1 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to the NFL Legends Podcast, an NFL podcast for 2 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: the players, by the players. Here's your host, fourteen year 3 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:23,280 Speaker 1: NFL veteran and Hall of Famer A Nius Williams. Hello, 4 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,759 Speaker 1: and welcome to the NFL Legends Podcast. I'm a Nieus Williams. 5 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: Today we're joined by Houston defensive end Whitney Merciless, who 6 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 1: has midway through his ninth season with the Texans. Whitney 7 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:41,240 Speaker 1: is the founder of whitt Mercy, an organization that provides 8 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: advocate services and support to families of children with disabilities 9 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:50,200 Speaker 1: and special needs. And he also has a new cooking show. 10 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: That's Right, Football Players Do Cook is a cooking show 11 00:00:55,040 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 1: on i G TV. Welcome Whitney, appreciate it, thanks for 12 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:03,279 Speaker 1: having me on here, and yeah, definitely looked throw down 13 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: a little bit and kitchen to We're recording this before 14 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 1: week eight of the season, and I want to talk 15 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:15,399 Speaker 1: about how this season a season like no other in 16 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 1: NFL history. What are the challenges of COVID The first 17 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,760 Speaker 1: question with me, what adjustments you're and your family have 18 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 1: had to make? Yeah, man, it's uh, it's been a 19 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: learning year, Uh, with this whole pandemic and all that, 20 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,759 Speaker 1: so me and my family had to make some major adjustments. 21 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:37,399 Speaker 1: My parents are you know, in their fifties and sixties, 22 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:40,760 Speaker 1: so that's a very huge concern with covid um affecting 23 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 1: the older population, so that I had to take that 24 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: into account, especially going to practice and being around guys, 25 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 1: and then you hear these flare ups of covid throughout 26 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: the league. And also my my sister and her husband 27 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: are down here and they just had their first firstborn, 28 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: just knew born last year. She's one years old and 29 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: all that, so I want to make sure that they're 30 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: protected as well too, So stressing because I want to 31 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: see my family, and I got to make sure that I, 32 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: like my sisters, claimed from COVID before I even see them. 33 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: And uh, you know, we have we understand the fact that, 34 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 1: you know, being distanced in the time. It's okay. We 35 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 1: love each other and all that. And then once things, 36 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: once this thing gets corrected, we'll we'll be just fine. 37 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 1: How's it all to your training and your game, prip Man. 38 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 1: So uh let's go back to like March. I mean, 39 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:33,119 Speaker 1: so I had made a trip back from Chances did 40 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 1: and then uh man, and that as soon as I 41 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: made it back home. That's when Kovie hit and the 42 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 1: lockdowns happened. So at that moment, because I didn't I 43 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: was gonna head to Arizona to go training. Guess usually 44 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 1: where I go train out every single year. So that 45 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: got cut out because Arizona is another hot spot. So 46 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: the training facility out there I got shut down quickly. 47 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:55,799 Speaker 1: So everything, I mean everything in Houston as well too, 48 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 1: So I'm like, okay, what am I gonna do for training? 49 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,959 Speaker 1: And all that. Literally I was in the backyard and 50 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 1: pushed up stood ups like old fashioned, well I had 51 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 1: I had a propane tank get the back so even 52 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: that hit some of some crutches, some abs, you know, 53 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: curl that thing. Um you know. I mean, I'm using 54 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 1: everything inside the house at that moment. And uh, by 55 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 1: the grace of God, honestly, was like one of the 56 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 1: guys you used to work in the Houston, Texas when 57 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: he was around in my neighborhood and whatnot and was 58 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 1: training some of some of the guys from the Texans 59 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: and whatnot. So man just linked up with him then 60 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:32,519 Speaker 1: started working with him like privately, like out in the 61 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 1: open field and stuff like that. Because no, there was 62 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: no Gems open and whatnot. So we were just doing 63 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 1: like positioned drills, just doing some conditioning and stuff like that. 64 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: So I had to really just do that for a while, 65 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: and that not until like non essential businesses could be 66 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: back open, like gyms, so I found them to go 67 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: work out at, but still couldn't really travel, you know, 68 