1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:01,040 Speaker 1: Hello. 2 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 2: I'm Fernando of Alasko, director of player Engagement for the 3 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 2: Atlanta Falcons. This is the NFL Players Second Act Podcast. 4 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:20,920 Speaker 3: Thank you for tuning in. 5 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 4: I'm Peanut Tooming and this is the NFL Players Sagan 6 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 4: Acts Podcast. And with him is always my my trustee 7 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:31,479 Speaker 4: sidekick Roman. I'm Old Harper. 8 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:34,520 Speaker 3: That's all we got. So that is pretty lame today. 9 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 5: But we gonna tell you what's not lame is this 10 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 5: studio that we're in right here at the iHeartRadio studio 11 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:43,199 Speaker 5: right here in Atlanta Midtown. It's pretty popping over here. 12 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 5: I love to set up and I love and very 13 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 5: appreciative to what they've done for us today. Peanut, who 14 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:50,240 Speaker 5: is our next guest, We got a goodie. 15 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 4: He's our former teammate. You know, we just want to 16 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 4: make Caroline super Bowl fifty eight year NFL that played 17 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 4: for the Panthers two times, the Steelers and the Titans. Uh. 18 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:07,320 Speaker 4: Right now. He is the Atlanta Falcons Director player of Engagement. 19 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:10,400 Speaker 4: Ladies and gentlemen, please walcome to the pot, Fernando. 20 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 3: But that's come. Let's go, man. 21 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: Thank y'all for having me. 22 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 2: Man, you know, just to be in front of two legends, 23 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 2: man bless us. I really always appreciate y'all and just 24 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 2: command y'all just being teammates, being in luck room with 25 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 2: you guys, had a lot of respect for you, just 26 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:29,119 Speaker 2: where y'all went about your business. Man. 27 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 3: Well, i'll just get this out the way. 28 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,320 Speaker 5: So his name is Fernando, but I'm gonna call him 29 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 5: Nando a lot. 30 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 3: That is, he understands that was his government name. 31 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 4: If I had just said Nando, my producer would have 32 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 4: been like, really, that's we don't know that, Like, so 33 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 4: you will pronounce his name with every syllable because. 34 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 2: I look at it fundy, like, okay, what is black dudes, Fernando? 35 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 2: What his name comes from? 36 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 1: All day? Anyway? 37 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 3: So I found that out as we did more research. 38 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 5: Okay, I'm cool with that, Like I didn't know, but 39 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 5: now I know my man, and so I want to 40 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 5: talk thank you about Look, man number one, I became 41 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 5: a teammate of yours first, and so just building that relationship. 42 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 5: I appreciate you, although you know it was. The funny 43 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 5: thing is a lot of these talks and relationships in 44 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:17,239 Speaker 5: NFL locker rooms really start at the college level, and 45 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 5: so him being a Georgia guy, me being an Alabama guy, 46 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 5: me coming into this locker room full of Thomas Davis, 47 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:27,639 Speaker 5: Charles Johnson and Nando right here, this is where, like boys, 48 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 5: the trash talking started. And so I just want to say, 49 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 5: it's good to see on the other side from what 50 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 5: you've done to Georgia and now doing staying in state 51 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:40,079 Speaker 5: right here with that Atlanta Falcons, it's really cool to 52 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 5: see you continue to advance. 53 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: I appreciate that respect, brother, no doubt. 54 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:46,359 Speaker 4: I don't think I had that same privilege y'all with 55 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 4: meeting and knowing other players in college. Maybe because I 56 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:52,080 Speaker 4: went to louis and I went to a small school 57 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 4: and we just like didn't win any games. So my 58 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 4: head was always like in the dirt and the sand 59 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 4: because SEC football is a little different than some belt football. 60 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 4: I'm gonna just keep it real. 61 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 1: You know what it is. 62 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 3: I want to know this though. 63 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 5: I don't really bring myself up a lot, but I 64 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 5: was on the enemy team and then I came into 65 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:13,920 Speaker 5: this Panthers locker room. I remember Ryan Khalil telling me, 66 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 5: He's like, dude, I hated you for years and you're actually. 67 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 4: A nice guy. 68 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 5: Rooman, And so I don't know what your opinion or 69 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 5: what you thought of me? Though, Like, what was that 70 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:27,800 Speaker 5: when I came into the locker room? Was a little 71 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 5: bit of agitation? 72 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 4: What was that? 73 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 1: You know what? 74 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:34,519 Speaker 2: To be honest, I was excited, you know, because I've 75 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 2: always gravitated towards older guys and you know, hanging with 76 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 2: uncles and just kind of grandpans around. So you know, 77 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 2: obviously when you see the hair and the grave, I'm like, man, 78 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 2: this guy's full of wisdom. So you know, you finna 79 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 2: get that perspective. So I was excited to you know, 80 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 2: be your teammate and just knowing. And it came true, 81 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 2: you know, because the wisdom, the knowledge that you would 82 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 2: always share and just throw around gems line with rocker room. 83 00:03:58,120 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: It was always appreciated. 84 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 4: And the funny thing was probably you was older than 85 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:03,200 Speaker 4: them and didn't even know. It's like, oh, we got 86 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 4: this old guy coming. He gonna tea just the wizard. Wait, 87 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 4: I'm older than him, the old Benjamin Buddon. 88 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 5: Yeah, anyway, Sorry, what was your favorite memory of that 89 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 5: twenty fifteen season? 90 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 2: Really good question, man, You know that was that was 91 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 2: a special year. It was a it was a really 92 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 2: special year and I got there I was there previously 93 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 2: twenty fourteen. You know, I started seven games and you know, 94 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 2: doing free agency, end up signing with the Tennessee Titans, 95 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 2: who I was previously with the first five years of 96 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 2: my career and got released during training camp. And you know, 97 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 2: at that time, I kind of had fell out of 98 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 2: love with the game, and you know, it wasn't really 99 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 2: sure if I wanted to continue to play, and I 100 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 2: got a call from the Panthers, and you know, had 101 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:53,039 Speaker 2: a lot of friends on the team the year previously, 102 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 2: you know, Charles Johnson, Thomas David's guy I played college 103 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 2: ball with, and just going back into the locker room, 104 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 2: you know, it brought another titeman, you know, because the 105 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 2: team was full of energy. I had never been around 106 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 2: a team that could play, be playful, you know, excited, 107 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 2: cut up off the field, but when it got on 108 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 2: the field, it was serious ball, you know. So its 109 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 2: being in the locker room, being around the guys that 110 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 2: really cared about the game. And to go on a 111 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 2: special run to start fourteen to oh, you know, it 112 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 2: was an unbelievable feeling. To make it to the super Bowl, 113 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 2: even though we didn't finish the way we wanted to. 114 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 4: Finish. 