Alex Cora FIRED! 2026 NFL Draft Recap + Diego Pavia Falls

About this episode

The episode covers the fallout from the 2026 NFL Draft, the firing of Alex Cora, and changes in the NFL's international strategy.

It’s Episode 315 of Empty the Bench with Nick Morgasen and Zain Bando, and the sports world is currently in a state of total upheaval. From a historic draft weekend in Pittsburgh to a seismic shift in the NFL’s international strategy and a shocking vacancy at Fenway Park, we are breaking down the headlines that moved the needle this weekend. We lead off with a full NFL Draft Recap . Now that the dust has settled on the 2026 class, we analyze the winners and losers of the high-stakes weekend. We discuss whether the Raiders truly found their franchise anchor in Fernando Mendoza or if they reached too early, and we break down the teams—like the Chiefs and Browns—that mastered the value board to reshape their rosters. The media landscape is also shifting as we discuss the "changing of the guard" at NBC. With reports that Chris Simms is out and Mike Tomlin is officially in for Football Night in America , we examine what the Super Bowl-winning coach brings to the desk and how a "traveling" pregame show will change the Sunday night experience. Plus, the NFL is heading to South America. We break down the news that the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens will face off at the iconic…

People in this episode

Hosts: Nick Morgasen, Zain Bando

Topics covered

• NFL Draft Recap
• Alex Cora firing
• NFL international strategy
• media landscape changes
• NBA Playoffs

Keywords

• NFL Draft
• Alex Cora
• Fernando Mendoza
• Mike Tomlin
• Dallas Cowboys
• Baltimore Ravens
• NBA Playoffs

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NBC, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens

Places: Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro

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