WEBVTT - MVP: QB Coach Josh McCown On Working With Sam Darnold, Using Experience As An Asset - Episode 290 0:00:00.040 --> 0:00:02.240 Hey, Vikings fans, been over here. I'm so excited to 0:00:02.279 --> 0:00:04.360 be a new Lifetime member, and so are my kids. 0:00:04.400 --> 0:00:06.519 They love the tennis, the pick a ball, the basketball, 0:00:06.519 --> 0:00:08.680 and of course the Yummy cafe. Check them out at 0:00:08.720 --> 0:00:10.760 Lifetime dot life to find a club nearest you. 0:00:14.840 --> 0:00:18.800 Well, the Undefeated edition of the Minnesota Vikings podcast is underway, 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:21.600 and it is a special privilege to be joined by 0:00:21.640 --> 0:00:24.520 a man who is making such a huge impact not 0:00:24.560 --> 0:00:26.160 only on the field but off the field for this 0:00:26.200 --> 0:00:30.680 Minnesota Vikings team. Quarterback coach Josh McCown appreciate. 0:00:30.280 --> 0:00:32.159 You joining mes. Josh awesome. Thank you for having me. 0:00:32.240 --> 0:00:35.120 Look, we talked about it a little bit before before 0:00:35.159 --> 0:00:37.640 the camera turned on. The first time I met you 0:00:37.840 --> 0:00:42.840 was twenty eighteen Charlotte, North Carolina Josh Norman's All Star 0:00:42.960 --> 0:00:46.920 Celebrity Basketball Game tournament, or like the Celebrity All Star Game. 0:00:47.280 --> 0:00:50.440 And I went into that day walking into the gym 0:00:50.680 --> 0:00:52.640 seeing Terroll Owens dunk right. 0:00:52.840 --> 0:00:53.000 Yeah. 0:00:53.040 --> 0:00:56.800 And I left that game basically thinking to myself, why 0:00:56.800 --> 0:01:01.160 didn't anyone tell me Josh mccowca who walk us through 0:01:01.640 --> 0:01:05.720 just that the celebrities on deck that day, Yeah. 0:01:05.520 --> 0:01:07.200 There was there was a few guys out there. Man, 0:01:07.640 --> 0:01:09.880 I mean, I know Cam, I love Cam was there. 0:01:09.720 --> 0:01:11.640 And Lukeley and Louke Keikley. 0:01:11.880 --> 0:01:14.120 It was a fun day and the funniest part I 0:01:14.120 --> 0:01:16.080 remember about it is like it was Josh's event, and 0:01:16.120 --> 0:01:18.040 I think we came down to the last second shot 0:01:18.160 --> 0:01:20.800 which in which he got a charitable foul call and 0:01:20.880 --> 0:01:23.080 had like on a three pointer that he had like 0:01:23.400 --> 0:01:24.720 three chances to make it. 0:01:24.880 --> 0:01:25.080 Yeah. 0:01:25.520 --> 0:01:27.360 I think it was like a laying violation too, so 0:01:27.400 --> 0:01:29.280 he can finally make the free throws like. 0:01:29.280 --> 0:01:30.320 He doesn't make any of them. 0:01:30.319 --> 0:01:32.959 And I think it was the me or t O 0:01:33.080 --> 0:01:35.080 or one of us look at each other like all right, well, 0:01:35.360 --> 0:01:36.920 like if he ain't gonna win it, like we're winning 0:01:36.920 --> 0:01:38.920 it now, like you know, like we're trying to let 0:01:39.000 --> 0:01:41.959 him win his event. But man, that was because it's 0:01:42.160 --> 0:01:44.640 you know, his squad. I know there was a few 0:01:44.640 --> 0:01:46.600 of his his family members there too with him and 0:01:47.000 --> 0:01:50.200 uh and so it was competitive as far as charity 0:01:50.240 --> 0:01:50.600 games go. 0:01:50.680 --> 0:01:52.560 It was fun though. It was fun day, yeah, just 0:01:52.600 --> 0:01:53.480 from start to finish. 