Highlights from FOX NFL – Week 9
LOS ANGELES – Week 9 of the 2020 FOX NFL season kicked off today with a singleheader slate beginning at 1:00 PM ET highlighted by Carolina at Kansas City, Chicago at Tennessee, Seattle at Buffalo, Giants at Washington Football Team and the lone 4:05 PM ET matchup featuring the Raiders at Chargers.
Earlier today, FOX NFL KICKOFF and FOX NFL SUNDAY analysts and NFL insiders weighed in on the day’s biggest games, moments and storylines while honoring our military with live segments featuring Jay Glazer and Cooper Manning from the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.
In addition, Tony Gonzalez spoke with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce about their parallel careers, while Howie Long talked to Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr about maintaining his level of play given the Raiders expectations.
Glazer & Manning from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Alex Smith’s Recovery at the Center for the Intrepid
Strahan on Antonio Brown’s Return to the NFL
Johnson on Tua Tagovailoa
Gonzalez on the Most Surprising Team
Cowherd on the Saints
TONY GONZALEZ’S ONE-ON-ONE WITH TRAVIS KELCE
Gonzalez: Let’s address the elephant in the room. Chiefs tight end interviews another Chiefs tight end. And, are you tired of the comparisons that you and I get all the time?
Kelce: “Honestly, I’m not man. Because you’re the greatest to ever play the game, man. You’re the greatest at this position and a model of consistency that I try and you know chase every single day. Trying to meet those expectations has just taken my game to a whole other level. So thank you for what you’ve done.”
Gonzalez: Speaking of where you’re at right now…four seasons in a row over 1,000 yards. How are you able, in this offense, to catch so many balls with all that surrounding talent?
Kelce: “We all help each other to get open. You can see it just in this last game against the Jets. Pat’s throwing it all over the field to everybody. I think we had four guys score five touchdowns in the air, and it’s fun man. When you see everybody else having success its contagious. It builds your momentum, builds your confidence up.”
Gonzalez: Speaking of offense, tell me about Andy (Reid)…all those misdirections, his mad scientist play-calling abilities. Is it complicated? Because it always seems like there’s a new play every single week. It’s like ‘I haven’t seen that before!’
Kelce: “No. You’ve really got to get your nose in the book, man. Week in and week out you’re gonna get probably 10-15 plays that are just flat out brand new. I walk into his office and he’s got just notecards on notecards just like a triple cheeseburger just sitting there and he’s licking his chops just like ‘Man I can’t wait to implement these things into the offense.’ His hard work is second to nobody in the league, man. I never see his car leave this parking lot, and that’s because he cares and it matters to him a lot. And we love him for it.”
Gonzalez: You’ve scored in so many ways. You even ran for one last year…shovel pass, overhand pass, screen – all of these different ways. Do you think you’ll ever throw a pass for a touchdown?
Kelce: “That’s one thing that I didn’t hold my accountability for there, Tony. I threw a pick against the Giants, I believe back in 2016 or 2017, and yeah I haven’t seen a pass play dialed up ever since.”
Gonzalez: Well Travis, thank you for taking the time but also want to let you know, as always man, I always look at you, you are my alter ego. If I could go back I would do it just like you from the hair to the goatee to the dancing. Keep letting it hang because that’s really what makes you unique, and it’s so much fun to watch. Good luck the rest of the season.
Kelce: “I appreciate you, Tony. I’ll keep trying to fill those shoes, baby.”
HOWIE LONG’S ONE-ON-ONE WITH DEREK CARR
Long intro: The Las Vegas Raiders’ inaugural season has been a bit of a rollercoaster to say the least. They won three big games. Very impressive games. The Saints at Kansas City and on the road in windy, snowy Cleveland. It was the type of game that Derek Carr has been told he can’t win time and time again. Derek Carr has had enough. Enough of losing and a lack of respect.
Long: Back in August, you said “I have a lot to prove to myself. I have a lot to prove to my organization. I’m going to be completely honest with you. I’m tired of being disrespected.”
Carr: “That one came from the heart, you know. I have felt that there have been — there have been a lot of things that go on. Football is the ultimate team game. And I will stand by that for the rest of my life. And I guess I was just tired of, you know, I have always tried to do things right, Howie. I always tried to bust my tail more than anybody else. I have given this organization my blood, sweat and tears and I was tired of answering certain questions. I felt disrespected that these questions were even coming up.”
Long: I have to be honest with you, you are a really nice guy. What you said on that day was what I had been waiting for you to say. Does that make sense?
Carr: “Yeah, no more politically correctness. I just was being honest. I think what came out of me was it was everything that I was thinking and believing, but I was — I just don’t care about what anyone has to say anymore. I was tired of being disrespected. I still am. And I’m playing with that chip on my shoulder and I’m not going to let it leave me ever again.”
Long: I think about Jon (Gruden) and I know he is notoriously tough on quarterbacks. And if you are going to play quarterback for Jon Gruden you better have thick skin. Have you been hardened by that experience?
Carr: “Absolutely. He coaches me hard. I can go out there and complete 80% of my passes, and he will say ‘Why did you miss those six? Let’s talk about that.’ Just that level of demand that he puts on me. I love him.”
Long: He is wired pretty tight.
Carr: “He is like that all the time unless my kids are around. He gets like a 30-second break and then he goes back into coach mode.”
Long: He goes into PG mode.
Carr: “For sure. My kids love him and ask if Coach Gruden can come over to the house all the time. If they ever get too noisy, I will just let them run over down to his house.”
Long: Jon Gruden and Derek Carr live in the same neighborhood separated by one house. Could you imagine the stories the guy who lives in that house could tell about the conversations he has heard across the lawn? Tom Cable is doing a great job with what has been a patchwork offensive line with (Henry) Ruggs, (Nelson) Agholor, (Darren) Waller, (Josh) Jacobs. All the pieces are in place if they can just get their offensive line on the field.
