February 9, 2025 • 20 mins
Stephen A. Smith is a New York Times Bestselling Author, Executive Producer, host of ESPN's First Take, and co-host of NBA Countdown.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
My next guest spent thirteen seasons as an NFL quarterback,
eleven of those years with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he
took the team to Super Bowl thirty nine. It's always
good to get his perspective, at least in the eyes
of some of y'all. To me, he's a damn night man.
Nobody clowns me more than this. Nobody gets on my
nerves more than this guy. He's always messing with me.
(00:24):
But I miss him. The one and only Donovan mcnah,
what's up, my brother?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
How you doing that?
Speaker 3 (00:30):
That wasn't there? That? That all that extra stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I'm extra.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
I can be extra. That's who I am. That's who
I am. I can be extra. I'm Steven.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Drop the mic like that, do that.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I can do that right now when we just started.
You know how you are.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
To your biceps. Now you want to show off the
pattern and looking on stylish.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Well, I am in better shape. I ain't as stick
as your ass. I'm in better shape, Donovan. So listen, man,
we got super Bowl super Bowl fifty nine. Here, we
got the as the City Chiefs, your former team, the
Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City coach by your former coach Andy
Reid being down here for the Super Bowl, tell us
what kind of memories it brings back for you personally.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
As a player at that particular point.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
You know what, it's the excitement, I think, the anticipation
of the actual game.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
You know, when we were back in thirty nine.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
It was it was the excitement because we finally got
over the hub and so it was more of the
just the drive Monday, the Tuesday, the Wednesday, and you're
just like, let's get to the game. And so now
I think for a lot of these young guys, and
they do a great job the NFL that is of
the week before where you can get the tickets and
travel and hotels and all of that out of the
(01:41):
way and focus just on football on the game week.
And so the excitement kind of really builds up by Friday.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Is it possible to get the damn ticket issue out
the way?
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Because I'm imagining no matter how many requests come in,
they don't stop.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Well, you know how black families are, you know, it's
always you know Uncle Tim and and you.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Can't forget about your cousin. You know me, your cousin
grew up with you when you were six, you know,
she lives out there. It's like I ain't seen her
since I was six.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
But you know, I think for it's it's hard because
of that, the demands, but then you have to block
it out and focus in and then the excitement of
the game is just it's just basically like almost an
extension of the NFC Championship.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
When you think back to your experiences, how much did
the week leading up to the game affect your performance
during the game, if at all.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
I don't think at all at all. No, not at all.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
And the whole thing is when you're in the game,
you're focusing in at the time, like time matters, and
it's the play clock, it's the actual play getting the
ball off on time. It's throwing it with timing, it's
making the right checks, making the right reads, protecting the football,
and at the end of it, trying to get a
first down, trying to get a touchdown. And so it's
(02:57):
the mistakes that mount up and what does that do
to the football team and what does that do for
field position? And that's what this game is. This game
is about field position. Who has the ball past the fifty,
who has the ball with what time left? Where in
the third down or second down? Are you using third
and medium? Is it third and long? Is it third
and short. That's what decides on whatever play is coming in.
(03:21):
How are we going to execute it? Do you have
a shot at the touchdown? Or is it just to
get the first down? Do I have enough time to
get the ball out? And so those are things that
you're thinking about come games.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
In all the years I've known you, I've never asked
you a question I'm about to ask you. I know
that TiO was hurt and then came and performed and
performed well in the Super Bowl, but he wasn't there
for the divisional playoff game in the NFC Championship game.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
If he had.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Never gotten hurt at all, do you think y'all would
have won the Super Bowl? Like, I know he played
in the Super Bowl, but I'm just thinking about the
camaraderie that you had, the timing, et cetera, et cetera.
I know he played well, but I'm talking about the
other players on the team that had to adjust it.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Yeah, think about that.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
I have it, I have it.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
No, I would. I haven't thought about that question. I
can't believe you even asked that question. You want something else. Now,
I would say we were who we were, and the
thing was we were that before and then it was
(04:22):
an added dimension. So remember what we did. We did
that due to of course of ten eleven weeks like
with him, like that season, we really didn't play much
in the later part of the year. So I mean,
you know, hey, life would have been a little different.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
But I can't complain how much different would your life
be right now?
Speaker 2 (04:51):
If you had won that.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Super Bowl and we were saying Donovan McNabb not just
a great player, but Donovan McNabb a super Bowl champion.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
I would have made it to at least the eight
or probably the final final selection of the Hall of Fame.