0:01:53.760 --> 0:01:55.600 Just that the people that rolled in, the people that 0:01:55.600 --> 0:01:59.040 that are athletes that were either retired or playing and 0:01:59.440 --> 0:02:02.080 just thinking about you know, your journey, what twelve teams, 0:02:02.120 --> 0:02:05.280 eighteen different eighteen seasons in the NFL. I don't know 0:02:05.320 --> 0:02:06.640 if you know how many Hall of Fames, I don't 0:02:06.640 --> 0:02:08.000 know how many Hall of Famers you play with. But 0:02:08.040 --> 0:02:09.840 do you have an idea of just just some of 0:02:09.880 --> 0:02:10.480 the guys that. 0:02:10.440 --> 0:02:13.040 You had a I mean, yeah, just rolling through them, 0:02:13.200 --> 0:02:16.160 like Emmitt Smith, you know, Larry Fitzgerald will be in 0:02:16.160 --> 0:02:18.680 there for sure, and Kwam Bolden probably should be in 0:02:18.720 --> 0:02:19.919 there at some point. 0:02:20.440 --> 0:02:22.120 Kurt Warner there in Arizona. 0:02:22.360 --> 0:02:25.639 Staying on that point, right, Like, when you're around all 0:02:25.680 --> 0:02:28.160 those guys that have played at the highest level and 0:02:28.200 --> 0:02:31.079 you've had a chance to be teammates, spill relationships with them, 0:02:31.400 --> 0:02:33.080 what does that teach you when you get into the 0:02:33.080 --> 0:02:34.200 coaching aspect of it. 0:02:34.560 --> 0:02:36.919 Well, I just think the biggest thing you learned being 0:02:36.960 --> 0:02:40.640 around those guys is watching their habits, their practice habits. 0:02:40.680 --> 0:02:42.680 And that's one of the things that throughout the course 0:02:42.680 --> 0:02:44.679 of my career, whether you're talking about Brian or Lack 0:02:44.760 --> 0:02:48.840 or Julius Peppers, you know, Joe Thomas, these guys that 0:02:48.880 --> 0:02:51.280 I was fortunate to be around, and then late in 0:02:51.360 --> 0:02:54.960 my career in Philly, Jason Kelsey Lane Johnson. You know, 0:02:55.160 --> 0:02:57.280 these type of Hall of Fame type of players, their 0:02:57.280 --> 0:03:01.280 practice habits are such that it flex these things that 0:03:01.320 --> 0:03:03.519 we're talking about, and that's you know, you want to 0:03:03.520 --> 0:03:04.800 impart that on young players. 0:03:04.880 --> 0:03:06.920 Is just EMMITTT. Smith. I got him at the end 0:03:06.960 --> 0:03:09.160 of his career and play with him as the end 0:03:09.200 --> 0:03:09.720 of his career. 0:03:09.720 --> 0:03:12.160 In every practice, he's you know, running the football thirty 0:03:12.160 --> 0:03:14.680 forty yards downfield, are scoring and getting back to the huddle. 0:03:14.760 --> 0:03:16.760 And he was, you know, thirty two, thirty three years 0:03:16.800 --> 0:03:20.280 old as a running back. Joe Thomas, how he would 0:03:20.280 --> 0:03:23.240 approach walkthroughs, the level of focus that he would bring 0:03:23.320 --> 0:03:27.040 to a walk through. Watching Jason Kelsey and Brandon Brooks 0:03:27.080 --> 0:03:31.760 or Isaac Somalo like work through their single blocks over 0:03:31.880 --> 0:03:34.520 and over and over again after practice, blocks that they 0:03:34.520 --> 0:03:37.840 had done a million times, but working these combinations again 0:03:37.920 --> 0:03:40.960 over and over after practice because they wanted their feet 0:03:40.960 --> 0:03:43.280 to be in their hands to be exactly right. Are 0:03:43.360 --> 0:03:44.800 just some of the things I took away of just 0:03:44.880 --> 0:03:47.240 the detail that these Hall of Fame type players approached 0:03:47.240 --> 0:03:47.720 their position. 0:03:47.840 --> 0:03:50.400 At what point for you, right after seeing all of that, 0:03:50.440 --> 0:03:52.360 at what point do you make a decision that, hey, 0:03:52.520 --> 0:03:54.520 you know what like, I may want to coach when 0:03:54.560 --> 0:03:55.240 I'm done with this. 0:03:55.480 --> 0:03:58.920 Yeah, I think very early on, just because the cool 0:03:58.920 --> 0:04:02.560 thing is watching and coaches impact those players, you know, 0:04:02.680 --> 0:04:05.000 and how those players wanted to be coached. They wanted 0:04:05.000 --> 0:04:06.680 to be coached hard, they wanted to be held to 