Aaron Rodgers on New Year’s reflections, officiating & Russell Wilson benching | The Pat McAfee Show

Aaron Rodgers on New Year’s reflections, officiating & Russell Wilson benching | The Pat McAfee Show

Aaron Rodgers joins The Pat McAfee Show to discuss:

0:00 Happy New Year
10:23 Would Rodgers lead some Jets chants?
13:33 Officiating issues
29:14 Late-season injuries
39:08 The Russell Wilson situation

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Card play but yeah I mean I’ve I’ve been a part of some worse cheats than uh than AJ’s cheats now that was in a different game a game of burray and I won’t get into somebody cheated boay I don’t know how that happened that’s like uh that’s when

People show up with guns at the locker room that game is the guns at the locker room game who who who cheated yeah how’d that work what are you talking about fake this listen he the individual suffered enough um so I’m not going to put him on blast but

Um there used to be a great uker card game on the plane I wasn’t part of it because I was playing we were doing some buay but it was uh Matt Flynn and Graham Herold against uh I think it was TJ Lang and Josh s and there was Zero people

Playing by the rules in that game I can promise you that yeah and they probably all have the same attitude as AJ will you fight me that’s what AJ said to me he said are you going to fight this there’s money on the line yeah if

There’s money on the line I am I by the book oh yeah yeah okay yeah I’m sure of that just likeing just likeing golf right AJ oh I don’t cheat in golf you know that I don’t need to I’m putting everything out I’m not I don’t need

Gimmies I don’t need any of that you’re a big fluffer is he that makes sense cuz this guy will hit the ball into the woods okay into this ball into the woods and then somehow I think he cuts down trees too he’ll somehow have a direct

Line at the green 75 into the woods with a perfect he the golf Gods blessed this and the cards gods do too this dude gets cards on a regular basis as well well he’s the classic he’ll start the start the hole with a Top Flight XL and finish it with a pinnacle

Gold Ryan Hawk you son of a bitchell he’s got to be a part of that entire thing guys beating up the lake and throwing balls all over the course hey happy New Year Aaron how was the weekend uh what did you do for the new year

We’ve seen some and this is uh obviously we talk a lot of on the show it’s been very cool to see what you’ve been posting on your IG stories about thought and life happy everything like that feels like you did a lot of reflecting this uh weekend is that real and how was

The new year I did a lot of sleeping I didn’t we had the Friday Saturday Sunday off so I did a lot of sleeping watched uh watched some football Saturday and Sunday um had had a dinner in the city on Sunday but uh yeah took it pretty easy for the most

Part I think the new year is always the time for good reflection and you know every now and then I see something on a friend story or post that I like and I saw this uh post on a friend’s uh uh friend’s page and there was like 10

Different uh you know kind of Reflections from the from the year and the one that I posted was that I you know met my happiest and saddest self this year that one just kind of rang true for me CU there was some really beautiful moments and some really uh you

Know difficult sad moment so you know the cool thing is is you know when you post something like that there’s some awesome responses from time to time so people reaching out and saying same people saying you know yeah that that hit me too and I went through the same

Stuff so um you know it’s nice to nice to connect in that way I love roomy poetry as well my godson’s middle name is actually roomy um Randall’s uh Second Son uh is uh his middle name is roomy so um love him and I both love roomy poetry so you know

Every now then I’ll post some of that stuff but it’s interesting you I get some interesting responses from it I’m sure people think I’m you know super weird just about everything I do and there’s also people that maybe appreciate some of the occasional non cliche uh you know post Aaron you want

Into a dark hole you know for a while to find your true happiness you want into the jungle to do something that make ago out the attic and the basement right very cool yeah to find yourself in there I think a lot everybody like I think we’re all very appreciative of the fact

Of how open you are about how you feel and like you know mental health and everything I think you’re an inspiration to a lot of people in that particular facet Now Grant do people think you’re weird I assume that is definitely true I assume that is definitely true and I’m

I’m fine with both of those things I think you know I’m trying to live uh you know as authentic and genuine as possible and I think there are people that uh you know that that have been inspired and I appreciate Jordan puer talked about it recently and

Jordan and I become uh Good Buddies the last last couple years um there’s like I said after you know on the show many times after I talked about a there were a lot of people that reached out and were interested in the sports world and the entertainment World um and it’s been

