PMS 2.0 1271 - OVERREACTION Black MONDAY, NFL Week 18 Recap/Playoff Preview, Adam Schefter, Michael Cole, Bill & Steve Belichick, Triple H, Joe Tessitore, Darius Butler, & AJ Hawk

Hello beautiful people! I am live in Los Angeles but the boys are in our humble abode, the Thunderdome! On this massive overreaction Black Monday, January 6, 2025, program starts now! FOOTBALL! I think we nailed it boys, I'm not 100% sure. I'm here in Los Angeles at the Intuit Dome and I'll tell you what, this place is remarkable.
It is beautiful. This place is the host of tonight's Monday Night Raw, which will be debuting on Netflix, to a global audience, which they're saying could potentially be tens of millions of people.
Now, a star-studded WWE cast has been put on the marquee for this evening. I believe we're even going to see the High Chief.
The Rock is going to be here. There's rumblings that brother Hulk Hogan's gonna be in town John Cena

Starts his farewell tour and you're talking about a magical evening in the wonderful world of professional wrestling in this building

Tonight now before we get to that

There's a lot of NFL stuff to chat about AJ Hawk is alive from the Thunderdome in Indianapolis, Indiana is January 6th

So boys, what does that mean?

Happy birthday. Wow.
That's right. Happy birthday, Jayhawk.
Congratulations on making another trip around the sun. I know four years ago, you had your birthday party at the Capitol.
You're not able to do that this year because you had to drive out to Indianapolis. So I appreciate you doing that.
Darius J. Butler's back in the Thunderdome.
The toxic table is back in the Thunderdome at Boston Conner at Ty Schmidt one half of the hammer down Cowboys AP tone is here as well and all the boys in the back thanks for making this work the WWE people have been fantastic Zito production on the back end we can't thank you enough the NFL has it super wildcard weekend set up AJ Hawk and I'll tell you what the drama in abundance. The talent is seemingly overwhelming in Detroit.
And the AFC has a situation brewing with a rookie quarterback with Sean Payton in Denver that I think the whole world is going to get the witness for the next 10 years. A.J.
Hawk, big takeaway from the weekend from you, is it the fact that the Detroit Lions, in what some were calling the biggest game in the history of the NFL against the Vikings, Sunday Night Football for the number one overall seed in the NFC, the Detroit Lions just go in and smack them right on the ass. Smack them right on the ass.
31-9. Jameer Gibbs goes for 170 yards.
131 on the ground. 39 through the sky.
Four touchdowns. Goes bananas.
They lose knuckles. He's just Sonic.
Well, just Sonic is damn good. And this team is phenomenal, AJ.
Yeah, they are. I think the the biggest thing i was talking to d-butt quickly before we got on air like how physical this detroit lions football team was offense defense everywhere you look they're kind of beating up the receivers but i know we talked about they got after sam donald i saw uh dano on the way here i was watching some clips or lofsky's talking about certain throws he feel like he felt like uh sam donald either missed or kind of left out there that he normally has made throughout this season.
I guess, Pat, what do you think? When you're watching that, you're seeing, I'm not sure exactly what you're doing. You're trying to mimic what was going on.
Everything's high. Everything's high.
Why is that? Everything was high for Sam Darnold. Well, I think because he was Zeke'd up, brother.
Sunday night football. I think it was the biggest game of the year.
I think it was for the number one overall NFC seed. This is for home field advantage over there in Skull World throughout the playoffs.
This is to tell a story to your fan base that this team is here and has arrived, and they're only paying a quarterback $13 million. It was a massive evening.
We were talking about it. The whole world was talking about it.
Anzalone was playing with a bar in his arm. That's how big of a game it was.
Had a Super Bowl-type feel. I think he was just a little zeked up.

Everything early was high.

Even that masterful catch by Justin Jefferson on third down or eight,

that was a full-out stretch, fingertip grab.

So even his completions felt like they were a little bit over the top.

And I just think he was jacked up.

I think he needed that moment.

That was the biggest game Sam Donald's ever played in.

That was the biggest.

So I think he needed that.

I think it helped him.

And what Aaron Glenn did to Sam Donald in that Vikings offense. Now, obviously, a bunch of fourth down turnovers or turnovers on downs down in the red zone.
But Aaron Glenn is just sitting on the sideline on the bench chilling whenever the offense is on the field. And then when the defense is on the field, he's dialing it up.
He's dialing it up on these guys. And all year they've been great, no matter who's on the field for him, D-Butch.

Yeah, I tweeted last night when I was watching the game, just an absolute master class from

Aaron Glenn. And coming into this game, we knew it was fantastic players on both sides of the ball,

but great coordinators. The play callers on offense, both defensive coordinators with Flores

and Aaron Glenn, I think he kind of stole the show. Like we've been talking about these injuries

pretty much all scenes along on the defensive side of the ball for the Lions, but they got

I'm sorry. both defensive coordinators with Flores and Aaron Glenn.
I think he kind of stole the show. Like we've been talking about these injuries pretty much all scenes along on the defensive side of the ball for the Lions.
But they got after him. They hit Sam Donald more than he's been hit all year.
I think a lot of the reason a lot of those balls were high is because he couldn't really step into a lot of them. A lot of them was back foot, somebody in his face.
So even when guys were open, he would miss them. And then on the back end, got super physical with the guys, jammed up Jefferson and Addison.
Meek Robinson, you know, taking on that challenge, battling and following Jefferson all around. Like, that was a fantastic job by Aaron Glenn.
And these players that stepped up and played huge, huge roles. Shout-out to Shep.
Obviously, the linebacker coach over there gets Anzalone back. He's a madman.
Anzalone's a madman. How about in the first quarter there where the delay – he thought there was a delay.
This guy's back for how many weeks off, Foxy? Was Anzalone back he's a madman Anzalone's a madman how about in the first quarter there where the delay he thought there was a delay this guy's back for how many weeks off Foxy was Anzalone how many weeks off I believe six six weeks because of a broken uh forearm or whatever had surgery came back and uh obviously he's a massive piece of this entire thing I think he's large too I think he's a large individual because whenever we get the locker room postgame situations, an MCDC goes, Ja Gibbs, man. And then he goes, Robertson, man.
And then Anzalone gets one. The camera was shooting up at him.
He's a staggering man. That hair.
I mean, everything. Paisan's a big son of a bitch, I think.
He's lifting 6'3", 240. Good athlete, too.
Okay. So, it made sense So, all I was looking at was at the social media cell phone, and then it was like, Ja Gibbs was here, okay? Then Robertson was right here, gave a great speech, gave a great speech.
And then they gave one to Anzalone, and that thing turned like this, you know? And like, just that adjustment, I was like, holy hell, and he's talking right on. I mean, it was.
I was like, this dude is. D-Bot said he's actually a good athlete, too, Pat.
I said he's a, he's talking right on. I mean it was I'll get this to it is D-bot said he's actually a good athlete too, Pat Good at it say actually I'm not surprised by he's a dog What all that man-to-man coverage he was out doing an island He really did just like it put him some really difficult situations that dude can do it all like he he can do everything Look at the camera shooting up.
Look up big that guy look Holy shit. Does that look staggering right there? You're proud of you there, man.
I'm proud of you. To your point, though, about man-to-man, Detroit played man with 73% frequency.
I don't know what that means. That's a lot of spots.
That's really, really high in today's NFL. Really high.
Okay. 73% frequency.
Darnold had a 14.7 QBR on those reps. And then Detroit sent 6-plus pass rushers 13 times yesterday, which is the most by any team in a game this season.
So, in the biggest game of the year, all MCDC preachers is, let's be us, man. Let's be us, man.
We're aggressive. We do this.
Let's do us, man. They're the most aggressive they've been all year.
The most aggressive any team has been all year.

And you've got Justin Jefferson on the other side.

You've got Addison on the other side.

You've got Hawkinson on the other side.

So whenever you bring pressure to six people,

you can get exposed.

You can get exposed quick on the back end.

And they let their, you know,

they let their Buckeyes hang.

You know, and I respect that a lot.

And they beat the hell out of them, D-Butch. I like Toxic Table.
At Boston Corner, sorry to hear about it, man. You guys don't have a coach.
It's okay. We're feeling great over here, Pat.
Sorry to you. You do have a coach.
Damn. And a GM, obviously.
And a GM will continue to figure it out. It's going to be great.
Of course. It's going to be great.
Of course. I think that is something you can do.
Because in 2025 now 2024 new year they've created a way I saw this on on here it might have been fake you never know could have been a real toothpaste all the way out of the tube and then lo and behold guess what I saw what's that no boys no one figured it out that's not possible took took the. No I didn't put it back into the tube Back in the tube.
They throw the tube all of it was all gross and ruined No funny the tube actually went back to full it was not ruined The tube was not rude. Okay tube actually went back to full Shine in question.
It was completely full again. Yeah, that's what happened So if it can happen on the internet and the thing putting it back into the tube, it can certainly happen with a football team, whereas culture seemingly completely broke.
Now, at this stage of it all, we'll be going if Chris Ballard was to go 10-7 the next two years, he would still be under 500 by one game. Yikes.
So, he's 62-69-1 right now as the general manager for the Indianapolis Colts. I think he was dealt a bad hand whenever Andrew Luck obviously ends up retiring like what, 14, 17 days before the season starts because he gets an injury and decides he doesn't want to go through everything that he had to go through before with an injury.
So anytime you're a general manager and you think you're going to have andrew luck who was once in a generation d but that dude was unbelievable he was awesome yeah coming off his great his best year too at that point i feel like absolutely awesome you know so like you'd think you think what chris bowett had to deal with there at the beginning and then he had to sort that out that's late into the entire salary cap that's late until the entire roster construction that's late into the off days before the season starts. I mean, that's pretty late in there to try to sort it out.
So I think there was a grace from a lot of people that were like, that sucks, dude. Like what you got to go through sucks.
Sucks for our city. Sucks for you having to build it.
Then the way he builds his team, it's like, okay, this team has a chance. And then obviously having to cycle through a lot of quarterbacks, old quarterbacks, old quarterbacks, good quarterbacks.
Phil Rivers was the best of them all. But a lot of quarterbacks, a lot of quarterbacks, a lot of quarterbacks.

You would think eight years in, though, at some point we would be able to, you know, get going. But instead, it's another eight and nine year, missing the playoffs.
The boys are pumped. They beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 18 with Mac Jones as their quarterback, high-fiving empty suites, whatever the case.
all of it is just like a situation where I believe that it's going to be tough to change the things that you need to get changed to be good. Unless there was a new voice, a new face, somebody saying, hey, we don't do it like that anymore.
That's the only way I think you can do a reset is you have to hit a button. But maybe this crew is able to do it.
Maybe this team is able to pull it off. Jim Mercy obviously more dialed into what's happening in the building than I would be or any of us would be.
He put that out quick. I mean that was the same night.
Same night as the last game. We're missing the playoffs again.
Longest playoff drought in the history of the program. Ties 1989 to 1994 I think which were bad days brother.
Bad bad days for the Indianapolis Colts. You're talking about bad times here.
So for him to put it out that quick after night, it's like he made this decision.

I feel like going into the game, boys get a win.

He says, all right, here we go.

We're running it back.

And also, I don't love it.

I don't obviously, I don't love Chris Bowers.

Good man.

He's a good man.

He's always been good to us.

I think he's a good person.

You know, Shane Steichen's been good to us.

I don't know much about him, but he's been good to us.

But it's like that building is seemingly broken.

And I don't know how the people that have been living in it and calling it the landlord for the last eight years are gonna be the ones are gonna be able to see that and fix all the cracks that they figured out unless somebody else comes in and buys the house but maybe they'll be able to do it D but that's a huge story though I mean anytime Sunday Night Football on the last Sunday night is mentioning that you are keeping your general manager and head coach as one of the three biggest news of the day. That's when you know that we're at quite a crossroads.
It's a bummer, but maybe this team's able to put the tube back into the tube like I saw on the internet. But but other than that I think we're in for another year of mediocrity potentially but who knows as soon as I saw the tweet from Jim I put out a little bird call to Coast Nation just to see how they felt and it was loud a lot of responses negative or positive I would say probably over 98% of them negative uh you know not very optimistic because of what you said you know same same you know leadership you know you got the same gm you got the same head coach and uh we're assuming the same quarterback is welcoming back so those are usually the three people you look at after the ownership level so a lot of questions obviously the ownership level as well but that's's not going to change.
Like you said, Jim is going to be Jim.

He's going to make those decisions.

And as a Colts fan at this point, all I can be is optimistic.

You know, I can just be hopeful that they figure some things out.

We obviously still have some talented players,

but we know how important culture is.

We see it with all the teams,

pretty much all the teams that are in the playoffs right now.

You know what I mean?

That's the biggest part.

D, but it really is. And culture became this buzzword around sports media there like three years ago.
And it's because it's the only thing that matters. Yeah.
It's the only thing. Yeah, it's the only thing that matters for your team.
Does your team have one or does it not? And if it has it, is it good or is it bad? Because you've got a good team, bad culture, your team's going to stink. You have a bad team, good culture, your team's going to be overachieving.
That's kind of how that goes. And I feel like punter, my particular position, and I see the people that are negative towards me about everything that's been happening with the Colts always just refer to me being a punter.
And let me tell you why I'm the most qualified to talk about culture because I was like in the rooms watching I was in the living rooms of both defensive guys offensive guys undrafted guys first round guys first overall guys you're talking about like I've got a chance to like see so much so much greatness like so so lucky to have seen and that's why D-Butch is like a guy that I will always hold in such high regard because whenever I watched him work and whenever I watched him interact with his teammates and I watched his film study then I watched the way he handled himself on the practice field and in the weight room and on the playing field and then in the meetings whenever a question was asked by coach Pagano the entire defense nobody has the answer who has it d-butt has you know why because d-butt worked his ass off so what i've i've gotten to see so much good shit and been lucky to be a part of these things just because i've happened to have a fucking cannon attached to my right hip like that is just kind of why i got to do all these things and i think that's why when i notice noticed some things, it's like, that's what bum teams do. That's what bum teams do.
That's what bum teams do. And it's like, great teams do this.
Great teams do this. There's trends for how humans operate within a winning organization.
And there's trends for how humans operate in a losing operation. And it's just very evident, I think, that the Colts have been in the losing program side of things with a lot of different shit they have a lot of talented players okay a lot of talented players so many talented players which is why the expectations are so high but i think they have a lot of losing traits so the only thing i was trying to say publicly was like hey why don't we for the good of the fucking okay, we would like to have a great football team.
You saw what happened with the Indiana Hoosiers with Signetti. These are football people that live out in Indiana.
They love the Colts, love going downtown, love having a reason to go have a drink downtown, love having a reason to travel in through 70 or 65 to get downtown, have a little day, have a little night, have a good time, cheer on the Colts. We're fucking're fucking good But instead we've had to deal with just and And a lot of people sticking up for and and it's like I think that's why I'm the most bummed because I've been very fortunate to see a lot of good.
I saw some terrible and whenever I point them out on a microphone It's like that's just me trying to say hey, let's win and let's stop doing this shit because that's what losers do. Now, let's get back to the toxic table at Boston Conner.
You guys fire your coach after one year? Holy shit, buddy. What are we? What are we? I mean, look, it was a tough year.
And I think the hate towards Gerard Mayo, especially yesterday, was a little bit unwarranted. I don't think anybody went into this year as a Patriots fan like, hey, we're going to win 10 games and go to the playoffs, and we're going to be competing for a Super Bowl.
The ceiling was probably seven wins. So for the fact that they went 3-14, 4-13, whatever the hell they ended up because yesterday was a shit show, doesn't really matter in the end.
They go from the number one pick to the number four pick. Also, it doesn't really matter because we're not a QB needy team.
You want more picks, but Gerard Mayo getting fired. A little bit of a surprise.
I think there were rumblings early in the season, maybe halfway through, that like, hey, things aren't going well. Things aren't getting better.
Obviously, they start the year off beating the Bengals week one, which kept the Bengals out of the playoffs and the Patriots out of the number one pick. So looking back, massive game in the moment.
Also a massive game because it's like, holy shit, Mayo's coming in, wins his first game as a head coach. This is awesome.
Maybe things will be better than expected. But I think the biggest thing was the defense got worse for Gerard Mayo, and he came in as a defensive guy.
So you would assume that would be the one thing that gets better, especially with all the players. They ended up signing during free agency, actually keeping during free agency on that defense.
So that getting worse was a massive deal. And then I think Schefter talked about it.
The last 30 days is where like doubt really started to creep in. And I think we had him on either last week or two weeks ago, and he never really had a feeling that mayo was definitely out and then yesterday on uh sunday countdown he talked about how he was leaning towards out with mayo so it is a bummer i mean one year is crazy i think last year frank reich was the only one and done guy for the panthers i think the year before was lovey smith where he won the last game just like gerard mayo against the Colts.
And then they fired him immediately after. But it stinks because Gerard Mayo was a player everyone loved in New England.
And the head coaching, you know, stint, one-year thing didn't go well. He talked kind of like a fool sometimes in the media where he would say one thing on a Monday, and then Tuesday he would walk it back.
And that was kind of from the beginning where he said in free agency they were going to burn a whole bunch of money and then the next day he said look we're not just gonna spend willy-nilly so it was one of those things where he was a rookie head coach trying to figure things out and you know it went the way it went and I think this year in particular and maybe not last year or even the year before that if this season happens that he does come back for his second year. But then when you look at the coaches who are available in this coaching cycle, Mike Vrabel, Ben Johnson.
Mike Vrabel. I think you can throw.
Mike Vrabel. Mike Vrabel.
Mike Vrabel. Mike Vrabel.
I already ordered a jersey with the number 50 that says head coach on the back, so you know where I lie in this kind of hiring cycle. But seriously, I think because Vrabel's available, specifically Vrabel, it would be foolish not to kind of move on when you see where things are going.
And over the weekend, it was reported that, and this is a real thing, Vrabel changed his Twitter ex-profile photo from one thing to him doing a nice little celebration with Teddy Bruschi when he was playing for the New England Patriots and Gerard Mayo is one of those guys too who did understand the Patriots culture played there all of that but I think Mike Vrabel more so understands what it was like playing for the Patriots when they were bad and then turning it around and making them great. He was on the team in 2000 when they were not good.
I think they won 5-11 in Bill's first year. And then he was part of that turnaround where in 2001 they went and won the Super Bowl.
So Mike Vrabel, all eyes are pointing to him. There was a tweet from Mike Giardi where he actually mentions like, hey, I've talked to multiple NFL executives around the league.
Everyone's basically already pinning Vrabel to the New England Patriots. And then we also have the video from last year where Mike Vrabel was kind of inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame.
And that was a problem with the Titans, allegedly, last year when this happened because it was during the Titans bi-week. But Foxy, if you want to run that from from last year but i also want you not to take this organization for granted i've been a lot of places this is a special place with great leadership great fans great direction great coaching enjoy it it's not like this everywhere thank you very much.
like that he's interviewing with the Jets though you know drive that price up too let's make sure old you know Robert Kraft has to do some business here to get Vrabes in there recruit him let's not just hand over the reins but Vrabes probably is thinking the exact same thing I think the Twitter profile photo change is a big deal personally I think the speech that he gave whenever he went into the ring of honor I think that's a big deal I think everything about Vrabel being available and Gerard Mayo getting fired immediately after a game in which they won and lost in a one overall pick, it's like this is happening quick. And if you do recall, after Kraft fires Bill Belichick, which I wonder how that is now.
Yeah, I think that might take a little bit. Oh, is that right? One year of, oh, is that right, potentially? You think that's what Bill Belichick's going to say to the Kraft family? I don't think he would actually say it, but he certainly, when he lays his head down at night after recruiting some transfer portal guy who's got a cannon of an arm, he thinks to himself, I wonder if the Kraft's trying to maybe have a little different opinion of things.
I hope they get it right, obviously, for the future celebration, but it's like with how quick they hired Mayo, this was the prince that was promised, feels Vrabel hiring will probably come pretty quick as well. I don't know how I feel about one year getting fired, though, H.
You know, like, if it wasn't for this particular situation with Vrabes being available, and we know this isn't like Jeff Sardy getting hired. No offense, Jeff Sardy.
I love Jeff Sardy. I think Jeff Sardy would do a great job at anything he wanted to do, including Model.
He's a handsome son of a a handsome but Vrabes has been a head coach he's dealt with ownership he's dealt with everything I mean he has literally done everything you need to do to be a head coach and he's already experienced the highs and the lows at one place as a head coach I think he's a perfect guy H yeah he does feel like a perfect guy and what's telling in that speech that he gives he says it's not like this everywhere like believe me i believe i think he said at the end of that yeah that's saying like hey this place is absolutely special you guys do things it may not be perfect because nothing is perfect but how you do things is conducive to winning as you got a sweet laser light show going on they're getting everything all queued up for the night huh i think there's gonna be a lot of the laser light shows i think I's gonna be a lot of laser light show this place is made out of laser lights it looks like legitimately these seats all have little you know how that the wrist band things at the concerts you know how they they make it like it to taylor swift yeah we're doing this one right here and it was a light show you know we were doing a light show for the entire every seat has one of those if you can see on my shoulder those are all seats every seat has like a light show part of the thing and if we know anything about wwe like they're going to utilize all this shit i mean all all this shit is going to get utilized tonight's show is going to be insane i think from what i've been hearing from what i've been hearing i think tonight's show is going to be absolutely insane love it just uh i think fastball cometh some surprises too right real races yes yeah i mean these are this is everything that's been announced thus far there was like mass from what i've from what i've been told and they don't tell me once again because i get out there and we don't need to let the doofus know what's going on because doofus will ruin the entire thing but it's like from what i've been told we got huge coming out here i mean it's it's gonna be an insane night speaking of huge surprise guests this guy comes on every week and every time he surprises us with some great information ladies and gentlemen senior nfl insider at espn michigan man adam Schefter. Yay! Gentlemen, first of all, Pat, you're in the Intuit Dome.

