Aaron Rodgers Speaks & Where will Matthew Stafford end up?

Center about that loudest concert ever. Um mine was. And it's not like some badge of honor like um Greg Rosenthal getting to see the great Nirvana. I saw Arrowsmith on the Just Push Play Tour two thousand one at the p and c Arts Center in Holdale, New Jersey, and I don't know if I was by a speaker or what, but my ears were ringing for a week and a half and all that I've ever recovered, I blame Joe Perry, Steven Tyler all right to Mark, I would imagine maybe a toad the Wet Sprocket concert. Annie

de Franco, we got um. I did like Annie to Franco. I despised tode the wet sprocket. I simply hate Um. I think I would have to go with the YouTube. Concert we went to was was loud, but it wasn't like crushing your ears loud. Um. Maybe Blues Traveler the first concert ever went to. And when that harmonica gets plugged into a p a, when paper rips and he wales here drums pop. Um. All right, welcome to the Around the NFL Podcast. Yes, we are two days removed

from Championships Sunday. We have a really fun Super Bowl matchup coming up in about a week and a half of course, between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs. Plenty of time to talk about that, and we will in good time. We got a another show coming up on Thursday and then um, two more programs ahead of Super Bowl Sunday night. Uh to dig into the nitty gritty of the big game. Today, we're gonna talk about other things going on in the NFL. And there's a

lot cooking right now. And Greg, I mean right off the bat, let's let's talk about the biggest store in the NFL. Your cameo on today's On the Power Ranking Show with me and Matt money Smith. What a performance. Well, it was exciting to be invited. Thank you for having me. I know Mark was on last week and UM and who knows, maybe it'll be at Home and Home Little Money on the podcast. Abney, what are you ranking at this point? Is it just down to the final two teams?

I don't know. We just talked about the Buccaneers. There was no ranking at least when I was there. We yeah, we've reached the point. We're basically just shooting this on UM television. So it's actually good though. It's it's fun just to talk, all right. A lot to get into it. We have a special guest. Speaking of special guests, it's been it's been a minute. Kevin Patra coming at you to talk about everything that's going around going on around

his boyhood team, the Detroit Lions. I know Patrick has takes to share that's coming up. Before we do that, let's check in on the news. There's much to dig into, all right. I don't want to look at it there. All right, it's time to get to work. Nice. Wow, I can't picture right there. I love this picture. That sweet but sound you here is Philadelphia Eagles fans cringing across the country. I don't know what's going on with the Eagles social media account. The Sirianni situation. That was him,

That was him entering his office. I think that was him. Yes, I shouldn't make that clear. Um, I just asked Ricky to pull one of the tweets, or they just had a someone with their iPhone has Sirianna enters the office. I guess that was once Doug Peterson's and he and he looks around and somebody randomly says get to work, and then he says, oh, that's sweet, and points at a bunch of photos. And then they also had photos of been walking. Our video of Sirianni walking around the

Eagles complex not exactly dynamic. They put up online. The actual conference call when Jeffrey Lori offers, um, Sirianni the job. Just listen to that really quick, because Jeffrey, I'm good. How are you great? Well? I kind of kind of a big question for you. How would you like to

be the head coach Eagles? Excited everybody listening here we are so incredibly excited for the coach you are, and the coach you can be comfortable and everything you bring to the best fan base in America is off the charts, and we had really good candidates used to it out in so many ways, and I can't wait for you to join all of us and reach from more long Barden trophies, because that's that's what we're going to do.

And that even felt a little weird to me. I know that you're trying to give the people the content, Greg, but I'm not sure it was. I don't know what's going on with the Eagles right now, the whole operation, and I feel like I'm not alone. Yeah, I feel bad. You know, if their social team is is listening, I think it's just they're trying to drum up. They're trying to draw up some excitement for the Seriani era, and

it is weird. It's been so long, I feel like since the Eagles had a moment like this where not only are things seemingly going wrong, but they don't have much juice and they're like trying to self generate some juice if nothing else. The Eagles have always been one of the top teams in juice. I mean, they hired a coach with less juice than the one they just fired, and he's wandering around the complex and what seemed to

be loafers. I don't know what was going, but it's it's a different world because you're you're any sort of like interaction with the media. I mean, is you know chest up at this point, you know you're not No one seen the bottom of you. But it was not a um dynamic opening. Look um, their decision way too much startorial um criticism coming from social media. First all, we shouldn't be saying anything um about the way he dresses.

