totally. And like you say, you raise that level of expectation every year. And then when there might be a year or two, things happen, guys get hurt, you don't get there. Oh, it's the coach. Nobody wants to make excuses, all right? But it's not the coach. He's the same damn good coach he's always been. And no, I think Baltimore Ravens are fine. They'll be there in December, January.
- [86:35]
Pat McAfee
Let's go to the next one. D. Budge. Yeah.
- [86:37]
Joe Budden
We've had a lot of dynasties, whether Steelers, Cowboys, Patriots, Packers, Chiefs. Been the most recent ones. Are we witnessing the end of a dynasty in Kansas City? Will the Chiefs make the playoffs this year, BS or no BS I think.
- [86:50]
Bruce Arians
It'S BS2, I think the Chiefs make the playoffs. They're probably in the wild car race right now until they catch the Chargers, because three and oh, and they might be one and three, you know, so it's going to be. It's going to be a chase, but they're going to get there. And I'm never betting against Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs.
- [87:06]
Pat McAfee
Okay, so the Chiefs will not make the playoffs this year. You're saying that's B.S.
- [87:10]
Bruce Arians
That'S B.S. yeah. They're going to make the playoffs.
- [87:11]
Pat McAfee
Okay, last. Last one here. This one. We've seen people say it. Kevin Patulo. More like Kevin Paul. You blow at call in place. That's the Eagles off offensive coordinator. Is that BS or no BS that he blows at calling place?
- [87:30]
Bruce Arians
I think that's BS2 Kevin.
- [87:34]
Pat McAfee
More like Kevin Pa. You blow.
- [87:37]
Bruce Arians
Yeah. You can't blow when you got Jalen Hurst, Saquon Barkley.
- [87:41]
Pat McAfee
Hey, J.
- [87:41]
Bruce Arians
You call any damn play you want. It should work.
- [87:43]
Pat McAfee
Well, that's what people were saying. Kevin B.
- [87:47]
Joe Budden
People. People are saying. You saw it on the Twitter a lot.
- [87:51]
Darius J. Butler
It was everywhere.
- [87:52]
Bruce Arians
But that's. I mean, people get. Drew Bree said it today. They're boring offense. Yeah. Running it down somebody's throat is boring.
- [87:59]
Pat McAfee
All right.
- [88:00]
Bruce Arians
But Jalen is throwing the ball better than he's ever thrown it.
- [88:02]
Pat McAfee
Did Drew Brees say this?
- [88:03]
Bruce Arians
Yes.
- [88:05]
Pat McAfee
Really? Really. Okay.
- [88:09]
Bruce Arians
But I mean, I think they have a hell of an offense.
- [88:12]
Darius J. Butler
How come it looks like shit for half a game and then the other half it is, you know, what we expect from the Eagles, Just pure dominance.
- [88:20]
Bruce Arians
Yeah. I mean, the Rams defense, damn good defense now, they went to the playoffs last year and those young kids can really play. So it takes time to figure it out as the game is going too. What adjustments that they make for you this week and do you adjust. And he adjusts very well.
- [88:35]
Darius J. Butler
He said in the post game Jalen hurts that they were playing not to lose or calling the game not to lose on offense versus the second half where they were just calling it to win. What does he mean by that? Like calling a game not to lose it?
- [88:50]
Bruce Arians
Yeah, in the first half. I think sometimes a lot of guys are very conservative. You know, we're not going to put ourselves in harm's way. Now let's get into halftime. What do we got to do to win? Win. Let's do that. All right. So I'm not going to put us in a position to lose the damn game early. Throwing it all over the place and making mistakes, and he's keeping it very close to the vest. And then when crunch time comes, they roll, they score points and they win games.
- [89:13]
Pat McAfee
Are we going to see more of what we saw in late third and fourth quarter from Jalen Hurts in this offense, you think if you're offense coordinator, does something like this empower you to call it a little bit more than maybe you would have before this performance?
- [89:24]
Bruce Arians
Probably not. With that offensive line in Saquon. I mean, they're going to start there every time until you shut it down. If you don't shut it down, you'll run it down your throat. Once they shut it down. The thing I think they have to do better is handle the blitz. The one thing that's been there, boogaboo for a little last couple years is the blitz and being able to handle the blitz.
- [89:42]
Pat McAfee
All right, so maybe people will start bringing pressure. But he's saying it's not Kevin put you blow at calling place. Okay? It's Kevin Poteau still.
- [89:49]
Darius J. Butler
Okay?
- [89:50]
Pat McAfee
And they're winning games. Let's remember that. Just like last year when everybody was coming for Coach Sirianni, they were winning. Still at that point, they go on to win Super Bowl. AJ, what are your thoughts on the three BS? No BS's, pal. I love it.
- [90:01]
A.J. Hawk
I just thinking of, like, Kevin Patuo sitting down, having a nice little lunch and looking up at the screen and seeing that graphic. Oh, man.
- [90:08]
Pat McAfee
Hey, guys, let's come on tv. Wait, what? No, but it's bs, though.
- [90:12]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah.
- [90:12]
A.J. Hawk
I hope the volume's up. He knows BA was want to suck.
- [90:16]
Pat McAfee
It's bs. We. It is not.
- [90:17]
Ty Schmidt
That's why I said we need these.
- [90:20]
Darius J. Butler
I see the circle.
- [90:21]
Pat McAfee
This one. Circle, circle.
- [90:22]
Darius J. Butler
I see.
- [90:23]
Ty Schmidt
Okay, there it is.
- [90:24]
Pat McAfee
That's bs. All right. Joining us now, no bs. He's a guy who's damn good football player. Right now he's back with the Los Angeles Chargers, and boy, it's been great to watch. Used to wear a hoodie, I think. One of the coolest dudes to ever play football, Wide receiver for Justin Herbert in the Los Angeles Chargers. Ladies and gentlemen, Keenan Allen. How you doing, man? That was bs. That wasn't. That wasn't an actual. That was. That quote was bs. I hope you saw that we're a positive place over here, Keenan.
- [90:54]
Keenan Allen
It's all good. What's going on? What's going on?
- [90:56]
Bruce Arians
How are you?
- [90:57]
Pat McAfee
How's it feel to be back over there? How's it feel to be a part of the hardball culture fully? How is life for you right now, being back home? Is that kind of how you feel? Yeah.
- [91:05]
Keenan Allen
Yeah, absolutely, man. Great. Happy to be back in the building. The Harbaugh, you know, effect is live and in effect. And, you know, I'm just happy to be a part of it.
- [91:14]
Pat McAfee
Okay, tell me about the Harbaugh effect a little bit. Obviously, we've heard stories. Everybody has shared stories in it, but is it every single day, every single meeting, every single encounter, is that why every player that plays for him respects him, inevitably? I don't think I've ever heard anybody that doesn't play for him, that has played for him, doesn't respect him. Is that why? Because it's all the time. Yeah.
- [91:33]
Keenan Allen
Yeah. 100%. There's no light switch, you know, there's on and off. There is none of that. It's always on. He's always on go mode and, you know, he's always, you know, trying to find ways to, you know, win the game, and that's what it's about.
- [91:48]
Pat McAfee
What do you see out of Herbert this year? Maybe that hasn't been seen in the past. He looks special, Special right now. Obviously, everybody has had these high hopes for him. I think Darius Butler actually became a Chargers fan because of Justin Herbert and the possibilities. What have you seen, Adam, since coming back to the Chargers? That makes you feel like, oh, we got a special guy here.
- [92:07]
Keenan Allen
Yeah, I think he's always been special. I think just being able to, you know, bring it to life and win the games. You know, early on when I was here, you know, it was kind of hard for us to win those tough games at the end of the game. But now you see us, you know, making the plays, making the game winning drives and, you know, giving ourselves a shot to win the game. And that's all hats off to Herbo, you know, doing what he does, being great, you know, he's unbelievable back there.
- [92:34]
Pat McAfee
He's fun to watch, man. Go ahead, A.J.
- [92:36]
A.J. Hawk
What'S Herbert like? I guess when cameras are we. We see how he handles the media.
- [92:40]
Pat McAfee
Like, he's.
- [92:40]
A.J. Hawk
I think it's very funny. I love how he handles himself. What's he like? I guess in the huddle, day in, day out at practice. We've seen a little bit of mic'd up with him, but not too much. Is he. He seems like a guy that I kind of the gel that holds everybody together.
- [92:52]
Keenan Allen
It feels like, yeah, 100%. He's easy. He's a people's guy. You know, he's one of the guys in the locker room. You know, we can talk to him. You know, he's always there with us, there for us, joking around, stuff like that in the huddle. You know, he's herbo. You know, he's running the show. You know, everybody kind of. He has that aura where you shut up and listen when he walks in there. So, you know, that's always good, good from a quarterback.
- [93:17]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, I like that. We like that a lot. Deebot has a question for you.
- [93:19]
Joe Budden
Love that you have been cooking with him. Seems like you guys are always on the same page with those second reaction plays, breaking the pockets, scramble drills. I want to talk about that a little bit. And then starting off 3. 0 in a division, I know looking at the skill we. You've been around the league for a long, long time. You know how important these divisional games are. Thoughts coming into the season, starting off with three divisional games and just how you and Herbo always on the same page when he's breaking that pocket.
- [93:44]
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
- [93:44]
Keenan Allen
Being able to get those three wins in the division, huge, you know, I can't even stress how big that is. That's going to show up for us, you know, late in the season, you know, when things get to crunch time and you know, we already have those three wins under our belt, so that's going to be huge. And then, you know, the off schedule plays, just trying to get open, just trying to find the green grass, knowing which way he's going and you know he can make any throw on the field, so. So if I can get to his spots, then it's a good chance he gonna put it there.
- [94:14]
Pat McAfee
Not bad. Dance here. Feel pretty good in there. Feel like you're reviving. I felt like you really hit all the marks. Do we have a plan whenever we're getting in there? Do we have the same. Yeah, yeah.
- [94:22]
Keenan Allen
I just came from the Chris Brown concert, you know, two days before that. So I'm like, I'm gonna hit me a little Chris Brown.
- [94:27]
Pat McAfee
Did you pay for that VIP picture beforehand? Nah, nah, nah, nah. Oh, yeah. I didn't know. I didn't know how big a fan we were. Coach has a question for you. Keenan.
- [94:37]
Bruce Arians
Yeah, Keenan, just watching those young wide receivers playing right now, they're playing at such a high level. It's got to be your leadership coming back. Talk to me how you're handling your room A little bit.
- [94:47]
Keenan Allen
Yeah, man, I think we do a good job of just open discussion, especially with Lad. You know, Lad. Lad's one of the guys who put it on tape last year and you know, he knows the offense more than I did when I got here. So just, just learning from him, knowing what he sees, then I kind of give him my, my, my, you know, 2 cents of how I would do it or how I, you know, see it and you know, the coach, you know, says what he says, so and just having an open discussion and everybody be on the same page. And then once we get in there and somebody else is doing the job, they know exactly what they're doing.
- [95:16]
Pat McAfee
What we're expecting everybody all in, in that building. We're in there this off season. From the pizza maker. Got a great pizza.
- [95:22]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, sweet oven.
- [95:24]
Pat McAfee
How is that? Are we eating that? Is everybody house in that pizza? It's delicious. Are you guys also helping healthy nowadays you don't even need to. Pizza.
- [95:30]
Keenan Allen
I am, I, I, I can't eat the pizza. I'm, I'm. If I eat a slice of pizza, I'm gonna be a tight end.
- [95:38]
Pat McAfee
Because if it's one slice, it's gonna be two. Yeah, yeah.
- [95:42]
Keenan Allen
You gonna eat the crush? So it's bad. You can't do it.
- [95:46]
Pat McAfee
All right, let's talk about one of the wide receivers in your room who has certainly come on this year in a massive way. Go ahead, con man.
