1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,120 Speaker 1: What's up, everybody, and welcome to a brand new edition 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: of Falcons in Focus, presented by Ticketmaster, recorded according to 3 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:11,239 Speaker 1: the sign up there at Ticketmaster Studios. I'm Scott Baart. 4 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 1: That's Tory mclaney, the man of the hour. Micah Abernathy 5 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:18,160 Speaker 1: is here with us, and Micah, let's let's let's take 6 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: us back to what December of last year, right, You're 7 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 1: in green Bay, real frozen tundra time of the year too. 8 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 1: And I'm not sure if your agent calls you or 9 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 1: who kind of gave you the information that Atlanta was 10 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: gonna sign you off of Green Bay's practice squad. You're 11 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: from Atlanta, We went to high school here, Atlanta, born here. 12 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 1: Get to come home and play for your hometown Falcons. 13 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,240 Speaker 1: Tell us that story about who gave you the call 14 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:51,160 Speaker 1: and what it kind of meant to you. Oh my gosh, 15 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: I'm gonna play in my hometown. 16 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 2: Well, it was a Friday, actually into the week, very 17 00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 2: cold day in Green Bay and my Asian and Cameron 18 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 2: Wiss called me and I had just got into my place, 19 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 2: didn't even walk in the door, saw his phone call, 20 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 2: answered it and he was telling me. 21 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 3: He was like, yeah, Landa wants to claim you. And 22 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 3: I was like, wow, this is this. 23 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 2: Is eye opening, this is an interesting feeling. Because I 24 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 2: was preparing for a game and then I got the 25 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:23,279 Speaker 2: call immediately called my mom, my mom. It was actually 26 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 2: New Year's so my mom was coming up for New 27 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 2: Year's and she had already bought her flight and everything, 28 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 2: and I called her and I was just like, yeah, 29 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 2: so you're gonna have. 30 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 3: To cancel your flight. She's like wow. 31 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 2: I was like, well, I'm coming home, and she thought 32 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 2: I got cut. I was just playing with her for 33 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 2: a little bit and then I had to let her 34 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 2: know that I was getting claimed and then she was like, wow, 35 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 2: this is this is a blessing in disguise. 36 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 3: And she was like, I don't really care about the flight, 37 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:46,039 Speaker 3: so I'm happy. She was like, I'll see you on 38 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 3: a Friday. Wow. 39 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 1: So a Friday that's basically the last prep day and 40 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: then it's go time and then kind of coming down here, 41 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: you know, able to kind of get into the mix 42 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: and kind of be back home, you know, and then 43 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: you've obviously been that way over the course of the 44 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: off season and we're heading, you know, towards the regular 45 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: season coming up kind of what's it been like? You know, 46 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: you hear different stories about guys who get to play 47 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: at home, like what is the what has the experience 48 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 1: been like for you? 49 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:18,360 Speaker 2: The experience of playing at home is definitely one of 50 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:20,640 Speaker 2: a kind. I try to explain it to some people 51 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 2: that are in different teams of the league and things 52 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 2: like that, but it's it's definitely like you just you're home, 53 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 2: but you can't really be home, right me being from 54 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 2: I'm actually from the city. I grew up on the 55 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:37,079 Speaker 2: west side of Atlanta, and it's kind of far. I'm 56 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 2: like fifty minutes from my mom's house, but it's really 57 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:41,920 Speaker 2: really close. At the same time, this is as closest 58 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:44,240 Speaker 2: I've been since high school. I haven't played in Georgia 59 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 2: since high school, and it's just an eye opening experience. 60 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 2: You as soon as you get down here, you automatically 61 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 2: have fans, whether it's friends or family or people that 62 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 2: just know your family, and it's it's just amazing the 63 00:02:57,240 --> 00:02:59,080 Speaker 2: support that I've gotten since I've been here. 64 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:02,919 Speaker 4: I think there's like been such a pipeline almost with 65 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 4: former high school standouts from Georgia that have now full 66 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 4: circled it. You talk about like guys like Penny Heart, 67 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 4: guys like Lorenzo Carter, yourself, Angela. 68 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 3: Malos, Ye, Tyler Taylor. 69 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 5: Yeah, John Fitzpatrick. I mean, there are so many of these. 70 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 4: It's almost like a yeah, you really need to. 71 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:28,640 Speaker 3: Take a picture. 72 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:33,919 Speaker 4: It's funny too, because it's like I mean, I think 73 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 4: it speaks to the level of kind of competition at 74 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 4: the high school level for the state of Georgia. 75 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 5: But what was it like for. 76 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 4: You kind of growing up in West Atlanta and kind 77 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 4: of what are your some of your favorite stories from 78 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 4: from childhood, maybe even going to Greater Atlanta Christian So 79 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 4: I can. 80 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 2: Give you two parts of that. Growing up on the 81 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 2: West side of Atlanta. My most memorable things that I 82 00:03:55,960 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 2: remember growing up was definitely the Falcons games. And mom 83 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 2: worked at Turner Broadcasting Systems for so long that she 84 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 2: was able to get tickets for Hawks games, Braids games, 85 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 2: things like that. So definitely the sports atmosphere in general, 86 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 2: and then on top of that, the historic background that 87 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 2: the city has as well, just going to the West 88 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 2: end side of Atlanta or just the Cascade area, things 89 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 2: like that. But as I got older, just being a 90 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 2: great Atlanta Christian seeing the atmosphere that we have in 91 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 2: the Gwinnette County sports arenas and things like that. It 92 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 2: was eye opening because you don't really get that feeling 93 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 2: in the city, but once you get out into Gwennett County, 94 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 2: like sports are like the top tier and you see 95 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 2: like all these big schools. 