We're not known for our style either, but the people on Twitter, everyone who's been wearing sweatpants with egg yolk on their white T shirt? Uh for twenty hours a day? All right? The dark khakis were maybe a little bit wrinkled, maybe needed one more pass with the iron. Did the shirt match the jacket? Maybe not perfectly? But I didn't think it was anything agree just I just thought Sirianna getting buried for the way he dressed. Everybody, but ever

look in the mirror before they make any commentary. I hear you. I didn't see all that. I do think about this pandemic time because you're describing me the sweatpants and the egg yolk The thing that has changed the most that will never change back is I I can't believe that I would wear like pants or jeans in my house, like after I would get home from work or back in from the grocery store for like the rest of the night, like back in the day. I'm

never going I'm never happening. It's insane. Wow. I know, I yeah, I know a lot of people had already done that before. But here's the thing, like it's gonna be in a few months. It's like, alright, guys, it's real exciting. We're gonna get you back in the office setting and you're gonna have your big fancy pants on and like your shirts and your ties. It's like, wait

a minute, what, I'm not doing that again. That's where I start to have issues when they when you know, some loud mouth tells me I gotta roll back into some you know end a parking space, and where like eighteen different shirts a week forget you. The problem The problem is mark that, as much as we'd like it not to be the case, there is societal structure that

God willing pandemic goes away. We we have the choice to either fall back in line like good drones or take a walk, And I think I might take a walk, Like I literally like I have thought a lot about this, Like I like there are some good things that have come through the pandemic, and big companies are like gonna be smart about it, or they're gonna be real clunky in old school and make us go back to do everything. I have to sit it like my little cubicle typing

for five hours with like eight people interrupting you. I mean, when was the last time you really did that? Anyway, seated before mark, We'll see you back and you'll be dressed like a good boy. Let's I will not ever go back. All right, Let's get into the news, starting with the Packers. Let's continue to follow this soap opera. I was happy to see and I think we should on this podcast. And some people won't embrace this, but we embrace need getting rid of needless quote unquote controversies.

And there was a ton of build up on Sunday based on some things that Aaron Rodgers said in his press conference that made people think, does Aaron Rodgers want out at Green Bay? Calm down? It was it was just the way the passion and the how upset. He was, and he answered a question in a certain way that you could have looked at it as him saying, oh, there's mystery, maybe I won't be back. He was always gonna be back, and the Packers made that official on

their end. Well, uh, well close as you can get to his official with Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy going on um the w NFL in Green Bay and having this to say about, uh, Aaron Rodgers and his future in Green Bay. There's no way that Aaron is not gonna be on the Packers. I mean, he's he is. Uh, he's gonna be the m v P in the league. Make have had his best year ever. He's our unquestioned leader. And you know, we're not idiots. We're not idiots, Mark

Murphy says. And then Aaron Rodgers had an appearance on The Pat McAfee show, which I haven't watched a lot of the Pat McAfee show, I have to be honest with you, but I checked it out and I kind of like what they're doing over there. Yeah, it's good. I like the of the McAfee show, and obviously get a big Fish and Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers talked about well you know where he's at. Uh, talked about the game itself that the Packers just lost, and also the the

thoughts he's had about finishing his career. He started to me, a reality, not a certainty, for an absolute, is that my future is not in my hands. Now, that's really the case for all of us. I think it's players, But you can't. I think naturally, there's times where you let your mind go to maybe I'm gonna be a Packer for life, or I'm gonna be you know, uh, I'm gonna be like a Tim Duncan or Jeter or Kobe and play with one team I'm career. I think

naturally you dream about that. I mean, that's kind of like a dream scenario, and I've talked about that for much of my career. I think, you know, when when they drafted Jordan, it was more just like the reality kicking and going, hey, that's actually never the case. There are no absolutes in this business. That seems level headed and a good analysis of the situation. Greg by the

Great Rogers. Yeah, I I really enjoyed listening to the entire interview with context, and you know, I think he he also said, you know, there's no reason to believe he wouldn't be there. I think he was talking about that it's out of his hands. But it also doesn't mean that some of the speculation for reporting about his contractual situation and that that could be um the area where they make Aaron Rodgers hole or happy or is

a big conversation for the next month. I mean that that's still to me very much on the table floor. You know. Mike Florio, my old boss, you know, had a or saying like he wants more money, um, that he wants some guaranteed money into the contract Rogers. I think, alluding to that said we I haven't talked to anyone, you know, I haven't talked to anyone with the Packers or or is it. I think he was saying about

