December 16, 2025 • 47 mins
On a Tuesday edition of The Best Of The Doug Gottlieb Show: Doug talks about the Steelers after their win over the Dolphins Monday night and gives credit to them for continuing to stay above water with Mike Tomlin at the helm.
In this installment of "Tuesday Morning Quarterback", Doug and the crew share the stories that were not covered on Monday.
Doug welcomes NFL Analyst John Middlekauff onto the show to talk about Aaron Rodgers, the Bears and all of the other headlines round the NFL.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Doug Gottlieb
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday
three to five Eastern twelve two Pacific on Fox Sports Radio.
Find your local station for The Doug Gottlieb Show at
Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day
on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR Booming up America
Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio. I hope you're having
(00:26):
a great day. The Doug Gottlieb Show broadcast live every day.
We're sort of by coastal. We're on the coast of
Wisconsin and the coast of California as well. The boys
are out and enjoy the sunshine. I'm stuck in here
with the snow, but we're here with you for the
next two hours plus. We have an hour podcast which
follows this show, which you can hear every day, every
(00:46):
single day if you just type in the name Doug
Gottlieb Show wherever you download podcasts. Welcome. In this hour
of the show, John Middlcoff will join us as we'll
ask him not just about the NFL, but about the
news that Arch Banning is officially returning to Texas next year,
which it was part of the plan. We did discuss
(01:09):
it in the preseason, we did discuss it in the summer,
and it is part of what the Mannings have always done,
and based upon the unevenness of some of his performances,
it does make sense. But it also makes it so
there's one less big name on that draft board for
the upcoming NFL Draft before we get to the NFL
Draft and teams that will need a quarterback, like maybe
(01:31):
the Pittsburgh Steelers. They took down the Miami Dolphins last night.
Dolphins are on the playoffs. Dolphins were down twenty eight
to three. Game was essentially over, super slow start for
the Dolphins. The offense was not good against the Steelers defense,
which is mid as the kid. Do the kids still
say mid? I don't know. It feels like once I
start saying mid, it's definitely over.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Seems like it's been replaced by six to seven.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
That's so mid.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
This is me and the YouTube channel. I'm doing the
six to seven thing, which again is like a throwaway
line from a rap song, but it's unbelievable. Tomorrow night
we play you see Santa Barbara at the Cress Events center.
And I'm guessing once we when you get to sixty seven,
all the every kid goes crazy.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
That just can't do it.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Anyway, I want to take this moment to recognize something
that is amazing, Right, Jason and I both search for
things that are interesting. This is something that's amazing. You
ready for it. Here's what it is. Pittsburgh Steelers are
probably gonna finish above five hundred again. And like this
(02:40):
is the Mike Tomlin thing. It doesn't matter how average
they look. And again I understand that when you're eight
nine or nine and eight, you're by definition you're a mediocre,
your averager slightly above. But his calling card is he's
never finished below five hundred, right, never finished below five hundred,
And now here they are. They're at eight and six.
(03:03):
They beat the Ravens on the road, they beat the
Dolphins at home. They have the Lions on the road
upcoming Sunday, then the Browns on the road, then the
Ravens at home. Ten and seven is not close to
being out of the question. And yet does anybody think
the Steelers are are really good? Like there they were
good last night, But are they really good? Not? Really?
(03:27):
It's there is something amazing about not ever losing your team.
And by losing your team, I mean, they just won't
play for you, you know, there just won't. You can
yell and scream and rant and rave, you give them
the best game play in the world, but the second
they hit ad verse, they like, Eh, I'm good. I'm good. Now.
(03:49):
Some of it is in the players that you go acquire,
and I do think there's a little bit of something
of what they've done there, which I don't want to
say desperation, but is an extra piece of motivation for
some of these guys. Some of them are this is
their last year, Aaron Rodgers, probably last year playing. They've
acquired a lot of one year guys, but they've also
(04:11):
gotten some guys kind of off the scrap heap that
are trying to prove themselves. Here is here's bet here's
excuse me, here's Aaron Rodgers talking about how the win
helps for the playoff push.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Obviously, the division game is the most important game, but
these guys have won four four straight. Coming in we know,
well some of us, maybe a few of us know
about how obviously the first way to get to the
playoffs is win your division. There's you haven't beaten Baltimore already.
There's obviously time breakers that come into effect, including divisional record,
(04:47):
conference record, so winning near AFC games are really important.
Keeping the one game leap plus the head to head as.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Big as well.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
That is crazy. I think maybe they're crazy. Thing is
that we all act like the NFC. The AFC North
is the best and toughest division in football, right, don't know?
We we have a tendency to do that. We're like
man AFC North brutal division. Steelers, Ravens, Bengals, got Joe Burrow,
(05:22):
a lot of talent Browns. You could make a case
and I think I will that while I'm not trying
to dismiss as a matter of fact, I think it's amazing.
I'm not dismissing Pittsburgh's resilience in any way. But does
(05:44):
anybody think Pittsburgh's an elite football team? And yet here
they are a game up with a favorable schedule that
looks like they're gonna win their division, and they're they're
gonna win nine and they'll probably win ten games. And
how can I tell you other than just your eyes
telling you that they're not a great football team. Well,
(06:05):
anybody they played any good. They did beat the Patriots
in the third week of the season on the road,
but outside of that, Seahawks housed them. Packer game wasn't
crazy close. Chargers are all banged up and they could
do nothing with the Chargers. The Bears beat them, granted,
close game on the road. The Bills smoked them in
(06:27):
their own building. They did beat the Colts when the
Colts were healthy or healthier when they had Danny Dimes,
and now they have the Lions next. Like, you can
make the case that there's the NFC South and the
AFC North are the two worst divisions in football, But
then of course the AFC South is like, hey, yeah, hey,
(06:50):
Philip Rivers just started for the Colts. We got one
good team in this division. But still, I think there's
a lot to it. I think Tomlin's ability to continue
to get to the guys to where he doesn't lose
his team is really impressive. I do think that Aaron Rodgers,
he's not close to Aaron Rodgers before, but he's still
(07:13):
really good and it's gonna be fun to watch him
in the playoffs. If you hate Aaron Rodgers, it's gonna
be fun to watch him lose his last game because
they're not gonna go to a Super Bowl. They're not gonna
win a Super Bowl. I think the Steelers defense, while
it looked good early last night, is again very average
that they tried to throw together for a year. This
is not a great football team, but it is one
(07:35):
that finds a way to win, that finds a way
to get above five hundred, that's gonna find a way
to get in the playoffs. The other side to it
is it does show you just how crummy the AFC
North is this year. Some of that's injuries with the
Bengals and lack of defense of the Bengals. The Browns
are just a dysfunctional bag of poop, and the Ravens
(07:55):
are stunningly below average this year for the first time
since Lamar Jackson became their starting quarterback. Dan Bio, how'd
I do on my synopsis of the AFC North.
Speaker 5 (08:08):
Yeah, pretty good. I think you gotta give a little
bit more credit to the AFC South because I think
that the Texans are good and the Jaguars are good.
But on the AFC North, I don't think that there's
anything last night that would make me think that that
this was a Steelers team that was for real. I'm
not a huge Aaron Rodgers fan, but he is having
his moments last night, and there are quarterbacks that couldn't
(08:30):
do what he was able to do. So it's a
nice story, but I just don't think it's going to
affect anything in the grand scheme of how the AFC
playoff picture plays out.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
I'm gonna I'm gonna have an honest Doug moment. You
ready for it?
Speaker 6 (08:42):
Mm hmm?
Speaker 1 (08:43):
I forgot the Texans were an AFC South.
Speaker 6 (08:46):
That's all right.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
I just I always think of like, well, the Jaguar,
the Colts, and then like Titans. The Titans are terrible,
and I just I was just thinking Colts sense injury,
not very good, right, No, they're a good story. And
go ahead.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
The Patriots game that the Steelers won, a twenty one
to fourteen game. New England turned the ball over five
times in that game and a goal line fumble as well,
So if maybe New England only turns it over three times,
it's a Patriots victory. So to your point of, yeah,
they're not beating teams that are better than them, they're
(09:23):
beating teams that aren't better than them.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
It's the Doug Gottlieb Show here on Fox Sports Radio.
It is amazing that the Mike Tomlin thing and everybody
tries to run him out of town. Here's Ben Roethlisberger
on his podcast last week talking about Tomlin and the
Steelers need a fresh start, just because.
Speaker 7 (09:41):
I said that, you know, there's a time for like maybe.
Speaker 8 (09:44):
Some new things.
Speaker 7 (09:44):
That that's just saying that. I think, you know, coach Tomlin,
if he wants to move on, he has every right
to want to move all. It's not they should. So
it's up to him, you know. And and he's earned
that right, and that if he wants to go do
something else he can't should have We should honor him
when that time comes. Whenever that is. Maybe he wants
to coach are for ten years, that's fine too.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Ben Roethlisberger. He played tight end before he played quarterback.
That was really good footwork as a cornerback. That was
some about Hey, if he wants to stay here for
next ten years, hey, let's do it right Ben, Ben.
Ben learning very quickly about spoken word instead of just
(10:25):
going ah. And by the way, you can own what
she said, like you could Ben could have just gone like, look,
the Dolphins are crummy. Great, we beat the Dolphins. That
shouldn't be the nine and eight every year or ten
and seven shouldn't be the standard of the Steelers. We're
trying to win super bowls here, okay, and I won
one every year. We came in trying to win a
(10:45):
super Bowl. We have him in close recently. This is
We're gonna get into it in the podcast, me and
Jay stew because you know, Cam Newton, he wants to
be like, hey, if you want to be a black
quarterback and be on television, watch what I do. But
is he's you know, he dresses like a clown. The
subject matter he talks about oftentimes more podcasts and first
(11:08):
take are more clownish than serious. Not that you have
to be serious, but it's not in the football analysis
kind of spectrum. But I mean, Ben Roethlisberger, you're just
former Super Bowl champion quarterback, longtime Pittsburgh Steeler, and you
offer up a strong take, You're either wrong or you
(11:28):
double down. What you don't do is what he's like, Eh,
I listen, I just said it, because he can if
he wants to lave, he can leave.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
Yes, Jason stewartt the best part about what he said
on the podcast was not only did they say that
they they should probably clean house and that he needs
a new start somewhere, he also was like, Hey, the
Penn State job's open, maybe he should do That would
be a nice soft land And I think he's what
he said. I guess Ben I forgot that. Mike Tomlin
(12:01):
delivered one of the best sound bites in the history
of sports in twenty twenty one when some unlucky reporter
in the room asked him about the rumors about the
USC job.
