1 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: Welcome to the podcast. I am a Nest Williams. Part 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,800 Speaker 1: of our podcast series is something we call Storytellers, a 3 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 1: chance for NFL players and legends to tell their own story. 4 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:22,279 Speaker 1: Today's storytellers a real treaty form A long snapper, Army 5 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 1: Special Forces veteran and citizen of the world, Nate Bowyer, 6 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 1: and he brings a story of strength, perseverance, and most importantly, 7 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:36,199 Speaker 1: the love for his fellow man and the desire to 8 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 1: make people's lives better. My name is Nate Boyer and 9 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:44,479 Speaker 1: very honored to be able to share some of my 10 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: story with you guys today. In two thousand and four, 11 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: I sort of without a crossroads of my life. I was, 12 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: I was twenty three. I didn't really feel like I 13 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 1: was going anywhere purposeful in the future. I didn't I 14 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: had I still didn't know what was missing in my life. 15 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: But I just had this kind of empty feeling. And 16 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:06,400 Speaker 1: I came across this Time magazine article about the tragedy 17 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 1: in Sudan and it was, you know, it was this 18 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:16,320 Speaker 1: photo journalism article about the genocide going on in the 19 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 1: Darfur region. Just going through that magazine and seeing those 20 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: images and reading about you know, these villages that are 21 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 1: you know, burned to the ground and the women all raped, 22 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 1: and the men are off fighting or have already been killed, 23 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: and these children are lots abandoned, and it's just by 24 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 1: the hundreds of thousands, you know, I think three hundred 25 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 1: thousand had been killed. And I was just like, what, how, 26 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 1: how is that happening today? How is that still existing? 27 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: It's two thousand and it was two thousand four at 28 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:45,679 Speaker 1: the time, you know. So I just made a decision 29 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 1: that day I was going to go over there and volunteer. 30 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: I was going to help somehow. And I've never been 31 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 1: that the developing world urban Africa, UM certainly never been 32 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 1: to a war zone and a place where the refugee 33 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 1: camps everywhere. That's what I called every NGO that was 34 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: out there, and all of them told me that I 35 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 1: would not be able to volunteer with them because I 36 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: didn't have a college degree and it's this long process. 37 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:11,399 Speaker 1: There's a bunch of red tape. But then I'm also 38 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: reading about how they're grossly understaffed at the camps out there, 39 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: and they need people. So I was like, how is 40 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 1: this If you need people like I'm willing to go 41 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 1: I'll fly myself, and they just all, you know, they 42 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: told me it wasn't possible. So I made the decision 43 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: I was just gonna go anyway. And I went to 44 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: travel agency Triple A travel agency in Burbank, and I 45 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: bought a ticket to to the neighboring country of Chad 46 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,239 Speaker 1: next to the Sudan, and I figured out. I just 47 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:39,679 Speaker 1: figured out when I got there and I find a 48 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 1: way to get out there. And so a week later, 49 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 1: I fly out land in the capitol chad town called Jamana. 50 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 1: Kind of b asked my way onto a UN flight 51 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 1: that was going out to the camps, you know, talk 52 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: my way into that position, I guess, because you know, 53 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:58,679 Speaker 1: I convinced them that, look, I'm an American, I don't 54 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: have anything, Like what else would I be do in here? 55 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,079 Speaker 1: I'm supposed to be out there, And even though I 56 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: didn't have the proper documentation, I slipped through the cracks 57 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 1: and got out there and and just spent you know, 58 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: six weeks maybe at the camp. And they completely changed 59 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: my life, just how grateful the people were that an 60 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 1: American would leave what we have here to go over 61 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: there and help. I was overwhelmed by that. It wasn't 62 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: this place where I felt people were just you know, 63 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 1: needy or or begging or any of that. It was 64 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 1: just like gratitude and they were so happy with with 65 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 1: moments of peace they had every day and like one 66 