2026 Season Preview: Jeffrey Dean Morgan Segment

0:00that if that should happen to that team. All good stuff. Let's welcome on before we let you go. Mr. Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who's joining us from his compound out east. He he was he was so excited, Baldi, to be honest with you that he joined. He joined at 6.30 a.m. Jeffrey Dean, I can be very nice to meet you, Baldi. Yeah, thank you. Yeah, I got I got on. So I thought you were getting up really early on the on the West Coast. I'm like, I did. I was 30. San Francisco radio at 6.00 a.m. this morning. Well, see you were up. Well, see Brian was up as well. You should have been on with you should have been on with him. So Jeffrey, before we let Baldi go, I know he's got to get the airport. He's got life. He's got to live. Any questions you've got for the best in the man. I just like listen to Baldi. I don't need to hear about the Niners and the Rams as much as I've heard the last

1:01like 10 minutes. But I'm a big fan and very much respect every word that comes out of his mouth. He knows the game. So I don't have anything to ask. I've been listening to one thing I would say to you to both you guys is I work at an NFL films in New Jersey. All those guys have been in Seattle doing hard knocks. It's been a phenomenal program. Yeah. Like because I think people really got to see Mike McDonald. And what is there a magic elixir that he has? Obviously defense is especially, but his connection to his players. I feel like that connection with this play how he talks to his players. Yeah. Like it feel like it permeates to the whole team. There's just a unity that exists. Now, maybe it starts with John Schneider because John's like that himself. But there's a unity within that team that's. It's almost hard to explain you because it's not like that everywhere. Coaches don't communicate. And you can tell he's not doing it. It's just because the cameras are rolling.

2:02You know that's just as authentic as it gets. And I'm kind of glad that Seattle just opened it up and let people get to see Mike McDonald at work because he's not a screamer. He's not a yell or he doesn't like, but his teaching and the way that it's still a game of teachers. That's who these guys are. If they work coaches, they be gym teachers, history teachers. It's like what homegrown was. It's what Andy Reed is. Like we need great teachers in this game. And when you get that, you get great students. I love that you bring that up. And it's another great example of why I always appreciate your, your analysis because that's not just about the ex-inus. That is about understanding how people work and what makes them tick. And that was probably the most precious commodity this team had last year. Very talented, but the culture there is super unique. You touched on how Mike leads, but there's also the alignment between John Schneider and Mike McDonald that as you know is not the case between every GM and coach.

3:07And those two together have gone in and basically filtered out the kinds of men that they want as coaches in that organization, the types of men that they want as players. And that has helped contribute to this. So like how rare do you feel like that is to have all of those things in one? It's rare. It's really rare. I mean, look, I mean, they got rid of a Hall of Fame coach. You know, they moved on. And you know, and maybe people has passed upon who knows, but like they found a better replacement. It's not easy. They've been 10 head coach changes this year. We haven't like dozens of coordinator changes. They're all looking for somebody. And it's not what you're talking about here, Brian. It's not X's and O's. It's teachers connection. And I mentioned this to you last year before the playoffs began, but I was around the team week 17 when they went to Carolina. And the entire team was on the field warming up before the game. And some of the guys, I didn't know AJ Barner.

4:08I didn't really know big game, but they all came up to me. I was talking to, you know, to to Zabel. That camaraderie out there on the field before that game was different than you feel almost anywhere else. It was so unique. The whole team was on the field, offense defense, Rashid Shahid coming home with that big smile of his, like you could feel like this is way more than Sam Darnold playing good. This is this is the way it's supposed to be. And it rarely is like that. Amazing, amazing stuff from Brian Baldinger. I'm going to let you go because I know you got a jet. It was great having you. We'll see you more during the season. I'm going up Seattle. I'm doing your week three game. I'm doing week three in Washington. And then the following week up in Seattle. I'll talk to your door. No, it's weak. Sounds good, dude. Brian Baldinger, check him out all over the NFL network. And we're going to roll right into Mr. Jeffrey Dean Morgan JD. I love that guy. It is. It is so great.

