1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,280 Speaker 1: Hey, what's up. I'm Thomas Davis and this is the 2 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 1: NFL Player second X podcast. Thank you all for tuning 3 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:20,080 Speaker 1: in today. 4 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:23,600 Speaker 2: This is the NFL Player's second Act podcast. 5 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 1: I'm Peter Tubman and with me as always my guy 6 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: with the Silver Fox Roaman harkle us up. I like it, man, 7 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: he's been had that junk since I met him. Bro, 8 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:38,519 Speaker 1: you're not supposed to talk. He's supposed to the secret. 9 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:42,919 Speaker 1: Tell me. I can't just read the band. You invited 10 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: me out here. You can't tell me. Now I'm going 11 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: to tell you where we're at. First of all, we're 12 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: in the Panthers Vision studio. Yes, here in the Bank 13 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: of America. And Peanut introduced our the guy who's yeah, 14 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: the guy who's talking, the guy just guess Hi, I'm 15 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 1: Thomas Davis. Well, look we got all. 16 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:06,199 Speaker 2: Pro linebacker Thomas Davis, all tom leading tackler, played about 17 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 2: twenty two seasons. 18 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 1: He owns a restaurant. What else he Walter Payton Man. 19 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 2: Walter Payton probably the most important set I say today 20 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:19,839 Speaker 2: in all seriousness. He is the Walter Payton Award winner 21 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 2: two thousand fourteen season Uh. Phenomenal guy. He is literally 22 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 2: the mayor. 23 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 3: There's no doubt. Oh Charlotte, no question. Ladies and gentlemen, 24 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:32,959 Speaker 3: my friend, my brother. 25 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:40,200 Speaker 1: Y'all welcome Thomas to the podcast. My god, what's up? Hup? 26 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: You like that intro? Hunk? 27 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 2: I love it, man, I love I like the outfit. 28 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:47,320 Speaker 2: I like the boots, the spikes. It looked like you 29 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 2: kicked a troll, the trol, the glitter. I knew that 30 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 2: was coming. 31 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: I was waiting. I was wondering what it was gonna be. Like, Okay, trol, 32 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 1: Let Peoan go ahead and get his little insults out 33 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: the way, because I know it's coming. It never fails. 34 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: I'm sorry. I just had to say anything else before 35 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: we get down to real business. 36 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 2: I just I love the silk. It looked like you. Yeah, yeah, 37 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 2: I like it. It looks silk is good. It looks 38 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 2: it fits your skin. 39 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:20,519 Speaker 1: It'll stick to yours. 40 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 3: All right, I'll get a little seriously all right, TV man, 41 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 3: I live in Charlotte, do you I mean yeah, I 42 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:32,079 Speaker 3: mean I live. 43 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:36,079 Speaker 1: I don't know you are? You are everywhere. I will 44 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:37,919 Speaker 1: give you that, man. I want to know. I want 45 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: you are. 46 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 3: What what is it like this Charlotte community as far 47 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 3: as like retired NFL player, Like, what is that community 48 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:46,640 Speaker 3: like for you? 49 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: It's phenomenal. You know. They they definitely embraced their their 50 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:55,639 Speaker 1: players here. They love the Carolina Panthers, and especially if 51 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 1: you do the things that I was able to do 52 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:01,640 Speaker 1: as a football player in the community. You know, that's 53 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 1: where I think I've had the largest impact on this 54 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 1: community because with my Thomas Davis defending Jreaen's foundation, We've 55 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 1: been doing work since two thousand and eight, and I've 56 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: created so many relationships off the field, and it's so 57 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:20,359 Speaker 1: great to see that so many people recognize me for 58 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 1: that as much as they did as the work I 59 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: did on the field. So I mean that's been truly phenomenal. 60 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: But this fan base, they truly embraced their players here. Yeah. 61 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 3: Look it's always good because I'll be getting up in 62 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,839 Speaker 3: the morning and I'll hear you on the radio like, damn, 63 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 3: what Tom is doing now? And you I don't think 64 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 3: you were doing anything. I think you were just hanging 65 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 3: out or you just playing a celebrity game. So you 66 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 3: truly truly embraced the community, and the community has truly 67 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 3: embraced you and every and your family and everything you're doing. 68 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 3: So you truly are the mayor. I thought we used 69 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 3: to just mess with you about this, but it's rigally 70 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 3: just kind of real now that the real side of it. 71 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: Listen, listen to the love and support is definitely mutual. 72 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: You know, I love being here. Charlotte is going to 73 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 1: always be home for me. You know, being drafted out 74 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 1: of Georgia right into Carolina and having the ability to 75 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: play here for fourteen years, you create relationships that are 76 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 1: that are really indescribable. So for me to just have 77 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:23,039 Speaker 1: this opportunity to just make Charlotte home forever has been 78 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: truly godsend for us. Yeah. 79 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 2: One thing I want to know, and I don't think 80 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 2: a lot of people know, is most of us play 81 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,159 Speaker 2: two positions in high school. Like I was a receiver 82 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 2: and I was then I play dB. I'm sure you 83 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 2: might have been a receiver. 84 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 3: I was better than you, but yeah, go ahead, what 85 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 3: what whoa Just look at where we went to school 86 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 3: at Come on school. 87 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 1: You're talking to TD right now? 88 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 2: Oh my god, I got some of you off camera. 89 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:49,600 Speaker 2: We're gonna we're gonna were gonna get into that a 90 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 2: little bit later. Anyway, Most people play two positions in 91 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 2: high school, but TD you played quarterback, running back, receiver, 92 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 2: d n dB, punner, kicker. How did you play like 93 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 2: twelve positions? 94 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 1: For me as a kid, I was I loved the 95 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: game of football, so it was all about whatever I 96 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:13,360 Speaker 1: can do. You know how when you go outside and 97 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:18,359 Speaker 1: you just playing backyard football, you're all of those things. 98 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 1: So for me, I wanted to be all of those things. 99 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: And my coach he allowed me to do that. You know, 100 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 1: if he identified me as being the best punner, he 101 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 1: was gonna let me punt. I was the best kicker, 102 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: He let me kick. I was the best returner. He 103 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: let me return kicks and it made the game fun. 104 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:37,280 Speaker 1: You know. I had to be in and tip top conditioning, 105 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 1: and you know, you're a kid, you can run around forever, 106 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:41,040 Speaker 1: and that was something that I was able to do. 107 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: But I just felt like I wanted to do whatever 108 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: I could do to help our team win. You know, 109 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: we didn't win a ton of games. We didn't have 110 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:53,040 Speaker 1: a ton of talent on that football team. But I 111 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 1: was willing to do whatever it took for us to 112 00:05:56,279 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 1: be successful. And he if you it back, and you 113 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: pay attention, if you notice all of those positions that 114 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:06,919 Speaker 1: you name that I played linebacker. Wasn't one of them. Yeah. 115 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 1: I never played linebacker in high school, never played linebacker 116 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: in college. And for me to have the career that 117 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: I did as an NFL player as a linebacker, I 118 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:21,040 Speaker 1: think that just really speaks to the versatility that I 119 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 1: was able to have as a young player because of 120 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 1: days like that at runoff play high school. Being willing 121 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:32,479 Speaker 1: to make the adjustment, to make the change and not 122 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:35,839 Speaker 1: being stubborn and saying, oh no, this is who I am. 123 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,320 Speaker 1: I'm a quarterback or I'm a running back. It's all 124 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:42,160 Speaker 1: about wherever you can put me at that I can 125 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: be successful. I'll figure it out. 126 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 2: And how was it when you want to play linebacker? 127 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 2: Was that a challenge with just like, I don't know, 128 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 2: I just linebacker and I'm. 129 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:51,920 Speaker 1: In the league. 130 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:53,919 Speaker 2: Now you want me to play linebacker, brand new position. 131 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 1: Listen. They told me, They told me that it was 132 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 1: a possibility. You know, half the teams that wanted me 133 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 1: coming out of college who wanted me to play linebacker. 134 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 1: Half the teams that wanted me wanted me to play safety. 