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Chapter 1: What is the Brendan Sorsby saga and why is it significant?
the hell is going on i thought after memorial day and up until august nothing was supposed to happen in football au contraire we have our pal from sports illustrated burt breer coming up in just a second to fill us in on everything including jackson dart brendan sorsby the state of the steelers all the rest of it plus there's basketball there's hockey let's get into it let's start the show
Yes, hi and hello, my fellow football Americans. Welcome to Football America, presented as ever by DraftKings. DraftKings, the crown is yours. And like I said, Bert Breer in just a second. I want to talk about the Knickerbockers. They're in the finals. Who they're going to play? TBD, Stanley Cup final. Poor people in Buffalo. Oh, those poor souls up there. In the meantime, it's episode 66.
Let's do it. The episode, as we do with every episode, we honor the player in football, nay, sports history who wore it best, 66, Gino Fuentes. Welcome back after a week away. How are you? And tell us, who is that person?
Well, we got some Steelers here. We got Alan Fanica is number 66.
We got Ray Nitschke.
How do you say Nitschke? How do you say that? There's like five consonants in a row. Nitschke. Nitschke. Ray Nitschke. Five-time NFL champion. Ethan had one.
Yeah, from baseball.
Ray Nitschke, 66. Bald-headed guy. Also was in the movie with Burt Reynolds, Mean Machine. They remade it with Adam Sandler. Longest Yard is the name of the movie you're looking for. Longest Yard. Sheesh.
There was a baseball one too, right?
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Chapter 2: Did Curt Cignetti anticipate the challenges with Sorsby?
It's Mario Lemieux, obviously. Number 66, the greatest hockey player in the history of people. Good news there, too, for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Geno Malkin inks a year-long deal, so he's back. Remarkable stuff.
We're so cynical as sports fans these days, but I think we can all take a minute to say, man, especially in free agency or any other time, really, that there's not one guy who's going to make it 21 years with one franchise, but three Geno Malkin and Sidney Crosby and Chris Letang teammates. We're in the same uniform for more than two decades. Remarkable stuff.
But like I've said before, you need to look no further than the headlines to realize that most people are too cynical to acknowledge greatness. We're watching Shoei Itani. And like I say, greatest in the history of people. Shoei Itani is in fact that in Major League Baseball. Do we agree on that? Is that hyperbolic or is that settled at this point? On Wednesday night,
Six scoreless, not scoreless innings, but six innings, he gets the win as the pitcher. Seven strikeouts, plus he hit a home run. Why isn't this what we're talking about about 80% of the time we're talking about sports right now? The lore of baseball is pretty heavy from Babe Ruth to Willie Mays and Barry Bonds and all that. None holds a candle to this cat.
This might be his most impressive year for me just because I turn around and he's got the lowest ERA in baseball after having a 50 and 50 season.
It's under one. His ERA is under one this season. It's unbelievable. I didn't even realize it. Dave, I'll be honest, haven't tuned into baseball quite yet. Still waiting for the hockey playoffs to be over. But once I do turn into baseball, wow, you're telling me Shohei Otani has an ERA under one? What the hell are we talking about here?
It's kind of like basketball doesn't start until after the All-Star break because that's when football's over. Correct. Oh, Super Bowl's over. What, basketball's been going on? That's crazy.
Yeah, I guess in another week or two, if he can continue this level both on the hump and at the dish, then maybe basketball and hockey fans will start paying a little bit more attention. I want to talk about the Knickerbockers and the meaning of that in New York and to the sports world at large. And Jackson Dart is making noise up there as well.
But first, I want to dig in on all the NFL news, and there is a surprising amount of it with one of the best in the business, our old pal from NFL Network. Here comes Bird Breer.
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Chapter 3: How are NFL teams viewing Sorsby for the supplemental draft?
Hey, Bert, first things first. You and I started at the NFL. I'm pretty sure it was the same year we did, and you were doing a remote, and I was at home base, and I referred to you. They said, let's get it out to New England, to Foxborough, where Albert Breer is standing by. And I said, hey, Bert, what's happening? And when the segment ended, Everybody went crazy.