5:08You're making some time. He's, you know, I think you get it, right? Because there's it's one thing to actually have good insights about football, which honestly is even more rare now than it used to be. People just talk about random shit. But then to also get the person, like the personality side. Yeah, he gets that. He gets that. There's a lot of people that can't do both. X is a nose down, but to, yeah, exactly right to get into the personalities. And I think that the way these guys can interact with them and talking about Mike McDonald. I think the one thing that hard knocks is done, which by the way was the best hard knocks in the history of hard knocks. And a lot of that has to do with Mike McDonald. And I think the world got to see what kind of a man and coach he is and the respect that that he gets without having to demand it. And yet he has it by every single one of his players. It's so fun to watch and I mean, what a guy.

6:13That's what I got out of this year's hard knocks was really what an amazing man he is. I think I think a lot of people did. And one of the cool things with Mike McDonald is I don't think that's going to change. I don't think he's got it in him to become a arrogance, you know, thinks he's better than other people. Like I just don't think that's how his DNA is coded. And do I ever, are you losing me? I did just there for just wondering if I should disappear for a second and try to get a better even better. Yeah, why don't you do that? Come on back. Give me two seconds. Let me just see if I can fix it. Yeah, it sounds good. Take the time. Yeah, so I think one of the things that is really unique about this organization and why I think it's a golden era is not only do you have a core of young talent that you've

7:13now signed to $633 million worth of extensions in the past year, but you've also got leadership that is young and aligned with the executives on how to run this thing and how the types of people that they want to bring in next when they have 12 will now I guess 11 draft picks. Next year, they're going to get through the same filter go through the same filter of what kinds of people they want in that organization. All right, JDM, we got you back better now. Okay, so the question I was going to ask you and this is a little bit, you know, it's only a question I could ask you for a guest that comes on this show. You're in an industry where there's there's said to be some egos and you know, some prima donnas at times, I don't know anything about that industry. So I don't claim to know you're not wrong, but okay, do you do you find that some of the

8:14best films or shows that you work on that there's any similarities in this where it's like, oh, if there's people that can swallow their ego and are just there to make a great, make something great that it's better. Is that is that something that translates all to absolutely? If you've got, if you're dealing with a big ego, you're not going to make the best show. You're not going to make the best film because you're constantly having to baby and cater and spend time away from the focus of that should be number one, which is the best quality show or team that you can have. And if you've got a, you know, a cog in the wheel, it all goes off the rails. And I think that, I mean, I think it's an excellent example of who the Seahawks team is and

9:14that has been assembled the last couple of years under Mike and John. Yeah, there's a big similarity in that. I think in probably any business in your deal with an ego, what I do now, because, you know, I'm old and have been around for a long time. I'm going to have a certain amount of say in this. If we get that kind of a player on our team, I'll kill them. Well, they'll be off the show. Because it really just brings everything down and you can't have that. You can't have it. It's fascinating. Another kind of related thing. So the Seahawks win a Super Bowl. We're talking about this with Mike Sando and Dave Bowling earlier that no matter what Mike McDonald says about running it forward and we're not going to be defending Super Bowl champions, it were like, there is just an impossible aspect of humanity of, you're not

10:14going to forget that you won the Super Bowl. It is hard to some extent to be as hungry after you've just been satiated with a championship. So the question I have got for you, this is a little bit of a tangent, but I think I can pull this together, is I would bet that since you've experienced your rise in your industry and the fame that you've achieved and the credibility that you've got, that there's an aspect of opportunity that comes your way that didn't, but sure. And that the people that want to interact with you, you probably have to assess every single person. Like, this person actually someone here that's authentically for me, or they're trying to get something for me, or they're just wanting to form a farm or off of me. So how have you navigated that? And would you have any guidance for these young guys in that locker room that are maybe experiencing a different type of fame and notoriety than they did before? You know, it's one of those things that I think if you have, you know, a half a brain,

