February 1, 2023 • 28 mins
72 hours after the heartbreaking loss in the AFC Championship Game, Bengals HC Zac Taylor joins Peter to discuss the Bengals' 2022 campaign, why there's reason for pride in Cincinnati, and what it's like to be forced to turn the page to next year when there's still that feeling of more football left to be played. Zac, then, tells us more about Joseph Ossai, the drafting of Joe Burrow, and what it was like being the throwing arm during the Rams' workout of Cooper Kupp in 2016. Peter opens the podcast with his reaction to Tom Brady's retirement and the news of Sean Payton's hiring in Denver.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
The Season with Peter Schrager as a production of the
NFL in partnership with I Heart Radio. Welcome everybody to
the Season with Peter Schragers a rare double dip. We're
(00:27):
doing two episodes in one week, and we thought we would,
uh would spend some time talking about Tom Brady's retirement.
And it was easy enough to wait till next week
and jump on and be like, hey, we're gonna do no,
let's do it right here, right now. Tom Brady, it's Wednesday,
just retired from the NFL in a video that he
filmed on his own phone. That was such a departure
(00:49):
from last year's whatever the hell was going on with
you know, first a schefter report, then he retires, but
he says he's not retiring, and then he un retires.
It was just a mess. This year, Brady retires by
just doing a simple, raw, honest video. Here's what he
had to say to his millions of followers. Good morning, guys.
(01:10):
I'll get to the point right away. I'm retiring for good.
I know the process was a pretty big deal last time.
So when I woke up this morning, I figured I
just press record and let you guys know first, so
I won't be long winded like you only get one
super emotional retirement essay and I used my up last year.
(01:33):
So really, thank you guys so much to every single
one of you for supporting me, my family, my friends,
my teammates, my competitors. I could go on forever. There's
too many. Um thank you guys for allowing me to
live my absolute dream. I wouldn't change the thing. I
(01:58):
love you all. I'm not going to spend today's podcast
going through all the Bradies accomplishments and listing all the
amazing winds and moments. I'll just say the announcement of
the news itself. Here's what I got. I have sources
close to Brady and here the video was filmed days ago,
So that wasn't filmed this morning. That was a video
that he filmed days ago. He went to the eighty
(02:19):
for Brady movie premiere last night in Los Angeles. By
the time that he posted the video, the sun was
not up, so in l A clearly that that would
not be him on the beach Wednesday morning. All that
will be forgotten um days from now. No one cares
about it. But what that The big takeaway is that
he's known for for some time now that he was retiring.
(02:39):
Sources with the Buccaneers told me they found out this
morning prior to the video being posted. They were giving
a heads up that Brady was calling a quit. So
think about the sequence of time here and his head.
He's watching the games over the weekend, the decisions probably formulating.
It is probably formulating for a couple of weeks, makes
the decision. Films. The video flies to l A does
this movie premiere thing? Is asked a million questions I'm
(03:02):
sure um does on the red carpet, doesn't give any
doesn't address it. How's the Jim Gray podcast? Somewhere in
there where he tells Jim Gray He's not answering any questions,
all that stuff. Um. But then a simple Wednesday morning,
bye week, boom video out, no statement, no marketing video,
no plug to the TV twelve brand, No, no, you
(03:23):
know I'm promoting this movie. Nothing, A simple video Brady,
a man in his thoughts, succinct message. I dig it,
I appreciate it. Um. That was one piece of news.
The other piece of news was Sean Phaeton. So on
when we recorded this podcast yesterday, I said, screaming from
the mountaintops. Please please do not listen to the reports
(03:46):
that are saying that Sean Payton is not taking a job. Please.
I knew something was going down, guys, obviously, and I
was saying the orange tie that he wore on Fox, Um,
it might not have been an accident, that's all. I'll say.
He were a big bright orange tie on Sunday. Uh.
Talks with the Bronchos were well underway on Sunday, and
that was going on while we were filming our show. However,
they need to figure out the trade compensation with the
(04:08):
Saints that wasn't done yet, and they also need to
figure out Sean's compensation as far as salary goes. The
interesting thing to piece to this is Payton is gonna
get a huge salary from the Broncos. And you might say, well,
salary cap doesn't matter with coaches. We don't really know
how much that money is gonna be. It doesn't have
to be made public. There's no salary cap, there's no
(04:28):
announcement of how much you better believe. In coaching circles,
people start hearing what he's getting, and if he's getting
a certain number, there's no stopping a Kyle Shanahan, A
Sean McVeigh, a Zach Taylor. Any of these guys to
go to their owners and say, well, why is Sean
Payton making X amount more than me? That, to me
(04:50):
is the storyline here. Does the NFL want the coaching
salaries to go out of whack? Are the owners thrilled
that a new owner came in and is paying Sewan
Payton a certain number? I'm trying to give you the
next level analysis here. Sean Payton comes back at the
age of sixty one, says, I'm gonna coach the new
the Denver Bronco. I need this number, and the Broncos
owners match that number. Now, if all of these Super
(05:13):
Bowl contending coaches are below him, did they go to
their owners and say, we'll wait a second. If he
got that, what's stopping me from stepping away from a
year doing this. It's an interesting set of dominoes and
it's the pretty side of all of this. And the
owners in the league, I'm sure are not thrilled to
to have Shawn pay and make a certain number and
all the other owners say, hey, now I've got to
pay my guy that last year to Shawn Watson got
(05:35):
a certain number as a quarterback. All the other quarterbacks
are like, I need that number. Guess what that might
be coming after Sean pay and gets what he got. Um,
that's the unsavory side of sports. It's the business side
of it. There's also a football side of it. And
scheduled long before Brady's retirement was this guest today. And
(05:57):
if you're a Bengals fan, you're gonna love it. If
you're a non Bengals fan, you're gonna wish this guy
was your coach. I'll tell you what. Zach Taylor is
the real deal. I've known Zach going back to his
Miami Dolphin days when he was coaching on Dan Campbell's
interim uh Dolphins team that Joe Filbin era back then.
(06:17):
Zach Taylor bounced around from there to the University of
Cincinnati at one point, to the l A Rams at
some point, Um too, then of course, elevating to be
in the head coach of Cincinnati Bengals. Two rough years
to start his career, two amazing years the past two years,
and he has been the same guy since day one
that I've met him. Zach Taylor is a great NFL coach.
(06:40):
He is a great podcast guest. He agreed to do
the season with Peter Schreeger. He has not done any
other media. Fresh off a heartbreaking a f C Championship
Game loss, guys, sit back and enjoy Zach Taylor, the
head coach the Cincinnati Bengals. Back to back trips to
(07:01):
the a f C Championship Game, a Super Bowl appearance
last year, and a fantastic season from the Cincinnati Bengals,
were welcoming in their head coach and one of the
best best minds in football right now, going, Mr Zach Taylor. Zach,
welcome to the podcast. I appreciated Peter. Thanks from here on.
