August 6, 2025 • 39 mins
Colin pushes back against the idea Shedeur Sanders is being sabotaged and set up to fail by getting the opportunity to start the Browns first preseason game. He believes Ben Johnson is sending a clear message to quarterback Caleb Williams with some recent comments about the offense’s poor performance in training camp. Colin also talks to 8-time Pro Bowl QB Philip Rivers about his legendary trash talk as a player and why he always admired Brett Favre
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three eastern nine am to
noone Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at
Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every
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or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowver
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Here we go. It is a Wednesday, and we are
live in August and living color. Ready to roll. A
lot of things happening today.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Joe Thomas stops by way in on Shuder Sanders, who's
getting the start Friday against Caroline. I'll get to that
in a second. Philip Rivers is stopping by the show
as well.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
One of the great trash talkers of all time.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Many many subscribe to the belief he is a Hall
of Famer. Some do, some don't, but an interesting guy.
He'll be joining us shame act. I don't like to
lecture the American sports media, but I've said this before.
In politics, there's a lot of conspiracy theories, and I'm
hoping that in our business sports we try to stay
(01:17):
away from those. But there's one that's dangling out there
that is patently absurd right now and here it is
so Shadoor Sanders, Kevin Stefanska. They've had all sorts of
quarterback injuries. He's going to start Friday, and he's only
had one pray. They'll only have one practice with the ones,
and he's going to start. And this is now being
(01:39):
called sabotage. And this is not just like crazy internet dweb,
it's like network people. It's sabotage. Cleveland doesn't want him
to succeed. Okay, let's start with this. Josh Dobbs was
acquired by the Minnesota Vikings and had to start and
(01:59):
did not get a single practice. Remember that game, three touchdowns,
no picks, one hundred and two passer rating, completed sixty
six percent of his throws, didn't know the playbook, teammates coordinator, coach,
didn't get a practice, won the game. Baker Mayfield, we're
friendemies now. Baker Mayfield came to the Rams on a Tuesday,
(02:23):
had to play Thursday against the Raiders ninety eight yard
fourth quarter game winning drive with a single practice in
the highly sophisticated Sean McVay offense. A timing offense, a
rhythm offense, one practice. Shnor Sanders has been with the
(02:43):
Browns through OTA's rookie Minnie camp and training camp. He
knows the playbook, the head coach, the coordinator, and his teammates.
And because he only gets one practice with the Ones,
it's sabotage. You've got to be kidding me. Stop pandering,
stop protecting media. The great Ones would consider this an
(03:06):
amazing opportunity, and he probably does, but we got to
stop this. If I was Kevin Stefanski and they're hemorrhaging
quarterbacks because of injuries, and you don't need to see
Joe Flacco. The last thing we need to see is
Joe Flacco, I would make an argument, well, rich dad,
famous dad, Let's give him a little turbulence.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Let's give him a little challenge here.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
So if Kevin Stefanski and I don't think that's the
reason they're doing it, but I could absolutely see a
coach saying famous rich. I mean, wasn't it wasn't it
Shador who called himself legendary in the draft room.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Let's see if he is.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
But the idea at some level of a sabotage, maybe
Kevin wants to just see what his speed limit is.
The other part of this that's ridiculous is how many
reps the first team guys play.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
In the preseason.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
He's gonna end up playing with twos, threes, and fours,
which is what he's practicing with Cleveland, and there's not
If you look at Cleveland's wide receiving corps, they're not
a big gap between the ones, twos, threes, and fours.
It's one of the worst receiving corps in the league,
and they're dealing with massive injuries at quarterbacks. So there's
absolutely no value in screwing over Shador Sanders.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
He may not be the future, but the perfect.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Scenario actually is he plays kind of well, establishes himself
as a backup. You move off Kenny Pickett, get a
draft pick, probably a fifth or sixth seventh rounder, and
then at the end of the year, because he's shown
himself to be a capable backup, you get another six
seventh round pick for Shaduur and that gives you more
picks to get Arch Manning or Drew Aller or the
(04:49):
Nussmeyer kid at LSU. That's all Cleveland's doing this year.
They know they're not good. They would love Shador Sanders.
I mean, would there be a better story for Cleveland?
He said, perfect scenario. Well, perfect scenario is getting arch
Manning next year. But to get him you'll need extra picks.
The perfect scenario to get you some help out from
(05:10):
under that awful Deshaun Watson contract is Shadur is good
this year and arch Manning is great next year, you're
home free. That's what Denver did with bon Nicks. Oh,
the Russell Wilson dead cap money. Oh, Bonnicks is good
and he's mostly free. So the idea, I mean, first
of all, sabotage is Kevin Stefanski's trying to retain his job.
(05:34):
The owner, I don't know if you've noticed, is a
little impulsive. In Cleveland, right, there's Nick Saban rumors. There's
a connection between the Mannings and Saban and Jimmy Haslam
and Jimmy Sexton. So this is just a ridiculous story.
I mean, I'm not a huge fan of brock Purty,
but brock Purty was third string, and then Trey Lance
(05:55):
wasn't good quickly he was second. Then Garoppolo gets hurt
in the game and he's thrust in to the starting
role mid game. He had no reps with the one
couple of ten days earlier. He's a three and he
took advantage of it. That's what the great athletes do.
They have a level of arrogance and belief that they
look at this as an opportunity, and I think Shadoor
(06:16):
probably does. But the idea that this is like gaining
steam multiple day trending, well, you know they don't want
to see him succeed. It's Cleveland the world's best scenario.
He looks great against Carolina. They can move Kenny Pickett,
get a six round pick, and then move Shador next
year and get another one. They need as many picks
(06:38):
as they can. If they win five games, have the
number two pick to give up the house to get
arcs Manning. Here's Kevin Stefanski on Shador, the situation of
the start coming up.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
We'll play Shador at quarterback. We just signed Snoopuntley, as
you guys saw, we'll see get Snoop back up to speed.
My expectations for Shador are no different than the rest
of the guys. Honestly, a marykay that we expect them
to go operate when you get in these preseason games,
you try to keep it very simple so that guys
can play fast, all concepts that our players know and
can kind of not think too much and just play ball.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Yeah, Josh Dobbs, no practices.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Baker Mayfield won in by the way mcveigh's system and
Kevin O'Connell's system, those are complex system, no practice, one practice,
and Baker and Josh Dobbs saw it as an unbelievable
opportunity and both crushed. Okay, So I'm just doing basically
daily updates on Caleb Williams. So whenever I see the
(07:38):
word sloppy, it's always like, well, it is sloppy, a
lack of focus, a lack of effort. So Ben Johnson
said he was saying Sunday after Caleb Williams performance, he said,
you know, we're sloppier than I'd want to be at
this point. We had a couple of good practices, we
had a step back. I just not where we want
(08:01):
to be at this point. Okay, okay, ok fine, okay, okay, fine,
But did you hear what he said about Caleb William's
backup Tyson Pageant Man.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
He's been he's been phenomenal. I mean, he's smart.
Speaker 6 (08:16):
As a whip.
Speaker 5 (08:18):
Appreciate the seriousness and intent that he brings every time
he walks into a room, you know, meeting room, walk through.
Speaker 6 (08:25):
It doesn't matter.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
He's locked in, he's focused, he's preparing the right way,
and I couldn't be more thrilled that he's here with us.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Tyson Bajent, Okay, so just think about that. Coaches with
young quarterbacks tend to be very careful with their words,
very intentional. He's serious, he's focused, he's locked in, smart.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
As a whip. The other guy's sloppy. I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
If a director of the film says, right now, our
lead actor, you've got to be patient. But well, I'll
tell you the supporting cast. Whoo, they are locked in
and focused. That's insinuating the lead isn't locked in.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
It's something you don't have to be Sherlock Home to
connect these dots.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Rights.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
I think we have to be honest about this. Ben
Johnson has worked with a number one pick before, Jared Goff,
and he's now worked with undrafted quarterback Tyson Bage. Okay,
so he's got you know, the variables of what he's
worked with are pretty wide. So he's seen gifted and
he's seen hardworking. And now I read something recently which
I thought was an interesting take, and sorry for not
(09:37):
giving it credit, but it was an interesting take. Somebody
said that Ben Johnson and Caleb was always going to
be a little rough because Ben Johnson, like a Kyle Shanahan,
has a precise, precision based offense. Jared Goff was second
in NFL completion percentage last season. Here's the play, follow
(09:58):
the play, fall my scheme, distribute the ball accurately. That's
Ben Jonson. That's what Kyle Shanahan loves. That's what Kyle
Shanahan loves, Okay, and Caleb's the opposite of that stylistically.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
So there is an.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Argument out there that these two, what Ben has coached
so far is actually more shanahan esque, more schematic based.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Follow the play.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
You can add lib a little, but by the way
Sean Payton, he wants you to run his play and
that's not really Caleb's style, So that the two are
not an ideal fit. That does not mean they can't work,
but I do think, let's be honest, if this thing
is ugly, Ben Johnson came to Chicago with a prenup.
