December 17, 2022 • 28 mins
Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne talks to Mike Silver about the Commanders' slow start and turning the season around by winning 6 of 7 games, including one against the 12-1 Philadelphia Eagles. He also discusses Commanders RB Brian Robinson's incredible recovery from a gunshot, his hopes to play in the Pro Bowl, his fight with teammate Jonathan Allen, and his enormous shoe collection. #volume #Herd
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
The volume. Al right, open Mic is very excited to
welcome one of the best players in the league who
is quietly doing his work. You might not be noticed again,
But Duran pay is a guy who we thought might
(00:22):
get a big contract over the off season. It didn't happen.
Sometimes players bug out over that this guy has done
the exact opposite. He has just gone to work day in,
day out and gotten even better. And my spies in
the Commander's facility told me he does it every day,
not just on Sundays. Duran, how are you, man? I'm
(00:44):
going good? Are you doing good? Really? Glad you're here? Um? So,
I was the Commander's sideline reporter in the preseason back
in one. Spent a lot of time around the building
and everything I heard about you suggest us that you
take football really really seriously. Is that accurate? And where
(01:06):
does that come from? All? Yeah, man, it's a it's
a job. I learned over the years that I mean,
you go get what you put get it, get out
of it what you put into it. So I just
try to put the work in so I can make
big plays like I do on Sundays. You're definitely making
big plays lately. I was watching the end of that
Falcons game. Uh, Commanders clinging to a six point lead,
(01:29):
they got first and goal or something a goal and Uh,
all of a sudden, I see your hand go up
tip a ball into the air. Kendall Fuller has gotten
in the end zone. And I think that was six
of seven for you guys. Uh is that a part
of your game that has always been there? Or have
you been developing the tip the tip thing now? I've
(01:51):
been I've been tipping tipping balls my whole career really well,
and I just got a whole bunch of this year.
I've been trying to get my hands in the throwing
lanes and got me a couple. I want to know
if there's any truth to the rumor that your defensive
line coach, who I have unfortunately known for a long
long time, Jeff Scanida, he's got some crazy drill that
I know it has to do with tipping. Oh yeah,
(02:13):
we do the the volleyball drill off the off the past,
so that it definitely helps us. So you got like
you got like a sled. You gotta lift a sled
and that touch of volleyball or something. Yeah. He he
really just wants you to get your hands up, and
if you're not able to get there, just be able
to get your hands up, just to try to fake
fake them. Maybe he up to overthrow, maybe my better.
(02:36):
So so, how soon after you got back to the
sidelines after that interception against the Falcons to coach Scanina
mentioned the tip drill? Oh, you know, he brought it
up instantly. He always he always say what do you
always say? He always be like, from the from the
field to the game, that's awesome. And I know you
(02:58):
had two sacks this last your last game against the Giants. Uh,
you know I have eight and a half sacks. Uh.
You know a lot of times defensive tackles do the
dirty work and they're not really sack guys. Is that
something that you've kind of upgraded this year? Are they
just coming? I used to always just do the dirty work,
(03:19):
like you said. Uh, I was a really good run, run, block,
good led. I really ain't and have the pass rush
to come with it. But then everyone always said that
was the only floor in my game. So I just
went went hard at it, and and he's been paying
me all good. I love it because you know that
defensive line room. Uh, you know it's no joke. Got
(03:42):
you and Jonathan Allen to stand out defensive tackles, probably
the best combo in the league. We got Montest Sweat
on one edge, who was a beast, and oh by
the way, Chase Young, uh maybe coming back. So I
feel like sometimes they're probably aren't that, but he secks
to go right out. Yeah, I'm definitely. I'm definitely trying
(04:02):
to beat them to it so they know they know
I'm at it early in the game, just like go
ahead and Mark you went off. Ron Rivera has been
talking to me for the last couple of years, and
one thing he always preaches is defensive line discipline. If
everybody just does his job, the sacks will come. Don't
(04:23):
try to be a hero, don't do crazy stuff. Um.
And yet you know, the players I just mentioned, including yourself,
are elite players who you know probably have a pretty
good idea of how to make a play. Um. Is
that kind of a push and pull that's been going on?
And has that changed at all? I think at the
beginning it was it was a lot of guys getting
(04:44):
out of position trying to just go make plays. And
we have a whole bunch of guys just Uh, making
making the plays that come to them, allowing everybody just
to float flows one. You went into the off season
with some certainty about your deal they had extended, Jonathan Allen, Um,
you know, montest, I think they picked up this option.