his agent in terms of that um. But it wouldn't surprise me if his agents off doing doing some work talking to media sources. It all makes sense to me. And I think hearing Mark Murphy like they're gonna do what they need to do to make Aaron Rodgers happy, I'm pretty confident in that. I mean, it's like you went and drafted a first round quarterback and we can package that away as one item and then Aaron Aaron Rodgers goes out and is essentially the m v P

of the year. I mean, this is someone I think that wants to be wanted. Um it's it's I don't buy that. It's the polar opposite of him. And far way back in the day this is a different situation. But there is a young quarterback on the roster, um sitting there. And I think that he spoke before the year that the future wasn't doubt. And I think this is someone that also mentioned about being like a Kobe Bryant or a Tim Duncan, who um, you know, you

entertain the idea of being a packer for life. I think that's gonna take to your point, Greg more money. And you know, he also made the point, which is just true, that you know you want these athletes not to just um, you know, dispense soundbites, which we're tired of and we're too savvy for. But then when Aaron Rodgers speaks his mind after the game, um, it creates the spin cycle of speculation and news and we're forced

to talk about it. But I think that the end result, I think I said I put a nine percent chance that he could be on a different team, because if he really really wanted to, maybe something happens. But if you know, hearing him now and hearing the team in general, it's like, I think we can put this thing away hopefully. Um. Now, just not the Shawn Watson situation. It's a totally different situation. People just got a little bit carried away. Now. I

am not a guy that counts other people's money. Um, Aaron Rodgers wanting to redo his contract? Is there a part of you've heard Tom Brady did it once up an a time. Instead of giving me more money, bring in that extra weapon or two to get me over the hump. Maybe that's the way they can work out some type of dialogue like how do we get you another Super Bowl? Aaron? And is does that? Does that put us in the best position tying up more cap

money with you? But you know, maybe they'd probably lower it, and they do them in the in the in the short term, I think they would lower it. I think that. I think if Rogers is going to have a point here in terms of his future being uncertain, is he might want just things to be guaranteed because he's gonna say I don't want this to be a year to year thing. I don't want to feel like this isn't gonna be my last year in Green Bay. Will you

guarantee me money? You know through Let's say that seems like probably, you know, two more years and and then you lower my cap it, but you're actually giving me more money. The Packers, like a lot of teams, more than more than most years, are in some cap um. You know, issues, if they're really going to lower the salary cap twenty million, I don't think we're quite our or what's going to happen. But if that actually happens, it is kind of a sea change compared to anything

that's ever happened in the history of the NFL. Teams have been preparing for that twenty million dollars to be there, and if they really do dial it back that much, it's gonna be weird. I mean. The other aspect is, like you know, dug in beat writers like Rob Demosk. Demoski have said that you know everything that anyone's seen from Jordan's love in person, he's just not ready And if anything, Tim Boyle would be a starter if Rogers weren't there. So it's like you. It just makes no sense.

There's no bit, there's no secondary plan there. Yeah, and the thought if you do get into bed further with Aaron Rodgers and and give him those guarantees doesn't mean you're wasting Jordan's love totally. Obviously, it doesn't work out ideally because he's on the rookie contract, But the ideas you brought him in because you thought he could be a top line quarterback is the first round pick if you develop him right while you have a great backup quarterback.

Now that you have an aging Aaron Rodgers entering his late thirties, UH drama, drama drama. Speaking of quarterback drama, let's checking with the l A. Rams and we know Sean McVeigh had grown tired with Jared Goff by the end of UH this season. The um you know, the middling play, the turnovers, and even after he busted his thumb, you could tell that McVeigh wasn't looking to make any excuses for the former number one overall pick UH and

refusing to commit him as their quarterback. In one well, Rams general manager Less Need had a chance to throw some cold water on the speculation around Goff and instead he grabbed the kerosene. Uh. He spoke Tuesday and he refused to endorse Goff as the starter. In fact, in a tweet from Omar Ruiz, Sneed said, Jared Goff is a RAM at this moment. Wow, what is going on here? It's almost like the Rams have made a conscious decision

to not put any gray area on this. I mean, he could have said outright, Jared Goff is not going to be on our team. But that's about as close as you can get in football parlance when you say he's a he's on the team at the moment. Yeah. It's like I think you know, you all had the relationship back in your twenties or something where you began to broadcast two friends that a breakup was um imminent, maybe before the person you were dating new and it

just the the energy was out there. And I mean, these guys are skilled, um at the art of public relations. If if if less Sneed wanted us not to be discussing this right now, there would be a lot of ways to use his words to not create um a hot point, But instead they seem to do that every time. And it's it just seems very clear to me that unless it's unless they just can't find a way to

