The Season with Peter Schrager: Dan Quinn

teams left. And I said it on Good Morning Football. Um, I said, you've got three of the four teams from last year's conference championship game returning, and you've got another team that won a Super Bowl in seventeen that still has a lot of those guys on there. Like this, there is no Cinderella left there. This is the cream of the crop. Now, brock Party story could be Cinderella. You could say that Jalen Hurts being a second round

quarterback is in Arella. But like, at the end of the day, and these are not four best teams in football, and I think the Bengal showed on Sunday that they belong. This isn't gonna be Hey, well, what if Josh Allen had had a different deal. No, that was that was a blowout. UM. I want to talk about the Bengals though, because we're gonna have on a guest who's really close to one of the Bengals players in a second, UM,

and we'll get into to what that's all about. But I just look at what Cincinnati did on Sunday and it's like, is there a more underappreciated team over the last two seasons than Cincinnati. Everyone was kind of hesitant after last year, after they made this wild run and they said, let's see you do it again. They start of the season oh and two, Um, they lose games to the Steelers and the Division and then they lose to the Cowboys with Brock Purty and you're like, all right,

so this is a typical story. Team goes to Super Bowl, loses and then fails to get back. They've simply been the best team in football the last two months. And I love the salt and the vinegar out of their coach Zach Taylor. After the game on on Sunday, they asked Zach Taylor about it and he he you know,

he had a really pithy response. He kind of apologized or he did apologize to all the logistics makers um around the league, and for those who had to worry about the logistics of a coin toss and a neutral field when the Bills play the Chiefs. Zach apologized to them, Um, from the heart. It is tough because there they have to formulate the plans for coin tosses, and they got to formulate the plans for neutral site games, and we

just keep screwing it up for everybody. And I hate that for for the people that have to endure all those logistical issues and then we just keep screwing it up. So I'm sorry. He apologized to them because gosh, he ruined their plans and he knows a lot of work went into that. H I love that stuff. Lou and a Rumo defensive coordinator, fifty year old dude from Staten Island coached all over the place. Was in Miami, but

before that, you know, coached and I think Harvard. He was at a at Wagner, a college in Staten Island before that. They've got the best defense in the league. Um, and as far as adjustments go, they make them all the time. They have now silenced not only uh Patrick Mahomes, but they've silenced Josh Allen in a playoff game and and in the RUMO got zero head coaching interviews this entire cycle. Zero. There are five coaching vacancies, not one

of them, not one of those teams. I thought it might be wise to maybe pick the brain of the defensive architect who has beaten Patrick Mahomes every time he's faced him. UM in the NFL. Then just killed Josh Allen and Ken Dorsey's offense to ten points. All right, So that's one guy. Then there's Brian Callahan, who we've had on this podcast, the offensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals under forty years old. Has worked with everybody from

Peyton Manning to Tim Tebow. Has had success with both, Um Matthew Stafford and Derek Carr has had success with both, and now is with Joe Burrow. How many interviews did he get? He one head coaching interview, and it felt like it was a it was almost like a nice to have interview with the Indianapolis Colts. I have not heard his name mentioned as a favorite for that job. So you're telling me the defensive coordinator has zero interviews,

the offensive coordinator has one interview. No one's talking about the work that their offensive line coach Frank Pollock is doing. Nobody's talking about what their wide receivers coach Troy Walters is doing with all those young receivers and filling in when Mr Chase went down. I think this team forget about all the Allen and Mahomes stuff and how Burrow was kind of dismissed all summer in the beginning of the season as an overlooked quarterback. I think the coaching

staffs overlooked. I think every part of this team is overlooked. I think when I say that, uh, you know, Joe Burrow doesn't view himself as an underdog. I think it's fair to say that these these Bengals have been overlooked.

Now look at the breath of what they've done. An f C Championship game last year, and what was Burrows you know, first full season as the starter um and then you go right back to it in year umber two, and you do it with with all the departures on the offensive line that everyone freaked out about, and then of course the additions that got hurt Um with Lyle Collins and some man of the other guys that have not been able to to stay on the field. I

just think the Bengals. The Bengals are a great story and they might be the spoiler. They might be the team that no one wanted to see in the ANC Championship Game or nobody wanted to see in the Super Bowl. But they're leaning into it disrespect all over. They don't get mentioned, and uh, I kind of like this whole deal with them, and then you see the Chiefs and you see it, and you look at what they did last week, heroic win from Patrick Mahomes, but gosh, I'm concerned.

I have real concerns. He was hobbling around on that ankle, and I'm worried that that was adrenaline and that was all right. Just get through these next two quarters, find a way to Willis to win. Bengals defense doesn't care. You'd think Eli Apple and Trey Hendrickson, are they gonna

be gonna be uh, you know, worried about mahomes ankle. No. So, if anything, I think this game went from when it started, you know, Sunday afternoon, around sick the clock, when we saw who was playing, it went from like, all right, chief should be favored. They're an arrowhead too, now I think, I mean, I don't think it's crazy to say the Bengle should be the favorites in this game. We'll see where it ends up, but I know things have been shifting back and forth on that one. Either way, it's

a beautiful game. And there's this other storyline of Mahomes being Owen three against Burrow that goes to Owen four. That is not just some coincidence. That's not some trend. That's a thing. And I don't think it's absurd to say, hey, Burrow has Mahomes's number. I know quarterbacks don't face each other one on one, but if one quarterback has team has won four games the other one is one zero against each other, that becomes an actual storyline. And it isn't just hot take stuff. That's the a f C,

the NFC. Are you ready for the hardest hitting game of the season. Are you ready to see just smash mouth football like we have not seen yet before. I can't wait for it. I'm watching this this San Francisco defense just bubble dock and and bottle up everybody on on Dallas. And then I'm watching the Eagles defense, know, third most sacks in the history of a sport in

a season. Philadelphia Eagles absolutely manhandle the Giants, which who are simmering, and then their offense just run all over for two eighty something yards on the Giants like McCaffrey will see his health, but I know that McCaffrey used check Elijah Mitchell. Behind that offensive line, they're gonna be smashing the ball with Debo of course getting some touches.

