Week 1 — 2026 Season Kickoff with Drew Brees, Matthew Stafford, and Jim Gray

0:00Let's go, here we go, let's go. Hey, we're back on the air. We got the MVP. We got another NFL season. Let's go presented by Delta Airlines at Delta every route every yard every takeoff is an opportunity for greatness. On Lock Your Potential when you keep climbing visit Delta dot com to book today. Matthew, how you doing, bud MVP as you get ready for another season headed off to Australia. Yes, sir, it's it happens fast. The offseason, you know, ends in a blink and we're back at it, but excited to get going again. Obviously a big game overseas for us that we're excited about against the division opponent. So, you know, ready to get this thing rocking a roll. What we're going to talk about that, but let's talk about the offseason for just a brief moment here. You know, when you win a Super Bowl, a lot of guys say it changes your life because now you have that title forever when you win an MVP is it the same thing?

1:03I don't know, you know, I don't think so. You know, I don't I don't wake up every morning and remind myself as I brush my teeth that I want the MVP. That's for sure. I do enjoy, you know, that award with my family and my friends and my teammates, you know, really that supported me through that through that season last year. But the great thing about this business is what is it, you know, what have you done for me lately and and the biggest thing for me is get back out there. What can I do, you know, to help our team be successful this year? You know, and that's my goal at the moment, but it was it was a cool award, a cool thing to celebrate and and share. But I'm ready to move on. You know, it's interesting. Will you move on until it's over? I think so. You know, I think every single year you just kind of sit there and move on and move on and go to the next thing and then whenever I decide the game decides for me that I'm no longer good enough to play or shouldn't be playing anymore. I'm sure there will be a bunch of time for reflection and appreciation, not that I don't have it in certain moments, but it doesn't it doesn't stick with me for too long.

2:05Your age is no longer old for the National Football League and Drew breeze was going to join us here on Let's Go and we're really pleased to have him as one of our partners gave you some advice this summer and I believe you contacted Tom Brady as well. Tom obviously played until he was 45 won a Super Bowl at 43. Do you approach it a little bit differently, even though you've only signed this one year that there is now a much longer term. Should you decide to do it? I don't know that I approach any different. You know, I understand that there is runway out there and has been for other guys. You know, whether that ends up being the case for me or not, that's yet to be seen. I truly, you know, make these decisions year to year. I talk about it with my girls and my, you know, my wife Kelly, my family, the people that mean the most to me and ultimately want to be, you know, upfront and fair with the team and my family as well on, hey, what's what's the best. You know, course of action and that's why I've kind of signed the one year extensions because I don't think it's right for them to lock me up to some major long term deal and then a year from now, me go, you know, what's just not going to work for me and my family and and then stick the team with a bunch of dead cap and all that kind of stuff.

3:17So just trying to be as prudent as I can while still understanding that yeah, there are times where I feel really good and feel like play isn't something that, you know, I want to stop doing any time soon. So it's a bit of an old subject, but we haven't had yon the Rams go ahead and use their first pick in the draft the 13th slot to draft ty Simpson. How did he doing camp and what's your relationship with him and what's your reaction to that now these many months later. Yeah, no, he's he's done great. You know, he's just beginning his NFL journey. I try to think back when I'm seeing him do this thing and talk to him and give him advice. I think back to myself when I was a young guy, my rookie year, it's hard to remember all the way back then, but you know, just how early in the journey it is for him and you know, he's soaking everything up. You can tell he's a coach is kid. He loves. He loves the game of football wants to be around it at all times. And then there's obviously physical talent. You don't get picked in the first round if you can't run around back there throw it do all the things you need to do at the quarterback position.

4:20So, you know, just happy to see his development. I think he's got a great head on his shoulders when it comes to understanding that it is a process. You know, and he's still, you know, learning and buddies enjoying that whole thing that comes with, you know, being a quarterback in the NFL early on in your career, trying to figure it all out, make it some great plays and make it plays that you learn from. So, you want to be a great teammate, but you also don't want this guy to take your job if you want to keep playing. Yeah, I mean, I think the biggest thing for me is I tell everybody all the time my number one job is to get myself and our team ready to play. You know, he he happens to be a part of that team and you know, he can talk to me. He knows that we've, you know, had many conversations on any advice I can give him whether that's on or off the field. You know, I'm always, you know, open for a conversation and trying to help him out as much as I can, but and he knows this to my number one focuses is is our team and myself and how can I, how can I get both our team and myself right to play as good a football as I can.