96 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 3: They have like four thousand kids. 97 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 2: Then they have these football fields, these stadiums, these basketball arenas. 98 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 3: Like it's strictly just for those sports. So it's pretty 99 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:47,040 Speaker 3: eye opening. 100 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 4: So growing up, were you a Falcons fan like you were, 101 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 4: Who was the guy for you? Yeah? 102 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:58,280 Speaker 3: It was big for sure. I mean every Sunday we're 103 00:04:58,279 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 3: watching the Falcons games. 104 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 4: What do you think he meant to I love asking 105 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:04,559 Speaker 4: this question to people who were in Atlanta at the time, 106 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:08,719 Speaker 4: because I think Michael Vick was such a transformative figure 107 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 4: for just athletes in general, but especially here in Atlanta 108 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 4: and everybody you talked to it's like, oh, Michael Vick 109 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 4: changed the game for you kind of. 110 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 5: Growing up in the area. 111 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 4: What did kind of his evolution in the program Pro 112 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 4: Game like mean to you as a kid growing up 113 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 4: in West Atlanta? 114 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 2: For me, I mean, I in literally I wanted to 115 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 2: play quarterback. I did play quarterback. I wanted to wear 116 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 2: number seven. I wore number seven, and if I didn't 117 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 2: have that opportunity, I was trying to be like Vic 118 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 2: in any way possible. I had his shoes and sneakers, 119 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:43,600 Speaker 2: I wanted his cleats. I mean it was anything Vic 120 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 2: in Atlanta. You wanted to be him. And he had 121 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 2: an influence over the kids, like even adults or whoever 122 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 2: was in the city of Atlanta. Like his influence was impactful. 123 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: You know, you wrote a really profound story for the 124 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 1: Players Tribune in twenty sixteen when you were at at 125 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: Sorry Toy It's a fact. 126 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 5: Ugly orange orange. 127 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, And I think it was right after Tennessee beat 128 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 1: Georgia as a matter of fact, wrote yeah, yeah, story 129 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:19,039 Speaker 1: for the Player's Tribute. And the thing that really stuck 130 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 1: out to me is like, you know, like you want 131 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,279 Speaker 1: to represent the school that you're at, the colors that 132 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: you're representing, but you also want to represent the name 133 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 1: on the back of your jersey. And that is something 134 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 1: that you kind of emphasized then in that story. And 135 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:35,839 Speaker 1: can you kind of expand on that. I mean, obviously 136 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 1: your family, going back to your grandfather in the Civil 137 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 1: rights movement, the Abernathy name means so much to so 138 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: many people here, and it obviously means something to you. 139 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 1: Can you kind of expand upon, like why it's important 140 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 1: you to represent that name as well as you can 141 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 1: and whatever you do. 142 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:56,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, so kind of explained this a little bit. But 143 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,360 Speaker 2: people ask me if it's a weight on my shoulders 144 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:02,720 Speaker 2: bearing the name Abernethy, and it is, but I've been 145 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 2: wearing it for so long that I'm kind of used 146 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 2: to it. Yeah, it definitely does mean something to me. 147 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 2: When I was a little kid, I wasn't really sure 148 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:11,640 Speaker 2: about it. And then as I got older, whether I 149 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 2: was in school or sporting events or anything like that, 150 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 2: people would ask me, am I related to this family? 151 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 2: Or how I'm related to this family? And I would 152 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 2: tell them and then it'd just be like taking aback 153 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 2: a little bit, and like it was kind of like 154 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 2: eye opening for them, and that kind of as I 155 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 2: got older, it meant more and more to me, and 156 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 2: just being able to represent my family, especially with the 157 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 2: platform that I have, it means a lot. I mean, 158 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 2: there's I'm actually one of the younger generations of my family, 159 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 2: so I'm the youngest in my immediate family, two younger cousins, 160 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 2: and it's just like I can be me, but I 161 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 2: also am representing more than just myself. 162 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 3: So it's pretty cool. 163 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 4: Do you ever like think about and this is probably 164 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 4: just like a big picture question, maybe you haven't, but 165 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 4: just like what your family means to even like the 166 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 4: city of Atlanta, Like, is that something that you, even 167 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 4: growing up, had a cognizant understanding of. 168 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 2: I think yeah, as I got older, I had agni 169 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 2: cognizant understanding of it. 170 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 3: But I mean, I'm kind. 171 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 5: Of just just living your. 172 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 3: Life, just doing me, living my life. 173 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 2: I think my parents did a really good job, and 174 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 2: my grandparents as well, But they did a really good 175 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 2: job of like letting us know that we are ourselves 176 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 2: and we are not who people tell us to be, 177 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 2: so like we all have our own personalities and our 178 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 2: own things here and there, and they did a really 179 