I might be in a Hall of Fame right now,
because then I would be looked upon as a true
Hall of Famer, which in a lot of people's eyes,
I am.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
I think you include myself.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
I think you are, but I think I would definitely
have made it further in the voting of for Hall
of Fame.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Let's go back to the Super Bowl right now.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
When we think about Patrick Mahomes, we think about Lamar Jackson,
we think about Josh Allen, we think about Joe.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Burrow, et cetera.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
And in the words of a quarterback who played at
a high level in the National Football League, what does
Patrick Mahomes have that none of the other quarterbacks have?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Super Bowls? Super Bowls?
Speaker 1 (05:47):
I'm talking about his abilities because the super Bowls are obvious.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
He's a champion.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
I mean he has he has great arm talent, he's
a game breaker, he's a playmaker, he's a he's a leader,
he's everything that you see and a lot of these
other guys, it's just that it's like Tom Brady. Tom
Brady wasn't the best athlete. Tom Brady wasn't a probably
at some point he wasn't the best quarterback, but he
was a winner. And that's what he is. And ever
(06:14):
since he had became a starter. And I'll take it
all the way back to when he started in Denver
in replace of Alex Smith that year that was to
get Alex and Bress get Patrick some reps. And I
think he threw for about two fifty two to seventy
five in that game, to the point where that's when
Andy knew what his future was and Alex knew what
his future was. Right, And so now you're talking was
(06:37):
this eight years for him though.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Seven years he started. But he's been a start for
seven years, been in the league for eight years, been
a starter last seven.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
And it's been in the Super Bowl five times.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
And been in the AFC Championship game every single year.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
And to be honest with you and not I have
just had this conversation in an interview. D Ford was
lined up all sides by an an inch and he
looked over at the ref and the ref usually would
tell him to slide back, but the tackle was lined
up all sides for New England. You know what happened
on that play? What interception? Tom through an interception which
(07:13):
he would have went to the Super Bowl that year.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Wow, So now we're talking every year.
Speaker 4 (07:19):
He almost going to the super Bowl because when he
went to the AFC Championship his first year, that was
just one particular play by the referees that could have
been Hey, slide back usually didn't tell you that, but.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
There was no notice and he only he lost in
the game.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Let's talk about your team, the Philadelphia Eagles.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
From this respect, you got Jalen Hurts, Sakwon Barkley, It's spectacular.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
What would Joe like Brian Westbrook was that dude.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
I know.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
He was a bad brother, but Saquon Barkley is Saquon Barkley.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Now, okay, what's it like?
Speaker 1 (07:55):
I mean, what would it have been like for you
to have Saquon Barkley as a runner back?
Speaker 3 (07:59):
I have Brad Westbrook.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
So you're just gonna be like that, right. I know
he runs two thousand owns, but.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
He had over almost three thousand total all purpose. Yeah,
that's true.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
It was only two. It was only too that in
a particular time in the game him Meladania that was
doing it like that.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Do you think what do you think rather Sequon Barkley
needs to do in order for the Philadelphia Eagles to
win the Super Bowl?
Speaker 4 (08:25):
I think they need to run the football about thirty
thirty to thirty two times I'll say thirty five including
Jalen to keep it balanced. Because what it does is
now sets up the play action game where Dallas guid
has to be so effective in the middle of the
football field versus their safeties and linebackers. And when you're
running the football, now that keeps the safeties in, the
(08:46):
linebackers the line where now they have to stop run
first instead of dropping back in zones. And so if
Spags decides to blitz and they do decide to run, now,
if the tackles and guards can push out and open
up oh, that's a home run right there. For So
what it does now and what everybody has seen the
effectiveness of this offensive line and what they can do
(09:07):
to establish the run game and open up host If
they can can establish that line of scrimmage, now that
opens up opportunities on the outside with man and man coverage,
with aj and Devonte.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Do you think the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line would be
able to do that? The number one according to Pro
Football Focus, they average six six, three hundred and twenty
eight pounds. You would think they should be able to
maul any any defensive line, even if it is that
of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
What are your thoughts about that?
Speaker 4 (09:34):
Jones is a problem. Yes, and so that's Makai Beckton,
and that's Dickerson. And if you're not healthy enough, he's
gonna move you. He's gonna move you. So we've seen
what happened with San Francisco when they were running the
football had some effectiveness, but then when the play they
(09:55):
need to be made, can't stop ninety five.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Have we talked about Kansas City's D defense enough?
Speaker 3 (10:00):
No?
Speaker 1 (10:02):
What should we be saying about them?
Speaker 4 (10:05):
Timeless timeless plays that they make in the course of
the game that changes the game, if it's from the
D line or if it's from their safeties. Their safeties
are ball hawks, but they also come down to stop
the run. I think Reid is probably one of the
unkept heroes like that. They don't talk about much, but
he does a great job on their defense. And Spags
(10:26):
is Spags, Spags is always gonna put them in position.
