WEBVTT - 1-on-1 with Benjamin St-Juste | Episode 77

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to the Command Center Podcast. I'm Julie Donaldson. Second

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<v Speaker 1>year of cornerback Benjamin Saint. Juice was thrust into a

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<v Speaker 1>starting role midseason following the trade of William Jackson, the

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<v Speaker 1>third Pittsburgh. The Montreal native and Minnesota product thrived in

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<v Speaker 1>his new role, but unfortunately the end of the season

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<v Speaker 1>was derolled by an ankle injury. Prior to heading home

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<v Speaker 1>for the offseason, he popped by the Players Club for

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<v Speaker 1>a chat with London Fletcher and Santana Moss all Right said, Juice, man,

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<v Speaker 1>you had a breakout second season in the league. Obviously

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<v Speaker 1>didn't didn't in the way you wanted to with battling

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<v Speaker 1>the ankle injury. How do you feel you played and

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<v Speaker 1>what led to your your success on the field this year.

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<v Speaker 1>M I feel like from year one to year two

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<v Speaker 1>it was a big confidence boost, um knowing that I,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, belonging this league and I can be a

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<v Speaker 1>true like CB one starter here. And obviously that's just

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<v Speaker 1>part of the proces, you know, going from a rookie,

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<v Speaker 1>you playing against some top guys, you huning the game.

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<v Speaker 1>At the same time, everything is fast, so you're trying

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<v Speaker 1>to figure out if you fit in and where you're

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<v Speaker 1>fit in all that stuff. And I started the season

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<v Speaker 1>at nickel, which is something that you know I needed

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<v Speaker 1>to do for the team to be successful. Then moved

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<v Speaker 1>back to corner and when I went through these you know,

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<v Speaker 1>top receivers and matchup and I saw, like you know,

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<v Speaker 1>I was performing well and all that stuff. That just

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<v Speaker 1>gave me the confidence and say like, okay, I can

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<v Speaker 1>do this like week in and week out. And like

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<v Speaker 1>you said, unfortunately, like you know, it's part of the game,

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<v Speaker 1>I got injured, like somebody fell on my ankle. So

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<v Speaker 1>that's really the only thing I wish for twenty twenty three,

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<v Speaker 1>a full season of being healthy so I can show,

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<v Speaker 1>like you know, the team, the fans and all the

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<v Speaker 1>people that can do this day and day out. Well.

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<v Speaker 1>One of the things we know, man, those things come

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<v Speaker 1>and you gotta just stay preyed up. I mean, because

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<v Speaker 1>I used to pray so much just to make it

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<v Speaker 1>through the season. Man. But we know it comes. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>it comes with the territory all. One of the things

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<v Speaker 1>I wanted to ask you is just watching you play

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<v Speaker 1>this year, was it a difference to you when you

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<v Speaker 1>moved outside? Oh, that was something that was natural to you.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean you played the inside so well. I almost

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<v Speaker 1>thought that that's where you did all, you know, throughout

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<v Speaker 1>college and whatever else it was. But was playing on

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<v Speaker 1>the outside first for you or it was something that

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<v Speaker 1>you can do without happening to really think about where

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<v Speaker 1>you had on the field. Yeah, so outside, like you said,

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<v Speaker 1>as my natural position. That's why I played Like my

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<v Speaker 1>whole career, I never really played on the inside, but

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<v Speaker 1>I was always, uh, something I was on the back

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<v Speaker 1>of my mind because when I was getting recruited and

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<v Speaker 1>you know, um in a draft process. I was also

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<v Speaker 1>something that they brought up. There's like you taught you quick,

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<v Speaker 1>so like you know, if we need to move you

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<v Speaker 1>to safety and nickel, can you do that? And I

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<v Speaker 1>always said yeah, And the opportunity came and I was

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<v Speaker 1>able to, you know, to to be prepared for that

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<v Speaker 1>and play pretty well. And I think that's one of

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<v Speaker 1>the assets that I have, is being how tall and

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<v Speaker 1>big I am. But quick, I can still be in

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<v Speaker 1>you know, in the slide and you know, blitz and

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<v Speaker 1>all that stuff, and it's fun for real, Like it's

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<v Speaker 1>it just opens up the game and the scheme. You

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<v Speaker 1>know that I can remember recalled interviewing you and you

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<v Speaker 1>told us about you were playing hockey and being you know,

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<v Speaker 1>and that helping you with your quickness and change of direction,

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<v Speaker 1>being a six three corner, that that that skill. Said,

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<v Speaker 1>What's what were you? What were you like on that hockey? Uh?

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<v Speaker 1>On that ice, mad I was tough for I would say, like,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, I'm very confident. I wanted this to come

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<v Speaker 1>out cocky, but like if I kept playing hockey, I

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<v Speaker 1>think I would have made to the NHL. I would

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<v Speaker 1>man into the league just because of how like my

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<v Speaker 1>work ethic and you know, how gifted athletically, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>shout out to Pops you know has done a good genetics.

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<v Speaker 1>But uh yeah, hockey, Like I said, like it's usually

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<v Speaker 1>most of the guys like they do track, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>all that stuff, so they're pretty fastened linear speeding on

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<v Speaker 1>stuff hockey so much, you know, side to side, stopping

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<v Speaker 1>on the dome, like playing defense. Came back with all

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<v Speaker 1>that stuff like that helped me as a dB, and

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<v Speaker 1>I'm starting to see the transition from I'm like, Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>that's why I can move so well because I've you know,

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<v Speaker 1>I've mastered those skills as a young kid. All the

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<v Speaker 1>way until I was fourteen. What are one of those

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<v Speaker 1>moments you take this off season and look back on

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<v Speaker 1>and say, oh, this is who I need to be.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, this is the game where I showed that

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<v Speaker 1>I had had my best outing and this is what

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<v Speaker 1>I want to I want to take this over to

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<v Speaker 1>the off season and build from it. I would say, honestly,

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<v Speaker 1>that first game that I was put back at corner

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<v Speaker 1>and I had like four or five pv us against

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<v Speaker 1>the Eagles, even though we lost, like that that was good.

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<v Speaker 1>But I would say like, like, I'm looking at the

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<v Speaker 1>stats that Justin Jefferson is putting up against DBS. I

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<v Speaker 1>see like one hundred and eighty yards, two hundred yards,

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<v Speaker 1>three yards, not you know, I held them to one

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<v Speaker 1>touchdown seventy two yards. You know, as you know, a

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<v Speaker 1>second year corner that's just you know, getting his name.

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<v Speaker 1>So that's if I can recreate that type of performance,

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<v Speaker 1>And that kind of was my eye opening moment, like, Yo,

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<v Speaker 1>that's the top receiver in the league, and my team

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<v Speaker 1>has enough confidence to say like this is who you're

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<v Speaker 1>gonna follow the whole game. And so if I can

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<v Speaker 1>build off that this offseason, that'll be perfect for all

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<v Speaker 1>your commander's news and analysis. Be sure to tune into

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<v Speaker 1>Command Center weeknights but five and ten pm on NBC

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<v Speaker 1>Sports Washington. You can also stream on YouTube and commanders

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<v Speaker 1>dot com.