1 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to the NFL Player's podcasts. This is the Neiss Williams. 2 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 1: I am excited because I get an opportunity not only 3 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: to talk to a NFL player, but also a doctor. 4 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 1: We have a doctor in the house. Welcome, Laurent Duvenate 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: tard deef. I'm assuming that's some kind of French. Is 6 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: that correct? Yeah? But you got pretty good man. Yeah. 7 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: I'm from New Orleans so exactly, so we have some 8 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 1: of that French down there, so I'll better relate to 9 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: you just a little. But it is exciting to be here. 10 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 1: Your your story, your life is amazing and as a 11 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: legend Pro Football Hall of Famer, when I hear I 12 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: see current guys not only doing it on the field, 13 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: but also understanding that we have the capacity to develop 14 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: ourselves off the field. And your story I'm excited to tell. 15 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: So welcome right now. You're in Antreal. Uh tell you 16 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:05,319 Speaker 1: just you said earlier before we went live. You've been 17 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: speaking French for quite some time, uh lately talk about that. 18 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: I grew up in Quebec and Montreal. My parents, you know, 19 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: both speak French. So it's been quite a transition for me, 20 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,320 Speaker 1: you know, because when I when I started medical school, 21 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: it was all in English, and uh and I remember, 22 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: you know, recording all the classes on a small recorder 23 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: and listening to it, like looking at words and the 24 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:33,680 Speaker 1: dictionary and that kind of stuff, you know. So so 25 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:36,400 Speaker 1: that was that was a pretty brutal way of learning English, 26 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: trust me. And then when I got to a football 27 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:40,679 Speaker 1: locker room, you got all the slang and all the 28 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: different pronunciation and that kind of stuff. So that was 29 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 1: another brutal way of learning English for me. But yeah, 30 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 1: I mean I like to say that I speak a 31 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: language and a half, you know, the half being the 32 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 1: English part. Of course. You know, we're we're we're recording this. 33 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: Just days before the Super Bowl fifty in Los Angeles 34 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: two years ago, you were in the same position getting 35 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 1: ready being with the Chiefs to play the Forts. Tell 36 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 1: us about what it was like leading up into that 37 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: Super Bowl. Ah, man, it's uh, it's a lot of 38 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:18,399 Speaker 1: noise as a player, and uh, you know, yeah, I mean, 39 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: you don't have a lot of importunity. Junior football season, 40 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: like a football season is seventeen games with the playoffs 41 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: and then boom, you played the twentieth game and it's 42 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl, you know. So but but that it's 43 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 1: more than football itself. It's like it's a show, you know, 44 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 1: and you feel like the whole boings. It's a lot 45 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: of it's a lot of pressure, especially on the on 46 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 1: the Friday before the game. I remember I was kind 47 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 1: of like stressed a little bit. But then you know 48 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 1: when you go to bed on Saturday night and you 49 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: wake up Sunday, like it's all part of your routine, 50 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:51,839 Speaker 1: like you know what you do and you just show 51 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:54,639 Speaker 1: up to the stadium do your thing. But I remember, 52 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: especially the week before, like doing all those media request 53 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: an interview, like it's kind of like pull you away 54 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: from the most important thing, which is getting ready for 55 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: the game. You know. You know, I think I bear 56 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 1: the lead. Would you like to sing, Oh Canada, I'll 57 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: pass because I don't know it in English, so I'll 58 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: just pass, all right. So you won a Super Bowl 59 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 1: and you had that experience. Does it compare in any 60 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:24,839 Speaker 1: way to the medical world? I guess so. I mean, 61 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 1: you know, a football game, there's always like three or 62 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:31,080 Speaker 1: four or five plays that are game defining moments. You 63 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: know where where you know the states are high, it's 64 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: third and ten. You gotta convert, you gotta go win 65 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: the game. I mean that kind of like pressure when 66 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 1: you hear the noise and the crowd and that kind 67 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: of stuff. I get it, it can't I guess it 68 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 1: can translate a little bit to medicine, where like, especially 69 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 1: in emergency room, you never really know what's gonna step 70 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: through the door, you know, and you cannot be distracted 71 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 1: by by the blood or people yelling. In that kind 72 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 1: of stuff. You gotta be focused on like hairway breeding, circulation, 73 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 1: the same way you on the field, you've gotta be 74 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: focused on Alright, third and ten, we're at the twenty 75 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 1: five cover to safety. All right, They're gonna bring that 76 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: type of pressure, you know. So I guess there's some 77 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 1: similarity and in your ability as a player to make 78 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 1: rational decision and a stressful environment that translate into medicine. 79 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:20,280 Speaker 1: And as a football player, just as you just described, 80 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: everything is happening, it was really football. Professional sports was 81 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: really the first reality TV. So Laurent, when it comes 82 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: down to being able to not panic even though things 83 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 1: are happening on the field, how have you been able 84 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 1: to be patient? Maybe to some of the younger UH 85 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: doctors who have not had that kind of experience, they're 86 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 1: not panicking. Well, I'm kind of a young doctor myself, 87 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: you know. I graduated and yeah, I got my m 88 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 1: d in two thousand and eighteen, and I still haven't 89 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:54,480 Speaker 1: done like specialty training, so I'm still pretty low at 90 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 1: the bottom of the food chain when it comes to 91 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: the medical hierarchy. But I think, I think it's one 92 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: of my my strength, you know, as a future doctor, 93 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 1: and I want to do emergency room down the road 94 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 1: after I'm done with football, so that that ability to 95 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:11,359 Speaker 1: like process information, like a lot of information and to 96 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 1: be able to prioritize. I think football for sure is 97 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 1: going to help me be a better physician down the road. Plus, 98 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:21,359 Speaker 1: like football out you know, off the field and in 99 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 1: the locker room, it's it's such a like diverse environment 100 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:27,840 Speaker 1: where you expose to different culture, different way of thinking, 101 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:31,479 Speaker 1: different political opinion, and when you treat patient it's the 102 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: same way, you know. So being able to like find 103 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 1: some common ground and have discussion and bring people together. 104 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: I feel like football is a pretty good example of 105 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: that in society in general, and I think it's gonna 106 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: help me also be more more open, more curious as 107 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 1: a physician. Are there any spectacles anything like the super 108 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: Bowl in the United States. In Canada, any comparison, I 109 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 1: would have to go back to like the Olympics in 110 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:08,479 Speaker 1: Calgary or something like that. You know, I don't think 111 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 1: there's anything like like the super Bowl in the whole world, 112 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 1: to be honest. You know, it's it's it's the biggest 113 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 1: sport event in the world and everybody's watching. It's it's crazy. 114 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 1: And like I said earlier, I think it's it's more 115 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,840 Speaker 1: than football, like it's it's a it's a it's an event. 116 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 1: It's and uh that's what makes it so special and 117 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: and so good to win. So growing up in Canada, 118 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 1: was playing football in the United States a childhood dream? Nah, 119 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: I mean back home here like right now, there's like 120 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 1: two ice ring in front of my house, Like hockey 121 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 1: is king man. So you played a little bit, a 122 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 1: little bit, but when you're like three hundred pounds, it's 123 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,480 Speaker 1: hard to be a good defense, Like even on defense, 124 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 1: it's kind of hard. So I moved pretty quick to football. 