August 30, 2025 • 37 mins
NFL QB Ben DiNucci explains the backstory behind his recent viral tweet and explains what it's like to be cut from NFL teams seven different times. Miami Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel discusses forever-changing offensive coaching philosophies and shares who is the most talented QB he's ever been around. Plus, Dan reacts to the huge news of the Cowboys trading Micah Parsons to the Packers and rips Jerry Jones for pushing the notion that the team somehow got better with this trade.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Ben Denucci, NFL quarterback, recently cut by the Falcons, the
seventh time he's been released in his pro career. He
played at Pittsburgh, He played at James Madison and was
initially I think selected by the Cowboys and the twenty
twenty NFL Draft. Got to start a game for the Cowboys.
I think that same year during COVID and Ben joining us,
(00:26):
I wanted to buy you a beer. I felt bad
when you posted you were at the airport. What time
was that you were having a beer on Saturday?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
About three pm?
Speaker 4 (00:36):
So I thought it was I thought it was good
enough time to crack one open, so figured it was fine.
Speaker 5 (00:41):
Do you ever get used to getting cut?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Honestly?
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Yeah, I mean I was very fortunate the first couple
of years of my career to be to be in Dallas,
and then the last couple of years. Yeah, the last twelve,
twelve or eighteen months, I've been on three or four teams.
It seems like every couple of months, you're, uh, you're
packing up, finding finding a new place to play, and
you know, going about your business.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
So yeah, I'd say at this point I'm I'm used
to it. I'm kind of numb to it. Not necessarily
that it's a bad thing, it's you just kind of
get used to it.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
How tense is cut down day?
Speaker 3 (01:18):
For me? The last I mean the last couple of years,
it hasn't been very tense.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
I didn't see myself having any chance to make the roster,
to make the practice squad. But it's it's tough, right,
I mean, you people don't realize for the guys that
are trying to make this roster, the any roster, the
preseason is your is your super Bowl?
Speaker 6 (01:35):
Right?
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Your playoffs?
Speaker 4 (01:35):
You get two or three games, Uh, you get maybe
a couple of quarters a game to go put on
tape what you're what you're gonna do, not only for
the team you're on.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
But the thirty one other teams. So it's it's very stressed.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
I've got a few buddies who are still sitting around
waiting this morning to see if see if their phone
rings are not and uh, they'll go from there. But yeah,
it's stressful. It's guys live livelihoods. It's their way of
making money and it's uh, you know what they do.
So it's it's very stressful.
Speaker 5 (01:58):
How were you told.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
My phone rang from.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
A New York number that I didn't have in my
phone and that's normally, you know, that's normally a number
you don't ever want to see pop up on your phone.
I answered, Hey, Ben, you know, coach wants to see you.
Bring your iPad, bring your charger, bring your playbook. And
that's kind of kind of how it rolls. When you
get into the facility, there's somebody waiting for you. They
take you around, drop your iPad off, go see your coaches,
go see you know, whoever else you need to see,
(02:24):
and then you know, they buy.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
You a flight, and then you're next thing, you know,
you're drinking an airport beer.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
So okay, what do you do now? Like, at what
point do you say?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Now, I know you're you're going to do a football
game coming up air Force and Bucknill and CBA Sports Network,
But are you done trying out for NFL teams?
Speaker 4 (02:43):
So no, I don't think I'm officially done yet, right,
I mean, the NFL is an interesting kind of animal.
You get a phone called any second, could be today, tomorrow,
could be in six months, could could never be again.
So yeah, the tough part guy for guys, is staying
in it right, waking up every morning, still doing what
you've been doing the last couple of years, to make
sure that you know if the phone rings, you know
(03:03):
you're you're doing what you're supposed to do and ready
to roll that if a team needs you.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
But at the same time, I've.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Been in this situation a couple times the last couple
of years and don't necessarily want.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
To be waiting around again.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
I'll fall just stressing myself out watching NFL games on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
So I'm excited to uh to move on a little bit.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Progress the next chapter of my career outside of football,
and looking forward to to call on Buck Noelver's Air
Force to Saturday.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Okay, but if you get a call on Friday night
by an NFL team, what happens to Saturday afternoon?
Speaker 5 (03:30):
Bucknell and air Force?
Speaker 4 (03:32):
I'll tell them, hey, I can't I can't be anywhere
until Sunday, and hopefully their.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
Response is what I expected to seventh round draft pick
by the Cowboys.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Correct?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
What was that like when Jerry Jones called you to
tell you he was drafting you?
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Very cool?
Speaker 4 (03:50):
I think I might be one of the only people
in Cowboys history to say that I got drafted from
from Jerry Jones's yacht. It was that COVID year, so
they weren't they weren't in their draft room, and I
think Jerry was calling everybody from from from his yacht
in the middle of the ocean somewhere and saw the
phone ring. It was his assistant. He said, hey, you know, Ben,
you know, mister mister Jones wants to talk to you.
We've got the next pick. We're drafting you. And you know,
(04:12):
at that point, it was kind of like, all right,
this is this is really cool. Everything that we worked
for growing up, high school, college, it's kind of all come,
I'll come for a full circle and worth it.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
And this is kind of the moment that that we've
been waiting for.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Ben Denutci NFL quarter I'm still going to introduce you's
NFL quarterback.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
That's that's fair. I'll take it.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Yeah, okay, released for the seventh time in his pro career,
and it'll be in the broadcasting booth. It'll be Bucknell
in Air Force. That'll be a three thirty Eastern this
weekend for CBS Sports Network. Being on the practice squad
as opposed to the active squad. What's the difference in
how you're treated your pay lifestyle.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
Yeah, honestly, nothing's different except the except your weekly checks
that you're getting in every week. You know, everybody treats
you the same way, right, I mean, there's fi three
guys on the active roster and they're sixteen on the
practice squad. And the reality of the NFL is that
guys are going to get hurt over the course of
the year, right, whether it's you know, whatever position it is.
And so those guys that are on the practice squad there,
they're a vital part of the team. They're the guys
that are getting the starters ready to go to go,
(05:15):
you know, play out there on Sundays. They have a vital,
vital role in making these teams go. And so there's
a reason that these teams put a lot of effort
into into the practice squad, just just like they do
the active rosters.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
So yeah, it's really all the same.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
You're still traveling with the team, you're still still practicing,
still part of meetings. The pay cuts a little bit
a little bit less, but at the end of the day,
it's it's it's still great.
Speaker 5 (05:37):
So, but can you can you leave it now?
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Like if I say what is your moment, You're going
to tell your kids are grand kids where you that's
my NFL moment?
Speaker 5 (05:47):
What is it?
Speaker 6 (05:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (05:50):
I mean it, it'd be hard not to say, you know,
my rookie year, when I got to start that game
on Sunday Night Football against the Cowboys. I think that's
a moment that everybody kind of grows up thinking, Hey,
I'd love to I'd love to play in the NFL.
Let alone, let it be for the Dallas Cowboys, right,
I mean, the Stars just kind of this iconic brand,
not only you know in the.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
US, but you know overseas as well.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
So yeah, it's it's crazy that it just happened my
first year. Some guys it happens year ten, something happens
year five. Mind just happened to be to be a
rookie year. And so to be able to do that
and say I started a game for the Dallas Cowboys,
it's something that a lot of people can't can't say
and stick their name to.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
So that was kind of my hey, welcome to the
NFL moment.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
And I think when it's all said and done, that'll
be what I look back on and saying, man, I
was that was pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
I'm glad, glad that happened.
Speaker 5 (06:31):
Hell nervous, were you? Well?
Speaker 4 (06:36):
Honestly, I think I would have been a lot more
nervous had there been seventy five thousand people in the
stands like a year opposed to only five or six
thousand for COVID.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
So honestly, wasn't that nervous, right? I think you're more
nervous just kind.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
Of the week leading up the practice, the game plan,
making sure you know that checks, everything is kind of
you're good mentally, and then when you get out there
on the on the day of the game. Shoot, it's
the same game I've been playing for the last fifteen years.
