 Good morning, everybody. It seems like we have some positive news to share. Eric Weddle, James Jones joining me with their thoughts about week 18, about the playoffs, and certainly about Damar Hamlin. Thank you for hanging out with us today, and I hope everyone is doing okay. Now, here is what we know about the latest with Damar Hamlin. The Buffalo Bills tweeted this update just a few minutes ago. Per the physicians caring for Damar Hamlin at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Damar has shown remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours, while still critically ill. He's demonstrated that he appears to be neurologically intact. His lungs continue to heal, and he's making steady progress. We are grateful for the love and support we have received. Bill's cornerback, Kairi Elam, tweeted, our boy is doing better, awake, and showing more signs of improvement. Thank you, God. Keep the prayers coming, please. All love three. We also have Ian Rappaport, who said that Damar Hamlin opened his eyes last night and is responsive, truly incredible. One thing that's very clear from speaking to those close to him, they are endlessly appreciative of the medical care given to Hamlin on the field immediately, then over the last 72 hours, and then he quote-treated that and said Damar Hamlin's been gripping the hands of those close to him. Another very positive sign. So my first thought is we have a long way to go. This is a beautiful step, and all love is right. All love for three, as Elam said. This is prayer, and this is community, and this is positive thinking, and this is compassion at work, compassion and action at work, at that. So we continue to bring you the very latest and a very sincere thank you to all the medical professionals involved. Ian just said it, the first responders who are on the field, the nurses and doctors that you see Medical Center, thank you, and thank you to the bills also for keeping us updated as this fight continues. And we'll of course bring you the very latest as we hear it. It's not like a sigh of relief, I'm feeling, but man, we were not hearing news for a minute there and day in, day out, and it is just, you're sleeping with your phone, hoping to hear something and have the up and at them show. Group texts light up with something, so to be two minutes until air. And there's another show in the studio where tiptoeing in here and to see something that's a step in the right direction is certainly something to hold on to. Like I said, long way to go, I'm sure as you saw, still critically ill, that's according to the bills statement as of a couple of minutes ago. So thank you for joining us and there's a bunch of angles to this. We'll have Eric Weddle on to talk about it. He's taking on coaching a high school football team next year. This is a guy who's played at the safety position. We'll talk to him about that brotherhood, that camaraderie and how he might be approaching, coaching a little bit differently. Maybe not, I haven't talked to him, but excited to hear his insights and then James Jones will be with us in studio as well. And I'm not seeing him yet this morning, but I assume he is also breathing a bit of a sigh of relief or breathing a little easier out there, knowing that we are taking a step in the right direction. So we thank you. We thank all the insiders. I think everyone who's joined us this week and has remained diligent and has remained compassionate and has remained positive and thinking about DeMar Hamlin. Now, as for the games, the NFL moving forward with week 18, we are still waiting to hear what will happen with the Bill's Bengals game. Will it be postponed? Will it be canceled? NFL executive Troy Vincent, he's the face of this. He told the media yesterday that everything is being considered, but all indications are that week 18 is going on as scheduled. And that's going to be a challenge for players going back on the field even with positive news. And hopefully it's more positive tomorrow and the next day and it certainly will help. Well, we had Dr. TM Robinson-Mosley on yesterday and I asked her about some of the challenges these players might face this weekend and how coaches can help get them back ready for action. It is very challenging to think about going back and playing. And the first initial thing is being able to acknowledge it. We can't say, oh, it's going to be fine. Everything is going to roll as normal. We are in some really uncharted kind of circumstances right now. We have to acknowledge the risk is real and that fear and concern both for themselves but also for DeMar for the organizations. When you step out there, it is risky. It's high risk. Yes, there's high reward, but the risk is quite high. And so starting to be able to normalize that and name that is really important because it helps us to move forward to think about strategies, to advise and support the athletes. And you mentioned coaches as well. This is a very difficult situation as coaches, as media, as athletic trainers, as support staff, even front office and GMs. The entire sport enterprise is impacted when there's a traumatic event, a catastrophic injury. And so our output is really high when we're working in sport. It's intense, it's fast. We have to show a lot of agility. We have to translate that into the way that we show up and provide resources and care. So we have to game plan around how we're gonna help folks take care of themselves. So having licensed mental health providers present on staff, accessible, whether that's through telehealth, also physically there in the space, because if you don't need it, fine. But if you need it, it's there. It's this real kind of peace of mind to be able to have people on hand and have resources on hand for everyone. We're especially thinking about the players, but we're thinking about everyone who's impacted in the organization and those who know Damar and folks who don't. This is a very human experience to witness that. And so we wanna make sure that everyone is equipped to have the tools and the resources because that impacts the outcome and also impacts whether people are able to show up at all. It was so