September 4, 2026 • 45 mins
Dan is joined by Dan Orlovsky, who made a claim earlier in the week that Matthew Stafford is another Super Bowl title away from being in elite territory of all-time quarterbacks. Pat Welter from WRAL-TV in North Carolina hopped on the show to break down the latest on North Carolina's situation. Lastly, fan favorite Ross Tucker chatted with Dan as Week 1 of the NFL season kicks off next week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You are listening to The Dan Patrick Show on Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Legendary UConn, Connecticut quarterback. UConn, Connecticut. UConn quarterback. Dan Orlovsky
also works part-time for ESPN as well or doing something
like that.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
How you doing? I, uh, about 30 seconds ago, I
was great. And then Mars took a shot. Um, you
called it Yukon, Connecticut, our time. So I'm a little
bit in flux right now.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
No, I'm great. How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I'm good. I'm good.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Okay. Okay.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
You did surprise me when you said, I know you
love Stafford and you being a former Lion quarterback and teammate.
But give me the rationale that if he wins another
Super Bowl, you're going to put him in your top five,
which is, you know, it's your opinion. But I'm just
curious the rationale that you came to that he would
be top five all time.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Well, a couple of things. One, I said top five
to top seven conversation. So I just think he gets
into that. Hey, is he in your conversation? You know, Dan,
the foreshadowing of if they win the Rams, another one
this year. And I would to do that. This stats
would probably be something similar to what they've been over
(01:14):
the course of the past couple of years. That would
give him two Super Bowl championships. I don't know how
many quarterbacks have won two Super Bowls in their career.
I would imagine four. 10, 15. I don't know what
that number is. That would give him two Superbowl championships.
It would give him an MVP. He would be top
10 all time in wins. And he would be top
six all time in passing yards and passing touchdowns. I
(01:36):
think if you just took that player and got rid
of the, you know, the, the Detroit, and I guess
you can't, but like, oh my gosh, he was on
the lions and they stunk. If you just took that
accomplished resume, that player would have to be in that
conversation along with other quarterbacks. And so I'm not telling
(01:56):
everybody he's a lock, but I do think it would
get him into that at least conversation seat at the
table type of thing.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Okay, but we're looking at Brady, Mahomes, Montana to start, correct?
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Yeah, sure.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Elway?
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Yeah. Peyton?
Speaker 5 (02:15):
Yeah, sure.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
But this would also lend to my point is I
hate the fives. Give me your top five. Give me
your top 10 because inevitably you're leaving out, like we're
not going to put Drew Brees in there. We're not
going to put Marino in there. I'm sure there's Dan
Fouts and Eli's and Filler's, Favre, Rogers. And so, you know,
(02:38):
when I, when I have the comment of like top five,
top seven conversation, you know, it's not as a literal thing.
It's more of like that conversation, but yo, this guy's
one of the great quarterbacks of all time type of thing.
So yeah, Because if you say, give me your top five,
you're leaving somebody out there that absolutely warrants being in
your top five. That's where these lists sometimes become very
(03:00):
subjective and a little disrespectful.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Yeah, I hate the list, but it drives our business.
I get it. But if I said Matthew Stafford, two
Super Bowls and an MVP, Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
I would have told you two years ago, Rodgers. I
would have said that. I mean, I grew up playing
in the division with them, at least being on the
sideline watching them. I'd be like, yo, this dude's freaking unbelievable.
One of the great throwers in football. But I think
if Matthew goes and gets another one, he's probably going
to be 15, 20 wins shy of him. I think
he's going to be right there with yards and touchdowns.
(03:36):
And so another Super Bowl trophy. And also, I go
back to this is part of the Eli conversation because
when Eli comes up for the Hall of Fame and
everyone goes, no, he's not a Hall of Famer because
touchdown interception ratio or record, I go, you have to
equate the way they accomplished the top of the mountain climb.
(03:57):
The journey that Eli went through to get those two
rings is different than the journey that another quarterback that
was a good player, like, you know, a Brad Johnson.
You know, so Matthew, if you watch that, remember that
Super Bowl run, it was clutch, clutch. It's one of
(04:17):
the clutch Super Bowl runs of all time. If he
goes on another clutch Super Bowl run and he knocks off,
this is such a hypothetical thinking, but if you beat
Josh Allen in the Super Bowl and Josh throws for
400 yards and you beat Mahomes and Burrow on the way,
I think that has to provide context to the conversation.
So he's probably not going to be in people's argument, but....
Speaker 2 (04:40):
If Mahomes ends his career with this many Super Bowls,
will it be a disappointment?
Speaker 3 (04:46):
No.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (04:49):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
I mean, because the, the rocket ship that was when
he took off, you know, and the, the attachment to
a head coach that you know, is in the conversation
for one of the great head coaches of all time,
an offensive wizard. He had an attachment to a tight
end that is in the conversation for one of the
(05:09):
greatest of all times. The wide receiver that he was
with Tyreek Hill in his generations, one of the best
players of his generation at that position, defensive tackle, one
of the best players at his position. And so, and
that organization that has a reputation for being a high
end organization. So I think if he ends that, You know,
you're always questioning how it gets to that point. But
(05:32):
if it ends with the same amount of Super Bowls
now or in the future that it does now, I
do think. Because I think you're expecting to win two
more or so. Three more.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Andy Reid going to stay around to have the all-time
record for wins?
Speaker 3 (05:46):
I would think so. I would hope so. I don't
know how shy he is. I know it's not that
much of a journey he's got left, but I would
hope so. And, you know, he's always said, I've got
this quarterback, I've got this quarterback. So as long as
Patrick's healthy and playing like Patrick, it's going to come
quicker than it would for others. And I would I
would hope that he's there and Patrick's his quarterback to
(06:07):
go and get that done.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Talking to Dan Orlovsky, the UConn legend quarterback. You can
catch him on NFL Live every weekday at 4 Eastern,
as well as appearances on Get Up and First Take.
Give me the most confusing team. The one that you're
just not quite sure how good, how bad, what they are,
who they are.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
I'd probably tell you the Washington Commanders. I'd go back
to the 24 season. That was unbelievable. Jaden Daniels is
Offensive Rookie of the Year. And we've got this superstar quarterback.
These fourth quarter comebacks, they go to the NFC Championship game.
Dan Quinn, his energy, the positivity, it's awesome. And the
(06:54):
off the field stuff, it was this washing of such
negative and just this infusion of negativity. fun. And then
they didn't do much that off season. They got very
old on defense going into the 25 season. And it
was a little bit of some of the result and the, the,
I don't want to say the, the luck that they had,
(07:16):
but just the catching all the breaks at the end
of those games jotted what you really were as a team,
the fourth down conversions, all that. Then you go to
last year, And you don't play as well as you should.
Your defense is old. Your quarterback gets hurt. The offensive
coordinator leaves. And so now, one, you're going into this
(07:37):
third and pivotal season. You got a brand new offensive coordinator,
David Blau, super young. I'm hoping he's amazing. I don't
know a ton about him. I know he's got a
pass with Arizona. So there's a little bit of, you know,
you know, Ben Johnson element to him because of Detroit.
And there's a pet singing element because Arizona. So what's
the offense actually going to be? You lose your left
(07:58):
tackle who you just made the highest paid left tackle
in football. And all your fans are like, we'll be OK.
Those two things can't happen at the same time. It's
the third most expensive defense in the NFL. Third, if
you asked NFL people, who's the third most expensive defense
in the NFL? No one would say Washington. So it's
an unbelievably expensive defense, but a little bit unproven because
(08:21):
there's so many, I think there's six or seven new
starters on that unit. And so it could go really
good if they gel and those high end paid players
play at such a high level and the free agent
signings and the draft picks play at such a high level,
or it could be a season of question of, of, okay,
where's this organization headed? And, you know, a second year
(08:43):
of maybe some up and down from Jamie Daniels. I'm
bullish on them, but I'm just not all in to
see how it plays out.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
More pressure on Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson this year?
Speaker 3 (08:58):
I always put them in their own category because of
the history and the success, but I tell you, Josh Allen,
I'm of the belief. I think the roster is better
than the public perception. I'll go back to last year
when Josh Allen have enough to go win it. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
He does.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
If top five offensive line, top five running back, a
great play caller. A head coach that in part got
that job probably because of your relationship. I think the
pass catching group from tight end and wide receiver is
plenty good. Plenty good. Two really good tight ends. Three
good tight ends. Two really good pass catchers. They're four
(09:36):
or five deep at the wide receiver position. All have
different roles. DJ Moore, obviously that addition. I think the
defensive line is young and athletic. They've got young and
athletic speedsters on the back end that they have to
play well. And I think Jim Leonard's a stud. So
not to knock anything in Baltimore, Lamar's amazing. Jesse Mentor,
we think, is going to be great, but probably more
(09:58):
pressure on Josh.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
More likely to get back to the Super Bowl, the
Patriots or Seahawks?
Speaker 4 (10:07):
Hmm.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
I think the Patriots are probably going to be a
better team this year. Maybe not have as good or
better record. We all know the schedule was historically easy
last year. That will not be the case this year.
Offensive lines should be significantly improved. I think they're impossible
to match up against man-to-man for most teams. Quarterback is
(10:29):
an absolute... He's going to play for the next 10
years as a top five quarterback in the NFL. The
defense is fantastic. Dan, I went and watched or rewatched
the Super Bowl yesterday to start to get ready for
next Wednesday's game. And one of my takeaways was, holy smokes,
that New England defense was good. I mean, obviously, Seattle's
was great as well. But that was going against a
(10:52):
very good offensive unit in Seattle. And that New England
defense was fantastic. And so I just think that they're
going to be a really good team this year that
maybe doesn't have, I don't know what they were, 14-3
last year. Seattle, still very good. I'm of the belief
calling plays in the NFL is an unbelievably difficult job.
And Brian Fleury, who's stepping in for Clint Kubiak, has
(11:15):
never called plays before in the NFL. Never called plays.
We've seen that happen four times with the defending Super
Bowl champion over the last, I think, 10 to 12 years.
