June 27, 2025 • 40 mins
The Bucs reward stability by extending Todd Bowles and Jason Licht. Adam Silver looks into the Achilles problem in the NBA. Rodgers and Stafford race to $400M. The Vikes have a bad backup plan for JJ McCarthy. Plus, an update on Antonio Brown and much more!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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I tell all my vampires, break it up. Back it up,
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it up, mess it up, suck it up, suck it up.
I tell all my vampires, come on, break it up.
Oh wow, my people are starting to up their game
(01:04):
a little bit. On the rock images, Oh that's a
good one.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
That's a really good one.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Yeah, Paul on on x grocked a black and drack
Google image. You're drinking a margarita, you're drinking blood, and
we're sharing a mic together. But you're in Penn Steak here,
so at least we're getting close. It is two Pros
(01:35):
and a Cup of Joe here. On Fox Sports Radio,
LaVar Arrington, Jonas Knox with you.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
We are going to.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Take you all the way up until nine am Eastern time,
six o'clock Pacific. You can hang out with us as
always on the iHeartRadio app and you can find us
on hundreds of affiliates all across the country. We were
mentioning this that somebody was rewarded in the NFL and
they deserve to be. And that's somebody was the head
coach and GM for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who yesterday
(02:03):
the Buccaneers announced multi year extensions for Todd Bowles and
Jason Light.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
This is, in my.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Opinion, totally deserved, especially Jason Light who. Yeah, they won
a Super Bowl with Tom Brady. But it is interesting
how the Patriots have completely unraveled. Yes, since Tom Brady left,
Yes they have. The Buccaneers have not only stayed afloat,
but surprisingly like they're the of all teams in the NFL,
(02:34):
only five teams have won more games than the Buccaneers
have since COVID.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Since twenty two.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
They're surprisingly Yeah, Baker Mayfield era competitive, just consistent bowls competitive,
Top Bowls era competitive. Competitive. I mean you can anticipate.
Who would you expect to win that division?
Speaker 3 (03:00):
The Bucks?
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Yeah yeah, so, I mean you can make the argument
that it could be Atlanta. We said that last year
they boned us. Now who's the who's the next one?
Who's the next one up? It ain't gonna be Carolina.
Oh come on, they ain't gonna be Carolina. Who else
is in there? Who else you got?
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Carolina?
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Carolina, New Orleans Saints. It ain't gonna be the Saints.
It ain't gonna be Carolina, And it ain't gonna be
the other team that Falcons.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
It ain't. It's just not.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
So partially you could blame it due to the level
of achievement of the other teams in the division, But
make no mistake about it. You take a Baker Mayfield
in a situation where it's like he doesn't get paid
the money he wants, and then they paid Deshaun Watson
more than the money he wanted, and now you've stabilized
(03:57):
a franchise after quarterbacks physics with Baker Mayfield playing at
a very high level, and another team has five quarterbacks
on their roster trying to figure out who's going to
be the number one quarterback. So justin that alone, like
bringing him in believing that he can be that guy
(04:18):
that leads the way for your Tampa Bay Bucks team
was a big decision because he was somebody else's trash.
It turned out to be their treasure.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
And not only was it somebody else's trash, it was
somebody else's trash that was brought in to replace the
greatest of all time. And we've seen what's happened in
New England when they've tried to do that. And yet
you look at Tampa and they've just been consistent. And look,
it's not like Todd Bowles is lighting it up as
head coach when it comes to a win loss record.
I think he's three games over five hundred. But there
(04:49):
is something to be said for that consistency. And there's
also something to be said for the fact that they
do it home grown. And this was a stat that
was out yesterday that the Bucks lead the NFL in
total snaps and starts by homegrown players drafted in rounds
one through five since twenty fourteen. So that's not like,
you know, a small sample size. For over a decade,
(05:12):
no team has had more draft picks play a significant
amount of time for them than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
have between rounds one and five during that time, and that,
I mean, that is something to be said. And they've
had results based on the wins and the success that
they've got, so listen, I think they've deserved it. But
(05:33):
it's been under the radar almost because look, Chris Godwin
had a better offer on the table, but decided I
want to come back and I want to be a
part of this and I want to continue to be
a part of this. And this is a guy coming
off an injury. They've found a way to draft great
reward their own players, and they've built a culture there
(05:55):
where players want to be there. And Baker Mayfield has
worked wonders there, completely revitalized his career, one of the
more underrated players in the NFL, underrated quarterbacks in the NFL.
And you look at Tampa and go, maybe they're not
the super Bowl elite team, but there is something to
be in pretty consistent and they've been one of the
(06:15):
more consistent teams in the NFL for years now.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Yeah, and they just got bigger on the interior line,
you know, so now they got some real size up front.
They've done a really really solid job of dealing with
the departures that they've had, and like you said, homegrown,
like they've built through the draft. It's like it's a
(06:40):
very very sneaky ascent, is what I would say. They
seem to be a team that is inching closer and
closer to being back to that elite status. They seem
to be a team that's going in the right direction.
That's the reward of extensions to the head coach and
the GM. I just think this will be an interesting
(07:02):
year to see how that plays out, because I think
now we've gotten enough of a sample size of Baker
Mayfield as the quarterback of this team to say, Okay,
now it's time. If Baker Mayfield is truly that that
franchise guy, now is that time to take that level
(07:23):
of accomplishment to another level, especially knowing that the level
of competition isn't necessarily very high. I mean, you're talking
about a team that Michael Pennix is your starter.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
You got you got shock? Is he going to be
the starter?
Speaker 1 (07:41):
And and and maybe Okay, so we don't really know
who's going to be the starter in New Orleans?
Speaker 3 (07:48):
And is it going to be Bryce Younger who is it.
Who's it going to be?
Speaker 4 (07:52):
In Carolina Knucks are by far and away the most
stable organization in that division, so it's not even close.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
So again, I think this is one of those non
excuse years that the Bucks are going to be facing.
They could be their own victims of success, the level
of success that they've been able to have because you're
able to win in the regular season, make it to
the playoffs, make it to the postseason, but how does
(08:17):
that go? I think that's going to be what they're
judged on this upcoming season is to have a solid
expected solid regular season, get into the playoffs, and how
do you do in the playoffs. If it's an early departure,
I think it's a loss of a season. And you
can't continue to look at the coaching staff and the
(08:38):
quarterback or even the GM and give credit due to
saying that this is a very well built team.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
I mean, if we're going to be fair, they probably
should have beat Washington in that playoff game. There was
a miscue by the Bucks. There was I think a
field goal that went off the upright and bounced around
that you know, get best football.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
I know.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
I'm just saying they're not that far away. We're not
far off from being a team to really have to
deal with and contend with.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
They just can't go backwards though.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
That's the thing, and that's I think that's the major
point here is Yes, they have been very close to
like taking that next step to the next level. And
again that's why you reward the people with the type
of contracts extensions that that you did. But going into
this season, can they take a definitive step forward from
(09:32):
where they are right now currently knowing that it's not
the most competitive division that you're going to have to
compete in, so they're going to have to show that
they can be competitive outside of their division and then
and win those games and show that they are to
superior your team within their division when they're playing those games.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
Now, it is, uh, it's game show time, all right?
So do we have any special game show music here?
Because of what we did mention this that since twenty twenty,
since COVID when the Bucks won the Super Bowl, they
have the sixth most wins in the NFL during that
stretch of time, which may be a surprise to some
(10:14):
people that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the sixth most
wins in the league over the last five years. So
the question I have for you, LeVar Arrington, or some
people call you LeVar Arrington.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
Who are the five teams.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Ahead of the Bucks in most wins in the NFL
since twenty twenty.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Most wins since twenty twenty? The Kansas City Chiefs that
is correct, The Baltimore Ravens that is correct. Buffalo Bills
that is also correct. How many is that three? That's three?
We've got two left wins wins?
Speaker 4 (11:01):
When's the Steelers just below the Buccketeers?
