1 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:08,720 Speaker 1: Hey Colts fans. I'm JJ Stankovitz and welcome into another 2 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: episode of the cult show in Indianapolis Colts podcast. We 3 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: are presented by our friends at Microsoft Surface co Pilot 4 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: plus PC. Coming up on today's episode, I had a 5 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:21,919 Speaker 1: chance to have a really good conversation with Jordan rod Rieg, 6 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 1: senior writer from The Athletic. She wrote a feature profile 7 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: on carly Ers Gordon that went out in late December, 8 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: and then she and Zach Kiefer co bylined a story 9 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:34,559 Speaker 1: in The Athletic that went out on Tuesday as an 10 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 1: explainer as to why carly Ers Gordon Colts owner and 11 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 1: CEO decided to retain general manager Chris Ballard and head 12 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:44,559 Speaker 1: coach Shane Stike, and wanted to pick her brain on 13 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 1: her perspective on that kind of deliver that to you guys. 14 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: I know the episode's coming out a little bit later 15 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:51,479 Speaker 1: in the week than it usually does. We wanted to 16 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: make sure we could get Jordan on here to have 17 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: a nice interesting discussion about the direction the Colts are 18 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 1: going now that they have decided to keep Chris Ballard 19 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: and Shane Steichen in their current posts. Without further ado, 20 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 1: let's get to my conversation with Jordan rod Rieg from 21 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:10,839 Speaker 1: The Athletic. It is my pleasure to be welcomed here 22 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 1: on the Colt Show by Jordan rod Rieg, senior NFL 23 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 1: writer for The Athletic, co host of the NFL Daily 24 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:19,960 Speaker 1: podcast with Greg Rosenthal. You can get that wherever you 25 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 1: get your podcasts. And Jordan is on this podcast because 26 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 1: she wrote two outstanding stories about Carliers Gordon. The first 27 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 1: was a feature story that went out on The Athletic 28 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: on December thirtieth with the headline all eyes are on 29 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 1: the NFL's most atypical owner. Where will her curiosity lead her? Next? 30 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: A fantastic profile of carlier A Gordon as a role 31 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:45,639 Speaker 1: as owner and CEO of the Colts. And then Jordan 32 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 1: and Zach Keefer wrote a story on Tuesday of this 33 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: week behind carlier Sa Gordon's decision to give GM Chris 34 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: Ballard one last shot. So bring in Jordan on to 35 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 1: talk about carlier Sa Gordon. Really excited for this conversation. Jordan, 36 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: thanks for coming on the pod. 37 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for having me, and also like 38 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 2: thank you to Indianapolis and the Colts for having me. 39 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 3: In the first week of December. 40 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:10,799 Speaker 2: I had such a warm not temperature wise, it was 41 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:13,799 Speaker 2: very cold, but I had such a warm, warm experience, 42 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 2: and everybody was very gracious with their time. The city 43 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 2: was buzzing because the Hoosiers were about to play, and 44 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 2: like it was, it was so much fun to be 45 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 2: there at that time. So very very appreciative for that 46 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 2: for my time there. 47 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 1: So, Jordan, you spent I think it was four days 48 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: here in Indianapolis, is. 49 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:31,679 Speaker 3: That right, Devin, Yes, Okay, a whole week here. 50 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 1: You spent reporting on the story that went out on 51 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: December thirtieth, and you were you were in the building, 52 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:39,959 Speaker 1: you were talking to a ton of people. This was 53 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: leading up to, unfortunately for us, the Jaguars game where 54 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: Daniel Jones sustained a torn achilles. But what did what 55 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:52,119 Speaker 1: did maybe you you return from that mountain of reporting 56 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 1: that you did and the just the avalanche of interviews 57 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 1: that you conducted when you got home and you sat 58 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 1: down to start really thinking about where this is going 59 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:04,079 Speaker 1: to go? What maybe hit your brain first about carly 60 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:06,799 Speaker 1: or s Gordon and what you learned about her as 61 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 1: the owner and CEO of this franchise. 62 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 2: Well, for me, it was how everything felt right now 63 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 2: Caveat here. It was not post Jacksonville Jaguars game, so 64 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:20,920 Speaker 2: everything the world was sort of wide open still to 65 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 2: the Colts. 66 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 3: I think when you. 67 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 2: Have a quarterback injury like that, it can rock a 68 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:27,679 Speaker 2: building in more ways than people would see from the outside. 69 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 3: But at that time, it was like, this. 70 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 2: Is what the Colts would look like without that injury, right, 71 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 2: And so when I was there, I was really interested 72 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 2: in pursuing this theory that I had had because I 73 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 2: had encountered it from the second that I had heard 74 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 2: of Carly or sa Gordon. I was really interested in pursuing, 75 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 2: like this theory that I kept hearing pop up from 76 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 2: executives that I've talked to that have crossed paths with her, 77 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 2: whether it's at league meetings or other aspects of the 78 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 2: league calendar with coaches, including ones that she had been 79 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 2: had interviewed prior to hiring Shane Steichen. You know, there 80 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 2: was a lot of the same theme that kept emerging, 81 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 2: which is this person is very very special and you 82 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 2: know at the time, you know, obviously talking about her 83 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:18,919 Speaker 2: before the death of Jim Mersey, it was when it 84 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:22,479 Speaker 2: is her time to lead, this could be different, This 85 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:26,679 Speaker 2: could be something that takes the franchise in a direction 86 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 2: that's very very interesting. 87 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:29,840 Speaker 3: This is a person. 