WEBVTT - The Dave Pasch Podcast - Christian Kirk 0:00:04.000 --> 0:00:07.840 Welcome to the first playoff edition of the Dave Pash Podcast. 0:00:08.080 --> 0:00:11.200 I'm your host Arizona Cardinals play by play announcer and 0:00:11.520 --> 0:00:15.920 ESPN announcer Dave Pash. Our guest this week is Christian Kirk, 0:00:16.400 --> 0:00:20.279 the Arizona Cardinals leading receiver in twenty twenty one and 0:00:20.440 --> 0:00:23.680 a native of Scottsdale. So one of the reasons I 0:00:23.720 --> 0:00:26.120 wanted to get Christian on this show to talk about 0:00:26.239 --> 0:00:29.560 being a local and being part of the cardinals first 0:00:29.560 --> 0:00:33.519 playoff team in six years. The aura of when an 0:00:33.560 --> 0:00:36.600 Arizona sports team is making it to that game and 0:00:36.920 --> 0:00:39.280 they're able to bring the valley together, it just really 0:00:39.320 --> 0:00:41.440 means a lot. And as a kid, it really hit 0:00:41.479 --> 0:00:43.080 home for me. So I always knew, you know, once 0:00:43.120 --> 0:00:45.040 I got drafted here, that that's what I wanted to 0:00:45.080 --> 0:00:48.280 do for this team. Christian will discuss what he expects 0:00:48.920 --> 0:00:51.760 Monday night in Los Angeles. It's so far when the 0:00:51.760 --> 0:00:56.040 playoffs get underway. He'll also address the good and the 0:00:56.120 --> 0:00:59.600 bad from this regular season. Christian will talk about what 0:00:59.640 --> 0:01:03.120 it means to be a part of a playoff team 0:01:03.360 --> 0:01:06.000 being that he's from Phoenix, and I'll also talk about 0:01:06.040 --> 0:01:09.360 the clothing line that he started in the offseason. We 0:01:09.440 --> 0:01:12.320 are presented by betmgm, the official sports betting partner of 0:01:12.400 --> 0:01:16.040 the Arizona Cardinals, and by Hilo River Hotels and Casinos. 0:01:16.440 --> 0:01:19.560 You can sign up for BETMGM today using code cards 0:01:19.640 --> 0:01:22.080 one thousand and get your first bet risk free up 0:01:22.080 --> 0:01:24.680 to one thousand dollars. New customer offer paid in free bets. 0:01:24.920 --> 0:01:28.120 Visit betmgm dot comfer terms and conditions twenty one and over. 0:01:28.360 --> 0:01:32.679 Arizona only. Please gamble responsible gambling problem called one eight hundred. 0:01:32.920 --> 0:01:36.360 Next step. Time now for our conversation with Cardinals wide 0:01:36.360 --> 0:01:41.680 receiver Christian Kirk. So, Christian, let's first of all address 0:01:42.000 --> 0:01:45.120 the game on Sunday, because it's easy for us to say, okay, 0:01:45.280 --> 0:01:49.000 you reset, you move on. It's a new season, a 0:01:49.040 --> 0:01:52.040 fresh start for the Cardinals. But the way things ended 0:01:52.040 --> 0:01:56.080 on Sunday, coupled with what happened in Los Angeles, is 0:01:56.120 --> 0:01:58.800 that a little hard for you guys just to flush 0:01:58.840 --> 0:02:02.560 it and say, okay, reset, new season. Yeah, you know, 0:02:02.600 --> 0:02:04.280 I think it's going to take a couple of days 0:02:04.360 --> 0:02:07.880 for us to um really flush it, you know, especially 0:02:07.880 --> 0:02:10.800 coming into the locker room after a disappointing loss, and 0:02:11.080 --> 0:02:13.640 you know, hearing that La lost and all we had 0:02:13.680 --> 0:02:16.360 to do is win to win the division, and you 0:02:16.360 --> 0:02:19.000 know that was one of our goals. And you know 0:02:19.160 --> 0:02:22.480 it hurts, especially with after we how we played on Sunday. 