1 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: Welcome back to another edition of school Stories. Tonight's guest 2 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 1: had a seven year NFL career, which included a couple 3 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 1: of stints with your Minnesota Vikings. Nowadays, he's enjoying life 4 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: after football and was kind enough to hang out with 5 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:17,800 Speaker 1: us for a little time today. Please enjoy Tonight's conversation 6 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:22,239 Speaker 1: with Vikings. Legend of Fadi I Dentibo. Well, it is 7 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: my pleasure to bring a Fadi a Dentibo into the 8 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: conversation a Fadi, how are you? Where are you and 9 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: what's going on with your life? Give the listeners just 10 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: a quick update. 11 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 2: Hey, thanks for having me so right now. I'm currently 12 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:40,319 Speaker 2: in Puerto Rico. I'm about This is my second year 13 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 2: removed out of the NFL, so I'm just really I'm 14 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 2: just really seeing the beauty and everyday life. Now. You know, 15 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 2: when you've been an athlete your whole life since four 16 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 2: years old, you've been kind of trying to be one way. 17 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 2: So I think these last year or two I've done 18 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 2: a lot of just I've been trying to really find 19 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 2: out who I am, who my authentic self is. 20 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 1: That makes sense, Yeah, absolutely, It's it's a transition from 21 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: giving a schedule and being told what to do every 22 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:10,319 Speaker 1: day and what to eat and when to sleep and 23 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 1: how much to lift and where to push it. Uh, 24 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:18,559 Speaker 1: to total absolute freedom to do whatever whenever you want. Yeah, 25 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:20,680 Speaker 1: it's and then the problem is you have resources to 26 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: get in trouble. Uh you know what I mean as 27 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: far as that goes, and so uh that that it's 28 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 1: always it's always interesting to uh talk about this. It's 29 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:32,319 Speaker 1: like Anthony Herrera. I don't know if you remember. Anthony 30 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:36,400 Speaker 1: Herrera is an offensive lineman back in the two thousands, 31 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: and he talked about how much he just disliked football, 32 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 1: didn't want to be around it, and then his kids 33 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:43,959 Speaker 1: kind of got going and then you you know, fell 34 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,639 Speaker 1: back in love with it. So I always love talking 35 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 1: to guys about that cycle of retirement and what it 36 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: what it, what it feels like immediately afterwards, and what 37 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: are you doing to occupy yourself because you didn't get 38 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 1: where you were by being lazy and not really being 39 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: involved in stuff. 40 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely. So Yeah, what's very interesting about 41 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 2: this NFL is the fact that we all get done 42 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 2: in different different times. You know, I played about seven 43 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:14,839 Speaker 2: years in the NFL, and what the average careers were 44 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:18,640 Speaker 2: anywhere from two to four years. Yeah, so like, and 45 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 2: it's just very interesting that there's no textbook of how 46 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 2: to handle like when you're done with playing football, you know, 47 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 2: some guys and the thing is like we all like 48 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:32,119 Speaker 2: retire at different points of our life, you know, right, 49 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 2: So so like, fortunately for me, I was a little 50 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 2: more cynical or a little more realistic because I was 51 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 2: a Northwestern guy, seventh round pick. So just from doing ECON, 52 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 2: I always realized, like, oh, hey a Fadi or a 53 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,919 Speaker 2: seventh round pick from Northwestern, like, hey, let's be let's 54 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 2: be real here, can you the average? Because what I 55 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 2: remember getting drapped into the NFL and all my people anywhere, 56 00:02:57,760 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 2: everyone at the NFL com and I would talk to 57 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 2: every guy like, yeah, I mean I play, I plan 58 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 2: on playing ten years in the league. And I'm like, 59 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 2: if everybody plans on playing ten years in the league 60 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 2: and their average is three years, something's not right. 61 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, so our I mean, our paths are very similar. 62 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 1: I was a seventh round pick right two eleven overall 63 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: and was on a practice squad for a season and 64 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 1: then ended up being Unfortunately for me, I was able 65 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,640 Speaker 1: to stay here, uh the entire time but your you know, 66 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 1: your story is a little bit different. But let's let's 67 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: let's go way back, because I think there's so much 68 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: compelling about you. You know, you you were, you were 69 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 1: born in New Jersey, you moved to Centerville, Ohio. You're 70 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 1: the first American born member of your family because your 71 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 1: parents are from Nigeria. So talk about all of that 72 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 1: as a as a kid with immigrant parents, with the 73 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 1: whole thing, and how that got you to Northwestern because 74 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 1: you don't go to Northwestern unless you care about academics 75 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: as well as football. 