So when you step inside the white lines, it's it's
go time. You got to shut shut everything else out
and go play ball.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
You get to keep your jerseys from all these stomps.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
You do. Yeah, you can see my Cowboys one up here.
I grabbed, uh.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
I grabbed my Falcons one last weekend, and I think
I've got the only the only one I don't have
is the bills from last year during camp. So trying
to trying to find a way to to get that one.
That's the last one I need.
Speaker 5 (07:20):
Do you have to ask or do you steal?
Speaker 4 (07:25):
Well, you steal, but they still uh, they still deduct
it from your paycheck.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
You've got to kind of sign off on everything.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
The day after the games when they're checking all the
jerseys back in there, like all of a sudden, Hey,
danucciese jersey's not here. Let's make sure he uh, he
pays for this thing on his way out. So that
might have been my last party and gift from the Falcons.
Speaker 5 (07:40):
How much was it?
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Uh? Four hundred bucks? Yeah, so, I mean, I guess
it depends who you ask if that's.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
A lot of money or not.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
So is it game used?
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Worth it? It's worth it?
Speaker 5 (07:55):
Yeah, it's game used.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
I worked the game, took it right off, took it
right off my pads after the game and through my bags.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Good luck with the broadcasting career and maybe the phone rings.
But you got the opportunity though, Ben, that's the key
and a lot of us never had it. You got it,
and maybe you get that opportunity again. But it seemed
like you're in good spirits. I don't know if you're
masking something. Did you cry?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
I've cried a couple of times.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
I'm at this point in my career where it's just
I'm filled with a lot of gratitude at this point.
Right to be able to be cut that many times,
you've got to you know, team's got to like you
enough to sign you in the first place. Right, So
it's been an unbelievable career. Got five good years, played
on a bunch of different teams, played for some you
know head coaches that I grew up idolizing, you know, Coach.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
McCarthy, coach Peyton, coach McDermott, and Buffalo.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
Played with a lot of guys, right Dak, Josh, Allen, Russell, Wilson,
Guys that you know I've had on my fantasy team.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Figures growing up. And then all of a sudden you're.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
Sitting next to him in the in the meeting room saying,
how the hell the heck did I get here?
Speaker 3 (08:50):
So it's been really cool for me. Yeah, there's no
reason to hang my hat.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
I'm excited about the next chapter, and it's been it's
been a heck of a ride.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
It might be awkward, and it might be awkwary were
me even saying this, But did you ever try to
swap jerseys with dak or Russell Wilson or Josh Allen.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Honestly, no, that thought never even even crossed my mind.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
But looking back now, I sure would like to have
a couple of a couple of those jerseys to throw
up next to mine and in my man cave, just
to say, hey, my kids one day, Yeah, your dad
was decent.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
He actually did play with these guys.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
He doesn't just have a bunch of random, random jerseys
of himself hanging up on the wall.
Speaker 5 (09:26):
Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
We appreciate being a good sport here and good luck
against with Bucknell and Air Force this weekend.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Thank you, Dan, appreciate it all the best.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
That's Ben Denucci.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
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Speaker 7 (09:46):
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Speaker 2 (10:44):
Mike McDaniel four season as the Dolphins head coach, and
of course a star wide receiver with the Yale Bulldogs
official height and weight coach.
Speaker 9 (10:54):
Five to nine and undisclosed because.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
At Yale you were five to nine in seventy five,
but that feels like that might have been inflated a
little bit.
Speaker 9 (11:05):
You know, it was actually closer to my true weight
at that time. I was inflated. My body wasn't really
built for that weight. But I was taking a lot
of supplements at the time.
Speaker 5 (11:18):
Okay, legal supplements, of course.
Speaker 9 (11:20):
Of course, above brow of course.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
Were you Julian Edelman before Julian Edelman?
Speaker 9 (11:27):
Yes, end statement.
Speaker 5 (11:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (11:34):
Now I was limited to an inside receiver route tree
because of lack of linear speed, and I was quicker
than fast, as they'd say, And I did a lot
of coaching while playing, if you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
How about forty yard Danish if you raised Tyreek Hill, Yeah,
he would.
Speaker 5 (11:53):
Get me, he would.
Speaker 9 (11:58):
I had to think about it.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Okay, is there anybody closer to him speed wise?
Speaker 9 (12:05):
Yeah, there's I think there's a lot of guys that
are that are that are fast, particularly on our team,
But I think what makes his speed unique is the acceleration.
You know, it's he gets top speed very quick. He's
almost top speed on the third step of a route
(12:27):
when he's motioning, so that the quickness and speed is
hard to it's hard to match. But there's several guys
on the team that will with absolute certainty say that
they're faster than him, even though they don't have a
time as fast as his.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
But if you're calling plays knowing that he's so quick
at like, does it change if you're calling something, let's
say it's it's third and seven, you just want to
get him the ball because of that acceleration, not he
has to go out seven or eight yards.
Speaker 9 (13:02):
No, you know, quite literally. One of the the positives
of being in the same offensive system for my entire career.
You know, I came in two thousand and five learning
Mike Shanahan's and have stayed with it is realistically, the
what the offense is is a product of people's skill sets.
(13:22):
So we do a lot of timing motion because we
can utilize Tyreek and waddle and et cetera at that
that their unique skill sets. So pretty much, uh, you know,
all all players skill sets for us now in the
system are eve've kind of adapted to them and try
(13:47):
to use their their best skills most frequently.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
When did that change? It felt like when quarterbacks were drafted,
certainly in my era, that you had to adapt to
that coach and his philosophy. Where it feels like Cam
Newton when he came in, it felt like Carolina says, Hey,
we're gonna cater to your needs. I don't know if
you remember since you were there with Shanahan and five,
(14:13):
did you see something a seismic shift where you're kind
of adapting your audience or your your offense to that
quarterback you're taking.
Speaker 9 (14:23):
Yeah, I think you just hit on something super interesting
because the whole the whole tree underneath. Kyle Shanahan learned
that in twenty twelve when we had a rookie RG
three at quarterback and we're gonna jump into the game
of zone read and realistically we completely adapted. You know,
(14:49):
I was an offensive assistant, you know, Matt Lafleur was
the quarterback coach. Sean McVay was the Titans coach. Kyle
Shanahan was the offensive coordinator. You know. Raheem Morris was
the defense or secondary coach. Bobby Sloak was outside linebackers coach.
All these people first hand where we had our offense
(15:15):
from what we ran in Houston and extension Denver and
then retooled it in Washington, and then for for me
personally and and Kyle, we went we got fired and
then went to Cleveland and had a job and didn't
want to get fired. So we tried to adapt to
(15:36):
those players, and then we did the same thing when
we went to Atlanta. So it was it's really in
the course of the journey. Early on, we we had
the opportunity to, you know, directly, you know, evolved the
offense to cater to players' needs. And you know, I've
kind of seen everything through that lens.
Speaker 5 (15:57):
Since most talented quarterback you've ever been around?
Speaker 9 (16:02):
Talented what the quarterbacking? You know, I would I would say, uh,
you know, Matt Ryan was up there, but I think
two is probably the most talented quarterback. The most talented,
UH speed threat was probably Robert Griffin the third you know,
(16:26):
so he was fast and uh before the defense UH
schematically caught up to us. You know, he do his
Rookie of the Year for a reason. Matt Ryan played
the game, UH in a unique K way that really
changed a lot of stuff that we do in the
dropback game based upon how how good he was. And
(16:48):
then there was uh one of the best quarterbacks at
play action pass that's super underrated was Matt shab He
was He was really good at utilizing Andrew Johnson's speed
and being able to avoid sacks while getting explosives.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Talking to Mike McDaniel, four season is the Dolphins head coach.
You start out, you got Indy at Indy, then host
New England at Buffalo, and then host New York.
Speaker 5 (17:17):
How much pressure do you feel?
