WEBVTT - LISTEN | A Conversation with Former Player & Current Jets Assistant Coach Leon Washington (2/15) 0:00:04.320 --> 0:00:06.480 All right, we got a special pod today. We were 0:00:06.519 --> 0:00:08.879 presented by when Bad betting as a team sport, but 0:00:09.039 --> 0:00:13.840 together at when Bat. I'm down in Mobile, Alabama, joined 0:00:13.880 --> 0:00:18.319 by a fan favorite for jetsination that of course is 0:00:18.440 --> 0:00:22.840 Leon Washington. Great, see anybody Eric Goods in you as well? Man? 0:00:22.880 --> 0:00:25.040 It's been a while, right, it has been a while. 0:00:25.160 --> 0:00:29.000 So that's where I wanted to start. What gave you 0:00:29.080 --> 0:00:32.560 the coaching itch? I didn't see this. What back in 0:00:32.640 --> 0:00:34.839 your playing days say hey, maybe down the line you'll 0:00:34.880 --> 0:00:37.360 be doing this. Oh. You know, ever since I started 0:00:37.360 --> 0:00:40.000 playing football, ever since I started playing football in chats, 0:00:40.360 --> 0:00:42.960 from part Warner to high school to college to the NFL, 0:00:43.560 --> 0:00:45.599 I always had the edge for it. So in the 0:00:45.600 --> 0:00:48.400 meeting rooms, you guys probably didn't see it because you 0:00:48.440 --> 0:00:50.680 know you were in there. But I was always trying 0:00:50.720 --> 0:00:52.680 to coach the young guys up, you know, trying to 0:00:52.680 --> 0:00:55.160 get back to the game. So for me, I always 0:00:55.160 --> 0:00:57.080 had the che for it. And then, you know, having 0:00:57.120 --> 0:00:59.400 three boys and a little girl at home, you know, 0:00:59.480 --> 0:01:03.160 my had opportunity to really get myself prepared for coaching. 0:01:03.200 --> 0:01:05.400 So I have a six ten year old son, a 0:01:05.440 --> 0:01:07.440 twelve year old son, and a ten year old Son, 0:01:07.880 --> 0:01:10.800 So I'm always coaching. So for me, UM, I always 0:01:10.800 --> 0:01:12.480 had the is for it when to get back to 0:01:12.520 --> 0:01:15.840 the game in a way. And really, honestly, Eric, all 0:01:15.880 --> 0:01:18.200 I know is football, you know what I mean, So 0:01:18.480 --> 0:01:20.839 I know the game. I grew up in Florida playing 0:01:20.840 --> 0:01:24.240 a game outside all the time, so for me, it 0:01:24.400 --> 0:01:26.640 was just natural to get back to the game in 0:01:26.680 --> 0:01:30.679 this way. But what led you to the jetson Upper today? Well, 0:01:30.720 --> 0:01:34.440 obviously I got into my internships. My first internship with 0:01:34.440 --> 0:01:37.680 the Jacksonville jack Walls, and I did one within Atlanta, 0:01:38.120 --> 0:01:40.360 and the previous two years before I got hired here, 0:01:40.480 --> 0:01:44.319 I was in Detroit. UM. And then once I left Detroit, 0:01:44.520 --> 0:01:46.920 me and Robert Salt I had a relationship dating back 0:01:47.160 --> 0:01:50.760 um to our days with the Seattle Seahawks two thousand 0:01:50.800 --> 0:01:54.760 eleven and also with my internship in jacksonph two thousand sixteen. 0:01:55.360 --> 0:01:57.800 UM I worked with him as well. So UM, I 0:01:57.880 --> 0:02:00.320 just hit him up and asked him for opportunity and uh, 0:02:00.360 --> 0:02:02.440 you know, gaming interview and get my opportunity. What was 0:02:02.480 --> 0:02:07.480 solid liking both those stops in Seattle, Jacks so awesome. UM. 0:02:07.640 --> 0:02:11.120 You can feel his genuine presence, you know when you're 0:02:11.120 --> 0:02:14.440 watching his meeting rooms with the linebackers during that time. Um, 0:02:14.480 --> 0:02:16.160 when he when he was a quality of control guy 0:02:16.240 --> 0:02:19.320 in Seattle, he was awesome. And then Jacksonpha. One thing 0:02:19.320 --> 0:02:21.000 that stuck out to me all the time that I 0:02:21.080 --> 0:02:23.720 remember was that, you know, we'll get in about five 0:02:23.840 --> 0:02:25.960 fifty five forty five and get in the weight room 0:02:26.000 --> 0:02:29.000 and work out and every single day. I expect him 0:02:29.040 --> 0:02:30.919 not to be there, but he was there every single day. 0:02:30.960 --> 0:02:33.360 So I know the work at that he'll put into this. 0:02:33.560 --> 0:02:36.800 I know, um, the genuine care that he has for 0:02:36.840 --> 0:02:39.119 the players. The players really want to play for him. 0:02:39.280 --> 0:02:41.160 And I know how smart he is as a coach. 