December 24, 2022 • 21 mins
Indianapolis Colts defensive lineman DeForest Buckner talks to Mike Silver about the Colts' historic loss to the Minnesota Vikings, who came back from a 33-point deficit in their Week 15 matchup. Buckner also talks about the departure of former head coach Frank Reich, Jeff Saturday coming in, being traded to Indy by the San Francisco 49ers, DeFo's near-perfect beer pong run at George Kittle's party, and the Colts' upcoming Monday Night Football matchup against fellow Oregon alum and Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert. #volume #Herd
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
The volume. Well, I want to go back to the
locker room. After Super Bowl I was standing in the
San Francisco for the Unitiers locker room and talking to
one of the best players and one of the best
(00:21):
dudes in football, to Force Buckler. Uh. And I vividly
remember that conversation because we were talking about how good
the forty Niners were and how we expected them to
come right back. I remember the quote you said, we're
gonna make another run. We've got to go back to
the drawing board, have a strong offseason and put in
a lot of work. But we've got it in us.
(00:42):
And as you and I both know, especially you, life
comes at you fast in the NFL. So I'm here
now with the fourth Buckler, who is a star defensive
tackle for the Indianapolis Colts. Uh. You ended up getting
traded there. Uh that next March. We'll talk about all that,
but it first of all, let's jump right in. I
(01:02):
booked this before we knew what was gonna happen last Saturday.
But thank thank you for coming on because you've got
to be in a in a lovely bood after that
game against the Vikings. Yeah, man, I mean it's it's
it's tough. Um, you know, largest league and I mean
blown leading NFL history, biggest comeback, I guess you would say,
(01:23):
but uh, yeah, it's tough man. Um, We've been we've
been preaching about finishing for a while and that's just
been the way the season has been going for us,
you know what I mean, It's been the tale of
two halves, um, and we just haven't been finishing in
the in the fourth. Did you when did you find
out it was actually the largest comeback in NFL history?
Did you know that at the time? Um? I think
(01:43):
they put it up on the screen at the end
of the game, you know, by walking off the field
and um, you know, he's just he's just sick as
a as a player, um, competitor. Uh, you know, it's
it's tough to being on that side, on that side
of the on the on the wind one lost column.
Did you feel any better at all what you saw
the end of the Patriots Raiders game the next day? No,
(02:06):
definitely not. I mean it's that's that's a bad way
to go out as well. But I mean we have
thirty three to zero at half. I mean there's no
there's no you know, excuse to to losing a game
like that, and I know you, I know you never
stopped playing it hard. That's part of your DNA. Was
you know as it was happening. And I want to
get off of this because I'm sure it's not your
favorite subject, but as it was as it was happening,
(02:28):
did you know, could you feel anything changing or could
you explain it or how did it kind of had
you know? I mean, you know, you know the game
it's all about momentum, and they were building some momentum
and everything. But you know, you as a competitor, you
don't want to do everything you can to to stop
it in I mean even on the sideline, just you know,
just still getting guys, you know, telling you know, keeping
(02:49):
guys in the game and um, just letting them know like, hey,
we we still got opportunities. And even in the in
o t or um, you know we're talking about you
know we just need one stop, we need we just
need one stop, one more stop and uh um, you
know we got those those key stops in those moments,
but you know they got the opportunity to get the
ball back and you know, we just we didn't come
(03:09):
up big when we really needed it most, and um,
that's what really hurt. So you got to India in March.
You've had three big name quarterbacks, you know, since you've
been there, with Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan. Um
do you feel like quarterback instability has been part of
what has kept you guys from from realizing expectations. Um,
(03:33):
the quarterback position obviously is a big role in this league.
And UM, the inconsistency at quarterback over the years. Um, yeah,
I mean it could it could be a problem if
you if you let it be. And UM, you know
it's just been it's been hard. Um, you know, just
shuffling through. I mean before I got here, when I
was in San Francisco, before we had Jimmy, I mean
I was, I went through a quarterback shuffle. Um. I
(03:55):
was kind of naming off some of the starters that
I've had since, you know, since I've been in the
league and it was my seventh year, I think I've
had on the teams. I've been on ten different quarterbacks start,
you know, starting games that I that I played in,
and so I mean it's it's hard, you know what
I mean, to have that the chemistry that consistency year
in and year out when you're when you're shuffling through
quarterbacks and trying to find find a rhythm as a team.
(04:17):
I mean, yeah, that that is hard. But uh, you know,
there's there's a lot of other position groups that played
in a role, especially this season. Um, you know the
way the season has been going. Had you played against
Philip before you were his two bat? I have? Yeah,
I played. I played him once. How was he as
an opponent? Yeah? Yeah, it's definitely annoying, you know what
I mean, especially because he doesn't curse. But you know,
(04:39):
having him on on on my team, uh, you know,
my first year here in India's it was great. Man.