- [95:51]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah. Keenan Quentin Johnson. This year has been un, unbelievable so far. And it felt like when he came in, when he was drafted in the first round, the expectations might have been a little ridiculous for first round receivers at the time. Kind of your fault as well because of how good you were early on. But what have you seen out of him since, you know, coming back to la, since you were gone last year? What has his process been like? That's different. And do you see this kind of turning into basically you and Prime Mike Williams? Because that's essentially what it's become. And lad McConkey is like the missing piece in the slot now.
- [96:24]
Keenan Allen
Yeah, absolutely, man. I think his confidence, you know, he's walking around with that swagger, you know, the coaches have trust in him, you know, so he, so he's able to play his game. He's not worried about, you know, messing up and things like that. So once you can get a guy out there, he knows what he's doing and he has the athletic ability that Q has, then, you know, he's going to make plays, you know. Yeah. So as soon as he starts getting into a groove and getting into the zone, things are going to start happening.
- [96:48]
Pat McAfee
Go ahead, A.J. yeah.
- [96:50]
A.J. Hawk
Obviously you spent last season with the Bears. I'm just wondering like, perspective wise, does it give you some kind of perspective of what I don't. Just a different look at the NFL. You spent what, 10, 11 years with the Chargers and then you're there for a year and now you're back. I guess I think sometimes it's good to see how other teams run their program and what they do. Like, did that give you any kind of perspective or make you even more thankful to be back?
- [97:10]
Keenan Allen
Yeah, yeah, I did. But like, like you said, I wanted to see, you know, how other teams and organizations do stuff. I thought they had a, you know, well ran organization over there in Chicago. You know, I loved it. The building was fun, the people, you know, amazing and you know, the teammates, the guys were great too. So, you know, just being around Being around that process and seeing how it was, it was different. Obviously the weather is cold, you know, a lot more trees than la, but, you know, the people made it worthwhile, so. But definitely happy to be back out here in California, for sure.
- [97:43]
Pat McAfee
So whenever you make the decision to go back, what is the convo like? Is there any awkwardness? Not at all. Everything's just copacetic as soon as you decide to go back.
- [97:52]
Keenan Allen
I.
- [97:53]
Lavonte David
Not.
- [97:53]
Keenan Allen
Not really awkward. I mean, maybe a little bit for Joe Ortiz and those guys upstairs, but, you know, the locker room was. I always love and I've always talked to those guys anyway. Even last year, watching the games, talking to Derwin Herbo, you know, keeping in touch with the guy.
- [98:08]
Pat McAfee
Tell me about the Ortiz conversation, though. I would like to hear that. That would be interesting because obviously we know him. Good dude. He was on the show with Coach Harbaugh and that was before Khalil Mack was signed and Harbaugh was literally hitting him. Go ahead and pay him. Go ahead and pay him and Ortiz. We're going to try to take care of everybody, obviously. It's interesting run over there. We love everything that they're about. Seemingly all ball. When you come back, big hug from Coach Harbaugh. And then your conversation with Ortiz, you guys have to shake hand, move on quickly.
- [98:38]
Keenan Allen
Yeah, I mean, yeah, it was no beef.
- [98:39]
Pat McAfee
It was.
- [98:39]
Keenan Allen
It was no beef. Definitely a shake hand. You know, get on. Let's. Let's just get to the locker room with my guys and, you know, get this party started. But, yeah, you know, you know, those upstairs guys, they. They like to do it their way.
- [98:52]
Pat McAfee
Exactly.
- [98:53]
Keenan Allen
Yeah, they like to do it that way.
- [98:55]
Pat McAfee
That's why I was so excited to see you back, because very rarely do you see that, especially with the bullshit that comes with everything. So you going back and obviously it working as quickly as it did. It's beautiful. Like, we're. We're big fans of that situation. Go ahead, Ty.
- [99:07]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, Keenan. One of the knocks I think people that aren't in LA have had on both the Chargers and the Rams is like, you know, there's really no home field advantage. There's so much stuff to do in la. People don't really give a about going to those games, regardless of how good the teams are. But then watching that game on Sunday, like, it.
- [99:25]
Pat McAfee
It.
- [99:25]
Ty Schmidt
It was. It came through on the TV copy, how loud and how deafening it was. Does it feel like you guys actually have a home field advantage this year in SoFi? And that kind of. Everyone understands the moment at hand. And it's like, hey, if you're a Chargers fan, like, now's the time to go. We actually do have something special this year.
- [99:43]
Keenan Allen
Yeah, absolutely. Like I said, it was. It was loud, it was rocking in there. But that was one of the. One of the things we talked about, you know, before the game. The defense just. Just, you know, getting the crowd on our side, you know, coming through clutch when we need them. And, you know, that. That right there alone will. Will make, you know, the fans stand up and scream and do what they're supposed to do on third and fourth down, stuff like that.
- [100:03]
Pat McAfee
All right, Keenan, we appreciate the hell out of. You have an incredible season. Tell Dicker, the kicker. We are big fans of his operation. What a he is. He. He's an absolute animal, dude. Maybe the greatest kicker of all time when it's all said and done. Can you talk about him a bit little?
- [100:18]
Keenan Allen
Hey, hey. That's what he does, man. He shows up the practice, he doesn't miss. And, you know, he's. He's doing his thing. He's getting his FIFA in, you know, in a short time and, you know, just keeping the. Keeping the leg clean. We're gonna keep him clean and, you know, it's time for him to win the game. That's what he going to do.
- [100:31]
Pat McAfee
Oh, that's awesome. The kicker's the greatest gamer on the team.
- [100:35]
Keenan Allen
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ping pong, FIFA. Yeah, he running the show right now.
- [100:39]
Pat McAfee
That's what the I'm talking about. That is what I'm talking about. Love everything about that. Who's all playing ping pong? How many ping pong players we got in the locker room?
- [100:50]
Keenan Allen
We got a lot. Tule K, Mac, a lot of the guys, man. Troy, Cam, just a good little amount.
- [100:58]
Pat McAfee
And Cam's running it like that. Do we got cornhole over there too, or. No, not. No, Cornhole. Okay. Cameron will win that one.
- [101:05]
Keenan Allen
Cornhole's outside of the hotel when we go to the hotel on Saturdays. Cornhole.
- [101:09]
Pat McAfee
Dicker's gonna win that one, too. From what I am gathering, I think Decker's gonna win that one, too. I love everything I'm hearing right here.
- [101:15]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah. Dicker also was the one that completed all the most difficult workouts at the Chargers facility. When we went where they had that whiteboard and it was like all those very weird.
- [101:24]
Pat McAfee
The talents.
- [101:25]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah, yeah. Spingo. He one of the only ones to complete every single one.
- [101:29]
Pat McAfee
Tell us about Coach Urban at that weight room. I know. We know the Silver Bells Club. Hilarious and awesome over there. But then there's this balancing that. We were on a foam pad trying to pick up something small. It feels like the weight room is a massive piece of the culture over there. Not that it is.
- [101:42]
Keenan Allen
Oh, yeah, absolutely. You know, her Herb is a beast, man. He's. He don't play no mess, you know, everything's intact, in order. He's. He's got it lined up, and when you come in there, it's all work.
- [101:51]
Pat McAfee
I like that. We're staying away from pizza. Yeah.
- [101:54]
Ty Schmidt
What about the ice cream?
- [101:55]
Pat McAfee
I was about to say the ice cream.
- [101:57]
Darius J. Butler
Coffee ice cream.
- [101:58]
Ty Schmidt
New flavor every day.
- [101:59]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, it's right over there. It's very accessible. You do any ice cream?
- [102:04]
Keenan Allen
They do got the soft serve up there, but I haven't touched it yet, though. But very tempting. Very tempting.
- [102:09]
Pat McAfee
Kanan, they're trying you everywhere you walk.
- [102:12]
Joe Budden
This guy's discipline.
- [102:13]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, I like that. Keep. Hey, stay focused. Stay focused, Ninja. Could be a special year out there, guy.
- [102:19]
Keenan Allen
Gotta be focused, man.
- [102:21]
Pat McAfee
Me too. I'll tell you what, though. Punter walking into that room. Pizza's right over here.
- [102:26]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah.
- [102:26]
Pat McAfee
Soft serves right over here. We hit the lotto here, boys.
- [102:30]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah, it went inside the tent on Sunday.
- [102:32]
Pat McAfee
Oh, my God. Fruit, soft serves. Yeah. Two pizzas. Unbelievable. Can't. It's too nice. The facility's too nice. You're the man. Ladies and gentlemen, Keenan Allen. Thank you, Chargers. Facility is incredible.
- [102:46]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [102:46]
Joe Budden
Awesome.
- [102:47]
Ty Schmidt
Immaculate.
- [102:48]
Joe Budden
They're right in the locker room.
- [102:49]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, right around the corner there.
- [102:50]
Pat McAfee
Hey, is he still on? Keenan. Keenan. Yeah. Hey, Dicker's running the golf sim too, or.
- [102:55]
Keenan Allen
No, no, I'm the golf sim champ.
- [102:57]
Pat McAfee
Oh, wow. Does Dicker play in there?
- [103:02]
Keenan Allen
He does play a little bit.
- [103:03]
Pat McAfee
Oh, and you. And we. You are beating Cameron Dicker at golf.
- [103:07]
Keenan Allen
We actually haven't had the duel yet. We haven't had the one on one.
- [103:10]
Pat McAfee
Okay. We need to know.
- [103:12]
Keenan Allen
But he's in there, though. He's in there.
- [103:14]
Pat McAfee
How's your game? Good?
- [103:15]
Keenan Allen
It's decent. Not good, but it's decent.
- [103:18]
Pat McAfee
What is your.
- [103:19]
Keenan Allen
Do you play on the simulator? I'm gonna shoot. I'm gonna shoot a good little 76, though, on the simulator.
- [103:24]
Ty Schmidt
It's pretty good.
- [103:24]
Pat McAfee
What's about. Give me.
- [103:28]
Keenan Allen
We own putt. We got time. Time. You land on the green, it's auto. So it might be two putt, three putt. It depends on your distance, how far you hit it from. I'm usually a one putt par. I'm dialed in.
- [103:41]
Pat McAfee
That sounds like great rules. Yeah, we love those rules.
- [103:44]
Keenan Allen
Great rules. You know, we on a Time crunch. So once you land on the green, we ain't got time to go get the putter and all that. We ain't got time.
- [103:49]
Pat McAfee
The sim needs to figure out the putting aspect of it anyways. This is the right ride.
- [103:53]
Bruce Arians
You.
- [103:53]
Pat McAfee
This is the right. All right. Ladies and gentlemen, Keenan Allen. That's golf. We need to start playing.
- [103:58]
Darius J. Butler
That's genius.
- [103:58]
Pat McAfee
No putting.
- [103:59]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, Just eliminate putting, the hardest part.
- [104:02]
Pat McAfee
No, it isn't. It's none of the game. It's what I just learned. I'm not doing it anymore. Nope. As soon as I get on the green, I'm done, brother. Now that.
- [104:10]
Joe Budden
That sucks, though. Sometimes you're like 15ft away. 17. They give you a three putt. It's like, come w. I would have two put it that one. Oh, you're saying the sim is like, as auto. Depending on, like, your sim settings. Because if you put in, like, super tough, you know, pro setting, tour, pro, whatever, you could be 17ft away. Three putt, like.
- [104:26]
Pat McAfee
Ah.
- [104:26]
Ty Schmidt
But would you rather be 15ft away and hit it? Actually 15ft and probably make it. And instead you hit it 45 yards off the green. And then because you're reading a golf.
- [104:35]
Pat McAfee
Sim, where the is that flag? I don't know. It should be perfect. Do you golf sim much?
- [104:40]
Bruce Arians
BA not very. Very little.
- [104:41]
Pat McAfee
You're always out on the actual question.
- [104:43]
Bruce Arians
I stay in warm weather where we're outside.
- [104:46]
Pat McAfee
Do you do driving range much or are you on a course?
- [104:48]
Bruce Arians
I used to hit a bunch of balls, but now my back's so bad, it's like, hit 15 or 20. Let's go play.
- [104:53]
Pat McAfee
What was your last round? What's Your score?
- [104:56]
Bruce Arians
Shot 76 yesterday morning.