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Okay, twenty twenty, twenty twenty, the Detroit Lions.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
No, no, not the Lions. We're getting cold.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
I mean, well, we'll think about, you know, twenty. Who's
the forty No, no, even the forty nine ers. Who's
the benchmark of the NFL right now? If you have
to say that's that's the organization, that's.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Oh, I gotta throw Philly in there. Philly's the FA.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
But I would have said the benchmark is Kansas City. Yeah,
and Kansas City's on that lower Kansas City. So there's there's.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
One more one team left. And this might also be
a little surprising, but one team left, and if you noticed, how.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Is it Cincinnati? Now?
Speaker 4 (11:48):
You see you see your executive PU the Green Bay Packers.
So the Green Bay Packers list, So the Chiefs, the Bills,
the Packers, the Ravens, the Eagles, and then the Bucks
win the top three the top.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Three, so outside of they don't count.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Damn that's crazy though.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
But yeah, I don't think a lot of people consider
Tampa Bay to be that consistent of an organization. And
I've always said this, Look, there's no guarantees that you're
going to win a Super Bowl. As we talked about.
You know, the Bucks probably should have won that game
against Washington in the playoffs last year. But some things
go get a bounce here, a missque here, and that's
(12:36):
just the playoffs. That's how it works, and you know
the rest is history. I will take my team being consistent,
and I'll take my team being what to expect every
year as opposed to this up and down roller coaster.
Not quite sure, disappointment here, disappointment there. I think that's
got to be one of the haartest when you say that,
(12:59):
talking about all these teams like the Chiefs, the Bills,
the Packers, the Ravens, the Eagles, the Bucks all pretty consistent.
Oh yeah, like you don't have a lot of letdown, Right, what's.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
The boom zoom deal? Like who's the boom and bus teams?
Speaker 4 (13:13):
Well, because if you look at there's teams every year
and Albert Brier had the article, you know, worse to
first teams, and then the following year, you're not quite
sure what to get. You're not quite sure what you're
going to have in each franchise or each organization. And
I look at teams like, yeah, maybe the Packers won't
win a Super Bowl, but at least you know they're
going to be competitive. And if I'm a fan, if
(13:35):
I'm somebody rooting for that franchise, just give me a chance, Like,
give me, give me a chance that we get a
couple of bounces or a couple of breaks in the
postseason and next thing, you know, maybe we can win
big games late. And you saw that look in Cincinnati.
I always defended the Andy Dalton there in Cincinnati because
that team was going to the playoffs every year. They
just weren't winning any games, but at least they were
(13:56):
in the discussion. At least, you know, it's a crapshoot
at that point, us in the postseason and maybe we'll
get a couple of things to go our way. And
it feels like Tampa's one of those teams to where listen, man,
get them in the postseason. At least you know they're
gonna win some games, stay competitive. You're not going to
see the bottom fall out on them. And it's an organization.
You could probably argue the bottom could have fallen out
(14:18):
on them because Bruce arians left, Tom Brady left, and
it didn't. They were able to stabilize, figure it out,
and now they've got one of the better quarterbacks in
the conference that somebody else didn't want.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
That's a great point.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
So and he is a valued employee, and clearly we
were seeing that the Hey coach is a valued employee,
and as well as the GM. I think you can
only hope for seeing them take a step forward. And
I just just to add to your points because I
thought that's a good perspective, is you're looking at a
(14:52):
league that it's just very hard to prognosticate what's going
to happen. I think that that's what makes the league
so intriguing. While you can sit there and say, all right,
there's teams that you can count on being good? Can
you count on the fact that they're going to be
the team that goes all the way or what type
(15:12):
of a year.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
They're going to have.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
If you would have said that when Damico Ryans took
over the Houston Texans that they would they would get
as good as they did, as quickly as they did,
I don't know how many people would have said, I
put my money on the ow State claim that this
is what's going to happen with the Houston Texans, and
nonetheless they improved because they were one and done on
coaches two years in a huge I mean, look at
(15:35):
the Washington Commanders, same exact thing. You know, you're looking
at a team that was suffering, struggling, had fallen into
mediocrity living there, and then boom, you bring in new ownership,
you bring in a new head coach, you bring in
Jaydon Daniels, and now you have a team that's one
game away from the Super Bowl right and arguably could
(15:58):
have won the game against the eventual Super Bowl champs.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
In that also kind of what makes the Steelers' decision
on Mike Tomlin that much more difficult, because that's exhibit
A of the bottom never falling out.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Yeah, always in contention, always in consideration.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
And they haven't won a playoff game, you know, their
last five six times in the postseason, but never a
losing record and sort of bordering on the brink of
being a team that could make some noise in the postseason.
And now the Steelers are looking at it going, yeah,
that's been the case for a long time.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
But it may seem like an.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
Easy caller, an easy decision to just say, well, we've
got super Bowl aspirations here, like our mark is a
super Bowl. If you're not winning a super Bowl, okay,
that's fine. But as we've seen, crazy stuff happens when
you get to a super Bowl. That Super Bowl against
Green Bay, if you go back and watch it, I
think it was Rashard Mendenhall had a fumble there that
completely kind to change at what that game could have
(17:01):
looked like. There's just there's a bouncers, a break that
goes here. I just think if you can get to
the postseason and throw your name in the hat, you
got a shot in a one game scenario or situation,
just like what Washington did to Detroit last year in
the postseason. Like and so the Bucks are one of
those teams all at least at the very least always give.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Themselves a shot.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Well, and then you look at the just just take
the step of the point a little bit more forward
with the Steelers. You're doing that in the AFC North, Yeah, you.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Like, it's not like you're doing it in the NFC South.
You're doing it in the AFC North when you are
winning and you are making the playoffs in the AFC North.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
With unstable quarterback play.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
So you got to take that into consideration because if
you were to disrupt that and take a chance on
bringing in a new coach, what does that look like?
Is there a slide? And can you recover? This franchise
is a storied franchise. It has had a ton of
success for very very I mean since they've been around,
(18:08):
I mean since they turned it around when the still
curtain took over and they drafted all those guys. I'm
curious when you look at teams that have that good
season but can't seem to return back to that type
of form, what that looks like. So when you do
(18:30):
see a level of consistency in terms of what the
accomplishments are during the course of the year. Do you
temper your expectations to say, I'm okay, if we have
a winning season, everything else is a bonus. Most fans
would say no. And that's where that's where it gets
kind of confusing and maybe a little sticky. Is most
(18:51):
fans would say, that's just not enough for me to
be happy with our season.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
I mean, I've got a good example for you. The
Bears Lovey Smith after he went ten and six. What's
that look like? Since what does that look like? Since
it just I mean, people want to People were ready
to fire the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes Michigan.
(19:18):
They wanted to fire him, I mean, and James Franklin, Like,
I don't get it, man.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
They wanted to fire Franklin after losing his first game of.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
Ya I've twenty years before.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
I remember doing a show with Bucky Brooks and we
were talking about there was this anonymous pole that came out.
I think it was CBS Sports. It might have been
Prisco who was part of it. Who knows, but there
was this anonymous pole that came out on CBS Sports
where they ranked the most overrated coaches in college football
and James Franklin was like three or four on the list,
and the knock on him was, well, all he does
is recruit.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Okay, what about now?
Speaker 4 (19:52):
Like I know, yeah, there's not a national title that's
come along with it, But you mean to tell me
you think you're better off moving off of that, like
moving away from that, like you would be better off
to I just.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
Ryan Day ended up winning it all and some would
argue and debate. They still wonder if they should let
this man go because he didn't beat Michigan in the horseshoe.
It's preposterous to think that some of the fans base
and judge what it is that they think is the
(20:25):
criteria of success versus failure as a coach, So you
can't base how you reward your coaching staff or your
players off of what fans think, because sometimes it's just
not realistic.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
It is two pros and a cup of Joe here
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round them all up, all right, get out the last soos.
(21:02):
It's another edition of the topic Roundup, and it's yours
here on FSR.
Speaker 5 (21:06):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern, three am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
App Two Pros.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
It is Two Pros and a Cup of Joe, Fox
Sports Radio, LeVar Arrington, Jonas Knox with you coming up
in a little over fifteen minutes from now, we are
going to have ourselves a bit of an update on something,
a bit of an update on what is turning into
a bigger issue than maybe some people realize that. It'll
(21:45):
be yours here again a little over fifteen minutes from
now here on FSR. It is a Football Friday here
on the show, and with Football Friday comes Friday traditions.
