The Richard Sherman Podcast - Inside 49ers Training Camp: Kittle, Purdy, Lenoir & Kyle Shanahan join Richard Sherman

Richard Sherman goes inside San Francisco 49ers camp for exclusive, unfiltered conversations with George Kittle, Brock Purdy, Deommodore Lenoir, and head coach Kyle Shanahan. From locker room leadership and personal growth to Super Bowl expectations, it's a rare look at the mindset behind one of the NFL’s elite teams.

02:00 – George Kittle on training camp, leadership, and playoff memories.
17:00 – Brock Purdy on fatherhood, Kyle Shanahan, and proving himself.
33:40 – Deommodore Lenoir on becoming CB1 and leading the secondary.
42:40 – Kyle Shanahan on roster rebuilding, QB development, and 2025 expectations.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hey everybody, I'm here with Richard Sherman. Welcome to our podcast.
We just started it.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
We just started it. We prayed for it. I prayed
for it and I got it. I have George Kittle
here on the Richard Sherman and George Kittle podcast.

Speaker 3 (00:17):
Hey, hell of a beard.

Speaker 4 (00:19):
Thank you? You have beer?

Speaker 3 (00:20):
You said you know I do, and I want you to.
I want you a question like you did. Thank you.

Speaker 4 (00:25):
I enjoyed that.

Speaker 3 (00:26):
I know it was right to you and your element.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
It wasn't me and my element. It was like a
w W walkout. Couldn't been any easier for me.

Speaker 3 (00:32):
I said, who set this up? Because this is perfection?

Speaker 1 (00:35):
Hey, did anybody think that Trent Williams was going to
do it? There wasn't a single person that's saying that
thought Trent Williams do it. And I got him to
do it. I was so excited.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
I wish I would have been in it on that parlay.
I would have been a lot of money. He would
do it.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
I literally the I sent it. I actually set Trent
up before I asked him to do it. I sent
him Drake doing it and Houston, and I sent him
Marshall Lunch doing it, and he was like, oh, dude,
that's really cool. I'm like, you want to do it's easy.

Speaker 3 (01:01):
That means you're important.

Speaker 4 (01:02):
Yeah, thank you, Trent Williams.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
They asked me, but I knew they had asked like
five people before me, so I said, no, said I
can't be the sixth and I can't be the sixth choice.
I just don't feel great being the sixth choice. You
ask Ken Griffy Junior, You asks Marshawn again, you asked,
I think they might have said itcher Row, and I said,
those are all greats.

Speaker 3 (01:18):
Yeah, but I don't like to be the next one.

Speaker 4 (01:21):
I would have picked you in Eachierro. That would have
been the best.

Speaker 1 (01:23):
That would have been a great combination together, Richard Truman,
Have you hung out with each erroa at all? No,
It's would have been so sick, have you No, I'd
love to do that.

Speaker 2 (01:31):
I think he's They showed some stat up like guys
who had three amount of hits before they were like
twenty seven and itch Row had zero, and other guys
had like a thousand hits before they got to three thousand.

Speaker 3 (01:43):
He had zero.

Speaker 2 (01:44):
He was the only one on who lists with zero
and he got three thousand before he was like forty
something great.

Speaker 4 (01:48):
That's insane.

Speaker 3 (01:49):
Actually it's dumb. But how how are you feeling.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
I'm feeling fantastic. I played football in California in the
nice weather, so I'm doing fantastic this year.

Speaker 3 (01:56):
Heard looks amazing.

Speaker 4 (01:57):
Thank you. It's pretty thick and grizzly right now. I've
got it trimmed in a.

Speaker 3 (01:59):
While about saying, is that what we're going for this year?

Speaker 1 (02:02):
I do switch up sometimes. It's honestly only triment. When
my wife tells me I need a triment, so whatever
she wants. But she's in Cabo right now, so she's
not here to tell me to triment.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
I'm going to let you know something. What you're saying
right now is great advice for everybody out there. Happy wife,
happy life.

Speaker 1 (02:15):
Well you're the one that told me that when you're
in training camp, your wife's in training camp. I went
the opposite route, and I shipped her to Cabo, and
I said, please go enjoy the ocean in the sun,
because there's not like I'm doing. That's not we're going
to hang out at all, Like I'm gonna be in
a hotel hanging out with the boys.

Speaker 3 (02:29):
Ladies and gentlemen.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
You want to see how to be married for the
next fifty years, a hundred years successful marriage. Do what
this young man is doing right here.

Speaker 4 (02:36):
Keep your wife really happy.

Speaker 3 (02:38):
Keep your wife really happy.

Speaker 1 (02:39):
It makes your life way better? It does, doesn't it
so much? If she's in a great mood. I can't
not be in a good mood. It's pretty easy, right,
I know. Fireflowers want to all boys.

Speaker 3 (02:48):
Every once in a while, do great things, do nice things. Yeah,
out of nowhere for nothing.

Speaker 1 (02:52):
Yeah, just do it. They remember it because they remember everything.
So you thought he was a great football player.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
You thought he was just an all pro tidy, You
thought he just you know, a beer stone Stevest. But
he's a great husband.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
Is my best dude. I hate to put this on
you put it on me right now. Children where are they?

Speaker 4 (03:11):
Oh, whatever happens, it happens at this point.

Speaker 3 (03:13):
No, no, no, no no no no no.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
Because I because now they say you can invest in
people's kids, and you can put like a stock.

Speaker 3 (03:19):
Market kind of deal.

Speaker 4 (03:20):
You don't invest on mine.

Speaker 3 (03:20):
I have no question about it.

Speaker 4 (03:21):
I think I already. I I'm pretty sure.

Speaker 1 (03:23):
When I was playing, I asked you and and Joe
Staley are both You're there, You're like one and two
for investing into my child.

Speaker 4 (03:28):
No question, that's fine.

Speaker 3 (03:28):
I'm right there. That's why I'm asking you know what
I mean right here?

Speaker 1 (03:33):
As soon as as soon as you know, we'll get
down to that path, I'll let you know and then
you can invest.

Speaker 3 (03:36):
Will you go? If it's a boy, will you go junior?

Speaker 4 (03:40):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (03:40):
Important question?

Speaker 1 (03:41):
No, I doubt it not George. Probably not a George Junior,
No chance, Yes, George, is it is? That's a that's
an old name.

Speaker 3 (03:48):
It's your name.

Speaker 1 (03:48):
It's an old name though. Okay, being a George in
like third grade was really weird. Hey, George, what what's
your middle name? Craiger It's my mom's maiden name.

Speaker 3 (03:59):
You know, I'm gonna used that.

Speaker 1 (04:00):
Couldn't be more German, could not be George Craiger Kittle Kittle.

Speaker 3 (04:05):
Yeah, that's a hard one to get out.

Speaker 4 (04:06):
George Craiger Kittle, Yeah, George Craiger Kittle. Everyone knows his Kreeger.
I'm like, that's not that German.

Speaker 3 (04:11):
Don't do that.

Speaker 1 (04:12):
Don't do that to me, please. He always calls me
the Kittler. That's scary sometimes too.

Speaker 2 (04:16):
It is if people don't if people I didn't realize
people didn't say because I thought there's pure.

Speaker 3 (04:21):
It is the same.

Speaker 1 (04:23):
I've missed that one though in the locker room. That
was always one of my favorites. So how are you
feeling right now? This is training camp number nine?

Speaker 4 (04:30):
I think I was nine or ten, Yeah, one of
the other ten whichever, Yeah, whatever it is. It's a lot.

Speaker 1 (04:34):
We're in there, all of them with Kyle. Yeah, training
camp nine, sorry is practice ten? Yes, it's my ninth
training camp with.