I love having you on. Alright, so, just as we're recording,
this is Tuesday. I'm sorry Wednesday morning, UM, Tom Brady
(07:24):
put out a statement a video that he's retiring. I'm
not sure if if you've been able to check all
the tweets or whatever, but as we sit down and
do this, you guys playing against the Buccaneers this year,
obviously good comeback win for you, and of course you
were the Big Twelve Offensive Player of the Year Player
of the Year, Um, after Brady had already won three
(07:45):
Super Bowls, so you put this whole thing together. Your
reactions to Tom Brady finally calling it quits and this
time for real. Yeah, it was an awesome career. Um.
I grew up watching Tom Brady and Peyton Manning and
so to coach against those guys interact with him is unbelievable.
So again, hats off to him for a phenomenal career.
(08:06):
It's it's that'll be tough to ever match. Did you
exchange any words after that game? I guess it was
December eighteenth, Bengals Buccaneers. Brady comes to midfield. You guys
come back and win that game. Is there any exchange
of like, here's my words of wisdom from Tom Brady
or it doesn't go down like that? Oh? No, I
don't know that I've ever interacted with Tom, you know,
and I've always had a ton of respect for him,
but but I've never interacted with him. Yeah. Um, we're
(08:28):
seventy two hours now outside of the a f C
Championship game, which I said earlier in the week was
an all time classic that everyone will remember where they were.
You guys, the season's done now, it's so fresh, it's
so raw, and now that you've had seventy two hours
to remove yourself not only from the game, but from
the season. Uh, for Bengals fans, for NFL fans, you know,
just your perspective on the season that was and really
(08:51):
how far this team came. Yeah, I'm really proud of
our guys, you know, and we didn't know what at
the time, but on Hawween we lost the Browns on
Monday Night football to go for and for and we're
really playing playoff football ever since then. You know, we
just didn't know it. And so to look up and
be four and four and then turn around in your
fourteen and four and you're on the run that we
were on. It was a credit to our guys. We're
(09:11):
just putting their head down and and focus on each
week and finding ways to win. And the next thing
you know, you're in Kansas City for the HC Championship
and a couple of points away from going back to
the Super Bowl. And just really proud of the effort
of our guys and and the discipline to get to
that point. Loss like that that's so heartbreaking and obviously
it's so fresh. When do you put on the tape?
Is that something a coach puts on Sunday night in
(09:32):
the flight home. Do you in the tape and never
watch it? I'm always fascinated. We know that. You know,
when you win one, you don't want to linker too
much on on the tape and you just want to
take it to the next But when the season ends,
like it just ended, Like when do you go to
that tape and watch the All twenty two and break
it down? Yeah? You watch it on the plane afterwards
on the iPad and really, um, you know, and then
the next morning you go through the game. You want
to be aware of of what happened and be able
(09:54):
to talk through it with conversations with the players and
other people as you need to. And um, yeah, it's
painful to watch. But um, you know again we we
we played hard. Proud of the way that the guys played. Um,
you know, wasn't wasn't like we were prepared. It wasn't
like our guys and poor performances. It was just a
great game against two two heavyweight fighters, and and unfortunately
we came up a little short. You know. I said
(10:15):
it on Twitter on Sunday night and it got about
a billion retweets And I'm not usually that guy searching
for the retweets. But I just said, how you handled
the press conference after the game was was pretty classy.
It took the high road. You didn't go through play
by play when you know a lot of people online,
a lot of Bengals fans were upset about certain things.
What's your message to the team after the game. You
guys get in the locker room and there were some
(10:36):
calls obviously whatever it is, but you know that this
is more than one game and one play here and there.
This was an entire season that they should be proud of. Yeah,
we gotta find a way to be proud of what
we did. Um, this team should be tied together forever
as a special team. And I want guys to be
able to reflect on that and enjoy that. UM talk,
moments like that is really where your characters tested. You know,
what are you gonna be about when the when the
(10:57):
emotions are raw and and uh, you know, And so
I thought it was just important that we conduct ourselves
the right way. And it was really proud of the
way the guys handled that. Would you would you say
to us I after a game? Obviously in the moment,
everyone has their reactions, but then at the end of
the day, you realize this is a kid who played
his best game as a pro twenty two years old,
is going to be a player for this team for
a while. He didn't want to push, you know, Mahomes
(11:17):
after the whistle. We know that. So what's the message
from the head coach to the young man. Well, I
think what's great about Joseph is is his passion for
the game and his effort on every single play. And
more times than not, that's gonna pay off in a
really positive way for you because he's he's an effort player.
He never gives up. He gives everything he's got on
every snap and uh and and so again, he'll he'll
learn from that. He'll be on that stage again someday
(11:39):
they can make a great plays for us to help us,
you know, and get to that next level. And I
think he'll have a great appreciation for for what happened
on Sunday when he gets to that point. What kind
of kid is see, I don't think anyone in America
knows second round pick young guy. But like we don't know,
I don't. I wouldn't be able to identify his face
if he walks by and now he's this name like
it's already passed. But in the moment that was like,
you know, a side, So what's he like? Give us
(11:59):
a little light on the young man. Guy, very passionate
about football. He's all in. Um, just wants to be great,
eight wants to help the team. And uh really really
did a great job growing in his role this year.
He's fought through some injuries. Really was on I R
last year as rookie because he got hurt in the
Tampa Bay preseason game. Um, he's bought through injuries of
(12:20):
the course of his career, and he was really starting
to hit his stride at the latter point in this
season and playing good football on Sunday, you know, he
made some great plays for us and and so again
he's got a really bright future for us. You know,
I I watched the game back. It was on Monday night.
I watched it back, and it's fourth and six and
here's Burrow goes back and hits Chase and then there's
the other pass this to Higgins to so many great
(12:42):
young talents on this team. And as everyone wants to
rush forward and say, well, the window might be closing
on forget the window might be closing. Just talk about
the youth and the core of this team, and you know,
and why there's a reason for great optimism not only
for next year, but for the future. Cincinnati Bengals football. Yeah,
such a great balance of players on our team where
we've got those veteran leaders that are really talented um
(13:02):
and they roll in the past that wisdom down to
some really special young players and and those young players
are willing to take that information and become even better players.
And so it's just a really good collaborative effort in
our locker room. Right balance of personalities, right balance of talent,
right balance of age. Duke Tobyn's done a great job
in the draft acquiring these these guys with talent, and
then we've hit on these guys and uh, the coaches
(13:24):
have done a really good job developing that talent as well.
And so it's it's a it's a really special team.
I'm happy to be a part of it. And talk
about the owner because you know, Mike Brown has been
there forever and for years it was like the Bengals
aren't investing in this team, and there was all those criticism.
Now I look at this team, it's one of the
best rosters in football, new facility coming. I feel like
the narrative is should be changed. Absolutely. You know, my
(13:45):
my experience in four years here has been on the
were on the same page every step of the way
with with Mike Brown and the rest of family. Um,
I've got so much appreciation for him and what he's
meant to be and how he's allowed me to grow,
the wisdom he's given me. He's been around this league forever,
he's seen it evolve. Um, He's got so much wisdom
to share to me, and he's just been so encouraging
(14:06):
and patient throughout the whole process. Um that I'm incredibly
grateful for for Mike and the rest of the family.