76 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 2: Correct. So I was very fortunate enough. I think it's 77 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 2: just by the grace of God. So my mom, she's 78 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 2: a pediatrician, and my dad's a civil engineer. So they 79 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 2: immigrated from Nigeria to the United States just for a 80 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:18,600 Speaker 2: better opportunities. So I did. I was born in New 81 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 2: Jersey and then from there I worked my way to Centerville. 82 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:23,799 Speaker 1: And you managed to escape New Jersey. 83 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 3: Huh yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly right. So so again good all, 84 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,280 Speaker 3: good old deed in Ohio in the Midwest, so no 85 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 3: distractions whatsoever. 86 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 1: Right, Yeah. 87 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:39,839 Speaker 2: So when I was there, like Nigerian perspective, sports was 88 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 2: not really seen as a big thing. In Nigeria was 89 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 2: just more like academics and that's how you that's how 90 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 2: you make it out. So the sole concepts of playing 91 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 2: sports and discipline then doing that, my parents just weren't 92 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:54,280 Speaker 2: all about that. My parents were like, so, so I'm 93 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 2: gonna impersonate my dad's accent, so bear with me here. 94 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 2: So that's like a uh that time he focused on 95 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,359 Speaker 2: playing sports, you could use that time to focus on 96 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:13,279 Speaker 2: your studies and go to Harvard. So so that was 97 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 2: kind of the realistic, like whenever you wanted to do 98 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:21,039 Speaker 2: something else to like get into your books. So oddly enough, though, 99 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:23,599 Speaker 2: the really main sport I did growing up was track. 100 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 2: I was pretty fast growing up. I've just been blessed 101 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 2: by having speed. I would always race all the upper 102 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:33,599 Speaker 2: all the upper classmen's back when I was in elementary school, 103 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 2: so like, I just had an affinity to run. And 104 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 2: then I came from uh A. Powell High School. So 105 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 2: my high school's home of a J Hawk, Mike Nugent, 106 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 2: kirk Herb Street and like guys like r Ip Nick Mangled, 107 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 2: Nick Mangles from my hometown. And then like I think 108 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 2: Joe Toney, Joe Tony is still playing for the Bears. Yeah. Yeah, 109 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:01,600 Speaker 2: So it's like I came from a pretty pretty area, 110 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 2: pretty good area, and like what's funny enough is that 111 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 2: like I started playing football my sophomore year, and like 112 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:10,799 Speaker 2: I was fortunate enough to have a lot of offers. 113 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 2: I had, I think about forty offers. I was like 114 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 2: an under armor All American. But like it wasn't like 115 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 2: I was amazing, Like I was a good athlete, Like 116 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:21,719 Speaker 2: I'm not gonna lie here, but I was just a 117 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 2: product of my environment. If I if I would have 118 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:28,239 Speaker 2: moved somewhere else and football wasn't that big, I probably 119 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 2: would have been an okay player. But like that was 120 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 2: just kind of a standard, and that was kind of 121 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 2: a standard out Gota embedded, ingrained in me. And yeah, 122 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 2: I'm super fortunate so that I ended up. My top 123 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:44,919 Speaker 2: schools came down between Ohio State, cal Berkeley, Stanford, Notre Dame. Northwestern. 124 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:47,839 Speaker 2: At the time was a pretty big deal when I 125 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 2: committed to Northwestern because of you know, Ohio State. Like 126 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 2: if you when someone leaves Ohio, everyone's like what is 127 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 2: wrong with you? So like and I was telling people, yeah, 128 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 2: I'm going Northwestern. They're like for academics, They're like you know, 129 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:07,359 Speaker 2: you have to do score there, right, And that was 130 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 2: also during the whole Jim Trestle tattoo scandal, the whole 131 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 2: like Urban my I was trying to recruit me and 132 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 2: I was like, I'm just gonna go purple, go Northwestern. 133 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 2: So yeah, it was a pretty it was a pretty 134 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 2: interesting point. And that was before like that was like 135 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 2: back in the day when you had to send like 136 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 2: your highlight tape versus like you would have to send 137 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 2: DVDs to all these schools out there before Huddle and 138 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 2: all these all these other four platforms got there. So 139 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 2: it was a pretty different time that time in high school, 140 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 2: I saw I messed like twenty days of school, twenty 141 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 2: five days of school, Like I was literally like the 142 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 2: classic jock where I was just like because I was 143 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 2: always going on visits, I was playing an All Star games. 