And then the Eagles, what they showed was if Jalen Hurts isn't gonna kill you with defeat, Miles Sanders, Will Boston, Scott Will Gain, Will Will and those offensive linemen are gonna be out there just pummeling dudes. Uh. I would pay a lot of money to just watch the trenches on Sunday of that game. You're talking about Armstead bossa Abu khon Um going up against you know the guys that are that have been protecting Jalen Hurts all season.

That's my Alatta, That's Johnson, that's Kelsey. I love it. I love it. If you're a purist, you might like Bengals chiefs Um because of the offense and the view. But if you're a purist from a different era, you might like the forty Niners and the Eagles because of the smash mouth nature of it. Aaron Kaufman, my, my wonderful producer, I got you on the mic if you're to rank these two games as far as like, all right, I need to get my popcorn. I need to be

on the couch. You're obviously gonna watch both. Which one to you right now? Are you like I have to have to watch every snap in this game? I mean the Bengals Bengals Kansas City because you know, as a Buffalo fan, like wanting to be aware of the things that we will constantly have to go up against, but also like you were saying, I mean, uh, the Bengals, you know, have not been given the same hype that

Kansas City has and Buffalo was all season long. And now I want to see how hurt my homes ankle is. I want to see, you know, what what this offense on Kansas City will look like when it's really just Kelsey pushing it um and the way that Cincinnati was able to shut down Stefon Diggs, Like what's gonna happen with Kelsey? So that's the one I'm most excited for. I have like, in my mind kind of a dream super Bowl matchup with the four remaining, But I'm most

excited for Cincinnati Kansas City. A right, give me a super Bowl match up? What are we doing? Let's go from like a narrative standpoint. I think it would be amazing to have Kansas City San Francisco because you have like the greatest quarterback of all time versus Mr Irrelevant. I think that would just be such a fun thing to watch. Um. And no, way, you're talking about Mahomes, what about Burrow? He looks like he might be this

tweet and you said the time good Morning football is Burrow? Like, if you're starting a team right now, do you take Burrow over my Homes? I still think Mahomes is like the Michael Jordan's um. But yeah, either one, I mean I think either one. You're gonna have this incredible quarterback. I think Burrow has maybe a better supporting cast right now with Chase and Higgins, Um and the running backs.

I mean there's and Tyler Boyd Like, so yeah, I think my dream match up, as much as I don't want Kansas City winning, you know, to have a Kansas City San Francisco matchup would just be amazing from the quarterback standpoint. And it's a rematch of the Super Bowl from three years ago. We've seen it um pre COVID

that February that was the matchup. It was forty Niners versus Chiefs for Shanahan and Kittle and and use Check and all those boys who went in there, and they just came up just short to my homes in that offense and Andy Reid. It would be fascinating to see them get a rematch real quick around the horn stuff. Um. I think the Bills are an interesting team to watch right now. They had so much hype going to the season.

It was such an exhausting season. Um. To come up short again the Visional round, I think is a great disappointment. They didn't have enough. They just simply did not have enough left in the tank. I think it was obvious if you watch the first ten minutes of that game. Cincinnati went up and down the field. It was fourteen

nothing and that was all. She wrote. Fascinated to see what becomes of them, because whether it was the nineties Oilers that were always competitive with Warren Moon but never got to the super Bowl, or it was some of these other teams, uh in recent history. I remember, you know, the Saints of the Sean Payton era, the second half of the Shawan Payon era, always in the playoffs, always hosting playoff games, but never could get to the super Bowl.

Like is that the Bills or is this just another chapter in Josh Allen's book where it's like he was like Michael Jordan listening to the Pistons a few times and had to just keep on chipping away, chipping away until he finally broke through. I find the Bills fascinating. Tremaine Edmunds a free agent, Jordan's ployer is a free agent.

UM lots of turnover on the roster coming there. And we'll see what happens with Buffalo, whether they can get it all back together, because gosh, I feel like we uh hype them to no end last offseason, and that was a team that only made the divisional round. So back to back divisional rounds, and if you look at it over three year tracked, they went a f C championship game and they lost in a heartbreak in the division around, and then they got blown out in the

division around. They're going backwards as much as it seems like they're knocking on the door. They're going backwards. So Buffalo is a wild team to watch. UM. As we move forward, I think the coaching stuff is really interesting. As we record this on a Tuesday, I imagine this is the week we're gonna start getting some more news. But as of this recording, there are five head coaching jobs open, none have been filled, and nine offensive coordinator

jobs open, none have been filled. So okay, Senior Bowls a week away, you gotta get your staff together. Combines in a few weeks away, you'd like to have your staff together. Fascinating to see you know which Domino's drop and who goes where. Um. But I think even with the offensive coordinator jobs, it's hard with all those positions to zero in on a player or zero and on an individual to be your offensive coordinator. When some of

