January 31, 2023 • 37 mins
This year's Pro Bowl is vastly different from anything you've seen in the past, and on this episode of the NFL explained. podcast, Mike Yam and former Pro Bowler Michael Robinson take you through all of the changes.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
NFL Explained is a production of the NFL in partnership
with I Heart Radio. It's a question that I think
for some might be a surprise, like what do you
mean you have to ask this question? But I actually
think it's relevant. It's a brand new edition about Nickel
explained Michael Robinson my camp with you. Are you a
(00:27):
Vegas guy? Am I a Vegas guy? Not really, Yams,
because I'm a married man, Okay, and I don't like
to gamble, So that's one of those things. They have shows. Yeah,
they have shows, but you gotta walk through a lot
of stuff before you get to the shows. Man. You
know what I'm saying, that is true. What if I
told you that there's some football related things going down again? Okay,
I'll be there, just double checking. Here we go. We
(00:50):
got the explanation of the Pro Bowl games, and I
say a little new format here. We're gonna get to
all of those details in just a bit. You want
a Super Bowl, you're also a Pro Bowler. That is
a hell of an honor, Yams. It's crazy, bro. When
I found out I was going to the Pro Bowl,
I remember I was in a hotel room. My house
was had got flooded. So my family and I we
were in a hotel room that night for a couple
(01:11):
of days, and so I found out I'm going to
the Pro Bowl. Literally fifteen minutes later, Joe Paternal calls
me and I'm one of the last people that he
spoke to before he passed. That day. Wow, it was crazy.
It was surreal because as I'm talking to him and
I'm like, what's up, Joe, what's up? Coach? I know
you know you're struggling, and you know his son Jay
(01:31):
Paternal told me to get on the phone and just
kind of, you know, say something to him. He wasn't
gonna respond. You can hear him breathing and all those things.
And the crazy part it was, I don't know, seven
eight years previous to that, Joe Paterno was the guy
was while I'm sitting in his office all upset, cussing
him out, like he allowed. We had that type of relationship.
He said, you know what, Robinson, I know you want
to play quarterback right now, but we need you other places.
(01:53):
You're probably gonna be a Pro Bowl fullback or tailback
in the National Football League. I gave him the middle
finger and walked out of this office. I was eighteen
years old, and literally the day that I come to
Crazy the data, I found out I'm going to a
Pro Bowl. This whole thing is happening, and you know,
obviously they asked me to speak at his memorial service.
Crazy couple of hours from me finding it out, So
(02:16):
that time by me because I was gonna say, you
found out and as you were taking the phone call,
you had like fifteen inches of water like around your
your knees, and then here you go, give me this
heartfelt story, which is like the full circle football twist
to it, and this is where we end up the
jerk that was me. All right. So last year on
this podcast, we actually took everyone into a deep dip
(02:39):
of the history of the Pro Bowl. It's s brand new.
So on this season's episode, we're gonna be discussing the
three Pro Bowl games, by the way, presented by Verizon,
the events actually taking place over two days in Vegas.
M Rob definitely a Vegas guy. The fan favorite the
skills competition that we broadcast live for the first time Thursday,
(02:59):
February twod on ESPN seven to eight thirty Eastern time.
You got basically a huge event the petitions they're gonna
be continue Sunday, February five, Allegiance Stadium. I was there
last year for the East West Shrine Game, and they
were getting ready for all the Pro Bowl stuff. I'm
telling you that whole city, man, they just become all
about what's going to happen on the football field at
(03:19):
Allegiance for the Pro Bowl. What we're going to see
here is a little flag football. When I think flag football,
you're already smiling, man, flag football. You're the first dude
that I think that. Why that because I was doing
total access, you were doing hits in Alabama and I'm
telling you, m Rob was drenched so high humid, but
(03:39):
smiling ear to ear because you actually legitimately love flag football.
Yeah it's fun, man, And you know what Yams people
have to understand. And flag football not like your neighborhood
youth football organizations have flag football. That's like eleven on eleven.
You still have lineman. You're just playing football without equipment.
(04:00):
This is a different game, so to speak, right, like
different body types. You can you know, you can't go,
you can't flag guards. You gotta come up with certain players.
It's just a whole different looking as fast pacing. The
windows are small, and so the reason why my face
lit up is because being out there at the World
Games Man to see the enthusiasm that flag football injected
into not just men playing this game, but young women
(04:20):
as well, and in entire countries. Hopefully, hopefully yams as
we you know, as this flag football thing grows in
the Pro Bowl weekend grows with flag football, hopefully we
get that Olympics for flag football. That's what the goal is.
So I know a lot of people have been a
little hesitant about embracing this. I think once we get
the game and we see the guys having fun, it's
gonna be like, oh, yeah, we should have done this
(04:41):
a long time ago. We'll go into some of the rosters,
some of the details around the game coming up in
just a bit here. You told me about the experience
when you got the call that you were going to
be a Pro Bowler, and obviously that was a really
special moment for you in your life. What about the
actual event itself, what's it like for a player to
head to the Pro Bowl? Because this Hawaii a time correct, Yeah,
it was Hawaii, And you talk about the state of
(05:03):
Nevada in Las Vegas, embracing everything about football and everything
about the game. So the Hawaii I mean the minute
you got off the plane, I mean out of the airport,
there's thousands of fans and you know, I was a fullback.
I'm like, there's no way anybody knows who I am, right,
And there's a whole section of m ROB supporters with
twenty six jerseys on. They're just giving me all of
these you know, what are these things? I didn't like?
(05:27):
Don't be immature, not the immature. So yeah, yeah, man,
And you know it's just a it's a it's a
great atmosphere. I love playing in the game. Um, Matt Forte,
Shady McCoy, Beast Mode, they were my tailbacks in that game.
None of them wanted to play. They were all in
contract disputes and nobody wanted to get hurt. So I
ended up playing a large majority of the game. I
(05:48):
didn't get any passes or anything like that. But um,
what I enjoyed the most about my Pro Bowl experience
was the pool chats. And what I mean by if
you've ever been to the Pro Bowl, especially when it
was at Hawaii, there's one hotel that central focus point
for all the players, all the you know, the National
Football League's officers are there and all of that lot
(06:11):
of security. But at the end of the day at night,
when the pool, you know, everybody's hotel rooms were around
the pool and the music is playing and you've got
hall of famers, your past and president current, everybody's together.
I learned. I learned so much just listening to older
guys talk around the pool. They've had a couple of
(06:32):
cold ones, you know what I'm saying, And that's where
the true brotherhood comes. And I enjoyed that more than
anything else. Game talk, life talk, financial, tal the above, man,
all the above, like because as a as a again,
we're gladiators. I'm gonna say football players, but we're gladiators.
And to understand that you're not the only one in
the world going through some of your personal issues. You know,
(06:53):
there's guys that went through it before you, that understand
what's going on at the home, that understands you traveling
and having a family and all that. And sometimes it
just feels good to talk to some people that's been
through it, you know, especially before you. And that's that's
kind of what that pro Bowl did, especially in Hawaii,
and I haven't been to the one here in Vegas yet.
I'll be coming to it this this year for the
Flat Football Championships. But at the end of the day
(07:14):
that that pool chat was was where was that? You look,
all those conversations, they just they're better when you have
an umbrella hang like, it's just everything just it was
a little different and loosened everybody up. People started singing
it's karaoke, and I mean, it's just it's those things.
And what I can say is all athletes like to
be coached. We all like the challenge. We wouldn't be,
(07:36):
you know, at the highest level of sport if we weren't.
But to see guys challenge each other, I would have
beat you with my prime Why I would have did
the most hilarious thing I've ever seen in my life.
I mean, you've got old dudes. That's really saying. Man,
I'll take my clicker, I'll put my clicks on right now.
And I'm like, no, you won't know, you won't. But
it's just good to hear and and have a great time.
(07:57):
And I think the National Football does a great job
of kind of setting the mood and allowing us to
do our things. The m v P of karaoke singers
is oh, m v P A. I guess there's someone
that really stood out to you. But we'll say this, um,
ray Lewis is a character with the microphone in his hands.
Let's just say that, and I'm gonna leave it there.
Everybody who's ever been over there with him knows what
(08:18):
I'm talking about, all right. So ray Lewis is the
guy that I would have to imagine got a ton
of fan votes not to mention player and coaching votes
to go his way. And that's how those rosters are
made up. Fan vote pretty obvious, right, But take me
through the locker room what you're hearing from coaches, Like,
how does that section that two thirds of the vote,
How does that come about? Yeah? So, like you said,
you have the fans, you know what I mean? You
(08:40):
know the fan vote, You got a coach of voting.
But we vote as players too, and oftentimes I was
always in a running back meeting room in the National
Football League, So we vote. We would always vote for
the linebackers, sure, right, because that's those are the guys
we primarily faced. The offensive lineman vote for defensive lineman.
Where I received was vote defensive backs and vice versa.
