1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: What's up, everybody, and welcome to a special addition brought 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 1: to you on the Atlanta Falcons podcast network, and we 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:11,559 Speaker 1: are bringing you the stars of the nineteen ninety eight 4 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 1: Atlanta Falcons, the year they went to the Super Bowl, 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: a year that's going to be remembered for a very 6 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 1: long time in terms of the organization, the City of Atlanta. 7 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: I'm Scott Barry. That's Tory mclaney. The man in the middle, 8 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: Ray Buchanan, who I wish people could have seen what 9 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 1: was happening before the podcast started recording because I was 10 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 1: laughing so hard that I was crying. 11 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, we couldn't start. 12 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: Because Ray was killing me so much. So I'm very 13 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:42,319 Speaker 1: excited for this one. And Ray, let's just start this 14 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 1: from a broad perspective, right, you played in Atlanta for 15 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:51,240 Speaker 1: a long time. The attachment that this fan base feels 16 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: to you, and maybe you feel towards it having been 17 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: in other places like that's pretty special, especially for somebody 18 00:00:58,000 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: who's been through good times and bad wit this or 19 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: organization the City of Atlanta really pulls for the people 20 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 1: that that that have been there and have given them 21 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:07,960 Speaker 1: those kind of glory times. 22 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, it's funny. You know, Atlanta is the 23 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 3: fans were like, if you win, win, you know what 24 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 3: I'm saying. It was, It was it was sort of 25 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,319 Speaker 3: like that. When I was with the Indianapolis Colts, I 26 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:24,120 Speaker 3: went through a season of losing and then trans transforming 27 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:26,199 Speaker 3: the team. And my last two years out of four, 28 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 3: you know, we went went to the AFC Championship, went 29 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:33,400 Speaker 3: to you know, divisional round, and had some success of winning. 30 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 3: When I got here in Atlanta ninety seven, it was 31 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 3: just a little bit you know, you know different. I 32 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 3: knew we had a lot of work to do. When 33 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,320 Speaker 3: I got here, Dan Reeves one was transforming the whole team. 34 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 3: He gotted sixty percent of the team, and he brought 35 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 3: in guys. 36 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: Yeah. 37 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 4: No, it was like what thirty eight players of the 38 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 4: fifty three on the ninety eight team had been brought 39 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 4: in in like the last years. 40 00:01:55,480 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, Wild wanted to bring in his personality guys. 41 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 3: He already had the coaching staff sort of like put together. 42 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 3: But you know, to play in Atlanta, you knew that 43 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 3: you had to come in to bring in the right players. 44 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 3: You had to win. And we knew it was an 45 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 3: entertaining city. And you know that first season. When we 46 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 3: first got here, it was like we had you know, 47 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 3: we didn't. We weren't winning many games. It wasn't that 48 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 3: many people in the stands. It was like, oh, here 49 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 3: we go again, you know, the same old Falcons type 50 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:25,359 Speaker 3: of attitude. But we did know if we can light 51 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 3: a spark with the players that we actually had, because 52 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:29,519 Speaker 3: we we knew we had something. We just had to 53 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 3: put it together. We knew we can get set this 54 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 3: city on fire. 55 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 1: Second half of ninety seven. Craig, me, if I'm wrong. 56 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 1: You got started pretty bad and then you got hot 57 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 1: at the end. 58 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 3: Right. 59 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: Was there something in the second half of that year 60 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 1: where you kind of thought, okay, maybe we got something. 61 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, because we was losing some close games, 62 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 3: you know, that first half of the season. But for 63 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 3: the most part, you know, we we you just had 64 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 3: to learn how to finish games. We were like, all right, 65 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:55,959 Speaker 3: we're so close, but no, cigar, we just need to 66 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:57,919 Speaker 3: finish some of these games. And I was getting a 67 00:02:57,960 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 3: little bit nervous. A lot of guys started to get upset. 68 00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 3: We we had team meetings, you know, with players only, 69 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 3: and we're like, yo, you know, we got enough talent 70 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 3: in here to win let's get it together. I mean, 71 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 3: we we're so close with no cigar. But once we 72 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 3: started getting win after win after win, we were like, oh, 73 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 3: hold on, we picking up on some type of momentum. 74 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 3: And now the guys that are showing up, the stars 75 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 3: that are paid to play, they started to show up, 76 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 3: from Chandler, you know, to Jamal you know the front, 77 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 3: you know, defensive front, starting to get to the ball. 78 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 3: I got my hands on the ball a lot more. 79 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 3: And you know, the coaching staff, it was easy for 80 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 3: them to a game plan because this is what they 81 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 3: had saw or foreseen before we even got there. That's 82 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 3: what they saw already, and now it was just now 83 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 3: the players are buying into the system, and it took 84 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 3: a little time for everybody to get to know each other. 