WEBVTT - Ricky Pearsall Recaps On His First NFL Game | Press Pass

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<v Speaker 1>But a whole career college football in just one NFL

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<v Speaker 1>game so far. What is the difference between trying to

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<v Speaker 1>beat man coverage in the SEC versus what you saw today.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, there's a little bit of a difference obviously, Like

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<v Speaker 2>the NFL is just the best of the best, so

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<v Speaker 2>there's that difference. But I still think it's similar techniques

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<v Speaker 2>to beat a dB at the end of the day,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, and I got to stick to those techniques

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<v Speaker 2>and keep working on it and keep getting better at it.

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<v Speaker 3>It needs to get out to the football field today,

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<v Speaker 3>given what happened to you.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I met everything obviously, all the adversity I just

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<v Speaker 2>went through these past month. You know, it was really

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<v Speaker 2>good to go out there with my guys again. I

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<v Speaker 2>think that's the refresher for me at the end of

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<v Speaker 2>the day. You know, when when the incident first happened,

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<v Speaker 2>the first thing I was thinking about was, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>the guys in this locker room, the coaches in the

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<v Speaker 2>locker room, and the entire staff, and you know, they

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<v Speaker 2>did a really good job of rallying around me, making sure,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, I stayed up, and it was a huge

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<v Speaker 2>blessing for me today.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah, it happened to you.

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<v Speaker 3>Did you realize that you would be able to play

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<v Speaker 3>football again?

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<v Speaker 2>They told me in the hospital and when I was

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<v Speaker 2>still asking that question over and over again, So that

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<v Speaker 2>was a that was a common question coming out of

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<v Speaker 2>my mouth when I was in the hospital bed. But

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<v Speaker 2>they ended up telling me after the they seen the

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<v Speaker 2>x rays and the catscans of the direction of the

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<v Speaker 2>bullet path and then as well as you know, there

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<v Speaker 2>was some nerve stuff that I had to make sure

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<v Speaker 2>I was good on, so that's why I had to

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<v Speaker 2>say overnight. But after that that next morning is when uh,

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<v Speaker 2>the doctor came in and told me I would be

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<v Speaker 2>good to play football again.

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<v Speaker 4>That's my first question.

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<v Speaker 1>So hurdle that you had to clear, you know, two

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<v Speaker 1>months ago to through that process to get back on

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<v Speaker 1>the field.

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<v Speaker 4>Today, Yeah, for sure.

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<v Speaker 1>Uh.

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<v Speaker 2>I think the biggest hurdle for me was just recovery

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<v Speaker 2>from you know, the wound. There was obviously a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of scar tissue built up in the area and since

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<v Speaker 2>it was in my chest all in like under my armpit,

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<v Speaker 2>and obviously it was through and through, so there was

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<v Speaker 2>a build up all the way from you know, my

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<v Speaker 2>chest to my back. So just working through that making

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<v Speaker 2>sure I'm getting that all worked on and getting that

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<v Speaker 2>scar tissue out, And once I started feeling better range

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<v Speaker 2>of motion and pain tolerance wise, and you know, that's

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<v Speaker 2>when you know I was headed to the right direction

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<v Speaker 2>to practice and train.

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<v Speaker 4>They're an emotional hurd, yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>I think there was slightly you know, obviously for the

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<v Speaker 2>first few days after that, it's it's pretty brutal, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>but you know, I got a lot of good people

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<v Speaker 2>around me. I got a lot of good family members,

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<v Speaker 2>strong foundation, and a lot of good people in this

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<v Speaker 2>locker room, you know, part of this staff and this

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<v Speaker 2>organization did a great job, you know, like I said earlier,

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<v Speaker 2>roulling around me, but just putting resources in my direction

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<v Speaker 2>to use.

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<v Speaker 4>And I think that helped me get through that a lot.

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<v Speaker 3>You say, yeah, you didn't know for sure. The next

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<v Speaker 3>morning a football career, I'm sure part of me is like,

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<v Speaker 3>You're alive, you know, But was that a tough night

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<v Speaker 3>to sleep for you?

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah? For sure.

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<v Speaker 2>You know that was obviously my first thoughts through the

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<v Speaker 2>whole instant was you know, if I was going to

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<v Speaker 2>be alive or not, you know, And that was the

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<v Speaker 2>first thing I was thinking of and making sure you

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<v Speaker 2>know that I got in contact with my family members.

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<v Speaker 2>But once I knew I was gonna be okay, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>and I was gonna be able to live, the next

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<v Speaker 2>question came, you know, it was I gonna be able

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<v Speaker 2>to play football now. And as soon as I got

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<v Speaker 2>that answer, you know, a light just grew inside of me,

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<v Speaker 2>and you know, I was super excited to hear that

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<v Speaker 2>from the doctor.

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<v Speaker 3>So, yeah, you will be able to play football. And

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<v Speaker 3>then you've been told that maybe you'll be able to

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<v Speaker 3>make your debut in week four, Then it comes five

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<v Speaker 3>and six, and then you get two week seven and

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<v Speaker 3>you make your debut against the undefeated Kansas City Chief.

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<v Speaker 3>What were you kind of thinking about going into this

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<v Speaker 3>outside of the loss? How did that kind of you

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<v Speaker 3>know build up your ocatient or excitement to get out

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<v Speaker 3>there play.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, there was a tremendous motivation for me, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>after that incident. You know, obviously when you go some

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<v Speaker 2>go through some adversity like that only makes you stronger

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<v Speaker 2>at the end of the day. So, you know, just

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<v Speaker 2>having that along me and the obviously having that presence

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<v Speaker 2>of you know, God with me through those moments, there

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<v Speaker 2>was a lot of you know, signs that he was

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<v Speaker 2>he was giving to me throughout that time, and that

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<v Speaker 2>that's a whole, uh separate story. But yeah, there was

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of excitement leading up to those weeks. Obviously

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<v Speaker 2>I didn't play Week four, and that was something I

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<v Speaker 2>really wanted to do, just cause that was the minimum

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<v Speaker 2>of coming back, and I just knew I wasn't ready

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<v Speaker 2>leading up to that week after some of the workouts,

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<v Speaker 2>I just still felt a lot of that scar tissue

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<v Speaker 2>build up in there and a lot of pain and

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<v Speaker 2>you know, range of motion. Obviously the pain was probably

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<v Speaker 2>like the last on the ladder for it, but as

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<v Speaker 2>far as like range of motion, cause I kind of

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<v Speaker 2>need that being a receiver. So after that was all clear,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, that's when we started looking towards this week,

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<v Speaker 2>and you know, I just felt like it it was scripted,

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<v Speaker 2>you know for me just going into a week like this,

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<v Speaker 2>playing a really good team like this, and you know,

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<v Speaker 2>having an opportunity to step on that field again.

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<v Speaker 3>Randon right now, but with the plot great real pumps.

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<v Speaker 1>That he's out, how much urgency do you feel to

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<v Speaker 1>really kind of pick up the pace and get going

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<v Speaker 1>out with an opportunity with that?

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah?

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<v Speaker 2>Right, now, I'm not feeling like much urgency as you

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<v Speaker 2>would say. It's more of, you know, just making sure

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<v Speaker 2>that I reach out to my guy. You know, that's

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<v Speaker 2>still my brother at the end of the day. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>it's for me. It's much bigger than football. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>he's he's going through something right now and not making sure,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, I show that my love for him and

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<v Speaker 2>sending prayers his way and checking on that guy because

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<v Speaker 2>you know, he's a he's a really good buddy of mine.

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<v Speaker 2>So but you know, in this game, he went down

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<v Speaker 2>and I had to, you know, play more than expected

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<v Speaker 2>then really everybody expected. But you know, I just try

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<v Speaker 2>to make the most of them opportunities.

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<v Speaker 1>All your whole life. Was there a point today where

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<v Speaker 1>you know, when you got out there, was it different?

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<v Speaker 1>And when did it start to feel natural? Today?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it felt different, just because you know, all the

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<v Speaker 2>build up around it, you know, just from you know,

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<v Speaker 2>training camp, missing most of that, and then you know,

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<v Speaker 2>obviously going through this entire incident, I just felt like

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<v Speaker 2>there was a different build up towards that than I

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<v Speaker 2>was used to. You know, I never missed the game

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<v Speaker 2>in call it in my entire college career, so I

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<v Speaker 2>never really had that. You know, sitting on the sideline

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<v Speaker 2>and watching the games was a little different for me,

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<v Speaker 2>so you.

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<v Speaker 4>Know it felt a little different.

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<v Speaker 2>But you know, once I got on the field, I

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<v Speaker 2>put my helmet, all my cleats on, I was running

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<v Speaker 2>around with the guys, and you know, I'm just like,

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<v Speaker 2>this is like still football at the end of the day,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, And that's kind of when I felt natural.

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<v Speaker 2>And then especially after my like my first catch, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>I made sure I had to secure that, and then

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<v Speaker 2>after that, you know, everything went a way.

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<v Speaker 3>So like in in the hospital, it was one like

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<v Speaker 3>I'd like to play with one. It was time.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah, that that was Uh.

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<v Speaker 2>That was after they looked at the X rays and

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<v Speaker 2>uh they let people start coming into the room, and uh,

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<v Speaker 2>John was one of the first people to come there,

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<v Speaker 2>and you know, I was super happy to see him.

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<v Speaker 2>I actually that's probably when I broke down in tears

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<v Speaker 2>when I saw him, just because it hit a little different,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, not being knowing that I wasn't gonna be

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<v Speaker 2>able to play, you know, week one, and I was

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<v Speaker 2>super excited. Obviously I was missing a lot of training

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<v Speaker 2>camp too, so you know, I was really looking forward

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<v Speaker 2>to the opportunity. I was super excited, and just the

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<v Speaker 2>way it went down, it made me little bit emotional.

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<v Speaker 2>But seeing him there, you know, that's when when it

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<v Speaker 2>all hit. But yeah, had an impact on your perspective,

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<v Speaker 2>how you view your career and your life.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, it's a pretty emotional thing.

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<v Speaker 3>Has it change your perspective?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I feel like I've always had a pretty good perspective,

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<v Speaker 2>just due to you know, being raised the right way

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<v Speaker 2>and having a good foundation to you know, I have

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<v Speaker 2>a good family with my parents, my sisters, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>those people being around me. You know, I just learned

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<v Speaker 2>those morals and values, you know, growing up. But as

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<v Speaker 2>far as this incident, yeah, I definitely. You know, it

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<v Speaker 2>shook me in a different way. You know that every

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<v Speaker 2>day is not promised, you know what I mean, and

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<v Speaker 2>you know you just gotta expand everything you can.

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<v Speaker 3>Basically, just how do you feel all that?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, physically I feel great. I feel great. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>I feel like I could play another.

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<v Speaker 4>Game right now.

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<v Speaker 1>We my stadium got really loud after you make that

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<v Speaker 1>first completetion.

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<v Speaker 3>How much of that moment did you get to take in?

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah, obviously I'm in the moment.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm trying to you know, we're trying to get some

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<v Speaker 2>first downs and move the ball and go score and

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<v Speaker 2>put some points up. So but then after that catch,

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<v Speaker 2>and you know, my teammates were daving me up and

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<v Speaker 2>you know, saying that they're happy for me and they're

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<v Speaker 2>proud of me.

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<v Speaker 4>And then that's kind of when it all hit.

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<v Speaker 2>Crowded, got a little loud right there, and yeah, I

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<v Speaker 2>just you know, took the opportunity to you know, be

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<v Speaker 2>appreciative of everything you know that led up to that

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<v Speaker 2>and all the blessings that came along with it.

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<v Speaker 4>Appreciate y'all. Thank you,