1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: What's up everybody, and welcome to the latest edition of 2 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: the Falcons in Focus podcast. I'm Scott Behar. That's Tory mclaney, 3 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: Man of the hour, new Falcons quarterback, and people are 4 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: pumped about this. Jeff Okuda joining us. Jeff, thank you 5 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: so much. 6 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:21,759 Speaker 2: For glass to be here, to be here Falcons Podcast. 7 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: And we're gonna start by going back in time just 8 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: like a little bit. Let's see August twelfth, twenty twenty two. 9 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: I had to write this down. I was actually at 10 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: the game. 11 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, we were there. 12 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:37,159 Speaker 1: Toy was there, Jeff was there. Falcons Lions in Detroit, 13 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 1: h preseason preseason game. Preseason games generally not too consequential, right. 14 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 4: Personally, I'm preseason, but yeah, I'm just always kind of like, 15 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 4: let's just get to the regular season. 16 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 3: I know why they're important. 17 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 4: But we were there in Detroit, and now I was 18 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 4: just kind of like, hi, like it's preseason game, but 19 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 4: for you it's actually a really important day, big day. 20 00:00:59,120 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 2: No. 21 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 5: It was my first game back from tearing my achilles 22 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 5: the previous season, so you know, to be able to 23 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,400 Speaker 5: play that game meant the world to me because I 24 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:08,759 Speaker 5: you know, when you tear achilles one of the injuries 25 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:10,319 Speaker 5: where you don't really know what's next. 26 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 2: You walk by faith a lot of the times. 27 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 1: Oh what a term, walk by faith. I'm gonna steal that, 28 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 1: but I will give you credit. 29 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:18,679 Speaker 4: You know. 30 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 1: I just think it's so interesting, right because you go 31 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,560 Speaker 1: through the whole process and then it's like, wow, I 32 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: did it. That felt normal, right, Like, yeah, did you have. 33 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,320 Speaker 4: Like a moment where because you always hear about, like 34 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:35,679 Speaker 4: you know, Achilles injuries specifically, where it's like you almost 35 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:39,039 Speaker 4: have to like start trusting your body again, Like do 36 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:41,559 Speaker 4: you remember that game and kind of having a moment 37 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 4: where you're like, I can do this, I'm back. 38 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 5: Things are good, you know, just just taking that feel 39 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 5: with everyone, kind of taking in the game to environment. 40 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 2: You know. 41 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 5: I always say like when you get injured like that 42 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 5: and you're offered such a like prolonged time, you start 43 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 5: to not take the little things for granted. So for me, 44 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 5: that day was really about like soaking it all in, 45 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 5: like the little game day experience, walking out, seeing all 46 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 5: the fans, and I mean it was pretty cool that 47 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 5: it was against the Falcons too, because it ultimately became 48 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 5: a full circle moment. 49 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 4: No year later, now, is there a moment of like 50 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 4: the game day process that you like when when you're 51 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 4: away from the game for so long, was there a 52 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 4: moment that you're like, I didn't think that I was 53 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 4: gonna miss this part of a game day, but I do. 54 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 3: I miss this. Was there a moment for you like that? 55 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 2: Honestly? I mean I like to dress a little bit. 56 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 4: So game day fits I also love a game day 57 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 4: fan moment. 58 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,079 Speaker 3: They're important to me. Yeah, so we're speaking the same. 59 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 5: Language because I didn't realize, like, no, you can't some 60 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 5: game day fits. You can't just wear to like other 61 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:40,080 Speaker 5: casual places. 62 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 2: Let's let's ofkward. 63 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 5: So it's like I got hurt the first game of 64 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 5: the season, so I had all these game day fits 65 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:49,919 Speaker 5: that were just sitting there and I couldn't really do 66 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 5: anything with them for a year. So they were just 67 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 5: sitting on the shelf. And a year later, Okay, now 68 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:58,080 Speaker 5: I could start putting this stuff on again, right Yeah, 69 00:02:57,800 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 5: And now now on they got a little purpose, so 70 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 5: it's all cool. 71 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: We actually have this thing. It's called what it's called Sundays, 72 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: I guess, and it's all about like pregame falcons fits 73 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 1: and we actually put it out during the game so 74 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: you're you're calling your shot right now. You will be 75 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: a featured member. 76 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, it kind of looks like, yeah, a couple of cameos. 77 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 4: So it's kind of like the way that they did 78 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 4: our creative team did such a good job, but it's 79 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 4: kind of like it looks like a magazine and the 80 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 4: way that they put it together, it's like on Instagram 81 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 4: and it looks kind of like different pages of a 82 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 4: magazine and they take things that like we've written throughout 83 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 4: the week, they kind. 84 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 3: Of put it with pictures of all of y'all. It's 85 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 3: pretty cool. It's pretty fine. 86 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 1: So it took about three minutes ago, completely off script. 87 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 1: I know, but I'm into this fashion thing, like, like, 88 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: how'd you get interested in? It? Is something that you've 89 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: always kind of been about, Like I know, like Grady's 90 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: really into it. Yeah, great, Grady. 