All four times, the offense has dropped at least 15
points in that ranking of one through 32, 15 slots.
So that's a tall task and big shoes to fill.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
I'm looking at the odds and the Rams' overwhelming favorites,
but I went back and looked at the last 20
teams who had odds similar or better to win the
Super Bowl. All 20 did not win the Super Bowl
that year.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
How did the Rams not win?
Speaker 3 (11:55):
I think there's two things. Health, we all know that, right?
There's only so many teams that you say, If they're healthy,
are they good enough? There are teams that just aren't
good enough. If they're healthy, are they good enough? The Rams,
if they're healthy, are good enough. Two, the schedule is brutal,
and the travel schedule is brutal, just like it was
last year. And so how they manage that, I think
(12:20):
it's a little bit– I think this– season i have
said if they're healthy no one plays them within single
digits in a meaningful game so do i think that
there's a hiccup here in week 10 or 11 or
12 where they might just become tired and bored thursday
night football i don't know what it is yeah maybe
um but if they're healthy i just don't see how
anyone can handle this offensive line the quarterback and play
(12:43):
caller together the different personnel groupings they can play and
this defense is so talented so um Do I expect
them to maybe try to peak at the right time?
Speaker 4 (12:55):
I do.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
I think it's going to be a little bit like
an elite golfer as they get later into their career,
trying to peak in those four majors. A little bit
like the NBA, where you might manage some guys throughout
the season. But I truly don't believe that if they're healthy,
anyone is good enough to beat them if they're healthy.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Did you ever get run over on the sidelines?
Speaker 3 (13:21):
Um, I don't think so. Um, I was usually behind
the play though. Like I was, Oh, I was often
probably five or 10 yards behind the play, trying to
see things that I could share information wise. It was
very rarely on the defensive side, kind of where the
ball was going. So I don't think so, but I
got a bad memory.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
But you normally stand by the coach.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
Different situations, different moments. I've been a part of teams
when the coach would call the play into me and
then I would walkie talkie to play into the quarterback.
So I wouldn't want to stand next to the coach
that close, probably 10 yards away. I've been in places
where the offensive coordinators in the booth, you know, so
standing near the coach wasn't necessarily a constant thing unless
(14:07):
situational you're, you know, two minute drive and you're trying
to signal stuff in or whatnot.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Did you ever change the play that the coach or
offensive coordinator gave you?
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (14:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Yeah. I mean, I've shared.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Oh yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
I mean, Dan, you got to remember where, you know,
where I was at times. So, um, yeah, I mean that,
and you know, there, there are times when I would
have the play call come in and I just know
this play call stinks and, um, have some form of
communication with the starting quarterback to be like, Oh, you
(14:41):
didn't get it. You know, now you got to call
your own play. So those were always prior planned things,
you know? Um, that's, that's trying to get everybody to,
you know, if a play call comes in, I think
a lot of times as the quarterback, you can just,
you just know if this is a good, now, sometimes
you think it's a bad play call and it hits,
you know? So, but I, I definitely had moments when
(15:02):
play call came in and either did not give a
play call and the quarterback, the starter would knew, would
know what that meant or change the play call. I've,
I've shared, I think I've shared this story with you.
I was at a place where the quarterback was a
really good player, but non-confrontational. And I don't know the
why behind the non-confrontational. And we had this first-time play caller,
(15:23):
a really good football coach, but again, play calling's hard.
And he would constantly call plays for the quarterback that
he had come from in his previous. And the quarterback
that we had as our starter didn't like the plays
out of certain formations. Hey, I like this play, but
I want it out of this formation, especially in crucial moments. And,
you know, he would just continue to call that play.
(15:45):
And finally, I'd go to the coach and be like,
you have to stop calling these plays out of these formations.
He wants them out of this. And that never changed.
And so I would just start changing the play to
the one that the quarterback preferred more than the one
that coach called.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Was it Matt Schaub?
Speaker 3 (16:01):
It was not Shabby. When I was with Shabby, that
was with Kubiak. Kubiak, I mean, he can call plays
as a corpse. I mean, he was sensational. No coach
I've ever been around had a feel calling plays to
get quarterbacks in rhythm like him. So it was not Shabby, no.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
Josh Freeman.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Not Freebird, no. But Freebird, Josh was such a talented kid,
but sometimes Josh would be all over the place.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Mike Glennon seems not.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
No, Mikey G. No, not Mikey G, because we had
a shrunk playbook for Mike because he was a rookie then.
Good player, though. Good player. Previous to that stop.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
Great to talk to you.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
Thank you, boss. You as well. Thanks.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
That's Dan Orlovsky.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Be sure to catch the live edition of the Dan
Patrick Show weekdays at 9 a.m. Eastern, 6 a.m. Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Hey, it's Covino and Rip from Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 7 (16:58):
Now, in addition to hearing us live weekdays from 5
to 7 p.m. Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio, we're excited to announce a brand new YouTube
channel for the show.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Yup, that's right.
Speaker 7 (17:09):
You can now watch Covino & Rich live on YouTube
every day. All you gotta do, search Covino & Rich
FSR on YouTube. Again, Go to YouTube, search Covino and
Rich FSR. Check us out on YouTube, subscribe, hit that
thumbs-up icon, and comment away.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Got wind of something happening in North Carolina yesterday. In fact,
the day before, I was given a heads-up that Mike Lombardi,
that situation could come to a head and that he
would be fired. I know it's semantics, but the appearance
is he resigned as the general manager of North Carolina football.
You also have Bill Belichick's son, who I think is
(17:48):
on administrative leave. I don't know the exact terminology, but
Pat Welter and his crew, WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina,
have been doing a great job all over this. And
great to talk to you again, Pat. What happened yesterday?
Speaker 8 (18:05):
Yeah, great to talk to you again, Dan. A lot's
happened since we last talked. And yeah, similar to you,
I got wind of an investigation of UNC's internal investigation
into Michael Lombardi, which has been going on since he
was placed on administrative leave on July 27th.
Speaker 6 (18:25):
And I've been digging around, you know, since that time.
Speaker 8 (18:28):
And a lot of things I had been hearing, a
lot of rumors, but couldn't necessarily report them. And then
on Tuesday night, I got a phone call that internal
investigators were calling.
Speaker 6 (18:38):
Current, former players, parents, staff, you know, investigating this whole thing.
Speaker 8 (18:45):
And then I was able to get in touch with
multiple people that were interviewed by UNC's internal investigators. And
I was able to get a window into the questions
that were being asked. And when we had that report
all ready to go, that ended up being, I was
told UNC caught wind of it Wednesday, what we were doing.
And then it kind of became a little bit of
(19:06):
a race to who was first here. But yesterday, we
took our findings to UNC, sent them 32 questions to
be answered, sent that email at 127. We had a
4 p.m. deadline for a response and a follow-up phone
call at 345 with UNC representatives. And then the answer
(19:29):
we ultimately got was Lombardi's resignation at 5 p.m. And
then we broke our investigation shortly after that.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Okay. Is the investigation still ongoing?
Speaker 8 (19:41):
Yeah, that's the key piece here. I think the investigation
is still ongoing. And UNC's own statement indicated that and
that they are going to take corrective action.
Speaker 6 (19:50):
Action for whatever they find.
Speaker 8 (19:53):
And I think that's the key piece here, because what
we uncovered in speaking to the people interviewed by UNC's
internal investigators is that this investigation, which UNC publicly had
said was related to Michael Lombardi, is clearly much bigger
that based on the questions that are being asked. The
conversations were beginning with questions about not just Lombardi, but
the entire culture at UNC. Questions were then, the conversation
(20:18):
there naturally flowed into Lombardi because he has such a
huge hand in that culture at UNC. And then investigators
were asking questions. And again, these are just questions, not
definitive fact, but the questions provide a window into what
potentially might be going on. But the questions they are
asking were about Recruiting staff, female recruiting staff, allegedly having
sexual relationships with multiple assistant coaches on UNC staff, as
(20:41):
well as at least one player, um, As far as
how that ties to Lombardi, unclear, other than the fact
that Lombardi is the general manager, recruiting, and a lot
of things fall under him. Literally, the title suggests general manager. Again,
that's what we know. We know pushing for those questions
with UNC ultimately led to a resignation. You could tie
(21:04):
the line there if you want to. We don't know
for a fact that it did ultimately lead to it.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
What about Bill Belichick's son?
Speaker 8 (21:11):
Yeah, and that was what really caught my eye too
with the line of questioning was that point blank investigators
asking multiple people about what have they heard or what
do they know about Steve Belichick allegedly using drugs, not
just using drugs, but using drugs at UNC's football facilities,
(21:32):
as well as questions about whether Belichick, this is Steve Belichick,
provided drugs to at least one.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Player what kind of drugs are we talking about pat.
Speaker 8 (21:43):
There's what i've heard uh there's a lot of questioning
there but i don't feel comfortable sharing that because the
investigator is more asking more open-ended questions uh the people
being interviewed then provided what they believe to be true
uh and the investigator then had follow-up questions how do
you know what type of drug do you think it
is how would you know um if if he was
(22:06):
high And that was kind of a line of questioning there,
but I don't feel comfortable sharing.
Speaker 6 (22:10):
I'm not at liberty to share that.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Has Bill Belichick addressed this?
Speaker 8 (22:15):
So he has a press conference scheduled for Monday. As
we all saw, they won the week zero game in Ireland,
basically the opening of the college football season. And it
was a stark contrast to the season opener we had
last year versus TCU in Chapel Hill with all the
hype surrounding Bill Belichick's arrival. Anyway, that one fantastic drive
and then things went downhill from there.
Speaker 6 (22:37):
This was a much better performance.
Speaker 8 (22:39):
And Bill Belichick is going to have a chance to
respond to all this on Monday as they're on a
bye week this week.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
Talking to Pat Welter at WRAL in Raleigh. Does it
help or hurt that you're in Raleigh, not Chapel Hill
investigating North Carolina?
Speaker 8 (22:55):
Yeah, I mean, for people on the outside that don't
understand the region here, I mean, I know some people
fly in and they think it's literally called Raleigh-Durham because
our airport's Raleigh-Durham. But this is the triangle, right? We
have Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. And essentially you have
NC State, Duke and UNC all triangulated about 20 minutes
from each other.
