Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Oh man, what a great conversation do with a break.
Welcome back to it Broncos Country tonight. I'm your host Grant.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Smith filling in for Benjamin Albright who's covering the NFL
Combine on Indie and was gracious enough with his time
in between his hob nobbing and drinking and shrimp cocktails
to join us in the last segment. Also had Clark
Kellogg on earlier in the show, love picking his brain
about the upcoming March Madness, which we are getting the
first and second round back in Denver this year. Can't
(00:28):
wait for that. Also Hall of famers Steve Atwater earlier
in the show. If you missed any of that, you
can find it all shortly up at Kowacolorado dot com
or on the free and totally redesigned iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
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Speaker 1 (01:08):
Sports is coming on right after it.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Just go right to the iHeartRadio app, click it open
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preset on your iHeartRadio app today. Make us the number
one pre set on the iHeartRadio app. I'm Grant Smith
filling in for Ben with Nick Ferguson. Nick, we were
(01:31):
talking before the break about the running back position and
kind of how it's got a resurgence in the eyes
of the powers that be in the NFL. This was
George Payton earlier well yesterday, talking to the media at
the NFL Combine about the Broncos thoughts on their running
back position and how he's viewing this draft class as well.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Well, I mean, there's a chance to bring Javonte back,
you know, and I think Javonte is one of the
best pass protectors in the league, you know, And I
think he's you know, he's still young, and he's still
is sending you know, another year removed from the injury.
But I think there's so many different flavors in this
draft of runner, and we have some backs that we like,
and so it's going to be an interesting process already
(02:12):
has been just to get to know these runners.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
I know we're searching for the Joker.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
It's kind of like the Lockness Monster trying to find
a guy named Joker. But I've played Sean seems that's
had him and their health.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
So yeah, a lot of different backs.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
I think it's a good year to maybe, you know,
go get it back because there's so many But.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Yeah, I love this new dry humor from George Payton.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
He seems so much more comfortable this year after some
success on the field. But what were your thoughts on
maybe them bring in Javonte back, because everyone you talk
to seems like that's out.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Of the picture. As you said earlier, this is the.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Lying season, So what are your thoughts on him saying
that they may bring Javonte back and also his overall
thoughts on the running back classes here.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
I like that because remember what happened in the Buffalo game.
Audrey Estimate was a healthy scratch and we were wondering, like, okay, well,
Why did that happen? Because I thought he was going
to be an active participant in that particular game, because
of what we saw of him in college, being a
physical down here runner in his days of Notre Dame
(03:18):
and bringing back Javonte, and and hearing you know, George
Peyton saying those things about Javante, I know they would
probably warm Javonte's ears and those in his camp because
now you're talking about a guy who you know is
fought back from that injury, a guy who's worked his
tail off when other people here in this media market
(03:38):
were writing him off. And I can tell you the
guy that had too many surgeries. No, you're never the same,
but your drive is what pushes you forward to overcome
that adversity that you experienced. And Javonte being a guy
that can step up and film that blissed linebacker. To me,
there's a lot of running backs and this this upcoming draft,
(03:59):
when you stow to evaluate them, you're looking at that
they got very good skill sets, you know, be inside
outside runner. But can you do the dirty work? That's
the thing that's really important. Can you do the dirty work,
but can you do it at a high level? For
a long period of time. So I would love to
see Javonte come back.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
I would too, Man, I felt like he got such
like it seemed.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Like he only got the dirty.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Work responsibilities last year in the Sean Payton offense, like
they were letting everybody else run the ball, but when
they needed someone to pass protect, Javonte.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Was in the case.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
You know what, great it seems like a bad thing,
and as a player, sometimes we look at it as
a bad thing. We feel as though we're versa two
to do all these different things. Why am I being
reduced to as one row? But sometimes you got to
get out of that mindset because that one thing that.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
You do may be very valuable and keeping you on
the roster, keeping you on, See, that's the main.
Speaker 6 (04:53):
Thing, the main thing, the main thing, Yes, because I
want to be on a roster.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
I'd rather be he employed doing something I really don't
want to do, opposed to be unemployed.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
And we've seen sparks out of Davonte in his career,
especially his rookie season, man, where he was just running
everybody over and you know, making some moves in the
hall where I didn't know he was that kind of player.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
When we got him out of North.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Carolina and then you see these bursts out of him,
and I just I hope he can return to that,
whether it's in a Broncos uniform or not, because pre injury, man,
he looks like a star in the making.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
You know what.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
I feel as though Javonte can return to it because
we saw last year. Obviously he didn't really have that
burst that he had when he first came into the
league from North Carolina, but he still had once again,
it goes back to that drop, and it would be
when you think about it, it's amazing what motivates you,
(05:49):
especially from a player's standpoint.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Yeah, right, a team saying.
Speaker 6 (05:52):
That we see value in you.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Whether we say, okay, well, this is the one thing
that we know that you can do well and we
want you to do that. But then you get an
opportunity to get reinvigorated because they're bringing in other guys,
and how you handle that competition.
Speaker 6 (06:07):
Do you fall back or do you step forward?
Speaker 4 (06:10):
See that says a lot about players, and I've seen
a lot of players fall back, Like when you're doing
one on ones, right you're looking. I've seen guys standing
in the line counting players to say okay, well, no, no, no, no,
not not him. I got a guy, right, So you
take the easy win. But you take the easy win
and you look great in practice, but when you get
(06:31):
in the game, you get exposed because you didn't get
worked in practice, so you know what your weaknesses were.
Speaker 6 (06:38):
Right. So for me, like, even though I play, I
played cornered in.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
College and then I end up playing safety, so I
would cover wide receivers even though that I don't stand
the chance, right, It'll be totally honest, but it helped
me in preparation for covering tight ends and or just
in case I got matched up on the wide receiver, which,
believe it or not, in my career, it happened. Yeah,
you're looking around like, wait a minute, where's John. Yes,
(07:07):
someone's got to come, don't come. The team was going
to find him. So for me, I love the idea
of Davonte coming back and idea of that you're still
adding rookie pieces and other free agent pieces to just
make the room complete from a competitive standpoint.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Yeah, I like that as well.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
And you know another guy that, uh it didn't work
out in the Broncos uniform, but we heard George Payton
yesterday in the exclusive one on one with Ryan Edwards
and Benjamin Albright that you can find at Kowa Colorado
dot com. But he was talking about Greg Dolcic as
a prospect and how much he loved him and how
if he could do it over again, you know, he
would probably draft Greg Dolcic again, but his injuries just
(07:46):
kind of didn't pay out for him here in Denver.
That's another guy I hope latches on somewhere else because
he's got all the skills. If he can stay healthy,
I think he's going to be a good tight end.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
In this But Rayon, that's the biggest part of this
game because in takes you out first. And I loved
everything about Greg Doson's coming out of UCLA, and I
was like, oh man, I would love for them to
open him up and flex him out. And you know,
we saw a couple of games of Greg Doson's. My
most memorable game was the game against the Chargers, him
(08:17):
and Russell Wilson, you know, link it up and it
was like, oh my, see.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
This is what we can get, this is what we're
looking for.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Right and then this is kind of like remember when
nord Fan was drafted, it's like, okay, well we thought
nor Fan was going to be that type of guy
in the Broncos uniform. Well it just didn't pan out.
And sometimes that's how it works. It's just your injuries
kind of derail you. Or you may be drafted by
a team that thought they had the right idea of
how they wanted to deploy you. But when whether rubber
(08:48):
meets the row, you realize like, no, this is not
a great fit for me. So I hope Greg Dosons
gets another opportunity. But this speaks volume to who George
Peyton is. I could have easily kind of dumped on,
you know, Greg Doss or whatever, but he just said,
you know what, Yeah, if I had a chance to
do it again, I would. And it's not like Dolsa
(09:10):
wasn't a great player. It was the fact that we
didn't get a chance to seem enough of him because.
