The Architecture of Belief: Inside Sudeikis, Hunt, and Arsenal's Epochal 2026 Moment

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It's talking about everything that's come for your rich, young lady Greyhounds and for your defending champion, Arsenal football club. Do you want to welcome back Mr. Jason Sudakis and Brendan, huh? What was the best thing? I said all tightly, speak some poetry. I just read what you told me to do. The world is ready to believe and believe again. Like I said, last time we saw you, World Cup final, halftime show. Number one, who came up with the concept? So how many times you rehearsed with the Bebes? Yeah, we did. The concept, I think, was Chris Martin and whoever he had right now. We rehearsed with the Bebes twice. From the Infantina. I don't think, I don't, he may have, I'm not, I'm not, you know. That's his creve, but I think he just walks around around swings a baseball bat and just and someone's furiously typing. He's one of those kind of writers. And then, yeah, we rehearsed with Bebes on Monday. We did it at a different venue like in the Jets practice facility. We did one of those big plastic, you know, bubble domes. Yeah, it's very moth. Yeah, exactly. So nobody, nobody, nobody knew where we were. Parts unknown. And then we rehearsed in the at Met Life or New York, New Jersey Stadium, as it was referred to on the Friday before. I mean, I, you know, look, I don't know, I hope it doesn't bother you, but I give a huge shout out Monday night before we rehearsed. This guy was like, Hey, we should have the believe sign, but I should say believe and I was like, that is amazing. I was like blown away. I was just sitting there. I was like, ah, that's great. And then didn't, didn't text Chris right away brought it up like the next day, like face to face because sometimes those type of pitches go better when it's, you know, mono, we mono, eyeball to eyeball, warm eyes to warm eyes as my sister Lindsey would say, and he loved it and they had it made. And then, yeah, we were off to the races. 1.5 billion people watching around the world. Yeah, everyone loves puns. And we proved it. Finally, conveniently, they all love Bieber as well. Yeah, they're sure that might have been sorted over. You both started and finished the World Cup. You're on the field for the US opening ceremony, flagged to the 48 participating countries. We went home to Kansas City. It was beautiful to watch. Arrowhead Stadium jump with Argentinian fans as if there is a suburb of Rosario. What was your favorite World Cup memory? I mean, sitting back stage, you know, the two of us dressed as the characters with the fellas from BTS as they were getting their final touches done. The majority of those fellas were paying attention. Their hair and makeup people were not. So like, at some point, like, there's the screen is here. And there's just a gala just adjusting like six blocks of hair. Like, and I'm just kind of like, how do I, not always like, I didn't see a meat. I'm not going to yell at anybody. You know, in general, but much less dressed as Ted Lasso, not that they, you know, that that gal had any idea who I was. But that was a pretty surreal more of the import of the World Cup final. Yeah, it's on the TV behind her. And finally, when she goes away, Madonna's wardrobe rack comes through just really slowly, really slowly, as Spain is really cooking with the ball. Like, oh, brother. So, we don't really know what happened in the first half, but what we did, we did our best. KC current CP KC Stadium, they do make a sparkling appearance in episode one of Ted Lasso out now, Apple TV. Very first episode, I will give no spoilers, but it does set up Ted's next challenge as head coach of Richmond's Women's Football Team, the Lady Greyhounds. What's a heart of the thing for you, Brendan, about refashioning the show to focus on the World of Women's Football? Um, gosh, I mean, just coming up with the, with new characters and, you know, who these new team, new new new team players were going to be. Other than that, nothing really like hard per se about it. Like, you know, we already had, you know, our toes and women's football a little bit him, more and even more women's sports with his WNBA fandom. And, you know, we'll walk on the street to go to Liberty Games, but yeah, that wasn't hard per se, but we didn't, you know, want to make, you know, as fun of characters on the team as we had done the first time around. Jason, I know you've got a friendship with that became an authenticity consultant, awesome women's player, Leia Williamson. What was a singular insight that she gave you, these wouldn't have known other ones? Ali, just from the mindset of, of a player going through an injury, you know, that, that was, that was super, super helpful. And she, she's, she's had a couple of duties. Yeah, exactly. And, and I would ask her questions, you know, text her like sometimes the, because, you know, she, we were, um, she was over in the UK. And, you know, time is, you know, as precious for anyone in any place. Um, and so I would give her like, you know, here's, here's 10 questions, you know, we, you know, from, from the writer's room. And then I would just get back to these like wonderful, like, you know, voice notes. And I, and I just told her, I go, I'm, if it's okay, when you do these voice notes, I'm going to, you know, type them out so we can, we can give them. And, and some instances just play them. Uh, so, you know, just be aware of that. Uh, but then she was just very, like, as if having her in the