In this special-post draft edition of the TFG Pod, Melissa opens with three players to keep an eye on out of the NFL Draft (1:57 ) and thoughts on the monstrosity of the weekend.

Then the multi-talented Mina Kimes from ESPN joins for a wide-ranging conversation (begins 11:15 ) that captures her thoughts from why the Baker Mayfield pick could change draft think to the NFL’s big parrot fail to normalizing women talking sports on TV to loving football despite its issues, and so much more.

Melissa ends with a musing on why it’s finally time for the NFL to be honest about the dangers of tackle football for young kids.


THE RUNDOWN

1:57 : Melissa on the something-to-prove players coming out of the NFL Draft

5:58 : Melissa on ESPN's lackluster pursuit of Jason Witten for MNF

11:15 : MINA KIMES JOINS THE POD

13:30 : Mina on why Russell Wilson could be fine despite OL questions + similarities with Lamar Jackson

16:20 : Mina on how Baker Mayfield could bust conventional draft think

17:55 : Mina on she approaches her NFL Draft analysis

22:15 : Mina and Melissa take the NFL the task for promising a Day 3 talking parrot and not delivering

24:23 : Mina on the NFL’s current trajectory

27:05 : Mina on how the NFL should market to women

30:15 : Mina on the day ESPN reached out to her out of the blue

33:28 : Mina on her entire writing process and what she strives to achieve with profiles

36:43 : Mina on getting ready for Aaron Rodgers to come to her house for an interview!!

37:45 : Mina on ESPN giving women a mainstream voice

42:20 : Mina on still loving football despite it being “so messed up in so many ways”

43:44 : Mina’s choice for the next MNF analyst

45:00 : Mina on the evolution of her etch-a-sketching skills

47:15 : Melissa’s Musing on the NFL’s moral responsibility to warm young kids about dangers of playing tackle until age 14

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