0:02:41.520 --> 0:02:45.400 He's really really detailed. Um with that. So, Um, with 0:02:45.560 --> 0:02:47.400 that being said, it was just natural fit for me 0:02:47.400 --> 0:02:49.240 to come and help him out. It was it cool 0:02:49.280 --> 0:02:51.880 that it was the Jets though, the team that Yeah, 0:02:51.880 --> 0:02:54.119 it was awesome. I mean that was definitely a part 0:02:54.160 --> 0:02:56.360 of it. And uh, I remember he was recruiting me, 0:02:57.120 --> 0:03:00.960 um to come here, and we were talking and then um, 0:03:01.240 --> 0:03:04.000 the day before I committed, in a sense, he sent 0:03:04.120 --> 0:03:07.080 me in a video. Um the op did he something 0:03:07.560 --> 0:03:12.040 I'm coming, Oh, yeah, I'm coming home. Tell the world 0:03:12.320 --> 0:03:14.960 I'm coming home and that kind of steals the deal 0:03:15.040 --> 0:03:16.480 left for him out like I got to go back, 0:03:16.520 --> 0:03:20.720 I got to go back home. I love that, um solid. 0:03:20.760 --> 0:03:22.320 What was he like in the weight room? He said 0:03:22.360 --> 0:03:24.720 that you were an early rise for yourself. You're always 0:03:24.720 --> 0:03:28.679 in there. Um, guys in very good shape. But how 0:03:28.680 --> 0:03:30.560 do you get after it? He's the beast. Know I 0:03:30.560 --> 0:03:32.920 always kept out look at them, like what is he 0:03:32.960 --> 0:03:35.680 doing over there? He's getting after it. I mean he's attacking. 0:03:36.000 --> 0:03:38.480 And it's the same way here. I mean he gets 0:03:38.480 --> 0:03:40.720 there early in the morning, gets his workout in, you know, 0:03:40.880 --> 0:03:43.040 before he gets into his office. So I'm watching him 0:03:43.080 --> 0:03:45.640 and you know, guy really takes care of his body, 0:03:45.800 --> 0:03:48.160 understands that part of it. And you can see how 0:03:48.200 --> 0:03:51.080 that translates to the players because you have a coat 0:03:51.160 --> 0:03:54.520 that's activities. Take care of his body. He understands that 0:03:54.600 --> 0:03:57.440 part of it. So when he talks to the player, 0:03:57.520 --> 0:03:59.880 he can relate, you know, to the player like, hey, 0:04:00.080 --> 0:04:01.680 I take care of my body. You guys need to 0:04:01.680 --> 0:04:03.480 take care of your body. I understand that part of it. 0:04:03.840 --> 0:04:06.560 But you take care of your body big time as well. Man. 0:04:07.160 --> 0:04:09.480 How want you wear right now? You look like you're 0:04:09.520 --> 0:04:11.560 read your rock and roll. Yeah, I'm about one sixty 0:04:11.600 --> 0:04:14.680 five one seventy. I'm having around that. When I played, 0:04:14.720 --> 0:04:16.840 my weight was like one D five you know what 0:04:16.880 --> 0:04:19.400 I mean. So I'm a good twenty five pounds down. Um, 0:04:19.480 --> 0:04:22.040 I feel great. Um five eight. I don't need to 0:04:22.080 --> 0:04:24.320 carry two and your pounds anymore, you know what I mean. 0:04:24.320 --> 0:04:25.960 I gotta be to keep up with my kids. But 0:04:26.040 --> 0:04:29.000 I feel great. You know. That's what's about nowadays, right 0:04:29.040 --> 0:04:30.960 to care. Your body is staying in great shape. But 0:04:31.080 --> 0:04:35.040 did you say after your playing career was over that, hey, listen, 0:04:35.279 --> 0:04:36.880 I don't have to have that weight, you know, like 0:04:37.000 --> 0:04:39.280 I want to go down. Why I knew it when 0:04:39.279 --> 0:04:41.400 I was playing. I'm like, man, I'm carrying too much weight, 0:04:41.560 --> 0:04:43.160 you know what I mean. Obviously, you know you need 0:04:43.160 --> 0:04:45.680 to be in the physical shape to take the pounding 