these teams don't even know who their quarterback is. Like Tampa fired Byron left Foot and everyone applauded that, like, yeah, I was talking to who's their quarterback? We don't know if Brady's coming back. The Jets fired Michael Floor, who's

their quarterback? Who we're going with? Um, you go right down the list to all these guys with the exception of maybe Lamar in Baltimore and then Justin Herbert in UH with the Chargers, and I guess whoever the Rams higher Like, there's a bunch of unknowns at these quarterback positions too, so you can fire all the offensive coordinators you want and blame them. Um, I don't know which offensive coordinators are lining up for which job if they

don't know who the quarterback is coming in. Uh to the opening week of training camp and all that we do have this morning, Bill O'Brien, I saw that not surprising. Um, that's one of those deals where I don't think Belichick was looking to go outside the box and hire a name that he wasn't familiar with, for better or for worse. He likes to know what he's got in Bill O'Brien, his history with Belichick, and of course has history as a head coach, and we'll see if he's the answer

uh the New England's offensive struggles. One last thing that I wanted to hit. I always think the logistics of Championship game week is really interesting. So if you're not aware what happens is all four teams and representatives from their building two Arizona, the home super Bowl site, and they do a full walkthrough, and they figure out where their fans are gonna have their fan activation, they figure out where the team hotel is gonna be, They set

up reservations for dinner for two weeks. It's it's one of the wildest things in sports that they go through the entire process and it could all be for not um. I know so many people in buildings who over the years have done that trip, and it's it's you know, in political campaign work, they call it advance work, Like you go into okay, so there's a stump speech for

this political candidate. You go in a week in advance and you make sure everything is set and the logistics are ready, and this hotel is this block of rooms, and okay, here's a walkthrough, here's where the bus route is gonna be. And you almost live the super Bowl before you're actually living it. And so many teams, obviously half every year, go through that process only to not be able to live it out fully. Um, those folks

are doing that this week. I always wish them well because it's a superstitious thing where like you don't want to get too excited and yet, gosh, you can taste it. You're in Arizona. You're there, the weather is the same weather. It's going to be Super Bowl week and you're actually living in those shoes of a super Bowl team. Your team just needs to take care of business. Um. We have to really good guests today. The first one is

a major get. I'm excited about this. I asked him before this season if he'd be willing to come on. He said, let's check in after the season. I want to focus on ball. Um and he is now one of the most coveted names in these head coaching searches. He has coached in the Super Bowl, he was the man behind the number two ranked defense in the entire NFL, and he is a hell of a dude. Uh. Dan Quinn is joining us after this. Our guest is one

of the best coaches in football. He's taken a team to the Super Bowl and and the last couple of years has been the defensive coordinator the one of the best units in the sport. He's got very busy week ahead and we're so thrilled that he would take uh some time to join the season with Peter Schreeger, one of my favorite guys, d Q Dan Quinn, welcome of the podcast. A couple of Jersey guys. They let us on the podcast together. Look out, let's go, bro, Let's go.

You and I. We love Jersey, we love boxing, we love rage against the Machine, and we love defense. Uh, your defense put together a wonderful season and another great performance against the forty nine. Now that we're about forty eight hours remove recording, this give us a diagnosis of the season that was for the Dallas Cowboys defense. As you're kind of in the building right now and wondering,

all right, what was this season as a whole? Yeah, because it's uh when you lose and you're just not ready for it right when the season ends, there's a hollowness that goes with that. But I would say probably, Um, one of the things I'm most proud of of the group is, uh the ability to create takeaway So it's been all the way since seventy three and seventy four with the Steelers that a team went back to back of leading the league and takeaways. And so, like I

told me, shild that's a long time. Guys, like that's uh see how old I am like this? I was born in nineteen seventies, So like, this is a big deal. But we had a lot of fun of doing that. And so that's a credit to the players, because like there's a reason that hasn't happened in back to back years for a long time. They're hard to get and so that really I was really proud of him for for that, and to see the progress that the team made from year one on defense into year two and

I see that happening again. But that if there was one thing that I was super proud of. Man, it's like those guys ability to create takeaways when people know you're coming, Um, that's a really big deal. And so I was super proud of them for that. You know, you've coached legends of the game when you were in Seattle, of course when you're in Atlanta. This number eleven Michael Parsons. I mean just from the naked eye, he's two pounds.

He's thrown around three twenty pound Mike McGlinchey. Um, what do you see on a day to day basis, and just what is the ceiling for this guy? Yeah, that's a great term. The he's so versatil Peter and that's what makes him a unique player because he can be at right end, left in line up, play backer and so the ability to move around where just there's not a lot of people that can do that. And um, some of the very best of the best I've been so exceptional that just you know, the one thing that

they do. And you know, when you look at Hall of Fames or you know, guys like Jason Taylor who was just so damn exceptional right in and ripping it every time and was so successful doing that at that spot where Mica, you know, is so different. He's coming from backer, he's playing d N and I think that is his superpower. Bro. It's the speed that he can

beat you to the punch. But not everybody can be in two spots to take a pass rusher and moving back to linebacker or move a linebacker moving down to d N. That's the superpower for him. And uh So when a guy has special traits like that, I think that's our job as coaches to find ways to feature

him and utilize them, much like we do on offense. Hey, this receiver can do other things we see, you know, like just talking about Kyle's experience of running backs who can play receivers, receivers who can play running backs, and so we just happen to have some safeties that can play backers and some line backers that can play in So I think there's a lot of good that comes with guys who are really versatile, and um, that's one

