Skip to content
PMTPMT DB

Ryan Fitzpatrick In Studio, Russell Wilson Returns To Seattle + A New Segment 1 Question With A QB

Wednesday, September 14, 202221 takes

Russell Wilson goes back to Seattle to boos and we talk about MNF and Nathaniel Hackett panicking down the stretch (-). Geno Smith got written off but maybe for good reason (-). Cleaning up stories from Sunday (-). Hot Seat/Cool Throne including Robert Saleh taking receipts on Jets haters (-). Ryan Fitzpatrick joins us in studio to talk about the end of his career, transition to media, the importance of locker room cohesiveness and tons more (-). We introduce a new segment that was supposed to be Inside The Talking Boot but we changed on the fly to simply we call a Quarterback and ask them 1 question (-). We finish up with guys on chicks (-).

Ryan Fitzpatrick on NFL QB Tiers, Jameis Winston, and Bills Mafia

Monday Night Football gave us the return of Russell Wilson to Seattle, and the reception was about as warm as a January night in Green Bay. Big Cat and PFT were genuinely shocked by the level of vitriol coming from the stands, but after sleeping on it, it’s clear that the 'Let’s Ride' lifestyle didn't exactly endear Russ to his former teammates or the city.

Win
Sep 14, 2022
#9300
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Russell Wilson's former Seahawks teammates are relieved he is gone because he was annoying to be around

I've gotta take about the Seahawks. It's about the players themselves. Not having Russ Wilson around anymore. I think they're kind of relieved. Oh dude. I think that it's like a weight off their shoulders. Not having to worry about like plugging Russ in, in the locker room, making sure that his software's up to date... He made the team competitive for 10 years. And to a certain extent, you have to pretend to like a guy like that when he's in the locker room... once a guy like that leaves the weight off your shoulders is just enormous. Now you're like, oh shit, Geno Smith is a normal person.

Subsequent reporting from Seattle and Denver confirmed that many teammates found Wilson's 'brand-first' personality difficult to deal with.

While the crowd was busy thundering boos, Nathaniel Hackett was busy having an all-time coaching meltdown on the sideline. Deciding to burn a minute of clock only to attempt a 64-yard field goal instead of letting your $250 million quarterback get five yards on 4th down is brain-broken behavior. PFT thinks there is a very simple explanation for why Hackett looked like a deer in the headlights during the game's biggest moment.

Win
Sep 14, 2022
#9304
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Nathaniel Hackett's end-of-game failure happened because he has never played Madden

This is just a rookie head coach doing rookie head coach, I think. And if he'd played enough Madden in the past, he would understand exactly how to handle that end of game situation. This is a problem with too many, too many teams are hiring offensive defensive coordinators that have spent their lives on the sidelines... but have never picked up a fucking controller in their lives and played Madden. Right. If they play Madden, they know exactly how to handle the end of game experience.

While satirical, the consensus was that Hackett's clock management was objectively poor, a hallmark of his short tenure.

On the other side of the field, Geno Smith had himself a half and delivered one of the best post-game quotes in recent memory about not writing back. Big Cat is happy for Geno, but he isn't exactly rushing to delete his past tweets about the guy.

Loss
Sep 14, 2022
#9306
Big CatBig Cat

I have zero regrets about writing off Geno Smith before his breakout Week 1 performance

I was okay writing Geno Smith off. I have, I, I think that was, I, I don't have regrets of writing off the guy who was 13 and 21 as a starter going into this game. The guy who got punched in the face by a defensive player on his team, on the jets, because he refused to pay him $600... I was comfortable writing Geno Smith off. I was cover machine though. He is, he is... I am fully comfortable being right off Geno Smith territory.

Geno Smith won Comeback Player of the Year and led the Seahawks to the playoffs in 2022, proving those who wrote him off wrong.

