WEBVTT - A Conversation with Jets LB C.J. Mosley About 2024 (1/23) 0:00:04.360 --> 0:00:07.320 Official Jets Podcast is presented by win Beat. Betting is 0:00:07.360 --> 0:00:09.840 a team sport, but together it went bat Eric Allen 0:00:09.920 --> 0:00:15.760 here with Jets middle linebacker Mike Linebacker CJ Mosley. CJ, 0:00:15.920 --> 0:00:19.000 thank you so much for join us in the studios always. 0:00:19.239 --> 0:00:19.880 Thanks for having me. 0:00:20.440 --> 0:00:24.720 So let's start with New England. I know at the 0:00:24.800 --> 0:00:27.760 end of the day, it can't carry over things from 0:00:27.800 --> 0:00:31.160 season to season. But with that being said, how important 0:00:31.560 --> 0:00:34.159 was it for this team, this organization to put that 0:00:34.280 --> 0:00:35.519 streak behind you. 0:00:36.320 --> 0:00:38.760 Just one less thing we have to worry about. At first, 0:00:38.760 --> 0:00:41.440 it was beating the Bills. We got over that hump 0:00:41.520 --> 0:00:44.520 last year or the year before, whenever it was. And 0:00:44.560 --> 0:00:47.920 now every time we play New England, it's twelve Game Street, 0:00:47.920 --> 0:00:49.680 thirteen Gay Street, fourteen Gain Street. 0:00:50.120 --> 0:00:52.559 Be able to check this haste. The Jets like all 0:00:52.600 --> 0:00:53.080 the stories. 0:00:53.120 --> 0:00:56.200 So hopefully now we can just quiet down and we 0:00:56.240 --> 0:00:58.920 can bring some order back to our to our division. 0:00:59.000 --> 0:01:02.440 So yeah, we we just want to be able to compete. 0:01:02.840 --> 0:01:04.880 We want to have our name mentioned and we have 0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:06.959 to earn that, and I feel like we've been taking 0:01:06.959 --> 0:01:10.400 those right steps. So yeah, it's it's hard to carry 0:01:10.400 --> 0:01:13.000 it the end of the season win over into. 0:01:12.840 --> 0:01:13.440 The next year. 0:01:13.840 --> 0:01:17.319 But understanding that momental, understanding the reason why we won, 0:01:17.520 --> 0:01:21.560 how we won, that's what's important. Want penalty the whole day, 0:01:21.720 --> 0:01:24.320 you know, we was harping on playing penalty free football. 0:01:24.680 --> 0:01:27.840 Obviously we got turnedovers on defense, offense ran the ball 0:01:27.920 --> 0:01:31.160 really well, obviously, but the weather helping that too. 0:01:31.640 --> 0:01:33.880 But you saw a complete football game. 0:01:34.480 --> 0:01:38.240 Special teams did a great job, great the leg out 0:01:38.280 --> 0:01:40.679 there kicking in that crazy conditions, can barely see. 0:01:40.959 --> 0:01:42.960 So it was fun to be a part of. And 0:01:43.680 --> 0:01:44.840 we played winning football. 0:01:45.080 --> 0:01:49.280 How much did you enjoy that atmosphere playing and which 0:01:49.360 --> 0:01:52.120 was basically a snow globe, that kind of game, And 0:01:52.520 --> 0:01:54.080 had you experienced one like that? 0:01:54.320 --> 0:01:57.320 So this I would this would take over my number 0:01:57.360 --> 0:01:59.760 one snow game because last year was my first ten 0:02:00.280 --> 0:02:01.960 snow game when we played Buffalo at the end of 0:02:02.000 --> 0:02:02.320 the year. 0:02:02.360 --> 0:02:04.440 But that was like rain, sleet and snow for a bit. 0:02:04.520 --> 0:02:10.240 But just being in that environment under those circumstances, you know, 0:02:10.280 --> 0:02:13.559 with you know the story with Coach Belichick and the Patriots, 0:02:13.720 --> 0:02:15.400 you know, just sitting that snow go down, it just 0:02:15.400 --> 0:02:18.359 reminded me as a kid, and obviously as a player 0:02:18.400 --> 0:02:21.520 now just watching those those old school Patriots games and 0:02:21.520 --> 0:02:24.400 the snow, watching those those big time games, and you know, 0:02:24.520 --> 0:02:27.400 just to be a part of that