February 19, 2025 • 20 mins
It's Fox Sports Radio's official fantasy football podcast! On this unique edition of the show, Dan Beyer sits down with Will Anderson Jr. of the Houston Texans at Radio Row from Super Bowl LIX to talk about the 2024 season and look ahead to next season! Later, Dan speaks with Commanders RBs Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler about Jayden Daniels' rapid ascension, the Commanders' quick turnaround, and more!
Host: Dan Beyer
Producer: Ian Roddy
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ladies and gentlemen, you want experience during your football season,
well buckle up, sweet cheeks. We've got all the experience
in the world. This is I Want Your Flex with
Dan Bayer and Mike Harmon. Mike and Dan break down
everything you need to set your lineups, from position rankings
(00:22):
to starts and sits. The guys help you make those
hard decisions and now let's get your flex onde. Here's
Dan Bayer and Mike Harmon.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Welcome in another edition of I Want Your Flex. I'm
Dan Byer and it is a unique episode. As you
may have noticed throughout this off season, Mike Harmon and
myself will try to give you some content to get
you through what is the off season here. And one
of the great things about what we get to do
is we get an opportunity to sometimes talk to the
(00:53):
stars that we talked about each week here on this
podcast and full week in Warland, I was fortunate enough
to catch up with a couple of NFL stars, Austin
Eckler and Brian Robinson to the Washington Commanders, and Will Anderson,
junior edge rusher from the Houston Texans, joined me during
Super Bowl Week to talk about their seasons and what
(01:15):
is ahead.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
This is now our.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Opportunity to give you an opportunity to hear those conversations.
So we hope you enjoy it even though we don't
have any football going on right now, and we hope
you keep on listing to I Want Your Flex Live
at Super Bowl fifty nine Fox Sports Radio. I'm Dan Byer,
joining me on this Friday, one of the young I
(01:37):
don't even want to say up and coming because I
feel that you've arrived. Will Anderson Junior of the Houston Texans,
thanks so much for joining us here in Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
You're twenty three years old, two years into the league,
two playoff appearances, Defensive Player of the Rookie, Defensive Rookie
of the Year last year. You're getting Defensive Player of
the Year votes this year. Do you feel you have
arrived even at twenty three years old in the National
Football League?
Speaker 3 (01:58):
No, I haven't.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
It's still so much more of my game that I
want to continue to improve on, to get better at.
And I feel like I've even reached the surface of
that yet. Man.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
And I'm just so passionate.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
I really love this game so much, and I just
want to continue to see my game grow. And I
know that it's so much more left out there, you know,
for me to continue to climb and get better at
and continue to you know, strive to where I want
to be at.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Will Anderson joining us here on Fox Sports Radio on
behalf of Jiff my favorite peanut butter that's not even
part of the plug, that's just there absolutely.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
And Jeff Creamy a numero.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
You know, when you look at year one, I play golf,
When I go to a new golf course, I have
no idea what to expect. It's so much easier the
second time around. What was it like for you in
year two?
Speaker 3 (02:39):
It was way more easier than this year around.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
You know what I'm saying, Like I feel like, you know,
I could play with a sense of freedom and a
sense of peace, like learning the system, just being more confident,
you know what I'm saying, knowing everybody more and I
think more so it is just my faith in God,
like man, like God, I'm just doing this for you,
so like, just grant me your peace and freedom. Just
go out there and have fun and be a good captain,
to have contagious energy.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
You are playing, you're always going to be thought a
first round pick, third overall pick. Do you do you
ever let that go? Is there an added pressure with that?
Does it leave after your rookie season? How do you
deal with something like that when there's so many high
expectations with you coming into this league.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
Yeah, I would just say Damiico ryans Man. When we
got drafted, he sat me in CJ down his office
and he was just like, man, like, I don't care
where y'all got picked at, Like, you don't have to
come in here and be superman. We're not asking you
to come in here and do anything out of the ordinary.
We're not asking y'all to come in here and do
nothing else more than what you did in college. And
I think that gave us just a sense of like, dang, Like, okay,
(03:36):
we're good. So we just came in there. We was
being ourselves. Man, we're hard workers. You know, we love
the game of football. And then people noticed that we're
and you know, they respected us for that. And when
you had your teammates behind you, it's easy for you
to go out there and playing.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Now, some of us thought maybe a year ago that
you guys would be playing in this game. Yeah, you
made it as far as you did the year before,
didn't have as many wins as the year before.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
However, how do you characterize this season?
Speaker 2 (04:00):
I think us in the media would say up and
down for the Texans because we thought you guys were
maybe gonna be.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Playing in this game. How do you look at what
you guys did in twenty twenty four?
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Yeah, man, I'm super proud of this team, you know
what I'm saying, Like, I always have to start with
the positives, man, Like I say, we have a really
special team. Man, A bunch of great guys in there,
and we worked our butts off, you know what I'm saying,
Like the word we didn't go unnoticed, you know, from
training camp all the way into like practice every day
up into the game. Like, we had a really great squad.
And I think the only thing that we just mentally
(04:29):
got to be better. We have to do a better
job of execution, execution with something that we were talking
about from the first game to the last game. And
when we could start turning to execute, turn those mental
errors into execution, we can go as far as we
want to go, but it just starts with making sure
that we're mentally prepared. And you know, you can sit
up here and say, coach this, coach that, But as players,
we have to look ourselves in the mirror. As being
a captain on this team, we have to make sure
(04:50):
that we're prepared and we're going home and we're staying
after extra and we're getting together and watching the film
a little.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Bit more on the mental part of it. Is it
different being the hunted as opposed to being the ones
who are hunting like you were in your first year?