He's one of the greatest teammates I've ever had, especially
I grew up. I grew up watching him. I was
a Chargers fan growing up and um, you know, so
to have that experience being able to, you know, play
play with a guy that I've watched for many years, Um,
I was that was a great opera. Yeah. It always
(05:02):
blew me away because he's such a good dude and
I love, you know, love talking to him. But that
every defensive player I would talk to him and be like, oh,
that guy driving crazy, so at least you got to
via his teammate. So you grew up on the Great
Island of Oahu. Uh and you you chose the Chargers. Yeah,
that's your team. That's awesome. By the way, how is
(05:24):
your surf game? Because we have to ask, you know,
every Hawaiian terrible. I'm terrible with surfing. I grew I did.
I did a little fishing in spear fishing, but that
was about it. That's pretty cool. The spiritualising. I do
not think i'd be good at that. How are you
in the ocean? Are you? Are your ocean skills good?
(05:45):
And John, I'm decent. Yeah, I mean growing up across
the street from the ocean, you gotta be pretty good.
All right. Well, I was gonna get to this later,
but we're talking about beach and beach skills. Uh, there's
a game associated with beach communities an other communities. Um.
I had a conversation with your former teammate George kittle
(06:05):
Um back in August, and he told me that you
maybe as as great as you are in football, you
may be just as great in a sport called beer pop. No, yeah, definitely. Uh,
you know it might be a hidden town of mine. Now, yeah,
we were out in Nashville, um a while back. Uh
(06:26):
you know, before the season started. Everything back in the
summer and um, you know the kiddles they like they
like to put on the kittle fests and uh, you know,
being able to see a bunch of my my buddies,
um link him up back with them. We played some
beer pug and uh, yeah it was it was great.
It was fun time. Shoot George and I. I think
we had one loss all night and came at the
end of the night. Well, I would think at the
(06:49):
end of the night, after you've had you know, beers
in conjunction the game, maybe the skills start to waiver
a little, just a little bit. You're throwing a bilty
obvious they must be top notch. Yeah, it's it's definitely
you know, people complaining just because I'm tall. So I
got that, you know, I can kind of get that,
get that little arc over the over the cup. But
(07:10):
it is what it is. I mean, I would complain
about that, and I would also complain that I've had
this experience way too many times trying to drink with
big people. But you could probably have more beers than
someone who's not in the average for sure. Do you
even like, you know, normal beers say you have six
(07:31):
or do you even feel that Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,
you want to just checking. I want to. I want
to see if you're super human or not. So going
back to the way we set this up, which was
coming off that Super Bowl and you had such an
incredible twenty nineteen season and really, um you I talked
(07:53):
recently to your good friend Eric Armstead, who was your
lot of time team beate in Oregon, um, and I
asked him kind of about how all that went down,
and his perception was that he said, look, I thought
they were just going to find the way to side
both of us. And so he was negotiating his deal
and he said that all of a sudden, bam had
(08:13):
just hit him like wow, that they're trading my guy.
How how did it play out for you? Um, you know,
it was it was tough. I mean, uh, should they
you know, they kind of told my my agent Joel
to to seek out, you know, kind of my value,
you know, to a shop around and see, you know
what my value is, and they're offering me a certain
(08:34):
certain amount, and um, my agent, um, you know, I'm shot.
Joel's the best in the game, so you know, he
he kind of had me valued a certain number, and
um you know, I I mean, so we he shopped
around a little bit and uh you know, we had
the deal with Indie and um I was kind of
our only offer and so um you know, um he
he kind of put that forward with them, and UM
(08:56):
you know they wanted to move forward with you know,
with with taking the draft pick and um and trading me.
I mean, it's it's part of the game, you know
what I mean. I don't have any hard feelings for
San Francisco. I mean I love you know, the the staff,
you know, everybody from top the bottom of the organization.
I mean, they gave me a great opportunity to play
the game that I love for a living in Um
you know, they meant a lot, made a lot of
(09:18):
great relationships when I was there. I got still like
I still got a lot of great relationships with friends there.
So I mean, there's no hard feelings, just part of
the games, the business, you know what I'm saying. Yeah,
no doubt. And I believe I read that you were
willing to take less at the time to see well,
I mean you're compared to you know what my agent
was saying, I was I was worth uh you know,
trying to find a common you know, a common denominator.
(09:40):
But I mean it's just the way they didn't shake out.
So um, you know, um just looking at a perspective.
I mean, you know, I'm coming. I came to a
place where you know, the um they wanted me and
I needed me at the time, and um, so I was.
I was just grateful for the opportunity. You know, I know,
the Hawaiian football community sticks together. You guys aren incredible
for Turnity. Yeah, one of your guys this year to
(10:03):
a tongue. Vala has had just an awesome breakout season.
Have you been checking that out? Are you proud of him? No? Yeah,
I'm definitely proud of him, you know what I mean,
especially coming from the Islands. Uh, you know, just watching
him play, you know, him emerging as a quarterback. You
know a lot of people had doubts about him and
you know a bunch of nay series and things like that. Um,
(10:24):
you know, just the way he's handled it with with
with Grayson and being able to go in there and
having a coach come in there, Mike McDaniel. I mean
he's I mean, Mike's a great dude. I was with
him in San Francisco. Um, you know, to have a
coach head coach like him and for him to you know,
breathe that confidence in time, you know what I mean,
showing him that he believes in him and uh, you know,
which you know obviously helped elevate to his game. I
(10:48):
mean it's been phenomenal to watch him play this year
and uh, you know, just for the Hawaii community. Um,
I mean he's been he's been representing the community. Well.