0:04:45.680 --> 0:04:48.200 in this league, especially at the running back position and 0:04:48.320 --> 0:04:50.760 return the kids. But I always knew it because when 0:04:50.800 --> 0:04:52.360 you go to the doctor to give you the height 0:04:52.480 --> 0:04:55.000 weight chart and I'm looking at five eight and they're 0:04:55.040 --> 0:04:57.960 saying like one sixty five one seven, and I'm like, okay, 0:04:58.000 --> 0:05:00.200 at some point in to get down and this ain't 0:05:00.240 --> 0:05:02.479 health conscious? Want to be in better shaped? How would 0:05:02.520 --> 0:05:05.480 you describe your Jets career as a player coming in 0:05:05.480 --> 0:05:09.840 and all six, Uh, the main thing is that you 0:05:09.920 --> 0:05:11.960 want to win a super Bowl. Okay, So I didn't 0:05:12.040 --> 0:05:16.840 complish that. So I would say in that in that sense, uh, 0:05:16.920 --> 0:05:19.599 you know, it wasn't great. I would say it was good. 0:05:19.680 --> 0:05:22.440 From an individual standpoint, some of the accolades I was 0:05:22.520 --> 0:05:25.520 able to accomplish, you know, like you know, my first 0:05:25.600 --> 0:05:29.440 year two dollar sis, making big places down the stretch, 0:05:29.480 --> 0:05:33.600 getting us into the playoffs, alright. Then my second year, um, 0:05:34.000 --> 0:05:37.520 first team All Pro kick returner, a third year Pro Bowl, 0:05:37.640 --> 0:05:41.040 you know what I mean. So in that sense individually, um, 0:05:41.080 --> 0:05:44.039 you know, I appreciate that part of it, being able 0:05:44.080 --> 0:05:47.120 to help this organization. Now, but in the day, I'm 0:05:47.120 --> 0:05:49.200 a coaching now and I tell my kids this, I 0:05:49.279 --> 0:05:51.840 tell you know, other coaches, this is the only selfish 0:05:51.839 --> 0:05:54.360 thing I want as a coach, and I want to 0:05:54.400 --> 0:05:57.000 win a Super Bowl. Like it can sound selfish, but 0:05:57.000 --> 0:05:58.479 I just want to win a Super Bowl. Now. I 0:05:58.480 --> 0:06:01.000 know it's a process to do that, alright, but at 0:06:01.000 --> 0:06:02.680 the same time, I do want to win the Super Bowl. 0:06:02.800 --> 0:06:06.120 Oh six, you came into the league and you got 0:06:06.120 --> 0:06:09.320 a new coach, new coach. That's right, And I think 0:06:09.360 --> 0:06:11.120 a lot of people are probably sleeping on the Jets, 0:06:11.120 --> 0:06:13.880 but you ended up in there as a wild carriage. 0:06:14.040 --> 0:06:17.360 Finished the season in New England. Right. Um, that draft 0:06:17.400 --> 0:06:22.560 class was awesome. Um me Niitman go to Britishaws, Ferguson, 0:06:22.920 --> 0:06:27.840 um Brad Smith, Eric Smith, Drew Coleman. Um, I think 0:06:27.880 --> 0:06:32.400 the linebacker from Ohio State. Um, I think, like, yes, 0:06:33.040 --> 0:06:35.880 like from Ohio State. I'm part missing one more guy. 0:06:35.920 --> 0:06:37.880 I think I'm missing the detackle. But that was a 0:06:37.920 --> 0:06:40.719 really good draft class. And then you get Revis David 0:06:40.760 --> 0:06:44.160 Harris and that draft class. So but I vividly remember 0:06:44.279 --> 0:06:47.960 that first year. It was Christmas night. We're playing Miami 0:06:48.400 --> 0:06:50.880 right down in uh down in Miami. I believe it 0:06:50.920 --> 0:06:54.320 was Monday night football if I'm not correct. Pouring down 0:06:54.440 --> 0:06:58.000 rain fourth quarter, I catch a screen pass, you know, 0:06:58.120 --> 0:07:00.400 make some sick moves like you know what I mean, 0:07:00.480 --> 0:07:02.640 mad like a bunch of guys miss it gets the 0:07:02.680 --> 0:07:04.600 field goal range. We keep the field goal. Win this. 0:07:04.920 --> 0:07:08.080 We played the Oakland Raiders. Um, we knew were favorite 0:07:08.080 --> 0:07:10.240 to beat those guys, beat the guys going to the playoffs. 