helpful and I'm so grateful to Dr. Moseley for taking the time to talk to us. And I know that she was very busy. Coaches were calling her. Coaches were calling her to check in on what they can do to provide their players with the best possible resources to cope, to heal, to talk even. I talked a lot yesterday about that number 988 that you can call, that you can text, whether it's about this and what happened Monday night, whether it's about something else. It is a free resource for everyone to be able to use. So I highly encourage Solomon Thomas, Dak Prescott. They certainly do their thing to help promote 988 and that's something that's available to anybody watching right now and certainly anybody around the league. And you get this memo from Commissioner Roger Godell and it says that mental health resources are going to be provided to all of the players and it's just like a line and a memo. So you think and you ask yourself, what does that really mean and how are these coaches going to handle this? These coaches who I am looking to for leadership in advancing the way it should be handled versus all that we know about culture and then if a locker rooms and how you play through injury and you got to be the tough guy, well out of that conversation yesterday, I was so, I don't want to say impressed because it sounds like a condescending in some way but it was really outstanding to see and hear some of the soundbites pour in. We sat in our conference room here as these coaches started to hit the podiums and we were like, look at what this one is saying and look at what Thomas is saying and look. And it really showed an emphasis on the player as a person, unprecedented in my opinion. So take a listen to what a few, just a few of the head coaches across the league had to say about supporting their human players. You do have to move forward as a team because we do have a game to play on Sunday and we do have to move focused towards that but at the same time, you don't have to move past the situation that's happening right now and we can still provide support for the players that need more of that for their family who's still two miles away here at University Hospital for the bills. So you're able to have space to do that. At the same time as a team, move forward to focusing on Baltimore on Sunday. I think you're always concerned about your guys. And then when something like this happens, you're always concerned about them but that's why I have confidence in the people in our building. That's what we're all here for as we're here for the players. Support staff, coaches, trainers, medical, everybody's here to help the player in any way we can. You know, you just try to support. You just try to not fix but listen and adjust as people need. In general, it's very important that as coaches and definitely I've told our players multiple times since Monday, my door is open. Come talk to me, come talk to not only me but the resources you have available to you from professionals that can provide some of the things that you may be looking for as you process both your feelings currently and moving forward. Let's be honest, nobody's fine. I think we all have the tendency to say we're good. So that's where our mind is and that's where our focus is. I mean, we obviously know it's in front of us professionally but our spiritual Audi playbook was open today and we're working through it. And we talked to Dr. Mosley about this yesterday before hearing any of these coaches, speed coaches that are checking. When a Thera asked her what should you not do if you're a player on one of these teams, if you're a fan who witnessed what she and a clinically certified sports therapist is telling you was a trauma that everybody saw out there. And she said, don't, let me think about it. She said, don't isolate. She said, don't do anything detrimental like drinking. No judgment, but she said that's a self soothing mechanism that isn't a positive one. And she said, don't be caught telling someone they're okay. It's okay, it's going to be okay. Things are gonna be fine. It's not so bad because you have to be able to feel it. So those are just a couple of the strategies and solutions that she used that you're clearly hearing out of these coaches. We're just here to support. That's why Mike McDaniel saying that. You're seeing these badass coaches abandon years of absurd machismo, I'll just say it that way, and open up about humanity and compassion. And granted, I'm not gonna sit here and say everything's changed, but there is an obvious palpable shift into well-being of players physically and mentally that you have to think, if you have any hope or anything to hold on to as we move forward, as we don't move past, we move forward and try to take something, you know, meet Action Jackson and why not always take action about something, this might be that. And it's outstanding that the emotional welfare of these players is being so highly universally, communally considered on this morning as we look ahead in what has to be, I don't care what you say or who you are, how much you can compartmentalize, terrifying in many ways as we head into week 18 action in meaningful games where you wanna show up, you wanna be able to be there. So it brought me a little bit of hope and progress in what's been a really difficult couple of days and you pair that with the remarkable improvements that you just love to see on that lower third. Now we're not out of it, of course, with DeMar Hamlin, so please keep those prayers, thoughts, donations coming over 7 million now for his charity. Beautiful, beautiful work. And I love hearing the NFL coaches talk like this, it sounds like this next generation of coaches have us in good hands, I appreciate that. We have James Jones in studio, we will have Eric Weddle in studio, please stay here. We gotta talk about what's fair, the ethics of the playoffs and all of that that'll all happen today on the show. Chiefs, Andy Reed, what do you do? He has some positive updates this morning about DeMar Hamlin and we will continue to send our thoughts and prayers to DeMar and his family in Cincinnati to talk more about this situation and