I was a little worried that Mike McDaniel's jokes wouldn't
end early on, like people wouldn't get it, But I
think it's working, you know, Yeah, definitely. He has a
special type of humor. Yeah, it's very dry. There are
(11:10):
a lot of great things about your game. One I've
always thought one of the most underrated parts of your
game is your durability. I think you've missed two games
in in seven seasons. Um, is that something you pride yourself? Fun?
Is that luck or is there something that goes into that? Yeah,
I mean I try to do everything I can to
to you know, to make sure my body last throughout
(11:31):
the season. UM. I obviously like, yeah, I have, you know,
some injuries. Um, you know each and every year, you know,
somewhere than others. Um some years, you know they pile
up more than others. But you know it's just like
any other A lot of guys in the league, you know,
you play through them. Yeah. I try to invest a
lot of my body. Um. You know when I was
when I was a rookie, I had some really good
vets and uh, you know, one of one of my
(11:53):
one of my vets, Glenn Dorsey, he uh, he was
telling me about investing in my body. You know what
I mean, that's the greatest investment I can I can make,
can And so you know, I really took that at
the heart and um, I found ways to to recover
and help my body recover, you know, over over you know,
the weeks and of the seasons and everything and even
in the off season. And it's been helping me so far.
So Um, everything that I've been doing but has been
(12:15):
helping me. And uh, you know, just just gonna keep going. Yeah,
no doubt. Um you were You've been nominated for the
Art Rooney Sportsmanship award two years running now. So I'm
trying to like, is there a juxtaposition between how you
play and how sports but like you are, because you
can't be that nice when you're dealing with two blockers
(12:38):
per play around, you know. I mean, I definitely get
heated on the field, you know, in times. But I'm
a big guy. I mean, I'm a big guy. I
don't like the waste synergy. So you know, um, you know,
trash talking to all that, it's not my game. Uh
you know what i mean. Obviously somebody's trash talking to me.
I'll you know, I'll talk back and little things like that.
But um, you know I would go out of my
(12:59):
way just to trash talk, uh you know. And I
just respect the game winner loss. You know, I'm gonna
go shake the you know, the opponent's hand, you know
what I mean, especially being out there, you know, battling
the way we bet we battle, you know, each and
every week. You know, I'm gonna you know, I'm a
big respect the game man. So um, I'm going to
give people props and give them respect and the respect
(13:20):
you deserve. So um, because that's the way, you know,
that's the way I have a raise, and um, that's
just that's the way I am. And when you get
trash talk, you must be like, uh, like, who's the
last person that was brave enough to trash? I can't remember. Man,
there's a lot of guys who just who just talked
just to talk, Like I'm trying to even think what
(13:40):
they would say. Like it's good. I love it. Um,
you know, you guys have been through a lot this season.
Coach right got fired, you know, Jeff Saturday got hired,
which was a polarizing event. Um, you know you're one
of the locker room leaders. How how has you know,
how has that go on? And it hasn't been a
(14:01):
little surreal just having a coach come from you know,
off the radar to to be the head coach. No, yeah,
I mean obviously seeing Frank getting fired, Um, I mean
it was tough, you know what I'm saying. Um, it
was my first time you know, um midst you know,
in the middle of the season coach am I getting
fired and having an interim head coach? Um, you know,
(14:22):
because you know, Frank's a hell of a football coach, Um,
a great person. Um, So yeah, it was it was
tough to see that, but uh, you know, and nobody expected,
obviously Jeff to come in and be the interim head coach.
But I mean, so far, he's been doing a great job.
I mean he's you know, the like I've been telling
everybody in the media that since day one, the energy
that he's brought, you know, in team meetings and you know,
(14:43):
meet easy or even practice throughout the week, you can
just feel a different type of energy. Um, you know,
each and every week and practice, you know, Um, the
way practice has been going, UM and approaching the games,
you know what I mean. Obviously still not getting the
results we want, but um, he's you know, the amount
of accountability that he's brought to a table. Um, you know,
just with um with with calling you know, certain you know,
(15:04):
certain position groups or whatever it is out on you know,
we need to be better in this, this is this
or whatever it is. You know. Um, you know, he's
really been trying to help elevate each and every player's
game up and UM he's been he's been doing it.
