Full Show: Big Game Week Guests, “We Rich” Nephew Josh, Super Bowl QB Drew Brees and Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro.

Summary

The Stephen A. Smith Show – Episode Summary

Release Date: February 8, 2025
Title: Full Show: Big Game Week Guests, “We Rich” Nephew Josh, Super Bowl QB Drew Brees, and Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro
Hosts: Stephen A. Smith and iHeartPodcasts

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1. Introduction and Super Bowl Preview (01:11 – 02:52)

Stephen A. Smith kicks off the show from New Orleans, highlighting the excitement surrounding Super Bowl 59. He discusses the historic matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, emphasizing the Chiefs' potential to become the first team in Super Bowl history to win three consecutive titles. Smith shares key statistics, noting that since Week 5, the Eagles boast a 15-1 record with a +27 turnover margin and an average game-winning margin of 13.8 points.

Notable Quote:
"There's history on the line for the Chiefs, who will become the first team in Super Bowl history to win three in a row." – Stephen A. Smith [01:25]

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2. Humorous Exchange with Nephew Dan Orlovsky (02:52 – 08:03)

In a light-hearted segment, Stephen engages in a playful banter with his nephew, Dan Orlovsky. The conversation revolves around Dan's sudden appearance, his choice of attire, and playful jabs about hairstyles and personal habits. This segment adds a comedic flair to the show, showcasing Stephen's ability to mix humor with sports commentary.

Notable Quotes:
"You gonna get your ass kicked on a Friday. You gonna pick up my tea, man?" – Stephen A. Smith [03:12]
"I just put on that chemtrail," – Dan Orlovsky [03:56]
"Respect your uncle, boy." – Stephen A. Smith [07:24]

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3. Super Bowl Picks and Predictions (08:03 – 12:53)

Stephen transitions into the core content, presenting his Super Bowl predictions. He analyzes player performances and team strategies, offering his insights on key matchups. Daniel Orlovsky shares his perspective, supporting the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes as potential MVP candidates. The discussion delves into statistical analyses and team dynamics, providing listeners with a comprehensive preview of the upcoming game.

Notable Quotes:
"Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles are going to win. Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl championship." – Stephen A. Smith [09:12]
"Patrick Mahomes is the goat. I have him ahead of everybody." – Stephen A. Smith [13:28]

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4. Interview with Drew Brees – Insights from a Legendary Quarterback (24:36 – 43:53)

Guest: Drew Brees – Former NFL quarterback, 13-time Pro Bowler, Super Bowl MVP

Stephen welcomes Drew Brees, who shares reflections on his illustrious career, his decision to retire, and his enduring love for the game. Brees discusses the evolution of the quarterback position, emphasizing the shift towards versatile, multi-threat quarterbacks like Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes. He offers a detailed analysis of the Super Bowl matchup, praising both teams' strengths and outlining his predictions.

Key Discussion Points:

• Career Reflections: Brees talks about his 28-year journey in football, highlighting his commitment to continuous improvement and leadership.

  "Every decision that I was making was with me being the best football player, best quarterback, best leader that I could be for my team in mind." – Drew Brees [25:35]

• Super Bowl Predictions: Brees predicts a close game, favoring the Eagles due to their robust defense and balanced offense.

  "I kind of think Philadelphia might win this game. Saquon Barkley wasn't on the squad two years ago... I believe they are the better team top to bottom." – Drew Brees [31:39]

• Future Quarterbacks: Brees praises emerging talents like Joe Burrow and C.J. Stroud, discussing their potential impact on the NFL.

  "Joe Burrow is the guy first to mind because I know the offense he came up in and I know from what I've watched this year, he's got those traits." – Drew Brees [33:14]

Notable Quotes:
"Patrick Mahomes is special. He's going to sit on the sidelines with a lead, praying his defense is going to stop Philly." – Stephen A. Smith [11:50]
"It's the evolution of the game, and now these quarterbacks have evolved with it." – Drew Brees [29:26]
"Jalen Hurts has a fire burning inside him. He wants respect. He wants respect." – Drew Brees [35:20]

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5. Conversation with Governor Josh Shapiro – Leadership and Team Strategy (47:06 – 54:26)

Guest: Josh Shapiro – 48th Governor of Pennsylvania

In the final segment, Stephen interviews Governor Josh Shapiro, delving into his perspectives on leadership, team dynamics, and the Super Bowl. Shapiro discusses the importance of a strong offensive and defensive line, emphasizing the Eagles' strategy to control the game's tempo through a powerful run game led by Saquon Barkley.

Key Discussion Points:

• Team Strategy: Shapiro highlights the Eagles' focus on early momentum and efficient scoring to constrain the Chiefs' explosive offense.

  "I want Barkley just pounding through their defensive line over and over again. So we got to set the tone early." – Josh Shapiro [49:23]

• Impact of Loss: Reflecting on past defeats, Shapiro underscores the emotional and cultural significance of the Super Bowl for Philadelphia fans.

  "Philly has more to lose in this game because I feel like Philly is the better team top to bottom." – Josh Shapiro [37:58]

• Community and Resilience: Shapiro shares anecdotes about Philadelphia's community spirit, particularly in times of crisis, drawing parallels to the team's resilience on the field.

  "Philly folks, you know, they're tough to come around and love you, but when they do, they hold on to you and they're there for you. It's extraordinary." – Josh Shapiro [53:03]

Notable Quotes:
"We wear our emotions on our sleeves, and we care deeply about this team." – Josh Shapiro [53:03]
"Philly is a city that lives and breathes its Philadelphia Eagles, and it's extraordinary." – Josh Shapiro [49:02]

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Conclusion

Stephen A. Smith wraps up the episode by reiterating his Super Bowl predictions, favoring the Philadelphia Eagles with a final score prediction of 34-30. The show encapsulates a blend of humor, in-depth sports analysis, and insightful interviews, making it a comprehensive resource for listeners gearing up for the Super Bowl.

Final Prediction:
"I got the Eagles winning 34-30." – Stephen A. Smith [51:54]

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Summary Highlights

• Super Bowl Insight: Comprehensive analysis of Chiefs vs. Eagles, focusing on team strengths, key players, and strategic approaches.
• Guest Expertise: Drew Brees offers a seasoned quarterback's perspective on the evolving NFL landscape and Super Bowl strategies.
• Leadership Lessons: Governor Josh Shapiro ties leadership principles to team dynamics, emphasizing the importance of early game momentum and community resilience.
• Engaging Dialogue: Playful interactions with nephew Dan Orlovsky add a relatable and entertaining dimension to the show.

This episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show provides listeners with expert opinions, strategic game breakdowns, and engaging conversations, all centered around the anticipation of Super Bowl 59.