of like the superpowers. He's a really good competitor. You would like if you challenge him on something like you better bring it. Yeah, I'm gonna put you on the spot. And we do the Baldi's breakdowns here and we've got all the NFL films footage. Give me one play from

this season that just comes to mind. If you were to look at the Micah Parsons experience and take us through it, I would say we were playing Detroit in a game here at home, and we had lost to Philadelphia the week prior, and Uh, I remember pointing out some plays in the game to say, I think you can make that one and that one if you really really go And it just so happened Peter that the very next week there was a screenplay and uh, he just hauled ass and chased the tight end and made

a tackle like on the one inch line, and he didn't know if he was going to make it or not. He just had to go. And I think that was the lesson to say you don't know when the play is going to be because he stopped him that like the one inch line, and the next play to Marcus Lawrence forced to fumble on the goal line play. So it was like I was so happy that, like in one moment, I got the show that's going for it and even when you know you might not make it.

It had to be twenty five yards away, but he said going anyway, and he went, and then it had to be reviewed. Was he in? Was he out? That wasn't the point. The point was he went. So the next play because of that run allowed to take away to take place because the Marcus you know, made a

good play and hit him and bar recovered. I think that's the sequence if there was one, you know me like teaching, if there was one teaching example for this season to say you never know when it's going to be that play you just halass and then a few work goes. So that's that's the one, if I had one to pick. You were in Seattle under Pete and I remember going up to those practices and it was like it was Lollafalooza every single day on that practice field,

and there was music rocking, and there was competition. And then you'd get into the facility and there's a basketball hoop everywhere you turn, and we're competing with you brought the competition, you know, with you from Seattle to Atlanta, where I remember going to that building and Flowery Branch and it was always rocking. How have you evolved from being the Seattle coach to the Atlanta coach to now what you can add from your Dallas experience to whatever's next? Yeah,

I think that's a great one. And so when I left Atlanta, UM had some space to figure out what to do differently and what to do better. And so into those moments when you get let go, it's a lonely spot. So you want to dig in to say what's different and how can I, you know, make sure if there was a mistake made or something that was good, that you either continue to do that or stop do that and do it differently. And so that alone, coming here to Dallas has allowed me to say this is

some things I would do differently. And the competition is still front and center at where we go, but the way we teach it the concepts that we can do, and allowing that to take place at to me is where it's at. So I definitely evolved from Seattle to Atlanta and then these two years here in Dallas, Maan, I've had a blast. I'll be able to try new things, and it's really helped energize me to say, all right, that's a good way to go. And you know me

always like promoting leaderships. I'm proud of the group of leaders that have become on this defense. I would say probably I had to do more of the leading. They weren't ready, they were just still feeling it out. And then now you see more leaders emerge here to where I was able to step back when some conflicts or problems arose to see how they'd handle it. And that,

to me is the very best. Teams I've been a part of have been really strong in the locker room together accountability problem solving, and this group is doing that, and so that's really cool to see. One of the things I love is talking to you about how you prepare these teams for game day, and back in your Atlanta days, I know from those players there you would

often lean on the sweet science. You would go to boxing matches from yesteryear and you would show them and tell them the story of the match and say, right, here's Hector Camacho, here's his story. Where here's Roy Jones Jr. Here's what he had going on going into this match. Um, the boxing and football parallels. I think it's important and I love it. Take us through that a little bit and what a what a library of knowledge you are when it comes to the sweet science. Yeah, I absolutely

love it. And I think in both sports you better expect adversity to happen because it is going to be there. Whatever you have your game plan on offense or defense or teams, like, there's gonna be some changes that go. You're gonna have to get your ass up off the mat one time, like you didn't keep your hands up. You know, you got complacent, you got lazy, you lost focus.

There's all the stories that can go. And then at the end of it, when your preparation is just right and you cannot wait for the fight, you can't wait because like you've put the work in so now at this point, I'm no longer really thinking about you. I'm thinking about how I'm gonna come attack you, and so that to me was where it was at. Always there was a game plan for every fight or going into a fight, but knowing that that is going to have

to adjust. And when players recognize that, Peter, I think that's important to say, this is the plan, and if they do something different, we'll adjust. And this group on defense here has done that because Okay, if they didn't want to, you know, let Parsons, you know, chip and go like, this is how we're gonna have to attack. If they want to run more screens, this is how

we're gonna have to play. And so knowing that it's adjustable and that's a really powerful tool for a ballplayer to say it may not go exactly like we think, but however they want to get it on, we'll be ready for that. And uh, that's why I love using those analogies because there's always a lesson, um that you can find from boxing and apply it to our sport. All right, but it quiz you real quick and get you this is gonna be the hot take stuff, um,

greatest heavyweight of all time? Is it a Lee or do you have another name you want to throw in the mix? Man? I mean from my era, I would say Tyson, you know, on the one coming up, I think I'm not mistaken. Prior to Buster Douglas, did anybody even go past five rounds? No, it wasn't. I don't think there's a single one. In fact, I think most of them are within two rounds. Coming up as a teenager into college, like that was the one. You know,

like how exciting that was to see a fight. So probably because it was that era of time of what that felt like, that would be Um the one I probably connected with the most Um. But I would say at the end of it, Um from a middleweight, I would say, like my two favorites like love the Four Kings if you've watched that, yes documentary, but like seeing Haggler, seeing Hearns, like seeing Mary Leonard, Like those ones to me, those are some of my favorites, like above all times.

