Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from twelve to three eastern, nine to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS one. Find your local station for The Herd at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Herd. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Okay, we're lucky today. So Danny A. Mendolas had an amazing life. He was at one point of Ford model. He's a humble guy. Didn't want to talk about that. He obviously an undrafted guy who played in the NFL for a dynasty. Also got eight games in last year with the Texans. He was the oldest player in the league, along with Matt Slater. He played with Matt Slater. He's got a million stories to tell. He is on a new show called Special Forces World's Toughest Test. It premiers. This is gonna be I can't wait to watch this January fourth on Fox. So I want to play a clip of Danny in this if if I didn't get a full scholarship coming out of high school, I was going to join the military. Yeah, I know how hard it is to get to the top of the top in my sport. To be introduced and have the opportunity to work with the one percent of the one percent in the military, it's a dream come true. It's going to be a very humbling experience. I'm here to learn, to adapt and to grow. Was it fun or stressful? It was wild. I mean, by far, the most craziest adventure I've ever been on. We're jumping out of helicopters. You know, you could see We're climbing up into a patche Hellica, floating on booies. We did a lot of crazy adventures. It was basically a bunch of ex athletes, Olympians, some celebrities got together and tried to you know, train fully submerge ourselves in the military lifestyle. You know, we're out in the middle of the Jordanian desert, you know, sleeping on cots and we wake up every every single morning with our feet hit in the sand. Like I mean, we're in the military, so we're a full submission to them. So it was awesome. Good for you. I hope people appreciate um the sacrifice people make in our military. Yeah, you're a professional athlete and were you kind of exhausted. When it was over, I was, I lost fifteen pounds. I mean we they limited our calorie and take to like six seven hundred calories a day. Sleep deprivation kept us up all night, Me and me and Dwight Howard had had a lot of laughs and and we stayed up all night one night on the watch tower how to secure the base. You know, we were fully in the military lifestyle. So you know, I gained a huge appreciation for what the military does for us. And I got back home to Texas and I was kissing the ground when I got home, and I was just so happy. Let's uh from happy to sad. You then went to Texas Tech and played for Mike Leach for four years. Right, yes, sir, um, Let's take us first of all to your recruiting experience. The first time you met Mike yep, so he actually he offered me a scholarship when I was a sophomore in high school. And I played slot receiver in high school too, So I saw Wes Welker come through Texas Tech, I knew I wanted to go to a tech and catch a bunch of passes. I loved his air aid offense, his you know, his aggressive style of passing the ball. I knew I wanted to catch passes and have fun. And in college he offered me a scholarsh I committed when I was a junior, and I knew I wanted to play for him. I didn't. I didn't entertain any other offers coming out of you know, high school, and um, you know, the recruiting process was awesome for me with him, and we had a great relationship. We have a great relationship up until you know, a couple of days ago when we unfortunately lost him. But I was with him um in Key West at his little bar, went out to see him and we sat down for three hours and talked about life, talked about family, talked about football. And he's a very close friend of mine. You know, I I miss I'm gonna miss him dearly. And he's just a special, special individual, one of America's great sports storytellers. Yeah, oh my gosh, he can go he'll go on tangents and he'll he'll he'll he'll try to explain the run game or passing game to you, and he'll somehow go to girls softball and then it will somehow, you know, he'll have some crazy uh tie into it and then he'll you know, come back to you know what he's trying to prove and you get a crazy different perspective on life. And he was just an amazing, amazing person. So you know Tom Brady about as well as anybody. Um. I've always theorized with Tom that he likes to be coached hard. Yeah. I do believe at the end in New England is a very smart guy. He saw what was happening to the league. They didn't have the weapons. Yeah, and he was like, you know what, I want a little bit more, say yeah, and I need better weapons at forty three years old. That was my takeaway. Yeah, so he gets that in Tampa. Yeah. But I go back to this and I said this Danny when he arrived in Tampa. Tom is disciplined, driven, academic, tough, resilient. I I covered Tampa for two years. It's squirrely, it's loose, it's fun. Yeah, it's it's it's your datum, but it's not it's not who Tom is. Yeah, and it worked. Yeah, But I honestly think New England or the Niners are at his core what he is. Yep. Does that make any sense absolutely. You know he's from saying he's from the San Francisco area. Obviously he grew up there. That's a team that he loved, you know, Joe Montana growing up. You know, he's he's verbal about that. He loves he loves that that you know organization. Obviously, he was you know, drafted by the Patriots and played there for a million years. So, um, you know that's in his core. You know, will we see him play for another team, I'm not sure, but I know he's playing at a high level. I don't think he has the weapons that he that he had past couple of years. You know, he's missing Gronk obviously. Uh, you know, had some injuries with Godwin early. So uh, you know, he's got some good tight ends. The bread's good, he's got you know, a good back, and he's got some weapons. I don't think the weapons are what they used to be a couple of years ago when they wanted. But you know, he's still playing at a very high level. You know, he's throwing the ball well. Obviously he knows how to operate. So you know, I mean, as long as he's on the field, he's got a chance to win. So I was you know, I hold the Patriots, having lived in Connecticut for ten years through their dynasty, I hold him almost to a different standard. Yeah. Um, they were always the smartest team on the field. Belichick's brilliant, but even brilliant people make mistakes. Yeah right. Um, I don't like a defensive coordinator calling plays. Yeah, and I think Mac Jones has regressed. And it's not an indictment on Mac. Yeah. I want you to explain this to the audience that there's nothing against the defensive coach. Yeah, but the offense is a different language. Yeah, you guys are It's just I mean, most of your buddies, aren't they offensive players? They are? Yeah? And I love Matt Patricia. You know, he's a he's a brother of mine. Man. I played for him. He brought me over from Miami to Detroit, so I got, you know, I got to link up with them again. And and he's a good he's a good coach. Man. He he understands, you know, defenses and how to attack the defense as an offensive player. I think one thing that Josh McDaniels did for us that um, maybe you know, can't be replicated anywhere else, is that Josh could tell you what to do and why you're doing it, whereas other organizations and other coaches just you know, I played for seven