Awards Preview

regular season enough? You? Are you? Vi? I've been with me. Do you feel the same way? I understand what you're saying, Yeams, But I mean, this is no time to be sad. Bro. It's the playoffs. It's a whole new season, right. You can get a seven seed find his way into the super Bowl. So now you know, I mean, it's bitter sweet yet end of the season, But I'm excited it's the playoffs. Yeah. Does it feel like the season went faster now that you're not getting hit anymore? Um? No?

Because ms, I'm I'm a guy that cannot sit down, cannot sit still, So what happens is work just seems to find its way into my life. So no, um, this season went by extremely fast, just like it did when I was a player. Okay, all right, fair enough, all right. I think by the end of this episode, I'll get excited again and start thinking about the postseason. But today we're all about awards, right like guys who really have stood out, maybe a cut above the rest.

We're gonna go through everything. But look, you mentioned the postseason and potentially a seven seed getting here. You know, one of the best things about the NFL. We always talk about the parody in this league. With the playoffs just about to kick up here, I just want to throw some things your way because I don't think people

realize legitimately, m rob how much parody there is. In eighteen of the last twenty seasons, at least one team has won its division after finishing last the season prior. That's the Jags this year. What up? And maybe we're talking about coach Peterson for Coach of the the Year, which we'll do a little bit later here on this episod show it. In nineteen of the last twenty seasons, at least two teams won their division after missing the playoffs

the season before, so the Jackson obvious one. And how about those Vikings at offense justin Jefferson maybe getting some love for Offensive Player of the Year potentially and Rob. And in the last thirty two seasons since the playoff format has been restructured, at least four teams have made the playoffs after missing the year prior this year. Check this out, man, it was six the Ravens, the Chargers, the Vikings. Yeah, gee, men, about those Giants, the Seahawks

and the Jags. I can't get over m Rob what it must be like to be a player in the locker room started the season, think about a lack of success that you might have had the season before, and go, you know what, let's just flush it because we can get there. That's what it's all about. And that's what makes with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick did for twenty something seasons in New England sold special right each year.

They found a way to kind of reinvent themselves and understand that last year meant nothing about this upcoming season. And that's what you saw from all these teams. You talk about the Vikings, Giants, Seahawks, and jack especially my Seahawks. Man, they left Russell Wilson leave. They said, by Russell franchise quarterbacks. So people said, a Hall of Famer by Russell. We're gonna take Gino Smith your back up, and we're gonna

get to the playoffs with them. I mean, what a store and we'll take the fifth overall pick this trapped to just just to boot. Let's not forget about that, Seattle fans, I know you haven't. Denver fans would love to forget about that today, though, this episode is all about awards, Like I made reference to the individual awards that are gonna be handed out at NFL Honors February nine, nine Eastern time, in Phoenix, just a few days prior to Super Bowl fifty seven, which will be on NBC

and Peacock they'll do the whole red carpet thing. I'm not a red carpet guy. And Rob like you, I know you probably you know time. No, No, that's you, man, that sounds from you. Gotta go, damn bro. No, man, I'm in studio. I'm gonna be headed down to Arizon. I can tell you that you might be able to get after it. I got to imagine though, and and maybe the headliner when it comes to the awards is all about the m v P. We have been going

back and forth. You know, I would say, what five six weeks ago, it was pretty clear, at least in my mind, who was the m v P. I think that's changed up a little bit. So let's get to some of these candidates and who you think could be the guy for me. Jalen Hurts was the guy that I would focus on a few weeks ago. I think that's changed a little bit. Patrick Mahomes he wins his seventh straight division title. Jalen Hurts got a little banged up.

Now they still get the one seed in the NFC, so I don't know if that changes some of the naysayer's minds. Joe Burrow, Well, his squad obviously came on pretty strong, and I knew you'd being the president of Bill's Mafia. You can make a strong argument for Josh Allen. But let's start with Jalen Hurts. He's playing ridiculously good football. How much do you think what we saw last year affects our perception of him being the m v P this season. I don't think it affects it too much.

Just simply because if you watch Jalen Hurts throughout his football life I'm talking you know, high school, college, you know, and now in the National Football League, he's always gotten better. Whenever he's gotten an opportunity, he has showed up, he has performed. And so before this season, I'm thinking, well, the Philadelphia Eagles are giving him an opportunity. They gave him an animal or here outside in a j. Brown. They have probably one of the top two or three

offensive lines in all of football. He should take the next step. And for me, that's why, and I know they're gonna be some Philly fans that don't like me for saying this. That's why I wouldn't put him as my top m VP candidate right now, just simply because so much around him the team is legit. And I'm look, I think his special ability to run the football is what separates this team in bigger games. But I think Gardner means you, in his limited time, showed that he

can operate this offense. Now it was circumstances they didn't and I was getting to that games did not win. You know, It's it's all good, But to me, the offense still function. To me, the offense still function. You still have guys a J. Brown, DeVante Smith, Quez Watkins, these guys one on one, they're gonna win with the capable quarterback throwing them the football. It's not to say that Jalen hurt shouldn't be in the running. It's not to say that Jalen Hurts is a scrub or anything

like that. It's just to me, first of all, you gotta understand my background games. I'm getting a little story time, and I'm sure I was a Hasman finalist, bro Hasman finalists.

