Exclusive: A.Q. Shipley talks Pat McAfee, Tom Brady, Kyler Murray, Cardinals and More

Pat McAfee has an incomparable charisma that has led him to become arguably the most famous NFL broadcaster on the planet.

But that’s not the only thing that has rocketed the ESPN mega-personality to superstardom.

Ex-Colts teammate A.Q. Shipley sat down with Vegas Insider for a wide-ranging interview this week, where he shared the secret sauce behind McAfee’s greatness, explained why Tom Brady will jump at being Fernando Mendoza’s mentor, analyzed the NFL draft and much more.

As Vegas Insider continues covering the biggest storylines in football, fans following the NFL offseason can also explore the latest Best Sportsbook Promos or check out the FanDuel Promo Code for current offers as the league prepares for the upcoming season.

Shipley: McAfee ‘a magician on the mic, but it’s the other stuff’

Shipley, a center in the NFL from 2009-2020, has been best friends with McAfee since playing together in Indianapolis in 2012 and 2014.

He also has a recurring guest spot on the Pat McAfee Show called ‘In the Trenches,’ so is intimately familiar with both McAfee the person and the show host.

“It’s been special to see,” Shipley said in an exclusive interview. “He was the best man at my wedding and I was in his wedding. We go way back. He is, in my opinion, the most brilliant guy on the planet when it comes to the internet. I’ve had a front-row seat these last four or five years to be a fly on the wall when I get there every Wednesday morning. I watch the way this thing operates. And it’s changed.

“When we first started doing it, we were friends, like, ‘Hey, how you doing? What’s going on?’ Now it’s a full-tilt operation. It’s straight business. It’s his show, and he knows how important it is. He knows how many people are watching it now. So he knows like, ‘Hey, listen, we’re going to be putting a graphic onto the screen, and it better be right. We can’t be screwing things up.’ It’s very detailed now.”

McAfee comes across as a fun-loving commentator, but Shipley says he is a perfectionist behind the scenes.

“I’ve never seen anybody work as tirelessly to make it such a good product,” Shipley said. “He’s obviously a magician on the mic, but it’s the other stuff. It’s the work ethic, the behind-the-scenes, the want-to to be the best. And watching that has been awesome.”

McAfee’s loyalty and eye for talent also stand out. He has numerous ex-athletes on the show, but also a group of regulars who were childhood friends or submitted applications to join the crew.

“A lot of them came up almost through internships,” Shipley said. “Kind of funny, good on the internet. They sent a video and all of a sudden they're in it. He trusts his guys.”

Shipley: Tom Brady will embrace mentoring Fernando Mendoza

Tom Brady is part-owner of the Raiders, but he also has numerous entrepreneurial ventures and broadcasting duties that command his attention.

Shipley played with Brady on the Buccaneers’ 2020 Super Bowl team, and was asked if his former teammate would embrace mentoring presumed No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza in Las Vegas.

“I really do think so,” Shipley said. “Tom wants to win at all costs. More than anybody I’ve ever seen. So if his name is on the Raiders, he will do everything he can to help that organization. What does that entail? He’s only the smartest quarterback that’s ever played the game. So I think he would 100 percent bend over backwards to take on that role.”

Shipley said Brady’s advice to Mendoza will be invaluable for the young quarterback.

“He’s one of the smartest guys I’ve ever been around, and when you watch his ability to prepare, his ability to see the game before it happens, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before,” Shipley said. “When I watch that, there is so much stuff he can give to a young quarterback. I think he will love doing that.”

Shipley: Cardinals should pass on Ty Simpson

There is a lot of chatter about the Cardinals choosing Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, either with the No. 34 overall pick or by trading up into the end of the first round.

Would that be a sensible move to Shipley, who played for the team from 2015-2019?

“Not for me,” Shipley said. “I think you ride it out. You’ve got your 1 and 2. You’ve got (Jacoby) Brissett and you’ve got (Gardner) Minshew. Let it ride. Anywhere between (rounds) 3 and 7 become value picks, so if you can steal a Ty Simpson or Carson Beck in 3 through 7, then I think you take someone. Why not, right? I would not reach in 1, 2 or 3 though. Maybe late third.”

Shipley was with the Cardinals in 2018 when they traded up to take Josh Rosen with the No. 10 overall pick in the draft. He was traded a year later and ended up an NFL bust.