85 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 3: When you got that many guys and then bring them together, 86 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 3: it just don't happen overnight. It's like, man, we got 87 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 3: to start trusting one another another. And once we start 88 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 3: to trust one another as players out there, we start 89 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 3: holding each other accountable. Then you saw the gerbil on 90 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 3: the wheel start the rope like okay, now we picked 91 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 3: it up, and now we picking it up. 92 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 4: It's cool too, because you know, as you know, y'all 93 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 4: start stacking winds and the city kind of catches. 94 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 2: Fire alongside y'all. 95 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 4: And you know, there were so many big personalities on 96 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:18,479 Speaker 4: that ninety eight team that you're alluding to you one 97 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 4: of them as well. I give credit where credit is due, 98 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 4: But I was talking to a few of your former teammates, 99 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 4: and of course, what's no one. No one can talk 100 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 4: about the ninety eight team without talking about the dirty Bird. However, 101 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 4: there are a few guys who said that your dirty 102 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:35,160 Speaker 4: bird was. 103 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 2: More like a dead Pelican. I would like to get Yeah, 104 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 2: I'd like. 105 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 3: To give you. 106 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 2: Your dirty bird. Man. 107 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:47,479 Speaker 3: It is so funny. It's fun I thought that the 108 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 3: other dirty bird at first, that Jamalman were doing. I 109 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 3: at first I didn't like it. They had to grow 110 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:53,920 Speaker 3: on me and then I was like, wait a minute, 111 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:55,599 Speaker 3: hold on, he's getting a little rhythm with this, and 112 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 3: it is looking at it now me. You know, everybody 113 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 3: wanted to get in this high, this high written. Okay, 114 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 3: one think about the name first dirty Bird? We like, dad, 115 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 3: where did dirty come from? All? Right? We knew that 116 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 3: we were like dirty out there on the field. We 117 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:10,359 Speaker 3: were playing rough and we had that edge. But I 118 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 3: like the dirty Bird park. Now, now we had to 119 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 3: come up with something like catchy, and of course O. J. 120 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 3: Santiago was the first one who came up with, you know, 121 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 3: the dirty bird dancing. But everybody was sort of still 122 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 3: trying to figure out which dance they wanted to do. 123 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 3: So we had some guys rebelling about what dance they 124 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 3: wanted to do. Terrence manthis had his side of what 125 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 3: he wanted to do, Jamal had his, oj had his 126 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 3: you know, you see Jesse Tuggle. Now Jesse had the 127 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 3: worst one I hear, but. 128 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 2: Between him and Chandler. 129 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 3: Man when they tried to I was like, stop, y'all 130 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 3: messing up the whole plan of this. What we what 131 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 3: we're doing? Minds Okay, they said, I looked like a 132 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 3: broken down Pelican, the. 133 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:50,960 Speaker 2: Dead Pelican pelic. 134 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 3: So we all was trying to figure it out, figure 135 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 3: it out so we would dance. But we had the personality. 136 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,440 Speaker 3: So this is what was more important about One that 137 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 3: was catchy. Two it was something to get the fans involved. 138 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:05,920 Speaker 3: Three it made like the players. Everybody wanted to make 139 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 3: a play to be able to do the dance, you know, 140 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:11,359 Speaker 3: to get involved in stuff. So yeah, we did have 141 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:15,280 Speaker 3: all different versions. Jamal seventeen touchdowns, you know, had more 142 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 3: opportunities to get into perfect Yeah, to perfect it. And 143 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 3: you know, so he became the face of it, you know, 144 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 3: and duly noted. You know, Jam had that thing rocket. 145 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:27,159 Speaker 3: And when Jam had a rocket, then you started seeing 146 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:29,719 Speaker 3: like commercials or seeing the fans in the stand looking 147 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 3: at the jumbo tron, you know, seeing different people do it. 148 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:36,160 Speaker 3: We're like, wait, Manute, we got something, we got something now. 149 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 3: You know, in ninety one it had mc hammer. You know, 150 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 3: Prime had his dad. Prime's dance is legend dairy by far, 151 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,359 Speaker 3: you know, but the city had nothing like that until 152 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 3: you know, the dirty Birds came back around, and you know, 153 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 3: we just didn't have mc hammer. You know, we had. 154 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 3: You seen Lewis Chris, you saw Jamaine Duprie, You saw 155 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 3: the brat, you seeing all these Holy Field Yeah, yeah, 156 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:02,559 Speaker 3: it was it was famous people coming out, you know everywhere. Yeah. Yeah, 157 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 3: they wanted to be a part of it. So when 158 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 3: the fans got involved, you know, and then the Twelfth Man, 159 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 3: I thought I really kicked in as the season started 160 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 3: to roll, you know, towards then. Yeah, that's how I 161 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 3: got down. 162 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 1: You played football for a lot of years, But there 163 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 1: there are certain seasons and moments that become like phenomenon 164 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: for lack of a better term, that everybody kind of 165 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: gets into it. Everybody wants to do the dirty Bird, 166 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 1: whether you're in Atlanta or you're in California. Right, it 167 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 1: becomes like a thing. Could you I mean, like you 168 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 1: guys were rolling from October on pretty much, But could 169 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: you feel like maybe it's the amount of TV cameras 170 