Ryan Fitzpatrick in Studio

Our good friend Ryan Fitzpatrick joined the show in studio to discuss his transition to the media world with Amazon Prime. The man has a lot of stories, but none are better than his reasoning for why he can't simply go back to Buffalo to be Josh Allen's backup during a Super Bowl run.

Win
Sep 14, 2022
#9317
Ryan FitzpatrickRyan Fitzpatrick

I won't sign as a backup for the Buffalo Bills because every starter I back up gets hurt

Let's think about, and you know, the history, some of the history of my career everywhere, I've been where I've been a backup, the starter goes down everywhere. It doesn't matter where I go. It doesn't matter who it is. It doesn't matter. The circumstance. We've got a broken jaw. We've got dislocated hips. We've got Liz Frank injuries. I would not want to do that to my boy, Josh [Allen].

Fitzpatrick remained retired and did not sign with the Bills or any other team.

Fitz also gave us a look behind the curtain on how he stayed ready during his time in Miami. While most backups are grinding on the scout team, Fitz was playing a different game entirely to keep his edge.

Win
Sep 14, 2022
#29046
Ryan FitzpatrickRyan Fitzpatrick

I purposely stopped practicing while benched in Miami to prove I could come out of the stands and play at any moment.

When I got benched in Miami and Flores started doing the, Hey, let's put him in at the end of the game thing, I did not practice. I was there. I watched, I helped, I was active in meetings. I did not practice and throw a ball in practice from the time I got benched until the time you saw me play those games... cuz I wanted to prove to myself that I could come out of the stands at any point and play. And I did and I proved it to myself.

This is a verifiable claim about his own actions during his time in Miami.

When it came to ranking the current crop of signal-callers, Fitz didn't hold back. He’s a massive believer in the talent currently taking over the league, even if some of the veterans haven't always shown him the respect he deserved on the field.

Win
Sep 14, 2022
#9320
Ryan FitzpatrickRyan Fitzpatrick

Tom Brady has zero respect for me and has refused to shake my hand after games

I've told this story before, but he just pisses me off because you're in Buffalo... and we finally in 2011 knocked him off... and he threw five interceptions in the game... run straight off. Like no handshake, no, you know, quarterback middle of the field... just ran straight off. So it just, it bothered me so much because there was no respect there. And so I was like, every time I played him, after that, I was like, all right, like I at least got like, let's make this dude respect me.

Fitzpatrick is recounting his personal experience; Brady's refusal to shake hands after certain losses (like to Nick Foles) is well-documented.

He specifically pointed to the Bills' superstar as the gold standard for what a franchise quarterback should look like, both in the huddle and at the facility.

Void
Sep 14, 2022
#9316
Ryan FitzpatrickRyan Fitzpatrick

Josh Allen is the best quarterback in the NFL

For me, and the reason that some of these guys really bug me and the reason that I love a guy like Josh Allen... this is the reason that I think Josh Allen is the best quarterback in the NFL... we've got the talent. He's also the dude that sits in the locker room and he's just a dude. He can just be the Carson Palmer for me when I was young... if the leader of your football team can do that and is that human being, then it just resonates with everybody and sets a tone in the building.

While Allen is elite, Patrick Mahomes is generally considered the best QB of this era by most analysts and results.

Hot Seat/Cool Throne

Hot Seat/Cool Throne featured a classic Hank vs. the world moment as he tried to declare Seattle a bad sports town. Meanwhile, Big Cat is keeping a close eye on Robert Saleh. The Jets head coach is apparently keeping a list of names for everyone mocking the team's slow start, and the PMT crew is firmly on page one.

Win
Big CatBig Cat

Robert Saleh taking 'receipts' on his haters is a dangerous game that will only make the mocking worse if they lose

Robert Saleh went in front of the media on Monday and said... 'we're all taking receipts on all the people who continually mock... and I'm gonna be more than happy to share them with all of you when all is said and done.' ... I will put myself down as a receipt. He can, he can absolutely come back and dunk on me when the jets become a super bowl team. But yeah, that was he he's, he's taking receipts... if they're not good this year, he could get fired. And if they're not good next year, he definitely will get fired. So yeah, those receipts, it's tough to say that.

