1 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: Welcome back to More to It, where I talked to athletes, 2 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: entertainers and unique folks to find out the stories beyond 3 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: public perception. Looks are deceiving and there's nothing simple to 4 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:16,959 Speaker 1: achieve it. I'm Marcellus widely our guest today. Although known 5 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:19,959 Speaker 1: as one of the best of the twentieth century football players, 6 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 1: I personally will always remember as a wide eye, thick 7 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: skin rookie ready to take over the league. Ladany and 8 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: Thomason grew up with humble roots in a little town 9 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: called Rosebud, Texas, but his determination, his stature, his tunnel 10 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:38,839 Speaker 1: vision mindset took him the places he never imagined. He 11 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: and I both landed at the San Diego Chargers in 12 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:44,840 Speaker 1: two thousand and one. Me as that dude, a fifth 13 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: year NFL player who was a free agent from the 14 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: Buffalo Bills. Thomason as the first round draft choice, and 15 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: boy am I glad to have cross paths with this man. 16 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: Voted the NFL m v P in two thousand and 17 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: six after breaking the record for touchdow Hounds in a 18 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: single season. He's still considered to be one of the 19 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:07,679 Speaker 1: greatest running backs of all time, scoring a hundred touchdowns 20 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: faster than any player in NFL history. But we're here 21 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 1: to go beyond the stats, beyond the trading cards. Thomason 22 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:19,320 Speaker 1: opens up about his struggles through childhood, his redeemed relationship 23 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: with his late father, and even a spiritual experience that 24 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: changed the trajectory of his career. Please welcome to the show. 25 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 1: A great friend of mine, a man who represents faith, family, 26 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 1: and football better than anyone I've ever encountered. Hall of 27 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: Famer La Daini and Thomas Lt. How you doing, my 28 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: dog or Sellers, I'm blessed man, I'm doing wonderful. How 29 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: are you? I'm great man. Doing some hard work on you. 30 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: I I never had to do that before. I used 31 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 1: to just watch you in practice and uh, let you 32 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: just run by me. But now I'm preparing for this 33 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 1: moment and doing some research. I saw we had something 34 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: in common. I grew up with a Our Wars blanket, 35 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: and that Star Wars blankets stayed with me all the 36 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: way to my senior year in college. I read that 37 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 1: LT and his love of football was so great that 38 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 1: he kept a football with him in his bed all 39 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:18,799 Speaker 1: the way to college. Tell me how real that story 40 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:24,799 Speaker 1: is and about that football It's absolutely correct. Real um, 41 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: you know, that was kind of I mean, that was 42 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:30,799 Speaker 1: my love for football, honestly, and I really believe like 43 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 1: some divine ability for me, Marcellus was, you know, to 44 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: dream about it, to think about it, to envision it, 45 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: to touch it. All those things for me would come 46 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: to fruition if I did these things, and that was 47 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: one of them. Was sleeping with a football, walking around 48 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: the house with a football, going to my friend's house 49 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: with a football, going to school with a football. You know, 50 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: I felt like if I can feel it, you know, 51 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 1: I started to envision it, then I would accomplish my 52 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: dreams of obviously playing in the National Football League. Man, 53 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 1: you're like that dude in the program or something like that. 54 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: You have always walking around with the football. But where 55 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: did the love for football come from? Like day one love. 56 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 1: We know what the dream can manifest into and it's 57 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: a tremendous opportunity, but where organically did the love come from? 58 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: That's a great question, man, And as I you know, 59 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: I've tried to reflect on that very question. When did 60 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: it all start? Like why football? And I have to 61 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 1: go back to the early days, honestly, when I was 62 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: just learning how to walk um. Football was on in 63 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: my house, Marcellis. You know, we watched football all the time. 64 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 1: My dad did, my uncle's did. Heck, my mom started 65 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: to fall in love with the game because of my 66 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 1: dad and my uncle's And then it was really the 67 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 1: playful joy. A lot of time of my uncle's in 68 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 1: the house just roughing me up. They throw the football 69 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: at me and then tackle me, throw me around, you know, 70 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 1: And I love that stuff. As a four year old, 71 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 1: five year old kid, I love I love trying to 72 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: get past them as they were on their knees trying 73 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: to tackle me. That was fun to me. And then 74 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:23,040 Speaker 1: that manifest into taking it to the front yard. You know, Okay, 75 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: now we're gonna go around the corner to my friend's 76 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:28,719 Speaker 1: house and we're gonna have this this this uh, this 77 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: game in a wide open field, you know that type 78 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: of stuff. That's that's the authentic love of the game. 79 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 1: And so if you ask me where it started from, man, 80 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: it was my dad and my uncle's. Man. You know, 81 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: early on, you know, in the house, man, and you 82 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 1: talk about your dad, you talk about football. As I 83 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:51,919 Speaker 1: have my seven year old son right now and our 84 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 1: coaches Pop Warner team, I know how special that relationship is. 85 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 1: But your parents split up when you were growing up, 86 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: and now you're there with your mother, your other siblings 87 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 1: and football, but your father wasn't there. Talk about the 88 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 1: void and the pain that left in your heart. Yeah, 89 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:15,599 Speaker 1: you know, it was tough early on because being you know, 90 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,920 Speaker 1: at that time, eight nine years old, when they split up, 91 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: the understanding of you know, why, like why why isn't 92 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:26,839 Speaker 1: my dad around? You know, where is he? Like when 93 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 1: am I gonna see him again? And naturally, as a kid, 94 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:33,600 Speaker 1: what do you do? You act out? You know. So 95 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 1: I started to act out a little bit in school, 96 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:39,720 Speaker 1: you know, and that and I I would say now 97 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 1: that I started to develop develop a bad attitude even 98 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 1: on the football field, you know, when things didn't go wrong, 99 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: you know, I'll pound and I'll act out because I 100 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:53,480 Speaker 1: was searching for attention. I was missing my dad, you know. 101 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 1: And I understand that now, but at the time I 102 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: did it. And when, you know, as I fast forward 103 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 1: with my kids, as you just talked