You gotta understand that with Reggie Bush, Matt Liner, Vince Young, and Brady Quinn and myself, we were the five finalists that year, right, And you gotta understand, like I remember coach paternal saying to the national media, all these guys are great, but you gotta if you take any one of these guys off the team, how great would the team be? Right? And that that was his kind of, you know, kind of um singing my praises. That's kind

of how I look at it with with Jalen Hurts. No, I don't think they would be the number one seed, but I do think what another quarterback to Philadelphia Eagles with their roster will be in the playoffs, and that's kind of where I look at other quarterbacks. Maybe I don't know. I hate to say it because I'm president of Bill's Mafia, but I mean, you can't deny what Patrick Mahomes has been doing. I know, I said it, Yam,

I said it. You can't deny what Patrick Mahomes has been doing, especially without Reach Hill in his offense, just continues the function. I think that pairing of Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid Eric be enemy. I mean, it's tough to beat those guys for this individual world. We're talking about the m v P. Okay, so let's be real here, there's not a set criteria when it comes to how each individual is deciding who should be the m v P and who should not. Right, So I think what

you're describing makes some sense here. But I think if I use your argument, I can story this is justin Jefferson being the m v P, then can't you. I mean, you think about impact on a team, and we'll talk more Jefferson later, But I'm not disagreeing. Like if you said to me, hey, Patrick Mahomes went like okay, cool, Like I get, but I think the argument almost is now stronger for a guy like Jalen Hurts because they lost the games without him, and then it opens up

the door. Well wait a second, look at the impact. Do you have to be, you know, one of the top I don't know two or three teams in the NFL to be the m v P in terms of the win loss record. Well, I don't know if you've got to be one of the top two or three teams in the league, But I do think you have to have team success. Like I wouldn't give the m v P to a guy or to a guy on a team that didn't go to the playoffs. So when you talk about it justin Jefferson, yeah, I do think

he should be in the mix. But the quarterback position has so much to do, so many responsibilities. We're even looking at guys like Tom Brady, who we consider what I consider the go the greatest winner at the quarterback position. I don't think he's the greatest quarterback to ever play. I don't think he's the great the greatest physical quarterback

to ever play. That's a whole another different story. But he I do think he is the greatest winner with quarterbacks having to do so much these days, is that the m v P is turned into a quarterback award. I mean Justin Jefferson can be eliminated in games, right, We've seen him not have as many catches or whatever. Still has an impact on games because it opens up other guys. But you can have games with Justin Jefferson from a number standpoint, just doesn't show up at that

quarterback position. I mean, every single facet of the game, you can even argue defensive fascet of the game is affected by the quarterback. And that's why I think the m v P, at least in recent history, has turned into a quarterback award. Okay, so from a jail and hurts perspective, this is a guy who's the first player in NFL history with a season of at least twenty

two passing touchdowns and thirteen rushing touchdowns. I think you can come up with any sort of statistical analysis for any of the top guys because Patrick Mahomes has thrown for over yards, guys got forty one touchdown passes in twelve interceptions, and all the Chiefs do is continue to win, and they did it this season without Tyree kill. It sounds like Mahomes for you is a clear cut favorite. Yeah,

I'm gonna go with my Homes. It's hard. From an m v P standpoint, I gotta I gotta take my fan head off and not talk about the bazook of an arm and Josh Alley, I gotta take my fan head off and just look, you know, do this thing. From an analyst standpoint, and um yeah, to me, the red zone turnovers for Josh, it takes some points away from the m v P conversation. Patrick Mahomes, you take a weapon like Tyree hill Away and this offense continues

the function. You continue to be explosive, and you know, I think the biggest evolution of Patrick Mahomes is him just developing patients, not always throwing the football down the football field taken with the defense gives them and that opens up things later on in the game. To me, for that, yeah, I would give m v P to Patrick Mahomes, which leads me to the other two guys

in the mix, and Josh Allen and Joe Burrow. Burrow statistically speaking, maybe a smidge worse than he was the season and going some categories, maybe a smidge better The point is he is an absolute machine and Josh Allen, we're actually witnessing history in the NFL, and I don't think it gets discussed nearly enough. Um, he's got the most rushing touchdowns of any player with at least thirty touchdown passes. I mean, guys just don't do what Josh

Allen is capable of doing. And I would make this argument, and Rob, if you like Patrick Mahomes, you know two of the three losses that he has so far this season come at the hands of Josh Allen and Joe Burrow. So doesn't that automatically maybe give those guys an edge. I wouldn't say automatically give those guys an edge, because to win games as a team thing it is we're talking about an individual award and using a team metric to validate the individual, which again I just said team success.

You know you wanna you want a guy that's on a successful team. I get it. I get all of that. Um, But at the end of the day, these are nuances we're talking about. These are very small differences in these guys. And again, if I'm a voter, I'm looking at team success, I'm looking at individual numbers all of that, and yeah, those guys beat him head to hit, but he's still got the number one seat, Yams. I mean it is

what it is. Yeah, you hit the nail on the head where you said, hey, this has become a quarterback award. There's a frustration level, and I get it you played quarterback, but I also think of you as maybe the consummate team guy as well. And you understand this. For as much success as a team is going to have because of the play of their quarterback, there are certain defensive players that can swing the game in their team's favor just because of what they do on the field. And

I don't think it's nearly enough credit. Shouldn't we be talking about more defensive players in the mix for m v P. It almost never happens. And I get mad at stuff like that, because those dudes really can dictate. The special guys dictate UH team success just as much, I think, in a lot of ways as the quarterback does.

I think so. I think so. But I'll call in the National Football League the offense and and putting points on the board puts viewers, put viewers eyeballs on screens, and put seats, put butts in the seats, and so if that's the chase, of course the game is gonna molde to help out those offensive guys. And who is the most important down offense, the guy who touches the ball almost every single play. To me, for a defensive guy to do it, it would have to be a guy.