Like, how dare you insult Albert like that? And I said, I'm trying to do him a solid. I think Bert Breer sounds like a mid-century gumshoe or something. It's Bert Breer over here. Are you okay with it years later? Were you offended at the time I first called you?
No, that's what my childhood friends call me.
Sure.
I thought you knew that. I thought you had some inside sources on that. Like, that's what my childhood friends call me. So my thing is I just never correct anybody. So some people call me Bert. Other people call me Albert. I'm fine either way. I just, I don't know. I never, you know, I hear people get offended when you refer to them the wrong way.
Like, I love Matthew Stafford, but I heard Kelly Stafford got offended by people calling Matthew Stafford Matt. Like I just never have. Like I don't, I really like don't correct people. So maybe I should, I don't know. I'm clear of any confusion on that.
I just think it sounds cooler. Like I say, I just think this helps you. You could appear in a Billy Wilder movie if you play your cards right. Yeah, I mean, I've told Rich Eisen, like, you know, Rich Eisen, you're doing well. Dick Eisen, even cooler, though.
I like that. Yeah, that sounds like sort of like old school, like... like 1930s radio announcer, like the guy who called, the guy who called, like, you know, Babe Ruth's games could definitely be the guy.
He's the bee's knees, everybody, don't you know? Here he comes, everybody, Bert Breer, everybody's ace reporter. He's covering the Flategate.
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Chapter 4: Why is the NCAA treating Sorsby as a 'sacrificial lamb'?
Didn't he ditch?
I think so. I think so.
Maybe he knew the trouble was coming.
Well, I mean, you did kind of indicate on the side that Coach Sig, right, let's see if his empire can exist beyond Fernando. I think the early returns indicate that they probably have a chance of surviving this and bridging the gap. We'll see about that. But Brendan Sorsby was a ne'er-do-well, apparently, putting some bank down, although it's a little bit of the Pete Rose's manager of his team.
At least as long as you're not betting against your team. That's the real problem. But either way. um how big an issue is this let's say okay supplement a supplemental draft he's available to you you really like him as a football player how many teams will it be all 32 that say we can't have a guy that's engaging and gambling on the games that he's playing in so it's a non-starter for us
No, I think there's going to be a bunch that will consider him, and obviously a lot of it's relative to your own quarterback position and who you have at that spot. But I think this is as high-end a quarterback prospect that's entered the supplemental draft probably since the 80s. You know, you had... Steve Walsh in 89.
I remember the Steve Walsh experience and a lot of people forget that Jimmy Johnson at least sort of kind of hinted that he liked Steve Walsh better than Troy Aikman in the moment.
Yep, that's right. And then Bernie Kosar before that, of course, in 84 when he steered himself to Cleveland. And so, you know, I think it's interesting because I've talked to people that I think, you know, if you heard their names, you'd really respect, Dave, that view him as a potential top five pick in the 27 draft, who think that he's up there with Arch Manning and C.J.
Carr and Dante Moore, among the guys that are going to be competing to go at the highest end of that draft. And, you know, so I think what's in front of teams now, if you can get past the gambling issue... is, you know, an opportunity. Again, if he doesn't get his injunction on Monday in Lubbock, you know, we'll see how that goes.
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Chapter 5: What are the implications of gambling on Sorsby's career?
But betting on your own team is sort of a cardinal sin in sports. And it really calls the entire construct of the sport into question. And so it becomes an existential thing for the big sports leagues and the NCAA. So the NCAA has set the precedent here. We're not going to allow this in our organization and in our schools. We will not allow this. So they drew that line in the sand.
And we'll see how the courts rule going forward. The NFL is in an interesting spot here because... This didn't happen under their watch. And so how do they handle it? And that's where you need to pay attention to who Brendan Soares be hired. It's Jeffrey Kessler, who's like a boogeyman for the pro sports leagues.
You know, he has represented the big unions in almost every sport and strikes and lockouts. And so. Does the NFL want to get into some sort of legal fight with Jeffrey Kessler? You know, and I think what Jeffrey Kessler's argument here would be, well, it didn't happen under your watch. And the NFL, you are a trade association.
