1 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Command Center Podcast. I'm Julie Donaldson. The 2 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: Commanders secured their defensive deal upfront after signing defensive tackle 3 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,279 Speaker 1: Duran Payne to a four year deal. Payne total to 4 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 1: season high eleven and a half sacks and sixty four 5 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 1: tackles in his first Pro Bowl season. I sat down 6 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: with former first round pick out of Alabama to get 7 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: his reaction to staying in Washington, and of course we 8 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 1: begin this show with nothing other than the big man, 9 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: Duran Payne finally getting this deal done. Duran, congratulations, thank you? 10 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:37,239 Speaker 1: When does this think it? Because I don't know that 11 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 1: we were really anticipating or expecting this to be the 12 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: result when they tagged you. I don't know. I thought 13 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: I was talking to my agent. He was like, as 14 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: it sucking yet I was like, nah, maybe I just 15 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: think you when I actually see you. So, you know, 16 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 1: when they tagged you, I think we kind of said, okay, 17 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: this is just the circumstances that this offseason is going 18 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: to have for you. How did the conversations and when 19 00:00:57,960 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 1: those come about to say, no, wait a second, were 20 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: making sure that your future is right here and making 21 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: you the second highest paid at your position. I mean 22 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: the whole time, Coach Ron told me that they was 23 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:12,479 Speaker 1: gonna get the job done for me, that they might 24 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: have to tag me, but they still was gonna do it. 25 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 1: So I'm just happy that we was able to get 26 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 1: it done quick and not can just think about football. Yeah, 27 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: go out there, train hard and get ready to put 28 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 1: on another good season. I feel like it was kind 29 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: of like the big elephant in the room all last season, 30 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 1: especially as those sack numbers kind of kept adding up. 31 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: How much of this has been on your mind throughout 32 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 1: last year? I mean last year, I was really just 33 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 1: focused on playing good ball, and everything just started playing 34 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 1: playing to itself. So I just like, you know, I 35 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:45,679 Speaker 1: might as well just have fun making plays, and it 36 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: all just played up. Coach said that you set the 37 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: example no, certainly with your play, but also that you 38 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: stuck to your word. What was your word? I just 39 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: told them. I know they didn't want to. I was 40 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 1: kind of upset because they didn't want to do a 41 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: contract and they didn't offer me, So I just told 42 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: them that I showed them. I showed them why why 43 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: I deserve to be here, and that's what I did. 44 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: How much of that actually impacted what you did on 45 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 1: the field, then, I mean I just took it into 46 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: the off season and users as motivation, like train hard 47 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: and I know, like when I'm planning play harder. You 48 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: first came in here fourteen and a half sacks to 49 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 1: start out, and then all of a sudden, here you 50 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: go this last year with eleven and a half setting 51 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: the record since what try and Kerrigan did it back 52 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 1: in twenty nineteen. Um? What and when did things really 53 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: change for you when it comes to being able to 54 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:39,959 Speaker 1: kind of like up the game and get to the quarterback. 55 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:44,519 Speaker 1: I mean, I think it really started in like that 56 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 1: last bit of OTA's Like, I don't know, I just 57 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: felt like I was gonna have a good year, Like 58 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: I was moving good, felt good. Then when we got 59 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: the training camp bills, like dang, I didn't do a 60 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: whole bunch of things. So that's when it really started 61 00:02:57,600 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 1: to take off. You talk about finishing, So what was 62 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 1: the difference in finishing getting the quarterback to the ground 63 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 1: and not running faster? Nah, My first couple of years, 64 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 1: I always used to like I used to get back there, 65 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 1: but I might WHI on the tackle run past a quarterback. 66 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 1: He might put a move on me. But this year, 67 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: I was able to get him well, last year, I 68 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: was able to get him in. Just capitalize one all 69 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 1: my good stuff your coaches, Ryan Kerrigan joins the realm. 