1 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to the NFL Legends Podcast, an NFL podcast for 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: the players, by the players. Here is your host, four 3 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:16,240 Speaker 1: team year NFL veteran and Hall of Famer Anius Williams. 4 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:25,440 Speaker 1: In two thousand and eighteen, I hosted a round table 5 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: at the NFL Draft to discuss the journey of an 6 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:32,200 Speaker 1: NFL player. The podcast featured receiver turned broadcast and Nate 7 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: burl liston all time Bills legend Fred Jackson, and Hall 8 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary. Let's listen in. Today is 9 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: the first day the NFL Draft. Over the next few days, 10 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:46,480 Speaker 1: hundreds of young players will be selected. But for all 11 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:48,960 Speaker 1: of them, the journey to the NFL started long before 12 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 1: the draft years and they prepare most of their lives 13 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: for this moment. And so as that introduced our first guest, 14 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: my first uh panelists Nate Burleson University of Nevada and 15 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: Nate Obviously, I never forget about a year and a 16 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 1: half and I told Nate this story. My mother called 17 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 1: me and she says, have you ever watched on NFL 18 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: network Good Morning Football? I said, no, Mom, I haven't 19 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: heard it. She says, well, you need to get up 20 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: and you need to make sure you you tune into 21 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 1: Good Morning Football on NFL Network because you need to 22 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: learn the game of football from this guy named Nate Burleson. 23 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: All right, so it's so great to be on here 24 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: with you. Ben. Our next pound list. It's uh Fred 25 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:41,960 Speaker 1: Freddy Jackson, a real Fred Jackson. He's out this huge university. 26 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: I mean it's a huge they're probably millions of alumni. 27 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: CO College, that's right, c O E. It's so big. 28 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: It has three letters. He's the first man, get this one. 29 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: He's the first man to have a thousand yards rushing 30 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: and a thousand yards with any kickoffs in the same season. 31 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: I'm tired just even reading that. All right. And this 32 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:09,399 Speaker 1: other guy, he's quasi mentor to me, and we're talking 33 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 1: about mentorship a little later. This guy man and some 34 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: of you guys you have you've been around a game 35 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: of football for a long time, you will remember the eyes. 36 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: He's a Texan, just a little south down in Houston, 37 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 1: one of ten siblings and leader of the Monsters of 38 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 1: the Midway, just the Bears defense. That just caused me 39 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 1: to shivel. You're just standing up here. The great coach 40 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 1: Mike Singletary. Well, all right, that's where we get started. Guys. 41 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 1: It's beginnings, calling it the beginnings, and so I'll started off. 42 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: So I want to ask each of you what drew 43 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: you to the game of football originally and made you 44 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:59,920 Speaker 1: decided you wanted to play this great but tough gear. 45 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 1: Let start with you, all right, UM, I'll start with 46 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: my father. My father played football, UM and played at 47 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: college and then UM a short stint in USFL and 48 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 1: played nine years in the CFL. Now, throughout this conversation, 49 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: this dialogue, I'm gonna reference the game of football, and 50 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 1: I'll describe her as a woman because it was really 51 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 1: one of my first loves. And the reason that I 52 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 1: fell in love with this woman is because it was 53 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 1: the same type of woman my father was in love 54 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: with UM and I saw him playing this sport. And 55 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 1: then as I got older, he didn't play the game anymore. 56 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: But I remember myself rummaging through these boxes in the 57 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: attic and putting on old CFL uniforms and running through 58 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 1: the house. I'm just trying to be like my dad 59 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: so much so when people started talking about the NFL, 60 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: I didn't know the difference between the CFL and the 61 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 1: NFL because my dad was such a hero. Um, so 62 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: I initially falling in love with, uh this woman the 63 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: game of football was strictly because I wanted to be 64 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: like my dad. And he's still in my life and 65 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: he's been my biggest fan and my biggest mentor and critic, 66 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 1: and he was the reason why I went into Pop 