That's pretty cool. And I don't get the honor, usually, of being on with AJ.
It's happened before, but nice to be with AJ as well. Good to see you, Schefter.
You look great. So do you, AJ.
Schefter, it's AJ's birthday. Do you want to say happy birthday to AJ and say, hey, four years ago, why didn't you invite me to your party? Happy birthday.
How old are we today? I'm 41 years old today, Shefty. That's awesome.
You look great for your age. Hey, thank you.
Happy 41. That's what they say.
Haven't beat Michigan this decade, though. That's very kind of you.
I haven't played Michigan in 20 years, unfortunately. Hey, Shefty, why didn't you go to AJ's birthday party four years ago? I did not get that invite.

If he had invited me, I would have been there.

I think everybody was invited.

Only certain people went there, AJ.

Tell them about it.

Is that the Capitol?

Tell them.

Yeah, Shefty, I was not at the Capitol.

Pat tries to say that there was a party for me that was thrown a couple, four years ago

at the Capitol.

I was not there.

I don't know who was.

I don't know if Shefty was or not. You were wearing a Viking hat, were you? Well, I was not.
Not on that particular day. Didn't you have your feet? You kicked your feet up on your birthday.
I remember. What if that wasn't? All right, let's get the football.
Paint lady there. Happy birthday.
Happy birthday. Happy birthday.
All right, let's get to NFL. Let's get to NFL football here.
Shefty, you made an announcement that every human that is not coaching somewhere is interviewed for the head coaching job with the New York Jets. Is that an accurate statement? And one of those names, Mike Vrabel, we're all just assuming he's headed to the New England Patriots.
Where are we at with the Jets coaching search and then the coaching search as a whole, Shefty? Well, the Jets obviously have put a lot of time and thought into this, getting ready for this, having all season to prepare. And so they've submitted a whole bunch of requests today for a whole bunch of candidates, some really intriguing guys out there, Aaron Glenn and Brian Flores and Josh McCown and some GM interviews with Mike Borgonzi in Kansas city and Mike Greenberg and Tampa.

And by the way,

let's just focus in on that for just one moment.

Like how incredible would it be if the jets general manager were named Mike

Greenberg,

like that in and of itself,

like that's,

they should hire him just for that reason alone.

Like that would be awesome.

What if every time,

every time,

what if every time you walked into,

he was standing there saying,

it's time to get up with the New York jets. What if he did a full greenie kind of intro every single day? That would be magical.
But Mike Greenberg, a salary cap gymnast, gold medalist, down there with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, if we do recall. Well, you want another little factoid about Mike Greenberg as well? He and I went to the same high school.
Oh. Holy shit.
Oh. What? What high school is that? What type of high school is that? Same high school as Amy Fisher.
Belmore, John F. Kennedy.
Amy Fisher? Where's that at? It's on South Shore of Long Island. You play lacrosse? Long Island, big lacrosse place, right? Oh, yeah.
Big lacrosse. Big, yeah.
I was not lacrosse. Going back, linebacker, Sheffield on the football team, what'd you play? Yeah, true.
Rappaport. I played pick up the jockstrap as fast as you can.
Whoa. He did great, too.
He did great. Wasn't he? He was so good.
Other networks play in that game, too. Whoa.
Okay. All right.
Hold the phone. A lot of allegations.
A lot of serious, serious allegations on the internet, obviously. Good internet, though.
Head coach, wild, wild west of the internet. Haven't seen the internet like that in some time.
Plus, week 18. I mean, it was, yesterday was alive.
Schefter, as you know, your phone is alive in this particular time. So the Jets have cast a wide net because they've had a lot of time to prepare for this.
Let's get back to New England. There are Mike Vrabels.
Mike Vrabels go in there. Is that just kind of assumed? Because that's what Connor, I think, has been thinking since the conversation about Mayo maybe not being back kind of started, which was a few weeks back.
Look, I think that is logical to think, but I think that there's a lot that still has to unfold before that were to happen. That's not to say it's not going to happen, but again, they have to meet.
There are other teams interested in Mike. I don't know if all of a sudden the Jets or Bears or Saints are going to come stronger for him and present something that's going to convince him to go.
I mean, you just don't know how that's going to work out. How do you think he may feel about the way that the Gerard Mayo situation went? There's a lot of things.
Plus, the Patriots, they've never embarked on a real head coaching search. And they're going to listen to other people.
And they have to listen to other people. How do we know that they're not going to meet somebody that strikes their fancy? My point is, yes, I think Mike Vrabel is absolutely a leading candidate for the New England Patriots head coaching job.
Boom! And I think the choice in the end that a lot of people would expect to unfold, but I think there's a lot that has to happen before you get to that spot where he does, in fact, become the head coach if that does happen. Shefty, when does the first hiring happen? I know there's different rules on when you can interview people, when you can't.
All this stuff is depending on if your team is still playing. When do you think the first hiring takes place? And the Chicago Bears specifically, I know it's a two-parter.
What do you think they do? I hear a lot of people talking about how covet of a job that is, how a lot of people want that gig. I guess with Chicago, we can answer that one first.
What do you think happens there? Well, first of all, in relation to timing, the league has put guardrails and rules into place to slow this down dramatically. And it used to be for years, for years, that this day came the day after the season and there was a sprint to go interview candidates and hire them right away.
And now the rules are set up and designed so that any coach on a team, any executive on a team for a GM job, they cannot interview face to face until after the divisional playoff round on January 20th. And so it used to be for years, for years, most jobs were filled by the time January 20th rolled over.
Answer it. Got to get it.
No, no, no. You got to get that.
We got to get it, Shifty. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You got to. We'll mute you.
We'll mute you. We'll mute you.
We'll mute you. We're going to keep it on the stream.

Next call comes in.

I missed that.

And I apologize because maybe the person who called is watching. But what I was about to say is by the time we got to the divisional playoff round, most, if not all, of the jobs usually were filled.
And now I'd be surprised if we had a single hiring by the divisional playoff round. I mean, you might get one, but the league has really slowed this down so that teams take their time and everybody gets the proper consideration and nobody races to get it done.
And now it lingers until late January, early February. Now we're getting hirings like Super Bowl week.
It just, it's, and by the way, it's just more attention for the league, more attention for the league because the league needs that. I think it's good.
We've been petitioning and campaigning for this for a few years. A coaching hiring part of the season of the calendar because these dudes working their asses off to get to the biggest game of the year than them having to do a four hour interview.
If you've got to answer that, you answer that. I just want to let you know that.
If you want to break some news, go ahead and break some news. That's what this day is all about.
Overreaction.

Black Monday.

You know what I mean?

That's the entire thing.

But it's just like, I think them having to do the four-hour interviews, like the day

before having to prepare for a division round or a playoff game or something like that.

We thought that was stupid.

We thought that was stupid.

Yeah, we thought that was very dumb.

And then we thought people wanting to hire coaches that lost earlier just because they could hang out with them more before they could hang out with anybody else was dumb. I thought that was stupid.
Yeah, we thought that was very dumb. And then we thought people wanting to hire coaches that lost earlier just because they could hang out with them more before they could hang out with anybody else was dumb.
I thought that was stupid. The best coaches are on the teams that are going the furthest.
Not always, but you can kind of assume that's the case. And you're going to hire before you can even meet that person because they're in the middle of a Super Bowl run.
Isn't that what you're trying to do? So the fact that the NFL kind of put mandates on that to happen, I like that move. I do like that move.
Now, let's talk about some other big news. Down in Miami, what was that all about? Here's a video of Tyree Kill after the game yesterday chinchattin' about his future for both himself and his career.
I mean, for me, like I said, man, I just gotta do what's best for me and my family, dog. If that's here, if that's wherever the case may be man I'm I'm finna open that door for myself dog as I'm opening the door like I'm out bro oh you know so it was great playing here but you know I at the end of the day but open the door best for you know for for my career and you know what's best because I'm too much of competitor to be you know, for my career and you know, what's best.
Cause I'm too much of a competitor to be, you know, just, it's out there. What does that mean you think about leaving here? If it is, hey.
Hey, all right, you got it. Hey, he's like, he's like Kramer from Seinfeld.
He opened the door and he was out of it at the same time. You know, I mean, bang, bang, boom.
He's out of here, you know, in the same statement. What are you hearing down there? It's pretty crazy Miami Dolphin talk as I spent four and a half hours on a tube with a Miami Dolphins fan this morning.
Well, I'll just say that the year started with Tyreek Hill news and it's ending with Tyreek Hill news because that's a wild postgame commentary to offer at the end of the season. He can say whatever he wants, but it feels like this has been building and going on for quite some time.
It just feels like he's hinted at this and wanting to be, and there's been whispers about wanting to be traded.

And I also think we've got a situation where, you know,

yesterday he was heard and didn't play.

Like, there's more to this.

And clearly there are enough issues there yesterday that tell you that I think

their future together is murky, is murky. And we'll see how each side decides to handle it going forward they were lurking now it's murky with Tyreek Hill uh what is happening with Tua Tongvaloa saw him yesterday I don't want to say checked out but seemingly just kind of uh not as involved as he was the week before on the sideline that week before on the sideline kind of came out of nowhere is he okay what? What's his future look like? Well, he's got a hip injury, and it's the same hip that had surgery in college.
It's not the same injury, but it is the same hip. And I think it's a case where if they had gone to the playoffs, he could have pushed to play.
But look, you could see early on yesterday, Denver was winning big. The Dolphins weren't.
And it was a case where Miami, as soon as the game

started, didn't have a realistic chance to get

to the postseason. So

you know,

two has got to get that hip well

and right. And obviously it's troublesome

that it is the same hip, but he'll

have time now to rest it up and get it ready

for the 2025 season.

Okay, so this is

good. His hip's going to be completely fine going forward.
We're going to be good. Back 100% next year.
That's the understanding, yes. But let's see what happens during the offseason, yes.
It's good news, Gump. It's good news, Gump.
It's good news for the FinFam. Speaking of FinFam, D-Butch, Tyreek Hill might be gone, but two is back.
That's good news. Missed the playoffs maybe next year.
Great, great, great, great news. I obviously don't love it.
Obviously, too, you know, you want him to be healthy, but it's a violent game. He did seem a little checked out over there on the sideline with the shades on.
That was a little surprising to see him. Sunglasses.
Yeah, to see him say sunglasses, specks, whatever you want to call them. Didn't love that.
Then Tyreek, he just got a new deal at the beginning of this year. And then, like Shafty said, now you're, you know, you left Kansas City, Kansas City back-to-back Super Bowl champs, going for number three.
Maybe he's missing that. Wouldn't mind seeing him in the Chargers or the Ravens next year.
But anyway, another big question I have, something that surprised me hearing from Jay Glazer yesterday, that team he may possibly be looking to trade for Kevin O'Connell, who is going into his last year of his deal.

I expect a deal to get done pretty quickly here with Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings.

But what are you hearing on that front?

Well, I think these are the situations that get addressed usually after the season.

The Vikings aren't going to grant anybody permission to go talk to Kevin O'Connell in season. And then after the season, the owners will have a chance to do an extension with him.
And if they do the extension, it's not an issue. And if they don't do an extension, then obviously there are decisions to make because he'd be going into the last year of his contract.
So I think that's what it's about. It's about his future.
And I think right now the Vikings are focused on their season. They got a big Monday night game against the Rams.
We'll see how that goes. And I think after their season ends, whenever it ends, they can figure out the Kevin O'Connell situation.
I'm going to guess safely that the Wills don't want him going anywhere. Who reps Kevin O'Connell? How many agents are there for coaches? There's a lot of different agents.
I'm trying to think who his rep is um i am unsure is this a jimmy sexton option is this a jimmy sexton operation i don't think he's jimmy sexton if he's jimmy sexton this is all good plan is jimmy sexton's that have you ever seen that dude's melon it is, and the business acumen inside of it is always humming

at about 1,000 miles an hour because I don't think Kevin O'Connell is the only one.

Tone has a question for you, Shefty.

Yeah, I do, Shefty.

Now, I think you know and I know that this may be a long shot,

but there was also reports of Mike Tomlin,

teams reaching out potentially about trading for Mike Tomlin.

As a Steelers fan forever, I think there's less than a 0% chance this happens, but I wanted to ask you about it. Yeah, well, I know we talked about it on Sunday Countdown, raised the idea that a couple of teams were pondering it.
I think one team actually looked into it and uncovered the fact that his contract has a no-trade clause in it. So even if Pittsburgh wanted to trade him, which we've gotten zero indication that it does, they couldn't do that without his permission because he's got a no trade clause in his contract.

So that's there. Again, that doesn't stop teams, whether it's Mike Tomlin or Kevin O'Connell or Kyle Shanahan or whoever, to call up a team and say, would your organization have any interest in listening to conversations? And Pittsburgh doesn't seem to be interested.
Minnesota doesn't seem to be interested. San Francisco doesn't seem interested.
You can want anybody you want, but there has to be somebody that's willing to engage. And right now, currently, none of those

teams are. Now, could something change in the offseason?

Sure. But right now, none

of them are. When was the last

time a coach was traded? I remember Herm Edwards was traded

right from the Jackson Chiefs.

Sean Payton. The Broncos had to give

compensation to the

New Orleans Saints. John Gruden

was traded from the Raiders.

John Gruden was traded. Herm Edwards was traded.
Not likely, right? I mean, that's not normal at all. Bill Belichick was traded.
That's pretty sick, yeah. No trade clause is what? From Jets to Patriots? Or where was...
He's going to be joining us in about 45 minutes. I should know this information.
Belichick was traded from where? Browns? He was traded from the Jets to the Patriots. But didn't he say, I'm not, I ain't doing it, or I ain't going to be here? And if my memory serves me correct, there was, well, is it either Parcells or Belichick, New England had to give draft pick compensation for one, if not both of those coaches.
I'm trying to remember. Maybe it was the Jets compensating the Patriots for Parcells,

but maybe the Patriots had to give up for Bilicek.

I'd have to go look at it off the top of my head.

What are we talking about, 25 years ago?

So it's a while back.

But there was compensation involved with coaches

and those two organizations.

That I remember.