how we move forward with games being played what two days from now, Saturday to week 18 to wrap up the regular season is nine year and it fell better than James Jones. Hey, how are you? I'm good. Why you gotta dress so nice and I'm over here wearing like leggings. Why you gotta dress like this? I always try to bring my swag. How was running back? Huh? Sorry, how was the more ways to play? Oh, it was good. I was over there talking some good football. You know, I always nail my upset pic. So, you know, I'm just trying to get people to listen to me. Who's your upset pic? This week, I'm taking to Sean Watson and the Brownies this week to beat the stillers. Okay, well, we are. There was nice seeing you, James Jones. You can leave. We do not root for those Browns on the show, but okay, incredibly powerful week in the NFL. There's some positive takeaway from it. There's clearly tons of heartbreak and it's really heavy. I don't know that you've had a chance to, I haven't had a chance to talk to you about this. We have positive news this morning. How do you feel about it? I mean, it's good. I think it's real positive, especially for the Buffalo Bills teammates to understand and know that it's positive signs coming from their brother because I've been in the situations to where I've seen my brother's land on the football field. I've seen Nick Collins get a neck injury, you know, in Carolina and, you know, his career came to an end. I've seen your Michael Fenley get a neck injury and lay on the football field and his career come to the end. Any emotions that you're dealing with as you see your brother land on the football field? At that point in time in that game, you don't wanna go back out there and play the football game. And the fear for your brother is something that I don't wish on anybody. And to get positive signs, knowing that they're doing better, you know, that was a sigh of relief for us, you know. And as a brother and as part of his family, you know, you're like, okay, cool. Our brother's doing good. You know, not saying it's just all about the game, but we understand our brother's doing good now. You know, we gonna go out there and fight for him, but it gives you a sigh of relief knowing that, you know, he's doing okay. And, you know, when it happened, when the situation had happened, it was crazy because my mom called me and she said, I loved every bit of watching you play, but I do not miss it. I'm glad you are done. Because I sat on the edge of my seat every single game because I never wanted none of that to happen. And she said, I'm praying for his family. She said, I don't even, I can't even imagine what his mom is going through right now. But she said, I'm so glad you're done. And she brought up a time. She was like, I remember the time where you came across the middle and got your helmet knocked on. And she said, as a mother, that was the scariest time for me. Even though you ran and scored, that play right there, I wish you woulda came to me at the end of the locker room like, mom, I'm done with football. You know, and she said, the fear that I had watching you play, even though I knew it was joy for you, I was scared every single moment, edge of my seat. So she was like just really like, I pray and hope that his mom's all right and hope he comes out is all right. But, you know, as family members watching this, it's scary and it's crazy because I told my mom, I never took the football field thinking I could die. Now I took the football field knowing that, hey, I could have these type injuries. That's part of the game. But I never took the field thinking that I can die. And I think that is what really brought everybody to tears, those players that was on the field because it's one thing seeing a crazy injury. You're like, I've seen leg injuries before, I've seen that. But to see your brother on the field getting CPR and things like that, knowing that, hold on, they trying to bring it back like he possibly can die. You don't take the field thinking that. So, you know, them having to go through that, I know that's tough. And I know them seeing this and reading this today and getting this update today, it was a sigh of relief for them. But now, and I agree with you, Mark. Ingram was on our show said the same thing, you know what you sign up for, you know the risk, but you don't think you're risking your life. And me watching, we make sort of a, we are ignorant to it too, where it's we are watching. And yes, that might be a blown-eyed ACL, but I'm looking through the thumb that the wave, that everyone's okay. But now you can't really, you have to shift your thinking a little bit, right? Now we all have to collectively come to terms with the fact that what we're gonna watch and these players are gonna go suit up for, that risk became real. How do you, how does the relationship with football, knowing that that's real now, affect a player? Oh, it's tough. I mean, I'll be sitting up here lying to you, saying that they're not gonna think about it. You know what I mean? It's something that you've seen, it's something you're gonna think about, just like you've seen injuries. You know, you take the field, you know, that is possibly, I can get hurt, you know. So, you know, this is a tough situation that they're in because emotionally, you have to get yourself ready to play a football game after seeing your brother, you know, take the type of hit and, you know, go through what he was going through on that football field. So, as a coach, this is an extremely hard position to be in, trying to get your players to kind of refocus, knowing that you are still thinking and praying for your brother, knowing that you might not even wanna go out here and play this game because you're still worried about your brother and emotionally, you know, when you take the football field and you're not all in emotionally, that's how you get hurt, you know. So, it's a tough situation to be in, you know, I think at the end of the day, as players, you know, we understand, you know, number one, that's our brother, we praying for him, we're gonna be there for him 24-7, but number two, we know we still do gotta go out there and do