67 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 1: Warner football. And I wasn't the man like I'm a 68 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 1: little bit different than most guys. I know, you were 69 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 1: a beast and always been a beast. I was just 70 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: lanky kid who didn't like hitting drills, and I tried 71 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:29,479 Speaker 1: to sit in the back of the line because I 72 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:31,160 Speaker 1: didn't want them to put me up against the tall 73 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 1: kids because they they always beat the crap out of me. 74 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 1: And um I remember going into my seventh grade year 75 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,040 Speaker 1: and I remember looking at my dad saying, I don't 76 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:43,840 Speaker 1: want to play football anymore. I'd rather play basketball and 77 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: run track. And immediately I saw the disappointment in his face. 78 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 1: And my dad had one or two options. He could 79 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 1: have said, you know what, get your butt out there, 80 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 1: men up and play football. I ain't raised no quitter. 81 00:04:57,080 --> 00:04:58,599 Speaker 1: Or you can look at me and say, if that's 82 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:02,840 Speaker 1: your choice, that's your choice, you know bite that pride 83 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: and let me sit out, which he did, and I 84 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:08,479 Speaker 1: ended up missing the game and I came back ninth 85 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: grade year and never put that ball down. Fred, you 86 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:13,720 Speaker 1: don't seem like type that was hanging out in the 87 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 1: back of the room. You don't look skinny at all, 88 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: all right, So the beast tell us, how do you 89 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: come to beast? Okay, So that's actually funny because I 90 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:26,480 Speaker 1: was not nearly a beast. That's why I ended up 91 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 1: at Coe College. You know, I was little. I was 92 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: that guy that I was competing with my twin brother 93 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: right here. So yeah, so for me it kind of started. 94 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 1: It's similar. But it was my mom who got us 95 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:47,840 Speaker 1: in the football. She uh, obviously with twin boys, we 96 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 1: were breaking stuff in the house and she was like, 97 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 1: I gotta find y'all something to do, right, y'all driving 98 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,160 Speaker 1: me crazy. So you know, she was one of our 99 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 1: first coaches and she took us to we're played football 100 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 1: and we're the time we were thinking, you know what 101 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: is this? You know football? And we were in first grade. 102 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 1: And you know, in the state of Texas, if you're 103 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,840 Speaker 1: not playing football on Fridays or Saturdays, you know something's 104 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:11,040 Speaker 1: wrong with you. Because that's what we do in Texas. 105 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 1: You are a football player. And we got out there 106 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 1: and immediately, like I said, competing with my brother, you know, 107 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 1: it drew us in and we we were sucked into this, 108 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 1: lady that you were saying that, you know, we wanted 109 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 1: to be a part of this, and being that we 110 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: were the same age, we were trying to outdo each 111 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:30,919 Speaker 1: other and see who can do be the best at 112 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:32,479 Speaker 1: this and who can be the best at that. He 113 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 1: ended up playing defense. I was playing offense. So of 114 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:37,160 Speaker 1: course we're going against each other. And we don't leave 115 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:39,479 Speaker 1: it at practice. We're coming home and we're still going 116 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: against each other. So my mom don't know. She thought 117 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 1: she was making a problem better for it, but she 118 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 1: made it worse because we brought that football stuff home 119 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 1: with us. So, you know, Nate said, once you get 120 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,360 Speaker 1: into it, you get sucked into this game. And I've 121 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 1: been a part of it ever since. Oh look, you 122 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:56,039 Speaker 1: ever been listening to one and you just want to like, 123 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 1: hold up here. I don't know if you guys caught 124 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:04,039 Speaker 1: with I just called his mother, was his coach, to 125 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:07,239 Speaker 1: tell me? What was it like playing for your mother? 126 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 1: It's it's exactly how it sounds. You know, you go 127 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 1: out on the field and you mess up, you don't 128 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: just leave that at practice. You gotta go home to 129 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:20,559 Speaker 1: mom still talking to you about that play you messed 130 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: up on. So, I mean, it was it was tremendous though. 