115 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: You know, it was a special year. 116 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 4: I like I would echo that. Yeah, I think that 117 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:31,359 Speaker 4: that twenty fifteen season or team, I think it saved me. 118 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 4: It made me. The last twenty thirteen twenty fourteen, I 119 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 4: fell out of love with football. And I love the NFL. 120 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 4: I love the game, I love playing, I love the 121 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 4: team camaraderie and all that. But for those two years 122 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 4: I hated football, absolutely hated football. And then obviously twenty 123 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 4: fifteen Super Bowl we went on and like had great success. 124 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 4: I know for you after that season you signed with 125 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:02,480 Speaker 4: the Buffalo Flood. Ye, Now did you think the Super 126 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:04,839 Speaker 4: Bowl would have been your last game? Because I don't 127 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 4: think you played in the twenty sixteen season, if I'm 128 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 4: from correct. 129 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 2: No, I played. I think I started only one game 130 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:14,679 Speaker 2: that year. Was just kind of backing up Ryan Klill 131 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:17,279 Speaker 2: and you know, the inside got an offensive line, played 132 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:20,039 Speaker 2: on field goal team, special teams, but not you know 133 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 2: a lot of meaningful steps, you know. So, yeah, I 134 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:25,279 Speaker 2: did go into that Super Bowl thinking, Okay, this could 135 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 2: be it, this could be it for me, even so 136 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,279 Speaker 2: much so I actually tell people I paid to play 137 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 2: it in the Super Bowl because I flew fifteen to 138 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 2: my family members out, you know, putting them up, got 139 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 2: a chance to you know, allowed them to experience that, 140 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 2: because I thought that was gonna be it. But thank god, 141 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 2: I end up, you know, extending that and signing with 142 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:44,599 Speaker 2: the bills afterwards. 143 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:45,920 Speaker 3: No doubt, because you got to pay for all that jump. 144 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 4: People, don't. 145 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 3: You come out there two d dollars out of a 146 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 3: super Bowl? 147 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 4: It's worth it when you will. I'm like, I got 148 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 4: a box. I got a box. 149 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 3: I had a box of super Bowl ripping tripping. 150 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 4: Hey, I went all in. I went all in super 151 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 4: Bowl and I thought it was it. I was like, 152 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 4: you know what, I'm gonna win the Super Bowl if 153 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 4: I spend X amount of thousands of dollars on a box, 154 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 4: who cares? It's worth it? Beyonce performing at that time, 155 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 4: I'm like, I'm all in balls, like just it's gonna 156 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 4: be worried. If I get this ring, put a ring 157 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 4: on it. 158 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 2: I'm I'll never forget. They called me. I'm looking at 159 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 2: the phone. Okay, Carolina Panthers. Okay, they may be calling 160 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 2: me to say they want to resign me. Like, hey, 161 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 2: you actually owe us like a thousand dollars, you know, 162 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 2: because your check didn't cover you know, your expenses, so. 163 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 4: Oh damn cool. 164 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 5: Yeah, I owed him a couple of hundred dollars. It 165 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 5: was very mad. I was mad about the whole deal. 166 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 5: So another thing I will piggyback on though, and I 167 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 5: would thank both of you guys as well, because that 168 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 5: twenty fifteen season helped. 169 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 4: Me out a lot too. 170 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 5: I was very angry in twenty fourteen I'd signed with 171 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:57,559 Speaker 5: the Carolina Panthers. We went two straight months without winning 172 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 5: the game. I was extremely frustrated, to say the least. 173 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 5: And to be able to back that up with the 174 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 5: following season that we had it was absolutely amazing. So 175 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 5: everybody that was in that locker room, I think we 176 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 5: all uplifted each other, and I think at the end 177 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 5: of the day, we can all look back and say 178 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 5: we all felt a little bit better about life and 179 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 5: what football did to us after that. 180 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 3: Absolutely, and that's what it's about, right, Yeah, that's what 181 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 3: it is about. 182 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 5: But to then keep it going forward. But looking back 183 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 5: a little bit, when you're with the Pittsburgh Steelers, I 184 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:29,960 Speaker 5: do believe you had lost a friend and I was 185 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 5: looking up your story and a guy named Ray Jackson, 186 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 5: who's the player of engagement or player development got at 187 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:40,440 Speaker 5: the time. Was him pouring into you at that moment? 188 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 5: Was that what kind of maybe put plant of that 189 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 5: seed of what you're doing right now? Or how did 190 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,200 Speaker 5: what was his influence on you? I've heard you mention 191 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 5: his name multiple times. 192 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:52,439 Speaker 2: Absolutely. You know, growing up I thought I wanted to 193 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 2: be a high school football coach. That was you know, 194 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:56,720 Speaker 2: my two high school football coaches had a lot of 195 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 2: influence in me growing up. You know, my dad was incostrated, 196 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 2: and so I got to college and I majored in 197 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:04,719 Speaker 2: health and PE and the goal would be the high 198 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 2: school pee teaching football coach. But the more exposure I got, 199 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 2: you know, I kind of leaned from that. But it 200 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:13,560 Speaker 2: was in that moment. In twenty thirteen was a really 201 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:15,439 Speaker 2: hard year for me. It was a really tough year. 202 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 2: I got there, started eleven games, and I tore my 203 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 2: achilles and I lost one of my best friends who 204 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:25,079 Speaker 2: had just played five years in the NFL. One of 205 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 2: my college teammates we came into college together, by the 206 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 2: name of Paul Oliver. 207 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 1: He committed suicide. Commit from New Orleans. 208 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, correct, correct, committed suicide. And it was a terrible, 209 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 2: terrible time, you know, a dark place in my life. 210 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:40,800 Speaker 2: You know, back in twenty thirteen. I didn't know the 211 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 2: word then, but it was my first time falling into depression, 212 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 2: you know, thinking about it at that time, Okay, it's 213 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:47,679 Speaker 2: football gonna be taken from me? 214 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 4: Is it was? 215 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 1: Me over? 216 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:49,120 Speaker 4: You know? 217 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 2: Where do I go after this injury? You know, I 218 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:53,520 Speaker 2: was in a contract year, only signed a one year deal. 219 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 2: It was playing well, thinking talking to my agent, thinking 220 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:59,040 Speaker 2: that we may sign a multi year contract afterwards, and 221 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 2: you know, feeling that depression. You know, So I coped 222 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 2: with the way I knew how to cope, and that 223 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 2: was drinking the bottle of Hennessy every day and taking 224 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 2: the pay a meal pain meds that they was giving me. 225 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 2: But Ray Jackson, who's now the VP of Player Engagement 226 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 2: with the Denver Broncos, he put his arm around me. 227 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 2: He loved on me. He told me that I was 228 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:20,040 Speaker 2: bigger than football and that you know, he just walked 229 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 2: down the hill with me, called life man. And I 230 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 2: really knew in that moment that God was calling me, Hey, 231 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 2: whenever your football playing days are over, you know, this 232 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,079 Speaker 2: is the role I want you to step into. And fortunately, 233 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 2: when I was finished, playing called Jonas Jennings at Georgia 234 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 2: and Kurby smart and they hired me there to be 235 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 2: on the player development team. 236 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:39,960 Speaker 4: Now, was that your That wasn't your first year in retirement, 237 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:40,320 Speaker 4: was it? 238 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 1: Yes? 239 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 2: Yes, so that was your first year. Right right after 240 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 2: I finished playing, I signed with the Bills. 