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 1: you know, a little mill and maybe some clean water, 67 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: that's it, you know. And they had like one soccer 68 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: ball at this camp where all these kids are, They're 69 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: playing soccer every day with this one ball and that's 70 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: all they have, and they're just you know, over the moon, 71 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: like happy. And it just made me appreciate not only 72 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 1: how simple things can be, but also maybe a siate 73 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 1: the opportunities that we have here in America. And I 74 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 1: sort of gained my patriotism over there um and became 75 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: really proud of what we have here. And it's not 76 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: that I was anti American or anything like that before. 77 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 1: I just didn't understand. I didn't end that hadn't had 78 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: that perspective of a place like that, you know. And 79 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 1: every night I was sleeping on the ground just like them, 80 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 1: under the stars, and I felt the most happy I'd 81 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: ever felt, maybe because I felt that element of purpose 82 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:31,119 Speaker 1: and just that that that piece and the simple things. 83 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:37,479 Speaker 1: My last week during country, I got malaria and I 84 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 1: went down for about three days where I mean, I 85 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:43,280 Speaker 1: just couldn't eat anything. I was coming out of both ends. 86 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:47,720 Speaker 1: I was sweating like crazy and freezing cold, and you know, 87 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: it didn't make any sense, but it was just I 88 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 1: was extremely sick, and so I'm just like laying They 89 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: put me up in this little room that had a 90 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 1: cot So I'm laying on this cot um trying to 91 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 1: get some some sleep and just trying to feel better 92 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 1: and listening to this little radio. And it was the 93 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 1: first Battle of Felujah. I was going on, you know, 94 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:11,360 Speaker 1: the Marines were over there, and it was like this 95 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:15,719 Speaker 1: play by play of what was happening. And I don't 96 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:18,280 Speaker 1: know if I was just you know, lucid from all 97 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:21,680 Speaker 1: the you know, from the drugs I was taken, or 98 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:24,040 Speaker 1: just that I haven't slept, hadn't slept or eight in 99 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:27,720 Speaker 1: a few days. But I just had this vision of 100 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: myself in the military, you know, and like maybe that's 101 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 1: what I would do next. And I came back to 102 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 1: the States and I didn't know what I was going 103 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:36,159 Speaker 1: to do in the military. I just knew that was 104 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:38,160 Speaker 1: something I was interested in. I started doing research and 105 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:42,279 Speaker 1: I learned about the Green Berets, the Army Special Forces, 106 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 1: and their motto was Da Oppressed Alibert, which means to 107 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:50,719 Speaker 1: free the oppressed. All of their missions were done alongside 108 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:54,679 Speaker 1: host nationals, so indigenous forces. You know, you go to Iraqi, 109 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:59,159 Speaker 1: at Afghanistan, you go to Sudan, and you work alongside 110 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 1: those people, You live with them, you know, you train them, 111 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:05,840 Speaker 1: and then you fight with them, alongside them against the 112 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 1: common enemy. And that's sounded the most appealing to me 113 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: because I wanted to continue to work with those people, 114 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 1: you know, fight for those who can't fight for themselves, 115 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 1: and really feel that connection. So that's what I decided 116 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:18,479 Speaker 1: I was gonna do. I set out to be a 117 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: Green Brat and that was my next mission. You know, 118 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: really my first Special Forces mission was probably going to 119 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: the Darfur behind myself. And like I said that, that 120 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: moment changed me more than anything. But you know, so 121 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 1: I go off to basic training and I was not 122 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: in good shape when I showed up, and I just 123 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:39,279 Speaker 1: out I outworked everybody because I was so determined to 124 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:41,359 Speaker 1: not only be in the military, but to be in 125 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 1: the Special Forces. You know what. It took a year 126 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: and a half to get through all that training, and 127 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 1: obviously it was incredibly challenging, and you know, I learned 128 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 1: a lot about myself and mental toughness and but also 129 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 1: just what what what the human body is capable of, 130 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 1: you know, and what the I guess the human spirits 131 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 1: capable of if you just make a decision and commit 132 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,919 Speaker 1: to it and make some sacrifices around that. So I 133 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: got through it all, earned my green beret. You know, 134 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 1: headed off first to to Okinawa out in Japan. That's 135 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: where I was stationed first. Um, you know, from there, 136 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 1: I did various tours in different different places in the world, 137 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: and I went to Iraq and that was that was, 138 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 1: I mean a crazy experience, just my my first deployment. 