11:23you can see it coming. I mean, it's harder when you're younger, but also it's so obvious, the ones that aren't real. But, you know, and going back to how you started this about the hawks coming off of winning the Super Bowl, the kind of the greatest thing that has happened to us is that nobody gives you shit. No one's talking about the Seahawks. You know, I don't want to even say their name, but, you know, that other team in our division. I'm so sick of hearing about them. And I got to believe in our locker room as cool as they are and they are a cool group. You know, there are very laid back in cool group when it comes to this type of thing, nothing bothers them. But I know in the back of their head, they're pissed off. And you know, there's nothing better than a Seahawks with a chip on their shoulder. So even bouncing out of a Super Bowl victory and being the defending champs, people are

12:26overlooking the Seahawks. And I know we've all, I mean, I've heard it on every talking head show for the last three months. It's an obvious thing and yet it's real. And the Seahawks from the beginning of time have always been a team that's had a chip on their shoulder, especially those great teams. And I think this team going into this season, that's their motivation. And that's the motivation that we want. If everybody was looking at the Seahawks as the runaway favorite going into the season, I'd be concerned, frankly. I'd be worried because I think that's what gets into the young player's heads. But we've also got a group of veterans, you know, the Lenervoins and the Cooper Cups that are there to kind of reel it in. We've got these players that are extensions of Mike McDonald in a way that I've never seen really.

13:28And maybe it became more obvious in watching something like Card Knox. The leadership qualities that these older players have and the younger players also being so eager for that knowledge. And not a lot of ego I'm seeing, even with the younger players, that could come in real cocky. You know, these guys could come in real cocky, strutting their shit. And you know, they're not. From what I'm seeing and hearing, they're all out there, busting balls. And I think that has to do, it starts at the top. It starts, you know, well, I won't go all the way to the top because I don't know the new owners yet. But, you know, I'm going to go with John and Mike and they set this tone. And look, I'm excited about this season for everything that we've just talked about in the last 10 minutes. I like having people overlooking us.

14:29And I don't know. People say it's a specific Northwest. I kind of call bullshit on that. But sure, let's say, you know, we're not in a big market. Well, we just sold our team for the most money in the history of a sports franchise. So we're doing okay up in the Pacific Northwest that nobody knows about. I don't buy that. I think it's a sea hawk thing. It's a sea hawk thing. It's a sea hawk thing. I do think there's a little Northwest thing, but I get you on that. We're talking to Jeff. Yeah, I heard you talking about that. We've been around that. Hawks have been around for, you know, a long time since, you know, mid 70s. And look, Seattle, you know, it hurt who it hurts. It hurts anybody. It hurts us on our, we have to trap because no matter where we go, it's a flight. It's a long flight, especially in fact, he trips.

15:32And I hate to point it out, but we have the best road record in the league for the last couple of years. And so suck it. And everybody that's like, we don't know what to say. We're talking about the Rams because they're in LA. No, you're not. You're talking about the Rams because they're worried about the sea hawks and they're doing everything in their power to stack that team. But I hate to be the bearer of bad news for all the Rams fans. This is going to be a war of attrition. And by the time we hit the end of season, I'm not seeing some of those Rams on the field. And we may have that luck too, but it's not, it's not on paper what it is now today is not what's going to be in December. That's exactly right. I think, I mean, health is one of the most, I'm not super stitious anymore. Talking about health is one thing that I get superstitious about still in the sea hawks and the Rams were remarkably healthy. Remarkably healthy. The 49ers were not. And that's not to say the sea hawks and Rams didn't have any health issues because they

16:35certainly did. The sea hawks missed even worry for part of the beginning of the year that I miss weather spoon. Julian love missed a lot of the season. Charles Cross missed the last three games. Like other budget guys were gone, but that is a huge factor in any season. A huge factor. And this year, unfortunately, we're pretty dinged up on the defensive side of the ball. I still have my hopes that, you know, even warrior will be back, but I'm real sad about bud. I really wanted to see him out there on the field. I think he was going to be another, another many, even warrior. And Mike was going to use them all over the field. And I was so excited to see what he could do. We're, you know, if we want to talk about some concerns, I'm a little, I got my thoughts on our cornerback situation. That's a little bit of a concern, especially. Can I ask you something there? Would you feel better if Rick Willen was still there?