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:36,560 Speaker 2: good job of explaining to us that we need to 180 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 2: be ourselves and not form to a mold of what 181 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 2: other people want. 182 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 3: Us to be. 183 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, and you talk about like in the piece that 184 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 4: Scott was talking about with the players Shipping, you talked 185 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:48,679 Speaker 4: a lot about your father and who who he was 186 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 4: for you and just the impact that he had on 187 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 4: your life. Is there a favorite story that you have 188 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 4: of just like it epitomizes to you like who he 189 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 4: was and maybe you know still is living like within 190 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 4: you to where you are now. 191 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 2: Definitely his outlook on the meaning of family for sure, 192 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 2: and quality time. 193 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 3: I would say he was. 194 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 2: A very hands on father in every aspect of the word. 195 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:23,079 Speaker 2: I mean, I don't know if I mentioned it in 196 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 2: that article, but I didn't even go to a barber 197 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 2: for a long time. He was cutting my hair for 198 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 2: a while. I think maybe up until like seventh grade, 199 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:33,840 Speaker 2: my dad was cutting my hair. So it was like 200 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 2: the quality time and the relationship that you have with 201 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:38,719 Speaker 2: your father as a son, it means a lot. 202 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:41,240 Speaker 3: And that's one thing that like stuck with me. 203 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 2: And we would be in the bathroom or like we'd 204 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 2: be out in the kitchen or living room or wherever, 205 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:48,080 Speaker 2: and it'd be like an hour long conversation. And that's 206 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 2: something that kind of stuck with me as I got 207 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 2: older and older and older, and I was like, why. 208 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 3: Was he talking to me for so long? 209 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 2: I just want to go play video games. So and 210 00:09:56,880 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 2: just like definitely that just the quality time. And I 211 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:02,559 Speaker 2: mean he was a talker for sure. If you ask 212 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 2: anybody that knew him, he definitely would talk your ear 213 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 2: off and that yeah, for sure, for sure talking to 214 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:10,840 Speaker 2: a brick wall. So that was definitely something that stick 215 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 2: stuck with me. 216 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:15,199 Speaker 1: And and he would like rock the Tennessee Orange and 217 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:17,040 Speaker 1: it like everywhere everywhere. 218 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 3: He didn't care. He did not care. And before it 219 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 3: was before it was the Tennessee Orange. 220 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 2: My brother played at University of Cincinnati, so he'd be 221 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,680 Speaker 2: where his bearcast hat anywhere and everywhere he did not care. 222 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 1: Yeah. In the article, it says that he would say 223 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 1: that he was proud of you, like several times per day, 224 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 1: like almost like he wouldn't be able to get out 225 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 1: of that long conversation with like without that coming out. 226 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 3: For sure, that that was like his phrase. 227 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 1: It wasn't. Is that something that maybe you know, like 228 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 1: when you're a kid and you're listening to your parents, 229 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 1: like sometimes my brain will just turn off, you know 230 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 1: what I mean. But you know when you look back 231 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 1: on those conversations, you know, to have that kind of 232 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: resonate must be pretty cool. 233 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, for sure. 234 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 2: And I mean since he's been gone, my family has 235 00:10:57,040 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 2: definitely told me like they knew that he was so 236 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:03,839 Speaker 2: proud of us that they reiterated to his kids now. 237 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 2: So it was definitely something that everyone kind of noticed 238 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 2: that he was very proud of his kids. 239 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, and so just to kind of go back a 240 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 1: little bit, your grandfather is Ralph David Abernathy, who worked 241 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 1: a lot with doctor King in the Civil rights movement. 242 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 1: He was instrumental and so many major nonviolent protests in 243 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:27,480 Speaker 1: the nineteen sixties. Your dad got arrested a couple of 244 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 1: times because he was with his parents and stuff like 245 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: that as a kid. As a kid, so you didn't 246 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:37,960 Speaker 1: get a chance to meet your grandfather, but did your 247 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 1: parents kind of like tell stories and give you a 248 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 1: good impression of the type of man that he was 249 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 1: and the type of impact that he had was at Like, 250 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: were like those stories kind of passed on to you 251 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: And what did it mean to kind of hear and 252 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:54,960 Speaker 1: kind of live through kind of like what your dad 253 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 1: was saying. 254 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, there was definitely stories that I always told me 255 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 2: and my brother and sister as we got older. For 256 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 2: as long as I can remember, really the stories were told. 257 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:08,960 Speaker 2: I mean, if you go to my grandmother's house, his 258 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:13,720 Speaker 2: wife wanting to Odessa Jones Abernathy, she was my one 259 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:16,520 Speaker 2: and only grandparent growing up, but she did such a 260 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 2: good job. I didn't even think to have other grandparents around. 261 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 2: But if you go in her in her home, she 262 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:25,839 Speaker 2: had pictures on every wall in her living room that 263 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 2: you could see from the civil rights movement and up 264 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 2: until the time that we were born, and it was 265 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:34,439 Speaker 2: like walking through a museum. So I've seen and her 266 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:36,360 Speaker 2: a lot of the stories, so it was pretty cool. 267 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:39,320 Speaker 4: Is there one specifically that sticks out to you that 268 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 4: you you kind of I don't know that that means 269 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:43,840 Speaker 4: something to you. 270 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:46,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, there's definitely a bone chilling story. 