1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Hello Texans, and welcome to the program that takes you 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: inside NRG Stadium. We'll have Texans training camp live tomorrow 3 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:10,560 Speaker 1: eight to ten am on the Field Sports twenty six 4 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: ten Shawn at seth six to eight in the loobe 5 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: ten to two. So we'll continue the training camp coverage 6 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: after a day off today for the players. And I 7 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: thought we'd begin this first segment by the way, I'm 8 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: Mark VanderMeer, Voice of your Texans. Let's begin here with 9 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: some guys who are working super hard and have worked 10 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: super hard to get any opportunity they've been given in 11 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:33,520 Speaker 1: this league. Not that the stars and the starters don't 12 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,199 Speaker 1: work hard, and some of these guys are starters sort of. 13 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 1: But these guys have great stories, and Brandon Dunne is 14 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: one of them. He's the first one. M How about 15 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:44,199 Speaker 1: this for Brandon Dunn. You're used to him now in 16 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 1: a good way. He started ten games last year at 17 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 1: nose tackle. Might have started more, but sometimes they open 18 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: up in sub packages. Brandon Dunne was signed as an 19 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:58,320 Speaker 1: undrafted free agent by the Chicago Bears. He was released 20 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: six times between the Bears and the Texans before finally 21 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: catching on as a regular contributor. Think about that for 22 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: a moment. Six Times released, six Times signed to the 23 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 1: practice squad between the two teams, and then finally the 24 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 1: Texans signed him to one of those reserve future contracts 25 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,279 Speaker 1: in twenty seventeen. And the rest is not quite history 26 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: because it's only a couple of years as a full 27 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: time contributor for Brandon Dunn. But he's still looking to 28 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: make a difference, still looking to make an impression on 29 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 1: the coaches and doing his thing. A training camp and 30 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: I asked him about the difference between this camp and 31 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: the Greenbrier last year. All right, man, it's actually pretty good. Um. 32 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: I was talking to some of the players. Man, it 33 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: feels like outside of the the practice fit us more relaxed. Campell, 34 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 1: you know what I'm saying. It's not so much of 35 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: the Times and the Green Briers. We had to hop in, 36 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: you know, vans to get here in places like us. 37 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: We hear from we're here from six thirty and we're 38 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: gonna lead a seventh thirties perfect and we go home. 39 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: We relax, you know, we know, we know we got 40 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: to handle practice where there's inside outside. But camp in Houston, 41 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: I think it's gonna work out good for I think 42 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: it's a plus. What about the bonding aspect of it? 43 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: You as a d lineman, you guys are very tight group. 44 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 1: But the rest of you guys, can you get that 45 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: done here the same way you did it last year 46 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: or the year before. Ah, for sure, we surely can. 47 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: We got someone obviously, you know, you know our group, 48 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: We got most of the guys coming back. We know 49 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: each other to play well with each other. But this 50 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: year were in Houston, so we all got to ground 51 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: through this heat together. So it's a difference. And we all, 52 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:22,800 Speaker 1: you know, we're all battling and we all here. You know, 53 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:24,919 Speaker 1: even though it's even though the campus in Houston, the 54 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 1: bond is still good. We're still bonding here. We have 55 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 1: a bunch of time, but at the facility to ourselves 56 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 1: to bond, you know, in meeting room, in practice field, 57 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 1: you do a lot of them, a lot of bonding 58 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 1: on the practice field, trying to tell keep each other 59 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 1: up in his heat when we outside. So man, I 60 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: think that aspect is getting taken care of her in Houston. 61 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: What's the difference for you when you were inside the 62 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:47,399 Speaker 1: bubble as far as the surface or however you run 63 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 1: practice you know, it's always some pluses and you know, 64 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 1: some pros and cons in an indoor and outdoor, you know, 65 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 1: but I think mentally it's all mental. Outside you know, 66 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:58,959 Speaker 1: obviously it's it's hot, but mentally we can battle that. 67 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: You know, like coach he said, you know, having training 68 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: camp in Houstons as a mental battle, mental battle, and 69 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: you can ask you know, numerous people around the league 70 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: which he said, and most of them say, yes, it's 71 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:12,119 Speaker 1: a mental battle here. So I just think that aspects 72 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,959 Speaker 1: all mental and the heat, we'll fight through it. How 73 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:18,360 Speaker 1: do you treat the rookies because especially in the locker 74 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 1: room with the DJ aspect of your job, which is 75 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: not really your job, but it's your role. How do 76 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: they handle that because they request, well, they have requests, 77 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: some of them. Some of them get a little you know, 78 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: they get a little you know, strong with their request, 79 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: and I got to let them down easy. I don't want. 80 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 1: I don't normally don't want to do that because I'm 81 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: trying to, you know, pump energy into the team and 82 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: get everybody going. But sometimes I got to step my 83 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: foot on somebody next, normally a rookie. So you know 84 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: that that's the downside of it. But other than that, man, 85 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: rookies is cool. They work hard, especially ones in our 86 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: in our group, so they don't really ask for no 87 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: music requests. So they honestly they tread on thin ice 88 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 1: because they can get fined. Thanks a lot for Jolly, 89 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: it's good luck. Thank you, thanks for having me. Next up, 90 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: one of my favorite players in the business, Jolt and 91 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: Joe Webb. I gave him that nickname. I don't think 92 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: it's caught on at all, by the way. Joe Webbing, 93 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 1: his tenth year out of UAB, was drafted by the 94 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 1: Vikings as a wide receiver. The initial training camp of 95 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: his career, they convert him to quarterback. He plays special 96 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: teams mostly now, but he can't play QB. He can't 97 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:23,920 Speaker 1: play receiver. He could do a lot of things. And 98 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 1: I asked Joe about this year's camp versus previous camps. 99 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 1: I said, a lot smootherer. You know, I've been in 100 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:31,159 Speaker 1: the system for a year, so I kind of know 101 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 1: what's going on and I can play fastest and nah, 102 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 1: it's different, you know, being here in heustands a lot 103 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 1: hotter than Green Brown. But for the most part it's 104 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: been good. You do just about everything on this team show. 105 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 1: So what meeting rooms do you spend time and how 106 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: do you budget that time? Because I gotta imagine there's 107 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 1: some conflicting meetings. Yeah, you know, I always in special 108 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:53,719 Speaker 1: teams meet you know, quarterback meets. No, whenever I'm not 109 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: in a special teams meeting, you know, I get with 110 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: a receiver coach. You know, I was saying what type 111 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: of tips I need from on that end. So it's 112 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: kind of like second nature. Now I've been doing it 113 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: for a couple of years now, so it's kind of 114 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: like second nature. What is the difference between this offense 115 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:09,280 Speaker 1: learning it and some of the other offenses you've been 116 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:12,279 Speaker 1: in in this league? Uh, it's a lot different. You know. 117 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 1: We do different different variations you know, of plays or 118 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: compared to the other places I've been. Uh, you know, 119 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: it's of course it's spread offense. You know, you can 120 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 1: see the different different type of you know, things that 121 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 1: we're doing just by watching us practice in you know, 122 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: I mean it fits me perfect. What about Deshaan Watson? 