Sam Darnold to the Panthers

was Easter weekend. We hope everybody that celebrates had a good one. And I actually, for the first time, I was trying to explain the basics of what Easter is to the boys, beyond um the Easter bunny, which is the only thing that matters in their world, and this idea of Jesus and God was the Father and Jesus died, and the boys naturally asked, well, if God is Jesus Father, why was he why why did he die? And then that gets me thinking about West and how how did

that happen? Such a good person go And then you get to see Link on Sunday and see him happy and holding Easter eggs and my boys showing Link had to find eggs and oh it was nice boys, I have. I saw some photos of Link dressed up in the little Bunny costume, and I am, I'm it's not an overstatement to say is one of the most um majestically cute babies I've ever witnessed. I really, it's also just having spent a little time with him, his eyes when he looks at you. But that's cool. Um, you dove

into the theology side of things. I think you did a little bit of job with your summary there. You might have missed a few little pointers, but it's tough to get wrap your head around that when you're like five years that's for the theology podcast Shark. And if we're gonna do a deep out dive on the Son of God, that's something that we need to unpack in full over several hours. I would guess. Yeah, Link um looks more like Chris I think every day. Um, you

just you just see it. And Chris's brother Phil sent us a picture of Chris dressed up as a Maleman. I believe it was for Halloween, or maybe it was just for fun. Why not dress up as a male man as a little as a little boy, and I could just you can just see you can see link, you can see links facing West, and um that that same Easter question came up in my house to Dan, which is even more complicated because you know, my kids went to a Methodist church for preschool, and so I

was like, you know you learned, you learned there? Like what that was God in the roach? And I said Jesus, And She's like, he's the one with the beard, right. I was like, yeah, that's that's him. Um, but it is it is gonna. I'm like, this is the day he came back. Well where was he? Okay, well, I like the idea of ever the contrarian, like Jesus, he's

the one with the beard. And Greg's like, well, we don't really know of youesthetically, right, it was great and and then you oh again this is not the theology podcast,

But you don't know where West is right now. But the one thing we do know is that Link was in the backyard yesterday and and West is all over his face and it's just like West is here, He's here on this earth in his son, and that is was we've talked about with Lakisha like the miracle of that that small gap where West got sick, he got better and in that gap he got married and Link

came into the world and then sadly West left. But the boy is here and uh, he's our responsibility in a lot of ways to help raise because West unfortunately can't do it. So oh man, it was nice though. Um, welcome to the podcast. Big show coming up. I actually, after I had a couple of Tito's hanging out with the Westlings, I texted the boys, uh, Mark and Greg and say, hey, would you indulge me and let us have a little jet segment, a formal jet segment. All

segments sometimes become jet segments on the show. I apologize for that, but this one is gonna be a Jets related one. With the number two overall pick there in the catbird seat, a lot of people feel with this draft and where are they gonna go with that pick? And where Sam Donald gonna go? Rich Zamini, one of my favorites, uh in the history of NFL Beat reporting will be on the show a little bit later, but

before that, what's this news? Um, April fools? Come on, man, the gap it's here to stay for a little while. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. So April Fool, everybody mark one word disgrace. Well, you know something that you've brought been real hot on over the last week, um, as we entered April was the concept of like poorly

done April Fools Days jokes. And I couldn't be more um in agreement with you that this prank began before April Fools, taking us all to a totally different world, thinking like, you know, your friend with the gap too suddenly feeling he's been you know, edged out and doesn't have someone to look up to. It was all a fraud. Um, I didn't find it that hilarious. Um. You know, these April Fools jokes, a lot of them are real suspect.

I mean, I on one hand, I'm with you. On the other hand, most of people annoyed at April fool is just because they felt for it. I mean immediately half the responses to this tweet was April fool. Isn't it true? As you're you were hurt a little bit, it was incredibly successful, you know much twenty nine or something though. That's yeah, it was I think nine and right, But a lot of people were responding saying April Fools. I was like, it couldn't be right because it was

an ad and it's a paid ad and all this stuff. Um, but more power to straight hand. He got paid a lot of money to not fix his teeth, like he got paid a lot of money to do in April Fool because it was still a paid ad. Are we talking about you? Are you still talking about the paid aspect that I'm saying that, But I'm just saying that's the only reason he did it. It's not like Straighthand

was like, I'm gonna have some fun with the guys. No, this this company presented like a five hundred thousand dollar thing you can do and you're gonna get a lot of attention and this and that and here's what we're gonna do. And he did it, and we all fell for it, and hang on, not everyone. A lot of people what I mentioned on the minute it happened, saying it was fake. So I guess he put it onto it. Yes,

I guess we quote unquote fell for it. But if if if you're doing an April Fools prank before April Fools, it goes beyond prank. And it's just lying. He lied, And you know, I got banged to the biggest of all spots because we did like nineteen minutes on the podcast last week on it. But you know what, if you're gonna do an April fool's joke to really be a craftsman, to be someone who understands the nature of it, and to really be skillful at it, that's cheating. That's

like starting a race and getting a three second head start. Right. Why should we not take him at his word on March twenty nine or whatever it was. If it were on April at first, it's like, okay, we this is clearly But if it was on like June fifteenth, then he just did it as a prank, would be okay, it's no different. Little dirty in June is all the same because it's not. But anyway, for the record, and you know, I'm hot about Strayhand because of the Sack record.

