← The Pat McAfee Show
The Pat McAfee Show
PMS 2.0 1498 - Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy, Roman Reigns, Adam Schefter, Dwight Howard, Patrick Kane, Mike Eruzione, & AJ Hawk
02:21:51
Loading summary
Transcript647 lines
- [00:00]
Pat McAfee
Hello beautiful people and welcome to our humble abode, the Thunderdome on this glorious super bowl season. Feel good. Friday, January 30, 2026 this program begins now.
- [00:13]
Patrick Kane
Football.
- [00:14]
Pat McAfee
It is magical. We're nine days away from the super bowl that has the Seattle Seahawks favored by four and a half in a battle against the New England Patriots in Santa Clara, California as the Patriots and Mike Vrabel and Drake may try to reclaim the NFL kingdom for the New England Patriots. F fan base and the Seattle Seahawks alongside what appears to be a football defensive computer genius Mike McDonald and Sam Darnold, in a resurgence of a career in which a lot of people said that he was ass, can bring the Lombardi back to the Pacific Northwest, a place that is used to having success but didn't expect to have this type of run this early. Nobody could have. But what Sam Darnold has done over the last two years is better than damn near anybody in the history of the game. What this McDonald fella has done is become a defensive guru. You know McVeigh down there at the Los Angeles Rams got a lot of people jobs because they were offensive geniuses. They knew the X's and O's. This guy got a gig with the Seattle Seahawks after Pete Carroll was relieved of his duties. And he is the defensive guru, super genius coordinator guy. That is what everybody is looking for right now if they hire a defensive coach. Is this guy right here. His first ever team meeting that he had at the Seattle Seahawks, first time being a head coach, he comes in, he says, alright, I want you guys all, most of this team is not going to be here. You know, it's offseason still, there's training camp. This is the first day of a brand new regime. Who knows who's going to actually make it. Close your eyes. I want you to envision NFC Championship. We're at home, it's 30, it's raining, a little bit shitty for them, just right for us. What happens? The exact situation he thought it was going to happen in year one, turns out it happens in year two and I don't think it's slowing down. When you have a defensive mind like that, they are going to make your day miserable for the next 10, 15 years, it feels like. And on the offensive side, Sam Darnold being welcomed in there, I think $55 million guarantee. He's obviously not the highest paid quarterback in the NFL, but is on a great deal for where he was in his career. He might ask for more. He's got another 10 years in his Career as well. So if the offense is going to get taken care of and the defense is going to be greater. The Seattle Seahawks in the middle of maybe next dynasty. And then on the flip side with drake maybe in 23, and vrabo with a chip on his shoulder after getting fired basically from the Tennessee Titans, are they going to be great for the next 10 years? We're potentially watching the beginning of what the next decade or two could look like in the NFL. And that's why nine days from now, it's such a big deal. There's going to be parts of the globe that are watching football for the first time all year. They're going to see his 23 year old out of nowhere. What's this thing? He was up for the MVP this year. Whoa. That's crazy. That guy with the big nose, large head. The head what? What is that guy? He's a head coach. One on the other. No. Yeah, he was. Yeah. Yeah, he's like a really good coach. Yeah. They, they. How are they doing?
- [02:54]
Dwight Howard
Yeah, not great.
- [02:55]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. So. Yeah. And then on the other side, who's that guy? I never seen him. For defense coordinator. Ravens. Yeah, he was. Yeah, like one year, maybe two years over there. Then he was gone. Nobody really knew who the hell he was either. He's really. And then that guy, the other guy's supposed to suck, right? Yeah, no. Yeah, he does anymore, actually. 14 win seasons, back to back years like him. Tom in like Montana, I think, or something like that. Holy hell. Is this a new era? It feels like it is, but this new era could very much look like an older era and I don't know if that's a bad thing, but I certainly know there are parts of the country that are pumped up about it. Let's go to the toxic table at boss of Conrad, Ty Schmidt, con man. Nine days away from potentially being the kings of the castle yet again. How do you feel? Are you getting more nervous? I woke up this morning, I'm going to tell you this, and I haven't made an official pick. I'm not making my official pick at this moment. I have gone both sides of the coin here on this particular game.
- [03:42]
Roman Reigns
Sure.
- [03:42]
Pat McAfee
69% of the bets now are on the Seattle Seahawks minus four and a half. We have certainly seen them buzz saw some people and look a lot better on the offensive side of things. You know, the Patriots, underdogs in the Super Bowl, I think they feel good about that particular case, but I've been on both sides. Yeah, I can see the Seattle Seahawks Winning by at least touchdown. I mean last year was a blowout. So who says that super bowl has to be a good game? You know, I can see. And then I woke up this morning. Patriots plus four and a half was never more clear in my mind because although the Seattle Seahawks might win because they do have offensive firepower, I mean Jackson, Smith and Jigba is outrageous. Kenneth Walker looks a little bit like Le'Veon Bell whenever he's playing there. Sam Darnold is playing outrageous. Let alone the other weapons that they have. I think they have. Yeah, you get it. But nonetheless I've woke up. I just feel like a four and a half points game is a little bit too big for what this New England Patriots team does. I think if the history tells us about the Patriots, which it shouldn't because it's a brand new era, but has a lot of similar faces, I guess up there, they're going to make it ugly. So like four and a half feels like a lot even if the Seahawks are to win it. That's where I'm at this morning. How do you feel and have you wavered in your belief on what the game could look like for this Patriots team? For you?
- [04:49]
Connor
I don't think I've wavered in my belief. I feel confident. This morning when I woke up I texted probably 10, 15 people say Patriots are going to win this game. This is crazy because we are talking about it getting ugly and I don't know if it will get ugly. I think the Patriots offense doesn't get any respect because of the last game and how it went and kind of the maybe box scores of Drake May. But when you think about scoring 21 points on offense against the Texans defense that that didn't happen to all year. I think it's very possible for Drake May to have kind of a master class, kind of a. Oh, you thought that this was because of the schedule. You think that I'm good because teams that I'm playing more.
- [05:23]
Pat McAfee
Could you imagine?
- [05:24]
Connor
I can.
- [05:25]
Pat McAfee
I can against this Seattle Seahawks defense too with the things that. Now granted that's the thing for Sam Donald. He's going to have to deal with this New England Patriots defense and I think some people maybe saw Staddy have and one drive against his New England Patriots defense and thinking themselves like Stidham was able to have success. It was a. Yeah, but what happened immediately after Stidham had success? It was like they figured it out.
- [05:43]
Tone
Yeah.
- [05:43]
Pat McAfee
That is the Patriots are doing what they've done in their previous dynasty, which is just figure out what the hell you're doing and kind of. I mean it's like a boa constrictor. That's right throughout the rest of the game. That is kind of how the Patriots defense has been and they haven't been chatted about Texans defense, talked about Seattle Seahawks defense been talking about. And I think if you were to ask the quarterbacks on the other teams, they would say, hey, the Patriots defense should be talked about a little bit in this entire thing. And Sam might have a problem with that as well, which is why I think four and a half feels like too much. That just feels like these are. It feels like. That feels like a lot of points with this Patriots defense.
- [06:15]
Connor
Yeah, no doubt about it. This will be the best defense the Seahawks have played in the playoffs and this will be the worst defense the Patriots have played in these playoffs. Like when you think about that kind of perspective, it does change a little. I do think the best bet would probably be the first quarter under. Just because Drake hasn't started out too hot even in the NFC or AFC championship. Rather when the weather was good, he just was a little shaky, it felt like. And that is, you know, that's 23 year old second year quarterback. You kind of expect that. And then same thing for Darnold. I expect the kind of Patriots plan to be very, very good for us in that Super Bowl.
- [06:47]
Pat McAfee
Hambo stat. Including the play playoffs the Seahawks and Patriots are only allowing 17.2 points per game this season. That is the lowest average entering the super bowl since Steelers packers which was 2009.
- [07:00]
Ty Schmidt
2009 season, 2010 and turned out to be high scoring.
- [07:04]
Connor
You have both of those quarterbacks, you.
- [07:06]
Tone
Know 21 I believe or something like that. 27, 21.
- [07:09]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. And that was the one Aaron Rodgers put right past Ryan Clark said, yeah.
- [07:12]
Patrick Kane
Greg Jennings.
- [07:13]
Tone
Yep.
- [07:16]
Pat McAfee
You watch at Rogers Realm ever. I just learned of this guy this year.
- [07:19]
Ty Schmidt
Oh yeah, pretty good.
- [07:21]
Pat McAfee
I just.
- [07:21]
Ty Schmidt
Very good.
- [07:22]
Connor
Same. Just, just found this guy.
- [07:24]
Pat McAfee
Just learned of this Rogers Realm fella at the Steelers game when he was in full uniform.
- [07:28]
Ty Schmidt
When they dapped up each other.
- [07:30]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, not just him, all the boys came over to him and I'm like this guy's awesome. Showing up in full uniform to a game is obviously awesome. Incre you what? Guy's an athlete. Guy can really. Guy can really spin it. Him pointing out the little tiny gestures like hey, he does this one a lot. He's like he does do. Yeah, there is a lot of those as he throws this thing up. Shout out to Rogers rum. He's been a good what's going on in Pittsburgh?
- [07:52]
Tone
What do you mean what's going on?
- [07:53]
Pat McAfee
Pittsburgh diner guys are 1/2 of the hammer done cowboys ap tone any final thoughts here on the Super Bowl? You talked about the the last time these two, two defenses this good played in the Super Bowl. It did seemingly have a little bit higher score than people imagine. What are the bets kind of saying about how the game is going to go right now?
- [08:12]
Tone
So Connor mentioned the first quarter under just to get that started off there. The last 11, I believe are averaging 6.6 points per super bowl game in the first quarter and the over under for this one is seven and a half in the first quarter. The first quarter under is traditionally a very good bet for teams are coming out, feeling each other out, don't want to make mistakes, stuff like that. The total has gone from 46.5 to 45.5 even though majority of the bets are on the over. But there's, you know, words of sharp money being on the under for this game. In general, the toe or the number has not moved off of four and a half. The graphic right there is showing 70% of the bets are on Seattle. It is now down to 69%. We have ticked down all week long. It started in the mid-70s on Seattle. That's just a recent bite thing coming off of the championship games. It's like, okay, everyone's in it on Seattle and then you get the stats that come out and then a lot of money starts coming on the Patriots and I think it'll keep ticking down as far as dogs go because of the Dogs are on a historic run. Since 2007. They are 11 and seven outright. That's just winning the game. Dogs have won 11 and seven outright since 2007. They are 13 and five against the spread. They have covered five straight. Have the Dogs. So the dogs are on a great run. So I think we're going to keep seeing Patriots money come in and that number is going to come down.
- [09:29]
Pat McAfee
Okay. I like how much action comes on a Super bowl, you know, because everybody like sees it as a last opportunity to maybe go ahead have a some sort of something coin toss has been pretty wishy washy to me. Yeah, seems like that's your best odds. You know, when you go in and roulette, red, black feels like it's your best odds. But then obviously they got zero double zero. The green can hit you a little bit less than that. But if you go in there, red black feels like you got A chance, like a 50, 50 shot. You don't. Obviously they are going to skew it, but in that whole thing, it does feel like you got a chance to really hit that. Now, speaking of hitting that, I think Pittsburgh Steelers got it right.
- [10:07]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [10:08]
Connor
Oh, yeah.
- [10:08]
Pat McAfee
We just mentioned the stat that Hembo sent in there about the two defenses averaging 17.7 points per game or whatever. That's the lowest average entering the super bowl since Steelers, packers, you know, which was 15.3. Two really good defenses. One of those defenses, Green Bay packers defense, was actually mentioned by the man who's about to join us in a press conference when he said, top five defense won Super Bowl. So I understand how good Super Bowls are for the entirety. Man who grew up in the great city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, then would go on to become a coaching legend with stops in numerous places. Coaching legends from all different generations of the NFL. He has to be the only human that has the head coaching resume that he has. And in the history of the NFL, whenever you talk about organizations that are storied full of tradition around a long time and obviously could be considered America's teams, you would think the Dallas Cowboys, you think the Green Bay packers, and then obviously you think of the Pittsburgh Steelers. A man who's been the head coach of the Green Bay packers and the Dallas Cowboys, and now the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Yinzer legend, Super bowl champion, Mike McCarthy.
- [11:21]
Mike McCarthy
Great to hear your voice again, Pat. Shit, I missed you guys. Hey, thank you for the great introduction.
- [11:26]
Pat McAfee
Hey, we miss you, too. Congratulations, man. Obviously, we watched a presser where you couldn't even get a word out. Okay. As you were rubbing your head, you literally look like every Pittsburgh dad out there. Go. All right, bear with me here. And then. Yep, there it is. Bear with me here. And then doing the. You put them front row. Dyer. It's kind of unfair, like you were. I think you endeared yourself with a lot of people around Pittsburgh because obviously we have seen inexperienced humans like you in the past. And that was kind of your reference point to why, when you walked in the building, it felt like home. Why do you think that you've held on this great appreciation of our home city for as long as you have? Because when AJ Was with you in Green Bay, he was like, yeah. You walk into his office, it was like all Pittsburgh memorabilia, basically. And in Dallas, we assume it was the same thing. Why do you think you have so much pride in the city of Pittsburgh? And why do you think at this moment you are the right guy to get The Steelers to where they need to be for everybody in Pittsburgh to be pumped and celebrating that damn Lombardi coach.
- [12:23]
Mike McCarthy
I mean, Pittsburgh is who we are. Pat. I think you wear it on your sleeve the same way you don't wear sleeves because you're always working, you know, doing biceps and shit.
- [12:33]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, thank you. I appreciate it.
- [12:35]
Dwight Howard
But there you go. There you go.
- [12:36]
Mike McCarthy
But no, I think it's a big part of who we are. And it's just everywhere I go here. I mean, just to drive across the hot metal bridge to work every day. And I remember J and L still being there as a kid and now what it's turned into. But yes, I think it's like anything in life. We're in an industry where you're competing to win each and every day and who you are and where you come from is important. And so I've always been very, very proud to be from Pittsburgh and specifically, you know, my neighborhood of Greenfield.
- [13:11]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, and we are all proud that you're from Pittsburgh as well as fellow endzers. You getting the Steelers coaching job, though, as a yinzer, you understand what that comes with. Very high expectation and very passionate fans. What was the conversation like with Khan, with ownership, whenever you're getting interviewed for the job and how do you. I mean, I guess everywhere you're at, there's high expectation, but how do you kind of regulate the expectation outside the building while trying to figure out what you're trying to do inside the building?
- [13:39]
Mike McCarthy
Yeah, I mean, I think it's just like anything, you know, you have to be aware. And obviously we got. We have a great PR department here with Burton. So, I mean, you have the responsibility to, you know, make sure you're, you know, delivering the message of the direction of the football team. But it's my responsible responsibility to show up here every day and win. And that's just the way I've always gone about it. About it, because, you know, this is a 12 month job that you have to, you know, there's always something to do. There's always a video to watch. There's always a conversation to have. There's. There's always things that, you know, as far as you're planning and getting ready for the, for the next day, because at the end of the day, you're only. You're guaranteed 17 games. You know, you're guaranteed 17 games. Every opportunity to get to the tournament and hopefully playing in the game that's being played this week. So. And I just think the simplistic, everyday blue collar approach served me well. And I obviously learned it here in Pittsburgh.
- [14:35]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, perfect for Pittsburgh. I think the inserts are pumped to hear about it. Let's talk about the team that you're going to have. You said that's Omar's job. Good play by you, by the way. I like that. And then also, I appreciate whenever you guys were asked to talk about each other's experience with each other, I think with the Saints or whatever, you let Omar go first and you said. Because if Omar says he can smack him or something like that, it feels like you two very close. Let's talk about that relationship a little bit. And then also the team going forward, because a lot of people said hiring you was basically a signal from the Steelers. It's like, hey, we're not rebuilding this thing. We are still where we are. Is that the vibe you get, the sense you get? And how does team construction go here until we kick off the next season for you?
- [15:17]
Mike McCarthy
Yeah, definitely. I mean, if you look, you look at the opportunities this year, you look at the roster, I mean, this is not a, you know, this is not a start over, you know, opportunity at all. And I think that's clear. I mean, it's a football team that was, you know, in the playoffs last year. So it's a, It's a. To categorize it, it's a playoff. Playoff roster. So. But you know, just like anything you got the financial, you know, realm that you're dealing with every. Every year, you know, the free agents on your or your own football team, to me, that's. That's always the primary focus. So we're definitely starting to have those conversations as we continue to hire staff. Staff is the primary focus right now because that's a lot of work and you know, timing, time, it goes into that. But yes, this is a roster I'm excited about and, you know, we'll just, you know, once again take it one day at. Make sure we're ready for free agency. Make sure we're ready for the draft. You know, we got a bunch of draft picks, so this will be a.
- [16:09]
Pat McAfee
Hell of a draft class draft in Pittsburgh too. We might be asking you to work. I guess you could pass. I guess you could pass it up this year. You know, last year you were great on draft analysis. I'm gonna let you know.
- [16:19]
Connor
Amazing.
- [16:20]
Pat McAfee
Amazing on there.
- [16:22]
Mike McCarthy
I had a great point guard. Yeah, I had a great point guard. So, yeah, a lot of notes. Great thing.
- [16:28]
Pat McAfee
He had a lot of notes. You had a lot of notes. I was asked about that and I was like, this Most prepared guy we have had that we have worked with and got quoted. Galileo. You know, I didn't think a lot of people, you know, would really have that in the Mike McCarthy bag before it came out here if you didn't play for a Mike McCarthy team. Now, I. I did mention that. Now you mentioned in there staff hiring. Okay, it seems like some's coming together. Go ahead, Tone.
- [16:54]
Tone
Congrats, coach. First and foremost, it's awesome that this happened, but, yeah, staff hiring, obviously, you talked about is a huge deal. I don't think anything's official yet, but there's been names out there. Patrick Graham, James Camp and Jari Evans, Scotty. Scotty Tolzine. All those seem like they'd be awesome hires. How is the staff coming together and what are you looking for in a staff specifically?
- [17:18]
Mike McCarthy
I think the biggest thing, I mean, you have to have a level of experience and expertise as far as, you know, competing in this league. I think that's something that I really value a lot. You know, have an opportunity to put, you know, staffs together in the past. So as you do that. But I'm also looking for, you know, some younger, you know, energetic, you know, coaches that also fit to, you know, the direction of what we're doing. So, I mean, it's hard not to hire, you know, 17 coaches coaching staffs from Pittsburgh because, I mean, it seems like half the league's from Pittsburgh, but, you know, so that's. That's always. Always a challenge, but really just making it fit together, that's. That's really my focus right now.