We know about McDuffie, we know about Reid, we know
about you know Jones, But if they have a lot
of heroes on that on that defensive line and linebacker
court that make big plays.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
What was your relationship like with Andy Reid when.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
You were playing. I didn't like them. You got.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
What I know? You love that man.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
Listen, that is my guy. Actually talked to him today.
You know, I'm pulling one of my Steven d A's
dropping dropping name. You know, I talked to him the
other day breakfast that I talked to him, talked to
him this morning and he's my like, he's my guy,
Like we talk outside of football, And you know, I
(11:16):
worry about his health when he was going through some
different things.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Good to see his family's doing well. And it's more of.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
The success that he's had because he allows his players
to beat themselves. And the problem with the world today
is these coaches get so enamored with being the one
in control, controlling the narrative. Their ego stands too strong
where they're not allowing their players to control the locker room,
(11:47):
control the outcome, control what's in front of him. And
Andy was a no judgment kind of a coach and
still is a no judgment of coach, and that's what
makes him elite.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
You've heard the noise they've said about Nick Sirianni and Philadelphia. Uh,
there was a time, believe it or not, even though
he just got at the Philadelphia, he goes to a
Super Bowl appearance a couple of years ago, they were
talking about he might not be the right man for
the job.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
At one point.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
They did the same thing that Doug Peterson. Then he
wanted super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
They did the same thing that Doug Peterson. Then he
won a Super Bowl.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
You absolutely right with Nick Foles is his quarterback, By
the way, what did you.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Think about the noise against Nick Sirianni when you first
heard of the season.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
I thought it was garbage.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
And I talked to Nick and spoke up for him
because I do a call in radio show every Monday,
and I told him, I said, you want Tom. You
want somebody who's up front. You want somebody to be brash,
you want somebody who who's gonna be, you know, there
for his team and be vocal. You got him. Now
you're mad because he fired back at you. You know,
(12:45):
So that that's the problem. Don't think, don't don't sit
there and give it and then can't take it. And
so what happened the team rallied behind him, and all
of a sudden he pulled off a win streak or
what where they went twelve in a row.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Or basically or something like that.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (13:00):
And so that shows a lot about the respect that
they have for him in that locker room, because Nick
is just being Nick. And so you know when you
fire at him, yeah, he's on fire back. He's a
human being too, you know, just like when people come
at you, you know, you.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Know I'm gonna hit him back.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
Yeah, see, you know you know. I thought you mustache
would grow a little a little more.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
I've been cutting it off a little bit. I've been
shaving myself. I didn't go to my barber, and I
did try to. Now we go, I'm blaming myself.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
So you said you messed it up.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
I messed it up. But I can afford it.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
I have room for I have room to grub gul anyway. Anyway, listen, man,
I'm looking at right now. Everybody's been talking about Jalen Hurts.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Yes, including you.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Oh yes, I have Yes, I believe in a brother,
but he's got to show it, Donovan.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
Besides the wind.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
No, what I'm saying to you is this, I'm measuring.
I did the same thing with you. Don't let him off.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
The hook.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
Yesterday. But I was right. But I was right. I
was right. I was right.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
What I said was, I'm measuring what it's.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Gonna take for you to win the chick And what's
not saying that you can't ball. I'm saying Jalen Hurts
the Philadelphia Eagle since Week five, has run the football
more than anybody in the league. They've thrown the football
less than anybody in the league. So you're basically saying this,
we'll run first kind of team, et cetera. I don't
know if that's gonna get it done against Patrick Mahomes.
(14:26):
What's wrong with saying.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
That because you're now slighting what he's want, what he's
been doing.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
That's that's sensitivity.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Come on, man, So I'm Ralph trans Man.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Now, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Maybe you don't need a man with sensitivity, but with.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Sensitivity, but that's okay, But go ahead, go ahead.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
This is the thing that I think people don't realize.
The concussion was something that he had to battle through.
So his first game back after the concussion was the
first round of the playoffs. His second game back was
the second round.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about what they
were saying about him during the season.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
But they were saying it because they were trying to
figure out, you know why Aj and DeVante were getting
the ball but you're winning. They're not getting the ball
because Kellen Moore is not calling what your quarterback is
comfortable with.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
You see, you're very frustrated.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
You're very Let me tell you why, because I could
imagine you when you were playing saying those exact same
things to everybody around you. But you know, players, I mean,
your stats speak for you, and when you go to
the negotiating table, you're gonna have to live on that stuff.