Transcript

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[Greg Rosenthal]

It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Welcome to the latest edition of the Stephen A. Smith show, live from New Orleans. As I have been all week for super bowl week, obviously I'm coming at you over the Digital Airways, YouTube and of course iHeartRadio. As always, I'd like to take a moment to thank my subscribers and followers. We've now eclipsed 1.08 million subscribers, okay, on YouTube, not to mention the millions of downloads we've had on iHeartRadio over the last few months. Can't thank y'all for the love and support. Enough. Keep it coming and I'mma keep on coming. Obviously we're here in New Orleans for Super Bowl Sunday. We're not going to be here this Sunday because I don't feel like being here this Sunday. But we're here. We have been here all week for Super Bowl 59 and that's where we're going to get started because there's nothing else to talk about or should be to talk about today. The super bowl kicks off Sunday night, as I just said, right here in New Orleans, when the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles. There's history on the line for the Chiefs, who will become the first team in super bowl history to win three in a row. No team has ever done that. As for the Eagles, this Super bowl represents a rematch of Super Bowl 57, when Philadelphia lost to Kansas City 38 35. However, the Chiefs want to repeat, they're going to have to beat the best team they've Played in the super bowl in the Patrick Mahomes era. Since their Week 5 by the Philadelphia Eagles have gone15.1, posted a plus 27 turnover margin, and won their games by an average of 13.8 points. Before I make my pick, here are the results of our super bowl poll. Looks like my followers are picking the Eagles to win. Here's what I think. Okay, this is what I think. I just want y'all to think right now. And as you can see.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Here, something. All right, what's going on? Some of this coffee, too.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What are you doing here?

[Dan Orlovsky]

Spicy.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Hold on. Did you just pick up my tea and drink out of my cup?

[Dan Orlovsky]

Picked up our tea. Our. We're plural now.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You gonna get your ass kicked on a Friday. You gonna pick up my tea, man?

[Dan Orlovsky]

Now. We not blood.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What are you doing here? How did you get here exactly? How'd you get here?

[Dan Orlovsky]

You really want me to tell that story?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Go ahead and tell it.

[Dan Orlovsky]

So, Mr. Smith here. That's what I'm calling you now, because my nephew Tisum is up for sale. I'm buying a new uncle, and this is why. I was at the airport, and I'm like, my flight is three days late. How long you been here?

[Stephen A. Smith]

I've been here since. Since Monday, right?

[Dan Orlovsky]

My flight was Monday.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah. I was looking for you.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Oh, you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

But you didn't show up. You and. Excuse me. I know you ain't gonna lie with the cameras rolling. Don't make me kick your ass, okay? You sat up there and called me and said that you had some business to handle, so you didn't know if you was gonna get here till later on in the week. And then I see you just walking in. I ain't getting no text message. I ain't getting a phone call. You didn't say, uncle Steve, I'm coming to town. You just popped up.

[Dan Orlovsky]

You booked me a connecting flight. The layover was three days. I smell like the airport. Yeah. I'm gonna come here and tell the truth. I don't know.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's a freaking lie. I had a layover. Ain't no layovers for three days.

[Dan Orlovsky]

That's what I thought.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's a BS Excuse. What were you doing in the last three days? Cause you a. You ain't been here. You ain't been here working. What were you doing?

[Dan Orlovsky]

I was at the airport, trying to get here.

[Stephen A. Smith]

At the airport, trying to get here? Which airport? What you study for? What's the hesitation? What's the hesitation for?

[Dan Orlovsky]

Because I didn't book my own flight. I just Got it. They woke me up in the middle of the night. I got off, and then it was time to sit in the airport. So every time I woke up, I'm like, when's my flight? Tomorrow. Tomorrow? Spirit. Flying on Spirit Airlines over here.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Where?

[Dan Orlovsky]

Danielski.

[Stephen A. Smith]

First of all, it's Orlovsky. So? You mispronounced his name. Secondly, I've never put you on Spirit Airline. But for the record, because we don't want to find ourselves getting sued or anything, I happen to like Spirit Airlines. I've flown Spirit. I've flown Southwest. I've flown Delta, United, American, JetBlue. Okay? I've flown all these airlines, okay? We ain't gonna sit up there and denigrate airlines because of your tardy ass.

[Dan Orlovsky]

I like Spirit, too. I spent the last three days with them.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Anyway.

[Dan Orlovsky]

What we talking about? I like Kansas City.

[Stephen A. Smith]

No, we ain't getting out of Kansas City yet. What's up with the wardrobe? Why are you still wearing the same hoodie you had on last show?

[Dan Orlovsky]

This is not the same hoodie. It's called mer. I got about 20,000 of these. When you going to wear yours?

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'll never wear that. That will never happen.

[Dan Orlovsky]

So you're not going to wear this.

[Stephen A. Smith]

But you and why? Your head is super imposed, like it's so much larger. You know what I'm saying? I mean, it is.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Once you come on home, that's how your head going to look.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Once I come on home? Yeah. No, I got grandma's head.

[Dan Orlovsky]

What that mean?

[Stephen A. Smith]

You see what I'm saying? I mean, it's small disrespect. My grandmother, my grand. You mean my mother.

[Dan Orlovsky]

You said you got Grandma's head. So you can't get a baldy trying scared to show your head.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah, that's exactly the truth. You accepted you were bald when you were 22. I'm able to fight it off, so I've been able to keep my hair in my 50s. You had to lose your hair at 22. You lost your hair 15. 15 years ago.

[Dan Orlovsky]

And I've accepted it. That's a fight that you've been losing. I'm not willing to be losing it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

How about losing it? Do you realize that my receding hairline has been here for the last 15 years? It hasn't gone back any further than. You know. It's true. Because grandpa's hairline stayed the same all of those years. It's just how we're born with. You couldn't live with the fact that you was gonna have a receding hairline and then you got the George Jefferson joint where it really, really left you. So you're the first bald dude in our family. Do you realize that?

[Dan Orlovsky]

Well, with all the money you got, you need to take some of the hair off your eyebrows and just make it. Just make it move up a little bit.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I wasn't thinking about that eyebrows, man. I was actually gonna shave something on the side, put it up and put.

[Dan Orlovsky]

It at the front.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You know what I'm saying? I was gonna do something like that. I thought that would work.

[Dan Orlovsky]

See people with money, people with money, you know, I'm glad it's us now instead of just you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

How's it us? When did you earn any money? When you gonna show up to work so you can actually earn your money so I can actually justify the money that I do give you? When are you gonna do that?

[Dan Orlovsky]

You never heard of nephewtism?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Let's move on, man. You wanna help me do these pics, man? Yeah, I got you nephewtism. I thought you was going away with that. You was. You was putting yourself out on the market. So now you back to wanting to be the nephew and it's nephewtism now. Now you back?

[Dan Orlovsky]

Yeah. Cause you know what? You not staying till Sunday. Well, I'm here, so you keep my room.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Motel 6, right down the block.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Keep the room.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm saying ain't no room service. Towels cheap. Yes, I'm saying the soap is one of them little square balls of soap. And that don't really, really bathe you. Oh, go ahead. You keep you cap. You have it. That's what I'm saying. That's right. Half the time you don't want to.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Shower in front of everybody. Right in front of everybody.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm just being real with you. I'm just being real since you always being real. Right? Respect your uncle, boy. Respect your uncle. Let's go to these picks. So I don't know which team you picking, whether it's Philly or Kansas City or whatever. Do you need some help in me breaking stuff down before you make your picks?