Great to be able to connect with those people U some people who follow through and have have done their own Journey some people who are just not ready for it yet which is great but um I definitely encourage people to look into it I don’t think it’s you know smart to

Maybe recommend it um cuz you know people always want to blame other people for certain things but I can speak from my own experience it was lifechanging has been life-changing and it’s going to be something that I look forward to doing uh in some form or fashion this

Offseason as well I can a is that what you said just I mean I’m sure there’ll be some sort of U you know Ceremony this offseason not sure what uh what medicine but there’ll be something hell yes so we got that toad thing right we got the

Toad the toad thing and I just heard you call it a I feel so cool when I say that I’mma walk into a crowd that I know knows I’m GNA say we talking a you guys got a we got a we doing the a or there there’s some others as well right

There’s some other things that go in there and what do they do actually they’re just they’re like a mental reset they uh kind of open your eyes what is it what is is really the benefit of that if you could take us back in time a little bit benefit of what are we

Talking about we talking about buo a masculine what are we talking B buo is the toad it’s it’s I’m a kind to yeah listen all medicin should be respected and revered and and done in you know with some reverence um because medicines can be uh you know can be

Healing and they also you know can be poisoned so I think you gotta approach each medicine with the proper type of uh of reverence they all have different uh experiences associated with him and um if you want more information hit me up offline okay hey just hit Aaron up he’ll

He’ll lead you in the right direction in that whole thing I um you know the beginning of a new year is a good time to have this discussion because there’s a lot of people trying to find themselves yeah you bet that’s like one of the is that kind of what the A and

The BofA and the other that that’s like uh a massive piece of it all right like people are trying to find I don’t want to say find themselves but like find happiness right is that like kind of one of the steps of the whole process there

For some people I do not have the attention span or the toughness to be able to go through any of this stuff but for folks that are seeking that is kind of what it is about right for you that is kind of what it was right yeah purpose understanding

Connection uh Joy you know a simple uh COC cybin Journey can really open up uh you know some some pretty euphoric experiences uh there’s there’s a lot of great research out there that’s it’s uh pairing you know different types of medicine uh some you know plant-based

Some uh synthetic to help uh so many veterans now people dealing with depression people dealing with PTSD there’s a lot of great clinics and uh you know the the alphabet gangsters uh who control a lot of the uh uh medicine I say that very Loosely uh that gets um cleared you know aren’t

Exactly uh on board with uh you know giving a lot of clearance to some of the stuff yet but there’s a lot of great uh studies there’s obviously enormous anecdotal evidence um of healing but there’s also some incredible studies that are going on there’s some incredible people like the people at

Maps maps organization that have been doing uh in this space for 30 40 years trying to um you know get their research out there be able to let people know there’s other ways of uh healing depression PTSD some of these issues mental mental health issues than just

Getting you on anti depressants for the rest of your life and dealing with all the side effects associated with those so um you know it’s fun to be able to uh like I got to speak at the maps conference this year uh and that was were you wearing the leather jacket was

That where you wearing a leather jacket you remember how cool you looked that was a Bitcoin one oh which by the still up if you bought time I’m not sure I was probably yeah wearing something black at the maps I’m not sure exactly what I were you have one of those cool

Necklaces I’m like AJ I’m like AJ AJ’s you know you see him like yesterday um on the sidelines of the game if you had no idea you know just you taking a stab in the dark what’s AJ hot going to be wearing on the sidelines black long sleeve shirt is you

Know a really safe bet for whatever reason he isn’t showing off his hairless arms that he shaves um but you know he’s always going to be in Black hey and his legs too I saw that cuz he had his pants on and when he was standing up to look

At my cards and sitting back down his pants kind of rode up a little bit in the Cavs I saw some good definition at the bottom of the Cal fantastic I’m like that’s a shaved leg right there I used to shave my leg look at how good those

Calves look trimmed yeah use hair clippers boom takeing everything yeah of course you’re not but he’s like he’s like Christina’s uh husband in The Other Guys sure sure I’ve seen it this is fun guy has beard aim for the bushes yeah oh Mark wallberg oh hey will farell will farell

Will farell Samuel Jackson oh we’re doing gun test last time you did desk pop yeah I know that yeah you’re right that is who AJ anyways AJ your question for oon Rogers P eron I wonder if the jet has the Jets PR reached out to you at all we

