1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:20,119 Speaker 1: Hi, everybody, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 2 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 1: I am Mike Spofford sitting alongside the one and only 3 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 1: Wes Hodkowits were coming to you here from our studios 4 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: at lambeau Field and West. Interesting way to start the 5 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 1: show here, because we've spent a lot of time talking 6 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:36,960 Speaker 1: about the Packers top two draft picks cornerbacks Jiar Alexander 7 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:39,200 Speaker 1: Josh Jackson. We've also spent a lot of time talking 8 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: about the three wide receivers that were drafted on the 9 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: third day of the NFL Draft. There was a guy 10 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: picked in between all of that that we really haven't 11 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 1: talked about a whole lot. But he's a guy who 12 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: could play a pretty important role on this Packers defense. 13 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: And Tea and I'm talking about linebacker or and Burke's 14 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: from Vanderbilt. Now we have to see, obviously when the 15 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 1: pads go on in the summer of the preseason games 16 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 1: and how he fits into what Mike Petton wants to do. 17 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: But this could be a pretty important draft pick for 18 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: the Packers. See here's the thing. Like you obviously are 19 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: a draft expert, I always this is you know, all 20 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 1: two fifty six guys who come off the board, none 21 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 1: of them surprised. I'm more about the first two rounds, 22 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: and once you get out of the first two rounds, 23 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:24,960 Speaker 1: that's where it. Sometimes it's like, Okay, you recognize some 24 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:27,840 Speaker 1: of these guys, but others you don't. Burke's is a 25 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:29,320 Speaker 1: guy I, to be honest with you, didn't know a 26 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:32,119 Speaker 1: whole lot about and then hearing his story and listen 27 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:34,319 Speaker 1: to him talk, you know, you talk about him starting 28 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:36,839 Speaker 1: as a defensive back and playing safety and eventually moving 29 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: over to linebacker. So, to be quite honest with you, 30 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 1: when he came into the locker room for the first 31 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:45,559 Speaker 1: availability with the media, I was anticipating guy that probably 32 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 1: looked a little bit more in the form of Josh Jones, 33 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 1: a full you know, six ft one, six ft two, 34 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: uh safety, But you know a guy that mirrors more 35 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: of a safety. I look at Burks now and it's like, 36 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: how did that guy ever played defen because he is ripped. Yeah, 37 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: he's got some size. There is nothing small, you know 38 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: whatsoever about his stature and in how he fills out. 39 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,399 Speaker 1: He looks like an inside linebacker. And now you bring 40 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: him in and he has those measurables. The kind of 41 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: things you look for in those hybrid tendencies. It just 42 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: seems to me when you also, you know, factor in 43 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 1: Burke's is his um you know, intelligence, and coming from Vanderbilt, 44 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 1: this is a guy who appears to be built for 45 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: defenses in two thousand eighteen. Yeah, and he played safety 46 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 1: initially atte Vanderbilt, as you mentioned, but that was about 47 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: twenty pounds ago. He said he played safety when he 48 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 1: was around two fifteen, And really he's one of these 49 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: guys whose body was still maturing and still developing through 50 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 1: his college years. He didn't come out of high school 51 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: with really that that full grown male adult body, so 52 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: he was still growing and really because his body was 53 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: still maturing, that's partly what led to his position changes 54 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: along the way, going from safety to outside linebacker and 55 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 1: then event chually to inside linebacker. What's interesting to me 56 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: about Burke's is I think this sets up very well 57 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:08,919 Speaker 1: because you, you and I are much the same way, 58 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 1: and we're always a little skeptical of just how much 59 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: rookies can play in the NFL, how much will they 60 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 1: really contribute right away? And what intrigues me about Burke's 61 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:21,360 Speaker 1: is that coming from Vanderbilt, he has the smarts to 62 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: learn the playbook. We've seen that with other guys to 63 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: Blake Martinez from Stanford, time Montgomery coming from Stanford, those 64 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 1: guys were ready to jump in right away. So he's 65 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: got that going for him. He's changed positions a lot 66 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 1: along the way, as we just mentioned, He's played a 67 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 1: lot of different spots on defense. And then on top 68 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: of that, he actually said in meeting with the media 69 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: here in Green Bay for the first time that his 70 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: coaches um his head coach Derek Mason at Vanderbilt also 71 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: doubled as the defensive coordinator when he was there, and 72 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 1: then also his inside linebackers coach his final year in 73 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 1: Chris mar Both of those guys focused on teaching their 74 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 1: players the entire defense they're they're coaching and teaching wasn't 75 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: about here's your position and here's your responsibilities. You know, 76 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 1: just do your job. It was about understanding the big picture. 77 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 1: So he's coming in really with UH with the type 78 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:13,160 Speaker 1: of background that can allow potentially a young player to 79 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 1: hit the ground running, so to speak. And again I 80 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,600 Speaker 1: don't want to speak for how he's going to necessarily 81 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 1: fit in with what Mike Petton wants to do. But 82 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:22,359 Speaker 1: my point is that I think on the mental side 83 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 1: of things, he's going to be ready if they find 84 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: a role for and it's such an important role to 85 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:30,359 Speaker 1: be able to have that that mental capacity and not 86 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 1: only process that information, but to be prepared for what 87 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: you're going to see on a given day because of 88 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:39,159 Speaker 1: what your responsibilities are in coverage, what the potential responsibilities 89 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:41,720 Speaker 1: are as a blitzer. He said he did that occasionally 90 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 1: they're being able to defend the run. It is the 91 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 1: one position inside linebacker where you basically have a hand 92 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:51,239 Speaker 1: in everything, and for the most part, it's pretty balanced 93 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:53,840 Speaker 1: across the board and what your responsibilities are. You can 94 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 1: be better in one area than another, but you better 95 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 1: not be deficient in one area, otherwise you're going to 96 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:01,599 Speaker 1: get exposed. Uh. With Burke's coming into the league now, 97 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 1: As you said, I always am very cautious making expectations 98 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 1: too high for rookies because you and I have seen 99 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 1: a time and time again, Mike, if you go into 100 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: a season and you're counting on rookies to play out 101 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: of their mind, you're probably not going to get to 102 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:18,039 Speaker 1: where you want to go. You have to have plan A, 103 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:21,599 Speaker 1: Plan B, Plan C, and Sometimes you're gonna get Casey Hayward. 104 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: Sometimes you're gonna get Greg Jennings. Sometimes there's gonna be 105 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 1: these guys that step out and ball out their first year. 106 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:29,479 Speaker 1: But for Burks, I think the important thing is understanding 107 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:31,840 Speaker 1: the jump he is making now going from Vanderbilt and 108 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 1: as it is, talented and experience he wasn't in that 109 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 1: defense now, trying to understand what Mike Petton is trying 110 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:39,279 Speaker 1: to do and what his role is going to be here. 111 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 1: That being said, all of those experiences pulled together are 112 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:45,479 Speaker 1: going to be really helpful for him and being able 113 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 1: to really take his game and transfer it to the 114 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 1: next level. Yeah, and this potentially sets up well for 115 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 1: him because we've heard both ha Ha, Clinton Dicks and 116 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: Mike McCarthy use the phrase likable and learnable when it 117 00:05:56,400 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 1: comes to Mike Patton's defensive schemes. So from that stamp point, 118 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 1: he may not there may not be the complexities initially 119 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:07,360 Speaker 1: that a player has to decipher compared to say, Dom 120 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:10,600 Speaker 1: Caper's defense. And it's interesting when you compare with Blake Martinez. 