Speaker 2 (04:40):
We don't keep with numbers of yeah, no today, No,
how are you how is George Kittle, the player, the man,
the husband, the future father, How are you feeling compared
to George Kittle, the first year player who was just
didn't know his buns from a hole in the wall.

Speaker 4 (04:57):
I didn't know anything, No, I was just out there.

Speaker 1 (05:00):
I would say, like the biggest difference for me is
that this is like this training camp. My anxiety level
has been lower than it ever has going into a
training camp, like just like comfortable with the offense, comfortable
with the guys that I'm around, Like, yes, we don't
have really any health receivers out there right now, which
is always a stress. You know, it's great to have
Ricky's back for his like second day in a row,
which is fantastic, but like just going into like just

(05:24):
not anxious every single day about football and like knowing
and having the confidence that you know, I've done it,
I know what I'm doing. I'm like not really thinking,
you're just reacting to stuff like that part has been
really fun for me because you're not just laying up
at night just like, oh no.

Speaker 3 (05:38):
The burden of like and I tried.

Speaker 2 (05:40):
I talked to Kyle earlier and I said, this is
the first season in a long time that you guys
aren't like the presumed front runners for sure, and people
don't understand the pressure and the anxiety of a day
to day Like there's no win in that because even
when you win there like you didn't win by enough.
Even when you're like doing great, they're like, hey, you

(06:01):
were thirteen and four. They were like, why weren't you
fourteen and three? He's like, well, I guarantee you we
tried to.

Speaker 3 (06:05):
Be Yeah, we tried.

Speaker 1 (06:06):
It's like we I saw like I go into a
game expecting to lose, Like I'm expecting to win every
single game. It's just other teams also are expecting to win.
It's really hard for people to understand that.

Speaker 4 (06:15):
Sometimes.

Speaker 2 (06:15):
Sure, it's really hard, and that's why I want to
get it through to them. Hey, you're coming in as
not the favorite seventeen He said, the last two years,
you guys were favorite in all seventeen games. And I said,
people are like, man, that must feel great. I said, no,
it's opposite. I kind of want to come in an
underdog and just surprise you right now because then you
can appreciate.

Speaker 3 (06:34):
What we're putting out on the field.

Speaker 2 (06:36):
But when you go in the favorite and you just win,
there like, well we expect you to beat that team, well, wow,
they're in an NFL team with the NFL players don't
expect it.

Speaker 4 (06:44):
That's what's crazy.

Speaker 1 (06:45):
It's like the Niners have the easiest strength of schedule
this year. It's like it's the NFL. It's hard regardless, Like, sure, yeah,
you're we're not going up against the number ones from
every single conference or division, but so it's an NFL game,
Like you still have to go out there and perform
at an incredibly high level because ever.

Speaker 4 (07:00):
Team's doing that same shit. So it's just like what are.

Speaker 1 (07:02):
You talking about easiest schedule, like relax, I still have
to go out there and play for sixty minutes and
find a way to get a dub.

Speaker 2 (07:08):
And find a way to get away, find a way
a motivated and hungry team.

Speaker 1 (07:11):
Exactly, especially all the teams that are at bottom of
the Vision. No one likes to lose, so they're all like,
usually the teams that didn't play well last year are
usually the most hungry to go out there and do
it again. Anyway, So you're getting the most hungry damn
teams every single year.

Speaker 2 (07:24):
And as an All Pro premier player at your position,
the highest rated on Madden By the way, thanks, chat.

Speaker 1 (07:29):
I think it's four years at ninety eight. Can you
get me to a ninety nine? One of these times,
I'm gonna.

Speaker 3 (07:33):
Go talk to them, thanks, because at this point they're
they're just kinda.

Speaker 1 (07:36):
Just give me one, Just give me one more please, Yeah,
just give me one of them one of these days.

Speaker 2 (07:42):
How how how crazy is it when you get in
the games, because everybody's like, man, it feels good to
be the best, But it's like every kid that steps
in front of you also thinks this is their moment.
It is it is yeah, and you gotta, you gotta,
you can't let them down. You gotta give them what
they expect. You gotta give them what the shows and
tell me how fun it, because you're you're crazy man,

(08:04):
how fun that is?

Speaker 3 (08:04):
Every week?

Speaker 4 (08:05):
It's an absolute blast.

Speaker 1 (08:07):
One of my favorite things that I learned really early
in my career was that there are hundreds of thousands
of kids who would love nothing more than to be
the starting tight end for the San Francisco forty nine ers,
and it is my job to ruin all of their dreams.
And that is so basically, fuck them kids. Excuse my language.
Everybody Jordan said it best, yeah, but literally, Like, so

(08:29):
that's what my mindset is every single time. Every time
I go against a new first round draft pick defensive lineman,
it's like, hey, I'm happy for you that you were
drafting the first round, but welcome to my world. Like
I'm gonna put my hands on you, I'm going to
head butt you, and then next thing you know, I'm
going to release pass you and go like catch it
pass and score a touchdown. So it's like, yeah, they're
fantastic football players out there, but like I'm me for

(08:50):
a reason. I work the way I work for the
reason I have the confidence I do for a reason,
and like that's all still with me. I don't give
a shit that I'm thirty one years old. Like I'm
still out there and I'm gonna I'm gonna hit you
are really hard in the face, and I'm gonna laugh
while I do it. Yes, Yes, Like why not fuck
them kids?

Speaker 4 (09:05):
Fuck them kids?

Speaker 3 (09:06):
Thank you? Like Mikel Williams, Mikail Williams is guy.

Speaker 4 (09:09):
First, awesome, fantastic.

Speaker 3 (09:11):
I get to get blocked by tight ends. Have you
got a chance to block him yet?

Speaker 5 (09:14):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (09:15):
Multiple times.

Speaker 1 (09:15):
I mean and OTAs he was like, I don't let
like tight ends don't block me, it's disrespectful. I'm like,
you're in a different world now, but it's you're in
a different world. I promise you that it's different now
with different beast It's it's just different. I don't care
if it's bast Like, I'll take a one on one
pass proverse anybody.

Speaker 4 (09:29):
I do not care.

Speaker 1 (09:29):
Nick Bosa is really hard to block, but I'll still
take the challenge any day of the week. So it's
really fun. But like all these yeah, you get the
first round draft picks get second und draft picks, all
these defensive ends. It's just like, yeah, you were really
good in college. Congratulations, welcome to the show.

Speaker 2 (09:43):
You get a lot of respect, well deserved in this league,
well deserved. But as a former fifth round pick like myself, like.

Speaker 4 (09:50):
What pick were you?

Speaker 3 (09:52):
And fifty four you were before me?

Speaker 4 (09:56):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (09:56):
Got you?

Speaker 5 (09:57):
What's up?

Speaker 3 (09:57):
Hawkeyes? Now about this? Think about this?

Speaker 2 (10:00):
What about the Iowa tight ends? Now that gets the
respect that you get now that you didn't get when you.

Speaker 3 (10:05):
Were killing.

Speaker 1 (10:07):
Yeah, two were drafting the first round the year after
I broke a record.

Speaker 4 (10:11):
Good for them.

Speaker 1 (10:11):
They're like, they're like, look, George Kittle, I know, good
for them there, you know, And then I say, guess
at least they're all good players too. That's the nice thing,
right Do they ever call you? And why trail with
Hawkinson every off season?

Speaker 4 (10:21):
So that's nice?

Speaker 1 (10:23):
See you know every once in a while, see the
Sam Laporte every once in a while. But it was
always fun. I always I told Noah and TJ the
year they got draveled, like, you guys should throw me
each a mill at least please TJ. Especially now TJ.
You got your second contract. You you can afford it.

Speaker 2 (10:36):
I mean, TJ, come on, you know the originator, Like,
let's let's give him credit. Let's give him credit words
due now.

Speaker 4 (10:41):
But he got paid. He was highest paid for there
for a reason.