(05:06):
Your option had been picked up and chases a little
earlier in the process. Um, you know, were you were
you upset that a contract didn't get done? What was
kind of your mentality about the money thing over the
off season? And I want to upset It is just
another opportunity because I mean, the market ain't doing them
but going up and up, so I might as well
(05:27):
just go put me together a great year like I've
been doing and deep into it. Yeah. Now, now you're
gonna enter a market and you're right, it's gonna go up,
and you're you know, you're having probably your best year
and you've had great years. Um, is there? And do
you have any sense about the likelihood of whether you'll
(05:48):
be back or go somewhere else? Are you tripping on
it or you're not thinking about it? What's your what's
right now? I'm just trying to make it as many
players I can just keep on bothering. Really, that's my
only focus and if you did get the franchise tag,
I know some players don't like even hearing those words
set out loud. Would you be okay with getting the
(06:08):
franchise tag? I mean, I just got I got a
lot of a lot of things to think. Think about
your feeling me. So, like I said, I'm just keep
on bothering, keep making plays and trying to finish this
out great. Okay. So a lot of people are wondering
what happened in You guys were down and then went
on that great run and you got to the playoffs
(06:30):
against tap high hopes. Last year started out bad. You
guys want on another run and got back in the
playoff BIX didn't make it, but you know you still
wanted to run. Now you guys are doing it again.
Slow start six of seven. Since I've been watching this scene,
like we always have like slow starts to the season
(06:50):
and then we find our way later on in the season,
I kind of hate that part about it, Like I
wish we could just play good football at the beginning
and then so we won't be straight and so so
far down the line. But this this season, it just
feels like everybody is just like I said, doing their job.
Everybody trying to like it is the towards the work.
(07:14):
So it's I don't know, I'm excited for these years.
It feels different. They flexed it by the way they
put you guys into Sunday night football. How does that feel? Man?
Feel good? We get another chance of God then make
big plays on the on the on the what you
called it like for the world to see. So I'm
excited for it right on. That'll be cool. When the
(07:34):
trade deadline came this year, you know, we all like
to sit there and throw out names. Your name got
thrown out some, I guess just because of the uncertainty
about the contract. Were you aware of that and were
you expecting that something might happen at all. I've seen
everybody talking about it, but I know the coaches and
(07:55):
my agent and the team like it was. It was nothing,
never discuss and so you feel me. I guess people
you know, they go do they talking and things that
they think should happen. So I just let him do
their thing. I know it's fun for him. Yeah right, well,
I mean that's that's kind of cool, right to That's
that's if nothing else, that's the commanders saying we're not
(08:18):
giving up on this season at that point there, we're
trying to win. Yeah we've been winning to Yeah, no doubt.
Um So, Jeff Scannita, your position coach. We mentioned him earlier.
He played i think seventeen years in the NFL. I'm
sure he's told you the exact number of anytimes. And
and I'm sure he's told you that he made minimum
(08:38):
salary every single year. What other what other things do
you guys make fun of him for? Like, he's a
very you know, those of us who know him, he's
a very unique personality. And you know he got you know,
he got to live for the dogs man. We watched
the videos of him just at the at the competition
(08:58):
walking his dogs around the ring. Stuff. We always joke
on him about his dogs. Yeah, he like from what
he has told me, he doesn't really do a masculine
walk when not at all if he fits in with
the culture or whatever. But you know, not definitely know
he'd be printing. Do you feel like, you know, we
(09:20):
hear about this defensive line, that defensive line being the best.
Do you guys take some pride in thinking that you
guys are the best in the league. Oh yeah, we
definitely take pride in to it. I know j eight,
like before the games, he come up with me every
time and just be like, let's just try to make
all the plays out there just between me and you.
If it comes between us, let's just make it so
(09:40):
that we don't have to worry about nothing does. So
it just always end up being a competition on who's
gonna make the most plays. I'm trying to comprehend what
it was like in Alabama because you guys were there together,
and was quitting there at the same time as YouTube. Yeah,
I think Quinnin was just coming in. He was like
a freshman. That's a that's a pretty good call. It
just room. I got a bunch of dogs with them
(10:03):
when I played with There's another Alabama guy on your
team that you know. We are all amazed by his story.
Brian Robinson, the running back, tell me, tell me about
your relationship with him and what he's gone through. Oh, man,
and he's just been just like a little brother to
me since it since then when he always just always
(10:24):
be around me, always be trying to hang out with
me and stuff. So it was it was definitely sad
here and here and it happens to him. But just
to see him just go ahead it every day working
hard just to get back on the field and then
going out there and being able to do the things
he's able to do. I'm excited for him. I already
know once he gets back to a hundred percenters will
be crazy. I know he came in and impressed the
(10:45):
coaches a lot, and they were they had really, you know,
big hopes for him. And then next thing you know,
he is the victim of a horrible shooting. Then completely
random and and terrible. Um when you heard that news,
what you know, take me through that moment? What was
that like? Yeah? I I didn't know what was happening.
