- 15 minutes ago
Joe Theismann said Stefon Diggs wearing number 7 should be the team's decision, not his. So, should the Commanders grant Diggs the number?
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00:00Thanks to Joe Theismann for stopping through.
00:03Grant and Danny on the fan.
00:04If you missed any part of our conversation with the Redskins legend,
00:07you can grab it wherever you get your audio.
00:10All of our training camp discussions and coverage today
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00:21If you missed Joe Theismann, what he just told us on Grant and Danny was
00:25that it's really not up to him.
00:27He's not involved necessarily.
00:30That it's up to the team as to whether or not Stephon Diggs,
00:33who wants to wear Theismann's No. 7, that isn't in circulation
00:36but also isn't yet retired.
00:38And Diggs came out on social media and said,
00:41that's the number I want, help me get it from the GOAT.
00:43The way I thought it worked was he reaches out to Theismann,
00:47asks for permission to wear it.
00:48And this happened a few years ago with Dwayne Haskins, who wore No. 7.
00:53Theismann said, no, I'm not really involved.
00:56They've got to ask the team.
00:57The team's got to give them permission or not.
00:58And his quote was, the jersey belongs to the football team.
01:01I was honored to wear it.
01:03I will leave it to the commanders to make the decision, end quote.
01:06And he was respectful, but he really didn't want to get into his preference,
01:09which I totally understand.
01:11I get that too.
01:11But this is my take on this.
01:13It should be up to the team.
01:15Don't put Theismann in the middle.
01:16This is why I wanted these jerseys retired and not just not in circulation,
01:20whatever that meant.
01:21And this no-ownership group is doing a great job retiring these jerseys now.
01:24The last group didn't do it for some reason out of either laziness
01:27or just being wrong about something, and they were wrong about a lot of things.
01:30But this new group gets it, and they're repairing a lot of these relationships.
01:33And one by one, they're bringing these guys back and retiring their jerseys.
01:37And Theismann's probably next in line for next year, if I had to guess.
01:40But in the meantime, the team should tell Stefan Diggs there's a lot of numbers.
01:43Pick another one.
01:44That's Joe's number.
01:45He did a lot for the Redskins.
01:47And with all due respect, local guy, excited he's here, thrilled that he signed,
01:51think it's going to be awesome for Jaden Daniels and David Blau
01:54and the rest of the operation.
01:56No.
01:56We made the mistake once.
01:58And by the way, it wasn't this ownership group that made it.
02:00It was the last regime that did everything wrong.
02:01But that mistake was made once already, where somebody else wore the 7 and shouldn't have.
02:05You don't get to.
02:06So if you want to wear 14, tell Antonio Williams, who's a rookie, to find a new number after cutdown
02:13day.
02:13If Traylon Burks isn't here and you want 13, which is a number he's worn in the past, you could
02:17do that.
02:18If you want to go lower into the single digits, no problem.
02:21But the team should say, you're not wearing 7, we're sorry.
02:25And if Joe Theismann doesn't want to be involved, the team shouldn't make him involved.
02:28Don't put him in the middle of it.
02:30Handle the business for him and just say, this is how we treat our legends.
02:33You heard him say something to the effect of, I love it for those guys that earned it that nobody
02:37else gets to wear those numbers.
02:39He's earned it.
02:40You know, he's part of that group, that fraternity here.
02:43So I'm not upset at Stephon Diggs.
02:45Sometimes you don't always know what you don't know kind of thing.
02:47But that number is not used for a reason.
02:50So pick a different number.
02:52I am, was, and am thrilled at the Stephon Diggs signing.
02:56I still remain thrilled at the Stephon Diggs signing.
02:59I cannot wait.
02:59I think he's going to make a huge difference this year.
03:01I am all about it.
03:02That guy can still play.
03:03He's on his way to the Hall of Fame, potentially one day.
03:06I think he's got a great shot at it.
03:07He could be in the top 30 in yards and touchdowns this year with a good season.
03:12I get it.
03:13I do get it.
03:14The only thing I would slightly add and maybe change from your thesis, because I co-sign it.
03:18I could even rubber stamp it, is a guy from around here should know.
03:24You know what I'm saying?