135 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: And it's kind of running joke with Mike Tumblin. He 136 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 1: always said I would have left you at safety you know, 137 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 1: you just would have been a safety for me. But 138 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:18,600 Speaker 1: I think, honestly, it was a huge, huge difference being 139 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 1: that close to the line of scrimmage. You know, roman 140 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 1: being a safety, you understand the freedom that you have. 141 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: You're the extra guy, like you're unaccounted for. You come 142 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: down into the box and now you're the free hitter. Well, 143 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: now I'm in a position. I'm smaller, I'm not as 144 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 1: strong as some of these other linebackers and definitely not 145 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 1: as strong as the lineman that I'm getting ready to 146 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: take on. I had to make that adjustment. So it 147 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: was a learning curve. It was something that you know, 148 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 1: I had to grow into that position. I had to 149 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:48,240 Speaker 1: gain weight. I had to understand that, you know, my 150 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 1: speed at that time was an advantage for me, so 151 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: I don't have to sit there and get stuck on 152 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 1: trying to take on men that are bigger and stronger 153 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 1: than me at that time, use my speed because I'm 154 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: faster than them. So that's that was something that I 155 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 1: started to understand and learn, and you know, the Panthers 156 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 1: took their time in understanding that that was going to 157 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: be a learning curve for me. And then when we 158 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: drafted John Beeson Man just watching the way Beasts worked, 159 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: watched the way that he approached the linebacker position. That 160 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 1: helped me out tremendously as well. 161 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 3: How long did it take you to understand, like, my 162 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 3: speed is my friend? And then also maybe what was 163 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:29,120 Speaker 3: it like to try and did you have to make 164 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 3: that impact as a special teams got first even though 165 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 3: you were a first round pick, Like what was that 166 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:36,679 Speaker 3: mentality like too, because a lot of guys like myself, 167 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 3: we never were shining on special teams. 168 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: Listen, I love special teams. Special teams was always my thing. 169 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: I was the special teams captain at Georgia. Oh really, 170 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 1: Like that really just speaks to you know, me understanding 171 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 1: the importance of special teams. So probably up until, like 172 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 1: I would say, ten years into the league, I was 173 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 1: still on special teams gunner. Yeah, I was. I was 174 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:05,439 Speaker 1: on the punt team, I was on the return team, 175 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 1: I was on the I was the R five on 176 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: the kickoff team. My first few years, I'm in the 177 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 1: midst and I was a buster. I wasn't out there 178 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: just to be a body, Like I'm out there, I'm 179 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:18,679 Speaker 1: trying to make an impact. I'm trying to be a player. 180 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 1: I'm trying to be a difference maker, and there ain't 181 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 1: a whole lot of gunners that could that could touch 182 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:25,599 Speaker 1: me in that era during that time because. 183 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 3: Said that was just welcome to the NFL. Moment he 184 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 3: saw you on special team run down that gunner and 185 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 3: blow somebody up. 186 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:34,560 Speaker 1: Listen that that's what sol Mo TV. He was like, 187 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 1: this guy can play. That was specially that was that 188 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: was Luke. That was Luke's rookie year, which was also 189 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: the first game back from my third tourn a c L. 190 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 1: That was my first opportunity to take the field and 191 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:50,960 Speaker 1: that was a special time for me because that was 192 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 1: one of the players that really I would look back 193 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:57,480 Speaker 1: on that that just allowed me to understand and know that, 194 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:00,559 Speaker 1: you know what this is gonna be all right, I'm 195 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:03,079 Speaker 1: gonna make it. I'm gonna make it through this and 196 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:05,960 Speaker 1: they're gonna be light on the other side of this thing, man, 197 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 1: because you know, it was bleak for a long time, 198 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:11,840 Speaker 1: and you know, to have the Panthers draft Louke Keikley, 199 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:14,840 Speaker 1: John Beeson had just gotten a big contract. You had 200 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 1: James Anderson who had just gotten a big contract. I 201 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 1: had just gotten paid. All of this stuff was coming 202 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:22,599 Speaker 1: out of the lockout and for me to have to 203 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: take that pay cut that year, and them not really 204 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:29,079 Speaker 1: understanding and knowing what my future was gonna be coming 205 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:31,960 Speaker 1: off of a third ACL. I knew for a fact 206 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 1: that giving that chance, I was gonna take full advantage 207 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 1: of it. Man, and the rest just kind of became history. 208 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, so let's let's let's stay on that topico. You're 209 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 2: torn ACL. A lot of people don't know this, but 210 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 2: you tore your ACL not once, not twice, but three 211 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 2: times now. I don't know if there were consecutive years, 212 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 2: it was so a torn ACL three consecutive years. 213 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:54,679 Speaker 1: And for those that don't. 214 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:57,439 Speaker 2: Know, I've torn it, you've torn it. It takes about 215 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:01,080 Speaker 2: ten to twelve months to come back off of torn aco. 216 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 2: And I know you once said it looks like the 217 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 2: same knee as well. Yeah, right, because you only got 218 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:10,199 Speaker 2: the zipper on one. Yeah, you don't have it on both. 219 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 1: So funny story, the zipper is actually on the knee 220 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 1: that I didn't tear. What they took. They took my 221 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: patella on my left knee to fix my ACL on 222 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:24,439 Speaker 1: my right knee the last time. That's what doctor Andrews 223 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 1: did because think about it. The first surgery I had 224 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:29,559 Speaker 1: to use the ham string. Something new that was going on. 225 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:33,199 Speaker 1: Nobody out there use your damn hamstring to fix shake. 226 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:35,400 Speaker 1: My wife did that to fix hers. It didn't make 227 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:37,840 Speaker 1: it better. It does not make it better. And especially 228 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: for a professional athlete who lives off of speed because 229 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 1: you generate speed from your hamstring, like, don't do it, 230 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:48,319 Speaker 1: don't do it. Don't make no sense. All right, So 231 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 1: ham string first time, right, paatella, the second time, left, 232 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 1: patella the third time. And you know, going to doctor 233 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:01,560 Speaker 1: Andrews absolutely made a word difference because I'm nervous going 234 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 1: in and I'm like, Doc, like, what are my chants? 235 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: He was like, well, I'm gonna tell you I'm not 236 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 1: doing surgery on you for you to go sit on 237 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:12,320 Speaker 1: your ass. And that's just kind of you know, doctor Andrews. 238 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 1: That's the humor that Doctor Andrews had, And like that 239 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 1: gave me a ton of confidence, knowing that, you know, 240 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 1: I'm getting this surgery done from someone who's renowned as 241 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 1: the best doing it at the time, and knowing that 242 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: he was confident that I didn't have any major structural 243 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 1: damage that if he could get the ACL to in 244 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 1: a good spot that I would be good. And it 245 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: was so funny because they was telling me. Kelly was 246 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:42,360 Speaker 1: telling me that he dangled like part of the patella 247 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: that he took like he took a real thick piece 248 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 1: of the patella from the left knee to make sure 249 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 1: that it was secure. Man. And that that last surgery 250 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: was in twenty eleven and I didn't retire until ten 251 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,200 Speaker 1: years later. Did he do all three or just the one? No, 252 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: he did the last one. Did the last one when 253 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 1: that mattered? So he did two of mine twice. 254 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 3: No, I did another one that was like another reconstructor, 255 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 3: but it was he did both of my surgeries. And 256 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:15,199 Speaker 3: it's amazing when Andrews never forgets the ability for him 257 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:16,680 Speaker 3: to go out there. I really thought you had a 258 00:13:16,679 --> 00:13:19,680 Speaker 3: cadaver though, because that's usually what happens. 259 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 1: The second or I didn't know. 260 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 3: I thought because I thought you you went to the 261 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 3: other patlla on the second one, but I didn't realize 262 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 3: you used hamstring the first time. 263 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:32,839 Speaker 1: Yeah, that was that was kind of new, like that 264 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 1: was kind of a new procedure back in two thousand 265 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 1: and nine, fairly new, and they were excited about it, 266 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 1: thinking that you know, it kind of reduces the recovery 267 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: time when you don't have to cut right into the patella. 268 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:47,439 Speaker 1: And yeah, it wasn't good. 269 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 2: I guess my thing was, you don't know what patilla 270 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:51,840 Speaker 2: you get though, it's the cadaver. 