Peter Schrager Once Ripped Ron Rivera On TV For Benching Cam Newton And Then Had To Meet With Him Just A Few Days Later

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On today's Pardon My Take… PETER SCHRAGER! The Big J journalist for FOX and the NFL Network joined Mr. Cat and Mr. Commenter in-studio to break down all the biggest storylines in the league. Schrager also came with some great personal stories, including one that happened with the previous Head Coach of the Carolina Panthers, Ron Rivera. 

As most Big J's do on television, sometimes they are critical of coaching decisions. That was the case here, when Schrager did not agree with the benching of QB Cam Newton at the time. I'll let him explain the details of this story…

Peter Schrager: I don't know i you guys remember this, it was on a Sunday night. Ron Rivera benched Cam Newton because Cam didn't wear a tie on the plane.

Mr. Cat: Yeah.

Mr. Commenter: Yeah, I remember that. There was a lot of tie discourse that week.

Peter Schrager: So, I came out, I'm like, "This guy won you an MVP, this guy is the man. Ron Rivera, get off your high horse, whatever." And Derek Anderson, on the first pass, throws a pick six, Seattle blows them out. The next morning I come in, I'm like, "Okay, here's my big moment. I'm going to go viral, come out and take Ron Rivera to…" I don't know Ron Rivera from anyone. I'm like, "Alright, I'm going to take him down." I get a text from Brandon Beane, who is now with the Bills as GM, who was in Carolina and he's like, "Ooooh boy. I just saw what you said and Ron's in the room with me. You might want to call Ron and just like…" Call Ron?

Mr. Cat: You've never talked to him.

Peter Schrager: Don't know him. It's Ron Rivera, I don't know him, I'm coming in, like, I knew him maybe like I did a press conference at the Super Bowl, whatever. The next week, I was doing sidelines, and I look at my schedule, my FOX assignment, you can't make it up: Atlanta @ Carolina. So, I've got to sit in a room like this with Ron Rivera, and I'm shitting a brick like the entire week. Because A) I'm sure there was a reason why and B) I went way overboard with it. I'm talking about losing his job, all this stuff. 

Peter Schrager: So, I get in there, and Beane stops me, and he's with Steven Drummond, who's their PR guy. And they're like, Ron is looking to talk to you and I'm like, "Ah, shit." So, I come in, and Ron like reads me the Riot Act out of the gates, like, "Who the F do you think you are? You're a nobody. You think you're hot. I've never seen you. I don't know you." And then he looks at those guys and he starts laughing and he's like, "I'm just fucking with you."

Mr. Cat: Ohhhh, that's awesome. 

Peter Schrager: And he goes, I'm just fucking with you… but…. 

Mr. Commenter: but also, that's true. Everything I said was true. 

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Peter Schrager: Also, everything I said is absolutely true. but he's like, "Let this be a lesson. Here's my number, and you're going to learn this as you get into this role. I hope you're not doing this for one season, you're going to learn this. If you've got something that's really critical and you want to be the Skip Bayless and you want to have that take, here's my number if you really have a problem, let's talk before you on on air."

Mr. Cat: Yeah, so he can explain his side. 

Peter Schrager: "I can explain it, and if you still have that take, great, as long as it's authentic."

Oh my goodness, what a story! I can only imagine how nervous Schrager was as he was entering this meeting with Ron Rivera. Luckily, Riverboat Ron was a very good sport about it, but man, I would be so, so nervous getting into that room with him. Crazy.