131 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: She she nurtured us and she was she was my 132 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 1: toughest coach ever, obviously coach Mike Iron Mike the youngest 133 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 1: of ten, the baby and nine siblings. How did your 134 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: journey get going? It was quite interesting. My my journey 135 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: was quite a bit different than Nati Fred. My father 136 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 1: was a Pentecostal pastor, but at that time, uh, you 137 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: could not participate in sports. That was something that just 138 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: kind of took you away from the church and and 139 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 1: it was more violent that that kind of thing. So, uh, 140 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: there were two two strikes against me at the beginning. First, 141 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: when I was born, I was very sickly as a child, 142 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: and so for maybe the first five or six years 143 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: of my life, I really really was kind of in 144 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 1: and out of the hospital, mostly bronchitis, pneumonia, those kinds 145 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: of things, and it was just tough. Finally I grew 146 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 1: out of that. But something happened at twelve years old, 147 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 1: at at twelve years old, my mom and dad divorce, 148 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 1: and that's also that that's just something that really doesn't 149 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 1: happen in the pent acoust the church as well, but 150 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 1: it happened. That was the opportunity for me to have 151 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 1: a chance to play football because I had after school. 152 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 1: I had gone behind the school and watched the kids play, 153 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:49,960 Speaker 1: and I jumped in a few times and asking let 154 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:52,080 Speaker 1: me run the ball and let me throw the ball. 155 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:55,640 Speaker 1: And I really liked the game. But I really didn't 156 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: like the ball at all. I just like hitting the 157 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: people that had it. So I I thought that this 158 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: is really cool, and I mean I can hit the 159 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:07,560 Speaker 1: guy and I'm not in trouble as I begin to 160 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: play this game, and wow, I mean wow, it was great. 161 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 1: So I begged my mom to let me play. She said, well, son, 162 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: you do smaller play. You know, I don't want you 163 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 1: to go out there and get hurt. You're just getting better, 164 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 1: you're just getting healthy. Why would I let you play football, mom? Please? 165 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: I mean, it was something that I couldn't live without football, 166 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 1: And she could see it in my eyes and she said, well, 167 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 1: I tell you what, if you promise me that you 168 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 1: will never get hurt, you can play. That's how my 169 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: career started. Describe the moment when you had your first 170 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: NFL on field success and what did it look like. 171 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: Ye'll jump right in. Um. I was drafted in OH 172 00:09:55,920 --> 00:10:00,559 Speaker 1: three to the Minnesota Vikings, and initially I thought to myself, 173 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 1: Holy crap, I'm playing with Randy Moss. I was starstruck. 174 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:07,240 Speaker 1: And this was the age for me at twenty one 175 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: years old, where these superstars were big and bright and 176 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: they had the fancy cars and they were still rocking. First. 177 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:15,680 Speaker 1: I mean it was something like out of the eighties. 178 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:18,439 Speaker 1: You know, Coach Mike. It was like, you're around here 179 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 1: and spending money, Randy Moss, they had all that. Man. Yeah, 180 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,439 Speaker 1: it's a Minnesota's cold too. So when I got into 181 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 1: the league, I just thought I got to earn their respect. 182 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:34,199 Speaker 1: I have to earn their respect. Um. I didn't know 183 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: how long I was gonna last. I wasn't one of 184 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: those guys that came in and said, you know, this 185 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: game owes me something. I thought to myself, I'm gonna 186 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:43,719 Speaker 1: put everything I can into this game and hopefully get 187 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: the same out. Um. And the moment that I think 188 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 1: it became real and I felt like I belonged was 189 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 1: my second year when Randy Moss got hurt. My first year, 190 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 1: I did okay at thirty something catches five hundred yards, 191 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:02,560 Speaker 1: and then my second year Randy tears a hamstring. And 192 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:04,839 Speaker 1: you know, in Minnesota, when Randy was in his prime, 193 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:08,720 Speaker 1: Randy going down, it's like, you know, it's a rap, 194 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 1: the season is over. I mean I literally saw the 195 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 1: panic and coaches faces. And I was walking out of 196 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 1: the meeting room and