121 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: He picked up capers scheme from the mental side of it, 122 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,599 Speaker 1: he had it down, but even he admitted his rookie 123 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 1: year then he was out there almost thinking too much, 124 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:20,719 Speaker 1: and it wasn't until his second year that he really 125 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: cut himself loose and really felt more comfortable. You wonder 126 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: with with a different scheme and just a different way 127 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 1: that Mike Petton goes about it, will that process be 128 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 1: accelerated potentially with a player like Burke. The strength is 129 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:35,559 Speaker 1: the whole with Mike Petton's defense, and that he ties 130 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: all those concepts together. He did in New York, he 131 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 1: did in Buffalo to some extent, he even did it 132 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 1: in Cleveland, and I think him bringing in his scheme 133 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:44,599 Speaker 1: now into Green Bay. If he can weave all of 134 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: those different components together and have his type of players 135 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: in that scheme, I think they're going to get to 136 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:51,719 Speaker 1: where they want to go. But the big thing for Burke's, 137 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 1: because we saw it with a guy from Stanford like Martinez, 138 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:56,080 Speaker 1: is taking it one day at a time and making 139 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 1: sure you understand what you're doing before you're going out 140 00:06:58,040 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: there trying to do it, and no question about it. 141 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 1: With that, we will go to a breakback with more 142 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 1: on Packers Unscripted right after this. Welcome back to Packers Unscripted. 143 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 1: Mike Spofford in this chair, Wes Hodkowits in that one. West. 144 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 1: Looking back on Rookie Orientation Weekend, we've talked a lot 145 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 1: about the rookies, obviously, but there are also a handful 146 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 1: of guys who participate in that who are not necessarily rookies, 147 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 1: but they're eligible to participate because they haven't been on 148 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 1: the active roster. They haven't played in enough NFL games 149 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:47,240 Speaker 1: to be ineligible for for a Rookie orientation type of system. 150 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 1: And one of those players that is definitely worth discussing 151 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 1: here is tight End Emmanuel Bird. The Packers um haven't 152 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: really added to their their tight End depth chart this 153 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 1: year beyond Jimmy Graham and Lance Hendricks at the top 154 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: of things. And uh, Um, you wrote a fantastic story 155 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: on our website, packers dot Com outlining the background of 156 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 1: Emmanuel Bird, a story that hadn't really gotten out there 157 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: in terms of everything that he's overcome with with his 158 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: family and how he was raised. I don't want to 159 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: steal your thunder. Go ahead and tell us what you 160 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: what you discovered in the story that you wrote. Well, 161 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 1: this starts off for me actually going back to last 162 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 1: preseason and I don't know if you remember that, but 163 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 1: Bird comes in as a street free agent. He got 164 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: cut by the Chiefs, and the Packers brought him in, 165 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: and I was really impressed by the kid. He did 166 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 1: everything he possibly couldn't make the team. Caught every pass 167 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 1: throwing his way, didn't matter if it was Aaron Rodgers, 168 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 1: Joe kl and he was catching it. Packers cut him, 169 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 1: He goes back home, almost gets into teaching. They bring 170 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 1: him back in November on the practice squad, and then 171 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 1: at the end of the season, he has that performance 172 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: against the Detroit Lions twenty nine yards and ends up 173 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 1: having a really fine outing. And I talked to him 174 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 1: after the game, So those quotes, because that was the 175 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 1: end of the season. Yeah, I kind of stashed for 176 00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 1: an offseason story. And I remember being at the Combat 177 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 1: and Chase Lytton, who was the quarterback for Marshall, which 178 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: is where Bird played, He was talking to the media 179 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:08,559 Speaker 1: at a side table, and I wanted to ask him 180 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,559 Speaker 1: about Michael Clark, the big phenom you know, came in 181 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 1: former basketball player, ends up being on the roster, and 182 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 1: I remember that Bird also had gone to Marshall, so 183 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:21,719 Speaker 1: I asked Linton about him. And his face just lit up, 184 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 1: No pun intended the moment I brought up his name 185 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 1: and he just said, he's the most humble and one 186 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 1: of the hardest working people I've ever met. And getting 187 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 1: a chance to talk to him a little bit mentioned 188 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 1: you know, he has a really interesting backstory. So that 189 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 1: allowed me to go back to his bio. It wasn't 190 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:37,959 Speaker 1: like I did this great sleuthing on the story or anything. 