271 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:55,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, use somebody else's. They use somebody else's a cl though, Yeah, 272 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 1: your body and when they may not take it, your 273 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 1: body might reject. Yeah, no I'm not doing that, and 274 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:05,320 Speaker 1: we go my body rejected and then now we got 275 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 1: to go in there again. Just use mine, all right? 276 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:12,280 Speaker 3: Tell me this TD, what was your first welcome to 277 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:13,320 Speaker 3: the NFL moment? 278 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 1: Shoot? Uh, my first welcome to the NFL moment happened 279 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 1: my first game in the NFL. We played the preseason 280 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 1: our preseason this season, we played New Orleans Saints and 281 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:31,440 Speaker 1: it was wait, wait, who's you playing the New Orleans Saints. 282 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 1: It's very like Saints. 283 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 2: He's very extra with the New Orleans things. 284 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: This is this is that make you feel good? 285 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 4: This is this is It's like it's like it's like 286 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:50,040 Speaker 4: this is like, uh, this is like the bully in. 287 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:53,400 Speaker 1: High school that did he just say there's something there's 288 00:14:53,480 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 1: something within that he is not happy about and it's okay. 289 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:02,320 Speaker 1: You know we're here for you. We're here for you. 290 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 1: We're here for you. So whatever that little thing is, 291 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 1: that that that burns you inside, we're here for you. 292 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 1: We're here for you, sir. You don't have to you 293 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 1: don't have to project that out on everybody else. I 294 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 1: appreciate you, And back to me question before I was 295 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 1: so rudely interrupted by the fine extinguished gentlemen right here. Well, 296 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 1: we were playing against the Saints in training camp. I 297 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 1: was going to start linebacker. They kind of bounced me 298 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 1: back and forth, and Mike Turgovak was the defensive coordinator 299 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 1: at the time, and we had a safety get hurt, 300 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 1: so they had to move me back to safety. So 301 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: I ended up starting against the Saints that first game. 302 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 1: And it was a humbling experience because playing safety in 303 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 1: the NFL in it in an extremely complicated defense, having 304 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: to make the checks, having to be like listen, the communication. 305 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 1: Communication is one thing in a basic defense because everybody 306 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:03,200 Speaker 1: got to be on the same page no matter what. 307 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 1: But communication in a complicated scheme where if this got 308 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 1: motion motions, this happens if he flexes out wider like 309 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:16,560 Speaker 1: I wasn't ready for that. As a rookie. I was 310 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 1: not prepared for that, and I started that first game. 311 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 1: It didn't start another game that year. They used me 312 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 1: in a bunch of different packages, but I didn't start 313 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 1: another game. We had a true veteran and Marlon McCree, 314 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 1: who after that first game, they brought Marlin in and 315 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 1: Marlin kind of started and you know, his career took 316 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 1: off after that. He was able to get a big contract, 317 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 1: you know, just based on his ability and the things 318 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: that he was able to do here. But for me, 319 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 1: that was very humbling welcome to the NFL experience, because that, 320 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 1: in essence allowed me to truly understand the business of 321 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 1: NFL football. Doesn't matter where you were drafted at, doesn't 322 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 1: matter who you are, who you think you are. If 323 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:05,040 Speaker 1: you can't be where they need you to be in 324 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 1: all times on that field, they don't care. They're gonna 325 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:10,640 Speaker 1: put you where they want you to be, and that's 326 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 1: over there on that bench watching the game. And for me, 327 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: I learned a lot that year. I never had that 328 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 1: issue again after my rookie year, because you know, you 329 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 1: start hearing, oh, well, he's a bus they wasted a 330 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 1: pick on him, and all of these cruel, unnecessary things 331 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 1: that you know, people don't understand the human component of, 332 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:34,919 Speaker 1: you know, a young kid coming in and having to 333 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 1: take on the weight of being a first round pick. 334 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 1: And I know a lot of people will say, well, 335 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:41,119 Speaker 1: oh yeah, that's a whole lot of weight when you're 336 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 1: getting paid a lot of money, but there's a ton 337 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: of expectations that get attached being a first round pick 338 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 1: and you're literally carrying the weight of that city because 339 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 1: whatever it, depending on where you get with that. I 340 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: was fourteenth, so right in the middle, you know, fourteenth overall, 341 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 1: and for me, I didn't do the things that I 342 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 1: needed to do to understand the defense that I was in. 343 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:10,840 Speaker 1: Like I would come in, I would meet early in 344 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:13,199 Speaker 1: the morning, but I wasn't doing the things that I 345 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,639 Speaker 1: needed to do once I went home, to make sure 346 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:18,639 Speaker 1: that I was retaining everything that we were putting in. 347 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: And it just it didn't work out the way that 348 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:26,880 Speaker 1: I had planned on my first NFL game going you know, sorry. 349 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 2: No, no, I'm just gonna say, how did you handle 350 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:30,239 Speaker 2: that though, like mentally, because you just said, like, yo, 351 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 2: I'm a young kid. I got drafted fourteenth, I got 352 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:37,359 Speaker 2: all this information, I got to retain the city hates me. 353 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 2: I'm a bus like that can kind of get to 354 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:40,679 Speaker 2: you a little bit. 355 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:42,720 Speaker 1: It was tough, but I didn't take it personally though 356 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:48,679 Speaker 1: I'm a competitor. I'm a competitor, so in me it 357 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 1: lit a fire because you're going to say this about 358 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 1: me after one year, You're going to try to write 359 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 1: my story before I have the chance to go out 360 00:18:57,520 --> 00:18:59,480 Speaker 1: and write it myself. I'll show you better than I 361 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:02,160 Speaker 1: can tell you. And then for me to have that 362 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: position change that next year, it was. It was something 363 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:10,440 Speaker 1: that once we made that decision, I told them like, look, 364 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:12,920 Speaker 1: all right, we make this change. I don't ever want 365 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:15,760 Speaker 1: to go back. And I love playing safety. Safety was 366 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:21,120 Speaker 1: by far my favorite position to ever play in anything, because, 367 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:22,879 Speaker 1: like I talked about, I was the free hitter and 368 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:25,199 Speaker 1: I was the cleanup man, and I cleaned up a 369 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:28,399 Speaker 1: lot of lot of stuff man. So to have the 370 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 1: ability to make that change in understanding that this is 371 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:35,679 Speaker 1: going to be my position and it's on me to 372 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 1: make sure that this is not a failure, that this 373 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: is not something that they're going to point to and say, damn, 374 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 1: we should have left him at safety. A few years later, 375 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:47,360 Speaker 1: I wanted to make sure that I did my due 376 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: diligence in every aspect of my game. But to answer 377 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,200 Speaker 1: your question, Peter, that throughout that year, I took advantage 378 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:57,480 Speaker 1: of playing special teams. I took advantage of being present 379 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 1: every single time that I took that feel I wanted 380 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 1: to flash something. I wanted something to stand out or 381 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:07,400 Speaker 1: jump out on the on film for them to say, 382 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 1: we got to figure out a way to get this 383 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:11,960 Speaker 1: kid on the field. And that's exactly what happened. Yeah, 384 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 1: did you. 385 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 2: Take advantage of special teams when you played? 386 00:20:15,359 --> 00:20:21,200 Speaker 3: I ain't playing no special teams though, no special I'm 387 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 3: not about that life. 388 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:25,119 Speaker 1: I've admitted that. I'm cool. I've accepted it. I'm not. 389 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 3: No special teams not something you can pick up later 390 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:30,439 Speaker 3: on your career either, Like I'm not. 391 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:32,679 Speaker 1: It's not me. I'm not one of those guys. It's fine, 392 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: you can pick it up later in your career, but you, 393 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:37,440 Speaker 1: in essence, if you don't have to do it when 394 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: you first come out, you know, oh, I'm too good 395 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:40,280 Speaker 1: for that. 396 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 2: I had to I'm too good for that. 397 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 1: For you. Stay tuned in. We'll be right back after 398 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:51,080 Speaker 1: a quick break. 399 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:54,919 Speaker 3: Before you start talking about Alabama, let me just go 400 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:56,919 Speaker 3: and take the power away from TV because I know 401 00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:03,919 Speaker 3: you don't know, but Eminem did it an eight mile 402 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:06,640 Speaker 3: say all the things that you're gonna say before you say, 403 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:09,720 Speaker 3: and so, yes, TD did have an interception, and yes 404 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 3: TD knocked out two of our quarterbacks, and yeah, TD 405 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 3: probably won the game by himself. 