241 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 1: I got hurt there. 242 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 2: I had a pinch nerve in my neck and my 243 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 2: having norminous domina right arm. So I kind of knew 244 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 2: ball was definitely over there just from a fierce standpoint. 245 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:57,280 Speaker 2: You know, the doctors really didn't clean me after that point. 246 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:00,439 Speaker 2: And so you know that following June is when Kirby 247 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:02,560 Speaker 2: hired me on at Georgia. So I stayed there for 248 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 2: three and a half years. 249 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 4: Now, what were one of some of the challenges that 250 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 4: you had going into that first year with the new job. 251 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 2: Well, the first challenge, you know, you're coming out of 252 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:15,959 Speaker 2: the league making you know a lot of money, and 253 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 2: you know a lot of people don't realize it, but 254 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 2: you got to start from the bottom. You know, I 255 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 2: just can't go in there. Hey, I'm thinking I can 256 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 2: go in there and make six figures, but no, Kurvy said, 257 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:28,079 Speaker 2: he called me, I'm excited Kurvis Smart on my phone. Hey, hey, 258 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 2: I got his job for you, you know, but I'm 259 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 2: gonna pay you forty thousand dollars. And at that time 260 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 2: you used to making what forty thousand a week or whatever, 261 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 2: and so that was very humbling, you know, with a 262 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:41,280 Speaker 2: wife and the kid, you know, to provide for them, 263 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:44,200 Speaker 2: take care of them. But it all worked out. It 264 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 2: all worked out, and now you know, we we're blessed 265 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 2: to be in a position to pull back into to 266 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:50,200 Speaker 2: the guys, I sarved. 267 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 4: Yeah, was there a reason you decided to go the 268 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 4: college route versus the NFL route. 269 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 2: Well, I'm a Georgia guy. You know, you cut me, 270 00:11:57,520 --> 00:11:59,559 Speaker 2: he's gonna be red and black all the way through 271 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 2: it through. I remember even my senior year in college, 272 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 2: you know, we beat Alabama overtime, I know, roming like that. 273 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,319 Speaker 2: But no, I always loved the university and I felt 274 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 2: like I was so indebted to the university. Yeah, and 275 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:16,200 Speaker 2: I just wanted to start there, you know, and I 276 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 2: really could have finished there. 277 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 1: You know. 278 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 2: I loved the university everything that they had done for 279 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:22,560 Speaker 2: a little eighteen year olds, not a news kid coming 280 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:25,320 Speaker 2: to the University of Georgia. So I wanted to really 281 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 2: pull back into those guys and I wanted to be 282 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 2: up on the tuola to Jonas. Jennings was a guy 283 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 2: that played in league for almost ten years of self, 284 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 2: you know, just his knowledge and kind of what he 285 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:36,959 Speaker 2: had done for me in my life, you know, I know, 286 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 2: he was a good leader to work up under. 287 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:43,679 Speaker 4: Yeah, so I was fairly lucky. I didn't have a 288 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,760 Speaker 4: person like that in college, you know, like we have 289 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:48,719 Speaker 4: in the league. And so when I finally got in 290 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:54,319 Speaker 4: the league, Dwayne Joseph he was my player engagement or 291 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 4: player development guy at the time, and he really poured 292 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 4: into me. I mean, I've learned so many lessons from 293 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:05,719 Speaker 4: this man and listening to him. He was like the 294 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 4: big brother that I needed to kind of help guide 295 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 4: me and put me on that path to success while 296 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 4: being in the league, you know, and you always hear 297 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:17,559 Speaker 4: people talk about you know, you gotta you know, I 298 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 4: like a treated like a business, be a pro, be 299 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 4: a pro. And I don't think I necessarily knew how 300 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 4: to do that until talking to DJ. He was been 301 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:32,679 Speaker 4: he was. He was just an awesome person, a great 302 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 4: guide for me. Can you share two things? Can you 303 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:41,120 Speaker 4: share what a player engagement player or excuse me, can 304 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:44,600 Speaker 4: you share what a player engagement person does and the 305 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 4: role between player engagement and player devement? Like why they 306 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 4: changed that title? 307 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 1: You know, well, first of all, I look at the 308 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: role as a role of service. 309 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:54,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know where to serve. 310 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 2: You know, when you talk to about sixty nine guys 311 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 2: in the locker room, fifty three plus the sixteen on 312 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 2: practice squad and then you have your guys that's tacked 313 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 2: on the two. You know, you're there deserve So it 314 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 2: looks different for every person. You know, what Roman's needs 315 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 2: gonna be different from what that needs, So meeting that 316 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:15,440 Speaker 2: person what they are and being there. But it's a 317 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 2: holistic bill. You know, the coaches do a great job 318 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 2: of coaching them on the field, so you want to 319 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 2: coach them and help them everything off the field in life. 320 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 2: You know, the NFL they have four pillars you know 321 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 2: that comes along with player engagement. Number one is continuing education. 322 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 2: You know, helping guys want to go back to school, 323 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 2: whether that's finishing their undergrad or getting some type of 324 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 2: post secondary degree. Uh, Personal and professional development, you know, 325 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:44,960 Speaker 2: helping guys from a whole list of stuff. Hey, what 326 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:47,240 Speaker 2: is their second act, whatever what they're going to do 327 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 2: when they're done playing, and how can we build upon 328 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 2: that now while we're in So the NFL and the 329 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 2: nfl P have unbelievable resources and off season to offer 330 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 2: to guys, you know, and I wanted to really be 331 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 2: that person that I need when I was younger, you know, 332 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 2: because I really didn't do a good job of that 333 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:07,080 Speaker 2: taking advantage of those resources, you know, So I wanted 334 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 2: to practice what I preached. 335 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:08,400 Speaker 4: Number one. 336 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 2: So the continued education piece, I went back and got 337 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 2: my master's I'm thinking about I just got accepted into 338 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 2: a doctoral program. That's and that's helped through the trust, 339 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 2: you know, prow about the nfl PA, you know, helping 340 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 2: you know a lot of guys, former guys, they know 341 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 2: they get twenty thousand dollars per year to continue the education. 342 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: I took it. 343 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 4: I took advantage of it. I got a master's degree. 