One of those is where we break out the lassos
and we round up discussions need to be had over
stories that went on throughout the course of the week
in the world of sports. It's time for another edition
(22:06):
of this.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Yeah, settle up, partners, tighten them their checks. It's the
topic roundup, and away we go, lev Arrington, all right,
tune time, come on, get that big ass bell buckle out.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Time to lasso up that big gallant come on here,
time to lasso up. Come on.
Speaker 4 (22:33):
The issue that everyone was talking about earlier this week,
including us, the Achilles injuries in the NBA. You had
eight season ending, potentially career altering Achilles injuries in the
National Basketball Association, with Tyres Alibert being the eighth of
the season for the NBA and in the postseason and
(22:57):
in Game seven of the finals. Name four more, Damian Lillard, Yeah,
Jason Tatum, that's the three, and then some other guys
there you go. Yeah, then you got all these Achilles
tendon tears and injuries.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
But we're only naming three. Now, there's only three that
matter now.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
Adam Silver, the commissioner of the NBA, who, as Petros
has pointed out, has some vampire qualities himself.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
He like he maybe even more so than you like.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
He's like the one that's morphed into like what the
real vampire looks like. Like you still have like you
can blend in qualities he can't. Yeah, you'd see.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Him coming.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
Well, Adam Silver, he took time from sucking blood oh No,
to discuss sure the issue of Achilles injuries while he
was on the NBA Draft coverage on the ESPN.
Speaker 6 (23:54):
Some experts think it may have more to do with them.
Youth basketball may have as much to do with what
do from ten to nineteen. Increasingly they're singles sport athletes.
These guys train also harder than when I talk to
veteran players now. I was talking to Andrea with Dolla
the other day, they head of the Players Association. He's
saying he's counseling a lot of these players that they
(24:14):
need more rest on their body in the offseason. I mean,
you've got guys working on three times a day. So
I'm hopeful that by looking at more data, by looking
at patterns. You know, this is one area where AI
people are talking about how that's going to transform so
many areas of the ability with AI to ingest all
video their player of every game of players played in
(24:35):
to see if you can detect there's some pattern just
like that we didn't realize that leads to an achilles injury.
Whether it's associated with calf injuries, we really don't know,
but we look we're taking it very seriously.
Speaker 4 (24:45):
I mean, clearly you should be. I mean it impacted
your postseason. You lost three players, including one of the
Game seven, and so the discussion is now what needs
to happen in the NBA when.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
It comes to the achilles issues.
Speaker 4 (24:59):
And I just wandered this, maybe there is something to
the amount of work you're doing in the offseason. Maybe
there's something to that, because I just don't recall in
shoes that weren't as high tech, and courts in the
league that weren't as well built and put together like
they are now. I don't recall a lot of achilles
(25:21):
injuries back in the day. I just don't.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
I can't take one side or the other in terms
of noticing the amount of Achilles injuries. I do know
that a lot of guys that are former players said
that they felt like it was the workload of the
season that may it took a toll on the bodies
of some of these players, which I found to be interesting.
(25:44):
It wasn't like, you know, the two that I saw
in particular with Haliburton and with Tatum, they weren't even
really doing anything that was like when you saw it
take place that would say that that's that's the court,
or it's the technology of the shoe or whatever it
may be.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
It just it went a.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
Guy for the Mets, they think ruptured his achilles yesterday,
just trying to you know, leave to pick up the
ball off off the mound, a little ground ball he left,
planted and popped.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
Yeah, and they're waiting at MRI on it. But it
looks like that's what it is.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
I don't I don't know what the right answer is, Jonas,
but it definitely does cause for addressing the issue just
because it's such a hot button hot button talking. I mean,
it could be the reason why the Indiana Pacers failed
to win it all.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Yeah, I mean.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
That's that's that will be Probably the one biggest takeaway
from this year's NBA Finals is that if Halliburton doesn't
go down, he came out hot. He came out hot
in the game, and if he doesn't go down, is
it a different outcome? Are the trajectories different? Almost like
you know it being you're saying almost like when Charles
(27:01):
Woodson forced the fumble on Tom Brady and they called
it a forward motion and it wasn't a fumble, Yeah,
tuckleroll like and then look at what happens, Like what
happens if they lose that game? Because they lose that game,
if Charles Woodson pulls that off, and what happens, what's
the trajectory of Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the New
(27:24):
England Patriots if Charles Woodson would cause that fumble?
Speaker 3 (27:29):
Anyways, It's like what would have? Could have, should have?
Speaker 1 (27:32):
But I think that this is like the same type
of scenario is you see a situation take place with
Haliburton that ultimately probably dictated that outcome.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
Of the game.
Speaker 4 (27:47):
Next up, the race to four hundred that's four hundred million,
and that race is between two quarterbacks in the NFL,
Lamar Jackson and who Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford. Okay,
Overall over their career, Aaron Rodgers has earned a little
over three hundred eighty one million dollars. Matthew Stafford has
(28:09):
earned three hundred and sixty four million dollars. Now on
Stafford's deal, he signed a two year, eighty four million
dollar deal this offseason is going to pay him forty
four million for the twenty twenty five season, and according
to NFL Media, Stafford has already been paid four million
dollars of that total. Of the final forty million is
fully guaranteed, so Stafford will be cashing out in twenty
(28:30):
twenty five with at least four hundred and four million
dollars in career savings. Aaron Rodgers signed the one year
deal with the Steelers worth up to nineteen point five million.
If he hits every incentive in his contract, his career
earnings will cross the four hundred million dollar mark to
four hundred and one and change, which will leave him
(28:52):
just short of Stafford. But both those guys in the
vicinity of staring down the barrel of four hundred million
million dollars in career earnings, And my question is do
you think they're keeping score?
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Because I remember.
Speaker 4 (29:06):
Hearing a story back in the day that Kobe Bryant
and Kevin Garnett knew that each was in competition for
who had the most career earnings during the course of
their time in the NBA, and that was a real thing.
Do you think Stafford and Aaron Rodgers are at all
aware of this potential race to four hundred million dollars
(29:26):
in their career?
Speaker 1 (29:27):
A race to four hundred million, maybe not, but possibly
making the most money in their career. I would say,
why not be aware of it? Like that's I mean,
you're not playing just to play. Why not be aware
of how much you're making and where that that ranked you.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
I mean, so that's a yes, that's a real thing.
Speaker 4 (29:48):
Sure, dude, If you're that close to four hundred million dollars,
who cares who gets it first?
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Everything should be fine.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Yeah, Once you're that close to four hundred million dollars,
you probably have to find different diferent things that keep
you motivated. That's another reason why I know, I know
my take on Aaron Rodgers yesterday got a lot of run.
I just think there's a lot of reasons as to
why there should be a red flag, a ginormous red
(30:15):
flag for that move.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
But some people seem to be positive about it.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
And maybe Aaron Rodgers is counting his money and saying,
you know what, like I didn't really need any money
to come here and do what it is that I
was going to do, and I'm going to crush it
as a Pittsburgh Steeler. I just don't see it being
very likely.
Speaker 4 (30:39):
Now, do you think it's more likely that their agents
are aware of how close they are?
Speaker 3 (30:43):
The four hundred million dollars. I mean, if they've had
the same agent the whole time, sure you got to.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
I mean just think about the four hundred million dollars
plus all the sponsorship deals you've got. But all of that,
I mean, that is a hell of a living and
they've got a Super Bowl ring.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
That's all I'm saying. Who can like if.
Speaker 4 (31:01):
Matt Stafford, I don't know if Matt Stafford's a Hall
of Famer And I don't even know if I'm saying
his name right. Maybe it's Matthew Stafford, but I don't
know if Matthew Stafford's a Hall of Famer. But dude,
if you were to tell me at the end of
my career, I've got a Super Bowl and four hundred
plus million dollars in career earnings, what's the problem?
Speaker 3 (31:19):
Literally? What is the issue?
Speaker 4 (31:21):
So he took a beating in Detroit, he ended up
in la Everything should be fine. But yeah, that is
the that is the plan in place that the race
is on between Rogers and Matthew Stafford, according to CBS Sports.