writer's room, it was wonderful. Like, she just, you know, honest, vulnerable, you know, authentic, like, and, and, and as I know her as a human being, and, and as I think people have come to learn about her as an athlete as well, that it was just like the real deal. So, so, but that, that's the one that comes to mind first and foremost. It's like Jim Harbour and the travel khaki inside. I mean, it's a similar kind of thing, except, I mean, similar kind of person. Yeah, just giving, giving you, giving you what they got, shooting you straight. They're, you know, no, no judgment. You know, why you just, boom, open, you know, open the floodgates and let it, let it roll somehow been three years. And I think approximately 42 Chelsea managers since the end of Ted Lasso season three. Jason, you said at the time, the end of this story that we wanted to tell, that we're hoping to tell that we love to tell is just occurred. Was it a moment? An experience when he decided, no, we're coming back that you thought Ted Lasso needed to live again? Not a specific one. It was really the phrase I've come up with, it was like yes, by a thousand cuts. It was both things going on internally, just the, you know, here in the voices that we know and I had grown to love from the first three seasons. But then I started to hear these disembodied voices and ideas and visions of characters, which sounds like so avoidatory and I apologize for that. But it was the truth. And then it was just a matter of, you know, hanging out with Brendan and our buddy Joe. We did the commercials with way back when. And seeing if my enthusiasm was resonating amongst them and then the writers. But then are all these things going on. Like as Brendan referenced, you know, me going to these WNBA games with my family and my sisters, whenever we're back here in New York, we're just a 10 minute walk from to Barclays, which is something I've always envied of people that grew up and, you know, in Northside Chicago, walking a regularly or anybody living in North London, be able to, you know, destroy over to the Emirates for an afternoon of sport. We get to do that, like with our, with our family. And our tickets are right next to the opposing bench. So just, I wasn't like taking notes, but just being around that energy, I was just like, oh, this would be fun. This is interesting and knowing and understanding, at least the best I can, Ted's relationship with women, even the five or so that we show throughout the first three years. I was like, well, what if we throw a whole team and an assistant coach at them and see see if he, you know, what he learns from that. But it is hard to overstate just how popular, how beloved Ted Lasso is, the characters, during the last season, they collected 283 million viewing hours, which is roughly about as long as every everton season feels. 13 Emmys, you hear people say, it changed my life, changed me as a person due to its upbeat optimism, which I think drives pessimist crazy. Honestly, optimism, I thought we'd stamped it out in this world. There's knowing how meaningful it is. Does it put more pressure on you? Do you feel like a manager trying to defend the title? We very, at least me consciously, and but everyone I think is basically doing this in the writers' room, just try not to think about it. Like we know, it's certain we never expected, you know, people's reaction to it and that it would be imbued with so much meaning to people. And so since it wasn't part of our process at the beginning and we seem to do all right, not thinking about it then, like continuing to not think about it, I think, you know, continuing to serve us. Because also it can lead to, it can lead to suppression. Yeah, but it can also lead to getting high on our own supply. And like, you know, oh, let's, you know, write this, you know, whatever to be important, you know, and to be meaningful, as opposed to, you know, knowing that we are sitcom that manages to find some, you know, some moments that are slightly, you know, uncommon. But yeah, if we were to, like, keep surfing on, you know, people's reaction to this show, we'd be real dickheads by not worst dickheads. Yeah, yeah, worst dickheads by now. You're unbearable. No, thank you for noticing. I feel seen. Jason, you've always joked that Ted Lasso's actually, I love this quote, actually, light you after two beers on an empty stomach. What are the most Ted light parts of you that you're drawing from when you need to get into that character? I think his, like, his true love of being part of a team, like, being, like, going through the highs and lows of the human experience with, with others side by side versus maybe, you know, you know, like, adversarially or, or being, you know, and, you know, out in front of them. But I think side by side, arm and arm, like, kind of, you know, the red rover, red rovers, and life's troubles right over. Like, and see if we can hold, if we can hold it together. I think that's the, that's the biggest thing. I've just always gravitated towards playing team sports than, than, you know, slipping into the ensemble arts of improv and sketch comedy that's always been, I couldn't imagine doing it any other way. To know where the Jason Sudeikis ends and the Jim Harbour begins. Not anymore. Not anymore. You know, you know, that's, um, maybe there's probably something there, but no, it's more for his wife to know the distinction. As, you know, that's like, that's like, even for her, it's getting harder every day. Yeah. I do want to talk about something else that you