88 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 2: Who is ready to build a very modern yet also 89 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 2: very like holistic and warm family run feeling of what 90 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:43,359 Speaker 2: could be possible for NFL ownership in the league, and 91 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 2: certainly doing so at a very young age. 92 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 3: And so I was very curious about that. 93 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 2: And I'm like, Okay, everybody seems to be big fans 94 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 2: of Carli orse Gordon, so I'm curious about her. And 95 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 2: and so when I went into the building, I wanted 96 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 2: to just understand what everything felt like and how she 97 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 2: spoke and how she asks questions. And that was one 98 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 2: of my main questions was how when she asked you 99 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 2: a question, like, how does she ask the question? And 100 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 2: I came away with this even before speaking with Carly, 101 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 2: this sentiment of like speciality that was I don't think 102 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 2: people a lot of people could see yet from the outside, 103 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:24,239 Speaker 2: and maybe we'll get a chance to in the future 104 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 2: where there was a really high level of football IQ 105 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 2: permeating the building. Kind of knew that already from some 106 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:34,159 Speaker 2: of the reputations of the scouts and some of the 107 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 2: people in the building and the coaching. There was this 108 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 2: high level of emotional intelligence too. When I was in 109 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 2: the locker room talking to players, we ranged from everything 110 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 2: from talking about you know, x's and o's to talking 111 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 2: about really high level societal things that had come up 112 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:56,039 Speaker 2: for them over the course of the year because of 113 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 2: the ownership transition and also the scrutiny that the organization 114 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 2: had face because of that. 115 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 3: Transition and in light of that transition, And I. 116 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 2: Was really impressed by how much that building holds at 117 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:11,840 Speaker 2: any given time, and I started to really understand that 118 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 2: that is reflective of Carly and the way that she 119 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:19,279 Speaker 2: attacks the world and pursues ideas and the curiosity that 120 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 2: she approaches everything with. And when I met her, I 121 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 2: was as fortunate to get some time with her as 122 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,279 Speaker 2: well at the end of the week, and I was 123 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 2: really blown away by the energy. And you know, I've 124 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:32,600 Speaker 2: been around a lot of coaches, a lot of gms, 125 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:35,840 Speaker 2: a lot of owners in the last ten years covering 126 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:39,040 Speaker 2: the league, and she very specifically reminded me of some 127 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 2: of these very high level coaches, not necessarily the topics, 128 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 2: but the aura or like the energy, because you could 129 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:51,719 Speaker 2: feel that it was like this barely contained like drive 130 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 2: that was sort of buzzing, making the room buzz a 131 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 2: little bit, but it was also very focused, very direct, 132 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 2: very immersive in the person sitting right in front of her. 133 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 3: In this case, it was me. 134 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:05,280 Speaker 2: And it reminds me of that like laser beam that 135 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 2: like Sean McVay hits you with sometimes, or that laser 136 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 2: beam that Kyle Shanahan hits you with sometimes that it's like. 137 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:16,239 Speaker 3: This crazy singular directiveness that it's very hard to explain. 138 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 2: I did my best in the story, but it is 139 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 2: something that I think is a life force in a 140 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 2: way for a building that's on the precipice of what 141 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 2: comes next. 142 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: I think something that you included in the article the 143 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 1: Future story that I thought was really important was the 144 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: idea of Carly operating with curiosity but without judgment or 145 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: jumping to conclusions. Why was that an important line for 146 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 1: you to include in that story Through your conversations either 147 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 1: with Carly or with people close to her, Well, first of. 148 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 3: All, I felt it from her because it was like 149 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 3: we were back and forth. She was asking me stuff. 150 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 2: We were having a conversation in a way that felt 151 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 2: less like an interview and more like an actual just 152 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 2: a conversation having with somebody who just wanted to know things, 153 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 2: which I found very refreshing. You don't get that talking 154 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 2: to a lot of these owners, most if not all, 155 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 2: and so it was really interesting talking to everybody from 156 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 2: the coaching staff to people in the front office and 157 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 2: players because like I mentioned that, how does she ask 158 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 2: questions was front of mine for me, and it brought 159 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 2: me back. Their responses brought me back to a conversation 160 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 2: I once had about a with a defensive coach, a 161 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 2: prominent one who's really well known for teaching and developing 162 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 2: players and developing culture, and we were talking about how 163 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 2: in his role, what he wanted to be was like 164 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 2: water in a fish bowl, where you're filling the bowl 165 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 2: as a sustaining life force. 166 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 3: For the fish, not to drown the fish. 167 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 2: So you're filling the room. You're filling the space with 168 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:45,319 Speaker 2: your energy, with your culture, with your vision, but you're 169 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:48,439 Speaker 2: doing so in a way that feels sustaining and not smothering. 