1 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:08,840 Speaker 1: What's going on everybody? John Middlecoff the Three and Out 2 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,120 Speaker 1: podcast coming to you live, well, not actually live, because 3 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: I'm recording it on the Colin Coward podcast network from 4 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,959 Speaker 1: a remote location. I'm in Nashville. Uh. I have a 5 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 1: good friend who's getting married this fall, and it hit 6 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: me we're having a bachelor party this weekend in Nashville, 7 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 1: first time I've ever been here. And about a month 8 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 1: ago I realized, why don't I go a little early 9 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 1: hit Titans practice. I've known the general manager, John Robinson 10 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: since I was a graduate assistant at Fresno State. I 11 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:42,560 Speaker 1: had a chance on Tuesday to go to his office 12 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: talk to him from about twenty minutes. He's really established 13 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: himself as as one of the better young GM's in 14 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 1: the league. You know, comes from the BELICHICKI and Tree 15 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: obviously just hired Mike Vrabel, had some big free agent signings, 16 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: and Dion Lewis and Malcolm Butler. We'll get into all that, 17 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 1: so Jet Titans gentleman manager John Robinson will come up next. 18 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:06,400 Speaker 1: But first I wanted to start with something. I've developed 19 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:09,680 Speaker 1: this philosophy pretty recently, probably since my time actually around 20 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 1: Michael Vick and in the NFL, and it it becomes 21 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 1: once the draft period comes around Twitter and people get 22 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 1: so sensitive when you talk about people's intelligence, and especially quarterback. 23 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: And I've always thought that was stupid because you should 24 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:31,399 Speaker 1: be able to be critical. Is a guy smart enough 25 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: is a fair question. Now unless you meet him and 26 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: or around him, we might not have the answers someone 27 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: being critical, you know, a draft analysts or whatever. But 28 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:42,960 Speaker 1: you know, I talked to people in the league and 29 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: people that I trust, and offensive coordinators or you know, 30 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: scouting directors or general managers, and when they say a 31 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: guy is not smart enough. Again, I'm talking quarterbacks certain 32 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: positions like I don't care how smart you are running 33 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 1: back or a defensive end. Uh, you know, even really 34 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 1: at corner depends on the defense. But at quarterback, I 35 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: need a high level of cognitive ability. I need you 36 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: to be able to retain and then execute information that 37 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 1: is just crazy and not not every job. You have 38 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: to be super smart. If you're gonna build a bridge, 39 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 1: like you're gonna build the Bay Bridge, which I think 40 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 1: they did like five years ago, you better be a genius. 41 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 1: You know, you better be very very intelligent. But you know, 42 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: I I've met millionaires I actually knew a guy growing up. 43 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: His grandpa, multimillionaire, owned a construction company, never graduated high school, 44 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: so education level, and I learned when I was scouting 45 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: in the NFL. Just because you get good grades, let's 46 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 1: say you're a straight A student, doesn't mean you're gonna 47 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: be functionally football intelligent, vice versa. Just because you get 48 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:46,679 Speaker 1: bad grades in school doesn't mean you're not going to 49 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: be a genius. There have been a lot of NFL 50 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,519 Speaker 1: players over the history of the game and the sport 51 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:56,119 Speaker 1: that have been quote unquote dumb in the classroom outside 52 00:02:56,160 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: of football, and genius football players had great foot all intelligence. 53 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,800 Speaker 1: Their functional intelligence when it came to retaining and using 54 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:09,519 Speaker 1: and executing football information from the classroom the meeting room 55 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: to the practice field was high level, and everyone learns differently. 56 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:15,359 Speaker 1: But when it comes to quarterback, I'm out there a 57 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: practice and I was a little jaded because last week 58 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 1: I was at forty practice and Jimmy Garoppolo, who's clearly 59 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 1: a pretty big genius, did not start when he got 60 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:27,640 Speaker 1: to the forty niners for I think the first four weeks. 61 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:30,680 Speaker 1: And everyone around the Bay Areas where I live, and 62 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:32,519 Speaker 1: most people around the country, Like, what is Kyle doing? 63 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: You know those teams terrible, just throw them out there. 64 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: It's it's what I was saying. And I've been around 65 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: the league, and it turns out, as I learned today, 66 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: it finally hit me today Kyle was right because I'm 67 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: out of practice a for the Tennessee Titans. And Matt Lafleur, 68 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: who was with Kyle in Washington, and then with Kyle 69 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: in Atlanta, and then was when Sean McVeigh. They all 70 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 1: run the same offense. And if you remember, Jon Gruden 71 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 1: with those quarterback camps, used to make quarterbacks that had 72 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 1: come from spread offenses. He'd give them a play and 73 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: it was a crazy long play. He wasn't making it up. 74 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: It was a West Coast offense play. And watching Mariota 75 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: in the offense today in red zone drills, la Flour 76 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: had to stop the offense a couple of times and 77 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 1: then he'd yell out of play. That I swore to 78 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,280 Speaker 1: God was like fifty words and I went, I don't 79 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: know how, And you could tell Mariotta was trying to 80 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: digest it all. I wouldn't say, you know, swimming might 81 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 1: be a little strong, but you know it just it 82 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 1: was a slow process. And I think it all gets 83 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: back to this is the reason. If Kyle had his brothers, 84 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 1: Jimmy Garoppolo, he might even held him back a little longer. 85 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 1: They literally had nothing to play for last year. But 86 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 1: there's no way he was ready. And I'm watching him 87 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:41,479 Speaker 1: at practice last week and he has a pretty good 88 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: grasp of the offense. But the offense is crazy. The 89 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 1: the intelligence you have to have, and I've seen it 90 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: around Andy, the play calling, Andy Reid, the West Coast offense, 91 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: and obviously it's adapted. You know, it's nowhere near what 92 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 1: it once was with Bill Walsh, but there are still 93 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:59,919 Speaker 1: still certain terminology that has carried overs. The personnel groups 94 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,720 Speaker 1: still called, you know, the same names that they were 95 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:05,479 Speaker 1: called as they were twenty thirty years ago. And I 96 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 1: think Jon Gruden is also with Derek Carr, and it 97 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:10,479 Speaker 1: kind of hit me today. Jimmy Garoppolo has a huge 98 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 1: edge on Mariota and Car learning this new offense. The 99 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:17,479 Speaker 1: verbiage of the new offense is basically learning a new language. 100 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 1: But the pace and how fast it gets scream from 101 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:25,119 Speaker 1: the offensive coordinator who Matt Lafloor, Kyle Shanahan, John Grunen 102 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: who knows these offenses. Sean McVeigh like the back of 103 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: their hand speaks. I mean, I was Florida. I probably 104 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 1: not even describing it well enough. It left me, and 105 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: I have multiple degrees. I just thought, there's no way 106 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 1: in hell I could do this. How can this guy 107 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:42,719 Speaker 1: learn this offense? I mean, there are so many freaking 108 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 1: words that I don't think quarterbacks and I think we 109 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 1: It hits us every once in a while when an 110 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 1: NFL video comes up, or you know, a Chad Johnson 111 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:53,599 Speaker 1: Oto Sinko goes to the Patriots and he can't play 112 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 1: and they basically tell you he's just not smart enough. 