And so you had to vote for somebody in your conference,
(09:03):
but not on your team. That was kind of how
I was. And they would have like, you gotta as
a group, You guys gotta come up with let's say
we were talking middle linebacker. As a group, you gotta
come up with your top five, you know what I'm saying,
and then they take the votes from there. But it's
funny the games we used to play to try to
get our guys in. Like I remember being on the
San Francisco forty and Honors team, and you know, obviously
(09:25):
we had Patrick Willis. I didn't play with Navarro Bowman.
He was coming in on my way out, and I
remember like we were thinking, like, man, Patrick gotta get in,
and I'm sitting there talking to Frank Bold like man,
but you know they're gonna vote for Patrick. He was like, man,
I don't know. And so you try to vote for
guys nobody in the NFL is sorry, but you try
to vote for guys who maybe wouldn't get a Pro
(09:46):
Bowl vote at all. So your vote is exhausted there
and the votes that are left go to your guy.
You know what I'm saying, that's kind of strategics. It's strategic, man,
That's what we tried to do. I would imagine guys
hav incentives in their contracts four Pro Bowls, because there
is a difference, by the way, between being an All
Pro and a pro bowler. I would imagine there's incentives
(10:06):
both ways. Any guy ever come out to and go like, yo, man,
there's some extra coin coming my way. Give me a vote. Absolutely, well,
you knew all the big money guys had it. You know,
when I played in San Francisco, you had the Vernon
Davis and the Alex Smith guys like that. Your framegoers,
you knew those were the big money guys, be Smode,
Bobby Wagner. I mean, you knew where the money guys were,
and you knew a lot of their money was tied
to their success. I tell you mine. When I got
(10:28):
voted in mind, I got me a nice check. So
I was happy about that. I've been nice, not nice bonus,
probably not a bonus like the quarterback. So the past
Rush play fullback guys. Fullback we don't make that much money,
but it felt good bus act. Actually we did. We
did win because you get another kicker. We do get it.
We did get it. Actually, check for winning. I forgot
about that. I bought my wife a car with that.
(10:51):
Sure did it got h oh? Did the name dropping
and yeah? Yeah, and it helped out a whole lot. Man, Absolutely,
I forgot about that. Yeah, we did. We go. Was
it a boxer, No, it was. It was, yeah, but
with a little kick though that thing kick on. You
(11:11):
don't make and go. You know what I'm saying. We
just gave it up a couple of years ago. May
don't don't get me started on that. It's memories. Man.
It was one of the first major purchases of my wife.
And it was like she was at work one day.
I pulled up in it, but she thought I rented it,
right and I'm like, yeah, but you know what I'm saying,
go and check the car right there. You know what
I'm saying, it's yours and everybody and it's along with crazy.
(11:36):
It was awesome. That's awesome, What a cool story. We
don't hear about that type of I just I had
heard that when you get to the Pro Bowl and
in previous years and white like you were winning because
that paid for your crew that you brought with you. Yeah,
that that's part of it too. I didn't bring the
entire crew, Yams. I've always had some rules rolling with
(11:56):
me as my entourage in the National Football League. If
you did not help me move into my freshman dorm
at Penn State, sean call okay in East polite commons.
If you did not help me move in there, don't
expect anything from me. Don't And it was only four
people there, my stepfather, my mother, my cousin Bids the Soul,
(12:20):
and my brother. Everybody else can understand it because they
know the role. You don't get to go. I bought
my best friend of my wife out to I like that.
I like that. I like that role. For me, it's
just mom and dad. We ain't getting any portions. So
all right, let's go through. I'm not gonna list every
guy on the roster just because there's so many dudes.
(12:41):
So I'm just gonna highlight a couple of these names.
I'll start with the A f C. Not a huge surprise,
Tyree Stefon, Digg, Davante, Adams, Strom, Mar Chase like that.
That seems about right to me. We'll get to some
snubs by the way, coming up in just a bit,
Travis Kelsey kind of a no brainer at the tight
end spot. Mark Andrews actually had a hell of a year.
He had a great year. Man, did you imagine if
Lamar was healthy the whole time? If Lamarm was healthy
(13:03):
this season, we might be talking about him being one
of the the backs instead. Although maybe not right. It's Mahomes,
Alan and Burrow like that is those dudes it but
that they they they're pretty special man. The running back
spots Dick Chubb, Josh Jacob speaking of dudes, shout out
Josh contract year. Team needed to lean on him. What
(13:25):
I do know where to pick up his option? He said,
you know what, all good, I'll show you. I'll make
you pay. And there's I know there's people and guys
on that offense who wanted to ball a little bit
more and wanted to but Josh McDaniels understood that this
office had to run through the running back, had to
move the line of scrimmage for the passing game to work.
I'm glad to see Josh Jacobs on this. Yeah, I'll
throw Derrick Henry's name out into the mix as well.
(13:47):
On the defensive side. Myles Garrett. Not a surprise. Max Crosby.
You know Trey Hendrickson for Cincinnati bawler right, I just
saw him the other week against Buffalo. Yeah, why you
got to mention that? Sorry, we just saw him other week.
And if our listeners who can't see us right now,
oh my goodness, Jam said it, and then any smirked
right after he said it. Didn't do what he was doing, right, man?
(14:09):
Dominated my guy Dion Dawkins that left tackle and Trey
Hendrickson gives this defense, this Bengals defense, an opportunity to
just rush three and he can win rushing three. Great job.
A couple of other names that stand out. Matthew Judon
absolutely monster. I'll give some love to Sauce Gardener as
a rookie making the team. I thought that was kind
of cool to see make it. Fitzpatrick not a surprise.
(14:30):
They were missed some games earlier the season. Sauce Gardner
might have been the best corner in football. Forget just
a Pro Bowl, and he might have been the best
corner in football on it. Just to see a guy
at young play that patient. He's long, he understands coaching,
he can tackle, he's not a faid of contact. Man.
It's just weird to see a guy that young play
that well. Derwin James, I think is the most versatile
(14:52):
safety in the NFL. Who also, and I've said this
on air a few times and it bears repeating. I
would not want to go down to dark Alley and
see Derwin James on the other side because I might
not come out. Yeah, you might not. He intimidates the
hell out And I told and I told him this
on there. If I'm going down the dog haul, I
need you with me. Okay, he's started laughing. That dude
is legit. Glad to see him. If you see Jordan
(15:13):
Poyer as one of the safeties there, even though you
talk about my bills against Jordan's. Oh they picked on
him in that Cincinnati game. But that's not the nature
this podcast. We're not talking. Although I'll throw Justin Tucker's
name into the mix. The most dominant player at his position,
in the most dominant player in the NFL considering what
he does. His mental health is on a thousand Oh
(15:33):
my goodness, big kicker, it's all mental. Uh. The NFC
squad wide receivers just Jefferson a J. Brown. Ceedee, lamb
term McLaurin. I like squad me too. I'm so happy
to see Terry scary Terry on this list as well.
You got you got a J. Brown? Who again? Mahwe roseman,
Oh my goodness man, he should be executive at the year.
I mean, he put this team together then got a J. Brown.
(15:55):
It's pretty dope. No, I'm with you there. Best left
tackle in the NFL is Trent Williams, so he obviously
made the list as well. Tight End George Kittle doesn't
surprise anyone. T J. Hockenson who you know? I mean, hell,
if he was still in Detroit, he probably has got
a great chance to make rocking that. Don't skip over
that center. You know I'm I'm I'm a moving guard.
As a former fullback, that means the middle three of
(16:17):
the offensive line of very important to me to guard.
Center guard Jason Kelsey is the best center in all
of football. I thought you're gonna get some love to
to your boy, Frank. He's a big guy that can
move to Kelsey's He's a little undersized, but did you
see what he did to that Giants defender with one arm? Oh?
My tip of the spear. You know, offensive lineman, know
(16:38):
what I'm talking about. Just oh my goodness, this offense
in Philly don't work, can't work, This running game cannot
work without Jason Kelsey. You'll bring up that Giants. Let's
say it back. That's all good. I didn't realize that said. Yeah, okay, uh,
quarterbacks here. I don't want to hate, I really don't.
I mentioned who the a f C squad was and like,
(17:00):
this is just the nature of the beast and this
is no distress. Oh god, that's exactly what you're about
to do. This Jalen Hurd, she know Smith and Kirk Cousins.
So it's good. But if I said to you, which
do you want the a f C trio? You want
the NFC trio? Well, I mean I want the a
C trio exactly, no disrespect. Yeah, you're right, but but
I may want the NFC teams though. You see what
(17:22):
I'm saying. From a team standpoint, they got a better
quarterback probably, but the team standpoint, I feel like the
NFC physicality. Man, I'm trying to talk about. You're right, right,
let me out you right, Okay, Okay, running backs here,
sakemon Barkley. I'll throw his name out there. Miles Sanders
also having a great season from yeah staters on that list,
(17:43):
It's pretty dope. It's crazy to see Dallas backup running
back on the started Zeke Elli and Zeke may have
played his last down with the Cowboys and for that
play to be the last down, don't get me started now.
Remember Tony Poard actually got banged up in that last game,
didn't He wasn't even able to finish it against San Francisco.
Delvin Cook getting the nod. Yeah, man, he's a pretty
(18:03):
good back as well. Man, your defensive player of the year,
at least in my mind to announce. Just yepa. Nick
Bosa also on the NFC. Okay, I like that, Nick Boss.