Now you got this on top of it, I'm doing it, Ricky. I declare vengeance on Michael straight like you know, I just you you know, I'm trying to be positive in the world and and and and not be you know, so negative of things. But in this case, I have to I declare what that means, Nebulos. I mean he deserves some bad luck. He's been on a winning streak like no other. Remember when it was him versus Tiki, Yes, I mean that was that was how it makes Michael

Strahan came to the national consciousness. Was a schism in the locker room in all of New York took Tiki Barber's side at the time a little bit, which is funny to think about. Inspect They're like, I don't know about the strayhand guy. Let's get to some news. Vengeance has been declared upon Michael Strahan in the biggest of

all spots, UH, Deshaun Watson. It is now really when you look at the big picture of everything and what this who this player is, and where he stacks up in the landscape of top quarterbacks in the league, and where his standing was with his team, and where he could be going. The fact that it is all in the back burner with a civil lawsuits twenty of them, and now a criminal investigation. This is sadly the biggest story of the offseason. The Houston Police Department has opened

an investigation on Deshaun Watson. UH Jane Doe has officially filed a police report on Watson that leads to the police department now launching an investigation into the allegations. So we'll see where that goes. Um, what that means for his immediate future as a player, we don't know. But Greg, just the fact that there is now an active criminal investigation could open the door for a move by the NFL that takes Watson off the field no matter where

he ends up. Yeah, I think raises that chance. And I don't even think it was necessary for him to potentially be suspended, but it opens up the possibility of a commissioner's exemp lift that the NFL has seemed to make some sort of separation between a civil case and in a criminal case, and so now Watson's playing facing both and and a lot of people will say, well,

this has to play out. That that's absolutely true. But even like Ben Roethlisberger, who ultimately was not, you know, convicted of anything, was suspended, Um after all that play out, and it took a long time, But that's just so that's just something to keep in mind with what's probably

the most similar case with a high profile quarterback. Yeah, I just I mean, you know, I think where we were six weeks ago with this or whatever, and where we are now that it's you know, people reach out to us and say, why didn't you take a stronger stance on this or that, It's like you really do. I mean, I think day by day have to let the facts come in and I'm at the point now we're just as a human being. I'm looking at the

fact that he UM. I think that just someone someone pointed out that idea that someone would visit so many different UM massage therapists. It's just a little weird, like there's there's just something about that that that is UM unusual, especially unusual for athletes UM according to people that would

that are in the nose. So you know, it starts to just stand out more and more to me UM as something that could deeply impact, you know, his career, and it impacted if there were If all this is is as stated, UM, there's just an incredible list of victims. It's so disappointing, right, It's disappointing in a way because it's Deshaun Watson and we don't need to get too deep.

But I do think that Jenny Rent this article in mm QB was a case of reporting that I think is going to have an impact in the NFL office is among other places too, because that was not from a woman that was looking for any financial re enumeration or anything like that. It was just it was just report that really stood out to me too. I'm with you, Greg, and I think that it's it's just shifted where um this is potentially very very serious and the we'll hang

on and see. Um. Greg, you had mentioned Nikos Sario in a recent podcast interview with Albert Brier. Yeah. He he was on last week with Brier. And you know Albert Brier, who I think has is pretty tied in with Cassario from their days in New England together. Um. You know thought that Cassario was making a pointed pivot in how he was addressing Watson, whereas in the past he basically was saying, we're not listening. That's our quarterback. We're not We're not he's going to be our quarterback.

That's how they were playing it publicly. And now when he was asked about it last Monday, he said, we're gonna have to look at all options. You know, this is essentially saying that this is a different situation and what that remains to be you know. What happens with that, we'll see. But it Breer who seems pretty tied into maybe how they could possibly be feeling, thought they that they'd be more open now, um because of this to trade him, whether that was before after the draft, who knows,

all right. In other news, Aaron Rodgers UH spoke to ESPN in a video interview. He had this to say, so far, it's definitely been my team, I said, I said last year, I didn't know if that was actually possible, uh, to be able to finish there. I still feel like that's that's kind of where we're at. I mean, I don't I don't know that A lot of that's in my hands, but I guess we'll just kind of see

as we go. It's so different though, you know, the difference mark between where Aaron Rodgers was after the draft draft last year to where he is now. He's coming from a position of power. He's the reigning m v P. So you don't feel him speaking defensively here, rather more like, hey, that's something they gotta figure out. I'm cool if they want to keep the m v P. That's good for them. If they want to get me out of here, I'm

gonna make someone great. Uh. It feels different it with Rodgers now, Yeah, No, I I think last year felt um, you know, there are people that know him, knew that felt that he was genuinely annoyed. But he is in a position of internal power and external power. He's also signed through three and there were no whispers at any point during the year that anything anyone saw from Jordan's love, even in Packers practices, would suggest that you deep six the m v P for him. I mean, I think

he's just sort of being philosophical about it. Anything could happen, and we're in an environment now where, like the idea of a big name quarterback leaving Team A for Team B was prohibitive for so long, it just seems like it's in the air. It's more possible for people like Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgerson never before. But I don't take it doesn't to me. It's like, cool, let's see what happens. But I don't like it doesn't shake my foundation um as a football analyst or fan that anything

is gonna happen anytime soon. I mean, last season should have completely taken that mystery out of it. And he media because he's hosting Jeopardy the next two weeks, starting Monday, the day we're taping this, and UH, so he has

to answer these questions. I don't think he's going out of his way too, but I do think the way he answers them um is in such a way that the packers, by adding some guaranteed money to a UH to his contract, by adding essentially another year of guaranteed money, maybe at the least would maybe have him answering these questions differently. If that's important to the packers, I think, and I kind of think it will be. I think they'll address it in the summertime between Usually these things

happened between O T A S and training camp. Speaking of Aaron Rodgers and Jeopardy, hit it, Ricky now Here is the guest host the Jeopardy Aaron Rockery. Thank you, Johnny Gilbert, Welcome to Jeopardy. As a lifelong fan of Jeopardy, it is an incredible honor to guest host. I've had the opportunity to do a lot of amazing things, but winning Celebrity Jeopardy and getting to share the stage with the legend Alex Trebek is something I will never forget.