Saw Kurt Cousins kind of lead the skull chant dirtless wearing a chain his son was there have you given any thought to to possibly doing that we know that your physique was was obviously one of the things you worked on really hard going into this season I’m sure you still are

Jacked like would you do this what Kirk did well we don’t have a whole pregame chance wait watch your mouth that guy used to run toward clapping you know we have we have three you know specific people fireman headed and two other guys who do the you know they get

Their going they get the JS um but they’re very I think they’re pretty territorial about that stuff that’s that’s their their you do it with shirtless fireman’s hat on so you walk over there in some tidy whes fireman head uh headed maybe Jersey yeah firefighter helmet on you’ll be welcomed

I think I think that you know there’s there’s rumors of increased ticket prices with the Jets this year maybe to offset some of that wouldn’t it be a great idea to have because of the fire firefighter connection to New York a calendar New York Jets fireman style

Calendar yeah yeah that would that would sell pretty good so we’ll get 12ish maybe more guys to do this calendar that we can put out um make the pr guy do to it what’s his name Jared make him do it too Jared yeah Jared or Eric I think Eric

Gilan he would maybe put him on the cover yeah get some coaches involved in it we get Ron Middleton Ron Middleton to do it he’d be fantastic for sure would want to do it Sal would want to do it it BR Boer special teams guy hack it maybe they

Would definitely hack it on the cover and and then December is is Woody yeah December is Woody chain on only with the uh yep with the firefighter pants on no shirt shirtless yeah mhm what maybe a jeted yeah on his head or on his you you’re talking about underneath the

Underneath the thing spe yeah from what I’ve seen with that chain probably going to need triple XXL speedo on that Woody Johnson at least you know what I mean yeah you know what I’m talking about you know what I’m talking someone say great idea knee high socks too especially if they’re gonna

Raise well then you got to worry about the top of that thing getting hit you got Tuck you got tuck and roll and roll yeah you never know of the inside mhm it’s like Roy Hibert Roy Hibert said one time he put Icy Hot on his knees

He’s never going to do that again because obviously what I’m like Roy that’s not normal yeah that’s just you Roy said hey just a little tip don’t ever do this cuz it’s going to happen I’m like Roy you and about four other people on Earth having that problem

Right now I think Greg Odin did respond like yeah don’t do it and then what he Johnson was like boys I’ve been waiting you know that’s kind of what I’ve been in the club all right we’re running on two hours of sleep darus has a question for you about football and this

Is a big topic big topic of conversation yeah we were talking about it earlier what uh obviously what happened at the end of that Cowboys Lions game if you had any experience with that um obviously with you know somebody reporting somebody getting confused and where do you think the blame should fall

There is it on the ref is it on Detroit because they were trying to get a little too cute with it uh what do you think about that I was part of the fil Mary DB mhm when the when the NFL got too cheap to pay their referees what they’re due and

Hired a bunch of people that didn’t didn’t deserve to be on a high school field they couldn’t even ref my JC Games first down um respect to to NorCal junior colleges is that’s a high high level of football we wouldn’t want those referees roughing our games but not as good as Indian Kansas

But back in 2002 I don’t know what it is now 2002 California especially Northern California had the best football in the junior college ranks but um listen there’s been a lot of talk about about the play and I think everybody wants uh a little bit of accountability for sure

Now I don’t understand I get it I don’t understand why three guys went to the referee uh I saw Su went Decker went and 70 went right and I don’t know if that was the whole you can see here Su and Decker right and 70s running on now I

Don’t know what Brad was thinking here um it seemed like he left before what could be said but I’m going to focus as listen a lot of these times there’s certain plays that would negate this whole thing right so second and 14 they throw the ball uh incompletion right so

It’s talk about the 40 seconds could have been lost but I didn’t want to focus on that I want to focus on first and 10 after the interception I believe there’s a five or six yard carry by Pard and they call it tripping when it was Hutchinson who

Reached his foot out to try and trip the back they called the tripping on Dallas have you guys seen this y yeah I think I saw the clip I didn’t know the full context though so first of all I don’t think it should have been a trip because

He didn’t get him out now there are trips that happen and have happened I mean TJ wat got a sack on me a few years ago when he until trip made in a call right cheat that was a tackle with his leg yeah yeah yeah exactly but trips

Happen I think a lot more than you think and that was an attempted trip but because they threw the flag it should have been on Hutchinson that half a distance to the goal that’s a first down there’s 40 more seconds or a timeout um I don’t think the situation would have