91 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 4: I don't know if you've talked to Grady, but Grady 92 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 4: does this really cool thing where he before the season 93 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 4: ever starts, he like picks out like specially made like 94 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 4: outfits really before this and he has it like I 95 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 4: think I don't want to put words into his mouth, 96 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 4: but I think he like chooses which outfit he's like 97 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 4: gonna wear wins. 98 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 2: Like schedule, so he like he like builds it ahead 99 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 2: and then you'll. 100 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 3: Have to ask him about it because I don't know 101 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 3: if that's one hundred accurate. 102 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 5: But no, yeah, I mean I guess, like I said, 103 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 5: I've always been into it, but you know, growing up, 104 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,359 Speaker 5: I necessarily have the financial means to really get the 105 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:26,040 Speaker 5: things that I wanted, but I had to offer it 106 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 5: so in college. You know, in college, just like getting 107 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 5: a little bit of stipend and you get a little 108 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:32,360 Speaker 5: bit more. You can't really go over to the top 109 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:35,480 Speaker 5: cause he's start a college budget. And then coming to 110 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 5: the NFL's okay, now I can get it. I get 111 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:39,279 Speaker 5: some of the things that I've always always wanted. So 112 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 5: I like the kind of creative party behind it. Like 113 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 5: I know some guys like to pay people to build 114 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 5: their office. But honestly, was going to closet a couple 115 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 5: of days for the game, and I'm just trying to 116 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 5: like put things together and then I hope it works, 117 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 5: and most time it does, but sometimes you might miss. 118 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 4: But sometimes you'll get a picture and you're like, I 119 00:04:57,720 --> 00:04:58,719 Speaker 4: don't know what I was saying. 120 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 2: No, No, it's never that, It's never. 121 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:04,159 Speaker 5: That though it's never that well, like it's like, okay, 122 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:06,479 Speaker 5: is it didn't hit as hard as I know it could. 123 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, but it's it's alright though. It's all right though. 124 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 2: It's all right though. That's funny, man. 125 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 1: So as you look at from August twelfth, twenty twenty two, 126 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 1: through that whole year, you play the whole season, played 127 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,920 Speaker 1: really well for that whole year, right, so you you're 128 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: on this kind of injury roller coaster. But to be 129 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: off of it, right and just be you how how 130 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:32,160 Speaker 1: gratifying was that just to go out there play football 131 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: like you always have. I don't know if it was 132 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:36,479 Speaker 1: worry free or not, but like what was that experience 133 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 1: like kind of getting to beat you? 134 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 5: It felt good just because coming into the NFL, I 135 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 5: think at first year as a COVID year, Yeah, so 136 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:45,559 Speaker 5: that was a pretty weird year, you know, not playing 137 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 5: in front of I mean, I guess like coming into 138 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:50,599 Speaker 5: the league you kind of had this idea of how 139 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:52,280 Speaker 5: it's supposed to look like and how it's supposed to go. 140 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 5: Obviously that being like a lifelong dream and to have 141 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 5: like those step first season we played with no fans 142 00:05:57,520 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 5: and you know, all these like different rules and like 143 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 5: regulations and whatnot. 144 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:02,039 Speaker 2: It was a little bit weird. 145 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 5: And then the next year, obviously like some of those 146 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 5: kind of get pulled back a little bit. 147 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 2: But I turned my. 148 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 5: Achilles that first game of the year, so that that 149 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:12,280 Speaker 5: kind of like delayed the NFL experience. 150 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:14,279 Speaker 2: Yes, brings to that third year. 151 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,159 Speaker 5: Where it's like, now, okay, I'm not taking this for 152 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 5: granted anymore, Like not that I was in the past, 153 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:22,039 Speaker 5: but I guess you have the realization that, like these 154 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 5: little things are important and all these things matter, so 155 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 5: be able to play there, all all those games that 156 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:29,600 Speaker 5: I did, I mean I enjoyed every single moment of it, 157 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:33,799 Speaker 5: you know, being part of the locker room, building chemistry 158 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 5: with my teammates. It was something that I won't really forget. 159 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 5: And then obviously we started off the season in Detroit 160 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:42,920 Speaker 5: I think one and six, and then to finish nine 161 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 5: and eight. I think it was just it was pretty 162 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 5: cool to see that, like I guess, have that whole 163 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 5: experience and not, like I said, I take those little 164 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:50,840 Speaker 5: things for granted, like just winning the games and how 165 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 5: that feels and what can what that can do for 166 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 5: them morale of a whole locker room. 167 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 2: I was able to see that win. It's that first hand. 168 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,359 Speaker 1: Yeah, and that is really cool and you know that 169 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 1: kind of brings us to present day. But it's like, 170 00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:04,720 Speaker 1: let's go back to I think there was like a 171 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: Q and A or something where you said that that 172 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 1: if you were to bring somebody back to your hometown, 173 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: like where would you take them? And you said the 174 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 1: Warrior Bowl? Is The Warrior Bowl is at the stadium 175 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 1: in South Grand Prairie High School? 