Free Agency (Something) Day 1 Recap: Darnold & Fields find new homes + MORE!

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The Heat the Cow podcast

has been illegally tampering for weeks.

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And here we go.

Welcome to Heed the Call.

in this new year of football on a crazy Monday.

We expected it to be crazy, but it always always strikes me how crazy it is and how much of the stuff that we speculate about for weeks and weeks happens in like six hours.

Dan Hans is here with Mark Sessler, Connor Orr, fresh off paternity leave.

If you were with us earlier this morning for the live stream, we started to dig into some of the things that happened.

But of course, as is the way, Mark, as soon as we got off the air, all the big main course was served.

And now here we are to break it all down for our audience.

I'd say the main course was shoved into our mouths and into our orifices.

Like, let's be real, like,

we're not strangers to this.

We knew that it's going to come at you fast and furious.

And over the course of a Sunday and Monday,

I'd say a large 75% of it has occurred.

And it's kind of delicious.

Like you just, it's a, it's a fever dream.

I do wonder if you're like a GM,

is it like when I post a story on Twitter and then I wait to see who retweets it and then I have my self-worth validated by that?

And if you're a GM and you and you sign like Paul Sinedebo, are you sitting there refreshing Twitter and being like, I wonder what like Giants Head69 says about this?

Like are you are you awaiting the big thing or are you are you are you head down and you're trying to work?

That's a good question.

Like is Joe Shane

digging through all the report cards?

Like whether or not he won free agency or not.

Yeah.

Right.

Yeah, but wasn't like one of the dings from the hard off-season hard knocks was like, oh, but you are sitting around in your office taking advice from your children and various other execs, and you don't look great doing that.

So it's like, there is some ego attached.

I'm starting to think the Giants shouldn't have done that program.

Yes, that does.

Just like a take, maybe a hot one.

Anyway, the Giants.

Yes, that's one team.

But there's 32 teams, and it feels like 27 of them made moves today, some bigger than others.

So what we're going to do today, and yes,

we're doing the live streams, and then when necessary, if we got to follow up and do a show to give you everything you need, uh, waiting right there, wherever you listen to your show, we'll be there for you.

So, here it is.

This is everything that's going,

and anything that doesn't get into this show, Mark, that's it.

Well, you know, what was the great thing?

Like, behind the scenes, because we like we're honest with the viewers, like Mark needed to be told, like, this is how this program is going to work right now.

And so, like, I wasn't sure, but now I am.

So, we're good.

Let's get into it.

Let's do some news and let's start with the the big domino at quarterback,

Sam Darnold.

How about that Sam Darnold drop?

This feels like the right time for it.

Sam Darnold.

There you go.

Sam Darnold has a new home and hopefully a long-term home for Mr.

Darnold.

He agrees to terms with the Seattle Seahawks.

So Darnold just spent last year rebooting his entire career with the Vikings, now replaces Geno Smith in Seattle, a three-year $100.5 million

contract.

Mike Garifolo said the deal includes $55 million guaranteed, $37.5 million in 2025.

It reunites Darnold with Clint Kubiak, the Seahawks OC, who was the, I believe, passing game coordinator in San Francisco during Darnold's pit stop under Kyle Shanahan with the 49ers.

So So that's what it comes down to, right, Connor?

Like, so the Seahawks decided they wanted to change things on the offensive side of the ball.

They trade Geno, get back a draft pick.

They trade DK Metcalf, get back some draft picks.

And in Sam Darnold, you end up with a younger quarterback by about eight or nine years.

You get a cheaper quarterback after Geno Smith redoes his deal.

It'll probably be about $10 million more expensive than what you're getting Darnold for.

But, of course, a level of mystery here about how Sam Darnold will fare outside the comfy

confines of KOC in Minnesota.

So two things, I think, for me.

One, I think this was a slam dunk move.

It's exactly what you should have done because Sam Darnold is better on the move and Klink Kubiak is going to run a bootleg kind of an offense, just like his dad did.

And this is going to put Sam in a really comfortable position, just like we had Derek Carr over the first couple of weeks of last season, when Derek Carr looked like a really good quarterback.

That Saints offense was gangbusters while everyone was healthy.

And the second part of that is now you get all these picks back and you can invest it into the kind of offense probably that Pete Carroll had wanted for years and that Mike McDonald certainly wants.

And that's that you're removing a lot of the question marks for Darnold and you have the running backs.

Now you're going to get the heft up front from the offensive line in this draft.

You're going to invest in the big people.

And then the whole question of whether Darnold can handle blitzes and a lot of these kind of big, you know, nebulous questions kind of go away because you're going to build what Pete Carroll always wanted, which is a team that can shove the ball down everybody else's throat and Darnold will pass the ball, but it'll be mostly play action.

So a lot of that stuff kind of goes away in terms of the fears that he can, you know, handle this contract.

That's an optimistic way to look at it.

I mean, I would say that.

With the Vikings and Kevin O'Connell and Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, like you walked into like a 9.2 out of 10 situation to potentially thrive based on your own growth.

And I like Sam Darnold.

And like, I think now you've gone to like a 7.8 because you've removed weapons.

You have to hope that those 10 draft picks pick up offensive line talent and some weapons as well and some people that can grow around you.

But like, I also think that I want to take a different stance on this.

Like, oh, Sam Darnold has to thrive only in perfect situations.

Like,

quarterbacks grow.

Like, like the last season alone showed us that quarterbacks that we all believed in and then stopped believing in can change and grow and alter.

And I think that Sam Darnold is at least with a very good organization.

They do have a chance to grow offensively during the draft.

And like, I want to, I want to root for this.

I don't think it's as good of a setup as where he was in Minnesota.

Just baseline, baseline.

Yeah, it's not.

And that's why.

I was kind of holding out hope as a Darnold fan in the Queen Bee of the Darnold Hive that maybe there would be a path there

moving forward with Minnesota, but clearly that wasn't the case.

And I think I agree with what you're saying, too.

I think there's been too much confirmation bias amongst people who follow the sport that were so quick to pounce on how the season ended.

And then that, okay, I was right about Darnold all along.

Now there could be people like me.

It's like, no, I'm right because I was saying he was good.

But let's be real.

They won, what, 14 games?

Right.

They won 14 games.

What's the overall sample size?

Yeah.

It's pretty positive.

Right.

Like, Darnold threw 35 touchdowns.

He set every single

individual best mark.

He was a key player on that team.

