You know, that must be great for the squad and how you feel about that.

Yeah, definitely.

I mean, to be fair to the management, they've done... unbelievable over the summer getting these players in especially when you look at kind of some of the movement that went on over the summer like some players that we lost and I think that was a bit of a worry but yeah to be fair to Wayne and Ryan they've smashed it with the players they brought in and they've all kind of hit the ground running you know you mentioned Bailey who's flying in the goals at the moment and then Tyler's been a massive boost in midfield Ollie Davies as well chipping in with the goals and some unbelievable performances so Yeah, the team and the squad as a whole has really come together.

Especially when you look at last season, we kind of struggled a little bit off the bench with that kind of squad depth.

But they've kind of solved that already and the squad's looking really, really strong at the moment.

So how is he keeping a lid on all this at the moment, Wayne? Because it must be, your expectations must be quite high.

Yeah, yeah, I think he's, you know, quite insistent on taking every game as it comes, especially when you look at some of the results we had last season.

He's trying to drill into everyone that, you know, there's no...

there's

no complicated feelings involved.

But, you know, it's it's been good.

You know, I spend a lot of time at home.

You know, I'm working from home a lot of the time, you know, being a podcaster.

and covering the NFL with our green light pod, like it's super easy to work from home and be around your kids.

Like, Hey, Sundays, I'm sun up to sundown football and that sort of thing.

But

Heat type guy?

Yeah, Dr.

Heat type guys, I mean, if you're a defensive end and you like pinning your ears back and keeping things simple like a Jim Schwartz defense or something like that, or even the Jeff Fisher defenses on first and second down.

Now we got into some odd fronts with Greg Williams and, you know, you're crossing face, you're looping, you know, over the center and that type of thing.

But the hardest thing for a defensive lineman is y- you've got now varied techniques and pressures that you really have to rep.

And you might be an all world defensive end at just, you know, rushing the passer or setting an edge, but now you're spending 30% of your time looping inside and crossing a guard's face.

You might drop into coverage.

... spent time with his kids today.

He just told him, I think, to run me until I cried

criedAnd, uh, and, and keep running me.

And, uh, and, and things kinda changed that day.

I, I hate to, like, boil it down to one day, but, like...

And I know that's not necessarily a healthy, um, dad strategy now.

Like, "Hey, just take your kid to a basketball coach and have him run suicides until he cries." But that was, like, Dad's way of doing things, and, uh, and he- if he was gonna make sure I was gonna be anything, it was gonna be a hard worker.

And that, that stuck with me, um, honestly, because I had talent, and I was able to make it to the next level.

Like, I think that's pretty encouraging for a lot of families and a lot of parents out there that maybe have a young kid with some talent, but hasn't really shown that level of, of grit yet.

and you weren't the only one that had to learn the ropes because if i recall the rams had to learn you didn't they try to play you at right defensive end and you you're a left defensive end right

i sure am and you know i go back and look at tape um of the that first year and a half and in my mind in my mind's eye as a 23 year old kid i was terrible i i didn't you know i was in my head i was you know like hey i'm drafting number two overall like I've got coaches frustrated with me where I'm on a bad team, which as you get older in the NFL, you realize that when you're on a bad team, everybody's just getting yelled at.

Everybody's getting blamed.

But certainly when you come in as a top five pick and you're producing but not at a level that you'd like to, in your mind, it's kind of just a storm, man.

Yeah.

It's funny to go back and look at those games because, you know, I see the promise and, you know, I'll see flashes of what I became later in my career.

But I was playing kind of left handed, so to speak, over right end.

Do you have one funny moment that comes right into your mind's eye and you say, okay, that was pretty awesome? What was your favorite funny moment with the Rams?

There's a lot of the things that my mom, um, that makes up her personality that i find in me uh chris and my dad are very similar in terms of just like type a square head great hair

kyle i could tell you from somebody who is absolutely not the favorite if you're the favorite you know in my house there were more pictures of my brother with his lacrosse coach than there were of me that's unbelievable

There's nothing better.

Yep.

All off-hammer.

Go ahead, Mikey.

I got a two-parter here.

Who is the funniest and who thinks they're the funniest? That's so good.

So how did he be your dad and him are definitely Johnny professional guy and you're mr. Tattoo cool cool, right?

No, I just like working from home.

That's it That's the difference between me and my dad my brother.

I always go like Chris is different.

I Chris does what he wants.

Chris, Chris marches the beat of his own drummer.

I mean, I just, that he's so good on TV, man.

What were your thoughts on that.

[laughing]

Um, I just think, like...

Listen, if you're making the, the Patriots pick, it's probably a, a coach and QB pick.

As good as I think McDonald is, having Josh McDaniel, um, having, um, Mike Vrabel, having people in that organization with Super Bowl experience, 'cause this is a different animal, playing in this game.

Um, and the quarterback, who I think is legitimately, in my opinion, I would probably give him the MVP.

If it's a regular season award, I'd give him the MVP.

Um, but I think Seattle's defense, and it's not just the pass rush, I think as much as anything, the way they can erase the run phase, um, and kind of play press, and, and get up on these guys, and take the receivers away.

