Baker Mayfield agrees to three-year extension with Bucs

0:00We have to live Wednesday, September A, we have been waiting. Haysha, I or otherwise, for the season to arrive. And on the day before the season started, the Tampa Bay Buckingeers, out of the blue, I don't even think there was a five minutes advance notice heads up to the insiders. There may have been, I think there may have been, you know how it goes, it gets leaked, it's an exclusive and then they announce it. Baker may feel a three year extension that had been a sticking point two versus three three year extension on top of the contract that he already had for 2026. He'll now be signed through 2029, 165 million, 55 million per year. New money average. Now it's 165 plus 27. That makes it math is hard. 192 divided by four.

1:01That's lower than 50. That's 48 million per year. That's the difference between old money and new money. New money's 55 total value of the four year deal is 48 million per year, which when the range is 20 to 65, if we look at the total deal, four years, 48 million per year, I'm fine with that. Are you fine with that? Yeah, totally fine with that. You know, I think that's what the problem was. I think that new money number was too low. And then the average that you're talking about with the 27 this year, it was just like, what? That's kind of disrespectful. I'm above that. You know, and again, I never got the sense just from things I know that Baker Mayfield was looking to be the top paid guy in the sport. He just wanted to be paid like, hey, I'm pretty damn good starter. Pay me like it. And as you know, I mean, I certainly think he's one of the 10 best quarterbacks in the NFL. So I'm glad they got it done. It made no sense not to you know, I root for the bucks. I root for the Glazer family and I root for Baker Mayfield that way.

2:05And so I think it was a smart thing. There's not that many of these guys going around. Franchise guys that make you look and go, oh, wait, he's, ooh, they got him a quarterback. Oh, they got a chance. And Baker Mayfield makes your franchise and the fan base feel like that. And there's importance to that. And we're in a, and we're in an era right now where, you know, NFL teams are getting and valued at $10 billion and all that. Well, if you're winning and you got a quarterback, it will be that. But if you're a loser team that doesn't have quarterbacks, you might get 8.5 billion. So there's a lot of money to be made there with the overall how your franchise looks with that franchise quarterback and the continued winning and success and all that. So I think this was great because Baker Mayfield is, we know, it could have, I think it could have got uncomfortable if this went on during the season. Not that I think it would affect it as play, but it could have affected as play. You can get so chippy and so annoyed with people in the building that it can start to affect things. You're walking down the hallway and you go, oh, there's that freaking jerk

3:06who's low balling me. Oh, there they really believe in me here. You know, damn, I'm the franchise. They're telling me to lead the team and do all that, but you know, they're not putting their money where they're mouth is. And I think ultimately they realize that they were playing with fire there. They got a guy make him your guy and make everybody know it. And I'm happy for the bucks that way. I like they haven't even do a zoom from a closet and see out. They really want me here. I know, no, I'm not sure. I think those are legitimate questions that we need to know. We need to know. And the other reality is it relates to bigger mayfield's health, his cocktail of injuries and how it affects his play. One area where things could have gotten very awkward this year. If bigger mayfield has a knee, a shoulder, an elbow, right? And he wants to power through it because he powers through everything because he got his first opportunity in high school when he had lost the job in the training camp competition

4:10to the guy who got injured on the fourth snap and make field went in and never looked back. He doesn't want Jalen Daniels to go in. Wait, is that J. It's Jalen Daniels? Yeah, yeah, you're right. We got the Jalen Daniels, Jalen Daniels. Hopefully Jalen Daniels doesn't wear number five. But Jalen Daniels gets an opportunity in a contract year for bigger mayfield. And the bucks have an incentive to see what Jalen Daniels has. So you get to Halloween and mayfield's got three different injuries and there's pressure to pull them out of the game and put the other guy in. And the unsettled contract becomes this atmosphere, this poisonous cloud that potentially affects the entire relationship strategic decisions, people looking below the surface. Now everyone's on the same page. It's come together. It's do what's in the best interest to the team to win. And if Jalen Daniels ends up playing because Baker may field his heart,

5:13it's not going to be. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, maybe they may be he's being groomed. Maybe he's next, maybe they don't want Baker. And the other side of it too is they had to ask themselves, what are we going to do if bigger mayfield's the quarterback of the Falcons next year? What are we going to do about that? Yeah. Because the Falcons got no answers as of right now. And they got to be looking and we've already discussed maybe they are exploring their options for 2027. And you could try to trade for somebody or you could just say, hey, unrestricted free agent, welcome to town. And wouldn't Baker mayfield after everything that's happened this year without that new contract from the bucks feeling disrespected? Going to a division rival, he would love that. So smart move, win, win 48 million per year on a four year deal. That's what we need to call it. I know it looks good for the agents and that's how the game works.

6:14If you give me the information, I'll tag you on Twitter. I'll say it's 55 million a year, even when it's really 48 million a year. And I'll see the full breakdown too. For all I know, there's a Fugazie fourth year that's going to get tied up that's going to be some ridiculous number that the Buccaneers are going to have an incentive to not honor. I don't know that final year was indeed a sticking point. So we will see what happens with mayfield and the bucks moving forward. But it's good news. They can focus on the task at hand. The opportunity to go to Cincinnati beat the Bengals. That's not going to be easy at all. They relish the chance to go on the road when no one believes in them. But now it just feels different. Like the Buccaneers fans I've interacted with are very happy that this is behind them. And they should be. Oh, it's toxic. Like you said, it can be toxic. It can go down that road. It's like an infection when the star player of your team, the most notable player on your football team.

