May 17, 2025 • 31 mins
The Saturday Edition of the Good Morning Football Podcast begins with the Bengals trying to find common ground with DE Trey Hendrickson. Does the team have any options other than playing their star defensive player? Sandy Combs joins the show to discuss her flight sitting next to NFL rookie Travis Hunter. Plus, could the Falcons be this season's Commanders?
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Good Morning Football is the production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Good Morning Football.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
I think if you worked on a major news network.
Speaker 4 (00:26):
We call this an ongoing situation with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yesterday Good Morning Football we.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
Talked about if we agreed with how the Cincinnati Bengals
are handling this Trey Henderson contract negotiation situation. Wednesday, the
first team All Pro showed up at mini camp but
will not participate, and he had plenty to say about why.
Speaker 5 (00:47):
A little bit transpired between me and Zach. We've tried
to keep it as less at least I'm out personal
as possible, but at some point in this process it
becomes personal.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
You know.
Speaker 5 (00:59):
Being sent thirty days before mandatory camp or however to
any days it is that if I don't show up,
I will be fined alludes to the fact that something
won't get done in that timeframe. Like the meetings that
we've had prior to right, I have a tremendous amount
of respect for the ability to be in meetings with
(01:22):
them behind closed doors and what was conveyed of the
vision of what I would be in this organization would
be if I continue to play at the level I
am that the door would be open to continue long
term discussions about contracts. We're just not seeing eye to
eye on the structure. It seems that a shorter deal
is something that they are pushing pretty hard. Then next year,
(01:45):
we're just kicking the can down the road. To say
I'm going to sit out or to say I'm not
going to what I can say is I'm very disappointed
with the communication that's been had.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Those are strong words from Jerry Hendrickson to say that
this is what the team is alluding to, kicking the
can down the road and then to have differences, But
what he really wants to say is that he is disappointed.
How do we translate these comments?
Speaker 3 (02:10):
What do we think I.
Speaker 6 (02:11):
Think different than I did twenty four hours ago. Oh
oh yeah, after seeing how the situation is developing, after
hearing his words. Words are important, and Trey Henderson is
a smart guy. Timing is everything in all of sports
when you're talking about contract situations and negotiations, and the
timing is obviously off on this. I would say that
(02:32):
the Cincinnati Bengals made a massive mistake in how they're
handling this situation. Trey Henderson on the other hand, is
doing everything with the purpose. It seems up until this point,
he's disappointed in the communication, and he obviously feels like
he was deceived, I'll say, in some way, shape or
form in the communication from last year to this year.
(02:55):
The Cincinnati Bengals have a problem on their hands. It's
going to either cost them a lot more money, yeah
at this point, or it's going to cost them a
game wrecker in their defensive end, as star defensive end
that they have on their football team.
Speaker 7 (03:11):
Well, that interview was interesting to me. He was dressed
like he was about to go play some golf right
after and then rectifying the situation is what we talked
about twenty four hours ago. It seems that you couldn't
be more of an opposite situation. Right now, we went
to see a guy at what Marcel said, Trey Hendrickson
(03:32):
did not mince any words. He said he was calculated
what he was doing. He is frustrated and you need
the guy on all cylinders week one with a fat pocketbook,
feeling like he's been compensated to what he's owed and
that is a lot of money, dude. Figure it out.
We're getting to a point where it's make or break
(03:53):
with this, saying sure the season doesn't start sol September. First.
We've been saying that for a while on the situation
and nothing's getting done. In fact, it seems to be
getting worse. Lead Zach Taylor, don't make it personal and
something I know we're going to talk about is a
very personal thing in these contact contract situations. Keep the
one guy in defense. You have extremely happy Yes, I
(04:16):
agree with you. So I've been a part of these
contract talks before. In my situation, I miss Minnie Camp
and you're thirteen. I'm like, hey, it's year thirteen. I'm
missing this. This is what's going on.
Speaker 8 (04:29):
But when you're in those conversations, you're going off with
somebody's words. Right, if you got told if you perform
a certain way, and you did that and succeeded that performance,
you should be obligated to a contract extension that you
should got, should get. But we can't also forget this
is part of his family. Also, he just had a child, right,
where is your Where you going to rate your child
for the next couple of years. You want to know this.
(04:51):
You did the trade aspect, you know what he's worth.
That doesn't mean you're going to get traded and now
they know what you what your value is, and do
you really hold somebody to that one year contract or
do you keep your word? And that's why I hear
when I when I hear him speak like their word
is not being kept. And the biggest thing is when
you get told, hey, if you miss mini camp, miss
(05:11):
you're gonna get fined. Right, we all know what the
fine is. I felt the fine personally, but it's to
a fact with if you're going to say, hey, this
is it, say this is it, this is your last year,
you ain't going to be here next year, then fine,
that's it. If you're like, then trading me. If it's
not trading me, okay, let me move my family out
and understand why I'm going to raise my child for
(05:32):
the next couple of years.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
When he says, you know things got personal?
Speaker 4 (05:36):
Do you is that how you're translating it is that
you take it personally if someone verbally implies something and
doesn't live up to their word, and which part of
this feels personal when you're going through what.
Speaker 8 (05:46):
It's about, when you're having a conversation whoever it is,
the GM, the head coach or the owner when they're saying, hey,
if you perform to the love of that we think
you're going to perform, you should deserve this contract extension.
That means you're giving me your word. Don't go back
on your word. That would make it personal, because it's
about our families. At the end of the day, our
(06:07):
families are here. We're sacrificing to play this game every
single week for you and for the organization. Compensate me. Wait,
what he did last year was super impressive. I was
here for a cup of coffee. I got to see
the experience. He deserves every bit of what he's asking for,
and they should do it. You can't lose a player
like that. Ask the samily it's retired. He is that
(06:27):
next leadership in the locker room.
Speaker 7 (06:30):
Listen these the game of football is an interesting one,
especially at the professional level, when it comes to the
family environment. Coaches are going to preach that Listen. The
teams are the titles that treat each other like family
are the ones that are going to have the most success.
And to a point, I think that's the case, but
this is a business and the nature of the sport.
(06:50):
I don't know if it's the camaraderie aspect of it,
or maybe because you throw that family piece into it,
things get personal. As much as you like to sit here,
I can sit here and say, listen, I understand it's
church and state. There's business in this and there's not.
When someone says you're not worth something, or they ask
you to take money away from your family and question it,
(07:11):
maybe to just to yourself, question the kind of player
you are, the visual guttural reaction is personal, and I
mean I don't think Trey's a viseral guttural guy. I
think this has been something that's been dwelling and kind
of a culminating of stewing. That's a great word for that.
I went through a little bit of something not quite
to Lawrence's deal where I got asked to take a
(07:31):
pay cut, and at first it was definitely something that
hurt my soul. But then you look at you take
a step back, and it made a lot of sense.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
This instance is not that.
Speaker 7 (07:41):
Yeah, this is something you have to rectify, and I
can't say that enough. I have my few words that
I say every day, rectify for work.
Speaker 6 (07:49):
Today, I had a different experience from me. So when
I was going through my contract situation. The second time,
well really both times with the Raiders, I had a
different type of personal relationship, first with Al Davis than
with Mark Davis, and I knew that I could trust
their word and have confidence that we were going to
get something done. On the other hand, when you're talking
(08:12):
about getting personal, because I've been on the player side
and also on the executive side, there are times during
those contract negotiations where you start to be compared to
other players around the league and on your team, and
at times it can get personal by implying it you're
not worth a certain amount of money or a certain value.