- [17:58]
Pat McAfee
AQ Shipley. You know, I know AQ Shipley, you know, he gets the urge get out of shit. He would have to zoom, call in. I think he's a little bit too comfortable out there in Phoenix. You know, cold as hell there in Pittsburgh. Obviously. Nothing. Yeah. Yeah. Welcome back.
- [18:15]
Mike McCarthy
Yeah. I've never seen snow like this. This has been a long time since this time this city's been hit with a snowstorm like this.
- [18:23]
Pat McAfee
How many inches?
- [18:24]
Mike McCarthy
10 inches?
- [18:24]
Dwight Howard
Yeah.
- [18:25]
Mike McCarthy
10 in the city. I mean, you know, a lot of side streets are just getting cleared.
- [18:28]
Pat McAfee
So was that 94 blizzard one? Was the blizzard in Pittsburgh? 93.
- [18:33]
Tone
There was one. When I think. I don't know if you were a senior college or. I was a Senior in college 2009. Eight. Ten.
- [18:40]
Connor
Eight.
- [18:41]
Tone
Somewhere around there.
- [18:41]
Mike McCarthy
That was. Yeah, they talk about 2010. I think it was the one last time I had one this big.
- [18:47]
Pat McAfee
Well, I mean, especially with the way Pittsburgh is constructed, it's like, well, where the hell is the snow gonna go?
- [18:51]
Tone
Nowhere.
- [18:52]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, there's nowhere. Yeah, it's just all going to sit on top. Let's get warm. Let's get our. Hey, let's get flamethrowers out there. I think that's really the only option you have at this point. But let's talk about you dealing with Frozen Tundra in the past. Ty Schmidt, obviously, is one of your biggest fans. I think he's pumped you onto the Steelers.
- [19:10]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, I'm absolutely pumped. And I, I let Coach know. I texted him and said, hey, you know, no, no, nothing wrong with having to root on the Steelers in the afc. I'm, I'm happy with. With doing that, that. But, Coach, you kind of alluded to this a little bit in your opening press conference. Last time you had a year off, you basically said, like, yeah, it was a year off, but, you know, you were doing the McCarthy project in your barn with a couple of your buddies, you know, like, with the intention of, hey, I want to stay in the game, and I kind of want. I. I want to get another head coaching opportunity as quick as possible. Last year, with actually having a year off and, you know, joining us once a week, did you learn anything about yourself in terms of, like, your philosophy or how you might change things this time around? Like, how did actually taking a year off maybe make you a better or a different coach moving forward?
- [19:59]
Mike McCarthy
I think this year was clearly, you know, the appreciation, you know, for the time with family, which obviously, you know, being grateful for an incredible career that I, I had to the point and was very comfortable with that time with my family. So I just think the biggest thing is the appreciation about being around the people you love. And I love coaching. I miss the locker room. I miss the staff meetings. I miss game playing days on Tuesday. So all the little things that you're able to take sit back and think about. And then to get this opportunity with the Steelers, I just, frankly, I felt like it was meant to be, but I would just say just appreciation and for, you know, this great life the good Lord has blessed me with.
- [20:47]
Pat McAfee
Little perspective, huh? Give you a little perspective there whenever you step away for a little bit?
- [20:51]
Mike McCarthy
Oh, absolutely. No, absolutely. And, you know, it's. The time that I've had with the kids has been remarkable. It's, you know, it's really the only time as a, you know, as a. As a head coach that, you know, it's, you know, I feel like I'm a better father today, and I definitely was a year ago, so. And that's and I thank you guys because you guys kept my head in the game, you know, so I was able to talk football once a week with you guys, you know, break down the Thursday, Thursday night game. So, you know, I was able to stay in it enough, but I just had great quality family time to share.
- [21:21]
Pat McAfee
We'd love to hear that. Anytime somebody's perspective has changed in a positive way where you appreciate everything more, that is seems like a good life event. And you didn't pick the games, obviously, because, you know, Obviously. But if you were to.
- [21:35]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, still pretty strong guy.
- [21:37]
Pat McAfee
Pretty good guy. Was sticking with the game. Guy was sticking with the game for sure. My no ball a little bit. Okay. Speaking of knowing ball, you've coached a lot of legends. A lot of legends. I mean, there's a lot of names being thrown that have been in the same, you know, building as you that have basically built ball in this entirety. So I think that's something that it's exciting that people are learning about your history with quarterbacks, but there's certainly one that has a lot of conversation right now. Go ahead, con man.
- [22:02]
Connor
Yeah, Coach. Congrats again. It's cool to see you back in Pittsburgh and how much it means to you. One of the first questions you had at your press conference was about Aaron. Have you been able to talk to Aaron Rodgers at all? Has there been any dialogue with him? Just about next year. I saw a lot of people kind of Lincoln, Aaron with James Campen, the offensive line coach that you guys are bringing in with, you know, his time from Green Bay. But has there been any more dialogue with that? Has it strictly been kind of just about Will and Mason because they are definitely on the roster, or have you actually been able to reach out and kind of have an initial back and forth with Aaron?
- [22:39]
Mike McCarthy
Yes, I've definitely. I've spoken to Aaron a number of times.
- [22:42]
Pat McAfee
But.
- [22:43]
Mike McCarthy
But, you know, I think just like anybody that's played the game a long time, particularly at this point of their career, I mean, it's important to get away. And so that's a normal process that, you know, I think it's important for all these players to decompress and step away from the season. And that's really the mindset that he's in. And that's really about as far as our conversations have gone, as far as if he's coming back or not coming back. So I think it's important for him to. To, you know, do. Do the things that, you know, he normally does just to. Just to step away and to make those decisions. But, you know, it's. You know, you're talking about every player on the roster. I mean, I'm. Obviously, it's a constant as far as the communication between Omar and I. And he, you know, he always has the, you know, the roster board open in his office. So, you know, we're talking about these players a number of times a day just, you know, make sure that I'm getting familiar with them. And, you know, we're just continuing to have conversation about the direction we want to go.
- [23:38]
Pat McAfee
How do you feel about the whole building? You know, obviously, name game and everything is what it is, you know, and studying faces and I believe we sent over at the beginning to you. I think names, faces, the whole thing. I think that is something that happens in some places. How is the building? Do you. Is there familiar faces in that building, or are you learning everything as you go right here?
- [23:58]
Mike McCarthy
I mean, I'm learning everything as I go, but it's. You know, this building hasn't had any change in 19 years. You know, it's funny, because I was talking to Mike Tomlin on the phone the other day, and, you know, he didn't spend. He operated out of a different office. And I think the furniture was. You know, it's still there from Bill Cower. So us three have had a laugh about the furniture, but so I'm getting new furniture, so that's a good gig.
- [24:23]
Patrick Kane
Because.
- [24:25]
Mike McCarthy
It'S been there for decades. But, no, it's awesome. It's right on the river here. I look out my window, you know, right across. Right across the rivers is. Is where I grew up, you know, in the neighborhood of Greenfield. So it's super cool. But, yeah, learning the names and. And frankly, at night, it takes me. It takes me a while to get down the hall just looking at all the great teams from the past and so forth, and, you know, it's just. It's. It's really. You know, you're reliving your childhood all over again. So with the six super bowl trophies right at the top of the steps and so forth, so super cool facility. You know, it's all football.
- [24:59]
Pat McAfee
That's awesome. I'm happy to hear that about a Yinzer walking into Pittsburgh Steelers building and just being like, holy hell, what a time. I remember where I was when this happened. Oh, my mom and dad are gonna love to see this. Hey, you see this? You know, as they're walking around with you? I mean, it's like a museum you're working in, and I appreciate the Fact that you changed over the couches and the furniture from Coward. There was something that I don't know if Coach Coward told us. He definitely told us, but I don't know how many other places he told us. I don't want to act like we broke the news or he told it to us specifically, but he said he left two beers for Mike Tomlinson in the fridge. Whenever Coach Tomlin took over the job, he said, I think him and Coach Noel, I don't know if they had a relationship or not. And Bill Cower said he wasn't like him and Tomlin, he was not dropping in on him every day, hey, this is your team now. But he left him two IC lights, I guess, in the fridge. Was there anything left for you in the building, or have you found anything that has been left for you yet in the building?
- [25:55]
Mike McCarthy
Well, Bill and Mike have been awesome, you know, through this experience. But I think Mike must have drank.
- [26:02]
Roman Reigns
Him, because I was.
- [26:05]
Mike McCarthy
Honestly. But I'm sure Mike and I will catch up down the road here and have a couple ourselves.
- [26:10]
Pat McAfee
Okay.
- [26:11]
Mike McCarthy
It's all good.
- [26:12]
Pat McAfee
That's awesome. Well, Coach, I appreciate you joining us. Congratulations on the gig. I know there was obviously some loudness outside the building in Pittsburgh before your press conference. Immediately afterwards, everybody learning who you were a little bit more. People are like, we love this guy. We're happy he's back. Not everybody, obviously, is. Pittsburgh, you know how that's gonna go. But, like, it feels like everybody's excited and rallied. Man, we hope you do amazing things.
- [26:35]
Mike McCarthy
Oh, thank you. And, hey, anytime. It's always great seeing the gang, and we got some great swag over here, and I know how much you guys like, like black, so we'll make sure. We'll send you some so he gets it.
- [26:46]
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
- [26:47]
Mike McCarthy
Hey, where's AJ today? No aj.
- [26:49]
Pat McAfee
Second hour, Mike. Come on, Coach.
- [26:51]
Ty Schmidt
Sleeping stuff.
- [26:52]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, Second hour, Coach. He comes in in second hour, sir. Yeah, he probably sleep already. You know how he is. Yeah, exactly. Snoozing all the time.
- [27:00]
Mike McCarthy
You know, he's just hyperbaric chamber.
- [27:02]
Tone
Yeah.
- [27:04]
Pat McAfee
Probably accurate. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Oh, you're the man. Ladies and gentlemen, the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mike McCarthy. Yeah, coach. Good for him, man. Yeah.
- [27:16]
Connor
Unreal.
- [27:17]
Pat McAfee
Because when we went and did game day back there, and I was just walking through, like, the stadium and the suite, so you just see, like, pictures of your childhood, dude. It's like, oh, my God, Lloyd with the big.
- [27:27]
Tone
The Greg Lloyd.
- [27:29]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, his face mask. There was, like, a photo where he's turning into this Big ass. Remember those obnoxious nose bar duck face mask?
- [27:37]
Dwight Howard
Yeah.
- [27:37]
Pat McAfee
It was just like the ridiculous times. And then there's pictures like Troy Palomalu whenever he was young, you know. Cause he played for a while, you know, And a lot of people saw him at the end where amazing it was. But when he was young in Pomalo was coming into the city first. And he was doing this absurd shit. Just like absolutely absurd shit. It was like a young photo of him flying. He like, think to yourself, like, oh, I remember they got little young Ben and Neil o' Donnell's spinning one. It's like, holy hell. Cordell Stewart's in there. It's like, whoa. I remember this entire thing. They need a little bit more fuamatu ma fala love. Okay. Chris was a dog. Chris was an absolute dog. Obviously. Bussy does his entire thing. Hines Ward. It's like as you walk through, they do a good job of reminding you, like, hey, yeah, ball here. This is kind of what we do. Same furniture from cars there or something. That's certainly something.
- [28:23]
Tone
Through Tomlin, he's going to get some new furniture. But it was cool to hear that he has been talking to Coach Cower and Coach Tomlin. Because we've talked about multiple times this year. Like those games where all the players come back. Big Mike's going to keep that going. Like, that's part of the pro of hiring someone who gets the organization, who was born and raised there. He's not going to change it where he's like, oh, yeah, you pass players can't come back.
- [28:44]
Roman Reigns
This.
- [28:44]
Tone
That's not how we do it here. Like, that's going to still be a staple. Which is something that I think is pretty cool.
- [28:49]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, I think it's very cool. That's part of the coolness of the Pittsburgh Steelers building. What do you say about Aaron there? Hey, Aaron's doing his own thing. Is that what he's saying? He's doing his normal stuff?
- [28:57]
Connor
Yeah, just kind of a waiting game, you know, he's doing his normal stuff. Who knows what that means? I think if we all. We can all think of something different when it comes to Aaron doing his normal stuff in the off season. But I do think based on there not being kind of like a finite. Hey, I'm done after this year. I kind of think that he's going to come back and play for Coach Mike.
- [29:17]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, I think. I just assumed, especially when, you know. And again, none of us were in there. So we don't know how true the reports came out. But like, he was gutted when, you know, Tomlinson got or didn't get fired, but when Tomlin, you know, said he was stepping down. And I think if it would have just stayed that way and it would have been a different head coach, I think it probably would have been pretty easy for him to just be like, you know what? I am done. But then when McCarthy gets hired as a head coach, I think he's probably like, you know what? Like, if there was one guy who I would maybe consider coming out of retirement to come play for, it'd be.
- [29:50]
Pat McAfee
This guy delaying retirement.
- [29:52]
Connor
Yeah.
- [29:52]
Pat McAfee
And Mike McCarthy. And he obviously have had great success in the NFL whenever they were at the Green Bay packers. Different, top, different era, different NFL. I would say 98, 55 and one in the regular season, eighth most wins by tandem. Nine seven in the playoffs. Tied seventh most wins by a tandem. He would certainly understand what everybody would want to have happen. His offensive line coach, he loves from Green.
- [30:14]
Connor
Campy.
- [30:14]
Pat McAfee
Campy just got hired he in New York jets hard knocks against Carolina Panthers joint practice. Aaron Rodgers basically walks through the Carolina Panthers team, like, right through their sideline. Wild move. He was the only jets guy over there on a beeline directly to this guy. And then he started talking shit to him immediately. It's like, oh, these two are very close. It appears he is now the offensive line coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. So it's like a lot of familiar faces, especially if Scotty Tolzine, who is the former backup quarterback of Aaron Rodgers, is potentially getting an offensive coordinator interview. He was down with Kelly Moe down at the Saints. It's like there's a. Yeah, there's Aaron finding him in the middle. Look, that's Carolina Panthers practice. Aaron just walked his ass right into. It's like, I don't think that's normal. Now, granted, he's Aaron Rodgers, so everybody in the league is like, what up, dude? Yeah, we watch you and you're wild. I assume a lot of people are like, you're wild, man. Like, you are. Because every player and coach has respect for Aaron Rodgers. Like, no matter what he says or how he does, there's a lot of people that hold a lot of things that have happened or he has said or maybe things that are narratives that have been said or built about Aaron that make them hate Aaron Rodgers. You know, like there is. And Aaron Rodgers certainly is Mount Rushmore quarterback in the history of the NFL. So he's going to draw a lot of attention to begin with. So whenever he's not normal, there's going to be people that think differently about him. But everybody in ball respects him and appreciates him. That's why I think anytime you hear anybody in ball talk about Aaron Rodgers, like, if Aaron Rodgers wants to come play, I think we'll give him a shot. Like I think we would get. Because everybody in the locker room and media is like, we got Aaron Rodgers as a quarterback. Like that is. And I think that was a big part of the exit intervention. From my understanding with the Pittsburgh Steelers is a bunch of the OGs met with Khan and met with Rooney and everything like that on their way out and they were asked, I guess, do you think Aaron Rodgers could still play winning football? And they were all like, yeah, we think Aaron could definitely do it. And that's just like how I think the Pittsburgh Steelers building feels about Aaron now. How do Pittsburgh Steelers fans feel about Aaron coming back? How does media, I heard Dan Orlovsky say, oh yeah, Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers would be a work worst. The worst decision of all time.
- [32:16]
Tone
All time.
- [32:17]
Pat McAfee
Of all time. I think something like that. It's like, that's a fascinating take because are you destined to potentially just finish in the same spot? Which is what everybody's saying. Aaron coming back to play for the Steelers with Mike McCarthy is like. Seems like the most likely outcome. Yes, it feels like the most likely outcome, but I don't know if everybody has kind of wrapped their minds around that being an actual thing or I don't know how everybody kind of views it.
- [32:41]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah. And I mean like when things ended, how they ended in Green Bay and there was a lot of conjecture and discussion about him and Big Mike's relationship when Big Mike got fired and Aaron was still there and all that kind of stuff. But like after that all happened and he let like he has nothing but good things to say about that entire staff, that entire regime. So I just think it's one of those things. And who knows, like, you know, the comfortability he has with that offense. Like again, you know, the last several years after he's left Green Bay, really ever since the floor came in, it's kind of been like marrying what he likes to do along with whoever the new person's system. And it's kind of trying to, you know, like, does it take eight weeks or however long to kind of find that sweet spot? Like, he doesn't have to do that anymore. He knows exact. He knows exactly what Big Mike wants to do and Big Mike knows exactly what he.
- [33:33]
Pat McAfee
Well, on that note, Big Mike, when he was talking about The Pittsburgh Steelers season with us, I think on draft night and then maybe not draft night because he wasn't on the team yet. Had to be maybe early weeks when Mike McCarthy was coming on or whatever. He goes, in this game, you look at his stats because he's big stats oriented guy too. A lot of people don't think that because he's Yinzer or whatever. He goes, you look at the numbers like it's going to come down to a drive in the fourth quarter. And he said, there's nobody else in football that I would want to have the ball in the fourth quarter than Aaron Rodgers with a last second driver or whatever. And I think he said that because he understands Aaron. Aaron, Aaron has his ability and I think it's why people can maybe throw a lot of rocks at his stats and shit. First couple quarters, like Aaron Rodgers, very okay. Like if he throws it, fuck eight times, maybe six times, he's running, he's trying to figure out what you're doing. He is trying to understand everything that your defense is doing. That's kind of his thing. He's like a computer. So in third, fourth quarter, the reason why I'm big, Mike McCarthy has so much faith in him. It's like by fourth quarter, Aaron Rodgers has got this defense figured out. He understands what we're doing. So anything I call, he knows what we're going to need. We're going to be able to have success. There's no way with how Aaron looked at the end of whenever they were running good there that Mike McCarthy is going to change that mindset. Who else is going to be better than Aaron Rodgers that we're going to be able to get in here? I assume Mike McCarthy, who's always been a fan of Aaron. Publicly. We don't know how it ended privately, but we know publicly both men have certainly said very positive things about each other on our show and to people we know, it's like, what if they do say, hey, let's do it. One more run on this thing, we both get buried. Kinda, you know, hey, we both need to win another one. Doing that together. That's a movie. That is a movie in the city of Pittsburgh too, with Mike McCarthy doing it all. But I think Steelers fans are having a hard time buying in that the movie is going to end with a Super bowl instead. It's going to end with the 13th overall pick again, when it would be nice to maybe end up with the top three pick so we can get a organizational changer at the top of the which is kind of how Steelers.
