The Ryen Russillo Show
Episode: Chris Long's Favorite NFL Trades and Ones He Wished Happened, Plus Life Advice!
Date: November 6, 2025
Host: Ryen Russillo (Barstool Sports)
Guests: Chris Long (Green Light Podcast), Ceruti, Kyle
Main Theme
This episode features former NFL star and current podcaster Chris Long reflecting on the NFL trade deadline—both real and hypothetical deals—and breaking down recent league developments. The conversation covers NFL team strategies, scheme breakdowns, and in-depth football analysis, with plenty of Russillo-Long banter and a lighter “Life Advice” segment with Ceruti and Kyle.
Key Segments & Takeaways
1. Football Fan Memories and Trade Deadline Hype
- [00:54-01:41] Ryen kicks off with favorite live sports moments, reminiscing about the 2008 Texas Tech upset over Texas and LSU's 2019 win at Alabama.
“That first 70-yard touchdown in a place where everybody loses all the time is probably one of my personal favorites.” —Ryen Russillo [01:35]
- General nostalgia over the meaning of iconic touchdowns and live sports euphoria.
2. NFL Trade Deadline: Why It Finally Matters
[07:20+]
NFL Trade Traditions Debunked
- Russillo and Long discuss the old narrative that NFL trade deadlines are "boring," with Russillo reflecting:
“It was always accepted that the NFL trade deadline was boring because it's just too complicated... Route trees, new systems, but I think those restrictions were overstated.” —Ryen Russillo [07:48-07:57]
- Long details why, with modern terminology and playbook “downloads”, it's more feasible for position players, especially on defense, to change teams midseason.
“A lot of things in the NFL are kind of like 'same as, same as' for defensive guys... for a guy like Sauce Gardner, who’s going to show up in Indy… they're going to tailor things to his talents.” —Chris Long [08:14-09:21]
Trades That Should Have Happened
- Long lists teams he wished were more aggressive:
- Tampa Bay: Needs linebacker and guard help, especially with veteran decline.
- Green Bay: Tight end injuries; would have loved to see a trade for David Njoku.
- Miami: Wishes to see Zach Sieler “rescued.”
- Long acknowledges the “fantasy football” effect—media obsesses over hypothetical deals that rarely materialize.
3. Deep Dives on Team Strategies & Matchups
Indianapolis Colts: Real Contenders?
[17:13+]
- Russillo: “Are the Colts real? Am I taking them over Buffalo or Kansas City in the playoffs?”
- Long praises the Colts trade for Sauce Gardner (hypothetical), football “window” awareness, and roster-building:
“You can manufacture rush; you cannot manufacture coverage.” —Chris Long [18:01-19:00]
- Breaks down the importance of “manning up” in the AFC and how the Colts’ defensive pieces fit into AFC playoff football.
- On Jalen Ramsey’s new safety role: “The best thing he does now is top-down plays… perfect game plan for that game.” —Chris Long [21:03]
Green Bay Packers: The Sleepwalking Offense
[22:23+]
- Russillo wants to know: Is this a Super Bowl team, or just “sleepwalking through games”?
- Long’s frustration is mainly with the offense, not personnel:
“They kind of play slow at home and play down to opponents early in games… When you go on long drives, that one mistake can really screw you.” —Chris Long [25:00-26:43]
- Wants more tempo; let the young QB throw more—“Give him the keys to the car!”
Detroit Lions: Not as Dominant?
[28:39+]
- Long: “They’re not as dominant as last year... The interior O-line isn’t the same, they play so much man (coverage), but the right matchup can torch them.” [28:56-32:11]
- Credits Ben Johnson's offensive creativity; defensive issues are matchup-based.
Defensive Scheme Insights
[32:11+]
- Russillo pulls out Long’s maxim: “You can manufacture pressure, but not coverage.”
- Long praises Minnesota DC Brian Flores’ “creative, personnel-specific” blitzing and ability to maximize versatile defenders.
4. Trade Deadline Analysis: Eagles, Ravens, and More
[34:13+]
- Eagles: Pick up Jalen Phillips (“mid-round a little rich, but worth the window”).
- Baltimore: Discusses Kyle Hamilton’s flexible usage; how Baltimore deploys him everywhere and how it changes their defense.
