The Schrager Hour

It was nice while it lasted, wasn't it? The Big Apple was alive with Jets and Giants fever for a good seven days. That's over now. The NFL moves that fast, and Peter discusses how quickly things went from Super Bowl talk to apple picking talk in New York. He, then, brings in Chase Daniel to discuss the art of being a backup QB. It's a thankless job, until you're called upon. Chase discusses his experience as one of the all-time backup QBs. In his 14 years, he experienced it all behind Brees, Alex Smith, Matthew Stafford, Justin Herbert, and...

Peter gives his initial Week 1 reactions to the Bears' offensive explosion, the Chargers dud versus Arizona, the world's reaction to the Rams loss, and a fiery Tennessee Titans fan reaction. Then, Peter welcomes in Super Bowl champion Giants legend Shaun O'Hara, Jomboy Media's "Talking Giants" podcast host Justin Penik, and Peter's childhood pal Ditro to talk about the Giants masterpiece win Week 1 over the Cowboys.

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Peter is joined by ESPN's Jason McCourty and Dan Orlovsky. The three NFL analysts make their predictions on the 2026 AFC playoff teams, NFC playoff teams, MVP, their Defensive Player of the Year, and with great fanfare… They each make their Super Bowl LXI picks. Football is here. Enjoy!

Approx. Timecodes

(0:00) Welcome To The Schrager Hour!

(0:30) The Schrager Hour Prediction Special

(2:55) Check Out 'Big Day With Peter Schrager' On ESPN

(9:05) The 2026 Schrager Hour Prediction Special

(10:40) Jason's AFC Playoff Picks

(14:43) Dan's AF...

In the wake of the Aaron Donald signing, Peter starts the pod with discussion of the Rams and their Super Bowl hype and why that's always a red flag this time of year. He, then, does a deep dive on the Seahawks and how they are the defending champions and are actually being overlooked. Mike Macdonald's obsession with the "America's Game" series and the wild Daejon Love story lead into Peter's dipping of his toes in the flag football coaching waters last weekend. Tommy Rees, the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, joins the pod to take Peter through...

Peter kicks off this episode by reacting to the news of Deshaun Watson being named the starter in Cleveland despite a less than riveting press conference on Saturday. He, then, doubles (triples) down on the New York Giants' gritty toughness under John Harbaugh and dives into the Dallas Cowboys' electric locker room celebration from Saturday night and why it was so significant. After some thoughts on another doozy of a Fernando Mendoza interview and a story about a Chinese restaurant in the suburbs, Peter welcomes in two of the top fantasy football experts in the field. ESPN's Field Yates...

Peter starts the podcast with insights and observations on the new-look New York Giants and why John Harbaugh is the perfect man for a team that desperately needed him. After an analysis on Von Miller's signing in Dallas, a Fernando Mendoza love fest, and some story time with Ray Lewis, Peter welcomes in new Titans HC Robert Saleh. Saleh discusses his first few months in Tennessee, what they're looking to build in Nashville, how he and Brian Daboll have come together as one, and their hope for Cam Ward in year 2. Saleh discusses his personal life, moving city to...

Peter starts the show with a reaction to CeeDee Lamb's analysis of the Cowboys in "debate show" format. He, then, hits OBJ's return, Carson Beck's debut performance and the reaction to it, and both Drew Brees and Adam Vinatieri's Hall of Fame speeches. Then, Peter is joined by Houston Texans Offensive Coordinator Nick Caley to talk about all things Houston Texans, including the team’s mindset after coming up short in 2025.  They discuss C.J. Stroud’s mentality heading into 2026 and how he continues to improve. Caley also opens up about learning from head coach DeMeco Ryans, competing against the T...

Peter starts this week's episode with a breakdown of some of the most compelling sound coming out of NFL training camps. One by one, Peter hits on Baker Mayfield's contract, Jaxson Dart's public persona versus how he is viewed among his Giants teammates and coaches, Jerry Jones unfiltered, and Deshaun Watson's future and the QB competition in Cleveland. Washington Commanders OC David Blough joins the show to discuss his career journey from undrafted Purdue QB to NFL Offensive Coordinator, Jayden Daniels' magic, and the things he envisions for the Commanders offense in 2026. Blough goes down memory lane and discusses...