113 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:58,719 Speaker 1: There are only certain organizations where a skill guy can't 114 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:00,719 Speaker 1: get on the field where they're not smart enough. And 115 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: obviously the terminology in New England is different. And that's 116 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: the one thing Kyle Shanahan said when he got Jimmy Garoppolo, 117 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 1: is that determinant, like the the expanse of words and 118 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:15,479 Speaker 1: the way the length in which plays are similar. Josh 119 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: has long play calls, but the words are completely different, 120 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: so there really wasn't much carry over. And I'm watching 121 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 1: Mariota today and be like, man, this is gonna be 122 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 1: a learning process. It's not gonna be fair for me 123 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 1: to judgement. And it hit me with Derek Carr, who's 124 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 1: with John Gruden right now, to judge these guys like, 125 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 1: really the first month of the season and Jimmy Garoppolo 126 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 1: basically got five weeks on the fly and then this 127 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 1: entire off season where he can kind of hone, you know, 128 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 1: into what he learned. It really is remarkable what Jimmy 129 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: Garoppolo was able to do from a blank slate to 130 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: learn that offense, even if they were only giving him, 131 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 1: you know, a small subset of plays and to function 132 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 1: at that higher level because I hadn't I may have 133 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 1: obviously seen it on YouTube videos and seen specials on TV. 134 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:00,280 Speaker 1: But when you go to forty nine o'prio act as 135 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 1: Kyle is not really they're not having to repeat a 136 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 1: lot of stuff because Garoppolo knows it now. But you 137 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: go to Titans practice, Matt Lafleur kind of has to 138 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: stop and tell the wide receivers where to go, reiterate 139 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: stuff to Mariota, and again that's normal. That's the point 140 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 1: of this whole time of year. And I think sometimes 141 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 1: and I am just as guilty as anyone else. We 142 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 1: lose sight of how complicated this stuff is and our 143 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 1: expectations for week one, like Mariota better be kicking ass, 144 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 1: Derek Carr better throw four touchdowns for Gruden, Like it's 145 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 1: kind of gonna be unfair of the first month for 146 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 1: those two guys. Like even Patrick Mahomes has such a 147 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: big leg up on those two quarterbacks in the sense 148 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 1: that he hasn't played as much as those guys, but 149 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 1: from the offense now, he hasn't reaped with the ones 150 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 1: the last several years or I guess the last year, 151 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: but he ran that offense all year long with Andy Reid. 152 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 1: He sat in all those meetings. So while he has 153 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 1: to catch up physically, mentally, he's gonna feel pretty confident 154 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 1: about it. And I think there's every anyone knows, any 155 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 1: situation if you aren't quite confident mentally something very complicated, 156 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: whatever you may do, like the hardest part of your job, 157 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: it slows you down. Hell, just recording these podcasts, you know, 158 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 1: I'm not a sound engineer. It's taken me a while. 159 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 1: I think these interviews or this interview idea with John 160 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: Robinson just sounds a lot better than the ones I 161 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: did with Howie Roseman and Matt Maggie at the Combine. 162 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 1: It takes time. I mean, it's a learning process. I've 163 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: always had people do this for me. But you know 164 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 1: what's healthy been to learn this aspect of the business, 165 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 1: how to produce my own stuff, you know, how to 166 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 1: record better sound. And it just takes time. And I 167 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 1: think all getting back to quarterback, which is a million 168 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 1: times harder than recording the podcast. But my point is, 169 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 1: like I think, when you watch Mariota, when you watch 170 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 1: cars this year, give him some time. I think it's 171 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: only fair because I know a lot of fans don't 172 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:58,320 Speaker 1: get to go to these practices, and I know you 173 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,079 Speaker 1: all love to. If you were able to sit there, 174 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 1: I think your jolly hit the floor. Because I've been 175 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:06,559 Speaker 1: around the NFL, like on, done this for a living 176 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 1: now for eight years, and today it kind of hit 177 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 1: me like, wow, this is this West Coast offense that 178 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:16,079 Speaker 1: all these McVeigh shanahan that I think Gruden's gonna be 179 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:25,440 Speaker 1: running a lot of principles is really really hard. Okay, Well, 180 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:28,560 Speaker 1: I'm in the office of the general manager for the 181 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: Tennessee Titans, John Robinson. I think I met you Actually, 182 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 1: when I was a g at Fresno State, you were 183 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: you were beating the bushes. That's exactly I was turning 184 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 1: over rocks, drove over at the Fresdo trying to find 185 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 1: a player. How's how's life treating you? How's everything going? 186 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: It's been good. Um My, I don't have a mobile office, 187 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:46,079 Speaker 1: UM in the back of my pickup truck anymore. I 188 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: have pretty nice office here at here at the here 189 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 1: at Titan's headquarters. But it's you know, it's been good. 190 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: It's been a it's been quite a process the last 191 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 1: two years, trying to turn the franchise around and and 192 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 1: and change UM Titans football. UM. I just spoke to 193 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 1: was probably a hundred hundred fifty high school coaches and 194 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:08,439 Speaker 1: guys out. Yeah. Yeah, So we're having on high school 195 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: clinic today and and I told them, like, I'm about 196 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 1: investing in people and getting the right type of people 197 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 1: in an organization. UM players included, UM everybody. There's a 198 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: lot of guys that can run fast and jump high 199 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 1: and UM lift a lot of weights. But they we 200 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: ideally wanted to be good people. They obviously gotta be 201 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 1: pretty good a football to UM. But I think the 202 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 1: character of people can really you know, maybe propel them 203 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 1: that they might lack a certain physical skill set to maybe, 204 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: you know, be a pretty good player on the field. Well, 205 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 1: it's safe to say. I think from O two to 206 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:39,960 Speaker 1: two thousand and thirteen you were with the New England Patriots, 207 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 1: and they obviously put a big premium on that. You know, 208 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:46,199 Speaker 1: obviously good football players, but great people. Uh how much 209 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 1: does that carry over to everything you do now? Yeah? 210 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 1: I think, you know, philosophically, I'm I'm fundamentally rooted and 211 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 1: and the things that I learned from from Coach Belichick, 212 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 1: from Scott Pole, from Thomas de mitrof uh Nikos, Sario, 213 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 1: Jason Light, all those guys that that we were there 214 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:06,560 Speaker 1: together helping. You know, it's pretty pretty good, pretty good group, 215 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:09,199 Speaker 1: pretty great mentors for me to learn from. UM, And 216 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 1: I took notes even when when they weren't you know, 217 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 1: it really wasn't a maybe a note taking session or 218 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 1: a meeting session. UM. I would mentally take notes on 219 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: how how we did things there in New England and 220 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 1: how what I liked, what I didn't like, you know, 221 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: because I always said, if I ever got the opportunity 222 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: to run a run, an NFL team. Certainly the model, 223 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:31,719 Speaker 1: that's the model. Um, but you gotta put your own 224 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 1: spin on it. You gotta be you. Um, there's only 225 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 1: one coach, Belichick, and UM, you can take a lot 226 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:39,640 Speaker 1: of things that that that he does and that that 227 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 1: certainly I have that I learned from him and and 228 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:44,199 Speaker 1: try to be John Robinson and put my own spin 229 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 1: on it. You don't think he'd be singing with Florida 230 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:49,080 Speaker 1: George Line with a beer on stage. I don't. I 231 00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: don't know if that would be and if he probably 232 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 1: he mumbled upon this YouTube video when I was watching 233 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 1: some of your interviews, I said, and for Abs was 234 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:57,199 Speaker 1: up there too. You guys are getting after it. He 235 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 1: got a rocket. He might secretly want to get up there. 