about your kids, 104 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:06,280 Speaker 1: I realized, Marcela, is how important that is. As my 105 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 1: son plays baseball and there are times where things are 106 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 1: not going well in the game and I'm anna coach 107 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: as well. For his team. Things are not going well, 108 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 1: and I'll see him start the power and I'll call 109 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: him over. I'll put my hands on his shoulders and 110 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:21,839 Speaker 1: I say, son, listen to me, no matter what's going 111 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:24,279 Speaker 1: on right now, no matter how good or how bad 112 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:27,720 Speaker 1: it is right now, we're not gonna act that way. 113 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: We're gonna keep our head high. We're gonna continue to 114 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: move forward. We're gonna cheer on our teammates. This is 115 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: the way we act, you know, This is the way 116 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 1: we carry ourselves. I've never had the chance to those 117 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,160 Speaker 1: teaching moments with my father, you know, and that's where 118 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: we learned. That's how I think we learned as as 119 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 1: human beings. But onso you know, as we you know, 120 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: our generation, as we raise our own sons. Yeah, you 121 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: may not have had those teaching moments directly with your 122 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 1: father and quantity as you desire, but you had your 123 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: mother there, and your mother was a pastor, and that 124 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:05,960 Speaker 1: obviously instilled a faith in you. Talk about your faith 125 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:09,240 Speaker 1: and how that translated not only on the field at 126 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 1: that young age, but in your life. Yeah. So I 127 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 1: remember the very day it all changed from my mom 128 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 1: and her faith, you know, because early on, up until 129 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: that point, it was you know, parties at the house 130 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: with you know, her friends. You know fun. You know 131 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:29,600 Speaker 1: that they playing cards and dominoes, and you know, I'm 132 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 1: a kid running around with my friends, Ain't it's fun? Right? 133 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: And then all of a sudden, there was more structure, 134 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: and there was more going to church and tapping into 135 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 1: your faith and you know, all these things that at 136 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 1: the time I didn't really understand all. You know, at 137 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 1: the time, I was why, like, why are we doing this? 138 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 1: You know, why are we changing all of a sudden. 139 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: And then something happened to me my freshman year in 140 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: high school, Marcellous, at church, I had this overwhelming feeling, man, 141 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: where I should start to cry out for no reason. 142 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: You know, some people say that's the Holy Spirit, you know, 143 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:14,239 Speaker 1: that's that's that's that's that was the spirit that I 144 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 1: felt God's presence. And I believe even now there was 145 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 1: a prophecy that the pastor told me at that time, Marcellus. 146 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: He said to me, the prophecy says Ladanie and Thomas, 147 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 1: and God would take you places you never imagine if 148 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: you keep him first and you follow him. Marcellus, a 149 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 1: kid coming from small country town, not knowing any professional athletes, 150 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 1: any celebrities. God has taken me places brother that I've 151 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: never imagined. He stayed true to his word. I have 152 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 1: to stay true to my word. And that's why throughout 153 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:56,199 Speaker 1: the years, my faith, you know, has still the test 154 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 1: of times because I've always been a believer. And listen, 155 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: I'm not perfect. Bad things go wrong, sometimes I make mistakes. 156 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:06,840 Speaker 1: But one thing that holds true in my life is 157 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: my faith that God has my back, and I can 158 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 1: always say God, I'm sorry, you know, please walk with me, 159 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: carry me at this time man knowing you and we'll 160 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: get to that when we first got a chance to 161 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: be teammates and know each other. But you are a 162 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:25,480 Speaker 1: man of the word, a man of your words, and 163 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: even at that young age, you can hear that, but 164 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:32,439 Speaker 1: it's hard to internalize that and make those words thoughts 165 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: and actions, especially like you're growing up in a small 166 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 1: country town with no connection to your greatest dreams. So 167 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 1: talk about the moments of doubt. Talk about the times 168 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 1: where lt not only was doubting where he was, but 169 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:50,719 Speaker 1: doubting what he could become. Yeah, you know, and there 170 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:53,560 Speaker 1: were a bunch of those days. And I'll tell you 171 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 1: having a great support system. You talk about my mom, 172 00:09:57,440 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: you know, who was a faithful woman that you know, 173 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 1: told me to stand true to who I am and 174 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 1: what I believe in and the faith in times where 175 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 1: it seemed like this wasn't gonna happen for me. And 176 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 1: I'll give you an example. So my freshman year, I 177 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:16,559 Speaker 1: went to Marlon High School in the country, and when 178 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:19,839 Speaker 1: I got there, you know, as a fourteen year old, 179 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 1: I was one of the better athletes already, you know, 180 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 1: and so the coach wanted me to play on varsity. 181 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:27,560 Speaker 1: I didn't want to play on varsity at the time. 182 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 1: I wanted to play with my classmates, you know, my 183 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 1: the guys that were fourteen like I was. But he thought, man, 184 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 1: this kid, he has something he can help us on varsity. 185 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 1: And so, you know, we went through this thing of Okay, 186 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 1: you're gonna play a couple of games of varsity, then 187 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 1: I'll let you go down and play, you know, with 188 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 1: your freshman class. And when I went down and played 189 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 1: with my freshman class, marcellis lifestyle. You know, I was 190 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 1: the best guy on the field. When I went up 191 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: to varsity, I was sitting a bitch and so man, 192 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 1: I was just a pointed. I was at a point 193 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:03,319 Speaker 1: where I was like, do I want to do this? 194 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:06,559 Speaker 1: You know? Do I do? I wanna to go through this? 195 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:11,200 Speaker 1: And the coach at this time did one thing one 196 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 1: day in practice this I was practicing with the varsity team. 197 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 1: He called everybody up. He said, we're gonna we're gonna 198 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: do a drill call head up, where there's a defensive 199 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 1: guy at one cone. There's an offensive guy with the 200 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:26,320 Speaker 1: ball at one cone. When I blow that whistle, you 201 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 1: try to he's gonna try to tackle you, try to 202 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: run through him. Do you remember that? Here I am 203 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:34,959 Speaker 1: a four year old freshman. He lined me up, ladanian 204 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 1: get the ball, get over there. He called the senior linebacker. 