5:23Jim Gray with Matthew Stafford, the MVP of the NFL, his Rams are getting ready to go to Australia. They're going to open up against the 49ers. Let's go is brought to you by monster energy. Monster energy is about living loud going bigger and never backing down. That's the lifestyle. That's the beast. That's monster energy unleash the beast. Well, the first opponent that you're going to have is going to be that airplane. You guys are going 7,900 miles each way. It's 16 hours. It'll be a little bit longer coming home. So it's about 34, 35 hours in the air plus the ground time. You'll play a three hour game in Melbourne. Your thoughts on going to Australia. Can you sleep on a plane? I can. Luckily, you know, our team slash the NFL. I'm not sure how it's contracted out, but we've got a big old airplane where I think a lot of the guys, if not everybody will have some sort of a lay down seat, which is nice. I'm not worried about really sleeping on the plane. It's just when you wake up after your eight hour sleep, you still have nine hours to hang out on the plane.

6:28So it's just a lot of a lot of time up there in the air. Our team and our strength coaches and our trainers have a fantastic plan for us to get us ready to go. I've been to New Zealand once I went there for my honeymoon. It'll be a different trip this time. I had a couple of glasses of champagne on the way to the honeymoon. We'll be doing that this time. It's going to be a it's going to be a thing. But you know what? I'm happy to go out there and play this game wherever they want us to play it. I'm sure it'll be an amazing experience once we're on the ground and we get to go out there and play in a giant stadium full of bunch of fans that. You know, want to learn about the game. Want to know about the game and cheer us on. So I'm excited about it. It's a cool experience. If you told 12 year old me that I was going to be 38 years old flying to Australia to play a game against the 49ers. You know, in the NFL still I'd I'd have I'd assigned up 100 times out of 100. So I'm here and happy to be here.

7:30But we're not telling a 12 year old. We're telling a 38 year old. So does a 38 year old have different feelings than what he would express publicly? No, I don't think so. Honestly, you know, I mean, I know it's going to be a challenge. You know, I know it's going to be a challenge, but it's going to be a challenge for not only us, but the 49ers never really has to go over there and get this thing done. But I still am excited about it. It's the start of the season. They could tell us we're playing anywhere. I'd be fired up to go do it. So just happy to be a part of it. What do you make of the direct opposite approaches of the two teams? You guys are going to get on the ground there. You're going to leave at 945 tomorrow night Pacific time and you will arrive. That would be Tuesday. So I'm trying not to confuse the audience here. Yep. By doing that, you will arrive in Melbourne at 745 AM Thursday, because it's plus 17 hours. The 49ers have been there. Don't want to say on vacation, but they'll have been there for a week by the time this game is played.

8:32Yeah, I mean, our Wednesday just kind of evaporates into thin air as we see it. But we are. Yeah, I mean, I think that's, I bet if you looked around the league and thought even just normal schedules, people do it different everywhere. It's something that we've done a little bit. We obviously went to London last year after being on the East Coast for a week and landed about 24 hours before our game there. Woke up, played the game. Are there some difficulties to that? Yes. But I think on the way back home and how your body clock stays pretty darn close to West Coast time is a huge plus for us throughout the season. Anytime the balls put down and the fans are cheering and the ball gets kicked off, I mean, the adrenaline takes over. You're ready to rock and roll. And so I kind of like our plan, you know, and how we're approaching this game. I've never got to a game in my life and been like, oh, yawning and been tired and, hey, let's just go play. And I'm sure all the funnets out there will say whoever wins this game did it right. But in the end, it'll be about who throws and catches tackles blocks does all the fundamental things right.

9:38And if we can do that, I like our chances. Speaking of throws and catches and blocks and tackles, Pukin, Nuku, is he going to play? I think so. You know, I don't know through the league, you know, all those kind of things that go with that, the decisions that's above my pay grade. But, you know, he looks, he looks, he looks good out there at practice and hopefully he's ready to rock and roll. And how about Aaron Donald? And we can talk about his return, a huge return. He joined now Miles Garrett. So you've got a unbelievable defensive line as well as the rest of your defense there. Do you expect Aaron's going to play? I'm not sure, you know, I know that he's been doing everything he can. Come on coach. What do you mean you're not sure? I'm truly not. You know, I mean, he does surprising things every day. He's been two years out. And there's, you know, obviously with his name is just synonymous with great play. He's been doing a huge play in huge moments and dominating on the defensive line. But the fact of the matter is he hasn't played in two years.

