TJ Watt on DPOY, the Uhhh Hey JJ Era, and Big Ben’s Retirement
The post-Super Bowl void is officially here, and Big Cat is feeling the bleakness of the sports calendar. With pitchers and catchers failing to report due to the lockout, the transition to college basketball season is in full swing. Big Cat is already doing his annual deep dive into the hardwood, specifically eyeing the Zags and their lanky superstar.
Chet Holmgren is very good but he looks like he will get eaten alive by real men in the paint
Chet Holmgren... is like the skinniest dude ever. And people get really mad because... your reaction is going to be, I actually would like to see you do, this is like this guy's, this guy's going to be soft when he plays against real men... he is really fucking good... but it's impossible to watch him once and not be like, oh, he's going to get eaten alive.
Before moving on from football entirely, the crew took a second look at the Rams' victory. While the internet tried to convince everyone Aaron Donald was offsides on the game-ending play, Big Cat was focused on a different hypothetical involving Odell Beckham Jr.
If Odell Beckham Jr. does not get hurt, the Rams win the Super Bowl by 10 points
I also think if you want to do a, what if I, what if, what if Odell Beckham doesn't get hurt? Did the Rams run by 10? Like they were looking back at that game. They had three drives or it might've been four drives two punts, two touchdowns. But the two touchdowns were very easy. One Soto [Odell] Beckham goes out. They don't, they don't do anything until that last drive.
Joe Burrow’s postgame attire also came under fire. PFT and Big Cat agreed that while the zebra suit was a look for a winner, it made the walk out of the stadium with a limp look ten times worse. PFT thinks it’s time for a mandatory equipment change for quarterbacks.
NFL quarterbacks should bring a 'losing suit' to games so they don't look ridiculous in flamboyant outfits after a loss
I think that every quarterback should have a winning suit and a losing suit. And it's, it's equally to me as a fan of respecting the media. It's equally as disrespectful. When a quarterback who just won isn't dressed up like Cruella, Deville... I don't want a winning quarterback to be wearing like a tattered t-shirt and sweat pants. [Joe Burrow] should have brought a losing pair of clothes to the game because it did look... sad when he was walking out with a limp, losing the super bowl and a zebra suit.
Looking ahead to next year, Big Cat isn't ready to crown the Bengals as the next AFC dynasty. Between Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Justin Herbert, the path back to the big game is a gauntlet.
The Bengals are not guaranteed to return to the Super Bowl due to the elite competition in the AFC
I do find it kind of interesting how everybody's like the bangles are gonna be back here for sure... just say that out loud to yourself... given like, whew, who's in the AFC right now. I, if you, if we said bet, you have to bet next decade. The Bengals go to X amount of Superbowls... over one and a half, you'd take the under all that all day. And that's, it's not disrespectful to the bangles... because the chiefs are that good. The bills are looking that good, sir. Herbert, it looks great. Lamar Jackson got forgotten about.
Hot Seat/Cool Throne
Hot Seat/Cool Throne featured a heavy dose of retirement talk. While Sean McVay and Aaron Donald both floated the idea of walking away, Big Cat isn't buying the defensive tackle's bluff.
Aaron Donald is not actually retiring; he is just leveraging for a new contract because his current deal is outdated
Aaron Donald retiring has no merit to it. That is the most blatant—and good for him—the most blatant 'I'm the best player in the NFL right now. And my contract is outdated. Pay me money.' ... He's not going to walk away from that money. He's just trying to get more money. Right. And I think he's like now, like the eighth highest paid defensive player... This is a very clear move by him to be like, I'm going to retire, pay me more money.
PFT brought some heat to the hot seat regarding the Duke coaching transition. A new book alleges that Coach K wasn't exactly welcoming when it came to other potential successors taking his throne.
Coach K blocked Tommy Amaker from the Duke head coaching job to protect Jon Scheyer's career
There's a report coming out a new book that Tommy Amaker was going to be named next head coach of duke... and coach K got on a zoom with them and essentially said, I can't have you taking this job because that would set John shier back in his career. So we want you to take your name out of consideration and out of respect for coach K Tommy Amaker realized that this job search thing was apparently he had been offered the job already until coach K stepped in.
Meanwhile, Kyler Murray's social media antics have him firmly on the hot seat. After scrubbing his Instagram and posting a novel in the Notes app, PFT is officially out on the Cardinals' signal-caller.
Kyler Murray leads the league in nonsense
All of this nonsense is not what I'm about. Never has been, never will be... All that says it, all, all of this nonsense that I, that I directly caused is I'm not. And you can make the case that this is just more nonsense, correct? I think Kyler Murray leads the league in nonsense.
TJ Watt Joins the Show
Defensive Player of the Year TJ Watt stopped by to talk about finally completing the Watt family trophy room. He addressed the legendary video of Hank thinking he won three grand on a TJ Watt touchdown that didn't count, and the guys nearly killed him by bringing a bag of almonds into the studio despite his severe tree nut allergy.
TJ gave some insight into the Mike Tomlin experience, explaining the "standard is the standard" and how the coach uses specific motivators for every player. He also cleared up some rumors regarding his contract negotiations and that famous Adam Schefter tweet about him "marching" into the office.
I was fined $10,000 for jokingly saying I checked my phone at halftime
I jokingly said I checked my phone at halftime of the Baltimore game and it NFL took it as a real saying and find me $10,000. Why aren't you allowed [to have a phone]? It's just one of those things where, yeah. I'm not allowed to have my phone on me at all 90 minutes before the game or during halftime.
As a former high-level hockey player, TJ is confident in his ability to hang in other sports, even if the scoring touch might be a little rusty.
I could last a two-minute shift in the NHL, but I'm not sure I'd actually score a goal
If we threw you out there, could you last a shift in the NHL? It's like two minutes, right? Yeah. I think I got that. I mean, for fighting for 30 seconds of this shift... I don't know if I get you a goal. I mean, some of the scores are 1-0, 0-0. So I don't know. I don't want to disrespect the NHL guys out there. Maybe just crash the net.
Before letting him go, the guys had to check in on his basketball skills. While TJ thinks he could hold his own on an NBA court for a possession or two, Big Cat was more interested in a potential backyard brawl between the league's most famous families.
The Watt brothers could beat the Gronkowski brothers in a fight
Do you think that the Watt brothers could take the [Gronkowskis]? ... I don't know, man. Isn't there, isn't there like a new UFC where they have like five verse five? ... We need to get two extra Watts when you guys could join in. [Big Cat]: Yes. [TJ Watt]: You guys would kick our ass, correct? [Big Cat]: Yes.
The show wrapped up with Guys on Chicks featuring Jersey Jerry, who finally got his FaceTime moment with his hero, TJ Watt. The segment covered everything from half-marathon relationship red flags to the proper usage of the "bonk" emoji.
PFT has some very specific advice for any listeners currently being coerced into long-distance running by a significant other.
Relationships built entirely on fitness and distance running are not built to last
Relationships built off fitness. I don't think are built to last because at some point, yeah, you're going to be out of shape. Well, and then you both have to be fitness freaks and then make tick talks together about like meal prep and shit.
If your boyfriend takes you to McDonald's for a Land, Air, and Sea burger on Valentine's Day, just remember it’s the thought that counts.