both share. You love for Arsenal football club. And Brendan, you've been supporting this club since the Dutch days, 1999, you in Amsterdam, Dennis Bergkamp was banging in all the goals. I think that's what started a relationship. That relationship now all done off to rent a car. It's been hard miles. That's what cemented it. What's kept you in it? Um, oddly enough, for the show we do in its nomenclature, just belief, just blind belief, you know, like I was able to get on board not from the beginning of the Venger glory years, but, you know, I caught some of it. But then there was the banter era, you know, and there was the eight two and the semi, the champs like semi-final against Manu. Yeah. Oh my god. It just kept coming and coming. And then like, you know, the, the small sav of a few FA cups here and there, but like it was, it was brutal for like what your hopes are for this team. And then like, and then like not even making the champions league anymore. And then finding yourself hoping, hoping to beat, you know, Victoria Pilsen. And then not even being in Europe at all. But like, yeah, for some, I don't know why exactly, but like my relationship with this club just has belief at its center point. And like you, you just got a belief. And I know, you know, every fan has to do that for their team really. But like, yeah, we got tested. We got tested for a very long time. And to finally see that payoff and then payoff under the stewardship of a beloved former member of the team, it means a lot. And, you know, the belief shouldn't need to be validated. That's not how belief works. But when it does, and the rare occasions when it does, it's, it's indescribable feeling. It is transcendent. I'm going to walk through the beats in a minute. But Jason, you've since joined it as an Arsenal supporter, what quality made you start to fall in love with that team, with these players, with the idea of North London forever? Well, I'm always susceptible to someone's enthusiasm, you know, and Brendan, as, you know, evident, has it. I mean, the series wouldn't exist without, you know, him sharing that enthusiasm with me in real time back in Amsterdam and the Green Room of Boom Chicago and explaining, you know, football to me through the, you know, playing menu against Arsenal on FIFA in those days. So I knew all the players names from Arsenal, you know, from that era of Arsenal, just from him, you know, explaining to me as, as, through the, the metaphor of the 90s bowls. But then they were just so kind to us whenever we wanted to come and we would go as often as possible because my man wanted to see them. And I stayed fairly agnostic for the first three seasons. You know, season one, we went to a few matches, but we were pretty, pretty darn busy. Season two is lockdown. So we watched a whole bunch of matches, ate a lot of nandos. Season three, we started, you know, punch that card and you're going to see different places. And got to film a bunch of different places. And then by the time we came back around, I was like, well, I'm going all in. And it was, and then it has as much to do with what was happening on the pitch on both the men's team, the women's team, but then also the folks in the office, people, you know, you know, at the security desk when we come checking in. And then, you know, the coach himself, you know, his security guy, Peter, like everybody, and then getting in no Josh Kronke, it was like one thing after another, just being like, yeah, yeah, yeah. And nobody was hot, hurting me into it. Nobody was trying to lure me into it. There was no salesmanship going on. It was just like, oh, we're here when you're ready. It was like, it was like, and then yeah, the second we got back there, I'd made the decision to, to be fully in. And once they had that support from me, you see what I don't want to take credit for it. You are the best of fly's wings. I am the Ashton Kutcher of this situation. That is a butterfly effect. I'm, that is me. What did the club stand for? And you're in woods just to count up. Boy, oh, boy, like, great question. I mean, you know, there's, there's, it feels like a very, it feels very familial. Like it has, it has a family sense to it. And I think when I see Brennan and Shannon, you know, there and their kids, you know, when we're watching even at the house in, in, in, in L.A. And they're all rocking Arsenal gear. I feel out of place if I'm not also rocking Arsenal gear, you know, I got, I got to fit in with this family, you know, the same way if I was in the Brady Bunch, I'd rock, you know, big collar and some bell bottoms, you know, and some pukas shells. That's a big part. And, and the way they embraced us as, and any time we had guests, it was like, that's the place we knew we had had to take them. When we go to Arsenal games, like, we, and we're, when we're in the directors' boxers, and not always, there is, there is a real, like, you know, the everyone's gregarious and friendly, but there's also like, there's clearly a weight. There's a weight in the room for all these games. And it's felt, you know, you know, from the bartenders to the ownership. Whereas, at a club that will, will not be named, we, we went to once the owner was literally like, isn't this great? In this great, like, the, like, the fucking opening dialogue from the sweater song. And it's just, like, some people get it, and some people don't, and Arsenal get it. Who's your favorite? Awesome place to watch you want. Saka, because, well, partially because, like, I hope, I hope he's coming back from this