170 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 2: And that's where I really that's what I really got 171 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 2: from Carly because she's so connected with every part of 172 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 2: the building, and some of the stories that I that 173 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 2: I heard, I wish I could just write a whole 174 00:08:57,200 --> 00:08:59,839 Speaker 2: separate piece on like the dozens of stories that I 175 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 2: got from players and coaches of how they felt seen 176 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:06,319 Speaker 2: or they felt like surprised to be so seen, and 177 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:08,440 Speaker 2: but also in a way that never made them felt 178 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 2: like they were being watched. And I'm like, being seen 179 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 2: without feeling like you're being scrutinized or watched. That's a 180 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 2: very rare line to walk in. It results based and 181 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 2: production based business that tries to quantify people into numbers 182 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:26,559 Speaker 2: and output, right, and so I found that to be 183 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 2: extremely interesting. I found that to be so telling of 184 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:33,839 Speaker 2: why she draws the type of loyalty that she does 185 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 2: within the building is because she makes people feel like 186 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 2: that without feeling threatened by that, by her title, by 187 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 2: her presence, by that crazy intense energy that I'm telling 188 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 2: you about, Like it's almost like it's it does never, 189 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 2: it never takes over for the sake of somebody else 190 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 2: feeling centered in the in the in the conversation, or 191 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 2: in the in the in the attention. 192 00:09:57,720 --> 00:09:59,839 Speaker 1: But before we get into because I do want to 193 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 1: get your perspective on, you know, what you observed through 194 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:06,320 Speaker 1: her decision making process to retain Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen. 195 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 1: You mentioned, you know, talking to other owners around the league, 196 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 1: and you know, having these conversations like how is carly 197 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:17,680 Speaker 1: ERSA Gordon different in your mind than your typical NFL owner. 198 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: You don't have to name names or anything, but like 199 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 1: just like typical typical, then you're like your typical NFL 200 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: owner and CEO. 201 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:26,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a great question. 202 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 2: I mean, especially too beyond the very obvious like physical elements, 203 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:33,840 Speaker 2: like she's way younger than any of them first of all. 204 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:39,200 Speaker 2: But it's it's like this this willingness to immerse in 205 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 2: the building that's very different from the way that like 206 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 2: a other family run organizations are. It's less like my 207 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 2: office is at the top of the building and more 208 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 2: like I'm showing up in the dark next to the 209 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 2: assistant special teams coach because that's when we show up. 210 00:10:56,280 --> 00:11:00,160 Speaker 2: That's football and kind of being one of the people 211 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:03,600 Speaker 2: in the football building versus somebody who's over the top of. 212 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 3: The football building. 213 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 2: You know, it was funny when I came in, you know, 214 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:11,080 Speaker 2: she was even I joked with my editor. I was like, 215 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:13,320 Speaker 2: there's no way we can even explain this in the article. 216 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 2: But she was on the Thursday liquid routine of the 217 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:19,560 Speaker 2: head that I've seen head coaches do which by that 218 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 2: time it's a giant Stanley full of water and like 219 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 2: a Celsius energy drink or vitamin energy drink or whatever. 220 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 3: And you're just like, you've got both right because. 221 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 2: Balance, and like, that's how that by the time you 222 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 2: get to Thursday, that's what you're existing on essentially, because 223 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:35,080 Speaker 2: you're game planning and you're so immersed in all of 224 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 2: that and so and and you know, I saw like 225 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 2: her notes on these whiteboards of how she thinks about 226 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:42,840 Speaker 2: the business side, and I've learned about her partnership with 227 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 2: Kaylin and and running kicking the stigma, and I'm like, 228 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:48,320 Speaker 2: how is it possible that somebody is doing all these 229 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:51,720 Speaker 2: things at one time in a way that feels authentic? 230 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 2: And it's again, it's a theory I had to go 231 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:56,200 Speaker 2: and test for myself. It's one thing to have someone 232 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 2: tell you about it. 233 00:11:56,920 --> 00:11:58,520 Speaker 3: It's another thing to see it with your own eyes. 234 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 2: And so that will to be a part of the 235 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 2: fabric of something versus dictating what the fabric is from 236 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 2: on high. That is what to me really really separates her. 237 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:14,679 Speaker 2: And it's like that balance too between she's not making 238 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 2: decisions autonomously, she's not even really making many football decisions 239 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 2: at all by and she's certainly never doing it by herself, 240 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:28,520 Speaker 2: but it's always that that immersion, like she's she's getting 241 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,760 Speaker 2: people to the decisions and talking through the decisions and 242 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 2: in real time. And I think that's really rare. I 243 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:36,200 Speaker 2: think it'd be really easy to come over the top 244 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 2: and try to meddle. 245 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:40,440 Speaker 3: That's not what I feel is happening here. You know what. 246 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:43,200 Speaker 1: The other thing I really liked about your profile of 247 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: her was that, you know, the most visible thing about 248 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:49,319 Speaker 1: carly Or s Gordon this year and in years past, 249 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 1: if folks have been looking, is her presence on the sidelines. 250 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 2: Right. 