144 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 2: So it was yeah, like looking back at it as 145 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 2: I've gotten older, being thirty one, I'm like, wow, that 146 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 2: was a that was the heck of herun. You know. 147 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: So you ended up going to Northwestern. Uh, tell us 148 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 1: a little bit about that. You played for Patsville hat Fitzgerald. Uh, 149 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 1: you know, a guy Chicago guy and a guy that 150 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: I know from high school back in the day, what 151 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: was it about Northwestern that you loved? 152 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 2: So Northwestern, I think what I loved was I think 153 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 2: I think I was leaning towards Notre Dame at the 154 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 2: time because, like, I'm pretty I'm Catholic, I grew up, 155 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 2: grew up in a Catholic family. 156 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 1: But let me tell you I went there. It's overrated. 157 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, so so so, so I think when I 158 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 2: went to dinner Dame, I was like, wow, like, there's 159 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 2: a lot of guys here. Oh sixty guys. Awesome. 160 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm well aware of that ratio. 161 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 2: So but I think when I went to Northwestern, I 162 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 2: liked the whole idea of Chicago. And to be honest, 163 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 2: like I played a lot of these guys who were 164 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 2: top a cruise, really had aspirations to play in the NFL. 165 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 2: But I was always kind of my parents always kind 166 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 2: of grounded me as o, hey, like let's get this education, 167 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 2: let's get this education. So when I went on my 168 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 2: visits to Northwest and then I got to see the 169 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 2: city of Chicago, I really fell in love with that aspect. 170 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 2: And then just the fact that I'm a Middlewest guy 171 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 2: hert so like going out to like Stanford, California. It 172 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 2: made more sense to kind of be in the northwestern area. 173 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 2: And I was like, Oh, let me get a job 174 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 2: in Chicago or whatsoever. So and then just with coach Fitzgerald, 175 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 2: it was like it was like a pretty cool thing 176 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 2: to see that the guy was defensive player who beat 177 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 2: out Ray Lewis Defensive Player of the Year and he 178 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 2: got to coach his alma Madas. So like, you already 179 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:29,440 Speaker 2: know that he's passionate about it. You know he's not 180 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,600 Speaker 2: you know, he's not going anywhere. Because one thing that's 181 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:35,440 Speaker 2: very interesting about that whole football aspect is that a 182 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 2: coach could tell you all that stuff, but then all 183 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 2: of a sudden, they have a great season, then they're 184 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 2: out of there. So I had a lot of faith 185 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 2: that coach Fitch was going to be there when I 186 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:43,320 Speaker 2: was there. 187 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, because in twenty fifteen, you guys were ten and three, 188 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 1: he went to Outback Bowl. What do you remember about 189 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 1: that season in particular. 190 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 2: All Back Bowls? So the All Back bull who did 191 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 2: we play? Did we play? Tennessee? The one I remember 192 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,320 Speaker 2: the most is probably the one I got red shirted, 193 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 2: and that was a Gator Bowl year That was our 194 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:04,959 Speaker 2: first ball win since like World War two, like like 195 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:07,200 Speaker 2: I think it was five years after World War two 196 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:10,440 Speaker 2: something outrages like that. So so so that was a 197 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 2: big time and I think I was very fortunate enough 198 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 2: that I came in a good time. 199 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:16,599 Speaker 1: Yeah, your outback ball was against Tennessee. 200 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, that was against Dodson, right, Al Dotson, he 201 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 2: was the quarterback of the time. Yeah, so yeah, so 202 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:25,559 Speaker 2: but yeah, I think that time I went to Northwestern 203 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 2: with the all back, with the gator ball, with the 204 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 2: pitchtry bull. I was a pretty part of some special teams, 205 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 2: and yeah, I didn't know what to expect it and 206 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 2: it was a great run just to be a part of. 207 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 2: Like I remember what what captivated me, what compelled me 208 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 2: to go out there was, like I always said, like 209 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 2: I wanted to be a part of something great. So 210 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 2: I didn't want to like go into a program where 211 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 2: it was already powerhouses. There was always already a factory. 212 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 2: It's a lot more special when something was something was 213 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 2: in the powerhouse and you helped create it, you helped 214 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 2: turn the culture around. And that's my biggest you have 215 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:01,079 Speaker 2: Northwestern right there. 216 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:02,719 Speaker 1: You had that you had that experience with the high 217 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 1: school that you went to obviously, so you're one you 218 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 1: wanted to create something, which yeah, which is great. 