injury properly, but also, like, you know, having seen him from his, like, embryonic moments on the page, and see him move from full-back to, to winger, and just get to the point where he's taking games over, and see him, like, have to suffer what he suffered at the, at the Euro final, and come back from it. Yeah, he's, he's just such a smooth player. He hypnotizes you. He's faster than he, than he seems, because he's gliding in such a way that, you know, when he's at, at full health, like, he just baffles whoever's against him, because unlike, like, are you in robin? Who would kind of do that? He can go left or right, and it just throws people off, and yeah, he's, he's, he's a treat. I mean, I do love him. Yeah, that's who I definitely collect with them, and training cards with. I'm a big Saka. He's a part of my PC. I like someone that when I have the ball, you don't, you know, you feel comfortable. You feel at peace. You're like, okay, what are they going to do with it? Whatever they're going to do with it, I'm probably going to be the right move. I always appreciate point guards like that in the basketball world, just people that play from the eyes up. I feel like Uruguay is one of those, but probably all time Henri. Last season with some heroes, journey, there was long spells in the lead, the January wobble, there was darkness, the 2-1 loss against Manchester City, April 90th, five games to go. You know, you guys write dramatic characters, you write dramatic moments, when you sort of declin' rice on his knees after that lost mouthing, it's not done yet. It's not done. What did you feel in that moment? Well, I mean, I didn't, I didn't hear it that way. Like, it was later when it became, like, me-mish. I was like, really? Because I always heard it as, it's not done. It's not done yet. Like, I was, I always heard determination, not, not, uh, fracture. Not the Kenzie and the little chimneys. No, no. It could have been a shattering moment. It could have sat there, said nothing, and they looked at his toes until somebody came and picked him up. But instead, as soon as Martin got close enough, like, it's not over. It's patterned out of pattern, declin' rice. That's right. Week 36, too much is to go. Arsenal play West Ham, little the Andrew Trossard, breaks a deadlock, 80 second minute, but then another moment of wonder, even the script writers, might have thought they were stretching it, West Ham equalizer, in stoppage time, var review, ending in those immortal words. After review, West Ham number 90, commit to foul on the goalkeeper. Where do those words rank as the greatest movie lines of all time between frankly my dear? I don't give it them. And I'm going to meet you in offer. You can't refuse. I mean, I put them over movie lines. I think we're, we're going up against the Declaration of Independence at that point. Like, we're going straight to TGFs. Like, those were, those were powerful, powerful words, and much like the Declaration of Independence, they were effective because they were correct and true. And when I read them, what do you feel? They're not the poetry, right? Transcendent poetry. 100%. Yeah, I think it scans. I think it's in pentamer. It makes me, I know Miles Davis has passed on, but his music lives on in the way you read it. The phrasing, the emotion, the birth. I'm going to be, and I'm not even an Arsenal fan. Next week, Tyler Wer, Longway, 22 years was over. Where were you both watching? And how do you experience that moment? I was in my living room in LA with my wife and my two-year-old who does not understand, very much wishing to be, you know, around the Emirates and join that crowd that was gathering around. You know, because my wife has been pulled along in this. She's been a fan for over a decade now as well. And it just was the joy. They finally did it one time, because yeah, they've had these collapses. They've been closed. And I still believe in the capital B, but this is the relief of it, and how it was a bunch of guys who not only did it, but had earned it. I truly believe Arsenal have been on a hero's journey, like genuinely an epic group poem. They've tried so many times. They've failed publicly. They've been schooled, and they've overcome it. English people love your failure more than their own success. And they've weren't despite that. What's the lesson you take from the past four years of living and dying and reliving and soaring? That maybe the plants and trees know more than we do, and we just got a father lead again. I was expecting some loft, but you've surpassed that, Matt. I mean, I got to come up to your level, brother. That was genuine. I should be a pair of smoking shoes just sitting here. Genuinely, there is in a way. Final match of the season, way against Crystal Palace Station, you're at the fancy free bar in Brooklyn, the Brooklyn invincibles, just with your regular guys, you're there with Spike Lee and New York City Mayor Zora Mandoni. By the way, we both scooted over to make room for my daughter, Daisy. So I have a great photo. And yeah, it was, I mean, what was that moment like? What's your memory? Throw in the memory? I mean, the memory was it was packed and it was rainy. So there were people outside the bar, outside the pub with like watching with their umbrellas, you know, through the TV. And normally, you know, there's plenty of spill over there. And I just know this from just, you know, watching the season, vicariously, through them on Instagram, just their thing. So walking through there with the kids and seeing Jason, the fellow that