Speaker 6 (23:13):
So you're asking, does it help or does it hurt?
Speaker 8 (23:16):
I mean, I certainly get a lot of feedback from
Chapel Hill fans. And what I always say to people
that I want all of our teams to do well.
My job covering these public universities and NC State and
UNC is to try to tell the story. and try
to hold people in power accountable, and try to provide
(23:38):
you a window into what's going on. I mean, I've
seen all these headlines recently about sports journalism being dead,
and insiderdom versus journalism. That was like a big one yesterday.
What we are attempting to do is real journalism. Now,
if that upsets UNC fans that we're exposing things that
they don't want to hear.
Speaker 6 (23:56):
They have that right.
Speaker 8 (23:58):
I have no agenda other than trying to give you
a how and why into why this has not gone well.
as we expected it to go with arguably the greatest
NFL coach of all time coming to college and having
a four and eight season, which probably doesn't even really
describe how much of a disaster last season was. This
is a new year, but we are starting it on
(24:18):
the foot of an administrative leave for Lombardi. Now a
resignation from Lombardi, his son, Steve Belichick on medical leave
and investigators from UNC's own outside law firm asking questions
about drug use.
Speaker 6 (24:31):
So that's where we are at. In year two, currently
1-0 through week zero.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Can Belichick win his way out of this?
Speaker 8 (24:40):
Well, I would say, you know, speaking to people at UNC,
you know, I had an on-the-record conversation with new athletic
director Steve Newmark at ACC meetings in Florida a couple
months ago.
Speaker 6 (24:51):
And myself and Brian.
Speaker 8 (24:52):
Murphy held him to the fire a little bit about Belichick,
where this is going in year two. And they want
to make this work. I think they thought at least
at that time, you know, give him a little bit
of a mulligan for year one. Could he learn from,
you know, he's coming from the NFL. College is crazier
than it's ever been before. But now when you have
(25:15):
issues of this serious of a nature, even if they
are just questions. You know, UNC's internal investigation is going
to find out. I'm trying to find the proof myself.
And what I found out is that UNC's internal investigators
are asking the same questions basically that I'm trying to ask.
So can he win his way out of this? I
don't know ultimately if it'll be up to him. You know,
(25:39):
the internal investigation is going to find what it finds.
And all I can tell you is what's in Belichick's
own contract, right? He signed a five-year deal worth $ 50 million.
He's the highest paid state employee ever. in the state
of North Carolina. His contract stipulates, I'm going to read
from it here, that he is required to promote an
atmosphere of compliance in the program.
Speaker 6 (25:58):
That's a direct quote.
Speaker 8 (25:59):
It also says he's responsible for the conduct of his
assistant coaches and other program employees and that he also
must report knowledge of the illegal use, sale, or possession
of drugs or the possibility of sexual harassment.
Speaker 6 (26:13):
That's directly in the contract there.
Speaker 8 (26:14):
What UNC's investigators find could ultimately lead to some sort
of reconciliation there.
Speaker 6 (26:22):
Again, I only know what I know. So we're going
to find out.
Speaker 8 (26:25):
Again, this investigation is ongoing and clearly bigger than we
were originally told.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Have fun on Monday at that press conference, Pat. That'll
be really a cheery... Now, does he say that he...
I'm on to East Tennessee State. I don't want to
talk about anything.
Speaker 8 (26:43):
I mean, you know, I remember going in after we
broke the report about the divided locker room um last
year and i i got the first question um there
uh and i was after the loss to clemson there
you know i'm sorry they lose the clemson then we
break the report and then after a bye week we
finally get to ask him questions and yeah i was
(27:04):
prepared for that and you just kind of have to
be ready to have a follow-up because yeah i mean
he's gonna try to walk the line It's the internal investigation.
It's ongoing. We can't comment any further. But I think
at this point, again, this is a public university. This
isn't just an NFL team where you can say we're
on the Cincinnati. You are quite literally, there's taxpayer dollars here.
(27:26):
There's fan dollars being poured into NIL. This is bigger
than Bill Belichick. I mean, this is a university that
people are really proud, have a lot of passion about,
that the people that brought him here, Did so, I
believe in good faith, thinking that they were going to
hire the greatest NFL coach of all time. And, you know,
drawing from quotes from last season, it has been a
(27:48):
complete disaster. So I think at this point, when you
already have lost your general manager, who was your highest
paid general manager in all of college football, who you
had essentially diverted.
Speaker 6 (28:02):
A lot of responsibility to.
Speaker 8 (28:04):
Like one of the quotes I got from a staff
member said, on the UNC staff was that the downfall
of this.
Speaker 6 (28:10):
Whole thing is who Bill listens to.
Speaker 8 (28:13):
And I would tell you through up to this point,
that has been Mike Lombardi and Jordan Hudson. Now, Mike
Lombardi now resigned Jordan Hudson. I haven't seen her in
a while. This was my knowledge.
Speaker 4 (28:24):
She wasn't in Ireland.
Speaker 6 (28:25):
So I don't know. What's going on there?
Speaker 8 (28:27):
So maybe with them both out of the picture, maybe
things can be better. But also there's a lot of
ghosts here from last season haunting them. And I will
tell you that I do think the program was on
a better track this season as we saw week zero.
Like I believe some of the things Belichick has said publicly,
some of the things the players have said publicly. I've
been told privately that he's pulled back on some of
(28:48):
the unnecessary, dogmatic, my way or the highway NFL practices
last season, and that.
Speaker 6 (28:53):
Players generally do like Bill Belichick.
Speaker 8 (28:55):
I've also been told some of the reasons they like
Bill Belichick is because he lets them do what they want.
And we've seen how that can go south as well,
as we've also reported multiple driving infractions, multiple reckless speeding
infractions by star players. players parking and handicapped spots all
over campus. I mean, we've been all over this from
the beginning. And again, it's not trying to out to
(29:18):
get anybody. It's just trying, you know, it's trying to
hold the people in power accountable.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Good luck, Pat. Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 4 (29:26):
Thanks, Dan.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Pat Welter, WRAL-TV sports anchor, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsportsradio.com. And
within the iHeartRadio app, search FSR to listen live.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
Ross Tucker, CBS Sports Westwood 1 NFL analyst and host
of the Ross Tucker Football Podcast. And he's moving up
the ladder at CBS. His first game week one. will
be the Bills at the Texans. That's a one Eastern
on CBS. Which of those teams, Ross, would you have
higher hopes for in the postseason?
Speaker 5 (30:06):
That's an amazing question because they're so similar. Both these
teams lost in the divisional round primarily because of turnovers.
You know, they both have been knocking on the door
of getting to at least the divisional round the last
three years, but they can't get.
Speaker 4 (30:27):
Over the hump.
Speaker 5 (30:29):
You know, for the Bills, obviously, Dan, I've got more
faith in their quarterback than I do in the Texans quarterback.
Speaker 4 (30:34):
I think everybody does.
Speaker 5 (30:35):
There's a reason why Josh Allen is always in the
MVP conversation, why he's a top 10 player in the sport.
But the Texans defense is so good. You know, I
was thinking about this. I've already been prepping for the game.
You know, the Texans have a number of defensive players
that are probably better than anybody on.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
The Bills defense. Let's put it this way.
Speaker 5 (30:59):
If you combine the Bills and the Texans, that might
be the Super Bowl favorite over the L.A.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
Rams at this point. It's not how it works.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
How many players on the Bills defense could start for
the Texans?
Speaker 5 (31:13):
Well, I'd have to go through player by player, and
I'm not going to do that with you live.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
I'll say not many. Not many. I mean, off the
top of my head, maybe two or three. Maybe.
Speaker 5 (31:29):
Which says a lot, I think, about what Josh Allen
and the Bills have been able to accomplish. You know,
I haven't looked at the NFL top 100 players all
that closely or that vote. Are there any Bills defensive
guys on it? I think that's probably the biggest issue
I see in Buffalo right now, Dan, is that when
you look at their defense, let's pretend like you and
(31:51):
I are offensive coaches or offensive coordinators during the week.
Who's the guy we're really concerned about? Who's the guy
we're saying, we've got to double-team him or we can't
throw it at that guy? I mean, Christian Benford, their
one corner, is a nice player.
Speaker 4 (32:08):
Ed Oliver has done some good things. But conversely, You're
playing against the Texans? You're the Bills? Daniil Hunter is
a problem. Will Anderson, a problem. You don't want to
throw it at Stingley, but you don't really want to
throw it at Lassiter either.
Speaker 5 (32:26):
And then Jalen Petrie in the nickel is one of
the best in the business. So it is a stark
contrast in terms of what these two teams are bringing
to the table personnel-wise on the defensive side of the ball.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
If I said you can have Will Anderson and Daniil
Hunter sack total or Miles Garrett and Aaron Donald, who
are you taking?
Speaker 5 (32:48):
I'm taking Daniil Hunter and Will Anderson. I think that
they are awesome. I think that Aaron Donald's reps are
going to be limited. I would also say on some level,
the Rams have a bunch of other guys. So, you know,
whether it's Fisk or.
Speaker 4 (33:06):
Young or whoever... You.
Speaker 5 (33:08):
Know, sometimes I think Miles Garrett and Aaron Donald are
going to draw the attention. So the other young guns
that the Rams have on that D-line, they're the ones
getting the one-on-ones.
Speaker 4 (33:19):
They're the ones getting the sacks.
Speaker 5 (33:22):
But I also say this, you know, prepping for the game,
I just watched the Texans against the Patriots in the
divisional round.
Speaker 4 (33:29):
And Will Anderson and Daniil Hunter.
Speaker 5 (33:31):
Absolutely destroyed the Patriots' tackles. It's crazy that they could
knock the ball out of Drake May's hands that many
times and still lose the game.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
I was watching some shows and the topic was, how
about the Rams going undefeated? And I thought, okay, the
Rams are really good and a prohibitive favorite, but What
would be your over-under victory total for the Rams this year?