But if you told these players who were in there for the first time, like, "I wish I knew this before the first time I played in a Super Bowl," what are the things that are different?

When I say to you, Patriots, Seahawks, do you indisputably believe, well, Seattle's got just far more good players?

I think they have more good players, but if you're picking New England, you're, you're making a coach and a quarterback pick.

You know, for the reasons that we discussed, the experience for the coaches, uh, and, and I think Drake May, you know, whether it's him or Stafford, he's one of the two most valuable players in the league.

This year, it's a regular season award.

Um, you know, the explosives you talked about, they hunt those explosives.

They hunted them right there, Buttigieg in the snow, putting Houston away.

Um, they're gonna hunt them on Sunday, I think especially with the Rams having so many explosives in that third matchup.

Yeah

When I say to you Patriots-Seahawks, do you indisputably believe, well, Seattle's got just far more good players?

I think they have more good players, but if you're picking New England, you're, you're making a coach and a quarterback pick.

You know, for the reasons that we discussed, the experience for the coaches.

Uh, and, and I think Drake May, you know, whether it's him or Stafford, he's one of the two most valuable players in the league this year.

It's a regular season award.

Um, you know, the explosives you talked about, they hunt those explosives.

They hunted them right there.

Yeah

The imbalance between those two organizations is glaring, and I don't see it getting any better.

No.

Need some good leadership, man.

You need guys that, that kinda, that kinda feel like they have nothing to lose.

They just wanna do the right thing for the players.

And, and, and, uh, you know, the NFL is so powerful, man.

As you said, they could huff and pu- [laughs] You know, they could blow your door down and...

This is perfect.

Is this the wildest NFL coaching carousel you've ever seen?

Yeah, you kind of got the sense, you know, like three weeks ago that like, damn, we could have double digit openings.

And of course, here we are, I think, with double digit vacancies in total.

And yeah, some of the teams that don't have their guy yet, It's pretty interesting.

And like, especially considering a few of the places that are replacing their head coaches, you're replacing Mike Tomlin, you're replacing Harbaugh.

You know, these are generational replacements, man.

Like these guys have had culture set.

I know the game is fun, but is Super Bowl week fun? Is it a fun experience for the players?

we could have double digit openings.

And of course, here we are, I think, with double digit vacancies in total.

And yeah, some of the some of the teams that don't have their guy yet.

it's pretty interesting.

And like, especially considering a few of the places that are replacing their head coaches, you're replacing Mike Tomlin, you're replacing Harbaugh, you know, these are generational replacements, man.

Like these guys have had culture set in these places for as long as I can remember being a football fan, almost as an adult.

And then You know, Sean McDermott winning X amount of AFC East championships, winning a playoff game in consecutive seasons six times in a row, not being able to get over the hump and getting fired.

I know the game is fun, but is Super Bowl week fun? Is it a fun experience for the players?

Is this the wildest coaching carousel you've ever witnessed? This is crazy,

right? Yeah, you kind of got the sense...

You know, like three weeks ago that like, damn, we could have double digit openings.

And of course, here we are, I think, with double digit vacancies in total.

And yeah, some of the some of the teams that don't have their guy yet.

it's pretty interesting.

And like, especially considering a few of the places that are replacing their head coaches, you're replacing Mike Tomlin, you're replacing Harbaugh, you know, these are generational replacements, man.

I love it dude I love it playing 20 snow games man yeah I

Mm-hmm.

But, like, that's it? You know, and when you watch the roster, I, I would challenge you to, to...

Of all the divisional teams that were left in that round, rank the rosters.

And it's two years in a row, and I'm not absolving Josh, because he had his part in that.

That turnover before the half was unreal, and the, the pick to lock was vintage pressing Josh.

But to get beat because two years in a row, your back end depth is that bad, like, Sean Payton is like, "We're going right at Dane Jackson.

We're going right at the third-string safety." Last year, it was Kyir Elum.

Mm-hmm.

But you just kind of ached for that franchise to have a better run when you were here.

Yeah.

Yeah, I do.

I certainly do for a number of reasons.

I mean, how much time? I mean, number one, like, it sucks there's no football there.

I mean, the Battle Hawks, I don't want to gloss over that whole deal because I think that's really exciting and I love to see that stadium full in any capacity, right? But not to have an NFL franchise and to have to see, you know, and I don't blame the fans.

Like, the way the fans have kind of turned away from the game a little bit like I'm hearing about Super Bowl parties where the game's not on and I totally get it.

Cause as you said, one player can't turn it around, but that's what they were.

Hmm.

... you can try to not hurt in a dirty way, but you can try to...

You can try to fuck up your opponent and, and that's a great thing.

And I think what that does is, this is the player's take, is I don't have anything to prove after the game about being a tough guy.

Um, you should be disappointed when you're eliminated from the playoffs, and I think everybody deals with disappointment differently.

Everybody deals with, like, you know, on the plane ride back, there's, like, certain people that are gonna laugh and joke after a loss, and there's certain people that are gonna be dead quiet, and there's people that think it should be like a morgue in there.