344 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, yeah, postcraft yeahs. And the last piece, the 345 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 2: last pill is financial literacy. So creating programmings and having 346 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 2: different speakers come in to just talk about the financial 347 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 2: literacy piece, you know, because we know that's a big piece, 348 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 2: you know, you know, no matter how much money you 349 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 2: make or how much money you don't make. That that 350 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:51,400 Speaker 2: financial literacy part is something that will carry on for 351 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 2: the rest of your life. 352 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 4: I've been trying to get Rome to go back to 353 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 4: we I'm thinking about getting an NBA and I've been 354 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 4: trying to get Rome. Now we can go back and 355 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 4: get and let's do it. Let's get this and being. 356 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, yeah, so Nando, hold on, no, no, no, don't 357 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:05,280 Speaker 5: skip over that. 358 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 1: Don't skip over that. Get that NBA. 359 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 5: Baby, I'm not nobody's ever asked me my g p 360 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 5: A anything like years. 361 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:17,200 Speaker 4: I'm fine, thank you, I appreciate it. 362 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 2: But let's the thing about it. The continued education piece 363 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 2: is not necessarily school, right hey, it could be or 364 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:28,280 Speaker 2: real estate license. It's just been a lifelong learner and 365 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 2: just you know, continue to learn, continue to build upon 366 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 2: you know, success that you have. 367 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 5: You know, I'm gonna look into it. I'll leave it 368 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 5: at that. Can we put the button that? Can we 369 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 5: put a bo okay, good and we'll be right back, Nando. 370 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 5: I do want to know this though, when you get 371 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 5: when you go from Georgia to now with the Falcons, 372 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:52,480 Speaker 5: do you feel like you're ready for the responsibility of 373 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 5: going from Now I'm talking to college guys and none 374 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:56,760 Speaker 5: of these guys are in the NFL, and you know, 375 00:16:57,240 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 5: they're gonna look at me a different way because I'm older, 376 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 5: I'm more mature, I've been where they want to be 377 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 5: at versus. 378 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 4: Now I'm in the. 379 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:07,960 Speaker 5: NFL, and now everybody's judging me on like you're real, 380 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 5: true merit, like you in the building. 381 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:10,800 Speaker 4: You got to be legit. 382 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 2: Well, I think, you know, God uniquely qualifies everybody for 383 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:17,880 Speaker 2: the role, right you know, so I think about all 384 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,719 Speaker 2: my life experiences, things I had to go through, you know, 385 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:24,159 Speaker 2: at versus I had to overcome, and just things that 386 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 2: you had to just persevere through and challenges that you 387 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 2: had to go through. 388 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 4: You know. 389 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:32,160 Speaker 2: You talk about that twenty thirteen year and you able 390 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 2: to meet every guy where they are and build upon 391 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 2: your own experiences and you don't have all the answers, 392 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:40,840 Speaker 2: you know. But the thing I love about it, I 393 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:43,359 Speaker 2: learned just as much from them as they learn from me, 394 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:45,879 Speaker 2: you know. So I'm able to go to them and 395 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:48,200 Speaker 2: ask them, hey, what do you need, what are your challenges, 396 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:51,120 Speaker 2: what are you struggling with, and to help find the resources, 397 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 2: you know, to help get to the bottom of the problem. 398 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:55,480 Speaker 5: You know, one thing I read about you, and I 399 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:57,199 Speaker 5: think you said this in a Ted talk, was that 400 00:17:58,359 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 5: football is what you know. 401 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 4: This is the interview when you just got. 402 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:04,639 Speaker 5: The job with Atlanta, and it said football is what 403 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 5: these guys do. 404 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:09,119 Speaker 3: But what a lot of people forget is football. 405 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:11,159 Speaker 4: Is not who they are. They are real people. 406 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:14,920 Speaker 5: And so when you ever meet real people where they are, 407 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 5: you get a lot more out of them. And I 408 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 5: think that's the thing that the piece that so many 409 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:21,919 Speaker 5: people forget about. When you get these type of jobs 410 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:24,679 Speaker 5: or you get around these successful people, you actually for 411 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 5: you forget they're actually just real people. 412 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:28,240 Speaker 4: I know. 413 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 2: I mean, that's why it's so important. It's not like 414 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 2: NBA where you don't have a helmin on. In NFL, 415 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 2: you have a heminon. But when you take that helmet off, 416 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 2: everyone has a story. 417 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know, you're. 418 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:40,399 Speaker 2: Talking about your story being at Louis on Lafayette and 419 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 2: just you know, your story being at Alabama and just 420 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:45,679 Speaker 2: kind of what got you to that point your childhood. 421 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 2: You know, your parents, your your your community, everybody that 422 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:51,679 Speaker 2: built you up to that point. And you want to 423 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:54,199 Speaker 2: hear that, you know, you want to get you get 424 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:56,399 Speaker 2: attached to that person. And I think that's why this 425 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 2: NFL is so transactional. From a you know, roster manage 426 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 2: his pace, but when you get to know the person 427 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:05,119 Speaker 2: and really dive into that story and how can you 428 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:07,680 Speaker 2: can help them build upon that story and even help 429 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 2: them tell that story, it is really as amazing. 430 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 1: Yeah. 431 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:15,760 Speaker 4: So, the owner of the Falcons, Arthur Blank, he wrote 432 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:17,879 Speaker 4: a book called Good Company, and in the book he 433 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:21,919 Speaker 4: talks about being a servant leader in the leadership and 434 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 4: how it helped him build home Depot and it is 435 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 4: basically what home depot is what you see today. What 436 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:30,360 Speaker 4: does being a servant leader mean to you? 437 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 1: Good question. 438 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:38,159 Speaker 2: Servant leader to me is living what you preach, you know, 439 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,919 Speaker 2: being that person you know you don't want to do 440 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:47,439 Speaker 2: as you don't want to be seen to just do something, 441 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:52,080 Speaker 2: but you really want to live that model that you 442 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:55,800 Speaker 2: are talking about on a consistent basis and just serving. 443 00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 2: I think it's really serving serving people no matter what 444 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 2: it looked like, no matter what their economic background may be, 445 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:04,720 Speaker 2: no matter where he comes from, but just serving that 446 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 2: person and help them build upon their goals and their dreams. 447 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 1: Yeah. 448 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 5: All right, So do you think your path of being 449 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:17,280 Speaker 5: an undrafted, sustaining eight year career guy in the NFL 450 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 5: gives you more cachet with players rather than if you 451 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:23,879 Speaker 5: were like a superstar player that everybody knew and you 452 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:26,440 Speaker 5: were kind of looking down upon those guys that maybe 453 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:29,040 Speaker 5: haven't been cut or released before, and so your past 454 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:31,360 Speaker 5: kind of kind of setting you up for success. 455 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 3: Honestly, I would. And I say that because I also. 456 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:36,879 Speaker 5: Heard in another interview that you did and part of 457 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 5: my research, because I had to get to know you 458 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:42,399 Speaker 5: a little bit, you said empathy for players and guys, 459 00:20:43,359 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 5: and like, because you've been cut, you've been through that, 460 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:49,440 Speaker 5: you know what that feeling is like to be released 461 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:53,360 Speaker 5: multiple times and having to speak to those guys, even 462 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:55,720 Speaker 5: from somebody that's being cut, somebody just being cut back, 463 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 5: coming back, the fifty second guy on the roster, all 464 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:00,879 Speaker 5: the way up to the top eight yall my roster, 465 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:04,800 Speaker 5: and so you never forgot that feeling of when you 466 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 5: got released. 