271 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 2: I've kind of I've explained this a couple of times 272 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:52,840 Speaker 2: since I've talked about my family with my platform. But so, 273 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 2: my family was living in Alabama actually before moving to Atlanta. 274 00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 2: And part of the reason when the main reason that 275 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:03,680 Speaker 2: my family ended up moving was because my grandparents' house 276 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,440 Speaker 2: was bombed and my grandmother was in the house. 277 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 3: My grandfather wasn't there, and. 278 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 2: The oldest child, Wanderling, was around two years old, I believe, 279 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:16,840 Speaker 2: but my grandmother was actually pregnant, and she was pregnant 280 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 2: with her second. 281 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 3: Child, Donsley. 282 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 2: She's an actress in Los Angeles actually, and if the 283 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:26,560 Speaker 2: bomb had been any closer to the house or any 284 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:28,840 Speaker 2: closer to the gas line, she wouldn't. 285 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 3: Have made it out. 286 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 2: My grandmother and my aunt would have would have died 287 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:35,760 Speaker 2: in that bombing. And by the grades of God they 288 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 2: were they were able to make it out. And I actually, 289 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 2: now that you mention it, that pictures in my grandmother's 290 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:44,439 Speaker 2: house of the bombing of the house. 291 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's pretty interesting. Yeah. 292 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:49,920 Speaker 1: And then so then the family moved to Atlanta and 293 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 1: your grandfather took over the West Hunter Baptist. 294 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 3: Church West Hunter Street Street. 295 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 1: Sorry, and you guys are actively trying to restore that 296 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 1: right with some federal ants and are trying to make 297 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:05,240 Speaker 1: that a historic site kind of how's that kind of 298 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 1: process going? And is it cool to see the efforts 299 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: being put behind this restoration. 300 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:12,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's really cool. 301 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 2: Actually, so my mother is ahead of that right now, 302 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 2: which is the first West Hunter Street Baptist Church and 303 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:22,320 Speaker 2: now the bigger West Hunt Street Baptist Church is not 304 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 2: far down the road, but it's it's in the west 305 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 2: west end side of Atlanta. And I saw when it 306 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 2: was pretty bad. Actually it was it was we had 307 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:36,239 Speaker 2: issues with the roof, the walls, the stained glass windows, 308 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 2: the flooring was messed up, the pews were gone, like 309 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 2: everything was just kind of destroyed. 310 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 3: It was like an old, abandoned building. 311 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 2: And my mom has taking that and she is really 312 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 2: took it in stride, and if you look at it now, 313 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 2: it's it's beautiful in there. Like the way that the 314 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 2: sun comes through the stained glass windows. There's a it's everywhere. Man, 315 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 2: it's just nice. The roof, the walls, everything is nice. 316 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 2: And and she's she's doing a great job and proud 317 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 2: of her. 318 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 4: That's really cool too, that you know, your mom marries 319 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 4: into the family and she kind of takes on this 320 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 4: name in the legacy of it in her own way. 321 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 4: That's I think that's pretty fascinating too, and really awesome 322 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 4: as well, because I mean, you talk about your grandfather 323 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:23,200 Speaker 4: and your dad, but your mom and your grandmother played 324 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 4: a huge role in all of this as well. 325 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 2: As long as I can remember, my mom was really 326 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 2: like on board with everything, and as well as my grandmother. 327 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 2: And I think the women in the movement outside of 328 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 2: my mom and grandmother did a great job at supporting 329 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 2: and being head of what they needed to do in 330 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 2: the movement, and I think they get overlooked sometimes but 331 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 2: for sure, my mom and my grandmother, they yeah, a 332 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 2: lot of people don't even know that. 333 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 3: My grandmother might have been. 334 00:15:57,920 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 2: Married into the family, or my mom might have been 335 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 2: married into the because they bear the name and they 336 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:04,640 Speaker 2: wear it proudly and they just they stand tall. 337 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 1: Y'all bought the church back in the two thousands, right, 338 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: and then that kind of got this effort going. But 339 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 1: to get that grant, right, to really be able to 340 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 1: put money into that end. There's a community center down 341 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 1: there as well, to be able to kind of see 342 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 1: that and make that like a home for another generation, 343 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, must be kind of a 344 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 1: cool thing in that neighborhood that you guys have. 345 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 3: Come, right. 346 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 2: So when we got the grant, actually it was a 347 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:38,760 Speaker 2: little event that we had there and my brother was 348 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 2: actually speaking at the capital. So I went with my 349 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:44,800 Speaker 2: brother that day and my sister with my mom that day, 350 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 2: and then we went back over to the church. Me 351 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 2: and my brother went over to the church and we 352 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 2: were like on the on the in the pulpit, and 353 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 2: me and my brother were kind of standing up there, 354 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 2: and it was a crowd or not not too many people, 355 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 2: but somebody asked me and my brother were like, how 356 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 2: does it feel to be standing in the same place 357 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 2: your grandfather stood? And I was like, well, I didn't 358 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 2: even think about that. It was kind of like eye 359 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:09,800 Speaker 2: opening and humbling to be able to really stand in 360 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:11,920 Speaker 2: the same spot that he stood in, in the same 361 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:15,879 Speaker 2: church that really got his foot in the ground in Atlanta. 