- [104:58]
Ty Schmidt
That's pretty good.
- [104:59]
Darius J. Butler
Did you fall?
- [105:00]
A.J. Hawk
So did you ever three putt? You must never three putt, right?
- [105:03]
Bruce Arians
Yep, I probably did twice yesterday morning.
- [105:07]
Pat McAfee
Hold on real quick, though. That was a good question from Connor. Did you hurt yourself? Cause I know that is a question that we.
- [105:12]
Bruce Arians
That's every. Every time I play, my buddy says, not getting hurt today.
- [105:17]
Pat McAfee
It's just golfing.
- [105:18]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah.
- [105:18]
Pat McAfee
And we're not talking about from the action of golf. We're talking about the action of liquor.
- [105:22]
Bruce Arians
Yes, that's the problem.
- [105:23]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, the liquor is the problem. But it is also. It is a solution sometimes out there on the golf course.
- [105:29]
Bruce Arians
Big solution to that butter I need.
- [105:33]
Pat McAfee
I'm not.
- [105:33]
A.J. Hawk
I'm doing the golf rider cup week. It's Ryder cup week.
- [105:36]
Pat McAfee
Yes.
- [105:36]
Joe Budden
Yes, it is.
- [105:37]
Pat McAfee
Hey, look what B.A. got. Look what B.A. got on right now. Now. Yeah. USA. Hey, we're going to win this, right? We're going to win this or not?
- [105:45]
Bruce Arians
Hell, yeah. Crowd's going to be great.
- [105:47]
Pat McAfee
Are you going?
- [105:48]
Bruce Arians
No. Can't walk that much.
- [105:50]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, but we can set you up for sure. We got to be able to set you up somehow. Coach BA get you out there, need you. What is this? Every two years? Three years?
- [105:57]
Bruce Arians
Two.
- [105:57]
Darius J. Butler
Two.
- [105:58]
Pat McAfee
Every two years. And alternates from Europe back to America. Now it's in New York.
- [106:01]
Bruce Arians
It's at Beth Beig Black, which is fantastic.
- [106:04]
Pat McAfee
And we are assuming that it is going to be a rumpish environment for these Europeans.
- [106:09]
Bruce Arians
I would think so.
- [106:10]
Pat McAfee
Keegan Bradley was talking once again about, you know, not picking himself. I saw. I saw Scotty Scheffler was answering some questions. Anything else that we missed? Let's go to Hammer D. What do we need to know about the Rider Cup? Whose favorites. What should we be betting on? Like, what should we be thinking as we view the Rider cup? Other than America good. Everybody else bad. Whenever it comes this week.
- [106:30]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah. Also just for the people who, you know, definitely know and who. Who love golf, like, how's it work?
- [106:36]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Who's on the team for other people.
- [106:40]
Darius J. Butler
For other people.
- [106:41]
Tone
I know USA is minus 150 to lift the Cup.
- [106:45]
Pat McAfee
That's what I'm talking about. Now is that home field advantage?
- [106:48]
Ty Schmidt
Yes.
- [106:49]
Tone
Europe is +124. It is typically very, very hard to win on the other team's turf. It is a Beth Page Black, which is one of the hardest golf courses in the U.S. it's a U.S. open course. The rough is always a bitch. How it works, Connor. Friday and Saturday is a morning session and an afternoon session. The morning and afternoon is split between best ball, which is four guys go out. Two guys from each team. They each play their own ball. Say someone on us shoots a four. Someone else shoots a five on the US and then you get two fives on Europe, the four from the US Will get a point for that hole. And then there's alternating shot is the other call competition. So you and your partner alternating shot versus the other team. Two on two there as well. So that's Friday and Saturday and then Sunday it's one on one. Fourteen groups, I believe. Every player goes. Everyone plays against each other with someone from the other squad. And there's a point up for each one of those matches as well, I believe. And someone correct me if I'm wrong, I think you need 14 and a half points, I think to retain the cup. I could be wrong there, but some, somewhere along those lines it's kind of how it works.
- [107:54]
Pat McAfee
Okay. And D. But has a follow up question on.
- [107:56]
Joe Budden
Yeah, just some outside of the lines, a little bump in the gums in the media coming up leading to which probably always is. But Rory talks some shit about Bryson like oh, you know, the only way this guy gets attention is mentioning someone else's name.
- [108:08]
Pat McAfee
Mentioning me name. Hey up.
- [108:09]
Joe Budden
And then I believe Scotty kind of came to Bryce's defense. Like, hey, Bryce is a great teammate, great friend. Brings a lot of juice, a lot of energy into our locker room. So just something to keep an eye on.
- [108:18]
Pat McAfee
I'll be chirping in his ear this. Oh, that's Bryson. Sorry. I'll be chirping in his ear this time. Now if we go up against each other, I mean you can be sure of it says Bryson. Roy says, I think the only way Ty, what does Roy say there? What does Rory say there?
- [108:32]
Ty Schmidt
You know, But I think the only way he gets attention is by, you know, mentioning other people. This is, you know, basically what I think of that. I mean to get attention, you know. But he will mention me or Scott Body or others.
- [108:46]
Pat McAfee
Are you happy about this, Rory?
- [108:48]
Ty Schmidt
Or you know, but you know, I say but, you know, basically before every thought I have, you know, but we'll see. You know, Bryson's kind of a, a sack of bones and I, I can see myself, you know. You know, fancying a pine of Guinness after, after I take him down if, if we're matched up.
- [109:07]
Pat McAfee
Well, you know, the big thing this weekend is we got 9:30am football. Hell yeah. On Sunday.
- [109:12]
Ty Schmidt
I know.
- [109:12]
Pat McAfee
No, in, in Ireland, you know, we got Minnesota and Pittsburgh and we're gonna have Ryder cup happening at the same time. I'm a little bit worried about how we're gonna watch all this. Saturday college football slate. Incredible.
- [109:25]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, I didn't even thought this, this is gonna.
- [109:27]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, we got football all day.
- [109:29]
Bruce Arians
Multi view day.
- [109:30]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah. Quad box.
- [109:31]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah, this is one of the best.
- [109:32]
Pat McAfee
What is it gonna replace? I, I, I would like to know.
- [109:35]
Joe Budden
Tv.
- [109:36]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah, it's not multi view. It's attitude TV day. Yeah, it's that, that debut nailed it. If you don't have three TVs at, in this day and age, I mean you might as well just be recruiting with the nil God like Dabo Sweeney because you need cash, you need more TVs these days in order to watch all these sports, especially if it's rock.
- [109:54]
Pat McAfee
I understand what you're saying. Rocker cup weekend. Certainly need to add another tv. But can we not do this before to. It needs to be right after the Tour Championship, right. Mid August. Biggest is when Ryder cup should be. It's when everyone cares about golf anyway. I have no idea why it's during football season.
- [110:09]
Ty Schmidt
I do like that it's a little bit colder, though. Even though it's, you know, warm right now.
- [110:15]
Darius J. Butler
No, just.
- [110:15]
Ty Schmidt
I think it. It brings out a little bit of the feistiness because they're playing so early.
- [110:20]
Pat McAfee
A.J. you're a rider cup winner. What are your thoughts on how the team looks this year? And I like.
- [110:25]
A.J. Hawk
I like the time of year. I think it's a great changeup. All of a sudden we forgot golf was a thing. And then bam.
- [110:29]
Pat McAfee
It's right.
- [110:29]
A.J. Hawk
It is hard to watch it at times, but I love it. I. I think it's great. I hope the crowd is crazy. I. I was just listening or watching the video of Keegan rallying the troops and talking to the boys and seeing the videos, them walking through the tunnel out to the first te. Like, it's going to be. It's going to be awesome.
- [110:44]
Tone
I think it's.
- [110:45]
A.J. Hawk
I think both teams are pumped.
- [110:46]
Tone
I think it's. The NFL scheduled a game this Sunday.
- [110:48]
Joe Budden
This early. Okay, who's calling?
- [110:51]
Pat McAfee
Again, this goes in America win. Okay.
- [110:53]
Darius J. Butler
Oh, it's a big putt. Hey, hey. You got this. One of four. No. Yeah, turn around. Just knock it right in that one.
- [111:00]
Pat McAfee
No, no. Turn around. Sorry, boys. Oh, no.
- [111:07]
Darius J. Butler
Sorry.
- [111:07]
A.J. Hawk
Get aggressive. Good aggressive.
- [111:09]
Pat McAfee
We all know that's not my butter.
- [111:11]
Darius J. Butler
I was gonna say get. Get the real one.
- [111:14]
A.J. Hawk
Yeah, that one's super cool. Well, that's not the part.
- [111:24]
Darius J. Butler
All right, grab your actual putter.
- [111:26]
Ty Schmidt
Come on. Quit jacking around.
- [111:27]
Darius J. Butler
I'm sick of these. Oh, get this other butter. There it is. There's the actual one.
- [111:33]
Pat McAfee
This is the actual butter for America.
- [111:38]
Darius J. Butler
See you at the podium.
- [111:40]
Pat McAfee
Boom. Boom. There it is. There it is. We won.
- [111:43]
Ty Schmidt
We did it.
- [111:44]
Pat McAfee
Usa. Usa. Usa. Now this, from what I've heard, is like a Bruce Arians golf round here. Clubs just kind of scattered everywhere.
- [111:55]
Bruce Arians
There's not enough water. It might be in the bottom of the lake.
- [111:58]
Pat McAfee
All right, what are some things we haven't chatted about, CD Lamb could miss three to four weeks with a high left ankle sprain. Yeah, that's the injuries right now.
- [112:07]
Darius J. Butler
Crazy Tyler Booker for them as well.
- [112:09]
Pat McAfee
They're starting guard four to six weeks, they're saying for him, I mean, injuries in abundance very early here in the NFL season. Coach BA actually sent me a text and was like, hey, can you ask Stack guys if there's more people on IR now than normal in regular season stuff. I don't think there's a change in number or anything too wonky is the way I was told from Himbo. But it does feel like big names. There's a lot more big names hurt earlier than thought. That's what you were kind of leading to. Yeah.
- [112:36]
Bruce Arians
When McD was down, Mike Evans went down with a hamstring. Hopefully not too serious, but too many really stars. We're missing too many stars. And I hate to see it cuz these. These guys are the game.
- [112:46]
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
- [112:47]
Joe Budden
I Bosa.
- [112:48]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah, Bosa.
- [112:48]
Bruce Arians
Bos out for the year.
- [112:49]
Tone
James Connor, huge one.
- [112:51]
Darius J. Butler
Conor's done for the year.
- [112:52]
Pat McAfee
That was nasty over there. I'm happy they didn't re. Air that on tv. They reran it in the stadium. They said. And you heard a. That's a tough call. Yeah.
- [113:00]
Darius J. Butler
Normalize doing that. I really appreciate when they don't replay the gross.
- [113:04]
Pat McAfee
They ran it on red zone. They. They didn't run the replay.
- [113:07]
Tone
Yeah. So they didn't have it. And then later. What's his name? Thank you. Scott Hansen came back and said, oh, we do have the replay. If you don't want to watch it, here it is.
- [113:17]
Joe Budden
Come on, Scott.
- [113:18]
Pat McAfee
Well, Scott's trying to keep up with the Internet's got it.
- [113:21]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah.
- [113:22]
Pat McAfee
Pretty important.
- [113:23]
Darius J. Butler
Probably saying, show me.
- [113:25]
Pat McAfee
We just hope everybody stays healthy. I. If this goes in last punt. This doesn't. No point. Injury.
- [113:31]
Bruce Arians
Holy.
- [113:32]
Pat McAfee
Oh, yeah.
- [113:32]
Darius J. Butler
N. Here too big P. Oh, yeah. N. Come on, man.
- [113:35]
Pat McAfee
For the good of the boys. The good of the boys.
- [113:41]
Ty Schmidt
Oh, hit the other ball.
- [113:42]
Pat McAfee
Hit the other ball. Hit the other ball. It's giving me no more injuries.
- [113:45]
Bruce Arians
That's it.