Those numbers provided by CBS Sports as they get close
to four and.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
A million dollars.
Speaker 4 (31:39):
Next up, there's a report out there courtesy of the
Athletic and Lee do we have the credit on this
Vikings report?
Speaker 3 (31:49):
The just so we have the.
Speaker 4 (31:50):
Proper credit on the Minnesota Vikings. But apparently there's a
you know, in case of emergency, if you got to
do it, if you're the Minnesota Vice Kings, and let's
say JJ McCarthy struggles early in the process as the
starting quarterback for the Vikings, maybe that there are two
quarterbacks that are listed as possibilities, Kirk Cousins and Ryan Tannehill.
(32:19):
Those are your emergency options for JJ McCarthy should he struggle,
and should the Vikings need to what do they call
break the glass like break the glass roster? Well, Kirk
Cousins is on a rosters, not on their roster, and
then you've got Ryan Tannehill who didn't even play last
(32:42):
But it just goes to illustrate. Now the Vikings are
turning the keys over and basically riding this year depending
on whether or not JJ McCarthy is good and they
haven't seen him play a snap in the regular season.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
That's I mean, that's the decision they made when they
didn't bring back Sam Darnold and said that they weren't
interested in Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
Which I think.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Talk about averting having buyers remorse, Like if Minnesota takes
Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers has the season I think he's
going to have, and you don't. It's another year. You
don't get to see what JJ McCarthy brings to the table.
(33:30):
You know, is that a good thing or a bad thing?
I don't know what the right answer to that is.
And there's always a small possibility that Aaron Rodgers does
prove out in Pittsburgh and people get to you know,
hit me up and say, I don't know anything. You're
a bum, da dad, you say it anyway. But if
that's your best options as the Minnesota Vikings, I don't
(33:53):
think that you are prepared to take the next step
in being an elite football team after having such a
positive year, even though it ended on such a low note.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
Yeah, they has have your option on the roster.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
You know why you got to go out and break
the glass and go elsewhere to try to figure out
the situation if it doesn't work with JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, so it looks like, you know,
the Minnesota there's.
Speaker 1 (34:21):
The red flags up there right now. Look they put
the red flag. Look look at the matt red Matt
see and it's in Pittsburgh. You see it covering up Pittsburgh. Yeah, boom,
Now that should be pointed out, really covering that.
Speaker 4 (34:31):
On the roster for the Minnesota Vikings, Sam Howe, Brett Rippon,
and Max Brosmer are the quarterbacks there. So who knows.
Maybe Sam Howe who listen, he showed him was listen,
he had some games. But that is the backup plan,
uh for the Minnesota Vikings. According to this report via
The Athletic that it is going to be potentially Ryan
(34:54):
Tannehill or Kirk Cousins should.
Speaker 3 (34:55):
Things not work out for JJ. That's crazy, Yeah, that is.
Speaker 4 (34:58):
And that is this week's of Your Topic round up
here on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (35:05):
Great job, Jonah Jonas, clean up the spatoons. Everybody, all
right there you go, all right, by.
Speaker 4 (35:11):
The way, you can't you can still buy spatoons. I
don't know if anybody does, but I think you can
on Amazon. I've seen them and listen. You know, Amazon
could use the money based on how much that wedding
is gonna cost everybody. Yeah right, Uh, why the word
is that? Is that in Italy that they're having that
wedding the Bezos?
Speaker 3 (35:27):
It is.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
Yeah, they moved it around quite a bit because of protesters,
but yes, it is in Venice.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
I thought one of them dip pouches the other day.
Which ones two of them? I don't know, like the
ones that are in the little white pouches anymore.
Speaker 3 (35:40):
Sins zen.
Speaker 4 (35:41):
Yeah, there you go go stick to ceilings, do they Yeah,
if you throw it up, it won't ever come down.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
It gave me a buzz in like two minutes and
then lost it. It was like that gum bazooka gum
you remember Bazooka. Yeah, had the comics on the wrapper
of it, and you chew it and it had tastes for.
Speaker 4 (35:59):
Like I was just talking to my brother about that
Big League chew remember big League Yeah, Yeah, that would
disappear in a hurry.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
Yeah, but big Lee cho at least you keep it
like put a big, big ass wad in your mouth.
Speaker 3 (36:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
Pause, I know what you mat. Dang, that just totally
derailed me's all the way. Anyways, you put a big, big,
big scoop or a handful of it's no way that
it's going well for me.
Speaker 4 (36:27):
But it feels like you're actually you've got tobacco. It
feels like you're actually doing it. It does actually feel
like it. As a kid, It's like, wow, I feel
like you know who was it? Barry Bonds used to
do it. I want to say.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
Mark McGuire did it where they had the big ass
the cheek because had their whole cheek puffed out from
on how much they had in there.
Speaker 4 (36:49):
What they would do is definitely they would take tobacco
leaves and they would wrap the tobacco leaves in bubblegum
like chew. They would just let that sit in there
just sound. Yes, they did and be fried.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
God, how's that not a piece? Every time? Every time
I did it.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
I used to do Copenhagen at least one time training
can and let me tell you some I had me
taking my clothes. I was button naked on the bit,
laying there sweating. Oh how do you guys do that
in practice? Oh my god, dude's be having a Copenhagen
during practice.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
On a drive to Vegas.
Speaker 4 (37:27):
I had a buddy who did top and bottom horseshoes
of Kodiak. On the drive to Vegas, he packed packed
the top and bottom lip with kodiac which and I've
never done dip or had a cigarette my entire life,
but apparently that's like the real stuff. And his eyes
were rolling in the back of his head. He was
spinning so bad hid and he couldn't figure it out,
(37:49):
had no equilibrium and he had to take both out
because he couldn't handle it. And they were doing that
and hitting like three point thirty back in the day.
Speaker 3 (37:57):
Crazy Jesus.
Speaker 4 (37:58):
Two Pros and a Cup of Joe here on Fox
Sports Radio. Coming up next, though, We've got an update
and it might not be a good one for a
potential Hall of Famer in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
Yours here on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 5 (38:08):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington, and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern, three am Pacific.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
Two Pros and.
Speaker 4 (38:20):
A Cup of Joe Fox Sports Radio, LaVar Arrington, Jonas
Knox with you here coming up top of next hour,
we are going to have a Hall of Fame worthy
discussion in the National Football League.
Speaker 3 (38:30):
That'll be yours here on FSR. Before we get to.
Speaker 4 (38:32):
This story where things are not looking great for a
borderline Hall of Famer, want to remind you to check
out the Fox Sports Radio YouTube channel. Search Fox Sports
Radio on YouTube. You'll see a whole bunch of video
highlights from our shows. Be sure to subscribe so you
never miss our very best Fox Sports Radio videos on YouTube.
So Antonio Brown, the wild world of Antonio Brown has
(38:53):
taken yet another turn where there was a report that
came out that he has filed for bankruptcy eleven bankruptcy
in Florida, declaring he has less than fifty thousand dollars
in assets. He reportedly owes three million dollars in debts
to eight creditors, including a one point two million dollar
civil verdict over an alleged twenty twenty assault. And there's
(39:18):
also that shooting that took place. The person listed as
the victim happens to also be the person who was
the protest in the Super Bowl performance at halftime, Lane
Kiffin's taking shots at Antonio Brown, and you know, basically
(39:38):
saying Karma's a bitch. It just feels like the Antonio
Brown experience. This is one of the downfalls. He's a
wild card, He's a wild dude. It still doesn't change
the fact that I would love nothing more than to
be nominated.
Speaker 3 (39:54):
For Cracker the Year. Oh wow, And I don't know.
I'm just saying I don't know what I need to do. Well,
he does need to be more of one. Maybe he'll
know you you are in media.
Speaker 4 (40:05):
By the way, where are you a b right now?
Because it's knee on the run, he's overseas someone.
Speaker 3 (40:09):
He's somewhere in the Middle East. Yeah, that narrows it down.
Oh dang, it's a place to be apparently, so good luck.