Speaker 9 (12:12):
Hey, guys, I don't have time for that speculation. I mean,
that's a joke to me. I got one of the
best jobs in all of professional sport. Why would I
have any interest in coaching college football. That'll be the
last time to address it, and not only today, but
moving forward. Never say never, but never. Okay, anybody else
got any questions about any college jobs? Is not a
(12:33):
booster with a big enough blank check. Anybody asking Sean
Payton about that, you know, anybody asking Andy Reid about
stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
No, that's amazing that I forgot how good it was.
I know you love that sound bite and We've played
it like three different times, maybe four. I do every
time I hear it, I forget how good it is.
I mean, Ben just showing how he does. I don't
think he's wrong that it may be everybody he thinks
if they the season ends poorly, you're probably gonna clean house.
(13:03):
This is like a one year all in thing. And
I don't know if Tomlin wants to come back and rebuild,
start a new quarterback or whatever, or Mike Tomlin could
easily go into TV. Now, are you guys gonna you
guys disagree with me with Russell Wilson being on TV?
Are you gonna disagree with me that Tomlin would get
a TV job. Literally, when he's walking out of his
press conference if he.
Speaker 5 (13:21):
Ever resigned, absolutely, yes, yes, I mean he's see you later,
Bill Kauer, Yes, goodbye, Yeah, I'll replace again somebody.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
He's Literally he could sit there and go watch all
the networks in the pregame shows and go like, hmm,
I like that seat right there, that's the one. No, no, no,
when his if he doesn't like Bill Kawer, Bill Cower's gone.
If he doesn't like how he how, he's gone. If
he doesn't like straight hand, straight hand's gone. But that
was some rather impressive and nifty backpedaling from Big Ben. Right. Look, Ben,
(13:56):
here's how it works. If you really believe that that's faring,
just own it. Just go hey man, that was great.
I'm so happy they won. They're getting a bunch out
of it. We all know this thing is run its course.
It's time to start over in the meanwhile or meanwhile
Steelers are they're not definitely going to the playoffs. Feels
that way, got a great shot to win this division,
(14:18):
which means a home game in the playoffs. And if
you watch that Charger game and thought this was a
playoff team, you'd be like, no, no, why, no, no, no,
no way.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
This is the best of the dog Dot Leap Show
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
What up with you, Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio.
iHeartRadio app. I hope you guys are having a great day.
You had a great weekend, had a good Monday. You
watch the uh the Steelers gonna win last night over
the Dolphins. Dolphins look like they're they've run out of
patience on Tua. Rightfully, So all that could be a
topic of today this year is the Doug Gottlieb Show.
(14:57):
Here's how it works. We have a podcast that launched,
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(15:19):
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is the Doug Gottlieb Show. Let's let's just get after it,
shall we. I mean, I could tell you that we
got Joel Klatt had an epic rant that people are
calling the worst rant of all time. I'm gonna get
to that. Plus there's the question now, with Aaron Rodgers
(15:41):
looking like he's going to lead his team to a
division championship, will he be back for another year? Try
and answer that this hour. First, let's get to Tuesday
Morning Quarterback in the afternoon.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
Well, Tuesday, this is Tuesday Morning Quarterback in the afternoon.
Monday's can be overwhelming. Tuesdays. Start getting to whatever we
didn't get to on Monday. Yeah, this is Tuesday morning
quarterback in the afternoon.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Let's get after it for more of that. Let's go
to Jason Still.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Thank you, Doug. I'll take it from here.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Than you do.
Speaker 6 (16:14):
I'll take it from here.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
This is a story that hasn't gotten any coverage. It
wasn't just yesterday. To me, it just hasn't gotten coverage period.
You know me right, I'm less interested in what happens
in sports than how it's covered. I spend a lot
of my day coming through how things are covered, the
(16:37):
reaction to the reaction. So I think I have a
pretty good perspective on this. When I say nobody talks
about cam War, you know what, I hate using absolutes.
Very few people choose to talk about cam War. And
remember the conversation going into the actual NFL draft six
(16:59):
months ago. It was astonishing how little publicity cam Ward
got as the top pick overall. In the pre show,
in the post show, it was all about shaduor Sanders.
Shaduor Sanders sucked up the oxygen of the entire draft.
(17:20):
And you could say that fourteen to fifteen weeks in
the NFL season, that's still true we're talking about Chaduur
at a ratio of one hundred to one. I don't
know if cam Ward has had a good season. I
don't know if he's had a bad season, because nobody
has given me their opinion of his season. So it
proves one of two things, that cam Ward is just
(17:41):
that uninteresting and that Shaduur Sanders is that much more interesting.
Or how about this, the Tennessee Titans have passed the
Jacksonville Jaguars as the most uninteresting team in the NFL.
Nobody cares about them enough to even talk about their
rookie quarterback taken first overall? Do you guys have theories
on this? Am I wrong? Am I wrong?
Speaker 6 (18:03):
Guys?
Speaker 1 (18:03):
You're not wrong? Dan buyer your theory? Ghud?
Speaker 6 (18:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (18:06):
No, I was going to say this that I think
that Tennessee held the title for a while and then
Derrick Henry came in and Mike Vrabel took over and
changed the culture. But I felt they were the least
interesting team prior to that era, and now they're back
on top, so they've regained their number one spot. I
think them firing their head coach and not knowing who
is going to be the next head coach there hurts them.
(18:27):
But I just think cam Ward's overall standing and who
he is just doesn't necessarily resonate. I almost feel that
if Fernando Mendoza goes number one, and maybe a different
story because he's a Heisman Trophy winner and who knows
who may have the number one overall pick. But yeah,
this sometimes happens when you're the top quarterback in the draft.
(18:49):
And I agree with Jason. I just don't think that
cam Ward is that interesting, and I don't think that
the Titans are that interesting.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Yeah, I mean the only thing interesting about then is
who they going to higher next year? They're gonna clean
house or whatever, and it has been done with other
quarterbacks where they've been successful in year two. Also, I
think they opened a new stadium next year, is that right,
Dan byers a two years?
Speaker 5 (19:11):
Yeah, twenty I think it's gonna be in two years,
so twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Maybe they're decent by then. But I agree that do you.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Have any gauge on whether or not he's having a
successful season.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
I mean no, I think they just think and nobody cares.
Speaker 7 (19:25):
To his think.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
I mean, he's it's inn sec country Vanderbilt's more a
better story.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Absolutely.
Speaker 8 (19:32):
I mean he's his numbers, his rating and his quarterback
radering are comparable to Gino Smith. He's only got eleven touchdowns,
which is really low. Like he's just not he's a
fifty nine percent completion like he's not you know, there's
really not a whole ride.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
I was not a ten word guy. I think I
made that clear watching last year. I just just he
just had had a hat, a player for the erratic.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Well he he did help that.
Speaker 8 (19:53):
He did help Miami get a lot of wins that
they had their defense let go or let you know,
let the game get out of control. He had a
lot of stand up performances.
Speaker 5 (20:01):
But this year, No, what's unique about cam mort is
because of his story of starring at you know, starting
at Incarnate Word, than Washington State and then Miami. Then
he's the number one pick, and then the story just
ends like I even saw. I don't know if it
was a promo or something. I think there may be
a Camward special on some streaming network about this amazing
(20:23):
run to being the number one overall pick in the draft,
and I can't even remember what streaming service it was on.
So the story is there, but for some reason we
just do not care.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Okay, good job, Jay dan Byer.
Speaker 5 (20:37):
So the Titans actually lost to the forty nine ers
this past weekend, and I'll tell you what. We talked
more about the forty nine ers.
Speaker 6 (20:45):
Way.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
We talked way more about the forty nine ers before
brock Purty got his deal than after brock Purty getting
his deal. And is that the reason why we aren't
talking about the forty nine ers because rock Purty got paid.
Because they're ten and four. Christian McCaffrey is he needs,
he needs a couple of good games with receiving yards.
(21:08):
But with three games left, all games likely meaningful one
maybe at the end of the year, very meaningful. He
could have a thousand thousand season, thousand yards rushing, thousand
yards receiving. Only three players in NFL history have done that.
He would be the first to do it twice. It
was Roger Craig and Marshall Fulk. But Christian McCaffrey could
(21:28):
do that twice this year. And we aren't talking about
the forty nine ers at all. And I find that
interesting because they're in the thick of it, they're in
the race. But I feel like we talked about them
more when before brock Purty the question was about his contract,
and now that he has his contract, we're like, all right,
we're done talking about him.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
And there's an interesting angle too that's come up just
in recent weeks in this is Brandon Nyuk thing. Uh
Shanahan had a great dismissive quid. I think Sunday, like
that guy hasn't even been around here. I don't even
know what he's doing, Like, you haven't guy him in
a month. They pay a lot of money not to play,
and he supposedly was a really good receiver and he's
(22:15):
an afterthought. And you're right, they're not really talking about it.
Speaker 5 (22:20):
They could still win that division and be the number
one overall seed. Now, certain things that have to happen,
but they could still happen. It still could happen. They
are they are going to make the playoffs. And let's
be honest, the Niners are a marquee team, right like
when you talk about the who's who are the haves
and the have nots, like we talk you could talk
(22:40):
a lot about the forty nine ers, but for some reason,
we just aren't this year.
Speaker 6 (22:44):
I don't know if it's because of their schedule.
Speaker 5 (22:45):
I don't know if it's because it was the easiest
strength of schedule entering this season for them, But we
just aren't having conversations about the Niners.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Sam.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Do you have a buyer's remorse in there?
Speaker 5 (22:58):
Dan?
Speaker 6 (22:58):
I had that. I can.
Speaker 5 (22:59):
I can tell what it is, and it's actually an
apology to one Doug Gottlieb.
Speaker 6 (23:02):
Hey, Hey, let's do this, yeah, the right way, all right.
Speaker 4 (23:05):
But there's nothing quite like buyer's remorse.
Speaker 5 (23:09):
I can't remember if it was Bill Clinton or George
Bush or Roger Clemens or Raphael Paul Merrow whoever said misremembered, because.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
I know no, that was that was Andy peennittt.
Speaker 6 (23:24):
Independent Andy Pettitt. There, it was Andy Pettitt said, I did.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Say something, though Clemens is known for something.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Oh no, no, Clemens said that Andy Pennett misremembered. That's it.
Speaker 5 (23:33):
I miss remembered the Michah Parson's play. Doug, you are
one hundred percent correct. It was a non contact injury
yesterday or on Sunday on grass. For some reason, I
thought that Michaeh. Parsons was engaged and he was not.
