February 14, 2022 • 30 mins
In this episode, Rhett Lewis is joined by insider Bridget Condon for a review of Super Bowl 56 where the Los Angeles Rams took down the Cincinnati Bengals in dramatic fashion. Bridget shared her thoughts on the Super Bowl halftime show, what she's learned from the Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp connection, the future of Sean McVay and Aaron Donald, and where the young Cincinnati Bengals go from here.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
I'm read Lewis, and this is NFL Inside reports. The Rams,
for the second time in franchise history, are Super Bowl
champions after twenty victory over the Bengals in Super Bowl
fifty six. First time they get to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. Though,
as the Los Angeles Rams, here in the City of Champions,
(00:31):
and that last night inside Sofi Stadium was an event
fit for Hollywood. And with that, let's welcome in our
friend and colleague here at NFL Media. Bridget Condon is
with us in bridget Um and literally was everywhere through
Super Bowl Week. If you did not know Los Angeles
(00:53):
until you know you got here um and and you
had not fully experienced all that Los Angeles had to offer,
Bridget you know have be you know, been one of
our newest colleagues in here for just a few months.
I felt like you got just about everything in the
span of a week. Does that sound about right? That
sounds about right. I think I was like wondering when
I was going to get immersed into the world, and
(01:13):
it was last week and when we were at Venice Beach,
Warner Brothers, Bengals Hotel, Rams Hotel, so By just got
it all done in one week. But yeah, what an
event l A too, right. I mean like you were
literally everywhere um so, which I thought was pretty cool.
And you did a fantastic job all week long with
like the sites, the sounds, like everything that you wanted
(01:35):
to experience during super Bowl Week. I felt like you
got a chance to do it, which was super cool.
Um and then you get to go to the game, right,
was this your first super Bowl? This is my first
super Bowl anything. I had never been in the city
that the super Bowl was in, or covered or attended anything.
So I'm still on like cloud nine right now because
(01:56):
I'm just changing myself. It was such an incredible experience.
Nothing's cool like l A cool. And the super Bowl
scene inside so far so I got. I went inside
for the first quarter before I had to head back
and do some halftime and postgame stuff, and just being
in their pregame and just like seeing all that Sofi
stadium like has to offer. But on that stage, Bridget
(02:18):
like that was insane. There's nothing like it, That's what
I was gonna say. It felt like anyone you've ever
heard about on TV or anyone that's famous was in
there right, Like every single person. They kept showing the
pictures on the jumpo tron of who was there. They
kept going and going. Right in the game, it's like
two or three celebrities, I mean everyone, Kanye was there. Yeah,
(02:42):
it's an event when Kanye is there with his head covered. Yeah,
that was one of the weirdest scenes I think I've
ever seen. Um. But then like after the game, so look,
we're gonna get to all the things, all game things,
Cooper Cup, Aaron Donald, futures of all these guys as well,
but like there were some real life moments like after
this game, like you saw it, tell us about it.
(03:04):
The craziest thing. I was like, okay, I sat on
that tweet for probably five minutes because I was like,
if this isn't her, I'm not trying to stir anything
up pregnancy labor, Like that's a pretty curious deal. I
was watching and I was like, should I tweet this out?
And then I'm got some confirmation that it was her,
and I was like, Okay, I'm pretty sure because it
(03:25):
looked like her. It was a pregnant woman on a stretcher.
I knew she was so crazy. I don't know if
it was the excitement of fifty cents surprising everyone at
half time. That just sent her into labor. Yeah, that's
that must have been what it was, clearly. But you
know what's kind of interesting is we've been talking in
a week about how Odell Beckham is expecting his first
child at at any moment, right, and he's always been
(03:47):
on standby. And then it's his buddy in the in
the room, Van Jefferson, that's his kid. Uh wow, like
a right story to tell us, are you kidding? Yeah?
And then you know, like this, so the Rams are
a super Bowl ring, right, they get a super Bowl
ring and they'll physically get it in a few weeks
or months, but Taylor Wrap then decides to give a ring. Right.
(04:10):
I feel like that was like we forgot about that
because everything else is going on. I saw that video
this morning and I was like wait what. There was
so much going on, sensory overload, so I can't even
imagine just being a regular guy on the team. It's like, Okay,
I want a super Bowl, but I didn't have a baby.
I didn't get um. Yeah, so that it's that was
(04:32):
It was pretty special, Like it just like a special
day inside so fa stadium for so many people, obviously
more so on the ram side of things, but man,
that was that was unreal. And then of course you
had the halftime show, right, which was like this um
culmination of culture. I feel like, especially since this game
is in Inglewood and we got you know, I felt
like we got kind of inductrinated into all of it
(04:53):
all week long. Um, you know, by hearing the interviews
and in the super Bowl halftime show, you know, news
conference in understanding what it means, um, you know, to
be someone from this area and to create and to
be an artist in this area and to come together
on the world's biggest stage. So like, all right, Bridget,
let's let's be honest here, because our producer Thomas Warren
(05:15):
wrote literally wrote this line in our preparation for this podcast,
Let's get bridgets thoughts on um what you know? Ch
As a millennial thinks of the halftime show that was
geared more for like the generation Wye crowd with the
Dr Dre's and stoops to the world, I thought it
was incredible. I mean, yes, I'm younger, but everyone knows
(05:39):
who Dr Drey is. Everyone knows who stoopid emam. You know,
those songs. Oh my goodness. I thought it was one
of the best halftime performances that we've seen in years past.
My boyfriend, actually his uncle is one of the producers
for the halftime show, so oh my god. Really, yeah,
he got to be on the field for it, and
his videos are insane. He was right in front where
(06:00):
I was sitting. My back or the back of the
houses was facing us. Yeah. Yeah, so we could see
it on the JumboTron, but the inside of the house
we couldn't see. But he was on the side of
the inside of the house and taking videos. It looked insane.
I just loved the setup of the little houses. I
agree that dropping down from the ceiling so cool. It
gave me chills when I saw him and m out
(06:21):
there too with his dancers. It's just they all flowed
so well together. It was so well like so perfectly choreographed,
and like going in and out of the different little
houses of the rooms and like and then all ending
up on the top with Dr dre Hold it down
to the very end. It just man, it felt so
l a like, it felt so Los Angeles and I
(06:43):
am not a Los Angeles native, but like it was like,
all right, that's what this is. And it felt like
when we heard there was what six performers, it's you're wondering,
how are they? Yeah, how who's what? Are I gonna say?
One word? Eat? They found a way to flow it
really well. Like you said, it was perfect, definite l A. Yeah,
(07:16):
and um. So the stars showed up at halftime and
for the Rams, though bridget the stars showed up all
game long, more specifically Matthew Stafford, Cooper Cup and Aaron Donald. Um.