- [35:28]
Tone
Yeah, they are. They're yearning for change. After the whole Tomlin run, they are yearning for change. And then Big Mike didn't help when he said that he loves Will Howard in the press conference. So now I think a lot of Steelers fans are yearning for Will Howard next season. And it goes two ways. He's either good and he's your future or it's really, really bad and you're set up in a good spot for the next draft where, you know, you know, things can change a lot. But it's supposed to be a really good quarterback draft.
- [35:59]
Pat McAfee
It would be a hilarious experience to do an NFL season with Yinzers and I don't know if enough people know about Yinzers. I think we have brought some spotlight to Yinzers in a more national way and I would like to say it's an incredible honor for that to happen. But Yinzers are an incredibly passionate bunch and boy, if they lose faith, they're good at shit talking them losing the faith in you, you know, so an entire season of Yinzers having to ride the wave of understanding like, hey, we're trying to be bad, right? We're trying to be bad right now. Yeah, right. That would be the loudest, most miserable, tried tank job in history. No matter what happens next year, if it's not a successful season, it's going to be loud for Big Mike's ass and he understands that all he wants to do is just win ball games out of so. And you see what Liam did you see what frames did you see what Ben Johnson did you see these very quick success stories for these coaches and it's like Pittsburgh is definitely going to be Will Hoffman, Mason Rudolph, they got Diego Pavia playing quarterback. Steelers fans are going to say it's your Corbin win. This is, this is what you need to do. And if not, if they end up right in the middle of the pack again, it's going to be like Rooney, you're the dumbest. Why would you even do that? That is possible.
- [37:08]
Ty Schmidt
Yes, it is.
- [37:09]
Pat McAfee
McCarthy knows all of that because his family has told him all of these things already about potentially another coach they were going to hire that is similar to him. So he knows exactly how these people people the insur are. And I think the fact that he still signed up for it and be like, yeah, I'm supposed to be this guy. It feels like it's set up to be that. I'm happy for him. I hope it works out. They win a Super bowl, that would be a, that would be A fairy tale movie. It'll be a fairy tale movie if they're able to do that.
- [37:33]
Ty Schmidt
Well, and I think from a fan perspective, it's easy to say that, but like, when it is a city like Pittsburgh or New England or Green Bay or something like that, like when you live and die with what the team does on Sunday day, like, no one is okay with just punting a season. You want. You want to watch your team get their ass beat or get beat every single week? No, because there's no guarantee that you're going to get the next guy. Like, Conor got lucky. There's a chance the Patriots go through that, they have that terrible season, and then what happens if you don't get Drake May? It's like, yeah. Or vra. It's like, okay, well, we just threw away this season and now what? We have to throw away another one. And then you're looking at it. It's like before you know it, you've thrown three years of your fandom away, where you're. You're watching every single game, every second of it. And it's like you can only do that for so long, where you're watching your team get their ass beat every week.
- [38:20]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. And that's why some people just decide to win all the time.
- [38:23]
Mike Eruzione
Exactly.
- [38:24]
Dwight Howard
That's good.
- [38:24]
Pat McAfee
And whenever you decide to win all the time, you stay committed to everything that needs to be done. You know, obviously, you're in the best shape of all time. Obviously, you're the best talker, Gotta be the best looker, gotta be the toughest, you know, gotta be the smartest businessly got or business wise, gotta be set. But there's only some people in the history of mankind that are able to attain all of those things. Joining us now is a man who is somehow able to accomplish all of that and still has more to do. Ladies and gentlemen, I believe he is. In Tomorrow's Royal Rumble, 2pm Eastern on ESPN Unlimited. Our Tribal chief, the only tribal chief, Roman reigns.
- [39:11]
Connor
Yeah.
- [39:14]
Roman Reigns
What a. What an artist.
- [39:16]
Dwight Howard
What.
- [39:16]
Roman Reigns
What a transition. Yeah. Only. Only you. You know what I mean? That's why you demand. That's why they pay it. I was going to say us. And it is true. It is us. But it's about you right now. That's why they pay you the big bucks.
- [39:26]
Pat McAfee
No, we. We. We. But, yes, we did go from a team punting on a season to a man who's never punted on any. You know, a man who takes everything serious. That is why you have climbed yourself to the top of an industry that only a few have been to the top of. You have obviously taken the top of a mountain and raised its altitude somehow to a whole other level. And now it appears as if we are on the hunt back to the top of said mountain. What does tomorrow look like for Roman Reigns? Obviously, I don't know. This vision crew, you know, I don't like. I don't like what they got going on. Okay. They're already talking about being a team in there and beating the hell out of everybody. What is the plan tomorrow? I know you're smarter than everybody. Are we winning this thing and should we be confident in saying our tribal chief is back?
- [40:16]
Roman Reigns
I didn't come all the way out here for nothing. You know what I mean? This is a long from Miami. This is a long travel day. So, yeah, I mean, I haven't been able to pull this off and, what, over 10 years now. For the longest, I felt like I was like the gatekeeper, the runner up guy. You know, they would spam me and try to get that big pot for the babyface or whatever, but I don't know. This feels like me. It feels like me. And I think there's so many different, you know, fingers and different signs pointing to this. I think we're at a place where our fans are demanding more, you know what I mean? I set us up, I put us in position, you know, to be fulfilled in the promise land, to be in a position to break records and make ungodly amount of money. And we're at that point that our fans are craving that. So. And. And they already know it's a proof of concept with me. They know what they're getting with me, man.
- [41:13]
Pat McAfee
Those were the good old days, weren't they? Not too long ago, Roman. Those are good old days, weren't they?
- [41:19]
Roman Reigns
It was a good time, man, but we can't rest on the. On the past. I mean, literally, you know what I mean? When you have a hell of a run like that, I. I could just sit and rest on my laurels and just let the dump truck continue to let that money flow. But I want to push, man. I have four sons. My daughter, she's just entering adulthood. I want to continue to create a shadow, a mountain so big they'll never get out of my shadow. I want to make it tough for them because they're privileged children. Your children are going to be the same way. So we have to create obstacles. We have to create this adversity for them. And why not do it through my success, you know?
- [41:54]
Patrick Kane
What?
- [41:54]
Dwight Howard
I mean.
- [41:55]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, go. Talk real quick. Yeah, Just. Hey, this is what's happening in this family. This is what's possible, okay? In this bloodline.
- [42:01]
Roman Reigns
That's right.
- [42:01]
Pat McAfee
This is the opportunity you're gonna have to work your ass off for it. Speaking of, we just showed some clips of you walking out there. Hey. Hey.
- [42:08]
Connor
Us.
- [42:09]
Pat McAfee
Hey, how do we feel right now? What. What's the. Where are we at? What, weight wise? Because we've seen a couple different. We've seen powerhouse, and then we've seen, like, shredded. Little quicker. Still powerhouse. But you know what? What? Roman is entering the Rumble to tomorrow.
- [42:25]
Roman Reigns
Well, that's good. We're always strong. No matter. That's just genetics, that. Yeah. And that's from a lot of work that's compounded time in the gym. So we're always strong, but, yeah, we can always come in a little tighter. It just depends. This is the Royal Rumble, you know. The objective of the game is to not get thrown out. So you want to have a good low center of gravity. You got to be able to squat down and hold on to that rope if need be. But it's the same for me. Wreck everybody and leave the jets going to be fired up, ready to get me up out of here. But, yeah, I mean, I've been working. We're coming off of winter break, you know what I mean? Oktoberfest right into holiday season. So we've been grinding it out, but I'm a human, you know what I mean? Football season stopped, but we look all right. We'll look all right. But going into mania, that's the beauty of this, is we have so much time to mania. So we're just going to cruise right in and be comfortable.
- [43:15]
Pat McAfee
Okay? Where are you right now? Is that room, Jim, I assume you just live in the place where you're just only going to get greater all the time, I assume. Hyperbaric chambers right yonder, I assume. You know, we got a couple.
- [43:26]
Roman Reigns
You must have heard we got all that down here. Yeah, they got it set up. The gym here is special. They got Cold sub, they got Infrared sauna. They got Normatex and Red Light. You're missing it, man.
- [43:36]
Dwight Howard
Yeah, yeah.
- [43:37]
Roman Reigns
Riyadh's not messing around this time, but. Yeah, I've already been to the gym twice today. I'm gonna go back later to try to grind it out before I go to bed to wear myself down. But, yeah, that's what it is. We're on three days now, full camp type mode, you know what I mean? Getting ready so we'll bring in a solid package tomorrow night. You know, a winning package. But then that main is going to get. It's going to get ridiculous.
- [44:01]
Pat McAfee
What time is it over there right now? What is the time difference?
- [44:05]
Roman Reigns
It's tribal chief time.
- [44:09]
Pat McAfee
Come on now.
- [44:10]
Roman Reigns
Nice. It's almost nine.
- [44:13]
Pat McAfee
It's AP time.
- [44:14]
Roman Reigns
Black ceramic.
- [44:15]
Pat McAfee
That's what time it is, obviously. Keep living. Keep living. OK. We found out via a random FaceTime the other day about an entrant in Royal Rumble. Go ahead, con man.
- [44:24]
Connor
Yeah, my tribal chief, I acknowledge, as always, but yeah, Brock Lesnar being in the Rumble, that was news to us. News to you, perhaps. Is there any plans with Brock that you have? Is there a possibly a you and Brock together kind of take out the vision, take out the wise man's boys after he kind of threw you guys aside. You threw him aside. And of course, the tribal thief. I hate this guy because of what he's doing in the, you know, word Pokemon puns. He's doing. Do you guys have specific plans or do you have a specific plan with Lesnar in the rumble tomorrow?
- [45:01]
Roman Reigns
I'm still caught up on the fact that Brock knows how to work FaceTime. I mean, you know, I mean, that's like a killer. You know what I mean?
- [45:10]
Dwight Howard
Like, I'm just.
- [45:12]
Roman Reigns
That's tripping me. I didn't even know he had a phone. I figured, you know what I mean? Like, I thought it was like old school. You had to call the farm and then, like, the farm hand would come and then he would go to the, like, lead farm guy and then, you know what I mean? Like, so I'm surprised he even works the phone. But no, there's no way I can. There's no way I can work with Brock.
- [45:32]
Dwight Howard
I mean, he.
- [45:32]
Roman Reigns
He's one of my greatest rivals. I can't trust that guy. He was literally just competing with all the vision boys and all them. And I mean, talk about a group who. Just.
- [45:44]
Ty Schmidt
Say it.
- [45:44]
Roman Reigns
Talk about the name.
- [45:45]
Dwight Howard
You.
- [45:46]
Roman Reigns
They don't know what they're doing. They don't know where they're going.
- [45:49]
Pat McAfee
They.
- [45:49]
Roman Reigns
They can't see clearly at all. Vision's private. That's. That's a Seth Rollins. Where they probably need to have a rebranding right now. But there's a lot of young talent there, you know, and they're physically impressive. Even Logan, you know, I mean, for someone who wasn't a professional athlete or, you know, a D1 guy, he. He's a hell of an athlete. Hey, he was popping me, though, with The. He's just flexing on the show.
- [46:13]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Unbelievable. Me, too. He would see himself flexing it up, man.
- [46:17]
Roman Reigns
I was like, what? This is what's going on here? Yeah, he was feeling it, but. But he's a hell of a personality. Bronson Reed. He's confused. He should already be acknowledgin. He should just bow down to Caesar is what he should do, and align properly. He's confused, but sometimes that happens. Tsunami and then Breaker.
- [46:37]
Pat McAfee
Go ahead. Yes.
- [46:38]
Dwight Howard
Yeah.
- [46:39]
Roman Reigns
Imagine if I had that at my disposal. Just. You know what I mean?
- [46:42]
Ty Schmidt
Ra.
- [46:43]
Pat McAfee
He would go, too. He would go.
- [46:45]
Roman Reigns
We'll find. Yeah, we. We will find every type of balcony. We could drop him off and kill everybody.
- [46:49]
Dwight Howard
It would be great.
- [46:50]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Yeah. Bron Breaker.
- [46:52]
Roman Reigns
I heard maybe one day. Maybe one day I. I will wield the sword of the tribal thief. Who knows? Maybe. Maybe he'll be taking direction one day. We got a lot of. We got a lot of footage to climb. We. We're not there yet.
- [47:05]
Pat McAfee
You mentioned Bron Breaker before I stopped you there, and I apologize for that because, you know, the dogs are barking in Riyadh. We were watching this morning at the pre show Michael Cole hosted out there. Dogs are barking in Riyadh. Bron Breaker, Paul Heyman has said, going to be WrestleMania, I believe, next year, year after that, year after that, year after that, year after that. This is. You know, I was lucky to be there at the beginning of the entire ride, and I saw he's explosive. I mean, his spear.
- [47:31]
Connor
Yeah.
- [47:32]
Pat McAfee
Oh, his spear cuts people in half. Oh, my God. His spear. They're saying maybe best spear in the history of wrestling.
- [47:39]
Mike Eruzione
Who's saying that?
- [47:41]
Pat McAfee
I didn't say. I'm just telling you what people were saying. I didn't say that. That's a lie. I didn't say this. I didn't.
- [47:46]
Roman Reigns
I. Yeah, If. If I was a young, insignificant performer, then I would take, you know, a little bit of offense or I would feel some, you know, competitive nature about that. But a finishing move is a finishing move. I'm such a different type of performer. I'm on a whole different level. We're talking about finisher. We're talking about the spirit, bro. Come on, now. Like, I. You talking to Mozart here. I create real art. It's not just about running down a ramp and flying through there and hitting somebody. But he's a great athlete. I mean, but we all are. You know what I mean? And as you get older, you got to evolve. You got to. You got to learn all the different nuances. To this game. You got to sharpen every blade and, you know, in your set. So I think Breaker's got a hell of a future in front of him. As long as he kind of stays out of my, you know, my wheelhouse of what I'm trying to do, I think he'll be all right. But he's still got a lot, you know, a long ways to go. I'd love to see him not get nervous on ESPN and, you know, get quiet on you, because I think there's a lot of personality there. Hey, it takes time, bro. It's a. Oh, what?
- [48:52]
Patrick Kane
I can't.
- [48:53]
Pat McAfee
I gotta jab back, man. I gotta fight right back.
- [48:56]
Roman Reigns
You know, we can't just let these. These kids are calling us old, and you know what I mean? So I gotta, you know, I mean, we gotta. We gotta come back. Don't get, don't get nervous on national television, son. You know what I mean?
- [49:05]
Pat McAfee
That was awesome. Yeah. Such Castillo compliment. Not even national.
- [49:08]
Roman Reigns
This is global. This is Pat McAfee. You can't. You know what I mean?
- [49:11]
Pat McAfee
You're in Saudi Arabia right now. This is pretty crazy to us. This is a pretty crazy situation that's taking place, and we're obviously very grateful for our tribal chief making time for us. Every time you're on our show, you're electrifying, you're awesome, and. And there's a reason why, you know, there's a Mount Rushmore 4. There's a Mount Rushmore 4, and then there's a mountain that's being built, you know, on the other side, all by its damn self. And on that note, Ty has a question for you for tomorrow.
- [49:37]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, Roman, I, I, I would agree with Connor. I just real quick would like to acknowledge my tribal chief as well, if everyone here wants to do it. Thank you. I'm just curious. You. You said okay, so, like, there are, you know, there is some good talent in. In the WWE right now, but do you kind of just notice, like, hey, you know what? I think it's time. I gotta come back this weekend, make everyone kiss the ring and kind of acknowledge that, like, yeah, you know, hey, the vision, that's the cool new thing Seth Rollins is on. He's doing the car wash on every single channel on TV right now. I've seen him 50,000 times over the last three days. But is it nice?
- [50:14]
Roman Reigns
Everyone just grasping on the relevancy, right? Please see me.
- [50:19]
Ty Schmidt
And it's the same thing because we kind of had the conversation when we were in Vegas last year for WrestleMania but is it. Do you kind of just pick and choose and. And let people know, like, okay, hey, you guys can kind of do your thing. But when I come back, when the big dog comes back into town, like, this is my show, and it will always be my show.
- [50:40]
Roman Reigns
I think, you know, I mean, there's always a mindset of that, you know, but to be completely honest and transparent here, you know. You know, two years ago, it all changed around. And, you know, what I've been doing out there hasn't exactly been the same of what I've done before. And the way I look at it is I'm a generous tribal chief. I give the people plenty of time. These young talent, they say we hog all the TV time, you know what I mean? They'll complain about one thing, and then I leave an opening. I give them plenty of space to create whatever type of superstardom they want. Get over kids. Kids, get over, you know what I mean? And we're two years here now, and we haven't advanced, we haven't evolved, you know what I mean? We have great leadership. And Nick Khan, God bless him, what a businessman. He's a genius. But we have to be able to keep up with that creatively. And that's why people like me, people who are striving to be the very best, the greatest, the goats, the MJ's. I just can't sit around and see, See mediocrity, not when I set it up for everybody to just slam it home. I mean, we're on Netflix, for crying. Come on, we gotta.
- [51:52]
Pat McAfee
We.
- [51:52]
Roman Reigns
You gotta capitalize. We got people over here playing around, trying to figure it out. And I got the formula. I know how to cook it up. You know what I mean? So it's been a tough couple years for me, but at the same time, when you come off such a hell of a run, you gotta kind of just. Just pump the brakes for a second. I, you know, I got five children at home. I. I wear, you know, we all wear those two important hats. Being a husband and a father, you got to be able to, you know, click. And I've been on the road for a long time, so I needed to be able to pull back a little bit. But I, you know, I'm fully capable. I'm only 40 years old. With all the tech and all the information we have now, I feel like I'm 25 years old, so I'm still good to go, you know what I mean?
- [52:34]
Pat McAfee
Well, I appreciate you doing your schedule to help the other talent, not your stuff. Yourself. Because obviously, if you wanted to help yourself, it's a.