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Yeah, I mean for me, I don't really look at
it that way, you know what I'm saying. I look
at it it's like every day, every since, no matter
what your record is, every week is a challenge. It's
the NFL. Every team is gonna be good. Like you
see teams with this record beat teams like this, you
know what I'm saying. So Like to me, I didn't
really look at it that way. I looked at it
as like nobody's gonna lay out for us just because
we went and got all these free agents. We went
and got all me see, like nobody's gonna lay out
(05:23):
for us. Every week is going to be a challenge,
and we're gonna go outgainst teams who might have a
not a good record to us. We're gonna go against
teams who might have a better record than us. But
how are we showing up to the fight?
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Will Anderson, Houston Texans ed Rusher journeying us here on
Fox Sports Radio. I'm Dan byer Well is here courtesy
of Jeff. I got the creamy to go pack sitting
right next to me that I'm going to dive into
in a little bit. Let's dive into Demiko Ryance, you
m and c J. Stroud are are the two year guys?
This two year tryang'a. I'll just say, but he's a
defensive guy, So how do you work with him? What
(05:56):
makes him such a unique coach and such a coach
that can have success early on in his NFL coaching career.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
What makes him so special?
Speaker 4 (06:04):
He understands that he gets it, He gets the players,
He knows how to get through to his players. He
has his hands on his players, and he's so involved
with us. And it's not that long ago that that
he didn't play, so he still approaches everything like he's
a player, Like he approaches us with that captain mindset.
Like I'm like a middle linebacker. Will you know what
I'm saying. And it's easy for God to grab exactly
(06:26):
what he wants. And the way he approaches us is
he wants the best for us. He wants to go
out he wants us go out there and play to
the highest level that we can, not only to win
games because he cares that much about us, because he's
been those shoes before.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Was there friction on the offensive side this year?
Speaker 2 (06:39):
We heard some stuff about maybe the coaches and players weren't.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
Necessarily on the same page. Did you experience any of them?
I didn't experience any of that at all. You know
what I'm saying. It's football, And you want to like
for me, Me and my Delon coach, you know, I
love him to death and we always talk it about
it's okay to have a little scruff for here and there,
like that's what you need. That's how you get the
best out of each other. And I'm excited, you know
what I'm saying this new year and what's going to happen,
you know, bringing in the new coach and whatever like that.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
And CJ's going to continue the ball.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
She's just going to continue to be a good captain
over there, and you know, lead those guys and lead
this team. And I can't wait to keep see him,
watch and keep seeing what the new coach does.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
What are the expectations for twenty twenty five?
Speaker 4 (07:17):
I mean, I've always a Super Bowl, but I feel
like the expectation right now is for us to jail together,
keep building that team chemistry, and then join our process.
We can't let the outside noise filter into the building.
We can't let what you know offens the media, anybody say,
filter into the building. Like, we have to stick to
our own standard, our own expectation of who we are.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Does it take you off?
Speaker 2 (07:35):
And someone like me or anybody else says Texans and
I'm not the same team this year, And like do
you hear that noise?
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Does it bother you?
Speaker 4 (07:41):
It doesn't really bother me because my mom sat is
bro Like I know who we have in the locker room.
I know the type of guys that we have, and
I know the hard work that we put in on
that field every day. What does it take to beat
Kansas City?
Speaker 2 (07:50):
You guys face them twice and they weren't able to
get wus in those games. But how if you're Philadelphia,
do you stop them on Sunday?
Speaker 4 (07:56):
Man, it's going to be a battle upfront. Man, they
can get a good job of containing Patrick Mahomes. Man,
it's gonna be really good for them. But it's really
just how mentally sounded are you locked in? They're a
really great team, and they know their scheme really well,
and they gel together really well. They've been playing together
for a long time, and they know how to win games.
And that's what I come in pat on all the time,
Like he's such a great quarterback, but he knows how
(08:17):
to find a way to win games.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
And that's what makes them so dangerous and special.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Before I ask you how you teamed up with Jeff,
I do have to ask about Alabama Crimson tied, missed
the twelve team playoff. What's it gonna take here? What's
it like down in Tuscaloosa right now? With killing the board?
Now I was the head coach.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Yeah, I haven't been down there, but you know, I
never wanted to be the player that love and you know,
dragged the program through the bud and dragged the players
through the mud because I know how hard it is
down there, and I know how much hard work. Those
guys put in down there, and you know, I think
he's in a good situation. A lot of great players,
great people, They are great fans there, and they're going
to continue to have success because that's what Alabama's about.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
What do we not know about Nick Saban that? You
know as a player, I was.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
He got a little jokes him, healking he be playing,
He got a little he got like a little kiddy
side to him.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Man, he works on TV, Like I think a lot
of people didn't think he could make the transition.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
But he has a personality like the more you talk
with him, the more you spend time with him, he'll
open up to you, and like, you really get a
chance to see that. And you know, my last year there,
you know, I kind of stayed in his office all
the time just because talking about football, talking about life,
you know, just talk about all sorts of type of things.
And you know, I really got to see a different,
different side of him. And then I really appreciate him
because he thinks so highly of me, and I just
(09:30):
think so highly of him, and.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
He's really a great coach. How did you team up
with Jiff here at the Super Bowl? Yeah? Man, it's
all about saving the cellary.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
You know, over a billion people eat wings every day
in the Super Bowl, with every Super Bowl, and you
know I'll partner up with Jeff to save the salary.