0:02:22.760 --> 0:02:25.000 A lot of it is just you know, things on 0:02:25.040 --> 0:02:28.240 our side that we can fix. Granted, you know, Seattle 0:02:28.280 --> 0:02:31.000 came out and played a great game. We knew that's 0:02:31.000 --> 0:02:33.000 a great team. You know, that's that's a rivalry game, 0:02:33.000 --> 0:02:34.760 and we knew that that was going to be their 0:02:34.800 --> 0:02:37.239 super Bowl, and we didn't match their intensity. We didn't 0:02:37.280 --> 0:02:39.760 match um, you know, everything that they were doing and 0:02:39.840 --> 0:02:43.079 so um, you know it ended up us losing, and um, 0:02:43.160 --> 0:02:46.000 you know, those are key contributors to you know, how 0:02:46.080 --> 0:02:48.720 games like that turn out. So for us, it's it's 0:02:48.880 --> 0:02:51.000 I think it's going to be important to look at 0:02:51.000 --> 0:02:54.240 the film, Um, keep correcting, keep looking at you know, 0:02:54.480 --> 0:02:57.800 where we went wrong, and use that going into you know, 0:02:57.880 --> 0:03:00.400 the playoffs. So I'm calling the game, yeah, today, the 0:03:00.400 --> 0:03:03.960 Cardinals game, but I'm also calling the Rams game like 0:03:04.000 --> 0:03:07.680 off the television too, because you're trying to update everybody 0:03:07.680 --> 0:03:09.959 and what's going on so that they're you know, kept 0:03:10.000 --> 0:03:12.320 abreast of what's happening in both games and how that 0:03:12.360 --> 0:03:15.200 impacts the Cardinals. So I'm scoreboard watching all of us 0:03:15.240 --> 0:03:17.919 are Yeah, were you guys? Are you guys paying attention 0:03:18.040 --> 0:03:20.799 to what's going on in the other game in your 0:03:20.840 --> 0:03:23.360 game on Sunday? You know, it's funny. I'm probably one 0:03:23.360 --> 0:03:26.960 of the few that even noticed this, But we have 0:03:27.120 --> 0:03:30.600 the scoreboard, clickers and stadium where usually you can look 0:03:30.600 --> 0:03:33.360 and see what teams around the league are doing in 0:03:33.400 --> 0:03:36.440 the scores, and I noticed they took the rams and 0:03:36.520 --> 0:03:40.160 forty nine ers one off. There's a missing a little 0:03:40.440 --> 0:03:43.600 box where it would go. So I noticed that pretty 0:03:43.640 --> 0:03:46.200 early into the game. So there was no scoreboard watching 0:03:46.240 --> 0:03:47.560 for me. I knew I wasn't going to be able 0:03:47.600 --> 0:03:50.760 to find out until laughter. I think that that's a 0:03:50.800 --> 0:03:53.000 good thing, you know, for us to not I'll be 0:03:53.120 --> 0:03:55.119 running back to the sideline and looking up to see, 0:03:55.160 --> 0:03:56.600 you know, what's going on. You know, we had a 0:03:56.640 --> 0:03:59.320 focus on what we were doing. Look, you guys are 0:03:59.360 --> 0:04:01.880 in the playoffs. That's a big deal, right if you 0:04:02.000 --> 0:04:04.760 take it out of context with what happened against Seattle 0:04:04.840 --> 0:04:07.920 and the last ten games after the seven h start 0:04:07.920 --> 0:04:10.119 going four and six, it's a big deal. First times, 0:04:10.160 --> 0:04:12.400 there's twenty fifteen first time for you, first time for 0:04:12.400 --> 0:04:14.720 a lot of guys that you've been in the playoffs. Oh, 0:04:14.760 --> 0:04:19.279 it's it's a tremendous opportunity for us. And like you mentioned, 0:04:19.760 --> 0:04:21.440 I mean I was here in two thousand and eighteen 0:04:21.480 --> 0:04:24.640 when we only won three games five games the following year, 0:04:25.040 --> 0:04:26.919 and then you know, last year we won eight games 0:04:26.960 --> 0:04:29.120 battle to get into the playoffs and didn't make it, 0:04:29.160 --> 0:04:31.960 came up one game short, and to have the season 0:04:31.960 --> 0:04:35.880 that we've had. At times, you almost, you know, when 0:04:35.960 --> 0:04:39.360 you're on an eight game winning street, you forget how 0:04:39.400 --> 0:04:41.240 hard it is to win games in this league, and 0:04:41.240 --> 0:04:43.440 you almost take it for granted, and then you get 0:04:43.520 --> 0:04:45.840 humbled by going you know, it was a four and 0:04:45.960 --> 0:04:49.400 six and in the last stretch and you start to remember, 0:04:49.520 --> 0:04:51.880 you know this, this is the NFL. If you don't 0:04:51.920 --> 0:04:54.320 show up to play your best every Sunday, you will 0:04:54.360 --> 0:04:56.720 lose and you will continue to lose until you fix that. 0:04:57.320 --> 0:05:01.120 And you know, for me, I don't the you know, 