125 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: But I mean my my dream quickly became medicine over 126 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 1: football when growing up, and not because I didn't like football, 127 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 1: but just because there was no like it was not 128 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 1: a clear path on how to get there. You know, 129 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 1: there was no I didn't know anybody who was playing 130 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 1: in the NFL. I was playing in college. I had 131 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 1: no clue even how to get to the Senior Bowl 132 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: of the Pro And you know, it was it was 133 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: so unclear how to get there that it was hard 134 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 1: to even dream about it. You know, last year around 135 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 1: this time you were not playing. What was that experience 136 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: like it was? It was tough, you know, especially when 137 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:34,840 Speaker 1: your team makes it to the Super Bowl and you 138 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 1: got there to to block with, you know, Patrick Mahomes 139 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 1: and the guys. And I never really regret regretted my 140 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: decision not to play in two. I think I had 141 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: work to do on the front line here in Montreal. 142 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: I had to serve my community. But you know, as 143 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 1: the Chiefs were getting better and better heading into the 144 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 1: playoff and winning the games and getting to Tampa Bay, 145 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 1: like you feel like you should be down there, you know, 146 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 1: But but it's part of life. You know, you gotta 147 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 1: make a stuff calls sometimes you gotta you gotta make 148 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 1: sacrifice in order to stay in line with your vision. 149 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: And I know I'm going to be a doctor for 150 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 1: the next thirty years, So I think it was important 151 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 1: for me to to stick to my conviction in two 152 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: and twenty. So when you saw the Super Bowl and 153 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 1: you saw one of the challenges was the office of 154 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: line and that's Super Bowl against Tampa, how did you 155 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:26,720 Speaker 1: process that? You you mentioned about it's a choice, but 156 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: how do you move on? And I'm sharing this for 157 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 1: anyone that's listening, because sometimes we make decisions, but sometimes 158 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 1: people don't know how to put it in perspective and 159 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:39,440 Speaker 1: then continue to move on. What would you say to that? Yeah, 160 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 1: I mean back in late July when I decided to 161 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:44,599 Speaker 1: opt out, that was the first NFL player to to 162 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: opt out of the two dozen and twenty season. And 163 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 1: for me, it was it was clear that it was 164 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 1: it was nothing against the fact that we were playing 165 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: football or that the NFL was still going on with 166 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: with the season. Because I was part of the on 167 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:01,680 Speaker 1: the NFL Player as a Seation COVID thatsk force that 168 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:04,280 Speaker 1: that put in place those protocols, so I knew that 169 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 1: everybody was doing everything they could too to keep the 170 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: players safe. But I think for me it was more 171 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 1: that that that argument of like, all right, like after 172 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 1: everything I saw working on the front line, do I 173 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 1: really want to like travel every second week to a 174 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: different city and potentially becoming, you know, a vector of 175 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:24,960 Speaker 1: transmission for that virus. And there was still so much 176 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 1: that we didn't know back then. So I kind of 177 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 1: told myself, you know what, I'm going to take the 178 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 1: year off. I'm gonna keep working on the front line 179 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 1: and and I'm gonna go back to playing football. That 180 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 1: was kind of my vision, you know. And I knew 181 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 1: the chance of that nut happening because it's such a 182 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: competitive environment. So when I saw the Super Bowl, you know, 183 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 1: four or five months later, I think my mindset was like, 184 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: all right, I miss it, Like, so let's do everything 185 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:52,440 Speaker 1: in my power to get back on track, show up 186 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:55,679 Speaker 1: the training camp and win a spot. And things didn't 187 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: go as planned, you know. I broke my hand in 188 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 1: training camp. I ended up getting traded to the Ats, 189 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 1: but I ended up playing, you know, and that was 190 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: the whole point, and I kind of promised myself, I 191 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: opt out, but I'm gonna come back and I'm gonna play. 192 