Go Long

Always love talking ball with my former colleague at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal: longtime beat man, Tom Silverstein.

Nobody covers the team beter than “Spoon,” and you can read all of his work right here.

Here on the Go Long Podcast, we get updates and analysis on everything Packers…

* Jordan Love enters Year 3 as the starter. How is he adjusting his game? The Packers quarterback opened up on how the 2024 injuries affected his running. One year ago, we billed him a future all-time great. It’s a massive season for the $220 million quarterback.

* How will rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden factor into the offense? Silverstein believes Matt LaFleur sees shades of Deebo Samuel in Savion Williams, too.

* Who leads the Packers in receiving this season? Our friend’s answer may surprise you.

* This roster constructed by GM Brian Gutekunst is strong. This is a year-in, year-out playoff team. But who are the A-to-A+ players that get Green Bay to a Super Bowl?

* Matt LaFleur is entering his seventh season. As analyzed in the aftermath of his latest playoff loss, it’s not easy for coaches this deep into a tenure with a win to go all the way. His job’s safe but the pressure’s always high at 1265 Lombardi Ave.

For those asking, YES, the “Ty & Bob Pod” with Bob McGinn will return for another season. Cannot wait.

I’ll share details as we close in on the season.

Enjoy.

ICYMI:

* Drake London blacks out

* Welcome to the Junkyard: 'Dying to win,' Grant Delpit is here to change the Cleveland Browns forever

* The Revenge of Dalton Kincaid

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Always a joy to welcome on one of my best friends from the college days at Syracuse: Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated.

Great writer. Better father. Loved our conversation on all the above.

Each NFL season, there’s a team that sneaks up on everyone. Nobody outside of Dan Quinn’s staff expected the Washington Commanders to reach the NFC title game in 2024.

Who goes on an unexpected run in 2025? We discuss. I’m guessing my NFC pick won’t come as a shock. Feel free to offer your surprise teams in the comments, too.

Miss any of our 2025 NFL Season Preview features rollin’ out at Go Long? Links below:

* Drake London blacks out

* Welcome to the Junkyard: 'Dying to win,' Grant Delpit is here to change the Cleveland Browns forever

* The Revenge of Dalton Kincaid

Go Long is fueled 100 percent by you. Thank you for making us your home for longform.

New here? We’d love to welcome you aboard as a paid subscriber this season.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.golongtd.com/subscribe

Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett?

Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders?

The Cleveland Browns are finally freeing themselves of the Deshaun Watson disaster this 2025 season, and the quarterback room has a chance to be more fun than you think. Our season preview features roll along this week with a close look at Grant Delpit and the Browns’ road map to kick ass.

So here on the Go Long Pod, let’s chat with Browns beat writer Zac Jackson of The Athletic and host of “Zac Jackson and Friends” podcast.

We get a full sense for the state of the Browns in this bareknuckle AFC North.

Cleveland would love to become an ornery, violent operation.

And after getting outscored by 177 points last season, there are many starters playing with one year left on their deals. Motivation should not be a problem.

You can access video and audio of this episode above, as well as Apple, Spotify, YouTube, everywhere you pod.

Be sure to rate, review, comment if you’d like.

Thanks, all.

Go Long is powered completely by our readers. Thank you for joining our community.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.golongtd.com/subscribe

Odds are there’s someone in your life who knows next to nothing about the NFL — but they know Ryan Fitzpatrick. Especially in Buffalo.

That’s the power of “Fitzmagic.”

The former seventh-round pick from Harvard played for nine different teams through a wildly entertaining 17-year career. There were highs. There were lows. And there was one very specific turning point when Fitz realized he’s got to have fun playing this sport.

As you can imagine, Fitzpatrick brings the goods whether we’re reliving his pulsating 2011 win over the New England Patriots, Fred Jackson wrestling teammates inside the locker room, raising seven kids as a nomadic quarterback and… chest hair. And back hair. Because, hell, why not?

Fitz sees 2025 as the year for the Bills and offers very rare perspective on what makes Josh Allen different.

Video and audio is available above.

As always, be on the lookout for words. I’ll transcribe our conversation for those who’d prefer to read.

Thanks, everyone.

Our 2025 NFL Season Preview features are rollin’ with a look at Dalton Kincaid.