(08:33):
It seems to me, and this is me from the
outside looking in, that trade is very involved in his
contract negotiations with his agent.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
I don't know who his agent is, and he.
Speaker 6 (08:41):
May have heard about some of those intricate details that
are being spoken about. He's being compared, how he's being compared,
whether it's to the other side of the ball on
his team, and how they're being valued, and a lot
of that money being thrown around or even to other teams.
Maybe it's Max Crosby with his deal or Miles Garrett
with his deal and the value that they've been shown.
So I think that the personal the personal issues that
(09:08):
he's talking about and that he alludes to in his
interview could be could be a little piece of that.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
Trey Henderson is known as we have described him several times.
He's like a star on the Bengals defense, and I
look elsewhere at a name that we continue to say,
when is this contract coming on a star on a
defense which is Micah Parsons and.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
They don't play the same position.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
I get that, but in terms of singular player impact
on a defense, it must be infuriating if I put
myself in that scenario, whether you're in Dallas or Cincinnati,
because you're seeing seems everyone else on your team, for example,
a pair of wide receivers get paid right in front
of you, and it's just like, where is the investment going?
You can't be a lopsided team. Is there some part
(09:51):
of the rage factor that comes in with I am
at times? Trey Henderson is a singular pillar holding up
this Bengals defense?
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Just invest in me? What's that about?
Speaker 4 (10:01):
How does that make one feel if you're seeing your
team spend elsewhere?
Speaker 8 (10:04):
Let's think about it, like when you know what you
mean to the team right, we would shooting like that
every player in every lockerroom know you mean to the team?
Would you bring to the table. And when you see
your other teammate get paid, you're happy, like, I'm pro player,
but I want every player out there getting paid. Get
the money from the owners. We have a short time
(10:25):
in our careers to get it right. That's just the
bottom line. So you're happy for them, but you have
to also understand, like, when is my turn? What do
I have to sacrifice more to get what you told
me if going to get So you're happy for your teammates,
you're cheering them on, you're texting them congratulations, but when
is it my turn?
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Sure that makes sense.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
Four of his eight seasons he said double digit sacks.
In the last two years, he said seventeen and a
half each season.
Speaker 6 (10:50):
Jamie, to your point, there are a few players where
the position is irrelevant to when it comes to their contract.
We're talking about players like Miles Garrett for the Cleveland
Browns or Max Trosby for the Las Vegas Raiders, Michael
Parsons for the Dallas Cowboys, Trey Henderson for the Cincinnati Bengals.
They're on the defensive side of the ball, but it
doesn't matter. They are pillars, like you said, and that's
(11:11):
the perfect perfect word to describe these types of players
and the impact that they have on your team, on
the field, on your locker room, and also in the
community and your fan base.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
So you have to pay them as upon.
Speaker 9 (11:39):
Good Morning Football.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
We love feel good stories, and here's one about Sandy Combs.
We discussed this wonderful woman yesterday and the story that
has now hit the airwaves is even better than you
can imagine.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
Sandy Combs was sitting.
Speaker 4 (11:54):
Next to a lovely young man on a flight recently
from Denver to Jacksonville, and that young man is Travis Hunter.
It turns out that none other than the reigning Heisman
Trophy winner and second overall pick.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
To Jacksonville was seated.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
Next to Sandy Comb's on this flight, so they took
this selfie.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
She puts it on social media to.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
Praise Hunter and told her that her son's that she
wants his jersey. Well, Travis Hunter, I hope you're having
a great rook communic camp because.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
We got miss Sandy Combs a GMFP.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
Good morning to you, Miss Combs. Nothing has ever been
truer when I say, you're a traveling nurse and you
are calling us from your car. So we love this
for you, Miss Combs. We thank you so much for
taking time out of your day and to tell us
and retell us this story. So, miss Combs, you accidentally
(12:44):
booked yourself a first class seat on this flight from
Denver to Jacksonville. First of all, Sandy, you should be
flying first class all the time, is what.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
I have to tell you. Secondly, how did you.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
Finally find out that this was Travis Hunter, or the
number two overall pick in the NFL when you were
observing him that day?
Speaker 9 (13:04):
Boarded?
Speaker 10 (13:05):
I found my seat and I said, excuse me, this
is my seat. He said okay, and he stood up
and I started to put my bag in the overhead
compartment and he said, I got that, ma'am, go.
Speaker 9 (13:19):
Ahead and sit down.
Speaker 10 (13:20):
I got it, and I started smiling and I sat down,
and by the time I sat down, everybody else started boarding,
and people would stop by and say congratulations, man, congratulations,
A good.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Job, man, good job.
Speaker 9 (13:36):
And once everybody went.
Speaker 10 (13:38):
Burt, I turned to him and I looked at him
and I said, ma'am, I ask you a question.
Speaker 9 (13:43):
He said, yes, ma'am. I said, am I sitting next
to you?
Speaker 10 (13:51):
He smiled and I said, really, come I sitting next
to and he just kept smiling. I said, are you
a professional athlete or something? And he just kept smiling.
And I looked at the pants and they were Jaguar pants.
I said, are you a professional athlete? A professional football player?
(14:15):
And he looked at me and smiled. I said, did
you just get drafted?
Speaker 9 (14:20):
He said yes, ma'am. I said, oh, my business.
Speaker 10 (14:23):
He said yes, ma'am, and my name is Travis, and
it still didn't register who he was.
Speaker 9 (14:30):
I'm like, okay, congratulations. So I turned around.
Speaker 10 (14:35):
And waited for us to lift off, and I said,
may I take a.
Speaker 9 (14:39):
Selfie with you? And sure, ma'am.
Speaker 10 (14:43):
So I held my phone up, really didn't know how
to take on.
Speaker 9 (14:46):
He said, let me.
Speaker 10 (14:47):
Take that and hold it, and he took it and
cleaned it off. I say, you're doing just what my
boys do. They always cleaning off my phone for me.
And then he took the selfie and I started smiling
and I said, I'm going to send this to my son.
Sent it to my son, and Charles immediately answered he
(15:08):
never immediately and Mama, how did you sit next to
Travis Hunter. I said, I'm in first class, I said,
and he said, I don't believe you. I'm gonna do
muh FaceTime. He immediately FaceTime. So I said, Travis, my son,
(15:31):
want to say hello to you. He don't believe I'm
sitting next to you, so I did. They spoke each other,
and I said, that's it, this is my time.
Speaker 9 (15:38):
And I hung up on it. And I just couldn't
believe it.
Speaker 10 (15:43):
And he sent it to his brother and cousins and
my three brothers, and all of them were trying to
call me, but it was too late.
Speaker 9 (15:51):
I had to go in the air mode. It was
just wonderful.
Speaker 6 (15:56):
Now, miss Sandy. Not only did he help you with
your luggage, but he helped you during meal time too.
Speaker 9 (16:00):
Right, Yes, I couldn't believe it.
Speaker 10 (16:03):
I was looking around for my trade and I said,
here's my trade. He said, I got it, so he
pulled it out for me, set it up and everything.
And I looked at him and I said, you didn't
know when you sat next to me you were gonna
have to go to work, did you? And he said, oh,
it's all right. He said, I our grandparents. I take
care of them all the time. And when he said that,
(16:25):
it just melted my hearse.
