June 6, 2025 • 42 mins
Hour One of the Good Morning Football Podcast begins with Ian Rapoport on Aaron Rodgers joining the Steelers. Hosts Jamie Erdahl, Tamara Brown, Jane Slater, and Madelyn Burke discuss how Rodgers fits in with Mike Tomlin and Pittsburgh. Andrea Kremer drops by to discuss her career and her past interviews with Jim Irsay and Deion Sanders. Plus, one word to describe your thoughts on the Steelers.
Stay tuned for Melissa Etheridge coming up in Hour 2 of the GMFB Podcast!
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Good Morning Football is the production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
You thought you were just going to escape into an
NFL weekend with no news to talk about, Aaron Rodgers says, No,
we're going to tell you up on GMFB.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Everybody. Jane Slater is here in LA with me.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I'm Jamie Earl, Tamar Brown, Madeline Burke in New York.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
We're talking all things NFL.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
But somehow we will start and end with the Pittsburgh
Steelers today.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Let's roll it Good Morning Football.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yeah, that's right, it's GMFB. It's a great morning to
talk about football. And Aaron Rodgers says, it's a great
day to talk about me now that we know what
team he is playing for, Because every day we talk
about Aaron Rodgers, it feels like Jane Slater back with
us today in La. Tamara Brown covers the Patriots up
in New England, Madeline Burke in New York. Those two
sit there. She covers the Giants as well. You've seen
their faces, their voices, their words all all over the NFL.
(01:05):
And now we have a refresh on a topic that
we have been discussing and focused on all off season
and with that, we first set the table with our
NFL Network insider Ian Rappoport rap sheet. It's finally here
the conjecture can be done. We know the jersey that
Aaron Rodgers will be wearing at least for Week one
of next season, and it is black and gold Pittsburgh Steelers.
(01:27):
What's the latest in the news that came down yesterday.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
Oh, yes, it is. Finally it has happened. After an
entire off season of waiting, wondering, discussing all of the rumors.
Speaker 6 (01:40):
Was he going to play? Was he going to retire?
Speaker 5 (01:42):
Was he waiting for the Minnesota Vikings? What team was
Aaron Rodgers going to sign with? We now know for
sure Aaron Rodgers is going to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It is going to be a one year deal. As
the insiders reported yesterday, Rogers informed the team that he
would in fact show up before mandatory minikit, which, from
my understanding this whole.
Speaker 6 (02:03):
Time, this was kind of the idea.
Speaker 5 (02:04):
This was what the Steelers were banking on that Rogers,
right before mandatory mini camp would show up, get the playbook,
introduce himself to everyone, start the process of learning, maybe
get on the field a little bit and throw the football,
then go a way for the summer, grinding, come back
for a training camp fully ready to go again. One
year deal for the Steelers. There was always confidence that
it would happen. Mike Tomlin was confident, omark CoV was confident.
(02:27):
Omark con was confident. He just wanted to make sure
Rogers went through his whole process dealing with some personal issues.
Speaker 6 (02:33):
It is all over.
Speaker 5 (02:34):
Now, it's official. He is going to be a member
of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now he can all go away
for the summer having some peace of mind. And I
have no doubt the members of these Steelers organization and
their fans will as well.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
All Right, And you just said that Aaron Rodgers will
be in attendance for mini camp next week. With that
being said, will DK Metcalf also be in attendance. Who
hasn't been at OTA so far for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 7 (02:58):
Will he come now that he knows who's throwing to him.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
Well, it sounds to me like DK Metcalf has probably
had a pretty good idea that Aaron Rodgers would be
his quarterback.
Speaker 6 (03:07):
For some time.
Speaker 5 (03:07):
Remember, around the time of the league meetings, we reported
that Rogers and DK Metcalf had a I guess somewhat
secret throwing session.
Speaker 6 (03:14):
Wasn't that secret to his film deeper on the internet
and Ru found out about whatever.
Speaker 5 (03:18):
I think the original intention was for it to be secret.
Those two have begun to build a report. I do
expect DK Metcalf and Mandatory Mini Camp players almost never
skip Mandatory Mini Camp.
Speaker 6 (03:29):
Now.
Speaker 5 (03:29):
Nobody likes to get fined, nobody likes to give up
guaranteed money. It is all good there in Pittsburgh. I
expect DK Metcalf to be there and not start the
process of building his rapport with his new quarterback, but
just continue that process. And to me, that was always
a really good sign that this thing was happening. When
when Rogers and Metcalf kind of first started throwing, You're like,
(03:51):
all right, both those guys are not dummies. They know
it's about to happen, hasn't happened yet, but they want
to start that process.
Speaker 6 (03:57):
That was an excellent sign for the Pittsburgh students.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Excellent journalism there. They're both not dummies. Thank you, Ed.
Speaker 8 (04:04):
You're on a Johnny, So I'll ask you this question,
Dk Metcalf.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
He's in the building.
Speaker 8 (04:09):
They've got pat Formooth, They've got Robert Woods's offensive weapons.
Are they in talks to add anything else via free
agency or trade? We saw all those discussions when he
went to the Jets. He was forming a super team.
It was the Avengers.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
Anybody coming over, Who do you think he attracts?
Speaker 7 (04:25):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (04:25):
It's going to be a Jet style Bring all Aaron
Rodgers friends, and some of those guys are retired. Some
of those guys are not what they once were. But
I do expect the Pittsburgh Steelers to continue to search
for one more weapon. And really that is what General
manager Omar Khan has done over the course of the
last several weeks, has made calls on free agents.
Speaker 6 (04:43):
They hosted Gabe Davis on a visit.
Speaker 5 (04:44):
Not quite ready to sign just healthwise yet, but hosted
Gabe Davis on a visit. They've inquired about some other weapons.
I know we're talking about receivers, talking about pass catchers.
They've had their eyes and some tight ends too. Jonah
Smith there was a phone call there. Kyle Pitch, there
was a phone call there. The Steelers are in the market,
it seems for at least one one more playmaker. And
(05:05):
this does feel to me, Jane, And this is a
good question, like the Steelers are just trying to load
up with one more weapon for Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 6 (05:13):
And it could come from anywhere.
Speaker 5 (05:14):
Maybe there's a Packers receiver that Rodgers knows that's not
quite as big a part of the Packers as as
maybe he wants, or as the Packers want.
Speaker 6 (05:22):
Maybe you know, they could trade for him.
Speaker 5 (05:23):
Maybe it's a good friend Alan Lozard who's on a
very very low deal with the Jets. There's several options
the Steelers can can have, But yes, I would expect
the Steelers to add one more playmaker before all it's
all said and done.
Speaker 8 (05:35):
All right, My news ears perked up when you said
John new Smith because wasn't he there with Arthur Smith?
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Am I wrong on the timelines there?
Speaker 4 (05:42):
Because I think that.
Speaker 8 (05:42):
Would be really really intriguing because I'm looking forward to
see how he essentially opens up this playbook with Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
How real is that?
Speaker 6 (05:51):
Well, he was there with Arthur Smith.
Speaker 5 (05:53):
Arthur Smith does love John new Smith and always has
and you know, really stretch the field as a tight end,
playing the slot.
Speaker 6 (06:00):
Do all sorts of things.
Speaker 5 (06:01):
I just I don't get the answer as much trade
traction here at all. This seems to me like John
Smith is trying to get more money. I mean seems
to me. I know John Smith is trying to get
more money.
Speaker 6 (06:10):
We had a Globo year.
Speaker 5 (06:11):
Yeah, had probably the best year of his career, and
he wants to do contract and.
Speaker 6 (06:15):
So if the way to do it is to leverage
another team to get.
Speaker 5 (06:18):
Some trade interest, maybe it does end up being another
team that pays him. My sense, though, is Smith wants
to be in Miami, and I would imagine at some
point they will get a new deal done that properly
compensates one of their stars.
Speaker 9 (06:33):
Now Ian Rodgers, of course, future Hall of Famer right here.
But he is forty one years old, not far removed
from an Achilles injury. Did the Steelers have any concerns
with his health or how healthy is he going into
his twenty first NFL season.
Speaker 5 (06:46):
He is as healthy as he could be. I mean, look,
he's forty one years old. For those of us who
are on the wrong side of forty, he still wake
up and you know, I played golf yesterday. I back
is franky today. That's what happens when you're old. So yes,
Rogers is going to deal with some of those regular
aches and pains that all those old people deal with.
But he is extremely healthy now compared to where he
was with the Jets, and I'm obviously it's been more
(07:07):
chronicled a couple of snaps towards Achilles. You come back
the second year, it's it looks the same, but it's
just not the same. The second year back from an Achilles, terearr.
Speaker 6 (07:16):
You should be much much healthier.
Speaker 5 (07:18):
Rogers has sounds to me like really taking care of
himself during his kind of time away, dealing with his
personal life, dealing with what he was working with with
some of his friends. I would expect a fully healthy
and energized forty one year old Aaron Rodgers. Whatever happens
is going to happen, but it's not going to because
he's not healthy. Roger's still going to throw the football
(07:38):
as good as he ever did. This is some certainly
optimism for the Steelers going into Camp Raps.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
You you can say that your back is cranky at
you because you broke eightie, did.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
You how did you shoot him?
Speaker 5 (07:48):
I did break eighty, but I've played some of the
harder courses in my county, and I've broken ninety, So
that's for me again, mid level golfer nineties.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Good, well, you need gimmes?
Speaker 4 (08:00):
Are you using to get to your night?
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Those aren't the kind of questions we have asked you.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
No gimmes, No gimmes. Here in the news, part.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Of the rap sheet, portion of GMFP put him on
the fairway.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
That's what the Steelers are just hoping.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Aaron Rodgers does, all right, just put it on the
fairway so they could run the ball down the field,
put some points on the board and not have to
rely so much on that epics Steelers defense that Mike
Tomlin has built in his tenure in Pittsburgh. Now that
we know, Jane Slater that Rogers is going there for
one year. We heard this news about midday yesterday on
the West coast. It was it felt inevitable. Now it's
(08:35):
the real thing. What was your response to it?
Speaker 4 (08:37):
I love it.
Speaker 8 (08:38):
I mean it's low risk, high reward. And as someone
who's been married just you know a little over a year,
you can even make a bad situation.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
Work in just a year. That's your full disclosure for
this morning.
Speaker 8 (08:50):
And when I say this, for me, it has everything
to do with respect. And I think when you look
at Aaron Rodgers, everyone points to the Jets experience as
a bad marriage right, as some sort of indicator that,
you know, we maybe shouldn't get again. Maybe he's too old,
maybe he's set in his ways. I disagree. What I
think I've noticed from Aaron Rodgers and talking to people
(09:12):
who've dealt with them, who played with them, a he's
really well liked by his teammates. I've seen the narrative
out there. Oh he's toxic, he's not good for locker room.
Oh and by the way, you've got DK Metcalf. So
now you've essentially got three alpha guys like Tomlin. He
got DK Metcalf, youve got Aaron Rodgers. But what I
find with true alpha's is they do a really good job.
When you've sort of got that alpha energy, you've got
(09:33):
your expectations, but more importantly, you're a little bit more insulated.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
In Pittsburgh, you're.
Speaker 8 (09:38):
Not getting this. He hates the media, He's made no
bones about that. This allows him to go to a
market where he can flourish with the.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Respect of Tomlin.
Speaker 8 (09:47):
And why I think that the Tomlin thing is so
interesting is the Pittsburgh Steelers clearly needed a quarterback. I
mean they had Mason Rudolph and then the guy that
they took in the sixth round.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
Will Howard this year.