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:11,680 Speaker 1: And to be able to step on the field after 193 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 1: eighteen months away from football, it's such a privilege and 194 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 1: it's such a great opportunity. So I'm I'm really I'm 195 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:21,319 Speaker 1: really blessed um in that regard for sure. So, yeah, 196 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:23,680 Speaker 1: your teammates in the locker room, you know what the 197 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:26,880 Speaker 1: football world is like, what's it like your teammates in 198 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:32,720 Speaker 1: a medical profession, you mean other students, other doctors, students, 199 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 1: other doctors. You can't chest pump, you can't. I mean 200 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 1: that that was honestly one of the hardest things for me. 201 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 1: You know, every offseason of course, like the scheduling and 202 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 1: and and you know, moving from Kansas City to Montrealogy 203 00:10:50,559 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 1: go back and study in the hospital setting, and that 204 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 1: that was hard. But but the hardest thing was the 205 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:59,719 Speaker 1: change in mentality. You know, you go from the adrenaline 206 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 1: of playing in the playoff and then losing, and then 207 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:06,120 Speaker 1: you know, having a whole team of healthcare professional, doctor, 208 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 1: trainer and nutritionist coaches that are there to optimize your 209 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 1: performance as a player. And then within a week you're 210 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: like at the bottom of that food chains in the 211 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:17,440 Speaker 1: medical world and you're like the medical student and you're 212 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 1: part of that team that that is now there to 213 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:23,480 Speaker 1: optimize the care of the patients. So that was that 214 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:26,200 Speaker 1: was tough. That that was always the hardest thing, you know, 215 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: And but at the same time, I think it's kind 216 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 1: of what kept me grounded, you know, because it's a 217 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: different reality. That's what I was thinking. It sounds like 218 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:39,679 Speaker 1: it's something that really humbles or at least causes humility 219 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:44,559 Speaker 1: that experience. Yeah, and you you treat people like when 220 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 1: I was doing psychiatry, you treat people with anxiety disorder, 221 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:52,199 Speaker 1: and and it's just like, give you another perspective on 222 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 1: the performance anxiety that we we we have as as player, 223 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: you know, because whether you want it or not, you know, 224 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:00,680 Speaker 1: we do have a lot of pressure and we've got 225 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 1: to find a way to cope with that. And some 226 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 1: people are better than the other at it. And I 227 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:08,800 Speaker 1: think it's a big reason why we're professional athlete. That's 228 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 1: because of our ability to cope with the pressure and 229 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 1: to make the right decision in the right environment. It 230 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:17,200 Speaker 1: just makes realize a lot of things, you know, And 231 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:19,959 Speaker 1: I appreciate football even more because at the end of 232 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 1: the day, you know, we played the best sports in 233 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: the world. But but our job as an offensive line 234 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 1: is to protect so that somebody can move a letter 235 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:31,760 Speaker 1: ball ten yards down the field. And then we start 236 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:34,839 Speaker 1: like it's uh, you know, and when you think about 237 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:37,200 Speaker 1: it that way. At least for me, it helped me 238 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:39,719 Speaker 1: calm me down and just realize that we're playing a 239 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: game anyway. That makes you realize a lot of stuff. 240 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:46,679 Speaker 1: What's it been like you on the nfl p A 241 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:50,200 Speaker 1: Safety Committee and you're part of the group that's helped 242 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 1: make the game safer. Tell us about that work that 243 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 1: you're doing. You know what, my first couple of years 244 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 1: in the NFL, that was when the big drama about 245 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:01,319 Speaker 1: concussion and the move re concussion came out and all 246 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 1: that stuff, and I always had to like find a 247 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: way to kind of justify why I was playing football 248 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 1: with my medical knowledge. And at some point I realized 249 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: that it was pretty obvious that that unique position that 250 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 1: I was in was also kind of an advantage to 251 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: to advance the field of research, you know, So I 252 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 1: I use that opportunity to work