Go Long Podcast

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 [https://substack.com/profile/194719079-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 [https://www.golongtd.com/p/our-top-30-nfl-qbs-of-the-super-bowl], icymi. And we’re always talking inside the chat [https://open.substack.com/chat/posts/90b14dfd-694f-448e-9d14-3b1785d542b7]. 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 [https://www.golongtd.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

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 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/go-long-podcast/id1542095361], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5p41cteJTP3SVhTWla1xiU?si=20efd257a94f476e], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/GoLongTD/videos], 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 [https://www.golongtd.com/p/rebels-how-terry-fontenot-the-nfls] and debate [https://open.substack.com/chat/posts/4f345d16-7717-4e46-bb67-33c86bad7a81]. We are powered by you. 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 [https://www.golongtd.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

There’s not another general manager in the sport quite like Terry Fontenot. At Go Long, the Falcons GM guides you [https://www.golongtd.com/p/rebels-how-terry-fontenot-the-nfls] through all of his colossal decisions the last two years, and he knows the time to win is now. He doesn’t care what anybody thinks, either. As Fontenot says: “If you’re worried about pleasing everybody, you’re going to be a failure.” He most certainly is not afraid. Our entire piece is available to paid subscribers: On Substack Live, I continued the conversation with our good friend Justin Felder [https://x.com/Justin_FOX5] of Fox 5 Atlanta [https://www.fox5atlanta.com/sports]. We get into everything Penix, Jalon Walker, James Pearce and 2025 Falcons. Want to join future video chats? Download the Substack app and turn notifications on. Thanks, all. And of course, we are completely powered by you. Thank you for sharing 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 [https://www.golongtd.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

The New York Giants needed to get the quarterback position right this offseason. And yet, this wasn’t exactly the year to be quarterback hunting. Options were limited. Now that the dust has settled, can GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll sell a vision to ownership? I caught up with one of the franchise’s all-timers — running back Tiki Barber — on the Go Long Pod this week to learn more. After inking Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in free agency, the Giants stuck at No. 3 overall to take perhaps the best player in the draft (Abdul Carter), before then managing to jump back into the first round for Ole Miss passer Jaxson Dart. This division is loaded, but there are signs of hope on this roster. Barber, who calls the team “unwatchable” a year ago, believes the Giants can find an identity. He recently spoke [https://www.giants.com/video/tiki-barber-address-the-team-after-practice] to the team, too. Video and audio of our chat are both available above, and you can also access the Go Long Pod over at Apple, [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/go-long-podcast/id1542095361] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5p41cteJTP3SVhTWla1xiU?si=7f37f783cd79464b] and everywhere you pod. After diving into Barber’s life a while back [https://www.golongtd.com/p/the-tiki-barber-story], we stick to the Giants of today on this episode. Here’s the written transcript [https://www.golongtd.com/p/it-feels-old-school-giants-tiki-barber] if preferred. Barber hits on everything Giants. A handful of topics discussed…. * Life post-Saquon. * The “juggernaut” Philadelphia Eagles. Barber can’t help but love what his arch-nemesis has created. * What went wrong for Daniel Jones? * What can go right for Jaxson Dart? Personalities — finally — have a chance to match. * Joe Schoen, Brian Daboll and the identity both are trying to create for this team. * The moment Barber started to believe in rookie Eli Manning. And of course, you can always catch Barber’s analysis in the New York sports media scene. He co-hosts “Evan and Tiki” on WFAN. Go Long is completely independent. Thank you for fueling our longform, and sharing the word. 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 [https://www.golongtd.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

James Cook likes his money. He made that much clear with his actions and words at mandatory minicamp Tuesday. It sounds like he’ll be good to go for training camp, too. And yet, the Buffalo Bills’ starting back would like to get paid. Obviously. Will GM Brandon Beane — who explained his reasoning in our 1 on 1 [https://www.golongtd.com/p/i-know-it-can-be-done-our-1-on-1] — be inclined to strike a deal with Cook’s camp? I caught up with Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News for a quick Substack Live video at One Bills Drive. Thanks for joining, everyone. 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 [https://www.golongtd.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]