- [113:46]
Pat McAfee
Football gods just. I don't know. I don't know. You burnt the edge on that one.
- [113:50]
Bruce Arians
Yeah.
- [113:51]
Pat McAfee
They. I don't want to see it, though. Yeah, I know there was. So. I should have made that punt. It wasn't really me, though. It was football. God's putting there.
- [113:57]
Darius J. Butler
Throw a football for the football. That's why.
- [113:59]
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
- [113:59]
Darius J. Butler
Golf for a football.
- [114:01]
Pat McAfee
No. Duh.
- [114:03]
Bruce Arians
Don't ask New York for a replay.
- [114:06]
Pat McAfee
They suck.
- [114:07]
Ty Schmidt
You did set your feet there.
- [114:08]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah. Bruce was talking 10 seconds.
- [114:12]
Pat McAfee
You got it. You got it. Oh, we'll see you tomorrow, man. That's how the show still ended. Pretty good ending. Yeah. That's a tough shot. Very dramatic. It was. People are wondering. I know. Holy. That's good. Teaser.
- [114:35]
Joe Budden
Bummed out.
- [114:36]
Pat McAfee
That's really good. I was bummed out. It was tough shots. Yeah. All right, let's get to a break. We got to wrap everything up at the end. And when we come back on the other side, it's going to be the greatest conversation about the greatest things we've ever had. Ain't that right?
- [114:49]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah, absolutely.
- [114:50]
Pat McAfee
Especially because our lan David will be joining us.
- [114:53]
Darius J. Butler
Okay.
- [114:54]
Pat McAfee
Awesome.
- [114:54]
Darius J. Butler
Awesome.
- [114:55]
Pat McAfee
Hell yeah. Hey. He's number eight ranked linebacker tackler in the history of the NFL. Eighth overall.
- [115:02]
Bruce Arians
Unbelievable play.
- [115:03]
Pat McAfee
Ray Lewis, I think has the most at 20, 59 tackles. And is it London Fletcher has like 20, 39 tackles.
- [115:10]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah. And I forget how the stats work with the playoffs. Playoffs and excluding playoffs, because it's so annoying how they do that official.
- [115:17]
Pat McAfee
Whatever the case, he's top eight. He's got 1600 some or 1700. He's still flying. It's a lot of tactics still flying around. So one of the greatest football players of all time will join us here in a matter of moments. And also obviously a man the BA knows very well. We cannot wait to chat with Avante and also put a bigger spotlight on his Tampa Bay Buccaneers team. They got a lot of grit.
- [115:35]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah, they do. And John, lot of jobs on paper.
- [115:39]
Pat McAfee
Feels like they're a team that we want to root for. For. And if we can get another boat parade out there. Oh, hell yeah. Come on, boys. We're throwing Lombardis from boat to boat. Is there any, any sharks out there with you guys?
- [115:50]
Bruce Arians
There are a few bull sharks in that one.
- [115:52]
Pat McAfee
Okay. All right. I'm happy they got to celebrate a Lombardi as well. Now the bull sharks understand what super bowl is all about, which is who's going to get it. We shall see. The first Volvo car arrived in the US in 1955.
- [116:05]
A.J. Hawk
Ever since, we've helped lead the way.
- [116:07]
Bruce Arians
In safety innovations, making summer memories safer for generations.
- [116:12]
Pat McAfee
Celebrate 70 years with us. Visit your local Volvo retailer for the.
- [116:15]
A.J. Hawk
Summer safely bonus event.
- [116:18]
Pat McAfee
This episode is brought to you by State Farm.
- [116:21]
Keenan Allen
Checking off the boxes on your to.
- [116:22]
Pat McAfee
Do list is a great feeling. And when it comes to checking off coverage, a State Farm agent can help you choose an option that's right for you. Whether you prefer talking in person on the phone or using the award winning app app. It's nice knowing you have help finding coverage that best fits your needs. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.
- [116:47]
Joe Budden
Football.
- [116:49]
Pat McAfee
Ladies and gentlemen, that's A.J. hawk to my left. That's 47 year football coach Bruce Arians right there. Nine year NFL vet Darius J. Butler is there the toxic table at Boston Connor and at Ty Schm. Live from Hammer, Don Don is one half of the Hammer, Don Cowboys. AP Tone. And joining us live from beautiful Sonny Tampa Bay Florida. His man is a 14 year NFL vet. He's currently the 8th leading linebacker tackler in the history of the NFL. Currently on the season, has 22 tackles, one and a half sacks. He's all over the place. Ladies and gentlemen, an absolute stallion linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Levonte Davis. How you doing, man?
- [117:34]
Lavonte David
I'm good, man. How y' all doing? Appreciate you for having me.
- [117:37]
Pat McAfee
Hey, no problem. Thank you for joining us. We're not undefeated, you know, we. We get some losses. You guys undefeated down there? How does it feel down in Tampa Bay? BA Tells us it's a magical feeling down there. Feels like all the pieces are back in the right place. Are you feeling that as well with this Tampa Bay Buccaneers team?
- [117:53]
Lavonte David
Yeah, man, it is definitely feeling good. My guy B.A. i'm sure he giving y' all all the details about Tampa. Tampa, but definitely feeling good, man. We off to a good hot start, you know what I'm saying? A lot of resiliency been shown these past couple of weeks, but hopefully, you know, we can make those easy. These next couple of wins be more easier.
- [118:11]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, a lot of cardiac situations. Four straight fourth quarter comebacks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Obviously, Baker Mayfield getting heralded there on the defensive side of the ball, making stops in critical moments as well. It's your sixth year, I do believe if we did our math right in a Bulls defense, what is it like at this stage of being in the same defense or understanding the same language for you and how do you think the defense as a whole is doing?
- [118:33]
Lavonte David
I think we're doing better, man. I think we came a long way from when we first, you know, came about, especially starting from training camp to now. Like you said, man, this being my. I believe it's seven. Honestly, I think it's my 70th year in this defense and I'm kind of like that. That guy, you know, when questions need to be asked and guys get asked, coaches, they come to me, you know, so it's definitely. I'm comfortable in it, you know, I know what Coach Bose expects from everybody that's out there. And when I'm out there, man, I just try to figure out what he thinking about. So, you know, I kind of like try to beat him to the punch when you want to make a call and stuff like that.
- [119:07]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, you're triple OG out there, bro. You're the ace leading linebacker tackler in NFL history. 14 years. You've been around a long Time. Love that you're taking on that leadership role and have for a long time. Go ahead, A.J.
- [119:18]
A.J. Hawk
Yeah, I want to talk about your quarterback a little bit. Baker Mayfield. Obviously, everyone loves the guy and loves how he competes. What was it like competing against him in training camp and what's it like being around him every single day and seeing how he leads this team kind of offensively?
- [119:30]
Lavonte David
It's always fun to go against Baker, man. You know, he's somebody who, when you trip at him, he's going to trip back, and it's amazing, you know what I'm saying? You don't want to. You don't want to go out there and be talking, talking trash to somebody and you feel like you're just talking to yourself. Now he gonna give it back to you and then he gonna try to compete with you and stuff like that. So it's definitely fun, you know, seeing him taking that same edge that we have in practice onto the field. And you see it, you've seen it for the past couple of weeks, man. You know, Baker got that fiery edge. One thing about him, once you talk trash to him, that gets them going. And for the most part, that's like when people talk trash to defensive players. When you get us going, you know, we want to. We have that killer instinct. And the same thing with him, when you're talking trash to him. Him, he clicked to a different mold. And that's what I love about him.
- [120:10]
Pat McAfee
You don't want to wake him up, you know, and I like that about people. On that note, cj, GJ has been released from the Houston Texans. Yeah. That is actual news. That's breaking news. Cj, GJ has been released from the Texans. The reason why that comes up here is because obviously Baker Mayfield down, we think maybe bruised patella, maybe. And then cj, GJ says something and he gives up. Like he. Shawn Michael. What was that? And obviously does what he do. It's feels like it's a special place down there for Baker, and it's obviously a special place for you down there as well. Connor has a question for you.
- [120:43]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah, levante, the last three years you've been doing one year contracts and, you know, you're 35. I'm sure that was more so just, you know, based on how the body feels and everything. But what is it like now towards the end of your career, kind of with the process of everything, other things you've picked up over these last few years that you kind of didn't maybe realize early on in your career now that you are later in your career and are there some days you go in there and just appreciate the entire process a little more, since it is, you know, you're 15, 14.
- [121:13]
Lavonte David
Yeah, I think that's the main thing, man. Just appreciating the whole thing more. You know, me coming in as a young guy, you know, all I just worried about was just, you know, football, football, football sticking into that. And then, you know, now as I get older, I just kind of understand the dynamics of the whole game and the important relationships and, you know, getting to know people around you. And I think Jason and the guys been. Been doing a great job of just, you know, being transparent with guys, being transparent with me in particular about, you know, what they expect from me and how they view me when I come into the building and stuff like that. And then, you know, it's just been real good, you know, dialogue going back and forth on how we going to treat these years or whatever, whatever those years is, you know, year in and year out and how we're gonna move forward from that. But, you know, I think it just. What keeps me coming back, man, is just, you know, just the transparency from those guys. And then obviously, man, the relationship that you build in the building, you know, me being there for 14 years, you know, I'm the the longest tenured guy there. So it's definitely been, you know, kind of like fun just getting to know everybody even more.
- [122:14]
Pat McAfee
A lot of different eras of Tampa Bay Buccaneers football. Yeah. That you've been through. Let me read this list of the top eight total tacklers, because I got sent this stat about you this morning, and I'm like, damn, I don't think anybody knows that. More people should. Ray Lewis, London Fletcher, Bobby Wagner, Junior Seow, Jesse Tuggle, Zach Thomas, Derek Brooks, Levante David. Okay, that's the. That's the. The list. Hey, man, good. It all worked out, bro. It all worked out. Now I know you're still in the middle of it, so we can't just do as much reflecting and we got to worry about the day to day. But on that note, D, Bud has a question for you.
- [122:52]
Joe Budden
Yeah, you talked about 14 years, a lot of that. I mean, we always talk about your best ability being availability. 14 years. What have you been doing to take care of your body, not only during the season, during the off season. And are there any other goals out there you've obviously won a Super Bowl. Any other goals, career goals that you have that you maybe want to meet before you hang it up?
- [123:13]
Lavonte David
Yeah, man. The first part of the question is, man, what I try to do is give my body a little rest as far as, like, physical activity, you know what I'm saying? So the most thing I do is probably do a little cardio and things like that. You got to keep your wind up when you're playing this game. Kind of keep my endurance going. And then at the. As the off season progress, you know, I kind of like, figure out what I need to work on more, like what's hurting me more and things like that. And I kind of work on that throughout the process. And then by the time, you know, spring or summer come around, I can get into the, you know, the hard weights and the, The. The explosive lifting and. And then the full sprints and stuff like that. And then, you know, just throughout the season, I just been trying to, I do just be transparent with the training staff and the people who I work with about just, you know, my, you know, lowering my workload and stuff like that. But I'm a guy who, you know, BA could tell you this, man. I'm a guy who, like, I. I need practice, you know what I'm saying? I don't feel right if I don't have practice, practice, you know what I'm saying? Like, some. They had to. Sometimes they have to tell me, like, nah, man, you can't practice today. Things like that. But that. That just me, you know what I'm saying? So I just, I just. That's just how much I love the game. And like, I, like, I just try to be overly prepared as much as I can, as much as possible. And then, you know, just. It just. Just goals and stuff like that, man. Like, really no goals in particular, man. Like I always say, man, once I stop loving again of football, I'll be done playing the game of football. And right now I'm still in love with it. I'm still having fun with it. You know, as you can see, we all took 30 start, so that's extremely fun for me. I never been in this situation before, so I'm taking advantage of it for sure, but definitely loving what we doing, and I think we can be a championship team this year.
- [124:50]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, it's extremely rare to be 3 0, and that's strictly good times down there in Tampa, I would assume at this point. You know, I don't know about goals and scats. I don't know if that's how you say stats or not with that type of lingo, but there was one that might have been left on the board. Coach BA Actually Has a question, bro.