with the big Harvard 253 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:25,839 Speaker 1: study that the nflp A we ask and and kind 254 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:29,079 Speaker 1: of like comment on it, work with the NFL p 255 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:31,920 Speaker 1: A Health and Safety Committee to uh, you know, better 256 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:37,719 Speaker 1: develop devices, protective gear, different protocols to try to make 257 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:40,199 Speaker 1: the game as safe as possible. Because I mean, we 258 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: I love the game and I want to make sure 259 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 1: that we still played a game fifty years down the road. 260 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: And and it's crazy, even in my eight year career, 261 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 1: it's a it's a small it's a short amount of time. 262 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 1: But the change in culture, the way guys approach injury concussion, 263 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 1: it's changing, you know. And in the world, like with concussion, 264 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:06,080 Speaker 1: it's you cannot you cannot like diagnose a concussion based 265 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 1: on like markers. It's mostly based on player reporting in 266 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 1: their symptoms. So like education is so important and I 267 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 1: feel like we're making such great progress and and for 268 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 1: me to be part of that organization, the nflp A 269 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 1: Health and Safety Committee, it really gives me the opportunity 270 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:27,320 Speaker 1: to to to talk about it and to try to 271 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:31,240 Speaker 1: implement change. So as a as a medical doctor playing 272 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:35,920 Speaker 1: the game of football, when a player gets injured, are 273 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:38,240 Speaker 1: you'll want you to give you see a guy gets injured, 274 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: do you all of a sudden, does your doctor instincts 275 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 1: of anything kick in for a second? Or note? I mean, 276 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 1: I won't lie like I do, ask a lot of questions. 277 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 1: But but but it's weird because I mean, as a teammate, 278 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 1: you don't have the right to know that your teammate injury. 279 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 1: So so like I try, I try to stay away 280 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 1: from that because I don't want to get into a 281 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 1: tricky situation, you know. Uh yeah, I try to. I 282 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 1: try to be the football player, not the doctor in 283 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 1: the locker room. You know, we have plenty of really 284 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 1: good ones working for us. So yeah, but what about 285 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 1: your teammates. Have any come in the locker room and say, hey, doc, 286 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 1: I trust you more? Hey does doctor said this? What 287 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 1: do you say about that? Do you? How do you 288 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: handle that? I try to, you know, I always recommend 289 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:33,720 Speaker 1: people getting a second opinion, that's for sure, you know, 290 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:38,800 Speaker 1: and whether you want it or not. Um as a doctor, 291 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:42,280 Speaker 1: you do have the hypocritic oath. I don't know if 292 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:44,600 Speaker 1: I say that right, But anyway, you swear to like 293 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: take care of people, but NFL, you're kind of in 294 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 1: a weird environment where like you're getting paid by a 295 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 1: club and you take care of a player, and I 296 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 1: feel like getting a second opinion is often like what 297 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: I try to tell the guys because it's gives you 298 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 1: more more information in order to take the right decision 299 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 1: for you. And and then I mean, I love to 300 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: like sometimes explain some situation and sometimes the guys are like, Hey, 301 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 1: for my rotator cuff and my superspinatus is torming, what 302 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 1: what what is the superspatis? And I'm like, it's the 303 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: muscle right there. But then it's just it's just good 304 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 1: to have those conversations in the locker room, that's for sure. Now, 305 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 1: did you have anybody that you saw in a professional 306 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: sports who had done what you actually did as relates 307 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 1: to becoming a metal good doctor? Wild Plant? You know what, 308 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 1: that's that's pretty crazy. I think I'm the I don't know, 309 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 1: I don't know about that for sure, but I think 310 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 1: I'm the first active player to hold an m D 311 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,320 Speaker 1: like a doctor in medicine. But yeah, but there's other 312 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 1: guys that actually got their MB actor they were done playing. 