123 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 1: What can you tell me about him? Being around him 124 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 1: a couple of years now, what kind of guy he is? 125 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: He's a great guy, you know, He's a great leader. 126 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:40,479 Speaker 1: You know, he focused at practice, you know, laser focus. 127 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 1: You know, he always trying to find ways to get better. 128 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 1: You know, you're always asking coaches, you know, questions, you know, 129 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 1: how can I get better in this area? You know, 130 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:51,160 Speaker 1: trying to always consistently learning the defense. You know, for 131 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 1: him to be a you know earlier a young quarterback 132 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:56,360 Speaker 1: in this league. You know, I've really have seen him 133 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:59,160 Speaker 1: grown over the over the year that I've been here. 134 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 1: So he you know, this is one of his bettercounts, 135 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,279 Speaker 1: you know, since I've been hearing. How do you beat 136 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 1: the heat in training camp? How do you handle him? Well, first, 137 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 1: we got the cooler we could get in, a big 138 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:14,600 Speaker 1: oversized cooler, you know, staying hydrated, you know, not only 139 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 1: while you have practice, but you know when we get 140 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 1: done or practice in the meeting rooms, you know, constantly 141 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 1: a drinking water, gatorade, and you know, just prepare your 142 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 1: mind mentally, get rid of for the heat. Joe going 143 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: on a decade in this league. What's the secret to 144 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,479 Speaker 1: staying around? What do you tell the young guys? Take 145 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:32,720 Speaker 1: care of your body. You know, your body is your temple. 146 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 1: You know, how what you feed your body is what 147 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:36,839 Speaker 1: it get what it put out, you know, so you 148 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 1: take care of your body. You know they gonna take 149 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:41,040 Speaker 1: care of you. Thanks a lot, good luck, Thank you. 150 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:44,919 Speaker 1: Joe Webb, you've heard of him. Third string quarterback on 151 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:47,280 Speaker 1: this team. Fun to watch him make plays in a 152 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: variety of ways, and he's got to keep that special 153 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 1: team's prowess going. Now, let's go to a guy who 154 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 1: thrived on special teams last year. A. J. Moore led 155 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: the team and special team stops. He's making his way 156 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 1: as a safe and he's making an impression. Bill O'Brien 157 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: sometimes mentions them without having to be asked. That's high 158 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 1: praise from the coach, usually Deep City, who visited with 159 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 1: AJ Moore. Aji, you're having a great camp so far. 160 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: The other day Bill O'Brien said he could talk about 161 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 1: you all day. You come out here, he said, you 162 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 1: bust your hump, You do whatever you're asked to do. 163 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 1: How have you felt these first few days of camp. 164 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 1: My main focus has just been come out and just 165 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: doing my job. If everybody just doing a job, everything 166 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: will be okay. And that's what I try to do, 167 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:28,560 Speaker 1: and that's pretty much it. You've been getting a lot 168 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: of interceptions I see in team drills. Have you been 169 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: doing anything differently this offseason to train for camp and 170 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: for the upcoming season. Most definitely me and my twin CJ. Moore. 171 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 1: He plays for the Lions, and we both worked a 172 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 1: bunch on ball drills dB drills during this offseason together. Yeah, 173 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: you're a twin. He's an identical twin, right, Yes, he is, okay, 174 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 1: and he is trying out for the line. So he'll 175 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 1: be here in a few weeks. He will, he will, 176 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: and that's that's gonna be fine. Okay. Is he worried 177 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 1: about the heat at all? Have you warned him? I 178 00:07:57,240 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: know he's also from Mississippi, but it's a little different 179 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: than practice up in Detroit, right, but I mean that Mississippi. 180 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: He is still he's still used to it, so he'll 181 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: be fine. All right. This time last year, you were 182 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: actually in New England. Okay, So you start off with 183 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 1: the Patriots and then you joined the Texans. You led 184 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 1: the team in special teams tackles throughout the season. How 185 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 1: how is that experience for you starting off with the 186 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 1: Patriots and then coming here actually when the season had 187 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 1: already pretty much begun. The experience has been amazing. I 188 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: learned a bunch while I was up there, and when 189 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: I came here, my main focus was just to just 190 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 1: him be a role player and do what I'm asked 191 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 1: to do and special teams with my way, and I 192 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: just wanted to be the best at that, and you know, 193 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: I was blessed to be that, to be the best. 194 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: Billabarton talks about how special teams is what's going to 195 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: get you on the field. So him coming here, was 196 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 1: that just a really good fit for you, that that 197 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:45,599 Speaker 1: that's what you want to do, or was it a 198 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 1: little bit of both, Like you come here and then 199 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 1: you sort of found that that was your niche as well. 200 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,960 Speaker 1: Specially I love special teams, I mean, and so if 201 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: most guys sometimes don't want to play it, but I 202 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 1: love to be out there and I have fun doing it, 203 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,200 Speaker 1: so that's what I do. How do you feel about 204 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:01,679 Speaker 1: the dB group. It's a little bit different this year. 205 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 1: You got some new guys, You've got some returning guys 206 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:05,719 Speaker 1: from last year. How has that chemistry been on the 207 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 1: field when you're out there on defense. It's definitely a 208 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 1: new group, but I feel like we're definitely we're bonding well. 209 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,080 Speaker 1: We have great chemistry and we're just getting better and 210 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: better each day with each other. So you've played sixteen 211 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:19,560 Speaker 1: games for the Texans last year and then Bill comes 212 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 1: out and says that you're busting your hump every day. 213 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: What's changed in your approach to the game. You've obviously 214 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: you're not undrafted anymore. You've played at the NFL level. 215 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: But you know what is it inside of you that's 216 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:31,560 Speaker 1: driving you at this time of year? Um? Well, first 217 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:34,199 Speaker 1: of all, to just keep doing them, doing those special teams, 218 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 1: and to just I wanted to impact more on defense, 219 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: to just hlp my team out and just handle a 220 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 1: role on defense whatever they asked me to do. All right, 221 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 1: good stuff. A J. Moore having a great camp. Thanks 222 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 1: for joining us, Yes, ma'am, thank you. Hey. It's hard 223 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 1: not to root for a guy like a J. Moore, 224 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: and also hard not to root for Steven Mitchell, who's 225 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 1: out of USC started out with the Rams, ends up 226 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:59,040 Speaker 1: here late last year with a Jags game, big pass 227 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 1: interference p opens the doors the Texan score their go 228 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 1: ahead touchdown, thanks in large part to the penaltry drawn 229 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 1: by Mitchell, did not make the catch. Still is looking 230 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 1: for his first career catch in a regular season game. 231 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:14,840 Speaker 1: But Mitchell fun guy to listen to. We talked to 232 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 1: him about getting here, making the big play, the adjustment. 