WEBVTT - The Season with Peter Schrager: Browns Asst HC/ ST Coordinator Bubba Ventrone 0:00:07.266 --> 0:00:09.706 The Season with Peter Scheger is a production of the 0:00:09.786 --> 0:00:24.706 NFL in partnership with iHeartRadio. What's up, everybody, this is 0:00:24.706 --> 0:00:27.986 Peter Schreger. You're listening to the Season with Peter Schreger. 0:00:28.026 --> 0:00:32.226 We are officially in the off season. Mandatory mini camps 0:00:32.466 --> 0:00:35.106 ended last week and we now have a nice four 0:00:35.146 --> 0:00:38.506 week break before training camp starts. This is when I'm 0:00:38.506 --> 0:00:42.226 hoping teams can kind of collect their thoughts, coaches can 0:00:42.226 --> 0:00:45.146 get away, gms can maybe look at their rosters, make 0:00:45.186 --> 0:00:47.866 some little tweaks, and then we hit the ground running 0:00:47.986 --> 0:00:51.866 in July. One thing about those mandatory mini camps that 0:00:51.946 --> 0:00:53.786 kept on coming up when I was talking to a 0:00:53.786 --> 0:00:57.226 lot of coaches was that these new kickoff rules are 0:00:57.226 --> 0:00:59.906 going to be really interesting. And I'm joined by Aaron 0:00:59.986 --> 0:01:01.786 Wong Kaufman. Aaron, I hate to put you out on 0:01:01.786 --> 0:01:04.946 the spot. Do you know that there's a change, a 0:01:05.026 --> 0:01:06.946 major change in the NFL kickoff rules? 0:01:07.666 --> 0:01:10.346 I know that there is a major change. I could 0:01:10.346 --> 0:01:12.586 not tell you. I'm gonna begin to tell you what 0:01:12.666 --> 0:01:14.906 it is other than I keep hearing words about like 0:01:17.146 --> 0:01:21.146 certain players, like the returner is going to have more 0:01:21.226 --> 0:01:24.146 work and what that means. I figured I would just 0:01:24.186 --> 0:01:25.786 wait a couple of weeks in the season and see 0:01:25.826 --> 0:01:27.906 how it looks after a week one or two. 0:01:28.226 --> 0:01:31.226 No doubt, And I think that's that's a fair assessment 0:01:31.266 --> 0:01:33.866 for a lot of people, including me. I've got I've 0:01:33.866 --> 0:01:38.026 been sent diagrams, PowerPoint documents. I've spoken to special teams 0:01:38.066 --> 0:01:40.626 coaches and I I'm still not sure if I had 0:01:40.706 --> 0:01:42.346 visualized it. They're like, well, look at the look at 0:01:42.346 --> 0:01:45.226 the old XFL rule and then just tinker this one 0:01:45.266 --> 0:01:47.786 piece of like, I'm not looking at old XFL footage. 0:01:47.786 --> 0:01:50.626 That's not a league anymore. That league is no longer. 0:01:50.666 --> 0:01:54.226 I cannot find XFL footage to to to to deal 0:01:54.266 --> 0:01:55.946 with all that, so I'm not going to go there. 0:01:57.146 --> 0:02:00.906 That was one takeaway. Then the other thing was, you know, 0:02:01.066 --> 0:02:06.386 the Rogers missing Mini camp and Robert Sala coming out 0:02:06.546 --> 0:02:09.586 and saying it was unexcused, so he'll be fine, but 0:02:09.626 --> 0:02:12.546 it's not unexcused in the way that he wasn't aware 0:02:12.586 --> 0:02:14.906 of it, and the CBA means he has to find 0:02:14.946 --> 0:02:18.386 it was very, very convoluted and all that stuff. The 0:02:18.466 --> 0:02:21.666 thought from within the Jets world, and I've spoken to 0:02:21.746 --> 0:02:23.786 some of those guys. Sala not included is that like 0:02:23.826 --> 0:02:26.546 it's no big deal, Like this is not a big deal. 0:02:26.586 --> 0:02:30.666 It's three days. He was there every day. It was 0:02:30.706 --> 0:02:34.866 not a big deal. But in the New York market, 0:02:34.986 --> 0:02:37.586 when you have the coach say unexcused and he will 0:02:37.586 --> 0:02:39.626 be fined. And then you also have a son Reddick, 0:02:39.666 --> 0:02:41.546 which the two things don't really have anything to do 0:02:41.586 --> 0:02:44.506 with each other, but two major players not at the 0:02:44.506 --> 0:02:46.186 three day mini camp, Like why