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 1: because the Arizona even though they kind of open back up, 69 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: they shot right back down again. So it was really difficult. Also, 70 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: people don't know. It's like, you know, the NFL was 71 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: trying to uh, you know, put together a game plan 72 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: with the union. Uh as far as okay, are we 73 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: gonna have a season? Isn't gonna get pushed back? So 74 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: guys really didn't know, all right, do I need to 75 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 1: train this hard right now or do I should I 76 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 1: like ease off and so that my body doesn't peak. 77 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:22,720 Speaker 1: So it was really hard to really gauge that during 78 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 1: that time because we didn't really even know for months 79 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:27,919 Speaker 1: on end whether we were going to start on time 80 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: or we were or we weren't gonna have a season. 81 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: You know, thank you wouldn't. We may have missed the 82 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 1: golden opportunity with the with the Legends community, because when 83 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: you guys not having all your up to data medities 84 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 1: and being at home. Just as you said, we could 85 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 1: make you guys with some of the veeditans who didn't 86 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 1: have all this, and they could have given you some 87 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: regiment of some of the things they did man when 88 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 1: they were at home. Right, all right, I could have 89 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: taped man. Shoot, I should have hit up some of 90 00:04:52,960 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 1: my guy. That's what I said. It did. Man, let's 91 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,720 Speaker 1: transition into the cookie show. Man. I'm still I'm still 92 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: thinking about cooking man. Man, Man that plays ball, that 93 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 1: could cook his own meal? Man, looking on, where's these 94 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 1: with with that? Did that evolve from your new normal? Man? Yes, 95 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 1: yes it really did. So me and my girl. My 96 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,599 Speaker 1: girl was at down here. She's from Chicago, so she 97 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 1: was stuck down here with me. I had to deal 98 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: with me for all the months, and so that was 99 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:33,600 Speaker 1: that was a whole thing to do. Man. Yeah, pretty much, 100 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:35,160 Speaker 1: we've just thrown down to the kitchen and all that. 101 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:37,720 Speaker 1: So I'm getting updates from a manager as far as 102 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: like you know, went through the foundation, Like, okay, are 103 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 1: events are being canceled so we're gonna have to say 104 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:46,360 Speaker 1: change it up? Stuff like that? And also how are 105 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 1: partners Foundation partners doing stuff. So all the while like 106 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,280 Speaker 1: hearing about the families, what's going on with them as 107 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 1: far as like you know, increasing domestic violence stuff like that. 108 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 1: Also kids, you know, regressing back, you know from all 109 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 1: the treatments and the therapies and stuff like that. So 110 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: I kind of wanted to come up with something constructed 111 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: because me and my girl, we were just thrown down 112 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:10,719 Speaker 1: in the kitchen like just about every single day. I 113 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 1: probably packed on like a good COVID team or something 114 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:19,040 Speaker 1: like that. So so man, I said, I want to 115 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 1: do something for the kids. And I was like, man, 116 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:22,159 Speaker 1: you know what, let me start this thing out and 117 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:24,679 Speaker 1: just do some simple dishes for you know, these kids 118 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,279 Speaker 1: to you know, make a pbn J sandwich or like 119 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: a grill cheese sandwich from that man. Okay, So one 120 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:34,359 Speaker 1: day I did. And so one day I did like 121 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: a pizza bagel. That was cool. Everybody was like, all right, 122 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 1: all right, okay, okay, I'm gonna have to try that, 123 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: you know, a nice easy light snack. So the next 124 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 1: time I did it on Wednesday, Uh, it was a 125 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,280 Speaker 1: grill cheese sandwich. There was a lot of people who 126 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 1: disagree with my cookie skill, with some real cheese, sam 127 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 1: ConA tell you that right now. I got blasted for 128 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,040 Speaker 1: all the day, like, are you serious You're gonna put 129 00:06:57,040 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 1: on some grill tee sandwich? Man, I thought you could, 130 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 1: man at that moment. At that moment, I said, man, 131 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 1: I'm done. All right, here we go. And I got 132 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 1: pretty much the internet bully men pretty much, uh, you know, 133 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: showing that I could actually cut, I could actually cook. 134 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 1: I know my spices, I know my cuts and meat 135 