Speaker 8 (09:57):
Four different times in those opening opening picks in the draft, they.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Could have gone to one.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
And it said to me.
Speaker 8 (10:03):
That there some sort of gentleman's agreement between these So,
I mean, look at them, they love each other.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
They love it the proverbial football heart eyes looking at
each other.
Speaker 8 (10:12):
At least two respect each other. And then I think
for Arthur Smith, a lot of people also look at
look what Russell Wilson and Arthur Smith did. They were
at least able to win one playoff game. You get
a deep ball threat with Aaron Rodgers, you get a
guy who has got really great ball security. Now you
you get some up with the offensive line. Maybe they
finally actually result to a running game. I'm curious to
(10:34):
see how Arthur Smith opens up this playbook. I don't
think Arthur Smith was that great of a head coach,
but he's a great oc and we saw that in Tennessee.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Absolutely, Ma, chef's kiss nice.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
You're trying to mess up my lipstick when I do
that but chef's kiss when I look at it in
one hand, You've got Aaron Rodgers forty one years old,
his best days of football are likely behind him.
Speaker 7 (10:54):
And then you've got Mike Tomlin. We'll call him make Away.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Mike because he makes a way out of no way
despite what his roster looks like. I mean, just last year,
everyone was talking about how he had Justin Fields and
Russell Wilson, and the old saying is.
Speaker 7 (11:08):
When you have two quarterbacks, you have none.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
But guess what, he kept his streak going eighteen straight
non losing seasons. So why can't you do it again
with Aaron Rodgers despite what happened with the New York Jets.
Why can't he take Aaron Rodgers and make both parties happy.
If this is the last go around for Aaron Rodgers,
he can end on a high note, hopefully keep that
streak going for Mike Tomlin and have a winning season.
Speaker 7 (11:32):
And then for the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Mike Tomlin and the Steelers they can just not just
make it to the playoffs, but win a game in
the playoffs. They haven't won a game in the playoffs
since twenty sixteen when they beat the Chiefs, so both
parties can end this one year deal one year marriage happy.
Speaker 6 (11:48):
I like it.
Speaker 9 (11:49):
I mean I like that point. And also talking about
going to the playoffs. Last time the Steelers went to
the super Bowl the ultimate goal twenty eleven, they lost
to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. So it's a little
bit of kismet moment right here, a full circle moment.
But I do love this and twenty eleven that was
a while ago, fourteen years ago. It just shows Rogers
has been in this league and competing in this league
(12:10):
for so long, twenty one years, the twenty twenty five
draft class. He's been playing professional football the entire lives
of most of the kids that were drafted or young
men who were drafted this season. Now, a lot of
guys around the league have so much respect for Rogers too.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
I talked to earlier.
Speaker 9 (12:26):
Several months ago when there was speculation about Rogers potentially
going to the Giants. I talked to a few players
there who told me that would be so cool because
they grew up watching this guy. So the impact that
he's going to have on some of these younger players
who have seen him their entire lives watching football is
going to be incredible. I also love the fact that
he is showing up and signing before Minichamp because, of course,
(12:49):
last year famously, Rogers missed Mini Caamp with the Jets
for a previously scheduled trip to Egypt. This year, he's
getting there and getting the work in. And listen, he's
a vet. He doesn't need those extra reps for him
per se. But it is valuable for his teammates because
maybe he knows the playbook, maybe he knows how to play,
and he can show up and execute. But it's helpful
(13:11):
for his teammates to learn his tendencies get on board
with that as they adjust to this. And you know,
we saw that, you know, he and DK Metcalf have
had as raps. She called it a not so secret
throwing session several months ago. But they're going to be
developing an identity to this offense.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
And what does that look like?
Speaker 9 (13:28):
I mean, Arthur Smith calls a run, heavy, play, action
passing game. Only three offenses through the ball at a
lower percentage than the Steelers in twenty twenty four. Aaron
Rodgers dropped back to pass on sixty four percent of
the Jets plays last season. So what is this offense
going to look like? And what is it going to
look like without one of Rogers' security blankets. I mean,
he doesn't have a DeVante Adams, a Jordy Nelson, a
(13:50):
Randall Cobb right now.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
So what's the identity going to be. It's good. It's
a good time to start it at mini camp.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Yeah, Madelan.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
During that throwing session, DeVante Adams was in La just elsewhere,
wearing a different jersey. Now, so Rogers new he had
to make something work with DK. Metcalfe had the UCLA
head coach to Sean Foster on the show a couple
of months back, and I was just like, what's going
on here? Why are we seeing Amen culture and the
video on Instagram? And why is this singular camera here.
He's like, we don't know who's gonna come. We just
like to leave the gates open at UCLA. And when
(14:19):
it just so happened that Rogers walked through the door, happen.
It just so happened. Now, I would be remiss not
to admit that this week, in anticipation of these shows
on GMFB, I was doing some spress, some media, if
you will, and I showed up on a Pittsburgh Gazette
podcast or interview, and I did it say, I took
the bait on. I think it was too obvious everyone
talking about Rogers going to the Steelers. Why aren't we
(14:40):
looking at the Saints. Why aren't we flirting with the
fact that is he waiting to see what JJ McCarthy's
doing in Minnesota. It just felt like we had talked
about it so much that felt very Rogers to be
a contrarian, to take a left turn and go somewhere else.
Now we know that that is not the case. My
question becomes, though, as it pertains to something Tamara mentioned,
which is this is a Mike Tomlin era now that
we've entered where being five hundred, just making the playoffs,
(15:04):
that that's what we celebrate, that's what's become acceptable. And
I don't think that is what those two men now
in this building, and Rogers and Tomlin, I don't think
that's what they want to accept. That's not the marker
for a great season anymore. Do we truly feel like Jane,
I'll ask you this first, that Tomlin has put faith
in the fact that Rodgers can not only get him
over the hump, maybe make him a ten and seven season.
(15:26):
But can he win him one two playoff games in January?
That is that the faith that he's putting in this.
Speaker 8 (15:32):
Quarterback one hundred percent, You wouldn't have waited this long.
And as I said, have all of those picks in
the draft this year, and again this was not the
greatest quarterbacks class. Yeah, but you could have taken someone.
You could have been active in free agency leading up
to the draft. But this says to me that he
believes in Aaron Rodgers and Aaron Rodgers skill set.
Speaker 4 (15:52):
Now, is Aaron Rodgers going to be as mobile as
he once was?
Speaker 7 (15:56):
No?
Speaker 8 (15:57):
But can Aaron Rodgers air out the ball for you?
Can Aaron Rodgers read and diagnose defenses better than most
guys in the league right now?
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Absolutely? And so I think Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 8 (16:09):
Has sort of found himself in a situation where he's
got to.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Prove himself a little bit.
Speaker 8 (16:13):
Arthur Smith and so and Aaron Rodgers for that reason.
And so yeah, I mean I absolutely think they're They're
not going all in on Aaron Rodgers if they don't
believe they can go all in.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (16:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
When I looked at this deal yesterday, the first thing
I thought about honestly, was Love is Blind. And if
you don't watch Love Is Blind, it's two people on
either side of the wall.
Speaker 7 (16:37):
You don't you can't see them. Obviously, you don't know
their You might know their name, but that's about it.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
And I thought about it if you had Aaron Rodgers
stats on one side but not his name, and on
the other side, you had all thirty one, all thirty
one teams come in and talk to him, and I, honestly,
I look at the stats and I'm like, I picture
the Steelers and Aaron Rodgers coming together.
Speaker 4 (16:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
One because of what Jane mentioned earlier. She mentioned they're
both alpha dogs, they're both competitive, they both want to win.
And then also when you look at the pieces here,
he's getting old, the Steelers' first round pick from last year,
Try Fontano, he's going to be back. So the offensive
line should be stronger to protect Aaron Rodgers so that
he can be able to have successful passing completion this year.
And then you also have dk Metcalff coming in, a
(17:20):
top target he'll be able to throw too and lean on.
And so when you look at the big picture, all
signs are pointing to them not just being able to
make the playoffs, but hopefully to be able to go
deep into the playoffs and finally win that playoff game
that they haven't once Sin Samara.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
What really ended up happening was in the Love is
Blind mentality, the Jets and Rogers actually picked each other.
The walls came up, they walked towards each other, and
immediately the viewers were like.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
No, this is toxick. This isn't going to work. So
then they go to Mexico and then that's.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
When the Steelers and Rogers get together, like we are
supposed to be together. It's all working tomorrow. It was
a perfect parallel Love is Blind. A fantastic shout out
to Nick and Vanessa la Scha.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Moving on on GMFB, we.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Have a fantastic guest coming on who I'm sure loves
the fact that we're talking about Love is Blind.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
It's Andrea Kramer.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Everybody sitting down back in the day with primetime somehow
Also on the show, so far, we have unearth the
fact that Jonah Smith deserves to be paid.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
This is why we.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Love doing this On a Friday morning, Andrew Kramer waiting
in the wings. We're going to talk to her next
Plus we're going to check on more teams around the league.
We can have Jane and Samara and Madeleine sitting here
without doing a deep dive on some of those extra
headlines that we want to make sure we are covering
before we head into a weekend.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
We'll be right back on gmfbe.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Good Morning Football.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
If you've been a fan of football in the last I.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Don't know, thirty forty years, you know this woman right here,
Andrew Kramer, everybody, and I'm going to put a plural
on the fact that she is in multiple Hall of.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
Fames when it comes to football. How you doing, Andrea,
Good morning to you.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
Hello women, it's gretchule.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Great to see you this morning. Andrea.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
I cannot believe that ahead of this conversation we have
a resolution to one of the most topical and headline.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
Worthy I know.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Put your hands out. We have an answer. Aaron Rodgers
and the Steelers marriage. It's happening. What do you make
of this?
Speaker 10 (19:17):
A white smoke has maybe bold smoke.
Speaker 7 (19:21):
Has a R.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
You go.
Speaker 10 (19:23):
Finally, they Fillers have a QB one.
Speaker 11 (19:26):
I love all the positivity that everyone brought to the
first segment, and then you bring me on maybe for.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
A year out Andrea do it, do it?
Speaker 10 (19:37):
I'm sorry, got to be.
Speaker 11 (19:38):
I don't know if it's a skeptical journalist, journalist of
me or not. A couple of things that i'd like
to I'd like y'all to consider. Madeline mentioned the great
narrative about the last time the Super Bowl these two
teams that Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers from the super
Bowl was the twenty ten season when Rogers prevailed. Aaron
Rodgers has a very different foil. I believe Mike Tomlin.
(20:00):
He's never had a coach like Kim at all. And
while Mike Tomlin has had the likes Antonio Brown and
Le'Veon Bell, I think that he is going to It's
going to be Rogers, the ultimate polarizing player, a potential distraction.
Speaker 10 (20:18):
So I'm really going to be watching how these two
do connect.
Speaker 11 (20:22):
Now, speaking of offense, Rogers, in my opinion, is in
way hurry up mode.
Speaker 10 (20:28):
With Arthur Smith.
Speaker 11 (20:29):
It was mentioned, i think by Jane earlier, the fact
that he is not going to have some of those
comforts of home that he had with the Jets in
terms of DeVante Adams and Ellen Lazard, nor is he
going to basically have a hand picked offensive coordinator that
he had both he brought him over from Green Bay
(20:49):
and Nathaniel Hackett, So a totally different offense that he's
going to have to learn Smith. But maybe the most
important thing is how he fits in the locker. Remember
and with the Jets walks in, there were a lot
of wide eyes. Wow, it's the four time MVP. It's
a little different here. The Steelers offense is devoid of leadership,
which could be a good thing if Aaron fills that void. However,
(21:12):
you have veteran players. It is a defense centric team.