can't you just be 0:02:46.266 --> 0:02:50.226 at the three day mini camp? And yet Lamar Jackson 0:02:50.866 --> 0:02:53.466 was in South Florida, Like there's a million ways you 0:02:53.466 --> 0:02:56.346 could tear this thing about. I'm gonna say this, Rogers 0:02:56.346 --> 0:02:58.986 will be there for training camp. We won't even think 0:02:59.026 --> 0:03:01.746 about these three days. We won't even go back to 0:03:01.786 --> 0:03:04.106 these three days. I'm gonna lean on the side of 0:03:04.506 --> 0:03:08.466 no big deal, Aaron, it would look like it was 0:03:08.506 --> 0:03:11.426 a dead time in football. The NBA playoffs had like 0:03:11.466 --> 0:03:15.266 a solid week in between finals games. No big deal? 0:03:15.306 --> 0:03:17.066 Okay to say? Or am I being like a homer 0:03:17.106 --> 0:03:19.226 and protecting my guys by saying no big deal here 0:03:19.266 --> 0:03:21.866 with me being in the New York market? Oh man 0:03:22.226 --> 0:03:25.386 uh Kaufman. 0:03:26.546 --> 0:03:30.186 I think, for better or worse, anytime Rogers does anything, 0:03:30.186 --> 0:03:34.146 it's news and say this were I don't know if 0:03:34.906 --> 0:03:39.026 Anthony Richardson was missing three days, it'd be different. But 0:03:39.106 --> 0:03:43.266 because it's Rogers, and I think the SoundBite of Sala 0:03:43.346 --> 0:03:47.786 saying we knew about it, but it's unexcused, it maybe 0:03:47.826 --> 0:03:51.186 compounded it and made it worse. But I agree with you. 0:03:51.226 --> 0:03:54.826 If he shows up in training camp and they're humming 0:03:54.906 --> 0:03:57.786 along and Mike Williams is healthy and the offense looks 0:03:57.866 --> 0:04:01.986 great and Malcat Coraley is catching Rogers highlight there boom, 0:04:01.986 --> 0:04:03.946 then like, no one's going to talk about this again. 0:04:04.386 --> 0:04:07.946 Let me let me give you a You know, in 0:04:08.346 --> 0:04:10.986 sports media, there's take, there's the other take, and then 0:04:10.986 --> 0:04:13.346 there's like the turn it on its head flip side 0:04:13.506 --> 0:04:17.306 take that usually is what breaks through. Here's my turn 0:04:17.346 --> 0:04:20.506 it on its head flip side take. So the first 0:04:20.506 --> 0:04:24.146 take is the hot take, which is Rogers, all I 0:04:24.186 --> 0:04:26.106 have to do is be there for three days. It matters, 0:04:26.146 --> 0:04:29.106 it's mandatory, and it seems weird that he's not there. 0:04:29.226 --> 0:04:34.386 The other take is the moderate conservative take, which is mine, 0:04:34.386 --> 0:04:37.146 which is a snow big deal. The flip it on 0:04:37.226 --> 0:04:40.506 its head take is that the fact that no one 0:04:40.666 --> 0:04:46.026 knows where Rogers is tells me that the Jets have 0:04:46.026 --> 0:04:48.866 tightened things up in their building a little bit. That 0:04:49.026 --> 0:04:52.426 last year after Diana Russini had an athletic article where 0:04:52.506 --> 0:04:54.746 it seemed like there was thirty sore season, there was 0:04:57.266 --> 0:05:01.666 I'm being honest, Eron, I don't know where Rogers was 0:05:01.906 --> 0:05:04.226 and I have no idea and I've asked everyone and 0:05:04.266 --> 0:05:06.266 they won't give it to me. So if I don't know, 0:05:06.626 --> 0:05:09.666 and Chef The's not reporting it, Glazers not reporting it, like, 0:05:10.346 --> 0:05:13.226 is that not a sign of things changing with the Jets. 0:05:13.306 --> 0:05:16.186 And maybe a this is a real long hot, real 0:05:16.386 --> 0:05:20.226 aunt would say, asymmetric take, but maybe a good thing 0:05:20.306 --> 0:05:22.986 that the Jets that their team knows and no one 0:05:23.026 --> 0:05:24.986 in the building has leaked where Rogers was. 0:05:25.666 --> 0:05:29.986 Maybe Rogers actually was there and they're just saying he 0:05:30.066 --> 0:05:34.706 wasn't there to prove how how tight the ship is now. Yeah, 0:05:34.946 --> 0:05:37.146 I mean that