So we're gonna save the salary by getting some peanut
butter action in.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
So I'm excited about that. Well, thanks so much for
stopping by it. I know it's busy and on. You're here,
there and everywhere. We appreciate your time and good luck.
In twenty twenty five, thank yall for Will Anderson, Houston
Texans shunnings here on Fox Sports Radio. Super Bowl Week
at Super Bowl fifty nine of New Orleans rolls on
in Fox Sports Radio. I'm Dan Byer, joined by a
(10:06):
running back tandem that was oh so close to playing
in this game, the elephant in the room, Brian Robinson
and Austin Eckler. How much does it sting to see
Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley on those banners knowing you
guys were so close.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
Oh like it, man, We're gonna just get it out
of the way man right away. You know, you have
a season, you have so much going for you. You're building, building, building,
and to go out like we did. Is Yeah, definitely hurts,
you know, but hey, there's definitely stuff to be proud about.
But you know again, we're playing for championships and we
put ourselves in a position to get there, and so yeah,
(10:42):
we're definitely still feeling that. That's something that you know,
we'll feel for, you know, for I mean, we'll never
we'llever Yeah, you know, we'll never forget this season for
for multiple reasons.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
And I'm being honest here, it's been a week and
a half. Does it still suck.
Speaker 5 (10:54):
Yeah, it'll it'll suck to probably after after this and
I gotta I gotta forget and be like mentally gone
to the next season.
Speaker 6 (11:00):
And uh, you know, I'm here at the super Bowl.
So I mean we're still still in it.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Everybody, though, we'll look at outside of being in the
locker room and say what a great season for the
Commanders and what you guys were able to accomplish in
training camp. Dan Quinn comes in our fault. Dan Quinn's
the last hire were saying, Okay, well this is just Washington.
They're they're gonna have a get ready year with Jane
Daniel's new head coach and the whole deal did you
(11:25):
guys feel any different in training camp with the coaching
staff that you had, that you could have a season
like this.
Speaker 7 (11:32):
I think I think we knew, we knew what type
of team we was putting together. You know, we was
going to work every day preparing together, you know, learning
each other, and you know, we knew what we was
putting together. Whether you know, any nobody believed in us,
nobody have to believe in us.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
We believed in each other.
Speaker 7 (11:50):
You know, we showed up the work every day, uh
and put the work in like we knew what we
wanted to where we wanted to go, and what we
wanted to accomplish. And we made everybody, We made everybody
feel it absolutely.
Speaker 5 (12:03):
You know, we had I think we had like sixty
new players on our nine man roster, and so it
was like a ton of just new right, new coaches,
new players, new ownership, and so there's a whole new
vibe when it came to what was going on with
the Washington Commanders. And for us, you know, we can't
listen to any of the outside noise. If you do that,
you know, you drive yourself crazy. Because for us, we
got to make sure everything's internal. We believe in ourselves.
(12:25):
We set our own standards, we hold ourselves accountable, and
then we push our own ball, our own bar. And
when we do that, then the expectations of the buzz
around the city, around the media will continued to change
because you guys are more reactive in the media. You know,
that's the only way you can be because you don't
have an inside scoop, you know. So for us, we're
forward thinking, we're in it, We're the ones actually putting
(12:46):
the product together. And so for us, we have one
hundred percent belief in ourselves that everything we're doing, and
so for us, our expectations where hey, we'll go out
there give it our best instead of high bar.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Austin Eckler Brian Robinson of the Washington Commanders here on
behalf of bounty, can of football without winging, kind of
wings without bounty. You guys are repping the letterman's jackets,
no doubt. We'll get to that in a little bit.
I'm curious on your dynamic here because Austin, you're the veteran,
but you were in d C for three years, so
you're kind of the new guy.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
How does how does that work?
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Do you play off of the young guy or are
you the veteran coming in and trying to give him
even more knowledge?
Speaker 3 (13:20):
Is his career moves on? How did that work? You know?
Speaker 5 (13:23):
These Bees established himself and you know, for me, you know,
you mentioned I'm the Hey, I'm the veteran.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
You know, Idy call you old as you said, veteran, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (13:31):
If it's eight years. But what I've I've appreciated this
about Be this year. And you know, I can just
see his leadership coming through.
Speaker 5 (13:37):
You know, I've been a captain on you know, the
charges for the last four years, but I can see
Bee coming into that that position now. And so for
me it's really cool to be beside him and let
him lead and be and let him and see him
come into this this kind of leadership role that he's
he's growing into and he's been he's been doing a
great job. And when it comes to us as players,
obviously we have different attributes, different you know, bodies differ.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
For you know, things that make us special.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
And so that was no doubt coming in, and you know,
I didn't know what to expect, you know, you know,
just personalities and stuff like that. But I feel like
we've been able to match pretty well. You know, we
we we do bounce off each other because we have
different styles, different schemes that you know, we're both used
in on our offense with Cliff Kingsbury. So, uh, in
my experience so far, it's been it's been great. And
looking forward to another year with him.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
How did you feel when he came in?
Speaker 2 (14:23):
What did did you Were you open to that, to
being that leader that he kind of talked about.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Definitely?
Speaker 7 (14:29):
Uh, you know, obviously I knew I knew austin game,
you know well before he came in, been know him
as a person, so you know, obviously getting getting to
know him as a person, you know, even better person than.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
He is a player.
Speaker 7 (14:41):
So you know, just you know, being out there with him,
I knew, I knew what you know that was, you
know what he was coming there for. He was coming
there to know no compliment me, and I was compliment him.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
You know.
