The Rich Eisen Show

Rich runs through the myriad NFL Playoff clinching scenarios heading into Week 16.   FOX Sports NFL Analyst Greg Olsen tells Rich why Colts RB Jonathan Taylor is as good as any other player in the NFL, how deep in the playoffs the Patriots can go with rookie QB Mac Jones, if he trusts Dak Prescott or Kyler Murray more with a playoff game on the line, what he’s expecting from tonight’s 49ers vs Titans matchup and why the Niners are as dangerous as any team in the playoff picture, why the Packers are the team to beat in the NFC, and how the Bucs will deal with the Panthers’ 2-QB attack of Cam Newton and Sam Darnold.    Rich and the guys run through the latest wave of NBA covid-positive tests and why the league should put Warriors G Steph Curry in protective custody until Christmas Day.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The MMQB’s Albert Breer tells Rich how the NFL players union stepped in to keep the league from cancelling some Week 15 games in the wake of Covid-19 outbreaks so they wouldn’t have to pay players, what the Seahawks’ disappointing 5-9 season bodes for Russell Wilson’s future in Seattle and which teams could be in play to trade for the Super Bowl-winning QB in the offseason, why Joe Judge is likely to keep his job as Giants Head Coach, why the Bears are likely to fire their HC Matt Nagy and shock the world be trading for Saints Head Coach Sean Payton, and his reaction, as an Ohio State alum, to Urban Meyer’s flameout with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Rich and Brockman preview the Bills vs Patriots Week 16 showdown and wonder if we’ll have another wild weather fiasco we saw the first time the two AFC East rivals met in Week 13.   Rich says why the Seahawks should act quickly if and when they decide to trade Russell Wilson and throw around some possible swap scenarios that include Deshaun Watson or Baker Mayfield

Mike Del Tufo finds a kindred spirit in view Mike Del Aberto who defends the embattled audio mixer’s penchant for not actually doing work when he’s at work.   Rich predicts which NFL bubble teams will or will not make the playoffs including the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, and Raiders.  ‘Sunday Night Football’ Hall of Fame announcer Al Michaels and Rich discuss the anniversary of Brett Favre’s Monday Night Football game where he threw 4 first-half touchdowns the day after the unexpected death of his father, and what’s at stake for the Dallas Cowboys playoff seeding and the Washington Football Team’s playoff chances in their SNF showdown, and how that game’s outcome could shape the NFC playoff picture down the road.  Rich comments on the Packers’ QB history and wonders if the Brett Favre-to-Aaron Rodgers transition was the greatest QB succession story in NFL history.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rich reacts to the latest covid-related news coming out of the NFL and recaps Cooper Kupp’s monster night in the Rams win over the Seahawks in his MONSTER season that is likely to see the WR lead the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and receiving TDs, and says why a Russell Wilson-Pete Carroll divorce could be likely in the face of Seattle’s first losing season with them as QB and Head Coach. Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk and Rich discuss some of the funniest moments they had while working together at NFL Network, his reaction to Kurt Warner’s wardrobe choice this week that nearly broke the internet, why he still has questions about Rams QB Matthew Stafford, and why he’s not surprised Urban Meyer fell on his face with the Jacksonville Jaguars.  Rich’s wife, Suzy Shuster, calls in to weigh-in/pile on Rich about his questionable wardrobe choice of wearing a fedora on-air once.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rich and the guys spend some more time reacting to Kurt Warner’s shiny silver puffy jacket he wore in the Browns vs Raiders booth, and preview the Tuesday NFL games between the Eagles and WFT and Rams and Seahawks, and react to the New York Mets hiring former Yankees manager Buck Showalter to be their new skipper.     Rich reveals his strategy for next year’s Run Rich Run 40-yard dash: “run fast.”     In his ‘4 Downs’ segment Rich weighs in on the Cowboys’ Achilles heel, why the Packers have a late game closer not named “Aaron,” why Ravens backup QB Tyler Huntley might not be a backup for long, and why he thinks 3 current division leaders won’t end up winning their divisions.    Rich and the guys run through the latest list of NFL players who’ve been sidelined. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ole Miss Head Football Coach Lane Kiffin and Rich discuss how the introduction of the NCAA’s Transfer Portal combined with the new NIL rules have been a boon and a detriment to college football, the draft hopes of Rebs’ QB Matt Corral, the maddest he ever made Nick Saban, and his reaction to Urban Meyer’s rough go of it in the NFL.     ESPN NBA Analyst Richard Jefferson tells Rich how the omicron variant is impacting the NBA’s season, why the Nets reversed course on their initial decision to not play the unvaccinated Kyrie Irving, why he’s excited for the restoration of the Golden State Warriors as NBA Championship-caliber team, why the Lakers season outlook went from ‘meh’ to worrisome with the knee injury to Anthony Davis, and why a Damian Lillard trade to the Philadelphia 76ers “ain’t happening!”.   Rich and the guys (and pretty much everyone on Twitter) react to Kurt Warner’s questionable fashion choice of a shiny silver puffer jacket for his color analyst gig on the NFL Network’s Raiders vs Browns teleca