Remember cam Ward initially said, Hey, either you want to
be a Steeler or you don't. He walked that back
a little bit, but he understands that going into his
fifteenth season, that window is perilously closing for cam Ward,
for cam Hayward, and he definitely wants to make sure
(21:34):
that Rodgers is all in no distractions, Let's keep it
all about football.
Speaker 10 (21:38):
And finally, just one thing I'm going to be keeping
an eye on.
Speaker 11 (21:42):
We know that two years off of an injury is
when a player really really comes back, even if you're
going to be forty.
Speaker 10 (21:47):
Two in December. But Aaron Rodgers does not have the
mobility he used to have.
Speaker 11 (21:53):
He was the most blitzed quarterback in the league, was
the worst in the league last year against the blitz.
Speaker 10 (22:01):
The Steelers have a remat offensive line.
Speaker 11 (22:04):
Roderick Jones allowed the second most sacks in the league.
I'm going to be watching it for that very Simply,
the Steelers in the post Ben era are still gambling
at the quarterbacks.
Speaker 9 (22:16):
Yeah, Andrea, playing against the blitz is very different than
rap sheet on the golf course, So I can imagine
Aaron Rodgers back game may be a little bit affected
there too. Now, you mentioned that this is obviously a
defensive centric team, but also the run game an important
element of the Steelers. After the Super Bowl you did
a story on the revival of the running back position,
(22:37):
and since then we've seen Derrick Henry and Saquan Barkley,
both who had signed good deals with new teams.
Speaker 4 (22:42):
They've both been extended.
Speaker 9 (22:44):
Ashton gent now a top ten pick is the workhorse
running back here to stay in this league?
Speaker 11 (22:50):
Well, you mentioned those two Battlin It was the first
time last season that you had for two nineteen hundred
plus yard runners and they were both rewarded Derrick Henry
gets the biggest contract ever given to a running back
over thirty years of age of co or Saquon reset
the market with his deal.
Speaker 10 (23:07):
So great to see them reward it.
Speaker 11 (23:10):
You mentioned gent the highest ranked, the highest drafted running
back since Taekwon in twenty eighteen when the Giants took
them number two. Sorry, Madeline, I hate to bring up
the Giants there, and it's all of Maari and Hampton
who went to the Chargers. What stood out for me
(23:30):
from the story, what I really learned was what Rams
general manager lesned told me is that there has to
be full commitment to the running game, meaning you've got
to have the offensive infrastructure.
Speaker 10 (23:41):
You've got to build the offensive line.
Speaker 11 (23:43):
Obviously we saw that with the Eagles, best offensive line
in the league.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
But you also.
Speaker 10 (23:48):
Everybody needs to buy in.
Speaker 11 (23:50):
Everybody needs to block downfield blocking, everybody has to be
able to contribute to the running game, which is one
reason that sometimes it's just easy to drop back and pass.
But it is a copycat league, so you do have
to imagine that the running game may get a little
bit more respect. But don't forget quarterback rushing was at
(24:10):
an all time high last season.
Speaker 10 (24:13):
So we can't count at the rugging this way.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
You did an incredible piece on Jim Ersa for Real Sports.
What do you want people to know about Jim and
what he meant to this league?
Speaker 11 (24:25):
Yeah, Timer, The first time I actually met Jim Mersey
was in nineteen eighty seven, my first job, when I
was at NFL Films. I don't know if any of
you were even born then, but I have known there
there we.
Speaker 10 (24:36):
Are bad eighties hair and all.
Speaker 11 (24:39):
Wow, that's forward to profiling him in twenty twenty three.
Speaker 10 (24:44):
He is the and Jane is around Jerry Jones all
the time.
Speaker 11 (24:48):
And I've known Jeredy, you know, since he came in
a league in nineteen eighty nine. But Jim Mersey, in
my opinion, is the most raw, genuine was I hate
to can't believe I'm still using that verb in the
past tense. Was the most genuine, raw, honest billionaire, if
you will, someone of that caliber that I've ever met.
He was incredibly open about his foibles and there were many.
(25:11):
I remember when we shot when we did the Real
Sports story, played guitar for me and I said, well,
what song typifies your life? And he said, Bob Dylan
shelter from the storm, and that read so deeply with me.
It was so sad because his upbringing was all about
the helter, theiad issues that his family had.
Speaker 10 (25:33):
We see his devotion to music.
Speaker 11 (25:36):
This is when he was actually playing for me, but
the other was the other picture was from the vault
that he has of guitar.
Speaker 10 (25:43):
So it was really amazing all that he went through.
Speaker 11 (25:46):
We also, by the way, went into a library that
he had where he had where he said he had
the most important book of his life, and that was
The Alcoholics Anonymous set, which really he feels kept him alive.
It's interesting because looking ahead, I got it against to
meet all three of his daughter Well I knew all
the daughters over the years, but I got to work
(26:07):
with them for the story. And Carly Ursay Gordon has
represented the Colts in a lot of meetings and a
lot of owners meetings. Even dating back to twenty fourteen
when Jim was suspended, she has been involved. She is
on the sidelines with the headset on paying very close
attention to football operations. Callen, the youngest, has always been
(26:29):
involved in marketing. The middle child, Casey, has five children.
She's really devoted to her family. But I think that
the organization is certainly in good hands with these three women.
Speaker 10 (26:39):
They have grown up with it, they have grown up.
But I cannot tell you the void that's.
Speaker 11 (26:44):
Going to be there inlace. Jim walked through the locker room.
The relationship that he had with players and coaches, even
the number of fired coaches that were at his memorial
was amazing. And I talked with Edgrin James, who calls him,
you know, the big Man, and he said he literally
when we hear this a lot, but with edge, it
(27:05):
was really true.
Speaker 10 (27:06):
He said he treated me like a son.
Speaker 11 (27:08):
He said, I never had someone who I learned so
much from every single time I was out with him.
So the amount that Jim Orsay will be missed as
a person, more so than just a football owner, is
really going to be immense.
Speaker 8 (27:25):
I mean, some of these owners, Andrea, when you think
about it, they're so magnetic. I mean, I think of
Jerry Jones in Dallas, and yes, he's got a succession
plan in terms of his kids, but you have to wonder,
you know, as much as the kids grew up with
the family and they don't want to let their father down,
these guys changed the face of the game, and it
was so important to them when they built this. I
mean this was their blood, sweat and tears. These guys
(27:46):
will tell you how they leverage towelses and mortgages to.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
Get to these places.
Speaker 8 (27:50):
You just have to wonder how that passion translates to
the second generation. You and I could talk about this
all day, but I do want to get with you
on Dion Sanders when he got drafted in nineteen eighty nine,
and I've got an iconic image of you here. This
is I think you told me one of your first
live shots. I bring it up because Shadoor is in
the league now and I was covering this. I was
(28:12):
in New Orleans expecting possibly the Saints to victim, although
I think a lot of us knew they were going
Tyler shuck, but there was a lot of chatter about
him sliding. I think a lot of us were shocked
he's split as far as he did. But the issue
was teams didn't want to deal with Dion.
Speaker 3 (28:28):
Talking in the media.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
I think it was less of that, Andrea.
Speaker 8 (28:31):
The more people I talked to, it was they didn't
get a meaningful throwing session with Shadoor he obviously didn't
showcase a lot of his talents and things like the
East West Shrine game when they went to campus. A
lot of the scouts like to go and ask these
guys how much are they studying?
Speaker 4 (28:45):
What are they like in the.
Speaker 8 (28:46):
Classrooms, and they were maybe concerned they weren't getting complete answers.
But you know, Dion, you've talked to him. What do
you make of some of the stuff that I've heard,
some of the stuff that you've seen out there reported?
Was it as simple of us, we just don't want
him because we think Dion is going to serve convince
what we're trying to do here in the organization, or
(29:07):
is there something else to this?
Speaker 11 (29:09):
Well, Jane, I think that it's the very very simple answer.
Speaker 10 (29:15):
Is not a newsflesh.
Speaker 11 (29:17):
Dion will be Dion in other words, what you're getting
looking ahead and the amount of involvement that he may
have with his son. I hate to quote another former
head coach, Bill Belichick, but it is what it is.
And with Dion, obviously we know he's the only head
(29:38):
coach Shudur has ever had.
Speaker 10 (29:40):
At any level.
Speaker 11 (29:42):
Certainly, Dion pointed out that he's had that Shaudur has
had multiple offensive coordinators, but right now shouldur if he's
going to rise from the fifth round pick status in
a very crowded quarterback room in Cleveland, he needs to
focus on himself.
Speaker 10 (29:59):
Brought out all the noise, which may.
Speaker 11 (30:01):
Include his dad, and that may not go over great
with his dad. But at some point, I think the
closest comp that I have is Archie Manning and Eli.
Obviously we know that Archie, you know, is very involved
in Eli's drafting process, but once Eli ended up in
New York, you didn't hear from Archie. Now it's a
little bit different because Archie didn't coach Eli the way
(30:23):
Dion did. But at some point you gotta let the
kid get out on his own. Make the problem, you know,
make make the mistakes he's going to make. You can
watch the film and you can You're still going to
post on Instagram. He's already. Dean's already done that, even
after just a few phone sessions that we're seeing here.
But at this point, and the other thing you have
to remember is that Dion and Bill Musgrave, who was
(30:45):
the Browns quarterback coach, were teammates on the nineteen ninety
four forty nine Ers Super Bowl championship team, so they
have Maybe you know Dion is gonna be dming and
texting Musgrave about certain things. But in my opinion, Dion,
do what's best for your kid Ruben on his own.
(31:06):
Don't make things more difficult for him, for Kevin Stefanski
and for the new offense court endor Tommy Reese in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
The bright side of all of that, Andrea, is that Dion,
more than anybody else, knows that it's a business. And specifically,
when the ball gets kicked off and they are playing
between the white lines, that Shador will be shown what
the NFL is all about.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
And Dion knows this.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
So to your point about letting him go out there
and prove himself in play, you would hope that his
own father could understand. Le Son, you got to get
out there and blaze your own trail, which is what
we are hoping for Shudeur Sanders, wherever that may be.
Speaker 3 (31:36):
Andrew Kramer, everybody, thank you so much for coming on the.
Speaker 12 (31:40):
Start of a new era.
Speaker 10 (31:41):
In Green Bay, Aaron.
Speaker 12 (31:42):
Rodgers takes over a quarterback for Brett Farm his first
NFL touchdown.
Speaker 13 (31:48):
The Green Bay Packers are world tampions Number.
Speaker 11 (31:51):
One quarterback Wilds chatting MVP ut doctor Holiver Karon Rodgers has.
Speaker 8 (31:59):
Done it up yet?
Speaker 5 (32:00):
All right, The New York Jets have agreed to terms
on a trade for Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 6 (32:07):
Not here to be a savior of any kind.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
I'm just here to be the best quarterback I could beat.
Speaker 4 (32:11):
Aaron Rodgers puts it right in his hands.
Speaker 5 (32:14):
That's a check touchdown, Aren Rogers, it's a Jet touchdown.
Speaker 3 (32:21):
Rogers looking for five hundred, He's got it.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
To Tyler Conkline, breaking news. The four time NFL MVP
Aaron Rodgers is really going to don the black d goal.