Alex was such a gentleman, so smart, so precise. I was in awe and I will work hard to honor his legacy. Scott Brandon, Joe Beth, Let's get to the Jeopardy around with these categories. That the first episode of Alix Trebeck on Jeopardy, which I love Jeopardy. I've always loved Jeopardy, and it was very sad that evil bastard the Big sea um got Alex Trebek earlier this year or late last year, and now they have had they've

been putting different guest hosts in there. That's actually the first time, and he did a nice shot with it. But I actually got the vibe that Aaron Rodgers was nervous, and I imagine that for anybody, even a guy as cool as Aaron Rodgers is, and he's kind of famous for being like cool under pressure. You could see it in the bit of a nervous shuffle to him. Maybe you know, a little nervous, little nervous farts popped out there on the way to the main stage. I don't know,

what do you guys think? Well, also I'd say, like Trebec certainly had reps, and by the time we you know, we're watching Jeopardy Trebek, it was like, you know, basically making a cup of coffee for him. But I think he was a little nervous. I still think he did a really good job. I think you'll see him get better. This is Aaron Rodgers. I bet he gets a lot

better um from episode to episode. I would more say, what if you're like a Packers fan who has been installed as a guest on Jeopardy, Um, how my performance would suffer because I'd be like, I'm not Rebecca. Would be surreal to begin with, But like, what if you were a huge football fan and you're fielding these questions from Aaron Rodgers, like we've you know, go back to win West's toast or even trying to um win stuff on the fly. It's a whole different world and you

need the most calm environment you can get. He's gonna jack some people up. What was her name, Joe Beth. I wonder what Joe Beth is thinking. Yeah, handling the pressure. I think it's gotta be a huge, maybe the biggest part of being being on jepard. I'm with you. I was thinking of Aaron. Aaron Rodgers not seem like the type to be watching the social media clips, but when I was watching that, I was imagining myself as Aaron Rodgers, being like, how couldn't you pick something from the second week?

You know, I'm sure I had a bunch of good jokes in the second week. That was like my cold open to the whole thing when I'm and I was definitely nervous. That's yeah, that's like if what's the award that we're nominated for the OMNI. I don't know what it is anymore. I forgot, but imagine if they said, oh, yeah, you have to send one episode to the OMNIS uh for the nomination. It's like, oh yeah, send the first episode from July's like no, no, no, no, no, no no,

under no circumstances are gonna do something like that. Um, anyway, good luck, good luck to Rogers. I will be watching if it's on the DVR, actually a DVR Jeopardy And I thought Dr Oz did tremendous work and his guest hosting stint justin please, that guy's a quack. I can't be That's fine. I'm talking about anything COVID related or anything else. I'm just saying he did a very nice job in the Jeopardy chair. That's all. And other news, we know the international series is building up in the NFL.

All thirty two teams are gonna play an international game in the next decade. Uh. We've seen games in Mexico City, we've seen them in London and German. Germany is up next. Deutsche Land, as they say, German games coming soon, maybe as soon as twenty two. And you know what that means, boys, we have a furban audience overseas, including in the Deutsche Land. Perhaps we're going to get to go there. That sounds nice. Yeah, that should be the new hashtag onto Berlin or onto Germany.

We don't know it'll if it'll be in Berlin, but yeah. Peter King reported that that basically I think they're hoping, you know, four minimum international games a year. That I think one's gonna be Mexico and one's gonna be Germany. There actually might be the UK fans might be a little upset because there might be fewer UK games potentially, just doing the math that maybe there's only gonna be two or three. They could have more than four, but

I'm excited. Ratings like in Germany for football is really high. A lot of people fly in from Germany to see those UK games. I'm first generation. You know, my my dad was born in Germany, So send me to the homeland, bring me back. Dad was born in Germany. That is a new slash developing news. I had no idea. My my brother is a German citizen. Weirdly enough, because you could, you could fill out some paperwork as part of reparations, you know. He you know, my dad was a Jew

born pretty deep into World War Two in Germany. So they did they flee during they were able to get out in. Why would you not? Why would you not be allowed to be a citizen to just your brother? Oh no, I could have. I could have gone through it. It's it was like a multi year, a lot of work process. He was there. I don't know what the benefits would be totally. Well, my follow up question would be, you want to be the the ambassador to the German game, but you're you had a chance to become a citizen

in It's not like they were calling the phone. I mean, my my brother investigated this and you know, he found something out and he put he put in the hard work. He's he's stayed, he spent a lot of time over there and stuff. I have not done that, but I want to go by the way I was there just a few years ago. So if you need any pointers at all, we're sending the whole pot. We're sending in the whole pot. We're not doing all right play the marketing.

No no, no, But I mean here's the other thing, like not everyone, So are you going to would any would we take any pains to learn the German language? Or do we just roll in there assuming everyone just cozy's up and speaks our version of English. So you want to well, it's a different than going to England, where it's like, hey, we're up on stage and we all speak to say. It's like, you know, you go

to Germany. You can't just assume that everyone is going to be like, will speak the King's English to make these you know, chaps from Los Angeles comfortable during their stay here. I mean, we've also been invited yet, but it just doesn't seem realistic that the three of us are going to speak fluent German by the time of these games. So maybe we need to find out how because I know, uh kings English as you put it,

for a lot of countries is a second language. I don't know if it's got big pop in Germany if our audience there obviously they know English if they're a fan of our show, So we should have a pocket let us let us know pop. We just need to know how much. Let's hear from the German listeners. Maybe we'll just bring like Sebastian Volmer around with us everywhere. He seems very involved, um with the international NFL efforts,

you know, former patriots. He can he can just escort us and translate and and it would be cool to have like a six eleven German dude with us the whole time. And obviously the halftime show has to be the band that does the keeping up with bo Ringer, So I don't think there's any question like who it has to be German cold Play. That's what's happening in the news, all right, up next, Yes, we're talking with