[Dan Orlovsky]

I really got it covered. I got it covered.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Go ahead. Who you got?

[Dan Orlovsky]

Well, I got the Chiefs winning and it's because, you know, I support goats. I want to see somebody go all the way out. Patrick Mahomes wins.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Why are you talking away from. See this Inexperienced?

[Dan Orlovsky]

Cause you assume I'm in conversation. It's cause we related. I feel like we at the house. But Patrick Mahomes, if he wins this, he's the goat. I already feel like he's the goat. But I feel like it's no argument.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What would be your justification?

[Dan Orlovsky]

Three peat? That's never been done.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's true. I'm proud of you for knowing. That's that.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Come on. Come on. Seven years in the league, five Super Bowls.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Really?

[Dan Orlovsky]

That's a pretty good ratio, isn't it?

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's a brother doing his homework for a change. That's more homework than you did for K through 12, bro. I'm proud of you.

[Dan Orlovsky]

All right, let's put this out there. I watch more games than you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

How is that possible?

[Dan Orlovsky]

How is.

[Stephen A. Smith]

How is that possible? That is a flat out line.

[Dan Orlovsky]

What time you gotta wait.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You understand what I'm saying?

[Dan Orlovsky]

What time you gotta wake up for first thing.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What time do I go to sleep? How many TVs do I have? How many times? Tell me. Tell me this.

[Dan Orlovsky]

You're never home.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Tell me this. Tell me this. When have you seen me not watching a game other than when I'm driving? When have you ever been around me and I'm not watching a game?

[Dan Orlovsky]

Are you not a soap opera star? Yeah, right.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I wouldn't say a star.

[Dan Orlovsky]

I mean, you won't you be. You be on it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I appreciate you acknowledging. I mean, I didn't say that by myself, but since you feel that way about Brick from General Hospital, that's what y'all need to know. Brick from General Hospital, that would happen to be me. I really appreciate you recognizing.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Or Josh's uncle.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Just next time say Brick. I can assure you that nobody associated with General Hospital knows who the hell you are. They ain't thinking about your black ass.

[Drew Brees]

Damn.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay. They think about Uncle Steve, Brick. You understand? Yeah, that's right.

[Dan Orlovsky]

So when you gonna give me a spot on there? Because people have been reaching out about me acting and they have not been told I'm exclusive. I'm exclusive to your situation.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That is that. That is not true. You, the General Hospital, nor any soap opera hasn't even thought about your ass. It's just the truth. It's true. Let me tell you this. Going back to the game, right here's what I'm thinking. Patrick Mahomes is that dude. He's special. I think Travis Kelce, people want to tell you he lost a step or whatever. I think he's gonna show up in the Super Bowl. I'm not sure how much faith I have in Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith, Houston Xavier Worthy. Yeah, they can make plays. But can you trust? Can you rely on them against a top rated defense like the Philadelphia Eagles? I don't know about that. I know Patrick Mahomes is spectacular. And it's Tom Brady and him right now. He three pizzas in the conversation. I don't know if you could definitively say he's the goat because Tom Brady beat him not once but twice. Beat him in the ASU championship game and beat him in the Super Bowl. But to go to seven straight AFC championship games in his first seven years, to go to five Super Bowls, to win four, if he were to win, you got a legitimate argument for him. So I will say that even though it's not definitive. Here's what I think though. I kind of think Philadelphia might win this game. Saquon Barkley wasn't on the squad two years ago. And when you look at the Eagles offensive line, their average size is like 6, 6 3, 28, something like that. I mean, these brothers eat cows for breakfast, so you know, they could plug some holes for you. My thinking is because they could do that. I'm just of the mindset that Saquon Barkley's gonna get off the defense is number one. Number two in scoring defense, number one in total defense, top three and third downs and red zone defense. Patrick's gonna get his. You're not gonna stop a more game, but you gonna stop Philly. Saquon, A.J. brown, Devontae Smith and the White House. Dallas gotta just tight end. I think Saquon's going to run for over 100 yards. First time somebody's going to do that against Kansas City in the last 19 games. I think it's going to be a thriller and I think it's going to come down to Kansas City having the lead and Philly having the ball in its hands with Patrick Mahomes having to sit on the sidelines with a lead, praying his defense is going to stop Philly and Jalen Hurts is going to get it done. Jalen hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles are going to win. Okay. I believe they going to win 34, 30 Philadelphia Eagles win the super bowl championship.

[Dan Orlovsky]

So if that goes down, you're basically saying according to your prediction, if they do lose, it won't be Patrick Mahomes fault.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Right.

[Dan Orlovsky]

So how does that. Does that. Does that. What does that do for his goat?

[Stephen A. Smith]

No, I'm saying that I think he's number two to Tom Brady. Even if he loses, he's number two now, right? So he gonna drop because of Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen, somebody? No, he's still gonna be number two. He just ain't gonna ascend the number one.

[Dan Orlovsky]

So you have Patrick Mahomes ahead of Joe Montana. Joe Montana, right now.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yes, I have him ahead of everyone. Everyone but Tom.

[Dan Orlovsky]

So with the Lewis today, even with.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The loss, I have him ahead of everybody. That's Troy Aikman. That's Joe Montana. That's Steve Young. That's Roger Starbuck. That's Terry Bradshaw. Okay, I have him ahead of everybody.

[Dan Orlovsky]

He'd still be ahead of them if he loses.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Dan Marino, John Elway, Peyton Manning. I have him ahead of everybody. Everybody. I'm going to give you the last word because you usually don't have shit to say when I put you on the spot like this, but I'm going to give you a last chance to say something constructive before you get on out of here.

[Dan Orlovsky]

No, it's not. It's not about constructive.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What?

[Dan Orlovsky]

Everybody. Because I'm a watcher of the comments, because I like to know how I can improve.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Really? Yes. So you rally. You really think there's room for improvement with yourself? That's shocking. Always. I thought you just felt you were so flawless, that there was nothing to improve at all. Cause you that dude. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You, you, you, you. Bronny James in the media. I'm Bronny James, 55th draft pick. That's you.

[Dan Orlovsky]

You must watch that video a lot of times.

[Stephen A. Smith]

No, I was sitting next to you. I don't have to watch the damn video. I was sitting right next to you when you said it. I'm the Bronny James of the media. And I know, you see, I heard that millions of people are watching stuff like that. So you calling yourself the Bron? You know, I'm really not supposed to be here, but I'm here. And I'm your nephew.

[Dan Orlovsky]

You know, at the time, I was LeBron James. I was Ronny James of the media.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That was a month ago.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Two months ago.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That was a month ago.

[Dan Orlovsky]

December 4th.

[Stephen A. Smith]

It was a month ago.

[Dan Orlovsky]

I remember the day.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's my recollection. It's a month ago. Go ahead.

