WEBVTT - A Conversation with Jets TE Coach Ron Middleton (8/14)

0:00:03.880 --> 0:00:07.080
<v Speaker 1>Well over the official Jets podcast. Eric Ellen here inside

0:00:07.120 --> 0:00:11.760
<v Speaker 1>the studio, joined by Jets tight ends coach Ron Middleton.

0:00:12.280 --> 0:00:14.920
<v Speaker 1>It's great to finally have you up here. It's great

0:00:14.960 --> 0:00:16.759
<v Speaker 1>to be here. I'll tell you. When you told me

0:00:16.800 --> 0:00:19.239
<v Speaker 1>about this the golf turner, I was like, huh, I

0:00:19.239 --> 0:00:21.680
<v Speaker 1>didn't know anything about it, but thank you, thank you

0:00:21.720 --> 0:00:25.520
<v Speaker 1>for inviting me. Hey, so we played golf together. And

0:00:26.520 --> 0:00:29.720
<v Speaker 1>for those of you at home, I gotta tell you

0:00:29.920 --> 0:00:35.960
<v Speaker 1>Ron Middleton is a great golfer out there. And of

0:00:36.000 --> 0:00:40.400
<v Speaker 1>course it was a fun day. Bears are colden so

0:00:40.800 --> 0:00:45.199
<v Speaker 1>that helps. That helps, Yeah, it certainly does. Hey, um,

0:00:45.240 --> 0:00:47.360
<v Speaker 1>how do you leave off your golf game at the

0:00:47.440 --> 0:00:52.199
<v Speaker 1>end of summer? Um? You know, my golf game is

0:00:52.240 --> 0:00:54.160
<v Speaker 1>like a roller coach. I think I was having a

0:00:54.160 --> 0:00:57.040
<v Speaker 1>good day that day with you. Um, I think the

0:00:57.080 --> 0:00:59.840
<v Speaker 1>next day it went down. So it's the roller coach

0:01:00.240 --> 0:01:04.920
<v Speaker 1>and I left it at a down, um angle. When

0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:09.479
<v Speaker 1>I put him in the trunk, it was unfortunately, But hey, listen,

0:01:10.240 --> 0:01:12.520
<v Speaker 1>you as a head coach in the National Football League

0:01:12.560 --> 0:01:16.560
<v Speaker 1>though two and old records, so no roller coaster there.

0:01:16.640 --> 0:01:20.679
<v Speaker 1>How about over the past calendar year? How about that? Yeah,

0:01:20.720 --> 0:01:25.360
<v Speaker 1>that'll tell you what both of those were we're really fun. Um.

0:01:25.600 --> 0:01:28.399
<v Speaker 1>The one against the Jaguars was with the Jaguars for

0:01:28.880 --> 0:01:32.960
<v Speaker 1>eight years, and I'll tell you to get that opportunity,

0:01:33.720 --> 0:01:37.640
<v Speaker 1>you know. Um, Coach Solid gave me that opportunity, man,

0:01:37.959 --> 0:01:41.880
<v Speaker 1>and it was outstanding. And then for the Singing Bowl, Um,

0:01:41.920 --> 0:01:45.200
<v Speaker 1>I'm I'm. My hometown is fifty miles away from Mobile,

0:01:45.720 --> 0:01:47.640
<v Speaker 1>so I had a bunch of family and friends there,

0:01:47.680 --> 0:01:51.080
<v Speaker 1>so that was that was great too. So on a

0:01:51.200 --> 0:01:55.760
<v Speaker 1>roll must be, but I love it. What do you

0:01:55.800 --> 0:01:59.120
<v Speaker 1>think about the social reaction out there from some of

0:01:59.120 --> 0:02:02.840
<v Speaker 1>your clips speaking to the team, whether it be the

0:02:02.920 --> 0:02:06.320
<v Speaker 1>Jets or some of those college prospects at the time.

0:02:06.760 --> 0:02:09.680
<v Speaker 1>Did you get any text messages from a lot of

0:02:09.680 --> 0:02:14.600
<v Speaker 1>your friends and family friends, Um, family, my daughter, my

0:02:14.680 --> 0:02:19.400
<v Speaker 1>five year old daughter, she um, she can recite the

0:02:19.400 --> 0:02:24.840
<v Speaker 1>the the the um um just hit him deal before

0:02:24.880 --> 0:02:28.000
<v Speaker 1>the Senior Bowl. She she loves that. She tickles me

0:02:28.040 --> 0:02:32.480
<v Speaker 1>when she says that deal. But you know, it's all genuine,

0:02:32.560 --> 0:02:35.680
<v Speaker 1>is from the heart's you know, it's just say what

0:02:35.720 --> 0:02:39.239
<v Speaker 1>I feel at the time. And they've seemed to work

0:02:39.240 --> 0:02:42.440
<v Speaker 1>out pretty good so far. So everybody wants to go

0:02:42.560 --> 0:02:48.600
<v Speaker 1>to heaven, but nobody wants to get there? Did you

0:02:48.639 --> 0:02:51.800
<v Speaker 1>think about that one before those came out of your mouth?

0:02:52.040 --> 0:02:55.600
<v Speaker 1>That phrase? When I went to Duke in um oh eight,

0:02:56.240 --> 0:03:00.440
<v Speaker 1>Coach Cutcliffe and we after our first practice brought the

0:03:00.480 --> 0:03:02.680
<v Speaker 1>team up and whatnot. I was a social head coach

0:03:02.760 --> 0:03:08.200
<v Speaker 1>there and um and and we broke it down. And

0:03:08.240 --> 0:03:10.079
<v Speaker 1>that was the first time I said that back then.