03:25Someone that's from here should have a general awareness of, yeah, that one's Joe Theismann's.
03:30The same way if I walked in and was from here and was like, hey, is nine available?
03:36Oh, that's right.
03:36It's not because it's sunny.
03:37And it should be that long.
03:39It should be like, oh, that's right.
03:40Duh.
03:40Like if a guy that grew up a Yankees fan wants to wear Mantle or DiMaggio's number and is like,
03:45hey, is number three available?
03:46Nah, dude, that was Babe Ruth.
03:47You ought to know a little bit about it.
03:49But again, I'm not angry at Stephon Diggs for it.
03:51He clearly knows that it's Joe Theismann's number.
03:53I just, I don't, I don't like the fact that it even has to be a conversation, right?
03:58Now, as you already referenced, because they're so behind on this, all these numbers should have been retired starting 10,
04:0412, 15 years ago.
04:06And we should be kind of the normal course of events where you don't have to do one a year.
04:09You do one when it's warranted, but there's a backlog.
04:11There's a whole bunch of guys.
04:13And it was this weird informal out of circulation where it's like, yeah, man, you kind of can't do 49.
04:18Well, you're pretty good.
04:19Maybe you're allowed to do 30, sort of, because Brian Mitchell wore that.
04:23Enough of that nonsense.
04:24They're starting to do it, and they've done a good job, and they'll continue to do a good job.
04:27I'm with you, though.
04:28This is a simple one where you go, nope.
04:31What else can we do for you?
04:32I always thought Haskins went to Theismann.
04:34And I guess the idea that maybe he didn't or that now Diggs won't and it's more up to the
04:40team, I like better for Theismann.
04:43But the last group got it wrong.
04:46This group, I don't think they will.
04:49That actually makes me feel pretty confident that he's not going to wear seven.
04:51Like, I tweeted out the quote from Theismann.
04:54The jersey belongs to the football team.
04:55I was honored to wear it.
04:56I will leave it to the commanders to make the decision.
04:58And a lot of people that are just seeing that quote, it seems like, and didn't listen to the interview,
05:03seem to think, A, that he doesn't care at all, like whatever happens.
05:06I didn't get that vibe.
05:07I'm not saying he cares a lot.
05:08But my guess is, just assuming, his preference would be that Diggs doesn't wear the number
05:13that should deservedly be not worn.
05:15So I do remember real quick, and I think I confirmed this just now, just reading a couple
05:18stories super quick, that Haskins did call Joe Theismann.
05:21There was a phone call arranged, whether that was via the team or something.
05:24I brought that up.
05:25I kind of asked him.
05:26And he made it seem like it was up to the team, though.
05:28So maybe when he called him, Joe said, hey, it's not my number.
05:31It's their number to give out or not.
05:32And maybe if you're Joe, you're just kind of thinking they do the right thing.
05:35And weirdly, because they did everything stupidly, they gave out the number.
05:39But this group knows the history better.
05:41They care about the history more.
05:43They have been way more reverential and respectful to the legends of this team.
05:47So I actually am more confident now that Diggs probably won't, if it's not up to Theismann,
05:52who's just going to be a nice guy and say, yeah, I guess so, man.
05:54Go for it.
05:55But the team will hopefully shut it down.
05:57Let's go to Sean in Southeast in D.C. on the fan.
06:00What's up, Sean?
06:01Sean, how are you guys doing?
06:03Thank you for taking my call.
06:04Got it, buddy.
06:05I have three quick points.
06:07One, I don't think he should wear number seven.
06:12Grant, you stole my thunder.
06:14Why don't they just wait until the end of preseason?
06:18And then number 14, Williams should find another number since he's a rookie,
06:24and he takes 14, or the backup quarterback should take another number,
06:30and he get number eight.
06:32That's one point.
06:34And another point is a lot of people are weighing 72,
06:38so that don't show no respect to Dexter Manley.
06:42And then number three, is it possible to reach out to Pete Haley
06:46and see what Pete Haley's thinking about this upcoming season?
06:50Thank you, guys.
06:51I was not ready for that last non-sequitur.
06:53That was amazing.
06:55I'm a Pete Haley guy.
06:56I might text him and let him know.
06:57Some guy.
06:583.35 p.m.