(11:07):
I was just upset for him, I know, but he
had just gotten gotten into a good position on the
team and he was starting, and he was just doing
some good things for the team, and then that that
happened to just set him back. I know he was upset,
but he put he put his focus to the right
thing just to get back back to uh playing, and
I think he's gonna be good. Yeah, when you heard
(11:29):
he had gotten shot, I'm sure you thought, first of all,
you know, hopefully he's alive, right. But then I'm sure
you didn't think he'd be out there getting you know,
productive yards of the NFL. So I definitely didn't think
he would be back as soon as he as he did.
He surprised me with that one man. And I know
(11:50):
your your team. People don't realize your team has been
through some stuff. You know, yeah, always, I mean, you know,
scary some of it. But you know, I don't know,
do you think that going through all the the you know,
outside tragedy and then of course some of the organizational turmoil,
(12:10):
do you think it's brought you guys together as players?
I know for me personally, I don't like, I really
don't pay any any attention. Honestly. I just go out
and do my thing, practice, play, and go home. So
like so like if the d A shows up with
ancients on a Friday, you're just like another day and
(12:32):
I've never seen I've never seen it happening, Honestly, I've
never seen. I was never there for that, so I
can't speak on it. Yeah, I think they luckily they
did it. It was like a fast Friday, and they
did it late in the day. This is what we're
talking about. When the then trainer was under investigation, and
some agents showed up at the facility and you know,
(12:52):
wanted to get some documents. But yeah, man, you know,
but when you hear about stuff like oh, the team
might be for say and all that, do you have
an opinion on that? Do you get involved in it
or do you just kind of let it roll off
you Man? He just rolled off my shoulder. Honestly, I
just I saw I'm the most football guy you're probably
(13:13):
gonna talk to. I just come in practice meetings, go home,
come back, do it again. And there Today I read
that you have a twin brother. Yeah, Darren, Darren, so
you have a twin brother. But he's he's not into football. No,
he could care less about football, Like seriously could care less. Man,
(13:34):
He'll come. I try to get him to come to
my games, He'll come and just fall asleep or really
be ready to go home. So I don't even know
about him no more so, Like if I met Darren
and I was like, hey, um, you know, if I mentioned, like,
you know, Odell Beckham, where is he gonna go? He
would he would look at me like huh, I mean
(13:54):
he knows he knows about stuff like that. You know,
but he could care less. He knows the big stars.
But yeah, he's just like, that's awesome. When you guys
were growing up, I'm assuming he's not a small guy. Nah.
Now we used to He used to play bos football
(14:15):
and baseball and basketball with me all the time. But
then I don't know, when we got the high school,
he was like, yeah, I'm just gonna do my own thing. Well, yeah,
I mean, because I know how brothers are, Like, you
can get on each other, but if someone messes with
one of you, you know that you're you're gonna have
each other's back. Was anyone at any age ever brave
enough to try the pain brothers? NA not a no,
(14:38):
we're too cool man, You're you're you're more chill. He
liked nobody's besting around with you. So your brother just
decided he's not in the football once you guys got
a little bit older. Yeah, here, artists, man, he liked.
He liked to draw things, photography and all that type
show that's cool. Do you ever do ever go to
(15:00):
his like art shows or anything like that? I mean
is everywhere. Honestly, he made stuff for me. He has
stuff all over the house. So Coachron Rivera. You know,
he came in during the craziest year ever, right and
of course and including him having cancer, but there was
a lot going on with COVID and the name change
(15:22):
and you know, George Floyd and and so many other things. Um,
you guys seem to play really really hard for him.
Oh yeah, he's a great coach. He motivates us, gets
us going. So we just we just right behind him.
What what is it about him that kind of connects
with you guys, I don't know, just knowing that he
(15:44):
was a former former player, know and that he knows
those the struggles that we go through, and he always
takes in mind how we feel that, Uh put that
into the work that we do, so we appreciate them.
If you talk to people who actually play coach the game,
they will tell me about you all the time. But
again it's quite it's dirty work a lot of times.
(16:06):
Is it time for to get you know, for some
national recognition, Pro Bowl some of that to come your way.
I mean, I put in some work this year. I'm
still going. We had a couple of games live, so
I'm I'm gonna try to leave my mark on every
game and then well closed the closed the book on that.