opportunity even though 0:02:27.440 --> 0:02:29.600 everything that was going on, and I'll never take it 0:02:29.600 --> 0:02:31.720 for granted. So I mean, anytime we can get some 0:02:31.760 --> 0:02:34.160 crazy weather, you know, it might be cold or rainy 0:02:34.200 --> 0:02:35.800 and all that. At the end of the day, man, 0:02:35.800 --> 0:02:37.760 it's an opportunity for us, for us to go out 0:02:37.760 --> 0:02:40.760 there and be our best. And obviously playing in the snow, 0:02:40.800 --> 0:02:42.040 it just brings a kid out of you. 0:02:42.560 --> 0:02:45.200 How do you want this twenty twenty three Jets team 0:02:45.680 --> 0:02:46.519 to be remembered? 0:02:48.000 --> 0:02:50.240 I mean, it was so many stories you can you 0:02:50.240 --> 0:02:52.320 can put on our team, starting from again and all 0:02:52.320 --> 0:02:56.600 the way to the end. So I would say, when 0:02:56.800 --> 0:02:58.959 when the versity hits, it shows who you really are. 0:02:59.280 --> 0:03:02.639 And I can I can sit here today and say 0:03:02.680 --> 0:03:05.760 that I'm happy that this the year went the way 0:03:05.800 --> 0:03:08.079 it did because there was a lot of a lot 0:03:08.080 --> 0:03:10.000 of hype that a lot of people not used to 0:03:10.040 --> 0:03:12.480 around here. It was all cool and dandy, but when 0:03:12.480 --> 0:03:14.760 the stuff hit the fan and the and the real 0:03:14.800 --> 0:03:16.760 people started to show who they really were. You know, 0:03:16.840 --> 0:03:19.400 we didn't we didn't change who we were, you know, 0:03:19.480 --> 0:03:21.600 from from the coaches all the way to the players. 0:03:21.800 --> 0:03:24.560 Cosala every week had a mission Costal every week had 0:03:24.560 --> 0:03:26.560 a plan, had a goal in mind for how we 0:03:26.600 --> 0:03:28.760 wanted our team to look and it was up to 0:03:28.840 --> 0:03:31.720 us to bring that vision to the football field. And 0:03:31.760 --> 0:03:34.440 you know, starting with practice every single week. You know, 0:03:34.480 --> 0:03:36.200 it was some tough some tough weeks where we have 0:03:36.280 --> 0:03:39.120 to come into work and swallow, swallow the peal and 0:03:39.160 --> 0:03:41.280 you know, take that, take that punch to the face 0:03:41.320 --> 0:03:43.320 and just key rolling. But you know, that's that's what 0:03:43.360 --> 0:03:45.560 this league is about. It's a long season. You have 0:03:45.680 --> 0:03:48.680 to do it. You have to you have to understand it. 0:03:48.840 --> 0:03:52.240 You have to be able to reset your process after 0:03:52.280 --> 0:03:54.520 every single week, whether it's a win, a loss of tie. 0:03:55.120 --> 0:03:57.520 But that's just the mental the mental focus and the 0:03:57.600 --> 0:04:00.280 mental toughness that that we have to have going for it, 0:04:00.680 --> 0:04:03.760 knowing that no matter if we start slow or fast 0:04:03.880 --> 0:04:07.000 or different, no matter if we're down about ten fifteen points, 0:04:07.120 --> 0:04:08.960 we always have a chance because of the man in 0:04:09.000 --> 0:04:09.320 our room. 0:04:09.960 --> 0:04:14.120 So you said that, hey, I wouldn't want to have 0:04:14.200 --> 0:04:17.840 it any other way. As far as like embracing the adversity, 0:04:18.000 --> 0:04:24.239 you think that ultimately this group is going to get 0:04:24.279 --> 0:04:26.799 better because of what happened this season. 0:04:26.960 --> 0:04:30.840 Yeah, I mean we after all in said and done, 0:04:31.040 --> 0:04:35.040 we still won seven games. Put us at another conference, 0:04:35.160 --> 0:04:39.120 puts in another division another year. No, that's seven games 0:04:39.320 --> 0:04:41.760 might win us a division, might win us, might get 0:04:41.839 --> 0:04:44.240 us in the playoff birth. But you know, this is 0:04:44.240 --> 0:04:46.359 the cars that we were dealt this year, and I 0:04:46.360 --> 0:04:48.960 feel like, for the most part, know we did our 0:04:49.000 --> 0:04:50.960 best to handle it to the best of our ability. 