I mean, you had to get like twenty five sacks. I mean you would have to do something crazy, historic, crazy, Yeah, you know what I mean, have a sack in every single game, have big time plays to win that. I mean, maybe Aaron Donald, if you know, maybe yeah, maybe Aaron done. But he had twenty and a half sacks, uh one quarterback hits and twenty five tackle for losses, but they end up losing the Super Bowl to New England. But

maybe a guy like that with performance like that. But it's tough to see in a game of offense, and when the rules kind of favor of the quarterback and favor points being put on the board. You and I a little bit later on this podcast, we're gonna talk about Defensive Player of the Year, and something tells me will love up some of those guys and some of

those special performances from this season. But getting back to m v P here, if Mahomes, by the way, does win, he's gonna join a couple of really notable quarterbacks Joe on Town of Steve Young, Kurt Warner with two m v ps, Tom Brady, Brett fav Johnny Unitis and Jim Brown.

They won three, Aaron Rodgers won four, and Peyton Manning has got the most with a five spot by the way, Patrick Mahomes has got You got a lot of tread still on those tires, man, That's what I'm tread there, And especially if Andy Reid just says, you know what, I keep losing weight, Man, I'm feeling good. I'm just gonna just charring this thing on out and it doesn't seem like being and me gonna get a head coaching

job no time soon. So the people calling them plays and the people coaching the quarterback in the quarterback would just have a billion dollar contract. They will be there for a while. So yeah, you got a lot of trade left on that time. Hey, little side note here, I saw a quote and I'm paraphrasing here, but it was about Joe Burrow and the window that that team has to win a Super Bowl and his response, and I'm paraphrasing once again with something like the window is

as long as my career. Like when you just say yo, Mike drop yo. That is like ultimate swag. I love seeing that. And it's borderline arrogant, but it is kind of cool to know your dude thinks in those terms. Man, that ain't arrogant and it ain't eric and I hate what you're saying borderline, but it ain't arrogant for real. If I'm a guy on that team, well in the front office, I'm like, hell, yeah, don't disrespect me by

acting like we just got a window. And this then and there you've got Tom Brady playing for twenty five years and they're saying I'm the next un Oh yeah, as long as I'm playing, we got a chance. I like that at too by Joe Brow. Yeah, No, I like it too. I said that I don't like it. It was. It brought a smile to my face. At the end of the day, It's more than likely a two player race right now with Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts, and we'll see how it all plays out. All right,

Welcome back to the NFL Explained Podcasts. Mike Yam and rob with you one of the things here as I move on to Offensive Player of the Year. I know I loved up Justin Jefferson a little while ago, and you mentioned the importance that Mahomes has on the Chiefs. I think it's almost like tenfolds the importance that Jefferson has with the Vikings. Here's some facts here. Minnesota's defense, it ain't good. Currently ranked thirty first in the league

right now. Only three teams in NFL history have ranked in the bottom three and scoring defense and made the playoffs. That is just wild to me that we're having this conversation because they've been that poor on that side of the field. The eighty one Chargers, the eighty nine Houston Oilers, and the two thousand St. Louis Rams. None of those teams,

by the way, even exist at this point. I'm just saying here, So the Vikings right now, they're on pace to be the first team since the nineties seven Vikings to finish inside the bottom three in defense and just outside the top three in offense. They're currently seventh in offense, which, by the way, almost surprised me. I thought they were closer to like the top five not that there's a huge distinction between five and seven, but I do think

of him in those terms. Justin Jefferson an absolute machine. How many times has Kirk Cousins thrown that ball up in the air and it's in the vicinity of Jefferson and he just makes something. It's wild. But from a kirk Cousin's perspective, he's got the lowest pastor reigning of his career since become a full time starter. A lot of what I said, by the way, can probably be applied to Tyreek Hill and the Dolphins, whose defense is

twenty four in the NFL. But they also got Jalen Waddle and to when he's been healthy, has had a ton of success. But Offensive Player of the Year, is it a slam dunk? It's got to be Justin Jefferson. I don't know if it's a slam dunk um because I wish I could vote on this stuff, because I would vote for Justin Jefferson. A hundred and eight receptions over eighteen hundred receiving yards and eight receiving tds and yeah,

I'm president of Bill with Mafia. I can sit here and admitted on this podcast, I love of bills right now and when they play my bills. Did you remember that one hand that reached bat catch. I'm taking it out of of defenders two hands. He bring it out of his hands with one. I mean that play alone, by the way, Microp, how about this. Earlier in that game, Diggs had a catch that I thought was on the

shortlist of one of the best of the season. And then later in that game, Jefferson has his We had Digs on Total Access and I had asked him about that and he's like, yeah, my catch is pretty good, but he goes, I'm not gonna lie. He's like, Jefferson's is better because it was ridiculous. I've never seen anything like that. My man was horizontal in the air, okay, with one hand on the football. I remember seeing that and I was like, I was mad, but I was

like super amazed. I was kind of happy because I'm like, that's crazy, you know what I'm saying. I'm a football fan at first, and it's just like, yo, that catch alone might just put him there in the offensive Player of the Year category. But I mean, I just don't know if there's been I mean, obviously I love step Digs and the other guys running the National Football League

other than Tyreek Hills. I don't know if there's been just another courage dictator like a Justin Jefferson that forces the defense to move, forces the defense to kind of defend him a certain way that makes playing quarterback a little easier. So yeah, I will vote for Justin Jefferson. Okay, I'm with you on the Jefferson side to be fair, only because there was a good stretch of the season where I could have storied a path for Tyreek Hill.