7:17And you see an organization not rewarding him. And yet you go, man, he's the best player. He puts his body on the line. He does everything for us to win and they don't take care of him. That's how like, you know, sarcasm and jokes about the organization and jokes about the coaches and the GM. They all start to happen in the in their locker room that way. You know, oh, you know, these cheap bastards. They don't pay anybody and everybody laughs. Oh, you know, these cheap bastards. They don't respect any of us. They have to do you know what I wouldn't do. So yeah, well, yeah. So that's a different story. But, but yeah, listen, the NFC South's wide open. And I had a I picked it, you know, division winners and all that. Yes, right? I'm still picking the books. I am now Baker may feel does need to play a safer brand of football. We love the way he plays. But, you know, if I could say one thing to him and just go, you know, we don't have to do all the craziness all the time. I love it. I love it. But, you know, you being banged up and not yourself has hurt your football team a few times throughout your career.

8:22Now, their old line, hopefully, will be healthier this year. They dealt with some injuries there that way. But I think they realized like the time is now to all the things you're saying, to where their team is at. They still have it when they're healthy. Have a very good offense of line. They have a potential if, you know, collage a can see Vita, Vaya, Yaya Diabi. And then Rubin Bain on the other side there. I mean, wow, that front four can be really damn good. And so that's where they can look at it and go, hey, we can dominate or stay on top of the NFC South here. And I think they came to their senses and realized why mess with this. 6 and 2 became 2 and 7. And the end result, if they don't turn it around this year, it could be the next head coach is inheriting three years of Baker Mayfield's contract. Because it feels like Todd Bowles is on shaky ground in Tampa Bay and some were surprised that he survived last year's. Collapse, if he didn't have the equity built up for multiple consecutive playoff appearances last year could have been enough.

9:27You hate to think one year of miss playoff is going to get you fired. But in today's NFL when there's 10 openings in a 32 team league, anything can happen. Gary raised a great question as relates to the Baker Mayfield contract, even though my answer was a very curt. To letter no, his question was does this affect Lamar Jackson and it doesn't affect Lamar Jackson. Because Lamar Jackson didn't try to get Baker Mayfield money. Lamar Jackson wants Pat from the homes money. We're still 9 million short, even under the best possible characterization of the Mayfield contract. We're not knowing you're short of what Lamar Jackson is trying to get and actually 10. Because if my homes are 64, Lamar 65, when it was back at 60, it was going to take 61 for Lamar. And I continue to fully expect that they'll get a deal done in time in Baltimore and some Ravens fans may be surprised that I'd say that because they may think I've been trying to agitate for Lamar Jackson to go to Miami or be traded to a team like Atlanta or go anywhere of a Baltimore.

10:31And I'm just trying to read tea leaves, whether it's the surface of them or between the T leaves to come to the conclusions about where the wind is blowing right now. I believe the wind is blowing toward a conclusion where Jackson at some point in the next 12 months will sign a deal that will make him the highest big quarterback in the NFL. So Mayfield doesn't matter. It may feel it only matters if Mayfield had leapfrogged my homes and moved the bar even higher because then that moves higher what Jackson's going to do Chris. Yeah, yeah, I hear you there. That's definitely one of the stories to follow here through the year. You're right about that. But yeah, I don't think Baker Mayfield's contract has anything to do with that. We know Gary loves him some Lamar Jackson. But regardless, like the bucks, like you said, it's a big year. That's the big thing. It really is. And it's a big year for Todd Boles. And I'm sure nobody's more happy to see him get this done because the problem in Tampa Bay. The last few years has been what the defense, the defense, the defense, the defense and it's a defense of head coach.

11:34So that's not going to go well on ownership to go. Hey, yeah, we hired you to coach the defense and were the 18th, the 20th, the 19th ranked defense in the sport. And we get gashed in every big game with huge past plays. That's got to change. And that's where I think the onus is on on Todd Boles here and to see where this goes. And hopefully he can straighten some things out. They don't have the most talented secondary in the world. They need that front four on defense to really show up in a big way. That's going to be a big thing. But you get Baker Mayfield done. We tread forward and let's see if they can, you know, take advantage and win the NFC South. It's basically, lovey Smith's revenge 10 years after many still believe, lovey Smith was bumped out of the job so they could promote, they're cutter the offensive coordinator, lest they lose him. Two straight years now, Liam Cohen on the other side of the state, the other side of the peninsula and Florida, turning things around quickly after he leaves Tampa Bay, the year before that day of canal is in the division, winning the division in his second year.

12:38So last year, the offensive coordinator didn't work out and it just made things even worse for the bucks defense offense wasn't good enough this year. It's got to be better or there will be major changes in Kansas City. It had been very good every year until last year, six and 11 when, when it went, it went with a major thought and it was punctuated by the week 14 knee injury suffered by Pat Mahomes on December the 14th. Week 15 on the 14th. I've been flipping that in my brain week 14 on the 15th week 15 on the 14th. I think it was week 15 on the 14th of December that the ACL was torn. He is on track, Patrick Holmes is to play week one Monday night football against the Denver Broncos. Here is his head coach Andy Reed on my homes prospect of playing in just a few days. Pretty good chance of Patrick will go ahead and start unless something were to come up here and the next couple days, but most likely he'll be the guy that's out there. I mean, he's showing everything there.