Speaker 9 (16:28):
He got me that was it.
Speaker 10 (16:30):
I'm like, I can't, oh, man, this is such a
nice young man.
Speaker 7 (16:35):
Miss Sandy. First of all, we're so happy that you're
here this morning. I don't know you very well, but
you seem like someone who might have some sage life
advice rumor as you might have given Travis Hunter a
little bit of sage life advice. Are you willing to
share that with us?
Speaker 9 (16:53):
There some of it. I'm hold school. You don't tell everything.
Speaker 7 (16:58):
I understood, yes, So I told him.
Speaker 10 (17:02):
I said, you are such a nice young man. I said,
anybody would be proud for you to be their son,
a grandson. I said, don't you ever change? And he
said I never changed. He said, I never forget where
I came from. I will always remember where I came from.
(17:24):
That you were just such a nice young man. I'm
just so happy to be sitting next to you. It
just melted my heart.
Speaker 11 (17:34):
I love that, Missie. How long did it take you
to convince your sons? Do you actually sit next to them?
Do they believe the first time when you told them?
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Well?
Speaker 11 (17:41):
How long did they kick came before you before they
realized you were really sitting next to them.
Speaker 9 (17:46):
After I hung up on them, I'm like, this is
my time.
Speaker 10 (17:55):
And I was sitting there and we started talking and
I told him, I said, I am so glad you
were off of social media. I said, it's a good thing,
but it can be so bad. I'm so glad you're
not on there, and just continue to be who you are.
Just don't change. And we talked about a few other things,
(18:19):
and I tried to leave him alone and let him
enjoy his trip, and I just couldn't stand it.
Speaker 9 (18:29):
I told him, I say, you.
Speaker 10 (18:30):
Know, when I get off of here, I can't do
it now, but when I get off, I'm.
Speaker 9 (18:34):
Gonna google you so I can know.
Speaker 10 (18:35):
Who I'm so I haven't really kept up with any
of this.
Speaker 9 (18:43):
He didn't say he was a Heisman trophy. When he
didn't say any of that, he was just I.
Speaker 10 (18:48):
Could have took him home to my grandmother's hundred birthday party.
Speaker 7 (18:56):
Now, Sandy, you were talking about social media, the downfalls
of it, but also the thing that can be, things
that can be beautiful on it. Uh In the world today,
we need more of these beautiful things. Your story encompasses
a beautiful moment that's gone viral. What's been the reaction
to this, and how has your life changed in the
last I would say seventy two forty eight hours.
Speaker 10 (19:19):
Everybody has called me. They want to know, did you
get your jersey for Mother's Day? I told them it
was too big, but I told my son take it back,
but make sure you get my jersey.
Speaker 9 (19:30):
Don't try and order it. Go pick up my jersey.
He lives, but I beg in phone calls. My family.
Speaker 10 (19:39):
People I had heard from are like, girl, do you
know you went viral? I'm like, okay, I didn't know
what that meant. And it's like I signed up for
Twitter and Instagram all these things. I get recipes off
of them. I don't really go on it. I try
and keep up with my children and see what crazy
things they might put out there. But other than that,
(20:02):
I just didn't know how to use it. And they
would and say, oh my goodness, sports illustrated this one
that one. And I got all these requests and my
son was helping me find messages. He say, Mama, you
got to call the NFL network.
Speaker 9 (20:18):
That's so you need to do an interview with I say, okay,
all right.
Speaker 10 (20:22):
He was telling me what I needed to do, and
I'm just i feel like I'm famous so many people,
and I'm just overwhelming.
Speaker 9 (20:34):
I'm on cloud nine. I'm loving every minute of it.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
And you deserve it. And I bet Travis would agree
with that.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
As a traveling nurse, you kind of deal with people
going viral and for all the wrong reasons. But we
want you to go viral with the NFL. We love
this story.
Speaker 9 (20:49):
Now.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
I don't know if you had an NFL team before this.
I have to imagine now you are a newly minted
Jaguars fan. Do you know the distinct cheer or chant
that Jaguars fans do? And would you like to do
it for us to make sure you everybody understands that
you are a Jags fan.
Speaker 9 (21:07):
I'm mostly Kenyan.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
Do yeah, Miss Amy Comes, you are fantastic and whatever
pregame ritual or ceremony that the Jaguars do, I absolutely
think you deserve a home game for them. I think
if they go international this year, you should make the trip.
You should everything Jaguars. That is your new best friend,
(21:33):
It's a new part of your family. Travis Hunter, what
a cool story. Thank you so much, you're amazing and
safe drive wherever you are going.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Football.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Welcome back to GMFB. We've had some.
Speaker 4 (22:02):
Time to properly processed that's twenty five schedule, and we
have some thoughts, we have some observations as to what
we think the schedule gods in the NFL are trying
to imply about twenty twenty five. Let's play buying or
keep trying. Guys at the table. I will throw out
a statement and then you will say I'm buying this.
I understand and I fully commit, or say keep trying.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
I want to move on to the next statement.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Understood, understood, Okay.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
The Chiefs have the most primetime games at seven.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
They are the reigning.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
AFC champions within an appearance in the Super Bowl last
year in New Orleans. However, they dropped that game to
the Eagles.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
The next couple of.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Teams with the most primetime games are teams like the
Lions and the Bills. They have five, as well as
the Atlanta Falcons. The schedulers might know something. Are you
buying that the Atlanta Falcons could be this year's version
of the Commander's manti Let's.
Speaker 12 (22:53):
At the table real quick, okay, guys, let's talk about
when we compare. We've compared so many teams to the Commanders,
so let's talk about the Commanders first.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Who are the Commanders in twenty twenty three? Their record
is four? Weren't thirteen?
Speaker 12 (23:05):
That was a four way tie for the second worst
record in the NFL. They had the number two overall
pick in the twenty twenty four draft, which they picked
Jaden Daniels.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
So that's understanding who the Commanders were.
Speaker 12 (23:16):
So when we start to get into this question of
can the Atlanta Falcons be the Commanders, I don't think
it even is a conversation because I don't put the
Atlanta Falcons in the same category as the Commanders. Why
because playing in the NFC South, when I think as
a as a as a saint, when I think about
(23:36):
the Atlanta Falcons, they are one of the best teams
that always they're always competing for an NFC South champion championship.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
I couldn't say that about the Commanders.
Speaker 12 (23:46):
So just that alone, guys, the expectation for the Commanders
wasn't high going into the twenty twenty four season.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
Why were they such a Cinderella story? Well, they had losing.
Speaker 12 (23:57):
Records, they get the number two overall pick, they play
in the NFC Championship, they have the offensive Rookie Player
of the Year.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
That is something that we didn't expect.
Speaker 12 (24:06):
The expectation for the Atlanta Falcons is you're always going
to be playing for the NFC South Championship, You're always
going to be competitive, You're always going to be fighting
for a playoff spot.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
So I'm I'm on the keep trying train for.
Speaker 12 (24:18):
A shot because I just think that it's there's two
different scenarios when you're considering the Atlanta Falcons and the Commanders. Now,
if we consider the Carolina Panthers, I think that would
be more fitting to put them into this conversation just
on the expectation factor of.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
Where they're going into twenty twenty five. I'd like that
take in.