“[Hamilton] just looked fake, dude. He looked computer generated. He’s one of the best defensive players in the game.” —Chris Long [38:07-39:25]
5. Bills, Chiefs, and the Mahomes-Allen Debate
[40:00+]
How Buffalo Beat Mahomes
- Russillo: “Buffalo’s pressure rate was insane, but they kept Mahomes in check—how?”
- Long: “It was amazing… 52.6% pressure rate, and their coverage was great. Cole Bishop, huge game. The key is just a couple of stops in a matchup like this.”
- On the Allen-Mahomes debate:
“Josh Allen’s the best quarterback on the planet right now. And that shouldn’t be something I have to whisper.” —Chris Long [45:14] “If you woke up from a coma three years ago and just started watching football, you’d probably say Josh is the best quarterback on the planet.” —Chris Long [45:32]
6. Locker Room & Off-field Banter
[11:50-15:23]
- Long on Patriots alumni connections: “Me and Jules [Edelman]… basically, he calls just to talk shit and berate me, then calls the next week like best friends.” [12:01]
- Detours into stories about clubbing, Freddie Gibbs concerts, and why Malibu Mountain Jam is misunderstood.
7. Life Advice
[48:06+]
Notable Life Advice Questions
- Ceruti & Kyle join for Life Advice:
- Wood stove mishaps: Kyle describes getting used to the Northern lifestyle and almost choking the house with a closed flue. [49:08-49:31]
- Marathon Relationship Dilemma: Should a faster runner slow down for a partner in a marathon? Ceruti: “It’s not apple picking… it’s five hours of this.” [53:23]
- Note-taking Habits: Russillo breaks down his analog note-taking system for sports watching (and how no one cares). [54:03-59:08]
“I just wonder how long you’re going to want to do that [take notes] if you’re not getting paid for it.” —Ryen Russillo [59:02]
Movie Theater Etiquette
- Lone-moviegoer disrupts annoying teens by simply sitting next to them in silence until they leave. Russillo and crew agree it’s brilliant and a classic “out-weird the weirdos” move. [67:37-69:19]
8. Memorable Quotes & Fun Moments
- “You can manufacture rush. You cannot manufacture coverage.” —Chris Long [18:01]
- “I’m anti-dog cloning... I don’t want this for my guy [Brady]... Even if he’s just ahead of us, I don’t want this for my guy.” —Chris Long [12:57]
- “You think everyone’s so stupid when you’re a teenager, but actually everyone knows every move you’re trying to pull because they’ve already done it.” —Ryen Russillo [70:04]
- “[Kyle Hamilton] looked computer generated.” —Chris Long [39:25]
- “Josh Allen’s the best QB on the planet right now. That shouldn’t be something I have to whisper.” —Chris Long [45:15]
Timestamps & Segment Guide
- 00:54 – Russillo’s favorite on-field moments
- 07:20 – NFL trade deadline: Old myths vs. new reality
- 08:14 – Chris Long on how players adjust after trades
- 17:13 – Colts’ (hypothetical) trade and true contention analysis
- 22:23 – Packers’ sleepwalking offense and frustrations
- 28:39 – Breaking down Detroit’s issues, man coverage, and lines
- 32:11 – The art of manufacturing pressure vs. manufacturing coverage
- 34:13 – Eagles, Jalen Phillips, and the value of comp picks
- 38:07/39:25 – Kyle Hamilton: Defensive cheat code
- 40:00 – Bills’ defense vs. Mahomes; Allen-Mahomes debate
- 45:15-46:14 – Josh Allen “best QB right now” discussion
- 54:03-59:17 – Life Advice: Sports note-taking
- 67:37-69:19 – Movie theater etiquette: Out-weirding teenagers
Energy & Tone
Russillo and Long maintain a high-level, candid football “nerd” tone—meticulous, blunt, with strong opinions, plus genuine friendship and inside jokes. The “Life Advice” segment is breezy, irreverent, and confessional, highlighting fun, real-life quirks and listener engagement.
For First-Time Listeners:
This episode gives you everything The Ryen Russillo Show is known for: deep NFL X’s and O’s, sharp guest banter, and light-hearted, oddball life wisdom. Don’t miss Chris Long’s candid analysis, the Josh Allen vs. Mahomes debate, and classic “Life Advice” oddities—from marathon etiquette to movie theater mind games.