139 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 1: You know, I felt I felt comfortable being in a 140 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: place like that because of my time in the dark Fur. 141 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 1: But it's very different when you know, you're going around 142 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 1: in camouflage and and you know, with weapons and these 143 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: gun trucks and you're you know, chasing down terrorists. I mean, 144 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 1: that's it's a very different mission. Through that deployment, me 145 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 1: and my my my my Special Forces team to twelve 146 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 1: man detachment. You know, we we we trained thousands of Iraqis, 147 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: whether they were police officers that we become SWAT or 148 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 1: army that would become Iraqi Special Forces. Fight fight along 149 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 1: these guys, you know, and we're we're chasing down some 150 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 1: of the most wanted terrorists in Iraq in our region. 151 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: Towards the end of the deployment in Iraq, I made 152 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 1: a decision that I was gonna I was gonna transition 153 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: into the National Guard when I got back, and I 154 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: was going to go back to college and try and 155 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: play football. I'd never never played before. It was a 156 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: huge regret I had growing up. It was my favorite 157 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 1: sport and I just never did it, you know. And 158 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 1: that school ended up being being the University of Texas, 159 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,840 Speaker 1: who had just had just been in the National Championship 160 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 1: game the year before, and obviously it's a historic program, 161 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 1: but yeah, football is just it's just an escape, you know, 162 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 1: and it's it's it's a it's a great thing in 163 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:52,559 Speaker 1: this country where you look up in the stands and 164 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 1: everybody's got different political opinions and you know, different colors 165 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:00,720 Speaker 1: and and all that, but through all wearing the same 166 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: team color, you know, and they're all for the most part, 167 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,079 Speaker 1: cheering together, and they don't really care about any of 168 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: that stuff for three hours. So you know, I make 169 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:13,320 Speaker 1: the team get three tryouts, and you know, probably by 170 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 1: the skin of my teeth. Yeah, I played that first 171 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:19,160 Speaker 1: year on the scout team, you know, and every game 172 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 1: coach mac Brown had me run out of the tunnel 173 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 1: with the American flag leading the team out, and it 174 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 1: was just it was special, man to see that. He 175 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: that crowd roar every time you do that. And but 176 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 1: I wanted to play. I wanted to find a way 177 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:35,440 Speaker 1: on the field. So I started long snapping. The starter 178 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: was a senior that year, and I obviously never long 179 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 1: snap before, and I was, you know, at the time, 180 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: I just just turned in thirty one years old. You know, 181 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:50,080 Speaker 1: long snapped my first football and that summer, I told 182 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:51,599 Speaker 1: you it was in the National Guard. That summer I 183 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: went back overseas and I brought a couple of footballs 184 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 1: with me, and every every summer while I was in college, 185 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:59,080 Speaker 1: i'd go over. The last two summers, I went over 186 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:01,319 Speaker 1: to Afghanistan for about three and a half months and 187 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 1: you know, just deployed with the Special Forces team again 188 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 1: and you know, serve my country for for that time. 189 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:10,960 Speaker 1: And then I would trade in my body armor and 190 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 1: helmet for my football helmet, shoulder pads, and they literally 191 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: would fly me back the day before training campus start 192 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:19,800 Speaker 1: and then go back to Texas and re enroll in 193 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 1: school and you know, start practicing with the football team. 194 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 1: And it was a pretty bizarre juxtaposition there, that kind 195 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:28,560 Speaker 1: of back and forth. But but I really enjoyed it, 196 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 1: enjoyed continuing to serve and you know, to go back 197 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 1: over there, and but yeah, I'd bring footballs with me 198 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:37,840 Speaker 1: and you know, practice long snapping. Came back to Texas 199 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 1: and that sophomore year, my sophomore year, I won that job, 200 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:44,320 Speaker 1: won the long snapping job and started for three years. 