So I'd say I'm still going with Tyson because of our era or my era, and then pass that some of the middleweights from that time we're really cool to watch. Well, you mentioned Haggler and Hearns. Of course you have Duran Leonard Um and then of course you have you know the Olympics where Leonard goes off and then and then they fight again in the Olympics. Your favorite fight of

all time. If you were to say, you can watch any fight on a fight pass and put it on right now, we're watching a boxing matchic could be anything, could be. Do you want to talk about Prince n Sima? Men? We can watch him? Who are you going with? If

we're watching any fight in the history of boxing. If I had to go out to Vegas, the fourteen year old version of me would like to be at Hagler Herns and to see the piece of that, because when you watch it, there is a element of like, this is going so hard so fast, that like, no, no chance, this is going you know, twelve rounds, let a little fifteen rounds. I would say, if I had to pick one,

that probably would have been one. I remember taping it as a kid on my BHS and then put it back in to watch it again and just seeing that look at intensity and uh so I love obviously both Haggler and Hers, so to see both of them go um from the Motor City Cobra to marvelous Marvin Hagler, like those two totally, who are two that I looked up to? Um at all times. Now, Look, I know you're not getting into media anytime soon. You've got a

lot of coaching left to do. But if I was to put you on the spot and say, you face the Eagles twice this year, you faced Kyle the last two years in the playoffs, what is something that you, as a defensive coordinator would be watching if it's Eagles And I know the sore might be a little too fresh or the wound might be a little too fresh coming off a Sunday, But just from an objective standpoint, knowing these teams inside and out, knowing these coaches inside

and out, what's something that your I immediately looks at as far as a matchup goes, or maybe what you would be keying in on for this game? Right? I think Peter on this team, both of them are really going to be like third down is going to be the thing because both teams, You're not gonna have thirteen possessions in this game. Both teams can run it and play pass and possess it. So when it gets to that third down, who can answer in Philadelphia's pass rush

is just excellent. So if San Francisco can live in the third and ones and third and twos and threes and fours, that to me would make all the difference in the same thing on the Philadelphia side, you know, if they can live in third and ones, twos and threes and not let some of the guys ripping off the edge. So I think whoever is most effective on the early downs to play third down into the smaller amounts will neutralize both teams biggest strength. And they've really

got rush ability of Philadelphia and San Francisco. So if you can play that third down into some smaller windows, Peter, that to me is going to be the key. Because this is not going to be a I said this this one might be this one. It's not gonna be pretty. I said, I would pay top dollar like I would for Haggler hearns just to watch the trenches alone, and uh, both lines are excellent and just the ability of these guys are creative in different ways of how they utilized

you know, the run game. And so we're San Francisco, it's a you know, it's Febo at backfield, it's McCaffrey back there, it's perimeter stuff, it's pin and pull. And with Philadelphia it's the utilization potentially of the quarterback of could be a run, could be a key, could throw it to the flat. So he's kind of a triple threat where San Francisco is going to be exceptional at some of the explosive plays where they can block you up and take your shots downfield, but it looks like

a run. Let's say neither team is going to get back into a lot of dropback. I would say there's gonna be a lot of runs and a lot of play passes. And you're right, I see this being a really close game. I can't wait last question, And I appreciate you so much knowing how busy you are. A bunch of teams looking for their next head coach, looking for any sort of leader in the building. I always asked this to coaches and general managers on interview on

the show. Leadership to you means what I would say, It's a really making the tough decisions, you know, and when those come up, being really strong and convicted onto those, because when you're a leader, not all of them are going to be popular, you know, and you're gonna have to make some tough ones that are going to be there. But I think for me, some people talk about culture a lot. You've heard that thing a lot, and I

think culture and environment are different things. Like I'm upbeat, So you talked about the music and the energy and the competition, But like the thing about the culture there in Seattle in Atlanta was competition. Breeds that the music was good, we were losing. But at the end of the day, you better compete and do it every single day. And so when that is things that you live by here, I think that's where culture and your leadership can show through.

Really being the example every day. And guys who are out in front, who lead, especially as a head coach or a general manager, Uh, you better embrace that being out in front and making the tough decisions when you have to say this is how we're gonna go get it on and do it, and here's why, and uh

then you let it rip. One of my favorite slogans that you gave and I'm sure you took it from somewhere else and maybe from the Navy Seals or whatever it was, but obviously after the Super Bowl loss, you said, embrace the suck. And I've heard a lot of teams us that since I've heard a lot of coaches us that since I think there's something to it, and I think everyone and not just football in life. If you can look at adversity in the face and say, Okay,

this is happening. I've got to embrace the suck and move on it. I think there's a lot of strength in that as well. Yeah, because it's not you don't blame it, you know, don't. It's kind of like your either warrior. You're gonna be the victim here, and if you're gonna be the warrior, then you go after it to say I'm gonna enjoy this fight and it's gonna be hard, but I'm gonna do it. And if you're the victim, then it's too easy. You know. We don't

have enough players, are too many injuries. You know, bal didn't bounce our way like hell with that. So it's really how you choose to fight for it. And when you take on that that mindset, I just think it can carry over into so many parts of your life when hey, this is worth fighting for it. I'm gonna fight my ass off for it, whatever it takes. It takes. You got me ready to run through a wall. Dan Quinn, Thank you, bro. I know you're busy this week. This

means the world to me. Congrats on another great season and uh, congrats with whatever comes in the future. All right, lifetime, I respect my brother. I love you, dude. Thank you Dan Quinn amazing as always. Uh. D Q is an all time leader and an all time good guy, and gosh are we lucky to have him on the podcast.