Speaker 9 (17:21):
I always think that's funny because I think it would
have to be delusional to not you know, expect. You know,
I think you take a job like this and you're
working in the NFL, and for me, I'm preparing to
have this job, and then I take the job, and
I'm very much aware of the black and white reality
(17:43):
of you know, wins and losses and how things, how
you're able to you know, sustain the job and keep
the job and involve the program is all based on,
you know, the nuts and bolts of winning and losing games.
So I think everything that I do to prepare has
always been to uh kind of be my best self
(18:07):
in moments of pressure. And uh yeah, I mean I
know it exists, but I don't feel it because it's
kind of uh, you know ingrained or attached to what
I understand this job to be.
Speaker 5 (18:21):
How much do you take home with you, you know, uh.
Speaker 9 (18:25):
The gift of uh you know, my one and only
daughter has has really helped, uh, you know, create some
boundaries for myself. You know, I carry stuff through the
through the car ride home, but when I get home,
especially when you have a short compressed time to to
(18:46):
be something that's you know, pillar of importance in who
you are as a person, which is being a father
for me, I get to I get the gift of
being able to get home, see her face, engage her,
and try to leave it at work because you have
to be balanced in life to have your edge at
(19:09):
your at performance really for whatever you're doing. So you know,
I think earlier in my career I struggled to do that,
but my daughters really helped me out with that one.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
When you were growing up and you were getting those
autographs when you go to the Broncos camp, do you
still have those autographs?
Speaker 9 (19:28):
I do in a trunk somewhere.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
What are some of your favorite autographs that you got
when you were a kid.
Speaker 9 (19:34):
I had one sleeve of cards like in the plastic,
but it was a sleeve in a binder that I
kept all the autographs and it was probably the John
Only page. I had about seven of them because I
was a relentless obsessed daily visitor at Denver Brock's training camp.
(19:56):
So those were probably my favorite, or you know, the
we del Pino one that led.
Speaker 5 (20:01):
To uh to.
Speaker 9 (20:04):
Uh me meeting my my stepdad. That was probably the
two best ones that that got me uh connected with
Mike Shanahan in the first place.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Okay, so explain that because it wasn't it an assistant coach, Like,
explain how your mom met her your stepdad.
Speaker 9 (20:24):
Well, I mean it's the normal nuclear family trajectory of
a child introducing uh my mother and stepfather.
Speaker 5 (20:36):
Of course happens all the time.
Speaker 9 (20:39):
Yeah, So I was getting autograph.
Speaker 7 (20:43):
Uh.
Speaker 9 (20:44):
Well, I would go to Denver Bronco training camp and
uh and get autographs daily. I had a Charlotte Hornets
fitted loud purple and teal hat and uh it was noticeable.
So I got Robert Delpino's autograph earlier in the day.
I wanted to get another one. As an only child,
(21:06):
I guess I just wanted more. So I put the
hat down, got the autograph, came back, the hat was gone.
I was about nine at the time, so I was
crying and a member of the Broncos was interested in
why I was freaking out. I told him about the hat.
He took down the measurements. A couple of days later,
(21:26):
he saw me again at training camp because I was
automatic at Lawrence Hall at the time, and he he
gave me a hat with a price tag on it.
He went out to the Greeley mall and bought me
a hat, and so then I thought he was worthy
of meeting my mother. So I introduced them, and they
got married and moved to Denver and was as a result,
(21:50):
he was an assistant video guy for the Broncos and
I got to at age fourteen. I was a ball
boy through high school and uh, you know, really got
in the NFL door, you know, being able to be
around the guys and stuff from you know, before I
(22:11):
could drive.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Well, speaking of love, your reaction to Travis Kelsey and
Taylor Swift getting engaged was what.
Speaker 9 (22:20):
Oh you just told me. I didn't know, that's my reaction.
Speaker 5 (22:24):
How do you not know?
Speaker 9 (22:28):
Well, you, uh, you keep yourself from anything that's multimedia,
and then, uh, you make yourself a terrible conversation when
people bring up pop culture, and you do that over time,
and then you don't know anything that you uh, you
know I'm pumped to hear about it now, I guess,
(22:50):
you know, I think there's layers to to my reaction,
you know. You know, I'm hoping it's a loved love
based relationship and you know, and good for them, you know,
finally finally they're not I mean, finally they're doing it
the old fashioned way, you know, where people shouldn't really
(23:12):
enter into any escapades unless they're married.
Speaker 6 (23:14):
You know.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
So, now, if one of your guys gets engaged, do
you expect to be invited to the wedding?
Speaker 9 (23:22):
Now, I'm the boss, like, so, I appreciate if I am,
but my expectation is that nobody wants to hang out
with me. Ever that that I'm the boss.
Speaker 5 (23:33):
Of Are you a buzzkill?
Speaker 9 (23:36):
No, it's just the nature of boss, you know. The
nature of boss is like, all right, this isn't work.
Why do I feel like it's work? Oh, because there's
the guy that may or may not be judging me,
you know. So I don't get my feelings hurt. I
don't have high expectations for for that, just understanding the
(23:56):
role and responsibility.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
Always great to catch up with you, Thanks for joining us,
good luck starting the season.
Speaker 9 (24:03):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
That's uh.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Mike McDaniel four season is the Dolphins head coach. They
were eight to nine last year, and they open up
at Indy, host New England, at Buffalo and hosts New York.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 5 (24:27):
Stop me if you've heard this one before.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
Files brings us the Dallas Cowboys who committed, in my opinion,
organizational malpractice yesterday. And it's not just because they traded
away Micah Parsons. It's how they traded him away. You
get two first round picks, you get a former Pro
Bowl defensive lineman Kenny Clark from Green Bay and Jerry
Jones admitted that the team had been considering moving Parsons
(24:53):
as early as the beginning of the off season, and
I think that's where the misstep occurred. If you know
your open to dealing a twenty six year old pass rusher,
maybe the best defensive player in the game, why wait
until a week before the start of the season. If
you're in March leading up to the draft, you know
everybody's got these draft picks.
Speaker 5 (25:15):
Maybe we could do something here.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Cap room teams can maybe explore a trade with Michaeh Parsons.
It just doesn't make any sense if you're going to
trade him, okay, then trade him back in March or
April if the you know, the sticker shock was there
and you didn't want to pay him that you thought
you had a handshake agreement, which is illegal in the NFL. Illegal,
(25:37):
and Jerry thought, okay, we've agreed on a deal that's
just over forty million dollars forty point five. Well, if
you know these other defensive players who are a similar
stature to Michaeh Parsons, TJ. Watt and Miles Garon, Max Crosby,
(25:57):
maybe you know what the price is going to be,
and you know what's going on. You draft a guy,
you want him to be great. You want him to
be into that second contract they were going to do that.
He has been great, He's you know, his trajectory is
Hall of fame. And I kept thinking, okay, I didn't
(26:20):
think that Jerry would trade him, and then all of
a sudden I did a little deeper dive, and you know,
I had conversations that were off the record, and I
have to be true to those two conversations. But as
soon as I got off the you know, a phone
call with one source and I called Paulie and I go,
I got information. I can't really do anything with this.
(26:41):
I got to be fair, but it gave me a
little bit more of a backdrop on what had been
going on. And was Micah Parsons truly liked in the building.
Could Stephen Jones have been maybe his fingerprints are on this,
Like there was a lot of things that were swirling.
I just want to kind of find out exactly. It
doesn't help me advance the story, but at least I
(27:05):
was trying to find out. But I was sworn, you know,
this is off the record. This you know, like every
four sentences, this is off the record, I go, oh,
it's off the record. But I wanted to understand how
did we get to this point because Jerry, I thought,
would say, I got a quarterback that is a marque quarterback.
(27:26):
Whether you think he's great or not, you're paying him.
You got a Marquee wide receiver, and you got Micah Parsons.
They got Digs too, who's been banged up the last
two years. But you got guys at keep positions and
that's what you want. And I thought, Okay, this is
it's gonna hurt. You overpaid for Dak. You needed to
overpay for Micah Parsons in my opinion. But somehow through
(27:50):
all of this, Jerry Jones yesterday with a straight face,
said that the team is actually better now.