(10:48):
He's gonna win this divorce. Okay, he's the boy genius.
He multiple teams interested. Caleb's already had a bad year
if he struggled with the second coaching staff pointing at
the quarterback. So it's just I don't know what it's not.
It's not that big of a deal that you know,
Caleb was a little sloppy, okay, but.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
The other guy, whooh.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Hoys, he locked in kind of felt intentional, like he
was trying to say something. But again, I don't want
to be out here throwing heaters, j mack. That's not
what I do. I'm not out here to ruffle feathers.
But it it was kind of, you know, it's a
little over the top, locked in, prepared, focus, smart as
(11:33):
a whip.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
That's a little mud.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Wouldn't you have just thought of, like, I'm not gonna
go overboard in the backup, be like, hey, he's a hustler,
he's gonna be a great backup for us.
Speaker 6 (11:43):
He is.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
He is doing a great job. A little intentional in
the wording.
Speaker 7 (11:48):
I think he's sending a message pretty clearly, right, I mean,
that's that's the goal here. We got to get Caleb
up to speed. He's sloppy. It's not working. Let me
ask you, con I we brought up the whole Will
Caleb be bench this year? I'm gonna I'm gonna fast
track it. Will he be benched once before Halloween? So
we're talking first eight weeks of the season. Will then
be so fed up? He's like, Caleb, I'm pulling you.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
I I don't know. I'm not going to bet that
You're afraid huh because you think you can land it.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
No, I just think I think what I've read in
recent days, and I think it's a fair take, is
that Caleb's style and he got into some really bad habits,
as we've discussed his second year at USC, because he
didn't trust the old line. They got blown out at
Notre Dame. Lincoln Riley didn't want to get him hurt.
Lincoln didn't trust the old line. Caleb didn't trust the
(12:36):
old line. He got into really bad habits of hero
ball got really bad. His tape was probably better the
year before, even though he's a year younger than the
second year. When he started playing hero ball, and when
you do hero ball, your mechanic struggle and then last
year's staff wasn't capable enough to correct that stuff. I
think Ben Johnson is and is holding him accountable. But
I do think it's interesting the wording used for the
(12:57):
backup Tyson Bagen. I just think the wording was fairly intentional.
Speaker 7 (13:01):
Yeah, Colin, I will note we're now on two straight
seasons as you just noted of hero ball and bad
football from Caleb Williams. He was bad in his final
year at USC, we would agree, and he was not
good last.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Year as a rookies. Such two straight football seasons of.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Subper football, I think I think, you know, Ben Johnson
nickname should be the janitor. He's just trying to clean
stuff up in Chicago. He's trying to clean up the culture.
He's trying to clean up the offense. He's trying to
clean up the offensive line. He's trying to clean up
Caleb Williams. This this, this is a heavy lift that
(13:39):
that he's got a lot of stuff to clean up,
you know. Yeah, and by the way, Vrabel does in
New England as well. But Vrabel's got a quarterback that
looked pretty good. They had three hundred million dollars they
spent on free agency so Vrabel's got to clean some
stuff up. But that franchise has a history with that
ownership of winning a lot of big games. But Chicago's
(13:59):
note in big games. They don't have the culture. They
can't get the old line right, they can't get quarterback
right now. They've got Caleb. There's some urgency issues, so
there's a list. Is not an easy Matt Lafleur taken
over for Mike McCarthy and trying to get on Aaron Rodgers'
good side. That was a pretty easy lift. That was
a pretty I mean, you gotta get on Aaron's good
(14:20):
So Aaron was closer to his prime. Aaron just wanted
a new guy. Generationally, they were closer in age. Chicago
is a big lift. This is not an easy job.
Speaker 7 (14:29):
Remember, Drake May was not brought in to save the Patriots.
He was not a generational talent. Caleb Williams asked to
do both of those things. People were asking, would Caleb
be the greatest quarterback in franchise history. Nobody said that
about Nobodys saying that there's no pressure on Drake May.
Like I do, think Caleb is gonna start to feel
the weight of what's.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
Going on in Chicago.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
No, I do think this is and it's also Chicago.
It's a big, loud market, you know, rival with the Packers.
It's a big, big lift. I mean, nobody thought bow
Knicks is going to be John Elway. Nobody thinks he's
Peyton Manning sewn. Peyton just wants him to be as
close to Drew Brees as he can get to get
this organization winning again. So bow Nix doesn't have a
(15:11):
lot of pressure. Washington was a dumpster fire during Daniel
Snyder's ownership. There wasn't a huge pressure on him. Drake
May isn't viewed as Brady so and even Michael Pennix
when you drop you know, when you go to Atlanta,
how much pressure is it. You could argue it's an
SEC market as much as an NFL market. You could
argue there is there is heat on Caleb William.
Speaker 7 (15:30):
JJ McCarthy probably has the second most pressure from that class,
given that they won fourteen games with Darnold last year.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Yes, that's fair. I would say that that's totally fair.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
and Neon Easter nin am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 8 (15:50):
Hey, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning
on my podcast Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't
your typical sports pod pushing the same tie narratives down
your throat every day. Straight Fire gives you honest opinions
on all the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats to help
you win big at the sportsbook, and all the best guests.
(16:10):
Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with
Jason McIntyre on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever
you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
You know, I've talked about this before, and it just
it's the way our brains usually work. The more beautiful
or aesthetically pleasing something is film, art, sports, the greater
stature we hold it in a great example is Larry
Bird had a beautiful game, the three point shots, the
(16:43):
clever passing. I mean, who doesn't love watching old Larry
Bird highlights? You watch old Tim Duncan highlights, Magic Bird, MJ,
Doctor J. Aesthetically pleasing. We think of them so fondly,
Tim Duncan. There's an argument was you know, it's better
in all of them. There's an argument, but it wasn't pleasing.
(17:05):
I always said it's about Brady. Brady retires. Brady wasn't
beautiful to watch. He was smart, he was efficient, He
got rid of the ball quickly. Dimnity retires five minutes later.
Mahomes is better. It's like now, Tom, they played a
couple times, like in a super Bowl, in a big
AFC showdown, in the playoffs. Tom won both of them. Yeah,
(17:26):
in Kansas City super Bowl. Yeah, Tom won both and
has more trophies and is the greatest quarterback of all time.
But the minute Tom said, ah, Mahomes because Mahomes game.
He's throwing left handed, the side arm stuff. It's a
beautifully esthetically pleasing game. And I've always said it's hard
with athletes like that when they get old, Like with Brady,
(17:49):
like at forty four, he felt like he was thirty four.
He was still smart, still efficient, still got rid of
it quickly.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
And but like with.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Aaron Rodgers, his resume is how you view him, not
his reality.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
So there is another story out.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Of Pittsburgh, Christopher Barbery of Steelernation dot com raising red
flags on Aaron's training camp that sounds so much like
the Jets. Not enough balls down the field, too many
short passes and checkdowns, and he doesn't trust a number
two receiver.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Yet that's the Jets. Here's the thing.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
You're not into reality with Aaron because he's so beautiful
to watch throw the ball. It's Marino and Aaron's so
the prettiest ball ever. Peyton Manning doesn't, Tom Brady doesn't.
And so you're all into the resume. You have such
fond memories and not the reality. Do you know that
since twenty twenty two, Aaron's last year in Green Bay,
(18:49):
he has fewer big plays downfield than Derek Carr. You
think of Derek Carr, you're a ding dunk guy, but Derek's.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Not beautiful to watch Aaron is.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
And so this is that's what I've said about this team.
Aaron's forty one year old guy. He don't want to
get hit. He didn't trust the Jets on line, he
got rid of it. He doesn't trust the Steelers on line.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
He shouldn't.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
PFF this morning had the Steelers all line under the
Jets old line last year and going into this season,
he doesn't trust them and he shouldn't. Defensive head coaches
can struggle.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
With old lines.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Robert Sala like him, Mike Tomlin like him. Old Liones
can't figure it out. McVeigh figures it out in an offseason,
so does Andy Reid. So does Sean Payton. Sean Payton
fix the Denver old line in the four months, and
so forty one year old wealthy quarterbacks. There are certain
things that are true. They don't want to get hit,
(19:46):
and sixty one year old rich guys. They're things that
are true. They don't want to change their oil, they
don't want to go to the DMV, they don't want
to sit in coach on a plane. There are just
truths about as you if you are financially comfortable, Aaron,
you don't want to get hit. And DK metcalf Is
they're only proven star receiver. So your teams are gonna
(20:09):
roll the coverage over and say, beat us with Scotty Miller,
beat us with a run game. Trust your offensive line,
sit in the pocket, like you can see what's gonna
happen here. So, as I've said before, it's not right now.