[Dan Orlovsky]

So who would you say I am now? Because Ronny James ain't.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Unfortunately. Unfortunately, you're my nephew. That's my answer to that question.

[Dan Orlovsky]

That's it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm forever. What do you mean, that's it? That's the ultimate privilege.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Oh, really?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yes. Because being my nephew means that we're from the same bloodline. Meaning that my mom, God rest her wonderful, beautiful soul, was your grandmother the one that babied you? That always made it feel like when.

[Dan Orlovsky]

I was a baby, you're supposed to baby me.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Excuse me. She didn't baby you when you in your 20s?

[Dan Orlovsky]

Oh, my.

[Stephen A. Smith]

She didn't baby you when it came to us. She did every little thing you did. I'm very upset with you. You can't talk to Josh like that. You can't do them like that.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Yeah, you are. Yeah.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That wasn't. That wasn't Grandma.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Yeah. She stopped bullying.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Excuse me.

[Dan Orlovsky]

She stopped bullying. She doesn't. Like when you, you know, you come down. You come down on me unnecessarily. And now the world is seeing it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

So in other words, you used to go to her.

[Dan Orlovsky]

I didn't go to her. She could see it. I don't go to the world.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Excuse me.

[Dan Orlovsky]

I don't go to the world. Everybody's saying, like, what's your uncle's problem with you? I'm like, I don't know.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Say that. I don't seen any of those comments. I haven't seen anybody say in the comments, what's wrong with your uncle? I haven't seen any of that. You're making that up.

[Dan Orlovsky]

You're not.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Just like.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Just like.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You'd make stuff up with Grandma. That's what you would do. That's what you would do. You put your head down and you was all quiet. This is what you do. You just go like. And she feels sorry.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Cause it's. Cause it's explaining how you act.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And then you walked away from her and you smirked and smiled because you knew she didn't see how slick your sorry ass was.

[Dan Orlovsky]

They. Listen, while we. Right here, you still never answer my question. And you never do, which is, if Michael Jordan was on the team in 94 and Scottie Pippen left, would they have won a chip?

[Stephen A. Smith]

I did say they would have.

[Dan Orlovsky]

You said that they would have.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I think they would have. They would have. They would have beat Houston and they would have beat the Knicks. They would have beat the Knicks in that series against Hubert Davis and those boys. They would have certainly beat the Knicks. Absolutely. Absolutely. They beat Indiana, too. Absolutely. No question.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Michael Jordan. And nobody would have beat Indiana.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Michael. Not nobody. Without Pippen. You didn't say nobody. Somebody else is gonna be there to have.

[Dan Orlovsky]

Tony, don't. Don't even matter as long as it's somebody. Tony.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Cuckoo. Excuse me. Nobody could play defense like Scottie Pippen. Right?

[Dan Orlovsky]

So if he's going, how you just.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Gonna win dudes who could play offense and you had size. We ain't gonna argue about that. The Super Bowl Sunday. Not going to argue about this. We're not going to Argue about this.

[Dan Orlovsky]

This is support for Michael jr. You know what?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Get the hell out of here and go and enjoy New Orleans, all right?

[Dan Orlovsky]

Can I go? I go to the game.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Goodbye, Joe.

[Dan Orlovsky]

I need a sky box, yo.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That is not happening. Not at all. Coming up, he won a Super bowl for the city of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Mind you, the one and only Drew Brees is in the house. He joins us next. He'll be sitting in that chair. A real football player, a real athlete, a real knowledgeable football mind will be sitting in this chair instead of my nephew. Isn't the world beautiful? Get out of here, man. Back with more to Steve H. Okay, folks, I need you all to stop what you're doing right now and listen up. You know I love this time of year, right? The big game is this Sunday, and the NBA season is heating up. So with all this action going on, the Stephen A. Smith show wants to make sure you take advantage of it all. That's why we've partnered with Prize Picks, the best place to get real money action while watching your favorite sports. You see with the prize picks, you pick two or more of your favorite players and then you simply select more or less on the projected stats for the game. Pick Patrick Mahomes passing yards, Devontae Smith's receiving yards, or Luka Doncic's total assistant, all in the same entry. And get this, for the big game Sunday, Prize Picks still has the Patrick Mahomes free pick. That's right. All Patrick Mahomes needs is just one passing yard for you to cash in. So if you haven't jumped on and grabbed it yet, make sure you don't miss out. And Prize Picks still has their Flex Friday promotion where every member gets a protected play. That's right. You can cash out even if your lineup isn't perfect. So download the app today and use the code SAS to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup. Again, download the app and use code SAS to get $50 instantly after your first $5 lineup. Prize picks. Yo, run your game. Now. Let's look at my picks for today in the big game. The Kansas City Chiefs versus the Philadelphia Eagles. First up, we have Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. brown. More or less than 25 and a half yards on his longest reception. He's kind of pushing it, thinking about it, thinking about the Kansas City Chiefs defense and how formidable they could be. But this is A.J. brown, baby. This is the Super Bowl. And Jalen Hurts gonna have to do some big things in order to knock off Patrick Mahomes. I'm gonna go with more in this particular question right here. More than 25 and a half yards on his longest reception for A.J. brown. Next up we have Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy. More or less the 20 and a half longest reception. 20 and a half yards is the longest reception for this one. I'm going to go with more again. Why? Because he's got Patrick Mahomes throwing him the damn football, that's why. It's very simple. It's not that damn complicated. Patrick Mahomes is throwing him the football. He'll have a reception for more than 20 and a half yards at least once. Okay? That's just the way it goes. Next up we have Phillies kicker Jake Elliott. More or less than seven kicking points. I'm going to go with less. I'm going to go with less. I don't think there's going to be too many field goals in this game. I think it's going to be touchdowns, which means practically everything is going to be an extra point. So I'm going to go with less for Jake Elliot on this particular question. Okay? That's just how I feel about it. Finally we have Chiefs kicker Harrison Butger. More or less than seven and a half kicking points. I'm going with less on this one as well. Again, same reason I see touchdowns and extra points, not field goals. Okay. It's just that simple. That's it. We go on with more on some occasions, less on others. It's what we do at prospects because we can. This message is brought to you by Cologuard, a non invasive colon cancer screening test. So I want to talk about colon cancer screening for a second here. I know you might hear that and instantly feel a bunch of dread. 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[Hunter]

Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered Black women. And in America, there are several ways we can all do better at protecting Black women. My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded stories. Stories like Tameka Anderson. As she drove toward Galvez, she was in contact with several people talking on the phone as she made her way to what should have been a routine transaction. But Tameka never bought the car and she never returned home that day. One podcast, one mission. Save our Girls. Join the search as we explore the chilling cases of missing and murdered Black women and girls. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Welcome back to the Stephen A. Smith Show. My next guest was selected to 13 Pro Bowls, led the league in passing yards seven times and of course was named MVP of Super Bowl 44 in 20,000 in 2010. I'm talking about the former quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. One of the greatest quarterbacks we have ever seen in a lifetime. Threw for over 80,000 yards in his career. The one and only Drew Brees. What's going on? Big time. How you been, man? It's been a while.