13:46Pete, he has, he has missed a day, as you know, and you guys have seen him out there. So, you know, what it looks like him running around and doing his stuff. You know, rather than having a brace on his leg and everything looks normal. I mean, he's running running around the same way he's always done and throwing the ball like he's always done so. I think we find that. You know, maybe I just need a bookshelf up here. Maybe that's all the difference, right? He's got wood behind him. Maybe there's some shelves there. Get up and open those doors behind you. Maybe let's see what's in there. I'll just open the closet and there's some shelves in there. We'll try that after the break. The first game of the season is the different vibe for me as it relates to the pregame show. A given Sunday involves chasing the things that have happened over the course of the day because of the time of day that we do it.

14:49Wednesday night show. I go in a bunch of different directions, shaking trees to see what may be out there and something that. I don't think is going to make the cut because it didn't make the cut for rehearsal. Yeah. There's a quiet optimism. That my homes is going to be my homes again. To the extent touchdown interception ratio matters. He had the highest of his career in training camp this year. The extent that the presence of Eric the enemy matters and it does some of his best years with Eric the enemy and my homes arguably the most excited member of the chiefs that the enemy is back this year. And yes, he was gone for a couple of weeks after that tragic shooting of his wife in Virginia, although she's doing well and she was doing well enough that he could rejoin the team be enemy back. I know that the money they gave to Kenneth Walker III tells the world they plan on running the ball and my understanding is they do plan on running the ball more than they have, but we'll see about that.

15:59It's the guy who says I'm going to the gym every day. I bought the membership. So I'm going to the gym. I've been there bought the membership. And I'm still going to do what I'm going to do. So paid for the running back investment in the running back. Going to use the running back. I'm still going to do what I do. I'm going to throw the ball. So bottom line like Reed said, the only difference is the brace. My homes is back. And I think we're going to see it on Monday night. And I think we're going to be surprised because people have already written off the chiefs based on their collective performance last year. And I think we're going to see the reception. The home is going to be hopping around on one leg like it's a pogo stick. Well, I you know, listen, my homes is the man. He's one of the greatest quarterbacks ever. Now, I mean, Andy Reed going, yeah, I think he's on track to play. Does it isn't like, oh, yeah, he's ready to go. I mean, oh, yeah, I think we're heading that way. That didn't sound like it was like, oh, he's 100% ready to just tear it up. It's trying to he's playing some games.

16:59Well, I mean, listen, Kansas City doesn't give a damn about the other quarterbacks on the roster. They're preparing for, I mean, Denver's not preparing for Justin feels they're preparing for Patrick Mahomes. Now, with the offense, I am interested too. You're right. I mean, Andy Reed, as we know, has been an offensive genius for a long time. One of the negatives is maybe he doesn't stay with the run. Mahomes, I know last week said it's going to be a different looking chiefs. I hope it is. If they come out and just try to throw shotgun and throw the ball there around the field and be what they are, they will not be anything special. I don't think so. I don't see it. And I wouldn't want to do that in week one against this defense that is led the league in sacks last year. And it's got some of the most talented people in the world there. And we got to issue it left tackle right now with Josh Simmons. And we don't know if he's going to play those are some dicey situations there. So I don't my homes is going to be really good. But I question the chiefs. I don't know that I couldn't pick them to go to the playoffs. I don't see it. I got them third in the AFC West. I don't think they're in the same class as the Broncos and the the chargers right now.

18:02But maybe this news changes style. Maybe some of these unproven young guys and commodities. They will rise to the occasion. But I am also extremely happy that my homes is playing. And I can't wait to watch that game Monday night because as you know, as we've talked about with New England and Seattle. Kansas City's got great pride. We know that their champs. They got a bad taste in their mouth. And I'm sure they want to show everybody their back here. But I think there's some things that for least for me, I got to see it to believe it first. Before I start to go, oh, yeah, they're back. You got one in that division chargers or Broncos? Oh Broncos. Yeah, I got the. Or Raiders. Yeah. Yeah, no Broncos. We're saving it. Oh, sorry, Gary. Sorry. How dare I go there when we're going to be talking about it later in the program. Don't don't tell us the Raiders. I'll pick in the Raiders to win the FC West with eight no con or ultimately playing quarterback. All right, let's take a break as the Rams make their way to Australia. The 49ers are coping with a significant injury.

19:03Another significant injury. Her to practice. Signair substation. And that's not a joke. I heard they are. Are you serious? Yes. I heard their practice. Here are substations. Oh, my gosh. I'm going to be a little bit of a crispy flows the other. We're going to be at the live right after this. I didn't get to have my foot go first. You'll notice you're searching for ground as if a sprinter was searching for ground. Like that. We don't want to do that. We want to push. Good. Good job. There's a moment I go to shift here. If I go foot first, you can feel the power disappear. If I go hip first, you're like, oh, pushing the back. Before the hip. Shift. Really, really hard to pat an ass. See? That was really easy. Yeah, but you're going to be snapping it. That's amazing. It's amazing. Good. Amazing how for the same language. The patterns develop in the way the words come out of people's mouths. And it influences the other people around them.