Randy mos stops me. And and 197 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:19,719 Speaker 1: mind you, Randy didn't talk much like, he didn't say much. 198 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:21,679 Speaker 1: He kept to himself. And if you know him, you 199 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 1: know a struggle, and you know how many people have 200 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 1: scorned him. You get why he was so protected. He 201 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:28,199 Speaker 1: walked up to me, he grabbed me by my jersey 202 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 1: as I'm getting ready for practice, and he said, a 203 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:38,120 Speaker 1: young fella, I'm gonna be out with in injury. You 204 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 1: better get your catches in because when I get back 205 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:47,559 Speaker 1: this offensive mind and and at the time I'm kind 206 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:50,320 Speaker 1: of like, all right, I kind of get what you're saying. 207 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 1: And then as I walked away, I thought about it. Now, 208 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 1: he's being completely transparent, like regardless of how hot I 209 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 1: am him in this time that he's out, like life 210 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 1: is about taking advantage of these small windows. And as 211 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 1: we continue to talk, you realize there's so many parallels 212 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:09,959 Speaker 1: between the game and life. And I tell my kids 213 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:12,320 Speaker 1: that all the time, there's these small windows of opportunity 214 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:14,319 Speaker 1: that you gotta be willing to walk through. And in 215 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: that small amount of time, I earned the trust of 216 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 1: my quarterback, my coach, my team, um the city. They 217 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 1: started to appreciate me for more than just this complimentary 218 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:26,439 Speaker 1: piece to Randy. And that was my best year. I 219 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 1: put up a thousand yards and it kind of like 220 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 1: established me as a young stud wide receiver in this league. 221 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 1: And he came back and he bawled out, and this 222 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:39,240 Speaker 1: is how fast things happened in the league. So I 223 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 1: put up the thousand yards and I'm like, oh man, 224 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 1: I can't wait for my third season. It's gonna be incredible. 225 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:47,959 Speaker 1: And shortly thereafter, the Minnesota Viking has decided to trade 226 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,439 Speaker 1: Randy Moss to the Oakland Raiders for I think it 227 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 1: was a fourth round draft pick, right another player. And 228 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 1: I remember my coach coming up to me and saying, 229 00:12:56,240 --> 00:13:00,719 Speaker 1: all right, so listen, you're the reason or we were 230 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 1: so comfortable with trayon, Randy Moss, come on now, now, listen, 231 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:10,680 Speaker 1: I ain't the smartest dude on the field, but don't 232 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 1: be sps. And I remember looking at him with that 233 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 1: face like okay, coach, okay, coach. But then inside I'm like, 234 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 1: you gotta be out you one and to make that decision. 235 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 1: And I just walked away and I thought, man, this 236 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:30,200 Speaker 1: game is so fickle, like you just don't know what's 237 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 1: gonna happen. That's when I learned about the business of 238 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:38,040 Speaker 1: the game. That's when the love of this woman turned 239 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 1: a little bit more professional. Let's talk about how how 240 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 1: you got to the NFL for it. So, I mean, 241 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 1: my my story was, you know, one unlike anybody else's. 242 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:51,560 Speaker 1: You know, I was twenty five year old rookie when 243 00:13:51,559 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 1: I got in UM and you know, to piggyback off 244 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,319 Speaker 1: what Nate was talking about. I had two very very 245 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:01,880 Speaker 1: distinct lessons of when I got to the NFL, and 246 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 1: I knew I had made it. One of them, I 247 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:05,920 Speaker 1: was at training camp and I just saw this guy 248 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:08,199 Speaker 1: and he taught me so much. And te Kio Spikes 249 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:11,439 Speaker 1: were a training camping. We line up in te Kio Spikes, 250 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:15,080 Speaker 1: we do a har accounting toe Kyo jumps outside and 251 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:18,120 Speaker 1: I'm looking at the coach. I'm like, coach, that's what 252 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: I'm responsible for blocking right there? You know that's t 253 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: Kio spikes. That man has more. His traps are bigger 254 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 1: than me combined. So so and he looked me right 255 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: in my face and he said, you know what, Fred, Yeah, 256 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 1: I'm coming. I don't care you see that I'm coming. 