He was well-liked in the locker room, and he shit his pants against the Lions in the finale.

And then in the playoffs, it didn't work out, and they got bounced one and done.

But I think too much has been made of that, and not has been made enough of how he has grown as a player, Connor.

It's two games and it's so ridiculous to me that, for example, Bill Belichick had the defense that shut down the Todd Gurley Sean McVay offense.

It took them time to figure out a new offense.

And so all of a sudden, at the end of the year, some team shoves it up the Vikings ass.

And then the next team that they face in the playoffs just does the exact same thing.

And it wasn't enough time for them to, this isn't just on Sam Darnold.

Like everyone's acting like this was a massive error of his own doing.

The two teams blitzed the living crap out of the Vikings, and they struggled to handle it as a total franchise, as a total team.

And so it was two bad games in a short time span.

And I think that the narrative here that he cost himself millions of dollars is so stupid because it's not just his fault.

And it's going to be on Clint Kubiak to be able to handle.

the blitz better.

And I think like that's why they're going to move in a different direction and put him in a different spot offensively.

And that Lions Rams back-to-back, those back-to-back losses when they went from 14-2 to 14-4 and out of the playoffs.

Yeah, over eight days.

And we talked about when it happened.

That night, we were saying, yeah, Darnold did not play at a high level, but where were the adjustments?

Right.

You know, helping Darnold out as that blitz just caved in the Minnesota protection over and over again.

So, yeah, that was a group failure that Darnold played.

Certainly deserves

his part in what happened.

But yeah, I feel like too much has been glazed over in terms of what he did during the season.

So now the Seattle Seahawks don't see it that way.

The first day they have an opportunity to bring him into their team, they do.

And now we see what happens next there.

And yeah, I think the next step and the next domino there is, yeah, obviously Jackson Smith and Jigba became a big-time player last year, but they do need to add some pieces and improve that offensive line, which has been a problem for a decade.

So if you can't protect him,

you could lead to some trouble with Darnold, the type of player he is.

But let's see what they do.

They know what he's good at and what he's not.

They just invested $55 million in guaranteed money in that quarterback.

So let's see what happens.

In other news, Sam Darnold, once upon a time, was the number three overall pick by the Jets.

The Jets continue on their nomadic journey to find a replacement really for Joe Namath.

Now it is Justin Fields who leaves Pittsburgh to sign a two-year, $40 million deal with $30 million guaranteed.

So Fields now replaces Aaron Rodgers, who, as we record this, not quite connected to anyone at the moment, but the Pittsburgh Steelers, it might be a swap here with the Steelers and the Jets swapping quarterbacks.

Anyway, Mark, I like this signing a lot for the Jets.

I think it's sensible.

It is.

The money makes sense to me.

So it's $30 million guaranteed.

When you look at the landscape, right now, Derek Carr, I'll use him again as an example, is getting $40 million this year alone.

You have Fields for 2 for 40.

And you get to look at the guy in a year where even though you have a top 10 pick, you don't have an obvious path to get a quarterback in the draft or free agency.

Fields, I feel like, is a nice guy, a kick the tires guy, and maybe he finds his way with the Jets.

He really was pretty good in Pittsburgh before they decided to go with Russell Wilson.

I think Justin Fields has,

when he's had a chance to start in games each season, has grown.

Like, I mean, it's like you can see a quarterback getting better.

Like, if you're the Jets, you don't have another massive route to sign someone at this point.

You kind of just did it.

You kind of, you kind of did the Aaron Rodgers thing.

And it's like, that was the biggest possible movement you could do in terms of trying to get like a Hall of Fame type guy.

I like this move.

I think financially it makes a lot of sense.

You're a young, you have a young coaching group, and I think that you've got, there needs to be patience.

I think the owner and everyone else need to just give all of this patience and let it go.

There's one other thing I'd say.

Depending on what happens with Shador Sanders and

what the draft stock is and what the Jets do, it's not crazy that they have Justin Fields and there is a world where Shador Sanders falls into their laps as well.

Like, I don't think they're done necessarily, but I think that as a bridge,

and I don't think he's even a bridge, but like as a guy to get you to next offseason, this was about, to your point, to your word, that you used about as sensible of a solution as you could come up with.

You know what it is, too?

It's like you come off of this past year, and I don't want to, you know, you don't need to rehash the chaos.

But I do think, Dan, as a Jets fan, you would understand, you know, I think that you would feel like that redefined disbelief for you.

Like, holy shit, like this was the depths of where we could go.

So, but you come to this point where, and everyone knows all these deals are done weeks in advance, even before the combine, right?

A lot of this stuff is lined up already, right?

And so, to me, this was just a display of competence from the Jets, right?

You have a new GM.

You got out ahead of the quarterback thing.

You're not like the Giants who are like, oh, is Kirk Cousins going to be okay?

Like, God, I hope Russell Wilson picks us.

Like, that's a disaster.

And what the Jets are is at least in line, right?

You're in line with a guy, and you have displayed some degree of organizational alignment and competence.

That's great.

Like, in terms of an offseason goal, that had to be 1A.

And so good for them, you know?

Yeah, last season in the six starts he had, they went four and two.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, he said a career high in completion percentage, quarterback rating, had 10 touchdowns total, including five rushing.

You could make the case that he should have never left the lineup, and I think there's some people in Pittsburgh that would agree with that.

So now, yeah, I think that's what I've been optimistic about so far with this latest Jets regime is that they're making decisions and they're moving and they're kind of, like you said, sensibly going from step to step in this process.

And while I waffled, as many Jets fans did, on should they bring back Aaron Rodgers, this just feels much healthier.

It's just a much cleaner way to go about your business.

You have a new quarterback to go with a new head coach and a new general manager, and we'll see if this works.

And if it doesn't, they'll be right back in the mix next year, and it won't cripple them because they didn't go over reach

on draft day or make some bold move to bring in a veteran quarterback.

Like it just, it turns down the temperature a little bit on the franchise.

A franchise that was like an all-in Super Bowl or bus mode the last couple of years, and that obviously went down horrifically.

Now we're just like, hey, let's see if we can start to improve and steady things a little bit.

Yeah.

And like no one's going to critique them.

I think like from a baseline, it's like, this is an interesting quarterback pickup.

Like there's no critique, but does it excite you as a Jets fan or are you kind of like, we're just going to see what happens?

You're just kind of like a seven.

It's like a seven out of 10.

But like, what are, what would have been my other options?