20:03And it's just collecting. And it's amazing. It's amazing. It's amazing. The patterns develop in the way the words come out of people's mouths. And it influences the other people around them. And it's just collective adjustment of whether it's Australian New Zealand. England, Ireland. Totally. A southern part of the US. Yeah. It's weird topography that I reside in in West Virginia where it goes from sounding like Pittsburgh to sounding like middle America to sounding like the deep South to sounding like Randy Moss, who is an amalgamation of all three. Yeah. It's just crazy how the same words. Sounds so different. Yeah. Coming from different people who just live in the same place. It's crazy. No, it is. Except it. I remember I was a kid. This is right on topic. So, you know, bear with me. I was amazed when you would hear.

21:06Like the Rolling Stones sing. Sound like Americans. Yeah. Stop. And it all sound like Americans. The accent doesn't translate for the most part of the singing. Although sometimes the accent's so bad, you can't get away from it when it's time to sing. Anyway, that's your sociological lesson. Thank you teacher. You get credit in your continuing sociological education class. You get a 10 minute credit. I was in the South and I definitely rubbed off on me. Of course, as you know, my dad's from Kentucky. You know, years and years. Of course, people up in New Jersey and New York where, you know, you still got a southern accent. Right? And I mean, you're right. It's, you know, y'all down South and it's you guys up here in the Northeast. You know, for the first down in Texas and they were going, hey, we're fixing to go here. I was like, you're fixing what? What? What are you fixing? Huh? What? You're fixing to go somewhere? Oh, okay.

22:06All right. I'm going to get around that. So it is. It is very funny. And you find yourself, yeah, when you live in those areas and you're around it, you do start to kind of sound. Even though I was, you know, a Yankee from the Northeast, I was down there and down South saying all sorts of southern phrases and slowly but surely kind of changing the way I say certain things. It is, it is funny. Fixing not to be confused with fiksins. Very different. Oh, yeah, the. Aaron Donald not fix into play in Australia. Yeah, I was trying to. Her assours with knowledge of the plans have a range of the Aaron Donald likely snaps for Thursday night's game. 49ers meet in Australia. And when I got the word yesterday that he's not playing, I said so the range is zero to zero. That's the range that will be disclosing exclusively tonight on football night America special Wednesday edition. Aaron Donald zero to zero is the range.

23:08And it is a surprise. We talked about this before. He showed up in 2018 one day later on the calendar for a game played on the same day September 10. He played 62 out of 70 snaps this time around. Not going to do it. Not making the trip. Which is surprised because recently Sean McVase suggested everybody's making the trip. And I just assumed he would make the trip. But look, it's benefit analysis. You know what this is going to do to the body. You know what the travel is going to do. If he's not going to play, if he's not going to play much, let's just not take him. And I think that's probably a factor here. If this had been a home game, you dress him. You let him go through the pregame routine. And maybe give him a few snaps. But because you got to take him with you all the way to Australia. No, no, just stay in LA. And. And we'll figure it out once we get back from Melbourne. I think that's obviously what they've decided to do.

24:09And it is a surprise because we were kind of led to believe it was working in the direction of him playing. Yeah. I mean, it's it's like surprising, but not shocking. I mean, we just talked last week. He had to play 11 on 11 football. So, you know, within that, you certainly can go, oh, okay. Well, yeah, he's not ready yet. He's not ready. And I don't think he's the type of guy that wants to go out there and look at average. I do think this is one where when McVeigh said everybody's traveling, he was a little bit like, yeah, let, let Shanahan and company keep game planning like he's going to be out there. Let them deal with that. Shanahan took a big, big, deep breath last night. And was like, oh, gosh, thank God he's not going to be there. That's one less thing to worry about because of course the 49ers got a whole bunch of things to worry about. And with their own team altogether. But it is disappointing a little bit because I think we all want to just see it. Hey, we've been talking about it so long. I want to see Aaron Donald next to Miles Garrett. And what's that going to look like with those two guys? Wait, that guy's a defense attacker and he's smaller than the defense head and guy.

25:09That's a Greek God. But yet, you know, it's awesome and they're both got muscles pop out of their ears. We're going to see it and quarterbacks are going to see it, you know, which they would rather not. But, but yeah, I think he's waiting to get tip top and make sure he feels like he is in game shape to not endanger himself. And it's the long play as we've talked about a lot. So I'm not totally shocked that he's not going to be playing in this one. Said Kyle Shanahan from the future in Australia. You guys last time I talked to you, Aaron Donald was definitely playing. I've never been more excited to be wrong about something. There you go. We've established they are operating in the future in Australia. So. Did they find out before or after us that Aaron Donald wasn't playing. And then I thought back in and I'm self is giving me a headache. Another source of migraines for the 49ers, the nonstop injuries, Alfred Collins out for the season with a torn patellite tendon.

26:14He was injured at 49ers practice on Tuesday. He was slated to start at defensive tackle slash nose tackle second round pick. I believe in 20 25 and he is done. And that's the worst part about overseas travel and games. Suffering a serious injury and then having to fly home with that serious injury. That has to suck the swelling just everything. How long do you stay? Where do you get it surgery? Remember the safety from Georgia who was the first round pick of the Vikings. Lewis sign. Yes, sign C I N E. Yes. I got the serious leg break. In hot spur maybe his foot got caught on a seam there. And you got to get surgery. In England. So nothing against the various medical providers. In the London area, I'm sure they're top notch.

