WEBVTT - NFL Running Back Austin Ekeler Recaps 2021 Draft 0:00:03.920 --> 0:00:07.880 From the King of sports Books. Who comes the King 0:00:08.119 --> 0:00:17.920 Sports Podcast Unleashed presented by bet MGM. You're your host, 0:00:18.440 --> 0:00:29.760 Speedy Mormon and Olivia Arlen Decker. Welcome back to Unleashed 0:00:29.800 --> 0:00:33.280 from the King of Sports Books bet MGM, and today 0:00:33.520 --> 0:00:36.839 is our NFL Draft wrap up and we have an 0:00:36.920 --> 0:00:40.600 amazing guest, l A Charger. Austin Ekeler joins the show. 0:00:41.080 --> 0:00:43.839 But before all of that, Olivia is going to update 0:00:43.960 --> 0:00:47.760 us on what happened at the draft. Olivia, the floor 0:00:47.920 --> 0:00:50.960 is yours. What would you say were the biggest takeaways 0:00:51.040 --> 0:00:54.080 from the first round? Hey, Speedy, Yeah, it was a 0:00:54.240 --> 0:00:57.480 great first round of the draft, especially and how refreshing 0:00:57.560 --> 0:01:00.880 just to see the guys there in their fancy suits 0:01:00.960 --> 0:01:03.760 hugging their families. It was just what we needed, right. 0:01:03.840 --> 0:01:06.480 It was so fun to watch. I think at first 0:01:06.560 --> 0:01:09.839 it was notable that all the first three picks were quarterbacks, 0:01:09.840 --> 0:01:13.319 but not necessarily who we thought. They're also a record 0:01:13.360 --> 0:01:17.320 setting seven offensive players taking off the board first record setting, 0:01:17.600 --> 0:01:20.960 and that includes the highest drafted tight end ever. There 0:01:21.040 --> 0:01:23.800 was a last minute top ten trade that was exciting. 0:01:24.080 --> 0:01:28.000 There were three current NFL quarterbacks reunited with their former 0:01:28.040 --> 0:01:31.560 college teammates, that was in the top ten alone, and 0:01:31.640 --> 0:01:34.000 the Patriots draft a quarterback in the first round for 0:01:34.040 --> 0:01:37.959 the first time in almost thirty years. Something else is 0:01:38.000 --> 0:01:40.319 just a college football fan. I thought was interesting her 0:01:40.680 --> 0:01:44.959 seven players who opted out of the season got picked 0:01:45.000 --> 0:01:47.960 in the first round, so that kind of puts in perspective. 0:01:48.000 --> 0:01:50.520 I was tweeting about this little bit of how NFL 0:01:50.560 --> 0:01:53.560 scouts valued that decision because a lot of people thought 0:01:53.560 --> 0:01:55.440 that would hurt their draft stock. It clearly did not. 0:01:56.080 --> 0:01:59.240 And then conference wise, just for the breakdown, six players 0:01:59.280 --> 0:02:02.560 from Alabama Hima alone were taken in the first round. 0:02:02.560 --> 0:02:07.400 That's insane. The SEC is obviously king again, and no players, 0:02:07.440 --> 0:02:10.280 not a single player from the Big twelve was drafted 0:02:10.280 --> 0:02:13.000 in the first round. That's never happened. So that those 0:02:13.000 --> 0:02:15.880 are your tree tops, But that that was very interesting 0:02:15.919 --> 0:02:18.440 first night of the draft, Olivia, why don't you run 0:02:18.480 --> 0:02:23.000 us through those first seven offensive players that were picked. Yeah, 0:02:23.080 --> 0:02:27.000 just as everyone predicted, Trevor Lawrence went first overall to Jacksonville, 0:02:27.080 --> 0:02:29.600 and then Zack Wilson, the quarterback out of b y U, 0:02:29.800 --> 0:02:32.120 he goes to the New York Jets. I like they 0:02:32.160 --> 0:02:35.200 coined the term Zach Smith Avenue instead of sack Smith Avenue. 