Welcome to the Monday edition of the Pick Six newsletter!
If you got hustled on the pickleball court over the weekend, don't worry, you're not the only one. Apparently, T.J. Watt also got hustled and I only know that because some guy on Twitter shared a wild story about his mom showing up at a pickleball court and beating Watt. To be fair to Watt, it was actually a doubles match, so he wasn't the only one who lost. The mom teamed up with Minkah Fitzpatrick to beat Watt and Alex Highsmith (You can see a photo of the foursome by clicking here).
The moral of this story is that moms are way better than you think at pickleball. Alright, I promise that's the last time we'll be mentioning pickleball in today's newsletter. Let's get to the rundown.
As always, here's your weekly reminder to tell all your friends to sign up for the newsletter. All you have to do is click here and then share the link.
1. Today's show: Monday Mailbag!
During the NFL offseason, we like to spice things up each week on the Pick Six Podcast by adding a listener mailbag every Monday.
Our mailbag episodes are pretty simple: We read listener questions during the show and then answer as many of those questions as possible. Questions can be about literally anything. I mean, today's mailbag even includes a question about what fictional universe we'd prefer to live in out options like Star Wars, Marvel and Harry Potters. If we'll answer that, trust me when I say we'll answer almost anything.
Anyway, if you want to submit a question, all you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts (click here) and leave a five-star review that includes your question.
Here's one question that Ryan Wilson, Will Brinson and I answered in today's mailbag.
Q: The Bengals made the Super Bowl after going worst-to-first in 2021. Which team is most likely to make a Bengals-like leap by getting to the Super Bowl in 2022?
A: I feel you like you can look at this question in two different ways. If the question is specifically asking what last place team from 2021 could make the Super Bowl in 2022, then I think you have two ridiculously good candidates in Baltimore and Denver. The Broncos went 7-10 last season even though their quarterback situation was a total disaster and with the addition of Russell Wilson, they definitely feel like a Super Bowl contender. As for the Ravens, they went 8-9 even though half their team was on injured reserve for most of the season. Remember, the Ravens are a team that lost the top three guys on their depth chart at running back before the season even started, which is especially devastating when you're a team that loves to run the ball as much as the Ravens.
I should point out that it's also possible the question is referring to a horrible team from last season who could make the Super Bowl in 2022. (The Bengals went 4-11-1 in 2020 before getting to the Super Bowl in 2021.) If we're talking about terrible teams from last year who could surprise, I'd go with the Jets or Jaguars.
For some reason, I also like the Giants. The AFC is loaded with good teams this year, so it would make much more sense for a surprise team to come out of the NFC. Because of that, I could see either the Giants or Lions surprising some people and getting to the playoffs.
Anyway, to listen to the rest of the mailbag (and to the quirks), be sure to click here. You can also watch today's episode on YouTube by clicking here.
2. Chargers co-owner files lawsuit against Dean Spanos in an effort to force sale of team
The family that owns the Chargers is taking sibling rivalry to the next level. Although Dean Spanos is the face of the Chargers ownership group, the team is actually equally owned by four Spanos siblings -- Alexandra Spanos Ruhl, Michael Spanos, Dean Spanos and Dea Spanos Berberian -- who each own 15% of the team. The family also has a 36% stake in the team that's been put into a trust, which is run by Dean Spanos and Berberian. (Overall, the family owns 96% of the team,)
That last fact is important to keep in mind right now because Berberian has filed a lawsuit against her brother, Dean, in an effort to gain sole control of the trust.
Here's what we know about the lawsuit and why it would be big if Berberian were to win:
- Berberian alleges "misogynistic" behavior and "breaches of fiduciary duty." Although Berberian is supposed to be the co-trustee with Dean, she alleges Dean and Michael Spanos have kept her from wielding any power "out of their deeply-held misogynistic attitudes and sense of entitlement as the men in the family ... and to rationalize their pitiable behavior which she believes is intended to teach her that a woman has no rights, no matter what any trust instrument might say."
- Berberian alleges that her brothers are misusing the trust. Berberian claims that moving the team to Los Angeles has been a financial disaster for the her family. According to the lawsuit, the trust is $358 million in debt and losing $11 million every year. Not to mention, the trust is borderline insolvent, and it might not be able to pay $18 million in charitable pledges that the team has made. According to Berberian, one reason the trust is broke is because Michael and Dean have been misusing the funds. Berberian has accused Dean of diverting $105 million from the trust to pay other debts.
