Hang Up and Listen - The Chiefs and the Week 2 NFL Panic Button

Sep 15, 2025

The podcast kicks off with a discussion on the Chiefs' alarming 0-2 start, questioning if their aging roster is catching up with them. Sidney Crosby's potential exit from the Penguins is explored, raising questions about the loyalty owed to legendary players. Angel Reese's public criticism of her teammates in the WNBA adds spice, alongside an analysis of playoff dynamics. The legality of the 'tush-push' play creates further debate, and the panel reflects on deeper issues, including domestic violence allegations in the NFL that demand attention.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Week Two Is Panic Time

Week two is when light panic buttons become reasonable across the NFL, especially with injury news like Joe Burrow's turf toe.
Injuries to star QBs can quickly reshape season expectations and trade chatter.

INSIGHT

Crosby's One-Team Era May End

Sidney Crosby may no longer finish his career only with the Penguins as the team slides into a rebuild.
His agent signaled a trade is possible if Pittsburgh can't turn things around soon.

INSIGHT

Why One-Team Legends Are Fading

The decline of one-team legends reflects free agency, ring-chasing culture, and roster economics rather than just player choice.
Fans value continuity, but salary caps and supermax dynamics push stars to move for titles or money.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs discuss the beginning of the NFL season, and the Kansas City Chiefs’ 0-2 record; their worst start since 2014 when they last missed the playoffs. Has their aging lineup started to catch up to them? Plus, the return of tush-push discourse.

Next, the 38-year-old Sidney Crosby has played a whopping 20 seasons for the Penguins and is arguably the best player of his generation. But as the Penguins continue to flail, Crosby’s management is signaling he may not be long for the team. What do teams owe to their oldest, most storied players, and is it the end of the one-team legend?

Then, Angel Reese publicly criticized her Chicago Sky teammates in the Chicago Sun Times, calling out weak recruiting and their reliance on injured players. Reese and the team have reconciled, but for how long? We also catch up on the WNBA playoffs: The Lynx may feel inevitable, but Lindsay argues there may be some meaningful challengers as the playoffs roll on.

In afterballs, the Tyreek Hill’s domestic violence allegations are barely registering in conversations about his rumored trade to the Kansas City Chiefs. Lindsay looks back at the details of the claims against him, and why they’re important to remember.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses Phillies Karen, the ball hawker who went viral after demanding the return of a ball from a child. After several false accusations and an ongoing campaign to unmask the ball-taker, have we taken bad ball park etiquette too far?

NFL Week 2 (3:52): A panic button for the Chiefs

Sidney Cosby and the Penguins (19:22): The end of an era?

The WNBA Playoffs (34:54): Angel Reese and Lynx domination

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Want more Hang Up and Listen? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page, or visit slate.com/hangupplus to get access wherever you listen.

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Benjamin Frisch, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.