0:02:35.200 --> 0:02:37.680 That was kind of funny. And he's hoping to be 0:02:37.720 --> 0:02:41.160 the best quarterback in the franchise since Broadway Joe Namath, 0:02:41.320 --> 0:02:44.000 so a lot of pressure. And then the big surprise 0:02:44.080 --> 0:02:47.040 medi was Trey Lance going third overall to the San 0:02:47.040 --> 0:02:50.680 Francisco forty niners. And as the story developed, because there 0:02:50.680 --> 0:02:52.880 were a lot of question marks, we found out later 0:02:52.919 --> 0:02:55.800 that the GM John Lynch and the coach Kyle Shanahan 0:02:56.120 --> 0:02:59.040 had made the decision but told no one. They didn't 0:02:59.080 --> 0:03:02.040 tell their owner, it didn't tell scouts, coaching staff, no one. 0:03:02.280 --> 0:03:05.480 They wanted to try to get rid of confirmation bias 0:03:05.600 --> 0:03:07.920 of group think, but they knew they were going for 0:03:08.000 --> 0:03:11.880 Trey Lance. So it's a huge secret. It's a great story, 0:03:11.919 --> 0:03:14.600 but it's a really bold pick. I mean, remember they 0:03:14.639 --> 0:03:17.119 gave up two first round picks for the next two 0:03:17.200 --> 0:03:19.880 years to get this third overall pick, and they use 0:03:19.960 --> 0:03:22.600 it on a guy who played in the FCS, only 0:03:22.639 --> 0:03:27.440 really played one season, only has seventeen starts, So major gamble. 0:03:27.800 --> 0:03:29.840 This is gonna be something we're talking about for years 0:03:29.880 --> 0:03:33.640 to come, and probably the biggest storyline from night one. 0:03:34.080 --> 0:03:36.280 And then I mentioned the highest drafted tight end. Ever, 0:03:36.400 --> 0:03:40.000 that's Kyle Pitts from Florida. He went forth overall to Atlanta, 0:03:40.520 --> 0:03:42.760 and pundit say he's a future Hall of Famer. He's 0:03:42.760 --> 0:03:45.920 a freak athlete, and it's really a sigh of relief 0:03:46.000 --> 0:03:49.120 for quarterback Matt Ryan. He gets another weapon and not 0:03:49.240 --> 0:03:53.320 a replacement. So that's another big storyline. And so then 0:03:53.400 --> 0:03:57.040 after all of those offensive players, we finally got our 0:03:57.120 --> 0:04:01.840 first defensive player picked. What can you tell less about him? Yeah, 0:04:01.920 --> 0:04:04.000 all the way to number eight. Again, that was record 0:04:04.000 --> 0:04:07.960 setting seven offensive players taken first. That's cornerback j. C. Horne. 0:04:08.000 --> 0:04:11.040 He goes to the Carolina Panthers. The reason that's significant 0:04:11.200 --> 0:04:13.800 is because they did not go for a quarterback. They 0:04:13.840 --> 0:04:17.479 had both Justin Fields and Mac Jones available, which means 0:04:17.480 --> 0:04:20.200 that they were writing with Sam Donald. Afterwards, they picked 0:04:20.279 --> 0:04:23.440 up his fifth year option. So that's the big storyline 0:04:23.480 --> 0:04:26.040 in Carolina. And then I mentioned earlier there was a 0:04:26.040 --> 0:04:28.800 trade in the top ten. That was the Philadelphia Eagles. 0:04:28.800 --> 0:04:31.640 They moved up two spots to get the number ten spot. 0:04:31.960 --> 0:04:34.000 That's in a trade at the Cowboys who received a 0:04:34.040 --> 0:04:37.680 third round pick, and they got Heisman winner Davante Smith 0:04:37.760 --> 0:04:40.599 taken at number ten to the Eagles, and he's now 0:04:40.600 --> 0:04:45.320 reunited with his old quarterback at Alabama, Jalen Hurts. He 0:04:45.520 --> 0:04:48.360 is and Olivia. Lastly, here, what can you tell us 0:04:48.480 --> 0:04:53.159 about Justin Fields and Mac Jones? Something happened there? Huh yeah, 0:04:53.200 --> 0:04:55.480 I mean last week, Speedy, we were talking about those 0:04:55.520 --> 0:04:57.880 two guys. Everyone thought they were going to be first 0:04:57.960 --> 0:05:01.240 five six players taken. Well, just Fields, the quarterback out 0:05:01.279 --> 0:05:04.320 of Ohio State, fell to number eleven. He's going to 0:05:04.360 --> 0:05:07.000 the Chicago Bears. You know, they have a pretty good 0:05:07.040 --> 0:05:10.320 defense in place in Chicago, but they have been desperate 0:05:10.400 --> 0:05:13.159 for a quarterback to save the day. So you know, 0:05:13.200 --> 0:05:16.480 I'm a Packer fan. I was kind of watching this 0:05:16.600 --> 0:05:19.279 develop because I did not want Chicago to get a 0:05:19.279 --> 0:05:21.520 great player, and I think they did in Justin Field. 