And there's some people that are gonna say, like, "Well if we were so pissed off, why didn't we play better?" You know? "And why do I have to sit here and, and fake an existential crisis 'cause we lost a football game?" Right? So, I, I think it's a mixed bag and as much as I, I've had, you know, I've had issues with Tua the player, and, you know, the idea of how good he is or he isn't, like, him and Jalen Ramsey were teammates before.

Take him away, and they become very mortal immediately.

Could you expand on that? What- what do you mean by intent and how important is it for an NFL team and player?

Well, to have intent I think you got to have a way of doing things.

You know, you have to certainly have continuity to do that.

You have to- You know, and I don't mean continuity necessarily at the head coach position but in the scouting department and you have to be doing it for a while and like say, "Hey, I'm building a profile on the type of player I want."Um, and, and so they've had that, but, you know, obviously with the changing of the guard with Pete, like, it seemed like, you know, Mike and, and Jon are kind of, um ...

They're in lockstep.

So, I, I don't, like ...

I don't know how they draw up their draft board or, you know, how they rank their free agents, but to me, adding some ...

Your defensive line optics of Sam Darnold.

Could you expand on that? What do, what do you mean by intent and how important is it for an NFL team and player?

Well, to have intent, I think you gotta have a way of doing things.

You know, you have to certainly have continuity to do that.

You have to, you know, and I don't mean continuity necessarily at the head coach position, but in the scouting department, and you have to be doing it for a while and like say, "Hey, I'm building a profile on the type of player I want." Um, and, and so they've had that, but, you know, obviously with the changing of the guard with Pete, like, it seemed like, you know, Mike and, and John are kind of, um, they're in lockstep.

So I, I don't like, I don't know how they draw up their draft board or, you know, how they rank their free agents, but to me, adding some...

You've got youth on the front and then adding some veteran leadership over the past couple years, some veteran production.

That's another thing.

Your defensive line optics of Sam Darnold.

So, is, is there, like, a drastic change in the locker room when you add a guy or send off a guy?

(clears throat) Well, I, I haven't been a part of too many teams that were, like, big time buyers or sellers at the deadline.

Like, when I was in Philly and I started being on, like, good teams, you know, we were trying to make moves.

Like, we brought in an A team, we brought in, like, Golden Tate or Jay Ajayi the year before, and I might be forgetting a couple moves that Howie made.

But like, I think more than anything, it's just a, kind of a declaration, like a public declaration of where the team's going.

Not that you needed the nudge in New York, they're like 1-7, right? But like, when you show up on, on Tuesday or whatever it is, or Wednesday and, you know, the two best players on your defense are gone, like, that kinda says something.

And, you know, as if it weren't, like, buckle in and we gotta, we gotta find something to be motivated about to finish this season.

Yes.

I'll say

this.

Every fan base in the NFL has a main character syndrome problem.

It's honestly, and nobody's immune to it.

And I've said this for seven years.

Eagles fans, one of the things I love the most about playing in Philly, like really honestly, the thing I love the most about it was playing for those fans.

I love the place.

But Chris, can I ask you a serious question? What's not to like about that quarterback? What's not to like about

You want to say I'll say this.

Every fan base in the NFL has a main character syndrome problem.

It's honestly, and nobody's immune to it.

And I've said this for seven years.

Eagles fans, one of the things I love the most about playing in Philly, like really honestly, the thing I love the most about it was playing for those fans.

I love the place.

The place changed my life.

But Chris, can I ask you a serious question? What's not to like about that quarterback? What's not to like? About Jalen

You know th- what the standard is with these teams.

Am I sho- am I shocked here? No, I'm not shocked.

I'm not shocked with the Chiefs.

I'm not shalk- shocked with the Eagles.

Like, you know, they, both teams are defending Super Bowl runs, y- you know, where- where the Chiefs were, were in the big dance and- and the Eagles won it last year.

And, you know, I- I always talk about, like, 2018 we started 4-6 after our 2017 season.

Um, it's a hard thing to do.

Right.

Uh, what's your opinion on that?

No, not the, not the yelling at each other part.

I mean, that's part of being on a great defense.

Um, you know, when I got to New England and, you know, I was a veteran player, had had my highs in the, in the league and, um, you know, I'll never forget, like, Dont'a Hightower yelling at me for the first time.

Um, and I was like, man, uh, uh, after I, I dusted myself off and I was like, "Okay, I just have to do that better next time." I was like, "I love this younger guy kinda taking charge of the huddle." Um, and I think that's leadership.

It's, it's, it's championship DNA.

That's, this team has been places before, so, you know, a heated exchange that gets caught on camera is not a big deal.

Did you see that in week one against the Lions? Did you see that, Chris?

(laughs)

And that's not what happened at all.

I just look at the fact that, you know, he was a guy that came out of college and wasn't playing with timing and has otherworldly talent and that sort of thing.

Um, but the Bears as a whole didn't look like the super team people were making them out to be, and I think that proved itself out on the field.

Also, the offense and the, and the head coach.

I mean, they sh- they struggled.

I mean, it was, you know, Waldron, Waldron, that experiment completely failed.

19.