0:04:06.680 --> 0:04:10.000 a high standard, and it's it's reflective in the way 0:04:10.040 --> 0:04:11.920 that they played on Sundays and then while we're talking 0:04:11.920 --> 0:04:14.280 about them as Hall of famers. So I do think 0:04:14.480 --> 0:04:17.160 that impacts you, you know, if you're interested in coaching, 0:04:17.200 --> 0:04:18.880 you know, as I was, I think it impacts you 0:04:18.920 --> 0:04:21.560 because it lets you know that, even at the highest 0:04:21.600 --> 0:04:24.240 level and even with the best players, that you can 0:04:24.400 --> 0:04:26.239 do something to influence and help their career. 0:04:26.400 --> 0:04:29.839 You have a moment when you, you know, finally realize that hey, 0:04:29.920 --> 0:04:32.440 or like that that first spark of you know what, 0:04:32.480 --> 0:04:34.280 I actually might be good at this when I when 0:04:34.279 --> 0:04:35.320 I get done playing. 0:04:35.160 --> 0:04:35.720 Yeah, I don't know. 0:04:35.839 --> 0:04:39.200 I mean, I think changing coordinators over and over throughout 0:04:39.200 --> 0:04:42.000 my career, I think I learned a lot about different 0:04:42.040 --> 0:04:46.960 systems and how to assimilate and learn a system quickly 0:04:47.160 --> 0:04:49.960 and try to apply that. And then from there it 0:04:50.120 --> 0:04:52.560 was as an older player, was just like okay, how 0:04:52.560 --> 0:04:54.320 can I help a young guy? It's kind of starting 0:04:54.640 --> 0:04:56.360 even going back to when Kevin and I first got 0:04:56.360 --> 0:04:58.600 together in Cleveland, trying to help a young young guy 0:04:58.600 --> 0:05:01.120 like Johnny Menzel the head coach, Mike Peden was the 0:05:01.120 --> 0:05:03.000 head coach, that's right. So that's you know, kind of 0:05:03.040 --> 0:05:05.040 when some of this all started. You know, we're going 0:05:05.080 --> 0:05:08.279 way back, and then even even with Sam as a rookie, 0:05:08.400 --> 0:05:10.560 you know in New York, so looking at ways to 0:05:10.760 --> 0:05:13.120 like how can you how can you still impact the 0:05:13.120 --> 0:05:15.080 game when you're not playing and you get an opportunity 0:05:15.120 --> 0:05:17.680 to do that as a backup quarterback, and then I 0:05:17.680 --> 0:05:19.839 think you you take that and take some of those 0:05:19.880 --> 0:05:22.240 tools and go, how can I apply that maybe to coaching, 0:05:22.360 --> 0:05:25.160 you know, and a full time aspect. So so I think, 0:05:25.360 --> 0:05:27.279 you know, later in my career really is when, and 0:05:27.320 --> 0:05:30.039 even maybe a little bit before that, even even working 0:05:30.080 --> 0:05:33.360 with Jay Cutler in Chicago, I think some of those 0:05:33.400 --> 0:05:35.960 things is where I really started to feel and some 0:05:36.040 --> 0:05:38.240 of the interactions with with men like Lovely Smith and 0:05:38.279 --> 0:05:41.800 Mark Tressman and Rod Marinelly like really you know, uh 0:05:42.440 --> 0:05:45.520 legends and the coaching profession, like those guys impacting my 0:05:45.640 --> 0:05:47.839 career and really encouraging me along that path. 0:05:47.880 --> 0:05:49.760 I think were some of the moments that led me 0:05:49.800 --> 0:05:50.560 to this. I love that. 0:05:50.880 --> 0:05:53.279 I think one of the I mean we talk a lot, 0:05:53.279 --> 0:05:56.320 you know, North Carolina quarterbacks, just that the whole scheme 0:05:56.400 --> 0:05:58.320 of how we're trying to make the state of North 0:05:58.320 --> 0:06:01.000 Carolina basketball turning from a basketball state to a football state. 