It's been a fun ride for Bengals fans these last
two years, and it's only gonna continue. And it all
starts under center at the switch when you guys were
scouting Joe Burrow and when you guys were considering him
number number one overall, did you in a million years
envisioned this Now he would say, yeah, this is all
(14:28):
what's been written and this is what I do like.
But did you think it could be like this good?
This fast? Yeah, He's a special person. I don't know
that we ever had a timetable on on when we
make it to the super Bowl. They're always hopeful that's
gonna happen sooner rather than later. Um, But just being
around him and watching him play on his college tape,
he's he was a special player and he elevated everyone
(14:48):
around him. He had great talent, no question, but um,
he's certainly maximized those players around him and maximize his abilities.
And that's what he's done for us as well. And uh,
we're very fortunate to have him and and uh, you
know it's it's we gotta keep aiding in his development.
But man, he's he's an elite player right now? Does
he bust chops? Does he funny? Like? I feel like
he's got this steely glaze, he's got this amazing swag
(15:09):
all the stuff that we see. And then he gets
on the field and he never wavers. He's the same
guy and does not get high, does not get low.
But like behind closed doors, does he bust chops? Is
he funny? Is he a wise ass? Like? What's he like? Oh? Yeah, no,
he's great. You know, the quarterback room is a special place. Um,
And and he the personalities in that room are great
with him and Brandon Allen and Jake Browning and Dan Pitcher. Yeah,
(15:31):
they got their own thing going on in there. Uh yeah,
he certainly gives it as good as he takes it.
And and uh yeah, he's a fun person to be around. Yeah. Um,
we'll rap shortly because I just think this is it's
awesome to get access to you, and it's it's unfortunate
with how the season ended, and yet there's so much
to be proud of. We go back to the Monday
night game and I thought you showed your true character,
(15:52):
but also we saw a lot of I guess, grace
and the good of the league. Um in the way
that entire situation was handled amongst two coaches. Talk about
the bond that maybe you and Sean McDermott will have
the rest of your way throughout your careers going through
that traumatic event. Yeah, I always had a ton of
respect for Sean and the way he operates and the
(16:12):
way that he's built that team, and and a lot
of respect for Sean and and in even more so
in a lot of ways for seeing how the decisions
he really made at the moment were. Um, you know
the life of Damar is more important than what this
game is. I need to be there for him. It's
my obligation as a coach to support my players and
be in the hospital. And um, that made every decision
(16:33):
after that very simple and easy. UM And and so
again I've got a deep appreciation for how he handled
that stuff and um he had a great pulse for
his team and and we're just all really fortunate to
see the way that that Damar has come out of
that given what we saw on Monday night to now, UM,
I think was was not a prediction anybody would have
been made that he would have been doing um as
(16:53):
well as he is right now. And that's just awesome
to see. I know he still got a long ways
to go, but um Man, to see where it was
on Monday night, it's it's special to see. Yeah. And
and your team responded by Okay, there's a coin toss
not gonna be relevant, there's a neutral game not gonna
be relevant. From the coaching side of it, how much
did you kind of use that stuff as motivation for
the team or do you stay away and just let
(17:13):
the headlines tell the story and let the players go
from there. No, we we use as much as we
can get. You know, I think it's good and this
professional will take any edge you can get. And you know,
you could argue, yeah, the players don't need that if
they're both the right stuff, but but they'll take it,
you know, and it's it's good anybody you can push
to trying to motivate guys to get that little extra
out of them. Um. I think our team has done
a great job responding to that kind of stuff. Um.
(17:35):
And then obviously get in the playoffs and win against
Buffalo is historic and it's one way everyone assumes this
offensive line is gonna be in tatters and they can't
protect Burrow and they put on a perfect game. You
look back on this season, you look back at that moment,
what's the moment you're proudest of the two Bengals? True?
I just think, um, you know that those games down
(17:56):
the stretch for us, you know, it's it's uh, having
to win both those Baltimore games, having to win at
Buffalo on the road and one of the toughest environments
and all football, and then you throw the snow on
top of it, and um, just that that stretch I
think was UM, a great testament of the character of
our players. And it's a long season. At that point.
We played seventeen games, and we need you to be
(18:18):
at your best, and and we were able to beat
some really good football teams down the stretch, and I
think I spoke to the character of our team. This
this story of the Bengals is one thing. The story
of your rise as a coach is another. Um. You've
told me this story before you and it was on
the podcast A day was Sean McVeigh, I gotta retail
for this one though. Eastern Washington a workout in twenties sixteen.
(18:42):
I guess it was you were in the what was
your what was your role with the Rams? You were
the wide receivers coach at the time? Are you are
the quarterbacks assistant wide receivers coach at the Los Angeles Rams?
And you get an assignment You're gonna fly with Sean
mcveighat Eastern Washington. Take it away from there, Zach. What's
the rest? Yeah, So it was me Sean. Let's need
Shane waldron Um and Matt before think about that. That's
(19:05):
who's who. Like NFL offensive coordinators, head coaches and decision makers.
I love it already and Eric Yarber, and it was
probably about two weeks before the draft. We got on
a plane and flew around the country. We worked out
Evan Ingram, We worked out as A Jones, Taywan Taylor,
Western Kentucky, Adam Shaheen, Gerald Everett, and then we finished
with Cooper Cup. And so I was the arm I
(19:28):
had to throw as least this receiver. Coachs all these
guys over over three days and that the last one
was Cooper Cup in Eastern Washington. And I mean halfway
through the workout my arm was gonna follow which lay
there was a quarterback there, you know at Easter Washington
kid that was able to supplement some of my throws.
But um, you know, Cooper was a special player. We
(19:50):
connected on all of them except for one. We had
a we had a back end line red zone round.
Remember that over threw it almost his dad in the background,
you know, But uh no, Cooper, Cooper was special players
on the red trip. It was cold. It was in April,
but it's kind of cold and wet and just kind
of a miserable day. And but we fought through it.
And uh you know, Cooper had made enough impact on
(20:10):
the organization where they drafted in the second round. Think
about that, that group that you were with on that
on that journey. Of course you get Cooper cup I
think it was third round actually, and probably didn't even
have a first round pick if it's the Rams, if
I'm not mistaken, that's usually how it goes um. But
think about that group now and now everyone has spread out,
(20:32):
and it's pretty cool. You've got a cool staff of
your own. We know that coach Lou and Rumo and
Brian Callahan are currently in the head coaching interview process
for a couple of gigs. Lou with Arizona, then Brian
still alive in Indianapolis and then Arizona. Now that you're
the head guy and you're watching your coordinators get this opportunity,
what do you tell them as they step up to
the mic and try to interview in front of these owners, Well,
(20:54):
that they're ready for it. You know, they they've um
seen how we've we've done this thing every step of
the way. And I think that's what special is having
those guys here for four years, from starting at the
beginning to all the way at this point, and so
that they've seen it. They've seen a foundation be built
the way that we wanted to build it and how
the cultures transformed this team, and um, so you know
they can just be from the heart and go interview
(21:15):
these and and there's special guys, and I think the
owners that interview them will see that and they're gonna
have great opportunities to get these jobs. Selfishly, i'd like
to run a back with Goot, but I also understand
there's gonna become a point where they're gonna they're gonna
get these opportunities, and that's awesome for them and their families,
and we're very supportive of that. Would you make of
this Bengals fan base the last few months just rallying
around this team and they almost you, guys, wants this
(21:37):
plucky underdogs to like these this incredible fan base just
like who wants to face us let's go. Yeah. I
think we're just intertwined as a team and as a
as a city, um as an overall fan base. Um,
they feel a part of what we're doing. We feel
we feel that from them. It's it's not the biggest
city and in America, and so there's a direct connection
(21:57):
there where we interacted these fans all the time, and
we're in the schools, where in the restaurants, were in
the community. UM, I think they feel a strong connection
to some great players that have great personalities. Our team.