Speaker 6 (09:15):
He was injured.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Yeah, And you know, the NFL is a crazy business,
and like you said, injuries can take you out of
it and you never know what's going to happen when
you're just getting into it.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Speaking of someone who's a prospect.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
And about to be entering the NFL Shadur Sanders deciding
not to throw at the NFL Combine. I want to
play you this sound for Matt Miller of ESPN. He's
actually going to be joining the guys on KA Sports
tomorrow live from Indianapolis at the Combine, but he had
this to say about Shadur Sanders not choosing not to
throw at the NFL Combine.
Speaker 7 (09:47):
It's not a huge surprise that Shador Sanders has opted
to not throw at the Combine because we just saw
him one month ago show up to the East West
the East West Shrine game and not participate there as
well after saying he would be. So this is kind
of the method that they're going with this offseason for
Shor Sanders. As you mentioned, it has become part of
the course for top quarterbacks to not throw the combine. However,
(10:09):
the point that I would make is Shor Sanders is
not the top quarterback in this year's drap That's Miami's
Cam Ward. And the fact is this quarterback group is
very unsettled. We don't have a number one quarterback like
we did last year with Kayleb Williams, even maybe the
year before with Bryce Young, where he felt like the
number one guy throughout the entire process.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
This is a wide open race for.
Speaker 7 (10:28):
The number one quarterback spot in the twenty twenty five
NFL Draft. And this is a second opportunity now with
the East West Shrine Game, where Shor Sanders has said
I'm good.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
I'm gonna wait till the next event.
Speaker 7 (10:38):
So all pressure now is on that Colorado pro Dae.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Personally, I'm not a fan of this.
Speaker 7 (10:43):
I think you take every opportunity given to you to
prove that you're the guy. We heard the sound by
him saying I'm going to be the guy.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
Go show that you are.
Speaker 7 (10:51):
CJ. Stroud threw at the combine, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen.
We saw three guys who were first round picks last
year throw at the combine and it improved their sock.
So if I in Shador Sanders, Camp would have asked
me a week ago, I would have said, this is
an opportunity to prove he's better than camp Moore, to
prove he's better than Jackson Dark, to prove he's.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
Better than whoever.
Speaker 7 (11:10):
The hot quarterback of.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
The moment is.
Speaker 7 (11:12):
Maybe it's Tyler Shuck, Maybe hits quinn Ewers from Texas
but this was an opportunity that I think Shador and
his camp are really missing out on where he could
show that he is that number one quarterback in this class.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
That was Matt Miller of ESPN.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
I believe that was on NFL Live, and then the
rest of the panel, Ryan Clark and Mina Kimes adamantly
disagreed with him after that statement.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
But what are your thoughts on that, Nick? I wish
I wish people could have seen your face as that
clip was played.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Well, I totally disagree with him because it seldom do
we see players in his position, And if Shador was
any of the player of any other position, I would
say that Matt Miller was right. But he plays the
quarterback position, and the quarterback position is viewed very differently
in the NFL. Those guys get away with highway murder,
(12:00):
right because they're quarterbacks. Everyone always talks about, well, you
got to have a good quality quarterback to put you
in the right position to win. And we've seen other
quarterbacks not work out. We've seen other players not work out.
Is this the end of the world for Shad Door Sanders.
Speaker 6 (12:14):
No, it's not.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
But there's something bigger at play. When you look at
this particular situation. You know, when I was growing up,
we would always say to one another, am I my
brother's keeper?
Speaker 6 (12:26):
Right?
Speaker 4 (12:26):
And Shador Sanders he is his brother's keeper. He is
Will Shepherd's keeper. He is his Shallow Sanders keeper as well.
Javonte Western keeper as well. And you know when you
think about Jimmy Hawn Jr. He is his keeper as well.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
Because if Shador worked out at the combine, how many
scouts do you think are gonna head to see you
to work out those other guys? Not very many, not
that many, right, So I like this plan of not
doing that because people want to see chadoro.
Speaker 6 (13:00):
You know that cam Water is gonna work out.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
But Shador gets an opportunity to see how everyone throws
at the combine, and every mistake that they made, he gets.
Speaker 6 (13:09):
An opportunity to find to them.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
So when they come to see you, he now has
to show and prove he'll make.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
That exact throat that that other guy missed at the.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Combine, that's right, right, So I call it perfect strategy.
Speaker 6 (13:21):
And once again, let's be totally honest.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
I mean, he is Deon Sanders' son, right, So you
gotta think that there is a play behind it, but
it's more or less I'm gonna use my opportunity to
uplift all these other individuals. And if you are a Scouts,
a gem in the NFL, and you're thinking, well, well,
we get a little upset with Shador because you know
(13:44):
he's making everything about him showing his watch and all
of this stuff.
Speaker 6 (13:47):
Guess what, he doesn't really need the.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
NFL, totally honest, making millions of dollars exactly.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
So for me, it's one of those things.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
And my brother's keeper and and I'm to speak for Shador,
yes I am.
Speaker 8 (14:04):
And Dion's a good figure to lean on going through
this process to nix't point. Obviously he's been through it before.
But I wasn't alive, but I've heard the story. When
eng was going through the draft process, he you know,
told I think it was the Giants if I'm remembering correctly,
But he was like, I'm not meeting with you guys
at the combine. I'm not going to be on the
board when you're picking it. Unheard of truth, which is
(14:27):
unheard of, especially at that point in time.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
It'd be crazy to do now, But in nineteen eighty.
Speaker 8 (14:31):
Nine it was especially unheard of worked out just fine
for Dion. He's the guy giving Shador guidance throughout.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
All this process.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Yeah, and Coach Prime always been a man ahead of
his time. I know people love to hate him, but
that just means a lot of times you're doing things
the right way in that regard.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
You know, Coach Prime kind of mentoring his son through this.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Do you think this is kind of also a way
at least this is what went through my mind when
you were talking about being your brother's keeper. It's kind
of a way to pay back and say thank you
to his dad because his dad was the only guy
that gave him a chance to play college football. He
was at an HBCU, he was at Jackson State, and
he takes him to Colorado and you remember the noise
around that when he first came to see you, and
(15:12):
then you see how well he played thirty seven touchdown
passes last year, second most in college football. You think
this is a way to kind of say thank you, Hey, dad,
Let's put all the eyes back on your program. Even
though I'm leaving and going to the NFL. This is
a way to make sure that the attention still turns
back to.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
See you bingo, because what we know about Dion Sanders
coach Prime, Prime Time, Prime Time, he knows how to
brand in marketing. And I'm sure at Florida State he
didn't get a PhD a doctorate in marketing because he
already knows how to do it. And that's the other
thing too as well. This shifts the spotlight on Denver, Colorado.
(15:52):
It shed the spotlight and on Boulder, Colorado, and we
saw the see you buffs, the whole fan base, a
whole player. It's a bolder kind of light up. With
Coach Prime in the building, this is an opportunity to
showcase the CEEU Buff's program and then also show those recruits.
Speaker 6 (16:12):
Right, this is where you want to be.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
So you know what, I'm coach Brian and i'd instead
of when I see it, I gotta love Conda.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
We'll be right back on Broncos Country to night on
KOA fifty am, ninety four to one FM. I'm your
guest host for the evening, Grant Smith filling in for
Benjamin Albright while he's out covering the NFL combine with
Ryan Edwards and filling in on KOA Sports. I'm in
here with my guy Nick Ferguson, thanks to Steve Atwater,
(16:44):
the Hall of famer, for joining us earlier in the show.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Clark Kellogg, another hall of famer in college basketball. Man,
what a.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Treat that was catching up with him, and also our
very own wet blanket Benjamin Albright joined us earlier in
the show.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
And Zack Seger sent.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Me this some breaking news out of the NFL combine.