233 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: It all went so fast. Honestly, when I got here, um, 234 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: it didn't hit for me. And just because I was 235 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:27,440 Speaker 1: my first time never living in La. I've been in 236 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: LA and my whole my whole life going to USC 237 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:32,440 Speaker 1: getting drafted by the Rams, and when they cut me 238 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 1: and I came out here, it was it was definitely 239 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:36,199 Speaker 1: new for me, so it kind of caught me off car. 240 00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 1: But d Hop is one of my favorite receivers ever 241 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 1: to watch, so that definitely, you know, he's he's the 242 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:44,320 Speaker 1: e's it a little bit, you know, Yeah, So what 243 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: was that like walking in and look, you play USC. 244 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:49,559 Speaker 1: It's not like you haven't been around stars and players 245 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:52,599 Speaker 1: of that mottitude and maybe even stars of a different magnitude. 246 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 1: But what was that like meeting a guy that you 247 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 1: value as much as Hop? What was that like meeting him? Man? 248 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 1: It was? It was very humbling because he honestly is 249 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:03,080 Speaker 1: one of the coolest guys on the team. When you 250 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 1: hear top guys like that, they typically have a chip 251 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 1: on their shoulder. He has no chip whatsoever. He actually 252 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 1: is very helpful on the field and off the field. 253 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 1: So it was very loving Stephen. Last year, you get 254 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 1: on the field for one huge play. I don't know 255 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 1: that people remember that much. We talked about it during 256 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: the break of the game, like, yeah, he just came 257 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 1: in and drew one of the biggest pass interfear. What 258 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:27,440 Speaker 1: was that like to come in and just impact again, 259 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:29,840 Speaker 1: even if it's for one play, it's a huge impactful 260 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:31,400 Speaker 1: play that you were able to make to put on 261 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: that jersey. I remember that day. I actually went to 262 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 1: the bathroom and just stared at myself for like to 263 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 1: five minutes straight. Use I was like, man like, like 264 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 1: I'm finally on the fifty three. But that would have 265 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: been a great play if I actually would have, you know, 266 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 1: caught that touchdown on my first play ever. So I 267 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 1: love making that pass an affair and so felt good 268 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 1: just to make an impact, to be able to make 269 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 1: an impact. What's it like? Yeah, I mean, the Rams 270 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: obviously are part of your career already, but what's it 271 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 1: like having the Rams back in La or an La guy? Man? 272 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 1: That was that was something else. That was something else. Um, 273 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: just being out there, like I had fans just before 274 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:11,520 Speaker 1: I even went to the Ram, so I already knew 275 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 1: you know it was it was gonna be a real 276 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:17,319 Speaker 1: great experience. Um, the Rams, they're they're a great team. 277 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: Um and I know you know all of La loves it. 278 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 1: You know, even the Chargers they're an amazing team as well. 279 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 1: So it's gonna be a lot more traffic though. So yeah, 280 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:30,960 Speaker 1: well that's just part of life out there. Yes, I'm 281 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:34,160 Speaker 1: a Lebron fan. Okay, Oh, so where you follow? Wait, 282 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:37,480 Speaker 1: wait a second, you're not a Lakers fan. You're a Lebron. 283 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: I'm a Lebron fan. So you're rooting for the Cavs 284 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:44,280 Speaker 1: last year? Yes, okay, so no, so what team? Then? 285 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:47,240 Speaker 1: You're gonna follow whatever team Lebron is with? Yeah, okay, 286 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:51,600 Speaker 1: sorry Stevens for having me appreciate it. Steven Mitchell part 287 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 1: of a big group of receivers looking to make an 288 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 1: impression behind the Big Three. I called them the Big Three? 289 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:58,199 Speaker 1: Are we allowed to do that? I mean, have they 290 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 1: earned that yet? With DeAndre Hoppy's, Will Fulder and Kiki Qt. 291 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: I think they want that. Maybe they haven't voiced that, 292 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: but I'm gonna say they want it, because if they 293 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 1: all stay healthy, that's gonna be fun to watch. But 294 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: also fun to watch is these guys like Steven Mitchell 295 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: and Johnny Dixon. Now those guys are rookies, Johnny Dixon 296 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 1: and Floyd Allen and Tyrann Johnson. Stephen Mitchell actually has 297 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:23,120 Speaker 1: a little bit of experience in this league. But they're 298 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 1: all trying to make this squad prove themselves on special teams, 299 00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 1: proved themselves as wide receivers, hoping for an opportunity even 300 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:32,679 Speaker 1: if it's not here. And that's why when you watch 301 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:35,080 Speaker 1: the preseason games, by the way, a week from Thursday 302 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 1: night at Green Bay, check it out ABC thirteen and 303 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:39,839 Speaker 1: you can stream it on the app and you can 304 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 1: listen to it right here. It's all gonna be fun 305 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:45,319 Speaker 1: to consume because the stories to me in the preseason 306 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: or not, how does wat look? Is he gonna play 307 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 1: at all? How does Hopkins look? I don't know if 308 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 1: he's gonna play. I know Watson will play a little bit. 309 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:56,000 Speaker 1: But the whole point is it's the underseason. It's the 310 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 1: pre work that this team is doing to determine who 311 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 1: belong longime on that fifty three man roster. And that's 312 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:05,920 Speaker 1: why you want to look at guys like Steven Mitchell. Anyway, 313 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,040 Speaker 1: I mentioned underseason. It makes me think of Underbelly, the 314 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:14,560 Speaker 1: former restaurant of Chris Shepherd, who now has Georgia James Steakhouts, 315 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 1: among other things like One Fifth with Whitney Merciless. Anyway, 316 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 1: he's gonna join us later on the show. A little 317 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: snippet of a podcast I did with him. You want 318 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: to stay tuned for that. Also next up and thanks 319 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 1: to the four Texans we just heard from. But what 320 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:32,440 Speaker 1: about Jordan Aikins, one half of the Jordans as he 321 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 1: is putting on quite a camp so far. And Neil Reynolds. 322 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:39,440 Speaker 1: You've never heard of him probably, but he covers the 323 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 1: NFL for Sky Sports. What is going down in London 324 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: with this league? You're gonna be surprised about some stuff 325 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 1: he has to say. It's all coming up on Texans Radio. 326 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: Great to have you listening to Texans Radio. We're inside 327 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 1: NRG Stadium. It's a day off for training camp, so 328 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 1: let's catch up on some of the activity of the 329 00:14:56,720 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 1: Texans who had some time to reach charge to regenerate. 330 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 1: Coach O'Brien called it regin and I'm stealing that term 331 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 1: when I go home to the wife and the kids, 332 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:11,240 Speaker 1: and I need some time to stare at the television set. 333 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 1: I'm gonna say it's time to regen. That's it, use 334 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:18,400 Speaker 1: it yourself, feel free, all right. Jordan Nakens he is 335 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 1: having quite a camp. Look, it's early. I'm not going 336 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: to oversell it, but it looks good. In year two, 337 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 1: remember half of the George's now Jordan Thomas has been 338 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 1: nicked up a bit. Doctor Vandermeyer says he'll be back 339 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 1: soon enough. That's my own personal medical diagnosis. I don't 340 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 1: know if it's right or not, but he's walking around, 341 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:37,800 Speaker 1: so I would hope for the very best there. But 342 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 1: Aikins anyway, looking very good in these practices and Dpcit, 343 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 1: who visited with him after a recent padded practice in 344 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 1: which he made a couple of great grabs. I know 345 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: it's training camp, but how exciting is it to be 346 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 1: making plays like this every day? Oh, he's very exciting. 