Speaker 13 (24:36):
The expectations, you know, when it comes to it, when
it comes to the Atlanta Falcons are high right now.
I mean they got a stellar offensive side of the football.
I mean, you got a first round draft pick and
Michael over there trying to become something special and I
think he will. But also you got to think about it.
They got b John Robinson. They got also Drake London,
(24:57):
they got Mooney, they got Kyle Pitts, they got a
lot of players, and I think the NFC South is
kind of open right now. When you look at Tampa,
I think they're heading it up, but it's wide open. Yeah,
the same thing kind of Commanders came out of nowhere.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
I think under with Michael at the.
Speaker 13 (25:12):
Quarterback position, can take over and be that Celoretta Cinderella
team because nobody has taken the throne in the NFC
South right now.
Speaker 8 (25:19):
In my head, I understand. But as we know our
primetime games, you could push those games, so we could
sit there and say, hey, they could be the new Commanders.
We just just don't know until the season starts. Right,
they can have a strong season and all of a
sudden they're like, this makes sense, prime time, prime time,
prime time. They got to sell the team. They're in
a good conference. They always show up, but can they
(25:40):
really do it. We don't know until it starts. And again,
we could flex anything. Any game can be flexed. I've
been a part of that myself. You know, we got
a flex ah man, that means terrible, flex.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
In or flex out. That's right, flex out.
Speaker 4 (25:55):
The ultimate compliment actually might be if you're not at
five top five primetime games yet, and you get the
late season flex in, which means like.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
America wants to watch you. People really bought in.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
But man, the insults of the team that gets flexed
out of Sunday Night football conal reality.
Speaker 8 (26:10):
You sitting there like we got flexed.
Speaker 4 (26:14):
At least I get to get home Sunday night. It's
so funny when your team is having a hard season.
Why are we all laughing with pain? I feel badly for.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
Those times before all been flexed out. Exactly, buy in
or keep trying the following statement.
Speaker 4 (26:29):
The strength of schedule as a concept. Right now, the Giants,
for example, have the most challenging strength of schedule, and
the San Francisco forty nine ers are at sitting.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
At number two. So just run through that.
Speaker 4 (26:42):
For the twenty twenty five season, opponents win percentage compared
to last season. This is how you calculate strength of schedule. Woof,
that's about as much math as I want to do
in this class. Buying or keep trying the strength of
schedule as a principle is overrated, Mantai.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
It's so overrated. You're buying, I'm buying. It's it's so
obrat You see you said two words, Jamie, that great
beautiful dialogue which you always do.
Speaker 12 (27:07):
You said last season.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Okay, guys, we know sitting at.
Speaker 12 (27:11):
This table, even the Philadelphia Eagles are a different team,
even though they won the Super Bowl, we don't know
what it's going to look like. They've had, they let
some guys go, they had the draft class, so there's
a whole different part of ingredients that they're trying to
mix up there. So we don't know what the expectation
is going to be for every team in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
So for me, I'm buying this.
Speaker 12 (27:34):
That it is overrated. Why because this is based on
twenty twenty four. It is now twenty twenty five. We
don't know who's going to get flex, who's not going
to get flex, What teams in the ladder end of
the season is going to start to click and do
well and start to get that groove.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
We don't know that.
Speaker 12 (27:47):
So for me, when I look at a strength of
schedule Rashot.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
I'm just thinking like, this is the most overrated thing
that you could create for.
Speaker 12 (27:54):
And I get it it creates stuff for us for
us to talk about.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
But I'm buying that it's oprated.
Speaker 13 (28:00):
I'm gonna have to disagree now for this reason. This
reason because as a player, right as an athlete, we
think it's overrated for sure, because I don't care how
many games the other team won last week last year.
I don't care how many games they won this year.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
I gotta play this week. But for the fandom side of.
Speaker 13 (28:18):
It, if you really think about I think my beloved Johns,
my beloved Johnson playing against the Commanders first Huh, Dallas Cowboys,
then in Kansas City Chiefs the Chargers. Like we start
thinking about this, it's like, wait a second, that's a
hard schedule. I kind of understand their wins versus another
team's wins.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
What they're going through.
Speaker 13 (28:38):
So for that fashion, I will have to say it's
not overrated.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
It's just something that is not It doesn't matter to
the particular player.
Speaker 13 (28:47):
But as far as setting the schedule, setting the bronzeime games,
all of these things matter.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Very early.
Speaker 4 (28:53):
That schedule looks ruthless because not only to the first
four weeks look like that that little those couple of
words there at the bottom of the screen with the
yellow implies that you have to wait all the way
until we mourteen to take a break, to take.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
A beat, to take a breath.
Speaker 4 (29:09):
The Giants have done some really great things in the
off season, but that is hellish.
Speaker 13 (29:14):
I mean, any team, any team having to go against
all of those teams in a row Denver is ridiculous.
Their defense Eagles, Eagles twice. The whole entire schedule.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Is very difficult for the Giants well.
Speaker 12 (29:26):
Also, also to add to that point, shot, you got
two rookies that are leading.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
Jackson Dart is a rookie and for all of.
Speaker 12 (29:35):
Us who've played in the NFL, the hardest year is
the rookie year. You go from you go from your
Bowl game, then from your boat game, you go to
whatever All American game.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Than for an All American game, you go to train,
then you do the combined and you're doing all the
working wall. So if you are waiting.
Speaker 12 (29:52):
To what they say, Jamie week sixteen, fourteen fourteen, for
these rookies, especially New York Giants, you are having a
rookie as a quarterback.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
That's been the question mark.
Speaker 3 (30:02):
Allegedly, we'll see if he's starting.
Speaker 4 (30:05):
You think it's starting Week one.
Speaker 8 (30:14):
You gotta do something right. If you you ain't gonna
make all this controversy and not do it. It's in
New York. You gotta do it, Dave All. You know
he's he's the heck of a coach, and we know
what he's going to happen. But look, when I look
at the schedule, I look at from a player's point
of view. In the trenches, right, who am I facing
the first couple of weeks. Is it going to be
a hard game or is it going to be a
hard game at the end of the season. When you're
(30:35):
in those trenches, that's a grind. We're going to grind
out out. My body is going to be beat up.
Who's going to be developed? Whose confidence is going to
be shot? That all happens when I look at the
strength of the schedule. So when we look at football
aspect of it, if you got a lighter in the
the schedule, you're gonna play your younger guys, develop them,
get confidence, and at the end, when you got the
(30:55):
harder schedule, you get all your older veterans in. Get
them in there, play hard, understanding that they're gonna take
those ups and downs, they're gonna finish strong. But vice verse.
So you got a hard schedule coming out. You can
shoot somebody's confidence. You can sit there and they be like, hey,
we don't we can't play you at the end of
season as much because you're beat up. You hit that
rookie wall. I love bye weeks around ten and eleven.
(31:18):
Bye we got week three is yes, it does nothing
for me. We're sitting here, like, what does this do
for me? I'm just going to sit there. Come off
training camp, go go play three games and have a.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
Buying I don't need a break. You don't need a break, Laurence.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
The strengthen schedule for you sitting in that chair is brutal.
Right now, the next time we have a topic, I'm
gonna come to you first, because what just happened to
you is like rarely done on GFF, which is I
start with Manti. Then somehow we snowballed into a secondary
question about whether or not Jackson Dart's gonna start for
the Giants. You had to answer both questions and you
still got us there.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Don't worry.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
I'm gonna ease up on you. Your bie is coming.