Even been close had they just made this correct call so this is yeah on the 29 yd line Pard runs what okay so he gets six to the maybe 7 to the 22 we’re add 15 to that so now it’s first and now it’s first and 10 on the 11 right they

Call this penalty on the long on on 89 there lat I don’t understand how they do that it’s a total whiff of a call just total Miss but also Aiden didn’t actually get it touch so it would have been better in the situation for Dallas is second two

And a half right because then you have a chance to an extra down for a first down we’re not starting back on a first down right where they can then you have three Downs now you have second down you can get another first down now you basically get

An extra down extra 40 seconds or make them call timeout shouldn’t have been in this situation um I think you know the response from referees like they’re going to protect their own John Perry’s protecting obviously um his own I will say what uh I did see what mcdc said

That does happen all the time they will coaches will go to the referee before the game say here’s the plays we may be running just be alert this is the formation we’re going to do this is the guy that we want eligible I I think there was talk that he may have like

Even drawn it up for them that 100% happens all the time they always go to them and talk about what what trick plays they’re going to run um you know I think as players we know who the the best refs are and um you know like I I

Say this guy’s name a lot but he was the best Jean’s territory was the best be pan you know and I think there was too many times over the years where it wasn’t a true meritocracy for the playoffs because you’d be in these games in the playoffs and it should be you

Know you got four wild card games right the first weekend and then four divisional games and then two right so do you really need to have 10 County at 11 of the 16 or 17 Crews I guess it’s 17 I think it’s 17 Crews be represented

No you don’t you don’t you just have the same maybe the top four or maybe you go to six at the most like but it should be the top of the top and Jean and what I’m saying this is that Jean and his crew should have been reing every single

Round I don’t I don’t see why that makes that doesn’t make any sense you’re giving like important playoff games to in this example let’s say the first four games of the the Wild Card Weekend right you’re going to give uh you know the what rated crew you’re going to give the

The seventh or what it would be the eth n9th 10th and 11th rated Crews those games those are important games and then you’re going to have the divisional round and you’re going to give it to the to what the four five six and seventh rated Crews why if that’s the case why

Not have one two and three and four work the first week in it it’s CU everybody or maybe three four five and six everybody soft that’s why everybody’s soft because you get game you get game you get game you get you worked hard this year you get game oh I’m sorry

Heartre you don’t get to do the playoffs you get game that’s why that that is the reason why and I’m saying it’s wrong you should be mocracy should be the best the best Crews and if that’s the same four or five crew so be it look at the NBA

It’s the same it’s the same couple Crews once you get into the final rounds of the playoffs right because it should be I don’t I don’t know if it is but should be the top rated guy should should be the same in the UFL and cuz we know who

The best crews are and actually part of the problem over the years been then you in the Super Bowl you create this like super crew that actually doesn’t work together like there’s a reason that Crews work well together is because communication usually coming from the White Cap and the Umpire who you know

Unless there’s a veteran guy um on the field and there are some great veteran line judge back to side judge but you know who the best referees are and sorry and when you get into a game yeah allor right you’re you’re like oh you know we have this guy is the line

Judge you know you can talk to him you have this guy as the Umpire okay you know he’s a little sensitive maybe this guy is a white cap you know you just know you know who the people are but you also know who the best ones are and I’ve

Said this many times too there was in the last five six years there’s been a ton of the White Caps who’ve retired who were at the top of their game a lot of them including John Perry going to TV because they make a lot of money they’re

Not the ones working for the league and and it’s a problem it’s a problem with the officiating um but again it should be meritocracy and the best guys should get the best games I think they’re going to fix it I do believe the all the right questions are being asked to the right

People from what I’ve been being told so I think the NFL understands it’s an issue the meritocracy thing that just feels like a mindset of being soft and like thank you for your service this year and this is what you’ve earned and everything like that as opposed to like

We only have a certain amount of games and uh you got to earn your way into it which is meritocracy happens in professional sports it’s one of the only places it continues to take place everywhere else you got to know somebody potential nepotism takes place networking takes place you’re able to

Have a gig it’s like professional sports is one of the last real meritocracies why not do it with the refs come on come on especially in the biggest League I think that’s a good call they have said that Brad Allen will not be reing in the playoffs allegedly on the internet we