At one point, he was leaning in the NFL in receptions and yards and was on his third quarterback of the season, and obviously they were finding ways to win. So I get it from his side. Can you just explain to me from a defensive standpoint, when a guy like Jefferson is out on the field, if tyreeks on the field, I'll throw Kelsey into the mix as well. When those dudes are out there, what do they do to an opposing defense? All right? So you know motions

and shifts and stuff like that. Yeah, yeah, you know all of that. You've been doing this thing for a long time. So like me when I when I played fullback, right, I would line up offset, I take my step and move in motion and get ready to do my docking. Defense didn't move. They could have cared less. God just made emotions. So what you know what I'm saying. When Tyrek Hill goes in motion, seven guys on the defense communicate everybody. I don't know if we're doing here, we

go here. I mean, guys jump out of gaps. He affects the entire defense. When Travis Kelsey whenever he does that little slow motion he does and it looked like he's just kind of trying to you know, just trying to fool you or something. Yes, four or five guys are communicating and locked in on Travis Kelsey. That is what they do for you and I, you know, I kind of explained it a little bit earlier. But when you're a quarterback and you step up to the line

of scrimmage, I've been there before in college. When you step up there and you see all these colors and all of these bodies moving around, and when you think you know the coverage and you're like, okay, I think I know the coverage. I hope my receiver knows the same coverage. Is that it can get confusing it can

can mess you up. But when you you got a Justin Jefferson, all right, I'm gonna put Justin Jefferson on the back side of the three by one by himself, right, put three receivers on one stop with Justin Jefferson by himself, and I'm just gonna see how this defense. I'm just gonna look and see what they do. Okay, they're gonna put a corner to his side, They're gonna put a cloud safety to his side. In my head, I'm like,

oh my goodness, is raining. That's two on one. That mean they short a guy on the other side of my three receivers. It's not easy. And again, playing quarterback is hard in the National Football League, but it does make it easier to play quarterback, especially when you got guys like you know, to a Tongova who hadn't seen a lot of football in the National Football League and the Kirk Cousins who has seen a lot but hadn't had a lot of success. You need that coverage dictator,

especially to make a guy like Kurt feel comfortable. Okay, so you're talking about coverage dictators, and I'm gonna start with Kelsey A hundred and ten receptions for him, so he's a little behind. Tyreek Hill a hundred and nineteen and Justin Jefferson had a hundred and twenty eight. Once again, we're talking about wide receivers in Jefferson Entyreek versus what a tight end is getting not that far behind in

terms of receiving yards. Look, Justin Jefferson was a monster over eighteen hundred yards one thousand, eight hundred and nine receiving yards. Tyreek Hill not far behind at one thousand, seven hundred and ten. Travis Kelsey once again at the tight end spot thirteen hundred receiving yards. It's almost unfair to do the comparison because of what Jefferson and Tyreek

can do. I mean, Tyreek can catch the ball on a screen and then take an eighty yards, So it's it's a little bit the yak impacts a little bit, But I'm just saying Travis Kelsey not far behind when you consider that he is a tight end. And then in terms of the touchdowns, Jefferson with eight, Tyreek with seven, and this is where it goes in his favor because of the position that he plays at that tight end spot.

Travis Kelsey with twelve. So once again, I mean, these are in some ways historic numbers for all three of these guys in different fashions. When you talk about Kelsey's second most receptions, fourth most receiving yards, and the most receiving touchdowns by a tight end in NFL, his tree in a single season, Jefferson in that conversation, and Tyreek for other reasons as well. But look, Patrick Mahomes and

Jalen Hurts. We talked about those guys em Rod, but if he said to me offensive player of the Year, I still might lean towards Justin Jefferson. But I think you might be talking me into Kelsey here. Well, I would lean towards Justin Jefferson. Again, you know, that catch against Buffalo did it for me, man, You know what I'm saying, just the difficulty of it. It did it for me. And then the numbers kind of back up

what you see. And then the way the defenses respond to Justin Jefferson to me, it backs up him getting the Offensive Player of the Year. But again, Andy Ree, Patrick Mahomes, the chemistry with Travis Kelsey, you just can't overlook that. And again I don't even want to leave to Rich Hill out of this because I think he's a wing back. He's a he's a he's planning a wide receiver position, but he's a running back for real,

because he's a tough tackle. I don't want to discount what he does either, But Travis Kelsey Man, I mean it's tough to overlook those numbers and tough to overlook what he does and what he means to an offense. Yeah. I do think in a year like this year, it'll be quarterback from VP, which is typically what we get. But I don't think it's going to be a Jalen Hurtter, Patrick Mahomes France Offensive Player of the Year. I think it's gonna be one of the three guys that we

made reference to. H If it was up to me, we would have started with defense. Um, but we but we didn't. It's okay, Like I get it. It's like you said, m Rob, it's all about the offense. That's we love scoring. But we've already hit the offensive guys coming up here. I think there's a bevy of names you could throw out there for defensive player of the Year and some rookies who bawled out. I actually with the rookie class on the defensive side. This league is

set up for a ton of success moving forward. We'll examine some of those names when we come back on the NFL Explaining Podcast. All right, welcome back to the NFL Explained Podcast. Hey, did I not even say our names at the top of the show. I don't think I did. Know. That's not bad. It's all good, man. We got very recognizable boys. It's all good. He's the Super Bowl champ. Michael Robinson, Pike yap with you. All right. We we talked offense to start the show. Let's get

into some of the defense. It's disappointing for me because defensive players they're hard nose, they're tough dudes that are out there and impact the game, and yet they don't get nearly enough love because defensive players don't win m v P. It's only happened. I shouldn't say never, but it basically never happens. It's only happened twice in league history.

Alan Page, defensive lineman for the Vikings he did in ninety one, also happened to capture, in the process, the fewest percentage of first place votes of all time, with twenty one. They don't like. They don't like the defensive dudes. And then, of course a legend of legends Lawrence Taylor in eighties six twenty and a half sacks, a hundred and five tackles, five passes defended, two forced fumbles, and m Rob, I could see your face meant to do

just scary scared. That was six that his rookie year. Was it that he didn't do that in his rookie year? And that might have been just early in his career, but oh my twenty second hive times. I mean, look at that man. Dude was on one. Now, I will say this, I believe he was a part of a defensive scheme that you know, it was kind of new to the National Football League at the time. And I'm not saying anything about my running backs, but he was up against back to some of those times, and we

gave up some sex launce talent. I don't think nobody could really block him, especially running back. So not many people at all that could talk a guy like that's out there. This current version of the NFL has got some freakazoids out there on the defensive side shortlist this year. Michael Parsons has got to be there. I'll throw in what's name just because when he's healthy, he's obviously kind of crazy. I mean, think about what Parsons would have been.