467 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think I started just saying that 468 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:10,680 Speaker 2: everyone has their own unique flavor, everyone has their own 469 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:12,840 Speaker 2: unique style how they go about it. You know, I 470 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 2: look at a guy that's in his role, David Thornton. 471 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:17,919 Speaker 2: I love his personality of what he do with the coachs, 472 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:21,639 Speaker 2: you know, even Ray Jackson, you know, somebody who has 473 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:24,200 Speaker 2: helped me tremendously in my life. When I first got 474 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 2: into the league, I had a female by the name 475 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 2: of Team of Tuggle, but she helped pour into me. 476 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:31,679 Speaker 2: So I don't think it's necessarily that you had to 477 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 2: play the game where you had to go through that struggle. 478 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:36,920 Speaker 2: But I think guys, you know, game recognized game. Yeah, 479 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:39,679 Speaker 2: you know, guys, guys, guys gods. See, they know what 480 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:42,480 Speaker 2: it takes to be undrafted free agent in this league, 481 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:44,520 Speaker 2: to be on a practice squad for a year and 482 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 2: a half, two years, you know, to become a start 483 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:49,440 Speaker 2: in this league. They know the ground that it takes, 484 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:51,440 Speaker 2: the consistence that it takes to be in this lead 485 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:54,399 Speaker 2: for eight nine years. So they definitely respect that, you know. 486 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:58,560 Speaker 2: But after that, it's still, Hey, how did this person 487 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 2: move on a consistent daily base? Do they show up 488 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:03,440 Speaker 2: for me? They answer the call when I call them? 489 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:05,679 Speaker 2: Do they taxt me back when I text them? Do 490 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 2: they help me when I needed when I'm in need? 491 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:09,960 Speaker 2: Do they help me find the resource that I need? 492 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:12,879 Speaker 2: So I think it's it's more of how do you 493 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:14,119 Speaker 2: serve that individual person. 494 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:18,720 Speaker 4: Yeah, so Atlanta had a busy offseason this year. Kirk 495 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 4: Kirk Cousins, you know, you bring him in the off season, 496 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,920 Speaker 4: gave him a boat take over your track. Yeah, got 497 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 4: a boatload of cash. Then y'all had a nice draft. 498 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:30,480 Speaker 4: You know, you take Michael Pennix in the in the 499 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:33,919 Speaker 4: first round, eighth overall? How has your role as player 500 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:38,320 Speaker 4: engagement director coming to play with like those two, those 501 00:22:38,359 --> 00:22:40,480 Speaker 4: two high named quarterbacks. 502 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:45,119 Speaker 2: That's why I love my role, you know, because I 503 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 2: have to treat the number one guy on the roster 504 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:49,080 Speaker 2: the same I hasn't treated the number six and nine 505 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:52,320 Speaker 2: guy in the roster. You know, it's not a one size, 506 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 2: filed all model. And you really have to be available 507 00:22:56,280 --> 00:23:00,239 Speaker 2: for every guy. So whether that's Kirk or Michael or 508 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 2: our lone snapper, Lamb of Color, you know, whomever it is, 509 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:06,199 Speaker 2: you know, treating everybody we respect, you know, showing up 510 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:08,080 Speaker 2: for that person you know, no matter what they need 511 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:10,800 Speaker 2: are uh and treating them like they are the number 512 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 2: one person. You know, because you know my types, Mike, 513 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 2: Mike Tummleys to say all the time, be where your 514 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:17,880 Speaker 2: feet are if I'm having a conversation with that person, 515 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:20,120 Speaker 2: They're the most important person in the room, no matter 516 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 2: what they status is on the roster. 517 00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:27,159 Speaker 4: So here's something I want to want to ask you. Uh, 518 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:31,600 Speaker 4: I think throughout this podcast we've had, you know, this 519 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 4: is what our third year, second third year. 520 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:44,400 Speaker 6: Congratulations y'all. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We got a team. Team, 521 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:47,879 Speaker 6: We definitely got a team. 522 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:53,000 Speaker 4: Everyone struggles with the transition of how we go through it, 523 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:55,680 Speaker 4: what we go through. You know, I did a couple 524 00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 4: of things. I struggled in some areas. You might have 525 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 4: struggled in some other areas. I want to talk about 526 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 4: mental health and the importance of taking care of yourself. 527 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 4: You know, what made you at one point and just say, 528 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 4: you know what, I think I need to I think 529 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:12,439 Speaker 4: I might need to talk with somebody I needed. I 530 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:14,000 Speaker 4: need someone to help me try to figure this thing 531 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:16,399 Speaker 4: out that I'm wrestling with upside in my head, Like 532 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:17,480 Speaker 4: what made you want to do that? 533 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:21,240 Speaker 2: You know, really just having those feelings that you really 534 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:24,879 Speaker 2: can't explain, you know, playing this game being a barbaria sport. 535 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,160 Speaker 2: You know you always talk to be to be tough, yeah, 536 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:30,159 Speaker 2: you know, to to be a man, you know me 537 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:33,720 Speaker 2: and don't cry holding those emotions inside and and for me. 538 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 2: You know, I remember after I left Georgia, I went 539 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:41,000 Speaker 2: to the University Arkansas with coach Sam Pittman up there, 540 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 2: and you know, I had one of my one of 541 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:46,879 Speaker 2: my coaching buddies, you know, that was he was angry. 542 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:48,920 Speaker 2: He was angry, and we used to go and walks 543 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 2: every single day, and over the course of those walks, 544 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:55,360 Speaker 2: I see him kind of drawful up and and kind 545 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:58,360 Speaker 2: of having a different oral by hisself. And I asked him, hey, man, 546 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:01,280 Speaker 2: what are you what are you're doing differently? Like what 547 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:04,919 Speaker 2: has changed in your life? And he said, I started 548 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:07,719 Speaker 2: going to therapy. And I said, wow, you know, this 549 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:09,399 Speaker 2: is a guy that I looked up to. He's a 550 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 2: man's man, and he's a black man. And I didn't 551 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 2: see any black man. I didn't know any black man 552 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:17,600 Speaker 2: that was going to therapy. And so I said, okay, 553 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:19,719 Speaker 2: I know I have built up anger at me. I 554 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 2: know I have feelings that I really can't explain. You know, 555 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:24,520 Speaker 2: this therapy thing, I've heard about it before. You know, 556 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:26,240 Speaker 2: I knew I had win in that depression back in 557 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:29,359 Speaker 2: twenty thirteen, and I said, you know, and I was 558 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:33,159 Speaker 2: kind of advised to go to therapy then but I 559 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:34,880 Speaker 2: never did it. I have to lose my friend and 560 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 2: you know, having that season ended a killer's injury. But 561 00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 2: I never did it, you know. But in twenty twenty 562 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:43,720 Speaker 2: is when I really was open to it and tried it. 563 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:45,400 Speaker 2: And I tell people all the time, it's the best 564 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:47,639 Speaker 2: thing I've ever done in my life, you know. And 565 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:51,399 Speaker 2: now I still go to therapy and it's awsome. I 566 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 2: tap in with my guy a couple times a month, 567 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:56,919 Speaker 2: you know, because especially with the job I do now, 568 00:25:57,240 --> 00:26:01,240 Speaker 2: you know, you have people just putting their problems or 569 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:04,119 Speaker 2: their challenges on you, you know, being being a husband, 570 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:06,360 Speaker 2: being a father, just being a man that I am. 571 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:08,639 Speaker 2: You know, I need my own release, you know. So 572 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:12,080 Speaker 2: I look at it as my own self care. And 573 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:15,439 Speaker 2: from from a mental health standpoint, I think a lot 574 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 2: of people kind of get that confused sometimes. Okay, what 575 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:19,880 Speaker 2: is mental health versus mental wellness? 