Rich Zemini the state of the Jets and full disclosure. Um. Right after we finished this interview, uh, the Sam Donald news went down. So check out this interview with Rich Tomini where we talk about it actually sets it up nicely, boys with some context of what the decision was in front of the Jets. And on the back end of this conversation, we'll dig in on the trade details of Sam Donald going to the Panthers and now a very special guest. One of my absolute favorites as as a

Jets fan. He is the source uh for me for Jets reporting and just knowing what's going on with the team, and now he joins the Around the NFL podcast maybe for the first time ever, I'm not sure. Rich Tomini, welcome to the show. Yes, I'm a rookie, so the first time ever. Thanks for having me, guys, I have I have to say I've met rich multiple times. He's helped me out with some stuff I've written in the past, and I always kissed the ring when I see Richard

the combine. Uh. He's a New York guy. I think you're a Hall of Famer and your your local high school? Is that so as well? That's a big one. Yeah, crazy right, But your Jets stuff, Dan, I know I could feel the passion in the know the frustration comes pouring out in some of your writing. I know, I know, I try not to, but market Market said it's hard to hold it all inside, and and and rich like.

This is a fascinating, fascinating time in Jets history, of course, and it also feels it's the whiff of um you're thinking of three years ago, because it was supposed to be Sam was Sam Donald, supposed to be the reboot of this team, and everything was supposed to be going upward from there. Does feel like we lost three years and and now the Jets are trying to figure it out again, and the and the forty nineers make that blockbuster trade ten days ago to get to number three.

A lot of people connecting dots. Well, if the Jets aren't involved with that trade, they must be locked and loaded on, Zack Wilson. Is that how you see it as we approach draft day? You know? It's funny lest For a few days ago on Friday, I was having a conversation with a scout who loves in the western part of the country, and I usually go to him with quarterback questions because he's that's his area of expertise. And I was just talking to the scout the other day.

He goes, were are you asking me the same questions? Three years of Donald and Rosen and Josh Allen were coming out, and I said, you're absolutely right, deja vu all over again. Uh yeah, I mean here we are again. And uh, I certainly think the Jets will be replacing Sam Donald with the draft pick. And I do believe everything I've heard is that Zack Wilson will be that

pick at number two. Mm hm do you? Um? I think when you're looking at Wilson or what you've heard about Wilson as a prospect sometimes that he is a little reminiscent of Sam Donald too as a prospect, where like maybe the weaknesses, you know, not as many snaps as a call as a college quarterback, um can miss some throws like the crazy arm, the crazy athleticism. Like when I when I've heard people talk about him and

I'm not like a draft nick. He kind of reminds me of Donald coming out as a prospect, which, if only just because it's the Jets would maybe like freak me out slightly. They are really similar. In fact, of the throws that Zach made in his pro day that that rolling left fade away throwing to the right hash which was an incredible throw, was was similar to some of Donald's throws that he's made in his career, and they're saying there's the same in that you know there there.

They can make the off platform throws, they can use different arm angles. That's what everyone was talking about with Sam when he came out, and uh, you know there are some similarities, you know. It's it's an intriguing decision in all my years of covering the Jets, and and that's many as Dan would attest to, I think this is the most polarizing decision that they've had to make, just in terms of I think the fan base is

completely split. You know, you have half let's keep Sam and build around him, and the other half is ready to move on and draft someone else. So as a journalist, it makes for great copy and talking points, you know, for a few few months, I guess. But when I look at the Jets, I mean in Sam Donald is they're a tougher quarterback. To really evaluate Um the wreckage that he's been through the past couple of years, so much of it feels like I don't really put that

on Sam Donald. And if you're the Jets Um and we're talking about the similarities between him and Zach Wilson. Is it more just in a matter of we have to move on and refresh the quarterback position, but more than worse certain that Sam Donald We've seen the best stuff. How can they really like ascertain who Sam Donald is at this point as a player in terms of being put in the right system, in the right position, especially with like the new offensive group they've got coming in.

I mean, you think you get a much better version of Sam Donald. You can sell that draft pick for so much. I just won't if there's any thought to that. Maybe keeping him and pulling a stunner. Yeah, personally, that's I've been kind of vocal about that. I know I've been annoying some Jet fans. That's what I would do. I would keep Sam and and and bet on him in this new offense, very quarterback friendly offense. We've seen what Shanahan could do with it. Now they have MICHAELA.

Fleur as the O. C uh, it'll be better coaching. I feel he wasn't coached well the last two years. He regressed under Adam Gaze. You saw at the end of Sam's rookie year when he was in a similar type system under Jeremy Bates. You know, he showed promise at the end of that year. He went toe to toe in a couple of games with Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson at the end of the year, and there was reason to hope. But since then he's it's been a decline. And I'm not making excuses for the guy.

He has not been a good quarterback over the last three years. In fact, he is the lowest rated passer over the last three years combined in the league. I think it's thirty nine that a thirty nine quarter qualifying passers. But you coaching supporting cast has been been shaky at best. He's had no running game, and so it's really difficult to do an evaluation. But I think the point you

bring up is excellent. It's the financial part that's a really big part of this decision, which is why I think the Jets will lean towards starting fresh with the

rookie quarterback contract. Well, what about rich with the kind of a half measure here, because and you've written about this, the Jets had a window earlier in this offseason where maybe they could have been aggressive in moving Donald and try to get a second third round pick whatever, and then a lot of these starting jobs filled up, so his trade market, you would think, is depressed at this point.

Wouldn't it just make more sense at this point if you really you love Zach Wilson, he's your guy that you decline Donald's fifth year option, you keep him in the building and then maybe have them, you know, actually being a competition this this summer. And if Donald is clicking in this offense and all of a sudden he realizes potential, you have a great problem at the end of the season. And if he can't play and he

struggles and and Wilson takes over very quickly. Yes, Donald leaves as a free agent, and that's and you don't get that draft asset. But to me, that's a willing that's a good gamble to take then and then you finally get a chance to get that one last evaluation of Donald in there, and you still get the guy that you see is the future potential. Well, I do know if there are some people in the building who are in the Donald camp, and I think this coaching half,

I've said this before. I think Michael Floor and Robert Salo really thinks they can make it work with Sam Uh So you could get the best of both worlds the way you described it. And in fact, I talked to Josh McCown the other day and he is he is very close with Sam. They're talking and texting all the time, and he thinks that scenario can work. Um, I personally am not a huge fan of that scenario because in a year Donald can walk as a free agent.