How look, I mean I shouldn't say what he would have been. How we discussed him was ridiculously high praise. You know, t J. Wattell had had a sack record, so obviously he's in that conversation. Miles Garrett continues to be an absolute unster her I'll throw up both bosses, but Nick has also just specifically for one of the best defenses we've seen this year, historically good defense for the San Francisco forty nine. You tell me I'm rob. Is there a name that stands out to you as

you continue to watch the tape? Nick Bo? I mean, yeah, I missed. Nobody's Nick Bos for me this year. The dude is an animal. It was only three games where he didn't have any sacks this year eighteen and a half sex, two forced fumbles, nineteen tackles for laws. He can beat you with just a bull rush. He can speed, the power, he can just get around you. He plays the run, he has a spin move, he has a

counter move. He I mean, there's nothing from a defensive line of standpoint that this dude can't do, and when he's not out there, the defense looks different. To me. He's clearly the defensive player of the year. And just kind of how do we talked about before about how coverage dictates are with the wide receivers and helping the quarterback play a little bit better. Well, let me tell

you something about Nick Bosa. When he's on the field, all offensive lines are sliding that way, all of them are sliding that way, or you're gonna have a tight end there or back there. He's gonna affect how many guys you get out in the route because you just gotta make sure that you take care of Nick Bosa. For me, yeah, he's a defensive player deal this year. Now. I mean you also mentioned my guy, Michael Parson's Pence State to love to dude, love love him. I call

him the natural games He's the natural. To know, he played off the ball linebacker for as much as he did at Penn State and all of that, and they had him rushing from like the second level. He didn't play much as a defensive end rushing the quarterback. And then he gets in the National Football League and goes Ham rushing the quarterback right Like, to me, that's pretty specials and he has a natural pass rush to him.

Sometimes I think he complains a lot, And I think he would say that too if he when he looks back at the film this year about all the hold of the medal of this that in the third I mean, come on, man, that's what they're gonna do to one of the top pass rushers in the National Football League. And there's times where he disappears. To me, Nick Bosa never disappears, So yeah, that's why I would give it

the Nick bos throwing this out there. Bos eighteen and a half sacks this season that leads the NFL, parts in seventh in the NFL and sacks at thirteen and a half, and Miles Garrett has got six team, which is the second highest total Miles Garrett. I love Myles Garrett. I I think he's the most the most physically gifted player in the National Football League. I believe that. I just believe he's only getting by by Tyler telling I don't know, I'm not saying he's not a worker. I

believe he's a worker in all of those things. But again, there's times in a game where you're like his Miles Garrett playing and for god, I's built like that. I'm sorry. You're supposed to have an effect like Aaron Donald, You're supposed to have an effect like t J. Watt. You're supposed to in effect like Nick Bosa, like these guys, and I don't know, it's just there's times he just didn't show up. I want to shift our attention to

some of the young guys, em Rob, the rookies. I'm not surprised that we're having the conversation around wide receivers because there's been so many this season who have been really good. Garrett Wilson certainly comes to my Christian Watson what he was able to do at the end of the season really coming on Strong Sunday Night of Week eighteen,

there was that quote from Watson. I maybe it was Collinsworth who relayed the story, but he said, there was a moment where I was thinking to myself, like I don't want to let Aaron Rodgers down, you know, like you could sort of tell like as the season went on, he just got more comfortable being a teammate to Aaron Rodgers as opposed to looking at him like, oh my god, like that dude's Aaron Rodgers, Crystal Lave throughout the course

of the entire season, really really productive. I thought Kenneth Walker was the difference maker for Seattle down the stretch. Damian Pearce came on kind of like Gangbusters earlier in this season, did cool a little bit it, But I felt like every time you watch one of those games and Rob the defensive line was already in the backfield every time dam and Pierre Scott got the football, that was tough sledding for him. Uh. And I'll throw up

brock Purty. How about this, dude, Mr Irrelevant? You're the last pick in the NFL draft in what was perceived as a not great quarterback class, and yet you got an opportunity to lead the team to a super Bowl here five and oh as a starter? Why not have him? Maybe in that conversation for Rookie Offensive Rookie of the Year, I think if you would have been playing like since

like Week three or four. Yeah, but no five games Jams, absolutely not no. And yes, Cayle Shanahan has done a marvelous job manufacturing offense and help him Brock Purty out, And I think he's played well. He really has. He has a little he has some moxia bottle. But at the end of the day, I just the sample size is it just didn't big enough for me. Kenneth Walker is the offensive rookie of the Year from me. When he was coming out, I said, this was my top back in the draft last year. I did not call

him the Danny. I called him the Danny knishe you know what I'm saying, just because when I watched him gonna take he kind of looks like him. I'm not saying he has the long speed, not saying he's gonna be all Hall of Famer, but he just attacks the line of scrimmage like LT and so um. Yeah, man, I think he was the foundation for the Seahawks offense. He had over a thousand yards um of a sharp penny went down earlier in this season. He stepped right

in and got going. They had two rookie tackles on the house side and he still got a thousand yards. And yeah, he finished the year with three hundred yard games. Even had a hundred and sixty seven yard game against the Charges earlier in this season. This dude can run the football. And my old coach Pete Carroll. I finally seen him smiling and like, looked like he was having fun again. I hadn't seen him looked like he was

having fun in a long time. And and if I had to put my finger on it, to me, it's because of the run games, because uh, you know, it's it's laid the foundation for what Geno Smith was able to do and be one of the most accurate pastors and all the football this year through play action passing from that Shane Waldron offense. But it starts with Kenneth Walker, the third scaring opposing defense. This dude can get through little cracks and crevices. Then not a lot of backs came.