[Drew Brees]

Stephen. Hey, man, Great to see you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

It's good to see you.

[Drew Brees]

Love being with you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What you been up to, man? I mean, how is life? That's the first order of business.

[Drew Brees]

Life's great. A lot of time with my wife, Brittany and four kids coaching my boys. They're all playing tackle football, basketball, lacrosse, martial arts, you name it. Daughter's doing gymnastics. So honestly, just being dad is the greatest thing in the world. And a lot of business stuff, a lot of stuff back here in New Orleans and staying busy.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Your last season was 2020. When you walked away from the game at that particular moment in time, were you completely comfortable and ready with that decision, or was it a very, very difficult thing to walk away?

[Drew Brees]

You know, it was difficult in the sense that you have done this, done this for 28 out of my 42 years, because I'm counting high school and college from the perspective that football was so important. And every decision that I was making was with me being the best football player, best quarterback, best leader that I could be for my team in mind. And so all of a sudden, what you focused on and tried to be the best at for 2/3 of your life, all of a sudden you're just saying goodbye to that and it's moving on the next chapter. So, look, I recognize that's a scary thing for a lot of guys, even when you play that long and you know, hey, it's time I'll be hon you. Man, my body feels great. Like, I feel great with the exception of my right shoulder. You know, when I had that, that injury, when I left the San Diego Chargers, which was significant, doctors told me, hey, you were on the fast track to early onset arthritis and all this other stuff. At the end of the day, you just try to prolong that, prolong that, but at some point, that's going to come back and get you. So I always had this term, prolong my prime. Prolong my prime. Like everything I was doing was trying to continue to stay at that high level. But while, you know, kind of my knowledge, experience, wisdom was on the rise, you know, eventually those physical trai begin to, you know, diminish. And so, you know, I retired age 42. I still feel great. If I could still throw, I'd probably still be playing. But now I just throw left handed with the kids in the yard. But no, I still love the game. Still love being around the game. I'll be involved with the NFL game as long as I live.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm looking at, at your numbers here and I'm thinking about a career 67.7 completion percentage in 20 seasons. The last five years you completed over 70% of your passes. When you hear numbers like that, knowing the way the game has evolved even to this day, how do you feel reflecting on your career and the kind of career you had?

[Drew Brees]

Look, I, I wanted to get better every year. Like I, maybe some guys see it as man, I'm just hanging on or I'm just trying to sustain. I wasn't trying to sustain, I was trying to get better. So every offseason I was taking a hard look at myself, what had happened the year before, where I needed to get better, where I needed to improve, and then what was going to put me on that path to do that. I had mentors that would help identify those things, hold me accountable. So man, every year it, I was getting better. And look, I, I think what I recognized as I got later in my career was man, maybe I was losing a little bit as far as velocity, power on the deep ball, right? Couldn't, couldn't get it much past 45 yards. But I'm telling you, inside of 30, I'm going to be deadly, right? Like I'm going to know where to go with the football. I'm going to be accurate with it. I'm going to throw guys open, man, I'm going to put them in positions to succeed. I'm going to avoid negative plays like all those things that result in winning football in championship caliber football. And honestly that's the most important part of playing the position. Being a great decision maker, being a great leader, putting guys positions to succeed. So like that was, that became more of my game the later in, in my career that I got. It was about efficiency, it was about completions, it was about getting us in the third manageable situation. So that was, that was something I took great pride in because it's not easy, right? It's not easy.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You know, I look at something, I look at Josh Allen won the league, league MVP last night over Lamar Jackson. Even though Josh Allen is great as a thrower, we know he can run with the football. Big boy can run over, you can make plays. We know what Lamar Jackson could do running the football. He rushed for over 900 yards this year. We see guys like that. Jalen hurts, what he's expected to do in this football, he can run with the football. Patrick Mahomes, he can Run with the football. Yet somehow, some way, while the NFL tells us this is what we need from the quarterback position. Now, three of the greatest quarterbacks arguably in the history of the National Football League were dudes who didn't think about running. That would be you. That would be Tom Brady. That would be Peyton Manning. What are we to deduce from all of that?

[Drew Brees]

Well, I think the game. The game has changed, and I think the way that young quarterbacks are coming up now has changed. Offenses have evolved to be run game is all rpo. Like, very rarely do you just run a run play, and that's that. That's the only option you have, is to hand it off.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Right.

[Drew Brees]

You watch these teams now, man. Jaden Daniels, Jalen hurts like all these guys, man. They're putting that ball in the running back's belly, but their eyes are on defenders. And if all of a sudden those defenders collapse, man, they're kicking balls out on screen passes and bubbles and quick throws and that kind of thing. So that's become the game where it's triple threat. On every. On every play, I'm a handed off. I'm going to pull it and run. I'm going to pull it and throw. So with our generation, it was when you're handing the ball off, your hand the ball off. When you're throwing it, you were throwing it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Right?

[Drew Brees]

Right. So, look, I just think it's the evolution of the game, and now these quarterbacks have evolved with it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

But shouldn't that elevate the level of appreciation we should have for guys like yourself, a Brady, a Peyton, man? In other words, you don't hand the ball off. You dropping back the pass. That's what you doing. You don't have a defense, you know, pausing for a split second because they don't know whether you're going to run or throw anything there. No, you're dropping back the pass. We know what we got to do. We got to get to them or we got to sit up there and cover whoever it is in the secondary. And somehow, some way, you were still able to do what you're able to do. Is it possible that guys like yourself and others think that that should elevate the level of appreciation that we as football fans have for what y'all did compared to what we're seeing?

[Drew Brees]

Yes, but, but, but let me elaborate on that. At some point, at least a few times in a game, it's gonna be third and 13, third and 14 in a critical situation, and you're gonna have to just drop Back, stand in the pocket, have all this stuff going on in front of your face and deliver that ball, strike down the field, over the backer, in front of the safety, all the money, right? And if you can't do that, then that's just a dimension that you don't have. Right. And therefore a weakness. Right? So look, I was brought up with this west coast system where the pass game was an extension of the run game. So instead of handing the ball off for four or five yard gains, we're going to throw a pass for a four or five yard game. It's the same as. And guess what? It needs to be the same level of consistency and reliability to be able to complete that. And you know what? Occasionally when, man, you get a holding penalty, something happens and you're a third and long situation. I got no problem standing in the pocket. I know where to go with the ball, even though I can't see it. I know where my guys are. I know when they're supposed to be there, they know when they're supposed to be there, they know the ball is going to be there and when we get the job done that way. But it is a different. That was a different style.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And you have. You're going to be modest about this. I know. But damn it, I'm going to ask anyway, how many people in the National Football League right now do you believe can throw the ball the way that you just described and throw it close to or as good as you? And the dudes that I mentioned, the.

