Las Vegas Raiders TE Austin Hooper talks to Mike Silver about signing with his new team, and tells us a hilarious story about being in a bar with Raiders QB Jimmy Garoppolo. Hooper discusses being a part of the Cleveland Browns’ 2020 playoff run and the difficulty of preparing for those games during a pandemic, the collapse of the Tennessee Titans’ during their 2022 season, why he thinks Kyle Shanahan is Nostradamus, and how he felt watching his Atlanta Falcons teammates talking trash to Tom Brady when they were up 28-3 in Super Bowl LI. #volume #Herd
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
The volume. I'm really pumped about this. Next guest. This
is my guy, Austin Hooper. So, Austin and I met
in twenty sixteen when he was a rookie on the Falcons,
and I think it's when you guys were staying in
Santa Monica for a week and I was like throwing
(00:24):
money into a pool as part of a video shoot,
which that's a whole other story. But you saw me
kind of like wearing this purple pleather jacket act in
the fool, and we struck up a conversation and the
next thing I knew, you were in the super Bowl.
Looked like you were about to be a Super Bowl champ.
Another sordid tail. But you know, I've got to know you.
(00:49):
I've seen how hard you worked, and you know, have
loved watching your career progress. And I'm just gonna come
out right now and say it, low key, this will
be one of the great free agent sightings of twenty
twenty three. New Las Vegas Raiders. Tight end Austin Hooper, Mike,
thanks for having very cool to have you. You just
(01:12):
became a Raider the other day, and you know, I
know it happened fast. I know you were. You were
in Dubai at one point vacationing and free agency. Hit
tell me about joining the Raiders and what fires you up? Yeah,
it's awesome. I mean being a Barrier kid right growing
up in the East Bay watching the Oakland Raiders go. Uh,
(01:34):
you know, since since I can remember right watching rich
Gannon the Boys, John Gruden's first stint in there. I
mean just watching the plethora of tremendous players and coaches
that have come through that organization. So when they moved
to Vegas, I had no idea what to expect, right,
and then my agent called said Vegas wants to do
a visit. So I was just like, wow, all right,
that's awesome. Blew in and did the physical, did everything
(01:57):
and got the offer and got the opportunity and now
I'm just looking or to get to work. What excites
you about the Raiders? You know they obviously they've got
Davante Adams, they got Josh Jacobs, they got some dudes.
What you know what gets you pupped? Sure? I mean
you mentioned Davante. Having a receiver like Davonte allows other
(02:18):
guys to have more favorable matchups, allows coverage to be
dictated pre snap guys can't hold coverage and do as
many funky things at the snap. They have to dictate
because if they don't, Javonte I'll show you why he
is who he is. So then you add Jacoby Myers
Hunter Renfro's a beast like oja'son be in the tight
end room with me and Josh Jacobs, the guy who
(02:40):
led the league in rushing who can do some stuff
out of the backfield too, as well as Abdullah I
believe it was well and he's that dangerous out of
the backfield. So I mean there's a plethora of guys
Jimmy and then Josh just watching the system from afar
the way how he revolutionized the two tight end offense candidly. So,
I mean, it's it's a tremendous opportunity one I'm not
taking lightly in one that I'm grateful for. Are you
(03:03):
gonna wild out as much as Gronk like, are you gonna,
you know, throw people out of the club and then
you know, go forth? No, no, no, I'm I'll be
chilling out in Henderson. Man, I'm being keeping low key.
I'm keeping low key. Hey, I'm not gonna lie you.
I'll definitely go to strip for a nice dinner. If
there's a cool show someone I really want to see
that comes to town, like something more low key. But
(03:25):
yeah no, now there's only there's only one gronk out there.
I am. I'm a massive fan of your new quarterback,
Jimmy Gum, and I'm really excited for him to have,
you know, this opportunity. But I also think about Jimmy
and Vegas, and you know, I think Jimmy is more
receptive to baby going and check it out the strip
(03:48):
and all that. I don't know if you saw it,
but a brothel offered Jimmy free sex for life already
after his signing. You know, I don't know how if
you and Jimmy Vegas, Jimmy, yeah, there you go that too.
I was like, oh, all right, that's that's interesting. Usually
(04:09):
someone's like, hey, like come to my restaurant. You know,
we got you any apps, drinks? Like we got it.
But you know, Vegas, baby, so up the ending, I guess.
So I was cracking up when I saw that. I
feel like, of all the things Jimmy needs, that's probably
not high on the list, Like he's probably okay out
his own Yeah, yeah, I'm sure. I'm sure Jimmy will
(04:29):
be just fine. I'll be locking in learned the offense
with the rest of us, and based on what I heard,
like in terms of just through George and everyone, like
he's down in. I know there have been a couple
of things where people are like, oh, you know Jimmy,
blah blah blah, but like knowing enough people that have
played with him, and like opportunity to be around Jimmy
in the past, like not even on the football field,
(04:50):
Like Jimmy's super low key and he's a good dude.
I mean, but if you look like Jimmy, it's hilarious.
Like I don't know how much this I can tell,
but lord start, I was with him in Nashville. We're
just hanging out, having to drink right like as me
him Cam Fleming was probably like four years ago, and
that was the only time I've ever seen women actually
get into a physical altercation over who's going to talk
to Jimmy the whole time, Like Mike, it's just like
(05:12):
me and you talk and I look over and just
everyone's going and then before I look over, Jimmy's just
grabbing him, just being nice. Cole walking with the the cavil.
These two girls are going out and Jimmy's just out
the back door, just into a cab. It was the
funniest thing I've ever seen. I was like, it was
like my second year too. I was just like, wow,
(05:32):
all right, go to go to I've never seen females
actually get into a physical altercation over who is going
to talk to him. The whole time, Jimmy just doesn't
even care, just gets up and smoothly walks out of
La Bar. Was top five coolest thing I've ever seen
in my life. That's unbelievable. So the moral of the
story is, I guess neither one actually got to talk
(05:54):
to him because he left. No, no, no, And the
whole time, like we were sitting having a conversation, both
of them were coming up up being a little thirsty,
and Jimmy just being good, oh hey, no, hey good,
good to meet you whatever, and it's like, no, I
don't want to talk to Jimmy, don't want to talk
to him. And then we look over and just like
just a whirlwind of nails extensions flying. It was. It
(06:14):
was hilarious. It was hilarious. Did one of the two
get the upper hand or was it pretty like even
you know it was. It was in the flyweight division,
so it was going really fast, but not necessarily. There
wasn't heavy hands, so it's just you know a lot
of you know, tentphs to go for the hay, go
for the face, but it always just ends up in
(06:36):
the grabbing hair and necklaces. So it was more funny.
And then it happened for like tenths. It not funny,
it was just you get it. It happened for like
ten seconds, and I was like, all right, ladies, and
then they're like, where's Jimmy. Where's Jimmy, And you see
Jimmy just sneak in the cab and it was just
it was all time. Obviously, we don't want anyone to
get really hurt. I don't know, of course not, but
seeing two girls like pull it was right out of
(06:59):
a mood be in me. I was like, oh my god,
like is this real life? And you can tell like
this wasn't Jimmy's first rodeo because it was just calmly,
just takes a sip, it's good to see you guys.
Just the smoothest thing I've ever seen. I was just
like quarterback. Yeah, onto the next play, right, It's like, yeah,
(07:21):
I'm gonna go down the street to a bar to
have a drink with the boys and just try to
have a chill night. There are some great establishments in Nashville.
Do we want to immortalize this one? Where did this
stick play? Okay? This happened that kung fu? This okay,
So it's like, I don't know how much they change it.
This is also like twenty seventeen, but yeah, it's kind
(07:43):
of like half indoor half outdoor with like you know,
you know, massive tic tac toe boards and like connects
four and then the insides like a cool indoor outdoor
bar with a big sliding glass window and some company
like plush couches and like cool little able was just
sitting down at the table and that's when two fighters
(08:03):
stepped up to the plate and it was it was
worth it worth it? Um. Last question on this fight
not that I'm obsessed at all with five questions and
I keep it rolling. I can't really get past it. Um.
Did the two flyweights and questions seem to have a
previous knowledge of each other? Like were they friends or
(08:24):
were they total random straight I think they're adversaries. I think,
you know, I think I think this was about that
was coming for a while. There might have been something
earlier on in the night. I don't know what was happening.
I would know the build up, what was said up
the pressor but you know, when they just said it's time,
girls just went at it. So it was. It was
(08:46):
pretty remarkable. It probably started at the way end. I'm
guessing like some covets were made, probably how it's usually
how it goes, the build up. No, I wouldn't Sayhi
di to Jimmy. No, I wouldn't say hi to Jimmy.
And then you know, the South struck first, and then
it was just no hole's bar from there. Amazing, amazing
(09:07):
that there was a South pup by the way. I
you know, you played in Cleveland for a couple of years.
There is a there's a famous story in Cleveland where
Jeff Garcia, who at the time was the quarterback of
the Browns, two women brawled in a bar um over him.
One was what what I believe he's married to now
(09:28):
and and was you know, ended up being his wife
and the other one, yeah, right, the other one had
some history with him, but that was a flat out
reported brawl in Cleveland. So, uh, you know something about
Niner quarterbacks or something something man something. Well there you go.
(09:49):
All right, Well, I'm gonna I'm gonna probably give you
like a special phone to carry for video purposes for
the next Jimmy Jimmy G brawl you would. Yeah, this
should definitely help out one with Jimmy Jimmy. I'm the Feds,
don't worry me. You soon see you again soon. But unbelievable.
All right, I gotta get back an interview boat because
(10:10):
I had a lot of actual questions for you, and
now I'm I'm completely obsessed with this has gone off
the rails. It has gone completely off the rail. So
you know, you know, George, And I'm sure you've heard
all about Jimmy's um texting habits or lack thereof. And
(10:30):
I actually wrote about this in August about how you
know he's not known for texting coaches and teammates back,
let alone people like me. Although separate story, I did
just get my first Jimmy G return text. I'm so thrilled.
But you know, George, I'm sure has told you that
(10:53):
like you might be texting Jimmy, but he might not
be great about returning that text. Yeah. I mean I've
ben't m essentially. I mean, I don't have Jimmy's number.
I mean I've only heard what's what's been reported. I
can only judge him based off the time that I've
been around him face to face. He's been a good dude.
I mean, whatever he does in his free time, that's
(11:15):
up to him. Yeah, I'll leave it at that. I
mean I was kind of touched, he said to be
you know, a few months ago, He's like, oh no,
I get all your texts. I read him. I'm like, okay,
at least like, you know, at least think the information
I got them. All. Right. So, you did get that
big deal with the Browns three years ago when you
(11:36):
went through free agency, and that happened quick, and you,
I think at the time were the highest paid ted
in NFL history for like three weeks. Ship, Yeah, for
three weeks. And then you know, two years later you
experienced free agency again. Last year you ended up setting
with the Titans. You've now done it a third time.