0:03:10.400 --> 0:03:14.040
<v Speaker 1>I've said it several more times, um um since then,

0:03:14.120 --> 0:03:15.919
<v Speaker 1>but that was the first time I said back in

0:03:16.000 --> 0:03:20.200
<v Speaker 1>oh oh eight, you know. But so yeah, it's it's

0:03:20.240 --> 0:03:22.720
<v Speaker 1>in the repertoire. I guess I did think of it,

0:03:22.800 --> 0:03:30.040
<v Speaker 1>but it's it's it speaks volumes, you know, um Um.

0:03:30.200 --> 0:03:32.600
<v Speaker 1>I mean that, that's so real to me. I want

0:03:32.600 --> 0:03:36.600
<v Speaker 1>to go to heaven, but you know, I want to die,

0:03:36.680 --> 0:03:40.200
<v Speaker 1>but I can't get there unless I do. And these

0:03:40.240 --> 0:03:44.119
<v Speaker 1>guys they they you know, we won't success. We won't. Um.

0:03:44.560 --> 0:03:46.520
<v Speaker 1>We want to win the game, but we got to

0:03:46.520 --> 0:03:49.400
<v Speaker 1>put the work in so that that's basically what that's saying.

0:03:49.680 --> 0:03:52.800
<v Speaker 1>You know, we want to finished product, but there's steps

0:03:52.800 --> 0:03:55.560
<v Speaker 1>to get to the finished product. How about your steps? Still?

0:03:56.240 --> 0:03:59.800
<v Speaker 1>Undrafted free agent played more than ten years in the

0:04:00.040 --> 0:04:03.080
<v Speaker 1>Show Football League. You've been coaching for more than twenty years.

0:04:04.040 --> 0:04:06.600
<v Speaker 1>You coached a lot on the collegiate level before you

0:04:06.600 --> 0:04:10.480
<v Speaker 1>started rocking and rolling in the National Football League. How

0:04:10.520 --> 0:04:14.440
<v Speaker 1>did he get to the spot? Um? You know when

0:04:14.520 --> 0:04:19.880
<v Speaker 1>when when I retired from ball, the whole plan while

0:04:19.920 --> 0:04:23.000
<v Speaker 1>I was playing, the whole plan was to go back

0:04:23.040 --> 0:04:24.760
<v Speaker 1>to law school. You know, I was done. I was

0:04:24.800 --> 0:04:29.919
<v Speaker 1>gonna go back to law school. And I started taking

0:04:30.320 --> 0:04:32.920
<v Speaker 1>prep classes for the l S, A T and all that,

0:04:32.960 --> 0:04:36.720
<v Speaker 1>and I'm like, man, this ain't for me. And I

0:04:36.800 --> 0:04:40.080
<v Speaker 1>just missed ball. I wanted to be around ball. And um,

0:04:40.360 --> 0:04:44.280
<v Speaker 1>I had done a few camps. Some of my teammates

0:04:44.320 --> 0:04:47.920
<v Speaker 1>had summer camps and I would do those and and

0:04:47.960 --> 0:04:49.600
<v Speaker 1>they would say, oh, man, you just seem like a

0:04:49.720 --> 0:04:52.039
<v Speaker 1>natural coach. You know, you ever thought about coaching or

0:04:52.040 --> 0:04:57.120
<v Speaker 1>what not? Really? But and I said that that's the

0:04:57.240 --> 0:04:59.880
<v Speaker 1>best next best thing to play in his coaching. So

0:05:00.480 --> 0:05:03.239
<v Speaker 1>it worked out for him. I was blessed. And um,

0:05:03.320 --> 0:05:07.159
<v Speaker 1>it's you know, it's been going pretty good so far. Yeah,

0:05:07.320 --> 0:05:10.560
<v Speaker 1>he's seen so. But at Harvard you were pre law,

0:05:10.880 --> 0:05:15.880
<v Speaker 1>that was your major, Yes, And why were you so

0:05:16.000 --> 0:05:19.640
<v Speaker 1>interested in law at that time? You know it was big,

0:05:20.160 --> 0:05:24.560
<v Speaker 1>big Mattlock guy. Yeah, Mattlock got really related to him. Um,

0:05:26.120 --> 0:05:28.279
<v Speaker 1>I kind of thought I had a little country wisdom

0:05:28.279 --> 0:05:30.480
<v Speaker 1>to me. Yeah, I didn't know, and I just loved

0:05:30.480 --> 0:05:33.919
<v Speaker 1>the way he did. Um. Para Mason was a was a.

0:05:34.560 --> 0:05:37.719
<v Speaker 1>I was a fan of Para Mason too, and UM,

0:05:37.839 --> 0:05:43.320
<v Speaker 1>I don't know. I just at that time, I UM,

0:05:43.360 --> 0:05:47.159
<v Speaker 1>I would just infatuated with with law. But looking at

0:05:47.200 --> 0:05:51.320
<v Speaker 1>the overall picture, you know, UM wanted to get there,

0:05:51.320 --> 0:05:54.599
<v Speaker 1>but didn't want to die. You know what I'm saying.

0:05:54.640 --> 0:05:56.600
<v Speaker 1>I wanted to get to that Hellvin, but didn't want

0:05:56.640 --> 0:05:58.320
<v Speaker 1>to put the work in. I can see you up

0:05:58.360 --> 0:06:01.920
<v Speaker 1>there making a closing argument. Uh you know that or

0:06:02.040 --> 0:06:06.560
<v Speaker 1>or or the other other thing? Was um a preacher?