0:07:10.240 --> 0:07:12.560 So in that sense, you know, um, that rookie year 0:07:12.600 --> 0:07:15.760 was special getting goose up goose bumps because I'm thinking 0:07:15.760 --> 0:07:18.080 about that game right now down Larre in Miami and 0:07:18.120 --> 0:07:21.320 the rain. No. I'm from Florida, so whenever I played 0:07:21.320 --> 0:07:23.760 down in Miami, I played well. But you know, just 0:07:23.880 --> 0:07:25.840 some things, like I said, I have a children now, 0:07:25.920 --> 0:07:27.920 and so they kind of look at that like that 0:07:28.120 --> 0:07:29.880 you never had it. You were never good, you were 0:07:29.920 --> 0:07:32.400 never good players. So I can show the film. Now. 0:07:33.640 --> 0:07:35.640 Win Better is now live in New Jersey and they're 0:07:35.640 --> 0:07:38.239 bringing the excitement of win Las Vegas to online sports betting, 0:07:38.360 --> 0:07:40.560 getting on all your favorite teams, players and sports from 0:07:40.600 --> 0:07:43.559 boosted parlays to live in game odds on every major sport. 0:07:43.680 --> 0:07:45.600 They have what you need to win. Sign up today 0:07:45.680 --> 0:07:48.240 to receive a special offer risk free five hundred dollar 0:07:48.280 --> 0:07:50.400 sports back. Download the wind Back app now, or visit 0:07:50.560 --> 0:07:53.120 w y and and bet dot com to start winning. 0:07:53.200 --> 0:07:55.320 Winn beat an official sports book and gave me partner up. 0:07:55.320 --> 0:07:57.360 The New York Jets offer something to change in terms 0:07:57.400 --> 0:07:59.400 of condition that win bet dot Com must be twenty 0:07:59.440 --> 0:08:01.320 one or older in the New Jersey. If you're someone 0:08:01.360 --> 0:08:04.760 you know has a gabling problem, veen one one seven. 0:08:04.800 --> 0:08:08.720 How about oh, eight man, what a weird year. Five 0:08:08.840 --> 0:08:12.800 comes in, right, you guys are tearing it up. You 0:08:12.840 --> 0:08:16.880 go down the Tennessee they were, that's right, just the 0:08:17.120 --> 0:08:19.160 millge time. Looked like the team to beat in the 0:08:19.240 --> 0:08:23.720 NFL eight and three and then it kind of fell part. Yeah, 0:08:23.760 --> 0:08:27.640 that was that was extremely tough and well I remembered 0:08:27.720 --> 0:08:30.200 vividly about that. Is that okay? Like you said, we 0:08:30.200 --> 0:08:33.640 were tearing and went down to Tennessee. Um, they were 0:08:33.640 --> 0:08:36.000 tending to know, you know, kind of renting down their throat. 0:08:36.080 --> 0:08:39.320 Had a really good game, um individually for myself down there. 0:08:39.840 --> 0:08:42.120 And then we're coming down the stretch, all right, and 0:08:42.200 --> 0:08:45.160 we go out to San France, right, and all we 0:08:45.240 --> 0:08:47.160 have to do is beat San France and we're in 0:08:47.200 --> 0:08:49.640 the playoffs. It regardless, I think that was the next 0:08:49.679 --> 0:08:52.760 to last game. Get to the fourth quarter. I think 0:08:52.800 --> 0:08:55.160 it's almost like I think it's the beginning of the 0:08:55.160 --> 0:08:58.960 fourth quarter from not mistaken right. They kicked the ball 0:08:59.000 --> 0:09:02.800 off to me, I run it back for a touchdown, 0:09:03.360 --> 0:09:08.320 but they called it back. They called their freaking touchdown back. 0:09:08.360 --> 0:09:11.080 And you go look at the play. I don't think 0:09:11.080 --> 0:09:13.680 it's a holding guy hands is inside. I think it 0:09:13.800 --> 0:09:18.040 was James a head of bow on, Michael Robinson hands inside, 0:09:18.240 --> 0:09:21.600 pushing away, Mike rob flails anyway they called the back. 0:09:21.960 --> 0:09:24.320 I just it's always stick into my head because if 0:09:24.320 --> 0:09:25.840 they don't call that play back, we go to the 0:09:25.840 --> 0:09:29.720 playoffs and like that. Man, you know, we got bread farther. 