Very abnormal thing to happen. Sean Payton in the Denver Broncos has got to be happy with whatever they gave up to the Saints to pull his ass out of television.
Speaking of coming out of television, there's a guy that's currently on the internet that's lurking that you just mentioned. Ty, has a question for you.
Yeah, Shefty, I think it was either last week or two weeks ago there was a report floating around that John Gruden has kind of become like a hot name amongst teams and our teams are monitoring his situation. Have you heard that? And what's the likelihood that Gruden either gets interviewed or actually has a head coaching job come next year? I have heard that.
And I think there are people out there who think that he's going to be in contention for some of these jobs. We'll see how that plays out.
I have not heard him officially interviewing anywhere, but I think, you know, somebody who has accomplished as much as he has always is going to draw some looks and attention. I think that there are people who believe that he could get back in the game.
I'm a John Gruden fan and would love to see that happen. I think he's great for the game, but don't know how close right now that is to happening.
Okay, don't take him from the internet. We need him.
Need him still there. He is so good on the internet.
Joe Grude. He's got a unique way of expressing a lot of different things.
That's why he's so good in the booth. Boston Conner has a question for you.
Yeah, Shepty, some news this morning was Deshaun Watson's rehab had a setback, and now his status for 2025 is uncertain, so basically going forward, that'll be known as the worst trade and contract in the history of the NFL, and now no players will ever get a guaranteed contract, but that's completely beside the point. Do you think that the Browns, now that they sit at the second overall pick, are going to consider drafting a quarterback in this upcoming class, or do you see them maybe signing a veteran a la Kirk Cousins if he's a free agent? I think that they were considering drafting a quarterback at two and signing a free agent before this Deshaun Watson diagnosis that came in this morning.
I think that when you look at that draft board, the way it sits, they're sitting there with the number two pick. I think everybody would assume that Tennessee potentially could go quarterback at one.
So Cleveland could get one of the top two quarterbacks in this draft. Now, this is a conversation that we'll be having a lot leading up to the draft.
Is there a quarterback that's worth taking ahead of some of these positional players like a Travis Hunter? And these are decisions that teams will make. But Cleveland all along was always going to be in the quarterback market.
Always. I don't believe they're counting on Deshaun Watson starting or saving their season.
If he comes along and plays, great. If he doesn't, then that's the way it is.
But they were going to go out and strengthen that position no matter what, whether it's through the draft or through free agency or through trade or any combination of those factors. The Browns are going to change that quarterback room next season.
It ain't going to be Bailey Zappi starting on opening day next year. So we'll see how that works out.
They're going to, I would, I would expect that they have a new starting quarterback on opening day in 2025. And then is that the same guy that's in 2026? Well, they would like that to be the case, of course.
I mean, in their world, they, maybe they draft the guy. They can't get out of that contract, right? With contract right with the sean they can't they literally cannot get i know what denver's eaten with russell wilson is like what 50 million or something and then they have 40 million other dead cap money i put a number up 45 million it was fact checked that by the way you touched on denver and i want to address that for a moment because denver is carrying over 80 million dollars in dead cap this year.
$80 million.

So I want you to think about the job that that organization has done, carrying that dead money.

And you talked about going out and getting Sean Payton, right?

Well, I think that was key.

And then he identified early in the process, Bo Nix, as a guy that he was enamored with right away.

I mean, early in the process. That was going to be his guy.
And if you have a head coach as sharp as Sean and a quarterback like Bo Nix, who Steve Spagnuolo this past weekend was comparing to a junior version of Josh Allen. Now, again, it's early, a lot of time left, but to even be in that conversation is something, considering the poor play that the Broncos have gotten at that position.
They haven't been to the playoffs since 2015. They've turned it around.
They've got their coach. They've got their quarterback.
They're feeling great. I mean, that's unbelievable.
The dead cat money, the job that that organization did. So, well done by them.
Where are we going? I forget. i diverted well let's just finish this point then we'll get back to the cleveland browns potentially eating all that dead cap like the yeah with the russell hold on hold on hold on hold on jeff day jesus jesus to make your point about sean payton loving bo nix here's him on our draft night spectacular literally 15 minutes after he drafted him the thing that was most impressive and we have these things pat and bill knows that we have critical factors you know we don't want linebackers that can't tackle receivers that can't i mean there's certain things that are must yes and i think it's hard i think it's hard to be an nfl quarterback if you know you're not somewhat accurate and watch his pro day and then we and then we were

there for the pro day and then our private workout was the following day we threw 80 more balls

and I can't think of a pass where and so the first sign of an inaccurate quarterback is when you're

throwing these shorter these shorter routes because the ball's got to be on the right shoulder

it's got to be on the you know for the back the camera it's a little bit easier down the field

I'm sorry. shorter these shorter routes because the ball's got to be on the right shoulder it's got to be on the you know for the back the camera it's a little bit easier down the field to to stretch the ball and maybe uh hide your accuracy deficiencies and so man it's it was impressive and uh i just remember we got in the car afterwards and i just looked around and i said are you kidding me i? I mean, he said, the other thing was I was surprised how big he is.
6'2", 218 pounds. And, you know, it's, it's hard sometimes when you play on the West coast, your games are on at 9 PM.
But, um, yeah, I, I think, I think the biggest thing is trust in what you're seeing. And, and I say that respectfully, everyone has jobs to do and, and, and it's always like, well draft.
This is, you know, you could have backed up and got him. And I heard that with Patrick Mahomes when Kansas City took him.
And I'm like, well, they couldn't have backed up and got him because we were taking him with the next pick. Okay, so Sean Payton was going to draft Patrick Mahomes.
And he fell in love with Bo Nix when he threw 80 more balls the day after his pro day and went bananas. So they were willing to move forward without Russell Wilson taking a cap hit with a rookie quarterback.
Now they're in the playoffs. What a wonderful turnaround.
The Browns, though, they would be eating a massive amount of salary cap, just like the Broncos chose to do. Go ahead, Shefty.
Here's what I was going to say. We've got, I think, a couple of teams that have provided roadmaps to the Cleveland Browns to show how it's done.

A couple of years ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a similar amount in dead cap money, and they went out and got an unwanted quarterback in Baker Mayfield and turned around their franchise. We see

the Denver Broncos with over $80 million in cap charges go out and draft Bo Nix and turn around

their franchise. So if you're Cleveland now, in a perfect world, you're going to go draft a guy and maybe you go get Kirk Cousins because Kirk Cousins is going to get to choose the place that he plays, being that the Falcons are basically going to be paying his salary in 2025.
So whether that's Cleveland or somewhere else, he's going to get to go pick where he wants to go play in 2025. But the Browns know, even with that contract, in an ideal world, you get a rookie, that you're carrying a rookie quarterback contract, that that rookie makes it in this league and can help offset the Deshaun contract over the course of the remaining term of it.
And that rookie contract at the quarterback position is so vital, which is why the people in Atlanta have so many questions. But, hey, you know, Kurt Cousins is going to be on the market probably quickly in due time.
They'll get that all sorted. So will Andrew Barry in the Browns, I assume.
Go ahead, AJ. Shefty, what do you think the Jets do, obviously, with the head coaching search and also with Aaron Rodgers situation? I know Aaron said after the game, they asked him people, it was rumored that people close to you said, this may be your last game.
You're probably done playing. I thought that was AJ.
I thought that might've been you Shefty. Can you clear that up at all? And what do you think Aaron does? What do you think the Jets do at the core or at the head coaching? Yeah, I, I, I, about his future, he was the one that talked about his future and he was the one that acknowledged that it could be his last game.
So any comments about his future came from him. As I said, anybody that has a documentary, and I hope I pronounce it right this time because I butchered it yesterday, called Enigma.
When you've got a documentary named Enigma, I'm not going to predict that. I do say it.
What the hell did you say yesterday, Shifty? I missed that. You know what I said yesterday.
Anyway. I don't.
I don't. I don't.
I'm imagining. My brain is thinking of a lot of people.
Aaron does what he wants to do. Aaron does what he wants to do, but he's the one that acknowledged that it could be his last year.
And obviously he wants to take some time and we'll see what he decides to do. If he wants to still play, he's certainly talented enough and capable enough.
And there are enough teams in this league that have a need at that position that I think there will be a spot for him. But that's something that he has to figure out whether he wants to do first.
Does he want to come and put himself through all that all over again a lot of people there aren't many people that get to play till they're 41 and when they do that they they know how hard it is to get their bodies and minds right to play again so if he wants to come back and play there'll be work for him but that's something that he has to decide first and i and broadway joe said he's still got it i seen it with my own eyes he said I got it this guy still got it he's still spent after watching I and Rogers play like there's no that because he's a Western Pennsylvania guy he's got at least another year in him so if he wants to I'd love to see him stay with the Jets he could definitely help the new GM and coach as well as play ball huh he's still throwing with accuracy and most importantly here Shafty know, authority. That is the biggest thing.
I saw Brees Hall retweet this, I do believe. What is, I mean, that's just all, depends on who they hire, I guess, on whether or not they do it.
But how many teams are going to want a quarterback, you think? How many teams are going to want a quarterback? Well, I think you could look at this and there's going to be a minimum of seven teams in the quarterback market minimum but yeah you want me to hold on

i get a list here let's see what i have a couple more all that top three in the draft for sure

what could you have called it yeah yeah go thinking about that yeah because there's an m

in there there's an m in there yeah you know i don't want to speculate i don't either um

um maybe we go through this i don't either.

Maybe.

We go through this.

I don't know what he said.

There are a lot of teams that need quarterbacks.

There are a lot of teams that need quarterbacks,

and there are always going to be teams that need quarterbacks.

Okay.

All right.

Now, speaking of quarterbacks, you usually win the MVP.

I would like us to have a conversation with our AP voter about how the comeback player of the year is not an award. It's no longer an award that is just given out to the person who sucks one year and then plays great the next year.
Tone, this is a PSA. This needs to be made.
People are making bets right now. You're an AP voter, so you're actually giving away maybe your vote here in this entire thing.
People should listen to it just as a bad bet to begin with because you're a voter deciding these things. Yeah.
So I put out the tweet and I want to read it just so, you know, it changed after last year with the DeMar and Joe Flacco. Joe Flacco winning comeback player of the year.
Whether it is someone who is the most improved player or someone who has, you know, overcome an injury or something like that. So the spirit of the award is to honor a player who has demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity by overcoming illness, physical injury, or other circumstances that led him to miss playing time the previous season.
So yeah, yesterday Sam Darnold was the betting favorite at a lot of sportsbooks, but there wasn't anything that led him to miss time the previous season other than Brock Purdy was the starting quarterback and Sam Darnold was not. The AP reached out and they said thank you for putting out the tweet.
But also, Sam Darnold is not allowed to win the award. As long as you are not a rookie, you are allowed to win the award.
The AP is not going to tell you who you can and who you cannot vote for. but in the spirit of the award, I put out that tweet, and it just doesn't...
It seems like after Geno won and then Flacco won, Sam would be in that category this year, but after last year, they kind of changed the spirit of the award to someone who has overcome something like an injury or an illness or something like that. Most improved.
DeMar Hamlin had won over Joe Flacco and didn't. And so, you know, if Sam Darnold wins it, he'd be worthy.
And by the way, that brings us back to quarterback. So the teams with quarterback issues, for a moment, if you don't mind, Giants, Saints, Seahawks, Jets, Steelers, Browns, Colts, Titans, Raiders.
Giants, Saints, Seahawks, Jets, Steelers, Browns. Who told you Colts? Who told you Colts? You think they're counting? I mean, it's all solved.
I don't know anything. I don't know anything.
I put it down. One of the teams that has a quarterback question.
Nobody told it to me. Ponditry.

They have a quarterback question.

Again, we're classifying as teams with quarterback questions for 25.

A lot of questions in Indianapolis.

Hey, do you have any questions in Indianapolis?

Yeah, well, that's Drake May.

Obviously, the answer up there in New England.

Congratulations.

Obviously, you should be pumped about that with the new coach. Hopefully, he'll be able to put a winning culture in there.
Speaking of winning culture, you read Jim Irsay's letter alongside of us. Is that when you found out what was going on in Indy? How long do you know? Well, what I said to you yesterday.
We were texting yesterday. I said to you, I think they're safe, right? I said that to you in the morning.
Yeah, you did. We exchanged a couple texts, right?

Yeah, I didn't know how exactly before the game was even really played.

How do you know?

The boys get a big-time win over Jacksonville.

Huge.

Big time.

OT.

Big time win over Jacksonville. That was huge.

Jacksonville's been our Achilles heel to this entire time.

So that's a huge win at home to go into the offseason.

And that thing was put out pretty quick.

So I feel like he had a decision made before the game even started. But hopefully they're able to turn around.
We can't thank you enough. What do we not ask about that we should have asked about? And what do you think is coming through your phone every 10 seconds? There has to be something to wait on to get confirmation.
Well, there were only three missed calls and 11 missed texts. So we'll get to that.
That's the most interesting thing today.

You know, this is a day.

Usually you're talking about

all the moves that are made

and people that teams are moving on from.

Like there's your list of firing so far.

And I think it's more notable today.

All the people that are being kept.

I think that is more interesting today.

Chris Greer, Don Aaron, Miami, Balkeykey down in Jacksonville, Ballard in Indianapolis. What's going on in Vegas? Do we know what's going on out there? Abel and Shane in New York.
There's a lot of people being kept that there were questions about. Antonio Pierce is scheduled to meet with the media here in about 20 minutes.
Now, again, they're letting him meet with the media, and I guess the Bears did that. And they fired the guy.
Yeah, so anything could always happen. And I still think the Antonio Pierce situation could go either way, but my sense has been that I think he'll be safe, but if Mark, this is a Mark Davis decision.
It's hard to predict what he's thinking exactly. Right.
But I know that he and Antonio Pierce have had multiple meetings on a regular basis, talking about the future, planning for the future. And so my gut is that he is likely to be back.

But I also look...

Man, brother. He's got you in a blender right now.
Mark Davis got you in a blender. You think you don't want to put your credibility on the line by saying yes, from what I've heard, potentially, but then there's a chance, no, you're dancing with it right now.
You're dancing. Well, yeah.
Well, Pat, a lot of these things are like that you know

i mean they're not easy to predict so well we we appreciate the hell out of what you do you're the man ladies and gentlemen adam shefter we'll be back on the other side i'll be live from the into a dome aj will be out of the thunder dome we'll see you then goodbye Race the rudder!

Race the sails!

Race the sails!

Captain, an unidentified ship is approaching. Over.
Roger. Wait.
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Go to shopify.com slash network, shopify.com slash network go to shopify.com slash network shopify.com slash network football i don't know if i hit it or not i was trying to read your boy's hands cues i appreciate you so much for the beat drop there aj hawk obviously sitting next to me sitting next to me, the all-time leading tackler for the Green Bay Packers,

a Super Bowl champion, a national champion at the Ohio State University.

Massive week, college football playoffs, semifinals, Thursday and Friday, A.J., down in Miami, then in Dallas.

How do you feel?

You a little bit nervous for the Ohio State boys or do you think the time is now for the Buckeyes?

No, I think the time is now for the Buckeyes, but it is a real thing. Now there's all these expectations.
I believe they're the favorite to win the national championship. The dynamic kind of changes around the team.
I think the team inside and what they've been doing day to day stays the same. But I think now fans, I don't know how you guys feel, but fans get a little bit nervous when things like this happen.
Now you're not the underdog. You're not as much the chip on the shoulder team.
Now you're expected to win. Now it's a little bit different, I think.
It happened with the Packers this year. Without a doubt.
And yikes. Expectations are tough sometimes for teams to deal with.
But luckily, I think the teams insulate themselves very, very well as Michael Cole is getting strapped in, I guess, next to you, huh, Pat? Yeah. Michael Cole came stomping around earlier while I was doing the intro to the second hour, obviously.
He came stomping it fresh out of a meeting.

How do we feel?

Looks happy.

Done a massive night here for the WWE.

And also, congrats to the Intuit, though.

You know, being the place that is majestic and magical.

And obviously, this is Rocco setting up Michael Cole right now.

Great name.

Great name.

Came up with this gimmick right here.

You know, this gimmick right here.

Instead of the belt thing, gave me one of these little hook things. Genius.
Rocco. Big ass brain.
Big ass brain. That's WWE stuff.
Michael Cole, ladies and gentlemen. Hi, guys.
Thanks for having me, Pat. Cole, we were talking about the college football playoffs.
No problem. Thank you for having...
Uh-oh. Something's happening.
I think we're feeding the house. Or we were.
No, no, no. That was probably me just yelling, there's a bunch of static.
We're back. Okay.
How do you see? I'm crystal clear. Michael looks great.
There's a little song. Thank you, guys.
Did he interview? Did you hear that? You look like a dork. It's gone now.
It's gone. Yeah, it was there for a second.
Connor, nice hat. Thanks, brother.
Nice. Six Super Bowls, bitch.
I could never touch this. By the the way thanks for taking Vrabel from us too No problem Jets are going to jet You guys are going to suck forever Michael Cole thank you for joining us Massive night with WWE They're still ecstatic in my ear But that might just be the brain It has stopped great work whoever that was Huge night hereuit Dumb.
We just had a production meeting for the show. Paul Triple H Levesque, of course, our chief content officer, gave us a nice pep speech.
And he's really, really excited, very emotional, as we all are. This changes the game, not only for professional wrestling, sports entertainment.
It changes the game for all of entertainment. We're going to become the first show to stream live weekly on Netflix.
Obviously, we've talked about the NFL. We've talked about the Tyson-Paul fight.
This is a game changer for across-the-board entertainment-wise. Forget professional wrestling.
For us, huge game changer, especially with Netflix getting into the NFL and a relationship with the WWE you know a lot of people thought uh about yesterday today and tomorrow whenever it comes to technology and how people are going to consume stuff everybody thinks tomorrow's already here where everybody's already streaming everybody's already on the internet linear television obviously still very important linear television still put up massive numbers I think uh the Rose Bowl got like 21 million or something viewers by Nielsen standard which what is that I don't know but what about the what about the alt cast the numbers that the McAfee alt cast did for the Rose Bowl the boys crushed it obviously we had a good time they said most ever boys you said most ever 2.5 million we had a good time out there 2.4 I like what you did there overse so that's what I do I'm a wrestling with the cell but you we're lucky to do that ESPN too I think that type of game is what the all cast is actually meant for you know because it's a blowout so let's go do I think these next two games the orange ball and cotton ball are gonna be fantastic but let's talk about what we were chatting about about how linear television still matters. Streaming is certainly the future but nobody knew when that was gonna happen.
This leap right here for Monday Night Raw which has been on USA for 30 years or whatever. Since 1993.
Going to a streaming platform globally is a massive move for the industry and WWE has been ahead of schedule on these types of decisions for everything that has happened throughout technology advancing and I want to let you know as a small business owner with the boys we would like to say thanks to you and to everybody here for kind of blazing a trail when it comes to business wise a negotiation a five billion dollar deal we WWE Netflix we did blow it though with tout yeah that was I didn't follow you there though if it means anything none of us followed you there which was part which was part of the problem. But it's like, this deal is huge.
And Netflix, obviously, I just said the number, very invested. And it feels like the WWE is, I don't want to say reinvigorated, but it does feel like a very refreshing rebirth feel almost in this entire thing.
Pat, you mentioned linear TV. Of course, NXT is on the CW.
We've got SmackDown on the USA Network, so very, very important to our

company that we're still on those platforms. But Netflix, 282 million worldwide subscribers.
WWE is going to be available, all of our stuff is going to be available in 80% of the globe. Holy! Of course, the United States, Netflix has Monday Night Raw and then some of the catalog,.
But 80% of the globe, WWE is going to be a part of this small local promotion that started

in the 1960s and 70s is now this global conglomerate that we're lucky to be a part of.

Very lucky.

You're a goat in this business, brother.

Thank you.

You need to know that.

And I'm lucky to be welcomed back.