And so my apologies to you. But for some reason,
I was sure as anything that it was on an
(23:55):
engagement and it was not. And so Doug, I had
remorse over that, and uh, essentially an apology for for
your correct assessment that I said was incorrect.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
Apology remembers, but there was let me tell you, let
me how big A tell you.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
I think he misremember.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
But what I am, I like, I like agree with,
Like maybe I was wrong, Like I don't know, Dan knows.
Dan pays way more attention than I do. Like I
was at a party with a bunch of people watching
the game and then I said it, and I was like, maybe.
Speaker 6 (24:27):
Yeah, I saw I got home last night.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
That's my path. And how much you're right more often
than I am.
Speaker 6 (24:34):
Well, I appreciate that, but I was dead wrong.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Uh, I, I know we talked about it, Okay, but
I know we talked about it. Bo I feel like
I'll tell you it deserves a an apology. Is Brian Flores.
Brian Flores, he was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Now,
(24:59):
there's a lot of reasons he lost his job, none
of which are because he's black. I'm sorry, there's just
not the whole the front office that said us or
him was all black too, so that it just didn't
make any sense. But reportedly the big thing was that
he didn't think to a hat it. He got to
a stunk, right, And when the general manager squares by
(25:25):
a quarterback and the owner sides of the general manager
and they ride with that guy. That's why Flora's a
big reason that and offensive coaches couldn't work for him
or whatever. That's why he's He was out of a
out of a job, and now he's a he's in Minnesota.
I just this has been here the whole time, and
(25:46):
the Miami thing with putting out videos in practice of
him throwing deep balls and trying to go see you're wrong.
Twitter verse. It's a lot like when dudes lie. You
gulays tell when somebody's lying, because they go into super
super detail about what really happened, and you're like, yeah,
(26:08):
now I know you're live. No you don't understand, but
abum was Jimmy was sitting over there. I was sitting here,
I remember because I was wearing my blue pants and
he was wearing his black pants. And then Vinnie was
over there like, dude, you're again. The Dolphins trying to
tell us that were one hundred percent wrong about the
quality of Tua's arm. Like the proof is in the putting.
(26:33):
The guy can't play in cold weather and he plays
to the Miami Dolphins who play in the AFC East.
It's not working. Additionally, he's immobile, he's already been hurt.
I'm I'm gonna tell you, like he seems like a
really nice dude. That's the worst contract in the NFL
because if they cut him, it's ninety nine million dollars
(26:54):
in dead cap money. He's already guaranteed fifty four million
dollars since March for next year salary. That's and this
is this is what it is. Right, do you win
six every year? Looks the same for them? They win
six seven games, And I know that they had some
character issues. And when Tyreek Hill was gone, it made
(27:17):
them better. When Jalen Ramsey was gone, it made them better.
But what happens with those hardcore dudes is when you
can't do it, they call you out for not being
able to do it. And I'm sure that's part of it. No, no, no,
it's Tyreek Hill? Or is it Tyreek Hill? Play with
a guy who just doesn't have a good enough hard Dan,
did you have one more?
Speaker 2 (27:36):
Hey, Doug grow faster's the hot one. Someone's on the
hot line. It's uh Deshaun Watson's contract. Take an issue
with you calling Tua's contract the worst in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
Yeah, you're right, you're right, but uh, maybe it's a
sneaky bad contract. Can I go sneaky bad.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
Worst contract given to a person born in Hawaii?
Speaker 1 (28:00):
There we go? Or worse contract of somebody who's not
a complete perfect Is that better?
Speaker 6 (28:07):
That's fair?
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Yep?
Speaker 1 (28:08):
And then and then here here's the last one. Tuesday
morning quarterback in the afternoon. I just want to celebrate
like this is I've been doing this a long time.
I can't remember a time when the Chargers won more
games that they had opportunities to lose that they usually
give away. And it's pretty awesome to watch because you're
(28:31):
sitting there and the old Charger fan in you and
I know this was you, Jason Stewart, the old Charger
fan is like, we're gonna find a way to lose
this game, and they found a way to win the game.
Granted it's Carter Minshew, he didn't have an arm. Chiefs
something very good, but they find a way. They abstlually
find a way. And what's interesting about starting with the
(28:53):
Titans as you did, Jason Stewart is I've often thought
that up until they started Charging and became kind of
the laughing stock in the NFL. The Chargers were like
the least discussed team in the NFL. I just worked, true,
and that is Tuesday minuting quarterback in the afternoon. Well, Tuesday, Tuesday.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
Here you have it, your Tuesday morning quarterback in the afternoon.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Coming out of actually a show coming out. I'll go ahead,
Jay stew I'm.
Speaker 6 (29:20):
Sorry, Uh, did we leave Sam out? Did you have something? Sam?
Speaker 8 (29:25):
Because it is the holiday season, I was going to
bequeath or leave my Tuesday morning quarterback option to Doug
or Dan, who sounded like they had more than one item.
I did want to just say good morning. We were
talking about Hawaii. Good morning Hawaii. It is ten sixteen
on the island in island time. So if anybody didn't
want to get to anything later in the show on
(29:46):
my behalf, it's like a it's it's a rain check
for your holiday season.
Speaker 6 (29:51):
Give it.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation yet catch all of our shows at Fox
Sports Radio dot com and within the iHeart Radio app.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Every Olympic dream starts with a first glide through learn
to Skate USA. Kids build confidence, strength, and enjoying the ice.
Learn Skate USA offers programs for skaters of all ages
and abilities. Find a program near you had learned to
Skate USA dot com. I was thinking about this, Dan,
I've been doing national sports radio since two thousand and three, right,
(30:29):
so twenty two years, and it's kind of crazy that
Lebron James still playing basketball, right, yes, right? I mean
think about that, like that's that's a long time doing
national sports radio, even longer time to play, right. And
(30:52):
then I was thinking about Aaron Rodgers and how long
he's played him, Like, man, it's really remarkable how many
Monday night football games you think you've seen Aaron Rodgers play.
He's played twenty one years in the NFL. Twelve years.
Speaker 6 (31:06):
So do you have the number?
Speaker 1 (31:08):
I don't. Oh, okay, no, again, this is not a
I researched it got yeah, whatever, none of that. I'm
gonna guess again. I'm just gonna guess here. So he
got hurt with the Jets on Monday Night Football, right,
And I think there was probably one last year, so
you gotta guess there's like one to two a year.
(31:30):
So I'm guessing it's like thirty times. Plus you have
some Thanksgiving games which are not Monday Night Football, but
they're the standalone variety. It feels like my entire adult life,
I've been watching Aaron Rodgers throw football. That's really my.
Speaker 5 (31:43):
P Yeah, and Aaron Rodgers was probably throwing the football
on Monday Night Football when Monday Night Football was king.
Like I can't remember the exact year that it changed
over on the where then Sunday Night Football was getting
all of the good games.
Speaker 6 (31:58):
But he probably was a part of the that era.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
I'm gonna say, was it six or seven. I was
at ESPN at the time. Mark Shapiro was our boss.
Mark Shapiro now is second in charge of what what
is it? They've changed the name of the Ari Golds Agency,
what was it? Uh?
Speaker 6 (32:20):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
Well, they own you know, WWE, and they owned w
UH and they own they own everything. Anyway, Mark s
Biro is our boss and I remember him saying, like,
you know, we got a hold on of Monday Night
Football and we're probably gonna lose Sunday Night Football. They
lost Sunday Night Football and everything changed after that, everything changed.
(32:42):
I'm gonna go I'm gonna go O seven buyer again.
This is only a guess because I remember it might
have been O six. It was very early on AM.
I run at the ESPN, which started.
Speaker 5 (32:52):
Oh three, I just looked. I think it's two thousand
and six. I think, I think that's what I'm what
I'm seeing here. So yeah, Sunday Night Football on NBC
began airing on August sixth, two thousand and six, with
the Hall of Fame game.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
Wow. So and and for people who forget, like NBC
lost the NFL, wasn't in the NFL. It was kind
of a nothing. And now NBC is like backpack, you know,
they got NBA now the college football and and of
course they have a football Night in America. But I
just I was watching last night and I was getting
a little nostalgic, like, damn, I've seen Aaron Rodgers play
(33:30):
a lot of football, a lot, a lot, a lot crazy,
and still, like you said, I thought you nailed it.
They're just he has He's not great anymore, but he
is great in moments and you're like, no one throws it.
He's just such a unique style to playing the position.
There's nobody before and nobody since he started playing that
(33:51):
looks or throws like him. Nobody imitates that. But ye,
it's fun to watch. It's fun to wat.
Speaker 5 (33:56):
I think it's I think it's very safe to say
that the Steelers would not be in this spot without
Aaron Rodgers this year. And they're about to win the
division like they can lose them.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
That part's crazy part that they're gonna win, and it's
not they're gonna win the division. They're gonna win the AFC North,
which normally when you go AF is like whoa stuck
outleap show. This is Fox Sports Radio. Have you heard
about trainer games? Add this to your bingelest ten athletes
go ahead to head for a chance to win an
I fit contract worth two hundred and fifty thousand dollars,
streaming on Prime Video starting January eighth. John Mittalcoff joins
(34:30):
us he has a podcast. It's called three and Out.
It's on the Volume podcast network. John, I'm watching last night.
I can't believe I'm still watching it. In Rodgers to
play football. Even more surprising is the Steelers, who I've
watched all year long, are in prime position to win
the AFC North. How did this happen?
Speaker 10 (34:50):
Well, Burrow missed the majority of the year, so I
mean that cost him a ton of games. The raven
start was just atrocious, and they've kind of been all
over the map till they kind of showed some signs
of life last week. And the Steelers started fast. So
you get a four and one start, you get Burrow disappearing,
and what were the Ravens won and five if I
remember correctly, So you gave yourself a little buffer because,
(35:13):
let's face it, up until the last couple of weeks,
the Steelers were leaking serious oil, right, I mean, they
had lost kind of games playing good teams, and it
does feel like they got their mojo back a little bit.
Obviously the Ravens game was huge, but even last night,
you know, to of you know his numbers if you
if you didn't watch the game, he's looking at the
box score, you're like, oh, pretty good game, which obviously
(35:35):
wasn't the case. But the Miami Dolphins defense for the
first I would say ninety percent of the first half
was playing pretty good, and then they have that long
drive at the end of the first half. Score touchdown,
score a touchdown, right and you know, start the second half,
and let's be real, you're up fourteen to fourteen to
three in that weather that was freezing cold. It felt
(35:58):
like the game was over. And then obviously you get
a couple more scores, but once they had the fourteen
to three lead, it just didn't feel like Miami, unless
they busted some long runs, was gonna be able to score.