251 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 1: It became this kind of cultural phenomenon this year because 252 00:12:57,200 --> 00:12:59,319 Speaker 1: the culture having success, and it was her first year 253 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 1: a zoner and see. You know, but what I loved 254 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:04,560 Speaker 1: about your article, Jordan, was that you didn't like focus 255 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:07,040 Speaker 1: on that because that's just one part of what she does. 256 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 1: It is certainly a typical for an owner. But in 257 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:12,440 Speaker 1: my conversations with her, it's like, well, yeah, that makes 258 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 1: sense that aspect of it though. You know, I thought 259 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 1: you did such a good job weaving it in where 260 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 1: it is an important part of the story. But it's 261 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:26,319 Speaker 1: not like the story, right, But when when you did 262 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 1: kind of you know, hit that part of it and 263 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 1: you kind of wrote about it though you're writing about 264 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:35,080 Speaker 1: someone who is not only an owner being on the 265 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 1: NFL side land, but somebod who was a woman being 266 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:39,560 Speaker 1: on the NFL sideline, and those are two things that 267 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 1: are not plentiful around the league. How did you kind 268 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 1: of come to understand that aspect of her ownership and 269 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:50,959 Speaker 1: her strategy and her process a that I. 270 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 2: Really leaned on understanding through the voices of players and 271 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:58,079 Speaker 2: the voices of people through the building. Now it is 272 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:01,319 Speaker 2: written in what four sentences in the course of the story, 273 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:05,160 Speaker 2: but I urge people to understand, like there's there are 274 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 2: dozens of interviews that go into the correct making the 275 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,200 Speaker 2: correct four sentences in the story. 276 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 3: Right, because it is like when I talk. 277 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 2: About the emotional intelligence in the building, like it was 278 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 2: so striking to me that in speaking about her and I, 279 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 2: by the way, I didn't ask one person about the headset. 280 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 2: But when you have a big you know, a reporter 281 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 2: coming into your building and you know that that's like 282 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 2: the thing that's going viral on the internet every week, 283 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,520 Speaker 2: you do bring it up. If you're the subject of 284 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 2: an interview or whatever. And what was so refreshing to 285 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 2: me was how like there's this very unique type of 286 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 2: protectiveness that that happened from these players. It was a 287 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:58,760 Speaker 2: reiteration of by the way, like welcome to our building, 288 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 2: if you've been if you had been around, this has 289 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 2: been what is going on, but in a you know, 290 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 2: in a in a kind of a funny tongue in 291 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 2: cheek way. But there was a protectiveness without softening her 292 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 2: or without like feeling like she needed someone sticking up 293 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 2: for her, or without like patronizing her. 294 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 3: In any way. 295 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 2: And I think it's so it would have been so 296 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:28,120 Speaker 2: easy to fall into that protectiveness like white night kind 297 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 2: of thing, and. 298 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 3: That's actually not what happened here. 299 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:34,040 Speaker 2: It was like she's one of us, So we're explaining 300 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 2: this to you, and okay, you know, people need to 301 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:37,800 Speaker 2: understand this. 302 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 3: And I think for for you know, for like as. 303 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 2: A woman first of all, to hear that was incredible 304 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 2: because I'm sitting there thinking like, this could have gone 305 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 2: so many other directions, and societally often has, but instead 306 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 2: what it. 307 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 3: Was was like, this is of us, This is this is. 308 00:15:56,520 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 2: Not strange, this is something that we know as a 309 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 2: part of our fabric. Because she is a part of 310 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 2: our fabric, we expect her in our meeting rooms, her 311 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:08,880 Speaker 2: presence is expected. At this point, we expect her on 312 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:12,760 Speaker 2: the headset. And there was this really refreshing like nobody 313 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 2: tried to like matronize her, nobody tried to everyone talked 314 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 2: about her and one of the most refreshing because there's 315 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:23,200 Speaker 2: so many dynamics here, JJ it is. Yes, she is 316 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 2: a woman in football. Yes, she is the youngest owner 317 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 2: by by far, and so as her sisters. Yes, she 318 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 2: is also you know, in the headset, and she's very 319 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 2: visibly involved in ways that are more attuned to curiosity less. 320 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 2: So she's never speaking in the headset, for example, She's 321 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 2: always just listening and taking notes. There's so many societals. 322 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:47,920 Speaker 2: She is the owner of the team, she is a billionaire. 323 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 2: There's so many societal intersections that could have led to 324 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 2: a number of different ways that people responded or spoke 325 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 2: about this, and instead the way that people spoke about 326 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:03,440 Speaker 2: it to a person in the building was so modern 327 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:07,199 Speaker 2: and refreshing and like I said, emotionally advanced and like 328 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 2: it was so cool, Like I left feeling like this 329 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:12,400 Speaker 2: this is it. 330 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:15,440 Speaker 3: This is the way, you know, like it just it was. 331 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 3: It was very very cool. 332 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 2: And so to describe all of that, I don't even 333 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 2: think I did a good job describing it just now. 334 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:24,160 Speaker 2: But to describe all of that in a way that's 335 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 2: like it's it shouldn't be central to the conversation. What 336 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:32,200 Speaker 2: should be central to the conversation is what she's absorbing 337 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 2: through that process and how it's shaping her decision making. 338 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 3: Through that process. Less so the optics of. 339 00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 2: It, And I think that in itself, you know, we're 340 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:45,199 Speaker 2: not talking about the optics of less so of a 341 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:47,399 Speaker 2: woman you know, on a sideline and what she looks 342 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 2: like and. 343 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:48,440 Speaker 3: All these things. 