I love seeing all the people.

How excited are you for tonight?

So pumped.

You're going to get an entrance in this place tonight. I shouldn't, but the more I've been learning, too, from people, it's great to see everybody.
Everybody here is awesome. The best.
Frosty down there, my guy. Yeah, bingo, Frosty.
I mean, everybody. You talk about Rocket down there with Frosty.
I'm learning. Good name, good guy.
But everybody in the tech that set this whole thing up, WWE is great. They're going to kill it tonight and crush it throughout this entire netflix deal which we're incredibly thankful for uh you said the entire globe is your little wayne on uh game the nfl game day morning yesterday yes he said that baker mayfield has a chip on his shoulder the size of earth if there is such a thing as a planet or something like that what does that mean well i think we i think we all all of us have a chip on our shoulder right yeah but what about planet Earth not being a planet? What do you mean by that? What's the way you say? Yeah, planet Earth.
He said planet Earth. Nah, but then he said if it's even real.
Well, I mean, come on. Is he talking about the chip on his shoulders? Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Didn't Kyler Irving see the Earth that was flat at one point? Yeah, I mean, there's a lot of that. The internet's certainly incredibly loud, but you talk about the opposite side of the world where they live in a completely different way wwe has been i don't want to say something that has advanced cultures but it really has well look it really has look at what we've done in saudi arabia bingo that's what i'm talking about it's just an incredible uh experience being over there and see how that country has grown and and what we've done over there for the past six or seven years and pat it's amazing i mean you went to ireland for game day this day oh man experience for everyone yeah um but we get to travel the globe i mean we've got a three-week european tour coming up in march and to be able to go to these different countries and the way that we're treated and the way to see the wwe fans that sell out in all of these different arenas it's absolutely incredible um that we've become not only a part of American culture, but international culture now.
And Netflix is just going to expand that. For instance, tonight, one of the jobs that you and I are going to have to do is explain to the world who our characters are.
Who's Liv Morgan? Who's Rhea Ripley? Who's CM Punk? Who's Seth Rollins? Without insulting the longtime fans. Because we're going to have a lot of new viewers here tonight.
We're going to have a lot of lapsed fans that may not have joined us since the Attitude Era. So we're going to have to explain who is Seth Rollins, who is CM Punk.
Seth freaking Rollins. Have a little respect for the fans.
Why are they important to our product and also basically to the world? Because these guys just don't wrestle. They do so many other things that are important to the entertainment yeah wwe is so good to the community i mean it is uh it's an honor to be here brother i can't wait to watch you work ty schmidt has a question about the wwe hi michael hey cole how you doing uh i'm just curious have you obviously we always talk about like the the wrestling business and how it's just a grind people are on the road non-stopstop.
Have you noticed with the superstars that there's maybe they're a little bit more reinvigorated? There's an extra pep in their step with the move to Netflix? Because obviously this is a massive deal and a massive opportunity for a lot of them as well. So Ty, I think they're reinvigorated by a number of things.
I think number one, the schedule's better for the superstars. We don't do as many live events as we have in the past.
We're really putting all of our energy into our television shows, whether it's NXT, SmackDown, or Monday Night Raw. I think that has a lot to do with it.
I think the new regime has really helped as well. Triple H, and I've said this in a number of different interviews, he understands that he has an all-star team here in this company.
Not only the superstars in the ring, but the announcers, the camera guys, the audio guys, the props people, the television production people. He understands that we're an all-star team and that we know how to do our job.
And he basically sits back and allows us to do what we do best best and I think that freedom has really allowed the superstars and I know for me and I know for Pat as well has allowed us to be more entertaining to be more relaxed to be able to sit back and enjoy this product as a fan and also who knows characters better than the character right I mean Seth Rollins knows his character better than anybody on the planet. So why not allow him to be able to bring that character forward? And that's one of the things that this company is allowing us to do now.
That's an empowerment leadership style. And I think Mr.
H, Hunter, Paul, if you will, is certainly somebody's trying to log into an Apple account that just popped up on the screen. Somebody needs to check their Apple account.
Yeah, it just popped up on the screen. Everybody needs to know that that is happening.
But Mr. H, for me, because I started in NXT, a lot of wrestling people forget that, I cut my teeth down there.
Bingo. NXT legend.
And that was when Triple H was running it. Did you just just say nxt legend you heard him yeah main evented yeah main event of the ple speaking short we called them ppvs back in my day remember yeah i main evented yeah i main evented one of them you recall you did one off top of a cage yeah yeah you did lost the undisputed era still don't understand that one still don't understand that one but nonetheless there there are triple h has been awesome since the beginning for tremendous to me and i think to everybody go ahead tremendous and he's again he's just empowered us like you said and he's given let let us he lets us do what we do i mean i've seen everything in this business for nearly 30 years i have never had as much fun as i've had the last couple of years not only working with you but also working with with paul and you and i are going to step it up a level tonight we are uh this netflix deal is going to be pretty it's going to be pretty exciting it's gonna be a lot more freedom um listen we're not going to go off the reservation there's not going to be a uh you know we're not turning this into an r-rated broadcast friendly show but we're going to have a lot of fun there's the attitude air fans don't you worry about what the rating is.
Don't you worry about it. We'll be able to get our point across.
So when some scumbag comes walking out here, we're going to make sure we paint the picture to the entire globe, if there is such a thing, Lil Wayne, and let them know that this is a piece of trash, a garbage bag of a human being. And that's the job.
That's why that open that they're going to show is so Impressive Triple H voiced it over they released it on social media It basically tells the story of like professional wrestling from the carnival days Obviously the territory days to everything and what it is to the world like you said and Man professional wrestling has always been my first love, you know It was what I wanted to be Monday nights was like what an escape everybody on there was rich in my eyes and they're athletic and they could talk shit it's like that's this is my world and then you just disappear in it because so many different things can happen in tonight with the usage of this place I mean it's gonna be it's like an IMAX this entire place is a fucking IMAX wait till you see that cold open you're talking about play at the start of Netflix tonight in this building the The rehearsals were amazing. It's going to be absolutely incredible to see this on your television screen tonight.
Let's go. You talk about professional wrestling, and I think I'm like you.
I was a kid brought up in New York and watching the old WWWF with my grandmother. Wow.
How did he get all those youths? That was unbelievable.

That was six of them.

That was six youths.

Midnight on WOR out of New York.

Went to Syracuse University.

Saw the first WrestleMania on closed circuit at the Landmark Theater there.

Got away from it for a little bit.

Came back in 1997.

And I set it next to you at WrestleMania when Cody Rhodes finished his story this past year.

Great call.

I love professional wrestling. And it is an amazing outlet to be able to sit on your couch on a Monday night, crack open a beer or a soda or whatever your taste is, and sit back and watch the good guys battle the bad guys.
And there's nothing better than it. I agree.
I'm so lucky and thankful to be back. D-Botch has a question for you, Michael Cole.
Yeah, speaking of the bad guys, I can't wait to lock in tonight on this new era, but let's talk a little football. New York Jets, your search has been far and wide.
Bad guys. D-Botch.
You know, GM's head coach. D, I'm trying to enjoy my day.
Before you get into it, I just want to know, what do you think about the search search so far and who do you want at that GM head coach role going forward?

Well, the guy I wanted is going to be stolen by Conor's Patriots,

but that was very well.

I want Aaron Glenn.

I want Aaron Glenn. I want Aaron Glenn to come back to New York.

I want him to come back and win a Super Bowl with the Jets.

Always liked Aaron Glenn.

I want him to come back, and I want him to finally get us a winning season here. Quarterback-wise, I have no idea what we're going to do.
Aaron had a great year number-wise. Obviously, who knows what's going to happen with him.
Obviously, his issues with the owner. I was a big Sam Darnold guy this year.
I've always been a big Sam Darnold guy, but last night he didn't impress me too much. I don't know if we want to spend money on that.
Do we go after J.J. after JJ McCarthy I just don't know but I want Aaron Glenn to be our our head coach next year.
Aaron Glenn the absolute dog cooked up Sam Darnold last night people were saying and you know Sam missed a couple you know I think it was good to get that game out of the way before they have a big one against the Rams and then potentially a repeat of this game two weeks from now what did you think of the Aaron Rodgers experience if it is over there in New York you know you said immediately that something was going to go wrong. I said it on this show.
What did we say, Connor? We said he was a pessimistic prick. Yeah, just negative Nancy.
Just never really being optimistic about the Jets situation. Always, from day one.
Yeah, pitiful Patty almost, we were saying. I said on this show, when Aaron Rodgers was signed,

that something's going to happen.

Four plays into the season, he blows his Achilles.

It's your fault.

Yeah.

Okay.

Came back this year.

Universe.

Hey, Hades, you're right.

I didn't even think about it.

Right?

Maybe it is.

He manifested.

Cole, are you worried that you manifested that Achilles tear?

I may have done that, but listen, I've suffered through the Jets for 50 years.

You weren't the only one.

A lot of people were saying it was going to happen, and then it did happen. It did.
And then this year's the thing about it's like a blink of an eye and it's over remember we were in the summer at tahoe age and it was just like holy the the the dreams of what the jets were going to be he was gonna there was gonna be a it's gonna be a parade you remember that right through oh yeah manhattan dude when we and aaron was going to be when we called the Patriots. He was rocked up.
So was Green. Remember how rocked up Green was? Green was like, cut it off.
The third game of the year against the Patriots, Rodgers looked unstoppable. The Jets looked unbelievable.
We destroyed Connor's Patriots. I was texting you that night.
It's finally great to have a quarterback. It's finally great to have an offense and then It all went downhill.
Listen, you can't blame you can't blame Aaron for this because The owner's insane. He's got to sell the team He got rid of Sala which I liked at the time and then he put the brick in charge and then the defense The defense goes down the shitter and I mean it's just it was just terrible.
Aaron had a great year number-wise. Yeah.
He did. He always does.
Four tods. How you doing? How you doing? The defense shit the bed, bottom line.
And I think a lot of that had to do with them moving Brick into the head coaching position and took his mind off the offense. Brick.
Coach, old Brick. Yes.
Old Brick. You were talking about the other Brick, too, right? Yeah,, us guys call in Brick.
Yeah, us guys do, too, but there's two Bricks in the house. Yes.
Needs to be a lot more Brick. Head coach.
There you go. That's questionable, too.
Interim head coach. Yeah, and also...
I can't believe they're actually going to interview that guy for the job, but nonetheless... What guy? Who? Who? Brick.
Yeah, Brick. Johnson? He already had his interview.
Yeah, which Brick are you talking about? The head coach. Okay, we didn't know what we were talking about.
Jeff. We didn't learn about the other kid from New York Times.
Yes, I know. Got it.
New York Times taught us that. Yep.
We're just trying to do some hashtag journalistic standards. AJ, you look great in that spot there.
Maybe you should do that every day. No, I don't think so.
You look awesome there. Look at that.
I know you're trying to get Pat with you full time on the road for that three- Europe trip. Sounds great.
Pat, you excited for that run? Yeah. Yeah, Pat.
What's that? Brussels. Very excited.
I saw it. I'm pumped up.
It's an honor to get a chance to go over to Europe and overseas. I think these ones are going to be in and out.
I can't be out there in Europe for over 24 hours. That's what I've learned about me.
That's what I've learned about me. Too much good times.
The people, I mean, I assume it happens whenever you guys show up in these cities. When you're not there all the time.
This happens with College Game Day a lot. Yep.
College Game Day, we go to, you know, a lot of places often because their teams are very good. So they're a part of very big games on a regular basis.
So it's the right play to go to the biggest game. But some of the fan bases get to a point where they're like, maybe next year they'll go to Syracuse.
Got it. Fran's a dog.
Yeah. Got in shower for a while.
He told Dabo he could thank me. Did the whole thing.
I do respect that. Won the, what bowl game was that? Oh God, I don't even remember.
I watched it too against Washington State. But some of the, some of the crowds get a little bit used to game day coming, I think.
Yeah. so it's a little bit different now always going to have the great energy from the students but it's like the extra people that kind of pour in and and really make that a special place and it always is every week has been awesome but when you go to a place that you've never been before or for the first time or anything like that it's like those places go crazy do you see cal berkeley yeah insane insane because you don't go there it's like us going to europe once once a year we've never done television as far as i remember in brussels belgium and we're going to do that the first time uh in march and that place is going to be crazy but you weren't a part of it but the the crowd in france oh i remember i watched it was insane and and and each and every international trip now the the fans are trying to top what we did the last time around.

Berlin was crazy.

Listen, it's not international, but we're coming to your city.

Indianapolis is going to crush it.

For the Royal Rumble.

So you and I are going to, we've got a lot of fun.

We're going to do the kickoff show, which is going to be Friday afternoon.

Hell yeah.

There's going to be thousands of people outside the arena for that.

And we got the Rumble.

Over 50,000 tickets have already been sold at Lucas. It's going to be thousands of people outside the arena for that.
I mean, we got the Rumble. Over 50,000 tickets have already been sold at Lucas.

It's going to be the biggest Royal Rumble ever.

Yeah, it's going to be gigantic.

And that's what Indianapolis does.

It shows up and also has a lot of loyalty.

Maybe too much loyalty.

I've been in that stadium one time.

And that was the time that Mike White got hurt and ruined my season again for the Jets.

First quarter, big win for the Colts.

Who do we need to score a touchdown there for the parlay?

Oh, yeah.

Who was it?

Do you remember that?

And you didn't get it.

I do remember somebody getting sick in the car, too.

Pittman Yards?

Yeah, because remember he had that tunnel screen, and we thought, like, oh, there it is.

We saw it happen.

And then he got, like, tripped up, and we missed about, like, seven yards or something.

It's a beautiful stadium. Go ahead.
Somebody was about to say something. That was Cole.
You were about to say something. Oh, no.
I was just going to say that, and then somebody got sick in the car after the game. Oh, Bailey.
Kids all over the place. Oh, yeah.
Hey, Bill, way to go. That's how Cole remembers it.
Massive, massive mark. Hey, listen.
So tonight, Netflix, right? This card is WrestleMania level. Yes.
Roman Reigns, Solo, Sokoa for the Tribal Chief. Ula Fala.
And the Ula Fala. Ula Fala.
CM Punk and Seth Rollins may be the most anticipated professionally wrestling match of the last 20 years. Incredible.
Yes. The Rock's going to be here.
John Cena's retirement retirement tour a year-long tour starts tonight Rhea Ripley live Morgan for the women's world title rumors a Hulkster I think I'm not a play I haven't heard that but could be because there's a beer sponsorship that was announced yep I drink Logan Hall gonna be here and of course a Drew McIntyre Jey Uso it's going to be a crazy night tonight you and I are going to be sitting at ringside calling it all you're the man, we appreciate you ladies and gentlemen, friend of the program and the greatest of all time when it comes to commentating wrestling, how many, 27 years? 28 in June how many missed shows now, I know you're getting... Three.

But I'm going to have a little bit more

going forward, I think.

Oh, losing it.

Yeah, think about

enjoying your life, maybe.

Oh, that's Connor

saying you're losing it.

Well, Connor, I mean,

look at the hat he's wearing.

Oh, yeah.

It's a real bummer.

You're not.

It's a real bummer.

We're all trying to get there.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Michael Cole.

Thanks, man.

Netflix.

Thank you.

8 Eastern,

5 Pacific,

globally.

That's right.

It's going to be everywhere. And so you're attached.
Rocco. Such a dork.
He's going to be here for a bit. Michael's going to be here for a bit.
Michael's going to be here for a bit. Oh, geez.
Is that what he does over there, Pat? He just summons people like that? Keep that suit on. Yeah, you heard that? He looks so good.
He does keep the suit on all day. Yeah, I do.
He'll show up 8 a.m. all day putting it toxy.
Hi, remember when you tried to dress like me at WrestleMania? I think I did a pretty good job. Soul patch.
Bye, guys. Have fun.
See you later. See you later.
Good luck, Paul. Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now is a man.
This guy's awesome, dude. Yeah, the best.
From one goat to another. His suit's clean today.

He's losing weight, too.

He's looking.

He's in fighting shape right now.

You know he hikes mountains?

What?

All right, I'm not.

Yeah, that's a whole other story.

This guy hikes mountains, like real ones.

Like with a weighted thing on his back, probably?

Is he a rucker?

Yeah, like he's trying to go get him.

Like he's trying to say, Earth, I did it.

You know, nonetheless, joining us now is another goat.

The greatest of all time when it comes to NFL head coaching and NFL general managing. Now he's the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heel football team.
Ladies and gentlemen, Bill Belichick. Yay! Coach, thank you for joining us.
Yeah, thank you. Good to be on.
Steve and I are out recruiting North Carolina here. First day we're allowed to be out, so here we are.
We're on the road. Say hello, Steve.
Okay, so what up, D.C., Steve? How are you doing, pal? Congrats on all the success with the Patriots. You're the man.
You're the man to the Tar Heels. Coach, okay, so we're on the road with you.
You're literally FaceTiming from a car. What are you doing? You're visiting high schools right now now or how's the day go for you yes yeah a couple this morning couple this afternoon uh we're on we're also on uh i'm officially on twitter so um you know you can follow me there oh we definitely will bill belichick welcome to expo okay uh you're on my face earlier uh No, sorry, sorry.
Face, face, face, whatever it was. Oh, geez.
Oh, wait.