576 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:20,040 Speaker 1: You know? 577 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 2: For me, you know, mental health. Everyone deals with mental health, 578 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 2: no matter who you are, no matter what you do. 579 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:28,400 Speaker 2: You know, how much money you have. Mental health impact everyone. 580 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 1: You know. 581 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:31,480 Speaker 2: It impacts how you spend your money, how you spend 582 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:34,119 Speaker 2: your time, you know, everything that you do. But the 583 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:36,840 Speaker 2: mental wellness of the tools and resources that you put 584 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:40,440 Speaker 2: around you to build up your mental health and mental 585 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:43,399 Speaker 2: illness is when you do put a title on a 586 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:46,919 Speaker 2: bipolar depression of anxiety, you know, so just kind of 587 00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:50,840 Speaker 2: understanding that from a holistic standpoint, you know, it's been key, 588 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:53,800 Speaker 2: and I'm the shout out to the NFL and nflp 589 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:55,600 Speaker 2: A just all the resources. 590 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:55,640 Speaker 1: That they have. 591 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 2: You know, you have eight free sessions that you can 592 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 2: tap into per year, per topic U. So I think 593 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 2: you know, more guys that really have to take care 594 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:11,359 Speaker 2: of themselves because as players, especially guys that's in it 595 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 2: and when you're done, you take care of so many people. 596 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:15,679 Speaker 2: You know, But what does that look like taking care 597 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:16,200 Speaker 2: of yourself? 598 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:20,280 Speaker 4: We'll be back in a minute. Do you still think 599 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 4: there's a stigma of I'm weak if I go to 600 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:26,680 Speaker 4: a counselor or if I go see, you know, a therapist. 601 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:28,840 Speaker 4: Do you still think that's a thing in the league 602 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:30,480 Speaker 4: where a lot of players still feel that way. 603 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:35,159 Speaker 2: It's getting better, it's getting better and I and I 604 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 2: can speak, you know now on this side of it. 605 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:39,959 Speaker 2: You know, with the Falcons, we have two team clinicians 606 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:43,879 Speaker 2: you know that's around the building that's always available and 607 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:46,280 Speaker 2: that's just kind of embedded into the culture and into 608 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:50,199 Speaker 2: the into the organization. So it's definitely more open and 609 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:53,560 Speaker 2: guys feel free to go and talk to those people. 610 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:57,000 Speaker 2: And even if it's someone not in the organization. You know, 611 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:00,240 Speaker 2: I try to lead people all the time to you know, 612 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:02,679 Speaker 2: talk to someone, whether they in the organization or not. 613 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:04,800 Speaker 2: You know, I think everybody need to be in therapy, yeah, 614 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:06,560 Speaker 2: you know, because I look at therapy as like a 615 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:09,359 Speaker 2: no judgment, vitting session, no doubt, you know, just to 616 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 2: go in and just talk about what's on your heart, 617 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 2: what's on your mind, learned to learn resources to to 618 00:28:14,359 --> 00:28:16,640 Speaker 2: help you. Because if you can take care of you now, 619 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:18,840 Speaker 2: you can better serve everyone that you interact with and 620 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:19,640 Speaker 2: everyone that you serve. 621 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 4: Because I mean, I think I think we all grew 622 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:26,280 Speaker 4: up with the same hearing it the same. I never 623 00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:28,800 Speaker 4: saw people go to therapy, and then especially being a 624 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 4: black man, like cause sixty seventy percent of what the 625 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 4: league is black, right, correct, And how important is it 626 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:35,399 Speaker 4: for them to really get that message, like, yo, we 627 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 4: need to because that's that's the stigma, right, you know, 628 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:42,360 Speaker 4: like black men we don't do therapy like that's Look, 629 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 4: I know one of the best things I loved about 630 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 4: the locker room is that I could always go in 631 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 4: there and talk about whatever the problems I had, and 632 00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 4: I wasn't the only one. Sure, yeah, absolutely, No one 633 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 4: wants around with a stick. 634 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:56,360 Speaker 1: They're going through. 635 00:28:56,440 --> 00:29:00,480 Speaker 5: Yeah right, yeah, and so what And the more I share, 636 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:04,280 Speaker 5: and sometimes the more vulnerabile was, the more empowering it 637 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:06,000 Speaker 5: was for others to be like, you know what, I 638 00:29:06,040 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 5: have something like that. 639 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 3: And so those are the things that I learned. 640 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 5: And so when I've done therapy, I did relationship counseling 641 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:20,320 Speaker 5: and therapy in that way. It was great because the 642 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:23,239 Speaker 5: one thing that I loved about relationship counseling is that 643 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:26,360 Speaker 5: no matter the stresses, the highs, the lows, is that 644 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:29,800 Speaker 5: most times when you're in front of a third party, 645 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 5: everybody's on their best behavior. Nobody has gloves on. So 646 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:35,360 Speaker 5: everybody takes the gloves off. 647 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 4: And we just get to be honest. 648 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:38,680 Speaker 5: Yeah, and we can get a little bit personal, but 649 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 5: nobody's attacking each other because nobody wants to come off 650 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,520 Speaker 5: as a crazy one in front of the third party, 651 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:46,080 Speaker 5: Like I'm not crazy, that's the crazy one. 652 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 4: Why, Well, it is kind of like that. 653 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:49,760 Speaker 1: This is my work life. 654 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 4: I'm not crazy. 655 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:54,960 Speaker 5: So this is what happens between us. It's like I'm 656 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:56,720 Speaker 5: not crazy. I'm like, yes he is, look at him. 657 00:29:57,080 --> 00:30:00,160 Speaker 5: And so I really enjoy being able to talk talk 658 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:02,800 Speaker 5: to other people and been able to share my emotions. 659 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:05,840 Speaker 5: And the thing that I've learned since doing this podcast 660 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 5: more than anything else, is that vulnerability equal strength. And 661 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:13,480 Speaker 5: when gods get up here and share their stories, they're 662 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:15,120 Speaker 5: going to tell the things that they've gone through, the 663 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:18,880 Speaker 5: trials and tribulations, how much it really like, first of all, 664 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:21,840 Speaker 5: allows them to be more free. And then a lot 665 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:23,720 Speaker 5: of times me and Peanut end up agreeing on a 666 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:26,320 Speaker 5: lot of it, like we know of this example, we 667 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 5: talked to this person, or we've done this, and it's 668 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:31,400 Speaker 5: like you're not the only one, and then that's only 669 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:34,440 Speaker 5: more empowering to do it again. So that's what's really 670 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:37,600 Speaker 5: come out of you as well. And I'd like to 671 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:41,200 Speaker 5: know one thing, and maybe this is personal, but why 672 00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:43,680 Speaker 5: were you such an angry person? Fernando, And I know 673 00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:45,080 Speaker 5: this answer, but I want you to share it. 674 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 2: Well, a really good question because for a long time 675 00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:53,320 Speaker 2: I fought that question. But my dad and going back 676 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:55,360 Speaker 2: to the name, Fernando of Alaska. My dad is actually 677 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:58,880 Speaker 2: from Columbia, South America. Bingo there we go, right, you know, 678 00:30:59,480 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 2: and he and great on his country on the banana boat. 679 00:31:01,560 --> 00:31:04,640 Speaker 