- Three other Spanos siblings shoot down Berberian's claims. The three other Spanos siblings quickly shot down their sister's claims over the weekend. "It is unfortunate that our sister Dea, who clearly has no interest in continuing to participate in the family's business, has resorted to false and provocative charges in an attempt to impose her will on the rest of the family," the families of Alexis Spanos Ruhl, Michael Spanos, and Dean Spanos said in a joint statement. "The three of us and our children, representing more than 75% of the family and its ownership of its business, stand united in support of our parents' and grandparents' wishes, including as to the continued ownership and operation of the Chargers."
- Dean Spanos is also being sued by his nephews. Berberian's sons, Dimitri and Lex Economou, have filed a lawsuit against Dean Spanos, alleging that he secretly diverted money from the family trust, according to the Los Angeles Times. This lawsuit was filed in January.
It's going to be interesting to see what happens in this case. The NFL hates to see dirty laundry aired in public, especially when an ownership group is involved. If this case goes to trial, a lot of evidence could come out that the NFL (or the Chargers) would rather not have out there.
The crazy thing about this lawsuit is that if Berberian were to win, that would potentially set the stage for a sale of the Chargers. If the court takes Dean Spanos off the trust, that would leave Berberian to run it, which means she would have control of 51% of the team (her 15% plus the 36% in the trust). If that happens, that would open the door for her to sell to the highest bidder.
3. Tyreek Hill talks: Former Chiefs receiver explains why he wanted out of Kansas City, compares Tua and Mahomes
If you need a new podcast to listen to this summer, you might want to think about adding Tyreek Hill's pod to your listening list, especially if every episode is as juicy as the first one that was released over the weekend.
Here are some of the biggest nuggets from Hill's "It Needed To Be Said" podcast:
- Hill explains why he wanted out of Kansas City. Even though he finished the season with 111 receptions, Hill apparently feels like he wasn't getting the ball enough, which is one reason why he wanted out of Kansas City. "If teams are gonna give us favorable one-on-one matches against their best corner, I don't see why teams don't utilize their best receiver," Hill said. "And that's where probably like me and the Chiefs fell apart right there. When I'm like, yo, I don't mean to talk or be a diva in some situation, but can I see the pill some time, please? Just give me the ball, please."
- Hill apparently complained to his agent (Drew Rosenhaus) about his lack of touches. Rosenhaus was also on the podcast and said there were multiple times last season where Hill felt underappreciated. "There was a lot of times during the year that we felt that Tyreek was underutilized and wasn't fully appreciated, and that they really weren't taking full advantage of all of his ability and talent," Rosenhaus said, via PFT. "But Tyreek is a trooper. He never made a peep about it. He was extremely professional."
- Hill says Tua is more accurate than Mahomes. Hill was asked to compare Tua and Mahomes, and although the former Chiefs receiver admitted that Mahomes has a way stronger arm, he said Tua is actually the more accurate passer. "Obviously, like I'm gonna go with 15 (Mahomes) as the strongest arm, but as far as accuracy-wise, I'm going with Tua all day," Hill said. If Hill was trying to put even more pressure on Tua heading into the 2022 season, then he definitely succeeded. Hill also elaborated on what he likes about having Tua as his quarterback, and you can read those full comments by clicking here.
If you want to listen to the entire episode of the podcast, be sure to click here.
4. Eagles player runs third-fastest 110m hurdle time in history
If the NFL ever adds hurdles to the playing field, there's a chance Philadelphia's Devon Allen will quickly become the best player in league history. The Eagles receiver is currently one of the best hurdlers in THE WORLD, and he proved that Sunday with an absurd time during the 110m hurdle event at the USATF NYC Grand Prix.
Here's everything you need to know about Allen:
- The Eagles receiver ran the third-fastest time in history. Not only did Allen win the event Sunday, but he clocked a time of 12.84 seconds, which is the third-fastest 110m time ever recorded. The world record for the event is 12.80, which means Allen came just four-hundredths of a second from tying it (the second-fastest time is 12.81). You can see a video of Allen's run by clicking here.