teams, so I'll tell you what to do. Yeah, that just tell you what to do. They say, follow the indicated line on the page, and they don't tell you why. Recently, I learned so much from Josh McDaniels and and Tom being in that offense, and and uh, it's just hard to hard to duplicate that hard to replicate, and um, you know you you kind of see it. You know, I watched the game the other night versus the Cardinals, UM on the flight out here, and you know, I like the play calls they ran in that game. Uh given, uh, you know what the Cardinals were doing against them. They blitz a lot more than any other team. So they're trying to get into these you know, screenplays to the receiver's quick little passes and try to break a long run. As opposed to going down field. I'm more, um, you know, acclimated to going I love going down field, vertical passing game, putting stress on the defense. They don't do it. They don't, they don't. I haven't seen that. But then again. He hit a couple of seam balls last game that looked really good. I see Mac Jones progressing in terms of he's looking off safeties now he can anticipate coverages. They're playing tricky coverages now, disguising coverages, and he's picking it up. He made a great throw. I think it was to the Ti Henry and the seamball. Two great seam ball throws to Henry downfield. I love to see more of that. The you're pretty good friends with Jimmy Garoppolo Jimmy G. Yep, that's my boy. Um. So now he gets banged up again, Yeah, sad, and so his his free agent market will be pretty thin. Yeah, it's um. You know. I always said, if you grow up and look like Jimmy GE's a great looking kid. Seriously, Yeah, women fall over him. But that does create a confidence. He's not an insecure guy, correct. So he played behind Brady. He literally they last year they wouldn't give him a playbook. And I said, do you know how you quarterbacks are secure enough in themselves? Yeah, to let that happen and not get bitter. Take me inside Jimmy G's personality. He's such a unique guy. Like he's been to Super Bowls, but I don't see a lot of public ego, right. Yeah. You know the thing about Jimmy is I think he learned a lot from Belichick and Tom in terms of worry about what you can control. And you see him in the preseason working out on his own on the field. They don't want to, they don't want anything to do with him, but he's coming in, he's smiling, he's a good teammate. You know, he's working his tailoff on the side, and and and they're going younger with Lance, but at the same time, he's worrying about what he can control. And and you know, Lance goes down. Next thing, you know, next man up, He's up. And I think he's a top ten twelve quarterback in the NFL. I think he's talented. You know, he made some um some great plays even as a Patriot as a young player when when Tom was suspended, when when you played or practice with him, Oh yeah, you felt he threw a big time ball. Absolutely. He came in as a as a first second year guy. And I remember we connected on a blitz zero check. We're playing Miami at home one year blitzero he's a young guy. Tom would have got to a you know, a check and and he did the same thing. And I was like, and we ended up scoring a touchdown on the play. And I'm like, that's a that's a five six year quarterback. What they're doing. And he's out here, you know, making checks, he's calling out, he's operating, and um, you know, I feel like he's a top ten quarterback in the league. So um, so you're out of the game. You played eight games last year with the Texans. Now you're doing TV shows like Brady, you clearly still have an itch. If you got called by Brady in San Francisco trading deadline deebo down into Danny. We need somebody who know this is what he wants. Tom wants somebody who knows him. Yeah, Danny Gray goes down. Yeah. Would you play absolutely if Tom? I mean Tom's done a lot for me and if he needs me, I'd always I'd always play for Tom. Um, you know, I'm happy not not playing. You know, I love I got enough football. I played for fourteen years in the NFL and and uh, you know, played a lot of football on my knees feel better on Monday this year, you know, watching football from the couch. But um, of course, if Tom called you had definitely i'd have. I'd have to go back if he'd summoned me out of retirement. But well, you had sixty catches in the playoffs. Take me to um, like last year you played eight games. I want you to take the audience. Yeah, so there's a lot of weekend warriors. Jmax a weekend warrior. So take me to a Monday. How old do you I'm thirty seven. Okay, what do you feel like on a Monday after you had a couple of catches you had to block? And what do you feel like? Knees are swollen? I had to take like every every Monday. I had to take twenty twenty five ccs of inflammation out of my knees. And that just gets old after a while. You know, you're you're constantly, um, getting your knees drained, and you're playing on astro turf, so it's not real friendly for your body, your joints and and and you know it's it's a rough game. Man. You get hit three or four times, it's like three car x, you know what I'm saying. And um, it's it's it's a rough game. It's it's it's definitely taxing on your body. It comes you come to a point in your career where you know you've played enough football. Man, It's I think, uh, I started when I was ten years old. I had twenty six years of football in my life a season to get ready for. So, um, it was a long journey. And and honestly, I'm very very happy with how far I've come from being undrafted and getting to walk away on my own uh and um and play the game that I love. So it is a dream come true. Okay January fourth. On Fox, Special Forces World's Toughest Test Series premiers Wednesday, January fourth. I really want to watch. I love you know. There was a there was a show years ago Joe Rogan hosted It Factor. Okay, Now that was obviously not military, right, but they would ask people to do crazy stuff. Yeah, and and like you know, walk on a field of ants or something. And I always that was my first introduction to who Joe Rogan was. Yes, and he was doing that show, and I was weirdly attracted to that show. Yeah. Very similar, very similar. It is the same thing, Like we're asking you to do really uncomfortable stuff. Without a question. You're facing every fear that you have ever had, you know, water fire, tear gas. I don't want to spoil it too much, but at the same time, were you ever scared? Oh? Every every day, every day. And one of the most taxing things during the show was that we did never we never knew what we were getting into. So we'd pull up to a mission and we'd we'd jump out of the suv and we'd run up to the to the mission and we had no idea. We have two seconds of debriefing and then we have to respond quickly. So wow, yeah, it was. It was constantly stressful, exhausting. It's like our military, without question. Yeah, they fully fully emerged you into the way of the life. You're eating, drinking hot water, like, no showers, no bathrooms, no cell phone. We're in the middle of the desert for ten days, we're sleeping on cots in a tent together. And and once you you really focus on surviving and that's your only job. You know, you tend to lean on other people more and you and you and you you have to help as much as you can and give as much as you My military people are so close without question. Oh, we have a we have we all have a bond together, and we were with each other yesterday doing some stuff here on Fox and UM, it's just great to see everybody. Everybody keeps in touch and we have a lifelong friendship from just the guys that were together. So that's incredible. It was unbelievable. Danny A. Mendola, what an absolute pleasure. Good seeing you man, Good to see you, to thank you all your success. I really am genuinely happy. Thank you, sir. I appreciate it. You bad. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays and noon Easter not a Empacific on Fox Sports Radio FS one and the iHeart Radio app j Mac. Who's starting to have some success in his life. He's starting to listen to me, starting to have more success with the news. Yeah, turn on the news. This is the her Fire starting to have some success. You know, I did have this little website I was, But who's counting? Who's counting? All right, let's start with Trevor Lawrence. One of the best games of his career, sings passing total touchdowns. But Doug Peterson isn't ready to say Lawrence has arrived as a star QB just yet. He said this Tuesday on the Rich eisenshow he's on his way to there. Um, I would say he still has some room to grow, you know, and get better, but he's definitely taking steps in the right direction. I you go back and look at the beginning of our season, and you know, we were a little bit careless with the football and uh situational ball wasn't wasn't quite quite there yet. Just understanding details of the game and understanding situations of the game. And this is where his his growth has come. So funny how things change quickly. Right four weeks ago two was an MVP candidate that he was not looking great and Trevor Lawrence looks awesome. Yeah. I mean he was number one high school quarterback, number one college quarterback, number one pick. He he is a you know, he's Peyton Manning number one at every level. I think he's going to be really successful. But it does take time for the light to go on. And for him, it was Thanksgiving of his second year. You know. I talked about this with Daniel Jones to me, because these kids get way more reps than quarterbacks did twenty years ago. So it used to be you give a guy three full years, like Eli pops in year four. Let's say now, I believe you have to give him until Thanksgiving of their second year, and that is exactly when he popped. If you go back to his last four to five weeks, he's a different quarterback. You get that little break during Thanksgiving. Maybe you know people have film on you UF film on them. He is clearly in the last four to five weeks is a different quarterback. Very interesting. That's up with the Cowboys this week? What do you think? I think Dallas probably wins this. I do too. I have I feel like whenever Dallas is more talented, they're not in a rebuilding mode. They played very poorly jackson Bill by winning, you know, nobody's sleeping on Jacksonville. It's very easy to sell your team on. They just blew out the Titans. Yeah, Titans don't get blown out, They pay. They get blown out by like the Bills and good teams. Jacksonville lay the lumber. Impressive stuff from Trevor Lawrence. Next up. NBA recently announced they would be renaming their annual regular season awards, as well as debuting a redesign of the trophies because obviously there was a need for this. I didn't love the redesign of the trophy, but I like the name of them. So the MVP is going to be named after Michael Jordan does five MVPs. The other award the Hakim Alajuan Trophy for Defensive Player of the Year, the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy for Rookie of the Year. That it's weird odd. John Havelichick Trophy for the sixth Man, George Mike and Trophy for Most Improved. Kareem Abdul Jabbar Social Justice Award Kareem, I mean, nothing wrong with social justice, but should be he is writing pretty well on social just No, I'm not denying Kareem's one of the smartest professional athletes in American I don't well, I would say this, you know, to be honest, If you ask Kareem that made mean more to him, I'm sure it does. I mean, but in the context of NBA Season awards, it just feels like a little odd. I will say this, did you see show the award again? The MJ Award? It doesn't look like MJ's shot, does it. I don't have a problem with him. Yeah, like, when did he ever shoot like that? That looks like Odell Beckham going back for that. No, I mean I could argue it looks more like Kareem Yeah, I don't know, it's it's I don't I don't mind the award. I like the people they chose. I have no problem. I just think the aesthetic that the that doesn't look like a Michael Jordan's shot. You know, this feels like a baseball move. Let's not forget the guys from back in the day who are awesome. I know all these young pups are coming up, but let's not forget well George Mike in like, all right, sure, it just feels forced, do it doesn't Okay? At the NBA, here a lot of you know, Fox doesn't have the NBA. We can fire away. No. Um, I I Here's why I'll defend the NBA, because the NBA, more than any sport in for us, is about the individual. The NFL it's a collective, right Baseball, I mean, your bullpens is valuable, is your home run hitter? Yeah? Um. There's two sports in the world where the star really changes everything. Soccer messy and basketball. So if you're gonna have awards, they should be named after individuals because that's what the sport is based on. It's based on individual greatness. It's not a it's not a shock that Jordan want a bunch, and Bird want a bunch, and Magic want a bunch, and Lebron want a bunch, and step wins a bunch. The greatest all time generally are part Dynasty's Duncan and so I like naming awards after individuals, not commissioners or not, because basketball is very much like soccer. The Ronaldo, the Peels. What's the NFL MVP Award named after nobody? Right? Well again, but that sport I never feel like as good as a quarterback is if he's got a bad old line. I mean, Andrew Luck's the best young quarterback I've ever seen. John Alway didn't win squat, he got blown out in Super Bowls before Terrell Davis. Andrew Looke didn't ever win big because he didn't have a defense. I could start going in on Michael Jordan taking advantage of a down NBA in the nineties after Magic left it down. What it was the expansion era. They added four teams who were dumpster fires for like three years. They were like, do you think the Celtics were down and the Pistons were down? Well, yeah, the Celtics were done. The eighties run was over. By the time that Michael Jordan dominated in the nineties, it was a weak, depressed NBA. Barkley's on record saying this, what are you playing Barkley? But you can't ask Barkley about that. I'm going way off topic here. They're gonna yell at me. Final story, Moving to baseball San Francisco Giants, Colin, this was a bit of a stunner last night. Keen year deal though I thought this was dumb. But Carlos Carrera thirteen years, three hundred and fifty mill. I mean, it's a great player, more than the other shirts stops on the market in Trey Turner and Xander Bogart's. Uh, it's the fourth largest contract in MLB history, behind Trout, Mookie Bets and Aaron Judge. Colin, I had to look up Carreras stats. He's a great player, Correa. I'm sorry, Oh, apologies, Houston and Minnesota. He's by the way, Yeah, well what artist. He's a great He's an All Star. He hasn't been an All Star three times. In No, he's been an All Star twice in his career. He's never hit over twenty six homers, never over one hundred rbi. I'm