0:06:01.040 --> 0:06:03.280 I know you're from Texas, but just spending a lot 0:06:03.320 --> 0:06:05.479 of time of your life in North Carolina. It brings 0:06:05.480 --> 0:06:08.120 me to my next question of thinking about at the 0:06:08.240 --> 0:06:11.120 quarterback position, could you, you know, just provide our fans 0:06:11.160 --> 0:06:14.159 with an example of going from one team to another, 0:06:14.279 --> 0:06:17.400 having to learn a new playbook and having to digest 0:06:17.440 --> 0:06:19.960 that and then get in the huddle and then dissect 0:06:20.000 --> 0:06:22.800 that all in the span of three to four months. 0:06:22.800 --> 0:06:25.680 If you're Sam Darnold, yeah, exactly. It's not easy. 0:06:25.839 --> 0:06:29.080 And the longer you play, obviously, the easier it gets, 0:06:29.120 --> 0:06:31.480 even if the language is new, because you can apply 0:06:32.720 --> 0:06:35.600 some of the basic principles of every system to what 0:06:35.640 --> 0:06:38.480 you're doing. But at the same time, when you get 0:06:38.480 --> 0:06:41.120 a playbook and you're you're taking it and trying to 0:06:41.160 --> 0:06:43.800 make it its own for you, the depth of the 0:06:43.839 --> 0:06:48.039 information you know learned has to be so solid because 0:06:48.080 --> 0:06:51.040 when the stressors come, when the game comes, and and 0:06:51.440 --> 0:06:53.919 and or you know, starts in OTA's and then pray well, 0:06:53.960 --> 0:06:55.720 when the stressors come, you want to be able to 0:06:55.760 --> 0:06:58.880 access that knowledge in real time to to be able 0:06:58.920 --> 0:07:00.520 to get a good response out of your body, to 0:07:00.880 --> 0:07:03.159 be able to do the physical things. For a young player, 0:07:03.200 --> 0:07:06.880 it's more difficult because he hasn't had the physical reps 0:07:06.680 --> 0:07:09.600 as a veteran player, but the same thing applies both 0:07:09.600 --> 0:07:12.600 those guys have to get this information as quickly as possible, 0:07:12.640 --> 0:07:16.880 so it really takes so much learned. Like rope memorization, 0:07:17.240 --> 0:07:20.560 everybody has different tricks to the trade. Sometimes you want 0:07:20.600 --> 0:07:22.160 to associate it with some of the things you learn 0:07:22.240 --> 0:07:25.120 in another system. I try to tell guys as much 0:07:25.120 --> 0:07:27.520 as you can wipe clean and start over, that's really 0:07:27.560 --> 0:07:31.440 the best bet, because, yeah, just because there may be 0:07:31.520 --> 0:07:33.440 things that were taught in the old system that don't 0:07:33.440 --> 0:07:36.160 apply in this system, because everybody teaches things different, and 0:07:36.200 --> 0:07:38.160 you don't want to drag some of those things into 0:07:38.200 --> 0:07:42.680 this new thing. And again, the old experiences, both positive 0:07:42.680 --> 0:07:45.960 and negative, can benefit you, but from a system learning standpoint, 0:07:46.040 --> 0:07:49.200 you really want to kind of cut those things and go, Okay, 0:07:49.560 --> 0:07:51.840 what are these coaches? What's this group of coaches trying 0:07:51.840 --> 0:07:53.720 to teach me about this play that I need to 0:07:53.760 --> 0:07:56.480 learn for the Vikings versus how I played it for 0:07:56.960 --> 0:08:00.680 the Bears or the Cardinals or these are a team 0:08:00.720 --> 0:08:03.320 that you are on previously. So that exercise can fill 0:08:03.400 --> 0:08:05.520 up your off season pretty quick. Yeah, and it really 0:08:05.520 --> 0:08:07.720 takes a lot. I know a lot of guys employ 0:08:08.160 --> 0:08:10.440 the services of their spouses to kind of help them, 0:08:10.680 --> 0:08:13.440 you know, whether it's calling out plays or their significant 0:08:13.440 --> 0:08:15.040 others just you know, helping them. 0:08:15.320 --> 0:08:16.760 Helping them learn the playbook is huge. 0:08:16.920 --> 0:08:18.040 I remember I can buying them. 0:08:18.040 --> 0:08:18.600 Talked about that. 0:08:18.720 --> 0:08:21.040 He said