WEBVTT - Listen: Inside the Jets with Bless Austin (12/16) 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:03.600 The teamside The Jets brought to you by e Y 0:00:03.600 --> 0:00:07.400 Building a Better Working World, and by M ANDT Bank, 0:00:07.600 --> 0:00:10.840 the official community bank of your New York Jets. No 0:00:11.160 --> 0:00:14.880 like here's Eric Gallen and Eric Coleman. Welcome to it, said. 0:00:14.880 --> 0:00:17.880 The Jets were broadcasting live from Vanderbilt Sports and Spirits 0:00:17.880 --> 0:00:21.840 inside the Windham Hamilton Park Hotel Eric Allen alongside my 0:00:22.040 --> 0:00:25.920 partner Eric Coleman. Later the show will be joined by 0:00:26.000 --> 0:00:31.760 Jets cornerback Bless Austin. But welcome back. Good to be back, 0:00:31.960 --> 0:00:34.920 Handerson Business. Last week, you guys held it down. I 0:00:34.960 --> 0:00:38.120 saw the show. Yeah, okay, then you were down in Texas, 0:00:38.240 --> 0:00:40.440 but now you're back in Florham Park. The Jets are 0:00:40.520 --> 0:00:43.640 five and nine with two games remaining the two thousand 0:00:43.800 --> 0:00:48.200 nineteen season. If you're a veteran in that locker room, 0:00:48.320 --> 0:00:52.319 what goes through your mind entering this final stretch. You're 0:00:52.360 --> 0:00:56.120 not making the playoffs, seating is not on the line 0:00:56.240 --> 0:00:58.959 or anything like that. What are you playing for these 0:00:59.000 --> 0:01:01.480 final two games? Well, I mean you have two opportunities 0:01:01.520 --> 0:01:03.960 to get better. If you're a veteran, uh, you know, 0:01:04.040 --> 0:01:07.080 to two more games too. That's two opportunities to show 0:01:07.120 --> 0:01:10.119 the world to show this organization that you should be here, 0:01:10.120 --> 0:01:12.160 you should be a part of their future plans. Uh. 0:01:12.200 --> 0:01:14.520 You know this this organization is moving in the right direction. 0:01:14.760 --> 0:01:16.040 And if you want to be a part of that, 0:01:16.160 --> 0:01:17.920 I mean, put it out there on the film, you know, 0:01:17.959 --> 0:01:20.240 go out there and finish the season strong and uh 0:01:20.240 --> 0:01:22.520 and put some great tape out there. Inside the Jets 0:01:22.600 --> 0:01:25.759 is presented by e Y Building a Better Working World, 0:01:25.920 --> 0:01:29.720 Eric Ellen alongside Eric Coleman. You watched the game Thursday 0:01:29.840 --> 0:01:35.160 night in Baltimore, the Jets go down to one. Is 0:01:35.200 --> 0:01:38.080 Baltimore the best team in the National Football League right now? 0:01:38.560 --> 0:01:41.880 I mean right now? They are? Uh, they played great defense. Uh, 0:01:41.880 --> 0:01:43.920 they run the ball well. They have a special player 0:01:43.920 --> 0:01:47.560 at quarterback. With that being said, they're they're very beautiful, 0:01:47.720 --> 0:01:49.560 you know, just like any other team in the league. 0:01:49.880 --> 0:01:52.280 You know, I think watching that game, you know, yes, 0:01:52.320 --> 0:01:54.240 it was a big difference in score, but there were 0:01:54.280 --> 0:01:57.280 a couple of plays there, a couple of opportunities, opportunities 0:01:57.480 --> 0:01:59.320 that the Jets had to keep it a close game. 0:01:59.560 --> 0:02:01.320 And if you know, you make a play here, you 0:02:01.360 --> 0:02:03.600 don't give uple to play there. You know, who knows 0:02:03.640 --> 0:02:05.440 what the outcome of the game is. So the Jets 0:02:05.440 --> 0:02:09.680 had only seven points at halftime despite reaching the Baltimore 0:02:10.360 --> 0:02:14.200 thirty one miss field goal. They got a touchdown on 0:02:14.240 --> 0:02:17.880 their second drive down there, got to the Baltimore seven, 0:02:17.919 --> 0:02:21.799 turn it over on downs, and then finally the Baltimore 0:02:21.880 --> 0:02:25.160 twenty five yard line and interception by Sam Donald, So 0:02:25.360 --> 0:02:29.600 there were opportunities there. In fact, the Green and White 0:02:29.760 --> 0:02:32.360 outgained the Ravens in the first half. They had nearly 0:02:32.360 --> 0:02:35.080 two hundred yards of offense. Well, I mean that's something 0:02:35.080 --> 0:02:37.160 that you when you look back at it. Yes, you're 0:02:37.160 --> 0:02:39.760 gonna be frustrated that you had some missed opportunities, but 0:02:39.760 --> 0:02:42.359 at the same time, you were in position to make plays. 