201 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 1: I finished, actually finished my master's degree at University of Texas. 202 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 1: That last year playing football, I made the decision that 203 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: I was, even though I was thirty four years old, 204 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 1: I was going to make a run at the NFL 205 00:10:57,520 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 1: and just see what happens. You know. I played in 206 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 1: this senior all star game called the Medal of Honorable 207 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:05,680 Speaker 1: out in Charleston, and there was a bunch of scouts there. 208 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 1: They're watching me snap, and like I talked to four 209 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:10,600 Speaker 1: different teams during that process, and they said, look, you're 210 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:12,960 Speaker 1: gonna have to put on about thirty five pounds, but 211 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 1: you should go for it, you know. And at the 212 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:19,600 Speaker 1: time I was obviously I'm I mean, I'm not very 213 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:24,080 Speaker 1: big right now, about five eleven and I probably weighed 214 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: there and they were telling me I needed to weigh 215 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 1: about two thirty. I started eating like crazy and training different. 216 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 1: I moved to uh after l A and started training 217 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:37,320 Speaker 1: at Unbreakable Performance Center, which is Jay Glazers Gym. Draft 218 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: draft time rolls around, you know, I get all the 219 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 1: way up to two eight pounds. I get a phone 220 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 1: call on the last day of the draft from Pete 221 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:50,320 Speaker 1: Carroll the Seattle Seahawks, and so Pete, you know, told 222 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: me that he appreciates guys with a chip on their shoulder, 223 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: you know. He he was grateful for my service in 224 00:11:58,000 --> 00:11:59,319 Speaker 1: the country and all that. And he's like, but that's 225 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 1: not why I want to you know, Commander, I want 226 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 1: I want to give you a genuine shot, because you know, 227 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:08,600 Speaker 1: we we want people in our locker room. You know 228 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 1: that that are they're willing to fight, you know what 229 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:13,560 Speaker 1: I mean. You look at a lot of that team 230 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:15,280 Speaker 1: at the time, they'd just come off back to back 231 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 1: Super Bowls. A lot of those guys were undrafted. You know, player, 232 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 1: you look at our late round draft picks, they're willing 233 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 1: to sacrifice quite a bit to get to get where 234 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 1: they needed to be to be elite. You know, I 235 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 1: felt that same kind of draw as as I did 236 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,200 Speaker 1: when I was trying o for the Special Forces. You 237 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 1: know that this is a long shot, but I'm gonna 238 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 1: give it a chance. And I went up there. I 239 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 1: went through training camp. You know, we get to the 240 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:45,320 Speaker 1: first preseason game and the team asked me if I 241 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:47,600 Speaker 1: want to lead lead them out with the American flag, 242 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 1: and I was like, of course, you know, I'd love 243 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:51,680 Speaker 1: to do that. So then before the game, you know, 244 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:54,920 Speaker 1: in college, we're not on the sideline when the national 245 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 1: anthems played at this time. You know, in the NFL, 246 00:12:58,120 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 1: that's that's obviously what we do. Everybody knows that now. 247 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,199 Speaker 1: So I'm standing out there as a national anthem's playing. 248 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 1: I started to cry because I thought about everything I 249 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: you know, I guess been through, and that the odds 250 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 1: that overcome to get to that point. But also I 251 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 1: thought of, you know, all the men and women that 252 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:18,800 Speaker 1: were still fighting over there right now, and maybe they're 253 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: watching this game, you know, and I remember what that 254 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 1: feeling was like it was my most special moment on 255 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 1: a football field ever. And it wasn't even during a game, 256 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 1: you know, it was pre game, and then the game 257 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 1: starts and you know, we play and I did great. 