362 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 5: Does it mean something too? 363 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:19,600 Speaker 4: I Mean, we talk about all of this, and I 364 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,679 Speaker 4: think it's so amazing in and of itself. But to 365 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 4: also be able to have kind of the platform that 366 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 4: you do with the Falcons, specifically a team that you 367 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:30,320 Speaker 4: grew up in a city that you grew up in. 368 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 4: How much does that kind of impact the weight of 369 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:34,400 Speaker 4: all of this for you too? 370 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 2: I mean it impacts it a lot for sure. I think, 371 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:40,719 Speaker 2: like I said, the support that I have here from 372 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:43,720 Speaker 2: people I don't even know, or people that might know 373 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 2: my family or they knew my aunt, my dad, whoever, 374 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:50,240 Speaker 2: like the older generations as well. I think that's like 375 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 2: the biggest thing that I've seen since I've been here, 376 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:54,639 Speaker 2: is like I might just have somebody that like just 377 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:56,159 Speaker 2: sees the name on the back of my jersey, like 378 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:58,239 Speaker 2: if we're practicing at the stadium, and they might they 379 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 2: might say something and I'm like, oh, wow, that's you know, 380 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 2: I didn't really have this this same feeling in other places, 381 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 2: So it's pretty cool to have it here. 382 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:08,920 Speaker 1: And to be at this point in your football journey. 383 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:12,520 Speaker 1: You transition a little bit in this football journey. It's 384 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: not like, you know, you were a first round pick 385 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:19,359 Speaker 1: and had you know, everything was easier, right that you've 386 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 1: had to kind of earn your way and earn your 387 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 1: spot here. And when you look at this opportunity, it 388 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:27,560 Speaker 1: looks like a pretty good one that you're taking advantage 389 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 1: of from the outside, right, And to be able to 390 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 1: kind of to be in this spot, you know, you 391 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 1: bounced around to some different teams played in the USFL. 392 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 1: But to be here and really with a shot to 393 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 1: make a strong impact on this team kind of does 394 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:45,399 Speaker 1: your football journey, you know, like what it took to 395 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:48,560 Speaker 1: get here, maybe tough times and good and bad times 396 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 1: to have this opportunity. Do you kind of think about 397 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:52,880 Speaker 1: kind of where you've come from to where you are now? 398 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 2: No, for sure, I think about it every day. I 399 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:58,960 Speaker 2: mean even a year ago, I had just got to 400 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:02,120 Speaker 2: Green Bay. I got to Green Bay late and made 401 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:04,520 Speaker 2: an impact as soon as I got there. But I 402 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:06,880 Speaker 2: was actually just telling some of my teammates before we 403 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:10,199 Speaker 2: had the or actually as soon as we left Miami 404 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 2: for Miami, I was selling them. I was like I 405 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 2: was at home at this point. Last year, I didn't 406 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:15,879 Speaker 2: even get the opportunity. I didn't come in until two 407 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 2: days before the first preseason game. So my journey at 408 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:22,520 Speaker 2: least over this last fifty two weeks fifty three weeks 409 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 2: is wow. 410 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 3: It's crazy. 411 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 2: So I definitely think about it every day, and for 412 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:29,679 Speaker 2: the last three or four years, it's definitely been ups 413 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 2: and downs, but it made me who I am so well. 414 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 4: What did it take for you to kind of get 415 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:37,480 Speaker 4: your foot in the door of the league. Because we 416 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:40,320 Speaker 4: talk about I believe and correct me if I'm wrong, 417 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:43,240 Speaker 4: but I don't think you played it all in twenty 418 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:47,639 Speaker 4: one correct. What was that year like for you in 419 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:50,159 Speaker 4: terms of like do I want to continue down this 420 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 4: road or do I want to do something else? Like, 421 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:55,200 Speaker 4: because I feel like that's probably going through the back 422 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 4: of your head, And what was it that kind of 423 00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 4: made you want to get, you know, put yourself back 424 00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 4: on path of wanting to get. 425 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:01,720 Speaker 5: Into the league. 426 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 2: I knew, I knew what I could do and who 427 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 2: I was. I think that's really what was my driving force. 428 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 2: But I mean it was tough waking up three four 429 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:16,080 Speaker 2: times a week, going to the field by myself. It 430 00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 2: was tough running through drills by myself, recording myself, making 431 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 2: sure that my footsteps are right, or making sure I'm 432 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:22,920 Speaker 2: not overstepping here or there. 433 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:23,199 Speaker 3: Like. 434 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:25,720 Speaker 2: I mean, defensive back is a very technical position. It's 435 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:28,640 Speaker 2: all about fundamentals. So going out there and coaching myself 436 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:30,720 Speaker 2: for a year and a half was definitely tough. 437 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:34,479 Speaker 3: And I mean honestly it was. It was really just 438 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 3: faith driven. 