Football is back. Finally. Peter welcomes the start of the 2026 season with the realization that this year is as wide open as any he can remember. New coaches. Players with chips on their shoulders. Several ascending teams. A quick whip around the league shows just how up in the air this year's season will be. Then, 34-year-old Christian Parker, the youngest DC in Dallas Cowboys history, joins to discuss his career path, his mentors, his former players, and current players in the 2026 Dallas Cowboys defense.

Timecodes:

00:00 Welcome To The...

Peter starts the show with a recap of the ESPY's, his time at Fanatics Fest, and a poignant moment shared with Ed Sheeran in great appreciation for Lionel Messi. He, then, welcomes in Jaguars HC Liam Coen to discuss the 2026 Jaguars, Trevor Lawrence's upcoming campaign, the team's rising stars, saying farewell to beloved veterans, and who he turns to for life and leadership advice. Coen's an open book and the conversation resonates as training camps open next week.  

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Peter starts the pod with more on Aaron Donald's potential return to the Rams, a little back story on the Seahawks new owners, some Taylor Swift - Travis Kelce wedding color, and thoughts on Lamar Jackson's ranking on the NFL.com Top 100 players list. Longtime sports radio personality Adam Schein joins Peter to discuss an all-time summer in New York. The good vibes from the Knicks run continue with the World Cup and bubbling optimism for both the Giants and the Jets heading into the Fall. They discuss what makes a good sports radio show, Chris "Mad Dog" Russo...

Peter starts the podcast with some thoughts on the US Men's Soccer team blowout loss in Seattle and the Kelce-Swift nuptials, and then brings on his former "Good Morning Football" host Jason McCourty to go around the horn on a variety of NFL topics. Filling in the blank, they discuss their breakout player predictions, their "sneaky good teams" picks, the AJ Brown trade, the coach they're most fascinated with, and their thoughts on New England and Seattle as repeat Super Bowl participants. Jason, then, shares some personal stories and memories of Chris Johnson, his teammate of 5 years.

<...

Peter discusses the emotional and almost religious experience of being in Madison Square Garden for Game 4, as well as the empty feeling of longing and wanting more of the rush after a fan base wins a long awaited championship. Brian Windhorst joins and helps Peter go through the emotions of the entire experience, as well as shed light on the construction of the New York Knicks' roster. "Windy", then, discusses the public image of Victor Wembanyama--a curious combination of coming up short on the court, and being a unique figure off of it. 

Max Siegelman, the founder o...

Peter opens the show by breaking down Game 3 between the Knicks and Spurs, sharing his thoughts on the biggest storylines and how it captivated NYC. Peter is then joined by Cleveland Browns General Manager Andrew Berry for an in-depth conversation covering one of the NFL's most talked-about moves: the blockbuster trade that sent Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Jared Verse and draft capital. Berry discusses the thought process behind the deal, how it fits into Cleveland's long-term vision, and how recent draft classes have helped position the franchise for the 2026 season and beyond. The...

Peter offers a full play-by-play and a deep dive around the Myles Garrett blockbuster trade that went down Monday. He is, then, joined by NFL Network's Mike Garafolo to go into deeper detail on how the trade came to be and for a discussion on whether or not the Browns got "enough" in exchange for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. They, then, go deep on the AJ Brown trade to the Patriots, how it came to be, and how things got to the point that one of the franchise's best players in the team's history was shipped...

Peter puts away the football and devotes the episode to

this unprecedented New York Knicks playoff run. The City Game. New

York City is absolutely alive and magical right now and it's all

because of the hometown team. Peter brings in Knicks die-hard and

fellow NYC resident Gary Vaynerchuk, the CEO of VaynerMedia and

Chairman of VaynerX. Gary is a pioneer in social media storytelling,

branding, and online retailing, and one of the first breakthrough

voices in the digital world. He also happens to be...