0:09:29.840 --> 0:09:31.679 We get bread farther in the playoff. We already want 0:09:31.720 --> 0:09:34.000 to super Bowl in Green Bay. We'll just get this 0:09:34.040 --> 0:09:37.160 guy into the playoffs. You know, history changes, so um, 0:09:37.200 --> 0:09:39.960 that really stits out to me. I think that touchdown 0:09:40.040 --> 0:09:43.679 getting called back, It's like one of my biggest disappointments 0:09:44.480 --> 0:09:49.199 in the league. Then on nine happens you get injured. Um, 0:09:49.440 --> 0:09:51.880 you got a new coach and Rex Ryan you're kind 0:09:51.880 --> 0:09:56.960 of watching that from afar. Two part would be how 0:09:57.040 --> 0:10:00.800 were you able to overcome the injury months and then 0:10:00.840 --> 0:10:04.520 then enter the second phase of your career? All right? Correct? Yeah, 0:10:04.720 --> 0:10:07.080 coming to that year, I mean, we're freaking loaded and 0:10:07.120 --> 0:10:10.360 we're ready to go. Retch Ryan comes in here, kind 0:10:10.400 --> 0:10:14.440 of has a new philosophy with the organization, um brings 0:10:14.440 --> 0:10:17.520 in the new system, obviously really good on defense with 0:10:17.640 --> 0:10:21.079 the changeups, and obviously having guys like weavers David Harris. 0:10:21.240 --> 0:10:23.719 I mean Chris Jenkins. I mean, you could go down 0:10:23.760 --> 0:10:26.360 the list a bunch of those guys down there, um 0:10:26.600 --> 0:10:28.320 have we During the season, we go play the Oakland 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:31.559 Raiders and had a compound fracture. Um bone came through 0:10:31.559 --> 0:10:36.320 the skin and uh it. Obviously it was disappointing because 0:10:36.400 --> 0:10:38.680 I was in a contract year, you know what I mean. 0:10:38.760 --> 0:10:43.120 So it was obviously disappointing. But what gave me comfort 0:10:44.120 --> 0:10:46.080 in a sense, So what gave me hope is that 0:10:46.080 --> 0:10:49.040 when I got to the hospital, immediately went to surgery, 0:10:49.320 --> 0:10:52.160 came out of surgery dogs like, Okay, all right, you're great. 0:10:52.240 --> 0:10:55.240 You have no ankle, damnas, you have no need damnage. 0:10:55.280 --> 0:10:57.439 You just you know, you broke your tip in your fear, 0:10:57.520 --> 0:11:00.199 you came through the skin. So the most important thing 0:11:00.280 --> 0:11:02.480 was that is that you know new infections means you 0:11:02.679 --> 0:11:04.800 rehab the right way to take care your body, take 0:11:04.840 --> 0:11:07.560 your cattle pills to your bone can heal up. And 0:11:07.640 --> 0:11:10.440 so as soon as I came out of the surgery 0:11:10.440 --> 0:11:12.400 the next day, I was on crutch and trying to 0:11:12.400 --> 0:11:14.960 move around, you know what I mean. And so for me, 0:11:15.080 --> 0:11:18.280 that's the resilience, um that my parents are still to 0:11:18.360 --> 0:11:21.000 me as a young kid, that you know, never give up. 0:11:21.040 --> 0:11:23.400 And so from that point on, you know, I knew 0:11:23.400 --> 0:11:25.000 I didn't have an ankle knee damage, so I was 0:11:25.040 --> 0:11:27.360 just waiting for my bone hill. And so a month 0:11:27.480 --> 0:11:29.400 later I was out of the boot, you know what 0:11:29.440 --> 0:11:32.080 I'm saying. Two months later I was in on the treadmill. 0:11:32.679 --> 0:11:34.880 Three months later I was kind of walking and jogging. 0:11:34.880 --> 0:11:37.000 About four or five months later, I was moving around 0:11:37.080 --> 0:11:40.920 and running, and so UM the draft came around, got 0:11:40.960 --> 0:11:44.160 traded to Seattle, and when out there my first year, 0:11:44.400 --> 0:11:48.480 UM made made All Pro as a kick returner, ran 0:11:48.600 --> 0:11:52.000 three back to the house. So you know, for me, 0:11:52.080 --> 0:11:54.480 it was just you know, going out there showing that resilience, 0:11:54.520 --> 0:11:57.320 being competitive, you know, knowing that hey, what the hell 0:11:57.320 --> 0:11:59.240 I'm gonna do about it now right, no complaining, just 0:11:59.280 --> 0:12:02.040 get out there and get it man. Amazing heart. And 0:12:02.480 --> 0:12:04.839 you know, people on the East Coast Jets fans for 0:12:05.080 --> 0:12:09.720 routing you on. Everybody who was within your presence or 0:12:09.760 --> 0:12:13.200 watched you play, talking about people within the organization as 