I think that's that's a really fun thing to have
these personalities that these kids can um, you know and
connect with. I mean exactly. I see the videos of
you going into these bars after wins. I think there's
(22:18):
something to that. It's pretty cool, it's pretty neat to
be a part of, and it's kind of a tradition
we we fell into. Um, there's gonna be a part
of us forever. And just just happy to be able
to connect with the fans that way. And um, I
think it's worked out well for us. Uh. Two more
questions And I like asking this to all the coaches.
If you could sum up Cincinnati Bengal season with one
(22:40):
offensive play, if there was a play that you're proudest off,
there's a play that you're like, you know what, dig
this one up? This is this tells a lot about
our squad. We had Dan Quinn on last week and
I said, give me a play, and he picked a
random play of Parsons chasing down a tight end, you
know from ten yards that didn't It wasn't as significant
as maybe a game that put into the playoffs, but
it was like that was our team this year. I
(23:01):
hate putting me on the spot, but what's a cool
play that you're proud of the air Like you up
that tape, let's run it back and you could guest,
you know, I think the first Kansas City game, um,
we were We were able to show clips of every
person on our roster making impact plays on that game,
every single one of them, all forty eight guys that
were active. And there were so many clips of our
offensive line in that game, uh, just doing a great
(23:23):
job helping each other, you know, against a great pass rush,
against great front, great linebackers. And so I don't have
the one specific on the spot right here. That's I
do like the question I gotta put more thought. I
was gonna say, give me some j P rod and
it just rumbling and get it to me. Yeah, I
mean I just finished it after contact down the field
for some j In that game, there were just so
many point Higgins catching a huge third down to put
(23:44):
the game on ice at the very end, um Jamaar
with so many guys fighting on second down, UM to
convert first downs or a third down to where we
didn't we were in a third one or fourth and one.
That was really that first Kansas City game. We showed
so many clips of some j and and Jama Chase
getting that extra inch to put us over the line,
and a lot of those drives continue and it's a
(24:04):
lot of those plays stand out. So has huge shutdowns
on third down in that game. I gotta spurst downs
and extended drive some touchdowns. You know, I'm I'm a
writer by trade. I love the story, so like the narrative.
To me, there is like fighting for every extra inch.
And that's kind of the symbol of this team this year,
going through the Damar Hamlin thing from the other side
of it, um, having to endure the same type of
(24:26):
uneasiness of where is this going and then having then
go play football. I think that's symbolic of what your
team was. Uh last but not least, what now for
the for the Taylor family. Do you get a chance
to maybe put down the clicker of the All twenty two?
Can you take some time to unwind? Do we play
video games? Are we watching cartoons? What are we doing? Yeah?
My my son's downloaded uh double as seven, the old
(24:47):
Nintendo six Golden Golden Old, and we put in a
good three to four hours last night grenade launchers. They
were having a blast. It kind of took me back
to my my high school days. Yeah, I don't think
they enjoy it with all the technology they got now,
but they love it. They've got their friends over today
and um, so you know that that's that's been pretty
(25:08):
cool to spend some time with them and be able
to do some old school type of stuff. And when
does it start where you're like looking at draft prospects
and Senior Bowl craft, Like I cringe at the thought
of you having to bring up that tape. Does that
happen now? Like is it this week? No? Not this week?
You know, I'll take two weeks off and and still
be around town and and for meetings and things that
will hop around here. But jump, I can that process
(25:28):
before the combine starts to be prepped on those guys
and do does a great job. They're already moving full
speed ahead there at the Senior Bowl, and US as
coaches will catch up sooner rather later. When I said
it on on Good Morning Football last week, going into
the game and we announced the finalists for Coach of
the Year, and I know you're not one for look
at me, and that's certainly not in your but I
don't know. Man, start off the season oh in two,
(25:49):
losing on Halloween, four and four, go through the Damar
Hamlin thing right, alof tense, straight wins, win in Buffalo.
I'd sell you had a pretty good year yourself. Neck well,
we we we want to win championships. That's what drives
us and UM to get those numbers on the wall.
You know of Division champs. We wanted waves champs. Didn't
work out for us, but those are the things that
(26:09):
really motivate us. Hey, I appreciate you taking the fifteen
minutes here and talk with me and wrap it up
the season. Best of luck to you. I will see
you Combine. I imagine the next time i'll see you,
I'll be there for four days. Yes, so alive, so alive,
my friend. We'll see each other at to Shake Shack
or whatever they call it was that shaking shaking steak.
You want shape, no way. If you want to go
to different restaurant, I'll meet you there, but I'm gonna
(26:31):
stay away from Zach Taylor, congratulations on a great season
and thanks so much for joining the pod. Awesome thanks, Peter.
Tremendous person, tremendous coach and a great, great ambassador of
the game. Sack Taylor. Uh, just an awesome convo. I
love the image of him playing Golden Eye for four
(26:53):
hours with his family. I got Aaron Kaufman, um, my
producer right here. Aaron, when you hear you're thinking Tahiti,
you're thinking Hawaii. No, he's sitting in a basement playing
slappers only with his kids. You gotta come away from
that conversation. Love and Zach Taylor. Yeah, I would love
to get a couple of rounds of Golden Night in
with him, you know, play complex and Uh. I think
(27:14):
he was saying they were doing Grenade launch, but yeah, tremendous. Um.
That's the goal of this podcast, guys. One week we're
gonna have you know, Dan Quinn as he's about to
go interview for head coaching jobs. The next week we're
gonna have Eric stone Street, a diehard fan, talk about
the audition process in Hollywood and how heartbreaking that can be.
And then the very next day we're gonna bring in
(27:35):
Zach Taylor, who was in the Super Bowl last year
in the a f C Championship Games seventy two hours ago.
We love doing this podcast. It's a joy and I
want to thank you Aaron as always uh so good,
so nimble to to make these happen. I want to
thank the great Jason English at I Heeart Radio, Matt Schneider,
Jason Kleinman who has been awesome with the clips. Um.
I'm getting nostalgia because the season's coming to an end.
(27:57):
We got one more left before we wrap this season
and we want to go out with a bank. So
we have not booked our Super Bowl week guests yet,
but I want to bring in a big one. Hopefully
I can uh fulfill expectations. And until then, guys, enjoy
the weekend, enjoy the Pro Bowl games. Person good by Verizon,
and uh no doubt. I'll be back next week and
(28:18):
we'll be talking more ball, Chiefs, the Eagles. It's here, guys.