257 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 1: I was like, coach, man, y'all better call Tom out 258 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: because I am not blocking spikes. And we let the 259 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 1: play run. And I just remember telling the quarterback at 260 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: the time, like, look, man, you got about point two 261 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 1: seconds because I'm gonna swing everything I have at him 262 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 1: and you on your own after that. So he took 263 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:53,120 Speaker 1: my advice and he threw a hot route right away. 264 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 1: He wasn't even hot. He just was like, I'm not 265 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:59,240 Speaker 1: gonna wait on free it to block spikes. And another 266 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 1: one was, um, I get to training camp another day 267 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 1: of training. It might have been the same day. So 268 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 1: I got baptized twice by too great linebackers, one of 269 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: them being to Killo spikes, another being London Fletcher, and 270 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:16,240 Speaker 1: baptized mean a football player putting hands on you exactly 271 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 1: what that means. And I got baptized twice that day. 272 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 1: I break out and I'm running down the sideline and 273 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 1: I kind of ease up. It was like thirty yards 274 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 1: down the field and all of a sudden, here comes 275 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: this blur and I don't even remember what happened. I 276 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:29,920 Speaker 1: just remember looking up at the sky and London was 277 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 1: standing over me and he said, never relaxed while you're 278 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: on this field. I was like, I don't know how 279 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 1: it relaxed, but I'm laying on the field, so I 280 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 1: must have at some point. And he was like, you 281 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 1: broke out and you got down the field and I 282 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: was able to catch you because you slowed down and relaxed. 283 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 1: That's why you're on your back looking up at me now. 284 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 1: And I was just like, you know what, this is 285 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 1: the NFL, because that dude was like forty four yards 286 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 1: that way and all of a sudden he's looking at me. 287 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:58,160 Speaker 1: I just took that in. My first start was in 288 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:00,440 Speaker 1: two thousand seven against the Riskins and guess who the 289 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:03,480 Speaker 1: linebacker was. It was London Fletcher. I was like, you're 290 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: not baptizing me again to day, Like I'm not letting 291 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 1: that happen today, and I called it. We called it 292 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 1: an angle route or Texas route out of the backfield, 293 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:15,280 Speaker 1: and London was the one guarden me. As soon as 294 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 1: I called it, I ran as hard as I could 295 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 1: to the other sideline. I ended up getting pushed out 296 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 1: by Lauren Lyndry, but London was not anywhere in sight, 297 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 1: so I won that battle. When I think about our 298 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 1: our journeys, whether it's Division three, school Division one, Double 299 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 1: A Southern University and then you have bigger schools University 300 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: of Nevada, Nevada and also Baylor. One of the things 301 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 1: in this locker room talk, and I've actually asked Coach 302 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 1: about this before coming on, it's the challenges you go 303 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:50,520 Speaker 1: with and how the game of football help us succeed, 304 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 1: and the challenges off the field. And one of the 305 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:58,800 Speaker 1: experiences coach with. You're and Kim, your wife, while outstanding 306 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:04,640 Speaker 1: student and playing football at Bailly University, Kim being Caucasian. 307 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:09,200 Speaker 1: Could you tell us and tell this fan base, how 308 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:11,680 Speaker 1: are you were able to deal with the challenges at 309 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:17,480 Speaker 1: that time dating you now your wife Kim, but someone 310 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:23,640 Speaker 1: of another race. Well, it was nineteen I'm at Baylor 311 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:28,920 Speaker 1: and my sophomore year I'm walking down the road and 312 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:34,439 Speaker 1: I see this young lady walking and I I'm looking 313 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 1: at her. I've seen a lot of girls, been around 314 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:40,200 Speaker 1: a lot of girls, but it was something about her, 315 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 1: and so I saw her and I go, Okay, great, 316 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:46,280 Speaker 1: that maybe my wife. That was the first time I 317 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 1: saw her. Next time I saw her, I was in 318 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 1: the library. She comes up to my table, and the 319 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:54,479 Speaker 1: libraries full, and and my table is the only one. 320 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 1: I always studied by myself. She asked if she could 321 00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:02,959 Speaker 1: sit down, and if I could if I were studying calculus, 322 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:06,200 Speaker 1: and I told her I was. She sat down, and 323 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:10,880 Speaker 1: it was just the conversation was amazing. Make a long 324 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: story short. I just remember us going through that time together, 325 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:19,920 Speaker 1: and she didn't really know how her parents were. We're 326 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 1: gonna feel about it. She was from Detroit and decided 327 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:28,760 Speaker 1: to come down south to go to school. I'm from Houston. 