So they want the ball, they want. Everybody's gonna be
that patient.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
So if we're going to the NFC Championship and we're
going to the Super Bowl, we're winning, and I'm throwing
the ball effectively.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
And officiate and league, I'm I'm offici.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
If you're throwing the ball ten times instead of thirty times,
that's twenty times, and ain't throwing the damn book.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
I bet you Joe Burrow would love to switching being
a jayln Hurst, I'm not sure about that. I bet
you Josh Allen would love to be in his shoes.
I bet you Lamar would.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
But they didn't have to go against They had to
go against my home. He doesn't have to until Sunday.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
They don't matter who you gotta go against. Your win
win is a win. We all, So you go with
Jay Len. I'm good with what he's doing.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
So you think, with what.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
He's doing right now, that's gonna deliver you a Super
Bowl championship Against Patrick Mahomes.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
It would have brought him one last time they played, last.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Time they played these past with three hundred yards. He
rushed for seventy, he scored four touchdown, but he didn't
what are you talking about? He didn't have twenty six
behind them.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Let me take one, not Brian Westbrook, that's what you mean.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
I just asking.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
I said twenty six. I did say thirty six. If
he had thirty six back there, yes, he probably would
have won a super Bowl. But you know he didn't
have them. He had he had you know, Sanders was
back there. Sanders is also a thousand yard Russian, you know.
But the thing about it is he played well enough
in that offense of what they had. Then this is
a whole different office. The man that'd been through what
(16:51):
three four coordinators and he only been in the league
five years, It's true, and so so now he's in
a new offense, learning new offense, and then after this game,
he's gonna be another offense when Kellenmore takes the job
here in New Orleans. So now then what we're gonna say,
he's continuing to win. Okay, as a quarterback, we're measured
by wins correct. Okay, hold On well measured by wins correct.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Yes, not just whens, but wins is a part of it. Okay,
which is a part of it. Absolutely can't be losing.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
You turn the ball over.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
He turned the ball off ten ten turnovers the Eagles force.
They haven't committed a turnover. You think that's gonna happen
in the Super Bowls, Well, they're gonna be able to
be turnover free.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
I think the game, both sides will turn the football over.
But it's when you turn the football and where you
turn the full football over. I think that's what matters.
So you stop talking about it.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Yeah, So you got winning the game.
Speaker 4 (17:43):
Philadelphia Eagles by three, by three. It's gonna be a
closed game?
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Is it gonna be high scoring?
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Yeah? Thirty twenty seven, thirty.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Twenty seven, you got the Philadelphia Eagles winning. Why they'll
score thirty points?
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Bro?
Speaker 2 (17:55):
How how the gook scored thirty points?
Speaker 3 (17:58):
Three touchdowns from Jaysen pass one rushing.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Three touchdowns from Jalen Hurts passing one touchdown running. It's
not an emotional call, you know, quarterback loving the quarterback
Philadelphia And so what I'm saying, that's just.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
One of the great analyts just giving you.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
This analytical opinion. No bisness, whatso wellen not at all.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
Philadelphia Eagle's defense can hold Patrick Mahomes twenty seven points?
Speaker 4 (18:22):
Correct. I love Patrick, Patrick's a great guy. Love Travis,
love Big Red. You know it's it's great for them
in this journey and what it does for the game
of football, in the game of sports to have this
opportunity that this possibly can happen with three people.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Last question, Patrick Mahomes and the kids say that she's
win the Super Bowl against your prognostications, I my dad,
they will have three ped it that would be four
Super Bowl titles total, back to back to back Super
Bowl championships. Does that make Patrick Mahons the greatest quarterback
(19:06):
to have ever lived.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
At the moment, You're just gonna give him that title
just now?
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Question?
Speaker 2 (19:13):
No, okay, why not?
Speaker 4 (19:16):
He's only seven years in the league. Eight years in
the league. Okay, let him play about fifteen years. Matter
of fact, with that resume, let him play thirteen to
fifteen more years and if he decides to retire, yes,
he will go down this and depending on what happens
after that, But.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Patrick Mahons's record would be eighteen and three in the postseason,
he'd have four Super Bowl titles. He'd have five Super
Bowl appearances in seven years. In all seven years is
starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. He would have
been in the AFC Championship Game every single year. He
would have won the division title every single year, and
you still would to give it to him.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Win a three p. He has been in league ten years.
Let him get in the league ten years. You can
kind of talk about that.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Phillop for you who's thirty, can't see the Chiefs twenty seven?
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Stick with it.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
You want less chance change, You want less chance to
change a prediction one last chance.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
I mean, you feel like you about to put some
money on this, So I'm trying to help you win
some more money, you know, because you look like you're
struggling right now.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
This pattern, this pattern on the suit. I don't think
I've ever seen him.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
I could use a little more money.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
Is it from overseas?