176 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 2: Am I getting that right your research? Yeah? 177 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 5: Yeah, that's the stadium that I grew up playing high 178 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 5: school football in play there for four years. I would say, 179 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 5: like it's that's an important place to me, is because 180 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 5: you know a lot of memories are made there. In Texas, 181 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 5: you know, you get like a lot of those like 182 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 5: super teams, and that's kind of how it is. Maybe 183 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 5: in Georgia's like that's too or Florida, but like my 184 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 5: high school was literally people I played with were guys 185 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 5: that I grew up with in middle school and people 186 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 5: that I've seen grow up like along the way, and 187 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 5: then you go from playing with them in seventh grade, 188 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 5: so now I'm playing with them in twelfth grade. Like 189 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 5: it just kind of it's crazy because you've seen these 190 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 5: guys develop, and you like able to refer back to 191 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 5: earlier moments. So I would say like a lot of 192 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 5: special games happened there because I think when you were 193 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 5: able to accomplish things together with guys you've done it 194 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 5: for a long time, it hits different because I'm able 195 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 5: to hit them up now and like, hey, remember when 196 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 5: we did this in eleven grade and it's like, yeah, 197 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 5: I do. 198 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 2: That was special to me. I still remember that. 199 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 3: I love that. 200 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 4: And there was this one picture when we were doing 201 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 4: our research and I can't remember you posted it or 202 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 4: if it was something that we had read, but I 203 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 4: think you're a running back or something. 204 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 3: Were you running back? Yeah, okay, that's right, that's right. 205 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 4: Uh you you were running down the sideline and it's 206 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 4: just this like quintessential I feel like, not just like 207 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 4: high school yeah, not just like high school football photo, 208 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 4: but like Texas high school football. And it's like you 209 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 4: can see the stands and I assume it was at 210 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 4: the Warrior Bowl where y'all play, but you could just 211 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 4: see the stands and everybody was just like it was 212 00:08:51,679 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 4: the a level excitement that I feel like can only 213 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 4: be captured like in like a moment that's really special. 214 00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 1: Do you remember? 215 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, that was that was the rival game. 216 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 5: I went to Sell graand Prie High School and then 217 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:06,679 Speaker 5: we're playing Grand Prairie High School in the stadium was 218 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 5: kind of like a statum that we both share, kind 219 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 5: of like the Giants and the Jets. So the whole 220 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 5: city was out there and like, so you just feel 221 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 5: the energy in the stadium that night, and I think 222 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 5: it was my that was my last time playing them, 223 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 5: and so obviously going for and against them was important. 224 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:22,360 Speaker 5: So like I think I made like a long run, 225 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 5: got a first down, momentum shifting type of play, and 226 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 5: like the energy in that stadium in that moment was 227 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:28,760 Speaker 5: just real captivating. 228 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 2: So I felt it. I wanted to want to make 229 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 2: sure they failed me as well. 230 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:35,760 Speaker 4: I love that man, It's just like it's my favorite picture. Like, 231 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 4: my dad was a high school football coach, still is. 232 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:40,439 Speaker 4: He came out of retirement recently, you know, he's coaching 233 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 4: again at the high school level. Yeah, and he I 234 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 4: don't know, just being around like the Friday night football, 235 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 4: like there is something. 236 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 2: In Texas, No, no in Georgia. 237 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 5: In George, Georgia, Yeah, I know, but it's the same 238 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 5: in Georgia. 239 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 4: I have to say, like California hit it all? 240 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 1: No, but so can can you describe to someone who's 241 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 1: never been to a Texas Friday night close the town down? 242 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:13,680 Speaker 1: What's that experience like, especially as a five star recruit? Right, Like, 243 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 1: what was that experience? 244 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 5: Like I would say, like, unless you have another point 245 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 5: of reference, like sometimes you get fool yourself to think 246 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 5: and that's a norm of how football games are right 247 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:28,360 Speaker 5: across the country, right, yeah, that's not the reality of things. Like, 248 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:33,080 Speaker 5: so I think people can actually underestimate just how crazy 249 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 5: it is if that's your everyday experience. But then when 250 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 5: you go to like another state and you'll see, like, wait, 251 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 5: this isn't as packed. It feels a little bit different. 252 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 5: But when you're like having whole arenas just completely filled 253 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 5: with fans and it's going crazy, and like you're saying 254 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 5: things are shut down, I think you realize the magnitude 255 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 5: of Texas football and like just the pride of football 256 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:54,839 Speaker 5: in the state. 257 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 1: And I mean, so let's let's let's tailor it to 258 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 1: your experience. Right, you're a big time recruit. What thirty 259 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: offers thirty plus that's like a right your mailbox is 260 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:12,200 Speaker 1: probably constantly full. I mean, like, what's that experience like 261 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 1: in Texas with that type of attention. I'm sure everybody 262 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 1: wanted you to go to Texas, right, but I mean, 263 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: you know, to have that level of attention, Like, what 264 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 1: was that personal experience like for you? Especially as a junior. 