Have not heard that from Goodell and we also heard that Brad Allen was not a part of the pregame meeting with mcdc when he was drawing up the place somebody else was they didn’t relay the proper message to Brad I guess and now you got a whole new kers Shuffle to

Break down in this entire story yeah a lot of finger point mhm no but it’s not just it’s not just this though because remember when you point one finger there’s three fingers pointing right back at yourself remember that rich rodrig is okay you know so you got

To do this one whenever you blame it you got to you you got you make sure and I did that to Rich Rod as soon as he said that I said well then then it was out there then obviously why are you such an in this thing but it is real you

Got to take a little accountability on yourself but we’re in a world where a lot of people you know the more layers you have the more different people you can blame you know it happens in everything almost this is a it’s a billion dollar business and there’s multi

Multi-millions of dollars bet on this every single week and there’s franchises and fan bases and players careers and coaches careers that depend on these games and you’re talking about and you’re taking a a you know taking a home playoff game away from a city that’s a you know8 figure probably economic boom

To that City you know it’s a I mean think about it from that standpoint what happened to us in 12 you know we we had a home game taken away from us by a freaking terrible call and NFL didn’t want to actually give the refs what they deserve and it took that

Game if you guys remember the next week what happened MH yeah it was awesome Miss gu it was so the regular refs were back so again that call the way it was handled was messed up however it was also uh should never have been a tripping call

On Dallas so what are we talking about here yeah I is just it is just cut and dry like the NFL the refs screwed the the you know the Lions um now there you know there was another game in Dallas a while back in the playoffs oh yeah that

Had a controversial call I think foxy can probably speak to this one as well oh yeah fourth quarter Stafford to pedigree pass interference refs call it and then they go wait no no no wave it off Detroit loses a playoff game oh that’s because it was Detroit they

Didn’t want boo Detroit they want the St that’s why they picked it up and they said are we really can’t do that in Jerry world again can’t do that there’s does it not seem like there’s a there’s a lot of more outspoken conspiracy NFL is rigged conspiracy theorists showing up

Hey last year Aaron I know you were in the middle of it last year and playing and everything and there was a lot going on last year but in if you live on the internet you got to be able to follow a lot of different parts of the internet

Yeah you know and shout out to the whole internet I appreciate the love lucky to be a part of it whole internet had a good time the other day but like the NFL is scripted thing was stting starting to cook in every part of the internet okay

Every single every PE every person or group that we follow from every different group of the internet they were all starting to really start the NFL is screwing us especially with gambling happening and then it grew to a fever pitch about week 14 yeah week 15

Last year got real loud so much so that the NFL was like in the face of controversy you lean into it they make the commercial this year about the NFL script and everything but then as things continue to happen like this and other stuff that happens in football it’s like

Somebody’s writing this thing oh yeah and it’s to screw me over every single time that is literally the people that are talking about it and it happens to be this person is Detroit more often than I you don’t deserve it foxy it’s terrible you don’t deserve it

Foxy you don’t deserve it I I will say I will say Pat and and and fellas that if the Super Bowl is Baltimore and San Fran and I tell you what that Super Bowl 59 emblem better have jet green on it because I know you’ve seen that one Connor that’s

A real interesting interesting yeah yeah yeah let’s not get into that today what are we talking about what happened what’s the jet 59 what you just tied Ravens and the ners don’t worry in the Super Bowl 59 into something notos team colors that have been in look

At the colors Super Bowl mhm the Ravens and the Niners it’s purple it’s red bring it up bring it up foxy or somebody back on it Super Bowl 58 you’ll see it the emblem put on the screen and then bring up 57 and 56 this has something to

Do with the Epstein list that came out feels feels like that’s supposed to be coming out soon that’s supposed to be coming out soon look this guy’s been waiting in his wine seller I’ve been waiting in my wine seller for this thing a lot of people including Jimmy Kimmel are really hoping that

Doesn’t all right all right obviously a clip from this particular program was run on Jim jmy Kimmel show uh whenever Aaron brought up the the list and then Jimmy mocked him for it Aaron has not forgotten about that but here we are sitting right in front of that nice

Bottle of Scotch what you say I’m waiting to celebrate something oh yeah he’s been waiting for you w hey I’ll tell you what if that list comes out I definitely will be popping popping some sort of bottle hey you’ve been calling for it for a few years now anyone else