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: or people recognize it. Could you feel that everybody was 171 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 1: getting involved, that it was kind of becoming a thing 172 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 1: bigger than the fifty three guys? 173 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 3: Yeah? You know, you know when you would go on 174 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 3: different places and you know, even at the game when 175 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 3: people started to wear you know, dirty but I'm like, wait, 176 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 3: they got to pay and they got T shirts made, 177 00:07:57,640 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 3: you know, dir I was like, wait, man, hold on, 178 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 3: you know, it's really starting to get catchy. But winning 179 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 3: was gonna actually bring it all out. 180 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 4: Uh. 181 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 3: We was like, all, if we want to keep this up, 182 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 3: let's continue this role of winning. So as we started 183 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 3: getting the taste of victories and you know, the dance 184 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 3: happening and the fans getting involved, and you know, everybody's 185 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 3: starting to jail collectively with the wins. Then it was like, 186 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 3: I we didn't know by far that it was going 187 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 3: to take off as hot now you're talking about us planned, 188 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 3: but with the dance and dirty birth, we didn't know 189 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 3: it was going to be what it was, you know, 190 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 3: But eventually it kicked off that way. 191 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 4: I love it, and I think too A part of 192 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 4: this story that I think sometimes gets kind of lost 193 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:40,719 Speaker 4: in the weeds a little bit is Dan Reeves as 194 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 4: a head coach and what he was for y'all. And 195 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 4: I know that there's a quote from him that said, 196 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 4: you know that that ninety eight team was so special 197 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 4: and it was one of the most like it's the 198 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 4: team that he'll remember forever, it essentially and what if? 199 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:00,720 Speaker 4: So he had a what quadruple bypass surgery towards the 200 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 4: end of the season, had to miss some games and 201 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:06,439 Speaker 4: comes back ready in time for y'all in y'all's playoff front. 202 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 4: Do you remember the moment that he came back from 203 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 4: that and what that. 204 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:13,839 Speaker 3: Moment was like, let me you know what, before he 205 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 3: came back, Let's go back when it first happened, Like 206 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 3: we were already like on a run and you didn't 207 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:22,559 Speaker 3: want to disrupt anything, let alone. Dan, you know, felt 208 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 3: bad that he had to come in front of the 209 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 3: team to tell us what he had to do. Were like, 210 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:32,719 Speaker 3: what okay, okay, quarddrripplepad. Yeah, you know it's like it's 211 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 3: how serious is this? You know, y'all being honest with 212 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:37,840 Speaker 3: us or you know, we were all concerned one. You know, 213 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:39,559 Speaker 3: for Dan, it was kind of hard to sort of 214 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:42,680 Speaker 3: think about, you know, football at that time. Here's our leader, 215 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:45,360 Speaker 3: here's the guy that we've bought into, because he's got 216 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 3: he's now gotten this to a place to where we 217 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 3: were able to respond not just to him but to 218 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:56,079 Speaker 3: coaching and players getting together. You know, so when we 219 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 3: did when that did happen and we had to play 220 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:02,360 Speaker 3: the Detroit Lions and Rich Brooks had the takeover and 221 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 3: Archell had to take over. This how smart Dan was 222 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:09,439 Speaker 3: and how of a genius he was. You know, not 223 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 3: only was he that fun coach to play for it, 224 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 3: that can get the best out of us, his coaching 225 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:18,320 Speaker 3: staff that he actually had like mimicked him. So yeah, 226 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 3: it was like Dan was tough. Dan. He showed you 227 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 3: a lot of love when you would playing well or 228 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:26,439 Speaker 3: doing something, but he would also get on you when 229 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:28,840 Speaker 3: you was doing something that was wrong. But our practices 230 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 3: were tough and he was big on discipline. The coaches 231 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 3: that he had around him were the same way. So 232 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 3: a lot of people don't know that. When Dan went down, 233 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:40,080 Speaker 3: Rich Brooks stepped in to be the intern head coach. 234 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 3: And Rich Brooks had been a head coach already, Artchell 235 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 3: had been a head coach already. We had other coaches 236 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 3: that you know, had DC or OC experience, so we 237 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 3: didn't really miss a beat. We were actually now that 238 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 3: amplified our game to say, you know what, we're gonna 239 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 3: win this one for Dan. You know, let's not because 240 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 3: we needed that next win to clinch the division and 241 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:07,560 Speaker 3: we didn't want to have this hiccup and Dan didn't 242 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 3: want it to be the hiccup because of him. We 243 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:12,080 Speaker 3: flipped it, were like, all right, we're gonna win this 244 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 3: for you, Dan, and rich Brooks is the first one 245 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,680 Speaker 3: that said after we won that game, he gave Dan 246 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 3: actually the game ball. That meant so much to us, 247 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 3: and we didn't want to hear anything that was tragic, 248 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 3: and Dan didn't want it to interrupt our mental status, 249 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 3: you know as players, and I'm you know, it was 250 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:33,400 Speaker 3: luckily enough that we had enough players and lead us 251 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 3: on the team that you know, pulled together and was like, 252 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 3: you know, let's let's let's keep this thing rolling. And 253 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 3: that's what ended up happening. We had a bunch of 254 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 3: leaders on the team stepping up, let alone having great 255 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 3: coaching staff that can fill in for Dad. 256 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 4: Because it's funny just watching that ninety eight NFC Championship 257 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 4: game back and seeing Dan on the sidelines, you know, 258 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 4: he's animated. 