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 1: and stuff like that. So pretty much. Uh man, I 136 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 1: forget the first one. I think I did, like something 137 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: like pasta, um squidding pasta. I did that. I did duck. 138 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 1: So it literally there was there was no there was 139 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 1: no gray area. Literally and went from simple grill cheese 140 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:33,119 Speaker 1: sandwich straight up to duck and fog water. So you given, 141 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 1: you given, you give a social media the credit for 142 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: this passion that was birthed to you through some of 143 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 1: the people that was hating doing it. Yeah. Man, So 144 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 1: really I already had an innate, uh like thing in 145 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: me where I just love to cook. Um. I was 146 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: very curious always and stuff like that. So I had 147 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: a lot of time during COVID in order to you know, 148 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 1: really you know, try it out perfect some things and 149 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: stuff like that and really try out things that I've 150 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: seen over the number of years that I've into restaurants 151 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 1: or see my mom doing the kitchen. It's already, it 152 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 1: was definitely there already. I just got bullied by the 153 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 1: internet or I and they all know who they are too. 154 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 1: If we transition back to football Houston, the texts you 155 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 1: guys are having the challenges season has been been fired? 156 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: How have you been able to stay focused? Um? You 157 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 1: know the courzy thing is uh like this change that's 158 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 1: going on. And besides COVID with a coach being fired, 159 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 1: this happened to me before in my career when I 160 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 1: first got drafted to the juson Texans. I was with 161 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 1: Kubiak for you about two years and then to the 162 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: third team. Was a terrible year for us, and so 163 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 1: he got fired at towards the end of the season 164 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:49,199 Speaker 1: and Way Phillips said took over as the interroom head coach, 165 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:53,839 Speaker 1: and so I I already went through that transition once before, 166 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 1: and once it happened again this past year, I was like, oh, okay, 167 00:08:57,559 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 1: I've been here before. I know what to do, I 168 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: know what to expect, how to play these games and 169 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 1: all that. Now. You know, what people don't see is 170 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:09,080 Speaker 1: how taxing it can be mentally, because there can be 171 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 1: some instent well, there's instability, if you will, And that's 172 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: no surprise to any to anybody, that's just that. Of course, 173 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:20,320 Speaker 1: you got to concentrate on the season and everything and guys, 174 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 1: that's what guys are doing and just keeping the whole 175 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:25,839 Speaker 1: group together like this and just worrying about these games 176 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 1: right now. You're not worry about the future. But the 177 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:30,439 Speaker 1: instability that's there is because you know, once a new 178 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 1: person comes in, whether it's GM, like they find a GM, 179 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 1: they find a head coach, then that culture, that previous 180 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:38,840 Speaker 1: culture that when everybody once knew is going to be 181 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:41,760 Speaker 1: you know, removed or you know, some people may stay, 182 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:45,320 Speaker 1: some people may leave. And also guys are in last 183 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 1: years of the contracts and you know they were seeking 184 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 1: to because they knew the culture uh that once here 185 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 1: there and they don't know what's gonna happen next year. 186 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 1: I am I gonna be let go stuff like that, 187 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:58,320 Speaker 1: you know, and a lot of guys, I mean, you 188 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 1: tack that on with COVID, you tacked that on with 189 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 1: like us going through the season, right now guys are 190 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 1: mentally weighed down a hundred percent. So for me, I'm 191 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: like I had that experience before, so I know how 192 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: to keep my mind very focused and stay in the 193 00:10:12,040 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: present moment and try to mentor a lot of the 194 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,960 Speaker 1: other guys who hasn't who haven't gone through it um 195 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:21,200 Speaker 1: in order to say, just stick together, don't think about 196 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 1: too much about the future, just think about right now 197 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 1: and try to stay in the present moment. Now, did 198 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:28,360 Speaker 1: you get opportunity to share with the entire team. Have 199 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 1: you done an individual as relationship your prior experience going 200 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 1: through a transition like this, Yeah, you know. The thing 201 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: is I I