At least now if you trade him for maybe a low two or three, you can get compensation for this year. So that's another thing. And do you want to saddle a rookie head coach Robert Sala with the quarterback controversy? You guys know how we are in New York. But if he's good rich, if Sala is the real deal, he can handle that. And if he's not the r deal, he can so to me that that's not a good enough excuse to not give out a chance. I don't know, you know, Sam would win that job. I mean Sam

would be the starter. There's no way a rookie, in spite of all of sam struggles, he would be heading shoulders above a rookie coming in. And actually, from Sam Donald's perspective, I think there is upside to that scenario because he's a free agent a year from now. He has to do whatever he can to improve his value, and I think the Jets would probably afford him the best opportunity to play. Where else is he gonna go and be a week one starter, Probably nowhere else, and

so he could increase his free agent value. I would just take the compensation. Now, I think it's a very awkward situation. Then you're almost putting off the inevitable for a year. You're a two and fourteen team, you have the second pick in the draft. I would try to get that guy in there as quickly as possible. I

would use Miami last year as a model for that. Now, too, it didn't start right away they you know what, it was like week six or seven that they eventually brought him in and then they took him out and brought him in a little bit. I would do something like that. You're two and fourteen. You're not gonna go to the playoffs this year in all likelihood, and so I think you're prolonging the inevitable by keeping Donald around for a year.

One more question, Rich, I have to I have to ask, I have to ask you to share this with the audience. It's my favorite. You've been covering the team since what I believe it was, and uh, and you've been through a lot of dysfunction as a beat reporter or covering coaches that were in over their head, and Adam Gates that era has to stack up against any of them. But the rich co tight era for Jets fans of a certain age is still kind of the gold standard.

With Gaye right there, can you please share the Keyshawn Johnson hurts his knee in his first rookie camp and you trying to get the scoop on on what's going on, and there may be being a rich code tight disappearance involved. Yeah, it was actually not. It was the regular season. It wasn't even real it was his rookie year, and so Keyshawn hurts his knee in practice and they said they were taking him for an m r R. In those days, we had a free run of the place you know

now there. This was at Hofstra by the way on Long Island, and then reporters could go into the parking lot and talked to players after practice at their cars, which, of course, when parcels came in, he put everything off limits. So like it I mean, this is the star rookie players. So I went outside the locker room, probably late afternoon, and sat outside the locker room for Kishan to come

back from his m RI. And while I'm sitting there, at about five o'clock in the afternoon, rich Coke tight ambles out of the locker room and he about to step into his Mercedes coupe is really snazzy two door Mercedes, and he goes, He goes, I'll be back in a little bit. I'm just going out to grab a bite to eat. I'm like, okay, I see you later, rich Well, I said, on the same stool until about eight or eight thirty until it was dark and Kishan came back.

Rich co Tighte never came back. He was done, he was done. He worked bankers hours as an NFL coach, which we all know is is unheard of. He never came back. And I could I could vouch because I was there the whole time and back and I got my story, even though I waited three or four hours. And he did have a minor knee injury, and I think he had a scope and missed three or four games.

But uh yeah, so and I was later learned that Rich co Tight and actually boom Riscius and tells a very funny story that co Tight actually kept a car, another secret car in the back of the building so he could step out during the day and no one would know he was gone. And yeah, day where he used the front door a car and that was that was part of the rich co Tight era. Yes, that's my team, everybody, Um, Rich, thank you for joining us and and and I wish you the best and also

you deserve it. Beat this long to cover a champion, So as Rich Bningo U is known to say, from my lips to God's is And the other thing I wish for you is that Carl Lawson or someone else from this draft ask gets to the quarterback with the regular regularity, so you never again have to write the lead. The Jets haven't had a premier pass rusher since John Abraham left in two thousand. Hey like, nothing more to cover a championship team. Alright, great, there he goes and

check out the flight deck. That's Rich to mean he's podcast covering the Jets and all of his great work on ESPN dot com. Thank you all right, yes, thank you the great Rich Simini all that conversation about Sam Donald and what the Jets are gonna do. Well, they made the decision on Monday, trading the former number three overall pick to the Carolina Panthers and head coach Matt Rule. The Jets get three draft picks UH in return, UH, including a second rounder in so Sam Donald heads to

the Panthers. Another domino falls there. Teddy Bridgewater was the incumbent in Carolina and he's either now gonna be the backup or be moved else are you would think maybe we'll into that and the Jets. Now everything is cleared the runway as it were cleared for the Jets, who now have no quarterback in the building, but the number two overall pick and Zach Wilson will be sitting there. So connect all those. That's that's where this is going. Mark your initial thoughts on the trade Sam Donald to

the Carolina Panthers. So my initial thoughts so that this doesn't always happen or or perceived perceptionally seemed to happen. But I think both teams um got value. I think the Panthers were in hot water on the Deshaun Watson front, and that's who they wanted I think they were going to do and sell the moon for that, you get Donald. Um, they picked up his fifth year option. The Jets got picked.