07:00On July 11th.
07:02That was the first time Pete's name's been brought up by a caller on our show ever,
07:05and it was like after a bunch of answers to questions that are relevant to the show.
07:10And then he said, call Pete Haley, who's doing some golf stuff right now, probably,
07:15or playing golf, and ask him what he thinks about football.
07:17I'm of two minds.
07:20One, I kind of want to do that.
07:22Just to, hey, Pete, what's going on?
07:23What do you think about football?
07:24But then the other part is I don't want to reward that,
07:26where someone calls and then they get to program the show.
07:28Yeah.
07:29Like, I don't know that I want to endorse that kind of behavior,
07:31but there is a part of me that's like, just want to casually call Pete as a show bit.
07:34And be like, what are you up to?
07:35What do you think about football?
07:36The number of availability changes as camp goes on.
07:40I think Traylon Burks will make the team.
07:42It's certainly not a lock.
07:43McLaurin's in, Williams is in, and Diggs is in.
07:47If both Luke and Lane make it for special teams,
07:51now you have maybe one spot left or two spots left.
07:54Deami Brown's probably in for his speed.
07:56He's also very close with Jaden Daniels.
07:59So is it Van Jefferson versus Burks for a spot?
08:02Even though Burks has had a really good camp, so has Jefferson.
08:04I mean, there's a world where 13 is just available,
08:06and Diggs has worn 13 a bunch.
08:08So there you go.
08:09But if it's not, I would just say, hey, you've worn multiple numbers.
08:15You're not like a one-number guy.
08:17Figure out another number that you can look good in.
08:19Gary in Fredericksburg, what's up?
08:22What's happening, guys?
08:23How are you doing today?
08:24Good.
08:25Good, buddy.
08:27Everybody just pretty much said everything that I was going to say,
08:30because I agree with everything that both you guys have said
08:32and even the last caller because, yeah,
08:34that number shouldn't be worn by him at all.
08:36And actually, being from around this area,
08:38even though he's traveling around other teams in different cities,
08:41he should know out of respect, not even ask.
08:45But that's just my opinion.
08:46I don't think a receiver should wear number seven anyway,
08:48but I'm old school.
08:49Well, you and me both.
08:50Oh, man.
08:50We've lost that fight.
08:52Me, you, and Darius are three people just shaking our fists at the sea
08:55on single-digit receiver numbers.
08:57Darius just tapped his chest.
08:58Well, Diggs' whole career has been between, what, one, eight, and 14
09:03is what he's worn.
09:04It's got to drive you guys nuts.
09:06Well, double digits is reasonable, always has been.
09:08Oh, but eight's a non-starter.
09:09Eight is a problem, yeah.
09:10That wasn't allowed until semi-recently.
09:12You couldn't do one either.
09:13That's miserable.
09:14Well, I would prefer that he didn't, but maybe we land there.
09:18Right now, Rashad White is wearing the jersey number one.
09:21But it's a good phone call.
09:24I'm with him on, it's a bad ask.
09:28I'm not upset at Stephon Diggs because the culture of football allows for it.
09:33It's not viewed as problematic.
09:35It's almost like a thing that you shouldn't do.
09:37I'm just making this up as I go.
09:39But asking someone, how much do you make?
09:42Or how much did you pay for your house or something?
09:45But if you're in an environment where that's what everybody does,
09:48if you're the Instagram account, I don't know if you've seen it,
09:51where the girl walks up and just says, hey, how much do you make a year?
09:53What's your job?
09:54Like, it's less weird.
09:55In football, it's not that weird to ask someone for their number.
10:00But it should be completely viewed as disrespectful and not respecting your elders enough.
10:07And it's not viewed that way, but it needs to be.
10:09Let's go to Julian in Fredericksburg.
10:11What's up, Julian?
10:12Hey, what's up, Grant and Danny?
10:14Man, love your show.
10:15I respect all opinions.
10:17Oh, by the way, Grant, I remember you coming up as a kid, man.
10:19I'm a still assistant basketball coach at James Monroe High School,
10:22Battlefield District, and the PA guy for James Monroe Football.
10:25Oh, let's go.
10:26Jackets.
10:27Yes, sir.
10:28Yes, sir, man.
