Gridiron Gut Check

On his way to setting the ALL TIME post season receptions record, America’s sweetheart Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs are going back to the Super Bowl to play the Niners in a rematch of their 2019 showdown. But who has more to prove, Mahomes or Purdy? Shek and Shazier are jumping into all the post-Championship weekend takes like: What really caused the Lions to blow their first half lead? Why the Ravens really str...

It’s conference championship week but all people still want to talk about is Jason Kelce slamming beers, shirtless in 22-degree weather. But Shek and Shazier are ready to talk ball! What does Buffalo’s latest heartbreak really mean for Josh Allen and the Bills’ chances as legit SB contenders? Are the lovable Lions really America’s team? Does the Super Bowl really go through San Fran? Plus, the guys weigh in on how big of a...

Oh the joy and pain of the NFL playoffs! Shek and Shazier are ready to tackle every inch of Wildcard Weekend and beyond including the latest Dallas debacle and what this really means for Dak’s future, if Coach Tomlin is really staying in Pittsburgh, and if this is really the year Josh Allen slays the Patrick Mahomes dragon. Plus, Shazier cuts through the hype of CJ Stroud and Jordan Love’s dominant performances last weeken...

And the award goes to…. With the NFL season wrapping up, it’s time for Shek and Shazier to pick their favs for all the end of season hardware! Is Lamar the runaway MVP? Is anyone else even in the convo? Plus, the guys weigh in on which QBs playing this weekend should scare the Ravens the most, why people aren’t afraid of the Chiefs, and if Mike McCarthy is coaching for his job if the Cowboys don’t get to the Super Bowl. Th...

The Wolverines are one win away from the natty and Shazier doesn’t wanna talk about it! Shek’s grabbed all the most ridiculous hot takes from around the NFL and CFB this week and Shazier is ready to call them like he sees them! Is the whole country really rooting for the Huskies after the show Penix put on against Texas? Are the Eagles really completely cooked after the Cardinals hung 35 points on them? Is there anything N...

Win, place, and show, we’ve got a best takes and worst takes of 2023 episode coming your way! Shek and Shazier are throwing it back to when they predicted Tyreek Hill would top 2,000 receiving yards and that the Cowboys would take the East. They’re also covering some of their WORST takes like when they predicted Deion Sanders and Colorado would take over college football and that Ohio State would win the CFP. Plus the guys...

Another week, another shakeup atop the NFL. Shek’s got the hottest takes from around the internet and Shazier’s ready to either co-sign or call bs on all of them including: Can the Cowboys really contend if they can’t win on the road? Have Jalen Hurts and the Eagles really become the most predictable team in the NFL or did CMC get lucky with his call on the Manning cast? Plus, Shazier’s gut reactions to Chip Kelly’s plan t...

Dak Prescott might be playing some of the best football of his career but Shek and Shazier are ready to chew on all things Tommy Cutlets! Shek gathered all the hottest takes flying around the Giants and beyond in the NFL this week and Shazier can’t wait to tackle each of them like: Has the Philly hype train REALLY gone completely off the track? Is Travis Kelce REALLY washed? Would the Bears REALLY consider moving on from J...

The College Football Playoff Committee has made their decisions and WOW, the guys are fired up! Shek’s got all the hottest takes ready to fire at Shazier including why FSU and OSU didn’t make the cut, if Brock Purdy really has a shot at NFL MVP or if his supporting cast of CMC, Deebo, and Kittle have more to do with his success, if Jordan Love is really the next generational QB in Green Bay, the truth about how much time p...

Thanksgiving week in the NFL is in the books and Shek is bursting at the seams with hot takes to throw at Shazier including if the OC change in Pittsburgh really led to the 400 yard explosion of offense by Pickett and the gang, if the Buckeyes third straight loss to rival Michigan really means Ryan Day’s days are numbered at OSU, if Jalen Hurts’ overtime heroics vs. the Bills really locked up his MVP chances, and if CMC is...

The Gridiron Gang is back! Shek’s firing all the hottest NFL takes by Shazier to get his unguarded, gut check on which ones are BS and which ones are facts. Are Josh Allen and the Bills really in a free fall? Does CJ Stroud really have a chance at winning MVP as a rookie quarterback? And is winning ugly really just part of the plan in Pittsburgh? Plus Shek & Shazier dive deep into what has to happen in Dallas for Mike ...

It’s the first episode of Gridiron Gut Check and Dave Dameshek is gathering all the most talked about, bandwagon NFL narratives blowing up our group chats and running them past former All Pro linebacker, Ryan Shazier to see which ones are complete BS and which ones might actually be true. This week, Shek & Shazier tackle how much playing overseas in Germany really affected Tua’s performance against the Chiefs, if Bill ...

We’ve got TWO comeback stories AND some HUGE news to share! First Olympic medalist Gabby Thomas on her long road back from injury and her goal of a triumphant return at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Then Shek and Shazier welcome Virginia state wrestling champion, Adonis Lattimore, who is changing everything we thought was possible on the mat. Adonis was born without a right leg, and a left leg that ends at his thigh, and one fi...

We’re hitting the slopes with Mikaela Shiffrin! The ski superstar joins Shek and Shazier to navigate all the twists and turns that led her back from family tragedy and career threatening injury to reclaim her spot as a slope GOAT and the all-time winningest skier in FIS World Cup competition. Plus the guys tackle the Michigan sign stealing scandal and Shek breaks down his biggest takeaways from this past weekend’s Ste...

All aboard the Mo Hasan rollercoaster ride! This week Shek & Shazier go under center with quarterback Mo Hasan whose college playing career had more twists and turns than Space Mountain. From D1 to JUCO and back plus flashes of greatness, injuries, transfers, NFL tryouts and more comebacks than you can throw a football at, Hasan shares every up and down with the guys. Plus Shek & Shazier dig into Colorado’s regress...

Pacman’s back! But not on the field, this time he’s a standout in the game of life. Pacman Jones joins Shek & Shazier for a candid conversation about his extraordinary post-football life including the role he’s had in the life of Chris Henry Jr, who is one of the top receivers in the ’26 class, a future Ohio State Buckeye, and the son of Jones’ former Bengals teammate and close friend, the late Chris Henry. Jones opens...

Move over multi-million-dollar athletes ‘cause coaches are hogging all the spotlight lately. ESPN’s Marty Smith joins Shek & Shazier to dive into his new book, Sideline CEO: Leadership Principles from Championship Coaches. From what Deion Sanders does so well that sets him apart from other coaches; to whether Saban might hang it up after this season; to how sustainable the SEC’s dominance is… Smith coaches th...

MLB Playoff SZN is right around the corner and with it an ASTRONOMICAL comeback story. 10 years after being drafted, Jon Singleton is finally making an impact for the Astros, leading Houston in their fight for a wild card playoff spot. He joins Shek & Shazier to talk about the pressure of being the first player to sign a multiyear, multimillion dollar contract before his major-league debut, struggling with addiction, a...

Is Colorado for real?? After the double OT thriller last week versus Colorado State, the Buffalo are the most talked about team in college football! Shek and Shazier are joined by renowned sportswriter and Colorado native, Pat Forde to dive into how Coach Prime has brought Colorado football back to life and changed the face of college football. Forde weighs in on how long the boys in Boulder can keep this going, how Travis...