0:02:42.800 --> 0:02:44.440 You were in position to be a part of this game, 0:02:44.520 --> 0:02:47.360 to to be competitive in this game, and those opportunities 0:02:47.400 --> 0:02:50.160 were missed. The good teams take advantage of those opportunities. 0:02:50.280 --> 0:02:52.320 The teams that have something to improve on leave it 0:02:52.360 --> 0:02:54.079 out there. So, you know, I think that this is 0:02:54.080 --> 0:02:55.960 a coaching point for the Jets. I think it's something 0:02:56.000 --> 0:02:58.280 that's gonna help them grow and as these young players 0:02:58.280 --> 0:03:01.600 continue to mature, it's just only gonna get better. Okay, 0:03:01.639 --> 0:03:06.440 So what do you make of Baltimore getting two eighteen 0:03:06.560 --> 0:03:09.359 yards on the ground against the defense that has been 0:03:09.440 --> 0:03:12.960 so stout against the run. Is it just a blip 0:03:12.960 --> 0:03:15.600 on the radar because they are so unique? You are 0:03:15.680 --> 0:03:18.720 never going to see a team like that over the 0:03:18.720 --> 0:03:20.720 final two weeks of the season, of course. I mean 0:03:20.760 --> 0:03:22.760 I shouldn't say never. I mean, you only got two 0:03:22.800 --> 0:03:24.960 games left. Yeah, Well, no one, no one else in 0:03:24.960 --> 0:03:27.120 the league has Lamar Jackson, and no one else has 0:03:27.160 --> 0:03:31.040 an offense created around such a special player. I mean 0:03:31.120 --> 0:03:33.560 I was watching the film. They were running Vier you 0:03:33.600 --> 0:03:36.440 know Vier power option, and it was like that I 0:03:36.520 --> 0:03:38.280 ran in high school, you know, when I was like 0:03:38.320 --> 0:03:40.360 the star player on the team and there was nothing else. 0:03:40.760 --> 0:03:42.960 You know, they were running plays that were old school. 0:03:43.160 --> 0:03:46.800 They were doing it well extra running back school. I know, 0:03:46.920 --> 0:03:48.680 we don't have the chalkboard in front of us, the 0:03:48.760 --> 0:03:51.320 white board, but break that down for people listening to 0:03:51.960 --> 0:03:54.640 this ESP in New York right, Well, well, the VIR 0:03:54.720 --> 0:03:57.720 play is something that like Vince Lombardi ran. You know, 0:03:57.840 --> 0:04:00.880 it's back like you know Army days, Army Navy runs 0:04:00.920 --> 0:04:04.520 the veer offense, and it's when Lamar Jackson has the ball, 0:04:04.760 --> 0:04:06.640 he puts the ball into the to the belly of 0:04:06.680 --> 0:04:09.480 the running back running into that B gap. If the 0:04:09.480 --> 0:04:12.520 defensive end or that outside linebacker collapses on the run, 0:04:12.680 --> 0:04:14.840 the quarterbacks gonna pull it and run around the corner. 0:04:15.040 --> 0:04:17.200 If the defensive end stays outside, he's gonna hand it 0:04:17.200 --> 0:04:18.839 off to the running back and he's gonna have a 0:04:18.839 --> 0:04:21.320 wide open lane to run the football. It's kind of like, uh, 0:04:21.520 --> 0:04:24.960 you know, pick your poison type offense. But the Baltimore 0:04:25.040 --> 0:04:26.880 Ravens have created this offense where they have the great 0:04:26.880 --> 0:04:29.960 offensive line, they have great perimeter blockers. Uh you know, 0:04:30.000 --> 0:04:32.520 they were they make the looks kind of crazy to 0:04:32.600 --> 0:04:34.560 where guys, is hard to prepare for that when you're 0:04:34.560 --> 0:04:36.599 playing it once a year. How hard is it to 0:04:36.680 --> 0:04:41.800 prepare for that when you had two days a prep 0:04:42.279 --> 0:04:44.400 Monday and Tuesday, and the Jets didn't even have a 0:04:44.440 --> 0:04:47.040 full practice. They went through a pair of walk throughs 0:04:47.080 --> 0:04:51.359 before departing via train down to Baltimore. Yeah, it's impossible, 0:04:51.440 --> 0:04:53.479 you know, to ask uh, you know, the guys to 0:04:53.520 --> 0:04:55.640 go out there and execute that game plan and to 0:04:55.720 --> 0:04:58.400 be that discipline to be able to stop that option 0:04:58.440 --> 0:05:01.920 that they've never seen me since their college days, and uh, 0:05:01.960 --> 0:05:04.320 you know, it's it's a big order to to to 0:05:04.440 --> 0:05:07.320 ask and when you when you add into that when 0:05:07.400 --> 0:05:09.400 Lamar Jackson, you know, there were a lot of times 0:05:09.400 --> 0:05:11.440 where the initial routes were covered when he dropped back 0:05:11.440 --> 0:05:13.640 the past. They did a great job on the initial route. 0:05:14.040 --> 0:05:15.720 But now you have a special player back there who 0:05:15.760 --> 0:05:17.960 can pull the ball down and he's a difference maker 0:05:18.040 --> 0:05:19.680 when he's in the open field. What do you make 0:05:19.720 --> 0:05:21.720 on the other side of the ball. The Jets quarterbacks 0:05:21.760 --> 0:05:24.760 Sam Donald, I'm sitting there watching the game in the 0:05:24.800 --> 0:05:28.680 first half, thinking, Wow, this is one of his better performances. 0:05:28.760 --> 0:05:32.640 I know he turned it over two times. And that's 0:05:32.680 --> 0:05:35.400 the thing with Sam right now, he said, I can't 0:05:35.440 --> 0:05:38.359 have those one or two mistakes the game. They're gonna 0:05:38.400 --> 0:05:41.760 come back to haunt me. But overall, that's a very 0:05:41.760 --> 0:05:47.240 good Baltimore Ravens defense. He was down without the Marius 0:05:47.320 --> 0:05:51.159 Thomas and his tight on Ryan Griffin was just placed 0:05:51.200 --> 0:05:54.880 on injury reserve, so again, a lot of moving parts. Offensively, 0:05:55.440 --> 0:05:59.280 I thought Donald acquitted himself quite well. I did too. 0:05:59.320 --> 0:06:01.280 I thought he managed the game well. He made some 0:06:01.320 --> 0:06:03.840 good decisions. Yes, he had the mistake at the end 0:06:03.839 --> 0:06:06.040 of the half where you know he maybe it was 0:06:06.080 --> 0:06:09.160 a miscommunication between he and a wide receiver. Tell you 0:06:09.240 --> 0:06:11.840 on Daniel danil Brown. Yeah, but but at the same time, 0:06:12.080 --> 0:06:15.159 you know you can't you can't have those miscommunications in 0:06:15.200 --> 0:06:18.239 the red zone specifically. Um. You know, I thought he's 0:06:18.240 --> 0:06:20.359 progressing as a quarterback. I think he's getting better with 0:06:20.400 --> 0:06:23.040 each game. And you know, the sky's a limit for 0:06:23.120 --> 0:06:25.240 what he can do as a quarterback. And you know, 0:06:25.279 --> 0:06:28.000 and you imagine this, Imagine the offensive line being healthy, 0:06:28.080 --> 0:06:31.239 imagine him having all his weapons. You know, there's there's 0:06:31.279 --> 0:06:33.760 a lot of possibilities that can happen with the healthy team. 0:06:33.880 --> 0:06:37.800 Adam Gates was adamant about it after the game with 0:06:37.880 --> 0:06:43.039 the Ravens that he's improving week by week. I see 0:06:43.160 --> 0:06:46.360 little things in terms of details, maybe that you all 0:06:46.400 --> 0:06:50.200 don't see. But he's gonna become a really good player 0:06:50.240 --> 0:06:52.480 in the National Football League. Your thought, I agree with it. 0:06:52.560 --> 0:06:54.200 I agree with that. I mean, you've seen him grow, 0:06:54.279 --> 0:06:57.160 You've seen the growth. He's not making the dumb mistakes 0:06:57.160 --> 0:06:59.280 where he's instead of throwing the ball away, he'll try 0:06:59.320 --> 0:07:02.240 to throw in the track. He's throwing those balls away. Y. Yes, 0:07:02.279 --> 0:07:04.000 he may take a sack here there where he's not 0:07:04.040 --> 0:07:06.760 supposed to, but overall as a quarterback, as a leader 0:07:06.760 --> 0:07:09.400 of this team. His confidence is growing, his decision making 0:07:09.520 --> 0:07:11.760 is improving, and you know he's starting to throw the 0:07:11.800 --> 0:07:14.240 ball more accurately as well. So you know, I think 0:07:14.280 --> 0:07:17.600 Sam is taking some strides. It's all about getting guys healthy, 0:07:18.240 --> 0:07:21.240 keeping his weapons around him, and continuing to learn with 0:07:21.280 --> 0:07:24.320 each mistake. I thought the Jets really got going offensively. 