Like, some of the other names out there would have left me with much more of a bad taste in my mouth you know so and i mean fields is just gonna

it's gonna be it's not it's never gonna be perfect but fields i think was fourth in the league in qb rushing yards when he got benched for russell wilson he can at least make something happen when i don't know if the jets have ever had that exactly I know even like they got Tim Tebow, for example, and that he was never a quarterback for them, really.

No.

I don't, they've never had a true dual threat.

And one thing that did stand out with Rodgers, because of his health issues issues in the lower body, it was a real issue, especially in third and fourth and short, that you had a quarterback that you knew would not be involved with the play.

This could help both the functionality of the offense,

and it also could help Brees Hall, who's a guy that I've been waiting to get unlocked.

Maybe if things are a little less predictable in 2025, it lifts everyone.

And, oh, by the way, Justin Fields and Garrett Wilson were teammates at OSU.

I would think that's a good thing as well.

The Jets also signed Brandon Stevens, the cornerback, to a three-year, $36 million deal to replace DJ Reed, who we'll get to in a couple minutes.

A huge trade.

The Commanders

acquire, and we talked about the Commanders being a team that was going to be a big winner in this offseason because they had the perfect storm, that they had a ton of money, and they're coming off a really surprising, fun season with a young quarterback.

They're going to be all-in.

Well, here's an all-in move.

They trade for left-tackle Laramie Tunsell from the Texans.

They get Tunsell, who's a decorated veteran, a really elite blind side protector, has been since he entered the league, in exchange for a

2026 second round pick, a 2026 fourth rounder,

plus a 2025 third rounder and a 2025 seventh rounder.

So Houston sends back Tunsell and a fourth rounder in this year's draft.

This is a big one, Mark.

I get obviously why the commanders did it, and you pair Tunsell, who's still pretty young.

Feels like he's been in in the league forever since the gas bong mask incident a decade or so ago.

We've all had one of those.

Yeah, exactly.

But this is a guy that you could just plug and play at left tackle.

You do wonder on the Texans side what their plan is.

Well, I would think it's a little bit like the rest of these teams that are like half done.

Offensive line was a huge issue for the Texans, and it kind of got Bobby Slovick fired after in his first year, he found a way to work around the offensive line issues that he couldn't last year.

So I'm with you.

I'm not quite sure what their next move is.

If you're the Commanders,

this is this year's Texans.

You're going for it.

You're trying to hop scotch into the next level of tiers for teams.

Does it work?

We'll see.

But we know Tunsall can play.

I kind of like the idea that they have him for two more years, but not seven more.

It's like, let's work with them for a bit.

But this is a big-bodied individual that knows how to maul individuals.

And I kind of like that.

am I the only one that absolutely hates the commanders' offseason so far and is like is almost bothered by it to some extent?

Okay, what it is.

From what angle, yeah.

I hate the immediate reaction that we have as a franchise when, okay, my quarterback's in the second year of the rookie deal.

Now, we have to go out and sign every person on planet Earth, and we have to press the accelerator because that's what the Seahawks did with Russell Wilson, or that's what the Eagles did with Carson Wentz.

This team barely made the playoffs last year, right?

And then got hot and knocked off some contenders.

But now you're re-signing Zach Ertz.

Now you're re-signing Bobby Wagner.

These guys are going to be 35, 36.

Now you're bringing in Laramie Tunsell.

Now you're bringing in Debo Samuel, who we're forgetting kind of like whacked his kicker upside the head last year in the middle of a game and has been kind of a noted malcontent, right?

And so it's one of these situations where I don't know, like, I hate this.

Okay, maybe do it in year three or year four of the rookie deal, but what, why punch the accelerator now and rob Jaden Daniels of the chance to lead this place organically?

I mean, Dan, you know this bet as better as good as anyone.

When Mark Sanchez first started going, it was like, yeah, let's bring in LaDanian Tomlinson and Plex Gilberts and Santonio Holmes and Derek Mason and like all these guys who are going to undermine the growth of the franchise quarterback.

And, you know, for the Texans are a team that are getting crucified for this move because they couldn't protect their quarterback, but they did it for a reason.

Like Laramie Tunsil's available for a reason.

And if you're the commanders, I I feel like you have to get a little more discerning about all these people that you're taking on and now possibly undermining the growth of your quarterback.

They kind of did that last year, though.

Like, they brought in a bunch of like Dan Quinnish type veterans.

I'm not sure I trust like the Dan Quinn vision on top of all this, but like, well, what would you want them to do?

Like, see, but that's what I'm going to say.

I think it is time.

I feel like you use all those picks to get guys who can fit Jaden as he grows and to develop this offense into something else.

I feel like we don't know what Laramie Tunsell and Jaden Daniels are going to look like.

You know, we don't know what any of this stuff is going to look like.

I don't know.

And draft picks, maybe you're saying that Adam Peters is doing a good job because it's an uncertain draft class.

Maybe the talent pool is going to be less over the next two years.

And so you bet on veteran talent, but I don't know, man.

Every time, as many times as we've seen teams succeed in this way, we've seen other teams punch the accelerator and then overload their quarterbacks, frustrate them, and have to reset after that anyway.

I think it really, to me, comes down to what do you think of Tunsell.

If you think Tunsell is an elite left tackle, which led the league in penalties last year.

Okay.

He also, I think, his little sloppy.

He's going to be a little bit sloppy.

His pass block win rate was near the very top of the league.

I mean, the guy, there's a reason why he keeps getting paid.

Yes.

And why he was a first-round pick.

And when he got moved to

Houston, they gave up a boatload to get him.

And now they're getting much less trading him away.

He's 31 years old now, but of course, tackles can play well into their 30s.

If he is going to be at a high level at left tackle, I think it's a great trade because it's a second.

Listen, it's a second and a third round pick, okay?

That's like the juice of it, right?

And those have a lot of value, and I get what you're saying there, but left tackles who are...

plug-and-play stalwart dudes that can be that way for five to six years,

that's gold currency in the NFL.

So I kind of disagree a little bit with you on this one, Conman, but I understand where you're coming from, the idea of like a prudent, slow build and not putting too much into a good playoff run when the team maybe isn't as close.

The playoffs can trick teams, and you're saying you think they might be further away than they realize just because they made the final four.

It's reminiscent of, to me, remember when the Cardinals like backed into the playoffs?

It was like Cliff Kingsbury's second or third year, and then they signed him in, Steve Keim, to extensions that lasted into the following millennium.