- Allen is a world-class hurdler. Although he ran his personal best time Sunday, it wasn't a total surprise to see him do so well and that's because of how impressive he's been on the world stage. In 2016, he finished fifth (13.31) in the 110m hurdles at the Rio Olympics. In 2021, he improved upon that by finishing fourth (13.21) at the Tokyo Olympics.
- Allen hasn't played football since 2016. Allen was a highly touted receiver coming out of college, and after signing with Oregon, he ended up spending three seasons with the team before making the decision to pursue his track career.
It will definitely be interesting to see how he does with the Eagles. Although Allen has three years of college football under his belt, he hasn't played since 2016. The Eagles signed him as an undrafted free agent in April, and although he's a long shot to make the team, we probably shouldn't count him out.
5. Under-the-radar NFC players who can be stars in 2022
If you read the newsletter Friday, you may have noticed that we took a look at one under-the-radar player for each AFC team, so we thought it only made sense to do the same thing today, but with the NFC.
Here's our list of under-the-radar NFC players who could become stars in 2022, which was put together by Patrik Walker.
- Rams: RB Cam Akers. "Akers has the ability to be one of the most dynamic backs in the league, in both the run and pass attack, and you can bet Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford are readying to make him a central point of their offense going forward."
- Bears: WR Byron Pringle. "No Allen Robinson in Chicago means Pringle enters with a shot to earn the role of WR1, and his exit from Kansas City was laced with fireworks offensively -- finishing with career-highs in both receiving yards (568) and receiving touchdowns (five) while catching 72% of everything thrown his way since entering the league in 2019. He has a very real shot at becoming a (if not the) top receiving weapon for former first-round pick Justin Fields."
- Packers: DB Darnell Savage Jr. "He has proven himself a capable starter, but not necessarily a star player, but the latter could change with potential contract talks ahead -- as his rookie deal begins to near its conclusion. It feels like a do-or-die moment for Savage, and players usually find an extra gear (or several) when that's the case."
- Cowboys: DT Neville Gallimore. "You've heard a lot about the offseason shenanigans involving the loss of Randy Gregory and the near-loss of DeMarcus Lawrence, but what you might've missed is just how much potential exists in Gallimore to become a dominant interior defensive lineman -- which would make it easier on whomever rushes off of the edge on any given snap in Dallas going forward."
- Seahawks: LB Jordyn Brooks. "If anyone on this list is set up to become a potential star in 2022, it's Brooks, who has progressed impressively since his rookie season and, as such, likely played a part in the Seahawks' decision to let go of one of the best linebackers in NFL history (Bobby Wagner)."
If you want to see the full list of under-the-radar players in the NFC, then be sure to click here.
6. Rapid-fire roundup: Lamar Jackson to attend minicamp
It was a wild weekend in the NFL, and since it's nearly impossible to keep track of everything that happened, I went ahead and put together a roundup for you.
- Lamar Jackson plans to be at minicamp. After skipping the voluntary portion of Ravens workouts, it looks like Lamar Jackson is finally going to be participating. The Ravens quarterback was at the team's practice facility Monday morning, and he's expected to take part in mandatory minicamp, which kicks off Tuesday.
- Jack Del Rio fined $100,000 by Washington. The Commanders defensive coordinator raised some eyebrows last week when he referred to the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington D.C. as a "dust-up" while comparing the event to the protests that took place following the death of George Floyd. Ron Rivera announced Friday that Del Rio has been fined $100,000. Del Rio also shut down his Twitter account over the weekend.
- Terry McLaurin set to skip mandatory minicamp. In other Commanders' news, McLaurin will likely be skipping mandatory minicamp this week. The receiver wants a new contract and so far this offseason, the two sides haven't been able to get a new deal done. If nothing gets done over the next few weeks, it will be interesting to see if McLaurin shows up at training camp.
- No mandatory minicamp for Jaguars veterans. New Jaguars coach Doug Pederson has decided to give veteran players the week off. Pederson announced they won't have to attend mandatory minicamp, and I'm guessing with that announcement that he's already more popular than Urban Meyer ever was in Jacksonville.
- Robbie Anderson apparently mulling retirement. The veteran receiver tweeted Saturday that he's thinking about retirement. However, he did eventually delete the tweet, so it's possible that he's decided not to retire or that he's decided not to tweet about wanting to retire or that he's retired from tweeting about wanting to retire.