How did this experience compared to those first two? Well,
(12:00):
I mean the first one is super interesting, right in
the pandemic. I remember talking to you when you were
back in the Bay Area. We were don't worry people,
we were socially distanced more than six feet apart. And
when we sat down and had the interview way back when,
I'm sure you remember. That was an interesting one, right
like I was. Just the first day even showed up
to Cleveland was day one of training camp, right like
it was. It was interesting. I went down to San
(12:21):
Jose in general to get my physical and just faxed
in paperwork. I remember it, signing my contract on my
on my parents coffee table. So it was it was.
It was definitely, definitely an interesting circumstance for many reasons
beyond football, but moving to Tennessee so and when I
ended up getting release, send it up signing to Sean
(12:44):
releasing a bunch of people, and I was kind of
scrambling there for a little bit, and then John Robinson
and Tennessee Titans called gave me an opportunity and took it,
ran with it. Played there for a year. Very grateful
for the experience there. I made a bunch of wonderful
people in the building, offense, defense, special teams, coach, player, player, coach,
everyone was super great. And now this time around getting
(13:08):
the opportunity to be in Vegas. So I've been just
very very fortunate. That's awesome. So you know, one thing
I always wondered with Cleveland is they they stepped up
and paid you, and you were coming off two Pro
Bowl years. You're you know, catch stats in terms of
targets to balls caught were like it's something insane, over
(13:31):
eighty percent. And you know, I was just kind of like, okay, cool,
they just paid him. They're going to go feed the guy.
And then you just didn't. You blocked a lot. You
were like on the light of scribbage a lot a
lot Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt and best one two
punch and football there for a while. So, I mean,
first year I'd be in line pyts. I wasn't frustrated,
(13:53):
but that was what was best for the team. When
we're ripping off five yards to carry, it's like, all right,
click click, you know, it's time to rest some big
boys because that's uh, you know, we're just leading the
league in rushing. So it's hard to hard to cry
about it. When we were winning games and Bart got
to be part of the first playoff team since ninety
four in Cleveland, So that was that was awesome, and
(14:15):
just seeing how hungry that city was and how starved
they were or some playoffs, so it was it was
truly special to be a part of that team and
do it for the city of Cleveland. Yeah, that playoff game,
it felt like it was a player revolt, Like Stefanski
was stuck in the basement. Not to the big light
of COVID, but Stefanski stuck in the basement and you
(14:35):
guys opened that up. Man, you're forgetting Mike. We didn't
practice that entire week. Like, just to add a little
more context, little story, Well, I don't know the statute
of limitations is on COVID, but here we go. Anyway,
So there was this indoor facility I'm not going to
mention it somewhere in the greater Cleveland area. Since we
(14:57):
couldn't practice, Bait got some route runners together because we're
kind of on standby, right, It's like we went here
from leak, we going, Qui going, Qui going. Eventually we
couldn't so around like five to thirty bakes like you
don't forget it, hey, you you you meet me at
this indoor facility which I will not name, and let's
get twenty thirty routes in. So that's what we did,
(15:19):
like a couple nights in a road to prepare it.
Because other than that, like it was all just like
this over Zoom, just getting the game plan and the
first time he went through it was in the game.
But and that scares a lot of people. By the
same time, I mean, Mike talk about fresh legs program,
we were the boys were striking on the field. Everyone
had the freshest legs. Everyone just laid up on Zoom, stretching,
(15:42):
hanging out, and we got I think we got the
Friday practice in. People were buzzing, and then the walkthrough.
But like the first two days leading up to it,
it's like where the bat bulk of the game plans
put in. It's like, this is going to be interesting
and working out. Could you tell it was going to
be a more open game? I mean, you have no idea, right, Like,
(16:05):
I mean, we're just so used to one play caller
the whole year, so we assumed this would be status quo.
I mean that Alex van Pelt, the Pittsburgh guy, was
just like, I guess it's just like, screw it. Here
we go, boys, we're checking it empty, we're airing it
out a little bit like they got some big boys
up the middle. They're giving us some fits in the
run game. So you know what, let's see if let's
(16:25):
see if their back end can cover. So it was
and I think that really also played to our advantage
because they're studying one chess master the entire time, and
then's just like, all right, here we go, Like everyone
has tendencies. Now it's just like all right, Kevin's in
the basement hanging out watching the game like everybody else.
And now a VP is just like, all right, you've
(16:46):
seen duo a hundred times. How about we starting here,
check to empty, explode to empty, and then five birds.
Like I don't think we ran that more than twice
the whole year. In that game, we ran it probably
three four times. So they're probably just trying half that game.
I feel they're just trying to figure out, like, oh
my god, what's the new chess master doing with the pieces?
And not to mention, I think our defense created like
(17:09):
three turnovers at games so and special teams got one.
I mean, it was truly a three phase, three phase game.
All the boys stepped up. That's awesome. So before you
ever got to Cleveland, you went down and hug with
Baker that year in Austin, I believe they did. Yeah
and yeah, Ive gown there and got real close with him,
(17:32):
you know, you know him well. I there was all
that drama there. Ultimately with Odell there was some Jarvis drama.
It just you know, this would be true being in
the media. It's like it's you know, it's always gonna
be crazier in the media at the end of the day,
Like it's it's all love in the locker room, it's
just business. But once outside fact I can say this,
(17:54):
once once outside factors get in the middle of the boys,
that's what makes it tough. And that's what makes the
you know, the real personal relationships away from the cameras,
away from the interview, like just real people like leaning
on you, like I got some family stuff going on
or whatever. That's what makes it tougher. And of course
it you know drawmasels, So you know, I'll say that
(18:17):
much about that. So if you had a parent who
was publicly questioning one of your teammates, that would that
could make an awkward Yeah, that can that can intend
to make things a little awkward. But at the end
of the day, I mean they're both good people. It's
just tough situation. And yeah, I feel like I got
blown out of proportions, but it's it's one of those
(18:41):
tough things. It's like, yeah, you didn't want to see
it happen, but you know, that's that's how it ended
up going down. And I was just you know, tight
down in the locker room washing it all unfold. But
like the media is all like, oh my god, oh
my god, But in the locker room, Mike, it's just like,
all right, well we still have practice. Like there was
there was that one crazy morning where basically you were
(19:02):
you guys were told hey, Odell's not really on the
team anymore, even though he technically was right. Yeah, I
mean it was it was pretty interesting because like we're
just getting ready to go in the work, like it's like, oh,
let's all happen. That's that's interesting. I wonder, you know,
what I was going to say about it in the
building or like, you know, I got blown out whatever, right,
like you know, you have no idea what to think.
(19:23):
And then to your point, it's like, yeah, O'Dell and
can be here anymore. It's just like whoa well, you
know which on the best good dude. I mean, just
you know, unfolded that way. I mean, there's there's no hate.
There ain't even the media try to build it up
like Odell versus Bake. There's there's no it's it was
never those two guys. And I think there's been enough
(19:46):
bread crumb said on both sides. So and I'll leave
it at that. I haven't always been Baker's biggest cheer leader,
but dude, I gotta tell you that Thursday night game
last year, what he had been forty eight hours with
the Rams and did what he did to pull out
that game against the Raiders, That's one of the sickest
(20:06):
things I've ever seen in this sport. Were you watching
get appreciated that? Absolutely? I was rooting my boy on
just watching him go. I remember when it all happened,
and I remember texting him. He's just like it's like, yeah, man,
I'm here. I'm here in the hotel trying to get
this thing down and built him his own little package
(20:27):
because I mean it's I mean, the quarterback understand the audibles,
the protections, the flips, like where you're outs. Who are
you're hot? So it's just like let's let's let's get
the general stuff that we're gonna go to. Like obviously
got to pair the game playing down, right, Like the
guy just got here bakes a really smart guy, but
like Jesus, you got you gotta give him a chance here.
(20:48):
And they did a great job by you know, listening
to him on rich eyes and talking about how they
did a great job of pairing it down for him,
allowing him to feel comfortable with stuff he's done before,
and also give him some autonomy because, in my opinion,
bas at its best when he can just see the
game and feel the game how it comes to him,
because that's that's what we did in high school. That's
(21:09):
what he's done in college and the most successful times
he's had, like when people trust like, oh, you're the
number one guy for a reason. You can see the game.
What does your arm want to do here? And you
can just see him out there just getting it, calling
it and making the decision, just dealing out there. I mean,
how can younot be happy for him? All? You know,
all the aniversities at a fight through and you know
(21:30):
all the voices and for him to get that, it
was just how can you not be happy for him?
I love it. So you went to the Titans and
it was looking really cool. You guys were seven to
three and you know, as part of a long run
of Titans success under Rabel. And then all of a sudden,
(21:52):
it was like Tannehill got heard and offensive coordinator got
a dui and the GM got fired. Seven losses to
end the season. What was that? Just take me through
that experience, because it must have been a crazy turn
of events. Yeah, I mean you touched on it. I
mean we're riding high there, first division, first step that came.
(22:15):
I mean this evall public information. So I'll just go
through a series of events. I mean loss in Philly,
got beat up in Philly pretty good, Jay Rob got
let go. Then from there just went throughout the season,
you know, trying to go status quo. And I mean
I really don't think like it's not like when Jay
(22:36):
Rob got fired the boys all laid down. I just
just it's just one of those things, man, like one
play here, one play there. We'd have to look back
at it. I don't know how many games we lost
by three or less, And I mean all comes down
to is just you know, one play here, one play there.
But you know that's thirty two teams across the league
could play that game. The Raiders could have played that
(22:56):
game last year. You know what, I mean three points
or less and I have twelve, So I mean that's
the league, man, I mean it was. It was definitely
frustrating for everyone in the building. You know, when you're
riding high first place, got a two three game coaching,
and then you know you're fighting just to get a win,
but you're feeling like you're a good team that's just not,
(23:18):
for one reason or another, not living up potential. I mean,
I think how to be like second or first or
second heist in league in terms of a number of injuries,
Like so we we're plugging and playing in guys that
did a great job, that did a great job. I
mean like kind of like a bake situation. Coming on Thursday.
(23:39):
It's like, all right, buddy, you're starting Sunday, Like let's go.
We're down bodies. So it was an awesome experience. It's
just tough, Like there's a more two to factors we
can go on for a half hour about, but you know,
it makes use for it. We just we didn't finish
the right way. Being around coach Rabel knowing the man
he is, he's going to get it corrected. He's a
great coach and he's gonna he's going to get everything down.
(24:01):
Then I covered him as a player, so I just
you know, everyone handles losing differently. I cannot imagine that
he was in the best of moods toward the end. Yeah,
I mean for sure. I mean, no, no coach is
going to be happy with losing by We'll say this
about Gray, Well, he knew being a player, he always
(24:23):
knew how to read the room, see where the boys
are at, like get the morales down, pick you back up,
and if we're fine, they'll tell you a life fellas
sain't good enough, but still doing in a way like
when everyone's down that can get the team back to
status quo. So I mean, I really appreciated that about him.