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Used a little morning? It's not from overseas, It's from
the States. It's from the States. Dotamic Dad, Ladies and gentlemen,
Donavan vic Dad
My next guest spent thirteen seasons as an NFL quarterback,
eleven of those years with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he
took the team to Super Bowl thirty nine. It's always
good to get his perspective, at least in the eyes
of some of y'all. To me, he's a damn night man.
Nobody clowns me more than this. Nobody gets on my
nerves more than this guy. He's always messing with me.
(00:24):
But I miss him. The one and only Donovan mcnah,
what's up, my brother?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
How you doing that?
Speaker 3 (00:30):
That wasn't there? That? That all that extra stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I'm extra.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
I can be extra. That's who I am. That's who
I am. I can be extra. I'm Steven.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Drop the mic like that, do that.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I can do that right now when we just started.
You know how you are.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
To your biceps. Now you want to show off the
pattern and looking on stylish.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Well, I am in better shape. I ain't as stick
as your ass. I'm in better shape, Donovan. So listen, man,
we got super Bowl super Bowl fifty nine. Here, we
got the as the City Chiefs, your former team, the
Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City coach by your former coach Andy
Reid being down here for the Super Bowl, tell us
what kind of memories it brings back for you personally.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
As a player at that particular point.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
You know what, it's the excitement, I think, the anticipation
of the actual game.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
You know, when we were back in thirty nine.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
It was it was the excitement because we finally got
over the hub and so it was more of the
just the drive Monday, the Tuesday, the Wednesday, and you're
just like, let's get to the game. And so now
I think for a lot of these young guys, and
they do a great job the NFL that is of
the week before where you can get the tickets and
travel and hotels and all of that out of the
(01:41):
way and focus just on football on the game week.
And so the excitement kind of really builds up by Friday.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Is it possible to get the damn ticket issue out
the way?
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Because I'm imagining no matter how many requests come in,
they don't stop.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Well, you know how black families are, you know, it's
always you know Uncle Tim and and you.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Can't forget about your cousin. You know me, your cousin
grew up with you when you were six, you know,
she lives out there. It's like I ain't seen her
since I was six.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
But you know, I think for it's it's hard because
of that, the demands, but then you have to block
it out and focus in and then the excitement of
the game is just it's just basically like almost an
extension of the NFC Championship.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
When you think back to your experiences, how much did
the week leading up to the game affect your performance
during the game, if at all.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
I don't think at all at all. No, not at all.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
And the whole thing is when you're in the game,
you're focusing in at the time, like time matters, and
it's the play clock, it's the actual play getting the
ball off on time. It's throwing it with timing, it's
making the right checks, making the right reads, protecting the football,
and at the end of it, trying to get a
first down, trying to get a touchdown. And so it's
(02:57):
the mistakes that mount up and what does that do
to the football team and what does that do for
field position? And that's what this game is. This game
is about field position. Who has the ball past the fifty,
who has the ball with what time left? Where in
the third down or second down? Are you using third
and medium? Is it third and long? Is it third
and short. That's what decides on whatever play is coming in.
(03:21):
How are we going to execute it? Do you have
a shot at the touchdown? Or is it just to
get the first down? Do I have enough time to
get the ball out? And so those are things that
you're thinking about come games.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
In all the years I've known you, I've never asked
you a question I'm about to ask you. I know
that TiO was hurt and then came and performed and
performed well in the Super Bowl, but he wasn't there
for the divisional playoff game in the NFC Championship game.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
If he had.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Never gotten hurt at all, do you think y'all would
have won the Super Bowl? Like, I know he played
in the Super Bowl, but I'm just thinking about the
camaraderie that you had, the timing, et cetera, et cetera.
I know he played well, but I'm talking about the
other players on the team that had to adjust it.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Yeah, think about that.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
I have it, I have it.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
No, I would. I haven't thought about that question. I
can't believe you even asked that question. You want something else. Now,
I would say we were who we were, and the
thing was we were that before and then it was
(04:22):
an added dimension. So remember what we did. We did
that due to of course of ten eleven weeks like
with him, like that season, we really didn't play much
in the later part of the year. So I mean,
you know, hey, life would have been a little different.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
But I can't complain how much different would your life
be right now?
Speaker 2 (04:51):
If you had won that.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Super Bowl and we were saying Donovan McNabb not just
a great player, but Donovan McNabb a super Bowl champion.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
I would have made it to at least the eight
or probably the final final selection of the Hall of Fame.
I might be in a Hall of Fame right now,
because then I would be looked upon as a true
Hall of Famer, which in a lot of people's eyes,
I am.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
I think you include myself.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
I think you are, but I think I would definitely
have made it further in the voting of for Hall
of Fame.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Let's go back to the Super Bowl right now.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
When we think about Patrick Mahomes, we think about Lamar Jackson,
we think about Josh Allen, we think about Joe.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Burrow, et cetera.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
And in the words of a quarterback who played at
a high level in the National Football League, what does
Patrick Mahomes have that none of the other quarterbacks have?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Super Bowls? Super Bowls?