191 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: And it turns out that Bird had lost his mom 192 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 1: when he was six years old, and then the woman 193 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 1: who raised him, his aunt, Um Claudia Marshall, She passed 194 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 1: away during his junior year of college. Father is not 195 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:51,839 Speaker 1: really involved in his life. Those were the bedrock for 196 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 1: him and his brother Roscoe, who was a year older 197 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:56,559 Speaker 1: than him. And getting a chance to talk to Manuel 198 00:09:56,600 --> 00:10:00,560 Speaker 1: and Roscoe about this and what they've gone through, basically 199 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 1: watching their mom die at a young age. She had 200 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: an asthma attack. She ends up being transport to the ambulance, 201 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 1: dies on the way to the hospital, gets raised by 202 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:13,960 Speaker 1: their aunt, a single mother, herself them and her their 203 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 1: older sister, getting and welcomed into their family, and getting 204 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:20,280 Speaker 1: a chance to talk to him man about what this 205 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:22,920 Speaker 1: has been like and all this pales in comparison, Mike, 206 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 1: when you look at trying to make a roster as 207 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: an undrafted free agent whatever. The big goal for them 208 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 1: was just trying to get a free college education. Roscoe 209 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 1: went and played at eight. Are you Sorry? You a 210 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:37,560 Speaker 1: b Alabama Birmingham? They shut down the program at the 211 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: same time that his aunt comes down with cancer. She 212 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:43,199 Speaker 1: was a two time breast cancer survivor and mistastasized to 213 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:46,839 Speaker 1: her jaw, and both of those guys were still playing 214 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:49,960 Speaker 1: college football at the time when she passes away. There's 215 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 1: so many layers to the story. But just seeing Emmanuel's 216 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 1: approach to everything going back to last summer and even 217 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 1: you know, no matter how insurmountable it is to make 218 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 1: the roster, he overcomes that. After understanding the backstory a 219 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 1: little more, it gives you a better appreciation for exactly 220 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:06,520 Speaker 1: who this guy is. Yeah, and I know you and 221 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: I are are in the business of of chronicling the 222 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 1: stories and and trying to get to know these guys 223 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 1: a little bit. And you know, but when you when 224 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 1: you get to know one of these guys in that 225 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 1: respect and tell that story, it's hard not to root 226 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 1: for him and um, And I know we can't really 227 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:24,120 Speaker 1: do that. That's not our job to cheer for certain guys. 228 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 1: But but I think I think a lot of people, 229 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: a lot of Packers fans who have now read the story, 230 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 1: and if you haven't read it, be sure to check 231 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: it out on Packers dot com. Emmanuel Bird will be 232 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 1: become a little bit of a fan favorite as one 233 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 1: of these underdog type guys. And you mentioned all the 234 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 1: different layers to the story, you mean, the other layer 235 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:43,080 Speaker 1: to it, aside from everything with the family, is just 236 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 1: the fact that this is a guy he started out 237 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 1: at junior college, then he was yeah, then then wanted 238 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,599 Speaker 1: to go to Alabama Birmingham to join his brother, but 239 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: they shut down the program, so then he had to 240 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,320 Speaker 1: find another place to go play, ends up ends up 241 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 1: playing at Marshall. You know, gets into the NFL, is 242 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:03,680 Speaker 1: an undrafted player. I mean that path alone to be 243 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:06,320 Speaker 1: where he is right now is pretty remarkable. And then 244 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 1: when you add in all of the family and personal stuff, 245 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 1: the trials and tribulations that that that he's gone through. 246 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 1: I you know, he's an impressive young man. And I 247 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:19,839 Speaker 1: can't imagine just how how mentally strong he is. I mean, 248 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 1: you know, he'll be able to handle whatever is thrown 249 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 1: at him. Yeah, and he has his degree, you know. 250 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 1: And he said one of the big things his aunt 251 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:27,560 Speaker 1: wanted to see was him and his brother walked across 252 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 1: the stage. Unfortunately she wasn't able to do that, um 253 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:34,800 Speaker 1: in the you know, literal sense. But the fact that 254 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:36,960 Speaker 1: both of those brothers finished their degrees, that was her 255 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 1: super Bowl, as Roscoe said. And one of the