17:36You know what? I saw that yesterday and today. What was the answer? I know what we got rid of him. And I wouldn't mind having one on the team right tomorrow. Yeah, the cheer up has been applied pretty well. Be into the season. We had some issues with him at the top of the season. I think he was one of those players. We kind of just were talking about that had some ego stuff going on that I think needed to get checked. Mike checked it and he ended up coming back and having a strong second half of the season. And, you know, John's got a philosophy of he's not going to, he's not going to pay what he doesn't think you're worth. And so that was the end of Rick, even though I think he, he closed out the season pretty well. That being said, we've made some crazy roster moves in the last just in the last couple

18:37days. And so you wonder, you know, what, what they're seeing on the field. You've been there every day. What did you see on the field in that corner backspot? Well, so it's funny you asked that. I went through two-thirds of training camp and the story for me was, man, the offense has been the better unit. This is surprising to me. And I was very steadfast that this wasn't the defense was bad. It was the offense. Looking good. It was really good. Cooper Cup, I think, had a remarkable training camp that I just, I talked to other guys that were like, wow, he's been really good. You don't expect that from Cooper Cup at the stage of his career. And then, you know, Tori Horton, when he was on the field, which was most a camp, he was really good. JSN was still JSN. Rashidji, he looks really dangerous. Daryl and Price looks like he's going to be very, like Sam Darnold looks very much in command. So that was all really positive. But it got to the point where I was like, it's so much that I'm starting to wonder about

19:40the cornerback position. Like there's not a lot of people making plays on the football. And literally two days later, the Terry and Arnold news comes out. And then a week later, the Trave on Digs news comes out. And you know, then a few days after that, they make a trade for Avery Smith. I mean, yeah, that's that's three cornerbacks that you add now technically, Terry and Arnold not really added, but, but you add three to your potential roster in a span of like 11 days. I think it's pretty clear. Like, it's like, people will say whatever they want. They're in lies. They're in lies at concern. Even in, you know, this week one matchup, when he's cornerbacks, spoon can't be everywhere. He tries, but he can't. I will say Josh Jones had a nice can. I really hope even more he comes back sooner than than I think he is.

20:41Like what do you, what's your, what's your current feeling? I think he's going to miss week one. I mean, I think that's the safe, probably play both physically and for my heart. Man, I sure would like to see him out there. I saw him. I saw some video him running this week and he looked good. But then, you know, in the hard knocks, it showed him going and talking to Mike a couple times and I just didn't feel like he was there mentally, maybe even like it, you know, and I want him there mentally. I want him there 100% physically and mentally and it's a tough game. So we'll see where he plugs in. Well, we've got you for another couple of minutes and I'll just say on that front, I mean, I had the video out there yesterday showing him running out of the practice field and that people are excited about that. That's good. But he was running out there without his helmet, which means he was very likely not to be participating in the practice and it is Friday.

21:43Yeah. Well, yesterday was Thursday. They're playing in six days from then. Like so the likelihood that he is going to be a full go in practice and that they are going to feel fine about him getting his first real practice reps and then playing in the game seems really unlikely, especially because week two, you get the long break. It's a Wednesday to Sunday transition. I think, I think it's realistic to hope that he's ready for week two. I think so. But it might be longer than that. I mean, they play Arizona in week two. Do they really? Yeah. They need him in week two. They need him out then as well. I mean, look, there was a way I'd love to see him in week one, but I don't think that's realistic. And then if we're, because he's missed, you know, so much time, let's make sure he's 100% and he's hip with all his assignments. I'm sure he is.