The Jets finished the 2022 and 2023 seasons with 7-10 records, and Saleh was eventually fired in 2024, never getting to 'cash in' the receipts.

PFT also shared some thoughts on the culture down in College Station. After watching the videos of their yell practice this week, it’s hard to argue with his assessment of the Aggie lifestyle.

Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Texas A&M is a cult

Texas a and M is a cult. Yeah. I, I say this as somebody that knows a lot of Aggies. I lived in Texas for about 10 years. They're cult. A lot of 'em are nice people, but nice people who are in a cult. What was the thing the guy was doing where he, like, he would do that every time? That's that's the horse laugh. Oh my God. They've got entire, they have an entire like catalog and encyclopedia of different hand motions and body motions that these yell leaders have to make at certain points. They're just, they're just cults.

While legally a university, the 'cult' label is a subjective social critique of the school's unique and intense traditions.

One Question with a QB

To wrap things up, we introduced a brand new segment where we call a quarterback and ask them exactly one question. We tried to get Blake Bortles, but since he was likely busy being a legend, we reached out to Detroit's own Jared Goff. Big Cat didn't waste the opportunity, asking the tough questions about the afterlife and the Royal Family.

Void
Jared GoffJared Goff

I believe that Queen Elizabeth is in heaven and I definitely believe in hell

[Big Cat]: Do you think Queen Elizabeth is in heaven? [Goff]: I hope so. [Big Cat]: Follow up. I know this is part of the first question. Do you believe in hell? [Goff]: Oh yeah.

Subjective theological belief.

If the Lions start winning, we might have to make Randy—I mean Jared—a weekly staple of the program.

nflseattle-seahawksdenver-broncosmonday-night-footballbuffalo-billsdetroit-lions

More Takes

Open
Sep 14, 2022
#9302
Big CatBig Cat

Seahawks fans will eventually cheer Russell Wilson in a few years once the rawness of his departure fades

I think if this game took place at any point, other than this year and especially week one, it might be a little different. So if Russell Wilson plays for eight more years and he comes back to Seattle at the end of his career, I think they will cheer him. I think it's just so raw... The rawness of it, the fact that it was week one, I think that if it happens... eight years from now or say, let's even say Russ goes somewhere else... I think they might be a little bit more receptive to 'em and be like, Hey, that was cool when you won us a Super Bowl.

This is still pending as Wilson hasn't reached the 'ceremonial return' phase of his career yet.
Void
Sep 14, 2022
#9308
Big CatBig Cat

Jerry Jones secretly likes it when his starting quarterbacks get hurt because it creates more storylines for the Cowboys

I, in a sick way, I kind of think that Jerry Jones almost likes it when his starting quarterbacks hurt. Yeah. Because it, it, it keeps them in the news the entire time. That's true. And Jerry Jones can go on the, on the radio every week and be like, yeah, I'm expecting Dak to be back next week. And then that's another week of storylines about the Dallas Cowboys.

This is subjective regarding Jerry's inner thoughts, but the behavior Big Cat describes is exactly how Jones handled the Dak injury.
Void
Sep 14, 2022
#29044
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Jerry Jones is woke because he once 'solved racism' by winking and kneeling before a game.

Jerry Jones is woke. You remember you remember that picture of him kneeling? Yeah. That's an all time moment. I think in NFL history. Yeah... Jerry Jones like at midfield looking like fucking captain Morgan. Yeah. Just taking a big knee, smiling like winking at the Camry. He's like I did it. I solved racism.