- [125:10]
Bruce Arians
How long you been on the Jugs machine? The last two weeks. You stole. You stole Vita's interception and you dropped.
- [125:16]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [125:17]
Lavonte David
He'd been.
- [125:18]
Bruce Arians
I know he's wearing you out about.
- [125:19]
Lavonte David
It, too, you know?
- [125:20]
Joe Budden
Yeah.
- [125:21]
Lavonte David
Since that day. Since that day, I haven't heard about. I haven't heard of from, you know, him. Just trash talking. Then he recovered a fumble this past week, and we get on the sideline talking about something. I could have had two turnovers so far.
- [125:35]
Bruce Arians
One thing I want people to know, the thing I love about you most is I did have to make you take a day off.
- [125:41]
Pat McAfee
Right.
- [125:41]
Bruce Arians
Because he would never take a day off. And that's what the great ones do. And one of the greatest to ever play the game.
- [125:46]
Pat McAfee
BA when you get to that building, obviously we see the success that you guys end up having, having him in the building. Building, though, is a massive piece of that entire building up of the foundation of the entire franchise again.
- [125:55]
Bruce Arians
Oh, totally. He'll know. He'll tell you that I rely a lot on my veterans, and this guy was in my office because I brought him up there. What do we got to do? You know, I want to hear it from the vets, and no one ever bullshitted me anything. Levante was the best one.
- [126:12]
Pat McAfee
Oh, that's awesome. Hey, I don't know if you ever got to hear that Levante. A lot of. A lot of Levante David celebration happening here. Take these flowers hours, brother. You deserve it. You've obviously worked your ass off for them all. He was very pumped you were coming on the show, as were we. Yeah. And what is it like, B.A. bowles? Who else? Who else were some coaches that you've had? What has it been like through all the eras of the Tampa Bay. Yeah, yeah.
- [126:34]
Lavonte David
I mean, obviously, you know, me coming out my first couple years, I had Gretchen, so I was. That whole situation. I felt like I was in college still, so, you know, I didn't really feel like, understand what it was like to be in the league week, you would say. And then.
- [126:47]
Pat McAfee
Yes, we would say. Everybody was saying, yeah, yeah, yeah, we taking a knee or. No, we're not.
- [126:52]
Bruce Arians
Yeah.
- [126:53]
Lavonte David
And then. Yeah, and then going to Lovey Smith, you know, a lot of ups and downs those two years, and then going on to dirt Carter. You know, it was pretty smooth, but we didn't have a, you know, identity as a football team. We didn't have no real culture. And then, you know, when Coach BA Got hired, you know, he could probably tell. He could tell you this too. You know, I thought about leaving.
- [127:12]
Pat McAfee
Leaving.
- [127:13]
Lavonte David
I reached out to Jason, man, saying like, you know, I know you guys bringing in a new head coach, it may be time for me to leave and try something different. And I mean, like a couple hours later, a few moments later, I got on the phone with BA and changed my mind asap. And when he got there, I definitely, you know, I figured out what it was like to be an NFL football player. You know, with him coming in, changing the culture and just re establishing a foundation as a football team and me falling in love with the game all over again. I can definitely tell to say that Coach BA like, helped me with that. And then me, all my first seven, eight years I played in the four, three defense. And then when Coach Bowles came, I was a little, you know, wasn't too sure about that. And then got a chance to sit down with Coach Bowles and kind of like pick his brain about certain things. And I got a chance to get into it and I've been having fun ever since. So I definitely, you know, thank B.A. and Bowles, man. Those guys definitely, you know, helped me fall in love with the game again.
- [128:10]
Pat McAfee
That's a cool football life right there. Yeah. Yeah, that is a very cool football B. That's got to feel good to hear from one of your players. I mean, we're having good moments right now.
- [128:17]
Bruce Arians
It's awesome. You know, and I had the great honor of being there this weekend and the guys from 76 and I sat in the room with Hardy Nickerson and Derek Brooks and now you. I mean, that's, that's the chain of command. Hardy Nickerson handed it to Derek Brooks, Derek Brooks handed it to Levante. I'm worried who you going to hand it to? You got to stay for a couple more years, man. We got to, we got to find.
- [128:36]
Pat McAfee
Somebody for you to hand it to. Yeah, but let's keep running up those one year deals. Yeah, fully guaranteed tackle. That's the business. We like that. Let's talk about the team you guys have right now. There's a young guy from Ohio State that's seemingly very captivating. Go ahead, con man.
- [128:49]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah. Levante. One of the stories of the season so far has been Mecca Buka and you know, he's made already highlight catches. Should have had another one that they didn't call a catch, which is ridiculous. That one was filthy. The other one on the sideline was ridiculous. Coming from you. I mean, everything that's happened during this conversation has been amazing. Let alone you talking about falling Back in love with the game. But as one of Those guys, triple OG, hall of Famer, top 10 in tackles in NFL history. Have you ever seen a rookie pick up the game like a Mecca? Buka it feels like what he's done in college has translated to the NFL seamlessly. And he is unbelievable. Once Godwin gets back, I assume he's going to be even better.
- [129:32]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, yeah.
- [129:33]
Lavonte David
I mean, I got asked the question before and I always say, man, when I first saw Chris, he was in a similar aspect, but Chris didn't get the opportunity right away because we had desean Jackson and things like that, so. And then like just seeing a Mecca come in and just drill guys with questions and just the way he go about his business, the way he handles everything, you know, I used to watch the film, you know, though I roster, I watched the Ricky minicamp camp and then I watched, you know, OTAs and all that stuff when I wasn't around. So I just got a chance to see like, okay, you know, this kid, like he's getting it, like they, everybody's gravitating to him. Baker is feeding in the ball, so he must be doing something right. And then I got a chance to see in the training camp, he's a kid. We don't even call him a rookie, man. He's definitely, you know, oh, no, too.
- [130:18]
Pat McAfee
Much compliments, too many compliments back. Yeah, we lost you there for a second. You were complimenting him mightily and then it cut off because you're too nice to a rookie, even though you don't consider him a rookie is what you were saying. It got cut off, but you're saying all good things about him. Literally since the day he got to Tampa.
- [130:34]
Lavonte David
Yeah, since the day he got to Tampa. Man, he carried himself like a vet. And like I said, man, we don't even look at him as a rookie no more. He's helping us big time. And the way he do things, the way he carries himself on and off the field, he's a man of God. He's always working on, working on himself, just trying to be better and better and trying to help us win. And it shows goes, man, you know, Baker's finding them, you know, that means, you know he's doing something right. When your veteran quarterback have a lot of confidence in you, what did Baker.
- [130:59]
Pat McAfee
Say about the one handed catch that he disrespected his ball. Yeah, yeah, disrespect my ball.
- [131:03]
Lavonte David
Yeah, disrespect my ball, man. Catch it with next time. Catch with two hand next Time rookie.
- [131:09]
Pat McAfee
Then he went around and said, I told the rookie needs to catch that with two hands, you know, because people are gonna think that was a bad ball because he won one hand, that that was a good ball. It's like, as long as he's catching it, who cares? And if he's that confident, let me go ahead and snag that thing special, man. He was number two at Ohio State. Number two at Ohio State every year that he was there. Had to block, had to do the shitty routes, like, had to do the tough jobs. And now he's spectacular for Tampa Bay. AJ Has a question for you.
- [131:35]
A.J. Hawk
Yeah, Monte, being In the league 14 years, you've kind of seen different eras of offenses and how they try to attack defenses. You know, there's spread them out. We always seen that. Sometimes I think now it's starting to get a little bit, bit more downhill trying to be able to pound the ball with what the Eagles were able to do last year. Like, do you take pride in being able to last that long and be so durable and play and start every single game? Like you're able to obviously play in the box, go downhill with the best of them, but also spread you out and you can play in space. Is that something that you've, like, you've actually thought about as you've gotten older because you continue to play at such a high level in all different aspects?
- [132:06]
Lavonte David
Yeah, I mean, honestly, man, that's something that I always think about, you know what I'm saying? I wanted to prove that, you know, you guys keep signing me to these contracts. I want y', all, I want to prove that I can still play the game at a high level. You know, no matter how younger the talent gets, just know that I'm still going to come out there and do my best and do do my part. And like you said, man, nowadays the offenses try to do things to kind of like get you, you know, try to out leverage you and stuff like that defensively. And so, you know, for me, you know, it's all a mind game for me. So I love those mind games. I love facing challenging offenses. So they help me, you know, kind of like help my game as much as I can. And when they try to get you in space and things like that, you know, I just wanted to show that I still can make those tackles just like the, the younger guys and stuff like that. So even when, when they get to a physical football game, I still want to let. You want to let y' all know that I can still, I can still bring it. You know, I still remember last year we was playing the Chargers, you know, Chargers was down here running the football team, and I made a couple plays, and coach Larry Foot, he had to put to the side, say, hey, man, you ain't. You ain't young no more. You got to chill out with us, all that. So, you know, that right there kind of like, you know, kind of like, you know, boosted me a little bit, like, okay, I still got it. You know what I'm saying? So just because the game kind of did go away from that a little bit, and now you're getting back to the physical football. So that's what I love to see.
- [133:17]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, you got former teammates coaching and people you played against now. And I assume there's gonna come a time soon where you're gonna be playing with somebody's kid that you played alongside. And every play just. I'm not old. I'm not old. I'm not old. I'm not old. Eat it. Eat it. I love everything. Whatever motivates you to be great. Obviously, it's working. Coach has a question for you.
- [133:35]
Bruce Arians
Yeah. I know you were surprised, but I thought Tyrod Taylor played his tail off in that game, man, and I know you guys were. You do not sleep on him. And you chased him around all day and gone day, and he played really good for him. But, yeah, I just want to give him some props. But for you, chasing him all day is still amazing. Amazing to watch you play, man.
- [133:56]
Pat McAfee
Oh, look at this. You're not old. Yeah. You're not old.
- [134:00]
Lavonte David
Yeah, I don't know. I might be, man. I missed him three times.
- [134:03]
Pat McAfee
I didn't bring that. I didn't say that. You said that. All right, let's talk about. Go ahead.
- [134:09]
Lavonte David
He slipped right on my hands three times. So, yeah, he's still doing.
- [134:14]
Joe Budden
He still got it.
- [134:14]
Pat McAfee
Hey, there's a lot of guys that still got it in the league right now will jump over you backwards. Go ahead.
- [134:19]
Ty Schmidt
Ty Kaylavante. This week, you guys got the Eagles on Sunday. Now, I mean, obviously you've played for as long as you have. I don't think you're really losing sleep over any, you know, any team that you're going to play. But with the challenges they present with Saquon and Jaylen Herz and that offensive line, what does that prep look like? And it. I don't know if anyone's told you this, but when it comes to the tush push, like, you can start moving early, too, because they're going to do it several Times and they're probably not going to call it. So, you know, you could kind of shoot your gun whenever you want to on the that.
- [134:47]
Lavonte David
Yeah, I'm up to date on what's going on with the Tush push, man. We was one of the teams that stopped it, so I ain't tripping about it. Yeah, but you know those guys present the different challenges, man, all over the field. You know, like you said, man, they got sacron, they got A.J. brown, they got Devontae Smith, they got Goddard. You know, they got a lot of playmakers, man, obviously starting with Jalen Hurst. It's gonna be a fun football game. You know, we've been seeing these guys a lot of. They've been sending us a lot. So I expect nothing less than a four quarter battle. Like I said, man, like these type of games, you know, bring the best statue and I'm definitely looking forward to it.
- [135:23]
Pat McAfee
So you went through the CTE era. Yep. Then to the Spread them out era. Now we're in the guardian cap era. Yeah. AJ started this entire thing. Aj, anything to say about the ability to evolve throughout the different eras? Because we know you were the first one to put that guardian cap on your helmet, aj, so we appreciate you doing that.
- [135:43]
A.J. Hawk
No, I wasn't. But Levante could play in any, any era. I think that's the greatest thing. You could throw him back in the 50s and he would still be bashing dude skulls in.