I mean we call that a protection dictator. Every offensive
line in the National Football League is gonna slide his way. Dude,
I'm tired. I'm looking at some of these defensive players.
Holy smokes, man, I mean, look at the interior lineman uh,
(18:25):
Aaron Donald, Jonathan Allen, dextra Las. Yes it is. You
can't run on none of them. You can't pass the
tech on none of you. See what I'm saying. That's
just pretty dope, man. Yeah, I mean, and look Michael
Parsons on that defensive son Reddick. What he's able to
do is Darius Smith. I'll throw Fred Warner's name out
into the mix. The corner is also pretty good. I
gave love to Sauce Gardner. So did you how about
(18:46):
three Will and another rook? Oh? Yeah, I forgot about
to Will and I'll gain a late round pick. Dude
can literally fly. He's long, you can't really beat him
over the top, and he's not afraid to tackle. That's
very important. Okay. Any look, generally speaking, that's the roster
NFL dot com. You can see the complete list made
this safety for the Niners. Man, nobody knows who who
(19:09):
Fungo was until he got that pick Arizona early in
the season weekfore or something like that. Wow, I'm happy
for that kid as well. You don't want to be
on the receiving and of one of his No, no,
dude just has an instinct for the football. Any anyone
stand out that I didn't make reference to a snub
or two guys that have a case. I think, Um,
(19:33):
how about I'll throw Austin Neckler's name into the mix.
You know, what I feel like Austin Neckler gets disrespected
every year, not by fantasy owners, well, because the guy's
a touchdown machine. He catches the football, he runs the football.
But I mean, can you put him ahead at any
of the AFC side of running backs. I mean, I
don't know. But there's also Christian McCaffrey on the NFC side.
(19:56):
Dude has of a twelve scrimin yards from since Week seven,
since he made the trade. I mean, that's a tough one,
but it's tough for me. I can't. I can't put
off some Ekeler head of Nick Chubb, Josh Jacobs or
Derrick Henry, all of those guys. I could on Derrick
Henry this season, really, I think you don't think he
was as impactful as he was before. I think there's
(20:17):
you don't think it was hard because the level it
was harder on him this year. The bar was set
so damn high. But I'd say I make the same
exact case on the flip side from a charger's perspective,
Like I think about Slater being out of that lineup,
I think about Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and Austin
Ekeler here we go over a hundred reception at the
running back spot. Like I think it's gotten into the
(20:38):
playoffs too. You make a point, you make a valid point.
Maybe I'm just looking at it as the individual runners.
I look at Derrick Henry that he still got his
stats in his yards and all of those things, and
with the load of carries that he got with the
quarterback um, that is not one of the more that
dynamic quarterbacks in the National Football League. With a guy
like A J. Brown getting traded away before the season,
(20:58):
pulling it actually defender out of the box. No, I'm
I know it's tough. It is tough, and look it's like,
all right, you take Henry, I'll take Austin. I'm not
gonna be all that upset Geckler or McCafe. You know,
it's these are the best of the best. You know,
one guy. I'm a little disappointed. I'm gonnros st Brown
not making making it only because he was fun to watch.
I know what he meant to that offense. The offense
(21:18):
was absolutely prolific, and there's an edge about him where
it's like, all right, you want to disrespect me. I
think back to that Hard Knocks episode where you can
name every single wide receiver taken before him. I just
like that. I like that about him too, But again,
I just look at the guys that were chosen. I
just can't pick him over Scary Terry McLaren, the Cede Lamb,
(21:39):
A J. Brown, or Justin Jefferson. Who Justin Jefferson is
really in the mixed ram V Pete. You know what
I'm saying, like one of the greatest wilde receiver seasons
of all time. No, I'm with you. I'm just throwing
some names out there, just guys that there are gonna
make the team, but who we like and I want
to love them up just a little bit now, m Rod,
there's some differences to when we talk about each of
these rosters. The a f C in the NFC, they're
(21:59):
gonna have a team of coaches to help guide them
through these competitions to go to goats. According to em Rob,
we found that down in our last episode. Peyton Manning
will be the a f C head coach, Ray Lewis
knows something about defense, He'll be the a f C
defensive coordinator, and Diana Flores will be the a f
C offensive coordinator. The NFC a little brotherly love. Eli
(22:19):
Manning the NFC head coach, to Marcus Ware will be
the d C and Vanita Crouch will be the NFC
offensive coordinator. Vania and Diana, by the way, elite flag
football players. Oh, they were on display at the World Games.
I was there. They called Vanita Crouch the Tom Brady
or flag football. I mean, this is a woman wins
(22:39):
everything and wins almost every time she steps on except
when she matched up against Diana Floyd. Yeah. I mean,
by the way, was so much fun. She is super talented.
She is man. She got a little viral video which
she was just moving her hips all around and and
getting away from all the people pulling her flags, and
then she scored. Man. I really think everybody who's a
true football fans should watch these competitions and learn what
(23:03):
flag football is all about. Well, the skills competitions are
actually getting little bit bigger the Pro Bowl Games. The
skill competitions are going to be brought to you by
a Smith and Company productions. You're like, what who I
got you? They produced shows like American Ninja Warrior, which
I love. That's one of those you don't have something
to watch and that comes down. You got me Hell's kitchen.
(23:24):
I boil water pretty well. Outside of that, I don't
do that. Yeah, the health kitchen deal is not you know,
it's it's cool. I know it's really popular. The Titan
Games also really cool. So before we dive into these
skill competitions and how the weekend will work, what do
you want to see, like, what will we learn from
the skills competition With regard to NFL guys, Well, you
can see kind of like their competitive nature. That's really
(23:46):
what I like about it. You know, you get some
people who deem some of these skill challenges as whatever,
but no NFL guys, it's a mentality. You can't just
cut off being a competitor. That's just who you are.
It's crazy to see some of these guys and I
when I go to you know, P A O and
some of the other things that a bunch of football
players go to, a lot of these eyes are competitive
with their own kids, like not let their kids when
(24:09):
my son has never beat me in basketball. So I
just want to see the competitive nature and conceded competitive
juices on display. I can see you plan hoops with
your son and he's going off for a layoff and
it's not just like the small swat away like I
mean just like the m rob jump up in the
air and just monster block like sending the ball like
twenty yards away, and we got a bunch of acres
(24:30):
we sit on. Also it goes into the woods and
then you go, yo, go get get it, so young,
you go get it. Yeah, I ain't do it. You
got fresh legs exactly, you got fresh legs. Uh. Pro
Bowl Games skills competitions will have cumulative scoring leading up
to the flag football games on Sunday, so the scoring
for the Pro Bowl games. This is how it's gonna work.
The winning conference of each skills competition earns three points
(24:52):
towards their team's overall score, with twenty four total points
available across the eight skills events. Now, the winning conference
for each of the first two flag football games on
Sunday will earn six points for their team. So there's
a total of twelve points availament points from the skills
competitions and the first two flag games. They're gonna be
added together, and the score at the beginning of the
(25:14):
third and final flag game will determine the winning conference
the Pro Bowl Games. So the skills competition actually has
some pretty good weight here heading into the flag football games.
You mentioned the competition, Like, to me, that's what this
is all about. Because in other sports, and maybe this
is like how it was for you in the NFL
with the Pro Bowl games previously, it's kind of like, oh,
it's funny games and then all of a sudden, you know,
(25:36):
late in an NBA All Star game, it ratches its game.
Late inning games for baseball, you know, like guys stopped talking,
you know, a little chatter here and there, like you
kind of get ready for it. Like I would imagine
that this gets the competition going over the course of
a few days. Absolutely, and Yams to your point, I
remember being in my Pro Bowl in the first three
and a half quarters, I mean pass Pro was like,
(25:57):
I mean we're basically just talking. Hey guys, someone, let's dance.
Don't hurt nobody. Don't hurt about that last to three
or four minutes, man, I mean we were serious people.
Gotten the three wins things. Tony Gonzalez was screaming for
the ball at Drew Brees, I need the ball. I
mean it was like, guys, this is not real, like
this is whatever. Um, But they did a good job,
and I can't wait again to see the guys have
(26:17):
the pride in it um again. Seeing that it's gonna
be over a couple of days, my first thought is, man,
am I gonna get my my asthma pump. They're gonna
be running around out there. These are big top baskets
and I think gonna have fun with and I think
the NFL does a good job of making it fun.
All right, Well, look, you and I have gone through
the roster and how the games are gonna work. Still
to come here on the NFL Explaining podcast will dive
(26:38):
into how the skills competitions are going to be played.
Welcome back to the NFL Explaining podcasts, and Rob like, yeah,
I'm with you are We laid out the three Pro
Bowl games, how it's gonna work. I keep mentioning the
(26:58):
skills competitions. Day one, Thursday, February second. I love this.
I freaking love this. Pro Bowl Dodgeball multi round tournament
Classic dodgeball. Four teams of five players got offense defense,
both conferences squaring off. It's an a f C NFC showdown,
but in the first match, the A f C offense
(27:20):
will face the A f C defense to determine the
a f C winner. Second game, NFC offense against the
NFC defense, that's the NFC winner. The finale a f
C winner versus the NFC winner, and whichever conference wins
gets the three points. Have you ever played dodgeball? No?