219 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, yep, yep. Absolutely got to meet a lot of people, 220 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 2: got to just even be in Northwestern. It's like seven 221 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 2: thousand undergrad. It was a pretty small school, so it 222 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 2: was like you got a lot of UH had a 223 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 2: lot of eyes on you. 224 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:22,680 Speaker 3: You know. 225 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 2: So when I would talk to people about like a 226 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:26,959 Speaker 2: bunch of my high school friends who all went to 227 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:29,079 Speaker 2: high State, and I would visit them in the off season, 228 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:31,599 Speaker 2: and I would go there and I'm like, this is 229 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:34,079 Speaker 2: a completely different environment. Or I remember had even kids 230 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:36,760 Speaker 2: talking to me about, oh yeah, man, I'm in the 231 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 2: honors dorm. I'm like, oh, you guys have an honors dorm. 232 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 2: I was like Northwestern, every class's honors class having dorms exactly. Yeah. 233 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 2: So so like going to Northwestern, being in Chicago, playing 234 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:52,960 Speaker 2: Big ten football, and it was it was just a 235 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 2: very unique experience and and I'm and I cherished those memories. 236 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: Yeah you had, and you had a lot of success. 237 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: He finished with UH with a with twenty three and 238 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 1: a half sacks as number two all time at Northwestern, 239 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 1: and then and eventually became a seventh round draft pick. Now, 240 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 1: I always say this that everybody except for the guy 241 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 1: who goes first overall thinks they should have gone higher. 242 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,240 Speaker 1: What was what was the big question mark with you 243 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:23,680 Speaker 1: coming out of college? Because obviously playing seven years you 244 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 1: were and he had a very very productive and very 245 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:31,440 Speaker 1: good NFL career. Being a seventh round pick, there had 246 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:34,559 Speaker 1: to have been something that was a challenge for you, 247 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 1: or at least what the scouts would tell you. 248 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 2: I think the challenge was for me it was obviously 249 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 2: I started to playing football later, but I think so 250 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 2: in high school was a pretty skinny kid, well skinny 251 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 2: in terms of defensive end standard. I was about I 252 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 2: was six three five pounds, so like throughout the years 253 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 2: at Northwestern, I didn't really have time to get acclimating 254 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 2: get heavy. So I think my senior year I kind 255 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 2: of put it together. I got to two sixty two 256 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:05,520 Speaker 2: sixty five, and but I think the issue was for 257 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 2: me was the fact that I could play. I could 258 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 2: be in every down defensive end, so so that was 259 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:12,439 Speaker 2: kind of the issue. But like I but everyone knew 260 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:16,439 Speaker 2: I could rush the passer, like should have gone seventh round. 261 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 2: Firstly for me, as I sit back and look back 262 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:20,680 Speaker 2: at it now, I don't think so. I think I 263 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 2: Ranna with decent forty at like anywhere from four sixty eight, 264 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 2: four seven to two. I lived the big ten sacks 265 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:29,600 Speaker 2: as well, so I had more sacks than tj Y, 266 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:31,720 Speaker 2: you know. So, but I think just being at a 267 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:35,840 Speaker 2: small school and just from the standpoint of like, it's 268 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:37,599 Speaker 2: just it's it's kind of tricky at the time. You know, 269 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 2: every every guy I talked to everyone they should go 270 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 2: first round. 271 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 1: Well, yeah, that's exactly right. You're just a little bit 272 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 1: ahead of your time because you were stuck in an 273 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 1: era I think where if you're a defensive end you 274 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:50,760 Speaker 1: had to be to eighty two eighty five. Nowadays, with 275 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 1: the proliferation of the three four and the different variants 276 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:56,800 Speaker 1: of it, yeah, you would have. I mean I think 277 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: you and a Flores system and I'm thinking number two 278 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: you trained like they do now for the combine, you 279 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: definitely would have been in the sixth category for six 280 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 1: for five, you know what I. 281 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:10,880 Speaker 2: Mean, absolutely? And the thing Yeah, the thing was too 282 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 2: if you want to be real. So I went to 283 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 2: Northwest and strictly really more for the academics. I didn't 284 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 2: really understand defense concepts. And I remember when I was 285 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:21,280 Speaker 2: getting recruited by stand Ford Notre Dame, there were at 286 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 2: three four and my body frame was more of like 287 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 2: an outside linebacker and I could run it out. They 288 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 2: also liked my track background, so that the whole time 289 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:31,240 Speaker 2: I had to be like a really hand on the ground, 290 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 2: be a defensive end. And looking back at it, I 291 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:35,800 Speaker 2: probably would have been more probably been more appropriate to 292 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 2: be an outside back or something like Flores. But I'm 293 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 2: just one of those guys that, hey, if you put 294 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 2: me a detackle linebacker, whatever, I'm going to try to 295 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:45,360 Speaker 2: be the best I can and just suck it up. 296 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 2: So that's kind of what happened. 