0:07:24.440 --> 0:07:27.400 First play the second quarter of forty one yard hook 0:07:27.480 --> 0:07:31.760 up with Jamison Crowder, where Sam stepped up in the 0:07:31.840 --> 0:07:36.360 pocket again, moved to his right, then displayed the accuracy 0:07:36.440 --> 0:07:38.960 on the move, and then later on that drive he 0:07:39.000 --> 0:07:42.680 goes back to Crowder. Crowder dropped a layout. I told 0:07:42.760 --> 0:07:45.640 him after the game, you have that pass in your 0:07:45.680 --> 0:07:51.360 hands a hundred times from here now on, you're gonna 0:07:51.360 --> 0:07:53.840 catch that ball a hundred times. But Donald goes back 0:07:53.920 --> 0:07:57.680 to him the very next play and somehow completed and 0:07:57.880 --> 0:08:01.280 absolutely ridiculous. Kind Yeah, that was awesome that he had 0:08:01.320 --> 0:08:04.560 the opportunity to redeem himself. But I mean, again, Donald, 0:08:05.640 --> 0:08:08.520 everyone knows he's accurate on the run. That's that's his strength. 0:08:08.680 --> 0:08:10.800 He's a great mobile quarterback. He can throw in the run. 0:08:11.200 --> 0:08:13.160 But now you know, as you go into the off season. 0:08:13.200 --> 0:08:14.920 As you go into the later part of the season, 0:08:15.240 --> 0:08:17.480 let's start working on the pocket presents. Let's start working 0:08:17.480 --> 0:08:19.200 on other aspects of your game to make you a 0:08:19.240 --> 0:08:22.360 complete quarterback. That's when you start to have a playoff contender. 0:08:22.560 --> 0:08:24.440 That's when you start to have an elite quarterback. And 0:08:24.480 --> 0:08:26.760 I think Sam is making those strong. The bottom line 0:08:26.800 --> 0:08:29.920 here is Sam Donald missed three games earlier this season 0:08:29.920 --> 0:08:33.240 with Mono. We know that he's also worked with an 0:08:33.320 --> 0:08:38.520 offensive line that's had two starters at each position from 0:08:38.640 --> 0:08:42.200 left to right, from left tackle to right tackle. I 0:08:42.280 --> 0:08:45.680 just mentioned Ryan Griffin gone to into reserve. Ryan Griffin 0:08:46.400 --> 0:08:49.480 tight a number one for the Jets. But let's think 0:08:49.520 --> 0:08:53.559 about Chris Hernon the connection Sam Donald and Chris Herndon 0:08:53.679 --> 0:08:56.720 had in year one. Herndon basically a lost season for 0:08:56.800 --> 0:09:01.320 him as well. Quincy and noon Wa was figuring into 0:09:01.400 --> 0:09:04.960 the plans here way back in training camp. Unfortunately he 0:09:05.000 --> 0:09:08.640 went down as well. Demarrius Thomas gets incorporated into the offense. 0:09:08.880 --> 0:09:11.280 He wasn't in the game. So you're seeing guys like 0:09:11.400 --> 0:09:14.680 Vincent Smith out there on the field, um in key 0:09:14.760 --> 0:09:17.160 situations for this team. Well, you know, I saw a 0:09:17.160 --> 0:09:19.840 stat that showed that the Jets have played over seventy 0:09:19.840 --> 0:09:22.040 players this season, and I mean, and that's if that 0:09:22.080 --> 0:09:24.360 isn't a credit to the coaching staff of getting these 0:09:24.360 --> 0:09:27.200 young players prepared to step into roles that they weren't 0:09:27.440 --> 0:09:29.640 expected to play in. You know, then I don't know 0:09:29.679 --> 0:09:31.800 what is. You know, I think that the young players 0:09:31.800 --> 0:09:34.480 have done a great job preparing themselves. I think the 0:09:34.559 --> 0:09:37.160 veterans have done a great job of showing leadership and 0:09:37.000 --> 0:09:39.320 and bringing them along. And the coaches have done an 0:09:39.360 --> 0:09:42.800 excellent job of coaching and preparing these young players. I mean, 0:09:42.880 --> 0:09:44.960 you know, we look at our guest Bless Austin and 0:09:45.000 --> 0:09:47.720 you talk about that secondary how many injuries they've had 0:09:47.720 --> 0:09:50.920 back there. I mean, Steve Jackson and Dennar Wilson, Uh, 0:09:51.120 --> 0:09:54.520 they deserve a Christmas bonus of some sort for the 0:09:54.840 --> 0:09:56.959 job they've done with these young players, preparing them for 0:09:57.000 --> 0:09:59.680 these game time situations. And they've done one heck of 0:09:59.679 --> 0:10:01.599 a job. And that'd be a silver lining for the 0:10:01.640 --> 0:10:05.000 New York just in two thousand nineteen, considering Joe Douglas. 