AI Summary
5 min readIn the fourth hour of the Ben Maller Show, host Ben Maller takes on three NFL storylines that all revolve around a single question: when a team or coach publicly backs a veteran player, are they telling the truth or just saying what they have to say? Maller walks through the cases of Travis Kelce, Lamar Jackson, and Stefon Diggs, using each to illustrate how the gap between what teams say and what they actually believe can be wide enough to drive a truck through.
Andy Reid’s Defense of Travis Kelce’s “Dad Body”
The conversation starts with Travis Kelce, whose physique became a talking point after training camp photos and videos—some of which, Maller notes, were AI-generated fakes that made Kelce look like he had been sponsored by Golden Corral. Chiefs coach Andy Reid dismissed the criticism, saying Kelce “came back in good shape” and looks the same as always. Maller is not buying it. He calls Reid’s response “Coaching 101” straight out of the “Bible of Cliches”—the standard union-rep defense of a player who may not be what he once was.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (06:02) **Andy Reid on Travis Kelce's "Dad Body"** - Ben breaks down Andy Reid's defense of Travis Kelce after reports that the tight end showed up to camp with a noticeably different physique.
- 2 (13:03) **Jesse Minter Defends Lamar Jackson** - Ben scrutinizes new Ravens coach Jesse Minter's strong defense of Lamar Jackson against critics, questioning whether it's genuine confidence or obligatory new-coach rhetoric.
- 3 (17:41) **Stefon Diggs Signs with Washington** - Ben analyzes whether Stefon Diggs is still a true number one receiver after signing a one-year, incentive-laden deal with the Commanders in August.
- 4 (22:25) **Garrett Crochet Accepts Bullpen Role** - Ben discusses Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet's willingness to come out of the bullpen when he returns from injury, despite being one of the highest-paid pitchers in baseball.
- 5 (29:03) **Listener Call: Toilet Advice** - Ben takes a call from a listener asking whether to buy a one-piece or two-piece toilet design, pivoting into an extended discussion of bathroom etiquette and relationships.
- 6 (37:36) **Listener Call: Missing Rubber Chicken** - Mike the Leprechaun calls in with a personal crisis: his rubber chicken has gone missing, and he suspects his children took it.
- 7 (47:25) **Fact or Fiction Game** - Ben hosts a rapid-fire game where callers judge which of three stories is fake, with the panel voting on Tom Brady's Madden cover, padded bras in the Tour de France, and Derek Cheater's trading card deal.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Ben Maller talks about Chiefs HC Andy Reid having to address Travis Kelce's "dad bod", Ravens coach Jesse Minter believing that Lamar Jackson will "thrive", Stefon Diggs becoming WR1 for the Washington Commanders, Fact or Fiction, and much more!
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