Speaker 7 (14:53):
We two completely different type of guys too, completely different
styles and he's one of the best at what he does,
you know, in his style, and I wanted the best
to you know what I do with my style. So
just you know, being able to just compliment each other, well,
you know, like with whatever is you know, put in
front of us all the time, just being able to
(15:15):
just make it work between the both of us, whether
it's something I need to do or something he needs
to do. We are always on the same page with
how we're going to get stuff done and how we're
going to you know, attack our process weekend and week
out best. So on Sunday, you know, there's no question
that you know, in the running back room, you know,
guys like me and Austin to lead the room. You know,
we ready for whatever that comes with that.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
You know, I think it gives a little give some
credit to just Addam Peters two for bringing in and
kind of just seeing and making our roster really versatile
where we have a lot of different players, even at
the same position that can do a lot of different things.
And so when you have that and you give that
to Cliff Kingsbury and he's creative, you know, and he's
putting his offense together and you throw Jay and Daniels
on top of that, it's it's a recipe for you know,
(15:57):
the hard, hard thing to defend. And as we can
see this and that's that's why we had as much
success as we did.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
When did you know that was gonna work with Jayden?
Speaker 5 (16:04):
I mean it's hard to tell with rookie quarterbacks because
you don't really get to see them like really playing
until like you get into the games, like you know,
we kind of you know, how to play like a
quarter or like a drive. You know, in preseason you
can see his athleticism, you can see all that, but
until you get into you know, live games where people
are actually taking you to the ground, and how do
you react to that. You know, how you react into
(16:25):
to change that you can't simulate in preseason or or
you know, practice is something that you have to see.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
And so I think he continued to progress. He learned
so much this year.
Speaker 5 (16:35):
I know, him just being a runner, you know, at
the beginning, I think this first game he had like
sixteen runs like a jade.
Speaker 6 (16:41):
Yeah that's great, we know you can run. That's awesome.
That came alive.
Speaker 5 (16:44):
But okay, let's now he start to like, let's look
to start running to throw and so you start to
see him doing that. So you start to continue to
see him progress as a players at the quarterback position.
It has been pretty special then. I mean it didn't
take but more than like you know, two three games.
You know, like, Okay, this guy's definitely got some juice
in some play making ability.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
You meant Adam Peters, your owner Josh Harris said on
Monday that this name is going to stay. You're gonna
be the Commanders. I had never heard of the commander's standard.
How much has that talked about in the locker room
every day?
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Every week?
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Every week?
Speaker 6 (17:11):
Every week? You know, for us, it's it felt new
to us.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
I don't know, maybe didn't get on a national level,
maybe it was local, but it felt new.
Speaker 6 (17:19):
I mean that's because it was for us.
Speaker 7 (17:21):
Sure, for us, it's for nobody else because at the
end of the day, we don't expect you know, the
outside people to you know, you be on point with
our standard or you know, even live up to our standard.
Like the standard is for the gods. That's in that room,
and we hold ourselves, hold each other accountable to that standard.
And that's why we had the success we have on
(17:41):
the season, and people on the outside have no clue
on how or why that happened.
Speaker 5 (17:47):
And and so for us, you know, when it comes
to actually your standard, it's it's an internal thing. And
that's be saying that if we even told you, guys
wouldn't understand it because you don't live in there.
Speaker 6 (17:56):
You don't feel the energy in there.
Speaker 5 (17:57):
You don't see the thing, the little things that we're
doing to make sure it's implemented, the accountability that we have.
What does that accountably look like? You know, coaches bringing
up different clips. You know, we're talking through things, Hey,
this is this is not it? This is it? Like
all these little things that add up to what our
standard is and how we hold ourselves to that. So
it wouldn't even make sense to go through everything just
because it's I mean, it would take forever because you'd
have to know what we do as a football team
(18:19):
and football players. And so for us, it makes sense
and it worked for us, and it's something that we're
going to continue to hold going forward.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
We'll get to Bounty in a sect. But I got
one more football on for you. Top three craziest games
you guys played this year. Okay, I know Bears seems
to be on top, but you guys beat the Giants
kicking seven field goals.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
That Cowboys game was crazy.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
The I mean, the Buccaneers game in the playoff was
was what it was?
Speaker 3 (18:45):
You had a tight one a get but I mean.
Speaker 8 (18:46):
It was Falcons game, Yeah, yeah, it was if you
had the Goose games top three, yeah, the second Eagles,
yeah yeah, the week sixteen if you had to ring,
I mean the Giant.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
I'll tell you what.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Week two when you guys won on seven field goals
and they didn't have a kicker because you know, you know,
so they had to go for it every time. I'm like,
maybe there's something the Bengals game than the next week.
I don't think you guys punted, no, I mean no,
we didn't put for two weeks in a row. Hey, dude,
it's crazy that the whole season was wild, man, it was.
It was wild for for many reasons.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
But yeah, those close games, finding ways to win and uh,
you know, even even Marcus coming in, you know and
making plays too.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
You know.
Speaker 5 (19:27):
Just seeing the team come together and finding different ways
to win with different players. It's pretty special and it's
what contributed to us having a crazy season like we did.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Well, you guys are here on we have a bounding.
We got to play the wings here. How'd you guys
team up with bounding before.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
We lely go? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (19:40):
Shout out to Bounty for having us out here, you know,
it's something that we've we've been a part of. It
is customed to us, you know, you know the saying
you mentioned it as we came in. You can't have
football with that wings. You can't wings without Bounty. And
I've used him for a long time and do a
lot of partnerships with them. So glad to be here
repping the brand.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
The Bounty wing Man, Brian Robinson and Austin Eckler, the
Washington Commanders, thank so much for being on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 6 (20:01):
Guys, thanks for having us.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
I'm Dan Byer here live at Super Bowl fifty nine.
Ladies and gentlemen, you want experience during your football season,
well buckle up, sweet cheeks. We've got all the experience
in the world. This is I Want Your Flex with
Dan Bayer and Mike Harmon. Mike and Dan break down
everything you need to set your lineups, from position rankings
(00:22):
to starts and sits. The guys help you make those
hard decisions and now let's get your flex onde. Here's
Dan Bayer and Mike Harmon.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Welcome in another edition of I Want Your Flex. I'm
Dan Byer and it is a unique episode. As you
may have noticed throughout this off season, Mike Harmon and
myself will try to give you some content to get
you through what is the off season here. And one
of the great things about what we get to do
is we get an opportunity to sometimes talk to the
(00:53):
stars that we talked about each week here on this
podcast and full week in Warland, I was fortunate enough
to catch up with a couple of NFL stars, Austin
Eckler and Brian Robinson to the Washington Commanders, and Will Anderson,
junior edge rusher from the Houston Texans, joined me during
Super Bowl Week to talk about their seasons and what
(01:15):
is ahead.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
This is now our.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Opportunity to give you an opportunity to hear those conversations.
So we hope you enjoy it even though we don't
have any football going on right now, and we hope
you keep on listing to I Want Your Flex Live
at Super Bowl fifty nine Fox Sports Radio. I'm Dan Byer,
joining me on this Friday, one of the young I
(01:37):
don't even want to say up and coming because I
feel that you've arrived. Will Anderson Junior of the Houston Texans,
thanks so much for joining us here in Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
You're twenty three years old, two years into the league,
two playoff appearances, Defensive Player of the Rookie, Defensive Rookie
of the Year last year. You're getting Defensive Player of
the Year votes this year. Do you feel you have
arrived even at twenty three years old in the National
Football League?
Speaker 3 (01:58):
No, I haven't.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
It's still so much more of my game that I
want to continue to improve on, to get better at.
And I feel like I've even reached the surface of
that yet. Man.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
And I'm just so passionate.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
I really love this game so much, and I just
want to continue to see my game grow. And I
know that it's so much more left out there, you know,
for me to continue to climb and get better at
and continue to you know, strive to where I want
to be at.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Will Anderson joining us here on Fox Sports Radio on
behalf of Jiff my favorite peanut butter that's not even
part of the plug, that's just there absolutely.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
And Jeff Creamy a numero.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
You know, when you look at year one, I play golf,
When I go to a new golf course, I have
no idea what to expect. It's so much easier the
second time around. What was it like for you in
year two?
Speaker 3 (02:39):
It was way more easier than this year around.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
You know what I'm saying, Like I feel like, you know,
I could play with a sense of freedom and a
sense of peace, like learning the system, just being more confident,
you know what I'm saying, knowing everybody more and I
think more so it is just my faith in God,
like man, like God, I'm just doing this for you,
so like, just grant me your peace and freedom. Just
go out there and have fun and be a good captain,
to have contagious energy.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
You are playing, you're always going to be thought a
first round pick, third overall pick. Do you do you
ever let that go? Is there an added pressure with that?
Does it leave after your rookie season? How do you
deal with something like that when there's so many high
expectations with you coming into this league.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
Yeah, I would just say Damiico ryans Man. When we
got drafted, he sat me in CJ down his office
and he was just like, man, like, I don't care
where y'all got picked at, Like, you don't have to
come in here and be superman. We're not asking you
to come in here and do anything out of the ordinary.
We're not asking y'all to come in here and do
nothing else more than what you did in college. And
I think that gave us just a sense of like, dang, Like, okay,
(03:36):
we're good. So we just came in there. We was
being ourselves. Man, we're hard workers. You know, we love
the game of football. And then people noticed that we're
and you know, they respected us for that. And when
you had your teammates behind you, it's easy for you
to go out there and playing.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Now, some of us thought maybe a year ago that
you guys would be playing in this game. Yeah, you
made it as far as you did the year before,
didn't have as many wins as the year before.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
However, how do you characterize this season?
Speaker 2 (04:00):
I think us in the media would say up and
down for the Texans because we thought you guys were
maybe gonna be.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Playing in this game. How do you look at what
you guys did in twenty twenty four?
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Yeah, man, I'm super proud of this team, you know
what I'm saying, Like, I always have to start with
the positives, man, Like I say, we have a really
special team. Man, A bunch of great guys in there,
and we worked our butts off, you know what I'm saying,
Like the word we didn't go unnoticed, you know, from
training camp all the way into like practice every day
up into the game. Like, we had a really great squad.
And I think the only thing that we just mentally
(04:29):
got to be better. We have to do a better
job of execution, execution with something that we were talking
about from the first game to the last game. And
when we could start turning to execute, turn those mental
errors into execution, we can go as far as we
want to go, but it just starts with making sure
that we're mentally prepared. And you know, you can sit
up here and say, coach this, coach that, But as players,
we have to look ourselves in the mirror. As being
a captain on this team, we have to make sure
(04:50):
that we're prepared and we're going home and we're staying
after extra and we're getting together and watching the film
a little.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Bit more on the mental part of it. Is it
different being the hunted as opposed to being the ones
who are hunting like you were in your first year?
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Yeah, I mean for me, I don't really look at
it that way, you know what I'm saying. I look
at it it's like every day, every since, no matter
what your record is, every week is a challenge. It's
the NFL. Every team is gonna be good. Like you
see teams with this record beat teams like this, you
know what I'm saying. So Like to me, I didn't
really look at it that way. I looked at it
as like nobody's gonna lay out for us just because
we went and got all these free agents. We went
and got all me see, like nobody's gonna lay out
(05:23):
for us. Every week is going to be a challenge,
and we're gonna go outgainst teams who might have a
not a good record to us. We're gonna go against
teams who might have a better record than us. But
how are we showing up to the fight?
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Will Anderson, Houston Texans ed Rusher journeying us here on
Fox Sports Radio. I'm Dan byer Well is here courtesy
of Jeff. I got the creamy to go pack sitting
right next to me that I'm going to dive into
in a little bit. Let's dive into Demiko Ryance, you
m and c J. Stroud are are the two year guys?
This two year tryang'a. I'll just say, but he's a
defensive guy, So how do you work with him? What
(05:56):
makes him such a unique coach and such a coach
that can have success early on in his NFL coaching career.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
What makes him so special?
Speaker 4 (06:04):
He understands that he gets it, He gets the players,
He knows how to get through to his players. He
has his hands on his players, and he's so involved
with us. And it's not that long ago that that
he didn't play, so he still approaches everything like he's
a player, Like he approaches us with that captain mindset.
Like I'm like a middle linebacker. Will you know what
I'm saying. And it's easy for God to grab exactly
(06:26):
what he wants. And the way he approaches us is
he wants the best for us. He wants to go
out he wants us go out there and play to
the highest level that we can, not only to win
games because he cares that much about us, because he's
been those shoes before.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Was there friction on the offensive side this year?
Speaker 2 (06:39):
We heard some stuff about maybe the coaches and players weren't.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
Necessarily on the same page. Did you experience any of them?
I didn't experience any of that at all. You know
what I'm saying. It's football, And you want to like
for me, Me and my Delon coach, you know, I
love him to death and we always talk it about
it's okay to have a little scruff for here and there,
like that's what you need. That's how you get the
best out of each other. And I'm excited, you know
what I'm saying this new year and what's going to happen,
you know, bringing in the new coach and whatever like that.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
And CJ's going to continue the ball.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
She's just going to continue to be a good captain
over there, and you know, lead those guys and lead
this team. And I can't wait to keep see him,
watch and keep seeing what the new coach does.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
What are the expectations for twenty twenty five?
Speaker 4 (07:17):
I mean, I've always a Super Bowl, but I feel
like the expectation right now is for us to jail together,
keep building that team chemistry, and then join our process.
We can't let the outside noise filter into the building.
We can't let what you know offens the media, anybody say,
filter into the building. Like, we have to stick to
our own standard, our own expectation of who we are.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Does it take you off?
Speaker 2 (07:35):
And someone like me or anybody else says Texans and
I'm not the same team this year, And like do
you hear that noise?
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Does it bother you?
Speaker 4 (07:41):
It doesn't really bother me because my mom sat is
bro Like I know who we have in the locker room.
I know the type of guys that we have, and
I know the hard work that we put in on
that field every day. What does it take to beat
Kansas City?
Speaker 2 (07:50):
You guys face them twice and they weren't able to
get wus in those games. But how if you're Philadelphia,
do you stop them on Sunday?
Speaker 4 (07:56):
Man, it's going to be a battle upfront. Man, they
can get a good job of containing Patrick Mahomes. Man,
it's gonna be really good for them. But it's really
just how mentally sounded are you locked in? They're a
really great team, and they know their scheme really well,
and they gel together really well. They've been playing together
for a long time, and they know how to win games.
And that's what I come in pat on all the time,
Like he's such a great quarterback, but he knows how
(08:17):
to find a way to win games.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
And that's what makes them so dangerous and special.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Before I ask you how you teamed up with Jeff,
I do have to ask about Alabama Crimson tied, missed
the twelve team playoff. What's it gonna take here? What's
it like down in Tuscaloosa right now? With killing the board?
Now I was the head coach.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Yeah, I haven't been down there, but you know, I
never wanted to be the player that love and you know,
dragged the program through the bud and dragged the players
through the mud because I know how hard it is
down there, and I know how much hard work. Those
guys put in down there, and you know, I think
he's in a good situation. A lot of great players,
great people, They are great fans there, and they're going
to continue to have success because that's what Alabama's about.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
What do we not know about Nick Saban that? You
know as a player, I was.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
He got a little jokes him, healking he be playing,
He got a little he got like a little kiddy
side to him.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Man, he works on TV, Like I think a lot
of people didn't think he could make the transition.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
But he has a personality like the more you talk
with him, the more you spend time with him, he'll
open up to you, and like, you really get a
chance to see that. And you know, my last year there,
you know, I kind of stayed in his office all
the time just because talking about football, talking about life,
you know, just talk about all sorts of type of things.
And you know, I really got to see a different,
different side of him. And then I really appreciate him
because he thinks so highly of me, and I just
(09:30):
think so highly of him, and.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
He's really a great coach. How did you team up
with Jiff here at the Super Bowl? Yeah? Man, it's
all about saving the cellary.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
You know, over a billion people eat wings every day
in the Super Bowl, with every Super Bowl, and you
know I'll partner up with Jeff to save the salary.
So we're gonna save the salary by getting some peanut
butter action in.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
So I'm excited about that. Well, thanks so much for
stopping by it. I know it's busy and on. You're here,
there and everywhere. We appreciate your time and good luck.