0:04:51.160 --> 0:04:53.480 And you know, we tried every single week I feel, 0:04:53.520 --> 0:04:55.400 to put our best foot forward now even though it 0:04:55.440 --> 0:04:57.080 didn't turn out the way we want it. You know, 0:04:57.160 --> 0:04:59.640 that's just something that you have to believe. You know, 0:05:00.080 --> 0:05:03.039 we come to work after a loss. You know, how 0:05:03.360 --> 0:05:05.120 does that look for me versus when we come to 0:05:05.120 --> 0:05:06.880 work out the win? Like, are we trying to improve? 0:05:06.920 --> 0:05:09.839 All we okay with the satisfaction of just that one win? 0:05:10.320 --> 0:05:13.240 Or can we be even or can we learn more 0:05:13.279 --> 0:05:15.280 from the losses that we have and why we lost 0:05:15.279 --> 0:05:18.080 and how we lost compared to the reason why we won. So, 0:05:18.600 --> 0:05:21.520 I mean, it's all it's all mental for me, man. 0:05:21.600 --> 0:05:23.560 Like the physical part is going. It's always going to 0:05:23.560 --> 0:05:25.560 be there as long as my body can hold up. 0:05:26.120 --> 0:05:28.080 I've been running and hitting people my whole life, so 0:05:28.200 --> 0:05:31.080 I can always do that. But being able to understand 0:05:31.080 --> 0:05:34.200 this game and understand what's asks from us every single week, 0:05:34.560 --> 0:05:37.000 day and day out. Understand the vision that we want 0:05:37.040 --> 0:05:41.480 to we want to instill into our organization, the standard 0:05:41.480 --> 0:05:43.200 that we want to have. You know, that's that's the 0:05:43.240 --> 0:05:45.200 steps that we have to start taking to become a 0:05:45.279 --> 0:05:46.080 championship team. 0:05:46.400 --> 0:05:48.480 Do you take pride in the fact, since you are 0:05:48.520 --> 0:05:50.320 a leader on this team, since you are a veteran, 0:05:50.360 --> 0:05:53.880 the way this group stuck together, like because I think 0:05:54.279 --> 0:06:00.000 on other rosters, maybe defenses and special teams might be pointless. 0:06:00.160 --> 0:06:03.680 Offense feel like you're not pulling your rope here. I 0:06:03.720 --> 0:06:07.120 didn't feel that at all this season, despite what was 0:06:07.160 --> 0:06:10.680 happening at times. You know, you're talking about the continuity 0:06:10.720 --> 0:06:12.880 issues along the offensive line and you guys playing with 0:06:12.920 --> 0:06:15.800 four different quarterbacks bottom line, there were going to be 0:06:15.800 --> 0:06:17.839 struggles on that side of the ball, and there were. 0:06:17.960 --> 0:06:20.560 Yeah, and all that being said, at the end of 0:06:20.600 --> 0:06:23.000 the day, man, we still dominated as a defense. 0:06:23.000 --> 0:06:23.760 We stuck together. 0:06:24.360 --> 0:06:25.880 It was a certain time where we felt like we 0:06:25.880 --> 0:06:28.080 were trying to do a little too much when things 0:06:28.080 --> 0:06:30.440 were going a little sideways, but you know, that's what 0:06:30.640 --> 0:06:33.320 that's what our coaches is for, to help us get 0:06:33.360 --> 0:06:35.680 back to our place, help us make sure that we're 0:06:35.680 --> 0:06:37.159 doing the right thing, to keep the main thing the 0:06:37.200 --> 0:06:40.240 main thing. And like that small stretch where we was 0:06:40.240 --> 0:06:42.400 giving up a few more points in yards than we 0:06:42.480 --> 0:06:46.320 usually did, we had a defensive meeting like we always did, 0:06:46.640 --> 0:06:48.880 say hey, control what you could control, and I like 0:06:48.920 --> 0:06:51.680 click for everybody. Actually it was a hearty Hardy said 0:06:51.680 --> 0:06:54.120 it control what you could control, and that's defense and 0:06:54.160 --> 0:06:56.640 special teams. And once he said that, man, I feel 0:06:56.680 --> 0:06:59.440 like we just just said forget all the extra stuff. 