And listen, you know, Aaron I've been saying forever. I
bet if you've got Dan Marino right now, just had
him throw a ten yard outrout. It looks great. His
arm looks really good. He's obviously really smart. You know,
they have some limitations on offense because the personnel, But
(36:20):
if DK's going to make some big plays, I mean,
Darnel Washington's monster. I mean, he's probably I mean, if
I was him, I would try to become like a
hybrid right tackle tight end because the tackles make a
little bit more. But he probably likes catching touchdowns and
making plays. And then defensively, you just got to hope
that dry needling with TJ Watt, which I've never been
(36:42):
dry needled. It sounds pretty painful. But hopefully he's okay,
and you know they can win the division. I mean,
if there's a chance this week, right if and now
they got a tough game going to Detroit on a
short week, but if the Patriots take down the Ravens
and they win, I mean, this thing could get away
from the Ravens fast.
Speaker 1 (36:58):
I mean, plus, the Ravens gotta come to their play.
They have two winnable games. How about this one? So
I don't know if you heard Dan Buyer's update, but
McDaniel said all options are on the table at quarterback
March fourteenth of this year to his contract for next
year became fully guaranteed. That's fifty four million dollars. Jeez,
(37:19):
what do you do?
Speaker 10 (37:20):
Yeah? I mean my take last night was I think
you got to cut him because at this point in time,
I mean, he's progressed. It's crazy. I mean we could
have nitpicked him a couple of years ago, but he
was a solid player. I mean, it feels like this
year as the year went out on, they started winning
games because they stopped having him passed. And then I mean,
it's not even debatable. I mean he can't pass in
(37:41):
the COLT, which listen, but he's not alone. A lot
of players can't, right, and a lot of people you know,
he's a Wan guy played in the South. Now he's
in Miami. Like you just it's tough, but like, you
can't function as a quarterback and win important games if
you can't play in the COLT, especially in that conference.
I mean look at their division, Buffalo, DW, England and
(38:01):
New York. I mean there's no avoiding it. So I
just think I would have the mindset in the offseason
because I think it's pretty difficult to trade him. Now,
maybe you could eat something money.
Speaker 1 (38:15):
In dead cap money next year, Yeah, I four million guaranteed.
Speaker 10 (38:20):
I think you think about almost doing it. But they're
gonna have a new GM. I mean the Sean Paytonside
moved with Russell Wilson and just eating it. And I
think it gets back to you and I were talking
then it made no sense when they extended him like
I didn't. Kyler Murray Won made even less. But Kyler
is a more physically gifted player than Tua. I just
(38:43):
never understood the to a contract. I just been and
we've seen in recent memory, right, the last couple of years,
the Raiders made a tough decision with Carr, with Josh McDaniels,
like they kind of knew after last offseason, like you
might want to pivot, and they still stood strong. So
you could argue they made this bad and now they
got to lay in it.
Speaker 1 (39:02):
What's amazing about it is? And look, I don't make
no one makes all great calls, and I don't purport
myself to be a football analyst, but the guys can
tell you, and you know, I you know, I've never
been a believer into his arm. And remember the Dolphins,
I think it was year two in the preseason, they
kept throwing out their footage of him throwing the ball
(39:22):
along to Tyreek Hill. I think when they got him whatever,
you know, and as if to go like no, no, really,
he's got a great arm, and he like he doesn't.
I remember going to that Charger game, I don't know,
three four years ago at SOFI when who was it
who made the comments guys on Fox about it about
(39:43):
about being a Toua guy, not being a Herbert guy.
And if you went to that game, oh was Acho, Yes, yeah,
it was Emanuacho made comments about Justin Herbert being a
social media quarterback and he's not that good to his
the and if you went I went to that game,
it was night and day. Like one guy looked like
(40:03):
a big time quarterback, the other guy looked like a
backup and he just didn't have the arm for it.
Indoors the last.
Speaker 10 (40:10):
Two look in the last two weeks and the guy's
got a broken hands. He's playing, you know, physical defenses.
I mean, Herbert the last couple of weeks, like anyone
with a brain knew how talented he is, but you
go up a different level in sports and specifically football,
when it's like this guy's one of the toughest guys
in the league. I think the last couple of weeks.
(40:30):
I mean, and we know his coach is crazy when
it comes to toughness in the intangibles, Like I think
he kind of became like legendary status within that organization.
I mean, let's Philip fell off a cliff at the end,
physically couldn't move in his arm, but no one ever questioned.
I mean, look at him a couple of days ago,
like Rivers toughness. You know, players did have been around him,
(40:50):
coaches that they I mean, look at Shange. Psyche loves
the guy because he's just a tough dude pervert to
me is I mean he's a throwback right the eighties, nineties,
two thousands, and you have that physical gifts, but I
mean he's him and the Jim Harbaugh companies of the franchise,
they have no business s git a ten win team
right now with their injuries?
Speaker 1 (41:08):
Do they? Yeah? None? None? I you know, it's it's
this is what they do, how they try and get
out of this contract or what they try and do
is I don't know, it's gonna be really interesting. I
don't know. I don't know enough about cap manipulation. I
just don't know how you get out of nine to
(41:30):
nine million dollars in the dead cap money. Oh stug
outleb show here on Fox Sports Radio. Okay, we've got
a bunch of other stuff to get to with John Middlecoff.
Of course, Three and Out is U is his podcast
on the Volume Podcast Network. Let's go back to Sunday now,
(41:50):
as the Kansas Chiefs are no longer a playoff threat,
this is the team that has dominated the AFC, so
rebuild versus reload? My thought on The difference in the
two is not just in semantics, it's in this John.
A reload is you go through the draft. You know
that the first year it's going to be a little wonky,
(42:11):
but you're building for the long term. The reload, that's
the rebuild. The reload is when you go to free
agency and you try and fill the holes and try
and win. Win. Now, is this which is the smarter
thing to do? Considering mahomes is coming out the ACL,
considering Andy Reid's age, considering what their team.
Speaker 10 (42:28):
Looks like, Well, I think it's going to be a
hybrid play for the what looks face?
Speaker 1 (42:33):
Did?
Speaker 4 (42:33):
I mean?
Speaker 10 (42:33):
Now, they have a lot of pride. I mean, they're
a legendary run. They're better off losing these last three games, right,
And it might just happen with Gardner Minshew playing quarterback
and you know coach Read, you know he's a made
man like we kind of can manipulate it a little bit.
So there's a big difference. They've drafted basically thirtieth or
(42:54):
thirty first or thirty second the last several years.
Speaker 1 (42:56):
Right.
Speaker 10 (42:57):
Well, now all of a sudden, you're drafting twelfth or
four team and that's in every round. So let's say
your first four picks, you could get maybe three long
term starters and maybe one high end guy, so you
can change your franchise fast. And the other thing is
like deals in the room is Kelsey, like he's we
all thought he was going to retire coming into the season.
(43:18):
Now it probably feels inevitable, right, And I do think
the other thing is Chris Jones. Last year, they traded
Joe Tooney to the Bears, and coach Reid said after
the deal, I think during free agency, like he's one
of my favorite players we've ever coached, but in this
financial situation, we didn't have a choice. I think Chris
Jones is done, and when it comes to I think
(43:39):
he's did last year on the case. He's going to
be traded this offseason, so I just think they're going
to look dramatically different, and it's it could bleed into
next year, Like if there's any sort of question with Mahomes,
you were one percent not rushing him back, and maybe
next year in a weird way, is kind of a
throwaway year and you know, going, I don't know, six
(44:00):
seven wins again, it's not the worst thing to kind
of just kind of get your cap back on track,
get my home sealthy, because the other thing.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
Is, did you did you say six seven six seven
wins seg seven?
Speaker 10 (44:13):
Sorry you're you're you're more in that world around the
young people than I than I am. But yeah, I
don't know. He's too good of a coach, even if
you know he rolled Mer or you out there playing quarterback,
like they would never look like the Raiders.
Speaker 1 (44:27):
Right, I know, I know. It's it's a it's an
interesting one, right, like, well, he's gonna coach, They're gonna win,
but are they gonna win too many games? All right?
Real quickly? Can you envision the Packers making a Super
Bowl run without Micah Parsons and without Tucker Craft, without
all the can you can you envision that with the Packers?
Speaker 10 (44:47):
Yeah? I do think super Bowl run is is over.
But I you know I did this like most people like,
oh they're done. That's not usually how football works, right,
They're they're deepense, still pretty good, but they they could
win this week, they could win a playoff game. Harder
to envision them just rattle off three straight playoff victories
and be in the super Bowl. And this is coming
(45:07):
from someone that's had a Super Bowl ticket on them
to play the Broncos. It was going to be a
pretty lucrative Fay out and I felt pretty good about it.
But Mike has been pretty awesome for them, and they're
just no replacing that. Like the next man up. You
can say next man up when it's like a rotational linebacker.
You don't say the next man up when it's Michael Parsons.
So I do think Matt Lafleur, though you win this week,
(45:30):
you know, happily get the defense rolling like those two guys.
Happily you want to be a head coach in the
NFL L floor, you want an extension like they can
still prove a lot like winning a playoff game now,
I think like gets them a lot of credit. Where
before Mike is injured, what do you think anything less
than an NFC championship appearance would have been a disaster. Yees,
(45:51):
Now the bar is lowered, But I still think with
their talents, they still got a quarterback, they've still got
an offensive play call where they got a good defense.
I don't think it's inconceivable they win a playoff game.
I mean they a couple of years ago they went
to Dallas and killed them, and that you could argue
this team, assuming Watson's going to be okay, is better
than that team.
Speaker 9 (46:09):
Right.
Speaker 10 (46:09):
Yeah, their defense is still good, you know, it's not
as like it was a lead.
Speaker 1 (46:16):
The cornerbacks aren't very good, but they're covered up by
the fact that you have Michael Parsons being held every
time by like three guys. So I want to see
what it looks like looks like without him. That's that's
what they one. I want to say.
Speaker 10 (46:27):
It's devastating because also he was he was everything they
could have wanted from a speed rusher, and how hard
he was playing. Yeah, and he you know, he's not
a power guy. He's a speed guy. So it's like
you just get you like Mahomes, you got to be
very cautious. You can't exact, Well, you gotta have him
back for September next year. It's like, well, you paid
him one hundred and eighty eight million. You gotta like
you might not see him next year till like November.
Speaker 1 (46:49):
Right, I don't think you will. I mean, I suppose
it's an LCL, not just an ACL tear. That's why
you had the surgery done already. So John Mitlcoff, NFL
analyst thing Out podcast host johnny're the best man. Thanks
for joing this bet up.