is good that stuff's not getting out 0:05:37.226 --> 0:05:44.466 sure ish ish yeah good fine, yeah, positive spin, positive sign. 0:05:45.306 --> 0:05:47.706 Lastly, the Chiefs they get their rings. It is crazy 0:05:47.746 --> 0:05:51.866 that some of those guys, you know, Mames, Kelsey, Chris Jones, 0:05:52.266 --> 0:05:54.626 they have three rings and they're all under the age 0:05:54.626 --> 0:05:57.346 of thirty. Like crazy. It was a pretty cool presentation 0:05:57.426 --> 0:06:02.266 that they did. I love the fact that, like Kelsey, 0:06:02.586 --> 0:06:04.906 as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago with Greg Olsen, 0:06:04.986 --> 0:06:07.986 like is at that ring ceremony is at tight End 0:06:08.146 --> 0:06:11.666 University is like active there. Chiefs seemed to. 0:06:11.586 --> 0:06:12.266 Be rolling to me. 0:06:12.466 --> 0:06:14.426 And I know we made a big deal about Rashi 0:06:14.546 --> 0:06:17.786 Rice and Harrison Bucker's comments, and I don't know once 0:06:17.826 --> 0:06:19.306 we get to training camp and those guys are on 0:06:19.346 --> 0:06:21.186 the field and they're playing like, I'm not sure even 0:06:21.186 --> 0:06:23.346 that stuff is going to be like a quote unquote 0:06:23.386 --> 0:06:25.586 distraction that a lot of us were trying to make 0:06:25.626 --> 0:06:28.546 to poke holes in this, you know, repeat, But they 0:06:28.546 --> 0:06:31.866 seem pretty dialed in. That was their ring ceremony. But 0:06:32.146 --> 0:06:34.946 I want to rap before we get to our guest, Aaron. 0:06:35.706 --> 0:06:40.346 The Boston Celtics won their eighteenth NBA title last night. 0:06:40.866 --> 0:06:43.426 I don't really want to go into NBA and talk 0:06:43.466 --> 0:06:47.626 about that because the night before was the Tony Awards. 0:06:47.626 --> 0:06:50.946 In a ninety second conversation, if anyone listening to this 0:06:51.026 --> 0:06:53.506 podcast is new to it, I must tell you that 0:06:53.986 --> 0:06:56.626 Aaron and I are Broadway enthusiasts. We live in New York. 0:06:56.666 --> 0:06:59.546 We enjoy the Arts Hour. Buddy Jason English who is 0:06:59.546 --> 0:07:02.626 on here as well. His daughter is a thespian. He's 0:07:02.666 --> 0:07:05.826 into the Broadway shows. There is nothing wrong with loving Broadway. 0:07:05.826 --> 0:07:08.186 And when I saw Alam and Thomas in my old 0:07:08.226 --> 0:07:11.546 colleague Nate Burlison presenting Best Play to Stereophonic, I had 0:07:11.586 --> 0:07:15.866 a sense of pride the NFL has being represented, Aaron 0:07:16.706 --> 0:07:19.266 your thirty second takeaway from Tony Knight. 0:07:21.506 --> 0:07:26.626 Some big names. I think people love the Daniel Radcliffe 0:07:27.186 --> 0:07:30.626 when his first Tony his acceptance speech was great. I 0:07:30.666 --> 0:07:33.586 love seeing him basically say like I will never have 0:07:33.706 --> 0:07:36.586 it this easy ever again. Like my co stars on 0:07:36.626 --> 0:07:37.626 this were incredible. 0:07:37.666 --> 0:07:40.106 I mean you're talking about you know, Lindsay Mendez and 0:07:40.186 --> 0:07:43.986 Jonathan to a great act. Yes, that's pretty good. 0:07:44.706 --> 0:07:48.266 Also love seeing a show that originally bombed and has 0:07:48.346 --> 0:07:50.906 then has since come back because Merrily We roll along 0:07:51.066 --> 0:07:53.866 as a revival. The first run did not do well And. 0:07:53.906 --> 0:07:55.346 Is that right? I don't know the history of it, 0:07:55.386 --> 0:07:57.786 so when how many years ago? Like eighties nineties are like. 0:07:57.786 --> 0:08:00.506 Ten years and not no longer than that I believe. 0:08:00.226 --> 0:08:01.906 But the story is it was a flop. 0:08:02.746 --> 0:08:02.986 Yeah. 0:08:03.106 --> 0:08:07.946 Eight nineteen eighty one musical Wow on time and based 0:08:07.986 --> 0:08:11.506 off of a nineteen thirty four play from George Kaufman. 0:08:12.706 --> 0:08:15.946 But yeah, great last name love that. Yes, great last 0:08:16.026 --> 0:08:19.506 name President quite a bit of theater. Liked that. And 0:08:19.546 --> 0:08:24.106 then also my favorite show of the entire year one 0:08:24.226 --> 0:08:27.826 for best Choreography Illinois, which is the Soufkion Stevens musical. 0:08:28.266 --> 0:08:30.426 I didn't see it. My wife wanted to see it. 0:08:30.426 --> 0:08:32.426 She didn't see it, but the performance they had was 0:08:32.506 --> 0:08:34.066 pretty moving. What's the story there? 0:08:34.226 --> 0:08:40.266 Souf Kihn Stevens, who's an indie singer, songwriter, indie music darling. 0:08:40.426 --> 0:08:43.426 He was one of the most important musicians to me 0:08:43.546 --> 0:08:46.546 and my generation, I would say during college. This album 0:08:46.586 --> 0:08:50.386 in particular is very, very important. And this album features Chicago, 0:08:50.506 --> 0:08:53.586 the song that's in a Little Miss Sunshine, like the 0:08:53.666 --> 0:08:56.986 swelling strings, all things go oh like when they're driving 0:08:56.986 --> 0:09:01.186 in the car. And the show is choreographed by Justin Peck, 0:09:01.226 --> 0:09:06.506 who's one of the most visionary young choreographers dancers in 0:09:06.666 --> 0:09:12.026 theater today, I think. And the show is like using 0:09:12.346 --> 0:09:13.786 the music from that album. 0:09:14.146 --> 0:09:16.226 There's no dialogue, right, it's no dialogue. 0:09:16.266 --> 0:09:17.466 It's just all done dude. 0:09:17.506 --> 0:09:21.106 Yeah, And it's an album from the two thousands, and it's. 0:09:21.106 --> 0:09:23.426 Yeah, it's all late two thousands. 0:09:23.746 --> 0:09:26.146 So they just have the album and they just sing, 0:09:26.306 --> 0:09:28.386 they dance and sing to it, and they tell a 0:09:28.426 --> 0:09:29.066 story through that. 0:09:29.466 --> 0:09:32.626 And it's very similar to Sufion had these elaborate tours 0:09:32.666 --> 0:09:35.306 at that time. So he's got this huge band and 0:09:35.346 --> 0:09:38.626 he's got three vocalists who do all the pieces. And 0:09:38.626 --> 0:09:41.266 he's not in it. Soufion's not in it, but he 0:09:41.346 --> 0:09:44.746 is a he's a Brooklyn guy like us. But yeah, 0:09:44.786 --> 0:09:48.346 and it's it tells the story of this character who 0:09:49.866 --> 0:09:51.866 is kind of a stand in for him and his 0:09:51.986 --> 0:09:57.026 journey from like small town moving to New York City. Yeah, 0:09:57.106 --> 0:10:00.666 it's beautiful. It's yeah, one hundred percent. I would We 0:10:00.746 --> 0:10:04.666 saw it at the Armory. Yeah, we saw it at 0:10:04.706 --> 0:10:06.706 the Armory. We have not seen it on Broadway yet, but. 0:10:06.786 --> 0:10:08.546 It's only a limited run. It's like ten weeks. 0:10:08.586 --> 0:10:10.306 Yeah, I think it's got a couple more weeks left, 0:10:11.026 --> 0:10:13.186 so recommend that. 0:10:13.706 --> 0:10:15.826 My real quick takes. I didn't see The Outsiders. That 0:10:15.866 --> 0:10:17.626 one the best musical. Did you you see it? 0:10:17.666 --> 0:10:17.786 I have? 0:10:17.946 --> 0:10:18.746 I've not seen that yet. 0:10:18.786 --> 0:10:21.066 Yeah, I was in it, but I loved Enemy of 0:10:21.106 --> 0:10:23.186 the People and Jeremy Strong winning was really cool. I 0:10:23.186 --> 0:10:26.346 thought it was amazing. So he had a cool speech too, 0:10:26.626 --> 0:10:29.066 and they tried putting the music on like and like, no, 0:10:29.186 --> 0:10:31.586 you let Kendall Roy give his speech if he wants 0:10:31.626 --> 0:10:34.346 to give his speech. It was great. And now he's 0:10:34.346 --> 0:10:38.106 in a very controversial, slash interesting movie that got a 0:10:38.146 --> 0:10:42.026 standing ovation at Gon called The Apprentice and it's about 0:10:42.226 --> 0:10:45.106 you know, Donald Trump and Donald Trump's father and Roy 0:10:45.186 --> 0:10:48.506 Cone and he plays Roy Cohne, who is kind of 0:10:48.546 --> 0:10:52.106 the man behind the Trump Empire. Very interesting if that 0:10:52.186 --> 0:10:54.866 movie comes out, especially around election time. That's how we 0:10:54.866 --> 0:10:58.666 start our football prodcast, folks, And with no further ado, 0:10:59.226 --> 0:11:01.546 we were talking to start this thing about the special teams. 0:11:03.066 --> 0:11:05.306 I love talking to special teams coordinators. If there's like 0:11:05.346 --> 0:11:08.866 one thing that I'd say that I've seen as like 0:11:08.906 --> 0:11:10.746 a way to learn the game and talk the game 0:11:10.906 --> 0:11:12.826 and to guys who are usually willing to talk and 0:11:12.906 --> 0:11:16.506 teach and not you know, move on. It's special teams guys. 0:11:16.546 --> 0:11:18.826 And one of them that I've grown pretty friendly with 0:11:18.866 --> 0:11:21.146 over the years is Bubba Ventrone. I think he's great. 0:11:21.226 --> 0:11:22.746 I got to know when he was with the Colts. 0:11:22.866 --> 0:11:25.586 He is now the special teams coach of the Browns, 0:11:25.986 --> 0:11:28.106 and I thought let's bring Bubble on to start these 0:11:28.106 --> 0:11:31.506 offseason podcasts, and let's really have him explain these kickoff. 0:11:31.346 --> 0:11:32.186 Roles and go from there. 0:11:32.426 --> 0:11:35.946 So, with no further ado, my guy, Raymond Bubba than Trump. 0:11:42.386 --> 0:11:44.386 All right, my guests this week is someone I've been 0:11:44.386 --> 0:11:46.026 wanting to have on for quite some time. I think 0:11:46.026 --> 0:11:48.106 he's one of the best special teams coaches in the league. 0:11:48.226 --> 0:11:50.586 And with a lot of the changes going on with 0:11:50.626 --> 0:11:53.466 the rules and special teams, which I think a lot 0:11:53.506 --> 0:11:55.506 of football fans haven't been paying much attention to it 0:11:55.546 --> 0:11:57.466 are going to be shocked when the season starts to say, 0:11:57.506 --> 0:11:59.866 wait a second, what's going on? I wanted to bring 0:11:59.906 --> 0:12:02.066 on special teams guru and a guy who I think 0:12:02.106 --> 0:12:03.546 is going to be a head coach in the NFL, 0:12:04.346 --> 0:12:09.386 Raymond Bubba Ventro. He is the assistant head coach and 0:12:09.426 --> 0:12:12.586 special teams coordinator of the Cleveland Browns, and we're gonna 0:12:12.586 --> 0:12:14.546 go through his career. But Bubba, what's up, my man? 0:12:15.506 --> 0:12:17.746 What's going on? My man? Thank you so much for 0:12:17.786 --> 0:12:21.466 that intro. That's a heck of an introduction that I 0:12:21.546 --> 0:12:22.226 appreciate it. 0:12:22.346 --> 0:12:24.466 All right, so, special teams coordinator. But for those at 0:12:24.466 --> 0:12:26.426 home who are like all right, But what's his story. 0:12:26.506 --> 0:12:29.626 We'll go through it here. Undrafted as a Patriots player 0:12:29.866 --> 0:12:32.786 five oh six, then the Jets for seven, then you 0:12:32.866 --> 0:12:35.466 jump back to the Patriots for seven eight, Then you 0:12:35.506 --> 0:12:38.666 spent four years with the Browns, two years with the Niners, 0:12:39.106 --> 0:12:43.426 and then almost immediately after ending a career as a player, 0:12:43.626 --> 0:12:45.946 you end up coaching with the Patriots and their special 0:12:45.946 --> 0:12:49.466 teams room, then being the Colt special teams coordinator, which 0:12:49.866 --> 0:12:51.906 I was. That's where we got to know each other, 0:12:51.906 --> 0:12:53.546 and I was blown away by your work during the 0:12:53.586 --> 0:12:55.786 hard knocks in season with the Colts, where you were 0:12:56.106 --> 0:12:58.626 I think the MVP, and then for the last couple 0:12:58.586 --> 0:13:01.466 of years the Browns special teams coordinator. You're a super 0:13:01.466 --> 0:13:04.866 Bowl champion and you're an undrafted guy out of Villanova. 0:13:04.946 --> 0:13:08.706 Do you do you look at yourself as former player 0:13:08.946 --> 0:13:11.506 or do you look at yourself now as current coach? 0:13:11.586 --> 0:13:13.186 Like what's the dichotomy in your brain? 0:13:14.106 --> 0:13:16.226 I think I take a little bit from both, I do. 0:13:16.346 --> 0:13:17.986 I think I take a little bit from both. And 0:13:19.066 --> 0:13:21.946 I had to work for all my opportunities, and I'm 0:13:22.026 --> 0:13:24.266 very thankful for all those opportunities I was given, and 0:13:24.706 --> 0:13:27.226 in both as a player and as a coach by 0:13:27.346 --> 0:13:31.026 Bill Belichick. So that's pretty cool to say. But no, 0:13:31.146 --> 0:13:32.626 I feel like I wor I just I worked for 0:13:32.666 --> 0:13:35.426 every opportunity I got, and I put myself in a 0:13:35.466 --> 0:13:38.946 good position moving into this twenty twenty four season. 0:13:39.786 --> 0:13:42.746 Undrafted guy out of Villanova, And as the story goes, 0:13:42.786 --> 0:13:45.426 I'm doing my research, there was a chance they were 0:13:45.426 --> 0:13:47.466 going to draft you as mister irrelevant. The year you 0:13:47.506 --> 0:13:50.706 got drafted, they don't you sign as an undrafted free agent. 0:13:51.306 --> 0:13:52.866 I could see the way you play, and you were 0:13:52.906 --> 0:13:56.146 a fearless player, and you're a special teams guru. I 0:13:56.146 --> 0:13:58.426 can imagine you were one of Belichick's favorites. What was 0:13:58.426 --> 0:14:00.746 the dynamic there between you and coach Bill Belichick? 0:14:01.186 --> 0:14:03.226 No, he was He was awesome, and he knew that 0:14:03.266 --> 0:14:04.946 I was going to play as hard as I could 0:14:05.026 --> 0:14:08.546 every single play. That's really that's ultimately how I made it. 0:14:08.586 --> 0:14:11.386 I was a practice squad player for my first year 0:14:11.386 --> 0:14:13.866 in the league and then they actually sent me to 0:14:14.146 --> 0:14:17.866 and I was playing. I was playing running back, receiver, corner, safety, 0:14:17.866 --> 0:14:20.586 and practice taking every special teams rep. So I was 0:14:20.626 --> 0:14:23.466 playing both ways, doing the taking every rep. They actually 0:14:23.466 --> 0:14:26.066 sent me to NFL Europe right after the season. I 0:14:26.106 --> 0:14:28.906 played over there for ten weeks. I injured my shoulder 0:14:28.946 --> 0:14:31.026 and they put me on into a reserve for that 0:14:31.426 --> 0:14:35.026 O six season, so I didn't really play until two 0:14:35.066 --> 0:14:38.546 thousand and seven. The Jets signed me and then they 0:14:38.586 --> 0:14:40.706 cut me after training camp, and then I signed back 0:14:40.746 --> 0:14:43.626 to New England, so you know when I go. And 0:14:43.626 --> 0:14:45.786 then when I signed back to New England, Bill moved 0:14:45.786 --> 0:14:49.026 me to receiver. So I actually played receiver for two 0:14:49.106 --> 0:14:52.386 years and backed up Welker in the slot. So and 0:14:52.506 --> 0:14:55.786 his his the reason he did that was he was like, okay, 0:14:56.226 --> 0:14:59.186 you understand the defense. You know the defense. We could 0:14:59.186 --> 0:15:00.906 put you in on defense if we had to at 0:15:00.906 --> 0:15:02.506 the end of the y. He knew that ultimately I 0:15:02.546 --> 0:15:05.266 was a special teams player, So I played a lot 0:15:05.266 --> 0:15:07.386 of I played running back in school and I had 0:15:07.666 --> 0:15:10.266 some offers to the smaller schools to play running back. 0:15:10.786 --> 0:15:13.186 So I was playing running back and receiver and he's like, listen, 0:15:13.346 --> 0:15:16.146 we're gonna to give you more value. We're gonna have 0:15:16.186 --> 0:15:18.946 you learn the receiver position. So I played receiver for 0:15:18.986 --> 0:15:23.106 the whole offseason, ended up making the roster and it 0:15:23.186 --> 0:15:26.026 really didn't put me gave me more more more value 0:15:26.066 --> 0:15:28.506 to the roster, and honestly, I learned a lot from 0:15:28.626 --> 0:15:33.706 him about roster management because the value of having a 0:15:33.746 --> 0:15:37.226 guy that can no offense, defense, but ultimately as a teamer, 0:15:37.386 --> 0:15:39.626 that gives you a guy it's really like your sixth 0:15:39.626 --> 0:15:42.466 wide out at the game or your fifth wide out 0:15:42.506 --> 0:15:45.146 at the game, and also your fourth or fifth safety 0:15:45.626 --> 0:15:48.746 having that same role. And that's why Bill was so good. 0:15:48.826 --> 0:15:52.706 I mean guys like Edelman, Troy Brown, those guys could 0:15:52.706 --> 0:15:56.266 do play off everything and defense. That way, you wouldn't 0:15:56.346 --> 0:16:00.626 have to play or carry an extra body. Like one 0:16:00.666 --> 0:16:04.026 more example I'll give you like Patrick Chung, Like for 0:16:04.186 --> 0:16:07.026 us Pat Chung when I was coaching there, Pad could 0:16:07.066 --> 0:16:09.746 play nickel, he could play safety, so you didn't have 0:16:09.826 --> 0:16:12.186 to carry an extra BB. We could carry an extra 0:16:12.226 --> 0:16:15.586 special teamer to those games. So that that really helped 0:16:15.586 --> 0:16:16.586 our roster out a lot. 0:16:17.306 --> 0:16:19.786 The Niners era of your career is cool too, because 0:16:19.826 --> 0:16:22.426 you were in those hardball teams that made a run 0:16:22.506 --> 0:16:25.746 in the playoffs couple of years. Uh. Your thoughts on 0:16:25.746 --> 0:16:27.826 on that team and that identity and when you were 0:16:27.826 --> 0:16:29.986 on those forty nine ers squads that were led by 0:16:29.986 --> 0:16:32.266 Alex Smith and of course Kaepernick gets the nod uh 0:16:32.666 --> 0:16:34.466 in that second season of his. 0:16:34.906 --> 0:16:37.226 Yeah, Coach Harbaugh. I mean the one thing he instilled 0:16:37.306 --> 0:16:41.506 was just toughness. I mean those guys and I understand 0:16:41.506 --> 0:16:44.026 that those guys in LA. I mean, he will make 0:16:44.066 --> 0:16:46.946 those guys work, work, work. I mean we practiced long, 0:16:47.026 --> 0:16:50.106 we practiced hard. We would two spot pretty much every 0:16:50.146 --> 0:16:53.506 team drill, so we were like getting double reps. You know. 0:16:53.586 --> 0:16:58.666 He was big on conditioning and ultimately just that guy's 0:16:59.266 --> 0:17:02.146 he is a work work, workman. Yeah, he's a great 0:17:02.226 --> 0:17:03.146 He's grateful. 0:17:04.546 --> 0:17:06.866 That Niners roster bub because I feel like it's one 0:17:06.906 --> 0:17:08.666 of those teams that didn't win the CHIP. So everyone's like, 0:17:08.706 --> 0:17:10.826 all right, we think of that era, we think of Patriots, 0:17:11.226 --> 0:17:13.506 you think of the Colts of those era, like that 0:17:13.706 --> 0:17:16.026 Niners team that went to the Super Bowl and those 0:17:16.106 --> 0:17:19.266 in the year before the NFC Championship game, and like 0:17:19.706 --> 0:17:22.586 tucking Justin Smith, Yeah, Alden Smith, like go through some 0:17:22.626 --> 0:17:24.306 of those names that you would just see like these 0:17:24.306 --> 0:17:25.146 are just beasts. 0:17:25.506 --> 0:17:27.506 So I came in, and I came in in thirteen, 0:17:27.826 --> 0:17:29.146 was my first year there, So it was a year 0:17:29.186 --> 0:17:31.146 after they lost the Super Bowl, but it was still 0:17:31.146 --> 0:17:32.906 a lot of a lot of carryover the only guy 0:17:32.946 --> 0:17:35.186 that the only guy that really wasn't there was Deshaun Goldson, 0:17:35.546 --> 0:17:39.826 the safety. But up front we had Justin Smith, Alden Smith, 0:17:39.906 --> 0:17:44.466 Ray McDonald, Ahmad Brooks as a freak. Inside you had 0:17:44.586 --> 0:17:48.626 Pat Willis Navarro, Bowman as your as your as your backers. 0:17:48.706 --> 0:17:51.906 Navarro was like runner off for defensive Player of the Year. Yeah, 0:17:51.946 --> 0:17:56.426 in twenty thirteen. Then on the perimeter you had Carlos Rogers, 0:17:56.586 --> 0:18:00.146 Terrell Brown, Dante Whitner. We drafted Eric Reid in the 0:18:00.186 --> 0:18:01.066 first round that year. 0:18:01.186 --> 0:18:01.626 Yeah. Great. 0:18:02.226 --> 0:18:05.626 Our defense was really really good. And then offensively, obviously 0:18:05.626 --> 0:18:09.466 we had cap Frank Gore, you know, and Kwon Bolton's 0:18:09.466 --> 0:18:13.106 probably one of the most underrated receivers, you know how history. 0:18:13.146 --> 0:18:15.626 That dude was a playmaker. We had Vernon Davis who 0:18:15.626 --> 0:18:18.426 could stretch the field. We had a really good we 0:18:18.426 --> 0:18:20.186 had a really really good team, and we ended up 0:18:20.626 --> 0:18:25.786 playing and losing to Seattle in the NFC Championship. 0:18:25.186 --> 0:18:27.306 One of the most physical games of all time. 0:18:28.066 --> 0:18:32.026 And in the next year, right, so the next year 0:18:32.226 --> 0:18:34.666 was my last year playing. I had some injuries and 0:18:34.746 --> 0:18:36.906 so was going to be done playing in twenty fourteen, 0:18:37.586 --> 0:18:40.066 and that's really how I got my coaching opportunity was 0:18:40.106 --> 0:18:43.746 because the Sea the Seahawks were about to play the 0:18:43.746 --> 0:18:47.546 Patriots in the Super Bowl. So Bill Bill reaches out 0:18:47.586 --> 0:18:50.866 to me because we had gone against Seattle a number 0:18:50.906 --> 0:18:54.546 of times and because I knew there were special teams. 0:18:54.586 --> 0:18:58.706 He was asking me questions about their their kicking game there, right, So. 0:18:58.586 --> 0:19:01.066 You weren't you weren't on staff for the Patriots, and 0:19:01.066 --> 0:19:02.826 you weren't in the league. You were kind of in limbo, 0:19:02.946 --> 0:19:04.666 and he calls you to start picking your brain the 0:19:04.666 --> 0:19:07.666 week of the Super Bowl. I love this Bubba We. 0:19:07.746 --> 0:19:09.946 Yeah, I mean he's a coach, is a good friend 0:19:09.986 --> 0:19:11.986 of mine. We I mean we text throughout the year 0:19:12.066 --> 0:19:16.426 and we always had a good relationship. So at the 0:19:16.506 --> 0:19:19.266 end of the conversation, he's like, Hey, not sure what 0:19:19.306 --> 0:19:22.346 your plans are, but Scottie O'Brien is going to retire, 0:19:22.586 --> 0:19:24.466 Joe Judge is going to be the coordinator. Would you 0:19:24.586 --> 0:19:28.026 want to interview for the assistant job? And I had 0:19:28.066 --> 0:19:30.906 already had a house in Boston. My wife was from Boston, 0:19:30.946 --> 0:19:32.546 and that was kind of like our place to go 0:19:32.666 --> 0:19:36.306 back to regardless of where I was playing and the 0:19:36.346 --> 0:19:39.786 season ended. I think I interviewed that Thursday and that 0:19:39.946 --> 0:19:43.146 interview process was intense. I mean I was there at 0:19:43.186 --> 0:19:47.546 like six six am. I didn't leave until like seven pm. 0:19:47.906 --> 0:19:52.586 And then he ended up offering me the position. And 0:19:52.586 --> 0:19:55.746 then he's like, yeah, if you want to come, if 0:19:55.746 --> 0:19:58.626 you want to come back tomorrow, you know, and be 0:19:58.666 --> 0:20:00.346 ready to roll, that'd be great. And I was like, 0:20:00.586 --> 0:20:01.586 it was like Friday or. 0:20:01.506 --> 0:20:02.546 Something like tomorrow. 0:20:02.906 --> 0:20:06.786 Yeah, but now he's he's awesome, Gig. 0:20:06.826 --> 0:20:09.826 You finally get the special teams coordinator, Gig, and you're 0:20:09.826 --> 0:20:12.866 now one of the thirty two in that role. How 0:20:12.866 --> 0:20:13.786 did that come about? 0:20:14.946 --> 0:20:19.466 Yeah? So I get a call after the Super Bowl 0:20:19.506 --> 0:20:21.546 when we lost to Philly and I was still the 0:20:21.586 --> 0:20:25.346 assistant in New England, and Frank Raich said, hey, there's 0:20:25.386 --> 0:20:27.986 a chance I might be getting this this job in Indy. 0:20:28.426 --> 0:20:30.546