I'm gonna come to you first, and the next question, okay,
all right, good football
Good Morning Football is the production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Good Morning Football.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
I think if you worked on a major news network.
Speaker 4 (00:26):
We call this an ongoing situation with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yesterday Good Morning Football we.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
Talked about if we agreed with how the Cincinnati Bengals
are handling this Trey Henderson contract negotiation situation. Wednesday, the
first team All Pro showed up at mini camp but
will not participate, and he had plenty to say about why.
Speaker 5 (00:47):
A little bit transpired between me and Zach. We've tried
to keep it as less at least I'm out personal
as possible, but at some point in this process it
becomes personal.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
You know.
Speaker 5 (00:59):
Being sent thirty days before mandatory camp or however to
any days it is that if I don't show up,
I will be fined alludes to the fact that something
won't get done in that timeframe. Like the meetings that
we've had prior to right, I have a tremendous amount
of respect for the ability to be in meetings with
(01:22):
them behind closed doors and what was conveyed of the
vision of what I would be in this organization would
be if I continue to play at the level I
am that the door would be open to continue long
term discussions about contracts. We're just not seeing eye to
eye on the structure. It seems that a shorter deal
is something that they are pushing pretty hard. Then next year,
(01:45):
we're just kicking the can down the road. To say
I'm going to sit out or to say I'm not
going to what I can say is I'm very disappointed
with the communication that's been had.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Those are strong words from Jerry Hendrickson to say that
this is what the team is alluding to, kicking the
can down the road and then to have differences, But
what he really wants to say is that he is disappointed.
How do we translate these comments?
Speaker 3 (02:10):
What do we think I.
Speaker 6 (02:11):
Think different than I did twenty four hours ago. Oh
oh yeah, after seeing how the situation is developing, after
hearing his words. Words are important, and Trey Henderson is
a smart guy. Timing is everything in all of sports
when you're talking about contract situations and negotiations, and the
timing is obviously off on this. I would say that
(02:32):
the Cincinnati Bengals made a massive mistake in how they're
handling this situation. Trey Henderson on the other hand, is
doing everything with the purpose. It seems up until this point,
he's disappointed in the communication, and he obviously feels like
he was deceived, I'll say, in some way, shape or
form in the communication from last year to this year.
(02:55):
The Cincinnati Bengals have a problem on their hands. It's
going to either cost them a lot more money, yeah
at this point, or it's going to cost them a
game wrecker in their defensive end, as star defensive end
that they have on their football team.
Speaker 7 (03:11):
Well, that interview was interesting to me. He was dressed
like he was about to go play some golf right
after and then rectifying the situation is what we talked
about twenty four hours ago. It seems that you couldn't
be more of an opposite situation. Right now, we went
to see a guy at what Marcel said, Trey Hendrickson
(03:32):
did not mince any words. He said he was calculated
what he was doing. He is frustrated and you need
the guy on all cylinders week one with a fat pocketbook,
feeling like he's been compensated to what he's owed and
that is a lot of money, dude. Figure it out.
We're getting to a point where it's make or break
(03:53):
with this, saying sure the season doesn't start sol September. First.
We've been saying that for a while on the situation
and nothing's getting done. In fact, it seems to be
getting worse. Lead Zach Taylor, don't make it personal and
something I know we're going to talk about is a
very personal thing in these contact contract situations. Keep the
one guy in defense. You have extremely happy Yes, I
(04:16):
agree with you. So I've been a part of these
contract talks before. In my situation, I miss Minnie Camp
and you're thirteen. I'm like, hey, it's year thirteen. I'm
missing this. This is what's going on.
Speaker 8 (04:29):
But when you're in those conversations, you're going off with
somebody's words. Right, if you got told if you perform
a certain way, and you did that and succeeded that performance,
you should be obligated to a contract extension that you
should got, should get. But we can't also forget this
is part of his family. Also, he just had a child, right,
where is your Where you going to rate your child
for the next couple of years. You want to know this.
(04:51):
You did the trade aspect, you know what he's worth.
That doesn't mean you're going to get traded and now
they know what you what your value is, and do
you really hold somebody to that one year contract or
do you keep your word? And that's why I hear
when I when I hear him speak like their word
is not being kept. And the biggest thing is when
you get told, hey, if you miss mini camp, miss
(05:11):
you're gonna get fined. Right, we all know what the
fine is. I felt the fine personally, but it's to
a fact with if you're going to say, hey, this
is it, say this is it, this is your last year,
you ain't going to be here next year, then fine,
that's it. If you're like, then trading me. If it's
not trading me, okay, let me move my family out
and understand why I'm going to raise my child for
(05:32):
the next couple of years.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
When he says, you know things got personal?
Speaker 4 (05:36):
Do you is that how you're translating it is that
you take it personally if someone verbally implies something and
doesn't live up to their word, and which part of
this feels personal when you're going through what.
Speaker 8 (05:46):
It's about, when you're having a conversation whoever it is,
the GM, the head coach or the owner when they're saying, hey,
if you perform to the love of that we think
you're going to perform, you should deserve this contract extension.
That means you're giving me your word. Don't go back
on your word. That would make it personal, because it's
about our families. At the end of the day, our
(06:07):
families are here. We're sacrificing to play this game every
single week for you and for the organization. Compensate me. Wait,
what he did last year was super impressive. I was
here for a cup of coffee. I got to see
the experience. He deserves every bit of what he's asking for,
and they should do it. You can't lose a player
like that. Ask the samily it's retired. He is that
(06:27):
next leadership in the locker room.
Speaker 7 (06:30):
Listen these the game of football is an interesting one,
especially at the professional level, when it comes to the
family environment. Coaches are going to preach that Listen. The
teams are the titles that treat each other like family
are the ones that are going to have the most success.
And to a point, I think that's the case, but
this is a business and the nature of the sport.
(06:50):
I don't know if it's the camaraderie aspect of it,
or maybe because you throw that family piece into it,
things get personal. As much as you like to sit here,
I can sit here and say, listen, I understand it's
church and state. There's business in this and there's not.
When someone says you're not worth something, or they ask
you to take money away from your family and question it,
(07:11):
maybe to just to yourself, question the kind of player
you are, the visual guttural reaction is personal, and I
mean I don't think Trey's a viseral guttural guy. I
think this has been something that's been dwelling and kind
of a culminating of stewing. That's a great word for that.
I went through a little bit of something not quite
to Lawrence's deal where I got asked to take a
(07:31):
pay cut, and at first it was definitely something that
hurt my soul. But then you look at you take
a step back, and it made a lot of sense.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
This instance is not that.
Speaker 7 (07:41):
Yeah, this is something you have to rectify, and I
can't say that enough. I have my few words that
I say every day, rectify for work.
Speaker 6 (07:49):
Today, I had a different experience from me. So when
I was going through my contract situation. The second time,
well really both times with the Raiders, I had a
different type of personal relationship, first with Al Davis than
with Mark Davis, and I knew that I could trust
their word and have confidence that we were going to
get something done. On the other hand, when you're talking
(08:12):
about getting personal, because I've been on the player side
and also on the executive side, there are times during
those contract negotiations where you start to be compared to
other players around the league and on your team, and
at times it can get personal by implying it you're
not worth a certain amount of money or a certain value.