Thanks for listening to the best of the Doug Gottlieb
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday
three to five Eastern twelve two Pacific on Fox Sports Radio.
Find your local station for The Doug Gottlieb Show at
Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day
on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR Booming up America
Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio. I hope you're having
(00:26):
a great day. The Doug Gottlieb Show broadcast live every day.
We're sort of by coastal. We're on the coast of
Wisconsin and the coast of California as well. The boys
are out and enjoy the sunshine. I'm stuck in here
with the snow, but we're here with you for the
next two hours plus. We have an hour podcast which
follows this show, which you can hear every day, every
(00:46):
single day if you just type in the name Doug
Gottlieb Show wherever you download podcasts. Welcome. In this hour
of the show, John Middlcoff will join us as we'll
ask him not just about the NFL, but about the
news that Arch Banning is officially returning to Texas next year,
which it was part of the plan. We did discuss
(01:09):
it in the preseason, we did discuss it in the summer,
and it is part of what the Mannings have always done,
and based upon the unevenness of some of his performances,
it does make sense. But it also makes it so
there's one less big name on that draft board for
the upcoming NFL Draft before we get to the NFL
Draft and teams that will need a quarterback, like maybe
(01:31):
the Pittsburgh Steelers. They took down the Miami Dolphins last night.
Dolphins are on the playoffs. Dolphins were down twenty eight
to three. Game was essentially over, super slow start for
the Dolphins. The offense was not good against the Steelers defense,
which is mid as the kid. Do the kids still
say mid? I don't know. It feels like once I
start saying mid, it's definitely over.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Seems like it's been replaced by six to seven.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
That's so mid.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
This is me and the YouTube channel. I'm doing the
six to seven thing, which again is like a throwaway
line from a rap song, but it's unbelievable. Tomorrow night
we play you see Santa Barbara at the Cress Events center.
And I'm guessing once we when you get to sixty seven,
all the every kid goes crazy.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
That just can't do it.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Anyway, I want to take this moment to recognize something
that is amazing, Right, Jason and I both search for
things that are interesting. This is something that's amazing. You
ready for it. Here's what it is. Pittsburgh Steelers are
probably gonna finish above five hundred again. And like this
(02:40):
is the Mike Tomlin thing. It doesn't matter how average
they look. And again I understand that when you're eight
nine or nine and eight, you're by definition you're a mediocre,
your averager slightly above. But his calling card is he's
never finished below five hundred, right, never finished below five hundred,
And now here they are. They're at eight and six.
(03:03):
They beat the Ravens on the road, they beat the
Dolphins at home. They have the Lions on the road
upcoming Sunday, then the Browns on the road, then the
Ravens at home. Ten and seven is not close to
being out of the question. And yet does anybody think
the Steelers are are really good? Like there they were
good last night, But are they really good? Not? Really?
(03:27):
It's there is something amazing about not ever losing your team.
And by losing your team, I mean, they just won't
play for you, you know, there just won't. You can
yell and scream and rant and rave, you give them
the best game play in the world, but the second
they hit ad verse, they like, Eh, I'm good. I'm good. Now.
(03:49):
Some of it is in the players that you go acquire,
and I do think there's a little bit of something
of what they've done there, which I don't want to
say desperation, but is an extra piece of motivation for
some of these guys. Some of them are this is
their last year, Aaron Rodgers, probably last year playing. They've
acquired a lot of one year guys, but they've also
(04:11):
gotten some guys kind of off the scrap heap that
are trying to prove themselves. Here is here's bet here's
excuse me, here's Aaron Rodgers talking about how the win
helps for the playoff push.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Obviously, the division game is the most important game, but
these guys have won four four straight. Coming in we know,
well some of us, maybe a few of us know
about how obviously the first way to get to the
playoffs is win your division. There's you haven't beaten Baltimore already.
There's obviously time breakers that come into effect, including divisional record,
(04:47):
conference record, so winning near AFC games are really important.
Keeping the one game leap plus the head to head as.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Big as well.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
That is crazy. I think maybe they're crazy. Thing is
that we all act like the NFC. The AFC North
is the best and toughest division in football, right, don't know?
We we have a tendency to do that. We're like
man AFC North brutal division. Steelers, Ravens, Bengals, got Joe Burrow,
(05:22):
a lot of talent Browns. You could make a case
and I think I will that while I'm not trying
to dismiss as a matter of fact, I think it's amazing.
I'm not dismissing Pittsburgh's resilience in any way. But does
(05:44):
anybody think Pittsburgh's an elite football team? And yet here
they are a game up with a favorable schedule that
looks like they're gonna win their division, and they're they're
gonna win nine and they'll probably win ten games. And
how can I tell you other than just your eyes
telling you that they're not a great football team. Well,
(06:05):
anybody they played any good. They did beat the Patriots
in the third week of the season on the road,
but outside of that, Seahawks housed them. Packer game wasn't
crazy close. Chargers are all banged up and they could
do nothing with the Chargers. The Bears beat them, granted,
close game on the road. The Bills smoked them in
(06:27):
their own building. They did beat the Colts when the
Colts were healthy or healthier when they had Danny Dimes,
and now they have the Lions next. Like, you can
make the case that there's the NFC South and the
AFC North are the two worst divisions in football, But
then of course the AFC South is like, hey, yeah, hey,
(06:50):
Philip Rivers just started for the Colts. We got one
good team in this division. But still, I think there's
a lot to it. I think Tomlin's ability to continue
to get to the guys to where he doesn't lose
his team is really impressive. I do think that Aaron Rodgers,
he's not close to Aaron Rodgers before, but he's still
(07:13):
really good and it's gonna be fun to watch him
in the playoffs. If you hate Aaron Rodgers, it's gonna
be fun to watch him lose his last game because
they're not gonna go to a Super Bowl. They're not gonna
win a Super Bowl. I think the Steelers defense, while
it looked good early last night, is again very average
that they tried to throw together for a year. This
is not a great football team, but it is one
(07:35):
that finds a way to win, that finds a way
to get above five hundred, that's gonna find a way
to get in the playoffs. The other side to it
is it does show you just how crummy the AFC
North is this year. Some of that's injuries with the
Bengals and lack of defense of the Bengals. The Browns
are just a dysfunctional bag of poop, and the Ravens
(07:55):
are stunningly below average this year for the first time
since Lamar Jackson became their starting quarterback. Dan Bio, how'd
I do on my synopsis of the AFC North.
Speaker 5 (08:08):
Yeah, pretty good. I think you gotta give a little
bit more credit to the AFC South because I think
that the Texans are good and the Jaguars are good.
But on the AFC North, I don't think that there's
anything last night that would make me think that that
this was a Steelers team that was for real. I'm
not a huge Aaron Rodgers fan, but he is having
his moments last night, and there are quarterbacks that couldn't
(08:30):
do what he was able to do. So it's a
nice story, but I just don't think it's going to
affect anything in the grand scheme of how the AFC
playoff picture plays out.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
I'm gonna I'm gonna have an honest Doug moment. You
ready for it?
Speaker 6 (08:42):
Mm hmm?
Speaker 1 (08:43):
I forgot the Texans were an AFC South.
Speaker 6 (08:46):
That's all right.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
I just I always think of like, well, the Jaguar,
the Colts, and then like Titans. The Titans are terrible,
and I just I was just thinking Colts sense injury,
not very good, right, No, they're a good story. And
go ahead.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
The Patriots game that the Steelers won, a twenty one
to fourteen game. New England turned the ball over five
times in that game and a goal line fumble as well,
So if maybe New England only turns it over three times,
it's a Patriots victory. So to your point of, yeah,
they're not beating teams that are better than them, they're
(09:23):
beating teams that aren't better than them.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
It's the Doug Gottlieb Show here on Fox Sports Radio.
It is amazing that the Mike Tomlin thing and everybody
tries to run him out of town. Here's Ben Roethlisberger
on his podcast last week talking about Tomlin and the
Steelers need a fresh start, just because.
Speaker 7 (09:41):
I said that, you know, there's a time for like maybe.
Speaker 8 (09:44):
Some new things.
Speaker 7 (09:44):
That that's just saying that. I think, you know, coach Tomlin,
if he wants to move on, he has every right
to want to move all. It's not they should. So
it's up to him, you know. And and he's earned
that right, and that if he wants to go do
something else he can't should have We should honor him
when that time comes. Whenever that is. Maybe he wants
to coach are for ten years, that's fine too.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Ben Roethlisberger. He played tight end before he played quarterback.
That was really good footwork as a cornerback. That was
some about Hey, if he wants to stay here for
next ten years, hey, let's do it right Ben, Ben.
Ben learning very quickly about spoken word instead of just
(10:25):
going ah. And by the way, you can own what
she said, like you could Ben could have just gone like, look,
the Dolphins are crummy. Great, we beat the Dolphins. That
shouldn't be the nine and eight every year or ten
and seven shouldn't be the standard of the Steelers. We're
trying to win super bowls here, okay, and I won
one every year. We came in trying to win a
(10:45):
super Bowl. We have him in close recently. This is
We're gonna get into it in the podcast, me and
Jay stew because you know, Cam Newton, he wants to
be like, hey, if you want to be a black
quarterback and be on television, watch what I do. But
is he's you know, he dresses like a clown. The
subject matter he talks about oftentimes more podcasts and first
(11:08):
take are more clownish than serious. Not that you have
to be serious, but it's not in the football analysis
kind of spectrum. But I mean, Ben Roethlisberger, you're just
former Super Bowl champion quarterback, longtime Pittsburgh Steeler, and you
offer up a strong take, You're either wrong or you
(11:28):
double down. What you don't do is what he's like, Eh,
I listen, I just said it, because he can if
he wants to lave, he can leave.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
Yes, Jason stewartt the best part about what he said
on the podcast was not only did they say that
they they should probably clean house and that he needs
a new start somewhere, he also was like, Hey, the
Penn State job's open, maybe he should do That would
be a nice soft land And I think he's what
he said. I guess Ben I forgot that. Mike Tomlin
(12:01):
delivered one of the best sound bites in the history
of sports in twenty twenty one when some unlucky reporter
in the room asked him about the rumors about the
USC job.
Speaker 9 (12:12):
Hey, guys, I don't have time for that speculation. I mean,
that's a joke to me. I got one of the
best jobs in all of professional sport. Why would I
have any interest in coaching college football. That'll be the
last time to address it, and not only today, but
moving forward. Never say never, but never. Okay, anybody else
got any questions about any college jobs? Is not a
(12:33):
booster with a big enough blank check. Anybody asking Sean
Payton about that, you know, anybody asking Andy Reid about
stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
No, that's amazing that I forgot how good it was.