Speaker 4 (34:04):
Probably 12.5.
Speaker 5 (34:05):
I think they're in a very good division with Seattle
and San Francisco. We just talked about this.
Speaker 4 (34:15):
Earlier in the week on the Even Money Betting Podcast.
Speaker 5 (34:18):
I think they're officially 11.5, Dan, but the juice is
to the over. If I had to set it, I'd
probably say 12.5. The only thing I will say, it
feels like it's been a while since we've had one
of these super teams or stacked teams. You know, sometimes
there can be so much conversation between about how good
(34:41):
they are in the playoffs, and they don't want to
have Aaron Donald take too many reps during the regular season,
they're going to slip up and lose a couple regular
season games at least.
Speaker 4 (34:51):
At least a couple.
Speaker 5 (34:52):
And they're going to have some tough games against Seattle
and San Francisco. So I think 12.5 is the right number.
At 11.5, I'm definitely a lean to the over. I
think they'll win probably 12 or 13.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
We're talking to Ross Tucker, CBS Sports, Westwood One NFL Analyst.
host of Ross Tucker Football Podcast, and he's calling games
for CBS and Westwood One in the booth. Week one, Bills-Texans.
That kicks off at 1 Eastern on CBS. What is
your biggest question? All teams, all players going into the season.
(35:29):
You got one?
Speaker 4 (35:30):
21 new offensive coordinators. 21, Dan. Two-thirds of the league.
And you know what?
Speaker 5 (35:38):
When you're a player, and you can appreciate this, you
never really want to give the coaches that much blame
because you don't want to give them that much credit
when things are going well. I will say with every
year I get removed from playing and I study it
as an analyst, coaching is super important. I mean, I've
(36:02):
called games now, Dan, where the OC is light years
ahead of of the dc or where the oc on
the one team is just significantly better than the guy
on the other team you just see it i mean
listen you know i do the eagles preseason games they
(36:23):
alternate 2022 they had shane steichen they were dynamite 2023
not so much 2024 kellen moore.
Speaker 4 (36:33):
Saquon Barkley rushed for well over 2,000 yards.
Speaker 1 (36:35):
They were awesome.
Speaker 5 (36:36):
They won the Super Bowl. 2025, not so much. It
matters a lot. And two-thirds of the league has new guys.
So some of them have never done it before. You know,
like Sean Mannion in Philly or Declan Doyle in Baltimore.
Speaker 4 (36:52):
These are like.
Speaker 5 (36:54):
They're supposed to win double-digit games that have play callers
that have never done it before. And the reality is
some of these guys are going to end up being
really good. And some of these guys are not. And
where we sit right now, none of us really know.
You can't tell by the preseason. You know, it's like
when you were in college playing Madden or video games.
(37:16):
You can sit there and think you're good. How good
are you when you actually have the controllers? When the
sticks are in your hand, how do you perform?
Speaker 4 (37:24):
Some of these guys are going to be good with
the sticks and some of these guys are not.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
The Eagles still fascinate me because it feels like they're
an underdog. Jalen Hurts still feels like, yeah, but you've
got to prove it to me again. Here he has
another offensive coordinator. Handicap the Eagles this year and How
(37:48):
do they match up with the Rams and whoever else
you want to throw in with the NFC?
Speaker 5 (37:54):
Well, so what's fascinating to me about the Eagles is
everything people say about Hurts, they also kind of say
about Sirianni. It's like, yeah, he's been to two Super
Bowls and he's won three division titles and he's been
in the playoffs five straight years, but they have really
good players on the team.
Speaker 4 (38:13):
Well, no kidding, they have really good players.
Speaker 5 (38:15):
I mean, show me the guys, the quarterback or the
head coach that wins at that level that doesn't have
other really good players.
Speaker 4 (38:23):
And because of that, they're going to be good again.
Speaker 5 (38:25):
I mean, they're going to have a top five defense.
They are loaded with young talent and Vic Fangio's as
good of a defensive coordinator as there is.
Speaker 4 (38:34):
And they're going to have a top five offensive line.
I mean, if you plug that.
Speaker 5 (38:38):
Into AI, top five defense, top five offensive line, they're
spitting out that you win double-digit games. Almost no matter
what else happens, you're going to win double-digit games. Now,
I do think it's going to be a work in
progress on offense. Because before, they've always had new coordinators,
but basically running the same offense.
Speaker 4 (38:59):
Now.
Speaker 5 (39:00):
It's like they burned the boats. They're not doing the shotgun.
They're not doing the zone read. This is totally a McVay, Shanahan,
under center, play action, bootleg. They're not going back. They
can't go back at this point. So I think the
first month there will be growing pains. The defense can
(39:20):
have to carry the day. And then we'll just have
to see how fast this offense can get up to speed.
Speaker 2 (39:27):
Because I look at the Rams, obviously Seattle, you want
to talk about an underdog I don't remember the last
time somebody won the Super Bowl and it feels like
they're an underdog coming into this season why is that.
Speaker 5 (39:38):
Because they're in Seattle I don't know what it is
about Seattle that it's like their own little corner of
the country. They might as well be in Canada. It's
like we don't talk about Seattle as a city. We
don't talk about the Seahawks. I mean, look, there's a
lot more diehard Seahawks fans up there than there are
(40:00):
Chargers fans or whatever down in LA with two teams
and the way LA is. But yet, for some reason,
it's like the Pacific Northwest team always sort of gets
the short end of the straw when it comes to
media attention. I think they kind of like it. If
you've been watching Hard Knocks, it's been awesome. Their coach,
(40:21):
Mike McDonald, looks to be a superstar head coach.
Speaker 4 (40:25):
And I think that they love that they're under the radar.
Speaker 5 (40:28):
I think that they love that everybody's giving the Rams
all the credit again. I'd be surprised if they're not very,
very good again.
Speaker 2 (40:37):
The Cowboys... I like all the additions. I like what
they've done. That schedule was really tough, though, Ross.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
It's weird.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
It feels like they got the schedule the Eagles were
supposed to get, and the Eagles got the schedule the Cowboys.
I like what they've done, and I don't say that
very often, but that schedule just feels like if they
get to 10 wins... I mean, they can be dangerous
when they get to the playoffs, but getting to 10 wins.
(41:08):
Might be tough sledding.
Speaker 4 (41:10):
Well, I think they're going to.
Speaker 5 (41:11):
I would say this is the best I have felt
about the Dallas Cowboys going into a season in years.
Speaker 4 (41:18):
They don't have to have a good defense.
Speaker 2 (41:20):
But better than the Eagles?
Speaker 5 (41:23):
I think they're right there. To me, I would peg
both those teams. at probably 10.5. I would give a
slight edge to the Eagles. I think the way it
is right now is the Eagles are 10.5, Cowboys 9.5.
Speaker 4 (41:38):
That sounds right to me.
Speaker 5 (41:40):
They both very easily could be around 10 or 11 wins,
especially with the growing pains for the Eagles on the
offensive side of the ball. Listen, if the Cowboys are
just not.
Speaker 4 (41:52):
Terrible on defense... If they're.
Speaker 5 (41:55):
Just not bottom five, they win double-digit games. They would
have won double-digit games last year if they just weren't
a bottom five defense. And honestly, it would be hard
for them to be as bad defensively as they were
last year. I think they're going to win double-digit games.
I think the Cowboys are going back to the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (42:14):
Yeah, I agree with you. I thought if they're a
top 15 defense, they're a playoff team with that offense because,
you know, I've had analysts come on and say Dak Prescott,
for a while, was the best quarterback in the NFL
last year. And I think that was kind of lost
(42:34):
because of how the Cowboys season ends. But you get
a 1,000-yard rusher. You got those two receivers, tight end.
It's there for them and what they did on defense.
And look, I shy away from talking about the Cowboys
for Cowboys' sake. But I keep coming back because I
loved the Caleb Downs pick. And they made the right
(42:56):
move with Micah Parsons. You know, can they put enough
pressure on the quarterback to get sacks? That would be
my big question there. But you bring in Vaughn Miller, maybe,
what did he have? Eight and a half sacks last year?
Maybe you could squeeze a year out of him. But I'm...
Bullish on the Cowboys.
Speaker 3 (43:16):
I am.
Speaker 4 (43:17):
Well, and I think you should be. And I agree.
And isn't it weird?
Speaker 5 (43:23):
Like what you said about Dak is such a good point, Dan.
It's like there are certain quarterbacks. I would say there
was also a stretch last year where it felt like
Justin Herbert, you know, was playing as well as anyone.
But because those guys don't have the postseason success and
it's like we forget what they did in the regular season.
Speaker 4 (43:44):
You know, we were all.
Speaker 5 (43:45):
Creatures of the last thing we saw, and the last
thing we saw was Herbert not playing well in the preseason,
I mean the postseason, and Dak Prescott not even making
the postseason. So it's like we disregard some of the
really impressive things that they did during the regular season,
and yet I still don't know if either one of
(44:06):
those guys gets over the hump and wins playoff game
or multiple playoff games this year. It could be same old,
same old for both those guys.
Speaker 2 (44:17):
Have fun. It'll be the Bills at the Texans. That'll
be week one at 1 Eastern on CBS. Yeah, you're
moving up the food chain there at CBS. You're becoming
like a big-time star. Are you going to have time
for the show? Because now it feels like you're a
big deal.
Speaker 4 (44:34):
I'm not a big deal.
Speaker 5 (44:35):
I will always have time for you guys and your
amazing listeners. I will say, I think it's the best
Sunday 1 o'clock game. So if you would have told
me at some point, I'd be calling the best Sunday
1 o'clock game opening Sunday.
Speaker 4 (44:52):
What's the opposite of caffeine?
Speaker 5 (44:54):
I need to take the opposite of caffeine before that game.
Speaker 2 (44:58):
How about a beta blocker?
Speaker 5 (45:00):
Well, I don't even know what that is, but I
need to take anti-caffeine before Bills and Texans next Sunday.
Speaker 2 (45:07):
How about a gummy?
Speaker 3 (45:12):
Thank you, Ross.
Speaker 4 (45:13):
See you then.