Good morning football.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
Let's address the elephant in the room. Aaron Rodgers going
to the Pittsburgh Dealers. He signed a one year He's
going to sign a one year deal. He sounds like
he's gonna rive over the weekend and go to OTAs
next week.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Cool.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
There must be some other headlines that we have to
empty the notebook on. We've got James Later Madelenburg to
Mehra Brown here as well. Patriots giants all over the league, Dallas, Dallas, Texas.
Speaker 12 (33:05):
Girl.
Speaker 3 (33:05):
Yeah, you got it all covered, but you're not going
to take us there.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
I'm not going, Okay, that's a tease. Everybody are here
and that's what we call it.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
Madeline.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
You are at the Giants facility yesterday. You have a
slew of quarterbacks, you have a head coach and a
GM that are just fighting for their lives making decisions.
But take us to what's going on on the defensive
side of the ball. What's happening, absolutely, Jamie.
Speaker 9 (33:25):
I mean, we've all heard the adage defense wins championships,
right that is evidenced by the way that the Eagles
won the Super Bowl this year in the pressure and
I talked to defensive coordinator Shane Bowen yesterday and he said, yeah,
you know.
Speaker 4 (33:37):
It's kind of obviously there is a shift.
Speaker 9 (33:38):
You look at the numbers in the run game that
are causing for this adjustment. You're not just looking for
pressure off the edge, You're looking for pressure.
Speaker 4 (33:45):
Up the middle.
Speaker 9 (33:45):
And while the Giants talk has been a lot about
the quarterbacks this offseason, the defense has really been a
point of emphasis.
Speaker 4 (33:53):
Not only in free agency.
Speaker 9 (33:54):
They signed Pulse in the Devo Javon Holland in the
draft they get a dual carter at three, Darius Alexander,
and they're really prioritizing the defensive side of the ball,
and they're.
Speaker 4 (34:03):
Doing so in a pretty unique way.
Speaker 9 (34:06):
Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen has a new take on what
we all know as you know, a turnover chain. This
is a turnover chest. It is a treasured chest, okay,
And it is inspired by Shane Bowen's sons T ball team,
the Pirates. So a young Pirate T ball team has
planted this idea in Bowen's mind and.
Speaker 4 (34:28):
He said, hey, listen, you get what you emphasize and.
Speaker 9 (34:31):
Somehow you know the violent attacking style to steal possessions
the Piracy. It's working for them, right. We saw Trey
Hawkins dunking the ball in though. Essentially, when you get
a takeaway on the defensive side of.
Speaker 4 (34:43):
The ball, you put the ball in the treasured chest.
And this is an important point of emphasis.
Speaker 9 (34:48):
I mean, the Giants right near the bottom of the
league with only fifteen takeaways in twenty twenty four, they
had a minus eight turnover differential, So definitely a point
of emphasis for this team, and it seems like a
fun way to go about it.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
One guy I would hope to see dunking the ball
in that treasure chest is have dual Carter numbers. I
know that the pads are not one yet, Madeline, but
what have you liked from him so far?
Speaker 4 (35:11):
Oh my gosh, he has been so much fun to watch.
Speaker 9 (35:13):
And like you mentioned, the pads aren't on, so we're
not quite fully engaged in.
Speaker 4 (35:17):
The maximum capacity.
Speaker 9 (35:18):
I mean, you know, they're going on seven on seven
for the most part, so not a.
Speaker 4 (35:21):
Lot of pass rush out there. But he is a great.
Speaker 9 (35:24):
Young man and he's going to be a really a
special talent to watch in this league.
Speaker 8 (35:27):
You know, the more I hear about the sons of
the guys like Joe Shane and the influence staff, are
these guys actually paid employees or they just consultants at.
Speaker 3 (35:37):
The interns youth interns.
Speaker 14 (35:41):
Listen, you know what the family business, it's all here
for it. Plus Joe Shane's Joe Shane's son, He's got
a hose that is a young quarterback to watch in
the future.
Speaker 4 (35:52):
His son and also Chris Nee's son.
Speaker 9 (35:54):
Both of these guys New Jersey high school prospects to
keep an eye on.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
Just let me know when one of those guys starts
wearing a pyrapatcher, right, you get back to me at Madeline, Jean,
You're not going to Oh my gosh, you're not going
to the Cowboys. Where else do you take us? When
you look at the league.
Speaker 3 (36:08):
Right now, I'm looking at the Indianapolis Colts.
Speaker 8 (36:10):
I think sometimes we overlook some of these teams that
are in some of the smaller markets, so to speak.
We just caught when that Anthony Richardson is dealing with
a shoulder issue.
Speaker 4 (36:19):
Yeah, I reached out some folks there.
Speaker 8 (36:21):
They said that they are reevaluating that issue and that
we should have some more details on that on Monday.
But I find myself hurting for you Colts fans. I
was percolating on this, how many different quarterbacks have they
had since twenty fifteen, going all the way back to
when Andrew Lutt got hurt?
Speaker 2 (36:38):
Got a CBS say, tell you guys a little.
Speaker 8 (36:40):
Bit, Yes, the CBS c Let's go through the names. Oh,
Matt Hasselback, Josh Freeman, Scott Tolzine, Jakobe Brisette, Brian Hoyer,
Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, sam Ellinger, Gardon, Minshew
a Gardener, rather Nick Foles and Joe Flacco. So what
do they do with Anthony Richardson's shoulder issue is a problem.
Speaker 4 (37:03):
I do have some good news.
Speaker 3 (37:05):
I don't know if this is good news.
Speaker 8 (37:06):
For some people, especially if you're keeping an eye on
the giants, But Daniel.
Speaker 4 (37:11):
Jones is looking good, folks.
Speaker 8 (37:12):
Yeah, they said that he has been accurate. This is
the first time that he'll actually.
Speaker 4 (37:16):
Have a weapon, more than one weapon.
Speaker 8 (37:20):
So keep an eye on this Daniel Jones development.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
I think that's what's going to get really interesting. I
got I got mad lied.
Speaker 8 (37:26):
Over here nodding or on the Daniel Jones in Indianapolis.
Speaker 4 (37:31):
I think it's going to be great.
Speaker 9 (37:33):
But it is interesting that you bring up Andrew Luck
because in eighty six career games, Andrew Luck was sacked
one hundred and seventy four times, which caused him to
choose to retire early to protect himself. Now Daniel Jones
has played seventy career games and he has been sacked
two hundred eight times.
Speaker 4 (37:51):
So got it back to keep him around a little bit.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
Yeah, Well we've seen Ellie.
Speaker 2 (37:55):
If history can repeat itself, at least in the New
York market, maybe the maybe Danieljon's gonna have like the
Sam dam Darnacks.
Speaker 8 (38:02):
Yea, you know they are change of scenery.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
Yeah, bring some optimism to New England.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Do you have a second year quarterback that's trying to
make a name for himself and not and avoid the
sophomore slump?
Speaker 1 (38:11):
Absolutely, Drake May. I cannot wait to see what he
does in his second year. You know, your second year
in the NFL is a huge one. It's either a
slump or a jump. And when I look at Drake May,
I think he has.
Speaker 7 (38:23):
All the tools to have a jump this year.
Speaker 1 (38:25):
He's got Josh McDaniels, who I watched help Mac Jones
and his rookie season to complete sixty seven percent of
his passes. He was second in votes for Offensive Rookie
of the Year. He had thirty eight hundred passing yards.
Speaker 7 (38:38):
So why can't he do that with Drake May this year?
Why can't he There's no proof that he can't. And
especially when you.
Speaker 1 (38:44):
Look at this team, most of them, you build your team,
then you add your quarterback. The Patriots did it the
other way around. They got their quarterback last year and
then they built around him. They got their wide receiver
one in Stefan Diggs. They got their first round pick
Will Campbell to help strengthen the offensive line, and then
Josh McDaniels.
Speaker 7 (39:01):
He's going to be the blueprint for.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
This jump for us to help those mechanics, to help
his footwork, to help his huddle presence, and to make
this a productive offense for the New England Patriots this year.
So I'm voting second year jump for Drake May.
Speaker 3 (39:15):
Okay, all right, you know.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Jade and I are like whispering over here about there's
an invisible thread. Yes, the thread that weaves throughout the
NFL Madealie. Can you confirm Jacoby Brissette was he on
the fifty three man roster for the New York Giants
at some point see in the building.
Speaker 9 (39:29):
I want to say so yes, because so there have
been so many players on the fifty three in the
last ten.
Speaker 3 (39:37):
Years present, I'm like they all again.
Speaker 8 (39:40):
They also remember we had Josh McDaniels who almost went
to Indianapolis backed out at the last minute, so there
was some synergy here.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
Absolutely well, Mike Rabel hopes to get Drake May back
on the right track.
Speaker 12 (39:53):
I am absolutely pumped about this.
Speaker 13 (39:55):
I mean, obviously super Bowl champions, no doubt in my mind.
Speaker 12 (39:58):
I love the move. He is going to either get
you ten eleven wins and gives you a shot at
finally winning a playoff game, or he's not going to
be healthy, he's going to be distracted and the thing's
just going to implode and then you get a high
draft pick.
Speaker 13 (40:14):
My take on Aaron Rodgers here is I love it.
I love it because it's going to bring so much
drama into the season. Steve made a good point, it's
going to take some heat off with Tomlin, but at
the end of the day, I mean, it's going to
bring so much drama. He's going to shoot it straight.
Steelers fans aren't going to like what he's going to
have to say sometimes, but you know, he's been around
the league enough. He knows what wins and what doesn't.
And I think this might be what the Steelers and.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
Heat gotta pay homage to the voice of the fans sometimes,
and the Steelers are allowed. Today and yesterday, when the
news came out that Aaron Rodgers is going to commit
to a one year deal with Pittsburgh Steelers, we're going
to play what's the word fill in the blank, Samara.
Steelers fans should feel.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
Blank about their new quarterback.
Speaker 1 (40:52):
I don't have a word. I have an emoji. This
is supposed to be a prayer. Hands emoji answered prayer.
They're so happy they're waving their terrible.
Speaker 7 (41:00):
Towels right now.
Speaker 1 (41:01):
Because let's be real, Macey Rudolph thrown a dk metcalf
didn't move the needle.
Speaker 4 (41:06):
This will I really thought that was pe.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
Mine is anti clematic.
Speaker 8 (41:13):
This was gonna happen, but one it wasn't the most
important story yesterday. That for me, being a political science junkie.
Speaker 10 (41:21):
I was all in on e Lawn and Trump.
Speaker 8 (41:24):
So sorry Aaron's two others all trying to steal the headlines,
got the spotlight stolen yesterday.
Speaker 3 (41:32):
Busy news day.
Speaker 9 (41:33):
I'm busy the yinzer appreciation. We know Aaron Rodgers is
good friends with Pat McAfee from Pittsburgh, but also he
spent a lot of time playing with head coach Mike
McCarthy McCarthy from Pittsburgh. In twenty fifteen, Rogers admitted, hey,
he couldn't understand McCarthy's play call because of his accent.
So just remember tight end Darnell Washington Darneld Washington. Cam
(41:53):
Hayward is not just seven time pro bowler, but he's
son of Arnhead Ironhead no arnhead, Hayward and you know
steal a nation's gonna rock with you.
Speaker 4 (42:01):
Just add renegade to the playlist.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
Rogers Okay, an emoji, a three word answer and anticlimactic
which I believe has a hyphen in it dies when
it has When GMFB, when we say fill in the blank,
what's the word?
Speaker 4 (42:15):
I said?
Speaker 3 (42:16):
Singular word?
Speaker 2 (42:17):
Okay, no emoji, no threeword answer. We're gonna free fresh again.