313 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:52,600 Speaker 1: And one of them was actually our team doctor in 314 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 1: Kansas City, g P. Darsh Yeah, and he was he 315 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 1: was actually from Montreal and actually went to McGill play 316 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:02,120 Speaker 1: eight years. And yeah, you played eight years in the NFL, 317 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:04,919 Speaker 1: And when I got drafted to Kansas City, he was 318 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 1: finishing up his residency, like his specialty training in sports medicine. 319 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:12,120 Speaker 1: So we connected and the great guy, a really great guy. 320 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:15,120 Speaker 1: But yeah, I didn't know that until I got there, 321 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 1: but there there was another guy from McGill who actually 322 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:20,399 Speaker 1: got his m D after playing the NFL, which is 323 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 1: pretty cool. So one of the things, the big one 324 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:26,879 Speaker 1: of the big emphasis is is wellness. What are some 325 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 1: of the ways that you've committed, uh to your own 326 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 1: wellness as a player mentally are physically? For me, it's 327 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:37,679 Speaker 1: it all comes down to like the preparation, you know, 328 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:41,040 Speaker 1: the routine that the mindset that you put yourself in 329 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: during the during the year, like on a week to 330 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:46,919 Speaker 1: week basis, and uh, I guess for me, it all 331 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 1: comes down to like nutrition, exercise, you know, making sure 332 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:53,639 Speaker 1: you're on the field ready, role in lifting and that 333 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:58,040 Speaker 1: kind of stuff. And rest. And I feel like after 334 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:00,639 Speaker 1: like over the years, I put more and more importance 335 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,120 Speaker 1: unrest because I felt like, you know, my reaction time 336 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:07,200 Speaker 1: was better on the field, my my my emotions were 337 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:09,359 Speaker 1: more stable when I had a good night of sleep, 338 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 1: you know, And I feel, yeah, I feel like sleep 339 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 1: was was the biggest thing, especially as you get later 340 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:18,400 Speaker 1: into the season. You know, it's darker when you when 341 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:20,280 Speaker 1: you wake up and you come back home, the sun 342 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:23,439 Speaker 1: is already down. And being able to have a good 343 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:27,119 Speaker 1: night of sleep, eating well, I draining yourself. I feel 344 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:28,919 Speaker 1: like those are all the little things that helped me 345 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:34,320 Speaker 1: perform better. Yeah, And from an emotional standpoint and a 346 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:39,480 Speaker 1: mental health standpoint, I've always seen like I've been working 347 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:42,399 Speaker 1: with a sports psychologist since my second year in the league, 348 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:46,920 Speaker 1: and it helped me. Yeah, it helped me tremendously. Um 349 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:52,400 Speaker 1: because because because we're we're under so much pressure as 350 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:54,879 Speaker 1: at least, we got to find a way sometimes to 351 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:57,879 Speaker 1: decompress and to find things to help his scope, you know. 352 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: And at the beginning, I was seeing medical school as 353 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 1: kind of a conflict of interest because I was I 354 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:09,240 Speaker 1: was taking hours away from the gym because of medical school, 355 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 1: you know. And at some point I started to see 356 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:14,840 Speaker 1: medical school as another anchor, you know, and another sphere 357 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: of my life that helped me give me a different 358 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: perspective on on football and help me manage the pressure better. Anyway. 359 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 1: But you got to think about that stuff, like sometimes 360 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 1: we try to as I think we think that we're 361 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:34,120 Speaker 1: strong and you know, press it away. Yeah, I'm gonna 362 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 1: deal with that later, but I think it makes you 363 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 1: a better player to to think about it and question yourself. 364 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:43,640 Speaker 1: You know. It's interesting when it comes down to total wellness. 