The Steelers defense, which is good, it's not great. Let's
not kid ourselves. It's not Philadelphia last year it's not
that good.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
It's good.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Tomlin's good at it, it's not that good is dominating
Aaron in practice. And I think a lot of this
is Aaron's rich forty one close to the end.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
And he didn't want to. He doesn't trust that offensive line.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
You're not gonna sit in there for an extra second,
an extra beat.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
I don't blame him. Here's Tomlin on the Steelers offense.
Speaker 9 (20:51):
I just think it's usual for this time of year.
Defense is usually developed a little faster than offenses to
get to know the cohesion that's required to be good.
It's just a component of it. And so Nora A.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Larm Bell's there, okay, he's right for the record, defense,
which is more about playing fast and blowing stuff up.
It's you know, they talk about this in baseball, like
pitching can be ahead of hitting or vice versa, defense
is usually ahead of offense. It's not in Cincinnati, by
the way, with Joe Burrow, according to reports.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
But that's some of it.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
But I think the bigger picture is the reality of
a forty one year old who's recently had a big
surgery with an old line he doesn't trust. I would
be the same way as Aaron Rodgers. I'm not sitting
in there for an extra second.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Noone Easter not a Empacific.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
Well, I've been thinking about this interview last couple of days.
They told me I get Philip Rivers, who was so
animated as a player, first round pick by the Giants,
traded for Eli Manning on draft day, and they both
end up having absolutely remarkable careers. He is now the
football coach and has been for several years in Alabama
(22:06):
Saint Michael Catholic. His son now is the quarterback and
a good one. Philip Rivers is now joining US live today.
You know, I gotta tell the audience I don't. I've
never seen your son play. But his name is Gunner Rivers,
and I'm telling you right now, that's a franchise quarterback name.
I would draft him sight unseen on that, just on
(22:28):
the name. Now, you were a trash talker and you
had a different delivery. Does he have your kind of
sight arm delivery? Is he a little trash talker?
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Does he?
Speaker 1 (22:39):
Does he have some of the Philip Rivers classic traits?
Speaker 6 (22:43):
Hey, Colin, how's it going? Yeah? No, he Uh, he definitely. Uh,
he definitely has some of the same traits.
Speaker 9 (22:49):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (22:49):
He's a little more traditional throwing the football than than
I than I was, but a lot of people see
him throw and go, dang, you throw just like your dad.
So he has a little bit of that, and I
guess it's just genetic.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (23:02):
And then he's a little more reserved than I am.
He has the fire and passion for the game, but
I think he's got his mom's calmness, which which will
probably serve him well.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
I think everybody, very few people had your intensity on
the field.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
You know what's amazing.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
You were a trash talker, but players, even opponents loved you.
Did you think your intensity you're obviously talented. Did you
think your passion and intensity was your best trait? Uh?
Speaker 2 (23:31):
It was.
Speaker 6 (23:32):
It was probably one of them. I think, you know,
I had to, I had to. I had to a
little bit toe the line. I probably crossed the line
a few times. You know, I think there's a there's
a there's a you know, a line that you don't
want to cross to where you maybe you're not helping
yourself or your team. So I'm sure that I didn't
always keep that in check. But I do think that
the passion and the fire and the intensity was genuine.
(23:53):
I don't think, I know it was genuine, and I
do think it was felt by our teammates, and in
some regard helped, you know, fuel kind of our personality
and and and our you know, resiliency and how we
how we went about the game. And then you mentioned
our opponents, and I hope you know you gained you
obviously gained respect of your opponent over doing it for
a long period of time. Uh So, maybe not early on,
(24:13):
but I think as time grew, you gained that respect
and they realize, man, this dude loves to play football.
And that's really all it was as a guy playing
football in the backyard. And I just never let that
leave me, although we were playing, you know, in front
of you know, a million people there on a Sunday afternoon.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
You know the you told me one time, and I've
used this whenever I give a speech, I always say,
the great Philip Rivers told me he liked the process
of building the game plan as much as the game.
And can you instill that in your son or a
young quarterback or do you think that was just your
dad was a football coach. Do you think that's God
given an innate that you loved practice? Can you if
(24:52):
a guy, some of these quarterbacks I think liked the game,
I'm not sure they loved practice. Can you teach that?
Or did you feel that was just in you from
day one?
Speaker 3 (25:02):
Well?
Speaker 6 (25:02):
I do think that there was a some of that
that was just in me. But I think he got
to you better grow to to uh, to love it,
to love the process, uh, especially playing this position. You know,
if you want to be great, and and you know,
and and and maybe I would didn't get to get
to great, but I know I was pretty dang good
for a long time. And I don't think you can
get there if you just think you're gonna, you know,
(25:24):
show up and go out there and play for three
and a half hours on a Sunday afternoon. And so
the you know, the the process of every day and
the chance to be on the grass with your buddies
practicing football, uh, you know, and sitting in a meeting
room and figuring out you know, uh Spags his blitz
patterns and Rex Ryan's blitz patterns and all these and
like figuring out how we're going to get this thing
picked up to throw a touchdown to Antonio Gates. I mean,
(25:46):
that's that's that's what it is. That's a blast or
even a third down conversion versus Zimmers, you know, a
double mug scheme. I mean, those things were so fun
to work on all week, and then when he came
to in the game, you know, there were some some
of the most gratifying plays on a Sunday after day
were the ones a fan didn't even realize. But it
was the but the behind the scenes preparations, you know,
and it's those those Saturday morning walk through is the
(26:06):
bus rides, all those things that lead up to the game.
I certainly love to play. I loved the games and
running out of the tunnel and all those things that
I used to ask my mom and dad, Hey, introduce me.
You know, I'm coming out and we're playing soever, you know, whoever,
and they would introduce me and I'd come running out
down the hall, you know, getting introduced. So I love
that part, I'll be clear on that. But it was
(26:27):
the process that made that part so special and and
so but I just don't know how you play quarterback
and don't aren't all in on the process. If you're
trying to be you know, trying to be you know,
one of the best.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
You know, it's I have said this one of the things.
I do think you can become more accurate with coaching.
I think your footwork can improve with coaching. But there
is one thing that I just think is innate. Certain
quarterbacks Ma Homes you could see this instantly. Patrick can
see the field. He just sees the field. You did,
(27:01):
Breeze did, Brady obviously did. And then I'll watch some
young guys and I'm like, I don't know if they
I don't know if they can see it like there
and I know there's a film study did you get
Did you always have that because you were a good
high school college coach the ability to and I've heard
this set about you, and I've heard this set about
(27:22):
Peyton and Brady that when a play was over, you
could look at the right side of the field and
yet you knew what was going on and could see
the left side of the field without staring at it.
The great quarterbacks have this innate ability. They just there's
a rhythm to the secondary. And I guess my question is,
(27:43):
are there can you teach that you had an innate
feel for the position. Are there some things, Philip that
aren't teachable?
Speaker 6 (27:53):
Yeah, I mean I think that. I think yes, I
mean I think there's certain things that are and talents
that so many guys have and so many different positions
that are God given ability, and you can, like you said,
I agree hundred percent. You know, we got to clean
some footwork, We got to cleanp some fundamentals. We can
clean up how you're reading this or maybe your eyes
are just in the wrong place. But there are some things,
you know, being able to have to be accurate, You
(28:16):
can work on accuracy. Some people just they can throw
all day long and they just aren't very accurate. And uh,
you know, accuracy, anticipation and to be able to see
it all and process it fast. Definitely you can improve it,
but you're probably in a window. You know, someone that
can't do that. You can't get them to an elite level.
Someone that's pretty dang good at it. Maybe you can
(28:36):
get them to really good at it, but you can't.
I don't think you can. There's there's certain parts of
playing the position that you can't make vast improvements. And
some guys like you mentioned Mahomes and you know, we
could go on and on of talking about guys there
are at a certain level already that they are able
to process and do those things coached or not coached,
and then now you throw in Andy Reid and some
(28:58):
of the other coaches he's had, and now the experience
that he's gained, and then you can take him to
an even even higher level. But he was already you know,
pretty dang eleade at it. So I do agree. I
do agree with you on those things. And you know,
it's funny because and everybody has their process. You know,
me and Drew were teammates. We got to connect this weekend.
It was great to see Drew. And we had such
(29:18):
a different uh uh process in terms of our daily routine.
But yet they were both they both worked and and
there's some similarities. But I say that not to mention
this about Drew, but just we all have our different routines.
But uh, I used to I wasn't big looking at
the iPad off the you know, coming off the field.
Now I would go look at it to see or
(29:38):
see the pictures to confirm maybe or dang, maybe they
fooled me. I need to go see it. But a
lot of times.
Speaker 7 (29:44):
You know.
Speaker 6 (29:44):
It was kind of a running joke. I'd say, I
saw it live, guys. I just I just saw it live,
and I need to come back over here and look
at it again. I know I should have gone the
other way, you know, so and again and that one
in an arrogant way. It was just I saw live,
you know, and so certainly I used the tools as
needed over there. But yeah, there is definitely some of that.