move them, because the money side of it is a disaster. Um, there's all these quarterbacks with these huge contracts that the teams are unhappy with l Problamo and like, uh, like, you know, golf to me though he's somewhere else, But who's gonna come trading for Jared Golf? Like, I just that is the other side of this that I can't find a real and like unless a suitor is just desperate. Yeah,

this thing, this thing turned fast. I mean from Aikman in week sixteen, Seahawks rams kind of burying Golf in a way that seemed like, man, he's talking to McVeigh, but you know, maybe I'm just we're speculating a little bit to them, you know, seemingly benching golf for Wafford but being able to kind of hide behind the injury to this where it's like you're right there and they're they're not hiding it. Like I wasn't even a convinced that he was gone gone until this one, but man,

he's gone gone. I Mean they even asked them when they about the salary cap, like, hey, wouldn't it be hard to trade golf because of the capit And I do want to get into that in a second, but I'll let you talk Like and and less Need was was like, well you can always you know, yeah, it would be hard, but you can always move things around with the cap. It seems like they're they're so they've decided internally that golf is not the guy. And you get it, Like I was just talking about it, Um

after their last playoff game against the Packers. You can only imagine Sean McVeigh, a guy that has so much skill and his ability to call games and cook up dynamic game plans, watching these other teams that have quarterbacks that can do things outside the pocket, and and can Um go off script and make big time plays, And you wonder if there was just a conversation internally like he's not the guy. We need to get on the page of these other teams that have this dynamic athlete

behind center. Um. And that's how I feel it went. Now, Greg, as you were alluding to, like, this is not gonna be easy because his stock has never been lower and he makes superstar quarterback or close to it money, So how do you actually get get it done now that you're basically putting it out there that it's gonna happen. Okay, So he is due forty three million dollars guaranteed over the next two years, which which sounds like a ton, but you know it's twenty one million a year. It

is guaranteed. Though. The thing is you you you can't cut him like you you really can't. If they cut him, even with a post June first thing, you know it would it would hurt them fifteen million dollars in the salary cap and they would have fifty million dollars of dead money on their cap. You can't. But you can't trade him, and um a trade can be as as low cost as like a sixth and seventh round flip. I don't know what kind of market Jared Goff would

have right now. Basically none, I would think with that contract. But if he was willing to re structure and and all you're doing is trading like a late round swap pick swap for golf, and ultimately it's a cap hit, then you can do it. I mean you you take a little bit of h I'm looking at it and now on our friends at over the cap, but uh, you actually save money on the salary cap. You have some dead money, but you ultimately save you know, ten

twelve million dollars this year. So I think that's what will happen. I think someone will give up like a pick swap and maybe be willing to pay Jared Goff. I mean, could it even be like mab not because with that contract the money is guaranteed. It was really any team that would pay him. I think you had a second round pick from the Rams just to take

on the salary. Yeah, I mean, except the problem is, like it's it's also the worst offseason in NFL history to try to pull that off with the cap not growing the way it normally would due to revenue loss. So they're in a tricky situation. But they're not hiding their feelings. Man, it's got he's he's come a long way from right before that Super Bowl when he was playing well with the last few years for golf. You know, they then they went back to the well with hard

knocks that really wasn't good. You do wonder if there's a little more behind the scenes stuff too, where they would sour on him this much. You know, as a leader. I don't know what you know is it all? It's crazy, all right, um, let's move on. Of course, we're going to continue to track that real quick. Some coach carousel stuff. We mentioned Nick Sirianni up top. And by the way, let's give Nick a chance and Eagles fans you too, because I was tracking the replies on those tweets that

the Eagles are saying about. Everybody just sees him as a puppet higher by Howie Roseman, and we should have kept Doug p It's like, men, good luck to Nick sian It because it feels like there's a lot of negative energy around him. He hired Jonathan Gannon as his new d C and Shane Stiken as the offensive coordinator. UH Darryl bevil is the new O C in Jacksonville, and two familiar names, Bill O'Brien and Doug Marone, deposed head coaches. They had to end up together in Alabama.