[Drew Brees]

The, the first guy that comes to mind is Joe Burrow. Now, I watched Joe Burrow play his two years here at lsu, right down the road in Baton Rouge, right. Ironically, Joe Brady, who was an offensive assistant for us, so came up through Sean Payton's offense, had just gone to LSU and was supposed to be their passing coordinator, end up kind of being a little bit of the mastermind behind. So I'm watching that magical season they had in 2019. Best college football team of all time. Unbelievable, right? Of course, he had those weapons too. But every week I'm watching our offense being executed by Joe Burrow in the college format. But then to watch him transition to the NFL, I don't think people give him enough credit for his athleticism because he created so many plays this year. Look, his O line struggled and he was forced to move, slide, buy time a lot. Now it's not, you know, it's maybe not as pretty as some of the other guys, but he will sit there and pick you apart in the pocket all game long. And the minute that he has to move, man, he has the awareness to step up and escape and buy time. Maybe just, man, get a few yards to make it a more third. Manageable. Go get that first down when he needs to, right, take the hit. So he's the guy first to mind because I know the offense he came up in and I know from what I've watched this year, he's got those traits.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Anybody else?

[Drew Brees]

C.J. stroud. I am a big fan of first off, I just love his poise. I love his poise. I love his demeanor. I love his leadership style. From the times I've been around him and just observing, right? A lot of times I just observe the way teammates react to a guy, right? But I think he's got some really special qualities going back to Ohio State. But just as I watched him in his first two years and as they build the pieces around him, they're building something down there in Houston with Demico Ryan. So he would be my other guy.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm looking at him and I just say to myself, when I think about this super bowl coming up, Jaylen Herz is somebody that I've talked about a lot. I don't consider it negative because I think the man can play. Tremendous athlete. Got the Philadelphia Eagles to their second super bowl in the last three years. But that's Patrick Mahomes he's about to go up against. And I know he doesn't play Patrick Mahomes, doesn't play defense, but damn it, it feels like it does because that brother's going to put you in a hole and you've got to answer the call. I'm looking at Philadelphia Eagles matching up against Kansas City, and I'm thinking about Saquon Barkley. You got to have the ability to run the football if you're the Philadelphia Eagles against these dudes. But at some point in time, with Steve Spagnolo as the defensive coordinator, he's going to make you throw that football. Because he knows Saquon Barkley, how important he is. He's going to do everything he can to key off on that guy. Jalen hurts to me, is going to have to get it done. Can he?

[Drew Brees]

I believe he can. Look, I love. I love the journey he's traveled. Here's a guy through college, started early at Bama. Obviously they were. They were a national championship contender. Almost won one with him early on. Then he loses his job to Tua, stays there, right? Like unheard of in this day and age, right? Most guys would Be like, I'm out. But man, stayed kind of like went through that disappointment, failure, gets an opportunity to go in the SEC championship game, all of a sudden they win a national championship again, goes to Oklahoma, but then still, like, doubted. Falls to the second round. So here's a dude who just has a giant chip on his shoulder, right? Has gone through a lot. And I just. I watch the guy, I just observe. And, man, he's kind of this quiet leader. Very, very intense, very focused, very intentional. And I just know, deep down, man, there's this fire burning inside him. And that dude wants respect. That dude wants respect. And you know how you get it? You go out and you win a game like this for the reasons that you just said.

[Stephen A. Smith]

When you talk about the fire burning, if it's possible, compared to fires, hurts compared to a guy like Mahomes who's on the verge of. Of achieving something that's never been achieved in a Super super bowl era in NFL history. And that's a three peat. Looking at the fire in his belly, how do you compare the two, man?

[Drew Brees]

You know, Mahomes always looks just so loose and relaxed, like he's having fun. Look, I know there's a brilliance to him that I don't even think we fully tapped into. Like, I mean, obviously we. We're all seeing the same thing. Dude's been starting seven years, you know, all these accomplishments, Fifth super bowl that he's been in. But I feel like Philly has more to lose in this game. Yes, I do.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Wow.

[Drew Brees]

Because. Okay, okay, try this one on. If. If KC loses this game, then, man, they lost out on an incredible opportunity to do something unprecedented and win three in a row. But guess what? They'll probably be here next year and probably the year after that. Like, just at the pace this is going. Like, you don't see them slowing down anytime soon. But Philly, Philly, man, they built this roster. Unbelievable. They were in this game two years ago. Went toe to toe with these guys. Just came up short. Like, deep down in their hearts, I think they feel like we're a better team. We're kind of flying under the radar right now because everybody's talking about the Chiefs and how great they are and how great Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid and they can beat anybody. But deep down they're like, man, we're better than these guys. So you go into this game and you lose this game. Now, what's the storyline? Yeah, man, you had your chance 2 out of 3 years and you lost to these guys. So all it is is, man, you can't get past these guys. You can't win the big one. Man, what's wrong with Jalen? What's wrong with this guy? What's wrong with that guy? And then that's the kind of stuff that just starts. You know, it's easy to kind of tear a team apart that way. So that's why I say Philly has more to lose in this game, because I feel like Philly is the better team top to bottom. And the way that they're built off offensively is exactly, I think, the Achilles heel for Kansas City, which, if you can run the ball consistently, man, not only do you just dent that defense time after time and you go down to get points, you have a triple threat because you have a Jalen hurts who can pull it and run it or the RPO game. You also have big playmakers outside, but if you can do that, you control the clock, you shorten the game. You limit maybe two or three possessions away from Patrick Mahomes. Instead of 11 possessions in a normal game, he's only going to get eight. Well, guess what? That just puts a little more pressure on them, forces them to press a little more. That's how you win this game. But you got to stay out of the third and long stuff, because to your point, Spags, man, Spags is a mastermind when it comes to dialing up these pressures. That's going to get somebody free. You just can't get in those situations. So, man, you just got to be methodical.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They win this Super Bowl, I'm talking Kansas City. How should we look at Andy Reid, particularly compared to Bill Belichick?

[Drew Brees]

You look at what he's done with two different teams.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Never won in Philly, but got him to the super bowl in numerous NFC championship games.

[Drew Brees]

Numerous, numerous. I think there's a brilliance to that that should. Should be honored and appreciated. I mean, you know, let's see how long he keeps going. You know, I mean, if he wins this one and then they can win, you know, let just add him up. You know, it. I saw Belichick last night at honors with all those rings, man, it's. It's hard to argue. Eight rings.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's right.

[Drew Brees]

You know what I'm saying? Especially at this level. But Andy Reid is. Is certainly in that. In that category.

[Stephen A. Smith]

So do you have winning?

[Drew Brees]

Do I have to?

[Stephen A. Smith]

You don't have to, but I'm asking. I'm asking.

[Drew Brees]

No, I. I'll go back to my statement. It's Philly's Time. If Philly's gonna do it, it's now. Because if they don't, I think it's. It's. They got more to lose.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Let me go back to you with Super Bowl 44. What was it like in this city when you delivered the super bowl championship to this place? What was that like for you?