Pause. Bill Belichick, welcome to X-PAL.
Okay, you're on my face earlier. No, sorry, sorry.
Face, face, face. Whatever it was.
Oh, geez. Oh, wait.
Pause everything there. Oh, my God.
Hey, yo. Yeah, I did social media for a long time.
Everybody relax. Everybody relax, please.
You hated social media for a long time. Now you're all over it.
Obviously, the future is social media. Have you been DMing, and have you been and have you been following trends for when you're recruiting these high schoolers or how do you feel going into their world here and kind of talking to 17, 18 year olds? Yeah, it's really, it's fun, Pat.
It really is. It's great.
It's great to connect with these kids. They're so enthusiastic.
They see their future ahead of them, both in college football and maybe beyond that. So it's exciting to talk to them.
We're talking to some really good players. And these guys have a chance to have a long career.
So I just want to be a part of it with them. Coach, I'd like to, if you could tilt the phone over to your son, to Steve, and ask him what it's like in his short time at North Carolina.
Steve, what's up? Good to see you, buddy. What's it like working with your dad? Obviously, we know you've worked with your dad much in the past, but now at the college level and new scenery, new place, what's it like being reunited, and what do you think this whole path is going to be? Yeah, no, I'm just excited to be here.
I took the red eye a couple nights ago, so, you know, trying to build the staff, trying to build the team. We've got a long way to go.
Got to hit the road now. See what's going to happen.
Got to get some good players on the team. Figure it out from here.
Got to get this guy on the road. Bring him to college.
He's dressed a little bit nicer than me. It's all about the personality.
You? Hell yeah. Hey, personality and the resume.
It seems like you cut your teeth, obviously, with the greatest dynasty in the history of football. Then you go back to college to Washington last year.
How big of an adjustment was it? What was it like coaching college versus the NFL? No, I had a blast. I had a blast.
I really appreciate Coach Fish, all those players out of UW. It was awesome.
It was far from the East Coast, from the right coast, where I'm from. It's good to be back here.
I love working with those guys. They're hungry.
We'll see what we can do here. I'm excited to watch it.
I think D-Butt has a question for you or your dad yeah let me ask uh coach coach uh bill about play calling head coaches obviously we got the cycle right now with coaches being fired and hired i know doug peterson kind of gave up play calling didn't have i know you've been on both sides of a call and plays and not call and plays what type of challenges uh are added on when you are in charge of game planning calling plays calling plays on a day to day basis when you are the head coach? I think if that, yeah, but that's a great question. I think if you decide to go that way, you need somebody really strong in other areas.
And so if you look at play calling coaches, you know, like Andy Reid, he's got a great defensive coordinator andags and a great special teams coordinator in Dave. And so, you know, in addition, and a great general manager with Brett there.
So, you know, when everybody has a unified vision, they can all do their job well. You know, that really is what you need to make it work.
When you're trying to call plays and run everything else in the organization, you know, that's tough. And so if you want to oversee a lot in the organization, then you probably just get caught a little bit short in terms of your play calling because that takes so much preparation, as you know, for, you know, all the things that you have to install plus the situation.
So, you know, I've done it both ways, but I go back to Joe Gibbs at Washington, you know, with Richie Pettibone running the defense. Bill Walsh, you know, calling plays and being the head coach.
But, you know, George Seifert running the defense. I think that model can definitely work, but you need somebody really strong on the other side of the ball where you don't really have to worry about what they're doing or what they're calling over there so that the head coach can really focus on what he's doing.
Okay, so on that, you know, kind of same conversation, how important is it that the general manager and head coach are obviously on the same page? For you, I always say you're the greatest head coach of all time because you are. Everybody knows that.
But you're also the greatest NFL general manager of all time because that was your title, although you say a lot of people helped you. Obviously, they did.
But there's some places like Balke is going to be there again down in Jacksonville with a new head coach coming in. There's some places that have preferred to do that almost.
How do you feel about the GM-head coach relationship, and how did it become you did both? Well, I think that, first of all, Pat, I think the more important relationship is between ownership and uh the head coach and general manager um it's really impossible to do both jobs head coach and general manager in the nfl uh general manager really means to me personnel uh acquisition draft free agency salary cap you know those kind of responsibilities fall to one person, and then the coaching falls to the other person. And so somebody just has to have the final say on that, whether it's the general manager or the head coach.
It could be either one, but you still need another person to do those jobs. So, you know, I was always very fortunate that I had Scott Pioli and then then nick casario uh you know to do those jobs and and regardless of what my title was or wasn't um somebody had the final say and and i had that but they did all the the majority of the work in the other area uh and if they had had the final say then then i still would have done the same thing as they had coach it's just that on certain decisions decisions, they would have the final say instead of me.
But I think the more important relationship is between ownership, to have a shared vision with ownership between the head coach and the general manager in terms of what the organization is really trying to do and how they're doing it. I think a great example of that would be the Philadelphia Eagles with Jeff Lurie and Howie.
And then to Nick, you see it there. You certainly see it in Kansas City, as I mentioned, with Brett, Andy, Hunt family.
So you see situations like that. And when everybody's aligned and pulling together, you might not win the championship every year, which we didn't.
But you're in it every year and you have a strong team and you continue to build. Same thing in Pittsburgh with Coach Tomlin and, you know, the Rooney family.
And, like, that vision's really – that team's looked the same for, you know, the better part of three decades now, going back all the way to Cowher and even back before to the Chuck Knoll era in a lot of ways. So that consistency and that shared vision, I think, is what's really important.
And when you switch coordinators and switch coaches all the time, it makes it tough. Like in Cleveland, last year they go 11-5 or whatever it was, 12-5, and then fire the offensive staff, get rid of Flacco, bring in new offensive coaches, bring Watson back.
And, you know, it looks like they've gotten worse and now they're making changes again. So it's just hard to build any continuity when you do it that way.
So to me, if you have this shared vision all the way through the organization, which we had for 20 years at New England, then you have a chance to be competitive and be successful. Tony and Bill Pulley and Jim Irsay had that to a degree in Indianapolis.
You saw it better than I did, but it was always hard to play against those organizations. So I think it really starts at the top and works its way down.
And when you don't have that, then honestly, it can fall apart pretty quickly. I think people would say the Green Bay Packers as well.
I don't know if I heard you list them as well, but those are the teams that are consistently at the top. Those are the teams that are consistently great, and obviously you had the greatest dynasty in the history of sports

up there in New England. They

have moved on from Coach Mayo

after one year in a surprise

announcement yesterday to, I think,

a lot of football fans. How do you feel

about only getting one year

to build your culture, and how do you

feel about that type of situation

up there in New England, how it's unfolding right now?

And you can obviously go to press conference, Bill, if you need to at this moment.

Well, you know, Pat, I wasn't trying to exclude any organizations.

I was just trying to not take 14 minutes.

No, no, no, no.

Absolutely.

No, Green Bay is a good example that they have their way of doing things.

And I think they've done a great job in bringing young players into their organization for for years and years and years.

They've done a great job with their young players.

They keep their best veterans, you know, when they sign up to their second and third contracts.

But they turn their roster over and they always have a young team.

They've always had a competitive team and they've always been one step ahead in the quarterbacks from, you know, Favre to Rogers, Rogers to Love, you know, that. So absolutely, that's another organization that they have a different way of doing things, but they've been consistent and they've been very successful over time.
You know, the Patriots situation, I mean, honestly, I don't have too much of a comment on that. You know, Robert Kraft, Jonathan Kraft, Robin Glazier, you know, they're the decision makers there.
Who exactly does what and so forth. Maya was handpicked by Robert.
But in the end, the decision making is something that they'd have to comment on and identify. But, you know, they're the ones that are really, you know, making the calls there.
And so it's, you know, they're the ones that should comment on that. I really don't know from the outside looking in.
They haven't called me an ass, so I don't know. We thought maybe that would happen after the way this year has gone.
There might be a chance to take a while. Maybe winning for a long time isn't as easy as one guy who's coaching in college now made it look for a while hopefully there's a chance for that conversation to happen now let's talk about people helping you connor has a question for you coach yeah coach you brought up peole and casario in new england doing those other type of jobs what is michael lombardi up to now wait a minute wait a minute they weren't the other jobs they handled the personnel side of it just like mark mike lombardi did in cleveland just like mike did.
And when he helped me in New England, came back and helped us. And then just like he's doing now, it's the same structure in Carolina that essentially we've had in the NFL and the organizations I've been in, is that you have somebody with personnel, somebody with coaching, and you work jointly and unifying in a unifying way with those people to produce good results that that's what i'd say it's not another job it's it's the other job that's necessary for success sorry no don't be sorry at all we're excited anytime somebody talks about michael lombardi we love that guy how's he been wheeling and dealing down there in college well no mike's great he does a great job with you know organizing the salary cap which now we're kind of working under it's a little different but it's similar uh and and we're in the uh high school recruiting phase as well as still in the transfer portal phase so uh there's a lot going on there's a lot of balls in the air but you know mike can handle that he's one of the smartest people I know, and he handles those things very fluidly, and we're building.
As Steve said, we're building. Sorry, Connor.
I didn't mean to cut you off, man. Hey, Coach.
Look, you won six Super Bowls, and I was a fan of your team, so you can do whatever the hell you want. Just so we're clear.
Go Tar Heels. Go Tar Heels.
Coach, we appreciate the hell out of you taking time out of your recruiting day

to chit-chat a little ball with us.

You're the man.

Good luck out there.

Thanks, Pat.

Appreciate it.

Talk to you next Monday.

It's been exciting.

We can play all this.

And then we'll get Detroit and Kansas City back in the action the following week.

But I'm excited for the postseason.

It'll be a lot of fun.

All right, Coach.

See you, Steve.

See you, ladies and gentlemen.

The greatest of all time.

Thank you. action the following week but uh i'm excited for the post it'll be a lot of fun all right coach see you steve see you ladies and gentlemen the greatest of all time and his defensive coordinator his son bill and steve belichick listen i robert craft hand-picked mayo okay i don't know who's making the decisions up there you're gonna have to ask them they're the ones that the ones that should comment on it, AJ.
Okay. They're the ones that should comment on it.
And now they have. It has also already been reported, too, that those two, Robert and Jonathan Kraft, will be the ones doing all the interviewing and finding the outside.
They didn't hire a firm? No outside firm. No outside help.
It's just the Jonathan and Robert. Who's the third? The third team, right? Yeah, that's for the Jets, and they are bringing in literally anyone who's ever coached in the league, it feels like.
Who'd you say, D-Bot? I'm sorry. The third name that Bill mentioned, Robin? Robin Glazier.
Yeah, she was part of the group last year with Mayo, and there was one other, and I'm forgetting his name. It might have been Jonathan Craft, honestly, but those three were kind of heading like the kind of reform of the entire team.
But Mayo was a part of that group as well. I did not know she was a part with Jonathan Roberts.
She's the executive VP of football business, I believe. Yes.
Okay. Okay.
Big money up there, obviously, with the Patriots. Dee Butch, how do you feel about like the 33rd team getting hired to do consulting for ownership? Because I think it's a good idea to get advice from people if you haven't been able to get it right, especially people that have been around.
I think a lot of people sign up to be a part of that 33rd team because they miss ball, but they have a lot of talent. They're able to do their thing.
And I think it's not a bad idea. I think it's a pretty good idea.
And how do you feel it's going to go and are we ever going to as somebody's about to join us on stage here in a matter of seconds but do you think we're ever going to get asked debuts and what should they be looking for whenever they're doing this i hope i hope we do get asked but yeah it is a little unconventional uh way about going about it but on that 30 13 obviously you got a lot of football minds a lot of smart people chuck is 30-13, a lot of former head coaches, coordinators, GMs, people that have been around the game. But they're, like, to Tom's point, they are interviewing everybody.
Louis Riddick, they're interviewing him. Jim Nagy, been running the senior bowl forever.
And, I mean, you just gotta be, kinda get a leader of men. They gotta have a good plan.
And I heard you and Jerry McCoy talking about it yesterday on the pregame show. You got to get somebody who can get the best out of their foundational guys as well.
So those are the things that would all be important for that jet search. D, but I know Pat said it before.
He feels like if you hire one of these firms and it doesn't go well, you can kind of blame them. Yeah.
I think there's definitely something to that. But then if you're the owner, it doesn't ultimately come on you.
It's back to you because you're the one that made the decision. You get the final call, but in everything that we've heard from the ownership level at the Jets, that would make me say, okay, yeah, hire somebody else.
Hire another group of people. Even if some of those people are some people you've hired and fired before in your past.
Hire those people, maybe let them figure it out. And then you sign off on it and you still make that final decision.
You've got to live with it as the owner of that team.

I'd like to see the reports that the 33rd team or these other companies put together.

I'm sure they put a packet together of each individual coach

that interviewed, their highlights, their lowlights,

what they think they might be.

Does the owner not sit in on that, though?

I'm sure he does, but I guess then you can kind of put it all together

and then you can kind of compare and think about it for a long time.

Are you really even doing anything, though, if you're just saying, like, hey, there's 85 guys who want to be a head coach right now. Let's bring them all in and interview all of them.
I mean, you get a lot of different vantage points, get a lot of different plans, and shit, this is – You get to gather info. Yeah, this happens to business everywhere.
I want to gather info to see what this guy – if he's had success in other places, what is he doing? How does he run his schedule? Like, what's his day-to-day look like? I think a lot of that is just gathering info. Consulting, yeah, I'm looking forward.
PMS consulting. Oh, yeah, I think Pat actually might have a special guest here.
Here we go. Hey, I am in on that notion of us consulting an NFL team to tell them who they should hire and having no accountability on whether or not they're good.
That's 100% okay with our particular business. Whenever they had to hire a new leader of the direction of the wwe

into its biggest time ever there was one man for the job he's standing right next to me ladies and gentlemen mr h the chief content officer of the wwe massive night tonight's um yeah an incredible night you know i we were just talking in a production meeting and to to see where this has all led to and to this moment.

I feel like this is a a shift of another era the netflix era or whatever that we're going to call that of of our business but to see that evolution from cable television to closed circuit to pay per view to our own network to you know broadcast television to now um on the biggest streaming service in the world and and it's where young people are i i don't mean this is an insult to anything but i said said it the other day like nobody says i'm gonna go cbs and chill right i'm gonna netflix and chill and that's where young people are so except for live sports live sports uh football more specifically has been carrying a lot of linear television. I think 75 of the top 82, I think, linear rated things was the NFL this past year.
But also you guys, live action, live events happening every single week. You guys are 52 weeks a year.
So when Netflix makes this deal, they're excited. They're pumped as well.
But for you, whenever you think about the, Cole was out here earlier. He said 80% of the 80 of the globe was that the number he said 80 of the globe yeah he's going to be watching this and he said that a lot of people are going to be brand new to wrestling are you thinking about that whenever you're making the card whenever you're thinking about the night absolutely it's it's you know you want to put your best foot forward on all of this but while we're wwe different than a lot of things we're a global brand right there's no i've been all over this planet been fortunate enough to do it there's no place i have been to on this planet that they don't know what wwe is and they don't know who we are um what's cool about triple h chance uh triple h chance on every continent brother that's what you just said that's what you just said right there's pat mc.
Some of them. Some of them, yeah.
But in this moment, as you said, tonight, when we go on the air, in the U.S., domestically, it's Raw. The rest of the globe, 80% of that globe, will have Raw, SmackDown, NXT, and the PLEs.
All WWE programming. 80% of the globe.
And over the next few years, that will shift to where it will become 100% of the rest um that's a massive huge you know 280 something million or something more than that even homes have Netflix multiply that by people stealing passwords yeah absolutely yeah people doing that unfortunately but also no no yeah we're not promoting just yeah just the amount of people in the homes let's say it's three people per home at 290 million or whatever it's the numbers are incredible mind-blowing hey good luck put together a great show all right for all you need hey speaking of show appreciate it now you crush it you've been hey you've been a damn good leader we're talking about teams having to hire coaches and general managers i want to let you know know, your knowledge about football, very low. Very low.
But every time we hit a home run in the third inning of a football game, if you were leading the squad, I think you'd be able to do it because of your leadership. You are a phenomenal leader.
You need to know that. Everybody will run through a wall, that wall, for you if they needed to.
Well, I appreciate that. And I was just walking up here as they were leading out out of that segment into this and i was thinking about when i met you and to where you are now dude like you the world is yours yours actually congratulations thank you it's me and the boys you've known us literally from jump at this time from from day one and it's been incredible to see your rise and the moves you've made and they've all been top top shelf.
Man, it's just, you know, I don't want to speak down in that way, but I'm so proud of you and what you've done, man. You have no idea.
I'm getting emotional. I'm getting emotional.
I'm getting emotional. Stop, stop, stop.
Great man, great mentor. I appreciate you.
Ty has a question about your show tonight that is going to be around the entire world. Go ahead, Ty.
Yeah, Mr. H., I recently read an interview where you basically said, like, hey, there are no time limits time limits anymore the show could be 40 minutes it could be four hours we're not beholden to anything so how are you going to actually go about and decide the length of these shows because i assume it's probably pretty easy when you've been filling three hours for all these years to just say hey we're going to do a three-hour show but how are you going to decide week in and week out how long the shows are going to be? I think it's by what the content needs to be.
No different to me than, and look, there are some parameters, obviously, that we have to hit, right? But no different than any other episodic television show. Sometimes there's an episode that's 45 minutes, the next week it's an hour, right? It depends on what you need to put into that show uh sometimes when we do three hour shows there's a little bit of um of collapsible stuff in there that's put in on purpose it's it's a little bit of fat in the show that you can trim off if you need to um but a two hour show sometimes man there's a lot of times when we get done a two hour show where i think man i would like to have put more there.
I would like to have given more people the opportunity to tell these stories that we didn't get a chance to do. So somewhere between that two and that three-hour window to me is the sweet spot.
Yeah, the conversation's always been SmackDown two hours, Raw three hours. Now it's reversed.
There is no time ending for Raw. SmackDown now three hours back on USA, right? Yes until for for right now and then it switches back to two

Yeah, two hours is it's always talked about how fast and how

You can put in two hours. Yeah, but there is some

Meat left on the bone as we say for it's not about the fat

So now that you're able to go into we do it every single day we linger sometimes probably too long

Don't you think boys sometimes we linger on YouTube ESPN plus tick-tock live, which is

Sometimes you can let it linger and it's good. You know not.
It's a great song. Your shit's good linger.
Your shit's good linger. Now, on that note, D-Bot has a question for you.
Yeah, Mr. H, I know you guys are going to put on a great, great show.
And obviously, I'm a big fan, been a big fan since the Attitude Era. And Cole was on earlier.
He was talking about the Cole Open. Can't wait to hear that.
But projections. I know there will be huge be a lot of viewership a paul tyson fight obviously has some streaming issues nfl kind of went off without a hitch on that side how concerned are you with any streaming issues or any have you guys didn't troubleshooting and all that uh with the big uh premiere tonight on netflix i'm not concerned in it at all the the the netflix people are the most professional people On the planet One of the things that I thought was great was They did the Tyson Paul fight They did the NFL stuff It was sort of all the litmus test for us to come in there And not have issues To be able to come in here, be seamless Do what we do and not have any problems Man, if we can do anywhere near the numbers they did, I will be, both of them, I will be ecstatic.
And, but, you know, I think this is what Netflix does. And I understand the live component is not what they have done, but they're the best of the best.
They've got this stuff figured out. We have this stuff figured out.
This partnership has been incredible. I can't say good things they're very invested it feels like right i've never experienced anything like it like they are just and they understand i don't know if it's because of the nature of what they do they're a little bit of everything like they just get what we are their marketing teams their top execs everybody that we have worked with it's like hand in glove um it's been so easy and so seamless i'm so thankful for their teams uh for getting us where we are but i i on that aspect of it people when i was walking in here everybody was like man you see so calm today and i'm just like it's between the netflix folks folks, the work we've put into it.

We've done it all.

I feel like that fighter that's right before going to walk out for his fight,

but he knows he's had an unbelievable camp.