- [135:51]
Pat McAfee
Are you wearing a guardian cap on game day or just a practice Levante?
- [135:55]
Lavonte David
Only at practice. And if the guardian cap true because of you, aj, Come on, man.
- [135:59]
Joe Budden
Come on, man. It is true.
- [136:01]
Pat McAfee
It is true.
- [136:02]
A.J. Hawk
Do not let Pat, Pat tries to tell people, people, I drink my piss and all this stuff. So no, you know, whatever, to each his own. Whatever you want to do. But how does it feel? For real, what's it feel like hitting somebody with that arm?
- [136:14]
Lavonte David
Yeah, I mean we, we have to wear it in training camp and then, you know, in training camp, you know, you got the 907 drills and you want to hear. When you get a 907, you want to hear the pass clapping. But you can't hear it with a guardian cap and it sounds so soft. So you can't really gauge and tell or nothing like that. But it's definitely, definitely protect you though. I would say that. I mean, nobody really have an issue with it. We have a player who wears it, but they doing a better job with the helmets and things like that. Helmets that getting approved by the league. So some people have the more up to date helmets. Don't have to wear it in practice and things like that, but for the most part, it's doing what it's supposed to do, I would say.
- [136:49]
Pat McAfee
We need you to put a couple guardian caps on. Remember, two helmet condoms. Better than one one.
- [136:56]
Ty Schmidt
Exactly.
- [136:57]
Pat McAfee
That's what they say.
- [136:58]
Darius J. Butler
Their lineman might have two on. He's got the biggest at Tampa.
- [137:01]
Joe Budden
Yeah.
- [137:04]
Pat McAfee
Guardian cap. Had to put three guardian caps together for that guy.
- [137:06]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [137:07]
Pat McAfee
Unbelievable. All right, man. Well, good luck on your next 14 years of your NFL career, I guess. Seems like that is just going forever. And we appreciate your time.
- [137:16]
Lavonte David
Yeah. Appreciate y', all, man. We'll see how what next year brings, but we're gonna worry about this year right now, man. Appreciate y'.
- [137:21]
Pat McAfee
All. Hey, man, that's super bowl champion and future hall of Famer Levante Davis. Yeah.
- [137:25]
Darius J. Butler
Levante.
- [137:27]
Pat McAfee
Hey, that had to be pretty cool. That was sick.
- [137:29]
Bruce Arians
That was. That was awesome.
- [137:30]
Pat McAfee
Anytime one of your players says, like, hey, everything you were doing worked, that has to be pretty fulfilling. Legit. Said he found his love for football.
- [137:37]
Joe Budden
Want to leave?
- [137:38]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, get me out of here. Maybe the game we played 10 years.
- [137:40]
Darius J. Butler
Of college, I feel bad for the guy. I don't know what they're talking about. About being in the league. I mean, this is the same as college, you know, we're not allowed to.
- [137:48]
Pat McAfee
Smile walking off the field, and we're diving to people's knees while they're kneeling it down in the NFL.
- [137:54]
Darius J. Butler
Start practice with, we got $200 million.
- [137:57]
Pat McAfee
Right there, and we're just diving at the knees of it.
- [137:59]
Joe Budden
We asked maniacs back in the Big east days. Cu, Shano, Rucker's Big East. Brian Kelly, Cincinnati, Levitt, South Florida, Rich Rod, West Virginia. Jeez.
- [138:09]
Tone
Wow.
- [138:11]
Pat McAfee
Obviously a weapon. If we could have got Maryland in the biggies. Kept them in the biggies with big fridge.
- [138:18]
Ty Schmidt
Ralph Freeze.
- [138:19]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Big fridge. Him and Rich almost got into it one time. I. I'm thinking there's a chance that I'm not bringing up the money.
- [138:28]
Darius J. Butler
Did him and Mangino ever get into it?
- [138:31]
Pat McAfee
That would have looked like Andy Reid, but instead of Travis, Kelsey would have.
- [138:34]
Ty Schmidt
Been Andy Reid against Andy Reid.
- [138:36]
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
- [138:36]
Ty Schmidt
Doing the seismic activity.
- [138:38]
Pat McAfee
How'd you feel about that, Andy, Travis, Kelsey having a little bit of a bump on the sideline.
- [138:41]
Bruce Arians
Hey, it's. That's. It's bald man. Happens on the sideline. Hey. Neither one of them have any animosity towards the other one. They love each other. It's just. And you know that that only happens out of love.
- [138:53]
Pat McAfee
Yes. Can only have good relationship and have.
- [138:55]
Bruce Arians
That happen because if it's a bad relationship, they're throwing blows.
- [138:59]
Pat McAfee
What do you think he's saying? You think he's telling him to wake up if you had to just guess. Now obviously he won't tell us. We will never know. I'm sure NFL Films has it and Andy Reid maybe is said, don't let it out. Or maybe at some point we'll see it in a documentary in the future, whatever it is. What do you think he's saying to him there? Is there a moment to say, like, hey, wake the fuck up or something like that on the sideline?
- [139:15]
Bruce Arians
Oh, yeah, definitely. I mean, you got to go, you got your stars. You got to get on your stars ass so you can get on everybody else's ass. You know, if I'm jumping his ass, all them other cats go, oh, shit, he getting Travis. He gonna get me too. And but yeah, it was a good moment.
- [139:28]
Pat McAfee
I thought Chiefs dynasty is not dead.
- [139:32]
Bruce Arians
No, no.
- [139:33]
Pat McAfee
And that's bs no, that's no bs. Bs no, he said that's no bs.
- [139:40]
Bruce Arians
He's just disagreeing.
- [139:42]
Pat McAfee
Oh, you're saying.
- [139:43]
Darius J. Butler
I did not.
- [139:44]
Pat McAfee
You're disagreeing with BA On BS or no bs?
- [139:46]
Darius J. Butler
I don't think that. I don't think the dynasty's dead. I agree with them, but I think they this year they're fucked. I think they're shit out of luck.
- [139:53]
Pat McAfee
We had an incredible opportunity to catch up with new Indianapolis Cross Colt because I think the Colts are definitely a story I'd like to hear you chitchat about, especially what's going on. Nice little renaissance kind of rebirth of the Indianapolis Colts. And we got a chance to catch up with Cam, bond him early. We're going to run the entire thing or release the entire thing tomorrow. It was a great convo. This is what he basically had to said about the leadership in the building. And then obviously I can't wait to hear everybody's response.
- [140:18]
Lavonte David
There's so many vets on the team.
- [140:19]
Joe Budden
So everybody's comfortable talking, but nobody talks.
- [140:23]
Lavonte David
Too much to where it's like, okay.
- [140:25]
Pat McAfee
You'Re doing too much.
- [140:25]
Lavonte David
You're trying too hard to be a leader. Everybody has their natural leadership role.
- [140:29]
Joe Budden
For me, it's the lead by example, lead with energy.
- [140:33]
Lavonte David
For Zaire Franklin, it's the I'm turnt up, I'm a run through your face type of leadership. Kenny, you know what you're going to get.
- [140:39]
Joe Budden
He has his finesse and his swag.
- [140:41]
Lavonte David
And he's still going to be Like a leader. So, like, just those three pieces on defense with Mooney just being locked in, knowing he's going to lock things up on the outside, everybody has their certain type of leadership. Then on the offense, obviously, quarterback Danny.
- [140:54]
Joe Budden
Dimes, he's a little more quiet, but.
- [140:56]
Lavonte David
You know, he's still making sure everything is operating well.
- [140:59]
Joe Budden
But, Q, he's a vocal leader.
- [141:01]
Pat McAfee
He's running to everything. He's talking. That's awesome.
- [141:04]
Joe Budden
Like, just everything.
- [141:05]
Lavonte David
So you get a little bit of everything from everybody to the point where everybody is, like, locked in on their certain role, where nobody's overstepping their boundaries of, okay, this guy needs to calm down. He's trying too hard. So it's a natural leadership in this locker room.
- [141:19]
Pat McAfee
Anybody missing team meetings or treatments or anything like that? No. There you go. Never. That's a huge deal.
- [141:25]
Lavonte David
That's an expectation just around the league. Like, you don't do that.
- [141:28]
Pat McAfee
You're not late. Yeah, I agree. You will get find one.
- [141:33]
Lavonte David
The money's one thing, but the embarrassment if you miss it and coach puts.
- [141:36]
Pat McAfee
You on the spot.
- [141:36]
Lavonte David
It's like nobody wants to be that guy that's late and has to talk in front of the team and give your excuse.
- [141:41]
Pat McAfee
Amen. Do you hear what our culture is being described as in Indianapolis? It was not like that just a year ago. Coach, I'll ask you, with all these pieces, is it just adding the right couple guys to a locker room that can kind of change everything? Maybe you're not as far away as you think sometimes, because this Colts team, I think from a culture standpoint, a lot of question marks. Last year, the stories we were hearing, like, that is not what winning football is at all. Then we bring a couple. Couple pieces in different. Quarterback Cam Bynum comes in, we get. Mooney comes in. I mean, we get some guys that come in there. Ryan Kelly leaves. Quinton Nelson feels like he can maybe be empowered to be a leadership. Is it that easy to, like, kind of fix some things, bring in some new pieces, or. What are your thoughts on the culture changing as drastically as it seemingly has with Indiana?
- [142:25]
Bruce Arians
Yeah, I think it really is. I mean, it's bringing the right people, and it's not always the best player. It's the right person. And obviously with Cam and the guys that. That love football, love practicing, love preparing, those are the guys you want in your building, and they're natural leaders, and it permeates through everybody. And then Danny Dimes being as smart as he is being, accountability is the key word. And as long as Guys are accountable. They want to like each other. Just got to be accountable to each other. And, and I think these guys are holding each other to a standard.
- [142:54]
Pat McAfee
It's wonderful. And obviously when you win, it like very much justifies all of it. It's like, hey, everything we're doing is for the right reasons. We're winning games, we look very good and obviously we are going to talk about the Colts here in Indianapolis and we're at the games and everything like that. But this year I said it early, we're going to win Super Bowl. And then I watch them again, I'm like, we're going to win Super Bowl. Because all the things you need, you need an offensive line, you need to be able to stop the run, you need to be able to make some throws and make some decisions. On the offense side, you need to have somebody that can get open. We got two, three guys that can open. On defensive side, you need to create turnovers. The boys are creating turnovers. They're not giving up much. It's like everything you need in the big games, we have shown early. We have roster's always had talent. Feels like they have a real team this year. Con man.
- [143:37]
Darius J. Butler
Well, and just like the decision making you mentioned, like them, you know, this hasn't happened and they haven't started like this and things of that nature. And I forget if Michael Pittman Jr. Said, this is a really smart team, everyone kind of gets it. But just even Steichen, like, like we talked about this when they beat the Broncos, 28, 23. It's 4th and 2, 4th and 3, and they decide to kick a field goal to go down by two instead of go for it. It feels like in the past maybe Steichen was kind of, hey, fourth and two, you know, no risk and no biscuit. We need to score a touchdown either way to get the lead. Like, let's do that instead. Hey, we can kick a field goal, rely on our defense, get the ball back, and then go kick another field goal to win the game. Like, I. It doesn't feel like the, the team of the Indiana past perhaps didn't have that type of respect or faith in either side of the ball. And now there's faith in the defense, there's faith in the offense to have a drive and come through. And like, I'm sure Steichen also for himself maybe like, okay, thank God I can coach it. I'm not a dipshit.
- [144:36]
Pat McAfee
I almost got Garden mention a Pro Bowler and we almost won AFC south dba. What did you hear from Cam Bynum, both in that and the entire conversation.
- [144:42]
Joe Budden
Now, it's kind of similar to what Koc said about leadership and accountability. You gotta be yourself first and foremost, being yourself. And then talking to Levante David, hearing what BA says about him. I asked AQ about him as well, knowing he was gonna come on the show. When those guys are there every day and you hear those voices, whoever comes into the building, you just kind of get on the train, you get in line with those guys. So the leadership, it stops down. It starts from the top down. So Big three, Big three, new ownership.