439 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 2: I knew I would get the opportunity to show who 440 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:41,640 Speaker 2: I was, and when I got that opportunity, I try 441 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:42,400 Speaker 2: to make the most of it. 442 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 1: The USFL tape, right, I mean, like that experience, you 443 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 1: know what did that mean in relation to your journey 444 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:56,560 Speaker 1: to be able to go play? You know, put some 445 00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:59,199 Speaker 1: good stuff on tape for some of these teams to see. 446 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 2: I mean, at that point in me everything, I didn't 447 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:03,639 Speaker 2: know if I was going to get another opportunity in 448 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 2: the NFL. I was hoping I would, but I mean 449 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:10,439 Speaker 2: just never really know, and it just meant everything. I 450 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 2: went out there every game and tried to get my all, 451 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:16,399 Speaker 2: and like I said, by the grace of God and faith, 452 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 2: it was I got the opportunity. 453 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 4: I think it's cool too that you're talking about. You 454 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:21,920 Speaker 4: know that for that year and a half you're kind 455 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:24,920 Speaker 4: of your own teacher, and then you go to Green Bay. 456 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 4: You know, you jump around, but then you go to 457 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 4: Green Bay and you get to work with Jerry Gray, 458 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 4: and he, to me is like the ultimate teacher. Every 459 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:34,879 Speaker 4: time I watch him interact with you guys, I'm like, 460 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:37,879 Speaker 4: he's a teacher as much as anything. What was he 461 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:40,639 Speaker 4: to your development in y'all's time together. 462 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:43,960 Speaker 2: I actually had coach Gray in Minnesota as well. Oh wow, 463 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 2: I think my first team was in Minnesota, Okay, twenty nineteen, 464 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 2: and then I was able to work with him last 465 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:53,080 Speaker 2: year in Green Bany and I got to work with 466 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:53,880 Speaker 2: him the whole year. 467 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 3: And his knowledge on the game is kind of crazy. Honestly. 468 00:21:57,760 --> 00:21:59,920 Speaker 3: He knows things that are happening before they happen. 469 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 2: And I mean he the reason I got that pick 470 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 2: last year against the Saints in preseason was. 471 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:06,920 Speaker 3: Because of him. He called the playoff and I was 472 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:07,359 Speaker 3: just trusting. 473 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 2: I was like, all right, well, I'm gonna make He's 474 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 2: like seven, I was all right, so I just made 475 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 2: the play. But he's he's definitely a teacher. He's a 476 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 2: coach and a teacher. And I think you can be 477 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 2: a coach, but you might not be a good teacher. 478 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 2: But he's both. So it's a it's a good it's 479 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:24,160 Speaker 2: a good mix, especially with the group of guys that. 480 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 1: We have and in Green Bay, right, you trying to 481 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:30,320 Speaker 1: make an impression, trying to learn a playbook when you're 482 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 1: getting in with a new team and you haven't had 483 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:34,160 Speaker 1: the ot as to kind of warm up to it, 484 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:37,840 Speaker 1: but you made an impact quickly there. There's a bunch 485 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 1: of injuries at safety, right and but then bang, you 486 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:45,200 Speaker 1: kind of make your stamp right away that those first 487 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:48,639 Speaker 1: that that like initial wave of time with the Packers 488 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:51,919 Speaker 1: to be able to do that right away kind of 489 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:55,200 Speaker 1: say hey man, I can do this. How much did 490 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: that mean to you? 491 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:56,800 Speaker 3: Just meant a lot. 492 00:22:56,960 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 2: I mean it was it was everything for me, Like 493 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:01,680 Speaker 2: I say, I mean I did like coming in late 494 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 2: to camp. I came in what the third week of 495 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:07,919 Speaker 2: camp or so, right before the first preseason game, and 496 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 2: I didn't know if I was going to get into 497 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 2: that opportunity. I've been places where I've been in there 498 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:15,359 Speaker 2: for a week or so and then got cut. So 499 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:17,679 Speaker 2: I was just trying to make the most of every 500 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:20,159 Speaker 2: second that I got in that building, and it just 501 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:22,880 Speaker 2: ended up working out and making plays and hard work. 502 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:25,600 Speaker 3: Trump'saw. So that's really what I tried to show them. 503 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:28,440 Speaker 5: That I could do now this opportunity Atlanta. 504 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:30,320 Speaker 4: I mean, we've talked about like what it means to you, 505 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 4: like personally but from a professional standpoint and kind of 506 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 4: what is being built here in Atlanta. 507 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 5: What excites you about this group that you guys. 508 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:42,200 Speaker 3: Have Specifically, DVS are the entire team. 509 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:44,159 Speaker 5: If you want to talk about DB's, we can talk 510 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 5: about DVS. We could talk about both. 511 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:48,440 Speaker 4: Let's start with the DBS, because I feel very strongly 512 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 4: about this secondary and I feel like you'll have something 513 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:52,560 Speaker 4: really special. 514 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 3: We got guys everywhere. 515 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:55,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean we know it though we know we 516 00:23:55,800 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 2: have ballers in every position and every layer of our 517 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 2: defense specifically, but our DBS, like we're hard workers, we 518 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:06,440 Speaker 2: know each other. 519 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:08,520 Speaker 3: We're very closed. 520 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:10,440 Speaker 2: I always say at this point, I mean, we haven't 521 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 2: even been around each other that long, and I think 522 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:15,080 Speaker 2: we're a very close knit group and we can be 523 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:17,639 Speaker 2: honest with each other. I think we feed off each 524 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:20,399 Speaker 2: other well on the field and off the field personality wise. 525 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 2: I know we got some characters back there, yeah for sure, 526 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 2: But I think our group is very special and it's 527 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 2: I mean, I'm just trying to do my job. Really yeah, 528 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:32,440 Speaker 2: I think that's everybody's role right now though. 