Um and uh, you know, just you still need to
need to finish and get the results. So we've been
you know, we've been searching for last year. UM, you
had the highest rate of double teams in the league
(15:26):
behind Aaron Donald. For players of your boss, it's already
a dirty work position, but with two dudes, it's got
to be, you know, even harder to deal with. Is
that just something you like? Are you surprised when you're
not doubled at this point? Yeah, I'm actually you know
what I mean, when I get more one of one
opportunities than usual in the game, Um, you know, I
(15:47):
love it, but I'm definitely surprised, you know, you know
when I when I do when guys who do leave
me on block or just one on one. So I
definitely love love those opportunities. But yeah, it's been, it's
it's definitely hard. It makes it makes it a lot
harder going in the games, and that you know, you
gotta you gotta beat two majority of the game, and
um finding ways to to try and be you know,
um make plays with with you know, being obviously that
(16:09):
the main you know, the main guy on the on
the front line. Um, the teams are scheming up so um,
just each and every week just trying to and that's
what I you know, I try to try to find
ways to trying to find a beat two guys the
majority of the time. And also that comes into account,
you know, just taking care of my body, you know,
taking a taking on two um, you know, two offensive players,
(16:31):
you know, down in and down out. I mean it's
it's definitely a toll on the body. Sometimes. Do you
try to like deal with one and then get to
the other, or you're like one hand for each now
trying to deal with one thing to do with the other,
or trying to find ways to kind of split it
or a little things like that. It's yeah, it's it's tough.
Does not sound fun. Um, you know last year, you
(16:52):
guys were in position to make the playoffs and then
you know, we all know what happened. You went down
to Jacksonville. Um, did not have a great game. Um
you know what do you remember about that? And what
was what was so frustrating? Yeah, just um, you know,
we had the ball on our court amount really the
last two games of the season, the Raider game and
(17:14):
the Jacksonville game. You know, if we just handled one
of them, we would have been you know, playoffound and uh,
you know that was our last opportunity and going down
to Jacksonville and we all know you know, the way
we played down in Jacksonville. I mean isn't the way
we like playing at all. You know, It's far from
the type of team that we are. And um, you know,
having that opportunity and then going out down there and
(17:34):
just you know, finishing the season off the way we finished,
I mean, I mean it was that was definitely heartbreaking
for sure. Um, you know, just just because the way
we started that season and then um, you know, the
way we picked it up and turned it around and
gave us an opportunity to to make it into playoffs
and we we beat some really good teams along the way. Uh,
that was tough. There was a lot of uh you know,
(17:55):
some sigment's going on in that locked room. For sure.
It is one of the weird streaks in the NFL,
like the cults of not one in Jacksonville since or
something great and it's weird. I actually was talking to
your own or about it, um, you know, leading into
that game, and he was like, hey man, we take
nothing for granted down there, and you know he's he's
(18:18):
definitely spooked by it. Have you had if you had
some fun conversations with you ver, say, because he is
one of a guide. He is not your your typical
out of color owner. No, yeah, I mean Jim. I
mean every every time I got to talk to Jim,
and it's awesome, you know what I mean. He he
has his story for days, that's for sure. And uh,
you know it's he's he's a great He's a great um,
a great owner. Um, you know what I mean. He
(18:39):
what I love about him. He loves to speak his
mind and uh, you know what I mean, And that
still makes him so special and uh you know just
I mean just um, yeah, he's a he's a he's
a he's all about the players, you know what I mean.
He cares about the players, you know, even when you're
when you're done seeing the way he takes care of
you know, um, former players and and all that. I mean,
he goes out his way to take care of the
guys that's come through and were the horseshoe and um,
(19:01):
you know that's what I really appreciate about him. One
of the all time great moves is when Edwin James
left as a free agent and then that that year
they finally won the Super Bowl the Colts, and I
heard about that. He gave you j Rigg which for
the days. So, um, you know, we hear so much
about the Colts talent. There's so much talent in that
(19:23):
locker room. That's just kind of a thing that people
on the outside like to say. Does that you know,
does that get old? Hearing that? Is it accurate? How
do you kind of process that? Yeah? I mean, shoot,
I mean it definitely gets old for sure, you know
what I mean, Because at the end of the day,
it's all about the you know, the winds, you know
what I mean, It's all about winning in this league.
And it doesn't matter how good you look on paper.
(19:44):
I'm you gotta go out there and do it. And uh,
you know we we we definitely have the talent here
and and the guys that do it is just you know,
we got to go out there and execute. And um,
you know we get a week out. Um, you know
the loss that we've had, I mean, shoot, it's it's
guy's making more plays than we are in the second
have or in the fourth quarter, you know, or out
executing us. You know what I'm saying. So it looks
(20:06):
all good on paper, but until you go out there
and do it, doesn't mean anything. Well, before I let
you go you grew up a Charger fan. You have
the Chargers coming up on Bunday in football. Uh, there's
a quarterback on the Chargers who you are somewhat familiar
with with your Oregon heritage. He's big, he's athletic. Do
you go any easier on Justin Herbert if you have
(20:28):
a chance to hit him because he's a duck? Definitely not.
I mean, I mean, you know, he plays for the Charges.
I played for the Coats. I mean, as long as
we're on the opposite team, I'm not gonna take it
let on anybody, but I mean should He's he's one
hell of a player. Um, you know, one of the
best best players to come out of Oregon for sure,
and um, you know, getting an opportunity to play him
for the first time in the league's gonna be fun.
(20:49):
Uh you know what I mean. He's met him a
couple of times. Um he met him with the Pro
Bowl last year or this past year, and um she
met him down an Oregon once, and uh, you know,
he's a he's a great, great kid. Um, you know,
he plays hard. He you know, he's one hell of
a leader. Um, So it's gonna be fun being able
to get the opportunity to play against him. Well, we'll
(21:09):
be watching and uh I know you'll be out there
taking out your double teams, doing what you do very well.