- [145:09]
Pat McAfee
Carly, Kalen, Casey, and they've been around.
- [145:11]
Joe Budden
The game their entire lives. They've been prepared for this moment. So then you get the front office. They got to be on the same page, bringing in the right guys, paying the right guys. You know, how that impacts and affects the locker room as well. And then it trickles down into the locker room with all the pieces coming together. Danny Dimes being in the organization that is, you know, supporting him, he's obviously confident, you know, more confident than I've ever seen him on the NFL field weekend and week out. And then you got to show up on game days. You got to show up and make big plays. So that's what guys are doing. It is early in the season where the, you know, first kind of quarter of the season, it's a long season. We know that. But as long as you can keep riding these waves, keep winning. You mentioned the faze is Schrader too. We know how important having a good kicker is in today's NFL. He's been nails from wide wire so far, so I'm excited. What we got, man, we got all the pieces. We're in the driver's seat in our division, so I'm excited about the Kick Colts future in the direction that they're headed not only this year, but it seems like for the future.
- [146:03]
Pat McAfee
AJ it seems like you even become a believer because normally he would laugh at the. Remember?
- [146:07]
Darius J. Butler
Oh, yeah.
- [146:08]
Pat McAfee
Every time we make our picks, he would laugh at it feels like you're even a believer. How could you not be at this point?
- [146:12]
A.J. Hawk
I. I'm definitely a believer. And hearing Cam Bynum speak right, like, that was awesome. When he says we don't have guys overstepping and trying too hard. We. We have talked about on this program many times, people that, oh, they feel like, hey, a coach wants to see me be a leader. I'm going to break it down every day. I'm going to try to get voted captain Captain and every player, like every NFL guy sees right through that. And it's just, it's not a great setting. I think too, when you have these guys that are great leaders making plays, it also sometimes I think bad teams, they. They hope somebody else is going to make the play. Okay, here, big third down we got. This guy's a stud. He's a vet. He's going to make a play. I think when you have like this and you empower everybody, each guy wants, they're saying, no, I'm going to make that play. I'm going to go make that big third down, stop. I'm going to get that pick. I'm going to do whatever it takes. And it's like, it's a trickle down effect. Like Debut said, it's from the top down, man. They, they have it rolling right now.
- [147:00]
Pat McAfee
We talked about that with Sonic and Knuckles, you know, with Montgomery and Gibbs, with the Detroit Lions. They both want to make big plays and they both are pulling for each other, which is a good thing. The way he talked about the defense with Lou Anne Rumo running this entire ship, I mean, it is a different vibe watching them play on Sundays. Lou didn't come alone to this defense, though. You mentioned a name that I, I don't think I said yet, and I should have.
- [147:22]
Bruce Arians
Yeah, James Betcher. I think, you know, when Betch was the defensive coordinator at the Giants, Lou was with him. Now Lou went to Cincinnati, took Betch. That's a great tandem. I mean, you talk about two guys that know each other, work together. Their personalities are different. You know, Betch is going to, he's going to bring the heat a lot. Lou, Lou knows his stuff. I think it's a great combination on defense for the Colts.
- [147:42]
Pat McAfee
We signed him and we were all pumped up. Then we started looking into the Cincinnati Bengals defensive ranking. It's like, not good, not good, not good. Then we start thinking like, well, they didn't really pay anybody on defensive side or have any players. He's got weapons on defensive side. Here in Indianapolis, we got, we got players. Which is why I always had hope. I always had hope that this team was going to be good because we've paid so many people legitimately. We've made so many people on this team. We got talent. Lou seeming to be calling it right. Yeah, he seems to be calling it right. And he's enjoying it too, I think. Yeah. Because he just kind of got.
- [148:11]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah. Unceremonious. Obviously they shoved his ass off out the door, you know, and it's just I think the big thing too is, like, this isn't like the Chiefs last year where they go 15 and 2 and it's kind of like every week, like, Jesus. Like, they're beating the hell out of everybody and, like, it's a very entertaining brand of football. So, like, that's why when you talk about, hey, like, they might be the best team in the NFL right now, like, they might go to the super bowl, like, their play dictates that it's not just like, oh, hey, we're three, zero. We've squeaked by. Like, they've. They've dominated all three teams. I mean, I guess maybe not the Broncos, but, like, the Broncos are a good team. A lot of people picking them to win the super bowl and they win.
- [148:45]
Pat McAfee
It's just long season.
- [148:47]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [148:47]
Pat McAfee
That's the only worry, AJ Long season. We started really hot, which is good because history tells us the teams start hot, are good teams, and they'll end up being good, too. But it's like, you know, like, we're clicking full cylinders right now.
- [149:00]
Ty Schmidt
Good test. On Sunday, they go to LA to play the Rams. So it's like, you know, if they win that one, that's a massive jump up. And it's like, okay. Yeah. Everything we've been saying is, is true.
- [149:09]
Pat McAfee
Rams, Raiders, Arizona. How you doing? West coast into the Los Angeles Chargers. I can't wait to see who this team really is as the season goes on. They've been fun to watch. Danny Dimes putting up historic numbers. Obviously, the punt conversation has happened and the amount of successful drives percentage has been talked about. Now we're comparing them to the mvp. Daniel Jones, quarterback for the Indian Colts, is now being compared to Josh Allen and Gray show on turf in offense, the Buffalo Bills MVP office or Josh Allen.
- [149:39]
Joe Budden
Congratulations, you're being prepared compared to Daniel Jones.
- [149:42]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, I mean, certainly would not have expected that before the season, but now we're at a point where it's like, maybe Danny Dimes is the new standard. No doubt. Maybe Danny Dimes is the new bar. You know, smart, physical, fast, can throw it. Josh Allen obviously has all the same attributes and has the Buffalo Bills in great position every single week. And he won the MVP for a reason. But Danny Diamonds being the quarterback of the Colts was not a guarantee. Whenever he signed here, it was a competition between him and Anthony Richardson. Think about the conversations, think about the optimism, pessimism meter that came out from the athletic after Danny Dimes was named the starting quarterback over Anthony Richardson. We had seen Anthony Richardson as quarterback. We had heard and hoped that maybe he had evolved his professional quarterback a little Ism, I guess, would be the way to describe that and everything. And we'd seen some things that did that, but nobody gave the Colts outside of us, I would say hope. With Danny Dimes at quarterback, why is that? Why do you think everybody thought he had no shot? BA and how hard is that of a decision whenever you like? How early into the process do you think Shane knew Danny Dimes was going to be the starting quarterback? Do you think that's real?
- [150:46]
Bruce Arians
Probably about a third ota. You think he probably had it matched?
- [150:49]
Pat McAfee
You think he probably knew very early.
- [150:51]
Bruce Arians
He said, if we can protect him if we give him a running game, this guy's a weapon now. He's. He's a hell of an athlete. He's accurate, he's smart. You're not gonna fool him. His stats against the blitz against the Broncos were just unbelievable.
- [151:04]
Pat McAfee
So I think that conversation then goes back. I wish I would ask Kevin o' Connell this. Does KOC think he could have been one of those guys? Learns journey travel, gets to the next, next place, already experienced. I mean, at his offense over there, Sam Darnold's experience, it. Kirk Cousins has experienced it. I guess you could give Danny Dimes credit because he was there.
- [151:23]
Darius J. Butler
Dobbs.
- [151:24]
Pat McAfee
Dobbs. I don't think he got a second resurgence, though. Oh, yeah, but like, KOC has seen the second career resurgence kind of happen here, and Danny Dimes is the most recent one, and he might be the best. Baker obviously, is what you're shooting for and striving for whenever you're doing this.
- [151:41]
Ty Schmidt
Well, and I. I don't know if people would have expected this from Danny Dimes, but she has said this a bunch, that the. The feeling around Danny Dimes in the NFL was much different than how the media was talking about him. You know, he said there were a handful of teams before he signed with the Colts where it was like, hey, they've given the opportunity, like, you know, and you got all these guys who are available, who'd you take? And he was saying, you know, Danny Dimes, multiple teams were saying, like, there's something. Something there. So, I mean, obviously, he's. He's probably outperformed what everyone's expectations for him were. But that just goes to show you, too, that, like, around the league, people still knew, like, this guy's. This guy's a talent. You put him in the right situation and something like this could happen.
- [152:24]
Pat McAfee
I'm sorry. Go ahead.
- [152:25]
Joe Budden
So shout out to front office. Once again being, I guess the most aggressive in getting him. And then obviously, Dan, Danny Dimes looking at the situation and saying, hey, this is a great situation for me. And like you mentioned, the coaches around the league, guys like B.A. okay, here we go right here.
- [152:39]
Pat McAfee
From the Ross Tucker podcast. Tom Pelisser reported that Danny Dimes took a little bit less money to come to the Colts, I think because of the situation, because he wanted to be starter again. And that's amazing to hear because there was conversations about how much Minnesota offered. They're like, Minnesota made a real offer. Colts paying him 10 million a year, I think. I think that's the number.
- [152:57]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah. Like up to.
- [152:58]
Ty Schmidt
Up to like 14 or something.
- [153:00]
Pat McAfee
Something like that for a starter. So he took less money to come to Indianapolis because he understood the situation was going to be in a competition. He certainly made the most of it. I'm sorry, go ahead.
- [153:06]
Joe Budden
Yeah. So seeing that as Atlantis spot and to Ty's point, like NBA can see it because these guys are coaches and coaches got egos too. And it's a reason that they have those jobs in the NFL because they can see a player and say, okay, I can get more talent out of now for the rest of us, the reason that pessimism meter or whatever was so high, because we saw Danny Dimes in a New York Giants jersey getting obliterated every week, turning the ball over, doing those things. So it's like, oh man, this is the guy we got, Danny Dimes in ar. We draft the AR top five. Let's at least give the kid a chance and see him develop. But once he was named the starter, and once again, I just like you made some calls to some people in the building. No one was surprised. And that's the thing we said, if somebody wins a quarterback job, nobody in the building should be surprised. Offense, defense, coaches, trainers, everybody knows what NFL quarterbacking looked like. So that was a. A very positive sign. So I love what I'm seeing from.
- [153:57]
Pat McAfee
Daniel Jones this far on play callers Head coaches have egos. I didn't hear a little bit.
- [154:02]
Bruce Arians
A little bit.
- [154:04]
Pat McAfee
Gotta have a. Gotta have it. The Shane Stichen whole entire game week, I'm sure is just so much different this year than it has been in years. For sure. Yeah. Especially because third OTA you mentioned, I think that probably was after accurate. When Danny Dimas picked up Shane's offense, I don't know how similar it was. The things he had in the past, I don't know how easy it was for him to transition into the Lingo. But just like him commanding that offense, we haven't seen that in years here in Indianapolis. That was week one. He called out a blitz, shifted the offensive line one way, then he pointed out something else, then goes there. Shane Steichen has to be like, yes, man, yes. Thank you so much. Right then that helps.
- [154:39]
Bruce Arians
Totally, bro, Totally. I mean, when. When you got a guy, guy that sees it, gets it and does it. Now some can see it, they get it. They can't do it. He does it. And like you said, a couple of those plays, changing the line, we're going to be hot right here. I this guy's coming free, the ball's coming up. All right, touchdown.
- [154:59]
Pat McAfee
Then him also in the pocket, navigating the pocket, then being able to run much faster than anybody gives him credit for. It's like Shane Stichen sleeping much easier and much better spot this year than he. Not just with ar. This is. We are recycling quarterbacks. Hey, come in. Welcome. Here's a whole new offense. Master it, please. And let's move on. There were stories of Matt Ryan and the offensive line not having a clue what the each other were saying for like eight weeks or something like that. So Danny Dimes coming in and understanding Shane. That's crazy. There was some crazy times here in Indianapolis over the last few years. So we apologize for being overly enthusiastic about what is happening right now, but this looks like a professional team and he looks like a professional quarterback and it looks like Steichen's offense is the perfect one for him.