(30:05):
And I say it in humility because shoot, I threw
it to the other team, shoot twound times or how
many times. So I certainly take all right decisions. But
I feel like I did have that ability to see
it and process it quickly and throw with anticipation and
be accurate.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
So I have this. I wrote about this in my
first book.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
I've had this theory forever that most of the great
quarterbacks at one point in North Carolina State had three
starting quarterbacks in the NFL, and Cow had two or three,
and USC and.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
Ohio State had none.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
That there's an argument to be made that when you
play at in North Carolina State or a COW or
a Miami of Ohio or a Purdue, that's real life
in the NFL. You're getting hit. The windows are small.
These USC guys are throwing to wide, open, wide receivers.
You're not doing that at Duke, You're not doing that
(30:55):
at NT State.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
That I think it was.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
An advantage for you to go to NC State instead
of an Ohio State because the NFL truth is discomfort.
Nobody's that open. You don't get great protection. You're getting
hit constantly. I used to joke, I remember Matt Lioner
at USC one year he got sacked eleven times. He
(31:18):
may have just fallen down. Half of those he birred
got touched that when I was I'll give you an example.
JJ McCarthy always played with the lead Michigan a perfect
offensive line.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
I worry about JJ.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Three years with hardball or two years with hardball, he
barely got touched. Do you think there's an advantage getting
beat up a little bit in college like Mahomes or
Josh Allen then going to the NFL.
Speaker 6 (31:43):
I mean when you yeah, I'm sold based on that
minute of you saying that. I never thought of it
that way, and I certainly didn't ever feel like I
had inferior teammates those years in NC State. But there's
a combination of that of yeah, maybe, and even more
so maybe now you don't have the you know, you're
all the comparisons you made make perfect sense. But we
(32:05):
felt like in NC State we were going to think
and win them all. You know, we thought we were
going to win them all. So I say that with
all due respect to the certain teammates I had, because
I had many teammates. You mentioned the quarterbacks, you know
behind me, the great receiveratry Hole, many teammates of mine
that had the long careers in the NFL. But yes,
and I think too, you get to play, you play
more games. You know, I played in fifty one college
football games. So I definitely felt like even more equipped
(32:28):
than had you go to a place and you only
play two years. You played twenty games, and you played
from the lead, and you hand it off and you
throw it eighteen times. I threw a hundred. I threw
one hundred passes in my first two games in NC
State of lorm shout, you know so. But then but
you're right though, you get the NFL. And I was
in my first few first week or two of mini camp,
and uh and and we had some play on I
don't remember, and I didn't throw the ball. I got
(32:50):
to the check down, didn't throw the deep cross or
deep over and and Cam Cameron said why didn't you
throw it? And I said he's not open and he
said he's wide open. And I was like, dang, okay,
Like that's there's the windows and the separations. So those things,
those things are all true that you say. Now you're
(33:11):
taking Matt Leiner to JJ McCarthy. A guy that can
come from those you know, historic programs and they can
still have unbelievable NFL career would be great. So it's
not like you can't that way. But is there something
to be said for the you know, the Texas Texas
and the Wyomings and NC states of the world. Maybe
heck yeah. And you know, I definitely think there's something
(33:33):
to game experience and playing and playing. There's no similar
there's nothing, no substitute for playing. You have to play.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
Yeah, So Antonio Gates makes the Hall of Fame. Speaking
of college, never played a college football snap take me
to it may have been a practice. When was the
first moment You're at practice or somewhere with him and
you went, who's that guy?
Speaker 3 (33:58):
Like you knew? How long did it take for you
to identify whoa People can't guard him.
Speaker 1 (34:05):
He's too big for linebackers, he's too he's too strong
for safeties.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
How long did it take?
Speaker 6 (34:11):
Well, not long. I mean I was in my rookie
year and I had a front row seat my first
two years, you know, with Drew and and and and
and Gates that would have been his you know, he
was a rookie the year before me, and so I
got to see it for I got to see it
from the sideline his you know, those first two years.
And he was one of those guys that you know,
we had a Gate truel. We had a Gate troul.
We had we had the we had the progression for
(34:31):
the play and based off the coverage, and then we said, okay,
and this one is Gates truel and and it was
which meant, hey, if he's singled up, I don't care
if the leverage is good for him, he's gonna beat
them anyway. And it was just that over wrote that,
that over you know, uh, the progression was then done.
It was overridden by the Gates rule. But he uh,
he had a unique ability to He was fast and big,
(34:54):
but he had a unique ability to understand body position
and getting hands off and attack and attacking leverage and
in those things. And I I you know, he was
always considered this basketball guy, basketball guy, basketball guy. But
I think what he did was he was very humble
in saying, crap, I want to be a football guy,
and I gotta learn all this What is all these coverages?
And they're bracketing me? And where's the help and what?
And once he learned that, then it was then it
(35:15):
was forget about it and uh And that's why he
had that stretch, you know, seven or eight nine year stretch.
Obviously he played longer than that, and his whole career
was awesome, but he had that stretch where he was arguably,
you know, just uncoverable.
Speaker 1 (35:28):
So finally your son, Gunner Rivers is is and you
could look him up. He's going to be one of
those top quarterbacks on all those recruiting things. So you're
gonna start hearing about him. Do you ever watch him
and think, man, he does have a little better than Dad.
Speaker 3 (35:42):
Did at his age. Is there is there anything you're
just thinking? Man?
Speaker 1 (35:45):
He may be he maybe have a little better fastball
than Dad, or he may he may move a little
better than dad.
Speaker 6 (35:51):
Oh yeah, that happens. That happens more than you'd think.
I think.
Speaker 3 (35:57):
I think too.
Speaker 6 (35:57):
The game has just changed so much. You know, you're
not talked a little bit off air briefly. You know,
twenty five years ago, it was just different. The game
is just different than what it is now. There wasn't
seven on sevens. And you know, we didn't grow up
playing flag football. I mean me and Gunner and you know,
uh we were playing flag football, playing against teams from
Hawaii and Idaho and Arizona and all this when we're
in California when he was ten years old. You know,
(36:18):
so you're getting you're getting to practice that anticipation and
accurate accuracy as a ten year old. And so he's
just he's just thrown the football in a competitive environment
a whole lot more because of the day and age
of football that we're in. And uh, you know, it's
it's it's been fun. It's fun to it's fun to
coach him and his teammates and be at this, be
at the school and and coach these guys up and
(36:39):
you know, and and again, remember the mission is it's
more than about the game. I remind these guys it's
going to end for you at some point. Most of
our guys it's going to end when they graduate high school.
And hopefully, you know Gunner and he does have some
teammates that can advance and play college football. But I
remind them that even if you get to play for
seventeen years, it does stop and the clock will end.
So it's got to be more than just the x'es
(37:01):
and o's. You got to learn those life lessons that
you get from this great sport. And I'm hopeful that
I can pass some of that down to these guys
and help them be better men for having been in
the program.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
Well, you're a class guy, one of my favorite players
seventeen years. I was looking at some of your stats.
Six most four hundred and twenty one career passing touchdowns,
the sixth most in NFL history. Two hundred and forty
consecutive starts in the regular season.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
That is a lot of starts.
Speaker 1 (37:31):
Was there ever did you ever have a game day
when you just felt like crud and started? Like? Did
you ever have? I mean, you obviously were not in
perfect condition. Did you ever not know an hour before
a game if you were going to start?
Speaker 6 (37:45):
No? No, I know, but yes, many games where it
felt like crud would be an understatement. But thankfully, I
mean again, this isn't me saying, wow, look how tough
I was. I really was. I had a lot of
I was blessed with with health and the ability to
go out there every Sunday. I'll just leave it at that,
But there were certain sundays that weren't real fun physically,
(38:06):
weren't real fun during the week to get there. But again,
a lot of great guys up front fight like crazy
to keep me clean, and then you just have some
injuries you have and you deal with them. And there
was the one, the one record that was one of
my favorite growing up. You know, I mentioned the fifty
one starts in the Row at den Cy State, which
at a time, at that time was a record. I
(38:27):
think it's been broken and now these guys playing fourteen
fifteen games a year. But one of my favorite records
was Brett Farres Star Street and I remember watching that going, man,
he's played how many year, rold Man, He's going to
get to three hundred, And I remember just saying, again,
this is just as a competitor, I'm going I'm going
to chase Brett Far's record. I'm gonna get there. And
I didn't play those first two years, as I said
behind Drew, and I realized ultimately I couldn't get there,
(38:49):
but by golly, I was going to find a way.
He'd be second, you know, and suit up and be
out there if I could every week for our team.
And I do think there's a you know, the best ability,
as Chuck Amato told us, the best abilities dependability, and
that was one thing I was gonna be I was
gonna be out there. I was gonna be outre every week.
I was gonna be outre every week and give them
(39:11):
my all. And shoot, I know we fell short plenty
of times, but they knew that could count on seventeen
get them everything they had for those turning forty in
a row.
Speaker 1 (39:19):
Well, my favorite interview in a long time, Philip absolute pleasure.