“When Dante Moore went back to school, 2 and 3 are no longer 2 and 3,” Shipley said. “Now do you reach because of need? Well, we’ve already seen that. We saw that in 2018. So I doubt they’d go that route.”

Shipley seems to lean toward Beck, the University of Miami product, as his preferred developmental quarterback.

Beck is 6-foot-5 and 233 pounds. Simpson checks in at 6-foot-1 and 211 pounds.

“Carson Beck is big,” Shipley said. “I like big. I don’t like small.”

Shipley: No. 3 overall might be too rich for a right tackle

The Cardinals have the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, and while Shipley likes the talent of Miami’s Francis Mauigoa and Utah’s Spencer Fano, he is worried about the positional value of a right tackle when selecting that high.

“I do love both,” Shipley said. “The kid from Miami and the kid from Utah. I actually love the kid from Iowa too, Gennings Dunker. I don’t know if there is a way where he can fall into the second, and then (draft Dunker) depending on what you do at 3.

“Because 3 is tough to take a right tackle. If Mauigoa or Fano were left tackles, and you didn’t have a left, then yeah, no-brainer. But I just think it’s tough to spend 3 on a right. I’d almost like to steal somebody in the second or trade back and get somebody at 9, and then steal someone else at 28 or 30, whatever it is. I like the kid from Miami the best. He’s awesome.”

An edge-rusher has more value than a right tackle, so Shipley could see that as the option, although he’d stay away from Arvell Reese.

The Cardinals used first-round picks on hybrid linebackers Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins in recent years and neither lived up to the billing.

“I’ve watched so many first-round potential failures, so I would not touch a tweener,” Shipley said. “To me, the Ohio State kid (Reese) is a tweener. Is he an inside guy? Is he an outside guy? Will that work out, maybe. It’s a 50-50 shot.

“To me, the No. 1 guy is David Bailey. If you’re going to take one, I like him. And if you’re going to take best available, the running back from Notre Dame (Jeremiyah Love) is awesome. They can go in a multitude of directions.”

Shipley talks potential Paris Johnson contract extension

The Cardinals have loads of cap room for the foreseeable future, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them extend left tackle Parish Johnson on a lavish deal.

Would Shipley give the 24-year-old former top-10 pick big money this offseason? He doesn’t have a definitive answer.

“He’s got all the tools, man,” Shipley said. “Now he’s just got to put it all together. I think it’s probably a similar trajectory to D.J. (Humphries). Start off on the right, move back to the left, get comfortable. He was put an interesting situation. (Drew) Petzing’s offense, I really like some of the stuff he does, but a lot of it is slow-developing. It’s like Bruce Arians’ offense. You’re holding on for dear life.”

Shipley believes new coach Mike LaFleur’s offense will be much friendlier for Johnson and the rest of the offensive line.

“If you turn on Jacksonville, San Fran or L.A. -- if you’re an o-lineman in those two schemes right now, which hopefully coach LaFleur brings here -- you’re only legitimately in one-on-one pass protection seven or eight times per game,” Shipley said. “The rest of it is play-action, naked, fake this or that, so you really only have seven true dropback passes per game. That’s an O-lineman’s heaven. Paris has been put in a situation where it’s like, ‘Hey, you’re a left tackle. Go out and win.’”

Shipley: Kevin O’Connell will teach Kyler Murray whole quarterback picture

Shipley was the starting center for the Cardinals during Kyler Murray’s rookie season in 2019.

New coach Kliff Kingsbury accentuated Murray’s strengths that year, but Shipley didn’t see enough growth in the seasons that followed.

He believes Murray will benefit greatly from joining Kevin O’Connell.

“Kevin O’Connell is the best in the business,” Shipley said. “He really is. He does such a good job. I think it’s a dream scenario for a quarterback. If he ends up being the guy, which he should be, Kevin is going to be really good for him. Kevin is big on the knowledge, understanding the whole picture. I’m not sure Kyler was ever fully held accountable to know that world. It started with, ‘Hey, he’s a great athlete so we’ll do what he does best, but not really teach him the whole gamut.’”

While Murray has improvisational ability that can’t be taught, Shipley would like to see him have more command at the line of scrimmage before the snap.

“I’m still a purist,” Shipley said. “I still love seeing Aaron Rodgers get to the line of scrimmage and dictate the show. I’m not sure Kyler technically can do that right now. So getting with Kevin will be really good.”