I mean, and just the way he'd take care of
(24:46):
us with how hurt the team was just understanding, like
you said, like fourteen years as a player, he just
he's been through it and he understands from that perspective
as well as the coaching side, like where the psyche
of this team is at at all times, and that
was that was something I really picked up from his
leadership and something I really appreciated about him. Apparently in
(25:09):
Philly you reference that game, fans were chanting at the
owner's box about a J. Brown. So you know, I
don't know what happened with Jay Robin, why the timing happened.
But that can't be good when you're the owner and
there's a chance to get you in the box. Uh yeah, yeah,
I mean I don't you know, I am an owner
(25:31):
by but that doesn't feel good when anyone's yelling at
you in your face. So yeah, I had no idea,
right I was. I was too busy get my ass
kicked on the field with the boys, so I didn't
I didn't hear the chance. But that's that's interesting information.
I had no idea about. But all I know is
it happened so quick, and I was just so surprised
because we were first in envisioned two three games up
(25:53):
when that move was made. So that was so we
were all all of a sudden locker room, we're just
kind of scratching our heads like, wow, that quick son,
That's that's above Mike, paygrade Mike and just just play
tight end man. So no, just reacting to it like, wow,
all right, the guy who brought me in this building
is now gone. That's always an interesting straight up. Yeah,
(26:18):
I've had that happened a few times. It's always better
when the person who brings you in is still there.
In my opinion, it's it's always better. Yeah, help. Yeah,
So I Derek Henry, you obviously admired from afar when
you see him up close and personal and how defenders
(26:39):
reacted all that is it? Is it crazy just watching
that dude run? Yeah, Derek, Derek special man, He's very special.
And the thing I really appreciate about him too, is
he works his ass off. Like being in the weight
room with him, Yeah, being in the weight room with him,
like he definitely doesn't take the easy way out. I'll
see him over there lifting with the lineman, well he'll
(27:02):
push it. And then when he's out on the field
practicing like he's full till he's talking to the guys,
picking the guys up, helping out the younger guys, and
he's an open book. That's why I appreciate about him.
Like I'm not back, So I didn't have, you know,
questions pertaining cutting or how you see this hole or
this or that, but the other backs talking with him
(27:22):
like he's an open book. He's a good teammate, and
just seeing how he worked throughout the year or something
I really noticed and appreciated about him and his style
of leadership, like always being there to pick the team
up and like hold people accountable and then much like
variable understand like where the team's at, like when people
(27:42):
need to get lifted up, and then when people need
to be told like hey bro, like I know you're
better than this. So seeing that kind of greatness up
close was was awesome. Yeah, I mean there must be
looks on Defender's faces like later games. Yeah, guys make
business decisions out there. When you see it on film,
I mean, when everyone's moving twenty miles an hour, it
(28:02):
doesn't look like that, but once you cut it down
to one hundred frames a second, you see people start
taking half stride, start doing this. Sorry, I feel like that,
I totally sorry. It takes full advantage of that because
if you don't like I mean, he'll punish you. He
don't care, and he wants you to go full tilts
he's getting up and I remember I think it was
(28:24):
Houston and guy was choking him. He's like, bro, I
can't even feel you. That's a little beasting amazing. Wow.
So okay, so you've had I mean, you've had so
many good running backs, you know, your whole career, and yeah,
Nick obviously, Yeah, and then Derek Dontrelle did a great
(28:47):
job and now you got Josh. So is your blocking
is it something that you've worked on? Have you gotten
better and better? Do you take pride in it? How
do you feel about blocking? Yeah? Absolutely, I mean I'll
do whatever's asked, like whether I'm I'm blocking, pass blocking,
chipping on third down, running around on third down from
the slot in line outside. I mean, I feel like
(29:07):
that's kind of been my game. Might kind of like
that jack of all trades guy. You know, I might
not be the greatest set anything, but I can do everything.
So that's kind of what's kept me in the league
in my opinion. I can I can run routes enough,
I can block enough, I can do whatever, enough, pass block,
like whatever you need. I'm comfortable being in different spots
(29:28):
because I've been in so many different offenses. I've required
me to be that right, Like in Atlanta, I was
pretty much a big slot receiver towards the end of
my career, and then when I was in Cleveland, I
was an extension of the offensive line when we're leading
the league and rushing. And last year in Tennessee, I
was blocking a little bit, mostly doing third down, red zone.
(29:49):
So like I've done I've done both first, you know,
a long time now, I've done either or for a
long time. Like it's just kind of whatever it is.
Willing to do anything. I won't turn contact down. I'll
stick my face in there. In my opinion, that's just
half of what run blocking is, because I mean, I mean,
(30:10):
here's the thing, like I'll just breaking down, Like unless
you're over two hundred and sixty pounds, it's a tight end.
Like you're not going to be blowing up these two
hundred eighty pound edge guys who make you know, thirty
million dollars one hundred million dollars contract the guys are
meant to put pause on guys who weigh three hundred
and thirty pounds Like here's but what you can control
is if you're two forty two fifty is just how
(30:31):
fast you fire off the ball and trying to get
your helmet under their chin, trying to snap them back
and get your hands in the spot, and then understanding
the scheme, like how long do I need to keep
this monster attached to my body? Whether it's like thousand
and one thousand two or sometimes you gotta get it
to one thousand and three. But I mean, yeah, unless
you're over two sixty, Like you're not gonna debo a
(30:52):
guy whose sole job is to debo guys who weigh
three hundred and thirty pounds. Well you know what I mean. Like,
all you can do is just not turn it down on,
fire off as fast as you can and just be ready.
Like that's my advice when I talk to other tight ends.
So it's like, because if you want to get really
good at blocking throwing twenty thirty pounds and all of
a sudden, you ain't going anywhere in the routes, like
(31:14):
the ball is going to be in the air before
you're out of your rogers, and then you don't have
a job. So it's like what, so what do you want?
So I just I just explain that to people and
people are like, oh yeah, no, it makes sense. It's a.
It's a physics issue. So you started out in Kyle
Shanahan's offense in Atlanta, and you know, I've known him
(31:36):
since he's a kid. I'm a huge admirer always of
what he does schematically and what you guys were doing
in twenty sixteen was was ridiculous. You know that, right,
obviously MVP and very very close to winning a championship.
Explain you know why Kyle is you know, so good
(32:00):
at it and what it's like to play in that scheme.
That's a great question. I was gonna take me a second.
There's so many great things he did, and I mean,
you gotta keep in mind, like you remember meet me
when I was twenty one years old, Like I had
no frame of reference of what an NFL coordinator is,
and then my first year, I'm part of what top five,
top seven most prolific offense in NFL history, So like
(32:24):
that that was the only experience I had. So when
you're asking me what he does well when we were
absolutely rolling, like that could be the whole rest of
this podcast. It's talking about how Kyle would he would
legitimately predict everything that was going to happen, Like so
I like called Nostradamus, like this dude predicted everything. He'd
be like, all right, in his first fifteen script, He's like,
(32:47):
here's what's gonna happen. Boom boom boom boom boom, Taylor Gabriel,
we're gonna hit this chunk play Julio, get ready for
this coming up, Davante pop up up. We're gonna score here.
Then we're gonna get it back if we scored with
him first twelve. We're gonna with these And I'll just
be like rookie, like noah, okay, like you know, I,
you know, coaches in college do the same thing. But
we'll see. But it happened like every time where I
(33:09):
was just like, oh my goodness, this guy's football IQ
and understanding of everything within this system. And he would highlight,
you know, receivers in the run game, the backside guard
just how he's cut and open that b gap, the
tight end on the cross sif that's going even though
it's like a pass cross sif tight ends coming over
their full speed, just selling it to the edge player
(33:32):
so he thinks it's a run and collapsing instead of
pass rushing, creating the space for Matt to move and
then turn and throw move that throwing window for Julio
to get right around that hook defender, just like having that.
It's my first NFL experience was tremendous and the amount
that he helped me just grow my football IQ was
(33:53):
tremendous and I'm tnally grateful for him and so on
that staff, you had batt Laflour had Mike McDaniel. McDaniel, yeah,
and among others, U are, did Mike McDaniel try, you know,
stand up on you because I know, you know, I've
known him a long time. His set to humor, it's
very very dry, very unique. Well, we'll keep his we'll
(34:15):
keep his humor off the pod. Hilarious, hilarious. So I
always wondered, you know, when he got to Miami. I'm like, okay, um,
if he wins early, I think the humor is gonna kill.
But if if they were like one in five, I
just worried that people weren't going to get it on
the outside. Yeah, yeah, very deadpan, very yeah. I mean,
(34:39):
you're right, I mean success, success cures, all right, I mean,
but that's I've had a lot of coaches have a
sense of humor, but mc daniel, you know, you know
how it is like he starting fast and just sense
of humor, his his timing and just his understanding again
(34:59):
like going back to the system, just like everything about him,
how he carries himself and its enthusiasm for the game.
It's it's infectious. And being a rookie with him, Lafleur
and Kyle it was just Raheem Morris was a receiver's coach.
So I mean, bro, that's that's an all star lineup
(35:20):
right there of just just geniuses who are hilarious. Yeah,
that must have been epic, and I know, you know,
there was a there was a lot of talk about
how Kyle and Matt you know Ryan, but it heads
that first year and kind of we're trying to figure
it out. Any time you put two alphas in the room, like,
(35:40):
it's gonna take some time for everyone to like create.
I mean that's normal with any business. You bring two
multiple alpha males together, it's gonna take some time before
everyone just realized, like, all right, we're on the same page.
And you saw you saw those guys take the Atlanta
Falcons the heights. They haven't been before, you know, they
haven't had before or since really and so you know
(36:03):
that second year was obviously it was Roland right what
I recall that Super Bowl fifty one game plan. It
was a little unorthodox in the blocking right, like they
had receivers kind of blocking it defensive ends at times
and right. So it was all based on Dante high
tower because his ability to play off the ball mic
(36:25):
linebacker and then hop on the ball and play Sam.
So we had a Boston call so that idd like
either back or a tight end, just dictating you know,
where Dante is lined up and whether he's in the
count or not. Because this is you know, seven years ago,
so I could be butchering this a little bit. It
was definitely Boston called. But I think the the thought
(36:49):
behind it was they blitzed them so much from Mike
that they didn't want Davantaire Tevin having to sit them
down with a ten yard head start going you know,
two sixty five to seventy pads and Tevin or DeVante
they don't they don't turn anything down. They're tough SLBs,
but it's just it's a physics issue. So they would
have the line would account for him when he's in
(37:11):
the mic position, and then when he was in the
SAM we'd make a Boston call, and then there was
a time where I got matched up with him in
pass brom yeah, and backs would do it the idea
thinking all right, like he's on the edge, it's going
to take a little more to build up, and like
he's just not coming with as much heat. So that
(37:32):
it was really predicated upon that. So yes, in that sense,
it was very unorthodocs in terms of how we would
pick it up in the passing game. But I think
this overall based downs and whatnot, like we're running our system,
We're rolling there until it wasn't right. Yeah, I mean
(37:52):
I've never seen a Belichick defense be that. You know,
I don't shook as the word, but the width of
the field, the speed, the you know, it just was
and I don't know if you're aware of this, but
the score was actually twenty eight to three in the
third quarter. I heard at some point. I heard that.
