WEBVTT - Chris Rodriguez is Just Making His Mom Proud | Next Man Up | Washington Commanders 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:02.240 Jesus, What's good? 0:00:02.279 --> 0:00:04.160 Command of Sammy Bride Cole with JUNI here and this 0:00:04.480 --> 0:00:06.400 is the Next Man Up Podcast, who we sit with 0:00:06.440 --> 0:00:09.119 your favorite Commanders players and don't talk so much extra noes. 0:00:09.360 --> 0:00:11.799 We talk about the man behind the help man. 0:00:11.920 --> 0:00:14.120 Our next man Up is no other than our running back, 0:00:14.200 --> 0:00:18.360 our rookie Chris Rodriguez. Chris talks about having peached State Pride, 0:00:18.480 --> 0:00:20.479 how where it is to make it, from where he's from, 0:00:20.800 --> 0:00:23.840 looking up to now teammate Antonio Gibson as a kid, 0:00:24.000 --> 0:00:27.680 and how losing his mother impacted his life. Very very 0:00:27.720 --> 0:00:30.520 great thoughtful conversation with this young man. And it all 0:00:30.560 --> 0:00:35.560 starts right now. What's good Commander Sammy? I and Bride 0:00:35.560 --> 0:00:37.600 Cole with Jun and this is the Next Man Up 0:00:37.640 --> 0:00:39.960 Podcast where we sit with your favorite Commanders players and 0:00:40.000 --> 0:00:42.239 don't talk so much extra notes. We talk about the 0:00:42.240 --> 0:00:44.920 player behind the mask. And this next man Up is 0:00:44.960 --> 0:00:48.360 no other than our sixth round fick Chris Rodriguez, all 0:00:48.440 --> 0:00:49.640 running back out of Kentucky. 0:00:49.680 --> 0:00:51.000 Brother, how you doing, I'm doing good? 0:00:51.080 --> 0:00:51.519 How about you? 0:00:51.640 --> 0:00:52.519 Oh man, I'm blessed. Man. 0:00:52.560 --> 0:00:54.440 I appreciate you, like always tell the rookies man, I 0:00:54.480 --> 0:00:56.880 know like these first seasons are crazy for you guys, 0:00:57.200 --> 0:00:59.000 very regimented, so I appreciate you taking the time to 0:00:59.080 --> 0:01:01.240 kick it with it, Yes, sir man. So you know, 0:01:01.280 --> 0:01:03.520 we're gonna talk a little more about football later, but 0:01:03.640 --> 0:01:04.880 we like to start at the beginning. 0:01:05.640 --> 0:01:07.399 Talk about a little b where you're from. Man out 0:01:07.400 --> 0:01:08.000 in Georgia. 0:01:08.120 --> 0:01:11.560 Yeah, So I was originally born in Clayton County. Yeah, 0:01:11.640 --> 0:01:14.560 and then you know, when I was in fifth grade, 0:01:14.880 --> 0:01:17.520 I think I moved or I did move to McDonald, Georgia, 0:01:17.560 --> 0:01:18.839 where I went to Ola High School. 0:01:19.800 --> 0:01:19.920 Uh. 0:01:21.120 --> 0:01:24.000 When I got to seventh grade, that's when you can 0:01:24.000 --> 0:01:28.400 start playing like, you know, real organized school sports. That 0:01:28.520 --> 0:01:31.560 when I started playing. And uh, at first, I grew 0:01:31.640 --> 0:01:37.200 up playing center, so I wasn't really you know, running 0:01:37.200 --> 0:01:40.720 back or whatever. But my godfather, you know, I still 0:01:40.760 --> 0:01:43.199 I was younger, so I could still play like reg 0:01:43.280 --> 0:01:48.040 league football. So my godfather put me at fullback because 0:01:48.040 --> 0:01:50.560 he was like, you're not a blog you know, we're 0:01:50.560 --> 0:01:52.480 just gonna put you at full And then my my 0:01:52.520 --> 0:01:55.400 older brother he played center. So then when I got 0:01:55.440 --> 0:01:58.520 to seventh grade, when I started playing, uh, they were like, 0:01:58.560 --> 0:01:59.880 you know, we're gonna put you at fullback. 