Not competitively, charity charity dodgeball league, and I was thrown
(27:40):
out of one of the matches. Um, So I don't
even know if you're the person to ask about strategy
since you know play. Yeah, I was about to say,
what would they say on dodgeball? The movie Dodge, Duck,
Deep Dodge. That's just strategy. If you could dodge, you
could dodge the ball. So that's that's that's that is,
That's all that is. Um. There's also a Lightning Round,
(28:00):
so new this year. Each conference will select six team
players to compete in a three part elimination channel that
will leave one player left at the end to earn
three points for the conference. The first event of the
Lightning Round splash catch teammate pairings for each conference. They
tossed water balloons back and forth from increasing distances. We
all did this when we were kids, all right. Each
(28:22):
tandem that completes all of their tosses advances to the
second phase Part two. It's Lightning Round. High stakes. Advancing
players will attempt to catch punts from jugs machines. We've
already chronicled. I've done that too. As easy as it looks, um,
you'll earn a place representing their conference in the final
round of competition, and then the final part lightning round
(28:43):
Thrill of the Spill. The remaining players of each conference
will aim at targets attached to a bucket hanging over
the head of an imposing conferences coach. It seemed to
dump the bucket on the opposing coach wins and gets
three points for the conference. Any I'll do splash cash
because I think that's more familiar to a lot of fans,
(29:03):
because we all did the bloon toss. Who's your parents?
Anyone come to mind that you think like the soft hands,
like I think, I think the wide receivers have to be.
It has to be wide receivers. Maybe if you've got
some backs so tight ends who have really soft hands
that could catch. But isn't it like got to be
like cousins Jefferson, Like, isn't that automatically the favorite? Well
but Kurt has to catch two. You know what I'm saying,
(29:25):
This is not just the one direction thing. I would
pare you know, justin Jefferson up with scary terriers something
just two receivers together because their hands team, their hands team,
they damn that. Look. If I'm paid on whoever who's
on the NFCY side, I forgot hands team, I would
say hands team and have those guys run out for
that Hands teams read defining hands team. Okay, I love
(29:47):
this because a lot of guys actually do this longest drive.
Four players each conference compete in a challenge to drive
a golf ball the furthest I can't imagine it's one
of those big boys. Well no, I don't know. We
used to have a driving competition when I was in Seattle,
and you would think guys like Russell Ocon the big
offensive lineman who know how to play golf. And you
(30:09):
know what bad job may be. It's gotta be a
quarterback because all those like charity events, that's all that's
all they do. Or like one of those hot Price
Wilde receivers, and it's one of those guys. It is
not a big guy that trust me. Golden Tate used
to win ours every year, Golden Tat and Russell. I'm
telling shocking, shocking. All right, how about this one, because
we're talking about some of these other ones quarterbacks, they're
(30:31):
gonna get their chance to shine. Here Precision Passing presented
by E a sports Man in NFL twenty three mobile
each conference, three quarterbacks battling it out one minute accuracy competition.
You basically gotta hit targets, you accumulate points. I see
you perking up. I think Emerald wants to actually compete.
I would try that. Uh ten targets, either static or robotic,
(30:52):
dummies and drones. How about we're throwing drones out there
here we go, they range and value one to five points.
And then there's also a long toss bucket sixty yards
away worth ten points? What is your guy? Who's my guy?
At the quarterback position? And we started thinking about the accuracy,
you know, and obviously in the a f C with
(31:12):
Mahomes and Alan and Burrow like Burrow to me, Yeah,
but um, you gotta think about Geno Smith. I know
people are saying, what he led the National Football League,
but was one of the top two or three guys
in the National Football League and completion percentage. Dude knows
how to throw darts, so yeah, I would go with
Joe Burrow or Geno Smith. Okay, final event that day,
(31:33):
I already know the winner. Best Catch, presented by Uber
eats two players each conference. Best Catch competition creativity of
the whole deal right first round On Thursday, players will
showcase their best reception in highlight reels shot at iconic
venues around Las Vegas. Fans will vote online for their
favorite catch from each conference, and the player with the
highest votes will compete in the finals on Sunday. Jefferson
(31:57):
and Diggs or Justin Jefferson and Davante Adams. I think
he had a few one handed ones this year. It'll
be Justin Jefferson and the play that they're gonna show
us against my Bills, well, the play they might show
for Diggs is in that game. And that's what I'm saying, like,
oh my goodness, man, wow, I don't know if you
know what. I don't know if I would have have
me I had great hands, but I don't know if
I would have wanted to be in this particular competition.
(32:18):
I would have wanted to be in the throw and one. Yeah, no,
I'm with you on that one. Just start throwing some
targets there. Day one in the books, what's happening on
day two? We'll explain that coming up next. All right,
So day one of the skills competition in the books.
In terms of our explanation, they continues on Best Cats
(32:41):
presented by Uber Eats. The finale on Sunday, the top
vote getters from each conference will compete head to head
as they perform in front of a panel of celebrity judges.
The past catcher accumulates the highest score from the judges
determine the winner. Would you ever maybe think of a
guy that's not a wide receiver in this competition? Yeah,
Travis Kelsey, Oh great, Travis Kelsey. I would think about him,
(33:04):
and this. I would also thinking about a I like
a Darren Waller, a bigger, longer guy who can run
and do you know, contorted his body and do some
pretty What about the guy Kyle Pitts from Atlanta? Like
I would think about those guys who are really extremely
large wilde receivers. That's really what they are. So the
player who's going to move on, they basically get the
Gridiron Gauntlet a side by side relay race showcasing strength,
(33:25):
speed and agility. Six players from each conference compete to
see who finishes first and wins three points for the team.
The four part gauntlet. Each segment forty yards in length,
includes a series of breakaway walls, a section of climbing
over walls and under tables, a tire run, and a
blocking sled. Carrying on this, Gladiators, the show that we
(33:45):
used to watch we were young. The guys like Laser Storm.
It was I forget him. Now that I said it,
I forgot it. But yes, man, it seems like a
Gladiator episode. It does, It does, or American Ninja Warrior
because the producers are parked going through some of that stuff.
How about this one kick a tack to Each team's kicker, punter,
(34:07):
and long snapper compete in a giant tic tac toe competition,
but you gotta kick in it lands like in a
square or something. So basically, the first team to complete
a connecting line of three squares or hit five squares
total will be declared the winner and are in three
points for his conference. How many chances do you get?
If it's three, then it's just justin Tucker three kicks
(34:28):
and you're own. That's true, that's true. But I mean,
I guess the punter would have to be involved too.
So are they alternating kicks? How are these dudes so
they'll be able to get this right, They'll be able
to do whatever whatever is asked of them. I mean,
it's crazy, the accuracy of the of these kickers. Ridiculous.
Final skills competition, move the chains. That's what we like
(34:48):
to see a single Sunday, especially on the offensive side.
Only the offensive side. Four teams, two from each conference
will compete side by side in a weighted wallpole that
will showcase their strength and speed. Each team of five
players just responsible for pulling a wall loaded up with
heavy weights ten yards a quickly as possible using first
down chains. The winner of the best of three playoff
(35:11):
will earn three points for their conference. I like, what,
like that's it really is? I mean, that's kind of
like an offseason condition anything. That's exactly what it is.
And actually in college we would call that the finisher.
That's like what you do after the workout to kind
of reinforce what you did through the workout. Um, I'm
gonna pick any the a f C team that's got
(35:32):
Derrick Henry just because he's a big guy. I just
think about those workout videos that you post. This is
where Austin Neckler comes into play. So it's a pool,
so you gotta be in front of it. Then that's
what I'm saying. I'm assuming and you gotta be pulling
that way. And they're talking about ingenuity, so I wonder
where they have any props or anything they can use
to kind of help them out or whatever. Are they
(35:52):
just saying five guys get in front and pull and
I'm just gonna get the biggest strongest guys. I that's
I'm going in that direction. Um, all right, the actual
flag football game itself, you know, you know the rules
analyze the game. Flag football game too. Is today your NFC.
I'm gonna go NFC just because I think some of
those AFC quarterbacks won't be playing. I think it will
(36:13):
be the NFC. I don't think it matters who the
quarterback is. How about this take. You've seen this before,
and I'm going off as something that you told me
about flag football and how the body types are a
little bit different. I think if whatever team has Tyreeke wins,
like I think Tyreek Hill. We see it on Sundays,
but I actually I think he's going for as good
(36:34):
as he is on Sundays, I think he's going to
be a better than flag football and the speed will
scare people because you do have to slow down to
pull the flag like you gotta kind of whatever. That's interesting, man,
He's gonna be a problem for the NFC side. Yeah,
that's a good jobs, next level analysis. I'm ready to
(36:54):
be the analyst on this show. I hope everyone enjoyed
the breakdown of the Pro Bowl games and more importantly,
enjoys the entire week and how it all plays out.
Remember it's day one Thursday, February Ray two, espm seven
to eight thirty pm Eastern time, day to Sunday, Febtruary
from three to six Eastern on ESPN and ABC. He's
(37:15):
the real Microp. I'm Mike Yam. Thank you so much
for listening.