(38:13):
At some point I remember looking at the score bar
I was like, yeah, that's that's interesting. It's looking pretty good.
Is it one of those things where it just as
it starts to snowball, where you're just like this. So
many people have asked me. It's like an old nineties
slasher movie, you know what I mean, Like you know
who the killer is, you can see him coming, and
it's just like, oh, you know, let's go split up
and go in the woods. You know. It's just like
(38:35):
one of those corny old movies where you see him,
just the killer coming clambing back. But I won't ever
forget there was a time look over at the sideline
with some dbs that she'll not be a named but
there's that iconic or Tom Brady, just that iconic picture
of him on the bench. You're like, yeah, yeah, he's
twinning that little and I'm just like I was a rookie.
(38:57):
I mean I just turned twenty two and I was like, guys,
I don't know what that is, but that's not the
surrender Cobra, Like I don't know what's happening. He's tapping in.
I don't know, this guy might go super saying or something.
I don't know, But like all I knew was watching him,
like I don't know. My whole life's like, that's not
a guy you count out because it was iconic, right,
(39:18):
Like everyone's over there like we're in control of the game.
And he's just by himself, just tapping into whatever he
tapped into and just willed willed his squad back. I
mean that, and you know some three PI calls walking
them down the field for one drive and the Edelman
(39:39):
catch the other drive and something else happened. But by me,
at the end of the day, like we stalled out
and all it took was like one stall and then
that was the old overtime rules. So first blood draws,
they won the point toss scored and I'm rookie, I'm
an idiot, right, so I'm like, all right, guys, like
(40:01):
we're up, and I run an old dB, like now, bro,
it's not caught like college like it's first blood draw.
It's over. And just as he says that, confetti and
I'm just like, oh, dagger. So those those dbs were
the first ones to be like, all right, we'll go,
we'll go for a walk in the woods. Let's just
split up. And you know, well, well, well I'll go,
(40:24):
I'll go into the dark woods. Yeah, they were, they ran,
they ran Shallow Crosser. It's a vast majority, and we're
playing man and man the whole pretty much the whole time.
I mean it were too. Rocky Robert Alpher got to
pick six off when they were in bunch call it cone,
and they studied what they're gonna do. Rocky saw it
took his op pick six to it. So I mean
(40:47):
they were trusting them, like yo, playing man's been been
going and they've been doing a great job. Just I
believe they were out there for one hundred and fifteen plays.
So yeah, that's and most of time those uh, it
was a Mendola and Julian just running a bunch of
shallow crossers, just picking and that's you know, asking dbs
(41:08):
to cover numbers to the other numbers. Every plane they're
running some kind of variation because as offensive players, we
know if we're in it or not, and so it's like, yeah,
come on, let's let's tack those hamstrings and quads. So
I mean, credit to them. It was a tremendous experience.
I mean, it's been so long people ask me about
It's like I'm not salty. It's like it's unfortunate to
(41:32):
be on the wrong side of a historical moment. But
you know, overall, I mean, being a rookie, like what
else you ask for? Man, it was awesome. I mean,
it's just it's a lot though, right, It's like you
think you're gonna win, you have the collapse, and then
Kyle's gone, and now you've got new coordinator, right, you
just bang bang bang. So it was it was definitely.
(41:55):
It all happened so fast. I remember after the game
at the after party, it was a little somber for
a little bit, but it was also a bar and
I'll you know how it goes, last time that team's
ever going to be a lot of bets. I was
there last year playing. You know, they're just hanging on
(42:19):
for one last ride. So I mean, it was awesome
to be around everyone. I remember downstairs there's like a
kind of like an open area with stairs leading down,
and I had a drink in my hand, walked down
and it was McDaniel, Kyle Lafleur, Matt Ryan, and Matt
shob all on a couch. So yeah, who grabbed a seat?
(42:42):
Blah blah. I was talking and then I just remember
Kyle dividally like, you know, I have to do this right.
And I came in a little late to the combo,
and I mean I'm young, so I mean it's more like,
you know, I'm just gonna be quiet. They talked to me.
I'll you know, but I'm not going to come there.
What's up, guys, Well read the room has some feel
after what just happened. I remember, Kyle, it's just like, yeah,
(43:04):
you know, I got to do this right. And I'll
just remember being like, oh, it's real. So we'll see
what happens next. But yeah, you know, I wish you
the best man, a great opportunity for you and your family,
and you're gonna be great over there. And I just
remember that was the last It's the last thing I
remember about that Super Bowl at the after party because
(43:25):
after that went up to my room, passed out, woke up,
hopped on the team plane next day or a couple
of days. Short time after Sark was announced, And yep,
was it hard to just adjusting to a due scheme,
a new offensive coach. It must have been a challenged. Yeah,
Sark was task was kind of running a Shanahan style offense.
(43:48):
He kept kind of learned his terminology and kind of
learned like what we were doing and what we did
well to keep it pretty similar for the guys. It
was more him like onboarding than having all of us
on board word in the song because at the end
of the day, most people run similar things. So this
kept our terminology. And then we roll with Sark for
a couple for two years. Yeah, I learned a lot
(44:09):
from Sark, good coach down there at Texas doing this thing.
And then my fourth years when I got dark, and
that's when we had changed the offense a little bit,
and and his offense that's where I'll split out a
bunch and in his offense, so why it gets to spend.
So I was definitely a beneficiary of his offense for sure.
So I know we've been talking a long time, so
(44:32):
I don't want to go too long. I just wanted
to hit one thing. You This is kind of the
golden age of tight ends. I mean, and we have
National tight Ends Day, tight End University. H do you
get involved in all that? And you know those guys
Kittle and Kelsey and greg Yeah, Gregors are so great?
(44:55):
Do you do you soak all that up? How's how's
that all been awesome? Like we put in work, but
let let's be real. I mean, like it's getting all
the tight ends around the league together to pretty much
get like a brain trust going like hey, like Travis
will get up there and talk about how you know,
he runs option Rountes right and he's the best in
(45:16):
league at George will get up there talking about how
he runs you know this route. Greg will talk about
when he was there and that's how I run this.
And then we all get together and we all just
get a talk shop with each other, go out on
the field, work a couple of drills. But yeah, I
mean I'm been lying. I said, like we don't all
like run out a bar and have some beers and
like talk with each other, because that's at the end
of the day, that's what's really about. We put in
(45:36):
our work and then like just get to know everyone
around the league. So, I mean, it's it's been awesome
with those three have created and it's definitely built to last.
Apparently Jimmy is the one who came up with national
tight ends a day. Really that's what I just still
a little research, and you know, Kittle obviously was at
the forefront, but apparently was Jimmy goofing on Kittle somehow,
(46:02):
And then George just took it doubling down like no, yes,
this is real. Now I'll show you. I'll make it
a holiday. Something to that sounds like something George would do.
It really does, And so yeah, that'll be you know
next time you had Jimmy are chilling watching women compete
for his affection in a very physical way. You guys,
(46:25):
can you guys could break that down? Man? That was
oh man, Yeah, Jimmy, don't get mad. Don't get mad
about that story years ago. I don't. I don't think Jimmy,
I'll get mad. I really don't. He was just sitting
there being cool. He didn't do nothing, just look over.
It's just like people people were fighting for his first
conversations calmly got up, walked out a way so smooth.
(46:49):
I mean, I wish I could inspire that much passion
like I could for one woman. You know, we've been
married for thirty one years. She would throw down. But
like I don't think, I can't imagine, just you know,
no on the coolest part of that story was you
could tell that wasn't the first time that that has
happened around Jimmy. Like he was just so cool about it,
(47:09):
like it was just Haymakers going on. Just like it's
like he was like an actor in Tarantino movie or something.
Just calmly took a sip and just walked out of
the saloon. I was just like, that's a quarterback right there. Yeah.
And then the last thing I had for you is
I didn't realize this because I'm a kind of a
tennis nerd and I grew up with a lot of
(47:30):
you know, friends who played naturally raked college players and
your uncle, Chip Hooper was a legit tennis player, like
top twenty of the world at one point at his peak. Yeah, McEnroe,
all those guys. Yeah, I think I watched him play
(47:51):
a major college tournament because one of my good one
of my good friends growing up was raked. I think
he was two with the NCA at one point and
might have been playing Chip, which was a huge batch
for And uh wow, so you know, did you Yeah,
have you ever like nerd it out and like, you know,
(48:13):
gone down that rabbit hole of how good he was
and all that. My dad would always my dad would
always tell me and told me some stories just like
the matches and everything growing up, So I always was
aware about his greatness, but like an end day, I
went your uncle or just like yeah whatever. But definitely
once I got older, I was definitely like, oh wow, yeah,
people aren't supposed to be able to do that that easily, Like,
(48:33):
that's that's super impressive. I was like, wow, you did that.
Did they ever hit with you when you were little?
Like did you try it at all? Now? I was
I was straight straight to t ball, baby, I was
playing baseball, soccer, uh cyo basketball, And then once I
was twelve, put on the shoulder pads and helmet and
(48:55):
that's I was like, this is this is what I
want to do. Dude. I can't even imagine you and
youth soccer. That must that must have been ridiculous. Yeah,
there were a couple of yellow cards, but I was
pretty skilled though. I was a skilled striker. But yeah,
I mean if it was getting fiscal though, I wasn't afraid.
I wasn't afraid to know yellow. Yeah. I love guy.
(49:16):
I'll never I was with Bret Selleck, I'm Todd Harriman's
and a couple other Eagles between practices in Bethlehem. I
in trading camp, maybe having some whiskey, you know, it
was it was too possibly. But my daughter, who was
(49:40):
I think eleven or twelve, got red card. It was
too yellows, but it was the first time she ever
got tossed for a game, and I was getting the
text for my wife and the second I was like, whoa,
she just got red carded. They were so pumped. They
were like yeah, and I was like, okay, cool, you know,
and it was in like a happionship game. It was.
(50:01):
It was. It was high drama. But yeah, sometimes I agree,
but I like, I love the idea that you were.
So you were really good at a sport where you
can't use your hands, and then you end up obviously
having some of the best hands of the world. All right,
shout shout out t ball basic played all the way
up to a high school. Then got a little little
Tommy John action. I was like, all right, well I
(50:23):
better get this football thing dialed in or I'm joining
the military. Yeah, right, exactly. Well you're still You're still
doing it, and you are now under the bright lights
of Henderson near the Strip, and I'm excited to watch
you do your thing on another high powered offense. Appreciate you, Mike,
(50:47):
Thanks for having me, Thanks so much for joining us.