when he was trying to learn the switch 0:08:21.080 --> 0:08:24.280 from cornerback to safety, he would have his wife like 0:08:24.560 --> 0:08:26.800 hold flash cards and like give them play calls and 0:08:27.160 --> 0:08:29.440 seeing how that applies to not only the safety position 0:08:29.480 --> 0:08:33.160 but the quarterback position. I think that's a unique insight, 0:08:33.280 --> 0:08:36.880 especially for a guy in Sam Darnold right, like everybody's 0:08:36.920 --> 0:08:37.560 talking about him. 0:08:37.640 --> 0:08:40.160 The difference is that the speed at which you get 0:08:40.200 --> 0:08:43.240 that done allows you to begin to attack the defense. 0:08:44.080 --> 0:08:47.400 Like if you're still in memorization mode, then you're walking 0:08:47.440 --> 0:08:49.960 to the line of scrimmage going, what is Justin Jefferson doing? 0:08:50.080 --> 0:08:52.760 What is Jordan Adison doing? What's our protection? Like what 0:08:52.800 --> 0:08:55.600 do we call things? You're not really attacking, you're just 0:08:55.679 --> 0:08:58.560 kind of accepting things as they come and dealing the football. 0:08:58.800 --> 0:09:02.480 When you have the offense down and it's in your core. 0:09:02.880 --> 0:09:05.360 Now you're like, we're about to attack these guys like 0:09:05.400 --> 0:09:07.079 this is We're going to attack this coverage and I'm 0:09:07.080 --> 0:09:08.960 going to go with them with this route. So those 0:09:09.000 --> 0:09:10.800 are the levels of learning that you really want to 0:09:10.840 --> 0:09:13.720 get to, and we're trying to progress that way with Sam, 0:09:13.760 --> 0:09:14.840 you know, as soon as possible. 0:09:14.920 --> 0:09:19.079 Let's rewind back to July twenty seventh of twenty eighteen. 0:09:19.760 --> 0:09:22.440 That was the first day that both you and Sam 0:09:22.960 --> 0:09:25.360 reported to New York Jets camp, and it was Sam's 0:09:25.400 --> 0:09:28.240 rookie year, a third overall pick, and you got a 0:09:28.320 --> 0:09:30.760 chance to be the backup that year. And understanding his 0:09:30.880 --> 0:09:34.679 thought process from that day until where we are right now, 0:09:35.080 --> 0:09:37.280 how has that guy evolved into who he is right 0:09:37.320 --> 0:09:38.040 now for this team? 0:09:38.320 --> 0:09:41.920 Yeah, he's you know, I say every now and then, 0:09:41.920 --> 0:09:43.920 like he's such an adult man. He's such a grown up, 0:09:44.400 --> 0:09:46.920 you know, and on a personal level, it's just really cool. 0:09:47.000 --> 0:09:48.640 You know, to watch somebody that you got to know 0:09:49.200 --> 0:09:51.880 seven years ago kind of mature in their life and grow. 0:09:52.600 --> 0:09:54.760 But he's grown as a player as well. And I 0:09:54.800 --> 0:09:57.440 think the number one thing that I see in Sam 0:09:57.880 --> 0:10:00.600 is as his coach is just a level of focus 0:10:01.000 --> 0:10:05.400 that he brings to preparation every week and how how 0:10:05.480 --> 0:10:10.160 he goes about internalizing the game plan and so that uh, 0:10:10.360 --> 0:10:13.719 so that it can manifest on Sundays like that, and 0:10:13.760 --> 0:10:15.960 of itself is a is a practice of like we're 0:10:15.960 --> 0:10:18.160 talking about, of just you're getting this playbook and how 0:10:18.200 --> 0:10:20.280 how quickly can I get it in my core so 0:10:20.320 --> 0:10:22.560 that I understand it at a level that when the 0:10:22.600 --> 0:10:24.800 bullets are flying and it's real in the game and 0:10:25.040 --> 0:10:27.839 the pressures against me the things I want, my natural 0:10:27.880 --> 0:10:29.920 talents will take over because I know this game plan 0:10:30.000 --> 0:10:32.760 so well. So how he you know, obviously it starts 0:10:32.760 --> 0:10:36.160 with like note taking