We appreciate, we appreciate the time. Mat, thank you so much.
Appreciate you, Mike. Good to see it. You two
The volume. Well, I want to go back to the
locker room. After Super Bowl I was standing in the
San Francisco for the Unitiers locker room and talking to
one of the best players and one of the best
(00:21):
dudes in football, to Force Buckler. Uh. And I vividly
remember that conversation because we were talking about how good
the forty Niners were and how we expected them to
come right back. I remember the quote you said, we're
gonna make another run. We've got to go back to
the drawing board, have a strong offseason and put in
a lot of work. But we've got it in us.
(00:42):
And as you and I both know, especially you, life
comes at you fast in the NFL. So I'm here
now with the fourth Buckler, who is a star defensive
tackle for the Indianapolis Colts. Uh. You ended up getting
traded there. Uh that next March. We'll talk about all that,
but it first of all, let's jump right in. I
(01:02):
booked this before we knew what was gonna happen last Saturday.
But thank thank you for coming on because you've got
to be in a in a lovely bood after that
game against the Vikings. Yeah, man, I mean it's it's
it's tough. Um, you know, largest league and I mean
blown leading NFL history, biggest comeback, I guess you would say,
(01:23):
but uh, yeah, it's tough man. Um, We've been we've
been preaching about finishing for a while and that's just
been the way the season has been going for us,
you know what I mean, It's been the tale of
two halves, um, and we just haven't been finishing in
the in the fourth. Did you when did you find
out it was actually the largest comeback in NFL history?
Did you know that at the time? Um? I think
(01:43):
they put it up on the screen at the end
of the game, you know, by walking off the field
and um, you know, he's just he's just sick as
a as a player, um, competitor. Uh, you know, it's
it's tough to being on that side, on that side
of the on the on the wind one lost column.
Did you feel any better at all what you saw
the end of the Patriots Raiders game the next day? No,
(02:06):
definitely not. I mean it's that's that's a bad way
to go out as well. But I mean we have
thirty three to zero at half. I mean there's no
there's no you know, excuse to to losing a game
like that, and I know you, I know you never
stopped playing it hard. That's part of your DNA. Was
you know as it was happening. And I want to
get off of this because I'm sure it's not your
favorite subject, but as it was as it was happening,
(02:28):
did you know, could you feel anything changing or could
you explain it or how did it kind of had
you know? I mean, you know, you know the game
it's all about momentum, and they were building some momentum
and everything. But you know, you as a competitor, you
don't want to do everything you can to to stop
it in I mean even on the sideline, just you know,
just still getting guys, you know, telling you know, keeping
(02:49):
guys in the game and um, just letting them know like, hey,
we we still got opportunities. And even in the in
o t or um, you know we're talking about you
know we just need one stop, we need we just
need one stop, one more stop and uh um, you
know we got those those key stops in those moments,
but you know they got the opportunity to get the
ball back and you know, we just we didn't come
(03:09):
up big when we really needed it most, and um,
that's what really hurt. So you got to India in March.
You've had three big name quarterbacks, you know, since you've
been there, with Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan. Um
do you feel like quarterback instability has been part of
what has kept you guys from from realizing expectations. Um,
(03:33):
the quarterback position obviously is a big role in this league.
And UM, the inconsistency at quarterback over the years. Um, yeah,
I mean it could it could be a problem if
you if you let it be. And UM, you know
it's just been it's been hard. Um, you know, just
shuffling through. I mean before I got here, when I
was in San Francisco, before we had Jimmy, I mean
I was, I went through a quarterback shuffle. Um. I
(03:55):
was kind of naming off some of the starters that
I've had since, you know, since I've been in the
league and it was my seventh year, I think I've
had on the teams. I've been on ten different quarterbacks start,
you know, starting games that I that I played in,
and so I mean it's it's hard, you know what
I mean, to have that the chemistry that consistency year
in and year out when you're when you're shuffling through
quarterbacks and trying to find find a rhythm as a team.
(04:17):
I mean, yeah, that that is hard. But uh, you know,
there's there's a lot of other position groups that played
in a role, especially this season. Um, you know the
way the season has been going. Had you played against
Philip before you were his two bat? I have? Yeah,
I played. I played him once. How was he as
an opponent? Yeah? Yeah, it's definitely annoying, you know what
I mean, especially because he doesn't curse. But you know,
(04:39):
having him on on on my team, uh, you know,
my first year here in India's it was great. Man.
He's one of the greatest teammates I've ever had, especially
I grew up. I grew up watching him. I was
a Chargers fan growing up and um, you know, so
to have that experience being able to, you know, play
play with a guy that I've watched for many years, Um,
I was that was a great opera. Yeah. It always
(05:02):
blew me away because he's such a good dude and
I love, you know, love talking to him. But that
every defensive player I would talk to him and be like, oh,
that guy driving crazy, so at least you got to
via his teammate. So you grew up on the Great
Island of Oahu. Uh and you you chose the Chargers. Yeah,
that's your team. That's awesome. By the way, how is
(05:24):
your surf game? Because we have to ask, you know,
every Hawaiian terrible. I'm terrible with surfing. I grew I did.