All right, guys more after this. Alright. So last year, I'm at the Super Bowl in Los Angeles and I'm in one of these awesome seats because I worked for the NFL Network and they hooked me up with these great tickets and I've got like fifty yard line dream come true. I'm next to my wife and next to Kyle Bram next to his wife, and we're watching this

Rams Bengals game and it's an all time classic. And I look behind me and there's a really good looking dude in a number one Jamaar Chase jersey, and he's cheering for the Bengals hard time out comes along. I make eye contact with them, introduce himself, says I'm Jimmy Chase, Jamaar Chase's father on my podcast right now on this season. I'm so excited to have him. Jimmy Chase, Welcome to

the podcast. I'm doing great. Jimmy and I have been texting over the last twelve months because I find his insights on football awesome and I think he is a great ambassador of not only UH the NFL, but also his son and his Bengals team journey. Jimmy, were you in Buffalo last week? If so, what was the atmosphere and what was it like wearing a Bengals jersey in that building? It was crazy? Yes, I was in Buffalo. Okay.

It was a stressful game for me because I flew in the day of right and they had a snow store in Cincinnati and I almost missed a game, so I was having a connection. I've never been late for a game. I was late for the game. Really. Yeah, Jamal has scored his first touchdown before I got to my seat. You weren't even there that first drive when they go right down the field. No, I was on the way watching it on the phone. But uh, there were panned out. It was great. It was great. Yeah,

it was great. I think a lot of people thought Buffalo would have all the emotion and be able to go and then right away two touchdowns in a row and Cincinnati establishes themselves. I started off this podcast Jimmy talking about how this Bengals team, though celebrated, it's often overlooked as a father of one of the star players. Do you feel that as well, that maybe we in the media and maybe the NFL as a whole start showcasing some different teams and different players more than maybe

those boys in Cincinnati. Well, uh, I guess you can see that, you know, But to me from where I'm sitting there, it looks like the people that know football knows. Yeah, you've got some bandwagon reporters and then you've got some real reporters who, like you know, stick and stay on, didn't know what the real deal is. So you know, I take all of that and stride and I know

who's who and I know what's what now. Obviously, your son and Joe Burrow go back a long way, but there was a great photo after the Super Bowl of you and Joe's dad, and I think it was after the a f C Championship game that it got through. In tuer Bowl, you and U Joe Burrows father both ooking cigars after your sons took care of business and arrowhead.

I love this. What's the relationship amongst all the fathers of these players, as you guys all have now created relationship, especially you and Joe's dad going back to l s U. Yeah, well, you know, like the parents, we see each other all the time, you know, like your parents are really hands on with the kids. You know. So we're at the game, we're at the tell gat. You know, we might see him here and might see him there. You know, me and Joe daddy Jimmy were kind of connected by the hip.

Now you know, it's like, look like we're gonna be doing this for a minute. So you know, we just take off and we're getting our cigars ready for this weekend. Yeah, as you should. Um take us back to l s U. Jamar's a top prospect coming out of New Orleans and then they get this this transfer student coming from Ohio State who couldn't get on the field of Ohio State. What was your reaction? What was your overall reaction. L s U obviously is a big Louisiana school and here

comes this kid from Ohio. What was the reaction when Joe Burrow stepped on campus For all of you guys, well, it was an unknown factor. You know. I told Jamar, you know, Jamar didn't want to go to l s U. And it was like, like they got this guy, Joe Burrow, He's coming in. He said, he's pretty good. Like there, I don't want to deal with that, dude, you know what I'm saying. And I'm like, Jamal, we don't have a choice. You know, like everybody knows that l s

U underutilize their receivers. Yeah, back then before that, right, So I'm like, when you go to the league, people are gonna know that you're pretty good because LSU did news you in the right way. But then when Joe and Jamar got there, LU changed that concept and you know the rest is history. Yeah, uh bluetnic cough winner and then obviously, uh he teams up with Justin Jefferson and it's one of the most electric offenses of all time Burrow. There are sixty touchdown passes that season. Jamar's

the recipient of a bunch of them. Uh. What special was that time at l s U and all those guys were clicking and he got Patrick Queen on defense and all the rest of the guys as they now emerging our stars in the NFL. Man that year was so crazy, Peter, you don't guess what the best part

of the season was. Practice? Okay, Yeah. I would go to all the practice as well whenever I could, like two times after week, right, And practice was like so intense with that team, like Jamore and Derek Stigley used to fight every day and pct okay, and I'm hanging out with Derek Stigley's dad, me and him standing next to each other on the sideline and they break out in the fight in front of us, right, so the whole staff looking at me and him. I'm like, I'm

not fighting, like looking at it, right. But the practice was intense. But that was that was a really good team. Yeah it was. And then you go on this wild ride and then the tomorrow takes off that year due to COVID and says I'm gonna just wait this out. That was tough. I'm sure for all you guys, knowing what competitors you are. Was that year like the year where Jamaar Chase did not play college football and waited for the NFL draft the following season, that was really stressful.