We hold this beautiful object, inanimate object, near and dear
to our hearts. The whiteboard is sacred and uh that
was a breaking of the segment in all time classic
good GMFB, come on, curves
Speaker 7 (42:33):
Up Twitter a little bit
Good Morning Football is the production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
You thought you were just going to escape into an
NFL weekend with no news to talk about, Aaron Rodgers says, No,
we're going to tell you up on GMFB.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Everybody. Jane Slater is here in LA with me.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I'm Jamie Earl, Tamar Brown, Madeline Burke in New York.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
We're talking all things NFL.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
But somehow we will start and end with the Pittsburgh
Steelers today.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Let's roll it Good Morning Football.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yeah, that's right, it's GMFB. It's a great morning to
talk about football. And Aaron Rodgers says, it's a great
day to talk about me now that we know what
team he is playing for, Because every day we talk
about Aaron Rodgers, it feels like Jane Slater back with
us today in La. Tamara Brown covers the Patriots up
in New England, Madeline Burke in New York. Those two
sit there. She covers the Giants as well. You've seen
their faces, their voices, their words all all over the NFL.
(01:05):
And now we have a refresh on a topic that
we have been discussing and focused on all off season
and with that, we first set the table with our
NFL Network insider Ian Rappoport rap sheet. It's finally here
the conjecture can be done. We know the jersey that
Aaron Rodgers will be wearing at least for Week one
of next season, and it is black and gold Pittsburgh Steelers.
(01:27):
What's the latest in the news that came down yesterday.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
Oh, yes, it is. Finally it has happened. After an
entire off season of waiting, wondering, discussing all of the rumors.
Speaker 6 (01:40):
Was he going to play? Was he going to retire?
Speaker 5 (01:42):
Was he waiting for the Minnesota Vikings? What team was
Aaron Rodgers going to sign with? We now know for
sure Aaron Rodgers is going to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It is going to be a one year deal. As
the insiders reported yesterday, Rogers informed the team that he
would in fact show up before mandatory minikit, which, from
my understanding this whole.
Speaker 6 (02:03):
Time, this was kind of the idea.
Speaker 5 (02:04):
This was what the Steelers were banking on that Rogers,
right before mandatory mini camp would show up, get the playbook,
introduce himself to everyone, start the process of learning, maybe
get on the field a little bit and throw the football,
then go a way for the summer, grinding, come back
for a training camp fully ready to go again. One
year deal for the Steelers. There was always confidence that
it would happen. Mike Tomlin was confident, omark CoV was confident.
(02:27):
Omark con was confident. He just wanted to make sure
Rogers went through his whole process dealing with some personal issues.
Speaker 6 (02:33):
It is all over.
Speaker 5 (02:34):
Now, it's official. He is going to be a member
of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now he can all go away
for the summer having some peace of mind. And I
have no doubt the members of these Steelers organization and
their fans will as well.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
All Right, And you just said that Aaron Rodgers will
be in attendance for mini camp next week. With that
being said, will DK Metcalf also be in attendance. Who
hasn't been at OTA so far for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 7 (02:58):
Will he come now that he knows who's throwing to him.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
Well, it sounds to me like DK Metcalf has probably
had a pretty good idea that Aaron Rodgers would be
his quarterback.
Speaker 6 (03:07):
For some time.
Speaker 5 (03:07):
Remember, around the time of the league meetings, we reported
that Rogers and DK Metcalf had a I guess somewhat
secret throwing session.
Speaker 6 (03:14):
Wasn't that secret to his film deeper on the internet
and Ru found out about whatever.
Speaker 5 (03:18):
I think the original intention was for it to be secret.
Those two have begun to build a report. I do
expect DK Metcalf and Mandatory Mini Camp players almost never
skip Mandatory Mini Camp.
Speaker 6 (03:29):
Now.
Speaker 5 (03:29):
Nobody likes to get fined, nobody likes to give up
guaranteed money. It is all good there in Pittsburgh. I
expect DK Metcalf to be there and not start the
process of building his rapport with his new quarterback, but
just continue that process. And to me, that was always
a really good sign that this thing was happening. When
when Rogers and Metcalf kind of first started throwing, You're like,
(03:51):
all right, both those guys are not dummies. They know
it's about to happen, hasn't happened yet, but they want
to start that process.
Speaker 6 (03:57):
That was an excellent sign for the Pittsburgh students.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Excellent journalism there. They're both not dummies. Thank you, Ed.
Speaker 8 (04:04):
You're on a Johnny, So I'll ask you this question,
Dk Metcalf.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
He's in the building.
Speaker 8 (04:09):
They've got pat Formooth, They've got Robert Woods's offensive weapons.
Are they in talks to add anything else via free
agency or trade? We saw all those discussions when he
went to the Jets. He was forming a super team.
It was the Avengers.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
Anybody coming over, Who do you think he attracts?
Speaker 7 (04:25):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (04:25):
It's going to be a Jet style Bring all Aaron
Rodgers friends, and some of those guys are retired. Some
of those guys are not what they once were. But
I do expect the Pittsburgh Steelers to continue to search
for one more weapon. And really that is what General
manager Omar Khan has done over the course of the
last several weeks, has made calls on free agents.
Speaker 6 (04:43):
They hosted Gabe Davis on a visit.
Speaker 5 (04:44):
Not quite ready to sign just healthwise yet, but hosted
Gabe Davis on a visit. They've inquired about some other weapons.
I know we're talking about receivers, talking about pass catchers.
They've had their eyes and some tight ends too. Jonah
Smith there was a phone call there. Kyle Pitch, there
was a phone call there. The Steelers are in the market,
it seems for at least one one more playmaker. And
(05:05):
this does feel to me, Jane, And this is a
good question, like the Steelers are just trying to load
up with one more weapon for Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 6 (05:13):
And it could come from anywhere.
Speaker 5 (05:14):
Maybe there's a Packers receiver that Rodgers knows that's not
quite as big a part of the Packers as as
maybe he wants, or as the Packers want.
Speaker 6 (05:22):
Maybe you know, they could trade for him.
Speaker 5 (05:23):
Maybe it's a good friend Alan Lozard who's on a
very very low deal with the Jets. There's several options
the Steelers can can have, But yes, I would expect
the Steelers to add one more playmaker before all it's
all said and done.
Speaker 8 (05:35):
All right, My news ears perked up when you said
John new Smith because wasn't he there with Arthur Smith?
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Am I wrong on the timelines there?
Speaker 4 (05:42):
Because I think that.
Speaker 8 (05:42):
Would be really really intriguing because I'm looking forward to
see how he essentially opens up this playbook with Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
How real is that?
Speaker 6 (05:51):
Well, he was there with Arthur Smith.
Speaker 5 (05:53):
Arthur Smith does love John new Smith and always has
and you know, really stretch the field as a tight end,
playing the slot.
Speaker 6 (06:00):
Do all sorts of things.
Speaker 5 (06:01):
I just I don't get the answer as much trade
traction here at all. This seems to me like John
Smith is trying to get more money. I mean seems
to me. I know John Smith is trying to get
more money.
Speaker 6 (06:10):
We had a Globo year.
Speaker 5 (06:11):
Yeah, had probably the best year of his career, and
he wants to do contract and.
Speaker 6 (06:15):
So if the way to do it is to leverage
another team to get.
Speaker 5 (06:18):
Some trade interest, maybe it does end up being another
team that pays him. My sense, though, is Smith wants
to be in Miami, and I would imagine at some
point they will get a new deal done that properly
compensates one of their stars.
Speaker 9 (06:33):
Now Ian Rodgers, of course, future Hall of Famer right here.
But he is forty one years old, not far removed
from an Achilles injury. Did the Steelers have any concerns
with his health or how healthy is he going into
his twenty first NFL season.
Speaker 5 (06:46):
He is as healthy as he could be. I mean, look,
he's forty one years old. For those of us who
are on the wrong side of forty, he still wake
up and you know, I played golf yesterday. I back
is franky today. That's what happens when you're old. So yes,
Rogers is going to deal with some of those regular
aches and pains that all those old people deal with.
But he is extremely healthy now compared to where he
was with the Jets, and I'm obviously it's been more
(07:07):
chronicled a couple of snaps towards Achilles. You come back
the second year, it's it looks the same, but it's
just not the same. The second year back from an Achilles, terearr.
Speaker 6 (07:16):
You should be much much healthier.
Speaker 5 (07:18):
Rogers has sounds to me like really taking care of
himself during his kind of time away, dealing with his
personal life, dealing with what he was working with with
some of his friends. I would expect a fully healthy
and energized forty one year old Aaron Rodgers. Whatever happens
is going to happen, but it's not going to because
he's not healthy. Roger's still going to throw the football
(07:38):
as good as he ever did. This is some certainly
optimism for the Steelers going into Camp Raps.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
You you can say that your back is cranky at
you because you broke eightie, did.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
You how did you shoot him?
Speaker 5 (07:48):
I did break eighty, but I've played some of the
harder courses in my county, and I've broken ninety, So
that's for me again, mid level golfer nineties.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Good, well, you need gimmes?
Speaker 4 (08:00):
Are you using to get to your night?
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Those aren't the kind of questions we have asked you.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
No gimmes, No gimmes. Here in the news, part.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Of the rap sheet, portion of GMFP put him on
the fairway.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
That's what the Steelers are just hoping.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Aaron Rodgers does, all right, just put it on the
fairway so they could run the ball down the field,
put some points on the board and not have to
rely so much on that epics Steelers defense that Mike
Tomlin has built in his tenure in Pittsburgh. Now that
we know, Jane Slater that Rogers is going there for
one year. We heard this news about midday yesterday on
the West coast. It was it felt inevitable. Now it's
(08:35):
the real thing. What was your response to it?
Speaker 4 (08:37):
I love it.
Speaker 8 (08:38):
I mean it's low risk, high reward. And as someone
who's been married just you know a little over a year,
you can even make a bad situation.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
Work in just a year. That's your full disclosure for
this morning.
Speaker 8 (08:50):
And when I say this, for me, it has everything
to do with respect. And I think when you look
at Aaron Rodgers, everyone points to the Jets experience as
a bad marriage right, as some sort of indicator that,
you know, we maybe shouldn't get again. Maybe he's too old,
maybe he's set in his ways. I disagree. What I
think I've noticed from Aaron Rodgers and talking to people
(09:12):
who've dealt with them, who played with them, a he's
really well liked by his teammates. I've seen the narrative
out there. Oh he's toxic, he's not good for locker room.
Oh and by the way, you've got DK Metcalf. So
now you've essentially got three alpha guys like Tomlin. He
got DK Metcalf, youve got Aaron Rodgers. But what I
find with true alpha's is they do a really good job.
When you've sort of got that alpha energy, you've got
(09:33):
your expectations, but more importantly, you're a little bit more insulated.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
In Pittsburgh, you're.
Speaker 8 (09:38):
Not getting this. He hates the media, He's made no
bones about that. This allows him to go to a
market where he can flourish with the.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Respect of Tomlin.
Speaker 8 (09:47):
And why I think that the Tomlin thing is so
interesting is the Pittsburgh Steelers clearly needed a quarterback. I
mean they had Mason Rudolph and then the guy that
they took in the sixth round.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
Will Howard this year.
Speaker 8 (09:57):
Four different times in those opening opening picks in the draft, they.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Could have gone to one.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
And it said to me.
Speaker 8 (10:03):
That there some sort of gentleman's agreement between these So,
I mean, look at them, they love each other.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
They love it the proverbial football heart eyes looking at
each other.