This is per Mike Florio and Pro Football Talk. Jordan
Schultz of Fox verbally accosted Ian Rappaport of NFL Media
at an NFL or at an Indianapolis Starbucks on Wednesday afternoon.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
A report was made to NFL security.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
I assume this is from the Matt Stafford story earlier.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Is that correct, Sneakers?
Speaker 2 (17:24):
You have to assume. Yeah, man, I can't wait to
hear more details on this. Two NFL insiders going at
it out of Starbucks in Indianapolis.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
What's the world coming to? Nick?
Speaker 6 (17:35):
That's very interesting.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
I know if they work as insiders and breaking news,
but uh wow, I never thought that the beef go
this far.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Yeah, and the Segers just told me in my ear
Jordan Schultz, Howard Schultz's kid, who is of Starbucks fame,
so going it on daddy's territory.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (17:56):
Interesting.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Before we get to the NFL six pack, we're talking
about Schadur Sanders and you were talking about.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
How he is his brother's keeper.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
We have this story or this, yeah, this story from
Upping Adams from Chris Carter talking about an interaction he
had with someone who was with Schudar for a couple
of days driving them around. And I thought this was
worth sharing just to kind of show people who are
that Shadur Sanders or the whole Sanders family, the haters
of them, just kind of what kind of people they are.
Speaker 9 (18:26):
Something I'm gonna say about Sador too.
Speaker 10 (18:29):
This is what a lot of young people don't realize.
When I was at the National Championship, the elder Dame
versus O Hiles, Hey, I was working for a company
at and T that he already has to deal with,
and he didn't know that I was going to be
getting in the car with his driving right after him.
Speaker 6 (18:49):
And they had been driving him and his brother.
Speaker 10 (18:51):
Around for two days. So the thing that the driver said,
as far as the way he conducts his business, the
way he takes care of him, the way he bosses
his brother around to make sure that he's not late,
because he could do some things that aren't as timely
as the door. So a true CEO. This is something
(19:12):
I told Dion. I told Dion Junior, the guy behind
the media, that you don't know who's watching. And to
hear this driver brag about Chador. He just said to
his timy coming down every time he called him, he
was five minutes early. The way he was preparing his dress,
(19:36):
his wardrobe inside the car, the things he talked about
with his brother, the seriousness for which he conducted himself,
like all these things, like he was just bragging him
out the door, and then I.
Speaker 9 (19:48):
Drove him for two days.
Speaker 10 (19:49):
And the kid is going to be a great quarterback,
Like even if he couldn't play, he's going to be
a great human being.
Speaker 6 (19:55):
So those are types of.
Speaker 9 (19:57):
Things that behind the scenes, you know, kay, Because there's
some jerks out there in sports and people don't like
to admit it, but you always like to hear for
someone who's a good person.
Speaker 10 (20:08):
There's a lot of them, and there's more good ones
in there are bad, but very seldom do we ever
hear that, And it's nice to be able to hear that,
especially about Shador.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
That was Chris Carter on up and Adams and man,
I love hearing stories like that.
Speaker 6 (20:22):
Yeah, that's the best part of it.
Speaker 4 (20:24):
When and the way I look at it, it's like,
and I tell my son this, like you can judge
a person by what they do when no one's watching, Yes,
because when someone's watching you, you want to be on
your best behavior. But being in those types of situation,
you're riding in the back of a car, and it's
easy for a guy of Sadu's status to just say, Okay,
(20:45):
well my life is better than yours.
Speaker 6 (20:47):
And you're beneath me and treat people in a proper way.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
But once again, these stories from Chris Carter and everything
else that we talked about, as far as you do
is concerned for me, should turn the idea in the
mindset of people about who Shoudor is is where.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Yeah, I totally agree. And with that, let's get to
the NFL six pack.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
It's time for.
Speaker 9 (21:07):
The NFL six I'm gonna trade and insight information you
can't find anywhere else.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
I know the top six NFL headlines.
Speaker 8 (21:18):
What Sean McVay said today during some media availability that
the Rams first goal this offseason is having Matt Stafford
return as their starting quarterback. That might get a little
muddied by that George Schultz in Montana situation.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
We just reference.
Speaker 8 (21:39):
What do you believe, Sean McVay that that's the rams
top goal this offseason? Or do you think the Rams
are hoping to trade Stafford as some recent report suggest.
Speaker 6 (21:49):
I think both these can be true.
Speaker 4 (21:50):
Yeah, they hope to get him back because well who's
waiting in the wings.
Speaker 6 (21:54):
But if they can't get him back, they.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
Have to have someone of a plan and instead of
letting your player walk away, we're going to trade him
and get some value for him.
Speaker 6 (22:03):
So both of these things are true.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Yeah, I think they want Matt Stafford back, but I
think they want mass Stafford back.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
At the right price. And if he.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Goes out and tests the market and someone's willing to
pay him five or ten million more a year, they're
going to go ahead and say see you later, thanks
for your services, thanks for the Super Bowl, and we'll
start to rebuild.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Two forty nine ers.
Speaker 8 (22:25):
GM John Lynch said that the forty nine ers will
honor Deebo Samuel's trade request, but edverg Gazett's Chris Thomasin
reported today that the Broncos will not.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Be trading for the Star receiver.
Speaker 8 (22:38):
Do you buy that the Broncos are truly out of
the running for Deebo Samuel?
Speaker 1 (22:42):
And where do you hope to see Deebo wind up?
Speaker 4 (22:46):
Well, I can't say the Broncos are out of the
market for a guy like Deebo, because you take a
look at every single guy that's out there, unt a
situation whereveals itself, where it's too much draft capital that
you have to give up for him. Now, instead of
telling you where I think he will end up, I'll
tell you where I know I don't want him to Endo.
Speaker 6 (23:07):
I don't want him to end up anywhere.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
In this division, anywhere in the West now with the
Raiders and definitely and definitely not with Kansas City.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
And I would not be surprised if Chris Thomasin is
correct in this reporting.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
He's always spot on.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
And with the way Sean Payton and George Peyton have
talked about this wide receiver group, this young core for
the Broncos, I think they really truly believe that they
have what they need.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
At the wide receiver position. And as far as where
I want Debo to land.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
I don't care at all either, as long as it's
not in this division.
Speaker 8 (23:42):
Good answer, Yeah, I keep them away from the Broncos.
I think the Seamers could be fun. They could use
some receiving help.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
And I like that Mike Trauma Free. The NFLPA survey
came out today.
Speaker 8 (23:57):
With the New York Jets owner being rated as the
very worse to owner in the NFL by the players,
and he was also the only NFL owner to earn.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
An F grade in the players survey.
Speaker 8 (24:07):
Do you think whaty Johnson deserves that grade in that
ranking or do you think there is a different NFL
ownership group even worse than him?
Speaker 4 (24:16):
Oh wow, I think when you look at and once again,
this is coming from the players, So this is telling
you how they feel about everything that took place, maybe
Aaron Rodgers coming.
Speaker 6 (24:27):
Or the dysfunction that was associated.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
With him arriving, and also the departure of Robert Salad.
Speaker 6 (24:34):
So I can.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
Understand the players fill in this particular way, and this
is what the server is for.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Now.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
Are there some other teams that you think that it
might have an F grade?
Speaker 6 (24:43):
Yeah? See exactly.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
I mean he ran knew exactly what I was going
the Bengals would have a C grade, but I think
from management ownership standpoint, I.
Speaker 6 (24:52):
Think they're at a C.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
Yeah, I thought they would have a lower grade on
that as well. They did get an F minus and
another category A grade I didn't know exist.
Speaker 6 (25:00):
How do you get a fight?
Speaker 1 (25:02):
I don't know. I thought F was just an F.