Speaker 1 (10:45):
So it's nice until until until they I got another one,
So it's nice getting getting another big contract A thirty
one is really fun.

Speaker 3 (10:51):
It is, but it's will deserve it is no question.

Speaker 2 (10:55):
I talked to cal about you guys foundational pieces, because
you guys are the only pieces that or here. You're
not wrong, you Trent for all pro fred Bosa. Christian
wasn't here when I was here, but he's another piece.
And now rock and juice, Thank goodness, juice, juice, Thank goodness.

Speaker 3 (11:16):
It just didn't feel right.

Speaker 1 (11:17):
No, Sarah, my wife would have been mad the whole season.
Should have been so angry.

Speaker 3 (11:21):
I could see it. I kind of feel like she
made a call.

Speaker 4 (11:24):
I think she called multiple people. She called multiple people
on that one.

Speaker 2 (11:29):
How how fun is it to know that the challenge
of what you guys have coming up this season, but
to know a lot of positions you guys have elite players,
not just good players at tidy end, at running back,
one of the best players in national football League at
left tackle at d N and one of the best
players in the National Football League at the quarnerback spot
at the quarterback spot. Does that give you a ton

(11:51):
of conference?

Speaker 1 (11:52):
Yes, Like being on a team that I know that,
like it's not just on two people that have to
win every single game and you can rely on other
guys gives you more confidence. It's like, well, hey, I
have a clear on this, but I'm gonna run the
best clear out of my life. So then when Christi
McCaffrey catches a choice shout, I'll be downfield blocking for
him and it's gonna create space. And then hey, the
next time that we run some type of play action,

(12:13):
he's gonna sell his heart out on this play action
run and I'm gonna be wide open run across.

Speaker 4 (12:16):
The middle of the field.

Speaker 1 (12:17):
And when you can count on guys, it definitely gives
you a lot of confidence. But it's like it's just
so fun being around guys who have the desire to
win so bad. And then that also being around guys
who you've gone through shit with, Like that's like one
of my favorite things is we've won a lot of
games together, we've lost games together, and like it builds
this I don't know, this unity, this like confidence in

(12:38):
this group, and it allows us to continue to plow
forward and then for all like the young guys and
you guys to get on the team. It's like you
can either hop on this and rise to our standard
or you're gonna You're gonna fall off the boat and
you'll be exposed really quickly. And so it's fun to
be able to have guys that just have that desire
all the time, that want to go out there and
kick ass because it just brings everybody along with them.

Speaker 2 (12:58):
This is gonna be a hard question. This is a
very hard hitting question. What is your favorite play of
all time?

Speaker 1 (13:07):
Like that I've done personally or like my favorite my
favorite played a run?

Speaker 4 (13:11):
Oh no, I've done And.

Speaker 2 (13:13):
Could it be that that like trap play in the
NFC Championship play against Green Bay.

Speaker 3 (13:18):
I don't know, it could be any play.

Speaker 1 (13:22):
Let's see one of my favorite, I mean, most Nighters
fans love my fourth and two against New Orleans stints
where run an out route where choice schrout broke out
and then carried guys. That was fun. I thoroughly enjoyed that.
That was one of my favorite games. I ever played
because our offense was on fire and their offense was
on fire. So those are just fun games. No, it
was not you guys that are rough game, but like
those are fun for us because Jimmy threw for like

(13:44):
four hundred yards. I guess just always fun to see
your quarterback throw for four hundred That's definitely up there.
I would say, like there's been like when we played
Green Bay in the NCY Championship game out there and
then like our outside zone was just so dominant. We
ran the ball forty six times and like every single
play we just dog walk them up and down the field.

(14:05):
I mean, like, as a defensive player, is there anything
worse than just giving up like eight yards of carry? No,
because there's nothing like you know that you're not gonna
get a lot of action there is in the past.
Game like billaying cornerback and the team throws the ball
seven times against you has to be one of the
most disgusting things of all time, demoralizing and so like
my favorite plays are just games that we are running
the hell out of the football, Like even the game
before that, and we played the Minnesota Vikings and I

(14:28):
just remember both their defensive ends, We're talking crap to
all of our players, how about they're gonna, you know,
be more physical than us and all this stuff. And
then we ran the ball forty eight times and through
the ball six times and Jimmy throw a block that game.
Jimmie threw a block. He had a pancake that game.
I was just like, those are the games and the
plays that I remember the most. It's just like those
physical games where you come out there and you just
kind of tell them to go fuck themselves. Those are

(14:48):
definitely my favorite games.

Speaker 4 (14:50):
I love it well.

Speaker 3 (14:50):
I appreciate you joining us as always. I love you
so much.

Speaker 4 (14:53):
I love you as well.

Speaker 2 (14:58):
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Speaker 2 (16:43):
Welcome back to the Richard Sherman Podcast, and today we
have an incredible guest, the starting quarterback for the San
Francisco forty nine ers, the man of the hour, Brock Party.
Congratulations on your new deal, you, sir, you're saving man. Hey,
congratulations on your new baby girl. Yes, sir, how has
that been.

Speaker 7 (16:58):
It's been awesome just to be able to see your
own little creation and little baby and have her just
look up at you and take naps together.

Speaker 5 (17:08):
All the things. Man, of being a dad, there's nothing
that compares.

Speaker 2 (17:11):
To it, nothing at all, nothing as a dad of
a boy and a little girl.

Speaker 3 (17:15):
The girls never leave you, by the way. They love you.

Speaker 2 (17:18):
Endlessly, but enjoy the chest time while you can because
they get bigger and then they don't want to lay
on your chest anymore.

Speaker 5 (17:24):
Yeah, that's just a that's what I've heard.

Speaker 2 (17:26):
In the cheeks, the ernest chubby. My daughter's losing a
little bit of chubby in her cheeks. And I'm like,
oh my god, noah, please your.

Speaker 5 (17:33):
Youth, yeah stay there, say there.

Speaker 3 (17:35):
Hey. Yeah, but that's that's awesome. Man.

Speaker 2 (17:37):
I'm so happy for you. It's it's such life change
and stuff, but you've remained humble through it all.

Speaker 3 (17:43):
How has that been.

Speaker 2 (17:44):
How has the life been this off season compared to
every other off season?

Speaker 5 (17:47):
Yeah, I mean it's been different.

Speaker 7 (17:48):
Obviously, you got a little baby wife being pregnant for
the most of off season, trying to get a contract done,
so there's just been a bunch of different like pieces moving.
But more than anything, man, I think you know her not,
just trying to stay present, enjoy where God has us
in life and and just take it all in and
obviously continuing to work hard, being real with myself from
what I saw last year and getting better, finding ways

(18:10):
to push myself. But also like, man, like this is
gonna go by so fast, your career is going to
go buy so fast and everything, so we're just trying
to soak up all the little things, the little moments
and little victories and enjoying it.

Speaker 3 (18:22):
So yeah, I'm happy to hear that. Man.

Speaker 2 (18:23):
I mean, you look as good as you ever have
on that practice today. You guys look like you have
an incredible QB room. It's different though you got Lombardi.
Now you had Brian Greasy for the last couple of years.
How has that changed been.

Speaker 7 (18:36):
Yeah, I mean I think two different styles of coaches. Obviously,
Brian Greasy played the position he played for eleven years
his dad obviously Hall of Fame quarterback. So he's had
this more of Hey, I played it, this is what
I saw. I can relate to you by, you know,
the situational football, and and I learned a lot from
his perspective and things. And I think with Mick he's

(18:56):
been he's just really smart. You know x's and o's.

Speaker 5 (18:59):
He keeps it black and white.