- [52:40]
Roman Reigns
It's a. Help them, help me. We're all helping each other, you know.
- [52:44]
Pat McAfee
Of course. Yeah, it's good for all parties, but.
- [52:46]
Roman Reigns
Like I said, you gotta. You gotta get the reps. Gotta get.
- [52:49]
Pat McAfee
The reps and also go ahead. Come on.
- [52:51]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [52:52]
Pat McAfee
You know, that's the business. That's business.
- [52:54]
Roman Reigns
It's anytime now, you know what I mean?
- [52:56]
Pat McAfee
Like, that's been the business. That has been the business. You know, people said it before you hit your entire thing, you know, Cena had who. You know, and then before that, it was obviously rocker Austin. Yeah, Austin, one of them, you know. And before that it was, you know, hollow net, whatever. And then before that it was, you know, so it feels like that has always been this business, you know, And I want to let you know, the fact that you just dropped the whole. I'm 40 and I still got a lot of time left. That's good news for the business.
- [53:29]
Patrick Kane
Yes, it is.
- [53:30]
Pat McAfee
Hey, that's good news for the business, Roman. And I like what I'm hearing out of you. It sounds like we're about to maybe go on one of these types of runs again that's going to be talked about in documentaries 20 years from now. Is that what we're feeling? Is that how the body feels? That how the mental kind of aligns right now?
- [53:44]
Roman Reigns
Always capable. Always capable. You know what I mean? Like, that. That's just built in, just staying ready, you know, what else am I going to do? This is what I do. This is how. This is my livelihood. This is how I feed my children. This is how, you know, I create the abundance. Why not stay in shape? Why not stay mentally sharp and in tune with the game? This is my family's art form. That's why it's so important to me. That's. That's why I'm not BSing when I'm talking about representing my legacy, furthering our story, taking our book to different levels and being able to create different chapters. And if I'm able to do it at the highest level, inspire my family members to follow my lead. Can nobody stop it? You know what I mean? To me, we're the first family of wrestling. Nobody else can't touch us.
- [54:34]
Pat McAfee
Okay? So Young Rock, I think, exposed that even more so, you know, when I watch Young Rock, which obviously they hinted out with you and Dwayne, Potentially in future WrestleMania, you guys were wrestling in a living room and about to get after it, and they pause and the Rock's Character looks and goes, that's for WrestleMania. Kid basically said that it was like a tease. Oh, we're gonna get it, we're gonna go get it. But what I learned through that and obviously every other documentary and then when you guys are doing the bloodline angle and they put that tree up there. Why do you think the OO's have been such a great professional wrestling kind of group of people? Like why, why do you think it is kind of in your guys blood? Like actually because if you look at the history of the entire industry. Ooh. Throughout all of it, you know, it feels like that is kind of a. Why is that? Do we know the exact, exact like beginnings of it all or how we got there?
- [55:23]
Roman Reigns
I'm going tell you right now. Yeah, I'm going learn you right now. We're just great athletes, first of all. I mean that just, you know, there's got to be, you guys might know, there's got to be some kind of Polynesian percentage for the NFL and even other sports, but especially the NFL. I think there's a, there's got to be some crazy percentage of men that make it to the NFL that are Polynesian. So the athletic size and we're big. So you have to, you know, that, that all, that all works. But within our culture, culture, it's surrounded around storytelling. When you grow up on an island, you know what I mean, there's not that much to do. So you have to be able to entertain each other. You have to be able to tell stories. And that's how all like, you know, indigenous cultures, you know, people, ancient people. That's how you keep the information is these stories and these myths and you can't be up there in front of the fire like owing it with a boring story. You gotta be able to, you know what I mean, you gotta be able to spin it, you gotta be able to tell that story and be an orator. And we actually have them. You have high chiefs, you have matais and speaking chiefs within our culture. So it's built in. So I just think it's a perfect recipe of the genetics that God has given us, you know, as islanders and Polynesian Samoans and then just our history and our culture and the customs of our people and being on the islands and just having that, that communal, you know, gathering and just sharing these stories about our history and our ancestry and it's all the way here in modern day. And we're just doing a weird WWE now.
- [56:56]
Pat McAfee
No, it's not weird at all. It's beautiful. Actually, that was awesome to hear. You actually born for it.
- [57:01]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [57:01]
Pat McAfee
Isn't that a crazy thing? Actually born for. And the way you tell it, it makes so much sense. Well, we'll see if tomorrow continues to add to that incredible family bloodline legacy. And we'll be watching 2:00pm Eastern on ESPN Unlimited. Our tribal chief fresh out of a three a day fight camp.
- [57:19]
Connor
Hell yeah.
- [57:20]
Pat McAfee
Right. Right into the royal rumble. We appreciate the hell out of you, man.
- [57:23]
Roman Reigns
Same. Same, bro.
- [57:24]
Mike McCarthy
Always.
- [57:25]
Roman Reigns
Thanks, man.
- [57:25]
Pat McAfee
Hey, Seahawks might be running that NFC west for like the next 10 years, bro.
- [57:32]
Roman Reigns
When you. When you're. When you're the dynasty, when you're one of the dynasties, you know what I mean?
- [57:36]
Ty Schmidt
We.
- [57:36]
Roman Reigns
We gotta. We gotta share the wealth. And what happened. We were down for like two years and we were back in five. I'm not worried about the Niners. The culture between lynch and Shanahan. The culture. Coach, we're killers over there.
- [57:47]
Mike McCarthy
We what?
- [57:48]
Roman Reigns
We have like 50 injuries and still went as far as we did. We got to get that conspiracy stuff figured out, though. We need to get those. Get that power plant shut, whatever it is. We need to. We need to shake and bake and move that stuff or get that. I don't know. Something's got to happen. We need to look into this.
- [58:04]
Pat McAfee
I'll tell you that. And you know this. You know this. As the always aware tribal chief that you are. The other side's going to have an opportunity argument. You know that electric company, they are going to have an argument in this entire thing. There's no way we're going to get a good study. This study's going to take 20 years to get done. You know how it goes.
- [58:21]
Roman Reigns
A bunch of power companies out there, Whole bunch of power companies out there. Only one Niners, baby. They got to remember that. Hey, Santa Clara, you know, we'll go back to San Francisco. We need to figure this out. No, I like, support the team, the local team now. You know how it is.
- [58:42]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [58:43]
Pat McAfee
Let's win. Okay, Niner gang.
- [58:44]
Patrick Kane
All right.
- [58:44]
Pat McAfee
Well, I appreciate the hell out of you, man. Good luck tomorrow.
- [58:47]
Roman Reigns
Thank you, brother.
- [58:48]
Pat McAfee
Safe travel. Safe travels back to America. Our tribal chief, ladies and gentlemen, Roman Reigns.
- [58:52]
Ty Schmidt
Hey.
- [58:52]
Pat McAfee
Roman Reign. That was hilarious. Actually, our people are known storytellers, you know. Cause we're on an island. The only way that the history gets passed on is by telling the stories. And then you think of like Moana. I just watched Moana. Then you think of like every other cave and stuff that kind of has stories being wrote and told for future generations. And Then, like, very lucky that I've been able to go to Hawaii. And you talk about, like, the way they talk, the. How they talk, the stories and the history. It's like, oh, my God. There is actual. Oh, there's. There is a reason why the Polynesian people are the best at professional wrestling, because they are. I mean, whenever they were doing that bloodline angle and they put that tree up. So cool. Here's the history of wrestling in this one family bloodline. Now, granted, cousins, uncles, you know, the whole. Not everybody's just father. His dad, Saka. I believe one of the wild Samoans is Roman Reigns. Father passed away. Sika, I think. Yeah, Sika. Okay.
- [59:51]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [59:51]
Pat McAfee
And his. Sika is his father. So his dad was in the business, but then there is. And the USO brothers. Dad in the business. They are cousins with each other. Grew up same street with each other. But then there's also other family members that are in there, like Nia Jackson. Like, these are all just the current people. And then you go back, like, every generation, it goes. Yeah, it is.
- [60:10]
Ty Schmidt
It's a big tree.
- [60:11]
Connor
Oh, yeah.
- [60:11]
Pat McAfee
It is absolutely insane. It's like, thank you for your contributions to wrestling and to our entertainment in our childhood, like, legitimately.
- [60:18]
Tone
I think we saw that for the first time at the Super Bowl. You guys were doing your press conference. Press conference, and we were sitting in the crowd, and then somebody slapped somebody, and that tree was up there looking so beautiful.
- [60:29]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, dude. Who got slapped? The Rock got slapped or the Rock did the Rock.
- [60:36]
Ty Schmidt
Cody slap Right.
- [60:37]
Pat McAfee
Right in the mouth.
- [60:38]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [60:39]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. That was. That was pretty tense day.
- [60:40]
Ty Schmidt
It was.
- [60:41]
Tone
Call him a maybe.
- [60:42]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, Gerald Roman said. There. Roman said, we've been waiting. You know, people are craving a little bit more. What a thing to say at this time of the business.
- [60:50]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, exactly.
- [60:52]
Pat McAfee
You know, that is a. That is a couple times. Hey, can't be getting nervous on espn. Little slight of a. You know, like, he said a bunch of things in there that are like, very. We appreciate our tribal chief always. I got a chance to be there for that most a lot of that. Oh, yeah, that tribal chief run. Oh, yeah.
- [61:09]
Tone
Oh, Lonely at the top.
- [61:11]
Pat McAfee
It was awesome. What do you mean by that, brother?
- [61:13]
Tone
I mean, he's. I mean, he talked about. He's definitely not friends with Seth. He's not friends with the Vision. He's not friends with Brock. He's. When you get in there with 30 other men, maybe women, I don't know.
- [61:25]
Pat McAfee
We watched 2000. Yeah. China rest in peace. She was in there. Yeah, she got A couple.
- [61:29]
Tone
It's going to be lonely in there. Potentially.
- [61:31]
Pat McAfee
Royal rumble should be exciting tomorrow. I mean, Roman feels like he's trying to win this thing, you know.
- [61:37]
Connor
Oh, yeah, and also the way he talked about the vision, you know, I don't know. Maybe they got something in their back. Back pocket.
- [61:45]
Pat McAfee
What?
- [61:45]
Tone
He was complimentary, wasn't he?
- [61:46]
Pat McAfee
I don't know.
- [61:47]
Connor
Yeah, he, he, he didn't talk down as much as I thought. And maybe the tribal thief might get thieved.
- [61:53]
Roman Reigns
Oh, stolen.
- [61:55]
Connor
Something to think about.
- [61:55]
Pat McAfee
Hour two will be on the other side of this break. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change your life. We'll see you on the other side. This is Marshan beast mode lynch with prize picks. The big game is almost here and there's no better way to cash in during a America's biggest sporting event than prize picks.
- [62:13]
Patrick Kane
That also means it's your last chance to get in on football action before the season is over with prize picks.
- [62:19]
Pat McAfee
By getting $50 instantly in lineups when you play your first $5, it's simple to play. Pick at least two players, pick more.
- [62:27]
Roman Reigns
Or less on their stats, and submit your lineup.
- [62:29]
Patrick Kane
Prize pick also has early payouts. If your lineup get off to a hot start, you have the option to.
- [62:34]
Pat McAfee
Cash out those winners before the game even finish.
- [62:37]
Patrick Kane
So don't miss any other action this.
- [62:39]
Pat McAfee
Season with prize picks. Where it's good to be right. Prize picks is the most fan friendly daily fantasy app. Download the prize picks app today and use code TPMS and get $50 instantly in site credits when you play $5. That's code TPMS on prizepix. To get $50 instantly in site credits when you play $5. Win or lose, you'll get 50 bucks in site credits for just playing. Guaranteed Prize picks. It's good to be right. Must be present in certain states. Visit prize picks.com for restrictions and details. Welcome back to oh yeah, that's a pepper thing. First up, we've got Harrison wrapping his Dr. Pepper in a tiny quilt so it feels at home.
- [63:13]
Tone
Oh, how tender.
- [63:14]
Pat McAfee
That's a pepper thing. And over to Becca, who's whispering affirmations to her can.
- [63:18]
Mike McCarthy
You're sweet.
- [63:19]
Patrick Kane
You're unique.
- [63:20]
Mike Eruzione
You're the best thing I ever poured over ice.
- [63:22]
Mike McCarthy
She swears it makes it taste better.
- [63:23]
Roman Reigns
It's not a science thing, but it's a pepper thing.
- [63:26]
Pat McAfee
Why do they all do it all for that sweet, delicious, truly one of a kind taste of Dr. Pepper. It's a pepper thing. Hello beautiful people and welcome Back to our humble abode. The Thunderdome on this super bowl season feel good. Friday, January 30, 2026, hour two of the program begins now.
- [63:50]
Connor
Football.
- [63:50]
Pat McAfee
It is magical. There's some breaking news out of the football world and we need to discuss it. It's not just me, obviously. The toxic tables here at Boston, Connor and at Ty Schmidt. 1/2 of the hammer done Cowboys AP Tony's here and a man joining us live from Anakin, Ohio is a college football national champion super bowl champion router cup winner, A.J. hog. A.J. good to see you, brother. How's life? Doing great.
- [64:12]
Roman Reigns
Big Mike was awesome on here, so appreciate him doing that.
- [64:15]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, Big Mike was awesome. I'm thankful he took his time. Happy to hear your and Roman Reigns. Sorry.
- [64:19]
Roman Reigns
Tribal chief was unbelievable as well.
- [64:21]
Pat McAfee
Thank you for acknowledging. Obviously. Big Royal Rumble tomorrow, 2:00pm Eastern on ESPN Unlimited. Okay. News happened in the NFL while we were talking to our tribal chief who looked to win the Royal Rumble tomorrow on ESPN Unlimited. General manager for the Minnesota Vikings, Kwesi Adofa Mensah has been fired. Joining us now, the man that broke the news, senior NFL Insider for espn, Adam Shefter. Shefte, good to see you. Hope the kitchen's doing well. Okay, TV tell me about the quasi Adofa Mensa firing. This feels late in the cycle. What do they do from here? How'd they get to this point?
- [64:58]
Adam Schefter
Well, it is late in the cycle. It's an unusual time to fire somebody when he had been in Mobile at the Senior bowl all week long working for the Vikings. And then you come back to Chile, Minnesota and deliver the news just a short time ago, minutes ago, that you are five firing Kwesi Adolfo Mensah. Now, let me say this, that I think one of the things that people talked about in the league all during the year was the tension that existed within the Vikings organization. And there were people who said, someone just texted me this more this morning. They go, I told you it was ugly in Minnesota. And there was all sorts of talk. People didn't like people, people didn't get along tense. I remember speaking to our Vikings reporter Kevin Seaford about it a few weeks ago. We had thought that there was a transfer of some power from the front office to the coaching staff, that the coaching staff had been given more power. The point is, Pat, there's a lot to this. There's a lot that's going to come out on this particular situation. But the way it was set up was not working for me. People and the Vikings made The decision to fire. Now they have inserted their longtime executive vice president, Rob Brzezinski into the role, the leadership role. He will lead the team through the draft. So that tells you that they're not in any rush to go hire some new general manager. Right now. Rob Brzezinski will lead the team and then after the draft they will do a search for a new general manager.
- [66:36]
Pat McAfee
Okay, it sounds like Kevin o' Connell is doing the leading of the team. Feels like if that is what you are kind of talking about, the power going and if you need to answer that, certainly answer that. If it's any more information or breaking news. We appreciate you obviously joining us here with little to no warning. So it sounded like somebody wasn't happy that maybe JJ McCarthy had to be the quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings. I don't want to just like point to one thing, but because there was reports that maybe Aaron Rodgers would go to the Minnesota Vikings and then there was rumblings maybe coach was like, yes, just like any player or coach in the NFL would naturally do normally is like Aaron Rodgers can potentially be, especially if the coach is a quarterback. I could really make some magic. There was allegedly interest there. And then ultimately a decision was made to go with JJ McCarthy and let alone Sam Darnold, interest had to be there. Now we're going to go with J.J. mcCarthy. Sam Darnold now, obviously in the super bowl. Is that where it kind of begins and ends? I don't want to kind of look here.
- [67:30]
Adam Schefter
Here's the deal. When you have the quarterback situation that they did this past year where Daniel Jones was in the building and Sam Darnold was in the building and they leave, clearly there are going to be questions that are asked and blame that's assigned. Now, I'm not telling you that this was a crazy Adolfo Mensah decision or Kevin o'. Cop. I don't know exactly how it came out. I do remember, I do remember that they wanted and tried to keep Sam Darnold. They made an offer to him and it just so happened that the market was such that there was more money out there and a team that wanted him even more than Minnesota, which he drafted J.J. mcCarthy, Daniel Jones, they also attempted to resign. They tried to resign both those guys and it wasn't happening at that moment. So they wanted to keep both. But they also had a commitment to, to JJ McCarthy they drafted in the first round and that's an organizational decision. I don't know, you know, who drafted him over the other one, but they all signed off on it, I think, obviously. And they, I know that they definitely worked to keep Darnold and Jones and both wanted and were willing to leave.
- [68:48]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. And you and I know what that means when a team wants to keep somebody or they don't want to keep somebody or they're interested, but not actually, you know, Sam Darnold's deal is not that huge of a deal whenever it comes to quarterback deals that he took to go to Seattle. Now, I did hear they took less money to go to Indianapolis. Now, granted, that was only like $10 million. So whenever you talk about what the deals could be with Minnesota offering. Not that I want to just continue to. Was that. Go ahead.
- [69:09]
Mike Eruzione
No, no, no.
- [69:10]
Adam Schefter
I, I, I think Minnesota offered. I think Minnesota was offering Sam Donald way less than Seattle. Seattle was about 35 million a year.
- [69:19]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. And if I guarantee, I think Minnesota.
- [69:21]
Adam Schefter
Keeping away less, I believe.
- [69:23]
Pat McAfee
Exactly. Which goes back to what I was asking you about. Like, yeah, we want you.
- [69:28]
Ty Schmidt
Right.
- [69:28]
Adam Schefter
Well, here's the deal. Teams offers always speak volume. That's what you're saying.
- [69:34]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Yes, yes, yes.
- [69:37]
Adam Schefter
It's not about the money, but it's always about the money.
- [69:39]
Pat McAfee
Yes, yes, yes, it is. Yeah.