questions, He asked, whether it's with 0:10:36.160 --> 0:10:38.800 with coach Phillips or coach O'Connell, like the time he 0:10:38.840 --> 0:10:41.600 spends with them, and then and then after practice the 0:10:41.640 --> 0:10:45.320 time he puts in uh with Grant Yudinsky, who's unbelievable 0:10:45.559 --> 0:10:48.600 asset to our quarterback room, Like the time he spends 0:10:48.600 --> 0:10:50.840 with Grant and getting kind of the background of some 0:10:50.920 --> 0:10:53.120 of the system knowledge that that that Grant has that 0:10:53.160 --> 0:10:55.080 I don't have because Grant's been here, so some of 0:10:55.120 --> 0:10:58.400 those things, like he's turning over every stone to be 0:10:58.440 --> 0:11:00.880 as prepared as possible, and and I think that's the 0:11:00.920 --> 0:11:03.680 thing I'm most pleased with with him, and looking back 0:11:03.720 --> 0:11:06.480 seven years to now of saying, man like, if you're 0:11:06.480 --> 0:11:08.520 telling me seven years ago the guy that you were 0:11:08.559 --> 0:11:10.400 hoping to look up and see this would this would 0:11:10.440 --> 0:11:12.560 be who I want to see. Is this version of Sam? 0:11:12.600 --> 0:11:12.960 I love it. 0:11:13.000 --> 0:11:13.320 I love it. 0:11:13.320 --> 0:11:16.240 We're talking to quarterbacks coach Josh McCown and before we 0:11:16.280 --> 0:11:18.520 go to break, just staying on that question of your 0:11:18.559 --> 0:11:21.600 relationship with Sam Donald. A lot of people have an 0:11:21.640 --> 0:11:24.880 opportunity to be coaches, but not a lot of people 0:11:24.920 --> 0:11:27.640 have the opportunity to coach a friend. So how do 0:11:27.720 --> 0:11:30.320 you coach a friend and him still be able to 0:11:30.400 --> 0:11:32.800 excel at the highest level in Sam Darnald. 0:11:32.480 --> 0:11:35.760 Yeah, you know, I think to a degree, he knows 0:11:35.960 --> 0:11:37.320 he knows that I know. 0:11:37.520 --> 0:11:39.040 You know what I'm saying, he knows that I know. 0:11:39.880 --> 0:11:42.920 And ever since he got in the league, and even 0:11:43.040 --> 0:11:45.400 you know, from our first time together of just wanting 0:11:45.400 --> 0:11:47.960 to see the best and wanting the best for him. 0:11:48.000 --> 0:11:51.640 And so the level that the standard that we hold 0:11:51.840 --> 0:11:54.800 him to and that I'm tasked with holding him too 0:11:54.840 --> 0:11:57.719 as the QB coach does not change, And as a 0:11:57.720 --> 0:12:01.280 matter of fact, I think it raises it because you 0:12:01.320 --> 0:12:04.320 know how your interactions, like with with people that aren't 0:12:04.320 --> 0:12:07.040 maybe as close to you, you kind of like you're 0:12:07.080 --> 0:12:08.760 you're cool with how they they can act a certain way, 0:12:08.800 --> 0:12:11.240 but like when your kids start acting silly, like you 0:12:11.240 --> 0:12:13.320 hold them to a higher defender, right, or your family 0:12:13.360 --> 0:12:15.600 acts silly, You're like, hold on now, like we need 0:12:15.640 --> 0:12:17.880 to have a conversation. And and I feel that way 0:12:17.920 --> 0:12:20.040 a little bit with me and Sam, where there's a level, 0:12:20.280 --> 0:12:23.000 you know, to our relationship that it's like I want 0:12:23.000 --> 0:12:25.280 the best for him, you know, on so many levels, 0:12:25.320 --> 0:12:28.520 obviously just for the vikings in general, but just personally 0:12:28.559 --> 0:12:30.640 because we do have a history. So I think it's 0:12:30.720 --> 0:12:32.960 it's there's a trust there that when we call out 0:12:33.000 --> 0:12:36.240 the greatness in him and demand better in certain areas, 0:12:36.600 --> 0:12:38.600 that he can respond to that. And I think that's 0:12:38.720 --> 0:12:40.600 unique and I enjoy that part of it. 0:12:40.640 --> 0:12:42.079 I love it. Can we do one more quick second 0:12:42.120 --> 0:12:44.000 with you. Let's do it. 