assuming he's a great fielding shortstop. He won Rookie of the Year. I mean, I'm gonna have finished top three in the MVP. Hundred fifty million. What thirteen year deal? Isn't that crazy. I don't even want to go look at my mentions after this because I butchered his name and I'm like saying he's not amazing. Stats are pedestrian, Well he's well. Bryce Harper doesn't play short This kid, this kid is the center of your infield. He's the key to your in the new cal Ripken Right. Well, I'm saying there's a reason the two places, the two positions that get paid now, pictures with all the analytics, and shortstops. So there's a reason Baseball exacts are paying pictures and shortstops because the analytics, that's where the game's leaning. So he's a great player. I don't have a problem with the money or the player thirteen year contract. I'm gonna hire Scott Borrows and go to Fox and say coward wants twelve years where he's walking thirteen year. I mean he's set. His kids are set, the grandkids, the great great grin generations are set the money. That's awesome. I'm happy for him who signs. I wouldn't sign mahomes to a thirteen years in San Francisco, right, it's a beautiful places the city. I mean well, I mean from Minnesota, it's only one hundred and seventy million dollar con t because California. Listen, I like it here, but you know it is what it is, little outrageous, the old tax man coming here. We go, Ja Mack with the news. Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping the Herd Line News. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays and neon Easter ninety em Pacific. Hey, what's up everybody. It's me three time pro bowler LeVar Arrington and I couldn't be more excited to announce a new podcast called Up on Game? What is up on Game? You asked, along with my fellow pro bowler t J. Hushman's otta and Super Bowl champion. Yep, that's right, Plexico birds. You can only name a show with that type of talent on it. Up on Game, We're going to be sharing our real life experiences loaded with teachable moments. Listen to Up on Game with Me LeVar Arrington, t J Hushman, Zatta and Plexico Birds on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever where you get your podcast from. Save up to half on your wireless plans, switch to consumer cellular dot com slash the Herd promo code is the Herd. So we're gonna play Win Placer Show, sort of an ode to horse racing. Right, Win Placer Show, you'll give me three options on a variety of NFL questions. Jamac are you ready to go? Of course? All right, here we go. Win Placer Show, Win Placers Show, quarterback that wins the MVP Mahomes, Josh Allen, Jalen hurts. When Jalen hurts place Mahomes and show Josh Allen, here's the reason why. Because Jalen's a better story. Mahomes has won it. So my take is writers and media attend to vote for the better story. Hurts is also, by the way, fifteen and one, he's winning more. Win Placer Show, Hurts, Mahomes and Josh Allen Okay. Win Placers show which twenty twenty first round pick would you want most, Burrow, Herbert Tah. I would go Burrow, Herbert Tua. Burrow's the first quarterback ever selected number one and reach the Super Bowl within two years. He is the ultimate winning quarterback. Herbert's the raw talent. He's place, he gets a medal. He is an unbelievable talent, but he's not winning enough. He's a five hundred quarterback in this league and tah no reason to take shots. But I don't get the size the arm, or would I believe is the playoff pedigree of Joe Burrow. Win Placers show which veteran quarterback would you want next season? Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Stafford. I would go win Stafford place. Rogers show Brady Stafford is only thirty four years old, has the one of the top five strongest arms in the league. When he is upright, he's excellent. His career completion percentage, by the way, is sixty eight percent, so I think he's got at least three really good years gas in the tank. I like that they've sat him. They're going into next year. They're gonna give Baker Mayfield some run. I think he'll be healthy and ready to go, so I would go win play Show Stafford Rogers, Brady. I wanted to argue with you on that, but I don't. It can't make a case for Brady Over Rogers give me forty six. Yeah, win Players Show twenty twenty first round pick. Would you want most? Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Mac Jones win, Trevor Lawrence placed Mac Jones show. Justin Fields Fields is five and seventeen, and he's still making a lot of mistakes. Mac Jones doesn't make a lot of mistakes and has been to the playoffs, so I feel I have a more refined product now. In Jones Fields has more talent. I'm not denying the talent, but this this league's not about talent, about winning games, and Mac has gotten into the playoffs. So you're on record, Mac Jones, Over, you're out your field right now. I've got injuries, very few wins, and a lot of talent mistakes. Okay with Mac, I don't have the talent. I have a playoff berth. If you go look at Max's opening first year stats without a number one receiver, he threw for thirty nine hundred yards and completed like sixty seven percent of his throw bench for Bailey's Zappy this season. Hey, nobody disrespects Bailey's Zappy. On the potential campaign for Zappy, I forgot her. If Mac plays like crappy, go with Bailey's Zappy. That was my button. Placers show which current backup quarterback has impressed you the most, Brock Purty, Sam Darnold or Mike White. I gotta go win Purty place White. Show Darnold, Mike White backed aback games without a touchdown pass yea, Brock Purty, you gotta be honest about this. Just like college, he moves the chains. He's really accurate, And I can make an argument if you look at the play calling, Kyle Shanahan thinks he's just as good as Garoppolo. They didn't change the play calling. In fact, I'd argue it was more aggressive at the end of the first half and they wouldn't have thrown to Iyuk late with Garoppolo. If you swapped Darnald and Purdy on their teams, that would probably change. Purdy is a more accurate thrower of the football than Donald. That is now and now Sam is bigger, stronger, and more athletic that but he's also more reckless. Finally, win place, show which rookie wide receiver has impressed you the most. Christian Watson, who he's good, Garrett Wilson. I'm gonna go win Garrett Wilson place, Christian Watson, olave show. So Watson has floated in the last month, kind of invisible for the first month. And Garrett Wilson, considering the quarterbacks he's been dealt with in the old line, you don't get to run the complete route. He's got like almost nine hundred yards four touchdowns again, Flacco, Zach Wilson, Mike White, I think you got yourself a star. Did you see what he did to Tredavious White this past week. He's just annihilated it. No, he's really good. Yeah, And Jets got to get kind of them. They got to get their own line right. The defense is fine, They've got a great corner. They have to clean up the old line. But I like their pete Like the Giants have to clean up the old line and figure out receivers. The Jets they just got to clean the old lineup. And it's a good year in the draft. For the old line, three or four great centers, six or seven top tackles. Jets can clean that stuff up, all right. That was fun today. That was a rambuncture show. Jmac bringing the big big boy heat. All right, we'll see you tomor be safe. First things first, around the corner.

Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from twelve to three eastern, nine to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS one. Find your local station for The Herd at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Herd. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Okay, we're lucky today. So Danny A. Mendolas had an amazing life. He was at one point of Ford model. He's a humble guy. Didn't want to talk about that. He obviously an undrafted guy who played in the NFL for a dynasty. Also got eight games in last year with the Texans. He was the oldest player in the league, along with Matt Slater. He played with Matt Slater. He's got a million stories to tell. He is on a new show called Special Forces World's Toughest Test. It premiers. This is gonna be I can't wait to watch this January fourth on Fox. So I want to play a clip of Danny in this if if I didn't get a full scholarship coming out of high school, I was going to join the military. Yeah, I know how hard it is to get to the top of the top in my sport. To be introduced and have the opportunity to work with the one percent of the one percent in the military, it's a dream come true. It's going to be a very humbling experience. I'm here to learn, to adapt and to grow. Was it fun or stressful? It was wild. I mean, by far, the most craziest adventure I've ever been on. We're jumping out of helicopters. You know, you could see We're climbing up into a patche Hellica, floating on booies. We did a lot of crazy adventures. It was basically a bunch of ex athletes, Olympians, some celebrities got together and tried to you know, train fully submerge ourselves in the military lifestyle. You know, we're out in the middle of the Jordanian desert, you know, sleeping on cots and we wake up every every single morning with our feet hit in the sand. Like I mean, we're in the military, so we're a full submission to them. So it was awesome. Good for you. I hope people appreciate um the sacrifice people make in our military. Yeah, you're a professional athlete and were you kind of exhausted. When it was over, I was, I lost fifteen pounds. I mean we they limited our calorie and take to like six seven hundred calories a day. Sleep deprivation kept us up all night, Me and me and Dwight Howard had had a lot of laughs and and we stayed up all night one night on the watch tower how to secure the base. You know, we were fully in the military lifestyle. So you know, I gained a huge appreciation for what the military does for us. And I got back home to Texas and I was kissing the ground when I got home, and I was just so happy. Let's uh from happy to sad. You then went to Texas Tech and played for Mike Leach for four years. Right, yes, sir, um, Let's take us first of all to your recruiting experience. The first time you met Mike yep, so he actually he offered me a scholarship when I was a sophomore in high school. And I played slot receiver in high school too, So I saw Wes Welker come through Texas Tech, I knew I wanted to go to a tech and catch a bunch of passes. I loved his air aid offense, his you know, his aggressive style of passing the ball. I knew I wanted to catch passes and have fun. And in college he offered me a scholarsh I committed when I was a junior, and I knew I wanted to play for him. I didn't. I didn't entertain any other offers coming out of you know, high school, and um, you know, the recruiting process was awesome for me with him, and we had a great relationship. We have a great relationship up until you know, a couple of days ago when we unfortunately lost him. But I was with him um in Key West at his little bar, went out to see him and we sat down for three hours and talked about life, talked about family, talked about football. And he's a very close friend of mine. You know, I I miss I'm gonna miss him dearly. And he's just a special, special individual, one of America's great sports storytellers. Yeah, oh my gosh, he can go he'll go on tangents and he'll he'll he'll he'll try to explain the run game or passing game to you, and he'll somehow go to girls softball and then it will somehow, you know, he'll have some crazy uh tie into it and then he'll you know, come back to you know what he's trying to prove and you get a crazy different perspective on life. And he was just an amazing, amazing person. So you know Tom Brady about as well as anybody. Um. I've always theorized with Tom that he likes to be coached hard. Yeah. I do believe at the end in New England is a very smart guy. He saw what was happening to the league. They didn't have the weapons. Yeah, and he was like, you know what, I want a little bit more, say yeah, and I need better weapons at forty three years old. That was my takeaway. Yeah, so he gets that in Tampa. Yeah. But I go back to this and I said this Danny when he arrived in Tampa. Tom is disciplined, driven, academic, tough, resilient. I I covered Tampa for two years. It's squirrely, it's loose, it's fun. Yeah, it's it's it's your datum, but it's not it's not who Tom is. Yeah, and it worked. Yeah, But I honestly think New England or the Niners are at his core what he is. Yep. Does that make any sense absolutely. You know he's from saying he's from the San Francisco area. Obviously he grew up there. That's a team that he loved, you know, Joe Montana growing up. You know, he's he's verbal about that. He loves he loves that that you know organization. Obviously, he was you know, drafted by the Patriots and played there for a million years. So, um, you know that's in his core. You know, will we see him play for another team, I'm not sure, but I know he's playing at a high level. I don't think he has the weapons that he that he had past couple of years. You know, he's missing Gronk obviously. Uh, you know, had some injuries with Godwin early. So uh, you know, he's got some good tight ends. The bread's good, he's got you know, a good back, and he's got some weapons. I don't think the weapons are what they used to be a couple of years ago when they wanted. But you know, he's still playing at a very high level. You know, he's throwing the ball well. Obviously he knows how to operate. So you know, I mean, as long as he's on the field, he's got a chance to win. So I was you know, I hold the Patriots, having lived in Connecticut for ten years through their dynasty, I hold him almost to a different standard. Yeah. Um, they were always the smartest team on the field. Belichick's brilliant, but even brilliant people make mistakes. Yeah right. Um, I don't like a defensive coordinator calling plays. Yeah, and I think Mac Jones has regressed. And it's not an indictment on Mac. Yeah. I want you to explain this to the audience that there's nothing against the defensive coach. Yeah, but the offense is a different language. Yeah, you guys are It's just I mean, most of your buddies, aren't they offensive players? They are? Yeah? And I love Matt Patricia. You know, he's a he's a brother of mine. Man. I played for him. He brought me over from Miami to Detroit, so I got, you know, I got to link up with them again. And and he's a good he's a good coach. Man. He he understands, you know, defenses and how to attack the defense as an offensive player. I think one thing that Josh McDaniels did for us that um, maybe you know, can't be replicated anywhere else, is that Josh could tell you what to do and why you're doing it, whereas other organizations and other coaches just you know, I played for seven