Speaker 2 (45:15):
Ross Tucker's doing big boy things there, getting excited, pumped
up for the Bills and the Texans week one.
You are listening to The Dan Patrick Show on Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Legendary UConn, Connecticut quarterback. UConn, Connecticut. UConn quarterback. Dan Orlovsky
also works part-time for ESPN as well or doing something
like that.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
How you doing? I, uh, about 30 seconds ago, I
was great. And then Mars took a shot. Um, you
called it Yukon, Connecticut, our time. So I'm a little
bit in flux right now.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
No, I'm great. How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I'm good. I'm good.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Okay. Okay.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
You did surprise me when you said, I know you
love Stafford and you being a former Lion quarterback and teammate.
But give me the rationale that if he wins another
Super Bowl, you're going to put him in your top five,
which is, you know, it's your opinion. But I'm just
curious the rationale that you came to that he would
be top five all time.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Well, a couple of things. One, I said top five
to top seven conversation. So I just think he gets
into that. Hey, is he in your conversation? You know, Dan,
the foreshadowing of if they win the Rams, another one
this year. And I would to do that. This stats
would probably be something similar to what they've been over
(01:14):
the course of the past couple of years. That would
give him two Super Bowl championships. I don't know how
many quarterbacks have won two Super Bowls in their career.
I would imagine four. 10, 15. I don't know what
that number is. That would give him two Superbowl championships.
It would give him an MVP. He would be top
10 all time in wins. And he would be top
six all time in passing yards and passing touchdowns. I
(01:36):
think if you just took that player and got rid
of the, you know, the, the Detroit, and I guess
you can't, but like, oh my gosh, he was on
the lions and they stunk. If you just took that
accomplished resume, that player would have to be in that
conversation along with other quarterbacks. And so I'm not telling
(01:56):
everybody he's a lock, but I do think it would
get him into that at least conversation seat at the
table type of thing.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Okay, but we're looking at Brady, Mahomes, Montana to start, correct?
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Yeah, sure.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Elway?
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Yeah. Peyton?
Speaker 5 (02:15):
Yeah, sure.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
But this would also lend to my point is I
hate the fives. Give me your top five. Give me
your top 10 because inevitably you're leaving out, like we're
not going to put Drew Brees in there. We're not
going to put Marino in there. I'm sure there's Dan
Fouts and Eli's and Filler's, Favre, Rogers. And so, you know,
(02:38):
when I, when I have the comment of like top five,
top seven conversation, you know, it's not as a literal thing.
It's more of like that conversation, but yo, this guy's
one of the great quarterbacks of all time type of thing.
So yeah, Because if you say, give me your top five,
you're leaving somebody out there that absolutely warrants being in
your top five. That's where these lists sometimes become very
(03:00):
subjective and a little disrespectful.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Yeah, I hate the list, but it drives our business.
I get it. But if I said Matthew Stafford, two
Super Bowls and an MVP, Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
I would have told you two years ago, Rodgers. I
would have said that. I mean, I grew up playing
in the division with them, at least being on the
sideline watching them. I'd be like, yo, this dude's freaking unbelievable.
One of the great throwers in football. But I think
if Matthew goes and gets another one, he's probably going
to be 15, 20 wins shy of him. I think
he's going to be right there with yards and touchdowns.
(03:36):
And so another Super Bowl trophy. And also, I go
back to this is part of the Eli conversation because
when Eli comes up for the Hall of Fame and
everyone goes, no, he's not a Hall of Famer because
touchdown interception ratio or record, I go, you have to
equate the way they accomplished the top of the mountain climb.
(03:57):
The journey that Eli went through to get those two
rings is different than the journey that another quarterback that
was a good player, like, you know, a Brad Johnson.
You know, so Matthew, if you watch that, remember that
Super Bowl run, it was clutch, clutch. It's one of
(04:17):
the clutch Super Bowl runs of all time. If he
goes on another clutch Super Bowl run and he knocks off,
this is such a hypothetical thinking, but if you beat
Josh Allen in the Super Bowl and Josh throws for
400 yards and you beat Mahomes and Burrow on the way,
I think that has to provide context to the conversation.
So he's probably not going to be in people's argument, but....
Speaker 2 (04:40):
If Mahomes ends his career with this many Super Bowls,
will it be a disappointment?
Speaker 3 (04:46):
No.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (04:49):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
I mean, because the, the rocket ship that was when
he took off, you know, and the, the attachment to
a head coach that you know, is in the conversation
for one of the great head coaches of all time,
an offensive wizard. He had an attachment to a tight
end that is in the conversation for one of the
(05:09):
greatest of all times. The wide receiver that he was
with Tyreek Hill in his generations, one of the best
players of his generation at that position, defensive tackle, one
of the best players at his position. And so, and
that organization that has a reputation for being a high
end organization. So I think if he ends that, You know,
you're always questioning how it gets to that point. But
(05:32):
if it ends with the same amount of Super Bowls
now or in the future that it does now, I
do think. Because I think you're expecting to win two
more or so. Three more.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Andy Reid going to stay around to have the all-time
record for wins?
Speaker 3 (05:46):
I would think so. I would hope so. I don't
know how shy he is. I know it's not that
much of a journey he's got left, but I would
hope so. And, you know, he's always said, I've got
this quarterback, I've got this quarterback. So as long as
Patrick's healthy and playing like Patrick, it's going to come
quicker than it would for others. And I would I
would hope that he's there and Patrick's his quarterback to
(06:07):
go and get that done.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Talking to Dan Orlovsky, the UConn legend quarterback. You can
catch him on NFL Live every weekday at 4 Eastern,
as well as appearances on Get Up and First Take.
Give me the most confusing team. The one that you're
just not quite sure how good, how bad, what they are,
who they are.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
I'd probably tell you the Washington Commanders. I'd go back
to the 24 season. That was unbelievable. Jaden Daniels is
Offensive Rookie of the Year. And we've got this superstar quarterback.
These fourth quarter comebacks, they go to the NFC Championship game.
Dan Quinn, his energy, the positivity, it's awesome. And the
(06:54):
off the field stuff, it was this washing of such
negative and just this infusion of negativity. fun. And then
they didn't do much that off season. They got very
old on defense going into the 25 season. And it
was a little bit of some of the result and the, the,
I don't want to say the, the luck that they had,
(07:16):
but just the catching all the breaks at the end
of those games jotted what you really were as a team,
the fourth down conversions, all that. Then you go to
last year, And you don't play as well as you should.
Your defense is old. Your quarterback gets hurt. The offensive
coordinator leaves. And so now, one, you're going into this
(07:37):
third and pivotal season. You got a brand new offensive coordinator,
David Blau, super young. I'm hoping he's amazing. I don't
know a ton about him. I know he's got a
pass with Arizona. So there's a little bit of, you know,
you know, Ben Johnson element to him because of Detroit.
And there's a pet singing element because Arizona. So what's
the offense actually going to be? You lose your left
(07:58):
tackle who you just made the highest paid left tackle
in football. And all your fans are like, we'll be OK.
Those two things can't happen at the same time. It's
the third most expensive defense in the NFL. Third, if
you asked NFL people, who's the third most expensive defense
in the NFL? No one would say Washington. So it's
an unbelievably expensive defense, but a little bit unproven because
(08:21):
there's so many, I think there's six or seven new
starters on that unit. And so it could go really
good if they gel and those high end paid players
play at such a high level and the free agent
signings and the draft picks play at such a high level,
or it could be a season of question of, of, okay,
where's this organization headed? And, you know, a second year
(08:43):
of maybe some up and down from Jamie Daniels. I'm
bullish on them, but I'm just not all in to
see how it plays out.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
More pressure on Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson this year?
Speaker 3 (08:58):
I always put them in their own category because of
the history and the success, but I tell you, Josh Allen,
I'm of the belief. I think the roster is better
than the public perception. I'll go back to last year
when Josh Allen have enough to go win it. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
He does.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
If top five offensive line, top five running back, a
great play caller. A head coach that in part got
that job probably because of your relationship. I think the
pass catching group from tight end and wide receiver is
plenty good. Plenty good. Two really good tight ends. Three
good tight ends. Two really good pass catchers. They're four
(09:36):
or five deep at the wide receiver position. All have
different roles. DJ Moore, obviously that addition. I think the
defensive line is young and athletic. They've got young and
athletic speedsters on the back end that they have to
play well. And I think Jim Leonard's a stud. So
not to knock anything in Baltimore, Lamar's amazing. Jesse Mentor,
we think, is going to be great, but probably more
(09:58):
pressure on Josh.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
More likely to get back to the Super Bowl, the
Patriots or Seahawks?
Speaker 4 (10:07):
Hmm.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
I think the Patriots are probably going to be a
better team this year. Maybe not have as good or
better record. We all know the schedule was historically easy
last year. That will not be the case this year.
Offensive lines should be significantly improved. I think they're impossible
to match up against man-to-man for most teams. Quarterback is
(10:29):
an absolute... He's going to play for the next 10
years as a top five quarterback in the NFL. The
defense is fantastic. Dan, I went and watched or rewatched
the Super Bowl yesterday to start to get ready for
next Wednesday's game. And one of my takeaways was, holy smokes,
that New England defense was good. I mean, obviously, Seattle's
was great as well. But that was going against a
(10:52):
very good offensive unit in Seattle. And that New England
defense was fantastic. And so I just think that they're
going to be a really good team this year that
maybe doesn't have, I don't know what they were, 14-3
last year. Seattle, still very good. I'm of the belief
calling plays in the NFL is an unbelievably difficult job.
And Brian Fleury, who's stepping in for Clint Kubiak, has
(11:15):
never called plays before in the NFL. Never called plays.
We've seen that happen four times with the defending Super
Bowl champion over the last, I think, 10 to 12 years.
All four times, the offense has dropped at least 15
points in that ranking of one through 32, 15 slots.
So that's a tall task and big shoes to fill.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
I'm looking at the odds and the Rams' overwhelming favorites,
but I went back and looked at the last 20
teams who had odds similar or better to win the
Super Bowl. All 20 did not win the Super Bowl
that year.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
How did the Rams not win?