Let's start with the Matthew Stafford Cooper Cup connection, because
you know, you were in and around the Rams, you know,
(07:36):
all week, and you've been you've been covering you know,
the Rams since you've really arrived, and you've been, you know,
part of our coverage. They're here in l A with
those guys, and what what do you feel like you've
learned about Matthew Stafford and Cooper Cup um in the
time that you've got to spend around them and around
their teammates. So one of the first RAMS practices I
went to, Cooper Cup was there waiting for Matthew to
(07:57):
finish availability. He was talking to us the media, and
he had an iPad and he was waiting for him
because he wanted him to explain something to him. And
I think that's such inside their relationship, right. They understand
each other on the field, off the field, they have
such a big chemistry. Stafford and I've spent a ton
of time together. Um. I think it was actually adding
up in the car on the way here. The just
(08:19):
the extra time outside of the obligatory time was you
know north this season and yesterday when the Bengals shut
down the Rams defense when their their run game, Odell
goes out, there's a shock, gun snap, poor man rush
right tackle, black brow yone dry belt. I dropped by
O b J. Who holds time towards me as he
hits the turf and I'm not too It was almost
(08:40):
a non contact Do you look like he was cutting?
And then we used writhing in pain on the field
at the forty five on a route which was a
shallow cross. Cooper wasn't getting a lot Eli Apple was
holding him pretty much in the first half. He did
have that one touchdown, And I think we forget that
they have won games, the two of them together, and
Matthew Stafford knew, Sean McVey knew if we're gonna win
(09:04):
this game. We gotta get Cooper going. And that's what
we saw there in the first fourth quarter. And it's
also the success of Matthew Stafford. Everybody counts him out always, right,
and we forget no he can. Like I think he's
over that hump that he was in in Detroit because
of the lack of players he had there. He's made
some clutch plays and yeah, he does Matthew Stafford things
that you know, through through a few interceptions, but at
(09:26):
the end of the day, he's able to find him
up and they make magic. And so look, Odell Beckham
was on his way to a monster game. You know.
I had the first score of the game on a
phenomenal catch and throw from Stafford, and then had some
chunk plays you know after that, and then goes down
with the injury. And I think everyone at that point knew, like, okay,
(09:47):
like if the Rams are going to figure this out,
Cooper cup is going to have to have the second
half of his life here, because you know, he had
been he had had you know, he had a couple
of catches in the first half, but he came alive
on at final drive and isn't that what being a
star is all about. When everyone knows you're the guy
(10:07):
that's going to get the ball, and still you figure
out how to win your route, win the catch at
the catchpoint, contested catch. And I mean I think like
even more so on the fact that, like the route
that Cooper Cup caught on, ran on that touchdown to
eventually win the game. Stafford cum utters center steps back,
(10:27):
throws the faith fact soldier Cooper Cups got its, Cooper
Cup brings it in touchdown, touchdown, touchdown l A. With
one twenty five remaining, the Rams are back on the
high side. That would have been an Odell Beckham route,
but because O b J wasn't there, Cooper Cup steps
(10:50):
up and wins, and that's why he's the m v P. Yeah.
And I think that one play where Cooper threw the
past to Matthew and it was a bad throw, I
think that was designed for open Oh sure, Yeah, I
think your heart just breaks for a guy like Odell
when he goes through something like that. You see him
crying on the sidelines, But them winning makes it a
(11:10):
little more sweeter, right, and you kind of forget, Okay,
we'll figure out what's going on. With him. But it's
easier to do so when you have a superhole in yep,
no doubt, uh, no doubt about it. And look, I
to go back to your story about the Stafford Cup connection.
You know, I was out at training camp the day
(11:32):
we had the back together Saturday thing, um, you know,
which was one of our one of our big days
in early August. And so I was out there at
U C Irvine and just walking around, and you know,
Cooper Cup is one of the first out of the field,
Matthew Stafford is too, and you know, before practice, you know,
you've got the centers often working with the quarterbacks, will
(11:53):
center quarterback exchange as part of what they do, you know,
kind of their pre practice stuff. But Cooper Cup is
standing there in front of you know, Matthew. So like
every time Matthew you know, has gets a stab, even
fires at the Cup and like it it seems like
something so minimal, but there they were just around each other.
It was like they were each other's shadows throughout the
(12:14):
entire practice. Like normally, when you know, let's say the
quarterbacks are off kind of doing their own thing as
a different part of practices going on. But Cooper's there too. Yeah,
it just it seems so simple. But I think you
you know, seeing how this this game transpired and how
that final drive went down, it's like, okay, yeah, I
mean they put the work in and so that chemistry
(12:34):
was next level for a reason. Yeah, And I think
he's he's a player that's so easy to root for
because he's so humble and he puts in so much work.
He's so smart when he talks about the way that
Sean McVeigh designs offenses. This is a guy again who
had none or one college offer in high school. He
had to work really hard in college, and now he's
(12:55):
earned it. He's a Super Bowl m v P and
his teammates love him, and it makes it so easy
to for Matthew and him to just connect because of
that attitude, Sean put us in some good spots, and
also Matthew Stafford probably through the best no looker of
his life. We've went in there a little bit. I
saw the lane I I was running in there. I
saw him leaning a little bit like, Oh, he's he's
(13:16):
doing this to me, isn't he? He was looking he
was looking up into the third level of the right,
right Cylon, but he put one in there and then
you'll just put a space the ball in play, allowing
his guys makes some plays for him. And by the way,
he broke some Jerry Rice records at Eastern Washington, some
FCS records, the old one double A in college. And
(13:39):
he's now like, along with Jerry Rice, they're like the
only guys that have won an Offensive Player of the
Year award, a Super Bowl m v P, and have
been a triple crown winner in terms of leading the
league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns in the season. Now,
Jerry didn't do that all in one season. He didn't
receivers hope to do in a career, literally in one year.
(14:00):
And it's nuts. And did you hear I don't know
if you heard the story real quick when they lost
the Super Bowl. He said this story last night. He
was walking off the field when the Patriots beat the Rams,
and he said he had some vision and he was
thinking he's gonna be back in the Super Bowl and
he's gonna win m v P. And he was like,
I can't tell anyone this, but he told his wife
and then it happened last night I'm like, how cool
(14:21):
is that? Right on this level? And he spent some
time and hope for some goodness in my life. Yeah,
no kidding. Um, just kind of want to be around
Cooper uh and his family. They're they're absolutely phenomenal, and
I'm happy for him because he's earned it. Uh. And
so some of the Rams literally in every facet. You
know that we talked about pressure, um, that they put
on themselves by some of the moves that they made
(14:43):
to go out and get big name players like Matthew
Stafford and to give up big time assets to do it.
Same with von Miller and signing oh b J and
Jalen Ramsey obviously a big part of that too. But
it all worked out, how it all worked out, how
they dealt with the pressure, how the Angles regroup after
succumbing at the end of this game to the Rams.
(15:04):
Will we will get into right after this quick breath.