teams, so I'll tell you what to do. Yeah, that just tell you what to do. They say, follow the indicated line on the page, and they don't tell you why. Recently, I learned so much from Josh McDaniels and and Tom being in that offense, and and uh, it's just hard to hard to duplicate that hard to replicate, and um, you know you you kind of see it. You know, I watched the game the other night versus the Cardinals, UM on the flight out here, and you know, I like the play calls they ran in that game. Uh given, uh, you know what the Cardinals were doing against them. They blitz a lot more than any other team. So they're trying to get into these you know, screenplays to the receiver's quick little passes and try to break a long run. As opposed to going down field. I'm more, um, you know, acclimated to going I love going down field, vertical passing game, putting stress on the defense. They don't do it. They don't, they don't. I haven't seen that. But then again. He hit a couple of seam balls last game that looked really good. I see Mac Jones progressing in terms of he's looking off safeties now he can anticipate coverages. They're playing tricky coverages now, disguising coverages, and he's picking it up. He made a great throw. I think it was to the Ti Henry and the seamball. Two great seam ball throws to Henry downfield. I love to see more of that. The you're pretty good friends with Jimmy Garoppolo Jimmy G. Yep, that's my boy. Um. So now he gets banged up again, Yeah, sad, and so his his free agent market will be pretty thin. Yeah, it's um. You know. I always said, if you grow up and look like Jimmy GE's a great looking kid. Seriously, Yeah, women fall over him. But that does create a confidence. He's not an insecure guy, correct. So he played behind Brady. He literally they last year they wouldn't give him a playbook. And I said, do you know how you quarterbacks are secure enough in themselves? Yeah, to let that happen and not get bitter. Take me inside Jimmy G's personality. He's such a unique guy. Like he's been to Super Bowls, but I don't see a lot of public ego, right. Yeah. You know the thing about Jimmy is I think he learned a lot from Belichick and Tom in terms of worry about what you can control. And you see him in the preseason working out on his own on the field. They don't want to, they don't want anything to do with him, but he's coming in, he's smiling, he's a good teammate. You know, he's working his tailoff on the side, and and and they're going younger with Lance, but at the same time, he's worrying about what he can control. And and you know, Lance goes down. Next thing, you know, next man up, He's up. And I think he's a top ten twelve quarterback in the NFL. I think he's talented. You know, he made some um some great plays even as a Patriot as a young player when when Tom was suspended, when when you played or practice with him, Oh yeah, you felt he threw a big time ball. Absolutely. He came in as a as a first second year guy. And I remember we connected on a blitz zero check. We're playing Miami at home one year blitzero he's a young guy. Tom would have got to a you know, a check and and he did the same thing. And I was like, and we ended up scoring a touchdown on the play. And I'm like, that's a that's a five six year quarterback. What they're doing. And he's out here, you know, making checks, he's calling out, he's operating, and um, you know, I feel like he's a top ten quarterback in the league. So um, so you're out of the game. You played eight games last year with the Texans. Now you're doing TV shows like Brady, you clearly still have an itch. If you got called by Brady in San Francisco trading deadline deebo down into Danny. We need somebody who know this is what he wants. Tom wants somebody who knows him. Yeah, Danny Gray goes down. Yeah. Would you play absolutely if Tom? I mean Tom's done a lot for me and if he needs me, I'd always I'd always play for Tom. Um, you know, I'm happy not not playing. You know, I love I got enough football. I played for fourteen years in the NFL and and uh, you know, played a lot of football on my knees feel better on Monday this year, you know, watching football from the couch. But um, of course, if Tom called you had definitely i'd have. I'd have to go back if he'd summoned me out of retirement. But well, you had sixty catches in the playoffs. Take me to um, like last year you played eight games. I want you to take the audience. Yeah, so there's a lot of weekend warriors. Jmax a weekend warrior. So take me to a Monday. How old do you I'm thirty seven. Okay, what do you feel like on a Monday after you had a couple of catches you had to block? And what do you feel like? Knees are swollen? I had to take like every every Monday. I had to take twenty twenty five ccs of inflammation out of my knees. And that just gets old after a while. You know, you're you're constantly, um, getting your knees drained, and you're playing on astro turf, so it's not real friendly for your body, your joints and and and you know it's it's a rough game. Man. You get hit three or four times, it's like three car x, you know what I'm saying. And um, it's it's it's a rough game. It's it's it's definitely taxing on your body. It comes you come to a point in your career where you know you've played enough football. Man, It's I think, uh, I started when I was ten years old. I had twenty six years of football in my life a season to get ready for. So, um, it was a long journey. And and honestly, I'm very very happy with how far I've come from being undrafted and getting to walk away on my own uh and um and play the game that I love. So it is a dream come true. Okay January fourth. On Fox, Special Forces World's Toughest Test Series premiers Wednesday, January fourth. I really want to watch. I love you know. There was a there was a show years ago Joe Rogan hosted It Factor. Okay, Now that was obviously not military, right, but they would ask people to do crazy stuff. Yeah, and and like you know, walk on a field of ants or something. And I always that was my first introduction to who Joe Rogan was. Yes, and he was doing that show, and I was weirdly attracted to that show. Yeah. Very similar, very similar. It is the same thing, Like we're asking you to do really uncomfortable stuff. Without a question. You're facing every fear that you have ever had, you know, water fire, tear gas. I don't want to spoil it too much, but at the same time, were you ever scared? Oh? Every every day, every day. And one of the most taxing things during the show was that we did never we never knew what we were getting into. So we'd pull up to a mission and we'd we'd jump out of the suv and we'd run up to the to the mission and we had no idea. We have two seconds of debriefing and then we have to respond quickly. So wow, yeah, it was. It was constantly stressful, exhausting. It's like our military, without question. Yeah, they fully fully emerged you into the way of the life. You're eating, drinking hot water, like, no showers, no bathrooms, no cell phone. We're in the middle of the desert for ten days, we're sleeping on cots in a tent together. And and once you you really focus on surviving and that's your only job. You know, you tend to lean on other people more and you and you and you you have to help as much as you can and give as much as you My military people are so close without question. Oh, we have a we have we all have a bond together, and we were with each other yesterday doing some stuff here on Fox and UM, it's just great to see everybody. Everybody keeps in touch and we have a lifelong friendship from just the guys that were together. So that's incredible. It was unbelievable. Danny A. Mendola, what an absolute pleasure. Good seeing you man, Good to see you, to thank you all your success. I really am genuinely happy. Thank you, sir. I appreciate it. You bad. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays and noon Easter not a Empacific on Fox Sports Radio FS one and the iHeart Radio app j Mac. Who's starting to have some success in his life. He's starting to listen to me, starting to have more success with the news. Yeah, turn on the news. This is the her Fire starting to have some success. You know, I did have this little website I was, But who's counting? Who's counting? All right, let's start with Trevor Lawrence. One of the best games of his career, sings passing total touchdowns. But Doug Peterson isn't ready to say Lawrence has arrived as a star QB just yet. He said this Tuesday on the Rich eisenshow he's on his way to there. Um, I would say he still has some room to grow, you know, and get better, but he's definitely taking steps in the right direction. I you go back and look at the beginning of our season, and you know, we were a little bit careless with the football and uh situational ball wasn't wasn't quite quite there yet. Just understanding details of the game and understanding situations of the game. And this is where his his growth has come. So funny how things change quickly. Right four weeks ago two was an MVP candidate that he was not looking great and Trevor Lawrence looks awesome. Yeah. I mean he was number one high school quarterback, number one college quarterback, number one pick. He he is a you know, he's Peyton Manning number one at every level. I think he's going to be really successful. But it does take time for the light to go on. And for him, it was Thanksgiving of his second year. You know. I talked about this with Daniel Jones to me, because these kids get way more reps than quarterbacks did twenty years ago. So it used to be you give a guy three full years, like Eli pops in year four. Let's say now, I believe you have to give him until Thanksgiving of their second year, and that is exactly when he popped. If you go back to his last four to five weeks, he's a different quarterback. You get that little break during Thanksgiving. Maybe you know people have film on you UF film on them. He is clearly in the last four to five weeks is a different quarterback. Very interesting. That's up with the Cowboys this week? What do you think? I think Dallas probably wins this. I do too. I have I feel like whenever Dallas is more talented, they're not in a rebuilding mode. They played very poorly jackson Bill by winning, you know, nobody's sleeping on Jacksonville. It's very easy to sell your team on. They just blew out the Titans. Yeah, Titans don't get blown out, They pay. They get blown out by like the Bills and good teams. Jacksonville lay the lumber. Impressive stuff from Trevor Lawrence. Next up. NBA recently announced they would be renaming their annual regular season awards, as well as debuting a redesign of the trophies because obviously there was a need for this. I didn't love the redesign of the trophy, but I like the name of them. So the MVP is going to be named after Michael Jordan does five MVPs. The other award the Hakim Alajuan Trophy for Defensive Player of the Year, the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy for Rookie of the Year. That it's weird odd. John Havelichick Trophy for the sixth Man, George Mike and Trophy for Most Improved. Kareem Abdul Jabbar Social Justice Award Kareem, I mean, nothing wrong with social justice, but should be he is writing pretty well on social just No, I'm not denying Kareem's one of the smartest professional athletes in American I don't well, I would say this, you know, to be honest, If you ask Kareem that made mean more to him, I'm sure it does. I mean, but in the context of NBA Season awards, it just feels like a little odd. I will say this, did you see show the award again? The MJ Award? It doesn't look like MJ's shot, does it. I don't have a problem with him. Yeah, like, when did he ever shoot like that? That looks like Odell Beckham going back for that. No, I mean I could argue it looks more like Kareem Yeah, I don't know, it's it's I don't I don't mind the award. I like the people they chose. I have no problem. I just think the aesthetic that the that doesn't look like a Michael Jordan's shot. You know, this feels like a baseball move. Let's not forget the guys from back in the day who are awesome. I know all these young pups are coming up, but let's not forget well George Mike in like, all right, sure, it just feels forced, do it doesn't Okay? At the NBA, here a lot of you know, Fox doesn't have the NBA. We can fire away. No. Um, I I Here's why I'll defend the NBA, because the NBA, more than any sport in for us, is about the individual. The NFL it's a collective, right Baseball, I mean, your bullpens is valuable, is your home run hitter? Yeah? Um. There's two sports in the world where the star really changes everything. Soccer messy and basketball. So if you're gonna have awards, they should be named after individuals because that's what the sport is based on. It's based on individual greatness. It's not a it's not a shock that Jordan want a bunch, and Bird want a bunch, and Magic want a bunch, and Lebron want a bunch, and step wins a bunch. The greatest all time generally are part Dynasty's Duncan and so I like naming awards after individuals, not commissioners or not, because basketball is very much like soccer. The Ronaldo, the Peels. What's the NFL MVP Award named after nobody? Right? Well again, but that sport I never feel like as good as a quarterback is if he's got a bad old line. I mean, Andrew Luck's the best young quarterback I've ever seen. John Alway didn't win squat, he got blown out in Super Bowls before Terrell Davis. Andrew Looke didn't ever win big because he didn't have a defense. I could start going in on Michael Jordan taking advantage of a down NBA in the nineties after Magic left it down. What it was the expansion era. They added four teams who were dumpster fires for like three years. They were like, do you think the Celtics were down and the Pistons were down? Well, yeah, the Celtics were done. The eighties run was over. By the time that Michael Jordan dominated in the nineties, it was a weak, depressed NBA. Barkley's on record saying this, what are you playing Barkley? But you can't ask Barkley about that. I'm going way off topic here. They're gonna yell at me. Final story, Moving to baseball San Francisco Giants, Colin, this was a bit of a stunner last night. Keen year deal though I thought this was dumb. But Carlos Carrera thirteen years, three hundred and fifty mill. I mean, it's a great player, more than the other shirts stops on the market in Trey Turner and Xander Bogart's. Uh, it's the fourth largest contract in MLB history, behind Trout, Mookie Bets and Aaron Judge. Colin, I had to look up Carreras stats. He's a great player, Correa. I'm sorry, Oh, apologies, Houston and Minnesota. He's by the way, Yeah, well what artist. He's a great He's an All Star. He hasn't been an All Star three times. In No, he's been an All Star twice in his career. He's never hit over twenty six homers, never over one hundred rbi. I'm