All Episodes

August 4, 2025 14 mins

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Over fifteen thousand total yards away.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
Sixteen NFL seasons.

Speaker 3 (00:08):
You say that's nice, means five Pro Bowls and countless memories.

Speaker 4 (00:12):
When a dog gets an X ray, they've got that
Steve Smith inside their rib gage.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Steve Smith is on WFNZ Hi suff Song.

Speaker 4 (00:22):
And he's been a busy man, the NFL Network flying
him around from training camp to training camp. He hasn't
even had that much time to spend on the Carolina Panthers,
though he has been scouting much of the rest of
the NFC South. Our good friend and a surefire signal
that football season is right around the corner. Agent eighty nine,
Carolina Panthers Legend NFL Network handles Steve Smith Senior is

(00:43):
hanging out with us on a Monday and all feels
right in the world once again.

Speaker 2 (00:47):
Mister Smith, how were you this week? My man?

Speaker 5 (00:50):
I am super excited about football starting. Oh my goodness,
I really am.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah. Yeah, I think most of us are. This summer.

Speaker 4 (00:59):
Has this summer felt and I can only speak from
my perspective, talking mostly Panthers every day because the anticipation's
been there and it feels like we have something to
look forward to for the first time in a minute.
So I'd imagine that plays into how long it's felt
like since we last had football?

Speaker 5 (01:15):
Yeah, since we last had football. And for you it's
been light. For me, it's been.

Speaker 1 (01:21):
Heavy as hell.

Speaker 5 (01:22):
Dog goodness, braceist.

Speaker 3 (01:24):
So I'm just excited that we're going to talk about
something other Asian.

Speaker 4 (01:28):
Okay, alrighty, then all right, so let's talk a little football.

Speaker 2 (01:34):
Let's talk a little football.

Speaker 4 (01:36):
So let's actually go ahead, go ahead, finish your dog.

Speaker 1 (01:39):
So I just wanted to say this because I have, you.

Speaker 3 (01:41):
Know, social media. I'm very active on social media, becoming
more and more you are whatsoever? And first of all,
yesterday was it yesterday? Yeah?

Speaker 5 (01:51):
Yesterday?

Speaker 3 (01:52):
I was in Pittsburgh. Man, it was a long day.
I was stumbling and bumbling. It wasn't my best day. However,
just like going to Pittsburgh, I loved going to all.

Speaker 5 (02:02):
These different camps.

Speaker 3 (02:03):
I went down to Atlanta, I went down to Kansas City, Pittsburgh,
and what was mother on Tampa Bay? And so why
did I go to those places. I'm going to those
places because if I only focus on the Panthers, one,
I get tunnel vision and the most important part, I

(02:27):
don't get the opportunity to talk to a lot of
my sources and people about young upcoming.

Speaker 5 (02:35):
Guys or hints.

Speaker 3 (02:39):
I was in Kansas City and they talked about Rashid
Rice and yes, he's you know, he's gonna have some
suspension and that's going to have an impact. But they
said he was already running in OTAs so in the
spring he was fluid. He looks like a guy who
never had knee surgery in training camp right now. And

(03:01):
you talk about the Kansas City chief say, you want
to talk about Chris Jones, Taylor Swift, slash, Travis Kelsey,
then Patrick Mahomes and company. Well, you know what they're
talking about. They may finally have their first thousand yard
receiver that they've drafted in a long time because he's

(03:23):
starting to establish himself as wide receiver.

Speaker 5 (03:26):
One.

Speaker 4 (03:28):
Yeah, I watched those reports. It really is interesting the
stuff that's coming out of Kansas City. What about Pittsburgh though,
let me go there real quick, because I got a
lot of friends that are Steelers fans. They don't know
whether or not to be excited about this team coming up.
Like they're Steelers fans, so they love football. They're going
to be there. But like they don't know what version
of Aaron Rodgers they're getting if the team has done

(03:48):
enough around him for them to be dynamic offensively.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
Let me give it to you this way.

Speaker 4 (03:52):
I heard somebody smart this morning say that it really
boils down to whether or not Aaron Rodgers still wants
to play football, that he's still he loves playing football.
Because if he does, and he shows up with a
great attitude, they've got a shot. What's your take on
what they're going to be.

Speaker 3 (04:09):
It's been really interesting because I have the opportunity to
talk to the offensive coordinator, the Hawaiie receivers coach of
the Pittsburgh Steelers, and then talk to some dB coaches
as well, getting a sense and.

Speaker 1 (04:23):
Sometimes you can go into an organization.

Speaker 3 (04:25):
That everybody's kind of singing the same song and dance. Well,
it was extremely interesting for me and Pittsburgh was each
coach had something else to really analyze and comment about
of what they didn't have last year and what they
have this year. And so let me break it down

(04:46):
to you. They got Darius Slay and now Ramsey and
then they.