Speaker 5 (40:18):
Ab
Hey, thanks for listening to the Two Pros and a
Cup of Joe podcast with Brady Quinn, Jonas Knox, and myself,
LeVar Arrington. Make sure you catch us live weekdays six
to nine am Eastern or three am to six am
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. You can find your local
station for the Two Pros and a Cup of Joe
(00:20):
show over at Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching fs R.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Get this, punies, you're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
I tell all my vampires, break it up. Back it up,
break it down. That's it up. Mess it up, mess
it up, mess it up, suck it up, suck it up.
I tell all my vampires, come on, break it up.
Oh wow, my people are starting to up their game
(01:04):
a little bit. On the rock images, Oh that's a
good one.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
That's a really good one.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Yeah, Paul on on x grocked a black and drack
Google image. You're drinking a margarita, you're drinking blood, and
we're sharing a mic together. But you're in Penn Steak here,
so at least we're getting close. It is two Pros
(01:35):
and a Cup of Joe here. On Fox Sports Radio,
LaVar Arrington, Jonas Knox with you.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
We are going to.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Take you all the way up until nine am Eastern time,
six o'clock Pacific. You can hang out with us as
always on the iHeartRadio app and you can find us
on hundreds of affiliates all across the country. We were
mentioning this that somebody was rewarded in the NFL and
they deserve to be. And that's somebody was the head
coach and GM for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who yesterday
(02:03):
the Buccaneers announced multi year extensions for Todd Bowles and
Jason Light.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
This is, in my.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Opinion, totally deserved, especially Jason Light who. Yeah, they won
a Super Bowl with Tom Brady. But it is interesting
how the Patriots have completely unraveled. Yes, since Tom Brady left,
Yes they have. The Buccaneers have not only stayed afloat,
but surprisingly like they're the of all teams in the NFL,
(02:34):
only five teams have won more games than the Buccaneers
have since COVID.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Since twenty two.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
They're surprisingly Yeah, Baker Mayfield era competitive, just consistent bowls competitive,
Top Bowls era competitive. Competitive. I mean you can anticipate.
Who would you expect to win that division?
Speaker 3 (03:00):
The Bucks?
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Yeah yeah, so, I mean you can make the argument
that it could be Atlanta. We said that last year
they boned us. Now who's the who's the next one?
Who's the next one up? It ain't gonna be Carolina.
Oh come on, they ain't gonna be Carolina. Who else
is in there? Who else you got?
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Carolina?
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Carolina, New Orleans Saints. It ain't gonna be the Saints.
It ain't gonna be Carolina, And it ain't gonna be
the other team that Falcons.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
It ain't. It's just not.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
So partially you could blame it due to the level
of achievement of the other teams in the division, But
make no mistake about it. You take a Baker Mayfield
in a situation where it's like he doesn't get paid
the money he wants, and then they paid Deshaun Watson
more than the money he wanted, and now you've stabilized
(03:57):
a franchise after quarterbacks physics with Baker Mayfield playing at
a very high level, and another team has five quarterbacks
on their roster trying to figure out who's going to
be the number one quarterback. So justin that alone, like
bringing him in believing that he can be that guy
(04:18):
that leads the way for your Tampa Bay Bucks team
was a big decision because he was somebody else's trash.
It turned out to be their treasure.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
And not only was it somebody else's trash, it was
somebody else's trash that was brought in to replace the
greatest of all time. And we've seen what's happened in
New England when they've tried to do that. And yet
you look at Tampa and they've just been consistent. And look,
it's not like Todd Bowles is lighting it up as
head coach when it comes to a win loss record.
I think he's three games over five hundred. But there
(04:49):
is something to be said for that consistency. And there's
also something to be said for the fact that they
do it home grown. And this was a stat that
was out yesterday that the Bucks lead the NFL in
total snaps and starts by homegrown players drafted in rounds
one through five since twenty fourteen. So that's not like,
you know, a small sample size. For over a decade,
(05:12):
no team has had more draft picks play a significant
amount of time for them than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
have between rounds one and five during that time, and that,
I mean, that is something to be said. And they've
had results based on the wins and the success that
they've got, so listen, I think they've deserved it. But
(05:33):
it's been under the radar almost because look, Chris Godwin
had a better offer on the table, but decided I
want to come back and I want to be a
part of this and I want to continue to be
a part of this. And this is a guy coming
off an injury. They've found a way to draft great
reward their own players, and they've built a culture there
(05:55):
where players want to be there. And Baker Mayfield has
worked wonders there, completely revitalized his career, one of the
more underrated players in the NFL, underrated quarterbacks in the NFL.
And you look at Tampa and go, maybe they're not
the super Bowl elite team, but there is something to
be in pretty consistent and they've been one of the
(06:15):
more consistent teams in the NFL for years now.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Yeah, and they just got bigger on the interior line,
you know, so now they got some real size up front.
They've done a really really solid job of dealing with
the departures that they've had, and like you said, homegrown,
like they've built through the draft. It's like it's a
(06:40):
very very sneaky ascent, is what I would say. They
seem to be a team that is inching closer and
closer to being back to that elite status. They seem
to be a team that's going in the right direction.
That's the reward of extensions to the head coach and
the GM. I just think this will be an interesting
(07:02):
year to see how that plays out, because I think
now we've gotten enough of a sample size of Baker
Mayfield as the quarterback of this team to say, Okay,
now it's time. If Baker Mayfield is truly that that
franchise guy, now is that time to take that level
(07:23):
of accomplishment to another level, especially knowing that the level
of competition isn't necessarily very high. I mean, you're talking
about a team that Michael Pennix is your starter.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
You got you got shock? Is he going to be
the starter?
Speaker 1 (07:41):
And and and maybe Okay, so we don't really know
who's going to be the starter in New Orleans?
Speaker 3 (07:48):
And is it going to be Bryce Younger who is it.
Who's it going to be?
Speaker 4 (07:52):
In Carolina Knucks are by far and away the most
stable organization in that division, so it's not even close.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
So again, I think this is one of those non
excuse years that the Bucks are going to be facing.
They could be their own victims of success, the level
of success that they've been able to have because you're
able to win in the regular season, make it to
the playoffs, make it to the postseason, but how does
(08:17):
that go? I think that's going to be what they're
judged on this upcoming season is to have a solid
expected solid regular season, get into the playoffs, and how
do you do in the playoffs. If it's an early departure,
I think it's a loss of a season. And you
can't continue to look at the coaching staff and the
(08:38):
quarterback or even the GM and give credit due to
saying that this is a very well built team.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
I mean, if we're going to be fair, they probably
should have beat Washington in that playoff game. There was
a miscue by the Bucks. There was I think a
field goal that went off the upright and bounced around
that you know, get best football.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
I know.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
I'm just saying they're not that far away. We're not
far off from being a team to really have to
deal with and contend with.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
They just can't go backwards though.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
That's the thing, and that's I think that's the major
point here is Yes, they have been very close to
like taking that next step to the next level. And
again that's why you reward the people with the type
of contracts extensions that that you did. But going into
this season, can they take a definitive step forward from
(09:32):
where they are right now currently knowing that it's not
the most competitive division that you're going to have to
compete in, so they're going to have to show that
they can be competitive outside of their division and then
and win those games and show that they are to
superior your team within their division when they're playing those games.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
Now, it is, uh, it's game show time, all right?
So do we have any special game show music here?
Because of what we did mention this that since twenty twenty,
since COVID when the Bucks won the Super Bowl, they
have the sixth most wins in the NFL during that
stretch of time, which may be a surprise to some
(10:14):
people that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the sixth most
wins in the league over the last five years. So
the question I have for you, LeVar Arrington, or some
people call you LeVar Arrington.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
Who are the five teams.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Ahead of the Bucks in most wins in the NFL
since twenty twenty.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Most wins since twenty twenty? The Kansas City Chiefs that
is correct, The Baltimore Ravens that is correct. Buffalo Bills
that is also correct. How many is that three? That's three?
We've got two left wins wins?
Speaker 4 (11:01):
When's the Steelers just below the Buccketeers?