Nick Saban Staff Maron, guys. Are those guys are close friends? Remember? I mean there were two owners meetings in a row where I found myself in a scrum with O'Brien and uh Maron and others, and they they were very welcoming. I think I'm not certain but they seemed to be This Eagle staff is kind of the uh, that's good memories that maybe no, I guess they probably won't be back together in the NFL again. Maybe maybe been Bill O'Brien. I'll get a coordinator shot higher, Maron, I think, Pat, Hey,

let's bring in Kevin Patrick a little early here. I want to tee him up on the lines of course. But Patrick, were you there in um the bar in Indianapolis when Cessler had cozied up to all those coaches in the corner of that hotel bar. Well, this was an owners meeting, So I don't think that. I don't think so. Yeah, this wrong wrong venue, wrong venue. But that was Mark. One of the more iconic NFL media

trip moments where we're like, where's Mark, Where's Mark? And you were just it was like all these titans of the sport at the time, and then you were just there, like with a big grin and a glass of red wine, just like nodding your head to their conversations, laughing along. It was I was. I was there was some I was, you know, offering some comments here and there. I wasn't just sort of a clown on the side as I remember it. You were right in the middle of it.

I don't know you were. You were involved with the conversation as well. You're saying, that's how I remember it. I I think he was spitting yards. They were like, who's this guy? This? This guy's great. You were like a wild card. It's always good. Every once in a while, everything has to be right, the temperature and the bar

has to be right own. Remember bars. Oh what a place they were about the past at this If if a wild card rolls into your conversation in your circle, um, it could be met with a brush off and like who the F is this guy? Or if the wild card brings something, it's like, all right, let's keep this guy in the circle. There might have been a little a little bit of both going on in that scenario. This guy just changed the temperature in the room, alright,

Kevin Patra. Patra's a legend. I let's talk about it. Kevin, who has been Yeah, it's been too long. Do what you do? Awesome work, uh covering the league for NFL dot Com. Um a regular on this podcast, and you know, I think we checked in with you, Kevin right before the season on your thoughts on the Lions, and we don't want to put you in a box, but it's been such a um eventful past few weeks in Detroit, I wanted to talk to somebody who covers the team

and also grew up following them. Let's start. I'm gonna kind of go in reverse order of like everything they going on in Detroit right now, but let's start with the Matt Stafford news, which is obviously seismic. NFL Networks Tom Palaceero reported over the weekend that the Lions and Matthew Stafford have agreed to part ways this offseason, which points patrick to a full rebuild. Uh incoming here under

Dan Campbell. Uh, assuming this is how it does end up, where do you come down, like on the Matthew Stafford era overall? Since he was the number one overall pick, and how are you feeling right now about him? I mean the era overall is he's the best quarterback the Detroit Lions have ever had, unless you really want to throw in Bobby Lane from the nineteen fifties. But that's so old. My dad wasn't even being standing up yet, so I can't give a comment on that. But in

my lifetime in the Super Bowl era. Tell me more about your father's bathroom happens. Yeah, I mean I don't. I think he can still stand and standing up, so we're still good there. Um. But anyway, but he's the greatest quarterback that they've had. He owned all the records, like thirty some passing records. I mean, even if you consider that this era to other relative to other eras, there's no quarterback. I mean, you're talking about Charlie Batch,

Joe Joey Harrington's of the world, Eric Schmidt's of the world. Uh, Scott Mitchell's, Like, there's no one that comes close to the type of quarterback he was, the type of leader he was, and his longevity at the position, playing through injuries. There's no question that he's the greatest quarterback of De Stroit Lions history. But it's a low bar. I mean, it is a's very it's a very very very very

very low bar. After he's a he's a tricky guy to talk about because I think there's nuance that absolutely the organization did not support him well over the last ten plus years. They should have won many more games. If they were functional with Matthew Stafford, they should have won more playoff games. But he's also not I've seen him, you know, thrown in there with like Rivers and Romo or different guys, and he's not that guy either. I mean,

he's very rarely been a top ten quarterback. He's been a better than average, like NFL starting quarterback, which is exciting to see, which is exciting to have. And he's he's had moments, but he hasn't been like a Pro Bowl type difference maker guy. He's sort of in that, in that middle tier. So it's like he's not he's I almost think he's overrated by some that are like, man, that's like Stafford is a Hall of you know, would

have been a Hall of Famer. It's like, I don't know, I don't I don't know what a Hall of fame, but the numbers are there, certainly, and he you have to look at what was around him. It was crap for most of the time. I mean the one year they had a good defense, the offense kind of sucked. So I mean that that that's just an issue of like what was around him all the time. Yes, he had Calvin Johnson, but at that time the line stuffed. Now the line is better and all was in the

super receivers were injured. I just think that now it's extense to two part ways. I think that the talent he still has talent. He's only thirty two years old, which seems ridiculous to think about. Um, So he's still got five or six years left if he stays healthy, and it'll be I'm rooting for him to succeed wherever else he goes, because I think he's gotten the raw