297 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 1: But yeah, tell us about your rookie year, because obviously 298 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 1: it wasn't a smooth transition into the NFL. You had 299 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: to fight your way and claw your way and you 300 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 1: managed to finally get on a roster. But to talk 301 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 1: about your talk about your rookie season. 302 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 2: Rookie year was a very humbly year. You know. After 303 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 2: I got drafted steveth Round, I was like, man, I'm 304 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:10,240 Speaker 2: gonna show everybody out here. I'm gonna show him what 305 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:13,040 Speaker 2: I'm about. So first day at a camp I'm like, yeah, 306 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 2: who are these guys? So I remember doing walk through 307 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 2: and like so in walk through, when you're like a 308 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 2: backup or you're like you you're a late round pick, whatever, 309 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 2: you have to be scout team of offensive lineman and 310 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 2: give the starters good looks. And so I remember going 311 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 2: against Limville Joseph and I was like the center at 312 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:37,800 Speaker 2: the time, and he struck me so hard on the 313 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 2: very first place walkthrough that I thought about. 314 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: Quitting one of the biggest men I have ever seen. 315 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 2: That hit was so hard that it tickled my lungs 316 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:50,200 Speaker 2: and I was like, oh my god. And then from 317 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 2: there just being there all that kid because because it 318 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:54,800 Speaker 2: was a rough camp, you know, because he because you 319 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 2: think that all those bad habits, thinking that got you 320 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 2: Saxton College when uh would work in the NFL. Now, 321 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 2: no it doesn't. And the thing about it was understanding 322 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 2: Pastor's angle. But like then I'm watching guys like Daniel 323 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 2: Hunter and Everson Griffin like those get offs, like you're like, 324 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:13,400 Speaker 2: oh my god, this is normal. This isn't normal practice people. Well, 325 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:15,680 Speaker 2: so you started having the imposter syndrome. But like it 326 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 2: was one of those things that were unfortunately I got 327 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 2: cut that year. But I think that was probably the 328 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 2: biggest blessings out there because I had to really take 329 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 2: a step back. Obviously it was it hurt the ego, 330 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 2: but I but I remember when I got cut, I 331 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 2: was like, yeah, I deserve to get cut. You know. 332 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 2: I didn't show what it takes to be to play 333 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 2: for the Vikings. So I got to really step back 334 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:38,520 Speaker 2: and be on practice squad. Nobody was really paying attention 335 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 2: because they were focusing the starters. But I got to 336 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 2: really take notes from Everson because he Everson had a 337 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 2: similar body type as me, and really got to take 338 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:49,400 Speaker 2: notes and really wanted to prove myself for the very 339 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 2: next year now. And then the next year happened and 340 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 2: I was like, all right, I've been training all ob seasons. 341 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 2: I'm ready to go. And they're like, hey, I Faddy, 342 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 2: we want to move you to defensive tac cool. I'm like, oh, 343 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 2: what do you what do you mean now? Yeah, we 344 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:07,440 Speaker 2: just drafted this guy in the fifty sixth round. Blah 345 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 2: blah blah. You're gonna look at your frame, blah blah blah. 346 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:13,199 Speaker 2: You have heavy hands, you can be attacked tackles A coach. 347 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:15,240 Speaker 2: I've never played you tackled before. Oh you got it. 348 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 2: I'm like, oh my god, well all right, here we go. 349 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: So who was it that broke the news to you? 350 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:27,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it was coach dre Andre Patters. Okay, 351 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 2: so so so during that camp, it was a rough camp, 352 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:35,200 Speaker 2: plain te tackle because I was just getting knocked out everywhere. 353 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:37,200 Speaker 2: I'm like, oh my god, my NFL curves about ten. 354 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:40,480 Speaker 2: But I ain't going I ain't going down without a fight. 355 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 2: So unfortunately, uh the d M maybe drafted. He end 356 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:47,119 Speaker 2: up tearing his a cl in a preseason game. So 357 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 2: they said, all right, Foddy, all right, and we don't 358 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:52,040 Speaker 2: have any other defensive ends. We're gonna put you at 359 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:55,639 Speaker 2: defensive end. So I was like, oh, say less, coach. 