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Okay, twenty twenty, twenty twenty, the Detroit Lions.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
No, no, not the Lions. We're getting cold.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
I mean, well, we'll think about, you know, twenty. Who's
the forty No, no, even the forty nine ers. Who's
the benchmark of the NFL right now? If you have
to say that's that's the organization, that's.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Oh, I gotta throw Philly in there. Philly's the FA.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
But I would have said the benchmark is Kansas City. Yeah,
and Kansas City's on that lower Kansas City. So there's there's.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
One more one team left. And this might also be
a little surprising, but one team left, and if you noticed, how.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Is it Cincinnati? Now?
Speaker 4 (11:48):
You see you see your executive PU the Green Bay Packers.
So the Green Bay Packers list, So the Chiefs, the Bills,
the Packers, the Ravens, the Eagles, and then the Bucks
win the top three the top.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Three, so outside of they don't count.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Damn that's crazy though.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
But yeah, I don't think a lot of people consider
Tampa Bay to be that consistent of an organization. And
I've always said this, Look, there's no guarantees that you're
going to win a Super Bowl. As we talked about.
You know, the Bucks probably should have won that game
against Washington in the playoffs last year. But some things
go get a bounce here, a missque here, and that's
(12:36):
just the playoffs. That's how it works, and you know
the rest is history. I will take my team being consistent,
and I'll take my team being what to expect every
year as opposed to this up and down roller coaster.
Not quite sure, disappointment here, disappointment there. I think that's
got to be one of the haartest when you say that,
(12:59):
talking about all these teams like the Chiefs, the Bills,
the Packers, the Ravens, the Eagles, the Bucks all pretty consistent.
Oh yeah, like you don't have a lot of letdown, Right, what's.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
The boom zoom deal? Like who's the boom and bus teams?
Speaker 4 (13:13):
Well, because if you look at there's teams every year
and Albert Brier had the article, you know, worse to
first teams, and then the following year, you're not quite
sure what to get. You're not quite sure what you're
going to have in each franchise or each organization. And
I look at teams like, yeah, maybe the Packers won't
win a Super Bowl, but at least you know they're
going to be competitive. And if I'm a fan, if
(13:35):
I'm somebody rooting for that franchise, just give me a chance, Like,
give me, give me a chance that we get a
couple of bounces or a couple of breaks in the
postseason and next thing, you know, maybe we can win
big games late. And you saw that look in Cincinnati.
I always defended the Andy Dalton there in Cincinnati because
that team was going to the playoffs every year. They
just weren't winning any games, but at least they were
(13:56):
in the discussion. At least, you know, it's a crapshoot
at that point, us in the postseason and maybe we'll
get a couple of things to go our way. And
it feels like Tampa's one of those teams to where listen, man,
get them in the postseason. At least you know they're
gonna win some games, stay competitive. You're not going to
see the bottom fall out on them. And it's an organization.
You could probably argue the bottom could have fallen out
(14:18):
on them because Bruce arians left, Tom Brady left, and
it didn't. They were able to stabilize, figure it out,
and now they've got one of the better quarterbacks in
the conference that somebody else didn't want.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
That's a great point.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
So and he is a valued employee, and clearly we
were seeing that the Hey coach is a valued employee,
and as well as the GM. I think you can
only hope for seeing them take a step forward. And
I just just to add to your points because I
thought that's a good perspective, is you're looking at a
(14:52):
league that it's just very hard to prognosticate what's going
to happen. I think that that's what makes the league
so intriguing. While you can sit there and say, all right,
there's teams that you can count on being good? Can
you count on the fact that they're going to be
the team that goes all the way or what type
(15:12):
of a year.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
They're going to have.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
If you would have said that when Damico Ryans took
over the Houston Texans that they would they would get
as good as they did, as quickly as they did,
I don't know how many people would have said, I
put my money on the ow State claim that this
is what's going to happen with the Houston Texans, and
nonetheless they improved because they were one and done on
coaches two years in a huge I mean, look at
(15:35):
the Washington Commanders, same exact thing. You know, you're looking
at a team that was suffering, struggling, had fallen into
mediocrity living there, and then boom, you bring in new ownership,
you bring in a new head coach, you bring in
Jaydon Daniels, and now you have a team that's one
game away from the Super Bowl right and arguably could
(15:58):
have won the game against the eventual Super Bowl champs.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
In that also kind of what makes the Steelers' decision
on Mike Tomlin that much more difficult, because that's exhibit
A of the bottom never falling out.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Yeah, always in contention, always in consideration.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
And they haven't won a playoff game, you know, their
last five six times in the postseason, but never a
losing record and sort of bordering on the brink of
being a team that could make some noise in the postseason.
And now the Steelers are looking at it going, yeah,
that's been the case for a long time.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
But it may seem like an.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
Easy caller, an easy decision to just say, well, we've
got super Bowl aspirations here, like our mark is a
super Bowl. If you're not winning a super Bowl, okay,
that's fine. But as we've seen, crazy stuff happens when
you get to a super Bowl. That Super Bowl against
Green Bay, if you go back and watch it, I
think it was Rashard Mendenhall had a fumble there that
completely kind to change at what that game could have
(17:01):
looked like. There's just there's a bouncers, a break that
goes here. I just think if you can get to
the postseason and throw your name in the hat, you
got a shot in a one game scenario or situation,
just like what Washington did to Detroit last year in
the postseason. Like and so the Bucks are one of
those teams all at least at the very least always give.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Themselves a shot.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Well, and then you look at the just just take
the step of the point a little bit more forward
with the Steelers. You're doing that in the AFC North, Yeah, you.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Like, it's not like you're doing it in the NFC South.
You're doing it in the AFC North when you are
winning and you are making the playoffs in the AFC North.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
With unstable quarterback play.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
So you got to take that into consideration because if
you were to disrupt that and take a chance on
bringing in a new coach, what does that look like?
Is there a slide? And can you recover? This franchise
is a storied franchise. It has had a ton of
success for very very I mean since they've been around,
(18:08):
I mean since they turned it around when the still
curtain took over and they drafted all those guys. I'm
curious when you look at teams that have that good
season but can't seem to return back to that type
of form, what that looks like. So when you do
(18:30):
see a level of consistency in terms of what the
accomplishments are during the course of the year. Do you
temper your expectations to say, I'm okay, if we have
a winning season, everything else is a bonus. Most fans
would say no. And that's where that's where it gets
kind of confusing and maybe a little sticky. Is most
(18:51):
fans would say, that's just not enough for me to
be happy with our season.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
I mean, I've got a good example for you. The
Bears Lovey Smith after he went ten and six. What's
that look like? Since what does that look like? Since
it just I mean, people want to People were ready
to fire the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes Michigan.
(19:18):
They wanted to fire him, I mean, and James Franklin, Like,
I don't get it, man.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
They wanted to fire Franklin after losing his first game of.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
Ya I've twenty years before.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
I remember doing a show with Bucky Brooks and we
were talking about there was this anonymous pole that came out.
I think it was CBS Sports. It might have been
Prisco who was part of it. Who knows, but there
was this anonymous pole that came out on CBS Sports
where they ranked the most overrated coaches in college football
and James Franklin was like three or four on the list,
and the knock on him was, well, all he does
is recruit.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Okay, what about now?
Speaker 4 (19:52):
Like I know, yeah, there's not a national title that's
come along with it, But you mean to tell me
you think you're better off moving off of that, like
moving away from that, like you would be better off
to I just.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
Ryan Day ended up winning it all and some would
argue and debate. They still wonder if they should let
this man go because he didn't beat Michigan in the horseshoe.
It's preposterous to think that some of the fans base
and judge what it is that they think is the
(20:25):
criteria of success versus failure as a coach, So you
can't base how you reward your coaching staff or your
players off of what fans think, because sometimes it's just
not realistic.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
It is two pros and a cup of Joe here
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up next here. It is a Friday tradition. We're gonna
round them all up, all right, get out the last soos.
(21:02):
It's another edition of the topic Roundup, and it's yours
here on FSR.
Speaker 5 (21:06):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern, three am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
App Two Pros.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
It is Two Pros and a Cup of Joe, Fox
Sports Radio, LeVar Arrington, Jonas Knox with you coming up
in a little over fifteen minutes from now, we are
going to have ourselves a bit of an update on something,
a bit of an update on what is turning into
a bigger issue than maybe some people realize that. It'll
(21:45):
be yours here again a little over fifteen minutes from
now here on FSR. It is a Football Friday here
on the show, and with Football Friday comes Friday traditions.