You fail, you failed.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
But that's that's how poorly they think about some of
the big olds, big oles things. But I think Woody Johnson,
from all the stories I've heard behind the scenes, I
think he does deserve this great and I'm totally fine
with the players speaking out against this.
Speaker 8 (25:19):
You earn an F minus by not giving the players
families any sort of daycare or any sort of family
room to use during games. They are the only NFL
team where that is the case. The thirty two ranking
in the treatment of.
Speaker 7 (25:32):
Families four.
Speaker 8 (25:37):
Another poor finish, actually the very worst finish on that
NFLPA player survey, the Arizona Cardinals, finishing thirty second overall.
This was highlighted with last place finishes for their locker
room and training room. They finished bottom five in six
different categories, though so just all around, pretty dismal results
for them. The Cardinals immediately announced after this news came out, though,
(26:00):
that they're planning to invest in a one hundred million
dollar training facility to upgrade the digs. We saw the
Broncos last year after getting poor locker room scores there,
they lead their brand new trading facility, which is still
currently under construction. How powerful or impactful do you think
this player survey is or should be when it comes
(26:21):
to promoting these positive changes around the league?
Speaker 6 (26:23):
Well, you've already said to yourself getting the results.
Speaker 4 (26:26):
The Broncos made some changes in Arizona after the report
came out, one hundred million dollars invested in the facility.
Speaker 6 (26:33):
That says a lot. These things are important.
Speaker 4 (26:34):
But here's the thing that should be bigger part of
the conversation. What does it take for this report to
come out for teams to start making these moves?
Speaker 1 (26:42):
I mean, because it's in the public eye.
Speaker 4 (26:43):
Now, Oh now, now the public finds out.
Speaker 6 (26:46):
Now we have to do it.
Speaker 4 (26:47):
So now are you doing it because you wanted to
do it or you're doing it because of public pressure?
Speaker 2 (26:52):
You know the answer to that, Nick, And going back
to your last question, seekers I thought.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Nobody's worse than Woody Johnson.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
But man, maybe the ownership for the Arizona Cardinals with
all the stories that have come out about them the
past couple of years. But I think this is great
and this is what it takes to create those positive changes.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
Let's have more player surveys.
Speaker 8 (27:14):
I thought this was a master stroke by the NFLPA
a couple of years ago when they first started doing it.
To the next point, this is something that we as
fans and media don't really know how the players feel
relative to the rest of their league about their digs.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Now we do, and it.
Speaker 8 (27:29):
Is kind of embarrassing for the Cardinals or the Bengals
of the world to know, Oh, this is the only
team that's not helping their families out on game day.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
I think the courses change. Five.
Speaker 8 (27:40):
The Denver Broncos on this NFLPA survey gave Sean Payton
a B grade, which ranks twenty six among all NFL
head coaches. The survey also noted that eighty percent of
Broncos players feel that Paydon is efficient with their time,
and they also noted that players feel he's moderately receptive
to player feedback at face value, that B score. You know,
(28:03):
in a large amount of players, feeling like the schedule
is efficient doesn't seem like a big concern, But the
bottom six overall ranking does seem like a big concern.
Do you think this ranking should leave broadcast country worried
about the coaching direction despite the on field results?
Speaker 4 (28:17):
Man, heck, no, right, No, it just what it does.
It leaves room for improvement. And you know, as I
learned as a player and the coach, you're not always
at your best.
Speaker 6 (28:28):
It's always room to improve.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
And if you think that you had the apex of
your career, then that means though you're not gonna listen
to anything else, you're not gonna be willing to change.
And if you're asking players to change and be able
to be a part of that change and the evolution,
you should too as well. So there's nothing negative here
about the coaching. Savy did a hell of a job.
He made the playoffs.
Speaker 6 (28:51):
It just needs more room to grow and improve.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Did you hear Sean Payton's response to his B grade?
Speaker 6 (28:57):
No, that kissed me off about something out in the year.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
But I think a B grade is just fine. You know,
Champayn can be.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
A little bit of a salty guy and tell players
the hard truth.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
From time to time.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
So you probably got some softies in there that don't
necessarily appreciate Sean Payton's coaching style.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
But I think a B is a great grade for
Sean Payton. I agree.
Speaker 8 (29:18):
I'm not surprised that Sean Payton isn't, you know, the
most popular coach maybe with players around the league. He's
not from but you know, he's not a Sean McVay type.
He's off the Bill Parcells tree. As you know, Nick Ferguson's.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
That police going to get in your face every once
in a while. Yeah, And so I don't know, I
don't think that's the end of the world.
Speaker 8 (29:32):
John Harbaugh and Sean mcfre sorry Sean McDermott notably ranked
behind the Sean Payton the lost too tough coaches two
good coaches too Things happen Man Tough Love six overall,
focusing on where the head coach rank, but overall, the
Broncos ranked seventeenth in the survey. The team's lowest marks
(29:55):
were f's for or an F for the locker room,
and a C minus for the treatment of families. Better
than that F minus that the Bengals got the team's
highest marks, though were a grades for both team travel
and team ownership. Team travel ranked sixth overall, team ownership
ranked fourth overall.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
How meaningful do you think these results are.
Speaker 8 (30:16):
For Broncos country, either positively or negatively?
Speaker 6 (30:19):
You know what they just results.
Speaker 4 (30:20):
Obviously, you know people will make more of the F grade.
As far as the locker room is concerned. I know
players probably feel as though it's a little tight, and
hopefully no one's clastophobic.
Speaker 6 (30:31):
But here, here, here's a bright part about it.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
All you have to do is look at the grades
when the coaches and look at the grades on the owner.
Speaker 6 (30:37):
That says a lot.
Speaker 4 (30:39):
And then there's a new facility that is going to
be readily available in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 6 (30:44):
So I guess whatever.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
Disputes that players have about the smaller locker room, guess
what it's going to get larger.
Speaker 6 (30:49):
And I'll leave you with this. The ownership has shown.
Speaker 4 (30:52):
As though they're willing to put money on the table
to improve the team in any way.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
Yeah, and I think this grade is great, being seventeenth overall.
With our ownership group who want to be the best
at everything they do. This just means things are going
to keep getting better and better because they don't want
to be.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
In the middle of the pack.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
That's not who the Walton Penntern group are. They want
to be the best at everything they do. And I
think this just means leads to more and more improvements
for Broncos fans, Broncos country as a whole, and most importantly,
the Broncos players.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
And coaching staff. I fully agree.
Speaker 8 (31:24):
There's one thing in sports you can't really change you
have very little control over, even as fans, and that's ownership.
If you've got bad ownership, you're kind of just stuck
with it. Early returns seem to suggest that the Broncos
have fantastic ownership and if the biggest concerns in the
locker room, like Berg just said, they're actively trying to
fix that right now. The player's reviews of ownership were
incredibly glowing too. They said they scored a nine point
(31:47):
six two out of ten overall. They said they significantly
contribute to the positive team culture. They ranked fifth out
of thirty two in that regard, and they said they
feel that ownership is extremely committed to building a competitive team.
They breaked fifth out of three to two in that
department too.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Yeah, all good news for the Broncos in this report.
That's your NFL six Pats. Well, Nick, another fun night
on Broncos Country tonight.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Thanks again for making it so easy, and we'll do
it again tomorrow. Show Bro Bolo Tie Thursday on Broncos
Country Tonight. I expect you to be in your finest
attire as well. We'll talk to you tomorrow night. This
is Broncos Country to Night on KOA A fifty am
ninety four to one FM
Oh man, what a great conversation do with a break.