0:05:01.240 --> 0:05:03.960 memory of you know, only winning three games and not 0:05:04.000 --> 0:05:07.200 even you know, being competitive to now making it to 0:05:07.240 --> 0:05:10.520 the playoffs and being able to be on that play 0:05:10.560 --> 0:05:13.680 in that stage and you know, have the opportunity to 0:05:13.960 --> 0:05:16.600 you know, if we continue winning, um, making it to 0:05:16.680 --> 0:05:18.520 the place where you know, we all dream of as 0:05:18.600 --> 0:05:21.400 as as young kids. So I think it's you know, 0:05:21.640 --> 0:05:24.520 important for everybody to you know, really hone in on 0:05:24.600 --> 0:05:27.520 you know what this means to them and um, you know, 0:05:27.600 --> 0:05:29.320 really trying to be the best that they can be. 0:05:29.560 --> 0:05:31.600 You played in big games in the SEC. You've played 0:05:31.640 --> 0:05:34.920 in big regular season games, and you said, look, we're 0:05:35.279 --> 0:05:38.880 this is I remember losing thirteen games in twenty eighteen. 0:05:39.080 --> 0:05:40.800 What do you think it'll be like Monday when you 0:05:40.839 --> 0:05:42.479 walk out there? What do you think the game will 0:05:42.520 --> 0:05:45.160 be like? Everybody says it's faster, it's a little bit 0:05:45.160 --> 0:05:48.680 more physical. Maybe it's called differently by the officials, Like 0:05:48.720 --> 0:05:50.800 what are your expectations for what it will be like 0:05:51.240 --> 0:05:55.000 on Monday in Los Angeles? You know, I'm honestly curious, 0:05:55.040 --> 0:05:57.719 you know, I was. I was thinking about that. You know, 0:05:57.760 --> 0:05:59.839 we we've played in some big time games, you know, 0:05:59.839 --> 0:06:02.960 I I think you know, when we play the Packers, 0:06:03.000 --> 0:06:05.480 you know, a bunch of guys who said, hey, I've 0:06:05.480 --> 0:06:08.640 been to the playoffs. This will be similar. Feel you know, 0:06:08.680 --> 0:06:11.120 when you have two you know, top teams in the 0:06:11.200 --> 0:06:13.880 NFL playing on primetime, you know, especially we're playing on 0:06:13.920 --> 0:06:16.520 Monday night. You know, I can imagine I'll have somewhat 0:06:16.520 --> 0:06:19.200 of a similar feel. But yes, you know, I feel 0:06:19.360 --> 0:06:22.520 like the sense of urgency and the heightened you know, 0:06:22.600 --> 0:06:25.039 intensity of the game. You'll be able to feel that, 0:06:25.200 --> 0:06:27.320 and you know every single play that nobody will be 0:06:27.360 --> 0:06:30.599 taking a playoff just because you know you're playing for 0:06:30.640 --> 0:06:33.640 it to not be your last play. Being a hometown guy, 0:06:34.240 --> 0:06:37.560 does it mean more to you that you're part of 0:06:37.600 --> 0:06:40.400 an Arizona Cardinals team that has made the playoffs one 0:06:40.440 --> 0:06:43.839 thousand percent. It's been my only goal since I've been here, 0:06:44.640 --> 0:06:46.920 is you know, to make it the playoffs and bring 0:06:46.920 --> 0:06:50.159 a super Bowl, you know, to Arizona, just because I remember, 0:06:50.520 --> 0:06:52.200 you know, the last time Cardinals played, you know, in 0:06:52.240 --> 0:06:54.800 the Super Bowl, just the buzz and the energy. And 0:06:54.800 --> 0:06:57.479 you saw it similarly with the Suns this past year, 0:06:57.880 --> 0:07:00.240 just how they talk about rally the valley. You know, 0:07:00.320 --> 0:07:03.320 it really was, you know, the valley came together and 0:07:03.400 --> 0:07:06.479 you know, we were having neighborhood watch parties and just 0:07:07.160 --> 0:07:11.080 the aura of when an Arizona sports team is making 0:07:11.120 --> 0:07:13.720 it to that that game and they're able to bring 0:07:13.760 --> 0:07:16.000 the valley together it just really means a lot, and 0:07:16.040 --> 0:07:18.120 as a kid, it really hit home for me. So 0:07:18.160 --> 0:07:20.120 I always knew, you know, once I got drafted here, 0:07:20.160 --> 0:07:21.920 that that's what I wanted to do for this team. 0:07:22.040 --> 