Speaker 5 (04:50):
Have Joey Porter Jr.

Speaker 3 (04:52):
Well, now they have three corners who have the possibility
to lock down or at least give you some competent
and really good man coverage. So that makes their zone
blench with that front seven ridiculous. And then I'm asking,
I'm talking to what makes Aaron Rodgers so good?

Speaker 5 (05:12):
They said, the.

Speaker 3 (05:13):
Difference while they're optimistic about Aaron Rodgers is.

Speaker 5 (05:16):
He doesn't have to carry the team.

Speaker 3 (05:20):
They have Dk Metcalf.

Speaker 5 (05:21):
But one of the things that.

Speaker 3 (05:23):
They talked about was some of the limitations that they
had with the guys before them last year, who couldn't
even throw out routes, which meant the offensive coordinator now
has to call plays to protect things, to not expose
that maybe a guy isn't as sharp, or the timing

(05:46):
or the zip on his ball isn't very good. The
thing that's been impressive of what Aaron Rodgers is, they said, Man,
he still got some zimp and that's the difference. Yes,
he may not be able to move, but he also
understands what he's capable of doing. And there are some
people that said that he could have been a possible
backup playing for the Los Angeles Rams if Pittsburgh, if

(06:12):
he wasn't willing to go to Pittsburgh.

Speaker 4 (06:15):
Wow, I mean, do you think they have like the
weaponry around it? Real quick on that? Do you think
they have enough?

Speaker 3 (06:22):
I surprisingly think they have enough because the kid out
of Michigan, Wilson, Roman Wilson, he's been improving. You got
DK Metcalf, and they got some unknown guys who are
really shifty, who will do some danger if they can
get the ball in their hands. They're not exceptional route runners,

(06:45):
but they are exceptional guys after the catch. And so
if you can get the just the ball in their hands,
then you have a chance. And the crazy thing about
it is Pittsburgh does coach Tomlin has ones versus ones normally,
as I've done in the passes, ones versus second team

(07:05):
defense on one field, and then the second team offense
versus the first team defense is on the other field,
going simultaneously or servicing each other. Man. Coach Tomlin doesn't
believe in that. He believes in Iron Sharper's ire so
ones against ones and his belief on his live tackled
to the ground. So they were in their six straight

(07:28):
day of pads.

Speaker 2 (07:32):
Wow, Listen, they're setting the tone up there.

Speaker 4 (07:35):
Steve Smith with us on the body Works plus guest hotline.
Before I get to the other place you've been. Let
me get to get to the Panthers real quick. We
were just talking about the offense earlier. You know, the
offense has had a good run in camp so far.
Not so much on Friday, but a good run. Tedera
McMillan is having a good camp, Excel, I think is
having a pretty good camp. Hunter Renfro is turning a
lot of heads out there.

Speaker 3 (07:55):
No, I have, how much have I been? And give
me a skirt and some pom poms?

Speaker 2 (08:04):
Really have?

Speaker 3 (08:05):
I not been a cheerleader for Hunter rif Row since
he was at Clemson, went to Vegas.

Speaker 4 (08:10):
And here, I'd be honest, I haven't thought that much
about it. But I love that you love him this
much because I think he can make a big difference
on this team.

Speaker 1 (08:16):
He can't make a huge difference.

Speaker 3 (08:18):
He's an excellent route runner. Is he gonna beat you
with speed?

Speaker 5 (08:20):
No?

Speaker 3 (08:21):
Well, who's who cares if you can't. If you can
beat somebody with speed but you can't finish or catch,
doesn't matter. It's like paying for a hamburger that you
can never eat.

Speaker 2 (08:32):
Yeah, that's true.

Speaker 4 (08:33):
So then, just in terms of the offense, like the
defense last year set the worst possible record most points allowed, right,
so they're looking to get better. We don't expect that
defense to turn suddenly turn into the steel curtain this year.
Offense certainly has to do its fair share, Like I mean,
in terms of what kind of start are you hoping
Bryce gets off to what do you need from the
offense the first couple of games of the season. I mean,

(08:55):
it seems like Dave Canalis has a lot of confidence
in what they have on that side of the ball.

Speaker 3 (09:00):
Or I haven't been seen at practice because the day
the few days I have been in practice is it
was when it's not open, it was it wasn't in
training camp. I've had a conversation over the phone with
t Mac. I've also had the opportunity we worked on
some releases after practice one day, so I'm involved in

(09:21):
I see. I just don't feel like it's appropriate for
me to always say it because it does hurt when
I go to other teams because they think that I'm
a mold, that I'm looking for plays and ends and
taking data and information.