Rich recaps the Raiders’ last-second win over the Browns and says why Cleveland fans, with their team now in last place in the AFC North, should still not lose hope for a playoff spot while Raider Nation should be proud of the resiliency the Silver and Black have shown in the face of adversity this season.    Rich weighs in on the Vikings’ Monday Night Football win over the Bears and says why it might be time for Chicago to move on from head coach Matt Nagy.    Two-time Super Bowl champion QB Eli Manning tells Rich how much fun he’s having on ESPN’s Monday Night Football Manningcast with his brother Peyton, how he landed Bill Murray as a guest on ‘The Eli Manning Show’ on the New York Giants’ YouTube channel, and why the team has a “tough decision” to make on Daniel Jones as New York’s QB of the future.   Rich reacts to news that the NBA might have to shuffle its Christmas Day slate of games, and awards the Saints defense with the ‘Courtyard by Marriott Reisen Shine’ award for their stellar play in New Orlean

Tampa Bay Times Buccaneers Insider Rick Stroud tells Rich how the Bucs’ rash of injuries to Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Leonard Fournette could impact Tampa’s playoff outlook, why the Buccaneers are welcoming Antonio Brown back after his 3-games suspension for lying about his vaccination status instead of cutting him, which unknown players could step up in the face of the aforementioned injuries, how much longer the team and fans are expecting the ageless Tom Brady to play in the NFL, and why he’s standing by his reporting of Urban Meyer kicking Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo and how Meyer’s lawyers attempted to quash the story prior to the head coach getting fired.  Rich reacts to Meyer’s comments over the weekend to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport and explains why the fired Jaguars coach’s “lack of self-awareness” ultimately led to his embarrassing downfall.  Rich and the guys react to the news that Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin will miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL in Tampa Bay’s Sunday Night Foo

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio tells Rich why the NFL has “thrown in the towel” on their Covid-19 protocols in order to save their season, how the Jaguars can get away without having to play Urban Meyer after firing him for cause, and if the losing head coach between the Bears and Vikings (Mike Zimmer and Matt Nagy) on Monday Night Football could find themselves unemployed by Tuesday morning and how the NFL’s new rules on interviewing rules could result in a head coach getting fired even when his team is still in the playoff hunt.  Rich recounts that time he met ‘Friday Night Lights’ actor Brad Leland who famously portrayed Dillon Panthers Booster ‘Buddy Garrity’ on the acclaimed high school football drama. In his weekly ‘Overreaction Monday’ segment Rich says if John Harbaugh’s controversial 4th down decisions this season will cost the Ravens and AFC North crown, if Tom Brady’s poor showing against the Saints cost him the NFL MVP award, if we’re on a Chiefs vs Packers Super Bowl collision course, if the