22:43And wait until after Arizona, because if we can't beat Arizona, then we've got bigger problems than just Nick, you know? Yes. For sure. For sure. So what's, what are you most excited about going into this season? I'm excited to be honest with you. I'm really excited to see what Sam's up to. I mean, I know our defense is going to be great. And look, we're going to deal with some injuries, but you know, by week three, four, we're going to be doing our thing. So I'm really excited to see Sam and the offense, new OC. I think a lot of it's going to be the same. I'm a little bit worried just because it's in my nature to worry a little bit about the running back situation. I sure wish, you know, Jarvan A was back just because, but I really like what I've seen a price, but I haven't seen him other than, you know, playing some, you know, against

23:47the defense without helmets on the pad. It's really, you know, I haven't seen him take a hit yet. So, you know, I think we're going to rely a lot on him and I'm excited about that, but that's asking a lot of a first year dude. A first year dude who never started in college, which is crazy to think about, but I mean, you know, he's seen his highlights and stuff. He's the real deal. And I mean, just watching him in practice on hard knocks, I mean, he looks fast and his cuts look firm. So I mean, and I, you could hear the other players on the sidelines talking about him and they're all like Jesus, this is something. So I mean, I'm very excited to see him play, but we're still talking about a rookie out there starting week one, you know, catching a fast from Sam on the flat. We'll see, we'll see because we're going to need that. I'm excited to see what Fury brings to the table.

24:50Yeah, yeah, I am too. I'm really curious. And then I'm also curious kind of how people are going to react to the season. You're at this point, the CX 110 games in a row, they won the Super Bowl. They've with the best team in the league and they've got a lot of their great players back. How are they going to handle it if there's bump in the road? How are they going to handle like how are they handled? I have a pretty good idea in the locker room, how they handle it, but how will they handle it fan wise, how will the ownership handle it? You know, it's usually not as easy as, you know, you win in one Super Bowl, you come back and you just win every other game. Well, we know from, it's how it hurts. We've been through that before. You know, look, beginning of every season is a toss up. You know, we might, I think we'll probably lose, you know, three games this year, four, three, four. We're going to win one more than the Rams.

25:50That's all I give a fuck about. And then, but it's always, we always lose one that we shouldn't at the top of the season. Always, every year we lose a game that we shouldn't lose. I don't think it's going to be the Patriots. I don't think it's going to be Arizona, but we'll, we'll slip up somewhere in there and that's okay. That's all right. I think that Mike uses that. I don't expect us to continue another 10 game winning streak. It'd be great, but we know how this game is and it's not an easy game. And now every team in the league is copying what the Hawks did last year. You know, every wants to be the sea Hawks, which means they've all spent all summer, you know, research and what the heck Mike was up to. So, you know, in doing that, teams may be a little bit more prepared for our defense. I think, so that's why I'm kind of so excited to see Sam. You know, he's been, you know, overlooked his entire career and I believe he's a TAL-5

26:54quarterback. He's going to give a shit with anybody says I will argue it all day. And I think he's going to prove it this year and I can't wait to see it. I, you know, we were just talking at the beginning of when you came on about how great Baldi is as an analyst. I'm going to give you some flowers, man. I don't think I've heard anybody make that point, which I think is a really good one about how much people have been studying what the sea Hawks did, both because they won the Super Bowl, but also because they played all those games and because Mike McDonald's had all that success. And yeah, I think that I don't think you can replicate Mike McDonald the same way you can't replicate Sean McDay. But it is a matter of people trying to dissect it and that one of the things that's interesting there is if you compare it to a Sean McVey or a Kyle Shanahan, those guys have been able to stay ahead and continue to be successful on their side of the ball. So far, Mike McDonald has had the number one defense wherever he's gone in multiple places,

27:57multiple years with multiple rosters. And now this is the first time that he will be in the same place three years in a row. So if you think about a mechanic unfurling his tools for a job and Mike McDonald is, he is in a zone of comfort and in his mad scientist lab in a way that he probably has never been able to be before. He's on iteration three, four, five, six, seven here where he's had to start over from scratch in these other places when he goes to a new team. No, he's, you know, he's the McVey of defensive mind. I mean, that's same. I think McVey is an offensive genius. And I think what Mike is doing, there no one can touch him on the defensive side. I wish he had a couple more of them tools in the tool chest that, you know, we drafted. I really, I was so excited about, you know, you could almost see his mind working like