529 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:35,640 Speaker 4: And then with defensive coordinator Ryan Nielson, it's like every 530 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:37,760 Speaker 4: single time we talk to anybody, it's like the words 531 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:41,439 Speaker 4: attack and aggression, like come come through. That's like the 532 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:43,440 Speaker 4: two words that always come up when we're talking about 533 00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 4: this defense. For you kind of how do you see 534 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:49,159 Speaker 4: that enacting in who this defense is? 535 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 3: I mean, we practice it every day. 536 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:54,520 Speaker 2: I mean I think coach Nielsen does a really good 537 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:56,960 Speaker 2: job of showing us what he wants out of us. 538 00:24:57,280 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 2: And every day we walk in the meeting room, we 539 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:02,040 Speaker 2: see attack and aggressive. That's that's his two things that 540 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:04,119 Speaker 2: he wants to do. He probably says that in his 541 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:07,560 Speaker 2: sleep a little bit. That's kind of like what's really 542 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:08,960 Speaker 2: going on in the back of his head every time 543 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,359 Speaker 2: he calls a play. So it's it's pretty cool to 544 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:14,439 Speaker 2: see like the passion that he has for himself as 545 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:15,399 Speaker 2: well as the players. 546 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:17,359 Speaker 3: That he puts out into the field and in the position. 547 00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 3: So it's pretty cool. 548 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:22,359 Speaker 1: Do you feel like maybe you don't, but do you 549 00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: feel like there's been like a corner turned in terms 550 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,159 Speaker 1: of your level of play or do you feel like 551 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:29,159 Speaker 1: that you've gotten better in certain areas or is it 552 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 1: just about I have an opportunity and I'm able to 553 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 1: take advantage of it. 554 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:35,760 Speaker 2: I think it's more so just the opportunity. I mean, 555 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 2: every time I walk on the field, I know they're 556 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:40,520 Speaker 2: the opportunity can be taken away from me by injury 557 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:44,480 Speaker 2: or just other things that might happen, and the opportunity 558 00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:47,200 Speaker 2: itself is motivating me. At this point, I don't really 559 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:48,640 Speaker 2: think about anything else. 560 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:51,479 Speaker 1: I love that. 561 00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 5: I think that's a really good point. It's like the 562 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,440 Speaker 5: opportunity and of itself is the mefation. 563 00:25:56,800 --> 00:25:58,720 Speaker 1: Right, Yeah, and that you have it, there's a couple 564 00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:01,960 Speaker 1: more preseason games enough to go and you know, again 565 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: there's a lot of quality and a lot of depth there. 566 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:08,159 Speaker 1: And yeah, characters, So do you sing and dance like 567 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:09,040 Speaker 1: Richie and Jalen? 568 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 4: No? 569 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:13,520 Speaker 3: I mean at home? Yeah? No, public? 570 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:17,920 Speaker 2: No, I'm gon lead at Yeah. 571 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 1: So it's kind of like you and Jesse kind of 572 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:23,119 Speaker 1: chilling and yeah, the other guys, you'll let them do the. 573 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, we're definitely a good, well balanced crew. And we 574 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 2: were in the dorms together and it was half and half. 575 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 2: It was cool though, it was cool. I mean you 576 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:34,280 Speaker 2: need that those kind of guys. 577 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, like getting through camp. The players are 578 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:40,679 Speaker 1: living at the dorms, it's a grind. I think we 579 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:43,160 Speaker 1: mentioned You're on day twenty or something like that, with 580 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:45,520 Speaker 1: many more days to go. How do you kind of 581 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 1: keep yourself sane during like during training camp. Do you 582 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 1: have any weird rituals? You got snacks, you got video games, 583 00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 1: you play anything that kind of or is it just 584 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:56,600 Speaker 1: all football all the time. 585 00:26:57,600 --> 00:26:59,680 Speaker 3: I mean, right now, it's definitely all football at the time. 586 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:03,280 Speaker 3: But I would say I read, or I go on walks. 587 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 2: Around my neighborhood or something like that just to clear 588 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:09,359 Speaker 2: my head. I typically try to do it alone and 589 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:11,760 Speaker 2: leave my phone or do whatever I need to do 590 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 2: to just clear my head. 591 00:27:12,680 --> 00:27:14,800 Speaker 3: So I'll go on like a twenty thirty minute walk. 592 00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:16,920 Speaker 5: Yeah, we love a hot girl walk. 593 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:20,960 Speaker 1: We do. It's too hot to walk. 594 00:27:21,359 --> 00:27:23,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, No, I wait till the sun's down. 595 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:26,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm not doing that, sure, I'm from southern California, 596 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:28,919 Speaker 1: the land of seventy two and partly cloudy. 597 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:31,679 Speaker 3: So this muggy is different. 598 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:33,399 Speaker 5: Humity, we'll get you. 599 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:37,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, we've come to the point in the podcast. Probably 600 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:39,880 Speaker 1: one of my favorites. It's a rapid fire section. Generally 601 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:45,120 Speaker 1: everybody gets the same questions. Okay, it's super super intense 602 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:48,400 Speaker 1: and very hard hitting type of stuff. Okay, are you ready? 603 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 1: I don't think so ready. 604 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:53,640 Speaker 3: Okay are both of us answered? No? Just me? I'm 605 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 3: on the hot seat. 606 00:27:54,400 --> 00:28:00,520 Speaker 1: Yeh, yes you are. What is your favorite Oh, this 607 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:03,679 Speaker 1: is the first question. Uh, what's your favorite play of 608 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:07,920 Speaker 1: your career? High school, college, pros, whatever. 609 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:10,800 Speaker 2: My favorite play of my career was actually in high school. 