Enjoy the season with Peter Schrager is a production of
(28:39):
the NFL and partnership with I Heart Radio. For more
podcasts from my Heart Radio, is it the I Heart
Radio app, Apple Podcasts wherever you get your podcasts,
The Season with Peter Schrager as a production of the
NFL in partnership with I Heart Radio. Welcome everybody to
the Season with Peter Schragers a rare double dip. We're
(00:27):
doing two episodes in one week, and we thought we would,
uh would spend some time talking about Tom Brady's retirement.
And it was easy enough to wait till next week
and jump on and be like, hey, we're gonna do no,
let's do it right here, right now. Tom Brady, it's Wednesday,
just retired from the NFL in a video that he
filmed on his own phone. That was such a departure
(00:49):
from last year's whatever the hell was going on with
you know, first a schefter report, then he retires, but
he says he's not retiring, and then he un retires.
It was just a mess. This year, Brady retires by
just doing a simple, raw, honest video. Here's what he
had to say to his millions of followers. Good morning, guys.
(01:10):
I'll get to the point right away. I'm retiring for good.
I know the process was a pretty big deal last time.
So when I woke up this morning, I figured I
just press record and let you guys know first, so
I won't be long winded like you only get one
super emotional retirement essay and I used my up last year.
(01:33):
So really, thank you guys so much to every single
one of you for supporting me, my family, my friends,
my teammates, my competitors. I could go on forever. There's
too many. Um thank you guys for allowing me to
live my absolute dream. I wouldn't change the thing. I
(01:58):
love you all. I'm not going to spend today's podcast
going through all the Bradies accomplishments and listing all the
amazing winds and moments. I'll just say the announcement of
the news itself. Here's what I got. I have sources
close to Brady and here the video was filmed days ago,
So that wasn't filmed this morning. That was a video
that he filmed days ago. He went to the eighty
(02:19):
for Brady movie premiere last night in Los Angeles. By
the time that he posted the video, the sun was
not up, so in l A clearly that that would
not be him on the beach Wednesday morning. All that
will be forgotten um days from now. No one cares
about it. But what that The big takeaway is that
he's known for for some time now that he was retiring.
(02:39):
Sources with the Buccaneers told me they found out this
morning prior to the video being posted. They were giving
a heads up that Brady was calling a quit. So
think about the sequence of time here and his head.
He's watching the games over the weekend, the decisions probably formulating.
It is probably formulating for a couple of weeks, makes
the decision. Films. The video flies to l A does
this movie premiere thing? Is asked a million questions I'm
(03:02):
sure um does on the red carpet, doesn't give any
doesn't address it. How's the Jim Gray podcast? Somewhere in
there where he tells Jim Gray He's not answering any questions,
all that stuff. Um. But then a simple Wednesday morning,
bye week, boom video out, no statement, no marketing video,
no plug to the TV twelve brand, No, no, you
(03:23):
know I'm promoting this movie. Nothing, A simple video Brady,
a man in his thoughts, succinct message. I dig it,
I appreciate it. Um. That was one piece of news.
The other piece of news was Sean Phaeton. So on
when we recorded this podcast yesterday, I said, screaming from
the mountaintops. Please please do not listen to the reports
(03:46):
that are saying that Sean Payton is not taking a job. Please.
I knew something was going down, guys, obviously, and I
was saying the orange tie that he wore on Fox, Um,
it might not have been an accident, that's all. I'll say.
He were a big bright orange tie on Sunday. Uh.
Talks with the Bronchos were well underway on Sunday, and
that was going on while we were filming our show. However,
they need to figure out the trade compensation with the
(04:08):
Saints that wasn't done yet, and they also need to
figure out Sean's compensation as far as salary goes. The
interesting thing to piece to this is Payton is gonna
get a huge salary from the Broncos. And you might say, well,
salary cap doesn't matter with coaches. We don't really know
how much that money is gonna be. It doesn't have
to be made public. There's no salary cap, there's no
(04:28):
announcement of how much you better believe. In coaching circles,
people start hearing what he's getting, and if he's getting
a certain number, there's no stopping a Kyle Shanahan, A
Sean McVeigh, a Zach Taylor. Any of these guys to
go to their owners and say, well, why is Sean
Payton making X amount more than me? That, to me
(04:50):
is the storyline here. Does the NFL want the coaching
salaries to go out of whack? Are the owners thrilled
that a new owner came in and is paying Sewan
Payton a certain number? I'm trying to give you the
next level analysis here. Sean Payton comes back at the
age of sixty one, says, I'm gonna coach the new
the Denver Bronco. I need this number, and the Broncos
owners match that number. Now, if all of these Super
(05:13):
Bowl contending coaches are below him, did they go to
their owners and say, we'll wait a second. If he
got that, what's stopping me from stepping away from a
year doing this. It's an interesting set of dominoes and
it's the pretty side of all of this. And the
owners in the league, I'm sure are not thrilled to
to have Shawn pay and make a certain number and
all the other owners say, hey, now I've got to
pay my guy that last year to Shawn Watson got
(05:35):
a certain number as a quarterback. All the other quarterbacks
are like, I need that number. Guess what that might
be coming after Sean pay and gets what he got. Um,
that's the unsavory side of sports. It's the business side
of it. There's also a football side of it. And
scheduled long before Brady's retirement was this guest today. And
(05:57):
if you're a Bengals fan, you're gonna love it. If
you're a non Bengals fan, you're gonna wish this guy
was your coach. I'll tell you what. Zach Taylor is
the real deal. I've known Zach going back to his
Miami Dolphin days when he was coaching on Dan Campbell's
interim uh Dolphins team that Joe Filbin era back then.
(06:17):
Zach Taylor bounced around from there to the University of
Cincinnati at one point, to the l A Rams at
some point, Um too, then of course, elevating to be
in the head coach of Cincinnati Bengals. Two rough years
to start his career, two amazing years the past two years,
and he has been the same guy since day one
that I've met him. Zach Taylor is a great NFL coach.
(06:40):
He is a great podcast guest. He agreed to do
the season with Peter Schreeger. He has not done any
other media. Fresh off a heartbreaking a f C Championship
Game loss, guys, sit back and enjoy Zach Taylor, the
head coach the Cincinnati Bengals. Back to back trips to
(07:01):
the a f C Championship Game, a Super Bowl appearance
last year, and a fantastic season from the Cincinnati Bengals,
were welcoming in their head coach and one of the
best best minds in football right now, going, Mr Zach Taylor. Zach,
welcome to the podcast. I appreciated Peter. Thanks from here on.
I love having you on. Alright, so, just as we're recording,
this is Tuesday. I'm sorry Wednesday morning, UM, Tom Brady
(07:24):
put out a statement a video that he's retiring. I'm
not sure if if you've been able to check all
the tweets or whatever, but as we sit down and
do this, you guys playing against the Buccaneers this year,
obviously good comeback win for you, and of course you
were the Big Twelve Offensive Player of the Year Player
of the Year, Um, after Brady had already won three
(07:45):
Super Bowls, so you put this whole thing together. Your
reactions to Tom Brady finally calling it quits and this
time for real. Yeah, it was an awesome career. Um.