0:10:05.120 --> 0:10:08.720 Joe Douglas was hired as general manager in June, and 0:10:08.800 --> 0:10:13.160 now he's seeing all some of these young guys play uh. 0:10:13.360 --> 0:10:15.560 Brandon Copeland talked about it on a conference call today. 0:10:15.600 --> 0:10:17.720 He said, you can look at each level the defense. 0:10:17.800 --> 0:10:21.720 Kyle Philips, undrafted free agent on the Tennessee fuller Runzo Faticasi, 0:10:21.760 --> 0:10:23.319 who was on the show a couple of weeks ago, 0:10:23.360 --> 0:10:25.440 has become one of the better run stuffers in the 0:10:25.520 --> 0:10:29.120 National Football League. Those defensive alignment at the inside linebacker position. 0:10:29.160 --> 0:10:31.840 Who would ever thought that, James Burgess and Double Hewitt, 0:10:32.240 --> 0:10:35.600 we're starting for you and playing well inside linebacker position. 0:10:35.800 --> 0:10:39.400 And then Cope did talk about our guest tonight as well, 0:10:39.640 --> 0:10:42.360 and that is blessed Austin. Yeah, I mean they they've 0:10:42.360 --> 0:10:45.120 done a tremendous job of preparing and having that next 0:10:45.120 --> 0:10:48.280 man up mentality, and it's just it's just adding depth 0:10:49.080 --> 0:10:51.240 to the off season, is adding depth to the future. 0:10:51.520 --> 0:10:53.640 Getting these young guys rips when you're not making it 0:10:53.640 --> 0:10:55.640 to the playoffs, that's what you do. You get rid 0:10:55.679 --> 0:10:57.560 of guys who are gonna be a part of your future. 0:10:57.720 --> 0:11:00.840 You give younger guys the opportunity. Well, because of injuries, 0:11:00.840 --> 0:11:03.160 these young guys have had a whole season of experience 0:11:03.440 --> 0:11:05.800 and it's gonna make things tough. Decision making is gonna 0:11:05.800 --> 0:11:07.640 be tough in the off season. They're gonna have to 0:11:07.679 --> 0:11:09.160 get rid of some guys who are making a ton 0:11:09.200 --> 0:11:11.520 of money because the younger guys can play as well. 0:11:11.840 --> 0:11:13.840 So you know it's gonna put you in a tough position, 0:11:13.840 --> 0:11:16.400 but I think it's gonna help and strengthen your team 0:11:16.480 --> 0:11:18.600 because of all this experience are gaining. All right, So 0:11:18.840 --> 0:11:22.400 the Pittsburgh Steelers are coming to MetLife Stadium on Sunday, 0:11:22.559 --> 0:11:25.480 and we're gonna get into that matchup. The Jets will 0:11:25.480 --> 0:11:28.640 conclude the two thousand nineteen season up in Buffalo against 0:11:28.679 --> 0:11:31.720 the playoff bound Bills. But we got a loaded show 0:11:32.080 --> 0:11:35.080 here tonight on Inside the Jets. We're gonna come right 0:11:35.120 --> 0:11:39.679 back and be joined by the A four mentioned Bless Austin. 0:11:40.080 --> 0:11:43.040 You are listening to Inside the Jets on ESPN New York. 0:11:45.800 --> 0:11:48.920 Darnald under some pressure looks right thros right handed his 0:11:49.040 --> 0:11:54.160 cart down. Inside the five tiptoeing inside the pomeline is Cropper. 0:11:54.520 --> 0:11:59.080 That's a Jet touchdown. Jets Rewards members, don't foreget to 0:11:59.240 --> 0:12:02.800 enter the code December in your Jets Rewards portal during 0:12:02.800 --> 0:12:06.320 the show to earn a hundred points. You're listening to 0:12:06.360 --> 0:12:09.439 Inside the Jets Eric Allen alongside Eric Coleman. We are 0:12:09.840 --> 0:12:13.040 broadcasting live at Manabro Sports and Spirits inside the Windham 0:12:13.080 --> 0:12:16.280 Hamilton Park Hotel. Our player guest segment is presented by 0:12:16.320 --> 0:12:19.600 I'm in t Bank, the official community bank of your 0:12:19.679 --> 0:12:23.160 New York Jets. Now, let's welcome in a man who 0:12:23.280 --> 0:12:30.800 was born in Brooklyn, raised in Queens bless Austin, Hey, blessed, Thanks, 0:12:31.360 --> 0:12:33.880 thanks so much for joining us. How was the weekend off? 0:12:34.200 --> 0:12:36.440 I mean, you're getting into a groove of things in 0:12:36.480 --> 0:12:39.199 the National Football League, playing a lot and then a 0:12:39.240 --> 0:12:42.280 Thursday night game and then getting extended break. I mean 0:12:42.320 --> 0:12:44.400 it was pretty cool. You know, it's pretty refreshing, you know, 0:12:44.480 --> 0:12:46.920 to have after you know, playing in Life File six 0:12:46.960 --> 0:12:49.199 consecutive games, so you know, just get a step back 0:12:49.200 --> 0:12:51.720 from everything and review the pass a little bit. You know, 0:12:51.760 --> 0:12:54.280 it was pretty cool to have. And you talked about 0:12:54.280 --> 0:12:56.880 playing in five or six consecutive games. What has it 0:12:57.000 --> 0:12:58.680 been like to be back in the swing of things, 0:12:58.960 --> 0:13:01.000 be a part of the game, and uh, you know, 0:13:01.280 --> 0:13:03.280 you know, you were hurt before for the last two years, 0:13:03.440 --> 0:13:05.000 but now you're a part of the mix. You're you're 0:13:05.040 --> 0:13:06.960 part of the what goes on in the game. What 0:13:07.000 --> 0:13:09.320 has that been like for you? I mean, it's been exciting. Man. 0:13:09.320 --> 0:13:11.880 It's been interesting too because I remember early on when 0:13:11.920 --> 0:13:14.760 I started playing, I had to kind of relearn how 0:13:14.840 --> 0:13:17.000 to study, you know, how to study for the game playing, 0:13:17.320 --> 0:13:19.880 you know, which things was more important to know than others. 0:13:19.880 --> 0:13:22.480 I had to kind of decipher that, like throughout the weeks. 0:13:22.679 --> 0:13:24.760 So it was pretty interesting to realize, all, this is 0:13:24.800 --> 0:13:26.840 my best way to study. This is how you know, 0:13:27.120 --> 0:13:29.080 comprehend the most out of the game playing like, so 0:13:29.240 --> 0:13:31.760 going through that, it's pretty interesting to learn, you know, 0:13:31.800 --> 0:13:34.080 how I was doing things for the past. Well, let's 0:13:34.080 --> 0:13:37.880 get into your backstory, because I don't know if everybody 0:13:38.160 --> 0:13:42.319 is aware of what happened you at Rutgers very productive 0:13:42.360 --> 0:13:45.959 player that two thousand seventeen comes You're living in the 0:13:46.080 --> 0:13:51.840 four games, right, yeah, A cl injury rehab, Get all 0:13:51.880 --> 0:13:55.680 the way back two thousand and eighteen season opener, same 0:13:55.800 --> 0:14:01.480 a CEL correct and your college career. What was that 0:14:01.800 --> 0:14:04.880 like and how were you able to overcome that verse game? 0:14:05.240 --> 0:14:07.479 I mean the first time, I mean it was devastating 0:14:07.559 --> 0:14:10.040 without it, doubt because I've never been through anything like that. 0:14:10.080 --> 0:14:12.520 I never got surgery playing football as long as I did, 0:14:13.000 --> 0:14:14.679 you know, So I wasn't sure I was gonna bounce 0:14:14.720 --> 0:14:17.280 back the first time it happened to me. So, you know, 0:14:17.400 --> 0:14:20.000 when it happened, you know, I was actually thinking about 0:14:20.000 --> 0:14:23.120 declaring that. Yeah. Remember you know, always joking to my coaches, Hey, 0:14:23.240 --> 0:14:25.800 you know, this my last year playing around. So when 0:14:25.800 --> 0:14:27.840 it happened, to be honest, the first thing that popped 0:14:27.840 --> 0:14:30.520 into my mind is, uh, I gotta come back, num yea. 0:14:31.720 --> 0:14:33.680 That was the first thing that crossed my mind. So, 0:14:34.240 --> 0:14:36.200 I mean the first time, you know, I went through it, 0:14:36.920 --> 0:14:38.520 you know, it was hard and got over it. The 0:14:38.560 --> 0:14:41.000 second time it happened, I wasn't really you know, sweating 0:14:41.000 --> 0:14:43.000 it as much because I was pretty much like I 0:14:43.040 --> 