WEBVTT - KJ Henry on how "Football Found Me!" | Next Man Up | Washington Commanders 0:00:01.200 --> 0:00:02.200 What's Good command Is Family. 0:00:02.200 --> 0:00:04.720 Brian Coble Junior here and this is the Next Man 0:00:05.080 --> 0:00:07.320 Up Podcasts. We talk to your favorite commanders and players, 0:00:07.360 --> 0:00:09.560 not so much about x's and o's, more. 0:00:09.400 --> 0:00:11.799 About the man behind the help mat. 0:00:11.840 --> 0:00:13.640 And our next man up is no other than our 0:00:13.720 --> 0:00:18.680 defensive end, our rookie k j Henry kJ talks about. 0:00:18.480 --> 0:00:20.400 Being from North Carolina, having. 0:00:20.200 --> 0:00:22.520 His family support him all the way from high school 0:00:22.520 --> 0:00:26.119 to college to the pros, saving his father's life, and 0:00:26.320 --> 0:00:30.480 also being the best hooper the Commanders have. All that 0:00:30.560 --> 0:00:36.760 and more. Starts right now. What's Good Commanders Family? I'm 0:00:36.760 --> 0:00:39.360 Brian Coble Jr. And this is the Next Man Up Podcast. 0:00:39.520 --> 0:00:41.400 We talk to your favorite Commanders players, not so much 0:00:41.400 --> 0:00:44.600 about XS and o's, more about the player behind the helmet. 0:00:44.640 --> 0:00:47.320 And our next man up is no other than kJ 0:00:47.479 --> 0:00:50.319 Henry kJ. How you doing today, brother, bless Hey man, 0:00:50.320 --> 0:00:51.600 I'm blessed too because I'm here with you. 0:00:51.680 --> 0:00:51.800 Man. 0:00:51.800 --> 0:00:54.720 I know how busy a rookie season can be, and brother, 0:00:54.840 --> 0:00:56.400 you have been busy. But we're not gonna talk about 0:00:56.400 --> 0:00:57.920 football just yet. We'll get into that a little bit 0:00:58.000 --> 0:01:00.560 later because you had yourself a big game as Sunday 0:01:00.600 --> 0:01:04.400 Man I want to talk about the start, North Carolina, 0:01:05.080 --> 0:01:05.959 Winston Salem. 0:01:06.520 --> 0:01:08.320 What is being from there mean to you? Man? 0:01:08.360 --> 0:01:11.280 It means the world? The three three six, I still 0:01:11.280 --> 0:01:13.640 wear them to you know, to this day. My hometown, 0:01:13.680 --> 0:01:17.000 my city. Man, I think Chris Paul did a did 0:01:17.040 --> 0:01:19.720 a great job of setting the footstones. You know, what 0:01:19.800 --> 0:01:21.920 it means to come from there, from Winston Salem. And 0:01:22.319 --> 0:01:24.480 we you know, guys who come out the city, you know, 0:01:24.560 --> 0:01:27.280 just try and follow his footsteps. But just to be 0:01:27.360 --> 0:01:29.240 from the tried area and really you know, put on 0:01:29.440 --> 0:01:31.600 you know for my people. Man, it's it's always a blessing. 0:01:31.800 --> 0:01:32.800 You said Chris Paul. 0:01:33.160 --> 0:01:36.160 Yeah, set what it means to be from there in 0:01:36.200 --> 0:01:36.880 your own words? 0:01:36.920 --> 0:01:38.080 What does it mean to be for them? 0:01:39.800 --> 0:01:42.959 Just to be resilient? Uh, you know, I think we're 0:01:43.000 --> 0:01:45.560 not a big city or anything like that. You know, 0:01:45.760 --> 0:01:48.640 just come from a regular town. I feel like, just 0:01:48.720 --> 0:01:51.880 regular people just trying to you know, get get theirs right. 0:01:51.920 --> 0:01:53.920 And so that's that's really what I've been trying to 0:01:53.920 --> 0:01:55.840 do as I've come up, you know, through this whole process, 0:01:55.880 --> 0:01:58.360 through through this sport, is just try and get mine 0:01:58.880 --> 0:02:00.840 you know the best way I know how and do 0:02:00.880 --> 0:02:02.720 it in a way that obviously, more than anything, makes 0:02:02.720 --> 0:02:05.200 my family proude as well. So just like I said, 0:02:05.440 --> 0:02:07.960 to be from Winston Salem is it's special to me. 0:02:08.280 --> 0:02:10.080 So how did you find football? 