0:02:00.840 --> 0:02:00.960 Uh. 0:02:01.400 --> 0:02:05.400 So then I started playing fullback a little bit. Pretty 0:02:05.520 --> 0:02:09.120 much did that throughout middle school, got to high school. 0:02:10.200 --> 0:02:13.360 I didn't take I didn't know like the ins and 0:02:13.360 --> 0:02:14.760 out of footballs, Like, I didn't know you had to go 0:02:14.800 --> 0:02:18.440 to summer workouts to make varsity, right, right, So I 0:02:18.480 --> 0:02:21.280 didn't go to summer workouts my freshman year, and then 0:02:22.720 --> 0:02:25.600 I ended up qualifying for varsity, but they didn't put 0:02:25.639 --> 0:02:27.440 me on varsity. My head coach is like, nah, we're 0:02:27.480 --> 0:02:31.400 not doing that. So and then I was on JV 0:02:31.639 --> 0:02:34.240 pretty much that whole year, and then one game they 0:02:34.280 --> 0:02:36.720 bumped me up because when the running backs got hurt 0:02:37.080 --> 0:02:39.520 and the first play I got in, I took it 0:02:39.600 --> 0:02:42.840 like seventy yards to coach took me out. I was like, 0:02:42.840 --> 0:02:45.799 you're not playing anymore. I didn't play the rest of 0:02:45.840 --> 0:02:49.760 the season on varsity, played JV, and then uh, and 0:02:49.760 --> 0:02:52.440 then yeah, that's pretty much you know, McDonalds for me. 0:02:52.600 --> 0:02:54.080 I mean, you know, when I was growing up, it 0:02:54.120 --> 0:02:58.680 was me, Mo, sister, grandma, grandparents, It was a lot 0:02:58.680 --> 0:02:59.760 of us in the house. You know, we kind of 0:02:59.760 --> 0:03:03.560 grew up as a tight family. And then when we 0:03:03.720 --> 0:03:06.079 got older, like some people moved out, but pretty much 0:03:06.120 --> 0:03:07.359 it was it was all of us in the. 0:03:07.320 --> 0:03:09.760 House, did the coach explain why he took you out 0:03:09.800 --> 0:03:12.200 like that? He didn't want you to take anybody else's job, So. 0:03:13.680 --> 0:03:16.480 He told me after after the season, he was just 0:03:16.520 --> 0:03:19.720 pretty much like, yo, like you didn't come to summer workouts. 0:03:19.840 --> 0:03:22.880 You know, you're in the doghouse. So that next year, 0:03:24.160 --> 0:03:25.840 you know, he sat down, he had a talk with me. 0:03:25.880 --> 0:03:27.360 It was like, you know, you can you can do 0:03:27.400 --> 0:03:30.160 big things, but I'm not gonna take it easy on you. 0:03:30.120 --> 0:03:31.680 Just because you're a good player. Yeah. 0:03:31.720 --> 0:03:34.400 So since ever since that conversation, like I was showing 0:03:34.440 --> 0:03:37.160 up the summer workouts, we had like early morning workouts, 0:03:37.480 --> 0:03:38.640 h spring workouts. 0:03:38.800 --> 0:03:40.120 Yeah, it was a. 0:03:40.080 --> 0:03:41.440 Lot, but I mean, you know, it got me to 0:03:41.480 --> 0:03:43.240 where I am now, and I'm grateful for him. 0:03:43.360 --> 0:03:45.800 When you're that age, those kind of moments, especially with 0:03:45.920 --> 0:03:49.760 like figures like a coach, right, it was very impactful. 0:03:50.080 --> 0:03:52.320 Now that you look back on that moment right there, 0:03:52.480 --> 0:03:53.600 you missed the workouts. 0:03:53.800 --> 0:03:55.440 Yeah, how happy. 0:03:55.120 --> 0:03:56.600 Are you that he did that and taught you that 0:03:56.680 --> 0:03:59.480 lesson so early? I mean I'm extremely happy. Yeah, I'm 0:03:59.520 --> 0:04:02.880 extremely less for not only him, but my running backs 0:04:02.920 --> 0:04:05.960 coach coach McCrary He's one of the coaches that I keep, 0:04:06.040 --> 0:04:09.920 you know, really dear to me because when I was 0:04:10.640 --> 0:04:12.680 you know, when you get to high school, you know, 0:04:12.760 --> 0:04:15.120 some people just they don't take school as serious as 0:04:15.120 --> 0:04:17.480 they need to. Uh, And I was one of those 0:04:17.480 --> 0:04:19.839 people who was like, man, I got I'm good at football, 0:04:19.880 --> 0:04:21.680 like I'm gonna make it. Don't need school. And he 0:04:21.720 --> 0:04:24.760 took me and he was like, yo, nah, it ain't 0:04:24.760 --> 0:04:28.479 gonna work like that. And his wife worked at the school. 