The MMQB NFL Podcast

Monday brought one of the most stunning developments the NFL has seen in recent years: Jon Gruden, once perceived as untouchable in Las Vegas, stepped down as head coach after a series of racist, misogynist and anti-LGBTQ emails were released to the New York Times.Gruden’s language—and his presumption that he could use such words—is problematic. But it points to a larger cultural problem that exists in places across to the NFL, and raises the biggest question of all: Why hasn’t the NFL released any details regarding the investigation into the Washington franchise’s toxic workplace environment?The impact of Gruden’s words and the consequences he is now facing, what’s next for a Raiders franchise in which he once held near absolute power, and what’s next for the league office that now might have no choice but to act.Have a question for the show? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI, @JennyVrentas or @ConorOrr Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Chiefs fall again, this time on Sunday Night Football. Jenny, Conor and Gary run down how it’s going wrong for K.C., from the defense’s disappearing stars to the offense’s lack of patience. But also, a look at how the Bills finally got their white whale, scoring a convincing road win in the elements.Then, a discussion of the undeniably beautiful game between the Chargers and the Browns, in which Justin Herbert continued to establish himself as an MVP favorite, and the undeniably not-as-beautiful game between the Cardinals and the 49ers, in which you start to wonder how much longer Kyler Murray can be a superhero and exactly what we should have expected from Trey Lance in his first career start.The Giants limp into Dallas and... well, limp out of Dallas, the Bears win ugly in Vegas, another one for the Urban Meyer lowlight reel with the most bizarre challenge in recent memory, whether the Steelers can repeat Sunday’s impressive offensive performance, the Patriots and the Texans get weird, Matt LaFleur makes things interesting by taking the ball out of Aaron Rodgers’s hands, and much more!Have a question for the show? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI, @JennyVrentas or @ConorOrr Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

From an otherwise meaningless five-yard run at the end of a lopsided game came one of the most intense, delightful and senseless coaching feuds the NFL has ever witnessed.Jenny, Conor and Gary take a look at the utter absurdity—of all parties!—in the Vic Fangio-John Harbaugh feud that came out of Harbaugh’s desire to go for a record streak that, quite possibly, no one but him and a few Ravens coaches knew was a thing. We smile along with Lamar Jackson’s reaction, wonder whether player safety should have been taken into account, and ask the most important question of all: Whose side are you on?Inspired by this whole ordeal, the three-person panel of self-appointed football historians then reveals their favorite feuds from over the years, including a mysterious answering machine message the cheap shot it inspired, accusations of pre-game introduction shenanigans, and plenty of childish name-calling.Have a question for the show? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI, @JennyVrentas or @ConorOrr Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The biggest game in the history of sports (that actually doesn’t have that big an impact on the standings) was played in Foxboro on Sunday night, as Tom Brady played kinda O.K. in a game that his current team won against his former team after a last-minute field goal attempt bounced off the upright. Should Bill Belichick have gone for it on fourth down? Hypothetically, would Mac Jones have gotten it done against Todd Bowles and the Bucs’ shorthanded secondary? Will we talk about this game forever and ever? Maybe.Then, a discussion of the undefeated Cardinals, the difference between the 2020 and ’21 editions, and whether or not this year’s early success is sustainable. Plus, everything that’s going so very right for the Cowboys, the Giants finally show what Daniel Jones can become if they let him, the Browns are dominating with the defensive line, the 49ers don’t show much in Trey Lance’s first extended action, the Steelers look ugly as ever, and a very neat day for Zach Wilson.Have a question for the show? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI, @JennyVrentas or @ConorOrr Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