other 256 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:41,320 Speaker 1: things I was really sad too, is the fact that 257 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 1: when she was having her cancer, that this seerge surgery 258 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 1: to remove the cancer from her job part of her 259 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 1: jaw was the same time that Emmanuel was supposed to 260 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,400 Speaker 1: go to Marshall. But it was so important to her 261 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 1: for those kids to finish their degrees. She wasn't asking 262 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:56,959 Speaker 1: anybody to come in and stay with her. She wanted 263 00:12:56,960 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: them out. She wanted them prospering. And uh, you know, 264 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,360 Speaker 1: Claudia Marshall is gonna be someone that's definitely gonna stay 265 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 1: with both of those those kids for a long long time. Yeah, 266 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 1: Emmanuel Bird will be will be certainly making a strong 267 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 1: push for a roster spot here in his second year 268 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:12,320 Speaker 1: in the NFL. With that, we will go to a 269 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 1: break Back with moren Packers Unscripted. Right after this Welcome 270 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 1: Back to Packers Unscripted. Mike Spofford here, Wes Hodker wits 271 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 1: there West. If there's a theme to this show, I 272 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:42,320 Speaker 1: guess it's the it's the forgotten guys, the forgotten stories 273 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 1: amongst the Packers. And there's another one here that's worth 274 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:48,160 Speaker 1: talking about because, as we mentioned, the Packers drafted three 275 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:51,440 Speaker 1: wide receivers on the third day of the draft, but 276 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:53,839 Speaker 1: there's a fifth round draft pick at wide receiver from 277 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 1: last year who spent his entire rookie season on the 278 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 1: practice squad, never made an appearance on the active roster 279 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,040 Speaker 1: like Michael Clark did, like Reggie Gilbert did at the 280 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 1: end of last year. Wasn't one of those guys fifth 281 00:14:05,559 --> 00:14:07,480 Speaker 1: round draft pick out of Purdue And I'm talking about 282 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 1: D'Angelo Yancey. And this is this is an interesting story 283 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 1: because the competition at wide receiver for however many spots 284 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:17,679 Speaker 1: are available this summer through training camp in the preset 285 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 1: is going to be pretty intense. It's going to be 286 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 1: really fun to watch. And uh. Talking to D'Angelo yancy 287 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 1: this past weekend as he again participated in in rookie 288 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 1: orientation as a practice squad hold over. He's uh, he 289 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: doesn't want to. He's saying, hey, don't count me out. 290 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 1: He's not going to. Uh, He's not going to back 291 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 1: down from anybody. This is a guy who's going to 292 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:40,440 Speaker 1: throw himself into this fight for for a roster spot, 293 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 1: and he feels like he's way more ready for it 294 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 1: now than he was a year ago. Yeah, and uh, 295 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 1: I mean you and I have said this since the 296 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 1: day that the Packers drafted D'Angelo Yancy. He has a 297 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 1: swagger about him, and he has a really good size 298 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 1: for the position. I mean, he is I think we 299 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: use a lot of comparables last year to James Jones, Um. 300 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 1: You know, Jamon Moore probably fits some of those well, 301 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 1: but he's a bit taller, a bit a bit more 302 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 1: full you know, fuller. But Yancey had some good plays 303 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 1: last year. It was just the consistency side of it 304 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 1: that I think kind of held him back in trying 305 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 1: to make that jump from Purdue UM and being what 306 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:16,240 Speaker 1: was really just a big play possession receiver. A lot 307 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 1: of overtop stuff, I mean, some of that, some of 308 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 1: those things you're not going to get away with in 309 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 1: the NFL, and I think Yancey found that out, especially 310 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 1: during the first three weeks of training camp. I remember 311 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 1: doing a story on him last August, you know, as 312 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 1: he was sort of mounting a little bit of a 313 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: push to make the roster near the end of it, 314 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 1: saying like, I don't think I fully you know, understood, 315 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 1: I think he appreciated the opportunity. I don't think he 316 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:38,480 Speaker 1: fully understood just how much of a change it was 317 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 1: gonna be. You know, in an NFL camp, playing NFL 318 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: teams and a bunch of guys that are all hungry 319 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:47,440 Speaker 1: to carve out their spots. He's in a really interesting 320 