PMT DB
PMT DB
Dan Quinn, Deebo Samuel, and the Rebirth of Vanny Woodhead
Grit Week is officially in the books, and we closed it out the only way possible: huddled in the back of a freshly repaired Vanny Woodhead. Hank finally completed his quest to get the van running again, and while it smells exactly like it did eight years ago and has an exposed engine that might be a carbon monoxide risk, it feels like home. Football is officially back in our lives, even if the Hall of Fame Game gave us some questionable new additions to the sport.
The Return of Football (and AI Slop)
Big Cat and PFT were locked into the Hall of Fame Game, watching Trey Lance make a case for a QB controversy and Jim Harbaugh remind everyone that football chooses you. However, PFT wasn't exactly thrilled with the NFL's latest attempt at technical innovation. Between the AI-generated first-down markers and the chain gang standing around like "cucks," the broadcast felt a little too much like a robot takeover.
PFT CommenterThe new 'Hawkeye' tracking technology in the NFL is just AI slop that doesn't solve anything.
The Hawkeye, they're putting tennis in our football. They mixed tennis in with football. And what they did was, on the first down, they showed the AI slop 3D cam that they hit a button and then they put a graphic on the screen and then the yellow line appears on the screen. The yellow line. That's, that's not new technology. The ball is still spotted by the refs. So it doesn't really have anything to do with anything.
While the technology was annoying, the real drama remains in Washington. Terry McLaurin has requested a trade, but PFT is refusing to let the dream die. Despite the request, PFT is doubling down on his optimism for a contract extension, even if the Super Bowl window feels like it's hanging by a thread.
PFT CommenterI am 111% confident that the Commanders will get a contract extension done with Terry McLaurin.
[The 110% confidence] went up better today. [It's at] 111. The request of a trade actually got me more confident that it's gonna be done. It makes me want more. That's probably what he is doing.
PFT CommenterThe Super Bowl window for the Commanders is officially closed if Terry McLaurin is traded.
Terry is the perfect teammate. He's an awesome guy, great football player. His numbers last year were incredible. You need him. If you want to be inside the Super Bowl, if, if Terry's not on the team, I think I might have to exclude this year from the Super Bowl window. 'cause we're in the window. I'm not thinking soupy, I'm not saying we're going to the win Super Bowl. You're in the, but we're in the window. If he's not on the team, I, this is not a window year.
Deadline Disasters and War Daddies
The MLB Trade Deadline came and went, leaving Big Cat in a state of deep Cubs-related depression. After trading for Kyle Tucker and then doing nothing to actually improve the roster for a playoff push, Big Cat is convinced the organization is just spinning its wheels. He’s already looking toward free agency for the only move that can save the front office's reputation.
Big CatThe Chicago Cubs' 2025 trade deadline was a disaster with no clear plan.
Cubs Trade deadline recap... They got no plan. They got a bunch of rental arms. A super utility man. Which I like that. That's cool... But it feels like Kyle Tucker will not be resigned. The Cubs had, they, they traded a prospect, a really good pro prospect in Cam Smith for Kyle Tucker... And then they did nothing at the trade deadline. And they're holding onto prospects and then they're probably not gonna sign Kyle Tucker... it's a disaster.
Big CatThe only way the Cubs can make their deadline right is by re-signing Kyle Schwarber in free agency.
The only way they can make it right is if they bring back Kyle Schwarber. I decided on that. I'm gonna start putting the pressure on that. 'cause he's a free agent.
Outside of the diamond, training camp is producing the usual "War Daddy" designations, and we’re already marking our calendars for the end of September. Big Cat highlighted the weekend of September 27th as potentially the greatest sports weekend of the decade, featuring everything from Bama-Georgia to a full slate of NFL heavyweights.
Big CatThe weekend of September 27th-28th, 2025, will be the greatest weekend of the fall.
I've already got my eyes set on the best weekend of the fall. September 27th. Saturday: Ryder Cup, Bama verse Georgia, LSU verse Ole Miss, Oregon versus Penn State White out. Sunday: Ryder Cup, Eagles verse bucks, Ravens verse Chiefs, Packers verse cowboys. It's coming.
The Commanders Takeover
We hit Commanders camp for a massive triple-header of interviews. We did "One Question with a Quarterback" with Jayden Daniels—where PFT offered him a 1970 El Camino—and then sat down with the new regime. Dan Quinn talked about the meaning of grit and the preparation required to feel like a "motherfucker" on Sundays.
Dan QuinnTrue confidence only comes after putting in the work, which then allows you to say 'I wish a motherfucker would' on game day.
Preparation [is where] confidence comes from. Like long practices, putting extra training in your conditioning. 'Cause then it's like, I wish a motherfucker would right now. You know, like I am ready. And so you have to go through those tough training readiness to have like a mindset that's gritty.
Dan Quinn also confirmed that the aggressive fourth-down mentality we saw in Dallas is traveling with him to D.C. He’s not here to punt; he’s here to be bold, regardless of what the analytics guys (or the "big balls" guys) say.
Dan QuinnWe will remain bold on fourth down regardless of game situation or defensive improvements.
We'll be bold still. Like that's who we are. That's how we get down. And you know, kind of referencing, you know, Jayden and Cliff and situations... We're confident with the people that we have that if that's how we want to get down, then like we're ready to do that... There's a boldness with it, but it, you do have to grow in it.
Deebo Samuel also joined the show to address the online trolls calling him slow and fat. In reality, Deebo is in the best shape of his life and looking to recreate the magic of his 2021 All-Pro season. He also gave us a glimpse into the mentality that makes him the hardest player in the league to bring down.
Deebo SamuelI am currently in the best shape of my career.
[I am in the] best shape of my life right now. Was that partially because everyone called you fat online? No, don't care. Everybody Gotta have something to say. Something to talk about. That's just a life.
Deebo SamuelIf only one person manages to tackle me on a play, it is officially a bad play.
Everything I do, especially out there on the field... if one guy tackled me, then it's not a good play. [My dad said] if he tackle you, then we gonna have a problem. So that always been like my mentality.
Mount Rushmore of Chain Restaurants
The Mount Rushmore of non-drive-through chain restaurants sparked a civil war. While Chili’s and Applebee’s went early, the real fireworks started when Olive Garden was taken. Max, leaning into his Italian heritage, absolutely shredded the choice, leading to a heated debate about whether American-Italian food has any right to exist alongside the real thing.
MaxOlive Garden is absolutely disgusting Italian food.
Olive Garden is absolutely fucking disgusting. If it's a true Italian... it's Italian, but it's a [disgrace]. But it's a good pick. It's a good for the [graphic].
MaxItalian food in Italy is far superior to American-Italian food.
American food is meant to be had in a chain restaurant... Italian food in Italy is better than American food in America. Correct. I have never been to Italy, but I imagine.
We finished the week with a legendary Fyre Fest featuring the saga of the "Dickhead Pilot" who wouldn't let Big Cat on the private flight home because of a Real ID issue. While the rest of the guys slept in their own beds, Big Cat was stuck on a Newark tarmac for three hours. It was the perfect, gritty ending to a week that saw us jump dirt bikes into foam pits and reclaim Vanny Woodhead.
Don't eat a salad this weekend, or you might end up like Dustin May.