0:05:21.640 --> 0:05:26.040 So congratulations to Justin Field. That's exciting. But then fifteenth overall, 0:05:26.240 --> 0:05:30.000 that's when Mac Jones from Alabama was selected. He goes 0:05:30.080 --> 0:05:33.080 to New England. That was the first quarterback the Patriots 0:05:33.120 --> 0:05:35.440 have drafted in the first round. I've mentioned that earlier 0:05:35.560 --> 0:05:39.880 since Drew bloodso Ine that's the year I was born, 0:05:39.920 --> 0:05:42.719 So in my lifetime, the Patriots have not taken a 0:05:42.800 --> 0:05:45.919 quarterback in the first round. It's it's incredible, but it 0:05:45.960 --> 0:05:50.280 speaks so highly of what Bill Belichick thinks of Nick Saban. Overall, 0:05:50.320 --> 0:05:53.719 he's drafted thirteen players coached by Nick Saban. That's most 0:05:53.760 --> 0:05:57.479 in any coaching tandem. You've seen great videos of them together, 0:05:57.560 --> 0:06:00.320 their friends. They say they enjoy talking to no one 0:06:00.360 --> 0:06:03.279 else more than the other. So that's a really cool 0:06:03.960 --> 0:06:07.000 story overall of the two best coaches to ever do it. 0:06:07.120 --> 0:06:09.880 So I love that that's how Mac Jones ends up 0:06:09.880 --> 0:06:12.200 in New England. And then one other quick thing speed 0:06:12.640 --> 0:06:15.760 the Clemson running back Travis Etienne. He went twenty five 0:06:15.839 --> 0:06:19.560 overall to Jacksonville. So he's now reunited with Clemson teammate 0:06:19.600 --> 0:06:22.520 Trevor Lawrence, who obviously went first overall, and they're going 0:06:22.560 --> 0:06:25.159 to play for Urban Meyer and his coaching return. So 0:06:25.600 --> 0:06:29.000 Jacksonville is a great story this year, Olivia. With the 0:06:29.200 --> 0:06:33.480 robust NFL Draft recap now coming up on Unleashed, We've 0:06:33.520 --> 0:06:43.080 got l a Charger Austin Ekeler joining the show. Austin 0:06:43.120 --> 0:06:45.599 Ekeler is a running back for the Los Angeles Chargers. 0:06:45.600 --> 0:06:49.000 He played his college ball at Western Colorado. Ekeler rushed 0:06:49.000 --> 0:06:51.000 for a well over a thousand yards and all four 0:06:51.000 --> 0:06:53.480 of his seasons and even led Division two and all 0:06:53.480 --> 0:06:56.839 purpose yards per game. He then went undrafted and signed 0:06:56.839 --> 0:07:00.720 with the Chargers in where he's been ever sense, becoming 0:07:00.800 --> 0:07:03.880 one of the most recognizable faces on the team and 0:07:03.960 --> 0:07:07.040 signing a four year extension. So the last two weeks 0:07:07.080 --> 0:07:10.480 Austin were very focused on the draft obviously, and that's 0:07:10.520 --> 0:07:14.520 kind of where your story begins, um, from the national perspective, 0:07:14.800 --> 0:07:17.720 by not getting drafted, Can you explain what those couple 0:07:17.720 --> 0:07:19.600 of days were like for you? You know, what your 0:07:19.640 --> 0:07:21.800 agent was saying, what your family was saying, what you 0:07:21.840 --> 0:07:25.200 were feeling. Yeah, absolutely, thanks for having me on first 0:07:25.240 --> 0:07:28.080 and foremost glad to be here. But uh, yeah for me, 0:07:28.160 --> 0:07:30.000 you know, I came from a smaller school like my 0:07:30.080 --> 0:07:35.160 school in generals like students, so it's very small, universal wow, 0:07:35.760 --> 0:07:38.160 very small and up in the mountains in a little valley, 0:07:38.680 --> 0:07:41.080 a little mountain town that's based off of tourism, right, 0:07:41.120 --> 0:07:43.360 that's how that town makes elevens money. But it was 0:07:43.400 --> 0:07:45.800 not like a big sports town. So as far as 0:07:45.840 --> 0:07:48.920 having scouts up there my practices, like my senior year, 0:07:48.920 --> 0:07:50.440 it was like a big deal. Was like, oh, like, 0:07:50.760 --> 0:07:52.960 who are these people like we have some outside was 0:07:53.000 --> 0:07:55.080 coming up. So it was just from that's the dynamic 0:07:55.120 --> 0:07:57.880 that was going into I definitely had some interest because 0:07:57.920 --> 0:07:59.920 I did have scouts out there a lot of my practices, 0:08:00.480 --> 0:08:02.680 but then just going into the draft, you know, my 0:08:02.760 --> 0:08:05.000 agent would