0:06:07.160 --> 0:06:10.000
<v Speaker 1>You know they a lot of people thought I was

0:06:10.040 --> 0:06:15.320
<v Speaker 1>gonna go into the pulpit and preach. UM tell him,

0:06:15.320 --> 0:06:16.960
<v Speaker 1>I don't know, I'd get up there and just catch

0:06:16.960 --> 0:06:22.080
<v Speaker 1>a fire. You know, I don't really want a chance that. Well,

0:06:22.680 --> 0:06:25.720
<v Speaker 1>we gotta have you up here again because you got

0:06:25.839 --> 0:06:28.440
<v Speaker 1>limited amount of time here in the preseason. There's so

0:06:28.480 --> 0:06:32.120
<v Speaker 1>many things that I'm gonna get to today, but down

0:06:32.160 --> 0:06:35.239
<v Speaker 1>the line that we'll get to as well. David cuck Cliff,

0:06:35.360 --> 0:06:38.680
<v Speaker 1>what did he mean to your career. Oh my gosh,

0:06:38.960 --> 0:06:42.480
<v Speaker 1>tell you what. Cut cut was the one that um

0:06:42.720 --> 0:06:47.039
<v Speaker 1>really gave me my first break. And UM, I tell you,

0:06:47.080 --> 0:06:50.039
<v Speaker 1>I tell people all the time he's he's a heck

0:06:50.080 --> 0:06:54.119
<v Speaker 1>of a coach, but he's an even better man. Um.

0:06:54.279 --> 0:06:57.520
<v Speaker 1>He never walked on water, nor has he raised anybody

0:06:57.560 --> 0:07:00.440
<v Speaker 1>from the dead. But he's a heck of a man

0:07:00.960 --> 0:07:06.720
<v Speaker 1>first and foremost, and UM, super super smart coach learned

0:07:06.720 --> 0:07:09.200
<v Speaker 1>a lot from him. I owe him a whole lot,

0:07:09.279 --> 0:07:12.520
<v Speaker 1>David Cutcliffe, a whole lot. You were in Mississippi that

0:07:13.160 --> 0:07:15.640
<v Speaker 1>he brought you to do. That's right, that's right. He

0:07:15.680 --> 0:07:17.760
<v Speaker 1>gave me my break. He gave me my first break.

0:07:17.760 --> 0:07:23.040
<v Speaker 1>Out of that Troy with coach Blakeney and coach Cutcliffe

0:07:23.320 --> 0:07:28.680
<v Speaker 1>got Eli manning. It was Eli Eli's freshman year. Recruited him,

0:07:28.720 --> 0:07:31.320
<v Speaker 1>We signed him as freshman year, and um, coach Cutt

0:07:31.360 --> 0:07:36.320
<v Speaker 1>got that job and he, um, he brought me along

0:07:36.760 --> 0:07:40.120
<v Speaker 1>with him on that deal. It was funny because we

0:07:40.200 --> 0:07:44.480
<v Speaker 1>actually took the job. He took the job, and we

0:07:44.560 --> 0:07:46.400
<v Speaker 1>had like a week or so to prepare for a

0:07:46.440 --> 0:07:52.360
<v Speaker 1>bowl game. Okay, so I drive up to Old miss

0:07:52.440 --> 0:07:54.160
<v Speaker 1>and he tells the story all the time. I jump

0:07:54.200 --> 0:07:57.200
<v Speaker 1>out the car and UM, go straight to the practice

0:07:57.200 --> 0:07:59.920
<v Speaker 1>field and start coaching. You know that that meant it

0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:02.120
<v Speaker 1>and the other coaches or anything. Just give me a

0:08:02.120 --> 0:08:04.800
<v Speaker 1>script and a whistle and a hat and go get it,

0:08:04.920 --> 0:08:07.680
<v Speaker 1>you know. And we hit the ground running literally at

0:08:08.040 --> 0:08:14.040
<v Speaker 1>this did Well it's not like I'm speaking and I

0:08:14.040 --> 0:08:16.560
<v Speaker 1>shouldn't speak in past times. But why does he have

0:08:16.640 --> 0:08:21.560
<v Speaker 1>such a gifted offensive mind? Oh? Man, I think he

0:08:21.680 --> 0:08:25.560
<v Speaker 1>understands um. First of all, he understands the quarterback position.

0:08:25.800 --> 0:08:28.680
<v Speaker 1>You know, it was Payton's coach and mentor the Lord

0:08:28.760 --> 0:08:35.760
<v Speaker 1>Eli Um. But he he's not afraid to to try

0:08:35.840 --> 0:08:40.280
<v Speaker 1>new things. Um. But he's always grounded. You know. It

0:08:40.320 --> 0:08:42.760
<v Speaker 1>starts with the run. Game, starts with the play action.

0:08:43.320 --> 0:08:46.160
<v Speaker 1>And you don't need a whole lot just be good

0:08:46.160 --> 0:08:48.360
<v Speaker 1>at what you do. You know, we didn't have a

0:08:48.360 --> 0:08:52.679
<v Speaker 1>whole bunch of plays, Um, but the kids could could.

0:08:53.600 --> 0:08:56.679
<v Speaker 1>They knew the position, they knew the plays for each position.

0:08:57.200 --> 0:09:02.439
<v Speaker 1>And I think that that goes along way. Alabama two

0:09:02.480 --> 0:09:09.320
<v Speaker 1>thousand seven, then Alum two thousand seven. Nick Saban's first year.

0:09:09.520 --> 0:09:15.400
<v Speaker 1>This was before he became possibly the greatest head coach

0:09:15.480 --> 0:09:18.720
<v Speaker 1>in college football history. What was the experience like because

0:09:18.720 --> 0:09:21.720
<v Speaker 1>you were on the staff. Did you see what was ahead?