It is up to your companies to determine whether or not this guy is employable. And once he is employed, in your trade association, then you can punish him for things that happen while he's in the trade association, but you can't do it before that. So it's a fascinating case.
And my guess would be that Sorsby's camp will probably work to come to some sort of resolution with the NFL before you get to any of that. So at least everybody knows the landscape going forward.
Super interesting stuff as we have Fernando Mendoza and Kirk Cousins landing in Sin City and Brendan Sorsby going, we'll see, somewhere else in pro football.
But I would tell you this on that. Think about this, though. Not to cut you off, Dave, but... Like the Jets, the Dolphins, the Cardinals, the Browns, all those teams, for the most part, kept their powder dry and not taking a quarterback all that high. Like the Cardinals took Carson Beck in the third round. The Jets took Cade Klubding in the fourth round.
But for the most part, those teams kept their powder dry. on drafting a quarterback high in 2027. So I think those teams all become teams to watch when it comes to Brian Goresby.
Yeah, those are not high-end teams. If I followed the list you just said, there's another team that probably should be QB desperate that plays on the banks of the Three Rivers. We'll get to them on the other side of that Ohio-Pennsylvania border, though. Some intrigue around Miles Garrett. I thought it was weird that you said a week ago that Todd Munkin
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Chapter 6: How does Sorsby compare to other quarterback prospects?
That money's gone. But if it's pushed to September, now they can still trade that chunk of the contract along with the rest of it. So there's that piece of it. There's the June 1st date, which is a big one coming up on Monday. And look, I think from a timeline perspective, if you look at where the Browns are, they've tried to get a lot younger in the wake of the Travis Hunter trade last year.
And they did a good job of putting together a rookie class last year to serve as the foundation of that with guys like Carson Swessinger and Mason Graham and Harold Fannin and Quinn Sean Judkins. And, you know, this year they come back and they add Spencer Fano and Casey Concepcion and Denzel Boston. And so my question would be, Do the timelines match up?
Do the timelines of those guys match up with the timeline of Miles Garrett, who's going to turn 31 at the end of this year? And if you say to yourself, well, maybe their quarterback isn't on the roster yet in Cleveland, right? The real quarterback of the future isn't on the roster. Well, then that means maybe you're not a real contender till 27 or 28. when Garrett's going to be 32 or 33.
And now if you try to trade them then, the value isn't close to the same as it would be right now. So whether it happens next week, in a month, before the trade deadline, I think this is going to be something we're all going to be following. And I do think that there are a lot of teams that would be interested in acquiring him.
And I do think the Browns could still get a pretty massive return, which I think would, you know, supercharge the, it's hard to replace Miles Garrett. Don't get me wrong, but you know, having a couple more first round picks, maybe a young player coming in would help to, to really, you know, put a jet pack on that youth movement they've got going.
Well, I mean, just imagine. I mean, it's not hard to tick off the teams that feel real close but lack primarily, above all other needs, probably a difference-making guy on the edge there. Bills and Ravens, that's an easy list to go through right at the top there.
Yeah, I mean, the Bears have been looking for a guy opposite Montez Sweat. To me, the Rams are really interesting. They just drafted Ty Simpson in the first round, which means they don't need to worry as much about where we're going to get our quarterback in 27 or 28 to eventually replace Matthew Stafford. I think those picks become more movable for them now.
And they could give you a young edge rusher back because they've got a couple of those. You know, the the Eagles are always in these things. Their cap situation is a little tighter, so I'm not sure about them quite as much. But there are definitely teams there that I think would would be in the mix.
And again, like I would I would look at it this way, Dave, like if you're a Cleveland and you can get, say, two ones in a young player form, whatever the whatever that is. Right. What's that going to look like in two years if you try to trade him two years from now?
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Chapter 7: What are the potential impacts of Sorsby's situation on NFL teams?