205 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 1: He said, now you you get over there. I want 206 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 1: you all to go head up, Marcelis. He blew the 207 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 1: whistle and I ran through that senior linebacker. He was 208 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:49,960 Speaker 1: the starter, Like this was. I ran through him, you know. 209 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:54,679 Speaker 1: And that the confidence, the belief that okay, maybe I 210 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: can do this, like maybe I am good enough. That 211 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:02,440 Speaker 1: was just one little checkpoint, right. But then fast forward 212 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,240 Speaker 1: a couple of years later, I switched schools. I went 213 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 1: I went back to Waco, bigger school, you know, more talent. 214 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: And I walk in there talked to the head coach. 215 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 1: You know, coach, I played varsity last year. You know 216 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:20,320 Speaker 1: I'm coming in here. I play running back. He looked 217 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 1: at me and said he looked at me and says, okay, 218 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 1: that's good, but you ain't gonna play running back here. 219 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 1: We got running backs. We need you to play full back. 220 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:34,559 Speaker 1: Whoa you know? That was? That was That was I 221 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:37,440 Speaker 1: opening to me, Marcellis. And it was a changing point 222 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 1: in my mind. And here's why, and maybe my you know, 223 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:45,679 Speaker 1: maybe my career. Because I thought about quitting. I really did, well, 224 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 1: if I'm not gonna play the position I want to play, 225 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:49,840 Speaker 1: then you know I'm not gonna play I'll just play 226 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 1: baseball and I'll play basketball. I thought about that. I 227 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:57,320 Speaker 1: went home and I talked to Mama, this faithful woman, 228 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: and she said, son, if you think it was gonna 229 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 1: be easy for you, then shame on you. I didn't 230 00:13:06,559 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 1: raise no quitter. And what happened to you as six 231 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 1: years old telling me that you wanted to make it 232 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 1: to the NFL? What happened to you know? She brought 233 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 1: up all these different things that made me realize that 234 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: it's about the journey. It's not a sprint. And if 235 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:27,360 Speaker 1: I really care about this, if I'm really dedicated to this, 236 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: then I would withstand this. You know, little bleeping the role. 237 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: And I did you know I played two years UH 238 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:39,360 Speaker 1: fullback and my last year Marcellus, I got a chance 239 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 1: to play running back. No scholarship offers at that time. 240 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:49,920 Speaker 1: First game I started six touchdowns and and after that 241 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 1: this school, funky town TCU came to offer mill scholarship 242 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 1: after my first game UH senior year. Now take this 243 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 1: the right way because I hearing that story, and God, 244 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 1: you are hitting me right in my heart because I 245 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 1: know about riding that roller coaster of the doubt and 246 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: your faith is tested. I went to Columbia even though 247 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:15,920 Speaker 1: I had small school opportunities outside of that and big 248 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 1: school opportunities. I found myself somewhere in the middle at Columbia. 249 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:23,000 Speaker 1: You go to TCU. Now we all know how this 250 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 1: story ends through this a hall of favor, but at 251 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 1: the time you don't have all these scholarship opportunities. Talk 252 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 1: about that moment and how that felt, even the letdown 253 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 1: of it. Well, I expected, you're right. I expected because 254 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 1: of the season that I was having you know, I 255 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 1: was leading the state of Texas. I was leaving a 256 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 1: state of Texas in Russian, you know, and those no, 257 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:48,840 Speaker 1: no big schools were offering me, and so of course 258 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: I was thinking, like what am I doing wrong? Am 259 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:54,480 Speaker 1: I not good enough? Like this is now granted it's 260 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 1: still a D one school, but in my mind, it's 261 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 1: supposed to be Miami, Florida State. You know, all these 262 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:05,960 Speaker 1: big schools, right that were the legendary schools. I should 263 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 1: say that we hear about year in and year out. 264 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 1: But then I think about, you know, I think about 265 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: how sometimes God does have a plan for us that 266 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:20,480 Speaker 1: we don't even know, right, that we can't even understand obviously. 267 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 1: So at the time when I had TCU, Baylor, you 268 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 1: Tip North Texas, my thought was where can I go 269 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:36,920 Speaker 1: and play right away? Like who where am I going 270 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: to have the best opportunity? Because again it was about 271 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 1: the next level, right trying to develop as fast as 272 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 1: I could to get to the next level. And I 273 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: just felt like TC was the first team to offer me. 274 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 1: They were loyal to me, like they believed in me, 275 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:58,880 Speaker 1: even when I didn't believe in myself. They said, son, 276 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 1: we're gonna tell you right now, you're gonna come here 277 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 1: and play right away. You can help us right away. 278 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 1: And you know all schools say that, But as I 279 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 1: looked in the backfield, I believe that that didn't have much. 280 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 1: No they how much, so I knew I could come 281 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: in and play at TCU. Now, come on, LT Like, 282 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:23,280 Speaker 1: I know how great you are, and I know that 283 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 1: senior year was ethic, But all the schools that came 284 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 1: after you were all Texas schools. Like did your coach 285 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:33,720 Speaker 1: have any addresses outside the state? Like this, why didn't 286 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 1: you get what offer outside of the state of Texas. 287 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 1: Give it to me, man, that's a good question. But 288 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 1: lack of resources. Maybe we're still in the no. But 289 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 1: you're right that that's part of it, because you know, 290 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 1: being in a small town, you just don't get hurt 291 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:58,280 Speaker 1: about even though you're leading the state In Russian, it's like, 292 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: who is this dude? Like this, he's only done this 293 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 1: for one year, Like this is his first year starting 294 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 1: that running back he's leading to state. Oh, that's a 295 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:10,919 Speaker 1: bit lucky. The other thing was Texas and them was 296 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 1: the school that the biggest school. I would say that 297 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: was recruiting me. But at the same time, they were 298 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 1: waiting on another running back to commit, so they were 299 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:24,160 Speaker 1: playing me against this other running back. If he wasn't 300 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 1: gonna commit to them, then they were gonna offer me. 301 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:29,120 Speaker 1: So they were holding out. They didn't offer me. They 302 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:32,119 Speaker 1: were holding out. What is this kid gonna do? You know, 303 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 1: he's he's better than La Danian to us And I 304 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:38,919 Speaker 1: think about that. That did put a chip on my 305 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:43,320 Speaker 1: shoulder because being totally transparent, I would