0:09:21.760 --> 0:09:25.840
<v Speaker 1>Nobody could have predicted what was the Well he kind

0:09:25.840 --> 0:09:30.320
<v Speaker 1>of could, did I. Um. The day the morning I

0:09:30.360 --> 0:09:35.200
<v Speaker 1>went in to tell him that I was leaving, I said, Um, coach,

0:09:35.600 --> 0:09:40.520
<v Speaker 1>you're gonna you're gonna win, and you're gonna win soon. UM,

0:09:40.559 --> 0:09:43.439
<v Speaker 1>but I just can't do it with you and m

0:09:43.880 --> 0:09:47.840
<v Speaker 1>for for whatever reason, you know, I wanted to leave.

0:09:47.920 --> 0:09:51.079
<v Speaker 1>I wanted to go. And well he gave you that

0:09:51.160 --> 0:09:54.000
<v Speaker 1>chance to yeah, and and and and next year you

0:09:54.040 --> 0:09:57.840
<v Speaker 1>won the national championship. But I wasn't shocked at all

0:09:57.960 --> 0:10:01.320
<v Speaker 1>about it. Um that year that I was there for

0:10:01.360 --> 0:10:05.000
<v Speaker 1>one calendar year, one season and whatnot. And UM, I

0:10:05.080 --> 0:10:09.200
<v Speaker 1>learned so much from that man during that year. Um.

0:10:09.240 --> 0:10:13.319
<v Speaker 1>He was so meticulous and and and and organized and

0:10:14.080 --> 0:10:18.000
<v Speaker 1>um just a different way of doing things, you know

0:10:18.040 --> 0:10:22.960
<v Speaker 1>what I'm saying. Um, But just there's no accident. He's

0:10:23.000 --> 0:10:28.439
<v Speaker 1>who he is and whatnot. He's driven now, he's driven. Um.

0:10:28.600 --> 0:10:31.520
<v Speaker 1>Somebody say to a fault, but you know he's he's

0:10:31.559 --> 0:10:34.120
<v Speaker 1>excellent what he does now. I owe him a lot.

0:10:34.280 --> 0:10:37.680
<v Speaker 1>And I think Coach Saban um for for for that year,

0:10:37.760 --> 0:10:43.640
<v Speaker 1>I really do. How deep does that rivalry run somewhere. Yeah,

0:10:43.679 --> 0:10:49.960
<v Speaker 1>we're sitting here in New Jersey. I've hours you grew

0:10:50.040 --> 0:10:55.040
<v Speaker 1>up in Alabama. I've seen families break up, fall apart

0:10:55.160 --> 0:11:00.280
<v Speaker 1>because of that Alabama alban deal. Um the first shill

0:11:00.360 --> 0:11:03.400
<v Speaker 1>talking about over seven. Coach Coach Saban and I were, Um,

0:11:04.360 --> 0:11:09.600
<v Speaker 1>we were out recruiting and UM, I was driving a

0:11:09.640 --> 0:11:13.200
<v Speaker 1>car and whatnot. He was sitting out. It was like, um, coach,

0:11:13.240 --> 0:11:17.720
<v Speaker 1>you do understand the depth of this Auburn Alabama rivalry.

0:11:17.720 --> 0:11:20.600
<v Speaker 1>And he was like, he goes, he goes in one

0:11:20.640 --> 0:11:23.400
<v Speaker 1>of his rants and tirades and whatnot. They've been in

0:11:23.440 --> 0:11:29.440
<v Speaker 1>big games before, Michigan statements you all that. I said, Okay, okay, cool.

0:11:31.200 --> 0:11:34.800
<v Speaker 1>Well we played them, of course the last game, well

0:11:34.880 --> 0:11:38.760
<v Speaker 1>the last regular season game, and Alban beats I think

0:11:38.800 --> 0:11:43.760
<v Speaker 1>that was the thumb game or whatnot. Okay, so after

0:11:43.800 --> 0:11:46.480
<v Speaker 1>the game, you know, he calls us up and whatnot.

0:11:48.160 --> 0:11:52.000
<v Speaker 1>He's like, um, for the next three hundred sixty to

0:11:52.080 --> 0:11:54.439
<v Speaker 1>four days, where we're gonna think about this and we're

0:11:54.480 --> 0:11:57.280
<v Speaker 1>gonna get ready for this. And I was sitting back

0:11:57.280 --> 0:12:00.280
<v Speaker 1>then my locker thinking, I was like, I told you this.

0:12:00.760 --> 0:12:04.480
<v Speaker 1>You know, we first started back in the spring coach.

0:12:04.559 --> 0:12:09.320
<v Speaker 1>This thing is real now, it's real it. I love

0:12:09.360 --> 0:12:17.440
<v Speaker 1>Alburn and UM that day, I mean they even irked me. Yeah,

0:12:17.840 --> 0:12:19.839
<v Speaker 1>I was on that I was coaching at Alabama, but

0:12:19.920 --> 0:12:23.560
<v Speaker 1>Alburn me that day it was I could feel it, man,

0:12:23.880 --> 0:12:26.360
<v Speaker 1>I could feel it. Yes, of course I was trying

0:12:26.360 --> 0:12:29.560
<v Speaker 1>to beat them, you know, but but they they me

0:12:29.640 --> 0:12:32.960
<v Speaker 1>that day. But that's that's still gotta be so weird

0:12:33.960 --> 0:12:36.200
<v Speaker 1>for a kid who grew up in Alabama, played there

0:12:36.360 --> 0:12:39.720
<v Speaker 1>and you're coaching with that's right, you know your coaching.