344 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:52,520 Speaker 2: We're talking about what's actually happening. And jumping immediately into 345 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:56,680 Speaker 2: what's actually happening was so cool, And like I said, 346 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 2: to a person, these players and these coaches and these 347 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 2: scouts and these assistant executives and everybody, it was like 348 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 2: incredibly refreshing to understand how. 349 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:08,199 Speaker 3: High the eq of that building is. 350 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 1: So Jordan kind of knowing what you know about how 351 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:15,639 Speaker 1: not only carly R say Gordon operates, but how this 352 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:21,400 Speaker 1: organization operates. What was your reaction to the news that 353 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 1: the cults are going to retain general manager Chris Ballard 354 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:27,200 Speaker 1: and head coach Shane Steichen for twenty twenty six. 355 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:28,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, I got to. 356 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 2: Be honest, I wasn't as surprised as I think some 357 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 2: people were, not just and I want to say not 358 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:36,359 Speaker 2: just because of being there, but also looking around the 359 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:38,639 Speaker 2: landscape of the league and in my role covering the 360 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 2: NFL for the Athletic I'll get to that part in 361 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:44,160 Speaker 2: a second, because I do think it's a contextually. 362 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:45,840 Speaker 3: Pretty pretty important detail. 363 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:49,399 Speaker 2: Of why this decision was made or why I believe 364 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 2: this decision. 365 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 3: Was made the way that it was. 366 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:54,440 Speaker 2: But first and foremost, like I interviewed Chris a couple 367 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:58,080 Speaker 2: of times about Carly, and I mean, you know, Chris 368 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:02,600 Speaker 2: very honest, sometimes too fault right, and very introspective and 369 00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 2: very open. And so he was even even when things 370 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 2: were going well at that time, which I wanted to 371 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:10,440 Speaker 2: reiterate a couple of times to readers, like this is 372 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:13,359 Speaker 2: the time when we were actually speaking was before that 373 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 2: Week fourteen game, and he was still introspective about his future, 374 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 2: and I got the sense that conversations had already taken 375 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:25,399 Speaker 2: place about where he needed to improve, that that ownership 376 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:29,399 Speaker 2: especially had put in put had had multiple conversations with 377 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:32,640 Speaker 2: him already about where process needed to get better, where 378 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:35,920 Speaker 2: decision making had to improve, what was required, and what 379 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:38,280 Speaker 2: was needed in order to take a next the next 380 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:41,360 Speaker 2: step forward as an organization versus like kind of wallowing 381 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 2: in medium for another year and you can't you can't 382 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 2: control an injury to a quarterback, of course, But at 383 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 2: the same time, like he was very open still about 384 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 2: you know, and at some point he was saying I'm 385 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:57,399 Speaker 2: paraphrasing a little, but he's saying, at some point they 386 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,479 Speaker 2: might let me go, and I'm I'm a realist about that. 387 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 2: I can't do my job scared right, because that's pointless. 388 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:06,359 Speaker 2: But you have to understand, like this might happen to 389 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 2: you if you sit at five hundred for forever. 390 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:09,440 Speaker 3: It's a results based. 391 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 2: Business, and I know Shane has spoken publicly about that 392 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 2: as well, and I think it to so for me 393 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:17,320 Speaker 2: at the time, I was like, everything seems like it's 394 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:19,199 Speaker 2: going pretty good, and you're still thinking about this, so 395 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:21,440 Speaker 2: I think that's like pretty I was pretty fifty to 396 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:24,400 Speaker 2: fifty by the time, you know, it came to her 397 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:28,680 Speaker 2: making the decision, right, So then I'm looking around the 398 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:32,240 Speaker 2: league as well, and I'm thinking, you know, this is 399 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 2: not really the year to need a head coach unless 400 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 2: you would like to bring in like a yes, a 401 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:43,359 Speaker 2: very experienced, retread candidate, and obviously John Harbaugh coming loose 402 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:44,600 Speaker 2: has sort of shaken. 403 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 3: Up the league a little bit. 404 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:48,359 Speaker 2: But this is in terms of the overall cycle, like 405 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 2: this was not a This is not a good year 406 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 2: to need a head coach. If you can understand the 407 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 2: potential of the person you do have in your building, 408 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 2: and I think Shane Steichen has a very, very high ceiling, 409 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:01,679 Speaker 2: why would you try to replace that with an unknown 410 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 2: quantity essentially and start over building scheme building process from scratch. 411 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:09,480 Speaker 3: Something that she said to me is a multi. 412 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 2: Year process, which I agree with very much, seeing a 413 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 2: lot of turnovers myself in my time, Like it does 414 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 2: take time to develop as a coach. So if you 415 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 2: can't immediately think of what would take that and improve it, 416 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:25,560 Speaker 2: and instead you see a high level of potential and 417 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 2: you understand the effort that would go into rebuilding again 418 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:33,399 Speaker 2: at the coaching level, to me, that's that seems like 419 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:35,240 Speaker 2: an obvious of course you keep you know, of course 420 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 2: you keep him, and they like him, and players like him, 421 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 2: and he can run a really solid offense, and so 422 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:42,680 Speaker 2: I think that was to me a little bit more 423 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:45,920 Speaker 2: of a no brainer with Chris. What I don't think 424 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 2: people quite contextualized and by the way, I understand fans 425 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:54,640 Speaker 2: being angry, like I'm coming in, I'm not a fan 426 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:57,439 Speaker 2: of the team. I'm just coming in with my humble 427 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:00,720 Speaker 2: opinion as an outside slash some somewhat inside observer here. 428 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 2: Like a lot of people around the league