Speaker 8 (10:12):
At least two respect each other. And then I think
for Arthur Smith, a lot of people also look at
look what Russell Wilson and Arthur Smith did. They were
at least able to win one playoff game. You get
a deep ball threat with Aaron Rodgers, you get a
guy who has got really great ball security. Now you
you get some up with the offensive line. Maybe they
finally actually result to a running game. I'm curious to
(10:34):
see how Arthur Smith opens up this playbook. I don't
think Arthur Smith was that great of a head coach,
but he's a great oc and we saw that in Tennessee.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Absolutely, Ma, chef's kiss nice.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
You're trying to mess up my lipstick when I do
that but chef's kiss when I look at it in
one hand, You've got Aaron Rodgers forty one years old,
his best days of football are likely behind him.
Speaker 7 (10:54):
And then you've got Mike Tomlin. We'll call him make Away.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Mike because he makes a way out of no way
despite what his roster looks like. I mean, just last year,
everyone was talking about how he had Justin Fields and
Russell Wilson, and the old saying is.
Speaker 7 (11:08):
When you have two quarterbacks, you have none.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
But guess what, he kept his streak going eighteen straight
non losing seasons. So why can't you do it again
with Aaron Rodgers despite what happened with the New York Jets.
Why can't he take Aaron Rodgers and make both parties happy.
If this is the last go around for Aaron Rodgers,
he can end on a high note, hopefully keep that
streak going for Mike Tomlin and have a winning season.
Speaker 7 (11:32):
And then for the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Mike Tomlin and the Steelers they can just not just
make it to the playoffs, but win a game in
the playoffs. They haven't won a game in the playoffs
since twenty sixteen when they beat the Chiefs, so both
parties can end this one year deal one year marriage happy.
Speaker 6 (11:48):
I like it.
Speaker 9 (11:49):
I mean I like that point. And also talking about
going to the playoffs. Last time the Steelers went to
the super Bowl the ultimate goal twenty eleven, they lost
to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. So it's a little
bit of kismet moment right here, a full circle moment.
But I do love this and twenty eleven that was
a while ago, fourteen years ago. It just shows Rogers
has been in this league and competing in this league
(12:10):
for so long, twenty one years, the twenty twenty five
draft class. He's been playing professional football the entire lives
of most of the kids that were drafted or young
men who were drafted this season. Now, a lot of
guys around the league have so much respect for Rogers too.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
I talked to earlier.
Speaker 9 (12:26):
Several months ago when there was speculation about Rogers potentially
going to the Giants. I talked to a few players
there who told me that would be so cool because
they grew up watching this guy. So the impact that
he's going to have on some of these younger players
who have seen him their entire lives watching football is
going to be incredible. I also love the fact that
he is showing up and signing before Minichamp because, of course,
(12:49):
last year famously, Rogers missed Mini Caamp with the Jets
for a previously scheduled trip to Egypt. This year, he's
getting there and getting the work in. And listen, he's
a vet. He doesn't need those extra reps for him
per se. But it is valuable for his teammates because
maybe he knows the playbook, maybe he knows how to play,
and he can show up and execute. But it's helpful
(13:11):
for his teammates to learn his tendencies get on board
with that as they adjust to this. And you know,
we saw that, you know, he and DK Metcalf have
had as raps. She called it a not so secret
throwing session several months ago. But they're going to be
developing an identity to this offense.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
And what does that look like?
Speaker 9 (13:28):
I mean, Arthur Smith calls a run, heavy, play, action
passing game. Only three offenses through the ball at a
lower percentage than the Steelers in twenty twenty four. Aaron
Rodgers dropped back to pass on sixty four percent of
the Jets plays last season. So what is this offense
going to look like? And what is it going to
look like without one of Rogers' security blankets. I mean,
he doesn't have a DeVante Adams, a Jordy Nelson, a
(13:50):
Randall Cobb right now.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
So what's the identity going to be. It's good. It's
a good time to start it at mini camp.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Yeah, Madelan.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
During that throwing session, DeVante Adams was in La just elsewhere,
wearing a different jersey. Now, so Rogers new he had
to make something work with DK. Metcalfe had the UCLA
head coach to Sean Foster on the show a couple
of months back, and I was just like, what's going
on here? Why are we seeing Amen culture and the
video on Instagram? And why is this singular camera here.
He's like, we don't know who's gonna come. We just
like to leave the gates open at UCLA. And when
(14:19):
it just so happened that Rogers walked through the door, happen.
It just so happened. Now, I would be remiss not
to admit that this week, in anticipation of these shows
on GMFB, I was doing some spress, some media, if
you will, and I showed up on a Pittsburgh Gazette
podcast or interview, and I did it say, I took
the bait on. I think it was too obvious everyone
talking about Rogers going to the Steelers. Why aren't we
(14:40):
looking at the Saints. Why aren't we flirting with the
fact that is he waiting to see what JJ McCarthy's
doing in Minnesota. It just felt like we had talked
about it so much that felt very Rogers to be
a contrarian, to take a left turn and go somewhere else.
Now we know that that is not the case. My
question becomes, though, as it pertains to something Tamara mentioned,
which is this is a Mike Tomlin era now that
we've entered where being five hundred, just making the playoffs,
(15:04):
that that's what we celebrate, that's what's become acceptable. And
I don't think that is what those two men now
in this building, and Rogers and Tomlin, I don't think
that's what they want to accept. That's not the marker
for a great season anymore. Do we truly feel like Jane,
I'll ask you this first, that Tomlin has put faith
in the fact that Rodgers can not only get him
over the hump, maybe make him a ten and seven season.
(15:26):
But can he win him one two playoff games in January?
That is that the faith that he's putting in this.
Speaker 8 (15:32):
Quarterback one hundred percent, You wouldn't have waited this long.
And as I said, have all of those picks in
the draft this year, and again this was not the
greatest quarterbacks class. Yeah, but you could have taken someone.
You could have been active in free agency leading up
to the draft. But this says to me that he
believes in Aaron Rodgers and Aaron Rodgers skill set.
Speaker 4 (15:52):
Now, is Aaron Rodgers going to be as mobile as
he once was?
Speaker 7 (15:56):
No?
Speaker 8 (15:57):
But can Aaron Rodgers air out the ball for you?
Can Aaron Rodgers read and diagnose defenses better than most
guys in the league right now?
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Absolutely? And so I think Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 8 (16:09):
Has sort of found himself in a situation where he's
got to.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Prove himself a little bit.
Speaker 8 (16:13):
Arthur Smith and so and Aaron Rodgers for that reason.
And so yeah, I mean I absolutely think they're They're
not going all in on Aaron Rodgers if they don't
believe they can go all in.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (16:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
When I looked at this deal yesterday, the first thing
I thought about honestly, was Love is Blind. And if
you don't watch Love Is Blind, it's two people on
either side of the wall.
Speaker 7 (16:37):
You don't you can't see them. Obviously, you don't know
their You might know their name, but that's about it.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
And I thought about it if you had Aaron Rodgers
stats on one side but not his name, and on
the other side, you had all thirty one, all thirty
one teams come in and talk to him, and I, honestly,
I look at the stats and I'm like, I picture
the Steelers and Aaron Rodgers coming together.
Speaker 4 (16:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
One because of what Jane mentioned earlier. She mentioned they're
both alpha dogs, they're both competitive, they both want to win.
And then also when you look at the pieces here,
he's getting old, the Steelers' first round pick from last year,
Try Fontano, he's going to be back. So the offensive
line should be stronger to protect Aaron Rodgers so that
he can be able to have successful passing completion this year.
And then you also have dk Metcalff coming in, a
(17:20):
top target he'll be able to throw too and lean on.
And so when you look at the big picture, all
signs are pointing to them not just being able to
make the playoffs, but hopefully to be able to go
deep into the playoffs and finally win that playoff game
that they haven't once Sin Samara.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
What really ended up happening was in the Love is
Blind mentality, the Jets and Rogers actually picked each other.
The walls came up, they walked towards each other, and
immediately the viewers were like.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
No, this is toxick. This isn't going to work. So
then they go to Mexico and then that's.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
When the Steelers and Rogers get together, like we are
supposed to be together. It's all working tomorrow. It was
a perfect parallel Love is Blind. A fantastic shout out
to Nick and Vanessa la Scha.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Moving on on GMFB, we.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Have a fantastic guest coming on who I'm sure loves
the fact that we're talking about Love is Blind.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
It's Andrea Kramer.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Everybody sitting down back in the day with primetime somehow
Also on the show, so far, we have unearth the
fact that Jonah Smith deserves to be paid.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
This is why we.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Love doing this On a Friday morning, Andrew Kramer waiting
in the wings. We're going to talk to her next
Plus we're going to check on more teams around the league.
We can have Jane and Samara and Madeleine sitting here
without doing a deep dive on some of those extra
headlines that we want to make sure we are covering
before we head into a weekend.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
We'll be right back on gmfbe.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Good Morning Football.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
If you've been a fan of football in the last I.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Don't know, thirty forty years, you know this woman right here,
Andrew Kramer, everybody, and I'm going to put a plural
on the fact that she is in multiple Hall of.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
Fames when it comes to football. How you doing, Andrea,
Good morning to you.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
Hello women, it's gretchule.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Great to see you this morning. Andrea.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
I cannot believe that ahead of this conversation we have
a resolution to one of the most topical and headline.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
Worthy I know.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Put your hands out. We have an answer. Aaron Rodgers
and the Steelers marriage. It's happening. What do you make
of this?
Speaker 10 (19:17):
A white smoke has maybe bold smoke.
Speaker 7 (19:21):
Has a R.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
You go.
Speaker 10 (19:23):
Finally, they Fillers have a QB one.
Speaker 11 (19:26):
I love all the positivity that everyone brought to the
first segment, and then you bring me on maybe for.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
A year out Andrea do it, do it?
Speaker 10 (19:37):
I'm sorry, got to be.
Speaker 11 (19:38):
I don't know if it's a skeptical journalist, journalist of
me or not. A couple of things that i'd like
to I'd like y'all to consider. Madeline mentioned the great
narrative about the last time the Super Bowl these two
teams that Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers from the super
Bowl was the twenty ten season when Rogers prevailed. Aaron
Rodgers has a very different foil. I believe Mike Tomlin.
(20:00):
He's never had a coach like Kim at all. And
while Mike Tomlin has had the likes Antonio Brown and
Le'Veon Bell, I think that he is going to It's
going to be Rogers, the ultimate polarizing player, a potential distraction.
Speaker 10 (20:18):
So I'm really going to be watching how these two
do connect.
Speaker 11 (20:22):
Now, speaking of offense, Rogers, in my opinion, is in
way hurry up mode.
Speaker 10 (20:28):
With Arthur Smith.
Speaker 11 (20:29):
It was mentioned, i think by Jane earlier, the fact
that he is not going to have some of those
comforts of home that he had with the Jets in
terms of DeVante Adams and Ellen Lazard, nor is he
going to basically have a hand picked offensive coordinator that
he had both he brought him over from Green Bay
(20:49):
and Nathaniel Hackett, So a totally different offense that he's
going to have to learn Smith. But maybe the most
important thing is how he fits in the locker. Remember
and with the Jets walks in, there were a lot
of wide eyes. Wow, it's the four time MVP. It's
a little different here. The Steelers offense is devoid of leadership,
which could be a good thing if Aaron fills that void. However,
(21:12):
you have veteran players. It is a defense centric team.