Welcome back to it Broncos Country tonight. I'm your host Grant.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Smith filling in for Benjamin Albright who's covering the NFL
Combine on Indie and was gracious enough with his time
in between his hob nobbing and drinking and shrimp cocktails
to join us in the last segment. Also had Clark
Kellogg on earlier in the show, love picking his brain
about the upcoming March Madness, which we are getting the
first and second round back in Denver this year. Can't
(00:28):
wait for that. Also Hall of famers Steve Atwater earlier
in the show. If you missed any of that, you
can find it all shortly up at Kowacolorado dot com
or on the free and totally redesigned iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
You can set Koa as a preset on our free
and redesigned iHeartRadio app, just like you do in your car.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Our iHeartRadio app users are loving the new industry first features,
so set Kowa as a preset today on our iHeartRadio App.
I did that the other day, and you know, I
was going for a walk in between my duties here
at the station today and was like, Hey, I need
to know what inning it is in the Rockies game,
because then you know KOA.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Sports is coming on right after it.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Just go right to the iHeartRadio app, click it open
and click on my pre set and there it is
Jack Corgan and Jerry Shimmel on the call and another
Rockies win. So go ahead and set KOA as a
preset on your iHeartRadio app today. Make us the number
one pre set on the iHeartRadio app. I'm Grant Smith
filling in for Ben with Nick Ferguson. Nick, we were
(01:31):
talking before the break about the running back position and
kind of how it's got a resurgence in the eyes
of the powers that be in the NFL. This was
George Payton earlier well yesterday, talking to the media at
the NFL Combine about the Broncos thoughts on their running
back position and how he's viewing this draft class as well.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Well, I mean, there's a chance to bring Javonte back,
you know, and I think Javonte is one of the
best pass protectors in the league, you know, And I
think he's you know, he's still young, and he's still
is sending you know, another year removed from the injury.
But I think there's so many different flavors in this
draft of runner, and we have some backs that we like,
and so it's going to be an interesting process already
(02:12):
has been just to get to know these runners.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
I know we're searching for the Joker.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
It's kind of like the Lockness Monster trying to find
a guy named Joker. But I've played Sean seems that's
had him and their health.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
So yeah, a lot of different backs.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
I think it's a good year to maybe, you know,
go get it back because there's so many But.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Yeah, I love this new dry humor from George Payton.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
He seems so much more comfortable this year after some
success on the field. But what were your thoughts on
maybe them bring in Javonte back, because everyone you talk
to seems like that's out.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Of the picture. As you said earlier, this is the.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Lying season, So what are your thoughts on him saying
that they may bring Javonte back and also his overall
thoughts on the running back classes here.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
I like that because remember what happened in the Buffalo game.
Audrey Estimate was a healthy scratch and we were wondering, like, okay, well,
Why did that happen? Because I thought he was going
to be an active participant in that particular game, because
of what we saw of him in college, being a
physical down here runner in his days of Notre Dame
(03:18):
and bringing back Javonte, and and hearing you know, George
Peyton saying those things about Javante, I know they would
probably warm Javonte's ears and those in his camp because
now you're talking about a guy who you know is
fought back from that injury, a guy who's worked his
tail off when other people here in this media market
(03:38):
were writing him off. And I can tell you the
guy that had too many surgeries. No, you're never the same,
but your drive is what pushes you forward to overcome
that adversity that you experienced. And Javonte being a guy
that can step up and film that blissed linebacker. To me,
there's a lot of running backs and this this upcoming draft,
(03:59):
when you stow to evaluate them, you're looking at that
they got very good skill sets, you know, be inside
outside runner. But can you do the dirty work? That's
the thing that's really important. Can you do the dirty work,
but can you do it at a high level? For
a long period of time. So I would love to
see Javonte come back.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
I would too, Man, I felt like he got such
like it seemed.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Like he only got the dirty.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Work responsibilities last year in the Sean Payton offense, like
they were letting everybody else run the ball, but when
they needed someone to pass protect, Javonte.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Was in the case.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
You know what, great it seems like a bad thing,
and as a player, sometimes we look at it as
a bad thing. We feel as though we're versa two
to do all these different things. Why am I being
reduced to as one row? But sometimes you got to
get out of that mindset because that one thing that.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
You do may be very valuable and keeping you on
the roster, keeping you on, See, that's the main.
Speaker 6 (04:53):
Thing, the main thing, the main thing, Yes, because I
want to be on a roster.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
I'd rather be he employed doing something I really don't
want to do, opposed to be unemployed.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
And we've seen sparks out of Davonte in his career,
especially his rookie season, man, where he was just running
everybody over and you know, making some moves in the
hall where I didn't know he was that kind of player.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
When we got him out of North.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Carolina and then you see these bursts out of him,
and I just I hope he can return to that,
whether it's in a Broncos uniform or not, because pre injury, man,
he looks like a star in the making.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
You know what.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
I feel as though Javonte can return to it because
we saw last year. Obviously he didn't really have that
burst that he had when he first came into the
league from North Carolina, but he still had once again,
it goes back to that drop, and it would be
when you think about it, it's amazing what motivates you,
(05:49):
especially from a player's standpoint.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Yeah, right, a team saying.
Speaker 6 (05:52):
That we see value in you.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Whether we say, okay, well, this is the one thing
that we know that you can do well and we
want you to do that. But then you get an
opportunity to get reinvigorated because they're bringing in other guys,
and how you handle that competition.
Speaker 6 (06:07):
Do you fall back or do you step forward?
Speaker 4 (06:10):
See that says a lot about players, and I've seen
a lot of players fall back, Like when you're doing
one on ones, right you're looking. I've seen guys standing
in the line counting players to say okay, well, no, no, no, no,
not not him. I got a guy, right, So you
take the easy win. But you take the easy win
and you look great in practice, but when you get
(06:31):
in the game, you get exposed because you didn't get
worked in practice, so you know what your weaknesses were.
Speaker 6 (06:38):
Right. So for me, like, even though I play, I
played cornered in.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
College and then I end up playing safety, so I
would cover wide receivers even though that I don't stand
the chance, right, It'll be totally honest, but it helped
me in preparation for covering tight ends and or just
in case I got matched up on the wide receiver, which,
believe it or not, in my career, it happened. Yeah,
you're looking around like, wait a minute, where's John. Yes,
(07:07):
someone's got to come, don't come. The team was going
to find him. So for me, I love the idea
of Davonte coming back and idea of that you're still
adding rookie pieces and other free agent pieces to just
make the room complete from a competitive standpoint.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Yeah, I like that as well.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
And you know another guy that, uh it didn't work
out in the Broncos uniform, but we heard George Payton
yesterday in the exclusive one on one with Ryan Edwards
and Benjamin Albright that you can find at Kowa Colorado
dot com. But he was talking about Greg Dolcic as
a prospect and how much he loved him and how
if he could do it over again, you know, he
would probably draft Greg Dolcic again, but his injuries just
(07:46):
kind of didn't pay out for him here in Denver.
That's another guy I hope latches on somewhere else because
he's got all the skills. If he can stay healthy,
I think he's going to be a good tight end.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
In this But Rayon, that's the biggest part of this
game because in takes you out first. And I loved
everything about Greg Doson's coming out of UCLA, and I
was like, oh man, I would love for them to
open him up and flex him out. And you know,
we saw a couple of games of Greg Doson's. My
most memorable game was the game against the Chargers, him
(08:17):
and Russell Wilson, you know, link it up and it
was like, oh my, see.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
This is what we can get, this is what we're
looking for.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Right and then this is kind of like remember when
nord Fan was drafted, it's like, okay, well we thought
nor Fan was going to be that type of guy
in the Broncos uniform. Well it just didn't pan out.