265 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 5: I would say to me, it was really a blessing because, 266 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 5: like I said, the high school I went to, we 267 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:31,439 Speaker 5: were competitive, but we weren't like a powerhouse in the 268 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:34,199 Speaker 5: state by any means, So there weren't necessarily a lot 269 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:36,559 Speaker 5: of guys that I came before me that had kind 270 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:39,200 Speaker 5: of gone into that type of national attention, like to 271 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:44,080 Speaker 5: have like the Alabama's, the Ohio Stags, the Georgia's heavily 272 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 5: recruiting me, that was that was something that was different, 273 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:49,319 Speaker 5: Like people hadn't really seen that on my school. 274 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 2: So to have like Urban Meyer come. 275 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:56,080 Speaker 5: To my school, taking back Bob Stoops comes to my school, 276 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 5: like those those kind of coaches, that was really it was. 277 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 5: It was actually special for me because I didn't necessarily 278 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 5: coming into high school assuming that was gonna be my reality, 279 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 5: just because I hadn't seen it being done by another person. 280 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:11,560 Speaker 5: So once I started taking place to me, it felt 281 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 5: like I was in a movie, like, Yeah, I couldn't. 282 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 5: I couldn't necessarily, even though you believe in yourself, you 283 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:19,440 Speaker 5: believe you're in talent level, I guess you just don't 284 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:22,439 Speaker 5: necessary thing those opportunities come at that at that school 285 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 5: I was at. So for that to happen, it was 286 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 5: special for me because it not only gave me a 287 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:28,520 Speaker 5: chance to, you know, take my game from other level, 288 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:30,680 Speaker 5: but I believe it had opened up doors for the 289 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 5: guys that were underneath me to potentially gain exposure to 290 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 5: and you know, ultimately provide for their families as well. 291 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 4: I mean, I think that makes sense just because you 292 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:41,960 Speaker 4: talk about just like the exposure exactly, if. 293 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 5: You come to see me, then you yeah, you're still 294 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 5: watching the game, and then maybe this other guy catches 295 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 5: your eye and then so maybe you don't land me. 296 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 5: But on the flip side, you now added another prospect 297 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 5: that hey, I'm kind of interested in this guy too, 298 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:57,320 Speaker 5: so I'm going to recruit him as well, and then 299 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 5: that's another opportunity for him. So I like to think 300 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 5: that that that that provided to people opportunities. 301 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, and kind of put your school on the map. 302 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 2: And I don't want to say that, but you know 303 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 2: that I can do that. 304 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:13,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, now it when it came time to I guess 305 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 4: make a decision. I know you've been asked this before 306 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:18,199 Speaker 4: in your career, but why Ohio State? Why was that 307 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 4: somewhere that you were like, you know what, this is where. 308 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:23,719 Speaker 5: I want to be picked to hell of State? I 309 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 5: would say like it was two different things. One, obviously, 310 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 5: you want to think about how the football is going 311 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 5: to play out. Of course they had they were developing 312 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:35,840 Speaker 5: a really like strong tradition of putting out a lot 313 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 5: of first round dbs. You just told me that they 314 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:40,559 Speaker 5: had like a blueprint of how it's supposed to be done, 315 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 5: because I think if you're able to sustain success for 316 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:46,319 Speaker 5: a certain amount of time, at some point doesn't become coincidental. 317 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 5: It becomes like an intentional type of thing. And then 318 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 5: on top of that, like the plan that coach Meyer 319 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 5: was setting up for life after football and the networking 320 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 5: things he had, I know he had jaw fairs, We 321 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 5: had this thing called real life one day where we 322 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:03,120 Speaker 5: would kind of discuss, like you know, other type of 323 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 5: job opportunities in case the football didn't pan out. That 324 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 5: was interesting to me because I know obviously as unis, 325 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,439 Speaker 5: everyone wants to go to the NFL, Like, the reality 326 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 5: is that not a lot of. 327 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 2: People do accomplish that accomplish that goal. 328 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 5: So like, just to have plan set out so that 329 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 5: it didn't work, you weren't kind of left out to dry. 330 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 5: You kind of had different just maybe you didn't know 331 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:24,800 Speaker 5: what you were going to do, but you had your 332 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:27,640 Speaker 5: mind headed in another direction. That was important to me 333 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 5: just because I wanted to make sure that with an 334 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 5: opportunity like this, that I wasn't naive to the fact 335 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 5: that didn't come around often, that I basically took the 336 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 5: best opportunity. 337 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 4: I love that when now you talk about having different opportunities, 338 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 4: What did you want to be when you grew up? 339 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:45,240 Speaker 1: I was totally real. 340 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 4: Yeah, when you if you're not thinking in the lens 341 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 4: of football, what was something that you wanted. 342 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 3: To do when you grew up? 343 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 2: What I got to say? What age like? What age change? 344 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 2: It changes? 345 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 4: Okay, what if you if you didn't have football at 346 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:03,560 Speaker 4: like eighteen, what were you kind of like thinking. 