Rich Eisen Talks Goodell's Future, Jason Whitlock Explains Why Football is Essential to America

Conversations with Rich Eisen and Jason Whitlock about their media careers and the future of football. Eisen remembers editing Adam Schefter at the University of Michigan student paper and Whitlock explains his thing for Jeff George

In this week's episode of The MMQB Podcast with Peter King, I sat down for conversations with NFL Network's Rich Eisen and Fox Sports' Jason Whitlock.

I spoke to Eisen about his career journey. He describes the greatest interview he has ever done, and what it was like to be Adam Schefter's boss at the University of Michigan student paper. He also discusses the future of football and Goodell's job.

Jason Whitlock talks about what he learned from growing up with football and uses that to explain why football is essential for America. He discusses why Jeff George never became great and gives his thoughts on why football is under attack in America.

RICH EISEN

3:00: Eisen remembers his days as one of the editors of the University of Michigan student paper. Eisen had to edit Adam Schefter’s game story and close the paper the night Michigan won the 1989 national championship.

6:00: On editing Adam Schefter in college and being jealous of his relationship with Mitch Albom.

6:45: On what he learned from his college experience in standup comedy and missing the live audience factor in his work today.

8:30: Eisen on his big finale in standup comedy.

9:20: On his “ambulance-chasing” epiphany at the Staten Island Advance.

10:30: On being stuck answering the phones at the CBS Evening News.

12:00: Eisen’s advice for journalism students.

15:00: On the lost art of good conversation and why he left SportsCenter.

17:30: Eisen’s hot take on hot takes and manufactured opinions.

19:00: Eisen on the reason why he does his three-hour Rich Eisen Show.

23:40: Eisen’s favorite interview he’s ever done.

25:30: On his interview with Vin Scully.

28:00: Eisen tells a story of having dinner with Donald Trump.

29:30: On the future of football.

33:00: Eisen’s view on the concussion protocol and the progress of player safety.

36:00: On Goodell’s future as NFL commissioner.

39:45: On loving the West Coast as a native New Yorker.

40:15: How has Eisen’s 40 time has improved as he has gotten older?

JASON WHITLOCK

45:45: Whitlock on growing up with football as a kid.

47:30: On not taking football seriously his first two years at Ball State because his idea of college was a vision of Animal House.

49:00: On falling out of love with football and turning to journalism, with the goal of being the next Mike Royko.

51:30: On his first-ever sports article, on Jeff George.

52:00: Whitlock on his thing for Jeff George and why he never wasn’t a success in the NFL.

56:00: If Jeff George had gone to the right place, would he have been an all-time great?

58:30: Whitlock on why football is essential to America.

1:01:30: Whitlock explains why football is under attack.

1:03:30: On the meaning of football for underprivileged kids.

1:10:00: Whitlock on all the different roles in the media as it relates to covering the NFL.

1:14:45: On the benefits of high school football.

1:15:40: On Goodell’s future.

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