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:10.240 Man? 0:02:10.240 --> 0:02:12.760 What about Winston Saving or your childhood and your upbringing 0:02:12.840 --> 0:02:14.240 made you find the game of football? 0:02:14.320 --> 0:02:17.720 Man? Football found me. I wasn't looking for football, if 0:02:17.760 --> 0:02:22.239 I'm being completely honest. Baseball was the first love. Basketball 0:02:22.360 --> 0:02:25.200 was my longest love, love hooping, man, and tried to 0:02:25.360 --> 0:02:28.000 tried to really orchestrate my high school career to getting 0:02:28.080 --> 0:02:31.440 you know, college hoops, I mean college offers. But you know, 0:02:31.480 --> 0:02:33.720 as you see in today's today's NBA is not a 0:02:33.760 --> 0:02:35.000 lot of six or five centers. 0:02:35.600 --> 0:02:37.160 And that's what I was in high school. I was 0:02:37.160 --> 0:02:37.480 the center. 0:02:37.560 --> 0:02:41.480 So basketball found me, you know, just the aggressiveness but 0:02:41.560 --> 0:02:43.720 also the you know, the attention to detail, you know, 0:02:43.720 --> 0:02:45.560 the athleticians you have to have on the field. Like 0:02:45.880 --> 0:02:48.600 those things just you know, catered well on my talents. 0:02:48.680 --> 0:02:48.800 Right. 0:02:48.880 --> 0:02:51.960 So my dad, being a football coach that he is, 0:02:51.960 --> 0:02:54.080 I'll never forget it. My sophomore year, I had an 0:02:54.080 --> 0:02:57.560 interception of eighty one yards and I was just I 0:02:57.560 --> 0:02:59.440 swear I was just out there just playing backyard football. 0:02:59.440 --> 0:03:00.000 I was like, oh yeah. 0:03:01.040 --> 0:03:02.480 After the game, my dad was like, bro, you about 0:03:02.520 --> 0:03:03.160 to get some offers. 0:03:03.360 --> 0:03:03.560 Wow. 0:03:03.639 --> 0:03:05.520 I was like, well, that's that's interesting because I never, 0:03:05.560 --> 0:03:07.799 like I said, I wasn't really lifting, wasn't really working 0:03:07.800 --> 0:03:10.680 for those But you know, God just kind of, you know, 0:03:10.720 --> 0:03:12.639 threw my way, and you know, I said, let's run 0:03:12.680 --> 0:03:15.239 with it. So I'm glad it found me because I'm 0:03:15.240 --> 0:03:15.640 loving it. 0:03:15.760 --> 0:03:17.720 I'm glad it found you too, because now we got 0:03:17.720 --> 0:03:20.480 you here. Now you said you started playing baseball. Now 0:03:20.720 --> 0:03:22.400 I know you ain't been six five year whole life, 0:03:22.880 --> 0:03:24.959 but that's got a little crazy being six or five 0:03:25.000 --> 0:03:27.040 and your size being out on that baseball field. Man, 0:03:27.360 --> 0:03:30.000 how did what you learn for baseball translate to football 0:03:30.080 --> 0:03:30.839 or did it at all? 0:03:31.480 --> 0:03:34.040 I mean the most I got from baseball was patients 0:03:35.200 --> 0:03:37.080 going to baseball games because they were so slow and 0:03:37.160 --> 0:03:39.920 so boring. So that's what I say is, you know, 0:03:40.360 --> 0:03:42.600 the baseball taught me opportunity is gonna come. Just be 0:03:42.680 --> 0:03:45.440 patient and just keep you know, cracking away and hacking 0:03:45.440 --> 0:03:48.480 at it. I'd say, you know, it's it's been a while. 0:03:49.200 --> 0:03:51.720 You know, I used to pitch, so my shoulder can't 0:03:51.720 --> 0:03:54.720 really do all that, but baseball was a good time. 0:03:54.960 --> 0:03:55.240 Oh man. 0:03:55.280 --> 0:03:57.440 I had to imagine you was throwing something six or 0:03:57.480 --> 0:04:01.000 five were for heat, great fastball, straight fastball. 0:04:01.480 --> 0:04:03.120 So then you went over to football. 0:04:03.200 --> 0:04:06.760 Man, you said, your father told you, hey, man, you're 0:04:06.760 --> 0:04:10.160 gonna have a future in this. When did you know 0:04:11.200 --> 0:04:13.600 you that you was going to be this good at football. 