The claim that Jerry Jones is 'woke' is a satirical interpretation of a specific event.
Win
Sep 14, 2022
#9310
Big CatBig Cat

There will be revisionist history about Andrew Luck proving he was much better than we gave him credit for

I do think there's gonna be some Andrew luck revision where it's like, oh yeah, he was really that fucking good. And his, he was, he was on a, like, his teams were not good. And they, he was a very good quarterback... I'm saying like, he, he, people will say, oh, he was way better than we gave him credit for. That's the revisionist.

Andrew Luck's legacy has largely remained that of a 'what if' generational talent who retired too early, with his statistical impact generally acknowledged as elite.
Void
HankHank

Seattle is a bad sports town because they booed a quarterback who won them a Super Bowl.

My hot seat is Seattle. Just bad sports town. Booing, booing or Superbowl quarterback... one super bowl was plenty. That should be enough to be a legend in your town forever. And that's why they lost NBA team.

The quality of a sports town is an inherently subjective debate.
Void
Sep 14, 2022
#9319
Ryan FitzpatrickRyan Fitzpatrick

The Saints should stop scaling back Jameis Winston and just let him throw picks and be free

It's almost difficult for me to watch him play now because he's, he's not really playing his brand of football. Like it's so tame and almost like they've scaled it back so much for him... try to make him, you know, Drew Brees like that, it's not really who he is. We gotta let James free. We gotta let him spread his wings. We don't need 30 picks in a year. But like Jameis, like 15 picks is okay, because he's going to throw the ball down the field and make plays.

The Saints' attempt to make Jameis a 'game manager' under Dennis Allen didn't result in much success, and he was eventually replaced.
Void
Sep 14, 2022
#9318
Ryan FitzpatrickRyan Fitzpatrick

Joe Burrow is a top-three quarterback in the NFL

Joe burrow like makes it look very, very easy, but that dude throws it down the field. Like he's not one of, a lot of these new age quarterbacks is like efficiency and we're throwing the five yard passes... Joe burrow to me is a guy wanted to hate, but absolutely love watching play. I'd say he is in my top three. Ooh.

Burrow's status as a top-3 QB is widely debated but generally accepted as a valid take alongside Mahomes and Allen.
Void
Sep 14, 2022
#29047
Ryan FitzpatrickRyan Fitzpatrick

Justin Herbert is a leader by talent, but he is not a vocal leader and won't be giving pregame speeches.

Justin Herbert is the leader of that team because of his talent. But he is not a vocal leader. He, he can have people follow him by the way that he plays. But he's not the leader in that locker room in terms of the way that he presents himself or talks or, you know, he's not gonna get up and give a speech before a game. And even if he did, like, that's not him.

This is a subjective evaluation of a player's leadership style.
Void
Sep 14, 2022
#29048
Ryan FitzpatrickRyan Fitzpatrick

I used to dislike Derek Carr for a long time, but he is slowly moving into the category of quarterbacks I like.

Car's actually a guy that is slowly moving in the right direction for me that I dislike for a long time really to like, yeah.

This is a personal opinion that can't be proven right or wrong.
Void
Sep 14, 2022
#9321
Big CatBig Cat

Locker room culture and the human element still trump analytics and numbers in football

Does that human element still trump everything else when it comes to numbers? ... let down games or the team that has no chance. Everyone wrote 'em off, but they're able to do something like the locker room and how it comes together. Is that, would you say that's more important than, you know, numbers and all these like, Hey, when should we go on fourth down and everything?

This is a fundamental debate in sports that cannot be objectively settled.
Void
Big CatBig Cat

There is an 85% chance you will end up married to your ex if you go to a concert with them.

I've watched enough romcoms and gotten all my relationship advice from Judd app house, if you go to this concert, there's like a, I'd say 85% chance you guys get married. So that's just, what's gonna happen. You're gonna rekindle in the backdrop of a beautiful concert and boom, you're married. Maybe even have a kid.

The 85% figure is completely made up for comedic effect.

PMTDB Comments

This generates your username. Same passphrase = same name. Make it unique and memorable!

Search

Search takes, episodes, and speakers