0:07:00.080 --> 0:07:02.320 It's called to play line up and let's go. Let's 0:07:02.360 --> 0:07:02.920 go play ball. 0:07:03.360 --> 0:07:08.320 What did the defense become this season in terms of 0:07:08.520 --> 0:07:11.120 you've been here for a while now, what kind of 0:07:11.240 --> 0:07:13.840 jump did they take? And then also, what do you 0:07:13.880 --> 0:07:15.160 think the future holds. 0:07:14.920 --> 0:07:17.160 For this group? We'll start with the future. 0:07:17.160 --> 0:07:20.200 The future holds a bunch of a bunch of young 0:07:20.880 --> 0:07:24.200 and some young great players and some craft evets and 0:07:24.720 --> 0:07:27.400 just that mixture. Especially when the guys have been together, 0:07:27.520 --> 0:07:29.800 we're going well now, we just finished our third year together. 0:07:29.840 --> 0:07:32.800 As far as coaches and players, you can just you 0:07:32.840 --> 0:07:35.560 can just feel the camaraderie that we have as a unit. 0:07:36.160 --> 0:07:39.640 To watch this last game, every play if someone celebrated 0:07:39.680 --> 0:07:42.120 with somebody, it's not just dbs and dbs and. 0:07:42.080 --> 0:07:43.280 Linebacks and linebackers. 0:07:43.760 --> 0:07:47.680 To play that the ad made on that fourth down 0:07:47.760 --> 0:07:50.000 and one you see a d line and running down 0:07:50.000 --> 0:07:52.160 the field thirty yards say he's so excited. So man, 0:07:52.200 --> 0:07:53.640 that kind of love that we have for each other 0:07:53.640 --> 0:07:55.760 when we make plays, when we're going through those tough 0:07:55.760 --> 0:07:57.800 times where we need to make a justins on the sideline, 0:07:57.920 --> 0:08:01.080 us being able to talk it out, you know, me 0:08:01.360 --> 0:08:04.000 the linebackers looking at the tape and saying, hey, we 0:08:04.040 --> 0:08:05.720 need to look at this run because we haven't seen 0:08:05.760 --> 0:08:08.080 this shit. And then that message get spread across the 0:08:08.080 --> 0:08:10.760 whole defensive side of the ball. And it's just amazing 0:08:10.760 --> 0:08:12.000 to be a part of it. And it's fun just 0:08:12.000 --> 0:08:14.920 to learn and experience and pick up on our defense 0:08:14.960 --> 0:08:17.640 and and know what we're capable of every single day. 0:08:18.000 --> 0:08:21.760 How much pride to take in the fact of here's 0:08:21.840 --> 0:08:24.960 Quincy Williams. The guy was a waiver claim a couple 0:08:25.000 --> 0:08:29.840 of years and now he's voted team MVP by your group. 0:08:30.320 --> 0:08:33.280 Those guys inside the locker room, you're the guy who's 0:08:33.280 --> 0:08:38.319 been playing alongside him since he entered this building. How 0:08:38.400 --> 0:08:43.720 much Yeah, like pride in terms of this teammate next 0:08:43.720 --> 0:08:47.280 to me, the guy that I'm with every day battling, 0:08:47.720 --> 0:08:51.920 who's learned to study, who's learned the game inside and out, 0:08:52.120 --> 0:08:53.880 is taking that jump. 0:08:54.679 --> 0:08:56.760 I said it earlier. Man, he makes my job a 0:08:56.800 --> 0:08:59.240 lot easier, especially been on the field with him. The 0:08:59.240 --> 0:09:02.560 whole linebacker corps, including no coach, Rudy and Nathaniel. 