236 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: I don't know if you would step up there. You know, 237 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:03,439 Speaker 1: that was a cool night. You know we had, um, 238 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: we had thirty thousand's just the stadium, No, so we 239 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 1: had we set up a stage downtown Nashville. It was 240 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,600 Speaker 1: our uniform unveiling, uh new uniforms this coming season for 241 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: the Titans, and we had Florida Georgia Line came out 242 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:16,480 Speaker 1: and put on a free concert for everybody attend. It 243 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 1: was like thirty thousand people and you walk out there 244 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:20,439 Speaker 1: and it's like, holy smokes, all these fans came out 245 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 1: to watch us walk out in some new units. So 246 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:24,599 Speaker 1: they kicked us back out there and I think we 247 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 1: sang shine and yet thank probably half of because I 248 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:30,559 Speaker 1: know they didn't want to hear me. You know, I 249 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:34,160 Speaker 1: was reading that Bob Kraft used to run into you 250 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 1: in the hallways and really about players, and he said 251 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 1: that he always looked back. He was always impressed with 252 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: your knowledge. I started thinking, I mean when he probably 253 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 1: first started doing that, you were relatively young. I mean 254 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:45,599 Speaker 1: that kind of I mean, it's the owner of the 255 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 1: franchise is that kind of intimidating. You always had to 256 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 1: have a nugget for him. He always asked for He 257 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 1: always asked for a nugget, and I'll never forget. Um, 258 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,439 Speaker 1: I use one nugget one too many times. He asked 259 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:58,880 Speaker 1: me about a player, and uh, it was a year 260 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 1: Dominican Sue was come now and I was like, yeah, 261 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:03,079 Speaker 1: Dominan Sue, he's pretty good player. And he goes, oh, 262 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 1: that's good. John. Um. He saw me a month later 263 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 1: and give me another nugget, and I gave him. Sue again, 264 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: thinking that would suffice and I think I've got past 265 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:12,599 Speaker 1: him on that. But the third time I said in 266 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 1: Dominan s he said, you've told me that three times 267 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 1: that who else you got? I guess in that New 268 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:19,200 Speaker 1: England building, you always got to be on your p's 269 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 1: and ques and be ready. Whether you're a scout, a player, coach, 270 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:26,719 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter. Yeah, I mean every every day was 271 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 1: it was a new day and we had a job 272 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: to do. And um when when you pulled in the 273 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:33,320 Speaker 1: parking lot and and walked through the door, um it 274 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:35,680 Speaker 1: was it was game on. It was football time, and 275 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: um we were trying. We're there to try to try 276 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: to win football games. How long do you think before 277 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 1: you felt comfortable saying, you know, I think Billa likes me. 278 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:46,680 Speaker 1: It took a while. It took a while because I 279 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: bet he's not a big like I like you guy, know, 280 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 1: but but you know he, um, he's a really he's 281 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 1: a really neat guy. I love him. Um. I think 282 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:59,080 Speaker 1: he he's got a great sense of humor. Um it 283 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:02,079 Speaker 1: does not everybody sees that. Um, but when you get 284 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 1: to know him, like he's um, he loves football, like 285 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:08,719 Speaker 1: that's the football is is primo number one for him. 286 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 1: And he likes guys that like ball, and um, I 287 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 1: was a guy that liked ball. You know. I've worked 288 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 1: for Pat Hill and then Andy Reid and they love him, 289 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:18,080 Speaker 1: you know. I mean Pat talked about him all the time, 290 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:19,680 Speaker 1: and Andy used to do business with him all the time. 291 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 1: I mean his friends are there, they're tight with him. Yeah, 292 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 1: he really is. He's a It was It was cool. 293 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 1: I think I've said it before when my daughter, who's 294 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 1: a Type one diabetic, that the I missed work on 295 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 1: Monday because of her diagnosis. And uh I got back 296 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 1: in on Tuesday and there was a stuffed teddy bear 297 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 1: with a the the old Belichick hoodie. Um, and he 298 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 1: had he had went and had purchased that bear for 299 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 1: my daughter and and hand wrote a note that we're 300 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 1: thinking of your daughter and if you knew anything, let 301 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 1: us know. So that's the side of Belichick that you 302 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 1: know a lot of people don't see. Well, you went 303 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 1: on a coaching search this year, and you know back 304 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: down that BELICHICKI and Tree, you know, that's got to 305 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 1: be a pretty and that's a big moment for a 306 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 1: general manager, first ever head coaching search. And he ended 307 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: up with Mike Rabeled that most people in the last 308 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: couple of years I know lived in the Bay Area. 309 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 1: I think they interviewed Rabes a couple of years ago 310 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: for defensive coordinator spot and then a head coaching spot. Uh. 311 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: How did that whole process kind of play out? Yeah, 312 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:20,280 Speaker 1: you know, we had had three certainly deserving candidates in 313 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: in Mike and UM, Att Lafleur and UM coach Wilkes. 314 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: Steve Wilkes there who was with Carolina now with Arizona. 315 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:28,480 Speaker 1: You were on the right guy. Yeah, it looks like 316 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 1: we Yeah, we were down the right track somewhere. UM 317 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 1: and and you know, Rabes just really impressed us. I 318 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: certainly our paths crossed in New England. I wouldn't say 319 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 1: we had a ton of interaction. UM. I was a 320 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: road scout looking for players to replace him. He knew 321 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:45,560 Speaker 1: that was my job, and I knew what his job 322 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 1: was was to help us win games. UM and I 323 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 1: think that we see players similarly philosophically. We want the 324 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:54,600 Speaker 1: team to be built the same way. UM. It was 325 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 1: really a shared vision, one that's one that's unified and 326 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 1: what we want the team to look like. UM and 327 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 1: his leadership style and his presence in command uh for 328 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 1: the room. Uh really was showcased in the interview. You 329 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 1: knew within five or ten minutes, like like he was 330 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:12,880 Speaker 1: commanding the room, and I just knew it was really 331 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 1: gonna be a really good fit um with us working together. Definitely, 332 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 1: they have a royal rumble of coaches. You know, he'd 333 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:20,440 Speaker 1: probably be the betting favorite. Yeah, I wouldn't want to 334 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: mess with it. He can still run too, so like, 335 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:24,000 Speaker 1: don't think you're going to run away from if you 336 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 1: try to get one, because they'll chase you down. You know, 337 00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:28,760 Speaker 1: I saw when he was I mean he basically went 338 00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 1: on the pro day circuit and was leading the charge. 