0:04:28.560 --> 0:04:32.240 She was a cheerleadings coach actually, and uh, you know 0:04:32.400 --> 0:04:34.400 when I needed help with something, he was like, you know, 0:04:34.440 --> 0:04:36.240 I got a she can tutor you, she can help you. 0:04:36.520 --> 0:04:39.920 And uh. She pretty much helped me throughout high school. 0:04:40.240 --> 0:04:42.200 You know, if there was something that I, you know, 0:04:42.279 --> 0:04:45.120 didn't understand, she would you know, sit me down and 0:04:45.160 --> 0:04:46.960 they would explain it to me, and not like it 0:04:47.040 --> 0:04:51.599 was just it wasn't like really I would say school stuff. 0:04:52.440 --> 0:04:54.560 Even if it was like outside stuff you know, about 0:04:55.160 --> 0:04:57.600 about family, about home, you know, they would they would 0:04:57.600 --> 0:04:59.440 bring me in like I would go over there sometimes 0:05:00.160 --> 0:05:04.000 have dinner or whatever. But yeah, I'm extremely blessed for 0:05:04.080 --> 0:05:06.600 both of them and grateful that they helped me get 0:05:06.600 --> 0:05:07.520 to where I am today too. 0:05:07.680 --> 0:05:09.640 That's so cool to hear because it clearly sounds like 0:05:09.640 --> 0:05:11.280 you had people that really believed in you. 0:05:11.360 --> 0:05:12.200 Oh yeah, for sure. 0:05:12.320 --> 0:05:15.360 When did you believe like, oh man, I'm gonna I'm 0:05:15.360 --> 0:05:16.960 gonna make it to the next level. I'm at least 0:05:16.960 --> 0:05:19.159 gonna go play college football. When did you like realize that. 0:05:21.040 --> 0:05:26.600 I would say my sophomore year. Actually after my sophomore year, uh, 0:05:26.880 --> 0:05:30.719 going into my junior or high school, I was actually 0:05:30.720 --> 0:05:33.400 on the way to New York, uh, and. 0:05:33.320 --> 0:05:33.920 I got a coach. 0:05:34.000 --> 0:05:36.240 I got a call for my head coach, and. 0:05:36.200 --> 0:05:39.160 He was like, yo, Georgia State's gonna offer you. 0:05:39.800 --> 0:05:40.080 Wow. 0:05:40.120 --> 0:05:44.599 I was like to the state, like yeah, So it's like, 0:05:44.680 --> 0:05:47.039 you know, I just I was extremely grateful for that 0:05:47.080 --> 0:05:50.279 opportunity that they would even you know, considered consider me. 0:05:51.040 --> 0:05:51.480 Uh. 0:05:51.720 --> 0:05:53.640 But you know when I kept working, and you know, 0:05:55.800 --> 0:05:57.839 it was I'll never forget the running back that we 0:05:57.960 --> 0:06:01.960 had when I was as freshman. He told me he 0:06:02.000 --> 0:06:03.880 was like, you never break my records. 0:06:04.360 --> 0:06:06.040 And I was like, dang, wow. 0:06:06.279 --> 0:06:10.400 So I took that to heart. Yeah, I'm saying so 0:06:10.400 --> 0:06:13.400 so that my sophomore year I ended up breaking his record. 0:06:13.600 --> 0:06:15.039 The year he left, I end up breaking it, and 0:06:15.080 --> 0:06:16.599 then the year after that, I ended up breaking my 0:06:16.640 --> 0:06:17.440 own record again. 0:06:17.560 --> 0:06:17.839 Wow. 0:06:18.120 --> 0:06:20.919 So after that I was, you know, just you just 0:06:20.960 --> 0:06:23.080 think to yourself, like, I really can't do this if 0:06:23.120 --> 0:06:26.159 I apply myself to not only on the field but 0:06:26.240 --> 0:06:27.560 off the field in the classroom. 