really respect 429 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:06,120 Speaker 2: this front office, and a. 430 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:08,719 Speaker 3: Lot of people around the league. It's not so much 431 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 3: Chris so I. 432 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 2: Think has a lot of respect in himself by people 433 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 2: around the league, But a lot. 434 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:16,680 Speaker 3: Of people look at the depth of. 435 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:20,560 Speaker 2: The executive staff and the scouting staff below Chris and 436 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:23,320 Speaker 2: they think that is a deep roster, like that is 437 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:26,160 Speaker 2: a lot of talent. There's a lot of really long 438 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:28,480 Speaker 2: time evolved and. 439 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:29,840 Speaker 3: Built out process here. 440 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:33,479 Speaker 2: Scouting in itself is a very specific language. You have 441 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:36,119 Speaker 2: to build the dictionary first before you can start putting 442 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 2: words together in it, and so that takes a ton 443 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:40,200 Speaker 2: of time. 444 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:41,960 Speaker 3: The number one reason to me. 445 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:45,680 Speaker 2: Truly bad teams stay bad is because they keep turning 446 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:49,240 Speaker 2: those departments over and they don't take long enough first 447 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:50,960 Speaker 2: of all, they if they don't make the right decision 448 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 2: in the first place, and second of all, if they 449 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 2: keep turning that those departments over that jumbles up the 450 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 2: language you're incongruous with how you want to try to 451 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 2: identify and build a team. And then it's just nobody's 452 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:08,400 Speaker 2: really understanding each other on the same talent evaluation level, right. 453 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:10,560 Speaker 3: So I think that's that's part of it. 454 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 2: I also think that the stakes I believe her when 455 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:17,159 Speaker 2: she says the stakes are really really high, you know, 456 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:19,639 Speaker 2: not doing an extension, having it becoming like kind of 457 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:22,359 Speaker 2: a prove it year for both of these guys after 458 00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:26,160 Speaker 2: you know, the very very high hopes of the start 459 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 2: of the season descended into disappointment. 460 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:31,600 Speaker 3: I think that is a very telling and. 461 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:38,440 Speaker 2: Important piece of this for impatient fans to to think about. 462 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 2: It's not rushing to make a decision, the lack of decision. 463 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:45,720 Speaker 2: In fact, it might seem like a decision was made, 464 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:48,560 Speaker 2: But to me, it feels like not a lack of decision. 465 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 3: It feels like waiting. 466 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 2: It feels like a little bit more patience, gathering more 467 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:56,240 Speaker 2: data before making a decision. That's what I see on 468 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:59,200 Speaker 2: the outside, as it pertains to I guess if you 469 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:02,160 Speaker 2: want to call it aion to not move on from 470 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:03,240 Speaker 2: either one of those guys. 471 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:06,359 Speaker 1: When Carly talked about, you know, there's this high sense 472 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 1: of urgency, I think you kind of just spoke on it. 473 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:13,160 Speaker 1: But she also talked about, you know, expecting that Chris 474 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:15,479 Speaker 1: and Shane can replicate the success this team had over 475 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:18,680 Speaker 1: the first ten weeks. That was with Daniel Jones being 476 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 1: completely healthy. Daniel told us on Monday he expects to 477 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:25,960 Speaker 1: be backed by the start of training camp with the Achilles. 478 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:27,360 Speaker 1: Now the Cold still have to get a deal done 479 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 1: with Daniel Jones for him to be back. He is 480 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 1: an impending free agent. But do you, like, how do 481 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 1: you view the charge to like replicate that success? Is 482 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:41,440 Speaker 1: that realistic for these guys? Is it achievable for them 483 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 1: to reach that to then achieve the goals that set 484 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:47,000 Speaker 1: out by carl Ors Gordon for them? 485 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:51,879 Speaker 2: It's a great question because I think what solid teams do, 486 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:53,880 Speaker 2: what teams with good with Like I said, I feel 487 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:55,160 Speaker 2: like use the word a lot, but like with good 488 00:24:55,200 --> 00:25:00,080 Speaker 2: process do is they think about windows of time and 489 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,680 Speaker 2: and they try to understand what it will take to 490 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:07,639 Speaker 2: maximize certain windows of time or to completely restart in 491 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:10,600 Speaker 2: other windows of time when I think they look at 492 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:12,240 Speaker 2: this roster right now, and I think a lot of 493 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 2: people around the league would agree this is still a 494 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:18,600 Speaker 2: It's not a rebuild, you know, It's like it's a 495 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:21,280 Speaker 2: ready to win roster, and you probably have a couple 496 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:23,439 Speaker 2: maybe a year or two years left on some of 497 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:26,480 Speaker 2: the more veteran players who have been high level contributors 498 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 2: on this roster. You probably have to get younger and 499 00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:31,440 Speaker 2: fresher and very quickly in other parts of this roster. 500 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 2: But you know that this offense and many elements of 501 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:41,800 Speaker 2: this defense are ready to win games, and so then 502 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 2: you think about what takes that type of roster, what 503 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 2: pieces are still missing. Well, the quarterback questioned looms so large. 504 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:53,439 Speaker 2: I think that a huge and probably understated element of 505 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:57,040 Speaker 2: feeling like this can work and they can push one 506 00:25:57,119 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 2: more year of this particular team build to see how 507 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 2: much it's got in the tank. A huge element of 508 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:07,520 Speaker 2: this is that Riley Leonard looks so good when he played, 509 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 2: and I think having a healthy Riley Leonard as a 510 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:15,119 Speaker 2: maybe a spot starter early on in the season. You 511 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:17,640 Speaker 2: do not want to rush Daniel Jones back from an achilles. 