think coaches have already addressed it. So 202 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:41,680 Speaker 1: as for me, I work better with talking to guys 203 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 1: like individually or as like you know, a little groups here, 204 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: a little group there, or whatnot, especially a lot of 205 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 1: young guys, you know, some of them, like you know, 206 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:50,839 Speaker 1: they're better in settings where like it's more of like 207 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 1: a one on one setting or or you know, maybe 208 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 1: it's two year better and stuff like that, and we 209 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:58,000 Speaker 1: can all sit into like a little small group and 210 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:00,199 Speaker 1: just talk about you know, what they expect he she's 211 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:02,560 Speaker 1: are from here on out, and just draw from me 212 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 1: is for whoever is willing to listen. So it's a 213 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 1: it's that That's how I've been able to handle it. 214 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: As far as teaching other guys. Let's talk about your 215 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:19,120 Speaker 1: foundation with mercy, sir. You've always been active in your communities. 216 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:24,120 Speaker 1: What drives you to be active in your community? You know, 217 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: it really steps from my family, my mom especially because 218 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:30,680 Speaker 1: every time I like, it's me, my sister, and my brother. 219 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 1: She always taught us that, you know, no matter what 220 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:36,319 Speaker 1: we got, you gotta at least give something back. And 221 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:39,080 Speaker 1: my parents are immigrants from Haiti, so she always like 222 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 1: anything that she had, she would you know, she would 223 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:45,560 Speaker 1: send back to Haiti to some family. Um also any 224 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 1: time in their friends who needed help. You know, over 225 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:49,560 Speaker 1: the years that I was growing up, she would help 226 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: him out. She literally would take it the clothes off 227 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 1: her back and just give it UH to anybody who's 228 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 1: in need. So seeing that in her, cultivating that UH 229 00:11:57,320 --> 00:11:59,200 Speaker 1: in all of us, that's why I'm so active in 230 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 1: the community US. And then the day I'm blessed, regardless 231 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:04,320 Speaker 1: of a position, whether I made it to the NFL 232 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: or not, I was blessed at the time I came 233 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,560 Speaker 1: into this world, So why not be able to be 234 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: a blessing towards others? That's what that's all really what 235 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 1: I want to be. It's just to be able to 236 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 1: help that next person who needs help, whether it be mentally, spiritually, 237 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 1: or monetarily. So there's a good question, why have you 238 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:29,560 Speaker 1: chosen children with disabilities as a focus of your foundation? Yeah? Yeah, 239 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 1: worst shot start all right. It goes back to my 240 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 1: family again, is they've always been in a health care 241 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 1: field for a while. So my my father, my mother 242 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 1: works in nursing homes when as nursing assistance when I 243 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:45,559 Speaker 1: was growing up, and then my sister went to it 244 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: and went to school for medicine and she's general practitioner 245 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: herself down here in Euston. So all the while, like 246 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:55,839 Speaker 1: she's in school, my parents are doing that at the 247 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:59,080 Speaker 1: nursing home. As I'm growing up, it was already in 248 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:00,960 Speaker 1: my blood. It's in my d and they had servitude 249 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,079 Speaker 1: and all that, and uh, you know, I just really 250 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:06,839 Speaker 1: empathize with people and really, uh you know, I think 251 00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 1: about people first before I think about myself. When I 252 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:11,080 Speaker 1: was growing up as well too, so it was already 253 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 1: there and and it's been taught so when I got 254 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 1: to college, I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do. 255 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: I was in communications for a little bit, and then 256 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 1: I got into community health. And community health there was 257 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 1: a concentration which was disabilities and rehabilitation. So I was learning, uh, 258 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:32,560 Speaker 1: this book or reading this book throughout one of these classes. 