just tell him, like, look like you came 0:08:05.040 --> 0:08:06.760 to us a school where you don't really have the 0:08:06.800 --> 0:08:09.040 competition level, Like you know, no one's ever come out 0:08:09.040 --> 0:08:11.480 of the Western that's going to the NFL besides one person, 0:08:11.960 --> 0:08:13.800 and so it's like, probably not gonna get drafted just 0:08:13.840 --> 0:08:16.040 because teams feel like they can pick you up and 0:08:16.040 --> 0:08:18.040 they feel like teams would just let you slide. And 0:08:18.280 --> 0:08:20.320 like if you're on the same level as someone else 0:08:20.360 --> 0:08:22.320 on the draft board and they went to like L 0:08:22.400 --> 0:08:24.200 s U or bigger school, they're gonna take that person 0:08:24.200 --> 0:08:26.400 because they have more eyes. And so I wasn't expected 0:08:26.440 --> 0:08:29.080 to get drafted. So about half of through the last 0:08:29.160 --> 0:08:31.880 round of the draft, the Chargers called me, Uh, well, 0:08:31.880 --> 0:08:33.439 they called my agent and like, hey, we're gonna take 0:08:33.480 --> 0:08:35.679 him if if he doesn't get picked up in these 0:08:35.760 --> 0:08:38.360 last few rounds, will take him as undrafted free agent 0:08:38.320 --> 0:08:40.280 if he wants to sign with us. And that was 0:08:40.320 --> 0:08:42.000 one of the top choices that I had and going 0:08:42.040 --> 0:08:45.120 into the draft, so it was perfect. And now are 0:08:45.160 --> 0:08:48.199 you watching the draft day by day like as it goes, 0:08:48.320 --> 0:08:49.800 or were you kind of like, man, let me just 0:08:49.840 --> 0:08:53.240 not even watch, just to manage your own expectations. So 0:08:53.440 --> 0:08:55.720 I mean I watched the first round just to see 0:08:55.760 --> 0:08:58.120 a few like picks go by, and then the second 0:08:58.160 --> 0:09:00.200 day of like and it went. In the third day, 0:09:00.240 --> 0:09:01.880 I was actually in the gym just listening to it 0:09:01.920 --> 0:09:04.320 in my ear, waiting for those last, those final rounds 0:09:04.360 --> 0:09:07.240 to come by. And then finally when the seventh round 0:09:07.280 --> 0:09:09.000 came by, I had like a little little get together 0:09:09.080 --> 0:09:10.800 just in case, you know, something crazy happened, and I 0:09:10.800 --> 0:09:13.960 got drafted. But it still was a special moment getting 0:09:13.960 --> 0:09:16.840 signed right after the draft. So in my head, I'm 0:09:16.880 --> 0:09:19.199 picturing that like a movie scene, Like you're in the gym, 0:09:19.360 --> 0:09:22.800 you hear each name, every name that's going and how 0:09:22.840 --> 0:09:24.640 that has to be such a theme, and then when 0:09:24.679 --> 0:09:27.319 you finally get the call you're going to the Chargers. 0:09:27.840 --> 0:09:31.240 Does being undrafted set of tones that set some kind 0:09:31.280 --> 0:09:34.240 of separation between you and other guys as far as 0:09:34.440 --> 0:09:37.360 politically and like in the audience was yes, But in 0:09:37.440 --> 0:09:40.160 my head it was like, no, like, I need an opportunity. 0:09:40.240 --> 0:09:41.680 I guess what I was looking for. I was looking 0:09:41.679 --> 0:09:44.200 for an opportunity. I literally dropped out of the last 0:09:44.400 --> 0:09:46.959 semester of college just to train and just to focus 0:09:46.960 --> 0:09:49.040 on the opportunity. I was all in on what I had. 0:09:49.040 --> 0:09:51.000 I was like, this is the most important thing that 0:09:51.080 --> 0:09:52.600 I want to do right now in my life, and 0:09:52.640 --> 0:09:54.520 so I dropped everything just to focus on the train. 0:09:54.559 --> 0:09:56.760 I had great numbers, and you know, I did well 0:09:56.800 --> 0:09:58.480 in college, so I felt like, Okay, I'm gonna get 0:09:58.480 --> 0:10:01.720 an opportunity somewhere. And so when that opportunity finally came, 0:10:01.720 --> 0:10:03.680 it was like, okay, it's it's a good time for me. Now. 0:10:04.559 --> 0:10:07.440 Well that opportunity came on your first NFL carry, you 0:10:07.480 --> 0:10:11.400 score a touchdown. What was your approach to rookie here? Right? 