1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,200 Speaker 1: Brought to us by calli Ante Pizza and Draft House, 2 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:03,279 Speaker 1: the Pizza Champions. 3 00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 2: It's Brandon Eckles joining us on the dB morning, so 4 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 2: let's give him a big round applause. Having a hell 5 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:10,119 Speaker 2: of a season. Brandon, Good morning? How are you? Man? 6 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:13,119 Speaker 3: What a dude? How you doing all right? All right? 7 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: First of all, congrats on the season that you're having. 8 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 1: I don't know that there was a ton expected from 9 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 1: you this year from the fan base, but you've quickly 10 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 1: become a fan favorite for multiple huge plays that you've 11 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: been making. Both you and James Pierre seem to have 12 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 1: stepped up significantly here. They those weren't the two names 13 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:33,519 Speaker 1: that we were hearing in camp that we're going to 14 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:37,239 Speaker 1: drive this defense to what coachmlin then said, could be historic. 15 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: But you certainly have played your way in through various reasons, 16 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:43,879 Speaker 1: into being one of the most relied upon members of 17 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: that secondary. Was there a turning point for you, like 18 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 1: a game where you're like, hey man, you know I'm 19 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 1: going to be a huge contributor to this defense. 20 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 4: I mean it outstarted when you know they first saw 21 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 4: on me. You know, alwa knew what I was capable of, 22 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 4: you know, especially coming out of New York. You know, 23 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:05,840 Speaker 4: I was just you know, I had to deal with 24 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 4: the cars that I was dealt, you know, and I said, 25 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:10,039 Speaker 4: once I get a new chance, I'm gonna you know, 26 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 4: so so the team what I can you know, actually 27 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 4: do and how I could perform? And you know that's 28 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 4: just kind of the mindset. I came into this organization with. 29 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 5: What's what's working specifically for your brandy? Just you find 30 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:23,959 Speaker 5: a home on the slot? 31 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 3: Uh? Do you prefer that over outside? 32 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:26,959 Speaker 1: Is it? 33 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 5: Is it the guys around you? What's what's clicked here 34 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 5: that didn't click with the Jets? 35 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 3: Maybe? 36 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 4: I mean I'm not gonna say, you know, nothing to 37 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:37,840 Speaker 4: quick with the Jets. You know, I was just behind 38 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 4: you know, a great set of guys within you know, 39 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 4: DJ Reed, uh, South Guard now you know Mike Carter, 40 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 4: and you know I just rotate in as needed. But 41 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 4: you know with Pittsburg, you know I just didn't you know, 42 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 4: I wouldn't say I prefer you know, corner over slat. 43 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 4: I love I love playing both, you know, especially now 44 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 4: that I'd have got real comfortable in the slot, like 45 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 4: I come to realize, you know, Lot is you know 46 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 4: actually fun, you know, I'm able to get around the ball, 47 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 4: you know, so what you know what I can do, 48 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:10,360 Speaker 4: you know with making plays on the ball in regards 49 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 4: with that. But I wouldn't say you know nothing just 50 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 4: then cligage just I you know, like I said, I 51 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 4: had to deal with the cars that I was deal 52 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:18,920 Speaker 4: you know, being in a position that I was in. 53 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 1: You were one of the few guys able to bring 54 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 1: Lamar Jackson down this past weekend. 55 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 2: You guys got to him a bunch. 56 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 4: Uh. 57 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,399 Speaker 1: It couldn't have been the easiest guy to bring down there, 58 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 1: but a huge turnaround for the Steelers defense week to week. 59 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 1: Was that better play from the Steelers defense a philosophy 60 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 1: shift or just better execution by you guys against the Ravens. 61 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 4: I'm gonna say a good execution, a good play calling 62 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:49,799 Speaker 4: from you know, our DC and you know, just being 63 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:51,919 Speaker 4: going out there, you know, playing at one hundred percent. 64 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:53,360 Speaker 4: You know, this is the best thing we could do 65 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 4: for ourselves, you know, to go to where we want 66 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:55,800 Speaker 4: to go. 67 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 3: What'd you think of Pittsburgh Baltimore in general? 68 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 4: And gave us that, you know, I love I love 69 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:05,519 Speaker 4: the Ribberry. I'm not yeah, I'm not gonna lie. It's 70 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 4: something fun. You know, it's really tense. Uh A lot 71 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 4: of heating, a lot of talking. You know, it's on 72 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:13,920 Speaker 4: you know that you live, you know, you live. 73 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:16,640 Speaker 5: For to do Brandon, I got to ask you about 74 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 5: your role as a gunner as well. And a bunch 75 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 5: of us talked to Ben Scronic yesterday about TJ or 76 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 5: excuse me, DK metcalf. 77 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 3: Just kind of taking that last rep. How did that 78 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 3: go down? As far as you can tell? 79 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,640 Speaker 4: Uh So I ended up running out there, you know, 80 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 4: I didn't know what was going on. I lined up 81 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 4: on one side of the field and I seen being 82 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 4: on the opposite side. And so when Ben ended up 83 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 4: coming back and I'm like, like, what are you doing? 84 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 4: He was like just come to field, just got heel. 85 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 3: I'm like what. 86 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 4: And then I look on the other side and I 87 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 4: see DK and I'm like, yo, nah, Well like nah, 88 00:03:57,600 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 4: what's going on? 89 00:03:58,360 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 5: Though? 