Rich breaks down the action from the NFL’s Week 15 slate and how the latest round of surprising outcomes impacts the AFC and NFC playoff pictures, and comments on the Saints’ defense taking it to the Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football, handing Tom Brady his first shutout since 2006.  Steelers All-Pro Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick tells Rich why Pittsburgh keeps bouncing back after every time they’ve been counted out this season and how head coach Mike Tomlin has kept his squad motivated throughout the ups and downs, if the NFL is legislating too much physicality out of the game, and reveals what he did at Alabama that had Crimson Tide Head Coach Nick Saban seeing red.   Rich makes the case for Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor to win the NFL MVP Award, and reacts to Bill Belichick’s shocking apology to being terse with the media following the Patriots’ loss to the Colts on Saturday.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rich and the guys react to the rapidly-spreading Covid virus among NFL teams and the possible implications for Week 15 games. (timestamp).      In his ‘What’s More Likely segment Rich talks Jonathan Taylor, Mac Jones, Ben Roethlisberger, Ravens, Cooper Kupp, Tom Brady, Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons and more.   TJ breaks out his Big Ass Grab Bag and lists his top five basketball movie sharpshooters among Jesus Shuttlesworth from ‘He Got Game,’ Billy Hoyle from ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ and others. Did ‘Hoosiers’ Jimmy Chitwood make the cut?    Vikings All-Pro safety Harrison Barnes and Rich discuss the Vikes’ frustrating season and if they are playing to save the job head coach Mike Zimmer, which NFL QB is the toughest to read, and his reaction (as a Notre Dame alum) to Brian Kelly jilting the Fighting Irish for LSU.   Chris Brockman offers up his ‘Sneaky Good Games’ for NFL Week 15 including the Broncos vs the Bengals, the Urban Meyer-less Jaguars vs the Texans, and Ravens vs the Packers. Learn more about your ad

NBC News’ Steve Kornakci and Rich break down the AFC and NFC playoff pictures with detailed stats on which teams have the best chance to win their conference’s top seed and which teams might be on the outside looking in when the postseason kicks off, and how Urban Meyer’s flameout with the Jaguars compares to some disastrous political campaigns of note.     Kurt and Brenda Warner and Rich Eisen discuss their new biopic ‘American Underdog’ that chronicles Warner’s unexpected rise from unknown Arena League QB to Super Bowl champion to the Pro Football Hall of Fame while detailing the challenges they faced in their personal lives along the way. Warner also weighs in on Urban Meyer’s firing by the Jacksonville Jaguars.   Rich and the guys react to Saints head coach Sean Payton contracting covid-19 again and some possible game postponements in the wake of the virus’ spread among NFL teams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rich recaps the Chiefs’ “dynamite” OT win over the Chargers saying the pivotal AFC West showdown “felt like a playoff game” and debates if L.A. Head Coach Brandon Staley was too brave for his own good when deciding to go for it on multiple 4th downs instead of settling for field goals.      NFL Network Analyst Daniel Jeremiah tells Rich why he has no problem with the Chargers’ aggressiveness on 4th downs last night vs the Chiefs, if KC and Patrick Mahomes or Mac Jones and the Patriots are the team to beat in the AFC and if Tom Brady and the Bucs are the NFC’s favorites, how Urban Meyer’s “tremendous amount of arrogance” ultimately led to his demise with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and if Pitt Panthers QB Kenny Pickett has a chance to go in the top 5 of the 2022 NFL Draft (possibly to the New York Giants to replace Daniel Jones?).    Rich dons his Michigan Wolverines alum hat to gleefully explain why he’s taking such joy in former Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer’s spectacular failure in the NFL. Learn