259 00:13:32,559 --> 00:13:34,720 Speaker 1: It was called ds M or a less like all 260 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:37,560 Speaker 1: the different disabilities and stuff like that, and uh, this 261 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:41,319 Speaker 1: class pretty much encompassed like, all right, how to structure 262 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:43,959 Speaker 1: somebody's home living, how to structure you know, the transportation 263 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:45,920 Speaker 1: if they're dead, you know, if they're just a you know, 264 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 1: work environment, X y Z, if the list goes on. 265 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:51,679 Speaker 1: So I caught it really pretty much. That caught my eye. 266 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 1: And after that I was like, man, yo, this is 267 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: really interesting. I like this a lot. And so I 268 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 1: wanted to before I went to the NFL, I started 269 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 1: branching into pre met. I said I didn't want to. 270 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:04,720 Speaker 1: When I first got I said, I want to do nothing, 271 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:10,600 Speaker 1: nothing medicine at all. Nothing. And then like four years later, 272 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:13,080 Speaker 1: I'm trying to get trying to get in a premante 273 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 1: crazy right, So then I get into the NFL, and man, 274 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 1: it's a long story, but like yeah, this is the 275 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 1: last part I promised. But but I get to the 276 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 1: NFL and pretty much I started working with kids a lot, 277 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 1: you know, whether it be like play sixty all that, 278 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 1: and visiting a lot of kids in the hospital and 279 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 1: just seeing really how stressful it is on the families 280 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 1: monster monetarily, emotionally, physically all that. So that really tugged 281 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 1: on my heart as well too, and I wanted to 282 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: come up with foundations, but I didn't know exactly what 283 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 1: I wanted to do, and I didn't want to just 284 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 1: put slap something out there that I was gonna care about. 285 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:53,400 Speaker 1: So if I don't care about it, then any donor 286 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:56,400 Speaker 1: that's gonna give to it, then that's not building their 287 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 1: trust in order to say I'm passionate about this and 288 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: making sure it that your dollars are doing exactly what 289 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 1: it does. So it took me about five years or 290 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:06,760 Speaker 1: four years, and when I was in illegal whatnot. So 291 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 1: that's where in two that's sixteen, that's when I created 292 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 1: with Mercy with my manager and UH put together with 293 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 1: Mercy to UH to really help that the community. I 294 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 1: just read like I love working with kids. Also just 295 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 1: putting it together what I studied in uh college, and 296 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 1: that's how it came to be. What does the main 297 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 1: benefit in your life that comes from working with people 298 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 1: who are either physically or developmentally disabled. Yeah, so you know, 299 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 1: the most rewarding thing about it is and whether you're 300 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 1: religious or not. And for me, I I am it 301 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 1: teaches the basic, key basic principles in life as far 302 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 1: as loving one another, no matter why how different with you, 303 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 1: we may be being really patient with one another as 304 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 1: well too, empathizing with one another and being there for 305 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 1: one another as well too, and understanding that man, just 306 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:04,640 Speaker 1: truly how blessed we are too. Kind of some capacity, 307 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 1: we all have a special special thing about us that 308 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 1: guy gave us to impart on this world. And somebody 309 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: with someone with disabilities or myself who's able body to 310 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: be able to go out there and go play, we 311 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 1: all have this innate gift in order to provide the world. 312 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 1: And uh, I think that's one of the things that 313 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 1: has been rewarding as far as working with individuals such 314 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 1: as those, because that's something man, they got some of 315 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 1: the most beautiful and greatest smiles ever. And I'm like, 316 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 1: I may have crappy day at practice, um man, I 317 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: just got cussed out by the coach about five coaches. 318 00:16:38,760 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 1: Then I go work with uh some of the kids 319 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 1: uh here in Houston, Uh some who I made like 320 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 1: great friends over the last a couple of years. And 321 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 1: I see they smile, and you know they really you know, 322 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 1: they know if they have a disability and all that, 323 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 1: but they don't let that get them down. They know 324 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 1: they they're special. Man. At the end of the day, 325 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: when I lay up see them and I interact with them, like, man, 326 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 1: my day. Really it wasn't that bad. Now, how is 327 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: your work in the kitchen tied to your foundation? Well, 328 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:08,920 Speaker 1: cooking in the kid cooking in the kitchen with developed 329 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:11,960 Speaker 1: into something a whole like into a whole different beast 330 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:16,399 Speaker 1: for sure. So recently we had a foundation event and 331 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 1: usually this is called done with mercy, so you're done 332 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:21,359 Speaker 1: with me, Like pretty much we would set up the 333 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 1: event at like some like some restaurant that I really 334 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:25,440 Speaker 1: wanted to go to, something like that, and we create 335 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: a deal and have some of our biggest donors go there. 