Look at that was the recipe for success when you were there in Seattle, right, you had beast mode and things worked out pretty pretty well there. Kenneth Walker by the way, leading all rookies and rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. To be fair, Damian Pierce didn't play the last four weeks of the season, but on the front end, Kenneth Walker wasn't out there at the beginning of the season,

so nonetheless huge impact. I think there's a really strong case for Garrett Wilson, Jets wide receiver, eighty three catches for him over an eleven hundred receiving yards. Can you imagine if there was a more steady fixture at the quarterback spot for Gang Green. I mean, it's impressive that he did what he did, knowing the revolving to our

quarterback that they had. Very impressive, And it was hard for me not to talk about those Ohio State receivers because I'm gonna be honest with you, Dan, I'm just gonna keep it real. And maybe it's because I went to Vince State. I think those guys are gonna be as good I did. I looked down at Crystal Love with the Saints, especially when I saw Jameis Winston wasn't gonna get the nod like, Okay, Andy Dalton. You know they don't have Sean Payton. Ain't no way this man

gonna get a thousand yards. He goes out there and just and becomes pretty dominant towards the end of the season as well. Garrett Wilson early in the season, No way, I didn't. I thought this dude was gonna look like this. Late in the season, he's catching passes, getting up talking. I mean, he looked like he belonged. And I remember being a rookie myself, Yams, and I remember always calling my brother back at home, like, Yo, did you watch

the game? Did you watch the game? And the first question all rookies want to know is how did I look like? Forget about the numbers, but did I look like I was supposed to be out there? Like? Do I look like I'm a little kid out there? Do I look like a man? You know what? I look like I'm supposed to be out there with NFL players? And this dude, Garrett Wilson, Man, I think it was probably week six or seven. Man, he just exploded it. Because that kid has a bright future. He got eight

quarterbacks that she sold up in um with New York. Yeah, that's a big question for the off season that they're gonna have to figure out. All right, Welcome back to the NFL Explained Podcasts. Mike Yam and Rob with you. I know, I loved up Boston just a little bit. It was like he was rolling out of bed at the end of the season and just finding a way into the end zone. Uh tied for the lead among

rookies with nine total touchdowns. So just a little bit of a hat tip and give some credit where credit is due with the with the wide receiver defensive Rookie of the Year. To me, this is awesome for as much as we can talk about the offensive players this rookie class, on the defensive side, I'll actually start with Seattle Tarik Willem. This was a guy that was a converted wide receiver at U t S A fastest dude. I mean, we watched that combine. Are you kidding me?

With that four to six? Ridiculous? And rob he has balled out. I don't know if he is defensive Rookie of the Year. Jalen Petrie is certainly a guy that comes to mind. Aidan Hutchinson's another player I don't think we talked nearly enough about. James Houston. Got to see him in person before the draft. This is an HBCU kid out of Jackson State and granted had some experience of the Power five level before a transfer. He has

been a monster for Detroit. Sauce Gardner speaking of the Jets, my god, like, think about these guys who have really thrived in your number one. That's not easy to do on the defensive side. I'm rob not easy at all. So you mentioned Tyreek Willing. First. I called the Seahawks preseason games. Hopefully I'll do it again this upcoming preseason. And one of the first guys I ran into when I was up there was Tyreek Willing and Pete Carroll was he was smiling. He was like, Mike, Dude, I

got it, I got one. I got one of those guys. I'm like, what you're talking about. Pete loves big, long corners. I E Brandon Browner, I E Richard Sherman. Right, this dude's longer than Richard Sherman. He's bigger than Richard Sherman, and he's a lot faster. I don't know about seeing a guy that big pick him up and put him

down like we see Tyreek Willing do. And I remember talking to Clinton Hurts, the defense coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, during the preseason, and he was like, Mike, this kid is special. I just want to see him tap. And in the first couple of games of the season, he went out there, he tackled, he showed he wasn't scared, and he made a Pro Bowl. So, yeah, Tyree Willing

is a dog. But for me, it's Aidan Hutcherson. Aidan Hutchinson from game one, from snap one to the last snap he had this past weekend against the Green Bay Packers knocking him out the playoffs. He has looked like he belonged in the National football and he has looked like a five or six year beat. I mean, really, man, I mean fundamentally sound, strong hands, understand hand play, understand how to share blockers. Reminds me of a Khalil mac

in that regard. Not his complete game reminds me of Khalil Mack, but just the way he shares and get after the quarterback and then like the splash plays that he's had. Man, he's got interceptions and everything interceptions this year and one of them he was just kind of looked like he was having out on the sideline it. I mean, he caught it right. Talbody had as much fun and it's entire life playing football. I just think he's part of that new energy that Coach Campbell has

brought in the Detroit. To me, he was clearly the rookie defense. Now I can't say clearly because Sauce Gardener, some some quarterbacks didn't even look over there. They don't want to go there, you go. They don't even want to look over there. Dude, he's got that field covered. And to me, it was surprising the respect that a rookie corner got from quarterbacks in this league. I I really hadn't seen that type of respect from a Jets player since Darrell Reevers had his island over there. Um