Is there anyone, uh opponent that when you go up
(16:30):
against him, it's just really annoying? Like this guy just
annoys me for some reason. Uh, not annoying, but a
really good player of Dallas there all right, guard, he's
pretty good. So I know, I know I'm gonna have
to bring my a game when I go up against
him every time. So does he talk to you much? Uh? Now?
(16:56):
Like if I if I do, if I do something
good though here here here, give me a tap on
the back, but I go play. Oh that's cool. And
are you the same way? Like if he gets you out? Yeah? Definitely.
Is anyone brave enough to talk trash to your defensive life?
I mean they travel with and then of the day
we just go ahead and get the business clue. So
(17:19):
is there any one quarterback you would just love to
sack more than any others? Probably jayn oh right, Jayla
hurts that that goes way back to Alabama. Yeah, And
it's just like, I don't think I've ever been able
to sack him. So I've been working. I've been trying
to get him. I didn't get him this year, but
(17:40):
next say, I'm gonna try to get him. I can
see how that's hard. I mean, he's smart, he's fast,
he you know, he sees it pretty well. So I'm
glad you brought him up because you know, one of
my favorite plays from your college career, and you know
which one I'm talking about. Yeah, they had used you
with some goal lines situations, you know, like to block
(18:02):
and stuff. You end up doing the toe drag swag
against against clubs out of the Sugar Bowls. Tell me
how that happened? How did that all take place? And
the play the play had been Uh, it had been
a thing like the whole year, so we're practiced it
every Thursday, and then we finally just pulled it out
in the playoff game. And I had just so happened
(18:22):
to have an interception like on the drive that it
was happening, And when we got down the hill was like,
what was your chance? I was like, all right, let's
do it, and they ended up throwing it to me.
How often did it work in practice anytime? That's why
we finally did it and I called it everything. So
did you ever have to do the toe tap and practice? Nah?
(18:45):
I feel like Jandla. I thought Jenda was going running in.
That's why he was holding this over. You did beat
Jay Limb's team this year in the game that they
hadn't lost. You know, nobody one guy did pick you
nationally to win on video. I gotta admit that I
actually did pick you guys to win that game, because
(19:08):
you know, sometimes I get them right, but very few
people picked you guys to win that game. Um. You
know what allowed you guys to to thrive that night?
Weak of preparation, Like we were the whole week, I
felt like we was gonna win, and then going into
the game, I feel like the whole team felt no
different than that, and we just were not there and
did what we felt. People thought it was crazy, but
(19:30):
I remember you played the Steelers, they were undefeated, same
thing in the middle the midst of your turnarounds. Did
it feel like that game? Kind of? I feel exactly
the same, honestly, exactly. They're saying. So, if you've beaten
the Eagles and you get in the playoffs, you gotta
feel like there's no team that you can't beat in theory.
(19:51):
I mean, I feel like the losses that we've had
that and we had another chance to redo them, well
we will probably get them, but that just goes those
are showed slow starts. Man, you can't you can't do
no with them. You just gotta play your best football
as soon as soon as the season start. So at
(20:11):
the end of the year, you're not scrambling trying to
put together a bunch of wins. Do you guys talk
about it like earlier in the season with each other, like, hey,
we can't start slow this year. Definitely, that was definitely
a focus this year because last year we started slow.
But I don't know what happened, man, we ended up
starting slow again. But we've been tying the things up
(20:32):
and use it every game as an opportunity to get better.
So they've been working out for us. So last year, Um,
you guys made that great run to get back in it,
and then a bunch of stuff happened and including you know, uh,
some tragic stuff and you guys, it finally all went
bad against the Cowboys. In that game, we all saw
(20:54):
you and Jay had your moment. It was, you know,
it was a rough night forever thing. Um at the time,
you remember your explanation was brothers sometimes fight, and I
know you guys are two competitors who care a lot.
How long did it take before you and and John
we're back to being cool? I mean it was cool
(21:16):
right after that. I mean, it's football, man, it's football
things happening. I get into an argument guys every day.
I read that you bench pressed four hundred and sixty
pounds in high school. Yeah. Man, I was a gym
freaking high school. Four six. I mean that's just a
little more than I bench pressed in high school. Tiny
(21:37):
bit more. It's cool, But did you what are you
still that strong? Are you strongly? Definitely? I'm definitely getting
afted in the weight room all the time. What's the
heaviest thing you ever lifted? Not not weights, but just like, hey,
I gotta move this big like plant or something like
what's probably like four wheelers and stuff, you know of
(22:00):
country stuff. Yeah, like four wheelers you lifted up. You
lifted it up. Yeah, to get on the back of
the truck. Yeah, we really pick up truck. You just
you're just like I'm gonna lift this up. Yeah. I
gotta technique to it. I gotta technique. Be careful with
that technique until you get paid at least. Uh, does
(22:22):
anyone block you with one guy? Or is it always doubles.
Now I get doubles and I get single blocks. You
just gotta know, like the past protection and what what
what kind of protection you're gonna get within the place
or they might single me up one player, they might
double me. It's just what you do with the opportunity
once you get that single, When you get that single
(22:43):
to your eyes, just get back sometimes like okay, oh yeah, definitely, definitely.
Have you had a chance to sack Tom Brady? Yeah?
I even got him a couple of times. What's that like?
I feel like it's an easy one because he just go,
he just go get it to He's not gonna he's
not gonna fight. So you much rather play against top
(23:04):
Brady that way. Oh yeah, he's not gonna he's not
gonna run. He's not gonna run away from you. I
can just go and give him. Who's the most frustrating
like lamarch accident? Who who's driving Patrick mahomessh mobile? Like
mobile quarterbacks they are problem in the NFL, man, and
(23:25):
if you don't take like, if you don't contain them,
they'll blow a game up. Daniel Jones is actually kind
of mobile, but you got him twice to this last one. Yeah,
he is. I just I just setting them up though,
so he couldn't go nowhere? How did you set um
up the way? I was rushing out penum PM penum
to what is his lamban and me so he can
(23:46):
run into them, and then we're gonna running into each other. Yeah,
because I think people don't realize, like, you know, they
see these big dudes and thank god, they're just trying
to run straight ahead and get around a guy and
sack a quarterback. You guys have a lot of strap
to g two a strategy scheme and rules and stuff
(24:07):
that you gotta take in some mind. And I'm sure
you and j have your own thing too, like there's
the whole there's the big picture games. But you two
know each other so well. I'm sure that. Yeah. No,
we we definitely help each other out sometimes when we
need it. U. He finally got some attention last year.
(24:28):
He got a Pro Bowl birth and you know, obviously
he got the contract. Does he support you that way,
like say, hey, it's your turn nowt uh. He's been
telling me, He's been telling me all year that, uh,
well since last year, I was gonna have a big
year this year and Uh, that is gonna be my time.
The only thing he ever asked me, He'd like, just
give me five all this when you get your money.
So I had to get to fired all the build
(24:53):
Uh hopefully you're gonna have a lot of five dollar
bills if all goes well. It sounds like just a
bunch of dirty work. But there's dudes diving at your legs,
and you know, it's obviously there's a lot of physical
you know, turmoil that goes along with that. Have you
ever minded that? Does that ever bum you out? Like?
(25:14):
Why I gotta do all this stuff? I mean, I
played nose guards at Alabama, so it's like I really
ain't get I really ain't get to recognition. I just
went out there did my job, honestly, So it's just
something I take take into mind when I go When
I go out there and play, it feels regular to me, honestly,
like playing double teams and linebackers flow. That's all I
(25:38):
did at Alabama and for me to be able to
bring it from here today, it's fun where Alabama practice
is hard, I mean in terms of going up against
you know, definitely we definitely worked real hard at Alabama.
I remember my first my first year there, we did
two days and two days. It was like the first
(26:00):
practice was hard and the second practice was hard. So
it was always getting it. And then they finally got
rid of two of days and I felt like that
was the best thing. So we hear all these stories
about coach Saban and what a good recruiter he is.
All you know, how to go with you was he
did he did he charm your parents? Did he? Really?
It was just I got I was. I used to
(26:22):
be an arbur fan, and then when I just started
being around like the coaches, the the team, just just
saying how hard they worked in it just seemed like
something I wanted to be a part of. Really in
high school, I knew it wasn't gonna be easy. Just
being there watching them conditions all the time. I was like,
I knew, I knew if I if I went there,
(26:44):
I was gonna had to put the work in. And
if you put the work in, it's no no other
reason not to just blow up. So well, you have
put in the work. I think you're gonna get rewarded
in a few months, uh financially, but I'm sure you
are more folks us right now on trying to get
the Commanders over the hump? Are you uh, you know,
(27:08):
do you allow yourself to kind of think about what
could happen this year with this team. I feel like
we just playing week by week right now, just trying
to because we lost so many in the beginning. Is
like every game and we play is is so important
to our season. So we just trying to take a
week while week. You ever watched Taylor Hideki and think like, dude,
(27:29):
maybe don't run right into the heart of the defense
like that, Like, don't be so crazy, man. I know
he gonna do whatever he gotta do to try to
get his job done. So whatever you do, you do. Yeah,
I feel like he might fit in on your defense
with that mentality, like he's like contact, Well, listen, man,
thank you so much for for spending some time with us.
(27:51):
It's really cool to to hear your take on you know,
what's been a really cool season, and uh, we'll be watching.
I appreciate I haven't Okay, thank you very much. H
The volume. Al right, open Mic is very excited to
welcome one of the best players in the league who
is quietly doing his work. You might not be noticed again,
But Duran pay is a guy who we thought might
(00:22):
get a big contract over the off season. It didn't happen.
Sometimes players bug out over that this guy has done
the exact opposite. He has just gone to work day in,
day out and gotten even better. And my spies in
the Commander's facility told me he does it every day,
not just on Sundays. Duran, how are you, man? I'm
(00:44):
going good? Are you doing good? Really? Glad you're here? Um? So,
I was the Commander's sideline reporter in the preseason back
in one. Spent a lot of time around the building
and everything I heard about you suggest us that you
take football really really seriously. Is that accurate? And where
(01:06):
does that come from? All? Yeah, man, it's a it's
a job. I learned over the years that I mean,
you go get what you put get it, get out
of it what you put into it. So I just
try to put the work in so I can make
big plays like I do on Sundays. You're definitely making
big plays lately. I was watching the end of that
Falcons game. Uh, Commanders clinging to a six point lead,
(01:29):
they got first and goal or something a goal and Uh,
all of a sudden, I see your hand go up
tip a ball into the air. Kendall Fuller has gotten
in the end zone. And I think that was six
of seven for you guys. Uh is that a part
of your game that has always been there? Or have
you been developing the tip the tip thing now? I've
(01:51):
been I've been tipping tipping balls my whole career really well,
and I just got a whole bunch of this year.
I've been trying to get my hands in the throwing
lanes and got me a couple. I want to know
if there's any truth to the rumor that your defensive
line coach, who I have unfortunately known for a long
long time, Jeff Scanida, he's got some crazy drill that
I know it has to do with tipping. Oh yeah,
(02:13):
we do the the volleyball drill off the off the past,
so that it definitely helps us. So you got like
you got like a sled. You gotta lift a sled
and that touch of volleyball or something. Yeah. He he
really just wants you to get your hands up, and
if you're not able to get there, just be able
to get your hands up, just to try to fake
fake them. Maybe he up to overthrow, maybe my better.
(02:36):
So so, how soon after you got back to the
sidelines after that interception against the Falcons to coach Scanina
mentioned the tip drill? Oh, you know, he brought it
up instantly. He always he always say what do you
always say? He always be like, from the from the
field to the game, that's awesome. And I know you
(02:58):
had two sacks this last your last game against the Giants. Uh,
you know I have eight and a half sacks. Uh.
You know a lot of times defensive tackles do the
dirty work and they're not really sack guys. Is that
something that you've kind of upgraded this year? Are they
just coming? I used to always just do the dirty work,
(03:19):
like you said. Uh, I was a really good run, run, block,
good led. I really ain't and have the pass rush
to come with it. But then everyone always said that
was the only floor in my game. So I just
went went hard at it, and and he's been paying
me all good. I love it because you know that
defensive line room. Uh, you know it's no joke. Got
(03:42):
you and Jonathan Allen to stand out defensive tackles, probably
the best combo in the league. We got Montest Sweat
on one edge, who was a beast, and oh by
the way, Chase Young, uh maybe coming back. So I
feel like sometimes they're probably aren't that, but he secks
to go right out. Yeah, I'm definitely. I'm definitely trying
(04:02):
to beat them to it so they know they know
I'm at it early in the game, just like go
ahead and Mark you went off. Ron Rivera has been
talking to me for the last couple of years, and
one thing he always preaches is defensive line discipline. If
everybody just does his job, the sacks will come. Don't
(04:23):
try to be a hero, don't do crazy stuff. Um.
And yet you know, the players I just mentioned, including yourself,
are elite players who you know probably have a pretty
good idea of how to make a play. Um. Is
that kind of a push and pull that's been going on?
And has that changed at all? I think at the
beginning it was it was a lot of guys getting
(04:44):
out of position trying to just go make plays. And
we have a whole bunch of guys just Uh, making
making the plays that come to them, allowing everybody just
to float flows one. You went into the off season
with some certainty about your deal they had extended, Jonathan Allen, Um,
you know, montest, I think they picked up this option.
(05:06):
Your option had been picked up and chases a little
earlier in the process. Um, you know, were you were
you upset that a contract didn't get done? What was
kind of your mentality about the money thing over the
off season? And I want to upset It is just
another opportunity because I mean, the market ain't doing them
but going up and up, so I might as well
(05:27):
just go put me together a great year like I've
been doing and deep into it. Yeah. Now, now you're
gonna enter a market and you're right, it's gonna go up,
and you're you know, you're having probably your best year
and you've had great years. Um, is there? And do
you have any sense about the likelihood of whether you'll
(05:48):
be back or go somewhere else? Are you tripping on
it or you're not thinking about it? What's your what's
right now? I'm just trying to make it as many
players I can just keep on bothering. Really, that's my
only focus and if you did get the franchise tag,
I know some players don't like even hearing those words
set out loud. Would you be okay with getting the
(06:08):
franchise tag? I mean, I just got I got a
lot of a lot of things to think. Think about
your feeling me. So, like I said, I'm just keep
on bothering, keep making plays and trying to finish this
out great. Okay. So a lot of people are wondering
what happened in You guys were down and then went
on that great run and you got to the playoffs
(06:30):
against tap high hopes. Last year started out bad. You
guys want on another run and got back in the
playoff BIX didn't make it, but you know you still
wanted to run. Now you guys are doing it again.
Slow start six of seven. Since I've been watching this scene,
like we always have like slow starts to the season
(06:50):
and then we find our way later on in the season,
I kind of hate that part about it, Like I
wish we could just play good football at the beginning
and then so we won't be straight and so so
far down the line. But this this season, it just
feels like everybody is just like I said, doing their job.
Everybody trying to like it is the towards the work.
(07:14):
So it's I don't know, I'm excited for these years.
It feels different. They flexed it by the way they
put you guys into Sunday night football. How does that feel? Man?
Feel good? We get another chance of God then make
big plays on the on the on the what you
called it like for the world to see. So I'm
excited for it right on. That'll be cool. When the
(07:34):
trade deadline came this year, you know, we all like
to sit there and throw out names. Your name got
thrown out some, I guess just because of the uncertainty
about the contract. Were you aware of that and were
you expecting that something might happen at all. I've seen
everybody talking about it, but I know the coaches and
(07:55):
my agent and the team like it was. It was nothing,
never discuss and so you feel me. I guess people
you know, they go do they talking and things that
they think should happen. So I just let him do
their thing. I know it's fun for him. Yeah right, well,
I mean that's that's kind of cool, right to That's
that's if nothing else, that's the commanders saying we're not
(08:18):
giving up on this season at that point there, we're
trying to win. Yeah we've been winning to Yeah, no doubt.
Um So, Jeff Scannita, your position coach. We mentioned him earlier.
He played i think seventeen years in the NFL. I'm
sure he's told you the exact number of anytimes. And
and I'm sure he's told you that he made minimum
(08:38):
salary every single year. What other what other things do
you guys make fun of him for? Like, he's a
very you know, those of us who know him, he's
a very unique personality. And you know he got you know,
he got to live for the dogs man. We watched
the videos of him just at the at the competition
(08:58):
walking his dogs around the ring. Stuff. We always joke
on him about his dogs. Yeah, he like from what
he has told me, he doesn't really do a masculine
walk when not at all if he fits in with
the culture or whatever. But you know, not definitely know
he'd be printing. Do you feel like, you know, we
(09:20):
hear about this defensive line, that defensive line being the best.
Do you guys take some pride in thinking that you
guys are the best in the league. Oh yeah, we
definitely take pride in to it. I know j eight,
like before the games, he come up with me every
time and just be like, let's just try to make
all the plays out there just between me and you.
If it comes between us, let's just make it so
(09:40):
that we don't have to worry about nothing does. So
it just always end up being a competition on who's
gonna make the most plays. I'm trying to comprehend what
it was like in Alabama because you guys were there together,
and was quitting there at the same time as YouTube. Yeah,
I think Quinnin was just coming in. He was like
a freshman. That's a that's a pretty good call. It
just room. I got a bunch of dogs with them
(10:03):
when I played with There's another Alabama guy on your
team that you know. We are all amazed by his story.
Brian Robinson, the running back, tell me, tell me about
your relationship with him and what he's gone through. Oh, man,
and he's just been just like a little brother to
me since it since then when he always just always
(10:24):
be around me, always be trying to hang out with
me and stuff. So it was it was definitely sad
here and here and it happens to him. But just
to see him just go ahead it every day working
hard just to get back on the field and then
going out there and being able to do the things
he's able to do. I'm excited for him. I already
know once he gets back to a hundred percenters will
be crazy. I know he came in and impressed the
(10:45):
coaches a lot, and they were they had really, you know,
big hopes for him. And then next thing you know,
he is the victim of a horrible shooting. Then completely
random and and terrible. Um when you heard that news,
what you know, take me through that moment? What was
that like? Yeah? I I didn't know what was happening.