0:07:23.720 You had a pretty good memory. You were twelve years 0:07:23.760 --> 0:07:26.320 old and you remember what it was like. Yeah, Cardinals 0:07:26.320 --> 0:07:30.720 made the run. Yeah, I mean I specifically remember, you know, 0:07:30.720 --> 0:07:34.080 the whole entire playoff run in to the Super Bowl. 0:07:34.120 --> 0:07:36.640 You know, we were having neighborhood watch parties, you know, 0:07:36.640 --> 0:07:39.160 all our neighbors. You know, we'd getting into one of 0:07:39.200 --> 0:07:42.200 our neighbors garages, we'd watch the games and you know, 0:07:42.640 --> 0:07:46.040 going crazy cooking food and like I said, just just 0:07:46.080 --> 0:07:48.200 the aura and the buzz you know, around the valley 0:07:48.400 --> 0:07:51.000 was just unreal. What do you remember? And maybe you 0:07:51.040 --> 0:07:53.440 don't because you're off at am, you're in college. Do 0:07:53.480 --> 0:07:57.280 you remember twenty fifteen? Do you remember that postseason for 0:07:57.320 --> 0:07:59.960 the Cardinals coming within one game of the Super Bowl? 0:08:00.240 --> 0:08:03.160 I do, And you know I remember, you know, when 0:08:03.200 --> 0:08:05.640 they traveled down to Carolina and you know that one 0:08:05.720 --> 0:08:09.960 hurt and obviously I wasn't here, so watching it from home, 0:08:10.520 --> 0:08:13.280 watching it back in Texas. Uh, you know, I was 0:08:13.320 --> 0:08:17.240 the loan proud Cardinal, you know, in that locker room 0:08:17.280 --> 0:08:20.680 and where I was watching it, but still the same thing, 0:08:20.800 --> 0:08:24.920 you know, you know how excited everybody was to see 0:08:24.960 --> 0:08:27.200 the team have the success that they were having, and 0:08:27.280 --> 0:08:29.760 you know, they ultimately did have a great season, and 0:08:30.080 --> 0:08:32.600 you know there's still you know, one of the historically 0:08:32.640 --> 0:08:35.200 best teams you know that has ever come through you know, 0:08:35.240 --> 0:08:37.960 this organization. You talked about one of your goals being 0:08:38.000 --> 0:08:40.439 to get the Cardinals to the playoffs and bring a 0:08:40.520 --> 0:08:44.040 championship to the valley. Being from here Swaro High School 0:08:44.040 --> 0:08:47.080 in Scottsdale, how important was that experience for you playing 0:08:47.160 --> 0:08:50.840 high school football here locally in terms of getting you 0:08:51.040 --> 0:08:54.200 to where you are today. You know, it was very important. 0:08:54.280 --> 0:08:57.400 And I was blessed to play under the best staff 0:08:57.440 --> 0:09:00.240 and you know, Arizona High School football led by you know, 0:09:00.240 --> 0:09:03.560 coach Jason Mons, who had been my coach since I 0:09:03.600 --> 0:09:06.079 was in the fourth grade, and you know, he impacted 0:09:06.120 --> 0:09:09.360 my life and you know so many different ways and 0:09:09.480 --> 0:09:12.680 it's still so important in my life and just helping 0:09:12.720 --> 0:09:15.160 me get to where I wanted to be and uh, 0:09:15.280 --> 0:09:18.400 you know never lost out and always you know, gave 0:09:18.440 --> 0:09:21.160 me the ability to go out there and show what 0:09:21.200 --> 0:09:22.960 I can do and help, you know, lead the team 0:09:23.000 --> 0:09:25.880 along the way. And you know, the main thing for 0:09:25.960 --> 0:09:27.920 me especially that was one of the big things that 0:09:27.960 --> 0:09:30.640 were going to Texas A and M is. I wanted 0:09:30.679 --> 0:09:32.640 to put Arizona on the map. That's that was my 0:09:32.679 --> 0:09:35.520 biggest thing. I got a tattoo of the Grand Canyon 0:09:35.520 --> 0:09:37.680 with the Arizona state flag on my shoulder before I 0:09:37.679 --> 0:09:40.400 went to Texas A and M and everybody could see it, 0:09:40.480 --> 0:09:41.960 you know, when I was out there playing, you know, 0:09:42.120 --> 0:09:45.720 people slowly but surely started seeing the Arizona the Grand 0:09:45.760 --> 0:09:49.280 Canyon and the flag, and I just wanted to show 