Murray is more introverted than other quarterbacks. Shipley would like to see him make a concerted effort to be vocal as he steps into an immediate leadership role with the Vikings.

“I was with him his first year, and obviously as a rookie it’s tough,” Shipley said. “We had a veteran O-line group. I just wish he would be a little bit more forthcoming (vocally). I think it would go a long way for everybody. I think that’s part of your job.

“It’s kind of a lost art. You’ve got to be able to get in the huddle and look your guys in the eyes when it’s short yardage on third down. I’ve heard from some of the guys that he’s gotten better every year with that, but if you’re going to run a franchise, like, yeah Justin Jefferson is that guy, but he’s still looking to you. Everybody looks to the quarterback. So I think it would be beneficial for him to do that, and hopefully he does.”

Shipley: Bucs should extend Baker Mayfield

After a terrific 2024 season and start to 2025, Baker Mayfield struggled down the stretch last season.

But as he enters the final year of his contract, Shipley stridently believes the Buccaneers should give Mayfield a lucrative extension before the season.

“I love Baker,” Shipley said. “You want to talk about getting the respect of everybody in the locker room: that’s the guy. There’s not a single person in that building that doesn’t love him. Now, his level of play will dictate if he stays there forever. I think injuries played a major part in where he was last year, and I do think he’s a franchise guy.”

Shipley is in more of a wait-and-see mode with head coach Todd Bowles.

Shipley raves about Bowles’ defensive mind after being with him in both Arizona and Tampa, and acknowledges the personnel losses that hit the Bucs this offseason.

But he knows it’s a bottom-line business for coaches.

“They’ve got to win,” Shipley said. “You win the Super Bowl and then turn the keys over to Todd. We’ve won and snuck into the playoffs, but really haven’t done anything. So I do think he’s a brilliant mind, and from what I understand he’s pretty good in front of the whole group, but it comes down to winning. I don’t want to say hot seat, but if it’s not this year, you’ve got to do something in the next two years.”

Shipley: Colts should trade Anthony Richardson during draft

Shipley had stints with the Colts in 2012 and 2014 and still keeps close tabs on his former team.

Anthony Richardson has been mentioned in trade rumors throughout the offseason, and Shipley believes Indianapolis should deal him during the draft.

“It’s time for a fresh start,” Shipley said. “They gave him the keys. It didn’t work. It was one of those classic ‘He’s got a huge arm, great size and he runs well.’ That’s one-tenth of the puzzle. And now you’ve benched him and brought in Daniel Jones. You’re a lame duck sitting there. He could definitely use a refresh.”

Shipley doubts Richardson will develop into a starting quarterback at this point after evidence to the contrary.

“That’s kind of the way I operate,” Shipley said. “I don’t really believe in potential, especially when you’re 22 years old. There’s not much more room to grow. You can understand the game better, which will make you better, but you’ve got to have 8 out of 10 boxes checked at that point.”

Shipley hopes Richardson embraces the role of a backup if that’s where his career ends up.

“Maybe backup is his world,” Shipley said. “I’ve watched backups play 14 years and live a great life. But if you’re a backup, you’ve got to bring a different skillset. That’s on the board, that’s being a mentor, helping the (starter) by writing reports. You’ve got to find your niche. Jameis (Winston) has done a great job of transitioning into that world. It’s OK. Everybody doesn’t need to be the guy.”

Shipley: Drew Allar ‘looks like Carson Palmer’

Shipley is a product of Penn State, which has one of the more interesting quarterback prospects in the draft.

Drew Allar took a step back in 2025, averaging only 6.9 yards per pass attempt in six games before a season-ending ankle injury, but has a strong arm and measured in at 6-foot-5 and 228 pounds during the combine.

“It’s going to be interesting,” Shipley said. “I don’t think he’s going to be a Day 1 or a Day 2 guy, but (Brock) Purdy proved it: it doesn’t matter where you go anymore. Drew’s got all the traits. He’s big as heck. I was an honorary captain at the Fiesta Bowl, and standing next to him on the sideline, he looks like Carson Palmer. He will have his chances.”

Allar has reportedly had some impressive workouts leading up to the draft, which figures to intrigue front office personnel.

“Obviously he threw the ball well at Combine, Pro Day,” Shipley said. “He’s an interesting one. His body of work on tape isn’t quote-unquote the best, but there is definitely potential. And there are a lot of GMs that still like to draft on potential.”