You know, there was, and we just, sometimes I think we just need to be a little more, a little more discerning.

And Dan, one, like one quick note.

You know,

the con man over here has been sleeping about three to four hours a night tops.

Okay, he's got a nude infant in the home.

So now you, you want to pick him apart from a football.

And that's like, you're kind of like waiting to like, yeah.

It depends.

Yeah.

What is your sleep cycle?

Sometimes the dad's getting like a lot of sleep and it's really the mom that's just getting dinged.

The baby doesn't want anything that's how i did it and that was effective that was effective i i i don't want to i don't want to brag but i would say that after the and again it's the third one so i feel like i cracked the code i was sort of the driver in terms of like you know i was really passionate about you know making the family larger.

So I was like, you know, why don't I take, so my wife would go to bed at like 10 and then I would stay up and then wake up at like five and I would go to bed at like three, you know, and I would just stay up straight through and then wake up at like 10.

So we both got about six hour blocks of sleep.

And I caught up on Netflix.

I was telling Mark I finished the Zodiac documentary, which was awesome.

That is also the first television show that your newborn watched, according to what you told us.

Pretty good.

Interesting round.

Yeah.

Yeah.

But I was glad that she got some resolution on the Zodiac murders.

It doesn't surprise me that the oars would have a plan.

and there'd be a plan being executed.

You know what I mean?

And I'm going to still have 13 to 14 more children, I decided over the weekend.

I went out and spent some time alone.

I was like, kind of meditate.

I'm going to have 13 or 14 more children.

You are.

Yeah.

With who?

Well, TBD, but like, I mean, we've got a couple.

We've got a couple people in the lineup, but then we can go from there.

A couple people in the lineup.

Well, one person in the lineup.

Is this person aware that, like, because I'm imagining the way you're putting this is that you're not planning to have 12 with this individual that this person is maybe a pit stop there's going to be seven years i wouldn't use that phrase on any level but like um it's more just like allowing life to come at you versus like you know

so you're like you want to do like an antonio cremardi thing basically you want to be the podcast no because

no i think it's money doesn't go as far in the podcast industry compared to you know top cornerback in the nfl i'm just just as a buddy like having 14 kids could come with some drawbacks drawbacks financially.

Like a Kublai Khan type of scenario where like there's a lot of other, there's a lot of help.

I'm not in charge of all.

I know I don't, I don't direct at all.

I will say, like, not to, I don't want to come off as over as too overconfident because we, we were in the hospital and we had, you know, we were just thinking about the enormity of it.

Like our kids had just come to visit and then left with my parents.

And the Alec Baldwin show was on, which I know you guys were talking about.

And Alec Baldwin has eight kids.

Yeah.

But just the enormity of his situation and my wife and I looked at each other and we were like, Christ, like, is that kind of what we're in for when we get home, you know and I do think that you know that the big family sounds cool until you're Alec Baldwin hauling nine kids to the bar and looking like he's about 95 years old.

Yeah.

He's got the under I want to work on the bags.

But I think if I'm now I'm trying to I'm picking up what Mark's putting down.

He wants to do more of the thing where he's just like legitimately spreading his seed around and he doesn't know where the kids are or where they're being born or even their names.

But there will be like some paternity tests down the line where he'll be like, oh, it turned out Mark Sessler had 27 kids across North America and beyond.

All those things.

From a larger scope, yes.

Not from a micro angle, I'd want to care.

From a larger scope, yes, that's correct.

The Lions sign DJ Reed, formerly of the Jets, at corner, to a three-year, $48 million deal.

They also signed linebacker Ezekiel Turner.

So the Lions add to their back end on a day where they lost a cornerback.

We'll get to that in a bit.

The Buccaneers sign defensive end Hassan Reddick.

Uh-oh, look out to a one-year deal for $14 million, $12 of that guaranteed.

So Reddick coming off that nightmare year last year.

Eagles to the Jets barely played, played terribly, does get $12 million guaranteed, but does not get a long-term deal.

So I don't think ultimately it worked out for Hassan Reddick in terms of his contract dealings.

The Bucs, who like their guys, they also re-signed Chris Godwin, three-year $66 million, $44 guaranteed at signing.

They also also bring back Ben Brederson, a three-year deal worth $22 million interior lineman at guard.

Any thoughts on that, gentlemen, before we move on?

I think that the Lions needed to

add a cornerback, obviously, but I think that this is a realization of

it's the flip side of the Dan Campbell effect, right?

If you're going to get guys to play like that for an entire season, you're going to lose half your roster, and you're going to need a lot of really good players.

So I think that your coaching staff.

Yep.

The thing with the Lions, that's a toughie, is that they lost the coaching staff and a bunch of players, and they didn't win anything really.

They're still, you know, trying to get through the NFC.

So, that's it's tough.

And you say that with a wry smile on your face, like as if it might slightly.

What do you mean?

I don't, well, no, but you're absolutely correct.

I mean, but it's like they

don't take anything.

We're not like the

feel-good story

anymore.

Uh-oh.

Like, you have about

700 days to be the feel-good story in the NFL, and then people turn.

The Boston turn.

You have to go to the next stage.

But the Bucks are 200 right now.

Yeah, that's right.

But to me, the Bucks are kind of like the friend you have that never makes a major mistake.

Like, they're just kind of very solid and they keep doing solid things.

And they're not going to achieve anything higher

than anyone else.

But they're very solid.

And I feel like the decisions they make are very Bucks oriented.

I know, connor you've had a run in with the gm but other than that like it's been uh i do agree that the the bucks decision making is very bucks oriented i do agree with that well i'm saying it's like very like it's just it doesn't shock you and it's not overreaching and it's not like that guy bring back their veterans

david another example of that yeah um

and they're playing in the right division to have a somewhat conservative outlook on how they roster build too.

It's like your friend who refuses to invest in crypto.

It It just has a well-funded 401k

and like a good dental plan and like married, you know, a girl from across the street.

It's a very balanced diet.

Like they're not kicking it.

They're home by like 9.35 p.m.

I'd like to re-sign that Ben Brenderson fellow.

He's he's a solid, solid as oak at Ben.

Those type of moves.

All right.

Mark, let's talk a little better help, shall we?

Absolutely.

Like, I mean,

If there's something I like to do, it's this.

Here we go.

Got to get to it in my sheet.

Here we go.

Always caught off guard.

Absolutely.

I am.

There's a rundown, Mark.