512 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:20,600 Speaker 2: You see it with Kirk Cousins. You see, you're stuck 513 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:22,680 Speaker 2: in the pistol all day every day. You don't want 514 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:27,679 Speaker 2: to be stuck there. And like you see this empirical 515 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:30,440 Speaker 2: proof that you should not be rushing these quarterbacks back 516 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:33,639 Speaker 2: from that quickly, even though the medical process is like 517 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 2: a miracle now with how fast that you can get 518 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 2: these things to heal. 519 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:41,159 Speaker 3: But I think Riley playing at the level. 520 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:44,200 Speaker 2: That he did, you at least see okay, you can 521 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:48,080 Speaker 2: spot September right, like you can see you can get 522 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:51,400 Speaker 2: an on ramp going for if Daniel Jones does return, 523 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:54,800 Speaker 2: like you could see the vision of this team being 524 00:26:55,920 --> 00:26:59,480 Speaker 2: at least at least at the you know, the middle 525 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:02,080 Speaker 2: of the league league, if not higher because of the 526 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 2: talent elsewhere on the roster. And then you're trying to 527 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 2: just maximize out however you can this roster and this 528 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:11,720 Speaker 2: and this, I guess this era of the team build 529 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 2: that they're in and if it works, then again you're 530 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 2: competing at a high level. And if it doesn't work, 531 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:20,240 Speaker 2: then you know you have to rebuild. And you have 532 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 2: and tell in my opinion, the trade deadline that year 533 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:27,160 Speaker 2: to really understand can can we do this this year 534 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:30,959 Speaker 2: or is it time to start moving moving players and 535 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 2: recouping assets. And at that point is it time to 536 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:38,680 Speaker 2: start having real another conversation with the GM. 537 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 3: And the head coach. 538 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:44,120 Speaker 1: That's a really really interesting perspective there, you know, certainly 539 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:45,720 Speaker 1: for Colts fans to think about as we kind of 540 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 1: move forward here. Jordan, your national perspective on this has 541 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: been fascinating. I want to get you out of here 542 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 1: on this as you you know, will over the course 543 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:57,040 Speaker 1: of your career. Now, I'm sure keep tabs on, you know, 544 00:27:57,080 --> 00:27:59,680 Speaker 1: the the growth that Carlier S. Gordon has as owner 545 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:04,760 Speaker 1: and C of this franchise. What maybe excites you about 546 00:28:05,119 --> 00:28:08,520 Speaker 1: the long term direction that the Colts can take. This 547 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 1: isn't about twenty twenty six or twenty twenty eight or 548 00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:14,800 Speaker 1: twenty thirty. It's a much more broad question about the 549 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:18,200 Speaker 1: direction of the Indianapolis Colts under Carl Er SA Gordon. 550 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 1: What maybe interests you or excites you about following that 551 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 1: story over decades? 552 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:27,919 Speaker 2: Yes, And I love that question because here's like a 553 00:28:27,960 --> 00:28:32,240 Speaker 2: theory of mine, right Like, I think this is legit. 554 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:33,800 Speaker 3: I think this is the real deal. 555 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:35,440 Speaker 2: I think I know a lot of other people around 556 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:38,440 Speaker 2: the league think that as well. 557 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:41,080 Speaker 3: But I know that there's something. 558 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:45,000 Speaker 2: Deeper here that is prioritized, especially with Carly and Klein 559 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:49,479 Speaker 2: and Casey, is being that being a new model of 560 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:52,960 Speaker 2: what a franchise can look like, and being competitive and 561 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 2: getting back into the conversation every year, right, but not 562 00:28:56,680 --> 00:29:04,480 Speaker 2: losing your soul and not becoming this monolithic organization, staying, 563 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:05,680 Speaker 2: as she says, in a. 564 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:08,760 Speaker 3: Living organism, keeping the you. 565 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 2: Know, people said hi to me in the hallways like 566 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 2: I and yeah, we can joke it's a Midwest thing 567 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:17,680 Speaker 2: or whatever, but like being in there people, people were 568 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:21,920 Speaker 2: everyone knew each other, people were kind to each other, 569 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:25,360 Speaker 2: people spoke to each other in a in an important way, 570 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 2: and also in the locker room as well, and keeping 571 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:33,760 Speaker 2: that like family feeling, keeping that feeling of like we 572 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:37,560 Speaker 2: are in this together and we are alive and we 573 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:40,560 Speaker 2: are experiencing this and we're looking and facing hard things 574 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:43,920 Speaker 2: together and all of that making it feel less like 575 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:46,480 Speaker 2: a job and more like a purpose for everybody in 576 00:29:46,520 --> 00:29:52,560 Speaker 2: the building, while still becoming this like competitive monolith on 577 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 2: the you know, in terms of the productivity of the organization, 578 00:29:55,960 --> 00:30:01,160 Speaker 2: I think that is a nearly impossible goal to set 579 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 2: to reach. But if someone's gonna do it. I do 580 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:05,800 Speaker 2: feel like she is the right person to do it. 581 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:08,040 Speaker 1: Let me just say, Jordan, to someone who does work 582 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:11,240 Speaker 1: in this building, I think you encapsulated it perfectly. 583 00:30:11,360 --> 00:30:12,280 Speaker 3: Like it. 584 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:15,120 Speaker 1: It feels like, uh like working here is almost kind 585 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:18,320 Speaker 1: of like a calling sometimes and it feels less like 586 00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:21,760 Speaker 1: a job and more like, you know something I I 587 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 1: love that I get to do. And I'm you know, 588 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:26,080 Speaker 1: I'm just the team writer and the podcast guy and 589 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 1: the stadium pa announcer, like you know, I'm not on 590 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:31,200 Speaker 1: the field down there with the guys or coaching, and 591 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:34,280 Speaker 1: I think that that permeates not just the football side, 592 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:36,800 Speaker 1: but the business side. So again, you did a fantastic 593 00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:40,320 Speaker 1: job on the story. This is a fantastic conversation before 594 00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:41,800 Speaker 1: I get you out here, just you know, let our 595 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:44,680 Speaker 1: listeners and viewers know where they can consume all the 596 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:45,920 Speaker 1: great stuff that you are doing. 