Speaker 3 (11:55):
I think there's two things. Health, we all know that, right?
There's only so many teams that you say, If they're healthy,
are they good enough? There are teams that just aren't
good enough. If they're healthy, are they good enough? The Rams,
if they're healthy, are good enough. Two, the schedule is brutal,
and the travel schedule is brutal, just like it was
last year. And so how they manage that, I think
(12:20):
it's a little bit– I think this– season i have
said if they're healthy no one plays them within single
digits in a meaningful game so do i think that
there's a hiccup here in week 10 or 11 or
12 where they might just become tired and bored thursday
night football i don't know what it is yeah maybe
um but if they're healthy i just don't see how
anyone can handle this offensive line the quarterback and play
(12:43):
caller together the different personnel groupings they can play and
this defense is so talented so um Do I expect
them to maybe try to peak at the right time?
Speaker 4 (12:55):
I do.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
I think it's going to be a little bit like
an elite golfer as they get later into their career,
trying to peak in those four majors. A little bit
like the NBA, where you might manage some guys throughout
the season. But I truly don't believe that if they're healthy,
anyone is good enough to beat them if they're healthy.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Did you ever get run over on the sidelines?
Speaker 3 (13:21):
Um, I don't think so. Um, I was usually behind
the play though. Like I was, Oh, I was often
probably five or 10 yards behind the play, trying to
see things that I could share information wise. It was
very rarely on the defensive side, kind of where the
ball was going. So I don't think so, but I
got a bad memory.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
But you normally stand by the coach.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
Different situations, different moments. I've been a part of teams
when the coach would call the play into me and
then I would walkie talkie to play into the quarterback.
So I wouldn't want to stand next to the coach
that close, probably 10 yards away. I've been in places
where the offensive coordinators in the booth, you know, so
standing near the coach wasn't necessarily a constant thing unless
(14:07):
situational you're, you know, two minute drive and you're trying
to signal stuff in or whatnot.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Did you ever change the play that the coach or
offensive coordinator gave you?
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (14:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Yeah. I mean, I've shared.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Oh yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
I mean, Dan, you got to remember where, you know,
where I was at times. So, um, yeah, I mean that,
and you know, there, there are times when I would
have the play call come in and I just know
this play call stinks and, um, have some form of
communication with the starting quarterback to be like, Oh, you
(14:41):
didn't get it. You know, now you got to call
your own play. So those were always prior planned things,
you know? Um, that's, that's trying to get everybody to,
you know, if a play call comes in, I think
a lot of times as the quarterback, you can just,
you just know if this is a good, now, sometimes
you think it's a bad play call and it hits,
you know? So, but I, I definitely had moments when
(15:02):
play call came in and either did not give a
play call and the quarterback, the starter would knew, would
know what that meant or change the play call. I've,
I've shared, I think I've shared this story with you.
I was at a place where the quarterback was a
really good player, but non-confrontational. And I don't know the
why behind the non-confrontational. And we had this first-time play caller,
(15:23):
a really good football coach, but again, play calling's hard.
And he would constantly call plays for the quarterback that
he had come from in his previous. And the quarterback
that we had as our starter didn't like the plays
out of certain formations. Hey, I like this play, but
I want it out of this formation, especially in crucial moments. And,
you know, he would just continue to call that play.
(15:45):
And finally, I'd go to the coach and be like,
you have to stop calling these plays out of these formations.
He wants them out of this. And that never changed.
And so I would just start changing the play to
the one that the quarterback preferred more than the one
that coach called.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Was it Matt Schaub?
Speaker 3 (16:01):
It was not Shabby. When I was with Shabby, that
was with Kubiak. Kubiak, I mean, he can call plays
as a corpse. I mean, he was sensational. No coach
I've ever been around had a feel calling plays to
get quarterbacks in rhythm like him. So it was not Shabby, no.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
Josh Freeman.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Not Freebird, no. But Freebird, Josh was such a talented kid,
but sometimes Josh would be all over the place.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Mike Glennon seems not.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
No, Mikey G. No, not Mikey G, because we had
a shrunk playbook for Mike because he was a rookie then.
Good player, though. Good player. Previous to that stop.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
Great to talk to you.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
Thank you, boss. You as well. Thanks.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
That's Dan Orlovsky.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Be sure to catch the live edition of the Dan
Patrick Show weekdays at 9 a.m. Eastern, 6 a.m. Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Hey, it's Covino and Rip from Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 7 (16:58):
Now, in addition to hearing us live weekdays from 5
to 7 p.m. Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio, we're excited to announce a brand new YouTube
channel for the show.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Yup, that's right.
Speaker 7 (17:09):
You can now watch Covino & Rich live on YouTube
every day. All you gotta do, search Covino & Rich
FSR on YouTube. Again, Go to YouTube, search Covino and
Rich FSR. Check us out on YouTube, subscribe, hit that
thumbs-up icon, and comment away.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Got wind of something happening in North Carolina yesterday. In fact,
the day before, I was given a heads-up that Mike Lombardi,
that situation could come to a head and that he
would be fired. I know it's semantics, but the appearance
is he resigned as the general manager of North Carolina football.
You also have Bill Belichick's son, who I think is
(17:48):
on administrative leave. I don't know the exact terminology, but
Pat Welter and his crew, WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina,
have been doing a great job all over this. And
great to talk to you again, Pat. What happened yesterday?
Speaker 8 (18:05):
Yeah, great to talk to you again, Dan. A lot's
happened since we last talked. And yeah, similar to you,
I got wind of an investigation of UNC's internal investigation
into Michael Lombardi, which has been going on since he
was placed on administrative leave on July 27th.
Speaker 6 (18:25):
And I've been digging around, you know, since that time.
Speaker 8 (18:28):
And a lot of things I had been hearing, a
lot of rumors, but couldn't necessarily report them. And then
on Tuesday night, I got a phone call that internal
investigators were calling.
Speaker 6 (18:38):
Current, former players, parents, staff, you know, investigating this whole thing.
Speaker 8 (18:45):
And then I was able to get in touch with
multiple people that were interviewed by UNC's internal investigators. And
I was able to get a window into the questions
that were being asked. And when we had that report
all ready to go, that ended up being, I was
told UNC caught wind of it Wednesday, what we were doing.
And then it kind of became a little bit of
(19:06):
a race to who was first here. But yesterday, we
took our findings to UNC, sent them 32 questions to
be answered, sent that email at 127. We had a
4 p.m. deadline for a response and a follow-up phone
call at 345 with UNC representatives. And then the answer
(19:29):
we ultimately got was Lombardi's resignation at 5 p.m. And
then we broke our investigation shortly after that.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Okay. Is the investigation still ongoing?
Speaker 8 (19:41):
Yeah, that's the key piece here. I think the investigation
is still ongoing. And UNC's own statement indicated that and
that they are going to take corrective action.
Speaker 6 (19:50):
Action for whatever they find.
Speaker 8 (19:53):
And I think that's the key piece here, because what
we uncovered in speaking to the people interviewed by UNC's
internal investigators is that this investigation, which UNC publicly had
said was related to Michael Lombardi, is clearly much bigger
that based on the questions that are being asked. The
conversations were beginning with questions about not just Lombardi, but
the entire culture at UNC. Questions were then, the conversation
(20:18):
there naturally flowed into Lombardi because he has such a
huge hand in that culture at UNC. And then investigators
were asking questions. And again, these are just questions, not
definitive fact, but the questions provide a window into what
potentially might be going on. But the questions they are
asking were about Recruiting staff, female recruiting staff, allegedly having
sexual relationships with multiple assistant coaches on UNC staff, as
(20:41):
well as at least one player, um, As far as
how that ties to Lombardi, unclear, other than the fact
that Lombardi is the general manager, recruiting, and a lot
of things fall under him. Literally, the title suggests general manager. Again,
that's what we know. We know pushing for those questions
with UNC ultimately led to a resignation. You could tie
(21:04):
the line there if you want to. We don't know
for a fact that it did ultimately lead to it.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
What about Bill Belichick's son?
Speaker 8 (21:11):
Yeah, and that was what really caught my eye too
with the line of questioning was that point blank investigators
asking multiple people about what have they heard or what
do they know about Steve Belichick allegedly using drugs, not
just using drugs, but using drugs at UNC's football facilities,
(21:32):
as well as questions about whether Belichick, this is Steve Belichick,
provided drugs to at least one.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Player what kind of drugs are we talking about pat.
Speaker 8 (21:43):
There's what i've heard uh there's a lot of questioning
there but i don't feel comfortable sharing that because the
investigator is more asking more open-ended questions uh the people
being interviewed then provided what they believe to be true
uh and the investigator then had follow-up questions how do
you know what type of drug do you think it
is how would you know um if if he was
(22:06):
high And that was kind of a line of questioning there,
but I don't feel comfortable sharing.
Speaker 6 (22:10):
I'm not at liberty to share that.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Has Bill Belichick addressed this?
Speaker 8 (22:15):
So he has a press conference scheduled for Monday. As
we all saw, they won the week zero game in Ireland,
basically the opening of the college football season. And it
was a stark contrast to the season opener we had
last year versus TCU in Chapel Hill with all the
hype surrounding Bill Belichick's arrival. Anyway, that one fantastic drive
and then things went downhill from there.
Speaker 6 (22:37):
This was a much better performance.
Speaker 8 (22:39):
And Bill Belichick is going to have a chance to
respond to all this on Monday as they're on a
bye week this week.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
Talking to Pat Welter at WRAL in Raleigh. Does it
help or hurt that you're in Raleigh, not Chapel Hill
investigating North Carolina?
Speaker 8 (22:55):
Yeah, I mean, for people on the outside that don't
understand the region here, I mean, I know some people
fly in and they think it's literally called Raleigh-Durham because
our airport's Raleigh-Durham. But this is the triangle, right? We
have Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. And essentially you have
NC State, Duke and UNC all triangulated about 20 minutes
from each other.
Speaker 6 (23:13):
So you're asking, does it help or does it hurt?