a job, unless you're just one of those guys that's gonna say, hey, I'm done, I'm not playing this season, but if you choose to play, you have to go out there and do a job and you wanna make sure mentally and physically that you're able to go play and if you're not, you know, I would hope a lot of them will be like, look, I'm not ready, you know what I mean? Because like I'm sitting up here talking to you, that's how you do get hurt. So, as a coach, you know, you gotta find ways to make sure your team is mentally prepared and ready to go in this game emotionally and I think this right here is the first sign because if I'm a teammate and I see this, this is like, okay, you know, my brother's doing good, I am gonna go out here, I'm gonna battle for him, I'm sure it's gonna be threes all over, we gonna be representing for him, you know, we know how much he wanted it, how much work he put into this game and to know that he's, you know, doing better and better every single day, you know, that's a sigh of relief. Do you like what you're seeing out of the coaches? They all spoke yesterday. Is it, I mean, I'm trying to imagine you as a raider, as a going to your head coach and saying, I don't feel like playing and I'm not mentally there, how would that go? Well, I mean, hopefully they will respect that. But I mean, back then I don't think so, maybe now they will. There's definitely a difference, don't lie. The coaches I played for, you know, I truly believe that they will respect that. Playing for Coach Mike, you know, I truly, being a family man that Coach Mike McCarthy is, I truly believe that he will respect that. JJ, if you're not mentally, physically, emotionally ready to go out here and play this game, you feel like you need some time, I feel like Coach Mike will respect that. And I would hope every coach around the national football league, with what we just witnessed, would understand that. You know, coach, I'm not ready to go. I don't care how big the game is. You know, mentally I'm not ready to play in this game, you know, after seeing what happened to my brother. And you know, for me, just the stand that I've seen and the praying and how everybody has really, you know, came together, it really shows you, you know, you compete on this football field, you battle every day, but at the end of the day, it is a true brotherhood. It is a family and, you know, that's what we're seeing in everybody rallying behind, you know, Hamlin and his family. How would you want to be supported if you were a player in a locker room? Like, how could the team and the league and your coach support you? You know what, I think it's different for every player, you know what I'm saying? But number one, I think is, you got to listen to them, you know? And especially as a coach, you know, you don't really sit down and just talk to Roger Goodell and say, you know what I mean? But as a coach, you're with him 24-7. And as a player, communicate with your coach, you know, and let him know, hey, I'm in this thing, I'm ready to go, I want to go out here for my brother. Hey, coach, hey, this really scarred me, you know, I'm not ready, you know. Hey, I ain't going to be no good to you this game. And hopefully they can understand that, you know? So, you know, like I said, it's a tough situation, you know, because that was one of our brothers and one of our family members that we've seen on the football field and still really fighting and battling for his life. Thank God we getting some positive feedback from him and all that, but, you know, it's a tough situation. T. Higgins, your thoughts. T. Higgins, I mean, I'm praying and I'm hoping that, you know, number one, everybody, you know, is supporting him and letting him know you didn't do nothing wrong in this situation, you know? You're playing football, you're trying to protect yourself, you know, this was one of those things to where, like, this never happens. It's a routine tackle. It wasn't even like it was a violent tackle, but there's nothing dirty you did. You were playing football, you caught the football, you got tackled, you know? So, I'm hoping that he's not battling with anything that he's like, it's my fault, because it's not. And I'm hopeful, hopefully. No matter what idiot might say. Yes, no matter what idiot says that, you know, it has nothing to do with T. Higgins. It was no, you know, nasty play or anything by him. It was a regular football play. So, for anybody to say that, it would be absolutely crazy. And I hope tomorrow we wake up and it's Friday and there's more positive news. And then Saturday, before these games get played, some of them we get more positive news and we can build on that. And I like your idea of the community coming together and playing 4-3. That's what it seems to be right now. I do want to talk a little bit about this Week 18 situation and these play-offs, and there's obviously the Bengals and Bills part of it that over in the AFC, with the Chiefs, like the Chiefs, if they don't play that game, they just get the one seed. I know, I know. That's a tough situation, because when you look at the Bengals and the Buffalo Bills, they did everything they possibly could to put themselves in position to get the one seed. And then you're just gonna give it to Patty Mahomes and everything gotta come through Kansas City. Can they take it? Like if Patrick Mahomes and you read, can they just say, okay, yeah, we'll take the one? I don't know if you can. I know, but I mean. Do they forfeit against the Raiders that can't do that either? That's not fair to them. But that's what it's looking like right now, because I mean, I don't see how you're gonna replay the game against the Buffalo Bills and the Bengals unless you push everything back a week. I don't know. Yeah, I don't know how hard that ends and out to that, you know, and you gotta push Super Bowl back and all that. So it's gonna be tough, but if it was up to me, I would. I would push everything back. I would figure out a way to let the Bengals and let the Buffalo Bills play again because they earned the right to fight for that number one seed. You'd wanna play that game instead of just having an extra week