258 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:35,560 Speaker 1: But as all great things begin, they must end, and 259 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 1: my career was very short lived. That was the only 260 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: game I'd ever played, but it was truly special one, 261 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: you know, and I'll never forget it. And from that 262 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:46,679 Speaker 1: point on, I was always I was continuing to look 263 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 1: for these different challenges. You know. I took some wounded 264 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 1: vets and some former NFL players up to climb Mount 265 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:53,679 Speaker 1: killerman Jaro as part of a clean water project. With 266 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 1: Chris Long, I co founded a nonprofit called Merging Vets 267 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 1: and Players with with Jay Glazer m V where we're 268 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:05,200 Speaker 1: bringing combat veterans and former professional athletes together and helping 269 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 1: them find purpose once that uniform and identity kind of 270 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 1: comes off. The next season is it's two thousand sixteen, 271 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 1: and once again it's during the preseason. I'm not playing 272 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 1: this time, but Colin Kaepernick is all of a sudden 273 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 1: sitting on the bench during the national anthem, and it's 274 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:28,960 Speaker 1: obviously guarding quite a bit of attention and it was 275 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 1: just this time where it felt like we were really dividing. 276 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:36,400 Speaker 1: You know, people were much like a football game, people 277 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:40,000 Speaker 1: were picking their team and we're becoming die hard fans 278 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 1: of that team at all costs. You know, it's all 279 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 1: about proving my point and winning my team, winning our 280 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 1: country just further divided over this this anthem issue. Right, 281 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 1: I got reached out to by you know, several different 282 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:57,240 Speaker 1: publications to write an OpEd you know, they want to be, 283 00:14:57,440 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 1: I think, right, an opinion piece. And what it felt 284 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 1: like people wanted me to once again interject or inject 285 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 1: my personal emotional feelings on this thing, which is in 286 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 1: my opinion, was not going to help, you know, it's 287 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 1: just gonna stir up more controversy. So I refused. Finally, 288 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:21,840 Speaker 1: the Army Times said, okay, you you can write anything 289 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: you want. You know, we just need we would love 290 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:26,120 Speaker 1: you to write something and you can you know, approve 291 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 1: the final edit. And and that's that's that. I said, okay, 292 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 1: because the only way I'm gonna do this is if 293 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 1: I write an open letter. I'm just gonna write an 294 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 1: open letter to Colin and explain my experience, you know, 295 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 1: try to understand his and that's it. It wasn't gonna 296 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 1: be I'm right, you're wrong, or anything like that. So 297 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 1: I just sort of told some of my story through 298 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 1: the letter. I talked about, you know what what that 299 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: flag and anthem represent to me. You know, to me, 300 00:15:56,920 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 1: it's it's not so much about the words to the song, 301 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:03,520 Speaker 1: it's what that symbol stands for, you know, these ultimate 302 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 1: freedoms and ultimate rights. But I also said, I want 303 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 1: to hear your story, you know, and I'm willing to 304 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: listen because at the end of the day, I mean 305 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 1: to free the oppressed is something that I want to 306 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 1: do for the rest of my life. It doesn't have 307 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: to be in in Sudan or Iraq or Afghanistan. I 308 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: could be here in America. And if you don't feel 309 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 1: equal or like you count in some way, I want 310 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:31,160 Speaker 1: to work towards making that happen. You know. The letter 311 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 1: went out the next morning, it went like crazy viral, 312 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 1: and Colin actually reached out to me personally and said 313 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: he wanted to meet. So I met with him the 314 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: next day down in San Diego during the last preseason 315 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 1: game against the San Diego Chargers, and we sat down 316 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 1: in the team hotel in the lobby about four hours 317 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 1: before kickoff, and we just talked for you know, a 318 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: good hour and a half, two hours about our experiences, 319 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 1: you know, we we we just talked about everything going 320 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 1: on in our country, and we listened