I grew up watching Tom Brady and Peyton Manning and
so to coach against those guys interact with him is unbelievable.
So again, hats off to him for a phenomenal career.
(08:06):
It's it's that'll be tough to ever match. Did you
exchange any words after that game? I guess it was
December eighteenth, Bengals Buccaneers. Brady comes to midfield. You guys
come back and win that game. Is there any exchange
of like, here's my words of wisdom from Tom Brady
or it doesn't go down like that? Oh? No, I
don't know that I've ever interacted with Tom, you know,
and I've always had a ton of respect for him,
but but I've never interacted with him. Yeah. Um, we're
(08:28):
seventy two hours now outside of the a f C
Championship game, which I said earlier in the week was
an all time classic that everyone will remember where they were.
You guys, the season's done now, it's so fresh, it's
so raw, and now that you've had seventy two hours
to remove yourself not only from the game, but from
the season. Uh, for Bengals fans, for NFL fans, you know,
just your perspective on the season that was and really
(08:51):
how far this team came. Yeah, I'm really proud of
our guys, you know, and we didn't know what at
the time, but on Hawween we lost the Browns on
Monday Night football to go for and for and we're
really playing playoff football ever since then. You know, we
just didn't know it. And so to look up and
be four and four and then turn around in your
fourteen and four and you're on the run that we
were on. It was a credit to our guys. We're
(09:11):
just putting their head down and and focus on each
week and finding ways to win. And the next thing
you know, you're in Kansas City for the HC Championship
and a couple of points away from going back to
the Super Bowl. And just really proud of the effort
of our guys and and the discipline to get to
that point. Loss like that that's so heartbreaking and obviously
it's so fresh. When do you put on the tape?
Is that something a coach puts on Sunday night in
(09:32):
the flight home. Do you in the tape and never
watch it? I'm always fascinated. We know that. You know,
when you win one, you don't want to linker too
much on on the tape and you just want to
take it to the next But when the season ends,
like it just ended, Like when do you go to
that tape and watch the All twenty two and break
it down? Yeah? You watch it on the plane afterwards
on the iPad and really, um, you know, and then
the next morning you go through the game. You want
to be aware of of what happened and be able
(09:54):
to talk through it with conversations with the players and
other people as you need to. And um, yeah, it's
painful to watch. But um, you know again we we
we played hard. Proud of the way that the guys played. Um,
you know, wasn't wasn't like we were prepared. It wasn't
like our guys and poor performances. It was just a
great game against two two heavyweight fighters, and and unfortunately
we came up a little short. You know. I said
(10:15):
it on Twitter on Sunday night and it got about
a billion retweets And I'm not usually that guy searching
for the retweets. But I just said, how you handled
the press conference after the game was was pretty classy.
It took the high road. You didn't go through play
by play when you know a lot of people online,
a lot of Bengals fans were upset about certain things.
What's your message to the team after the game. You
guys get in the locker room and there were some
(10:36):
calls obviously whatever it is, but you know that this
is more than one game and one play here and there.
This was an entire season that they should be proud of. Yeah,
we gotta find a way to be proud of what
we did. Um, this team should be tied together forever
as a special team. And I want guys to be
able to reflect on that and enjoy that. UM talk,
moments like that is really where your characters tested. You know,
what are you gonna be about when the when the
(10:57):
emotions are raw and and uh, you know, And so
I thought it was just important that we conduct ourselves
the right way. And it was really proud of the
way the guys handled that. Would you would you say
to us I after a game? Obviously in the moment,
everyone has their reactions, but then at the end of
the day, you realize this is a kid who played
his best game as a pro twenty two years old,
is going to be a player for this team for
a while. He didn't want to push, you know, Mahomes
(11:17):
after the whistle. We know that. So what's the message
from the head coach to the young man. Well, I
think what's great about Joseph is is his passion for
the game and his effort on every single play. And
more times than not, that's gonna pay off in a
really positive way for you because he's he's an effort player.
He never gives up. He gives everything he's got on
every snap and uh and and so again, he'll he'll
learn from that. He'll be on that stage again someday
(11:39):
they can make a great plays for us to help us,
you know, and get to that next level. And I
think he'll have a great appreciation for for what happened
on Sunday when he gets to that point. What kind
of kid is see, I don't think anyone in America
knows second round pick young guy. But like we don't know,
I don't. I wouldn't be able to identify his face
if he walks by and now he's this name like
it's already passed. But in the moment that was like,
you know, a side, So what's he like? Give us
(11:59):
a little light on the young man. Guy, very passionate
about football. He's all in. Um, just wants to be great,
eight wants to help the team. And uh really really
did a great job growing in his role this year.
He's fought through some injuries. Really was on I R
last year as rookie because he got hurt in the
Tampa Bay preseason game. Um, he's bought through injuries of
(12:20):
the course of his career, and he was really starting
to hit his stride at the latter point in this
season and playing good football on Sunday, you know, he
made some great plays for us and and so again
he's got a really bright future for us. You know,
I I watched the game back. It was on Monday night.
I watched it back, and it's fourth and six and
here's Burrow goes back and hits Chase and then there's
the other pass this to Higgins to so many great
(12:42):
young talents on this team. And as everyone wants to
rush forward and say, well, the window might be closing
on forget the window might be closing. Just talk about
the youth and the core of this team, and you know,
and why there's a reason for great optimism not only
for next year, but for the future. Cincinnati Bengals football. Yeah,
such a great balance of players on our team where
we've got those veteran leaders that are really talented um
(13:02):
and they roll in the past that wisdom down to
some really special young players and and those young players
are willing to take that information and become even better players.
And so it's just a really good collaborative effort in
our locker room. Right balance of personalities, right balance of talent,
right balance of age. Duke Tobyn's done a great job
in the draft acquiring these these guys with talent, and
then we've hit on these guys and uh, the coaches
(13:24):
have done a really good job developing that talent as well.
And so it's it's a it's a really special team.
I'm happy to be a part of it. And talk
about the owner because you know, Mike Brown has been
there forever and for years it was like the Bengals
aren't investing in this team, and there was all those criticism.
Now I look at this team, it's one of the
best rosters in football, new facility coming. I feel like
the narrative is should be changed. Absolutely. You know, my
(13:45):
my experience in four years here has been on the
were on the same page every step of the way
with with Mike Brown and the rest of family. Um,
I've got so much appreciation for him and what he's
meant to be and how he's allowed me to grow,
the wisdom he's given me. He's been around this league forever,
he's seen it evolve. Um, He's got so much wisdom
to share to me, and he's just been so encouraging
(14:06):
and patient throughout the whole process. Um that I'm incredibly
grateful for for Mike and the rest of the family.
It's been a fun ride for Bengals fans these last
two years, and it's only gonna continue. And it all
starts under center at the switch when you guys were
scouting Joe Burrow and when you guys were considering him
number number one overall, did you in a million years
envisioned this Now he would say, yeah, this is all
(14:28):
what's been written and this is what I do like.
But did you think it could be like this good?
