3 & Out - LIVE from The NFL Combine, Seahawks GM John Schneider stops by, Los Angeles Chargers voice Matt "Money" Smith joins

Three and Out from the combine—flight fiasco, foggy morning, but we’re rolling with two guests: newly crowned Super Bowl champ John Schneider and Chargers voice Matt “Money” Smith.

It still feels surreal; the season ended and we went straight from the parade to free agency meetings, coordinator interviews, and ownership business, so I’m solid on free agency but catching up on draft study.

Experience helps; I stack lessons and journal daily since 2008, which keeps me steady when the calendar gets crazy.

Sam Darnold’s arc felt like a pure sports story—no noise, just resilience and a ring; what did you see up close?

From camp on, Sam was low‑ego, tough, and seamless with coaches and teammates—strong belief without the chest‑thumping, and it set our tone.

You lost Kubiak late; how much did continuity for Sam drive the OC hire?

A lot; Brian coached Sam in San Francisco and fits our system, and for Mike the priority was keeping as much of the offensive collective intact as possible.

Our tree has sprouted plenty of head coaches over the years, and this week is bigger than ever—medical is key, but the expanded Zoom and in‑room interviews give us real clarity on prospects.

Congrats on the run—no one saw that heater coming, and it was a blast to watch.

Now, Money Smith—golf buddy, AM 570 with Petros, and a decade on Chargers play‑by‑play; how do you juggle a loose local show with game calls?

We ditched syndication to be unapologetically L.A., built long relationships in a car city, and jumped into podcasting early so listeners could take us anywhere.

I came up at KROQ and now iHeart’s distribution makes access easy, even for competitors—the pipeline matters more than turf.

Dodgers feel NFL‑big right now; what’s it like being in that orbit?

We broadcast from the field, know the guys, and Andrew Friedman bristled at the idea money buys wins—Mookie, Freddie, Shohei grind like pros, and that culture is why the checks go to the right people.

If Harbaugh could convert one Dodger into a football player, would he pick Mookie or Ohtani?

Shohei—huge frame, effortless speed, and a trunk built for contact; you see him up close and think quarterback clinic immediately.

What was calling games at the StubHub Center like, and how special was that recent Philip Rivers cameo?

StubHub was intimate and wild for a broadcast, tough for the team; Rivers is pure heart—turned down a massive TV deal to honor his kids and players, and I could see him as a head coach in the right spot.

Herbert’s had rough playoff days; what’s really driving it, and how does the new setup fix it?

Last year was protection chaos and unblocked rushers, which forced him out of structure; the plan in New England puzzled me, but Harbaugh’s identity plus the McDaniel hire should lean into physicality and clarity.

Mike McDaniel’s lens stuck with me: offense poses the question, defense tries to guess the answer; the best coaches make the question brutally hard, often with the run game as the backbone.

How do the Chargers’ weapons and front‑office synergy look under Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz?

Ladd McConkey can be a true WR1 with run‑after‑catch juice, Trey Harris is a selfless enforcer who will pop in Year 2, and Hortiz drafts for our physical identity—tone, toughness, and fit.

Khalil Mack’s a free agent; how hard do you push to keep him?

He’s the standard—mentors, works every day, and elevates Tuli and the rush package; if the math works around Owenu and Tuli’s deal, you fight to keep him in SoCal.

What’s the key to breaking through in a nasty division?

Defense has a real shot under Chris O’Leary, a sharp Jesse Minter disciple, and if the offense hits its stride, they’re in the tournament with a high floor and Herbert’s ceiling.

Quick detour—USC’s slide and the Notre Dame rivalry pause feel off; where did it go wrong?

Top‑down missteps and letting a coach dictate tradition hurt; I doubt Lincoln Riley’s there in two years, and USC needs a culture rebuilder—think trenches, identity, and someone like Pat Fitzgerald, while Chris Petersen would be a home run if he wanted it.

Good chop today—next time we golf, I’ll try swinging like you instead of just holding the clubs.

New‑dad swing here too; appreciate you, Money—see you down the road.