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Is it online 0:13:27.400 --> 0:13:28.800 at spalon dot com. 0:13:28.840 --> 0:13:31.319 Brady to have your spirits lifted. Then the laugh out 0:13:31.360 --> 0:13:35.120 Loud comedy Ghost is for you. The new season premiere Thursday, 0:13:35.240 --> 0:13:39.000 October seventeenth on CBS. Well we are back. This is 0:13:39.040 --> 0:13:42.320 the Minnesota Vikings Podcast. The Minnesota Vikings are four and 0:13:42.440 --> 0:13:45.160 l heading across the Pond to London this upcoming Sunday 0:13:45.200 --> 0:13:47.600 to face the New York Jets. And this is a 0:13:47.640 --> 0:13:50.720 New York Jets team that Josh McCown, who is our guest, 0:13:50.800 --> 0:13:53.600 that you're you're very familiar with, and the fact that 0:13:54.240 --> 0:13:56.560 you play them across the pond, a new fan base 0:13:56.640 --> 0:13:59.400 for you with you know, this UK Vikings fan base. Like, 0:13:59.640 --> 0:14:01.840 what are your thoughts like as a as a coach 0:14:01.880 --> 0:14:03.760 who played for that team, Like, what are your thoughts 0:14:03.760 --> 0:14:05.960 going into that game as a from a from a 0:14:06.080 --> 0:14:07.040 human perspective. 0:14:07.240 --> 0:14:09.640 Yeah, you know that they're obviously they come from a 0:14:09.640 --> 0:14:11.320 big market. When you get to play in that market, 0:14:11.360 --> 0:14:14.240 you understand the scrutiny that that you're under as a 0:14:14.280 --> 0:14:17.600 Jets player and that all eyes are on you. So 0:14:17.679 --> 0:14:19.840 this game will be no different given our record and 0:14:19.880 --> 0:14:21.800 then and then the success that they you know that 0:14:21.800 --> 0:14:24.000 they're having and and you know the hope that they 0:14:24.000 --> 0:14:26.600 have with with you know, with their quarterback, especially you know, 0:14:26.640 --> 0:14:29.160 being a Hall of Fame player. So you know, we're 0:14:29.160 --> 0:14:31.400 excited about it, but it's just it's another opportunity for 0:14:31.480 --> 0:14:33.000 us to to go out and here to grow and 0:14:33.000 --> 0:14:35.400 get better, and that's the main focus. And we know 0:14:35.440 --> 0:14:37.120 that we'll have our hands full. They're a good team. 0:14:37.160 --> 0:14:40.000 And a and a very good defense Robert Solids an 0:14:40.000 --> 0:14:43.040 excellent excellent football coach, excellent defensive football coach. And so 0:14:43.080 --> 0:14:45.040 we know we got our hands full. And uh, you 0:14:45.040 --> 0:14:47.760 know that preparation will start, you know here soon and 0:14:47.760 --> 0:14:49.520 and uh and we'll get ready to roll in all 0:14:49.520 --> 0:14:51.760 the aspects of getting over to London and getting ready 0:14:51.800 --> 0:14:53.440 to play. We'll be a part of that. 0:14:53.520 --> 0:14:57.160 Yeah, the logistics is uh, the underrated portion of this 0:14:57.400 --> 0:14:59.640 entire thing. But I know our staff does a great 0:14:59.720 --> 0:15:02.640 job and making sure everybody's well taken care of, well arrested, 0:15:02.680 --> 0:15:06.640 and just thinking of Sam right and playing against his 0:15:06.720 --> 0:15:08.400 former team, Like, I know a lot of people are 0:15:08.400 --> 0:15:10.520 going to make a lot out of that, but for me, 0:15:10.840 --> 0:15:12.760 I feel like Sam just wants to be a guy 0:15:12.800 --> 0:15:15.400 that plays football and just like it's just a normal 0:15:15.520 --> 0:15:17.640 human being. Yeah, what have you sense from him? 0:15:17.640 --> 0:15:18.440 This? We know for sure. 0:15:18.600 --> 0:15:21.200 Like that's what I'm most impressed with right now, is 0:15:21.200 --> 0:15:24.520 that he