365 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 1: And if someone or any just a regular person wanted 366 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:48,399 Speaker 1: to know, what are some of the things that you 367 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:51,880 Speaker 1: found out about the importance of total wellness. It sounds 368 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 1: like we've underestimated. I'm talking about society, the power and 369 00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 1: the importance of sleep because heard you just mentioned it. Yeah, 370 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 1: I know for sure. And at the beginning, you know, 371 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:07,280 Speaker 1: I was talking about my routine. I was seeing my 372 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 1: routine as like a twelve hour shift kind of deal, 373 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:12,640 Speaker 1: you know, But it's really a twenty four hour process, 374 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: you know. And sleep is a big part of it. 375 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:17,359 Speaker 1: Like we sleep more than we train as athlete, and uh, 376 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 1: and it's just the way it is. So you've got 377 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 1: to focus on that. Make sure you go to sleep 378 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 1: with you know, away from the screen, make sure you 379 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 1: have the right the right bed, make sure you have 380 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 1: the right mindset that you keep distraction away. At least 381 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:32,120 Speaker 1: for me, that that that helped me tremendously to get 382 00:20:32,119 --> 00:20:34,280 Speaker 1: the right amount of sleep and the good quality of 383 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 1: sleep as well. Now, one of the things you mentioned, 384 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 1: what was something in your career that drove you to 385 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:46,359 Speaker 1: a sports psychologist? In other words, why and would you 386 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 1: recommend that to other athletes? You know, as athlete, we 387 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 1: spend so much time in the weight room working on 388 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:57,240 Speaker 1: our our our physical ability. It doesn't make sense to 389 00:20:57,280 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 1: me that we don't spend at least an hour a 390 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:02,639 Speaker 1: week to work on our mental mental ability, you know. 391 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 1: And we do learn the playbook, we watch film, we 392 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 1: study our notes, that kind of stuff, but just working 393 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:13,639 Speaker 1: on like okay, you're you're in the super Bowl, you 394 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:16,119 Speaker 1: give up a sack, how are you gonna react? You know, 395 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:18,479 Speaker 1: the camera is going to be right on you. You know, 396 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 1: like the next place is going to be defining in 397 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:23,879 Speaker 1: the game because it's like you know, second and fourteen, 398 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 1: the same guy is gonna line up in front of you. 399 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 1: How you're gonna react emotionally, you know, and asking yourself 400 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:34,800 Speaker 1: those questions and anticipating what might come out of it, 401 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:37,199 Speaker 1: I think help you manage it better when when it 402 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:39,359 Speaker 1: actually happened. You know, you don't want it to happen, 403 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:42,119 Speaker 1: but you know, let's be honest, like the guy in 404 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:43,919 Speaker 1: front of you is also getting paid to you to 405 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 1: do his job, you know, So that I think for me, 406 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:50,119 Speaker 1: asking those deeper questions that go outside of the playbook 407 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:52,800 Speaker 1: and the preparation for on a week to week basis 408 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:57,720 Speaker 1: really helped me react better when adversity show up on 409 00:21:57,720 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: on the field, you know, and sometimes I mean, you know, 410 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 1: like go pretty quickly in a two minute situation, you 411 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:05,639 Speaker 1: don't watch your guy well, but Pat was able to 412 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 1: get rid of the ball quickly the next play, like 413 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 1: he knows that he beats you. You know that you 414 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:14,639 Speaker 1: gotta beat how you gotta react, you know, And I 415 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:17,600 Speaker 1: think you can really prepare and anticipate those types, those 416 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 1: type of moments, and it helps your consistency tremendously. And 417 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: as we close it out. One of unique things about 418 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:27,239 Speaker 1: the officive line or your teammates, because yes, you may 419 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:29,639 Speaker 1: have a guy that that gets you a beat you 420 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 1: in a particular plate, but you also how important it 421 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:37,359 Speaker 1: is to communicate and actually be a unit together officive line. 422 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:42,520 Speaker 1: That's unique. How important is that for players to have 423 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:49,640 Speaker 1: officive line so to speak, off the field, that helps them, uh, communicate, 424 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 1: look after them just as an officer a line does organically. 