0:10:11.440 --> 0:10:13.600 So my rookie year, I came in a sixth stream 0:10:13.679 --> 0:10:17.079 into camp and so I mean, you know anything about football, 0:10:17.240 --> 0:10:19.040 there's not too many six stringers that make the team 0:10:20.400 --> 0:10:23.560 so right, And so the thing was, I never moved 0:10:23.600 --> 0:10:25.680 up on the depth chart either during training camp. I 0:10:25.720 --> 0:10:28.360 was six stream throughout the entire time, and so you know, 0:10:28.400 --> 0:10:30.640 I was getting like a few players here and there, 0:10:30.640 --> 0:10:32.839 and most of my players came on scout team special teams, 0:10:32.840 --> 0:10:35.000 and that's where I made my most impact on the 0:10:35.000 --> 0:10:37.920 teams on special teams, going down and making tackles on 0:10:38.080 --> 0:10:40.679 on punt and you know, that was that was my role. 0:10:40.800 --> 0:10:42.200 That was my job at the time. So I took 0:10:42.240 --> 0:10:45.040 it super serious. Right, that's just keeping me in the league. 0:10:45.280 --> 0:10:47.680 And then you know, slowly started to just get my 0:10:47.720 --> 0:10:50.560 way into an offensive role. For my my first regular 0:10:50.559 --> 0:10:53.640 season carry was like the third game against the Eagles 0:10:53.679 --> 0:10:55.880 for a thirty four year touchdown. People like, Okay, maybe 0:10:55.920 --> 0:10:58.760 this guy can play, you know, but yeah, like my 0:10:58.920 --> 0:11:01.080 rookie year, Like I think one of my most favorite 0:11:01.080 --> 0:11:04.080 stats is that I led the NFL and tackles on point. 0:11:05.160 --> 0:11:06.840 That was because that's what I was doing. That was 0:11:06.880 --> 0:11:08.840 like my job, Like I'm going down and making tackles 0:11:08.840 --> 0:11:12.040 on specialty. You know, I was really good at it too, right, 0:11:12.080 --> 0:11:14.560 And so even to still today, that's like my favorite. 0:11:14.600 --> 0:11:16.960 Like I almost had a thousand receiving yard season, but 0:11:17.120 --> 0:11:19.839 I still love my piezstat the six out. To me, 0:11:19.960 --> 0:11:21.959 that's just how I got into the league, right, just 0:11:22.120 --> 0:11:24.920 show that I can do more than just play one position. 0:11:24.960 --> 0:11:27.199 I can do it all. Yeah, that's dope. Now, if 0:11:27.240 --> 0:11:29.360 it was me in your shoes, right, and the very 0:11:29.400 --> 0:11:31.880 first carry I rushed for thirty five yards or thirty 0:11:31.880 --> 0:11:34.600 four yards and score touchdown. I'm thinking that every time 0:11:34.600 --> 0:11:36.440 I touched the ball, I'm going to score. Did you 0:11:36.480 --> 0:11:39.600 have that mentality? Now? Like, yo, I might score every 0:11:39.600 --> 0:11:43.520 time I touched to the football. Not quite, not quite. 0:11:44.200 --> 0:11:46.840 I've got a few passes before then, like three or four, 0:11:47.280 --> 0:11:50.080 and so I understood the speed of the game. And 0:11:50.080 --> 0:11:51.800 then finally got my first carry and just you know, 0:11:51.840 --> 0:11:53.480 how to sell a block, he made a guy missed 0:11:53.480 --> 0:11:56.120 and scored. And so I mean, my average is pretty 0:11:56.160 --> 0:11:58.319 good right there. Should probably never touched the ball a game. 0:11:58.400 --> 0:12:00.840 Just kept my thirty four yard average. But to know 0:12:01.120 --> 0:12:02.680 I it was gonna be a little bit harder than that. 0:12:02.960 --> 0:12:05.079 But my mentality, yeah, my mentality, every time we get 0:12:05.080 --> 0:12:08.040 the balls, la, let's go make something happen. Well. Sticking 0:12:08.040 --> 0:12:10.080 with the topic of the draft this year, one of 0:12:10.080 --> 0:12:12.480 the big surprises was Trey Lance out of North Dakota 0:12:12.520 --> 0:12:16.000 State going third overall to San Francisco. Your teammates with 0:12:16.160 --> 0:12:19.160 his college teammate East and Stick. Have you ever had 0:12:19.240 --> 0:12:22.079 conversations with Eastern about