0:12:13.240 --> 0:12:16.720 the fans, they gravitated towards you because you were a 0:12:16.720 --> 0:12:20.160 special game, versatile player who left it out there on 0:12:20.200 --> 0:12:22.640 the field, and you connected with the dudes inside the 0:12:22.679 --> 0:12:27.120 locker room. Uh, that was awesome. How proud are you 0:12:27.360 --> 0:12:31.960 of being an NFL record holder in terms of kickoff 0:12:32.160 --> 0:12:36.560 returns for touchdowns? Right? Um, it's special. And like I said, 0:12:36.640 --> 0:12:38.680 like everything, I kind of relate back to my kids 0:12:38.720 --> 0:12:40.880 because you know, they just don't see it in dad. Now. 0:12:40.960 --> 0:12:44.000 So we got YouTube. Now, we got YouTube and know 0:12:44.160 --> 0:12:47.040 so we got wikipediously you can read, you can beat 0:12:47.160 --> 0:12:49.480 up on it. And said, no, it's a special thing. 0:12:49.520 --> 0:12:52.200 And I'm glad that the Jets organizations are part of 0:12:52.200 --> 0:12:54.880 that because I ran back forward with this organization and 0:12:54.960 --> 0:12:58.080 ran back forward with the seahous But um that year, 0:12:58.160 --> 0:12:59.800 my second year in the league, with just the Milion 0:12:59.800 --> 0:13:02.959 win down that first game against Baltimore. The next game 0:13:03.000 --> 0:13:05.679 we play against Miami. Um, and that ran one back 0:13:05.840 --> 0:13:08.920 you know, um that next game. So it's good that 0:13:09.160 --> 0:13:11.800 from the Jets organization standport it could be a part 0:13:11.800 --> 0:13:14.200 of that. And it's just special. I mean it's down 0:13:14.200 --> 0:13:16.320 in the history books, you know what I mean. You 0:13:16.360 --> 0:13:20.000 have a favorite one of the eight, Um, I would 0:13:20.040 --> 0:13:21.720 say it's definitely with the Jets. I would say the 0:13:21.720 --> 0:13:24.400 one just the Patriots Thursday and Night Football in two 0:13:24.480 --> 0:13:27.199 thousand and eight. Um, we had that game Bread for 0:13:27.760 --> 0:13:31.520 beat out Matt Castle overtime, UM, yeah, over time, yeah, 0:13:31.600 --> 0:13:33.880 and overtime that game. Um. I think that one sticks 0:13:33.920 --> 0:13:37.080 out morning anything goes big time game. Um, playing against 0:13:37.160 --> 0:13:41.080 UH division opponent, and so from that standpoint, like all 0:13:41.120 --> 0:13:43.240 of them, specially with that one sticks out, you're bringing 0:13:43.320 --> 0:13:48.559 intensity on the field. We're taping this down in Mobile, Alabama. 0:13:49.200 --> 0:13:52.680 You are You've been elevated in your role here this week, 0:13:52.760 --> 0:13:54.720 So can you talk about your role that that might 0:13:54.760 --> 0:13:57.959 be a little bit different than the regular season. Well, 0:13:58.000 --> 0:14:00.480 I think it's it's a great idea that seeing both 0:14:00.520 --> 0:14:02.520 decided to do this. All right, a lot of assistant 0:14:02.520 --> 0:14:05.240 coaches kind of elevate, like you mentioned and move up 0:14:05.320 --> 0:14:07.400 to a different role. So I'm a special team assistant 0:14:07.679 --> 0:14:11.040 and so now I'm the head special team coach here. Yeah, 0:14:11.160 --> 0:14:13.840 special teams coordinate. And I would say it's been great 0:14:13.880 --> 0:14:16.920 getting opportunity to getting from the classroom getting Apple to 0:14:17.000 --> 0:14:19.640 the TCS guys um from some of the things that 0:14:19.680 --> 0:14:21.680 I learned from Brand. So I'm grateful for Brand for 0:14:21.720 --> 0:14:24.640 giving the opportunity. I'm definitely grateful for Coach Solid giving 0:14:24.640 --> 0:14:26.920 me the opportunity to step in from the classroom to 0:14:26.920 --> 0:14:29.440 get to learn to teach and coach and control my 0:14:29.480 --> 0:14:31.960 own room. So it's been great. So if you want 0:14:31.960 --> 0:14:34.280 to be according this lead, you've got to be to 0:14:34.280 --> 0:14:36.600 step into that role. So I look forward to going 0:14:36.600 --> 0:14:38.920 out