27:14It's just something you don't really consider when you choose to play football. One of these days, I may need emergency surgery. I can't believe I'm in England. So it's just look, it's a bad situation anytime it happens, but to have it happen all the way in Australia. It complicates things and that's another check on the ledger in favor of staying home as long as you can. Because if you go over there and set up shop for a full week, you are embracing the possibility that somebody's going to have a serious injury, not the game, but in a practice. And he's going to be in Australia. And he's going to need surgery. And in the medical care, we're going to need to plan for this guy. This is a big blow. This is a big blow to the 49ers. I think a lot of people are going to look at this and go, Oh, Alfred Collins. You know, it's not Nick Boses, not George Kittle. Alfred Collins is the second round pick from last year. Their first round pick from last year in my Kell Williams is already not playing. Keon White is recovering from a gunshot wound and playing defense and there.

28:17And Alfred Williams is a budding star. I mean, he was a guy that I know they were extremely excited about. And now you look at their defense line and we got a Nick Boses, not totally healthy. And we don't know where that's at. It's just it's unbelievable. And Patel attended as we know. And as you know, it is really probably one of the most serious injuries you can have now as a football player. Patel attended a kill. It doesn't really get any worse than that. Patel attend is worse than ACL. I mean, it's so this is a huge blow. And this is not even this is now like is he going to be normal at the start of next year? It's that kind of injury that Patel attended. And that's what stinks and he's big. He's a runstuffer from the University of Texas. And a guy that not only is a runstuffer, but being that big, he's very disruptive too. A guy that we talk about, you know, that we always say, eth up the play guy. It can be can be that he could have been a start. And man, are they light on the defense of line now with big bodies? And that's what you worry about with the 49ers here. Small Adams would say the torn quad tendon is the worst he had that in 2022.

29:21It took him. Used to recovering. Then he had it again. Yeah. We've won the preseason. Not a very good. That's for sure. Maybe it for Jamal Adams and for Alfred Collins careers just getting started, but he's got to deal with this Patel attended. Good news for the 49ers. Both George Kittle and Nick Bosa. Are expected to play on Thursday. They're limited in practice. Kittle recovering from the Achilles tendon injury that he suffered last year. Nick Bosa. The knee. The tornado ACL. Shenan said we've got to be smart. Bosa not practicing as much. Kittle. He's had this whole week. They both look great. We definitely have got to be smart with that. Yeah. They got 16 games to go after this one. This is not a playoff game against the Rams. We've got to be smart with the 49ers. May view it that way. Chris. Yeah. This is big. And what you worry about is, yeah, he's not healthy. And then the okay. They shoot him up and he plays and doesn't linger into other games. So we'll see where it goes.

30:21Take a break. We'll be back with more right after this. FB Live September. Eight edition. And it started September 9 September 9 September 8 September 8th. Gary. Yeah. I mean, get it right. It's Wednesday September 9th, dummy. I mean, what is what are you talking about? Yeah. If you're in Australia, it's September 10th. You got no excuse there. Okay. My defense. I'm in other Australia. In my defense, I'm in Antarctica. The hidden civilization. You had met. Good Lord. And apparently, Dre Greenlaw believes in that too. Where has our society failed us that people believe the earth is flat, the earth is hollow. There's a secret civilization living in Antarctica. Where, according to DK Metcalf, all of the world leaders go to secretly have meetings. Although it's not really a secret because he knows that they go there to have secret meetings. Hey, I'm that that one.

31:22I don't I mean, I am in the conspiracy theories as you know, because you want the Texas. Yeah. This all has together. Yeah. It's a failure of the education system. How dare you? How dare you? Who's in college is going to class? When's the last time you heard any conversation about a player possibly not being eligible to play? They cracked the code on that. And. Hey, like Mac Brown used to say, Mike, you know, school first football second, right? That's what we do down at Texas. How dare you make fun of the fine institution of the University of Texas with all the bright minds there? How dare you? I like Cardell Jones said I didn't come here to play school. Hey, sometimes you know, sometimes there is conspiracies, right? I mean, like you've heard me say, if you think Lee Harvey all as well was the single gunman and that means you believe in the magic bullet that went through JFK took a right turn, took a left turn, went into somebody else took a left turn, took a left turn, and then took a right turn. If you believe that, then you're stupid.

32:22That's all I can say. But I'm not saying that. If you believe everything is a conspiracy, then you're stupid. And you can do the victory lap the one time out of a thousand, right? Yeah. Because I firmly believe it. And I hate the term conspiracy theory because it now connotes crackpot crazy ass unrealistic thinking, right? And everything's a conspiracy. That's a year and a roger's approach, not that he's a crackpot crazy ass, but if the crackpot fits, then so be it. But everything's a conspiracy. So I get one right. I'm a genius. Never mind the 998 out of a thousand that I got raw. I feel like I'm not in the necessarily conspiracy. My thing is I go, I don't believe what they're selling, right? The things don't line up. We can go put a man on the phone. Yeah. Well, that is that's a debatable one. But yes, I would say we did. I would say we did. But there's a lot of other ones that I'd go, yeah, they're debatable. I'm not selling. I'm not buying what they're selling. Come on, come on. Yeah. Come on, come on.