- [69:41]
Adam Schefter
As to you how much, we're prioritizing you. The money says how much. We want you. So for the Vikings. Yeah, we want you. We want you to the tune of 20 to 25 million dollars a year or whatever it is. Right?
- [69:52]
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
- [69:52]
Adam Schefter
Oh, Seattle, they want $35 million a year. So Seattle wants you more than Minnesota. Yeah, that's the deal.
- [70:00]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. That's how business works at, at, in professional sports, at least. Now, granted, there are guys that make decisions to do stuff, and allegedly Daniel Jones took less money here to come to Indianapolis because of the opportunity, potentially. It worked out for us. Great. I didn't even think about Daniel Jones because how long he's been injured, having to see Sam Darnold in the super bowl after what, he won 14 games or whatever with you guys a year before that, let alone Daniel Jones, like the number one. I forgot about that.
- [70:23]
Connor
Oh, yeah.
- [70:23]
Pat McAfee
That's next year, too.
- [70:24]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [70:25]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Well, yeah, break that news. Schefter. Daniel Jones coming back, going to be the number one quarterback in the league, and the Vikings let him out. Maybe that's why Kwesi is currently not the Minnesota Vikings general manager, but I'm sure there was other decisions that were making as well. Quickly, before we let you go, other conversation. Miles Garrett. I've been watching the Monkin introduction over there and Cleveland, there's people Just getting coffee in the back as if they're shooting tires. Shane Gillis's show as he walks into the building. Everybody else has these massive shots of people walking in the building. The entire building. The whole thing.
- [71:01]
Ty Schmidt
Oh, yeah.
- [71:01]
Pat McAfee
Doing the entire thing. Monkin walks in there, dress casual. Love what he's doing there. Jeans with the loose dress shirt and the sport coat. I'm here to be professional bum ball guy. Okay. Obviously walks in. Front desk almost made him check in. They didn't. Hey, sorry I didn't bring the band. There's people just getting coffee in the back. People just walking around. Aim. Yep, no big deal. New head coaches here. Every other building, we've seen everybody there clapping for the person. And then obviously got Miles Garrett posted on his IG story, what's going on in Cleveland and what do we expect the future to look like up there for the Browns? Because I like to think their fans are a good fan base in the NFL, but it just feels like there's always shit happening around Brownie the Elf. What are your thoughts on the Cleveland Browns and how it's kind of rolled out and what we should look for?
- [71:46]
Adam Schefter
Well, here's the deal. Todd Monkin is a very good football coach. He really is. I got no problems at all with hiring Todd Monken. The phone's just going nuts. I got no issues with Tom Monkin. The issue is that you plugged one dam or one leak and you created another. Like you wanted to build up the off, and so you brought in somebody that knows offense in Todd Monk and a football coach. And now you're going to probably wind up losing Jim Schwartz. So now your defense suffers. And I think they felt like our defense is so good that if we could just get somebody to elevate the offense, then we'll be in good position and good shape. So they got Todd Monk, and he's going to do that. But now, I know Jim Schwartz has got two years left on his contract. Contract. But we're talking about how money shows you certain appreciation in whatever business. And it's the same thing in any business. If you don't get the job that you applied for the promotion that you wanted and it went to somebody else, you're not going to feel great about staying with that particular company. Right. So now it's up to those two sides to figure out how they're going to go on and probably break up. I know the Browns want Jim Schwartz. Schwartz back, but Jim Schwartz doesn't want to be back. So how's that going to End up.
- [73:06]
Pat McAfee
Hasm's done this before. Hasm's done this before. Hey, you don't like me, go talk to Andrew. I'm not even taking a meeting with you. Andrew. What's he need? Money? Give him the most.
- [73:15]
Ty Schmidt
Make him the highest paid coordinator in the NFL.
- [73:17]
Pat McAfee
The guy in Houston does not want to come to Cleveland no matter what we offer him. Oh yeah? What's the offer? Yeah, make him the most of all time and then he goes in there. Can easily do that with Schwartz right now. I'm sure there is some somebody that knows what coordinators are worth. What is an average coordinator salary in the NFL right now? Pretty high. I would assume or no.
- [73:34]
Adam Schefter
I will say this, that the coaching salaries this season this offseason have spiked and they've gone up quite a bit. And it speaks to number one how important the coaches are and number two how desperate the teams are to have them. Like Tennessee hires Robertson, Salah and they're planning around having Brian Dall and then they might lose Brian Dbal but they get him. So they're relieved. The Ravens are going to hire Jesse Minter and they'd like to go get Joe Brady as their offensive coordinator and then Joe Brady gets a head coaching job. The Giants hire John Harbaugh and they love that. He's a great coach and he's going to bring Todd Monkin. But Todd Monkin gets the Brown State coaching job. So it's great to hire a defensive or special teams coach, a great leader. Look, look in the super bowl this year, Mike McDonald and Mike Vrabel, two defensive minded coaches. But if you don't have a plan and you lose your guy on the offensive side or you're an offensive guy and you lose your defensive guy. Oh no, it's some issues. See Ray Bull had it perfect because Josh McDaniels had been a head coach and nobody was going to hire coach and he lived in Foxborough. It was teed up with Mike McDonald's Donald. He fired last year his offensive coordinator and hired Clint Kubiak who now is going to be a head coach in the league after this Super Bowl. So if you have the right guy, it looks great. But if you don't and you lose your guy, now you're scrambling.
- [75:03]
Pat McAfee
Sounds like you're saying hey hardball, who are you going to go? Who's behind door number two? I'm excited to find out who it is as well.
- [75:08]
Adam Schefter
No, no, no, no. They'll find somebody, of course, but it wasn't who they planned because that guy's the head coaching Cleveland England.
- [75:14]
Pat McAfee
Now, who's Kubiak getting? Which job?
- [75:17]
Adam Schefter
Well, he's going to get the Raiders or he's going to get the Cardinals job.
- [75:20]
Pat McAfee
Okay, so he's definitely getting one of those jobs.
- [75:22]
Adam Schefter
He's definitely getting one of those jobs.
- [75:25]
Connor
Okay.
- [75:25]
Pat McAfee
All right. That's awesome. Thank you, Chef. We appreciate you, man. You're the best.
- [75:29]
Adam Schefter
Thank you, guys.
- [75:30]
Pat McAfee
Ladies and gentlemen.
- [75:33]
Ty Schmidt
That'S breaking news.
- [75:34]
Connor
The first pick of the third pick.
- [75:35]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. What do you. It's up to you, bud. Phoenix, Vegas, what do you want. Want to do? How do you want to live? That was, I mean, huge news there out of Minnesota. And it sounded like as he was talking, he was like, there was a power transfer to the coaches. There was disagreements in the building. It's like. So that normally is a case of we don't think you did the right stuff with the players. Whose job is that? It's that job or that. That's why alignment is such a big deal. But boy, if it gets out of line, I think cutting is the right move. Because if two guys. Guys or a girl and a guy, whatever the case is in the future, if they are not on the same page, they're working against each other, trying to prove that they are the right one so they can stick around. So cutting it off, if that is the case, is the right play, I think personally. And it feels like they're empowering Kevin o' Connell here. That's what it feels like.
- [76:22]
Roman Reigns
It does.
- [76:23]
Pat McAfee
I mean, the timing just. The timing seems very weird to get rid of your GM right now, January.
- [76:26]
Roman Reigns
30Th, when he's what, at the Senior Bowl? That's makes you think, like, okay, this has been an ongoing thing for a long time. And then they just finally pulled the trigger now, which is kind of just a. Just a weird time, I think.
- [76:37]
Ty Schmidt
Well, the. The narrative kind of started going from. Because we talked about Kevin o', Connell, like, hey, this guy can win with any quarterback. It doesn't matter who he gets in there. And then the Darnold stuff happens, and we see what happens with JJ this year, and it started to become kind of like, well, are we sure KOC knows what he's doing, too? So I wonder if that was part of like a. Hey, no, I wanted Darnold. And this guy said he'd get it done. And he lowballed him. And then Darnold decided to go to Seattle.
- [77:01]
Pat McAfee
So many different thoughts. And Schefter said, we're going to hear it lot about this, you know, Cuz Quy's team is certainly going to want people to understand where he's coming from. You know, that is certainly a part of this entire gig. Just like that electric company over there in San Francis, Santa Clara. They're going to have their side. Yeah, they will. Oh, they're going to have their. They're going to have their things.
- [77:18]
Tone
Electric.
- [77:19]
Pat McAfee
You think they're going to want to move that entire power plant? You think they're going to shut that down? No, no way. I'm worried about that over there.
- [77:25]
Ty Schmidt
They're not shutting that.
- [77:26]
Connor
They got a great argument. Who tell you that much? The electrical company.
- [77:30]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, we started to see their game plan. We started to see their game plan and I'm telling you what, it's going to be a. It's going to be a dog fight. It's going to be. It's going to be an absolute dog fight. But we understand what they're saying. I just don't think that's necessarily great for, you know, any of it. If you're. Niners are an older team too. Oh yeah, we don't need. Yeah, they see them, they're still trained. They're. They're getting back after it right now like they are.
- [77:51]
Connor
Which is part of the conversation the electrical company has.
- [77:54]
Pat McAfee
We'll talk to a few of them next week. Can't wait to hear their thoughts on it all. Joining us now, speaking of next week is man who's going to be a captain of a team in the celebrity sweat flag football game. He'll be taking on Quavo at Cal Memorial Field on Cal Berkeley's campus. His team, we assume, going to win because this guy, you look at his resume, people have forgot. I don't think people have put enough respect on this man's name to read off out all his accolades. It would literally take 10 minutes at this point.
- [78:26]
Connor
Yep.
- [78:26]
Pat McAfee
I think all of us kind of forgot because we don't talk about it nearly enough. This man, they called him Superman, obviously. This man, DH12. This man is a Taiwan beer leopard legend, an NBA icon and hall of famer. Ladies and gentlemen, Dwight Howard. Yeah, Dwight, how are you?
- [78:45]
Dwight Howard
Dude, Taiwan Beer Leopards is crazy. Thank you for the team. Taiwan shout out.
- [78:52]
Pat McAfee
Oh, man, is that the team? We tried to do some journalism. That's the actual team, right? The Beer Leopards.
- [78:57]
Dwight Howard
Well, when I played they were just the Taiwan Leopards. And then the next year they combined with two teams and became the Taiwan Beer Leopards, which was cool. That's when Boogie played with them.
- [79:07]
Pat McAfee
Okay, so you're just a Leopards legend. We will have to strike that from you. Taiwan leopard legend. That's 100% on me. But before we talk to you about what you have going on next week, which is sweet raisin Mike, money for local food, bank and other stuff, and also providing tickets for military and first responders. What you guys are doing is awesome. I think it's the 26th annual flag football game we're doing with Celebrity Sweat. This is the graphic we made with all your accolades. I don't think it gets talked about nearly enough, Dwight. And I'm only saying that because I sports stooge on a regular basis. Forgot about a lot of this shit. You had a run in the NBA that was obviously phenomenal. So we appreciate the fact that not only are you back, you know, with your podcast back doing, but also like potentially getting some flowers. We appreciate your time, man. Thank you for joining us.
- [79:55]
Dwight Howard
Thank you so much. I really appreciate you and that's amazing, man. Thank you. I'm really honored, you know, just to receive flowers. A lot of times, you know, people get flowers when they're not here and they can't actually.
- [80:10]
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
- [80:11]
Dwight Howard
Be present.
- [80:11]
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
- [80:11]
Dwight Howard
Take it in.
- [80:13]
Pat McAfee
Take it in.
- [80:13]
Dwight Howard
So take it in right now, man. Just. I am. Thank you, man. It really, really means a lot, man, just to be on the show, to actually hear you. What you were just reading off about my resume as a basketball player. It's just crazy that I spent my whole life wanting to become one of the greatest players ever. And as a kid I had the dream and actually to fulfill it. It's just amazing and just so humbled and thankful for, for you and just this is an awesome opportunity to play against Quavo in the Super Bowl. I know it's not basketball, but, you know, this is going to be a lot of fun to, you know, help me out there with the first responders and the people who serve our country who we triple salute and just always giving back is something that I enjoy doing.
- [81:04]
Pat McAfee
Hell yeah, Dwight. Well, we appreciate you doing that. Good for society. And yeah, man, all the things that you dropped. Dreamt about only came to fruition because you had to have worked your ass off. Okay? So that's what I. That's what we respect here. We know how hard it is to make it and everything. A lot of people want to do it. Obviously you're 6 foot 10, had a little bit of an advantage maybe over me. I. I was working my ass off on throwing it up and then hit it off the backboard. And then, you know, I try my best. I don't think I ever got it, Dwight. I don't think I ever got it.
- [81:32]
Dwight Howard
But it's okay. What you're doing now is what your purpose is for this season in life.
- [81:37]
Pat McAfee
Hell yeah. Hell, yeah. Thank you, man. Okay, let's talk about next week a little bit. What is this is a flag football game. Are you quarterback coaching? How's it kind of go? I know we got some names already in the. In the game. It's the 26th annual. What do you have going on and what is your plans here to get a dub?
- [81:53]
Dwight Howard
Well, I just really want to get out there and have a great time and enjoy the moment, you know, if I'm the quarterback, if I'm the wide receiver, if I'm coaching, coaching, whatever it may be. I just want to go out there and have a great time, you know, to celebrate the 60th Super Bowl. So this is a big year. I just turned 40, my dad just turned 70, and we get to go see the 60th Super Bowl. And I'll also be a part of the whole weekend festivity. So I'm just so grateful. Had a wonderful career and I can't wait to go out there and put on a good show.
- [82:28]
Pat McAfee
Is Diplo on your team or the other team? Do you know who's on the team?
- [82:31]
Dwight Howard
Diplo is on my team.
- [82:33]
Pat McAfee
Okay. Yeah. Need Diplo in the squad. Doug Fluty is on your team or the other team?
- [82:36]
Dwight Howard
Doug Fluty is on the other team.
- [82:38]
Pat McAfee
Oh, no. Qua. That's a good draft pick by.
- [82:45]
Dwight Howard
I know. I love Doug Fluty. Oh, my God. He lefty too, man. Yeah. I think we gonna have Jesus. I think Jesus is coming.
- [82:56]
Connor
Jesus Nazareth.
- [82:58]
Mike McCarthy
Yeah.
- [82:58]
Dwight Howard
Jesus is coming to play on the team.
- [83:00]
Pat McAfee
That's crazy. Holy shit. On that note, Cal Memorial Stadium Thursday, February 57 to 9pm you have no idea who's going to be on these rosters. There's a chance anybody's there.
- [83:14]
Dwight Howard
Anybody will be there.
- [83:15]
Pat McAfee
Cueva versus Dwight Howard. Okay, let's talk a little bit about basketball. How do you feel about the current state of the way the game is being played? Obviously in basketball you hear a lot of old heads talking. Feels like you guys view it much more like a fraternity because there's not as many people that make it to the NBA than maybe some other sports. Feels like there's a lot of distaste for maybe the modern stage of basketball. What are your kind of thoughts on where we land right now with NBA hoops?
- [83:41]
Dwight Howard
I can understand Both sides. You know, as a member of the hall of Fame and playing basketball my whole life and being this fraternity of basketball, you know, it's a certain standard and level of play that we would love to see. But we also understand that times are changing. We have to adapt and be able to change with the times as well. But the best thing we could do as the retired players or players that are no longer, you know, playing at a high level is give back. You know, go back into the communities, go back and, and teach, you know, really get the fundamentals of the game and also help the parents. You know, I think every parent wants to see their kid be that next superstar in the NBA or whatever sport it is, but they might not understand how hard it really takes to get there. The amount of work that the parents have to put in, the kid have to put in. And it takes a lot. And it's so much harder for these kids I think now to be able to, you know, get into a sport or, you know, work, get into the working field because of technology. So it's a lot that us as players can really do to give back. But, you know, with basketball, I love it. I think the game is entertaining. These young kids are getting better and better and I only want to see the best on these kids. Cooper FLAGG, you know, 40 points, rebounds, 49 points as a 19 year old. You know, that's amazing to see. I know how hard it is to play at this level and I'm so proud of the young kid for just. And Jason kid for taking a chance and putting him at the point guard position at a young, at a young age and just letting him learn the game and he's doing such a great job and I'm really proud of his growth and this effort that he's playing with. Keep it up, young fella. Keep it up.
- [85:26]
Pat McAfee
Oh yeah, I love to hear that. Thank you for doing it. Any other players that you just want to shout out randomly, definitely do that throughout the rest of this whole conversation. Anytime.
- [85:34]
Dwight Howard
Oh, man, Tyrese Maxi, he is killing it so fast. Wimy is my favorite player now.
- [85:41]
Pat McAfee
Okay, how. Okay, so what would you do there, cuz? What? He's a foot taller than you, right?
- [85:45]
Dwight Howard
Man, he a foot taller than me. I'mma just had to get him three hard fouls. Hey, go sit your big ass on the bench somewhere, man. But I, I love what he's doing, man. The fact that he's using his height and, and his, he, he's just going to be. I think he has the Ability to be one of the best players all time. Once he learned how to really dominate the paint. And then when they try to stop that and put a smaller guard on him, just shoot over the top like KD does. And I think he has the right mentality. He's locked in. He's focused on being one of the greatest. His summer, I think last summer, training with Monks, you know, going with kg, all the stuff he's doing, you can tell, like he's in it to be one of the greatest, you know. So I think the game is in good hands. When you got players. Oh, my God.
- [86:33]
Pat McAfee
God.
- [86:33]
Dwight Howard
Like, like Wimby, man, they. They really love what they do. You know him, Jokic, all these guys, man, what they're doing.
- [86:43]
Pat McAfee
This guy's unguardable. I mean, he's unbelievable. He seems like never misses Joel, Halle.
- [86:48]
Dwight Howard
And they're so smart now, you know? You know, and not saying that we weren't smart, but they figured out, like, it's like they. They seen what we did and they've added on to it with this new agent.
- [86:58]
Pat McAfee
Evolution, bro. That's just evolution of sport. That's why, like, judging one era to the next is kind of impossible.
- [87:03]
Dwight Howard
You can't do that. I hate doing that. And I tell people comparison is a thief of joy. You know, when you're trying to compare this era to the next, you're taking out the joy and the life of basketball by doing that. These kids grew up watching a lot of us play like it's their time. Like, let's give them their props and help them when we can, but let's not put them down, man. We need more positivity, especially from the.