Speaker 1 (05:47):
I'm talking about his abilities because the super Bowls are obvious.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
He's a champion.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
I mean he has he has great arm talent, he's
a game breaker, he's a playmaker, he's a he's a leader,
he's everything that you see and a lot of these
other guys, it's just that it's like Tom Brady. Tom
Brady wasn't the best athlete. Tom Brady wasn't a probably
at some point he wasn't the best quarterback, but he
was a winner. And that's what he is. And ever
(06:14):
since he had became a starter. And I'll take it
all the way back to when he started in Denver
in replace of Alex Smith that year that was to
get Alex and Bress get Patrick some reps. And I
think he threw for about two fifty two to seventy
five in that game, to the point where that's when
Andy knew what his future was and Alex knew what
his future was. Right, And so now you're talking was
(06:37):
this eight years for him though.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Seven years he started. But he's been a start for
seven years, been in the league for eight years, been
a starter last seven.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
And it's been in the Super Bowl five times.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
And been in the AFC Championship game every single year.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
And to be honest with you and not I have
just had this conversation in an interview. D Ford was
lined up all sides by an an inch and he
looked over at the ref and the ref usually would
tell him to slide back, but the tackle was lined
up all sides for New England. You know what happened
on that play? What interception? Tom through an interception which
(07:13):
he would have went to the Super Bowl that year.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Wow, So now we're talking every year.
Speaker 4 (07:19):
He almost going to the super Bowl because when he
went to the AFC Championship his first year, that was
just one particular play by the referees that could have
been Hey, slide back usually didn't tell you that, but.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
There was no notice and he only he lost in
the game.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Let's talk about your team, the Philadelphia Eagles.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
From this respect, you got Jalen Hurts, Sakwon Barkley, It's spectacular.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
What would Joe like Brian Westbrook was that dude.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
I know.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
He was a bad brother, but Saquon Barkley is Saquon Barkley.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Now, okay, what's it like?
Speaker 1 (07:55):
I mean, what would it have been like for you
to have Saquon Barkley as a runner back?
Speaker 3 (07:59):
I have Brad Westbrook.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
So you're just gonna be like that, right. I know
he runs two thousand owns, but.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
He had over almost three thousand total all purpose. Yeah,
that's true.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
It was only two. It was only too that in
a particular time in the game him Meladania that was
doing it like that.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Do you think what do you think rather Sequon Barkley
needs to do in order for the Philadelphia Eagles to
win the Super Bowl?
Speaker 4 (08:25):
I think they need to run the football about thirty
thirty to thirty two times I'll say thirty five including
Jalen to keep it balanced. Because what it does is
now sets up the play action game where Dallas guid
has to be so effective in the middle of the
football field versus their safeties and linebackers. And when you're
running the football, now that keeps the safeties in, the
(08:46):
linebackers the line where now they have to stop run
first instead of dropping back in zones. And so if
Spags decides to blitz and they do decide to run, now,
if the tackles and guards can push out and open
up oh, that's a home run right there. For So
what it does now and what everybody has seen the
effectiveness of this offensive line and what they can do
(09:07):
to establish the run game and open up host If
they can can establish that line of scrimmage, now that
opens up opportunities on the outside with man and man coverage,
with aj and Devonte.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Do you think the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line would be
able to do that? The number one according to Pro
Football Focus, they average six six, three hundred and twenty
eight pounds. You would think they should be able to
maul any any defensive line, even if it is that
of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
What are your thoughts about that?
Speaker 4 (09:34):
Jones is a problem. Yes, and so that's Makai Beckton,
and that's Dickerson. And if you're not healthy enough, he's
gonna move you. He's gonna move you. So we've seen
what happened with San Francisco when they were running the
football had some effectiveness, but then when the play they
(09:55):
need to be made, can't stop ninety five.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Have we talked about Kansas City's D defense enough?
Speaker 3 (10:00):
No?
Speaker 1 (10:02):
What should we be saying about them?
Speaker 4 (10:05):
Timeless timeless plays that they make in the course of
the game that changes the game, if it's from the
D line or if it's from their safeties. Their safeties
are ball hawks, but they also come down to stop
the run. I think Reid is probably one of the
unkept heroes like that. They don't talk about much, but
he does a great job on their defense. And Spags
(10:26):
is Spags, Spags is always gonna put them in position.