NFL Explained is a production of the NFL in partnership
with I Heart Radio. It's a question that I think
for some might be a surprise, like what do you
mean you have to ask this question? But I actually
think it's relevant. It's a brand new edition about Nickel
explained Michael Robinson my camp with you. Are you a
(00:27):
Vegas guy? Am I a Vegas guy? Not really, Yams,
because I'm a married man, Okay, and I don't like
to gamble, So that's one of those things. They have shows. Yeah,
they have shows, but you gotta walk through a lot
of stuff before you get to the shows. Man. You
know what I'm saying, that is true. What if I
told you that there's some football related things going down again? Okay,
I'll be there, just double checking. Here we go. We
(00:50):
got the explanation of the Pro Bowl games, and I
say a little new format here. We're gonna get to
all of those details in just a bit. You want
a Super Bowl, you're also a Pro Bowler. That is
a hell of an honor, Yams. It's crazy, bro. When
I found out I was going to the Pro Bowl,
I remember I was in a hotel room. My house
was had got flooded. So my family and I we
were in a hotel room that night for a couple
(01:11):
of days, and so I found out I'm going to
the Pro Bowl. Literally fifteen minutes later, Joe Paternal calls
me and I'm one of the last people that he
spoke to before he passed. That day. Wow, it was crazy.
It was surreal because as I'm talking to him and
I'm like, what's up, Joe, what's up? Coach? I know
you know you're struggling, and you know his son Jay
(01:31):
Paternal told me to get on the phone and just
kind of, you know, say something to him. He wasn't
gonna respond. You can hear him breathing and all those things.
And the crazy part it was, I don't know, seven
eight years previous to that, Joe Paterno was the guy
was while I'm sitting in his office all upset, cussing
him out, like he allowed. We had that type of relationship.
He said, you know what, Robinson, I know you want
to play quarterback right now, but we need you other places.
(01:53):
You're probably gonna be a Pro Bowl fullback or tailback
in the National Football League. I gave him the middle
finger and walked out of this office. I was eighteen
years old, and literally the day that I come to
Crazy the data, I found out I'm going to a
Pro Bowl. This whole thing is happening, and you know,
obviously they asked me to speak at his memorial service.
Crazy couple of hours from me finding it out, So
(02:16):
that time by me because I was gonna say, you
found out and as you were taking the phone call,
you had like fifteen inches of water like around your
your knees, and then here you go, give me this
heartfelt story, which is like the full circle football twist
to it, and this is where we end up the
jerk that was me. All right. So last year on
this podcast, we actually took everyone into a deep dip
(02:39):
of the history of the Pro Bowl. It's s brand new.
So on this season's episode, we're gonna be discussing the
three Pro Bowl games, by the way, presented by Verizon,
the events actually taking place over two days in Vegas.
M Rob definitely a Vegas guy. The fan favorite the
skills competition that we broadcast live for the first time Thursday,
(02:59):
February twod on ESPN seven to eight thirty Eastern time.
You got basically a huge event the petitions they're gonna
be continue Sunday, February five, Allegiance Stadium. I was there
last year for the East West Shrine Game, and they
were getting ready for all the Pro Bowl stuff. I'm
telling you that whole city, man, they just become all
about what's going to happen on the football field at
(03:19):
Allegiance for the Pro Bowl. What we're going to see
here is a little flag football. When I think flag football,
you're already smiling, man, flag football. You're the first dude
that I think that. Why that because I was doing
total access, you were doing hits in Alabama and I'm
telling you, m Rob was drenched so high humid, but
(03:39):
smiling ear to ear because you actually legitimately love flag football.
Yeah it's fun, man, And you know what Yams people
have to understand. And flag football not like your neighborhood
youth football organizations have flag football. That's like eleven on eleven.
You still have lineman. You're just playing football without equipment.
(04:00):
This is a different game, so to speak, right, like
different body types. You can you know, you can't go,
you can't flag guards. You gotta come up with certain players.
It's just a whole different looking as fast pacing. The
windows are small, and so the reason why my face
lit up is because being out there at the World
Games Man to see the enthusiasm that flag football injected
into not just men playing this game, but young women
(04:20):
as well, and in entire countries. Hopefully, hopefully yams as
we you know, as this flag football thing grows in
the Pro Bowl weekend grows with flag football, hopefully we
get that Olympics for flag football. That's what the goal is.
So I know a lot of people have been a
little hesitant about embracing this. I think once we get
the game and we see the guys having fun, it's
gonna be like, oh, yeah, we should have done this
(04:41):
a long time ago. We'll go into some of the rosters,
some of the details around the game coming up in
just a bit here. You told me about the experience
when you got the call that you were going to
be a Pro Bowler, and obviously that was a really
special moment for you in your life. What about the
actual event itself, what's it like for a player to
head to the Pro Bowl? Because this Hawaii a time correct, Yeah,
it was Hawaii, And you talk about the state of
(05:03):
Nevada in Las Vegas, embracing everything about football and everything
about the game. So the Hawaii I mean the minute
you got off the plane, I mean out of the airport,
there's thousands of fans and you know, I was a fullback.
I'm like, there's no way anybody knows who I am, right,
And there's a whole section of m ROB supporters with
twenty six jerseys on. They're just giving me all of
these you know, what are these things? I didn't like?
(05:27):
Don't be immature, not the immature. So yeah, yeah, man,
And you know it's just a it's a it's a
great atmosphere. I love playing in the game. Um, Matt Forte,
Shady McCoy, Beast Mode, they were my tailbacks in that game.
None of them wanted to play. They were all in
contract disputes and nobody wanted to get hurt. So I
ended up playing a large majority of the game. I
(05:48):
didn't get any passes or anything like that. But um,
what I enjoyed the most about my Pro Bowl experience
was the pool chats. And what I mean by if
you've ever been to the Pro Bowl, especially when it
was at Hawaii, there's one hotel that central focus point
for all the players, all the you know, the National
Football League's officers are there and all of that lot
(06:11):
of security. But at the end of the day at night,
when the pool, you know, everybody's hotel rooms were around
the pool and the music is playing and you've got
hall of famers, your past and president current, everybody's together.
I learned. I learned so much just listening to older
guys talk around the pool. They've had a couple of
(06:32):
cold ones, you know what I'm saying, And that's where
the true brotherhood comes. And I enjoyed that more than
anything else. Game talk, life talk, financial, tal the above, man,
all the above, like because as a as a again,
we're gladiators. I'm gonna say football players, but we're gladiators.
And to understand that you're not the only one in
the world going through some of your personal issues. You know,
(06:53):
there's guys that went through it before you, that understand
what's going on at the home, that understands you traveling
and having a family and all that. And sometimes it
just feels good to talk to some people that's been
through it, you know, especially before you. And that's that's
kind of what that pro Bowl did, especially in Hawaii,
and I haven't been to the one here in Vegas yet.
I'll be coming to it this this year for the
Flat Football Championships. But at the end of the day
(07:14):
that that pool chat was was where was that? You look,
all those conversations, they just they're better when you have
an umbrella hang like, it's just everything just it was
a little different and loosened everybody up. People started singing
it's karaoke, and I mean, it's just it's those things.
And what I can say is all athletes like to
be coached. We all like the challenge. We wouldn't be,
(07:36):
you know, at the highest level of sport if we weren't.
But to see guys challenge each other, I would have
beat you with my prime Why I would have did
the most hilarious thing I've ever seen in my life.
I mean, you've got old dudes. That's really saying. Man,
I'll take my clicker, I'll put my clicks on right now.
And I'm like, no, you won't know, you won't. But
it's just good to hear and and have a great time.
(07:57):
And I think the National Football does a great job
of kind of setting the mood and allowing us to
do our things. The m v P of karaoke singers
is oh, m v P A. I guess there's someone
that really stood out to you. But we'll say this, um,
ray Lewis is a character with the microphone in his hands.
Let's just say that, and I'm gonna leave it there.
Everybody who's ever been over there with him knows what
(08:18):
I'm talking about, all right. So ray Lewis is the
guy that I would have to imagine got a ton
of fan votes not to mention player and coaching votes
to go his way. And that's how those rosters are
made up. Fan vote pretty obvious, right, But take me
through the locker room what you're hearing from coaches, Like,
how does that section that two thirds of the vote,
How does that come about? Yeah? So, like you said,
you have the fans, you know what I mean? You
(08:40):
know the fan vote, You got a coach of voting.
But we vote as players too, and oftentimes I was
always in a running back meeting room in the National
Football League, So we vote. We would always vote for
the linebackers, sure, right, because that's those are the guys
we primarily faced. The offensive lineman vote for defensive lineman.
Where I received was vote defensive backs and vice versa.
And so you had to vote for somebody in your conference,
(09:03):
but not on your team. That was kind of how
I was. And they would have like, you gotta as
a group, You guys gotta come up with let's say
we were talking middle linebacker. As a group, you gotta
come up with your top five, you know what I'm saying,
and then they take the votes from there. But it's
funny the games we used to play to try to
get our guys in. Like I remember being on the
San Francisco forty and Honors team, and you know, obviously
(09:25):
we had Patrick Willis. I didn't play with Navarro Bowman.