347 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:52,800 Speaker 1: You know, you put in a lot of work in 348 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: all season, and you know we come together in training 349 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: camp and just a connection between Mandy four, you know, 350 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:00,440 Speaker 1: then we'll connect them more all to field. You know, 351 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 1: this past season and you know it's showing on the field. Yeah, 352 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: it's definitely showing the chemistry you too have had. And 353 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:08,520 Speaker 1: Deshaun even talked about developing that chemistry. He said he 354 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 1: did a lot of things with you guys off the 355 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:11,880 Speaker 1: field to do that. What sort of things were you 356 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 1: guys doing, Man, we were bowling, you know, eating, just 357 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:17,520 Speaker 1: hanging out, you know, getting to know each other. Everybody 358 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 1: there want to his house, you know for holidays and 359 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 1: things like that, and um, you know, really just getting 360 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: to know each other, you know, getting comfortable around each 361 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 1: other so we can just get that connection, you know, 362 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 1: have that one accord on the field and off the 363 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 1: field as well. How is that help you on the 364 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:34,120 Speaker 1: field to get to know a guy off the field, 365 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: to sort of get to know him outside of football. 366 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 1: Let's just building trust. Um, when you find out who 367 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 1: old person is on off the field, it makes you 368 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 1: more comfortable on the field. You know you can trust them, 369 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 1: you know you can rely on them, and you know 370 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:48,760 Speaker 1: you can you know he'll make a play for you 371 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: or get a block for you. Gotta have your back basically. 372 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:54,040 Speaker 1: I know we were talking about in the offseason blocking 373 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 1: and getting better at blocking. You said, that'll really show 374 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 1: once the pads come on. The pads have come on. 375 00:16:58,280 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 1: It's been a few days. How do you think that 376 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 1: you developed in that area? I've developed a lot and blocking, Um, 377 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:05,040 Speaker 1: I can develop a lot more. I'm still kind of 378 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:07,000 Speaker 1: new to the tight end position, so you know, I'm 379 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 1: just learning. I'm learning a lot from Fails and Drew 380 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:12,200 Speaker 1: Adams as well. He's has really good footwork in hand 381 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:15,320 Speaker 1: placement and blocking, and um, you know, it's starting to 382 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:17,400 Speaker 1: show off a lot. I mean show a lot and 383 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 1: you know, knowing my side of just and you know, 384 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 1: the fronts of the offense and just learning the whole 385 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 1: all around offense and being able to move however they 386 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:29,440 Speaker 1: want me to block or spread me out run routes. 387 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:31,640 Speaker 1: It's um starting to pay off. Did you do anything 388 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 1: different in the offseason to get better at blocking? Did 389 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:37,720 Speaker 1: you train differently? I trained a lot differently. Um. I'm 390 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:41,159 Speaker 1: usually like inside, um, you know, going hard on turf 391 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 1: and you know, building my muscles, trying to you know, 392 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 1: build up my breath, my conditioning basically, but this ship 393 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:50,359 Speaker 1: is more like outside. I was in Georgia. My family's 394 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:52,640 Speaker 1: in Atlanta, so I trained in Georgia and Atlanta. Heats 395 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:55,199 Speaker 1: basically like this more human and Um, I ran a 396 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 1: lot um blocking, working on hand placement, footwork and you 397 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 1: know the whole non. I just trained my body to 398 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:03,119 Speaker 1: be tough in the heat. All right. How about you 399 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:05,400 Speaker 1: and Jordan Thomas? I know every time he talks about you, 400 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 1: he's got a different nickname. It's like peanut Butter and jelly, 401 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:11,639 Speaker 1: thunder and lightning, JT and egg. What's that relationship? Like, 402 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:13,960 Speaker 1: you guys are are you guys very similar or very different? 403 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: It seems like you guys are different, but you get 404 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: along so well. We're very different, but we're very similar 405 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,919 Speaker 1: in a lot of ways. He's very goofy. I'm very goofy. Uh. 406 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:25,240 Speaker 1: He keeps me going um. You know, like he calls 407 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:26,919 Speaker 1: peanut and Jell. I called a start there and lightning. 408 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 1: But you know, either way, which is thunder and which 409 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 1: is lightning? I'm the lightning baby, I got the feet, 410 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 1: you know, JT, he got the power. That's a big boy. 411 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:37,119 Speaker 1: Who's the jelly? He's a jelly because you know, just 412 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 1: peanut butter here baby. What's the dynamic like in this 413 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 1: new revamp tight End group, um, everyone brings something different 414 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:50,320 Speaker 1: to the table. Um Fails is very very very intelligent 415 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:53,440 Speaker 1: when it comes to football. His football iquees out out 416 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 1: the roof. Um, he teaches me a lot just simple movements, um, 417 00:18:57,760 --> 00:19:00,320 Speaker 1: as far as the head, the feet, the hands given 418 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:04,960 Speaker 1: ozu kyl A, he's coming along you know. Um, he's 419 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: very smart as well. He's catching onto his offense way 420 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 1: quicken than jt DA last year. And he has a lot. 421 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:14,119 Speaker 1: He has a lot of skill sets that all, like 422 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:16,639 Speaker 1: I said, always have different skill sets. But you know, 423 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:18,800 Speaker 1: kyl A pretty much like once he gets a down pack, 424 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 1: he's gonna be he's gonna be pretty good. Um. But 425 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 1: we we feed off each other, we can feted off 426 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: each other and we make each other better. All right, 427 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: love to see it. Thank you so much, Jordan. Thank you, 428 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,359 Speaker 1: Jordan Nakins tight end for your Houston Texans. Now, remember 429 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:32,520 Speaker 1: you still have Jordan Thomas who's nicked up right now. 430 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:35,280 Speaker 1: Kaholle wearing is not practiced yet, but he's been working 431 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:37,119 Speaker 1: out on a side field doing a lot of stuff, 432 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 1: so hopefully he'll get out there soon enough. Now let's 433 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 1: get to this, let's go overseas. The Texans will travel 434 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:47,160 Speaker 1: to London this year to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. 435 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 1: Who play a game there every year. Neil Reynolds covers 436 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:53,679 Speaker 1: the NFL for Sky Sports and he says the NFL 437 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:56,560 Speaker 1: is hugely popular in Europe, much more than you might 438 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,119 Speaker 1: have thought. So I had a chance to catch up 439 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:01,360 Speaker 1: with him for the bar. I asked him about what 440 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:03,879 Speaker 1: he does, just so we could get a little intro 441 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:06,439 Speaker 1: with him. Then, the anchor of sky Sports coverage of 442 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:10,160 Speaker 1: the NFL. We show Thursday Night Football. We show three 443 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:13,480 Speaker 1: games in their entirety live on Sunday nights with the studio. 