All right back here on NFL Inside Report, bridget Condon
(15:26):
is with us and bridget um. Look, talk of Super
Bowl week was all right, you know, if the Rams
don't win, is the Stafford trade to fail? You know,
how are they going to deal with all this? You know,
this is they went all in. Nothing short of a
Super Bowl championship is is you know, the measure of
success for Los Angeles and for less Snee, the general
manager and architect of this Rams team, And they rose
(15:48):
to the occasion every time. And in Bridget, I'm just
curious from you being around the Rams, like, did you
get the sense that you know, as they said, all
of that talk about pressure really was external and not
necessarily something internal happening inside their building. I do think so.
I think if it was any internal pressure, it was
maybe management in front office people. But I think the
(16:09):
players really believed in themselves and got along so well,
both the Bengals and the Rams. I think really, when
you get to this level, a lot of it does
actually have to do with chemistry, of course talent, but
I think they were just confident. You know, you get
a guy like Odell, you have Vaughan, you have Aarond.
Some of the things that they needed in that Super
Bowl fifty three they found those public puzzle pieces, and
so I think they didn't feel the pressure. Yeah. And
(16:30):
then for Joe Burrow, you know, like pressure, it's like
what no, his his his his edge, his confidence, his
cool calum and collected nature in the face of perceived pressure,
I think is what makes him so great, what makes
him so likable. Um, you know, as a quarterback, and
he had him going right, He had the Bengals in position,
(16:52):
you know, at one point obviously with the te Higgins
touchdown to start the second half, play actually funding room
going good. But if caught by Higgins, he goes in
for the score. Jaylen Ramsey fell down and just like that,
in twelve seconds, a seventy five yard touchdown, which is
(17:14):
something we've never seen in a Super Bowl of play,
a touchdown score in the first play from scrimmage in
either half in the bathroom. When that, most people like,
whoa what? And then the next drive they come out
and they pick off Matthew Stafford. You're like, oh my god,
play action fired over the middle, pecked off at the
thirty one yard line. Scarron I couldn't handle it, and
(17:37):
the Cincinnati Bengals in twenty two seconds have a touchdown
and a takeaway. The Bengals are gonna flipping wind, looked Patrick.
He was sitting next to Patrick Clayband, and I was like,
are the Bengals about to win the Super Bowl? Yeah?
And then it just you know, it fizzled out. Like offensively,
they ran into a rut where they had you know,
(17:58):
they had the fuel goal off that reception, the second
interception for Matthew Stafford, and then they had you know,
four straight punts after that and just could not find
their rhythm. Partly bridget because they could not deal with
Aaron Donald. And he came alive in the second half.
Under pressure, they get him at the twenty yard line.
(18:18):
He was on it. Donald is right there. He didn't
do much in the first half, and I think we
were all waiting. Okay, Aaron Donald, you talked about how
mad you were after Super Bowl fifty three and you
want this. We know you want. This is the last
thing on your bucket list, right You won multiple Defensive
Player of the Years, even named to a Pro Bowl.
We don't have a Super Bowl. So where where were was?
(18:40):
Where was Aaron Donald in the first half? But he
came alive in that second half. He had those two sacks,
and of course that last play of the game where
Joe Burrows trying to get the ball out, he brushes
him and Joe Burrow throws in completion, Burrow trying to
keep it going get spunned out. That's what the wife
then and complete it looked like what about a shot
(19:00):
to make the grab? But the Rams down running down
to celebrate was a defensive play. And guess who I mean,
you don't even have to think about it. I think
he was the difference. And what a story book ending
for this guy who is loving football. He told me
he took three days off after the last Super Bowl
(19:22):
and that is it and has been in the gym
working since and finally the work base off. Yeah, and
you know, look, von Miller a big part of the two.
He has two sacks in the second half. I mean
they have six second half sacks, which was you know, insanity. Um,
And look, that's kind of what we thought might happen
throughout the game. It just turns out the Bengals were
able to deal with it in the first half and
(19:44):
then the Rams made some adjustments defensively in the second
half to get Aaron Donald one on one of those
those guards in the interior, and he is he's no
match for anybody one on one. You don't think he's
actually going to retire, now, do you? I don't know,
he's young, right, This is a Pier it's not. Yeah,
but this is what else is there left to do?
I don't know if he wants to be a dad baby.
(20:05):
It's like, what am I going to stick around and
be Tom Brady and just keep winning? Well, he's still
at the time, he is at the very top of
his game, and so I think that's you know, there's
only been six players to win multiple Defensive Player of
the Year awards and a Super Bowl. Every other one
of those players is a Hall of Famer. He will
be a Hall of Famer. Even if he does retire,
(20:28):
He's a Hall of Famer, you know, first ballot Hall
of Famer in my book. Um, you know, as soon
as he's eligible, even you know, knowing that he's got
he's got more years left to give in this league,
hoping there's maybe a contract extension that might help fuel
his desire to get back into the game here a
little bit, because this game needs him. This game needs
a dominant player like that that we're all just in awe, right,
(20:50):
I mean, like that's what makes this game so great.
He seems like he's in too good a shape to
walk away to to I don't think he's done working
out and continuing to old himself. So I think we'll
see him back next year. The same with Sean McVeigh,
Like we had all those kind of weird yeah, like
I even know that was a question that he would
think about leaving and doing what. Yeah, Well, first of all,
(21:11):
he's the youngest head coach to ever win a Super Bowl,
And I think it's also kind of a cool um.
It's just kind of a cool piece because we we
saw it kind of happen on our Game day final
set on NFL Network last night. We had the youngest
coach to ever win a Super Bowl stop by and
talk about his future, which he basically said, no, I'm
not retiring. There were reports out there that John McVeigh,
if you wins Super Bowl fifty six, could walk away
(21:33):
at age thirty six from coaching. Is that happening. No, No,
I'm I'm so happy for this team right now, so
happy to be associated with it. Enjoy to night. Yeah,
well you should, by the way, amazing don't remember any
of its celebrate, but I do want to like sit
back and enjoy the you know, the things you enjoy life, enjoy,
you know, build a family and all that. So McVeigh
(21:54):
the youngest to win a Super Bowl is left tackle
is the oldest player of also you know, four year
old left tackle, which we haven't seen before in the league,
and it's the oldest player to win his first Super Bowl. Um,
and so I'm like, you can't if you're if you're
Sean McVeigh, you can't retire before Andrew Whitworth, right, Like
being younger than Andrew Whitworth, right, I mean, like, so,
(22:16):
I don't think that's going to happen. I was just saying,
it's an interesting thing to like to think about though,
that it takes so much of these these coaches and
these players each year, and you have to sacrifice so
much to be in this kind of position that some
of that does creep in your head, like all right,
I need to make sure that i'm you know, I'm
I'm there for my family too, you know, and when
(22:37):
you've done what you want to achieve, makes it easier
to be like, maybe I do want to walk away.