Saint Michael Catholic High School in Alabama. He took over
a program that didn't really exist. They just won their
first playoff game last year. Congratulations to you and your
program and they are lucky to have you as a coach.
Speaker 6 (39:34):
Thanks man, Thanks Golling enjoyed it.
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three eastern nine am to
noone Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at
Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every
day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio
or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowver
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Here we go. It is a Wednesday, and we are
live in August and living color. Ready to roll. A
lot of things happening today.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Joe Thomas stops by way in on Shuder Sanders, who's
getting the start Friday against Caroline. I'll get to that
in a second. Philip Rivers is stopping by the show
as well.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
One of the great trash talkers of all time.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Many many subscribe to the belief he is a Hall
of Famer. Some do, some don't, but an interesting guy.
He'll be joining us shame act. I don't like to
lecture the American sports media, but I've said this before.
In politics, there's a lot of conspiracy theories, and I'm
hoping that in our business sports we try to stay
(01:17):
away from those. But there's one that's dangling out there
that is patently absurd right now and here it is
so Shadoor Sanders, Kevin Stefanska. They've had all sorts of
quarterback injuries. He's going to start Friday, and he's only
had one pray. They'll only have one practice with the ones,
and he's going to start. And this is now being
(01:39):
called sabotage. And this is not just like crazy internet dweb,
it's like network people. It's sabotage. Cleveland doesn't want him
to succeed. Okay, let's start with this. Josh Dobbs was
acquired by the Minnesota Vikings and had to start and
(01:59):
did not get a single practice. Remember that game, three touchdowns,
no picks, one hundred and two passer rating, completed sixty
six percent of his throws, didn't know the playbook, teammates coordinator, coach,
didn't get a practice, won the game. Baker Mayfield, we're
friendemies now. Baker Mayfield came to the Rams on a Tuesday,
(02:23):
had to play Thursday against the Raiders ninety eight yard
fourth quarter game winning drive with a single practice in
the highly sophisticated Sean McVay offense. A timing offense, a
rhythm offense, one practice. Shnor Sanders has been with the
(02:43):
Browns through OTA's rookie Minnie camp and training camp. He
knows the playbook, the head coach, the coordinator, and his teammates.
And because he only gets one practice with the Ones,
it's sabotage. You've got to be kidding me. Stop pandering,
stop protecting media. The great Ones would consider this an
(03:06):
amazing opportunity, and he probably does, but we got to
stop this. If I was Kevin Stefanski and they're hemorrhaging
quarterbacks because of injuries, and you don't need to see
Joe Flacco. The last thing we need to see is
Joe Flacco, I would make an argument, well, rich dad,
famous dad, Let's give him a little turbulence.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Let's give him a little challenge here.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
So if Kevin Stefanski and I don't think that's the
reason they're doing it, but I could absolutely see a
coach saying famous rich. I mean, wasn't it wasn't it
Shador who called himself legendary in the draft room.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Let's see if he is.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
But the idea at some level of a sabotage, maybe
Kevin wants to just see what his speed limit is.
The other part of this that's ridiculous is how many
reps the first team guys play.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
In the preseason.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
He's gonna end up playing with twos, threes, and fours,
which is what he's practicing with Cleveland, and there's not
If you look at Cleveland's wide receiving corps, they're not
a big gap between the ones, twos, threes, and fours.
It's one of the worst receiving corps in the league,
and they're dealing with massive injuries at quarterbacks. So there's
absolutely no value in screwing over Shador Sanders.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
He may not be the future, but the perfect.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Scenario actually is he plays kind of well, establishes himself
as a backup. You move off Kenny Pickett, get a
draft pick, probably a fifth or sixth seventh rounder, and
then at the end of the year, because he's shown
himself to be a capable backup, you get another six
seventh round pick for Shaduur and that gives you more
picks to get Arch Manning or Drew Aller or the
(04:49):
Nussmeyer kid at LSU. That's all Cleveland's doing this year.
They know they're not good. They would love Shador Sanders.
I mean, would there be a better story for Cleveland?
He said, perfect scenario. Well, perfect scenario is getting arch
Manning next year. But to get him you'll need extra picks.
The perfect scenario to get you some help out from
(05:10):
under that awful Deshaun Watson contract is Shadur is good
this year and arch Manning is great next year, you're
home free. That's what Denver did with bon Nicks. Oh,
the Russell Wilson dead cap money. Oh, Bonnicks is good
and he's mostly free. So the idea, I mean, first
of all, sabotage is Kevin Stefanski's trying to retain his job.
(05:34):
The owner, I don't know if you've noticed, is a
little impulsive. In Cleveland, right, there's Nick Saban rumors. There's
a connection between the Mannings and Saban and Jimmy Haslam
and Jimmy Sexton. So this is just a ridiculous story.
I mean, I'm not a huge fan of brock Purty,
but brock Purty was third string, and then Trey Lance
(05:55):
wasn't good quickly he was second. Then Garoppolo gets hurt
in the game and he's thrust in to the starting
role mid game. He had no reps with the one
couple of ten days earlier. He's a three and he
took advantage of it. That's what the great athletes do.
They have a level of arrogance and belief that they
look at this as an opportunity, and I think Shadoor
(06:16):
probably does. But the idea that this is like gaining
steam multiple day trending, well, you know they don't want
to see him succeed. It's Cleveland the world's best scenario.
He looks great against Carolina. They can move Kenny Pickett,
get a six round pick, and then move Shador next
year and get another one. They need as many picks
(06:38):
as they can. If they win five games, have the
number two pick to give up the house to get
arcs Manning. Here's Kevin Stefanski on Shador, the situation of
the start coming up.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
We'll play Shador at quarterback. We just signed Snoopuntley, as
you guys saw, we'll see get Snoop back up to speed.
My expectations for Shador are no different than the rest
of the guys. Honestly, a marykay that we expect them
to go operate when you get in these preseason games,
you try to keep it very simple so that guys
can play fast, all concepts that our players know and
can kind of not think too much and just play ball.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Yeah, Josh Dobbs, no practices.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Baker Mayfield won in by the way mcveigh's system and
Kevin O'Connell's system, those are complex system, no practice, one practice,
and Baker and Josh Dobbs saw it as an unbelievable
opportunity and both crushed. Okay, So I'm just doing basically
daily updates on Caleb Williams. So whenever I see the
(07:38):
word sloppy, it's always like, well, it is sloppy, a
lack of focus, a lack of effort. So Ben Johnson
said he was saying Sunday after Caleb Williams performance, he said,
you know, we're sloppier than I'd want to be at
this point. We had a couple of good practices, we
had a step back. I just not where we want
(08:01):
to be at this point. Okay, okay, ok fine, okay, okay, fine,
But did you hear what he said about Caleb William's
backup Tyson Pageant Man.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
He's been he's been phenomenal. I mean, he's smart.
Speaker 6 (08:16):
As a whip.
Speaker 5 (08:18):
Appreciate the seriousness and intent that he brings every time
he walks into a room, you know, meeting room, walk through.
Speaker 6 (08:25):
It doesn't matter.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
He's locked in, he's focused, he's preparing the right way,
and I couldn't be more thrilled that he's here with us.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Tyson Bajent, Okay, so just think about that. Coaches with
young quarterbacks tend to be very careful with their words,
very intentional. He's serious, he's focused, he's locked in, smart.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
As a whip. The other guy's sloppy. I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
If a director of the film says, right now, our
lead actor, you've got to be patient. But well, I'll
tell you the supporting cast. Whoo, they are locked in
and focused. That's insinuating the lead isn't locked in.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
It's something you don't have to be Sherlock Home to
connect these dots.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Rights.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
I think we have to be honest about this. Ben
Johnson has worked with a number one pick before, Jared Goff,
and he's now worked with undrafted quarterback Tyson Bage. Okay,
so he's got you know, the variables of what he's
worked with are pretty wide. So he's seen gifted and
he's seen hardworking. And now I read something recently which
I thought was an interesting take, and sorry for not
(09:37):
giving it credit, but it was an interesting take. Somebody
said that Ben Johnson and Caleb was always going to
be a little rough because Ben Johnson, like a Kyle Shanahan,
has a precise, precision based offense. Jared Goff was second
in NFL completion percentage last season. Here's the play, follow
(09:58):
the play, fall my scheme, distribute the ball accurately. That's
Ben Jonson. That's what Kyle Shanahan loves. That's what Kyle
Shanahan loves, Okay, and Caleb's the opposite of that stylistically.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
So there is an.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Argument out there that these two, what Ben has coached
so far is actually more shanahan esque, more schematic based.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Follow the play.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
You can add lib a little, but by the way
Sean Payton, he wants you to run his play and
that's not really Caleb's style, So that the two are
not an ideal fit. That does not mean they can't work,
but I do think, let's be honest, if this thing
is ugly, Ben Johnson came to Chicago with a prenup.
(10:48):
He's gonna win this divorce. Okay, he's the boy genius.
He multiple teams interested. Caleb's already had a bad year
if he struggled with the second coaching staff pointing at
the quarterback. So it's just I don't know what it's not.