Remember cam Ward initially said, Hey, either you want to
be a Steeler or you don't. He walked that back
a little bit, but he understands that going into his
fifteenth season, that window is perilously closing for cam Ward,
for cam Hayward, and he definitely wants to make sure
(21:34):
that Rodgers is all in no distractions, Let's keep it
all about football.
Speaker 10 (21:38):
And finally, just one thing I'm going to be keeping
an eye on.
Speaker 11 (21:42):
We know that two years off of an injury is
when a player really really comes back, even if you're
going to be forty.
Speaker 10 (21:47):
Two in December. But Aaron Rodgers does not have the
mobility he used to have.
Speaker 11 (21:53):
He was the most blitzed quarterback in the league, was
the worst in the league last year against the blitz.
Speaker 10 (22:01):
The Steelers have a remat offensive line.
Speaker 11 (22:04):
Roderick Jones allowed the second most sacks in the league.
I'm going to be watching it for that very Simply,
the Steelers in the post Ben era are still gambling
at the quarterbacks.
Speaker 9 (22:16):
Yeah, Andrea, playing against the blitz is very different than
rap sheet on the golf course, So I can imagine
Aaron Rodgers back game may be a little bit affected
there too. Now, you mentioned that this is obviously a
defensive centric team, but also the run game an important
element of the Steelers. After the Super Bowl you did
a story on the revival of the running back position,
(22:37):
and since then we've seen Derrick Henry and Saquan Barkley,
both who had signed good deals with new teams.
Speaker 4 (22:42):
They've both been extended.
Speaker 9 (22:44):
Ashton gent now a top ten pick is the workhorse
running back here to stay in this league?
Speaker 11 (22:50):
Well, you mentioned those two Battlin It was the first
time last season that you had for two nineteen hundred
plus yard runners and they were both rewarded Derrick Henry
gets the biggest contract ever given to a running back
over thirty years of age of co or Saquon reset
the market with his deal.
Speaker 10 (23:07):
So great to see them reward it.
Speaker 11 (23:10):
You mentioned gent the highest ranked, the highest drafted running
back since Taekwon in twenty eighteen when the Giants took
them number two. Sorry, Madeline, I hate to bring up
the Giants there, and it's all of Maari and Hampton
who went to the Chargers. What stood out for me
(23:30):
from the story, what I really learned was what Rams
general manager lesned told me is that there has to
be full commitment to the running game, meaning you've got
to have the offensive infrastructure.
Speaker 10 (23:41):
You've got to build the offensive line.
Speaker 11 (23:43):
Obviously we saw that with the Eagles, best offensive line
in the league.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
But you also.
Speaker 10 (23:48):
Everybody needs to buy in.
Speaker 11 (23:50):
Everybody needs to block downfield blocking, everybody has to be
able to contribute to the running game, which is one
reason that sometimes it's just easy to drop back and pass.
But it is a copycat league, so you do have
to imagine that the running game may get a little
bit more respect. But don't forget quarterback rushing was at
(24:10):
an all time high last season.
Speaker 10 (24:13):
So we can't count at the rugging this way.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
You did an incredible piece on Jim Ersa for Real Sports.
What do you want people to know about Jim and
what he meant to this league?
Speaker 11 (24:25):
Yeah, Timer, The first time I actually met Jim Mersey
was in nineteen eighty seven, my first job, when I
was at NFL Films. I don't know if any of
you were even born then, but I have known there
there we.
Speaker 10 (24:36):
Are bad eighties hair and all.
Speaker 11 (24:39):
Wow, that's forward to profiling him in twenty twenty three.
Speaker 10 (24:44):
He is the and Jane is around Jerry Jones all
the time.
Speaker 11 (24:48):
And I've known Jeredy, you know, since he came in
a league in nineteen eighty nine. But Jim Mersey, in
my opinion, is the most raw, genuine was I hate
to can't believe I'm still using that verb in the
past tense. Was the most genuine, raw, honest billionaire, if
you will, someone of that caliber that I've ever met.
He was incredibly open about his foibles and there were many.
(25:11):
I remember when we shot when we did the Real
Sports story, played guitar for me and I said, well,
what song typifies your life? And he said, Bob Dylan
shelter from the storm, and that read so deeply with me.
It was so sad because his upbringing was all about
the helter, theiad issues that his family had.
Speaker 10 (25:33):
We see his devotion to music.
Speaker 11 (25:36):
This is when he was actually playing for me, but
the other was the other picture was from the vault
that he has of guitar.
Speaker 10 (25:43):
So it was really amazing all that he went through.
Speaker 11 (25:46):
We also, by the way, went into a library that
he had where he had where he said he had
the most important book of his life, and that was
The Alcoholics Anonymous set, which really he feels kept him alive.
It's interesting because looking ahead, I got it against to
meet all three of his daughter Well I knew all
the daughters over the years, but I got to work
(26:07):
with them for the story. And Carly Ursay Gordon has
represented the Colts in a lot of meetings and a
lot of owners meetings. Even dating back to twenty fourteen
when Jim was suspended, she has been involved. She is
on the sidelines with the headset on paying very close
attention to football operations. Callen, the youngest, has always been
(26:29):
involved in marketing. The middle child, Casey, has five children.
She's really devoted to her family. But I think that
the organization is certainly in good hands with these three women.
Speaker 10 (26:39):
They have grown up with it, they have grown up.
But I cannot tell you the void that's.
Speaker 11 (26:44):
Going to be there inlace. Jim walked through the locker room.
The relationship that he had with players and coaches, even
the number of fired coaches that were at his memorial
was amazing. And I talked with Edgrin James, who calls him,
you know, the big Man, and he said he literally
when we hear this a lot, but with edge, it
(27:05):
was really true.
Speaker 10 (27:06):
He said he treated me like a son.
Speaker 11 (27:08):
He said, I never had someone who I learned so
much from every single time I was out with him.
So the amount that Jim Orsay will be missed as
a person, more so than just a football owner, is
really going to be immense.
Speaker 8 (27:25):
I mean, some of these owners, Andrea, when you think
about it, they're so magnetic. I mean, I think of
Jerry Jones in Dallas, and yes, he's got a succession
plan in terms of his kids, but you have to wonder,
you know, as much as the kids grew up with
the family and they don't want to let their father down,
these guys changed the face of the game, and it
was so important to them when they built this. I
mean this was their blood, sweat and tears. These guys
(27:46):
will tell you how they leverage towelses and mortgages to.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
Get to these places.
Speaker 8 (27:50):
You just have to wonder how that passion translates to
the second generation. You and I could talk about this
all day, but I do want to get with you
on Dion Sanders when he got drafted in nineteen eighty nine,
and I've got an iconic image of you here. This
is I think you told me one of your first
live shots. I bring it up because Shadoor is in
the league now and I was covering this. I was
(28:12):
in New Orleans expecting possibly the Saints to victim, although
I think a lot of us knew they were going
Tyler shuck, but there was a lot of chatter about
him sliding. I think a lot of us were shocked
he's split as far as he did. But the issue
was teams didn't want to deal with Dion.
Speaker 3 (28:28):
Talking in the media.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
I think it was less of that, Andrea.
Speaker 8 (28:31):
The more people I talked to, it was they didn't
get a meaningful throwing session with Shadoor he obviously didn't
showcase a lot of his talents and things like the
East West Shrine game when they went to campus. A
lot of the scouts like to go and ask these
guys how much are they studying?
Speaker 4 (28:45):
What are they like in the.
Speaker 8 (28:46):
Classrooms, and they were maybe concerned they weren't getting complete answers.
But you know, Dion, you've talked to him. What do
you make of some of the stuff that I've heard,
some of the stuff that you've seen out there reported?
Was it as simple of us, we just don't want
him because we think Dion is going to serve convince
what we're trying to do here in the organization, or
(29:07):
is there something else to this?
Speaker 11 (29:09):
Well, Jane, I think that it's the very very simple answer.
Speaker 10 (29:15):
Is not a newsflesh.
Speaker 11 (29:17):
Dion will be Dion in other words, what you're getting
looking ahead and the amount of involvement that he may
have with his son. I hate to quote another former
head coach, Bill Belichick, but it is what it is.
And with Dion, obviously we know he's the only head
(29:38):
coach Shudur has ever had.
Speaker 10 (29:40):
At any level.
Speaker 11 (29:42):
Certainly, Dion pointed out that he's had that Shaudur has
had multiple offensive coordinators, but right now shouldur if he's
going to rise from the fifth round pick status in
a very crowded quarterback room in Cleveland, he needs to
focus on himself.
Speaker 10 (29:59):
Brought out all the noise, which may.
Speaker 11 (30:01):
Include his dad, and that may not go over great
with his dad. But at some point, I think the
closest comp that I have is Archie Manning and Eli.
Obviously we know that Archie, you know, is very involved
in Eli's drafting process, but once Eli ended up in
New York, you didn't hear from Archie. Now it's a
little bit different because Archie didn't coach Eli the way
(30:23):
Dion did. But at some point you gotta let the
kid get out on his own. Make the problem, you know,
make make the mistakes he's going to make. You can
watch the film and you can You're still going to
post on Instagram. He's already. Dean's already done that, even
after just a few phone sessions that we're seeing here.
But at this point, and the other thing you have
to remember is that Dion and Bill Musgrave, who was
(30:45):
the Browns quarterback coach, were teammates on the nineteen ninety
four forty nine Ers Super Bowl championship team, so they
have Maybe you know Dion is gonna be dming and
texting Musgrave about certain things. But in my opinion, Dion,
do what's best for your kid Ruben on his own.
(31:06):
Don't make things more difficult for him, for Kevin Stefanski
and for the new offense court endor Tommy Reese in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
The bright side of all of that, Andrea, is that Dion,
more than anybody else, knows that it's a business. And specifically,
when the ball gets kicked off and they are playing
between the white lines, that Shador will be shown what
the NFL is all about.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
And Dion knows this.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
So to your point about letting him go out there
and prove himself in play, you would hope that his
own father could understand. Le Son, you got to get
out there and blaze your own trail, which is what
we are hoping for Shudeur Sanders, wherever that may be.
Speaker 3 (31:36):
Andrew Kramer, everybody, thank you so much for coming on the.
Speaker 12 (31:40):
Start of a new era.
Speaker 10 (31:41):
In Green Bay, Aaron.
Speaker 12 (31:42):
Rodgers takes over a quarterback for Brett Farm his first
NFL touchdown.
Speaker 13 (31:48):
The Green Bay Packers are world tampions Number.
Speaker 11 (31:51):
One quarterback Wilds chatting MVP ut doctor Holiver Karon Rodgers has.
Speaker 8 (31:59):
Done it up yet?
Speaker 5 (32:00):
All right, The New York Jets have agreed to terms
on a trade for Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 6 (32:07):
Not here to be a savior of any kind.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
I'm just here to be the best quarterback I could beat.
Speaker 4 (32:11):
Aaron Rodgers puts it right in his hands.
Speaker 5 (32:14):
That's a check touchdown, Aren Rogers, it's a Jet touchdown.
Speaker 3 (32:21):
Rogers looking for five hundred, He's got it.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
To Tyler Conkline, breaking news. The four time NFL MVP
Aaron Rodgers is really going to don the black d goal.
Good morning football.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
Let's address the elephant in the room. Aaron Rodgers going
to the Pittsburgh Dealers. He signed a one year He's
going to sign a one year deal. He sounds like
he's gonna rive over the weekend and go to OTAs
next week.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Cool.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
There must be some other headlines that we have to
empty the notebook on. We've got James Later Madelenburg to
Mehra Brown here as well. Patriots giants all over the league, Dallas, Dallas, Texas.
Speaker 12 (33:05):
Girl.