33:22No one's buying. Before we get to that. The LSU Tigers were buying the very real possibility that the SEC was going to kick them out of the conference because it started when they blinked on the question of whether they're going to add the two former NFL players, NFL players, more than that in a second. For Saturday's game against Clemson, now they filled the two remaining spots on the roster. They had two spots. They filled them with players other than the two. Yeah. Yeah. NFL players. And this whole former NFL player thing is just complete and total. See this is how you do a wind up before you swear. Instead of just dropping the F bomb like you did yesterday, it's complete and total. Mochette, motion, motion. This idea that a guy who's getting paid in college, whose eligibility was up and then the NCAA changes the rules and creates an argument for him to have another year of eligibility. So you can't come back because you're getting paid to play somewhere else, not to be confused

34:28with the fact that you were getting paid to play here. And just because you signed a piece of paper and you had an extended tryout with an NFL team, you weren't drafted, you were never paid. Yeah. You got to per DM. Exactly. You're in training camp. You're making more money at the college level. And like they've had eligibility issues. They really raised this with me a viewer. And this is one of the reasons why I wanted the good reasons why I read all my emails every once in a while, there's a good idea lurking around in there. They did turn it down, Chamblers, they're not running Ole Miss out of the conference. Diego Pavia, they didn't run Vanderbilt out of the conference. There's no difference. Getting extra eligibility is getting extra eligibility. In this case, the opportunity for the eligibility arrived after guys signed tryout contracts with NFL teams. They weren't NFL players. I'm with you. I love that you're saying that. I'm with you. I'm with you. The NFL teams, they weren't on NFL rosters. Yeah. Real roster. They were on the glorified 90 man cannon fodder for the preseason roster.

35:32That is not the same thing. And it's just part of this is the last thing I'm going to say. It's part of this effort to turn everything into a sky is falling crisis. So Congress will pass the Protect College Sports Act. Protect the SEC Act. Right. But it's all about falling back the earning potential and the freedom of mobility for the players. And let's turn it into this massive crisis to get Congress to pass this law. So the powers that be can regain some of what they used to have. That's what it is. And anybody out there I'm telling you, I don't care who it is. Anybody who is supporting publicly the Protect College Sports Act is against the players. To pick the pockets of the players and maintain limited mobility for the players. And if it's a current or former coach like Deon Sanders and Nick Sabin. The irony is those guys always chase the biggest bag. And they'll leave their current employer in the dust. The first opportunity they get.

36:33But no, we can't have the players do that. No, I listen, I you said a lot of what I agree with. First of all, you're not on the NFL roster. They were on NFL roster then all the benefits to kick in and all that. No, that's right. They signed a tryout clause. That's what it is. So that's the first thing. Then these are kids from the class of 22 that yes, if they were told before the draft or anything else, they would have been back to college. But the judge in the courts had not come to it or ruling yet. Now why would the class of 21 in the class of 23 also get the ability of getting the extra year, but the class of 22 wouldn't? So to me, yes, it doesn't make sense. And we're making way too big of a deal about it. I mean, we're like we've like I've joked about. We're acting like they brought back grunk in like Tom Brady like, oh, God, it's it's over. They got grunk now. Like, I mean, come on. Back at Texas. It's so exactly. It's ridiculous. And what I just think is funny is, oh, yeah, they went and practiced on NFL team, but we have no problem in college sports when the guys like 28 and he's been playing baseball

37:34and he comes and plays. Oh, that's okay. He's a grown man. He's going to go play with a bunch of kids. He's 29 years old. He's probably going to win the Heisman, but that's okay. So there's just so much BS involved in it. And that's what I don't agree with it. Nick Sabin brought Trent Richardson back when he was looking for an NFL job to run scout team offense against college players. So we're all being played. We're all being lied to and that's where conspiracies kick in. Diddo for the Western Michigan, Michigan thing. There are some developments. You'll find them at PFT, the Middegamerican conference expressing its view that the outcome of the game should be changed. I mean, yeah, I mean, the big 10 officials didn't follow the rules. It's kind of a thing. There's a lot of bread that's getting buttered by the big 10, a lot of Mac bread. No doubt. You thought people thought they'd keep their mouths shut because they want to keep playing those those Patsy games week one against the high state and Michigan, but you know, everybody knows what happened.

38:35Everybody knows that they did not have a real moon landing on Saturday night. Everybody knows that it was fake and it's not a conspiracy theory. And oh, Michigan dropped out of the AP top 25. Good. They should have lost. Right. It's a loss. It's a loss. The voters and music tree like that. Everybody's looking at that as a loss. Yeah. They're in a damn thing. The big 10 can do about that. Big 10 headquarters clock doesn't matter. See, this is what we didn't know. That doesn't matter. It matters about the clock that everybody's seeing in the stadium. The one in the stadium said zero, zero. How can the people that pulled the rules not know the damn rules that just that don't understand that? I don't understand it. We're going to look at a clock in our room 400 miles from where the game is at and we're going to go by that. We're not going to go by the one the actual teams and the players are competing against and the fans and everybody at home are watching. I mean, say that out loud. That is crazy. That is absolutely crazy.