I mean, like I, and I, I think the world is TJ Watt as a player. I know there were teams, I know there were teams that like, like by the end of last year felt like Alex Highsmith was more of a, of an issue for them when they're game planning against the Steelers defense than what was just sort of what it was by the end of the year last year, you know? And I, and I think that that's,
It's an interesting strategy the Steelers have taken because to me, the hire of Mike McCarthy was ownership saying we do not want to sink to the bottom of the league. We do not want to go through a rebuild. I think most of us on the outside looked at it and, you know, you see some of the older pieces, Jalen Ramsey, Cam Hayward, T.J. Watt.
Um, you know, even DK Metcalf's got a lot of mileage for a guy who's going to be 29 years old. Um, and you, you look at it and you say, okay, like this is probably the time with Mike Tomlin gone to rip the bandaid off and go and hire a young coach.
Like you always have, whether that be like, you know, a Chris Shula or an easier, oh, ever, oh, whoever it is like bringing in a young coach that would sort of fit the mold of what you've always had there. Um, And instead, they turn around and they hire a guy who, and I love Mike McCarthy, but did you know that on his first day of work, he became the oldest coach in Steelers history?
Isn't that incredible? On his very first day of work. And I think a lot of Mike McCarthy is a coach, but that's the reality of it. Like, it was a let's win now. And then you see their actions, right? They got older. They signed Jamel Dean, who's almost 30, to play corner. They signed Michael Pittman, who I think is going into his eighth year to play receiver.
They signed a running back, Enrico Dowdle, who's going into his eighth year. And so, like, I... You could see the wheels turning on Aaron Rodgers coming back, but also with guys like T.J. Watt, you can feel the reluctance to let go of that core.
I thought last year was going to be the last swing, and that's why I thought it was a really good idea to bring in Rodgers because if you're going to take the last swing, swing hard. But it seems like that last swing is now becoming the second-to-last swing with these guys.
Well, it's silly, and they continue to go into that. It's not trying to, as I always say, fuel the jet at 30,000 feet that I resent. In fact, I support that, especially in a year-to-year league. The idea that you should take a season off. First of all, look at the teams that have intentionally tanked entire seasons. Did it work out for those teams? No, largely it hasn't.
But beyond that, yes, year-to-year. My misread, or based on what you're saying is, was and remains, McCarthy is there even though he's older than the other QB whisperers out there. He's a guy, you know, a quarter century into developing quarterbacks and getting the best version of those guys. It makes sense to me to bring him in to develop one of the young guys or a few of the young guys.
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Chapter 8: What does the future hold for Sorsby and NFL quarterbacks?
it's to me you look at the rams who are legit super bowl contenders they have the reigning mvp and then underneath him they're developing ty simpson pretty sorry version of that going on in pittsburgh you have a 43 year old man who doesn't like a pass rush and these long shot guys that people are looking to like maybe will howard can develop do you buy that on any level bouncing off of mccarthy and otherwise well i mean like part
Part of the way this all worked out, I will say that you want to get a look at Will Howard. You know, it doesn't mean he's going to become anything. But like, I do know that part of the setting of the date that he was going to show up on the first day of OTAs was Mike McCarthy wanted to run basically like a 100 level off 100 level of his offense today.
to the players early on and wanted to get a good look at Will Howard and see where the team stood at the position. They drafted Drew Aller in the third round. So I think the hope would be that Will Howard beats out Mason Rudolph. And then your depth chart is Rodgers, Howard,
But there's no way – but they can't let Mason Rudolph – again, not what you and I think. I'm talking about what their mindset is.
There's no way they think – Then do you carry four? Because then – Aller's on the team. Aller was a third-round pick. They're not cutting Aller.
They're definitely not cutting Aller. That's right. And they're not going to cut Mason Rudolph if they think of themselves, the way they operate. And again, we're in a new era here with Mike McCarthy, but still given – you know, the Steeler way as much as that is a thing in 2026.
I don't buy that if they perceive themselves to be viable Super Bowl contenders that they are going to risk the season with Will Howard.
So would you keep four?
No, I think that they have to say goodbye to Will Howard. Yeah, and that could be.
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