1 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:15,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Command Center Podcast. I'm Julie Donaldson. The 2 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:18,440 Speaker 1: NFL Draft turned dreams into reality for the Commander's twenty 3 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: twenty two draft class. Upon their arrival to Ashburn, notable 4 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: Washington alumni sat down with the rookies to discuss life 5 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 1: on and off the field. Second round draft pick Federian 6 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: Mathis posted nine sacks and fifty three total tackles this 7 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 1: past season at Alabama. Matthis says he's looking forward to 8 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 1: joining his big brothers from the Crimson Tide into Ron 9 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: Payne and Jonathan Allen. Matthis joined former Washington linebacker Rocky 10 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 1: McIntosh to talk about the draft, his motivations, and what 11 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:51,959 Speaker 1: heap brings to this Washington team. Rocky McIntosh here, I'm 12 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: with Fidarian Mathis. We're gonna talk a little football man, 13 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: try to get to know you. Let's get it. Let's 14 00:00:57,280 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: get it all right. All right, you got a nickname 15 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: Mans because I'm from the South Nate they called Rocky. 16 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 1: Everybody called me big Field. Big Field. Who gave you that? 17 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: My grandmother game in line, so you know it's crazy though. 18 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:10,960 Speaker 1: My dad name feel, my grandfather name Field. So as 19 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:14,200 Speaker 1: a young game running around, I was just a little field. Yeah. Uh, 20 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: and then I just became big field. So that's how 21 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: I got the name field, I feel, I feel. So 22 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: how was it like getting that call? Man? Man, it 23 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 1: was crazy. Uh. I really couldn't. I couldn't get my 24 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:28,680 Speaker 1: words out of and know what to say. All I 25 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: could say it was you know, yes, sir, yes, sir. 26 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: So I mean it was it was very very like 27 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 1: I don't know, I can't describe it. Man, it was. 28 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,040 Speaker 1: I feel like it was already life changing because I 29 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: waited so long for it. Oh man, was it a dream? 30 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: Since being little? Did you play Little League? Girl? Thinking 31 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: about this most definitely? Uh. I really never thought, you know, 32 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 1: how far football could take me until I got to 33 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: high school and I found out about what college can do. 34 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 1: So when once I say once I got in college, 35 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: that's when they hit me yep. And that's when I 36 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 1: started taking it more serious. In this drive, I can 37 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: see like we had a lot of different guys. We 38 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: got wide receivers that were basketball players. We got some 39 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 1: of your old linement over there, you know, showing verbs 40 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: and splits and all the other good stuff. Man, what 41 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 1: are the things that you'd like to do sports wise? 42 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: And those sports wise, No, I'm really just a football guy. Man. 43 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:25,919 Speaker 1: I played basketball, cardio, but I ain't like I ain't this. 44 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: Football has always been my thing. You know. I tried 45 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: a lot of sports, baseball and basketball and a little 46 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: bit a track, but you know, football was always the 47 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:36,679 Speaker 1: one that stood out to me. So that's what I 48 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:39,679 Speaker 1: stuck with. All Right, you're d linement for life. Where 49 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:42,119 Speaker 1: you're playing D line. I always been a D line 50 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: been on the other side. You didn't want to took 51 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 1: that being man, Nah, I'm so big. I was so 52 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 1: big so game days like you gotta find some inspiration 53 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 1: out there, right besides Nick setting the tone beside some 54 00:02:58,000 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: of those older guys setting the tone until you or 55 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:02,360 Speaker 1: older guy, what are you going out there and playing for? 56 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: My daughter? I got a one year two year old 57 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,559 Speaker 1: daughter now, she's just turned two years old in February. 58 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 1: So you know that's my why I see the reason 59 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:13,639 Speaker 1: why I do this. She's a reason why I go hard. Yeah, 60 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: and you know, also just a love for football. You know, 61 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 1: I love football, so h I really don't need a 62 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: motivation because I love the game. But yeah, you know, 63 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 1: she's she's the one I do it for. Also, O man, 64 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 1: that gets me intense. Family plays a real big, strong 65 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: part of who I am and my character and what 66 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: you know. I tried to you know, come here and 67 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: bring and really stay in touch with the community that way. 68 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: Also before I had kids, that was my uh, that 69 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: was my wife, just going out there and helping the 70 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: community being where I'm from, where I'm from the South, 71 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: and you get seeing little kids look at it to 72 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: me and things like that. Do you have, um some 73 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 1: charitable things that you want to get out there and 74 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 1: start doing? Oh yeah, most definitely. You know, throughout my 75 00:03:57,760 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: freshman year in college, I already started, you know, get 76 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: even back. Sure, I started, um you know book back drives, yeah, way, 77 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 1: school supplies before the school you'll start. So now I 78 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: just want to you know that I'm on a bigger level. 