I thought it was only last night with Andrew Whitworth
and Sean McVeigh and Whitworth talking about how much he's
taught Sean mcfay and it's player teaching, but it's true
he's four years older than him. Yeah. Yeah. And then
you know, for the Bengals, now we're looking at this like, Okay,
(23:00):
they're going to be back because they're a young team. Absolutely,
and let's hope the knee injury for Burrow is again
something or you know whatever was ailing him, you know
late in that game where he was like, yeah, I
wasn't coming out, and clearly he wasn't. But I let's
hope that that's that's nothing that's gonna impair his you know,
his off season this year. How do you look at
this Bengles team in terms of what they accomplished this year,
(23:22):
bridget and you know what they can do to get
back to it. They have so much talent on this
team that is so young. Joe Burrow this really was
his first season. Of course it was his second, but
he got injured in that first season. To March. This
was his first season. He sent records in his first season.
(23:44):
The two of them are only going to continue to build.
And Zach Taylor this is only his third season as
a coach. I think we're gonna be talking about the
Bengals for years to come, and it's gonna be Patrick
Mahomes and and Joe Burrow in the a f C
title game for years one or Yeah. I just think
this is the beginning of something. And while you know,
(24:05):
when you cover these players you want them all to win,
right when you get to know them and you tell
their story and it's like you feel so bad for
a guy like Joe Burrow. But if anyone's time, it
was last night, it was that Andrew Wittworth's Aaron Donalds
who might potentially never get back to another Super Bowl
because probably retire. Joe Burrow he'll be back in a
(24:26):
super Bowl. He said at this wonder what whether it's
Sunday or later, He's gonna win a Super Bowl. And
I thought it was kind of cool that Burrow mentioned
post game, you know that he watched the Kurt Warner
Football Life in the week leading up to the Super Bowl,
and he was like, yeah, I kind of notice what
Kurt was saying is how they come almost you know,
punished themselves too much for losing a Super Bowl instead of,
(24:49):
you know, understanding that it took a lot to get
to that point and to celebrate some of what it
took to get to that point. I watched the football
Life of Kurt Warner. You know last week when we
had little, uh, a little break and you know, I
kind of thought about this in the locker room and
they lost one, and you know later in within the
(25:11):
documentary they said or he said that, you know, they
let it sting too much. They didn't they didn't celebrate
what they accomplished. So you know, we're gonna obviously it stings,
but you know, we had a great year, didn't come
off this last game the way we wanted to. But
I think and we still have something sober. I think
that's what we need to keep in perspective here with
(25:32):
the Bengals is nobody expected them to be And they
can talk all they want about you know, they expected
it of themselves and that's fine, but nobody expects a
worst to first, you know, you know, like last place
in the division to super Bowl champion. It's just you know,
we we don't. It's just not something that you're like, oh, yeah, clearly,
this is that's what this team is going to do
this year. So I think that they're going to figure
(25:53):
out a way to be even better next year. They're
gonna fill some holes, you know, particularly along the offensive
line and I fully expect, Yeah Burrow, Josh Allen and
Patrick Mahomes, you know, to become essentially the faces of
the a f C if they aren't already, right, Um,
and it's gonna be. I mean, that is going to
be fun to watch those three guys, you know, try
(26:13):
to get back to this point here for the next
ten fifteen years, right. Yeah. Like Joe Burrow was stacked
what nineteen times in the postseason? Can you imagine if
he had an offense like yeah, just half of that
and they're in a better spot, right, Um, and they
still managed He got sacked was it twelve times in Tennessee?
And nine times or something times? Still was able to win,
(26:34):
went into arrow Head Stadium and one, I think they're
gonna be okay, And it is like you said, they
should be celebrating. It hurts, of course to not get
that ring, but they did something that this Bengals organization
hasn't done in decades. Yeah, and Bridget you should be
celebrating too, because your first season at NFL Network essentially
(26:55):
has come to a close here. Uh And you know,
I think, Um, here's the thing that that I just
I want to mention, um, is that you know, opportunities
are one thing, but taking advantage of opportunities or another thing.
And uh, you know, like the Bengals and Rams, you
took advantage of some opportunities this year and this week
in particular, and so you should feel really good about it.
(27:16):
And I just want to get your thoughts though on
what this season has kind of been like for you.
And it was the biggest season ever, literally and you
got to be a part of it. How cool was it?
It was so awesome. I remember last year sitting in
my apartment in Raleigh, North Carolina, watching NFL Networks coverage
of the Super Bowl week, thinking to myself, they're having
so much fun. This is like so cool. How do
(27:37):
I get to be one of these people? I hadn't
even applied for the job or like had any interviews,
And to be here a year later and not only
be going to the game but a part of the coverage.
It's just the entire week. I'm so tired because I've
been having ballsime at who am so excited because of
the opportunity and getting to getting to go to NFL
(27:59):
Honors even on Thursday the carpet. So many incredible people
that you've watched on TV for years. It's it's like
a pinching moment. I'm waiting for someone to be like,
this is a dream, You're dead, this isn't your real life.
So I got here in October, so I didn't even
have a full season. I didn't get to do training camp,
which I know NFL network And yeah, so I'm excited
(28:23):
to finally get my footing for a whole season and
see what I can do with that, because, like you said,
the small little opportunities I did get I was so
excited for. But I think being in more of a
routine next season is going to be even better. Yeah,
and um, let me be the first to tell you
there's no off season. The super Bowl may be over,
(28:43):
but the Combine is starting in less than two weeks.
Free agency begins a month from today, and the Draft
will be here before we know. It's so uh see
you guys. You know in July for about ten days
before training camp starts. That's that's really the only off
season here. So bridget thanks for being with us here
an NFL inside report. I hate that it took essentially
(29:04):
all season in our last episode of the two season
to get you on, but we've enjoyed watching you and
I hope we have you on a bunch more here
as we as we move into Yeah, thank you so
much for having me. It's so fun to talk with
you guys, and that's gonna do it for our final
(29:31):
episode of NFL Inside Report following an NFL game this season.
We thank you so much for being with us here
on this this journey care an NFL Inside Report. But
as we were talking about with Bridget there in our
last segment, the season, if you will, is not even
close to over, because we're getting into the Draft and
(29:53):
we're getting into the Combine and we're gonna be coming
to you live from the Combine in Indianapolis here on
an NFL Inside Report shortly, So look forward for those
episodes and we'll be back next week as well, looking
at free agency and the Draft and all the storylines
that you're gonna want and need uh here over the
course of the next few weeks. So thanks for being
with us on this journey here. Reminder to download, rate,
(30:15):
review our show on I Heart Radio, on Apple Podcast,
wherever you get your podcast. We greatly appreciate it, and
we've got some fun things in store for you. Here
over the next few weeks. And we think, of course
our intrepid producer tandem of Thomas Warren and Tim Paratica
for getting it done for us all season long. They
are Super Bowl Champions in my book. And uh, of
(30:36):
course appreciate all of you for being with us along
the ride as well. I'm your host, Rret Lewis. We'll
catch you next time. NFL Inside Report is the production
of the NFL and partnership with I Heart Radio. For
more official podcasts from the NFL, visit the I Heart
Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
I'm read Lewis, and this is NFL Inside reports. The Rams,
for the second time in franchise history, are Super Bowl
champions after twenty victory over the Bengals in Super Bowl
fifty six. First time they get to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. Though,
as the Los Angeles Rams, here in the City of Champions,
(00:31):
and that last night inside Sofi Stadium was an event
fit for Hollywood. And with that, let's welcome in our
friend and colleague here at NFL Media. Bridget Condon is
with us in bridget Um and literally was everywhere through
Super Bowl Week. If you did not know Los Angeles
(00:53):
until you know you got here um and and you
had not fully experienced all that Los Angeles had to offer,
Bridget you know have be you know, been one of
our newest colleagues in here for just a few months.