0:12:40.280 --> 0:12:44.080
<v Speaker 1>I mean you're growing up an Auburn guy, right right. Well,

0:12:44.520 --> 0:12:48.719
<v Speaker 1>but yes, UM went alb Yeah, but but it was

0:12:48.800 --> 0:12:51.520
<v Speaker 1>no strattling defense. You know, you either Alburn or your

0:12:51.520 --> 0:12:54.720
<v Speaker 1>Alabama was no straddling defense. And for a while I

0:12:54.760 --> 0:12:58.520
<v Speaker 1>was Alabama, but UM coachd started recruiting me my tenth

0:12:58.559 --> 0:13:02.600
<v Speaker 1>grade year. So I I flipped the flipped the script

0:13:02.640 --> 0:13:07.760
<v Speaker 1>big time, um uh, and went fully alban But you

0:13:07.760 --> 0:13:11.720
<v Speaker 1>know I coached it, old miss. We we have gone

0:13:11.800 --> 0:13:15.400
<v Speaker 1>into UM that old miss. I've gone into alban and

0:13:15.440 --> 0:13:19.720
<v Speaker 1>coached against Auburn there, and they've come to UM Oxford

0:13:19.760 --> 0:13:22.959
<v Speaker 1>and coached against him to So I've asked them some

0:13:22.960 --> 0:13:29.080
<v Speaker 1>some some um games against alban But the Alabama game,

0:13:29.120 --> 0:13:31.559
<v Speaker 1>you know, coming, I mean, that was that's gotta be different.

0:13:32.280 --> 0:13:35.760
<v Speaker 1>Got to be like a three our experience that, Yeah,

0:13:35.880 --> 0:13:40.640
<v Speaker 1>it was. It was different. So Jacksonville in your NFL career,

0:13:40.640 --> 0:13:42.600
<v Speaker 1>you spent a lot of time there. We discussed that

0:13:42.800 --> 0:13:45.480
<v Speaker 1>you've been the interim high coach last year when the

0:13:45.559 --> 0:13:48.199
<v Speaker 1>Jets pulled off a thriller against the Jags at my

0:13:48.360 --> 0:13:52.360
<v Speaker 1>life staying very cool, I think yeah, and Jets Nation

0:13:52.440 --> 0:13:56.800
<v Speaker 1>really appreciated it. What was Robert sala like from your

0:13:56.960 --> 0:14:02.040
<v Speaker 1>standpoint as an assistant coach when you started getting those

0:14:02.320 --> 0:14:06.400
<v Speaker 1>first interactions with him? Oh? Man, he's first of all,

0:14:06.800 --> 0:14:11.120
<v Speaker 1>very intelligent. Um. He would come by my office and

0:14:11.160 --> 0:14:15.320
<v Speaker 1>show me, show me the tips and reminders that he

0:14:15.480 --> 0:14:19.080
<v Speaker 1>give his linebackers. Um, he's a big ryn. Let me

0:14:19.160 --> 0:14:21.080
<v Speaker 1>let me show you this is what and and go through.

0:14:21.120 --> 0:14:23.560
<v Speaker 1>I still have some of them, you know. Just impressive,

0:14:23.720 --> 0:14:31.600
<v Speaker 1>just impressive. Um, great football mind, um, um, very passionate,

0:14:32.080 --> 0:14:35.600
<v Speaker 1>I think. Um. I think players really relate to him.

0:14:35.640 --> 0:14:38.920
<v Speaker 1>It's believable. You know there are some coaches excuse me,

0:14:39.000 --> 0:14:41.920
<v Speaker 1>that fake the funk. You know, this guy doesn't fake

0:14:41.960 --> 0:14:46.240
<v Speaker 1>the funk. He's definitely a player's coach, um, but he

0:14:46.280 --> 0:14:49.920
<v Speaker 1>doesn't mind. I mean he will jump their ass to

0:14:50.000 --> 0:14:55.120
<v Speaker 1>excuse me, and he would jump their ass man. And

0:14:55.320 --> 0:14:59.680
<v Speaker 1>that's what I mean. He's a great guy first of all, um,

0:14:59.720 --> 0:15:02.400
<v Speaker 1>and he's a player's coach, and he understands their point

0:15:02.400 --> 0:15:05.480
<v Speaker 1>of view or whatnot. But hey, he believes in a

0:15:05.520 --> 0:15:09.280
<v Speaker 1>certain way that it's done and he's gonna he's gonna

0:15:09.320 --> 0:15:14.240
<v Speaker 1>expect and demand that from them. And um, you know

0:15:14.240 --> 0:15:17.640
<v Speaker 1>what they said, well, and a heck of a golfer.

0:15:17.720 --> 0:15:20.840
<v Speaker 1>See that's how that's how we game. Okay, So we

0:15:20.840 --> 0:15:22.840
<v Speaker 1>were at Jacksonville. He and I would go and play

0:15:22.880 --> 0:15:26.320
<v Speaker 1>golf together. Um, when no one else would we get

0:15:26.320 --> 0:15:29.280
<v Speaker 1>any free time. Boom, Robert, let's go. You know, we'd

0:15:29.280 --> 0:15:32.240
<v Speaker 1>go play golf. And was the competitive son of a

0:15:32.280 --> 0:15:35.840
<v Speaker 1>gun on the golf course as well. Yes, he always

0:15:35.880 --> 0:15:41.440
<v Speaker 1>tell me that. Yeah, Ryn rebuyed me launch because of business.

0:15:42.200 --> 0:15:47.040
<v Speaker 1>Yes he Uh. I've I beat him once. Now he won't,

0:15:47.120 --> 0:15:50.120
<v Speaker 1>he won't admit to it. But I did beat him

0:15:50.200 --> 0:15:55.600
<v Speaker 1>once and um it was it was in Florida. Yeah, yeah,

0:15:55.640 --> 0:15:57.680
<v Speaker 1>he's too good. Now I can't I can't touch m

0:15:57.680 --> 0:16:00.120
<v Speaker 1>Plus you got these nice clubs and stuff, not know,

0:16:00.200 --> 0:16:03.120
<v Speaker 1>the head coach money and you can buy a game too,

0:16:03.160 --> 0:16:06.040
<v Speaker 1>you know, so I've seen you play. I know those

0:16:06.080 --> 0:16:11.440
<v Speaker 1>are he I mean we talked about apples and eggs.