Rex Ryan defenses. So yeah, man, for me, it had to be eight hunches. You know, it's funny you mentioned that because I'm thinking about the NFL Draft, which is around the corner. I've been getting my notes ready on some of these guys here. It does put into questions the conversations that we have about some of these defensive players like Souce Gardner. We we knew we'd be good. We thought he'd be good. He's kicked out of Cincinnati though, like he just didn't know. You were talking about level

of competition. Remember we were discussing about Aiden Hutchinson. Oh safe pick, Like is he is he close to his ceiling? Like it's just like, oh, okay, terk Wolin a little bit of a steel. Late in the draft, you see interceptions. This guy's got here and yet thriving on the football field. It really it's kind of cool to see some of

these guys have success early on in their career. M Rob, And know what the conversation on the draft was, like, give these dudes an opportunity, Let's see how they play. Brock Purdy was Mr. Irrelevant And look at what he's doing right now. And he's out there and he's given an opportunity to play. And that's why. You know, I do some life coaching with young kids in high school and college and things like that, and I'm just like, dude, it doesn't matter. You just need to get there. You're

gonna get it. If you get there, you get an opportunity. Don't look at where where you were draft and don't take it as a slide or whatever. If you want to keep that little chip on your shoulder to use it as motivation, that's one thing, but don't don't don't get upset about it. You when you get your opportunity to go, ball out. Guy like Brock Purty, he's done that. Yeah, em Rob, you know a lot of times and I know you do this too. You get asked to go

as a guest on radio shows. This morning, I was a guest on one and the last question they asked me is the question I'll ask you. It was who to be coach of the Year. I had zero hesitation and went right for the juggular with the guy that I think should be coach of the Year. But I will lay this out here. There's there's some really good candidates.

And just for context, if you go back and look at the team's record the year following their head coach winning head Coach of the Year honors, those teams have a winning percentage of just fifty percent. So for as good as we can love up some of these guys, man, it's some work. It's it's not over after this season, so there's always a little bit of a catch here. I'll throw out some of the candidates. Nick Sirianni comes

to mind. Eagles one seed. A lot of times we might just gravitate towards the team that's got just the best record and look at what they've done. So I think Sirianni's name will be there. I don't think he wins, though. Kyle Shanahan a two seed in the NFC third quarterback this season, another rookie who's out there. Maybe sort of there's Ryan dave Ball. Here we go the Giants. I mean, you would have told the Giants fan they be in

the post season. I think you make an argument through the most underrated team in the NFC in the postseason picture first time since. Look at the wide receivers that he's got out there, They're still making plays. Are you kidding me? Does it sound like I just said who I'm going with you? I am a little bit a little bit? Uh, Doug Peterson, look at the turnaround for

the Jags, and I'll throw this out there. I don't know if Sean McDermott gets this in Buffalo, gets this award, but I gotta tell you, I look at him on the sidelines all these years and I go stock kind of hard nosed. You know what we witnessed over the last you know, few days on Damar Hamlin and his handling in that situation, hearing the comments from Zach Taylor about what the dialogue was like on the football field and Noah and that mcdermot's like, yo, man, like I

can't coach. I gotta go to the hospital here. That human element. I don't know if he wins Coach of the Year. I just think this is a good opportunity just to hat to yo, man like, awesome job by you, because that's not that's not easy, it's not. I mean all these guys you mentioned, they have a level of realness to him. That's why I love him, all all of them. I wouldn't care if anybody you just named

one coach of the year. Seriously, they have a level of realness about them, in authenticity that I think helps their teams out and it permeates throughout the locker room. It gives their players a sense of self, a sense of community, a sense of family. You know what I'm saying. I mean, Nick Sirianni. I mean some of the press conferences he's done, the way he's had Jalen Hurts back throughout the entire season, the way he's managed the different personalities.

You know what I mean. Because when you have a good roster, trust me, and there's personalities you have to manage. Okay, that's part of it. You know what I'm saying. Kyle Shanahan, you thought you were starting to season off of one quarterback, This quarterback that you moved up in the draft to go get. You told your starting quarterback that got you to a Super Bowl a couple of years ago. Hey man,

sit off to the side. A matter of fact, don't he show up to the building no more, because you're gonna have a you know, you will be a distraction for the guy we really want to play quarterback. The guy we really want to play quarterback gets hurt now. The guy we told us that we got to come in I mean just so much. And now you're playing with Black Purdy, Mr. Development. He deserves that. Brian day Ball is winning with Daniel Jones. That's what it is.

Call me, I would have to go with Sean McDermott. I'm sorry to be able to manage a team through some of the things that this team had to deal with this year. Whether it's the weather and they had a home game they found out in a week, Oh you know what, we're not playing here. You gonna get snow. Then we're gonna figure out a way to take you to Detroit. It's gonna count as your home game, but you're away, you know what I'm saying. And they dealt

with that, They dealt with all the weather. They're in Buffalo. You dealt with the death of Dawson Knox's brother who you know, Dawson is a cheap figure in that organization. So it touched a lot of guys in that locker room. And then obviously, Damar Hamlin. I mean to to hear the stories and hear, you know, coach McDermott recount with you know, the decisions that were made in this thought process.

He was very transparent throughout his press conferences and everything, and Yams, I don't know how many human beings would have been able to get the locker room full of fifty three men ready to go out there after seeing that. I mean, we're glad he Ams, and to have that happened on a football field while they were playing, that's everything. I talked to a lot of guys throughout this past week, and there were a lot of guys that were like, yo,

I probably would have sent them my retirement papers. I'm I'm back, you know what I mean? I know guys that said that to me. And for him to have the week that he had and get those guys motivated to go out there and play the New England Patriots. One of the greatest coaches in Bill Belichick of all time. He was gonna have his team ready, he did. I

mean that that says something, man. And you know I tweeted that after the game, after the Bill's game that mcdermo, so I need to get that man a bill something. Just just chill out and take a breath, um, because I just think it's very difficult to deal with those circumstances. Then you got your y'all star quarterbacks saying I don't know if anybody could have handled it better. And then to know that all Sean McDermod said was I was just doing what I thought was right. Now, I was

doing what I thought was right. I don't know, man, I said it on the Bills podcast a couple of days ago. I don't know, man. It gives you a newfound perspective and energy and optimism about the human spirit and about you know, our society man. Because um, the way everything came together this past week for the Buffalo Bills was pretty crazy. Led by Sean McDermod. No. Here, I think you make a lot of really good points.