He was coming in on my way out, and I
remember like we were thinking, like, man, Patrick gotta get in,
and I'm sitting there talking to Frank Bold like man,
but you know they're gonna vote for Patrick. He was like, man,
I don't know. And so you try to vote for
guys nobody in the NFL is sorry, but you try
to vote for guys who maybe wouldn't get a Pro
(09:46):
Bowl vote at all. So your vote is exhausted there
and the votes that are left go to your guy.
You know what I'm saying, that's kind of strategics. It's strategic, man,
That's what we tried to do. I would imagine guys
hav incentives in their contracts four Pro Bowls, because there
is a difference, by the way, between being an All
Pro and a pro bowler. I would imagine there's incentives
(10:06):
both ways. Any guy ever come out to and go like, yo, man,
there's some extra coin coming my way. Give me a vote. Absolutely, well,
you knew all the big money guys had it. You know,
when I played in San Francisco, you had the Vernon
Davis and the Alex Smith guys like that. Your framegoers,
you knew those were the big money guys, be Smode,
Bobby Wagner. I mean, you knew where the money guys were,
and you knew a lot of their money was tied
to their success. I tell you mine. When I got
(10:28):
voted in mind, I got me a nice check. So
I was happy about that. I've been nice, not nice bonus,
probably not a bonus like the quarterback. So the past
Rush play fullback guys. Fullback we don't make that much money,
but it felt good bus act. Actually we did. We
did win because you get another kicker. We do get it.
We did get it. Actually, check for winning. I forgot
about that. I bought my wife a car with that.
(10:51):
Sure did it got h oh? Did the name dropping
and yeah? Yeah, and it helped out a whole lot. Man, Absolutely,
I forgot about that. Yeah, we did. We go. Was
it a boxer, No, it was. It was, yeah, but
with a little kick though that thing kick on. You
(11:11):
don't make and go. You know what I'm saying. We
just gave it up a couple of years ago. May
don't don't get me started on that. It's memories. Man.
It was one of the first major purchases of my wife.
And it was like she was at work one day.
I pulled up in it, but she thought I rented it,
right and I'm like, yeah, but you know what I'm saying,
go and check the car right there. You know what
I'm saying, it's yours and everybody and it's along with crazy.
(11:36):
It was awesome. That's awesome, What a cool story. We
don't hear about that type of I just I had
heard that when you get to the Pro Bowl and
in previous years and white like you were winning because
that paid for your crew that you brought with you. Yeah,
that that's part of it too. I didn't bring the
entire crew, Yams. I've always had some rules rolling with
(11:56):
me as my entourage in the National Football League. If
you did not help me move into my freshman dorm
at Penn State, sean call okay in East polite commons.
If you did not help me move in there, don't
expect anything from me. Don't And it was only four
people there, my stepfather, my mother, my cousin Bids the Soul,
(12:20):
and my brother. Everybody else can understand it because they
know the role. You don't get to go. I bought
my best friend of my wife out to I like that.
I like that. I like that role. For me, it's
just mom and dad. We ain't getting any portions. So
all right, let's go through. I'm not gonna list every
guy on the roster just because there's so many dudes.
(12:41):
So I'm just gonna highlight a couple of these names.
I'll start with the A f C. Not a huge surprise,
Tyree Stefon, Digg, Davante, Adams, Strom, Mar Chase like that.
That seems about right to me. We'll get to some
snubs by the way, coming up in just a bit,
Travis Kelsey kind of a no brainer at the tight
end spot. Mark Andrews actually had a hell of a year.
He had a great year. Man, did you imagine if
Lamar was healthy the whole time? If Lamarm was healthy
(13:03):
this season, we might be talking about him being one
of the the backs instead. Although maybe not right. It's Mahomes,
Alan and Burrow like that is those dudes it but
that they they they're pretty special man. The running back
spots Dick Chubb, Josh Jacob speaking of dudes, shout out
Josh contract year. Team needed to lean on him. What
(13:25):
I do know where to pick up his option? He said,
you know what, all good, I'll show you. I'll make
you pay. And there's I know there's people and guys
on that offense who wanted to ball a little bit
more and wanted to but Josh McDaniels understood that this
office had to run through the running back, had to
move the line of scrimmage for the passing game to work.
I'm glad to see Josh Jacobs on this. Yeah, I'll
throw Derrick Henry's name out into the mix as well.
(13:47):
On the defensive side. Myles Garrett. Not a surprise. Max Crosby.
You know Trey Hendrickson for Cincinnati bawler right, I just
saw him the other week against Buffalo. Yeah, why you
got to mention that? Sorry, we just saw him other week.
And if our listeners who can't see us right now,
oh my goodness, Jam said it, and then any smirked
right after he said it. Didn't do what he was doing, right, man?
(14:09):
Dominated my guy Dion Dawkins that left tackle and Trey
Hendrickson gives this defense, this Bengals defense, an opportunity to
just rush three and he can win rushing three. Great job.
A couple of other names that stand out. Matthew Judon
absolutely monster. I'll give some love to Sauce Gardener as
a rookie making the team. I thought that was kind
of cool to see make it. Fitzpatrick not a surprise.
(14:30):
They were missed some games earlier the season. Sauce Gardner
might have been the best corner in football. Forget just
a Pro Bowl, and he might have been the best
corner in football on it. Just to see a guy
at young play that patient. He's long, he understands coaching,
he can tackle, he's not a faid of contact. Man.
It's just weird to see a guy that young play
that well. Derwin James, I think is the most versatile
(14:52):
safety in the NFL. Who also, and I've said this
on air a few times and it bears repeating. I
would not want to go down to dark Alley and
see Derwin James on the other side because I might
not come out. Yeah, you might not. He intimidates the
hell out And I told and I told him this
on there. If I'm going down the dog haul, I
need you with me. Okay, he's started laughing. That dude
is legit. Glad to see him. If you see Jordan
(15:13):
Poyer as one of the safeties there, even though you
talk about my bills against Jordan's. Oh they picked on
him in that Cincinnati game. But that's not the nature
this podcast. We're not talking. Although I'll throw Justin Tucker's
name into the mix. The most dominant player at his position,
in the most dominant player in the NFL considering what
he does. His mental health is on a thousand Oh
(15:33):
my goodness, big kicker, it's all mental. Uh. The NFC
squad wide receivers just Jefferson a J. Brown. Ceedee, lamb
term McLaurin. I like squad me too. I'm so happy
to see Terry scary Terry on this list as well.
You got you got a J. Brown? Who again? Mahwe roseman,
Oh my goodness man, he should be executive at the year.
I mean, he put this team together then got a J. Brown.
(15:55):
It's pretty dope. No, I'm with you there. Best left
tackle in the NFL is Trent Williams, so he obviously
made the list as well. Tight End George Kittle doesn't
surprise anyone. T J. Hockenson who you know? I mean, hell,
if he was still in Detroit, he probably has got
a great chance to make rocking that. Don't skip over
that center. You know I'm I'm I'm a moving guard.
As a former fullback, that means the middle three of
(16:17):
the offensive line of very important to me to guard.
Center guard Jason Kelsey is the best center in all
of football. I thought you're gonna get some love to
to your boy, Frank. He's a big guy that can
move to Kelsey's He's a little undersized, but did you
see what he did to that Giants defender with one arm? Oh?
My tip of the spear. You know, offensive lineman, know
(16:38):
what I'm talking about. Just oh my goodness, this offense
in Philly don't work, can't work, This running game cannot
work without Jason Kelsey. You'll bring up that Giants. Let's
say it back. That's all good. I didn't realize that said. Yeah, okay, uh,
quarterbacks here. I don't want to hate, I really don't.
I mentioned who the a f C squad was and like,
(17:00):
this is just the nature of the beast and this
is no distress. Oh god, that's exactly what you're about
to do. This Jalen Hurd, she know Smith and Kirk Cousins.
So it's good. But if I said to you, which
do you want the a f C trio? You want
the NFC trio? Well, I mean I want the a
C trio exactly, no disrespect. Yeah, you're right, but but
I may want the NFC teams though. You see what
(17:22):
I'm saying. From a team standpoint, they got a better
quarterback probably, but the team standpoint, I feel like the
NFC physicality. Man, I'm trying to talk about. You're right, right,
let me out you right, Okay, Okay, running backs here,
sakemon Barkley. I'll throw his name out there. Miles Sanders
also having a great season from yeah staters on that list,
(17:43):
It's pretty dope. It's crazy to see Dallas backup running
back on the started Zeke Elli and Zeke may have
played his last down with the Cowboys and for that
play to be the last down, don't get me started now.
Remember Tony Poard actually got banged up in that last game,
didn't He wasn't even able to finish it against San Francisco.
Delvin Cook getting the nod. Yeah, man, he's a pretty
(18:03):
good back as well. Man, your defensive player of the year,
at least in my mind to announce. Just yepa. Nick
Bosa also on the NFC. Okay, I like that, Nick Boss.