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 1: spot now. As you pointed out in your story. I 321 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: mean last year he was able to get a lot 322 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 1: of work with Aaron Rodgers when he was working with 323 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: the scout team. Uh And realistically, it's wide open behind 324 00:15:56,520 --> 00:16:00,480 Speaker 1: Davante Adams, in Randall Cobb, all of these guys. Nobody 325 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 1: is locked into a roster spot. No, there's a across 326 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:07,840 Speaker 1: the board competition for those three four you know spots. However, 327 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 1: many of the packers decided to roll with Yeah, and 328 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 1: he is, as you mentioned, a big moment for him 329 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 1: was last year late in the season when Aaron Rodgers 330 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: was coming back from the broken collar bone. Rodgers took 331 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: a few practices where he was the Scout team quarterback. 332 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 1: Yancey was a Scout team wide receiver all season long 333 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: because he was on the practice squads. He was always 334 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:30,320 Speaker 1: on that look team, you know, being the Scout team 335 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 1: offense for the number one defense. But getting those practices 336 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 1: with Aaron Rodgers, I sensed in talking to him that 337 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: kind of gave him a little boosting his confidence that 338 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: that in working with Rogers, he it's sort of reaffirmed 339 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 1: that he's doing some things right. He's remade his body 340 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 1: a little bit. He's dropped about fifteen pounds from where 341 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:49,240 Speaker 1: he was. He says he feels a lot a lot smoother, 342 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 1: a lot a lot faster, getting in and out of 343 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: his brakes better, all that kind of stuff, you know, 344 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,560 Speaker 1: and and everything about the uh, you know, the game 345 00:16:58,040 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: slowing down for him as well. Now this is the 346 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:02,680 Speaker 1: I he had. I believe it was around nineteen yards 347 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 1: per catch his his final year at Perdue. He certainly 348 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: made some big plays, but he found out last year 349 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:13,399 Speaker 1: a couple of things. One he uh, he said he 350 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:16,679 Speaker 1: didn't really take seriously, that every rep in practice is 351 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 1: like a game rep. That's how you have to go 352 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 1: about it when you're trying to make an NFL I 353 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:23,200 Speaker 1: think I think he appreciates that a little bit better now. 354 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 1: And the other thing is he's also learned there's no 355 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 1: such thing as status. His comment was, you know, when 356 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:30,359 Speaker 1: the helmet goes on, there are no favorites. He was 357 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: a fifth round draft pick who got cut um, So 358 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 1: that's the whole you know, there is no status. It 359 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: worked against him in a sense last year because his 360 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 1: draft status really didn't matter. Well, he looks at it 361 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 1: as you know. Now it can work in my favorite 362 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 1: because just because the Packers drafted these other three guys, 363 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:48,159 Speaker 1: that doesn't mean that they're going to keep them over me. 364 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:50,639 Speaker 1: If I go out and perform, I'll get the spot. 365 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:53,239 Speaker 1: And it's it's the healthy attitude to take. And I'm 366 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:54,879 Speaker 1: interested to see what he does. Yeah, And and it 367 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:57,440 Speaker 1: just touched really briefly on the Rogers scout team thing. 368 00:17:57,480 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 1: You and I. It seems like every year, every summer 369 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:01,320 Speaker 1: we talked about this. When Aaron Rodgers is running the 370 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:03,440 Speaker 1: scout team, there's nothing scout team about it. It's Aaron 371 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:06,399 Speaker 1: Rodgers versus the world. It doesn't matter who else is 372 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: on the field with him. He's going out there to win. 373 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:11,680 Speaker 1: So that competitiveness you have to imagine it's going to 374 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:14,680 Speaker 1: go far now as Yancy goes into uh, probably the 375 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 1: biggest summer of his life trying to show that he's 376 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 1: an NFL receiver. All Right, with that, we will go 377 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:22,199 Speaker 1: to another break back with more and Packers Unscripted right 378 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:42,639 Speaker 1: after this. Welcome back to Packers Unscripted Mike Spofford joined 379 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:45,160 Speaker 1: by Wes Hodkowitz and West. Before we get too far 380 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,199 Speaker 1: away from the NFL Draft, there's one other thing we 381 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: should toss out there for discussion. It's something that Mark 382 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 1: Murphy has addressed in his monthly column on Packers dot 383 00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: Com called Murphy Takes five, and that is the possibility 384 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:01,560 Speaker 1: of Green Bay hosting the NFL Draft at some point. 