Yes.

This episode of Heed the Call with Dan Hanses and Mark Sessler is brought to you by BetterHelp.

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htc all right back into it the bills they uh add another uh wide receiver to their roster josh palmer formerly of the chargers three years 36 million

meanwhile the cardinals they're doing work they sign uh eagles defensive end.

Josh Sweat, four years, $76.4 million.

That's a lot of money for Josh Sweat.

Also re-signed guard Evan Brown on a two-year deal worth $11.5 million.

And it's not the only figure leaving the defensive line for the Eagles.

In fact, Milton Williams is also on the move to the Patriots.

Four years, $104 million, $63 million guaranteed.

Wow, that's a lot of money for these guys.

The Patriots made a lot of moves today.

We'll get to to the patriots a little bit later uh but it was the panthers that almost came up uh with uh the deal for milton williams it was actually reported initially that it would be milton williams to the panthers and connor was really excited on the live stream about that but he ends up going to the patriots so the eagles lose two stalwarts in their front seven

I mean, any team like that is going to get picked apart, right?

I mean, just like the Lions coaching staff or anything like that.

But I thought Milton Williams to me was one of the underrated prizes of this class.

And I've absolutely loved Mike Rabel's first few day hours of free agency I guess you know you get these a bunch of these just greasy dudes who are going to help you win tough games at the end of the year and that's the way that Mike Rabel wants to play and it's absolutely what they didn't have toward the end of the Belichick era they've been like very active but in a way that I um to your same with you I kind of I smile upon it because they're kind of building Mike Rabel's team.

Robert Spillane, Morgan Moses, just like grinders, you know?

Yep.

Just guys that you like, he knows they're going to work hard.

So I like that.

He feels a little bit like the Mikey Madison of this free agency class where suddenly out of nowhere, this person's like every in everyone, like win best actress, like just kind of fly.

But like,

I would say, let's be honest, most people had no idea who he was two years ago, but now they, now they all do.

Yeah, Milton Williams, Carlton Davis, Robert Spillane, Morgan Moses, the tackle,

also all go to the Patriots.

Kyries Tonga also goes there and Josh Dobbs.

So the Patriots, another team like the Commanders, ton of money.

You knew they were going to be active, and they are bringing a lot of guys in.

They also agreed to send defensive tackle Devon Godshaw to the Saints in exchange for a 2026, seventh round.

pick.

Back on the commander side of things, they also re-signed tight end John Bates, three-year deal.

Also re-signed Pro Bowl punter Tress Way, one-year contract there.

The Colts make one of the big signings.

Cam Bynum was a sought-after name in the secondary.

The safety signs a four-year, $60 million deal.

They also add Charvarius Ward, the cornerback on a three-year deal up to $60 million, including $35 million guaranteed.

So the Colts staying busy.

The Steelers signed cornerback Darius Slay, formerly of the Eagles.

Also, second round.

I wonder if

our friend Dom picked up the phone again for Mr.

Slay and said, hey, we need you.

Or maybe the phone didn't ring this time.

Made it easier.

These are fair questions to ask.

I think so.

I think it's worth an investigation.

It's a fair question.

They also placed the second round.

Thank you, Mark.

Restricted free agent tender on running back Jalen Warren.

Also signed linebacker Malik Harrison on a two-year $10 million deal.

And yes, the Steelers are the team.

that now everything seems to be pointing to Aaron Rodgers to the Steelers.

And we'll see if that happens.

We talked about it on the live stream this morning that apparently Mike Tomlin and Aaron Rodgers reportedly there's like a sit sit-down that's either happened or will happen.

Where I get, you can imagine Connor Tomlin's going to tell Rodgers what's what and what's going to be expected of him.

And Rodgers, I imagine, will tell because he wants to continue getting paid a lot of money to play football, will tell Mike Tomlin what he wants to hear.

I don't doubt that at all.

But will Aaron Rogers be able to be the guy that Tomlin wants him to be on and off the field?

A lot of intrigue around the Steelers team with Rodgers there.

We'll see.

That happens.

Do you you think, do you think that,

because he wouldn't hug Robert Sala.

Do you think he would hug?

Do you think he would hug Mike Tomlin after he scored a touchdown?

I don't think he, I bet he's like one of those guys that doesn't like to touch other people.

Why do we assume that Tomlin's just like, Tis, Tisk, you're going to be doing what I say, A through Z.

Wouldn't you do that, though?

To Aaron Rod.

Well, if I were Mike Tomlin, but I'm me.

So I would be like, well, what would you like?

Can we help you out?

I'll get you some bread and stuff.

But it's Mike Tomlin that's doing it not you right i know but i mean yeah i you know i i'm more saying that is he coming in hard and being like we're uh we're gonna just

you're going to be a we're taskmastering you and like you're going to be um

subservient and follow our rules is that how you sell aaron rodgers on this job like i mean the weird thing is though i think that he always gets that He always gets that vibe, but the Steelers are not militant.

Like they've had probably five of the ten most craziest people in the NFL.

They seem like they like to have fun a little bit to me.

They have a lot of fun.

I think that what Mike does that's unique and that's probably better than anything else is he just keeps a lid on it, right?

He keeps everything in the locker room and facilitates an arena where they're allowed to be themselves.

And so in many ways, like I think it might actually work out better for Aaron Rodgers.

Lest we forget that Ben Rothesberger was far from an altar boy.

He was the face of the Pittsburgh Steelers, had run-ins with the law and all sorts of unsavory activity connected to him.

Yeah, I think, I don't know, like, I would be curious what, you know, a Steeler people closer to the team think.

I'm curious what, like, Dave Damashek thinks, by the way, who's just been trashing

Rodgers mercilessly for years, and now all of a sudden he's going to be his quarterback, which is pretty funny.

I mean, I did tell you, I put out a tweet like in, you know, late season, like, hey, what about Aaron Rodgers to the Steelers?

And I have been unmercilessly destroyed by Steelers fans for four to five months for suggesting it.

And now it's like, now you're sitting with it potentially.

You have to sit with it.

Who told you?

I love it.

Who told you?

I do.

Mark, I'd like to see all these mentions of people destroying you.

I'd like to see it.

I could for months and months, you've been getting killed because you well, it's not.

No, it's one of those tweets where it's not like non-stop.

Like, it's like, you're the dumbest guy on the planet.

It's like, I'm not even arguing that that's untrue, but like

now it's becoming true.

My idea.

my idea is becoming

real.