have with the 306 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:46,639 Speaker 1: m M. I mean, I know Frog fans and TC 307 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,720 Speaker 1: you don't want that, and it all was out. But 308 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:53,400 Speaker 1: at the time, yeah, at the time I was I 309 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: was thinking, you know, if Texas and them offered me, 310 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,359 Speaker 1: I'm going to Texas and M Now you end up 311 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:02,919 Speaker 1: going to TC, you obviously, but before I want you 312 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 1: to dress up and paint what small town looks like 313 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:10,800 Speaker 1: Philadany and Thomason, because to me, small town just means, oh, 314 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: there's only three lanes on the road. Because I'm from 315 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:16,359 Speaker 1: l A, you know, but you what is that dirt road? 316 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 1: No stop? Like what a small town? A small town 317 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 1: is one road leads you into the town, and that 318 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 1: same road is gonna take you out of that town. 319 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 1: Like there's no different ways to leave the town, Marcella, 320 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:32,679 Speaker 1: and you can walk. You can walk everywhere, like you 321 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 1: don't have to have a car, brother, You can walk 322 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:39,159 Speaker 1: everywhere you need to go, you know that that small town. 323 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:42,439 Speaker 1: And of course, of course dirt roads. Are you kidding me? 324 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 1: Like the town doesn't have enough money to pave every road? 325 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:49,639 Speaker 1: Like that's boogey to them. I love it. And so 326 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:52,240 Speaker 1: you end up leaving there, and no whe do you 327 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 1: said to damn good running back all that terrain you 328 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 1: had to deal with just to get to school and 329 00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:00,080 Speaker 1: go to the store, walking and running everywhere. I get it. 330 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:03,320 Speaker 1: And you get to TCU, and how do I say 331 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: this nicely? But also to a teammate, it wasn't as 332 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 1: great initially as probably anticipated. It seemed like there were 333 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:14,480 Speaker 1: some bumps in the road as well. Talk about the 334 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 1: early experience of LT having this epic senior year and 335 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 1: all of a sudden kind of going back to square one. Yeah, man, 336 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,480 Speaker 1: And that was another big moment out of my fresh mirror. 337 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 1: So I got recruited by the legendary uh late great 338 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 1: Pat Sullivan, Hosman Trophy winner at Auburn. Pat Sullivan was 339 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,919 Speaker 1: the head coach at TCU at that time recruited me. 340 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 1: That was part of the reason why I believe that, 341 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 1: you know, in him and TCU UM. But I get 342 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:48,160 Speaker 1: there and marcelis we win one game my freshman year, 343 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:52,160 Speaker 1: one game UM, and then there's a coaching change. Right 344 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:56,360 Speaker 1: after that, past Sulliman gets fired. New coach comes in, 345 00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:01,160 Speaker 1: and I thought about transferring. You know, like most kids 346 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 1: do you coaching staff. These guys don't know me. You know, 347 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 1: I'm gonna get lost in the shuffle. They might not 348 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:12,160 Speaker 1: even want me. I need to transfer, Go home, talk 349 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 1: to mama. There she go. Old Mama says, you know, 350 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:23,119 Speaker 1: anything that's worth having, is worth fighting for and worth 351 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: working for. Do you want to be a part of 352 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:28,479 Speaker 1: the change or do you want to go somewhere and 353 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 1: fit in? And I thought about that being part of 354 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 1: a change. We want to tend now, Marcellis, we only 355 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:39,439 Speaker 1: can go up. You know, why are you running at 356 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:41,040 Speaker 1: the end of the day, That's what she said, What 357 00:20:41,119 --> 00:20:45,159 Speaker 1: are you running from? And I said, Mama, you know 358 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: you're right, You're right. I need to stick this out 359 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 1: because there was it was obvious though that we had talent. 360 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:56,399 Speaker 1: We just needed some direction. And I stayed and it 361 00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 1: you know, obviously worked out. Yeah. Man, the same beats 362 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:02,600 Speaker 1: for me at Columbia because I had some other school 363 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 1: offers and opportunities, could have went to the big school 364 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 1: the Power of fives. And as soon as I got there, 365 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:11,560 Speaker 1: we were two and eight and I was like, look, man, 366 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 1: I'm about to go dip. And our coach reminded me 367 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 1: what he told me and why I came to Columbia 368 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:19,919 Speaker 1: in the first place. He said, do you want to 369 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:24,640 Speaker 1: go somewhere and carry the torch or like the torch? 370 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 1: And I said, ah, I gotta stick this out and 371 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:31,440 Speaker 1: make sure this thing takes fire. And it did catch 372 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:34,680 Speaker 1: fire for you, LT. Obviously you started the ball out 373 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:38,480 Speaker 1: on the field as well. What was different not only 374 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:42,399 Speaker 1: the team found direction, but LT caught his stride. What 375 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:45,679 Speaker 1: was different from early TCU to the end game. I 376 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:51,399 Speaker 1: think development. Honestly, it's you know, it's repetition. It's you know, 377 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 1: I was eighteen years old going to a college where 378 00:21:56,080 --> 00:22:00,159 Speaker 1: honestly I've still had I still had that high school body, right, 379 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:03,679 Speaker 1: you know, you you want you want developing yet into 380 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 1: a young man. You know that doesn't happen till you know, 381 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:09,520 Speaker 1: right around twenty years old. You become a young man. 382 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:12,160 Speaker 1: You know, and you can see you can see the difference. 383 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 1: But I think the development of the understanding of the 384 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:21,400 Speaker 1: things in the weight room, the workouts, and also understanding 385 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,719 Speaker 1: the speed of the game. You know, my abilities are 386 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:28,000 Speaker 1: how the coach was gonna utilize me and my abilities, 387 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:32,159 Speaker 1: All those things go hand in hand. And also at 388 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 1: the end of the day, someone that believes in you, 389 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 1: that's gonna give you the opportunity. I believe in myself. 390 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:43,200 Speaker 1: I always believe Marcellus, you give me the opportunity, put 391 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:46,520 Speaker 1: the ball in my hands, great things are gonna happen. 