Speaker 8 (23:16):
I mean, I certainly get a lot of feedback from
Chapel Hill fans. And what I always say to people
that I want all of our teams to do well.
My job covering these public universities and NC State and
UNC is to try to tell the story. and try
to hold people in power accountable, and try to provide
(23:38):
you a window into what's going on. I mean, I've
seen all these headlines recently about sports journalism being dead,
and insiderdom versus journalism. That was like a big one yesterday.
What we are attempting to do is real journalism. Now,
if that upsets UNC fans that we're exposing things that
they don't want to hear.
Speaker 6 (23:56):
They have that right.
Speaker 8 (23:58):
I have no agenda other than trying to give you
a how and why into why this has not gone well.
as we expected it to go with arguably the greatest
NFL coach of all time coming to college and having
a four and eight season, which probably doesn't even really
describe how much of a disaster last season was. This
is a new year, but we are starting it on
(24:18):
the foot of an administrative leave for Lombardi. Now a
resignation from Lombardi, his son, Steve Belichick on medical leave
and investigators from UNC's own outside law firm asking questions
about drug use.
Speaker 6 (24:31):
So that's where we are at. In year two, currently
1-0 through week zero.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Can Belichick win his way out of this?
Speaker 8 (24:40):
Well, I would say, you know, speaking to people at UNC,
you know, I had an on-the-record conversation with new athletic
director Steve Newmark at ACC meetings in Florida a couple
months ago.
Speaker 6 (24:51):
And myself and Brian.
Speaker 8 (24:52):
Murphy held him to the fire a little bit about Belichick,
where this is going in year two. And they want
to make this work. I think they thought at least
at that time, you know, give him a little bit
of a mulligan for year one. Could he learn from,
you know, he's coming from the NFL. College is crazier
than it's ever been before. But now when you have
(25:15):
issues of this serious of a nature, even if they
are just questions. You know, UNC's internal investigation is going
to find out. I'm trying to find the proof myself.
And what I found out is that UNC's internal investigators
are asking the same questions basically that I'm trying to ask.
So can he win his way out of this? I
don't know ultimately if it'll be up to him. You know,
(25:39):
the internal investigation is going to find what it finds.
And all I can tell you is what's in Belichick's
own contract, right? He signed a five-year deal worth $ 50 million.
He's the highest paid state employee ever. in the state
of North Carolina. His contract stipulates, I'm going to read
from it here, that he is required to promote an
atmosphere of compliance in the program.
Speaker 6 (25:58):
That's a direct quote.
Speaker 8 (25:59):
It also says he's responsible for the conduct of his
assistant coaches and other program employees and that he also
must report knowledge of the illegal use, sale, or possession
of drugs or the possibility of sexual harassment.
Speaker 6 (26:13):
That's directly in the contract there.
Speaker 8 (26:14):
What UNC's investigators find could ultimately lead to some sort
of reconciliation there.
Speaker 6 (26:22):
Again, I only know what I know. So we're going
to find out.
Speaker 8 (26:25):
Again, this investigation is ongoing and clearly bigger than we
were originally told.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Have fun on Monday at that press conference, Pat. That'll
be really a cheery... Now, does he say that he...
I'm on to East Tennessee State. I don't want to
talk about anything.
Speaker 8 (26:43):
I mean, you know, I remember going in after we
broke the report about the divided locker room um last
year and i i got the first question um there
uh and i was after the loss to clemson there
you know i'm sorry they lose the clemson then we
break the report and then after a bye week we
finally get to ask him questions and yeah i was
(27:04):
prepared for that and you just kind of have to
be ready to have a follow-up because yeah i mean
he's gonna try to walk the line It's the internal investigation.
It's ongoing. We can't comment any further. But I think
at this point, again, this is a public university. This
isn't just an NFL team where you can say we're
on the Cincinnati. You are quite literally, there's taxpayer dollars here.
(27:26):
There's fan dollars being poured into NIL. This is bigger
than Bill Belichick. I mean, this is a university that
people are really proud, have a lot of passion about,
that the people that brought him here, Did so, I
believe in good faith, thinking that they were going to
hire the greatest NFL coach of all time. And, you know,
drawing from quotes from last season, it has been a
(27:48):
complete disaster. So I think at this point, when you
already have lost your general manager, who was your highest
paid general manager in all of college football, who you
had essentially diverted.
Speaker 6 (28:02):
A lot of responsibility to.
Speaker 8 (28:04):
Like one of the quotes I got from a staff
member said, on the UNC staff was that the downfall
of this.
Speaker 6 (28:10):
Whole thing is who Bill listens to.
Speaker 8 (28:13):
And I would tell you through up to this point,
that has been Mike Lombardi and Jordan Hudson. Now, Mike
Lombardi now resigned Jordan Hudson. I haven't seen her in
a while. This was my knowledge.
Speaker 4 (28:24):
She wasn't in Ireland.
Speaker 6 (28:25):
So I don't know. What's going on there?
Speaker 8 (28:27):
So maybe with them both out of the picture, maybe
things can be better. But also there's a lot of
ghosts here from last season haunting them. And I will
tell you that I do think the program was on
a better track this season as we saw week zero.
Like I believe some of the things Belichick has said publicly,
some of the things the players have said publicly. I've
been told privately that he's pulled back on some of
(28:48):
the unnecessary, dogmatic, my way or the highway NFL practices
last season, and that.
Speaker 6 (28:53):
Players generally do like Bill Belichick.
Speaker 8 (28:55):
I've also been told some of the reasons they like
Bill Belichick is because he lets them do what they want.
And we've seen how that can go south as well,
as we've also reported multiple driving infractions, multiple reckless speeding
infractions by star players. players parking and handicapped spots all
over campus. I mean, we've been all over this from
the beginning. And again, it's not trying to out to
(29:18):
get anybody. It's just trying, you know, it's trying to
hold the people in power accountable.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Good luck, Pat. Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 4 (29:26):
Thanks, Dan.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Pat Welter, WRAL-TV sports anchor, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsportsradio.com. And
within the iHeartRadio app, search FSR to listen live.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
Ross Tucker, CBS Sports Westwood 1 NFL analyst and host
of the Ross Tucker Football Podcast. And he's moving up
the ladder at CBS. His first game week one. will
be the Bills at the Texans. That's a one Eastern
on CBS. Which of those teams, Ross, would you have
higher hopes for in the postseason?
Speaker 5 (30:06):
That's an amazing question because they're so similar. Both these
teams lost in the divisional round primarily because of turnovers.
You know, they both have been knocking on the door
of getting to at least the divisional round the last
three years, but they can't get.
Speaker 4 (30:27):
Over the hump.
Speaker 5 (30:29):
You know, for the Bills, obviously, Dan, I've got more
faith in their quarterback than I do in the Texans quarterback.
Speaker 4 (30:34):
I think everybody does.
Speaker 5 (30:35):
There's a reason why Josh Allen is always in the
MVP conversation, why he's a top 10 player in the sport.
But the Texans defense is so good. You know, I
was thinking about this. I've already been prepping for the game.
You know, the Texans have a number of defensive players
that are probably better than anybody on.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
The Bills defense. Let's put it this way.
Speaker 5 (30:59):
If you combine the Bills and the Texans, that might
be the Super Bowl favorite over the L.A.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
Rams at this point. It's not how it works.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
How many players on the Bills defense could start for
the Texans?
Speaker 5 (31:13):
Well, I'd have to go through player by player, and
I'm not going to do that with you live.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
I'll say not many. Not many. I mean, off the
top of my head, maybe two or three. Maybe.
Speaker 5 (31:29):
Which says a lot, I think, about what Josh Allen
and the Bills have been able to accomplish. You know,
I haven't looked at the NFL top 100 players all
that closely or that vote. Are there any Bills defensive
guys on it? I think that's probably the biggest issue
I see in Buffalo right now, Dan, is that when
you look at their defense, let's pretend like you and
(31:51):
I are offensive coaches or offensive coordinators during the week.
Who's the guy we're really concerned about? Who's the guy
we're saying, we've got to double-team him or we can't
throw it at that guy? I mean, Christian Benford, their
one corner, is a nice player.
Speaker 4 (32:08):
Ed Oliver has done some good things. But conversely, You're
playing against the Texans? You're the Bills? Daniil Hunter is
a problem. Will Anderson, a problem. You don't want to
throw it at Stingley, but you don't really want to
throw it at Lassiter either.
Speaker 5 (32:26):
And then Jalen Petrie in the nickel is one of
the best in the business. So it is a stark
contrast in terms of what these two teams are bringing
to the table personnel-wise on the defensive side of the ball.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
If I said you can have Will Anderson and Daniil
Hunter sack total or Miles Garrett and Aaron Donald, who
are you taking?
Speaker 5 (32:48):
I'm taking Daniil Hunter and Will Anderson. I think that
they are awesome. I think that Aaron Donald's reps are
going to be limited. I would also say on some level,
the Rams have a bunch of other guys. So, you know,
whether it's Fisk or.
Speaker 4 (33:06):
Young or whoever... You.
Speaker 5 (33:08):
Know, sometimes I think Miles Garrett and Aaron Donald are
going to draw the attention. So the other young guns
that the Rams have on that D-line, they're the ones
getting the one-on-ones.
Speaker 4 (33:19):
They're the ones getting the sacks.
Speaker 5 (33:22):
But I also say this, you know, prepping for the game,
I just watched the Texans against the Patriots in the
divisional round.
Speaker 4 (33:29):
And Will Anderson and Daniil Hunter.
Speaker 5 (33:31):
Absolutely destroyed the Patriots' tackles. It's crazy that they could
knock the ball out of Drake May's hands that many
times and still lose the game.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
I was watching some shows and the topic was, how
about the Rams going undefeated? And I thought, okay, the
Rams are really good and a prohibitive favorite, but What
would be your over-under victory total for the Rams this year?
Speaker 4 (34:04):
Probably 12.5.
Speaker 5 (34:05):
I think they're in a very good division with Seattle
and San Francisco. We just talked about this.
Speaker 4 (34:15):
Earlier in the week on the Even Money Betting Podcast.