0:09:49.320 --> 0:09:51.320 all the kids that were up and coming, you know 0:09:51.400 --> 0:09:53.679 here locally in the valley, like you can do it too. 0:09:53.760 --> 0:09:56.440 You know. For a while, the narrative was, oh, they 0:09:56.480 --> 0:09:59.120 play in Arizona. There's not that great a football out 0:09:59.160 --> 0:10:02.240 there that talents and you know, they have one player 0:10:02.280 --> 0:10:04.880 here and there that that that goes in a successful 0:10:05.120 --> 0:10:08.280 in college football. But I knew we have talent everywhere 0:10:08.280 --> 0:10:10.280 and we have great players, and I think, you know, 0:10:10.360 --> 0:10:12.319 we are seeing it now. You know how many top 0:10:12.679 --> 0:10:14.959 five star kids and four star kids are coming out 0:10:14.960 --> 0:10:16.480 of the valley that are going to the next level 0:10:16.480 --> 0:10:20.079 and being very successful. I wanted to just be almost 0:10:20.080 --> 0:10:23.840 like a light, to light on that path for those kids, like, hey, 0:10:23.880 --> 0:10:26.560 you can do it too. Have you had any experiences 0:10:26.559 --> 0:10:30.360 where you've had somebody come up to you that, you know, 0:10:30.400 --> 0:10:33.640 either a parent or a kid that's in high school 0:10:33.640 --> 0:10:35.800 that said, hey, I want to be like Christian Kirk. 0:10:35.880 --> 0:10:37.559 I want I want to be a guy that you 0:10:37.640 --> 0:10:40.280 know plays for the Cardinals that grew up here. Definitely, 0:10:40.360 --> 0:10:42.720 you know, not as specific as you know playing for 0:10:42.760 --> 0:10:45.080 the Cardinals. I mean, I'm sure that's every you know, 0:10:45.160 --> 0:10:48.079 local kids dream is to play for the Cardinals. Um. 0:10:48.440 --> 0:10:50.960 But I've definitely had parents and you know kids, you know, 0:10:51.040 --> 0:10:54.679 especially from Sawaro that obviously one say that you know, 0:10:54.720 --> 0:10:57.160 they appreciate, you know, all that I've done for the community, 0:10:57.200 --> 0:10:59.800 and you know, kind of being a septing zone for 0:11:00.200 --> 0:11:02.720 you know, their kids or their journey to you know, 0:11:02.760 --> 0:11:05.079 get to where they are and just be an inspiration 0:11:05.080 --> 0:11:06.680 and that, you know, that's what keeps him be going 0:11:07.120 --> 0:11:09.280 because I was that kid, you know too, looking up 0:11:09.320 --> 0:11:13.280 to Larry Fitzgerald and an kum Bowden and everybody coming 0:11:13.400 --> 0:11:15.600 you know through here and trying to be in their position. 0:11:15.640 --> 0:11:17.600 One day. All right, let's talk a little bit more 0:11:17.640 --> 0:11:20.560 about this team and what's ahead here against the Rams. 0:11:21.120 --> 0:11:24.440 Let's start with talking about the potential return of JJ Watt. 0:11:24.440 --> 0:11:28.200 When the Cardinals announced last week that he was being 0:11:28.320 --> 0:11:30.600 taken off injured reserve and over the next twenty one 0:11:30.679 --> 0:11:33.440 days would be eligible to be activated, there was a 0:11:33.480 --> 0:11:37.760 big national buzz jj Watt, you know, with what he's 0:11:37.800 --> 0:11:40.280 done over the course of his career, as as big 0:11:40.320 --> 0:11:43.400 of a name as there is, certainly on the defensive 0:11:43.400 --> 0:11:46.720 side in the NFL. If JJ's back, what does that 0:11:46.800 --> 0:11:49.000 do for your locker room first of all? And then 0:11:49.040 --> 0:11:51.439 what do you think that could mean on the field 0:11:51.559 --> 0:11:54.240 for you guys to have him in the game Monday night? 0:11:54.440 --> 0:11:57.680 It means a lot on and off the field, you know, 0:11:57.760 --> 0:12:00.080 having a in the locker room and you know, being i' 0:12:00.080 --> 0:12:02.000 gonna see ninety nine run out there on the field, 0:12:02.000 --> 0:12:03.800 I think it does a lot. You know, Like you mentioned, 0:12:04.160 --> 0:12:06.040 he's done so much in this league, and he's so 0:12:06.240 --> 0:12:09.400 established and no matter what you feel, his presence out 0:12:09.440 --> 0:12:12.320 there and the fact that he's even in the position 0:12:12.400 --> 0:12:14.880 to get back out there and play on Sunday is unreal. 