406 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:19,800 Speaker 1: Nobody cares, nobody. You just told everybody that you care. 407 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 3: You know, you talked about something though that was really good, 408 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:30,320 Speaker 3: and so uh you talked about safety and how much 409 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 3: you love playing it. And I just told everybody how 410 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:35,200 Speaker 3: you pretty much beat Alabama by yourself. I was there, 411 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:37,919 Speaker 3: and men, you you never let me. You still like 412 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:41,199 Speaker 3: to talk about It's all right. We ain't gonna talk 413 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 3: about it today though, because I've been control of the mic. 414 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:48,240 Speaker 3: But with you having that pressure, being a first round 415 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:50,520 Speaker 3: and really feeling like, man, when this team drafts me 416 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 3: first round, I'm supposed to make a difference. 417 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:53,960 Speaker 1: I'm supposed to. 418 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 3: All of a sudden uplift or change whatever this situation 419 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,159 Speaker 3: is by myself, because that's. 420 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:01,440 Speaker 1: Why they drafted me to do that. What would you. 421 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 3: Tell any other kid or younger person that's maybe coming 422 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:07,560 Speaker 3: into the league or going to college as a higher 423 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 3: pick or a high type recruit. What would you tell 424 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 3: them as like advice to be like maybe not put 425 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 3: it all on just you, that it still is a 426 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 3: team game. What would that advice be that you would give. 427 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 3: I don't want to put words in you. 428 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:22,879 Speaker 1: We got to understand that this is always going to 429 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:25,280 Speaker 1: be a team game. You know, this is the ultimate 430 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 1: team sport. Eleven men on the field at a time, 431 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:33,439 Speaker 1: doing one individual job to make sure that the unit 432 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:37,920 Speaker 1: is successful. That's what defense and offense and special teams 433 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:41,760 Speaker 1: in the NFL requires. So to make sure that you're 434 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:45,400 Speaker 1: that person that's out there doing your part and doing 435 00:22:45,119 --> 00:22:48,840 Speaker 1: doing during your doing your job the right way at 436 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:51,359 Speaker 1: all times. You got to make sure you know what 437 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:54,719 Speaker 1: you're doing. And it starts when nobody else is watching. 438 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 1: It starts when you're in that film room before practice. 439 00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:01,320 Speaker 1: It starts when you're in that film room after practice. 440 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:03,800 Speaker 1: It starts when you leave that building and you take 441 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: that film home and you're watching it and you are 442 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:10,480 Speaker 1: taking the place that you just installed for the day. 443 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:14,359 Speaker 1: You're understanding what your responsibility is, where you need to be, 444 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 1: and then you're taking the film that you're getting ready 445 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:21,000 Speaker 1: to watch against another team and you're incorporating what you 446 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:22,760 Speaker 1: have to do and how you have to do it 447 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:26,199 Speaker 1: versus certain plays. So I think, without a doubt, man, 448 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 1: I would say that any young kid put all the 449 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:34,879 Speaker 1: other bs aside. Nothing else matters. If the coaches and 450 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 1: your teammates can't trust you, if they can't trust you 451 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:39,720 Speaker 1: to be where you need to be and where you 452 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 1: have to be when you're supposed to be there, it 453 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:44,399 Speaker 1: doesn't matter where you get drafted. It doesn't matter if 454 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 1: you're a first round pick, it doesn't matter if you're undrafted. 455 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:51,520 Speaker 1: If they cannot depend or trust that you're going to 456 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:53,680 Speaker 1: be where you need to be, your ass going to 457 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:56,679 Speaker 1: be over there on the sideline watching the game. And 458 00:23:56,720 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 1: you don't want that. At no level and no point 459 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 1: in the season. Do you want to be that guy 460 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:07,240 Speaker 1: where they say, man, he's extremely talented, and he talented 461 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:10,680 Speaker 1: and he can really help us, but we can't trust him. 462 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:14,520 Speaker 1: You want you never want that attached to you. So 463 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 1: the way you avoid that is doing the extra man, 464 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:24,480 Speaker 1: doing the little things that so many others are unwilling 465 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:29,200 Speaker 1: and unable to do. Get in that film room, make 466 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 1: sure that you understand that playbook that should be the 467 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:33,960 Speaker 1: first thing that you ask for when you get drafted 468 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:36,520 Speaker 1: to a team. When can I get my playbook? When 469 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 1: can I dive in and start to understand what I 470 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:42,880 Speaker 1: need to do and what I have to do so 471 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:47,120 Speaker 1: that when I get the opportunity, there is no thinking, 472 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:50,400 Speaker 1: there's no second guessing when I take this field. When 473 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:53,080 Speaker 1: I take this field, I'm going to put on full 474 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:56,439 Speaker 1: display my ability to go out and play because I 475 00:24:56,440 --> 00:24:59,159 Speaker 1: don't have to think, I don't have to question, I 476 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:01,400 Speaker 1: don't have the second yes what I'm doing. I can 477 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:04,520 Speaker 1: go out there and use utilize my full four speed 478 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:08,560 Speaker 1: at all times. And if you are not doing the 479 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 1: things off the field to make sure that that's possible, 480 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:11,880 Speaker 1: then you're cheating yourself. 481 00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 3: Can we put a little disclaimer out there? Not everybody 482 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 3: has full force speed? 483 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 1: Like Thomas? 484 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:16,119 Speaker 2: What was what was? 485 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 1: What was a combine? It was high? But my I 486 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 1: wasn't supposed to run at the combine though, So I'm 487 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:28,360 Speaker 1: still pissed. That's a sensitive subject. Yes, you just brought 488 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:31,960 Speaker 1: that up. I'm sorry I opened that triggered. Yeah, so 489 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 1: I kind of fell into that into that. Oh, you're 490 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 1: supposed to be the number one safety, so why aren't 491 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 1: you running such and such. He's running. This dude is running. 492 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:45,119 Speaker 1: He the number one corner. He's running. So after about 493 00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 1: five or six rooms, yeah, I'm like, man, are they 494 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 1: gonna question my competitiveness? Are they going to think that 495 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:56,120 Speaker 1: I'm afraid to compete? Like so, I'm like, I'm gonna run. 496 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 1: So my agent my train. They were like, I wasn't 497 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:01,119 Speaker 1: supposed to. I didn't. I didn't work on it, like 498 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 1: we worked on everything else. And then we're going to 499 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:06,960 Speaker 1: run the forty at my pro day and man, I 500 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:11,239 Speaker 1: love to come behind. I'm like, man, I just I mean, 501 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: I just messed up every single component. I'm like, I 502 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:16,639 Speaker 1: just messed up every single thing that I worked so 503 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:21,359 Speaker 1: hard for by allowing somebody to talk me into doing 504 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 1: something that I didn't didn't prepare to do. And you know, 505 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:29,080 Speaker 1: that's the blessing that you have. Or going to the 506 00:26:29,119 --> 00:26:32,359 Speaker 1: combine first though, because you could put something out there 507 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: that may not be an indication of who you truly are. 508 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:40,399 Speaker 1: It may be an indication of the circumstances of the 509 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:45,919 Speaker 1: constant medical and the stresses of being Indianapolis. But you 510 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 1: get a chance to go back to your comfortable environment 511 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:50,879 Speaker 1: and go back and work on the things that you 512 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:53,920 Speaker 1: need to do and get better at. And I was 513 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:57,200 Speaker 1: able to do that and both forty times I ran 514 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 1: a four four to three twice, which ultimately solidified to me, 515 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 1: solidified my spot. No, there's no doubt. 516 00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:08,639 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm only going to say this one time, and 517 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:12,560 Speaker 2: I'll say it on camera because it's cool. I admire 518 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:16,800 Speaker 2: how tough you are. Torn acl three times, three consecutive 519 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:20,640 Speaker 2: years in a row. That twenty fifteen season, you ended 520 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 2: up breaking your arm and you had to get a 521 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:28,360 Speaker 2: plate put in there. And I really do appreciate your 522 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:32,840 Speaker 2: love for one, the game, but two, most importantly, I 523 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:36,200 Speaker 2: appreciate your love for the team and specifically that twenty 524 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:40,320 Speaker 2: fifteen team. And I honestly didn't think you were going 525 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:42,880 Speaker 2: to play. And then we got this picture right here. 526 00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:45,120 Speaker 2: I don't know if we can zoom in on that. 527 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 2: It's you after you had the surgery and they put 528 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:51,760 Speaker 2: a plate in your arm. It kind of looked like 529 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:54,800 Speaker 2: football stitches. Yeah, it looked like the football laces on 530 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 2: a football. And I've never told you this, but I 531 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:02,560 Speaker 2: really do appreciate you. I appreciate you just kind of 532 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:06,680 Speaker 2: pushing through trying to get that Super Bowl ring. And 533 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:09,399 Speaker 2: because I knew I wasn't playing because I had my 534 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:13,280 Speaker 2: torn ACL But I want to say I appreciate you 535 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:16,480 Speaker 2: for just putting the team on your back and trying 536 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 2: to take everything in and trying to get me a 537 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 2: ring because I knew I couldn't do it in the world. 