Trey Lance and what he can 0:12:22.120 --> 0:12:24.960 be in the NFL. No, actually, I mean I don't 0:12:24.960 --> 0:12:27.640 even follow college football at all, so I can't put 0:12:27.679 --> 0:12:32.120 any input on that. Yeah, I know, because I came 0:12:32.120 --> 0:12:34.280 from a really small Division two schools, so I like 0:12:34.320 --> 0:12:36.280 follow my school and that's about it. Like, I don't 0:12:36.280 --> 0:12:39.160 know any of these big conferences that are always talked about, right, 0:12:39.320 --> 0:12:41.719 No one talks about the ARMAC. I don't even know 0:12:41.800 --> 0:12:43.880 if it stands for. It's a Rocky Mountain Athletic conference 0:12:43.880 --> 0:12:47.079 that's Ride Clay. So that's what I follow. To be here, 0:12:47.200 --> 0:12:52.480 I didn't know that the college football is my sport. 0:12:52.559 --> 0:12:54.240 That's what I cover. And I actually got to cover 0:12:54.320 --> 0:12:56.520 tray Lands at North Dakota State and I had a 0:12:56.520 --> 0:12:58.680 couple of their games. But I think that's the same 0:12:58.720 --> 0:13:01.319 mentality from where they're coming from. Now they're a powerhouse 0:13:01.440 --> 0:13:04.240 in their conference and where they're coming from. But I mean, 0:13:04.280 --> 0:13:06.440 there's got to be this thing amongst D two D 0:13:06.520 --> 0:13:09.640 three players in the NFL where you kind of like 0:13:10.000 --> 0:13:13.240 keep track of each other, right I do, because there's 0:13:13.600 --> 0:13:16.319 people from from the ARMAC. You know, Ryan Jensen and 0:13:16.400 --> 0:13:18.040 I just won the Super Bowl, you know, he's a 0:13:18.080 --> 0:13:21.080 center for you know, the Buccaneers, right, Like, yeah, Like 0:13:21.120 --> 0:13:24.480 we played against each other in college. And Danny Woodhead 0:13:24.480 --> 0:13:26.200 he's you know, he was a guy that I looked 0:13:26.200 --> 0:13:28.320 at to coming from the same conference, played for like 0:13:28.400 --> 0:13:30.880 nine years. He played for the Chargers for most of 0:13:30.880 --> 0:13:33.280 his career. So like, just guys like that, Like I 0:13:33.360 --> 0:13:36.520 just stay in touch with these guys. Now, Listen, after 0:13:36.960 --> 0:13:39.600 being you know, in the league for a couple of years, now, 0:13:39.679 --> 0:13:43.319 you were the first undrafted running back with five plus 0:13:43.360 --> 0:13:46.480 receiving scores in the first two years of your career. 0:13:46.559 --> 0:13:50.479 When you see and hear stats like that, knowing from 0:13:50.520 --> 0:13:52.920 where you came right knowing your journey, does it feel 0:13:53.000 --> 0:13:57.040 surreal at all? I don't think. I don't think so. 0:13:57.360 --> 0:13:59.120 I don't think so. I think it's just been part 0:13:59.200 --> 0:14:01.440 of the journey, part of just the process that I've 0:14:01.480 --> 0:14:04.440 been going through because I've been trying so hard and 0:14:04.559 --> 0:14:06.480 putting this at the top of my priority list, and 0:14:06.559 --> 0:14:08.600 it feels like I'm just going down the line. I'm 0:14:08.600 --> 0:14:10.760 taking advantage of every opportune that's been front of me 0:14:10.800 --> 0:14:13.000 as far as the NFL, and I continue just to 0:14:13.240 --> 0:14:15.360 just to really focus on this. So it's kind of like, Okay, 0:14:15.600 --> 0:14:18.319 I'm expecting myself to have some type of progress here. 0:14:18.800 --> 0:14:21.400 And you know, I think it was the real most 0:14:21.440 --> 0:14:23.160 thing in the first year because I was like the year, 0:14:23.160 --> 0:14:25.000 I'm like, okay, let me see how this is gonna go. 0:14:25.560 --> 0:14:27.720 Uh do I fit in here? Like I'm physically able 0:14:27.800 --> 0:14:30.200 and capable to be a leader. You would just be 0:14:30.360 --> 0:14:32.520 on the team. And as I've just kind of learned 0:14:32.560 --> 0:14:34.720 the business now, it's like, okay, like, yeah, I can 0:14:34.760 --> 0:14:37.120 see myself having a lot of success here as long 0:14:37.160 --> 0:14:39.720 as I stay