I did a little fishing in spear fishing, but that
was about it. That's pretty cool. The spiritualising. I do
not think i'd be good at that. How are you
in the ocean? Are you? Are your ocean skills good?
(05:45):
And John, I'm decent. Yeah, I mean growing up across
the street from the ocean, you gotta be pretty good.
All right. Well, I was gonna get to this later,
but we're talking about beach and beach skills. Uh, there's
a game associated with beach communities an other communities. Um.
I had a conversation with your former teammate George kittle
(06:05):
Um back in August, and he told me that you
maybe as as great as you are in football, you
may be just as great in a sport called beer pop. No, yeah, definitely. Uh,
you know it might be a hidden town of mine. Now, yeah,
we were out in Nashville, um a while back. Uh
(06:26):
you know, before the season started. Everything back in the
summer and um, you know the kiddles they like they
like to put on the kittle fests and uh, you know,
being able to see a bunch of my my buddies,
um link him up back with them. We played some
beer pug and uh, yeah it was it was great.
It was fun time. Shoot George and I. I think
we had one loss all night and came at the
end of the night. Well, I would think at the
(06:49):
end of the night, after you've had you know, beers
in conjunction the game, maybe the skills start to waiver
a little, just a little bit. You're throwing a bilty
obvious they must be top notch. Yeah, it's it's definitely
you know, people complaining just because I'm tall. So I
got that, you know, I can kind of get that,
get that little arc over the over the cup. But
(07:10):
it is what it is. I mean, I would complain
about that, and I would also complain that I've had
this experience way too many times trying to drink with
big people. But you could probably have more beers than
someone who's not in the average for sure. Do you
even like, you know, normal beers say you have six
(07:31):
or do you even feel that Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,
you want to just checking. I want to. I want
to see if you're super human or not. So going
back to the way we set this up, which was
coming off that Super Bowl and you had such an
incredible twenty nineteen season and really, um you I talked
(07:53):
recently to your good friend Eric Armstead, who was your
lot of time team beate in Oregon, um, and I
asked him kind of about how all that went down,
and his perception was that he said, look, I thought
they were just going to find the way to side
both of us. And so he was negotiating his deal
and he said that all of a sudden, bam had
(08:13):
just hit him like wow, that they're trading my guy.
How how did it play out for you? Um, you know,
it was it was tough. I mean, uh, should they
you know, they kind of told my my agent Joel
to to seek out, you know, kind of my value,
you know, to a shop around and see, you know
what my value is, and they're offering me a certain
(08:34):
certain amount, and um, my agent, um, you know, I'm shot.
Joel's the best in the game, so you know, he
he kind of had me valued a certain number, and
um you know, I I mean, so we he shopped
around a little bit and uh you know, we had
the deal with Indie and um I was kind of
our only offer and so um you know, um he
he kind of put that forward with them, and UM
(08:56):
you know they wanted to move forward with you know,
with with taking the draft pick and um and trading me.
I mean, it's it's part of the game, you know
what I mean. I don't have any hard feelings for
San Francisco. I mean I love you know, the the staff,
you know, everybody from top the bottom of the organization.
I mean, they gave me a great opportunity to play
the game that I love for a living in Um
you know, they meant a lot, made a lot of
(09:18):
great relationships when I was there. I got still like
I still got a lot of great relationships with friends there.
So I mean, there's no hard feelings, just part of
the games, the business, you know what I'm saying. Yeah,
no doubt. And I believe I read that you were
willing to take less at the time to see well,
I mean you're compared to you know what my agent
was saying, I was I was worth uh you know,
trying to find a common you know, a common denominator.
(09:40):
But I mean it's just the way they didn't shake out.
So um, you know, um just looking at a perspective.
I mean, you know, I'm coming. I came to a
place where you know, the um they wanted me and
I needed me at the time, and um, so I was.
I was just grateful for the opportunity. You know, I know,
the Hawaiian football community sticks together. You guys aren incredible
for Turnity. Yeah, one of your guys this year to
(10:03):
a tongue. Vala has had just an awesome breakout season.
Have you been checking that out? Are you proud of him? No? Yeah,
I'm definitely proud of him, you know what I mean,
especially coming from the Islands. Uh, you know, just watching
him play, you know, him emerging as a quarterback. You
know a lot of people had doubts about him and
you know a bunch of nay series and things like that. Um,
(10:24):
you know, just the way he's handled it with with
with Grayson and being able to go in there and
having a coach come in there, Mike McDaniel. I mean
he's I mean, Mike's a great dude. I was with
him in San Francisco. Um, you know, to have a
coach head coach like him and for him to you know,
breathe that confidence in time, you know what I mean,
showing him that he believes in him and uh, you know,
which you know obviously helped elevate to his game. I
(10:48):
mean it's been phenomenal to watch him play this year
and uh, you know, just for the Hawaii community. Um,
I mean he's been he's been representing the community. Well.