I mean we call that a protection dictator. Every offensive
line in the National Football League is gonna slide his way. Dude,
I'm tired. I'm looking at some of these defensive players.
Holy smokes, man, I mean, look at the interior lineman uh,
(18:25):
Aaron Donald, Jonathan Allen, dextra Las. Yes it is. You
can't run on none of them. You can't pass the
tech on none of you. See what I'm saying. That's
just pretty dope, man. Yeah, I mean, and look Michael
Parsons on that defensive son Reddick. What he's able to
do is Darius Smith. I'll throw Fred Warner's name out
into the mix. The corner is also pretty good. I
gave love to Sauce Gardner. So did you how about
(18:46):
three Will and another rook? Oh? Yeah, I forgot about
to Will and I'll gain a late round pick. Dude
can literally fly. He's long, you can't really beat him
over the top, and he's not afraid to tackle. That's
very important. Okay. Any look, generally speaking, that's the roster
NFL dot com. You can see the complete list made
this safety for the Niners. Man, nobody knows who who
(19:09):
Fungo was until he got that pick Arizona early in
the season weekfore or something like that. Wow, I'm happy
for that kid as well. You don't want to be
on the receiving and of one of his No, no,
dude just has an instinct for the football. Any anyone
stand out that I didn't make reference to a snub
or two guys that have a case. I think, Um,
(19:33):
how about I'll throw Austin Neckler's name into the mix.
You know, what I feel like Austin Neckler gets disrespected
every year, not by fantasy owners, well, because the guy's
a touchdown machine. He catches the football, he runs the football.
But I mean, can you put him ahead at any
of the AFC side of running backs. I mean, I
don't know. But there's also Christian McCaffrey on the NFC side.
(19:56):
Dude has of a twelve scrimin yards from since Week seven,
since he made the trade. I mean, that's a tough one,
but it's tough for me. I can't. I can't put
off some Ekeler head of Nick Chubb, Josh Jacobs or
Derrick Henry, all of those guys. I could on Derrick
Henry this season, really, I think you don't think he
was as impactful as he was before. I think there's
(20:17):
you don't think it was hard because the level it
was harder on him this year. The bar was set
so damn high. But I'd say I make the same
exact case on the flip side from a charger's perspective,
Like I think about Slater being out of that lineup,
I think about Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and Austin
Ekeler here we go over a hundred reception at the
running back spot. Like I think it's gotten into the
(20:38):
playoffs too. You make a point, you make a valid point.
Maybe I'm just looking at it as the individual runners.
I look at Derrick Henry that he still got his
stats in his yards and all of those things, and
with the load of carries that he got with the
quarterback um, that is not one of the more that
dynamic quarterbacks in the National Football League. With a guy
like A J. Brown getting traded away before the season,
(20:58):
pulling it actually defender out of the box. No, I'm
I know it's tough. It is tough, and look it's like,
all right, you take Henry, I'll take Austin. I'm not
gonna be all that upset Geckler or McCafe. You know,
it's these are the best of the best. You know,
one guy. I'm a little disappointed. I'm gonnros st Brown
not making making it only because he was fun to watch.
I know what he meant to that offense. The offense
(21:18):
was absolutely prolific, and there's an edge about him where
it's like, all right, you want to disrespect me. I
think back to that Hard Knocks episode where you can
name every single wide receiver taken before him. I just
like that. I like that about him too, But again,
I just look at the guys that were chosen. I
just can't pick him over Scary Terry McLaren, the Cede Lamb,
(21:39):
A J. Brown, or Justin Jefferson. Who Justin Jefferson is
really in the mixed ram V Pete. You know what
I'm saying, like one of the greatest wilde receiver seasons
of all time. No, I'm with you. I'm just throwing
some names out there, just guys that there are gonna
make the team, but who we like and I want
to love them up just a little bit now, m Rod,
there's some differences to when we talk about each of
these rosters. The a f C in the NFC, they're
(21:59):
gonna have a team of coaches to help guide them
through these competitions to go to goats. According to em Rob,
we found that down in our last episode. Peyton Manning
will be the a f C head coach, Ray Lewis
knows something about defense, He'll be the a f C
defensive coordinator, and Diana Flores will be the a f
C offensive coordinator. The NFC a little brotherly love. Eli
(22:19):
Manning the NFC head coach, to Marcus Ware will be
the d C and Vanita Crouch will be the NFC
offensive coordinator. Vania and Diana, by the way, elite flag
football players. Oh, they were on display at the World Games.
I was there. They called Vanita Crouch the Tom Brady
or flag football. I mean, this is a woman wins
(22:39):
everything and wins almost every time she steps on except
when she matched up against Diana Floyd. Yeah. I mean,
by the way, was so much fun. She is super talented.
She is man. She got a little viral video which
she was just moving her hips all around and and
getting away from all the people pulling her flags, and
then she scored. Man. I really think everybody who's a
true football fans should watch these competitions and learn what
(23:03):
flag football is all about. Well, the skills competitions are
actually getting little bit bigger the Pro Bowl Games. The
skill competitions are going to be brought to you by
a Smith and Company productions. You're like, what who I
got you? They produced shows like American Ninja Warrior, which
I love. That's one of those you don't have something
to watch and that comes down. You got me Hell's kitchen.
(23:24):
I boil water pretty well. Outside of that, I don't
do that. Yeah, the health kitchen deal is not you know,
it's it's cool. I know it's really popular. The Titan
Games also really cool. So before we dive into these
skill competitions and how the weekend will work, what do
you want to see, like, what will we learn from
the skills competition With regard to NFL guys, Well, you
can see kind of like their competitive nature. That's really
(23:46):
what I like about it. You know, you get some
people who deem some of these skill challenges as whatever,
but no NFL guys, it's a mentality. You can't just
cut off being a competitor. That's just who you are.
It's crazy to see some of these guys and I
when I go to you know, P A O and
some of the other things that a bunch of football
players go to, a lot of these eyes are competitive
with their own kids, like not let their kids when
(24:09):
my son has never beat me in basketball. So I
just want to see the competitive nature and conceded competitive
juices on display. I can see you plan hoops with
your son and he's going off for a layoff and
it's not just like the small swat away like I
mean just like the m rob jump up in the
air and just monster block like sending the ball like
twenty yards away, and we got a bunch of acres
(24:30):
we sit on. Also it goes into the woods and
then you go, yo, go get get it, so young,
you go get it. Yeah, I ain't do it. You
got fresh legs exactly, you got fresh legs. Uh. Pro
Bowl Games skills competitions will have cumulative scoring leading up
to the flag football games on Sunday, so the scoring
for the Pro Bowl games. This is how it's gonna work.
The winning conference of each skills competition earns three points
(24:52):
towards their team's overall score, with twenty four total points
available across the eight skills events. Now, the winning conference
for each of the first two flag football games on
Sunday will earn six points for their team. So there's
a total of twelve points availament points from the skills
competitions and the first two flag games. They're gonna be
added together, and the score at the beginning of the
(25:14):
third and final flag game will determine the winning conference
the Pro Bowl Games. So the skills competition actually has
some pretty good weight here heading into the flag football games.
You mentioned the competition, Like, to me, that's what this
is all about. Because in other sports, and maybe this
is like how it was for you in the NFL
with the Pro Bowl games previously, it's kind of like, oh,
it's funny games and then all of a sudden, you know,
(25:36):
late in an NBA All Star game, it ratches its game.
Late inning games for baseball, you know, like guys stopped talking,
you know, a little chatter here and there, like you
kind of get ready for it. Like I would imagine
that this gets the competition going over the course of
a few days. Absolutely, and Yams to your point, I
remember being in my Pro Bowl in the first three
and a half quarters, I mean pass Pro was like,
(25:57):
I mean we're basically just talking. Hey guys, someone, let's dance.
Don't hurt nobody. Don't hurt about that last to three
or four minutes, man, I mean we were serious people.
Gotten the three wins things. Tony Gonzalez was screaming for
the ball at Drew Brees, I need the ball. I
mean it was like, guys, this is not real, like
this is whatever. Um, But they did a good job,
and I can't wait again to see the guys have
(26:17):
the pride in it um again. Seeing that it's gonna
be over a couple of days, my first thought is, man,
am I gonna get my my asthma pump. They're gonna
be running around out there. These are big top baskets
and I think gonna have fun with and I think
the NFL does a good job of making it fun.
All right, Well, look, you and I have gone through
the roster and how the games are gonna work. Still
to come here on the NFL Explaining podcast will dive
(26:38):
into how the skills competitions are going to be played.
Welcome back to the NFL Explaining podcasts, and Rob like, yeah,
I'm with you are We laid out the three Pro
Bowl games, how it's gonna work. I keep mentioning the
(26:58):
skills competitions. Day one, Thursday, February second. I love this.
I freaking love this. Pro Bowl Dodgeball multi round tournament
Classic dodgeball. Four teams of five players got offense defense,
both conferences squaring off. It's an a f C NFC showdown,
but in the first match, the A f C offense
(27:20):
will face the A f C defense to determine the
a f C winner. Second game, NFC offense against the
NFC defense, that's the NFC winner. The finale a f
C winner versus the NFC winner, and whichever conference wins
gets the three points. Have you ever played dodgeball? No?