Speaker 7 (19:01):
Been with Brady in New England and and his tree
there obviously in Vegas and then now here, and so
to pick his brand on like what you know he
did with Brady and all the guys there, and how
he sees the game, man, I love, and he's he's
got so much energy and fire and he's the kind
of coach man that is gonna push you, not hold
it back when it comes to where you need to
be better, which I love. But then he also does

(19:22):
a great job of building us up as quarterbacks. And
so overall it's been great. Obviously the season, we're gonna
have a lot of fun and I'm excited to work
with them.

Speaker 2 (19:30):
You got a lot of your weapons back this year.
Thank god, you got Christian back. He looks very explosive.
He looks good. Obviously they're they're holding him back and
taking care of him. George looks as good as he's
ever been. Trent looks amazing. How important is that, you know,
just to start the season, you guys don't have you know,
fingers crossed, knock on with the distractions of the holdouts
and all that. You got your contract done and everybody's

(19:52):
just rolling ready to go. The expectations there, the energy
is there. How exciting is it?

Speaker 7 (19:57):
Yeah, it's been nice, you know, get our deals done
and whatnot. Yes, and now'll get back to work with
all of us, really George, Fred, myself and so now
for us, like we feel healthy, we feel good.

Speaker 5 (20:08):
Guys are all practicing.

Speaker 7 (20:09):
Christian looks great obviously not having him last year, and
what he can do within our offense. Man, like you know,
it's as a quarterback, it's like, man would love to
have this Hall of famer in the backfield with me.
The way he runs the ball, the way we can
split him out, throw them the ball, and then it
just opens up other guys too, man like George and
and JJ, Ricky Piersoll, like all those other guys can
now come into their role and play really well. And

(20:31):
it's crazy what one guy can do. So having him
back in healthy is great. But I think overall we
have some new faces and a new really team that
we're trying to find our identity right now during this
period of time. But it's all guys that have chip
on their shoulders and we got to go prove ourselves,
which is a good thing.

Speaker 2 (20:48):
Well, one guy that's not new, and that's Kyle Shanahan.
He's the guy calling in the place. Talk about the
way you guys' relationship has evolved, because I don't know
if all the fans know, but there's a lot of
input that quarterback and play caller. There's a lot of communication, good,
bad or indifferent. But it seems like you guys have
been locking step the entire step. Even through a very

(21:09):
tumultuous season last year, a very up and down season,
you guys seemed like you were a steady, steady force.

Speaker 5 (21:14):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (21:15):
I think just over the years, man just continuing to
learn from him how he sees the game, tying everything together,
the run game, play, action pass to quick game, like
there's all these different intricate details that he knows and
remembers from all these years of coaching, and so for
him to pour into me and teach me these things,
it's been awesome. And obviously I think I'm able to,

(21:36):
you know, open up his his playbook and his system
with how he calls plays, and he can trust me
in certain moments. I'm still learning, he's still teaching me.
But I think together, man, we've done nothing but trust
each other and go through things. I mean, you go
from my rookie year to NFC championship, the Super Bowl year,
the next year, last year a tough year. Like, we've
been through some stuff together, which you know, I think

(21:56):
can be a good thing with a play caller and
a quarterback, and it's been nothing but trust man.

Speaker 5 (22:01):
So obviously excited for this year with him.

Speaker 2 (22:03):
I'm excited too. It just seems like he has a
lot of confidence in you, and it shows each and
every day, each and every play, each and every play call.
I see the way he pushes the ball down the
field and take risks. Do you take that as a
as a as badge of honor or? Our confidence builder?
Is just the way he believes and he kind of
just rolls the ball out there and let you go.

Speaker 5 (22:24):
Yeah, I mean, it's been nice.

Speaker 3 (22:26):
You know.

Speaker 7 (22:27):
Sometimes I feel like you can see like coordinators, you know,
keeping things really simple for quarterbacks. But with him, it's
been has been Hey, man, like, let's see if if
you can handle it. And I feel like I've shown that,
and then it's been all right, let's take these shots down, Fiel.
Let's take an opportunity here. We trust you brock there,
You're gonna make the right decision. If it's not there,
let's check it down. So he's done a good job
with that with me explaining it and and not you know,

(22:49):
handcuffing me at all. But like, hey, this is how
I would call a game against this scheme and defense,
and I trust in you and I know that you
can make every throw out.

Speaker 5 (22:56):
There, and let's roll with it.

Speaker 7 (22:58):
So that's where we're continuing to rise together and trust
each other in certain situations.

Speaker 5 (23:03):
So it's been really good.

Speaker 3 (23:05):
Where do you see yourself in this league?

Speaker 2 (23:07):
You know, I think there's been a lot of list
in all this stuff that comes out about on the
top four, top ten quarterbacks, et cetera, et cetera. I
think you're one of the best quarterbacks in the national
football leagues. I think your numbers and your efficiently efficiency
speaks for itself. But I'm sure you're a competitor like
every other competitor. See the noise out there? How how
do you take that? Do you take it as disrespect?
Do you take it as a badge of hunter? Do

(23:28):
you take it as motivation? I always wondered how you
feel about it.

Speaker 7 (23:31):
I mean, I've always felt, you know this, like you know,
underdog kind of story, and that's been my story man,
from high school, college to the NFL. But for me,
every single year, all that matters, man, is if you
know I'm leading these guys in this locker room, in
this building and this organization, and and they trust me here,
that's all that matters. And you know, we've been able

(23:52):
to go and show and prove that what we do here,
what I do as a quarterback works and we've won games,
we've been to a super Bowl like it's worked. And
so as long as I just continue to focus on,
you know, where God has me, and learning with Kyle
and Lombardi all my teammates, and keep having their trust
and gaining their trust, that's all it matters. And so

(24:13):
everybody's gonna have something to say that's that's the nature
of the sport, and that's fine.

Speaker 5 (24:17):
But I don't buy into and listen.

Speaker 7 (24:20):
If I were to listen to criticism and everything, I
wouldn't be where I'm at today, you know.

Speaker 5 (24:24):
So I've had the chip on.

Speaker 7 (24:25):
My shoulder and I go prove myself right every single year,
and so that's just where I'm at.

Speaker 2 (24:30):
When was the moment that you knew, like I could
play in this league and I could play at a
high level in this league. I remember for me, it
was like one of our corners went down in the
game and they kind of just threw me in there.
I was like the fourth corner and they had to.
We didn't have any other choice. And I went out
there and I made a couple of tackles and I'm
covering guys. I'm like, this is easier than practice, Like
I might be okay out here. I'm not overwhelmed. This

(24:51):
isn't too fast, it's not too hot, I'm not tired.
I'm not overthinking it said I might be this is
easier than college for me. When was that moment for you?

Speaker 5 (24:59):
I think, you know, practice and stuff.

Speaker 7 (25:01):
I was making throws my rookie year and I was
trying to make the team, and I was like, all right,
I think I can do it, but this is practice.
And so once we got into Week thirteen against the Dolphins,
Jimmy went down. My first third down pass was like
a little five yard out to Christian on third down.
I completed it on the sideline, and in that moment,
I was like, dude, this is football. I've been doing
this my whole life. And then during the game, I

(25:23):
feel like it's a little bit more slower. Actually, everything
seems open. You can see better. Practice sometimes it's so
hectic or trying to get different looks and whatnot. But
in the game, in that moment, on that drive, I
was like, man, I've been doing this my whole life.
We went down, we scored. There was a two minute
drill right before half. We're just executing and I was
just throwing and going through my reads and I was like,
you know what, I could do this, and sure enough

(25:44):
we went on a run that year, my rookie year.
But I think it was those two drives right there,
Week thirteen, twenty twenty two.

Speaker 3 (25:51):
Bro, it was cool.