into the stick by a bad or or mediocre organization. Um, and it would be it would have been exciting to see his career at a in a better place that didn't turn out it's best players and have most of them retire or leave before in the early thirties. That's fair. I mean, would you would you struggle to come up with I'm not not asking you to do it here,

but a top five moments for Matthew Stafford. My one thing about him that I kind of feel like that quarterback and team they tried for a real long time. But I'd love to see Matthew Stafford um in a different environment with a different opportunity, and maybe the Lions with a different quarterback, just to see if they can shake things up because I feel like, you're right, he's thirty two, but I feel like he's been in the

league with the Lions for twenty five years. I mean, it just feels like it's been the same there there. It's almost like no hill or valley or ever flow. It's just been the Stafford and the Lions have been the same thing to me for so long, and that may be an issue with the way that I see them, but um, I just I feel like he's not there.

There is a little bit of blame that I would attach to Matthew Stafford when when you look at the Lions and say, well, they never got over the hump, They never won a playoff game, they never really did anything of note. He takes some name there playoff. One

playoff game they should have that was Cowboys. But sure, yes, I could come up with matt Stafford top five, and most of them, honestly, would be him freelancing at the end of the game to pull his team off the raft and get it at the end of the game, whether it's the dive into the end zone against the Cowboys, which was preceded by a ridiculous throw into a hole as big as a uh, you know as a Q ball and just most of those are going to be

with his arm and just but you're right. He My biggest frustration with Stafford Will always was he took some of the stupidest stacks, so like push him out of field goal ranger, kill a drive. That was my biggest thing. Not necessarily the interceptions, because I always felt like me he was trying to take make a play, and I'll forgive that most of the time, but it was just the dumb sacks that he'd take or like the the airmail pass that would just kill a drive. So very tradable,

very tradeable, right now, that's true. I just man, I struggled to separate see him as a player that they don't not a building block with a guy that's gonna get you to the next level. And I think that's the lines were never good enough for him to like help them get to the next level. They needed something different. I really struggle to separate the mediocrity of of the Lions from Stafford and and to to feel like he of course he's he's Stafford. He's involved with on some

level of their failure to get over the hump. But I mean put there's very few quarterbacks. I think that you could put in his shoes over these last eleven years or whatever it's been and it would have made a difference. And so maybe he is not Patrick Mahomes, but if you put him an organization that was more functional, I think he could have a totally different trajectory on his career. We talked about that. We're talked about Sam Donald all the time, like, how do you how do

you judge Sam Donald when he's around slop? Like I don't think Matthew Stafford has been in a totally different situation. He's had some great players like Calvin Johnson for instance, around him, But I would like to see him as a football fan in a new spot and surrounded by an organization that knows how to make the most of him. I think Ryan Tannehill is a good example of a player that has talent that can in the right situation, in the right situation, can be a difference maker. And

I think that's Stafford to a team. Well. I think it's like he is the most tradeable guy of all these guys because the it won't be that complicated now. Of course, DeShawn Watson is more valuable and you'd rather you'd rather have DeShawn Watson. And there's other guys that aren't even getting mentioned right now, like Jimmy Ge to me, is gonna be very tradeable, and but Stafford's contract is very trade all. He wants out, they want him out. I think there will be a nice market for him.

I'm curious if, like, you're gonna get a first round pick for Stafford, wouldn't wouldn't surprise me. I think there's a lot of there's a lot of things that you'd improve. The money just doesn't make sense if you're not getting the first pick. He's not that not expensive. I think, yes, they were gonna do what's right for for him. They want to after what he's put in. But I think if you if you say we're not gonna get first round pick or something of equal value, I don't. I

don't think you're you're gonna do that. The one problem is gonna go twenty years without finding another quarterback. It's absolutely there's no guarantees about anything, especially when you don't have a top two pick. All right, Um neck Dan Campbell, he's the head coach. It gets the six year deal. Um leaving the Saints to join the Lions. Obviously, people got all fired up about the intro comments and biting kneecaps and all that business. Uh, how do you feel?

What's your confidence? But what's your peace scale? At let's say one sunked on the pants, gotta get home to mommy. Ten. I'm feeling really confident. I'm feeling pumped about Campbell and Detroit where you at? I mean, I wasn't my It wasn't my version of a great higher. That's not who I would have chosen. But I'm not in charge, and I don't get to say so. Having said that, so like I understand the higher, like we talked about all the time, usually go for what's the opposite. What's the

opposite of a rocket scientist, maybe Dan Campbell? Like you. They went from the guy who didn't play to like football head and they brought in all these football heads. So that's where we're going. So I get the vision, and at least for for you know, at this time, there's a vision. There's a clear vision from ownership that they're bringing in guys who played before. And I was I thought that the press conference was ridiculous. Now was

it entertaining, yes, but the biting, the kneecap stuff. Still don't understand it. You try to clarify it like three different times. Still don't get it. Don't get it at all. But that's not for me. He even said that it's the first first locker room. If those guys like to talk about bite kneecaps, more power to him. Um. But I will say I think I like the staff he's created that he's brought in um or whether that was Ricks or Um sorry Chris Spielman who helped get him all.