2: When he was fourteen years old and my mom met 680 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:07,200 Speaker 2: up in New York. They was both working at this big, 681 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:11,680 Speaker 2: luxurious hotel called the Browns Hotel. He was a a 682 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:14,280 Speaker 2: bus boyd server and my mom was a maid. She 683 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:16,680 Speaker 2: taught him how to speak English. They fell in love 684 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:22,320 Speaker 2: and got married. While I right, you know, but Fernando, 685 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:25,080 Speaker 2: you know, I am. I A been a big old 686 00:31:25,080 --> 00:31:29,280 Speaker 2: Fernando for a long time. But in his culture, you know, 687 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:34,120 Speaker 2: you had drugs, money and violence, and to provide for 688 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:36,080 Speaker 2: his family, he thought the only way that he could 689 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:38,880 Speaker 2: do that was selling drugs. So my father actually ended 690 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:41,760 Speaker 2: up being a drug kingpin. At one time he said 691 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:43,360 Speaker 2: he was making over one hundred thousand dollars a week 692 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:46,760 Speaker 2: in the eighties. But the problem was he got addicted 693 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:50,040 Speaker 2: to the same poison that he was pushing, and so 694 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:52,720 Speaker 2: did my mother. Under his violent pressure, he actually put 695 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:54,800 Speaker 2: a gun to her head and made her do the 696 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:58,080 Speaker 2: cocaine with him. And you know, one time he beat 697 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:01,840 Speaker 2: her so bad that when he dropped her off at 698 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 2: the hospital and throwed up to the curve. Her family 699 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:08,960 Speaker 2: came to visit her and she was unrecognizable. And during 700 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:11,160 Speaker 2: this time, the doctors actually found out she was pregnant 701 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:14,320 Speaker 2: with a second child, and they told her, hey, no 702 00:32:14,440 --> 00:32:18,560 Speaker 2: circumstances should you have this baby, but against medical advice, 703 00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:24,160 Speaker 2: she delivered me in nineteen eighty five. And you know, 704 00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:27,600 Speaker 2: so the affairs actually ended up catching him. They called 705 00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 2: him with one hundred kidtos of cocaine and he was 706 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 2: in prison for over eleven years. And I remember vividly 707 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 2: just going to visit him in those prisons and just 708 00:32:37,280 --> 00:32:40,240 Speaker 2: having so much rage and so much anger. And even 709 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:42,080 Speaker 2: in school, you know, I would try to be the 710 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:45,680 Speaker 2: class clown. I would try to do certain things. I 711 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:48,280 Speaker 2: even started drinking and smoking at the age of thirteen 712 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:51,520 Speaker 2: to just cope with him not being there. And so 713 00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:53,280 Speaker 2: I built that. I had that anger in me for 714 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:55,960 Speaker 2: a long time. And you know, football was a release, 715 00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 2: but it's still not the ultimate release. But saw a 716 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:02,360 Speaker 2: lot of that came from just my father not being around. 717 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:04,640 Speaker 2: Because I seen a lot of my friends, you know, 718 00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:06,720 Speaker 2: they had their father out there throwing the football with them. 719 00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:08,440 Speaker 2: I still can't throw a football because I didn't have 720 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:13,880 Speaker 2: nobody throwing the football with me. Amazing, you know, but 721 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 2: it's still a lot from that, you know. But fortunately, 722 00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:19,040 Speaker 2: and thank god, you know, we was able to go 723 00:33:19,080 --> 00:33:21,640 Speaker 2: through a forgiveness journey. But it actually started after I 724 00:33:21,680 --> 00:33:26,120 Speaker 2: went to therapy. Is when I truly truly forgave my father. Yeah, 725 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 2: he lives in Sweden now, he's the porter. He can't 726 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:34,000 Speaker 2: come to the States, but you know, you know, but 727 00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:37,200 Speaker 2: I've actually been on there a few times. And you know, 728 00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:40,600 Speaker 2: I played in London when I was in twenty thirteen, 729 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:42,880 Speaker 2: when I was with the Steelers, so he got a 730 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:44,920 Speaker 2: chance to see me play for the first time. And 731 00:33:45,040 --> 00:33:47,880 Speaker 2: last year with the Falcons, we actually played a game 732 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:49,640 Speaker 2: in London, so he was able to come and see me, 733 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 2: you know, being on this side of things now. So 734 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:55,760 Speaker 2: you know, we have a good relationship now, but a 735 00:33:55,800 --> 00:33:59,040 Speaker 2: lot of that stand from just him not being around. 736 00:33:59,480 --> 00:34:01,840 Speaker 5: And this is something recently built for you. You said 737 00:34:01,840 --> 00:34:03,920 Speaker 5: you were angry thirty five years old. 738 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:05,640 Speaker 1: Absolutely, man, this is a. 739 00:34:05,640 --> 00:34:07,880 Speaker 3: Very recent thing. So like this can happen later on 740 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:09,200 Speaker 3: the life and this. 741 00:34:09,120 --> 00:34:12,120 Speaker 1: Is good late. This is never too late. 742 00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 2: And it actually helped me be a better father to 743 00:34:14,680 --> 00:34:17,680 Speaker 2: my son, you know, because I always knew it was 744 00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:20,920 Speaker 2: something missing there, you know, with my son, Like, Okay, 745 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:23,520 Speaker 2: how can I truly I questioned myself, could I truly 746 00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:28,000 Speaker 2: be a great dad to my son if I didn't 747 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:31,080 Speaker 2: have that relationship with my father? But you know, now 748 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:35,759 Speaker 2: we have a great relationship and I'm really thankful for Yeah. 749 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:38,560 Speaker 3: Now this is completely switch up lanes. 750 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:40,440 Speaker 5: But I think this is such an interesting and on 751 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:42,640 Speaker 5: topic subject and nobody. 752 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:46,160 Speaker 3: Can know it more closer than you or intimately than you. 753 00:34:47,640 --> 00:34:51,840 Speaker 5: I want you to talk about dealing with young rookie 754 00:34:51,920 --> 00:34:55,239 Speaker 5: players now, because the old question was going to be 755 00:34:55,680 --> 00:34:58,720 Speaker 5: how's this player going to act once he gets money 756 00:34:58,719 --> 00:35:02,359 Speaker 5: in the league? Players get money now in college, so 757 00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:06,800 Speaker 5: you know that that box is checked or millionaires. How 758 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:09,879 Speaker 5: is it handling young rookies coming into the league now 759 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:13,279 Speaker 5: versus what we probably were when we were coming into 760 00:35:13,320 --> 00:35:13,720 Speaker 5: the league. 761 00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:15,040 Speaker 1: Good question. 762 00:35:15,719 --> 00:35:19,440 Speaker 2: I think, you know, people have to understand, like the 763 00:35:19,480 --> 00:35:22,560 Speaker 2: scouts and the scouting apartment and personnel the departments, they do 764 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:25,919 Speaker 2: a ton of background on all the rookies that's coming 765 00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:28,240 Speaker 2: into the league, even dating back to pee wee football, 766 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:32,440 Speaker 2: high school football, and especially college. So you know, over 767 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:34,680 Speaker 2: the course of these last four years since NIL has 768 00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:38,440 Speaker 2: been in effect, they've been able to study these guys. Okay, 769 00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:41,440 Speaker 2: this is how this guy act when he getting fifteen 770 00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:44,840 Speaker 2: to twenty thirty thousand dollars per month, you know, before 771 00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:48,400 Speaker 2: he gets into the league making that money. So what tools, 772 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:50,960 Speaker 2: what resources do we need to put in place to 773 00:35:51,040 --> 00:35:53,319 Speaker 2: make sure that he can have a successful career, you know? 774 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:56,080 Speaker 2: Or is this guy even worth it? You know because 775 00:35:56,680 --> 00:36:02,080 Speaker 2: he is doing it extraordinary things in a negative light 776 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:05,759 Speaker 2: right now, and so you know, he's not even work 777 00:36:05,840 --> 00:36:09,680 Speaker 2: bringing into the building, so you understand the product that 778 00:36:09,719 --> 00:36:13,480 Speaker 2: you were getting, you know, before they are into the building. 779 00:36:14,360 --> 00:36:17,120 Speaker 3: So I think that I don't think anybody's ever talking 780 00:36:17,120 --> 00:36:19,640 Speaker 3: about that angry. It's like no action. 781 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:22,359 Speaker 5: People are knowing who these guys are way more used 782 00:36:22,400 --> 00:36:25,120 Speaker 5: to be like man, when you give somebody money, like dude, 783 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:26,520 Speaker 5: I didn't even know he was gonna act like that. 784 00:36:26,640 --> 00:36:30,200 Speaker 1: Yeah now you know, So shame on you. You know 785 00:36:30,239 --> 00:36:32,040 Speaker 1: what you're getting and you're still drafted, you know what 786 00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:32,439 Speaker 1: I mean. 787 00:36:32,560 --> 00:36:36,920 Speaker 2: So you know, but shout out to the colleges, you know, 788 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:40,040 Speaker 2: because I've talked to colleges all the time now and 789 00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:44,600 Speaker 2: they bringing in and having so many financial literacy programs, 790 00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:47,160 Speaker 2: you know, to to help guys understand, you know, this 791 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:49,120 Speaker 2: is how you act with money, this is how you 792 00:36:49,120 --> 00:36:52,920 Speaker 2: you budget save. You know, they even starting investing now 793 00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:54,200 Speaker 2: because the flips. 