Congratulations.

Yeah, I think that Aaron Rodgers on the Steelers could be interesting and fun potentially, which is more than I could say about how this team has operated for most of the last five or six years.

Will it work?

I'm just like looking at it this way with Tomlin, right?

Like, do you think Tomlin wants him going on Pat McAfee's show every Tuesday morning?

I mean,

the Steelers' offensive coordinator has gone on Pat McAfee.

Yeah, but it's different.

People don't care what that guy says, right?

Aaron Rodgers, he says anything and it's the top of ESPN's stack.

It's not coincidentally that it's a show on ESPN, you know.

Would you be able to just like the one thing that's kind of interesting to me is why hasn't any team just been like, because what is Pat McAfee paying, like a million dollars an episode or something like that?

I think that was what we heard.

So I guess you couldn't give him an extra $18 million to not do it, right?

Could you meet him halfway and just be like, we'll kick in like an extra $6 million if you just

shut up.

Connor wants to renegotiate his own contract at this point.

They shut up.

I like it.

You also just had Russell Wilson.

So it was kind of like the

middle school version, and then you get to the high school version when you're young.

And now

you've got this new person in your life.

The Patriots stay busy.

They agree to terms with wide receiver Mac Collins on a two-year $8.4 million deal.

He can make up to $10 million.

So it reunites him with Josh McDaniels.

Jesus, McDaniels is back there again.

I forgot about that.

Enough.

Evolve.

Anyway.

Personal.

What else?

What else?

What else?

What else?

What else?

What else?

So much more.

The Rams signed defensive tackle Puna Ford.

Three years, $30 million.

They also re-signed Jimmy Garoppolo on our live stream.

It was funky.

It said $11 million.

It was like, that doesn't seem possible.

It wasn't.

He has gray hair now, by the way.

I saw another photo, a foul photo, and he's got kind of.

I don't know.

It's not quite working the way that it would work for the person that never had the good hair to begin with.

It's kind of like it's a downgrade.

It's Jimmy G.

One year, 4.5 million guaranteed, 9 million in incentives.

The Broncos get a big fish.

My boy, my guy, Talanau Hufanga, three years, $45 million.

They also signed Dre Greenlaw, the one-time stud of the 49ers.

They re-signed defensive tackle DJ Jones, three years, $39 million, $26 guaranteed.

And Jared Stidham, two years, $12 million deal with $7 guaranteed.

Wow.

Wow.

Okay.

Jared Stidham keeps getting paid.

Good for you.

Zach Wilson was there.

Zach Wilson, I think, signed with the Dolphins.

Yeah.

I love.

Don't you love that for Zach Wilson?

And what a define love.

Well,

best coach

pairing out.

You can't play.

I don't know, man.

Can't Can't play.

I'm still, I still can't play.

I still think,

I still think there's a little toothpaste in that, too.

Doesn't that feel like a Connor like Madden franchise out of like Central, North Dakota?

It does.

Yeah, it sounds like a My Not starting quarterback, Zach Wilson, throws for 7,000 yards and 80 touchdowns.

Yeah.

It's got all the tools.

You see that proday throw?

But Dre Greenlaw is an interesting one because obviously he was like a heart and soul figure of the Niners defense.

He blows his Achilles in the middle of the Super Bowl, jogging off the sideline.

He comes back last year, plays a little bit, but then he gets shut down.

So it was kind of a lost year post-Achilles injury.

And now the Broncos obviously feel good enough to give him, that's a big contract for a guy that's basically coming off

an injury-ravage season and a very serious, obviously, injury with the Achilles.

In other news.

One quick thing, like to Connor's point, aren't the 49ers doing like the set, like the film seven where you cut like 30% of your body fat off.

Like, they've lost, like, so many individuals at this point.

They're not the same team.

I don't know what the plan is in San Francisco right now, other than to trim and

it's a reset of some kind.

It's weird, though, right?

Because it just, it never made sense to me.

And

because you're still dependent on the end of, like, you still want the best out of the end of the Christian McCaffrey deal.

You still have Trent Williams there.

You still have George Kittle there.

You still, you're going to pay Brock Birdie.

Why not just backload the shit out of that contract and just bring everybody back for one more season?

And, you know, they might still trade Brandon Ayuk for all I know.

Because, I mean, there were a lot of teams that were interested in him at this point last year.

You know, does he have an audience still?

Yeah.

I mean, yeah, the Brock Purdy signing, I guess, is predicating a lot of this, that they're going to have to clear a ton of space to pay him.

You know, he'll probably, I would imagine, command somewhere between what Darnold got, right, and what, I don't know, what Geno Smith will get from the Raiders of the New Deal.

I feel like he was.

Between, I think more, but more.

You think he'll get 40?

Well, no, I'm saying Geno's going to probably end up in the 45 range and Sam's 35, I think.

Like, I was saying 40 to 45, but he'd be north of that.

I think his agent is like, you're not paying

him less than Geno Smith.

Like, whatever they got, he's at

the top of that.

My guess would be if

we're just ballparking it, I don't think he obviously tops the market, which is at what, 60 now for Dak Prescott?

But I think he tops 50.

I don't get it.

That's crazy to me.

All right.

In other news, the Panthers sign Trayvon Mooring three years, $51 million.

They also extend star cornerback JC Horn four for 100, making him the highest paid defensive back in NFL history.

They also signed Vikings edge rusher Patrick Jones II, two year deals, two-year deal worth up to $20 million.

They also add Bobby Brown, not that one.

The third, three years, $27 million also.

Defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton, three-year deal worth up to $54 million.

2 DTs added to the team.

They just missed out on Milton Williams.

In fact, when we did our stream this morning, it was reported that Milton Williams,

who now is a household name, as Mark pointed out, like before he was, and

Connor, like Connor was all on it immediately.

Yes.

Was saying, what a great signing by the Panthers.

Well, the Patriots got him.

So Carolina had a pivot.

They also re-signed cornerback Mike Jackson, two years, $14.5 million.

So the Panthers are making a ton of moves.

The Bears signed offensive lineman Drew Dahlman, three years, $42 million.

They also signed defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who the Falcons released on Monday morning, three years, $43.5 million with $28.5 maranteed.

They also signed Deo Adegawubu.

Three years, $48 million.

Any thoughts on that, guys?

I don't think you said that right, but I also don't know how to say it, so I'm not going to correct it.

I just wanted to point that out.

That was helpful, Justin.

Thank you, Justin.