90 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 3: How did he do? Bet? Cap was a good rep? 91 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, it was a good rep. Well, you know, his 92 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 4: first time playing gun. You go get double team. You 93 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 4: you a dude, the double team getting double team? That's 94 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 4: a gun is it? Ain't? 95 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:17,839 Speaker 2: It ain't nothing. 96 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 4: It's far from easy. 97 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: Uh So what do you make of Pittsburgh. You know, 98 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: you're having been here for for several months now, how 99 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 1: have you assessed what it's like to be playing for 100 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:33,039 Speaker 1: this iconic franchise and a fan base that you know, 101 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 1: when you were at the Jets, that's a team that 102 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 1: was kind of you know. 103 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 2: That that is a long suffering fan base. 104 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 1: Though they are you know, they're ardent fans, don't get 105 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: me wrong, but Steeler Nations a little different sympathetic. 106 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 2: Yes, a Steeler Nation is a different animal, is it not? 107 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:49,839 Speaker 4: Yeah, no, it's different. You know, I love it. I 108 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 4: just love I love the atmosphere. I love you know 109 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:55,040 Speaker 4: how committed the fan base is. You know, we went 110 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 4: to you know, some of these you know, far away 111 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 4: games and you would think it's a home on game 112 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 4: with you know how much you know how many Pittsburgh 113 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 4: still fans are idea and I'm like, bro, like what 114 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 4: is going on? Like they make it, you know, they 115 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:11,159 Speaker 4: make it really, they make it real comfortable, you know 116 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 4: when you go to them away game, so you know 117 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 4: it ain't a bad look good. 118 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 1: You're and you're a Memphis guy originally like Calvin Austin. 119 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 4: Right now, I'm a Mississippian, but I'm right outside of Memphis. Like, like, 120 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 4: the town I stay in that I'm from is South Mississippi, 121 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 4: which is literally probably like five minutes from the borderline 122 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:33,640 Speaker 4: of Memphis. 123 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 1: How's high school football in Mississippi fast, I'm guessing. 124 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 4: I mean it's smooth. 125 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 3: You know. 126 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 4: It ain't got more competitive over the years, you know, 127 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 4: in regards of you know more you know, more college 128 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:50,480 Speaker 4: teams going to recruit out there now, especially you know 129 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 4: after my class. I don't want to brag too much, 130 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:54,600 Speaker 4: but you know that's just the way it is. 131 00:05:56,839 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, of course, man, once you led the way, everybody 132 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 2: else you know. Yeah, it's like Nirvana and Seattle. Everybody 133 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 2: goes and signs the bands there. That's how it goes. 134 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,359 Speaker 1: Yeah, Brandon eckles with us, and he's been having a 135 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: hell of a season. And I've been saying all along, 136 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: like this is a guy who just makes plays NonStop, 137 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 1: and you're tough as nails. Man, how's your how's the 138 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 1: concussion situation right now? Because you were evaluated for you know, 139 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 1: getting your bell rung in that game against the Ravens 140 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:21,360 Speaker 1: and then ended up coming back. 141 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:26,359 Speaker 4: I'm good. I'm all good, though, you know, I don't 142 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 4: like missing games I'm not the type of one of 143 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 4: miss games. And even if I'm hurt, if I if 144 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 4: I can walk, I feel like I compleatly. This is 145 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:36,279 Speaker 4: you know, the kind of standard I said for myself. 146 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 4: That's how I always been, you know, growing up in 147 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 4: high school. This is what I was kind of molded 148 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 4: to be b like. So you know, when I'm hurt, 149 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 4: you know, I'm probably just banged up for I just 150 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:46,160 Speaker 4: need to take a sict. 151 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 3: Brandon. You guys have had some real moments on defense 152 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 3: this year. 153 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:54,279 Speaker 5: You've had some moments collectively that you guys would like 154 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 5: to forget. What are we going to see down the 155 00:06:56,440 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 5: stretch here the last four games, Gona, well. 156 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:03,279 Speaker 4: You can dispac those you know to be trying to, 157 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:06,159 Speaker 4: you know, basically play out of our minds. Though you 158 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 4: know we got the same we all got the same 159 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 4: end goal in his mind and this, you know, making 160 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:12,120 Speaker 4: it to the playoffs, but you know, also trying to 161 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 4: make it to the Super make a Super Bowl run. 162 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 4: So you know, we just got to you know, be 163 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 4: detailed and you know, play it at one hundred percent 164 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 4: pays at all times, and you know, just trust trust 165 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 4: was being caught in institute. 166 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: Brandon Nichols. Whether it's brought to you by County and 167 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: Tip Pizza. This morning Monday Night football Steelers and the Dolphins, 168 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 1: you'll be able to hear the whole game right here 169 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: on your radio. Home of the Steelers, one of two 170 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 1: point five. DV Brandon, thanks for making time for us 171 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:37,239 Speaker 1: this year and best let going forward. 172 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 2: Keep making plays and stay healthy. 173 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 4: Man, Yes, sir, appreciate you. 174 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 2: All right, you got it. Take care