Speaker 6 (28:00):
This gives us a better chance to be a better
team than we have been the last few several years
since Mike has been here. Not any negative on Michaeh,
but we're trying to get better. We're trying to stop
the run and stay on the hunt.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Okay, you're not better now, not today, and you have flexibility.
Kenny Clark is a good defensive tackle, but his best
years are behind him. He went to two Pro Bowls. Okay, yeah,
we got to stop the run. You know, you got
to stop the pass as well. You had one of
the worst defenses. It's not just hey, we're stopping the run,
but boy, they're putting up a lot of yards on
(28:39):
us through the air. Michael Parsons is a game changer.
He wrecks games. The only way you would be better
is if Michael Parsons doesn't play for Green Bay. He's
banged up or doesn't play well. What are the odds
of a guy who's twenty six with a big chip
on his shoulder now, and you got to live up
to that contract going to underproduce. This reminds me of
(29:03):
the Khalil Mack deal when the Bears acquired him. The
Raiders got more from the Bears, then the Cowboys got,
you know, for Micah Parsons from green Back, you got
to first and then you got a couple other draft
picks for you know, Klo Mac and very similar, similar age,
similar production. And I've just I kept thinking, you got
(29:26):
to get more. I thought it was three first round picks.
Do you know Jamal Adams was traded for three first
round picks? That's a safety. Seattle gave up. And see,
you know, Seattle's got a great front office. They gave
up three first round picks for Jamal Adams. You gotta
get more, you gotta shop him, and you didn't do that.
(29:49):
But is is Jerry's ego in the way here? You know,
everybody wants to make the herschel Walker analogy. It's not.
I Meanjimmy Johnson was running the show. Jimmy Johnson orchestrated
the value they were going to get for herschel Walker,
and it changed the franchise. This isn't changing the franchise
(30:11):
because if I look at the average pick draft pick,
first round pick of the Packers the last five drafts,
so where they're going to finish, that's where the Cowboys
are getting that draft pick twenty three to twenty five,
twenty eight, twenty nine. Now they did add the fifteenth pick,
that was the Aaron Rodgers pick swap with the Jets.
But now you just added Michael Parsons to a team
(30:33):
that could be an NFC title contender. And now they are.
They're certainly they're Super Bowl contender. And the odds Packers
were plus two thousand to win the Super Bowl. They're
now plus twelve hundred. They were plus eleven hundred to
win the NFC, now plus six hundred. Dallas plus five
(30:54):
thousand to win the Super Bowl, They're now plus seven thousand.
They were plus twenty two to win the NFC. There
now plus three thousand. You're not better. Now, let's see
what you do with the draft picks. But you know,
with the clock ticking, Jerry wanting to win another Super Bowl.
Dak's not getting any younger, thirty two, been banged up,
(31:18):
You're paying him sixty million dollars. I just didn't understand it. Now,
we'll talk to both sides, you know, we'll talk to
reporters with the Packers and the Cowboys and get their
thoughts on, you know, tell me how that doesn't work
out for the Packers, tell me how this does work
out for the Cowboys, because that's what this is all about.
(31:39):
And I just didn't understand how Jerry put himself in
this position. I didn't think he would trade him away,
and I was wondering, was I more surprised that Luca
got traded to the Lakers or Micah Parsons got traded
to the Packers, And neither of these teams shop they're stars.
(32:01):
Dallas talked to the Lakers, Dallas talked to the Packers.
I'm sure other teams got in. Maybe I haven't heard
anybody who said, hey, this team is offering this, but
you keep him in the NFC, A team you're going
to play in a month, a really good team. This
(32:24):
is where you trade him to Carolina at Green Bay.
This is why I'll never be a billionaire, you know,
This is another reason why I won't be a billionaire.
I can't think like Jerry does. Hey, great businessman, okay,
great businessman. You're the one who extended Dak, you brought
(32:46):
Zeke back again, you didn't get the true value for Michael,
I mean, not just recent here waited on cd LEM.
It goes back to what we've said for months. Now,
act on it. If you truly believe that's the guy,
then act on it. Because you knew if we get
(33:07):
in at forty and a half instead of forty seven,
which is what Green Bay paid. Now it's you know,
we saved seven million this year, and then seven million
the following year and seven million. So this is a big,
big whiff. And we said it from the beginning right now,
sign him. Being indecisive in sports is death, and they
(33:31):
were indecisive. If you if you thought you were going
to keep him, then sign him up.
Speaker 5 (33:37):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
How well liked he was. I think he he certainly
had a lot to say. I'm going to choose my
words carefully once again, But and I wonder Stephen Jones's
role in this. You know, Jerry's going to be given
this team to his son at some point, and I
wonder if Stephen Jones was made be the architect. It's
(34:01):
easy to, you know, blame Jerry. I can blame Jerry
for the previous months. But you had to get to
a point where and there's no board of directors. Everybody
you know who's on the masthead and his name is Jones,
and you just have a family outing and then you
have to discuss, all right, what are we doing? They
changed tradition here and Jerry with his hand handshake nonsense
(34:25):
and about the team. And it was a handshake agreement. Okay,
but you can't have handshake agreements that are binding with
a player, and you don't allow to have an agent
in there. Mind boggling. What else did Jerry have to say? Yeah,
(34:48):
let's see. Oh, here, here he is. There's Jerry talking
about his offer to Michael Parsons back in April.
Speaker 6 (34:54):
When I offered Micah the contract that offered him back
in April, helew him from out of the country, wanted
to come right in. I said, no, get your night
sleep and come on in the next day. Get your
next day. He wanted to come right in. We offered
him a contract to come play for the Dallas Cowboys,
and it was a good one. Okay, now it was
(35:16):
more guaranteed than what I've been reported that was here
and now. But my point is, without getting into detail,
that was a very genuine negotiation.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Okay, get into detail, Jerry, feel free. Now you can
let us behind the curtain here. I think if you
have a GM, a true GM who has power, you
don't get to this point. I think that GM goes
you know what, This isn't about a handshake agreement. This
(35:47):
is about an agreement, and there is a process to this.
That's what's surprising.
Speaker 5 (35:55):
And I.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
You're not bad today. And I just think if you
had some kind of fiscal sanity attached to this, you
could have kept him. If you wanted to, you could
have kept him. And I don't think it would have
crushed you salary wise. And the cap keeps going up
every year. He might turn out to be a bargain.
(36:19):
Go back to when you know the Chiefs were signing
my homes and it's a ten year, five hundred million
dollar deal. I came in the next day and I
said they got a bargain. When Bryce Harper went to
the Phillies, I said, the Phillies got a bargain there.
There are certain contracts where you go do it. Oh man,
(36:42):
it's going to hurt, but it's not going to hurt later.
If you're buying what buy value by quality and you've
got two draft picks who don't help you this year.
Kenny Clark better stop every running back. But it's a
bad defense. I thought they could have competed. I thought
(37:03):
that they could have competed and been a playoff team.
I really did. Dak healthy, Cede Lamb, Micah is going
to get paid now all of a sudden, you know,
Dallas is going to be formidable. Now they would lose
tragically in the postseason, of course, like they always do.
But still, you had a chance to compete this year
(37:24):
and you don't. Now you're going to get some wins,
and you know what it'll be. It'll be a glimmer
of god what could have been. But the only way,
in my opinion, that doesn't work out is if Micah
doesn't work out. Because now you're going to get the
twenty eighth pick in the draft.
Speaker 5 (37:42):
Good luck.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
Kenny Clark better be great, Dak better be great, Ceede
Lamb better have an unbelievable season. But you can't tell
me the cowboys are better today than they were yesterday.
You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Ben Denucci, NFL quarterback, recently cut by the Falcons, the
seventh time he's been released in his pro career. He
played at Pittsburgh, He played at James Madison and was
initially I think selected by the Cowboys and the twenty
twenty NFL Draft. Got to start a game for the Cowboys.