I know you love that sound bite and We've played
it like three different times, maybe four. I do every
time I hear it, I forget how good it is.
I mean, Ben just showing how he does. I don't
think he's wrong that it may be everybody he thinks
if they the season ends poorly, you're probably gonna clean house.
(13:03):
This is like a one year all in thing. And
I don't know if Tomlin wants to come back and rebuild,
start a new quarterback or whatever, or Mike Tomlin could
easily go into TV. Now, are you guys gonna you
guys disagree with me with Russell Wilson being on TV?
Are you gonna disagree with me that Tomlin would get
a TV job. Literally, when he's walking out of his
press conference if he.
Speaker 5 (13:21):
Ever resigned, absolutely, yes, yes, I mean he's see you later,
Bill Kauer, Yes, goodbye, Yeah, I'll replace again somebody.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
He's Literally he could sit there and go watch all
the networks in the pregame shows and go like, hmm,
I like that seat right there, that's the one. No, no, no,
when his if he doesn't like Bill Kawer, Bill Cower's gone.
If he doesn't like how he how, he's gone. If
he doesn't like straight hand, straight hand's gone. But that
was some rather impressive and nifty backpedaling from Big Ben. Right. Look, Ben,
(13:56):
here's how it works. If you really believe that that's faring,
just own it. Just go hey man, that was great.
I'm so happy they won. They're getting a bunch out
of it. We all know this thing is run its course.
It's time to start over in the meanwhile or meanwhile
Steelers are they're not definitely going to the playoffs. Feels
that way, got a great shot to win this division,
(14:18):
which means a home game in the playoffs. And if
you watch that Charger game and thought this was a
playoff team, you'd be like, no, no, why, no, no, no,
no way.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
This is the best of the dog Dot Leap Show
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
What up with you, Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio.
iHeartRadio app. I hope you guys are having a great day.
You had a great weekend, had a good Monday. You
watch the uh the Steelers gonna win last night over
the Dolphins. Dolphins look like they're they've run out of
patience on Tua. Rightfully, So all that could be a
topic of today this year is the Doug Gottlieb Show.
(14:57):
Here's how it works. We have a podcast that launched,
launches that lands in your queue at the top of
the next hour. It's not in your queue. Type in
Doug Gotlieb Show, you'll get our podcast three hours of
podcast two of it is live radio. Have you heard
about Trader Games? Add this to your binge list. Ten
athletes go head to head for a chance to win
an iFIT train or contract worth two hundred and fifty
(15:19):
thousand dollars. Streaming on Prime Video starting January eighth. This
is the Doug Gottlieb Show. Let's let's just get after it,
shall we. I mean, I could tell you that we
got Joel Klatt had an epic rant that people are
calling the worst rant of all time. I'm gonna get
to that. Plus there's the question now, with Aaron Rodgers
(15:41):
looking like he's going to lead his team to a
division championship, will he be back for another year? Try
and answer that this hour. First, let's get to Tuesday
Morning Quarterback in the afternoon.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
Well, Tuesday, this is Tuesday Morning Quarterback in the afternoon.
Monday's can be overwhelming. Tuesdays. Start getting to whatever we
didn't get to on Monday. Yeah, this is Tuesday morning
quarterback in the afternoon.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Let's get after it for more of that. Let's go
to Jason Still.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Thank you, Doug. I'll take it from here.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Than you do.
Speaker 6 (16:14):
I'll take it from here.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
This is a story that hasn't gotten any coverage. It
wasn't just yesterday. To me, it just hasn't gotten coverage period.
You know me right, I'm less interested in what happens
in sports than how it's covered. I spend a lot
of my day coming through how things are covered, the
(16:37):
reaction to the reaction. So I think I have a
pretty good perspective on this. When I say nobody talks
about cam War, you know what, I hate using absolutes.
Very few people choose to talk about cam War. And
remember the conversation going into the actual NFL draft six
(16:59):
months ago. It was astonishing how little publicity cam Ward
got as the top pick overall. In the pre show,
in the post show, it was all about shaduor Sanders.
Shaduor Sanders sucked up the oxygen of the entire draft.
(17:20):
And you could say that fourteen to fifteen weeks in
the NFL season, that's still true we're talking about Chaduur
at a ratio of one hundred to one. I don't
know if cam Ward has had a good season. I
don't know if he's had a bad season, because nobody
has given me their opinion of his season. So it
proves one of two things, that cam Ward is just
(17:41):
that uninteresting and that Shaduur Sanders is that much more interesting.
Or how about this, the Tennessee Titans have passed the
Jacksonville Jaguars as the most uninteresting team in the NFL.
Nobody cares about them enough to even talk about their
rookie quarterback taken first overall? Do you guys have theories
on this? Am I wrong? Am I wrong?
Speaker 6 (18:03):
Guys?
Speaker 1 (18:03):
You're not wrong? Dan buyer your theory? Ghud?
Speaker 6 (18:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (18:06):
No, I was going to say this that I think
that Tennessee held the title for a while and then
Derrick Henry came in and Mike Vrabel took over and
changed the culture. But I felt they were the least
interesting team prior to that era, and now they're back
on top, so they've regained their number one spot. I
think them firing their head coach and not knowing who
is going to be the next head coach there hurts them.
(18:27):
But I just think cam Ward's overall standing and who
he is just doesn't necessarily resonate. I almost feel that
if Fernando Mendoza goes number one, and maybe a different
story because he's a Heisman Trophy winner and who knows
who may have the number one overall pick. But yeah,
this sometimes happens when you're the top quarterback in the draft.
(18:49):
And I agree with Jason. I just don't think that
cam Ward is that interesting, and I don't think that
the Titans are that interesting.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Yeah, I mean the only thing interesting about then is
who they going to higher next year? They're gonna clean
house or whatever, and it has been done with other
quarterbacks where they've been successful in year two. Also, I
think they opened a new stadium next year, is that right,
Dan byers a two years?
Speaker 5 (19:11):
Yeah, twenty I think it's gonna be in two years,
so twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Maybe they're decent by then. But I agree that do you.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Have any gauge on whether or not he's having a
successful season.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
I mean no, I think they just think and nobody cares.
Speaker 7 (19:25):
To his think.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
I mean, he's it's inn sec country Vanderbilt's more a
better story.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Absolutely.
Speaker 8 (19:32):
I mean he's his numbers, his rating and his quarterback
radering are comparable to Gino Smith. He's only got eleven touchdowns,
which is really low. Like he's just not he's a
fifty nine percent completion like he's not you know, there's
really not a whole ride.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
I was not a ten word guy. I think I
made that clear watching last year. I just just he
just had had a hat, a player for the erratic.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Well he he did help that.
Speaker 8 (19:53):
He did help Miami get a lot of wins that
they had their defense let go or let you know,
let the game get out of control. He had a
lot of stand up performances.
Speaker 5 (20:01):
But this year, No, what's unique about cam mort is
because of his story of starring at you know, starting
at Incarnate Word, than Washington State and then Miami. Then
he's the number one pick, and then the story just
ends like I even saw. I don't know if it
was a promo or something. I think there may be
a Camward special on some streaming network about this amazing
(20:23):
run to being the number one overall pick in the draft,
and I can't even remember what streaming service it was on.
So the story is there, but for some reason we
just do not care.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Okay, good job, Jay dan Byer.
Speaker 5 (20:37):
So the Titans actually lost to the forty nine ers
this past weekend, and I'll tell you what. We talked
more about the forty nine ers.
Speaker 6 (20:45):
Way.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
We talked way more about the forty nine ers before
brock Purty got his deal than after brock Purty getting
his deal. And is that the reason why we aren't
talking about the forty nine ers because rock Purty got paid.
Because they're ten and four. Christian McCaffrey is he needs,
he needs a couple of good games with receiving yards.
(21:08):
But with three games left, all games likely meaningful one
maybe at the end of the year, very meaningful. He
could have a thousand thousand season, thousand yards rushing, thousand
yards receiving. Only three players in NFL history have done that.
He would be the first to do it twice. It
was Roger Craig and Marshall Fulk. But Christian McCaffrey could
(21:28):
do that twice this year. And we aren't talking about
the forty nine ers at all. And I find that
interesting because they're in the thick of it, they're in
the race. But I feel like we talked about them
more when before brock Purty the question was about his contract,
and now that he has his contract, we're like, all right,
we're done talking about him.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
And there's an interesting angle too that's come up just
in recent weeks in this is Brandon Nyuk thing. Uh
Shanahan had a great dismissive quid. I think Sunday, like
that guy hasn't even been around here. I don't even
know what he's doing, Like, you haven't guy him in
a month. They pay a lot of money not to play,
and he supposedly was a really good receiver and he's
(22:15):
an afterthought. And you're right, they're not really talking about it.
Speaker 5 (22:20):
They could still win that division and be the number
one overall seed. Now, certain things that have to happen,
but they could still happen. It still could happen. They
are they are going to make the playoffs. And let's
be honest, the Niners are a marquee team, right like
when you talk about the who's who are the haves
and the have nots, like we talk you could talk
(22:40):
a lot about the forty nine ers, but for some reason,
we just aren't this year.
Speaker 6 (22:44):
I don't know if it's because of their schedule.
Speaker 5 (22:45):
I don't know if it's because it was the easiest
strength of schedule entering this season for them, But we
just aren't having conversations about the Niners.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Sam.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Do you have a buyer's remorse in there?
Speaker 5 (22:58):
Dan?
Speaker 6 (22:58):
I had that. I can.
Speaker 5 (22:59):
I can tell what it is, and it's actually an
apology to one Doug Gottlieb.
Speaker 6 (23:02):
Hey, Hey, let's do this, yeah, the right way, all right.
Speaker 4 (23:05):
But there's nothing quite like buyer's remorse.
Speaker 5 (23:09):
I can't remember if it was Bill Clinton or George
Bush or Roger Clemens or Raphael Paul Merrow whoever said misremembered, because.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
I know no, that was that was Andy peennittt.
Speaker 6 (23:24):
Independent Andy Pettitt. There, it was Andy Pettitt said, I did.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Say something, though Clemens is known for something.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Oh no, no, Clemens said that Andy Pennett misremembered. That's it.
Speaker 5 (23:33):
I miss remembered the Michah Parson's play. Doug, you are
one hundred percent correct. It was a non contact injury
yesterday or on Sunday on grass. For some reason, I
thought that Michaeh. Parsons was engaged and he was not.