10:44And so we've all seen him lifting weights and all that kind of stuff and getting his body ready to go, but there's something about putting your hands on another guy and trying to, you know, shed a block and get to the quarterback. So he's, you know, he's trying to, I imagine work through all those things. I haven't done that ever in my life. So I don't really know what that's like, but, you know, I know there's a lot of work that comes with it and a lot of feel and experience. So I'm truly giving him as much time as he needs to get himself to the point where he feels like he can be a good player for us. And, you know, but at the same time, he's, he's a determined individual and whatever he sets his mind to, he usually achieves. So I'm excited for him, excited for our team. Just happy to have him back in the building. What a, what a heck of a person and great player. And how are you dealing with expectations because everybody's looking at the Rams and saying, you know what? Super balls of luck. They're, they're the team. Obviously, there's a long way between now and then. And by the way, let's get this out of the way. How's your back?

11:45Back feels good. It's a long way between now and playing in February on Valentine's Day next year. But how do you deal internally with these expectations? Because you set a very high standard for yourself. And now the external expectations pile on. Yeah, you know, I, I do set high expectations for myself. I know our team does the same for us as a collective. You know, and then you say the outside world piles on. We don't see it that way. Don't really think about it too much to be honest with you. The practice is that we've had through training campers, good practices. I've been around. You know, not because of the so much of the talent on the grass. I mean, obviously that's a huge part of it. But just the mentality of our team. We have so many guys that we've brought in and luckily all those guys are the right kind of guys. And they come to practice every single day, create a challenge for me as a quarterback on, you know, the looks that I'm getting on defense and vice versa.

12:47So we enjoy that process, that practice getting to go against each other. That's what we focus on every single day is. Okay, hey, how can I go out there and be better? Obviously we understand the end goal like everybody's in goal is to go out there and win the Super Bowl. But we can't do that today. So why worry about it? Let's just be the best we can today. Let everybody in the media talk about who they think is going to win the Super Bowl and. You know, for us, we're just inside out that matter. Have you missed being bangered on your own program? No, it's been great. You know, it's great to be back. I figured week one might as well just. They're going after me and seeing how many, how many of these answers I can bore you to death with Jim Gray with Matthew Stafford. We got a brand new partner coming up. His name is Drew Breeze. So stay with us right here on Let's Go. Whether you're buying or refinancing a home, it all starts with the right home loan expert. Connect with one in your area at mortgage matchup.com. It's powered by United wholesale mortgage LLC equal housing lender NMLS.

13:47It's $330.38. It's licensed in all 50 states and the district of Columbia mortgage matchup.com. Drew Breeze, a Hall of Famer. We'll join us when we return right here on Let's Go. Welcome back to Let's Go. I'm Jim Gray along with Matthew Stafford. Need a romantic getaway weekend retreat or just a day of fun. Gold and nugget hotel and casinos offer the perfect destination for the ultimate getaway. With eight world class resorts from coast to coast, there's no better place to stay play and win. Visit golden nugget.com to book your getaway today. Matthew, how was that Taylor Swift wedding that you and Kelly went to Travis Kelsey. How did that go? It was fun. We had a good time. Obviously a great collection of people there and there to celebrate them, which was the best part about it.

14:52Great entertainment as you would expect. Great food in New York City. Stuff to beat. You had a great time. All right. We got a new partner, Matthew. He's somebody who we've all admired for a long time. Guy who we watched, watched him achieve perfection, won a Super Bowl, did so many great things after the hurricane. Katrina down in New Orleans that he became a national treasure. And now we're lucky to have him. We bring in Drew Breeze Drew. Welcome to Let's Go. We're excited to have you on and congratulations on going into the Hall of Fame. Thank you. Now great to be a part of this with you. It's always exciting to kick off another season, but to spend it with you guys is great. And you are able to advise Matthew this summer. Public reports have indicated that you guys spoke. Matthew's acknowledged it. What did you tell him about playing as he advances in his years? I just told him his best years could be ahead of him here. You know, I think there's this.

15:57Look, there's no there's no question that father time, you know, begins to try to take away, you know, some of the things that have gotten you to this point. But I think especially for the quarterback position. As you get into your late 30s. I think you've been a good out to the recovery and getting ready, you know, each and every day physically to play this game becomes even more and more of a challenge. But mentally and psychologically when you look at all that you know, a guy like Matthew has experienced you know, through being a starter in this league for so long. You can match up the pairing of still being able to throw the ball at a high level. Matched with the level of experience that he has. And then obviously having a great team around him and a great, you know, system with with Sean McVey. I mean, they could do some things over the next few years that would be, you know, the best of his career in my opinion.