there, breaking the intensity, bringing the juice, and we're 0:14:38.960 --> 0:14:41.480 out there making plays like like I told our guys 0:14:41.520 --> 0:14:43.280 and the Special Teams doing like we're gonna here to 0:14:43.320 --> 0:14:45.400 win this game and we want to make big plays 0:14:45.400 --> 0:14:50.080 just like we did this year. You're bringing the juice. Yeah, news, baby, 0:14:50.120 --> 0:14:51.960 that's what it is. I mean, that's what Special Teams is. 0:14:52.000 --> 0:14:53.920 At the end of the day, I'm trying as a coach, 0:14:53.960 --> 0:14:56.080 I'm trying to give you, you know, all the twos 0:14:56.080 --> 0:14:58.160 to get you from point A to point B. But 0:14:58.200 --> 0:15:01.720 after that, it's juice, it's a it's intensity, it's all 0:15:01.760 --> 0:15:04.240 those things. That's a player that the players right now 0:15:04.240 --> 0:15:06.000 when they hit me speaking to the room, and when 0:15:06.040 --> 0:15:07.840 they hit me out there on the practice field, they 0:15:07.880 --> 0:15:10.560 can feel it. And all I'm trying to demonstrate that 0:15:10.600 --> 0:15:12.000 to do guys and go out there and do the 0:15:12.000 --> 0:15:14.240 same thing. Oh, you're such a humble guy, but I 0:15:14.240 --> 0:15:17.960 think there was a moment out there where you came 0:15:18.000 --> 0:15:20.720 over to Tomlin or Tomlin came over to you and 0:15:20.720 --> 0:15:23.080 he said, up Lea on Washington. He said, I know 0:15:23.120 --> 0:15:26.200 who you are, right right, right right? I mean, you 0:15:26.240 --> 0:15:28.320 know that's just who I am. Like, I never assumed 0:15:28.560 --> 0:15:31.240 that anybody knows anything, So I just want to be 0:15:31.320 --> 0:15:34.240 respectful in that situation. Obviously, I got a great deal 0:15:34.240 --> 0:15:36.200 of respect for Mike Tomlin, what he's done in that 0:15:36.360 --> 0:15:40.400 organization in Pittsburgh, being so consistent for fifteen years straight. 0:15:40.440 --> 0:15:42.880 I think, what when this season every year? Right? So, 0:15:43.040 --> 0:15:45.840 being so consistent. And I always watched him from Afar 0:15:45.960 --> 0:15:47.840 but never had a chance to meet him, so it 0:15:47.920 --> 0:15:49.920 was awesome to meet him in person. And um, I 0:15:49.960 --> 0:15:52.200 got a great deal of respect for coach Thomlins. How 0:15:52.200 --> 0:15:54.920 about you announcing Michael Carter. You were a fourth round 0:15:54.920 --> 0:15:58.240 pick out of Florida State. Then you announced Michael Carter 0:15:58.320 --> 0:16:01.600 and the kid comes in, and I know you probably 0:16:01.640 --> 0:16:04.560 really appreciate his game because he's got it. He's got 0:16:04.640 --> 0:16:06.800 an old soul. I kind of think I think of 0:16:06.960 --> 0:16:10.360 you the way he approaches no question, because no question. 0:16:10.480 --> 0:16:12.040 I mean I was fired up when they had the 0:16:12.080 --> 0:16:15.160 opportunity to do that, and then obviously evaluate him in 0:16:15.160 --> 0:16:18.000 the pre draft process, and you know, and something the 0:16:18.040 --> 0:16:20.480 ways he's similar to me. You know with the size 0:16:20.560 --> 0:16:23.360 coming in, you know, being about five eight two hundred pounds, 0:16:23.720 --> 0:16:26.480 Um can great load, can break, Um, you know, a 0:16:26.520 --> 0:16:29.960 bunch of tackles. He's smart, extremely smart. Like you can 0:16:30.000 --> 0:16:32.640 tell he was well coached in college. And um, he's 0:16:32.680 --> 0:16:35.000 just a gamer. I mean you can feel its intensity 0:16:35.320 --> 0:16:37.920 on the field. So you know we're heading the right direction. 0:16:38.080 --> 0:16:41.160 Were bringing guys like Michael Carter, so it was a privilege. 0:16:41.400 --> 0:16:43.640 I tell them all the time. We both fourth round picks. 