We just talked to Saminy that like, look at if people had wanted Sam Donald, if there's been some sort of bum rush for Sam Donald, there would have been more value. But that just wasn't the case. And Joe Douglas over and over has not been fleeced in deals. Um they have. I think twenty one draft picks over the next two years was seven and in the in the first two rounds, so the Jets are still in

good position. I think they cleaned up um what would have been intentionally been a little bit messy to have Donald and Zach Wilson there. I know some people feel differently, But for the Panthers, I love the idea of offensive coordinator Joe Brady Um showing that he can do what Adam Gates and others have not been able to do. And it's a good start for a fresh start for Sam Donald on an offense that is much better and much better place than the Jets had been the last

couple of years. And with that number eight pick, you can go offensive line, you can do what you need to fortify the offense. They went all defense last year, So I think it's a you know, it's a it's maybe a two year window to find out what you have in this guy, and if it works, it's a great story for Sam Donald, right, And it could be a one year window. Even picking up the option, it's

only guaranteed for injury only. I'm always surprised teams don't pick up those options because it's not that big of a risk. You're just you're just hoping it doesn't have a major injury. I love it if I'm you know, Daniel Jeremiah or the people that were banging the drums saying Sam Donald's one of the best quarterback prospects they've ever seen, um which so far hasn't looked good, and he is now going to I think, what's a pretty

quarterback friendly system. You know, we were, you know, I I was much higher on Teddy in general than you guys last year. But you still could look at the numbers, like if the floor here is Teddy Bridgewater thrown for four thousand yards and and going up and down the field and and moving the ball like you would think Sam Donald could do that. If if, as Danny would say,

he can play the guitar. I don't necessarily think they'll just hand hand him, uh the starting job just because Teddy's do so much guaranteed money that it doesn't make sense to me for them to dump Teddy unless they have a somewhere to dump them, like someone wants them or an upgrade, which would have been Deshaun Watson. That doesn't look like it's happening now. So I kind of expect that both Donald and Teddy will have a chance

here to play. But you would assume Donald is the favorite. Yeah, I would say Donald's the heavy favorite, but we will see how it plays out. It gives them options and it is the and we talked about at the top top of the show. What's that that I was just because say, But to be fair, Teddy's played at a higher level and we've seen it than Sam Donald ever has,

including including in his first couple of seasons. I'm just saying we do, Greg, But I mean everything the Carolina Panthers have said and done this offseason told us they're not He was with Teddy Bridgewater, he was in the building, but they gave up a second round pick, not not this year's pick though, that's what got it done when they gave up a second round pick, but it's next year's second you know that that's putting a certain value.

You know, that's where Jalen Hurts gets drafted or different guys get drafted. Those are not guys you necessarily think are going to be your franchise quarterback. That's all the reason I think it's clearly Donald and Caroline is because Matt Rule has Teddy Bridgewater in the building for a year running his offense with Brady, and clearly, I mean they made it very clear as we're we've been talking

about they weren't thrilled with the results. So I guess they could all back on Teddy if Donald disappoints, but I would think maybe they're looking for a fresh start, just like the Jets. And and for me it is I did have a lot invested in Sam Donald. All Jets fans did, because he was the highest draft pick by the Jets since Joe Namath, and everything pointed to

him being the real deal. But you know, as has been talked about ad nauseum, it was you know, the circumstances that that he he was forced into as a Jet were unholy. It was really between the coaching and the personnel and issues in the front office. It felt like he never had a chance. So do I have a Do I have a fear a deep down that he still can be a really good player and maybe

even better than Zach Wilson in a more healthy setup. Yeah, And that's why I said, That's why I said to Rich, I said, what what's the harm in keeping him in the building and seeing if he actually can realize that potential. But at the same time, I do trust the process, and I do think that, um, if they really do love Zack Wilson, uh, and you restart that rookie contract clock. And you know, I heard a lot of people in my mentions on this podcast saying you're crazy about the

Jets even getting a second rounder for Sam Donald. There are people that believe this guy can play. So the Jets now can get that's a premium draft pick down the line, and maybe you turn that into something and now you just hope, you hope that Zack Wilson is a big time player. There is the nuclear um bomb scenario where Wilson can't play and Donald becomes a star in Carolina what what I want for Sam Donald is for Sam Donald. And it's not gonna be happening, Greg,

and you still love Cam Newton as your quarterback. What what I think is going to happen here is he becomes a rich Man Zandy Dalton. Is is Sam Donald ceiling? And I hope he gets there, And I just hope the Jets pick a quarterback doesn't bomb out like the rest of him. It is as Rich said, it's it's a fascinating decision. And and there were fans of Donald in the building for the Jets that wanted to keep them there. They made this decision. And it's a big

roll of the dice. Either way, it would have been a big roll of the dice. I mean, the Jets are the first team in the modern era to pick two to pick ostensibly a quarterback in the course of three years in the top three. Um, to pick two of them, I could have I could have made you know, it's the first thing I didn't the Browns do that like four times and like they didn't, but it wasn't top three. That was the difference, you know, right, It's um, it's worth the shot for the Panthers. I haven't been

high on Donald. So I'm of two minds. Like when everyone defends Donald and puts the context of what he did, I think of you know, the Facebook, the social network. When Zuckerberg says to the you know, the the Winklevoss twins, like, if you'd invented Facebook, you didn't, you'd have invented Facebook. And it's like if Sam Donald was the Shawn Watson or Patrick Boams, he would be one of those guys

like you would overcome your surroundings. Um, but does he have a higher upside than when he saw of course? And so I kind of think it makes sense for the Panther because I'm always banging the drum that when you don't have a quarterback you should just keep taking swings, like stop being so precious about it, Like take a

million swings. You don't know which is gonna stick. You only had to give up next year's you know, second round pick and in a fourth and a six, So it's not it's not a crazy uh high pick to give up and you get to evaluate him for a year or two unless these things and that's a nice

second round pick. It's there's there's there's a bit of a gamble here and and it tells you how what a the Deshaun Watson situation, how that's changed so much, and how it's led to the dominoes falling in a different way, because really it feels like Watson was uh, there was a tractor being pointing towards Charlotte with him and they had to scramble and adjust. You have to call the Panthers in terms of the overall offseason chase