And sometimes that's how it works. It's just your injuries
kind of derail you. Or you may be drafted by
a team that thought they had the right idea of
how they wanted to deploy you. But when whether rubber
(08:48):
meets the row, you realize like, no, this is not
a great fit for me. So I hope Greg Dosons
gets another opportunity. But this speaks volume to who George
Peyton is. I could have easily kind of dumped on,
you know, Greg Doss or whatever, but he just said,
you know what, Yeah, if I had a chance to
do it again, I would. And it's not like Dolsa
(09:10):
wasn't a great player. It was the fact that we
didn't get a chance to seem enough of him because.
Speaker 6 (09:15):
He was injured.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Yeah, And you know, the NFL is a crazy business,
and like you said, injuries can take you out of
it and you never know what's going to happen when
you're just getting into it.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Speaking of someone who's a prospect.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
And about to be entering the NFL Shadur Sanders deciding
not to throw at the NFL Combine. I want to
play you this sound for Matt Miller of ESPN. He's
actually going to be joining the guys on KA Sports
tomorrow live from Indianapolis at the Combine, but he had
this to say about Shadur Sanders not choosing not to
throw at the NFL Combine.
Speaker 7 (09:47):
It's not a huge surprise that Shador Sanders has opted
to not throw at the Combine because we just saw
him one month ago show up to the East West
the East West Shrine game and not participate there as
well after saying he would be. So this is kind
of the method that they're going with this offseason for
Shor Sanders. As you mentioned, it has become part of
the course for top quarterbacks to not throw the combine. However,
(10:09):
the point that I would make is Shor Sanders is
not the top quarterback in this year's drap That's Miami's
Cam Ward. And the fact is this quarterback group is
very unsettled. We don't have a number one quarterback like
we did last year with Kayleb Williams, even maybe the
year before with Bryce Young, where he felt like the
number one guy throughout the entire process.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
This is a wide open race for.
Speaker 7 (10:28):
The number one quarterback spot in the twenty twenty five
NFL Draft. And this is a second opportunity now with
the East West Shrine Game, where Shor Sanders has said
I'm good.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
I'm gonna wait till the next event.
Speaker 7 (10:38):
So all pressure now is on that Colorado pro Dae.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Personally, I'm not a fan of this.
Speaker 7 (10:43):
I think you take every opportunity given to you to
prove that you're the guy. We heard the sound by
him saying I'm going to be the guy.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
Go show that you are.
Speaker 7 (10:51):
CJ. Stroud threw at the combine, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen.
We saw three guys who were first round picks last
year throw at the combine and it improved their sock.
So if I in Shador Sanders, Camp would have asked
me a week ago, I would have said, this is
an opportunity to prove he's better than camp Moore, to
prove he's better than Jackson Dark, to prove he's.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
Better than whoever.
Speaker 7 (11:10):
The hot quarterback of.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
The moment is.
Speaker 7 (11:12):
Maybe it's Tyler Shuck, Maybe hits quinn Ewers from Texas
but this was an opportunity that I think Shador and
his camp are really missing out on where he could
show that he is that number one quarterback in this class.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
That was Matt Miller of ESPN.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
I believe that was on NFL Live, and then the
rest of the panel, Ryan Clark and Mina Kimes adamantly
disagreed with him after that statement.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
But what are your thoughts on that, Nick? I wish
I wish people could have seen your face as that
clip was played.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Well, I totally disagree with him because it seldom do
we see players in his position, And if Shador was
any of the player of any other position, I would
say that Matt Miller was right. But he plays the
quarterback position, and the quarterback position is viewed very differently
in the NFL. Those guys get away with highway murder,
(12:00):
right because they're quarterbacks. Everyone always talks about, well, you
got to have a good quality quarterback to put you
in the right position to win. And we've seen other
quarterbacks not work out. We've seen other players not work out.
Is this the end of the world for Shad Door Sanders.
Speaker 6 (12:14):
No, it's not.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
But there's something bigger at play. When you look at
this particular situation. You know, when I was growing up,
we would always say to one another, am I my
brother's keeper?
Speaker 6 (12:26):
Right?
Speaker 4 (12:26):
And Shador Sanders he is his brother's keeper. He is
Will Shepherd's keeper. He is his Shallow Sanders keeper as well.
Javonte Western keeper as well. And you know when you
think about Jimmy Hawn Jr. He is his keeper as well.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
Because if Shador worked out at the combine, how many
scouts do you think are gonna head to see you
to work out those other guys? Not very many, not
that many, right, So I like this plan of not
doing that because people want to see chadoro.
Speaker 6 (13:00):
You know that cam Water is gonna work out.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
But Shador gets an opportunity to see how everyone throws
at the combine, and every mistake that they made, he gets.
Speaker 6 (13:09):
An opportunity to find to them.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
So when they come to see you, he now has
to show and prove he'll make.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
That exact throat that that other guy missed at the.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Combine, that's right, right, So I call it perfect strategy.
Speaker 6 (13:21):
And once again, let's be totally honest.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
I mean, he is Deon Sanders' son, right, So you
gotta think that there is a play behind it, but
it's more or less I'm gonna use my opportunity to
uplift all these other individuals. And if you are a Scouts,
a gem in the NFL, and you're thinking, well, well,
we get a little upset with Shador because you know
(13:44):
he's making everything about him showing his watch and all
of this stuff.
Speaker 6 (13:47):
Guess what, he doesn't really need the.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
NFL, totally honest, making millions of dollars exactly.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
So for me, it's one of those things.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
And my brother's keeper and and I'm to speak for Shador,
yes I am.
Speaker 8 (14:04):
And Dion's a good figure to lean on going through
this process to nix't point. Obviously he's been through it before.
But I wasn't alive, but I've heard the story. When
eng was going through the draft process, he you know,
told I think it was the Giants if I'm remembering correctly,
But he was like, I'm not meeting with you guys
at the combine. I'm not going to be on the
board when you're picking it. Unheard of truth, which is
(14:27):
unheard of, especially at that point in time.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
It'd be crazy to do now, But in nineteen eighty.
Speaker 8 (14:31):
Nine it was especially unheard of worked out just fine
for Dion. He's the guy giving Shador guidance throughout.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
All this process.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Yeah, and Coach Prime always been a man ahead of
his time. I know people love to hate him, but
that just means a lot of times you're doing things
the right way in that regard.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
You know, Coach Prime kind of mentoring his son through this.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Do you think this is kind of also a way
at least this is what went through my mind when
you were talking about being your brother's keeper. It's kind
of a way to pay back and say thank you
to his dad because his dad was the only guy
that gave him a chance to play college football. He
was at an HBCU, he was at Jackson State, and
he takes him to Colorado and you remember the noise
around that when he first came to see you, and
(15:12):
then you see how well he played thirty seven touchdown
passes last year, second most in college football. You think
this is a way to kind of say thank you, Hey, dad,
Let's put all the eyes back on your program. Even
though I'm leaving and going to the NFL. This is
a way to make sure that the attention still turns
back to.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
See you bingo, because what we know about Dion Sanders
coach Prime, Prime Time, Prime Time, he knows how to
brand in marketing. And I'm sure at Florida State he
didn't get a PhD a doctorate in marketing because he
already knows how to do it. And that's the other
thing too as well. This shifts the spotlight on Denver, Colorado.
(15:52):
It shed the spotlight and on Boulder, Colorado, and we
saw the see you buffs, the whole fan base, a
whole player. It's a bolder kind of light up. With
Coach Prime in the building, this is an opportunity to
showcase the CEEU Buff's program and then also show those recruits.
Speaker 6 (16:12):
Right, this is where you want to be.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
So you know what, I'm coach Brian and i'd instead
of when I see it, I gotta love Conda.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
We'll be right back on Broncos Country to night on
KOA fifty am, ninety four to one FM. I'm your
guest host for the evening, Grant Smith filling in for
Benjamin Albright while he's out covering the NFL combine with
Ryan Edwards and filling in on KOA Sports. I'm in
here with my guy Nick Ferguson, thanks to Steve Atwater,
(16:44):
the Hall of famer, for joining us earlier in the show.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Clark Kellogg, another hall of famer in college basketball. Man,
what a.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Treat that was catching up with him, and also our
very own wet blanket Benjamin Albright joined us earlier in
the show.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
And Zack Seger sent.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Me this some breaking news out of the NFL combine.