It's not that big of a deal that you know,
Caleb was a little sloppy, okay, but.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
The other guy, whooh.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Hoys, he locked in kind of felt intentional, like he
was trying to say something. But again, I don't want
to be out here throwing heaters, j mack. That's not
what I do. I'm not out here to ruffle feathers.
But it it was kind of, you know, it's a
little over the top, locked in, prepared, focus, smart as
(11:33):
a whip.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
That's a little mud.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Wouldn't you have just thought of, like, I'm not gonna
go overboard in the backup, be like, hey, he's a hustler,
he's gonna be a great backup for us.
Speaker 6 (11:43):
He is.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
He is doing a great job. A little intentional in
the wording.
Speaker 7 (11:48):
I think he's sending a message pretty clearly, right, I mean,
that's that's the goal here. We got to get Caleb
up to speed. He's sloppy. It's not working. Let me
ask you, con I we brought up the whole Will
Caleb be bench this year? I'm gonna I'm gonna fast
track it. Will he be benched once before Halloween? So
we're talking first eight weeks of the season. Will then
be so fed up? He's like, Caleb, I'm pulling you.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
I I don't know. I'm not going to bet that
You're afraid huh because you think you can land it.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
No, I just think I think what I've read in
recent days, and I think it's a fair take, is
that Caleb's style and he got into some really bad habits,
as we've discussed his second year at USC, because he
didn't trust the old line. They got blown out at
Notre Dame. Lincoln Riley didn't want to get him hurt.
Lincoln didn't trust the old line. Caleb didn't trust the
(12:36):
old line. He got into really bad habits of hero
ball got really bad. His tape was probably better the
year before, even though he's a year younger than the
second year. When he started playing hero ball, and when
you do hero ball, your mechanic struggle and then last
year's staff wasn't capable enough to correct that stuff. I
think Ben Johnson is and is holding him accountable. But
I do think it's interesting the wording used for the
(12:57):
backup Tyson Bagen. I just think the wording was fairly intentional.
Speaker 7 (13:01):
Yeah, Colin, I will note we're now on two straight
seasons as you just noted of hero ball and bad
football from Caleb Williams. He was bad in his final
year at USC, we would agree, and he was not
good last.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Year as a rookies. Such two straight football seasons of.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Subper football, I think I think, you know, Ben Johnson
nickname should be the janitor. He's just trying to clean
stuff up in Chicago. He's trying to clean up the culture.
He's trying to clean up the offense. He's trying to
clean up the offensive line. He's trying to clean up
Caleb Williams. This this, this is a heavy lift that
(13:39):
that he's got a lot of stuff to clean up,
you know. Yeah, and by the way, Vrabel does in
New England as well. But Vrabel's got a quarterback that
looked pretty good. They had three hundred million dollars they
spent on free agency so Vrabel's got to clean some
stuff up. But that franchise has a history with that
ownership of winning a lot of big games. But Chicago's
(13:59):
note in big games. They don't have the culture. They
can't get the old line right, they can't get quarterback
right now. They've got Caleb. There's some urgency issues, so
there's a list. Is not an easy Matt Lafleur taken
over for Mike McCarthy and trying to get on Aaron Rodgers'
good side. That was a pretty easy lift. That was
a pretty I mean, you gotta get on Aaron's good
(14:20):
So Aaron was closer to his prime. Aaron just wanted
a new guy. Generationally, they were closer in age. Chicago
is a big lift. This is not an easy job.
Speaker 7 (14:29):
Remember, Drake May was not brought in to save the Patriots.
He was not a generational talent. Caleb Williams asked to
do both of those things. People were asking, would Caleb
be the greatest quarterback in franchise history. Nobody said that
about Nobodys saying that there's no pressure on Drake May.
Like I do, think Caleb is gonna start to feel
the weight of what's.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
Going on in Chicago.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
No, I do think this is and it's also Chicago.
It's a big, loud market, you know, rival with the Packers.
It's a big, big lift. I mean, nobody thought bow
Knicks is going to be John Elway. Nobody thinks he's
Peyton Manning sewn. Peyton just wants him to be as
close to Drew Brees as he can get to get
this organization winning again. So bow Nix doesn't have a
(15:11):
lot of pressure. Washington was a dumpster fire during Daniel
Snyder's ownership. There wasn't a huge pressure on him. Drake
May isn't viewed as Brady so and even Michael Pennix
when you drop you know, when you go to Atlanta,
how much pressure is it. You could argue it's an
SEC market as much as an NFL market. You could
argue there is there is heat on Caleb William.
Speaker 7 (15:30):
JJ McCarthy probably has the second most pressure from that class,
given that they won fourteen games with Darnold last year.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Yes, that's fair. I would say that that's totally fair.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
and Neon Easter nin am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 8 (15:50):
Hey, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning
on my podcast Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't
your typical sports pod pushing the same tie narratives down
your throat every day. Straight Fire gives you honest opinions
on all the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats to help
you win big at the sportsbook, and all the best guests.
(16:10):
Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with
Jason McIntyre on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever
you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
You know, I've talked about this before, and it just
it's the way our brains usually work. The more beautiful
or aesthetically pleasing something is film, art, sports, the greater
stature we hold it in a great example is Larry
Bird had a beautiful game, the three point shots, the
(16:43):
clever passing. I mean, who doesn't love watching old Larry
Bird highlights? You watch old Tim Duncan highlights, Magic Bird, MJ,
Doctor J. Aesthetically pleasing. We think of them so fondly,
Tim Duncan. There's an argument was you know, it's better
in all of them. There's an argument, but it wasn't pleasing.
(17:05):
I always said it's about Brady. Brady retires. Brady wasn't
beautiful to watch. He was smart, he was efficient, He
got rid of the ball quickly. Dimnity retires five minutes later.
Mahomes is better. It's like now, Tom, they played a
couple times, like in a super Bowl, in a big
AFC showdown, in the playoffs. Tom won both of them. Yeah,
(17:26):
in Kansas City super Bowl. Yeah, Tom won both and
has more trophies and is the greatest quarterback of all time.
But the minute Tom said, ah, Mahomes because Mahomes game.
He's throwing left handed, the side arm stuff. It's a
beautifully esthetically pleasing game. And I've always said it's hard
with athletes like that when they get old, Like with Brady,
(17:49):
like at forty four, he felt like he was thirty four.
He was still smart, still efficient, still got rid of
it quickly.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
And but like with.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Aaron Rodgers, his resume is how you view him, not
his reality.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
So there is another story out.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Of Pittsburgh, Christopher Barbery of Steelernation dot com raising red
flags on Aaron's training camp that sounds so much like
the Jets. Not enough balls down the field, too many
short passes and checkdowns, and he doesn't trust a number
two receiver.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Yet that's the Jets. Here's the thing.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
You're not into reality with Aaron because he's so beautiful
to watch throw the ball. It's Marino and Aaron's so
the prettiest ball ever. Peyton Manning doesn't, Tom Brady doesn't.
And so you're all into the resume. You have such
fond memories and not the reality. Do you know that
since twenty twenty two, Aaron's last year in Green Bay,
(18:49):
he has fewer big plays downfield than Derek Carr. You
think of Derek Carr, you're a ding dunk guy, but Derek's.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Not beautiful to watch Aaron is.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
And so this is that's what I've said about this team.
Aaron's forty one year old guy. He don't want to
get hit. He didn't trust the Jets on line, he
got rid of it. He doesn't trust the Steelers on line.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
He shouldn't.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
PFF this morning had the Steelers all line under the
Jets old line last year and going into this season,
he doesn't trust them and he shouldn't. Defensive head coaches
can struggle.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
With old lines.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Robert Sala like him, Mike Tomlin like him. Old Liones
can't figure it out. McVeigh figures it out in an offseason,
so does Andy Reid. So does Sean Payton. Sean Payton
fix the Denver old line in the four months, and
so forty one year old wealthy quarterbacks. There are certain
things that are true. They don't want to get hit,
(19:46):
and sixty one year old rich guys. They're things that
are true. They don't want to change their oil, they
don't want to go to the DMV, they don't want
to sit in coach on a plane. There are just
truths about as you if you are financially comfortable, Aaron,
you don't want to get hit. And DK metcalf Is
they're only proven star receiver. So your teams are gonna
(20:09):
roll the coverage over and say, beat us with Scotty Miller,
beat us with a run game. Trust your offensive line,
sit in the pocket, like you can see what's gonna
happen here. So, as I've said before, it's not right now.
The Steelers defense, which is good, it's not great. Let's
not kid ourselves. It's not Philadelphia last year it's not
that good.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
It's good.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Tomlin's good at it, it's not that good is dominating
Aaron in practice. And I think a lot of this
is Aaron's rich forty one close to the end.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
And he didn't want to. He doesn't trust that offensive line.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
You're not gonna sit in there for an extra second,
an extra beat.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
I don't blame him. Here's Tomlin on the Steelers offense.