39:35I'm glad. Yes. The voters need to act like Western Michigan one. Let's just treat them one and oh or two and oh and let's treat Michigan like they've lost their football game. I think that's the only fair way to do it. Yeah. Meanwhile, Bryce Underwood may get benched so much for the $3 million he's making per year at Michigan. But there's plenty of interesting stuff happening in college football. But it's the first day of the NFL season. When we return, we will give you our predictions on how the 2026 season will play out beginning with the AFC. That is next on this September 8, 9 or 10 depending upon where you are in the universe edition of P.A. It's 8 nowhere 9 and 10. Yes. P.F.D. live September 9 edition. Get it right. You dumbass 9. So AFC predictions. I had forgotten mine. Thank you, Gary, for looking them up and putting them in. We made them earlier this week with each of the PFT writers.

40:39Chris AFC East, who do you like out of the four teams, Patriots, Bill Jets? Well, I'm going with New England. I still think they're the best team in the division. You know, my thoughts there. Yeah, the best player in the division is Josh Allen. That's you can't argue that. That's for sure. But I just, you know, you know, my thoughts with Buffalo. Defense. Hey, I like that they got Jim Leonard there as the DC and all that. And we'll see how that goes. But I do question again, the top end talent in Buffalo. That's where I will see how the DJ more thing works out. But I just think too much of Raible and the moves they made in the off season to where I'm still going to give the Pats the win there. I think the bills are good enough to win the division. I think the challenge for them is going to come in the postseason when the pressure will be suffocating on the bills to get at least as far as Sean McDermott took them last year, which was an overtime loss in the division around. I don't think they'll have an issue winning the division. I think they'll hold it together and I think the Patriots will, even though they've improved,

41:41they will take a step back from what we saw last year. So I like the Patriots winning or the bills. Excuse me, winning the division, but it is very close and it's one of the only divisions in the NFL where there are two teams that are clearly the best and the other two teams that are clearly the worst and the two good teams are among the best in the conference and the two bad teams are among the worst in the league. Yeah, no, you're right. It's a very top heavy that way. And I'm with you in that New England's record. I don't know if I expected to be as good as last year, but I think there'll be a more dangerous football team. Their schedule is going to be harder this year as we know. All right, the AFC North Steelers Browns, Bengals, Ravens, who? Yeah, I'm Ravens here. I'm Ravens, Declan Doyle, the new offense. I'm excited to see that. They still got one of the greatest quarterbacks we've ever seen there. They still got Derek Henry and the big thing and the problem in Baltimore has been not dominating defense and they're going to have that. Jesse Minner is arguably the most creative, best defensive coach in the sport.

42:46I think they'll make a huge jump there. You know, hey, the Steelers, you know my thoughts there. I know the Bengals and I'm scared that I'm wrong with that, but it's just the Bengals defense. I got to see it to believe it first. I really do. And it was so bad last year for the majority of the year that I just can't put my name or stake my name to the claim that they're going to win the AFC North. Zach Taylor, the dean of the AFC North coaches by default, the other three were, and you could make the argument that Taylor should have been too. Could you imagine that if all four coaches from one division had been blown out, the pressure's on the Bengals this year. I'm buying what Joe Burrow is selling. This idea that he feels the connections to 2019, the since Bengals and the LSU Tigers, Tigers, Tigers, hey, it fits, but he feels that same vibe. The defense is better. I think they win the division. I got him. I got him going far beyond. Wow.

43:46I believe because the Bengals, if they get to the playoffs, they're very dangerous. They just haven't been able to get to the playoffs. All right, AFC South, Texans, Jaguars, Colt's Titans, who do you have? This is a tight one. I think the world of the Jaguars, you know, I think the world of the Texans. I think that it'll be neck and neck and neck throughout here. I think the Jaguars and the Texans are super bowl, caliber, football teams. I gave the edge to the Texans to win the division. I got Jackson. They'll still make in the playoffs. But yeah, that Texans defense, too good. I do expect CJ Stroud and that offense to have a bounce back year. I'm going to say they win a tight race there in the AFC South. Someone once told me the Texans defense is good enough to win games all by itself. It's good enough to win a division all by itself. It's good enough to win playoff games all by itself, whether it can get to the Super Bowl is a different issue. But I think the Texans do emerge as the best team in that division. They started knowing three last year.

44:46And yeah. And when I'm fire right right there nearly got farther than they've ever gotten in their franchise existence, dating back to 2002. They've never been to championship game. AFC West Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders, please pick the Raiders. Yeah, yeah, negative. I'm picking the Broncos. I'm going Broncos all the way. In fact, you know, I got the Broncos win in the Super Bowl period. That's what I got going on. I think it's this is the year. I think Sean Payton becomes the first coach to win two Super Balls with two different football teams. Bo Nicks, another year in that system. Now they got Jalen Wattle. They got they really gotten very, it's hard to find weaknesses on the Denver Broncos football team. It's one of the, it's the only, it's the only defense in football that I would put up there with Houston in that conversation and Ensi Adel. Sorry, I don't want to mess with them either. But it's special that way. Yeah, I think Denver is the number one seed host the AFC Championship game. Go to the Super Bowl. I'm not ready to write off the Chiefs.