610 00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:14,240 Speaker 2: I had a ninety six yard run. I played a 611 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 2: running back. I think I broke maybe seven tackles, and 612 00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 2: I'm pretty sure I'm made ESPN that day. 613 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:23,560 Speaker 3: Actually, did you really? Yeah? It's pretty cool. 614 00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:24,199 Speaker 1: I love that. 615 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:28,000 Speaker 4: I'm just glad that you didn't say anything regarding a 616 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:29,480 Speaker 4: certain Tennessee Georgia. 617 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:31,040 Speaker 3: Again time beat Georgia. 618 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:32,640 Speaker 5: Well, we are. 619 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:36,160 Speaker 4: Back to back national champions, so there we go. Maybe 620 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:38,120 Speaker 4: maybe going for a third, but. 621 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:39,920 Speaker 1: It wasn't Tennessee. 622 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:40,640 Speaker 3: I wasn't there. 623 00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 1: You wouldn't let that happen. 624 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 5: It's okay. 625 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 4: Now, question number two, If you could have a superpower, 626 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:50,680 Speaker 4: what would your superpower be? Be anything? 627 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:51,960 Speaker 3: Invisibility? 628 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 1: Visibility, that's a good one. 629 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:55,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, you just do whatever I want. 630 00:28:56,760 --> 00:28:57,480 Speaker 5: No one don't cares. 631 00:28:57,720 --> 00:29:04,840 Speaker 1: No, mine's always being able to teleport away from traffic. 632 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:07,080 Speaker 1: That would be cool, or just stap your fingers and 633 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 1: be somewhere. But being invisible highly rated. Who is your 634 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:13,680 Speaker 1: favorite Okay, we know about Mike Vick, right, so let's 635 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:17,640 Speaker 1: take him out of the equation. Who is your favorite player, 636 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:19,560 Speaker 1: regardless of sport? 637 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 4: Out outside of Michael Vick, Mike Vick, except. 638 00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 2: Outside of Michael Vick, any sport tough man. 639 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:33,840 Speaker 5: There's so many to choose. Are you a Lebron or 640 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:37,440 Speaker 5: Kobe guy? I feel like that's a big kicker too. 641 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:39,600 Speaker 2: So when I was younger, I was more of a 642 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 2: Lebron fan, and I still am a Lebron fan. But 643 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:46,160 Speaker 2: as I got older, like Kobe's mentality kind of stuck 644 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:48,080 Speaker 2: with me a little more. But I wouldn't say he 645 00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 2: is my top. I would probably have to go with Serena. 646 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 1: Serena, that's a good one. Yes, we have the first 647 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:56,800 Speaker 1: the first. 648 00:29:56,520 --> 00:30:00,160 Speaker 3: Time nobody else said no one has everybody else. 649 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:03,200 Speaker 4: Saying no one has said a female athlete, And I 650 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 4: am just so excited about this. 651 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:06,360 Speaker 3: Serene is the goat. 652 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:07,320 Speaker 5: She's the goat. 653 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, she's the goat. 654 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:09,600 Speaker 5: I will die on that hill. 655 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:13,960 Speaker 4: Great answer, best answer of the podcast ever, and we've 656 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:17,200 Speaker 4: done a lot of episodes of this. The next question, 657 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:20,400 Speaker 4: is there a TV show or a movie that you're 658 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:22,280 Speaker 4: particularly fond of at the current moment. 659 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:25,240 Speaker 3: My favorite movie of all time is Life. 660 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:26,880 Speaker 1: Oh that's a good one. 661 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:31,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's that's definitely. I mean, that's that's gonna be 662 00:30:31,040 --> 00:30:31,720 Speaker 2: my favorite. 663 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:33,520 Speaker 3: Movie ever ever, for forever. 664 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:36,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, Like, how many times have we seen it? 665 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:43,880 Speaker 3: Oh? I've probably seen Life, probably close to twenty times. 666 00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:45,080 Speaker 5: WHOA. 667 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 2: I bought Life on DVD when DVDs weren't even a 668 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:50,440 Speaker 2: thing anymore, just because I wanted. 669 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 1: To have just wanted to. 670 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:56,200 Speaker 3: You didn't want to be Murphy and Martin Lawrence. I'm 671 00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 3: watching that regardless. 672 00:30:57,840 --> 00:30:59,840 Speaker 2: I mean, I'm actually upset because IM pretty sure that 673 00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:01,600 Speaker 2: the pay for it now and I don't have a 674 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 2: DVD player, but I might go get one. 675 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:09,080 Speaker 5: The only reason I have a DVD Yeah. 676 00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:13,920 Speaker 1: Absolutely essential. And then uh, last one. And especially because 677 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:18,280 Speaker 1: you're from Atlanta, Atlanta restaurant that you would that that 678 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:23,720 Speaker 1: you can't live without. Man, I know there's a lot 679 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 1: of good ones. 680 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:26,480 Speaker 5: I know that one's always like the hard one. I know, 681 00:31:26,560 --> 00:31:29,040 Speaker 5: like when the first person that we. 682 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:32,680 Speaker 1: Liked went, he gave us a laundry list of places 683 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:32,880 Speaker 1: to go. 684 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:34,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, He's like, this is where you should go, this 685 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:36,280 Speaker 4: is where she and I was like, Grady, that's out 686 00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:37,160 Speaker 4: of my tax bracket. 687 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:41,000 Speaker 3: Or and I was growing up, after church. 688 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:45,960 Speaker 1: We would go to busy Be, go to busy Bee. 689 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:48,640 Speaker 2: Busy Be your pastors, but most mostly busy Be. Though 690 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:51,880 Speaker 2: I probably say if you can come to Atlanta and 691 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:53,360 Speaker 2: you want to experience the culture, you got to go 692 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 2: to busy Be. 693 00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:58,480 Speaker 1: See. I feel like that's a fantastic twice Serena and 694 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:01,840 Speaker 1: busy Bee in the same the fire that is top 695 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:05,680 Speaker 1: ten link company right there. Micah Abernathy, thank you so 696 00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:07,880 Speaker 1: much for joining us on this Falcons and Focus presented 697 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:10,880 Speaker 1: by Ticketmaster. Everybody out there, do what you do, rate, review, 698 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:13,840 Speaker 1: and subscribe to the Atlanta Falcons podcast network, and we 699 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:17,040 Speaker 1: will be back next week with another awesome guest. See 700 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:17,160 Speaker 1: you