385 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:05,680 Speaker 1: And now to clarify where things are in that process. Initially, 386 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:09,400 Speaker 1: the Packers had applied to host the draft right around 387 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 1: this time in nineteen area. I think there was some 388 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:16,399 Speaker 1: sentiment to maybe try to get it for nineteen with 389 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:21,640 Speaker 1: that coinciding with birthday of the Packers in August often 390 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:26,440 Speaker 1: coming up. But the Packers decided to delay their application, 391 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 1: and now they have applied to host the Draft in 392 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:36,239 Speaker 1: either or, And one of the big reasons behind that is, UH, 393 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:39,120 Speaker 1: the Brown County Arena just across the street here from 394 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 1: lambeau Field is being replaced by a new exposition center 395 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 1: and that is supposed to be finished by that time frame, 396 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:51,760 Speaker 1: so that would be something that could be incorporated then 397 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:55,440 Speaker 1: a new facility incorporated into However, green Bay would host 398 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: the Draft, so some interesting goings on there. And you know, 399 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 1: we won't know anything obvious see for quite a while. 400 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: But I don't know about you. I think if the 401 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 1: city of Green Bay hosted the NFL Draft, that'd be 402 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:07,680 Speaker 1: pretty cool. I think it would be really neat, and 403 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:11,159 Speaker 1: especially since there's no chance, uh in this lifetime that 404 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:15,280 Speaker 1: we're gonna see the Super Bowl come here for obvious reasons, 405 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 1: I think this would be a really good consolation, and 406 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:20,919 Speaker 1: it would have been cool for the hundred year to 407 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 1: be able to host it. But you know, Title Town 408 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 1: is still in the infancy of this project. It made 409 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 1: so many strides with it, but yet there's still a 410 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:32,040 Speaker 1: lot to be you know, parceled out and figured out 411 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 1: and implemented. UH, and then obviously, as you mentioned the 412 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:37,399 Speaker 1: exhibition hall as well, UM is going to go a 413 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 1: long way, uh and being able to develop everything. There's 414 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 1: hotels coming up everywhere. It seems like there's like two 415 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 1: going up right now on the east side of Lambo. 416 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 1: So the hotel thing is another aspect of this that 417 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,640 Speaker 1: needs to get short up. But you can see all 418 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 1: of the steps are moving in the right direction to 419 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:56,920 Speaker 1: this possibly being uh, you know, a reality at some point. 420 00:20:56,920 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 1: And honestly, Mike, it's the most storied franchise in the 421 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:02,240 Speaker 1: history of the league. Um, it means so much to 422 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:04,600 Speaker 1: the NFL, it only makes sense that at some point 423 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:06,920 Speaker 1: it will find its way to Green Bay, Wisconsin. Yeah, 424 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 1: I think it will at some point. When exactly that's 425 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:12,479 Speaker 1: going to be is is very hard to say, but uh, 426 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:14,760 Speaker 1: but you know, you look at what's been done so 427 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 1: far with this traveling, you know thing, with hosting the draft. 428 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:21,720 Speaker 1: Chicago Philadelphia both did a great job. Dallas had it 429 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:25,240 Speaker 1: based in the stadium in in Jerry's world there that 430 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:27,199 Speaker 1: sort of almost took it to a new level in 431 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:30,760 Speaker 1: terms of the fan intensity and and the fan involvement 432 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:33,320 Speaker 1: and everything. So kind of a new standard here now 433 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:37,159 Speaker 1: for for these cities coming up in and nineteen or 434 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:40,360 Speaker 1: I'm sorry to host it, will see what happens. It's 435 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:42,919 Speaker 1: only increased the awareness and popularity of it, and I 436 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:45,000 Speaker 1: think it's also avoided it from getting stale, to bring 437 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:47,359 Speaker 1: some new life to the project. Absolutely. With that, we 438 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:50,679 Speaker 1: are going to sign off on this edition of Packers Unscripted. 439 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:52,560 Speaker 1: To be sure to follow all of our coverage of 440 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:55,359 Speaker 1: the team on packers dot com on Twitter. He's at 441 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 1: west hot I'm at Mike Spofford at Packers for the 442 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:00,879 Speaker 1: team account. Thanks for tuning in, everybody. We'll see you 443 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 1: next time. M HM.