336 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:30,440 Speaker 1: So I couldn't do that, so we had to be 337 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:34,440 Speaker 1: very very creative and how we bring these donors on 338 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 1: to at least raise some money for the kids this 339 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:39,480 Speaker 1: year or Whatnotuh, so we didn't take a loss or 340 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 1: anything like that. So pretty much it was a great 341 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:45,879 Speaker 1: idea for in the kitchen will win on Wednesdays and 342 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 1: take that and actually make it into a foundation event 343 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 1: where I brought two chefs to cook with me and 344 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:57,679 Speaker 1: pretty much have the entire gre and pretty much I 345 00:17:57,680 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 1: was sitting there just looking pretty I ain't go a 346 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 1: lot to you, didn't you the challenge of the two cooks, 347 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 1: nothing like that? Oh no, it wasn't. So they were there, 348 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:10,639 Speaker 1: they were providing it. So we provided a class like 349 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 1: a class. So so pretty much it was like so 350 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:19,359 Speaker 1: this event had steak, potatoes and spinnach, right and the 351 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 1: in your head you're like, man, that's just too simple. 352 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 1: But the way the chef did it, I would have 353 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 1: never been able to do it the way no, I 354 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:31,359 Speaker 1: mean the meat just melted in your mouth and had 355 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 1: like this garlic sauce on top. I'm telling you, like 356 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 1: he killed it. He killed it. And then we had 357 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:41,960 Speaker 1: a pastry chef come in and did like this very 358 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:48,400 Speaker 1: holiday cake and had like cinnamon start these ginger all 359 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:50,680 Speaker 1: within the cream frosting and stuff like that, and it 360 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 1: was really good. It was light, it was fluffy, and 361 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:57,440 Speaker 1: it just tasted absolutely immaculate. So it was just pretty 362 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 1: much basically a cooking class that everybody paid for or 363 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:05,440 Speaker 1: towards the foundation, and uh, we were close to we 364 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:07,240 Speaker 1: were close to our goal as far as fifty thou 365 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:13,040 Speaker 1: which is which is uh absolutely a blessing, especially coming 366 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:17,679 Speaker 1: out of COVID. Yeah, so that's that's pretty much how 367 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:19,720 Speaker 1: it started the foundation. Everybody had a great time. I 368 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 1: was cracking jokes all day long. Come on, man, you 369 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: got me hungary already, Man to make the trip to Houston. Man, 370 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 1: check out? Good, good, that's all right. I want to 371 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:36,800 Speaker 1: close out. Let's talk about the mask you wear. Yeah, 372 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 1: tell me what the mask is and who honors African 373 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:46,680 Speaker 1: America's with disabilities who were slain by police? The mask 374 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:49,639 Speaker 1: that I wear, Zoe, of course, we got it. So 375 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 1: and this is this ties into a whole another well 376 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 1: not a whole another thing, but like the same thing 377 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: as far as how many responsibilities we all have, like 378 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:03,199 Speaker 1: on the profes on the athlete level, because COVID not 379 00:20:03,359 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 1: understanding whether we're gonna, like, you know, play or not, 380 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 1: then we have you know, our coach firing also voting 381 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 1: stressing them for people to vote to get change done, 382 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 1: and then also black lives matter. You know, there a 383 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 1: lot of the uh uh you know, social injustices and 384 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 1: stuff like that, and supporting that as well too, and 385 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 1: having strategic plans individually and collect as a collective group. 386 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:27,439 Speaker 1: So there was a lot mentally this year. Uh, just 387 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 1: go back to earlier. It's how you know, players are feeling. 388 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:32,400 Speaker 1: We needed to come up with playing like what we're 389 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 1: gonna do for the first game with Kansas City. I 390 00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:40,240 Speaker 1: mean it was gonna be us so and I'll get 391 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 1: around about to how it came to be white. Why 392 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 1: I wear those maps? So we were the first game, 393 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:47,360 Speaker 1: So there was a black national anthem, and then there 394 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:50,439 Speaker 1: was the national anthem as well. Now the thing is, 395 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 1: we all know like it should be. Everybody should know 396 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:56,880 Speaker 1: wrong from wrong and right from right, and so as 397 00:20:56,880 --> 00:20:59,719 Speaker 1: a collective group, we didn't want to stand for one 398 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:01,919 