In twenty twenty five, thank yall for Will Anderson, Houston
Texans shunnings here on Fox Sports Radio. Super Bowl Week
at Super Bowl fifty nine of New Orleans rolls on
in Fox Sports Radio. I'm Dan Byer, joined by a
(10:06):
running back tandem that was oh so close to playing
in this game, the elephant in the room, Brian Robinson
and Austin Eckler. How much does it sting to see
Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley on those banners knowing you
guys were so close.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
Oh like it, man, We're gonna just get it out
of the way man right away. You know, you have
a season, you have so much going for you. You're building, building, building,
and to go out like we did. Is Yeah, definitely hurts,
you know, but hey, there's definitely stuff to be proud about.
But you know again, we're playing for championships and we
put ourselves in a position to get there, and so yeah,
(10:42):
we're definitely still feeling that. That's something that you know,
we'll feel for, you know, for I mean, we'll never
we'llever Yeah, you know, we'll never forget this season for
for multiple reasons.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
And I'm being honest here, it's been a week and
a half. Does it still suck.
Speaker 5 (10:54):
Yeah, it'll it'll suck to probably after after this and
I gotta I gotta forget and be like mentally gone
to the next season.
Speaker 6 (11:00):
And uh, you know, I'm here at the super Bowl.
So I mean we're still still in it.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Everybody, though, we'll look at outside of being in the
locker room and say what a great season for the
Commanders and what you guys were able to accomplish in
training camp. Dan Quinn comes in our fault. Dan Quinn's
the last hire were saying, Okay, well this is just Washington.
They're they're gonna have a get ready year with Jane
Daniel's new head coach and the whole deal did you
(11:25):
guys feel any different in training camp with the coaching
staff that you had, that you could have a season
like this.
Speaker 7 (11:32):
I think I think we knew, we knew what type
of team we was putting together. You know, we was
going to work every day preparing together, you know, learning
each other, and you know, we knew what we was
putting together. Whether you know, any nobody believed in us,
nobody have to believe in us.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
We believed in each other.
Speaker 7 (11:50):
You know, we showed up the work every day, uh
and put the work in like we knew what we
wanted to where we wanted to go, and what we
wanted to accomplish. And we made everybody, We made everybody
feel it absolutely.
Speaker 5 (12:03):
You know, we had I think we had like sixty
new players on our nine man roster, and so it
was like a ton of just new right, new coaches,
new players, new ownership, and so there's a whole new
vibe when it came to what was going on with
the Washington Commanders. And for us, you know, we can't
listen to any of the outside noise. If you do that,
you know, you drive yourself crazy. Because for us, we
got to make sure everything's internal. We believe in ourselves.
(12:25):
We set our own standards, we hold ourselves accountable, and
then we push our own ball, our own bar. And
when we do that, then the expectations of the buzz
around the city, around the media will continued to change
because you guys are more reactive in the media. You know,
that's the only way you can be because you don't
have an inside scoop, you know. So for us, we're
forward thinking, we're in it, We're the ones actually putting
(12:46):
the product together. And so for us, we have one
hundred percent belief in ourselves that everything we're doing, and
so for us, our expectations where hey, we'll go out
there give it our best instead of high bar.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Austin Eckler Brian Robinson of the Washington Commanders here on
behalf of bounty, can of football without winging, kind of
wings without bounty. You guys are repping the letterman's jackets,
no doubt. We'll get to that in a little bit.
I'm curious on your dynamic here because Austin, you're the veteran,
but you were in d C for three years, so
you're kind of the new guy.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
How does how does that work?
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Do you play off of the young guy or are
you the veteran coming in and trying to give him
even more knowledge?
Speaker 3 (13:20):
Is his career moves on? How did that work? You know?
Speaker 5 (13:23):
These Bees established himself and you know, for me, you know,
you mentioned I'm the Hey, I'm the veteran.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
You know, Idy call you old as you said, veteran, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (13:31):
If it's eight years. But what I've I've appreciated this
about Be this year. And you know, I can just
see his leadership coming through.
Speaker 5 (13:37):
You know, I've been a captain on you know, the
charges for the last four years, but I can see
Bee coming into that that position now. And so for
me it's really cool to be beside him and let
him lead and be and let him and see him
come into this this kind of leadership role that he's
he's growing into and he's been he's been doing a
great job. And when it comes to us as players,
obviously we have different attributes, different you know, bodies differ.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
For you know, things that make us special.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
And so that was no doubt coming in, and you know,
I didn't know what to expect, you know, you know,
just personalities and stuff like that. But I feel like
we've been able to match pretty well. You know, we
we we do bounce off each other because we have
different styles, different schemes that you know, we're both used
in on our offense with Cliff Kingsbury. So, uh, in
my experience so far, it's been it's been great. And
looking forward to another year with him.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
How did you feel when he came in?
Speaker 2 (14:23):
What did did you Were you open to that, to
being that leader that he kind of talked about.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Definitely?
Speaker 7 (14:29):
Uh, you know, obviously I knew I knew austin game,
you know well before he came in, been know him
as a person, so you know, obviously getting getting to
know him as a person, you know, even better person than.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
He is a player.
Speaker 7 (14:41):
So you know, just you know, being out there with him,
I knew, I knew what you know that was, you
know what he was coming there for. He was coming
there to know no compliment me, and I was compliment him.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
You know.
Speaker 7 (14:53):
We two completely different type of guys too, completely different
styles and he's one of the best at what he does,
you know, in his style, and I wanted the best
to you know what I do with my style. So
just you know, being able to just compliment each other, well,
you know, like with whatever is you know, put in
front of us all the time, just being able to
(15:15):
just make it work between the both of us, whether
it's something I need to do or something he needs
to do. We are always on the same page with
how we're going to get stuff done and how we're
going to you know, attack our process weekend and week
out best. So on Sunday, you know, there's no question
that you know, in the running back room, you know,
guys like me and Austin to lead the room. You know,
we ready for whatever that comes with that.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
You know, I think it gives a little give some
credit to just Addam Peters two for bringing in and
kind of just seeing and making our roster really versatile
where we have a lot of different players, even at
the same position that can do a lot of different things.
And so when you have that and you give that
to Cliff Kingsbury and he's creative, you know, and he's
putting his offense together and you throw Jay and Daniels
on top of that, it's it's a recipe for you know,
(15:57):
the hard, hard thing to defend. And as we can
see this and that's that's why we had as much
success as we did.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
When did you know that was gonna work with Jayden?
Speaker 5 (16:04):
I mean it's hard to tell with rookie quarterbacks because
you don't really get to see them like really playing
until like you get into the games, like you know,
we kind of you know, how to play like a
quarter or like a drive. You know, in preseason you
can see his athleticism, you can see all that, but
until you get into you know, live games where people
are actually taking you to the ground, and how do
you react to that. You know, how you react into
(16:25):
to change that you can't simulate in preseason or or
you know, practice is something that you have to see.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
And so I think he continued to progress. He learned
so much this year.
Speaker 5 (16:35):
I know, him just being a runner, you know, at
the beginning, I think this first game he had like
sixteen runs like a jade.
Speaker 6 (16:41):
Yeah that's great, we know you can run. That's awesome.
That came alive.
Speaker 5 (16:44):
But okay, let's now he start to like, let's look
to start running to throw and so you start to
see him doing that. So you start to continue to
see him progress as a players at the quarterback position.
It has been pretty special then. I mean it didn't
take but more than like you know, two three games.
You know, like, Okay, this guy's definitely got some juice
in some play making ability.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
You meant Adam Peters, your owner Josh Harris said on
Monday that this name is going to stay. You're gonna
be the Commanders. I had never heard of the commander's standard.
How much has that talked about in the locker room
every day?
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Every week?
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Every week?
Speaker 6 (17:11):
Every week? You know, for us, it's it felt new
to us.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
I don't know, maybe didn't get on a national level,
maybe it was local, but it felt new.
Speaker 6 (17:19):
I mean that's because it was for us.
Speaker 7 (17:21):
Sure, for us, it's for nobody else because at the
end of the day, we don't expect you know, the
outside people to you know, you be on point with
our standard or you know, even live up to our standard.
Like the standard is for the gods. That's in that room,
and we hold ourselves, hold each other accountable to that standard.
And that's why we had the success we have on
(17:41):
the season, and people on the outside have no clue
on how or why that happened.
Speaker 5 (17:47):
And and so for us, you know, when it comes
to actually your standard, it's it's an internal thing. And
that's be saying that if we even told you, guys
wouldn't understand it because you don't live in there.
Speaker 6 (17:56):
You don't feel the energy in there.
Speaker 5 (17:57):
You don't see the thing, the little things that we're
doing to make sure it's implemented, the accountability that we have.
What does that accountably look like? You know, coaches bringing
up different clips. You know, we're talking through things, Hey,
this is this is not it? This is it? Like
all these little things that add up to what our
standard is and how we hold ourselves to that. So
it wouldn't even make sense to go through everything just
because it's I mean, it would take forever because you'd
have to know what we do as a football team
(18:19):
and football players. And so for us, it makes sense
and it worked for us, and it's something that we're
going to continue to hold going forward.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
We'll get to Bounty in a sect. But I got
one more football on for you. Top three craziest games
you guys played this year. Okay, I know Bears seems
to be on top, but you guys beat the Giants
kicking seven field goals.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
That Cowboys game was crazy.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
The I mean, the Buccaneers game in the playoff was
was what it was?
Speaker 3 (18:45):
You had a tight one a get but I mean.
Speaker 8 (18:46):
It was Falcons game, Yeah, yeah, it was if you
had the Goose games top three, yeah, the second Eagles,
yeah yeah, the week sixteen if you had to ring,
I mean the Giant.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
I'll tell you what.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Week two when you guys won on seven field goals
and they didn't have a kicker because you know, you know,
so they had to go for it every time. I'm like,
maybe there's something the Bengals game than the next week.
I don't think you guys punted, no, I mean no,
we didn't put for two weeks in a row. Hey, dude,
it's crazy that the whole season was wild, man, it was.
It was wild for for many reasons.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
But yeah, those close games, finding ways to win and uh,
you know, even even Marcus coming in, you know and
making plays too.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
You know.
Speaker 5 (19:27):
Just seeing the team come together and finding different ways
to win with different players. It's pretty special and it's
what contributed to us having a crazy season like we did.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Well, you guys are here on we have a bounding.
We got to play the wings here. How'd you guys
team up with bounding before.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
We lely go? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (19:40):
Shout out to Bounty for having us out here, you know,
it's something that we've we've been a part of. It
is customed to us, you know, you know the saying
you mentioned it as we came in. You can't have
football with that wings. You can't wings without Bounty. And
I've used him for a long time and do a
lot of partnerships with them. So glad to be here
repping the brand.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
The Bounty wing Man, Brian Robinson and Austin Eckler, the
Washington Commanders, thank so much for being on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 6 (20:01):
Guys, thanks for having us.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
I'm Dan Byer here live at Super Bowl fifty nine.
Host
Mike Harmon
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