NFL Network Analyst and 3-time Super Bowl champion Willie McGinest tells Rich why the Jacksonville Jaguars had no choice but to fire Urban Meyer once he lost the trust of the locker room, how the 2021 Patriots are eerily similar to the 2001 Pats, if he’ll root for Tom Brady or New England if they meet in the Super Bowl, and how much longer he expects TB12 to play in the NFL.    Emmy-nominated actor Will Forte and Rich discuss reviving his Saturday Night Live ‘MacGruber’ character for a new comedy series on Peacock, reveals that he didn’t fully buy into the character in the beginning, talks Raiders, fatherhood and more!     Rich reviews the new Kurt Warner biopic ‘American Underdog’ base on the life story of the Hall of Fame QB and Rams Super Bowl champion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rich and Brockman preview the pivotal showdown between the Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs and Justin Herbert’s Los Angeles Chargers with the two divided on who wins to secure first place in the AFC West.    Rich ponders Urban Meyer’s next career move and says why a return to being a TV pundit is more likely than him returning to the college game as a head coach again.      ‘Brother from Another’ co-host Michael Smith tells Rich why he might be the happiest person in America today because of the Jaguars firing of Meyer, saying a lack of character was his fatal flaw, and says why Deion Sanders’ flipping the nation’s #1 football recruit from Florida State to Jackson State could be the start of something big for HBCU’s.    Rich responds to a caller who says Jaguars Owner Shad Khan deserves some of the blame for Urban Meyer’s failure in Jacksonville. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rich reacts to the Jacksonville Jaguars firing Urban Meyer just 13 games into his NFL head coaching career calling his 2-11 record on the field combined with numerous blunders off the field a “spectacular faceplant.”    NFL Insider Ian Rapoport tells Rich why Meyer’s “so many missteps” lead to his demise in Jacksonville and whether or not we’ll ever see him coaching on a sideline again, which direction the Jags go with their next head coaching hire (Patriots OC Josh McDaniels? Bucs OC Byron Leftwich?) to develop #1 overall draft pick Trevor Lawrence, and which NFL coaches are on the hottest hot seats heading down the stretch run (ahem, Mike Zimmer and Matt Nagy).  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian Bert Kreischer tells Rich why he would make a great NFL head coach or commissioner (hint: onside kicks on EVERY kickoff…end zone celebrations with costume changes), how his parenting skills compare to Tiger Woods’, if he would let golfer John Daly hit a drive while holding a golf tee in his mouth, why he enjoys taking his shirt off in public and but enjoys taking ALL of his clothes off at home even more, some great stories about ‘Star Wars’ star Mark Hamill will filming the upcoming movie ‘The Machine’ and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

ESPN’s Monday Night Football NFL Analyst Brian Griese tells Rich how the Rams played more like a team and less like individual stars on their key win over their NFC West rival Arizona Cardinals, why the 49ers could be the most dangerous NFC team in the postseason if they make the playoffs, why the Buffalo Bills have underachieved this season, why the AFC playoff landscape is wide open, and if his Michigan Wolverines have a chance to win the College Football Playoff in January.     The MMQB’s Senior NFL Reporter Albert Breer and Rich discuss Deion Sanders flipping the nation’s #1 recruit, Travis Hunter, from Florida State to Jackson State, why the NFL will need to make changes to its Covid-19 protocols in order to have the Super Bowl played as-scheduled, how a proposed change to the league’s interviewing process could lead to head coaches getting fired before the regular season ends, and how the unrest in Jacksonville surrounding Urban Meyer and the Jaguars could play out. Rich breaks down the decision Jaguar

Rich reacts to Steph Curry breaking the NBA’s career three-pointers record and debates if the Warriors guard has earned a spot on basketball’s Mount Rushmore of top 4 players of all-time.  Two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Long tells Rich if he would want to play in the Raiders-Browns game if he were still in the NFL given the spreading Covid-19 outbreak in the Cleveland locker room, why Urban Meyer has been an unmitigated disaster so far with the Jacksonville Jaguars, if he’s concerned about the Arizona Cardinals with injuries to De’Andre Hopkins and James Conner in their loss to the Rams, and if the Micah Parsons-Lawrence Taylor or fair for the Cowboys’ rookie linebacker. Rich reacts to Deion Sanders flipping the nation’s top recruit from Florida State to Jackson State and says 1) people shouldn’t be surprised, and 2) the Seminoles made a HUGE mistake when the bypassed Prime for their open head coaching job back two years ago. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rams OT Andrew Whitworth tells Rich what it was like to be the oldest player in NFL history to start a game at LT at 40-years-old and how L.A. responded to positive Covid tests to key players before knocking off the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football, why being nominated for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for his off-the-field charity work means as much to him as winning games on the field, and his reaction to Brian Kelly’s new southern drawl he introduced in his first appearance in front of fans at his alma mater LSU.   Actor Terry Crews tells Rich why he still has dreams of playing in the NFL (but playing much better than he did when he actually played in the NFL), his fondest memories of former Chargers teammate Junior Seau, and how much fun he had voicing an animated wrestler in his new Paramount+ film ‘Rumble.’   Rich confesses that ‘Elf’ makes him tear up every time he watches it while TJ reveals that he’s never seen the Will Ferrell Christmas classic.  Learn more