Speaker 1: day them and then not the other, so that we 399 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:05,399 Speaker 1: gave other people, like the entire country fuel. You know, 400 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:07,520 Speaker 1: why are you gonna stand for this anthem not this one? 401 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:09,960 Speaker 1: Oh you're not paytrioted because you're standing for a Black 402 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:13,199 Speaker 1: lives matter, the black a national anthem and not the 403 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: national anthem, like, so both teams we collectively said, hey, 404 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:18,840 Speaker 1: we're gonna just stay inside the locker room and then 405 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:21,640 Speaker 1: we're gonna come out after afterwards, and then we're gonna 406 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:24,439 Speaker 1: take a moment of silence and delayed the game. Delay 407 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 1: that has started and starting time of the game. We 408 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 1: got into the production of the entire NFL game. Whatnot 409 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 1: right for football to be back on our time? So 410 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 1: we got boomed. So at that point, it's like, Okay, 411 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:40,040 Speaker 1: what do people and then like when we do that, 412 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:43,440 Speaker 1: what do people want? What is it? What is it? 413 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:45,480 Speaker 1: It's tough to say, and you're not gonna please everybody. 414 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:49,879 Speaker 1: We understand that. So just getting into why did it 415 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:52,719 Speaker 1: is because I wanted to continue Like now it's like 416 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:55,199 Speaker 1: it kind of got drowned out a little bit, and 417 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:57,360 Speaker 1: I'm the type of person when I start something, I'm 418 00:21:57,359 --> 00:22:00,280 Speaker 1: gonna see it all the way through. So in order 419 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 1: to say, I wanted to make this thing like seamless. 420 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:04,399 Speaker 1: So I didn't want to just keep on putting like 421 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:07,479 Speaker 1: random names and stuff like that and just like like 422 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:11,119 Speaker 1: supporting the cause, like a support support the cause, but 423 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 1: it had to make sense, So I wanted to tie 424 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:15,880 Speaker 1: it into and so I sat there, I was like, man, 425 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:18,840 Speaker 1: how do I tie it into the foundation? There's gotta 426 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:21,160 Speaker 1: be some instances. So, like, I started doing some research, 427 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: a lot of names and seeing if there's you know, 428 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: a common common denominator in there as far as disabilities 429 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:32,439 Speaker 1: and long behold, there was so a lot of the 430 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:34,960 Speaker 1: Like one individual, different Tanner, who had a man she 431 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:37,439 Speaker 1: she was shot inside of her home because he was 432 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:39,680 Speaker 1: having a manic episode. Her sister wasn't there and all that. 433 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:42,200 Speaker 1: So reading about those stories and stuff like that, so 434 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:45,120 Speaker 1: it takes a certain special somebody to deal with those 435 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:48,240 Speaker 1: individuals and know exactly what they had, what they're going 436 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 1: through in order to deal with them and calm them 437 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 1: down instead of or having you know, the police trained 438 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 1: even more uh in order to deal with those individuals 439 00:22:56,840 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 1: or something into that matter. So why were these ask 440 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:04,040 Speaker 1: is because it's HIGs. It is these these individuals had disabilities, 441 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:07,800 Speaker 1: they had manic episodes, and the cops were calling on them, 442 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:13,160 Speaker 1: and the cops weren't equipped to handle set uh set individuals. 443 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:16,719 Speaker 1: The thing is, yes, I deal with children with disabilities, 444 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:19,800 Speaker 1: but when they grow up, people forget the fact that 445 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:24,440 Speaker 1: these people have disabilities. For a lifetime. Yeah exactly, because 446 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:26,360 Speaker 1: not just one time in their life and then oh yeah, 447 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 1: we just forget about it. So again, So I wanted 448 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:34,520 Speaker 1: to represent these individuals, not only show these injustices that's 449 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:38,160 Speaker 1: that's been going on, because uh, there's been instances where 450 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:40,359 Speaker 1: you know, somebody after the fact, like I want to 451 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:43,639 Speaker 1: go murder about like ten, ten, fifteen people like in 452 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:47,680 Speaker 1: for example, in the church, arrest them peacefully and then 453 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:50,159 Speaker 1: gives them like water X y Z sass that are 454 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:52,479 Speaker 1: they okay and stuff like that. Now, these individuals, like 455 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:53,919 Speaker 1: you could have done the same thing. You could have 456 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 1: disarmed them, not shoot them. You can have disarm them 457 00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 1: in a different way or whatnot, or called the proper 458 00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:01,159 Speaker 1: people in order to handle these in vigils. So I 459 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:05,159 Speaker 1: wanted to represent them, um and to continue the mission 