[Drew Brees]

Man, I. I wish I could transplant you into this head and visualize what we saw, man, it was like. I can visualize it right now, like getting on that super bowl float at the Superdome as we were about to go on this kind of four hour tour through downtown. It literally walled like you couldn't see brick streets. You just saw bodies. You saw people smiles, like tears of joy. So happy, like it meant so much to him. And it was the culmination of this four year journey from when we all got here in 2006, six months post Katrina, like having no idea what we were signing up for, but realizing also that there was something special here. And this was truly a calling for all of us. And all of us were somewhat castaways, you know, man, we weren't desired by a lot of others, and yet we were embraced by this city. And so we felt a great sense of responsibility to give this fan base in this city what they deserve.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What did that do for you as a man? I remember Hurricane Katrina. I remember the catastrophe that it was and how it ravaged this city. We saw bodies floating in the streets, for crying out loud. And that organization, that team led by you, took the bull by the horn, per se, and really regalvanized a city. Saints fans everywhere, certainly this area of the country. What did that do for you as just a man being the face of the city? Because that's how it got to that point when it came to resuscitating and resurrecting the city at that time.

[Drew Brees]

I know this will resonate with you, but there's been so much suffering in, I think, this region for so long. Whether it's the hurricanes that come through, or it's the BP oil spill, or it's the tragedy on Bourbon street, it's just kind of one hit after another, right? And the more that you suffer, I feel like when you get to those moments of joy and togetherness and when you accomplish something that you just thought might never happen, there's just such a sense of gratitude. So for me, it was gratitude because quite honestly, coming here to New Orleans was a second chance for me. I thought that I may never play football again. I felt like my dream was just after the Shoulder just being ripped away from me, coming off of my shoulder injury from San Diego. And I think a lot of guys felt that when they came, they felt like this was maybe the last stop or the last opportunity. And so there was just that feeling of appreciation and gratitude for the opportunity to be here, to be a part of something so special that most people don't get a chance to be a part of in their lifetime.

[Stephen A. Smith]

How does it still affect you to this day when you think about you being in this city, being here right now? I mean, it's still Drew Brees City, because the Saints haven't done anything since you've been gone, so it's still your city. You understand that, right?

[Drew Brees]

You know, honestly, I feel a great sense of responsibility, like, still to the people, to the city. I want to continue to see this city put its best foot forward. I want people to talk great about New Orleans. I want people to walk away from here saying, man, there's something special about that place, the culture, the tradition, and they just know how to treat people, you know, wherever you go in the world. It's amazing, man. I could be. I remember I was in the Netherlands with my wife, just, like, having a nice, you know, vacation together. And all of a sudden I hear from across the street, who, dad. Like, man, they're everywhere, right?

[Stephen A. Smith]

And.

[Drew Brees]

And I think the story of New Orleans resonates with people because there's a part of everybody that, man, they felt that struggle, they felt that hardship. And then to see others overcome and come together and accomplish something amazing, it just resonates with. With everyone.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Now, you and Mr. Rob Gronkowski himself. Gronk himself. You've teamed up with Bounty Paper Towel for the Everyone's Wingman Campaign. Talk about that for a second.

[Drew Brees]

Well, so Gronk has been the Bounty man for three years now, and last year he went to the super bowl. And his wingman was Julian Edelman, right? His former teammate. So he's coming to New Orleans this year, Super Bowl. And he's like, who should I ask? Be my wingman? So I get a call from Gronk saying, hey, man, will you be my wingman in New Orleans? I've never been in New Orleans. I've never hung out in New Orleans. Which is hard to believe that Rob Gronkowski has never hung out and had.

[Stephen A. Smith]

A good time in New Orleans, right?

[Drew Brees]

So I was like, man, this is kind of a dangerous proposition. I don't know if I should say yes to this. But you know what? Gronk, he's like, Man, I'm a little. I'm a calmer. I'm a little more.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Did you get approval from the wife?

[Drew Brees]

Yeah, I did. She's like, all right, man. Show Gronk a good time. You know, he needs to experience the full New Orleans treatment. So I'm like, all right, I got him. So we've been running around Radio Row having a good time.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You've been running around with Gronk.

[Drew Brees]

Yeah, I know.

[Stephen A. Smith]

He's still here with a smile, and I'm still here.

[Drew Brees]

We were serving up wings. I was like, where's the buffalo? We had some buffalo and barbecue wings to go with your. Your New York pizza and some of the other. Maybe we'll bring you some etouffees. We'll take good care of you here in New Orleans. But when you make that mess, we got bounty to take care of it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

By the way, you had a problem with me eating some pizza? I mean, was there a problem? It's all right. It's not all right for me to get a pizza.

[Drew Brees]

Can we put crawfish on it?

[Stephen A. Smith]

No crawfish on pizza.

[Drew Brees]

Look. Yeah, you know, hey, don't knock it till you try it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I might try just for you. Just because you asked me to.

[Drew Brees]

All right.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Just because you asked me to. What is that? Oh, Lord, Lord.

[Drew Brees]

Oh, see, there you go.

[Stephen A. Smith]

There we go.

[Drew Brees]

There we go.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Man. Y'all trying to. Y'all trying to elevate my cholesterol. I'm trying to get healthy, man. All right, man.

[Drew Brees]

All right. Great to see you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

No doubt. The one and only Drew Brees in the house right here on the Stephen A. Smith Show. Coming up, he was born in Kansas City and he's the governor of the great state of Pennsylvania. Governor Josh Shapiro joins me next. Let's talk a little football right here on the Stephen A. Smith Show. Foreign. Everybody, listen up. With all the big time sports action that's happening each and every day. NFL games, NBA games, the Stephen A. Smith show wants to make sure you are taking advantage of all of it. That's why we've partnered with Prize Picks, the largest fantasy sports platform in all the land, to help you cash in on all your sports knowledge. You see, Prize Picks is a daily fantasy app where you pick two or more of your favorite players and then you select more or less on their projected stats for the game. Choose from any of your favorite players. Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, and Shay Gildrich Alexander all in the same entry. Then sit back and watch. The list is endless. And now with prizepix Flex Friday option. You can still cash out even if your lineup isn't perfect. That's right, every Friday. Just look for the protected play. So win or your cash back and get this. Prizepix now offers MasterCard for quick and easy deposits into your account during this sports season. Make your picks in less than 60 seconds and turn your sports opinions into real money money all season long on prospects. So download the app today and use Code SAs to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup. Again. Download the app and use Code SAs to get $50 instantly after your first five dollar lineup. Prospects run your game.

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[Stephen A. Smith]

Welcome back to the Stephen A. Smith Show. I am honored and privileged to have my next guest. He is the 48th Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Please welcome Governor Josh Shapiro to the show. How are you sir? How's everything?

[Josh Shapiro]

Man, it is great to be with you here in Bird's country.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's right. We're in New Orleans, Louisiana. Right here for the super bowl, no doubt. And we know why you're here. I'm gonna, you know, I've got a lot to talk to you about.

