PMT DB
PMT DB
Football is so close you can almost taste it. We’ve survived the Hall of Fame game, which Big Cat and PFT Commenter are already calling one of the greatest preseason spectacles ever. Between Carson Beck looking like a seasoned pro and Haynes King leading a comeback drive, the energy was high, even if the stakes were nonexistent.
PFT CommenterCarson Beck is the best preseason quarterback I have ever seen
Carson Beck took the world by storm. [Beck] was the best preseason quarterback I've ever seen. And then immediately passed the torch to Haynes King, who led a great comeback drive at the very end.
With the Hall of Fame in the rearview, the attention turns to the 2026 class, which is absolutely loaded. Big Cat is already making the tough calls on which legends might have to wait their turn for a gold jacket.
Big CatAntonio Brown will be left out of the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility
I'm gonna predict that Antonio Brown gets left out... he is a Hall of Fame receiver, but yeah, he probably get left out this one, this go around.
## Bills Mafia Building Inspectors The Buffalo Bills debuted their new stadium, and in true Bills Mafia fashion, every fan in attendance turned into a certified building inspector. Social media was flooded with videos of guys jiggling cup holders and checking the structural integrity of the concrete. There were some gripes about obstructed views, but Big Cat actually preferred the more modest screen setup compared to the massive distractions in places like SoFi.
Big CatNew stadium Jumbotrons are too distracting and cause fans to watch the screen instead of the field
I like the fact that [the Bills' new stadium] is not taking like the Intuit Dome where the Clippers play or SoFi or Jerry's World where you show up and you end up watching the Jumbotron more than you watch the actual field. I kind of like that they didn't do that.
## Mike Florio on NFL Storylines Our good friend Mike Florio joined the show to navigate the murky waters of training camp. He arrived with some massive news regarding Aaron Donald’s potential return to the Rams and some heavy speculation on the quarterback situations in Minnesota and Pittsburgh.
Mike FlorioAaron Donald is going to come back to the Rams, potentially by this Friday
I think [Aaron Donald] is coming back and I think we may hear from him by Friday. Oh, that he is coming back. If he decides to come back, that's the key... he's making the decision soon and they'll have him on the field week one.
Florio didn't hold back on the Vikings' situation, suggesting that the tension between a high-draft pick and a veteran starter usually ends in a trade. He believes if JJ McCarthy doesn't win the job, the team has to move him to keep the locker room from becoming toxic.
Mike FlorioThe Vikings will trade either JJ McCarthy or Kyler Murray because the loser of the QB battle won't accept being a backup
Whoever loses that quarterback competition isn't going to be very happy. Kyler Murray didn't go there to be the backup. JJ McCarthy feels like he hasn't gotten a fair shake... let's hope we can unload [McCarthy] and then go with three guys. Murray, Carson Wentz... and Max Brosmer.
We also got into the Pittsburgh quarterback carousel, featuring Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy. Florio thinks the honeymoon period will last exactly until the first loss, at which point the finger-pointing will begin in earnest.
Mike FlorioAaron Rodgers will blame Mike McCarthy in Pittsburgh the moment things go poorly
If they lose, it'll be ugly because it won't be Aaron Rodgers' fault. It'll be [Mike] McCarthy's fault or somebody else's fault because we see that every time... the body language tells us it's not my fault. Somebody else fucked up.
Beyond the AFC North, Florio touched on the bizarre situation with the 49ers and their practice facility's electrical substation. While it sounds like a minor detail, Florio argued that once players start blaming the "vibe" or the environment for injuries, it becomes a psychological hurdle that requires a literal change of scenery.
Mike FlorioThe 49ers need to move practice facilities because the substation issue has become a psychological distraction for players
This whole substation thing just kind of takes on a life of its own and you can find anyone to come in and tell you it's fine. If the players think it's a factor and it gets into their heads, the only way you're ever gonna fix this thing is to get the hell away from that practice facility.
## Who’s Back Hank is finally back in the studio after his vacation to Block Island, just in time for some classic "Who's Back" energy. The umpires are back after Chris Sale got tossed before a game even started, and Ben Simmons is back on the court looking ripped in a shirtless training video. PFT Commenter remains skeptical of Simmons until he admits the truth about which hand he actually shoots with. Big Cat is also keeping a close eye on the Detroit Tigers, who seem to be winning more now that they’ve sold off their assets.
Big CatThe Detroit Tigers will still be in the playoff hunt at the end of the season despite selling at the deadline
The Tigers are five and two... Tigers are gonna make the playoffs after all that. Like, they're gonna probably be in it fighting tooth and nail to the end. They might not actually make the playoffs, but they're very much alive to make the playoffs.
## Mount Rushmore of Masculine Foods The guys wrapped up the show with a highly contested Mount Rushmore of Masculine Foods. Steak, ribs, and bacon were the chalk picks early, but things got heated when the discussion turned to breakfast and the utility of specific meats.
Big CatBuffalo wings are a masculine food because women won't eat them due to the mess
Women don't eat buffalo wings for everything you just said... you're describing what a woman would never do... you have to like lick your hands, it's masculine.
Big Cat stood his ground on what constitutes a "chick food," basically excluding anything that involves a grape or a probiotic. PFT Commenter took the opportunity to explain why the simple pancake is far more manly than its European, indented counterpart.
PFT CommenterPancakes are more masculine than waffles because they are no-frills
A pancake is no frills. You just pour the batter onto the thing. A waffle... is fancy and iron and it's French, honestly. Belgian, fancy. Pancake is a man's, like you just, you just bam pan, put the batter on the hot thing.
There was also a significant amount of bridge-burning regarding Italian culture. PFT Commenter and Big Cat officially declared war on the cannoli, citing stale shells and general disappointment as the primary reasons for its downfall.
PFT CommenterCannolis are overrated and have stale shells
I have an unpopular cannoli opinion. I don't like 'em. I think they suck. They're not great. The shells are too hard sometimes or stale. It's not a good dessert. Every time I see cannoli, I want to eat it... and the shell's never soft... I'm sick of pretending to like cannoli.
Keep your head on a swivel for those training camp carts, and we'll see you on the road next week.
