1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,640 Speaker 1: It's time now for another camp chat after practice and 2 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:04,400 Speaker 1: we do that. I've been looking forward to this one 3 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: for a while because he's making an impact and he 4 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:09,639 Speaker 1: just seems like an all around good guy. Curtis Brooks, 5 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: rookie defensive lineman out of Cincinnati, is with us. Curtis, 6 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: Thanks for the time, man. How are you? It's happy 7 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: to be here. You got it. How is your camp gone? 8 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: How would you assess your production so far in your 9 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 1: first NFL camp? Just as a young guy just trying 10 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: to come in and learn the roads, I've definitely uh 11 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: ran to a few bumps on the road, just you know, 12 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: adjusting with everything that's been going on. But uh, I 13 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:33,240 Speaker 1: say it's been going along better and better each day, 14 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: getting better day by day. Has anything surprised you, as 15 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 1: anything thrown a little bit of a curveball your way 16 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:40,919 Speaker 1: that you've had to adjust to? Um, I don't think 17 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 1: I have any surprises per se, because I've had I've 18 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: known some guys in the league for a few years 19 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 1: now and they've kind of just told me what they 20 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: spect and showing me what dispect. But it's definitely been 21 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: an adjustment period for me, you know, with so much 22 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: talent that's around you. I just want to be able 23 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: to take in as much as I can from guys 24 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: like Deep Bud. Yeah, unique in those guys. Now when 25 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 1: you talk about that adjustment period, you know, this is 26 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:04,680 Speaker 1: this is your job now. How different is you know, 27 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: maybe just the schedule from what you were dealing with 28 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: at Cincinnati to where you are now. It's still kind 29 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:10,959 Speaker 1: of a job there with the bear right, Oh right, sure, yeah, 30 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: I mean, oh, not a lot of downtime. It's definitely 31 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: uh some work in college, but man, there's nothing, it's nothing, 32 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: um like it is here at this level. Um. The 33 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 1: hours are much more stricken stricken here, uh you know, 34 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 1: early mornings to right before it gets dark, compared to 35 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:27,960 Speaker 1: college where it was just maybe a few hours of 36 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:30,399 Speaker 1: morning meeting and then we're just ready to go play. 37 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 1: So it's definitely, uh, get that job feeling with it now. 38 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 1: One of the things you mentioned, You know, you come 39 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:39,039 Speaker 1: in and you've got guys like Yannique and Gkway DeForrest Buckner, 40 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: Quitty pay in this room. You know, how much are 41 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: you just kind of like a sponge just taking what 42 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: all these guys have taught you to this point? Oh? Man, 43 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: I feel like that's my greatest advantage coming into the NFL, 44 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: being around just such a good group of guys such 45 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: as y'all Nique, who who will stay out the practice 46 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: with me and just work on a cross shop or 47 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 1: deep buck or anybody like that. So just working on 48 00:01:57,800 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 1: my craft, you're trying to steal things that they got 49 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: in their back. Put it in mind for you, where 50 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: do you think you've improved the most from the start 51 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: of camp until now towards the end. I'm getting more 52 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: and more confident in my pastor's moves. Definitely, for sure 53 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: I need to go in some areas such as just 54 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: sticking in on the double teams and setting my way down. 55 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 1: But definitely, I really feel like I've been getting better 56 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: in the pastor's aspect of things that the combined snub 57 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,079 Speaker 1: I know, is it's something that you still still hold 58 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 1: that right. I mean, that's still a big deal to 59 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: you even though you were drafted and you know you're 60 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 1: making an impact and you're one of the best defensive 61 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 1: tackles in all of college football last year. But I mean, 62 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: do you still kind of carry that with you and 63 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 1: help that that motivate you on throughout your rookie season. 64 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: Oh man, the combined thing, the no recent senior both man. 65 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 1: I kind of laugh at it about it sometimes, but 66 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: it's still it's still very salty, especially when Luke Fickle 67 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 1: calls you the heartbeat that the best player that you 68 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 1: guys had on defense last year and you guys had 69 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 1: some other guys drafted in the first round. Oh man, well, 70 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: I don't feel like I was the best player, but 71 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: we because we had a lot of guys on that 72 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:00,960 Speaker 1: team play. The head coach says, you were so taking. 73 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,799 Speaker 1: But yeah, that stuff definitely cares when for sure, even 74 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 1: going as late, you know, in this system, I believe 75 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: I was a little bit, you know, sure, way better 76 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: than that a few rounds. But you know, I'm blessed 77 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 1: with the opportunity and I'm gonna use that as a 78 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: motivation round with it. Yeah. Yeah, you had twelve and 79 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: a half tackles for lost last year, seven and a 80 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: half sacks as a defensive tackle. And again they always say, well, 81 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:25,360 Speaker 1: you know, Curtis is kind of a lighter guy, smaller 82 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 1: guy to play that position, but you use that as 83 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: your to your advantage. What are the strengths of being 84 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: smaller and lighter than most prototypical defensive tackles in the NFL. 85 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 1: Oh Man leverage for sure, just being able to sometimes 86 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: when you get under somebody's pad then be able to 87 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: control the block that way instead of you know, tower 88 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: over in and swimming over. I just gotta get it 89 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 1: done in a different way. But it's just it's effective. 