Speaker 2 (25:52):
It was cool to see you when the moment's not
too big for you and you come out there and
just execute and just play the game. Some of the
layer throws though that you put out there, I'm like,
I don't cause I've never played quarterback. I've only played corner.
So everybody's like, man, you got to know how I
feel that only people know how it feels to be
an NFL quarterback or NFL quarterback. So just because we're
out there with him doesn't mean we see the game
to say how hard is it to especially some of

(26:15):
those throws to Juwan last year, it looks like you're
getting it over the fingertips of a guy dropping it down.
Explained it to me. I'm watching it, and I'm like,
I've played football a long time and I'm still not
knowing how he's getting there. I can't see him from
the angle they're showing the catch. I can't see you
throwing it. Yeah, I just see the ball pop out
and drop down, and I'm like, bro, I one day

(26:38):
I want to ask him how it is to make
those throws and he please.

Speaker 7 (26:41):
Yeah, I think, man, it's just years of playing throwing
certain routes, understanding coverages and stuff, and then like JJBA
Christian George, like just getting reps on reps and I
know where they're going to be, and yeah, dude, there's
I've said this before, there's times where you can't see,
there's guys up in your face, and.

Speaker 5 (27:00):
But you know that it's there. You know that this
is the right look.

Speaker 7 (27:02):
And regardless of a defensive line getting pushed up or
a linebacker getting his hand up, I know that if
I just get this over this tall human being who's
going to jump really high at the right time on
this first hitch, then JJ's gonna be right behind him and.

Speaker 5 (27:16):
Just drop it right in there.

Speaker 7 (27:17):
So it's just reps and understanding what I'm looking at,
being prepared for certain coverages and things. But yeah, it's
just the feel of the game man, playing all my life.
I've been playing it, you know, so it's sort of
hard to explain.

Speaker 2 (27:29):
But no, no, you explained it really well. What's your
motivation at this point? You got you got the big,
big money, You've been to Super Bowls, you've got a
great teams, What's what's propelling you. For me, it was
always that underdog role. It was always that that lack
of respect. You know, even when I had great stats,
I had the numbers, we had Super Bowls. We had

(27:49):
great defense, We're number one, top one hundred. I'm like
seven or eight, and you know, it's like, but I
still don't feel it. You know, I still don't feel
like I'm respecting. I feel like the disrespect was always
greater than than appreciation I got, and it always fueled me.
So I always felt like my gas tank was full
and I go out there and I'm like, I got
to prove them wrong. And it's like, well, you're you're
your number one corner in the league. It's not really

(28:10):
people to prove on. But somehow, on this psychotic mind,
I always felt like I had something.

Speaker 7 (28:13):
Yeah, you have to whether it's true or not, Like
you have to tell yourself like, dude, I was drafted last.

Speaker 5 (28:21):
I was my misryrrelevant like that whole thing.

Speaker 7 (28:22):
But that fire that I came into my rookie year
with that chip on my shoulder, trying to show those
guys on the field, my teammates, the defense, like hey,
like I'm made for this, and just reminding.

Speaker 5 (28:34):
You of yourself of that and every single year. And
for me, I'm a faithful man.

Speaker 7 (28:38):
I believe that God created me to be a competitor,
to be a leader, and just because we got to
the Super Bowl, I got a contract, that doesn't mean
like any like for me. It's the next season, man,
It's it's how can I go lead these boys today
for this practice, for this game coming up this season?
Like there's this drive of you know, I still got
to go show and use my talents that God's blessed

(28:59):
me with to go show him my teammates that I'm
this competitor that you can rely on. And so it's
pushing myself every single day. It's not being content, it's
being comfortable with being uncomfortable, Like it's always this uneasy
feeling that I can get better. So to run at
daily and still push myself.

Speaker 2 (29:17):
You're doing a great job, and you're inspiring a lot
of kids who are in similar situations where they're underdogs
and the world's against them and the world doesn't think
they're they're the tallest or the fast of this are
they're supposed the prototype for this and they know that
they can't. They know that it's possible, and it's possible
to play at the highest level and to execute the
way you have.

Speaker 3 (29:36):
It's really remarkable. Do you have a favorite play of
your career?

Speaker 7 (29:40):
So far favorite play in my career. I honestly there
was one. I think it was the not NFC Championship game.
In the game before against the Packers, it was like
a we didn't play the best on offense, but we
needed this drive at the end of the game to

(30:01):
go up. And it was a third down play and
it was Brandon i Ayuk over the middle. We call
it Gucci and it was a six steps slant, a
crossing the Nichol's face. It was Manda Man and it
was in time. I threw on plant ba turn at
the right time. It was tight coverage, the dB reach across.
We got the ball there. It was a diving catch.
I was like, bro boom, we get the first down.

(30:23):
I was like, all right, we're saying on the field.
And then from there we won the game. We won
the NFC Championship game. After that we got to the
super Bowl. But it's like that play. If that play
didn't happen, man, none of this, none of that, the
NFC Championship comeback game, getting the Super Bowl, that wouldn't
have happened.

Speaker 5 (30:37):
And those are the things I remember, like, I love
that stuff. I lived through it. And so that was
probably one of my favorite plays.

Speaker 3 (30:43):
Oh that was a great play. I remember that drive.
I remember. I also remember the defense making a play
the next drive.

Speaker 7 (30:48):
It was.

Speaker 2 (30:49):
I love this game, and it's a game of benches
and you forget sometimes you forget those moments, get lost
in it, and people just remember the results. They're like, oh, yeah,
they beat them, and they went here and they went here.
But without those plays be a different place. I really
appreciate you joining me, and I appreciate you taking the time.
I know it's training camp and a lot of things
going on. Congratulations on everything. Help your wife out, wake
up sometimes and feed the baby, because that goes a

(31:10):
long way. I promise you, happy wife, happy life. That's
advice I ever.

Speaker 5 (31:12):
Got, sir, appreciate man, Appreciate you.

Speaker 3 (31:23):
Welcome back to the Richard Sherman Podcast.

Speaker 2 (31:24):
I got an incredible guest here, Diamador Leonore the Hyena,
one of the best players on this San Francisco forty
nine ers defense.

Speaker 8 (31:32):
How you feeling, brother, I'm feeling good, man. I feel
good to be back in training camp. Blessed you know,
to be playing football, able to do something I love,
you know, for many years to come.

Speaker 2 (31:43):
So speaking of many years to come. You've been putting
on good tape for a number of years. Obviously, like
I told you before, you you played the best during
the biggest games in the playoffs, getting those interceptions.

Speaker 3 (31:53):
Talk about your mindset coming into this year.

Speaker 8 (31:56):
It's just really just being a lockdown corner you know.
I feel like I didn't turn to transition to this
role to play, you know, to be this cornerback one.
So you know what was needed for a cornerback one
is usually to shut down the best receiver. And I
feel like I've just been ready for that challenge, you know,
since I made my name for myself in this league.

Speaker 2 (32:15):
Talk about the conversations you've had with Sala since he's
been here. You know, you haven't got to play with him.
Obviously I played with him before you got here, and
then you've heard about him from other guys. But how
have those conversations been.

Speaker 8 (32:27):
It's been all it's been all positive really just being
the CB one. You know, he kind of wanted to
pick my brain and you know, figure out how I operate,
and just talking to him, he's seen like the confidence
in me. That's why he came out like with the story,
you know, when he was talking to the media last week.
I was just telling him, you know that I'm ready

(32:47):
for any challenge, you know, if it got to be
ninety nine players and man or if it got to
be ninety nine in his own I'm ready for the challenge,
and I'm willing to back up anything that I put
out there.

Speaker 3 (32:58):
I love that. I love that.

Speaker 2 (32:59):
It's it's such a different Has it changed for you?
You know, coming in you've been scrappy fighting for I
remember your first reps in rookie mini camp where they
were sitting there like like, who is this dude thirty
eight on jam everybody else to now you got paid
and it doesn't seem like it's changed your hunger at all.

Speaker 8 (33:16):
Oh yeah, for sure. I feel like the money didn't
change me. You know, the love of the game. You know,
I always have the love of the game. I always
played this game with just just love and just you know,
peer just want to you know, some people like they
just wake up and just you know, they say it,
they say it, but you know, actually speak louder than words.
So I'm I'm more one of them guys. You know

(33:38):
that that just like the work, you know, I really
rather come in and work and just prove my worst.

Speaker 2 (33:42):
It's a young, young, young secondary now. And so your
role even in that with with Tyland, Noah gone, Gift gone,
who else is gone? I mean it's v Travarius. I mean,
Traviaria is gone, Moon's gone. I mean, so now what
role are you taking on? Are you taking on that

(34:03):
veteran thip role and in mentoring these young guys, spending
an extra time with them.

Speaker 9 (34:07):
Oh yeah, yeah for sure.

Speaker 8 (34:08):
I feel like, you know, always getting to get in
the room better and you know, and spreading the knowledge
because you know, I was once one of them guys
coming in that was trying to learn the game, trying
to figure it out. You know, stuff was getting too hard.
I feel like the coaches was on me, so I
kind of have to let everything slow down. So I
just kind of be like, you know, the shoulder that
they can lean on, you know, and telling them, you know,
is never too big and you know, you just got

(34:29):
to let the game slow down for you and really
just lock in and just pay attention.

Speaker 3 (34:33):
Do you feel like dB and the other coaches have
kind of leaned on you to be that voice in
the room.

Speaker 8 (34:38):
Oh yeah, for sure, you know, because I mean, all
our examples, like you said, has left. So I'm kind
of like the last example. So like you know, I
got to show that leadership, you know, to show them
how we you know, how we set the standard here.

Speaker 3 (34:51):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (34:51):
Sometimes sometimes that role, you know, as a old guy
who used to play a long time ago. Yeah, it
takes a lot of time, you know, it takes and
sometimes you got to sacrifice. Some times you're here later
than you want to be. Sometimes you on that field
later than you want to be. Sometimes you sitting there
in the dude in the dude's locker, or next to
a dude's locker giving him motivation, you know, because they
had a rough day.

Speaker 3 (35:12):
Do you embrace that?

Speaker 9 (35:13):
Oh yeah, I love it.

Speaker 1 (35:14):
You know.

Speaker 9 (35:15):
It just takes me back to when I was a
young guy.

Speaker 8 (35:17):
You know, I always needed that guy like I had
Jason Verred, Kwan Williams and Jimmy Ward, you know, those
guys to lean over and manyo, Mosley, I had guys
like that, you know that I can lean on and
talk to, you know, whenever stuff got hard or stuff
was too complicated, or I'll just reach out to you,
you know and just pick you guys brand and just
see how you know, how y'all did it.

Speaker 2 (35:37):
So what's the expectations? What are your goals this season
and what's the expectations for this defense?

Speaker 8 (35:42):
For one is to win the Super Bowl because I
feel like, you know, we got there too many times,
but just being NFC and you know, going to the
Super Bowl, I feel like we always just getting there.
You know, I'm done trying to talk about it. I'm
trying to I'm trying to win, like you know, I
feel like that's the goal a team going. But my
personal goal, of course be all pro you know, Pro

(36:04):
Bowl and you know, just be b CB one.

Speaker 3 (36:09):
I love that. I love that.

Speaker 2 (36:10):
And you're gonna get there. You're gonna get there. You've
you've been in this league five years now, are going
on five years. What's what's your favorite play?

Speaker 9 (36:18):
Favorite play?

Speaker 8 (36:19):
I would say the interception versus Cowboys in the playoffs
because I felt like that was like my coming, like
I made a name for myself that that that game.
You know, I feel like a lot of people was
counting me out. You know, they was talking about me
having a decent season, like it wasn't really like uh,
I would say a strap corner. I would say I

(36:40):
was just like kind of getting my feet away with everything,
trying to learn the game, you know, trying to just
make plays that I need to that I needed to make.
And then I feel like that moment was like my
breakout moment.

Speaker 3 (36:51):
No question about it.

Speaker 2 (36:52):
I mean, it was definitely a big game, a big play,
and it never seemed like the moment was too big
for you. It never seemed like the playoffs were different. Honestly,
it seemed like you had more books in the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (37:03):
Yeah, it was more.

Speaker 8 (37:04):
It was more like I gotta get everybody off my
back because I feel like a lot of people was
coming at me because like the game before I had,
I gave up a touchdown to AJ Green and it
was like his retirement moment.

Speaker 9 (37:16):
It was like a crazy touchdown, ain't gonna lie. I
was like, I mean, I hit you up after that one.
It was it was crazy.

Speaker 8 (37:23):
So I was like, I wasn't. I really wouldn't feeling that.
And then the fans was coming at me, you know,
they kept coming at me. So I was just like, man,
I'm about to just go, and like all a tweets,
I started liking all the tweets, and then I came
back Seattle game, I had to pick, and then I
was like, nah, I still got more of the tank.
We got two more, we got two more weeks. I
know we're finna go to the ball. And then came

(37:43):
Dallas game, and uh, like like you said, like we
were talking about it earlier. You know, when you watch guys,
you pick up certain tendencies and I've seen seen the
tendency and I just took it and run with it.

Speaker 2 (37:53):
You did that, and you continue to do that and
continue to elevate. Has your mindset changed as you've gotten
more veteran in this league? Like has it from that
play when you got to pick against Dak Prescott and
the Dallas Cowboys to now?

Speaker 3 (38:07):
Yeah?

Speaker 8 (38:07):
I would say, wait, I'll watch way more film like
after that play because I was like, I never was
a film guy. So like once it happened, I was like, oh,
this works, like I could start I should start doing this.
So then I started picking up on more tendencies and
tendencies and then and then I just created this the Hyena.

Speaker 2 (38:26):
Yeah, and Hyena is making a name for itself. You
still don't feel like you get the respect you deserved?

Speaker 9 (38:31):
Oh yeah, No, I still I still feel like I
don't get that respect.

Speaker 8 (38:35):
You know of a person that's been in the league
five years who only gave up three touchdowns. You know,
Like I could talk about all the yeah, you know,
all the statistics, but like you know, I just feel
like when when the work is proven, like everything, it'll
be a setting stone.

Speaker 2 (38:52):
To take care of himself. No question, it's gonna take
care of himself this year. And you know, I think
Pro Bowl, All pros always a goal for everybody. And
if you continue to put tape, you know, this year,
it's harder. It's harder for anybody to ignore you. Yeah,
you're in this secondary. You're the guy. You're the guy
with the if it's a video game, you got the star.
Yeah under you, you're right down on his defense. And
I think you embraced that challenge.

Speaker 9 (39:14):
Yeah, I'm ready for it.

Speaker 2 (39:16):
What's your favorite playing training camp? Of all your training
camps that you've had so far in the National Football League,
what was your favorite play?

Speaker 8 (39:23):
Really the play it was like my welcome to the
NFL play, Like I would say when George Kittle, Yeah
he scored a touchdown on me in the stadium right here,
because it was like it's my favorite play because it
kind of shaped me to like, all right, you got
to get better, like like that can't happening, because it was.
It was an embarrassing moment to me, and like all
the fans was there, and then he kind of like snapped,

(39:45):
he jumped off me and then snatched the ball all
off my head, threw me on the ground.

Speaker 9 (39:49):
And I was like, I was sick, but I wasn't mad,
but I was just like, I can't let that happen. No,
Like I don't care who it is, like, and that's
when I knew I belonged. I was like, oh yeah,
I belong no question about it.

Speaker 2 (40:01):
Anything else you want to ask me or anything else
you want to get off your chest while we're here.

Speaker 9 (40:08):
I'm gonna be the best owner in the league this year.

Speaker 3 (40:10):
I love it.