This is per Mike Florio and Pro Football Talk. Jordan
Schultz of Fox verbally accosted Ian Rappaport of NFL Media
at an NFL or at an Indianapolis Starbucks on Wednesday afternoon.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
A report was made to NFL security.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
I assume this is from the Matt Stafford story earlier.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Is that correct, Sneakers?
Speaker 2 (17:24):
You have to assume. Yeah, man, I can't wait to
hear more details on this. Two NFL insiders going at
it out of Starbucks in Indianapolis.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
What's the world coming to? Nick?
Speaker 6 (17:35):
That's very interesting.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
I know if they work as insiders and breaking news,
but uh wow, I never thought that the beef go
this far.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Yeah, and the Segers just told me in my ear
Jordan Schultz, Howard Schultz's kid, who is of Starbucks fame,
so going it on daddy's territory.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (17:56):
Interesting.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Before we get to the NFL six pack, we're talking
about Schadur Sanders and you were talking about.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
How he is his brother's keeper.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
We have this story or this, yeah, this story from
Upping Adams from Chris Carter talking about an interaction he
had with someone who was with Schudar for a couple
of days driving them around. And I thought this was
worth sharing just to kind of show people who are
that Shadur Sanders or the whole Sanders family, the haters
of them, just kind of what kind of people they are.
Speaker 9 (18:26):
Something I'm gonna say about Sador too.
Speaker 10 (18:29):
This is what a lot of young people don't realize.
When I was at the National Championship, the elder Dame
versus O Hiles, Hey, I was working for a company
at and T that he already has to deal with,
and he didn't know that I was going to be
getting in the car with his driving right after him.
Speaker 6 (18:49):
And they had been driving him and his brother.
Speaker 10 (18:51):
Around for two days. So the thing that the driver said,
as far as the way he conducts his business, the
way he takes care of him, the way he bosses
his brother around to make sure that he's not late,
because he could do some things that aren't as timely
as the door. So a true CEO. This is something
(19:12):
I told Dion. I told Dion Junior, the guy behind
the media, that you don't know who's watching. And to
hear this driver brag about Chador. He just said to
his timy coming down every time he called him, he
was five minutes early. The way he was preparing his dress,
(19:36):
his wardrobe inside the car, the things he talked about
with his brother, the seriousness for which he conducted himself,
like all these things, like he was just bragging him
out the door, and then I.
Speaker 9 (19:48):
Drove him for two days.
Speaker 10 (19:49):
And the kid is going to be a great quarterback,
Like even if he couldn't play, he's going to be
a great human being.
Speaker 6 (19:55):
So those are types of.
Speaker 9 (19:57):
Things that behind the scenes, you know, kay, Because there's
some jerks out there in sports and people don't like
to admit it, but you always like to hear for
someone who's a good person.
Speaker 10 (20:08):
There's a lot of them, and there's more good ones
in there are bad, but very seldom do we ever
hear that, And it's nice to be able to hear that,
especially about Shador.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
That was Chris Carter on up and Adams and man,
I love hearing stories like that.
Speaker 6 (20:22):
Yeah, that's the best part of it.
Speaker 4 (20:24):
When and the way I look at it, it's like,
and I tell my son this, like you can judge
a person by what they do when no one's watching, Yes,
because when someone's watching you, you want to be on
your best behavior. But being in those types of situation,
you're riding in the back of a car, and it's
easy for a guy of Sadu's status to just say, Okay,
(20:45):
well my life is better than yours.
Speaker 6 (20:47):
And you're beneath me and treat people in a proper way.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
But once again, these stories from Chris Carter and everything
else that we talked about, as far as you do
is concerned for me, should turn the idea in the
mindset of people about who Shoudor is is where.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Yeah, I totally agree. And with that, let's get to
the NFL six pack.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
It's time for.
Speaker 9 (21:07):
The NFL six I'm gonna trade and insight information you
can't find anywhere else.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
I know the top six NFL headlines.
Speaker 8 (21:18):
What Sean McVay said today during some media availability that
the Rams first goal this offseason is having Matt Stafford
return as their starting quarterback. That might get a little
muddied by that George Schultz in Montana situation.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
We just reference.
Speaker 8 (21:39):
What do you believe, Sean McVay that that's the rams
top goal this offseason? Or do you think the Rams
are hoping to trade Stafford as some recent report suggest.
Speaker 6 (21:49):
I think both these can be true.
Speaker 4 (21:50):
Yeah, they hope to get him back because well who's
waiting in the wings.
Speaker 6 (21:54):
But if they can't get him back, they.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
Have to have someone of a plan and instead of
letting your player walk away, we're going to trade him
and get some value for him.
Speaker 6 (22:03):
So both of these things are true.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Yeah, I think they want Matt Stafford back, but I
think they want mass Stafford back.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
At the right price. And if he.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Goes out and tests the market and someone's willing to
pay him five or ten million more a year, they're
going to go ahead and say see you later, thanks
for your services, thanks for the Super Bowl, and we'll
start to rebuild.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Two forty nine ers.
Speaker 8 (22:25):
GM John Lynch said that the forty nine ers will
honor Deebo Samuel's trade request, but edverg Gazett's Chris Thomasin
reported today that the Broncos will not.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Be trading for the Star receiver.
Speaker 8 (22:38):
Do you buy that the Broncos are truly out of
the running for Deebo Samuel?
Speaker 1 (22:42):
And where do you hope to see Deebo wind up?
Speaker 4 (22:46):
Well, I can't say the Broncos are out of the
market for a guy like Deebo, because you take a
look at every single guy that's out there, unt a
situation whereveals itself, where it's too much draft capital that
you have to give up for him. Now, instead of
telling you where I think he will end up, I'll
tell you where I know I don't want him to Endo.
Speaker 6 (23:07):
I don't want him to end up anywhere.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
In this division, anywhere in the West now with the
Raiders and definitely and definitely not with Kansas City.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
And I would not be surprised if Chris Thomasin is
correct in this reporting.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
He's always spot on.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
And with the way Sean Payton and George Peyton have
talked about this wide receiver group, this young core for
the Broncos, I think they really truly believe that they
have what they need.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
At the wide receiver position. And as far as where
I want Debo to land.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
I don't care at all either, as long as it's
not in this division.
Speaker 8 (23:42):
Good answer, Yeah, I keep them away from the Broncos.
I think the Seamers could be fun. They could use
some receiving help.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
And I like that Mike Trauma Free. The NFLPA survey
came out today.
Speaker 8 (23:57):
With the New York Jets owner being rated as the
very worse to owner in the NFL by the players,
and he was also the only NFL owner to earn.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
An F grade in the players survey.
Speaker 8 (24:07):
Do you think whaty Johnson deserves that grade in that
ranking or do you think there is a different NFL
ownership group even worse than him?
Speaker 4 (24:16):
Oh wow, I think when you look at and once again,
this is coming from the players, So this is telling
you how they feel about everything that took place, maybe
Aaron Rodgers coming.
Speaker 6 (24:27):
Or the dysfunction that was associated.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
With him arriving, and also the departure of Robert Salad.
Speaker 6 (24:34):
So I can.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
Understand the players fill in this particular way, and this
is what the server is for.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Now.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
Are there some other teams that you think that it
might have an F grade?
Speaker 6 (24:43):
Yeah? See exactly.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
I mean he ran knew exactly what I was going
the Bengals would have a C grade, but I think
from management ownership standpoint, I.