Mike North is the VP of broadcast planning at the NFL and for 32 years has worked on the making of the NFL schedule. In this episode, Peter and Mike discuss all of the key stakeholders -- Netflix, Amazon, Fox, CBS, Disney, ESPN, YouTube, 32 different NFL teams, coaches, and fan bases-- as well as international partners, and how the schedule was made. This conversation evolves from a football, one to a media, Tech, and big business one. North is excellent and an open book, and the schedule is just the starting point of one that involves satisfying multiple important parties...

Peter gets into the bonanza that has become the annual

schedule release week for the NFL and why it's grander than ever

before. Craig Kilborn joins to talk Vikings, Timberwolves, Pooh

Richardson, Vlade Divac, his career, his life in Hollywood, his

favorite movies, his best Robert Evans stories, and the broadcasters

and athletes he loves watching today. An absolute thrill ride with an

all-time legend of sports media.

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Peter reviews and reacts to the revelations from the new ESPN documentary "The Pick Is In", which had inside access to the Raiders, Cowboys, and Browns war rooms. He, then, highlights why he's so high on Dallas this off-season, and how a lot of it comes from the juice flowing from the hire of new defensive coordinator Christian Parker. Bengals coach Zac Taylor joins to discuss the Bengals 2026 off-season. Zac takes us behind the Dexter Lawrence trade that was "weeks" in the making, the importance of adding to the defense, the linebacker spot, the return of 11 offensive starters, and...

Peter offers his five biggest takeaways from the 2026 NFL

Draft, including an emptying of the notebook on the Rams' selection of

Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick. He, then, goes through his

favorite moments of the entire weekend, culminating in the special

shared experience of the Eli Heidenreich selection on Day 3. Peter,

then, brings on Arif Hassan, the Chief Writer at the Wide Left

newsletter, to do a deeper dive on the "Consensus Big Board"

conversation that has boiled to the surface after curious...

Late Tuesday Night, Peter submitted his final mock draft to his ESPN bosses.  He reveals his 1 thru 32 picks with some trades mixed in.

0:00 Welcome To The Schrager Hour

1:55 Schrager’s Final Mock Draft

3:45 1. Raiders select Fernando Mendoza

4:00 2. Jets Select David Bailey

5:15 3. Cardinals Select Jeremiyah Love

7:25 4. Titans select Sonny Styles  

8:55 5. Giants select Arvell Reese

9:40 6. Browns select Spencer Fano

10:45 7. Commanders select Carnell Tate

11:45 8. Saints select Caleb Downs

12:55 Chiefs Trade Back with Cowboys

14:45 9. Cowboys select Manso...

A few days out from the start of the NFL Draft, Peter breaks down the latest gossip, news, and notes he has collected. He goes through the top 10 and all the different twists and turns. Peter, then, welcomes in ESPN's VP of NFL Production, Seth Markman, to discuss 27 years working on the TV production of the NFL Draft. They go down memory lane and discuss Mel Kiper "mellowing out" in recent years. Finally, it's Peter's resident Giants and Jets fans, Ditro and Danny from Lot E, joining to go through the two New York team's pivotal draft on Thursday.  

Peter is joined by three of the leading draft experts in the field-- former Tennessee Titans GM Ran Carthon, ESPN Draft analyst Field Yates, and The Athletic's Senior Draft Analyst Dane Brugler-- for a 2026 mock draft of the first round. Teams are randomly assigned amongst the four and the results are somewhat shocking. This is as close to a simulation of an actual NFL Draft as you'll find, and the banter in between picks brings four different vantage points to the surface. It's Draft Season--and this one's a beauty.  

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Daniel Jeremiah, the NFL Network's lead Draft analyst, joins Peter for their annual tradition of doing a live mock draft during the first week of April. Peter is steadfast in that he doesn't do mock drafts until April. April is here and the two ping pong pick after pick, and go 1-32. There are surprises, there is information shared, and there are some notable names that slip a little further than one would expect. There's no better way to kick off Draft month than these two emptying their notebooks and geeking out over this Mock Draft.