0:14:44.600 went through it, It's gonna be a breeze, you know. 0:14:44.680 --> 0:14:47.160 The second time, I just gotta you know, be consistent 0:14:47.520 --> 0:14:49.720 with my rehab. So I wasn't really sweating at the 0:14:49.720 --> 0:14:52.160 second time as much. But what is the rehab like 0:14:52.360 --> 0:14:55.240 after an NCL. I mean you kind of relearned how 0:14:55.280 --> 0:14:57.600 to do everything again, as far as walking, you know, 0:14:57.640 --> 0:14:59.280 and when you start learning how to walk, you got 0:14:59.360 --> 0:15:00.880 to get to let you to walk in you know, 0:15:01.160 --> 0:15:04.080 a lot of mileage, and it's the jogging phase, getting 0:15:04.120 --> 0:15:06.520 back in shape, getting the leg back. You know. You 0:15:06.560 --> 0:15:08.200 so you add you feel a little bit in the leg. 0:15:08.280 --> 0:15:10.000 You know, you lose a lot of weight, you know, 0:15:10.000 --> 0:15:12.880 I remember being you know, it was one man. I 0:15:12.960 --> 0:15:16.440 dropped to about one six eight after surgery. While so yeah, 0:15:16.560 --> 0:15:18.840 so it's just a whole bunch of stuff that comes 0:15:18.840 --> 0:15:21.760 with weight loss, you know, your confidence, you know, getting 0:15:21.760 --> 0:15:24.880 confidence back in the leg, explosion power, It's a whole 0:15:24.880 --> 0:15:26.480 bunch of stuff that goes into it. But you just 0:15:26.480 --> 0:15:29.200 gotta have patience. And so can you talk about what 0:15:29.320 --> 0:15:32.280 it was like getting back into football, because when you're injured, 0:15:32.280 --> 0:15:34.360 people don't know this. When you're injured, yes you're a 0:15:34.400 --> 0:15:36.480 part of the team. Yeah you go to practice and meetings, 0:15:36.720 --> 0:15:38.560 but you're not really a part of the team because 0:15:38.560 --> 0:15:41.040 you're not practicing. You don't have those stories to tell. 0:15:41.360 --> 0:15:43.360 What was that like getting back into the swinging things 0:15:43.400 --> 0:15:45.760 and what was it like being out with that injury. 0:15:46.200 --> 0:15:48.280 I mean, it was pretty cool, man, because when I 0:15:48.520 --> 0:15:51.120 remember when I first started practice and I felt comfortable 0:15:51.120 --> 0:15:53.880 being around everybody again, you know, in a comfortable man, 0:15:53.920 --> 0:15:55.400 because now I can look at everybody in the face 0:15:55.560 --> 0:15:57.800 like I'm sweating, I'm getting in with y'all now. So 0:15:58.200 --> 0:16:00.400 I was pretty happy about that. You know, when you're 0:16:00.400 --> 0:16:02.040 not practicing with the guys, you could feel like you 0:16:02.160 --> 0:16:04.440 secluded a little bit, and not that they made you 0:16:04.480 --> 0:16:06.640 feel like that, but you know, you naturally feel like 0:16:06.680 --> 0:16:08.520 that because you're not out there physically funding the work 0:16:08.520 --> 0:16:10.640 with them. And what was it that got you through 0:16:10.640 --> 0:16:12.600 those times? You know, I know it was tough, you know, 0:16:12.680 --> 0:16:15.160 going to rehab, you know, not going to meetings and 0:16:15.200 --> 0:16:17.120 not being a part of it. What got you through 0:16:17.800 --> 0:16:20.120 those phases are being injured. I mean that had a 0:16:20.120 --> 0:16:22.560 strong support system back home, you know, and I got 0:16:22.640 --> 0:16:25.840 a mentor as well, you know, coach Corey Robinson. He always, 0:16:25.880 --> 0:16:28.520 you know, pretty much you know, preached to me back 0:16:28.560 --> 0:16:30.840 my senim in college about you know, you can't you 0:16:30.840 --> 0:16:33.320 gotta control the controllable, you know, you can't try to 0:16:33.360 --> 0:16:35.320 control things you can't control. So I just took it 0:16:35.360 --> 0:16:36.600 to day at the time, and I didn't try to 0:16:36.640 --> 0:16:39.240 look too far. What was draft? We kind of like though, 0:16:39.280 --> 0:16:42.680 because you got taken in the sixth round. I'm sure 0:16:43.360 --> 0:16:47.120 after the multiple injuries, maybe there was some uncertainty. But 0:16:47.520 --> 0:16:49.960 the one thing that always has stood out to me 0:16:50.040 --> 0:16:53.480 about you here earlier in your career is that you 0:16:53.520 --> 0:16:57.560 are a confident guy and no matter what was gonna happen, 0:16:58.080 --> 0:17:00.480 nothing was gonna stop you from break and down that 0:17:00.600 --> 0:17:04.280 door in the National Football League. Yeah, I mean, I 0:17:04.320 --> 0:17:07.800 always knew I played in a big time for a 0:17:07.840 --> 0:17:09.880 couple of years, so I knew I had the talent 0:17:09.920 --> 0:17:11.520 I able to take to play at the next level. 