He knows he's got all the T's crossed and I's dotted.

Man, I was just, let's just go do this.

Yeah, that's why you prepare.

You know, the team that's confident going in, and you should be confident

because since you've taken the reins, this place has gone to completely different levels.

I can't thank you enough for welcoming me back into this world.

Welcome to the show. the team that's confident going in and you should be confident because since you've taken the reins this place has gone to completely different levels i uh i can't thank you enough for welcoming me back into this world welcoming the boys back right yeah yeah thanks for putting us in the game yeah thanks thank you very much for putting the boys in this is as much your home as it is ours man i love having i think we love having you guys here and being a part of what we do i i i love your style of what you bring to what we do listening to you do commentary i don't feel like i'm listening to somebody uh dictate something to me or tell me something i feel like i'm i'm hanging with my buddy sitting on a couch uh having some snacks and partaking in some other things that make you just have fun.
Okay. Just having fun.
If you watch the show, you want to sit on a couch with Pat McAfee and Michael Cole and hang out and watch wrestling with them. And to me, that's when this is the best.
That's the goal, man. Whenever I do what I do into a microphone, I'm living the dumbest life of all time.
And reading those words from that, I don't know when you did the article on the internet, I was like so pumped that you kind of got it with who I am, because not a lot of people do. And I think that's because this is like home for me.
It's a neck and neck race of which one of us, between me and you, is living the dumbest life. Fair.
Very fair. Very, very fair.
We are both very lucky people. I appreciate you, man.
Good luck tonight. You're going to crush it.
Thank you very much. Ladies and gentlemen, the King of Kings, the Chief Content Officer of WWE, the man who is taking the world to new heights, Mr.
H. Yay, Mr.
H! I don't know if you can hear him. Okay, good.
Hold on. You don't do the Michael Cole.
I'm caught. Yeah, can't do the Michael Cole thing.
Jeez, not the Mr. H.
No. Michael Cole, let his ass fall off the stage.
I'm not sure. I'm caught.
Can't do the Michael Cole thing. Not the Mr.
H. Let his ass fall off the stage.
Mr. H, no way.
Can't let that happen. Hey, he's...
So Jack. Give him a contract this offseason.
Absolutely Jack. See his suit.
See his suit. Big dog.
Man, dog. He was like a bodybuilder from a young age, I feel like.
Wasn't he big into bodybuilding, I believe, as you're talking to his crew? Mr. H.
Yeah, I'm so sorry. I'm still alive.
You're the man. Hey, Paisan's here.
Joe Tedz. I mean, I'm sorry.
All right. Nice.
Joe Tedz. He was in bodybuilding and wrestling.
He was always, you know, that is the Terror um, uh, terrorizing was his name. Uh, terrorizing and WCW.
And they told the story about how obsessed he was with wrestling. Like basically he's the perfect guy for the job that he has right now.
Cause he loves wrestling is now also loves bodybuilding, loves boxing though, right? Cause boxing lovers and wrestling lovers, I think go hand in hand because of the showcase of everything and how it goes

But like he is still ridiculously jacked Triple H right there his traps I mean, we're talking and then they couldn't get the ear things over his head has muscles His head has muscles right here. So obviously he is the man Joe Tessitore literally just walked over here He looks so stunning so sharp right now now obviously this guy's made for a $5 billion debut like Netflix has been.
He has been commentating Monday Night Raw. How are you, dude? And calling games on Saturday night.
The boys all say hello. Hey, what's up, guys? Big night for the boy.
Big night for the boy. Hell yeah.
Hell yeah. Awesome.
Netflix is 80% of the globe watching you. Hold on.
There's pipes on this. Real quick.
You can't hear him. We got like a minute to the heart out here.
You understand that more than anybody.

Incredible work this year.

Monday Night Raw and college football.

Did you watch Texas-Arizona State?

Yes, brother.

That's not hype, bro.

Yes, brother.

So let's talk about the college football playoff real quick.

Yeah, man.

Notre Dame, a lot better than I ever could have imagined.

Penn State, a lot better than I could have ever imagined.

Ohio State, a lot better than I could have ever imagined.

Texas, same exact thing.

I think this is very, very, very, very well done by the CFP to get these four. I'm very intrigued by what we're going to get at the end of this week, but that Texas, Ohio State winner, come now.
Really? Oh, come on. Bro, there's a lot of talent on the field right now.
Ohio State is stupid. We've got a chance to watch them.
Dude, that Texas roster don't get fooled now. Pound for pound,

you start going down those position groups.

I mean, I know they get shaky at moments in those second halves of games. Yeah, but Quinn Hewlett's calling

that blitz and then checking out for it. I mean, that

is just unbelievable. They're peaking.

The 4th and 13, and they're like, I'm just

telling you, I love both those

rosters. The winner of that game,

mark it down. It's been a great college football

season. It has, man, but this is hype tonight, man.
Yes.

This is like ridiculous hype tonight.

Yeah, I'm very, very excited. Lucky to be here.

I think that's the room is that for hey is that for the the superstars or do you have like a specific broadcast locker room where you guys go wear your jocks there's talent locker rooms there there's tvl where uh like camera people and producers and veteran wrestlers that don't want to be in a large locker room in there a little bit more privacy it's a little quieter you know they do some shoots and that's tvl yeah tvl boys obviously boys, obviously a great group. It's a great group, man.

Great.

I mean, Abyss is a part of the TVL boy.

Bobby Roode.

What? I mean, there is.

Roode?

There's a crew in there.

Yeah.

That Bobby Roode.

Glorious.

Yeah.

I mean, it is.

It's a great crew.

And then obviously Michael Cole is in there.

So, you know, he's always.

You know how he goes.

You know, the entirety of the heart.

We will continue on YouTube,

ESPN Plus, and TikTok Live.

We can't thank you enough for joining us.

Netflix on Raw tonight. Aaron Rodgers

Tuesday tomorrow. Be a friend, tell a friend something nice.
It might change

their life. I think we get it.

I think we get it. You got it.

Did we? Yeah.

That's a sweet lectern

you have today.

Your Pat McAbee show, like, lectern.

Is it normal?

Yeah, that one with the lights.

Can you zoom out?

Can you zoom out a little bit?

Can you zoom out anymore or no?

Is that a stage?

Cameraman's awesome, too.

Have you seen Balmer yet?

Yeah, dude.

Balmer's right there.

Yeah, dude.

This is crazy.

I haven't seen it in any.

Watch out.

Watch your six.

Look at this thing, dude.

Watch your six.

So sweet.

That's the answer right there.

Rambo.

Oh.

Big dog.

What up, brother?

Wow. Been working at WWE for, like, years from the future great guy unbelievable people over here yeah the wwe is stupid bro we talk about this don't we i mean we literally talk about it the ww and whenever michael cole said it earlier the triple h just kind of hands off and he kind of just lets the all-star team do their thing that's not just like and cole said it's not just the talent it's like all these motherfuckers have been doing this for 30 years all on the road and then the younger generation comes in and they learn from the ogs that have been on the road it's like hey this is how it goes and because they're on the road so much you got to be a worker like you got to have a work ethic so it's like a very humble like it is the people at the wwe are awesome and they took so much time out of their lives to do this So much time out of their lives on the massive day you heard it big night this might be the biggest night in the history of wrestling yeah and it's like they took their time out it's it's uh first class organization it's great it really is isn't it i mean you're in a video game it's a family no legit i mean like look at like like you said like you've done a lot of these like that podium that you're at, it's ridiculous.
It's so stupid. And they did it on purpose, too, you know? They did this on purpose.
That is how they, you know what I mean? You're like, what's it normally look like? Okay, we're going to go above and beyond because that's what WWE always does, H. Literally always does.
I cut Ty off. I said it's like a family.
I've been around i've been lucky enough to what been five six seven events over the years with you like it's an absolute family like everybody watching them just watching everybody interacting how cool they were to us and to me yeah it's it's really cool what they're doing not a surprise you're in an angle you remember you got scared who did you get you got the honest beauty there i was working i was working security for you you know they were detail yeah but that's what i'm saying yeah yeahisputed Era got scared you a little bit. I was working security for you.

You were in detail. Yeah, but that's what I'm saying.

Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah.

I got scared a little bit. There's an ugly mug.
Then they tried to pull me out

while you were about to. Was it Punishment Martinez?

No. Was it Tommy Invincible?

No. Undisputed Era.

And by the way, Punishment Martinez?

Dog. Yeah, big time.

Damien Priest? World Champion? Have a little respect, maybe. From the sound of your playlist called New Wave Emo Soul Crushing Afternoon, it sounds like you could use some Jamba Sunshine.
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You're not just chasing a win. You're chasing greatness.
And greatness isn't just about the grind. It's about your own personal style and the mindset to take it to the next level.
Shop your local Nike store where you can find everything from the season's hottest drops to exclusive community experiences. You can elevate your game with the latest in running innovation, the Air Max family and classic Nike favorites.
Discover your local Nike store today and unleash your greatness. Speaking of respect, AJ, we got nothing but respect for you, brother.
Zito, air mail. Ladies and gentlemen, how old are you turning today? 41.
Happy birthday, man. You got your cake.
I feel like I'm doing it. Happy birthday, Hawker.
Wait, not mid, is it? Happy birthday to be a little behind Happy birthday Don't need to do that Channel's almost lit Happy birthday A-J How far away is very far Oh, shit, that's bad news. You guys are still eating.
Birthday to you. What is that shirt, Mitt? Fire.
What is that shirt? Nice. Got a couple of them lit.
Straight fucking flame. Happy birthday.
Happy birthday. Thank you, man.

You want to take it back?

Make a wish, H.

Yeah, I wish for infinity wishes.

There you go.

Oh, you definitely wish.

But you told us.

That's a good one.

Yeah, you're like, dang, now I get none.

I get zero.

It has to win another year.

Oh, yeah.

We'll do it next.

Infinity wishes.

Have you done that your whole life?

Yeah.

When did you start doing that?

Yeah, about one.

Right before I smash my head.

You know, your first birthday is when they give you a cake and you smash your head and you grab it you start throwing it like a monkey throwing oh yeah yeah how was this birthday what was this last trip around the sun like for you awesome everything i tell you what i've told you before i want to just pause time with my kids with everything going on everything going on in my life i would like to just pause it and just just live here. So I guess that's a great thing, right?

Good old days.

How about us being on the sideline for this shit?

Ohio State might go on a run right now.

They might win the national championship.

Odds on favorite, I believe, to win the national championship.

Yeah, minus 110, obviously, at the semifinals.

And it's like you being on the sideline for it is so awesome to watch from our perspective. I want to let you know that, H it is awesome i don't want to speak for the boys but boys don't you agree oh yeah like you're kind of serenaded yeah everywhere we go it's really it's really cool you forget when you're just talking shit to him every day like who he is sometimes so like when you go to the ohio state stuff and like people are chanting his name you see his jersey everywhere it's like oh yeah holy shit this guy was actually like fucking unbelievable.
Football is not just an asshole. He's got a fucking tree.
Not just an asshole. Walking behind AJ between, like, Ohio State sideline and the crowd.
So, like, obviously all the boys, the coaches, shit, turned back. Obviously, AJ was very, very uncomfortable.
Him getting cheered on from the crowd, like, that was awesome. Yeah, but I hope you take it all in man happy birthday you know like it's uh

it's a cool moment it's a really cool moment oh i do all right believe me i yeah you can be

uncomfortable and still appreciative at the exact same time i think so yeah i mean

we got two more guys he's doing all right he's passed it down now my uh my nine-year-old was

yeah i woke up in the middle of the night he's puking so we'll see if he stops i think it is

the virus been popping around so uh yeah noro is that what they're calling it the virus uh yeah we're not sure if exactly exactly what's going on stomach bug stomach bug for for my nine year old now have you you have not gotten it obviously you know does it go to to adults or is this a kid thing yeah adults can get it yeah i don't know there's like a yeah that's what i'm wondering i'm everyone has their same time everyone has their theory on like how many days and if what exactly it might be i don't know i have no idea okay so this is one of the i legitimately i've only heard about it because i thought there was a chance that mckenzie had it then it turns out she did not have it so we just kept it moving but i assume with these types of things like everybody's gonna end up with it at some point it's it's a dumper or a puker what is it it's a puker at least for for my kids man don't they're okay their dumps have been normal just normal hey that's anxiety okay that's anxiety riddled that's what i said to you during a rose bowl like it's when make it when i get a text that mckenzie has a fever and i'm like on the show i'm like yeah i yeah, I'm like, what the hell is she going to be? Yeah, first kid, obviously. So it's like first time going through all this stuff.
The anxiety is through the roof. That's why for you at the Rose Bowl, it's like I felt so bad laughing in your face.
As you said, he sprayed a whole section. That's how you described Axel.
What a dog, dude. What an absolute dog Axel is.
Yeah, believe me, I had to get it out. I was going to gonna I think I told you I got the text shortly before halftime I didn't say anything that's the first time I told anybody that yeah this is what we're dealing with behind the scenes but it felt good to get it out I'm glad I told you okay yeah I'm happy you did too it didn't affect your performance I want to let you know we would have never known that your kid was battling and uh I mean getting out of the Rose Bowl is impossible I don know how you would get to a Medicare or whatever the hell it would be.
Legitimately, I have no idea how you would get out of there, especially while the game's happening with all the things they have closed and everything like that. D-Buts, what have we not hit that we should have hit today? Let's see.
Aaron Glenn's an absolute dog, right? I mean, that is something. Absolutely.
And I heard Cole say, Aaron Glenn, come back to the Jets. Did you hear that as well? What is something else we didn't hit today that we should have brought up? Been hearing that, Aaron Glenn to the Jets, Aaron Glenn to New Orleans.
But my favorite part of week 18 of Sunday was Mike Evans. Mike Evans, we always talk about it.
Obviously, we know Ben in the locker room. And now as fans, we love when guys get their money.
But I think even more importantly, historically, him getting 11 consecutive seasons now over 1,000 yards a thousand yards we've all said on this show hall of fame I think he'll be a first ballot hall of fame when it's said and done but not only him getting it but the whole team kind of being in on it you know them passing the ball while being up obviously a situation where you want to take a knee so I think this was a great great moment obviously for that organization and not only just the fans ofs, I think for the fans of football, this was awesome to see with Mike Evans down there at Tampa Bay. Hey, his team understanding the moment, and obviously 11 straight thousand-yard seasons, ties Jerry Rice for NFL history and everything like that.
$3 million bonus hitting home, though. Hello.
Yeah, love a nice little ka-ching for a guy doing it right. And the fact that that's how the Buccaneers decided to handle that situation right there.
Yeah. You know, that's one score game.
That could be a pick six. Instead, they say, nah, we're going to stick up for our guy.
We're going to let our guy get his numbers that he needs to get to make history in the NFL. And ownership's probably like, yeah, I guess, yeah.
Let's do that. You know, let's do a $3 million bonus.
Whatever the case, that's good karma. You.
That is doing the right thing for your player who's especially done all the right things for your city, for your team, for your community. He's going to be one of the greatest of all time whenever it's all said and done.
Already in that conversation, congrats to him, and congrats to the team handling it the right way. How about Geno Smith? Did I see right? He got $6 million in incentives yesterday.
Was that accurate? That's accurate that's what that tweet said yeah yeah because I think Sunday Night Football said something about two million for each of these things yeah five years ago Gino Smith was released assigned two years later he was a pro bowler one comeback player of the year says front office sports today Smith had all three two million dollar season bonuses he had play wins passing yards and completion percentage yeah so they put that up on the screen last night I think football, during Football Night in America. I thought it was a $2 million bonus he had.
He had three of them times. Congrats.
Congrats to Geno Smith. Get $6 million.
He hobbled off that field, too. He gave it his all.
He gave it his all for that Seahawks team. Who knows what the future looks like in Seattle at the quarterback position, but I know $6 million hits, $3 million, $250,000.
All these bonuses that hit yesterday are a welcomed addition to the bank account for all these guys.

Yep.

Obviously.

Pat, did you believe, I guess Jerry Jones said after the game he wasn't even aware that Cooper Rush.

He played 55% of snaps.

He got an extra $250,000.

What do you think?

Do you think Jerry's telling the truth?

I didn't know.

You think I knew about $250,000?

I didn't.

I mean, who negotiated? Me? All right. So that's the thing.
Like, you think I'm on top of all these things all the time? No. Now, maybe was I informed that it was a couple cheeseburgers, if you know what I'm saying, with extra cheese? If he was to play the entire game, I think it was like 70% or something like that if he had to do it.
Maybe I knew about that, but fucking 250,000? Shit. I'll give him 250,000 for not playing.
How about that? uh why do they always do the interviews the way they do with jerry why are these microphones this it's so it's old it's the only one in the world he likes it yeah it's got to be him get in here yeah get close gum or something because they're so close to him everything their faces their phones all of it that's what i'm saying we're talking these dumping, puking parties people are having. It's like people are just putting their phones up in an 83-year-old.
How old is your 80, 82-year-old? And these microphones, 95? Is that what you said? He looks it. I don't know if he actually is.
He's 82. 82, yep.
Nailed it. He does look a bit older.
End of a season like this? Good lighting. They're all up on his business.
They're on top of him. And look over his shoulder even.
Let me turn that son of a bitch sideways, that guy says. Let me go ahead and get it over there.
It's unbelievable. Do you believe him, AJ? How about you, D-Butt? What do you think? You think this was a move by Greg Jones to save a little Chet? I think he knew for sure.

But at the same time,

you do want to see Trey Lance.

This is a guy that you love coming out of college.

You haven't seen him play much football.

And this is on the flip side of

them doing all those big things for Mike Evans.

You know, Cooper Rush hasn't kind of

he's not that same guy. He's not of that

ilk when you talk about the franchise.

More importantly, they got to see what they got with Trey Lance going forward. So, I like that.
A lot of young quarterbacks got out of Trey Lance. Joe Milton yesterday got a chance to spin it.
Dog. Wow.
We saw Bailey Zappi. And then we saw Bryce Young, too, who kind of put a stamp on the end of this season that, hey, you know what? I am the guy going forward.
So, I love to see how he responded from being benched after being the number one pick.

And now it seems like that organization

is back behind him. So I'm excited

for the future of him down there

with that Carolina Panthers organization. But I

think Jerry, you know, he knew, but

he had bigger fish to fry.

I'm thinking there's a chance he did not know.