I think that same year during COVID and Ben joining us,
(00:26):
I wanted to buy you a beer. I felt bad
when you posted you were at the airport. What time
was that you were having a beer on Saturday?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
About three pm?
Speaker 4 (00:36):
So I thought it was I thought it was good
enough time to crack one open, so figured it was fine.
Speaker 5 (00:41):
Do you ever get used to getting cut?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Honestly?
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Yeah, I mean I was very fortunate the first couple
of years of my career to be to be in Dallas,
and then the last couple of years. Yeah, the last twelve,
twelve or eighteen months, I've been on three or four teams.
It seems like every couple of months, you're, uh, you're
packing up, finding finding a new place to play, and
you know, going about your business.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
So yeah, I'd say at this point I'm I'm used
to it. I'm kind of numb to it. Not necessarily
that it's a bad thing, it's you just kind of
get used to it.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
How tense is cut down day?
Speaker 3 (01:18):
For me? The last I mean the last couple of years,
it hasn't been very tense.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
I didn't see myself having any chance to make the roster,
to make the practice squad. But it's it's tough, right,
I mean, you people don't realize for the guys that
are trying to make this roster, the any roster, the
preseason is your is your super Bowl?
Speaker 6 (01:35):
Right?
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Your playoffs?
Speaker 4 (01:35):
You get two or three games, Uh, you get maybe
a couple of quarters a game to go put on
tape what you're what you're gonna do, not only for
the team you're on.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
But the thirty one other teams. So it's it's very stressed.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
I've got a few buddies who are still sitting around
waiting this morning to see if see if their phone
rings are not and uh, they'll go from there. But yeah,
it's stressful. It's guys live livelihoods. It's their way of
making money and it's uh, you know what they do.
So it's it's very stressful.
Speaker 5 (01:58):
How were you told.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
My phone rang from.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
A New York number that I didn't have in my
phone and that's normally, you know, that's normally a number
you don't ever want to see pop up on your phone.
I answered, Hey, Ben, you know, coach wants to see you.
Bring your iPad, bring your charger, bring your playbook. And
that's kind of kind of how it rolls. When you
get into the facility, there's somebody waiting for you. They
take you around, drop your iPad off, go see your coaches,
go see you know, whoever else you need to see,
(02:24):
and then you know, they buy.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
You a flight, and then you're next thing, you know,
you're drinking an airport beer.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
So okay, what do you do now? Like, at what
point do you say?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Now, I know you're you're going to do a football
game coming up air Force and Bucknill and CBA Sports Network,
But are you done trying out for NFL teams?
Speaker 4 (02:43):
So no, I don't think I'm officially done yet, right,
I mean, the NFL is an interesting kind of animal.
You get a phone called any second, could be today, tomorrow,
could be in six months, could could never be again.
So yeah, the tough part guy for guys, is staying
in it right, waking up every morning, still doing what
you've been doing the last couple of years, to make
sure that you know if the phone rings, you know
(03:03):
you're you're doing what you're supposed to do and ready
to roll that if a team needs you.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
But at the same time, I've.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Been in this situation a couple times the last couple
of years and don't necessarily want.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
To be waiting around again.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
I'll fall just stressing myself out watching NFL games on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
So I'm excited to uh to move on a little bit.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Progress the next chapter of my career outside of football,
and looking forward to to call on Buck Noelver's Air
Force to Saturday.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Okay, but if you get a call on Friday night
by an NFL team, what happens to Saturday afternoon?
Speaker 5 (03:30):
Bucknell and air Force?
Speaker 4 (03:32):
I'll tell them, hey, I can't I can't be anywhere
until Sunday, and hopefully their.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
Response is what I expected to seventh round draft pick
by the Cowboys.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Correct?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
What was that like when Jerry Jones called you to
tell you he was drafting you?
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Very cool?
Speaker 4 (03:50):
I think I might be one of the only people
in Cowboys history to say that I got drafted from
from Jerry Jones's yacht. It was that COVID year, so
they weren't they weren't in their draft room, and I
think Jerry was calling everybody from from from his yacht
in the middle of the ocean somewhere and saw the
phone ring. It was his assistant. He said, hey, you know, Ben,
you know, mister mister Jones wants to talk to you.
We've got the next pick. We're drafting you. And you know,
(04:12):
at that point, it was kind of like, all right,
this is this is really cool. Everything that we worked
for growing up, high school, college, it's kind of all come,
I'll come for a full circle and worth it.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
And this is kind of the moment that that we've
been waiting for.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Ben Denutci NFL quarter I'm still going to introduce you's
NFL quarterback.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
That's that's fair. I'll take it.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Yeah, okay, released for the seventh time in his pro career,
and it'll be in the broadcasting booth. It'll be Bucknell
in Air Force. That'll be a three thirty Eastern this
weekend for CBS Sports Network. Being on the practice squad
as opposed to the active squad. What's the difference in
how you're treated your pay lifestyle.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
Yeah, honestly, nothing's different except the except your weekly checks
that you're getting in every week. You know, everybody treats
you the same way, right, I mean, there's fi three
guys on the active roster and they're sixteen on the
practice squad. And the reality of the NFL is that
guys are going to get hurt over the course of
the year, right, whether it's you know, whatever position it is.
And so those guys that are on the practice squad there,
they're a vital part of the team. They're the guys
that are getting the starters ready to go to go,
(05:15):
you know, play out there on Sundays. They have a vital,
vital role in making these teams go. And so there's
a reason that these teams put a lot of effort
into into the practice squad, just just like they do
the active rosters.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
So yeah, it's really all the same.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
You're still traveling with the team, you're still still practicing,
still part of meetings. The pay cuts a little bit
a little bit less, but at the end of the day,
it's it's it's still great.
Speaker 5 (05:37):
So, but can you can you leave it now?
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Like if I say what is your moment, You're going
to tell your kids are grand kids where you that's
my NFL moment?
Speaker 5 (05:47):
What is it?
Speaker 6 (05:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (05:50):
I mean it, it'd be hard not to say, you know,
my rookie year, when I got to start that game
on Sunday Night Football against the Cowboys. I think that's
a moment that everybody kind of grows up thinking, Hey,
I'd love to I'd love to play in the NFL.
Let alone, let it be for the Dallas Cowboys, right,
I mean, the Stars just kind of this iconic brand,
not only you know in the.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
US, but you know overseas as well.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
So yeah, it's it's crazy that it just happened my
first year. Some guys it happens year ten, something happens
year five. Mind just happened to be to be a
rookie year. And so to be able to do that
and say I started a game for the Dallas Cowboys,
it's something that a lot of people can't can't say
and stick their name to.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
So that was kind of my hey, welcome to the
NFL moment.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
And I think when it's all said and done, that'll
be what I look back on and saying, man, I
was that was pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
I'm glad, glad that happened.
Speaker 5 (06:31):
Hell nervous, were you? Well?
Speaker 4 (06:36):
Honestly, I think I would have been a lot more
nervous had there been seventy five thousand people in the
stands like a year opposed to only five or six
thousand for COVID.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
So honestly, wasn't that nervous, right? I think you're more
nervous just kind.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
Of the week leading up the practice, the game plan,
making sure you know that checks, everything is kind of
you're good mentally, and then when you get out there
on the on the day of the game. Shoot, it's
the same game I've been playing for the last fifteen years.
So when you step inside the white lines, it's it's
go time. You got to shut shut everything else out
and go play ball.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
You get to keep your jerseys from all these stomps.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
You do. Yeah, you can see my Cowboys one up here.
I grabbed, uh.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
I grabbed my Falcons one last weekend, and I think
I've got the only the only one I don't have
is the bills from last year during camp. So trying
to trying to find a way to to get that one.
That's the last one I need.
Speaker 5 (07:20):
Do you have to ask or do you steal?