259 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 2: Like he gets slung, get mad over that, get very fiery, 260 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:00,120 Speaker 2: get very heated. 261 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 4: And I'm like, this man is a couple of weeks, 262 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:06,199 Speaker 4: a few weeks out of having like a full heart surgery, 263 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:07,319 Speaker 4: like up on his. 264 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:10,199 Speaker 3: Feet, like he was that tough. Yeah, yeah, he was that. 265 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 3: But that's how he treated us as players, like anybody 266 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 3: got hurt if he ain't see blood or if it's 267 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 3: a bone coming out, you okay. That's the type of 268 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,160 Speaker 3: mentality that Dan was proven to us that you know what, 269 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 3: we're like Dad, all right. We thought that he was 270 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 3: full of bluff when he when we were injured, and 271 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:27,680 Speaker 3: now here he is showing us that he's trying to 272 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 3: come back from a quadruple bypass still you know, you know, 273 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 3: still got scarred up in stitches in him and he 274 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:37,800 Speaker 3: still wanted to come out and coach. Now, Pam his wife, 275 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 3: she was the one that was on Dan the most, like, dude, 276 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 3: you know you need the Pam was tough. 277 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: She was got a head coach. 278 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 3: Exactly, and Pam was Pam was the backbone. And uh, 279 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 3: she was the one that was pulling the string to 280 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 3: pull Dan back and allow him to uh, you know, 281 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 3: work in slowly. But Dan was fiery, so and you know, 282 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:02,480 Speaker 3: he only knew one way to coach, so for him 283 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 3: to be out there at risk and coach the way, 284 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 3: and they needed his blood levels, they need his heart 285 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 3: everything to be in the game. The game was actually 286 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:12,840 Speaker 3: kind of close to he you know, we would have 287 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 3: rest in peace, Dad, you know, I cracked joke, but 288 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:17,200 Speaker 3: Dan would have been out there trying to coach, knowing 289 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 3: that game and we would have been having a funeral 290 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:22,400 Speaker 3: at halftime because the way we played, we would have 291 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 3: put him. He literally was like he would have got 292 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 3: in us because we played uncharacteristic. But we won the game. 293 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:31,319 Speaker 3: But at the same time, you know, when you on 294 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 3: a roll like that team's figuring out, uh, you know 295 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 3: we we he's he talked about it too, like he said, 296 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:39,199 Speaker 3: y'all was literally trying to put me in the grave 297 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 3: but a little earlier. But we were able, you know, 298 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:45,920 Speaker 3: to pull that pull that game out, you know, I. 299 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 1: Think, and deservedly so. The NFC title game is such 300 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 1: a big moment, and it's an overtime game and there's 301 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:55,680 Speaker 1: all this, But forty nine Ers were the class, oh 302 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: yeah of the NFC, let alone the NFCU West for 303 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:01,760 Speaker 1: a very long long time. Yeah, and they were the 304 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 1: last team maybe I'm screening this up. They were the 305 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 1: last team that beat y'all in the regular see, yeah, because. 306 00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:10,200 Speaker 2: Y'all played them what three r three times? 307 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, three times, and they got us the first game 308 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:17,559 Speaker 3: at home at their place, didn't lose again until the Jets. 309 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: And then do you see again in that first playoff team. 310 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, well yeah, so what it was was we had 311 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 3: that first game, they beat us, all right, then we 312 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 3: ain't have another hiccup until we had the Jets, and 313 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 3: then we had them at home right before right before 314 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 3: the playoffs. All right. So one I hated, you know what, 315 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 3: I hated the forty nine ers like all my life. 316 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 3: I always appreciated Jed. I mean I was watching Jim 317 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 3: Rice sitting at home, you know, I was still in 318 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 3: Dondee and diapers watching the dude play. But I knew 319 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 3: he was a goat. With Steve Young, I mean, Terrell 320 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 3: Owens was hot, you know at that time. They had 321 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 3: Garrison Hurst before he had the one game where he 322 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 3: got hurting in the championship game. But they had all 323 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 3: all of the pieces on defense that made them who 324 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,920 Speaker 3: they were, and they was always beating up on the Falcons. 325 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 3: Like even when I got here, it was a rivalry. 326 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 3: I was like, ain't no rivalry they would beat That's 327 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 3: not no rivalry. Right now, They've been kicking Atlanta's tail 328 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:17,320 Speaker 3: even before I even got here, And we were trying 329 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 3: to add pieces to match up to what they would do. 330 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 3: So Dan Reeves, a lot of people didn't know that 331 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 3: it was a runner shoot. You know, they passed the 332 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:26,720 Speaker 3: ball a lot. Dan Reeves brought in this physical defense. 