0:17:12.000 --> 0:17:14.000 And I knew that the type of talent I had, 0:17:14.000 --> 0:17:16.000 and where everybody you know, said what I looked like. 0:17:16.080 --> 0:17:18.239 The coaches even told me, you know, straight up, hey, 0:17:18.240 --> 0:17:20.080 you like this type of dude, Like that type of 0:17:20.119 --> 0:17:21.800 dude some of the some of the best I played 0:17:22.000 --> 0:17:24.680 at where they was at. So, you know, with them 0:17:24.680 --> 0:17:26.679 telling me that I had the confidence that I was 0:17:26.720 --> 0:17:28.440 good enough to play, it was just a mad of 0:17:28.480 --> 0:17:31.520 getting there staying healthy. So now that I'm healthy and 0:17:31.520 --> 0:17:33.400 I can play, now, now I'm just happy I can 0:17:33.440 --> 0:17:35.040 put the talent on display. So let's go to the 0:17:35.119 --> 0:17:37.440 scout team I got. I gotta ask these stories about 0:17:37.520 --> 0:17:42.120 because you're notorious for getting out there. Adam Gates said, listen, 0:17:42.160 --> 0:17:45.520 this guy Bless Austin gave us fits. Then we had 0:17:45.600 --> 0:17:48.200 somebody here a couple of weeks ago actually on inside 0:17:48.240 --> 0:17:51.280 the Jets and said, yeah, bless you started mixing it 0:17:51.359 --> 0:17:53.920 up with Prian winners, Brian winners, pretty big dude and 0:17:54.040 --> 0:17:58.480 offensive linemen. So when you started practicing in mid October 0:17:58.520 --> 0:18:02.160 and you had been cleared, what's the mentality when you're 0:18:02.200 --> 0:18:06.119 going out there on the sculpting. Man, I'm just I 0:18:06.200 --> 0:18:09.560 got so much fire built up in me from from draft, 0:18:09.560 --> 0:18:12.560 from the draft process, you know, being out for so long. 0:18:13.080 --> 0:18:15.439 You know, my passion, my passion that is for the 0:18:15.480 --> 0:18:17.359 game is that it's highest level. I think it's as 0:18:17.400 --> 0:18:20.080 high as it could be, you know, So every time 0:18:20.119 --> 0:18:22.080 I'm out there, I want to impose my will at all. 0:18:22.080 --> 0:18:23.840 Of course, you know it's a bigger corner. You know, 0:18:24.320 --> 0:18:26.760 I probed myself up be in physical health here. You know, 0:18:26.800 --> 0:18:29.440 I feel like it's not enough big corners that's embracing 0:18:29.480 --> 0:18:31.119 that physical role. So that's something that I want to 0:18:31.119 --> 0:18:34.240 embrace as a bigger dude playing the position. So you 0:18:34.280 --> 0:18:37.159 know out there, I mean you said it, man, I 0:18:37.200 --> 0:18:39.200 just I just want to oppose my will whatever it is. 0:18:39.640 --> 0:18:41.199 You know, if if it's a matchup that I like, 0:18:41.240 --> 0:18:44.000 I'm gonna take that matchup, but you know, Brian Winners, 0:18:44.080 --> 0:18:47.840 that's not a matchup my life. It wasn't a match 0:18:47.840 --> 0:18:50.200 about life. So I didn't I couldn't take that one. 0:18:50.960 --> 0:18:54.200 So can you give us an inside look at your 0:18:54.240 --> 0:18:56.919 meeting room as a defensive back because you know, listen, 0:18:57.000 --> 0:19:00.320 there's been injuries throughout the whole secondary, but at the 0:19:00.359 --> 0:19:02.200 same time, guys are stepping up and they're playing and 0:19:02.240 --> 0:19:05.080 they're confident. What kind of chemistry, kind of bond do 0:19:05.080 --> 0:19:06.959 you have with your coaches and the players that are 0:19:06.960 --> 0:19:09.800 in that room. Um, we have a great bond. And 0:19:09.840 --> 0:19:11.480