(08:33):
It seems to me, and this is me from the
outside looking in, that trade is very involved in his
contract negotiations with his agent.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
I don't know who his agent is, and he.
Speaker 6 (08:41):
May have heard about some of those intricate details that
are being spoken about. He's being compared, how he's being compared,
whether it's to the other side of the ball on
his team, and how they're being valued, and a lot
of that money being thrown around or even to other teams.
Maybe it's Max Crosby with his deal or Miles Garrett
with his deal and the value that they've been shown.
So I think that the personal the personal issues that
(09:08):
he's talking about and that he alludes to in his
interview could be could be a little piece of that.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
Trey Henderson is known as we have described him several times.
He's like a star on the Bengals defense, and I
look elsewhere at a name that we continue to say,
when is this contract coming on a star on a
defense which is Micah Parsons and.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
They don't play the same position.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
I get that, but in terms of singular player impact
on a defense, it must be infuriating if I put
myself in that scenario, whether you're in Dallas or Cincinnati,
because you're seeing seems everyone else on your team, for example,
a pair of wide receivers get paid right in front
of you, and it's just like, where is the investment going?
You can't be a lopsided team. Is there some part
(09:51):
of the rage factor that comes in with I am
at times? Trey Henderson is a singular pillar holding up
this Bengals defense?
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Just invest in me? What's that about?
Speaker 4 (10:01):
How does that make one feel if you're seeing your
team spend elsewhere?
Speaker 8 (10:04):
Let's think about it, like when you know what you
mean to the team right, we would shooting like that
every player in every lockerroom know you mean to the team?
Would you bring to the table. And when you see
your other teammate get paid, you're happy, like, I'm pro player,
but I want every player out there getting paid. Get
the money from the owners. We have a short time
(10:25):
in our careers to get it right. That's just the
bottom line. So you're happy for them, but you have
to also understand, like, when is my turn? What do
I have to sacrifice more to get what you told
me if going to get So you're happy for your teammates,
you're cheering them on, you're texting them congratulations, but when
is it my turn?
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Sure that makes sense.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
Four of his eight seasons he said double digit sacks.
In the last two years, he said seventeen and a
half each season.
Speaker 6 (10:50):
Jamie, to your point, there are a few players where
the position is irrelevant to when it comes to their contract.
We're talking about players like Miles Garrett for the Cleveland
Browns or Max Trosby for the Las Vegas Raiders, Michael
Parsons for the Dallas Cowboys, Trey Henderson for the Cincinnati Bengals.
They're on the defensive side of the ball, but it
doesn't matter. They are pillars, like you said, and that's
(11:11):
the perfect perfect word to describe these types of players
and the impact that they have on your team, on
the field, on your locker room, and also in the
community and your fan base.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
So you have to pay them as upon.
Speaker 9 (11:39):
Good Morning Football.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
We love feel good stories, and here's one about Sandy Combs.
We discussed this wonderful woman yesterday and the story that
has now hit the airwaves is even better than you
can imagine.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
Sandy Combs was sitting.
Speaker 4 (11:54):
Next to a lovely young man on a flight recently
from Denver to Jacksonville, and that young man is Travis Hunter.
It turns out that none other than the reigning Heisman
Trophy winner and second overall pick.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
To Jacksonville was seated.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
Next to Sandy Comb's on this flight, so they took
this selfie.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
She puts it on social media to.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
Praise Hunter and told her that her son's that she
wants his jersey. Well, Travis Hunter, I hope you're having
a great rook communic camp because.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
We got miss Sandy Combs a GMFP.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
Good morning to you, Miss Combs. Nothing has ever been
truer when I say, you're a traveling nurse and you
are calling us from your car. So we love this
for you, Miss Combs. We thank you so much for
taking time out of your day and to tell us
and retell us this story. So, miss Combs, you accidentally
(12:44):
booked yourself a first class seat on this flight from
Denver to Jacksonville. First of all, Sandy, you should be
flying first class all the time, is what.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
I have to tell you. Secondly, how did you.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
Finally find out that this was Travis Hunter, or the
number two overall pick in the NFL when you were
observing him that day?
Speaker 9 (13:04):
Boarded?
Speaker 10 (13:05):
I found my seat and I said, excuse me, this
is my seat. He said okay, and he stood up
and I started to put my bag in the overhead
compartment and he said, I got that, ma'am, go.
Speaker 9 (13:19):
Ahead and sit down.
Speaker 10 (13:20):
I got it, and I started smiling and I sat down,
and by the time I sat down, everybody else started boarding,
and people would stop by and say congratulations, man, congratulations,
A good.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Job, man, good job.
Speaker 9 (13:36):
And once everybody went.
Speaker 10 (13:38):
Burt, I turned to him and I looked at him
and I said, ma'am, I ask you a question.
Speaker 9 (13:43):
He said, yes, ma'am. I said, am I sitting next
to you?
Speaker 10 (13:51):
He smiled and I said, really, come I sitting next
to and he just kept smiling. I said, are you
a professional athlete or something? And he just kept smiling.
And I looked at the pants and they were Jaguar pants.
I said, are you a professional athlete? A professional football player?
(14:15):
And he looked at me and smiled. I said, did
you just get drafted?
Speaker 9 (14:20):
He said yes, ma'am. I said, oh, my business.
Speaker 10 (14:23):
He said yes, ma'am, and my name is Travis, and
it still didn't register who he was.
Speaker 9 (14:30):
I'm like, okay, congratulations. So I turned around.
Speaker 10 (14:35):
And waited for us to lift off, and I said,
may I take a.
Speaker 9 (14:39):
Selfie with you? And sure, ma'am.
Speaker 10 (14:43):
So I held my phone up, really didn't know how
to take on.
Speaker 9 (14:46):
He said, let me.
Speaker 10 (14:47):
Take that and hold it, and he took it and
cleaned it off. I say, you're doing just what my
boys do. They always cleaning off my phone for me.
And then he took the selfie and I started smiling
and I said, I'm going to send this to my son.
Sent it to my son, and Charles immediately answered he
(15:08):
never immediately and Mama, how did you sit next to
Travis Hunter. I said, I'm in first class, I said,
and he said, I don't believe you. I'm gonna do
muh FaceTime. He immediately FaceTime. So I said, Travis, my son,
(15:31):
want to say hello to you. He don't believe I'm
sitting next to you, so I did. They spoke each other,
and I said, that's it, this is my time.
Speaker 9 (15:38):
And I hung up on it. And I just couldn't
believe it.
Speaker 10 (15:43):
And he sent it to his brother and cousins and
my three brothers, and all of them were trying to
call me, but it was too late.
Speaker 9 (15:51):
I had to go in the air mode. It was
just wonderful.
Speaker 6 (15:56):
Now, miss Sandy. Not only did he help you with
your luggage, but he helped you during meal time too.
Speaker 9 (16:00):
Right, Yes, I couldn't believe it.
Speaker 10 (16:03):
I was looking around for my trade and I said,
here's my trade. He said, I got it, so he
pulled it out for me, set it up and everything.
And I looked at him and I said, you didn't
know when you sat next to me you were gonna
have to go to work, did you? And he said, oh,
it's all right. He said, I our grandparents. I take
care of them all the time. And when he said that,
(16:25):
it just melted my hearse.
Speaker 9 (16:28):
He got me that was it.
Speaker 10 (16:30):
I'm like, I can't, oh, man, this is such a
nice young man.