538 00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 2: Did you play with that? You know, it's just what you. 539 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:30,400 Speaker 1: Talked about people, you know, as a player that had 540 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:32,840 Speaker 1: never had that opportunity up to that point to play 541 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:36,000 Speaker 1: in the super Bowl and to be so close and 542 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:41,160 Speaker 1: literally in one instance, just one split decision to have 543 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 1: that eleven years at that point of trying to make 544 00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 1: it to the super Bowl and win the Super Bowl 545 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 1: taking away from you. Man, it's heartbreaking. Its heart wrenching. 546 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:53,960 Speaker 1: But when you hear the words that if we do 547 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:58,200 Speaker 1: then there's a chance, that's all you need to hear 548 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:00,000 Speaker 1: as a player. So I'm like, yeah, let's do it. 549 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:02,080 Speaker 1: Do it. It didn't even care. I didn't even care 550 00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:05,680 Speaker 1: in that moment what they said after if we do. 551 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 1: I just wanted to know that if we did something 552 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:10,880 Speaker 1: that that was going to give me an opportunity, and 553 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: there was like, yeah, we have surgery at six am. 554 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 1: You know, we could start the healing process, and you 555 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:19,600 Speaker 1: know it's going to come down to a pain tolerance thing, 556 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:22,840 Speaker 1: but you can potentially play. I'm like, all right, if 557 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 1: it's pain tolerance, then shit, I'm going to try to play. 558 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:28,760 Speaker 1: It don't matter. It don't matter how many plays I get. 559 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 1: But if I have the opportunity, as long as it's 560 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:36,360 Speaker 1: not something that if I go out there selfishly, I'm 561 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:39,040 Speaker 1: going to hurt the team. Like if it's something that 562 00:29:39,840 --> 00:29:43,240 Speaker 1: Shaq Thompson's stepping up or aj Klein stepping up and 563 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 1: playing would be a better player in that moment because 564 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:48,920 Speaker 1: of the injury than me, then I'll bow out and 565 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 1: I'll let them play. And you know, as the week 566 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 1: went on, man, I'm talking to pet that I'm like, bro, like, 567 00:29:55,680 --> 00:29:57,400 Speaker 1: I don't know if it's going to be your last year. 568 00:29:57,440 --> 00:30:00,800 Speaker 1: You had kind of expressed potential League could have been 569 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:03,200 Speaker 1: your last year, but I'm like, man, we want to 570 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:04,720 Speaker 1: try to get you a ring too, man. But I 571 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:07,440 Speaker 1: also was hoping that you came back and got that 572 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:11,200 Speaker 1: one last interception that you needed too for that forty 573 00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 1: forty Yeah right, And we talked about that. So I'm like, man, 574 00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 1: it's situations like that where we got guys that have 575 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 1: meant so much to this game, has given so much 576 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:26,320 Speaker 1: to this game and have accomplished so much and not 577 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:29,120 Speaker 1: in a position where they can't even play or finish, 578 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:32,200 Speaker 1: you know. And I think, like Rome, you were in 579 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:35,520 Speaker 1: a situation at that point in that season two where 580 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:38,080 Speaker 1: you kind of hurt your neck and you couldn't play. Yeah, 581 00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:40,640 Speaker 1: it was my eye, I mean eye, my bad home 582 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:43,520 Speaker 1: put it on your neck. But those are the kind 583 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 1: of play instances where you look at your brothers and 584 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:50,240 Speaker 1: you're like, man, what would these dudes do in this moment? 585 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 1: What would they do for this opportunity to play? I know, 586 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:56,720 Speaker 1: without a doubt, if there was a surgery or something 587 00:30:56,720 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 1: that could have taken place that would have given you 588 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 1: a chance to play, you to have been in there, Peanut, 589 00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:03,160 Speaker 1: without a doubt. If it wasn't an acl, if it 590 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:07,200 Speaker 1: was maniscous or something that only took a week or 591 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:09,600 Speaker 1: two to recover, you would have been in there. So 592 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:13,640 Speaker 1: that's the true warrior spirit. And I think with us 593 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 1: being guys that have been around the game for a 594 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:20,080 Speaker 1: long time and we understand how hard it is to 595 00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:23,440 Speaker 1: have these opportunities unless you like Patrick Mahons and you 596 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:27,120 Speaker 1: get to go every year. Then we understand that those 597 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:30,560 Speaker 1: opportunities don't come around that often. So when you have 598 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:33,200 Speaker 1: the chance to play in the super Bowl, you do 599 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:36,680 Speaker 1: whatever you can to make sure that that's a reality. 600 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:40,840 Speaker 1: And for me, every single day I got better every 601 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 1: single day, every single day, one small step, and it 602 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 1: was really getting to the point where I can regain 603 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:50,080 Speaker 1: that grip strength. And once that came back, I'm like, oh, 604 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:53,520 Speaker 1: we four a goal I'm playing in this game. To 605 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 1: go from having that uncertainty of not being able to 606 00:31:57,000 --> 00:32:01,800 Speaker 1: play possibly to playing every snap offensively. I mean that 607 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:08,640 Speaker 1: was truly a representation of of God and how amazing 608 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:11,480 Speaker 1: he is and how amazing He has been in my life. 609 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:14,680 Speaker 1: And people like, how could you say that, you know 610 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:19,080 Speaker 1: that's a representation of God when all the things that 611 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:21,800 Speaker 1: you've gone through. I say, yeah, I've gone through a 612 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 1: lot of things, but look at all the things that 613 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:27,640 Speaker 1: He've allowed me to overcome. And that's what people lose 614 00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:30,960 Speaker 1: sight of. Well, God wouldn't allow this to happen to you, 615 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:33,600 Speaker 1: or he wouldn't allowed well, I don't know what God 616 00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:36,080 Speaker 1: you served, but the God I serve allowed me to 617 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:38,880 Speaker 1: overcome every single obstacle to have ever come my way 618 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:42,560 Speaker 1: only do it. Yes he will, yes he will, and 619 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:43,160 Speaker 1: on time. 620 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:47,320 Speaker 3: But the thing is, you know, TD, I never thought 621 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:49,720 Speaker 3: you weren't going to play that game. I never had 622 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:50,240 Speaker 3: an inkling. 623 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:52,320 Speaker 1: I never had a doubt you better than me when 624 00:32:52,320 --> 00:32:55,560 Speaker 1: I got up out of that surgery room. But even 625 00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:57,280 Speaker 1: I can't feel feeling all that. 626 00:32:58,680 --> 00:33:00,880 Speaker 3: I just think it's a I love the way you 627 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:03,240 Speaker 3: explain that. But in my mind from outside looking, and 628 00:33:03,360 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 3: I never thought that you would miss that game, just 629 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:09,160 Speaker 3: because I knew what you mentioned, the city, what you mentioned, 630 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:12,520 Speaker 3: that team, the organization, and especially to that defense that year. 631 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:17,440 Speaker 1: Let me tell you what's what's so heart woman about 632 00:33:17,480 --> 00:33:20,440 Speaker 1: that whole thing. Man. When I went in surgery, you know, 633 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:24,320 Speaker 1: Kelly was there, And when I woke up, I look 634 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:27,320 Speaker 1: over and Luke Kickley sitting right there and he was 635 00:33:27,360 --> 00:33:31,080 Speaker 1: with me the whole time, man, like we getting ready 636 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:32,760 Speaker 1: to go to the super Bowl. Like there's a lot 637 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:34,960 Speaker 1: of stuff that this man could be doing, but he 638 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:38,520 Speaker 1: was literally sitting right there right at my hospital bed. 639 00:33:38,880 --> 00:33:42,680 Speaker 1: Took me home from the hospital, and like, I think 640 00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:46,440 Speaker 1: that that really spoke to the closeness of that football 641 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:50,240 Speaker 1: team that year. For sure. You know, we we we 642 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:52,920 Speaker 1: had so much fun man, and we bunded and we 643 00:33:52,960 --> 00:33:56,200 Speaker 1: grew together as a group. Man. And there have been 644 00:33:56,240 --> 00:33:59,120 Speaker 1: a lot of teams that have come along in the 645 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:01,880 Speaker 1: NFL that have been special football teams, but I don't 646 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:06,600 Speaker 1: think that there's really been any teams that have been 647 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:10,680 Speaker 1: more special from a standpoint of the closeness and the 648 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:13,560 Speaker 1: tight knit that we had as a football team. We 649 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,640 Speaker 1: didn't have the most talented roster if you go back 650 00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:21,239 Speaker 1: and you look at that team from top to bottom offensively, defensively, Like, 651 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:23,960 Speaker 1: we didn't have the most talented roster, but we had 652 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:27,000 Speaker 1: a special group that would go out and do anything 653 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:30,319 Speaker 1: for each other. And that's what separated that team from 654 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:32,319 Speaker 1: some of the other teams. Man. We had a we 655 00:34:32,320 --> 00:34:38,080 Speaker 1: were literally a quarter away from being an undefeated regular 656 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:38,719 Speaker 1: season team. 657 00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:45,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that was our superpower though, like our 658 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:47,520 Speaker 2: our our love for one another. That's to me, that's 659 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:49,280 Speaker 2: that's what made that team very special. 