339 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:35,080 Speaker 1: You know, he got his lip busted or he busted lips, 340 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 1: I mean he was throwing it around. Yeah, he was. Definitely, 341 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 1: he was definitely not afraid to test drive the prospects 342 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: to spring. He got he mixed in there, whether it 343 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 1: was an offensive linement, defensive linement linebacker. Um again. And 344 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:49,080 Speaker 1: I think that's what our charges as scouts as coaches 345 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 1: when we go out to these pro days, is you 346 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:52,520 Speaker 1: gotta get to know what you're buying. You got to 347 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: test drive these guys and and see if they're going 348 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:56,880 Speaker 1: to be about what you're about, Um as a football team, 349 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 1: how much of that help? I mean, he's coming back 350 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 1: to you going. I mean I felt this when I 351 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 1: worked with this guy. And the first two guys you 352 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:04,439 Speaker 1: took were defensive players that he was working with on 353 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 1: the field. I mean that's I don't know if he 354 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 1: worked out Harold Landry. Yeah, he actually went up and 355 00:17:08,600 --> 00:17:10,680 Speaker 1: worked out Harold and spent some time with him, and 356 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:13,679 Speaker 1: and he was teaching him some things that, um, you 357 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: didn't always see him do on film. And then finally 358 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:18,960 Speaker 1: he had somebody video it and you saw him execute 359 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:20,679 Speaker 1: the technique that we were looking for. And it was 360 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 1: kind of once it was an aha moment, but it 361 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:24,439 Speaker 1: was like, all right, this guy, he's got it. Like 362 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:26,359 Speaker 1: we can coach this guy to do. What we're looking 363 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: to do. Is that when trader John starts getting his 364 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:31,159 Speaker 1: ducks in the road to make a move, picking up 365 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:33,359 Speaker 1: the phone had to weather one night and uh, it 366 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 1: was it was I didn't get a lot of sleep, 367 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:37,920 Speaker 1: a lot of tossing then turning and um, and then 368 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:40,200 Speaker 1: started working the phones the next day and and we're 369 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:42,919 Speaker 1: find you know, fortunately found a willing partner there in 370 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:45,120 Speaker 1: Oakland to to jump up there and take Harold. Well, 371 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 1: you traded your first you know, up in both rounds, 372 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:49,639 Speaker 1: you know, in the first round. Let's start with Shaun Evans. 373 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 1: I was actually reading on the plane flight out here. 374 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:54,240 Speaker 1: Phil Savage just wrote a book and he was talking 375 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 1: about how two years ago I just I just assumed 376 00:17:57,160 --> 00:18:01,400 Speaker 1: Rubin was mirror Deshaun Watson was actually Rashaan Evans two 377 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:03,399 Speaker 1: years ago when Sean and I think they ended up 378 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:06,640 Speaker 1: beating him. And obviously this year had an excellent year, 379 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 1: and it felt like I've heard you guys talk. You thought, 380 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 1: you know, he wasn't gonna quite make it to you. 381 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,400 Speaker 1: So you know, trader John gets aggressive that he gets 382 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:17,440 Speaker 1: his guy. How fired up are you too? Yeah? Yeah, 383 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:19,359 Speaker 1: we were really we were really stoked, you know, as 384 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:23,080 Speaker 1: it as it started inching closer to our pick. I 385 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 1: mean there were some um mocks you know, ever, how 386 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:28,080 Speaker 1: much stock you put in those that had him going 387 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 1: in the mid teens certainly early twenties. Uh. And then 388 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:35,119 Speaker 1: you know, got some intel that there's some some action 389 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:38,880 Speaker 1: that from teams behind us trying to get ahead of us. Um. 390 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: So Baltimore picked up the phone and called Ozzie and 391 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:43,880 Speaker 1: and the cost of there in Baltimore and they were 392 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,199 Speaker 1: looking to slide back a couple of spots and we 393 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 1: were able to get Rashwan and we were stoked. How 394 00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:50,439 Speaker 1: nervous are you? I mean, is he the guy you 395 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 1: have to have or just the New England way you 396 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,160 Speaker 1: have a clump of guys that you can go either way. Yeah, 397 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 1: you can't get married to one spot, can you know? 398 00:18:57,800 --> 00:18:59,880 Speaker 1: That's it's tough when you when you've got all your 399 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:02,920 Speaker 1: your chips pushed in on you know, on on one 400 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 1: number um because if you get busted, then you're your 401 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 1: high and dry. Then you're looking to bail out. So 402 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:10,119 Speaker 1: you gotta have a pool of players that you're comfortable 403 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:13,479 Speaker 1: with with taking um. And I'd say Rashaan was at 404 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:15,239 Speaker 1: the was at the top of that heat. And then 405 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:16,840 Speaker 1: you go in the second round. I mean, this was 406 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:18,880 Speaker 1: a guy last year coming into the year, people thought 407 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:21,439 Speaker 1: was gonna be top ten, top fifteen pick. And I 408 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 1: know in the bar area people that the Raiders gonna 409 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: take him to put him with Khalil Mack. And then 410 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:28,560 Speaker 1: you come flying up uh and get your guy. And 411 00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:30,240 Speaker 1: you came up a long way and I think you 412 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:32,760 Speaker 1: said that it's pretty obviously no way he was gonna 413 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:35,240 Speaker 1: be there when you guys picked now that that we 414 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 1: would we would have had to dodge several bullets for 415 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:39,159 Speaker 1: him to make it all the way down there. I 416 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:41,720 Speaker 1: guess you never know, but I mean, yeah, you never know. 417 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 1: But um again, he was he was a guy that 418 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:46,640 Speaker 1: was was still highly rated on our board, a guy 419 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:49,400 Speaker 1: that we had talked about taking even in the first round. Um, 420 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 1: but for whatever reason, he slipped, he slipped into the 421 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:54,359 Speaker 1: second round. And uh, you know, Oaklhom was on the 422 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 1: clock there and and the time was ticking down, ticking down, 423 00:19:57,040 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 1: and I thought they may be trying to somebody, maybe 424 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 1: trying to move and and you know, you never really know, 425 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:04,120 Speaker 1: but we were able to get him on, get him 426 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 1: on the horn, and craft a deal to get up 427 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 1: there to get Harold. How big our relationships in a 428 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:10,200 Speaker 1: move like that, I mean, Reggie mackenzie, John Gruden, you 429 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 1: don't feel comfortable that they're shooting you straight and you know, yeah, 430 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:15,720 Speaker 1: it's it's big. But at the end of the day, 431 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:19,560 Speaker 1: my charge as um, you know, managing the football team 432 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:21,679 Speaker 1: is is to do what's best for the team and 433 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:24,640 Speaker 1: try to get our team in position, Uh, to improve, 434 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: And I think that's what we tried to do. And 435 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:27,960 Speaker 1: now we had a mortgage, a few picks to do that. 436 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:30,280 Speaker 1: But we felt like we've got two good players that 437 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,480 Speaker 1: will will hopefully help us. Obviously, before the draft, free 438 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:35,920 Speaker 1: agency and you had a big free agent moment, you 439 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:38,120 Speaker 1: hired an old New England coach. You got a couple 440 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:41,119 Speaker 1: of New England players. I saw Mariota first player on 441 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:43,600 Speaker 1: the field. Second, Malcolm Butler. You know, I don't think 442 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:46,640 Speaker 1: that's random. I mean Malcolm Butler spent thirty million dollars guaranteed. 443 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:49,439 Speaker 1: How how big was that signing? Yeah? Good, you know, 444 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:51,800 Speaker 1: good signing for us. I mean, he's he's really done 445 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:54,400 Speaker 1: a nice job in the off season program. Uh really 446 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 1: done a good job matching and learning coach P's his coverages. 