And so my apologies to you. But for some reason,
I was sure as anything that it was on an
(23:55):
engagement and it was not. And so Doug, I had
remorse over that, and uh, essentially an apology for for
your correct assessment that I said was incorrect.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
Apology remembers, but there was let me tell you, let
me how big A tell you.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
I think he misremember.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
But what I am, I like, I like agree with,
Like maybe I was wrong, Like I don't know, Dan knows.
Dan pays way more attention than I do. Like I
was at a party with a bunch of people watching
the game and then I said it, and I was like, maybe.
Speaker 6 (24:27):
Yeah, I saw I got home last night.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
That's my path. And how much you're right more often
than I am.
Speaker 6 (24:34):
Well, I appreciate that, but I was dead wrong.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Uh, I, I know we talked about it, Okay, but
I know we talked about it. Bo I feel like
I'll tell you it deserves a an apology. Is Brian Flores.
Brian Flores, he was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Now,
(24:59):
there's a lot of reasons he lost his job, none
of which are because he's black. I'm sorry, there's just
not the whole the front office that said us or
him was all black too, so that it just didn't
make any sense. But reportedly the big thing was that
he didn't think to a hat it. He got to
a stunk, right, And when the general manager squares by
(25:25):
a quarterback and the owner sides of the general manager
and they ride with that guy. That's why Flora's a
big reason that and offensive coaches couldn't work for him
or whatever. That's why he's He was out of a
out of a job, and now he's a he's in Minnesota.
I just this has been here the whole time, and
(25:46):
the Miami thing with putting out videos in practice of
him throwing deep balls and trying to go see you're wrong.
Twitter verse. It's a lot like when dudes lie. You
gulays tell when somebody's lying, because they go into super
super detail about what really happened, and you're like, yeah,
(26:08):
now I know you're live. No you don't understand, but
abum was Jimmy was sitting over there. I was sitting here,
I remember because I was wearing my blue pants and
he was wearing his black pants. And then Vinnie was
over there like, dude, you're again. The Dolphins trying to
tell us that were one hundred percent wrong about the
quality of Tua's arm. Like the proof is in the putting.
(26:33):
The guy can't play in cold weather and he plays
to the Miami Dolphins who play in the AFC East.
It's not working. Additionally, he's immobile, he's already been hurt.
I'm I'm gonna tell you, like he seems like a
really nice dude. That's the worst contract in the NFL
because if they cut him, it's ninety nine million dollars
(26:54):
in dead cap money. He's already guaranteed fifty four million
dollars since March for next year salary. That's and this
is this is what it is. Right, do you win
six every year? Looks the same for them? They win
six seven games, And I know that they had some
character issues. And when Tyreek Hill was gone, it made
(27:17):
them better. When Jalen Ramsey was gone, it made them better.
But what happens with those hardcore dudes is when you
can't do it, they call you out for not being
able to do it. And I'm sure that's part of it. No, no, no,
it's Tyreek Hill? Or is it Tyreek Hill? Play with
a guy who just doesn't have a good enough hard Dan,
did you have one more?
Speaker 2 (27:36):
Hey, Doug grow faster's the hot one. Someone's on the
hot line. It's uh Deshaun Watson's contract. Take an issue
with you calling Tua's contract the worst in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
Yeah, you're right, you're right, but uh, maybe it's a
sneaky bad contract. Can I go sneaky bad.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
Worst contract given to a person born in Hawaii?
Speaker 1 (28:00):
There we go? Or worse contract of somebody who's not
a complete perfect Is that better?
Speaker 6 (28:07):
That's fair?
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Yep?
Speaker 1 (28:08):
And then and then here here's the last one. Tuesday
morning quarterback in the afternoon. I just want to celebrate
like this is I've been doing this a long time.
I can't remember a time when the Chargers won more
games that they had opportunities to lose that they usually
give away. And it's pretty awesome to watch because you're
(28:31):
sitting there and the old Charger fan in you and
I know this was you, Jason Stewart, the old Charger
fan is like, we're gonna find a way to lose
this game, and they found a way to win the game.
Granted it's Carter Minshew, he didn't have an arm. Chiefs
something very good, but they find a way. They abstlually
find a way. And what's interesting about starting with the
(28:53):
Titans as you did, Jason Stewart is I've often thought
that up until they started Charging and became kind of
the laughing stock in the NFL. The Chargers were like
the least discussed team in the NFL. I just worked, true,
and that is Tuesday minuting quarterback in the afternoon. Well, Tuesday, Tuesday.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
Here you have it, your Tuesday morning quarterback in the afternoon.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Coming out of actually a show coming out. I'll go ahead,
Jay stew I'm.
Speaker 6 (29:20):
Sorry, Uh, did we leave Sam out? Did you have something? Sam?
Speaker 8 (29:25):
Because it is the holiday season, I was going to
bequeath or leave my Tuesday morning quarterback option to Doug
or Dan, who sounded like they had more than one item.
I did want to just say good morning. We were
talking about Hawaii. Good morning Hawaii. It is ten sixteen
on the island in island time. So if anybody didn't
want to get to anything later in the show on
(29:46):
my behalf, it's like a it's it's a rain check
for your holiday season.
Speaker 6 (29:51):
Give it.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation yet catch all of our shows at Fox
Sports Radio dot com and within the iHeart Radio app.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Every Olympic dream starts with a first glide through learn
to Skate USA. Kids build confidence, strength, and enjoying the ice.
Learn Skate USA offers programs for skaters of all ages
and abilities. Find a program near you had learned to
Skate USA dot com. I was thinking about this, Dan,
I've been doing national sports radio since two thousand and three, right,
(30:29):
so twenty two years, and it's kind of crazy that
Lebron James still playing basketball, right, yes, right? I mean
think about that, like that's that's a long time doing
national sports radio, even longer time to play, right. And
(30:52):
then I was thinking about Aaron Rodgers and how long
he's played him, Like, man, it's really remarkable how many
Monday night football games you think you've seen Aaron Rodgers play.
He's played twenty one years in the NFL. Twelve years.
Speaker 6 (31:06):
So do you have the number?
Speaker 1 (31:08):
I don't. Oh, okay, no, again, this is not a
I researched it got yeah, whatever, none of that. I'm
gonna guess again. I'm just gonna guess here. So he
got hurt with the Jets on Monday Night Football, right,
And I think there was probably one last year, so
you gotta guess there's like one to two a year.
(31:30):
So I'm guessing it's like thirty times. Plus you have
some Thanksgiving games which are not Monday Night Football, but
they're the standalone variety. It feels like my entire adult life,
I've been watching Aaron Rodgers throw football. That's really my.
Speaker 5 (31:43):
P Yeah, and Aaron Rodgers was probably throwing the football
on Monday Night Football when Monday Night Football was king.
Like I can't remember the exact year that it changed
over on the where then Sunday Night Football was getting
all of the good games.
Speaker 6 (31:58):
But he probably was a part of the that era.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
I'm gonna say, was it six or seven. I was
at ESPN at the time. Mark Shapiro was our boss.
Mark Shapiro now is second in charge of what what
is it? They've changed the name of the Ari Golds Agency,
what was it? Uh?
Speaker 6 (32:20):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
Well, they own you know, WWE, and they owned w
UH and they own they own everything. Anyway, Mark s
Biro is our boss and I remember him saying, like,
you know, we got a hold on of Monday Night
Football and we're probably gonna lose Sunday Night Football. They
lost Sunday Night Football and everything changed after that, everything changed.
(32:42):
I'm gonna go I'm gonna go O seven buyer again.
This is only a guess because I remember it might
have been O six. It was very early on AM.
I run at the ESPN, which started.
Speaker 5 (32:52):
Oh three, I just looked. I think it's two thousand
and six. I think, I think that's what I'm what
I'm seeing here. So yeah, Sunday Night Football on NBC
began airing on August sixth, two thousand and six, with
the Hall of Fame game.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
Wow. So and and for people who forget, like NBC
lost the NFL, wasn't in the NFL. It was kind
of a nothing. And now NBC is like backpack, you know,
they got NBA now the college football and and of
course they have a football Night in America. But I
just I was watching last night and I was getting
a little nostalgic, like, damn, I've seen Aaron Rodgers play
(33:30):
a lot of football, a lot, a lot, a lot crazy,
and still, like you said, I thought you nailed it.
They're just he has He's not great anymore, but he
is great in moments and you're like, no one throws it.
He's just such a unique style to playing the position.
There's nobody before and nobody since he started playing that
(33:51):
looks or throws like him. Nobody imitates that. But ye,
it's fun to watch. It's fun to wat.
Speaker 5 (33:56):
I think it's I think it's very safe to say
that the Steelers would not be in this spot without
Aaron Rodgers this year. And they're about to win the
division like they can lose them.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
That part's crazy part that they're gonna win, and it's
not they're gonna win the division. They're gonna win the AFC North,
which normally when you go AF is like whoa stuck
outleap show. This is Fox Sports Radio. Have you heard
about trainer games? Add this to your bingelest ten athletes
go ahead to head for a chance to win an
I fit contract worth two hundred and fifty thousand dollars,
streaming on Prime Video starting January eighth. John Mittalcoff joins
(34:30):
us he has a podcast. It's called three and Out.
It's on the Volume podcast network. John, I'm watching last night.
I can't believe I'm still watching it. In Rodgers to
play football. Even more surprising is the Steelers, who I've
watched all year long, are in prime position to win
the AFC North. How did this happen?
Speaker 10 (34:50):
Well, Burrow missed the majority of the year, so I
mean that cost him a ton of games. The raven
start was just atrocious, and they've kind of been all
over the map till they kind of showed some signs
of life last week. And the Steelers started fast. So
you get a four and one start, you get Burrow disappearing,
and what were the Ravens won and five if I
remember correctly, So you gave yourself a little buffer because,
(35:13):
let's face it, up until the last couple of weeks,
the Steelers were leaking serious oil, right, I mean, they
had lost kind of games playing good teams, and it
does feel like they got their mojo back a little bit.
Obviously the Ravens game was huge, but even last night,
you know, to of you know his numbers if you
if you didn't watch the game, he's looking at the
box score, you're like, oh, pretty good game, which obviously
(35:35):
wasn't the case. But the Miami Dolphins defense for the
first I would say ninety percent of the first half
was playing pretty good, and then they have that long
drive at the end of the first half. Score touchdown,
score a touchdown, right and you know, start the second half,
and let's be real, you're up fourteen to fourteen to
three in that weather that was freezing cold. It felt
(35:58):
like the game was over. And then obviously you get
a couple more scores, but once they had the fourteen
to three lead, it just didn't feel like Miami, unless
they busted some long runs, was gonna be able to score.