Speaker 4 (07:25):
Well, you steal, but they still uh, they still deduct
it from your paycheck.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
You've got to kind of sign off on everything.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
The day after the games when they're checking all the
jerseys back in there, like all of a sudden, Hey,
danucciese jersey's not here. Let's make sure he uh, he
pays for this thing on his way out. So that
might have been my last party and gift from the Falcons.
Speaker 5 (07:40):
How much was it?
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Uh? Four hundred bucks? Yeah, so, I mean, I guess
it depends who you ask if that's.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
A lot of money or not.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
So is it game used?
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Worth it? It's worth it?
Speaker 5 (07:55):
Yeah, it's game used.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
I worked the game, took it right off, took it
right off my pads after the game and through my bags.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Good luck with the broadcasting career and maybe the phone rings.
But you got the opportunity though, Ben, that's the key
and a lot of us never had it. You got it,
and maybe you get that opportunity again. But it seemed
like you're in good spirits. I don't know if you're
masking something. Did you cry?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
I've cried a couple of times.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
I'm at this point in my career where it's just
I'm filled with a lot of gratitude at this point.
Right to be able to be cut that many times,
you've got to you know, team's got to like you
enough to sign you in the first place. Right, So
it's been an unbelievable career. Got five good years, played
on a bunch of different teams, played for some you
know head coaches that I grew up idolizing, you know, Coach.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
McCarthy, coach Peyton, coach McDermott, and Buffalo.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
Played with a lot of guys, right Dak, Josh, Allen, Russell, Wilson,
Guys that you know I've had on my fantasy team.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Figures growing up. And then all of a sudden you're.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
Sitting next to him in the in the meeting room saying,
how the hell the heck did I get here?
Speaker 3 (08:50):
So it's been really cool for me. Yeah, there's no
reason to hang my hat.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
I'm excited about the next chapter, and it's been it's
been a heck of a ride.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
It might be awkward, and it might be awkwary were
me even saying this, But did you ever try to
swap jerseys with dak or Russell Wilson or Josh Allen.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Honestly, no, that thought never even even crossed my mind.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
But looking back now, I sure would like to have
a couple of a couple of those jerseys to throw
up next to mine and in my man cave, just
to say, hey, my kids one day, Yeah, your dad
was decent.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
He actually did play with these guys.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
He doesn't just have a bunch of random, random jerseys
of himself hanging up on the wall.
Speaker 5 (09:26):
Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
We appreciate being a good sport here and good luck
against with Bucknell and Air Force this weekend.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Thank you, Dan, appreciate it all the best.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
That's Ben Denucci.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Be sure to catch the live edition of The Dan
Patrick Show weekdays at nine am Eastern six am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 7 (09:46):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 8 (09:52):
You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm
Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and
of course the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 7 (09:59):
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich?
Speaker 8 (10:01):
We talk about everything life, sports relationships, what's going on
in the world.
Speaker 7 (10:05):
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories
behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture,
stories that well, other shows don't seem to have the
time to discuss.
Speaker 8 (10:14):
And the fact that we've been friends for the last
twenty years and still work together, I mean that says something, right.
Speaker 7 (10:18):
So check us out. We like to get you involved too,
take your phone calls, chop it up.
Speaker 8 (10:23):
As they say, I'd say the most interactive show on
Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive show on planetar.
Speaker 7 (10:28):
Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app from five to
seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific.
Speaker 8 (10:35):
And if you miss any of the live show, just
search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcasts, and
of course on social media.
Speaker 7 (10:40):
That's Covino and Rich.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Mike McDaniel four season as the Dolphins head coach, and
of course a star wide receiver with the Yale Bulldogs
official height and weight coach.
Speaker 9 (10:54):
Five to nine and undisclosed because.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
At Yale you were five to nine in seventy five,
but that feels like that might have been inflated a
little bit.
Speaker 9 (11:05):
You know, it was actually closer to my true weight
at that time. I was inflated. My body wasn't really
built for that weight. But I was taking a lot
of supplements at the time.
Speaker 5 (11:18):
Okay, legal supplements, of course.
Speaker 9 (11:20):
Of course, above brow of course.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
Were you Julian Edelman before Julian Edelman?
Speaker 9 (11:27):
Yes, end statement.
Speaker 5 (11:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (11:34):
Now I was limited to an inside receiver route tree
because of lack of linear speed, and I was quicker
than fast, as they'd say, And I did a lot
of coaching while playing, if you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
How about forty yard Danish if you raised Tyreek Hill, Yeah,
he would.
Speaker 5 (11:53):
Get me, he would.
Speaker 9 (11:58):
I had to think about it.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Okay, is there anybody closer to him speed wise?
Speaker 9 (12:05):
Yeah, there's I think there's a lot of guys that
are that are that are fast, particularly on our team,
But I think what makes his speed unique is the acceleration.
You know, it's he gets top speed very quick. He's
almost top speed on the third step of a route
(12:27):
when he's motioning, so that the quickness and speed is
hard to it's hard to match. But there's several guys
on the team that will with absolute certainty say that
they're faster than him, even though they don't have a
time as fast as his.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
But if you're calling plays knowing that he's so quick
at like, does it change if you're calling something, let's
say it's it's third and seven, you just want to
get him the ball because of that acceleration, not he
has to go out seven or eight yards.
Speaker 9 (13:02):
No, you know, quite literally. One of the the positives
of being in the same offensive system for my entire career.
You know, I came in two thousand and five learning
Mike Shanahan's and have stayed with it is realistically, the
what the offense is is a product of people's skill sets.
(13:22):
So we do a lot of timing motion because we
can utilize Tyreek and waddle and et cetera at that
that their unique skill sets. So pretty much, uh, you know,
all all players skill sets for us now in the
system are eve've kind of adapted to them and try
(13:47):
to use their their best skills most frequently.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
When did that change? It felt like when quarterbacks were drafted,
certainly in my era, that you had to adapt to
that coach and his philosophy. Where it feels like Cam
Newton when he came in, it felt like Carolina says, Hey,
we're gonna cater to your needs. I don't know if
you remember since you were there with Shanahan and five,
(14:13):
did you see something a seismic shift where you're kind
of adapting your audience or your your offense to that
quarterback you're taking.
Speaker 9 (14:23):
Yeah, I think you just hit on something super interesting
because the whole the whole tree underneath. Kyle Shanahan learned
that in twenty twelve when we had a rookie RG
three at quarterback and we're gonna jump into the game
of zone read and realistically we completely adapted. You know,
(14:49):
I was an offensive assistant, you know, Matt Lafleur was
the quarterback coach. Sean McVay was the Titans coach. Kyle
Shanahan was the offensive coordinator. You know. Raheem Morris was
the defense or secondary coach. Bobby Sloak was outside linebackers coach.
All these people first hand where we had our offense
(15:15):
from what we ran in Houston and extension Denver and
then retooled it in Washington, and then for for me
personally and and Kyle, we went we got fired and
then went to Cleveland and had a job and didn't
want to get fired. So we tried to adapt to
(15:36):
those players, and then we did the same thing when
we went to Atlanta. So it was it's really in
the course of the journey. Early on, we we had
the opportunity to, you know, directly, you know, evolved the
offense to cater to players' needs. And you know, I've
kind of seen everything through that lens.
Speaker 5 (15:57):
Since most talented quarterback you've ever been around?
Speaker 9 (16:02):
Talented what the quarterbacking? You know, I would I would say, uh,
you know, Matt Ryan was up there, but I think
two is probably the most talented quarterback. The most talented,
UH speed threat was probably Robert Griffin the third you know,
(16:26):
so he was fast and uh before the defense UH
schematically caught up to us. You know, he do his
Rookie of the Year for a reason. Matt Ryan played
the game, UH in a unique K way that really
changed a lot of stuff that we do in the
dropback game based upon how how good he was. And
(16:48):
then there was uh one of the best quarterbacks at
play action pass that's super underrated was Matt shab He
was He was really good at utilizing Andrew Johnson's speed
and being able to avoid sacks while getting explosives.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Talking to Mike McDaniel, four season is the Dolphins head coach.