I felt like you got just about everything in the
span of a week. Does that sound about right? That
sounds about right. I think I was like wondering when
I was going to get immersed into the world, and
(01:13):
it was last week and when we were at Venice Beach,
Warner Brothers, Bengals Hotel, Rams Hotel, so By just got
it all done in one week. But yeah, what an
event l A too, right. I mean like you were
literally everywhere um so, which I thought was pretty cool.
And you did a fantastic job all week long with
like the sites, the sounds, like everything that you wanted
(01:35):
to experience during super Bowl Week. I felt like you
got a chance to do it, which was super cool.
Um and then you get to go to the game, right,
was this your first super Bowl? This is my first
super Bowl anything. I had never been in the city
that the super Bowl was in, or covered or attended anything.
So I'm still on like cloud nine right now because
(01:56):
I'm just changing myself. It was such an incredible experience.
Nothing's cool like l A cool. And the super Bowl
scene inside so far so I got. I went inside
for the first quarter before I had to head back
and do some halftime and postgame stuff, and just being
in their pregame and just like seeing all that Sofi
stadium like has to offer. But on that stage, Bridget
(02:18):
like that was insane. There's nothing like it, That's what
I was gonna say. It felt like anyone you've ever
heard about on TV or anyone that's famous was in
there right, Like every single person. They kept showing the
pictures on the jumpo tron of who was there. They
kept going and going. Right in the game, it's like
two or three celebrities, I mean everyone, Kanye was there. Yeah,
(02:42):
it's an event when Kanye is there with his head covered. Yeah,
that was one of the weirdest scenes I think I've
ever seen. Um. But then like after the game, so look,
we're gonna get to all the things, all game things,
Cooper Cup, Aaron Donald, futures of all these guys as well,
but like there were some real life moments like after
this game, like you saw it, tell us about it.
(03:04):
The craziest thing. I was like, okay, I sat on
that tweet for probably five minutes because I was like,
if this isn't her, I'm not trying to stir anything
up pregnancy labor, Like that's a pretty curious deal. I
was watching and I was like, should I tweet this out?
And then I'm got some confirmation that it was her,
and I was like, Okay, I'm pretty sure because it
(03:25):
looked like her. It was a pregnant woman on a stretcher.
I knew she was so crazy. I don't know if
it was the excitement of fifty cents surprising everyone at
half time. That just sent her into labor. Yeah, that's
that must have been what it was, clearly. But you
know what's kind of interesting is we've been talking in
a week about how Odell Beckham is expecting his first
child at at any moment, right, and he's always been
(03:47):
on standby. And then it's his buddy in the in
the room, Van Jefferson, that's his kid. Uh wow, like
a right story to tell us, are you kidding? Yeah?
And then you know, like this, so the Rams are
a super Bowl ring, right, they get a super Bowl
ring and they'll physically get it in a few weeks
or months, but Taylor Wrap then decides to give a ring. Right.
(04:10):
I feel like that was like we forgot about that
because everything else is going on. I saw that video
this morning and I was like wait what. There was
so much going on, sensory overload, so I can't even
imagine just being a regular guy on the team. It's like, Okay,
I want a super Bowl, but I didn't have a baby.
I didn't get um. Yeah, so that it's that was
(04:32):
It was pretty special, Like it just like a special
day inside so fa stadium for so many people, obviously
more so on the ram side of things, but man,
that was that was unreal. And then of course you
had the halftime show, right, which was like this um
culmination of culture. I feel like, especially since this game
is in Inglewood and we got you know, I felt
like we got kind of inductrinated into all of it
(04:53):
all week long. Um, you know, by hearing the interviews
and in the super Bowl halftime show, you know, news
conference in understanding what it means, um, you know, to
be someone from this area and to create and to
be an artist in this area and to come together
on the world's biggest stage. So like, all right, Bridget,
let's let's be honest here, because our producer Thomas Warren
(05:15):
wrote literally wrote this line in our preparation for this podcast,
Let's get bridgets thoughts on um what you know? Ch
As a millennial thinks of the halftime show that was
geared more for like the generation Wye crowd with the
Dr Dre's and stoops to the world, I thought it
was incredible. I mean, yes, I'm younger, but everyone knows
(05:39):
who Dr Drey is. Everyone knows who stoopid emam. You know,
those songs. Oh my goodness. I thought it was one
of the best halftime performances that we've seen in years past.
My boyfriend, actually his uncle is one of the producers
for the halftime show, so oh my god. Really, yeah,
he got to be on the field for it, and
his videos are insane. He was right in front where
(06:00):
I was sitting. My back or the back of the
houses was facing us. Yeah. Yeah, so we could see
it on the JumboTron, but the inside of the house
we couldn't see. But he was on the side of
the inside of the house and taking videos. It looked insane.
I just loved the setup of the little houses. I
agree that dropping down from the ceiling so cool. It
gave me chills when I saw him and m out
(06:21):
there too with his dancers. It's just they all flowed
so well together. It was so well like so perfectly choreographed,
and like going in and out of the different little
houses of the rooms and like and then all ending
up on the top with Dr dre Hold it down
to the very end. It just man, it felt so
l a like, it felt so Los Angeles and I
(06:43):
am not a Los Angeles native, but like it was like,
all right, that's what this is. And it felt like
when we heard there was what six performers, it's you're wondering,
how are they? Yeah, how who's what? Are I gonna say?
One word? Eat? They found a way to flow it
really well. Like you said, it was perfect, definite l A. Yeah,
(07:16):
and um. So the stars showed up at halftime and
for the Rams, though bridget the stars showed up all
game long, more specifically Matthew Stafford, Cooper Cup and Aaron Donald. Um.