392 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:49,679 Speaker 1: But I needed someone else to believe that as well. 393 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 1: And and thenis FRENCHIONI when he came in there and 394 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 1: he sent me down in his office as I thought 395 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:59,000 Speaker 1: about transferring. And so listen, kid, you just played your 396 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: freshman year. I know you eyes weren't good, but this 397 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 1: is gonna be your show one day, like in another year, 398 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:08,440 Speaker 1: this is gonna be your show. And I believe him. 399 00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:12,040 Speaker 1: I love the offense, and I think at that time 400 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 1: it was perfect for what I needed because we we 401 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 1: were a perimeter team. We were gonna get you on 402 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:22,120 Speaker 1: a perimeter and with my speed and elusiveness, you put 403 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:26,399 Speaker 1: me on a perimeter. Well, you know, great things happening 404 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:32,640 Speaker 1: beyond Great things happened, man. And it's funny we're gonna 405 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 1: get to that point in the story because I remember 406 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 1: day one first play LT. But before I got the 407 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:43,119 Speaker 1: chance to meet you, man, reputation preceded you. And not 408 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:46,080 Speaker 1: only did you grow on the field and mature as 409 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:49,159 Speaker 1: a player, but matured it as a man. You reconciled 410 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:53,520 Speaker 1: your relationship with your father. Talk about mending that fence 411 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:57,160 Speaker 1: and how it all came full circle playing ball Daddy 412 00:23:57,160 --> 00:24:00,359 Speaker 1: and I back with a great relationship and heading to 413 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,000 Speaker 1: the league. Man that it was. It was. It was 414 00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 1: one of the greatest moments in my life. Uh. Not 415 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 1: understanding much about my father now, to understand, my father 416 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:18,240 Speaker 1: was older. But my father had me, you know, he 417 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 1: was let me do the mad He was forty, late forties. Yeah, 418 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: so when he had me, he was late forties. So 419 00:24:29,119 --> 00:24:31,720 Speaker 1: I didn't get a chance to really know him, know 420 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:35,720 Speaker 1: him until I got to college and I can go back, 421 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:39,280 Speaker 1: you know, home and visit him. And we used to 422 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:42,720 Speaker 1: sit on that porch, Marcellus, Man, my pops just sit 423 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: on the porch and talk. And I got a chance 424 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 1: to understand a lot about myself talking to him. You 425 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:53,919 Speaker 1: know why I'm so passionate, Yeah, but quiet, you know, 426 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:59,040 Speaker 1: more of an introvert. But also you know, big heart, 427 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:04,080 Speaker 1: all those things that was where the qualities of my father, 428 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:08,400 Speaker 1: and not only that, it gave me solace and understanding 429 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:12,159 Speaker 1: the reason why he ended up leaving, right you know, 430 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 1: because he remember I told you that was the biggest 431 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 1: thing for me as a kid, to understanding of why 432 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 1: did he leave? You know, when am I gonna see 433 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 1: him again? All those things. I got those questions answered, 434 00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:29,760 Speaker 1: and as you said, we mended our relationship. And I'll 435 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 1: never forget. Man, the first game he came to, you know, 436 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 1: when I was in college my junior year, it was 437 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:40,000 Speaker 1: I cried before the game because I couldn't believe my 438 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 1: father was gonna see me play college for the first time. Man, 439 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:48,840 Speaker 1: it was a special moment. And so our relationship continued 440 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:51,840 Speaker 1: to just be great. Man. It continued to be you 441 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:58,040 Speaker 1: know what you want out of your father son relationship, um, 442 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:01,359 Speaker 1: all the way up obviously through half of my my 443 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: NFL career. He was there. He was there, man, Now, 444 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:07,440 Speaker 1: please tell me this. When he saw you the first 445 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:11,440 Speaker 1: time with his eyeballs in present and you were there 446 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:14,959 Speaker 1: in attendance. Did you ball out that game? Please say yes, 447 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 1: Please say yes. You know what I did it. I 448 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 1: didn't ball out. He went to it most. That's what 449 00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:23,960 Speaker 1: it was. Man, I was pressing, you know, I wanted 450 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:27,840 Speaker 1: them press my dad so much. Um And you know 451 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:30,320 Speaker 1: it was a It was an okay game, I mean, 452 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:33,439 Speaker 1: but it wasn't nothing special. It wasn't what what I 453 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 1: can do right it was And I looked back on 454 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:39,640 Speaker 1: that game, man, I was missing holes. You know, sometimes 455 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:41,920 Speaker 1: there were a couple of Man, you should have went there. 456 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:44,399 Speaker 1: I'm like, I don't know what I was thinking. I was. 457 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 1: You didn't. I love you? You're back? You just running 458 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 1: three yard tackle for lossing. I get it, pressed it, 459 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:58,040 Speaker 1: but I'm so glad for that full circle moment for 460 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:01,240 Speaker 1: you as obviously experience to that had to be next level, 461 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:05,480 Speaker 1: greater than the game by far. And then you get drafted. 462 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:09,200 Speaker 1: And when you get drafted, the first thing I hear 463 00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:13,720 Speaker 1: is LT looked out for the family, like talking about 464 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 1: taking care of family first and putting family first. Talk 465 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:21,640 Speaker 1: about that experience. You get the big pay day, you're 466 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 1: in the NFL and the dirt road scenes behind. You 467 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:28,400 Speaker 1: talk about taking care of your family in that moment. Yeah, Well, 468 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 1: going back to my senior year, one thing that I 469 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:35,720 Speaker 1: did every game. You know how we take our risks 470 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 1: right before the games. Well, on my risk, I would 471 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:43,199 Speaker 1: write on one of them, I would write underrated. On 472 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:47,800 Speaker 1: the other one, I wrote feed the family, because that 473 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:52,679 Speaker 1: was my mission. On one hand, I was underrated. You know, 474 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:55,000 Speaker 1: I was going into my senior year. I just left 475 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 1: the nation in Russia my junior year. But yeah, I'm 476 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 1: supposed to be a third round I pick the third 477 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:03,359 Speaker 1: or fourth running back to come off the board in 478 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:07,359 Speaker 1: the draft. So I'm underrated. But at the same time, 479 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 1: I'm fighting to feed the family. You know where I 480 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 1: promised my mom one day she wouldn't have to work again. 481 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 1: You know, one day I am gonna make it to 482 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:20,080 Speaker 1: the NFL and realize my dreams. So I was so 483 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:24,119 Speaker 1: close Marcella's and when I got there, you know, the 484 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:29,879 Speaker 1: moment I'll never forget. So after you know, after you 485 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 1: after your last game in college, you can officially sign 486 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:40,440 Speaker 1: with the agent. You know, they could give you a 487 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:45,680 Speaker 1: little money right right right after the bowl game we 488 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:50,120 Speaker 1: get done. So I had to right had two on debt. 489 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:54,400 Speaker 1: I had two agents on debt right and I would 490 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:57,880 Speaker 1: ask both of them for money, and I said, which 491 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:01,680 Speaker 1: every one gives me the money, that's who I'm gonna 492 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:05,640 Speaker 1: go with. Because one agent I asked, and I you know, 493 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 1: it came down to these two. I asked one them 494 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:10,720 Speaker 1: and they were like, man, why you why you need 495 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 1: that money? You know why you wanna why you want 496 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:16,080 Speaker 1: to do this? You should wait? And I'm thinking to myself, Man, 497 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:19,960 Speaker 1: you know you're asking the wrong question. They never had 498 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 1: no money. And the fact that I needed now where 499 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:27,160 Speaker 1: this other agent saying, whatever you need, LT, you need 500 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:32,200 Speaker 1: this money, we got you, And so I had to waiting. Well, 501 00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:35,800 Speaker 1: one didn't come out with it. The other came up 502 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:39,200 Speaker 1: with the money, handing me the bag soon as I 503 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:42,960 Speaker 1: left the field. Marcel's I remember, I didn't even I 504 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:45,960 Speaker 1: didn't even open the bag right away. I went to 505 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 1: I went to eat with the family, went back to 506 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 1: the hotel, opened the bag and dropped it all on 507 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:56,200 Speaker 1: the bed. Marselfa said, Mom, we reached mo. Mom, we 508 00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:59,520 Speaker 1: look at all this money like it was in it. Man, 509 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 1: It's just a incredible feeling. And how much money was it? LT. 510 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:06,360 Speaker 1: It was like seventy thous in cash seven five I 511 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:09,200 Speaker 1: thought you're gonna say, SETI five hundred seven five thousand, 512 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:14,760 Speaker 1: or you didn't leave the nation in Russian goodness insane. 