[Josh Shapiro]

But imagine you do.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yes, I do. See if I can keep up, please. I'm gonna try to keep up, but when it comes to sports, I think I can handle that part because your Philadelphia Eagles are here. That's why you are here. But if I remember correctly, you were born in Kansas City, Missouri, sir. Yeah, yeah.

[Josh Shapiro]

You go right for the controversy, man. I was born in Kansas City. I think I lived there like less than a year of my life. My pop was finishing up up his medical training and then we moved back east. So I'm a Philly sports fan, so.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Philly sports fan through and through.

[Josh Shapiro]

And by the way, even when I'm out in Steelers country, okay, I tell them, wow, say that in Steelers country.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And I don't harm you.

[Josh Shapiro]

You cannot your way through sports, right? I don't care. You got to be true to who you are.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay? So, okay. Westmore, Governor, Maryland. Yeah, but he told me about that because he he size with the Ravens instead of the command and stuff like this. I get it, I get it. Are you surprised that your Philadelphia Eagles are here?

[Josh Shapiro]

I'm not. Because I think how he built himself the two most important parts of any football team, a great offensive line and a great defensive line. And after that 2 and 2 start, both clicked. And I think that offensive line has given Jalen that extra second he needs. Right. To find Devonta streaking down or Goddard across the middle, AJ Brown across the middle. And of course it's unleashed Saquon Barkley. And I think our defense is capable of not stopping Mahomes. Right. But is capable of containing him, is capable of doing that. And we've seen that throughout the season. So I think we got the best offensive and defensive line in the NFL. And when you put that together, you're bound to win a bunch of games.

[Stephen A. Smith]

So with that being said, I know that you say capable of containing Patrick Mahomes. One would argue you did to some degree a couple of years ago, but still ended up losing.38,35 because the man got the ball with five minutes left. You never want to see the ball.

[Josh Shapiro]

You never want to see that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

So what, so what do. What do you believe the Eagles have to do in order to secure this victory?

[Josh Shapiro]

Get out quick. You do not want to play from behind against Kansas City. And you don't want to be in a position where you've got to compromise your run game. If you're playing from behind, you got to pass the ball more. While Jaylen Herz is certainly capable of that, I want Barkley just pounding through their defensive line over and over again. So we got to set the tone early. I want us to get the ball. I Want us to score quickly. And I think that's going to be a really important part, set the tone for this game.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Are you ready for what I'm about to say to you?

[Josh Shapiro]

You never know what you're gonna say, Stephen A. But I guess I'll do my best here, I believe. Excuse the voice, by the way. This voice is the product of getting up at four in the morning with 50,000 people this weekend and going to Groundhog Day in the middle of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, screening like a lunatic.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay, okay.

[Josh Shapiro]

Sorry for that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

It's forgiven. No, worry about. Don't worry about it. I'm going to give you a scenario. Okay, I think this is the scenario where the Philadelphia Eagles have the best chance to win the Super Bowl.

[Josh Shapiro]

Keep talking.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You're behind. Oh, you're behind four.

[Josh Shapiro]

Okay.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You need a touchdown. It's a minute and a half left, and you know, this is it. You have the ball in your hands, and Mahomes is on the sideline, and he can't do anything but watch.

[Josh Shapiro]

Okay?

[Stephen A. Smith]

And the ball is in your hands. See? You can have a lead. And if Mahomes has the ball, as Tom has winded down, we all know what that looks like. Not good. You don't want that scenario. I'm saying reverse it, where he's the one on the sidelines watching. If you remember, that's how he lost to Brady in the AFC Championship game. Overtime. Couldn't get the ball back. That's how I think he got the ball.

[Josh Shapiro]

So you'd rather the Birds be down?

[Drew Brees]

That's right. Right.

[Josh Shapiro]

Touchdown or need a field goal.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I say touchdown. Oh, let's not go the easy way out. You up two, you down two. All you need is a field goal, by the way. No, you need to get the end zone.

[Josh Shapiro]

And that answers all the questions about Jaylen Herz. That puts him in that next level. If he can charge down the field, those. Whatever, 60, 70, 80 yards and get it done, that'd be amazing. Be epic. Be epic.

[Stephen A. Smith]

So if you had to guess, who do you think the game will come down to? Herz or SAP on?

[Josh Shapiro]

Look, if you're playing from behind, it comes down to Herz because he's got to be throwing the ball. I got the Birds winning this game, 3127. Okay, but I had not thought about the scenario you did where Jaylen has to come down and. And win it. That would be something pretty spectacular.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I got The Eagles winning 3430.

[Josh Shapiro]

Okay, so we're pretty close.

[Stephen A. Smith]

3430. All right, that's what I'm going on. If they don't win, how's that gonna make you feel? How's the city of Philadelphia gonna be if they lose their second super bowl to the same team in the last three? In the last.

[Josh Shapiro]

You know from being a Philly sports guy in your prior life, this is a city that lives and breathes its Philadelphia Eagles, and it's extraordinary. And so we go high, we go low. I gotta tell you, man, not to get too sort of serious at this moment, but, you know, I was dealing with this plane crash in northeast Philadelphia on Friday night. One of the most extraordinary things I saw was the joy of an Eagle sports fan wearing his kelly green sweatshirt out on the streets Friday night, having a great time, and then that plane goes down and that same person in that sweatshirt going to. Running to save lives, going to look out for his neighbors. There's just something special about an Eagles fan. The way they. The way they. They love their team, they love their city, but they're also there for their neighbors. It's just an extraordinary thing. So I think when you ask, how's Philly gonna feel? We wear our emotions on our sleeves, and we care deeply about this team, and it's ride or die right now.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Do you like that about the city, wearing their emotions on the sleeve? Does a politician's life. Does a politician love people wearing their emotions on this sleeve?

[Josh Shapiro]

I love it because it's real. Look, I think I'm just a real authentic person. May not agree with me on every issue, all that, but I think you gotta keep it real. And. And you walk through South Philly and a mom or grandmom looks at you, goes, hey, doll, that's the highest compliment in our politics. I was at the Birds game a couple weeks ago. Some guy looks up at me, gov, and gives me a thumb like this. Philly, halfway is not bad. By the end of the game, I looked at him, I go, how about now? He goes like that. I mean, Philly folks, you know, they're tough to come around and love you, but when they do, man, they hold on to you and. And they're there for you. And it's extraordinary. I love seeing that final score for Philly again is what, 3,127 birds.

[Stephen A. Smith]

3,127.

[Josh Shapiro]

Not far. And you're 34. 30.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yes, I am. We're on the same page. Pretty close, at least for now.

[Josh Shapiro]

All right.

[Stephen A. Smith]

A lot to talk about. Joshua Piro, Stephen A. Smith. That's it for this edition of the Stephen A. Smith Show. Thank y'all for joining me in New Orleans, Louisiana, all week long. Until next time, everybody stepped Stephen A. Signing off. Peace of love.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal, and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you, with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What's up everyone? Julie Swerbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Drew Brees]

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Drew Brees]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Drew Brees]

Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.