447 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:00,119 Speaker 1: He's made a lot of plays for those guys as 448 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:02,920 Speaker 1: in New England. He's he's a great guy. Um comes 449 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:05,480 Speaker 1: to work and works hard and still players with a 450 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:07,720 Speaker 1: chip on his shoulder. You know, it was it was 451 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 1: funny that, Uh, so we he can't We brought him 452 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 1: in after we signed him, and Um, we had gone 453 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 1: to dinner and had had dinner and and the next morning, 454 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 1: I walked him office and look out and there's a 455 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:20,119 Speaker 1: guy on the field running sprints. Like, who's on the 456 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:23,200 Speaker 1: field running sprints? It's Malcolm Butler. So um, I was like, 457 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: it's pretty good and pretty good investment. Did were you 458 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:30,120 Speaker 1: Did you do any research into Obviously he's his name 459 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 1: became so polarizing in the Super Bowl. Was that something 460 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:35,280 Speaker 1: that bothered you or something that you even had to 461 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 1: look into as a scout or his resume spoke for itself. No, 462 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:40,640 Speaker 1: I mean I think his resume. Certainly, the question comes 463 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:42,879 Speaker 1: up and you and you and you and you, you ask, 464 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:45,280 Speaker 1: and you're trying to get as much intel as possible. Uh. 465 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:47,200 Speaker 1: In free agency, that's always a tough part of team 466 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:51,159 Speaker 1: building is getting information about the makeup of guys. But 467 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:54,160 Speaker 1: everything that we got on on Malcolm was was positive 468 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:56,439 Speaker 1: and fel good about it. Dion Lewis running back, I 469 00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:58,440 Speaker 1: mean the balance with you know, maybe one of the 470 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:00,639 Speaker 1: biggest running backs in NFL history and Derrick Henry. You 471 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:02,639 Speaker 1: gotta feel pretty good about your backfield. You know a 472 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 1: quarterback they can run two three guys pretty good one 473 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:07,920 Speaker 1: to tan and we think, you know, they're they're really 474 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:10,199 Speaker 1: totally different. There but they're they're both guys that you 475 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:12,560 Speaker 1: can hand the ball to and throw the ball to. Um. 476 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:15,400 Speaker 1: Uh Dions run style is certainly different than than Derek's, 477 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 1: but Um hopefully he can provide some matchup opportunities for 478 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:21,119 Speaker 1: us UM in a short passing game and then and 479 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:23,240 Speaker 1: then change the pace of the run of the runs 480 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: up a little bit as well. How about a quarterback. 481 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: You know, it's not often as a general manager you 482 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:29,400 Speaker 1: get to inherit a guy that's, you know, franchise quarterback. 483 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:32,439 Speaker 1: Last year, you know, had a down year. But I 484 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:35,119 Speaker 1: think him and Derek Carr both broke their ankle. I 485 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:37,000 Speaker 1: think it was weeks sixteen, So they don't get an 486 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 1: offseason young guys and then they have kind of step backs. 487 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: But how big is the off season? And you I 488 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:44,000 Speaker 1: mean this first time he's been healthy, what in a 489 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 1: couple of years. Yeah, I think that's the key. I 490 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 1: think you nailed it there. It's it's the first time 491 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:50,159 Speaker 1: that he's really Um had an off season where he 492 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:53,119 Speaker 1: wasn't rehabbing, he was really working working on his on 493 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: his skill set um to improve as a player, and 494 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:58,440 Speaker 1: not rehabing an injury. So I know he feels good. 495 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:01,439 Speaker 1: It's a new offensives just him. Um. He is a 496 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:03,680 Speaker 1: tireless worker, as you alluded to, he's the first guy 497 00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 1: on the field, the highest character guy in the NFL. 498 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 1: He's outstanding now. He he apologized was last year of 499 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:11,959 Speaker 1: the media. His mom got on his mom got on him. 500 00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: He apologize that you're not gonna find a better guy, 501 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:17,440 Speaker 1: um and and and a better teammate. How much better 502 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:20,159 Speaker 1: you think he can get? Um? Well, I think I 503 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:21,600 Speaker 1: think we can all get better. I think a lot 504 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:24,120 Speaker 1: of our players can get better. He's he's certainly being 505 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 1: being one of them. Um. I think he has gotten 506 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:29,720 Speaker 1: better um at parts of his game over the over 507 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:31,960 Speaker 1: the last two years. And you know, I'm looking forward 508 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:34,360 Speaker 1: to him to even get better this year. I sat 509 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:37,000 Speaker 1: down with Prague Murate last week and we were talking 510 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:40,639 Speaker 1: about Jimmy garoppolo contract. Obviously your quarterback still under his 511 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:44,879 Speaker 1: rookie contract, but these quarterbacks getting paid. As a team builder, 512 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:47,640 Speaker 1: your guys eventually gonna be up. And if he bounces back, 513 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:50,600 Speaker 1: we see how that money goes. How closely are you 514 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:52,879 Speaker 1: monitoring that just the way you build your team? And 515 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:54,840 Speaker 1: did that planed at all? Being aggressive this year in 516 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 1: free agency? Knowing that even though he's still relatively expensive 517 00:23:58,040 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 1: because he was a second overall pick, but just that 518 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:02,200 Speaker 1: one day he's gonna be a lot more expensive. Yeah, 519 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:04,280 Speaker 1: I mean, I think that's I think that's my charge 520 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:07,080 Speaker 1: as as general manager is to is to monitor all 521 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:10,640 Speaker 1: of those situations, regardless of what position it is, and 522 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:13,080 Speaker 1: and and try to put the team in best the 523 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 1: best position for for long term success. Um, that's our 524 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:18,440 Speaker 1: goal here. You know, we're not trying to catch lightning 525 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:20,680 Speaker 1: in a bottle. We're trying to to build something a 526 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,600 Speaker 1: sustainable um team here that can hopefully win for a 527 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:25,879 Speaker 1: lot of years. And and there's a lot of factors 528 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 1: that you have to look at when you're when you're 529 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:29,879 Speaker 1: doing that. How closely you monitor the league on just 530 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:32,240 Speaker 1: a daily basis, Yeah, quite a bit. There's not a 531 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:34,679 Speaker 1: ton of action in the off season. Um, you know, 532 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: it's everybody's kind of in their off season. There's some 533 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:40,879 Speaker 1: some back end roster stuff that's you know, from a 534 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:44,159 Speaker 1: transaction standpoint, being ninety now instead of eighty you know, 535 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 1: four or five years ago. That's an extra guys kind 536 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:48,040 Speaker 1: of you know, looping in and out. Yeah, we checked 537 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: the waiver wire and daily and see if there's anybody 538 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:52,320 Speaker 1: you know, we claimed John theis a couple of weeks 539 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:54,360 Speaker 1: ago who it was I think a fifth round pick 540 00:24:54,359 --> 00:24:56,920 Speaker 1: out of Georgia and has played some snaps in this league. 541 00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 1: Never can never have enough lineman for for training camp. 542 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:01,880 Speaker 1: You know, he's done a nice job for since he's 543 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:03,520 Speaker 1: been here. What about your division? I mean you've got 544 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 1: two quarterbacks that I mean are kind of game changes 545 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:08,640 Speaker 1: if they come back from injury. Is that something you're monitoring? 546 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:11,199 Speaker 1: I mean you play the Colts in the Texans, you know, 547 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 1: four times total luck and Deshawn's kind of progress. I 548 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:16,200 Speaker 1: mean you read wrote a world Twitter and just kind 549 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:18,119 Speaker 1: of keep up with everything that's going on. Yeah, I 550 00:25:18,119 --> 00:25:19,880 Speaker 1: mean you you kind of skim through it. I wouldn't 551 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,200 Speaker 1: say that. I Uh, I don't know something my daily 552 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:25,919 Speaker 1: schedule to catch up on. No, no exact Yeah there 553 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:28,159 Speaker 1: you go. Um, but yeah, you see what's going on 554 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 1: around the league. Um, I mean I think again that's 555 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:32,120 Speaker 1: part of our task is to is to monitor what's 556 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:34,240 Speaker 1: going on. We've got a tough division. Um, that's where 557 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:36,000 Speaker 1: it all starts. We've gotta win our division games. We've 558 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,639 Speaker 1: gotta win our home games. Uh. If we can do that, 559 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:39,960 Speaker 1: and it gives us a chance to get in the 560 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:42,639 Speaker 1: tournament next fall, our next uh you know, next winner, 561 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:44,639 Speaker 1: and and see where it all checked out. This division 562 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 1: could be really good. Obviously the Jags are loaded and 563 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:48,720 Speaker 1: those two guys come back. I mean, this could be 564 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 1: one of the better divisions in football. Yeah, to two 565 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 1: playoff teams last year. Um, you know in us in 566 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:56,880 Speaker 1: Jacksonville and Houston has been in there the last couple 567 00:25:56,920 --> 00:25:59,680 Speaker 1: of years. So um, you know, I think that in 568 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 1: in do with they're certainly a very talented team, and 569 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:04,960 Speaker 1: I think that all bets are off. You know, we're 570 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:07,080 Speaker 1: just we're just trying to clock in every day and 571 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:09,720 Speaker 1: and and put ourselves in best position to go out 572 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 1: and um and be competitive and and hopefully when if 573 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:15,160 Speaker 1: you you ready for vacation, I am ready for a vacation. 