333 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:28,800 Speaker 3: We're gonna pound you in the mouth, We're gonna play 334 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 3: action past you to death, and forty nine ers wasn't 335 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 3: sort of like used to that. So we almost had 336 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 3: them on the hook that first game when we played them. 337 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 3: That next time we played, we were like, all right, okay, 338 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 3: we don't shoot ourselves in the foot. And Dan was 339 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 3: real big on discipline and turn over the football, y'all, 340 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 3: we might we go. We got a real good shot 341 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:48,880 Speaker 3: of beating them, you know. So we had them at 342 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:52,160 Speaker 3: home and we were already on the high row. You know, 343 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 3: they they thought that, you know, all right, it's the 344 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 3: same old Falcons. We've been beating up on them forever, 345 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 3: even though they've been having some success. You know, we're 346 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:03,240 Speaker 3: about to you know, we about to burn you raybu 347 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 3: Cannon with Terrell Owens and Jerry Rice, and we're gonna 348 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 3: on defense. Were about to make Chris. You know all 349 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 3: they knew if they hit Chris and the niggas called 350 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:15,200 Speaker 3: Chris Chris Chane Leire, if they hit Chris, knock him 351 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 3: about the game, then this is gonna be over this 352 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:20,720 Speaker 3: whole you know, story book of this big run to 353 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 3: the foul because I haven't we can end it. And 354 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 3: but we knew what we had and I knew what 355 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 3: I can actually do, and I knew what I brought 356 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:28,800 Speaker 3: to the table. And one of the elements on the 357 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 3: defensive side of the ball was I would cover the 358 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 3: best receiver or we would uh we would uh, I 359 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 3: would cover the second best receiver, right, but really both 360 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 3: of those two dudes would go. You had to pick 361 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 3: a choice between Tyo and Jed Rice. So we would 362 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 3: I would cover Jerry by myself and then we would 363 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 3: double t Yo or you know, every once in a while, 364 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 3: I have to cover Toyo and we have to double 365 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 3: Jerry whoever. You know, So we had to switch it 366 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:56,400 Speaker 3: up so the match. Not only that, the guys up 367 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 3: front on the defensive side of the ball, we were 368 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 3: getting to the ball to the back a lot that year. 369 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 3: We led the leading sacks. Them guys were disrupting Steve. 370 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 3: Steve Young ain't never been put on his butt that 371 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 3: many times, and they would give It's like, wait a minute, 372 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:14,200 Speaker 3: hold on this. This is not the same old foul 373 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 3: because that I've been used to, you know, beating up on. 374 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:19,199 Speaker 3: This is a different team. And not only that, it 375 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 3: was fun to see. I'm always sitting on the side 376 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 3: line as a defensive player looking at Jamal run through 377 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 3: their secondary the you know, with Merton Hanks hitting Ken Norton, 378 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 3: junior Ryan Young. This dude was literally baby in them cats. 379 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:37,159 Speaker 3: He was punishing them that bad, making them fold, and 380 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:39,480 Speaker 3: they didn't want to hit Jamal. After a while, they Jamal. 381 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 3: As the game got on and on, Jamal was wearing 382 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 3: them down. The offensive line was wearing them down. Chris 383 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:47,360 Speaker 3: all of a sudden getting hot, you know, because now 384 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 3: they're trying to stop the run. And it opened up 385 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 3: things for Terrence Mathis and Tony Martin, you know, and 386 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:55,200 Speaker 3: those guys, the you know, Ojay, the whole nine temps 387 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 3: of White. Everybody was starting to you know, eat, so 388 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:00,960 Speaker 3: had everybody off guard. So now we're like, all right, 389 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:04,400 Speaker 3: we're now competing with the forty nine ers. So that's 390 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,720 Speaker 3: what led up to. Now. It was the playoff game 391 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,440 Speaker 3: where the forty nine ers beat the cow I mean 392 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:17,960 Speaker 3: the Green Bay Packers with Macley catch Kyo crime and 393 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 3: then because he was dropping balls like a game before 394 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 3: that and we have to see him again. Now, Jamala 395 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:26,040 Speaker 3: tell a different story. He said that he ain't want 396 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:28,000 Speaker 3: to see the forty nine ers no more. We already 397 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 3: beat him, like we got the last tag and we won. 398 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:34,399 Speaker 3: We don't want to see him again. But at the 399 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 3: same time, I don't think the forty nine ers wanted 400 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 3: to see us again, especially after what we just finished 401 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:46,159 Speaker 3: doing to him previously. So I think that that it 402 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 3: set up an epic stage, you know, for us to 403 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:52,119 Speaker 3: go and compete and show them. And we finally now 404 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:55,640 Speaker 3: getting attention from you know, the media and everybody knowing 405 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 3: who the dirty bird is. And now it's the nationally 406 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 3: televised games, because a lot of our games year was 407 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:04,200 Speaker 3: not nationally televised, you know, locally but not nationally. 408 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 4: Y'all are overlooked until the very end of the national conversation. 