Speaker 9 (20:51):
I just think it's usual for this time of year.
Defense is usually developed a little faster than offenses to
get to know the cohesion that's required to be good.
It's just a component of it. And so Nora A.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Larm Bell's there, okay, he's right for the record, defense,
which is more about playing fast and blowing stuff up.
It's you know, they talk about this in baseball, like
pitching can be ahead of hitting or vice versa, defense
is usually ahead of offense. It's not in Cincinnati, by
the way, with Joe Burrow, according to reports.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
But that's some of it.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
But I think the bigger picture is the reality of
a forty one year old who's recently had a big
surgery with an old line he doesn't trust. I would
be the same way as Aaron Rodgers. I'm not sitting
in there for an extra second.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Noone Easter not a Empacific.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
Well, I've been thinking about this interview last couple of days.
They told me I get Philip Rivers, who was so
animated as a player, first round pick by the Giants,
traded for Eli Manning on draft day, and they both
end up having absolutely remarkable careers. He is now the
football coach and has been for several years in Alabama
(22:06):
Saint Michael Catholic. His son now is the quarterback and
a good one. Philip Rivers is now joining US live today.
You know, I gotta tell the audience I don't. I've
never seen your son play. But his name is Gunner Rivers,
and I'm telling you right now, that's a franchise quarterback name.
I would draft him sight unseen on that, just on
(22:28):
the name. Now, you were a trash talker and you
had a different delivery. Does he have your kind of
sight arm delivery? Is he a little trash talker?
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Does he?
Speaker 1 (22:39):
Does he have some of the Philip Rivers classic traits?
Speaker 6 (22:43):
Hey, Colin, how's it going? Yeah? No, he Uh, he definitely. Uh,
he definitely has some of the same traits.
Speaker 9 (22:49):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (22:49):
He's a little more traditional throwing the football than than
I than I was, but a lot of people see
him throw and go, dang, you throw just like your dad.
So he has a little bit of that, and I
guess it's just genetic.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (23:02):
And then he's a little more reserved than I am.
He has the fire and passion for the game, but
I think he's got his mom's calmness, which which will
probably serve him well.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
I think everybody, very few people had your intensity on
the field.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
You know what's amazing.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
You were a trash talker, but players, even opponents loved you.
Did you think your intensity you're obviously talented. Did you
think your passion and intensity was your best trait? Uh?
Speaker 2 (23:31):
It was.
Speaker 6 (23:32):
It was probably one of them. I think, you know,
I had to, I had to. I had to a
little bit toe the line. I probably crossed the line
a few times. You know, I think there's a there's
a there's a you know, a line that you don't
want to cross to where you maybe you're not helping
yourself or your team. So I'm sure that I didn't
always keep that in check. But I do think that
the passion and the fire and the intensity was genuine.
(23:53):
I don't think, I know it was genuine, and I
do think it was felt by our teammates, and in
some regard helped, you know, fuel kind of our personality
and and and our you know, resiliency and how we
how we went about the game. And then you mentioned
our opponents, and I hope you know you gained you
obviously gained respect of your opponent over doing it for
a long period of time. Uh So, maybe not early on,
(24:13):
but I think as time grew, you gained that respect
and they realize, man, this dude loves to play football.
And that's really all it was as a guy playing
football in the backyard. And I just never let that
leave me, although we were playing, you know, in front
of you know, a million people there on a Sunday afternoon.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
You know the you told me one time, and I've
used this whenever I give a speech, I always say,
the great Philip Rivers told me he liked the process
of building the game plan as much as the game.
And can you instill that in your son or a
young quarterback or do you think that was just your
dad was a football coach. Do you think that's God
given an innate that you loved practice? Can you if
(24:52):
a guy, some of these quarterbacks I think liked the game,
I'm not sure they loved practice. Can you teach that?
Or did you feel that was just in you from
day one?
Speaker 3 (25:02):
Well?
Speaker 6 (25:02):
I do think that there was a some of that
that was just in me. But I think he got
to you better grow to to uh, to love it,
to love the process, uh, especially playing this position. You know,
if you want to be great, and and you know,
and and and maybe I would didn't get to get
to great, but I know I was pretty dang good
for a long time. And I don't think you can
get there if you just think you're gonna, you know,
(25:24):
show up and go out there and play for three
and a half hours on a Sunday afternoon. And so
the you know, the the process of every day and
the chance to be on the grass with your buddies
practicing football, uh, you know, and sitting in a meeting
room and figuring out you know, uh Spags his blitz
patterns and Rex Ryan's blitz patterns and all these and
like figuring out how we're going to get this thing
picked up to throw a touchdown to Antonio Gates. I mean,
(25:46):
that's that's that's what it is. That's a blast or
even a third down conversion versus Zimmers, you know, a
double mug scheme. I mean, those things were so fun
to work on all week, and then when he came
to in the game, you know, there were some some
of the most gratifying plays on a Sunday after day
were the ones a fan didn't even realize. But it
was the but the behind the scenes preparations, you know,
and it's those those Saturday morning walk through is the
(26:06):
bus rides, all those things that lead up to the game.
I certainly love to play. I loved the games and
running out of the tunnel and all those things that
I used to ask my mom and dad, Hey, introduce me.
You know, I'm coming out and we're playing soever, you know, whoever,
and they would introduce me and I'd come running out
down the hall, you know, getting introduced. So I love
that part, I'll be clear on that. But it was
(26:27):
the process that made that part so special and and
so but I just don't know how you play quarterback
and don't aren't all in on the process. If you're
trying to be you know, trying to be you know,
one of the best.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
You know, it's I have said this one of the things.
I do think you can become more accurate with coaching.
I think your footwork can improve with coaching. But there
is one thing that I just think is innate. Certain
quarterbacks Ma Homes you could see this instantly. Patrick can
see the field. He just sees the field. You did,
(27:01):
Breeze did, Brady obviously did. And then I'll watch some
young guys and I'm like, I don't know if they
I don't know if they can see it like there
and I know there's a film study did you get
Did you always have that because you were a good
high school college coach the ability to and I've heard
this set about you, and I've heard this set about
(27:22):
Peyton and Brady that when a play was over, you
could look at the right side of the field and
yet you knew what was going on and could see
the left side of the field without staring at it.
The great quarterbacks have this innate ability. They just there's
a rhythm to the secondary. And I guess my question is,
(27:43):
are there can you teach that you had an innate
feel for the position. Are there some things, Philip that
aren't teachable?
Speaker 6 (27:53):
Yeah, I mean I think that. I think yes, I
mean I think there's certain things that are and talents
that so many guys have and so many different positions
that are God given ability, and you can, like you said,
I agree hundred percent. You know, we got to clean
some footwork, We got to cleanp some fundamentals. We can
clean up how you're reading this or maybe your eyes
are just in the wrong place. But there are some things,
you know, being able to have to be accurate, You
(28:16):
can work on accuracy. Some people just they can throw
all day long and they just aren't very accurate. And uh,
you know, accuracy, anticipation and to be able to see
it all and process it fast. Definitely you can improve it,
but you're probably in a window. You know, someone that
can't do that. You can't get them to an elite level.
Someone that's pretty dang good at it. Maybe you can
(28:36):
get them to really good at it, but you can't.
I don't think you can. There's there's certain parts of
playing the position that you can't make vast improvements. And
some guys like you mentioned Mahomes and you know, we
could go on and on of talking about guys there
are at a certain level already that they are able
to process and do those things coached or not coached,
and then now you throw in Andy Reid and some
(28:58):
of the other coaches he's had, and now the experience
that he's gained, and then you can take him to
an even even higher level. But he was already you know,
pretty dang eleade at it. So I do agree. I
do agree with you on those things. And you know,
it's funny because and everybody has their process. You know,
me and Drew were teammates. We got to connect this weekend.
It was great to see Drew. And we had such
(29:18):
a different uh uh process in terms of our daily routine.
But yet they were both they both worked and and
there's some similarities. But I say that not to mention
this about Drew, but just we all have our different routines.
But uh, I used to I wasn't big looking at
the iPad off the you know, coming off the field.
Now I would go look at it to see or
(29:38):
see the pictures to confirm maybe or dang, maybe they
fooled me. I need to go see it. But a
lot of times.
Speaker 7 (29:44):
You know.
Speaker 6 (29:44):
It was kind of a running joke. I'd say, I
saw it live, guys. I just I just saw it live,
and I need to come back over here and look
at it again. I know I should have gone the
other way, you know, so and again and that one
in an arrogant way. It was just I saw live,
you know, and so certainly I used the tools as
needed over there. But yeah, there is definitely some of that.
(30:05):
And I say it in humility because shoot, I threw
it to the other team, shoot twound times or how
many times. So I certainly take all right decisions. But
I feel like I did have that ability to see
it and process it quickly and throw with anticipation and
be accurate.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
So I have this. I wrote about this in my
first book.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
I've had this theory forever that most of the great
quarterbacks at one point in North Carolina State had three
starting quarterbacks in the NFL, and Cow had two or three,
and USC and.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
Ohio State had none.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
That there's an argument to be made that when you
play at in North Carolina State or a COW or
a Miami of Ohio or a Purdue, that's real life
in the NFL. You're getting hit. The windows are small.