has such a present mentality where it's just 0:15:24.640 --> 0:15:26.960 executing this thing in front of him, whether it's this 0:15:27.080 --> 0:15:31.320 meeting or this walkthrough or this you know, lifting session, 0:15:31.440 --> 0:15:33.320 Like he's just executing the thing in front of him. 0:15:33.400 --> 0:15:36.800 And so you're right, there will be I'm sure stories 0:15:36.840 --> 0:15:39.360 and noise and things you know that are you know, 0:15:40.160 --> 0:15:42.800 of interest, you know, to everybody outside of the game. 0:15:43.480 --> 0:15:44.440 But for him, his. 0:15:44.440 --> 0:15:46.240 Focus will be on you know, I know it'll be 0:15:46.280 --> 0:15:48.280 on the Jets and and how he's going to prepare 0:15:48.320 --> 0:15:50.520 and be on our game plan and how to internalize that. 0:15:50.640 --> 0:15:52.560 And so I'm not concerned with that because I know 0:15:53.120 --> 0:15:55.440 what I've seen since the day he got here to 0:15:55.600 --> 0:16:00.000 now has just been a very intentional focus to be present. 0:15:59.640 --> 0:16:01.400 And be the he can in every moment. How does 0:16:01.440 --> 0:16:02.240 that help your coaching? 0:16:02.520 --> 0:16:06.480 I mean it's those things obviously make it easier because 0:16:06.480 --> 0:16:09.120 you're not having to dial, you know, real somebody in 0:16:09.280 --> 0:16:11.880 from you know, doing this or doing that. You know 0:16:12.000 --> 0:16:14.360 that you feel him in the meeting. You feel his 0:16:14.440 --> 0:16:17.400 intention to the game plan, to the to the information 0:16:17.480 --> 0:16:21.280 you're presenting him. You feel that, and so you appreciate 0:16:21.280 --> 0:16:23.280 that as a coach because you know it makes your 0:16:23.320 --> 0:16:26.280 job easier. And again, when you get that kind of attention, 0:16:26.600 --> 0:16:29.800 you're able to focus and dive deeper into some details 0:16:29.800 --> 0:16:30.920 that are going to give you an edge. 0:16:30.920 --> 0:16:34.280 On game day, you talked about assistant quarterbacks coach Grant 0:16:34.400 --> 0:16:38.640 Grant Udentsky earlier, and we're talking to quarterbacks coach Josh McCown. 0:16:38.760 --> 0:16:41.240 But a guy that we haven't mentioned is a former 0:16:41.520 --> 0:16:44.760 NFL quarterback who just so happens to be our head coach. 0:16:45.320 --> 0:16:49.400 Kevin O'Connell. Describe just his impact as a former coach, 0:16:49.600 --> 0:16:52.640 as a friend of yours, being able to help Sam's 0:16:52.680 --> 0:16:53.600 process so far this. 0:16:53.640 --> 0:16:56.760 Year, man, he's been. He's been lights out. I'm so 0:16:56.800 --> 0:16:59.880 impressed with our whole coaching staff in general. So you 0:17:00.040 --> 0:17:02.040 don't want to go into it like West Phillips is 0:17:03.120 --> 0:17:07.160 a rock star, has Roc and they've just been they've 0:17:07.200 --> 0:17:11.560 just been awesome. But Kevin's ability to game plan and 0:17:11.600 --> 0:17:14.439 to lead our team and the call plays, you know, 0:17:14.480 --> 0:17:16.800 at the highest of levels, has been really impressive. 0:17:16.800 --> 0:17:18.040 It's it's it's. 0:17:17.880 --> 0:17:19.800 What we you know, what I thought we saw in 0:17:19.840 --> 0:17:23.320 him ten years ago as a young quarterback coach. But man, 0:17:23.480 --> 0:17:25.919 he is just you know, I'm just every day the 0:17:26.000 --> 0:17:27.840 more and more I get to see it, it's just 0:17:27.920 --> 0:17:30.119 it's so impressed with with how he handles himself and 0:17:30.160 --> 0:17:33.720 how he leads our team, and relative to Sam, you know, 0:17:33.880 --> 0:17:36.320 some guys they get outside of it and playing, like 0:17:36.359 --> 0:17:38.639 you said, a formal quarterback, they can kind of forget 0:17:38.720 --> 0:17:40.359