What’s More Likely: Rich Talks Rams, Browns, Raiders, Bengals, Steelers, Ohtani, NBA & More

Chris Brockman ran the Friday What's More Likely. Rich worked through a long string of NFL, NBA, and baseball questions, almost all of which landed on the same answer. Trust the players who refuse to be doubted.

The first question asked who is more likely to be the Rams starting quarterback in 2028: Matthew Stafford or Ty Simpson. Rich went Simpson. Stafford's just-announced extension keeps him in Los Angeles through 2027, but the structural logic favors Simpson taking over after that. Stafford's family has gotten increasing camera time. He has roughly $105 million on the table to play through 2027. After that, retirement is a real possibility.

The Myles Garrett question came next. More likely Garrett is traded Micah Parsons-style or wins Defensive Player of the Year again in 2026. Rich went DPOY. Both possibilities remain alive, in his read. He has not stopped flagging the fact that new Cleveland head coach Todd Monken has not met Garrett face-to-face yet, with Memorial Day approaching.

"Spring is springing," Rich said, before pivoting to call DPOY the more likely outcome.

The Raiders question was about whether the Las Vegas quarterback room will see more starters or whether the NFL will see more undefeated teams heading into November. Rich went Raiders QBs. The cardinality question that followed was whether the number is one or two starters. Rich went one.

"Now, you going to ask me who that starter is?" Rich said, before refusing to answer.

The AFC North question was the easy one. Steelers or Bengals to win the division. Rich went Bengals. He cited Joe Burrow's most-talented-roster declaration from earlier in the week, the addition of Dexter Lawrence, and the betting market's reading. Bettors have the Bengals favored in 15 of 17 games this year, per a Mike Florio piece Chris flagged.

"Last time there was a Super Bowl in SoFi Stadium," Rich noted, "you know who played in it for the AFC? Joe Burrow."

The AFC Super Bowl 61 quarterback question listed the under-30 quartet (Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson) against the field. Rich took the quartet. He admitted to toying with a Chargers-Rams Super Bowl as his offseason gut call.

The NBA section produced the line of the segment. Rich was asked which would be the higher number in Spurs-Thunder Game 3: Isaiah Hartenstein fouls or Victor Wembanyama blocks. Rich went Wemby blocks.

"By the third quarter," Rich predicted, on Hartenstein fouling out.

The cast joked that the Spurs video department had sent the league a DVD of Hartenstein's tactics overnight. Rich agreed, suggesting the cut-up came with a Thriller-length runtime.

The Conference Finals series question was whether both go seven games or neither does. Rich went neither. He believes Spurs-Thunder very well could go seven, with Wembanyama possibly taking a 30-footer with the series on the line, but Knicks-Cavs, in his read, will not.

The closer was the Ohtani question. More likely Shohei Ohtani gives up a run, or Chris backs off his take that Ohtani should stop pitching. Rich answered immediately.

"Ohtani gives up a run," he said. "You're not giving that up. You're never giving that up."

Rich's framing of Chris's stubbornness was generous. Chris's take, he said, was at heart a real opinion he believed in, even if Overreaction Monday gave it the costume of a bit. Chris is not going to back off.

Rich closed with the larger framing.

"Name the top five active athletes you should never doubt," he said. He asked TJ for the list. Wherever Ohtani lands on it, Rich said, he is no lower than two.

The room went silent before someone confirmed it. Ohtani is number one.