for a quarterback. I put him in the loser's bracket because what they were shooting four was so high and they're not sitting down at in the draft. They have the eighth pick, but there's just too many other teams with the Niners trade that had crept ahead of them, and they're in a bit of a fix. So yeah, this is this is a potentially good um scenario for them, but it's no home run. It's like we're waiting to see in year four if Sam Donald is actually as

good as everyone's been saying he is. Isn't it like Teddy all over again? A different circumstances, But they that's what it was last year for the Panthers. We know Teddy Bridge order has never really proven that he was a real franchise quarterback, but we believe in his potential. It didn't work out. Now it's Donald's turn to be in that role under that rule. It is disappointed. I think you're right the what that I hadn't thought about the Watson news. Maybe that informed the forty Niners trade,

maybe it didn't. But either way, the combination of the Watson um news that's been we've talked about and the trade had to leave the Panthers thinking they're not getting who they want at eight or it's going to be tough to trade up, like because because I was thinking they still were a candidate to trade up to four or five, they didn't. It wouldn't have had to go

too far. But now now that they know it's going one to three at quarterback, Jets are taking Wilson, forty Niners will take who they want that It's like they gotta have another option because they they clearly Teddy was not enough for them. It's too bad, that's too bad.

It's it's it's too bad with Donald two. I really, oh man, I really wanted that to work, and but it is exciting at the same time when you watch this Zach Wilson foot just now it's started to buy into another quarterback, by into another jersey for my son's. It's it goes on and on and on the search for the true successor to Joe Namath. All right, before we go, you know, we're in the off season here kind of it is the Greg you pointed out on

TEXTA this morning. It's definitely a bit of a dead area when you get out of the free agency on and before the draft really hits fever pitch. That's where we are right now, right, no pro days, no more signings, the phantom owners meetings or the talk about that was in theory last week that was the seven. Yeah, it's as quiet as there is three weeks in a row on the NFL schedule except for July. I would say

that's the only time that's quieter. Um And Mark, did you hear about this talk that they're going to potentially I don't think this has written down yet, uh, for any of the teams that aren't involved with the Hall of Fame game. Um Or I think the Thursday night opener, everyone's gonna launch the same day and it might be a blowout like uh training camp open spectacular kind Yeah, excited about that will be that we're gonna put We're gonna put Mark out by the RAMS facility as it

opens at six am live on the scene. I find the RAMS a little spice here at this point. Um then in then in years past. But Dan is absolutely um on point with that. It's going to be treated like you know, uh, we've we've landed on Mars and started a new colony, will be treated with that level of groundbreaking verve got to own July. Um, but I wanted to see since since it's been a little quieter, what are you guys into? And Ricky jump on right now?

What's the pop culture uh that that you're into? I'll start I I watched a movie on Netflix and I needed a laugh. We all need a laugh, um, even as things in the COVID world get better. But it's you know, been a tough twelve months on a lot of levels. Bad trip, Eric Andre, that movie absolutely destroyed me. Slave me and full disclosure, I've met him a couple of times. He was in Bob, my friend Bob and Jason's movie a few years back. He's a very nice guy and I've always loved the Eric Andre show on

adult swim um, it's absurdest brilliance. And he took like the elements of what makes that show uh funny and gray and then somehow tied it to a narrative structure on so, I mean, it's not Citizen Kane, but like there's an actual movie connected to his uh, the Eric Andre Greatness for people that are fans of him. And then there are scenes in that Ricky and I know it sounds like you watch it that had me laughing at my our solve and Tiffany hash I um, I

do uh. Another podcast, as you guys know, that Jessell Nick and Rosenthal Vanity Project, and that was Anthony. We do recommendation station every week and that was his recommendation last week. So this is back to back the podcast I've been on and he gave it a hard recommend and he's a he's a tough judge for sure. On the comedy. By the way, we have a live show on Tuesday night. Listeners should check out for tickets on that.

How about that while we're here comfortable pitch, he's plugging himself. Just just own it. It's cool. Where is it? Where is it? I mean, no, no, it's not in person. It's just like a zoom where you can you can pay to watch it. It's like a assume. Ricky would be, oh yeah, she's a big she's a huge part of it, and making them pay for it. We're making them pay for it as just you know, a special, little different show. You know you can talk with us afterwards. It's good.

You think Craig would ever do that for free? Um? How much does it cost? How much does it cost for people to watch on a video screen? This will be you'll appreciate this. Fifteen dollars for the normal show, which will be longer than normal. Um, but you can for seventy five. You can get v I P tickets and stay like an extra hour and ask questions and stuff. How many people have snatch stuff? A surprising amount of people have bought it. I too had nothing. I had

nothing to do with us setting all this off. I was like, what, really are you giving Ricky cut of the proceeds? Of course, of course I got your back, Ricky. Don't let them push you. I'm gonna wreck a man. I'm just gonna jump in and do um the latest season of Last Chance You just because I feel like our listeners, maybe there's some cross over here. They did basketball this year and it was East Della. I know I've given a lot of last Chance you love on

this show. I know because I do think it's one of the better like documentary documentary shows, like showing a certain slice of life right now out there, like it's really well done. Um And this time it was a basketball team. It was East l A. So there's a little bit of an l A vibe having this awesome season and somewhat of a spoiler alert, you know, the it's last season, so the world obviously with covid um infringes by the end. But man, the characters and just

how they do it is really compelling to me. Like, to me, it's a good if you love sports, like it's partly why I I it makes me like love sports more because it's the people that are really doing it for the love of the of the game, and you see what they go through to try to get to their dreams. I'm behind on that show. I haven't watched it, so, like where would be a good jump in season? I think the bat this one is the first time it's a basketball season. It's a totally different

vibe because of that. But I think this would be a good one to jump in. All right, good to know I'm writing it down, Mark, Um, So I know I'm supposed to pop culture suggests. It needs to be something that has been created recently. So I will give you, um one thing in that category. You know when you're you're married. It's season tweet last night that animals are not from Earth? Like, are you okay? That's just sort of thinking that there's there's a possibility that that's true.