Not competitively, charity charity dodgeball league, and I was thrown
(27:40):
out of one of the matches. Um, So I don't
even know if you're the person to ask about strategy
since you know play. Yeah, I was about to say,
what would they say on dodgeball? The movie Dodge, Duck,
Deep Dodge. That's just strategy. If you could dodge, you
could dodge the ball. So that's that's that's that is,
That's all that is. Um. There's also a Lightning Round,
(28:00):
so new this year. Each conference will select six team
players to compete in a three part elimination channel that
will leave one player left at the end to earn
three points for the conference. The first event of the
Lightning Round splash catch teammate pairings for each conference. They
tossed water balloons back and forth from increasing distances. We
all did this when we were kids, all right. Each
(28:22):
tandem that completes all of their tosses advances to the
second phase Part two. It's Lightning Round. High stakes. Advancing
players will attempt to catch punts from jugs machines. We've
already chronicled. I've done that too. As easy as it looks, um,
you'll earn a place representing their conference in the final
round of competition, and then the final part lightning round
(28:43):
Thrill of the Spill. The remaining players of each conference
will aim at targets attached to a bucket hanging over
the head of an imposing conferences coach. It seemed to
dump the bucket on the opposing coach wins and gets
three points for the conference. Any I'll do splash cash
because I think that's more familiar to a lot of fans,
(29:03):
because we all did the bloon toss. Who's your parents?
Anyone come to mind that you think like the soft hands,
like I think, I think the wide receivers have to be.
It has to be wide receivers. Maybe if you've got
some backs so tight ends who have really soft hands
that could catch. But isn't it like got to be
like cousins Jefferson, Like, isn't that automatically the favorite? Well
but Kurt has to catch two. You know what I'm saying,
(29:25):
This is not just the one direction thing. I would
pare you know, justin Jefferson up with scary terriers something
just two receivers together because their hands team, their hands team,
they damn that. Look. If I'm paid on whoever who's
on the NFCY side, I forgot hands team, I would
say hands team and have those guys run out for
that Hands teams read defining hands team. Okay, I love
(29:47):
this because a lot of guys actually do this longest drive.
Four players each conference compete in a challenge to drive
a golf ball the furthest I can't imagine it's one
of those big boys. Well no, I don't know. We
used to have a driving competition when I was in Seattle,
and you would think guys like Russell Ocon the big
offensive lineman who know how to play golf. And you
(30:09):
know what bad job may be. It's gotta be a
quarterback because all those like charity events, that's all that's
all they do. Or like one of those hot Price
Wilde receivers, and it's one of those guys. It is
not a big guy that trust me. Golden Tate used
to win ours every year, Golden Tat and Russell. I'm
telling shocking, shocking. All right, how about this one, because
we're talking about some of these other ones quarterbacks, they're
(30:31):
gonna get their chance to shine. Here Precision Passing presented
by E a sports Man in NFL twenty three mobile
each conference, three quarterbacks battling it out one minute accuracy competition.
You basically gotta hit targets, you accumulate points. I see
you perking up. I think Emerald wants to actually compete.
I would try that. Uh ten targets, either static or robotic,
(30:52):
dummies and drones. How about we're throwing drones out there
here we go, they range and value one to five points.
And then there's also a long toss bucket sixty yards
away worth ten points? What is your guy? Who's my guy?
At the quarterback position? And we started thinking about the accuracy,
you know, and obviously in the a f C with
(31:12):
Mahomes and Alan and Burrow like Burrow to me, Yeah,
but um, you gotta think about Geno Smith. I know
people are saying, what he led the National Football League,
but was one of the top two or three guys
in the National Football League and completion percentage. Dude knows
how to throw darts, so yeah, I would go with
Joe Burrow or Geno Smith. Okay, final event that day,
(31:33):
I already know the winner. Best Catch, presented by Uber
eats two players each conference. Best Catch competition creativity of
the whole deal right first round On Thursday, players will
showcase their best reception in highlight reels shot at iconic
venues around Las Vegas. Fans will vote online for their
favorite catch from each conference, and the player with the
highest votes will compete in the finals on Sunday. Jefferson
(31:57):
and Diggs or Justin Jefferson and Davante Adams. I think
he had a few one handed ones this year. It'll
be Justin Jefferson and the play that they're gonna show
us against my Bills, well, the play they might show
for Diggs is in that game. And that's what I'm saying, like,
oh my goodness, man, wow, I don't know if you
know what. I don't know if I would have have
me I had great hands, but I don't know if
I would have wanted to be in this particular competition.
(32:18):
I would have wanted to be in the throw and one. Yeah, no,
I'm with you on that one. Just start throwing some
targets there. Day one in the books, what's happening on
day two? We'll explain that coming up next. All right,
So day one of the skills competition in the books.
In terms of our explanation, they continues on Best Cats
(32:41):
presented by Uber Eats. The finale on Sunday, the top
vote getters from each conference will compete head to head
as they perform in front of a panel of celebrity judges.
The past catcher accumulates the highest score from the judges
determine the winner. Would you ever maybe think of a
guy that's not a wide receiver in this competition? Yeah,
Travis Kelsey, Oh great, Travis Kelsey. I would think about him,
(33:04):
and this. I would also thinking about a I like
a Darren Waller, a bigger, longer guy who can run
and do you know, contorted his body and do some
pretty What about the guy Kyle Pitts from Atlanta? Like
I would think about those guys who are really extremely
large wilde receivers. That's really what they are. So the
player who's going to move on, they basically get the
Gridiron Gauntlet a side by side relay race showcasing strength,
(33:25):
speed and agility. Six players from each conference compete to
see who finishes first and wins three points for the team.
The four part gauntlet. Each segment forty yards in length,
includes a series of breakaway walls, a section of climbing
over walls and under tables, a tire run, and a
blocking sled. Carrying on this, Gladiators, the show that we
(33:45):
used to watch we were young. The guys like Laser Storm.
It was I forget him. Now that I said it,
I forgot it. But yes, man, it seems like a
Gladiator episode. It does, It does, or American Ninja Warrior
because the producers are parked going through some of that stuff.
How about this one kick a tack to Each team's kicker, punter,
(34:07):
and long snapper compete in a giant tic tac toe competition,
but you gotta kick in it lands like in a
square or something. So basically, the first team to complete
a connecting line of three squares or hit five squares
total will be declared the winner and are in three
points for his conference. How many chances do you get?
If it's three, then it's just justin Tucker three kicks
(34:28):
and you're own. That's true, that's true. But I mean,
I guess the punter would have to be involved too.
So are they alternating kicks? How are these dudes so
they'll be able to get this right, They'll be able
to do whatever whatever is asked of them. I mean,
it's crazy, the accuracy of the of these kickers. Ridiculous.
Final skills competition, move the chains. That's what we like
(34:48):
to see a single Sunday, especially on the offensive side.
Only the offensive side. Four teams, two from each conference
will compete side by side in a weighted wallpole that
will showcase their strength and speed. Each team of five
players just responsible for pulling a wall loaded up with
heavy weights ten yards a quickly as possible using first
down chains. The winner of the best of three playoff
(35:11):
will earn three points for their conference. I like, what,
like that's it really is? I mean, that's kind of
like an offseason condition anything. That's exactly what it is.
And actually in college we would call that the finisher.
That's like what you do after the workout to kind
of reinforce what you did through the workout. Um, I'm
gonna pick any the a f C team that's got
(35:32):
Derrick Henry just because he's a big guy. I just
think about those workout videos that you post. This is
where Austin Neckler comes into play. So it's a pool,
so you gotta be in front of it. Then that's
what I'm saying. I'm assuming and you gotta be pulling
that way. And they're talking about ingenuity, so I wonder
where they have any props or anything they can use
to kind of help them out or whatever. Are they
(35:52):
just saying five guys get in front and pull and
I'm just gonna get the biggest strongest guys. I that's
I'm going in that direction. Um, all right, the actual
flag football game itself, you know, you know the rules
analyze the game. Flag football game too. Is today your NFC.
I'm gonna go NFC just because I think some of
those AFC quarterbacks won't be playing. I think it will
(36:13):
be the NFC. I don't think it matters who the
quarterback is. How about this take. You've seen this before,
and I'm going off as something that you told me
about flag football and how the body types are a
little bit different. I think if whatever team has Tyreeke wins,
like I think Tyreek Hill. We see it on Sundays,
but I actually I think he's going for as good
(36:34):
as he is on Sundays, I think he's going to
be a better than flag football and the speed will
scare people because you do have to slow down to
pull the flag like you gotta kind of whatever. That's interesting, man,
He's gonna be a problem for the NFC side. Yeah,
that's a good jobs, next level analysis. I'm ready to
(36:54):
be the analyst on this show. I hope everyone enjoyed
the breakdown of the Pro Bowl games and more importantly,
enjoys the entire week and how it all plays out.
Remember it's day one Thursday, February Ray two, espm seven
to eight thirty pm Eastern time, day to Sunday, Febtruary
from three to six Eastern on ESPN and ABC. He's
(37:15):
the real Microp. I'm Mike Yam. Thank you so much
for listening.
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