Let's start with the Matthew Stafford Cooper Cup connection, because
you know, you were in and around the Rams, you know,
(07:36):
all week, and you've been you've been covering you know,
the Rams since you've really arrived, and you've been, you know,
part of our coverage. They're here in l A with
those guys, and what what do you feel like you've
learned about Matthew Stafford and Cooper Cup um in the
time that you've got to spend around them and around
their teammates. So one of the first RAMS practices I
went to, Cooper Cup was there waiting for Matthew to
(07:57):
finish availability. He was talking to us the media, and
he had an iPad and he was waiting for him
because he wanted him to explain something to him. And
I think that's such inside their relationship, right. They understand
each other on the field, off the field, they have
such a big chemistry. Stafford and I've spent a ton
of time together. Um. I think it was actually adding
up in the car on the way here. The just
(08:19):
the extra time outside of the obligatory time was you
know north this season and yesterday when the Bengals shut
down the Rams defense when their their run game, Odell
goes out, there's a shock, gun snap, poor man rush
right tackle, black brow yone dry belt. I dropped by
O b J. Who holds time towards me as he
hits the turf and I'm not too It was almost
(08:40):
a non contact Do you look like he was cutting?
And then we used writhing in pain on the field
at the forty five on a route which was a
shallow cross. Cooper wasn't getting a lot Eli Apple was
holding him pretty much in the first half. He did
have that one touchdown, And I think we forget that
they have won games, the two of them together, and
Matthew Stafford knew, Sean McVey knew if we're gonna win
(09:04):
this game. We gotta get Cooper going. And that's what
we saw there in the first fourth quarter. And it's
also the success of Matthew Stafford. Everybody counts him out always, right,
and we forget no he can. Like I think he's
over that hump that he was in in Detroit because
of the lack of players he had there. He's made
some clutch plays and yeah, he does Matthew Stafford things
that you know, through through a few interceptions, but at
(09:26):
the end of the day, he's able to find him
up and they make magic. And so look, Odell Beckham
was on his way to a monster game. You know.
I had the first score of the game on a
phenomenal catch and throw from Stafford, and then had some
chunk plays you know after that, and then goes down
with the injury. And I think everyone at that point knew, like, okay,
(09:47):
like if the Rams are going to figure this out,
Cooper cup is going to have to have the second
half of his life here, because you know, he had
been he had had you know, he had a couple
of catches in the first half, but he came alive
on at final drive and isn't that what being a
star is all about. When everyone knows you're the guy
(10:07):
that's going to get the ball, and still you figure
out how to win your route, win the catch at
the catchpoint, contested catch. And I mean I think like
even more so on the fact that, like the route
that Cooper Cup caught on, ran on that touchdown to
eventually win the game. Stafford cum utters center steps back,
(10:27):
throws the faith fact soldier Cooper Cups got its, Cooper
Cup brings it in touchdown, touchdown, touchdown l A. With
one twenty five remaining, the Rams are back on the
high side. That would have been an Odell Beckham route,
but because O b J wasn't there, Cooper Cup steps
(10:50):
up and wins, and that's why he's the m v P. Yeah.
And I think that one play where Cooper threw the
past to Matthew and it was a bad throw, I
think that was designed for open Oh sure, Yeah, I
think your heart just breaks for a guy like Odell
when he goes through something like that. You see him
crying on the sidelines, But them winning makes it a
(11:10):
little more sweeter, right, and you kind of forget, Okay,
we'll figure out what's going on. With him. But it's
easier to do so when you have a superhole in yep,
no doubt, uh, no doubt about it. And look, I
to go back to your story about the Stafford Cup connection.
You know, I was out at training camp the day
(11:32):
we had the back together Saturday thing, um, you know,
which was one of our one of our big days
in early August. And so I was out there at
U C Irvine and just walking around, and you know,
Cooper Cup is one of the first out of the field,
Matthew Stafford is too, and you know, before practice, you know,
you've got the centers often working with the quarterbacks, will
(11:53):
center quarterback exchange as part of what they do, you know,
kind of their pre practice stuff. But Cooper Cup is
standing there in front of you know, Matthew. So like
every time Matthew you know, has gets a stab, even
fires at the Cup and like it it seems like
something so minimal, but there they were just around each other.
It was like they were each other's shadows throughout the
(12:14):
entire practice. Like normally, when you know, let's say the
quarterbacks are off kind of doing their own thing as
a different part of practices going on. But Cooper's there too. Yeah,
it just it seems so simple. But I think you
you know, seeing how this this game transpired and how
that final drive went down, it's like, okay, yeah, I
mean they put the work in and so that chemistry
(12:34):
was next level for a reason. Yeah, And I think
he's he's a player that's so easy to root for
because he's so humble and he puts in so much work.
He's so smart when he talks about the way that
Sean McVeigh designs offenses. This is a guy again who
had none or one college offer in high school. He
had to work really hard in college, and now he's
(12:55):
earned it. He's a Super Bowl m v P and
his teammates love him, and it makes it so easy
to for Matthew and him to just connect because of
that attitude, Sean put us in some good spots, and
also Matthew Stafford probably through the best no looker of
his life. We've went in there a little bit. I
saw the lane I I was running in there. I
saw him leaning a little bit like, Oh, he's he's
(13:16):
doing this to me, isn't he? He was looking he
was looking up into the third level of the right,
right Cylon, but he put one in there and then
you'll just put a space the ball in play, allowing
his guys makes some plays for him. And by the way,
he broke some Jerry Rice records at Eastern Washington, some
FCS records, the old one double A in college. And
(13:39):
he's now like, along with Jerry Rice, they're like the
only guys that have won an Offensive Player of the
Year award, a Super Bowl m v P, and have
been a triple crown winner in terms of leading the
league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns in the season. Now,
Jerry didn't do that all in one season. He didn't
receivers hope to do in a career, literally in one year.
(14:00):
And it's nuts. And did you hear I don't know
if you heard the story real quick when they lost
the Super Bowl. He said this story last night. He
was walking off the field when the Patriots beat the Rams,
and he said he had some vision and he was
thinking he's gonna be back in the Super Bowl and
he's gonna win m v P. And he was like,
I can't tell anyone this, but he told his wife
and then it happened last night I'm like, how cool
(14:21):
is that? Right on this level? And he spent some
time and hope for some goodness in my life. Yeah,
no kidding. Um, just kind of want to be around
Cooper uh and his family. They're they're absolutely phenomenal, and
I'm happy for him because he's earned it. Uh. And
so some of the Rams literally in every facet. You
know that we talked about pressure, um, that they put
on themselves by some of the moves that they made
(14:43):
to go out and get big name players like Matthew
Stafford and to give up big time assets to do it.
Same with von Miller and signing oh b J and
Jalen Ramsey obviously a big part of that too. But
it all worked out, how it all worked out, how
they dealt with the pressure, how the Angles regroup after
succumbing at the end of this game to the Rams.
(15:04):
Will we will get into right after this quick breath.