You start out, you got Indy at Indy, then host
New England at Buffalo, and then host New York.
Speaker 5 (17:17):
How much pressure do you feel?
Speaker 9 (17:21):
I always think that's funny because I think it would
have to be delusional to not you know, expect. You know,
I think you take a job like this and you're
working in the NFL, and for me, I'm preparing to
have this job, and then I take the job, and
I'm very much aware of the black and white reality
(17:43):
of you know, wins and losses and how things, how
you're able to you know, sustain the job and keep
the job and involve the program is all based on,
you know, the nuts and bolts of winning and losing games.
So I think everything that I do to prepare has
always been to uh kind of be my best self
(18:07):
in moments of pressure. And uh yeah, I mean I
know it exists, but I don't feel it because it's
kind of uh, you know ingrained or attached to what
I understand this job to be.
Speaker 5 (18:21):
How much do you take home with you, you know, uh.
Speaker 9 (18:25):
The gift of uh you know, my one and only
daughter has has really helped, uh, you know, create some
boundaries for myself. You know, I carry stuff through the
through the car ride home, but when I get home,
especially when you have a short compressed time to to
(18:46):
be something that's you know, pillar of importance in who
you are as a person, which is being a father
for me, I get to I get the gift of
being able to get home, see her face, engage her,
and try to leave it at work because you have
to be balanced in life to have your edge at
(19:09):
your at performance really for whatever you're doing. So you know,
I think earlier in my career I struggled to do that,
but my daughters really helped me out with that one.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
When you were growing up and you were getting those
autographs when you go to the Broncos camp, do you
still have those autographs?
Speaker 9 (19:28):
I do in a trunk somewhere.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
What are some of your favorite autographs that you got
when you were a kid.
Speaker 9 (19:34):
I had one sleeve of cards like in the plastic,
but it was a sleeve in a binder that I
kept all the autographs and it was probably the John
Only page. I had about seven of them because I
was a relentless obsessed daily visitor at Denver Brock's training camp.
(19:56):
So those were probably my favorite, or you know, the
we del Pino one that led.
Speaker 5 (20:01):
To uh to.
Speaker 9 (20:04):
Uh me meeting my my stepdad. That was probably the
two best ones that that got me uh connected with
Mike Shanahan in the first place.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Okay, so explain that because it wasn't it an assistant coach, Like,
explain how your mom met her your stepdad.
Speaker 9 (20:24):
Well, I mean it's the normal nuclear family trajectory of
a child introducing uh my mother and stepfather.
Speaker 5 (20:36):
Of course happens all the time.
Speaker 9 (20:39):
Yeah, So I was getting autograph.
Speaker 7 (20:43):
Uh.
Speaker 9 (20:44):
Well, I would go to Denver Bronco training camp and
uh and get autographs daily. I had a Charlotte Hornets
fitted loud purple and teal hat and uh it was noticeable.
So I got Robert Delpino's autograph earlier in the day.
I wanted to get another one. As an only child,
(21:06):
I guess I just wanted more. So I put the
hat down, got the autograph, came back, the hat was gone.
I was about nine at the time, so I was
crying and a member of the Broncos was interested in
why I was freaking out. I told him about the hat.
He took down the measurements. A couple of days later,
(21:26):
he saw me again at training camp because I was
automatic at Lawrence Hall at the time, and he he
gave me a hat with a price tag on it.
He went out to the Greeley mall and bought me
a hat, and so then I thought he was worthy
of meeting my mother. So I introduced them, and they
got married and moved to Denver and was as a result,
(21:50):
he was an assistant video guy for the Broncos and
I got to at age fourteen. I was a ball
boy through high school and uh, you know, really got
in the NFL door, you know, being able to be
around the guys and stuff from you know, before I
(22:11):
could drive.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Well, speaking of love, your reaction to Travis Kelsey and
Taylor Swift getting engaged was what.
Speaker 9 (22:20):
Oh you just told me. I didn't know, that's my reaction.
Speaker 5 (22:24):
How do you not know?
Speaker 9 (22:28):
Well, you, uh, you keep yourself from anything that's multimedia,
and then, uh, you make yourself a terrible conversation when
people bring up pop culture, and you do that over time,
and then you don't know anything that you uh, you
know I'm pumped to hear about it now, I guess,
(22:50):
you know, I think there's layers to to my reaction,
you know. You know, I'm hoping it's a loved love
based relationship and you know, and good for them, you know,
finally finally they're not I mean, finally they're doing it
the old fashioned way, you know, where people shouldn't really
(23:12):
enter into any escapades unless they're married.
Speaker 6 (23:14):
You know.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
So, now, if one of your guys gets engaged, do
you expect to be invited to the wedding?
Speaker 9 (23:22):
Now, I'm the boss, like, so, I appreciate if I am,
but my expectation is that nobody wants to hang out
with me. Ever that that I'm the boss.
Speaker 5 (23:33):
Of Are you a buzzkill?
Speaker 9 (23:36):
No, it's just the nature of boss, you know. The
nature of boss is like, all right, this isn't work.
Why do I feel like it's work? Oh, because there's
the guy that may or may not be judging me,
you know. So I don't get my feelings hurt. I
don't have high expectations for for that, just understanding the
(23:56):
role and responsibility.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
Always great to catch up with you, Thanks for joining us,
good luck starting the season.
Speaker 9 (24:03):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
That's uh.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Mike McDaniel four season is the Dolphins head coach. They
were eight to nine last year, and they open up
at Indy, host New England, at Buffalo and hosts New York.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 5 (24:27):
Stop me if you've heard this one before.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
Files brings us the Dallas Cowboys who committed, in my opinion,
organizational malpractice yesterday. And it's not just because they traded
away Micah Parsons. It's how they traded him away. You
get two first round picks, you get a former Pro
Bowl defensive lineman Kenny Clark from Green Bay and Jerry
Jones admitted that the team had been considering moving Parsons
(24:53):
as early as the beginning of the off season, and
I think that's where the misstep occurred. If you know
your open to dealing a twenty six year old pass rusher,
maybe the best defensive player in the game, why wait
until a week before the start of the season. If
you're in March leading up to the draft, you know
everybody's got these draft picks.
Speaker 5 (25:15):
Maybe we could do something here.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Cap room teams can maybe explore a trade with Michaeh Parsons.
It just doesn't make any sense if you're going to
trade him, okay, then trade him back in March or
April if the you know, the sticker shock was there
and you didn't want to pay him that you thought
you had a handshake agreement, which is illegal in the NFL. Illegal,
(25:37):
and Jerry thought, okay, we've agreed on a deal that's
just over forty million dollars forty point five. Well, if
you know these other defensive players who are a similar
stature to Michaeh Parsons, TJ. Watt and Miles Garon, Max Crosby,
(25:57):
maybe you know what the price is going to be,
and you know what's going on. You draft a guy,
you want him to be great. You want him to
be into that second contract they were going to do that.
He has been great, He's you know, his trajectory is
Hall of fame. And I kept thinking, okay, I didn't
(26:20):
think that Jerry would trade him, and then all of
a sudden I did a little deeper dive, and you know,
I had conversations that were off the record, and I
have to be true to those two conversations. But as
soon as I got off the you know, a phone
call with one source and I called Paulie and I go,
I got information. I can't really do anything with this.
(26:41):
I got to be fair, but it gave me a
little bit more of a backdrop on what had been
going on. And was Micah Parsons truly liked in the building.
Could Stephen Jones have been maybe his fingerprints are on this,
Like there was a lot of things that were swirling.
I just want to kind of find out exactly. It
doesn't help me advance the story, but at least I
(27:05):
was trying to find out. But I was sworn, you know,
this is off the record. This you know, like every
four sentences, this is off the record, I go, oh,
it's off the record. But I wanted to understand how
did we get to this point because Jerry, I thought,
would say, I got a quarterback that is a marque quarterback.
(27:26):
Whether you think he's great or not, you're paying him.
You got a Marquee wide receiver, and you got Micah Parsons.