to prepare for your, like, if, you know. There's the idea of the winning. If the one seed is on the line. Yeah, because you're playing, it's between playing. Yeah, you earned that. You fight all seasons for that, yeah. But if they do the winning percentage thing, it's not fair to the Bengals. Because there's no way they can get a one seed if they do the winning. It's just, it's a lot that goes in. But I do respect the league for doing what they did post voting it because they don't have, there's no, there's no fair, there really is not a fair solution here. And it's super sticky. And at the end of the day, they did what was right that night. There's no need to send any other players back out there to play a football game knowing that what just happened to our family. So I don't care who gets the one seed, they did the right thing that night making sure that we was all praying and gonna be there for it. Your boy Aaron Rodgers was on the McAfee this week. He said this whole whole thing had him effed up. That's the way he sort of described it. And then he was talking about playing the Lions, what it means to him, what it'll be like to get out, to get out there. What, what, how am I supposed to think about this Packers team? Let's start here. Let's start here. When did they really turn it around? I mean, they've been on the floor game win streak, but to be honest with you, I truly feel like they turned it around to Miami game. When they caused that fumble to get the ball back before halftime when most are fumbled. Cause if the Dolphins go score, I'm like, ooh, the Packers in trouble going to call it way back in this game. The turning point for me is when they caused that fumble in that game and they went down there and got some points going in the halftime. I said, the Packers is going to win this game and they starting to get confidence, they starting to get swag, they starting to play the right way like we thought they would play early in this season and they starting to get healthy at the right time. And they came out the second half, the defense played lights out, the defense been playing lights out for the last three weeks. And Aaron Rodgers is just making a play when he got to make the play. And that's scary. What is that? I don't like that smile. That's scary. I don't like that. I kind of want the Lions to be here. No, no, no, no, no, no. That's scary and it's scary for anybody that's fighting for this two seed. If I'm the Niners. Okay, doctor. Or if I'm the Minnesota Vikings, you know, even though I'm riding high right now and all that good stuff, I do not want to see Aaron Rodgers at this seventh seed if I'm the two seed. I think I might, hey, y'all take a rest. Let me get this three seed and see Daniel Jones in the New York Giants, football Giants, because I don't want to see Aaron Rodgers in the Green Bay Packers. And to me, everybody talks about pressure, right? Right. Aaron is going into the playoffs with zero pressure on him. And what I mean by that is who's expected him to win? Who was expecting Aaron Rodgers to go from the seventh seed to win the Super Bowl? Nobody. He's playing with house's money. He's in the playoffs. Everybody didn't think he would be in the playoffs. Well, he's not. Now he's in. Oh, he's gonna get in. We're gonna beat up the Detroit Lions. All right, first of all, you have to deep the minds to get in. We are going to. Okay, convince me of that. What happens? First off, I'm gonna start off by this. What happens in these games with his back? Because there's people who think that he doesn't handle pressure. That's why you came out with a defense for him in pressure. He doesn't have any pressure because in a pressure situation, sometimes it does not work out for Aaron Rodgers. Why right now is it working? Why does he have to wait till the final second his backs against the wall? And what happens with him in those, you were with him with the run in the table years. I was with him when we had to win our last two to get in the playoffs and we went on and we won the Super Bowl. And our back was against the wall every single game and Aaron Rodgers' response. So when people talk to me about pressure, AR-12, you know, hey, you can't win them all. So everybody's always gonna point at this. Hey, he didn't win this one under pressure. Well, I've seen him win a lot under pressure too. You know what I'm saying? So at the end of the day, number one, Aaron Rodgers don't lose in December at the crib. And if people don't know what at the crib mean, that's that Lambeau field, man. That's the crib where he walked straight from his locker. What's his back? Can someone look it up for me? Hamilton, look up at that. Straight from his locker to the stadium, right? And he is dominant. He is dominant in December, right? So you got the Detroit Lions coming in the building. He is going to dominate them and go into the playoffs. But not only that, it's not like Aaron Rodgers is just the one on this win streak. This defense is playing like y'all. Why is Jair so crazy? Jair saying, y'all stop trying me. I don't know why he's so annotated. I'm the best corner in the national football league. We love you. But at the end of the day, he backed it up. And I was proud of him for taking the challenge to Justin Jefferson and backing that up and going out there and following them all over the field. But they got a mojo about him right now. And they kind of got the mojo that we had when we ran the table in 2010 to win the Super Bowl. What I mean by that is everybody's like, you going in, playing the number one seed, Falcons, you playing the Eagles and all that. And we were getting off the bus. And I just remember seeing people getting off the bus, suited and booted like I am right now. And we was getting off the bus and we was like, these boys in trouble. That was just the mojo. That was the swag of the team. Like we cannot be beat. They done let us in. We are finna beat everybody. And you just seen the swag and the confidence people's walking with. And when you're looking at locker room and you hear Jair talking, you hear Aaron talking, you hear him getting healthy. It's just a swag and the mojo with that team. And it's a four game winning streak. And they're about to get into playoffs because it's gonna be five. I'm convinced. I love you, I'm sorry. And whoever is at that two seed is in big, big trouble. You think? I do. Him up against Purdy. I do. Do the Niners fans want that? Is it gonna? And I know they done had our number, because they done beat me up and sent me home in the playoffs. Dude, the Niners fans want Purdy against AR12 and Aaron Rodgers, playing with House Money. How's the year that he's left off season? 