409 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:12,200 Speaker 3: Absolutely, So now we're like, all right, you know, I've 410 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 3: been on a lot of players, you know here there 411 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:17,080 Speaker 3: on the team, and Dan Reeves you know, been on 412 00:19:17,119 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 3: the big stage, but a lot of guys have not. 413 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:23,359 Speaker 3: So let's not change what we've been doing this whole time. 414 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:26,200 Speaker 3: A lot of people do change or but the atmosphere 415 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 3: and you're the amplifying of the play your game goes 416 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 3: to a whole different level starting in the playoffs. And 417 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 3: so practice started with practice were like, all right, we're 418 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 3: practicing the same everything is, you know, setting up to 419 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 3: be like how we've been prepared throughout the whole year, 420 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:45,400 Speaker 3: and then just rolled around come down the game time. 421 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 3: Now the fans, I've never seen that many fans roaring 422 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 3: uh to its peak finally, especially with the game with 423 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 3: the Fortunite cause they had a lot of fans there too, 424 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 3: But it was it was a sellout, and it was 425 00:19:57,560 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 3: a national telebi game and we literally he came to play, 426 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 3: so it was like, let's go. 427 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 4: Yeah, VERI physical in terms of matchups, like I think 428 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:11,200 Speaker 4: back in term, like you had a career that spanned 429 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:12,560 Speaker 4: you know, a decade. 430 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:15,240 Speaker 2: And when you I love hearing you. 431 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:18,200 Speaker 4: Name drop some of these receivers like the Jerry rice 432 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 4: Is of the world, the trill Owns obviously Randers. Yeah, 433 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 4: in that ninety eight NFC Championship game, when you look 434 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 4: back at your career, is there a matchup that you 435 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 4: always look back on and you are either proud of 436 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:31,640 Speaker 4: it or one that. 437 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 2: You'll always remember. 438 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:36,280 Speaker 4: And who is that receiver that you just genuinely enjoyed 439 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:37,360 Speaker 4: going up against? 440 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 2: Man? 441 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:42,159 Speaker 3: You know, it's kind of it's really hard because I 442 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 3: got a name drop now, but just imagine when you're 443 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 3: getting prepared each week for like to just say Jerry 444 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:50,119 Speaker 3: rise so too. You know, you think about the championship 445 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 3: game going against Chris Carter and Randy Mouth. You know, 446 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 3: you think about Isaac Bruce and Terry Holt. I mean, 447 00:20:57,240 --> 00:20:59,119 Speaker 3: you know a game with that same year, going up 448 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:04,720 Speaker 3: against Marvin Hair, I'm like, after the other I didn't 449 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:08,000 Speaker 3: get a breathing break bro Joe Horn with the Saints, 450 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:10,919 Speaker 3: it was like I didn't have I didn't really have, 451 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:14,879 Speaker 3: you know, the time to really think think about it. 452 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 3: I was so competitive and the coaches already knew they 453 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 3: brought me here anyway to match up. But I enjoyed it. 454 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:21,919 Speaker 3: That's the only way I can actually play, you know. 455 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:23,399 Speaker 3: It was like if I had a game where it 456 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:25,399 Speaker 3: was just sort of anybody. I never took anybody lightly. 457 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:29,280 Speaker 3: I always treated every receiver with the utmost respect. But 458 00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 3: the ones that I knew there were goats that I 459 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:33,159 Speaker 3: knew they can get it. And I was like, you 460 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:34,920 Speaker 3: know what, you're not about to embarrass me this day. 461 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 3: Matter of fact, I'm gonna try to make you remember 462 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:40,919 Speaker 3: who I am. I had that mentality, that type of attitude, 463 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 3: and I said, you know what, You're gonna catch a ball, 464 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 3: all right. You know you might even score, maybe you know, 465 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:47,639 Speaker 3: but you best believe I'm get mine, you know, And 466 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:49,200 Speaker 3: when I get mine, don't let me get it because 467 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 3: I'm gonna try to embarrass you, you know, or you 468 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 3: know when I do it, and they knew it, you know. 469 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:56,879 Speaker 3: So the competition each week. So just to answer the 470 00:21:57,000 --> 00:22:00,240 Speaker 3: question though, you know the ones that I did get 471 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:05,240 Speaker 3: up for because it now became a situation to where 472 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 3: now that I had to fill in shoes of Dion, 473 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:11,119 Speaker 3: and I knew the battles that Dion had with Jerry Rice. 474 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 3: I was like, you know what, I gotta keep it going. 475 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:18,199 Speaker 4: Yeah, that meant that mental It's like the team atmosphere too, 476 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:22,240 Speaker 4: of how big that rivalry had become, especially at that 477 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:25,000 Speaker 4: point in time in both organization's history. 478 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 3: I mean it did. So it was that it was 479 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 3: Jared Rice, you know, getting up for TL J Rice 480 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 3: and t O. I really only saw you know, Randy, 481 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 3: you know, maybe three or four times throughout my whole 482 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 3: whole career. But I had to get ready for that one. 483 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:38,720 Speaker 3: That was just take away the d ball. That's it, 484 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:41,160 Speaker 3: and that's all you have to worry about. But Isaac Bruce, 485 00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:45,120 Speaker 3: Isaac Bruce was man that a lot of people don't 486 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 3: get to give them a lot of respect. But when 487 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:50,440 Speaker 3: they had the best offense on turf with Marshall Falk 488 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 3: Terry Holt, Isaac Bruce, uh Kirk Warner. It was hot. 489 00:22:55,119 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 3: It was like they gave us the blues, you know. 490 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 3: So you know, so I never had nightmares. I always 491 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:04,320 Speaker 3: slept well before every game. 492 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, slept like a baby. 493 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:07,959 Speaker 3: Slept like a baby. And I'm not saying that ar againtly. 