794 00:36:53,840 --> 00:36:54,279 Speaker 1: Out of that. 795 00:36:54,560 --> 00:36:57,719 Speaker 2: You get guys that that do come in and they understanding, Hey, 796 00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:00,200 Speaker 2: I want this money to last forever. You know, have 797 00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:02,560 Speaker 2: second and third year guys that say, you know what, 798 00:37:02,640 --> 00:37:05,680 Speaker 2: I still have my nil money, uh from when I 799 00:37:05,719 --> 00:37:08,200 Speaker 2: was in college. You know, so it's a success story 800 00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:09,800 Speaker 2: there as well. You know, it's not all bad. 801 00:37:10,120 --> 00:37:10,319 Speaker 4: You know. 802 00:37:10,360 --> 00:37:14,839 Speaker 2: Obviously the media can can flip it to say every 803 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:18,319 Speaker 2: guy spending all this money or doing all these dumb things. 804 00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:20,880 Speaker 2: But a lot of guys are using the right way, uh, 805 00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:23,359 Speaker 2: you know, being able to take care of their parents earlier. Uh, 806 00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:26,080 Speaker 2: just being able to help their community. You know, you're 807 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:28,239 Speaker 2: seeing a lot of more gift back stuff, you know 808 00:37:28,280 --> 00:37:31,040 Speaker 2: on the college level. So it's amazing to see guys 809 00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:32,239 Speaker 2: use that money in the right way. 810 00:37:32,560 --> 00:37:35,600 Speaker 4: You think you'd had a lot of nil money, Yeah, 811 00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:38,480 Speaker 4: I did go to Alabama, Right, I'm just saying I 812 00:37:38,640 --> 00:37:46,640 Speaker 4: l before I basically that's what he all those games 813 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:52,399 Speaker 4: a forfeit rolling home Charlotte, get them right now. 814 00:37:52,719 --> 00:37:57,640 Speaker 5: Well then we uh we always like to ask this 815 00:37:57,880 --> 00:38:00,759 Speaker 5: question to all of our our guests. Then that is 816 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:05,319 Speaker 5: mount Rushmore. Okay, if you know, you get four, if 817 00:38:05,360 --> 00:38:07,839 Speaker 5: you had a Mount Rushmore of influence in your life 818 00:38:08,080 --> 00:38:15,799 Speaker 5: helped you become Fernando Alaska Blaskos, who would those four be? 819 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:18,279 Speaker 1: You know? 820 00:38:18,360 --> 00:38:20,400 Speaker 2: Number one? I'm gonna start with my mother. Yeah, you 821 00:38:20,440 --> 00:38:25,879 Speaker 2: know she she could have listened to the doctors, yeah 822 00:38:25,920 --> 00:38:27,759 Speaker 2: and not delivered me, and I wouldn't be sitting here 823 00:38:27,800 --> 00:38:28,680 Speaker 2: in front of y'all today. 824 00:38:29,800 --> 00:38:31,080 Speaker 1: But but but she's my hero. 825 00:38:31,640 --> 00:38:31,840 Speaker 4: You know. 826 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:34,200 Speaker 2: I thank God that after that situation, she was able 827 00:38:34,239 --> 00:38:38,040 Speaker 2: to uh get herself together, yeah, get clean. 828 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:38,799 Speaker 1: You know. 829 00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:41,400 Speaker 2: She now lives in Atlanta. Uh so I get to 830 00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:44,000 Speaker 2: see her often. She she gets to be around my son, 831 00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:45,920 Speaker 2: and you know, I just I just love her so 832 00:38:46,040 --> 00:38:49,480 Speaker 2: much for for for just you know, even she's while 833 00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:52,919 Speaker 2: she got herself together, she's she she moved my brother 834 00:38:52,960 --> 00:38:54,879 Speaker 2: and I to be with our grandparents so they would 835 00:38:54,880 --> 00:38:57,280 Speaker 2: be the other two. So her alone with my grandparents, 836 00:38:57,320 --> 00:38:59,600 Speaker 2: and they they took us in, they raised us, you know, 837 00:38:59,640 --> 00:39:02,319 Speaker 2: they they started us, you know, our foundation and our 838 00:39:02,360 --> 00:39:04,600 Speaker 2: faith in the church, and just taught us how to 839 00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:08,520 Speaker 2: treat people, and after they passed away, the fourth person 840 00:39:08,560 --> 00:39:10,799 Speaker 2: would be my aunt. She kind of took over that 841 00:39:10,800 --> 00:39:14,239 Speaker 2: that Roaldela may. Uh so it'll be those four, you know, 842 00:39:14,320 --> 00:39:17,719 Speaker 2: my mom, two grandparents, and my aunt. 843 00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:20,080 Speaker 4: It's a solid group of four. I like it. I 844 00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:24,359 Speaker 4: love it, man, Well appreciate you. Uh go dogs, my boy. 845 00:39:24,520 --> 00:39:27,240 Speaker 4: You know I didn't mean it. 846 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:30,560 Speaker 2: You almost got me to say real times that it 847 00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:31,680 Speaker 2: just ain't in my heart. 848 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:34,440 Speaker 4: You know, I get it. We beat y'all. So before 849 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:36,120 Speaker 4: you say anything right now, I just want to throw 850 00:39:36,160 --> 00:39:40,080 Speaker 4: this on camera, like Room has come to me plenty 851 00:39:40,080 --> 00:39:44,880 Speaker 4: of times and it's been extremely vulnerable, and he just 852 00:39:45,280 --> 00:39:48,520 Speaker 4: like pours into my pours into me and just talks 853 00:39:48,560 --> 00:39:52,440 Speaker 4: about how sad he is, that how great he is. 854 00:39:52,520 --> 00:39:54,960 Speaker 4: Like he really does hate it, you know he is. 855 00:39:55,239 --> 00:39:57,799 Speaker 4: He has called me late night sometimes like peanut. I 856 00:39:57,840 --> 00:39:59,680 Speaker 4: just can't take it no more. Man, I can't stand 857 00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:02,200 Speaker 4: this here. He just I just want to throw it 858 00:40:02,320 --> 00:40:04,360 Speaker 4: out there. He really don't like the great hair. He 859 00:40:04,400 --> 00:40:06,600 Speaker 4: act like he liked it, but he really don't like it. 860 00:40:06,719 --> 00:40:08,000 Speaker 4: And now holds us out. 861 00:40:09,040 --> 00:40:10,279 Speaker 3: We're just gonna end all a lot. 862 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:11,839 Speaker 1: That's all good. 863 00:40:12,360 --> 00:40:16,040 Speaker 5: Look wherever you listen to your podcast first of all 864 00:40:16,120 --> 00:40:18,960 Speaker 5: for that though, thank you brother for stopping by pouring 865 00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:21,920 Speaker 5: into us and even sharing your last story and talking 866 00:40:21,960 --> 00:40:24,640 Speaker 5: about I was deep, the vulnerability and going to talk 867 00:40:24,680 --> 00:40:27,359 Speaker 5: to somebody. And I think more and more people need 868 00:40:27,360 --> 00:40:30,440 Speaker 5: to hear that, especially people that look like us. And 869 00:40:30,520 --> 00:40:35,120 Speaker 5: it's okay. That's all we're saying, everybody, it's okay. And 870 00:40:35,200 --> 00:40:38,520 Speaker 5: so once you know that it's okay, I think we 871 00:40:38,840 --> 00:40:40,840 Speaker 5: can take that step. So thank you for that and 872 00:40:40,920 --> 00:40:42,320 Speaker 5: making sure you're sharing that story. 873 00:40:42,440 --> 00:40:44,839 Speaker 2: Man, I appreciate it, and I just I just love 874 00:40:44,880 --> 00:40:46,839 Speaker 2: what you guys are doing. You know, I love even 875 00:40:46,880 --> 00:40:49,759 Speaker 2: the name second act. You know, we talk about having 876 00:40:49,800 --> 00:40:52,160 Speaker 2: their helme and on and playing football for so long, 877 00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:56,600 Speaker 2: but every player will one day be a former player. 878 00:40:56,960 --> 00:40:58,440 Speaker 2: And what does that second act look like? 879 00:40:58,880 --> 00:40:59,080 Speaker 1: You know? 880 00:41:00,360 --> 00:41:03,200 Speaker 2: So you have an amazing guests. Uh, shout out to 881 00:41:03,200 --> 00:41:05,840 Speaker 2: you and your team just for you know, bringing stories 882 00:41:05,840 --> 00:41:08,120 Speaker 2: to life, you know, and I think that's one thing 883 00:41:08,120 --> 00:41:10,120 Speaker 2: that I even try to pour into my guys. Now, Okay, 884 00:41:10,160 --> 00:41:12,200 Speaker 2: what can you do now to make sure that your 885 00:41:12,280 --> 00:41:15,320 Speaker 2: second act is successful? You know, what resources can you 886 00:41:15,360 --> 00:41:18,319 Speaker 2: put around you? You know what professional development things can 887 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:18,880 Speaker 2: you attend? 888 00:41:18,920 --> 00:41:20,440 Speaker 1: Now? You know going to get. 889 00:41:20,280 --> 00:41:23,360 Speaker 2: That NBA right now? You know what what can you 890 00:41:23,400 --> 00:41:25,520 Speaker 2: do to to help with your second act? So shout 891 00:41:25,560 --> 00:41:26,359 Speaker 2: out to what y'all doing? 892 00:41:26,360 --> 00:41:28,480 Speaker 5: Man, respect, I came up with the name. I'm just 893 00:41:28,480 --> 00:41:31,400 Speaker 5: gonna throw y'all better come to my commencement. Boy, if 894 00:41:31,440 --> 00:41:34,680 Speaker 5: I ever get that NBA, y'all put all that pressure. 895 00:41:34,440 --> 00:41:35,280 Speaker 3: We're gonna do it together. 896 00:41:35,320 --> 00:41:37,600 Speaker 4: I'm gonna be there with you. We're gonna graduate at 897 00:41:37,600 --> 00:41:41,800 Speaker 4: the same time University of Louisiana. You will be a 898 00:41:41,880 --> 00:41:44,439 Speaker 4: raging cajun. I'm fine, all right. 899 00:41:44,640 --> 00:41:44,960 Speaker 1: Georgia. 900 00:41:45,040 --> 00:41:51,239 Speaker 2: Georgia has an online program. Do it, Hey, I gotta 901 00:41:51,280 --> 00:41:52,960 Speaker 2: connect for if you want it, let's do it. 902 00:41:53,120 --> 00:41:53,600 Speaker 3: I'll do it. 903 00:41:53,680 --> 00:41:55,759 Speaker 4: Let's let's go all right. 904 00:41:55,800 --> 00:41:57,600 Speaker 3: We're gonna put a pin in this, like we said before. 905 00:41:57,719 --> 00:41:58,279 Speaker 4: Thank you, guys. 906 00:41:58,600 --> 00:41:59,239 Speaker 1: I appreciate it. 907 00:41:59,280 --> 00:42:02,000 Speaker 5: All of our listening is the viewers out there wherever 908 00:42:02,040 --> 00:42:03,480 Speaker 5: you pick up your podcast at with this. 909 00:42:03,640 --> 00:42:05,760 Speaker 3: iHeartRadio Apple Podcast. 910 00:42:06,160 --> 00:42:08,279 Speaker 5: Thank you so much for always give us a like 911 00:42:08,680 --> 00:42:12,040 Speaker 5: review of follow, leave a couple of comments, talk about this. 912 00:42:12,160 --> 00:42:15,760 Speaker 3: I think this is a really deep night five star ratings. 913 00:42:16,080 --> 00:42:19,520 Speaker 4: Give us a review. And this is Peanut Tillman. I'm 914 00:42:19,560 --> 00:42:23,120 Speaker 4: Roman Harper wait, NFL YouTube channel. Make sure you check 915 00:42:23,200 --> 00:42:25,080 Speaker 4: us out on the NFL YouTube. You don't got to 916 00:42:25,120 --> 00:42:28,399 Speaker 4: just listen to us, you can actually watch us. That's 917 00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:31,479 Speaker 4: the key NFL YouTube channel. Baby, come check us out. Yeah, 918 00:42:31,600 --> 00:42:34,200 Speaker 4: I'm Peanut. That's Nando on. This my guy room, and 919 00:42:34,239 --> 00:42:36,000 Speaker 4: we will be getting our NBA. 920 00:42:36,200 --> 00:42:39,759 Speaker 3: This is the NFL players. Second, I love I love 921 00:42:39,800 --> 00:42:40,239 Speaker 3: my great hair. 922 00:42:41,800 --> 00:42:51,160 Speaker 4: We out