0:06:27.680 --> 0:06:27.920 Yeah. 0:06:28.240 --> 0:06:31.000 So I say that was the moment probably like after 0:06:31.040 --> 0:06:33.320 my sophomore year, I was like thinking, I can do this. 0:06:33.520 --> 0:06:35.560 Did you get to see that running back again after 0:06:35.600 --> 0:06:37.600 you broke his record and let him know, like, hey, bro, 0:06:37.960 --> 0:06:39.840 I got you, got you twice? 0:06:40.120 --> 0:06:44.480 So I did. I did see him, pretty cool dude talking. 0:06:44.520 --> 0:06:46.040 You know, he was just I guess he was in 0:06:46.120 --> 0:06:49.839 a bad mood that day. I got mad respect for him. 0:06:50.200 --> 0:06:53.880 He did show me the ropes as a freshman, but yeah, 0:06:53.880 --> 0:06:56.159 I seen him. It was no hard feelings, but you 0:06:56.200 --> 0:06:57.880 know I did do it three. 0:06:58.839 --> 0:07:00.680 Let him know wrong with that. 0:07:01.839 --> 0:07:04.640 And it's funny every time I talk to y'all Georgia boys, man, 0:07:04.680 --> 0:07:06.640 I hear this Peach State pride phrase? 0:07:06.720 --> 0:07:09.040 Right, y'all got this Peach State pride? What does that 0:07:09.080 --> 0:07:10.400 mean to you? Yeah? 0:07:10.440 --> 0:07:15.640 So when I got to Kentucky, I felt like, well, 0:07:15.680 --> 0:07:18.200 even when I was on my official visit to Kentucky, 0:07:18.240 --> 0:07:20.200 it was me and a bunch of Florida boys, or 0:07:20.240 --> 0:07:22.560 me and a bunch of Ohio boys. You know, I 0:07:22.600 --> 0:07:26.040 really didn't really know any any Georgia boys. I was 0:07:26.040 --> 0:07:26.440 on the team. 0:07:26.520 --> 0:07:27.880 Yeah. Uh. 0:07:27.960 --> 0:07:31.960 And when I got there, I met Jamn and Yusuf 0:07:32.560 --> 0:07:34.760 and they're both Yusuf was from around my area. I 0:07:34.840 --> 0:07:38.880 knew him growing up, just like I knew Antonio. And Uh, 0:07:39.160 --> 0:07:41.520 they had this saying it was like Peach State Pride. 0:07:41.880 --> 0:07:44.960 I was like, what I'm talking about, like Peace State Prize. 0:07:45.000 --> 0:07:47.480 You know it's not a lot of Georgia boys is here, 0:07:48.520 --> 0:07:52.000 and you know we we got to keep the brotherhood together. 0:07:52.680 --> 0:07:56.880 Yeah prize what I guess Jamin and Yusuf came up with. 0:07:56.960 --> 0:07:59.080 And uh, every time I see jam And I always 0:07:59.080 --> 0:08:00.920 telling you know, peace State baby. 0:08:01.880 --> 0:08:04.320 And you mentioned Ag. Let's go back to that real quick. 0:08:04.680 --> 0:08:07.000 He's from your area. Yes, he's a guy that played 0:08:07.000 --> 0:08:09.080 in high school not too far from your high school. 0:08:09.480 --> 0:08:11.480 And we talked talked about a little earlier before the 0:08:11.480 --> 0:08:14.120 show started that you know you really he was it 0:08:14.160 --> 0:08:15.920 to you when you watched him play, you were like, yo, 0:08:16.160 --> 0:08:18.600 he's that guy. Talk about AG and how you viewed 0:08:18.680 --> 0:08:20.480 him before even becoming his teammate. 0:08:20.520 --> 0:08:24.119 Yep, So I believe I was in middle school still 0:08:25.080 --> 0:08:29.120 and it was a home game at our high school, 0:08:29.880 --> 0:08:33.760 and it was it was like two people on Eagles 0:08:33.840 --> 0:08:37.559 Land and which is where AG went. It was Antonio 0:08:37.600 --> 0:08:40.880 and then another cold running back receiver something I don't 0:08:40.920 --> 0:08:43.280 even I can't remember what he was. But when I 0:08:43.320 --> 0:08:45.120 was at the game, like you know, usually when when 0:08:45.160 --> 0:08:47.360 the kids go to high school games, they usually play football, 0:08:47.440 --> 0:08:50.520 like by the bleachers or something. But for some reason, 0:08:50.520 --> 0:08:53.360 I was really locked into that game and I saw 0:08:53.440 --> 0:08:55.760 AG playing, I was like, man, he's cold. You know 0:08:55.760 --> 0:08:56.800 this before he was a running back. 0:08:56.880 --> 0:08:57.840 Yeah, he's a receiver. 