You are in the same place. You are in the same time. But this world is very different. Different because of one thing: Tom Brady is still the quarterback of the New England Patriots.What would have happened if Brady re-signed with the Patriots in the winter of 2020? Travel the multiverse and find Jenny Vrentas, Gary Gramling and Conor Orr (with the help of alternate reality host Mitch Goldich), recapping the adventures of the Brady-led 2020 and ’21 Patriots, their success (or lack thereof) with their aging quarterback, the fate of Rob Gronkowski, and how it all would have played out heading into Sunday’s Week 4 home game against the Tampa Bay Bucs. After the exercise in sci-fi is through, an earnest discussion of why the Brady/Belichick split made the most sense for all parties, even as Brady lifted the Lombardi for the seventh time. In short: Why the greatest coach-QB pairing the league has ever seen had run its course. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Week 3 brought the usual surprises, along with some of the wackiest moments of the early season.Jenny, Conor and Gary start with the Sunday night thriller in Santa Clara, how in the end it came easy for Aaron Rodgers after the 49ers scrapped to take a late lead, why continuity matters, and a conversation about Davante Adams’s uncomfortably brief time in concussion protocol.Also, a discussion of the Rams’ asserting their superiority in the NFC behind Matthew Stafford and Raheem Morris’s defense against his former team, how the Raiders got to 3–0, why the Dolphins had a fighting chance behind Jacoby Brissett, the formula that has beaten the Chiefs and how the Chargers are treating Justin Herbert as the superstar quarterback he has become.The Justin Tucker heroics and the pleasures of being a Lions fan, a look at everything that went so very wrong for the Bears during and in the runup to Justin Fields’s first career start, what exactly went down on Ben Roethlisberger’s long day and strange final play, dueling Jason Garrett food metaphors and much more!Have a question for the show? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI, @JennyVrentas or @ConorOrr Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Two-time rushing champion, fantasy football darling, and perhaps the most misunderstood man in the NFL. In this episode of The MMQB, Conor Orr and Gary Gramling examine what Derrick Henry is, what he is not, and how someone who plays the most devalued position in football has become one of the most indispensable non-quarterbacks in the NFL. How is Henry able to withstand a workload that has wrecked other running backs in recent years? How does he lift the Titans’ offense beyond just the prolific rushing stats? Is the 250-pound behemoth destined to be an outlier in the modern NFL—or is he a harbinger of a throwback era to come?From his immeasurable value in a trend-setting offense, to the workout regime that he believes keeps him going, gain a better understanding of a one-of-a-kind superstar.Have a question for the show? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI, @JennyVrentas or @ConorOrr Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It was a Week 2 Sunday full of thrillers, and Jenny, Conor and Gary are here to break it all down and tell you what it means.That starts with the Ravens finally knocking off the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football, behind Lamar Jackson heroics, a better O-line performance, a defense that didn’t take risks and a little bit of luck.A look at the Titans’ unlikely comeback win in Seattle, and what it says about the spectacular abilities of Derrick Henry and an impact that goes beyond rushing yards. The Raiders go east on a short week and Derek Carr does everything you’d ever want from your quarterback in an upset win over the Steelers. The Cowboys turn to a kicker, a rushing attack, a defense and lots of questionable clock management to steal one from the Chargers.The Bears, meanwhile, win one 2018-style with a torrent of takeaways, and the Andy Dalton injury likely forces Matt Nagy’s hand when it comes to Justin Fields—is that a good thing or a bad thing? Mike Zimmer is living a nightmare after rocky secondary play and a missed chipshot costs the Vikings in Arizona, and the Panthers serve notice with a dominant victory over the Saints at home.Plus, Belichick obliterates another young Jets quarterback, the Rams outlast the Colts in Indy, another ugly start for Tua ends with a rib injury and a lopsided loss to Buffalo, more Jaguars struggles, DeMeco Ryans gets aggressive in stopping Jalen Hurts, and much more.Have a question for the show? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI, @JennyVrentas or @ConorOrr Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jenny, Conor and Gary took in all the action and bring you every take imaginable about all 14 games played on the first Sunday of the 2021 season.First, Matthew Stafford immediately showed why the Rams went and got him, as Sean McVay dialed up an early touchdown that simply wasn’t in the playbook with the previous quarterback. Plus, why Matt Nagy will have a tough time sticking with Andy Dalton after that meek opening-night offensive performance.Then, a look at the impressive Browns in a losing effort, falling victim to the kind of plays only Patrick Mahomes can deliver, the Packers’ meltdown against the Saints in Jacksonville, and a hearty debate about whether or not we should be impressed by the Steelers after their victory in Buffalo.A look at everything that went wrong in Urban Meyer’s disastrous NFL debut, the good and bad of the Patriots-Dolphins battle in Foxboro, the utter dominance of the Chandler Jones-led Cardinals defense in Tennessee, the utterly underwhelming Giants offense in an opening loss to Denver, and much more.Have a question for the show? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI, @JennyVrentas or @ConorOrr Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jenny, Conor and Gary break down all things regular-season opener, starting with—of course—the star quarterbacks playing like star quarterbacks.The Tampa offense looks like it’s completely under Tom Brady’s command, while Dak Prescott might not have looked like 100% Dak, but was awfully close (especially as the game went on).Some Vita Vea appreciation, how the Bucs will deal with depth issues in the secondary, and a discussion of a Cowboys defense that still has issues (and still looks green at some spots) but showed encouraging signs on Thursday night.On a more serious note: A discussion of NBC’s continued problematic approach to Antonio Brown.On a much lighter note: Plenty of taunts and barbs directed toward Conor for his “fluid” prediction of a Browns Super Bowl.Also, T.J. Watt’s new deal, and the impact of two more big injuries to the Ravens.Have a question for the show? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI, @JennyVrentas or @ConorOrr Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy