1 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: What is going on everybody the Three and Out Podcast. 2 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:20,439 Speaker 1: Appreciate everyone coming and listening. I'm recording this Thursday afternoon. 3 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 1: Officially it's actually four twenty as I'm talking into the mic, 4 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: a little less than seven official days until the start 5 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: of the draft next week. Can't wait, have a big show. 6 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 1: Darius Hayward bay d h B, the number seven overall 7 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: pick back in two thousand nine to the Oakland Raiders, 8 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: went on to have a decade long career, played for 9 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,240 Speaker 1: the Steelers and with Mike Tomlin and Roethlisberger in a 10 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 1: B for years. Played with Andrew Luck in the Colts. 11 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: Having DH beyond to talk about. You know, he ran 12 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 1: four three out of the combine and there's a there's 13 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: a short list of guys that run that fast. How 14 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 1: that changed his life the draft process? Uh, just a 15 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 1: unique interview a guy that doesn't do much talking. I 16 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 1: actually ran into him at the Combine a couple of 17 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 1: years ago and we've stayed in touch a little bit, 18 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 1: and I texted him a couple of weeks ago and 19 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: I'm glad he uh was awesome. He agreed to do this. 20 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: We need to get dinner with him once. That's Corona 21 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 1: ends here where I live. But I'm excited excited for 22 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: this interview. And uh, and yeah, everyone that listens on 23 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:24,960 Speaker 1: Collin's feed, if you could subscribe to three and out 24 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:29,040 Speaker 1: podcasts separately, also leave your review them the three and Out. 25 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: I greatly appreciate everyone that has and and yeah, hopefully 26 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: you guys have a good weekend and you enjoy the interview. Well, 27 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 1: I'd like to welcome a a special guest, a Barrier 28 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: native I called my neighbor. We ran into each other 29 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: a couple of years ago at the Combine. Obviously a 30 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: lot has happened since then. But Darius Hayward Bay, what's 31 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 1: up man? How you doing doing well? Thanks for having man, 32 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 1: big fan. I listened to your podcast all the time. 33 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: I appreciate that. Uh. How's life been treating you during 34 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 1: during these around the times? Um, you know it's been. 35 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 1: I think it's been roal closer for everybody, including my family. Uh, 36 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 1: living on the West coast, being away from family on 37 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: the East Coast. Um, it's definitely tough. But you know, 38 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 1: we've all managed to kind of gather things to get 39 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: things right and just move forward. So I can't complain. 40 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 1: I'm blessed. Yeah, you were telling me, Uh, you live 41 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:23,360 Speaker 1: right down the road, and you bought your house a 42 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 1: little after that. The housing crash in the Bay Area 43 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: in the last the last decade, I'd imagine it's been 44 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 1: good to that property value. It's been good. I mean 45 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 1: usually you know, guys when they move on to different teams, 46 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:36,360 Speaker 1: you know, they sell their house, they move on. But 47 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: I've met my wife out here and it was just, 48 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: you know, it was smart to keep the house and 49 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 1: over time, UM, I just won when it comes to 50 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 1: real estate and that in that area. Yeah, I wanted 51 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: to have you on because obviously, you know, you've been 52 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 1: through the draft process, You've been a high pick, and 53 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 1: you were a guy that really kind of moved the 54 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: needle during the draft process. But even before the draft 55 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:00,239 Speaker 1: process started for you, just looking when you were coming 56 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: out of high school, you're a big recruit. Uh When 57 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:07,239 Speaker 1: was the first time you realize when you were playing football, like, damn, 58 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: I'm pretty good. Well, it took a while. I mean 59 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 1: a lot of people don't know. I didn't make varsity 60 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: until I was in junior in high school. So my 61 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 1: first two years playing football ever was in high school 62 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 1: and I was on JV two years in a row. 63 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:22,519 Speaker 1: My sophomore year, I tried out and my head coach 64 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,960 Speaker 1: told me I was the worst football player he've ever seen. Um, 65 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 1: but you know when you're when you're fifteen, sixteen years old, 66 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: you kind of take that too heard. And um, you know, 67 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 1: I was already good at track and I was I 68 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 1: was a solid basketball player. So you know, just kind 69 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: of playing those next two years on on varsity and 70 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: just really showing my talent and really my speed, um 71 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: really took me to that level of being like, hey, 72 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 1: I could go to college. But I didn't know about 73 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 1: the NFL until after my resturant junior year, I mean, 74 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: Mike great Shirt freshman year. That's when I realized, like, hey, 75 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 1: I'm good enough to really go to the league. So 76 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 1: there was obviously before you get to even high school. 77 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 1: Do you remember the first time when you realized I'm fast? Yeah? Man, 78 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 1: it was eighth grade. It was eighth grade and we 79 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: had this regional like you know, sports day in middle school, 80 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:17,159 Speaker 1: and um, I had no spikes, no nothing, I just 81 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:19,800 Speaker 1: had sneakers and they did a hundred yard you know, 82 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: meter dash and when I ran it, and I beat 83 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: everybody by like fifty yards. The whole stadium was just 84 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: like in shocked. It was kind of like an all 85 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 1: like they never see somebody run that fast. And I was, 86 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:34,039 Speaker 1: you know, thirteen years old when I did that. So 87 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:36,719 Speaker 1: that was my first moment of knowing that I had 88 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 1: elite speed or world class speed. So then you started 89 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: playing football, you start getting a little bit better. Junior year, 90 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,159 Speaker 1: when was the first time you had the recruit, you know, 91 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:50,160 Speaker 1: the offensive coordinator or head coach start running, You start 92 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 1: talking to your coach. What would you remember that that 93 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 1: kind of happened At the end of my junior year. 94 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 1: I've already had scholarship offers for track, you know l 95 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 1: s U, Texas, tex Text those places like that, and 96 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 1: then football. Of course when they hear it got us fast, 97 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:06,840 Speaker 1: I mean they follow you know fast, you know, right 98 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 1: behind that um. So when I started getting those those 99 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:13,599 Speaker 1: calls from Joe Pod Penn Stayed and and those coach 100 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 1: freging at Maryland where I end up going, That's when 101 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 1: I was like, man, like, do I do track? Do 102 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 1: I do football? Which way do I go? And decided 103 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: to lead on football? How did you end up picking Maryland? 104 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:28,159 Speaker 1: I picked Maryland? It's crazy, Uh, everybody in my school 105 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: loved Alabama. And this is before stating this is because 106 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:35,039 Speaker 1: I saw looking I was looking at yours and I 107 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: was like, going Maryland over Alabama. Then I remember, you 108 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: know this is a little before. Yeah, this is for 109 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:45,040 Speaker 1: the you know what everybody knows Alabama now for uh 110 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: so uh for me, I was just staying home, being 111 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: close to home family. Um. For high school, I went 112 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 1: to boarding school. So to be a little closer to 113 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 1: my mom and having you know, those people still that 114 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 1: support this behind me was very important. And it became 115 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 1: really easy to choose Maryland. And then you get there, 116 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 1: you start playing right away and producing. Uh, well, I don't. 117 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 1: I don't do that. I don't produce produced by the way, 118 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 1: and I don't play by the way. I get red shirted. 119 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:14,039 Speaker 1: And I think that was a really turning point because 120 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 1: when I got red shirted, I was thinking about leaving football. 121 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 1: I was gonna run track. I was gonna transfer the 122 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 1: l s U and not play football. Um. A coach 123 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 1: rees and set me down and said, hey, Darius, who 124 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 1: will make a whole lot more money playing football. They're 125 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 1: running track. So that's kind of how that that turned around. 126 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: And then that's when football at Maryland started going good 127 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 1: for me. Okay, let me rewind then, So were there 128 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:41,159 Speaker 1: promises or anything? Did you think you were gonna play 129 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: right away? No? No, no promises at all. I mean, 130 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 1: I think being recruited by all these schools, we basically 131 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:51,360 Speaker 1: all off of how how my siling can be. It's 132 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 1: all potentially. I was a guy in high school that 133 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 1: ring hitches, slants and goes. I didn't know much about 134 00:06:57,520 --> 00:06:59,600 Speaker 1: the game. I was just letting my athletic ability to 135 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 1: take over. So there was no promises in Maryland's. But 136 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: when you're at when I was there, you're frustrating because 137 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 1: we came in with five receivers and three of them 138 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: played as true freshman. So when you're the two out, 139 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: you're like, do I do I stay here? Do I? 140 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 1: Maybe trapped would be better. But after that talk with 141 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: coach Region, he was being really honest with me. I 142 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: took his words and I started putting in the work. Yeah, 143 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: I guess I said that because oh, six, your first 144 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: year playing to your rent, your freshman, you have forty 145 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: five catches and that in two thousand and twenty, that's 146 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 1: not that crazy. But fifteen years ago, like forty five 147 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: catchers in college is a good year, you know, let 148 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 1: alone for a freshman. Yeah, it's it's a solid year, definitely. 149 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 1: I put you know, my name was was out there. 150 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: People knew who I was, who I was, and it 151 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 1: was kind of cool because that fresh your freshman year, 152 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: I had an opportunity to be around um burning Burnie Davis. 153 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 1: He was he was a junior, and uh, just to 154 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 1: be around him and seeing how his draft draft process was, 155 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 1: I was like, Okay, I really want to do this. 156 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 1: Who wanted to race? When YouTube went at it? Man, 157 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 1: it's crazy we've never raced and know what, nobody's asked 158 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: me to race. They don't want to lose. Yeah. Yeah, 159 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 1: he was fast though. I mean, it's no everybody's talking 160 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 1: about Kyle Pitts and they're like, they've never seen anything 161 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 1: like this before. And I'm like, you've seen Vernon Davis. 162 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 1: He went five back when that was unheard of me. 163 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: I think Kellen Winslow, you know, maybe a few other 164 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 1: people Missades Lewis. I think he went nine. You know 165 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: that you don't have guys that go that high. So 166 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 1: was that I mean that moment once he gets drafted 167 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:36,199 Speaker 1: that high, you just on his team or I mean 168 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 1: you start thinking right away, like God, this is this 169 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:41,680 Speaker 1: is pretty real, Like you ball here, you make place here, 170 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 1: you show out here, like you can go to the the league, 171 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: you get drafted high at this program. Yeah, I mean 172 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:50,839 Speaker 1: it's crazy. When I was getting recruited, I wasn't really 173 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 1: thinking much about the league. I was thinking more just 174 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: like how can I get better? How can I play here? 175 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 1: You know, and after that red shirt, getting sure that 176 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 1: you're really just focused, how do I get on the 177 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 1: field here? And um, the guy in front of me 178 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:07,079 Speaker 1: who started, who was starting in front of me, broke 179 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: his ankle first game, and you know I never left 180 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:13,839 Speaker 1: the field after that. And I think Maryland, you can 181 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: see with stefandis DJ more. You know, it doesn't matter 182 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:19,600 Speaker 1: where school you go to. If you produce and you 183 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 1: show your ability on me, the NFL will find me. 184 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,480 Speaker 1: This could be wrong. I read this on Wikipedia, but 185 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:28,440 Speaker 1: you know, I know, like there's usually a junior day 186 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 1: and maybe even sometimes underclassman. You guys run forties, and 187 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: you had ran like a four to three, yeah when 188 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: you were a sophomore. So then word, I would imagine 189 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: starts getting out fast. They gotta do to Maryland's running 190 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 1: a four two. Did you think everything kind of changed 191 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 1: when that moment got at least publicized or was that 192 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 1: public back then or is that something that wasn't as 193 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:51,320 Speaker 1: big as we act like it is now. It wasn't 194 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: as big. I think it was known locally. Is that true? 195 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:57,079 Speaker 1: Four to three? The number that's that's a real number. 196 00:09:57,160 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 1: That's a real number. Of course it was in time, 197 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 1: but that's a real number. And um, I think for me, 198 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 1: the word a round the country was more when they 199 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: saw me play against Miami and Florida State my freshman year. Um, 200 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:13,200 Speaker 1: you know when you look at Florida State of Miami, 201 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 1: those are the fastest guys you know on the planet 202 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:18,920 Speaker 1: in college. You know, all those guys were running four threes, 203 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 1: four boards. And for me to have, you know, over 204 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 1: a hundred fifty yards receiving and run by these guys, 205 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 1: I think that really put my name on the map, 206 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 1: like this guy can run. So by the time you're 207 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 1: coming into your junior year, like at the start of 208 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 1: that season, are you thinking pros or I'm thinking pro 209 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: At the end of my wrestler sophomore year, I put 210 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 1: my papers in to get evaluated, you know, with the 211 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:45,679 Speaker 1: league and they NFL p A gives you back something. 212 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 1: Third round, they give you a grade. And when I 213 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 1: got pretty it's pretty conservatives, really conservative. And me being 214 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:55,400 Speaker 1: a wrestler sophomore, even though I thought I was the 215 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:57,960 Speaker 1: bottom of the first round, second round talent, they told 216 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 1: me third or fourth round, and you know, talking to 217 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:03,600 Speaker 1: the right people, you realize like, okay, yeah, I can 218 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 1: still go second round. Let's do one more year. And 219 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:08,439 Speaker 1: I had a conversation with my mom and remember walking 220 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 1: across campus and I'm like, Mom, gonna stay from my 221 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 1: junior year, but this is it. So I went into 222 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 1: my junior year knowing that that was it for me. Well, 223 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 1: she on the opposite side, pushing school. You know, she 224 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 1: was definitely saying let's go. She was ready to rock 225 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: and all. She was all about it. She understood because 226 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 1: I broke it down to I talked her about how 227 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 1: the old line, I talked about everything. She understood all that. 228 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: I'm like, hey, the old line is not gonna be 229 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 1: the same. We won't have a quarterback, we won't have 230 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: this and won't have that. And she was like, okay, 231 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 1: well then this is it. I said, cool, let's do it. 232 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 1: So then that year happens and by the end of 233 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:48,319 Speaker 1: the season, are you you know, is everyone coming at 234 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 1: you trying to sign you? All the agent community and 235 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:54,679 Speaker 1: what's that? What's that process? Like? That process is a 236 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:57,199 Speaker 1: little crazy. Uh. You know they have this thing that 237 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:00,719 Speaker 1: agents have a runner, somebody who who goes to these 238 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: campuses and go to the parties, talks to the people 239 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 1: they want to know who you are and hopefully they 240 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: can bump into you and start up those conversations. So 241 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 1: I had a lot of that. You have a lot 242 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,000 Speaker 1: of people come out of woodwork. But um, like I 243 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 1: stated before we even started this interview, man, I'm just 244 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 1: I'm my own person. I know exactly what I want. 245 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 1: I know what type of the people I want around me. 246 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 1: So uh, even though the process was crazy, I knew 247 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 1: where I wanted to be. Would you who would you 248 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 1: end up signing with? End up signing with CIA? With 249 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:31,880 Speaker 1: Tom Condor and those guys. I mean, I'm a guy 250 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 1: who's into the film. I'm into film, So that made 251 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:38,440 Speaker 1: it easy because you know their agency, you know, also 252 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: deals with actors and people who do filmmaking, so that 253 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 1: made that easy. But also just the relationship, you know, 254 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 1: I build a good relationship with those guys, even though 255 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:53,960 Speaker 1: my mom like Drew Rosenhouse, I had to go just 256 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 1: fall on my heart. But it's crazy. My mom like 257 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 1: Drew rosen That was crazy. So tell me a little 258 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 1: bit about meeting with Drew. I mean he could tell Ice. 259 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 1: Does he sold it? He sold it? I mean he 260 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: was actually the only Asian who was like, Hey, I'm 261 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 1: gonna be with you draft day. And I'm like, what 262 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 1: makes you think that you should be with me for 263 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:15,440 Speaker 1: draft Day? Like usually you want to be guys who 264 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:17,599 Speaker 1: go top ten. And I think he gave me that 265 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 1: first like look like you know, well, I think you 266 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 1: can be that type of guy without saying it. So 267 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:26,200 Speaker 1: that kind of let me know right there. I'm like, Okay, 268 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:28,320 Speaker 1: he might know something I don't know at this moment. 269 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 1: So it was it fair to say that Obviously he's 270 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 1: a hype guy. He's a he's a lot of passion. 271 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,560 Speaker 1: It's it's tom a little more black and white. Not 272 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:41,839 Speaker 1: any selling you anything that doesn't necessarily exist at the time, 273 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 1: for sure. I mean I think agents and when you're 274 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: going through this process, they like to sell Well, I 275 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 1: got this guy, this contract or, I signed this guy 276 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 1: to this, but in reality, those players did that. You 277 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:56,679 Speaker 1: know those players, what they did in college, what they 278 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:59,080 Speaker 1: do in the league to get that second contracts. The 279 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 1: player has nothing to do with the agent. I always 280 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 1: tell young guys, use agents to your advantage. If you 281 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 1: have a marketing guy, use them to the fullest. You 282 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 1: have the agent, use them to the fullest. If you 283 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 1: need to get things done, if you want to meet 284 00:14:11,559 --> 00:14:14,520 Speaker 1: the right people and being those buildings and being at 285 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: those dinners, use your agent for that. But if you 286 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 1: want your agent to sell you one, Oh, I signed 287 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 1: this guy, we got sixty million, Well you know what, 288 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 1: the next safety is going to get sixty two. So 289 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter who you go when. Whence you're comfortable, 290 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 1: you feel like his family and they're working for you. 291 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk line up 292 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 1: in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox 293 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 1: sports Radio dot com and within the I Heart Radio app. 294 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:48,320 Speaker 1: Search f s R to listen live. So, because you're 295 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 1: under classmen, you're not going to the senior boarl or 296 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 1: anythink what is the process leading up to the combine 297 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:56,840 Speaker 1: which obviously changed your life. The process for there from 298 00:14:56,840 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 1: there was just finding a place to train, find the 299 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 1: place where I can hone in for those five to 300 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: six weeks leading up to the combine, and I chose 301 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 1: to go out to Arizona and it was cool. I 302 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: had an opportunity to work with you know, Matt Stafford, 303 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:14,000 Speaker 1: you know when we did one of the ones, I 304 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: had the opportunity to to work out with Vante Davis, 305 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: Vernon's little brother, you know, he was another first rounder. 306 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 1: So just that training and that being in a competitive 307 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:25,880 Speaker 1: environment was perfect for me leading up to the combine 308 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 1: because once you get there, it's really that's what it's 309 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 1: attracted me. Everybody's size and everybody up you know, nerves 310 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 1: is running. You got to perform right there on the spot. 311 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: There's a lot of waiting, so um, just having that 312 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:41,160 Speaker 1: time to prepare and be ready for that was key. 313 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 1: So the build up to the combine is Tom and CIA, 314 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: I mean, are they hyping up to you how important 315 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 1: this moment is? You just naturally know it. Like, what 316 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:51,880 Speaker 1: did you feel pressure going into the combine? No? I 317 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 1: didn't feel pressure going into the combine. I think the 318 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 1: only thing that I had to kind of prove to 319 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 1: my peers and also to Tom and my agents at CIA, 320 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 1: is that of course, word was getting out, oh he 321 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 1: probably can't catch the ball that well. So I was 322 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: just like when we was doing workouse in Arizona, I 323 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 1: was just trying to hold in with Matt Stafford and 324 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 1: just being like, hey, let's throw all the time. Let's 325 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 1: go out there, and Ron brownse I want to I 326 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 1: know what I can do, but I want to even 327 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: prove it to the people that are working for me, 328 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 1: people who are you know, talking to these agents and 329 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 1: the scouts. You know, I want to show them that 330 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 1: I can do that. But I knew what I was 331 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 1: capable of doing, and I wanted to showcase that at 332 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:33,600 Speaker 1: the combine because fair looking back, I mean, Crabtreet was 333 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: a consensus top wide receiver in the draft, right what 334 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 1: you're saying, yeah, I think I think Coman Jeremy and 335 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 1: Mac and Macalen and Kenny Brent. I would say me 336 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 1: and him were in the same spot. And then I 337 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 1: put Percy Harvin in a in a in a category 338 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 1: of special just different. He's in a different category. I 339 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 1: mean coming in you know, you watch TV, you watch 340 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: the mail keypers, the Todmy Scha's, and they always they 341 00:16:57,040 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 1: had me as the fourth fifth receiver, out of that class, 342 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 1: and we knew it was going to be a heavy 343 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 1: wide receiver class because the year before UM no receivers 344 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:08,920 Speaker 1: went in the first round that was the Sean Jackson 345 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 1: that was av So we knew there was gonna be 346 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:15,320 Speaker 1: a heavy load on receivers. Now where do they fall 347 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 1: from there? So you go to the combine and I've 348 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:21,560 Speaker 1: been my first year. I was like the intern guy. 349 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 1: When you guys check in and then you go to 350 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 1: those rooms, It's it's got to be kind of a 351 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:28,320 Speaker 1: crazy feeling, right, You're meeting all these guys that you know, 352 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 1: the names, You've read about him, you watched them play, 353 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:32,159 Speaker 1: you've played against him. But now you're all in the 354 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:34,600 Speaker 1: same You're all trying to do the same thing. Like 355 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:36,440 Speaker 1: I'll get to the league. Some of them are gonna 356 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:39,159 Speaker 1: be your teammates. You know. It's just and that first, 357 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 1: you know, you do the interviews that next day, just 358 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:43,919 Speaker 1: talk to me about the day that you ran, you know, 359 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:46,760 Speaker 1: the forty that changed your life. But you get up 360 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:50,439 Speaker 1: to like four am, right, piste tasks and medicals. It's crazy. 361 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:52,439 Speaker 1: It's funny you say that I'm the first thing I'm 362 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 1: thinking about is the times that we had to get 363 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:58,679 Speaker 1: up the lack of sleep that you get. The My 364 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:02,640 Speaker 1: roommate at the Calm was Mark Sanchez. Cool guy. I mean, 365 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: I'm I'm a kid from from Maryland, you know, from 366 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 1: the East coast, and he's a Southern conquak, completely opposite. 367 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:12,120 Speaker 1: But we we just had a cool, cool time those 368 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 1: three days there. But up early, Um, going to sleep late. 369 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:18,840 Speaker 1: I mean you're you're meeting with scouts in that little 370 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 1: room in the basement until ten thirty at night, so 371 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:24,879 Speaker 1: it's crazy. But um talking about my forty time and 372 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 1: what I did, because I believe I finished top five 373 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:33,840 Speaker 1: in every category everything, So I had a great combine. 374 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:36,399 Speaker 1: Wasn't just you know, the forty time, even when we 375 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:39,120 Speaker 1: ran routes, didn't have a drop ball and really just 376 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 1: really ran did well at the combine. But for the 377 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:46,959 Speaker 1: forty time, Um, how you don't mind me being honest, 378 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:49,919 Speaker 1: thirty eight and a half vert, broad jump ten six 379 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: even your bench sixteen reps no slouch for a guy, 380 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,440 Speaker 1: I mean for a wide receiver. But I think that's 381 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:58,439 Speaker 1: what makes the whole story unique. When it comes to 382 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:01,399 Speaker 1: our forty time, you have if you look at it, 383 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 1: everybody who's ran four three or under in the NFL history. 384 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:06,199 Speaker 1: When it comes to the forty time, those guys are 385 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:11,679 Speaker 1: all under six foot. Yeah, nobody six too. And I 386 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:14,920 Speaker 1: think when I ran my forty, which I'm gonna throw 387 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:19,399 Speaker 1: it out there, um, I couldn't ran faster. I think, uh, 388 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 1: I think, um, I think a little bit of nerves. 389 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: And you know you've been in the combine. They have 390 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:27,480 Speaker 1: the guy there, the scout from the Steelers telling you, 391 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:31,240 Speaker 1: heye bad flint. So you know the guy two or 392 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:34,000 Speaker 1: three guys before me had a couple of flinches. So 393 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 1: I'm like, well, I don't want that to happen. And 394 00:19:36,119 --> 00:19:37,920 Speaker 1: when I ran my forty time, I ran a fourth 395 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:40,679 Speaker 1: three oh and the four to nine, but they rounded 396 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:43,640 Speaker 1: it up for a fourth three oh, and everybody's in shock, 397 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 1: and everybody's like, man, you really ran that fast. And 398 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 1: I'm just thinking to myself, that was slow. Yeah, because 399 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:51,680 Speaker 1: the start was funky. The start was funky. I kind 400 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:54,719 Speaker 1: of came out why the set of kind of lifting 401 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: and driving, but he stops when they roll, they roll, 402 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:00,719 Speaker 1: and I didn't want to roll. So I was just 403 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:03,080 Speaker 1: more thinking, like, well, let me make some emphasis on 404 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:06,360 Speaker 1: these first three steps. And usually when I come out 405 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 1: of my forty it's really it's really a lift instead 406 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 1: of find my ballots type of thing. I know I'm 407 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 1: talking tracks stuff, but that's how I talk about running. 408 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:17,359 Speaker 1: And I felt like I could have run fast. So 409 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 1: maybe I could have run like a four to five 410 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 1: or something. Well, I think someone like you, who's just 411 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: a legit speed guy, you're gonna run fast no matter what. 412 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:26,640 Speaker 1: But I think a lot of it gets talked about, 413 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:29,720 Speaker 1: like guys manipulated, right, they trained so much like you 414 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 1: were running fast and safe grade. But some guys, can 415 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:35,399 Speaker 1: you manipulate the forty like you believe that like the 416 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:38,199 Speaker 1: tricks they teach. I mean there's tricks and stuff, but 417 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:41,640 Speaker 1: if you're a fast or faster, you're slow to show. Uh. 418 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:43,399 Speaker 1: And I think it's funny when guys go from the 419 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:46,240 Speaker 1: combine to the pro day and they went faster. Oh 420 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:50,400 Speaker 1: I I worked on no somebody just hand timing. Nothing changed. 421 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:52,680 Speaker 1: And I always tell people and even when I was 422 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 1: with the Stealers and I was talking to a lot 423 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:57,880 Speaker 1: of the scouts there, Man, the film doesn't lie. If 424 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 1: a guy's fast on film, that's what he's going to 425 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 1: be every day. So based off the film, the forty 426 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:05,440 Speaker 1: time doesn't really mean anything. Well, I think that's a 427 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:08,040 Speaker 1: big thing right now because the combine didn't exist this year, 428 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: and like last year when when Rugs ran a four 429 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 1: to eight, like that's a legit four to eight, but 430 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 1: I was there, so yeah, I mean you can. Now 431 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:19,880 Speaker 1: you get Jamar Chase who's plays fast, but he doesn't 432 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:22,800 Speaker 1: play four three eight fast, and so the hand times, 433 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:25,439 Speaker 1: it's fair to say they're all a little manipulated this 434 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 1: year all over the country at the protest. But I 435 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:31,400 Speaker 1: think that's something that the media gets hyped about. Teams don't, Jim, 436 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:33,880 Speaker 1: they don't. They don't care about the forty time. I mean, 437 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:36,479 Speaker 1: if you're a guy who's fast, that just confirms it. 438 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:38,440 Speaker 1: If you run a good forty time, you got a 439 00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: slow or a guy like a Keenan Allen, a four 440 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:42,480 Speaker 1: or five guy, and you're right at four or four, 441 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 1: you might be like, okay, but you're not changing him 442 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 1: on your board based on the forty time. That's that's 443 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 1: not happening. Because Crabtree didn't even run that year, right, 444 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:54,640 Speaker 1: really am right? He never ran. I don't think he ran. 445 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:56,680 Speaker 1: I mean I think he maybe had a few workouts 446 00:21:56,680 --> 00:21:58,919 Speaker 1: for some teams. I think he was dealing with injury. 447 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:04,240 Speaker 1: Uh yeah, Um, so he didn't run. But like I said, 448 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:07,439 Speaker 1: the tape doesn't lie, so always based information off that. 449 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:10,119 Speaker 1: So you have the combine and like you said, you 450 00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 1: know your forty times fantastic, but everyone knew you were fast. 451 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 1: Your your explosive numbers, your short shuttle were all eye opening. 452 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:19,439 Speaker 1: Did it change everything from then on? Like, did you 453 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:21,960 Speaker 1: feel a change just the way the teams wanted to 454 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:24,679 Speaker 1: see you? You start traveling around the country. What happens 455 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:28,359 Speaker 1: after that? The combine? After that? Really you know, I 456 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 1: go back to Maryland having my pro day, had to 457 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 1: work out with I mean in front of those teams, 458 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 1: and then I had a good round of workouts, had 459 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:40,760 Speaker 1: to work out with Baltimore, had to work out with Philadelphia. 460 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:44,120 Speaker 1: So the workouts start moving up. But things don't really 461 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 1: get crazy until I had to work out with Baltimore. 462 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:52,040 Speaker 1: U Joe Flacco came me. Joe Flacco threw throw balls, 463 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:55,119 Speaker 1: So you had Hugh Jackson was to the quarterback coach 464 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 1: John Harbaugh was there and after the workout, Um, you, 465 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:02,879 Speaker 1: Jackson said, Man, it was good workout, but unfortunately we 466 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 1: probably won't we won't see you and I'm like, what 467 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:07,480 Speaker 1: do you mean. He was like, yeah, we're picking out twenty. 468 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:09,119 Speaker 1: We we we won't get to you. And I'm just 469 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:11,920 Speaker 1: thinking to myself. That's when it started clicking, like, wait 470 00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: a second, the teams. No, I'm not gonna be there 471 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,359 Speaker 1: at twenty. I'm not gonna be there fifteen. So what 472 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,720 Speaker 1: does that mean? And um, that's when I started thinking, Hey, 473 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:23,159 Speaker 1: maybe Mike go a little higher than because if I 474 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 1: would have told you when your season ended and you 475 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:27,159 Speaker 1: signed with Condon, if you would have went twenty, you 476 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: would have felt pretty good about that. I would have 477 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:32,919 Speaker 1: been found. So then so once you start getting that, 478 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:37,159 Speaker 1: you're like, okay, then when did did Al Davis and 479 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 1: the Raiders bring you out for a personal visit one 480 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 1: of those top thirties? Oh they didn't, they didn't. I didn't. 481 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 1: I never set foot with in Oakland. I had a 482 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:49,920 Speaker 1: conversation with James Lofton, who was the wide receiver coach 483 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:53,879 Speaker 1: at the time. Um, and actually he left after the draft, 484 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:56,879 Speaker 1: so he never coached me, but I had a conversation 485 00:23:56,920 --> 00:23:58,919 Speaker 1: with him. He flew into Maryland. We had like a 486 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:01,959 Speaker 1: thirty minute conversation station and that was it. That was 487 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:06,720 Speaker 1: my interaction with Raiders the whole drafting process, so they 488 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:09,480 Speaker 1: weren't really on my radar. I didn't think I was 489 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:11,760 Speaker 1: on their radar, the radar at the time. So once 490 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 1: Hugh tells you that and you guys realized that you're 491 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:16,480 Speaker 1: gonna go on higher, where were you thinking? I was thinking? 492 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:20,800 Speaker 1: I was thinking seventeen to the Jets. Um. Henry Heller 493 00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 1: was the wide receiver coach, and he came out to 494 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,680 Speaker 1: Maryland to no workout, just talk, and he was telling 495 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:27,720 Speaker 1: me how much he loved this game. And I'm like, man, 496 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 1: my my mom is from Jersey. It would be kind 497 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 1: of cool to stay on the East Coast. And I'm 498 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:36,199 Speaker 1: thinking every team the Jets will be be awesome. Um. 499 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 1: And then, just to give you a little bit more 500 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:40,640 Speaker 1: information than night before the draft, my agent calls me 501 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:44,360 Speaker 1: and grows out a couple of teams and he does 502 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:49,720 Speaker 1: mention Oakland, but still you're thinking seven. Probably not, but um. 503 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:53,879 Speaker 1: On draft Day, UM, when the Jets made the trade 504 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 1: up to five to take Mark Sanchez, my phone rang 505 00:24:58,359 --> 00:25:01,440 Speaker 1: and that's when I knew it was open. It was 506 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:04,720 Speaker 1: Tom Cable gave me a call to two picks before 507 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:07,920 Speaker 1: the seventh pick are you at the draft. No, I'm 508 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 1: not at the draft. I'm at home. I'm with family 509 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:14,000 Speaker 1: and friends. Yet so you get the call, what you said, Oh, 510 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:16,640 Speaker 1: he just you know, let me know. I'm gonna be 511 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 1: Oakland Raider and I'm I'm ready to work. And of course, 512 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:21,440 Speaker 1: I mean you say all the good things. You're you're 513 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:23,679 Speaker 1: hYP you're telling him yeah, and then you know the 514 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:27,679 Speaker 1: family celebrating. So the trade happens. You look down what four, one, 515 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: five number or whatever. I'm literally the trade happens. I mean, 516 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 1: Jest didn't even pick Mark Sanchez yet, the trade happens. 517 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 1: My phone ranks. It was like the same time, I'm like, 518 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:41,800 Speaker 1: what's going on because I'm thinking Suggets. I'm like, they 519 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:46,360 Speaker 1: moved up, like they're gonna take me at five and um. 520 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:48,199 Speaker 1: And then it was Tom Cable and I'm looking at 521 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:51,320 Speaker 1: the TV and they're they're taking Mark Sanchez and he 522 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:53,480 Speaker 1: was like, hey, we're gonna take you with the seventh pick. 523 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:55,440 Speaker 1: And I think the Bengals had the sixth pick and 524 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:58,160 Speaker 1: they took a tackle and then I was the seventh pick. 525 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 1: What's that feeling like when you see your name go seven? 526 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:05,040 Speaker 1: I mean, that's it's a pretty legendary pick, you know, 527 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 1: definitely a legendary pick. Um. It was cool. It's funny 528 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 1: because I had the true emotions two picks before my 529 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:17,240 Speaker 1: actual pick. Usually guys don't know they're sitting there, they're 530 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:20,800 Speaker 1: kind of getting the call while you know, the commissioners 531 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 1: saying their name. But I knew for good twenty minutes 532 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 1: before my name was called, So we had our excitement already. 533 00:26:29,119 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 1: So when we have our sit down and the TV 534 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 1: and we had ESPN there and everything. My family is 535 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 1: celebrating because you know, for the cameras, but I'm kind 536 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:40,840 Speaker 1: of I have uh earbud in my in my ear listening, 537 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:44,280 Speaker 1: I can hear Chris Carter and all these people's talking 538 00:26:44,359 --> 00:26:46,760 Speaker 1: so bad about me. So if you go back on 539 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:49,560 Speaker 1: YouTube and you watch me get drafted, you don't see 540 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:53,440 Speaker 1: me celebrating. You're actually hearing me listen to the bad 541 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:56,119 Speaker 1: nowth thing that I'm getting about me getting drafted. It's 542 00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:58,919 Speaker 1: supposed to be the happiest day of your life at 543 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:02,320 Speaker 1: that moment. Feeling like hearing people basically talk shit about 544 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: you as you get picked number seven. Overall, it's a 545 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:07,200 Speaker 1: crazy feeling when you're twenty one years old. I guess 546 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 1: I was twenty just turned twenty two. When you're twenty 547 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:11,840 Speaker 1: two years old, that's that's hard to handle. That's hard 548 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 1: to to hear that when you're supposed to be happy. 549 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:19,720 Speaker 1: I mean, did you ever talk to Chris about that? Later? 550 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:23,120 Speaker 1: Do you ever run into No? I actually reached out 551 00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:25,439 Speaker 1: to Chris Carter maybe three or four years until my 552 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 1: league in the league. UM, I didn't want to because 553 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:32,240 Speaker 1: I think I had some type of feeling towards that situation. 554 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:34,960 Speaker 1: But I don't know the man. So I wanted to 555 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 1: become a better receiver, so I reached out to him 556 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:40,719 Speaker 1: to two um to try to get better, see if 557 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:43,760 Speaker 1: he can help me become a better receiver. And never 558 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 1: heard back from him. So that's just how the cookie cumbles. Man. 559 00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:50,440 Speaker 1: So you get picked, what won't. So the first time 560 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:53,120 Speaker 1: you ever met Al Davis was when you actually flew 561 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:55,760 Speaker 1: out after you were picked. Man, it's crazy. Didn't even 562 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:58,880 Speaker 1: get flown out after I got picked. What happened? I'm 563 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:01,359 Speaker 1: looking at your face right out. Yeah, you're kind of surprising. 564 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:04,560 Speaker 1: I was probably the only guy in the top ten 565 00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:09,720 Speaker 1: who didn't get flown in the next day until press 566 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:14,119 Speaker 1: conference or anything. My first press conference was rookie It 567 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:16,240 Speaker 1: wasn't even rookie minicamp. We had a mini camp because 568 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:18,159 Speaker 1: we had a brand new coach in Tom Cable, so 569 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:21,639 Speaker 1: we had the extra minicamp. So maybe a month, maybe 570 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:24,399 Speaker 1: three or four weeks after the draft. That's one of 571 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 1: my first time I came to Oakland. Wow, times have 572 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:30,440 Speaker 1: changed because now immediately the press conference don't mean the 573 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:33,879 Speaker 1: same times would change. I would say, um, that was 574 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:37,280 Speaker 1: a Raider. That was a Raider thing. So what was 575 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:40,120 Speaker 1: it like showing up you get drafted by the Raiders. 576 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:44,160 Speaker 1: Al Davis that practice field with the with the fence 577 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 1: all blacked out. You know, I was freaked out. What's that? 578 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:50,560 Speaker 1: I mean, you're just going through a living legend at 579 00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:52,840 Speaker 1: the time. I mean, I think that's what it is. 580 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:55,680 Speaker 1: You know, you're going to an historic place. You know, 581 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 1: you're going to an owner that is revered in the league. 582 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 1: I mean, you got Jerry Jones, you got Al Davis. 583 00:29:01,640 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 1: That's why I look at owners, you know, I look 584 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 1: at that. I mean, of course Robber Kraft with what 585 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 1: he's done with winning, but you listen to look at 586 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:11,480 Speaker 1: these iconic figures. So of course this is this mystique 587 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 1: about Al Davis and narrators. When you pull up and 588 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:16,880 Speaker 1: it's all there, Like you said, the black fence, you 589 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:19,000 Speaker 1: pull up, you see the three Super Bowl rings. Soon 590 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:21,240 Speaker 1: as you walk into the building, they'll let you know, hey, 591 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:24,920 Speaker 1: we have these. And um, just meeting out, just um, 592 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:28,600 Speaker 1: just seeing how how smart he is, even in the 593 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:31,360 Speaker 1: state that he was in in two thousand nine. You know, 594 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 1: he was just very smart. He was sharp. He knew 595 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 1: his stuff, He knew football. Do you remember the first 596 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 1: time you ever met him in the conversation you guys had, Yeah, 597 00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:43,480 Speaker 1: I was in this office and um, you know, he's 598 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 1: showing me all the pictures of the great players, and 599 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 1: I asked them. I said, it's okay for me to 600 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:50,840 Speaker 1: wear the number twelve. Ka I knew that was Kenth 601 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:53,920 Speaker 1: Stabler's number. And he said, hey, you're worthy of it. 602 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:56,800 Speaker 1: You can do what you want, you know, because I 603 00:29:57,040 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 1: don't think just like in Pittsburgh, I don't think any numbers. 604 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 1: Are we tired? Yeah, so things are open, but I 605 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:06,640 Speaker 1: wanted to show respect and asking that question. But it 606 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:10,000 Speaker 1: was an awesome conversation. Well, I was lucky enough after 607 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:12,720 Speaker 1: you were gone, but be around that franchise and the 608 00:30:12,760 --> 00:30:15,400 Speaker 1: old guys that come around. It has this kind of 609 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:19,440 Speaker 1: collegiant feel for an NFL franchise, right their old legends 610 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:22,239 Speaker 1: come around. It's it's a powerful place. It really is. 611 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:25,160 Speaker 1: That had to be pretty eye opening for some coming 612 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 1: across the country. But then the Raider who were big 613 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:29,000 Speaker 1: on the East Coast too, I mean, they're just a 614 00:30:29,120 --> 00:30:31,920 Speaker 1: national fan base would be pretty cool. The fan base 615 00:30:32,080 --> 00:30:34,880 Speaker 1: is unbelievable. I mean, my mom still talks to the 616 00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:37,120 Speaker 1: fans from the Raiders. I mean she still goes to 617 00:30:37,160 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 1: the parties. Uh So, everything about Oakland and the fact 618 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:42,480 Speaker 1: that I still live here and I'm still amongst the 619 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 1: fans who who still love their Raiders even though they're 620 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:47,400 Speaker 1: in Vegas. Um, it's just kind of cool, which is 621 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:51,120 Speaker 1: being being in this area in the Bay Area. You know, 622 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:53,720 Speaker 1: you have great perspective because you then went later in 623 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:56,440 Speaker 1: your career, played in Pittsburgh for what four years? Five years? 624 00:30:56,640 --> 00:31:02,200 Speaker 1: Five years five years longer? I mean you were drafted 625 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:04,920 Speaker 1: the Raiders when Al's health was kind of declining. He 626 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:07,760 Speaker 1: passed away when you were there, right, uh, And it 627 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:10,720 Speaker 1: was just going through some pretty low moments in the franchise. 628 00:31:11,920 --> 00:31:14,040 Speaker 1: You know, coming from Maryland, Ralph Freeze, you guys had 629 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:17,200 Speaker 1: a pretty you know, successful program. Did you know right 630 00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:19,960 Speaker 1: away this is kind of a crazy because yours When 631 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:22,200 Speaker 1: I look at your stats, I mean you were a 632 00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 1: productive player in the NFL for a team that had 633 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:26,840 Speaker 1: quarterback issues. It's not like you were having ten catches 634 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:29,080 Speaker 1: a year. You know. It's I think that's kind of 635 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:32,680 Speaker 1: the perspective the uh. I think that's perceived out there, 636 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:36,000 Speaker 1: But it wasn't. Necessarily the Raiders were a disaster, right oh, 637 00:31:36,080 --> 00:31:38,680 Speaker 1: nine ten of leven? Did you know, Like this is 638 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 1: pretty nuts? Um, you look back and you you just 639 00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:47,920 Speaker 1: think about what happened at your time at any team. 640 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:50,360 Speaker 1: But it was it was definitely crazy. I mean it's 641 00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 1: not easy to come onto a team and you know, 642 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:57,200 Speaker 1: your four years there, you have three head coaches, four 643 00:31:57,240 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 1: o c s, eight starting quarterbacks. That's tough to handle, 644 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:05,480 Speaker 1: Um for anybody, and for me it was. But you know, 645 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:08,120 Speaker 1: I try to find a silver lining and everything. I 646 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:11,080 Speaker 1: enjoyed my time in Oakland, but um, there was times 647 00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:13,040 Speaker 1: where we were actually were good. We had to eight 648 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:16,040 Speaker 1: and eight seasons, and both times we were eight and 649 00:32:16,040 --> 00:32:19,640 Speaker 1: a both coaches got fired. And um, the teams that 650 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:21,800 Speaker 1: was on in Oakland when we went four and I 651 00:32:21,840 --> 00:32:24,360 Speaker 1: think four and twelve. I knew those teams were bad. 652 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:27,840 Speaker 1: I knew in training camp we were bad. I called 653 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:31,440 Speaker 1: my girlfriend and be like, we suck, and she's like, 654 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 1: what do you mean? He was eight and eight last year. 655 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:36,200 Speaker 1: We suck? And you just know. I mean, you've been 656 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:39,160 Speaker 1: the NFL training camps. You know the vibe. You know 657 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:42,720 Speaker 1: what players are playing to their level they're they're capable of. 658 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:46,240 Speaker 1: So in Oakland it was tough. But for me, I 659 00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:48,760 Speaker 1: think it just gave me a strength to kind of 660 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:52,480 Speaker 1: push on and further my career. And for me, I 661 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:54,520 Speaker 1: always looked at like this, I've had a full career. 662 00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:57,880 Speaker 1: I've been starter, I've been a role player, I've been 663 00:32:57,920 --> 00:32:59,880 Speaker 1: a guy fired for his life and the special teams, 664 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:03,120 Speaker 1: and I think I've seen it all. So I think 665 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:05,520 Speaker 1: it is a cool perspective to have. It's pretty crazy 666 00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:08,000 Speaker 1: because when you got there, it was JaMarcus the second year, 667 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:12,160 Speaker 1: he was a starting quarterback for third Yes, by the 668 00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:17,200 Speaker 1: end of it, like Carson was traded, like it, and 669 00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:20,040 Speaker 1: I see it all. I mean to go through JaMarcus 670 00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:24,240 Speaker 1: being there, you know, Jason Campbell playing well, breaking in 671 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:27,040 Speaker 1: the collar bone, and then two weeks later trading for 672 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:31,240 Speaker 1: Carson and learning a whole new offense mid season. Um, 673 00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:34,200 Speaker 1: it was a lot, but you know we were built 674 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:37,080 Speaker 1: for it. Me Lewis, Murphy, Jacobe before you know that 675 00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:40,560 Speaker 1: our crew, we was built for David Special You had 676 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:43,080 Speaker 1: some speed right there, yes, speed, but I think he 677 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:47,440 Speaker 1: had guys who had character to handle the chaos that 678 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:50,760 Speaker 1: moves around. I mean, ol dies. You know we have 679 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:54,479 Speaker 1: Hugh Jackson as the head coach and things completely changed. 680 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:56,520 Speaker 1: You know, he trades for Carson, So it's a lot, 681 00:33:56,560 --> 00:33:59,720 Speaker 1: but um, I wouldn't change it for the world. I know. 682 00:33:59,760 --> 00:34:02,440 Speaker 1: It's of someone from the outside who knew of you, 683 00:34:02,520 --> 00:34:04,360 Speaker 1: mainly because you were drafted really high and just and 684 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:07,240 Speaker 1: then once I got in the league. You spent the 685 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:09,440 Speaker 1: one year at Indy, but then your career you had 686 00:34:09,480 --> 00:34:12,840 Speaker 1: in Pittsburgh. I mean that was I mean at the 687 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:15,239 Speaker 1: time you were, your teams were dominant. They're really the 688 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:17,040 Speaker 1: only team you couldn't beat, right were the Steeler or 689 00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:20,000 Speaker 1: I mean the we're the Patriots. But like you guys 690 00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:23,920 Speaker 1: had some fantastic teams. How did that happen? Did you 691 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:25,759 Speaker 1: know that? Were they interested to one year when you 692 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:28,000 Speaker 1: were a free agent when you went to Indy. Uh, 693 00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:30,040 Speaker 1: just talk a little bit about how you ended up 694 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:35,520 Speaker 1: signing there. Yeah. So after Indy, Um, I got a 695 00:34:35,520 --> 00:34:39,239 Speaker 1: call from my agent and he said, hey, um, Pittsburgh 696 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:42,279 Speaker 1: wants to bring you in. And I was just coming 697 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:46,120 Speaker 1: off of a hamstring injury. Uh with with Indy and 698 00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:48,480 Speaker 1: he was that lux was that lux rookie year in 699 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:52,319 Speaker 1: third year? Second year, second year? Yeah, that's the second year. 700 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:56,319 Speaker 1: And that's the the season where we beat Kansas City, 701 00:34:56,480 --> 00:34:58,560 Speaker 1: was down like twenty eight points, twenty four points and 702 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:01,520 Speaker 1: coming that crazy shootout in the playoffs. Yeah, in the playoffs. 703 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:03,480 Speaker 1: So that was my first taste of playoffs and that 704 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:07,000 Speaker 1: was crazy first playoff game that happened. So that was cool. 705 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:09,319 Speaker 1: But um, I got a call from my agent and 706 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:11,759 Speaker 1: he was like, hey, Pittsburgh wants to bring you in. 707 00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:14,080 Speaker 1: And I'm like, hey, but I can't work out, Like 708 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:16,680 Speaker 1: the hamstring is not good. And he's like, no, they 709 00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 1: just want to bring you in. They just want to 710 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:21,200 Speaker 1: get a field for the person. So I went out 711 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:25,160 Speaker 1: there to Pittsburgh, met with Tomlin, Kevin Colbert, the GM 712 00:35:25,239 --> 00:35:27,600 Speaker 1: and had a good you know conversation. They just wanted 713 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:31,120 Speaker 1: to know where my mind was. And coach Tomlin just 714 00:35:31,960 --> 00:35:35,120 Speaker 1: laid it out, Hey, we want football players. Nothing's gonna 715 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:37,399 Speaker 1: be promised to you. You You gotta work. And I think 716 00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:39,799 Speaker 1: that was an environment that I needed. I needed an 717 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:44,440 Speaker 1: environment that wasn't just gonna be like, hey, you're gonna start. Hey, 718 00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:46,279 Speaker 1: you know we're gonna bring you in. Here you go. 719 00:35:46,760 --> 00:35:48,759 Speaker 1: So it was really at the bottom that I had 720 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:51,280 Speaker 1: to start from the bottom. I was making lead minimum. 721 00:35:51,760 --> 00:35:55,759 Speaker 1: I was, you know, a one year deal, one year deal. 722 00:35:55,840 --> 00:35:58,040 Speaker 1: I was the seventh receiver in the room. You had 723 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:00,880 Speaker 1: guys who was on practice squad who knew the offense. 724 00:36:00,920 --> 00:36:04,400 Speaker 1: So I was really behind the eight ball. And for me, 725 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:07,080 Speaker 1: I just put my head down and I treated myself 726 00:36:07,520 --> 00:36:09,520 Speaker 1: like I always do, but I treated myself like I 727 00:36:09,680 --> 00:36:12,520 Speaker 1: was a guy trying to make the team. All the 728 00:36:12,680 --> 00:36:14,640 Speaker 1: being a top ten draft pick, all that stuff was 729 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:17,200 Speaker 1: out the window. I had to really prove myself and 730 00:36:17,360 --> 00:36:20,239 Speaker 1: earned the respect not only the coaches but my teammates. 731 00:36:20,560 --> 00:36:22,360 Speaker 1: And I was able to do that. I'm not just 732 00:36:22,400 --> 00:36:24,440 Speaker 1: saying this because you're on I mean to sign a 733 00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:28,680 Speaker 1: veteran minimum with a powerhouse team and fourteen and then 734 00:36:28,719 --> 00:36:31,400 Speaker 1: to go on to play four more seasons after that 735 00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:33,760 Speaker 1: with that same team with the same head coach and GM, 736 00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:38,680 Speaker 1: especially a powerhouse, like that's impressive, you know, I mean seriously, because, 737 00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:40,200 Speaker 1: like you said, you had been a high pick, you 738 00:36:40,239 --> 00:36:42,440 Speaker 1: had made a lot of coin, and now you're taking 739 00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:46,319 Speaker 1: a role like they value, and they value like there's 740 00:36:46,320 --> 00:36:48,200 Speaker 1: probably not many teams in the league that scout better 741 00:36:48,239 --> 00:36:52,080 Speaker 1: than them, right, especially the receiver position. Receiver position. But 742 00:36:52,160 --> 00:36:54,880 Speaker 1: for sure, and for me, of course, you go in 743 00:36:54,920 --> 00:36:57,560 Speaker 1: thinking like, yeah, I'm gonna play receiver, and then you know, 744 00:36:57,640 --> 00:37:00,440 Speaker 1: you get through training camp and you you I've never 745 00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:03,840 Speaker 1: played special teams before. I've never ran down on the gunner. 746 00:37:03,960 --> 00:37:06,880 Speaker 1: I've never ran off on kickoff in high school, college, 747 00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:09,600 Speaker 1: you never would have never would have no no point 748 00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:13,520 Speaker 1: to But most, but most, you know, people who are 749 00:37:13,520 --> 00:37:16,080 Speaker 1: listening to your podcasts don't realize, like that's majority of 750 00:37:16,120 --> 00:37:18,799 Speaker 1: the league, majority of the league, or guys running down 751 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:22,600 Speaker 1: on kickoff and doing special teams. They're the backup. And 752 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:24,960 Speaker 1: that was the first time I was thrown into that 753 00:37:25,080 --> 00:37:28,240 Speaker 1: role and I had to learn how to play special teams. 754 00:37:28,280 --> 00:37:31,279 Speaker 1: I had to learn how to tackle, and I took 755 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:35,200 Speaker 1: that all on and be kind of became like the 756 00:37:35,680 --> 00:37:39,200 Speaker 1: perfect um guy that coach Tom and Colleen on and 757 00:37:39,239 --> 00:37:41,319 Speaker 1: be like, Yo, this guy can do it. He has 758 00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:43,279 Speaker 1: the money, he has the pedigree. But if he can 759 00:37:43,320 --> 00:37:46,239 Speaker 1: go down there and run off on kickoff, all you 760 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:48,520 Speaker 1: other guys who aren't Antonio Brown should be doing the 761 00:37:48,560 --> 00:37:52,799 Speaker 1: exact same thing. Were you scared? I mean at first, 762 00:37:52,880 --> 00:37:56,719 Speaker 1: I mean that's a pretty violent position. Obviously receivers too, 763 00:37:56,760 --> 00:37:59,960 Speaker 1: but you can kind of like avoid there's no avoid 764 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:03,040 Speaker 1: it on gunner like or kickoff, right. I wouldn't say 765 00:38:03,160 --> 00:38:07,319 Speaker 1: it's never you can't sing in the NFL. Did you 766 00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:10,520 Speaker 1: think like this is gonna be a different different beast here? Oh? Yeah, 767 00:38:10,560 --> 00:38:12,880 Speaker 1: this is definitely a different animal. I mean, your your 768 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:17,240 Speaker 1: your mentality playing gunner, it's crazy. I mean I remember 769 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:19,719 Speaker 1: my rookie year. I'm watching the Gunners and the guy 770 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:22,120 Speaker 1: got thrown into the Gatorway bottles and I'm like, whoa, Like, 771 00:38:23,239 --> 00:38:26,319 Speaker 1: there's no rules out, there's there's no passing affairs, there's 772 00:38:26,320 --> 00:38:30,719 Speaker 1: no holding. It's a it's a dog fight and um, 773 00:38:30,760 --> 00:38:33,200 Speaker 1: but when you're trying to fight for your NFL career, 774 00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:37,919 Speaker 1: that doesn't matter. Run through a brick wall. Whatever makes 775 00:38:37,920 --> 00:38:40,440 Speaker 1: it makes it easier. It makes it easier when you know, 776 00:38:40,640 --> 00:38:44,400 Speaker 1: like hey, especially when you're fighting for something. For me, 777 00:38:44,440 --> 00:38:46,520 Speaker 1: I was fighting for something that I felt like it 778 00:38:46,680 --> 00:38:49,680 Speaker 1: was never done before. You've heard of guys who be 779 00:38:49,719 --> 00:38:52,760 Speaker 1: top ten draft picks and they played through four years 780 00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:55,719 Speaker 1: and then they out the league. I knew I had 781 00:38:55,960 --> 00:38:57,680 Speaker 1: you had you had played with one in Oakland and 782 00:38:57,719 --> 00:39:00,400 Speaker 1: jamacus right right right? I played with him one and 783 00:39:00,440 --> 00:39:02,560 Speaker 1: then you know, I also played with Darren and Fatten, 784 00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:06,840 Speaker 1: who decided to stay in Oakland to prove that he 785 00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:10,320 Speaker 1: was still like, not a great player, but proved that 786 00:39:10,360 --> 00:39:12,360 Speaker 1: you know, he's not a selfish guy. He's a running 787 00:39:12,360 --> 00:39:14,719 Speaker 1: back that's here for the team. And I looked at 788 00:39:14,760 --> 00:39:17,960 Speaker 1: my time in Pittsburgh, this is my opportunity to not 789 00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:21,560 Speaker 1: only show the world, but show that other jarhn ross 790 00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:25,520 Speaker 1: a treade. Well, hey, your career doesn't have to end 791 00:39:25,560 --> 00:39:28,160 Speaker 1: after four years on that team. You could go on 792 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:30,719 Speaker 1: and make it tune just like I did. Yeah, you're 793 00:39:30,719 --> 00:39:33,120 Speaker 1: gonna have to sacrifice. Yeah you might not get thirty 794 00:39:33,160 --> 00:39:36,520 Speaker 1: catches in the season. You might not, but hey, trust me, 795 00:39:36,680 --> 00:39:39,120 Speaker 1: the fact that I was on the team that every year. 796 00:39:39,560 --> 00:39:42,520 Speaker 1: I think my last year there, we went hiring wild 797 00:39:42,520 --> 00:39:46,200 Speaker 1: card next round, you know, went to the n SC championship. 798 00:39:46,239 --> 00:39:48,040 Speaker 1: I was a part of great teams and I was 799 00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:50,719 Speaker 1: a great a part of seeing great players play at 800 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:54,319 Speaker 1: high level just because I made the sacrifice to to 801 00:39:54,360 --> 00:39:56,480 Speaker 1: play in the league. Loaner, when you realize you were 802 00:39:56,480 --> 00:40:02,279 Speaker 1: pretty good at special teams, UM, probably my second year 803 00:40:02,320 --> 00:40:06,200 Speaker 1: in Pittsburgh. That first year was still learning, like learning 804 00:40:06,239 --> 00:40:09,040 Speaker 1: just the the lingo, just how to talk. I've never 805 00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:13,480 Speaker 1: been in a specialties meeting. So that second year that's 806 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:16,600 Speaker 1: when I really like, hey, I can become good at this. 807 00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:19,319 Speaker 1: And as I was getting good at that, I was 808 00:40:19,360 --> 00:40:23,840 Speaker 1: actually becoming, um the best receiver I ever became too. 809 00:40:23,880 --> 00:40:26,000 Speaker 1: And I get that credit to the coach man a 810 00:40:26,040 --> 00:40:29,760 Speaker 1: wide receiver coach, and also just being around, in my opinion, 811 00:40:30,320 --> 00:40:32,320 Speaker 1: the fourth best receiver to ever play the game. And 812 00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:35,160 Speaker 1: then Tonio Brown. What I think people are so fascinating, 813 00:40:35,200 --> 00:40:37,160 Speaker 1: especially around the draft time, like all the Steelers know 814 00:40:37,160 --> 00:40:39,160 Speaker 1: what they're doing. What why are they so good with 815 00:40:39,160 --> 00:40:42,560 Speaker 1: wide receivers. I think they try to find guys who 816 00:40:42,600 --> 00:40:46,000 Speaker 1: are football players first, when them, when of them, what 817 00:40:46,680 --> 00:40:49,520 Speaker 1: I mean by saying that is is that they're they're 818 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:51,680 Speaker 1: not devas when it comes to like, well, I don't 819 00:40:51,719 --> 00:40:54,080 Speaker 1: want to get hit Oh, I don't want to block. 820 00:40:54,440 --> 00:40:56,200 Speaker 1: Oh I don't want to go across the middle. No, 821 00:40:56,480 --> 00:40:59,680 Speaker 1: these are guys who are football players first, like they're 822 00:40:59,760 --> 00:41:03,680 Speaker 1: hung read to just play football. That's a B, that's Juju, 823 00:41:04,080 --> 00:41:07,400 Speaker 1: that's Claypool. You know. Those are those guys like you 824 00:41:07,400 --> 00:41:10,360 Speaker 1: can put them in any environment. They're there to play football. 825 00:41:10,680 --> 00:41:14,239 Speaker 1: And then I think number two, they find guys who 826 00:41:14,280 --> 00:41:16,920 Speaker 1: have a little bit of chip on their shoulder. Of course, 827 00:41:17,200 --> 00:41:19,400 Speaker 1: none of the guys they draft go first round, so 828 00:41:19,440 --> 00:41:20,960 Speaker 1: they all have this chip on their show the A 829 00:41:21,080 --> 00:41:25,040 Speaker 1: B six round, Juju second round, Claypool second round, James Washington, 830 00:41:25,080 --> 00:41:27,040 Speaker 1: who wanted to belit the call if it's a second 831 00:41:27,120 --> 00:41:29,880 Speaker 1: round draft pick, there's a chip on your shoulders. So 832 00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:32,439 Speaker 1: they come in with that mentality. When you got there, 833 00:41:32,600 --> 00:41:36,160 Speaker 1: was that was fourteen abes kind of breakout year to 834 00:41:36,239 --> 00:41:39,239 Speaker 1: start them? Was that the year before? He was so 835 00:41:39,360 --> 00:41:44,560 Speaker 1: the year before was his breakout, breakout year. But I'll 836 00:41:44,800 --> 00:41:47,960 Speaker 1: I had a pleasure of five years seeing a five 837 00:41:48,040 --> 00:41:52,000 Speaker 1: year stretch that it's only seen maybe once or twice before, 838 00:41:52,719 --> 00:41:55,120 Speaker 1: and it was amazing to see every every day and 839 00:41:55,120 --> 00:41:57,080 Speaker 1: practice and didn't see it on Sundays. Why was he 840 00:41:57,160 --> 00:42:01,440 Speaker 1: so good? Oh, man, of course you tell people, oh, 841 00:42:01,440 --> 00:42:04,960 Speaker 1: he can run great rounds. He can do two things. 842 00:42:06,760 --> 00:42:10,480 Speaker 1: The confidence he has in himself is unmatched. I mean, 843 00:42:10,520 --> 00:42:12,960 Speaker 1: you asked a b how tall are you are? How 844 00:42:13,000 --> 00:42:16,480 Speaker 1: tall you are? He would say he's six five. Yeah, 845 00:42:17,040 --> 00:42:18,920 Speaker 1: you asked hibody mean you run a four four? He'd 846 00:42:18,920 --> 00:42:20,719 Speaker 1: be like, no, no no, I run a four for one. 847 00:42:20,960 --> 00:42:23,760 Speaker 1: Like that's his mentality, that's in his head. He believes 848 00:42:23,840 --> 00:42:27,040 Speaker 1: that about himself. And then the next part is is 849 00:42:27,120 --> 00:42:31,160 Speaker 1: that his conditioning is on a whole another level. So 850 00:42:31,880 --> 00:42:35,560 Speaker 1: in the first quarter, everybody's fresh, everybody's running a thousand 851 00:42:35,560 --> 00:42:39,200 Speaker 1: miles per hour. But the fourth quarter hour of playing football, 852 00:42:39,560 --> 00:42:41,600 Speaker 1: you know, you don't have the same juice. That's safety, 853 00:42:41,600 --> 00:42:44,239 Speaker 1: That safety doesn't have the same juice and be still 854 00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:49,239 Speaker 1: running on a thousand. So his mentality when it came 855 00:42:49,239 --> 00:42:52,320 Speaker 1: to working out in practice, what's go a thousand miles 856 00:42:52,320 --> 00:42:55,400 Speaker 1: per hour? And I've seen that. I was like, Wow, 857 00:42:55,480 --> 00:43:00,279 Speaker 1: that's how you become great. You were there when some 858 00:43:00,360 --> 00:43:03,720 Speaker 1: of those weird ass games, not weird but violent, crazy 859 00:43:03,760 --> 00:43:07,200 Speaker 1: games with Cincinnati right having that money night game where 860 00:43:07,200 --> 00:43:10,240 Speaker 1: they be and just was that is hate? The hate 861 00:43:10,280 --> 00:43:13,720 Speaker 1: there is as real as it felt with us watching it. Yeah, 862 00:43:13,760 --> 00:43:16,960 Speaker 1: for sure. When you're playing that division we call it 863 00:43:16,960 --> 00:43:21,279 Speaker 1: the Black and Blue Divisions, the North, it's it's uh. 864 00:43:21,719 --> 00:43:24,200 Speaker 1: I mean, and the Bengals were good then too. Angles 865 00:43:24,200 --> 00:43:26,319 Speaker 1: were good. I mean, be honest with you, Like if 866 00:43:26,320 --> 00:43:29,080 Speaker 1: we weren't as good as we were, they were a 867 00:43:29,120 --> 00:43:32,080 Speaker 1: good team. I mean, Baltimore was struggling in that five 868 00:43:32,160 --> 00:43:34,040 Speaker 1: year stretch. You know, they want the super Bowl and 869 00:43:34,080 --> 00:43:37,040 Speaker 1: instruct but I'll tell you how real it was. It 870 00:43:37,120 --> 00:43:39,880 Speaker 1: was hatred. It was real. It was real hate. I 871 00:43:39,920 --> 00:43:43,680 Speaker 1: mean the way they went about their business. We just 872 00:43:43,719 --> 00:43:47,239 Speaker 1: didn't like. We looked at them as pretenders. We looked 873 00:43:47,280 --> 00:43:50,799 Speaker 1: at us in Baltimore's equals, and we looked at of 874 00:43:50,840 --> 00:43:53,680 Speaker 1: course the Browns are at the bottom, but we look 875 00:43:53,719 --> 00:43:55,480 Speaker 1: at the Angles and you know, their firm armers. They're 876 00:43:55,480 --> 00:43:57,120 Speaker 1: trying to be They're trying to look the part, but 877 00:43:57,200 --> 00:44:00,719 Speaker 1: they really can't. They can't be. So uh. To have 878 00:44:00,840 --> 00:44:04,279 Speaker 1: those tough games, Um, to have a situation with having 879 00:44:04,280 --> 00:44:06,920 Speaker 1: to Ryan shaz here against Cincinnati is just all like too. 880 00:44:06,920 --> 00:44:10,200 Speaker 1: When I look back, I'm just like, man, like, that's 881 00:44:10,239 --> 00:44:14,040 Speaker 1: football for you, you know, motions, everything gets crazy. I 882 00:44:14,080 --> 00:44:17,319 Speaker 1: thought that year when she got hurt. You guys were 883 00:44:17,320 --> 00:44:19,120 Speaker 1: the best team in the league. I mean your offense 884 00:44:19,239 --> 00:44:22,960 Speaker 1: was unstoppable and your defense was fantastic and he and 885 00:44:23,040 --> 00:44:25,000 Speaker 1: he really made you go. And then when he left, 886 00:44:25,040 --> 00:44:27,839 Speaker 1: it just it didn't quite feel the same. But that 887 00:44:27,880 --> 00:44:30,640 Speaker 1: team was that your best team there before he that 888 00:44:30,800 --> 00:44:34,080 Speaker 1: was our best. That was our best team. UM, tell 889 00:44:34,160 --> 00:44:36,399 Speaker 1: me if I'm wrong. That's not the year we didn't 890 00:44:36,400 --> 00:44:38,279 Speaker 1: even go to a championship. I think it was a 891 00:44:38,280 --> 00:44:40,560 Speaker 1: different year when you upset the Chiefs right in Kansas 892 00:44:40,600 --> 00:44:42,920 Speaker 1: City and Ab had that game winning catch on like 893 00:44:43,040 --> 00:44:45,799 Speaker 1: third and long or whatever. That was that. But that 894 00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:48,520 Speaker 1: year that you're talking about, Ryan got hurt. We all 895 00:44:48,560 --> 00:44:52,239 Speaker 1: lost to Denver in the playoffs. And that's the year 896 00:44:52,400 --> 00:44:58,440 Speaker 1: that Peyton Manning beat uh Brady. Yeah, that was and 897 00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:01,840 Speaker 1: that was our opportunity to beat the Patriots. If you 898 00:45:01,920 --> 00:45:05,000 Speaker 1: go back and watch that, Payton was the Patriots weren't good. 899 00:45:05,239 --> 00:45:07,600 Speaker 1: It wasn't as good because we played the Patriots Week 900 00:45:07,640 --> 00:45:11,520 Speaker 1: one and they beat us, and we left that stadium 901 00:45:11,560 --> 00:45:14,719 Speaker 1: saying they do not want to play us again, trust me, 902 00:45:15,000 --> 00:45:18,200 Speaker 1: because we didn't have Um, we didn't have Martevious and 903 00:45:18,239 --> 00:45:21,279 Speaker 1: we didn't have l Bell. Now we didn't have l 904 00:45:21,360 --> 00:45:24,360 Speaker 1: Bell later on in the season he is injuring his knee. 905 00:45:24,560 --> 00:45:29,440 Speaker 1: But still we had um D'Angelo Williams who had to Toussan. 906 00:45:29,640 --> 00:45:31,600 Speaker 1: We had a good group of guys that can go 907 00:45:31,640 --> 00:45:34,279 Speaker 1: out there and told the ball from the backfield. So yeah, 908 00:45:34,280 --> 00:45:36,919 Speaker 1: it was very disappointed losing that season because we were really, 909 00:45:36,960 --> 00:45:39,239 Speaker 1: really that good. Were you sitting on the plane when 910 00:45:39,280 --> 00:45:41,279 Speaker 1: their car got pulled over for getting high on the 911 00:45:41,280 --> 00:45:42,759 Speaker 1: way to the plane and one of them got a 912 00:45:42,840 --> 00:45:45,800 Speaker 1: d U I and didn't didn't taken to the plane. 913 00:45:45,840 --> 00:45:48,319 Speaker 1: Do you remember that? I remember that. I remember when 914 00:45:48,360 --> 00:45:50,759 Speaker 1: we had the team meeting with offensive meeting and I'm like, yo, 915 00:45:51,200 --> 00:45:54,439 Speaker 1: where's l Bell and Blunt? Like where are they at? 916 00:45:54,840 --> 00:45:58,000 Speaker 1: And um, they told me what happened. I just started 917 00:45:58,080 --> 00:46:00,880 Speaker 1: laughing because I knew, now, only did you get in 918 00:46:00,920 --> 00:46:02,759 Speaker 1: trouble with that, then you have to buy your own 919 00:46:02,800 --> 00:46:07,520 Speaker 1: flight to the game. Is there any better coach to 920 00:46:07,600 --> 00:46:10,479 Speaker 1: deal with that stuffing? Mike Thomas? Mike Thomas the best. 921 00:46:10,560 --> 00:46:13,279 Speaker 1: I mean, he keeps it real. I mean he's the 922 00:46:13,320 --> 00:46:15,879 Speaker 1: best coach I ever had because he's a leader of men. 923 00:46:16,480 --> 00:46:20,320 Speaker 1: He knows how to motivate everyone. I think that's a 924 00:46:20,360 --> 00:46:22,600 Speaker 1: special talent to have to be able to connect and 925 00:46:22,680 --> 00:46:26,080 Speaker 1: motivate everybody because you got guys from all different walks 926 00:46:26,120 --> 00:46:30,319 Speaker 1: of life. And then just how he handles discipline. You 927 00:46:30,360 --> 00:46:33,239 Speaker 1: need to know who you are. If you're not a 928 00:46:33,360 --> 00:46:36,879 Speaker 1: B Bend, if you're not VET you, there's certain things 929 00:46:36,920 --> 00:46:40,440 Speaker 1: you can't do and he will let you know just 930 00:46:40,560 --> 00:46:44,400 Speaker 1: like that, Hey you're not a B. Were you there 931 00:46:44,440 --> 00:46:47,879 Speaker 1: on the team when he went live on Facebook? Remember that? Yeah? Yeah, 932 00:46:48,800 --> 00:46:54,680 Speaker 1: in Kansas City, That's when it was the playoff gamef 933 00:46:54,960 --> 00:46:57,040 Speaker 1: That's when B was really kind of coming into it. 934 00:46:57,080 --> 00:47:01,120 Speaker 1: But I actually don't even think doubt is that crazy? No, 935 00:47:01,239 --> 00:47:03,480 Speaker 1: it really wasn't. I mean I think it happens probably 936 00:47:03,480 --> 00:47:07,040 Speaker 1: more than people even realize on it more often than anything. 937 00:47:07,280 --> 00:47:09,760 Speaker 1: I just think it wasn't he talking ship in the background, 938 00:47:09,840 --> 00:47:13,799 Speaker 1: Mike Tomlin or something that was basically saying like what 939 00:47:13,840 --> 00:47:16,040 Speaker 1: the deal was, like, yo, that we need to beat 940 00:47:16,080 --> 00:47:19,000 Speaker 1: the Patriots. Yeah they got a day ahead of us, 941 00:47:19,080 --> 00:47:21,759 Speaker 1: but I mean, just keeping it real. But hey, that's 942 00:47:21,760 --> 00:47:24,560 Speaker 1: how how things go. And you know a B got 943 00:47:24,560 --> 00:47:27,840 Speaker 1: crucified for that, and then you saw what happened after. Yeah, 944 00:47:28,360 --> 00:47:31,280 Speaker 1: it just that was a crazy little run of Pittsburgh 945 00:47:31,320 --> 00:47:33,480 Speaker 1: teams that were fantastic and they just never got over 946 00:47:33,520 --> 00:47:35,319 Speaker 1: the hump. But you guys were a powerhouse. I mean, 947 00:47:35,520 --> 00:47:36,960 Speaker 1: I mean, actually this do you think it will be 948 00:47:37,000 --> 00:47:40,400 Speaker 1: an interesting story to talk about, like the Killer Bees, 949 00:47:40,480 --> 00:47:42,960 Speaker 1: like a team that just couldn't couldn't win. I think 950 00:47:42,960 --> 00:47:45,880 Speaker 1: it happens a lot in like basketball, you get teams 951 00:47:45,880 --> 00:47:47,719 Speaker 1: with a group of star players that can't get over 952 00:47:47,760 --> 00:47:50,319 Speaker 1: the hump. It's rare and football, but I do think 953 00:47:50,400 --> 00:47:52,680 Speaker 1: kind of in this era, I mean, Tom, they were 954 00:47:52,680 --> 00:47:55,239 Speaker 1: winning every Super Bowl, right, I mean, it's just you 955 00:47:55,320 --> 00:47:57,320 Speaker 1: just ran into an all time dynasty. What are you 956 00:47:57,360 --> 00:48:00,560 Speaker 1: gonna do? You ran into George when we ran into 957 00:48:00,600 --> 00:48:02,880 Speaker 1: the Bulls and the game when you lost right in 958 00:48:02,920 --> 00:48:05,400 Speaker 1: the FC Championship, didn't levey On tweaker his leg like 959 00:48:05,520 --> 00:48:07,800 Speaker 1: the first series that was when we was being in 960 00:48:07,880 --> 00:48:12,000 Speaker 1: Kansas City, l bel Be Miami. He won those two 961 00:48:12,080 --> 00:48:14,640 Speaker 1: first playoff games for us. We're going to New On, 962 00:48:14,840 --> 00:48:20,520 Speaker 1: New England. Five players in growing game over. Yeah, you 963 00:48:20,600 --> 00:48:24,800 Speaker 1: felt you felt the air just out of our sideline 964 00:48:24,880 --> 00:48:26,680 Speaker 1: was over as soon as he got hurt. You still 965 00:48:26,760 --> 00:48:29,000 Speaker 1: stay pretty locked into all the wide receivers that come 966 00:48:29,000 --> 00:48:31,799 Speaker 1: out every year as I do, man, I'm big on it. 967 00:48:32,120 --> 00:48:34,600 Speaker 1: Who we like him this year? I mean, of course 968 00:48:34,719 --> 00:48:38,360 Speaker 1: you got your your you got Chase Um. I'm a 969 00:48:38,400 --> 00:48:41,000 Speaker 1: big fan of him. I think he reminds me of 970 00:48:41,080 --> 00:48:47,160 Speaker 1: a stronger Keenan Allen, a stronger you know, he can 971 00:48:47,239 --> 00:48:48,719 Speaker 1: run the ball. I mean you might have to catch. 972 00:48:48,760 --> 00:48:50,400 Speaker 1: I think it's gonna be big for him. You know, 973 00:48:50,440 --> 00:48:53,359 Speaker 1: if you can run a twelve yard in and take it, 974 00:48:53,880 --> 00:48:56,879 Speaker 1: you know, an extra fifteen carrying a safety on his bag, 975 00:48:56,920 --> 00:48:59,240 Speaker 1: I think he can do that. I love Davonte Smith. 976 00:48:59,360 --> 00:49:02,439 Speaker 1: I think people need to push aside. The one six 977 00:49:02,560 --> 00:49:07,640 Speaker 1: is wait. I mean the routes, the Combati catches, I 978 00:49:07,680 --> 00:49:10,560 Speaker 1: think that's high level. And in the NFL you have 979 00:49:10,680 --> 00:49:13,960 Speaker 1: to make Combati catches. You gotta make those contested catches. 980 00:49:14,120 --> 00:49:17,840 Speaker 1: And he showed that he can do that. But but 981 00:49:17,920 --> 00:49:21,840 Speaker 1: you know, one s six, I mean, I get the 982 00:49:21,920 --> 00:49:24,000 Speaker 1: league is a lot different, but like Mike Mitchell, you 983 00:49:24,040 --> 00:49:26,600 Speaker 1: play with him twice, you know, and then and and 984 00:49:26,640 --> 00:49:29,960 Speaker 1: those guys don't necessarily exist anymore, but they would one 985 00:49:30,080 --> 00:49:31,600 Speaker 1: sixty six, I mean, how much you wait with you 986 00:49:31,680 --> 00:49:35,279 Speaker 1: two twounds came in a two ten to end up 987 00:49:35,719 --> 00:49:37,960 Speaker 1: playing getting up to twenty at one point, I know 988 00:49:37,960 --> 00:49:40,960 Speaker 1: when you got knocked out and one sixty six is 989 00:49:41,120 --> 00:49:43,120 Speaker 1: he'd be the smallest player on the field every time. 990 00:49:43,160 --> 00:49:45,040 Speaker 1: Like to me, I'm not saying that's gonna determine his 991 00:49:45,120 --> 00:49:48,600 Speaker 1: success or failure. That is really small though, that is 992 00:49:48,680 --> 00:49:50,600 Speaker 1: really small. But I think it's very I think you 993 00:49:50,680 --> 00:49:52,480 Speaker 1: gotta he has to go to the right team and 994 00:49:52,520 --> 00:49:54,520 Speaker 1: you have to use him correctly. Like what happened to 995 00:49:54,520 --> 00:49:57,919 Speaker 1: me getting hit perfectly on the chin and being knocked out, 996 00:49:58,040 --> 00:49:59,960 Speaker 1: that might what won't happen to him. Why were you 997 00:50:00,000 --> 00:50:03,000 Speaker 1: about his A C joints? I worry about collar bones. 998 00:50:03,239 --> 00:50:06,520 Speaker 1: I'm worried about you know, in the league, these d tackles, 999 00:50:06,560 --> 00:50:10,440 Speaker 1: they're chasing you from behind like you they were like me, 1000 00:50:10,520 --> 00:50:13,920 Speaker 1: They're they're full speed, you know. Uh so, yeah, you're 1001 00:50:13,920 --> 00:50:15,800 Speaker 1: worried about But I always just look at like somebody 1002 00:50:15,800 --> 00:50:19,160 Speaker 1: like t Y Hilton. T Y Hilton. It's small. T 1003 00:50:19,400 --> 00:50:26,239 Speaker 1: Y Hilton's five nine maybe four three eight guy. Yeah, 1004 00:50:26,320 --> 00:50:28,120 Speaker 1: But it's all how I think it's all about how 1005 00:50:28,120 --> 00:50:32,720 Speaker 1: you use use a player. Because for for DeVante, for example, 1006 00:50:32,760 --> 00:50:34,759 Speaker 1: like I think he's like high for fource, you know, 1007 00:50:34,800 --> 00:50:37,799 Speaker 1: he's not like the Shawn or rugs or you. No, no, 1008 00:50:37,840 --> 00:50:41,279 Speaker 1: he's not. But the speed part doesn't matter. On that part, 1009 00:50:41,360 --> 00:50:43,680 Speaker 1: I think it's how you use him. I would use 1010 00:50:43,760 --> 00:50:46,000 Speaker 1: him in the slot, and we're using a lot of 1011 00:50:46,120 --> 00:50:49,560 Speaker 1: out routes. He's gonna be always breaking, stay away from 1012 00:50:49,600 --> 00:50:53,279 Speaker 1: the from the traffic, and inside no screens. I would 1013 00:50:53,320 --> 00:50:56,040 Speaker 1: barely run him on the slant. I would use his 1014 00:50:56,120 --> 00:50:58,440 Speaker 1: ability that when he knows it's just him and the 1015 00:50:58,480 --> 00:51:02,319 Speaker 1: ball in a small d be, I'm breaking routes. I'll 1016 00:51:02,360 --> 00:51:04,640 Speaker 1: breaking routes. I'm going to make those plays every time. 1017 00:51:04,680 --> 00:51:08,960 Speaker 1: That's how I use Gavante. How about his teammate Waddle, 1018 00:51:09,120 --> 00:51:11,880 Speaker 1: I like that. That guy's pretty sweet. Well why let 1019 00:51:11,880 --> 00:51:13,719 Speaker 1: me ask you this, Why do you like a guy 1020 00:51:13,760 --> 00:51:16,840 Speaker 1: like Waddle over those two? Well, he's more I like 1021 00:51:16,920 --> 00:51:19,560 Speaker 1: Chase the most. To me, Waddle, I just lean and 1022 00:51:19,560 --> 00:51:21,920 Speaker 1: I'm a sucker for explosion. I got lot all Davis 1023 00:51:21,920 --> 00:51:24,400 Speaker 1: and me and to me that that the thing with 1024 00:51:24,400 --> 00:51:26,279 Speaker 1: with Davante is like, you know, if he's a four 1025 00:51:26,320 --> 00:51:28,279 Speaker 1: or four eight guy or four or five, he's a 1026 00:51:28,320 --> 00:51:31,399 Speaker 1: great receiver, and then the defense of him is he's 1027 00:51:31,400 --> 00:51:33,359 Speaker 1: played at this way in his whole life. He goes 1028 00:51:33,400 --> 00:51:37,239 Speaker 1: against to me Waddle though his speed, Like eventually you 1029 00:51:37,320 --> 00:51:39,239 Speaker 1: just get matched up on a corner who also can 1030 00:51:39,360 --> 00:51:41,200 Speaker 1: run right, and he he comes like I just gotta 1031 00:51:41,200 --> 00:51:44,239 Speaker 1: beat you one on one with my speed, and I 1032 00:51:44,320 --> 00:51:47,759 Speaker 1: know that he can. Like he is just unreal, just 1033 00:51:47,920 --> 00:51:50,319 Speaker 1: explosive player with the ball in his hands or even 1034 00:51:50,360 --> 00:51:52,200 Speaker 1: getting open. I don't have to scheme it as much. 1035 00:51:52,239 --> 00:51:54,439 Speaker 1: I can just let my athlete make plays for sure, 1036 00:51:55,360 --> 00:51:57,680 Speaker 1: kind of like the Produce kid, I think the something 1037 00:51:57,680 --> 00:52:01,160 Speaker 1: more who's really explosive player to right, This is my 1038 00:52:01,200 --> 00:52:04,359 Speaker 1: take on explosive players like that. I think you have 1039 00:52:05,239 --> 00:52:07,600 Speaker 1: two sides to it. You could be Tyreek Hill or 1040 00:52:07,640 --> 00:52:11,880 Speaker 1: you will be Tabon Austin. So there's a there's a 1041 00:52:11,880 --> 00:52:14,600 Speaker 1: balance to that. And for me, if I'm a team 1042 00:52:14,840 --> 00:52:18,040 Speaker 1: picking in the top ten, top fifteen, I want the Chase, 1043 00:52:18,640 --> 00:52:22,120 Speaker 1: I want the Smith, I want the kid from Minnesota. 1044 00:52:22,800 --> 00:52:25,319 Speaker 1: You know, I want those guys. Now. If I can 1045 00:52:25,360 --> 00:52:28,080 Speaker 1: get a Waddle late in the first early second round, 1046 00:52:28,160 --> 00:52:30,640 Speaker 1: that's great because like you said, you plug him in screens, 1047 00:52:31,040 --> 00:52:33,960 Speaker 1: go balls. But is he going to become Tyreek Hill? 1048 00:52:34,640 --> 00:52:37,000 Speaker 1: I mean there's only one Tyree Hill. Yeah, he's not 1049 00:52:37,040 --> 00:52:39,600 Speaker 1: that big too. That's what I'm saying he's not big, 1050 00:52:39,640 --> 00:52:42,439 Speaker 1: but I'm saying like that speed and a guy who's 1051 00:52:42,480 --> 00:52:47,080 Speaker 1: short waddles waddle five nine, he's not tall. Something Just 1052 00:52:47,120 --> 00:52:51,000 Speaker 1: saying like, do you want Tyreek Hill. Yeah you can 1053 00:52:51,040 --> 00:52:53,320 Speaker 1: get that, but you also might get Tabon Austin, which 1054 00:52:53,360 --> 00:52:56,480 Speaker 1: is not bad, but that's not a top ten pick. 1055 00:52:57,719 --> 00:53:00,400 Speaker 1: I think a b how much they be when you 1056 00:53:00,400 --> 00:53:03,120 Speaker 1: play with him. When I played with him, yeah, he 1057 00:53:03,160 --> 00:53:06,120 Speaker 1: was bigger, but when he came in he was small. Yeah, 1058 00:53:06,160 --> 00:53:08,560 Speaker 1: and he really made it. He was such an elite 1059 00:53:08,640 --> 00:53:12,080 Speaker 1: wide receiver right his hands, his route running, his just 1060 00:53:12,400 --> 00:53:15,880 Speaker 1: his endurance. If you're gonna love DeVante Smith, you're gonna go. 1061 00:53:15,920 --> 00:53:18,839 Speaker 1: He's gonna be such a great wide receiver. His weight 1062 00:53:18,920 --> 00:53:22,399 Speaker 1: won't mean ship right now. The knock I've heard from 1063 00:53:22,400 --> 00:53:24,440 Speaker 1: scouts is like, if you do put him outside, not 1064 00:53:24,520 --> 00:53:26,080 Speaker 1: just in the slot, you kind of use them everywhere, 1065 00:53:26,120 --> 00:53:28,600 Speaker 1: which is how good players get used. There aren't that 1066 00:53:28,640 --> 00:53:30,360 Speaker 1: many Richard Sherman's in the league that are going to 1067 00:53:30,440 --> 00:53:32,680 Speaker 1: destroy him at the line of scrimmage anymore. Right Like 1068 00:53:32,719 --> 00:53:34,239 Speaker 1: when you got in the league, there was a lot 1069 00:53:34,239 --> 00:53:37,280 Speaker 1: of press corners and it was I mean I played 1070 00:53:37,280 --> 00:53:39,480 Speaker 1: with one with Namdi. I mean he was the king 1071 00:53:39,520 --> 00:53:41,880 Speaker 1: of it. I mean his arms, he'd be a problem 1072 00:53:41,920 --> 00:53:44,879 Speaker 1: on on DeVante a problem. But also what you gotta 1073 00:53:44,920 --> 00:53:47,240 Speaker 1: remember just how how the game has changed on offense, 1074 00:53:47,320 --> 00:53:50,759 Speaker 1: the game has changed on defense. Like DeVante Smith has 1075 00:53:50,800 --> 00:53:54,760 Speaker 1: gone against these corners. It's the same corners from colleagues. 1076 00:53:55,000 --> 00:53:57,880 Speaker 1: They played the exact same way. He's not playing against 1077 00:53:58,040 --> 00:54:01,200 Speaker 1: Richard Sherman. Like the Richard Sherman's are gone. The guys 1078 00:54:01,239 --> 00:54:04,920 Speaker 1: who are from my era, there no more. The dbs 1079 00:54:04,960 --> 00:54:08,000 Speaker 1: and receivers, they're the exact same way. The dvs to me, 1080 00:54:08,080 --> 00:54:10,239 Speaker 1: don't know how to get hands on receivers. They don't 1081 00:54:10,239 --> 00:54:13,320 Speaker 1: know how to attract the ball. But I think Justin 1082 00:54:13,400 --> 00:54:17,120 Speaker 1: Jefferson is a great example of you can transition from 1083 00:54:17,360 --> 00:54:20,319 Speaker 1: colleagues in the NFL easier now because the rules, but 1084 00:54:20,440 --> 00:54:23,880 Speaker 1: also just the fact that dbs aren't as good. I 1085 00:54:23,920 --> 00:54:26,759 Speaker 1: think it speaks the quarterback play too. When you came 1086 00:54:26,800 --> 00:54:29,640 Speaker 1: in the league playing quarterback, I mean it's still hard. 1087 00:54:29,800 --> 00:54:32,280 Speaker 1: It was really hard. I mean I saw highlight today 1088 00:54:32,360 --> 00:54:34,719 Speaker 1: earlier day of like Steve Young in the nineties, like 1089 00:54:35,160 --> 00:54:37,640 Speaker 1: your windows were tiny. It's just it's so much more 1090 00:54:37,640 --> 00:54:39,960 Speaker 1: spread out now. So when you look at these quarterbacks 1091 00:54:40,960 --> 00:54:44,560 Speaker 1: playing with band, playing that year with luck, is it 1092 00:54:44,600 --> 00:54:46,960 Speaker 1: fair to say obviously, once you have the physical attributes, 1093 00:54:47,080 --> 00:54:50,480 Speaker 1: all these guys have special you know, the band's the Lucks, JaMarcus, whoever. 1094 00:54:50,880 --> 00:54:54,720 Speaker 1: But what determined success or failure at quarterback is Monday 1095 00:54:54,719 --> 00:54:57,240 Speaker 1: through Saturday stuff that you know you get to see 1096 00:54:57,280 --> 00:54:59,120 Speaker 1: but I saw for a couple of years when I 1097 00:54:59,160 --> 00:55:00,640 Speaker 1: work in the league, But most peop will never see 1098 00:55:00,680 --> 00:55:03,040 Speaker 1: the work ethic all that type stuff. How important is 1099 00:55:03,080 --> 00:55:06,720 Speaker 1: that stuff for those guys? I mean super important, super important. 1100 00:55:06,760 --> 00:55:09,839 Speaker 1: I mean if the quarterback is not working and it's 1101 00:55:09,840 --> 00:55:12,360 Speaker 1: not on top of details and at least given the 1102 00:55:12,560 --> 00:55:15,399 Speaker 1: parents that he's doing that, you won't have the rest 1103 00:55:15,400 --> 00:55:18,520 Speaker 1: of the guys follow you. Um And, and that's part 1104 00:55:18,560 --> 00:55:21,360 Speaker 1: of leadership. Um And, like you said, I've played with 1105 00:55:21,400 --> 00:55:23,279 Speaker 1: a lot of different quarterbacks. I've played with a lot 1106 00:55:23,360 --> 00:55:26,279 Speaker 1: of talented ones. And I tell people, probably the most 1107 00:55:26,360 --> 00:55:30,160 Speaker 1: talented quarterback I ever been around, it's probably your Marcus 1108 00:55:31,040 --> 00:55:34,879 Speaker 1: slinging it. I'm so, I'm talking about through a hole 1109 00:55:34,920 --> 00:55:39,839 Speaker 1: through your chest. But you know the other side of 1110 00:55:39,880 --> 00:55:43,560 Speaker 1: that is, you know the preparation that Carson Palmer brought 1111 00:55:43,920 --> 00:55:48,080 Speaker 1: and attention to detail every day. I mean literally we 1112 00:55:48,160 --> 00:55:52,239 Speaker 1: would on every Wednesday and every Friday after practice six 1113 00:55:52,280 --> 00:55:55,160 Speaker 1: o'clock in the afternoon, will be in the quarterback meeting 1114 00:55:55,239 --> 00:55:58,400 Speaker 1: room watching third down cut ups. This is what we're 1115 00:55:58,440 --> 00:56:01,040 Speaker 1: gonna do on third down. I never did that with you, Marcus. 1116 00:56:01,160 --> 00:56:02,640 Speaker 1: And he showed up in the middle of the season, 1117 00:56:02,760 --> 00:56:05,400 Speaker 1: right right, This is Carson showing in the middle of 1118 00:56:05,440 --> 00:56:07,880 Speaker 1: the season like, hey, we gotta we gotta do it 1119 00:56:07,920 --> 00:56:10,840 Speaker 1: this way. And I imagine when Tom Brady got to 1120 00:56:11,120 --> 00:56:13,560 Speaker 1: the Patriot, I mean got to Tampa. It was the 1121 00:56:13,600 --> 00:56:16,480 Speaker 1: same thing, same coach, the same player, but one player 1122 00:56:16,520 --> 00:56:20,560 Speaker 1: came in and changed the mindset, changed everybody's thought process 1123 00:56:20,600 --> 00:56:22,840 Speaker 1: when they come into the work are coming too the workplace, 1124 00:56:22,880 --> 00:56:26,799 Speaker 1: so um being around and you love Carson Um and 1125 00:56:26,840 --> 00:56:29,200 Speaker 1: even Ben I give you know, I think Bank gets 1126 00:56:29,200 --> 00:56:32,759 Speaker 1: a bad rap when it comes to how prepared he is. 1127 00:56:33,000 --> 00:56:35,080 Speaker 1: He just does it in a different way, and you 1128 00:56:35,120 --> 00:56:38,080 Speaker 1: know on Sunday he's gonna bring it. He's gonna be 1129 00:56:38,280 --> 00:56:40,279 Speaker 1: one of the best players on the field. When you 1130 00:56:40,360 --> 00:56:42,880 Speaker 1: were around Luck that second year, did you realize, like 1131 00:56:43,000 --> 00:56:46,279 Speaker 1: this guy is pretty special? Pretty fast? I knew he 1132 00:56:46,360 --> 00:56:49,080 Speaker 1: was special because he was a twenty three year old 1133 00:56:49,160 --> 00:56:52,840 Speaker 1: acting like he was thirty four. Just his mentality towards 1134 00:56:52,840 --> 00:56:55,920 Speaker 1: the game. I mean, I remember I came first time 1135 00:56:55,960 --> 00:56:59,200 Speaker 1: I came to the team. It was an offseason workouts 1136 00:56:59,680 --> 00:57:03,399 Speaker 1: of first time meeting him. After the whole workout, meet him, 1137 00:57:03,480 --> 00:57:05,600 Speaker 1: rare routes, just me and him for half an hour, 1138 00:57:05,960 --> 00:57:09,120 Speaker 1: and he filmed it and then we watched it. This 1139 00:57:09,200 --> 00:57:11,319 Speaker 1: is second year player and had did that with me. 1140 00:57:11,480 --> 00:57:13,320 Speaker 1: Had nothing to do with the team and nothing to 1141 00:57:13,360 --> 00:57:16,560 Speaker 1: do with the coaches. He wanted to make sure me 1142 00:57:16,600 --> 00:57:18,960 Speaker 1: and him were on the same page. Hey, you're gonna 1143 00:57:19,000 --> 00:57:21,880 Speaker 1: be my You're gonna be It's gonna be Reggie, you 1144 00:57:21,960 --> 00:57:25,520 Speaker 1: and t Y. Alright, I've already got a relationship with Reggie, alright, 1145 00:57:25,520 --> 00:57:28,120 Speaker 1: got relationship with t Y. I need a relationship with you. 1146 00:57:28,360 --> 00:57:30,080 Speaker 1: So he went that far when the first day I 1147 00:57:30,120 --> 00:57:32,560 Speaker 1: ever met him, this is what we're gonna do. And 1148 00:57:32,600 --> 00:57:34,320 Speaker 1: then you talk about Ben I think, you know, on 1149 00:57:34,360 --> 00:57:36,760 Speaker 1: the outside against the rap like he's not grinding, Like 1150 00:57:37,120 --> 00:57:40,640 Speaker 1: what was that like? Just been in the facility with 1151 00:57:40,680 --> 00:57:44,000 Speaker 1: you guys. He was pretty established by then, right, Obviously 1152 00:57:44,000 --> 00:57:46,160 Speaker 1: he wanted suit a couple of Super Bowls and Pro Bowls. 1153 00:57:46,560 --> 00:57:48,000 Speaker 1: He was an elite player. I mean, he was one 1154 00:57:48,040 --> 00:57:49,680 Speaker 1: of the best players in the league when you showed up. 1155 00:57:50,320 --> 00:57:52,960 Speaker 1: I always say, people gotta understand this. When you're an 1156 00:57:53,000 --> 00:57:56,000 Speaker 1: older player in the league, it's tough to relate to 1157 00:57:56,000 --> 00:57:59,400 Speaker 1: the young guys. I mean I know for me, all 1158 00:57:59,520 --> 00:58:02,360 Speaker 1: was thirty one years old with guys that were twelve 1159 00:58:02,440 --> 00:58:05,320 Speaker 1: years old when I got drafted. So that's that's how 1160 00:58:05,400 --> 00:58:07,560 Speaker 1: much the age guy. So when it comes to Ben, 1161 00:58:08,000 --> 00:58:10,360 Speaker 1: if you're older, guys easy to have a conversation with 1162 00:58:10,480 --> 00:58:12,680 Speaker 1: Ben and hey, Ben, what do you think about this 1163 00:58:12,720 --> 00:58:14,600 Speaker 1: if I did this on this route, you know. But 1164 00:58:14,640 --> 00:58:18,280 Speaker 1: if you're a young guy, um, that relationship needs to 1165 00:58:18,320 --> 00:58:21,960 Speaker 1: be built over time, you know, over making plays and 1166 00:58:22,040 --> 00:58:25,760 Speaker 1: practice in you know, in games and Ben opens up, 1167 00:58:25,800 --> 00:58:28,720 Speaker 1: he will open up more and have more conversation with 1168 00:58:28,800 --> 00:58:32,480 Speaker 1: you once you prove that, you know, you're reliable in 1169 00:58:32,560 --> 00:58:34,520 Speaker 1: the field, because that's what we're here to do. We're 1170 00:58:34,520 --> 00:58:36,040 Speaker 1: not here to just be friends. Were here to win 1171 00:58:36,040 --> 00:58:39,200 Speaker 1: football games, and I think that's best approach to the game. 1172 00:58:39,720 --> 00:58:41,920 Speaker 1: You have a unique perspective on this because you've probably 1173 00:58:41,920 --> 00:58:44,320 Speaker 1: been around so many offensive coordinators. We talked so much 1174 00:58:44,360 --> 00:58:47,040 Speaker 1: about the head coach, but the coordinator a little more 1175 00:58:47,080 --> 00:58:49,360 Speaker 1: under the radar. Yet they're really famous and we all 1176 00:58:49,400 --> 00:58:52,720 Speaker 1: think we can do their job. What makes a great coordinator. 1177 00:58:54,080 --> 00:58:56,720 Speaker 1: I think what makes a great coordinator is a guy 1178 00:58:57,200 --> 00:59:00,800 Speaker 1: as a as a coach that has assist them, but 1179 00:59:00,920 --> 00:59:04,360 Speaker 1: it's willing to bend. And what I mean by that 1180 00:59:04,400 --> 00:59:09,120 Speaker 1: willing to bend is some coaches have an ego that 1181 00:59:09,200 --> 00:59:13,520 Speaker 1: their offense is going to win the game. But the 1182 00:59:13,560 --> 00:59:16,560 Speaker 1: best offensive coordinators or coordinators in general, we are the 1183 00:59:16,600 --> 00:59:19,320 Speaker 1: ones like, what do you do best? If you're a 1184 00:59:19,320 --> 00:59:22,080 Speaker 1: speed guy, if you're a guy who's better on the 1185 00:59:22,120 --> 00:59:24,200 Speaker 1: left side of the formation, I see like, Hey, I'm 1186 00:59:24,200 --> 00:59:26,760 Speaker 1: like you could give go that detail with it, I'm 1187 00:59:26,760 --> 00:59:29,120 Speaker 1: gonna make sure me as an offensive coordina, I'm gonna 1188 00:59:29,200 --> 00:59:30,720 Speaker 1: draw a place it's gonna put you in the best 1189 00:59:30,800 --> 00:59:32,880 Speaker 1: position to win, which is going to help us win. 1190 00:59:33,400 --> 00:59:35,480 Speaker 1: But when you have coaches that believe, hey, this is 1191 00:59:35,520 --> 00:59:37,320 Speaker 1: my offense, this is the way we're doing they can't 1192 00:59:37,320 --> 00:59:40,000 Speaker 1: even take a suggestion from the quarter from the quarterback 1193 00:59:40,280 --> 00:59:44,160 Speaker 1: or from a veteran receiver. I think, um disasters way 1194 00:59:44,200 --> 00:59:46,720 Speaker 1: to happen. Who's the best coordinator you played with? For 1195 00:59:46,840 --> 00:59:50,480 Speaker 1: who that's a tough one. I've had a lot. That's 1196 00:59:50,480 --> 00:59:54,240 Speaker 1: a tough one. I would probably say the best coordinator 1197 00:59:54,320 --> 00:59:57,360 Speaker 1: I had. It's a toss up, and I think you're 1198 00:59:57,360 --> 00:59:59,720 Speaker 1: gonna laugh at who the two people I say the 1199 00:59:59,760 --> 01:00:01,560 Speaker 1: best two coordinators I've ever had was Todd Haley and 1200 01:00:01,640 --> 01:00:04,480 Speaker 1: Hugh Jackson. Why I was expecting Todd Haley because I 1201 01:00:04,480 --> 01:00:06,960 Speaker 1: know he gets a bad rap because he's crazy or whatever. 1202 01:00:07,040 --> 01:00:10,200 Speaker 1: But his offense, he was Kurt Warner's offensive coordinator Lary 1203 01:00:10,200 --> 01:00:11,800 Speaker 1: Fitzgerald when they went the Super Bowl and play the 1204 01:00:11,800 --> 01:00:14,080 Speaker 1: Steelers and then for you guys putting up these crazy 1205 01:00:14,160 --> 01:00:16,640 Speaker 1: numbers year in year out. He's out of the league now, 1206 01:00:16,720 --> 01:00:18,760 Speaker 1: but I mean should look at his resume. I mean yeah, 1207 01:00:18,880 --> 01:00:21,480 Speaker 1: I mean, resume is good. And on the reason why 1208 01:00:21,520 --> 01:00:23,600 Speaker 1: I go to those two guys, I think Hugh Jackson, 1209 01:00:23,640 --> 01:00:25,919 Speaker 1: of course, is a better offensive coordinator than head coach, 1210 01:00:26,080 --> 01:00:30,120 Speaker 1: clear clearly, um and you know, and that's why he 1211 01:00:30,200 --> 01:00:33,600 Speaker 1: keeps getting these little, small, small, odd jobs from the NFL. 1212 01:00:33,640 --> 01:00:36,480 Speaker 1: PA did workal quarterbacks and do because he's very smart. 1213 01:00:36,720 --> 01:00:39,600 Speaker 1: He knows exactly what he's doing. But what made him 1214 01:00:39,600 --> 01:00:43,520 Speaker 1: good was he was always aggressive every game we came 1215 01:00:43,560 --> 01:00:45,480 Speaker 1: in with the mindset that we're going with on go 1216 01:00:45,680 --> 01:00:48,720 Speaker 1: balls and we're going to score touchdowns. He did that 1217 01:00:48,720 --> 01:00:50,560 Speaker 1: with A. J. Green when he was with the Bengals, 1218 01:00:50,600 --> 01:00:52,080 Speaker 1: and he did that with us when we want eight 1219 01:00:52,080 --> 01:00:54,200 Speaker 1: and eight, like we was scoring touchdowns. When it comes 1220 01:00:54,240 --> 01:00:57,320 Speaker 1: to Todd, I think Todd uh throughout his time in 1221 01:00:57,400 --> 01:01:00,080 Speaker 1: Arizona and other stops, I think he got very he 1222 01:01:00,080 --> 01:01:03,040 Speaker 1: he was humble, and when he got to Pittsburgh he 1223 01:01:03,240 --> 01:01:06,800 Speaker 1: opened up his palette of Hey, I can take suggestions, 1224 01:01:07,240 --> 01:01:09,680 Speaker 1: and I think that's what made it work between him 1225 01:01:09,680 --> 01:01:12,880 Speaker 1: and Ben. He allowed Ben to have this input and 1226 01:01:12,880 --> 01:01:14,880 Speaker 1: then Ben opened up to be like, hey, you too, 1227 01:01:15,000 --> 01:01:17,360 Speaker 1: and that's why we were successful in Pittsburgh. Do you 1228 01:01:17,400 --> 01:01:21,400 Speaker 1: think coordinators, you know, because there's not necessarily a parallel 1229 01:01:21,520 --> 01:01:23,200 Speaker 1: beat just because you're a great coordinator gonna be a 1230 01:01:23,240 --> 01:01:25,440 Speaker 1: great head coach. You had a front room seat for 1231 01:01:25,480 --> 01:01:29,240 Speaker 1: Tomlin for five years, Like, what's something that a coordinate 1232 01:01:29,320 --> 01:01:32,000 Speaker 1: that has zero translation to becoming a head coach? Like 1233 01:01:32,240 --> 01:01:35,520 Speaker 1: clearly because Tomlin was only a one year defensive coordinator, right, 1234 01:01:35,560 --> 01:01:37,440 Speaker 1: and he just got a contract extension, He's gonna be 1235 01:01:37,440 --> 01:01:39,880 Speaker 1: there for like thirty years a right, Right? I think 1236 01:01:39,920 --> 01:01:42,480 Speaker 1: when when you're hiring a head coach is all about 1237 01:01:42,520 --> 01:01:45,840 Speaker 1: a guy who's a leader, who can leave man offensive coordinators. Yeah, 1238 01:01:45,840 --> 01:01:48,480 Speaker 1: you want a guy who can draw the excess and 1239 01:01:48,480 --> 01:01:52,680 Speaker 1: notes and breakdown running scheme. But the head coach it's 1240 01:01:52,680 --> 01:01:55,600 Speaker 1: not made for everybody, Like you said, coach Tomlin. I mean, 1241 01:01:55,840 --> 01:01:58,040 Speaker 1: look at Andy Reid. I think Andy Reid from AFAR. 1242 01:01:58,120 --> 01:02:00,200 Speaker 1: I don't know him, and you you know Andy, right. 1243 01:02:01,720 --> 01:02:04,440 Speaker 1: I think what Andy Reid's greatest strength is that he 1244 01:02:04,480 --> 01:02:07,560 Speaker 1: allows his coaches to coach. He allows them to have 1245 01:02:07,760 --> 01:02:11,200 Speaker 1: and put you know, he he empowers them, He empowers 1246 01:02:11,240 --> 01:02:14,400 Speaker 1: the player. Coach Tomlin does that, he empowers us. He 1247 01:02:14,520 --> 01:02:18,280 Speaker 1: lets the locker room police themselves. Like I don't need 1248 01:02:18,320 --> 01:02:20,640 Speaker 1: to be walking through the locker room. This is your domain. 1249 01:02:21,080 --> 01:02:24,080 Speaker 1: Keep the bathrooms clean, keep the locker room clean. Those 1250 01:02:24,120 --> 01:02:26,520 Speaker 1: are coaches and I don't need to have rules on 1251 01:02:26,560 --> 01:02:29,040 Speaker 1: the wall if you have a coach that does that. 1252 01:02:30,360 --> 01:02:32,320 Speaker 1: So you guys don't have any of that stuff in Pittsburgh. 1253 01:02:32,360 --> 01:02:35,280 Speaker 1: None of that, None of the fluffy crap, None of 1254 01:02:35,280 --> 01:02:38,800 Speaker 1: the fluffy stuff. Somebody taking a roll call, who's here. No, 1255 01:02:39,960 --> 01:02:42,160 Speaker 1: we don't have none of that. You know, check in 1256 01:02:42,240 --> 01:02:44,240 Speaker 1: on the road about going to bed on top none 1257 01:02:44,280 --> 01:02:46,000 Speaker 1: of that. Yeah, well, I mean we have you know, 1258 01:02:46,040 --> 01:02:48,600 Speaker 1: we have somebody checking the room check, room check, but 1259 01:02:48,680 --> 01:02:52,120 Speaker 1: it's not strict because you know, when these are wrong, 1260 01:02:52,160 --> 01:02:54,120 Speaker 1: Coach Tomlin will come in with his piece of paper. 1261 01:02:54,920 --> 01:02:57,040 Speaker 1: You have to listen names and he would be like 1262 01:02:57,160 --> 01:03:02,680 Speaker 1: fifteen hundred und fifteen indre and you know, okay, that 1263 01:03:02,840 --> 01:03:05,320 Speaker 1: person did something bad and we'll move on. But we're 1264 01:03:05,320 --> 01:03:09,000 Speaker 1: not going to stop the train because somebody's foolishness. Does 1265 01:03:09,040 --> 01:03:10,600 Speaker 1: he get piste off a lot? I know he does 1266 01:03:10,640 --> 01:03:12,880 Speaker 1: with the media, but like behind is he pretty even keel. 1267 01:03:13,520 --> 01:03:15,200 Speaker 1: I think he's very I don't think he really gets 1268 01:03:15,200 --> 01:03:17,480 Speaker 1: mad too too too mad at the media. I think 1269 01:03:17,480 --> 01:03:20,640 Speaker 1: he's just really directing on his mission and he's talking 1270 01:03:20,680 --> 01:03:23,240 Speaker 1: to the media. But now he doesn't get mad often. No, 1271 01:03:23,840 --> 01:03:25,520 Speaker 1: like he ain't gonna light up a guy in front 1272 01:03:25,560 --> 01:03:27,800 Speaker 1: of the whole team or that's not something like his no, no, 1273 01:03:28,000 --> 01:03:29,680 Speaker 1: no reason to light up the whole team in front 1274 01:03:29,720 --> 01:03:32,760 Speaker 1: of uh player, front of the whole team, because you 1275 01:03:32,880 --> 01:03:35,680 Speaker 1: just probably won't start the next week. I mean, coach 1276 01:03:35,720 --> 01:03:38,680 Speaker 1: Thomas really cut throat when it comes to or I'm 1277 01:03:38,680 --> 01:03:42,040 Speaker 1: really transparent when it comes to just letting guys know 1278 01:03:42,040 --> 01:03:43,919 Speaker 1: where they are. He will put a picture of two 1279 01:03:43,920 --> 01:03:46,960 Speaker 1: guys up and be like, hey, one guy is going 1280 01:03:47,080 --> 01:03:50,680 Speaker 1: to be playing, one guy is gonna be inactive. You 1281 01:03:50,760 --> 01:03:52,840 Speaker 1: have all week to figure out who's going to be, 1282 01:03:53,160 --> 01:03:54,840 Speaker 1: And he let the whole team though, like, hey, this 1283 01:03:54,920 --> 01:03:59,880 Speaker 1: is the competition. I mean, clearly you like you like Pitts, 1284 01:04:00,240 --> 01:04:02,360 Speaker 1: like you thrived there as a role player. Oh yeah, 1285 01:04:02,560 --> 01:04:06,320 Speaker 1: I loved all my spots, but of course Pittsburgh was definitely, 1286 01:04:06,440 --> 01:04:10,480 Speaker 1: uh an experience that I wouldn't trade for for anything. Yeah, 1287 01:04:10,600 --> 01:04:17,480 Speaker 1: well you ate anything? Cool? Hey, man, I'm just working 1288 01:04:17,560 --> 01:04:21,960 Speaker 1: on just being creative and just um and telling stories. Man. 1289 01:04:21,960 --> 01:04:23,919 Speaker 1: I'm into film and stuff, So that's kind of where 1290 01:04:23,920 --> 01:04:26,160 Speaker 1: I'm at right now. Yeah, nothing like retiring in your 1291 01:04:26,200 --> 01:04:27,920 Speaker 1: early thirty Still got the rest of your life. You've 1292 01:04:27,920 --> 01:04:30,920 Speaker 1: already got some money, you know. Actually actually took some 1293 01:04:30,960 --> 01:04:33,520 Speaker 1: advice from you when we met at the Combine last year. 1294 01:04:33,560 --> 01:04:35,400 Speaker 1: I told you, Hey, I'm here in networking trying to 1295 01:04:35,440 --> 01:04:37,520 Speaker 1: get into scouting and all this stuff, and you told 1296 01:04:37,560 --> 01:04:41,040 Speaker 1: me why yeah, and that I actually went home and 1297 01:04:41,080 --> 01:04:43,640 Speaker 1: thought about that, and I had a whole pandemic to 1298 01:04:43,680 --> 01:04:47,520 Speaker 1: think about that, and I just want to say thank you, because, UM, 1299 01:04:47,560 --> 01:04:49,920 Speaker 1: I don't think that's something that was made for me, 1300 01:04:50,120 --> 01:04:53,080 Speaker 1: even though I love football, love talking about the love 1301 01:04:53,560 --> 01:04:57,040 Speaker 1: watching guys to this day. UM, that little piece of 1302 01:04:57,600 --> 01:05:00,280 Speaker 1: advice from you was kind of like, Okay, let me 1303 01:05:00,320 --> 01:05:02,440 Speaker 1: do something. I'm really passionate. And I also think you 1304 01:05:02,440 --> 01:05:05,280 Speaker 1: can always play a role getting involved through your agent 1305 01:05:05,360 --> 01:05:07,880 Speaker 1: with guys, young guys, mentoring guys. You can do the 1306 01:05:07,880 --> 01:05:10,000 Speaker 1: best of both worlds, right, I mean I can. I 1307 01:05:10,040 --> 01:05:13,200 Speaker 1: can do that, but man, that that scouting and coaching. 1308 01:05:13,280 --> 01:05:16,840 Speaker 1: That's a grind, big tom grind. Unless Tomlin calls you 1309 01:05:16,880 --> 01:05:19,120 Speaker 1: and wants you to go on a stage, I I 1310 01:05:19,240 --> 01:05:22,360 Speaker 1: do that right right. But you know, for me, Um, now, 1311 01:05:22,520 --> 01:05:25,760 Speaker 1: just living life, staying blessed man and um family, That's 1312 01:05:25,800 --> 01:05:27,880 Speaker 1: all I've been focusing on. That's awesome. Man, Thanks Bro. 1313 01:05:27,920 --> 01:05:29,600 Speaker 1: I can't tell you how much I appreciate this. I 1314 01:05:29,640 --> 01:05:31,520 Speaker 1: know you You're not out there much, so I'm lucky 1315 01:05:31,560 --> 01:05:34,360 Speaker 1: to get an interview with d HB. I appreciate it, man, 1316 01:05:34,360 --> 01:05:37,439 Speaker 1: Thank you, thanks for having me. I hope you guys 1317 01:05:37,560 --> 01:05:40,440 Speaker 1: enjoyed the interview. I thought that was pretty cool, unique 1318 01:05:40,440 --> 01:05:44,440 Speaker 1: perspective of a guy top pick to a role player 1319 01:05:45,120 --> 01:05:48,280 Speaker 1: two winning, he's seen losing. I mean, he's seen it all. 1320 01:05:48,600 --> 01:05:52,080 Speaker 1: I mean, if you've played on the Al Davis Raiders 1321 01:05:52,440 --> 01:05:56,760 Speaker 1: and then on the Antonio Brown Levian Bell Steelers, you 1322 01:05:56,880 --> 01:05:59,120 Speaker 1: got some stories. And we actually talked for a little 1323 01:05:59,120 --> 01:06:02,080 Speaker 1: while after after the party. Gave me some good stories. 1324 01:06:02,080 --> 01:06:04,280 Speaker 1: So we'll have to do it again in person or something. 1325 01:06:04,360 --> 01:06:07,320 Speaker 1: But hopefully you enjoyed it. For the Middlecoff mail bag, 1326 01:06:08,280 --> 01:06:10,640 Speaker 1: I think I'm it's gonna be YouTube only. I'm gonna 1327 01:06:10,680 --> 01:06:13,040 Speaker 1: load it on my YouTube page, John Middlecoffe. You can 1328 01:06:13,080 --> 01:06:14,800 Speaker 1: go check it out there. So it'll be on the 1329 01:06:14,840 --> 01:06:17,640 Speaker 1: YouTube page. And uh and yeah, I'll talk to you guys, 1330 01:06:17,680 --> 01:06:21,840 Speaker 1: see guys next next Tuesday. Draft week. Baby, let's lock in, 1331 01:06:22,000 --> 01:06:26,720 Speaker 1: let's stay focused. It's here, thank you Lord, because I 1332 01:06:27,440 --> 01:06:29,840 Speaker 1: can't do much more draft talk anymore. Like I'm ready 1333 01:06:29,840 --> 01:06:31,760 Speaker 1: for the draft. I used to be this way in 1334 01:06:31,800 --> 01:06:33,800 Speaker 1: the league. I know a lot of gms and coaches 1335 01:06:33,880 --> 01:06:36,680 Speaker 1: and my friends, my scout friends. It's like after a while, 1336 01:06:36,720 --> 01:06:39,680 Speaker 1: it's like, okay, let's just have the draft. And we're here, 1337 01:06:39,840 --> 01:06:42,800 Speaker 1: I mean basically a week away. But if you're listening 1338 01:06:42,800 --> 01:06:44,640 Speaker 1: to this on Friday or Saturday, we're even closer, so 1339 01:06:44,760 --> 01:07:03,760 Speaker 1: have a great weekend. Godspeed to someday and sa