Speaker 2 (40:10):
You heard it here first on a Richard Sherman podcast,
The Best Owner of the League Diamador Leonor And I'm
gonna hold you to it, baby, and we're gonna have
you back on. Oh yeah, it's been it's been a
crazy offseason. Like I don't, I don't, I don't know
a ton of not a ton of guys that were
here when I was here, obviously the foundational guys Nick

(40:31):
and Trent and and George Christian's here Brock, But how
has that been just this offseason? So much turnover, both
both with the players and the staff. I mean, you
lose Brian Greasy, the QB coach, you get solid back,
you get cussed.

Speaker 3 (40:48):
How has that been for you?

Speaker 10 (40:50):
It's been different, like it's it's been real different.

Speaker 11 (40:53):
And you knew it was coming. I'm known for a while.
I mean, you can't, you can't spend that money year
in and year out. And eventually got to take one off.
You know, I was still living in hope a free
agency that it wouldn't be as bad as I thought
it was going to be.

Speaker 10 (41:07):
And then it was as bad as I thought it
was going to be. And that took a little time
to get over.

Speaker 11 (41:11):
Really didn't get over until the draft because I just
saw blank spots on the board for a while, and
then the draft filled up a lot of those. Doesn't
solve all the problems, but then you at least get
excited because now you can see guys that you want
to work with. And it's different because when I've looked
up on our board probably for the last six years,
really probably since twenty nineteen. I always looked at no
blank spots at starters. I was like, all right, we

(41:33):
got to get some depth here. We're an injury away
from needing a young guy here. But we had really
built this, i'd like to say, the right way in
seventeen and eighteen, and it was able.

Speaker 10 (41:41):
To last us for about six years.

Speaker 11 (41:43):
And the difference now between seventeen and eighteen is those
guys you just mentioned. We still got a number of dudes,
some difference makers, some borderline Hall of famers, but they
are surrounded by a team that is you say, starting over.
It's hard for me to say starting over because of
all those guys, but you are with the rest of
the team. And you know, when we got here in

(42:03):
seventeen and eighteen, you know we added all these young guys.
Weren't count on young guys. But you know, on offense,
there was only one guy who played from the year before,
and that was Joe Stalley, so it was ten new guys.
And then you know, by in the nineteen was shows
last time. On defense, it was all new guys except
for Jimmy Ward, Armstead and Buckner, so we had three

(42:23):
So just to have to replace all those guys.

Speaker 10 (42:25):
It took a couple of time, and so we're all
relating to that moment now.

Speaker 11 (42:29):
But we remind ourselves too that, yeah, but Christian's out there,
Nick's out there, Trent's out there, Fred's out there, We
got Brock, you know. So those are things to be
real excited about. And we're also excited working with these
young guys because it's what you got to do, and
it adds a lot of energy in you to this
place that I think is very needed.

Speaker 2 (42:45):
I got to talk to Nick earlier in for it,
and that's what they were saying. They were saying how
much it energized them and made him excited to come
out here because he was like, it's so new, just
trying to get these guys to understand the standard and
understand the approach every single day, the culture, and how
great it is to have Sala who reinforces that and
just to have somebody nickus like, man, when Sola, when

(43:07):
you were here the first time, I didn't really understand
all the stuff you're building, he said. Then you left,
and then he came back. He's like, I fully understand,
and so I think that's been really cool. But guys
like the Amador who are leaders now who weren't here
when Solid we're here. He seems to just he's like
the way Solid come came into meetings and the respect
that guys in, the buy in that guys have form

(43:27):
is incredible and I thought that was pretty cool.

Speaker 11 (43:30):
Here, No, it's huge and it's I mean, that was
the big thing and wanted to get him back so
much when he became available, because it's nothing against the
last of the guys that he's replaced. I thought they
did a good job, but it was we're going through
a different transition than what we've been in and I've
already done it once with Salam and seventeen and eighteen.
We went through a lot of lumps, but we built

(43:50):
it together. And now both of us have an experience
of it, him going somewhere else and having to build it.

Speaker 10 (43:57):
It's so much more fun and so.

Speaker 11 (43:59):
Much more knowledge to have a guy that bouncings off
of and who's been through it before and who understands
some of the djustments we got to make and it's
not his first time doing it.

Speaker 2 (44:07):
And sometimes and you can correct me if I'm wrong,
but sometimes not the pressure, but The expectation and burden
of being the favorite is a lot. As four team.
I've been on great teams and where you come in
the favorite. Then I've been on teams where you're young
and people aren't expecting a lot, and then you slap
everybody in the face with what you've built and what

(44:28):
you go out there and the product you put on
the field.

Speaker 3 (44:30):
How exciting is that challenge for you?

Speaker 10 (44:32):
I love that.

Speaker 11 (44:33):
I mean, I don't like being favored in every game,
to tell you the truth. The last two years before
this season started, we've been in favored to win all
seventeen of our games two years in a row. So
that was a little different, and we did have a
good team, so I understood it, but rarely do you.

Speaker 10 (44:49):
Look at it that way. And now I don't know
how it'll be.

Speaker 11 (44:53):
I mean I haven't checked those odds yet, but I
don't think we're going to be in that situation. But
we still do have a chance to win everyone, but
would much rather be the underdog doing it. I mean,
when guys are up for you every week, it's it
makes a little bit different and I hope hopefully people
can sleep on us a little bit. I know, no
one would like that more than our guys. And then
you come out and you shock them and you hit
them in the mouth.

Speaker 2 (45:13):
How has your approach changed, Because it's such a tough
season last year, and I know how much you put
into it every freaking day and how hard you are
on yourself, and how much what did you do this
off season to kind of like push the reset.

Speaker 11 (45:29):
Well, having five weeks longer off helped. I'm never wishing
for that again. I didn't like having all of January off,
but after not having that for a while, it.

Speaker 10 (45:39):
Was it did help.

Speaker 11 (45:41):
By the time the players got back here, we were
just we were so ready for him, and we hadn't
been that way in a few years, and the players
also hadn't been that way, especially after the tough Super
Bowl loss. It just the off season was a little
bit too fast, and to have all that time to
really kind of get your mind right, get your health right,
and really not just be like, all right, it's time
to work is more like I can't wait to work.

(46:03):
And then when the guys came in at Phase one,
just the whole team being here, the way the offseason went,
it was a different energy and it was something we
needed because we have to build this, we have to
earn this, where we can't just expect to be what
we've been and we got to be more than that.
We got to be something different than that. And that
process has already started. I think it started a little
bit last year. We talked about having to put three

(46:23):
drafts in a row to kind of build a team
the right way, which I thought we did seventeen and
eighteen and nineteen. And when I look at some of
our drafts last year, with guys like Ricky, guys like Mustafa,
I mean, guys who came out and played real well,
I'm hoping they can step up in year two along
with these rookies. And I'm hoping we had a whole
other very good group next year too. And hopefully when
you do that, three years in a row gives you
a chance to compete there for five to six years, hopefully, no.

Speaker 3 (46:47):
Question about it.

Speaker 2 (46:49):
And speaking about development, you be's a little different this year.
You know, obviously brought got his pay freaking looks incredible now.
I mean, I don't know who seventeen is, I mean today,
but you got Mac Jones.

Speaker 10 (47:03):
In seventeen's got his son too. By the way, no way.

Speaker 11 (47:06):
Yeah, that was like the only reason I almost didn't
want to do it, because then like do we can't
Oh wait, the guy throws two good.

Speaker 10 (47:12):
I don't care who his dad is, so.

Speaker 3 (47:14):
He dropped the diamond there between two on like a dig.

Speaker 10 (47:17):
I was like cool going across the board. Did a
real good job today.

Speaker 2 (47:20):
Yeah, sorry, I got tie tracked. But but you got
mac Jones, who you guys were rumored to have been.
You know, he got drafted in tenth pick. But it
just seems like such a strong room. And then going
back to was that Brock's rookie year when when you
guys had.

