NFL Total Access: The Locker Room NFL

Award-winning journalist and NFL Media colleague Mike Silver joins Michael Robinson on today’s episode to break down all things Packers and Aaron Rodgers. But first Silver shares how he scored locker room cred early in his career (1:44). Then MRob dives in asking Silver why Rodgers is so upset after going 26 – 6 with two trips to the NFC Championship Game over the last three seasons (3:45). Silver explains it’s partly due to the unique situation of Green Bay not having an owner. Silver breaks down how the Packers moves in the draft and free agency since 2019, combined with mismanagement, set the stage for the current rift (5:50). What could the Packers have done to prevent this? Silver has three suggestions (8:35). Where do the coaches stand? Surprise, they’d like Aaron to stay (9:30). Is this about money? Silver thinks it’s more about respect and giving him the offensive weapons he needs… but that it’s unlikely Aaron would take a team-friendly deal even if the Packers loaded the roster with talent (10:30). MRob wonders if this is Rodgers trying to change the way the Packers do business (12:22), Silver says maybe, but it’s unlikely they will…and that’s just more mismanagement (13:15). Does elite talent trump a team sticking to its principles? Silver says yes (14:54). Can fans relate? Silver says no (16:47). MRob makes a smooth transition to Silver’s current piece published on NFL.com about spending last Thursday night in the Broncos Draft Room (18:45), could Rodgers really end up in Denver? Finally, Mike Silver tells us about the “Pass it Down” podcast he hosts with his daughter (21:15).

NFL Total Access: The Locker Room is part of the NFL Podcasts Network.

All-Time great, Hall of Famer Mike Singletary joins Michael Robinson and DeAngelo Hall to talk about the time Walter Payton snuck heat balm into his jockstrap (1:43). Singletary reveals the origin story of “Samurai Mike” (5:30), before explaining how a note slid underneath Buddy Ryan’s door lead to Bears greatness and to the rise of the 46 Defense (7:02). What else did Singletary learn from Buddy Ryan? Accountability and ownership (11:30). DHall asks about the larger-than-life personalities of the 1980s Chicago Bears starting with Mike Ditka… and Singletary tells the guys how Ditka started a culture of anger that was hungry to win (12:44). The toughest player Singletary ever faced? The Patriots guard John Hannah… and he was a handful even though he never once held (15:11). MRob asks his old coach if he could have played versus the dynamic offenses of today… short answer: yes and it would involve hitting (16:53). DHall asks Singletary whether the ’85 Bears knew how great they were at the time (19:40), and Singletary tells the guys that they could have been even better. What made Mike Singletary want to coach (21:55), and what lessons did he learn about himself along the way. Did he ever feel overwhelmed as a head coach (24:52)? DHall asks if coaching Ray Lewis was like looking in a mirror (27:23), and Singletary tells a story about just how hands-on he was as a linebackers coach. Finally, Mike Singletary tells us something surprising about the day after he sent Vernon Davis to the locker room (30:10).

NFL Total Access: The Locker Room is part of the NFL Podcasts Network.

Former NFL Executive of the Year and longtime general manager Thomas Dimitroff returns to tell Brian Billick and Michael Robinson about the lengths he’d go to keep the draft rumors from flying (1:45). Thomas then dives into the beginning of his NFL journey, from Canada, to the World League, to Japan, to the Cleveland Browns’ grounds crew (4:18), and breaks down the decision to pursue a GM career instead of coaching (7:40). MRob asks about Dimitroff’s time with Bill Belichick and the lessons learned… including how to be honest when being honest might me difficult (10:12). Billick asks what it was like becoming the GM for a Falcons organization in disarray (14:45), and Dimitroff goes into detail including his relationship with head coach Mike Smith. MRob asks the hard question… how did Thomas handle the Super Bowl LI collapsing loss to the New England Patriots (18:02), Dimitroff handles the with honesty and grace. Does Dimitroff feel he would have been fired this past October if they’d beaten the Patriots in Super Bowl LI (25:48)?, listen and find out. Billick reminds us that there are two type of coaches and GMs, those who have been fired and those who will be fired (28:11), and Thomas goes on to agree in detail. Finally, Dimitroff talks about his current RV lifestyle (33:10).

NFL Total Access: The Locker Room is part od the NFL Podcasts Network.

Former NFL Executive of the Year and longtime general manager Thomas Dimitroff stops by to tell Brian Billick and Michael Robinson the real story about the Julio Jones trade, and feeling deflated after hearing Jon Gruden slam it on TV (1:45). Coach and Thomas then dive into the process of making decisions in the NFL Draft (5:15), and the conversation shifts to how a team develops a Draft Board and grading scale (9:20). Billick then wants to know about the tension that can exist between front office personnel in preparation for the Draft and in the War Room (13:10). Despite things being calm for the most part during the Draft, Thomas does reveal a draft pick dropping an F-bomb on live TV causing a bit of a tense moment (17:45). Dimitroff then talks about the importance of drafting quarterback Matt Ryan, and how rumors swirled about the Baltimore Ravens thinking about trading up to beat Atlanta to the pick (20:10). Then Mike Rob gets candid and asks if there is a perception to ask black players a certain set of questions over white players, and Thomas gives an insightful answer (25:55). Finally, Dimitroff gives his take on whether the Falcons should draft a quarterback with the 4th overall pick this year (30:35).

NFL Total Access: The Locker Room is part of the NFL Podcasts Network.

Teammates Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis, and three-time Super Bowl Champion Mark Schlereth join Brian Billick and Michael Robinson to share the real story of where Mark's nickname 'Stink' came from (1:20), and TD recounts how he got punished for crashing Shannon Sharpe's 'Club Shay Shay' during his first training camp (6:05). Mark then reveals that TD was not only a Hall of Fame player, but a Hall of Fame napper (7:25), and Davis gets put on the spot about how generous of a gift giver he was to the offense (10:40). Terrell and Mark then reflect on when they knew reaching 2,000 rushing yards in a season was attainable (14:45), and thankfully Schlereth says the refs missed him holding on Davis' milestone run (17:45). Meanwhile, a big part of their offense's success was the evolution of the zone running scheme that the Broncos perfected (18:20), and the guys talk about mentality required to run it down a team's throat (24:30). Mark and TD then talk about the loss that spurred back to back Super Bowl Championships (26:40) and overcoming the pressure to repeat. However, Mark details how their second Super Bowl run might have hit a little bit of bad karma due to an outspoken teammate (33:25). Coach Billick then asks TD about playing a decoy in the Super Bowl while he was dealing with a migraine and couldn't see (34:45). Finally, the guys give some insight into what Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway was like as a teammate (36:45).

NFL Total Access: The Locker Room is part of the NFL Podcasts Network.

Former Chargers tight end and 8-time Pro Bowler Antonio Gates joins Michael Robinson and Brian Billick on today’s episode. Antonio starts things off at the end as he tells the real reason he decided to retire (1:30). Then it’s back to the beginning when Gates tells Coach Billick how he was just hoping to make the practice squad his rookie season (4:06), and then used that experience as motivation throughout his career. MRob asks Antonio how he made the transition from college basketball to professional football (7:28), and finds out it had a lot to do with Gates not wanting to go home. Antonio weighs in on the evolution of the tight end (11:40), talks about “Antonio Gates Time”, plus how his basketball crossover move found its way into his route running… and then into the rest of the NFL (16:07). Billick admits that as a head coach he wasn’t worried about LaDainian Tomlinson when he played the Chargers, it was Antonio Gates on 3rd down and inside the 20-yard line (17:03). Which current tight end adds the most to his team (17:54)? Antonio’s answer might surprise you. Gates tells MRob why it was the no-name defender, not the big name, that was always the toughest to play (19:30). Gates played with some of the best quarterbacks ever and talks about the transition from Drew Brees to Philip Rivers (24:42), before telling how he used to get Philip going… “Drew would have thrown it to me.” Finally, Antonio talks about the type of player LT was as a teammate and a man (28:52).


NFL Total Access: The Locker Room is part of the NFL Podcasts Network.