0:09:03.640 --> 0:09:05.040 The way they. 0:09:04.600 --> 0:09:08.720 Approach approach work every day, the film work that the 0:09:08.760 --> 0:09:11.040 coaches give us, the notes that they give us, the 0:09:11.120 --> 0:09:14.319 deliberate work that they put in. It makes us better 0:09:14.640 --> 0:09:18.280 players and men because you know there are leaders as well. 0:09:18.480 --> 0:09:20.120 You know, even though they're they're coaching, as we see 0:09:20.160 --> 0:09:21.560 them every day now, we look up to them, We 0:09:21.640 --> 0:09:24.240 listen to them. You know, they're teaching us every single day, 0:09:24.640 --> 0:09:27.200 talking life, talking ball, talking all that stuff. So the 0:09:27.240 --> 0:09:29.680 respect that we have for our coaches that makes us 0:09:29.720 --> 0:09:32.120 play harder for them when we do get a call, like, 0:09:32.160 --> 0:09:34.360 we want this call to work because you know that's 0:09:34.400 --> 0:09:36.200 your vision for us to be great, So we want 0:09:36.240 --> 0:09:39.200 to provide and like Brick always said, you know, we 0:09:39.280 --> 0:09:41.760 give you the keys to the car once once it's Sunday, 0:09:42.360 --> 0:09:43.960 and they just try to put us in the right position. 0:09:44.080 --> 0:09:46.559 So when you when you playing with that kind of love, 0:09:46.600 --> 0:09:48.480 that kind of respect for your teammates and your coaches, 0:09:48.679 --> 0:09:50.679 it makes you want to keep going that much more harder, 0:09:51.040 --> 0:09:52.240 no matter what the result is. 0:09:53.200 --> 0:09:56.800 Three straight seasons for you, one hundred and fifty plus tackles. 0:09:57.800 --> 0:10:03.520 What's the significance, No significance, just just what I do. 0:10:04.520 --> 0:10:07.160 I mean, be funny, man, Like I said, I've been 0:10:07.160 --> 0:10:09.040 playing football my whole life. I can run and hit 0:10:09.120 --> 0:10:12.920 any time in the day. But you know that's to 0:10:13.000 --> 0:10:15.600 win a championship. We need more than that. You know, 0:10:15.640 --> 0:10:18.800 we got that mental that mental toughness part. And like 0:10:18.840 --> 0:10:20.560 I said, that's why I won't take anything away from 0:10:20.559 --> 0:10:22.800 the season, because I learned so much as a player, 0:10:22.840 --> 0:10:24.880 but also as a leader, you know, how to approach people. 0:10:27.400 --> 0:10:29.760 Just every year, man, I feel like I just I 0:10:29.840 --> 0:10:31.600 just grow so much as a player as a leader. 0:10:33.320 --> 0:10:35.640 I never take you know, being voted as a captain 0:10:35.760 --> 0:10:39.480 for granted, So any chance I get to to just 0:10:39.600 --> 0:10:46.360 give anybody some type of motivation, advice, belief, vision, whatever 0:10:46.400 --> 0:10:48.400 it is. Like that's that's why I'm here because, like 0:10:48.440 --> 0:10:49.720 I said, I can. I can go out there and 0:10:49.720 --> 0:10:53.480 call plays and make a tackle. But if nobody believes 0:10:53.480 --> 0:10:55.800 in what we're doing or they don't see. 0:10:55.720 --> 0:10:57.680 Why we're doing it, then I'm not doing my job. 0:10:58.080 --> 0:11:00.560 Yeah, how would you describe your Jets to I mean, 0:11:00.600 --> 0:11:03.359 you come in here, you have one of the best 0:11:03.800 --> 0:11:07.280 two plus quarters I've ever seen against the Buffalo Bills, 0:11:07.280 --> 0:11:10.760 and unfortunately have the injury. Then you got a COVID year, 0:11:11.160 --> 0:11:14.160 and then it's the past three years where you're trying 0:11:14.200 --> 0:11:15.680 to set the foundation for something. 0:11:16.040 --> 0:11:16.240 Man. 0:11:16.559 --> 0:11:19.400 Once again, everything's happened for a reason, you know, coming 0:11:19.760 --> 0:11:21.720 coming here as a free agent, you know, got a 0:11:21.720 --> 0:11:25.480 pretty decent contract on paper, were looking like we can 0:11:25.520 --> 0:11:28.680 be a really a really good team contending. And one 0:11:28.679 --> 0:11:31.800 thing I told myself, like you know, obviously as a 0:11:31.800 --> 0:11:34.360 as an athlete, when you signed somewhere, no matter what sport, 0:11:34.400 --> 0:11:36.280 the work, two things you don't want to happen is 0:11:36.320 --> 0:11:39.040 coaching changes and injuries and looking for me. I got 0:11:39.040 --> 0:11:42.520 those my first two years as a Jet, so I 0:11:42.600 --> 0:11:45.560 was was humbly blessed to have that happen to me. 0:11:45.960 --> 0:11:49.640 I got the opportunity to to revamp my mind and 0:11:49.720 --> 0:11:51.480 my body as a as a man and as a 0:11:51.480 --> 0:11:55.280 football player, and looking for me, you know, my the 0:11:55.360 --> 0:11:58.880 injuries have been very, very light, and I've been able 0:11:58.920 --> 0:12:01.760 to perform out a level obviously with the work that 0:12:01.800 --> 0:12:03.440 I put in the off season and through the season. 0:12:03.480 --> 0:12:05.640 But you know what, our great coaching staff and you know, 0:12:05.679 --> 0:12:07.640 the people of the men and women that we have 0:12:07.720 --> 0:12:10.200 in this building to keep our minds and our bodies 0:12:10.200 --> 0:12:12.160 in the right right mind space every single day. 0:12:12.559 --> 0:12:12.920 All right. 0:12:12.960 --> 0:12:15.640 So the last few weeks of regular season, Aaron's out 0:12:15.640 --> 0:12:19.800 there practice, run scout team. What were those experiences. 0:12:19.240 --> 0:12:21.480 Like, Man, I felt like we were back in training camp. 0:12:21.520 --> 0:12:24.839 Yeah, because I honestly forgot we used to we used 0:12:24.840 --> 0:12:27.560 to make our have a little period where we used 0:12:27.600 --> 0:12:29.920 to call it so the Aaron, We'll call the offensive 0:12:29.960 --> 0:12:32.400 plays and I'll call the defensive plays. So I think 0:12:32.720 --> 0:12:35.000 maybe like a week or two after he kind of 0:12:35.000 --> 0:12:37.439 got his footing back and was really out there throwing 0:12:37.480 --> 0:12:39.360 the ball, we kind of got back to that and 0:12:39.400 --> 0:12:41.679 the competition went right back to where it was. 0:12:41.760 --> 0:12:42.640 And like, you just. 0:12:42.520 --> 0:12:46.280 Appreciate, appreciate those things because when he's there, it's like 0:12:46.360 --> 0:12:48.280 part of it. You know, we go to work it's 0:12:48.320 --> 0:12:50.760 like a daily routine. Then when he leaves and come back, 0:12:50.960 --> 0:12:53.800 it's just with Modrea, like how really high impressive this 0:12:53.880 --> 0:12:58.440 guy is and making throws on a surgically repaired achilles 0:12:59.080 --> 0:13:01.240 and still throwing the ball twenty yards down the field, 0:13:01.280 --> 0:13:03.600 forty yards down the field, throwing dots off that leg. 0:13:03.920 --> 0:13:06.520 It just inspires you because you know, you could have 0:13:06.559 --> 0:13:08.120 hung it up, you could have did his training and 0:13:08.160 --> 0:13:10.760 took his time and stayed away, but you know, he 0:13:10.800 --> 0:13:12.600 wanted to be here, and he wanted to be on 0:13:12.640 --> 0:13:15.080 the sideline, and I'm obviously I'm sure he wanted to 0:13:15.080 --> 0:13:17.920 be helping coach the younger guys and keep the offense 0:13:17.960 --> 0:13:21.200 in order. And he raises the bar like even though 0:13:21.200 --> 0:13:23.000 he was on scout team, you know, it's been the 0:13:23.040 --> 0:13:25.120 same guys on scout team that we've been going against 0:13:25.120 --> 0:13:27.160 all year. Yeah, as soon as he get in there, 0:13:27.240 --> 0:13:29.320 they're going a little bit harder. They catching a couple 0:13:29.360 --> 0:13:31.520 more passes, they running rounds a little bit more, chrisp 0:13:32.480 --> 0:13:35.199 scout offensive line jump outside. He cussing them out. So 0:13:35.320 --> 0:13:38.360 like that's that's the leadership that we need, and you know, 0:13:38.720 --> 0:13:39.520 you love to see it. 0:13:39.800 --> 0:13:42.839 Were there moments out there the past few weeks where 0:13:42.840 --> 0:13:45.839 you're like, damn, what if this guy was out here 0:13:45.920 --> 0:13:46.679 during the season. 