Speaker 10 (47:36):
Uh Trey and Jimmy Yeah.

Speaker 3 (47:39):
The next year, the second year, sorry, when you guys
had uh Sam Donald Sam Donald? Yeah.

Speaker 2 (47:44):
And in the way Sam's blossomed, do you find do
you find any pride in that and in his success,
in the success of Brock, and just how you've been
able to not only develop your quarterback and in an
incredible way a seventh round pick mystery relevant all that
nonsense to one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the
National Football League when the most efficient, and then also

(48:04):
seeing Sam's success both out in Minnesota and then getting
the starting job and making a lot of money, and
then you bring in Mac.

Speaker 3 (48:11):
Jones, who looks like he's on a similar trajectory.

Speaker 11 (48:13):
Well, I mean, you do have a lot of pride
in it, but it's also like, I can't tell you
how good all those guys are.

Speaker 3 (48:19):
You know.

Speaker 11 (48:19):
It's not like we saw them and they weren't good,
and then we're like, if they just come to us,
they'll be good, you know.

Speaker 10 (48:24):
I mean we watched all those guys in college and.

Speaker 11 (48:26):
We thought they had a chance to be really good,
you know, And then you watch them on an NFL
tape and the numbers aren't always great or the teams,
you know, the wins losses aren't, but you can still
watch on film exactly what you saw in college and
know that they have an opportunity to be real.

Speaker 10 (48:38):
Well, now you got to put them in a scheme.

Speaker 11 (48:40):
You got to put a team around them so they
have a chance to And then you don't know the
guys you've just seen them on tape.

Speaker 10 (48:45):
But when you get the guys here.

Speaker 11 (48:46):
Guys like Sam, guys like Brock Mac, and then you
see what type of dudes they are, and you have
the tape from college that you know you're like, all right,
I don't get why this guy can't play.

Speaker 10 (48:56):
He's got to be able to play. He seems too good.

Speaker 11 (48:58):
And then you get him in the scheme, you go
against everything, and if they work and they're made of
the right stuff, they usually end up showing you exactly
what you thought they were a while ago. They just
got to be in some probably better opportunities.

Speaker 3 (49:09):
No question about it.

Speaker 2 (49:10):
Has anything changed philosophically offensively? Obviously you've lost so many
freaking coordinators and so many people on your offensive staff
for the best of reasons for head coaching jobs, et cetera,
et cetera. But now you bring in Koobiak and he's
new to it. Obviously you're still calling the plays. But
how does that change your philosophy and impact you know,

(49:31):
of the run game and.

Speaker 3 (49:32):
What he's bringing.

Speaker 10 (49:33):
I mean, these guys like.

Speaker 11 (49:36):
We've built all these guys haven't been really brought in
from outside. They've all like I mean, Clay, you know,
he's Clay's been and was in high school until he
was thirty, and he was smarter than most of us.
He knew he didn't want this lifestyle. He wanted to
have a more comfortable lifestyle. He ran a hell of
a program in high school, but he'd been around it
so long, just like I have. You know, he was

(49:56):
obsessed with everything that his dad did, so he had
such a good background. And when I brought him here,
I put him on defense for two years and he
was there with Demiko, And that's exactly what I did
with Bobby Sloeg too, That's what I did with Brian Flurry,
who's our run game coordinator. So all these guys go
over there and they get trained on football, just how
to know the excess and o's of defense. And then
if there are guys that I believe will be offensive coaches,

(50:17):
I bring him over to the offensive side, and then
they kind of be with us as QC's, as assistants,
and they get to learn all the scheme. They're not
just sitting in room only focusing on coaching the wide receivers,
are only focusing on coaching the quarterback. Those are the
guys actually work with me the most who can think
a little bit more scheme because they're not having to
run positions all the time, and then they're more than
ready for when they get that role. And Clay's been

(50:39):
a stud He's been as good as anyone I've had.
I mean, yeah, I call the plays, but I have
no problem with him calling it either. And there's times
where I will just tell him to call it, and
I'll do that this year at times. Brian Flurry, you know,
he's been working in our run game ever since Mike
McDaniel left, and I think we've done very good since then.
So he's done an awesome job. But he was also
around here for a number of years, so he could

(51:00):
see how we do do it, and when his time came,
he was ready for it. And then Chris Furster, who
was as important as any coach I've ever been around.
He was with me in Washington for those four years.
He's been the best goal line coach to me in
the NFL, and I feel extremely fortunate to have him.

Speaker 10 (51:14):
And he's a guy that I always plan on being
together with.

Speaker 2 (51:18):
Love that who because the last eight years that you've
coached here, you started training cup off with a run
and then you bomb sama the first play.

Speaker 3 (51:29):
That play, action, one first play.

Speaker 10 (51:32):
Everything's a setup.

Speaker 11 (51:32):
You know how it is so rude if we're talking
run all day to him, you know we're starting out
with the pass and we're talking passes all day. We're
just gonna hand it off forty times, so it's always
got to be a set up with them.

Speaker 2 (51:42):
I'm gonna miss that. I'm gonna miss how you you,
you and him go at it. I'm sure it's gonna be.
It's been some fun battles this training camp. I would imagine, Man,
I miss I miss you guys. I missed the mental battles,
the mental gymnastics, the schematic gymnastics, and how you knew
every hold in the scheme and tried to.

Speaker 11 (52:00):
Well, that's what's fun because when you do learn the defense,
you should be able to get it eventually. And then
that's why you try to get certain players to stop it.
And then Solid we'll always say, yeah, but he doesn't
have to justice little someone else does it. But then
in this league, someone else is going to do it
pretty damn fast, right, And that's what it's been cool
about Solid. We know how we started out and we

(52:21):
know where we are now. And that's just my life experiences.
You go through things in games, you go against schemes,
and you always have to be adding. That's when people
ask me what my scheme is. I really can't answer.
It has to do with what we're going against. It
has to do with what your players are, and it's
about figuring out scheme. It's about understanding your personnel and
putting those guys in the best position to win, which
is never an absolute answer.

Speaker 10 (52:41):
It's always changing.

Speaker 2 (52:42):
And that's what that was my last question because this
league has pretty much been built to stop your quote
unsquote scheme. I mean, which is West Coast Bill Walsh,
the old school, but it's what you McVeigh freaking la floor.
A lot of teams, I mean, Oconno O'Connell, everybody's running
similar some version of I don't know how your scheme.

Speaker 3 (53:06):
How tough is that?

Speaker 2 (53:07):
Because it's every year the league is working hard to
come up with adjustments, new defenses, new coverages, new blitzes
to stop that scheme.

Speaker 11 (53:15):
I mean, it gets more challenging. I think the most
challenging thing is people practice against the more. When people
implement stuff that we do, whether it's the motions, the
run schemes, some of the concepts we do. When that's
showing up in a lot of more people's offenses, that
means they're practicing it throughout training camp, where when other
offenses used to not do it. They would try to
practice it on a carded period on Wednesday and Thursday.

(53:36):
Then they would try to do it half speed on Friday,
and then they would get shocked on Sunday.

Speaker 10 (53:41):
Now it gives them a little bit more of a
head start, so that.

Speaker 11 (53:43):
Part's a little frustrating. I wish we could patent some
certain things, but they won't allow you to do that.
So you just you got to keep working, and you've
got to keep trying to find better players than the
people you're going against, right.

Speaker 3 (53:53):
And you guys got them. You guys got them.

Speaker 2 (53:55):
I'm excited to watch this year as a as a
fan and friend of yours. Think it's gonna be a
great year. And I appreciate you getting me to talk
it always.

Speaker 10 (54:02):
Man, love you coming down here though, I.

Speaker 3 (54:04):
Love to come down. Appreciate your brother, all right, man,