494 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:12,159 Speaker 3: I'm more saying that I prepared so tough man prepared, 495 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:14,360 Speaker 3: and I knew what I was able to do. I 496 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:17,120 Speaker 3: love to be on the island. I wanted the attention, 497 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 3: to have the opportunity to do something. Yeah, and most 498 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 3: guys know it. Most guys getting ain't gonna lie. There's 499 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 3: a lot of coining out there, be like please don't 500 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:25,680 Speaker 3: throw them my way on display, right because it's it's 501 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:28,080 Speaker 3: you know, because it's a it's a position that's you know, 502 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:32,119 Speaker 3: it's either it's a score or it's a position that 503 00:23:32,160 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 3: you're really getting exposed and everybody see isout the place 504 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:36,920 Speaker 3: where you can actually hide, So you got to really 505 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:37,760 Speaker 3: try to embrace it. 506 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:40,080 Speaker 4: That's something that I know we've even talked about, like 507 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:44,080 Speaker 4: the aj Trails of the world now currently with this team, 508 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:46,359 Speaker 4: but that's something that they talk about there and I 509 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:48,879 Speaker 4: completely agree to what you're saying is like the cornerback 510 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:51,919 Speaker 4: position in terms of the confidence level that you have 511 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:54,040 Speaker 4: to have. I feel like it's unmatched in terms of 512 00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 4: the other positions on the field, even because you're in 513 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 4: those one on one situations where you can get burned 514 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:02,679 Speaker 4: or you can be at the very tip top of 515 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 4: the mountain, you know. 516 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:08,000 Speaker 1: Like aschematically they're purposefully doubling away from him, right, yeah, yeah, 517 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 1: so that's always there're. 518 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 2: Right, So that's all that's always there. 519 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:14,240 Speaker 4: And I just I think what you're saying is so 520 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:17,040 Speaker 4: so true that there is just a level of confidence. 521 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 2: That you have to have to play this position. 522 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:20,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, you have to if you go like a lot 523 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,880 Speaker 3: of guys, you know, they want the attention. They see 524 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:26,760 Speaker 3: what it can actually bring, and they see that it 525 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:28,879 Speaker 3: can be a position to where, you know what, if 526 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:30,920 Speaker 3: you do well at it, you know, people will notice 527 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:33,680 Speaker 3: who you are. Uh, it comes along with it. But 528 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 3: you got understand them guys on the other side of the ball, 529 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 3: they study you just like you studying them. They gonna 530 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:40,159 Speaker 3: find you a weak spot. So I think that the 531 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 3: ones that do embrace it, that enjoy being on the 532 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:45,679 Speaker 3: outside and playing at the highest level when going up 533 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 3: against some you know, even with matchups, like you know, 534 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:50,720 Speaker 3: when you're going up against the best receiver each week, 535 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:53,000 Speaker 3: that right there, can you know, take to a whole 536 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:56,719 Speaker 3: another level. The biggest part about it, it's the film study. 537 00:24:57,119 --> 00:25:00,040 Speaker 3: It's like literally, I mean I had a mind. I 538 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,439 Speaker 3: can remember a play like literally, I would know the 539 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:04,679 Speaker 3: top three routes that they might run out of a 540 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:07,719 Speaker 3: certain set. And then when receivers started to move, you know, 541 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,359 Speaker 3: it's like, all right, I've seen this before. I've seen 542 00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:13,439 Speaker 3: it over and over and over on film. Now it 543 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:15,679 Speaker 3: has to translate, you know, to the field. You know, 544 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 3: you got to know when to gamble and when not to. 545 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 3: Now you got a lot of guys they can have 546 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 3: such success, you know, like you know the Trayvon with 547 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 3: the digs from the Cowboys had a lot of interceptions, right, 548 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 3: you know, he was jumping a lot of routes, jumping 549 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 3: a lot of routes and had a great year. But 550 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:34,640 Speaker 3: then turned around they was like, all right, well nobody's 551 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:37,120 Speaker 3: really testing them deep. We're gonna start throwing d balls 552 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:38,879 Speaker 3: on him a lot more because he's trying to gamble 553 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:40,680 Speaker 3: too much. So you got to know when to gamble 554 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:43,480 Speaker 3: and when not to A lot of it comes from 555 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:46,840 Speaker 3: film studies. So now that you've studied, you know, and 556 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:49,360 Speaker 3: prepared yourself and your body feel good because you put 557 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:52,240 Speaker 3: the right things into your mind and your body. Now 558 00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:55,439 Speaker 3: now it's like all right, now your confidence can kick in. 559 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:58,000 Speaker 3: Now you can start warming up and your mouth started 560 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:01,160 Speaker 3: to run because you need that extra energy to play 561 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:02,680 Speaker 3: at that position. Now. Don't get me wrong. I've seen 562 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 3: a lot of quiet side of the assassin defensive backs 563 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:08,399 Speaker 3: and could still get it done. But you know, to 564 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 3: embrace the position. If you want to be great, you 565 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 3: want to be remembered. It's not just you know, shutting 566 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:18,480 Speaker 3: somebody down. It's now getting that rock. Every defensive coordinator 567 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 3: love guys to get that ball. Turnovers yeah yeah, forty seven. Yeah. 568 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:30,120 Speaker 3: So you know, and I think, like you know, talking 569 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:32,600 Speaker 3: about aj Terrell, I think that he has the potential 570 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 3: to be great. I realize how big he is, how 571 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 3: quick he is getting in out of the break, and 572 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:38,919 Speaker 3: it comes with you know a lot of times with 573 00:26:39,359 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 3: the maturation of your front, you know seven getting to 574 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:45,520 Speaker 3: the quarterback, you can gam them a little bit more. 575 00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:48,159 Speaker 3: But he's gonna be special. He's definitely gonna be special. 