Speaker 7 (16:35):
Miss Sandy. First of all, we're so happy that you're
here this morning. I don't know you very well, but
you seem like someone who might have some sage life
advice rumor as you might have given Travis Hunter a
little bit of sage life advice. Are you willing to
share that with us?
Speaker 9 (16:53):
There some of it. I'm hold school. You don't tell everything.
Speaker 7 (16:58):
I understood, yes, So I told him.
Speaker 10 (17:02):
I said, you are such a nice young man. I said,
anybody would be proud for you to be their son,
a grandson. I said, don't you ever change? And he
said I never changed. He said, I never forget where
I came from. I will always remember where I came from.
(17:24):
That you were just such a nice young man. I'm
just so happy to be sitting next to you. It
just melted my heart.
Speaker 11 (17:34):
I love that, Missie. How long did it take you
to convince your sons? Do you actually sit next to them?
Do they believe the first time when you told them?
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Well?
Speaker 11 (17:41):
How long did they kick came before you before they
realized you were really sitting next to them.
Speaker 9 (17:46):
After I hung up on them, I'm like, this is
my time.
Speaker 10 (17:55):
And I was sitting there and we started talking and
I told him, I said, I am so glad you
were off of social media. I said, it's a good thing,
but it can be so bad. I'm so glad you're
not on there, and just continue to be who you are.
Just don't change. And we talked about a few other things,
(18:19):
and I tried to leave him alone and let him
enjoy his trip, and I just couldn't stand it.
Speaker 9 (18:29):
I told him, I say, you.
Speaker 10 (18:30):
Know, when I get off of here, I can't do
it now, but when I get off, I'm.
Speaker 9 (18:34):
Gonna google you so I can know.
Speaker 10 (18:35):
Who I'm so I haven't really kept up with any
of this.
Speaker 9 (18:43):
He didn't say he was a Heisman trophy. When he
didn't say any of that, he was just I.
Speaker 10 (18:48):
Could have took him home to my grandmother's hundred birthday party.
Speaker 7 (18:56):
Now, Sandy, you were talking about social media, the downfalls
of it, but also the thing that can be, things
that can be beautiful on it. Uh In the world today,
we need more of these beautiful things. Your story encompasses
a beautiful moment that's gone viral. What's been the reaction
to this, and how has your life changed in the
last I would say seventy two forty eight hours.
Speaker 10 (19:19):
Everybody has called me. They want to know, did you
get your jersey for Mother's Day? I told them it
was too big, but I told my son take it back,
but make sure you get my jersey.
Speaker 9 (19:30):
Don't try and order it. Go pick up my jersey.
He lives, but I beg in phone calls. My family.
Speaker 10 (19:39):
People I had heard from are like, girl, do you
know you went viral? I'm like, okay, I didn't know
what that meant. And it's like I signed up for
Twitter and Instagram all these things. I get recipes off
of them. I don't really go on it. I try
and keep up with my children and see what crazy
things they might put out there. But other than that,
(20:02):
I just didn't know how to use it. And they
would and say, oh my goodness, sports illustrated this one
that one. And I got all these requests and my
son was helping me find messages. He say, Mama, you
got to call the NFL network.
Speaker 9 (20:18):
That's so you need to do an interview with I say, okay,
all right.
Speaker 10 (20:22):
He was telling me what I needed to do, and
I'm just i feel like I'm famous so many people,
and I'm just overwhelming.
Speaker 9 (20:34):
I'm on cloud nine. I'm loving every minute of it.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
And you deserve it. And I bet Travis would agree
with that.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
As a traveling nurse, you kind of deal with people
going viral and for all the wrong reasons. But we
want you to go viral with the NFL. We love
this story.
Speaker 9 (20:49):
Now.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
I don't know if you had an NFL team before this.
I have to imagine now you are a newly minted
Jaguars fan. Do you know the distinct cheer or chant
that Jaguars fans do? And would you like to do
it for us to make sure you everybody understands that
you are a Jags fan.
Speaker 9 (21:07):
I'm mostly Kenyan.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
Do yeah, Miss Amy Comes, you are fantastic and whatever
pregame ritual or ceremony that the Jaguars do, I absolutely
think you deserve a home game for them. I think
if they go international this year, you should make the trip.
You should everything Jaguars. That is your new best friend,
(21:33):
It's a new part of your family. Travis Hunter, what
a cool story. Thank you so much, you're amazing and
safe drive wherever you are going.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Football.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Welcome back to GMFB. We've had some.
Speaker 4 (22:02):
Time to properly processed that's twenty five schedule, and we
have some thoughts, we have some observations as to what
we think the schedule gods in the NFL are trying
to imply about twenty twenty five. Let's play buying or
keep trying. Guys at the table. I will throw out
a statement and then you will say I'm buying this.
I understand and I fully commit, or say keep trying.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
I want to move on to the next statement.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Understood, understood, Okay.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
The Chiefs have the most primetime games at seven.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
They are the reigning.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
AFC champions within an appearance in the Super Bowl last
year in New Orleans. However, they dropped that game to
the Eagles.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
The next couple of.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Teams with the most primetime games are teams like the
Lions and the Bills. They have five, as well as
the Atlanta Falcons. The schedulers might know something. Are you
buying that the Atlanta Falcons could be this year's version
of the Commander's manti Let's.
Speaker 12 (22:53):
At the table real quick, okay, guys, let's talk about
when we compare. We've compared so many teams to the Commanders,
so let's talk about the Commanders first.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Who are the Commanders in twenty twenty three? Their record
is four? Weren't thirteen?
Speaker 12 (23:05):
That was a four way tie for the second worst
record in the NFL. They had the number two overall
pick in the twenty twenty four draft, which they picked
Jaden Daniels.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
So that's understanding who the Commanders were.
Speaker 12 (23:16):
So when we start to get into this question of
can the Atlanta Falcons be the Commanders, I don't think
it even is a conversation because I don't put the
Atlanta Falcons in the same category as the Commanders. Why
because playing in the NFC South, when I think as
a as a as a saint, when I think about
(23:36):
the Atlanta Falcons, they are one of the best teams
that always they're always competing for an NFC South champion championship.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
I couldn't say that about the Commanders.
Speaker 12 (23:46):
So just that alone, guys, the expectation for the Commanders
wasn't high going into the twenty twenty four season.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
Why were they such a Cinderella story? Well, they had losing.
Speaker 12 (23:57):
Records, they get the number two overall pick, they play
in the NFC Championship, they have the offensive Rookie Player
of the Year.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
That is something that we didn't expect.
Speaker 12 (24:06):
The expectation for the Atlanta Falcons is you're always going
to be playing for the NFC South Championship, You're always
going to be competitive, You're always going to be fighting
for a playoff spot.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
So I'm I'm on the keep trying train for.
Speaker 12 (24:18):
A shot because I just think that it's there's two
different scenarios when you're considering the Atlanta Falcons and the Commanders. Now,
if we consider the Carolina Panthers, I think that would
be more fitting to put them into this conversation just
on the expectation factor of.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
Where they're going into twenty twenty five. I'd like that
take in.
Speaker 13 (24:36):
The expectations, you know, when it comes to it, when
it comes to the Atlanta Falcons are high right now.
I mean they got a stellar offensive side of the football.
I mean, you got a first round draft pick and
Michael over there trying to become something special and I
think he will. But also you got to think about it.