We know about McDuffie, we know about Reid, we know
about you know Jones, But if they have a lot
of heroes on that on that defensive line and linebacker
court that make big plays.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
What was your relationship like with Andy Reid when.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
You were playing. I didn't like them. You got.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
What I know? You love that man.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
Listen, that is my guy. Actually talked to him today.
You know, I'm pulling one of my Steven d A's
dropping dropping name. You know, I talked to him the
other day breakfast that I talked to him, talked to
him this morning and he's my like, he's my guy,
Like we talk outside of football, And you know, I
(11:16):
worry about his health when he was going through some
different things.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Good to see his family's doing well. And it's more of.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
The success that he's had because he allows his players
to beat themselves. And the problem with the world today
is these coaches get so enamored with being the one
in control, controlling the narrative. Their ego stands too strong
where they're not allowing their players to control the locker room,
(11:47):
control the outcome, control what's in front of him. And
Andy was a no judgment kind of a coach and
still is a no judgment of coach, and that's what
makes him elite.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
You've heard the noise they've said about Nick Sirianni and Philadelphia. Uh,
there was a time, believe it or not, even though
he just got at the Philadelphia, he goes to a
Super Bowl appearance a couple of years ago, they were
talking about he might not be the right man for
the job.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
At one point.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
They did the same thing that Doug Peterson. Then he
wanted super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
They did the same thing that Doug Peterson. Then he
won a Super Bowl.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
You absolutely right with Nick Foles is his quarterback, By
the way, what did you.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Think about the noise against Nick Sirianni when you first
heard of the season.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
I thought it was garbage.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
And I talked to Nick and spoke up for him
because I do a call in radio show every Monday,
and I told him, I said, you want Tom. You
want somebody who's up front. You want somebody to be brash,
you want somebody who who's gonna be, you know, there
for his team and be vocal. You got him. Now
you're mad because he fired back at you. You know,
(12:45):
So that that's the problem. Don't think, don't don't sit
there and give it and then can't take it. And
so what happened the team rallied behind him, and all
of a sudden he pulled off a win streak or
what where they went twelve in a row.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Or basically or something like that.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (13:00):
And so that shows a lot about the respect that
they have for him in that locker room, because Nick
is just being Nick. And so you know when you
fire at him, yeah, he's on fire back. He's a
human being too, you know, just like when people come
at you, you know, you.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Know I'm gonna hit him back.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
Yeah, see, you know you know. I thought you mustache
would grow a little a little more.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
I've been cutting it off a little bit. I've been
shaving myself. I didn't go to my barber, and I
did try to. Now we go, I'm blaming myself.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
So you said you messed it up.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
I messed it up. But I can afford it.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
I have room for I have room to grub gul anyway. Anyway, listen, man,
I'm looking at right now. Everybody's been talking about Jalen Hurts.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Yes, including you.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Oh yes, I have Yes, I believe in a brother,
but he's got to show it, Donovan.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
Besides the wind.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
No, what I'm saying to you is this, I'm measuring.
I did the same thing with you. Don't let him off.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
The hook.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
Yesterday. But I was right. But I was right. I
was right. I was right.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
What I said was, I'm measuring what it's.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Gonna take for you to win the chick And what's
not saying that you can't ball. I'm saying Jalen Hurts
the Philadelphia Eagle since Week five, has run the football
more than anybody in the league. They've thrown the football
less than anybody in the league. So you're basically saying this,
we'll run first kind of team, et cetera. I don't
know if that's gonna get it done against Patrick Mahomes.
(14:26):
What's wrong with saying.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
That because you're now slighting what he's want, what he's
been doing.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
That's that's sensitivity.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Come on, man, So I'm Ralph trans Man.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Now, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Maybe you don't need a man with sensitivity, but with.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Sensitivity, but that's okay, But go ahead, go ahead.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
This is the thing that I think people don't realize.
The concussion was something that he had to battle through.
So his first game back after the concussion was the
first round of the playoffs. His second game back was
the second round.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about what they
were saying about him during the season.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
But they were saying it because they were trying to
figure out, you know why Aj and DeVante were getting
the ball but you're winning. They're not getting the ball
because Kellen Moore is not calling what your quarterback is
comfortable with.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
You see, you're very frustrated.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
You're very Let me tell you why, because I could
imagine you when you were playing saying those exact same
things to everybody around you. But you know, players, I mean,
your stats speak for you, and when you go to
the negotiating table, you're gonna have to live on that stuff.
So they want the ball, they want. Everybody's gonna be
that patient.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
So if we're going to the NFC Championship and we're
going to the Super Bowl, we're winning, and I'm throwing
the ball effectively.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
And officiate and league, I'm I'm offici.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
If you're throwing the ball ten times instead of thirty times,
that's twenty times, and ain't throwing the damn book.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
I bet you Joe Burrow would love to switching being
a jayln Hurst, I'm not sure about that. I bet
you Josh Allen would love to be in his shoes.