with it and stay healthy. And that's 0:14:39.760 --> 0:14:41.320 kind of just been how it is. Like I don't 0:14:41.360 --> 0:14:43.520 take it for granted. I always remember where I came from, 0:14:43.560 --> 0:14:46.000 always remember I came from that. I continue to keep working, 0:14:46.080 --> 0:14:48.760 but I'm expecting results from myself, so it doesn't seem 0:14:48.800 --> 0:14:51.480 like it's like, oh, like surprising if if something good happens, 0:14:51.520 --> 0:14:54.200 Like I'm working towards this. A lot of people are 0:14:54.240 --> 0:14:56.840 expecting a lot of your whole team this year. You know, 0:14:56.960 --> 0:15:00.360 new stadium, new head coach, training, offensive rookie of the year. 0:15:00.920 --> 0:15:02.880 What are you all doing on the field, maybe just 0:15:02.960 --> 0:15:04.840 offensively that makes you a real threat in the a 0:15:05.000 --> 0:15:07.680 f C. Last year you know, we had some ups 0:15:07.720 --> 0:15:09.600 and down on this crazy year, just young her in 0:15:09.680 --> 0:15:11.480 his first year. You know, I think, what's gonna make 0:15:11.560 --> 0:15:13.440 us a threat? You know, we have to be an 0:15:13.480 --> 0:15:15.840 explosive offense just in general just to be able to 0:15:15.840 --> 0:15:18.040 compete with the Chiefs. And you know the rumors of 0:15:18.440 --> 0:15:20.560 Aaron Rodgers trying to end up in the Bronco whatever 0:15:20.600 --> 0:15:25.240 he's trying to do, I'm talking about, it was gonna 0:15:25.640 --> 0:15:27.720 regardless we got We got Pat Mahomes in our division, 0:15:27.800 --> 0:15:30.480 so we're gonna have some firepower. Um. You know, that's 0:15:30.520 --> 0:15:32.200 what our our coaches are trying to do, right trying 0:15:32.240 --> 0:15:33.680 to put us in the best positions. We have a 0:15:33.680 --> 0:15:35.600 lot of playmakers on the team, and it's like, how 0:15:35.640 --> 0:15:37.240 can I get these guys in the best position to 0:15:37.280 --> 0:15:39.520 make play? And so that's what every NFL team is 0:15:39.520 --> 0:15:41.640 trying to do every single year. But you know, we 0:15:41.680 --> 0:15:43.400 have to find a new chemistry that really works for us. 0:15:43.400 --> 0:15:45.400 That's why we get new coaches. That's why coaches move around, 0:15:45.400 --> 0:15:48.040 and that's because everyone is trying to find, Okay, who's 0:15:48.040 --> 0:15:50.440 got the right scheme for my team? How can we 0:15:50.480 --> 0:15:53.040 get the chemistry build up? And so I can't tell 0:15:53.120 --> 0:15:55.120 you what it's gonna be because we got to find 0:15:55.160 --> 0:15:57.360 out by playing. But um, I know I can tell 0:15:57.360 --> 0:15:59.560 you this. We're all looking forward to another opportunity to 0:16:00.080 --> 0:16:03.760 pete Now. I heard when Brandon's Daley got the job 0:16:03.880 --> 0:16:06.200 when he was announced back in January, that he called 0:16:06.280 --> 0:16:09.600 you to talk about anything but football. Like, what did 0:16:09.640 --> 0:16:13.080 he say when he picked up the phone and you answered, right, yeah, 0:16:13.120 --> 0:16:15.080 I was. I was actually surprised, like I usually don't 0:16:15.120 --> 0:16:17.520 answer random calls, but it was like just some number, right, 0:16:17.560 --> 0:16:22.680 you know who? This was like hello, oh shoot, what's up? Coach. 0:16:23.160 --> 0:16:25.520 At the time, I was like, I knew we hired 0:16:25.520 --> 0:16:28.320 a coach. Prefer guy was like, was it this co Yeah? 0:16:28.360 --> 0:16:31.520 I didn't really like it was more like okay, okay now. 0:16:31.560 --> 0:16:33.240 And then he started talking to me as I'll get 0:16:33.320 --> 0:16:35.400 this is the sun new head coach. And then we 0:16:35.440 --> 0:16:38.720 started talking about relationships, talking about his mentality, just talking 0:16:38.760 --> 0:16:40.840 about just how he wants to go forward and just 0:16:41.000 --> 0:16:42.400 you know, get to know us. And I thought that 0:16:42.480 --> 0:16:45.760 was really special because you know, especially in times