347 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 5: Of eighteen eighteen hours at our house state? Yeah, honestly 348 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 5: I wanted to be a movie critic, Like I love it. 349 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 5: I was like I watched a lot of movies, like 350 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 5: I could do this. I know there's probably some money 351 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 5: in this industry somewhere. So yeah, I want to be 352 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 5: a movie critic like Ryan Tomato or something like that. 353 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 5: You know, I was just grinding out all the streaming services, 354 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 5: like I was up to date with all this stuff. 355 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 5: Like I'm pretty informed. 356 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 1: I mean we can carve out a page on our 357 00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 1: Atlanta Falcons dot com. Yeah yeah, right, like you just 358 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:38,560 Speaker 1: come in like Guardians of the Galaxy volume three, Yeah, yeah, exactly. 359 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 4: Yeah, even like the main studio with the big screen 360 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:42,440 Speaker 4: where you're just like watching it. 361 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 3: It's like pause, here's what I love. I'm just saying, Yeah, 362 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 3: I think it's a great idea. 363 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: Opportunities right endless. Yeah, So as you're you know, going 364 00:15:54,400 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 1: to Ohio State, right, and I think if I recall, well, actually, 365 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 1: let me back up, I got lost in my notes. 366 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:07,840 Speaker 1: Uh but but yeah, so like I remember a story. 367 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: I think maybe that like you brought it up because 368 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 1: there were because like there were times where where like 369 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 1: your mom wasn't able to attend games because she was, 370 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 1: you know, going through some health related issues, and she 371 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: had a quote or something where she was. 372 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 4: Yeah, she said maybe you said it or you said 373 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 4: she said it, but it was something along along the 374 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:30,000 Speaker 4: lines of like she would pull up like YouTube videos 375 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 4: of you playing so that she would know whether you 376 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 4: were like truthful or not about the how good you. 377 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 2: Were so great? 378 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 5: My mom, she had immigrated from Africa and Nigeria, so 379 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 5: she wasn't necessarily familiar with the games the game of football, right, 380 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 5: so I obviously, like people could tell her that, you know, 381 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 5: I'm a good player and all that stuff, but she 382 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 5: wasn't necessarily she or not a lot of gauge and 383 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:53,560 Speaker 5: like how to judge it, and talked her that she 384 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 5: was pretty like afraid of the sport because obviously it's 385 00:16:57,280 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 5: a physical sport. So like when she'd watch the game, 386 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 5: she don't always like I can't be careful, be careful, 387 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:05,480 Speaker 5: and like she'd always be super cautious. So when I 388 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:07,520 Speaker 5: come home, like sometimes I would see her like watching 389 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 5: my highlights and things like that because she couldn't make 390 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:12,159 Speaker 5: it to all the games and something crowd conditions and whatnot. 391 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:14,359 Speaker 5: So when I come home, i'd watch I see her 392 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 5: watching it, and I could tell like how proud of 393 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:18,479 Speaker 5: how proud of me she was, and that was special 394 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:18,679 Speaker 5: for me. 395 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, And like I was gonna say that even if 396 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:24,199 Speaker 1: she didn't know about the game, seeing what you were 397 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:26,719 Speaker 1: able to do with it, she had to be like 398 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 1: beaming with pride, especially when she see me do all 399 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 1: these you know, great things with it. 400 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:33,200 Speaker 2: Yeah for sure. 401 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 5: I mean I like to think that she's still looking 402 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 5: down like just proud of you know, I did the 403 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 5: things that I saw. I was an accomplished you know, 404 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 5: at that age, I always you know, envision just being 405 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 5: able to make it to the NFL and then be 406 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 5: able to provide for her in a different type of way, 407 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 5: get her better health care services. So I would like 408 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:50,960 Speaker 5: to think that, you know, she's proud that, you know, 409 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 5: as a man, I did everything I. 410 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:52,919 Speaker 2: Said I was gonna do. 411 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 3: That's awesome. 412 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:56,919 Speaker 4: And I think like just her story too of like 413 00:17:57,080 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 4: you know, you're talking about like coming here from Nigeria 414 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:03,400 Speaker 4: and creating a new life for you and your sister, right, 415 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 4: Like I mean, I just feel like that is her story. 416 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 3: I think is a very powerful story. 417 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 2: No, No, for sure. 418 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:11,639 Speaker 5: And I would say like for me personally, when I 419 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,600 Speaker 5: was going through the injuries and like the Achilles thing, 420 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:17,600 Speaker 5: I would always kind of refer back to her resiliency 421 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:20,679 Speaker 5: and how she responded to adversity in her life, and 422 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 5: that would kind of like pave the path where okay, 423 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:25,679 Speaker 5: if she was able to do it, and there's no 424 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 5: reason why I can't overcome whatever I'm going through right now. 425 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 1: Right, So it was just kind of having her as 426 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:38,320 Speaker 1: a role model, right, how would my mom handle this? Yeah, 427 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 1: and having your sister and having the support system around you, 428 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:46,399 Speaker 1: no matter whether it's friends or family, Like how important 429 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:49,159 Speaker 1: has that been when you were going through difficult times 430 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:52,040 Speaker 1: as a young kid, And like how important was that 431 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 1: to kind of like support you and keep you kind 432 