- [87:29]
Pat McAfee
Oh, it's hell yeah, Dwight. Hall of Famer talking right there. Go ahead, aj.
- [87:33]
Roman Reigns
Yeah, Dwight, you mentioned Jason, Kid.
- [87:35]
Pat McAfee
Obviously a great player and a great coach.
- [87:37]
Roman Reigns
Now we got JJ Redick in la.
- [87:39]
Connor
Are we going to see more coaches.
- [87:41]
Pat McAfee
Or more players, you think, transition from playing to coaching like we are to become head coaches?
- [87:45]
Roman Reigns
I know in the NFL we see Mike Vrabel, we see all these guys that were great players becoming great coaches. Is that going to be a trend, you think? That's going to, you know, going to be an uptick as we look forward to.
- [87:56]
Dwight Howard
And I would love to see that because we want to keep the name of basketball going. You know, it's such a. The game and what it's done for me and a lot of players around the world, the inspiration, the gratitude that we have for. We want to have it in the best hands and you know, I think a guy like Rondo would be an amazing coach because he was an amazing point guard. You know, these guys would be amazing coaches. You. So, you know, I really do believe it's time for, you know, the, the, these players to come back and get back to the game. Because I believe the era that, you know, I played in, the Kobe era, kg, that Tim Duncan, Dwayne Wade, Dirt and Whiskey, that's like the best era of basketball. Like, it was really like the golden age. It was everybody and it was an interesting matchup every night. Even though it wasn't like note they would say name brand centers back when I was playing, but I'm fighting against four or five centers every single night. And you got Dirt now, Whiskey, you got KG out there. You know, you got Dwyane Wade, you got some of the greatest guards ever. Kobe BRYANT, you know, LeBron James in his prime. Like it was an amazing time for basketball.
- [89:11]
Pat McAfee
It certainly was. And if you guys are going to continue to get back and give back, I mean, we just saw Rondo's eighth grade son. Yeah. Dominating.
- [89:18]
Dwight Howard
Amazing.
- [89:18]
Pat McAfee
Unbelievable. He's an eighth grader. That was outrageous. Is that, that's not, that's very, I don't know the basketball community well enough. I know like you got drafted out of high school. I assume whenever you were in seventh, eighth grade, they probably said like, hey, this guy probably going to the NBA. I think that happens in basketball more. He's dominating varsity in eighth grade. Is that normal? That feels abnormal. Is that.
- [89:37]
Dwight Howard
I feel like it's, it's because it's Rondo and what he, the knowledge that he has for the game, he's putting it right in his son, like every single day. His son was, was there when we won the championship. You go back and you look at the footage of Rondo on the floor with his son. His son is taking in all that wisdom and knowledge and understanding from one of the greatest point guards ever now. And he's dominating high school basketball with calm, with ease. And he's only going to get better. So just imagine in four years what he's going to be like. He might be able to get drafted out 11th grade.
- [90:18]
Pat McAfee
Speaking of getting drafted out of 11th grade, there's a chance you could still go ahead. Ty.
- [90:23]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, Dwight, I'm just curious. I doubt you have many regrets about your basketball career because you fared very well. But we hear a lot about nil now and how guys maybe stay a year longer, whatever the case may be, because they're making millions and millions of dollars. Do you think if that would have been in place when you came out of high school, that would been have have been something you considered? Or do you remember what, like, the thought process was behind when you decided to go straight from high school to the NBA?
- [90:51]
Dwight Howard
I wanted to go number one. I didn't think about nothing else but going number one in the draft, being the number one player and trying to be become the greatest, one of the greatest basketball players ever. That was my only mindset, my only goal. I truthfully never even looked at the money aspect of it until once I got to the NBA. It was about the business and basketball. Basketball. I just solely looked at it as, man, I want to be one of those greats. I want to be like the Shaqs, the Will Chamberlains, the Kareems. I want to be like those guys when I'm done playing. So that was just my mindset. I didn't think about college because I felt like college was this place for me to really understand or figure out what to do with my life. And at this point right here, I already knew what I wanted, already knew where I wanted to be. It was only going to be me, the gym and hard work, you know, how much I was going to put in to get there.
- [91:44]
Pat McAfee
The high school to the NBA days created so many legends. Just absolutely, man.
- [91:49]
Connor
Oh, yeah.
- [91:50]
Pat McAfee
One of them so hard goats, obviously, in that conversation. Go ahead, Connor.
- [91:54]
Connor
Yeah, Dwight. Just to kind of emphasize what Pat said. As a Celtics fan, I will never forget the Dwight Howard, Hido Turklo, Jir Nelson, Michael Petrus. I mean, those teams were legendary. And those teams also went on to play Kobe Bryant in the finals. How grateful are you for that time, you know, to go up against Kobe while also being a teammate of him with Team usa. And what do you kind of think of when you think of that time with the Magic? Just because you will always be a legend, especially for the Magic, let alone the Team USA run as well.
- [92:25]
Dwight Howard
That was such an amazing time with the Magic. I truly hate how everything ended, you know, but my time with the Magic was just what it was magical. Going to the finals at 22, playing against one of your favorite players all time. And Kobe Bryant, you know, having a chance to win a championship, going against LeBron, you know, playing against the Boston Celtics, the big three, you know, all those great memories to have in, in that city, beautiful Orlando. It was such an amazing time. And I'm just grateful that, you know, I was able to see what I saw at a young age, you know, going to The Finals, you know, bringing the city together, you know, seeing how, how powerful and strong basketball is, is. It was, it's unforgettable time in Orlando.
- [93:16]
Pat McAfee
Anybody that you played against, like, obviously Kobe and all those greats you talk about, are you just trying to pick brains? Like how, how did you kind of operate whenever you were playing and watching? Because I think J. Will, Duke, J. Will, he told a story about how when Kobe came and played the Chicago Bulls.
- [93:35]
Connor
Yes.
- [93:35]
Pat McAfee
He thought he got to the gym early and Kobe was already, already there. Is it, Was there a lot of those moments? Like how many of those types of situations happen for you straight out of high school, right. In the NBA is a crazy thing. But I assume there can be development whenever you see. Because that's like a formidable year. So whenever you see.
- [93:51]
Dwight Howard
Yeah, it was just so much going on, going on. Like, like imagine 18, you're just finishing high school, you just graduated, going to the prom. You know, you get your, you know, your. All that stuff is just happening. Then you're drafted number one to an NBA team. Your whole life changes. Like, everything happens so fast. Like it's hard to even remember a lot of these moments. Like, man, 18 year old Dwight, like, what was I doing? What was I thinking? Like, things were happening so fast. Like in one mind, I'm like, man, I just want to play basketball. Like, I want to be like Kobe or you know, Shaq and how they're just, their names are in the rafters, you know, and people like, I'm at 18 thinking like, wow, like this is, this is crazy. I'm actually living this dream. And you know, I wasn't really thinking of the magnitude of what all this stuff meant until I got a lot of older and in my career and you know, now I'm not playing. It's like, man, like that was a time. I'm looking at pictures of my house, of my teammates in Orlando. I was looking at a picture last night of our Olympic team and just the team that we had, like, man, that was the redeemed team. Was, was incredible.
- [95:11]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, you've had a great run, brother. And you can continue that if you want to go back to Orlando and have good times with the new rules. You could actually, I think, go play for UCF still. Oh yeah, yeah.
- [95:21]
Dwight Howard
You go play for UCF for a reason.
- [95:24]
Pat McAfee
I don't think you got to do class either. I think you just kind of go, no. Okay. I think you're just underneath, brother.
- [95:30]
Connor
That's it.
- [95:31]
Pat McAfee
I think that's all you're doing.
- [95:32]
Dwight Howard
No, they got Paolo, they got sugs. Orlando got a pretty good team. So I. I can come and watch and help and, you know, in any way I can. But as far as playing, it's. It's the young fellas time.
- [95:46]
Pat McAfee
All right, well, listen, that's kind of the issue, though. He's like, the sports. Got an interesting thing going on in college right now. Got in. We got an interesting thing going on with, like, how the whole business is working. I just want to let you know, if you start feeling froggy, you could, I think, go back to college right now.
- [96:01]
Dwight Howard
No, sir.
- [96:02]
Pat McAfee
No. If you do, if. I'm just telling you, if you. If you do. If you do, you can make.
- [96:07]
Dwight Howard
Go back and coach.
- [96:08]
Pat McAfee
Maybe a March Madness run, Dwight. Maybe a March Madness run. No class. They're paying. They'll give you a new. They'll give you, I don't know, shoebox money. Hey, can we talk about what's going on here? What is this? That's like. That looks like a dad.
- [96:23]
Dwight Howard
Oh, this is one of my favorite crystals. I just like to wear crystals. It's just some nice little artwork, you know, to wear.
- [96:31]
Pat McAfee
It's also good for the soul, right? Is it not? How long have you been into the crystals?
- [96:37]
Dwight Howard
Forever. You know, as a kid, I used to always go find rocks and to keep and look at and stuff like that. And as I got older. Got older, it became into nice crystals and stuff like that. I have them all around my house. Rose quartz. Crystal quartz. Yes. A whole bunch of different ones. So, yeah, I'm big into it. Yeah.
- [96:56]
Pat McAfee
All right. It looks awesome. Oh, yeah, it looks really cool.
- [96:59]
Dwight Howard
Thank you so much.
- [96:59]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Cuz on top of the hoodie with the big ass chain.
- [97:02]
Connor
Yeah. He's also 7ft, so that crystal is about what, 10?
- [97:06]
Pat McAfee
Has to be in full.
- [97:07]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [97:08]
Connor
That's a huge crisp.
- [97:09]
Adam Schefter
Yeah.
- [97:09]
Pat McAfee
That's a sword.
- [97:10]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [97:10]
Pat McAfee
Bingo. They got a crystal sword on his chest. Yeah. All right, all right. Sick. All right. I'm happy you wore that. Thank you for doing that. Hey, you're the man. Good luck in your flag football game.
- [97:19]
Dwight Howard
Thank you so much, you guys. I would love to come in and actually get on the show, you know, live, you know, and in person, you know, so, you know, let me know when I can.
- [97:28]
Connor
Come on.
- [97:29]
Pat McAfee
So let me tell you. Can we show you what we do to the rims here, you know, and.
- [97:33]
Roman Reigns
That right off the wall? Take those right off the wall.
- [97:35]
Pat McAfee
So the one on the right side there, eight feet. We're having a good time on that one.
- [97:39]
Ty Schmidt
Dwight.
- [97:39]
Pat McAfee
We're Dwight Howard on that one. Okay. We are Dwight Howard on that one. And then the one on the left there. 10ft. Do. Can you do you still anything with basketball? Do we shoot? Do we do anything?
- [97:48]
Dwight Howard
Yeah, I do. I do. I train with my son. I work out. I'm still jumping and dunking, so, you know, I just did a couple 360s the other day. Damn windmills, but don't run March mag.
- [98:01]
Pat McAfee
What are we. What are we talking about? I didn't know.
- [98:04]
Patrick Kane
No.
- [98:05]
Dwight Howard
Oh, I'm good. Oh, man. That was 19 year old Dwight Howard.
- [98:10]
Pat McAfee
Okay, so as we're running these clips, Tone has a question for you, actually, about it. Yeah, Dwight, I do.
- [98:14]
Tone
As we're watching you do it there and then like Blake and Zach lavine, it felt like after you guys were done doing the dunk contest, and I say this with a heavy heart, that the dunk contest may have died. Is there any way to save the dunk contest, do you think?
- [98:30]
Dwight Howard
Well, I think people just got to stop comparing what happened in the old dunk contest contest and just allow people to try new things. It's so hard to be creative with dunks because you don't get that much time. And it's very different, you know, actually doing the dunk contest and being in the gym ducking the basketball, you know, you don't have. You don't have no, like, juice. You got to bring your own energy. You got to entertain the crowd. And I think the era of people that, you know, I've dealt with, we were good entertainment entertainers. And that's what made the dunk contest so fun. We was willing to get out there and, you know, not worry about embarrassing ourselves, but have a great time and enjoy the fans and enjoy the moment. Like, this is something that we all grew up watching is the dunk contest and wanting to have moments like this. So when I got an opportunity to get out there, I'm like, man, yeah, I'm gonna put on a cape. I put on the jersey, the tight jersey. I jump over, I get a bigger ride, rim, whatever. Because I want people to see how much of, you know, for me, basketball is how I express my art, you know, how I express who I am. So, you know, this is a part of my art, you know, is dunking the basketball in different ways, jumping as high as I can. So, you know, I enjoyed it, man, I had so much fun doing it. And I remember doing the last dunks and tribute to Kobe and stuff like that for the last dunk contest. But that Was so much fun, man.
- [99:52]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, yeah, it was so much fun. And once again, all glory day type stuff. Stuff here. I appreciate you saying, like, obviously let's not be comparing them to everything that has happened in the past. Incredible moment there. Obviously. But you say so crazy. Yeah, crazy. Let's not compare to the past dunks. But it's also I, I appreciate you acknowledging like, we had like personalities, you know, like we, we wanted it to be awesome, you know, like there is, there's a little bit of that too that is potentially needed and maybe a generation will show up and it's, it's like, hey, let's make this. I think it will content.
- [100:25]
Dwight Howard
I think it'll show content. I think, I think it will, you know, and I think also, like, more people are like seeing the tricks of learning how to dunk and be able to jump higher. So now these athletes that are coming up, they're going to want to get into the dunk contest because they're like, man, nobody's doing it. So when I get a chance to get up into the NBA or get a become a content creator, I'm going to jump into the dunk contest and see what I can do do. So hopefully they should add in some content creators this year because I know a couple that could really jump that would actually make the duck contest go crazy. Like NBA versus the world dunk contest.
- [101:01]
Pat McAfee
Like, no, they don't want that. Hey, they got that little white. There's that little white guy. Yeah, he does triple axles.
- [101:07]
Ty Schmidt
Jordan kill Gannon.
- [101:08]
Dwight Howard
This guy kill Gannon.
- [101:09]
Pat McAfee
He's unjust.
- [101:11]
Dwight Howard
Then they got a guy named T. Curry. He's a young guy that. He got a 51 inch vert. They were trying to say MJ had a 51 inch vert, but he actually does have a 50.
- [101:21]
Tone
Whoa.
- [101:24]
Connor
Not to mention like shams. I believe Sean, he does.
- [101:26]
Dwight Howard
I seen him jump up and before he dunked the ball, he tied his shoe, then put the ball between his legs and dunked it.
- [101:33]
Pat McAfee
That's Chom. Sharania did that.
- [101:36]
Dwight Howard
No, no, no, no.
- [101:38]
Connor
I've seen Sean. I've seen a video. Always charms doing that too. Yeah, we don't know.
- [101:43]
Pat McAfee
We have no idea. He's in the All Star game.
- [101:45]
Dwight Howard
If he can do that, he need to stop recording and go play basketball. So that's crazy.
- [101:51]
Pat McAfee
Hey, we appreciate you. We don't know if you're already out there, but safe travels to California.
- [101:55]
Dwight Howard
We're gonna try to make it so much.
- [101:57]
Pat McAfee
We would. We. We don't do anything super bowl week, we. We kind of find where we hang and we just kind of hang there and, and do our thing. But Thursday, February, February 5, 7 to 9. I mean, sounds like it's gonna be a great time, you know, and. Yeah.
- [102:11]
Dwight Howard
Everybody, come on.
- [102:14]
Pat McAfee
All right, we will. Ladies and gentlemen, it's Dwight Howard. What is natural? When you read natural flavors on a label, most people don't realize it's often.
- [102:28]
Ty Schmidt
Not real food at all.
- [102:29]
Pat McAfee
Those hidden ingredients quietly work against how your body thinks, feels, and functions over time. That's why just ingredients uses only real food ingredients. So you know exactly what you're putting in your body. Stop guessing, start knowing. At justingredients, us, We had personalities too, so.
- [102:50]
Connor
Yeah, yeah, good point.
- [102:52]
Pat McAfee
You know, like, what's the problem though? They are comparing to those old dunk contests, which is like, okay, how do we top this?
- [102:57]
Connor
Like what?
- [102:58]
Pat McAfee
Dunk.
- [102:58]
Roman Reigns
That was a great time for the dunk contest.
- [103:00]
Pat McAfee
Well, comparing is the thief of joy. He did say that.
- [103:04]
Tone
Words or spells?
- [103:06]
Pat McAfee
Well, they're spelled.
- [103:09]
Roman Reigns
Spells.
- [103:10]
Pat McAfee
Who said that?
- [103:12]
Tone
Another lover of crystals.
- [103:14]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, it was fascinating. It does. And it felt like he had a real meta, you know, flow state vibe in that whole thing. Him playing for the Taiwan Leopards and us thinking they were already the Beer Leopards was. Was missed by us.
- [103:27]
Connor
Didn't realize they merged teams because the. The beer team is one of our favorites as well.
- [103:31]
Tone
Yeah, the Beers.
- [103:32]
Connor
Yeah, yeah, the Beers.
- [103:33]
Ty Schmidt
The Milwaukee Beers.
- [103:34]
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Well, also a great team. I think it was the.
- [103:37]
Tone
Combined with.
- [103:38]
Connor
Yeah, Taipei Bears Beers.
- [103:40]
Pat McAfee
Excuse me, I forget. We'll be joined by the all time leading point haver in US Hockey history here in a matter of moments. I would assume we ran a little bit behind there with our first conversation with Schefter as a general manager of the Minnesota Vikings. Vikings was fired in the middle of our program. As we're talking to our tribal chief Royal Rumble tomorrow, 2:00pm Eastern on ESPN Unlimited. Do we. Is that the name?
- [104:06]
Ty Schmidt
Yes.
- [104:06]
Connor
Yeah. ESPN Plus Unlimited.
- [104:08]
Pat McAfee
Okay, so ESPN.
- [104:10]
Tone
So it's.
- [104:11]
Ty Schmidt
You have to have ESPN Plus. And then there are two kind of subcategories. There's, you know, whatever the, the basic one is. And then unlimited is the all encompassing, all you can eat.
- [104:20]
Connor
And then there's another one, and then there's another one which is like.
- [104:23]
Pat McAfee
Hold on, hold on, hold on. Let's not get super duper. Okay. Let's stay. So for tomorrow for a roll rumble, I need to be looking for ESPN plus Unlimited. Okay. And then they're super duper Unlimited right underneath it.