The Buffalo Bills tight end opens up on the AFC Championship, living at One Bills Drive all offseason and how he psychologically moved on. A few words from Micah Hyde went a long way.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.golongtd.com/subscribe

Joe Burrow is 100 percent correct: the Super Bowl window is always open as long as he is the starting quarterback.

Now, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are secured long term.

A new defensive coordinator should help young talent grow on that side of the ball.

We’ve explored the team’s brilliant offensive mind on staff, too. Dan Pitcher is a wizard and should be an NFL head coach in 2026.

So, why do things still feel… off? The business has a way of spilling over to the football field in Cincinnati. The organization is butting heads with its top draft pick (Shemar Stewart) and the NFL’s reigning sack king (Trey Hendrickson) still wants a new deal. At 30, he knows the time is now to cash in. To dissect it all, we place a Substack Live call to our friend Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic and The Growler Podcast. He’s the best of the best on this beat. In fact, our chat with Paul back in March was one of our most-watched episodes of the year.

A lot has happened since then.

This team has more issues to sort through, but there’s a path toward success… even on defense.

Video and audio is accessible above. (H/T to Matthew Coller for the new guitar riff in the intro this season!)

Be sure to download the Substack app and flip those notifications ON to join all future live videos. Love fielding any questions you may have.

Miss our first 2025 NFL Season Preview feature? Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid opens up on that fourth and 5 at Arrowhead, his two knee injuries, his total transformation and thinking “Super Bowl” this season.

Exclusive to our paid subscribers.

ICYMI:

Here’s my chat with Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News on everything Bills-Chiefs, Brandon Beane, Sean McDermott, Dalton Kincaid, AFC East.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.golongtd.com/subscribe

They’re bound to meet again. Bills. Chiefs. Four out of the last five postseasons, they’ve collided. And each winter, of course, Patrick Mahomes has the right stuff.

This offseason — more than any other — GM Brandon Beane overhauled the defense.

As training camps across the NFL close in, let’s welcome back a recurring guest: Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News.

The worst thing anyone can do is doubt The Dad Bod. Mahomes is already an all-timer. But there are signs that maybe… possibly… finally… the Bills are able to take down their tormenter. On paper, this renovated defense should give Sean McDermott options aplenty. We analyze in full.

Also on the GL Pod, we discuss the subject of our most recent feature story: Dalton Kincaid. Do not be surprised if Kincaid is a top 5 tight end in Year 3.

He took his work to a different level right at One Bills Drive.

Either way, Josh Allen needs a go-to guy in the playoffs.

Finally, we wrap up with AFC East talk. Who’s the top challenger — Miami or New England?

Be sure to follow Jay on social and read all of his excellent work at The Buffalo News.

You can access video and audio of this episode above, as well as on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, everywhere you pod. Be sure to rate, review, comment, engage however you’d like. Most of all, I greatly appreciate everyone who has upgraded to a paid subscription to read our story on Kincaid. He was remarkably candid on that fourth and 5 play and everything that came next.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.golongtd.com/subscribe

For 30 years, the Dallas Cowboys were a shining city on a hill. Titles galore. Landy to Jimmy.

The next 30 years? Well, there’s technically been shine. This is the richest sports franchise in the world. But this is also the only team in the NFC that hasn’t reached the conference title game. We’ve examined the organizational rot, Jerry’s World and most recently welcomed ex-Cowboys wideout Brice Butler onto the Go Long Pod for his sharp insight (podcast and words).

Now, let’s bring on an expert who’s covered this team through all the turbulence: the excellent Bob Sturm. Be sure to work “The Sturm Stack” into your reading. He’s all over Dallas sports.

Together, we try to make sense of the Cowboys’ way of doing business, examine the Jason Garrett & Mike McCarthy eras and look ahead to 2025. Is anyone catching those Howie Roseman-constructed Philadelphia Eagles?

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It’s no coincidence the Dallas Cowboys are now the only team that hasn’t reached the NFC Championship Game since 1995. We’ve tried to make sense of this wacky team before. Those inside the front office detailed the cycle of organizational rot most recently right here. Also, here’s a big-picture view of Jerry’s World from 2021.

On the Go Long Pod, I catch up with one former player who’s unafraid to take you through those spooky hallways at The Star.

Warning: It’s not pretty.