Noticed this oh my god oh yeah oh wow yeah yeah they’ve known that’s they’ve known for years like I’m saying that next at 59 better be jet Green that’s all I’m saying interesting yeah well unless it’s Colts blue remember we got Anthony Richardson coming could Patriots

Blue might be there too I don’t know you’ve been you’ve been jumping on the meno train I feel like I love him I do I love he shakes his shoulders team loves him he’ll throw a pick who cares he just go right in the he is awesome this guy

Is phenomenal legitimate what they did to the Raiders this weekend I did not expect to happen but with minu Mania running wild and Shane sten’s big ass brain I mean why not Z Franklin’s leading the NFL in tackles dog I mean we got a team but with that being said we

Drafted the future number four overall Gardner wins the Super Bowl this year try I feel like Tay didn’t get enough I feel like Tay didn’t get enough Targets this weekend he didn’t I appreciate you saying that 21 you need need a few more I didn’t see much of the game because

Because uh it wasn’t on any of the TVs that we’re at also couldn’t see the first half of uh Dolphins Ravens biggest game could the weekend and we can’t change a Channel Once the games have been set we were told at said sports bar but they literally just changed the Colt

Raiders game off the TV that was right in front of me which is why we sat there and they moved it to another place so they could change it then they didn’t change it then our guy Shawn shout out to Shawn had nose ring great hair Sean

Want to the back he did some maneuvering for us so we saw the second half at Dolphins Ravens even though he broke code there at said sports bar that we were at yeah and he also told us that the manager is a big dumb and

That’s not on him it was on the man uh we don’t know if he said that or not I assume they’re going to hear everything that we say here now Sean with like a promotion not a fire I mean Sean did great but anyways question AJ speaking

Of that game what do you think when you’re down by 30 with 4 minutes left in the game and the starting defense is still out there and and your stud tears his ACO yeah that was uh that was not I was watching that live and I saw it I knew

Instantly it could not be good for chub but I don’t know what like when do you sub everybody out like that’s the thing everybody doesn’t really have there’s not as many backups as people think too like you can’t just wholeheartedly take everybody out but you can I would

Definitely pick and choose and take some dudes out that time I mean think you know if you take out him you take out Ramsey for sure you’re down by 30 what if they wanted to though what if they said no you know guys will fight and say

No I don’t care I want to stay and stick it out with the boys like they could have done that as well McDaniel pulls down his joggers and he says no listen it’s different on the other side like if miles Garrett stays in the game up 17

Because he’s you know he wants to get a couple sacks he knows he’s going be throwing it that’s a different battle you’re going to fight still probably shouldn’t be in a game the game’s over you know it’s a it’s a under a minute drive but down 30 when you know you’re

Just going to run the ball I don’t know yeah what about Lamar Lamar was still out there when they bunch and that that was like our first thought because it ended up being on TV we couldn’t hear it obviously but we see the score and then

We see Lamar on the field and it’s like what are we doing and then I think to myself Well everybody’s killing his stats this year everybody’s like his stats aren’t good because he has rested in a fourth quarter early in the year as well because they’ve dominated people

And then he ends up healthy of course because he’s Lamar Jackson and he goes what 350 351 or something like that 18 to 21 I’ll tell you what stat was good that was uh three in completions and five touchdowns yeah anytime you’re throwing more tuds than you have incompletions pretty good day at the office don’t you say ER hey I don’t I don’t if you saw it but I saw this he had a perfect rating

And then Huntley came in and threw a touchdown and he had a perfect rating as well so I think he might only thrown one pass or a couple passes but they both had perfect ratings so Baltimore has been on a miraculous run here ners in Niners then Dolphins come to town and

They just neuter both of them yeah just absolutely neuter both of them tone actually has a question for you yeah Aaron about the the Ravens and the Niners since they both just locked up the one seed and if they sit guys this weekend they’ll have two weeks off how

Do you feel about that like as a as a quarterback do you like having that much time off would you like to play in week 18 what are your thoughts on that I think s you know I think it’s one of those ridiculous media talking points

Where you it’s a win-win uh if you play them and a guy gets hurt you’re an you should have never played these guys and then the other win is oh if they start a little bit slow if they’re Rusty in the you know divisional round oh you should

Have played them in week 18 you know it’s ridiculous the fact is you’ve gotten this far with these studs take care of them sit them down they don’t need to play if you’re not playing for anything um you know if if anything you want to get them a little bit of work so