I was a little worried that Mike McDaniel's jokes wouldn't
end early on, like people wouldn't get it, But I
think it's working, you know, Yeah, definitely. He has a
special type of humor. Yeah, it's very dry. There are
(11:10):
a lot of great things about your game. One I've
always thought one of the most underrated parts of your
game is your durability. I think you've missed two games
in in seven seasons. Um, is that something you pride yourself? Fun?
Is that luck or is there something that goes into that? Yeah,
I mean I try to do everything I can to
to you know, to make sure my body last throughout
(11:31):
the season. UM. I obviously like, yeah, I have, you know,
some injuries. Um, you know each and every year, you know,
somewhere than others. Um some years, you know they pile
up more than others. But you know it's just like
any other A lot of guys in the league, you know,
you play through them. Yeah. I try to invest a
lot of my body. Um. You know when I was
when I was a rookie, I had some really good
vets and uh, you know, one of one of my
(11:53):
one of my vets, Glenn Dorsey, he uh, he was
telling me about investing in my body. You know what
I mean, that's the greatest investment I can I can make,
can And so you know, I really took that at
the heart and um, I found ways to to recover
and help my body recover, you know, over over you know,
the weeks and of the seasons and everything and even
in the off season. And it's been helping me so far.
So Um, everything that I've been doing but has been
(12:15):
helping me. And uh, you know, just just gonna keep going. Yeah,
no doubt. Um you were You've been nominated for the
Art Rooney Sportsmanship award two years running now. So I'm
trying to like, is there a juxtaposition between how you
play and how sports but like you are, because you
can't be that nice when you're dealing with two blockers
(12:38):
per play around, you know. I mean, I definitely get
heated on the field, you know, in times. But I'm
a big guy. I mean, I'm a big guy. I
don't like the waste synergy. So you know, um, you know,
trash talking to all that, it's not my game. Uh
you know what i mean. Obviously somebody's trash talking to me.
I'll you know, I'll talk back and little things like that.
But um, you know I would go out of my
(12:59):
way just to trash talk, uh you know. And I
just respect the game winner loss. You know, I'm gonna
go shake the you know, the opponent's hand, you know
what I mean, especially being out there, you know, battling
the way we bet we battle, you know, each and
every week. You know, I'm gonna you know, I'm a
big respect the game man. So um, I'm going to
give people props and give them respect and the respect
(13:20):
you deserve. So um, because that's the way, you know,
that's the way I have a raise, and um, that's
just that's the way I am. And when you get
trash talk, you must be like, uh, like, who's the
last person that was brave enough to trash? I can't remember. Man,
there's a lot of guys who just who just talked
just to talk, Like I'm trying to even think what
(13:40):
they would say. Like it's good. I love it. Um,
you know, you guys have been through a lot this season.
Coach right got fired, you know, Jeff Saturday got hired,
which was a polarizing event. Um, you know you're one
of the locker room leaders. How how has you know,
how has that go on? And it hasn't been a
(14:01):
little surreal just having a coach come from you know,
off the radar to to be the head coach. No, yeah,
I mean obviously seeing Frank getting fired, Um, I mean
it was tough, you know what I'm saying. Um, it
was my first time you know, um midst you know,
in the middle of the season coach am I getting
fired and having an interim head coach? Um, you know,
(14:22):
because you know, Frank's a hell of a football coach, Um,
a great person. Um, So yeah, it was it was
tough to see that, but uh, you know, and nobody expected,
obviously Jeff to come in and be the interim head coach.
But I mean, so far, he's been doing a great job.
I mean he's you know, the like I've been telling
everybody in the media that since day one, the energy
that he's brought, you know, in team meetings and you know,
(14:43):
meet easy or even practice throughout the week, you can
just feel a different type of energy. Um, you know,
each and every week and practice, you know, Um, the
way practice has been going, UM and approaching the games,
you know what I mean. Obviously still not getting the
results we want, but um, he's you know, the amount
of accountability that he's brought to a table. Um, you know,
just with um with with calling you know, certain you know,
(15:04):
certain position groups or whatever it is out on you know,
we need to be better in this, this is this
or whatever it is. You know. Um, you know, he's
really been trying to help elevate each and every player's
game up and UM he's been he's been doing it.
Um and uh, you know, just you still need to
need to finish and get the results. So we've been
you know, we've been searching for last year. UM, you
had the highest rate of double teams in the league
(15:26):
behind Aaron Donald. For players of your boss, it's already
a dirty work position, but with two dudes, it's got
to be, you know, even harder to deal with. Is
that just something you like? Are you surprised when you're
not doubled at this point? Yeah, I'm actually you know
what I mean, when I get more one of one
opportunities than usual in the game, Um, you know, I
(15:47):
love it, but I'm definitely surprised, you know, you know
when I when I do when guys who do leave
me on block or just one on one. So I
definitely love love those opportunities. But yeah, it's been, it's
it's definitely hard. It makes it makes it a lot
harder going in the games, and that you know, you
gotta you gotta beat two majority of the game, and
um finding ways to to try and be you know,
um make plays with with you know, being obviously that
(16:09):
the main you know, the main guy on the on
the front line. Um, the teams are scheming up so um,
just each and every week just trying to and that's
what I you know, I try to try to find
ways to trying to find a beat two guys the
majority of the time. And also that comes into account,
you know, just taking care of my body, you know,
taking a taking on two um, you know, two offensive players,
(16:31):
you know, down in and down out. I mean it's
it's definitely a toll on the body. Sometimes. Do you
try to like deal with one and then get to
the other, or you're like one hand for each now
trying to deal with one thing to do with the other,
or trying to find ways to kind of split it
or a little things like that. It's yeah, it's it's tough.
Does not sound fun. Um, you know last year, you
(16:52):
guys were in position to make the playoffs and then
you know, we all know what happened. You went down
to Jacksonville. Um, did not have a great game. Um
you know what do you remember about that? And what
was what was so frustrating? Yeah, just um, you know,
we had the ball on our court amount really the
last two games of the season, the Raider game and
(17:14):
the Jacksonville game. You know, if we just handled one
of them, we would have been you know, playoffound and uh,
you know that was our last opportunity and going down
to Jacksonville and we all know you know, the way
we played down in Jacksonville. I mean isn't the way
we like playing at all. You know, It's far from
the type of team that we are. And um, you know,
having that opportunity and then going out down there and
(17:34):
just you know, finishing the season off the way we finished,
I mean, I mean it was that was definitely heartbreaking
for sure. Um, you know, just just because the way
we started that season and then um, you know, the
way we picked it up and turned it around and
gave us an opportunity to to make it into playoffs
and we we beat some really good teams along the way. Uh,
that was tough. There was a lot of uh you know,
(17:55):
some sigment's going on in that locked room. For sure.
It is one of the weird streaks in the NFL,
like the cults of not one in Jacksonville since or
something great and it's weird. I actually was talking to
your own or about it, um, you know, leading into
that game, and he was like, hey man, we take
nothing for granted down there, and you know he's he's
(18:18):
definitely spooked by it. Have you had if you had
some fun conversations with you ver, say, because he is
one of a guide. He is not your your typical
out of color owner. No, yeah, I mean Jim. I
mean every every time I got to talk to Jim,
and it's awesome, you know what I mean. He he
has his story for days, that's for sure. And uh,
you know it's he's he's a great He's a great um,
a great owner. Um, you know what I mean. He
(18:39):
what I love about him. He loves to speak his
mind and uh, you know what I mean, And that
still makes him so special and uh you know just
I mean just um, yeah, he's a he's a he's
a he's all about the players, you know what I mean.
He cares about the players, you know, even when you're
when you're done seeing the way he takes care of
you know, um, former players and and all that. I mean,
he goes out his way to take care of the
guys that's come through and were the horseshoe and um,
(19:01):
you know that's what I really appreciate about him. One
of the all time great moves is when Edwin James
left as a free agent and then that that year
they finally won the Super Bowl the Colts, and I
heard about that. He gave you j Rigg which for
the days. So, um, you know, we hear so much
about the Colts talent. There's so much talent in that
(19:23):
locker room. That's just kind of a thing that people
on the outside like to say. Does that you know,
does that get old? Hearing that? Is it accurate? How
do you kind of process that? Yeah? I mean, shoot,
I mean it definitely gets old for sure, you know
what I mean, Because at the end of the day,
it's all about the you know, the winds, you know
what I mean, It's all about winning in this league.
And it doesn't matter how good you look on paper.
(19:44):
I'm you gotta go out there and do it. And uh,
you know we we we definitely have the talent here
and and the guys that do it is just you know,
we got to go out there and execute. And um,
you know we get a week out. Um, you know
the loss that we've had, I mean, shoot, it's it's
guy's making more plays than we are in the second
have or in the fourth quarter, you know, or out
executing us. You know what I'm saying. So it looks
(20:06):
all good on paper, but until you go out there
and do it, doesn't mean anything. Well, before I let
you go you grew up a Charger fan. You have
the Chargers coming up on Bunday in football. Uh, there's
a quarterback on the Chargers who you are somewhat familiar
with with your Oregon heritage. He's big, he's athletic. Do
you go any easier on Justin Herbert if you have
(20:28):
a chance to hit him because he's a duck? Definitely not.
I mean, I mean, you know, he plays for the Charges.
I played for the Coats. I mean, as long as
we're on the opposite team, I'm not gonna take it
let on anybody, but I mean should He's he's one
hell of a player. Um, you know, one of the
best best players to come out of Oregon for sure,
and um, you know, getting an opportunity to play him
for the first time in the league's gonna be fun.
(20:49):
Uh you know what I mean. He's met him a
couple of times. Um he met him with the Pro
Bowl last year or this past year, and um she
met him down an Oregon once, and uh, you know,
he's a he's a great, great kid. Um, you know,
he plays hard. He you know, he's one hell of
a leader. Um, So it's gonna be fun being able
to get the opportunity to play against him. Well, we'll
(21:09):
be watching and uh I know you'll be out there
taking out your double teams, doing what you do very well.
We appreciate, we appreciate the time. Mat, thank you so much.
Appreciate you, Mike. Good to see it. You two
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