574 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 1: I am ready for a little to unplug a little bit, 575 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:19,000 Speaker 1: catch the breath, spend a little bit of time with 576 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:22,399 Speaker 1: the family. And um, I always get that itch about 577 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:25,640 Speaker 1: July the tenth or eleventh, you know, the you come 578 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:28,040 Speaker 1: home and the grass is cut and kind of smells 579 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:29,920 Speaker 1: like fall, and it's like it's right around the corner 580 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 1: and you get its you to go back to work. 581 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 1: So what do you got one more week after this 582 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 1: and then then you guys are off. Yeah, so we'll 583 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:37,440 Speaker 1: finish up this week with the the O t as, 584 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:39,479 Speaker 1: we have that mini camp next week and then uh 585 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 1: and then we'll be out for pipe three or four 586 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:42,639 Speaker 1: weeks and then back to the end of July. How 587 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:45,199 Speaker 1: much work you do over the summer? Uh, well, that 588 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:48,520 Speaker 1: contract potentially, Taylor Luwan a guy you're working on. He's here. 589 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 1: You know, some guys aren't here, you know, at their 590 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:54,440 Speaker 1: respective camps. I mean that's gotta mean a lot to you. Yeah. Well, 591 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:57,480 Speaker 1: I mean we're working on several things. We've got supplemental draft. Um, 592 00:26:57,720 --> 00:26:59,480 Speaker 1: that list is gonna be coming out here. You know, 593 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 1: you never know, you might you might catch a diamond 594 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 1: and the rough there one of those things. But certainly 595 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:06,480 Speaker 1: monitoring our our roster and trying to make sure that 596 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 1: when we get the training camp that we're as competitive 597 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:11,640 Speaker 1: as we can be. Well, John, I appreciate the time 598 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:13,840 Speaker 1: and excited to get out watch your football team practice, 599 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:16,560 Speaker 1: and thanks a lot man, good luck, it's it's goods. 600 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:18,680 Speaker 1: Congratulations to you. It's good to catch up with you. 601 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:21,160 Speaker 1: You've come a long way from from Fresno and beating 602 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 1: the bushes as a scout with the Eagles. So congrats 603 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:26,000 Speaker 1: to you for your success. And now I just stay 604 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:27,879 Speaker 1: on guys like you and bash you on Twitter. You 605 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 1: know when you screw up, or give you praise when 606 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:31,520 Speaker 1: you do well. I appreciate it. Thanks man, Thanks John, 607 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:36,480 Speaker 1: appreciate it. Okay, John Robinson was great. I mean he's 608 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 1: For those of you that don't know him that well 609 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:41,040 Speaker 1: and are listening, you probably wouldn't because he was with 610 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:43,440 Speaker 1: Belichick all those years and flew under the radar and 611 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:45,200 Speaker 1: there was a right hand guy for Jason Lite for 612 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:47,680 Speaker 1: a couple of years in Tampa. And now I mean 613 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:50,080 Speaker 1: now he's pretty well known and being a general manager 614 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:53,240 Speaker 1: in the league that I really think he's He's an 615 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:57,600 Speaker 1: old school football guy who really understands players but also 616 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 1: really gets value in the ability to raid. I think 617 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: he's made twelve draft trades in the last three years. 618 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:08,439 Speaker 1: He's just dynamic, and usually the guy's Belichick you know, 619 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:10,639 Speaker 1: believes in, and if you work for Belichick from two 620 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 1: thousand two to two thousand thirteen, you better believe the 621 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 1: guy's dynamic. And I've known him for a long time 622 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 1: I've been a big fan and and now I'm kind 623 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:21,920 Speaker 1: of under the Raider Titans fan, and you know you 624 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:28,000 Speaker 1: guys should be too, because he's impressive. Let's get to 625 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:30,560 Speaker 1: you know, my favorite time of the week, the middle 626 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:33,600 Speaker 1: cough mail bag. I got a bunch of questions, uh 627 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 1: from a lot of you guys the last since the 628 00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:42,959 Speaker 1: last podcast. Let's start with Sharome from Texas. How do 629 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 1: you think Dallas will do in the NFC with them 630 00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:48,960 Speaker 1: getting a year older, with their young guys Jalen Smith 631 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:51,320 Speaker 1: another year removed from his injury and Zeke back healthy, 632 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:54,520 Speaker 1: also not suspended, in a healthy offensive line, do you 633 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:58,240 Speaker 1: think a NFC championship game is out of reach? By note? 634 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 1: Hell No, I don't. I think the the Dallas Cowboys 635 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:04,280 Speaker 1: are gonna be really good. I know a lot of 636 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 1: people think Jason Garrett stinks. I actually think he's solid. Now. 637 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:11,480 Speaker 1: Is he an elite top seven eight coach? No, but 638 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:14,320 Speaker 1: he's definitely good enough to get to the NFC Championship game. 639 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:16,720 Speaker 1: They were two years ago when Zeke was healthy, Dax 640 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:19,520 Speaker 1: rookie year after Romo went out, and I do think 641 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 1: this year can be similar. If you look at last season, 642 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 1: they were right in the mix at nine and seven, 643 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:26,720 Speaker 1: and they missed Zeek for six games. He's their best 644 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:29,960 Speaker 1: player and they can't afford to go six games without Zeke. 645 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:33,280 Speaker 1: If Dak Prescott just does what he did his rookie 646 00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: year and doesn't even need to be that good, I mean, 647 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:37,360 Speaker 1: he can turn it out. It's not realistic to throw 648 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:41,040 Speaker 1: four or five six picks. You're gonna throw ten, eleven, twelve. 649 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:43,200 Speaker 1: But if you run the ball well, if you play 650 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 1: solid defense. Uh. I like the Cowboys to make the playoffs. 651 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:50,280 Speaker 1: I actually think they're kind of a sleeper because people 652 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:53,960 Speaker 1: just assume the Philadelphia Eagles are gonna win the division again. 653 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 1: I do think obviously the Eagles are a playoff team, 654 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:00,400 Speaker 1: but how often do teams just win the divis back 655 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:02,400 Speaker 1: to back years? You know, it's hard in the NFL, 656 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:05,400 Speaker 1: you know. And Dallas won the division two years ago 657 00:30:05,440 --> 00:30:08,760 Speaker 1: for a reason. They are really good. I'm bullish on Dallas. 658 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: I liked him last year before Zeke inevitably got suspended, 659 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:15,640 Speaker 1: and remember he went to Cobbo for six games. I 660 00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:19,000 Speaker 1: saw them live in San Francisco, and now that the 661 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:23,400 Speaker 1: forty Niners pre Garoppolo, but they were humming. They destroyed 662 00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 1: the Niners, and I went, that's a playoff team. And 663 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:29,320 Speaker 1: anytime you get into the playoff you are a legitimate 664 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 1: NFC championship or just an a f C championship threat, 665 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:35,400 Speaker 1: because all you gotta do is potentially win one game. 666 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 1: If you're a top suicide and if you're a top 667 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 1: you know, if you're a wild card team, you might 668 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:42,400 Speaker 1: host a playoff game. Then you just gotta win one 669 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:44,240 Speaker 1: game on the road. And we see it every year 670 00:30:44,280 --> 00:30:46,760 Speaker 1: teams go down. I like the Dallas Cowboys. I really 671 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:49,280 Speaker 1: like them a lot. Uh, they might actually be my 672 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:51,920 Speaker 1: pick to win the NFC East. John loved the pod. 673 00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:54,920 Speaker 1: What's the real expectations for the Miami Dolphins two thousand 674 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:58,760 Speaker 1: eighteen season. I've seen their transactions over the off season. 