0:08:58.480 --> 0:09:01.040 So I'm like, this dude is cold. And uh, you 0:09:01.040 --> 0:09:03.960 know when he did end up going, I think he 0:09:04.040 --> 0:09:07.240 went to a Juco first. I kind of kept in contact. 0:09:07.280 --> 0:09:10.280 I looked him up on Twitter, kept in contact with him. 0:09:10.280 --> 0:09:13.240 I don't think he knew of me, but uh, watching 0:09:13.320 --> 0:09:16.040 him play, I'm like, man, I just I want to 0:09:16.040 --> 0:09:18.520 be like that because I was more of the bruiser, 0:09:18.920 --> 0:09:20.480 you know what I'm saying. But Ag, he had a 0:09:20.480 --> 0:09:22.920 little finesse to him. So when I was watching him, 0:09:22.920 --> 0:09:24.160 I was like I want to be like that, you know. 0:09:24.280 --> 0:09:27.959 So He's from the the same area, so kind of 0:09:28.040 --> 0:09:34.160 kept up with him. And ironically enough, my marketing guy 0:09:34.400 --> 0:09:37.200 is the same marketing guy he had, so when I 0:09:37.240 --> 0:09:40.040 did get drafted, we got to the same team. Antonio 0:09:40.280 --> 0:09:42.800 he I can't remember if he text or called me, 0:09:43.679 --> 0:09:46.320 but at that moment, I was like, man, like I 0:09:46.360 --> 0:09:50.000 finally met Antonio. Wow, full circle, full circle. 0:09:50.400 --> 0:09:50.679 Damn. 0:09:51.080 --> 0:09:52.959 It was a It was a pretty cool moment. Honestly, 0:09:53.000 --> 0:09:57.680 you know, from watching him on TV and uh, honestly 0:09:57.720 --> 0:09:59.600 being around him and still you know, it's like I 0:09:59.600 --> 0:10:01.880 would a starstruck because you know, I've seen him when 0:10:01.880 --> 0:10:04.040 he was we was young. 0:10:05.160 --> 0:10:06.120 It was a really cool moment. 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:08.120 Have you guys had that conversation where you told them 0:10:08.120 --> 0:10:09.839 all these things like, yo, man, I watched you with 0:10:09.880 --> 0:10:12.440 the middle school like does he remember you hitting him up? 0:10:12.480 --> 0:10:13.800 And do you have them all these things like do 0:10:13.840 --> 0:10:15.520 you all have those conversations. 0:10:14.920 --> 0:10:18.800 That we've had them? But you know, at the same time, 0:10:18.920 --> 0:10:24.760 it's like we we What can I say, Like we 0:10:24.840 --> 0:10:27.640 had those conversations, but you know, I don't think he 0:10:27.720 --> 0:10:30.319 knows how much it meant to me. Wow what I'm saying, 0:10:30.720 --> 0:10:32.560 Like he takes it as man like that's cool. 0:10:32.600 --> 0:10:32.920 And stuff. 0:10:32.960 --> 0:10:35.600 I'm like, Dag, like I wanted to be like you 0:10:35.679 --> 0:10:36.280 at one point. 0:10:37.240 --> 0:10:37.880 It's crazy. 0:10:37.960 --> 0:10:40.320 And he wore number twenty four, which was not what 0:10:40.360 --> 0:10:42.280 I used to rock YEP. So I'm like, yeah, this 0:10:42.360 --> 0:10:45.240 is this is cool. It's pretty cool moment. But uh yeah, 0:10:45.280 --> 0:10:47.120 I don't think he understands how cool it was for 0:10:47.160 --> 0:10:48.480 me to actually get to meet him. 0:10:48.760 --> 0:10:51.600 How cool was it for you to have somebody like 0:10:51.679 --> 0:10:53.800 that when you're that age, when you're still trying to 0:10:53.800 --> 0:10:55.640 figure things out, trying to figure out your own