660 00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:52,080 Speaker 3: Coach Rivera would say it all the time. He's like, guys, 661 00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:54,120 Speaker 3: the best thing about you, guys is you being yourself. 662 00:34:54,640 --> 00:34:56,200 Speaker 3: He's like, don't ever stop being yourself, and. 663 00:34:56,239 --> 00:34:56,839 Speaker 1: He pushed it. 664 00:34:57,160 --> 00:35:01,840 Speaker 3: That was his main things that guys, don't change everybody's 665 00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:04,920 Speaker 3: talking everybody's you know, taking pictures on the sidelines. You 666 00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:08,320 Speaker 3: guys were ruffling feathers. Nobody liked because we just seemed 667 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:10,719 Speaker 3: like we were having way too much fun and they 668 00:35:10,719 --> 00:35:13,680 Speaker 3: didn't really enjoy that. But that was the main thing 669 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:15,440 Speaker 3: Coach Vera kept saying and said, hey, guys. 670 00:35:15,320 --> 00:35:17,600 Speaker 2: I love you, I love you for who you are. 671 00:35:17,640 --> 00:35:19,120 Speaker 1: To me be who you are. 672 00:35:19,680 --> 00:35:21,960 Speaker 3: He came up in that eighty five Bears team where 673 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:24,279 Speaker 3: they had a whole bunch of different personalities, and I 674 00:35:24,280 --> 00:35:26,360 Speaker 3: think he saw a lot of that in us, and 675 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:28,399 Speaker 3: so he continued to try and push that on us. 676 00:35:29,280 --> 00:35:31,400 Speaker 1: And we'll be right back. 677 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:35,880 Speaker 3: But I want to put something on YOUTD. What's retirement 678 00:35:35,880 --> 00:35:38,960 Speaker 3: life like? Because I know, you know you played your 679 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:41,759 Speaker 3: last season. You said you knew it was time you 680 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:44,000 Speaker 3: were going to be a last one. But what even 681 00:35:44,080 --> 00:35:47,120 Speaker 3: doing and how are you enjoying retirement now? 682 00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:50,080 Speaker 1: You know, I think because not? I mean, it was 683 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:52,800 Speaker 1: get to call our shot like that. Transition Transitioning is 684 00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:56,160 Speaker 1: not an easy thing on any level. It doesn't matter 685 00:35:56,160 --> 00:36:01,040 Speaker 1: what level you're on. Transitioning from from from any job 686 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:04,440 Speaker 1: is going to always be tough. But when you transitioning 687 00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:07,799 Speaker 1: from something that you've worked all the way back from 688 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:13,759 Speaker 1: middle school on. Yeah, to really accomplish I think it's 689 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:16,439 Speaker 1: going to always be tough, you know, But I would 690 00:36:16,520 --> 00:36:18,880 Speaker 1: encourage guys that are getting ready to make the transition. 691 00:36:19,280 --> 00:36:21,000 Speaker 1: You know, some of us, like you said, get to 692 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:23,600 Speaker 1: make that transition on our own time, and some of 693 00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:27,279 Speaker 1: us are forced into transitioning. But I would definitely say 694 00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:31,000 Speaker 1: that have a plan. You got to have plans one 695 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:32,920 Speaker 1: way or the other. Like and a lot of guys 696 00:36:32,960 --> 00:36:35,160 Speaker 1: don't have a plan because they're not ready to walk 697 00:36:35,160 --> 00:36:39,680 Speaker 1: away from the game. But we all know the way 698 00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:42,759 Speaker 1: that the sport that we play work, you're one play 699 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:46,400 Speaker 1: away from being retired. And that's the reality of it. 700 00:36:46,600 --> 00:36:52,200 Speaker 1: And if you end up in that position before you're 701 00:36:52,239 --> 00:36:55,040 Speaker 1: ready to, you can find yourself in a dark place. 702 00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:57,920 Speaker 1: You can find yourself, you know, struggling with a lot 703 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:02,520 Speaker 1: of different things. And you know, Tracy Pearlman has been 704 00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:05,120 Speaker 1: a godsend for me, you know, just having the opportunity 705 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:08,000 Speaker 1: to meet her throughout the Man of the Year process, 706 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:10,719 Speaker 1: and you know, over the years of being a finalist, 707 00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:13,960 Speaker 1: you know, our relationship grew closer and she told me 708 00:37:14,040 --> 00:37:16,320 Speaker 1: she was like just having the opportunity to be around 709 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:17,960 Speaker 1: you like, I want you to come work for us, 710 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:20,080 Speaker 1: and you're gonna come work for us as soon as 711 00:37:20,120 --> 00:37:22,120 Speaker 1: you retire. And that was one of the first phone 712 00:37:22,120 --> 00:37:24,400 Speaker 1: calls that I got, you know, once I made the 713 00:37:24,440 --> 00:37:27,040 Speaker 1: decision that, you know, I was going to retire in 714 00:37:27,040 --> 00:37:29,239 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one, she was like, Hey, I want you 715 00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:32,040 Speaker 1: to come work for the Legends community. So I jumped 716 00:37:32,080 --> 00:37:34,960 Speaker 1: right into that. And being able to stay close to 717 00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:37,799 Speaker 1: the game and stay connected with the players like that 718 00:37:37,880 --> 00:37:40,319 Speaker 1: has been something that has been very beneficial for me 719 00:37:40,440 --> 00:37:43,400 Speaker 1: because I haven't had some of the same struggles of 720 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:46,440 Speaker 1: not having that locker room environment that some of the 721 00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:48,719 Speaker 1: other guys talk about. You know, I have the opportunity 722 00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:51,239 Speaker 1: to speak to a lot of retired players and that's 723 00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:54,120 Speaker 1: the thing that they missed the most about the game, 724 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:56,640 Speaker 1: you know, not having that locker room environment because we 725 00:37:56,680 --> 00:37:58,600 Speaker 1: spend so much time in the locker room with our 726 00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:02,520 Speaker 1: brothers in and trying to come up with the next 727 00:38:02,560 --> 00:38:06,200 Speaker 1: game plan to win the Super Bowl. Well, now you're 728 00:38:06,920 --> 00:38:09,160 Speaker 1: at home with your wife, you're at home with your kids, 729 00:38:09,200 --> 00:38:12,520 Speaker 1: you're at home with friends and family, and they don't understand, 730 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:15,960 Speaker 1: they don't know the competitiveness that goes into your day 731 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:19,400 Speaker 1: to day and you can't really be competitive with them, no, 732 00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:23,680 Speaker 1: you And if you do be too competitive, then that 733 00:38:23,760 --> 00:38:26,160 Speaker 1: creates friction and strife at home. And that's why you 734 00:38:26,160 --> 00:38:29,200 Speaker 1: see so many of our guys that end up getting 735 00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:33,520 Speaker 1: divorced or are making decisions that financially put them in 736 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:36,840 Speaker 1: trouble because you're still trying to chase that same high 737 00:38:37,480 --> 00:38:42,560 Speaker 1: feeling as playing in the NFL. And I just would 738 00:38:42,600 --> 00:38:45,560 Speaker 1: say the guys, man, start having a plan right now. 739 00:38:45,680 --> 00:38:49,000 Speaker 1: You start talking to a rookie about having a plan 740 00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:51,239 Speaker 1: for when the game is over, and then they're looking 741 00:38:51,239 --> 00:38:53,600 Speaker 1: at you sideways like man, I just started. But yeah, 742 00:38:53,640 --> 00:38:55,680 Speaker 1: you never know when you're going to finish. You just 743 00:38:55,760 --> 00:38:58,120 Speaker 1: never know when that time is going to come. And 744 00:38:58,160 --> 00:39:02,600 Speaker 1: it would be I would be doing you a disservice 745 00:39:03,480 --> 00:39:05,719 Speaker 1: as a player that has played sixteen years in this 746 00:39:05,840 --> 00:39:08,399 Speaker 1: league and that has seen so many guys come through 747 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:11,120 Speaker 1: if I didn't tell you to have a plan, if 748 00:39:11,120 --> 00:39:14,160 Speaker 1: I didn't encourage you to start now with having a plan, 749 00:39:14,640 --> 00:39:17,680 Speaker 1: take advantage of the relationships that you make. You're going 750 00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:20,680 Speaker 1: to meet a ton of people while you're playing this game, 751 00:39:22,400 --> 00:39:27,440 Speaker 1: get their numbers, take down contact information, share emails, so 752 00:39:27,520 --> 00:39:30,120 Speaker 1: when you are done playing and you do walk away 753 00:39:30,160 --> 00:39:33,080 Speaker 1: from the game, whether it's forced up by choice, then 754 00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:35,759 Speaker 1: you can go back to those people and say, hey, 755 00:39:35,960 --> 00:39:38,400 Speaker 1: I want to hear a little bit more information about 756 00:39:38,520 --> 00:39:40,919 Speaker 1: what you were telling me about five years ago, six 757 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:43,319 Speaker 1: years ago, seven years ago. You know, it just kind 758 00:39:43,320 --> 00:39:45,880 Speaker 1: of keeps some kind of dialogue. And I think those 759 00:39:45,920 --> 00:39:49,000 Speaker 1: are the things that we miss as NFL players because 760 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:52,040 Speaker 1: we get so busy with our schedules and we realize 761 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:58,319 Speaker 1: that we don't realize that sometimes the people that can 762 00:39:58,360 --> 00:40:01,439 Speaker 1: have the greatest impact on our lives after the game 763 00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:04,360 Speaker 1: we met seven years ago, right, so true, and we 764 00:40:04,400 --> 00:40:07,880 Speaker 1: didn't take advantage of that meeting. And now I just 765 00:40:08,040 --> 00:40:11,200 Speaker 1: would encourage guys to man, just just make sure you're 766 00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:13,680 Speaker 1: doing your due diligence, because we have the power in 767 00:40:13,719 --> 00:40:17,360 Speaker 1: our hand to control our futures just simply by the 768 00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:20,840 Speaker 1: interactions that we make while we're behind that shield. 769 00:40:21,200 --> 00:40:25,239 Speaker 2: Now, I know you've been a little busy being a businessman. 770 00:40:25,360 --> 00:40:27,880 Speaker 2: Now I want to I want you to talk to us, 771 00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:30,680 Speaker 2: or talk to the to the listeners about the ten 772 00:40:30,800 --> 00:40:34,440 Speaker 2: fifty eight restaurant that you got right here in Charlotte. Listen, 773 00:40:34,920 --> 00:40:39,240 Speaker 2: is that a Streuss it's right uptown, right right, Downtown 774 00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:42,879 Speaker 2: Downtown's really Uptown is downtown, so we downtown is. 775 00:40:42,840 --> 00:40:45,680 Speaker 1: Really I've never figured that out, Like, how do how 776 00:40:45,719 --> 00:40:49,560 Speaker 1: does this change you? Mister Charlotte, you change that? But 777 00:40:49,600 --> 00:40:52,920 Speaker 1: I'm a country boy, you know that's true. I don't 778 00:40:53,080 --> 00:40:56,080 Speaker 1: understand the whole dynamic of up and downtown. I'm like, well, 779 00:40:56,120 --> 00:40:59,360 Speaker 1: I'm uptown, you mean downtown. Well I'm downtown. Well you 780 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:01,960 Speaker 1: mean uptown? Like when do I get it right? How 781 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:04,799 Speaker 1: do I get that right? Right? So? I think, you know, 782 00:41:04,920 --> 00:41:08,080 Speaker 1: just being a business owner, there are a lot of 783 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:10,560 Speaker 1: things that goes into it, you know, making the decisions, 784 00:41:10,640 --> 00:41:14,840 Speaker 1: and you know, not the same as an NFL owner obviously, 785 00:41:14,920 --> 00:41:20,960 Speaker 1: but you start to understand how hard it is to 786 00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:23,680 Speaker 1: make tough decisions. You know, you got to make tough 787 00:41:23,719 --> 00:41:31,600 Speaker 1: decisions that are for the overall success of the organization. Right, 788 00:41:31,920 --> 00:41:35,319 Speaker 1: so you got to let people go sometimes that you 789 00:41:35,440 --> 00:41:40,239 Speaker 1: may really really enjoy being around, or you might have 790 00:41:40,280 --> 00:41:42,759 Speaker 1: to keep some people that you hate being around that 791 00:41:43,040 --> 00:41:47,600 Speaker 1: are very beneficial to your organization. And I think being 792 00:41:47,680 --> 00:41:54,200 Speaker 1: able to dissect and understand you know that just because 793 00:41:54,239 --> 00:41:57,399 Speaker 1: you make the decision doesn't always make it the right 794 00:41:57,440 --> 00:42:01,440 Speaker 1: decision and being humble enough to understand and know that 795 00:42:01,880 --> 00:42:05,880 Speaker 1: you're not going to always be right, and if you do, 796 00:42:06,080 --> 00:42:11,160 Speaker 1: by chance, get it wrong, you cannot be too prideful 797 00:42:12,480 --> 00:42:15,640 Speaker 1: to make sure that you let people around you know that, hey, 798 00:42:15,719 --> 00:42:20,160 Speaker 1: I made a mistake. I made a mistake and I 799 00:42:20,239 --> 00:42:23,520 Speaker 1: need your help. I need you in this. And I 800 00:42:23,520 --> 00:42:26,440 Speaker 1: didn't have any experience in the bar world. In fact, 801 00:42:26,520 --> 00:42:29,359 Speaker 1: I never had alcohol in my life still to this day, 802 00:42:29,520 --> 00:42:36,040 Speaker 1: never drink. Never drink in my life. Never in my 803 00:42:36,160 --> 00:42:38,799 Speaker 1: life have I taken a sip of alcohol. I've never 804 00:42:38,960 --> 00:42:41,919 Speaker 1: smoked in my life. And now I have an establishment 805 00:42:42,040 --> 00:42:46,520 Speaker 1: that sells alcohol and now we sell hookah. I just 806 00:42:47,160 --> 00:42:51,279 Speaker 1: feel like just being able to offer my whole goal 807 00:42:51,440 --> 00:42:55,560 Speaker 1: has been I want to offer an experience to our 808 00:42:55,600 --> 00:42:59,239 Speaker 1: fan base and experience that they can enjoy, whether it's 809 00:42:59,320 --> 00:43:03,720 Speaker 1: football ce or what it is, soccer season, baseball season, 810 00:43:04,040 --> 00:43:06,399 Speaker 1: whatever the season is. I want to make the ten 811 00:43:06,480 --> 00:43:09,760 Speaker 1: fifty eight experience and environment where they can just come 812 00:43:10,280 --> 00:43:14,160 Speaker 1: and just enjoy being in there. And you know, we've 813 00:43:14,239 --> 00:43:17,120 Speaker 1: gotten a lot of great feedback and one of the 814 00:43:17,160 --> 00:43:19,120 Speaker 1: things that I had to learn and I've kind of 815 00:43:19,120 --> 00:43:22,120 Speaker 1: transitioned away from when I first started. I wanted to 816 00:43:22,160 --> 00:43:25,440 Speaker 1: take care of everybody. It's kind of been my thought process. 