I bet you Lamar would.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
But they didn't have to go against They had to
go against my home. He doesn't have to until Sunday.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
They don't matter who you gotta go against. Your win
win is a win. We all, So you go with
Jay Len. I'm good with what he's doing.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
So you think, with what.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
He's doing right now, that's gonna deliver you a Super
Bowl championship Against Patrick Mahomes.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
It would have brought him one last time they played, last.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Time they played these past with three hundred yards. He
rushed for seventy, he scored four touchdown, but he didn't
what are you talking about? He didn't have twenty six
behind them.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Let me take one, not Brian Westbrook, that's what you mean.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
I just asking.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
I said twenty six. I did say thirty six. If
he had thirty six back there, yes, he probably would
have won a super Bowl. But you know he didn't
have them. He had he had you know, Sanders was
back there. Sanders is also a thousand yard Russian, you know.
But the thing about it is he played well enough
in that offense of what they had. Then this is
a whole different office. The man that'd been through what
(16:51):
three four coordinators and he only been in the league
five years, It's true, and so so now he's in
a new offense, learning new offense, and then after this game,
he's gonna be another offense when Kellenmore takes the job
here in New Orleans. So now then what we're gonna say,
he's continuing to win. Okay, as a quarterback, we're measured
by wins correct. Okay, hold On well measured by wins correct.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Yes, not just whens, but wins is a part of it. Okay,
which is a part of it. Absolutely can't be losing.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
You turn the ball over.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
He turned the ball off ten ten turnovers the Eagles force.
They haven't committed a turnover. You think that's gonna happen
in the Super Bowls, Well, they're gonna be able to
be turnover free.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
I think the game, both sides will turn the football over.
But it's when you turn the football and where you
turn the full football over. I think that's what matters.
So you stop talking about it.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Yeah, So you got winning the game.
Speaker 4 (17:43):
Philadelphia Eagles by three, by three. It's gonna be a
closed game?
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Is it gonna be high scoring?
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Yeah? Thirty twenty seven, thirty.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Twenty seven, you got the Philadelphia Eagles winning. Why they'll
score thirty points?
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Bro?
Speaker 2 (17:55):
How how the gook scored thirty points?
Speaker 3 (17:58):
Three touchdowns from Jaysen pass one rushing.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Three touchdowns from Jalen Hurts passing one touchdown running. It's
not an emotional call, you know, quarterback loving the quarterback
Philadelphia And so what I'm saying, that's just.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
One of the great analyts just giving you.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
This analytical opinion. No bisness, whatso wellen not at all.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
Philadelphia Eagle's defense can hold Patrick Mahomes twenty seven points?
Speaker 4 (18:22):
Correct. I love Patrick, Patrick's a great guy. Love Travis,
love Big Red. You know it's it's great for them
in this journey and what it does for the game
of football, in the game of sports to have this
opportunity that this possibly can happen with three people.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Last question, Patrick Mahomes and the kids say that she's
win the Super Bowl against your prognostications, I my dad,
they will have three ped it that would be four
Super Bowl titles total, back to back to back Super
Bowl championships. Does that make Patrick Mahons the greatest quarterback
(19:06):
to have ever lived.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
At the moment, You're just gonna give him that title
just now?
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Question?
Speaker 2 (19:13):
No, okay, why not?
Speaker 4 (19:16):
He's only seven years in the league. Eight years in
the league. Okay, let him play about fifteen years. Matter
of fact, with that resume, let him play thirteen to
fifteen more years and if he decides to retire, yes,
he will go down this and depending on what happens
after that, But.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Patrick Mahons's record would be eighteen and three in the postseason,
he'd have four Super Bowl titles. He'd have five Super
Bowl appearances in seven years. In all seven years is
starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. He would have
been in the AFC Championship Game every single year. He
would have won the division title every single year, and
you still would to give it to him.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Win a three p. He has been in league ten years.
Let him get in the league ten years. You can
kind of talk about that.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Phillop for you who's thirty, can't see the Chiefs twenty seven?
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Stick with it.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
You want less chance change, You want less chance to
change a prediction one last chance.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
I mean, you feel like you about to put some
money on this, So I'm trying to help you win
some more money, you know, because you look like you're
struggling right now.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
This pattern, this pattern on the suit. I don't think
I've ever seen him.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
I could use a little more money.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
Is it from overseas?
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Used a little morning? It's not from overseas, It's from
the States. It's from the States. Dotamic Dad, Ladies and gentlemen,
Donavan vic Dad
Host
Stephen A. Smith
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