Speaker 5 (34:18):
I think they're officially 11.5, Dan, but the juice is
to the over. If I had to set it, I'd
probably say 12.5. The only thing I will say, it
feels like it's been a while since we've had one
of these super teams or stacked teams. You know, sometimes
there can be so much conversation between about how good
(34:41):
they are in the playoffs, and they don't want to
have Aaron Donald take too many reps during the regular season,
they're going to slip up and lose a couple regular
season games at least.
Speaker 4 (34:51):
At least a couple.
Speaker 5 (34:52):
And they're going to have some tough games against Seattle
and San Francisco. So I think 12.5 is the right number.
At 11.5, I'm definitely a lean to the over. I
think they'll win probably 12 or 13.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
We're talking to Ross Tucker, CBS Sports, Westwood One NFL Analyst.
host of Ross Tucker Football Podcast, and he's calling games
for CBS and Westwood One in the booth. Week one, Bills-Texans.
That kicks off at 1 Eastern on CBS. What is
your biggest question? All teams, all players going into the season.
(35:29):
You got one?
Speaker 4 (35:30):
21 new offensive coordinators. 21, Dan. Two-thirds of the league.
And you know what?
Speaker 5 (35:38):
When you're a player, and you can appreciate this, you
never really want to give the coaches that much blame
because you don't want to give them that much credit
when things are going well. I will say with every
year I get removed from playing and I study it
as an analyst, coaching is super important. I mean, I've
(36:02):
called games now, Dan, where the OC is light years
ahead of of the dc or where the oc on
the one team is just significantly better than the guy
on the other team you just see it i mean
listen you know i do the eagles preseason games they
(36:23):
alternate 2022 they had shane steichen they were dynamite 2023
not so much 2024 kellen moore.
Speaker 4 (36:33):
Saquon Barkley rushed for well over 2,000 yards.
Speaker 1 (36:35):
They were awesome.
Speaker 5 (36:36):
They won the Super Bowl. 2025, not so much. It
matters a lot. And two-thirds of the league has new guys.
So some of them have never done it before. You know,
like Sean Mannion in Philly or Declan Doyle in Baltimore.
Speaker 4 (36:52):
These are like.
Speaker 5 (36:54):
They're supposed to win double-digit games that have play callers
that have never done it before. And the reality is
some of these guys are going to end up being
really good. And some of these guys are not. And
where we sit right now, none of us really know.
You can't tell by the preseason. You know, it's like
when you were in college playing Madden or video games.
(37:16):
You can sit there and think you're good. How good
are you when you actually have the controllers? When the
sticks are in your hand, how do you perform?
Speaker 4 (37:24):
Some of these guys are going to be good with
the sticks and some of these guys are not.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
The Eagles still fascinate me because it feels like they're
an underdog. Jalen Hurts still feels like, yeah, but you've
got to prove it to me again. Here he has
another offensive coordinator. Handicap the Eagles this year and How
(37:48):
do they match up with the Rams and whoever else
you want to throw in with the NFC?
Speaker 5 (37:54):
Well, so what's fascinating to me about the Eagles is
everything people say about Hurts, they also kind of say
about Sirianni. It's like, yeah, he's been to two Super
Bowls and he's won three division titles and he's been
in the playoffs five straight years, but they have really
good players on the team.
Speaker 4 (38:13):
Well, no kidding, they have really good players.
Speaker 5 (38:15):
I mean, show me the guys, the quarterback or the
head coach that wins at that level that doesn't have
other really good players.
Speaker 4 (38:23):
And because of that, they're going to be good again.
Speaker 5 (38:25):
I mean, they're going to have a top five defense.
They are loaded with young talent and Vic Fangio's as
good of a defensive coordinator as there is.
Speaker 4 (38:34):
And they're going to have a top five offensive line.
I mean, if you plug that.
Speaker 5 (38:38):
Into AI, top five defense, top five offensive line, they're
spitting out that you win double-digit games. Almost no matter
what else happens, you're going to win double-digit games. Now,
I do think it's going to be a work in
progress on offense. Because before, they've always had new coordinators,
but basically running the same offense.
Speaker 4 (38:59):
Now.
Speaker 5 (39:00):
It's like they burned the boats. They're not doing the shotgun.
They're not doing the zone read. This is totally a McVay, Shanahan,
under center, play action, bootleg. They're not going back. They
can't go back at this point. So I think the
first month there will be growing pains. The defense can
(39:20):
have to carry the day. And then we'll just have
to see how fast this offense can get up to speed.
Speaker 2 (39:27):
Because I look at the Rams, obviously Seattle, you want
to talk about an underdog I don't remember the last
time somebody won the Super Bowl and it feels like
they're an underdog coming into this season why is that.
Speaker 5 (39:38):
Because they're in Seattle I don't know what it is
about Seattle that it's like their own little corner of
the country. They might as well be in Canada. It's
like we don't talk about Seattle as a city. We
don't talk about the Seahawks. I mean, look, there's a
lot more diehard Seahawks fans up there than there are
(40:00):
Chargers fans or whatever down in LA with two teams
and the way LA is. But yet, for some reason,
it's like the Pacific Northwest team always sort of gets
the short end of the straw when it comes to
media attention. I think they kind of like it. If
you've been watching Hard Knocks, it's been awesome. Their coach,
(40:21):
Mike McDonald, looks to be a superstar head coach.
Speaker 4 (40:25):
And I think that they love that they're under the radar.
Speaker 5 (40:28):
I think that they love that everybody's giving the Rams
all the credit again. I'd be surprised if they're not very,
very good again.
Speaker 2 (40:37):
The Cowboys... I like all the additions. I like what
they've done. That schedule was really tough, though, Ross.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
It's weird.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
It feels like they got the schedule the Eagles were
supposed to get, and the Eagles got the schedule the Cowboys.
I like what they've done, and I don't say that
very often, but that schedule just feels like if they
get to 10 wins... I mean, they can be dangerous
when they get to the playoffs, but getting to 10 wins.
(41:08):
Might be tough sledding.
Speaker 4 (41:10):
Well, I think they're going to.
Speaker 5 (41:11):
I would say this is the best I have felt
about the Dallas Cowboys going into a season in years.
Speaker 4 (41:18):
They don't have to have a good defense.
Speaker 2 (41:20):
But better than the Eagles?
Speaker 5 (41:23):
I think they're right there. To me, I would peg
both those teams. at probably 10.5. I would give a
slight edge to the Eagles. I think the way it
is right now is the Eagles are 10.5, Cowboys 9.5.
Speaker 4 (41:38):
That sounds right to me.
Speaker 5 (41:40):
They both very easily could be around 10 or 11 wins,
especially with the growing pains for the Eagles on the
offensive side of the ball. Listen, if the Cowboys are
just not.
Speaker 4 (41:52):
Terrible on defense... If they're.
Speaker 5 (41:55):
Just not bottom five, they win double-digit games. They would
have won double-digit games last year if they just weren't
a bottom five defense. And honestly, it would be hard
for them to be as bad defensively as they were
last year. I think they're going to win double-digit games.
I think the Cowboys are going back to the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (42:14):
Yeah, I agree with you. I thought if they're a
top 15 defense, they're a playoff team with that offense because,
you know, I've had analysts come on and say Dak Prescott,
for a while, was the best quarterback in the NFL
last year. And I think that was kind of lost
(42:34):
because of how the Cowboys season ends. But you get
a 1,000-yard rusher. You got those two receivers, tight end.
It's there for them and what they did on defense.
And look, I shy away from talking about the Cowboys
for Cowboys' sake. But I keep coming back because I
loved the Caleb Downs pick. And they made the right
(42:56):
move with Micah Parsons. You know, can they put enough
pressure on the quarterback to get sacks? That would be
my big question there. But you bring in Vaughn Miller, maybe,
what did he have? Eight and a half sacks last year?
Maybe you could squeeze a year out of him. But I'm...
Bullish on the Cowboys.
Speaker 3 (43:16):
I am.
Speaker 4 (43:17):
Well, and I think you should be. And I agree.
And isn't it weird?
Speaker 5 (43:23):
Like what you said about Dak is such a good point, Dan.
It's like there are certain quarterbacks. I would say there
was also a stretch last year where it felt like
Justin Herbert, you know, was playing as well as anyone.
But because those guys don't have the postseason success and
it's like we forget what they did in the regular season.
Speaker 4 (43:44):
You know, we were all.
Speaker 5 (43:45):
Creatures of the last thing we saw, and the last
thing we saw was Herbert not playing well in the preseason,
I mean the postseason, and Dak Prescott not even making
the postseason. So it's like we disregard some of the
really impressive things that they did during the regular season,
and yet I still don't know if either one of
(44:06):
those guys gets over the hump and wins playoff game
or multiple playoff games this year. It could be same old,
same old for both those guys.
Speaker 2 (44:17):
Have fun. It'll be the Bills at the Texans. That'll
be week one at 1 Eastern on CBS. Yeah, you're
moving up the food chain there at CBS. You're becoming
like a big-time star. Are you going to have time
for the show? Because now it feels like you're a
big deal.
Speaker 4 (44:34):
I'm not a big deal.
Speaker 5 (44:35):
I will always have time for you guys and your
amazing listeners. I will say, I think it's the best
Sunday 1 o'clock game. So if you would have told
me at some point, I'd be calling the best Sunday
1 o'clock game opening Sunday.
Speaker 4 (44:52):
What's the opposite of caffeine?
Speaker 5 (44:54):
I need to take the opposite of caffeine before that game.
Speaker 2 (44:58):
How about a beta blocker?
Speaker 5 (45:00):
Well, I don't even know what that is, but I
need to take anti-caffeine before Bills and Texans next Sunday.
Speaker 2 (45:07):
How about a gummy?
Speaker 3 (45:12):
Thank you, Ross.
Speaker 4 (45:13):
See you then.
Speaker 2 (45:15):
Ross Tucker's doing big boy things there, getting excited, pumped
up for the Bills and the Texans week one.
Hosts And Creators
Todd "Fritzy" Fritz
Dan Patrick
Patrick "Seton" O'Connor
Paul Pabst
Marvin Prince
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.