513 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 1: Now that's that's gonna pale in comparison to a few 514 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 1: months later. You get the big deal from the Chargers 515 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:25,520 Speaker 1: and I'm on the Chargers. I just got my money, 516 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:27,880 Speaker 1: and I'm like, wait a minute, I got a lot, 517 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:30,360 Speaker 1: But this dude, I haven't played one down in NFL. 518 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:32,880 Speaker 1: He got the same amount of me. Now that was 519 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:35,320 Speaker 1: a wiser decision by the Charges to invest in LT 520 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:39,720 Speaker 1: than Wiley. But I digress. Let's talk about the first 521 00:30:39,720 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 1: time I got to see LT on the football field. 522 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:45,920 Speaker 1: Everybody keeps saying, oh, he comes from a offense that's 523 00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 1: one of those like wing T kind of weird offenses. 524 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 1: I don't know if he's really gonna translate to the NFL. 525 00:30:51,920 --> 00:30:54,720 Speaker 1: And Junior say, how the late great rest in peace, 526 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:58,600 Speaker 1: and Roddy Harrison and myself were on the sideline. Now 527 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:01,800 Speaker 1: we're big dogs on the team just because hey, we're 528 00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:03,960 Speaker 1: not a rookie and we had put in some work 529 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: in NFL, so we don't get to go against LT 530 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:10,480 Speaker 1: on his first rep ever in the NFL, and LT, 531 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:13,719 Speaker 1: I don't even know if you remember this. You got 532 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:17,480 Speaker 1: let's call it a thirty two dive, you know, regular 533 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:20,680 Speaker 1: dive play right up the middle, and I remember watching 534 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:23,920 Speaker 1: like I'm mel Kiper scouting this one play from melt. 535 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:26,320 Speaker 1: I'm gonna judge you on the first rug if he 536 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:29,480 Speaker 1: looks good. Okay, y'all are wrong, critics. If he looks 537 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:31,800 Speaker 1: bad on this play, damn it. Why we draft this 538 00:31:31,880 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 1: dude this high from this wing t LT. Do you 539 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 1: know what you did on that thirty two dives? We 540 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:42,080 Speaker 1: had a linebacker by the name of Orlando Rough and 541 00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:47,560 Speaker 1: you ran right at him. And conventional wisdom says, okay, 542 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 1: e's know, I'm gonna wrap him up, or he's gonna 543 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:51,320 Speaker 1: try and do a little shake whatever. And I'm gonna 544 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:53,640 Speaker 1: still wrap him up because he's riding running right up 545 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:55,960 Speaker 1: the middle of the play. You know what you did? 546 00:31:56,320 --> 00:32:01,320 Speaker 1: You ran and did a counter clock eyes spin move 547 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:04,760 Speaker 1: on the thirty two dives and took it to the mountains, 548 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:06,480 Speaker 1: which used to be the end zone for us at 549 00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:10,400 Speaker 1: practice and Junior and Rodney and I said, oh no, 550 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:14,960 Speaker 1: he's special. We already know. We read up and down 551 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:18,440 Speaker 1: the starline off of a thirty two dive. Tell me 552 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 1: y'all initial experience in the NFL and those first few 553 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:26,200 Speaker 1: plays going from college to the pros. I remember my 554 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 1: head spanning because of the offense Marcelist, like I never 555 00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:34,080 Speaker 1: I have never seen so many plays, heard so much verbage, 556 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:37,480 Speaker 1: you know, Like it was like, you know, trying to 557 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:42,240 Speaker 1: learn Chinese. Honestly, man, we were so simple in college, 558 00:32:42,320 --> 00:32:46,320 Speaker 1: Like the defenses were so basic. Now you got you know, 559 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:50,040 Speaker 1: under defense, you gotta over, you gotta a seep, you 560 00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:53,920 Speaker 1: gotta week, you gotta cross dog, all these different things 561 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:59,480 Speaker 1: you have to know. So I just remember my head spinning, like, man, 562 00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 1: I to remember the basic things that I need to do, 563 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:06,800 Speaker 1: let alone knowing what the defense you know, was doing. 564 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:10,560 Speaker 1: To be honest, I didn't. I was reacting off of 565 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 1: what y'all was doing early on because I didn't know 566 00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:17,240 Speaker 1: the defenses, you know, I just tried to learn the offenses. 567 00:33:17,480 --> 00:33:22,080 Speaker 1: But I remember my first padded practice though, ray Lee Johnson, 568 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:26,480 Speaker 1: as we started to stress this is about remember I 569 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:30,440 Speaker 1: held out in in camp for a long time. So 570 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:34,040 Speaker 1: when I first got there, it was like, Okay, he's 571 00:33:34,040 --> 00:33:38,360 Speaker 1: finally here, and you guys were already in past. So 572 00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:43,400 Speaker 1: my first day I'm in past. We're stretching and ray 573 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:50,080 Speaker 1: Lee Johnson starts to say that comes up and he's 574 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:54,840 Speaker 1: looking right at me. That comes up, and I'm thinking, like, 575 00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:59,200 Speaker 1: holy crab, these guys for to try to kill me today. 576 00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:02,480 Speaker 1: That was my first thought, like, and you know what 577 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:07,200 Speaker 1: I think Junior Junior was he was trying to, uh, 578 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:09,880 Speaker 1: you know, welcome me to the NFL rookie type of 579 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:13,960 Speaker 1: moment because that first blitz, that first and you know, Julia, 580 00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:19,200 Speaker 1: he's always gonna be an a gap and not knowing. Man, 581 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:21,560 Speaker 1: he hit the a guy one time, Marcelle's. I tried 582 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:24,560 Speaker 1: to block him and he ran straight over me. He 583 00:34:24,680 --> 00:34:27,480 Speaker 1: ran straight over me. That was kind of my welcome 584 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:30,920 Speaker 1: to the NFL moment. Yeah, man, but you didn't have 585 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:33,080 Speaker 1: too many of those bad moments. Man. You hit the 586 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:37,600 Speaker 1: ground running, and my first impressions other than you spinning 587 00:34:37,640 --> 00:34:39,520 Speaker 1: in the hole, I guess your head was spinning so 588 00:34:39,640 --> 00:34:41,840 Speaker 1: your body had to spend with it. But it was 589 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:46,640 Speaker 1: just amazing to see how graceful you ran, like, you 590 00:34:46,840 --> 00:34:50,680 Speaker 1: ran under control to the point where some people doubted 591 00:34:50,760 --> 00:34:54,600 Speaker 1: your speed because you were so fluid. I need to 592 00:34:54,640 --> 00:35:00,080 Speaker 1: know what was your preparation process physically as well? And 593 00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:02,440 Speaker 1: how fast were you lt because I swear I never 594 00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:07,640 Speaker 1: saw you break a sweat. Yeah, So preparation for me 595 00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:15,520 Speaker 1: was basically a lot of leg exercises, you know, explosive 596 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 1: type activities, because for me, my game was all about, 597 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:23,799 Speaker 1: you know, the lateral movement, Marcellus, of me being able 598 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:26,520 Speaker 1: to jump from hole the whole. You know, that was 599 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:29,520 Speaker 1: my strength. I can come to a stop, I can 600 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:32,279 Speaker 1: jump over here, and then I can burst like that 601 00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:35,160 Speaker 1: was I did that without even thinking about it was 602 00:35:35,200 --> 00:35:39,759 Speaker 1: like second nature to me. So um, I knew I 603 00:35:39,800 --> 00:35:43,520 Speaker 1: had to do a lot of exercises and work on 604 00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:49,280 Speaker 1: the strengthening those movements, but also the simple births because 605 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:53,120 Speaker 1: the one thing that I realized how quickly the holes 606 00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:56,840 Speaker 1: did close in the National Football League, and so I 607 00:35:57,000 --> 00:35:59,840 Speaker 1: like it. I'll tell this story all the time. So 608 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:03,160 Speaker 1: where you're in high school, the holes in high school 609 00:36:03,200 --> 00:36:05,960 Speaker 1: are like this, if if if you can wash my hands, 610 00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:10,239 Speaker 1: they're like this, and then they closed right and then 611 00:36:10,239 --> 00:36:13,920 Speaker 1: in college it becomes like this, and then the NFL 612 00:36:14,040 --> 00:36:19,120 Speaker 1: is like this. So you don't understanding the rhythm and 613 00:36:19,160 --> 00:36:21,719 Speaker 1: the pace that you have to play with you have 614 00:36:21,840 --> 00:36:24,640 Speaker 1: to like, you have to get out there first. You 615 00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:28,000 Speaker 1: have to understand how fast you guys are moving, you know. 616 00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:31,719 Speaker 1: And the other thing that I didn't realize how discipline 617 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:35,439 Speaker 1: you did. The defenders in the National Football League are 618 00:36:36,120 --> 00:36:38,279 Speaker 1: if they're if they're supposed to be in a C gap, 619 00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:41,520 Speaker 1: they're gonna be there. They're not gonna make many mistakes. 620 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:44,719 Speaker 1: And so all these things were learning experiences for me. 621 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:48,000 Speaker 1: I felt like I already had the talent. Now I 622 00:36:48,080 --> 00:36:50,880 Speaker 1: just needed to hone, you know, kind of the skills 623 00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:55,880 Speaker 1: that I already had, and that just came with you know, time. Yeah, 624 00:36:55,920 --> 00:36:58,960 Speaker 1: and the time kept taking and you kept running to 625 00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:02,960 Speaker 1: the point where LT the Great becomes the NFL MVP, 626 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:09,040 Speaker 1: leaves the league and touch downs start setting records left 627 00:37:09,080 --> 00:37:13,360 Speaker 1: and right, and really putting your imprint on the organization 628 00:37:14,040 --> 00:37:18,000 Speaker 1: the San Diego Chargers. And it's interesting when people talk 629 00:37:18,040 --> 00:37:20,840 Speaker 1: about LT the Great, you're one of the top running 630 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:24,839 Speaker 1: backs ever, but to never as a team got over 631 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:28,799 Speaker 1: the hump. Talk about what you think the impact on 632 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:31,840 Speaker 1: your legacy is based on the fact that you guys 633 00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:35,000 Speaker 1: never won a Super Bowl. Yeah, well that that's always 634 00:37:35,040 --> 00:37:41,040 Speaker 1: gonna be uh, you know, a point of conversation, right, 635 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:44,000 Speaker 1: you know, like you know, they never got over the 636 00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:47,719 Speaker 1: hump because people always saw us there like we were there, 637 00:37:47,840 --> 00:37:50,600 Speaker 1: we were playing in those games. We want a lot 638 00:37:50,640 --> 00:37:55,360 Speaker 1: of games, but never the biggest game. And you know, 639 00:37:55,480 --> 00:37:58,399 Speaker 1: I would say, man, so much has to go right, 640 00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:01,840 Speaker 1: like you have to be it has to be some 641 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:05,719 Speaker 1: luck involved. You gotta have the right timing. And I 642 00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:09,600 Speaker 1: will say I think at the time when we had 643 00:38:09,640 --> 00:38:14,319 Speaker 1: that window that was open, I don't think we took 644 00:38:14,360 --> 00:38:17,160 Speaker 1: advantage of it like we should have. You know, there 645 00:38:17,160 --> 00:38:20,440 Speaker 1: were guys that I felt like we let go too early. 646 00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:26,439 Speaker 1: And I I can say this now, I can say 647 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:29,640 Speaker 1: this now, right, you know, I think it's this is 648 00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:32,239 Speaker 1: what we're supposed to talk about. These are you know, 649 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:35,960 Speaker 1: our opinions. We were part of the organization and you 650 00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:38,200 Speaker 1: know this is how we feel. So I felt like 651 00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:43,400 Speaker 1: at the time when we had that window that was open, organizationally, 652 00:38:44,239 --> 00:38:48,719 Speaker 1: we made some bad decisions, you know. And how do 653 00:38:48,840 --> 00:38:52,680 Speaker 1: you judge players for that? Because what we do is play. 654 00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:55,320 Speaker 1: We try to make it work. And we always believe 655 00:38:55,920 --> 00:38:58,080 Speaker 1: all of us, no matter who's on the team, no 656 00:38:58,120 --> 00:39:01,960 Speaker 1: matter who they got rid of, we can make it work. Right, 657 00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:04,839 Speaker 1: even if that's not the case. And there were times 658 00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:08,600 Speaker 1: where I looked at our team, Marcellis, and I said, man, 659 00:39:09,400 --> 00:39:12,160 Speaker 1: I went toos closing. I don't think we have the 660 00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:16,719 Speaker 1: same horses. And you know, obviously, as much as I 661 00:39:16,760 --> 00:39:19,359 Speaker 1: hate to be right at that time, you know that 662 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:21,719 Speaker 1: was the fact. So we had our window. Man, we 663 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:24,319 Speaker 1: had our window, and we wasn't lucky, you know, we 664 00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:28,399 Speaker 1: wasn't lucky, um to get it done. The one year though, 665 00:39:29,280 --> 00:39:34,719 Speaker 1: remember the injury injury, the m c L injury. That 666 00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:37,520 Speaker 1: was one year that we should have had. You know, 667 00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:41,759 Speaker 1: Philip also got hurt, hurt his knee. Um, that was 668 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:45,719 Speaker 1: bad luck for us. And man, I'll tell you you 669 00:39:45,840 --> 00:39:48,000 Speaker 1: just brought up you brought up? Man, why you have 670 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:50,279 Speaker 1: to bring that up? Man, Like I'm looking at your 671 00:39:50,320 --> 00:39:53,480 Speaker 1: face right now and if people can see you. Because 672 00:39:53,520 --> 00:39:55,440 Speaker 1: I was on the outside, was one of those players 673 00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:58,319 Speaker 1: they let go, I think rightfully. So even though they 674 00:39:58,400 --> 00:40:03,080 Speaker 1: let Junior go, Rodney Parrella, John Parrella go, and then 675 00:40:03,120 --> 00:40:06,440 Speaker 1: I was on that defense, but a lot of the 676 00:40:06,560 --> 00:40:09,439 Speaker 1: main stays were gone. And I felt a certain way 677 00:40:09,480 --> 00:40:12,040 Speaker 1: about it as well, like that's a little too much 678 00:40:12,200 --> 00:40:15,359 Speaker 1: on me. The double and triple teams start coming the 679 00:40:15,360 --> 00:40:18,000 Speaker 1: injuries come and then you don't have that luck, you 680 00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:21,319 Speaker 1: don't have that success. But I remember watching that two 681 00:40:21,320 --> 00:40:25,080 Speaker 1: thousand and seven season. Two thousand and eight is the year, 682 00:40:25,520 --> 00:40:28,600 Speaker 1: y'all in the a f C Championship game against the Patriots, 683 00:40:29,120 --> 00:40:32,760 Speaker 1: and I'm like, LT is on the sidelines. He played, 684 00:40:32,840 --> 00:40:36,560 Speaker 1: he got got to carries five yards, But that's not LT. 685 00:40:37,320 --> 00:40:41,640 Speaker 1: What were you feeling physically and emotionally in the biggest 686 00:40:41,640 --> 00:40:44,040 Speaker 1: game of your life and you're on the sideline. Man, 687 00:40:44,640 --> 00:40:48,040 Speaker 1: Emotionally I was. I was all over the place. I was. 688 00:40:48,440 --> 00:40:53,680 Speaker 1: I was hurt, uh and really hurt because I felt 689 00:40:53,680 --> 00:40:57,479 Speaker 1: helpless not being able to hurt help my team. Now. 690 00:40:58,680 --> 00:41:03,759 Speaker 1: The week before I had an m c L spring, okay, 691 00:41:03,960 --> 00:41:06,560 Speaker 1: and and I knew it was gonna be uphill about 692 00:41:06,560 --> 00:41:09,160 Speaker 1: to trying to play. I knew it. But it's the 693 00:41:09,360 --> 00:41:12,960 Speaker 1: FC Championship game and I have to try. So I 694 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:16,560 Speaker 1: did treatment basically around the clock, trying to get back 695 00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:21,719 Speaker 1: in six days seven days from an m c L spring. Tough, right, 696 00:41:21,840 --> 00:41:23,680 Speaker 1: tough thing to do. You should you know, as a 697 00:41:23,680 --> 00:41:27,400 Speaker 1: football player and being a running back where I told you, 698 00:41:27,719 --> 00:41:31,480 Speaker 1: for me, the latter movement, that's important to me that 699 00:41:31,880 --> 00:41:35,759 Speaker 1: explosion is important. When I got out there the very 700 00:41:35,800 --> 00:41:39,640 Speaker 1: first play, oh, teddy, teddy, Bruce k cut me down, 701 00:41:39,880 --> 00:41:42,719 Speaker 1: cut me down at the legs right, so I re 702 00:41:42,800 --> 00:41:45,360 Speaker 1: injured it. Of course, of course that's all part of 703 00:41:45,360 --> 00:41:48,600 Speaker 1: the game. A couple of plays later we ran to scream, 704 00:41:48,640 --> 00:41:53,280 Speaker 1: marcelis and this's wide open, like I cast the ball 705 00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:57,200 Speaker 1: and I can't get up. Bruce Ki runs me down 706 00:41:57,440 --> 00:42:00,719 Speaker 1: from the back, and that's when I said, Man, you 707 00:42:00,760 --> 00:42:03,600 Speaker 1: know this is I'm hurting the team at this point. 