19 and one in December. 19 and one. They've only lost one game. And where and what? Say that again. December and January and the regular season. And just Aaron or Aaron and the Florida? Ooh, we! Aaron and the Florida get it. I ask why. 19 and one. Why? You're saying he doesn't lose in December, why? When you gotta have it and you gotta be at your best, and you're a big time player. In the regular season? You make plays and you win the ball game. 19 and one in December, right? The weather don't matter, the cold don't matter. You go out there, you find ways to win. And that's what I'm saying. You can't bet against AR12 in December, man. I think we're in December? No, we're in January. No, it's December and January, 19 and one. It's time to go, and he at Lambo. So is it gonna be him and Brady, do you think? Now that'll be crazy. What, who is that one? That will be crazy. I believe in Aaron and the Packers a little bit more than I believe in Tom and the Bucks. And I'm not just saying it because I'm a Packer, but the Bucks just haven't been playing good football. You know what I mean? They've been getting away and playing really bad teams and they haven't been playing good football. The Packers have been playing really good football. And it's not even Aaron playing lights out. Like I said, as a team, special teams wise, they got it going right now. Defensively, they got it going right now. They just been playing really good football. Keishaun, unbelievable. And it's rubbing off in that locker room and they got it going right now and that's scary. What are we saying gotta go? What do you put your name on something? What I'm saying we got it going is everybody's in trouble after this game. You see me looking at camera number one right now? Why am I seeing everybody's in trouble after we beat the Lions as we can and getting to play off? Nobody's safe. And I'm not going to be surprised if we are sitting where I live in Arizona talking Green Bay Packers first. I don't know who for the Super Bowl. W. W. Rogers, that's pretty good announcing there. Okay, and what would be your dream matchup for Aaron Rogers before we go? Oh, it gotta be him and Patty. I would love to see Aaron Rogers and Patty Mahomes for all the marbles on the biggest stage for a Super Bowl ring. I hope it's the Bengals and then so you and I can fight that whole two weeks. Blue Yam in Arizona doing that. I'm a Jojo Burrow fan, that would be a good one. I will see you at Super Bowl. Absolutely. Are you going home right now this week? You know it. Get out of this rainy, rainy place in Los Angeles. James Jones, everybody thank you for hanging out with the heavy top and giving us a perspective on that. We will have Eric Weddle up next right here and up and down. I gotta dress up next time this kid comes rolling through. Geez, Louise. Back on Up and Atom Show, big thanks to James Jones for wearing a nice turtleneck, not a hoodie under his jacket like I'm used to. We appreciate him. Rick Sosa saying Harrison Phillips picked up the tab for dinner. How about this, at UC Medical for his former teammate DeMar Hamlin's family for the Bill's staff, the doctors and nurses at the ICU unit who we are so grateful for and absolute class act from Harry is right. And we did have some positive updates this morning, DeMar Hamlin responsive, making incredible strides and improvements. So Harrison Phillips doing that was, I'm sure, a gesture that went a long way and all the gestures of compassion that we're seeing around the league, that we're seeing from fans, from the big superstars in our game towards DeMar Hamlin and his family have really been beautiful. And we welcome in a fellow safety, a veteran, a voice in the league, Eric Weddle and happy belated birthday to you, Eric. Thank you, thank you. What'd you do for your birthday? You know, ripe old age of 38, you know, just haven't hit my prime yet, just living it up. Went to sushi with the old lady, did presents in ice cream cake with the kids last night and it's a couple of presents that they did. You know, they always get geeked up to buy dad some presents. Where'd they get it? I got a folding chair for the high school game so I could, when I'm at the end of my daughter's JV basketball games, I could barely walk down those stairs in my back. So got that, I got a little mobile speaker to play some jams and tunes and some socks, which is always convenient. You're such a dad. God, that's like when I get my dad. And I got some like some, some sweats, like super easy, easy going. Well, happy birthday. What was the flavor ice cream cake? I must know. It was a birthday cake, ice cream cake. That's the best. Baskin Robbins. Yeah, it was good. I don't know if Chanel's gonna like you calling her the old lady, but that's either here or there. You're probably sleeping on the couch tonight, Eric. No, I've never, ever, ever slept on the couch. No matter how, how mad or arguments get, we always go to sleep together and we will hash it out before the night is. I refuse to ever sleep not in my bed at night. Marriage advice from Eric. Well done, everybody. We love it. We, you know, we are smiling. I think for this is the first day I've smiled on the show this week with everything that's gone on with the Damar Hamlin updates. And there was so little known. And then today we got news of some improvements. And, you know, you're a fellow safety. You play the game. You're talking about not being able to walk downstairs at a game because of your back and what you went through in this league. What are your thoughts on how this is all unfolded? Well, it was, it was surreal, crazy. You know, you just, I've been playing