Another big social weekend, social media weekend for Mark, Mark, I really unpack that. I hadn't seen that. What's the how do you? How is that possible? First of all, I'm not convinced that everything that's on Earth, our planet, originated on Earth. Um, this isn't a strong theory based on I've had some biologists coming at me saying, that's an absurd thing that you wrote, and I agree that it probably sounds absurd, but it's a little flatter third

in its own way. No, I don't believe in that theory. I just think that there are various life beings that maybe came from somewhere or something else, and if it were all animals, I'd be like, hmm, that kind of makes sense to me. It also makes no sense, so you know, the animal my pop culture reference. The animals are underrated though, I mean they are amazing. We've just

been watching live cams of animals. There's another recommendation. Uh, there's a good critter cam out there, and I gotta say, like, it's it's better than TV, Like we just have it on in the background. It's pretty fascinating. So if they're coming from other planets, but I'm into it. We have a ring camera or whatever in our backyard and Emily has its set up to get don't worry Mark, We're

gett into your pop culture. It has its set up for like notifications whenever there's movement, and there's like an entire family reunion of raccoons like every night, just chilling out there on the couch and crawling on things. And it's just like, guys, can we can we have some respect for the property. I'm a homeowner now, I don't I don't wanta have to shoot you. I don't have to put you in a cage or get an exterminator, just like, show some respect. Raccoons prints on my outdoor furniture.

Critter Vision has a lot of raccoons too. It's got it's got DearS, POWs some stuff like that. But critic, raccoons are weird because they stand on their hind legs and then they use their two hands, kind of like humans, and there's something a little freaky about I. I don't agree that all animals are underrated, though, greg some are definitely getting a little too much attention or properly rated.

All right, mark your pop culture. So I was just gonna mention I think it songs sometimes like what I would go watch on my own and what simone we go watch would be two different shows. So when we can ven diagram that and find um a show that we like, it's very successful. And we've been watching the show Jinny and Georgia UM, which is essentially like a mom that had no I don't know the names of

the people in it, but I'll help you out with that. Yeah, she had a daughter when she was like fifteen, but now the daughter is fifteen and the mom is thirty, and it's there. You know, she's not ready to be she's not happy that she's thirty with it, like probably you know, no love life and stuff. So anyways, it takes some twists and turns, but we've enjoyed it. But the thing I really wanted to want to mention um is this film that I watched recently from ninety seven,

directed by Paul Schrader called Rolling Thunder Um. This is hard to find, but there are one or two little services out there that have it. It was. It has a very young Tommy Lee Jones and William Devane, who William Devane is someone that I think no one would be like, oh, I get that, I know who that is. But if you go and look at the actor in his face, you're like, I've seen if you have a certain age, you've seen him in a thousand different things.

He was the junk ball starter for Major League. He was awesome in that name. He was the head coach and Rudy exactly so he everything he does, he does well. And this is um raw late seventies cinema about um these guys returning from Vietnam, and it goes totally haywire. It is listed as one of Tarantino's top five films, and within ten minutes of watching it, it made it so clear the influence that he had on him and other genre cinema in general. So, um, it's not for everyone.

I'd think it's a pack a minute the mall or show it to your nine year old type of film. But you could show it to yourself if you've so so pleased. Mm hmm. I I have to apologize the coach and Rudy was not William Devane. Okay. I think it was like Dan Divine, so close, so close, Ricky. Um. So he also he was not the junk ball pitcher in Major. I was like, but that's also Dan Devine to that guy because I remember that guy and he

was a goofball. Um. Anyway, Um, Ricky, your pop culture recommendation, I think I messed that up again too, So I'm gonna circle back around on the divine Divine issue, William Devane just for your reference. Um yeah, the Demilovado doc. She released her own documentary. Um, it's on YouTube. It's

for free. There's only four episodes, and it talks about her overdose, um and all the kind of stuff she went through and like I remember following it and pulp, you know, pop culture and everything, but to actually hear what actually happened, like her friends were like, oh, we're really talking about it, Like she was pretty much legally blind when she woke up. She was blue when they found her, like heroin all this kind of stuff, Like I had no idea how bad it was. Well, that's

it's in the it's just her public record. Um. But it even shows her singing at the super Bowl in Miami the national anthem and sort of her coming back to life literally and sort of her career, and it was it was really really chilling. But then also to be like, oh, we were there at that super Bowl that was the last one before you know, we were

all locked inside. But I remember people on Twitter being like, oh my gosh, look at Demi totally killed the national anthem when you know she's gone through all this stuff. And I didn't really know because I like followed it, but like it wasn't super like didn't keep me up at night. I'm not like a huge Demi love Auto fan. But it was really really really heartbreaking and powerful and worth a watch. Very good. Yeah, uh, I want to see that. Thank you for reminding me. I'm marking that

as well. Last chance you, um you're not going to be watching. I would watch a little Rolling Thunder. I like I like that Paul Steger movie he just released with the Ethan Hawk. I guess it was a few years ago. First Reformed Steger has Got some bombs. The junk ball Hurler in Major League The character was Eddie Harris. The same actor played Dan Divine, the head coach of Notre Dame and Rudy. But the actor's name is Chelsea Ross.

So now you got everything you need to know. Not Mark's actor, not even close to the same name, but coach that he played in a movie has a similar name to that real person's name. Nailed it. That's fascinating. Why you're the host just circling back these big issues? Um? All right, that's it for today's edition of the Around the NFL Podcast. We'll be back Thursday with another episode of The Pot and then the TV show is back

once again on Friday on NFL Network. Please check that out. Um, but until then, Mrs Dan hands until Thursday, should say, uh? Signing off for the plot storm the Old Boston Rickey, Hollywood sap it All