444 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:16,200 Speaker 1: We're on air for eight or nine hours live every 445 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:20,160 Speaker 1: Sunday night. We are showing Sunday Night Football, Monday Night 446 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:22,199 Speaker 1: Football as well. So Sky Sports is pretty much the 447 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:26,640 Speaker 1: home for the NFL in the UK. I also edit 448 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:29,119 Speaker 1: all the game day magazines that sell around the games 449 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 1: in London. So at the moment, I'm on a training 450 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:34,439 Speaker 1: camp tour interviewing players and coaches from the teams that 451 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:37,680 Speaker 1: are heading over to London. So yeah, this is day 452 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 1: three for me. It's good. What was it like when 453 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:42,840 Speaker 1: you got introduced to the league, to American football? How 454 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:44,600 Speaker 1: did you fall in love with it? So for me, 455 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 1: it's I go way way back. So I was just 456 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 1: watching on Channel four, which we only have four stations. 457 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:54,119 Speaker 1: Back in the eighties in the NFL and rookie curly 458 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:56,400 Speaker 1: head rookie by the name of Dan Marino came off 459 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 1: the bench in a game against the Oaklandvaders and the 460 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:01,919 Speaker 1: commentation as we're making a fast and that was me hooked. 461 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:07,119 Speaker 1: I just loved everything about it. I never studied anything 462 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:09,199 Speaker 1: other than the NFL. My parents were telling me to 463 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:11,360 Speaker 1: study properly in school, and I only wanted to learn 464 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: stats and rosters. But I've made a career out of 465 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:18,680 Speaker 1: covering the NFL for else since ninety one, now full time, 466 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:22,120 Speaker 1: so it's been fantastic. How do you characterize how popular 467 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:25,840 Speaker 1: the NFL is in England NBR? So it's hugely popular. 468 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 1: It's a hugely knowledgeable fan base as well, I think 469 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:31,439 Speaker 1: you know, like I just listed all the games that 470 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:35,640 Speaker 1: we have on British TV. You can get NFL game 471 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:37,880 Speaker 1: Pass so you can watch all the NFL network programming. 472 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 1: So really whether in Miami or Manchester, London or Los Angeles, 473 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:44,240 Speaker 1: you can watch the same programs. You can study the 474 00:21:44,359 --> 00:21:48,359 Speaker 1: NFL the same way. So it's very very knowledgeable, very passionate. 475 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 1: It's growing and I think it's growing to the point 476 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:54,239 Speaker 1: where at least London is in the conversation for an 477 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: NFL franchise. Doesn't mean it's going to happen. There's a 478 00:21:56,359 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 1: lot of logistics to that, but London is kind of 479 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:02,640 Speaker 1: taken seriously as a real place to potentially put a team, 480 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:04,879 Speaker 1: and that's why we've got four regular season games. There 481 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 1: is not to be sniffed up. So yeah, it's it's 482 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 1: always growing, but it's also very very knowledgeable if the 483 00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:15,199 Speaker 1: logistics could be worked out, Does it work in Great Britain? 484 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:17,760 Speaker 1: Does it capture the fan base the way it would 485 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 1: need to to sustain in an NFL franchise there? Yeah, 486 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:23,280 Speaker 1: So with the games, we're playing two games at Wembley 487 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 1: Stadium this year, there's a season ticket base of forty 488 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:30,360 Speaker 1: seven thousand for those games, but they see eighty two 489 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:33,199 Speaker 1: thousand and they sold out within a couple of hours. 490 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 1: We're also playing two games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which 491 00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 1: was built specifically for the NFL in mind, so it's 492 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 1: got an NFL field under the grass field that the 493 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:45,280 Speaker 1: Premier League teams plays on. So stadiums are there. There's 494 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:47,800 Speaker 1: a lot of government support, The fan support is there. 495 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:51,560 Speaker 1: So the last piece of the puzzle is the logistical 496 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:54,919 Speaker 1: side of it. But yeah, everything else is in place, 497 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: you know, and games sell out within hours, literally within hours. 498 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:01,560 Speaker 1: Even as we're like ten, eleven, twelve years into this, 499 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 1: now it's showing no signs of dying. In fact, it's 500 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:07,400 Speaker 1: becoming a halt ticket than ever. Well, we look forward 501 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:09,280 Speaker 1: to being over there. Thanks allot for joining us, Thank 502 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:12,399 Speaker 1: you for having me Neil Reynolds of Sky Sports covering 503 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 1: the NFL overseas, and I think it's going to be 504 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:20,359 Speaker 1: a tough go logistically if you ever want an NFL 505 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:23,399 Speaker 1: team in London. I think the NBA has a greater 506 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:26,560 Speaker 1: advantage here because they could actually put an entire division 507 00:23:27,119 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 1: in Europe. But here's the thing you could do it. 508 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 1: I think if you sort of go two weeks on, 509 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:36,680 Speaker 1: two weeks off, and if they have a practice facility 510 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:39,680 Speaker 1: in the United States, maybe two maybe it's the Greenbrier, 511 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:42,200 Speaker 1: who knows, but something like that where they could fly there, 512 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 1: practice during the week and go play a game somewhere 513 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:49,199 Speaker 1: that might work or obviously would help. Now where it 514 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:54,840 Speaker 1: gets difficult is playoffs. Yes, indeed, to do a playoff 515 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 1: game in London, you're not gonna have to buy after 516 00:23:57,359 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 1: that if you have to visit them. I'm sure they've 517 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 1: discussed all these things around a conference room table and decided, 518 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 1: you know what, let's wait a little longer, but maybe 519 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 1: someday it happens. I think someday it will happen. It's 520 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:12,040 Speaker 1: bound to happen. The bigger, tougher challenge is China. And 521 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:14,960 Speaker 1: don't think they're not thinking about that. Playing a game 522 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: in China, which you think the time difference is clunky 523 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:21,760 Speaker 1: in London. It is not easy in China, to say 524 00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: the least. But there's gonna be football. And there is 525 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:27,199 Speaker 1: football and China already, but I think there's gonna be 526 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:30,640 Speaker 1: more football China. Play locally if you will in the country. 527 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:33,240 Speaker 1: It's funny to say locally when you're talking about China, 528 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:37,760 Speaker 1: which is obviously massive, but it'll develop there. You have 529 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:41,120 Speaker 1: to take it there though, in order to develop it further. Anyway, 530 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 1: we'll save the international discussion for another day. Texans bound 531 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:47,640 Speaker 1: for London to play the Jags in November, and they'll 532 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:50,439 Speaker 1: get to buy after that to recover jet lag wise, 533 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:56,199 Speaker 1: coming up next, among other things, Chris Shepherd, Yes, the 534 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:59,040 Speaker 1: chef who has this stuff here at NRG. It's so 535 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:03,160 Speaker 1: delicious Georgia James Steakhouse as well. One fifth, we will 536 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:06,960 Speaker 1: speak with him and Johnny Harris and I breakdown the 537 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 1: running backs. It's really him doing it. I'm gonna set 538 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:11,680 Speaker 1: them up. We're gonna go rapid fire. That's all coming up, 539 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:15,959 Speaker 1: among other things on Texans All Access. It's Texans All 540 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 1: Access in the Honday Texans Radio Studio. So much fun 541 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 1: to have you listening, so much fun to be in camp. 542 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:24,200 Speaker 1: Five days in, day off today, so day six tomorrow, 543 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:26,880 Speaker 1: even though it'll be seven days in. Oh my gosh, 544 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:29,760 Speaker 1: don't get me confused. Mark, Oh, I got another one 545 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:33,200 Speaker 1: for you because Thursday is gonna be game week Sunday, 546 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:36,600 Speaker 1: meaning you'll have a game a week from Thursday when 547 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:39,920 Speaker 1: they visit the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. I've 548 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:43,120 Speaker 1: always wanted to see a preseason tilt at Lambeau. Look, 549 00:25:43,119 --> 00:25:45,640 Speaker 1: I love the regular season games, but we only get 550 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:47,399 Speaker 1: one of those every eight years. So let's go on 551 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:51,320 Speaker 1: the preseason. Nice weather, great historic building. Maybe I'll have 552 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:54,680 Speaker 1: a little chance to look around. Probably will, because we're 553 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:56,400 Speaker 1: gonna be there for a few days. The team will 554 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,359 Speaker 1: fly out on Sunday actually, and they'll practice with the 555 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:02,719 Speaker 1: Packers Monday and Tuesday mornings. We'll be live from the 556 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:06,680 Speaker 1: field on those days. Then they'll have a walk through 557 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:10,600 Speaker 1: kind of day. On Wednesday. Thursday, they'll play their preseason opener. 