Wide receiver Brice Butler spent four of his pro seasons in Dallas.

He’s seen the good times up close. His 2016 team could’ve won it all.

He’s seen exactly why Jerry Jones’ team always falls short, too.

Video and audio of our conversation is above. You can also access the Go Long Pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, wherever you pod. Here’s the transcript:

A handful of topics discussed…

* The joys of fatherhood.

* Why Butler got emotional thinking back to his NFL exit. It’s never easy to say goodbye.

* Football is cutthroat. Most all businesses outside of those white lines are not. This tends to get Butler (and many others) into trouble. And yet? Imagine our society if feelings took a backseat to productivity.

* Reliving the moment Dak Prescott took over for Tony Romo and became the face of the Dallas Cowboys. (Butler was in the huddle.)

* One moment Dak’s the anonymous backup at a club who girls don’t care about at all. The next? He’s the richest man in the sport. Butler saw the transformation.

* The major difference between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys.

* Why Butler genuinely believes that winning games is not a priority for this franchise.

* Seeing Jones emasculate the head coach, Jason Garrett, right in front of the team.

* Is there any hope for the Cowboys on the horizon? Butler loves Prescott but also fears it really doesn’t matter how well the QB plays. He doesn’t believe Patrick Mahomes would win a ring here.

A ton of insight and a ton of laughs were had through this hour-plus.

Be sure to follow Butler across the socials. He’s usually on a golf course over at X and Instagram.

Feel free to share with a friend and, hey, it’s a perfect time for those on our free mailing list to upgrade.

Our 2025 NFL Season Preview features will launch Friday AM. Paid subscribers can access them all.

More on the Cowboys.

And we explore the defending champs.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.golongtd.com/subscribe

You’ve made your voice known, and it’s glorious. Thanks to all who’ve weighed in on our Super Bowl Era Top 30 quarterback ranking — be it in the comments or inside the chat. As always, all dissent is welcomed.

Another member of the 13-person SB Nation panel ranking QBs was Mike Tanier over at the excellent Two Deep Zone Substack.

I welcomed Tanier onto this week’s Substack Live to dissect the best quarterbacks ever.

Video and audio is above.

Remember to download the app and turn notifications on to join future live videos.

Tom Brady’s the greatest ever… but then what? Here’s last week’s piece, icymi.

And we’re always talking inside the chat.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.golongtd.com/subscribe

He was ready to coast into retirement. This is often how it ends for players.

Cut loose by a floundering Chicago Bears team, Khari Blasingame had his second baby due soon and was visiting his wife’s family in South Carolina. Mentally, he was ready to move on. The NFL appeared ready to move on from him.

And then his agent, Blake Baratz, called: “Hey man, you want to go win a ring with Philly?”

Blasingame carved out a niche on the Philadelphia Eagles and experienced Super Bowl glory inside the Superdome.

The last 20 years, we’ve been told the fullback is dying. True, the days of Lorenzo Neal mowing down linebackers are over. But there’s still a way to make a living in pro football playing this position. Blasingame is living proof. He switched from safety to running back in college, latched on as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings in 2019, and then spent time with the Tennessee Titans and Chicago Bears before his capstone ‘25 in Philadelphia.

Early on, Blasingame accepted the fact that he’d need to excel on special teams. Not many players do.

Above all, his ability to adapt, evolve and thrive can apply to all listeners in all walks of life. You’ll enjoy this conversation.

Here on the Go Long Pod, we explore countless topics.

* His rise, and how Blasingame naturally gravitated toward the fullback position.

* He originally planned to be a doctor at Vanderbilt. One Calculus class helped change his mind and his football career took off.

* Life in Chicago vs. Life in Philadelphia. They are not the same!

* Are you also a Dad worried about screens dominating the world your kids are growing into? We try to make sense of these digital times.

* The traits that made the 2025 Eagles truly unique.

* Why he believes Jalen Carter will be in the Hall of Fame.

* His future. Blasingame — a finance junkie — would love to help pro athletes learn how to deal with money.

Full video and audio is above.

You can also access the show on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, everywhere you pod.

Here’s the full transcript for those who’d rather read:

Miss our piece on Terry Fontenot and the unorthodox, fearless Atlanta Falcons? Read and debate.

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Thank you for fueling Go Long.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.golongtd.com/subscribe