As always,

I think the Bears are having my favorite free agency to this point.

Because of the line?

Because of the line, but I think the whole thing is misunderstood, right?

Like everyone's saying, oh, Jonah Jackson and Joe Tooney, and now you make the move at center.

And this is Ben Johnson just recreating what he recreated at the Lions.

And I couldn't disagree more because you can't recreate that.

No possible avenue exists where you can import like a Panay Sewell or you can find any of these guys who, those are savages.

It's a different grade of people.

But what you can do is you can get Joe Tooney and you can get the best center on the market who are guys who are going to be able to dissect everything from a protection standpoint and take all that stuff off of Caleb Williams's plate.

So all he has to do is snap the ball and be amazing, which he can do, right?

So to me, that's why I really like it.

It's not like this team's going to run over people now.

No, but Caleb Williams isn't going to be dead in the water every time he drops back.

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only.

If I win 1,000 times my credits, there will be issues in this part of town.

I can drum it.

Why is that?

What's going to happen?

I'm just saying.

Like suddenly I get 1,000 times more than I deserved or started with.

Get on Underdog.

You can make it happen.

It could be your ticket to a whole nother.

I mean, to even begin the life's journey to populate the planet with more Sesslers,

you're just going to need funding just for the flights and all the other things that are happening.

No,

I'm well aware of that development.

I can promise you that.

The Titans sign offensive tackle Dan Moore, four years, $82,050, guarantee.

Woohoo!

Also, re-signed offensive tackle Sebastian Joseph Day, one-year deal worth up to $7.5 million, five guaranteed.

Also signed Cody Barton, three for 21.

Titans doing work.

Speaking of doing work, the Cleveland Browns.

Mark, who, before today, who are the Cleveland Browns quarterbacks under contract?

Well, in theory, Deshaun Watson, although not spiritually.

Dorian Thompson Robinson, I believe.

That was it.

That was it because Jameis obviously is a free agent.

So that was.

Well, now they have another option at starting quarterback with because Watson blew his Achilles again, obviously.

So we don't know if he'll ever play again for the Browns.

Among other things.

The Browns trade for QB Kenny Pickett from the Eagles, sending Dorian Thompson Robinson and a fifth-round pick.

So Pickett's in the building, Mark.

Now, the building, he doesn't know the building like he knew the building in Pittsburgh, where it was the same facility, college to pros.

So he knew where the bathrooms were.

Totally different bathroom setup in Cleveland.

And you got to ask the question, is that a concern?

I think it's a transitional issue.

We're going to have to work on that, like we beating, not me.

But like

I like,

if we're praising two or three teams that have caught our interest and

intrigued us by what they're doing, the Browns are not one of those teams.

This is fine, but it's like I do, I will say something serious.

The same way with the Jets, we're like the Cleveland, I think, is drafting a quarterback.

I just.

I don't know what we've been hearing, but like, I just, it seems to me like they are going to find a way to buy into one of these quarterbacks no matter what.

It's It's hard for me to, because Dorian Thompson Robinson, I don't know if you remember this, Mark, but I think back when I was still at least kind of interested in the Browns, he lit it up in that.

Do you remember that Hall of Fame game where he played?

It was Deshaun Watson's first year as a starter and he looked phenomenal.

And I'm not saying that that's indicative of your future, but this to me is like, okay, we failed.

to develop

the guy in the background, like the guy that we should have been, you know, helping all along to get ready for this moment.

And he failed in the appearances where he had to start and spot rolls.

They had to pivot to Joe Flacco.

And now you have to buy Kenny Pickett for a fifth round pick.

And it's like,

what point?

This is so far beyond Moneyball at this point.

And it's just, it's sort of embarrassing.

You know, I think like they, well, I do think they probably could say we tried to start him.

Yeah.

Was it five or six or seven times at this point?

It was a disaster.

So like

you're getting something.

I think they're hedging their bets against not getting the rookie or fill in the blank.

Like there's no, they don't seem to be chasing any other veteran.

So I don't know what the plan is.

It feels like a let's all get fired type.

Why wouldn't you just have traded?

This is a bigger question for another show, but why wouldn't you have just traded Miles Garrett and taken Abdul Khar?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Because that's what, even on the trades we want to see, it's like, I'm a little annoyed with the whole, like, now we're going to, now he's making more money than the other veterans.

William Sadness!

Like, all we do is play, we, like, we'll take a player and pay him more than any player in the league, then do it with another person.

It's like building a statue.

Like, it's just to be like, okay, everything's okay here.

No one wants to leave.

It's almost like, and it's not supposed to be this way.

In fact, it's supposed to go the other way where it's like the hometown discount.

You have to pay a Browns tax to keep Miles Garrett.

To what cause?

You do keep one of the great franchise stars in the building, which ostensibly is good and helpful.

Against his will, though.

That's the other issue.

Well, we don't want to, yeah, we talked about that.

Like, don't, we don't want to hear that it's against your will when you signed the paper, you took all the money.

You better be a good soldier now, right?

We'll see.

I hope so.

The Vikings signed cornerback Isaiah Rogers, two for 15.

Uh, let's see, uh, the Packers signed guard Aaron Banks, four for 77.

Man, it's good to be an interior lineman, you can be a little anonymous and sign $77 million deals.

That sounds good.

Uh, Nate Hobbs joins their secondary, the cornerback four for 48, including 16 million guaranteed.

Uh, the Giants signed cornerback Paulson Adebo, three years $54 million.

There's a report out there.

Darius Slayton also comes back to the Giants.

He signs a three-year $36 million deal.

I missed this.

I'll come back to it.

The Vikings sign center Ryan Kelly, two years, $18 million.

So again, it's good to be.

Anonymous Interior Beef Boy.

The Chargers re-sign Khalil Mack, one year, $18 million.

Get that money, old-timer.

They also got Dante Jackson, two for $13.

Tiara Tarte, one for 5.5.

The Chiefs, defending conference champions, signed offensive tackle Jalen Moore, 2 for $30 million.

Running back Elijah Mitchell is now in the building.

And Trey Smith, the guard, signed his franchise tag.

They're trying to work out a long-term deal with him per...

rap sheet.

The Bengals, busy.

They re-signed defensive tackle B.J.

Hill, three for 33.

Samadjay P.

Ryan, two for 3.8.

They also re-signed offensive lineman Cody Cody Ford, two for six.

TJ Slayton on a two-year deal, $15.1 million there.