576 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 1: I can't believe how fast time flies when you're having 577 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:55,200 Speaker 1: these conversations. But I did want to get one more question. Sure, 578 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:58,760 Speaker 1: if you don't mind, this is the place where Dion 579 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:03,400 Speaker 1: became Dion right right, and he became an elite cornerback, 580 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:06,800 Speaker 1: and then the next elite cornerback they had sitting next 581 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:09,600 Speaker 1: to us, ye, right, And from what I've read, you 582 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:11,960 Speaker 1: have a lot of affinity for Dion and how he played, 583 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:15,679 Speaker 1: and we carried himself to come into this to the 584 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:18,359 Speaker 1: same organization that he played for. 585 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 2: At the house that Dion Bill right right. 586 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:25,560 Speaker 1: Like Bill, And then it's I mean we're still I mean, yeah, 587 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:29,159 Speaker 1: you know, thirty picks and seventy seven passes defense and 588 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:31,119 Speaker 1: all these numbers that I can throw out, right, But 589 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:35,520 Speaker 1: to kind of carry that mantle of the elite cornerback 590 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 1: for the Falcons, did that mean something to you? Hey, 591 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:43,440 Speaker 1: I'm playing where Dion played. I'm super talented. Let's let's 592 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:46,080 Speaker 1: carry this tradition forward, like, oh. 593 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 3: Don't forget about me. No, but but prime he was 594 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:52,399 Speaker 3: like my mentor even coming out of like college, we 595 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 3: had the same agent and being around him it helped 596 00:27:56,240 --> 00:27:58,879 Speaker 3: me understand the position a little bit more, you know, 597 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:01,119 Speaker 3: and he's the one that was telling let me study, prepare, 598 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:03,480 Speaker 3: put the right thing into your body, you know, and 599 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:06,600 Speaker 3: be who you are. And but him, I knew how 600 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:09,399 Speaker 3: he added flash. I knew how he was flamboy, and 601 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:12,800 Speaker 3: I knew how confident he was at planninget. So it 602 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:16,960 Speaker 3: added that extra umph. So he was one Rob Woodson 603 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,439 Speaker 3: poured into me. He was a physical corner that was 604 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:22,280 Speaker 3: one of the most physical corners. He had seventy something 605 00:28:22,320 --> 00:28:24,639 Speaker 3: in the seven, which was like crazy when especially when 606 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:28,000 Speaker 3: he went to move to safety. But he was mentor. 607 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:29,880 Speaker 3: We had the same age, so I was around him, 608 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 3: being around a guy like anielas Williams at that time. 609 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:34,920 Speaker 3: He had some of the quickest feet that I've remember 610 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:37,680 Speaker 3: his work habits, you know, training with this dude. Seeing 611 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 3: him in the off season and training, I was like, Okay, 612 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:41,280 Speaker 3: this is how you keep the body up and this 613 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 3: is how you actually training. I'm like, wow, I stole 614 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:47,840 Speaker 3: them attributes. Then Darryl Green, I'm like, dude, how are 615 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 3: you able to do this for so long? It's like, man, 616 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 3: I'm like, dude, you forty he still almost running four 617 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:56,800 Speaker 3: to three standing loser. He was the one pouring into 618 00:28:56,840 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 3: me talking about stretching, you know, uh, you know before 619 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:05,200 Speaker 3: apply metrics and yo, yo getting off this dude, saw 620 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 3: my work on your flexibility. You don't have to live 621 00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 3: with a lot of weights, you know, just you know, 622 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 3: and then make sure you're eating right. And I'm like, okay, 623 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 3: I'm still in a little bit from everybody to make myself. 624 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:19,040 Speaker 3: And I didn't particularly want to be like one person. 625 00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:22,880 Speaker 3: I wanted to be who I was, and and coming 626 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 3: here to Atlanta, I knew I I did have to 627 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:29,400 Speaker 3: live up to the expectation of a great one. And 628 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 3: it was his house and I told you, Deanna, you 629 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 3: built this sucker. But you know, I'm gonna keep on 630 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:35,720 Speaker 3: re renovating and keep make sure the house clean while 631 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:39,440 Speaker 3: you go take care of it. Make sure you're not 632 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:42,600 Speaker 3: missing missing the step. And uh, you know, he's my mentor, 633 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 3: and he uh, you know, he loved the way I 634 00:29:45,280 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 3: actually played and shared so much with me. You know, 635 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:52,080 Speaker 3: that helped me to become who I was, who I was, 636 00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 3: you know at that particular time as a player. 637 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:56,720 Speaker 2: I think that's such a good point. 638 00:29:57,080 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's such a good point. 639 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:01,480 Speaker 4: And kind of taking things and more morphin different rights 640 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:02,800 Speaker 4: for different people to. 641 00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:08,200 Speaker 1: Create people to create, Ray beganans, right, that's fascinating. What 642 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:10,400 Speaker 1: a great conversation. Ray, Thank you so much for taking 643 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:12,480 Speaker 1: the time. I know there's so many interviews that I 644 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 1: think you've done over the course of this weekend, so 645 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:17,720 Speaker 1: many autographs that you've signed. We definitely appreciate you making 646 00:30:17,760 --> 00:30:20,040 Speaker 1: time for us as well. Please rate, review, subscribe to 647 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:22,760 Speaker 1: the Atlanta Falcons podcast network, and we're going to be 648 00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 1: back with you with more awesome guests from the ninety 649 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:26,680 Speaker 1: eight team. Heck yeah, see it.