0:13:47.000 --> 0:13:49.520 I mean, it's going to happen. It's we have to 0:13:49.520 --> 0:13:54.000 play our part. We understood, We understood, like, you know 0:13:54.040 --> 0:13:56.760 why the injury happened. We had a lot of injuries 0:13:56.800 --> 0:13:59.720 on the offensive side, you know, obviously the offensive line, 0:13:59.760 --> 0:14:03.200 So you know what next steps officers are like, what 0:14:03.240 --> 0:14:05.079 can we do to make sure we can stay healthy 0:14:05.080 --> 0:14:07.600 as possible for him? Because we know him on the field, 0:14:07.640 --> 0:14:10.040 we can be really dangerous. And like I said, at 0:14:10.040 --> 0:14:11.680 the end of the day, with everything that happened, we 0:14:11.720 --> 0:14:14.480 still won seven games and we still had the opportunity 0:14:14.480 --> 0:14:17.400 to win a lot more. Those losses that we had. 0:14:17.440 --> 0:14:20.360 While did they happen, it wasn't because of Aaron. We're 0:14:20.360 --> 0:14:22.480 not gonna blame it on injury. We're not gonna blame 0:14:22.480 --> 0:14:25.000 it on the adversity is always going to be you know, 0:14:25.080 --> 0:14:28.120 what do we do to make this happen. I'm sure 0:14:28.160 --> 0:14:29.760 if you look at those games that were close that 0:14:29.800 --> 0:14:32.920 we lost, I'm sure penalties play the factor, turned overs, 0:14:32.920 --> 0:14:35.160 play the factor or third down, and that's always gonna 0:14:35.200 --> 0:14:37.760 be a key to victory. So how can we improve 0:14:38.080 --> 0:14:41.480 and how can we be as good as we can 0:14:41.520 --> 0:14:44.720 be for when he does return, Because my mottol is, 0:14:44.760 --> 0:14:46.880 you know, he needs us more than we need him. 0:14:47.200 --> 0:14:49.680 So if we all come in with that mindset, like, hey, 0:14:49.840 --> 0:14:53.040 let's do everything we can, especially in the offensive mindset, 0:14:53.280 --> 0:14:55.000 let me do everything I can. Let me run this 0:14:55.080 --> 0:14:57.240 route as far as I can, just to draw off 0:14:57.240 --> 0:14:59.280 this one person so he can make this throw. Like 0:14:59.400 --> 0:15:01.960 just that stuff. Listen, that mental toughness like I'm talking about. 0:15:02.000 --> 0:15:03.800 If he can do that and continue to do that 0:15:03.840 --> 0:15:06.560 and spread that through our locker room in this organization, 0:15:06.920 --> 0:15:08.840 that would build a championship mindset. 0:15:08.560 --> 0:15:13.560 Speaking like the ultimate leader that you are. But if 0:15:13.600 --> 0:15:16.720 he comes out here next year he's healthy, have you 0:15:16.880 --> 0:15:21.120 thought of how that directly impacts the defense because oftentimes 0:15:21.120 --> 0:15:24.760 here this year you're playing from behind, so that means 0:15:24.800 --> 0:15:27.560 teams are going to be attacking you in a totally 0:15:27.600 --> 0:15:31.520 different way. Flip it on the other side, we haven't 0:15:31.560 --> 0:15:35.040 seen this defense for long stretches where like, hey, we're 0:15:35.080 --> 0:15:38.120 playing with the lead, well we're tied late. Have you 0:15:38.240 --> 0:15:40.480 thought of what that's going to look more. 0:15:40.360 --> 0:15:43.000 In the moment, Obviously, when teams start running the ball 0:15:43.040 --> 0:15:46.880 forty times it's all right. If we had to lead 0:15:46.960 --> 0:15:48.920 just a little bit, then it might change things up. 0:15:48.960 --> 0:15:50.760 But you know, that's it's just it's part of it 0:15:50.880 --> 0:15:53.440 that it's how the games go. Like I said, we're 0:15:53.440 --> 0:15:55.480 not gonna make any excuses. They want to run it 0:15:55.560 --> 0:15:58.360 forty times, let's stop it forty times. Make them earn it. 0:15:58.440 --> 0:16:01.280 So it doesn't matter how they try to attackers. We 0:16:01.320 --> 0:16:03.480 always have an answer, and we have the right people 0:16:03.480 --> 0:16:06.480 in our building, in our locker room to answer those 0:16:06.560 --> 0:16:09.440 answer those calls. So, like