I like the staff they brought in. I think Lynn he's going to be a solid offensive coordinator. I think he's worked with um young quarterbacks. So if that's the draft choice, that we have some there and do Staley and those two there can be a run game. So I think DeAndre Swift that will be a solid pairing. And you know, Aaron Glenn intrigues me on defense, just

given what the secondary in New Orleans did. So I'm not I wasn't a huge fan of the name of Campbell higher, but I'm willing to give him a chance if he's going to be the guy that just says, you know what, everyone I'm gonna take the spotlight and you can go about and do your work and be good coordinators. And this is what I'm looking for. But you take it and run with it, then I'm fine with it. Aren't Not many of those guys left the kind of the overseer who's not really the expert on

one side. You know, even Tomlin basically is a defensive guy. At the end of the day, I I'm a little worried about their offense with Anthony Lynn and Induced Daley. You just get the feeling from Chris Spielman and from Dan Campbell that it's like, we want to smash you know, we wanna, you know, run the ball over. You want to be a smash mouth offense, Like we want to be physical. That that's all they're talking about, and that that's all great. But you know, unless you draft Justin Herbert,

I'm I'm more worried about developing the passing game. Isn't that also what essentially um Matt Patricia wanted on offense. I mean, you got you had like a forty three year old Adrian Peterson running the ball five times a game. I mean, I mean, I also I'm willing to see like, let's wait to see who the quarterback is and what the other pieces. Obviously, DeAndre Swift is not a smash mouth guy that's gonna get it, get the ball three

times up the middle um. But you know the Chargers the last three years, I've been a past some first team even this year with Herbert. So I'm willing to say that I'm willing to give Anthony Lyns some leash and say that he's gonna adapt. And that's the one thing that Campbell said in his press conference that I think you can take away. He wants to put our you know, what we do well against what you do

not well. You're our best on your weakest. So I think that's gonna depend on where matchups come down, what what happens with the wide receivers, of which are not on basically not are under contract. So it's a complete tear down and build up. So they can say all they want right now about running the ball, passing the ball, but you know, when you're gonna be down twenty to nothing because your defense can't stop a feather in the wind,

it doesn't matter. And you know, like you talk about where the organization has had end, Listen, it's a new dawn, new leadership in the front office, new head coach. Um. But I'm thinking about them. And you know, last year the big move was they traded Darius Slay, their top cornerback, and then they used the number three overall pick did draft Jeff of Kuda. And you're trying to get better, but it's like, how much better is the roster? Now

you're gonna trade Matthew Stafford? And then I guess with the number seven overall pick, you're gonna draft a quarterback. But are you gonna get a guy that's much better than Matthew Stafford? Is this organization? Do you think they're they're equipped to make the decisions to actually turn this thing around? Do you believe? Uh? And now, of course you have John Dorrisey in the building who did some good things with the Chiefs and then with the Browns,

but a lot of bad things too. That's why he's no longer at those places. Do you trust this leadership? Um? So, while I didn't really enjoy the Campbell selection, I did and I did like the Holmes being a GM choice, and I think bringing in Dorsey to back him up. Just looking at what the Rams have done the stockpile talent when we all thought a lot of us thought that they would, you know, kind of hit the pavement

given the losses in free agency and such. But what the rookies did coming up and what their drafts have been, UM in the second area and on defense in the past, I think that that's a he's gonna have a solid voice in there, and so I'm more optimistic that. But again it goes back to worship. This is a this is a team that every four years, I mean Mark knows as well. You keep start hitting the restart button

every four years, nothing's ever gonna go work. I think that was the point of giving Campbell a six year contract to kind of say, look, we're here in this for the long haul, even if it blows up. Um. But do I have faith that a team that in my entire lifetime has never been good? Uh? I can't have faith in that. I can have hope, that's all. I hope they're they're at a low point. It is interesting to think as you were going through it, and I was thinking about the roster not much, not much.