0:16:11.640 --> 0:16:15.200
<v Speaker 1>Mine compared to he is. Uh, it's it's no comparisons. Really.

0:16:15.360 --> 0:16:17.480
<v Speaker 1>Can you make them break a couple of smiles on

0:16:17.520 --> 0:16:22.040
<v Speaker 1>the golf course? Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, no question.

0:16:22.080 --> 0:16:24.480
<v Speaker 1>He's usually playing good, so it's easy for him to

0:16:24.480 --> 0:16:27.880
<v Speaker 1>smile then, you know. Um, but I've I've I've seen

0:16:27.960 --> 0:16:32.560
<v Speaker 1>him frustrated to a couple of times. But he's um,

0:16:32.640 --> 0:16:35.120
<v Speaker 1>He's a heck of a golfer. I'm sure he will

0:16:35.200 --> 0:16:41.920
<v Speaker 1>hear that. So, um, what's he like when he is frustrated?

0:16:42.080 --> 0:16:45.880
<v Speaker 1>Because we do see him, you're talking to the media

0:16:45.960 --> 0:16:50.040
<v Speaker 1>and obviously he's a gentleman, he's positive and just to

0:16:50.200 --> 0:16:54.840
<v Speaker 1>see him in those glimpses, what is Robert? Well, you

0:16:54.960 --> 0:17:00.560
<v Speaker 1>know what, you know, he's upset, Um, something's really irking him. Um,

0:17:01.920 --> 0:17:05.600
<v Speaker 1>but he's so in control. I've never seen him out

0:17:05.600 --> 0:17:10.119
<v Speaker 1>of control. You know, he's um and and and it's genuine,

0:17:10.880 --> 0:17:13.639
<v Speaker 1>you know, his emotions are genuine or whatnot. But I've

0:17:13.440 --> 0:17:16.280
<v Speaker 1>I've never seen him out of control or just I read.

0:17:16.840 --> 0:17:19.080
<v Speaker 1>I wish I could say the same about myself. But

0:17:19.359 --> 0:17:24.879
<v Speaker 1>you know, he's he I told somebody, Um, he was

0:17:24.920 --> 0:17:28.919
<v Speaker 1>ready to be a head coach. You know. Um, you know,

0:17:29.000 --> 0:17:35.239
<v Speaker 1>I think some people are are just luck out and

0:17:35.280 --> 0:17:38.800
<v Speaker 1>got the opportunity or whatnot. But this this guy prepared

0:17:38.920 --> 0:17:42.320
<v Speaker 1>for it. He prepared to be a head coach. And UM,

0:17:42.960 --> 0:17:45.240
<v Speaker 1>he was ready when he got I'm just glad he's

0:17:45.240 --> 0:17:47.600
<v Speaker 1>got he got a shot. I'm not gonna ask you

0:17:47.640 --> 0:17:51.000
<v Speaker 1>for players, that wouldn't be right. But how does he

0:17:51.040 --> 0:17:55.120
<v Speaker 1>get after players? Asses? As you just said, there are

0:17:55.160 --> 0:17:58.360
<v Speaker 1>times how does how does he do it? Didn't? Oh yeah,

0:17:58.440 --> 0:18:00.920
<v Speaker 1>he'll call him out in the team room, but he'll

0:18:00.920 --> 0:18:03.960
<v Speaker 1>have video evidence of what he's saying. Um, we'll be

0:18:04.000 --> 0:18:06.119
<v Speaker 1>on a team meeting and he's, hey, dog, this this

0:18:06.119 --> 0:18:08.760
<v Speaker 1>this isn't. This ain't it. This ain't it. You know,

0:18:09.560 --> 0:18:11.399
<v Speaker 1>the sain't how we do things, This ain't what we

0:18:11.560 --> 0:18:16.080
<v Speaker 1>about whatnot? And m he doesn't mind, you know, but

0:18:16.200 --> 0:18:18.640
<v Speaker 1>he appointed he had pointed out there. And I think

0:18:18.640 --> 0:18:22.040
<v Speaker 1>the players appreciate that. You know, we we have a standard.

0:18:22.240 --> 0:18:25.320
<v Speaker 1>No one, no one has above those standards. Um, everyone

0:18:25.520 --> 0:18:29.360
<v Speaker 1>has to adhere to the standard, and he holds them

0:18:29.359 --> 0:18:37.760
<v Speaker 1>accountable to that. UM coaches too, now you know, hey, coaches, Hey,

0:18:38.080 --> 0:18:41.280
<v Speaker 1>get your get your guys right, you know, because he's

0:18:41.359 --> 0:18:43.880
<v Speaker 1>he says all the time, we all are replaceable. So

0:18:44.480 --> 0:18:48.440
<v Speaker 1>don't get it twisted. Yeah, Ron Milton doesn't have a twist.