assuming he's a great fielding shortstop. He won Rookie of the Year. I mean, I'm gonna have finished top three in the MVP. Hundred fifty million. What thirteen year deal? Isn't that crazy. I don't even want to go look at my mentions after this because I butchered his name and I'm like saying he's not amazing. Stats are pedestrian, Well he's well. Bryce Harper doesn't play short This kid, this kid is the center of your infield. He's the key to your in the new cal Ripken Right. Well, I'm saying there's a reason the two places, the two positions that get paid now, pictures with all the analytics, and shortstops. So there's a reason Baseball exacts are paying pictures and shortstops because the analytics, that's where the game's leaning. So he's a great player. I don't have a problem with the money or the player thirteen year contract. I'm gonna hire Scott Borrows and go to Fox and say coward wants twelve years where he's walking thirteen year. I mean he's set. His kids are set, the grandkids, the great great grin generations are set the money. That's awesome. I'm happy for him who signs. I wouldn't sign mahomes to a thirteen years in San Francisco, right, it's a beautiful places the city. I mean well, I mean from Minnesota, it's only one hundred and seventy million dollar con t because California. Listen, I like it here, but you know it is what it is, little outrageous, the old tax man coming here. We go, Ja Mack with the news. Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping the Herd Line News. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays and neon Easter ninety em Pacific. Hey, what's up everybody. It's me three time pro bowler LeVar Arrington and I couldn't be more excited to announce a new podcast called Up on Game? What is up on Game? You asked, along with my fellow pro bowler t J. Hushman's otta and Super Bowl champion. Yep, that's right, Plexico birds. You can only name a show with that type of talent on it. Up on Game, We're going to be sharing our real life experiences loaded with teachable moments. Listen to Up on Game with Me LeVar Arrington, t J Hushman, Zatta and Plexico Birds on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever where you get your podcast from. Save up to half on your wireless plans, switch to consumer cellular dot com slash the Herd promo code is the Herd. So we're gonna play Win Placer Show, sort of an ode to horse racing. Right, Win Placer Show, you'll give me three options on a variety of NFL questions. Jamac are you ready to go? Of course? All right, here we go. Win Placer Show, Win Placers Show, quarterback that wins the MVP Mahomes, Josh Allen, Jalen hurts. When Jalen hurts place Mahomes and show Josh Allen, here's the reason why. Because Jalen's a better story. Mahomes has won it. So my take is writers and media attend to vote for the better story. Hurts is also, by the way, fifteen and one, he's winning more. Win Placer Show, Hurts, Mahomes and Josh Allen Okay. Win Placers show which twenty twenty first round pick would you want most, Burrow, Herbert Tah. I would go Burrow, Herbert Tua. Burrow's the first quarterback ever selected number one and reach the Super Bowl within two years. He is the ultimate winning quarterback. Herbert's the raw talent. He's place, he gets a medal. He is an unbelievable talent, but he's not winning enough. He's a five hundred quarterback in this league and tah no reason to take shots. But I don't get the size the arm, or would I believe is the playoff pedigree of Joe Burrow. Win Placers show which veteran quarterback would you want next season? Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Stafford. I would go win Stafford place. Rogers show Brady Stafford is only thirty four years old, has the one of the top five strongest arms in the league. When he is upright, he's excellent. His career completion percentage, by the way, is sixty eight percent, so I think he's got at least three really good years gas in the tank. I like that they've sat him. They're going into next year. They're gonna give Baker Mayfield some run. I think he'll be healthy and ready to go, so I would go win play Show Stafford Rogers, Brady. I wanted to argue with you on that, but I don't. It can't make a case for Brady Over Rogers give me forty six. Yeah, win Players Show twenty twenty first round pick. Would you want most? Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Mac Jones win, Trevor Lawrence placed Mac Jones show. Justin Fields Fields is five and seventeen, and he's still making a lot of mistakes. Mac Jones doesn't make a lot of mistakes and has been to the playoffs, so I feel I have a more refined product now. In Jones Fields has more talent. I'm not denying the talent, but this this league's not about talent, about winning games, and Mac has gotten into the playoffs. So you're on record, Mac Jones, Over, you're out your field right now. I've got injuries, very few wins, and a lot of talent mistakes. Okay with Mac, I don't have the talent. I have a playoff berth. If you go look at Max's opening first year stats without a number one receiver, he threw for thirty nine hundred yards and completed like sixty seven percent of his throw bench for Bailey's Zappy this season. Hey, nobody disrespects Bailey's Zappy. On the potential campaign for Zappy, I forgot her. If Mac plays like crappy, go with Bailey's Zappy. That was my button. Placers show which current backup quarterback has impressed you the most, Brock Purty, Sam Darnold or Mike White. I gotta go win Purty place White. Show Darnold, Mike White backed aback games without a touchdown pass yea, Brock Purty, you gotta be honest about this. Just like college, he moves the chains. He's really accurate, And I can make an argument if you look at the play calling, Kyle Shanahan thinks he's just as good as Garoppolo. They didn't change the play calling. In fact, I'd argue it was more aggressive at the end of the first half and they wouldn't have thrown to Iyuk late with Garoppolo. If you swapped Darnald and Purdy on their teams, that would probably change. Purdy is a more accurate thrower of the football than Donald. That is now and now Sam is bigger, stronger, and more athletic that but he's also more reckless. Finally, win place, show which rookie wide receiver has impressed you the most. Christian Watson, who he's good, Garrett Wilson. I'm gonna go win Garrett Wilson place, Christian Watson, olave show. So Watson has floated in the last month, kind of invisible for the first month. And Garrett Wilson, considering the quarterbacks he's been dealt with in the old line, you don't get to run the complete route. He's got like almost nine hundred yards four touchdowns again, Flacco, Zach Wilson, Mike White, I think you got yourself a star. Did you see what he did to Tredavious White this past week. He's just annihilated it. No, he's really good. Yeah, And Jets got to get kind of them. They got to get their own line right. The defense is fine, They've got a great corner. They have to clean up the old line. But I like their pete Like the Giants have to clean up the old line and figure out receivers. The Jets they just got to clean the old lineup. And it's a good year in the draft. For the old line, three or four great centers, six or seven top tackles. Jets can clean that stuff up, all right. That was fun today. That was a rambuncture show. Jmac bringing the big big boy heat. All right, we'll see you tomor be safe. First things first, around the corner.