One of those is where we break out the lassos
and we round up discussions need to be had over
stories that went on throughout the course of the week
in the world of sports. It's time for another edition
(22:06):
of this.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Yeah, settle up, partners, tighten them their checks. It's the
topic roundup, and away we go, lev Arrington, all right,
tune time, come on, get that big ass bell buckle out.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Time to lasso up that big gallant come on here,
time to lasso up. Come on.
Speaker 4 (22:33):
The issue that everyone was talking about earlier this week,
including us, the Achilles injuries in the NBA. You had
eight season ending, potentially career altering Achilles injuries in the
National Basketball Association, with Tyres Alibert being the eighth of
the season for the NBA and in the postseason and
(22:57):
in Game seven of the finals. Name four more, Damian Lillard, Yeah,
Jason Tatum, that's the three, and then some other guys
there you go. Yeah, then you got all these Achilles
tendon tears and injuries.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
But we're only naming three. Now, there's only three that
matter now.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
Adam Silver, the commissioner of the NBA, who, as Petros
has pointed out, has some vampire qualities himself.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
He like he maybe even more so than you like.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
He's like the one that's morphed into like what the
real vampire looks like. Like you still have like you
can blend in qualities he can't. Yeah, you'd see.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Him coming.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
Well, Adam Silver, he took time from sucking blood oh No,
to discuss sure the issue of Achilles injuries while he
was on the NBA Draft coverage on the ESPN.
Speaker 6 (23:54):
Some experts think it may have more to do with them.
Youth basketball may have as much to do with what
do from ten to nineteen. Increasingly they're singles sport athletes.
These guys train also harder than when I talk to
veteran players now. I was talking to Andrea with Dolla
the other day, they head of the Players Association. He's
saying he's counseling a lot of these players that they
(24:14):
need more rest on their body in the offseason. I mean,
you've got guys working on three times a day. So
I'm hopeful that by looking at more data, by looking
at patterns. You know, this is one area where AI
people are talking about how that's going to transform so
many areas of the ability with AI to ingest all
video their player of every game of players played in
(24:35):
to see if you can detect there's some pattern just
like that we didn't realize that leads to an achilles injury.
Whether it's associated with calf injuries, we really don't know,
but we look we're taking it very seriously.
Speaker 4 (24:45):
I mean, clearly you should be. I mean it impacted
your postseason. You lost three players, including one of the
Game seven, and so the discussion is now what needs
to happen in the NBA when.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
It comes to the achilles issues.
Speaker 4 (24:59):
And I just wandered this, maybe there is something to
the amount of work you're doing in the offseason. Maybe
there's something to that, because I just don't recall in
shoes that weren't as high tech, and courts in the
league that weren't as well built and put together like
they are now. I don't recall a lot of achilles
(25:21):
injuries back in the day. I just don't.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
I can't take one side or the other in terms
of noticing the amount of Achilles injuries. I do know
that a lot of guys that are former players said
that they felt like it was the workload of the
season that may it took a toll on the bodies
of some of these players, which I found to be interesting.
(25:44):
It wasn't like, you know, the two that I saw
in particular with Haliburton and with Tatum, they weren't even
really doing anything that was like when you saw it
take place that would say that that's that's the court,
or it's the technology of the shoe or whatever it
may be.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
It just it went a.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
Guy for the Mets, they think ruptured his achilles yesterday,
just trying to you know, leave to pick up the
ball off off the mound, a little ground ball he left,
planted and popped.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
Yeah, and they're waiting at MRI on it. But it
looks like that's what it is.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
I don't I don't know what the right answer is, Jonas,
but it definitely does cause for addressing the issue just
because it's such a hot button hot button talking. I mean,
it could be the reason why the Indiana Pacers failed
to win it all.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Yeah, I mean.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
That's that's that will be Probably the one biggest takeaway
from this year's NBA Finals is that if Halliburton doesn't
go down, he came out hot. He came out hot
in the game, and if he doesn't go down, is
it a different outcome? Are the trajectories different? Almost like
you know it being you're saying almost like when Charles
(27:01):
Woodson forced the fumble on Tom Brady and they called
it a forward motion and it wasn't a fumble, Yeah,
tuckleroll like and then look at what happens, Like what
happens if they lose that game? Because they lose that game,
if Charles Woodson pulls that off, and what happens, what's
the trajectory of Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the New
(27:24):
England Patriots if Charles Woodson would cause that fumble?
Speaker 3 (27:29):
Anyways, It's like what would have? Could have, should have?
Speaker 1 (27:32):
But I think that this is like the same type
of scenario is you see a situation take place with
Haliburton that ultimately probably dictated that outcome.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
Of the game.
Speaker 4 (27:47):
Next up, the race to four hundred that's four hundred million,
and that race is between two quarterbacks in the NFL,
Lamar Jackson and who Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford. Okay,
Overall over their career, Aaron Rodgers has earned a little
over three hundred eighty one million dollars. Matthew Stafford has
(28:09):
earned three hundred and sixty four million dollars. Now on
Stafford's deal, he signed a two year, eighty four million
dollar deal this offseason is going to pay him forty
four million for the twenty twenty five season, and according
to NFL Media, Stafford has already been paid four million
dollars of that total. Of the final forty million is
fully guaranteed, so Stafford will be cashing out in twenty
(28:30):
twenty five with at least four hundred and four million
dollars in career savings. Aaron Rodgers signed the one year
deal with the Steelers worth up to nineteen point five million.
If he hits every incentive in his contract, his career
earnings will cross the four hundred million dollar mark to
four hundred and one and change, which will leave him
(28:52):
just short of Stafford. But both those guys in the
vicinity of staring down the barrel of four hundred million
million dollars in career earnings, And my question is do
you think they're keeping score?
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Because I remember.
Speaker 4 (29:06):
Hearing a story back in the day that Kobe Bryant
and Kevin Garnett knew that each was in competition for
who had the most career earnings during the course of
their time in the NBA, and that was a real thing.
Do you think Stafford and Aaron Rodgers are at all
aware of this potential race to four hundred million dollars
(29:26):
in their career?
Speaker 1 (29:27):
A race to four hundred million, maybe not, but possibly
making the most money in their career. I would say,
why not be aware of it? Like that's I mean,
you're not playing just to play. Why not be aware
of how much you're making and where that that ranked you.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
I mean, so that's a yes, that's a real thing.
Speaker 4 (29:48):
Sure, dude, If you're that close to four hundred million dollars,
who cares who gets it first?
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Everything should be fine.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Yeah, Once you're that close to four hundred million dollars,
you probably have to find different diferent things that keep
you motivated. That's another reason why I know, I know
my take on Aaron Rodgers yesterday got a lot of run.
I just think there's a lot of reasons as to
why there should be a red flag, a ginormous red
(30:15):
flag for that move.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
But some people seem to be positive about it.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
And maybe Aaron Rodgers is counting his money and saying,
you know what, like I didn't really need any money
to come here and do what it is that I
was going to do, and I'm going to crush it
as a Pittsburgh Steeler. I just don't see it being
very likely.
Speaker 4 (30:39):
Now, do you think it's more likely that their agents
are aware of how close they are?
Speaker 3 (30:43):
The four hundred million dollars. I mean, if they've had
the same agent the whole time, sure you got to.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
I mean just think about the four hundred million dollars
plus all the sponsorship deals you've got. But all of that,
I mean, that is a hell of a living and
they've got a Super Bowl ring.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
That's all I'm saying. Who can like if.
Speaker 4 (31:01):
Matt Stafford, I don't know if Matt Stafford's a Hall
of Famer And I don't even know if I'm saying
his name right. Maybe it's Matthew Stafford, but I don't
know if Matthew Stafford's a Hall of Famer. But dude,
if you were to tell me at the end of
my career, I've got a Super Bowl and four hundred
plus million dollars in career earnings, what's the problem?
Speaker 3 (31:19):
Literally? What is the issue?