0:16:43.960 --> 0:16:46.600 You know we're gonna get it from the mud. How 0:16:46.640 --> 0:16:48.640 great of an opportunity is this for you guys as 0:16:48.640 --> 0:16:53.160 an organization. Last year was the start, start implementing the systems, 0:16:53.680 --> 0:16:57.960 people getting the feel. You've got system familiarity. Now this 0:16:58.080 --> 0:17:00.680 year you're gonna head into the aft where you have 0:17:00.720 --> 0:17:03.800 two top ten picks, four ton of you have four 0:17:03.880 --> 0:17:06.760 picks in the top thirty eight. That's the third time 0:17:07.040 --> 0:17:10.240 this franchise has had four picks that early since nineteen 0:17:10.359 --> 0:17:13.840 seventy nine picks overall, and that draft class that included 0:17:13.920 --> 0:17:17.480 Michael Carter last year has a chance to be It's good. 0:17:17.600 --> 0:17:19.440 Right now, I got a chance to be special down 0:17:19.480 --> 0:17:22.320 a lot. Yeah, you know, I'm not general manager. You know, 0:17:22.320 --> 0:17:24.920 I'm not a scout, but the way you want to 0:17:24.920 --> 0:17:26.800 build your team, in my opinion, you really want to 0:17:26.800 --> 0:17:28.439 build it through the draft brick and then you know 0:17:28.560 --> 0:17:32.560 young players that fix your system, fix your philosophy. And 0:17:32.640 --> 0:17:34.679 so being down here in the Super Bowl, I mean 0:17:34.800 --> 0:17:36.720 Super Bowl, being on the Senior Bowl, it's a great 0:17:36.720 --> 0:17:40.359 opportunity for us to evaluate these seniors in person. And 0:17:40.440 --> 0:17:42.520 Coach Solid talks about then all the time while he 0:17:42.600 --> 0:17:44.920 was out in San France. You know how they found 0:17:44.920 --> 0:17:48.199 Deebo sayings here, you know, finding players like that. So 0:17:48.280 --> 0:17:50.000 that's where I we're down here. We get a chance 0:17:50.040 --> 0:17:53.840 to you know, really evaluate these guys character, you know, 0:17:53.880 --> 0:17:56.320 see if they fit into our locker room, see if 0:17:56.320 --> 0:17:58.440 they fit on our team, and hope we can find 0:17:58.480 --> 0:18:00.760 some gems down here. Yeah, no, out about it. Speaking 0:18:00.760 --> 0:18:03.000 to Jem's how about the jacket you were sporting another day, 0:18:03.040 --> 0:18:06.840 you were the Jets jacket on that nobody in this 0:18:07.000 --> 0:18:10.080 organization has I don't know that that special assets right there. 0:18:10.720 --> 0:18:14.480 That Yeah, it's not customer I think everyone has it. 0:18:14.600 --> 0:18:18.560 But that's a sweet jacket. That moment song like Jack 0:18:18.640 --> 0:18:20.560 the sweet I mean with the Jets logo, you got 0:18:20.560 --> 0:18:24.000 the American flag on it, it's blacks and it's like 0:18:24.119 --> 0:18:26.960 but it's like a button off. But yeah, yeah, so 0:18:27.000 --> 0:18:29.720 it's so it's for me. Um you men as a player, 0:18:29.760 --> 0:18:33.639 when I played, you know, you really didn't appreciate, you know, 0:18:33.840 --> 0:18:35.840 warning the team gear at the time. But now I 0:18:35.840 --> 0:18:38.360 appreciate it more than ever. So I'm winning Jetz gear 0:18:38.400 --> 0:18:42.840 all the time. And finally I wanted to hand it 0:18:42.880 --> 0:18:45.240 over to you and say, hey, what would you tell 0:18:45.600 --> 0:18:48.280 some fans who are watching you from Afar right now 0:18:48.320 --> 0:18:51.520 about not only what you're up to, but maybe what 0:18:51.560 --> 0:18:55.360 they mean to you. Jets fans are awesome. They meet everything, 0:18:55.480 --> 0:18:57.800 Like I stay active on Twitter, I stay active on 0:18:57.880 --> 0:19:00.639 social media, and they're always coming to Like, man, you 0:19:00.680 --> 0:19:03.400 were my favorite player back then. I still wear your jersey, 0:19:03.640 --> 0:19:05.760 even them upstairs in the coaching boof. I look at 0:19:05.760 --> 0:19:07.400 in the crowd. I still a bunch of twenty nine 0:19:07.480 --> 0:19:10.800 jerseys Leon Washington. So I appreciate it so much. So, 0:19:11.080 --> 0:19:13.160 you know, guys hanging in with us, you know, it's 0:19:13.160 --> 0:19:15.520 a process. We're building this thing. But I promise you 0:19:15.760 --> 0:19:17.600