PMT DB
PMT DB
The NFL landscape shifted significantly this morning with the news that Kyler Murray has officially won the starting job for the Minnesota Vikings. This move leaves rookie JJ McCarthy in a strange spot before the season even begins. Big Cat wasn't mincing words about the situation, suggesting that the Vikings have effectively nuked the bridge with their first-round pick before he even got a chance to cross it.
Big CatThe Vikings have to trade JJ McCarthy now that he's lost the starting job to Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray has won the starting job in Minnesota for all the non-believers out there. It's a sad day. It's a bad day... you have to trade [JJ McCarthy], right? I guess so, but I don't know what you're gonna get... you drafted him two years ago and it's like, this was supposed to be the future and you're moving on from that already, so you just gotta rid yourself.
PFT immediately started looking for landing spots for McCarthy, with the Chargers and Jets being thrown out as potential homes for a quarterback who suddenly finds himself as the odd man out in the Twin Cities.
Training Camp Chaos and Injury Jail
The conversation shifted to the broader NFL training camp news, specifically the frustrating way injury timelines are reported. Big Cat reached his breaking point with the news that Kobe Bryant will miss significant time despite early reports suggesting a much shorter recovery period. He's proposing a new legal standard for NFL insiders who get our hopes up.
Big CatReporters who provide incorrect injury timelines should be forced to serve the length of that timeline in jail
I think it should be illegal and you should be in jail if you report that a player is injured for a short period of time and then it turns out they're injured for a longer period of time. Kobe Bryant is now out for four to six months because he got knee surgery. Everyone reported that he was out for eight to 10 weeks. That should be jail. Anyone who reported that should be in jail for eight to 10 weeks. You should have to serve the original sentence.
They also touched on the latest coaching hot seats. While most of the USA Today list felt like it was generated by a bot that has never seen a down of football, PFT pointed out that even a beloved coach like Dan Campbell shouldn't feel entirely safe if the Lions take a step backward this year.
PFT CommenterDan Campbell is on the hot seat if the Lions miss the playoffs this year
I would also say Dan Campbell, and it's no disrespect to Dan Campbell because he's done a great job with life, changed everything there. But with the way the schedule plays out for them this year, I think if they don't make the playoffs, he's definitely on the hot seat.
Hot Seat/Cool Throne
Hot Seat/Cool Throne featured a truly insane golf cheating story involving a fake phone call to an ill grandmother and a pre-planted ball in a hole. It's the kind of psychopath behavior that only exists in country club member-guest tournaments.
Big Cat also put the MLB on notice for their postseason scheduling. The league decided to slate Game 7 of the World Series on October 31st, effectively forcing dads across America to choose between their kids' trick-or-treating memories and a championship clincher.
Big CatScheduling World Series Game 7 on Halloween night is a terrible move by MLB
My Hot Seat is the kids because MLB released their postseason schedule and game seven of the World Series, if it happens will be Halloween night. Oh yeah. What a shitty thing for the MLB to do. It's so easy not to do that... I'd be bummed out that my kids are like, I, you know, that's a big Halloween. It's a big night for my kids.
Zac brought some concern to the table regarding the Pittsburgh Pirates' phenom Paul Skenes, whose velocity dip in a recent start has the fantasy baseball world panicking.
ZacPaul Skenes' sudden velocity drop suggests he might be dealing with an injury.
My Hot Seat this week is gonna be guys who maybe aren't really acting like themselves right now. 'cause Paul Skenes got pulled today after five innings on 65 pitches, and he didn't pitch one pitch over 95. Is he, do we think he's injured?
Jon Gruden Joins the Show
Coach Jon Gruden made his triumphant return to the show, bringing his signature energy and a few spicy takes on the current state of the league. He started by defending his lackey, Jake Marsh, while simultaneously ripping the Chargers for their "yellow pants" and overall vibe. Gruden isn't sold on the hype surrounding Justin Herbert just yet.
Jon GrudenJustin Herbert isn't a top 100 NFL player until the Chargers win a playoff game
Right now, he's not in my top a hundred until, until they win a playoff game. Okay. I'm just not happy with the yellow pants. He knows how I feel about their uniforms. I hate the Chargers to start with... It's my least favorite team, the Falcons and the Chargers, for obvious reasons.
Gruden didn't stop there. He went through the league with his Gruden Grinders mindset, praising the old-school approach of teams like the Seahawks and Rams, whom he expects to see facing off for a trip to the Super Bowl.
Jon GrudenThe Seahawks and Rams will meet in the 2026 NFC Championship Game
I mean you can't, you can't go against Seattle. They have everybody back. Yep. That guy McDonald's a hell of a coach... But the Rams, it's almost like the Dodgers... I think he gotta go with the Rams-Seahawks in the NFC championship on a rewind.
He was particularly high on the progress in Chicago, noting that Caleb Williams is stepping into a system that is actually built to help a young quarterback succeed rather than ruin him.
Jon GrudenThe Bears are clearly the best team in the NFC North
I'm, I'm really concerned about the North. I think the Bears are clearly the best team in my opinion. Hearing that... Caleb Williams, I think he'll make a leap. I think their coach is a hell of a coach... I really think old school football's coming back into play. The Bears are under the center and they're smashing people.
Perhaps the boldest moment of the interview came when Coach Gruden started ranking the current crop of NFL signal-callers. He's a massive believer in Drake Maye, ranking him in a tier that might make some Ravens fans do a double-take.
Jon GrudenDrake Maye is already a top five quarterback in the NFL, ahead of Lamar Jackson.
I think the quarterback [Drake Maye] is a great player. And you were talking quarterbacks. He's gotta be in the top five. I mean, he's, he and Matt Stafford... I love Lamar. But when you look at Drake Maye, man, I mean, this guy runs for 800 yards. This guy's got mobility, man. And he, he, he has Josh McDaniels. And when you add A.J. Brown to the mix, watch out.
On the flip side, Gruden expressed some genuine concern about the trajectory of the Texans and C.J. Stroud. Despite the incredible rookie season we just witnessed, Gruden thinks the tape shows a quarterback who might be hitting a wall.
Jon GrudenC.J. Stroud has leveled off as a quarterback and his lack of improvement is a real concern for the Texans.
I think he's one of the biggest decisions of the year in the NFL. I mean, when you watch that Patriot game from the very first play, what the hell's going on here? Right. It didn't look, it didn't look like it was championship level throwing the ball... I have not seen him get better. I've seen him level off. And it is a concern for me if I'm a Texan.
Mount Rushmore of Purple Things
In honor of JJ McCarthy losing out on the chance to wear the purple and gold as a starter, the guys tackled the Mount Rushmore of Purple Things. It was a struggle for everyone involved as they realized there just aren't that many iconic purple items in the world. Picks ranged from the Purple Heart (respect to the troops) to the Taco Bell app.
To wrap things up, the guys looked ahead to the playoff picture. While a listener suggested a massive turnover of teams, Hank is sticking to his guns regarding his hometown team's chances, even if PFT thinks he's delusional.
HankThe Patriots will make the playoffs in 2026 while the Panthers will miss them
I think he's dead wrong [about the listener take]. I think it's gonna be two out of five in two outta five out. Chiefs and Lions in, 49ers and Panthers out. [The Patriots] are gonna make the playoffs. Yes.
It’s almost football season, and if Coach Gruden says the Bears are the best team in the North, who are we to argue?