They're on defense, and then their best players like Goad, Yeah, I got yeah, the o line is Gola Day is a free agent like they they are as much in a tear down situation as really any team in the entire NFL right now, Well, when you're basically allowing during the yeah, yeah, I mean Patrick, you have you grew up. I'm sure with other Lions fans around you, it seems like obviously a fan base that has a good reason to be just you know, essentially agitated all the time.

But do you have that one fan friend out there that's like, um, rose colored glasses NonStop thanks, the Lions are always heading in the right direction, or is everyone um essentially grumpy? Where is there are there any outliers? Uh? There are very very few outliers. I would say I might have one friend who's like, well, I can see that, like willing to say the the you know, everything's great. Every higher is going to work out. You know, I can see it. But for the most part, um, you

know what's Midwesterners are politely uh skeptical. Mp I attempted to jump on their bandwagon, you know, in August, and uh, you know, in any other scenario, the fans would be like, we might not be great, but thank you, it'll be fun. People were like agitated with me, like, you're an idiot. This team is stupid. I've been following them for years. Don't do this. This is a bad idea, And I mean it was a bad idea. I had a friend whose dad told him about ten fifteen years ago, please

stop being a Lions fan. Don't waste your life like I've done with mine. That's kind of where we're at as a fan base, like to not be a fan. So, I mean, the they weren't going in the right direction. So maybe this is it. Maybe you hit the reboot and you have the right leadership and you build a roster and maybe maybe Patrick and maybe you build a superpower. You never know. Yeah, you know, we're crazier. Things have happened, right,

I know all about it. You know the hope. All you got is hope, and and maybe it turns around, and this is the regime to do it, Patra, you said it all. Anything else we need to know about you right now? About me? You have a young family, of course, now looks good. Thank you. I'm I'm constantly watching a child crawl up down upstairs. That's my nine year old is fascinated with crawling upstairs of which we have a lot because our house is like built upwards.

Um so his favorite thing we live in Well yeah, yeah, we live in Gates City currently, so just gates constantly and whenever you gets to freezing. So I'm getting a lot of exercise walking upstairs, not down them because I gotta carry it back down because he looking here, the hands of family is looking for a new lodging residents and the only thing my my two sons want is a house with stairs. And it's like, son, Los Angeles real estate market, I cannot give that to you. You're

not getting. Yeah, well ours is a role of town homes, so it's like you know, they squish them in so they right, right, yeah. We we stayed at an airbnb someone recently and it was like the kids ran into that they have stairs. They shouldn't be this excited about that. They also have like a ten month winner if you're not in l A. So you know, come on, kids, that's true, that's true. All right, Patrick Patrick, thanks for joining us, buddy, Stay warm, stay healthy. App right there

he goes, Kevin coming at you. I listen, I've been in that place with Patrick Patrick's atte right now. My whole life. I feel like Mark, you can relate as well, um you even when there are some warning signs. All you can do is hope that maybe skeptics are wrong, you know, and and uh not that there's a ton of skepticism. There is some around the Campbell higher but I think maybe that was more surprised than the amount

of years they gave him. Um. But as I said in a recent show, I don't worry about that as much because if he stinks and it's not working, they're gonna fire him. Eat the money anyway, probably and it's not on your cap, but it is to use that if that's indeed what Patrick was saying, like the part of the reason he got six years is because they want to show that they are um serious about this rebuild. It's like, all right, but what if it doesn't work. You can't just keep going back and back and back.

But I mean, if anything, they've been too patient. There's four or five teams out there, and there's a couple in the NFC North that's just like they don't fire the coach because of the money, and other teams where the money is like the money is flowing, they might you know, cut cut the chord quicker. I think Cleveland. One point was paying UM Rob Chatzinski for three separate

UM stops in Cleveland. So like like when things go bad for these coaches and for these teams, I mean they the owners a pain, like a staff of like seventy different people from three different regimes. Ultra nightmare. All right, good stuff, good show, good conversation. We'll be back on Thursday. Yeah, we talked about Matt money Smith. He might even be joining us, which should be fun. Always great to have money on. And UM no network show this week, so

you don't have to worry about tuning into that. But we will can start to build up. I don't know if we usually do a show guys where we say we're not allowed to use the super Bowl word. I don't know if that's this Thursday show or if we're gonna start ramping up a little bit. I don't know. Listen, it's all stuff to work out. That's the that's the fun part of it. For only three more shows until the Super Only four more in this in this uh

somewhat cursed UM, but it's had its beautiful moments. Twenty season. They're fair all right. This dad has a signing off for Guide, stormed the old boss Ricky Hollywood Kevin patcha who came right at you till Thursday. Ye M set