460 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:09,119 Speaker 1: of the foundation as well too. Sorry that was long winded, 461 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:11,560 Speaker 1: but you know, I know that it was well said 462 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:15,240 Speaker 1: and well thought out as well. I love how you 463 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 1: consciously and conscientiously think about what you're doing and the 464 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 1: best way to do it where it would work with 465 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 1: your foundation but also with people that people would understand 466 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 1: it and not be turned off. Thank you. I appreciate 467 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 1: that it's a you've obviously taken a stand on matters 468 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:39,040 Speaker 1: that are important to you. How should players allegence move 469 00:24:39,119 --> 00:24:44,160 Speaker 1: toward getting involved and what matters to them? What are 470 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:49,400 Speaker 1: some best practices and benefits of getting involved? First of all, 471 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:54,359 Speaker 1: like I've heard it numerous times with research research, be conscious, 472 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:56,560 Speaker 1: like you said, be conscious of what you and you 473 00:24:56,600 --> 00:24:58,879 Speaker 1: know want to support and all that read into it. 474 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:01,679 Speaker 1: Don't take for like the you know, the headlines and 475 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:03,639 Speaker 1: stuff like that. Actually take the time to get actually 476 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: dive into it and really understand it for yourself. Whether 477 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:08,639 Speaker 1: it's like you know, some headlines out there that just 478 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:12,480 Speaker 1: give some miserinformation. Just get the facts. And then after 479 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:15,280 Speaker 1: that once you once you get those facts, like use 480 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: your platform in any way that you can, Like for me, 481 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 1: I'm using the Foundation in order to push these missions, 482 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:22,080 Speaker 1: you know, using the NFL platform as well too. One 483 00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 1: of the biggest things right now is voting, so not 484 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:29,280 Speaker 1: only just the general election for the presidency, but also 485 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:33,680 Speaker 1: voting within our own state or you know for the 486 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:38,199 Speaker 1: letters legislative board or what not, UM seats, you know, 487 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:41,200 Speaker 1: the UH, your local mayor as well. To make sure 488 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:43,639 Speaker 1: those people online with your values and stuff like that, 489 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:45,199 Speaker 1: or they're just a good person out there to day 490 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:47,480 Speaker 1: and they're gonna take care of people, and so doing 491 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:50,200 Speaker 1: research as far as that goes, and understanding that those 492 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:52,719 Speaker 1: little small things can add up to a major thing, 493 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:56,000 Speaker 1: and not to bindly go into it, always being always 494 00:25:56,080 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 1: be thoughtful of each of your actions outside. I want 495 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 1: to tell you what one of the things I've noticed 496 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:07,400 Speaker 1: and many legends like myself, we are thrilled and we're 497 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:12,400 Speaker 1: so how would I say, we're so proud if that's 498 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:15,240 Speaker 1: the word that we use of you guys, the current 499 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 1: generation using your platform, but using it conscientiously, thinking through 500 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 1: what you're doing, why are you doing it right? And 501 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 1: being able to use this opportunity to this window. You 502 00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:29,239 Speaker 1: know it's short for some loan for others, but it's 503 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:33,560 Speaker 1: still a short window compared to our entire lives. So 504 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:36,840 Speaker 1: keep up the great work. Tell all that all your teammates, 505 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:42,240 Speaker 1: man A, Niss and the legends really appreciate the current 506 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 1: generation of guys and we love you guys. Continue to 507 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:51,040 Speaker 1: grow the game. Whitney, this has been fantastic. This has 508 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:54,960 Speaker 1: been a great podcast. The work that you're doing is 509 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 1: is just it's so amazing to me because you personally 510 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:04,479 Speaker 1: don't necessarily have anyone directly as a relative that has 511 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:07,920 Speaker 1: a disability. But yeah, God is so fit to give 512 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 1: you a passion for those with disabilities. So it's I 513 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:14,200 Speaker 1: think of a young lady who was raising a child 514 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:20,040 Speaker 1: with disabilities and Whitney, my conversations with her really opened 515 00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:23,640 Speaker 1: my eyes that I had no clue and most people 516 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,719 Speaker 1: wouldn't have. So keep up the great work with your foundation. 517 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:31,359 Speaker 1: Thanks for coming on, thanks for listening in. The best 518 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:38,520 Speaker 1: is yet to come. Appreciate the time this has been 519 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:42,480 Speaker 1: the NFL Legends podcast. To provide feedback or request the 520 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:46,360 Speaker 1: topic for discussion, email us at NFL Legends at nfl 521 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:59,000 Speaker 1: dot com.