Check that. You know, I think

Steven Jones probably knew. I think other people

probably knew. There's a chance Jerry wasn't told

until, hey, why am I trending

right now? Because this entire thing. To your point about

Thank you. Check that.
You know, I think Stephen Jones probably knew. I think other people probably knew.
There's a chance Jerry wasn't told until, hey, why am I trending right now? Because this entire thing, to your point about Bryce Young, absolute dog. I'm excited to watch him.
And I think we all kind of counted him out, you know, and it was hard not to, to be honest, with his size and everything that was happening with that Carolina Panthers team. And then Canales, I'll tell you what, he did it to Baker last year.
Baker continued to have a good year. We were wondering, is it David Canales or maybe it was Baker Mayfield? It's like he's got the boys believing down here.
They're young. They're young.
They're celebrating. I've come to really enjoy watching Bryce Young play football.
And the no-look, obviously, throw, halfway, turn around Steph Curry stuff, whenever he was being described as the Steph Curry of football, is a nice little tip of the cap to the entertainment of the game.

And whenever you're trying to entertain people while you're balling,

it's like you're a pretty confident bunch. Oh, yeah.

And heading into the offseason, this Carolina team's got to be very pumped.

Well, let's talk about a confident guy.

Are we talking about Joe Milton III enough?

Oh, well, I don't know.

Are we standing backflip after running the ball?

35 yards on a dime on a run. I mean, what are we thinking? Gets the win, obviously loses the number one overall pick.
Sticks the landing in full pads. We saw, you know, some stuff in preseason.
I was like, wow, this guy's got a huge arm, but is he going to be in it? He was reading, dissecting, running. Now, it's a preseason game.
I understand Buffalo's resting some players, but, I mean, what are we doing? Con man, what is the thoughts about the third up? I mean, look, he's unbelievable. If you have one quarterback or you have two quarterbacks, sometimes you have no quarterbacks.
But when you have two Hall of Fame quarterbacks, it kind of changes the entire thing. We basically have Joe Montana and Steve Young at the start of both their careers.
Now, I don't want to lose Joe Mullen whatsoever. Tennessee Volunteers fans, they let me know some things.
But look, Joe Mullen needs to. Joe Mullen's available.
What'd they let you know? They just let me know some things. So you can look it up if you want to, but they say this is part of the Joe Mullen experience.
I don't want to go out there and say, look, I don't believe that at all. That's why I'm going to say he's not going to play like this.
No, no. They're just saying that this is the Joe Mullen experience, and I'm loving it.
But at the moment in time, I will say Joe Mullen. There's some teams like the Raiders that were just mentioned and the Jets.
If you want to trade a Max Crosby to New England, you don't have to draft a quarterback. You can get Joe freaking known.
And look, you guys just said it. Rocket arm.
The guy can move. I mean, shit, I don't want to lose him.
But at the end of the day, Drake May, we've all seen it consistently. Joe Milton one week against the Bills in the last game of the season where the Bills are basically saying, hey, we need New England to win.
So they don't get the one pick. I don't know.
That's just what I saw on the internet. But Drake May is the guy.
Joe Milton can hang around, though. I mean, there's nothing wrong with Drake maybe if he were to get hurt.
Having Joe Milton sitting behind him, now we need to change his number. 19, I think, looks pretty stupid.
But if we put him in a very unique, maybe we change his number, move that around a little bit. Who's number three? Pop Douglas.
Basically, probably one or two of our best receivers. Which doesn't say much, but still, he's a very good slot receiver for us, actually.
Man, I wonder if you could put four down there. That would be tough because having three on your thing is sweet.
Being a third of anything is pretty cool. If you meet a fourth or a fifth, it's like, holy shit.
Third is obviously very impressive. Third is very impressive.
You don't have an AJ Aaron James Jr. You don't have a Deuce.
No, we do not. Would you call him Deuce? I should have put Senior on mine, right? Because I'm the first.
I'm the only one. True.
I mean, adding Senior to your name through your adult life is sick. That is a to do.
Yeah. It is kind of.
Would you go, D-Buts, would you go junior, deuce? Nah. What would you call? No, junior.
My dad's a third, and then my older brother is a fourth. But, yeah, I probably wouldn't.
Holy shit. You got to blaze your own trail.
Yeah, so that's four generations. Actually, happy birthday to Mitchell Butler II.

Man, who was there?

90 a couple days ago.

All right, Deuce Deuce.

Nice.

Shout out to him.

Deuce.

Butler.

What did Virginia turn to 102?

102, yep.

Happy birthday.

Boy, those comments on that IG were fun.

102.

What, they were rude to a 102-year-old lady? They were very rude. I didn't agree with any of them.
I just saw them, and some of them said, you know, it's time to hit the McCaskett. I don't stand by it, but they're clever.
Yeah, but it's clever. That's the internet.
That wasn't the most disgusting thing yesterday. It was not.
Was it? And it wasn't even close. What are you talking about? The internet was live yesterday.
The internet was live yesterday. There's a lot of things.
A lot of things. A Sunday Night Football game? No.
Great game. Some of the Nicky Glaze jokes.
Bop bop bop. Oh, yeah.
Golden Globes. Golden Globes.
Kevin, congrats to everybody that won those. Those ones are big, right? Yeah.
Did Chalamet win? I don't think so. He was there.
He was there. For the Bob Dylan movie.
Did Coop win? Did Coop win? I don't know if Coop had anything he was nominated for. Glenn Powell was there.
Did Glenn Powell win? You got a nice joke about Glenn. He did, but no.
Did Denzel win? Denzel did not win. He was very thankful he did not win.
Really? So hold on. Hold on.
Denzel, why? Denzel's just not with the bullshit with that stuff. If it's an Oscar, sure, he'll entertain that, get up there.
But I'm not doing the fucking happy dance, get up here and do some bullshit speech. Just thank you.
I appreciate it. Get the camera.
He said he's past that. Yeah.
He said he's not doing it. That was like Messi.
Messi said, I don't do those awards. I don't do that award.
Messi said that the other day, I think. None of our guys won anything.
What's the deal? Looks like Adrian Brody won Best Actor, but one of our guys, The Rock, put Vin Diesel through a table. It was off camera.
Vin Diesel did kind of kind of throw it. I heard that.
What's up, Dwayne? He throws a shot, yeah. Hey, Dwayne.
Oh. Hey, Dwayne.
That makes me feel like they're actually on. I thought it was a positive interaction.
Yeah, they're on a rebound. That's how I read that.
They're on a rebound. I didn't because everyone laughed.
I don't think everyone's laughing. Yeah, but so did The Rock.
So did The High Chief. I thought they were back together for the last film.
Yeah, it's a good thing. Good business.
They're back together, I think. That one last ride.
It'll work. Fast and finally.
Is Dwayne bringing... Is he bringing him to, you know, tonight? To Netflix premiere? How about The Rock putting that...
How about The Rock putting that video out? And then the way it was done? Of course. That's just the the way the rock is i can't wait to see what this place does whenever he comes out there's like a you know him just walking around because he's just goliath and everybody knows who the hell he is so i've got a chance now to see him out in about you know for brief moments when he's able to do it it's like he's a human that's built in a fashion that you go oh what the is that and then when you see it you go oh it's the rock holy and it's like that's how everybody acts and then when he walks into a building as soon as the it's just immediate pavlov's dogs everybody just goes crazy i'm pumped he's gonna be here there's gonna be beer here is that what that what they said, Ty? Is that what they were saying? I think there was some beer deal that happened.
Well, that's why everyone was so hyped up because the Hulkster's beer, I believe he did sign some sort of deal with the WWE and every Hulkamaniac has just got their fingers crossed that maybe the Hulkster will show up tonight. Maybe he'll get some sort of cannon and shoot a couple real American beers into the crowd.
Okay. Oh, maybe a boom.
Those would be pretty. There's a real American beer right there.
It's a light beer that's brewed in the United States of America, if you were wondering. Okay.
That's real American beer by a great American Hulk Hogan. You know, I would not recommend throwing these cans around i've been in a couple throwing cans around situations they've never ended good virginia tech foxy every time i tell the story nobody believes that you were there with me i thought someone was gonna die that day pat it was unbelievable full cans of beer being chucked from what 50 yards away maybe those were bombs crow hopping yes crow hopping people were crow in a a field where they were tailgating everybody's telling places packed with tailgaters packed virginia tech is a wild place they need to get good it was awesome they need to get really good that place would be insane if they got very very good again but it was an entire field everybody was tailgating it and like one of their things was they would huck full beers there'd just be a beer that would land next to you you're standing there kind of getting a trying to see how this whole thing goes boom full beer hits and then like kind of hits you and then it's like what just happened they're like oh you got to chug it i'm like excuse me and it's like yeah the whole parking lot's got in on it it's like okay so then we did a show with barstool tailgate at the front of this park or this field and Obviously beers are getting fucking Because they want us to chug beer it was one of the most Exciting and electrifying things I've ever been a part of because you literally had no idea what was gonna happen But there was like three four beers that were hocked out there like we're talking It's a it's a tradition almost it was wild And then the other one was when I wanted to take a fishing net into a Pittsburgh Pirate game and try to catch a home run ball.
And we didn't know if the fishing net was going to be strong enough so we hopped a can of beer in the parking lot. Turns out that thing went right through the fishing net right onto the hood of the car that was right behind me in the parking lot.
So don't throw cans if you're the Hulkster but certainly hand them out. Real American beer here in the Intuit Zone for the global launch of WWE, an American product.
I'm pumped about it. That's a whole other thing with WWE.
I talk about American product, but most of the performers from all over the world. Whenever I get a chance to get back in here and talk to these people, it's awesome, just catching up.
They're always so interested in football. A lot of football fans in WWE.
A lot of football fans. Is Sheamus there? I don't know.
If Sheamus is here, I need to find the fella. I need to find the lad.
He might be training with Notre Dame. He's doing his...
He picked Notre Dame to win the national championship whenever we were in... When we were in Ireland.
Look at that. I picked Georgia, obviously.
That game was played. Notre Dame, Georgia.
How about that? Did we ever talk about that? No. No.
Notre Dame's so fucking good. I have underestimated them the entire time.
A lot of their fans have told me, keep picking against us, keep picking against us. And it's like this is kind of what's happening with Michigan last year when I picked against them because I thought, you know, the football gods would do their thing.
I just didn't know that this Notre Dame team was this good. And I almost refused to believe how big of a dog Riley Leonard was.
I mean, it's just like, and Marcus Freeman, what an amazing coach. Like legitimately, the way he has rallied that bunch all buy-in.
And this dude is unbelievable. I mean, everybody's talking about, me included, like, hey, he's going to have to make a throw.
He's going to have to make a throw. It's like, I don't know.
And the throws he's going to have to make are like this. I think he can.
I think he can make a 15-yard throw if he has to. It's like they are so good.
I've underestimated them completely, and I think they know that. I think their fans know that.
And Faison, the lacrosse dude, he's unstoppable when he gets the ball in his hands. I mean, it is real deal, this Notre Dame team, AJ.
Who's the favorite for their game against Penn State? Notre Dame is. Yeah.
A couple? Two and a half or something Dame, they're a physical bunch. And Buddy only threw for 86 yards.
When he pulled the ball out at the end, he flipped over the first down marker. This guy's laying it all on the line for his squad, that's for sure.
Special teams were huge in that game too. When you look at both programs, you would expect debt-wisewise, Georgia would blow them out the water when you get to that third phase.
But to your point, you talked about Marcus Freeman, and I would rarely say this. Like, he out-coached Kirby Smart on that night.
And, you know, you rarely would see that with a multiple national champ with Kirby Smart. So, shout-out to Marcus Freeman.
Obviously, he got paid. He's building a culture down there, building a big winner down there in Notre Dame because at this point in the season, this is usually when they get their doors blown off when they face one of these big SEC teams or Big Ten teams.
So shout out to Notre Dame, man. Still been favorites.
That's awesome. And also shout out to Notre Dame doing this in their weather, everybody else's weather.
You know, they are a cold-weather bunch, as they have showcased, and what they were able to do to Indiana. Penn State also got a squad.
I've underestimated them, too, that Warren guy. I mean, what is that? That's an absolute weapon, that guy.
Oh, one last thing about Marcus Freeman I wanted to hit. Did you see the interaction between he and Riley Leonard? That's awesome.
On the substitution thing? Yeah. Riley Leonard, in like the kindest, most professional way, basically said said this guy is lying to you he's a super genius he made a tweak to the play the substitution we're gonna get him the false start uh play that we tried once debuts you remember that mm-hmm was that against the Patriots oh you know tried to yeah I wonder if Marcus Freeman saw that it was like it's not a bad concept hey that's so fucking hard on the defense.
Like, when you're coming off and you're probably trying to get together with your position coach to go over adjustments, blah, blah, and then you know how shit goes, whoever is in charge of the stuff. Hey, hey, first base, first nickel, whatever group you're sending out, there's a full, you know, hockey line swap pretty much, and you're getting out there and you're kind of anxious, then you go hard snap.
Like that was brilliant from the coaching. But obviously the players got to get out there and execute.
That shit was tough. So shout out to Friedman and the boys figuring it out.
That's a game winner for them. And I don't think their kicker was great all season.
And then he's been. Notre Dame's, yeah.
I mean, yeah, he had a 49-yarder in the freezing cold. This is the play we're talking about.
Had punt team on, sub-punt team off, bring the entire offense on.

Ref has to hold him for enough time for Georgia to be able to substitute

to match whatever Notre Dame just did.

They felt like it was a long enough time.

Georgia got set up enough to get comfortable and to get eager and excited,

and then they go, you know what?

Yeah, it looks hard.

It's over.

First time.

23-10 at that moment. Now, I will say only lost to notre dame by 10 27 17 interesting 13 point difference there i'm not even gonna get into that conversation and then uh how about joe test story there he was campaigning for texas it sounded like he loves that roster he does i i like how passionate he is about this game coming up but yeah i mean te I mean, Texas is loaded.
We know that. There's a reason.
All four teams are legit. They are stacked.
D-Butch, outsides on the Penn State-Notre Dame team game, I don't think as much as a convo at this year. But, like, outsides for Texas and Ohio State, so much talent.
Is anybody going to be able to stop Jeremiah Smith on Texas, you think? Man, maybe we just been too close to the action. But watching that shit up close, and I had questions coming about Will Howard coming into the season and some different things that happened throughout the season.
But we always talk about peaking at the right times or certain teams going through adversity. Seeing Ryan Day, his message kind of pregame in the locker room to the boys.
And then how they came out and started, how Chip Kelly has been dialing it up, you know, finding creative ways to get Jeremiah Smith some matchups, getting him the ball early. No.
Short answer is no. I do not think they can stop Jeremiah Smith.
You can maybe contain him and make the other guys beat him. But the other guys are Ibuka, Carnot Tate, Henderson, Junkins in the backfield, and that offensive line is showing up as well.
Then on the other side, their defense. So this roster, I think, rightfully so, I think this team should be favored to go win it all.
And maybe that's just us being too close their last two games, actually seeing this operation going. But I don't think anybody can stop that Ohio State offense right now.
And I think, you know, you say we're too close to the action. I think we fully understand the amount of motivation that they were given after losing to Michigan without the entire state act.
You know, like I think Herbie has talked about it a lot. You know, obviously.
No doubt. Everybody, but it was very real over there.
And we're lucky that we have AJ, obviously the living Ohio State icon with us and we're close to the state and we have Ohio State friends. It's like, it was hot in the kitchen over there.
Not just for Ryan Day, Obviously, for the head coach, always going to happen. But for the entire team, I think there was a lot of questions.
Because Trestle, Urban Meyer, everything they said coming in, Ohio is a hardworking state. Like, you're getting millions of dollars.
And, like, it's not – like, there was a lot. And then, with the way they've gone about handling their business and adversity this year, I mean, you've got to love this team.
Like, literally, you have to love this Buc i picked against them twice already aj picking against them then right well that's what that's what the notre dame people are saying too but what about the penn state people i haven't exactly put them over and in texas we know i did the whole in the entire yeah i mean it's uh i don't know i apologize to whatever fan but i'm gonna have to pick two i'm gonna have to pick two I'm going to have to pick two. You watched that Ohio State defense.
We talked about it. We've seen it now two games in a row, Tennessee and Oregon.
They're going to make you go the hard way. D-Bot, you know that.
If they want to get in picking up a third and six, it's like they got to do it. Teams have got to do everything they can to get seven yards and get a first down.
Like, okay, here we go. Let's reload again and try to find a way.
Like you said, D-Bot, what did you say? They were stapling them. There's no weakness.
That's what they look like. Boom, boom, boom.
They call themselves the silver bullets. That's what Ohio State's defense has said forever.
Really? Inside leverage, outside leverage. Boom, boom, boom.
Yeah, it's crazy. Silver bullets like bullets on a tin can, man.
Ping, ping, BBs on a tin can, man. Ping, ping, ping, ping.
That's what what silver bullets are doing it's been fun to watch yeah it's been very fun to watch and then obviously texas has all the town in the world and quinn ewer is making that check and that throw their real deal it's uh college football is going to be fantastic as is football as is tonight raw on netflix boys i can't wait to get back for you tomorrow cannot wait to get back tomorrow and i think i think we're holding up some stuff in the arena but hey it is uh it was a good time starting to fill up over here h thanks for traveling on your birthday oh yeah four years ago four years ago you had a similar offer on the table to come to indianapolis you said you're going to dc so thank you for making the choice to come to indy brother we appreciate it hey great to be here with to be here with the boys. Great to be here with D-Butt, actually.
I've never been in this seat with D-Butt here. I'm usually here Friday.
Great to be here, too. Was it your birthday, too? Yeah, it was.
Oh, my gosh. Big birthday.
I miss you, guys. I'm never there when you're there.
I know. That's weird.
It's kind of a bummer. Thursday, you guys.
Let's figure that out sometime. Yeah.
Thursday, we'll all be together because we're doing our show live from the Orange Bowl. That's going to be crazy.
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
Is it blazing? We got our show? No, it's perfect. Oh, nice.
And then snow. Perfect.
Don't listen to Darius with perfect. Snow shuts Texas down.
Yeah, it's going to be fun. Yeah.
Oh, we got jackets. Yeah, they're saying big storm coming to Dallas, right? Yeah.
I'm sorry, Darius. What'd you say?

No, I'm saying down in Florida when I left, it was like 60s maybe.

Jackets, Scullies, gloves.

60s.

And then you fly them.

Oh, my God.

68 on Thursday.

Fucking gorgeous.

Oh, beautiful.

Fucking gorgeous.

Hey, the snow.

The snow out there in Indy was real.

I heard it snowing today, too.

Yeah.

Sideways this morning.