to each other, 321 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 1: and it was it was interesting to see how sensitive 322 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 1: Colin was to the fact that I had served, and 323 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,400 Speaker 1: it seemed like he was sort of searching, I wouldn't 324 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:13,720 Speaker 1: say for a way out, but for a way, for 325 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:17,400 Speaker 1: a way in which this protest or demonstration would would 326 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:20,240 Speaker 1: come across I guess, I don't know, maybe more open 327 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:25,600 Speaker 1: minded on his side, maybe just something something different, something 328 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:29,160 Speaker 1: where you know, he felt he wasn't disrespecting people, because 329 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: there was a lot of voices out there, and he 330 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 1: wanted to make sure people understood this is not about 331 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:37,639 Speaker 1: the military. This isn't even really about the flag or 332 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: the anthem, you know, it's about in his in his eyes, this, 333 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 1: you know, this racial injustice that exists in our country, 334 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:50,719 Speaker 1: police brutality, all these things. And I understood that, you know, 335 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 1: And as much as him sitting hurt me, I still 336 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:57,679 Speaker 1: I didn't. I didn't really feel that anger anymore than 337 00:17:57,720 --> 00:17:59,919 Speaker 1: I initially felt, you know, when I first saw that 338 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 1: had this impulse just anger and and maybe even hatred 339 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:07,439 Speaker 1: for what he was doing, not for him. But you know, 340 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:10,879 Speaker 1: I also realized that that that sort of militancy, in 341 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:12,919 Speaker 1: my mind, is not going to solve this problem. You know. 342 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 1: We talked about a lot of stuff, you know, and 343 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 1: he told me how much he appreciated not only my service, 344 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: but his family and friends he had had in both 345 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 1: of the Police forces and in the Armed Forces. And 346 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:27,840 Speaker 1: and I showed him a couple of messages from buddies 347 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:29,919 Speaker 1: of mind that were in the Special Forces, one of 348 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:34,719 Speaker 1: which he had he had just come from military funeral where, uh, 349 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:37,159 Speaker 1: you know, the caskets straped in an American flag is 350 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:39,560 Speaker 1: one of his brothers in Armed one of our fellow 351 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 1: Green Berets. It was killed. And then they, you know, 352 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:44,960 Speaker 1: they hand this folded flag to his wife. And it's 353 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 1: a very you know, it's a it's an emotional situation. 354 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: Anybody that wouldn't stand for that. In his mind, it 355 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 1: just it fills it filled his heart with rage. And 356 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 1: I showed that message to Colin, and Colin responded to 357 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:01,160 Speaker 1: that as well. And so he asked me, you know, what, 358 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:04,440 Speaker 1: what do you think another way of demonstrating would be 359 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 1: where I I don't hurt these people because I won't stand, 360 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:12,480 Speaker 1: you know. And I thought, in times of crisis like that, 361 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,360 Speaker 1: I mean, the last thing the hero does is sit 362 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:18,159 Speaker 1: it out, you know, just the way that that looked, 363 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:20,920 Speaker 1: especially like isolated from his team. So I said, I said, 364 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:23,159 Speaker 1: more than anything, I think you should be alongside your teammates, 365 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 1: whether they you know, some of them agree with you 366 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:27,639 Speaker 1: or disagree with you or whatever. You should embrace them. 367 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:30,239 Speaker 1: I mean that locker room, that's your family, you know. 368 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:34,400 Speaker 1: And then I suggested taking a knee instead. I thought 369 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:37,359 Speaker 1: it was more respectful if he wasn't willing to stand. 370 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:39,919 Speaker 1: I thought that was an upgrade in some ways. And 371 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:44,720 Speaker 1: people take a knee to pray and proposed to their wives. 372 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:48,000 Speaker 1: And you know, even a folded flag is often handed 373 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:52,480 Speaker 1: to family member who loses somebody, and sometimes when it's 374 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:54,639 Speaker 1: handed it's the person takes a knee in front of 375 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 1: them when when they give it to him. We take 376 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: a knee at Arlington to pay our respects, you know. 377 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:03,640 Speaker 1: And he agreed. He thought that was that was powerful, 378 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:06,920 Speaker 1: you know. Him and Eric Read was alongside him the 379 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: hotel there, and and both of them sort of you know, 380 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 1: thought about it and said, yeah, I think we should 381 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 1: do that that