Appreciate you, sir,
The volume. I'm really pumped about this. Next guest. This
is my guy, Austin Hooper. So, Austin and I met
in twenty sixteen when he was a rookie on the Falcons,
and I think it's when you guys were staying in
Santa Monica for a week and I was like throwing
(00:24):
money into a pool as part of a video shoot,
which that's a whole other story. But you saw me
kind of like wearing this purple pleather jacket act in
the fool, and we struck up a conversation and the
next thing I knew, you were in the super Bowl.
Looked like you were about to be a Super Bowl champ.
Another sordid tail. But you know, I've got to know you.
(00:49):
I've seen how hard you worked, and you know, have
loved watching your career progress. And I'm just gonna come
out right now and say it, low key, this will
be one of the great free agent sightings of twenty
twenty three. New Las Vegas Raiders. Tight end Austin Hooper, Mike,
thanks for having very cool to have you. You just
(01:12):
became a Raider the other day, and you know, I
know it happened fast. I know you were. You were
in Dubai at one point vacationing and free agency. Hit
tell me about joining the Raiders and what fires you up? Yeah,
it's awesome. I mean being a Barrier kid right growing
up in the East Bay watching the Oakland Raiders go. Uh,
(01:34):
you know, since since I can remember right watching rich
Gannon the Boys, John Gruden's first stint in there. I
mean just watching the plethora of tremendous players and coaches
that have come through that organization. So when they moved
to Vegas, I had no idea what to expect, right,
and then my agent called said Vegas wants to do
a visit. So I was just like, wow, all right,
that's awesome. Blew in and did the physical, did everything
(01:57):
and got the offer and got the opportunity and now
I'm just looking or to get to work. What excites
you about the Raiders? You know they obviously they've got
Davante Adams, they got Josh Jacobs, they got some dudes.
What you know what gets you pupped? Sure? I mean
you mentioned Davante. Having a receiver like Davonte allows other
(02:18):
guys to have more favorable matchups, allows coverage to be
dictated pre snap guys can't hold coverage and do as
many funky things at the snap. They have to dictate
because if they don't, Javonte I'll show you why he
is who he is. So then you add Jacoby Myers
Hunter Renfro's a beast like oja'son be in the tight
end room with me and Josh Jacobs, the guy who
(02:40):
led the league in rushing who can do some stuff
out of the backfield too, as well as Abdullah I
believe it was well and he's that dangerous out of
the backfield. So I mean there's a plethora of guys
Jimmy and then Josh just watching the system from afar
the way how he revolutionized the two tight end offense candidly. So,
I mean, it's it's a tremendous opportunity one I'm not
taking lightly in one that I'm grateful for. Are you
(03:03):
gonna wild out as much as Gronk like, are you gonna,
you know, throw people out of the club and then
you know, go forth? No, no, no, I'm I'll be
chilling out in Henderson. Man, I'm being keeping low key.
I'm keeping low key. Hey, I'm not gonna lie you.
I'll definitely go to strip for a nice dinner. If
there's a cool show someone I really want to see
that comes to town, like something more low key. But
(03:25):
yeah no, now there's only there's only one gronk out there.
I am. I'm a massive fan of your new quarterback,
Jimmy Gum, and I'm really excited for him to have,
you know, this opportunity. But I also think about Jimmy
and Vegas, and you know, I think Jimmy is more
receptive to baby going and check it out the strip
(03:48):
and all that. I don't know if you saw it,
but a brothel offered Jimmy free sex for life already
after his signing. You know, I don't know how if
you and Jimmy Vegas, Jimmy, yeah, there you go that too.
I was like, oh, all right, that's that's interesting. Usually
(04:09):
someone's like, hey, like come to my restaurant. You know,
we got you any apps, drinks? Like we got it.
But you know, Vegas, baby, so up the ending, I guess.
So I was cracking up when I saw that. I
feel like, of all the things Jimmy needs, that's probably
not high on the list, Like he's probably okay out
his own Yeah, yeah, I'm sure. I'm sure Jimmy will
(04:29):
be just fine. I'll be locking in learned the offense
with the rest of us, and based on what I heard,
like in terms of just through George and everyone, like
he's down in. I know there have been a couple
of things where people are like, oh, you know Jimmy,
blah blah blah, but like knowing enough people that have
played with him, and like opportunity to be around Jimmy
in the past, like not even on the football field,
(04:50):
Like Jimmy's super low key and he's a good dude.
I mean, but if you look like Jimmy, it's hilarious.
Like I don't know how much this I can tell,
but lord start, I was with him in Nashville. We're
just hanging out, having to drink right like as me
him Cam Fleming was probably like four years ago, and
that was the only time I've ever seen women actually
get into a physical altercation over who's going to talk
to Jimmy the whole time, Like Mike, it's just like
(05:12):
me and you talk and I look over and just
everyone's going and then before I look over, Jimmy's just
grabbing him, just being nice. Cole walking with the the cavil.
These two girls are going out and Jimmy's just out
the back door, just into a cab. It was the
funniest thing I've ever seen. I was like, it was
like my second year too. I was just like, wow,
(05:32):
all right, go to go to I've never seen females
actually get into a physical altercation over who is going
to talk to him. The whole time, Jimmy just doesn't
even care, just gets up and smoothly walks out of
La Bar. Was top five coolest thing I've ever seen
in my life. That's unbelievable. So the moral of the
story is, I guess neither one actually got to talk
(05:54):
to him because he left. No, no, no, And the
whole time, like we were sitting having a conversation, both
of them were coming up up being a little thirsty,
and Jimmy just being good, oh hey, no, hey good,
good to meet you whatever, and it's like, no, I
don't want to talk to Jimmy, don't want to talk
to him. And then we look over and just like
just a whirlwind of nails extensions flying. It was. It
(06:14):
was hilarious. It was hilarious. Did one of the two
get the upper hand or was it pretty like even
you know it was. It was in the flyweight division,
so it was going really fast, but not necessarily. There
wasn't heavy hands, so it's just you know a lot
of you know, tentphs to go for the hay, go
for the face, but it always just ends up in
(06:36):
the grabbing hair and necklaces. So it was more funny.
And then it happened for like tenths. It not funny,
it was just you get it. It happened for like
ten seconds, and I was like, all right, ladies, and
then they're like, where's Jimmy. Where's Jimmy, And you see
Jimmy just sneak in the cab and it was just
it was all time. Obviously, we don't want anyone to
get really hurt. I don't know, of course not, but
seeing two girls like pull it was right out of
(06:59):
a mood be in me. I was like, oh my god,
like is this real life? And you can tell like
this wasn't Jimmy's first rodeo because it was just calmly,
just takes a sip, it's good to see you guys.
Just the smoothest thing I've ever seen. I was just
like quarterback. Yeah, onto the next play, right, It's like, yeah,
(07:21):
I'm gonna go down the street to a bar to
have a drink with the boys and just try to
have a chill night. There are some great establishments in Nashville.
Do we want to immortalize this one? Where did this
stick play? Okay? This happened that kung fu? This okay,
So it's like, I don't know how much they change it.
This is also like twenty seventeen, but yeah, it's kind
(07:43):
of like half indoor half outdoor with like you know,
you know, massive tic tac toe boards and like connects
four and then the insides like a cool indoor outdoor
bar with a big sliding glass window and some company
like plush couches and like cool little able was just
sitting down at the table and that's when two fighters
(08:03):
stepped up to the plate and it was it was
worth it worth it? Um. Last question on this fight
not that I'm obsessed at all with five questions and
I keep it rolling. I can't really get past it. Um.
Did the two flyweights and questions seem to have a
previous knowledge of each other? Like were they friends or
(08:24):
were they total random straight I think they're adversaries. I think,
you know, I think I think this was about that
was coming for a while. There might have been something
earlier on in the night. I don't know what was happening.
I would know the build up, what was said up
the pressor but you know, when they just said it's time,
girls just went at it. So it was. It was
(08:46):
pretty remarkable. It probably started at the way end. I'm
guessing like some covets were made, probably how it's usually
how it goes, the build up. No, I wouldn't Sayhi
di to Jimmy. No, I wouldn't say hi to Jimmy.
And then you know, the South struck first, and then
it was just no hole's bar from there. Amazing, amazing
(09:07):
that there was a South pup by the way. I
you know, you played in Cleveland for a couple of years.
There is a there's a famous story in Cleveland where
Jeff Garcia, who at the time was the quarterback of
the Browns, two women brawled in a bar um over him.
One was what what I believe he's married to now
(09:28):
and and was you know, ended up being his wife
and the other one, yeah, right, the other one had
some history with him, but that was a flat out
reported brawl in Cleveland. So, uh, you know something about
Niner quarterbacks or something something man something. Well there you go.
(09:49):
All right, Well, I'm gonna I'm gonna probably give you
like a special phone to carry for video purposes for
the next Jimmy Jimmy G brawl you would. Yeah, this
should definitely help out one with Jimmy Jimmy. I'm the Feds,
don't worry me. You soon see you again soon. But unbelievable.
All right, I gotta get back an interview boat because
(10:10):
I had a lot of actual questions for you, and
now I'm I'm completely obsessed with this has gone off
the rails. It has gone completely off the rail. So
you know, you know, George, And I'm sure you've heard
all about Jimmy's um texting habits or lack thereof. And
(10:30):
I actually wrote about this in August about how you
know he's not known for texting coaches and teammates back,
let alone people like me. Although separate story, I did
just get my first Jimmy G return text. I'm so thrilled.
But you know, George, I'm sure has told you that
(10:53):
like you might be texting Jimmy, but he might not
be great about returning that text. Yeah. I mean I've
ben't m essentially. I mean, I don't have Jimmy's number.
I mean I've only heard what's what's been reported. I
can only judge him based off the time that I've
been around him face to face. He's been a good dude.
I mean, whatever he does in his free time, that's
(11:15):
up to him. Yeah, I'll leave it at that. I
mean I was kind of touched, he said to be
you know, a few months ago, He's like, oh no,
I get all your texts. I read him. I'm like, okay,
at least like, you know, at least think the information
I got them. All. Right. So, you did get that
big deal with the Browns three years ago when you
(11:36):
went through free agency, and that happened quick, and you,
I think at the time were the highest paid ted
in NFL history for like three weeks. Ship, Yeah, for
three weeks. And then you know, two years later you
experienced free agency again. Last year you ended up setting
with the Titans. You've now done it a third time.
How did this experience compared to those first two? Well,
(12:00):
I mean the first one is super interesting, right in
the pandemic. I remember talking to you when you were
back in the Bay Area. We were don't worry people,
we were socially distanced more than six feet apart. And
when we sat down and had the interview way back when,
I'm sure you remember. That was an interesting one, right
like I was. Just the first day even showed up
to Cleveland was day one of training camp, right like
it was. It was interesting. I went down to San
(12:21):
Jose in general to get my physical and just faxed
in paperwork. I remember it, signing my contract on my
on my parents coffee table. So it was it was.
It was definitely, definitely an interesting circumstance for many reasons
beyond football, but moving to Tennessee so and when I
ended up getting release, send it up signing to Sean
(12:44):
releasing a bunch of people, and I was kind of
scrambling there for a little bit, and then John Robinson
and Tennessee Titans called gave me an opportunity and took it,
ran with it. Played there for a year. Very grateful
for the experience there. I made a bunch of wonderful
people in the building, offense, defense, special teams, coach, player, player, coach,
everyone was super great. And now this time around getting
(13:08):
the opportunity to be in Vegas. So I've been just
very very fortunate. That's awesome. So you know, one thing
I always wondered with Cleveland is they they stepped up
and paid you, and you were coming off two Pro
Bowl years. You're you know, catch stats in terms of
targets to balls caught were like it's something insane, over
(13:31):
eighty percent. And you know, I was just kind of like, okay, cool,
they just paid him. They're going to go feed the guy.
And then you just didn't. You blocked a lot. You
were like on the light of scribbage a lot a
lot Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt and best one two
punch and football there for a while. So, I mean,
first year I'd be in line pyts. I wasn't frustrated,
(13:53):
but that was what was best for the team. When
we're ripping off five yards to carry, it's like, all right,
click click, you know, it's time to rest some big
boys because that's uh, you know, we're just leading the
league in rushing. So it's hard to hard to cry
about it. When we were winning games and Bart got
to be part of the first playoff team since ninety
four in Cleveland, So that was that was awesome, and
(14:15):
just seeing how hungry that city was and how starved
they were or some playoffs, so it was it was
truly special to be a part of that team and
do it for the city of Cleveland. Yeah, that playoff game,
it felt like it was a player revolt, Like Stefanski
was stuck in the basement. Not to the big light
of COVID, but Stefanski stuck in the basement and you
(14:35):
guys opened that up. Man, you're forgetting Mike. We didn't
practice that entire week. Like, just to add a little
more context, little story, Well, I don't know the statute
of limitations is on COVID, but here we go. Anyway,
So there was this indoor facility I'm not going to
mention it somewhere in the greater Cleveland area. Since we
(14:57):
couldn't practice, Bait got some route runners together because we're
kind of on standby, right, It's like we went here
from leak, we going, Qui going, Qui going. Eventually we
couldn't so around like five to thirty bakes like you
don't forget it, hey, you you you meet me at
this indoor facility which I will not name, and let's
get twenty thirty routes in. So that's what we did,
(15:19):
like a couple nights in a road to prepare it.
Because other than that, like it was all just like
this over Zoom, just getting the game plan and the
first time he went through it was in the game.
But and that scares a lot of people. By the
same time, I mean, Mike talk about fresh legs program,
we were the boys were striking on the field. Everyone
had the freshest legs. Everyone just laid up on Zoom, stretching,
(15:42):
hanging out, and we got I think we got the
Friday practice in. People were buzzing, and then the walkthrough.
But like the first two days leading up to it,
it's like where the bat bulk of the game plans
put in. It's like, this is going to be interesting
and working out. Could you tell it was going to
be a more open game? I mean, you have no idea, right, Like,
(16:05):
I mean, we're just so used to one play caller
the whole year, so we assumed this would be status quo.
I mean that Alex van Pelt, the Pittsburgh guy, was
just like, I guess it's just like, screw it. Here
we go, boys, we're checking it empty, we're airing it
out a little bit like they got some big boys
up the middle. They're giving us some fits in the
run game. So you know what, let's see if let's
(16:25):
see if their back end can cover. So it was
and I think that really also played to our advantage
because they're studying one chess master the entire time, and
then's just like, all right, here we go, Like everyone
has tendencies. Now it's just like all right, Kevin's in
the basement hanging out watching the game like everybody else.
And now a VP is just like, all right, you've
(16:46):
seen duo a hundred times. How about we starting here,
check to empty, explode to empty, and then five birds.
Like I don't think we ran that more than twice
the whole year. In that game, we ran it probably
three four times. So they're probably just trying half that game.
I feel they're just trying to figure out, like, oh
my god, what's the new chess master doing with the pieces?
And not to mention, I think our defense created like
(17:09):
three turnovers at games so and special teams got one.
I mean, it was truly a three phase, three phase game.
All the boys stepped up. That's awesome. So before you
ever got to Cleveland, you went down and hug with
Baker that year in Austin, I believe they did. Yeah
and yeah, Ive gown there and got real close with him,
(17:32):
you know, you know him well. I there was all
that drama there. Ultimately with Odell there was some Jarvis drama.
It just you know, this would be true being in
the media. It's like it's you know, it's always gonna
be crazier in the media at the end of the day,
Like it's it's all love in the locker room, it's
just business. But once outside fact I can say this,
(17:54):
once once outside factors get in the middle of the boys,
that's what makes it tough. And that's what makes the
you know, the real personal relationships away from the cameras,
away from the interview, like just real people like leaning
on you, like I got some family stuff going on
or whatever. That's what makes it tougher. And of course
it you know drawmasels, So you know, I'll say that
(18:17):
much about that. So if you had a parent who
was publicly questioning one of your teammates, that would that
could make an awkward Yeah, that can that can intend
to make things a little awkward. But at the end
of the day, I mean they're both good people. It's
just tough situation. And yeah, I feel like I got
blown out of proportions, but it's it's one of those
(18:41):
tough things. It's like, yeah, you didn't want to see
it happen, but you know, that's that's how it ended
up going down. And I was just you know, tight
down in the locker room washing it all unfold. But
like the media is all like, oh my god, oh
my god, But in the locker room, Mike, it's just like,
all right, well we still have practice. Like there was
there was that one crazy morning where basically you were
(19:02):
you guys were told hey, Odell's not really on the
team anymore, even though he technically was right. Yeah, I
mean it was it was pretty interesting because like we're
just getting ready to go in the work, like it's like, oh,
let's all happen. That's that's interesting. I wonder, you know,
what I was going to say about it in the
building or like, you know, I got blown out whatever, right,
like you know, you have no idea what to think.
(19:23):
And then to your point, it's like, yeah, O'Dell and
can be here anymore. It's just like whoa well, you
know which on the best good dude. I mean, just
you know, unfolded that way. I mean, there's there's no hate.
There ain't even the media try to build it up
like Odell versus Bake. There's there's no it's it was
never those two guys. And I think there's been enough
(19:46):
bread crumb said on both sides. So and I'll leave
it at that. I haven't always been Baker's biggest cheer leader,
but dude, I gotta tell you that Thursday night game
last year, what he had been forty eight hours with
the Rams and did what he did to pull out
that game against the Raiders, That's one of the sickest
(20:06):
things I've ever seen in this sport. Were you watching
get appreciated that? Absolutely? I was rooting my boy on
just watching him go. I remember when it all happened,
and I remember texting him. He's just like it's like, yeah, man,
I'm here. I'm here in the hotel trying to get
this thing down and built him his own little package
(20:27):
because I mean it's I mean, the quarterback understand the audibles,
the protections, the flips, like where you're outs. Who are
you're hot? So it's just like let's let's let's get
the general stuff that we're gonna go to. Like obviously
got to pair the game playing down, right, Like the
guy just got here bakes a really smart guy, but
like Jesus, you got you gotta give him a chance here.
(20:48):
And they did a great job by you know, listening
to him on rich eyes and talking about how they
did a great job of pairing it down for him,
allowing him to feel comfortable with stuff he's done before,
and also give him some autonomy because, in my opinion,
bas at its best when he can just see the
game and feel the game how it comes to him,
because that's that's what we did in high school. That's
(21:09):
what he's done in college and the most successful times
he's had, like when people trust like, oh, you're the
number one guy for a reason. You can see the game.
What does your arm want to do here? And you
can just see him out there just getting it, calling
it and making the decision, just dealing out there. I mean,
how can younot be happy for him? All? You know,
all the aniversities at a fight through and you know
(21:30):
all the voices and for him to get that, it
was just how can you not be happy for him?
I love it. So you went to the Titans and
it was looking really cool. You guys were seven to
three and you know, as part of a long run
of Titans success under Rabel. And then all of a sudden,
(21:52):
it was like Tannehill got heard and offensive coordinator got
a dui and the GM got fired. Seven losses to
end the season. What was that? Just take me through
that experience, because it must have been a crazy turn
of events. Yeah, I mean you touched on it. I
mean we're riding high there, first division, first step that came.
(22:15):
I mean this evall public information. So I'll just go
through a series of events. I mean loss in Philly,
got beat up in Philly pretty good, Jay Rob got
let go. Then from there just went throughout the season,
you know, trying to go status quo. And I mean
I really don't think like it's not like when Jay
(22:36):
Rob got fired the boys all laid down. I just
just it's just one of those things, man, like one
play here, one play there. We'd have to look back
at it. I don't know how many games we lost
by three or less, And I mean all comes down
to is just you know, one play here, one play there.
But you know that's thirty two teams across the league
could play that game. The Raiders could have played that
(22:56):
game last year. You know what, I mean three points
or less and I have twelve, So I mean that's
the league, man, I mean it was. It was definitely
frustrating for everyone in the building. You know, when you're
riding high first place, got a two three game coaching,
and then you know you're fighting just to get a win,
but you're feeling like you're a good team that's just not,
(23:18):
for one reason or another, not living up potential. I mean,
I think how to be like second or first or
second heist in league in terms of a number of injuries,
Like so we we're plugging and playing in guys that
did a great job, that did a great job. I
mean like kind of like a bake situation. Coming on Thursday.
(23:39):
It's like, all right, buddy, you're starting Sunday, Like let's go.
We're down bodies. So it was an awesome experience. It's
just tough, Like there's a more two to factors we
can go on for a half hour about, but you know,
it makes use for it. We just we didn't finish
the right way. Being around coach Rabel knowing the man
he is, he's going to get it corrected. He's a
great coach and he's gonna he's going to get everything down.
(24:01):
Then I covered him as a player, so I just
you know, everyone handles losing differently. I cannot imagine that
he was in the best of moods toward the end. Yeah,
I mean for sure. I mean, no, no coach is
going to be happy with losing by We'll say this
about Gray, Well, he knew being a player, he always
(24:23):
knew how to read the room, see where the boys
are at, like get the morales down, pick you back up,
and if we're fine, they'll tell you a life fellas
sain't good enough, but still doing in a way like
when everyone's down that can get the team back to
status quo. So I mean, I really appreciated that about him.
I mean, and just the way he'd take care of
(24:46):
us with how hurt the team was just understanding, like
you said, like fourteen years as a player, he just
he's been through it and he understands from that perspective
as well as the coaching side, like where the psyche
of this team is at at all times, and that
was that was something I really picked up from his
leadership and something I really appreciated about him. Apparently in
(25:09):
Philly you reference that game, fans were chanting at the
owner's box about a J. Brown. So you know, I
don't know what happened with Jay Robin, why the timing happened.
But that can't be good when you're the owner and
there's a chance to get you in the box. Uh yeah, yeah,
I mean I don't you know, I am an owner
(25:31):
by but that doesn't feel good when anyone's yelling at
you in your face. So yeah, I had no idea,
right I was. I was too busy get my ass
kicked on the field with the boys, so I didn't
I didn't hear the chance. But that's that's interesting information.
I had no idea about. But all I know is
it happened so quick, and I was just so surprised
because we were first in envisioned two three games up
(25:53):
when that move was made. So that was so we
were all all of a sudden locker room, we're just
kind of scratching our heads like, wow, that quick son,
That's that's above Mike, paygrade Mike and just just play
tight end man. So no, just reacting to it like, wow,
all right, the guy who brought me in this building
is now gone. That's always an interesting straight up. Yeah,
(26:18):
I've had that happened a few times. It's always better
when the person who brings you in is still there.
In my opinion, it's it's always better. Yeah, help. Yeah,
So I Derek Henry, you obviously admired from afar when
you see him up close and personal and how defenders
(26:39):
reacted all that is it? Is it crazy just watching
that dude run? Yeah, Derek, Derek special man, He's very special.
And the thing I really appreciate about him too, is
he works his ass off. Like being in the weight
room with him, Yeah, being in the weight room with him,
like he definitely doesn't take the easy way out. I'll
see him over there lifting with the lineman, well he'll
(27:02):
push it. And then when he's out on the field
practicing like he's full till he's talking to the guys,
picking the guys up, helping out the younger guys, and
he's an open book. That's why I appreciate about him.
Like I'm not back, So I didn't have, you know,
questions pertaining cutting or how you see this hole or
this or that, but the other backs talking with him
(27:22):
like he's an open book. He's a good teammate, and
just seeing how he worked throughout the year or something
I really noticed and appreciated about him and his style
of leadership, like always being there to pick the team
up and like hold people accountable and then much like
variable understand like where the team's at, like when people
(27:42):
need to get lifted up, and then when people need
to be told like hey bro, like I know you're
better than this. So seeing that kind of greatness up
close was was awesome. Yeah, I mean there must be
looks on Defender's faces like later games. Yeah, guys make
business decisions out there. When you see it on film,
I mean, when everyone's moving twenty miles an hour, it
(28:02):
doesn't look like that, but once you cut it down
to one hundred frames a second, you see people start
taking half stride, start doing this. Sorry, I feel like that,
I totally sorry. It takes full advantage of that because
if you don't like I mean, he'll punish you. He
don't care, and he wants you to go full tilts
he's getting up and I remember I think it was
(28:24):
Houston and guy was choking him. He's like, bro, I
can't even feel you. That's a little beasting amazing. Wow.
So okay, so you've had I mean, you've had so
many good running backs, you know, your whole career, and yeah,
Nick obviously, Yeah, and then Derek Dontrelle did a great
(28:47):
job and now you got Josh. So is your blocking
is it something that you've worked on? Have you gotten
better and better? Do you take pride in it? How
do you feel about blocking? Yeah? Absolutely, I mean I'll
do whatever's asked, like whether I'm I'm blocking, pass blocking,
chipping on third down, running around on third down from
the slot in line outside. I mean, I feel like
(29:07):
that's kind of been my game. Might kind of like
that jack of all trades guy. You know, I might
not be the greatest set anything, but I can do everything.
So that's kind of what's kept me in the league
in my opinion. I can I can run routes enough,
I can block enough, I can do whatever, enough, pass block,
like whatever you need. I'm comfortable being in different spots
(29:28):
because I've been in so many different offenses. I've required
me to be that right, Like in Atlanta, I was
pretty much a big slot receiver towards the end of
my career, and then when I was in Cleveland, I
was an extension of the offensive line when we're leading
the league and rushing. And last year in Tennessee, I
was blocking a little bit, mostly doing third down, red zone.
(29:49):
So like I've done I've done both first, you know,
a long time now, I've done either or for a
long time. Like it's just kind of whatever it is.
Willing to do anything. I won't turn contact down. I'll
stick my face in there. In my opinion, that's just
half of what run blocking is, because I mean, I mean,
(30:10):
here's the thing, like I'll just breaking down, Like unless
you're over two hundred and sixty pounds, it's a tight end.
Like you're not going to be blowing up these two
hundred eighty pound edge guys who make you know, thirty
million dollars one hundred million dollars contract the guys are
meant to put pause on guys who weigh three hundred
and thirty pounds Like here's but what you can control
is if you're two forty two fifty is just how
(30:31):
fast you fire off the ball and trying to get
your helmet under their chin, trying to snap them back
and get your hands in the spot, and then understanding
the scheme, like how long do I need to keep
this monster attached to my body? Whether it's like thousand
and one thousand two or sometimes you gotta get it
to one thousand and three. But I mean, yeah, unless
you're over two sixty, Like you're not gonna debo a
(30:52):
guy whose sole job is to debo guys who weigh
three hundred and thirty pounds. Well you know what I mean. Like,
all you can do is just not turn it down on,
fire off as fast as you can and just be ready.
Like that's my advice when I talk to other tight ends.
So it's like, because if you want to get really
good at blocking throwing twenty thirty pounds and all of
a sudden, you ain't going anywhere in the routes, like
(31:14):
the ball is going to be in the air before
you're out of your rogers, and then you don't have
a job. So it's like what, so what do you want?
So I just I just explain that to people and
people are like, oh yeah, no, it makes sense. It's a.
It's a physics issue. So you started out in Kyle
Shanahan's offense in Atlanta, and you know, I've known him
(31:36):
since he's a kid. I'm a huge admirer always of
what he does schematically and what you guys were doing
in twenty sixteen was was ridiculous. You know that, right,
obviously MVP and very very close to winning a championship.
Explain you know why Kyle is you know, so good
(32:00):
at it and what it's like to play in that scheme.
That's a great question. I was gonna take me a second.
There's so many great things he did, and I mean,
you gotta keep in mind, like you remember meet me
when I was twenty one years old, Like I had
no frame of reference of what an NFL coordinator is,
and then my first year, I'm part of what top five,
top seven most prolific offense in NFL history, So like
(32:24):
that that was the only experience I had. So when
you're asking me what he does well when we were
absolutely rolling, like that could be the whole rest of
this podcast. It's talking about how Kyle would he would
legitimately predict everything that was going to happen, Like so
I like called Nostradamus, like this dude predicted everything. He'd
be like, all right, in his first fifteen script, He's like,
(32:47):
here's what's gonna happen. Boom boom boom boom boom, Taylor Gabriel,
we're gonna hit this chunk play Julio, get ready for
this coming up, Davante pop up up. We're gonna score here.
Then we're gonna get it back if we scored with
him first twelve. We're gonna with these And I'll just
be like rookie, like noah, okay, like you know, I,
you know, coaches in college do the same thing. But
we'll see. But it happened like every time where I
(33:09):
was just like, oh my goodness, this guy's football IQ
and understanding of everything within this system. And he would highlight,
you know, receivers in the run game, the backside guard
just how he's cut and open that b gap, the
tight end on the cross sif that's going even though
it's like a pass cross sif tight ends coming over
their full speed, just selling it to the edge player
(33:32):
so he thinks it's a run and collapsing instead of
pass rushing, creating the space for Matt to move and
then turn and throw move that throwing window for Julio
to get right around that hook defender, just like having that.
It's my first NFL experience was tremendous and the amount
that he helped me just grow my football IQ was
(33:53):
tremendous and I'm tnally grateful for him and so on
that staff, you had batt Laflour had Mike McDaniel. McDaniel, yeah,
and among others, U are, did Mike McDaniel try, you know,
stand up on you because I know, you know, I've
known him a long time. His set to humor, it's
very very dry, very unique. Well, we'll keep his we'll
(34:15):
keep his humor off the pod. Hilarious, hilarious. So I
always wondered, you know, when he got to Miami. I'm like, okay, um,
if he wins early, I think the humor is gonna kill.
But if if they were like one in five, I
just worried that people weren't going to get it on
the outside. Yeah, yeah, very deadpan, very yeah. I mean,
(34:39):
you're right, I mean success, success cures, all right, I mean,
but that's I've had a lot of coaches have a
sense of humor, but mc daniel, you know, you know
how it is like he starting fast and just sense
of humor, his his timing and just his understanding again
(34:59):
like going back to the system, just like everything about him,
how he carries himself and its enthusiasm for the game.
It's it's infectious. And being a rookie with him, Lafleur
and Kyle it was just Raheem Morris was a receiver's coach.
So I mean, bro, that's that's an all star lineup
(35:20):
right there of just just geniuses who are hilarious. Yeah,
that must have been epic, and I know, you know,
there was a there was a lot of talk about
how Kyle and Matt you know Ryan, but it heads
that first year and kind of we're trying to figure
it out. Any time you put two alphas in the room, like,
(35:40):
it's gonna take some time for everyone to like create.
I mean that's normal with any business. You bring two
multiple alpha males together, it's gonna take some time before
everyone just realized, like, all right, we're on the same page.
And you saw you saw those guys take the Atlanta
Falcons the heights. They haven't been before, you know, they
haven't had before or since really and so you know
(36:03):
that second year was obviously it was Roland right what
I recall that Super Bowl fifty one game plan. It
was a little unorthodox in the blocking right, like they
had receivers kind of blocking it defensive ends at times
and right. So it was all based on Dante high
tower because his ability to play off the ball mic
(36:25):
linebacker and then hop on the ball and play Sam.
So we had a Boston call so that idd like
either back or a tight end, just dictating you know,
where Dante is lined up and whether he's in the
count or not. Because this is you know, seven years ago,
so I could be butchering this a little bit. It
was definitely Boston called. But I think the the thought
(36:49):
behind it was they blitzed them so much from Mike
that they didn't want Davantaire Tevin having to sit them
down with a ten yard head start going you know,
two sixty five to seventy pads and Tevin or DeVante
they don't they don't turn anything down. They're tough SLBs,
but it's just it's a physics issue. So they would
have the line would account for him when he's in
(37:11):
the mic position, and then when he was in the
SAM we'd make a Boston call, and then there was
a time where I got matched up with him in
pass brom yeah, and backs would do it the idea
thinking all right, like he's on the edge, it's going
to take a little more to build up, and like
he's just not coming with as much heat. So that
(37:32):
it was really predicated upon that. So yes, in that sense,
it was very unorthodocs in terms of how we would
pick it up in the passing game. But I think
this overall based downs and whatnot, like we're running our system,
We're rolling there until it wasn't right. Yeah, I mean
(37:52):
I've never seen a Belichick defense be that. You know,
I don't shook as the word, but the width of
the field, the speed, the you know, it just was
and I don't know if you're aware of this, but
the score was actually twenty eight to three in the
third quarter. I heard at some point. I heard that.
(38:13):
At some point I remember looking at the score bar
I was like, yeah, that's that's interesting. It's looking pretty good.
Is it one of those things where it just as
it starts to snowball, where you're just like this. So
many people have asked me. It's like an old nineties
slasher movie, you know what I mean, Like you know
who the killer is, you can see him coming, and
it's just like, oh, you know, let's go split up
and go in the woods. You know. It's just like
(38:35):
one of those corny old movies where you see him,
just the killer coming clambing back. But I won't ever
forget there was a time look over at the sideline
with some dbs that she'll not be a named but
there's that iconic or Tom Brady, just that iconic picture
of him on the bench. You're like, yeah, yeah, he's
twinning that little and I'm just like I was a rookie.
(38:57):
I mean I just turned twenty two and I was like, guys,
I don't know what that is, but that's not the
surrender Cobra, Like I don't know what's happening. He's tapping in.
I don't know, this guy might go super saying or something.
I don't know, But like all I knew was watching him,
like I don't know. My whole life's like, that's not
a guy you count out because it was iconic, right,
(39:18):
Like everyone's over there like we're in control of the game.
And he's just by himself, just tapping into whatever he
tapped into and just willed willed his squad back. I
mean that, and you know some three PI calls walking
them down the field for one drive and the Edelman
(39:39):
catch the other drive and something else happened. But by me,
at the end of the day, like we stalled out
and all it took was like one stall and then
that was the old overtime rules. So first blood draws,
they won the point toss scored and I'm rookie, I'm
an idiot, right, so I'm like, all right, guys, like
(40:01):
we're up, and I run an old dB, like now, bro,
it's not caught like college like it's first blood draw.
It's over. And just as he says that, confetti and
I'm just like, oh, dagger. So those those dbs were
the first ones to be like, all right, we'll go,
we'll go for a walk in the woods. Let's just
split up. And you know, well, well, well I'll go,
(40:24):
I'll go into the dark woods. Yeah, they were, they ran,
they ran Shallow Crosser. It's a vast majority, and we're
playing man and man the whole pretty much the whole time.
I mean it were too. Rocky Robert Alpher got to
pick six off when they were in bunch call it cone,
and they studied what they're gonna do. Rocky saw it
took his op pick six to it. So I mean
(40:47):
they were trusting them, like yo, playing man's been been
going and they've been doing a great job. Just I
believe they were out there for one hundred and fifteen plays.
So yeah, that's and most of time those uh, it
was a Mendola and Julian just running a bunch of
shallow crossers, just picking and that's you know, asking dbs
(41:08):
to cover numbers to the other numbers. Every plane they're
running some kind of variation because as offensive players, we
know if we're in it or not, and so it's like, yeah,
come on, let's let's tack those hamstrings and quads. So
I mean, credit to them. It was a tremendous experience.
I mean, it's been so long people ask me about
It's like I'm not salty. It's like it's unfortunate to
(41:32):
be on the wrong side of a historical moment. But
you know, overall, I mean, being a rookie, like what
else you ask for? Man, it was awesome. I mean,
it's just it's a lot though, right, It's like you
think you're gonna win, you have the collapse, and then
Kyle's gone, and now you've got new coordinator, right, you
just bang bang bang. So it was it was definitely.
(41:55):
It all happened so fast. I remember after the game
at the after party, it was a little somber for
a little bit, but it was also a bar and
I'll you know how it goes, last time that team's
ever going to be a lot of bets. I was
there last year playing. You know, they're just hanging on
(42:19):
for one last ride. So I mean, it was awesome
to be around everyone. I remember downstairs there's like a
kind of like an open area with stairs leading down,
and I had a drink in my hand, walked down
and it was McDaniel, Kyle Lafleur, Matt Ryan, and Matt
shob all on a couch. So yeah, who grabbed a seat?
(42:42):
Blah blah. I was talking and then I just remember
Kyle dividally like, you know, I have to do this right.
And I came in a little late to the combo,
and I mean I'm young, so I mean it's more like,
you know, I'm just gonna be quiet. They talked to me.
I'll you know, but I'm not going to come there.
What's up, guys, Well read the room has some feel
after what just happened. I remember, Kyle, it's just like, yeah,
(43:04):
you know, I got to do this right. And I'll
just remember being like, oh, it's real. So we'll see
what happens next. But yeah, you know, I wish you
the best man, a great opportunity for you and your family,
and you're gonna be great over there. And I just
remember that was the last It's the last thing I
remember about that Super Bowl at the after party because
(43:25):
after that went up to my room, passed out, woke up,
hopped on the team plane next day or a couple
of days. Short time after Sark was announced, And yep,
was it hard to just adjusting to a due scheme,
a new offensive coach. It must have been a challenged. Yeah,
Sark was task was kind of running a Shanahan style offense.
(43:48):
He kept kind of learned his terminology and kind of
learned like what we were doing and what we did
well to keep it pretty similar for the guys. It
was more him like onboarding than having all of us
on board word in the song because at the end
of the day, most people run similar things. So this
kept our terminology. And then we roll with Sark for
a couple for two years. Yeah, I learned a lot
(44:09):
from Sark, good coach down there at Texas doing this thing.
And then my fourth years when I got dark, and
that's when we had changed the offense a little bit,
and and his offense that's where I'll split out a
bunch and in his offense, so why it gets to spend.
So I was definitely a beneficiary of his offense for sure.
So I know we've been talking a long time, so
(44:32):
I don't want to go too long. I just wanted
to hit one thing. You This is kind of the
golden age of tight ends. I mean, and we have
National tight Ends Day, tight End University. H do you
get involved in all that? And you know those guys
Kittle and Kelsey and greg Yeah, Gregors are so great?
(44:55):
Do you do you soak all that up? How's how's
that all been awesome? Like we put in work, but
let let's be real. I mean, like it's getting all
the tight ends around the league together to pretty much
get like a brain trust going like hey, like Travis
will get up there and talk about how you know,
he runs option Rountes right and he's the best in
(45:16):
league at George will get up there talking about how
he runs you know this route. Greg will talk about
when he was there and that's how I run this.
And then we all get together and we all just
get a talk shop with each other, go out on
the field, work a couple of drills. But yeah, I
mean I'm been lying. I said, like we don't all
like run out a bar and have some beers and
like talk with each other, because that's at the end
of the day, that's what's really about. We put in
(45:36):
our work and then like just get to know everyone
around the league. So, I mean, it's it's been awesome
with those three have created and it's definitely built to last.
Apparently Jimmy is the one who came up with national
tight ends a day. Really that's what I just still
a little research, and you know, Kittle obviously was at
the forefront, but apparently was Jimmy goofing on Kittle somehow,
(46:02):
And then George just took it doubling down like no, yes,
this is real. Now I'll show you. I'll make it
a holiday. Something to that sounds like something George would do.
It really does, And so yeah, that'll be you know
next time you had Jimmy are chilling watching women compete
for his affection in a very physical way. You guys,
(46:25):
can you guys could break that down? Man? That was
oh man, Yeah, Jimmy, don't get mad. Don't get mad
about that story years ago. I don't. I don't think Jimmy,
I'll get mad. I really don't. He was just sitting
there being cool. He didn't do nothing, just look over.
It's just like people people were fighting for his first
conversations calmly got up, walked out a way so smooth.
(46:49):
I mean, I wish I could inspire that much passion
like I could for one woman. You know, we've been
married for thirty one years. She would throw down. But
like I don't think, I can't imagine, just you know,
no on the coolest part of that story was you
could tell that wasn't the first time that that has
happened around Jimmy. Like he was just so cool about it,
(47:09):
like it was just Haymakers going on. Just like it's
like he was like an actor in Tarantino movie or something.
Just calmly took a sip and just walked out of
the saloon. I was just like, that's a quarterback right there. Yeah.
And then the last thing I had for you is
I didn't realize this because I'm a kind of a
tennis nerd and I grew up with a lot of
(47:30):
you know, friends who played naturally raked college players and
your uncle, Chip Hooper was a legit tennis player, like
top twenty of the world at one point at his peak. Yeah, McEnroe,
all those guys. Yeah, I think I watched him play
(47:51):
a major college tournament because one of my good one
of my good friends growing up was raked. I think
he was two with the NCA at one point and
might have been playing Chip, which was a huge batch
for And uh wow, so you know, did you Yeah,
have you ever like nerd it out and like, you know,
(48:13):
gone down that rabbit hole of how good he was
and all that. My dad would always my dad would
always tell me and told me some stories just like
the matches and everything growing up, So I always was
aware about his greatness, but like an end day, I
went your uncle or just like yeah whatever. But definitely
once I got older, I was definitely like, oh wow, yeah,
people aren't supposed to be able to do that that easily, Like,
(48:33):
that's that's super impressive. I was like, wow, you did that.
Did they ever hit with you when you were little?
Like did you try it at all? Now? I was
I was straight straight to t ball, baby, I was
playing baseball, soccer, uh cyo basketball, And then once I
was twelve, put on the shoulder pads and helmet and
(48:55):
that's I was like, this is this is what I
want to do. Dude. I can't even imagine you and
youth soccer. That must that must have been ridiculous. Yeah,
there were a couple of yellow cards, but I was
pretty skilled though. I was a skilled striker. But yeah,
I mean if it was getting fiscal though, I wasn't afraid.
I wasn't afraid to know yellow. Yeah. I love guy.
(49:16):
I'll never I was with Bret Selleck, I'm Todd Harriman's
and a couple other Eagles between practices in Bethlehem. I
in trading camp, maybe having some whiskey, you know, it
was it was too possibly. But my daughter, who was
(49:40):
I think eleven or twelve, got red card. It was
too yellows, but it was the first time she ever
got tossed for a game, and I was getting the
text for my wife and the second I was like, whoa,
she just got red carded. They were so pumped. They
were like yeah, and I was like, okay, cool, you know,
and it was in like a happionship game. It was.
(50:01):
It was. It was high drama. But yeah, sometimes I agree,
but I like, I love the idea that you were.
So you were really good at a sport where you
can't use your hands, and then you end up obviously
having some of the best hands of the world. All right,
shout shout out t ball basic played all the way
up to a high school. Then got a little little
Tommy John action. I was like, all right, well I
(50:23):
better get this football thing dialed in or I'm joining
the military. Yeah, right, exactly. Well you're still You're still
doing it, and you are now under the bright lights
of Henderson near the Strip, and I'm excited to watch
you do your thing on another high powered offense. Appreciate you, Mike,
(50:47):
Thanks for having me, Thanks so much for joining us.
Appreciate you, sir,
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