path, 0:10:55.920 --> 0:10:58.679 see somebody kind of almost lay the pathway for you 0:10:58.720 --> 0:11:00.520 and say, yo, this is what you can do when 0:11:00.520 --> 0:11:01.959 you're from here, when you work hard. 0:11:02.160 --> 0:11:03.240 How important was that for you? 0:11:03.800 --> 0:11:08.839 Man? Extremely important? Because from our area, like there's some 0:11:08.960 --> 0:11:10.800 kids that like, you know, they like make it out, 0:11:10.840 --> 0:11:14.800 but from my school it's very very few. Like I 0:11:14.880 --> 0:11:18.000 think we had one person that one player that went 0:11:18.080 --> 0:11:21.000 undrafted like a long time ago, but other than that, 0:11:21.040 --> 0:11:22.760 it was like pretty much nobody. 0:11:22.800 --> 0:11:23.160 Wow. 0:11:23.360 --> 0:11:25.880 So when I see in ag you know he made 0:11:25.920 --> 0:11:29.240 it out and you know a couple other people from 0:11:29.240 --> 0:11:31.000 our from our city, I was just like, you know, 0:11:31.040 --> 0:11:32.839 I can I can do this. You know what I'm 0:11:32.840 --> 0:11:33.880 saying and. 0:11:34.080 --> 0:11:36.960 They give you that little boost that you need. 0:11:36.679 --> 0:11:39.400 To make it to the next level. And uh, again, 0:11:39.480 --> 0:11:40.680 I'm extremely. 0:11:40.200 --> 0:11:40.800 Grateful for that. 0:11:41.240 --> 0:11:43.040 And Chris, I'm sure you're doing the same thing for 0:11:43.120 --> 0:11:44.719 a lot of the youth from where you're from. Man, 0:11:44.760 --> 0:11:46.720 So shout out to you. And then you go on 0:11:46.800 --> 0:11:49.400 and you decide to go to Kentucky. Sounds like you 0:11:49.480 --> 0:11:51.480 really love where you're from. Man, sounds like you really 0:11:51.520 --> 0:11:52.959 love home. You had a strong support system. 0:11:53.320 --> 0:11:55.080 How hard was it making that decision to go all 0:11:55.080 --> 0:11:56.000 the way up to Kentucky? 0:11:57.280 --> 0:12:02.200 Man? So, so Kentucky wasn't my first choice? 0:12:02.360 --> 0:12:02.720 Really? 0:12:03.200 --> 0:12:06.480 Yeah, so I really really really wanted to go to 0:12:06.559 --> 0:12:09.320 Old Miss. Wow, that was the school I wanted to 0:12:09.320 --> 0:12:13.200 be at, and it was only because of hel Like, Man, yeah, 0:12:13.920 --> 0:12:16.360 I grew up a New York Giants fan, which I 0:12:16.400 --> 0:12:20.680 hate it now, you know what I'm saying. But yeah, 0:12:20.679 --> 0:12:23.199 I grew up a New York fan. My dad's from there, 0:12:23.600 --> 0:12:25.079 so that was you know, when I watched sports, I 0:12:25.160 --> 0:12:27.559 was watching it with him. So when I seen Eli, 0:12:27.679 --> 0:12:30.880 I'm like, Eli was at Old Miss. That's where I 0:12:30.880 --> 0:12:34.000 want to go. So I went up to Old Miss. 0:12:34.120 --> 0:12:38.320 It was an unofficial visit and you know, I fell 0:12:38.360 --> 0:12:39.800 in love with it. I was like, man, I want 0:12:39.840 --> 0:12:42.920 to come here. But at the time, Old Miss had 0:12:43.400 --> 0:12:46.960 was going through some I guess some violations or whatever 0:12:47.000 --> 0:12:50.480 where they couldn't go to a bowl game. And when 0:12:50.480 --> 0:12:52.080 I was talking to my head coach at the time 0:12:52.280 --> 0:12:54.000 for my high school, he was like, you know, you 0:12:54.000 --> 0:12:55.680 don't want to miss out on those bowl games, like 0:12:55.679 --> 0:12:58.520 those are like fun times that you wish you could 0:12:59.120 --> 0:13:01.800 get back. And uh, you know, listening to him, he 0:13:01.840 --> 0:13:03.120 did take me up to Kentucky. 