I'd say two things. One, I'm glad I gave my guy first, um, because now now I don't know if I could have said my guy after you said your guy. That's one and then too, I feel bad for saying my guy after you just say out the terms for McDermott. But look, it's it's it is unprecedented times. I know we hear that phrase a lot. There are certain coaches that are in leadership roles. And I'm not just talking

about the NFL. I just mean in life, various sports, professional college that shouldn't be leading, shouldn't be leaders because they're not leaders. McDermott, it's abundantly clear like he is a true leader in every sense of the words. So I wouldn't be surprised, shocked, or disappointed if Sean McDermot ends up being Coach of the Year, which also leads us to come back Player of the Year frontrunner. I don't gino? Is it gino? Maybe maybe we can go

in that direction. Dude's been in the league for almost ten years. He's been a star before he started all the sixteen games for the Jets back in twelve touchdowns, one interceptions. You hear what I'm saying here at completion percentage that was under fifty those are not joh well, there are kind of jaw dropping when you throw twenty one in or sception. So here we go fast forward. Man, we're right, like we're talking about a pro bowler here.

This season just sort of this magical run fifth and passer raining and nearly three to one touchdown of interception ratio. Broke Russell Wilson's team record for the most passing yards in the season. Yeah, they're in the playoffs. I think there's some other guys we can touch on them. But is Gino the clear favorite for this. I don't know if he's the clear favorite. Um, but I like I like this Geno Smith story. I really do. Um. I'm not gonna lie. What do you know say early in

the season they wrote me off. I ain't right back, but do you know yeah, man, my letter was in the mail man, I wrote you off, bro, I sure did you know what I'm saying? And I had an opportunity touch you know this? You know in person. May we laughed about it. But you gotta be built a certain way to take the journey Gino Smith took. You gotta have a certain belief in self. You gotta have a certain personality about yourself. You have to be real

with yourself. You gotta look at yourself in the mirror and say, oh, yes, this is my circumstances, this is the hand that I'm dealt. I'm gonna I'm gonna do what I gotta do with it. And that's what Gino did. He came in, He backed up Russell Wilson. He saw the lader of the land, and he saw that there was an opportunity. There was gonna be a job open here, and um he knew the offense. And Gino, just to let you know, Mike talking to him over this offseason,

Gino thought that Drew Lock would get that job. And looking at the situation the Seahawks game, Drew Lock every opportunity to take that out, every single opportunity. And I remember having some you know, some personal conversations with Gino, and I'm just like Gino, I'm telling you, man, support Drew if he gets the job. You know what I'm saying, because you never know when your opportunity is gonna come up. You know what I'm saying. But just keep being you,

just keep not turning the football over. I know coach Carroll, he is a defensive coach. Don't turn the football over, bro, You'll be I you know what I'm saying. Understand how to get the team in the you know, in the right play you gotta stand your head. Coach is the defensive coach, and Gino played it well. Man. He went out there and he performed. He's one of the most

accurate quarterbacks in the National Football League. And again we talked about Kenneth Walker earlier in the episode that play action passed and had my old coach and Pete Carroll smiling again. So I would say that I do think he's the leader in the clubhouse. I would go with your got Kwan Barkley though. Man for me from the the New York Giants, and he's my guy to Penn State,

you know what I'm saying. And I just I could hear the naysayers starting to say that this generational talent was a bus And I remember telling Kin that, like Brow, at some point, you're gonna have to have one of them years man, and he just had bad luck. It was a lot of health issues. He would the ability, the only guy offensively that they were leaning on. He would run the ball five six times in a row. And when you're running back and in this league, that

that's when the injury start to pile up. He stayed healthy, his quarterback helped him out this year and Brian dave Ball helped him out this year with the play calling in the way he got him to football. So I would go with Sa Kwan Barkley only two games and had at five on the nine in three yards in thirteen games, and now he has over thirteen hundred yards mctin weston touchdowns with a four and a half yards per carry at rush average. So I would I would

go with Sae Kwon Barkley has come back. Clearly. I'll throw out two other names for you. If you go Barkley and you reference the injuries, I'll say Christian McCaffrey right there, ten games over the previous two seasons. And yet here in San Francisco we knew once he got into this offense, we felt good about him thriving nearly scrimmage yards this season. Just wow, that's jaw dropping and he's done it in so many different ways for this team's offense. And Jared Goffman, like I was written for

this dude. I felt bad for him to get and get pushed out of town after getting to a Super Bowl and just not being a part of the Rams and then going to Detroit, where there wasn't a track record of success. We watched his story unfold on Hard Knocks. I love this man. I hope he gets more opportunities,

and they continued to put more pieces around him. The last two years proved to real mic Rock that Jared golf I was picked where he was supposed to be big, because before that I was like, I don't know about this guy. I mean the performance he had against the Green Bay Packers that did the seas, I mean all of those things. Man, I think he played himself into a long term job with the lines. Yeah, I agree

with you. It's tough to find that quarterback. And I think in a lot of ways, Dan Campbell has been a perfect marriage for him, for for Jared Goff as well. I cannot wait to find out if m Rob is right across the board on his predictions. NFL Honors February nine, nine Eastern Time on NBC and Peacock. It is awesome to celebrate a lot of the individual success that these players have been able to. Gardner here and Rob always good to be with you, my friend, and we'll do it again