45:46I think they're going to bounce back. I think that all of this talk, all of this chatter, all of this noise plays into their hands, a return to Eric Bannemi. I think it's huge for them. My home's going to be on a mission. Travis Kelsey in his last year. I know the spirit is willing and the flesh may be weak, but I feel like they'll get this thing figured out and they will find a way to claw scratch, fight their way back to the top of the division. And if Payton does become the first coach to win Super Bowls with two separate teams, he's getting a bronze bust. First guy to pull that off is getting a bronze. Totally. I mean, he might get one no matter what, but yeah, that definitely still defies it. You're right. Oh, there's a log jam there. Yeah. In a way, we didn't talk about this and maybe we were one of these days the way they've reconfigured the rules, it actually makes it easier for coaches to get in now because you can get in as a contributor and as a coach because as a contributor, they're broadening it to take into account playing coaching and other contributions to the game. So depending upon what else the coach has done, what he did is a player, what he did

46:48in media, put it all in one bucket, the Sean Madden category. So anyway, that's something to discuss later. Do we have our wild card teams? Very good. Yeah, your Broncos Patriots Jaguars. And then I'm Chargers Jaguars bills. I'm telling Jim Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel, you don't believe in them. That's what a what a jerk you are. I think I care. I think I care. I mean, good luck. Good luck getting a reaction from McDaniel because he'll be responding to the question, how are you for 37 minutes? So good you can get into the point. Damn. Tell your dad, I said hi, Florio. Shut up. I love McDaniel. I love Jim Harbaugh, but there's just something about the charge. It's right there hiding in plain sight. There's some defect there and I feel like it could manifest itself. I just take a break. NFC predictions on the other side. We'll be right back. BFT Live Wednesday, Editions, September 9. My calendar is finally straightened itself out.

47:50Not that it was me misreading it. OK, NFC predictions, Christopher David Sims, NFC East. Do you have faith in the gym? Are you going to pick one of their arch rivals? I'm going to pick one of the arch rivals. I'm going to Philadelphia Eagles. I still think they're the best team in the division. I think the giants are a pain in the butt. I like what they've done, but I at the end of the day, I could not pick the giants to go to the playoffs. I think they're in the conversation, but I don't think they get there. I believe in big blue. I believe. I like it. Now, I thought it was kind of weird that he gave an extended interview to ENO Conner of the Athletic about how he wanted to sign calling Kaepernick nine years ago in Baltimore, just because Kaepernick got some book coming out and Kaepernick's been talking recently. I felt like that was just kind of strange, but there's not going to be anything strange about the giants and what they're going to do this year.

48:52Foot to the ass. Pedal to the metal. Giants to the playoffs. I hope you're right. Who do you got? I think it's the toughest division to pick. I think you could pick the, you know, the team one can be four or four could be one. I mean, it is, it's really tough. I'm going with the Chicago Bears. I'm going to go with the guy that I think's the best coach in the division in bed Johnson. And I believe they got the best quarterback in the division too. Oh, I think the Vikings are going to win the division. I got to go into the playoffs though. I'm with you there. I think in the Vikings a wildcard team. The defense was great last year. Harrison Smith is back. Calvin. No, he is there. Brian Flores has shown that he knows how to game plan for anyone they face and the offense doesn't need to be much better. And I think they got something with Calamari. I think they are very happy with what they have with Calamari. Yeah, I got Sunday against the Packers. All right. The South. Who do you got? Also, another tough division to pick, but for different reasons because there's like,

49:54there's a flaw with every team in the NFC South as compared to the North where you're like, Oh, man, they're also good. I like it. The coordinators, the coaches are good. I'm going to go with the Buccaneers. I'm going to go again, the best quarterback in the division, Baker Mayfield. They got a damn good old line. They got some different makers on the D line. I'm going the Bucks. The Saints were one of the hot teams last year and we used to pay attention to that. How you finish and I don't get so jumbled from one year to the next. The Saints didn't get jumbled. Yeah, the South have continuity. I hear you. I believe in that division, I believe. All right. Wild card teams for me. Cowboys, C-Hawks Lions, C-Hawks Vikings, Cowboys for Sims. How do I do you? Yeah, and Rams when the NFC was. Yeah, the Rams when the NFC was. Yeah, what do we both have? I got the Broncos beating the Rams in the Super Bowl. I didn't know we got one more block. Sorry. I didn't know. Jack Bighead. Yeah, more people are having. NFC Live Wednesday edition.

50:55We don't have much time left, but we have just enough to get our playoff actually Super Bowl predictions for 2026. Who do you have? Well, I got actually the, you know, the Rams for the second time playing in a Super Bowl in their home stadium. But I got the Broncos coming in there and beating them. I'm going to take the Broncos to be the Super Bowl champs. Broncos Texans, NFC championship game, Ram C-Hawks rematch in SoFi, Rams win it, but Broncos beat the Rams in the Super Bowl. Rams Broncos had a Christmas day game a couple of years ago that was a sting. Remember that. Hopefully this won't be the Rams won that one. I've got Bengals Rams rematch five years later. And I got the Bengals getting their revenge. Wow. Rams team is dramatically different than it was. The Bengals get it done this time. Joe Burrow gets to smoke his victory ski in the bowels of SoFi standing. I'll see you later in the day from the bowels. See you. Have a great day.