675 00:30:58,840 --> 00:31:00,800 Speaker 1: I love it. I think the very deep in the 676 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:04,640 Speaker 1: secondary and have a sneaky good defensive front as well. Uh. 677 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:08,560 Speaker 1: Drafting the kid from I think Mike giscky. I think 678 00:31:08,600 --> 00:31:10,080 Speaker 1: it's how you say his name, the tight end from 679 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:12,640 Speaker 1: Penn State is a great pick. I agree to me 680 00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 1: the I'm an Adam Gays guy. I've been a believer 681 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:18,120 Speaker 1: since he's been with Peyton Manning. Everyone I've known and 682 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:20,240 Speaker 1: basically and with the Chicago Bears, I knew people that 683 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:23,200 Speaker 1: worked with him that loved him. I'm not selling stock 684 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 1: just because he had one poor year in a season 685 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:28,280 Speaker 1: when his quarterback you know towards a cil and training 686 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 1: camp that there's not much you can do. They had 687 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:33,040 Speaker 1: to pull Jay Cutler out of the retirement booth that 688 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:35,120 Speaker 1: they were in a tough situation. I really think you 689 00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 1: have to throw away last season two years ago again 690 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:40,800 Speaker 1: when Ryan Tannehill get hurt, because he gets hurt a lot. 691 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 1: They made the playoffs within that more. Now, not for 692 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:45,360 Speaker 1: the entire season, but I think Matt Moore finished the 693 00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:49,520 Speaker 1: last six games, maybe five, but it's not like they 694 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:52,880 Speaker 1: were in Week sixteen. So he's proven to be able 695 00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:55,680 Speaker 1: to work with a lot of different quarterbacks. You can 696 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:57,480 Speaker 1: make the bat, you can make the playoffs with the 697 00:31:57,480 --> 00:31:59,720 Speaker 1: backup quarterback. To me, that's impressive. They need to be 698 00:31:59,800 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 1: a better on defense. They've gotten rid of, to me, 699 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:05,000 Speaker 1: a team cancer in the Dominican suit. Not that he 700 00:32:05,080 --> 00:32:07,440 Speaker 1: was a terrible guy, but he was paid so much 701 00:32:07,480 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 1: money and the hype never quite lived up to it. Uh, 702 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:12,640 Speaker 1: their division isn't that great to me, The Bills are 703 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:14,880 Speaker 1: going to take a slight step back because Josh Allen 704 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:16,880 Speaker 1: Moren likely is going to be the starting quarterback or 705 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:20,040 Speaker 1: AJ McCarron, who is worse than Tyrod Taylor. The New 706 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:22,920 Speaker 1: York Jets are just in complete rebuild mode, especially if 707 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:25,760 Speaker 1: Sam Donald starts a lot. I do think that the 708 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 1: Miami Dolphins can be competitive, as we've seen the last 709 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:31,600 Speaker 1: several years they played. They beat New England once a year. 710 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,080 Speaker 1: So then if you can go, you know, win three 711 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:36,360 Speaker 1: other games in your division your four and two, then 712 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:38,840 Speaker 1: if you somehow find a way to win five games, 713 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:42,240 Speaker 1: you're nine seven, and I don't think it's out of 714 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 1: the realm possibility. I know a lot of Vegas and 715 00:32:45,160 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 1: a lot of betting sites have them as one of 716 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:50,160 Speaker 1: the lowest old over unders in the league. I'm not 717 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:53,720 Speaker 1: that uh down on them. I expect them to be 718 00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 1: competitive because I think they're Their coach is good. Now. 719 00:32:56,560 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 1: The big wild card is the quarterback. He consistently gets hurt. 720 00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:01,880 Speaker 1: Heart to have a little bit of a Sam Bradford 721 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:04,320 Speaker 1: field to him if he is healthy, and that that's 722 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:06,600 Speaker 1: a massive if right now, because he hasn't been able 723 00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:10,080 Speaker 1: to stay healthy. Now, the Tanney Hill, you know, fanboy 724 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:12,600 Speaker 1: contingent would tell you it's basically the same injury. Remember 725 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:15,280 Speaker 1: two years ago he refused to have surgery and that 726 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:17,720 Speaker 1: was you know the next as of last year when 727 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 1: he tore his me it was his own fault because 728 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:21,360 Speaker 1: he should have just got surgery this first time. Well, 729 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 1: I'm not Dr James Andrews here, but that's yeah. And 730 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:28,320 Speaker 1: I think they tried to push the envelope and and 731 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:33,760 Speaker 1: a backfired heavily, mightily. I also think this their first 732 00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:36,280 Speaker 1: round pick. Maka Fitzpatrick, when it's all said and done, 733 00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:38,400 Speaker 1: could be one of the best players in this draft. 734 00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:40,400 Speaker 1: He was one of the best players in college for 735 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:42,520 Speaker 1: the last three years he started as a true freshman. 736 00:33:42,560 --> 00:33:45,840 Speaker 1: He played every stinking position for the Alabama defense. He's 737 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:48,320 Speaker 1: not going to fail. He may never be, you know, 738 00:33:48,400 --> 00:33:50,960 Speaker 1: at Reid, but he is gonna be a really good 739 00:33:50,960 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 1: starter for a long long time. I love that pick. 740 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:55,880 Speaker 1: I think Miami got a little lucky that he just 741 00:33:55,960 --> 00:33:58,960 Speaker 1: fell into their laps. So I'm just I had kind 742 00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:01,000 Speaker 1: of forgotten about maca dispatcher. But I see what you're 743 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:04,000 Speaker 1: saying about the deeper secondary, and yeah, I'm with you. 744 00:34:04,160 --> 00:34:05,960 Speaker 1: I think they're gonna be better and I do like 745 00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 1: their off season two playoffs nine wins, but it wouldn't 746 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:13,480 Speaker 1: shock me. I think a lot of people expect them 747 00:34:13,520 --> 00:34:17,960 Speaker 1: to win four or five games if they want eight. Uh. 748 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:22,319 Speaker 1: Bill Belichick actually j by JP Sports, Colin often talks 749 00:34:22,320 --> 00:34:24,600 Speaker 1: about how Lebron and Belichick don't really do good things 750 00:34:24,640 --> 00:34:26,799 Speaker 1: at the beginning of the finals because they're trying to 751 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:28,960 Speaker 1: use the first part of the game or series attest. 752 00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:31,279 Speaker 1: The waters changed a little bit for Lebron. But I 753 00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:33,319 Speaker 1: know what you're saying. Do you believe the reason that 754 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:37,839 Speaker 1: they didn't win eight Super Bowls is because Belichick does this? I? 755 00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:39,839 Speaker 1: I don't because really, at the end of the day, 756 00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:43,480 Speaker 1: the Super Bowls that the Patriots have lost have not 757 00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:47,720 Speaker 1: been because of their per force. Poor first halfs now 758 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:51,480 Speaker 1: it made the Atlanta game really hard last year, kind 759 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:54,399 Speaker 1: of put them behind the eight ball, but ultimately it's 760 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:57,680 Speaker 1: been execution down the stretch. If you remember, what would 761 00:34:57,680 --> 00:35:00,279 Speaker 1: it have been, oh seven, when Brady just rode a 762 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:03,600 Speaker 1: little too high for West Welker uh in two thousand 763 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:07,080 Speaker 1: and eleven. I'm pretty sure Gronkowski did not play in 764 00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:09,000 Speaker 1: that Super Bowl, or maybe he did play, but he 765 00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:11,000 Speaker 1: was a shell of himself because he had the bad foot. 766 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:14,080 Speaker 1: You know, it's just last year. I mean, sometimes you 767 00:35:14,080 --> 00:35:16,560 Speaker 1: just get beat. You know, it's the super Boy. It's 768 00:35:16,600 --> 00:35:19,279 Speaker 1: really hard. And I think for them to win five 769 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:22,120 Speaker 1: super Bowls out of eight is just an incredible accomplishment. 