708 00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:07,799 Speaker 1: Michael Turner I went. I went and told Michael. I said, Mike, 709 00:42:07,800 --> 00:42:09,839 Speaker 1: you're gonna have to do the job today. I'm hurting 710 00:42:09,840 --> 00:42:12,360 Speaker 1: the team at this point. But man, the feeling that 711 00:42:12,440 --> 00:42:15,600 Speaker 1: I had Marcelers of not being able to be out there, 712 00:42:16,800 --> 00:42:19,920 Speaker 1: I've never felt like that before. I was hurt, like 713 00:42:20,160 --> 00:42:24,560 Speaker 1: hard to the core, hurry that I couldn't get it done. Yeah. Man, 714 00:42:24,600 --> 00:42:28,520 Speaker 1: people don't understand that battle that we all faced. Sometimes 715 00:42:28,920 --> 00:42:31,960 Speaker 1: every moment you're on that field, it feels like the 716 00:42:32,040 --> 00:42:36,319 Speaker 1: battle of selfish and selfless. When you're hurt, when you're compromised, 717 00:42:36,640 --> 00:42:40,200 Speaker 1: how selfish should you be and how selfless? And think 718 00:42:40,239 --> 00:42:42,680 Speaker 1: about the team you should be LT We're about to 719 00:42:42,680 --> 00:42:45,239 Speaker 1: have the emotional moment because I've been waiting and I 720 00:42:45,280 --> 00:42:48,600 Speaker 1: didn't know when and where I was ever gonna tell 721 00:42:48,600 --> 00:42:52,719 Speaker 1: you this story, but I finally have the opportunity. I 722 00:42:52,719 --> 00:42:56,080 Speaker 1: don't know if you remember, but LT you told me 723 00:42:57,239 --> 00:43:00,520 Speaker 1: in so many words that I should have retired before 724 00:43:00,520 --> 00:43:02,680 Speaker 1: I actually retired, and I'm gonna give you the story. 725 00:43:03,080 --> 00:43:06,480 Speaker 1: We were in the weight room one time and this 726 00:43:06,560 --> 00:43:09,120 Speaker 1: is me coming down the hill ever so slightly, but 727 00:43:09,200 --> 00:43:12,399 Speaker 1: I'm not at my peak powers anymore. And you, when 728 00:43:12,400 --> 00:43:17,120 Speaker 1: you're in that moment, the first thing is you recognize it, 729 00:43:17,160 --> 00:43:19,400 Speaker 1: but you try to ignore it. You're like, no, no, no, 730 00:43:19,480 --> 00:43:21,279 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna outwork it. I'm gonna do all right. 731 00:43:21,640 --> 00:43:25,080 Speaker 1: And then you're trying your damnness to make sure no 732 00:43:25,160 --> 00:43:28,560 Speaker 1: one else is noticing what you're feeling. And LT you 733 00:43:28,640 --> 00:43:33,480 Speaker 1: walked up to me in the weight room randomly and said, Marcellus, 734 00:43:34,040 --> 00:43:36,759 Speaker 1: are you all right? Are you having fun? Are you 735 00:43:36,960 --> 00:43:39,880 Speaker 1: enjoying this? And I don't even think you stood around 736 00:43:39,960 --> 00:43:43,240 Speaker 1: for the answer. You just walked off. And I swear 737 00:43:43,400 --> 00:43:45,880 Speaker 1: that stuck in my crawl because I was like, now, 738 00:43:46,560 --> 00:43:49,000 Speaker 1: and I enjoying this process because it felt like I 739 00:43:49,040 --> 00:43:52,719 Speaker 1: was doing more rehab than production on the field. I 740 00:43:52,760 --> 00:43:55,560 Speaker 1: was doing more training room and trying to get right 741 00:43:55,680 --> 00:43:58,960 Speaker 1: because my body was breaking down. And I always look 742 00:43:59,040 --> 00:44:02,600 Speaker 1: at that moment like told Michael Turner, hey, I'm starting 743 00:44:02,640 --> 00:44:05,680 Speaker 1: to hurt the team, so I'm going to tap out. 744 00:44:06,000 --> 00:44:08,239 Speaker 1: That was the moment I started to say, hey, man, 745 00:44:08,680 --> 00:44:10,840 Speaker 1: you're starting to hurt the team. You better step this 746 00:44:11,000 --> 00:44:13,520 Speaker 1: up or thing is gonna be different. Man. But let's 747 00:44:13,640 --> 00:44:16,000 Speaker 1: end on a different note, brother, because I had to 748 00:44:16,000 --> 00:44:19,080 Speaker 1: get that off my chest before I started crying over here. Um, 749 00:44:19,360 --> 00:44:21,440 Speaker 1: we're gonna We're gonna play a little game called Finnish 750 00:44:21,480 --> 00:44:24,560 Speaker 1: the sentence get through with a little rapid fire. First one, 751 00:44:24,560 --> 00:44:29,240 Speaker 1: I gotta be selfish. Uh. When LT thinks of Marcelo Swally, 752 00:44:29,640 --> 00:44:33,399 Speaker 1: he thinks about what wild style. That's what you used 753 00:44:33,440 --> 00:44:37,080 Speaker 1: to have on your your big suburban. You had the 754 00:44:37,120 --> 00:44:41,799 Speaker 1: wild style when I first met you on on the suburban. Uh. 755 00:44:42,120 --> 00:44:47,520 Speaker 1: But also, honestly, brother, I think about the parties you 756 00:44:47,640 --> 00:44:53,920 Speaker 1: used to drop. Yeah, let him know, First Bowlers episode yes, Uh, 757 00:44:54,040 --> 00:44:58,799 Speaker 1: like legendary, legendary. Yes, that's love. Man. One player I 758 00:44:58,960 --> 00:45:06,360 Speaker 1: never enjoyed facing was every because like every was the 759 00:45:06,400 --> 00:45:10,640 Speaker 1: one guy Marcella's I never could like juke or like 760 00:45:10,719 --> 00:45:14,520 Speaker 1: get away from him, like he was so patient. He'll 761 00:45:14,600 --> 00:45:18,719 Speaker 1: wait and then he was quick he can run. I 762 00:45:18,840 --> 00:45:20,600 Speaker 1: had a hell of a time trying to get away 763 00:45:20,640 --> 00:45:24,799 Speaker 1: from every Yeah, every was the lt of safety, That's 764 00:45:24,800 --> 00:45:27,960 Speaker 1: what it was. The guy who made me laugh the 765 00:45:28,040 --> 00:45:34,080 Speaker 1: most in the locker room was Lorezzo Neil Kidney Low Neil, 766 00:45:34,840 --> 00:45:38,799 Speaker 1: like he just he just had away man, like this dude, 767 00:45:38,880 --> 00:45:41,520 Speaker 1: let me tell you that, Like who does this? This 768 00:45:41,600 --> 00:45:46,359 Speaker 1: dude used to before the play, we'll go, getting ready 769 00:45:46,360 --> 00:45:49,120 Speaker 1: to go up to the line of scrimmage. He was 770 00:45:49,400 --> 00:45:51,920 Speaker 1: right before he got down in his three points stand. 771 00:45:52,280 --> 00:45:54,919 Speaker 1: He would turn him in say get on my hip 772 00:45:54,920 --> 00:45:58,399 Speaker 1: and don't dip, daddy, that's right, Like who does that? 773 00:45:58,520 --> 00:46:01,520 Speaker 1: And the middle getting ready for play like low turn 774 00:46:01,600 --> 00:46:05,160 Speaker 1: around dude this time ago. Oh man, he was the best. 775 00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:07,279 Speaker 1: That's the best escort you could have because you know 776 00:46:07,440 --> 00:46:10,920 Speaker 1: he just means violence and pain. So that's it. You 777 00:46:11,080 --> 00:46:14,240 Speaker 1: better d that hip. My favorite game in the NFL 778 00:46:14,640 --> 00:46:20,200 Speaker 1: was breaking the record, the touchdown record against the Denver Broncos. 779 00:46:20,000 --> 00:46:25,759 Speaker 1: That was my favorite game. Marty Schottenheimer talked about championship 780 00:46:25,840 --> 00:46:30,040 Speaker 1: moments and we have these conversations. You know, Marty never 781 00:46:30,120 --> 00:46:34,120 Speaker 1: won the championship. Obviously I never won a championship. Well, 782 00:46:34,200 --> 00:46:37,560 Speaker 1: let me say super Bowl championship. We got plenty of 783 00:46:38,040 --> 00:46:41,040 Speaker 1: you know, you know, division championships and all that kind 784 00:46:41,040 --> 00:46:46,560 Speaker 1: of stuff. But he said, there are moments where, you know, 785 00:46:46,680 --> 00:46:51,040 Speaker 1: you have championship moments. It feels like a championship And 786 00:46:51,200 --> 00:46:54,680 Speaker 1: that moment Marcel Is breaking that record felt like a 787 00:46:54,760 --> 00:46:59,840 Speaker 1: championship moment. The atmosphere at Qualitcom, you know, the electricity 788 00:46:59,840 --> 00:47:03,080 Speaker 1: in that place, how loud it got. Looking back at 789 00:47:03,120 --> 00:47:06,000 Speaker 1: the pictures, seeing you know, the general manager and the 790 00:47:06,080 --> 00:47:08,800 Speaker 1: owner jumping up and down as I crossed the gold line, 791 00:47:09,160 --> 00:47:12,799 Speaker 1: seeing my teammates rush over and raised me in the air. Man, 792 00:47:12,960 --> 00:47:16,240 Speaker 1: that was That was special, man. It was a championship moment. 793 00:47:16,719 --> 00:47:19,520 Speaker 1: To have a sit moment from obviously one of the 794 00:47:19,520 --> 00:47:22,680 Speaker 1: greatest to ever do it in La Dany and timeless. 795 00:47:22,840 --> 00:47:25,440 Speaker 1: And tell me one thing you want people to remember 796 00:47:25,560 --> 00:47:29,120 Speaker 1: you by? What is that? Just being a humanitarian man? 797 00:47:30,040 --> 00:47:34,080 Speaker 1: You know really, uh not really, It's not about a 798 00:47:34,120 --> 00:47:37,680 Speaker 1: football for me. It's really about you know what I 799 00:47:37,719 --> 00:47:40,720 Speaker 1: can give back, you know who I can reach down 800 00:47:40,800 --> 00:47:43,680 Speaker 1: and pull back up and at the end of the day, 801 00:47:44,000 --> 00:47:47,200 Speaker 1: I want to be considered as someone who changed this community, 802 00:47:47,960 --> 00:47:52,000 Speaker 1: like changed this community. And you never know, Marcellis, that 803 00:47:52,080 --> 00:47:56,200 Speaker 1: can be in a different way from just playing football. Man. 804 00:47:56,600 --> 00:47:59,960 Speaker 1: People don't know how great a person you are. They 805 00:48:00,080 --> 00:48:03,120 Speaker 1: know the great running back, they know all the adversity 806 00:48:03,239 --> 00:48:06,319 Speaker 1: you were able to overcome over your life, but they 807 00:48:06,320 --> 00:48:08,359 Speaker 1: don't know how big your heart is. Man. That's more 808 00:48:08,440 --> 00:48:11,840 Speaker 1: rushing yards than anybody could ever do and break in 809 00:48:11,920 --> 00:48:14,359 Speaker 1: this world. Keep it going out to you, man, my dog. 810 00:48:14,480 --> 00:48:23,680 Speaker 1: Appreciate your brother, share you Marcellis. Thanks Man, that's gonna 811 00:48:23,719 --> 00:48:26,520 Speaker 1: do it. For more to It, check the show notes 812 00:48:26,560 --> 00:48:29,640 Speaker 1: for all the information on our guests and topics today. 813 00:48:29,880 --> 00:48:32,399 Speaker 1: If you want to keep the conversation going, let's talk. 814 00:48:32,920 --> 00:48:36,080 Speaker 1: You can find me on all socials that Marcellus Wiley. 815 00:48:36,440 --> 00:48:39,440 Speaker 1: More to It is brought to you by Dan Patrick Productions, 816 00:48:39,560 --> 00:48:43,719 Speaker 1: That Dude Entertainment, Workhouse Media, and jam Street Media. The 817 00:48:43,800 --> 00:48:48,440 Speaker 1: show was executive produced by Dan Patrick, Marcellus Wiley, Paul Anderson, 818 00:48:48,640 --> 00:48:52,920 Speaker 1: Nick Panella, and Maddie Stout. I'm Marcellus Wiley. Thanks for 819 00:48:53,000 --> 00:48:57,440 Speaker 1: listening and thanks for those reviews. They help. There's more coming. 820 00:48:57,520 --> 00:49:01,040 Speaker 1: For More to It, talk to you next week two