These USC guys are throwing to wide, open, wide receivers.
You're not doing that at Duke, You're not doing that
(30:55):
at NT State.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
That I think it was.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
An advantage for you to go to NC State instead
of an Ohio State because the NFL truth is discomfort.
Nobody's that open. You don't get great protection. You're getting
hit constantly. I used to joke, I remember Matt Lioner
at USC one year he got sacked eleven times. He
(31:18):
may have just fallen down. Half of those he birred
got touched that when I was I'll give you an example.
JJ McCarthy always played with the lead Michigan a perfect
offensive line.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
I worry about JJ.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Three years with hardball or two years with hardball, he
barely got touched. Do you think there's an advantage getting
beat up a little bit in college like Mahomes or
Josh Allen then going to the NFL.
Speaker 6 (31:43):
I mean when you yeah, I'm sold based on that
minute of you saying that. I never thought of it
that way, and I certainly didn't ever feel like I
had inferior teammates those years in NC State. But there's
a combination of that of yeah, maybe, and even more
so maybe now you don't have the you know, you're
all the comparisons you made make perfect sense. But we
(32:05):
felt like in NC State we were going to think
and win them all. You know, we thought we were
going to win them all. So I say that with
all due respect to the certain teammates I had, because
I had many teammates. You mentioned the quarterbacks, you know
behind me, the great receiveratry Hole, many teammates of mine
that had the long careers in the NFL. But yes,
and I think too, you get to play, you play
more games. You know, I played in fifty one college
football games. So I definitely felt like even more equipped
(32:28):
than had you go to a place and you only
play two years. You played twenty games, and you played
from the lead, and you hand it off and you
throw it eighteen times. I threw a hundred. I threw
one hundred passes in my first two games in NC
State of lorm shout, you know so. But then but
you're right though, you get the NFL. And I was
in my first few first week or two of mini camp,
and uh and and we had some play on I
don't remember, and I didn't throw the ball. I got
(32:50):
to the check down, didn't throw the deep cross or
deep over and and Cam Cameron said why didn't you
throw it? And I said he's not open and he
said he's wide open. And I was like, dang, okay,
Like that's there's the windows and the separations. So those things,
those things are all true that you say. Now you're
(33:11):
taking Matt Leiner to JJ McCarthy. A guy that can
come from those you know, historic programs and they can
still have unbelievable NFL career would be great. So it's
not like you can't that way. But is there something
to be said for the you know, the Texas Texas
and the Wyomings and NC states of the world. Maybe
heck yeah. And you know, I definitely think there's something
(33:33):
to game experience and playing and playing. There's no similar
there's nothing, no substitute for playing. You have to play.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
Yeah, So Antonio Gates makes the Hall of Fame. Speaking
of college, never played a college football snap take me
to it may have been a practice. When was the
first moment You're at practice or somewhere with him and
you went, who's that guy?
Speaker 3 (33:58):
Like you knew? How long did it take for you
to identify whoa People can't guard him.
Speaker 1 (34:05):
He's too big for linebackers, he's too he's too strong
for safeties.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
How long did it take?
Speaker 6 (34:11):
Well, not long. I mean I was in my rookie
year and I had a front row seat my first
two years, you know, with Drew and and and and
and Gates that would have been his you know, he
was a rookie the year before me, and so I
got to see it for I got to see it
from the sideline his you know, those first two years.
And he was one of those guys that you know,
we had a Gate truel. We had a Gate troul.
We had we had the we had the progression for
(34:31):
the play and based off the coverage, and then we said, okay,
and this one is Gates truel and and it was
which meant, hey, if he's singled up, I don't care
if the leverage is good for him, he's gonna beat
them anyway. And it was just that over wrote that,
that over you know, uh, the progression was then done.
It was overridden by the Gates rule. But he uh,
he had a unique ability to He was fast and big,
(34:54):
but he had a unique ability to understand body position
and getting hands off and attack and attacking leverage and
in those things. And I I you know, he was
always considered this basketball guy, basketball guy, basketball guy. But
I think what he did was he was very humble
in saying, crap, I want to be a football guy,
and I gotta learn all this What is all these coverages?
And they're bracketing me? And where's the help and what?
And once he learned that, then it was then it
(35:15):
was forget about it and uh And that's why he
had that stretch, you know, seven or eight nine year stretch.
Obviously he played longer than that, and his whole career
was awesome, but he had that stretch where he was arguably,
you know, just uncoverable.
Speaker 1 (35:28):
So finally your son, Gunner Rivers is is and you
could look him up. He's going to be one of
those top quarterbacks on all those recruiting things. So you're
gonna start hearing about him. Do you ever watch him
and think, man, he does have a little better than Dad.
Speaker 3 (35:42):
Did at his age. Is there is there anything you're
just thinking? Man?
Speaker 1 (35:45):
He may be he maybe have a little better fastball
than Dad, or he may he may move a little
better than dad.
Speaker 6 (35:51):
Oh yeah, that happens. That happens more than you'd think.
I think.
Speaker 3 (35:57):
I think too.
Speaker 6 (35:57):
The game has just changed so much. You know, you're
not talked a little bit off air briefly. You know,
twenty five years ago, it was just different. The game
is just different than what it is now. There wasn't
seven on sevens. And you know, we didn't grow up
playing flag football. I mean me and Gunner and you know,
uh we were playing flag football, playing against teams from
Hawaii and Idaho and Arizona and all this when we're
in California when he was ten years old. You know,
(36:18):
so you're getting you're getting to practice that anticipation and
accurate accuracy as a ten year old. And so he's
just he's just thrown the football in a competitive environment
a whole lot more because of the day and age
of football that we're in. And uh, you know, it's
it's it's been fun. It's fun to it's fun to
coach him and his teammates and be at this, be
at the school and and coach these guys up and
(36:39):
you know, and and again, remember the mission is it's
more than about the game. I remind these guys it's
going to end for you at some point. Most of
our guys it's going to end when they graduate high school.
And hopefully, you know Gunner and he does have some
teammates that can advance and play college football. But I
remind them that even if you get to play for
seventeen years, it does stop and the clock will end.
So it's got to be more than just the x'es
(37:01):
and o's. You got to learn those life lessons that
you get from this great sport. And I'm hopeful that
I can pass some of that down to these guys
and help them be better men for having been in
the program.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
Well, you're a class guy, one of my favorite players
seventeen years. I was looking at some of your stats.
Six most four hundred and twenty one career passing touchdowns,
the sixth most in NFL history. Two hundred and forty
consecutive starts in the regular season.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
That is a lot of starts.
Speaker 1 (37:31):
Was there ever did you ever have a game day
when you just felt like crud and started? Like? Did
you ever have? I mean, you obviously were not in
perfect condition. Did you ever not know an hour before
a game if you were going to start?
Speaker 6 (37:45):
No? No, I know, but yes, many games where it
felt like crud would be an understatement. But thankfully, I
mean again, this isn't me saying, wow, look how tough
I was. I really was. I had a lot of
I was blessed with with health and the ability to
go out there every Sunday. I'll just leave it at that,
But there were certain sundays that weren't real fun physically,
(38:06):
weren't real fun during the week to get there. But again,
a lot of great guys up front fight like crazy
to keep me clean, and then you just have some
injuries you have and you deal with them. And there
was the one, the one record that was one of
my favorite growing up. You know, I mentioned the fifty
one starts in the Row at den Cy State, which
at a time, at that time was a record. I
(38:27):
think it's been broken and now these guys playing fourteen
fifteen games a year. But one of my favorite records
was Brett Farres Star Street and I remember watching that going, man,
he's played how many year, rold Man, He's going to
get to three hundred, And I remember just saying, again,
this is just as a competitor, I'm going I'm going
to chase Brett Far's record. I'm gonna get there. And
I didn't play those first two years, as I said
behind Drew, and I realized ultimately I couldn't get there,
(38:49):
but by golly, I was going to find a way.
He'd be second, you know, and suit up and be
out there if I could every week for our team.
And I do think there's a you know, the best ability,
as Chuck Amato told us, the best abilities dependability, and
that was one thing I was gonna be I was
gonna be out there. I was gonna be outre every week.
I was gonna be outre every week and give them
(39:11):
my all. And shoot, I know we fell short plenty
of times, but they knew that could count on seventeen
get them everything they had for those turning forty in
a row.
Speaker 1 (39:19):
Well, my favorite interview in a long time, Philip absolute pleasure.
Saint Michael Catholic High School in Alabama. He took over
a program that didn't really exist. They just won their
first playoff game last year. Congratulations to you and your
program and they are lucky to have you as a coach.
Speaker 6 (39:34):
Thanks man, Thanks Golling enjoyed it.
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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