Speaker 6 (24:52):
Think they're at a C.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
Yeah, I thought they would have a lower grade on
that as well. They did get an F minus and
another category A grade I didn't know exist.
Speaker 6 (25:00):
How do you get a fight?
Speaker 1 (25:02):
I don't know. I thought F was just an F.
You fail, you failed.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
But that's that's how poorly they think about some of
the big olds, big oles things. But I think Woody Johnson,
from all the stories I've heard behind the scenes, I
think he does deserve this great and I'm totally fine
with the players speaking out against this.
Speaker 8 (25:19):
You earn an F minus by not giving the players
families any sort of daycare or any sort of family
room to use during games. They are the only NFL
team where that is the case. The thirty two ranking
in the treatment of.
Speaker 7 (25:32):
Families four.
Speaker 8 (25:37):
Another poor finish, actually the very worst finish on that
NFLPA player survey, the Arizona Cardinals, finishing thirty second overall.
This was highlighted with last place finishes for their locker
room and training room. They finished bottom five in six
different categories, though so just all around, pretty dismal results
for them. The Cardinals immediately announced after this news came out, though,
(26:00):
that they're planning to invest in a one hundred million
dollar training facility to upgrade the digs. We saw the
Broncos last year after getting poor locker room scores there,
they lead their brand new trading facility, which is still
currently under construction. How powerful or impactful do you think
this player survey is or should be when it comes
(26:21):
to promoting these positive changes around the league?
Speaker 6 (26:23):
Well, you've already said to yourself getting the results.
Speaker 4 (26:26):
The Broncos made some changes in Arizona after the report
came out, one hundred million dollars invested in the facility.
Speaker 6 (26:33):
That says a lot. These things are important.
Speaker 4 (26:34):
But here's the thing that should be bigger part of
the conversation. What does it take for this report to
come out for teams to start making these moves?
Speaker 1 (26:42):
I mean, because it's in the public eye.
Speaker 4 (26:43):
Now, Oh now, now the public finds out.
Speaker 6 (26:46):
Now we have to do it.
Speaker 4 (26:47):
So now are you doing it because you wanted to
do it or you're doing it because of public pressure?
Speaker 2 (26:52):
You know the answer to that, Nick, And going back
to your last question, seekers I thought.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Nobody's worse than Woody Johnson.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
But man, maybe the ownership for the Arizona Cardinals with
all the stories that have come out about them the
past couple of years. But I think this is great
and this is what it takes to create those positive changes.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
Let's have more player surveys.
Speaker 8 (27:14):
I thought this was a master stroke by the NFLPA
a couple of years ago when they first started doing it.
To the next point, this is something that we as
fans and media don't really know how the players feel
relative to the rest of their league about their digs.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Now we do, and it.
Speaker 8 (27:29):
Is kind of embarrassing for the Cardinals or the Bengals
of the world to know, Oh, this is the only
team that's not helping their families out on game day.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
I think the courses change. Five.
Speaker 8 (27:40):
The Denver Broncos on this NFLPA survey gave Sean Payton
a B grade, which ranks twenty six among all NFL
head coaches. The survey also noted that eighty percent of
Broncos players feel that Paydon is efficient with their time,
and they also noted that players feel he's moderately receptive
to player feedback at face value, that B score. You know,
(28:03):
in a large amount of players, feeling like the schedule
is efficient doesn't seem like a big concern, But the
bottom six overall ranking does seem like a big concern.
Do you think this ranking should leave broadcast country worried
about the coaching direction despite the on field results?
Speaker 4 (28:17):
Man, heck, no, right, No, it just what it does.
It leaves room for improvement. And you know, as I
learned as a player and the coach, you're not always
at your best.
Speaker 6 (28:28):
It's always room to improve.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
And if you think that you had the apex of
your career, then that means though you're not gonna listen
to anything else, you're not gonna be willing to change.
And if you're asking players to change and be able
to be a part of that change and the evolution,
you should too as well. So there's nothing negative here
about the coaching. Savy did a hell of a job.
He made the playoffs.
Speaker 6 (28:51):
It just needs more room to grow and improve.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Did you hear Sean Payton's response to his B grade?
Speaker 6 (28:57):
No, that kissed me off about something out in the year.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
But I think a B grade is just fine. You know,
Champayn can be.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
A little bit of a salty guy and tell players
the hard truth.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
From time to time.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
So you probably got some softies in there that don't
necessarily appreciate Sean Payton's coaching style.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
But I think a B is a great grade for
Sean Payton. I agree.
Speaker 8 (29:18):
I'm not surprised that Sean Payton isn't, you know, the
most popular coach maybe with players around the league. He's
not from but you know, he's not a Sean McVay type.
He's off the Bill Parcells tree. As you know, Nick Ferguson's.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
That police going to get in your face every once
in a while. Yeah, And so I don't know, I
don't think that's the end of the world.
Speaker 8 (29:32):
John Harbaugh and Sean mcfre sorry Sean McDermott notably ranked
behind the Sean Payton the lost too tough coaches two
good coaches too Things happen Man Tough Love six overall,
focusing on where the head coach rank, but overall, the
Broncos ranked seventeenth in the survey. The team's lowest marks
(29:55):
were f's for or an F for the locker room,
and a C minus for the treatment of families. Better
than that F minus that the Bengals got the team's
highest marks, though were a grades for both team travel
and team ownership. Team travel ranked sixth overall, team ownership
ranked fourth overall.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
How meaningful do you think these results are.
Speaker 8 (30:16):
For Broncos country, either positively or negatively?
Speaker 6 (30:19):
You know what they just results.
Speaker 4 (30:20):
Obviously, you know people will make more of the F grade.
As far as the locker room is concerned. I know
players probably feel as though it's a little tight, and
hopefully no one's clastophobic.
Speaker 6 (30:31):
But here, here, here's a bright part about it.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
All you have to do is look at the grades
when the coaches and look at the grades on the owner.
Speaker 6 (30:37):
That says a lot.
Speaker 4 (30:39):
And then there's a new facility that is going to
be readily available in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 6 (30:44):
So I guess whatever.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
Disputes that players have about the smaller locker room, guess
what it's going to get larger.
Speaker 6 (30:49):
And I'll leave you with this. The ownership has shown.
Speaker 4 (30:52):
As though they're willing to put money on the table
to improve the team in any way.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
Yeah, and I think this grade is great, being seventeenth overall.
With our ownership group who want to be the best
at everything they do. This just means things are going
to keep getting better and better because they don't want
to be.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
In the middle of the pack.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
That's not who the Walton Penntern group are. They want
to be the best at everything they do. And I
think this just means leads to more and more improvements
for Broncos fans, Broncos country as a whole, and most importantly,
the Broncos players.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
And coaching staff. I fully agree.
Speaker 8 (31:24):
There's one thing in sports you can't really change you
have very little control over, even as fans, and that's ownership.
If you've got bad ownership, you're kind of just stuck
with it. Early returns seem to suggest that the Broncos
have fantastic ownership and if the biggest concerns in the
locker room, like Berg just said, they're actively trying to
fix that right now. The player's reviews of ownership were
incredibly glowing too. They said they scored a nine point
(31:47):
six two out of ten overall. They said they significantly
contribute to the positive team culture. They ranked fifth out
of thirty two in that regard, and they said they
feel that ownership is extremely committed to building a competitive team.
They breaked fifth out of three to two in that
department too.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Yeah, all good news for the Broncos in this report.
That's your NFL six Pats. Well, Nick, another fun night
on Broncos Country tonight.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Thanks again for making it so easy, and we'll do
it again tomorrow. Show Bro Bolo Tie Thursday on Broncos
Country Tonight. I expect you to be in your finest
attire as well. We'll talk to you tomorrow night. This
is Broncos Country to Night on KOA A fifty am
ninety four to one FM
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