We probably got like 10, 12 inches. Yeah.
Last night for for sure i saw a bunch of trucks i was driving in trucks in the median how was your drive how was your drive it took a little it took a little while but not because of me you know there's some slow drivers usually like one lane of the highway was kind of plowed and then sometimes you get a car in front of you going 35 miles an hour which you know i don't you don't have to go that slow but you gotta find a way but it's hard because the snow that's in between the lanes will get you oh yeah i had a couple a couple of reset moments you know when your wheels you're i could see myself in that median here that i just saw a full 18 wheeler stuck yeah that happens bingo yeah just because you're trying to get a little antsy you know wow that left lane right there i could see tire marks i could see tire marks but you know that there's a in between the lanes there's a lot of kickback from both sides there and boy driving through ohio i i got i did 360. i had 360 on 70.
and i had to look like the biggest asshole of all time nobody was in that left lane. Just a fucking line of people on 70.
Going the same speed. We're all in this misery.
And I was just like, no, fucking, I got to go. I go there 360.
Boom. And I end up on side of road on other side of lane just sitting there.
And literally everybody that drove by was like, I'm like, yeah, okay, let me work my way back in here. I was shooketh, though, the rest of the drive.
Oh, yeah. I was like, oh, my God.
Oh, my God. I'm going to die.
That's what I think. But you can't be scared of the snow.
Just like you can't be scared of the ice. You got to drop that thing in a neutral when you're trying to stoppage.
You got to drop that thing in a neutral. Don't panic.
Just don't panic. If you start sliding a little bit, just don't panic.
Just stay calm and just steer yourself out of it.

You'll be fine.

And get off the gas, obviously.

Don't jam the brake either.

You jam the brake and you start throwing yourself into a spin.

A ride to the airport this morning was, there was a lot of back roads, you know, to get

to that particular airport.

Oh, I bet.

Just field.

Thick.

Field snow.

Road. You see like a little gully and then snow.
Just right. I'm the first tires through, brother.
I'm the first tires through. I felt like Christopher Columbus.
I felt like Christopher Columbus. I had no idea if I was going the right way on a couple ones.
Just kept on forging the river, brother, and made it there. Lucky to be here.
Thankful to be here. Thankful to you, AJ.
Happy birthday. D-Butch, I'll see you tomorrow.
Boys, I'll see you all tomorrow.

Hopefully, you guys get a chance to check out Netflix tonight, 8 o'clock Eastern, 5 o'clock Pacific.

And wherever you are in the world, this shit's going to be bananas tonight.

And they're already starting to work their magic.

And I think it's time for me to get the hell out of everybody's way and get prepared for the biggest night potentially in professional wrestling.

AJ, what an honor it is

to be here i am so thankful so so thankful all right great work today be your friend tell your friend something nice and my ch dumpy dumpy need you up here pal come on kill it tonight good luck tonight stages a little high oh what are you saying oh no what do you know Oh no.

Little legs.

He made it, he made it, he made it, he made it.

Hey, Tyreek Hill doesn't want to be a uh doesn't want to be a dolphin anymore he's out how do you feel yeah we want volunteers not hostages we didn't win with them so if you don't want to stay around get out hell yeah hell yeah boom it is what it is man we've been dog we haven't won a playoff game in 25 years 25 years he's been there for three years we haven't won i't won shit. I mean, if he doesn't want to be there, he doesn't want to be there.
You'll be there, though, won't you? Always. Till the day I die, unfortunately.
Let's do some overreactions because, Gumpy, I just remembered your overreaction as being one of the best. We put out a tweet this morning.
I said, hey, listen, I want to hear your thoughts on how your state of your team is doing right now. Send a tweet.
Use it as a therapy session. We won't judge you.
Actually, the best ones will make the program. Ty Schmidt scanned through all these and picked the best ones.
Ty, how is the selection this week? Pretty good. Very heavy Steelers and Colts.
Very, very heavy. Oh, okay.
All right. All right.
A lot of storylines, obviously, in those two cities. We want to hear from you.
So we said all you got to use is... Hashtag I don't want to overreact but i don't want to overreact but the man that is in this video is going to get fired from his jobs and uh that is what i just noticed there with ken dorsey uh every year every year he's getting i'm sure he's handling it better than he had in the past he was a little fiery you know he's all fired which is what a coach, and I'll be excited to see where he goes next.
But we don't want to overreact. But let's hear what the people had to say.
It became the number one trend, I believe, in the United States of America. Passing bulky and many other situations brewing around the world.
Hashtag I don't want to overreact. But.
It's never been more Joever for the Fins. 25 years without a playoff win, man, and now Tyreek Hill wants At-A-Ton.

Steven Ross not even thinking about moving on from Chris Greer is certainly something.

Unfortunately, this is part of being a sports fan,

and I'll convince myself that next year is the year we break the streak.

Hashtag go Fins.

That is sports fan life, isn't it?

Yeah, it was nice that they had that thing on deck,

so there was never a thought to move on from Chris Greer at all. He's done a great job.
No division titles, no playoff wins, but let's run it back one more time, huh, Chris? How many playoff wins has he had? Zero. How many years has he been there? Ten.
As the GM. Kind of like that.
You know, in Indianapolis, let's go to another overreaction, shall we? It'll get better. It'll get better.
You're 11, you're 9. This one's from AP Tone.
Hashtag I don't want to overreact. But.
And we've mentioned this before, but here we are again. This perpetual limbo stuck in football fucking purgatory like we're Phil Connors in that groundhog.
Is the Steelers driving us off a cliff year after year for eight years and the pain never stops. 11-0 starts, best defenses, two QB fuck-arounds, killer Bs, all for 500 records in first-round exits.
I'd rather go to Baltimore and do meth with bubbles than go to the game and watch that bloodbath. Or Ravens choke again in Super Bowl here we come hashtag here we go okay town town geez Louise a little harsh there don't you think pal I know playoffs yes and a lot of organizations would die to be in the spot that the Steelers are in year after year.
Contending for divisions, contending in the playoffs, but not this organization, not this city. We are about championships, and that's the only thing we care about, and there hasn't been one or even the hope of one in a long, long time.
So I think I share the sentiment with most Steelers fans that it's another disappointing season because – You guys are in the playoffs in the playoff. I know.
I know. And we're playing the Ravens and we're playing the Ravens who we play very, very, very well against.
You're in a great spot. Nine and a half.
You have no expectations. Like you're, you're, you're expecting to lose.
So if they win going to run, but I don't want to be expecting to lose in the first round of the playoff. I get it.
Nine and a half point dog expecting to win. Nine and a half.
He had them until Russ fumbled right by the goal line last time. Remember he was doing one of these? He was cooking, as they say.
He was on his way. And then he got boom right in the hip.
I agree, but Russ has kind of like Phil Connors fallen off a cliff the last month or so. Yikes.
But they could go in there.

They could beat the Ravens.

But then I think the most natural

path is Ravens, Bills, and then Chiefs.

And you know, there were years where we'd be like,

that's fine. But not

this year, Pittsburgh. You're in the playoffs.
I don't know what more you could win at Boston Corner. A phenomenal mullet on this thing, isn't it? Look at that.
Look at the fade there with the mustache. Is that a fucking bow tie this guy got on? A real one, too.
Wow. Is that person still doing their hair like that, or what do you think? It's TBD, perhaps.
Okay. We'll determine it later, won't we? 2B, if you will.
Hashtag I don't want to overreact. But the Patriots are going to the playoffs next season.
There's not a doubt in my mind that the ship is heading in the right direction. This was the final year the Patriots will be on the island of irrelevancy, and Drake May is going to skyrocket into superstardom immediately.
Conman, feels like this is a natural reaction for everybody in New England, even though you guys don't even have a head coach right now. Yeah, yeah, but we do have a head coach.
And Shefty wouldn't say it because he doesn't like to say things until they're 100% confirmed. But he said Mike Vrabel's the leading candidate.
So basically what he is actually saying is Mike Vrabel's the next head coach of the New England Patriots. We talked about it earlier.
Obviously, there are some rules. I do believe Jonathan Kraft and Bob Kraft are going to prank call Brian Flores just to kind of get the Rooney rule out of the way, do some funny stuff with them.
Hey, Brian, good to see you. Is your refrigerator running? Something like that.
And then, you know, that'll be kind of how it goes. Belichick will send another text message.
Congratulations. Hey, congrats, Brian.
He did it again. And Brian will think he has a job, but he doesn't.
Everyone knows it's Vrabel. I think that's kind of a done deal.
I think all the other teams know, hey, we can bring in Vrabel, but there's really no point to. He's going back to New England.
He's going to be the head coach there. He's going to completely make the culture a championship culture again, which he knows how to do.
And Drake May is going to be the best quarterback in the league. T.
Higgins and Devontae Adams will probably be there too. You think do-your-job stuff's going back up on the walls? I think do-your-job stuff's going back up on the walls.
I assume Vrabel even has some Bill Belichick quotes from when he was playing that he might just be like, hey, we should make this into a sign because it really helped me, and I'm sure it's going to help the rest of the boys. And all those players on defense that are great players are probably going to raise their level of play.
And look, I mean, we're probably going to be the toughest fucking team in the league, too. I already started smoking cigarettes again.
That's what she said. Descend to the universe to make the right decision.
All right, let's go to the next overreaction, shall we? This is from Maurice Brown at M. Mario Jr.
24C Jr. right here.
This is what I'm talking about. Deuce.
I wonder if they ever called him. Hashtag I don't want to overreact, but Jim Irsay is 18 steps ahead of anyone who thinks he's a dumbass.
Backer, Kline, Ballard, and Scheidt steikin so the Colts can implode next season more than McDaniels' toilet did after Jim laid eyes on it. Then, with the first pick in the 2026 draft, a familiar name, Archie Manning cool that'd be a wild thought if that is what Jim mercy was thinking we got a statue of a Manning outside let's bring in another one that'd be thinking ahead obviously but that would be saying that you're looking for the team not to do good next year I think Jim has faith that this team's gonna do good I think he actually you know believes that Chris Bauer is gonna be able to do his thing this late into his tenure i think there's a lot of doubt a lot of questions by a lot of people but jim mercy said he's confident okay so he's confident gotta believe i don't know i believe him doing what that tweet said is kind of like an even villain evil villain move and he kind of looks like an evil villain on that get around machine that i saw him on yesterday so that all makes That all makes sense.
I'm buying one. Do you remember when we were growing up?

I think they made these office chairs that you could like kneel on. Do you remember they were built like a zigzag? Do you remember? It looked like that was like a version of that in there.
And obviously we wish nothing but Godspeed for Jim and his health and everything like that but him putting that out immediately after the game told me that hey that thing was sitting on there was quicker I think Shane's got the mail firing tweet which are the news which was like three minutes after the game or Jim's I think Mayo was quick that was legitimately felt like Kraft walking down there going, hey, thanks for fuck up. I'm not going to roll pick and fire.
Get the fuck out! He got fucking hoes. That was nuts.
Bullshit. Yeah, that was bullshit.
I mean, what did they expect? How do you feel about it, D-Butch? I think he got hoes. I mean, we talked about culture and building the culture and we can go back through a bunch of coaches and look at their first year and things that they learned.
Or their first job as a head coach is to give a guy one year after a 24-year period. That was bullshit.
You didn't expect a 7, 8, 10-win season. You had a rookie quarterback.
You had pieces on the team that weren't really there. You got a bunch of cap space going forward.
But I also understand the thought process of if it's going to be Braves, which or even Ben Johnson hey these candidates or this candidate is too good to pass up on so male was put in the bad spot from that standpoint but I was surprised I thought they would definitely stick with them especially with him being the hand-picked successor to Bill Belichick but we know how cold this this business can be so on one hand I definitely think he was hoes he didn't fair shake. And on the other hand, this may be your only opportunity to hire a guy like Mike Vrabel.
So I get it from both sides, but I think he was fucked over. But I think he'll get another opportunity at some point down the line to be a head coach again in this league.
I think the Crafts are getting anxious. They're tired of losing, I think.
I think they're trying to figure it out as fast as possible.

I think as a New England fan,

you guys like that the Crafts made a decision to move on?

Isn't that kind of the overwhelming?

Yeah, I agree with Deebo.

It does suck.

But also, for the Crafts, this is a huge babyface move just because everybody hated them from the Dynasty documentary.

And then, obviously, the team not doing well.

It's kind of like, hey, this is all on you. So, them doing this is kind of a big like hey we did fuck this up we're going to make a change and because variable is available and like a ben johnson's available that the opportunities to get better quicker are seem to be better with them and also mayo defensive guy the defense was so bad and it was damn near the same as it was last year.
So the fact that the defense got worse does not happen. Shite.
All right, let's go to the next overreaction, shall we? That was about the Colts, and then we took it over to Patriots. I'm happy to hear that.
This one's from Andrew. Real Scott Baio.
Wow, isn't that a famous Scott Baio? Baio? He had a kid when he was like 60 or something. What show was he on?

What was he on? He wasn't Uncle Jesse.

He looks like Uncle Jesse, kind of.

That was Chachi.

Chachi.

Chachi.

He was Chachi.

I don't want to overreact.

Yes, sir.

But I don't know what George Patton

bought Sean Payton for Christmas, but whatever it is,

it's not enough. Covered up the second

worst contract in history with a coaching

masterclass in young dogs.

We've got our guy QB on to lose by 40 in Buffalo. Hashtag, let's ride.
That's like the reality for the Denver Broncos fan base. I respect that a lot, AJ.
I respect the fact that they're like, we didn't expect to make the playoffs this year. We're taking a massive cap hit.
I think they got like million in dead cap in total we got a rookie quarterback trying to figure it out sean payton might take a few years to build this thing and then sean payton and broncos go ah we got the chiefs in our division they still make the playoffs good for them man i'm happy for denver i think they got the team as well yeah denver i think chef even alluded to it they kind of put the blueprint out on how to find a way to win with massive dead cap numbers i guess sitting there and trying to get creative but you got a draft that's why people would fire the coaches so quick too because look at how fast they turned it around they're paying a load of money to nothing and turn around two years payton's been and they're in the playoffs already how about jim harbaugh yeah one year playoffs unbelievable he told us about how much the guys love football they're in that locker room he was like when i got here it's just amazing how much these guys love football just love football bosa khalil man all they want to do is ball just like everything he was talking about was basically that and uh they've turned it quick over there what a drumming he said that they needed one more week to maximize their toughness going into the playoffs i I think one more week will maximize our toughness. One of my favorites.
Favorites. Favorites on the road.
First round of the playoffs. Three-point favorites at Houston.
Unbelievable. That's impressive.
And they get Aziz Al Shayer back down there in Houston for the playoff run. I wonder how much that will affect if Houston just beat the hell out of the Titans.
Let's go to another overreaction before we get out of here as we are in the way of everything. Eric Parpart at Eric underscore Parpart.
Go Gators. Hashtag I don't want to overreact.
But. The Vikings are done.
The Vikings will lose to the Rams. Sam Donald will leave and get paid by some crop franchise.
Aaron Rodgers will sign a one-year deal with Minnesota just like Brett Favre. And finally, your Super Bowl 60 winner will be the Minnesota Vikings.
I don't love that they're already looking ahead i don't love that that's happening enjoy this year age enjoy this year gumps could you imagine if the dolphins did what the vikings are doing right now you lose the lions you get your ass kicked you're still playing for the number one overall seed let's keep it going there's only two teams they've lost to all year the viking or the rams and the lions and they did it back to back already once this year and they're could do it again do you hear that on the canadian right there agent that is gump that's i mean that's a bit troublesome but arnold looked like he was seeing ghosts man that was that was bad they're getting after him legitimate bad some good pressure and good scheme against him no no doubt but i mean that doesn't mean he's going to play bad in the playoffs we don't know that he was he was zicked up he was zicked up it was a big night in detroit you see that you see the you only get one shot don't miss your chance to blow because opportunity comes once in a lifetime yo and they did it and then they showed eminem on the screen everybody was there did you see that maz was impressed it was the best thing he's ever seen maziano maz yeah kid rock probably grabbed, yeah. Kid Rock probably grabbed him the tongue.
It was the best show he's ever seen in a football game.

Was he there? I don't know if they showed him on camera,

but Kid Rock was a staple at Detroit

when I was on the Packers playing the Lions.

On the sideline?

Yeah, in the locker room. Bobby

Carpenter was on the Lions for a couple

years. He said Kid would come in the locker room

after games and celebrate with them.

Give game balls out like brick? That's awesome. I'm sure he he's receiving game balls i don't know if he's giving them out speaking of the locker room how about when dane campbell walks to the locker room he looks like an orangutan he is so big he is he's a physical presence in a way he talks his protrudes.
It's like this guy's doing manual neck exercises.

I think he's got somebody holding a towel on his forehead for his neck

when he's giving these interviews.

What an absolute stunt.

All right, last one here, last overreaction.

This one is from Daniel Jones is really fast at Jays ripping darts.

Okay.

Hashtag I don't want to overreact.

But the last time the Bucs played in the wild card versus Washington.

What were they called uh never mind but we won a Super Bowl Baker is taking us back first order of business taking a massive shite on Washington just like those poop pipes did for years in their stadium Bucks by 100 says Daniel Jones is really fast. I like that Commander's team.
I like the future. Obviously, the pass has a great history.
AJ, what team was he talking about there? Do you? The Bucks. The team Gibbs used to coach.
Gibbs coached them. RG3 got drafted.
Acho played for them. He played for the Eagles.
The Washington football team, right? Acho didn't play for them. No.
Acho? Viva, any MVP updates from him yesterday? MVP and MVP, obviously valuable best. He was in the lab.
That's like a combo happening. Watching Phil.
Yeah, I saw that. He was in the lab.
Yeah, that's what I heard. All right.
All right, that was Overeaction Monday. We can't thank everybody enough.
That was the number one trend in the United States this morning, which is so stupid. We're going to get out of here and enjoy the tonight We appreciate you all so much for allowing us to do this for a living to everybody here at the WWE that we are currently holding up We thank you for all your hard work and your setup and for how great the show is gonna be tonight AJ happy birthday good work be a friend tell a friend something nice it might change their life We're in this thing together team on me team on three one two three.
Rapper Sean Diddy Combs was a kingmaker. He had wealth, fame, and power.

What's up? Welcome to New York.

Until it all came crashing down.

Federal investigators raiding two homes owned by hip-hop mogul Sean Diddy Combs.

I'm Brian Buckmeyer, an ABC News legal contributor.

As Diddy heads to trial, we trace his remarkable rise and fall and what could be next. Listen to Bad Rap, The Case Against Diddy, a new series from ABC Audio.
Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Brad Milkey.
You may know me as the host of ABC Audio's daily news podcast, Start Here, but I'd like to add aspiring true crime expert to my resume. And here's how I'm going to make it happen.
Every week, I'm going to unpack the biggest true crime story that everyone is talking about. ABC's got some unique access here, so I'll talk to the reporters and producers who have followed these cases for months, sometimes years.

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