70 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 1: I'm quite familiar with him as his teammate. But then 71 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 1: also Coachy. How much did they kind of help you 72 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: this past year? A whole bunch, man. I always just 73 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: look to Coachy. He always works with me every day 74 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: to work on like different moves and different techniques. And 75 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: then I always got you know, Ryan, he's real quiet, 76 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: So he might just be in the back of the 77 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: room just smiling looking at him like, yeah, he's doing 78 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: doing your thing, or he might just give me some 79 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: tips on how to counter or do a little different things. 80 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: But it's just good having a bit like Ryan in 81 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 1: the room. Eleven and a half sacks. The expectation now 82 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 1: that of course you do have this long term deal, 83 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: is that, okay, what's how do you follow that up 84 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: to try to do it again and go back out 85 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: here this offseason, train a little bit harder, come back 86 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: in with the right mindset, and then and just try 87 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: to go out there and make plays. If I talk 88 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:21,920 Speaker 1: to some of the coaches around here and they taught 89 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 1: me about your game. They said, there's still another level 90 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: to what you're capable of doing. I hope, So, I hope, 91 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: So I know, I know. I definitely don't feel like 92 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 1: i've him my stri yet. I feel I got room 93 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: to grow, room to improve a lot of things that 94 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:40,159 Speaker 1: I can work on this offseason to become a better player. 95 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: I feel like that's why I like playing in the NFL, 96 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 1: because it's like you're not always like you're not always done. 97 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: You get another week to be better, and that's what 98 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: I try to do every week to be better than 99 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 1: I was this last year. You got to go to 100 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: the Pro Bowl for your play as well. When we 101 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 1: were talking out there, you're commenting that you were the 102 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: strongest player out there. Where do you think your game 103 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:04,840 Speaker 1: is in ranks amongst your position? I feel like I'm 104 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: up there. I'm up there with the best of them. 105 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: My flight can go to any NFL team and play 106 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 1: with play with anybody. That's what it is. You're playing 107 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:17,280 Speaker 1: alongside John Allen as well, and of course you have 108 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: Chased and montesas they're on the outside. Um, what can 109 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 1: you say about this D line and how important it 110 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: was for them to try and keep you guys together. 111 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: Me and Jay, we've been playing together so long and 112 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:31,919 Speaker 1: we just like I know, I was just looking at 113 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 1: some highlight tapes. It's like he knows when I'm about 114 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 1: to make a move and he'll work off me. And 115 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:38,840 Speaker 1: I know what kind of moves he liked to make. 116 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: So it's like we've been we'd already put in so 117 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,480 Speaker 1: much work together. We already know each other. We can 118 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 1: just play fast off each other. And I know before 119 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:49,160 Speaker 1: every game he always telled me, let's go make all 120 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:50,960 Speaker 1: the players and then we ain't got to worry about nothing. 121 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:53,839 Speaker 1: So that's what we try to do. And the other 122 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 1: guys months and chase them. Boys, they really special and 123 00:05:57,720 --> 00:05:59,600 Speaker 1: like it's just a bunch of fun being able to 124 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 1: play with them. All right. I do not want to 125 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 1: be a quarterback having to face you guys this upcoming season, 126 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 1: knowing that especially the D line is solidified for quite 127 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:10,679 Speaker 1: a few years, and especially with John Allen going forward. 128 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:15,040 Speaker 1: How are we celebrating? Ooh, I haven't gotten that far yet. 129 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 1: I feel like I'm the I'm gonna find something to do. 130 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 1: I might say my family on vacation. Someone wish there 131 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: you go. That's a good one. Share it with the family. Congratulations, 132 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:27,239 Speaker 1: well observed. We're excited to keep you here in DC. Thanks. 133 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:32,479 Speaker 1: Thank A quick programming note. At the end of the 134 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 1: month Command Center, we'll be leaving NBC Sports Washington, but 135 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 1: don't worry. That does not mean the show is coming 136 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:41,039 Speaker 1: to an end. We will continue to deliver you fans 137 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: the best content involving your favorite team. You can watch 138 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,360 Speaker 1: new episodes at Command Center each week on the team's 139 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:47,839 Speaker 1: website and YouTube channel.