- [104:37]
Dwight Howard
Yeah.
- [104:37]
Connor
And that's where I. I think you're allowed to check into the Rumble.
- [104:40]
Tone
Do yourselves a favor, okay? Do it tonight.
- [104:43]
Pat McAfee
Yes, that's smart idea. Yeah, this is. I did one time Sunday ticket. Didn't sign up until about two minutes before kickoff. What a terrible decision that was. This will feel like that tomorrow, 2pm on ESPN Plus Unlimited. Joining us now is the man who is unlimited powers on the ice. Okay. Unlimited. Whenever you talk about hockey normally, you know, in the old days, you'd have to immediately mention Canada, you know, because Canada is hockey time now. NHL. Where is most of the teams? Where's best success? Where's the Stanley Cups at? Okay, thank you. We'll have that conversation later. And oh yeah, we got curling from you a couple years back too. Don't let us do that again. Matt Hamilton might go ahead and do that, but Canada obviously created an incredible sport in this hockey and us has become a dominant force. It is not easy to become a great hockey player. It's a lot of early hours on the ice. Ice time is obviously incredibly expensive. It's incredibly hard. The cardiovascular plus the physical toll that it takes on your body is impossible. So for anybody to remain committed to that, they would have to be super disciplined and X out a lot of things that could potentially distract them, especially in the modern United States of America. Well, we have the guy, ladies and gentlemen, fresh off of breaking the record for the most points ever scored in the NHL by an American player. Absolute living legend, three time Stanley cup champion, Patrick Kane. What's going on, Bob? How's the out of mitts, pal? How the mitz, pal?
- [106:13]
Patrick Kane
Talking Canadian, though.
- [106:15]
Pat McAfee
Trying to do a little.
- [106:16]
Patrick Kane
That's more of a Canadian accent than, than hockey accent, I think.
- [106:19]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, well, that's. I just kind of tie it all together, you know, with hockey. I apologize. Congratulations, dude. That's a huge deal. Yeah, huge deal. Obviously.
- [106:25]
Patrick Kane
Thanks, boys. Appreciate it. Thanks for taking the time to have me.
- [106:29]
Pat McAfee
No problem. Thank you for taking the time to join us. Madonna. Mike, obviously stud, living legend. He sent a message to you and then we got to information that obviously you looked up to him as a kid. Coming up in USA Hockey, what does last night mean to you? Obviously it was on the horizon and I assume you understood that at some point you were going to get this, but then when the moment actually happens, how do you kind of feel on the ice there?
- [106:52]
Patrick Kane
I think, I think the biggest feeling is almost relief. Right. Just to kind of get it done and over with and, and move on a little bit. I feel like there's a lot of attention on it, especially coming into the season. Season and just kind of doing it and being able to get it out of the way and move on is a good feeling. So listen, it's. It's a special night. I mean, I had Amanda, my son and my parents there to kind of, you know, cheer me on and be there for the moment. So it was special to obviously share the moment with my teammates, but also with them.
- [107:29]
Pat McAfee
Great for hockey as well, brother. Especially in the United States. States of America with this, you know, rivalry with Canada obviously always existing, but now it feels like at a fever's pitch. How do we feel about the state of USA Hockey right now as you become lead USA Hockey man of all time?
- [107:46]
Patrick Kane
You know what? I think it's in a. It's. It's really in a great spot. I think you look at the four nations last year, what that team did brought a lot of excitement to the game, especially in the United States. And you know, now going into the Olympics, pretty much a similar team going back there and have a chance to win the best on best. So I'll be cheering them on. There's some, some great young American hockey players that are doing some special things in the game and definitely be cheering them on. Obviously we have a great one here in Detroit and Dylan Larkin, who lives and breathes USA Hockey, he's been.
- [108:25]
Pat McAfee
Hold on, hold on.
- [108:26]
Roman Reigns
Kane.
- [108:27]
Pat McAfee
Hold on. Kano. I should have known this. I just assumed the guy who has the most fucking points in the history of American hockey players that he would be on the fucking team. I just. I just. Somebody just told me that that was. Are you not. You said you'll be looking. What happened? What are we doing here? What. What. What is going on? You're not on. Okay.
- [108:49]
Ty Schmidt
You know, it's bullshit.
- [108:50]
Patrick Kane
I don't like that at all.
- [108:51]
Pat McAfee
Kano. I don't like that at all. Kano. I'm sorry.
- [108:54]
Roman Reigns
Opting out.
- [108:54]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, exactly.
- [108:56]
Patrick Kane
They do have a good team going over. So I'll be. I'll be cheering them on. Listen, I didn't have the. The greatest start to the year and would have been. Would have been great to be there, but definitely be cheering them on this year.
- [109:06]
Pat McAfee
The future of America is in good hands. You say legend, American hockey player. Go ahead.
- [109:10]
Roman Reigns
AJ yeah, you mentioned all these, these young players that are in the league right now. I guess when you first came up.
- [109:15]
Connor
In the league, did you ever find yourself like, who are some of those.
- [109:18]
Roman Reigns
Older guys that maybe you grew up watching where you. You look around and you Find yourself.
- [109:22]
Pat McAfee
On the ice with some of these.
- [109:24]
Roman Reigns
Legends that you grew up watching. Are there any guys like that you can remember?
- [109:28]
Patrick Kane
Yeah, for sure. Mike Madonna was a big one. He. He's a guy that I. I watched a lot when I was younger. Kind of had a great flare for the game. His speed and skill was something I always admired, especially at his size. You know, he's around 63 or 6 4. Chris Chelios. I think he's probably the greatest American of all time. When it's. When you add it all up, playing until he's 46, 47 years old, he's really become a great friend and obviously have. Have really gotten to know him, you know, just from my Chicago days and being in Chicago. Jeremy Ronick had a great career. I grew up in Buffalo. Pat LaFontaine was a great player. So those are some of the. The Americans that I really looked up to.
- [110:13]
Pat McAfee
Oh, Charlie. Great to hear his name. Yeah, that's what we call him, right? Kano.
- [110:22]
Patrick Kane
He's the best man. He's. He's such a great guy, honestly. He's one of the. One of the best humans in the world. And anytime I do something or anything like that, he's the first to reach out. So I've really developed a good friendship with him and one of. One of the best guys in the world.
- [110:41]
Pat McAfee
The hockey culture is an incredible one. Every time we learn about a new hockey player, we love them and we respect him, mostly because it's not easy at all. The sport is damn near impossible. Let on you're on ice, moving at like 20, 30 miles an hour. But the amount of work to build your body up, to get to the point to make it is impossible. And it starts at a young age. Go ahead, Ty.
- [110:59]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah. Kaner. It seems like in this day and age, every time there is a draft that whoever gets picked first overall, it's all, this guy's the. He's the next one. He's the next great hope or, you know, whatever the case may be. You were kind of in that same model, being the first overall pick. What, like, when it comes to this record, was there a point in your career maybe? I mean, probably not when you were younger, but when it kind of all clicked into place and you're like, holy shit, this actually is something that is attainable, and I could potentially be the, you know, the greatest point getter in. In American history.
- [111:34]
Patrick Kane
Yeah, I mean, it's. It's hard to say right when. When that moment comes. I don't know. I feel like for me, like, as a young player, you're just trying to become the best player you can. You know, obviously as an offensive guy, you're always trying to put up numbers and score goals, score points, create chances, things like that. But I don't think it was ever really like a thought until, you know, maybe the past year or two where there was some more attention on it and started mentioning it to me that, you know, maybe this is something that could be, you know, attainable. Then you start thinking about it a little bit and how cool it would be to actually accomplish. Especially, you know, you look at all the amazing American hockey players that have played the game, and all of a sudden, you know, here you are at the top of the list. It's, it's a little bit surreal and humbling in a lot of ways, too.
- [112:24]
Pat McAfee
Speaking of humbling, feels like your culture is that way. And I mentioned it there before. He asked about the point in your professional career when you thought this was part of possible, but was I accurate in describing, like, your, your childhood as hockey player? You guys are like, all in. We're talking moving. We're doing this right from a very young age. Is that an accurate depiction of how you kind of came about it as well?
- [112:44]
Patrick Kane
Yeah, for sure. I mean, you know, for me, when I was younger, I, I, I, I just, I love playing hockey, right? That was, that was my childhood. That's what I love to do. So, you know, I was on the ice all the time, you know, maybe 350 days a year. I loved playing summer hockey. I, I loved going up to, I grew up in Buffalo, so tournaments in Toronto and Canada were some of the best tournaments you could play against competition that maybe was a little bit better than, you know, what you were playing against in the States. So it was always fun to do that. And then, you know, I moved away my, my freshman year high school to try and, you know, become a better hockey player. I actually moved to Detroit when I was, when I was a freshman in high school and decided to play here for a year. Then a couple years with the US Program in Ann Arbo, and then, you know, another year in London, Ontario. So my four years of high school were, you know, all away from home. So definitely some sacrifices had to be made. But you look, look back on them. It was definitely, you know, all worth it.
- [113:44]
Pat McAfee
You hockey people are awesome. Legitimately. You hockey people are awesome. Yeah, I moved away from home freshman year, high school. I'm going off to fucking camp. Are you ever coming back? Hopefully not. Actually, I'm going to go to Canada before I come back home. I'll see you a couple different times. That's every hockey story. It feels like it's so much commitment, literally. But I think they, they know who's going to be somebody right early. Is that not in hockey as well?
- [114:10]
Patrick Kane
It's, you know what, it's, I feel like it's, it's hard to say, right? I mean some of the, some of the best players I played against, you know, 14, 15 years old, you know, never made it or made it and never really had a great career. I think it's about opportunity too. You have to make the right decisions. You have to make the most of, you know, kind of your opportunity in certain situations. You know, I didn't think I was, I was the best player at my age level growing up, especially at that age. But you get some opportunity, you, you play in good situations, you continue to develop and you know, all of a sudden you're, you know, looking at yourself being drafted, did as a, as a first round pick or first overall and then you get even more opportunity because you're going to a team that, that needs some help. Right. So, you know, I look back on it, I'm definitely grateful for a lot of the situations I was in that I was able to, you know, excel in.
- [115:05]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, I think you did great. We'll head to the weekend. We'll see you Wednesday here on espn. We're still live though. Kano. Still live. Kano. Okay, no Zomboni yet. Okay. We are still live action in here. All right, we're on YouTube. TikTok Live X I believe. ESPN Plus Disney plus and even ESPN Plus Unlimited. Hey, so when did you get the dangles, huh? When we get the sticky mitts, you know. When do we start? When we start saucing, you know, because you know, I got, I got pretty good. When did that start happening? As a child you just, that thing was glued to the stick.
- [115:39]
Patrick Kane
Yeah. As a kid, you know, actually, actually funny story, I used to, to always carry around a stick in like one of those little orange hockey balls and going into hotels, I'd stick handle going up the stairs or I'd stick handle going into the rink. And we were actually, we were playing in London and my, my dad would actually carry the bag, my hockey bag into the rink so I could stick handle and, and just like work on my hands or whatever. And we were playing in London, had a bunch of people come down, the bus was leaving even and I was saying, you know, my highs and Goodbyes to, you know, family and friends that were there. So my dad took my bag out to the bus and someone shouted out, look, the old man's still, still carrying the bag for him. So we kind of look back to see who it was, but never really put a face to the situation. But that's just kind of what I was, what I was doing as a kid. Just always stick handling. Always had a sticking ball. And not just because I was like trying to work on my hands or anything, but just because that's what I love to do, you know.
- [116:42]
Pat McAfee
So it's crazy how you can be obsessed with something that you just enjoy doing, you know?
- [116:46]
Patrick Kane
Yeah.
- [116:47]
Pat McAfee
Like there is.
- [116:47]
Patrick Kane
What's that book?
- [116:48]
Pat McAfee
What's that book?
- [116:49]
Connor
Outliers.
- [116:50]
Pat McAfee
The Outliers. Have you ever heard of the book the Outliers?
- [116:53]
Roman Reigns
I haven't. Okay.
- [116:54]
Pat McAfee
It basically goes through the stories of all these people who are at the top of their fields and how like a happenstance in their life certainly led them to that. Like I think Bill Gates or something like that.
- [117:04]
Connor
Yeah, he grew up next to the first supercomputer ever in, in the United States and Washington. So he obviously was privy to that information before anybody. Like, for Patrick Kane, it would be.
- [117:13]
Pat McAfee
Growing up in Buffalo and having an obsession with hockey.
- [117:15]
Connor
Yes.
- [117:16]
Pat McAfee
Like, that could certainly help. Oh, yeah, and you can just go across the bridge here and go play against some Canadians and when you come back, your dad's going to be known for carrying your bag. Everybody else has carry because the little Kano is obsessed with this dang angles. This guy's triple digging everything he sees whenever he's walking into buildings. That's awesome. That's a beautiful thing.
- [117:34]
Patrick Kane
Yeah, we used to, we used to go to Sabers games and we'd. On the way in, we'd buy like one of those little mini sticks and we'd see some like garbage or like, like napkins on the ground and we'd. We'd make a ball out of it. And like I'd go running up and down the hallway at 6, 7 years old. Like stick handling in and out of people. Like putting it through their legs or put probably like, what's this? What's this kid doing?
- [117:56]
Pat McAfee
Oh, they say that's. That's Kano again. Put it home, K.O. that little goddamn Kano never stops. Jeez Louise. That's what they say. And they said, that man will go on to be Lord Stanley's friend multiple times the all time leading United States scorer in the history of hockey. We talk about you hoisting Lordo. Go ahead, con man.
- [118:19]
Connor
Yeah, Kano. Obviously three Stanley Cups. Is there one that stands out as a Boston Bruins fan? The one where you snatch the soul out of New England and Bruins fans everywhere does for me. But also, you know, you score an overtime game winner to win the Stanley cup, that's basically what you dream of when you're, you know, as a kid in those arenas. But is there one you look back on just thinking of the team or the moment that kind of seems more special than maybe the others?
- [118:48]
Patrick Kane
Yeah, I mean, I don't know if one is more special than the others. They're all special in their own way. Like you said, 2010 was an overtime goal. 2013 was, you know, the Bruins were up 2:1 and we scored 2 and 17 seconds to take game six and win that one. And then, you know, 2015 was our first one at home. So that was special. Just kind of spending it in the locker room after your home locker room and just kind of having a never ending party. There was. I think memories will never forget, but yeah, I definitely think they're all special in their own way.
- [119:26]
Pat McAfee
All right, hey, last question for you. And I would like you to get this one right. And I know you're going to feel obligated to say the wrong answer.
- [119:36]
Mike Eruzione
Okay.
- [119:37]
Dwight Howard
Yeah.
- [119:38]
Pat McAfee
Because what's on your head right now? Taryn Diggs from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has a question for you.
- [119:45]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [119:45]
Tone
Patty, obviously you're playing in Detroit. Detroit. Now you've played in Chicago, you grew up in Buffalo. You've obviously played in the barn in Boston. You've played Pittsburgh a lot. Pittsburgh a lot. Where is Hockeytown usa? We have this debate around here quite a bit. Where in your opinion, Pittsburgh is Hockeytown usa?
- [120:02]
Pat McAfee
Is that what you would say?
- [120:05]
Mike Eruzione
No.
- [120:05]
Patrick Kane
There's only one hockey town. It's Detroit. I mean, that's the name. That's the name that's given here in Detroit is the, is the hockey town. That's the logo on the center.
- [120:16]
Pat McAfee
That's what I'm talking about. Cater I need you to say that to these boys because everyone's forgetting around here. Well, I will say this, I will say this. The person that set up this conversation, they're in their email. It's. There is a reference to it in name of email for opportunity. It is, it's like everything they. I didn't know that that came through and I saw it. I'm like, shit, I have to be incredibly disrespectful whenever I'm. If you what I'm saying, Pittsburgh Is hockey time. That is wildly disrespectful every time I say it. If you Google where is Hockey Town? Detroit Michigan shows up. Okay, yeah. AI certainly get everything right.
- [120:53]
Ty Schmidt
We will dive into that.
- [120:54]
Pat McAfee
That is a Red program. That is a Red Wings fan there. Foxy. He has a question for you, actually. K. Yeah. K. First and foremost, thank you for your service to Hockey Town. Growing up In Michigan in the 90s 2000s, Detroit Red Wing hockey was absolutely everything. Everyone in the state of Michigan was playing hockey at a young age. And now, as you can see, some people are forgetting what Hockey Town really means to the NHL. And it's been, I think, 10 years since we've made the playoffs, which is this year. You guys are having an awesome season. So hopefully that drought ends. But can you just talk about Hockey Town and why it's such a special place to play hockey?
- [121:36]
Patrick Kane
Yeah, you know, obviously I came from Chicago. Being in Chicago a lot of years and big rivalry between the Red Wings and the Blackhawks. And I guess for me, I never really knew how I was going to be accepted at first. And honestly, the fans and the organization has been incredible. Really has just welcomed me with open arms and it's. It's been an amazing place to play. I mean, playing at Little Caesars arena and the support we get every night from the fans and how loud the building is, it's just. It feels like you're playing in the playoffs every night here. So listen, I think it's. It's Hockey Town for a reason. And like you said, we haven't been in the playoffs for a while. So in a good spot right now and excited to get back there and do some damage.
- [122:24]
Pat McAfee
Is it. It's a pizza or pizza? Pizza.
- [122:29]
Patrick Kane
Pizza. Pizza.
- [122:31]
Pat McAfee
I just checked it.
- [122:32]
Mike McCarthy
Check that.
- [122:34]
Pat McAfee
Way to go. O. Hey, we appreciate you, man. Congrats on the accolade. Another of many throughout your entire career. Thanks for what you're doing for USA Hockey. And good luck to Hockey Town. Good luck to Hockey Town.
- [122:47]
Patrick Kane
Thanks for having me, boys. Appreciate it.
- [122:49]
Pat McAfee
Hey, next time I'll show off my mitts. You know, top hit, do the whole thing. Hey, Kano sound good? All right.
- [122:58]
Patrick Kane
Love to see him. I'd love to see him.
- [122:59]
Pat McAfee
Patrick Kane, we appreciate you. Sure sound Canadian in there, pal.
- [123:06]
Roman Reigns
I mean, only people to call him Kano, I think in his life, probably.
- [123:09]
Pat McAfee
That is interesting. Oh, hockey. He's been K. Every time you hear.
- [123:14]
Roman Reigns
It'S K, they all say kaner, but.