Speaker 4 (31:21):
So he took a beating in Detroit, he ended up
in la Everything should be fine. But yeah, that is
the that is the plan in place that the race
is on between Rogers and Matthew Stafford, according to CBS Sports.
Those numbers provided by CBS Sports as they get close
to four and.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
A million dollars.
Speaker 4 (31:39):
Next up, there's a report out there courtesy of the
Athletic and Lee do we have the credit on this
Vikings report?
Speaker 3 (31:49):
The just so we have the.
Speaker 4 (31:50):
Proper credit on the Minnesota Vikings. But apparently there's a
you know, in case of emergency, if you got to
do it, if you're the Minnesota Vice Kings, and let's
say JJ McCarthy struggles early in the process as the
starting quarterback for the Vikings, maybe that there are two
quarterbacks that are listed as possibilities, Kirk Cousins and Ryan Tannehill.
(32:19):
Those are your emergency options for JJ McCarthy should he struggle,
and should the Vikings need to what do they call
break the glass like break the glass roster? Well, Kirk
Cousins is on a rosters, not on their roster, and
then you've got Ryan Tannehill who didn't even play last
(32:42):
But it just goes to illustrate. Now the Vikings are
turning the keys over and basically riding this year depending
on whether or not JJ McCarthy is good and they
haven't seen him play a snap in the regular season.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
That's I mean, that's the decision they made when they
didn't bring back Sam Darnold and said that they weren't
interested in Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
Which I think.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Talk about averting having buyers remorse, Like if Minnesota takes
Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers has the season I think he's
going to have, and you don't. It's another year. You
don't get to see what JJ McCarthy brings to the table.
(33:30):
You know, is that a good thing or a bad thing?
I don't know what the right answer to that is.
And there's always a small possibility that Aaron Rodgers does
prove out in Pittsburgh and people get to you know,
hit me up and say, I don't know anything. You're
a bum, da dad, you say it anyway. But if
that's your best options as the Minnesota Vikings, I don't
(33:53):
think that you are prepared to take the next step
in being an elite football team after having such a
positive year, even though it ended on such a low note.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
Yeah, they has have your option on the roster.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
You know why you got to go out and break
the glass and go elsewhere to try to figure out
the situation if it doesn't work with JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, so it looks like, you know,
the Minnesota there's.
Speaker 1 (34:21):
The red flags up there right now. Look they put
the red flag. Look look at the matt red Matt
see and it's in Pittsburgh. You see it covering up Pittsburgh. Yeah, boom,
Now that should be pointed out, really covering that.
Speaker 4 (34:31):
On the roster for the Minnesota Vikings, Sam Howe, Brett Rippon,
and Max Brosmer are the quarterbacks there. So who knows.
Maybe Sam Howe who listen, he showed him was listen,
he had some games. But that is the backup plan,
uh for the Minnesota Vikings. According to this report via
The Athletic that it is going to be potentially Ryan
(34:54):
Tannehill or Kirk Cousins should.
Speaker 3 (34:55):
Things not work out for JJ. That's crazy, Yeah, that is.
Speaker 4 (34:58):
And that is this week's of Your Topic round up
here on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (35:05):
Great job, Jonah Jonas, clean up the spatoons. Everybody, all
right there you go, all right, by.
Speaker 4 (35:11):
The way, you can't you can still buy spatoons. I
don't know if anybody does, but I think you can
on Amazon. I've seen them and listen. You know, Amazon
could use the money based on how much that wedding
is gonna cost everybody. Yeah right, Uh, why the word
is that? Is that in Italy that they're having that
wedding the Bezos?
Speaker 3 (35:27):
It is.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
Yeah, they moved it around quite a bit because of protesters,
but yes, it is in Venice.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
I thought one of them dip pouches the other day.
Which ones two of them? I don't know, like the
ones that are in the little white pouches anymore.
Speaker 3 (35:40):
Sins zen.
Speaker 4 (35:41):
Yeah, there you go go stick to ceilings, do they Yeah,
if you throw it up, it won't ever come down.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
It gave me a buzz in like two minutes and
then lost it. It was like that gum bazooka gum
you remember Bazooka. Yeah, had the comics on the wrapper
of it, and you chew it and it had tastes for.
Speaker 4 (35:59):
Like I was just talking to my brother about that
Big League chew remember big League Yeah, Yeah, that would
disappear in a hurry.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
Yeah, but big Lee cho at least you keep it
like put a big, big ass wad in your mouth.
Speaker 3 (36:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
Pause, I know what you mat. Dang, that just totally
derailed me's all the way. Anyways, you put a big, big,
big scoop or a handful of it's no way that
it's going well for me.
Speaker 4 (36:27):
But it feels like you're actually you've got tobacco. It
feels like you're actually doing it. It does actually feel
like it. As a kid, It's like, wow, I feel
like you know who was it? Barry Bonds used to
do it. I want to say.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
Mark McGuire did it where they had the big ass
the cheek because had their whole cheek puffed out from
on how much they had in there.
Speaker 4 (36:49):
What they would do is definitely they would take tobacco
leaves and they would wrap the tobacco leaves in bubblegum
like chew. They would just let that sit in there
just sound. Yes, they did and be fried.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
God, how's that not a piece? Every time? Every time
I did it.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
I used to do Copenhagen at least one time training
can and let me tell you some I had me
taking my clothes. I was button naked on the bit,
laying there sweating. Oh how do you guys do that
in practice? Oh my god, dude's be having a Copenhagen
during practice.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
On a drive to Vegas.
Speaker 4 (37:27):
I had a buddy who did top and bottom horseshoes
of Kodiak. On the drive to Vegas, he packed packed
the top and bottom lip with kodiac which and I've
never done dip or had a cigarette my entire life,
but apparently that's like the real stuff. And his eyes
were rolling in the back of his head. He was
spinning so bad hid and he couldn't figure it out,
(37:49):
had no equilibrium and he had to take both out
because he couldn't handle it. And they were doing that
and hitting like three point thirty back in the day.
Speaker 3 (37:57):
Crazy Jesus.
Speaker 4 (37:58):
Two Pros and a Cup of Joe here on Fox
Sports Radio. Coming up next, though, We've got an update
and it might not be a good one for a
potential Hall of Famer in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
Yours here on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 5 (38:08):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington, and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern, three am Pacific.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
Two Pros and.
Speaker 4 (38:20):
A Cup of Joe Fox Sports Radio, LaVar Arrington, Jonas
Knox with you here coming up top of next hour,
we are going to have a Hall of Fame worthy
discussion in the National Football League.
Speaker 3 (38:30):
That'll be yours here on FSR. Before we get to.
Speaker 4 (38:32):
This story where things are not looking great for a
borderline Hall of Famer, want to remind you to check
out the Fox Sports Radio YouTube channel. Search Fox Sports
Radio on YouTube. You'll see a whole bunch of video
highlights from our shows. Be sure to subscribe so you
never miss our very best Fox Sports Radio videos on YouTube.
So Antonio Brown, the wild world of Antonio Brown has
(38:53):
taken yet another turn where there was a report that
came out that he has filed for bankruptcy eleven bankruptcy
in Florida, declaring he has less than fifty thousand dollars
in assets. He reportedly owes three million dollars in debts
to eight creditors, including a one point two million dollar
civil verdict over an alleged twenty twenty assault. And there's
(39:18):
also that shooting that took place. The person listed as
the victim happens to also be the person who was
the protest in the Super Bowl performance at halftime, Lane
Kiffin's taking shots at Antonio Brown, and you know, basically
(39:38):
saying Karma's a bitch. It just feels like the Antonio
Brown experience. This is one of the downfalls. He's a
wild card, He's a wild dude. It still doesn't change
the fact that I would love nothing more than to
be nominated.
Speaker 3 (39:54):
For Cracker the Year. Oh wow, And I don't know.
I'm just saying I don't know what I need to do. Well,
he does need to be more of one. Maybe he'll
know you you are in media.
Speaker 4 (40:05):
By the way, where are you a b right now?
Because it's knee on the run, he's overseas someone.
Speaker 3 (40:09):
He's somewhere in the Middle East. Yeah, that narrows it down.
Oh dang, it's a place to be apparently, so good luck.
Speaker 5 (40:18):
Ab
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