16:57I mean, again, only he knows, you know, what his body is capable of. And look, honestly, in some cases, as you get older, if father time begins to take away certain physical things, you just play the game a little bit differently. But nonetheless, you can still get the job done at a very, very high level. And it's actually fun. It makes the game even more fun and more challenging on a daily basis on a yearly basis. As you begin to think about, you know, your regimen, your routine and what's going to allow you to go out and play at the highest level and get the job done, you know, at the end of the day. What's our job is to lead the team, but it's to get first downs, find completions and put points on the board, you know, and play complimentary football with with your defense. There's nobody in the league right now doing it better than the Matthew Stafford. What were you wanting to hear, Matthew? What type of advice would have would have great meaning to you at this point? Yeah, you know, I think the biggest thing for me was it was just a natural, you know, conversation for us, just talking about it.

18:01And I think the biggest thing for me was I know sometimes, especially after last season, how I started training camp and how I felt, you know, just, hey, you know, I'm not sure how long I'm going to be able to do this just because of the, you know, father time, like Drew said, and the wear and tear on my body over the years. But just sometimes here in somebody that's done it at a high clip for a long time and did it a high clip for a long time, like Drew, you know, give you that push that says, hey, you know, it could be the best few years of your career coming up and that's all I kind of needed, you know, felt great inside. So it was kind of like, all right, let's go. Let's give this thing another real shot at doing everything we can to try and play it at a high clip. And so that was, that was a great thing for me to hear. Obviously, I have so much respect for Drew and what he was able to achieve played against him a bunch of times and just his longevity, his prowess was incredible. So for somebody like him to say that to me, you know, meant a lot and definitely give me a little shot in the arm to keep going.

19:06So Drew Matthew comes off the disappointment of losing to Seattle and then having to watch them go in a Super Bowl. You had a similar disappointment with the Rams. Did you counsel or advise him how to come back when you get older as to putting that behind you and not having that be your motivation that one moment, that one instance. Well, I don't think guys like me or him need extra motivation. I mean, at this point in your career, I think you have so much gratitude for having had the opportunity to play the game for so long. You know, you want to win for so many reasons, you know, for your family. You know, he's got beautiful little girls that, you know, the older they get, the more they recognize what that has a chance to do and be a part of it all. I mean, just like, you know, I felt that way with my kids, you know, and you know, we're bringing them in the locker room and having them be a part of the journey. Then you just have this love and affection for your teammates. You want to want to, what you want to win for those guys. I think more so it's just this gratitude that man, God's given the opportunity to play this game. You know, and I just want to play it for as long as I can and give this game the respect it deserves.

20:15You know, I think this game gives back to you what you put into it. And look, once it's over, it's over. Right. And so you just want to max it out while you have that chance. So it's not like you have this extra motivation like, hey, I'm at the end of the day, like had had had they gone on one super bowl, you know, with there be as much hunger and fire to go do it again. Look, I'm knowing him. They're probably would be, you know, but certainly when you come up short, you know that there's more to be achieved. And at the end of the day, I think, yeah, certainly this where I approach it every year, it was something to prove there was always something to prove. And how and also it's like push the envelope, how good can we be? I don't care how good we've been in the past. Like how good can we be? How can we eclipse? You know, where we've been in the past. Look, the game continues to evolve. Right. And, you know, he's with a coach who like continues to push the envelope of what's possible with offensive football and, you know, you know, he's kind of been the innovator of a lot of things. You know, that certainly, you know, we with the Northern St. Shuster copy. And the rest of the league, you know, you know that they're taking a look at your film each and every week. You know, so you kind of have to stay ahead of the innovation and the evolution and the curve, so to speak.

21:20So I think that's what drives you. That's what challenges you, you know, on a weekly basis. But truly, it's, hey, we have something to prove. How good can we be? Let's go prove it to ourselves. Matthew, it's, it's, it's impossible to talk about what might have been and what you might have done. But motivation at an older age gets more difficult. Had you won that next Super Bowl, perhaps you wouldn't be in this chair as a player, but as an analyst, like Drew, how do you find the spice and wanting to have that drive to do this all over again? Is there something that you have to train yourself to do? Not something that I train myself to do, but it's, it does go back to kind of what Drew was talking about. And it is, I have so much gratitude to continue to be able to play this game in the situation that I get to play it. Obviously, I'm playing for a fantastic head coach. I have great teammates. I've got a family that loves watching me play and supports me through the entire process.