All right back here on NFL Inside Report, bridget Condon
(15:26):
is with us and bridget um. Look, talk of Super
Bowl week was all right, you know, if the Rams
don't win, is the Stafford trade to fail? You know,
how are they going to deal with all this? You know,
this is they went all in. Nothing short of a
Super Bowl championship is is you know, the measure of
success for Los Angeles and for less Snee, the general
manager and architect of this Rams team, And they rose
(15:48):
to the occasion every time. And in Bridget, I'm just
curious from you being around the Rams, like, did you
get the sense that you know, as they said, all
of that talk about pressure really was external and not
necessarily something internal happening inside their building. I do think so.
I think if it was any internal pressure, it was
maybe management in front office people. But I think the
(16:09):
players really believed in themselves and got along so well,
both the Bengals and the Rams. I think really, when
you get to this level, a lot of it does
actually have to do with chemistry, of course talent, but
I think they were just confident. You know, you get
a guy like Odell, you have Vaughan, you have Aarond.
Some of the things that they needed in that Super
Bowl fifty three they found those public puzzle pieces, and
so I think they didn't feel the pressure. Yeah. And
(16:30):
then for Joe Burrow, you know, like pressure, it's like
what no, his his his his edge, his confidence, his
cool calum and collected nature in the face of perceived pressure,
I think is what makes him so great, what makes
him so likable. Um, you know, as a quarterback, and
he had him going right, He had the Bengals in position,
(16:52):
you know, at one point obviously with the te Higgins
touchdown to start the second half, play actually funding room
going good. But if caught by Higgins, he goes in
for the score. Jaylen Ramsey fell down and just like that,
in twelve seconds, a seventy five yard touchdown, which is
(17:14):
something we've never seen in a Super Bowl of play,
a touchdown score in the first play from scrimmage in
either half in the bathroom. When that, most people like,
whoa what? And then the next drive they come out
and they pick off Matthew Stafford. You're like, oh my god,
play action fired over the middle, pecked off at the
thirty one yard line. Scarron I couldn't handle it, and
(17:37):
the Cincinnati Bengals in twenty two seconds have a touchdown
and a takeaway. The Bengals are gonna flipping wind, looked Patrick.
He was sitting next to Patrick Clayband, and I was like,
are the Bengals about to win the Super Bowl? Yeah?
And then it just you know, it fizzled out. Like offensively,
they ran into a rut where they had you know,
(17:58):
they had the fuel goal off that reception, the second
interception for Matthew Stafford, and then they had you know,
four straight punts after that and just could not find
their rhythm. Partly bridget because they could not deal with
Aaron Donald. And he came alive in the second half.
Under pressure, they get him at the twenty yard line.
(18:18):
He was on it. Donald is right there. He didn't
do much in the first half, and I think we
were all waiting. Okay, Aaron Donald, you talked about how
mad you were after Super Bowl fifty three and you
want this. We know you want. This is the last
thing on your bucket list, right You won multiple Defensive
Player of the Years, even named to a Pro Bowl.
We don't have a Super Bowl. So where where were was?
(18:40):
Where was Aaron Donald in the first half? But he
came alive in that second half. He had those two sacks,
and of course that last play of the game where
Joe Burrows trying to get the ball out, he brushes
him and Joe Burrow throws in completion, Burrow trying to
keep it going get spunned out. That's what the wife
then and complete it looked like what about a shot
(19:00):
to make the grab? But the Rams down running down
to celebrate was a defensive play. And guess who I mean,
you don't even have to think about it. I think
he was the difference. And what a story book ending
for this guy who is loving football. He told me
he took three days off after the last Super Bowl
(19:22):
and that is it and has been in the gym
working since and finally the work base off. Yeah, and
you know, look, von Miller a big part of the two.
He has two sacks in the second half. I mean
they have six second half sacks, which was you know, insanity. Um,
And look, that's kind of what we thought might happen
throughout the game. It just turns out the Bengals were
able to deal with it in the first half and
(19:44):
then the Rams made some adjustments defensively in the second
half to get Aaron Donald one on one of those
those guards in the interior, and he is he's no
match for anybody one on one. You don't think he's
actually going to retire, now, do you? I don't know,
he's young, right, This is a Pier it's not. Yeah,
but this is what else is there left to do?
I don't know if he wants to be a dad baby.
(20:05):
It's like, what am I going to stick around and
be Tom Brady and just keep winning? Well, he's still
at the time, he is at the very top of
his game, and so I think that's you know, there's
only been six players to win multiple Defensive Player of
the Year awards and a Super Bowl. Every other one
of those players is a Hall of Famer. He will
be a Hall of Famer. Even if he does retire,
(20:28):
He's a Hall of Famer, you know, first ballot Hall
of Famer in my book. Um, you know, as soon
as he's eligible, even you know, knowing that he's got
he's got more years left to give in this league,
hoping there's maybe a contract extension that might help fuel
his desire to get back into the game here a
little bit, because this game needs him. This game needs
a dominant player like that that we're all just in awe, right,
(20:50):
I mean, like that's what makes this game so great.
He seems like he's in too good a shape to
walk away to to I don't think he's done working
out and continuing to old himself. So I think we'll
see him back next year. The same with Sean McVeigh,
Like we had all those kind of weird yeah, like
I even know that was a question that he would
think about leaving and doing what. Yeah, Well, first of all,
(21:11):
he's the youngest head coach to ever win a Super Bowl,
And I think it's also kind of a cool um.
It's just kind of a cool piece because we we
saw it kind of happen on our Game day final
set on NFL Network last night. We had the youngest
coach to ever win a Super Bowl stop by and
talk about his future, which he basically said, no, I'm
not retiring. There were reports out there that John McVeigh,
if you wins Super Bowl fifty six, could walk away
(21:33):
at age thirty six from coaching. Is that happening. No, No,
I'm I'm so happy for this team right now, so
happy to be associated with it. Enjoy to night. Yeah,
well you should, by the way, amazing don't remember any
of its celebrate, but I do want to like sit
back and enjoy the you know, the things you enjoy life, enjoy,
you know, build a family and all that. So McVeigh
(21:54):
the youngest to win a Super Bowl is left tackle
is the oldest player of also you know, four year
old left tackle, which we haven't seen before in the league,
and it's the oldest player to win his first Super Bowl. Um,
and so I'm like, you can't if you're if you're
Sean McVeigh, you can't retire before Andrew Whitworth, right, Like
being younger than Andrew Whitworth, right, I mean, like, so,
(22:16):
I don't think that's going to happen. I was just saying,
it's an interesting thing to like to think about though,
that it takes so much of these these coaches and
these players each year, and you have to sacrifice so
much to be in this kind of position that some
of that does creep in your head, like all right,
I need to make sure that i'm you know, I'm
I'm there for my family too, you know, and when
(22:37):
you've done what you want to achieve, makes it easier
to be like, maybe I do want to walk away.