And listen, you know, Aaron I've been saying forever. I
bet if you've got Dan Marino right now, just had
him throw a ten yard outrout. It looks great. His
arm looks really good. He's obviously really smart. You know,
they have some limitations on offense because the personnel, But
(36:20):
if DK's going to make some big plays, I mean,
Darnel Washington's monster. I mean, he's probably I mean, if
I was him, I would try to become like a
hybrid right tackle tight end because the tackles make a
little bit more. But he probably likes catching touchdowns and
making plays. And then defensively, you just got to hope
that dry needling with TJ Watt, which I've never been
(36:42):
dry needled. It sounds pretty painful. But hopefully he's okay,
and you know they can win the division. I mean,
if there's a chance this week, right if and now
they got a tough game going to Detroit on a
short week, but if the Patriots take down the Ravens
and they win, I mean, this thing could get away
from the Ravens fast.
Speaker 1 (36:58):
I mean, plus, the Ravens gotta come to their play.
They have two winnable games. How about this one? So
I don't know if you heard Dan Buyer's update, but
McDaniel said all options are on the table at quarterback
March fourteenth of this year to his contract for next
year became fully guaranteed. That's fifty four million dollars. Jeez,
(37:19):
what do you do?
Speaker 10 (37:20):
Yeah? I mean my take last night was I think
you got to cut him because at this point in time,
I mean, he's progressed. It's crazy. I mean we could
have nitpicked him a couple of years ago, but he
was a solid player. I mean, it feels like this
year as the year went out on, they started winning
games because they stopped having him passed. And then I mean,
it's not even debatable. I mean he can't pass in
(37:41):
the COLT, which listen, but he's not alone. A lot
of players can't, right, and a lot of people you know,
he's a Wan guy played in the South. Now he's
in Miami. Like you just it's tough, but like, you
can't function as a quarterback and win important games if
you can't play in the COLT, especially in that conference.
I mean look at their division, Buffalo, DW, England and
(38:01):
New York. I mean there's no avoiding it. So I
just think I would have the mindset in the offseason
because I think it's pretty difficult to trade him. Now,
maybe you could eat something money.
Speaker 1 (38:15):
In dead cap money next year, Yeah, I four million guaranteed.
Speaker 10 (38:20):
I think you think about almost doing it. But they're
gonna have a new GM. I mean the Sean Paytonside
moved with Russell Wilson and just eating it. And I
think it gets back to you and I were talking
then it made no sense when they extended him like
I didn't. Kyler Murray Won made even less. But Kyler
is a more physically gifted player than Tua. I just
(38:43):
never understood the to a contract. I just been and
we've seen in recent memory, right, the last couple of years,
the Raiders made a tough decision with Carr, with Josh McDaniels,
like they kind of knew after last offseason, like you
might want to pivot, and they still stood strong. So
you could argue they made this bad and now they
got to lay in it.
Speaker 1 (39:02):
What's amazing about it is? And look, I don't make
no one makes all great calls, and I don't purport
myself to be a football analyst, but the guys can
tell you, and you know, I you know, I've never
been a believer into his arm. And remember the Dolphins,
I think it was year two in the preseason, they
kept throwing out their footage of him throwing the ball
(39:22):
along to Tyreek Hill. I think when they got him whatever,
you know, and as if to go like no, no, really,
he's got a great arm, and he like he doesn't.
I remember going to that Charger game, I don't know,
three four years ago at SOFI when who was it
who made the comments guys on Fox about it about
(39:43):
about being a Toua guy, not being a Herbert guy.
And if you went to that game, oh was Acho, Yes, yeah,
it was Emanuacho made comments about Justin Herbert being a
social media quarterback and he's not that good to his
the and if you went I went to that game,
it was night and day. Like one guy looked like
(40:03):
a big time quarterback, the other guy looked like a
backup and he just didn't have the arm for it.
Indoors the last.
Speaker 10 (40:10):
Two look in the last two weeks and the guy's
got a broken hands. He's playing, you know, physical defenses.
I mean, Herbert the last couple of weeks, like anyone
with a brain knew how talented he is, but you
go up a different level in sports and specifically football,
when it's like this guy's one of the toughest guys
in the league. I think the last couple of weeks.
(40:30):
I mean, and we know his coach is crazy when
it comes to toughness in the intangibles, Like I think
he kind of became like legendary status within that organization.
I mean, let's Philip fell off a cliff at the end,
physically couldn't move in his arm, but no one ever questioned.
I mean, look at him a couple of days ago,
like Rivers toughness. You know, players did have been around him,
(40:50):
coaches that they I mean, look at Shange. Psyche loves
the guy because he's just a tough dude pervert to
me is I mean he's a throwback right the eighties, nineties,
two thousands, and you have that physical gifts, but I
mean he's him and the Jim Harbaugh companies of the franchise,
they have no business s git a ten win team
right now with their injuries?
Speaker 1 (41:08):
Do they? Yeah? None? None? I you know, it's it's
this is what they do, how they try and get
out of this contract or what they try and do
is I don't know, it's gonna be really interesting. I
don't know. I don't know enough about cap manipulation. I
just don't know how you get out of nine to
(41:30):
nine million dollars in the dead cap money. Oh stug
outleb show here on Fox Sports Radio. Okay, we've got
a bunch of other stuff to get to with John Middlecoff.
Of course, Three and Out is U is his podcast
on the Volume Podcast Network. Let's go back to Sunday now,
(41:50):
as the Kansas Chiefs are no longer a playoff threat,
this is the team that has dominated the AFC, so
rebuild versus reload? My thought on The difference in the
two is not just in semantics, it's in this John.
A reload is you go through the draft. You know
that the first year it's going to be a little wonky,
(42:11):
but you're building for the long term. The reload, that's
the rebuild. The reload is when you go to free
agency and you try and fill the holes and try
and win. Win. Now, is this which is the smarter
thing to do? Considering mahomes is coming out the ACL,
considering Andy Reid's age, considering what their team.
Speaker 10 (42:28):
Looks like, Well, I think it's going to be a
hybrid play for the what looks face?
Speaker 1 (42:33):
Did?
Speaker 4 (42:33):
I mean?
Speaker 10 (42:33):
Now, they have a lot of pride. I mean, they're
a legendary run. They're better off losing these last three games, right,
And it might just happen with Gardner Minshew playing quarterback
and you know coach Read, you know he's a made
man like we kind of can manipulate it a little bit.
So there's a big difference. They've drafted basically thirtieth or
(42:54):
thirty first or thirty second the last several years.
Speaker 1 (42:56):
Right.
Speaker 10 (42:57):
Well, now all of a sudden, you're drafting twelfth or
four team and that's in every round. So let's say
your first four picks, you could get maybe three long
term starters and maybe one high end guy, so you
can change your franchise fast. And the other thing is
like deals in the room is Kelsey, like he's we
all thought he was going to retire coming into the season.
(43:18):
Now it probably feels inevitable, right, And I do think
the other thing is Chris Jones. Last year, they traded
Joe Tooney to the Bears, and coach Reid said after
the deal, I think during free agency, like he's one
of my favorite players we've ever coached, but in this
financial situation, we didn't have a choice. I think Chris
Jones is done, and when it comes to I think
(43:39):
he's did last year on the case. He's going to
be traded this offseason, so I just think they're going
to look dramatically different, and it's it could bleed into
next year, Like if there's any sort of question with Mahomes,
you were one percent not rushing him back, and maybe
next year in a weird way, is kind of a
throwaway year and you know, going, I don't know, six
(44:00):
seven wins again, it's not the worst thing to kind
of just kind of get your cap back on track,
get my home sealthy, because the other thing.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
Is, did you did you say six seven six seven
wins seg seven?
Speaker 10 (44:13):
Sorry you're you're you're more in that world around the
young people than I than I am. But yeah, I
don't know. He's too good of a coach, even if
you know he rolled Mer or you out there playing quarterback,
like they would never look like the Raiders.
Speaker 1 (44:27):
Right, I know, I know. It's it's a it's an
interesting one, right, like, well, he's gonna coach, They're gonna win,
but are they gonna win too many games? All right?
Real quickly? Can you envision the Packers making a Super
Bowl run without Micah Parsons and without Tucker Craft, without
all the can you can you envision that with the Packers?
Speaker 10 (44:47):
Yeah? I do think super Bowl run is is over.
But I you know I did this like most people like,
oh they're done. That's not usually how football works, right,
They're they're deepense, still pretty good, but they they could
win this week, they could win a playoff game. Harder
to envision them just rattle off three straight playoff victories
and be in the super Bowl. And this is coming
(45:07):
from someone that's had a Super Bowl ticket on them
to play the Broncos. It was going to be a
pretty lucrative Fay out and I felt pretty good about it.
But Mike has been pretty awesome for them, and they're
just no replacing that. Like the next man up. You
can say next man up when it's like a rotational linebacker.
You don't say the next man up when it's Michael Parsons.
So I do think Matt Lafleur, though you win this week,
(45:30):
you know, happily get the defense rolling like those two guys.
Happily you want to be a head coach in the
NFL L floor, you want an extension like they can
still prove a lot like winning a playoff game now,
I think like gets them a lot of credit. Where
before Mike is injured, what do you think anything less
than an NFC championship appearance would have been a disaster. Yees,
(45:51):
Now the bar is lowered, But I still think with
their talents, they still got a quarterback, they've still got
an offensive play call where they got a good defense.
I don't think it's inconceivable they win a playoff game.
I mean they a couple of years ago they went
to Dallas and killed them, and that you could argue
this team, assuming Watson's going to be okay, is better
than that team.
Speaker 9 (46:09):
Right.
Speaker 10 (46:09):
Yeah, their defense is still good, you know, it's not
as like it was a lead.
Speaker 1 (46:16):
The cornerbacks aren't very good, but they're covered up by
the fact that you have Michael Parsons being held every
time by like three guys. So I want to see
what it looks like looks like without him. That's that's
what they one. I want to say.
Speaker 10 (46:27):
It's devastating because also he was he was everything they
could have wanted from a speed rusher, and how hard
he was playing. Yeah, and he you know, he's not
a power guy. He's a speed guy. So it's like
you just get you like Mahomes, you got to be
very cautious. You can't exact, Well, you gotta have him
back for September next year. It's like, well, you paid
him one hundred and eighty eight million. You gotta like
you might not see him next year till like November.
Speaker 1 (46:49):
Right, I don't think you will. I mean, I suppose
it's an LCL, not just an ACL tear. That's why
you had the surgery done already. So John Mitlcoff, NFL
analyst thing Out podcast host johnny're the best man. Thanks
for joing this bet up.
Host
Doug Gottlieb
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