Speaker 3 (33:05):
Yeah, you got it all covered, but you're not going
to take us there.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
I'm not going, Okay, that's a tease. Everybody are here
and that's what we call it.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
Madeline.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
You are at the Giants facility yesterday. You have a
slew of quarterbacks, you have a head coach and a
GM that are just fighting for their lives making decisions.
But take us to what's going on on the defensive
side of the ball. What's happening, absolutely, Jamie.
Speaker 9 (33:25):
I mean, we've all heard the adage defense wins championships,
right that is evidenced by the way that the Eagles
won the Super Bowl this year in the pressure and
I talked to defensive coordinator Shane Bowen yesterday and he said, yeah,
you know.
Speaker 4 (33:37):
It's kind of obviously there is a shift.
Speaker 9 (33:38):
You look at the numbers in the run game that
are causing for this adjustment. You're not just looking for
pressure off the edge, You're looking for pressure.
Speaker 4 (33:45):
Up the middle.
Speaker 9 (33:45):
And while the Giants talk has been a lot about
the quarterbacks this offseason, the defense has really been a
point of emphasis.
Speaker 4 (33:53):
Not only in free agency.
Speaker 9 (33:54):
They signed Pulse in the Devo Javon Holland in the
draft they get a dual carter at three, Darius Alexander,
and they're really prioritizing the defensive side of the ball,
and they're.
Speaker 4 (34:03):
Doing so in a pretty unique way.
Speaker 9 (34:06):
Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen has a new take on what
we all know as you know, a turnover chain. This
is a turnover chest. It is a treasured chest, okay,
And it is inspired by Shane Bowen's sons T ball team,
the Pirates. So a young Pirate T ball team has
planted this idea in Bowen's mind and.
Speaker 4 (34:28):
He said, hey, listen, you get what you emphasize and.
Speaker 9 (34:31):
Somehow you know the violent attacking style to steal possessions
the Piracy. It's working for them, right. We saw Trey
Hawkins dunking the ball in though. Essentially, when you get
a takeaway on the defensive side of.
Speaker 4 (34:43):
The ball, you put the ball in the treasured chest.
And this is an important point of emphasis.
Speaker 9 (34:48):
I mean, the Giants right near the bottom of the
league with only fifteen takeaways in twenty twenty four, they
had a minus eight turnover differential, So definitely a point
of emphasis for this team, and it seems like a
fun way to go about it.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
One guy I would hope to see dunking the ball
in that treasure chest is have dual Carter numbers. I
know that the pads are not one yet, Madeline, but
what have you liked from him so far?
Speaker 4 (35:11):
Oh my gosh, he has been so much fun to watch.
Speaker 9 (35:13):
And like you mentioned, the pads aren't on, so we're
not quite fully engaged in.
Speaker 4 (35:17):
The maximum capacity.
Speaker 9 (35:18):
I mean, you know, they're going on seven on seven
for the most part, so not a.
Speaker 4 (35:21):
Lot of pass rush out there. But he is a great.
Speaker 9 (35:24):
Young man and he's going to be a really a
special talent to watch in this league.
Speaker 8 (35:27):
You know, the more I hear about the sons of
the guys like Joe Shane and the influence staff, are
these guys actually paid employees or they just consultants at.
Speaker 3 (35:37):
The interns youth interns.
Speaker 14 (35:41):
Listen, you know what the family business, it's all here
for it. Plus Joe Shane's Joe Shane's son, He's got
a hose that is a young quarterback to watch in
the future.
Speaker 4 (35:52):
His son and also Chris Nee's son.
Speaker 9 (35:54):
Both of these guys New Jersey high school prospects to
keep an eye on.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
Just let me know when one of those guys starts
wearing a pyrapatcher, right, you get back to me at Madeline, Jean,
You're not going to Oh my gosh, you're not going
to the Cowboys. Where else do you take us? When
you look at the league.
Speaker 3 (36:08):
Right now, I'm looking at the Indianapolis Colts.
Speaker 8 (36:10):
I think sometimes we overlook some of these teams that
are in some of the smaller markets, so to speak.
We just caught when that Anthony Richardson is dealing with
a shoulder issue.
Speaker 4 (36:19):
Yeah, I reached out some folks there.
Speaker 8 (36:21):
They said that they are reevaluating that issue and that
we should have some more details on that on Monday.
But I find myself hurting for you Colts fans. I
was percolating on this, how many different quarterbacks have they
had since twenty fifteen, going all the way back to
when Andrew Lutt got hurt?
Speaker 2 (36:38):
Got a CBS say, tell you guys a little.
Speaker 8 (36:40):
Bit, Yes, the CBS c Let's go through the names. Oh,
Matt Hasselback, Josh Freeman, Scott Tolzine, Jakobe Brisette, Brian Hoyer,
Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, sam Ellinger, Gardon, Minshew
a Gardener, rather Nick Foles and Joe Flacco. So what
do they do with Anthony Richardson's shoulder issue is a problem.
Speaker 4 (37:03):
I do have some good news.
Speaker 3 (37:05):
I don't know if this is good news.
Speaker 8 (37:06):
For some people, especially if you're keeping an eye on
the giants, But Daniel.
Speaker 4 (37:11):
Jones is looking good, folks.
Speaker 8 (37:12):
Yeah, they said that he has been accurate. This is
the first time that he'll actually.
Speaker 4 (37:16):
Have a weapon, more than one weapon.
Speaker 8 (37:20):
So keep an eye on this Daniel Jones development.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
I think that's what's going to get really interesting. I
got I got mad lied.
Speaker 8 (37:26):
Over here nodding or on the Daniel Jones in Indianapolis.
Speaker 4 (37:31):
I think it's going to be great.
Speaker 9 (37:33):
But it is interesting that you bring up Andrew Luck
because in eighty six career games, Andrew Luck was sacked
one hundred and seventy four times, which caused him to
choose to retire early to protect himself. Now Daniel Jones
has played seventy career games and he has been sacked
two hundred eight times.
Speaker 4 (37:51):
So got it back to keep him around a little bit.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
Yeah, Well we've seen Ellie.
Speaker 2 (37:55):
If history can repeat itself, at least in the New
York market, maybe the maybe Danieljon's gonna have like the
Sam dam Darnacks.
Speaker 8 (38:02):
Yea, you know they are change of scenery.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
Yeah, bring some optimism to New England.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Do you have a second year quarterback that's trying to
make a name for himself and not and avoid the
sophomore slump?
Speaker 1 (38:11):
Absolutely, Drake May. I cannot wait to see what he
does in his second year. You know, your second year
in the NFL is a huge one. It's either a
slump or a jump. And when I look at Drake May,
I think he has.
Speaker 7 (38:23):
All the tools to have a jump this year.
Speaker 1 (38:25):
He's got Josh McDaniels, who I watched help Mac Jones
and his rookie season to complete sixty seven percent of
his passes. He was second in votes for Offensive Rookie
of the Year. He had thirty eight hundred passing yards.
Speaker 7 (38:38):
So why can't he do that with Drake May this year?
Why can't he There's no proof that he can't. And
especially when you.
Speaker 1 (38:44):
Look at this team, most of them, you build your team,
then you add your quarterback. The Patriots did it the
other way around. They got their quarterback last year and
then they built around him. They got their wide receiver
one in Stefan Diggs. They got their first round pick
Will Campbell to help strengthen the offensive line, and then
Josh McDaniels.
Speaker 7 (39:01):
He's going to be the blueprint for.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
This jump for us to help those mechanics, to help
his footwork, to help his huddle presence, and to make
this a productive offense for the New England Patriots this year.
So I'm voting second year jump for Drake May.
Speaker 3 (39:15):
Okay, all right, you know.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Jade and I are like whispering over here about there's
an invisible thread. Yes, the thread that weaves throughout the
NFL Madealie. Can you confirm Jacoby Brissette was he on
the fifty three man roster for the New York Giants
at some point see in the building.
Speaker 9 (39:29):
I want to say so yes, because so there have
been so many players on the fifty three in the
last ten.
Speaker 3 (39:37):
Years present, I'm like they all again.
Speaker 8 (39:40):
They also remember we had Josh McDaniels who almost went
to Indianapolis backed out at the last minute, so there
was some synergy here.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
Absolutely well, Mike Rabel hopes to get Drake May back
on the right track.
Speaker 12 (39:53):
I am absolutely pumped about this.
Speaker 13 (39:55):
I mean, obviously super Bowl champions, no doubt in my mind.
Speaker 12 (39:58):
I love the move. He is going to either get
you ten eleven wins and gives you a shot at
finally winning a playoff game, or he's not going to
be healthy, he's going to be distracted and the thing's
just going to implode and then you get a high
draft pick.
Speaker 13 (40:14):
My take on Aaron Rodgers here is I love it.
I love it because it's going to bring so much
drama into the season. Steve made a good point, it's
going to take some heat off with Tomlin, but at
the end of the day, I mean, it's going to
bring so much drama. He's going to shoot it straight.
Steelers fans aren't going to like what he's going to
have to say sometimes, but you know, he's been around
the league enough. He knows what wins and what doesn't.
And I think this might be what the Steelers and.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
Heat gotta pay homage to the voice of the fans sometimes,
and the Steelers are allowed. Today and yesterday, when the
news came out that Aaron Rodgers is going to commit
to a one year deal with Pittsburgh Steelers, we're going
to play what's the word fill in the blank, Samara.
Steelers fans should feel.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
Blank about their new quarterback.
Speaker 1 (40:52):
I don't have a word. I have an emoji. This
is supposed to be a prayer. Hands emoji answered prayer.
They're so happy they're waving their terrible.
Speaker 7 (41:00):
Towels right now.
Speaker 1 (41:01):
Because let's be real, Macey Rudolph thrown a dk metcalf
didn't move the needle.
Speaker 4 (41:06):
This will I really thought that was pe.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
Mine is anti clematic.
Speaker 8 (41:13):
This was gonna happen, but one it wasn't the most
important story yesterday. That for me, being a political science junkie.
Speaker 10 (41:21):
I was all in on e Lawn and Trump.
Speaker 8 (41:24):
So sorry Aaron's two others all trying to steal the headlines,
got the spotlight stolen yesterday.
Speaker 3 (41:32):
Busy news day.
Speaker 9 (41:33):
I'm busy the yinzer appreciation. We know Aaron Rodgers is
good friends with Pat McAfee from Pittsburgh, but also he
spent a lot of time playing with head coach Mike
McCarthy McCarthy from Pittsburgh. In twenty fifteen, Rogers admitted, hey,
he couldn't understand McCarthy's play call because of his accent.
So just remember tight end Darnell Washington Darneld Washington. Cam
(41:53):
Hayward is not just seven time pro bowler, but he's
son of Arnhead Ironhead no arnhead, Hayward and you know
steal a nation's gonna rock with you.
Speaker 4 (42:01):
Just add renegade to the playlist.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
Rogers Okay, an emoji, a three word answer and anticlimactic
which I believe has a hyphen in it dies when
it has When GMFB, when we say fill in the blank,
what's the word?
Speaker 4 (42:15):
I said?
Speaker 3 (42:16):
Singular word?
Speaker 2 (42:17):
Okay, no emoji, no threeword answer. We're gonna free fresh again.
We hold this beautiful object, inanimate object, near and dear
to our hearts. The whiteboard is sacred and uh that
was a breaking of the segment in all time classic
good GMFB, come on, curves
Speaker 7 (42:33):
Up Twitter a little bit
Hosts And Creators
Jamie Erdahl
Jason McCourty
Kyle Brandt
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