558 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 1: And like I mentioned earlier in the show, so many 559 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:15,240 Speaker 1: great storylines and we'll set them all up for you 560 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:18,320 Speaker 1: as we go every day. At nine o'clock. It was 561 00:26:18,359 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 1: pushed a little bit today, but we try to do it. 562 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:23,480 Speaker 1: At nine we break down a different position group. Today 563 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:27,040 Speaker 1: was running backs. We've done wide receivers already, we've done 564 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:30,439 Speaker 1: defensive backs, we've done offensive linemen, but today was running backs. 565 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 1: And it's an interesting group because you know, you have 566 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:36,439 Speaker 1: the incumbent, you have a lot of potential in the 567 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:39,119 Speaker 1: rest of the guys, but you don't have staying power 568 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:41,640 Speaker 1: and experience. You do on special teams, but you don't 569 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:43,760 Speaker 1: have the kind of experience you're looking for at the 570 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 1: running back position. But that's okay. As long as people 571 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:50,159 Speaker 1: can do the job, so can they. Johnny Harris and 572 00:26:50,200 --> 00:26:52,400 Speaker 1: I broke it down with the help of some NFL 573 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:55,240 Speaker 1: music and a guy grew up in South Florida out 574 00:26:55,240 --> 00:27:00,960 Speaker 1: of the University of Miami went first. Lamar Miller from 575 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:04,960 Speaker 1: South Florida. I think Lamar is one of the more 576 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:07,480 Speaker 1: underated players in this whole league. I see so many 577 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 1: fantasy things and Lamar is down in the thirties. I 578 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 1: just think he's so reliable. Yeah, I think everything that 579 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 1: he does on a field, he can pass, protect, he 580 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:19,160 Speaker 1: can run outside inside zone very well. His vision's great. 581 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:21,639 Speaker 1: The last couple of years, he's coming to camp a 582 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:24,640 Speaker 1: little bit slimmer, and I think that's paid off when 583 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:26,960 Speaker 1: you see the burst. I mean ninety seven yards last 584 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:29,520 Speaker 1: year against the Titans, nobody caught him. I mean another 585 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:32,239 Speaker 1: five yards of Dorry Jackson might have. But I just 586 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:34,639 Speaker 1: think he's so reliable. What you want to have in 587 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 1: this offense. When you've got three receivers like you have, 588 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:38,680 Speaker 1: and you got a tity and crew that's emerging, you've 589 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:41,280 Speaker 1: gotta have a running back that can do different things. 590 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 1: And I think Lamar Miller does as many different things. 591 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 1: I just am more impressed with him day by day, 592 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:48,960 Speaker 1: and I know fans are like, oh, we need to run. 593 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:52,040 Speaker 1: Lamar Miller is a quality NFL running back and he 594 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:57,160 Speaker 1: passes that smart, tough, dependable, no question that three words yeah, tough, smart, 595 00:27:57,240 --> 00:28:00,400 Speaker 1: must have skill set. Well, really, it's more character, herristics 596 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:03,119 Speaker 1: and everything else that this coaching staff wants. Deonte for 597 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:05,400 Speaker 1: him and third year out of the University of Texas 598 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:10,080 Speaker 1: can be anything he wants to be. Wow, can be 599 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:15,720 Speaker 1: anything he wants to be. He is that talented. It's 600 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:20,040 Speaker 1: just a matter of what Deonte wants when when he 601 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:24,679 Speaker 1: decides it's time, then it's gonna be really difficult to 602 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:27,560 Speaker 1: stop that guy because he's got speed, he's got pillowsoft hands, 603 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:31,159 Speaker 1: he's got size, he's got everything you want. When he 604 00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 1: decides he wants it, it will happen and it will 605 00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:37,720 Speaker 1: be scary for teams to face him. Josh Ferguson, it 606 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:39,680 Speaker 1: has been around the block a little bit in this league. 607 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:42,800 Speaker 1: Third year out of Illinois. He's quick five ten two 608 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:45,520 Speaker 1: oh five. My nickname for him sound effects, because he 609 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:49,640 Speaker 1: goes that's how he moves. He catches the ball very 610 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:51,120 Speaker 1: well out of the backfield. He's a guy that the 611 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 1: Texans like coming out of Illinois. In the draft, they 612 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:56,320 Speaker 1: weren't able to get their hands on him until last year, 613 00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:59,280 Speaker 1: and then numbers didn't allow him to stay here. At 614 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 1: the d of going to Patriots for a little bit. 615 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:03,680 Speaker 1: When you see him, you're like, well, that guy's quick. 616 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 1: Who's number fourty, that's Josh Ferguson. He can scoot. I 617 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 1: don't think he's never down back. I don't think he's 618 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:10,040 Speaker 1: a guy you want to put it outside inside zone 619 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:11,800 Speaker 1: type things, but you want to get him the ball 620 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:13,720 Speaker 1: at space. If he could prove he can protect, he's 621 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:15,320 Speaker 1: got an opportunity to be a third down back for 622 00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:17,960 Speaker 1: this team. Taiwan Jones is entering his ninth year the 623 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 1: NFL out of Eastern Washington. He's not exactly a prolific 624 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:26,520 Speaker 1: ball carrier, but he's a special teamer. He's six feet 625 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:29,640 Speaker 1: one ninety five adam minimum. He's a special teamer, but 626 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:32,360 Speaker 1: he's got some juice. Just watching him run the football, 627 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:34,840 Speaker 1: I would always forget about him thinking about the running backs. 628 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:37,880 Speaker 1: He can absolutely fly. It's a good veteran presence in 629 00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:40,280 Speaker 1: the locker room to go along with Lamar Miller. I 630 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:42,600 Speaker 1: wouldn't be surprised if you end up he ends up 631 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:44,880 Speaker 1: making this team because he's got that veteran presence and 632 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:47,520 Speaker 1: he will contribute on special teams and he can fly, 633 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:50,120 Speaker 1: So you got some returnability there if you need it. 634 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:52,840 Speaker 1: Great storyline on this team. It's it's more of it 635 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 1: under the radar type of storyline. But Buddy, how does 636 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:58,080 Speaker 1: he stick with the roster as a special teamer. He's 637 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:01,160 Speaker 1: a running back? Is he gonna get carries this preseason? 638 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 1: Probably a view, But what they really want to see 639 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:05,360 Speaker 1: is what these other guys do. So it's gonna be 640 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:07,960 Speaker 1: interesting for him to see how he sticks around or 641 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 1: tries to. How they divide up the carries for preseason 642 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:13,480 Speaker 1: will be really interesting to me. Yeah, I'm really curious 643 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 1: to see how that goes. I don't need to see 644 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 1: Lamar at all. No, I don't think all. I think 645 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:20,080 Speaker 1: you're right. I think Lamar may not play at all. 646 00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:22,000 Speaker 1: I think you've got it. You've got it. So many 647 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 1: guys to trying to term what you're gonna do, and 648 00:30:23,680 --> 00:30:25,520 Speaker 1: Budd he's one of them. Buddy's one of them. I 649 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:27,840 Speaker 1: think he's a little bit slimmer than he was last year. 650 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:29,800 Speaker 1: I want to see what he doesn't live actually, because 651 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:31,880 Speaker 1: we never seen him as a running back. The only 652 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 1: reason I need to see Lamar is if I'm worried 653 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:37,200 Speaker 1: about path protection. Because the preseason now they're sending extra people. 