0:18:48.480 --> 0:18:53.920
<v Speaker 1>And let's talk about your group, don't real quickly? Total

0:18:54.000 --> 0:18:58.399
<v Speaker 1>transformation from last year? Yeah? Yeah? How about how about

0:18:58.400 --> 0:19:01.280
<v Speaker 1>these free agent facts? How are they fitting in? And

0:19:01.640 --> 0:19:04.479
<v Speaker 1>how much of you enjoyed being around C? J. Zama

0:19:04.680 --> 0:19:09.400
<v Speaker 1>and Auburn alone? And I'll tell you what, I don't

0:19:09.440 --> 0:19:12.360
<v Speaker 1>know if the football world was sleeping on Tyler Conkling,

0:19:13.080 --> 0:19:15.040
<v Speaker 1>but him playing in New York, I don't think they're

0:19:15.040 --> 0:19:17.360
<v Speaker 1>gonna be sleeping on him anymore. No, he's I'll tell

0:19:17.359 --> 0:19:20.760
<v Speaker 1>you what, this guy, Tyler, he's hit the ground running.

0:19:20.880 --> 0:19:25.280
<v Speaker 1>I felt good about this guy when he was coming

0:19:25.280 --> 0:19:27.760
<v Speaker 1>out of college. You know, I've looked at look back

0:19:27.800 --> 0:19:30.520
<v Speaker 1>at my notes, um, just to see exactly what I written.

0:19:30.560 --> 0:19:33.080
<v Speaker 1>I knew what I knew, what I felt about it.

0:19:33.200 --> 0:19:37.000
<v Speaker 1>But you know, I'm not surprised. This guy's hard work.

0:19:37.119 --> 0:19:42.360
<v Speaker 1>He shows up every day. UM, he's talented. UM, it

0:19:42.440 --> 0:19:49.880
<v Speaker 1>means something to him. And he takes advantage. Um. And

0:19:50.200 --> 0:19:53.720
<v Speaker 1>he makes the most of every opportunity he has. And

0:19:54.480 --> 0:19:58.160
<v Speaker 1>the guy appreciates it, you know, he really does. C J.

0:19:58.480 --> 0:20:01.760
<v Speaker 1>C J is um. You know. C J is is

0:20:02.000 --> 0:20:05.560
<v Speaker 1>is I think a natural leader, you know. And he's

0:20:05.600 --> 0:20:08.880
<v Speaker 1>and he leads by example. Um. Nobody works harder than

0:20:08.920 --> 0:20:14.960
<v Speaker 1>c J um Um. And he don't mind calling people

0:20:14.960 --> 0:20:17.959
<v Speaker 1>out of being vocal and whatnot. And and and you

0:20:18.000 --> 0:20:20.640
<v Speaker 1>need that. I think I think a team needs that.

0:20:21.200 --> 0:20:23.200
<v Speaker 1>And he's uh, he does a heck of a job

0:20:23.760 --> 0:20:27.200
<v Speaker 1>doing that. Um. He and Conk, I mean they get

0:20:27.240 --> 0:20:31.160
<v Speaker 1>along really well. Um. I think they have the same

0:20:31.200 --> 0:20:36.639
<v Speaker 1>agent or something to it. But they get along real well. Um.

0:20:36.800 --> 0:20:41.639
<v Speaker 1>There's no there's no riff for no ego or anything

0:20:41.720 --> 0:20:44.160
<v Speaker 1>like that. Both of them are They just want to win,

0:20:44.800 --> 0:20:48.320
<v Speaker 1>you know, they want to win. And I appreciate that

0:20:48.520 --> 0:20:52.200
<v Speaker 1>about them. Sure, from what I've seen so far in practice,

0:20:52.240 --> 0:20:53.720
<v Speaker 1>there's gonna be a lot of times when they're on

0:20:53.760 --> 0:20:59.680
<v Speaker 1>the field together. Jeremy Rockert obviously you guys liked them

0:21:00.000 --> 0:21:02.120
<v Speaker 1>after him in the third round. He's a local kid.

0:21:02.280 --> 0:21:04.280
<v Speaker 1>He's got a good head on his shoulders. But with

0:21:04.320 --> 0:21:07.280
<v Speaker 1>all that being said, it's a big learning curve right now,

0:21:07.359 --> 0:21:10.200
<v Speaker 1>right after the time he messed in. And he's gonna

0:21:10.240 --> 0:21:13.120
<v Speaker 1>have to be patient with himself. That's the big thing

0:21:13.240 --> 0:21:16.200
<v Speaker 1>right there. And you know he and I talk every day.

0:21:16.359 --> 0:21:19.639
<v Speaker 1>You know what where you had that today? You know,

0:21:19.680 --> 0:21:23.560
<v Speaker 1>if I see him looking looking at you, Okay, what's

0:21:23.560 --> 0:21:28.640
<v Speaker 1>going on? Because he's so competitive um and and he

0:21:28.720 --> 0:21:32.040
<v Speaker 1>wants to be that's so bad. But you know it's

0:21:32.080 --> 0:21:34.840
<v Speaker 1>it's a it's gonna be a process. He's got to

0:21:34.880 --> 0:21:37.760
<v Speaker 1>get well. And but you can see the few snaps

0:21:37.760 --> 0:21:40.439
<v Speaker 1>that he's gotten so far. You can see why you

0:21:40.520 --> 0:21:43.720
<v Speaker 1>like the kids. You know, he's um, he's got all

0:21:43.760 --> 0:21:48.320
<v Speaker 1>the tools man, and and and the biggest thing is, um,

0:21:48.400 --> 0:21:52.440
<v Speaker 1>he loves ball. He loves ball and um that's gonna

0:21:52.480 --> 0:21:56.399
<v Speaker 1>get him, um to where he wants to be a

0:21:56.440 --> 0:21:59.439
<v Speaker 1>whole lot faster than anything else because the talent is

0:21:59.480 --> 0:22:03.160
<v Speaker 1>there to who's are there? Um and he and he

0:22:03.200 --> 0:22:06.280
<v Speaker 1>loves he wants to be great. You know, I think

0:22:06.280 --> 0:22:09.160
<v Speaker 1>it's a cool group. Let's to sound on this that

0:22:09.440 --> 0:22:14.080
<v Speaker 1>he got guys like kind of your boy flashed last

0:22:14.160 --> 0:22:17.640
<v Speaker 1>year the summer of course, and whole benefit from another year.