It’s not you know two whole weeks without playing play the first half we did that a couple years ago um in Detroit we played the first first half um but there’s not a lot that can that can come from playing I don’t think I don’t believe in the whole rust thing

You’re going to be hosting the playoff game uh in your Stadium rested against a team that’s won a playoff game already because going be some of the highest seed remaining or lowest I look at basically the team with the you know worst seeding left in the playoffs is

Going to come visit you and it’s the game you’re going to be favored to win at your place so I don’t believe in the old rust thing you got sa players from themselves sometimes and I don’t think there’s a whole lot to be gained by playing those guys my rookie year we

Were undefeated until we chose to lose we started resting like pyton and Jeff and everybody that was good at football seemingly and then we rolled Curtis Painter out there behind like every swing offensive lineman we had and I think a couple backup tight ends were playing tackle and we were going to lose

The final two games to the Jets and to the bills but I think the boys were pissed afterwards because they could have had an undefeated season that was kind of the thought the was nice but also potentially doing something historic was a decision that wasn’t kind

Of weighed I don’t think with all the players I assume pton had some say yeah I I’m not 100% sure I wasn’t a part of those conversations I was just a rookie but like there is different situations I think that changed that right don’t you think like if you’re gr for history I

Remember like Robert matthysse a lot of the boys were like freia what do we we can 72 Dolphins the only ones that done that but if any of those guys were to get hurt we didn’t have a very deep team we would have been out of luck

Going into the playoffs and an entire season would have been ruined so it’s a fine balance there at the end I’m happy I don’t have to make that decision I think yeah it’s that for sure like I would want to play if we’re undefeated definitely want to play no doubt got it

Um the other the other reason to play is if if there’s an all-time record uh to be broken with your organization so we had a situation like that in Detroit I think devant needed uh 15 yards or something and I wanted to be the one

Throwing to him you know if going to go out there and play I want to play so we were already scheduled to play at least a half that day so it wasn’t even a question but um that that’d be another reason to play I mean you’re talking

About the history of a franchise goes back to the beginning of football itself and being a be a part of History would be pretty special yeah again that situation we already going to play but if we weren’t scheduled to play and Tay’s like I want to play to break this

Record I would have said well I’m going to play with you it was cool to watch uh that type of situation for T I assume you guys lined him up at running back had him play A Little Wheel cuz we had Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark playing running back against the Buffalo Bills

Because a couple guys needed like two catches somebody needed like five yards receiving for like another thousand yard year 100 catches year it they were literally drawing up plays in the snow seemingly and by the way we just walked right down the field it was just like

Right down the field score all right now who do we need Dallas needs to get a couple all right got him a running back tail back got him slotted out he’s going in there you need how many catches four we right down the field again and then

Boom sideline rest of time in the middle of a blizzard and it was it was fantastic well I’m like these dudes were just playing games with these people out here but congrats there’s incentives on the line money on the line history on the line those conversations are all

Going to come to the Forefront later this week I think we’re Gathering all the incentives that can be earned this last weekend because that’s a big deal on who’s going to be motivated a little bit more speaking of motivation Mr Play Time s too right yeah Play Time Inc be

Interesting and and catches and yards and all those things yeah you need to play uh 75% of the snaps then when you get to 73% of the snaps they start forecasting like we’re going to arrest you like whoa whoa it doesn’t sound like you’re that’s happening too that doesn’t

Sound like that’s health reasons it sounds like you’re trying to screw me a little bit no no no we’re looking out for you okay I need about 15 more snaps I’m doing a math here multi-billion Dollar business and they’re going to sometimes they’re playing games with a little $50,000 bonuses $75,000 bonuses

You know it’s the best it’s the highest level man remember it’s the highest level Aaron that’s there’s no greater League than the NFL uh Ty has a question for you though about Mr unlimed yeah Aon just curious if you’ve paid any attention to kind of the storm that’s going on in Denver right

Now we heard Russ came out and talk and basically said like hey yeah the Broncos did approach me about restructuring my contract or waving my injury guarantee or whatever the case may be do you think all the stuff that’s happened like was that laid out by Shawn Payton to him

When he first got there like hey I I don’t really want you to be my guy going forward we’ll try to make it work if it doesn’t work I’m going to get rid of you and also like now a lot of people are saying like hey this is dirty pool this

Is you know negotiating in bad faith or just and and it’s going to really affect guys wanting to come play for the Broncos moving forward like what’s your take on that whole situation and do you think that’s true do I think what part is true like