90 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: I want to go back to that first game in 91 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 1: Buffalo when you put on that uniform and you were 92 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 1: out there playing kind of fulfilling that dream. What was 93 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: that feeling like, you know, playing that first and the 94 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: man sal You know, the rookie year for anything, freshman 95 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 1: year in college or rookie year, it's a lot of 96 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: moments that you just won't forget. That was definitely one 97 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: of those moments. Now we're looking at the preseason finale 98 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 1: coming up here against the Buccaneers on Saturday. What are 99 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 1: you looking to get out of these next couple of 100 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 1: days and in this Saturday that to kind of close 101 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: camp on a high note? Right? Um? For me, I 102 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,280 Speaker 1: just want to keep stacking days. Uh, day by day, 103 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:20,600 Speaker 1: get better at the little things such as my stands. 104 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: I want to perfect my stands, my first step. So 105 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna keep getting better a little things and 106 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: then hopefully it'll all come together. It's Curtis Brooks with 107 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 1: US defensive tackle rookie for the Colts at of Cincinnati. 108 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: Who else in your rookie class have you kind of 109 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 1: bonded with and kind of latched on to to get 110 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 1: through this first training camp? Oh man, I enjoyed being 111 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:41,719 Speaker 1: around all the guys I trained. I trained with Drew 112 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 1: down in the Ford Myers, so I knew him. Drew Ogletree, Yeah, yeah, 113 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 1: I trained with Drew and Eric Johnson was also down there, 114 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 1: so I was already familiar with Eric and Drew. But 115 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 1: guys like Nick Cross ap my got ap from Cincinnati show. Yeah, 116 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 1: so um, we're a very close uh you know drect class. 117 00:04:57,720 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: So you're not surprised at all about the quick Acclama 118 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,279 Speaker 1: Novali Pierce into this offense, Alec Pierce. Yeah, it's gonna 119 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 1: be gonna be a great player like that. Well, I 120 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 1: want to talk about you. You talk about the relationship 121 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 1: you had with Drew, you know before all this. Where 122 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: is his where's he at now? I mean I know 123 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 1: we heard about that, we saw the injury. Where is 124 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: he now? Oh man, He's still in a good hot spirits, 125 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: and we know that as soon as he gets uh, 126 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:23,160 Speaker 1: they're gonna rehab hard and then he's gonna come back 127 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:26,040 Speaker 1: stronger than ever. I want to talk about just the 128 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 1: the magnitude of this situation for you again. You talk 129 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 1: about being snubbed for the Senior Bowl sixth round. Guy, 130 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 1: what would it mean, Curtis for you to make this team? 131 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: How much does that mean to you in your rookie season? Oh? Man, 132 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 1: it's everything for me, you know, always being a guy 133 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 1: that's kind of been under the radar. You know, my 134 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: whole life way before college. It's kind of my whole life. 135 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:47,280 Speaker 1: So just to kind of show where my all my 136 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: hardware has been. But you know, if things do not 137 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 1: go my way, Um, it's just another thing, more fuel 138 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: to the fire. Yeah, it's not gonna stop anything. I'm 139 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: gonna keep going. You talk about Cincinnati last year, Take 140 00:05:57,640 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 1: me back to the final four experience. What what what did 141 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: that mean for you in the program to see Cincinnati 142 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:04,920 Speaker 1: on that level in the final four of the College 143 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 1: Football Playoff? Man? That final four going to Dallas to 144 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 1: play Alabama, Man, was it was something special. But the 145 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,720 Speaker 1: most surreal moment from that year was definitely just the 146 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: day to day locker room, just being with my guys. 147 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: You know, got like me dash Ap. We've been there 148 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: three four years, so it was just building and building 149 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 1: and building and just kind of see it all right 150 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: coming together. It was great. I wish we could have, 151 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: you know, finished on high note, but well it happens. Well, 152 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:35,919 Speaker 1: I mean, you're you're talking to a die hard Cincinnati 153 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: Reds fan here. Something good needed to happen the Bearcats 154 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: and the Bengals last year, revitalizing the Queen City because 155 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 1: the Reds certainly are not holding up their end of 156 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:49,359 Speaker 1: the bargain on that. How did you see the fans 157 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:51,840 Speaker 1: in the city back you and you guys sort of 158 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 1: capture the hearts of the sports fans in and around Cincinnati. 159 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: Oh man, Cincinnati probably has some of the greatest fans. 160 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: I'll put right up there with Indianapolis for the coast. 161 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 1: They were behind us all the way. It got to 162 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: the point towards them. Uh you know, midway through the 163 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: season it was kind of hard to walk outside. You 164 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: will get recon you know, you know, so it was 165 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: it was a big deal in college and I really enjoyed. 166 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 1: I really enjoyed that being able to experience that because 167 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 1: a lot of teams do not get to, you know, 168 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: see that, and there's some good grubbing Cincinnati. Are you 169 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 1: a Skyline guy or a gold Star guy? I get 170 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: this question a lot, but now at first I was 171 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: not for many years. For many years like either theater 172 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 1: was really wow. I was not a chili guy. Really. 173 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 1: I thought I'm from Virginia, so it's kind of weird. Yeah, 174 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: well yeah, just chill chilly on spaghetti, right what we 175 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 1: were doing there. But guys, some Malie van Dariel Beavers, Uh, 176 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 1: they definitely got me inclined to him. I'm definitely Scoytline 177 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 1: got the all right. Skyline brings at home a hot 178 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 1: dog and action a lot of cheese topping on that 179 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: hot dog. What about l Rosa's pizza. I know you 180 00:07:55,800 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: like pizza in Virginia and when I was a eating 181 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 1: eating poorly whitecastle. Oh yeah yeah, I love that Midwestern diet, 182 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 1: like pulling it off. Well, hey man, it's so good 183 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:12,360 Speaker 1: to talk to you. We talked after the draft, and 184 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: good things again coming your way. Continued success, keep up 185 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:17,320 Speaker 1: the hard work, and good luck on Saturday, sir, thank 186 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 1: you for having me