- [155:39]
Bruce Arians
Yeah, he's great fit. I mean, I think he fits in any offense. We, we loved him in Tampa. We, we talked about him a bunch because his first win was against us and he played lights out in that ball game, throwing and running and so yeah, I think, I think Shane is, he's real, real happy right now.
- [155:56]
Pat McAfee
He was great on the man in cast last night. Obviously. We watched. Super handsome. Did you come catch the Manning cast.
- [156:01]
A.J. Hawk
Last night, AJ I just saw a little bit. I tune, you know, I go back and forth usually with main broadcast and Manning cat.
- [156:07]
Darius J. Butler
Oh, do you?
- [156:07]
A.J. Hawk
Yeah, I like, I like what Payton Eli doing you. I, you know me, I love when we just get to watch Peyton and Eli like digest the game in real time and see Peyton freak out about blitzes coming that quarterbacks don't pick up and refs missing calls, all that.
- [156:20]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, his football IQ on display is always good. He made a bunch of new rules. Did you see that?
- [156:24]
Ty Schmidt
No, I didn't.
- [156:25]
Joe Budden
I missed it.
- [156:25]
Pat McAfee
Hey. Made a bunch of new rules.
- [156:26]
Darius J. Butler
There we go.
- [156:27]
Pat McAfee
Good.
- [156:27]
Darius J. Butler
Which one?
- [156:27]
Pat McAfee
Okay. There's something about public apology or something for drops or something. I mean there like first first one was Hail Mary.
- [156:37]
Bruce Arians
Interceptions don't count on the quarterback.
- [156:39]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Don't count on quarterback. And then he pointed out that the NBA no longer puts it on the shooter. They put it on the team as okay with that. He said Hail Mary should not count against quarterback. That sounds like a little bit of which I respect.
- [156:50]
Bruce Arians
I'm all for that too. I mean, I've seen a quarter guys not throwing throw it just for they want to intercept.
- [156:54]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. And then drops knock it.
- [156:56]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah.
- [156:56]
Pat McAfee
Here we go. Intercepted Hail Mary shouldn't count. False start. Offsides, equity within the 10 yard line. Okay. I don't know what that means. Targets should not be official statistic. He hates that. He says that basically every single game. This guy got six targets last week. Okay.
- [157:10]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [157:10]
Pat McAfee
All right. What does that mean? Batted balls should be illegal.
- [157:13]
Darius J. Butler
Should not be able to put your.
- [157:14]
Pat McAfee
Hand above and cash payments on field for late hits was something he said. That was the public policy. That's awesome. Which I respect. You got to actually pay the money for late hits right there. That'll probably slow people down a little.
- [157:23]
Darius J. Butler
Carried in your football pants.
- [157:25]
Pat McAfee
And literally. Did you hear what Darius told the story about us playing the Broncos?
- [157:29]
Joe Budden
Yeah.
- [157:30]
Pat McAfee
You talk about late hits. The reason why Peyton's thinking about that Art Jones just happens in the first series. Just crawl a little bit later on the Peyton. And in his mind it's like that's I want $10,000 cash right now. I don't want it to be removed from your check. I would like you to my my money. I I I'm surprised he didn't say drops don't count as incompletions. Like, I'm surprised he didn't add that because anytime a wide receiver drops a ball pton just means catch the ball, get off. That is your job out there. So I'm surprised that wasn't that's probably right on their fringe.
- [158:01]
Joe Budden
If I had to what has he got against the targets? Been been a a stat.
- [158:05]
Pat McAfee
I think he thinks it's a stat that's just like kind of created to keep people happy. Basically. It seems like a new school dude thing. Yeah.
- [158:13]
Joe Budden
Big for betters.
- [158:14]
Bruce Arians
I think it's one of those. He had eight targets and two two catches. Like guy can't I threw it to you eight times.
- [158:21]
Pat McAfee
I mean I think that's what Peyton has a problem.
- [158:23]
Bruce Arians
Yeah.
- [158:23]
Pat McAfee
It's like it is like I don't know I've not asked him but the targeting targets number he has brought up on numerous manning casts. He's brought it up like a lot of times. So I don't. I'd always known that. There's certainly something he doesn't like. I think it's because he thinks. Thinks it's all bullshit just to keep people happy.
- [158:39]
Bruce Arians
Totally.
- [158:40]
Pat McAfee
Well, I gave him four targets last week, you know, like. And it's like well you didn't give him the ball though. Like so I think he doesn't love that. It's just kind of been created out of nowhere. You're saying for gamblers though, it's nice to know how many times the ball's going in direction.
- [158:53]
Joe Budden
Yeah. And I would soon. I don't play fantasy, but I would assume fantasy too, like knowing hey I got a guy starting. I got targeted 12 times last week and he called eight of them. He's probably going to get targeted again a bunch that this week. So it's definitely good for, you know, the people that have other interests going into the game. For sure.
- [159:09]
Darius J. Butler
Yeah. Targets definitely matter for fantasy. I wonder if Payton is more so thinking from the angle of like, you know, if I if quarterbacks target jamar chase or one guy 20 times, they're going to get killed.
- [159:20]
Pat McAfee
Everybody else. Back in the day I was throwing.
- [159:21]
Darius J. Butler
At Marvin Harrison 28 times a game and no, we don't need to let.
- [159:24]
Pat McAfee
Everybody else know how many times I'm throwing to them.
- [159:27]
Darius J. Butler
Exactly.
- [159:27]
Pat McAfee
You don't need this to be a publicly stated number. Sure. I threw to Austin Collie one time. Yes. Okay. I don't need that to be known by Austin. It was a big catch.
- [159:39]
Darius J. Butler
Move forward first down.
- [159:40]
Pat McAfee
That's great. Yeah, that was great ball.
- [159:43]
Darius J. Butler
But Marvin got 30 targets and we.
- [159:45]
Pat McAfee
Don'T want to talk about that on Monday.
- [159:46]
Darius J. Butler
So it's not a real thing.
- [159:47]
Pat McAfee
That would have been a sick lineup if we had had Marv Reggie and Austin and Nty Holy. That's cheating.
- [159:53]
Bruce Arians
Stokes was mad and edge.
- [159:55]
Pat McAfee
So I wasn't there for Stokes. Stokely. I was not there for Stokely. He was unbelievable. That followed with Pat Peyton over to Denver. He was so good. Yeah, that was good position. Austin Collie though was a. I mean that he was not a West.
- [160:06]
Darius J. Butler
The offense in Denver is damn near as as good as it gets when it comes to, you know, Peyton's offenses. When it came because Welker went with him.
- [160:15]
Pat McAfee
How many touchdowns DT?
- [160:16]
Ty Schmidt
50.
- [160:17]
Darius J. Butler
58. Yeah, 55 something. He had seven. He had seven in the first game. Julius Thomas nobody at the end comes out of nowhere as a basketball player. He was unbelievable in his first. He had like 18 touchdowns that year.
- [160:29]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, it was fun to watch and we, we got rid of him.
- [160:33]
Joe Budden
Well he came back here. We, we handled him, took care of business look.
- [160:37]
Pat McAfee
So yeah, the War of 1812 that was pretty last Sunday night Football. Oh yeah, that was pretty good. Little place made a tackle a couple.
- [160:45]
Darius J. Butler
Good plays that game a lot inside 20.
- [160:48]
Pat McAfee
Nobody remembers it. Shout out out before we get out of here. We did have somebody pass away that we care about mightily. Sportsbook can say Ginzer legend in the gambling world. We had a chance to meet him multiple times, hang out with him multiple times and then obviously we followed along on the Internet as everybody else who gambled ever followed along with Sherapan who's an absolute dog. Had the greatest hat collection I've ever.
- [161:15]
Ty Schmidt
Seen of all time.
- [161:16]
Pat McAfee
I think Gumpy is trying to keep up with him. Will always be chasing and his greatness, his vibes and his spirit were always immaculate with us and the guy gave out a law winners. Let's go over to Hammer Don Don Tone obviously K is a guy we love over here and we're all going to certainly miss like hell yeah.
- [161:34]
Tone
King was the best. He was just always happy like and always wanted would talk, wanted to talk and just always be around everyone. Especially at super bowl radio where he was. He came on hammered down a lot. He was just like the nicest dude you could call him and he always like he just always wanted to talk and be friendly with whoever he came in touch with. He was awesome to us. He was a Yinzer legend. I know Connor and Gumpy Facetimed them almost every weekend just to just to talk ball. He was just one of the best dudes. A great dad, great husband and just gone too soon.
- [162:09]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Amen. Rest in peace brother. We appreciate the hell out of you. And I believe there was a some sort of sickness inside that I don't know what it was but we were following it online. I don't think any of us knew how serious it was from afar. And then there was a couple updates like hey this is getting pretty serious and then all of a sudden we hear he passed away. We obviously don't see him on a day to day basis so I don't think it hits his home as much. Radio row at 1000.
- [162:36]
Ty Schmidt
Oh yeah. Without a double out.
- [162:37]
Pat McAfee
He is an ever present person staple when we're at the super bowl and he's always for us. He's always Been so complimentary and uplifting and motivating like always. Like telling us to not even to get on the show. Did not care to get on the show. Asked him come on show would definitely do it. Did not. Did not have any personal agendas whenever he was talking to us. No. Felt like he genuinely wished for our success. So we will miss the out of him. Rest in peace. Can say you've done good, but you've done good. Gone way too soon. Yeah. Gone way too soon. All right, we'll get out of here. We'll be back tomorrow. Now, I sent off on ESPN in the most glorious fashion.
- [163:13]
Darius J. Butler
Fantastic.
- [163:13]
Pat McAfee
I don't know if they'll turn that one in for an award. They should think about it. Tone, why don't you head out here, buddy? But this one's going to be sent off in a beautiful fashion because we got a Super bowl champion. B.A. another incredible week. We appreciate the hell out of you, man. We appreciate the hell out of you. And on that note. Note. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change their life. We're in this thing together. Team on me, B.A. anything you say. Better.
- [163:35]
Bruce Arians
Better one. Next week.
- [163:37]
Pat McAfee
Hell, yeah. Next week. I want speakers. Yep. And I want a goddamn pilot. Boom. That's it. One of the greatest Saturday night speeches of all time. What are you gonna say to the boys tonight? Well, I'm gonna tell them we got no highlight reel and we got no music. And I want that next week. Anything else? No, that'll do it.
- [163:54]
Bruce Arians
Get your asses out of here. Go to bed.
- [163:57]
Pat McAfee
Next week, I want speakers and a highlight video. Get your ass out of here. Go to bed. Guess what? We had the next week. Highlight video and speakers. I don't know if that's true or not, but I assume it was.
- [164:06]
Bruce Arians
Yes, we did.
- [164:07]
Pat McAfee
Okay. Obviously it worked. What the hell am I talking about? A.J. great work, boys. In the back. Way to pull it off. Team on me. Team on three. We'll see you tomorrow. One, two, three. Team. Goodbye. Talk about stepping up.
- [164:22]
Bruce Arians
It's time to level up your game.
- [164:23]
Joe Budden
Introducing the all new ESPN app. All of ESPN all in one place. Your home for the most live sports and the best championship moments.
- [164:32]
Pat McAfee
The electricity is palpable. Step up your game.
- [164:35]
Joe Budden
With no annual contract required. It's the ultimate fan experience.
- [164:40]
Bruce Arians
Level up.
- [164:41]
Joe Budden
For More on the ESPN app or at stream.espn.com Sign up now.
- [164:48]
Pat McAfee
You've seen the headlines, heard the debates. The three point ball has created a monotonous rhythm to the game. Has the three pointer ruined basketball? And how did we get here?
- [164:57]
Kevin O'Connell
The rise of the three point shot can be partially traced to an eccentric.
- [165:01]
Pat McAfee
Kansas genius named Martin Manley, whose story didn't turn out quite the way he imagined. I decided I wanted to have one of the most organized goodbyes in history. 30 for 30 podcast presents Chasing Basketball Heaven.
- [165:15]
Keenan Allen
Available now wherever you get your podcasts.