0:04:15.560 --> 0:04:17.760 This could probably not till you know, a couple of 0:04:17.800 --> 0:04:21.560 years in in college. Future in this. You know, literally 0:04:21.600 --> 0:04:24.160 in that moment is when I knew, like, okay, I 0:04:24.200 --> 0:04:28.120 could get college paid for. But to really be able 0:04:28.160 --> 0:04:30.520 to play at this level and feel confident, I could 0:04:30.520 --> 0:04:33.440 you know, be a factor. Note not to college. I 0:04:33.440 --> 0:04:36.279 mean when I got to Clemson, it was just kind 0:04:36.279 --> 0:04:40.280 of there. Like I said, I was surprised that I was, 0:04:40.320 --> 0:04:42.200 you know, offered at such a high rate. I was, 0:04:42.400 --> 0:04:44.640 you know, the fifth d N come out of high school, 0:04:44.680 --> 0:04:47.400 so all that stuff. Like I worked for it, yes, 0:04:47.480 --> 0:04:49.840 But like at the same time, I, if I look 0:04:49.920 --> 0:04:51.760 back on it, I could have worked way harder, you know, 0:04:51.839 --> 0:04:54.040 to be completely honest with you. So I definitely got 0:04:54.040 --> 0:04:56.080 blessed in that regard. But yeah, in college I had 0:04:56.080 --> 0:04:58.919 some growing pains and you know, playing with some of 0:04:58.920 --> 0:05:00.840 the dominant d limit. So once was one of this 0:05:00.880 --> 0:05:03.000 past weekend, Like those were some of my old heads 0:05:03.040 --> 0:05:05.960 man that I was around. You know, I had to 0:05:06.040 --> 0:05:09.120 grow up a little bit and that did just you know, 0:05:09.160 --> 0:05:12.039 it made me stronger. You know that d Lion and 0:05:12.160 --> 0:05:14.880 you know that team coach Sweeney, all those those guys 0:05:14.880 --> 0:05:17.000 instilled in me. You know what you guys see on Sunday. So, 0:05:17.520 --> 0:05:19.560 but it wasn't it definitely wasn't a finished product when 0:05:19.560 --> 0:05:20.640 I got there and you. 0:05:21.080 --> 0:05:23.880 And you mentioned Clemson, Yeah, stay pretty close to home. 0:05:23.920 --> 0:05:25.680 What's that? A couple hours away from the crib right? 0:05:25.800 --> 0:05:26.120 Not far? 0:05:26.360 --> 0:05:28.640 Was it important for you to stay close to home 0:05:28.680 --> 0:05:30.400 because it seems like you're very very close to your parents. 0:05:30.440 --> 0:05:32.320 Oh, no, doubt. Yeah. 0:05:32.440 --> 0:05:34.599 You know, early in the process, it wasn't on the 0:05:34.600 --> 0:05:36.960 forefront of my mind. But as I got you know, 0:05:37.000 --> 0:05:40.719 deeper to the recruiting process and started windling down my teams, 0:05:40.760 --> 0:05:42.920 you know, it definitely started pointing in that direction of 0:05:43.040 --> 0:05:44.800 not being too far from home. Wanted to make sure 0:05:44.839 --> 0:05:47.200 that my mom can still travel to come watch me 0:05:47.240 --> 0:05:49.560 and my siblings, and I've you know, I'm blessed to 0:05:49.600 --> 0:05:51.839 have a very supportive family, so you know, they love 0:05:51.920 --> 0:05:53.680 to come support and watch as much as they can. 0:05:53.720 --> 0:05:55.599 So I wanted to make sure that, you know, that 0:05:55.680 --> 0:05:58.599 was available to them and give them that opportunity. So 0:05:59.000 --> 0:06:00.599 just being at one of the best that I could 0:06:00.640 --> 0:06:03.720 be at and being close was you know, blessing. 0:06:03.720 --> 0:06:04.680 I was just right down the road. 0:06:04.839 --> 0:06:06.799 And that support is so important because, as you mentioned, 0:06:06.800 --> 0:06:09.799 your pops was involved in football, won a ACC championship 0:06:09.800 --> 0:06:11.680 and wait for so he's he's a big deal. Like 0:06:11.760 --> 0:06:14.040 he's he's played football and he understands the game. How 0:06:14.040 --> 0:06:16.159 did you, guys, a conversation change once you became a 0:06:16.200 --> 0:06:18.720 collegiate athlete and you're almost at like the same level 0:06:18.760 --> 0:06:20.840 that he's used to because he's a coach man that 0:06:21.200 --> 0:06:22.440 don't go nowhere, you know what I mean? 0:06:22.480 --> 0:06:25.080 Out of those conversations, chaps, I. 0:06:25.120 --> 0:06:28.040 Just honestly, it wasn't even a button heads. I just 0:06:28.040 --> 0:06:30.159 listened to him more like this is the level he 0:06:30.200 --> 0:06:32.240 had been coaching on for many years before I was 0:06:32.240 --> 0:06:35.720 even born. So he's seeing a lot of different pathways, 0:06:35.760 --> 0:06:37.600 a lot of different you know, guys make something of 0:06:37.680 --> 0:06:40.520 themselves and guys do it wrong. So I knew he 0:06:40.600 --> 0:06:42.680 knew what it looked like. On top of the fact 0:06:42.720 --> 0:06:45.000 that he's my dad. He's been somewhat coaching me all 0:06:45.040 --> 0:06:47.520 my life, so really just leaned in, you know, to 0:06:47.600 --> 0:06:50.120 his advice, you know, secondhand to my coach's advice. And 0:06:50.240 --> 0:06:53.520 you know, I knew no one would be more invested 0:06:53.640 --> 0:06:56.039 than my you know, my my pops and myself. So 0:06:57.040 --> 0:06:59.520 you know, after every game, he just watched the game 0:06:59.560 --> 0:07:01.039 if he couldn't see it, and you know, we go 0:07:01.080 --> 0:07:02.880 over film and you know, just talk about what I 0:07:02.880 --> 0:07:05.000 could do better, what it looked like from his perspective 0:07:05.000 --> 0:07:07.200 of What I love about him is he's always loving 0:07:07.240 --> 0:07:10.000 in his critiques, but he's always one hundred percent honest 0:07:10.120 --> 0:07:12.120 and that just you know, helped me get better and 0:07:12.160 --> 0:07:12.840 better each year. 0:07:13.120 --> 0:07:14.080 That's so awesome to hear. 0:07:14.120 --> 0:07:14.280 Man. 0:07:14.320 --> 0:07:16.200 I told you before we started, like how much it 0:07:16.200 --> 0:07:18.560 means to me be able to highlight a dad and 0:07:18.760 --> 0:07:20.360 son dynamic because you know. 0:07:20.320 --> 0:07:21.800 Mom's get love all the time, my MoMA's boy. 0:07:21.800 --> 0:07:23.560 I much shout out my mom all the time, but 0:07:24.000 --> 0:07:27.760 dads are also very very crucial. And you do, man, 0:07:27.800 --> 0:07:29.640 you're really doing. Your dad has a really good son. 0:07:29.720 --> 0:07:31.680 Because you guys had a moment through college. You know, 0:07:31.760 --> 0:07:34.640 you know, when you get to college there's you know, school, 0:07:34.840 --> 0:07:37.040 and there's you know, women and all these different things 0:07:37.040 --> 0:07:39.360 that we think about college, right, we don't think about 0:07:39.360 --> 0:07:42.600 the trials and tribulations that come while you're becoming a man. 0:07:42.640 --> 0:07:45.240 While you're going through these things and your father during 0:07:45.240 --> 0:07:49.160 your college tenure, you're the kidney transplant. Talk to us 0:07:49.200 --> 0:07:50.880 about that, what all went into that, because that's a 0:07:50.960 --> 0:07:53.120 very very in depth story, and I'd rather you tell 0:07:53.160 --> 0:07:54.960 it than me, So you know, go ahead and talk to 0:07:55.040 --> 0:07:56.600 us about that and what that was kind of like. 0:07:56.720 --> 0:07:58.960 Yeah, nah, I appreciate it. Yeah. 0:07:59.040 --> 0:08:03.080 So you know, this past few years has been all 0:08:03.120 --> 0:08:05.960 about that my dad need a kidney transplant. And as 0:08:06.000 --> 0:08:08.360 you spoke to how great he is, he kind of 0:08:08.400 --> 0:08:12.760 found out, you know, right before my last season at 0:08:12.760 --> 0:08:15.280 Clemson this past season. He knew, you know, in the 0:08:15.320 --> 0:08:17.120 season before and didn't want to tell me. He didn't 0:08:17.120 --> 0:08:21.320 want it to be a distraction to me, and so 0:08:21.400 --> 0:08:23.040 he told me a little bit after the season. I 0:08:23.320 --> 0:08:25.680 told him, don't ever do that again. I don't care 0:08:25.680 --> 0:08:29.440 about it distraction. You tell me so, But nah, I 0:08:29.520 --> 0:08:31.560 was able to you know, I think first and foremost, 0:08:31.760 --> 0:08:35.080 just you know, our belief and our trust in God 0:08:35.240 --> 0:08:38.640 was like I was really calm during that whole process, 0:08:38.679 --> 0:08:41.880 to be completely honest with you, I just he was calm, 0:08:41.960 --> 0:08:44.199 My mom was calm. So it was just like, we're 0:08:44.200 --> 0:08:45.920 just gonna pray, We're gonna get through this, and that's 0:08:45.920 --> 0:08:49.120 really what happened. And you know, secondly, just leaning on 0:08:49.320 --> 0:08:52.720 my teammates the Clemson community. I was very confident in 0:08:52.720 --> 0:08:55.480 where I went to school, the people I was around, 0:08:55.559 --> 0:08:58.600 and I had no problem you know, asking for help 0:08:58.920 --> 0:09:01.679 and especially like I said, with with the people around 0:09:01.760 --> 0:09:04.679 me who've been supporting me. So that was the easy part, 0:09:04.720 --> 0:09:06.800 you know, I think the quote unquote hard part was 0:09:06.840 --> 0:09:10.439 just trying to be patient what I learned And now 0:09:10.480 --> 0:09:13.480 I'm helping an organization who helped us called Help Help Live. 0:09:13.880 --> 0:09:15.840 But what I learned through that process was, you know, 0:09:15.840 --> 0:09:18.280 it's out of your control and a lot of families, 0:09:18.280 --> 0:09:20.920 including mine, are waiting on the list and really just 0:09:21.000 --> 0:09:24.360 fingers crossed helping, hoping for an opportunity to help their 0:09:24.400 --> 0:09:27.640 loved ones. So I knew that, Yeah, we were able 0:09:27.679 --> 0:09:29.160 to raise a lot of money, like I said, with 0:09:29.240 --> 0:09:32.640 helping my teammates in the Clemson community and you know 0:09:32.840 --> 0:09:35.200 those on social media, and we're able to find them 0:09:35.200 --> 0:09:38.400 a transplant, a kinney transplant, a Kenny donor who was 0:09:38.440 --> 0:09:41.160 one of my family members, uh, you know, which is 0:09:41.160 --> 0:09:43.720 a blessing as well, but that's not the case for everybody. 0:09:43.760 --> 0:09:48.520 So yes, it was a blessing that you know, helped 0:09:48.920 --> 0:09:51.679 my father. But I had always felt like I want 0:09:51.720 --> 0:09:54.880 to help and had a call in the helping community service, 0:09:54.920 --> 0:09:57.240 but never have been pulled towards anything. And I just 0:09:57.240 --> 0:10:01.200 thought like this happened to have me help the people 0:10:01.320 --> 0:10:02.840 who are kind of going through the same thing. So 0:10:02.880 --> 0:10:05.200 that was easily, you know, my biggest trial and tribulation 0:10:05.360 --> 0:10:07.680 up to this point because life has been a blessing 0:10:07.679 --> 0:10:10.560 and been pretty you know, pretty easy. I ain't gonna lie, 0:10:10.640 --> 0:10:12.640 you know, as far as not too many stresses and 0:10:12.679 --> 0:10:15.559 things like that. So just gave me the ability to 0:10:15.880 --> 0:10:16.720 now help others. 0:10:16.920 --> 0:10:19.840 And you're so humble, man, because like you were such 0:10:19.840 --> 0:10:21.640 a big blessing, like you kind of ran through it. 0:10:21.679 --> 0:10:23.200 But I really want to break down to the people 0:10:23.240 --> 0:10:25.560 that are listening what you did. You found out about 0:10:25.559 --> 0:10:28.200 your pops, you jumped on social media and said, listen, 0:10:28.640 --> 0:10:30.120 I'm a man, I don't ask for help. I'm not 0:10:30.200 --> 0:10:32.160 used to this, but I'm asking for help. Now, my 0:10:32.200 --> 0:10:35.000 father needs a kidney transplant. Please go get tested, Let's 0:10:35.000 --> 0:10:37.720 do a gofund me, all of these things and then. 0:10:37.960 --> 0:10:40.200 The support comes in. The support comes in. 0:10:40.240 --> 0:10:42.600 Man, how did it feel to have support not only 0:10:42.600 --> 0:10:45.200 from your Clemson brothers, but from like strangers that you 0:10:45.320 --> 0:10:47.280 never met that just knew of you and wanted to 0:10:47.280 --> 0:10:48.040 help your pops out. 0:10:48.679 --> 0:10:50.720 That's the special part because I can keep saying that, 0:10:50.760 --> 0:10:54.160 you know, like the Clemson connection, my teammates, the community, 0:10:54.200 --> 0:10:54.800 I knew. 0:10:54.559 --> 0:10:55.520 I was gonna have that support. 0:10:55.559 --> 0:10:57.600 Yeah, but just you know, the people that I never 0:10:57.640 --> 0:10:59.679 really met, and people I never got to say thank 0:10:59.720 --> 0:11:02.800 you to or you know, meet face to face. That 0:11:03.000 --> 0:11:05.440 was just the overwhelming you know, love and support that 0:11:05.480 --> 0:11:08.640 I really appreciated. I had never seen my dad cry, 0:11:08.720 --> 0:11:12.040 and well, him coming to the event and seeing so 0:11:12.160 --> 0:11:15.199 many people you know come to the autograph sign and 0:11:15.200 --> 0:11:17.200 where we raise money for him, really brought the tears 0:11:17.240 --> 0:11:19.680 and it was a beautiful moment. So yeah, man, just 0:11:19.720 --> 0:11:23.640 that whole process, it was somewhat of a blessing, just 0:11:23.679 --> 0:11:26.720 to give us some perspective change, you know, in our lives. 0:11:26.760 --> 0:11:29.160 And like I said, has now you know, helped me 0:11:29.200 --> 0:11:31.760 pivot to help other families kind of in the same situation. 0:11:32.040 --> 0:11:34.040 And I love your perspective, man, because when you move 0:11:34.080 --> 0:11:37.440 with faith, right, you see trials and tribulations as maybe 0:11:37.440 --> 0:11:39.400 a chance to learn something, a chance to get something 0:11:39.440 --> 0:11:41.960 out of it. What is seeing your father go through that, right, 0:11:41.960 --> 0:11:43.720 Because that's not easy to go through even through like 0:11:43.720 --> 0:11:45.320 you said, you had to wait through this whole process. 0:11:45.480 --> 0:11:48.440 What did you learn watching your father conquer this battle? 0:11:49.880 --> 0:11:52.240 I mean, on the surface, I'd say I learned that 0:11:53.360 --> 0:11:57.439 every everything that I'm going through through this process my 0:11:57.559 --> 0:11:59.680 rookie year, and you know something that I'm doing that 0:11:59.720 --> 0:12:00.719 I really love, Like. 0:12:02.280 --> 0:12:05.199 Life is bigger than all of this, right, you. 0:12:05.120 --> 0:12:07.320 Know, it really comes down to genial connections, you know, 0:12:07.480 --> 0:12:09.840 love and and really just being the best, you know, 0:12:10.000 --> 0:12:12.760 version of yourself and things like that. So that was 0:12:12.840 --> 0:12:16.520 one big thing. Secondly, just how much I really love 0:12:16.600 --> 0:12:20.040 my family, Like I really do love love them to death, 0:12:20.080 --> 0:12:23.840 and I just that made that bond even tighter. I mean, 0:12:24.040 --> 0:12:26.320 I really feel like my family's bond is crazy type, 0:12:26.320 --> 0:12:27.960 but it you know, it just brought us even closer. 0:12:28.080 --> 0:12:30.000 And as great as what you did was, right, You're 0:12:30.040 --> 0:12:30.840 still a human being. 0:12:31.200 --> 0:12:35.000 So you're going through college still you're still being an athlete, 0:12:35.160 --> 0:12:37.240 and you're lost a big support system because now that 0:12:37.240 --> 0:12:39.000 they're going through this, they can't be there every game, 0:12:39.200 --> 0:12:41.880 like you said, they have been, right, How did you 0:12:42.000 --> 0:12:43.640 deal and cope with these things? Because a lot of 0:12:43.640 --> 0:12:45.080 times we get on here and we talk about this stuff, 0:12:45.120 --> 0:12:46.800 a lot of y'all will say, you know, man, I'm 0:12:46.800 --> 0:12:48.400 a man. You know, I'm a black man. I can't 0:12:48.400 --> 0:12:50.440 really express myself. I can't Nobody feels bad for me. 0:12:50.480 --> 0:12:53.079 I can't feel How did you cope with all those 0:12:53.080 --> 0:12:55.360 feelings and everything you're dealing with because that's new territory. 0:12:55.040 --> 0:12:55.439 No doubt. 0:12:55.520 --> 0:12:58.800 Well, I still, you know, kept in communication with you know, 0:12:58.840 --> 0:13:01.400 my parents, they helped me with that. We're very open 0:13:01.480 --> 0:13:03.720 to our communication, our family. And then I have some 0:13:03.760 --> 0:13:07.600 great mentors, you know, when I'm Dan Leanna was a pastor, 0:13:07.760 --> 0:13:11.240 and Clemson with someone I always leaned on and talk with, 0:13:11.280 --> 0:13:13.280 you know, anytime I feel I was going through a struggle. 0:13:13.320 --> 0:13:15.840 So just being open with stuff like that just makes 0:13:15.840 --> 0:13:18.520 it easier on me is something that I've learned, you know, 0:13:18.640 --> 0:13:22.199 through trials and trials and trials. So that was just 0:13:22.240 --> 0:13:23.800 another one that I could just you know, throw up 0:13:23.800 --> 0:13:25.800 there and figure out and then you know, going through 0:13:25.840 --> 0:13:28.000 the summer he was able to heal and everything. And 0:13:28.240 --> 0:13:29.920 that was another part of the blessing in this guy. 0:13:30.040 --> 0:13:33.280 Actually he was able to come to every game that 0:13:33.440 --> 0:13:36.559 my last year, wow, because he was you know, healing, 0:13:36.920 --> 0:13:39.679 but he was getting out of coaching and and that's 0:13:39.679 --> 0:13:41.200 what he if he asked him to this that he 0:13:41.280 --> 0:13:43.600 loved that because up to that point he was coaching 0:13:43.600 --> 0:13:47.000 and he couldn't necessarily come to all my games. But ironically, 0:13:47.040 --> 0:13:49.959 the year where he was recovering from you know, something 0:13:50.000 --> 0:13:52.320 that made him really sick, that was the year that 0:13:52.360 --> 0:13:54.200 he could you know, come watch his son plays, you know, 0:13:54.280 --> 0:13:57.320 find on best season. So it was, it was it 0:13:57.360 --> 0:13:58.600 was a different experience for sure. 0:13:58.720 --> 0:14:00.880 How much it having him there for that final season 0:14:01.000 --> 0:14:03.440 impact the dominance you were able to take. 0:14:03.640 --> 0:14:06.760 To tell myself, like that's there, he's not there, Like 0:14:07.640 --> 0:14:10.079 it doesn't matter, Like I have to play, produce, you 0:14:10.080 --> 0:14:11.480 know what I'm saying for the people around me, But 0:14:11.960 --> 0:14:14.760 I'd be lying it. It feels, you know, internally a 0:14:14.760 --> 0:14:17.000 little bit better when he's there, No doubt about it. 0:14:17.400 --> 0:14:20.560 I know he's always watching, always supporting, but you know, 0:14:20.680 --> 0:14:22.840 as a son or as a just an amazing father. 0:14:22.920 --> 0:14:23.080 Man. 0:14:23.120 --> 0:14:25.280 That just always helps when he's, you know, there in 0:14:25.280 --> 0:14:27.880 the stand. So it was awesome. It was a fun year. 0:14:28.000 --> 0:14:29.280 That is really awesome, man. 0:14:29.280 --> 0:14:31.400 And then you have this fun year, you ball out, 0:14:31.760 --> 0:14:33.440 and now you got NFL dreams. 