I thought it was only last night with Andrew Whitworth
and Sean McVeigh and Whitworth talking about how much he's
taught Sean mcfay and it's player teaching, but it's true
he's four years older than him. Yeah. Yeah. And then
you know, for the Bengals, now we're looking at this like, Okay,
(23:00):
they're going to be back because they're a young team. Absolutely,
and let's hope the knee injury for Burrow is again
something or you know whatever was ailing him, you know
late in that game where he was like, yeah, I
wasn't coming out, and clearly he wasn't. But I let's
hope that that's that's nothing that's gonna impair his you know,
his off season this year. How do you look at
this Bengles team in terms of what they accomplished this year,
(23:22):
bridget and you know what they can do to get
back to it. They have so much talent on this
team that is so young. Joe Burrow this really was
his first season. Of course it was his second, but
he got injured in that first season. To March. This
was his first season. He sent records in his first season.
(23:44):
The two of them are only going to continue to build.
And Zach Taylor this is only his third season as
a coach. I think we're gonna be talking about the
Bengals for years to come, and it's gonna be Patrick
Mahomes and and Joe Burrow in the a f C
title game for years one or Yeah. I just think
this is the beginning of something. And while you know,
(24:05):
when you cover these players you want them all to win,
right when you get to know them and you tell
their story and it's like you feel so bad for
a guy like Joe Burrow. But if anyone's time, it
was last night, it was that Andrew Wittworth's Aaron Donalds
who might potentially never get back to another Super Bowl
because probably retire. Joe Burrow he'll be back in a
(24:26):
super Bowl. He said at this wonder what whether it's
Sunday or later, He's gonna win a Super Bowl. And
I thought it was kind of cool that Burrow mentioned
post game, you know that he watched the Kurt Warner
Football Life in the week leading up to the Super Bowl,
and he was like, yeah, I kind of notice what
Kurt was saying is how they come almost you know,
punished themselves too much for losing a Super Bowl instead of,
(24:49):
you know, understanding that it took a lot to get
to that point and to celebrate some of what it
took to get to that point. I watched the football
Life of Kurt Warner. You know last week when we
had little, uh, a little break and you know, I
kind of thought about this in the locker room and
they lost one, and you know later in within the
(25:11):
documentary they said or he said that, you know, they
let it sting too much. They didn't they didn't celebrate
what they accomplished. So you know, we're gonna obviously it stings,
but you know, we had a great year, didn't come
off this last game the way we wanted to. But
I think and we still have something sober. I think
that's what we need to keep in perspective here with
(25:32):
the Bengals is nobody expected them to be And they
can talk all they want about you know, they expected
it of themselves and that's fine, but nobody expects a
worst to first, you know, you know, like last place
in the division to super Bowl champion. It's just you know,
we we don't. It's just not something that you're like, oh, yeah, clearly,
this is that's what this team is going to do
this year. So I think that they're going to figure
(25:53):
out a way to be even better next year. They're
gonna fill some holes, you know, particularly along the offensive
line and I fully expect, Yeah Burrow, Josh Allen and
Patrick Mahomes, you know, to become essentially the faces of
the a f C if they aren't already, right, Um,
and it's gonna be. I mean, that is going to
be fun to watch those three guys, you know, try
(26:13):
to get back to this point here for the next
ten fifteen years, right. Yeah. Like Joe Burrow was stacked
what nineteen times in the postseason? Can you imagine if
he had an offense like yeah, just half of that
and they're in a better spot, right, Um, and they
still managed He got sacked was it twelve times in Tennessee?
And nine times or something times? Still was able to win,
(26:34):
went into arrow Head Stadium and one, I think they're
gonna be okay, And it is like you said, they
should be celebrating. It hurts, of course to not get
that ring, but they did something that this Bengals organization
hasn't done in decades. Yeah, and Bridget you should be
celebrating too, because your first season at NFL Network essentially
(26:55):
has come to a close here. Uh And you know,
I think, Um, here's the thing that that I just
I want to mention, um, is that you know, opportunities
are one thing, but taking advantage of opportunities or another thing.
And uh, you know, like the Bengals and Rams, you
took advantage of some opportunities this year and this week
in particular, and so you should feel really good about it.
(27:16):
And I just want to get your thoughts though on
what this season has kind of been like for you.
And it was the biggest season ever, literally and you
got to be a part of it. How cool was it?
It was so awesome. I remember last year sitting in
my apartment in Raleigh, North Carolina, watching NFL Networks coverage
of the Super Bowl week, thinking to myself, they're having
so much fun. This is like so cool. How do
(27:37):
I get to be one of these people? I hadn't
even applied for the job or like had any interviews,
And to be here a year later and not only
be going to the game but a part of the coverage.
It's just the entire week. I'm so tired because I've
been having ballsime at who am so excited because of
the opportunity and getting to getting to go to NFL
(27:59):
Honors even on Thursday the carpet. So many incredible people
that you've watched on TV for years. It's it's like
a pinching moment. I'm waiting for someone to be like,
this is a dream, You're dead, this isn't your real life.
So I got here in October, so I didn't even
have a full season. I didn't get to do training camp,
which I know NFL network And yeah, so I'm excited
(28:23):
to finally get my footing for a whole season and
see what I can do with that, because, like you said,
the small little opportunities I did get I was so
excited for. But I think being in more of a
routine next season is going to be even better. Yeah,
and um, let me be the first to tell you
there's no off season. The super Bowl may be over,
(28:43):
but the Combine is starting in less than two weeks.
Free agency begins a month from today, and the Draft
will be here before we know. It's so uh see
you guys. You know in July for about ten days
before training camp starts. That's that's really the only off
season here. So bridget thanks for being with us here
an NFL inside report. I hate that it took essentially
(29:04):
all season in our last episode of the two season
to get you on, but we've enjoyed watching you and
I hope we have you on a bunch more here
as we as we move into Yeah, thank you so
much for having me. It's so fun to talk with
you guys, and that's gonna do it for our final
(29:31):
episode of NFL Inside Report following an NFL game this season.
We thank you so much for being with us here
on this this journey care an NFL Inside Report. But
as we were talking about with Bridget there in our
last segment, the season, if you will, is not even
close to over, because we're getting into the Draft and
(29:53):
we're getting into the Combine and we're gonna be coming
to you live from the Combine in Indianapolis here on
an NFL Inside Report shortly, So look forward for those
episodes and we'll be back next week as well, looking
at free agency and the Draft and all the storylines
that you're gonna want and need uh here over the
course of the next few weeks. So thanks for being
with us on this journey here. Reminder to download, rate,
(30:15):
review our show on I Heart Radio, on Apple Podcast,
wherever you get your podcast. We greatly appreciate it, and
we've got some fun things in store for you. Here
over the next few weeks. And we think, of course
our intrepid producer tandem of Thomas Warren and Tim Paratica
for getting it done for us all season long. They
are Super Bowl Champions in my book. And uh, of
(30:36):
course appreciate all of you for being with us along
the ride as well. I'm your host, Rret Lewis. We'll
catch you next time. NFL Inside Report is the production
of the NFL and partnership with I Heart Radio. For
more official podcasts from the NFL, visit the I Heart
Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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