0:22:17.680 --> 0:22:20.760
<v Speaker 1>And then Lawrence Cager is the guy that I don't

0:22:20.760 --> 0:22:23.560
<v Speaker 1>think people talk about. But I mean that speaks to

0:22:23.640 --> 0:22:27.320
<v Speaker 1>his mentality too. Hey, maybe you should transition over the

0:22:27.320 --> 0:22:34.399
<v Speaker 1>tight end. That's right, it's been done before, you know. Um,

0:22:34.440 --> 0:22:37.480
<v Speaker 1>I think he has the right attitude. He's not scared

0:22:37.640 --> 0:22:41.800
<v Speaker 1>at all. UM, And I keep it reminding him that

0:22:42.040 --> 0:22:46.800
<v Speaker 1>the standards and the mentality in the tight end room

0:22:48.800 --> 0:22:52.440
<v Speaker 1>is it's different. I'm gonna say totally different, but it's different,

0:22:52.720 --> 0:22:56.800
<v Speaker 1>excuse me, than the receiver room. And he's buying into that.

0:22:57.640 --> 0:23:00.840
<v Speaker 1>And you know, I've just been took ain't you know.

0:23:00.880 --> 0:23:03.240
<v Speaker 1>He's he's a guy never been on three point stance.

0:23:03.320 --> 0:23:05.440
<v Speaker 1>That teach him how to be on a three point stance.

0:23:05.520 --> 0:23:09.520
<v Speaker 1>And um, just some of the calls he's never heard,

0:23:09.640 --> 0:23:14.760
<v Speaker 1>some of the just generic terms u UM, blocking terms

0:23:14.880 --> 0:23:19.760
<v Speaker 1>or or combinations with the tackles or past setting, you know,

0:23:20.080 --> 0:23:23.880
<v Speaker 1>and hands left all those things. You know, it's he's

0:23:23.920 --> 0:23:26.760
<v Speaker 1>done great. He's worked his butt off to him get

0:23:26.760 --> 0:23:28.679
<v Speaker 1>to where he now. He's got a long way to go,

0:23:28.960 --> 0:23:32.720
<v Speaker 1>but UM very pleased with where he's at right. And

0:23:33.359 --> 0:23:36.280
<v Speaker 1>Trayvon Westcoe is a guy who's never seen a body

0:23:36.320 --> 0:23:39.840
<v Speaker 1>that he hadn't like the head He's gonna be out there.

0:23:40.400 --> 0:23:43.719
<v Speaker 1>You got the little westco man he played. He's old school,

0:23:43.800 --> 0:23:46.760
<v Speaker 1>he's throwback. Um. I heard a bunch of the guys

0:23:46.800 --> 0:23:49.480
<v Speaker 1>say he's just a young mid what not said, No,

0:23:49.640 --> 0:23:52.960
<v Speaker 1>he ain't as tough as I was. He thinks he is,

0:23:53.040 --> 0:23:55.639
<v Speaker 1>but he's not as tough as I was. So you

0:23:55.720 --> 0:24:01.120
<v Speaker 1>gotta go young that, Um, Scottie, report what you were

0:24:01.640 --> 0:24:10.719
<v Speaker 1>in the NFL. I never saw a block I didn't like.

0:24:11.240 --> 0:24:15.520
<v Speaker 1>I love blocking. UM that was my wheelhouse. UM. If

0:24:15.520 --> 0:24:18.800
<v Speaker 1>you threw me the ball, I caught it. Um, But

0:24:19.119 --> 0:24:23.080
<v Speaker 1>I knew, I knew what paid my bills. Um. I

0:24:23.160 --> 0:24:26.000
<v Speaker 1>followed that offense. You know it was in college and

0:24:26.440 --> 0:24:30.680
<v Speaker 1>um blocking for both Jackson um the motion tight end,

0:24:30.880 --> 0:24:34.359
<v Speaker 1>the the I stayed in that offense. I excelled in,

0:24:34.520 --> 0:24:36.640
<v Speaker 1>Like I said, paid my bills for a long time.

0:24:36.680 --> 0:24:39.919
<v Speaker 1>I wasn't disillusioned by any means. You know that that

0:24:40.000 --> 0:24:42.400
<v Speaker 1>I was gonna line up out wide and run deep

0:24:42.480 --> 0:24:45.240
<v Speaker 1>routes and all that that that wasn't That wasn't my deal.

0:24:45.359 --> 0:24:49.879
<v Speaker 1>But UM, I won a lot of games. Um um

0:24:50.760 --> 0:24:52.840
<v Speaker 1>made some money, not a lot of money, but made

0:24:52.880 --> 0:24:55.760
<v Speaker 1>some money doing it. Ten your career and wanted me

0:24:55.800 --> 0:24:58.800
<v Speaker 1>a super Bowl, So you know, I'm very proud of

0:24:58.840 --> 0:25:01.320
<v Speaker 1>my product, what I put on tape, very proud of.

0:25:01.760 --> 0:25:04.879
<v Speaker 1>Not too bad. I appreciate the summer visit. We're gonna

0:25:04.880 --> 0:25:08.040
<v Speaker 1>try to get you back into studios again. You are

0:25:08.080 --> 0:25:12.320
<v Speaker 1>my favorite golfing partner. Here one Jet Strive we have.

0:25:12.760 --> 0:25:14.960
<v Speaker 1>We had fun that day. I'll tell you we have fun.

0:25:15.040 --> 0:25:16.159
<v Speaker 1>Thanks for Thank you,