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,680 Speaker 1: of going and helping you realize all of these dreams 433 00:18:57,680 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 1: that you had set up. 434 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 5: Yeah, for me personally, my family is just like I 435 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 5: put them on like the OLSM pedestal because you know 436 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:06,360 Speaker 5: one of the African proverbs that you know it takes 437 00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 5: a village to raise a child. So I know that 438 00:19:09,359 --> 00:19:11,639 Speaker 5: from personally, I wouldn't be where I'm at without the 439 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 5: help of others, just because my mom was so sick. 440 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:16,639 Speaker 5: So my aunt and her family took a lot of 441 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 5: care of me. My other aunt, like they just provided 442 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:22,879 Speaker 5: that kind of support, that guidance which allowed me to 443 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:24,960 Speaker 5: not be alone or not feel alone. And I was 444 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 5: always able to lean on somebody else and not even 445 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:29,960 Speaker 5: though my mom was sick and she couldn't be here, Well, 446 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:31,560 Speaker 5: I'd have my income and she come to the game, 447 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 5: she supported me, and she comes to my jersey ceremonies. 448 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:36,639 Speaker 5: So like, I always try to make sure that I 449 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:38,879 Speaker 5: take care of them because I know when I was 450 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,719 Speaker 5: coming up and obviously in a different situation, that they 451 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 5: were taking care of me. 452 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:44,920 Speaker 2: Yeah. 453 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:47,040 Speaker 3: Man, yeah, no, that's pretty powerful stuff. 454 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:49,879 Speaker 4: And I know, like I don't know, I don't know 455 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,000 Speaker 4: if people can see, but you're actually wearing a necklace 456 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:54,440 Speaker 4: that has Africa. 457 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 3: On it, if that's correct, if I see. 458 00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:58,679 Speaker 4: Yeah, Why you know, I think people talk a lot 459 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 4: about their heritage. Why is that to think that you, 460 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:05,160 Speaker 4: you know, want people to know of and to be like, hey, 461 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 4: look like this is my heritage and this is what 462 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:07,679 Speaker 4: I'm proud of. 463 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 5: I also like the older I've gotten just definitely started 464 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:16,840 Speaker 5: embracing it more. You know, growing up, obviously you want 465 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 5: to be a little like, you want to do what 466 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 5: everyone else is doing. So I would say growing up, 467 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 5: I didn't really embrace my heritage much. But then as 468 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 5: I got older, I had a like soury type of 469 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 5: epiphany that this. 470 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 2: Is what makes me unique. 471 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:32,760 Speaker 5: You know, being African and everything that comes with being 472 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:36,160 Speaker 5: African is something that you should take pride in. So 473 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 5: if you're different, then it doesn't matter because you're different, 474 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 5: but you're unique. So I've tried to as I've gotten older, 475 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 5: you know, definitely put that my ethnicity and like Nigerian 476 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 5: culture at the forefront of a lot of things that 477 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 5: I do, and pay homage to the country as much 478 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 5: as possible because like, honestly, like there's a lot of 479 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:56,879 Speaker 5: great athletes, great people that have come from that country, 480 00:20:56,920 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 5: and just try to, you know, from I have a 481 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:04,360 Speaker 5: seven seventeen in Igeria right now, and just like y'all 482 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 5: got plans, you know, just bring awareness of the sport 483 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 5: over to Africa so that you know, they get those 484 00:21:10,840 --> 00:21:13,200 Speaker 5: kids over there, can provide opportunities for their family as well, 485 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:15,159 Speaker 5: because I know you see a lot of times, like 486 00:21:15,280 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 5: the basketball players that come from Africa to America and 487 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:20,359 Speaker 5: they have such success and they're able to do all 488 00:21:20,359 --> 00:21:25,800 Speaker 5: these tremendous things, like whether there's a Giannis or Joel Embiid. 489 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:28,119 Speaker 5: I honestly believe that you can find a lot of 490 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:31,080 Speaker 5: those athletes. I mean, you see we have David on 491 00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:33,880 Speaker 5: the team who's from legos Ak. 492 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:36,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, exactly. 493 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:38,320 Speaker 5: So you see a lot of talent. I think that 494 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 5: honestly to untapped. It's a lot of untapped talent in 495 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:42,360 Speaker 5: the country. 496 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 2: So just bring that awareness over there. I think you're 497 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 2: going to pull a lot of athletes from there. 498 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:48,879 Speaker 4: I think it's cool too. I've said this and I'm 499 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 4: pitching this. Everybody consider this. I think we should have 500 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:53,240 Speaker 4: like a group of guys like go over and do 501 00:21:53,320 --> 00:21:54,640 Speaker 4: like a Falcons camp in Africa. 502 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:55,440 Speaker 2: That'd be awesome. 503 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:57,199 Speaker 3: I would love that. I think that would be so 504 00:21:57,240 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 3: freaking awesome. 505 00:21:57,880 --> 00:21:58,879 Speaker 2: That would be awesome. 506 00:21:58,920 --> 00:21:59,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. 507 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:01,920 Speaker 6: So you have a seven on seven team over there, 508 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:05,520 Speaker 6: Yeah yeah, just kind of you know, like that's how 509 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:08,040 Speaker 6: you learn the fundamentals of the game. Yeah, yeah exactly, 510 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 6: and helmets and stuff, and they can just go go 511 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 6: out there and play. 512 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:14,760 Speaker 1: When did you start that? 513 00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:15,679 Speaker 2: I started that? 514 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:17,399 Speaker 5: I would say it's been run up and running for 515 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 5: two years. My aunt takes care of it. Like I said, like, 516 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 5: the big thing that we all sat down and talked 517 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:26,440 Speaker 5: about is that you really can't take any steps forward 518 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 5: unless you're educated and have awareness about the sport. 