Anything on those, fellas, as we just cycle through all the chum at this point,

chum in the waters of transactions.

I've always loved Ryan Kelly.

I'm not sure, you know, I think he's like a, he might be one of those people that just like PFF hates.

You know, I thought that was a nice, especially if like Kevin O'Connell wants you to be a center for his rookie quarterback.

I think that's notable, right?

Yes.

Also notable is the Dallas Cowboys finally adding a new running back

to their stable.

It is Javante Williams, the guy whose knee has exploded and was never the same afterwards.

He's a very low percentage of this.

That is Smiles and Glory Hope.

So it's a one-year, $3 million deal with the Cowboys per source as he can make up to three and a half with incentives.

Jaguar is very busy.

Jordan Jordan Lewis signs Hunter Brown,

offensive tackle, Chuma Idoga, center Robert Hainsey,

offensive line Patrick McCarry, all now Jaguars.

The Texans signed Sheldon Rankins on a one-year deal up to $7 million.

Also, Daryl Taylor and Justin Watson, the wide receiver.

And the Raiders.

Defensive tackle, Adam Butler, three years, $16.5 million, $11 guaranteed.

Also safety, Jeremy Chin, two-year deal, $16 million.

And they re-signed Malcolm Koontz, one for $12.

And finally, yes, the Cowboys also make a move on the defensive side of the ball,

Marquise Bell, three-year deal worth a max value of $12 million.

If you're Brian Schottenheimer, would you just accept, like, Dan,

if someone was like, you can be the head coach of the Jets

for like two years

and everyone's going to hate you and we're not going to give you any help.

And

people are just going to talk about how dumb it was.

Would you still do it as like a life experiment just to see what it would be like?

Well, there's also the money making.

It could have a crushing

effect on you personally and like psychologically to be a punching bag and essentially be seen as

because it will go poorly, right?

You imagine it'll go very poorly.

I'm not ready to be a head coach.

And on top of it, the roster's.

To say the least.

Yeah.

The roster is not built in the way it needs to be.

So like, probably we're talking like 12, 13, 14, 15 losses.

If I get fired after going two years at that rate, that's like co-tight level.

So then I'm like a memorably bad head coach.

Hold on.

You think that you would win a game as a head coach, an NFL head coach.

You think you would win a game?

I'm not saying this.

Yeah, of course.

I think anyone could.

I think any of us could win a game as an NFL.

Because you're surrounding yourself with it's if we just walked in with our knowledge point blank,

we're not we're not even getting

it's like so

I'm working under the assumption that I have like a bunch of like you know football guys on my staff

absolutely yeah, but then what are you even saying for your faith mark?

What's your quarterback?

I've said myself I wouldn't make it through a training camp practice, so it's like what is it you're doing during like it's weekly leaning on my football guys, right?

But it's week four, but what are you even saying on the microphone to anyone?

Crafting like a message.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Just crafting messages.

I'm just saying.

Who's your quarterback?

If my quarterback is Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes, yeah, I'm winning a game as a coach.

If my quarterback is Will Levis, probably not.

If I had Will Levis.

I think if I had Will Levis, I could win two games in a season as a head coach.

This isn't, this is.

I don't think that's blindly confident to say that.

I think that head coach is one of those interesting things where you could just come in and be a very strange Robert California kind of person and still back into season.

I would just just say, all right, boys, sounds good.

Let's go, let's go, let's go.

Like, you just say that, and then

just get through the game and beat someone.

Yeah, beat someone.

This happened hundreds of times in the history of the NFL.

Guys, yes, Jeff Saturday is a perfect job.

Jeff Saturday is like 10 times more in-game football knowledge than

the average human, though.

Like, that's what I think is sort of lost.

It's like, we're going to roll.

I don't even know what to say.

How do I turn the headset on?

Who's holding the headset?

Where do I go?

You know,

I'm just being, I'm being, I know my own strengths and weaknesses.

I'm going to roll in and see NFL games.

In fairness, the question wasn't asked to you, Mark.

Okay, well, then you'll win multiple games.

But

if you want to take the question, you wouldn't win a game.

I would win two games, but it wouldn't be pretty.

And here's the problem,

just to put a bow on it.

You get paid guaranteed money, so that's good.

But that was always my...

No, no, at what cost.

You know what the move is?

Right.

If any of us were put in that situation, you would immediately fake an incredibly serious illness and then say that you were coaching through it.

And then you'd get the tide and the windfall and everyone would be behind you.

And then you'd just have to cover that up for the rest of your life, but you'd have a lot of money.

Or strong.

We're all wearing like

we're all wearing like bands and like headbands.

To be fair, I'm not inferring that another coach did this.

I'm just saying like I'm crafting it in my head as we're going.

No, I think that makes sense, but karmically, that seems

smart mistake potentially as well.

All right.

Build sympathy.

All right.

That's just, that's the big day.

That's a big day one of the legal tampering period.

We will be back on Tuesday.

Live stream, 9 a.m.

Pacific, noon Eastern.

Join us.

We had a great, great crowd of,

I think we had over like 700 people.

Yeah, I think 700 plus.

Yeah, that's very cool.

So join us on the live stream tomorrow at noon Eastern, 9 Pacific, and we'll break down anything that happens between now and in the morning and during the time we're on the air.

And then, yes, if there's another cavalcade of news, we might follow up with another show later in the day, but probably not.

This feels like, ooh, I'm not going to say it.

That's Kiss of Death, Sassy.

I'm not sure.

It's

ended Tuesday.

We had a lot to wade through, but I think now we get it.

We're very open to, we're flexible.

We could do a second or third show if we needed to.

Nimble.

Yeah.

Nimble.

All right.

Thank you to everyone for following along.

Thank you to Justin, who did a ton of work, as he always does behind the scenes, organizing this whole thing and all the different transactions.

You are the man, Justin, but you cannot dunk until Tuesday morning.

Just see an asset to us, man.

Heed the call.

Deborah had to have surgery.

I had hip surgery in November of 2024.

Her United Healthcare nurse, Crystal, checked on her.

We'd do a routine call after surgery, and I could tell that she was struggling.

Deborah needed help.

My infection markers were through the roof.

And Crystal knew what to do.

I called the hospital and said she's coming in and got Deborah the help she needed.

Crystal and United Healthcare saved my life.

Hear more stories like Deborah's at UHC.com.

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Nationwide Investment Services Corporation, Ember Finn Rick, Columbus, Ohio.