817 00:43:25,520 --> 00:43:29,040 Speaker 1: And you know, I was paying my servers and my waitresses, 818 00:43:29,040 --> 00:43:34,640 Speaker 1: so I was paying them well above the limits of 819 00:43:35,200 --> 00:43:39,040 Speaker 1: what other people are playing them. And I'm like, that 820 00:43:39,120 --> 00:43:41,600 Speaker 1: caused my overhead to be extremely high. So when I 821 00:43:41,640 --> 00:43:44,040 Speaker 1: got other people to come in and try to help 822 00:43:44,080 --> 00:43:47,600 Speaker 1: me with the business man, they identified that as been 823 00:43:47,640 --> 00:43:49,719 Speaker 1: an issue. I'm like, but how do I go to 824 00:43:49,760 --> 00:43:52,279 Speaker 1: my workers now and tell them, like, you know, we're 825 00:43:52,280 --> 00:43:55,200 Speaker 1: gonna rein back. But I think one of the things though, 826 00:43:55,360 --> 00:43:57,839 Speaker 1: you know, just being transparent with people, no doubt, you know, 827 00:43:58,200 --> 00:44:01,520 Speaker 1: always letting people understand and know I share the numbers, like, look, 828 00:44:01,880 --> 00:44:04,120 Speaker 1: this is what we are for the week. I need 829 00:44:04,160 --> 00:44:06,360 Speaker 1: y'all to step it up. Or look y'all did a 830 00:44:07,719 --> 00:44:11,279 Speaker 1: damn good job this week, try to mirror that next week, 831 00:44:11,320 --> 00:44:14,120 Speaker 1: you know, just offering words of encouragement, man, and just 832 00:44:14,200 --> 00:44:17,439 Speaker 1: letting them know how much I appreciate them, because every 833 00:44:17,440 --> 00:44:19,839 Speaker 1: single day they get up and they come to work 834 00:44:19,880 --> 00:44:22,680 Speaker 1: for the betterment of ten fifty eight man, and that 835 00:44:22,760 --> 00:44:24,520 Speaker 1: does not go unnoticed. 836 00:44:24,400 --> 00:44:26,840 Speaker 3: You know what, And because we come from this plus 837 00:44:26,880 --> 00:44:30,080 Speaker 3: minus world where we graded on it like, after every 838 00:44:30,080 --> 00:44:32,400 Speaker 3: play you do it right, you're doing wrong. So I 839 00:44:32,480 --> 00:44:35,640 Speaker 3: love the transparency and I think more people would do 840 00:44:35,680 --> 00:44:39,080 Speaker 3: better in this business world if you're just more transparent, 841 00:44:39,120 --> 00:44:41,680 Speaker 3: Like you know, I do deal in a TV space now, 842 00:44:41,680 --> 00:44:44,000 Speaker 3: and I'm like, I'm always trying to get feedback and 843 00:44:44,040 --> 00:44:46,560 Speaker 3: I don't want to hear like that you're doing you 844 00:44:46,640 --> 00:44:48,239 Speaker 3: did a great I don't want to hear that. 845 00:44:49,760 --> 00:44:50,920 Speaker 1: I don't want to hear about that. 846 00:44:50,960 --> 00:44:55,040 Speaker 2: I feel like it's because we're competitors though, and that's 847 00:44:55,040 --> 00:44:56,840 Speaker 2: what you're used to in the TV world. On that 848 00:44:56,920 --> 00:45:00,400 Speaker 2: broadcasting world, they don't really know, yes, skin to do 849 00:45:00,440 --> 00:45:00,680 Speaker 2: it though. 850 00:45:01,000 --> 00:45:02,759 Speaker 1: Don't tell me that I did a great job and 851 00:45:02,760 --> 00:45:04,680 Speaker 1: then you go hire somebody else, for sure, That's what 852 00:45:04,680 --> 00:45:08,080 Speaker 1: I'm saying. They don't coach me, tell me, hey, yes, 853 00:45:08,239 --> 00:45:11,200 Speaker 1: you could have been better at this. Your delivery wasn't there, 854 00:45:11,480 --> 00:45:15,920 Speaker 1: your your tone was super low, and your energy just 855 00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:19,080 Speaker 1: wasn't there. You can fix those things, you know. You're 856 00:45:19,120 --> 00:45:22,480 Speaker 1: not sensitive though. People are defensive. People don't but I 857 00:45:22,520 --> 00:45:26,560 Speaker 1: think people are sensitive and I think you have to 858 00:45:26,640 --> 00:45:29,799 Speaker 1: understand though. When you're dealing with professional athletes. These are 859 00:45:30,120 --> 00:45:32,839 Speaker 1: guys that have been coached their entire lives we want 860 00:45:33,000 --> 00:45:35,319 Speaker 1: And if you're asking you for this, it's not like 861 00:45:36,280 --> 00:45:38,120 Speaker 1: I'm telling you to tell me I sucked so I 862 00:45:38,120 --> 00:45:40,640 Speaker 1: can get better at the things that I sucked. That like, 863 00:45:40,800 --> 00:45:43,279 Speaker 1: I'm not doing a great job at whatever it is. 864 00:45:43,760 --> 00:45:44,640 Speaker 1: I want to fix it. 865 00:45:44,920 --> 00:45:48,040 Speaker 3: Sure, So I said all that to ask you this 866 00:45:48,440 --> 00:45:50,920 Speaker 3: because I knew I get a little emotion, I'll get 867 00:45:51,200 --> 00:45:54,279 Speaker 3: excited to do that, and I know the answer to 868 00:45:54,320 --> 00:45:56,640 Speaker 3: this as well, but the people don't. 869 00:45:56,920 --> 00:45:59,399 Speaker 1: So it's just ten fifty eight. 870 00:46:00,560 --> 00:46:04,399 Speaker 3: Is this your first experience in this avenue of restaurant tour? 871 00:46:05,600 --> 00:46:09,360 Speaker 3: And also have you had anybody like help you or 872 00:46:09,440 --> 00:46:11,440 Speaker 3: navigate you through this space? 873 00:46:11,920 --> 00:46:16,719 Speaker 1: So this is not my my first experience. But I 874 00:46:16,840 --> 00:46:22,280 Speaker 1: was a minority owner in another business. We had another spot. 875 00:46:22,920 --> 00:46:24,279 Speaker 1: I don't want, you don't have, you don't have to, 876 00:46:24,400 --> 00:46:26,440 Speaker 1: don't go. I'm not gonna mention that name. I'm not 877 00:46:26,480 --> 00:46:29,799 Speaker 1: gonna mention how or what happened. I told you it was, 878 00:46:29,840 --> 00:46:32,319 Speaker 1: it was, it was. It was a learning experience for me. 879 00:46:32,520 --> 00:46:36,440 Speaker 1: You know, I learned very early in retirement that you 880 00:46:36,480 --> 00:46:39,520 Speaker 1: can't do business with everybody, and you cannot trust everybody, 881 00:46:39,560 --> 00:46:41,960 Speaker 1: no matter how long you've had a relationship with them, 882 00:46:42,480 --> 00:46:46,200 Speaker 1: because a snake will look you right in your eye 883 00:46:46,680 --> 00:46:48,279 Speaker 1: and when you walk away, you will bite you on 884 00:46:48,320 --> 00:46:53,680 Speaker 1: your ankles. So that's something that I've had to learn, 885 00:46:53,719 --> 00:46:55,799 Speaker 1: and I've had to learn it the hard way. But 886 00:46:56,360 --> 00:46:59,479 Speaker 1: I'm thankful that I did learn that when I did, 887 00:46:59,640 --> 00:47:03,200 Speaker 1: so that I can make my own educated decision moving forward. 888 00:47:03,200 --> 00:47:06,600 Speaker 1: Whether it was a decision to know and understand that 889 00:47:06,640 --> 00:47:08,400 Speaker 1: I had to take on the role and I had 890 00:47:08,440 --> 00:47:11,520 Speaker 1: to be more present in my current business. It allowed 891 00:47:11,560 --> 00:47:17,080 Speaker 1: me to separate people from my life that didn't mean well, 892 00:47:17,239 --> 00:47:20,279 Speaker 1: They didn't mean me well. It was all about their 893 00:47:20,360 --> 00:47:23,880 Speaker 1: selfishness and how they could benefit from me being a 894 00:47:23,920 --> 00:47:27,319 Speaker 1: part of their life. So I don't want people like 895 00:47:27,360 --> 00:47:31,160 Speaker 1: that around me. If I can offer something mutually that's 896 00:47:31,200 --> 00:47:33,239 Speaker 1: going to help you, then I'm here to do that. 897 00:47:33,480 --> 00:47:35,560 Speaker 1: But then in turn, if you could do that for 898 00:47:35,640 --> 00:47:37,759 Speaker 1: me as well, then I expect you to do that 899 00:47:37,880 --> 00:47:41,120 Speaker 1: same thing for me. But you know, everybody don't think 900 00:47:41,200 --> 00:47:43,120 Speaker 1: like that. You know, we come from a different world, 901 00:47:43,120 --> 00:47:46,640 Speaker 1: We come from a different environment where we're always looking 902 00:47:46,840 --> 00:47:50,640 Speaker 1: to help the person next to us. We'll also receiving 903 00:47:50,800 --> 00:47:57,160 Speaker 1: some help. But there have been a business partner that 904 00:47:57,200 --> 00:48:01,080 Speaker 1: I just partner with right now that understand and this 905 00:48:01,160 --> 00:48:07,120 Speaker 1: world understands the game. And he's stepping in tremendously, man, 906 00:48:07,280 --> 00:48:10,040 Speaker 1: And I think ten fifty eight is going to take 907 00:48:10,080 --> 00:48:12,080 Speaker 1: off and we're going to go to new heights now. 908 00:48:12,440 --> 00:48:15,040 Speaker 1: Because you know, I had the opportunity to go through 909 00:48:15,040 --> 00:48:18,480 Speaker 1: those growing pains. I had the opportunity to get it 910 00:48:18,520 --> 00:48:23,400 Speaker 1: wrong the first time, but not rush into a decision 911 00:48:23,440 --> 00:48:25,640 Speaker 1: while I'm trying to go now to the next person. 912 00:48:26,200 --> 00:48:28,880 Speaker 1: I wasn't forced into a position. I had the opportunity 913 00:48:29,000 --> 00:48:30,640 Speaker 1: to just sit back and you know, just running on 914 00:48:30,680 --> 00:48:35,840 Speaker 1: my own and learn the different intricates of the dudes 915 00:48:35,880 --> 00:48:38,960 Speaker 1: and don'ts of running the sports bar. And then now 916 00:48:39,360 --> 00:48:42,400 Speaker 1: you know understanding that you got to cut the overhead 917 00:48:42,440 --> 00:48:45,080 Speaker 1: in order to see the real profit in the space. 918 00:48:45,200 --> 00:48:49,120 Speaker 1: And you know, I was very fortunate to fall into 919 00:48:49,120 --> 00:48:51,600 Speaker 1: the position that I did with my sports bar with 920 00:48:51,760 --> 00:48:55,319 Speaker 1: the least that I signed, because you ain't gonna get 921 00:48:55,520 --> 00:48:59,120 Speaker 1: the least that I signed nowhere else in Charlotte for 922 00:48:59,280 --> 00:49:05,600 Speaker 1: that space, that location. And it's been real, real, it's 923 00:49:05,640 --> 00:49:09,680 Speaker 1: been real informative for me to learn this side of 924 00:49:09,719 --> 00:49:10,560 Speaker 1: the business world. 925 00:49:10,600 --> 00:49:13,840 Speaker 3: I want to know this part too, How you enjoying 926 00:49:13,840 --> 00:49:17,880 Speaker 3: the sports media space because I talk to you randomly 927 00:49:18,719 --> 00:49:21,680 Speaker 3: every couple of months we run into each other. We 928 00:49:21,760 --> 00:49:24,319 Speaker 3: talk for fifteen minutes every single time because's number up. 929 00:49:24,600 --> 00:49:27,080 Speaker 1: How are you enjoying it? It's been challenging. Yeah, Like 930 00:49:27,120 --> 00:49:29,880 Speaker 1: it's been a lot more challenging than I anticipated it been. 931 00:49:30,360 --> 00:49:33,440 Speaker 3: And is that because you were so good at sports? 932 00:49:34,080 --> 00:49:36,480 Speaker 3: And then this is like sports, but it's different. 