654 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:40,720 Speaker 1: It's no longer vanilla exactly everything. I might need Lamar 655 00:30:40,760 --> 00:30:42,520 Speaker 1: in there when Watsonson there, just to make sure that 656 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 1: I protect Watson, and that'll only be a few reps 657 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 1: in the first exactly, so we'll see how that shakes out. 658 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: That's buddy, how all right? Next up, Damara Crockett, rookie, 659 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:56,320 Speaker 1: Missouri five eleven to twenty five. You've talked about this 660 00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 1: guy all offseason long. It's got great speed, or had 661 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:00,320 Speaker 1: it before the injury. How do you look right now? 662 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:02,360 Speaker 1: He ran a four four in his pro day. He 663 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:04,320 Speaker 1: can move. I watched him run down of special teams 664 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:05,920 Speaker 1: the other day and he was keeping up with a J. 665 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:08,800 Speaker 1: Moran Johnson about the most of me. He's flying and 666 00:31:09,040 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 1: he hits the whole heart. He's a big guy. I 667 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:14,960 Speaker 1: think he is going to make a really strong push 668 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 1: in these preseason games to have eyes on him. Higden boy, 669 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:21,600 Speaker 1: he's a mighty might. I mean, you see him, you're like, 670 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:24,400 Speaker 1: that's a gnat compared to you know, the rest of 671 00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:27,880 Speaker 1: everybody else. But he runs between the tackles with a 672 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:31,479 Speaker 1: bandit like. He doesn't back down from anybody. And I 673 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 1: think the coaching staff likes that. But how much of 674 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:37,400 Speaker 1: a pounding. Can he take at a legitimate five eight, 675 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:41,520 Speaker 1: five nine? Now when you see he's stocky, but he's 676 00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 1: not a flyer. But I don't need a fly I 677 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:44,960 Speaker 1: don't need a guy that runs four three running back. 678 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:47,600 Speaker 1: I just needed the durable guy in the run between 679 00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:50,400 Speaker 1: the tackles with good vision and power. Higden does that. 680 00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:52,880 Speaker 1: I think he's made an impression. I think these two rookies, 681 00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:55,840 Speaker 1: Higden and Crocket, have made a significant impression on the coach. 682 00:31:56,000 --> 00:31:58,400 Speaker 1: They're gonna have to do something on special teams. I 683 00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:00,640 Speaker 1: don't even know what, but it's gonna be thing. Oh 684 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:06,479 Speaker 1: we got one more right, we got the fullback? Yes, yes, yes, 685 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:10,680 Speaker 1: from Katie from Aggie Land. What do you think? How 686 00:32:10,760 --> 00:32:13,160 Speaker 1: much is this guy loved in Aggie Land that tech 687 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:15,719 Speaker 1: SAgs did a documentary on him. Yeah, it was tweeted 688 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:18,560 Speaker 1: out yesterday, Yeah, tweet out yesterday. So I want to 689 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:19,960 Speaker 1: I want to go see that. Talk to him about it, 690 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:21,120 Speaker 1: and it was funny. He just kind of played it 691 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:24,880 Speaker 1: down a rookies probably do. He's really interesting to me 692 00:32:25,280 --> 00:32:28,160 Speaker 1: from a number of different angles because when you run fullback, 693 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 1: he's as good a pass protector as Lamar Miller is 694 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 1: just watching him pass protect the other day. He's brilliant 695 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:36,400 Speaker 1: some of the running backs. For he's going against bigger 696 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:39,000 Speaker 1: linebackers and he's doing a really good job holding up 697 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:40,760 Speaker 1: against I don't get him on the field, and he's 698 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:43,160 Speaker 1: got good hands and he runs in the four fives 699 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:45,920 Speaker 1: in the preseason. Yeah, he will go on all four 700 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:48,840 Speaker 1: special teams. I think he's gonna make this team because 701 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:52,480 Speaker 1: of the Swiss Army knife capabilities that he has. I'm 702 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:54,000 Speaker 1: excited for him to see what he's able to do 703 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:55,959 Speaker 1: as a rookie. And beyond there, we are from this 704 00:32:56,000 --> 00:32:59,480 Speaker 1: morning breaking down the running back position, and it's at 705 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:02,120 Speaker 1: this time I remind everybody that Arian Foster at one 706 00:33:02,120 --> 00:33:04,840 Speaker 1: point was a practice squad player. That's right, trying to 707 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:07,360 Speaker 1: make it on special teams. We always bring up Terrell 708 00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:10,440 Speaker 1: Davis when you're talking about running backs, and it's like 709 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:12,360 Speaker 1: this with a lot of NFL players, they come from 710 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:15,160 Speaker 1: all over the place. Not everybody's a first round draft choice. 711 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:19,160 Speaker 1: Not everybody is Zeke, not everybody is sa Quan. Sometimes 712 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:22,920 Speaker 1: guys come from the woodwork, like Arian Foster did. Remember, 713 00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:25,480 Speaker 1: in order to make a practice squad you have to 714 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:28,960 Speaker 1: be released by somebody at some point so he was 715 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:31,720 Speaker 1: there for the taking for any NFL team. Arian Foster was, 716 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:35,440 Speaker 1: but the Texans signed him to the practice squad, developed them, 717 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:38,880 Speaker 1: and he eventually became the best running back they've ever had. Now, 718 00:33:38,920 --> 00:33:41,000 Speaker 1: I'm not taking anything away from Lamar Miller. I think 719 00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:44,000 Speaker 1: he's super solid and let's see what he can do 720 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:47,560 Speaker 1: in year four as a Texan. But I'm excited about 721 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:49,680 Speaker 1: some of the other guys we just discussed. And as 722 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:53,080 Speaker 1: Johnny and I said, special teams factor in heavily into 723 00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:55,400 Speaker 1: who's going to get the playing time, who might make 724 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:57,840 Speaker 1: the roster. And here's the tricky part for the coaches. 725 00:33:58,360 --> 00:34:03,200 Speaker 1: In the preseason games, somebody shines, but they're not gonna 726 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:06,320 Speaker 1: make that top three, top four, whatever amount you're gonna 727 00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:09,200 Speaker 1: keep in the running back group, but you'd love to 728 00:34:09,239 --> 00:34:12,840 Speaker 1: have them on the practice squad. Now their tape is 729 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:15,160 Speaker 1: out there, I mean the preseason games, that's there for 730 00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:16,840 Speaker 1: the world to see. Not everybody's going to see your 731 00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:19,120 Speaker 1: practice stuff, of course, unless you have these joint practices 732 00:34:19,160 --> 00:34:22,000 Speaker 1: and word gets out. But if a guy's been killing 733 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:24,239 Speaker 1: it in practice and he doesn't do much in the 734 00:34:24,239 --> 00:34:27,680 Speaker 1: preseason games, it's a double edged sword. You're thinking, oh, good. 735 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:29,200 Speaker 1: We didn't show him to the world. We can get 736 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:31,640 Speaker 1: him on the practice squad. The other part of it is, hey, 737 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:33,680 Speaker 1: why didn't he do well in the game. So you 738 00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:35,120 Speaker 1: just have to do well in the game and take 739 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:37,759 Speaker 1: your lums, take your shots, and take the risk of 740 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:39,680 Speaker 1: exposing a player. And the player's got to do his 741 00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:42,800 Speaker 1: best because it's in his career's best interest that he 742 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:45,319 Speaker 1: shines for you or for somebody else. Anyway, let's get 743 00:34:45,320 --> 00:34:48,040 Speaker 1: to this. This guy shines all the time. He is 744 00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:52,360 Speaker 1: marvelous and what he does. Chris Shepherd, he has food 745 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:57,600 Speaker 1: here at NRG Stadium. He has had underbelly. Now it's 746 00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:01,359 Speaker 1: George and James steakcasts on fifth which you opened with 747 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:05,600 Speaker 1: Whitney Merciless. He's got a great charitable cause, Southern Smoke. 748 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:07,839 Speaker 1: I gotta tell you, Southern Smoke is amazing. It helps 749 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:10,200 Speaker 1: out people in the restaurant industry. Now, I'm not going 750 00:35:10,239 --> 00:35:11,920 Speaker 1: to play you the whole interview. We sat down for 751 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:14,200 Speaker 1: a long time Chris Shepherd and myself here in the studio. 