That was really stressful because Number one, uh Jamaar didn't really want to opt out, right, and we had to make some uh business decisions, you know. I told him he needed to start thinking about his speech. He wasn't really crazy about it, but he understood it in the end. You know. Then after he was watching the games, he was ready to go back to school. He's like, then a boy the back here. I'm like, hold on, man,

wait a minute. You can't make an emotional decision like that, right, Because he wanted to help his team so bad, right, so he just started coaching him from the phone, would coach. They would call him after every game. We were called them before the game, so he was really coaching the team. Obviously, you're so tight with your son and you have served as such a great mentor for him. That preseason. I'll never forget he had three drops in a game or a pray this, and everyone was ready to call Jamar

chase a bust. I don't think Jamar ever lost a step of confidence. What were the conversations like with father to son when the media started nitpicking every pass that he was dropping During the summertime, they put me on a band was MoMA and his agent took my phone and he told me I couldn't see it, and I was living. I was living. I'm still man with the reporter that started because I know who it was, Okay, but Cecinnati, the Cecinnati folks didn't know who Jamal was,

you know what I'm saying. And then they were so used to like bad things happening to them and Cincinnati, so they was just you know, waiting for the Bowl and drop drop, you know, they took that at the ran with it. But I was living. And then he goes on and has the greatest season ever had by a rookie in the NFL, a wide receiver, and that that is Randy Moss, that is Justin Jefferson, that is

Odell Beckham. Now, US draft nicks and US guys who followed the league said, wow, okay, he came out of Were you at all surprised he came out of the gates like he did and then tore up the league the way he did in year one? Well, you know, as a father, right, the people have been telling you this, like he could be this, he could be that. You know, first they said he was a top five pick, and I was like, okay, yeah, all right. Then they said he could be you know, you take over the league.

And I was like, yeah, okay, all right, you know that's my son. Right then Chris Carter. I heard Chris Carter say on the NFL network that Jamara was the best rookie ever. And then when Chris Carter say it, I had to take a step back and like he knows when he's talking about you got your validation there.

I'm dying to meet him so I could thank him because he was the first one to see it, right then Randy Moss saying it right, and then when those two guys said it, I was like, wow, yeah, it's really really I started off this podcast talking about out how they you know, the defensive coordinators got no head coaching interviews all season. It was Alan or Mahomes, Alan or Mahomes. Here's Burrow And then of course you've got

this game this week and it's all about Mahomes. Ankle Um, what's the feeling amongst Bengals fans as you guys have beaten Mahomes and Andy read the last three times you face them. Well, they're they're pretty confident. They're pretty confident, you know. But as a former football player and as as a competitor. I know it's not going to be a kate walker. You know, we're going to you know, we play in the jungle, and they're really about to go into a jungle in Kansas City because they're I know,

they're waiting on the Bankers, you know. So it's gonna be a tough match. But the Bengal has been doing it. They've been pulling it out, and like we have all the confidence in the world. They gotta they gotta stop us. That's the that's the sentiment with the bank They got to stop us. Jamaar has been an amazing college and pro player. When did you first know that your son

was special as a ball player. I knew he was special way back in uh middle league, right one, right, But I always wanted to see how special he was, right, So I was always looking for him to go against the top competition. So as we progressed through high school and stuff like that, and you know, no one could press him one on one. So I would always come up with the skip. But that guy wasn't that good.

They said he was good, but he wasn't. Like, let's see somebody else, and then he would get that guy and I was like, but he wasn't that good either, Let's see somebody else. And then the next thing I know was like when he went to l s U. He went through all the top corners that C. J. Henderson, h A. J. Terrell, a couple of other guys. Was it was a lot of cornerbacks. Certan in Alabama Certan right,

dig right? We did everybody that year except the guy okafor at Ohio State and yeah, Okola, Yeah, that's why I wanted him to go against But he paid out pretty good against all the cornerbacks. So that's when I knew you might be a little special. Take us through draft night. You guys are sitting there, there's talks of

either Penas Sewell or Jamaar Chase going to Cincinnati. We know Joe Burrows there and we have since heard that Burrow kind of gave Zach Teller that had not and said, yeah, if you can get me my guy, that would be really appreciated. When did you know Cincinnati and what was your reaction when he was selected. We kind of always knew it was gonna be hard for Cescinnati to pass a month. You know, Jamart told me you said that if I get with Joe, We're gonna kill. I'm like,

slow it down something I don't know. I mean, I like NFL Sunday, I like Joe, but this is Cincinnati, you know what I'm saying. Like that, I'm just telling you that if I get with Joe, We're gonna kill, you know. And then Draft night come and they got a lot of you know, a lot of things go on before the pack, right, so it was Miami, Atlanta and Delphia. It was a lot of teams in the mix. And then when Cecinnati came, it was like it was a bit of a relief. But Jamal was pretty happy

with that. He's got happy to get back with Joke and it's been great ever since. Uh. In closing, there are a lot of you know, fathers who are listening to this podcast, fans of the NFL. Would be your one piece of wisdom. If their dreams are to see their kid excel at the highest level. How do you be a father that isn't so involved that he turns his kid off from the game, But then it's also involved just enough to be the perfect support system while

he makes his rise to the league. But you have to know your kid, right, you know how to motivate him. You got to know how he takes, you know, and you gotta give and take. You can't be hold on him. You know. I'm the holders on Jama in anybody. Yeah, I give a book, but I'm the only one that tells him no, right, No, I had to. I'm a I'm a counselor by trade, a social work. Okay, I kind of like play a psychological game with him or them, you know, And a lot of things I did with

your mom he didn't understand. And then that's why I don't know if you've seen the tape that I did on draft night where uh, they asked us to do a tape to talk to you something telling congratulations, and I did a little thing on it and went viral about I was so proud of him, and he did all the things that I asked him to do. And now he's a grown man. I have to let him go, you know, win to hold him, win a folder. And I had to give him the past because you know,