I said, man, when you 0:16:09.640 --> 0:16:12.400 just keep keep staying healthy, keep getting better, and we 0:16:12.480 --> 0:16:14.160 know he's going to be ready when he comes back, 0:16:14.200 --> 0:16:16.480 and as a defensive player, as a linebacker, as the 0:16:16.560 --> 0:16:19.680 lad going to work, ready to ready to go. 0:16:19.840 --> 0:16:22.200 Can you speak about the importance of continuity. You touched 0:16:22.240 --> 0:16:24.440 upon it before as far as early on in your 0:16:24.440 --> 0:16:27.040 tenure here there was a coaching change. But with these 0:16:27.080 --> 0:16:31.440 guys coming back now year four, how helpful is that 0:16:31.640 --> 0:16:33.560 for you guys as a growth It's great. 0:16:33.560 --> 0:16:37.080 You know, to think about all the any championship team, 0:16:37.640 --> 0:16:40.440 you know, the core, the core guys and the core leaders. 0:16:40.480 --> 0:16:44.000 That's the foundation of the team on all sides, offense, defense, 0:16:44.040 --> 0:16:46.080 and special teams, and I feel like we've done a 0:16:46.080 --> 0:16:48.640 great job of bringing in the right people and keeping 0:16:48.640 --> 0:16:51.640 the right people. So I have all the faith in 0:16:51.680 --> 0:16:55.480 our upstairs department to make sure that keep happening. So 0:16:57.000 --> 0:16:58.280 I have to, like I said, we just have to 0:16:58.320 --> 0:17:00.560 control what we can control, and that's make sure that 0:17:00.600 --> 0:17:02.320 we're ready to go when it's when our name and 0:17:02.320 --> 0:17:05.320 our number is called. So no for me, no, I 0:17:05.320 --> 0:17:09.840 feel like obviously we wanted it this year, but these 0:17:09.920 --> 0:17:12.600 these are these are those small windows opportunity in this 0:17:12.680 --> 0:17:14.719 league where we can really do something. 0:17:14.760 --> 0:17:17.840 So you fit, you fit, you fit because you've been 0:17:17.880 --> 0:17:23.520 part of winning organization before. You feel like maybe last 0:17:23.520 --> 0:17:25.719 summer you were entering that window and then you had 0:17:25.760 --> 0:17:27.880 to kind of maybe press pause on it even though 0:17:27.880 --> 0:17:29.719 you're trying to win every game. But here we go, 0:17:29.760 --> 0:17:31.040 we're entering that window again. 0:17:31.240 --> 0:17:31.440 Yeah. 0:17:31.480 --> 0:17:34.000 I mean the doors, the door has been open. We 0:17:34.080 --> 0:17:36.639 just got to kick it down. It's there's something behind it, 0:17:36.760 --> 0:17:39.720 that's that's that's blocking it. But we we just got 0:17:39.720 --> 0:17:42.399 to knock that door down. And I mean, it's just 0:17:43.280 --> 0:17:46.720 we was talking about it in our meeting. Man, I'm 0:17:46.760 --> 0:17:50.840 ready to play again, Yeah you are. It's tough but 0:17:51.000 --> 0:17:54.880 you know, I understand, you know what what goes on, 0:17:55.040 --> 0:17:58.439 and I understand the wins and losses of things and 0:17:58.480 --> 0:18:03.440 the disappointment and now people thinking like a higher draft 0:18:03.480 --> 0:18:06.440 pick is going to change things. But it don't matter 0:18:06.480 --> 0:18:08.320 what number of draft pick we are. It's going to 0:18:08.400 --> 0:18:10.119 be about the man that we already have in this 0:18:10.240 --> 0:18:15.560 room and this building. So I think physically we're ready 0:18:15.560 --> 0:18:19.399 for that challenge. Mentally, we were tested a lot this 0:18:19.520 --> 0:18:21.960 year and for the most part, we held we held 0:18:21.960 --> 0:18:24.000 it down. But it's going to take a whole other 0:18:24.119 --> 0:18:26.760 level to get to where we want. It's gonna be tough, 0:18:27.000 --> 0:18:28.919 as we know, it's not gonna be easy, it's not 0:18:28.960 --> 0:18:29.560 gonna be fair. 0:18:31.680 --> 0:18:32.359 Just got to do it. 0:18:32.600 --> 0:18:35.720