This fast? Yeah, He's a special person. I don't know
that we ever had a timetable on on when we
make it to the super Bowl. They're always hopeful that's
gonna happen sooner rather than later. Um, But just being
around him and watching him play on his college tape,
he's he was a special player and he elevated everyone
(14:48):
around him. He had great talent, no question, but um,
he's certainly maximized those players around him and maximize his abilities.
And that's what he's done for us as well. And uh,
we're very fortunate to have him and and uh, you
know it's it's we gotta keep aiding in his development.
But man, he's he's an elite player right now? Does
he bust chops? Does he funny? Like? I feel like
he's got this steely glaze, he's got this amazing swag
(15:09):
all the stuff that we see. And then he gets
on the field and he never wavers. He's the same
guy and does not get high, does not get low.
But like behind closed doors, does he bust chops? Is
he funny? Is he a wise ass? Like? What's he like? Oh? Yeah, no,
he's great. You know, the quarterback room is a special place. Um,
And and he the personalities in that room are great
with him and Brandon Allen and Jake Browning and Dan Pitcher. Yeah,
(15:31):
they got their own thing going on in there. Uh yeah,
he certainly gives it as good as he takes it.
And and uh yeah, he's a fun person to be around. Yeah. Um,
we'll rap shortly because I just think this is it's
awesome to get access to you, and it's it's unfortunate
with how the season ended, and yet there's so much
to be proud of. We go back to the Monday
night game and I thought you showed your true character,
(15:52):
but also we saw a lot of I guess, grace
and the good of the league. Um in the way
that entire situation was handled amongst two coaches. Talk about
the bond that maybe you and Sean McDermott will have
the rest of your way throughout your careers going through
that traumatic event. Yeah, I always had a ton of
respect for Sean and the way he operates and the
(16:12):
way that he's built that team, and and a lot
of respect for Sean and and in even more so
in a lot of ways for seeing how the decisions
he really made at the moment were. Um, you know
the life of Damar is more important than what this
game is. I need to be there for him. It's
my obligation as a coach to support my players and
be in the hospital. And um, that made every decision
(16:33):
after that very simple and easy. UM And and so
again I've got a deep appreciation for how he handled
that stuff and um he had a great pulse for
his team and and we're just all really fortunate to
see the way that that Damar has come out of
that given what we saw on Monday night to now, UM,
I think was was not a prediction anybody would have
been made that he would have been doing um as
(16:53):
well as he is right now. And that's just awesome
to see. I know he still got a long ways
to go, but um Man, to see where it was
on Monday night, it's it's special to see. Yeah. And
and your team responded by Okay, there's a coin toss
not gonna be relevant, there's a neutral game not gonna
be relevant. From the coaching side of it, how much
did you kind of use that stuff as motivation for
the team or do you stay away and just let
(17:13):
the headlines tell the story and let the players go
from there. No, we we use as much as we
can get. You know, I think it's good and this
professional will take any edge you can get. And you know,
you could argue, yeah, the players don't need that if
they're both the right stuff, but but they'll take it,
you know, and it's it's good anybody you can push
to trying to motivate guys to get that little extra
out of them. Um. I think our team has done
a great job responding to that kind of stuff. Um.
(17:35):
And then obviously get in the playoffs and win against
Buffalo is historic and it's one way everyone assumes this
offensive line is gonna be in tatters and they can't
protect Burrow and they put on a perfect game. You
look back on this season, you look back at that moment,
what's the moment you're proudest of the two Bengals? True?
I just think, um, you know that those games down
(17:56):
the stretch for us, you know, it's it's uh, having
to win both those Baltimore games, having to win at
Buffalo on the road and one of the toughest environments
and all football, and then you throw the snow on
top of it, and um, just that that stretch I
think was UM, a great testament of the character of
our players. And it's a long season. At that point.
We played seventeen games, and we need you to be
(18:18):
at your best, and and we were able to beat
some really good football teams down the stretch, and I
think I spoke to the character of our team. This
this story of the Bengals is one thing. The story
of your rise as a coach is another. Um. You've
told me this story before you and it was on
the podcast A day was Sean McVeigh, I gotta retail
for this one though. Eastern Washington a workout in twenties sixteen.
(18:42):
I guess it was you were in the what was
your what was your role with the Rams? You were
the wide receivers coach at the time? Are you are
the quarterbacks assistant wide receivers coach at the Los Angeles Rams?
And you get an assignment You're gonna fly with Sean
mcveighat Eastern Washington. Take it away from there, Zach. What's
the rest? Yeah, So it was me Sean. Let's need
Shane waldron Um and Matt before think about that. That's
(19:05):
who's who. Like NFL offensive coordinators, head coaches and decision makers.
I love it already and Eric Yarber, and it was
probably about two weeks before the draft. We got on
a plane and flew around the country. We worked out
Evan Ingram, We worked out as A Jones, Taywan Taylor,
Western Kentucky, Adam Shaheen, Gerald Everett, and then we finished
with Cooper Cup. And so I was the arm I
(19:28):
had to throw as least this receiver. Coachs all these
guys over over three days and that the last one
was Cooper Cup in Eastern Washington. And I mean halfway
through the workout my arm was gonna follow which lay
there was a quarterback there, you know at Easter Washington
kid that was able to supplement some of my throws.
But um, you know, Cooper was a special player. We
(19:50):
connected on all of them except for one. We had
a we had a back end line red zone round.
Remember that over threw it almost his dad in the background,
you know, But uh no, Cooper, Cooper was special players
on the red trip. It was cold. It was in April,
but it's kind of cold and wet and just kind
of a miserable day. And but we fought through it.
And uh you know, Cooper had made enough impact on
(20:10):
the organization where they drafted in the second round. Think
about that, that group that you were with on that
on that journey. Of course you get Cooper cup I
think it was third round actually, and probably didn't even
have a first round pick if it's the Rams, if
I'm not mistaken, that's usually how it goes um. But
think about that group now and now everyone has spread out,
(20:32):
and it's pretty cool. You've got a cool staff of
your own. We know that coach Lou and Rumo and
Brian Callahan are currently in the head coaching interview process
for a couple of gigs. Lou with Arizona, then Brian
still alive in Indianapolis and then Arizona. Now that you're
the head guy and you're watching your coordinators get this opportunity,
what do you tell them as they step up to
the mic and try to interview in front of these owners, Well,
(20:54):
that they're ready for it. You know, they they've um
seen how we've we've done this thing every step of
the way. And I think that's what special is having
those guys here for four years, from starting at the
beginning to all the way at this point, and so
that they've seen it. They've seen a foundation be built
the way that we wanted to build it and how
the cultures transformed this team, and um, so you know
they can just be from the heart and go interview
(21:15):
these and and there's special guys, and I think the
owners that interview them will see that and they're gonna
have great opportunities to get these jobs. Selfishly, i'd like
to run a back with Goot, but I also understand
there's gonna become a point where they're gonna they're gonna
get these opportunities, and that's awesome for them and their families,
and we're very supportive of that. Would you make of
this Bengals fan base the last few months just rallying
around this team and they almost you, guys, wants this
(21:37):
plucky underdogs to like these this incredible fan base just
like who wants to face us let's go. Yeah. I
think we're just intertwined as a team and as a
as a city, um as an overall fan base. Um,
they feel a part of what we're doing. We feel
we feel that from them. It's it's not the biggest
city and in America, and so there's a direct connection
(21:57):
there where we interacted these fans all the time, and
we're in the schools, where in the restaurants, were in
the community. UM, I think they feel a strong connection
to some great players that have great personalities. Our team.