I used to write him hard. I let him know that, you know, we're good. I gave him everything that I had, and that's why you see him doing what he's doing now because he has a lot of information, He has a lot of support, and he has a lot of knowledge, you know, even though you see he got it from Joe Burrow, but I gave him to the first story. H Jimmy, before I let you go, You'll be in Arrowhead on Sunday. I imagine we'll be rocking that number one Chase jersey. I'll be an our heat fright, you know,

missing any flights. You'll be the guy in the number one jersey. Maybe smoking a cigar with Burrows dad after the game. Huh, We're gonna smoke. We're gonna be smoking after the game, especially when we went okay, good luck. This weekend, I will be at super Bowl in Arizona. We might be hanging out again. We might have another definitely out this time. I appreciate you always. I love our correspondence, I love our friendship. Uh, and I love watching your son playing. It's a testament to you as

a father. Congratulations and all the great success. Well, I just want to say one thing, Peter. I messed with you because I love your passion and your knowledge for the game. Right. I've seen you did a little piece last week about Dallas in San Francisco. Right, I used to be back in the days, and you were so ampt up about that. I lived that, Okay, I lived it. I was there like that was when football was football. That was crazy. But I love your passion for the

game and I love yours. Dude. That is awesome. Good luck this weekend. You're the man, Jimmy Chase. Jamar Chase has pops and a quite a talent on his own. Jimmy, thank you man for joining the season with Peter Shrek. Thank you, thank you so much for help. Good luck this weekend, Jimmy Chase. Awesome guest. Thanks Jimmy. Let's get into the playoff preview presented by our friends at Draft Kings Sports Book. As of Tuesday morning, Cincinnati at Kansas

City has the road team favored. The Bengals are favored not by a half a point, not by a point, not by a point, by a full two points. Cincinnati is favored in Kansas City by a full two points. The money line if you like the Bengals is minus one fifteen. If you like the Chief this minus one oh five. The over under the total is forty seven. If you're bet in the over, it's minus one fifteen. If you're bet in the under, it's minus one oh five.

That spread is about Mahomes's ankle and Mahomes's ankle only. I think if Mahomes's ankle is healthy, that's a three and a half point chief spread. I think no one knows what we're getting with Mahomes. And this is why this week is so important. You get these bets in on Tuesday, you start breaking it down on Tuesday. It's very different than what we might have on Saturday. Um, let me explain. I think we're gonna have real accurate and good idea based on whether he practices during the week,

whether he's walking at practice. Because here's the thing. When the conference championship game is there, all the national media is split into two cities. They're they're either in Kansas City for the game or they're in Philadelphia for the game, And if you want to go a little bit earlier in the week, they're in just four cities. So usually

it's not crazy math. You've got thirty two teams and sixteen games in a week, right, so you've got reporters from your staff if you're ESPN or NFL Network, all over the place. This week, got four cities, and you're sending multiple reporters to Kansas City, You're sending multiple reporters to Philadelphia, You're sending multiple reporters to San frciscon Cincinnati. Meaning the scrutiny on this ankle is going to be so high from every network, from every reporter, every net magazine,

every newspaper. Everyone's there, and you better believe the best reporters are gonna be focused on this ankle. So if I'm looking at Mahomes, and I'm looking at him last week, and like I said earlier, I think pure adrenaline was a lot of that thing, and Henny did a great job leaving the yards. But Jay Glazer's report Sunday was like the first Salvos, the first thing we got, And he said that Mahomes woke up on Sunday and felt

a lot better than he did Saturday night. Well, that could mean the swelling went down, that could mean that he slept with at forty five degrees in the air. We don't know, but I promise you by Friday and Saturday, the information will be different than when you're listening to this now on Tuesday and Wednesday, and that spread will

reflect that. If you think you saw that injury and mahomes ankle is worse the and it might be at the end of that game when he was throwing that jump touchdown to Marquez Valdez scantling, well, then go with Cincinnati. Go with your gut. The ankle is gonna be a

huge deal. If you think Mahomes grits this out, and you think that Mahomes at home is gonna be able to find a way to finally get the best of Joe Burrow, and then that offensive line which they pay so much money, can keep him upright just long enough for him to be able to navigate the pocket and make the big plays, then go with Kansas City. Uh, the minus two to me is negligible. It's it's it's a field goal or not. You're not gonna win many games by one or two points. It's basically there's a

one sport score game or not. If that's the case, pick the team you think is gonna win. And I would say hold off, hold off until Friday, hold off until Saturday, and hold off right before that kick off. I want to know every last piece of information on Mahomes Ankle to me that his storyline one too, three, four, five, six, seven, eight nine and ten It's mahomes Ankle week. Everybody jump on end. That was the playoff freeview presented by Draft

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of the season with Peter Schreeger. I love doing this podcast and I love having on guests like this. Dan Quinn awesome as always. Good luck to him and his head coaching interviews, and uh, if he's on that Dallas sideline next year, watch out, they'll be back. And if he's somewhere else, will say we knew you win. Uh. And Jimmy Chase Jamaar Chase's father. Awesome guy, great perspective and a huge, huge football fan. We know he'll be in Kansas City rocking with those Bengals on Sunday. Guys,

Thank you for listening each week. The feedback keeps on getting better and better, and I feel like we're getting more and more listeners. As always. I want to thank Aaron Won Kaufman, start producer from I Heart Radio, Jason English, also an I Heart hero, and then we've got Matt Schneider and Jason Kleman over at the NFL Network who do a fine job with all the digital stuff, and in our music man, the legend that is Jack Rudd. He puts together that funky beat that's underneath me. Right

now until next week, guys, enjoy the games. The Season with Peter Schrager is a production of the NFL and partnership with I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts.