Speaker 1: Family. Welcome into the Next Man Up. We have some
Speaker 1: fun for y'all. This week is always Mike Sanders still
Speaker 1: pulls up and talks about his battle against the Cleveland
Speaker 1: Browns and getting in Deshaun's Watson's face for a little bit.
Speaker 1: Then we have a great Washington legend for you. Alfred
Speaker 1: Morris joins the show to talk about the best running
Speaker 1: backs in his opinion, that has ever played for Washington
Speaker 1: and what it was like when he played in the
Speaker 1: Battle of the Beltway against the Baltimore Races. All that
Speaker 1: in more right now, next man up, the man is family.
Speaker 1: For our next man up, we have somebody extremely special
Speaker 1: straight out of Michigan. Our second round pick, our rookie.
Speaker 1: He's already naked waves in the league. Mike Santa said, brother,
Speaker 1: how you doing, Man doing? Man?
Speaker 2: How you doing?
Speaker 1: Man? I'm blessed to be here. Man, thank you for
Speaker 1: being here, because man, it's been a minute. As we talked,
Speaker 1: it was a rookie. Wee just dude came in. Then
Speaker 1: you the eyes wild open and a lot has happened
Speaker 1: since we last spoke. Man. First thing most important your daughter, man,
Speaker 1: the birth of your daughter. You're a girl. Dad. Now Man,
Speaker 1: how has that changed your life? Man?
Speaker 2: Just understanding that, like everything I'm doing now is no
Speaker 2: longer for myself, no longer for my partner, no longer,
Speaker 2: you know, like we are now doing everything we're doing
Speaker 2: for somebody else, like we're taking care of another being.
Speaker 2: And just you know, understanding that every day I wake
Speaker 2: up makes me want to go even harder for my family,
Speaker 2: you know what I mean. So like, shoot, I have
Speaker 2: a family now.
Speaker 1: You know that's beautiful to here, man, because you're already
Speaker 1: a motivated god to even get to this point in life.
Speaker 1: You're very motivated. But I know when I had my son,
Speaker 1: my first child, that motivation level just went to a
Speaker 1: whole nother space. Have you noticed being a dad affecting
Speaker 1: you on the field yet? Have you noticed like a change.
Speaker 2: I don't think I've noticed it, like in the sense
Speaker 2: of like what I'm doing. I think just the urgency
Speaker 2: I have. How are prepared now? I do notice that
Speaker 2: different friends, But like I you know, I go out
Speaker 2: there and I just play at the end of the day.
Speaker 2: But I do know in the back of my head,
Speaker 2: like I want to do everything I'm doing right now
Speaker 2: to you know, make my baby proud. So maybe a
Speaker 2: little bit.
Speaker 1: Yeah, And it's interesting the journey because you're becoming a
Speaker 1: new dad, but you're also an NFL player, two different things,
Speaker 1: I'm sure both things you've dreamt before. A quarter the
Speaker 1: way through the season already, man, a quarter of the way.
Speaker 1: What has surprised you so far in your rookie season?
Speaker 2: Anything? How fast it went? Yeah, Like like you just said,
Speaker 2: like square a quarter of the way in already, and
Speaker 2: I feel like I literally just got out, like I
Speaker 2: remember our first conversation together. But like, at the end
Speaker 2: of the day, it's the same game. You know, It's
Speaker 2: the same game I've been playing since I was a
Speaker 2: little kid, except now it was just with older men
Speaker 2: compared to college kids compared to high school kids and
Speaker 2: youth kids. You know what I'm saying. But just I
Speaker 2: think the biggest thing for me is how fast it
Speaker 2: has been going. Like and they say your rookie year
Speaker 2: is your fastest year and your longest in the sense
Speaker 2: like everything just you go from college to combine prep
Speaker 2: to draft to mini camp OTAs season starts, like the
Speaker 2: amount of things that just come at you so fast,
Speaker 2: but the duration of it is so long. From your
Speaker 2: last college football game to whenever your last NFL game is.
Speaker 1: You know what I mean, Well, everybody that talks about you,
Speaker 1: he says, this kid acts like he's been here before.
Speaker 1: He doesn't carry himself like a rookie, he doesn't play
Speaker 1: like a rookie, doesn't prepare like a rookie. What made
Speaker 1: you ready for this moment to where you're getting that
Speaker 1: kind of prey soon as you walking through the door.
Speaker 2: I think just understanding, Like if I wasn't, you know,
Speaker 2: supposed to be here, I wouldn't be, you know what
Speaker 2: I mean, So like just understanding, like I'm here for
Speaker 2: a reason. They wanted guys like myself, Jaden Benson and
Speaker 2: Luke McCaffrey, you know, everyone that they drafted. They wanted
Speaker 2: us here so be present in the moment. And I
Speaker 2: don't think anyone in our class is immature, and the
Speaker 2: rookie class that is. I think they drafted a whole
Speaker 2: bunch of guys who carry that level of maturity and
Speaker 2: can prepare like veterans, you know what I mean. Like,
Speaker 2: I don't think any rookie on this current team acts
Speaker 2: like a rookie. And I think, you know, that's very
Speaker 2: big to hear from vets in the on the team,
Speaker 2: like you know guys like Bobby Wagner, you know, Marcus Mario,
Speaker 2: the guys who have been in it for a long time,
Speaker 2: zach Ertz and maybe we can go down our roster
Speaker 2: and name guys who've been in it. But like just
Speaker 2: being around those guys, seeing how they prepare, and we
Speaker 2: can just take notes like, look, those guys are where
Speaker 2: they are for a reason. Why not follow what they're doing?
Speaker 1: And that's so much easier said than done though, right,
Speaker 1: because like there has to be moments where imposterson drop
Speaker 1: kicks in, whether you're on that field, whether you're surrounded
Speaker 1: by future Hall of famers like Bobby Wagner. Have you
Speaker 1: had that moment where imposters drop kicks in and you
Speaker 1: have to remind yourself like, hey man, I belong kid.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, definitely. I've caught myself a few times like
Speaker 2: like shoot Bobby himself, like that's he's a Hall of Famer,
Speaker 2: you know what I'm saying This times like and I
Speaker 2: think it's not necessarily impostera syndrome, but kind of like
Speaker 2: a level of appreciation where it's like like I get
Speaker 2: to play with Bobby Wagner, you know what I'm saying,
Speaker 2: Like he's going to be in the Hall of Fame
Speaker 2: one day, and just understanding that. It's like, like, that's
Speaker 2: very cool to say, you know what I'm saying, Like
Speaker 2: I've watched Bobby playing when I was fourteen fifteen, and wow,
Speaker 2: you know, Bobby's been in it for a long time.
Speaker 2: But now I'm sharing the field with him. I'm a
Speaker 2: part of the same defense as him. That's so much experience,
Speaker 2: that's so much knowledge, so much wisdom from one person
Speaker 2: that I could gain. And it's really cool, Like I said,
Speaker 2: and you've.
Speaker 1: Gained not only the confidence of players like Bobby Wagner
Speaker 1: and the players on your defense, but you gained the
Speaker 1: confidence of the coaches very quickly. Yes, you were a
Speaker 1: second round pick, but nothing's promised, right, especially not a
Speaker 1: starting spot. You come in, you win that starting job.
Speaker 1: Dan Quinn, that confidence that he has in you, Man,
Speaker 1: what does that mean to you? And how has that
Speaker 1: affected you? While you try to get comfortable in this
Speaker 1: new life.
Speaker 2: I'm just you know, wanting to make my co right.
Speaker 2: What he believes in me, what you know, his expectations
Speaker 2: of me are just going in stamping that like you know,
Speaker 2: I have high expectations for myself. I know what the
Speaker 2: coachest expectations are, so going and meeting those expectations and
Speaker 2: just proving them right. You know, they drafted me in
Speaker 2: the second round, and like I want to prove to myself,
Speaker 2: like yes, I was drafting the second round. I believe
Speaker 2: I could have been drafted higher. I want to go
Speaker 2: out there and put that on the field.
Speaker 1: And you've been doing it so far. Man, you have
Speaker 1: made some splashes. And I remember last game you meet
Speaker 1: Deshaun Watson on the sideline, you have a little little
Speaker 1: scuffle you. I was very surprising that because you're just
Speaker 1: such a chill do You're such a calm dude. But
Speaker 1: when you're on that field, something clicks. Man, Can you
Speaker 1: talk to us about that moment a little bit, because
Speaker 1: you will rookie that this is a guy again. You've
Speaker 1: probably been watching that you as a teenager. What was
Speaker 1: that moment like for you?
Speaker 2: Just just you know, when you step on that field,
Speaker 2: you got to turn it on. You know what I'm saying,
Speaker 2: Like whatever your alter ego is, whatever, you know what
Speaker 2: I'm saying, just you step on that field, it's you
Speaker 2: and your guys were stamping there, guys, and you know,
Speaker 2: I'm put everything I got on the line from my
Speaker 2: guys every single time.
Speaker 1: And that moment is so special to me because I
Speaker 1: think it encompasses what this team is because as soon
Speaker 1: as you do that, the entire defense comes over there.
Speaker 1: They have your back, they stand with you. Talk about
Speaker 1: that camaraderie y'all been able to build because it's not
Speaker 1: just rookies. Got a new coaching staff, you got all
Speaker 1: these new pieces together, but you guys have seemed to
Speaker 1: mess so well. How does that possible?
Speaker 2: I think it's just well even building an offseason, that brotherhood,
Speaker 2: that bond, that togetherness, just you know, being able to
Speaker 2: come together as one unit and play for each other.
Speaker 2: You know, we're a unit that we love each other,
Speaker 2: and you know we want to go out there play
Speaker 2: for our coaches, but we're we're on that field, you know,
Speaker 2: as a defense. We have each other's backs. At the
Speaker 2: end of the day.
Speaker 1: We can't wait to see you guys out there in Baltimore.
Speaker 1: It's a battle, little belt whigh, your first one going
Speaker 1: up against a dog and Lamar Jackson. But the fans,
Speaker 1: they travel, they've shown it now. They right up the Street.
Speaker 1: Give a message to the fans before you go on
Speaker 1: while they need to show up in Baltimore and turn.
Speaker 2: Up for y'all. I mean, I would say we felt.
Speaker 2: You know, our fans support all Sea and long. Why stop. Now,
Speaker 2: let's keep this thing going, you know, come to Baltimore,
Speaker 2: be loud, and you know, let's get this thing done.
Speaker 1: And Mike, appreciate your time as always. Man, congratulations all
Speaker 1: your success. Congratulations on being a father. Burn. We appreciate
Speaker 1: you pulling up for us.
Speaker 2: Man, appreciate you, sir.
Speaker 1: The man is family. For our next man up, we
Speaker 1: had to bring in a legend, in my opinion, one
Speaker 1: of the best rookies to ever play in the And
Speaker 1: if you had one of the best rookie seasons I
Speaker 1: have ever seen. Sixth round pick out of Florida Atlantic
Speaker 1: holds a few records, especially as a rookie for Washington.
Speaker 1: Let me welcome in the next man up, Alfred Morris.
Speaker 3: Brother, how you doing, Man, I'm good, I'm good, Man,
Speaker 3: glad to be here. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1: Man, oh man, we are so happy to have you.
Speaker 1: And as I mentioned, Man, that rookie year, I think
Speaker 1: that was what I was most excited to talk to
Speaker 1: you about Like it's always cool to talk to these
Speaker 1: legends about the whole years. But like I even going
Speaker 1: back when I was doing my research and looking at
Speaker 1: those numbers from your rookie season, man, you just don't
Speaker 1: see nothing like that. And you were sixth round pick.
Speaker 1: So let's start from the beginny Man, sixth round pick,
Speaker 1: you were named a starter. You didn't even play the
Speaker 1: final preseason game, which again is crazy for a six
Speaker 1: ro out running back. Did you know you were going
Speaker 1: to be the starter at that point?
Speaker 3: I had a great idea by the time they I
Speaker 3: sat the last game and I was like, oh, man,
Speaker 3: I think I knew I was gonna make the team.
Speaker 3: But then I like doing week one, I kind of
Speaker 3: got the like, hey, you're going to start, and I
Speaker 3: was like, oh shoot, I'm about to start. Like I'm
Speaker 3: about to be the start in the NFL. Like that's crazy.
Speaker 3: I would have never I never dreamed that would happen.
Speaker 3: I knew I wanted to be a start. I dreamed that,
Speaker 3: but so early I thought I was gonna to sit
Speaker 3: behind them, you know, one of the vets and kind
Speaker 3: of like aring my strikes and you know, kind of
Speaker 3: build some before and then I get, you know, my
Speaker 3: shot and not make the most of it. U you know,
Speaker 3: one of those things you can't get ready when the
Speaker 3: shot when it's time to come, when it comes, you
Speaker 3: gotta be ready before it comes. So uh but yeah,
Speaker 3: it kind of that happened in preseason for me. Really,
Speaker 3: A couple of guys was like nicked up, nothing made.
Speaker 3: It's just like ankle injuries. And they gave me that
Speaker 3: football and I was like, okay, I ain't getting this back,
Speaker 3: you know, I did that. That was the second game.
Speaker 3: That's when we played the Bears, because then would be Bills,
Speaker 3: Bears and then Colts if I remember correctly, it's been
Speaker 3: a while. But and I had opportunity, you know, to
Speaker 3: do dress rehearsal. You know, usually the dress versus was
Speaker 3: a third game starters play, you know, two three quarters
Speaker 3: and you know halftime. I had like like one hundred
Speaker 3: fifty yards something like that, you know, like and at
Speaker 3: period I was like, oh, yeah, they ain't getting this back.
Speaker 3: I'm sorry. But and then that it is politics to
Speaker 3: play in that too, it's got to be real. But yeah,
Speaker 3: so it was just like I didn't expect it to
Speaker 3: happen so fast. But I'm not. I'm not upset that
Speaker 3: it happened at that.
Speaker 1: You mentioned all the politics and just being a later
Speaker 1: round guy and nothing is promised. So what what was
Speaker 1: the motivation for you when you're coming into training camp?
Speaker 1: Because it has to be a very motivated guy. Also,
Speaker 1: you're not getting a ton of opportunities. How did you
Speaker 1: make the most involve was opportunities and what motivated you
Speaker 1: through that time?
Speaker 3: Well, kind of like what I said before about having
Speaker 3: been prepared before the opportunity. So I remember one of
Speaker 3: our family friends when I was going from high school
Speaker 3: to college and one of the things he's said and
Speaker 3: stuck with me for me still now. He's like he's like,
Speaker 3: it doesn't matter where you go. He's like, if you
Speaker 3: have the talent, they'll find you. So I always kept
Speaker 3: in the back of my day, if you have the
Speaker 3: talent and they'll find out. Was like, I know, I
Speaker 3: got the talent. So I went to Florida Land and
Speaker 3: it's bigger now than when I was there, and I'm thankful.
Speaker 3: I loved my school and I'm not salty. I love
Speaker 3: that they're growing and it's booming, and like they're getting
Speaker 3: better recruits and they're getting better uniforms and all this stuff.
Speaker 3: I'm like, man, I love that. So but going into
Speaker 3: the pros, it's kind of had the same mindset. If
Speaker 3: I can look myself in the mirror at the end
Speaker 3: of the day and know I gave you my all,
Speaker 3: I can sleep at night. You know, I can hang
Speaker 3: my hat no matter what happens when I'm cut, whether
Speaker 3: i'm you know, whether I put on practice or whatever,
Speaker 3: I'll come. It's like, if I can give each day
Speaker 3: my all, then I know that, like I can sleep
Speaker 3: at night and be happy at peace, and like I
Speaker 3: gave you everything I had and this was outcome and
Speaker 3: that's okay, you know. So that's my mindset going in.
Speaker 3: And I just kind of kept swinging, kept dropping wood,
Speaker 3: and it's, like I said, it shook out much quicker
Speaker 3: than I thought it would.
Speaker 1: Clearly, it was a good decision to name you the
Speaker 1: start of Man, because what a rookie season you had.
Speaker 1: I want to fast forward a little bit to that
Speaker 1: final rookie game because Man, two hundred plus rushing yards,
Speaker 1: three rushing touchdowns. Now, that game allowed you to break
Speaker 1: some pretty significant records. So I got to ask, did
Speaker 1: you know those records were on the line, or was
Speaker 1: like was that motivation for you on that game, Like
Speaker 1: did you have stuff that you had to prove or
Speaker 1: was it just one of those days where just everything
Speaker 1: was clicking and working right.
Speaker 3: I think everything was just clicking. I never paid too
Speaker 3: much of stats and records, and like, I know my
Speaker 3: stats now because you do kind of enough stuff and
Speaker 3: they want you to put a stats you kind of
Speaker 3: like I remember, like, oh yeah, it's like sixteen one
Speaker 3: six and thirteen yards, thirteen touchdowns. You know, like I
Speaker 3: can't remember the carries and it's been way too long.
Speaker 3: But it's just kind of like when people is repeated
Speaker 3: over and over, you're like, oh, that's that's what I did.
Speaker 3: But I never paid anch of records. I'm thankful I
Speaker 3: have a record and it's still standing, but I know
Speaker 3: I didn't. I just was was business as usual. I
Speaker 3: was like, I'm gonna do the best I can, and
Speaker 3: man it was it was a fun game. And like
Speaker 3: cause I was like, it's funny because I don't know,
Speaker 3: uh the real uh D why I remember this the
Speaker 3: real young I full back. I remember for the game,
Speaker 3: or maybe it's after the game. I like wrote down
Speaker 3: on a piece of paper. I just felt that. I
Speaker 3: was like, I put two and a plus yards three touchdowns.
Speaker 3: I don't know. I just feel like I was supposed
Speaker 3: to write that down and I didn't. After game, I
Speaker 3: was like, hey, do I look at this. I wrote
Speaker 3: this in the hotel room. It was like a gay
Speaker 3: little hotel, a little notepath thing, and I was like,
Speaker 3: look at this. But taking that, I did have two
Speaker 3: hundre plus yards, but I had a couple of negative runs,
Speaker 3: so it kind of put me back at two hundred.
Speaker 3: But I was like, that's crazy, man, that is wild.
Speaker 1: Did you continue to write things down moving onto your career,
Speaker 1: Like was that kind of like a little little trick
Speaker 1: you learned?
Speaker 3: No, No, it's just it just happened. It was one
Speaker 3: and done. It's just kind of really felt like I
Speaker 3: was like, man, I'm gonna run plush for two in
Speaker 3: yards and do touchdown. It was just like a knowing
Speaker 3: and so I was like, I'm gonna write that now
Speaker 3: so I can remember that. So and it happened. It
Speaker 3: was just crazy. I mean I wrote some other stuff
Speaker 3: now and that didn't happen. But ye, for sure, what
Speaker 3: was gonna happen?
Speaker 1: You know, but I mean, what a rookie year it was,
Speaker 1: and you got to come in with an RG three,
Speaker 1: a very mobile quarterback, a guy that's able to run
Speaker 1: much like are running backs right now playing with Jayden Daniels.
Speaker 1: Can you give your perspective on what it was like
Speaker 1: playing with the mobile quarterback and the benefits you received
Speaker 1: from playing next to a guy like RG three one.
Speaker 3: It was fun, It was a crazy ride, and both
Speaker 3: had really good rookie years honestly, and then but just
Speaker 3: having a mobile quarterback and then having a ball here
Speaker 3: that can run really well, especially in that system, it
Speaker 3: kind of it helped both of us out. It kind
Speaker 3: of like when he was doing those long rides, it's
Speaker 3: like it's draw more attention, it's keeping those those linebackers
Speaker 3: they have to take that step up. They have to
Speaker 3: respect that, like, hey, we're gonna stuff it down your throw,
Speaker 3: but that opens up those those passing windows so he
Speaker 3: can dump the ball off over their heads. And it's
Speaker 3: like it opened up big games like Pierre Garson or
Speaker 3: you know, Josh and those guys. So it's just like
Speaker 3: it was help for them, but also for me because
Speaker 3: they had to respect his boot legs and stuff. So
Speaker 3: like if he was like hands off and do a favor,
Speaker 3: they had to respect that he could run the ball,
Speaker 3: and then he was a threat eating on the run
Speaker 3: with his legs or with his arm. So it kind
Speaker 3: of took an ie or two off of me that
Speaker 3: had to hesitate to make sure, you know, and then
Speaker 3: it was like gave me that like it's a game
Speaker 3: of inches and just milliseconds, it really is, and likes
Speaker 3: a hole is there and then it's gone. So like
Speaker 3: just those eyes just slightly staying off me was able
Speaker 3: to help me find like have more time to hit
Speaker 3: holes and do things like that. So I think it played.
Speaker 3: It played to both our advantage, like they're both us
Speaker 3: has been successful when both were becoming threats. So which
Speaker 3: made even fun more fun against twenty is in the words.
Speaker 1: I'm glad you ended like that though, because yes, he
Speaker 1: helps you out, but man half of the rookie running back,
Speaker 1: like you had to have helped him so much. And
Speaker 1: again you broke the single season rushing yards for Washington
Speaker 1: at the time, you have the rookie record for touchdowns.
Speaker 1: I think you're at that time you were like the
Speaker 1: fourth person to ever rush for over sixteen hundred yards
Speaker 1: as a running baby, which leaves you in very, very
Speaker 1: small company as well. So I have to ask you,
Speaker 1: because again you said you weren't really noticing at the time,
Speaker 1: but now you're at all these events, you're signing autrogress,
Speaker 1: you're hearing about all of these things, and we've seen
Speaker 1: this game progress. Are you one of the best rookie
Speaker 1: running backs ever?
Speaker 3: I've aly never thought about that, but statistically speaking, yeah,
Speaker 3: I think the only there's three of us. I was
Speaker 3: the second rookie to across sixty on the yard Eric Dickerous,
Speaker 3: if I remember correctly, it was the first. He was
Speaker 3: like eighteen hundred, which is ridiculous, and that was a
Speaker 3: whole nother era, so that's even more ridiculous. So so
Speaker 3: I can't say I'm like the best because that's hard
Speaker 3: to top. And then I think Zeke did it in sixteen.
Speaker 3: I think it was his rookie year. So I also
Speaker 3: argue that he had a bed old line, like overall,
Speaker 3: I love my old line. It's not just them, but
Speaker 3: overall he had like they had a numre o line,
Speaker 3: you know, like graded that way. So I was like,
Speaker 3: I think it was easy for you to do that and
Speaker 3: it was me so but I think top three, like
Speaker 3: statistically speaking, and just like how fun it was. I'm
Speaker 3: like I would say, yeah, the better, you know, let
Speaker 3: me stop. Yeah, one of the best. We stopped trying
Speaker 3: to down Fleet. I'm one of the best running backs.
Speaker 3: I never thought about it. But that's man, that's yeah,
Speaker 3: that's true.
Speaker 1: Yeah, stick your chests out on that. Man. You deserve
Speaker 1: to have that because again, you earned it, right, It's
Speaker 1: not like we speculating these numbers and records exist, Like
Speaker 1: that's not something that we made up, man, and you
Speaker 1: earned that. So oh head, I like it, man, flex
Speaker 1: a little bit on And it's funny though you mentioned
Speaker 1: Zeke in that offensive line because you got to actually
Speaker 1: be there, fat you got to play behind that officeive
Speaker 1: line either. And with being having such a great start
Speaker 1: in Washington, right, Like you know that NFC East rivalry
Speaker 1: is a real thing.
Speaker 4: Like they really hate the Cowboys here, they really hate
Speaker 4: the Eagles here, you know, So what went into that
Speaker 4: decision making a go sign with the Dallas Cowboys and
Speaker 4: see your former team twice a year?
Speaker 3: And it's funny because like they it was like one
Speaker 3: team I didn't want to play for play for them,
Speaker 3: but it's just that's how it that's how it happened.
Speaker 3: And like I still there's still honesty question, like what
Speaker 3: happened to me exiting out of you know, Washington, which
Speaker 3: was hard, but because like I gave so much, you know,
Speaker 3: for four years, I gave it my all, like not
Speaker 3: only on the field, but off the field as well.
Speaker 3: I did every community service event.
Speaker 1: You know.
Speaker 3: I don't say this to two my arm but I
Speaker 3: was just like I was immersed into the community. I
Speaker 3: was immerged. I was like like I'm all in for
Speaker 3: this team and then for me to be exited out
Speaker 3: and now they offered me a contract, uh. And of
Speaker 3: course I was like, well, let's let's know, like you,
Speaker 3: I'm worth more than that, you know, like just statistically along,
Speaker 3: I'm working more than that. So I kind of turned
Speaker 3: it down. But I know it's a game. So I
Speaker 3: thought like, okay, they're gonna come back. And they never
Speaker 3: they never offered me like like I guess, like like
Speaker 3: a rebuttal I guess to me saying no, they I
Speaker 3: just started my play start getting effective. But that's whole
Speaker 3: nother story. So I ended up I don't I also,
Speaker 3: I actually thought I was gonna end up in with Broncos,
Speaker 3: which is a whole nother AFC, you know, so I'm like,
Speaker 3: oh shoot, you know, like all right, let's go h
Speaker 3: But that didn't work out, and then just how to
Speaker 3: cookie crumbled. They ended up landing in Dallas, and I
Speaker 3: didn't want to sign. I was mad when I signed.
Speaker 3: You know, I'm thankful on the hind side my career
Speaker 3: will continue, but the same time, I was mad, Like
Speaker 3: in the hotel talk with my agent, I'm like, this
Speaker 3: is bullcrap. This contract bull crap, you know, Like I'm like,
Speaker 3: I'm better than this. I got worth more than this,
Speaker 3: and but you know, like I wanted to be obedient,
Speaker 3: so I was like, I feel like the ward told
Speaker 3: me to do it, and I was like, all right, fine,
Speaker 3: I'm gonna do it, but I'm not gonna like it.
Speaker 3: So that's how I ended up over there, honestly, like
Speaker 3: it was the last team I wanted to play for,
Speaker 3: and uh yeah, and that's how it worked out.
Speaker 1: So wow, that is actually wild to think about. So
Speaker 1: you played for a couple of teams after Dallas as well,
Speaker 1: But would you say that the Commanders like Washington that's
Speaker 1: your home like it would you feel like this is
Speaker 1: still like your home. Like when people think Alfred Morris,
Speaker 1: do they think Washington.
Speaker 3: Oh, without a doubt, Like I did the same thing.
Speaker 3: I'm like, that's that's that's why I started at I mean,
Speaker 3: that's why I wanted to. I would love to in
Speaker 3: you know, some some day sometime, you know, maybe do
Speaker 3: like some of the other guys do, do a one
Speaker 3: day contract. But uh, you know, we'll work on that
Speaker 3: later down the road. But all right now is just yeah,
Speaker 3: like I when people think of me, they're always like, oh, man,
Speaker 3: he's a killer. They always they never say a mandage.
Speaker 3: They always see the other name. Yeah, yeah, you know,
Speaker 3: I still got a bunch of gear in my attic
Speaker 3: and out in my closet. So but I was like,
Speaker 3: you know, I respect that they're gonna put it out,
Speaker 3: but it's okay, but yeah, I'm washing them through and through.
Speaker 1: Well I'll tell you what, man, And that's why I
Speaker 1: like being able to talk to you guys, legends, because
Speaker 1: like we don't want the fans to think we're trying
Speaker 1: to erase anything. Because you wore a redskin. You played man,
Speaker 1: you wore that helmet, and that's why We like having
Speaker 1: you guys on the talk because, like we want to
Speaker 1: honor that history. That history doesn't go anywhere. You're a
Speaker 1: big part of that. So Meg, like, man, we're just
Speaker 1: so happy to have you in the phone. It's crazy
Speaker 1: because a lot of guys are starting to come back
Speaker 1: around and starting to show their faces again. Like there
Speaker 1: was a time where a lot of Washington legend have
Speaker 1: kind of just removed themselves. I don't know if it
Speaker 1: was the name change, I don't know what it was,
Speaker 1: but it's great to have you guys back. So my
Speaker 1: favorite question to ask y'all legends, and this might be
Speaker 1: a tough one, what was your favorite memory playing for Washington?
Speaker 3: Oh? Shoot, that is a tough one. I mean the
Speaker 3: season overall, I would say it was a it was
Speaker 3: a moment, uh I think we played uh man, it's
Speaker 3: just hard. But I can think of other ones. But
Speaker 3: this first one came out something to go with that one.
Speaker 3: But when we played New York the Giants, and it
Speaker 3: was I think pretty sure it was Monday night football.
Speaker 3: I think we ended up winning sixteen seventeen. But I
Speaker 3: was running on the left sideline and somehow, I like
Speaker 3: I think my shoulders missed up, but like the way
Speaker 3: I landed, the ball came out my hand. It was fun.
Speaker 3: I tried to get it back but like I did
Speaker 3: and then they recovered it. And I'm a young rookie guy,
Speaker 3: like were like partials through the season, you know, and
Speaker 3: they didn't. But my coaches didn't give up on it.
Speaker 3: Didn't be like man put them on a bench like
Speaker 3: he's out of here, you know. They like they they
Speaker 3: we got the defense, got the ball back, and they
Speaker 3: gave put the ball in my hands to steal the game,
Speaker 3: you know, like they were run this clock on it.
Speaker 3: That's one of my favorite pittus. I had that actually
Speaker 3: on like a canvas. But it's like me, I broke
Speaker 3: the over, get the first down. I'm like, oh and
Speaker 3: I just yelling like this big moment is just like
Speaker 3: like because I was like they believe me. I believe
Speaker 3: in myself, Like we just stealed this game. That's the
Speaker 3: w And it was just like this and I have
Speaker 3: to find I'll take it to you. But if I
Speaker 3: can find, it's probably an addic somewhere now because we
Speaker 3: moved again and so I didn't unpack the text to me.
Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, but yeah, yeah, so I have to find
Speaker 3: out when that was always one of my favorite pieces
Speaker 3: of just that moment and just in Washington and so
Speaker 3: but yeah, man, the time, it's.
Speaker 1: So great to do those walk down memory lanes, and
Speaker 1: you could tell when you guys talk about those moments,
Speaker 1: like even if you don't mention it, I know how
Speaker 1: involved the fans were at that time and how much
Speaker 1: of an impact they've made on you guys, because again,
Speaker 1: you've played for different teams, but there's a reason why
Speaker 1: all the guys seem to come back to the Burgundy
Speaker 1: and Gold and show love there. Can you just talk
Speaker 1: about this fan base a little bit and the love
Speaker 1: you've gotten, not just why you were playing, but since
Speaker 1: you've been gone as well.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, I think one of the best words I
Speaker 3: heard to describe the fan base as electrifying, especially that
Speaker 3: rookie years Trallen is just like, man, there's no atmosphere
Speaker 3: like you know, like like it wasn't washing the man
Speaker 3: Fedix Field it was. They're just different. I mean like
Speaker 3: even like I used to hang out in the stadium,
Speaker 3: that's my stadium family, you know. I used to always
Speaker 3: go out and kick it with them. So it's just
Speaker 3: like this like family atmosphere that you just don't get
Speaker 3: anywhere else. And it's like, you know, these people, they
Speaker 3: bleed it and they're like they're about that, like no
Speaker 3: matter what you do. That's why I love Even since
Speaker 3: being going and going and playing with the enemy, I
Speaker 3: still get love. You know, I got some booze and
Speaker 3: stuff like that, but I get the people fully understand
Speaker 3: the business side of this, like how the game works.
Speaker 3: Like if I, if it had my way, I would
Speaker 3: have been in Washington for my entire career. That's what
Speaker 3: I wanted, you know, But that's not what That's not
Speaker 3: how I played out for me. And that's okay because
Speaker 3: I still get a lot of love from the fans.
Speaker 3: I still get a lot of I still have love
Speaker 3: for the fans. And it was just one of those faces.
Speaker 3: It was special, Like I like I said, I had
Speaker 3: four other stops, but none of them felt like family.
Speaker 3: None of them felt like electrifying, like like it was
Speaker 3: I forget who said that. I think when we played
Speaker 3: the U when we played that Minnesota Vikings game, and
Speaker 3: it's the crowd was like like when Robert took off
Speaker 3: and like scare that touchdown game winner, Like the crowd
Speaker 3: went stupid, and I was just like, got these goosebo
Speaker 3: I get right now? Just think, man, this is this
Speaker 3: is it. This is the big leagues man. So but yeah, man,
Speaker 3: I think this fan base is really special and I'm
Speaker 3: glad they're still riding out through MultiMate name changes, through
Speaker 3: you know, coach changers, through player change all this. They're
Speaker 3: like there's still the conscience. So it's like they're always
Speaker 3: going to be there and I love that. And these
Speaker 3: people are like, man, my parents are at like yeah,
Speaker 3: seen tickets since the sixties or whatever it is. They
Speaker 3: have these crazy like dates but it's just like man,
Speaker 3: that's crazy. Like they like literally pass them down in
Speaker 3: the family, like it's like this is a family heiringroom,
Speaker 3: Like you get these in inheritance, you know, so, which
Speaker 3: is like super crazy and I love that. Man. So
Speaker 3: this fan base, ever, I ain't bias.
Speaker 1: It's funny because I don't think that's a better person
Speaker 1: to talk about that type of energy because now we're
Speaker 1: looking at the energy shift again. Now we're looking at
Speaker 1: the energy probably higher than it's ever been, higher than
Speaker 1: it's been since you played, like the last time you
Speaker 1: were playing, when you and RGI three were doing, you guys,
Speaker 1: just thing that's when that energy was up there and
Speaker 1: now we are seeing it again. And a lot of
Speaker 1: that has to do with the man Jaden Daniels. But
Speaker 1: he also has so stud running backs just like RG
Speaker 1: three had. He has a Brian Robinson, j he has
Speaker 1: an Austin Eckley. He even has a Jeremy McNichols. Talk
Speaker 1: about this run game before we get into Jade and
Speaker 1: Daniels and the commanders that are today, talk about this
Speaker 1: run game a little bit, because I got a feeling
Speaker 1: you're a big fan of what you're seeing on that
Speaker 1: field right now.
Speaker 3: No, No, definitely for sure.
Speaker 1: Man.
Speaker 3: It's it's crazy how like so many people want to
Speaker 3: go away from the run game and they talk about
Speaker 3: it like, oh, it's not needed people in stupe go,
Speaker 3: And I'm like, nah Na, Like, if you really want
Speaker 3: to win, if you really want to contend, it, like
Speaker 3: you have to establish run game, because when you can't
Speaker 3: get the ball going on the on the on the ground,
Speaker 3: it's like it limits your playbook, like you can only
Speaker 3: do so much. It literally makes your your offense is
Speaker 3: like it makes it that much harder to be successful
Speaker 3: as an offense, Like you have to establish your run game.
Speaker 3: That helps with play actions that help with like some
Speaker 3: of those like a lot of those deep passes and
Speaker 3: stuff like. It helps with like the game overall, and
Speaker 3: even the flow ball like timon possession. You know, if
Speaker 3: you have something like a lot of people don't look
Speaker 3: at but I can look at people's timon position. I like,
Speaker 3: look at Jim James. I bet they lose a game
Speaker 3: just by their position alone. The defense on the field
Speaker 3: too long. That means they're gonna get really tired, and
Speaker 3: that means that the offense wasn't like they weren't fining
Speaker 3: all senders. Chances are they lost that game or they
Speaker 3: didn't play very well, you know. So it's just one
Speaker 3: of those things like you have to establish run games.
Speaker 3: So but yeah, I'm always gonna be biased by runn
Speaker 3: game because they always trying to like devalue running back
Speaker 3: Like no, I'll get what you say, like be value
Speaker 3: all you want, but you need to running back.
Speaker 1: Well, they definitely value it out here. Cliff Kingsbury has
Speaker 1: found a way to move that ball on the ground.
Speaker 1: Of course, that brings me to Jaden Daniels, where you
Speaker 1: know he had a lot of comparisons of RG three,
Speaker 1: which I'm gonna say they think it's fair to make
Speaker 1: any of these comparisons, right, They compared Withamar Jackson all
Speaker 1: these things. But we are seeing a guy come in
Speaker 1: and make an impact very similar to what we saw
Speaker 1: when RG three came in his rookie year. Can you
Speaker 1: talk about Jaden Daniels and have you really seen a
Speaker 1: quarterback like Jaden Daniels before?
Speaker 3: No, I can't. Yeah, everyone's unique. They may have similarities, man,
Speaker 3: Like you said, they gonna of course, anybody who looks
Speaker 3: like them are somewhat similar. They're gonna compare it likesons people, man,
Speaker 3: But I think he's overall he's doing a heck of
Speaker 3: a job. And like one of the main things is
Speaker 3: like play along is like he's reigniting the fan base.
Speaker 3: When you get those fans involved, man, like, it changes game.
Speaker 3: They literally the atmosphere can shift momentum in your favor
Speaker 3: and it's crazy how that works. So that's well if
Speaker 3: you can get that fan base going. And I think
Speaker 3: him and the rest of the team are doing a
Speaker 3: really really good job of this, Like I said, play
Speaker 3: along like and the more the better they play, the
Speaker 3: more the fans, we need to do it. So it's
Speaker 3: like it's just if both of them are just speeding
Speaker 3: off each other. So it's exciting to see what they do.
Speaker 3: And my hope it's that like they're able to, you know,
Speaker 3: one go make it all the way this sheit out,
Speaker 3: that would be lovely, nobody all the way, But it's
Speaker 3: like they can carry that momentum to keep going forward,
Speaker 3: to make it to the big dance, and like, cause
Speaker 3: that's I never got there, and I would I would
Speaker 3: love to have had a chance to shot at the
Speaker 3: super Bowl, but not everyone making there. But I just
Speaker 3: hope they one can get there and do they can
Speaker 3: keep this going for years to come. It's not just
Speaker 3: like a flash in the pants, so to speak, that
Speaker 3: it's like a one and done and then the next
Speaker 3: year they's like, oh what happened to those guys? You know?
Speaker 3: But but I think I'm hopeful and I think so
Speaker 3: that they will be able to keep this moment on going.
Speaker 1: You said it best, not everybody's able to make it there,
Speaker 1: and I feel that way when it comes to a
Speaker 1: career like yours, not everybody is able to come into
Speaker 1: the league and make an impact that you were able
Speaker 1: to make. So I got a tough question for you.
Speaker 1: I'm gonna put you on the spot right now. This
Speaker 1: is your list, So don't there's no pressure. You can
Speaker 1: say whatever you want, but I need top three Washington
Speaker 1: running backs all time in your opinion. Granted, you know
Speaker 1: we wasn't around years and years and years ago, so
Speaker 1: you don't got to, you know, feel like you were
Speaker 1: obligated to say that, but in your opinion out for more' opinion?
Speaker 1: Who are the top three running backs in Washington.
Speaker 3: All the time? I became in Washington bring because of Clinton.
Speaker 3: Porter is when you got traded h for Champ Bailey
Speaker 3: two And that was like. I watched him in Denver,
Speaker 3: watching a lot of Denver Denver stand Frank Green Bay.
Speaker 3: It was the only games we can catch on TV.
Speaker 3: My dad was a big fan. So but I started,
Speaker 3: I started. I was watching him. I'm like, man, this
Speaker 3: guy's nicely, got a nice him and pre songs going
Speaker 3: back and forth and touchdowns. Anyways, when he trained him, like,
Speaker 3: I was like, oh, it's so stupid. He's just and
Speaker 3: I'm like, you know what, I'm a Washington Frian now,
Speaker 3: so I actually got to pay my favorite team. So
Speaker 3: there's a there's another little nugget that most people didn't
Speaker 3: know that, like Washington was my favorite team, know that,
Speaker 3: So I would say Clinton Porters. I mean, ah, let's see,
Speaker 3: I'm gonna say, dang, I can't really stay with deal bitch,
Speaker 3: but I just actually love watching with del bitch play too.
Speaker 3: But I can't say he's like one of the top three,
Speaker 3: you know, like there's some good backs. Of course, I'm
Speaker 3: by the twist Clinton Porters. So man, he you can't
Speaker 3: think Washington backfield without thinking John Reagan, So I have
Speaker 3: to put Reagans in there. I have to. So like
Speaker 3: and he's also like madam awesome. God loved him like
Speaker 3: he's he's like the real deal. So and just watch
Speaker 3: I didn't get to watch him growing up, but just
Speaker 3: watch some of his highlights, you know. I was just like, man, like, Okay,
Speaker 3: this dude was he was like eating it. So and
Speaker 3: then third, I didn't want to do this, but I'm gonna.
Speaker 1: Have to do it.
Speaker 3: I'll have to save me. I'm had to say me. Man.
Speaker 3: I kind of I still to this day like some another
Speaker 3: I like, I kind of just think about my career
Speaker 3: and I can go back and look at my highlights
Speaker 3: and I was like, dang, yeah, I hate I do.
Speaker 3: Like I don't know if that's like what call it
Speaker 3: what you want, but it's just like I do I
Speaker 3: go back and bind myself that. I was like, man like,
Speaker 3: like what a career I had? Like what? Look? That
Speaker 3: was a lot of fun in watching this, So I
Speaker 3: guess I know. I've never put myself on the list
Speaker 3: when I get a list, but it's the first time
Speaker 3: for everything, so like I'm throwing me on there.
Speaker 1: I love it. Man again, Man, this is a this
Speaker 1: is your walk down memory, lay Man, and I love that.
Speaker 1: I to put you on the list too, because brother man,
Speaker 1: even just preparing for this and go through those stats,
Speaker 1: I was like, oh my gosh, this is a sixth
Speaker 1: round doing these things. And that actually leads me to
Speaker 1: my final question for you, because when you were a rookie,
Speaker 1: you got to experience the Battle of the Belt wagh,
Speaker 1: which is our matchups against the Baltimore Ravens. We have
Speaker 1: that this Sunday. Do you remember real quick because I
Speaker 1: got them? Do you remember your stats that game?
Speaker 3: H No, I don't. The one thing I remember for
Speaker 3: that game is I mean the linebacker went head up
Speaker 3: and he stopped and fell and I kept going and
Speaker 3: I just remember I feel bad. I think I got
Speaker 3: hurt that guy, but I was like, it doesn't matter.
Speaker 3: I got the yards a game like, but I don't
Speaker 3: know my stats. I knew it. It was a fun
Speaker 3: game and I enjoyed it. And it was like they
Speaker 3: were like I knew they thumb because they still at ray.
Speaker 3: I actually met ray Lewis side No, I met ray
Speaker 3: Lewis and I was like, hey, ry Louu was scared
Speaker 3: of me, just because he came to the game right after.
Speaker 3: I have my whole life wanted to play against ray
Speaker 3: Lewis and the one opportunity to get he's not even
Speaker 3: in the game because I think, yeah for something. That's
Speaker 3: the side note. But I don't remember my stats, but
Speaker 3: I do remember that one play with that linebacker and
Speaker 3: like him hitting the ground and me keep running by.
Speaker 3: So but yeah, yeah, I don't know what's my stats though.
Speaker 1: Let me tell you the Ravens needed ray Lewis that
Speaker 1: day because you had one hundred and twenty nine yards
Speaker 1: rushing and a touchdown and your performance got you Rookie
Speaker 1: of the Week against the Baltimore Ravens so you had
Speaker 1: yourself a game, and we have some rookies that are
Speaker 1: looking to do the same thing with that Battle of
Speaker 1: the Beltway. So can you tell me, like, I don't
Speaker 1: know if you realize it at the time, but I'm
Speaker 1: sure like being back now, you realize like it's not
Speaker 1: really a rivalry, but there's like that play cousin type
Speaker 1: energy with the Baltimore Ravens. With everything being in the DMV,
Speaker 1: can you tell us the importance of back then what
Speaker 1: those Battle of the Beltway games were like, especially against
Speaker 1: a Ravens team that was really dominant.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, no, yeah, definitely, So it was I always
Speaker 3: thought it was fun. Even when we played them in
Speaker 3: the preseasons someone we always played them, so it was
Speaker 3: like it was almost like a brother like we had
Speaker 3: high key key before the game, after the game, but
Speaker 3: between that lines we smashing each other. It's like, you know,
Speaker 3: it's like kind of like a blue little brother versus
Speaker 3: big brother almost, or like these two cousins is always
Speaker 3: going to each other. They love each other, but at
Speaker 3: the same time always going at I always trying to
Speaker 3: wine up each other, trying to better each other. So
Speaker 3: I think it's one of those like it's a competitive relationship,
Speaker 3: but it's like it's a healthy competitives competitiveness between the
Speaker 3: two and like the DMV is so interconnected, it's almost
Speaker 3: like we're in ways and I ain't gonna say that.
Speaker 3: So it was a kind of like one team, but
Speaker 3: we're not. We definitely not. There's a distinction between Washington
Speaker 3: and Baltimore. So I'm not gonna sol any our fan
Speaker 3: based or anything like that. So but it is it's
Speaker 3: like this brotherly like love, but it's like I'll knock
Speaker 3: you out, anybody else knock you out.
Speaker 1: So hey, man, well, thank you so much for your
Speaker 1: time and your perspective. Man. Yeah, we know you're a
Speaker 1: busy brother. An before we even got on, you surprised me. Man,
Speaker 1: you had the scrubs on, you had on the hospital mask.
Speaker 1: Tell the people what you're doing these days, man, and
Speaker 1: you know where they can still support you and show
Speaker 1: you love because I'll tell you what, Man, these Washington fans,
Speaker 1: they love you so much, man, and I know they're
Speaker 1: going to be so excited to have heard from you again.
Speaker 3: Yeah, well I appreciate it. I honestly, man, Right now,
Speaker 3: I'm a medical medical device here. Didn't know it existed. Uh,
Speaker 3: someone kind of pointing out of direction, was like, I
Speaker 3: want to do that. You know, I've a natomy background.
Speaker 3: I want to be somewhere in the medical field. It's
Speaker 3: always going to be there. So started doing this and
Speaker 3: doing a little over two years. So I mean I'm
Speaker 3: also like looking for what's the next thing. So, I
Speaker 3: mean there's nothing I canna be supported in it right now.
Speaker 3: I don't have like, you know, nonprofit or anything like
Speaker 3: that I'm supporting, but uh maybe one day I would
Speaker 3: love to do something for like like a homeless ministry,
Speaker 3: like doing something with like feeding homeless or just getting
Speaker 3: them shelter or helping them rehab to so they can
Speaker 3: get a job. You know, some of them won't just
Speaker 3: want to live on the streets and some of them,
Speaker 3: you know, some of them don't. They just feel a
Speaker 3: hard times. So I just have a heart when I
Speaker 3: especially in Dallas a lot of and uh so when
Speaker 3: I go around, I just see them and not stop
Speaker 3: and chat with them, and just so eventually I want
Speaker 3: to do something with that. So maybe in the future,
Speaker 3: like that's something I can do and maybe the fan
Speaker 3: Basic can help out with that. But as of right now,
Speaker 3: it's like just keep showing your love to his team
Speaker 3: with keep it, keep it electrified.
Speaker 1: Great guy on and off the field. Brother, always pushing
Speaker 1: the envelope man, and that's so impressive. It Just know
Speaker 1: if you ever ever getting into meeting, you always got
Speaker 1: a home with Next Man Up. Man, we will always
Speaker 1: welcome you on. Brother. This has been a great conversation, Alfred,
Speaker 1: and we appreciate you so much. Command is family, our
Speaker 1: Next Man Up, a true Washington legend, one of the
Speaker 1: best backs to ever put that helmet on for Washington.
Speaker 1: Alfred Mores, thank you for your time.
Speaker 3: Brother, Thank you. I appreciate it and this family.
Speaker 1: We hope you've enjoyed this episode like you've enjoyed all
Speaker 1: the other Next Man Up episodes, and if you've missed any,
Speaker 1: make sure to check him out on the Commander's YouTube
Speaker 1: page or stream them wherever you get your podcasts. I
Speaker 1: am your host, Brian Cooper Junior, and this is Next
Speaker 1: Man Up.