597 00:30:46,840 --> 00:30:48,719 Speaker 2: Keep up with me on the Athletic all the writing 598 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:51,200 Speaker 2: is there. And then Greg Rosenthal and I co host 599 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:54,360 Speaker 2: NFL Daily wherever you get your podcasts, and we live 600 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:55,720 Speaker 2: on NFL Network as well. 601 00:30:56,840 --> 00:30:57,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was fun. 602 00:30:57,840 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 2: I have to say that idea of purpose that was 603 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:04,640 Speaker 2: something that she spoke of a lot through the course 604 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 2: of our conversation, and we only have so much time 605 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:10,600 Speaker 2: on this planet, so you know what are you going 606 00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:12,720 Speaker 2: to do with that time? And I thought that was 607 00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:15,960 Speaker 2: you could feel it in all phases of the building, 608 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:18,120 Speaker 2: and that's why it was important to me and not 609 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 2: to take too much more of your time, JJ, but 610 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:23,200 Speaker 2: like you got to be somewhere to feel that. 611 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:24,040 Speaker 3: It's a lot. 612 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:27,600 Speaker 2: It's really easy for I think people including myself to 613 00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 2: talk about it on the outside and think we know 614 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:33,120 Speaker 2: what's really going on on the inside. And I think 615 00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 2: when losing happens and frustrations are high, it is really 616 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:41,840 Speaker 2: easy to be results oriented and to look at results 617 00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:43,880 Speaker 2: and think that we know process. 618 00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:45,440 Speaker 3: But for me, the. 619 00:31:45,480 --> 00:31:49,600 Speaker 2: Reason why I lobby to spend that much time in 620 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:53,200 Speaker 2: the building was to again to test this theory to 621 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:54,400 Speaker 2: see if it was real or not. 622 00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:55,880 Speaker 3: I'm glad it was real. 623 00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:57,800 Speaker 2: Otherwise I would have had to write a very different story. 624 00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:01,120 Speaker 3: But it is, it is, it was. 625 00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:05,120 Speaker 2: It was really one of the altering stories that I've 626 00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:06,240 Speaker 2: worked on in my career. 627 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:08,360 Speaker 3: I could say that definitively, that's great. 628 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:11,200 Speaker 1: That is a great way to close out this conversation 629 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:13,840 Speaker 1: from the athletic Jordan Rodrieg. Thank you for joining me 630 00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:17,080 Speaker 1: here on the Colt Show. The Colt Show is presented 631 00:32:17,120 --> 00:32:20,960 Speaker 1: by Microsoft Surface Copilot Plus PC where every day is 632 00:32:21,080 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 1: game day. Greatness in the NFL starts long before kickoff. 633 00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:27,080 Speaker 1: It's built in the quiet hours of preparation and the 634 00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:31,360 Speaker 1: discipline to turn insights into action. The Indianapolis Colts rely 635 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:36,640 Speaker 1: on Microsoft Surface Copilot Plus PCs to turn preparation into performance. 636 00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:40,320 Speaker 1: With real time AI powered insights right on the sideline, 637 00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:43,440 Speaker 1: coaches and players can make smarter, faster decisions when it 638 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:47,040 Speaker 1: matters most. From the field to the front office, Microsoft 639 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:53,000 Speaker 1: Surface Copilot Plus PCs are transforming how the Indianapolis Colts prepare, strategize, 640 00:32:53,040 --> 00:32:56,520 Speaker 1: and win. This isn't just about football, It's about unlocking 641 00:32:56,520 --> 00:32:59,760 Speaker 1: potential wherever the game is played. Hey, Colts fans, The 642 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:03,440 Speaker 1: Colt Well Sunday Night seven on seven series is returning. 643 00:33:03,920 --> 00:33:07,400 Speaker 1: Boys Tackle and dedicated Girls Flag can train in an 644 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 1: open gym format across select Sundays this winter. Presented by 645 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:15,600 Speaker 1: Forte Sports Medicine and Orthopedics with support from Gatorade and 646 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:18,680 Speaker 1: The Gridiron Foundation. Sign up now at Colts dot com 647 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:21,960 Speaker 1: slash s n seven on seven All Right, Thanks again 648 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:24,480 Speaker 1: to Jordan Rodrieg from The Athletic for coming on the 649 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:27,200 Speaker 1: pod this week. Great conversation there. If you miss some 650 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 1: of our podcasts leading up to this one, we had 651 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:33,120 Speaker 1: some really good conversations with guys like Adam vin Terry 652 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:36,280 Speaker 1: Mike Chapple. As you can guess, those are discussions based 653 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 1: around the Hall of Fame. That announcement's gonna come later 654 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:41,440 Speaker 1: in February as to who makes the Hall of Fame. 655 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:44,840 Speaker 1: But if you miss that episode with Chap, it's gonna 656 00:33:44,840 --> 00:33:48,480 Speaker 1: be an interesting couple of weeks here. If Adam Viniti 657 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:50,880 Speaker 1: gets in, if Reggie Wayne gets in, sounds like both 658 00:33:50,920 --> 00:33:53,600 Speaker 1: those guys have a bit of an uphill challenge to 659 00:33:53,640 --> 00:33:56,040 Speaker 1: get into the Hall of Fame. Really great episode there, 660 00:33:56,040 --> 00:33:58,240 Speaker 1: and then Adam VINITII. He was awesome. What a storyteller 661 00:33:58,280 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 1: he is. I would encourage you to go check out 662 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:03,000 Speaker 1: that podcast. It went out the day of Monday Night 663 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:05,640 Speaker 1: Football in December, right before Christmas, So go check that 664 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:08,399 Speaker 1: out on your feed if you haven't already. We're gonna 665 00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:10,400 Speaker 1: go back to our usual cadence next week. I'll be 666 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:14,000 Speaker 1: back on Tuesday with a season recap, an off season 667 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:16,640 Speaker 1: preview episode, and then Jack Doyle is gonna be back 668 00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:20,000 Speaker 1: with Matt Taylor on Thursday with a podcast looking back 669 00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:22,440 Speaker 1: at the twenty twenty five season and ahead to the 670 00:34:22,480 --> 00:34:25,440 Speaker 1: twenty twenty six off season as well. If you like 671 00:34:25,520 --> 00:34:28,240 Speaker 1: this episode, if you like all of our episodes, please rate, review, 672 00:34:28,320 --> 00:34:32,280 Speaker 1: and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify. 673 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:34,800 Speaker 1: You can subscribe to us on YouTube by subscribing to 674 00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:38,960 Speaker 1: The Cults or our individual podcast feeds as well. Thank 675 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:41,360 Speaker 1: you for listening to this episode. Thank you for watching 676 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:44,240 Speaker 1: this episode of The Cult Show, presented by Microsoft Surface 677 00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:46,839 Speaker 1: Copilot plus PC. Talk to you next week. So long,