- [123:15]
Pat McAfee
You go, hey, K 4,000 times. Yeah, yeah. I just, you know, anytime you Throw an O on there.
- [123:22]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, it works.
- [123:22]
Pat McAfee
Because you can showcase the Canadian or.
- [123:24]
Connor
Yeah, that's hockey, baby.
- [123:25]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, that is hockey. That is. That's all hockey. Hawk Hole doesn't know Hawk.
- [123:31]
Tone
Auger.
- [123:32]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, yeah, we do both. I was gonna say, just like Kane, I try to throw in a hoggle every time.
- [123:38]
Pat McAfee
Yeah, you do.
- [123:38]
Patrick Kane
Yeah.
- [123:39]
Pat McAfee
Hockey has the best inside their community.
- [123:42]
Ty Schmidt
No doubt.
- [123:43]
Pat McAfee
Yes.
- [123:43]
Connor
Yeah. Their lingo is top tier.
- [123:45]
Pat McAfee
Top tier. Yeah. And I don't know if it's just Canadians. Like, I think Canadians potentially just have top tier lingo and it's because I think they're all locked in their houses.
- [123:53]
Connor
Yeah.
- [123:53]
Pat McAfee
Because it's so cold for so long. So gotta be funny, gotta be at entertaining. Got to come up with ways to say things.
- [123:59]
Connor
Yeah. The Canadians bring the lingo. The United States brings the moxie. And then like, the Russians bring, like the party. You know, that's kind of how.
- [124:07]
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
- [124:08]
Connor
The culture gets formed.
- [124:09]
Pat McAfee
I think that is probably a pretty accurate depiction of how it all goes.
- [124:12]
Connor
Swedes bring the skill. You know, you could argue that the. The Finns bring the goalies and you.
- [124:16]
Pat McAfee
Know what America brings?
- [124:17]
Connor
What's that?
- [124:19]
Pat McAfee
Gold. Gold medals and the base. Do you believe in miracles?
- [124:25]
Connor
Yes.
- [124:26]
Pat McAfee
How could you not? Especially whenever Team USA Hockey did what it did. Whenever you hear somebody so perfectly phrase something, it's a moment etched in sports history. And then there's documentaries about the behind the scenes. And it's clear that a Paisan was certainly one of the most pivotal pieces in one of the greatest runs in the history of sports. Ladies and gentlemen, there's a documentary that is out there today on Netflix called Miracle the boys of 80. The gold medalist captain for the Miracle on Ice out of Winthrop, Massachusetts, Mike Arousio. Yeah. How you doing?
- [125:04]
Mike Eruzione
Hi, guys. How's it going?
- [125:05]
Pat McAfee
Hey, Paison, how's it going? Thank you for joining us. We appreciate you. No better person to join us on this feel good Friday as we head into a massive week weekend kicking off super bowl week. So we appreciate you taking time out of your life. How has it been? Reliving the glory, if you will, with this new documentary. I assume it's a nice trip of nostalgia, a little trip down memory lane. How was it and how has it been?
- [125:29]
Mike Eruzione
Well, I'm looking forward to seeing it. I haven't seen the final version, so I'm going to see it tonight. I got 60 family, friends and relatives going to go to the golf club down the street from where. Where I live, and we're going to sit at the bar and we're going to watch the video, and everybody's going to remember what it was like 40 something years ago. I'm excited about it.
- [125:50]
Pat McAfee
Okay, so you haven't seen it yet, but the process of the making of it, a lot of reliving, a lot of storytelling. What. What kind of was it for you?
- [125:59]
Mike Eruzione
It was great. You know, a bunch of us went back to Lake Placid, although, you know, many of us have been there off and on over the years. But to go back with your teammates, to sit in the locker room and just kind of reminisce what it was like in this quaint little place in Lake Placid. I mean, it's hard for people to believe that if you ever go to Lake Placid, if you go to that arena, it's hard to think that they had an Olympic Games there. But whenever we go back, I call it Pleasantville. It's like going back in time. It's a special place. And we're excited about seeing how they put this whole documentary together. I have seen bits and. And pieces, but have not seen the final version. So I'm excited about that, and I think people are going to enjoy it. I think the way. The way this country's going now, we could use in 1980. So maybe it'd be nice for everybody to look back on a great moment.
- [126:45]
Pat McAfee
Hell, yes. Also, with the Olympics around the corner, I think sports do have an incredible way of bringing people together. Couldn't be a more perfect time for the Winter Olympics, just a few weeks out. You said it feels like you're going back in time. Let's go back in time in that locker room after the huge win. Obviously, you guys can't hear what Al Michaels is saying with the miracle call, and it's a much, much more. What? Like, unless you have a phone in the kitchen, I don't know how you contacted people. Did you guys know the gravity of the situation there? Because that wasn't even in the finals. But did you know the gravity of what your team was going to be in in the moment?
- [127:18]
Mike Eruzione
No clue whatsoever. We knew people in Lake Placid were excited. I knew my family and friends at home were excited, but no clue that the world and the country was watching the way they were. And remember now, there were only three TV stations. There was no Twitter or Facebook or Instagram. And all this crazy stuff that everybody deals with today. We were in a little place in Lake Placid playing a hockey game. And it wasn't until after we beat Finland, which people Forget about. Because if we don't beat Finland, you and I aren't having this conversation right now. And we beat Finland and we go to the White House on Monday, and the streets were lined with people four or five rows deep waving American flag flags, people singing the Star Spangled Banner. It was like, oh, my God, you people watched. It was just incredible. And people will come up to me today depending on how old they are. They remember where they were when Kennedy got assassinated. They remember where they were when the challenger blew up. They remember where they were on 9, 11. And they'll always say, I remember where I was when we won. And I always go, we, I didn't know you were on the team, but that's what that moment was. It wasn't Boston, it wasn't Chicago. And I've said this, and I'll say this the day I die. Other than being a police officer, a firefighter, someone in the military who protects our country, there's no greater feeling than putting on a USA jersey because you're not playing for a Super bowl, you're not playing for a Stanley cup, you're playing for an Olympic gold medal. And you put that USA jersey on, it's pretty special and pretty amazing. And when we accomplished what we did and saw how much joy it brought to nation, makes it even that much more special.
- [128:53]
Pat McAfee
Who do you play for? Man, you know, that's the, it's a, it's.
- [128:58]
Mike Eruzione
Very few people get to be Olympic athletes. And when you are, it's, it's something you should cherish and honor.
- [129:02]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [129:03]
Pat McAfee
Hell yeah. And you guys certainly did that. And we're still obviously talking about it and we'll talk about it for the rest of time. And documentaries obviously are a nice reminder to people that maybe haven't heard the story that there is great inspiration and optimism right around the corner. And sports certainly can provide that. Go ahead, A.J.
- [129:19]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
- [129:19]
Connor
Your head coach, Herb Brooks.
- [129:21]
Pat McAfee
I know a lot of people are.
- [129:21]
Roman Reigns
Aware of a lot of the, the, your whole story through the movie miracle that came out.
- [129:25]
Pat McAfee
I don't know what year it did.
- [129:26]
Roman Reigns
Come out, but can you talk about.
- [129:27]
Connor
Your head coach, like, what he was like back then? I know there's always a big thing.
- [129:30]
Roman Reigns
Of you guys bonding together to go against him.
- [129:33]
Connor
Almost like the whole how he was.
- [129:35]
Pat McAfee
A hard driving coach.
- [129:36]
Connor
What was he like?
- [129:37]
Roman Reigns
Did the movie do a good job representing him? I'm sure we'll get to see in the documentary tonight.
- [129:41]
Mike Eruzione
You know, even he's, he, he's, he's a lot friendlier in The. In the movie. They softened him up in the movie. But, you know, you know, and preaching to you guys, you know sports as well as I do. That's how coaches coached in the 70s. My high school football coach, my college hockey coach, they demanded a lot out of you. They challenged you all the time. And Herb was maybe a little more demanding, a little more challenging, but there's a way he was going to coach this particular team, and this is the way it going to be. And he stayed true to form right till the end. You know, when we won the gold medal, he didn't come out in the ice and celebrate with us. If he did, it would have been, oh, now you want to be our friend, now you want to be close to us. He, he let us enjoy the moment. And he made a decision to coach that team the way he did, partly because there were 12 guys on the team from Minnesota, nine that played under him at the University of Minnesota. And as a player trying out for the team, wondering, are they going to pick any eastern guys? Because normally Eastern coach, Eastern Houston players, Western coach, Western players, and clearly the best team was put together. And all the Minnesota kids on that team were not only good people, great players. So he made a decision that it was going to be us against him. And as he said during, throughout the year, there's a method to my madness. And we understood that's the way it was going to be. I mean, two hour practice, you can yell and scream at me all you want. After practice, I'm going to go have a few beers with the guys and come back to practice the next day. But two of the qualities that Herb had, and I say this all the time about coaches, if you don't trust your coach, you're in trouble. And if you don't respect your coach, you're in trouble. We trusted Herb, we respected Herb. And if this is the way he was going to coach our team, then we're going to deal with it and we're going to play and, and look again at the success of our team. You know, doing something that nobody, nobody in the world thought we can win a medal, let alone win the whole thing. But he believed in us and we understood what he was doing. That's the way it was going to be.
- [131:35]
Pat McAfee
The power of team, beautiful thing. And obviously talk about Eastern guys and Western guys, Midwest guys. You are Eastern guy. Incredible Eastern Italian, by the way. We, we love that around here, Grazi. And I don't know if you know this, but the NFL is back to being an Eastern League, I guess. Connor, Boston. Connor has a question for you.
- [132:00]
Connor
Yeah, Rizzo, absolute honor. But Pat just mentioned it. The Patriots, you can see the helmet. I know you are a die hard Pats fan as well. How do you feel about Mike Vrabel, Drake May, nine days to the super bowl and do you feel good about the team and also, you know, I assume you also needed some T's and P's for Bill Belichick not being a first ballot hall of Famer that affected us all individually.
- [132:23]
Mike Eruzione
That to me is probably the one of the most embarrassing sporting moments I've ever been around. And I follow sports quite a bit. Obviously being in Boston and the Patriots and the Celtics and when I was a kid the Celtics were winning championships after championships and back in the 70s, 80s rather. I used to travel with the team when Raymond Berry was the coach. Steve Grogan, Steve Nelson, Tim Fox, all those guys. I was at the Super bowl bowl when they get beat up by the Bears. But I was on the sidelines during a lot of NFL games when those guys were playing. So I've got a great love for the New England Patriots obviously in sports and I think you can't get a better collection right now with Mike Vrabel and, and May. I think they're perfect marriage together. I love the way Grable coaches. He seems like the guy I want, I want to play for him. And Drake May at 22 years old, whatever. And he looks like he's, he's 12, you know what he's doing is pretty exciting. So obviously in New England we're happy again that the Patriots are back in the limelight. But I think it's going to be a hard game. I think Seattle's awfully good but the Patriots all year, nobody's giving them credit. They say they have the easiest schedule, all this and all that but hey, they're still professional football players. I don't care how easy the schedule is. They're still pretty talented players that they're playing against and they're playing extremely well right right now. And I'm excited about the opportunity for them and hopefully, hopefully good things can happen.
- [133:46]
Pat McAfee
You're speaking literally from Connor's.
- [133:49]
Connor
I mean I just knew Rizzo knew ball. There's never a question about it but even hearing it. And I mean you talk about all the time too like people in New England, Massachusetts, they just know football better than the layman. Granted gold medalist superstar legendary Michael Ruzzioni, of course he knows football. But I mean that was, yeah, that was music to my ears. Rizzo, thank you.
- [134:07]
Pat McAfee
All right, Riz, paisan. Obviously, we're going to have to gas up your fucking city for the next 20 years, it sounds like. Okay, Riz. Yeah. We're all pumped about it, but it does feel like Vrabo and Drake are the perfect combo, and they could do this for another 20 years if they really wanted to. So good for you guys up there and your fans. Now, let's talk about hockey becoming very, very relevant to the entire world very soon with this Olympics. Go ahead, Tone.
- [134:32]
Tone
Yeah, Mike. With this Olympics, obviously, your team was. Was all amateurs for that Olympics. Olympics. And now professionals are playing in the Olympics. Do you like that the NHL players are playing in the Olympics, or did you prefer like it was back in the day when it was all amateurs with you?
- [134:44]
Mike Eruzione
No. Well, it was never all amateurs because the Soviets and the Swedes and the Finns and the Czechs were professional players playing professional hockey over in their country.
- [134:53]
Pat McAfee
That's why it's a miracle.
- [134:54]
Mike Eruzione
Amateurs were usually just the United States and Canada. I was at the beginning curious how they would play against each other. If I'm playing for the Penny Penguins and I'm on the US Olympic team, and I'm playing against one of my Penguin teammates who's playing for Canada, am I going to hit him? Am I going to go after him? And when I talk to the players, they said, absolutely. You know, you separate your differences after the Games are over, and you go back to being on the team that you're playing on. So when I knew that and I saw that, it was like, yeah, let the best players in the world play. And they are so good. They are so talented at that Four nations tournament. If you saw any of it, you saw the Kachuk brothers drop the gloves at the beginning immediately. They're playing for their country. And Sidney Crosby said the same things I heard. Sidney said, when you put the crest on, it's a whole different ballgame. And when you see that and you're going to see it in the Olympic Games, they're going to go after each other. They're going to compete. I wish the Soviets were playing in it because I still like to see the best teams in the world play. The Soviets aren't there, and that's because their country's all messed up. But unfortunately, the athletes are suffering because. Because of that.
- [135:56]
Pat McAfee
But agreed.
- [135:57]
Mike Eruzione
Having said that, this is the best US Team we've ever put on the ice. This is the most talented, the deepest. I thought they were going to win the. In the Four nations tournament. But you see how important a goaltender can be. Binnington was spectacular, and Canada's loaded. You know, you got Makar, you've got maybe the best player I've seen ever close to. I can't take Mr. Lemieux, Mr. Gretzky out of the equation, but Connor McDavid's pretty damn good. So I think Canada's loaded. I think our goaltending might be a little better, but clearly I think this is the best team that we've put on the ice for the Olympic Games. And when I was at the Four Nations, I had the pleasure of being the honorary captain. And I told the players, it says, do me a favor and win a gold medal so people will leave us alone and it's over. They can carry the torch. My grandkids need their heroes, and hopefully it'll be this team. And I'm. I'll be in Milan, and I'm excited about this team and. And what they can do.
- [136:53]
Pat McAfee
Happy you'll be there. You should be at everything going forward for everybody, at all times. But Ty had a question about that last statement he made there, actually.
- [137:01]
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, Mike, I did want to ask you about that, because I think it was kind of tongue in cheek, you know, about. Hey, stop. You don't stop bothering us. You know, like, we need the. The new blood to kind of create some new heroes. Do you think in this day and age when these guys, you know, and granted, they're not making the kind of money that, you know, NBA players, NFL, MLB players are, but do you think that that is still, like, if we were to win a gold medal, do you think that, that. That. That kind of does. I don't want to say it's not going to diminish what you guys did, but do you think that will kind of put you guys in your place in history and then people will kind of start to talk about this new iteration of US Hockey and it won't be so much, much. Hey, it's unbelievable. Like, we're never going to see another miracle on ice, but we'll kind of have our. Our new regime, I guess, of hockey in the United States.
- [137:51]
Mike Eruzione
Well, I think it'll be a testament to how far the game has gone, how far it's come, how good our players are today. And. And I'm just going to add a little side note, too. You should see how good our women are and how talented the ladies are and how much better women's hockey is today than it was. But the men's hockey program and where they go if they win a gold medal, it'll be a showcase of how far US hockey has come. I think in 1980, we might have opened the door. Today's players have knocked it down. And if they win a gold medal, it's not going to change one damn thing that we did. What we did is what we did. What we did will never be. It'll never happen again because you'll never see a bunch of college kids play against NHL players or pros and win. So let's take that out of the equation right there. And the state of the country at the time, maybe a little similar now, but, you know, at that time in 1980, you remember who's going to be the president. There were gas lines, inflation, the hostages had been taken, the threat of a cold war, Soviets invaded Afghanistan. There were so many things around politically, and we were playing the Soviets. We're not playing the Soviets in this Olympic Games. So I think that whole side of the end of what we did in 80, you'll never ever see again. And this is their moment. This is their team to do what they need to do. It's not going take to change, you know, our team and our history and our story, because what we did, you'll never see again. But for hockey, it would be a great tribute to the American players that are playing the game. And they're, you know, my grandkids are going to look up to these players. They'll have their heroes and, you know, want to play in the NHL because of what they're seeing out there and what this country is doing. So we're going to rally around it and hopefully they can win. But if it. If it. If it does happen and they do win, good for them. Let them have their day.
- [139:33]
Pat McAfee
We had our hell, yeah. Riz, I love that speech you just gave for the boys. You know, it's like, hey, a lot of things happen in the world. You know, sports have the ability. You know, America winning would be great right now, especially with what we have. And last night, you know, he's all the way back. It feels like the boys are ready to go. I did not know Kano. Patrick Kano was not on. That is a surprise. Learning that in real time while I'm talking to him. That was obviously a mistake by me. But I like our team, I like what we're doing and I like the idea of you potentially giving us a speech as we send into the greatest weekend of all time. Can you do that with us? We always end the show with a team on me. Team on three type thing. Would you mind being a part of that with us, Cap?
- [140:17]
Mike Eruzione
I'm ready.
- [140:18]
Pat McAfee
Okay. So we will be off Monday and Tuesday. We will be back on Wednesday live from Radio Row in San Francisco with guests through the roof. A hilarious situation will occur probably two, three times an hour. A ridiculous situation will occur probably four or five times an hour. Radio Row is insane. We'll be celebrating the year that was for Ball. And we hope you have the greatest weekend of all time, because next week and you know, the future is an amazing thing. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change your life. We're in this thing together. Team. Anything to say to the. To the team here, Riz?
- [140:56]
Mike Eruzione
Thanks for having me on team. And if you believe in something and you're willing to work hard, you will accomplish it. And that's what our hockey teams are going to do in Milan.
- [141:05]
Pat McAfee
Hell yeah, Riz.
- [141:06]
Patrick Kane
Yeah.
- [141:07]
Pat McAfee
Hell yeah. Team on three. Have an incredible weekend. One, two, three.
- [141:12]
Connor
Team.
- [141:13]
Pat McAfee
Goodbye.