519 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, so that was what we kind of wanted. 520 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:34,600 Speaker 5: To build our foundation, is, you know, educating them on 521 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 5: the rules of this sport, you know, the techniques of 522 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:39,560 Speaker 5: the sport. And then you know, when that when we 523 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 5: kind of accomplished that, then we'll put them in pads 524 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:43,080 Speaker 5: and then we'll start doing things like that. 525 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:44,920 Speaker 2: But it's obviously a progressive thing. 526 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: That's so cool. I see you can do all the 527 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:50,679 Speaker 1: research in like in the world and still not come 528 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:52,560 Speaker 1: up with my favorite part of this podcast. 529 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:54,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, no, I love it. That's that's the best part 530 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 3: of this podcast. Yeah, we get to learn more things 531 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:57,479 Speaker 3: about you guys. 532 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 1: So and and now that you're here in the we're 533 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:04,880 Speaker 1: gonna completely because because I was thinking that I saw 534 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:08,199 Speaker 1: on social media a lot that you were doing some 535 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 1: off season workouts with a J right and that, and 536 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:13,400 Speaker 1: that kind of got us thinking, because you went through 537 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:16,479 Speaker 1: the draft process with AJ, you guys are both kind 538 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 1: of first round talents and stuff like that, did you 539 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:21,280 Speaker 1: have a chance to get to know him then? If 540 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:22,920 Speaker 1: you guys, I mean like. 541 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:25,400 Speaker 3: Well, something I just thought about that was actually COVID. 542 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:28,680 Speaker 1: Year was there probably wasn't a lot of interaction. 543 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:31,480 Speaker 5: I mean I was always familiar with AJ, just from 544 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 5: Ohio State. He played Clemson my last college game. 545 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:46,800 Speaker 2: You know, they cheated. I was always familiar with them. 546 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:53,120 Speaker 5: Uh all through college with AJ, and then coming back 547 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:57,600 Speaker 5: from my achilles, I started training with Oliver Davis, who 548 00:23:57,640 --> 00:23:58,680 Speaker 5: trains a J as well. 549 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:00,439 Speaker 1: Okay, okay, so that's connection. 550 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:00,880 Speaker 2: Yeah. 551 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:02,919 Speaker 5: So then when I came to one of the sessions, 552 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:06,480 Speaker 5: AJ was there and actually, you know it's working asking 553 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:09,640 Speaker 5: We started talking, and so after that kind of kept 554 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:11,480 Speaker 5: kept like me, I'm watching the defensive film. So I 555 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 5: could like watch the Falcons games whenever playing an opponent 556 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:16,120 Speaker 5: and see him making plays and it was pretty cool 557 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:19,320 Speaker 5: to see. And then I remember one workout I had 558 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:25,159 Speaker 5: maybe in March. I was asking Ode, Who's who's the 559 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:28,119 Speaker 5: Falcons the other corner. He was like, I'm not one 560 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 5: hundred percent sure, right, and then I was like all right, 561 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:36,919 Speaker 5: and then we kept working out and then it was 562 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:38,720 Speaker 5: like cool to see. Like maybe like two or three 563 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:41,400 Speaker 5: weeks later, I was down at Atlanta Falcon. Like God 564 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 5: works in mysterious ways. 565 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 2: It was. It was a wild thing. 566 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:46,480 Speaker 5: So I mean, I'm excited for the opportunity to like 567 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:49,879 Speaker 5: get with him, And I mean I think that you 568 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:51,760 Speaker 5: know Scott's limit you start to putting no work every 569 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:52,280 Speaker 5: single day. 570 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:56,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it's been to see how many new faces, 571 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:58,639 Speaker 1: especially are on defense. I know we don't talk a 572 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:03,359 Speaker 1: lot about football and stuff, but it's like kind of 573 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:06,679 Speaker 1: like what Kalais was saying, like why he wanted to 574 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:08,639 Speaker 1: come here, is he kind of he felt like a 575 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:11,680 Speaker 1: ground swell that something special like could be done here. 576 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:13,800 Speaker 1: You've only been around for a couple of weeks. You 577 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:15,719 Speaker 1: kind of get that sense. You got Jesse Bates here, 578 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:18,159 Speaker 1: you got Kalais, you got aj You're here now? Is 579 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:20,480 Speaker 1: there kind of some I don't know, confidence at least 580 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:22,760 Speaker 1: kind of being built here, like hey man, like maybe 581 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:23,639 Speaker 1: we can't do something. 582 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:24,120 Speaker 2: Yeah. 583 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:25,960 Speaker 5: No, And I think that we have the right group 584 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:28,399 Speaker 5: of guys in the room. I think everyone's committed to 585 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:31,119 Speaker 5: the same goal. And it's pretty cool having veterans, like 586 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 5: guys who've played a lot of seasons in the league, 587 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:35,960 Speaker 5: you know, say that things like, you know, I think 588 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:37,919 Speaker 5: that we're Budets and the special here because I can 589 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:39,879 Speaker 5: obviously feel like that, but like they've played for a 590 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:42,359 Speaker 5: long enough time that yeah, they truly know what something 591 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 5: special is being formed, so for them to have that testimony, 592 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:47,879 Speaker 5: I think it it pays to run his dividends to 593 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:49,440 Speaker 5: you know, the front office and what they've been trying 594 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:50,160 Speaker 5: to accomplish here. 595 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean you're probably in like diapers when Kalais 596 00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 4: is out there. 