Peter takes us inside the NFL's league meetings in Arizona, where he's in the middle of conversations with team owners, head coaches, general managers, and league officials. He discusses the current rift between the NFL and its officials, and how both sides are using the media to sway the public opinion. Then, Peter goes on to discuss his experience at the NFC coaches breakfast, what makes Mike Macdonald so special, and a special pizza experience with the Pat McAfee Show crew and Laura Rutledge. Then, Chiefs GM Brett Veach joins for a rare in-person 1 on 1, and the two discuss...

Peter offers his perspective and instant analysis on the Broncos-Dolphins trade that brings Jaylen Waddle to Denver and leaves question marks in Miami. Then, Peter details just how much there was to the A.J. Brown-to-the-Rams rumors from a week ago. After some careless, reckless, and completely absurd NCAA Tournament thoughts, Peter brings in Titans GM Mike Borgonzi. They talk about the Titans' recent spending spree, which included a slew of new players and faces, and 17 additions to the roster. They go through what Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll are looking for in players and why so many former...

Peter unpacks the unprecedented Maxx Crosby situation in real-time with information from all three sides -- player , Ravens, and Raiders -- and sets the stage for the next shoes to drop. 13-year NFL veteran Chase Daniel joins to offer a player's perspective on the Crosby news and break down Malik Willis, Kyler Murray, Fernando Mendoza, and Ty Simpson.

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Peter previews what will be a wild start to free agency at the quarterback position. Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, Malik Willis, Geno Smith, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins, and Aaron Rodgers could all be playing elsewhere next season, and Peter lays out the landscape of the QB carousel we're about to get on. Longtime NFL coach and current Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia joins the podcast to discuss the amazing Combine performances of Ohio State's standout defensive players Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese, Caleb Downs. Patricia gives rare insight and access into what makes the Ohio...

Peter gives the real lay of the land at the combine, including the bars and restaurants where decisions conversations are being had and decisions are being made. Peter goes through the schedule of events and details why this week is more about the general managers, coaches and agents than the actual players competing,  themselves. The first guest is Seahawks GM John Schneider , who not only takes us through the building of his super bowl winning team, but also goes down memory lane on what the combine used to be like in the early 2000s. Then, trainer Nic Hill gives u...

Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Peter lists his top 5 Combine storylines he's following and provides his thoughts on the 21 new offensive coordinator hirings across the NFL. He, then, brings in longtime NFL GM and executive Tom Telesco to go through the following few months and what that entails for an NFL general manager. Telesco takes us through the draft process of Justin Herbert, Derwin James, Keenan Allen, and Brock Bowers. He, then, goes through the free agent signing of Casey Hayward and the trade for Khalil Mack, and uses all of these situations to explain...

Peter provides a full recap of all the parties, events, and concerts he attended at Super Bowl, and all the interactions, in between. He then presents his five winners of Super Bowl week, including those who dominated on the field and off of it. Comedian Adam Ray and actor Joel McHale, two lifelong Seahawks fans, join the show to recap their Super Bowl Sunday experiences. Dr. Phil and Joe Biden make appearances, as well as Dave Matthews doodling graphic images on peoples' faces. It's a Seahawks celebration, and it very quickly goes off the rails. Enjoy. 

...

New Bills HC Joe Brady and Bills GM Brandon Beane sit down together with Peter to discuss the whirlwind last two weeks in which Buffalo named Joe Brady their head coach after losing in the Divisional Round. Brady details his approach to the interview, how he plans to evolve from OC to HC, Josh Allen's role in his interview process, and the criticism he receives from fans for relying too much on the screen pass. Brandon Beane addresses the wide receiver question in Buffalo, public criticism, and the hope for 2026. Then, ESPN trivia guru Hembo joins for a thrilling...