328 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 1: So now I bring her home for the first time 329 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: to meet my mom. I'm sitting here, and this is 330 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:41,280 Speaker 1: when I knew I was going to marry her. We're 331 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: sitting in the kitchen. I'm from sunny side. I don't 332 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 1: have anything. I mean, we we live, uh in the 333 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:52,679 Speaker 1: poor part of Houston, Texas, and my wife called it 334 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:55,560 Speaker 1: to ghetto. I didn't think he was the ghetto, but 335 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 1: she called it together, this is the ghetto, said, this 336 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:04,120 Speaker 1: is not the ghetto. But anyways, we're sitting there and 337 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: while we're talking, my mom had just made dinner. And 338 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:09,399 Speaker 1: we're sitting there talking and the mouse comes on the 339 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:13,680 Speaker 1: stove and my mom, you know, of course, we see 340 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:18,879 Speaker 1: this at home all the time, so my mom sees 341 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: the mouse. I'm trying to act incognito, kim back and 342 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:25,640 Speaker 1: sitting towards the stove, and I'm kind of looking around, 343 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:32,159 Speaker 1: you know, kind of giving the mouse eyes. And my 344 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 1: mom go, whoa lord, look at that mouse. She got up, 345 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 1: got a broom and started beating up. I was, I was, 346 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:46,800 Speaker 1: I was done, I was. I just sat there. I 347 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 1: was just horrifying. She never said a word about that. 348 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 1: From that point on, we just continued to build a 349 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 1: relationship and we got back to Baylor. Trust me, there 350 00:19:56,840 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 1: were coaches that didn't like it, there were people there 351 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:03,160 Speaker 1: were teammates it didn't like it. The university didn't like it. 352 00:20:03,359 --> 00:20:06,880 Speaker 1: But as time went on, we knew that we were 353 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:10,000 Speaker 1: meant to be together. Her father came to visit me 354 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:13,640 Speaker 1: and just basically talk to me about all the difficulties 355 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:19,359 Speaker 1: of this whole relationship and and how tough it was 356 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 1: gonna be and all of those things. And it's just sary. 357 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:24,640 Speaker 1: I understand that, but I want you to understand that 358 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:29,960 Speaker 1: my intentions are true. I wanna I want to be 359 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:32,640 Speaker 1: with your daughter. I want to marry your daughter. At 360 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 1: that time in the NFL, there were not very many 361 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:39,880 Speaker 1: were really none that I knew of uh interracial relationships 362 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:46,959 Speaker 1: that made it. And so I had prepared getting through 363 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 1: Chicago thinking that I don't know what's gonna happen, but 364 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 1: I know that I love this girl. And make a 365 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:56,119 Speaker 1: long story short, it's one of the greatest decisions that 366 00:20:56,160 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 1: I ever made because being with my wife. She is 367 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 1: also the first wife to induct her husband into the 368 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame UM and and the whole reason that 369 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 1: I wanted my wife to do it was because as 370 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 1: a football player, I mean, you have coaches that love you, 371 00:21:20,359 --> 00:21:23,199 Speaker 1: and all of my coaches, I love my coaches, but 372 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:26,560 Speaker 1: my coaches they had to do their job as well. 373 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:29,919 Speaker 1: My wife had no choice. There were days that I 374 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:34,720 Speaker 1: came home that were just some very long days, really 375 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 1: tough days. Daves that none of you would ever imagine 376 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:44,480 Speaker 1: that we go through and for her to sit through, 377 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:47,680 Speaker 1: thick and thin, all of those things that she went 378 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:51,800 Speaker 1: through along with having seven kids. I have seven kids. 379 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 1: Pray for me when you think about she did all 380 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:57,600 Speaker 1: of those things and stood by me and through all 381 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:01,520 Speaker 1: of that, and she is my greatest friend to this day. 382 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:05,400 Speaker 1: Stay tuned for Part two. This has been so good, 383 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:11,679 Speaker 1: we have to do too. This has been the NFL 384 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:16,199 Speaker 1: Legends podcast. To provide feedback or request a topic for discussion, 385 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:34,160 Speaker 1: email us at NFL Legends at NFL dot com