597 00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 5: He is an older guy, but that's I mean, there's 598 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:02,440 Speaker 5: a lot of wisdom to be gained, a lot. 599 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:04,720 Speaker 1: Of wisdom and still pretty good at what he does. 600 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 4: Monster, I can't wait to have him on the podcast 601 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:10,400 Speaker 4: to grill him about being. 602 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:16,680 Speaker 1: Old because we have to do that although I'm still 603 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:22,200 Speaker 1: technically older than him, which really I think we're down 604 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:24,440 Speaker 1: to the portion of the podcast. Tory and I absolutely 605 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 1: love call Rapid Fire Rabbit Fire. It's five questions. Everybody, 606 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 1: well mostly everybody gets the same five questions we will 607 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 1: appreciate when it is about a movie. So that'll be good. 608 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:35,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, about a movie. 609 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:38,080 Speaker 1: So are you ready the pressures on? 610 00:26:39,119 --> 00:26:39,239 Speaker 2: All? 611 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 1: Right? 612 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 4: Question number one, what's your favorite play of your career? 613 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:46,560 Speaker 4: And this can be professional, it can be college, it 614 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:47,479 Speaker 4: could be high school. 615 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:48,679 Speaker 3: At the Warrior Bowl. 616 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:54,400 Speaker 5: Play my career first NFL intercession against. 617 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 3: Carler Murray Niceyler Murray. Wow, I love it. 618 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:01,160 Speaker 4: Too, because I think when we had Jesse on the podcast, 619 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 4: he also like named the quarterback that he that's like 620 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 4: a I think it's a ride of passage. 621 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:14,600 Speaker 1: He picked Derek Carr and he was number two. Who 622 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:17,960 Speaker 1: is your favorite athlete regardless of sport or like, who 623 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:19,120 Speaker 1: was it when you were a kid? 624 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 5: I guess Lebron James always gott appreciate you thing success. 625 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:25,119 Speaker 3: Good point. 626 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 1: He might be like Kalais's age. 627 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:31,600 Speaker 4: Class is gonna be so mad that all we're doing 628 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:33,240 Speaker 4: on this podcast about. 629 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:37,320 Speaker 3: Now here's a good one. 630 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:41,360 Speaker 4: Your favorite movie or TV show that you're really. 631 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 7: Into right now, right now, Snowfall I'm I'm like, I'm 632 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:51,159 Speaker 7: in season one, Like I'm so behind. 633 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 2: It's so much spoiler. 634 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:56,879 Speaker 3: Spoilers podcast. 635 00:27:57,320 --> 00:27:59,920 Speaker 1: Okay, well then, well, since I know that you're such 636 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:02,280 Speaker 1: a big movie guy, what's your favorite movie? 637 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:04,200 Speaker 2: Training day? 638 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:04,960 Speaker 1: Training day? 639 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:06,639 Speaker 3: That's great. 640 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:09,840 Speaker 1: I like it when it takes like zero seconds. 641 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, like Star Wars, A New. 642 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 1: Hope, Usual Suspects. 643 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:21,119 Speaker 4: Okay, what is your favorite emoji? And why is it 644 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:22,360 Speaker 4: the chili pepper emoji? 645 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:27,120 Speaker 2: Oh? Like so so only assuming that's that chili emo. 646 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:30,159 Speaker 4: I'm assuming that it is because that's the one that 647 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:33,600 Speaker 4: I've seen you use the most on Instagram. 648 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:36,280 Speaker 5: Okay, okay, that's fair. That's a fair assumption. But I 649 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:37,480 Speaker 5: would say it's incorrect though. 650 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:38,440 Speaker 1: Interesting. 651 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:40,920 Speaker 5: I would say it's incorrect because I would say the 652 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 5: chili pepper, you can't just use it in casual conversations 653 00:28:43,600 --> 00:28:45,160 Speaker 5: otherwise she kind of conceit. 654 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:48,960 Speaker 2: It just keep dropping. I kind of like the the 655 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:50,720 Speaker 2: I like the face that smiles with like a little 656 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:51,720 Speaker 2: like tear drop. 657 00:28:52,320 --> 00:29:00,320 Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, it's kind kind of like yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, 658 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 5: I like that one. 659 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:02,959 Speaker 3: I like that one with the finger gun. 660 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:06,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's probably my favorite one. Though. 661 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 1: If you had a superpower, what would it be and why? 662 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 2: Right now? 663 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 5: I would say flying, because it's ATL Traffic is crazy. 664 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:17,200 Speaker 1: Right, you didn't even want to. 665 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:20,720 Speaker 2: Define. 666 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:23,480 Speaker 4: It takes me like an hour fifteen to get home, 667 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:26,200 Speaker 4: and it's just like it's I just like put on 668 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:27,960 Speaker 4: my murder podcasts and just drive. 669 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 5: If I could fly, I probably live in the city 670 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:32,120 Speaker 5: because it's my properties out there. 671 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, there are some really nice times I was having around. 672 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:37,040 Speaker 4: I was trying to beat traffic and stay off of 673 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:39,240 Speaker 4: the highway the other day and I was driving. 674 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 3: Around like fly, like I could get one of these homes. 675 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:45,920 Speaker 5: Yeah, right, or just being visible so I don't get 676 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:47,080 Speaker 5: held up by the Atlanta Airport. 677 00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 1: See that's another one, teleportation, right yeah, yeah, right right right. 678 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 1: And on that note, we have wrapped another freaking awesome 679 00:29:56,280 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 1: edition of the Falcons in Focus podcast presented by Ticketmaster 680 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:03,400 Speaker 1: in Ticketmaster Studio. So please do what y'all do, rate, review, 681 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:06,960 Speaker 1: subscribe five stars if you wouldn't mind, comment on YouTube, 682 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:09,240 Speaker 1: all that fun stuff, and we will come back to 683 00:30:09,320 --> 00:30:12,880 Speaker 1: you very soon with another awesome podcast. Jeff Okuda, thank 684 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:13,920 Speaker 1: you so much for joining us man. 685 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 2: This was red respectfully