10:28So I respect all opinions on my old Redskins fans from 72.
10:33And glad to have Diggs coming to the team.
10:37Not officially retired yet.
10:39I love Joe Thousand, man.
10:40And I remember I was at JMU when he, you know, Lawrence Taylor did his thing.
10:44But one year, why not?
10:46I'm good either way.
10:48One year, why not?
10:49Because it should be retired, and it's going to be retired, man.
10:51So, hey, let's go, Commanders.
10:53That's an interesting viewpoint there.
10:54Basically, it's either retired or it's not.
10:57It's in circulation until it isn't.
10:59And currently, it is technically in circulation.
11:01I understand that from, like, a logistical perspective.
11:03Here's the slippery slope, though, of one year.
11:06How do we know Diggs isn't coming back here?
11:08I mean, if he has a really good year, why shouldn't they sign him for a two-year deal
11:12at $30 million or whatever?
11:14I mean, there is no guarantee that it's a one and done.
11:18So if you give him the number now, he might have it as long as he's playing.
11:21Let's just say that's two or three more years.
11:23Does Joe Theismann have to wait two or three years to be out at Northwest Stadium
11:27getting his jersey retired?
11:29He's been waiting a long, long time.
11:30They didn't even start doing this finally until a few years ago.
11:33And now you're fifth or sixth in line or wherever it ended up being.
11:36Let's go to Mo and Largo on the fan.
11:38Hey, Mo, how are you?
11:41Good afternoon, gentlemen.
11:42Thank you for taking my call.
11:43Hey, buddy.
11:44Based upon what I heard in his tone, Joe's not trying to give up that number.
11:49You know, he's being polite, you know, doing his, you know, talk show thing and everything.
11:53But he doesn't want to give up his number because he easily said you can have the fries.
11:57You know what I'm saying?
11:58He could have said that he could have the jersey, but he didn't.
12:02He said he would let the team handle the situation.
12:04The line at the end, Mo, he did.
12:06He said, the fries you can have.
12:08The fries you can have.
12:09Yep.
12:09I took that as a, the jersey, I'll keep that one.
12:13But the fries?
12:14Exactly.
12:15You can have the fries.
12:16Funny.
12:17Exactly.
12:18So, you know, and I can respect that.
12:20I can respect that.
12:22I don't really view it as disrespectful from Diggs' perspective just because, like you said,
12:27I mean, the team didn't retire the number.
12:29And I don't think it's that he wants to wear his jersey.
12:33He just wants to wear the number seven.
12:34And Joe happened to wear the number seven.
12:36So, I get the correlation there, but I don't think it's that big a deal because how else
12:42does Joe Theismann stay relevant?
12:45And I don't mean that disrespectfully at all, but in today's age, like a lot of these kids
12:50watching the game, they know nothing about Joe Theismann.
12:52So, if anything, maybe them seeing that number sparks the conversation between them and their
12:57elder, and then their elder gets the time to, you know, take him down memory lane and
13:00say, Joe Theismann was a badass, you know, and this is what he did while he quarterbacked
13:04his team.
13:04So, you know, I can see it from both ways.
13:06But doesn't his jersey getting retired do that too, though?
13:09I would say that's probably the best way to do it.
13:11But the other, but here's the thing, Moe, and this is the only pushback I would have.
13:15If Diggs had just gone, hey, Washington fam or whatever, I'd love to wear number seven.
13:20What do you guys think?
13:21And then someone went, hey, dude, that's Joe Theismann.
13:23The way he framed it was, hey, I know this is the GOATs.
13:27I know this is Joe Theismann.
13:28You know, the franchise all-time leader, Super Bowl winner, most passing yards, you know, one of
13:32the greats, former MVP, I need the GOATs jersey to help me get it.
13:36That's different than, hey, I'd love to wear number nine or number 81 or whatever.
13:41That's the difference to me.
13:44800-636-1067 is the number on Grant and Danny.
13:48Joe Theismann put the ball in the commander's court.
13:51Said it's up to them.
13:52They got to make the decision here.
13:53He doesn't want to be the guy to say yes or no, basically.
13:57What should the team do?
13:58Stephon Diggs wants number seven.
14:00This is the...
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