runs it all, make eyes with me, embrace me, and my family, because with me and my sisters, and we come in. And it was, it was overwhelming. Like it was, I mean, people were fired up, people were excited. Yeah, it's, we did the first half there. And then then we, then we took it, you know, our house is about five minute walk from there and then watched the second half at home. Because it's just because of the little kids, you know, it just went like at some point, Otis was like, this is a lot. And he, they couldn't drink in the ball. Exactly. Yeah, you get them some proper stuff, you know, like, they didn't have baby pints. So the only thing I'd say, Jason, you get some babies and BPs on this joint. And, but yeah, I mean, I mean, it's, it's any place I've watched Arsenal. There's, there's an, again, that same sort of unity. I got to watch, you know, the unfortunate situation of the, in the Champions League in Kansas City, my hometown, but in a room full of people that were really a lot of high fives in that first, in that first minute, but not to, not to, not to sell you there, but I've had, I've had both here in the past few months. And how does this title win change the perception of the club? And what it means to be an Arsenal supporter, you're a team that's worth a winning Arsenal. That's your people. So like a, a, a, a testament to like belief, you know, like on a personal level, like believing sometimes is a reward. You know, certain corners of the Instagram and TikTok are going to have to find some new bids and shut the fuck up for a while. So that's pretty good. That's going to go over great. But also like unavoidably part of it is, is the, the celebrations afterwards and not just the parade, but the way that, you know, people of, of all, of all types and colors surrounded the Emirates that night, you know, and then watching like absolute mayhem on the streets of various African capitals was incredible. You know, the worldwide reach of this, of this team and how people have loved it so much through the, through the dark times to finally find the light is just, it's, it's, it's unspeakable. What is that? 800,000 in North London for the, for the true fee parade, but you're right, Nairobi, Kenya, Campali, Uganda, Lagos, Nigeria, New York City was massive. That moment was about more than football. You both created Ted Lasso, which understands football in its most powerful way. In your own words, why did this moment speak so powerfully to people across the planet? What were we all looking for? I think people love a happy ending. Yeah, especially when, when we're, it were, I mean, we're rewarded with so many happy endings. If you want something, you can usually get it right away, you know, like access to it. You know, it's like, what does that show? What was that commercial? You can find it, you know, immediately. And so there's something about prolonged enjoyment that that is still a very human instinct, you know, and rewarded greatly, one that wouldn't finally, when, you know, when that journey ends. Like we turn out happy endings. Like we get our happy endings in half hour doses now, or sometimes two and a half hour doses, but this was like at 22 year times 38 part mini series before it finally got to the, to the, to the happy ending. So people had just been, they'd been through it and had been, and have been so close to this release so many times, and finally get there that just made people explode. There's a book of Job, we're a happy ending. Yeah. Yeah. Job turning into a musical, right? The end. Job in the job always. Job in the job. Job in the job, right? So I would Job in the job. My kids are having trouble. Probably God said that should happen. Anyway. What's your dream of for the season head? Does it matter anymore? Now you've won. Does anything matter? Oh, no. I want more, want, want, want a treble, want the champions league, want to win this title again. Also, the other big clubs are in transition, all of them. So like this moment has to be exploited. Wait, well, I'm going to list off Arsenal players. Tell me if they are screenplays, but there'd be a comedy, a drama, a superhero movie. Becoming a second. Super. Super. Super. Starboy. Declan Rice. Comedy. Yeah. Yeah. William Celeba. Drama because he's French. Michaela Teta. Drama because he's intense. I mean, yeah, but that lends to itself to some good comedy. If he's just like a Ben Stiller comedy, you know, like where it just, this stuff just keeps happening to him. He's just like, I know, like, yeah, win the dog superhero. But crypto. Ted Lasso coach beard. Get to speak to Michaela Teta. Manage your to manager. As you think, dawn of a new season, defending champion, Arsenal team. What would you say to him, and why pep to start? Not about the plenties or the trees. Yeah, man, good meals on the offseason. Tell me about it. What's your favorite fast food place? Yeah, you ever let a french fry in those gorgeous body you got? You tell him, you tell him, he'll tell you, he'll tell you, bookies. He'll be all then on the beat. What would you tell him about, like, what he should be saying to the boys? Last year, you know, he hired a pick pocket to pick all their pockets to teach them to always be aware. That's pretty good. Maybe pretty darn good. It's hard to jump that. That's how you say. I'm saying, maybe Ted gets him to go to the extra step and and have one of them murdered. So wait, does our Teta Fagan? Wow, you were there all along to pick your pockets off to the boys! Jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump