February 28, 2022 • 43 mins
Former Notre Dame superstar and current Cincinnati Bengal Khalid Kareem joins the pod this week to give an inside look into the Bengals' breakout postseason, Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase's bond, and what former Cincy assistant and new Irish DC Al Golden is like in the locker room. They go on to discuss Khalid's unique NFL Combine experience in 2020, where he was on Draft night when he got the call that told him he'd be a Bengal, and some of the wild questions prospects get asked by teams in the months leading up to the Draft.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
The volume What's Up Everybody? Welcome back to the Inside
Garage podcast comes along with we do while this Conrad
again cam Hart. Today we have a very special guest
with us former Neutre Dame superstar UM Cincinnati Bengal Kelly Kareem.
(00:25):
I want to say what's up to the people that
what's up? What's up? Have you been living? How's how's
the NFL life trained you? You know, bro, it's it's
totally different from college. But it's a huge blessing, just
a blessing to be here. But would just say the
biggest difference is um, the biggest difference, you definitely got
a lot of I think the relationships that you build
(00:47):
is different because it's not really so you. I feel
like on the those special teams where you do go
deep in the playoffs and you make the super Bowl,
it's a family. But I feel like a lot of teams,
a lot of people are there from one we can
go on the next, so you don't have that time
to build those four your relationships. You may be able
to just meet a guy during camp and that's it,
(01:09):
and then you know, you maintain the relationship after. That's cool.
But if you don't. You don't. I think that's the
biggest difference in the relationships. What was like the you
just complete your second year, What was like the biggest
difference between year one and year two. I would say
being more comfortable with the playbook. Um, I think for
everybody here, it is probably really hard to play and
(01:31):
learn football over zoom. So that's what we really have
to do. For my first maybe three or four months
of from O T A still camp, most of that
was on zoom. So I had to learn all the plays,
everything you know on a notebook, which is fine, but
you didn't have the opportunity to go go out there on
the field and you know, make the mistakes and made
the directions. So that was the biggest, you know, challenge
(01:53):
for me. But then you're two, We're back in the building,
so we were able to actually go out there, walk
through stuff, cleaning up a lot of stuff that I
was confused before. It just made you world difference. I
never really thought about like how the freshman had to
I mean, at the freshman rookies had to adapt to
like the zoom even a freshman in college, that's probably
just tough on them. Yeah, I mean it was tough
(02:14):
on everybody, but more specifically for guys who are new
to the system, just trying to learn something virtual and
you know you can't walk through it. I feel like
walk through that's a very slept on part of football. Honestly,
that's what you can all night. So obviously super Bowl
this year then an the other way you wanted it too,
but still it was a great experience. I'm sure it
was um that running the playoffs everything like that. Everybody
(02:35):
doubting y'all. So just what from your eyes, what was
your experience going through the playoffs in the Super Bowl?
I think the thing that made you know, the biggest
just for us, just take it, you know, as a
normal game. Obviously we're playing for a lot, you know,
we have a lot riding every game. But treat it
as a normal game. Everything works yourself out, not trying
to do too much, you know, everyone just doing their job.
And I feel like that's what really cared us all
(02:57):
the way. What was the locker room environment like like
when all got into the playoffs, Like did it shift?
Like did everyone's kind of like all right, now it's time,
you know what I'm saying, Let let's go on let's
go and get this most definitely everybody was had the
same hunger from the beginning, but like there wasn't like
it's a different fuel to the fire. Like we we
knew the team that we had, We knew the opportunity
(03:17):
that we had in front of us, and so that's
something every kid dreams often. You know, for me, it
was from I was six years old, and so I
knew what I wanted and the team knew we wanted.
So we just went out there and when got it.
I mean we were down if you you know, a
few games, was it Tennessee, Kansas City? We were down.
You know, we believe in ourselves. We were like going
(03:38):
back to what I was saying about the relationships, that
was a family. That team was the family. We played
for each other, we played for the god to the
left and right of us, and so that's what truly
got us what we wanted to be. What was interesting
about y'all was I feel like y'all was kind of
like a dark horse. Like I didn't. I didn't think
y'all was gonna get that far honestly, off it like
when your first got to the playoffs, when I said
(03:58):
I was looked at the teams like the Bengals, I'm like,
I don't know, but y'all really surprised me, and I
thank y'all. Gotta like you've got a lot of young stars,
you know what I'm saying. So like I didn't feel
like y'all had the I don't know the chemistry to
do it, but like the way y'all pulled it off,
that was really impressive, and I was really I was
really proud of you. I was really proud of you
and a team. Really. But I mean, in a way
(04:21):
the Bengals making I think it's just because it's a
new name. Yeah, I think it's just because in the
past we weren't, you know, less successful. But like I said,
we believe in each other and that's all we needed.
Only people who need, the guys in the locker room.
And that's, you know, the mindset that we car carrying
around like all the outside know it doesn't matter. Only
(04:43):
that matters that people in this locker room. They just
two years ago what Joe Barrows no one pick right,
Yeah he was two years ago. You guys were like
the worst, but the worst consider the worst team in
the league. And then that sad. What I'm saying, Bro,
it's just I think that's I think that's why people
think about like that, Like the Bengals were just had
the first overall pick and then now they're they're playing
(05:05):
the super Bows. It's crazy fast turnaround. I mean you
can say the same thing about the forty Niners twenty nineteen.
They had what number one, number two picks next year.
And I think the crazy thing about it is if
Joe doesn't go down and get hurt. I don't wish
injury anybody, but if he doesn't get hurt, we don't
(05:27):
get the draft picks, we don't get Jamar Chase, we
don't get help us long away, get us to where
we need to be. I'm not saying that we needed
Joe to get hurt to get us to where we are.
But everything you know happened for a reason. Yeah it
all can it all came together for show? Exactly? How
was it playing with them? Like you see like what
(05:47):
everybody expects like this cool, chill, laid back dude with
this natural leader or what Yeah, Joe's Joe is cool.
I mean you if you would see Joe walking on
just like if you didn't know football. You wouldn't you know,
think about it? Who was that guy? He's a real
chill dude, very likable. One thing I appreciated about him
is um once I got drafted, he was one of
(06:08):
the first two text means like hey, you know Joe,
you know not to meet you, you know what's going
the championship. So I really appreciate it about him, And
only I noticed that not a lot of people are
like this league is he knows everyone that locker room
on the name in their basis and have a conversation
with anybody, So like having that type of leading in
your locker room is huge. Definitely are him in Jamaar's chemistry,
(06:31):
Like I feel like that's kind of unfair, Like they
go from college when the national championship like dominating you
put them on the same team. It's like kind of unfair,
Like how to describe described like their Chemtry their relationship, bro,
It's almost like I can't because it's it's like like
if you have a brother, like you guys are just
on a different wavelength and people can see it, but
like you just don't know, like don't understand it. They
(06:54):
just click and it works, so they keep going definitely
definitely work. I want to ask, like, back to the
super Bowl, like, at what point it was it after
you guys beat the Chiefs? Was it before the national anthem? Like,
at what point didn't hit you like I'm really about
to play in the super Bowl? Um? So it didn't
(07:15):
set in at all, like even that whole week we're
you know, we're practicing, we're going different events. Yeah, okay,
it's just a super Bowl, but exactly, but it wasn't.
It wasn't until I went to you know, pregate wments
before we put on the path, you know, just going
out there doing my you know, activation and coming up
like when I walked out that tunnel and I looked
(07:36):
up and I'm just like, bro, all here, Yeah I was.
I was excited at that moment. And then for me,
it really it really you know hit for me when
we were walking out the tunnel before before we were
introduced and the lights are off and you know there's
just you know, the Orange Colors music player and you
have to smoke. I'm like, Yo, this is everything I
(07:59):
dread right there in front of you. Bro. It was
an unbelievable feeling. I feel like there's like a um
like a stigma, like comparing college and NFL, Like in
the NFL is more so like a business, like people
don't really be able to create that bond, like you know,
how like you and Dalen were like best friends throughout
college and like that was your boy? Is that is
(08:21):
that like stigma? True? And then I felt straight business.
I mean, you got your boys, but at the end
of the day, like like you said, you never know
when this guy is gonna go to the next team
or get traded or whatever. So how is that Like
how should we like trying to go into the NFL
take that come into it with define the minds that
this is a business. Definitely have fun throughout the process,
(08:41):
you know, make friends, you know, it makes build those relationships.
But like I said, it's it's hard because you don't
know when someone else is leaving when you're leaving, So
that's the difficult part. But it's most definitely a business.
Like people always talking about how college is, you know,
a billion dollar industry. It's a big business. But and
if oh, you really see it for what it is,
(09:02):
and it's it's hard to describe it unless you're in it.
Because there's something that I've been through that, people are like, no,
that's not even like it can't be real, Like, oh,
it definitely is, but you can't fathom until you step
foot in that industry. And I feel like that that's
the biggest thing. Um, just don't be shocked, I guess
by anything that you see. I just just accepted I
(09:25):
won't say accepted, but see it for what it is
and understand that this is just a part of the
business and learn how to move accordingly throughout that process.
So kind of with that, would you say, like, could
you compare like a difference a fout like a coach
approach is talking to the team after loss in college
as the NFL, because like you said, it's a little
(09:47):
bit more of a business, Like is there a big
difference between like how like you're at coach in college
and then like the head coach in NFL, Like, let's
have to bring it up again, like let's say after
the Super Bowl loss, Like was more guys like very
intent locked in on him? Was it more like I'm
packing up and getting ready to go? Or is there
a big difference in college NFL? Are not? Really? I
(10:07):
feel like the biggest thing that you had to take
into you know the account when you're thinking about how
coaches are after a loss in college, one loss of
ruin your season, Like you can have a loss and
you'd be out of playoff contention and the prose you
can get in with you know six, you know, possibly
seven losses, So you just gotta keep the guys in
(10:28):
locker room motivated, keep going. I feel like that was
I think what we're tendants seven this year, um, and
those losses definitely hurt, but it wasn't like, you know,
the world with end it's really okay, we still have
an opportunity, but there's still a chance. But that that's
the biggest thing for us, just to keep things perspective,
like it's not over after one loss. UM. But after
(10:50):
the super Bowl, that locker room was you could literally
hear a pin drop, like why, Like, guys weren't really
sit like it didn't seem real. It's almost like we
worked so hard, we got to what we wanted to
go and like I don't want to say the season
wasn't waste, but it's like we did so much. We've
packed for so long, you know, we grinded, we did
(11:11):
everything just to get here and not win that I
feel like that's the part that hurts the most. We
did everything, Everything fell into place for us. It wasn't like,
you know, we just went out there, you know, didn't
play you know, good football because those those some great
guys that played with it. You know, we put our
hearts out just you know, didn't happen for us. Yeah,
I don't think people realize how long that season is.
(11:32):
If you get to that point that's the super Bowl
if you really want to think about it. It was
twenty four because we played the three preseason games and
then we went the whole season and this was the
longest I think, um, this is the longest NFL season
in history because that's the actually that we yeah, the
(11:55):
actually game and so for us to even make it
to that point, it's huge. But that season is long.
That's if you're a rookie. If you're a rookie, you're
going to a super Bowl, uh team. But if you win,
but think about if you win a national championship in
college season is over what maybe second week of January.
(12:17):
Then you jump right into your combine prep doing all
that stuff. Then you after you get drafted, you go
straight to a rookiy Muny camp O t a s
get her a little A couple of weeks break. Did
you go to camp the preseason? You know, the season
you got postseason, you got the super Bowl. You don't
like you almost don't stop for two whole years straight.
(12:39):
Like I'm just now getting my off season, Like my
off season just started, like last week going off? How
going off of how long it is? How do you
mentally stay in it? How do you mentally Like with
some practices, people do like to mentally keep themselves afloat,
you know what I'm saying. My biggest things just having
(13:00):
a separation between football life, Like you can't bring it home.
You go through so much stuff. I mean, that's like
that is your job. It's all you have to worry about.
I mean obviously college that you know, class football, a
bunch of other stuff. But in the pros you have
football that that is your main goal. That is everything,
and so you have to do everything you can. You know,
(13:21):
eat and right, take care of your body, uh, hydration, nutrition,
all that type of stuff. But once you leave the building.
For me, I was like, you know, let me decompress.
I need to step away because you go through you know,
you have so much stimulation during the day that when
you get home you just kind of wanted. But one
thing I did, I picked to put your hobby. Um,
I started building lego? What is that about that? What
(13:47):
is it about that? That? Is it like relaxing? Is
it like a mind? You know what I'm saying? Like
what what is it? It's relaxing And it's time for
me to just be focused on one thing and not
be bothered by anybody else, Like it's just me myself
doing that activity. Um, they have some use in the background,
but it's just really time for me to have like
quiet time to myself because during the day I'm always around,
(14:08):
you know, fifty sixty guys you know, taking my attention,
my time. So when I go home, chill out, I'll
do what I need to do for myself. Then to
go about my night live alone. Oh no, my girls
and two dogs? What wait? How German shepherd and we've
got a lab mix. That's life. Two great dogs, two
(14:31):
great dog breeds. Um. So obviously Coach Golden was he
was a DC for you guys, righters. Coach okay, and
now here's the DC at Netre Dame. And how do
you think knowing him, coming from being coached around him,
not specifically buy him, but how do you think he'll
fit in that Netre Dame bro I think he'll do
(14:53):
great at Notre Dame. I think Al is actually better
in college than the NFL um not not saying he's
not a great coach because he's wait wait, wait pause
the Oliver ferity. Your coaches as their first name, by
their first name, So yeah, sometimes that's weird, just like,
(15:14):
what are you talking about it? Like a coach? I
was like yo out sometimes like yo Al, Like imagine
going up to coach league and saying that. But that
that's the thing. We're all professionals here. This is a business.
We're all to each other as such. In some cases,
(15:35):
if coaches are older, like my outside linebackers coach, he's
like sixty five, I can't call him, you know, mark
stuff for coach stuff. But no, going back to alt,
I was I was great. I mean he recruited me
in high school when he was at University of Miami,
so I boith a little bit of relationship with him there.
They got to the league, he was there and he
(15:56):
was phenomenal. He's he knows football at the back of
his hand and so on. One thing I appreciated him
about him is what helped us the most is halftime.
He would come in, have all the things scripted out,
all of our mistakes, and he wouldn't, you know, you know,
come at anyone or dispecting one even the heck, when
you get this done, but this done, it will come
(16:17):
out and we'll shut the team down in the second half.
Heard about I heard y'all had like, um, I forgot
what this that was, but y'all second half adjustments were
like that was like y'all stignature. That was. I mean,
that was a lot of a lot of the times
y'all come back from these games at the Chief game
three points and second half. But but another thing with
(16:39):
how is that I think he's really huge relationships. Like
he's the same guy every single day, full energy, excited
to see guys, decided to kind of work. And I
think what's what's good about college, He'll have the time
to develop those relationship and those players and feeling the league.
You're dealing with a lot of guys who are already
developed in their ways halfs or you know, the ways,
(17:01):
how they're how they how they go to work. In college,
you know, you can make a player how you want them.
Not not saying that sounds horrible players, but it sounds bad.
You can you can, really, you can truly mold the
player in that being So I think college would do
great for him. He's gonna do great and that's good. Hey,
(17:22):
how's um don't you know how? And maybe I'm just
thinking to deep ntil but that's not in college, Like
everything's broken down like my position, like your position coach
basically your head coach essentially coach Houston here, Like that
was y'all dude, Like you guys didn't really associate with
coach light or like the line, you know what I mean?
So how is that in the league? It's like it
is all the coaches like coaching like a big group
(17:43):
or is your position coach your head coach? Like how
is that? How's that breakdown? Um? That's a good question.
So I'll take you onto like a typical ones here
Thursday for us just to make it make sense. Um,
we will come in, uh, go to a s TV
in the morning and then you go O D meetings.
When you go to your O D meetings, were all
in the group from you know, the back seven to
(18:05):
the front four. Everybody's together. DC kind of goes with
the game plane. Um, the lion coach over the run
stop and then sometimes we'll leave like put out. He'll
come in and he'll talk about the passing game. When
the TVs coach come talk about the passing game. So
we'll learn a little bits and pieces like that throughout
the day. But we're predominantly with our our position coaches.
(18:27):
But every coach has a that's an impact them, like
how we're playing, like how we're defending, Like we have
to know how they're defending the past, but we can
know how to rush the quarterback to the proper watch.
So everybody's you know, working together, So it's it's a
little bit more as a unit thing. In college, when
going into a game plan this year, was there one
(18:47):
player who, like the coach is not that they're like
frantically scrambling trying to figure out why the game plan
for him, but is there one player that was like,
how we really got lock in on this dude to
stop him. Let's see, let's see, Um for one, you
gotta respect Lamar and Jackson. Yeah, that's a that's a
guy you really have to I won't say you change
your whole game plan for but you definitely prep weeks
(19:10):
in the vans, Like we'll prep for Lamar, you know,
just because we have to play him twice a year,
so we have to know, fa fact, what is How
do you how do you prep for that? How do
you prep for that? Though? It's it's similar to like
you actually how do you prep It's like when we
played Nati, like there's no way we definitely didn't can't
(19:31):
be definitely didn't happen. Yeah, yeah, like you put the
receiver or running back at quarterback and let him just work.
So that's live. That's live though. So obviously the combines
coming up. I think guys started going out there on Monday,
um to Indianapolis. The combine prep and combine experience was
(19:54):
a little different for you because COVID hit like right
after the combine, Right, y'all got the combine. But figure, yeah,
pretty do like on personal preday and stuff like that, right, bro,
that whole experience was crazy. Um. It was like like
you have a vision of how things should go and
then you get there in your worlds just flipped upside down. Um.
(20:15):
For me, it's a little different too, because at that
point in time, I had just got surgery on my
left label because I toured against Duke my serior year
and I didn't know until I think after we played
Stanford the final game, and so then I played the
opposite the Bull game with it and got it fixed after.
So my first three weeks of combine prep, I was
(20:36):
just you know, doing normal regular stuff and then I
gotta fix. So then my whole combine experience was just
more so mental, just getting prepared for the interviews, the
meetings and different coaches gms. So my experience is gonna
be totally different than some one else who uh hummerson healthy.
But oh my advice I guess that anybody wants to
(20:58):
combine is just to take the whole experience. And there's
not too many people that will be able to say, yeah,
you know, I went to the COMMA. So you in
the moment, but as soon as you step off that
point and there's a job interview, like doing your best,
look your best, you know, cheat everyone with respect, because
the NFL bro they will you know, they'll hire people,
(21:18):
but do you know the highestone to be a waitress
or someone to drive the bus. So they're always watching it.
So just that's that's what I was. I was actually
told that, like they say, like people are like a
fallow in your group all day and then they report
make the teams like grade you like ten, like he
did well one, like this dude is gonna be a problem.
And there you wouldn't even know. It's just like people
(21:40):
personnel around you and they're just kind of reporting on you.
It's it's weird. M they lost, Um did you did
you participate? Like did you run uh the bench and
all stuff? You didn't do anything and do a single thing. Um,
but I would is there supporting my guys. I've never
(22:03):
I've never read a forty, never read at right. Crazy.
I respect that respect that it doesn't matter once you
get here, like how fast you could run, okay, how
fast you definitely matters all those Oh yeah, bro, my
(22:23):
Verte was a forty. Bro. Nobody cares put so much
weight on that in the pre draft process. Then if
they know that, I really don't know, Like sometimes it
makes no sense because like something that you want you
to do stuff just to do and just see if
you can lock in and prepare for you know, weeks
on and then perform. It's time. I feel like that's
(22:44):
probably the biggest thing, because I truly don't care. Bro.
I mean, they know if you can play or not,
You're you're feelings speak for yourself, honestly, and that's the
biggest thing, that's all. And that's what really a lot
of guys had to go off of my draft process
was because we didn't get the product. So they're like, hey,
you gotta let your phone speak for yourself, and you
have a good film. You have a good film, you
(23:05):
might be out of look right, so you have you
have no idea what your forty might be. I have,
you know, I don't know. I'll be really I'll be
in the fourth seven range. I'm not the Fastes. But
that's good for your side, though, what do you like? Like, Yeah,
(23:29):
that's money, it's money money, just like going through combine. Uh,
like the draft process, obvitoually get interviewed by a lot
of teams and like I was doing like a mock
interview the other day. It's like a former gym, like
they brought in just for us to practice, and like
I'm answering a regular question like yeah, I grew up
here and there, like but he cuts me off. He's like,
(23:50):
do you think you're more of an apple and orange?
And I was like apple show. So there's certain things
where it's like they ask you question like is it
like you like cats or dogs? You always go with
the masculine answer, like with everything water, apple, apple, apple, apple,
(24:14):
because because I don't have to be peeled back, like
I'm just saying what I am. Shut up, that's why.
That's why you that's why you're lucky orange, that's why
you're going. Yeah. But the question, the question they asked
is so crazy. Give me some stuff that they actually
um so I didn't get too much Bisarre stuff. Here
(24:36):
was some stuff that just caught me off. Like I
shout the hand coach, like you know, hey, how you doing.
He gets right to it. When the last time you
smoke the blood? I said what I was like, I
never smoked the day of my life. He's like, no,
never never tried to know, I said, coach, nothing, I said,
you can test me right now, nothing I smoke, okay,
(25:01):
interested you just can't write your stuff down. So it
was it was stuff like that, Like there's there's sometimes
I'll tell you this, if they ask you a question,
assuming we already know the answer to it because they've
gone their research, So don't lie, just be honest. So
I didn't. I didn't have anything for them to really
dig up. So I was just having a good time
with it. That's good. That's good. Some people probably be
(25:23):
stressing awesome time, but they just want to see if
you want to be honest, like, don't lie to them,
Like just keep it, keep it a whole band with
and be like, hey, what happened. You know I learned
from it? You know I've grown, this is how you
(25:45):
know past now. So I always want to kind of
wanted to notice, did you have any idea that you're
going to the Bengals? Like no idea? No idea? They
I mean, Bro, it's like if you're not the top
ten guy, Mr Hamilton, actually you really don't know where
(26:07):
you're gonna get draftedly you have you know, some notion
like okay, they said you know second or third round,
but you when to say second or third you can
you can drop over to the fourth, and so you
really have no idea. Like when I got the call, Bro,
I was I was a little pissed because I'm like,
you know, people were telling me you know, second third round. Okay,
that so more like a day too. And this is
(26:29):
during COVID, so I couldn't have the party like I
had every Dan plan, text the whole deal lines like
Yoma right out of house, you know, yo, boys come down,
we'll celebrate. I couldn't do that, so dayling out that
they came just because they live live fifteen minutes down
the street. And I'm sitting there guys just getting drafted,
drafting money like with my time and the night was over.
(26:50):
I was like, well, dang, I guess you know it's
not happening. Next day, fourth round comes, that's over him.
Like I started questioning, like am I actually good at football? Bro? Bro?
Like it really like, because this is all you dreamed
about and people you know telling you agents, you know,
scouts gyms to tell oh, yeah we're gonna take you here,
(27:11):
but they have no flue, literally have no clue and
so h In that moment, Bro, I was just you know,
kind of getting piste off of the foreground had just ended.
I was like, you know what, let me take a break,
went and changed my dogs food and water. As I'm changing,
I get a call from from a five on three number.
I'm like, who's that is? Zach Taylor? You know for
(27:32):
the Cincinnati Bankles, you know, make your banger all right? Who?
And I walked in the room, was like, who's that?
That goes and everybody got excited. I was like, oh shoot,
I just got drafted and like two minutes later my
name goes across the ticker. So that that was huge
(27:54):
from this. Did you fly out right out there the
next day? Bro? So normally that happens, but COVID I
didn't go to Cincy until we got draft in April.
I moved there in June just I wanted to get
started because we didn't know when we're going to start.
We didn't wind up, uh, get into camp until like
last week in July. So I'll do like a month
month and a half impart to be there. But we
(28:16):
just didn't know when things weren't gonna get the okay
to you know, get in person. So I wanted to
get that head started, get set up so then when
I get there, I can just pop them playing football?
Is uh? Is Cincinnati drivable to you at home to
where you're from Michigan literally four hours four hours? Like
it's very central. I'm four from Nashville, so when I
(28:37):
was from Atlanta, um like four our number dame indeed,
Like I'm really central. I can pretty much go anywhere
I want. Bright oside de tit. I mean, Burnie definitely
claimed to, but he was here from no no, no. Uh.
(28:59):
Your family make to the games a lot of kind
of support that bro, so like it's been so close
and playing in the ANFC North we pretty we play
in Cleveland, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh. You know, they're all pretty
much drivable for my parents, so they were pretty much
at every game. It sounds like maybe one or two games.
That's awesome. Going back to going back to Indy, how
(29:20):
would you um like this thinking back on the experience,
Is there anything you regret, anything that you like, have
any advice for us going into our last year? Like anything?
Take it all in man, I mean I feel that's
really generic, but but it's the truth. Like the world
is so different from what notre name actually is. I
(29:40):
feel like Name is like a utopian society where everything
is their way. Like you think like you think, bro,
like this's just so bad, like training tables terrible, man,
Like you have no clue like how good we have
it until like you're at a place where you don't
have anything, or you your stories about I heard stories
(30:01):
like other guys in the locker room used to bring
gloves like in a box. I'm like, bro, I don't
remember the last time Notre Amy had a fight like
in the locker rooms, like we were truly a family,
and I feel like that thing like having that, you know,
that bond between everybody from walk On Too, you know,
five star prospect, like that truly is what made us great.
(30:22):
So take it all in and use your resources. Man,
don't don't be afraid to ask for help and let
those people help you because you get in the real world. Bro,
You're almost on you going of that. How is the
Notre Dame network or connection or alumni like, how is
that playing out being outside of being outside of school?
(30:43):
Mm hmm. You you more have to you have to
work for a little bit. Um. You have to you know,
ranch out, you know, find those people. They're not just
gonna come in, hey how can I help? Sometimes they will,
but you have to reach out and ask those people
for help. But they'll be more than willing to help you. Um.
But the thing I will say is create those relationships
(31:03):
now while your name is still buzzing, while you still
have that not raying football player behind you, Because once
you're done playing, you become less attractive. I'm not saying
you know you're worth you know is anything less, but
you you're just not that notreying football player anymore. So
use that celebrity that you you don't have right now
(31:24):
to do everything, you know, the set up for your future.
Because for me, once I'm at the NFL, he's like,
who are you? Okay, you know, we'll think about it,
but say, hey, you know, putting the putting since to
night Bengals just what I want to do? Okay, how
can we help that? That's what I'm really taking advantage
of righting out was using, you know, I mean being
the NFL that really owed up in doors that I
don't even think we're possible to even open the film
(31:47):
on the accident. What do you want to do after delete?
I want to be a marine biologist? Remember that what
you wish? You interested in that in college? See if
here's the thing, but I was piste off this storrs
like disclaimers. Sarge is our academic advisor. Here a d
damn you know Hey, sorry, is the best guy. But
(32:10):
he called me a lot of headaches. But that man
worked for me. Uh but he told me. One piece
of advice that I'll tell everybody is that Sarge was like,
this is the only time in your life when you
can truly do what you want to do for free.
Go to a bunch of different classes, see if you like,
and if you don't, drop the class picking up. Everything's
paid for, so why not see what you'd like to,
see what you're interested in the never put it down
(32:32):
like you think your major's wife take this class. You
have to take this class. Scheduled my classes. My class
already scheduled. Man Like that, that really hit home for me,
and I was I was piste off because it wasn't
(32:53):
until literally probably two weeks after I left notre ame.
I'm like, I don't know what I want to do.
And I knew I wanted to be in marine biology,
but I had a business degree. I was freaking magic.
I went the complete opposite direction. But I'm like, you know,
I wish I would you know knowing that back then,
But go back to the new Ordained connections and the
(33:14):
connection I've been making NFL. I've been able to open
up some doors and you know, hopefully you don't bypass
certain degrees or you know, certifications I need to given
to where I want to be or you know, just
find people who are willing to help me get to
where I want to be. But that's the plea you
think for me. So with that degree, do you want
or with not with that degree, but within marine biology,
(33:35):
do you want to do like conservation like and stuff
like that. Yeah, that mainly conservation large marine animals like
you know, sharks, wells, dolphins, orcas, things of that nature.
Um So right now, actually I'm on the board of
directors at the Newport Aquarium in New Work, Entucky, literally
right across the river in Cincinnati. So I'm doing that
(33:56):
just you know, help me get to I want to be.
And so I'm the I'm the youngest person on that board,
probably about fifteen twenty years. Um, I'm only a person
of color on that board. Um. You know, there's no
knocking to them. But it's like I'm knocking down down walls.
You know that probably you know wouldn't be available to
me if I was in a position I am, So
(34:17):
I want to take full advantage of that. It would
be like your steps to take to get there. Yeah
after the NFL, but with the ROMP be like I
don't even know, I but not even crossed that bridge
when I get there, But it's I know the people
who are you know, in those position of power, and
so I'm already reaching out to them asking how do
(34:39):
I get there? You know what I need to do.
And people right now are already reaching out like, hey,
you know, come down like there's a shark lap in Bahamas.
They're like, hey, we love for you to be in
an an ambassador. We love your your interest in conservation,
so just let us know you help on the call.
So I'm really setting up now so as soon as
you know my NFL, you know, professional over, I can
(35:00):
jump right into the next chapter month. How many guys
I think what you got going on is like, that's
pretty amazing. I think that's everyone's dream as far as
getting into the league and being able to like diversify yourself.
How many guys would you say do that in the
league or do you do? You think it's more people
would just I'm here to play football, that's all I do.
That's a tough one because that goes back to building relationships,
(35:21):
so you guys to have to talk to people, find
out what people are interested in. And there's some people
who aren't gonna open up about everything they got going
on in life because it's such a competitive league that
so many people are like, what is he trying to do?
Like you trying to cross me? So it's not kind
of hard. But the guys I know in the relationship
I've built, a lot of guys have some things, you know,
(35:43):
set up for once they're done, they could just take off.
Like one of my guys, Puli Mackenzie, he plays for
the Baltimore Ravens. Dude has like a whole like podcast
set up. He has like a whole um catering business
he's doing. Like it's incredible. Like I would say, work
on your work, on your life after football right now,
(36:04):
so that when it's actually over, you're good. You don't
have to scramble. Oh, I gotta go work. You know
it's a rate of nine and five years, but you know,
you know what I'm saying. You already have stuff set up,
so when that time comes, you're set. You're good. You
don't have to worry about it. I think that's a
huge risconcession because Jerome Bettisia came and talked to us,
Um was that last week and he was, I don't
(36:24):
know why, but this is like the first time I
actually thought about this. Like but he came there and
he's like, you played thirteen ten years in league here,
you're you're done at thirty five. What do you don't
do for the rest of your life? Like I think
people are you legit have like actual life left and
people like I think people like have this or like
NFL money is like you make ten million dollars a
(36:46):
year and you'll be set for life. Like that's not
it's not the way. It's not to it's very few people,
very few people. But that no, the few people who
do like who are set up for success, that's because
they have they already had to play in place before
they even started. Like having you know a good team
around you, you know from agent, your financial advisors, like
(37:08):
the people who you know play you know, major roles
in your life and your development. That's that's huge. So
like my advisor he told me, he's like, hey, you
give me five million, he said, I can set you
over for the rest of you don't have to worry
about working like another job. Okay, bet so I know
for me. For meunity said it's five million. Now, it's
(37:30):
not like I'm chasing that number. But I know if
I get there, I'm good. I'm not gonna put in
the first control, but I know my family is going
to be set up, so I think that's that's the
best thing. The biggest advice I gave is that also
have a good team around you because you can't do
everything on your own, and don't everything that you can't
because you can't. So I'm not and I saying that
people are in capable of doing it, but it's so hard.
(37:51):
It's okay to you know, spend a little bit of
money here. It's spend a little money there, just to
make sure that you're good to all you have to
do about it's more about playing us something MHAs um.
I want to ask you this just to get your
opinion on it. But have you seen black Fish on
Netflix about the Orca? Yeah? Yeah, I've seen so many documentaries.
(38:13):
But what are your thoughts on like a sea world,
like people who have like reservations about having animals there
that should be in the wild. Mm hm. So I've
actually had a conversation about this with our head of
what is her she I forget her, forget her job.
Her name is Aaron Schultz. I had a real conversation
(38:34):
with her about it because I was torn on it.
I'm like, you know, what's your opinion, And she was like,
it's good in some ways because let's say, let's say
the orca population drops, right and you need, you know,
to rebound the population, so you need breathing. So you
go to the different you know, wildlife parks, you know,
sea world and they have these already stable um number
(38:59):
and so you can regrow the population things like that.
And someone I didn't. I never looked at it that way,
like in some ways about conservation, some ways about actually
healing the animals, getting them back get able to go
back on into the wild. In some ways it's for
the preservation of the species itself. So it depends how
you look at it. Like it's really tricky, but I
(39:21):
mean you have to, you know, keep everything in perspective.
In everything in life is not just you know one way.
I mean, once you start believing that your truth is
the truth, you're totally wrong. So you have to be
able to see everything through different lines that I would say,
so in some ways I supported someone's that don't for
that for that makes sense. So now we're moving on
(39:42):
the outside of the garage. This week's question comes from
ot F dot, Fred eleven and lit. You're a big
like Marvel DC guy, right, yeah, Um, Batman or iron Man.
Let's say who's your favorite and who winning a fight?
M favorite? Um? Okay, but's okay, so you better pull
(40:06):
out of packing information. You can't ask me, you know,
Batman n Ironman, because you have to ask me which
Batman we picked? Christian Bale Christian Christian? Mmm? See, Okay,
here's the thing. I feel like we didn't get to
see full Christian Bale because he Leger died. I feel
(40:29):
like that whole series would have been on a different
freaking planet. But it's hard to go only start. Well,
I agree, Yeah, I was thinking iron Man too. I
think Batman's my favorite, though, would iron Man in a fight?
I'm I mean Batman can't win. I'm sorry, I mean
(40:52):
Ben Affleck's Batman beat Superman hell no buns? Yeah, technical
technically an Africa Batman's ask though devisly iron Man for sure? Yeah,
I don't know. I mean iron is dead, Batman is
not again. He died for the universe. But who's your favorite? Though?
(41:20):
Let me go I'm gonna go with I'm gonna go
with iron Man both times both why Christian Bale If
we're talking Batman with my favorite. But I can just
get behind Tony. I meant, you know, a little tier
jerker at that. You know that he's giving me. Did
(41:41):
you cry during Infinity War or en Yame? Did? I
could cry? Um? I was closed? So both times sold
Me and Dale we saw every single Marvel film together.
So yeah, well, I think Infinity War it was me
Jane Elliott, then stud Still you know we're on the movie.
(42:01):
We were calling. I think we're ruining the movie. I
just had to be ready in game bro. That shut
a little to your ain'tle lock? I did it? Was
you invested? That's how you know you invested. You've been into, like, um,
that type of stuff since the first Iron Man. Honestly,
(42:24):
I mean it's a kid going up. You know, you
love superheroes and stuff like that. But you know, I
didn't read the comics. I'm a movie I didn't read
the Tomas. But once it you know, you know, big
box off in the movie Starry coming on like that.
I get into this, so I love this. It's what's up, well, Dayla.
I appreciate every daily Because we were just talking about that.
(42:48):
That's how mean. I was just about to give um.
I was actually about to give you props too, but Lid,
thank you for coming on. I just want to say,
like my fashion year, I was in your section, and
like during camp and all that stuff in your section
like new kid, and like you were always like the
same guy every single day. Let me use your shark
(43:10):
when I needed to get my tape off my ankles,
and I always keep two sharks on. Appreciate you, man,
glad you're doing well. Appreciate you. I appreciate you coming
on right, I just see you good. I see you. Yeah, bet,
I'm gonna be hey, i' gonna be at the spring games.
So y'all boys better act right, all right, thanks for
(43:34):
listening this week, and we'll see y'all few days. Appreciate
The volume What's Up Everybody? Welcome back to the Inside
Garage podcast comes along with we do while this Conrad
again cam Hart. Today we have a very special guest
with us former Neutre Dame superstar UM Cincinnati Bengal Kelly Kareem.
(00:25):
I want to say what's up to the people that
what's up? What's up? Have you been living? How's how's
the NFL life trained you? You know, bro, it's it's
totally different from college. But it's a huge blessing, just
a blessing to be here. But would just say the
biggest difference is um, the biggest difference, you definitely got
a lot of I think the relationships that you build
(00:47):
is different because it's not really so you. I feel
like on the those special teams where you do go
deep in the playoffs and you make the super Bowl,
it's a family. But I feel like a lot of teams,
a lot of people are there from one we can
go on the next, so you don't have that time
to build those four your relationships. You may be able
to just meet a guy during camp and that's it,
(01:09):
and then you know, you maintain the relationship after. That's cool.
But if you don't. You don't. I think that's the
biggest difference in the relationships. What was like the you
just complete your second year, What was like the biggest
difference between year one and year two. I would say
being more comfortable with the playbook. Um, I think for
everybody here, it is probably really hard to play and
(01:31):
learn football over zoom. So that's what we really have
to do. For my first maybe three or four months
of from O T A still camp, most of that
was on zoom. So I had to learn all the plays,
everything you know on a notebook, which is fine, but
you didn't have the opportunity to go go out there on
the field and you know, make the mistakes and made
the directions. So that was the biggest, you know, challenge
(01:53):
for me. But then you're two, We're back in the building,
so we were able to actually go out there, walk
through stuff, cleaning up a lot of stuff that I
was confused before. It just made you world difference. I
never really thought about like how the freshman had to
I mean, at the freshman rookies had to adapt to
like the zoom even a freshman in college, that's probably
just tough on them. Yeah, I mean it was tough
(02:14):
on everybody, but more specifically for guys who are new
to the system, just trying to learn something virtual and
you know you can't walk through it. I feel like
walk through that's a very slept on part of football. Honestly,
that's what you can all night. So obviously super Bowl
this year then an the other way you wanted it too,
but still it was a great experience. I'm sure it
was um that running the playoffs everything like that. Everybody
(02:35):
doubting y'all. So just what from your eyes, what was
your experience going through the playoffs in the Super Bowl?
I think the thing that made you know, the biggest
just for us, just take it, you know, as a
normal game. Obviously we're playing for a lot, you know,
we have a lot riding every game. But treat it
as a normal game. Everything works yourself out, not trying
to do too much, you know, everyone just doing their job.
And I feel like that's what really cared us all
(02:57):
the way. What was the locker room environment like like
when all got into the playoffs, Like did it shift?
Like did everyone's kind of like all right, now it's time,
you know what I'm saying, Let let's go on let's
go and get this most definitely everybody was had the
same hunger from the beginning, but like there wasn't like
it's a different fuel to the fire. Like we we
knew the team that we had, We knew the opportunity
(03:17):
that we had in front of us, and so that's
something every kid dreams often. You know, for me, it
was from I was six years old, and so I
knew what I wanted and the team knew we wanted.
So we just went out there and when got it.
I mean we were down if you you know, a
few games, was it Tennessee, Kansas City? We were down.
You know, we believe in ourselves. We were like going
(03:38):
back to what I was saying about the relationships, that
was a family. That team was the family. We played
for each other, we played for the god to the
left and right of us, and so that's what truly
got us what we wanted to be. What was interesting
about y'all was I feel like y'all was kind of
like a dark horse. Like I didn't. I didn't think
y'all was gonna get that far honestly, off it like
when your first got to the playoffs, when I said
(03:58):
I was looked at the teams like the Bengals, I'm like,
I don't know, but y'all really surprised me, and I
thank y'all. Gotta like you've got a lot of young stars,
you know what I'm saying. So like I didn't feel
like y'all had the I don't know the chemistry to
do it, but like the way y'all pulled it off,
that was really impressive, and I was really I was
really proud of you. I was really proud of you
and a team. Really. But I mean, in a way
(04:21):
the Bengals making I think it's just because it's a
new name. Yeah, I think it's just because in the
past we weren't, you know, less successful. But like I said,
we believe in each other and that's all we needed.
Only people who need, the guys in the locker room.
And that's, you know, the mindset that we car carrying
around like all the outside know it doesn't matter. Only
(04:43):
that matters that people in this locker room. They just
two years ago what Joe Barrows no one pick right,
Yeah he was two years ago. You guys were like
the worst, but the worst consider the worst team in
the league. And then that sad. What I'm saying, Bro,
it's just I think that's I think that's why people
think about like that, Like the Bengals were just had
the first overall pick and then now they're they're playing
(05:05):
the super Bows. It's crazy fast turnaround. I mean you
can say the same thing about the forty Niners twenty nineteen.
They had what number one, number two picks next year.
And I think the crazy thing about it is if
Joe doesn't go down and get hurt. I don't wish
injury anybody, but if he doesn't get hurt, we don't
(05:27):
get the draft picks, we don't get Jamar Chase, we
don't get help us long away, get us to where
we need to be. I'm not saying that we needed
Joe to get hurt to get us to where we are.
But everything you know happened for a reason. Yeah it
all can it all came together for show? Exactly? How
was it playing with them? Like you see like what
(05:47):
everybody expects like this cool, chill, laid back dude with
this natural leader or what Yeah, Joe's Joe is cool.
I mean you if you would see Joe walking on
just like if you didn't know football. You wouldn't you know,
think about it? Who was that guy? He's a real
chill dude, very likable. One thing I appreciated about him
is um once I got drafted, he was one of
(06:08):
the first two text means like hey, you know Joe,
you know not to meet you, you know what's going
the championship. So I really appreciate it about him, And
only I noticed that not a lot of people are
like this league is he knows everyone that locker room
on the name in their basis and have a conversation
with anybody, So like having that type of leading in
your locker room is huge. Definitely are him in Jamaar's chemistry,
(06:31):
Like I feel like that's kind of unfair, Like they
go from college when the national championship like dominating you
put them on the same team. It's like kind of unfair,
Like how to describe described like their Chemtry their relationship, bro,
It's almost like I can't because it's it's like like
if you have a brother, like you guys are just
on a different wavelength and people can see it, but
like you just don't know, like don't understand it. They
(06:54):
just click and it works, so they keep going definitely
definitely work. I want to ask, like, back to the
super Bowl, like, at what point it was it after
you guys beat the Chiefs? Was it before the national anthem? Like,
at what point didn't hit you like I'm really about
to play in the super Bowl? Um? So it didn't
(07:15):
set in at all, like even that whole week we're
you know, we're practicing, we're going different events. Yeah, okay,
it's just a super Bowl, but exactly, but it wasn't.
It wasn't until I went to you know, pregate wments
before we put on the path, you know, just going
out there doing my you know, activation and coming up
like when I walked out that tunnel and I looked
(07:36):
up and I'm just like, bro, all here, Yeah I was.
I was excited at that moment. And then for me,
it really it really you know hit for me when
we were walking out the tunnel before before we were
introduced and the lights are off and you know there's
just you know, the Orange Colors music player and you
have to smoke. I'm like, Yo, this is everything I
(07:59):
dread right there in front of you. Bro. It was
an unbelievable feeling. I feel like there's like a um
like a stigma, like comparing college and NFL, Like in
the NFL is more so like a business, like people
don't really be able to create that bond, like you know,
how like you and Dalen were like best friends throughout
college and like that was your boy? Is that is
(08:21):
that like stigma? True? And then I felt straight business.
I mean, you got your boys, but at the end
of the day, like like you said, you never know
when this guy is gonna go to the next team
or get traded or whatever. So how is that Like
how should we like trying to go into the NFL
take that come into it with define the minds that
this is a business. Definitely have fun throughout the process,
(08:41):
you know, make friends, you know, it makes build those relationships.
But like I said, it's it's hard because you don't
know when someone else is leaving when you're leaving, So
that's the difficult part. But it's most definitely a business.
Like people always talking about how college is, you know,
a billion dollar industry. It's a big business. But and
if oh, you really see it for what it is,
(09:02):
and it's it's hard to describe it unless you're in it.
Because there's something that I've been through that, people are like, no,
that's not even like it can't be real, Like, oh,
it definitely is, but you can't fathom until you step
foot in that industry. And I feel like that that's
the biggest thing. Um, just don't be shocked, I guess
by anything that you see. I just just accepted I
(09:25):
won't say accepted, but see it for what it is
and understand that this is just a part of the
business and learn how to move accordingly throughout that process.
So kind of with that, would you say, like, could
you compare like a difference a fout like a coach
approach is talking to the team after loss in college
as the NFL, because like you said, it's a little
(09:47):
bit more of a business, Like is there a big
difference between like how like you're at coach in college
and then like the head coach in NFL, Like, let's
have to bring it up again, like let's say after
the Super Bowl loss, Like was more guys like very
intent locked in on him? Was it more like I'm
packing up and getting ready to go? Or is there
a big difference in college NFL? Are not? Really? I
(10:07):
feel like the biggest thing that you had to take
into you know the account when you're thinking about how
coaches are after a loss in college, one loss of
ruin your season, Like you can have a loss and
you'd be out of playoff contention and the prose you
can get in with you know six, you know, possibly
seven losses, So you just gotta keep the guys in
(10:28):
locker room motivated, keep going. I feel like that was
I think what we're tendants seven this year, um, and
those losses definitely hurt, but it wasn't like, you know,
the world with end it's really okay, we still have
an opportunity, but there's still a chance. But that that's
the biggest thing for us, just to keep things perspective,
like it's not over after one loss. UM. But after
(10:50):
the super Bowl, that locker room was you could literally
hear a pin drop, like why, Like, guys weren't really
sit like it didn't seem real. It's almost like we
worked so hard, we got to what we wanted to
go and like I don't want to say the season
wasn't waste, but it's like we did so much. We've
packed for so long, you know, we grinded, we did
(11:11):
everything just to get here and not win that I
feel like that's the part that hurts the most. We
did everything, Everything fell into place for us. It wasn't like,
you know, we just went out there, you know, didn't
play you know, good football because those those some great
guys that played with it. You know, we put our
hearts out just you know, didn't happen for us. Yeah,
I don't think people realize how long that season is.
(11:32):
If you get to that point that's the super Bowl
if you really want to think about it. It was
twenty four because we played the three preseason games and
then we went the whole season and this was the
longest I think, um, this is the longest NFL season
in history because that's the actually that we yeah, the
(11:55):
actually game and so for us to even make it
to that point, it's huge. But that season is long.
That's if you're a rookie. If you're a rookie, you're
going to a super Bowl, uh team. But if you win,
but think about if you win a national championship in
college season is over what maybe second week of January.
(12:17):
Then you jump right into your combine prep doing all
that stuff. Then you after you get drafted, you go
straight to a rookiy Muny camp O t a s
get her a little A couple of weeks break. Did
you go to camp the preseason? You know, the season
you got postseason, you got the super Bowl. You don't
like you almost don't stop for two whole years straight.
(12:39):
Like I'm just now getting my off season, Like my
off season just started, like last week going off? How
going off of how long it is? How do you
mentally stay in it? How do you mentally Like with
some practices, people do like to mentally keep themselves afloat,
you know what I'm saying. My biggest things just having
(13:00):
a separation between football life, Like you can't bring it home.
You go through so much stuff. I mean, that's like
that is your job. It's all you have to worry about.
I mean obviously college that you know, class football, a
bunch of other stuff. But in the pros you have
football that that is your main goal. That is everything,
and so you have to do everything you can. You know,
(13:21):
eat and right, take care of your body, uh, hydration, nutrition,
all that type of stuff. But once you leave the building.
For me, I was like, you know, let me decompress.
I need to step away because you go through you know,
you have so much stimulation during the day that when
you get home you just kind of wanted. But one
thing I did, I picked to put your hobby. Um,
I started building lego? What is that about that? What
(13:47):
is it about that? That? Is it like relaxing? Is
it like a mind? You know what I'm saying? Like
what what is it? It's relaxing And it's time for
me to just be focused on one thing and not
be bothered by anybody else, Like it's just me myself
doing that activity. Um, they have some use in the background,
but it's just really time for me to have like
quiet time to myself because during the day I'm always around,
(14:08):
you know, fifty sixty guys you know, taking my attention,
my time. So when I go home, chill out, I'll
do what I need to do for myself. Then to
go about my night live alone. Oh no, my girls
and two dogs? What wait? How German shepherd and we've
got a lab mix. That's life. Two great dogs, two
(14:31):
great dog breeds. Um. So obviously Coach Golden was he
was a DC for you guys, righters. Coach okay, and
now here's the DC at Netre Dame. And how do
you think knowing him, coming from being coached around him,
not specifically buy him, but how do you think he'll
fit in that Netre Dame bro I think he'll do
(14:53):
great at Notre Dame. I think Al is actually better
in college than the NFL um not not saying he's
not a great coach because he's wait wait, wait pause
the Oliver ferity. Your coaches as their first name, by
their first name, So yeah, sometimes that's weird, just like,
(15:14):
what are you talking about it? Like a coach? I
was like yo out sometimes like yo Al, Like imagine
going up to coach league and saying that. But that
that's the thing. We're all professionals here. This is a business.
We're all to each other as such. In some cases,
(15:35):
if coaches are older, like my outside linebackers coach, he's
like sixty five, I can't call him, you know, mark
stuff for coach stuff. But no, going back to alt,
I was I was great. I mean he recruited me
in high school when he was at University of Miami,
so I boith a little bit of relationship with him there.
They got to the league, he was there and he
(15:56):
was phenomenal. He's he knows football at the back of
his hand and so on. One thing I appreciated him
about him is what helped us the most is halftime.
He would come in, have all the things scripted out,
all of our mistakes, and he wouldn't, you know, you know,
come at anyone or dispecting one even the heck, when
you get this done, but this done, it will come
(16:17):
out and we'll shut the team down in the second half.
Heard about I heard y'all had like, um, I forgot
what this that was, but y'all second half adjustments were
like that was like y'all stignature. That was. I mean,
that was a lot of a lot of the times
y'all come back from these games at the Chief game
three points and second half. But but another thing with
(16:39):
how is that I think he's really huge relationships. Like
he's the same guy every single day, full energy, excited
to see guys, decided to kind of work. And I
think what's what's good about college, He'll have the time
to develop those relationship and those players and feeling the league.
You're dealing with a lot of guys who are already
developed in their ways halfs or you know, the ways,
(17:01):
how they're how they how they go to work. In college,
you know, you can make a player how you want them.
Not not saying that sounds horrible players, but it sounds bad.
You can you can, really, you can truly mold the
player in that being So I think college would do
great for him. He's gonna do great and that's good. Hey,
(17:22):
how's um don't you know how? And maybe I'm just
thinking to deep ntil but that's not in college, Like
everything's broken down like my position, like your position coach
basically your head coach essentially coach Houston here, Like that
was y'all dude, Like you guys didn't really associate with
coach light or like the line, you know what I mean?
So how is that in the league? It's like it
is all the coaches like coaching like a big group
(17:43):
or is your position coach your head coach? Like how
is that? How's that breakdown? Um? That's a good question.
So I'll take you onto like a typical ones here
Thursday for us just to make it make sense. Um,
we will come in, uh, go to a s TV
in the morning and then you go O D meetings.
When you go to your O D meetings, were all
in the group from you know, the back seven to
(18:05):
the front four. Everybody's together. DC kind of goes with
the game plane. Um, the lion coach over the run
stop and then sometimes we'll leave like put out. He'll
come in and he'll talk about the passing game. When
the TVs coach come talk about the passing game. So
we'll learn a little bits and pieces like that throughout
the day. But we're predominantly with our our position coaches.
(18:27):
But every coach has a that's an impact them, like
how we're playing, like how we're defending, Like we have
to know how they're defending the past, but we can
know how to rush the quarterback to the proper watch.
So everybody's you know, working together, So it's it's a
little bit more as a unit thing. In college, when
going into a game plan this year, was there one
(18:47):
player who, like the coach is not that they're like
frantically scrambling trying to figure out why the game plan
for him, but is there one player that was like,
how we really got lock in on this dude to
stop him. Let's see, let's see, Um for one, you
gotta respect Lamar and Jackson. Yeah, that's a that's a
guy you really have to I won't say you change
your whole game plan for but you definitely prep weeks
(19:10):
in the vans, Like we'll prep for Lamar, you know,
just because we have to play him twice a year,
so we have to know, fa fact, what is How
do you how do you prep for that? How do
you prep for that? Though? It's it's similar to like
you actually how do you prep It's like when we
played Nati, like there's no way we definitely didn't can't
(19:31):
be definitely didn't happen. Yeah, yeah, like you put the
receiver or running back at quarterback and let him just work.
So that's live. That's live though. So obviously the combines
coming up. I think guys started going out there on Monday,
um to Indianapolis. The combine prep and combine experience was
(19:54):
a little different for you because COVID hit like right
after the combine, Right, y'all got the combine. But figure, yeah,
pretty do like on personal preday and stuff like that, right, bro,
that whole experience was crazy. Um. It was like like
you have a vision of how things should go and
then you get there in your worlds just flipped upside down. Um.
(20:15):
For me, it's a little different too, because at that
point in time, I had just got surgery on my
left label because I toured against Duke my serior year
and I didn't know until I think after we played
Stanford the final game, and so then I played the
opposite the Bull game with it and got it fixed after.
So my first three weeks of combine prep, I was
(20:36):
just you know, doing normal regular stuff and then I
gotta fix. So then my whole combine experience was just
more so mental, just getting prepared for the interviews, the
meetings and different coaches gms. So my experience is gonna
be totally different than some one else who uh hummerson healthy.
But oh my advice I guess that anybody wants to
(20:58):
combine is just to take the whole experience. And there's
not too many people that will be able to say, yeah,
you know, I went to the COMMA. So you in
the moment, but as soon as you step off that
point and there's a job interview, like doing your best,
look your best, you know, cheat everyone with respect, because
the NFL bro they will you know, they'll hire people,
(21:18):
but do you know the highestone to be a waitress
or someone to drive the bus. So they're always watching it.
So just that's that's what I was. I was actually
told that, like they say, like people are like a
fallow in your group all day and then they report
make the teams like grade you like ten, like he
did well one, like this dude is gonna be a problem.
And there you wouldn't even know. It's just like people
(21:40):
personnel around you and they're just kind of reporting on you.
It's it's weird. M they lost, Um did you did
you participate? Like did you run uh the bench and
all stuff? You didn't do anything and do a single thing. Um,
but I would is there supporting my guys. I've never
(22:03):
I've never read a forty, never read at right. Crazy.
I respect that respect that it doesn't matter once you
get here, like how fast you could run, okay, how
fast you definitely matters all those Oh yeah, bro, my
(22:23):
Verte was a forty. Bro. Nobody cares put so much
weight on that in the pre draft process. Then if
they know that, I really don't know, Like sometimes it
makes no sense because like something that you want you
to do stuff just to do and just see if
you can lock in and prepare for you know, weeks
on and then perform. It's time. I feel like that's
(22:44):
probably the biggest thing, because I truly don't care. Bro.
I mean, they know if you can play or not,
You're you're feelings speak for yourself, honestly, and that's the
biggest thing, that's all. And that's what really a lot
of guys had to go off of my draft process
was because we didn't get the product. So they're like, hey,
you gotta let your phone speak for yourself, and you
have a good film. You have a good film, you
(23:05):
might be out of look right, so you have you
have no idea what your forty might be. I have,
you know, I don't know. I'll be really I'll be
in the fourth seven range. I'm not the Fastes. But
that's good for your side, though, what do you like? Like, Yeah,
(23:29):
that's money, it's money money, just like going through combine. Uh,
like the draft process, obvitoually get interviewed by a lot
of teams and like I was doing like a mock
interview the other day. It's like a former gym, like
they brought in just for us to practice, and like
I'm answering a regular question like yeah, I grew up
here and there, like but he cuts me off. He's like,
(23:50):
do you think you're more of an apple and orange?
And I was like apple show. So there's certain things
where it's like they ask you question like is it
like you like cats or dogs? You always go with
the masculine answer, like with everything water, apple, apple, apple, apple,
(24:14):
because because I don't have to be peeled back, like
I'm just saying what I am. Shut up, that's why.
That's why you that's why you're lucky orange, that's why
you're going. Yeah. But the question, the question they asked
is so crazy. Give me some stuff that they actually
um so I didn't get too much Bisarre stuff. Here
(24:36):
was some stuff that just caught me off. Like I
shout the hand coach, like you know, hey, how you doing.
He gets right to it. When the last time you
smoke the blood? I said what I was like, I
never smoked the day of my life. He's like, no,
never never tried to know, I said, coach, nothing, I said,
you can test me right now, nothing I smoke, okay,
(25:01):
interested you just can't write your stuff down. So it
was it was stuff like that, Like there's there's sometimes
I'll tell you this, if they ask you a question,
assuming we already know the answer to it because they've
gone their research, So don't lie, just be honest. So
I didn't. I didn't have anything for them to really
dig up. So I was just having a good time
with it. That's good. That's good. Some people probably be
(25:23):
stressing awesome time, but they just want to see if
you want to be honest, like, don't lie to them,
Like just keep it, keep it a whole band with
and be like, hey, what happened. You know I learned
from it? You know I've grown, this is how you
(25:45):
know past now. So I always want to kind of
wanted to notice, did you have any idea that you're
going to the Bengals? Like no idea? No idea? They
I mean, Bro, it's like if you're not the top
ten guy, Mr Hamilton, actually you really don't know where
(26:07):
you're gonna get draftedly you have you know, some notion
like okay, they said you know second or third round,
but you when to say second or third you can
you can drop over to the fourth, and so you
really have no idea. Like when I got the call, Bro,
I was I was a little pissed because I'm like,
you know, people were telling me you know, second third round. Okay,
that so more like a day too. And this is
(26:29):
during COVID, so I couldn't have the party like I
had every Dan plan, text the whole deal lines like
Yoma right out of house, you know, yo, boys come down,
we'll celebrate. I couldn't do that, so dayling out that
they came just because they live live fifteen minutes down
the street. And I'm sitting there guys just getting drafted,
drafting money like with my time and the night was over.
(26:50):
I was like, well, dang, I guess you know it's
not happening. Next day, fourth round comes, that's over him.
Like I started questioning, like am I actually good at football? Bro? Bro?
Like it really like, because this is all you dreamed
about and people you know telling you agents, you know,
scouts gyms to tell oh, yeah we're gonna take you here,
(27:11):
but they have no flue, literally have no clue and
so h In that moment, Bro, I was just you know,
kind of getting piste off of the foreground had just ended.
I was like, you know what, let me take a break,
went and changed my dogs food and water. As I'm changing,
I get a call from from a five on three number.
I'm like, who's that is? Zach Taylor? You know for
(27:32):
the Cincinnati Bankles, you know, make your banger all right? Who?
And I walked in the room, was like, who's that?
That goes and everybody got excited. I was like, oh shoot,
I just got drafted and like two minutes later my
name goes across the ticker. So that that was huge
(27:54):
from this. Did you fly out right out there the
next day? Bro? So normally that happens, but COVID I
didn't go to Cincy until we got draft in April.
I moved there in June just I wanted to get
started because we didn't know when we're going to start.
We didn't wind up, uh, get into camp until like
last week in July. So I'll do like a month
month and a half impart to be there. But we
(28:16):
just didn't know when things weren't gonna get the okay
to you know, get in person. So I wanted to
get that head started, get set up so then when
I get there, I can just pop them playing football?
Is uh? Is Cincinnati drivable to you at home to
where you're from Michigan literally four hours four hours? Like
it's very central. I'm four from Nashville, so when I
(28:37):
was from Atlanta, um like four our number dame indeed,
Like I'm really central. I can pretty much go anywhere
I want. Bright oside de tit. I mean, Burnie definitely
claimed to, but he was here from no no, no. Uh.
(28:59):
Your family make to the games a lot of kind
of support that bro, so like it's been so close
and playing in the ANFC North we pretty we play
in Cleveland, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh. You know, they're all pretty
much drivable for my parents, so they were pretty much
at every game. It sounds like maybe one or two games.
That's awesome. Going back to going back to Indy, how
(29:20):
would you um like this thinking back on the experience,
Is there anything you regret, anything that you like, have
any advice for us going into our last year? Like anything?
Take it all in man, I mean I feel that's
really generic, but but it's the truth. Like the world
is so different from what notre name actually is. I
(29:40):
feel like Name is like a utopian society where everything
is their way. Like you think like you think, bro,
like this's just so bad, like training tables terrible, man,
Like you have no clue like how good we have
it until like you're at a place where you don't
have anything, or you your stories about I heard stories
(30:01):
like other guys in the locker room used to bring
gloves like in a box. I'm like, bro, I don't
remember the last time Notre Amy had a fight like
in the locker rooms, like we were truly a family,
and I feel like that thing like having that, you know,
that bond between everybody from walk On Too, you know,
five star prospect, like that truly is what made us great.
(30:22):
So take it all in and use your resources. Man,
don't don't be afraid to ask for help and let
those people help you because you get in the real world. Bro,
You're almost on you going of that. How is the
Notre Dame network or connection or alumni like, how is
that playing out being outside of being outside of school?
(30:43):
Mm hmm. You you more have to you have to
work for a little bit. Um. You have to you know,
ranch out, you know, find those people. They're not just
gonna come in, hey how can I help? Sometimes they will,
but you have to reach out and ask those people
for help. But they'll be more than willing to help you. Um.
But the thing I will say is create those relationships
(31:03):
now while your name is still buzzing, while you still
have that not raying football player behind you, Because once
you're done playing, you become less attractive. I'm not saying
you know you're worth you know is anything less, but
you you're just not that notreying football player anymore. So
use that celebrity that you you don't have right now
(31:24):
to do everything, you know, the set up for your future.
Because for me, once I'm at the NFL, he's like,
who are you? Okay, you know, we'll think about it,
but say, hey, you know, putting the putting since to
night Bengals just what I want to do? Okay, how
can we help that? That's what I'm really taking advantage
of righting out was using, you know, I mean being
the NFL that really owed up in doors that I
don't even think we're possible to even open the film
(31:47):
on the accident. What do you want to do after delete?
I want to be a marine biologist? Remember that what
you wish? You interested in that in college? See if
here's the thing, but I was piste off this storrs
like disclaimers. Sarge is our academic advisor. Here a d
damn you know Hey, sorry, is the best guy. But
(32:10):
he called me a lot of headaches. But that man
worked for me. Uh but he told me. One piece
of advice that I'll tell everybody is that Sarge was like,
this is the only time in your life when you
can truly do what you want to do for free.
Go to a bunch of different classes, see if you like,
and if you don't, drop the class picking up. Everything's
paid for, so why not see what you'd like to,
see what you're interested in the never put it down
(32:32):
like you think your major's wife take this class. You
have to take this class. Scheduled my classes. My class
already scheduled. Man Like that, that really hit home for me,
and I was I was piste off because it wasn't
(32:53):
until literally probably two weeks after I left notre ame.
I'm like, I don't know what I want to do.
And I knew I wanted to be in marine biology,
but I had a business degree. I was freaking magic.
I went the complete opposite direction. But I'm like, you know,
I wish I would you know knowing that back then,
But go back to the new Ordained connections and the
(33:14):
connection I've been making NFL. I've been able to open
up some doors and you know, hopefully you don't bypass
certain degrees or you know, certifications I need to given
to where I want to be or you know, just
find people who are willing to help me get to
where I want to be. But that's the plea you
think for me. So with that degree, do you want
or with not with that degree, but within marine biology,
(33:35):
do you want to do like conservation like and stuff
like that. Yeah, that mainly conservation large marine animals like
you know, sharks, wells, dolphins, orcas, things of that nature.
Um So right now, actually I'm on the board of
directors at the Newport Aquarium in New Work, Entucky, literally
right across the river in Cincinnati. So I'm doing that
(33:56):
just you know, help me get to I want to be.
And so I'm the I'm the youngest person on that board,
probably about fifteen twenty years. Um, I'm only a person
of color on that board. Um. You know, there's no
knocking to them. But it's like I'm knocking down down walls.
You know that probably you know wouldn't be available to
me if I was in a position I am, So
(34:17):
I want to take full advantage of that. It would
be like your steps to take to get there. Yeah
after the NFL, but with the ROMP be like I
don't even know, I but not even crossed that bridge
when I get there, But it's I know the people
who are you know, in those position of power, and
so I'm already reaching out to them asking how do
(34:39):
I get there? You know what I need to do.
And people right now are already reaching out like, hey,
you know, come down like there's a shark lap in Bahamas.
They're like, hey, we love for you to be in
an an ambassador. We love your your interest in conservation,
so just let us know you help on the call.
So I'm really setting up now so as soon as
you know my NFL, you know, professional over, I can
(35:00):
jump right into the next chapter month. How many guys
I think what you got going on is like, that's
pretty amazing. I think that's everyone's dream as far as
getting into the league and being able to like diversify yourself.
How many guys would you say do that in the
league or do you do? You think it's more people
would just I'm here to play football, that's all I do.
That's a tough one because that goes back to building relationships,
(35:21):
so you guys to have to talk to people, find
out what people are interested in. And there's some people
who aren't gonna open up about everything they got going
on in life because it's such a competitive league that
so many people are like, what is he trying to do?
Like you trying to cross me? So it's not kind
of hard. But the guys I know in the relationship
I've built, a lot of guys have some things, you know,
(35:43):
set up for once they're done, they could just take off.
Like one of my guys, Puli Mackenzie, he plays for
the Baltimore Ravens. Dude has like a whole like podcast
set up. He has like a whole um catering business
he's doing. Like it's incredible. Like I would say, work
on your work, on your life after football right now,
(36:04):
so that when it's actually over, you're good. You don't
have to scramble. Oh, I gotta go work. You know
it's a rate of nine and five years, but you know,
you know what I'm saying. You already have stuff set up,
so when that time comes, you're set. You're good. You
don't have to worry about it. I think that's a
huge risconcession because Jerome Bettisia came and talked to us,
Um was that last week and he was, I don't
(36:24):
know why, but this is like the first time I
actually thought about this. Like but he came there and
he's like, you played thirteen ten years in league here,
you're you're done at thirty five. What do you don't
do for the rest of your life? Like I think
people are you legit have like actual life left and
people like I think people like have this or like
NFL money is like you make ten million dollars a
(36:46):
year and you'll be set for life. Like that's not
it's not the way. It's not to it's very few people,
very few people. But that no, the few people who
do like who are set up for success, that's because
they have they already had to play in place before
they even started. Like having you know a good team
around you, you know from agent, your financial advisors, like
(37:08):
the people who you know play you know, major roles
in your life and your development. That's that's huge. So
like my advisor he told me, he's like, hey, you
give me five million, he said, I can set you
over for the rest of you don't have to worry
about working like another job. Okay, bet so I know
for me. For meunity said it's five million. Now, it's
(37:30):
not like I'm chasing that number. But I know if
I get there, I'm good. I'm not gonna put in
the first control, but I know my family is going
to be set up, so I think that's that's the
best thing. The biggest advice I gave is that also
have a good team around you because you can't do
everything on your own, and don't everything that you can't
because you can't. So I'm not and I saying that
people are in capable of doing it, but it's so hard.
(37:51):
It's okay to you know, spend a little bit of
money here. It's spend a little money there, just to
make sure that you're good to all you have to
do about it's more about playing us something MHAs um.
I want to ask you this just to get your
opinion on it. But have you seen black Fish on
Netflix about the Orca? Yeah? Yeah, I've seen so many documentaries.
(38:13):
But what are your thoughts on like a sea world,
like people who have like reservations about having animals there
that should be in the wild. Mm hm. So I've
actually had a conversation about this with our head of
what is her she I forget her, forget her job.
Her name is Aaron Schultz. I had a real conversation
(38:34):
with her about it because I was torn on it.
I'm like, you know, what's your opinion, And she was like,
it's good in some ways because let's say, let's say
the orca population drops, right and you need, you know,
to rebound the population, so you need breathing. So you
go to the different you know, wildlife parks, you know,
sea world and they have these already stable um number
(38:59):
and so you can regrow the population things like that.
And someone I didn't. I never looked at it that way,
like in some ways about conservation, some ways about actually
healing the animals, getting them back get able to go
back on into the wild. In some ways it's for
the preservation of the species itself. So it depends how
you look at it. Like it's really tricky, but I
(39:21):
mean you have to, you know, keep everything in perspective.
In everything in life is not just you know one way.
I mean, once you start believing that your truth is
the truth, you're totally wrong. So you have to be
able to see everything through different lines that I would say,
so in some ways I supported someone's that don't for
that for that makes sense. So now we're moving on
(39:42):
the outside of the garage. This week's question comes from
ot F dot, Fred eleven and lit. You're a big
like Marvel DC guy, right, yeah, Um, Batman or iron Man.
Let's say who's your favorite and who winning a fight?
M favorite? Um? Okay, but's okay, so you better pull
(40:06):
out of packing information. You can't ask me, you know,
Batman n Ironman, because you have to ask me which
Batman we picked? Christian Bale Christian Christian? Mmm? See, Okay,
here's the thing. I feel like we didn't get to
see full Christian Bale because he Leger died. I feel
(40:29):
like that whole series would have been on a different
freaking planet. But it's hard to go only start. Well,
I agree, Yeah, I was thinking iron Man too. I
think Batman's my favorite, though, would iron Man in a fight?
I'm I mean Batman can't win. I'm sorry, I mean
(40:52):
Ben Affleck's Batman beat Superman hell no buns? Yeah, technical
technically an Africa Batman's ask though devisly iron Man for sure? Yeah,
I don't know. I mean iron is dead, Batman is
not again. He died for the universe. But who's your favorite? Though?
(41:20):
Let me go I'm gonna go with I'm gonna go
with iron Man both times both why Christian Bale If
we're talking Batman with my favorite. But I can just
get behind Tony. I meant, you know, a little tier
jerker at that. You know that he's giving me. Did
(41:41):
you cry during Infinity War or en Yame? Did? I
could cry? Um? I was closed? So both times sold
Me and Dale we saw every single Marvel film together.
So yeah, well, I think Infinity War it was me
Jane Elliott, then stud Still you know we're on the movie.
(42:01):
We were calling. I think we're ruining the movie. I
just had to be ready in game bro. That shut
a little to your ain'tle lock? I did it? Was
you invested? That's how you know you invested. You've been into, like, um,
that type of stuff since the first Iron Man. Honestly,
(42:24):
I mean it's a kid going up. You know, you
love superheroes and stuff like that. But you know, I
didn't read the comics. I'm a movie I didn't read
the Tomas. But once it you know, you know, big
box off in the movie Starry coming on like that.
I get into this, so I love this. It's what's up, well, Dayla.
I appreciate every daily Because we were just talking about that.
(42:48):
That's how mean. I was just about to give um.
I was actually about to give you props too, but Lid,
thank you for coming on. I just want to say,
like my fashion year, I was in your section, and
like during camp and all that stuff in your section
like new kid, and like you were always like the
same guy every single day. Let me use your shark
(43:10):
when I needed to get my tape off my ankles,
and I always keep two sharks on. Appreciate you, man,
glad you're doing well. Appreciate you. I appreciate you coming
on right, I just see you good. I see you. Yeah, bet,
I'm gonna be hey, i' gonna be at the spring games.
So y'all boys better act right, all right, thanks for
(43:34):
listening this week, and we'll see y'all few days. Appreciate
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