22:23So I wake up every morning, love and coming into work, love and the opportunity to continue to play this game at my age. And I do feel like I have things to prove last year. It was, hey, you know, my back was feeling like it was feeling, you know, can you go out there and get it done with limited, you know, practice reps. And this year, you know, like Drew sent, how can I be better? You know, you don't worry about winning individual awards and playing, you know, winning MVP and doing all that stuff at the beginning of the season, just how can I be a better a teammate? How can I be a better quarterback? How can I lead our team better? Just to give us the opportunity because like Drew said, I care so much for the guys in our locker room. After the game, you know, sitting there talking with Devonte Adams, who's had so many opportunities and gotten so close so many times and hasn't gotten it done, just tore me up inside. And so, you know, trying to win for guys like that and put our team into position to win for guys like that who have given so much to our game and deserve, you know, everything that comes with it.

23:23You know, that's a huge motivator for me. Having already, you know, been lucky enough to be a part of a team that wins a championship. You want to go back there and do it again just because you know how special that feeling is and that bond is with those teammates and you want to share that with people. And so that's my, that's my main motivation. You're in a year out these days is just obviously having the gratitude for being able to continue to do it. But trying to share great experiences and great, you know, team highs with with guys that you care about and spend a bunch of time with time now for the excellence award of the week. We invite you to step into the Hall of Excellence at the spectacular fountain blue laws Vegas where sports history comes alive. It's the most extraordinary collection of sports artifacts ever assembled with Muhammad Ali Jackie Robinson Simone Biles, Kobe Bryant Steph Curry and everything from Babe Ruth to show you. Tony, including all seven of Tom Brady Super Bowl rings treasures from every era. And we want to make this special announcement today Delta Airlines will be the presenting sponsor of the Hall of Excellence and every Delta Sky Miles member gets free admission into the Hall of Excellence.

24:36And you're going to join Sky Miles now at Delta dot com or the fly Delta app. And Matthew, you've had all summer to think about this. So who do you give your excellence award to for this week? Yeah, my excellence award goes to the guy that I'm looking at across from the screen drew breeze. It's a special time every summer to watch people get elected. You know, into the Hall of Fame and we all get to celebrate their unbelievable careers. I definitely watched Drew get inducted and was so fired up for him and his family. A guy that played the game the right way represented the NFL in the in the correct fashion and does so much for our games still today. So the excellence award goes to Drew breeze. I'm obviously a huge friend of the program, but also a great football player and great human being. So I'm excited to be working with him and excited for his success this off season. I'll make that unanimous and I'm going to add Larry Fitzgerald who was with this program for 15 years. He too went into the Hall of Fame. So the two of them now get the excellence award. Congratulations, Drew. I'm sure that hearing those words from Matthew touch you as well. And you did a just a fantastic job.

25:43It was a beautiful speech and a great time in camp. Thank you. That's an incredible honor and the whole Hall of Fame experience was beyond special, especially to be able to go in with a guy like Larry who's been such a close friend for the last 20 years. Congratulations. All right. Matthew, enjoy Australia. Have a great trip. Don't pet any of those kangaroos. I saw an interesting clip last week. Did you see those two kangaroos fighting? I didn't see it, but I know they do it. So I will be steering clear to one of them. Avoid the 49ers. Matthew, great to have you with us once again this year. Best of luck in Australia. And we will talk to you next Monday night right here on Let's Go. Go get them. Everybody appreciate. Thank you. Appreciate you guys. I'm so presented by Delta Airlines Thanks to our terrific producer. He's been with us for an awful long time. Does a great job, Dave, the snake, Hagin ran a bunch of marathons this summer, including one just last week. In Australia, he came back to do this show. Three hours and 47 minutes. So the snake is back with us here on Let's go. Let's go.

26:5042. You're going to do a 26 miles. You don't give me extra five minutes on that. So 342. Given back that five minutes, my apologies to the snake. And he boy, he got it, got some venom going there. There, there is the snake. Let's go presented by Delta Airlines. We thank our sponsors Delta Airlines, Golden Nugget Hotels and Casinos Mortgage Matchup.com powered by United wholesale mortgage monster energy and the Hall of Excellence inside Fountain Blue, Las Vegas. Let's go with Matthew Stafford, Drew Brees and Peter King was produced by scratchy productions in collaboration with Shadow Lion. Listen to the full version of this episode of Let's Go in any episode that you might miss this season, wherever you get your podcasts or on the Sirius XMF included with all Sirius XM trials and popular plans, just search. Let's go. Now for Matthew Stafford, Drew Brees and Peter King, I'm Jim Gray. Thanks so much for joining us and we will talk to you again next week, right here on Let's Go as we kick off the season here on Sirius XM.

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