I think that's that's a really fun thing to have
these personalities that these kids can um, you know and
connect with. I mean exactly. I see the videos of
you going into these bars after wins. I think there's
(22:18):
something to that. It's pretty cool, it's pretty neat to
be a part of, and it's kind of a tradition
we we fell into. Um, there's gonna be a part
of us forever. And just just happy to be able
to connect with the fans that way. And um, I
think it's worked out well for us. Uh. Two more
questions And I like asking this to all the coaches.
If you could sum up Cincinnati Bengal season with one
(22:40):
offensive play, if there was a play that you're proudest off,
there's a play that you're like, you know what, dig
this one up? This is this tells a lot about
our squad. We had Dan Quinn on last week and
I said, give me a play, and he picked a
random play of Parsons chasing down a tight end, you
know from ten yards that didn't It wasn't as significant
as maybe a game that put into the playoffs, but
it was like that was our team this year. I
(23:01):
hate putting me on the spot, but what's a cool
play that you're proud of the air Like you up
that tape, let's run it back and you could guest,
you know, I think the first Kansas City game, um,
we were We were able to show clips of every
person on our roster making impact plays on that game,
every single one of them, all forty eight guys that
were active. And there were so many clips of our
offensive line in that game, uh, just doing a great
(23:23):
job helping each other, you know, against a great pass rush,
against great front, great linebackers. And so I don't have
the one specific on the spot right here. That's I
do like the question I gotta put more thought. I
was gonna say, give me some j P rod and
it just rumbling and get it to me. Yeah, I
mean I just finished it after contact down the field
for some j In that game, there were just so
many point Higgins catching a huge third down to put
(23:44):
the game on ice at the very end, um Jamaar
with so many guys fighting on second down, UM to
convert first downs or a third down to where we
didn't we were in a third one or fourth and one.
That was really that first Kansas City game. We showed
so many clips of some j and and Jama Chase
getting that extra inch to put us over the line,
and a lot of those drives continue and it's a
(24:04):
lot of those plays stand out. So has huge shutdowns
on third down in that game. I gotta spurst downs
and extended drive some touchdowns. You know, I'm I'm a
writer by trade. I love the story, so like the narrative.
To me, there is like fighting for every extra inch.
And that's kind of the symbol of this team this year,
going through the Damar Hamlin thing from the other side
of it, um, having to endure the same type of
(24:26):
uneasiness of where is this going and then having then
go play football. I think that's symbolic of what your
team was. Uh last but not least, what now for
the for the Taylor family. Do you get a chance
to maybe put down the clicker of the All twenty two?
Can you take some time to unwind? Do we play
video games? Are we watching cartoons? What are we doing? Yeah?
My my son's downloaded uh double as seven, the old
(24:47):
Nintendo six Golden Golden Old, and we put in a
good three to four hours last night grenade launchers. They
were having a blast. It kind of took me back
to my my high school days. Yeah, I don't think
they enjoy it with all the technology they got now,
but they love it. They've got their friends over today
and um, so you know that that's that's been pretty
(25:08):
cool to spend some time with them and be able
to do some old school type of stuff. And when
does it start where you're like looking at draft prospects
and Senior Bowl craft, Like I cringe at the thought
of you having to bring up that tape. Does that
happen now? Like is it this week? No? Not this week?
You know, I'll take two weeks off and and still
be around town and and for meetings and things that
will hop around here. But jump, I can that process
(25:28):
before the combine starts to be prepped on those guys
and do does a great job. They're already moving full
speed ahead there at the Senior Bowl, and US as
coaches will catch up sooner rather later. When I said
it on on Good Morning Football last week, going into
the game and we announced the finalists for Coach of
the Year, and I know you're not one for look
at me, and that's certainly not in your but I
don't know. Man, start off the season oh in two,
(25:49):
losing on Halloween, four and four, go through the Damar
Hamlin thing right, alof tense, straight wins, win in Buffalo.
I'd sell you had a pretty good year yourself. Neck well,
we we we want to win championships. That's what drives
us and UM to get those numbers on the wall.
You know of Division champs. We wanted waves champs. Didn't
work out for us, but those are the things that
(26:09):
really motivate us. Hey, I appreciate you taking the fifteen
minutes here and talk with me and wrap it up
the season. Best of luck to you. I will see
you Combine. I imagine the next time i'll see you,
I'll be there for four days. Yes, so alive, so alive,
my friend. We'll see each other at to Shake Shack
or whatever they call it was that shaking shaking steak.
You want shape, no way. If you want to go
to different restaurant, I'll meet you there, but I'm gonna
(26:31):
stay away from Zach Taylor, congratulations on a great season
and thanks so much for joining the pod. Awesome thanks, Peter.
Tremendous person, tremendous coach and a great, great ambassador of
the game. Sack Taylor. Uh, just an awesome convo. I
love the image of him playing Golden Eye for four
(26:53):
hours with his family. I got Aaron Kaufman, um, my
producer right here. Aaron, when you hear you're thinking Tahiti,
you're thinking Hawaii. No, he's sitting in a basement playing
slappers only with his kids. You gotta come away from
that conversation. Love and Zach Taylor. Yeah, I would love
to get a couple of rounds of Golden Night in
with him, you know, play complex and Uh. I think
(27:14):
he was saying they were doing Grenade launch, but yeah, tremendous. Um.
That's the goal of this podcast, guys. One week we're
gonna have you know, Dan Quinn as he's about to
go interview for head coaching jobs. The next week we're
gonna have Eric stone Street, a diehard fan, talk about
the audition process in Hollywood and how heartbreaking that can be.
And then the very next day we're gonna bring in
(27:35):
Zach Taylor, who was in the Super Bowl last year
in the a f C Championship Games seventy two hours ago.
We love doing this podcast. It's a joy and I
want to thank you Aaron as always uh so good,
so nimble to to make these happen. I want to
thank the great Jason English at I Heeart Radio, Matt Schneider,
Jason Kleinman who has been awesome with the clips. Um.
I'm getting nostalgia because the season's coming to an end.
(27:57):
We got one more left before we wrap this season
and we want to go out with a bank. So
we have not booked our Super Bowl week guests yet,
but I want to bring in a big one. Hopefully
I can uh fulfill expectations. And until then, guys, enjoy
the weekend, enjoy the Pro Bowl games. Person good by Verizon,
and uh no doubt. I'll be back next week and
(28:18):
we'll be talking more ball, Chiefs, the Eagles. It's here, guys.
Enjoy the season with Peter Schrager is a production of
(28:39):
the NFL and partnership with I Heart Radio. For more
podcasts from my Heart Radio, is it the I Heart
Radio app, Apple Podcasts wherever you get your podcasts,
Host
Peter Schrager
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