29:04a mad scientist. And I have no doubt that he's going to, whoever's on the field is going to be awesome. Again, there's concerns a corner. There's a little bit of worry at safety position and our depth is tough right now with injuries. But look, I'd rather be injured at the top of the season than at the end. Let's get everybody healthy and make our run when we need to do it. In the meantime, I still think, you know, the hawks are, you know, tops two, three teams in the league going in with injuries. So it's, it's, it's, we're okay. All right. I love us. Last, last thing I got to ask you and then I'll let you get on with your comments. Oh, man. So in your line of mind, in your line of work, you read a lot of scripts, right? A lot of scripts come across your desk. If the sea hawks, last year, came from an off season where everybody panned it, said

30:06they were going to be terrible for trading Geno Smith and DK Metcalf and signing Sam Darnold. And then they not only aren't terrible, but they beat the Rams twice. They beat the 49ers in Levi's stadium to get the number one seed. They trounced the 49ers again in the playoffs. They're two biggest rivals. Then they beat the Rams at home and then they win the Super Bowl against the Patriots, the team that had haunted them and they do it on the 49ers home field and they do it in the 49ers home lock room. If they follow that script up with going into this season where everybody is like the Rams, this Rams that see Hawks are after thought. If they do it again, they win the division. They win the NFC championship and then they win a Super Bowl on the Rams home field in the season that everybody gave them the Super Bowl for the season even started. Jeffrey Dean Morgan, would that script be believable if it came across your desk?

31:10Yeah. Yes it would. And it would be my new favorite movie of all time. It is, yeah, it's believable. I just think this team is different. We can talk and we have talked. When Pete left, I was such a Pete guy and I remember those great years and then, who does Mike came in? We all saw this shift happen and then last year what we did, I mean, you just went through it. The highlights of that run, they were insane and how we did it. And that two point conversion and the Rams. I mean, there was crazy stuff that you, if I read, I'd be like, this has got a little bit too much fiction in it and yet it was all true. So I think going into this year, the sequel is more than possible.

32:16It's Godfather too. It's better than the first movie. And that's saying something. And yeah, I can see it happening. I just think we're built differently. I really do. I think there is just something different about this team than any other program out there. So well said, always an absolute. I am. Thank you. So excited to see the start and then we're back together Brian anytime. Let's do it. It's great man. Have a great rest of your day. That's a good. Where should people should know from you coming up? There should be a lot to fit. We got the two things going right now. Dead City is on, you know, AMC and AMC plus a big way through the season there. And then I've got a show on Amazon called Sterling Point, which has been doing really well. Buh, buh, buh, buh, buh, buh. And you know, I just filmed the second season of Destination X.

33:16So you know, we're still we're still cooking with fire over here. I have started by voice overwork for the sea hawks. Just did a couple of things. Did a piece on Rashid and Dixon. So the specialist, which was fun. It's a new thing that the sea hawk studio is doing. And so I'm thrilled to be part of that and still doing the sound. Yeah. So I'm, you know, keeping busy and keeping one foot in that sea hawk door brother. Well, thank you for the time. And on behalf of a bunch of sea hawks fans, thank you for your contributions to set in the stage for anytime. I will be up here this season. I was really trying to get a ring yesterday. I'm like, it's been like three years. I've been on the payroll. You know, it's $3 an episode. But whatever. Can I get a ring with you? I think you should. Everybody's like, I love my pay grade. I was the only half joking. And then I think people thought I was serious.

34:17So I kind of leaned in a little bit just to see. Well, next time I see you, I'm going to be looking at your finger. I'm going to believe it. If anyone made it, don't worry. I'll give you one, too. Fuck it. Let's go. Love it. Love it. Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Always great, man. Great to have him back on the show.