They got Digs too, who's been banged up the last
two years. But you got guys at keep positions and
that's what you want. And I thought, Okay, this is
it's gonna hurt. You overpaid for Dak. You needed to
overpay for Micah Parsons in my opinion. But somehow through
(27:50):
all of this, Jerry Jones yesterday with a straight face,
said that the team is actually better now.
Speaker 6 (28:00):
This gives us a better chance to be a better
team than we have been the last few several years
since Mike has been here. Not any negative on Michaeh,
but we're trying to get better. We're trying to stop
the run and stay on the hunt.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Okay, you're not better now, not today, and you have flexibility.
Kenny Clark is a good defensive tackle, but his best
years are behind him. He went to two Pro Bowls. Okay, yeah,
we got to stop the run. You know, you got
to stop the pass as well. You had one of
the worst defenses. It's not just hey, we're stopping the run,
but boy, they're putting up a lot of yards on
(28:39):
us through the air. Michael Parsons is a game changer.
He wrecks games. The only way you would be better
is if Michael Parsons doesn't play for Green Bay. He's
banged up or doesn't play well. What are the odds
of a guy who's twenty six with a big chip
on his shoulder now, and you got to live up
to that contract going to underproduce. This reminds me of
(29:03):
the Khalil Mack deal when the Bears acquired him. The
Raiders got more from the Bears, then the Cowboys got,
you know, for Micah Parsons from green Back, you got
to first and then you got a couple other draft
picks for you know, Klo Mac and very similar, similar age,
similar production. And I've just I kept thinking, you got
(29:26):
to get more. I thought it was three first round picks.
Do you know Jamal Adams was traded for three first
round picks? That's a safety. Seattle gave up. And see,
you know, Seattle's got a great front office. They gave
up three first round picks for Jamal Adams. You gotta
get more, you gotta shop him, and you didn't do that.
(29:49):
But is is Jerry's ego in the way here? You know,
everybody wants to make the herschel Walker analogy. It's not.
I Meanjimmy Johnson was running the show. Jimmy Johnson orchestrated
the value they were going to get for herschel Walker,
and it changed the franchise. This isn't changing the franchise
(30:11):
because if I look at the average pick draft pick,
first round pick of the Packers the last five drafts,
so where they're going to finish, that's where the Cowboys
are getting that draft pick twenty three to twenty five,
twenty eight, twenty nine. Now they did add the fifteenth pick,
that was the Aaron Rodgers pick swap with the Jets.
But now you just added Michael Parsons to a team
(30:33):
that could be an NFC title contender. And now they are.
They're certainly they're Super Bowl contender. And the odds Packers
were plus two thousand to win the Super Bowl. They're
now plus twelve hundred. They were plus eleven hundred to
win the NFC, now plus six hundred. Dallas plus five
(30:54):
thousand to win the Super Bowl, They're now plus seven thousand.
They were plus twenty two to win the NFC. There
now plus three thousand. You're not better. Now, let's see
what you do with the draft picks. But you know,
with the clock ticking, Jerry wanting to win another Super Bowl.
Dak's not getting any younger, thirty two, been banged up,
(31:18):
You're paying him sixty million dollars. I just didn't understand it. Now,
we'll talk to both sides, you know, we'll talk to
reporters with the Packers and the Cowboys and get their
thoughts on, you know, tell me how that doesn't work
out for the Packers, tell me how this does work
out for the Cowboys, because that's what this is all about.
(31:39):
And I just didn't understand how Jerry put himself in
this position. I didn't think he would trade him away,
and I was wondering, was I more surprised that Luca
got traded to the Lakers or Micah Parsons got traded
to the Packers, And neither of these teams shop they're stars.
(32:01):
Dallas talked to the Lakers, Dallas talked to the Packers.
I'm sure other teams got in. Maybe I haven't heard
anybody who said, hey, this team is offering this, but
you keep him in the NFC, A team you're going
to play in a month, a really good team. This
(32:24):
is where you trade him to Carolina at Green Bay.
This is why I'll never be a billionaire, you know,
This is another reason why I won't be a billionaire.
I can't think like Jerry does. Hey, great businessman, okay,
great businessman. You're the one who extended Dak, you brought
(32:46):
Zeke back again, you didn't get the true value for Michael,
I mean, not just recent here waited on cd LEM.
It goes back to what we've said for months. Now,
act on it. If you truly believe that's the guy,
then act on it. Because you knew if we get
(33:07):
in at forty and a half instead of forty seven,
which is what Green Bay paid. Now it's you know,
we saved seven million this year, and then seven million
the following year and seven million. So this is a big,
big whiff. And we said it from the beginning right now,
sign him. Being indecisive in sports is death, and they
(33:31):
were indecisive. If you if you thought you were going
to keep him, then sign him up.
Speaker 5 (33:37):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
How well liked he was. I think he he certainly
had a lot to say. I'm going to choose my
words carefully once again, But and I wonder Stephen Jones's
role in this. You know, Jerry's going to be given
this team to his son at some point, and I
wonder if Stephen Jones was made be the architect. It's
(34:01):
easy to, you know, blame Jerry. I can blame Jerry
for the previous months. But you had to get to
a point where and there's no board of directors. Everybody
you know who's on the masthead and his name is Jones,
and you just have a family outing and then you
have to discuss, all right, what are we doing? They
changed tradition here and Jerry with his hand handshake nonsense
(34:25):
and about the team. And it was a handshake agreement. Okay,
but you can't have handshake agreements that are binding with
a player, and you don't allow to have an agent
in there. Mind boggling. What else did Jerry have to say? Yeah,
(34:48):
let's see. Oh, here, here he is. There's Jerry talking
about his offer to Michael Parsons back in April.
Speaker 6 (34:54):
When I offered Micah the contract that offered him back
in April, helew him from out of the country, wanted
to come right in. I said, no, get your night
sleep and come on in the next day. Get your
next day. He wanted to come right in. We offered
him a contract to come play for the Dallas Cowboys,
and it was a good one. Okay, now it was
(35:16):
more guaranteed than what I've been reported that was here
and now. But my point is, without getting into detail,
that was a very genuine negotiation.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Okay, get into detail, Jerry, feel free. Now you can
let us behind the curtain here. I think if you
have a GM, a true GM who has power, you
don't get to this point. I think that GM goes
you know what, This isn't about a handshake agreement. This
(35:47):
is about an agreement, and there is a process to this.
That's what's surprising.
Speaker 5 (35:55):
And I.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
You're not bad today. And I just think if you
had some kind of fiscal sanity attached to this, you
could have kept him. If you wanted to, you could
have kept him. And I don't think it would have
crushed you salary wise. And the cap keeps going up
every year. He might turn out to be a bargain.
(36:19):
Go back to when you know the Chiefs were signing
my homes and it's a ten year, five hundred million
dollar deal. I came in the next day and I
said they got a bargain. When Bryce Harper went to
the Phillies, I said, the Phillies got a bargain there.
There are certain contracts where you go do it. Oh man,
(36:42):
it's going to hurt, but it's not going to hurt later.
If you're buying what buy value by quality and you've
got two draft picks who don't help you this year.
Kenny Clark better stop every running back. But it's a
bad defense. I thought they could have competed. I thought
(37:03):
that they could have competed and been a playoff team.
I really did. Dak healthy, Cede Lamb, Micah is going
to get paid now all of a sudden, you know,
Dallas is going to be formidable. Now they would lose
tragically in the postseason, of course, like they always do.
But still, you had a chance to compete this year
(37:24):
and you don't. Now you're going to get some wins,
and you know what it'll be. It'll be a glimmer
of god what could have been. But the only way,
in my opinion, that doesn't work out is if Micah
doesn't work out. Because now you're going to get the
twenty eighth pick in the draft.
Speaker 5 (37:42):
Good luck.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
Kenny Clark better be great, Dak better be great, Ceede
Lamb better have an unbelievable season. But you can't tell
me the cowboys are better today than they were yesterday.
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Patrick "Seton" O'Connor
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