0:12:14.960 --> 0:12:18.640 And I was giving him credit last week. This whole time, 0:12:18.760 --> 0:12:22.520 you know, he's been rehabbing. I didn't see his schedule 0:12:22.600 --> 0:12:25.040 or his regime change one day. You know, he was 0:12:25.120 --> 0:12:29.120 consistent doing the same thing every single day. And you 0:12:29.160 --> 0:12:31.640 know that's the reason why he's JJ Watt. You know, 0:12:31.720 --> 0:12:33.960 he's been doing that his whole entire career, and so 0:12:34.480 --> 0:12:36.280 I just, you know, tip my hat to him. And 0:12:36.360 --> 0:12:38.040 you know the fact that he works so hard to 0:12:38.040 --> 0:12:40.440 get back and come back and lead us and still 0:12:40.480 --> 0:12:43.440 has been leading us, you know, even you know, throughout 0:12:43.480 --> 0:12:45.200 his injury. I think it'll be big for us to 0:12:45.240 --> 0:12:47.160 get him back. You know, one of the things that 0:12:47.280 --> 0:12:49.640 fans are talking about this week, and it's something they've 0:12:49.640 --> 0:12:54.720 been talking about all season, is the inconsistency of the team, 0:12:54.920 --> 0:12:59.960 inconsistency of the offense, inconsistency of Kyler. But clearly Kyler 0:13:00.080 --> 0:13:03.520 has grown from year one to year two, year two 0:13:03.679 --> 0:13:06.240 to year three, and he's accomplished a lot. He's been 0:13:06.520 --> 0:13:08.240 he's going to a second probo all, he's been Rookie 0:13:08.280 --> 0:13:09.319 of the Year and now he's led a team to 0:13:09.400 --> 0:13:12.800 the playoffs. How have you seen him bro any personal 0:13:12.840 --> 0:13:15.959 stories you can share or just watching him work behind 0:13:16.000 --> 0:13:18.920 the scenes. What have you noticed about him and his maturation. Well, 0:13:18.960 --> 0:13:24.560 I think he's more defined on portraying to you know, 0:13:24.720 --> 0:13:26.960 us as skill players in the offense of you know, 0:13:27.040 --> 0:13:29.320 what he's looking for and what he wants and what 0:13:29.400 --> 0:13:32.800 he's comfortable with from a vocal part aspect. You know, 0:13:33.360 --> 0:13:35.400 at first when he first came in, and that's all 0:13:35.440 --> 0:13:37.400 of us as rookies, you don't really say much. You know, 0:13:37.480 --> 0:13:39.440 you kind of just go with the play call, go 0:13:39.480 --> 0:13:41.480 with the scheme. If you don't like it, you know, 0:13:41.840 --> 0:13:44.680 you know, you run it anyways. For him, now, you know, 0:13:44.720 --> 0:13:47.000 he's really taking control of the offense. You know, we're 0:13:47.000 --> 0:13:49.000 getting looks that you know, he doesn't like co check 0:13:49.040 --> 0:13:51.400 out of it. He did a great job. You know, 0:13:51.679 --> 0:13:54.560 we saw it last week against Dallas, you know in 0:13:54.679 --> 0:13:56.600 that four minute where he was checking out of some 0:13:56.679 --> 0:13:59.120 plays and getting his end too, you know, some some 0:13:59.200 --> 0:14:02.040 run options where you know, we made some big plays 0:14:02.040 --> 0:14:04.480 at the end to seal it. And he's done the 0:14:04.559 --> 0:14:06.960 same in the passing game. And I just think he's 0:14:07.040 --> 0:14:09.920 slowly but surely, you know, really growing into that vocal 0:14:10.040 --> 0:14:12.560 leader that we need to really you know, command the offense. 0:14:12.600 --> 0:14:15.720 And you know, one thing I always commend about him 0:14:15.800 --> 0:14:18.800 is I never questioned his you know, will to go 0:14:18.840 --> 0:14:20.360 out there and win. You know, I know that's the 0:14:20.360 --> 0:14:23.320 most important thing to him, and you know I see 0:14:23.320 --> 0:14:26.200 it from him every single Sunday, no matter what win 0:14:26.320 --> 0:14:27.920 or lost. That you know, he's putting it all on 0:14:27.960 --> 0:14:30.000 the line out there most of the time. To win 0:14:30.040 --> 0:14:31.920 a Super Bowl, you have to have a great quarterback. 0:14:31.960 --> 0:14:33.760 There have been teams that have won Super Bowls without 0:14:33.800 --> 0:14:36.000 a great quarterback. But man, I've seen a lot of 0:14:36.040 --> 0:14:37.960 guys come through this league doing this for twenty years 0:14:37.960 --> 0:14:40.200 and doing college football for ESPN for almost twenty years 0:14:40.200 --> 0:14:43.960 and seeing great players come through there. And Kyler can 0:14:44.000 --> 0:14:47.040 do some things I've never seen before. Patrick Mahomes was 0:14:47.080 --> 0:14:49.320 that guy where like, okay, I've never seen a guy 0:14:49.360 --> 0:14:51.280 play the position like Patrick Mahomes. But there are things 0:14:51.320 --> 0:14:53.720 that Kyler Murray can do that Mahomes can't. The quickness 0:14:53.760 --> 0:14:57.400 that he has, the burst in the run game, because 0:14:57.520 --> 0:15:00.640 Kyler has a skill set that is unique. It is elite. 0:15:01.680 --> 0:15:05.480 And for you, as a receiver and guys in that room, 0:15:05.640 --> 0:15:08.600 do you think coming into the playoffs, there's something to 0:15:08.760 --> 0:15:10.840 that like, hey, we can follow this guy. This is 0:15:10.840 --> 0:15:12.400 a guy that can take us there. I know it's 0:15:12.400 --> 0:15:13.880 a team game. This is a guy that can get 0:15:13.960 --> 0:15:17.280 us to a different level one percent. You know, I 0:15:17.320 --> 0:15:22.080 think his dynamic ability and his ability to extend plays 0:15:22.120 --> 0:15:24.040 with his legs and you know, be able to be 0:15:24.080 --> 0:15:26.360 a part of the run game, and with what he 0:15:26.360 --> 0:15:28.040 can do in the past game, you know, those are 0:15:28.080 --> 0:15:30.080 plays that need to be made in the playoffs. You know, 0:15:30.120 --> 0:15:32.160 there are going to be times where the protection is 0:15:32.200 --> 0:15:34.080 going to break down and we're gonna need him to 0:15:34.120 --> 0:15:36.760 scramble and you know, make one of those crazy plays 0:15:36.800 --> 0:15:39.520 that you know he makes every single game. And we're 0:15:39.560 --> 0:15:41.520 fortunate to have that, you know, because if you have 0:15:41.560 --> 0:15:44.640 an immobile quarterback, it's harder to do some things that 0:15:44.680 --> 0:15:46.840 we do schematically, and you know how we install some 0:15:46.880 --> 0:15:49.200 of our plays and you know, just for us in 0:15:49.200 --> 0:15:52.760 our receiver room, any to play that is called or 0:15:52.800 --> 0:15:56.440 put in that week, you know, it's not hey, you know, HEYJ, 0:15:56.600 --> 0:15:58.360 we need you to go here so you can get 0:15:58.440 --> 0:16:00.360 Christian open, or Christian we need you to go here 0:16:00.360 --> 0:16:03.400 to get AJ open. Everybody's open on any single play. 0:16:03.440 --> 0:16:06.440 I mean there's been multiple times, you know, this season 0:16:06.440 --> 0:16:08.200 where we've practiced a player where it's gone to that 0:16:08.240 --> 0:16:10.960 guy four times that week, and then we get into 0:16:11.000 --> 0:16:13.000 the game and Kyler throws the backside, and you know, 0:16:13.080 --> 0:16:16.400 that's just how his brain operates, because one thing he 0:16:16.440 --> 0:16:19.080 does really well is adjust with how the game is 0:16:19.120 --> 0:16:21.400 going and just with what the defense is giving him, 0:16:21.800 --> 0:16:23.280 and if he sees it, you know he's going to 0:16:23.360 --> 0:16:26.000 take it. And so in our room, you know that'll 0:16:26.040 --> 0:16:27.880 be a big thing for us, especially going to the playoffs. 0:16:27.880 --> 0:16:30.600 Is still continuing that. It is just making sure we're 0:16:30.600 --> 0:16:32.800 adjusting with him and you know, making those plays when 0:16:32.840 --> 0:16:35.320 they come to us. You had a career, Christian, you 0:16:35.320 --> 0:16:38.280 had almost eighty catches, almost a thousand yards. I know 0:16:38.360 --> 0:16:41.640 you were short of that mark eighteen yards short of 0:16:41.640 --> 0:16:43.920 a thousand yards. Was that a personal goal for you? 0:16:44.000 --> 0:16:46.160 Do you set personal goals coming into and I know 0:16:46.200 --> 0:16:48.240 it's contract year, so it's an important year. How much 0:16:48.280 --> 0:16:50.920 did you think about that in the offseason coming into 0:16:51.040 --> 0:16:53.960 twenty twenty one? You know, I was thinking about it 0:16:54.040 --> 0:16:58.000 last night because disappointed about the loss, definitely wanted to 0:16:58.040 --> 0:17:00.280 get to a thousand yards just kind of a lot 0:17:00.280 --> 0:17:03.560 of my mind. But when I really sat down and 0:17:03.600 --> 0:17:07.400 looked at it coming into this year, personally, my one 0:17:07.480 --> 0:17:11.000 soul goal was to stay healthy all season, and that 0:17:11.119 --> 0:17:13.960 was the one goal that I hit and I'm okay 0:17:14.000 --> 0:17:16.320 with that. That's what helped me go to sleep at night. 0:17:16.359 --> 0:17:18.639 It was, you know what, the one goal, and I 0:17:18.680 --> 0:17:20.480 said it from day one, is I just want to 0:17:20.520 --> 0:17:23.520 be healthy for all seventeen games and make sure I'm 0:17:23.520 --> 0:17:26.159 available for my team to be the best player that 0:17:26.240 --> 0:17:28.840 I can be for all seventeen games. That's my one goal. 0:17:28.840 --> 0:17:30.959 And I accomplished that. So I can't be mad at that. 0:17:31.560 --> 0:17:35.199 Whatever yards, whatever catches, whatever touchdowns, whatever I ended up with, 0:17:35.280 --> 0:17:36.760 that was good enough. But as long as I was 0:17:36.840 --> 0:17:39.679 on the field to be available, I was okay with that, 0:17:39.720 --> 0:17:43.320 and so I think that's what contributed to me, you know, 0:17:43.720 --> 0:17:47.000 having a career years I was available, and you know, 0:17:47.040 --> 0:17:49.440 I really took that stuff to heart because I'd never 0:17:49.480 --> 0:17:51.600 been hurt my whole entire career until I got here. 0:17:51.680 --> 0:17:53.960 You Know, I had an unfortunate broken foot my rookie year, 0:17:54.440 --> 0:17:58.600 unfortunate you know, high ankle spraining, which are terrible injuries 0:17:58.600 --> 0:18:01.439 in my second year and kind of nagged and bogged 0:18:01.480 --> 0:18:03.640 me down through the end of that year. And then 0:18:04.600 --> 0:18:06.359 you know, last year, I missed the game with a 0:18:06.440 --> 0:18:09.119 groin and missed the game with COVID and it's almost 0:18:09.160 --> 0:18:11.760 like I can't catch a break. And I've never experienced this, 0:18:12.240 --> 0:18:15.240 and so I knew if I could just be healthy 0:18:15.280 --> 0:18:18.600 and be strong and be out there and confident that hey, 0:18:18.760 --> 0:18:21.679 you know, on myself, I can be available, just go 0:18:21.720 --> 0:18:23.879 out there and play. Everything else would take you know, 0:18:23.920 --> 0:18:27.280 advantage of you know, of itself. Did you do anything 0:18:27.320 --> 0:18:29.919 differently in the off seas to prepare it for this 0:18:30.000 --> 0:18:32.600 year or was it just simply you got lucky? Because 0:18:32.840 --> 0:18:35.360 I hate when you know, unfortunately a lot of people 0:18:35.359 --> 0:18:37.960 in our business, hey, well he's injury prone. And yeah, 0:18:38.000 --> 0:18:40.400 there are some guys that you know are always injured 0:18:40.520 --> 0:18:43.440 and it is because you know, they had an ankle 0:18:43.480 --> 0:18:46.359 and that ankle leads to an achilles or whatever. But 0:18:46.440 --> 0:18:48.120 I mean, you, like you said, you had so many 0:18:48.160 --> 0:18:50.800 different things. So was it just good luck this year 0:18:50.880 --> 0:18:53.960 or was there something different you did from a conditioning standpoint, 0:18:54.000 --> 0:18:57.000 strength training or whatever in the off season to get ready. Yeah, 0:18:57.040 --> 0:18:58.480