They got b John Robinson. They got also Drake London,
(24:57):
they got Mooney, they got Kyle Pitts, they got a
lot of players, and I think the NFC South is
kind of open right now. When you look at Tampa,
I think they're heading it up, but it's wide open. Yeah,
the same thing kind of Commanders came out of nowhere.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
I think under with Michael at the.
Speaker 13 (25:12):
Quarterback position, can take over and be that Celoretta Cinderella
team because nobody has taken the throne in the NFC
South right now.
Speaker 8 (25:19):
In my head, I understand. But as we know our
primetime games, you could push those games, so we could
sit there and say, hey, they could be the new Commanders.
We just just don't know until the season starts. Right,
they can have a strong season and all of a
sudden they're like, this makes sense, prime time, prime time,
prime time. They got to sell the team. They're in
a good conference. They always show up, but can they
(25:40):
really do it. We don't know until it starts. And again,
we could flex anything. Any game can be flexed. I've
been a part of that myself. You know, we got
a flex ah man, that means terrible, flex.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
In or flex out. That's right, flex out.
Speaker 4 (25:55):
The ultimate compliment actually might be if you're not at
five top five primetime games yet, and you get the
late season flex in, which means like.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
America wants to watch you. People really bought in.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
But man, the insults of the team that gets flexed
out of Sunday Night football conal reality.
Speaker 8 (26:10):
You sitting there like we got flexed.
Speaker 4 (26:14):
At least I get to get home Sunday night. It's
so funny when your team is having a hard season.
Why are we all laughing with pain? I feel badly for.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
Those times before all been flexed out. Exactly, buy in
or keep trying the following statement.
Speaker 4 (26:29):
The strength of schedule as a concept. Right now, the Giants,
for example, have the most challenging strength of schedule, and
the San Francisco forty nine ers are at sitting.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
At number two. So just run through that.
Speaker 4 (26:42):
For the twenty twenty five season, opponents win percentage compared
to last season. This is how you calculate strength of schedule. Woof,
that's about as much math as I want to do
in this class. Buying or keep trying the strength of
schedule as a principle is overrated, Mantai.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
It's so overrated. You're buying, I'm buying. It's it's so
obrat You see you said two words, Jamie, that great
beautiful dialogue which you always do.
Speaker 12 (27:07):
You said last season.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Okay, guys, we know sitting at.
Speaker 12 (27:11):
This table, even the Philadelphia Eagles are a different team,
even though they won the Super Bowl, we don't know
what it's going to look like. They've had, they let
some guys go, they had the draft class, so there's
a whole different part of ingredients that they're trying to
mix up there. So we don't know what the expectation
is going to be for every team in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
So for me, I'm buying this.
Speaker 12 (27:34):
That it is overrated. Why because this is based on
twenty twenty four. It is now twenty twenty five. We
don't know who's going to get flex, who's not going
to get flex, What teams in the ladder end of
the season is going to start to click and do
well and start to get that groove.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
We don't know that.
Speaker 12 (27:47):
So for me, when I look at a strength of
schedule Rashot.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
I'm just thinking like, this is the most overrated thing
that you could create for.
Speaker 12 (27:54):
And I get it it creates stuff for us for
us to talk about.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
But I'm buying that it's oprated.
Speaker 13 (28:00):
I'm gonna have to disagree now for this reason. This
reason because as a player, right as an athlete, we
think it's overrated for sure, because I don't care how
many games the other team won last week last year.
I don't care how many games they won this year.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
I gotta play this week. But for the fandom side of.
Speaker 13 (28:18):
It, if you really think about I think my beloved Johns,
my beloved Johnson playing against the Commanders first Huh, Dallas Cowboys,
then in Kansas City Chiefs the Chargers. Like we start
thinking about this, it's like, wait a second, that's a
hard schedule. I kind of understand their wins versus another
team's wins.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
What they're going through.
Speaker 13 (28:38):
So for that fashion, I will have to say it's
not overrated.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
It's just something that is not It doesn't matter to
the particular player.
Speaker 13 (28:47):
But as far as setting the schedule, setting the bronzeime games,
all of these things matter.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Very early.
Speaker 4 (28:53):
That schedule looks ruthless because not only to the first
four weeks look like that that little those couple of
words there at the bottom of the screen with the
yellow implies that you have to wait all the way
until we mourteen to take a break, to take.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
A beat, to take a breath.
Speaker 4 (29:09):
The Giants have done some really great things in the
off season, but that is hellish.
Speaker 13 (29:14):
I mean, any team, any team having to go against
all of those teams in a row Denver is ridiculous.
Their defense Eagles, Eagles twice. The whole entire schedule.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Is very difficult for the Giants well.
Speaker 12 (29:26):
Also, also to add to that point, shot, you got
two rookies that are leading.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
Jackson Dart is a rookie and for all of.
Speaker 12 (29:35):
Us who've played in the NFL, the hardest year is
the rookie year. You go from you go from your
Bowl game, then from your boat game, you go to
whatever All American game.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Than for an All American game, you go to train,
then you do the combined and you're doing all the
working wall. So if you are waiting.
Speaker 12 (29:52):
To what they say, Jamie week sixteen, fourteen fourteen, for
these rookies, especially New York Giants, you are having a
rookie as a quarterback.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
That's been the question mark.
Speaker 3 (30:02):
Allegedly, we'll see if he's starting.
Speaker 4 (30:05):
You think it's starting Week one.
Speaker 8 (30:14):
You gotta do something right. If you you ain't gonna
make all this controversy and not do it. It's in
New York. You gotta do it, Dave All. You know
he's he's the heck of a coach, and we know
what he's going to happen. But look, when I look
at the schedule, I look at from a player's point
of view. In the trenches, right, who am I facing
the first couple of weeks. Is it going to be
a hard game or is it going to be a
hard game at the end of the season. When you're
(30:35):
in those trenches, that's a grind. We're going to grind
out out. My body is going to be beat up.
Who's going to be developed? Whose confidence is going to
be shot? That all happens when I look at the
strength of the schedule. So when we look at football
aspect of it, if you got a lighter in the
the schedule, you're gonna play your younger guys, develop them,
get confidence, and at the end, when you got the
(30:55):
harder schedule, you get all your older veterans in. Get
them in there, play hard, understanding that they're gonna take
those ups and downs, they're gonna finish strong. But vice verse.
So you got a hard schedule coming out. You can
shoot somebody's confidence. You can sit there and they be like, hey,
we don't we can't play you at the end of
season as much because you're beat up. You hit that
rookie wall. I love bye weeks around ten and eleven.
(31:18):
Bye we got week three is yes, it does nothing
for me. We're sitting here, like, what does this do
for me? I'm just going to sit there. Come off
training camp, go go play three games and have a.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
Buying I don't need a break. You don't need a break, Laurence.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
The strengthen schedule for you sitting in that chair is brutal.
Right now, the next time we have a topic, I'm
gonna come to you first, because what just happened to
you is like rarely done on GFF, which is I
start with Manti. Then somehow we snowballed into a secondary
question about whether or not Jackson Dart's gonna start for
the Giants. You had to answer both questions and you
still got us there.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Don't worry.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
I'm gonna ease up on you. Your bie is coming.
I'm gonna come to you first, and the next question, okay,
all right, good football
Hosts And Creators
Jamie Erdahl
Jason McCourty
Kyle Brandt
Peter Schrager
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