NFL’s off-the-field activity is fodder for talkies Patrick, Le Batard, Rome, Eisen, Cowherd, Golic and Wingo

Lights out. Arenas closed. Games cancelled.

But it didn’t stop the national talk show hosts this week. Off-the field news stirred takes, debate and criticism.

The end of the Tom Brady era in New England stole the spotlight. There was more too, big names involved in trades, David Johnson, Stefon Diggs and DeAndre Hopkins, and the contract extension of quarterback Ryan Tannehill. You get the picture. Since Monday, the NFL has kept the discussion brisk. There was some NBA talk too, but baseball and hockey hardly got a wink.

We had a chance to listen to Dan Patrick, Jim Rome, Dan Le Batard, Colin Cowherd and ESPN’s morning team of Golic and Wingo

These are the highlights:

Dan Patrick

• When the subject of whether to allow off-the-field business to continue during this dangerous health crisis, he believes that although the country is in a precarious state, free agency, contracts, trade talk and preparation for the draft are a nice diversion. According to Patrick, they give fans some sense of “normalcy.”

• As for the overall stoppage of play, he said, “If Rudy Gobert didn’t test positive, we are probably playing sports. Gobert is an inadvertent hero.”  Dan is forgetting that Gobert purposely touched microphones and other objects in a gesture that suggested he originally took the ordeal lightly. Teammates were at first not too pleased with the French born player.

Dan Le Batard

• Celebrates the fact that Tom Brady won’t return to New England as a Patriot.

• On the Le Batard show, contributor Dianna Russini commented on the Houston, Arizona, Minnesota and Buffalo trades. She believes that Houston could have gotten more value for the wide receiver standout DeAndre Hopkins because the Vikings got beefier returns trading Stefan Diggs to Buffalo.  Russini: “If it wasn’t for the coronavirus, fans and players would be banging on the door in Houston.”

Colin Cowherd

• Feels that people are not taking the virus seriously and not adhering to the precautions set forth by governmental agencies. He himself had his wife cancel their trip overseas. Colin said: “Coronavirus is not a two week story and also ‘not an everything and everyone will be okay story.’” It is at least a two to three month cancellation of the NBA, NHL, MLB, NCAA and other sports leagues. Everyone should be smart and help each other in times of need.

• The well spoken voice predicts the Patriots will go 4-12 or 5-11 without Tom Brady. He thinks that the Pats should tank so that they can get Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence in the 2021 NFL Draft.

• The Fox host also added that Brady will “resurrect” the Buccaneers franchise. Tampa is paying Brady what he deserves to get and they now have the potential to be a great team and go far. In the past decade, the Bucs have had all the pieces to the puzzle to be a successful team except a quarterback.

Jim Rome

• Houston got rid of DeAndre Hopkins after blowing a 24-0 lead in the playoffs against the Chiefs. “David Johnson is injury prone and has a huge contract is traded for Hopkins who missed just two games his whole career and is an all-pro wide receiver.” The trade value for the Cardinals is mind-blowing. Houston coach Bill O’Brien and Hopkins didn’t see eye-to-eye, but O’Brien isn’t a good enough coach to be completing a trade like the one that just occurred. O’Brien calls the shots for the Texans.”

• There is confusion as to whether the Patriots didn’t give Brady a good offer or whether Brady decided he wanted a change after twenty years.

• People are hoarding cleaning and sanitary supplies and then selling them on eBay. The coronavirus is not a political virus or the fault of the media. It’s a pandemic that must be stopped. Lots of people are acting responsibly in response to the virus, while others are acting like idiots. Guys were scheduling surgeries around March Madness and the Masters to be able to sit on their couches for a few days to recover and do nothing. However, with all sporting events cancelled, they’re lost, with nothing to do.

Mike Golic and Trey Wingo

• “There were times in training camp when Brady was basically begging for a contract, but wasn’t offered anything close to what he wanted. Patriots lost a decent amount of their defensive personnel as well.”

• Suggestions to audience: ”Tom Brady is out the door so Facetime a friend because of social distancing. Have a drink and wipe away your sorrows.”

• On the subject of Philip Rivers to the Colts for a one year contract: Is it a rebirth and lots of protection? Can he use his mental intelligence to make up for his physical loss?

• “Patriots didn’t have a receiver or tight end reach over twenty mph last season, while the Buccaneers have that with Evans, Godwin, and Howard. Brady will have more of an opportunity to play with higher talented players.”

• Bruce Arians and Brady have been around the game a while and can work a system well collaboratively. Brady wants to “loosen the reins and have some fun.” It’s late in Brady’s career and Arians likes to air the ball out, while Brady has twenty years of championship experience. As soon as the season started and Brady didn’t get an extension, he played it out as well.

• Nick Foles traded to Chicago: “Will he start over Mitchell Trubisky right away?”

• “Adam Silver and the NBA are handling the coronavirus right by donating money and doing their best to make it so a normal lifestyle can resume soon. A charity game might happen.”

Rich Eisen

• Had Brent Musburger on with him. Brent is 80 and owns a piece of VSiN, a gambling information channel based in Vegas. Brent told Eisen that he thinks Derek Carr will be quarterbacking the Raiders this fall. On Monday, Musburger thought Brady was a better fit for the Chargers because they’re the number two team in Southern California behind the Rams and could use a lift. It didn’t work out that way but Carr will likely be back at QB for the Vegas Raiders.

• Because of the coronavirus, Las Vegas lost the opportunity to host the NFL Draft but Brent pointed out that there will be other drafts down the road and the Vegas stop for the draft will be rescheduled. Since the Brent interview earlier this week, there’s been some discussion about Vegas hosting a Super Bowl down the road.