football for a long time and never have seen something like that occur. And a lot of emotions like you're, you go through a rush of minutes with the uncertainty, the unknown, is he okay? Then seeing what we saw on TV, hit home for everyone, right? Everyone differently. And the immediate aftermath is, you just hope he's okay. Nothing else matters in the moment. Nothing else is concerning. You see the teammates and staff and everyone. It's fortunate that that happened in that setting. Quite honestly, if that had happened anywhere else, he's probably not living right now. So with the staff and the medical and the AED machine there to get him back going. So a lot to be thankful for. And, you know, every day we're just waiting and hearing for his improvements and just hoping and praying for the best. It's well said. We just had James Jones in here. I had Mark Ingramon, who was very raw. It was Tuesday morning and he's a current player. And, you know, he's been in league for 11 years. So he's thinking, I'm sure about his retirement a little bit, but they both said something to me. They both said like, I never really thought my life could be at risk when I'm on the field. And it's obviously, it is always a risk, but it's not something that players think about. It's certainly not something fans think about or choose to not think about selfishly. Did you ever have that thought in your head at any point in your career playing the way that you did so long? No, no, honestly, you know, we play football. We're fortunate to play this game. And did I ever think like my life is on the line? No, did my process of thinking like I'm going out there and willing to do whatever it takes in my life on the line? No, like that's not the case. And it was never the case for me. And I don't believe that's the case for a lot of guys. I think what happened, we don't really know how it happened, why it happened. Do I think it was because of the tackle and hit? I don't, I've made that tackle 20, 30 times in my career and much worse. I just think it's unfortunate that it happened. And we don't really know why it happened. The whole point of this point moving forward is that he gets better and he comes back to us. So, you know, but that's just me and I'm not going to disregard anybody else. And that's their opinion and that's their emotional attachment to it. And everyone has a right to how they think and feel. But for me personally, like I gave it everything I had. You prepare mentally and physically. So on Sundays, you just let it fly. And you live with what happens. And it's just unfortunate that everyone had to see and DeMar's experience in this. And just got a hope that he pulls through and he'll live a long, healthy life after this. Bill's Patriots, Bangles, Ravens, AFC North on the line. These are two teams that saw this in person. And there's all the other players on all the other teams that have to play week 18. If you were in one of those locker rooms, how would you approach getting yourself, like you're saying, mentally and physically ready for this game? Well, I mean, I look at it as that it wasn't so much part of the football game in a sense. Like, yeah, it was in a football game, but do I think it was because of the play that had happened? I don't. And that for me consciously, if I was on a team and we're playing these games, I don't know. I don't think it's best if they play these games, quite honestly. I think Ryan Leaf had a great, I just heard it on some kind of podcast that he just said, cancel this upcoming game, get rid of the Pro Bowl and then give these guys a full two weeks to get their emotions right and get their heads right. It's not something easy that what we witness and let alone the teammates on the field, like that the people don't understand the bond that you make with your teammates in a short amount of time. You know, tomorrow's with that team for two years, but he's a brother to them. And those guys are willing to do whatever it takes for him and his family. That's just the way the locker room is. So to try to tell these guys they got to go out and play like, I don't know if that's the best option. I don't know how I would do because I'm not playing now. You know, yesterday I was with my high school team and we had a moment where we brought up that situation and we brought up the play and the dammar and everything that's going on and talked about their feelings and emotions and what they thought about it. And just to get everything out in the air, like there is no right or wrong answer in the situation. It's never been done like, you know, 1971 with the last known, you know, it's 50 years ago. So it's just uncharted waters and you're just trying to navigate it as best you can and move forward in hope for Damar's case that he comes back to us. You're coaching high school football next year. You're with your team now. You're clearly very committed. I think you could be an NFL coaching candidate if you chose to. How will this sort of change your approach or your style? Did it even yesterday? Like, did you think you'd be sitting there talking about feelings and the mentality of this? Because I, for one, am super, I don't want to use the word impressed. I'm, I'm, I like what I'm seeing from the coaches around the league and how they're dealing with this. Well, I think the game, the game has changed over the last decade, right? It's guys are dealing with a lot more outside of football and you're trying to have a grasp on the mental side of what we're going through and what we have to go through to play this game. So I think it's been more of an emphasis on the mental side and how are guys doing, checking in on them and the support staff that, that organizations are putting together. And I think this is the same, just building off that, right? Like, you know, there's so much that kids deal with and players deal with outside of the game that socially, mentally, you know, depression, anxiety, like all those things are real. So you're trying to be there for them and support them. Like the biggest thing that I was trying to tell my guys is, you know, your feelings matter and those thoughts and what you're