425 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:55,639 Speaker 1: I mean, I think you touch on it, you know, 426 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 1: like offensive line is probably the position where you you 427 00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:01,400 Speaker 1: work as a unit the most. You know, we don't 428 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:04,440 Speaker 1: have and we don't have individual stats, like our only 429 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 1: individual stats is the amount of QB hit and the 430 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:09,879 Speaker 1: amount of sacks that you've given a year. So so 431 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:12,840 Speaker 1: you gotta take pride in working as a unit, like 432 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:15,480 Speaker 1: the number of yard per carry, that type of stuff, 433 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:19,240 Speaker 1: you know. So communication is of course a critical you know, 434 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:21,719 Speaker 1: and you cannot have a big ego because you cannot 435 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 1: be better than the guy to your left and to 436 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:27,440 Speaker 1: your right. Like you work as a unit, so that 437 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:31,639 Speaker 1: that that approach to work, whether it's in medicine or football, 438 00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:35,400 Speaker 1: working as a unit, working as a team and communicating well, 439 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:38,480 Speaker 1: I think I think it's gonna serve you well down 440 00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:41,440 Speaker 1: the road as a true physician, for sure. It sounds 441 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 1: like the secret is for a lot of players, both legends, 442 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 1: former players and current guys, it's really to find a 443 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 1: way off the field to model what you're actually experiencing 444 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:56,120 Speaker 1: while playing the game. Is that accurate? Yeah, that that's 445 00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:01,679 Speaker 1: that's well said. You said it better than totally. Like, 446 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 1: I feel like the NFL gave us such a unique 447 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:10,199 Speaker 1: platform that it's kind of our job to use it 448 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:12,239 Speaker 1: to promote things that we believe in, you know, And 449 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:15,360 Speaker 1: some guys are doing it with the right to Vote movement, 450 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:18,720 Speaker 1: racial inequality movement and and for me, like my calling it, 451 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:20,880 Speaker 1: it's help. You know, I want to promote health, so 452 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:25,600 Speaker 1: to promote healthy lifestyle, physical activity at the youth level, 453 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 1: that kind of stuff. It's it's really going to be 454 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,919 Speaker 1: my mission down the road for sure. Final question, you 455 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:34,200 Speaker 1: were traded. You were traded from you. We talked about 456 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:37,399 Speaker 1: it earlier. What was it like being traded? And I 457 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 1: think during the season take us through that. Yeah, I 458 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 1: mean I thought it was gonna be pretty straightforward like 459 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:47,600 Speaker 1: for me, but it's way it's way harder than it sounds. 460 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:51,119 Speaker 1: I mean, for me, I had a no trade clause 461 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:53,119 Speaker 1: and kind of midway to the season, it was pretty 462 00:24:53,119 --> 00:24:55,840 Speaker 1: clear that with the Chiefs, I was going to be 463 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 1: a backup and I needed somebody to get injury in 464 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 1: order to jump on the field. And after I opted out, 465 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:04,240 Speaker 1: that kind of promised myself I was gonna do everything 466 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:07,600 Speaker 1: I could to play. So when the trade deadline kind 467 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:10,160 Speaker 1: of like got closer and it kind of made sense 468 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 1: to weigh in my my note trade clause and to 469 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:15,280 Speaker 1: try to look for option, and the Jets really gave 470 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:17,560 Speaker 1: me that best opportunity to get back on the field. 471 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:21,160 Speaker 1: That's that's what I wanted, So I said yes, but man, 472 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:24,440 Speaker 1: that process of like integrating a new knock group, learning 473 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:26,680 Speaker 1: to playbook, that kind of stuff, Like it's it's hard 474 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:28,760 Speaker 1: to wait in to the season and the pressure of like, okay, 475 00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:30,320 Speaker 1: you gotta go on the field and play and play 476 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:33,880 Speaker 1: at a high level. Um, But but I enjoy every 477 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 1: minute of it. Like the guys were amazing and it's 478 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:40,280 Speaker 1: crazy how you know. Yes, things are done differently from 479 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 1: team to team, but at the end of the day, 480 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:44,639 Speaker 1: we're all playing football. We're all going through the same reality. 481 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 1: And guys welcome me in. And then it went, It 482 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:49,159 Speaker 1: went well, Like I had a lot of fun in 483 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:51,719 Speaker 1: New York and I hope to stay there. This has 484 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 1: been an amazing podcast, little rent And how how can 485 00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:58,960 Speaker 1: I say in French? The best is yet to come? 486 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 1: Lama Vidania got it man, Thank you man, keep up 487 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:16,199 Speaker 1: the great work. The work that you're doing both on 488 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:20,200 Speaker 1: and off the field. It's amazing. Continued blessings to you. 489 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 1: Thank you. Thanks for joining us on the NFL Players Podcast. 490 00:26:29,119 --> 00:26:32,600 Speaker 1: Don't forget to subscribe and follow at NFL Players Podcast 491 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 1: on Instagram for the latest player stories and to connect 492 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:38,600 Speaker 1: with the NFL Players community.