360 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:57,760 Speaker 2: I ended up having a pretty good game. I think 361 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 2: I had like two sacks, nine tackles. I was getting 362 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:04,720 Speaker 2: jags and that really helped me, helped my spot. But 363 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 2: I ended up making the active roster, but it wasn't 364 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 2: for the Vikings. Actually, God made the active roster for 365 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:14,520 Speaker 2: the Browns because the Vikings cut me that year because 366 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 2: it was more like I think from my understanding, like 367 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:19,199 Speaker 2: as I look back at it, it was because of 368 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 2: we were so close to making the super Bowl the 369 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:24,520 Speaker 2: year before because that my rookie year was the Minneapolis 370 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 2: Minneapolis miracle year. So I think the front office just 371 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 2: really wanted to keep the They wanted to keep the 372 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:33,560 Speaker 2: roster of the same so so they kind of had 373 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:36,639 Speaker 2: their minds made up. So I ended up going to Cleveland. 374 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:39,560 Speaker 2: I'm there for three weeks, four weeks, but like when 375 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,480 Speaker 2: the problem with Cleveland was Cleveland went oh sixteen the 376 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:45,560 Speaker 2: year before, so they're just grabbing guys off the roster. 377 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 2: So I was just so they cut me within three 378 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 2: weeks because someone got hurt. We had sixty ends, and 379 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 2: I went to Arizona Cardinals, so I got to be 380 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 2: a Chandler Jones, Marcus Golden and all this guy and 381 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 2: someone got hurt, you know, like when you're a journeyman. 382 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:02,200 Speaker 2: Got cut. Then I found my way back to the Vikings. 383 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 2: Then I think the Vikers are all right, you're not 384 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:06,639 Speaker 2: in detack. We'll put you at defensive end. And then 385 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:08,439 Speaker 2: the very next year, I was very fortunate enough to 386 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:10,960 Speaker 2: finally get my to make the actor roster. Then I 387 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 2: ended up having seven sacks that year. 388 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:15,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, you played well. Eventually played thirty one games for 389 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 1: the Vikings ten and a half sacks. Do you have 390 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:21,920 Speaker 1: a favorite moment from twenty nineteen in the twenty twenty season. 391 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:23,879 Speaker 2: Twenty nine ers, Probably when I think I ran that 392 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 2: touchdown back from the from the Chargers against the Philip Rivers, 393 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:31,640 Speaker 2: And to me, like, I grew up a Chargers fan, 394 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 2: so I got to score a sixty hour touchdown and 395 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:38,400 Speaker 2: I got to sack Philip Rivers, which is pretty cool 396 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 2: because I grew up a Chargers fan because like Lydadian 397 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:43,960 Speaker 2: Thomason got me into football. So I remember like being 398 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:47,800 Speaker 2: in middle school and watching Philip Rivers and LaDainian Thomason 399 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 2: just be able to stack him and score a touchdown 400 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 2: against someone was a pretty surreal moment. Yea. 401 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 1: Had to been surreal to see Rivers back on the 402 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 1: field too this year. 403 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:58,359 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeah, it's nuts. Everyone was like, man, this 404 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 2: guy started before me and finish after me. Like wow, 405 00:20:02,359 --> 00:20:04,400 Speaker 2: But that into things that perspective, right. 406 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, one hundred percent. And then in twenty nineteen in 407 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 1: training camp, you were able to you were able to 408 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 1: actually share training camp with your brother Tito. Yeah, well, 409 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 1: did you think about that you and your brother maybe 410 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 1: possibly playing on the same team, what that would be like, yeah, 411 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:18,920 Speaker 1: it was. 412 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:20,280 Speaker 2: Cool, but like it was one of those things that 413 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:24,159 Speaker 2: I couldn't really cherish that moment because the fact that 414 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:27,280 Speaker 2: like just been making just making a fifty three man 415 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:29,040 Speaker 2: ross is one of the hardest things the man could do. 416 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 2: Like you would know about that, and just like like 417 00:20:32,359 --> 00:20:34,199 Speaker 2: you had to be so locked in. So I think 418 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:35,920 Speaker 2: during that time, like looking back and I see the 419 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 2: pictures was great, but at the time the think about 420 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 2: being in the NFL, like you have a hard time 421 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 2: really enjoying the moment because you're just so like fixated 422 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:47,120 Speaker 2: on like let me keep this job. You know, now 423 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:50,320 Speaker 2: that this football career is over, and you look back 424 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:53,200 Speaker 2: at those memories like wow, those are pretty cool and 425 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 2: you wish you could have cherished it, but like it's 426 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 2: just one of those things like when duty calls and 427 00:20:57,640 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 2: we have