79 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 1: I just want to expand that, you know, and just 80 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 1: be able to get more back now, you know. So 81 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:18,279 Speaker 1: that's that's one of my goals though. All right, all right, 82 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: let's talk a little bit of football. Man. So when 83 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 1: when I was playing, you know, I would see everybody 84 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:25,800 Speaker 1: getting the signals from the sideline, Say you see the 85 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 1: d lineman, they're getting that signals that come in and 86 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 1: one of the signals are a little shimmy right here. 87 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 1: That mean games? What kind of games? If coach says 88 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 1: go out there and running, you know, a particular game, 89 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:37,840 Speaker 1: it's up to you, guys, make that call. What game 90 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: are you calling? I mean it depends on what I'm 91 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 1: lined up and yeah, from the d tackle order, you 92 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: know what I want to be the end. But but yeah, 93 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 1: it depends on you know what what what what are 94 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 1: you're running? You know? My favorite game is you know, 95 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: one of the tim games. Yeah, well you know I'm 96 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: probably picking the center and the other tackle coming around. Yeah, 97 00:04:57,520 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: that's one of the biggest games I'd like to run. 98 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: That's cool, man, because I watched a little bit of 99 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 1: your tape and I what I see throughout your career 100 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: is just the use of hands. Like I'm surprised you 101 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 1: probably a good boxer too, because the way you use 102 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 1: your hands, man, it is awesome. I mean you can 103 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:17,159 Speaker 1: go from inside the outside, swipe, fake, swipe up and 104 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 1: under whatever it is. I feel like you have the 105 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: ability to make those moves and not only make those 106 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 1: moves and progression to the quarterback where get there and 107 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:29,720 Speaker 1: causing damage also by swiping at the ball, getting the 108 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:33,039 Speaker 1: ball out. Really, you definitely a verse it out in 109 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:35,920 Speaker 1: that area, man, for sure. You know that. I think 110 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: that's just piggyback off of them just being an Alabama player. Sure, 111 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: you know day one that's what we that's what we 112 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 1: started at. You started working to run and hand use 113 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: it at Alabama. So you know that's day one stuff 114 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:51,360 Speaker 1: for me. And that's something that I grew on, you know, 115 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:54,600 Speaker 1: over the five years I was at Alabama. So, Man, 116 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 1: the more I look at your story, I see it 117 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: kind of resembles mine because I was around drop pick here, 118 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:04,159 Speaker 1: um higher up. I was the guy who they wanted. 119 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 1: You're the guy who they wanted. And you know it 120 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 1: was kind of surprise to you, right because you thought 121 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 1: your agent that you guys are gonna go later, but bam, 122 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 1: who you are the second pick? Yeah, you know what 123 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, I really it just was expectations 124 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 1: for me. She was sitting up the expection expectations for me. 125 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 1: You know, she wanted me to prepare for the worst. 126 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: So you know, she kind of always knew that I 127 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:32,919 Speaker 1: go second h you know, somewhere between there, but she 128 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:34,720 Speaker 1: she wanted to put it in my head, you know, 129 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 1: just to make sure that you know, I expected at worst. 130 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:42,239 Speaker 1: So yeah, but throughout the process, man, you know, throughout 131 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: the process, all you hear is, you know, I feel 132 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: like I was slept on. You know that they talked 133 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,840 Speaker 1: about me being a seven D tackle. Uh, you know, 134 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: I was a third fourth rounder. So that's what I believe. 135 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 1: You know, That's why I told everybody that I felt 136 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: like I was slept on. So you know, but I'm 137 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 1: here now, So good man, I see Sears repent the 138 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:08,719 Speaker 1: CEO as a Cathain. Um, you're last year Alabama or 139 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: maybe before then? What did that mean to you and 140 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: what can you bring to this group of guys? Because 141 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 1: there was a funny thing that I saw. I saw 142 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 1: that it was kind of buzzing on the internet that 143 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 1: Ryan Tannehill said that you know, he's not a he 144 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: doesn't have time to mentor some of these young guys. Yeah, 145 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 1: I feel like at that point, or being a veteran, 146 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: it's your job to go help others so you can 147 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 1: be more collectively grow and be great as a team. 148 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 1: So how do you feel like you bring that experience 149 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 1: for what you learned in Alabama here? You know, in 150 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 1: my situation, the guy that played Alabama. They already here 151 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: playing and Jonathan Allen, so you know they've been my 152 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 1: big brothers already. So you know, with me bringing in 153 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 1: leadership is I don't think I have to do it 154 00:07:57,680 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: just yet because I'm gonna be looking up to those 155 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: guys as big brothers and hopefully them leading me. So 156 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: but you know, with me being a leader at Alabama, 157 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 1: you know that just you know, just you know, separate 158 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 1: me from a lot of guys and you know, and 159 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 1: add more value to my background that I say. So, 160 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:19,280 Speaker 1: but you know, I don't think, you know, I got 161 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: to just be a big leader. My role is to 162 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: come in here. I don't know I figure out for 163 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 1: you before when I came here as a whole bunch 164 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 1: of great guys, a bunch of you guys who were 165 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:31,160 Speaker 1: dipping right in Florida, just plucking them, plucking them. But 166 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 1: now it's all Bama man here at the commander, So 167 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 1: I hear you. Everybody a little Bama around here. So 168 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: you know, sam'ma Brainer, Bama energy here, Brainer, Bama fly here. 169 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:44,679 Speaker 1: You know, just I'm gonna feed right in with the guys. 170 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: So all right, man, well I appreciate your time. Thanks 171 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:51,680 Speaker 1: for talking to a free r for all your commander's 172 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: news and analysis. Be sure to tune into Command Center 173 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: weeknights at five ten pm on NBC Sports Washington. And 174 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 1: while you're at it, follow at Commanders on all social 175 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:03,560 Speaker 1: media platforms for the latest on the team. Hail to 176 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:04,239 Speaker 1: the Commanders.