770 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:25,120 Speaker 1: No different Lebron. I mean, in fairness to Lebron, he 771 00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:27,280 Speaker 1: hasn't been the betting favorite in many of his finals 772 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:29,799 Speaker 1: and all these ones that he's If you're listening to this, 773 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:32,520 Speaker 1: I guess the Warriors game is tonight, Like the Warriors 774 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:35,239 Speaker 1: are just better. And I think he's had a change 775 00:35:35,239 --> 00:35:37,640 Speaker 1: that strategy. And I don't think I think Bill Belichick 776 00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:40,000 Speaker 1: tries to score points on on every play, especially in 777 00:35:40,040 --> 00:35:42,799 Speaker 1: big games. He's not necessarily trying to set you up 778 00:35:42,800 --> 00:35:45,200 Speaker 1: for stuff in the Super Bowl. Maybe he's doing it 779 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:48,279 Speaker 1: in the regular season, potentially in a playoff game, but 780 00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:51,080 Speaker 1: in the NFL it's hard. There's no margin. Forever, one 781 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:54,600 Speaker 1: bad play, one pick six, one fumble six can screw 782 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:57,280 Speaker 1: you can do you in one screwed up on sidekick, 783 00:35:57,760 --> 00:35:59,440 Speaker 1: you know, in the first half, can be the difference 784 00:35:59,480 --> 00:36:02,760 Speaker 1: in a game. Every play in a playoff game matters 785 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:05,000 Speaker 1: so much. I mean in football, just in general, players 786 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:07,839 Speaker 1: do matter because there's only fifty or sixty offensive plays 787 00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:10,600 Speaker 1: on each side of the ball, so every play is magnified, 788 00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:13,279 Speaker 1: especially in the playoffs when you know yards are hard 789 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:15,839 Speaker 1: to come by. So I I don't think I think 790 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:18,760 Speaker 1: they got beat. You know, they say styles make fights. 791 00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:22,000 Speaker 1: I think matchups make super Bowls. If you look at 792 00:36:22,040 --> 00:36:24,080 Speaker 1: the two Super Bowls they lost the Cofflin and the Giants, 793 00:36:24,239 --> 00:36:27,520 Speaker 1: it's a bad matchup. They had a fantastic defensive line. 794 00:36:27,719 --> 00:36:30,640 Speaker 1: It's always kind of been the downfall of the Brady era. 795 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:33,640 Speaker 1: You know, a couple of years ago when the when 796 00:36:33,680 --> 00:36:35,839 Speaker 1: Denver beat him ended up winning the Super Bowl, when 797 00:36:35,840 --> 00:36:38,399 Speaker 1: Manning was terrible. What got him? I mean they could 798 00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:41,759 Speaker 1: not block their defensive line. What was the downfall? Last year? 799 00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:44,200 Speaker 1: The play at the end of the Super Bowl it 800 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:47,520 Speaker 1: was Brandon Graham. You know, it's the defensive front for Philadelphia. 801 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:51,640 Speaker 1: They're just good. Defensive lines historically have always given New 802 00:36:51,640 --> 00:36:55,239 Speaker 1: England trouble because for the most part, you know, they 803 00:36:55,239 --> 00:36:58,720 Speaker 1: don't have five Logan Mankins up front. They have one 804 00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:00,920 Speaker 1: high draft pick and then usually a couple of mid 805 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:03,759 Speaker 1: rounders and a couple undrafted free agents that they're not 806 00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:06,200 Speaker 1: dealing with five Blue Chippers, and that's you know, how 807 00:37:06,239 --> 00:37:10,600 Speaker 1: Belichick builds his team. And again, sometimes at the highest 808 00:37:10,680 --> 00:37:13,800 Speaker 1: level of football, you just get beat. A couple of 809 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:17,080 Speaker 1: years ago when Alabama lost in the championship basically in 810 00:37:17,120 --> 00:37:20,600 Speaker 1: the last play to Clemson. Sometimes not every loss also 811 00:37:20,719 --> 00:37:22,640 Speaker 1: is a bad thing. You know, you like, to me, 812 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:25,759 Speaker 1: you could hold your head high in certain losses, like 813 00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:28,520 Speaker 1: last year with lebron he lost the words, basically got 814 00:37:28,520 --> 00:37:30,200 Speaker 1: his ask kicking five games. To me, he could hold 815 00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:32,440 Speaker 1: his head high. You know, it's like he did everything 816 00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:35,640 Speaker 1: he could. I've watched Belichick, you know, you you could 817 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:38,080 Speaker 1: argue it wasn't his best coach game. That's that's fair. 818 00:37:38,680 --> 00:37:41,200 Speaker 1: But you know the Eagles time, I mean, the franchise 819 00:37:41,239 --> 00:37:42,880 Speaker 1: has never won a Super Bowl and their team was 820 00:37:42,880 --> 00:37:45,640 Speaker 1: stacked that they were really good. Now in a perfect world, 821 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:48,400 Speaker 1: do you like losing the backup quarterback? No? But I 822 00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:51,600 Speaker 1: think in all three, in all three losses, there's been 823 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:55,880 Speaker 1: a common theme elite pass rush, elite front pressure, and 824 00:37:56,160 --> 00:37:58,960 Speaker 1: that's always kind of been the Achilles heel of New 825 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:04,040 Speaker 1: England and Bill Bell check in the Championship. Uh Kobe 826 00:38:04,080 --> 00:38:06,840 Speaker 1: d big fan of the podcast. In your Insights and 827 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:10,759 Speaker 1: Analysis I'm from Pittsburgh and a huge Steeler fan. What, 828 00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:13,920 Speaker 1: in your eyes is the main issue with Mike Tomlin. 829 00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:18,200 Speaker 1: To me, it's pretty simple. I think Mike Tomlin is 830 00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:22,799 Speaker 1: a top five NFL coach. I think his resume is fantastic. 831 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:24,920 Speaker 1: If the Pittsburgh Steelers were to ever move on, he 832 00:38:24,920 --> 00:38:28,960 Speaker 1: would be hired immediately. I think his downfall he is 833 00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:34,560 Speaker 1: excellent at managing personalities, handling guys like ben Levian, Antonio Brown, 834 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:37,840 Speaker 1: you know, kind of crazy coordinators like Bruce Arians or 835 00:38:37,880 --> 00:38:41,480 Speaker 1: Todd Haley. He's really good at motivating the team and 836 00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:44,960 Speaker 1: having them locked in. I think it comes down to details. 837 00:38:45,719 --> 00:38:48,800 Speaker 1: He's a defensive guy, and his defensive especially he's just 838 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:52,280 Speaker 1: defensive secondary guy, and his secondaries always have massive holes. 839 00:38:52,960 --> 00:38:55,880 Speaker 1: The one play that, like I understand, sometimes you just 840 00:38:55,920 --> 00:38:57,919 Speaker 1: come out flat or whatever in a in a big 841 00:38:57,960 --> 00:39:00,879 Speaker 1: game that that happens no matter what you do motivationally 842 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:03,399 Speaker 1: that week. Like let's just use the Jaguars playoff game 843 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:06,759 Speaker 1: for example. But they ultimately were still in that game 844 00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:09,359 Speaker 1: when it was nutcutting time in the fourth quarter. There 845 00:39:09,400 --> 00:39:11,160 Speaker 1: was a play where they needed to get off the 846 00:39:11,200 --> 00:39:12,560 Speaker 1: field and third down and they would have had a 847 00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:14,560 Speaker 1: chance to at least tie the game, if not winning. 848 00:39:15,400 --> 00:39:19,400 Speaker 1: And I forget the exact down and distance, but they 849 00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:23,520 Speaker 1: ran like a crossing route underneath the Jaguars did, and 850 00:39:23,640 --> 00:39:27,120 Speaker 1: the corner bit when he had the flat and the 851 00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:30,239 Speaker 1: corner period of vertical that he didn't need to and 852 00:39:30,360 --> 00:39:34,719 Speaker 1: ultimately that the Jaguars got the first down and it 853 00:39:34,719 --> 00:39:38,040 Speaker 1: costs them the game. It's little details like that that 854 00:39:38,280 --> 00:39:42,400 Speaker 1: even in your shittiest performance, they could have overcome the 855 00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:45,840 Speaker 1: bad start and beat the Jaguars despite playing very poorly. 856 00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:49,120 Speaker 1: And I do think the Patriots were there to be 857 00:39:49,239 --> 00:39:52,640 Speaker 1: had this year. They were a flawed, great team and 858 00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:54,720 Speaker 1: I know the Steelers have never beat them, it feels 859 00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:57,920 Speaker 1: like especially in New England, but I do think they 860 00:39:57,920 --> 00:40:00,360 Speaker 1: could have beat him. And it comes to details in 861 00:40:00,440 --> 00:40:03,840 Speaker 1: the biggest moment, at the biggest time, Belichick's players always 862 00:40:03,840 --> 00:40:05,839 Speaker 1: seem to make a play. Now, they don't always win 863 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:07,960 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl, but for the most part, they're getting there. 864 00:40:08,440 --> 00:40:11,239 Speaker 1: You know, Tomlin losing in the first round, I mean 865 00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:13,680 Speaker 1: his equivalent of first round. It was actually the second round, 866 00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:16,160 Speaker 1: but they had to buy at home to the Jaguars 867 00:40:16,160 --> 00:40:19,000 Speaker 1: when their quarterbacks Blake Bortles, is tough to stomach. If 868 00:40:19,040 --> 00:40:22,560 Speaker 1: you're a Steeler fan, you have a Hall of Fame quarterback, 869 00:40:22,600 --> 00:40:23,880 Speaker 1: you have the best running back in the league, and 870 00:40:23,880 --> 00:40:25,960 Speaker 1: you have the best receiver in the league. And because 871 00:40:25,960 --> 00:40:29,200 Speaker 1: your defense when it's time to make a play can't 872 00:40:29,200 --> 00:40:32,880 Speaker 1: get the details right. To me, it's details, details, details, details, 873 00:40:33,120 --> 00:40:35,360 Speaker 1: and that's really his downfall. And to me, that's the 874 00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:37,439 Speaker 1: reason he might end up in the Hall of Fame. 875 00:40:37,600 --> 00:40:41,239 Speaker 1: I mean, if he keeps winning divisions, you know, if 876 00:40:41,239 --> 00:40:43,239 Speaker 1: he makes to another super Bowl, even if he loses it, 877 00:40:43,320 --> 00:40:46,719 Speaker 1: his resume is gonna be damn good. But I do 878 00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:49,800 Speaker 1: think there'll be something there to be desired. And in fairness, 879 00:40:50,200 --> 00:40:52,960 Speaker 1: there are with more most coaches. Most guys are not Belichick, 880 00:40:53,120 --> 00:40:55,520 Speaker 1: most guys are not Parcels, most guys are not Walsh. 881 00:40:55,880 --> 00:40:59,360 Speaker 1: There's nothing wrong with being Mike Tomlin. You know Mike Tomlin, 882 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:01,759 Speaker 1: I think, and he reads a better football coach. Mike 883 00:41:01,760 --> 00:41:04,279 Speaker 1: Tomlin has a Super Bowl, So I think you just 884 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:05,600 Speaker 1: have to live with it. And here's the other thing. 885 00:41:05,760 --> 00:41:07,640 Speaker 1: And I think Steeler fans anytime they have a tough 886 00:41:07,680 --> 00:41:09,959 Speaker 1: loss in the playoffs, they want him gone. Who's gonna 887 00:41:09,960 --> 00:41:12,239 Speaker 1: be the next coach? Who who would do a better 888 00:41:12,320 --> 00:41:14,520 Speaker 1: job than Mike Tomlin. I think it'd be really hard 889 00:41:14,560 --> 00:41:18,759 Speaker 1: to find. Okay, thanks again. I'm glad John Robinson came on. 890 00:41:18,840 --> 00:41:21,120 Speaker 1: I'm glad you gotta got a chance to hear him. 891 00:41:21,320 --> 00:41:24,200 Speaker 1: Known him for a long time and he's a stud. Uh. 892 00:41:24,560 --> 00:41:27,120 Speaker 1: Enjoy the weekend. I know I will hear in Nashville. 893 00:41:27,360 --> 00:41:29,279 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to the three Now podcast on the 894 00:41:29,400 --> 00:41:37,120 Speaker 1: Colin Coward Podcast. In the one