752 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:16,799 Speaker 1: It's on a podcast on Vandermeer's View. It's on the 753 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:20,640 Speaker 1: website Houston Texans dot com or available wherever you can 754 00:35:20,680 --> 00:35:24,000 Speaker 1: get fine podcasts, but I'll play you a couple of 755 00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:28,920 Speaker 1: minutes here Chris Shepherd here in studio. Let's hear from 756 00:35:28,920 --> 00:35:32,359 Speaker 1: the Master, who was recently named the best chef on 757 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:36,880 Speaker 1: Planet Earth by the rob Report. Just amazing stuff. Here's 758 00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:40,720 Speaker 1: an excerpt from the podcast. How did you get involved 759 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:43,239 Speaker 1: with the Texans? How did this originate? What were the 760 00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:46,319 Speaker 1: seedlings of this players coming into the restaurant? How did 761 00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:49,880 Speaker 1: that go down? It was tailgating. It was tailgating, sailgating, 762 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:52,279 Speaker 1: you know, coming to the games and tailgating and just 763 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 1: being like, you know, someday I want to put some 764 00:35:55,120 --> 00:35:58,680 Speaker 1: food in the stadium, okay, you know, And it just 765 00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:00,680 Speaker 1: happened that a kind of you know, talk to the 766 00:36:00,719 --> 00:36:03,359 Speaker 1: right people and they were like, you know what, Yeah, 767 00:36:03,360 --> 00:36:07,480 Speaker 1: this could work, This could work. And so you know 768 00:36:07,520 --> 00:36:11,200 Speaker 1: we're we're starting our sixth season UM as partners and 769 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:14,280 Speaker 1: it's been a great thing. Uh. You know, We've tried 770 00:36:14,760 --> 00:36:16,640 Speaker 1: you know, we've done club level, we've done sweet level, 771 00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:19,000 Speaker 1: we did some on the on the main concourse. You know, 772 00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:22,600 Speaker 1: it's just like what works and what's fun and where 773 00:36:22,600 --> 00:36:27,080 Speaker 1: do we see our food at and so you know, 774 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:30,240 Speaker 1: it's given us the ability to uh you know, nobody 775 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:33,359 Speaker 1: said live in this box, which was really kind of fun. 776 00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:35,640 Speaker 1: I was like, we'd have a meeting every year and 777 00:36:35,640 --> 00:36:36,719 Speaker 1: they're like, what do you want to do? I was like, 778 00:36:36,719 --> 00:36:39,359 Speaker 1: what do you guys want to do? Like, whatever you want? 779 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:41,719 Speaker 1: So we would come up with fun things. But it's 780 00:36:41,840 --> 00:36:43,640 Speaker 1: also you know, the first year we did this, I 781 00:36:43,640 --> 00:36:45,520 Speaker 1: came in, I was like, we're putting the goat and 782 00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:49,000 Speaker 1: dumplings on the menu up here, and people are gonna, 783 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:50,480 Speaker 1: you know, we sell so many of it the restaurant 784 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:51,960 Speaker 1: people are gonna love it, and it was like it's 785 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:54,320 Speaker 1: not really a game day food, you know. It was 786 00:36:54,400 --> 00:36:58,520 Speaker 1: kind of like it was very humbling, you know, because 787 00:36:58,560 --> 00:37:01,040 Speaker 1: I would every time it's somebody go by like yes, 788 00:37:01,160 --> 00:37:03,400 Speaker 1: and then I'm like, oh, well, they didn't really do 789 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:05,959 Speaker 1: that much of it, you know, and it's like, let's 790 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:10,520 Speaker 1: rework this. What did I want when I was sitting 791 00:37:10,560 --> 00:37:12,239 Speaker 1: out in the parking lot for the game with my 792 00:37:12,239 --> 00:37:14,600 Speaker 1: friends the football around or whatever. What did I want 793 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:17,239 Speaker 1: to eat when I came in? And that was where 794 00:37:17,239 --> 00:37:21,400 Speaker 1: we're at now. So um and that's that, you know. 795 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 1: It was just that first year where I was like, 796 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:25,440 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do the restaurant food, and I was like, yeah, no, 797 00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:29,680 Speaker 1: we can take those interpretations and and do it differently, 798 00:37:30,280 --> 00:37:32,480 Speaker 1: you know. So, um, this year is is gonna be 799 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:35,960 Speaker 1: pretty special. So that's cool stuff. So why can't you 800 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:38,880 Speaker 1: share with us still on the club level? Um, you know, 801 00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:42,799 Speaker 1: we've always been doing for the past three years, we've 802 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:45,440 Speaker 1: been doing a hall openio cheddar Dog with Tatortock Castle 803 00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:47,640 Speaker 1: and I was like, you know what, we need to 804 00:37:47,719 --> 00:37:51,680 Speaker 1: change that, and uh, the team told me that, you 805 00:37:51,680 --> 00:37:55,680 Speaker 1: know what, You're gonna catch a lot of backlash on that. 806 00:37:56,680 --> 00:37:59,399 Speaker 1: They love it and so they're gonna you know, there's 807 00:37:59,400 --> 00:38:01,000 Speaker 1: gonna be something people it'll be like where's that at? 808 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:02,080 Speaker 1: And I was like, well, if we're gonna change it, 809 00:38:02,120 --> 00:38:04,920 Speaker 1: we need to do something better. It just has to 810 00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:08,520 Speaker 1: like we can't. The one thing you don't want to 811 00:38:08,520 --> 00:38:10,439 Speaker 1: do is go backwards and you don't want to stay 812 00:38:10,480 --> 00:38:13,080 Speaker 1: the same. So we had to elevate that to a 813 00:38:13,080 --> 00:38:16,200 Speaker 1: different place. And so one of the things we've been 814 00:38:16,200 --> 00:38:18,040 Speaker 1: doing at the restaurant for a few years and had 815 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:20,279 Speaker 1: the conversation about how do we get it in here 816 00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:24,560 Speaker 1: and finally figured it out. But we make bacon sausage, 817 00:38:25,840 --> 00:38:28,319 Speaker 1: which is the theory behind it is that we take 818 00:38:29,160 --> 00:38:33,040 Speaker 1: pork shoulders, cure them like bacon, so it has the 819 00:38:33,120 --> 00:38:37,319 Speaker 1: flavorite grind, put into a casing, and smoke it and 820 00:38:37,400 --> 00:38:39,920 Speaker 1: so when you bite into it, it looks like a 821 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:43,640 Speaker 1: sausage if people are a hot dog, but has all 822 00:38:43,640 --> 00:38:48,120 Speaker 1: the flavor of bacon, which I think that will be popular. 823 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:52,840 Speaker 1: Just a hodge. Well, we started doing it and I 824 00:38:52,920 --> 00:38:55,279 Speaker 1: was like, man, I don't know, like that baking thing 825 00:38:55,360 --> 00:38:58,000 Speaker 1: is kind of you know, too much. And then we 826 00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:00,279 Speaker 1: made it and I was like, oh my gosh, yeah, 827 00:39:00,680 --> 00:39:02,719 Speaker 1: best of everything, we gotta do this, and so it 828 00:39:02,840 --> 00:39:05,480 Speaker 1: started a whole another business program for us really and 829 00:39:05,520 --> 00:39:09,360 Speaker 1: so um, but we've it'll be on this, it'll be 830 00:39:09,360 --> 00:39:10,719 Speaker 1: on the club over this year, and then we're gonna 831 00:39:10,719 --> 00:39:12,640 Speaker 1: do it a Texans cheese steak, which is kind of 832 00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:15,640 Speaker 1: our you know, delicious sandwich that you want to have, 833 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:18,360 Speaker 1: and then or in sweet packages, there's gonna be the 834 00:39:18,360 --> 00:39:20,759 Speaker 1: pbe and J wings, the bacon sausage hot dogs, and 835 00:39:20,800 --> 00:39:22,160 Speaker 1: then one of the dishes from the book, which is 836 00:39:22,239 --> 00:39:25,280 Speaker 1: kind of a popcorn shrimp idea, so it's a Christy shrimp, 837 00:39:25,320 --> 00:39:27,839 Speaker 1: and then we make a popcorn butter if you will 838 00:39:27,880 --> 00:39:31,360 Speaker 1: so it's like small shrimp. When you think of popcorn shrimp, 839 00:39:31,360 --> 00:39:35,719 Speaker 1: you just but then we're actually tying the popcorn into it. Yes, 840 00:39:36,800 --> 00:39:39,759 Speaker 1: so yeah, yeah, I'm following and it's good. And then 841 00:39:39,760 --> 00:39:42,600 Speaker 1: a chicken and biscuit dish that is very popular. And 842 00:39:42,640 --> 00:39:45,399 Speaker 1: then we're gonna bring some of the one fifth Mediterranean 843 00:39:45,400 --> 00:39:48,799 Speaker 1: and okay, so much going on. I remember once the 844 00:39:48,840 --> 00:39:51,319 Speaker 1: Texans were playing the Bills, has that underbelly the night 845 00:39:51,360 --> 00:39:54,840 Speaker 1: before and you said, yeah, I'm making half a buffalo 846 00:39:54,840 --> 00:39:56,680 Speaker 1: in the parking lot or something like that. Yeah, we 847 00:39:56,719 --> 00:39:59,560 Speaker 1: smoke to buffalo. Yeah, yeah, that's uh. And they smoked 848 00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:04,400 Speaker 1: the Bills next day. There's an excerpt from the podcast 849 00:40:04,440 --> 00:40:07,799 Speaker 1: with Chris Shepherd, named the world's greatest chef by the 850 00:40:07,920 --> 00:40:11,040 Speaker 1: Rob Report. He has Southern Smoco check out, that great 851 00:40:11,120 --> 00:40:15,160 Speaker 1: charity helping out people in the restaurant industry, and he 852 00:40:15,200 --> 00:40:18,319 Speaker 1: speaks passionately about that. I urge you to listen to 853 00:40:18,360 --> 00:40:21,080 Speaker 1: the entire podcast. Look, it's radio. We don't have time 854 00:40:21,120 --> 00:40:23,439 Speaker 1: for all of that stuff. And it's a podcast world. 855 00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:25,920 Speaker 1: It's a radio world. It's an audio world. That's my 856 00:40:26,040 --> 00:40:30,600 Speaker 1: favorite medium, yes, of any kind. Audio. All right, So 857 00:40:30,760 --> 00:40:33,120 Speaker 1: a couple of things to get to about tomorrow. We're 858 00:40:33,120 --> 00:40:35,600 Speaker 1: gonna be back out of the field eight to ten am. 859 00:40:35,719 --> 00:40:38,640 Speaker 1: Sports video six tens, Sean and Seth. What do they 860 00:40:38,680 --> 00:40:41,680 Speaker 1: call pain and pendergas cheese? We have a literation all 861 00:40:41,719 --> 00:40:43,920 Speaker 1: over the place. They'll be out from six to eight. 862 00:40:43,960 --> 00:40:46,959 Speaker 1: Then it's us Johnny and myself, then in the loop 863 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:49,360 Speaker 1: with Landry and Lopez, so we'll all be out of 864 00:40:49,400 --> 00:40:52,840 Speaker 1: the field broadcasting as the Texans embark on day six 865 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:56,720 Speaker 1: of training camp and a week from Thursday, the opener 866 00:40:56,760 --> 00:40:59,880 Speaker 1: against the Packers seven pm, live right here live on 867 00:41:00,040 --> 00:41:03,360 Speaker 1: ABC thirteen. You can stream it on your app all 868 00:41:03,440 --> 00:41:06,239 Speaker 1: the games all year long, by the way, all year 869 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:09,040 Speaker 1: long on the app. Okay, so when you're watching kiddo 870 00:41:09,239 --> 00:41:12,440 Speaker 1: at the softball game, you can have your phone and 871 00:41:12,520 --> 00:41:15,359 Speaker 1: watch the game at the same time. But don't miss 872 00:41:15,400 --> 00:41:18,360 Speaker 1: any players of the softball or baseball game. And that's 873 00:41:18,400 --> 00:41:21,080 Speaker 1: not really that hard to do, really, if your kid 874 00:41:21,080 --> 00:41:22,960 Speaker 1: plays in the airfield. Don't get me started on youth 875 00:41:23,040 --> 00:41:25,120 Speaker 1: league baseball. Now. I know it's a passion for so 876 00:41:25,160 --> 00:41:27,200 Speaker 1: many of you. I don't mean to, you know, downplay it. 877 00:41:27,560 --> 00:41:29,480 Speaker 1: If my kid pitched or was a catcher, I'd be 878 00:41:29,520 --> 00:41:31,680 Speaker 1: all over it or first base, any other position. I'm 879 00:41:31,680 --> 00:41:33,640 Speaker 1: not so sure. All right, stop, I don't want to 880 00:41:33,640 --> 00:41:37,200 Speaker 1: hear any complaints anyway. Have a great night everyone. It's 881 00:41:37,239 --> 00:41:38,799 Speaker 1: so great to have you listening. We had a ton 882 00:41:38,840 --> 00:41:40,480 Speaker 1: of players on. I'm not going to name them all, 883 00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:43,640 Speaker 1: but thank you to everybody who contributed to the program tonight. 884 00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:46,080 Speaker 1: Have a beautiful night, Go Texans.