0:13:03.640 --> 0:13:04.080 Uh. 0:13:04.280 --> 0:13:06.280 Well, before I even left Old Miss. I told him. 0:13:06.320 --> 0:13:07.720 I was like, yeah, like, I got one more school 0:13:07.760 --> 0:13:10.079 that we're going to go to. Uh take an unofficial 0:13:10.920 --> 0:13:12.680 and uh it was Kentucky and never like, don't go 0:13:12.679 --> 0:13:14.920 to Kentucky and fall in love. I was like no, man' 0:13:15.000 --> 0:13:17.160 never like I want to come to Old right right right? 0:13:17.480 --> 0:13:20.400 Sure enough, Man got to Kentucky, fell in love, never left, 0:13:20.600 --> 0:13:25.839 never left. So you know I got home. Uh, I 0:13:25.920 --> 0:13:28.400 was in the room with my brother. I think we 0:13:28.440 --> 0:13:30.200 had just woke up that morning, and I was like, yo, 0:13:31.280 --> 0:13:35.559 think about to commit to Kentucky. He was like for real, Yeah, 0:13:35.600 --> 0:13:39.240 so called up coach house and I was like, yo, 0:13:39.320 --> 0:13:41.760 like I think I'm gonna commit to you. 0:13:41.800 --> 0:13:44.800 He's like, good, yeah, you sure. Yeah, yeah, he was 0:13:44.800 --> 0:13:45.400 even surprised. 0:13:45.480 --> 0:13:46.040 Yeah I was. 0:13:46.559 --> 0:13:47.880 I was like, yeah, I think I'm gonna do it. 0:13:47.960 --> 0:13:51.080 So I wouldn't say it was a hard choice. You know. 0:13:51.120 --> 0:13:53.960 It was one of those things that kind of felt 0:13:54.000 --> 0:13:56.160 right at the time. It's like a gut feeling you had, 0:13:56.200 --> 0:13:57.559 like this is where I need to be at. Yeah, 0:13:57.600 --> 0:13:59.200 it was just it was just like, you know, you 0:13:59.280 --> 0:13:59.880 need to be here. 0:14:00.280 --> 0:14:01.120 Yeah. No, So. 0:14:03.760 --> 0:14:06.280 I end up going, and you know, I'm extremely grateful 0:14:06.320 --> 0:14:09.199 for what they what they've helped me accomplish. You know 0:14:09.240 --> 0:14:10.160 what I'm saying, I'm here now. 0:14:10.280 --> 0:14:12.880 So and clearly you said you're here now, So clearly 0:14:12.920 --> 0:14:15.959 you made the right decision. Man went to Kentucky. Now, 0:14:16.200 --> 0:14:18.440 I want to fast forward a little bit to the 0:14:18.480 --> 0:14:21.200 senior ball. Right, you go on Kentucky ball out, you're 0:14:21.200 --> 0:14:24.120 the man, and you're playing against some really high level talent. 0:14:24.720 --> 0:14:26.720 Senior ball comes and this is your chance, right, this 0:14:26.800 --> 0:14:28.320 is your chance. Not a lot of. 0:14:28.320 --> 0:14:30.440 Running backs coming out of Kentucky. Right, let's be honest. Right, So, 0:14:30.600 --> 0:14:32.240 I'm sure you know that pressure you have that on 0:14:32.280 --> 0:14:35.920 you. You come out a day that everybody's watching you right, 0:14:36.040 --> 0:14:38.040 you can make a break yourself right here, and you 0:14:38.120 --> 0:14:41.680 decide to wear a purple face mask. Yes, can you 0:14:41.680 --> 0:14:43.600 talk to us about why you decided to do that 0:14:43.640 --> 0:14:46.080 and use that moment to wear a purple face mass 0:14:46.080 --> 0:14:47.120 to stand out in that way. 0:14:47.280 --> 0:14:47.640 Yeah. 0:14:47.680 --> 0:14:53.320 So for people that don't know, my mom passed away 0:14:53.520 --> 0:14:57.520 January eleventh, and you know, it was really hard on me. Yeah, 0:14:58.280 --> 0:15:00.560 I didn't even want to play in this Senior Bowl game. Wow, 0:15:00.840 --> 0:15:02.800 Like it was. It was just one of those things 0:15:02.840 --> 0:15:09.720 where I was like, you know, like I'm kind of hurting. 0:15:09.760 --> 0:15:11.440 I didn't want to say hurting, but like I was 0:15:11.520 --> 0:15:13.880 just you know, like I had did something to my 0:15:14.040 --> 0:15:15.680 need that wee cant practice. 