933 00:49:36,719 --> 00:49:39,480 Speaker 1: It's not even that it's the politics of it. It's 934 00:49:39,480 --> 00:49:42,759 Speaker 1: the politics of us, you know, And we learned that 935 00:49:42,800 --> 00:49:44,759 Speaker 1: in football you're going to have politics. You're going to 936 00:49:44,840 --> 00:49:47,640 Speaker 1: have coaches that are going to like certain players more 937 00:49:47,680 --> 00:49:50,160 Speaker 1: than they like others. And you're going to have certain 938 00:49:51,480 --> 00:49:56,399 Speaker 1: networks and businesses that like guys for what they can 939 00:49:56,480 --> 00:50:02,239 Speaker 1: bring to the network from a social media standpoint or 940 00:50:02,280 --> 00:50:06,120 Speaker 1: a fan driven standpoint. And it's not about the delivery 941 00:50:06,200 --> 00:50:09,600 Speaker 1: or the content. And that's the thing that I struggle 942 00:50:09,640 --> 00:50:15,560 Speaker 1: with because coming from the NFL world where it mattered 943 00:50:16,360 --> 00:50:19,799 Speaker 1: how you performed. Yes, we came from a space where 944 00:50:19,840 --> 00:50:22,279 Speaker 1: it mattered every single day you had to be on 945 00:50:22,360 --> 00:50:24,080 Speaker 1: your a game, you had to show up, and you 946 00:50:24,080 --> 00:50:28,520 Speaker 1: had to perform or you were going to be replaced. Yes, 947 00:50:28,880 --> 00:50:31,800 Speaker 1: And now it's I mean, it's just an acceptance of 948 00:50:33,280 --> 00:50:38,680 Speaker 1: mediocrity that to me, it is just and it's simply 949 00:50:38,719 --> 00:50:44,520 Speaker 1: based on interactions and hits and what you can gain 950 00:50:44,960 --> 00:50:47,520 Speaker 1: the media, Like it's the name recognition. It's not about 951 00:50:47,520 --> 00:50:50,560 Speaker 1: the delivery of the content or the knowledge of the 952 00:50:50,600 --> 00:50:53,439 Speaker 1: information of what you're talking about. And that's the thing 953 00:50:53,480 --> 00:50:56,160 Speaker 1: that I struggle with because I just feel like there's 954 00:50:56,200 --> 00:51:02,000 Speaker 1: so much that I could bring from a standpoint of 955 00:51:02,160 --> 00:51:05,680 Speaker 1: having the knowledge firsthand of being out there that you know, 956 00:51:05,719 --> 00:51:10,239 Speaker 1: we're just not able to offer because the opportunities just 957 00:51:10,280 --> 00:51:14,720 Speaker 1: aren't there. Yes, yeah, and I know that streaming has 958 00:51:14,760 --> 00:51:19,759 Speaker 1: completely taken over this space now and the finances are 959 00:51:19,760 --> 00:51:24,120 Speaker 1: not there for certain businesses like they were. But I mean, 960 00:51:24,360 --> 00:51:27,000 Speaker 1: you know, it is what it is, and we'll be 961 00:51:27,120 --> 00:51:27,640 Speaker 1: right back. 962 00:51:29,360 --> 00:51:33,120 Speaker 2: So you've had success and you clearly haven't gotten where 963 00:51:33,160 --> 00:51:35,239 Speaker 2: you are without some people that have helped you in 964 00:51:35,239 --> 00:51:39,760 Speaker 2: your life. Mount Rushmore. If you could put four people 965 00:51:39,920 --> 00:51:42,960 Speaker 2: on this mountain, who would they be and. 966 00:51:43,000 --> 00:51:49,480 Speaker 1: Why, well, yeah, that's tough, you know, definitely, first and 967 00:51:49,520 --> 00:51:56,120 Speaker 1: foremost Jerry Richson. It ain't no question that mister Richardson 968 00:51:56,280 --> 00:52:06,440 Speaker 1: is up there. Why just obviously for drafting me. You know, 969 00:52:07,320 --> 00:52:09,359 Speaker 1: you know you have gms that go and make draft 970 00:52:09,480 --> 00:52:11,960 Speaker 1: Mister Richardson was a part of the draft process for me, 971 00:52:12,320 --> 00:52:17,839 Speaker 1: like and I know that story in on beyond that 972 00:52:19,440 --> 00:52:22,600 Speaker 1: when he was told that it was time to turn 973 00:52:22,600 --> 00:52:28,160 Speaker 1: the page on a player, making a tough decision as 974 00:52:28,160 --> 00:52:30,839 Speaker 1: the owner and saying that I'm not going to listen 975 00:52:30,840 --> 00:52:33,440 Speaker 1: to these people that are hired in this role. If 976 00:52:33,480 --> 00:52:35,239 Speaker 1: you're willing to put yourself through it, I'm gonna give 977 00:52:35,239 --> 00:52:38,520 Speaker 1: you the opportunity because we had that kind of relationship 978 00:52:38,719 --> 00:52:41,719 Speaker 1: and my career was able to be extended because of 979 00:52:41,840 --> 00:52:45,920 Speaker 1: him having that faith and belief in me. So, without 980 00:52:45,920 --> 00:52:48,600 Speaker 1: a doubt, I know that there's no other team that 981 00:52:48,600 --> 00:52:50,920 Speaker 1: I would have got that opportunity from to continue my 982 00:52:51,000 --> 00:52:55,560 Speaker 1: career after tearing my ACL three years in a row. Next, 983 00:52:56,000 --> 00:53:02,480 Speaker 1: I would probably go with myhigh school football coach. They 984 00:53:02,560 --> 00:53:05,399 Speaker 1: poured so much into my lives, into my life as 985 00:53:05,400 --> 00:53:07,720 Speaker 1: a kid, you know, not growing up with a father figure, 986 00:53:08,120 --> 00:53:10,320 Speaker 1: my high school coach, waking up on a Saturday morning, 987 00:53:10,360 --> 00:53:14,040 Speaker 1: taking me to an Alabama football camp my first real 988 00:53:14,320 --> 00:53:18,000 Speaker 1: experience and seeing that camp world, and taking me to 989 00:53:18,000 --> 00:53:20,920 Speaker 1: the Georgia football camp and my high school coach is 990 00:53:20,960 --> 00:53:24,239 Speaker 1: taking me to my first ever college football game. I 991 00:53:24,280 --> 00:53:28,040 Speaker 1: got to witness Florida State versus Florida when Chris Winki 992 00:53:28,160 --> 00:53:30,600 Speaker 1: was in school, so that, you know, just having that 993 00:53:30,719 --> 00:53:34,080 Speaker 1: kind of experience and having a person a coach poured 994 00:53:34,080 --> 00:53:37,080 Speaker 1: into my life as a young kid that made a 995 00:53:37,239 --> 00:53:42,520 Speaker 1: world of impact. You know, I kind of couple these 996 00:53:42,560 --> 00:53:47,920 Speaker 1: next people together and Mark Rick and coach Van Gordon. 997 00:53:49,440 --> 00:53:51,680 Speaker 1: They gave us a kid from a small town the 998 00:53:51,760 --> 00:53:55,279 Speaker 1: opportunity to leave Shelman, Georgia. You know, when nobody else 999 00:53:55,480 --> 00:54:00,120 Speaker 1: really would to play Division one football. Made a chune 1000 00:54:00,160 --> 00:54:06,400 Speaker 1: of of difference in my life and my overall outcome 1001 00:54:06,680 --> 00:54:09,200 Speaker 1: of my situation and who I became as a as 1002 00:54:09,239 --> 00:54:14,879 Speaker 1: a person, as a player, And obviously I would put 1003 00:54:14,920 --> 00:54:17,080 Speaker 1: God in there, but I know that's not one of 1004 00:54:17,080 --> 00:54:19,479 Speaker 1: my answers that I can give you guys. But next 1005 00:54:19,520 --> 00:54:24,040 Speaker 1: I would definitely say Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan, Michael Jordan 1006 00:54:24,120 --> 00:54:27,160 Speaker 1: without a doubt. You know, just the relationship that I've 1007 00:54:27,200 --> 00:54:31,440 Speaker 1: been able to develop with him over the last ten years, 1008 00:54:31,480 --> 00:54:35,880 Speaker 1: Man has been It has been phenomenal, you know, just 1009 00:54:37,200 --> 00:54:40,600 Speaker 1: just being able to go to him with certain things, 1010 00:54:40,640 --> 00:54:42,080 Speaker 1: and you know, he kind of really started with the 1011 00:54:42,160 --> 00:54:44,359 Speaker 1: dude iss just walking in the room. You guys can't 1012 00:54:44,360 --> 00:54:48,560 Speaker 1: see him, dre BLI, you know, just trying to met 1013 00:54:48,640 --> 00:54:50,960 Speaker 1: dre Blid a long time ago. And Dre, you know, 1014 00:54:51,000 --> 00:54:53,239 Speaker 1: he was with Jordan Brand at the time, and you know, 1015 00:54:53,680 --> 00:54:56,719 Speaker 1: as a player, like that's the ultimate goal from a 1016 00:54:56,840 --> 00:54:59,239 Speaker 1: Parel standpoint, if you can get with Jordan Brand, that's 1017 00:54:59,280 --> 00:55:02,880 Speaker 1: the pinnacle, right And you know, I always see Dre 1018 00:55:03,040 --> 00:55:04,799 Speaker 1: and he was with Jordan, and you know he went 1019 00:55:04,840 --> 00:55:07,920 Speaker 1: to UNC. He had that connection and he was he 1020 00:55:07,960 --> 00:55:11,239 Speaker 1: did everything on the field to earn the right to 1021 00:55:11,239 --> 00:55:13,920 Speaker 1: be with Jordan Brand, pro bowler, all pro like. He 1022 00:55:13,960 --> 00:55:18,440 Speaker 1: did his thing, but there was a relationship component there, 1023 00:55:19,239 --> 00:55:22,440 Speaker 1: and you know, having the connections with Fred Whitfield and 1024 00:55:23,160 --> 00:55:25,759 Speaker 1: then getting to meet Dre and some of the other 1025 00:55:25,800 --> 00:55:28,200 Speaker 1: guys that were with him, and then finally getting to 1026 00:55:28,239 --> 00:55:32,520 Speaker 1: meet MJ and having conversations with him. And I'll never 1027 00:55:32,680 --> 00:55:36,399 Speaker 1: forget how my contract came along with Jordan Brand. When 1028 00:55:36,400 --> 00:55:40,319 Speaker 1: I first initially had those conversations, it was after that 1029 00:55:40,360 --> 00:55:43,680 Speaker 1: twenty fifteen season and we were at the Hornets game 1030 00:55:43,719 --> 00:55:46,000 Speaker 1: and Coach Rivera was like we were in there and 1031 00:55:46,040 --> 00:55:47,719 Speaker 1: I had a meet and set up already to meet 1032 00:55:47,719 --> 00:55:50,680 Speaker 1: with MJ. So we were standing there and it was 1033 00:55:50,760 --> 00:55:53,839 Speaker 1: kind of like the Friday Ice Cube moment when when 1034 00:55:54,160 --> 00:55:56,720 Speaker 1: Smokey was trying to hook him up with the girl 1035 00:55:56,800 --> 00:56:00,400 Speaker 1: and one of the like freddie Ja Yeah yeah, So 1036 00:56:00,400 --> 00:56:02,840 Speaker 1: so it was kind of know as sister. So it 1037 00:56:02,960 --> 00:56:06,600 Speaker 1: was like I was going and I'm nervous about talking 1038 00:56:06,600 --> 00:56:10,160 Speaker 1: to him about it, because like, you don't want that time, 1039 00:56:10,239 --> 00:56:12,640 Speaker 1: that one opportunity that you get to talk to him 1040 00:56:12,680 --> 00:56:14,920 Speaker 1: about being a part of the brand, for you to 1041 00:56:15,000 --> 00:56:18,040 Speaker 1: get that. No, So I'm in there and I'm we're 1042 00:56:18,080 --> 00:56:19,799 Speaker 1: about to get ready to have the conversation. We're in 1043 00:56:19,840 --> 00:56:22,240 Speaker 1: the flight club in the back of the Hornet Stadium, 1044 00:56:22,280 --> 00:56:25,239 Speaker 1: and then Coach Vera come up. He was like, Hey, 1045 00:56:25,400 --> 00:56:27,200 Speaker 1: he's trying to be with Jordan Brand. What does he 1046 00:56:27,280 --> 00:56:31,920 Speaker 1: have to do? What do you need to do? And like, man, 1047 00:56:31,920 --> 00:56:33,480 Speaker 1: you ain't gonna give me a chance to talk, Like 1048 00:56:33,960 --> 00:56:36,359 Speaker 1: you might have just blew my opportunity. Bro. Like so 1049 00:56:36,560 --> 00:56:39,120 Speaker 1: but was like, now who are you with now? I'm like, 1050 00:56:39,160 --> 00:56:41,319 Speaker 1: my contract just ended with Nike. I got all this 1051 00:56:41,360 --> 00:56:43,560 Speaker 1: stuff like yeah, it's just ended with Nike. I ain't 1052 00:56:43,640 --> 00:56:45,640 Speaker 1: I ain't want to resign with nobody else before. He 1053 00:56:45,760 --> 00:56:47,720 Speaker 1: was like, oh, He's like, they'll give me, They'll probably 1054 00:56:47,719 --> 00:56:50,640 Speaker 1: give me some pushback, but he's like, I have your 1055 00:56:50,640 --> 00:56:54,520 Speaker 1: contract Monday, and like that that was it. Man, That's 1056 00:56:54,719 --> 00:56:57,239 Speaker 1: that's that's him, and that's kind of who he is 1057 00:56:57,280 --> 00:56:59,920 Speaker 1: as a person. And if he if he connects with you, 1058 00:57:00,239 --> 00:57:05,200 Speaker 1: and he and he identifies you as a as a 1059 00:57:05,200 --> 00:57:08,120 Speaker 1: as a competitor, as a good person, and that's somebody 1060 00:57:08,160 --> 00:57:10,680 Speaker 1: that could represent the brand in the first class manner. 1061 00:57:10,760 --> 00:57:14,480 Speaker 1: He's all for it. Man. And literally, I don't even 1062 00:57:14,480 --> 00:57:16,479 Speaker 1: know how he got my number because I'm like, damn, 1063 00:57:16,520 --> 00:57:19,160 Speaker 1: I didn't give him my phone number. But literally he 1064 00:57:19,240 --> 00:57:22,000 Speaker 1: texts me on that Monday, man, and they were calling 1065 00:57:22,040 --> 00:57:25,480 Speaker 1: me with a contract ready to be signed on that Monday. 1066 00:57:25,520 --> 00:57:29,480 Speaker 1: And this happened on a Friday night. And literally and 1067 00:57:29,520 --> 00:57:32,240 Speaker 1: then just to start that that relationship with him, man, 1068 00:57:32,320 --> 00:57:42,240 Speaker 1: and I literally man still get boxes of personal spring 1069 00:57:42,360 --> 00:57:45,440 Speaker 1: cleaning items from Michael Jordan to this day, like a 1070 00:57:45,520 --> 00:57:48,800 Speaker 1: lifetime literally not even that, not even that, not even 1071 00:57:49,040 --> 00:57:51,240 Speaker 1: making the phone call for Jordan brand and be like, Hey, 1072 00:57:51,240 --> 00:57:53,280 Speaker 1: could y'all hook me up with this? So this is 1073 00:57:53,280 --> 00:57:56,920 Speaker 1: coming out, I'm talking about him going in and doing 1074 00:57:56,960 --> 00:58:00,760 Speaker 1: his spring cleaning. Like his personal we wear the same 1075 00:58:00,800 --> 00:58:03,480 Speaker 1: shoe size. So his like hit me up the other 1076 00:58:03,520 --> 00:58:05,600 Speaker 1: day He's like, Yo, dog, I'm going through my stuff. 1077 00:58:05,600 --> 00:58:07,960 Speaker 1: I'm about to do about to do a big clean out, 1078 00:58:08,080 --> 00:58:10,640 Speaker 1: Like like, shit, you ain't got to ask me, just 1079 00:58:10,680 --> 00:58:13,280 Speaker 1: send it. Just send it. I'm never going to be 1080 00:58:13,360 --> 00:58:15,720 Speaker 1: like nah, I don't want or need that. Like it's 1081 00:58:16,080 --> 00:58:19,240 Speaker 1: like growing up as a young kid, Michael Jordan was 1082 00:58:19,280 --> 00:58:24,040 Speaker 1: like the pinnacle of any any Mount Rushmore for anything, 1083 00:58:24,080 --> 00:58:25,920 Speaker 1: whether it was a person, whether it was a player 1084 00:58:26,280 --> 00:58:29,480 Speaker 1: like he's going on my Mount Rushmore for anything, and 1085 00:58:29,480 --> 00:58:33,360 Speaker 1: whether it's like who you identify as the most competitive 1086 00:58:33,400 --> 00:58:37,200 Speaker 1: person that you've ever seen or been around, Like he's 1087 00:58:37,200 --> 00:58:39,800 Speaker 1: going to always be up there. And that's kind of 1088 00:58:39,800 --> 00:58:41,840 Speaker 1: how I looked at him, Like he was that black 1089 00:58:41,960 --> 00:58:46,000 Speaker 1: Jesus like everybody talk about, and like just to have 1090 00:58:46,040 --> 00:58:49,480 Speaker 1: that opportunity to create a relationship in a bond with him, man, 1091 00:58:49,760 --> 00:58:51,920 Speaker 1: it was. That was one of the things that I 1092 00:58:51,960 --> 00:58:56,000 Speaker 1: can look back on and like go to my grave 1093 00:58:56,200 --> 00:59:01,080 Speaker 1: knowing that man I had that opportunity. Hey man, I 1094 00:59:01,120 --> 00:59:03,640 Speaker 1: didn't even know that. Thank you, t Man. I appreciate it. 1095 00:59:04,080 --> 00:59:09,200 Speaker 1: I appreciate you man, your whole self, Brot late. 1096 00:59:10,280 --> 00:59:11,960 Speaker 2: And man, appreciate you coming on the pond. 1097 00:59:12,120 --> 00:59:13,160 Speaker 1: Hey man, thank y'all. 1098 00:59:13,160 --> 00:59:14,880 Speaker 2: Man, it's been real. It's been fun. 1099 00:59:15,400 --> 00:59:16,880 Speaker 1: One't as bad as I thought it was gonna be. 1100 00:59:16,920 --> 00:59:20,000 Speaker 1: Good memories. How you do appreciate it? 1101 00:59:20,320 --> 00:59:22,800 Speaker 2: Tell me the story on how y'all got these say 1102 00:59:22,960 --> 00:59:24,760 Speaker 2: though you like m just so much, you gotta like 1103 00:59:24,800 --> 00:59:27,440 Speaker 2: the M State m J mustache thing going on like it's. 1104 00:59:27,600 --> 00:59:33,280 Speaker 1: Got always searching for something. I just he got the mustache. 1105 00:59:34,040 --> 00:59:35,720 Speaker 1: So let me let me have a story about shoes. 1106 00:59:35,800 --> 00:59:37,640 Speaker 1: Enough for your jokes, man, we'll do that. We'll do 1107 00:59:37,680 --> 00:59:38,240 Speaker 1: that off the camera. 1108 00:59:38,320 --> 00:59:40,880 Speaker 2: We got a wrap, we got other things that we 1109 00:59:41,000 --> 00:59:42,000 Speaker 2: got other things to do. 1110 00:59:44,560 --> 00:59:49,120 Speaker 1: Look, I'm peanut, that's wrong. Sure like subscribe? 1111 00:59:49,440 --> 00:59:53,200 Speaker 2: Follow check us out on the NFL's YouTube channel. iHeart 1112 00:59:53,280 --> 00:59:58,520 Speaker 2: Radio Apple Podcast. We appreciate y'all. Thomas Davis my guy. Hey, 1113 00:59:58,720 --> 00:59:59,320 Speaker 2: I'm peanut. 1114 00:59:59,480 --> 01:00:21,360 Speaker 1: That's wrong. We appreciate yall. Thanks dut