that day, I guess that night, and 382 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:20,400 Speaker 1: they played the Chargers the anthems playing before the game, 383 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:23,120 Speaker 1: and I'm actually standing on the sideline next to Calling 384 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 1: and Eric while they took a knee for the first time. 385 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 1: There was still booze from the crowd, and which was 386 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:33,879 Speaker 1: so bizarre to because it's during the anthem, you know, 387 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:40,640 Speaker 1: and there was a h an African American I think 388 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:42,600 Speaker 1: he was a sailor someone in the Navy that was 389 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 1: singing the anthem that day, you know, and it's military 390 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 1: Appreciation Day. They had a flyover and people parachuting in 391 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 1: and all that stuff. It was just a really interesting time. 392 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:55,520 Speaker 1: But I look at that snapshot of me standing next 393 00:20:55,520 --> 00:20:57,200 Speaker 1: to Calling while he's taken a knee, and I think, 394 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 1: you know, maybe that's the direction or country needs to add. Though, 395 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: like we don't necessarily see eye to eye and stuff, 396 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 1: we don't agree on everything. We have different experiences that 397 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:08,960 Speaker 1: shape what we believe. We're still going to have this 398 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 1: conversation and listen to one another, and you know, he's 399 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:14,399 Speaker 1: going to respect the fact that I'm standing next to 400 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: him with my hand on my heart and I can 401 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 1: respect the fact that he's taken a knee and neither 402 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:22,919 Speaker 1: of us have to We don't even have to like 403 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: each other, but to appreciate one another's opinions and respect 404 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:31,720 Speaker 1: them is the most important thing. Is that's what I 405 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 1: did in the military, That's what I did overseas. And 406 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:38,399 Speaker 1: you know that that story garnered some attention for a 407 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:41,360 Speaker 1: short time. But then, you know, the louder voices are, 408 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 1: in my opinion, the more extreme ones that are more divisive, 409 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 1: you know, that don't want to listen. They just want 410 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:50,280 Speaker 1: to shout wait for their turn to shout back. You know, 411 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 1: not everybody, um that you know, not everybody that leans 412 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 1: a certain way politically, that that doesn't mean that they 413 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 1: just won't even listen or don't even take into account 414 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:06,639 Speaker 1: somebody else's feelings and in their experience, you know, and 415 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 1: people need to understand that, you know that um, because 416 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:13,119 Speaker 1: they feel a certain way or you know, lead a 417 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:16,639 Speaker 1: certain direction, Um, that everybody on the other side is 418 00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 1: just you know wrong, Like there's no way that half 419 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 1: of our country is just good and the other half 420 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:25,959 Speaker 1: is just completely evil. It's just it's silly. We need 421 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 1: to get past that and I think, I mean, most 422 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:29,920 Speaker 1: people in our country to understand that, but I don't 423 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:31,560 Speaker 1: know if it feels that way right now. We just 424 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 1: don't seem to have that voice or reason. But it's 425 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 1: absolutely possible. We've been through We've been through a lot 426 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:41,760 Speaker 1: in our country, um in our history. We've we've done 427 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:44,919 Speaker 1: horrible things, you know, and recovered from that for the 428 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:47,879 Speaker 1: most part, you know, and work to improve that. We 429 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:49,879 Speaker 1: still have a long way to go. But you know, 430 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:53,600 Speaker 1: if you look back at a you know, some of 431 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:55,520 Speaker 1: the some of the stuff that we've done in the past, 432 00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 1: I'm not proud of, you know, but I am proud 433 00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:01,480 Speaker 1: of how we've been data that, you know, and even 434 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:05,640 Speaker 1: from since the civil rights movement and now there's still 435 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:06,879 Speaker 1: a lot of work that needs to be done, but 436 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 1: progress has been made and we just need to keep 437 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:11,720 Speaker 1: improving that and pushing towards that, and all the good 438 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:14,119 Speaker 1: people in our country, which is most of us, need 439 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: to be leading that conversation. Thanks for joining us on 440 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 1: the NFL Players Podcast. Don't forget to subscribe and follow 441 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 1: at NFL Players Podcast on Instagram for the latest players 442 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: stories and to connect with the NFL Players community.