0:15:17.040 --> 0:15:18.680 I just was feeling out of it. Wow. 0:15:20.440 --> 0:15:23.240 All the goals that I've had were for my mom, 0:15:23.480 --> 0:15:26.400 like to do with her. Like my goal to make 0:15:26.400 --> 0:15:28.600 it to the NFL was what we sat down and 0:15:28.720 --> 0:15:30.200 we talked about. You know what I'm saying, like she 0:15:30.440 --> 0:15:33.640 helped me create these goals and uh. 0:15:34.160 --> 0:15:36.160 Like for people to ask, like, my why it's her? 0:15:36.680 --> 0:15:39.760 Yeah, I'm saying like even even though she's not with me, 0:15:39.840 --> 0:15:44.880 it's like she's still my why, you know. And that 0:15:45.000 --> 0:15:49.400 day at the Singer Bowl that the night before and 0:15:49.440 --> 0:15:50.960 I was like, you know, I don't want to play 0:15:51.040 --> 0:15:52.640 or whatever. I talked of my agent. He was like, 0:15:52.680 --> 0:15:54.800 you know, it's just it's up to you. I don't 0:15:54.840 --> 0:15:56.440 think you if you don't want to, then I don't 0:15:56.440 --> 0:16:01.360 think you should. And like it was just another feeling 0:16:01.360 --> 0:16:03.200 that I had, Like when I laid my head down, 0:16:03.240 --> 0:16:06.160 it was like my mom would not want me to 0:16:06.200 --> 0:16:07.080 sit out of this game. 0:16:07.360 --> 0:16:08.120 Wow. You know. 0:16:08.440 --> 0:16:11.200 So when I woke up that next morning, I told 0:16:12.200 --> 0:16:14.640 Jim Naggy, I was like, you know, this is I'm 0:16:14.680 --> 0:16:19.960 gonna play. I got the purple face mask like my family. 0:16:20.000 --> 0:16:22.520 I got family coming, and I don't think my mom 0:16:22.520 --> 0:16:25.640 would want me to sit out. So I ended up playing, 0:16:25.680 --> 0:16:29.160 and I had a pretty decent game. But yeah, that's 0:16:29.720 --> 0:16:32.160 that's pretty much the purple face mask for me. 0:16:32.400 --> 0:16:32.600 Yeah. 0:16:32.680 --> 0:16:34.840 And you talk about, you know, going through what you 0:16:34.880 --> 0:16:37.720 went through losing a mother, Yeah, very quickly, very fast. 0:16:37.760 --> 0:16:40.600 And this is during the time where, man, you're about 0:16:40.640 --> 0:16:44.440 to accomplish maybe every dream you've ever had. Right, talk 0:16:44.440 --> 0:16:46.000 about how sad you were, you having a hard time 0:16:46.000 --> 0:16:46.880 I'd even want to play? 0:16:47.240 --> 0:16:49.320 How did you power through that? How do you get 0:16:49.360 --> 0:16:52.200 through something so traumatic and so tragic and you're like. 0:16:52.440 --> 0:16:56.320 I mean family for me, family and friends. You know, 0:16:56.320 --> 0:16:58.240 when I did get that call, I was at Exos 0:16:58.320 --> 0:17:02.640 in Dallas and a huge shout out to them. You know, 0:17:02.680 --> 0:17:05.800 they had everybody there was showing me love when I 0:17:05.840 --> 0:17:08.920 was on that sidewalk crying, and I never forget that moment, 0:17:09.359 --> 0:17:14.520 you know. And then when I did get home, I had, 0:17:14.760 --> 0:17:17.439 you know, my family who was there for me, and 0:17:17.600 --> 0:17:20.440 my my friends that I don't even call friends. You 0:17:20.520 --> 0:17:22.000 know what I'm saying. They were all there for me. 0:17:22.680 --> 0:17:24.840 Uh they made it easy, you know what I'm saying. 0:17:25.240 --> 0:17:28.280 And uh, that's why I'm extremely blessed for football. Football 0:17:28.280 --> 0:17:31.679 brings you around so many people that that love you 0:17:31.720 --> 0:17:36.040 and care about you. And uh, playing football at a 0:17:36.080 --> 0:17:40.520 young age, as I say, my godfather, my mom, uh, 0:17:41.640 --> 0:17:44.359