a bunch of guys competing against like there's 428 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:00,640 Speaker 2: only so much do at the time. 429 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:03,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I mean, you you spend time in Cleveland, 430 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:06,639 Speaker 1: Indy and Tampa, af after with the you know, you 431 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:10,119 Speaker 1: spent with the Vikings, but I hear that you're still 432 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:13,360 Speaker 1: tight with a bunch of the old guys and you've 433 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:17,399 Speaker 1: got some pretty big excursions coming up tell us a 434 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 1: little bit about that. 435 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure. So my best buddies are daniel Hunter 436 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 2: and Eric Wilson. Eric Wilson and I were roommates my 437 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:27,920 Speaker 2: first year at the Vikings with the Vikings, and then 438 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:30,880 Speaker 2: Eric and I I've known Eric since we were teenagers, 439 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:33,639 Speaker 2: when we were seventeen because eighteen because of Eric went 440 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 2: to Northwestern for a year. So so Eric and I 441 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:40,320 Speaker 2: have been good friends, even best friends since then. And 442 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:42,360 Speaker 2: so like so when I got drafted and he came 443 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:44,400 Speaker 2: on as a free agent, like I was like, oh, 444 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:47,439 Speaker 2: we're finally reunited. So and then to be honest, like 445 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,720 Speaker 2: having guys like Eric, I I really credit Eric. The 446 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 2: reason I was even able to play seven years in 447 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 2: the NFL is just like kind of going back to 448 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:56,200 Speaker 2: what I was said about high school, you got to 449 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:58,760 Speaker 2: be a product your environment, and that man, Eric Wilson 450 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:01,720 Speaker 2: is a professional and just and then just being with 451 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:04,400 Speaker 2: Danielle on the d line and really getting to know him, 452 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:06,919 Speaker 2: you know, we really vibe like just the fact that 453 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:09,560 Speaker 2: his Jamaican roots and just being just kind of having 454 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:13,280 Speaker 2: a foreign my uh, a foreign mentality. So so right now, 455 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 2: speaking of those two, we're actually headed out to go 456 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,760 Speaker 2: to Australia and New Zealand the next couple of weeks. 457 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 2: So so so, so we're actually playing in those dates. 458 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:25,200 Speaker 2: So we're gonna go out to New Zealand, Australia and 459 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:28,119 Speaker 2: Hong Kong and really check out the world. So so 460 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:30,760 Speaker 2: we've been traveling. I've been traveling with these guys for 461 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:33,639 Speaker 2: the last four years, five years. Every usually after the 462 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:36,280 Speaker 2: off seasons, we always travel to some countries. So we've 463 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:42,960 Speaker 2: we've been to We've been to Japan, we've been to Sweden, 464 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:48,600 Speaker 2: We've been to Copenhagen, Denmark, We've already been We've been 465 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:51,640 Speaker 2: to Australia, New Zealand. So we kind of just take time. 466 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 2: We've we've been to London together, so like, yeah, we 467 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:57,360 Speaker 2: just take times. And obviously I'm I'm not playing. Those 468 00:22:57,400 --> 00:22:59,960 Speaker 2: two guys are still playing, so I'm living Vikers through them. 469 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 2: But it's been pretty cool just to build a relationship 470 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:03,200 Speaker 2: like that. 471 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 1: I can imagine the three you walking down the streets 472 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 1: and let's say Tokyo, you stand out a little bit, 473 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 1: I would assume, yeah, yes, do you have do you 474 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:12,359 Speaker 1: guys have to attract a bunch of attention? 475 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 2: Yeah? Yeah, you know, you know it puts things into perspective. 476 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:19,359 Speaker 2: Like usually like people see me like oh, what do 477 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:19,560 Speaker 2: you do? 478 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:19,919 Speaker 3: What do you do? 479 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:22,920 Speaker 2: Then they see Daniel Hunter, then everyone runs to him, 480 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 2: you know, like like you know, or or if I'm 481 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 2: talking to a female, I'm like, hey, this is who 482 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:31,280 Speaker 2: I am. They see Danil Hunter, they all just run 483 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:35,119 Speaker 2: to and I'm like, okay, yeah, put there's always a 484 00:23:35,119 --> 00:23:35,919 Speaker 2: bigger fish out there. 485 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 1: Right, It's a totally different game, isn't it a totally 486 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 1: different game. 487 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 2: You sit back, You're like, hey, I'm happy. I'm I'm 488 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:49,359 Speaker 2: secure about myself because if I wasn't. I mean, so, 489 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 2: what do you guys do? 490 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:51,520 Speaker 1: I mean, what do you guys do? Do you lay around? 491 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:53,679 Speaker 1: Or do you go at hike? And or what do 492 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:54,520 Speaker 1: you mean? What do you guys do? 493 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:57,640 Speaker 2: So so we go on out, we going hikes like so, 494 00:23:57,640 --> 00:23:59,359 Speaker 2: so what we'll do is we'll go to cities like 495 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:01,480 Speaker 2: so when that time when we traveled to Australia a 496 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:03,920 Speaker 2: couple of years ago, we did it like we went 497 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:06,320 Speaker 2: to mell Bid for three days, then we went to 498 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 2: Sydney for three days, Then we went to Gold Coast 499 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:10,879 Speaker 2: for three days, then we went to New Zealand for 500 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:13,240 Speaker 2: four days so like, so we just playing trips and 501 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 2: see what's around us, go to the beach, and I 502 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:19,200 Speaker 2: think a lot of times the reason, like those guys 503 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 2: like going down to the lane down unders because right now, 504 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:25,159 Speaker 2: obviously it's super cold. So just playing a long season 505 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 2: like that, you want to get your body in the 506 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 2: sun and really let your joint heal from playing that 507 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:30,200 Speaker 2: long game. 508 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:33,320 Speaker 1: You know, to say, the southern sky at night's pretty amazing, 509 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:33,679 Speaker 1: isn't it. 510 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 2: Yeah? Oh yeah, yeah, absolutely, well good luck. 511 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 1: I mean stay out of trouble, I guess, yeah. 512 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:42,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's uh, for the most part, nobody 513 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 2: trouble and nobody really wants to mess with us. So 514 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:49,440 Speaker 2: so that's what you'd be like, oh, do you need security, Like, 515 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:51,680 Speaker 2: you know, dude, we are security. You know, we can 516 00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 2: all handle ourselves. So so but yeah, it's a lot 517 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:57,200 Speaker 2: a lot of good memories during that time and really 518 00:24:57,280 --> 00:25:00,360 Speaker 2: just especially for those guys just playing it, playing full 519 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:03,480 Speaker 2: NFL season, it's pretty stressful and then it's always a 520 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:06,439 Speaker 2: blessing when you can finish the season healthy. So it's 521 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:09,000 Speaker 2: one of those things that like you listen to your 522 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:10,880 Speaker 2: elders and people that you talk to and they're like Hey, 523 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 2: make sure you travel because once you have kids, you 524 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:17,800 Speaker 2: won't be able to travel. So they're like, do all 525 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 2: the fun stuff now, so you know, and that's what 526 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:22,439 Speaker 2: we're doing, and you know, we have plenty of pictures 527 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:25,160 Speaker 2: and plenty of memories with one another. Yeah. 528 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:29,280 Speaker 1: On one other question, you had to have been pretty 529 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 1: amazed that the season Eric Wilson was able to put 530 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:34,919 Speaker 1: together up here in Minnesota. I mean, with with Brian 531 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 1: Flores in his system, Eric became an an integral part 532 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:42,960 Speaker 1: of what they were doing up here and he was impactful. 533 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 1: Having watched back the entire defensive a season, Eric Wilson 534 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:50,359 Speaker 1: had an amazing year. 535 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 3: Yeah. 536 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, to everybody, they're surprised. But if you see what 537 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:57,399 Speaker 2: Eric does behind the scenes, like what he eats, and 538 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:00,080 Speaker 2: he takes care of his body like you would, you 539 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:01,840 Speaker 2: wouldn't be surprised. You know. It was just a matter 540 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:06,520 Speaker 2: of time obviously, Like you know, he he's what thirty 541 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:08,960 Speaker 2: one years old, it's still thirty thirty one years old, 542 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:12,240 Speaker 2: still just going hard and yeah, he's he's what a 543 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:15,120 Speaker 2: professional should be. So just just seeing how he takes 544 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 2: care of about it, seeing how intentional he is, and 545 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:18,959 Speaker 2: just want to talking to him he just tell he's 546 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:20,919 Speaker 2: just telling me the games will we slow down. And 547 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:22,639 Speaker 2: a lot of times when the game slows down, for 548 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 2: guys in their thirties, usually their bodies are falling apart. 549 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:29,560 Speaker 2: But Eric's bodies is it's growing more resilient, you know. 550 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 1: So keep an eye on him, don't you know, keep 551 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 1: an eye on him when you guys are out on 552 00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: the outback. Yeah, ste on any snakes or anything. 553 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:38,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, you know, Yeah, for sure. I'll take a 554 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 2: ball for Eric any day. Protective, protective, merch you know. 555 00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:45,359 Speaker 2: I Hey, Minnesota, I understand. I'll make sure Eric's can 556 00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:46,960 Speaker 2: good a hands baby, all right. 557 00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:49,159 Speaker 1: To FADDI, thank you for your time and best of 558 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:50,560 Speaker 1: luck on your new travel. 559 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:51,720 Speaker 2: I appreciate that. Thank you. 560 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:55,879 Speaker 1: Thanks again to a Fadi for joining the show today, 561 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:58,080 Speaker 1: and thank you fans for tuning into another edition of 562 00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 1: School Stories. Be sure to check out all of our 563 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:04,880 Speaker 1: content via the audio tab on Vikings dot com, our iHeartMedia, Feed, 564 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:08,919 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. We'll see you all again 565 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:09,800 Speaker 1: next week.