Speaker 5 (09:37):
For the Panthers, And so that's why I have to
be very careful on on on some of.

Speaker 3 (09:45):
That, and uh so I like how they look. Obviously
I was high on Jimmy Horn and he's showing I
don't have a problem with I think Tac can't play
if if you throw the football in the air and
he's in a facility, he's gonna catch it. My biggest

(10:05):
question is I just want to see how much of
explosiveness does he have to separate? And that's a that's
just a wide receivers analysis and nitpicking. But it's only
nitpicking until it becomes a problem. You remember a couple
of years ago we had some dynamic football players and

(10:26):
they were worse than the league with separation. Yeah, so
it all factors any thing. What I really love and
I'm optimistic about this offense is all the different types
of players. Hunter renfro Crafty, Adam Thieln Crafty, Jimmy Horr,
blind as a bat, he is a bull in the

(10:48):
China Claus.

Speaker 5 (10:48):
He don't know what he's doing.

Speaker 3 (10:50):
He's just gonna do it at one hundred miles an hour.

Speaker 5 (10:52):
And then you got Tea mack t mac is over there.

Speaker 3 (10:55):
He's big, David Robinson, mister fundamentalist with.

Speaker 5 (11:00):
Tim Duncan.

Speaker 3 (11:01):
But you know what you're getting, he's gonna post you.

Speaker 5 (11:03):
Up for me.

Speaker 3 (11:04):
It really has to do with the tight end position.
And really xavierly get is how much of the flashes
he's shown right now? Can he be consistent and not
allow some of those drops to hinder him? Because we
know what he can do when he gets the football
in his hands.

Speaker 2 (11:22):
No question about it.

Speaker 4 (11:23):
And look, we'll have more in depth, more detailed analysis
from you next week the weeks after as you get
settled into your routine. But I do want to know
last thing here, because you've been in Tampa and it
looked like you were sweating as much down there as
we were here with as hot as it was last week.
I give a lot of respect to Jason Light and
that organization. They've done it well the last couple of years.
Is that the team in your opinion, everybody's still chasing

(11:44):
in the NFC South.

Speaker 3 (11:49):
Based on what I'm looking at, it can be, but
also Atlanta's kind of creeping up in there as well.
Michael Pennix is really doing a heck of a job.
You know, I've been very critical of Baker Mayfield, but
you got to call a spade a spade.

Speaker 5 (12:04):
A pig a pig and my man is baller.

Speaker 3 (12:08):
He's taking that offense and he's really putting up numbers. Now,
the question is gonna be under the under their new
offensive coordinator, will they still have the same fluency that
they had when lead He was calling the third down
place so they led almost was top five leading in
third down conversions. But you know what is first and
second gonna look like when he has all the responsibilities.

(12:31):
They're running the ball effectively, defenses flying around a Mecca.
Buka looks pretty dangerous. They got him playing all over
Chris Chris Guywhan is still trying to nurse his self.

Speaker 5 (12:43):
Back to health, and so that's where Abuka comes in,
and he can.

Speaker 3 (12:47):
Really help as a rookie. And then you got mc
millan doing he does so, and then you got the
old Savvett, you know, just keeps consistently getting a thousand
yards Mike Evans every year. So it's a true they're
really problematic.

Speaker 1 (13:03):
Now.

Speaker 5 (13:03):
The New Orleans Saints look like.

Speaker 3 (13:06):
Regurgitated ps.

Speaker 5 (13:11):
They're awful. They're gonna be dirt doo dude.

Speaker 3 (13:14):
And you have Michael Pennick who in Atlanta, they're running
a they're running out pistol formation. He loves to push
the ball down the field.

Speaker 1 (13:23):
Small little nugget.

Speaker 3 (13:24):
When Kirk Cousin was in the game, Drake London is
only averaging forty, you know, only being targeted twenty seven
percent below thirty percent of the of the targets, of
the share of passing. Michael Pennance gets in there, he's
almost above forty. So that just shows you the difference
where when you don't have reliable people, it can really

(13:47):
damage and hurt you offensively that people don't really understand.

Speaker 4 (13:52):
I love it, Steve. We appreciate you. Stave travels out there.
I know it's going to be a busy couple of
weeks for you. We'll talk to you next Monday.

Speaker 2 (13:57):
My man.

Speaker 5 (13:58):
Oh, appreciate it.

Speaker 3 (13:59):
I'm just out here in Ohio with my good friend
Kurt Coma, out here playing golf.

Speaker 2 (14:06):
Go have fun, swing it well, swing it true.

Speaker 4 (14:08):
Steve Smith Senior, aging eighty nine with us on the
body Works Plus Guest Hotline
Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.

24/7 News: The Latest

24/7 News: The Latest

The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.