Does that H how much does that affect guys wanting to go play for Denver moving forward that’s a great question I I think people that are just Money Motivated and and there’s always INF frency there basically there’s the guys that just want to get paid and there’s

The guys that want to get paid and be on a good team so guys that want to just get paid it won’t make a difference I think that’s that’s just the way the NFL is guys who care about character and chemistry and and uh look the NFL is

Is uh it’s a great profession it’s a tough business and this type of stuff is probably more commonplace than you would think obviously we’re talking about a a premier player here and some bizarre U circumstances uh I think anybody can probably look at the situation objectively and say that Russ probably

Wasn’t Sean’s First Choice um it definitely Paints the last however many weeks in a way different light though doesn’t it yeah from play calling from interactions they had on the sidelines um listen there’s an old adage um the enemy of my enemy is my friend and Russ

And I have had some battles over the years and Seattle and Green Bay you know were two of the Premier teams in the 2010s especially and we had some battles over the years um and there was a great rivalry and we couldn’t seem to beat him

Other than in the filary game in Seattle they couldn’t beat us in Green Bay but uh I think we we have you know more of a a common uh common enemy based on some comments that have been said about you know a dear friend of mine and

Then seeing this come out so uh my heart actually goes out to Russ for dealing with this I think uh you know say whatever you want about him like I think he’s handled this pretty well I I I definitely applaud him for for speaking on it because uh it’s a tough situation

And you know he basically said uh said what he said said what went down which is pretty scandalous that they would do that sketch now obviously there’s you know there’s a the team would probably say oh we’re just trying to get him to you know move the date on the you know

Injury cause or whatever it’s still crazy to like threaten we’re going to sit you if you don’t do this franchise quarterback if that actually happened and it’s not like he’s having a year like you know he definitely is playing better than he did last year and taking care of the

Football and um they went out they went out a run too I mean they lost three or four but they won uh what five or six in a row I think yeah five um so and in the midst of this him knowing that they just

Want to like bench him and get rid of him uh so kudos to to Russ with the all the situation and uh uh you know that’s about all I’m going to say about everybody else in Denver and that’s all I got to say about that way good

I do like that the common hatred of a man can potentially bring you two together even more glorious you know what I mean that is a glorious thing it’s been happening since the beginning of time a lot of Wars actually have had alignment because of said thing well we

Hate each other originally but we don’t hate each other as much we hate that so we are going to now yep we thought hate can really bring a lot of love can it and maybe you and Russ will be able to share a little moment or two here

Because of the situation it’s brewing with Shawn pyton at his age everything he’s accomplished and he’s handling it right you said whenever he addressed it he had a Broncos hat on was standing in front of his Broncos Locker yeah so they just basically told me they wanted to steal $37 million from

That’s pretty much why that was like a very that was a surreal scene there almost you know you could you could tell he was emotional about it like you know it it it affected them like which of course it would they hey great win against Kansas City

But uh we’re going to venture ask unless you move sit around cuz your knee we don’t need it you know can’t have it we need your we need everything to stay in we want you to play bad but we don’t want you get hurt right now for free though yeah we

No it was just the the front office though right it wasn’t sea Pon wasn’t sea P yeah so maybe there isn’t an enemy that you guys share no we know Sean P’s back control he’s calling shot oh yeah that’s why he signed there the alignment

And if John pton wins next year or the year after now they’re going to have to eat a massive dead cat cap next year so if they’re able to win there would be some real salary cap gymnastics that they’ll have to do but if they win two three years down the road nobody

Remember nobody remember but the man who founded the danger Witch is going to remember this and I can’t wait to see his comeback Trail his revenge tour next year as we end here on ESPN in our first show of the year of 2024 we can’t thank

You all enough for allowing us to do this uh for a living who knows if one year from now we’re still able to do this sure if we’re still able to create a terrible crop ass show for sure we’re going to try every single day from now

Until then to keep doing it have a great one be a friend tell a friend something nice and might change their life goodbye nailed it Aaron professional send off it one for one on the year that’s right yeah it’s all you can ask for two for two actually first hour true

Yeah go let go good start pretty exhausted too pretty exhausted yesterday was a long one Aaron yesterday was a long day yeah I give you guys credit man I will say you know once uh that first game was over I went to the main broadcast feed oh you missed [Laughter] Out