feeling, it's okay to get out. And if you don't feel comfortable in front of your team setting, then talk to me on the side because ultimately I'm here to help them, right? In any capacity on the field, off the field, it's not easy. It's sometimes we all feel alone and it's nice just to have someone there to listen and to help them. And that goes from the NFL down to Pop Warner, everything in between when you have a direction to help and be there, that's what matters most. Now, coach Waddle, I think you're gonna have a trophy case full of stuff but I think we'll check back in with you in five years. We also might see your name, we will see your name on a list or two. We got a list revealed to us yesterday. We wanna take a look at with you. It is, of course, the 15 finalists announced for the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame. Anybody stick out to Joe Thomas, Dwight Freeney, Darrell Rivas, Darren Woodson? Yeah, I mean, there's, you know, D Wood, I watched him growing up and three that stick out honestly are Patrick Willis, Darrell Rivas and Joe Thomas. They were the old seven draft class with me. And, you know, those guys were just incredible, not just football players, but leaders, great men. Anyone you ask about those guys were probably the best teammate. They were accountable, they worked their tails off, both mentally, physically, their students of the game. Like those guys are the ones that you looked up to when you were playing the game as teammates, whether you're in the Niners, Jets or the Browns. So very cool to see and it puts things in perspective that I've played with those guys, I've competed against them and we're fans of those guys and just awesome to see. It means that I'm really old too. But it means, I mean, it's crazy because you played last year and you won a Super Bowl. I guess I look at that list and I'm like, those guys are eligible. Wettel was out here winning ships. Oh my gosh. Five, 10 months ago, like what are we talking about? When that moment in that day comes for you to be on that list, what will that mean to you? I don't know if that's ever gonna happen, but, you know, I try to live, I try to live with prepare for the worst, hope for the best and live with no regret. So it's hard to even fathom something like that because those guys is just incredible talents and incredible human beings. So I don't know. I don't really stress or worry about it. It would be an honor, but, you know, it's a long ways away to even start thinking about it. But, you know, I did everything I could and gave it my all and that's, I can lay it and sleep at night. No one I did that. And you got the hardware too, my friend. Now you are doing the little grandpa rocking chair vibe right now. I don't really know. I don't really know. There's a lot of this going on. You know, it's a new year, 2023, new beginnings. You know, I'm still trying, I'm still hurt over my youths getting taken to the woodshed by Penn State. Oh, I know. It's never, never good to have back-to-back Rose Bowl losses, so I'm still like, but hey, it's, we're all right. We're okay. We're okay. The air was going up for us. So it was an amazing atmosphere out there. Like, you know, 60, 70,000 Utah fans, just the support and great environment just, you know, bummed about the loss. All right, Grandpa Weta. We'll let you go and enjoy your knit socks for your birthday. We appreciate you happy belated birthday. And we always love having you, but especially with your thoughts as a legend in this league. So we appreciate you and we will see you next week. He's gotta get the youths in there. Just gotta wager them. For an office sport, saying DeMar Helmins, number three jerseys, been Fanatic's top seller among all sports since Monday night. Fanatic's plans to donate all proceeds. I thought it was some proceeds, all proceeds. You'd love to see it from Helmins Jersey sale to the toy drive, which has more than 5.5 million donation. Sauce wanted a jersey. He said, hey, can I wear one for pregame? And he said that a jersey wouldn't be there in time. And Michael Rubin, it was a lot to do with all of those proceeds. Going to the right place said, we got you. So be on the lookout for Sauce and players all around the league showing all love for three. Saturday, Chiefs take on the Raiders. We'll get to that. Titans, Jags, Tennessee announced Monday they're starting Josh Dobbs, Bill's pass to Dolphins, Mike McDale, rule two out for that one. Brown Steelers take a place the same time as New England, Pittsburgh, Miami competing for the final wildcard spot. NFL decided yesterday to put Bangles Ravens, interestingly, in the 1PM window. Let's take a look at the 4PM games. You've got Lions Packers, NFC side, Eagles Giants. I mean, it's all in the later window. Cowboys Commanders, Cardinals Niners, they're at the same time as the NFC East title and number one seed in the conference are up for grabs situation. So lots of things to play for this week. It's a pivotal week. It'll be a heavy week, of course. Everything's focused on DeMore Hamlin and his health, of course. Hamilton, you have been such a good friend to me this week, just talking me through things and getting your perspective and I appreciate you. But if we're putting that aside for one moment as we move forward to games that have to be played, this Bangles bill thing is gonna really muck up the one seed. Yeah, and it's still up in the air as to what the NFL is gonna do here with that game. If it doesn't get played, if they decide to cancel the game altogether, the one seed in the AFC would come down to winning percentage, which means if the Chiefs win against the Raiders on Saturday afternoon, the Chiefs would clinch the one seed. If the Chiefs lose to the Raiders and the Bills beat the Patriots on Sunday, then the Bills would get the one seed. The Bangles under that scenario would have no chance to get the one seed anymore. So there's no real fair way to do it. I know we're gonna go through winning percentage ideas and I know Mike Florio has been all over it, which we cry for football talk. That's what we do on our show. So we'll be with you guys tomorrow and breaking that down further.