0:14:33.440 --> 0:14:35.480 Baby, you know what I'm saying. You're right there. You're 0:14:35.520 --> 0:14:36.360 at the crib. I believe. 0:14:36.360 --> 0:14:38.280 I don't know if you were at your parents' house 0:14:38.320 --> 0:14:41.400 for the draft. So you get that call. 0:14:41.760 --> 0:14:42.800 Your family's all there. 0:14:42.880 --> 0:14:44.360 Man, what's the first thing that goes through that mind 0:14:44.360 --> 0:14:46.280 when you get that call saying, hey, you have been 0:14:46.360 --> 0:14:47.600 drafted to the Washington Commandage. 0:14:47.880 --> 0:14:50.920 So I'm sitting there, you know, my iPad. I'm watching 0:14:51.400 --> 0:14:54.960 my little brother play AAU somewhere. Wow, that's all I 0:14:55.040 --> 0:14:58.200 was watching. That was helping me, you know, past time. 0:14:58.280 --> 0:15:01.680 But you know, finally got that call. I look at 0:15:01.680 --> 0:15:05.280 my phone and I'm like, Virginia, what team is? Like, 0:15:05.920 --> 0:15:08.280 I know, football to the T, I don't know, No, 0:15:08.480 --> 0:15:12.480 we don't know NFL. Virginia, I'm so confused. Answer the 0:15:12.560 --> 0:15:15.360 phone and I hear coach Rivera, you know, introduce herself 0:15:15.360 --> 0:15:17.640 and hear his voice and I'm like, yo, that is Washington, 0:15:17.800 --> 0:15:20.240 Like my dad is I didn't think about myself like 0:15:20.320 --> 0:15:23.000 my dad is about to flip, like he's about to 0:15:23.040 --> 0:15:25.640 pull a hamstring. He was about to go crazy. So 0:15:26.080 --> 0:15:27.920 that's He's the first person that came to mind. He's 0:15:27.920 --> 0:15:33.080 been a Washington fan my entire life, and I just knew. 0:15:33.080 --> 0:15:34.600 I was like, this is crazy when I when I 0:15:34.640 --> 0:15:36.280 get off this phone and tell him where I'm going. 0:15:36.360 --> 0:15:38.560 So he was on the forefront of my mom. But 0:15:38.600 --> 0:15:42.080 then obviously just after that, just I'd always wondered to 0:15:42.120 --> 0:15:44.240 that point, like all the extra hours that all of 0:15:44.240 --> 0:15:46.000 these guys put in to get to this point, like 0:15:46.160 --> 0:15:49.240 they're ever worth it. In that moment, it was, you know, 0:15:49.360 --> 0:15:52.920 And so that was a really cool thing to just 0:15:52.960 --> 0:15:55.440 have that feeling, because you know, in this business, it's 0:15:55.880 --> 0:15:58.280 celebrate for five seconds and go work for fifty, you 0:15:58.280 --> 0:15:58.840 know what I'm saying. 0:15:58.880 --> 0:16:03.040 So that was just a really great achievement. 0:16:03.200 --> 0:16:06.560 And I love hearing Pops it was a Washington fan, 0:16:06.720 --> 0:16:09.200 a die hard grew up like that. Did you have 0:16:09.320 --> 0:16:11.720 any idea that this may be the team that would 0:16:11.720 --> 0:16:12.120 be drafted? 0:16:12.160 --> 0:16:13.720 None at all? Wow at all. 0:16:14.400 --> 0:16:16.960 Had had a meeting with coach Z and an r 0:16:17.040 --> 0:16:19.400 K in the Zoom meeting, but that was it. I was, yeah, 0:16:19.800 --> 0:16:23.320 communication I had with Washington, So no, I didn't. You know, 0:16:23.440 --> 0:16:26.320 some of my older defense alignment who went to Clemson 0:16:26.480 --> 0:16:29.080 now in the league, they let me know through the process, like, yeah, 0:16:29.120 --> 0:16:31.320 some guys will talk to you, some teams won't. Like 0:16:31.320 --> 0:16:34.760 everybody has their own process, but just know everybody's available. 0:16:34.800 --> 0:16:37.080 So I kept that on on the far front of 0:16:37.080 --> 0:16:41.360 my mind, knowing that. But now Washington wouldn't. I didn't. 0:16:41.440 --> 0:16:43.840 I didn't think. I didn't think I was gonna be here. 0:16:44.640 --> 0:16:45.760