Peter provides an instant reaction to the Bills hiring Joe Brady as their head coach, then goes into a deep dive discussion on the aftermath of the Rams' NFC Championship Game loss in Seattle. Having spoken to sources in Los Angeles, the loss -- 48 hours after the fact -- is still being felt in LA. Then, a discussion and appreciation for the three central figures behind Seattle's amazing re-birth: John Schneider, Mike Macdonald, and Sam Darnold. New Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley is the featured guest this week and he shares his vision, what he is looking for...

Peter offers his latest insight and reactions on the various coaching hires, vacancies, and gossip around league circles. He then details the Bills current dilemma, responds to the wild Wednesday press conference, and projects who he thinks has the inside track on being the next Buffalo head coach. Actor Josh Lucas , a die-hard Seahawks fan, previews this weekend's NFC Championship Game, takes us through his experiences at both Rams-Seahawks games this season, and explains why he is so inspired by this particular Seattle squad. Then, it's storytime from the sets of "American Psycho", "Sweet Home Alabama", and "Ford versus...

Peter starts the podcast with a look back at the 9-year-anniversary of the Los Angeles Rams hiring of Sean McVay and what that decision meant for the franchise and how swinging the bat on a homerun hire can change an organization forever. Peter uses the McVay hire to detail the rising stars of this coaching cycle--Nathan Scheelhaase, Klint Kubiak, Chris Shula, and Jaguars offensive wunderkind Grant Udinski. Then, just 48 hours after his Jaguars being eliminated from the 2025 playoffs, Liam Coen does a rare "exit interview" with Peter, reflecting and recapping the season and journey that was. Coen sits with...

Peter begins the episode with a reaction to the news out of Washington, that offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury would be moving on after a "mutual parting of ways,” and uses that as a springboard to analyze and dissect just how crazy the NFL can be. Year to year, things turn over, and the success of one season can play no role in security and comfort heading into the one after that. From Washington to Atlanta to Cleveland to Arizona to New York to Tennessee to Las Vegas, Peter touches on all the various openings, rumors, and thoughts swirling around th...

Peter starts the podcast with a deep dive discussion on the 2025 MVP award. With an opportunity to put the award away the last two weeks in Primetime, Matthew Stafford has left the door open for Drake Maye to win the honor. Or is there room for a third option? With a big performance Saturday night versus Seattle, Peter lays out a world where Christian McCaffrey walks away with the honors. Coach of the Year is an even more wide open debate. Then, NFL Draft guru Daniel Jeremiah joins for a thorough discussion on his five NFL Draft prospects he's...

Peter opens the show with thoughts on the Dolphins following their Monday night loss in Pittsburgh, why the Buccaneers loss to the Falcons was so absurd, and who needs to step up in Green Bay now that Micah Parsons is out for the season. Trevor Lawrence is the Week 15 Player of the Week for his masterful day against the Jets and Fernando Mendoza is the Sports Media Winner of the Week for his raw ability to be himself--unapologetically--on camera every time he's in a media setting. Then, legendary actors Paul Rudd and Jack Black are in the house, promoting...

Peter starts the podcast by recapping a weekend in Los Angeles, in which he watched what could have been the end of the Chiefs dynasty alongside Troy Aikman, listened to Arnold Schwarzenegger walk through a hotel lobby, discussed movies with Ryan Clark and Marcus Spears, and watched one of the weirdest "Monday Night Football" games ever. Peter weighs in on Josh Allen's potential to go back to back MVPs, the Houston Texans defense, and the Jaguars as a team nobody is talking about. Six-time Super Bowl Champion Josh McDaniels joins the show for a deep-dive on his career, his...

Peter recaps his trip to Foxborough, where he goes down memory lane, and is blown away how quickly it took to do a complete rebuild in New England. The Patriots made a statement to the rest of the league in a blowout win over the Giants and it doesn't look or feel exactly like it did during the Belichick era. He, then, pays tribute to the halftime show in Detroit on Thanksgiving, as well as the fine work of Marty Smith over the weekend. Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson joins to discuss the team's 9-3 start to the season...