like today, 0:16:45.800 --> 0:16:47.680 we don't have a lot of one on one time 0:16:47.720 --> 0:16:49.560 with each other in the same building. Want zooms a 0:16:49.640 --> 0:16:51.880 lot of time. It's really important for me to get 0:16:51.920 --> 0:16:53.400 to know you as a person so I can get 0:16:53.440 --> 0:16:55.080 behind what you believe in, because if I don't know, 0:16:55.200 --> 0:16:56.600 you'd be like, oh, we're gonna do this, do that, 0:16:56.720 --> 0:16:58.640 and it doesn't think in as much. But if I 0:16:58.720 --> 0:17:00.800 know you personally and it's like I care about you 0:17:00.880 --> 0:17:02.720 as a person too because I like what you believe 0:17:02.760 --> 0:17:04.560 in a know what you're about, then you know I 0:17:04.600 --> 0:17:06.880 could play and I can really get behind what you're saying, 0:17:06.880 --> 0:17:08.639 and I can believe put that to the rest of 0:17:08.680 --> 0:17:10.920 the team, to the younger guys too. So yeah, I 0:17:11.000 --> 0:17:14.560 love I love the way he's coming implement himself definitely 0:17:14.600 --> 0:17:16.480 as a competitor wants to see a self compete at 0:17:16.520 --> 0:17:19.240 the same time, and I love that too. Now, Austin, 0:17:19.320 --> 0:17:22.359 I know that you are in the streamer world, but 0:17:22.520 --> 0:17:25.920 also and most maybe most pressing, you are doing some 0:17:26.119 --> 0:17:28.240 things with n f t s would seem to be 0:17:28.800 --> 0:17:30.800 all of the buzz right now. What can you tell 0:17:30.880 --> 0:17:34.040 us about these thirty n f t s And if 0:17:34.080 --> 0:17:36.560 you had to explain it in one line to my grandmother, 0:17:36.760 --> 0:17:40.920 what is an n f T UM. Yeah, like you said, 0:17:40.960 --> 0:17:42.440 I'm in the stream world, so someone I'm big in 0:17:42.480 --> 0:17:45.560 the digital space. Right Now, I love content, and I 0:17:45.640 --> 0:17:47.399 feel like n f T is a new one like 0:17:47.560 --> 0:17:51.359 form of content. But that's like more static. Right. So 0:17:51.480 --> 0:17:53.359 if I was explaining it to someone who had no 0:17:53.480 --> 0:17:55.240 idea what the heck in NFC was, which is a 0:17:55.320 --> 0:17:58.480 non fungible token, it's what the acronym stands for. But 0:17:58.600 --> 0:18:00.720 then you're like still like okay, well that to that mean? Right, 0:18:01.359 --> 0:18:05.880 So basically, like imagine a painting on the wall. Again, 0:18:05.920 --> 0:18:08.840 this is more in one sentence. Basically, it's a digital artwork. 0:18:09.040 --> 0:18:11.679 So instead of it on the wall, it's on your computer, 0:18:11.840 --> 0:18:15.960 it's on your virtual reality room. It's it's digital. So 0:18:16.040 --> 0:18:17.720 it's like you can put it on the USB draft 0:18:18.000 --> 0:18:19.800 you know, you can put your painting on the wall 0:18:19.840 --> 0:18:21.919 in a box, so you can't can't put your digital 0:18:22.080 --> 0:18:23.560 artwork in a box. You can put in like a 0:18:23.640 --> 0:18:25.680 box of the US. So I see it as a 0:18:25.760 --> 0:18:28.720 digital artwork, right. People can take a picture of I 0:18:28.720 --> 0:18:30.400 can take a picture of the zoom call and make 0:18:30.440 --> 0:18:32.639 it a picture on the wall, right, or I can 0:18:32.680 --> 0:18:35.800 also make it digitally, which would be the n f T. Right, 0:18:35.840 --> 0:18:38.280 And so there is there's a place where it started. 0:18:38.400 --> 0:18:41.320 It can't be it can't be like replicated. The exact 0:18:41.400 --> 0:18:43.960 one can be technically replicated, but there is only one 0:18:44.000 --> 0:18:46.800 original and you can prove it through the blockchain. And 0:18:47.080 --> 0:18:50.040 uh so that's how I would explain. Maybe still confusing, 0:18:50.160 --> 0:18:53.440 but just digital artwork. Still confusing, but I understand it 0:18:53.480 --> 0:18:57.080 a little more digital artwork, got it? Digital artwork. Now 0:18:57.119 --> 0:19:00.320 you're doing thirty of them, right, yeah? Yeah, so yeah, 0:19:00.320 --> 0:19:03.240