(11:07):
I was just upset for him, I know, but he
had just gotten gotten into a good position on the
team and he was starting, and he was just doing
some good things for the team, and then that that
happened to just set him back. I know he was upset,
but he put he put his focus to the right
thing just to get back back to uh playing, and
I think he's gonna be good. Yeah, when you heard
(11:29):
he had gotten shot, I'm sure you thought, first of all,
you know, hopefully he's alive, right. But then I'm sure
you didn't think he'd be out there getting you know,
productive yards of the NFL. So I definitely didn't think
he would be back as soon as he as he did.
He surprised me with that one man. And I know
(11:50):
your your team. People don't realize your team has been
through some stuff. You know, yeah, always, I mean, you know,
scary some of it. But you know, I don't know,
do you think that going through all the the you know,
outside tragedy and then of course some of the organizational turmoil,
(12:10):
do you think it's brought you guys together as players?
I know for me personally, I don't like, I really
don't pay any any attention. Honestly. I just go out
and do my thing, practice, play, and go home. So
like so like if the d A shows up with
ancients on a Friday, you're just like another day and
(12:32):
I've never seen I've never seen it happening, Honestly, I've
never seen. I was never there for that, so I
can't speak on it. Yeah, I think they luckily they
did it. It was like a fast Friday, and they
did it late in the day. This is what we're
talking about. When the then trainer was under investigation, and
some agents showed up at the facility and you know,
(12:52):
wanted to get some documents. But yeah, man, you know,
but when you hear about stuff like oh, the team
might be for say and all that, do you have
an opinion on that? Do you get involved in it
or do you just kind of let it roll off
you Man? He just rolled off my shoulder. Honestly, I
just I saw I'm the most football guy you're probably
(13:13):
gonna talk to. I just come in practice meetings, go home,
come back, do it again. And there Today I read
that you have a twin brother. Yeah, Darren, Darren, so
you have a twin brother. But he's he's not into football. No,
he could care less about football, Like seriously could care less. Man,
(13:34):
He'll come. I try to get him to come to
my games, He'll come and just fall asleep or really
be ready to go home. So I don't even know
about him no more so, Like if I met Darren
and I was like, hey, um, you know, if I mentioned, like,
you know, Odell Beckham, where is he gonna go? He
would he would look at me like huh, I mean
(13:54):
he knows he knows about stuff like that. You know,
but he could care less. He knows the big stars.
But yeah, he's just like, that's awesome. When you guys
were growing up, I'm assuming he's not a small guy. Nah.
Now we used to He used to play bos football
(14:15):
and baseball and basketball with me all the time. But
then I don't know, when we got the high school,
he was like, yeah, I'm just gonna do my own thing. Well, yeah,
I mean, because I know how brothers are, Like, you
can get on each other, but if someone messes with
one of you, you know that you're you're gonna have
each other's back. Was anyone at any age ever brave
enough to try the pain brothers? NA not a no,
(14:38):
we're too cool man, You're you're you're more chill. He
liked nobody's besting around with you. So your brother just
decided he's not in the football once you guys got
a little bit older. Yeah, here, artists, man, he liked.
He liked to draw things, photography and all that type
show that's cool. Do you ever do ever go to
(15:00):
his like art shows or anything like that? I mean
is everywhere. Honestly, he made stuff for me. He has
stuff all over the house. So Coachron Rivera. You know,
he came in during the craziest year ever, right and
of course and including him having cancer, but there was
a lot going on with COVID and the name change
(15:22):
and you know, George Floyd and and so many other things. Um,
you guys seem to play really really hard for him.
Oh yeah, he's a great coach. He motivates us, gets
us going. So we just we just right behind him.
What what is it about him that kind of connects
with you guys, I don't know, just knowing that he
(15:44):
was a former former player, know and that he knows
those the struggles that we go through, and he always
takes in mind how we feel that, Uh put that
into the work that we do, so we appreciate them.
If you talk to people who actually play coach the game,
they will tell me about you all the time. But
again it's quite it's dirty work a lot of times.
(16:06):
Is it time for to get you know, for some
national recognition, Pro Bowl some of that to come your way.
I mean, I put in some work this year. I'm
still going. We had a couple of games live, so
I'm I'm gonna try to leave my mark on every
game and then well closed the closed the book on that.
Is there anyone, uh opponent that when you go up
(16:30):
against him, it's just really annoying? Like this guy just
annoys me for some reason. Uh, not annoying, but a
really good player of Dallas there all right, guard, he's
pretty good. So I know, I know I'm gonna have
to bring my a game when I go up against
him every time. So does he talk to you much? Uh? Now?
(16:56):
Like if I if I do, if I do something
good though here here here, give me a tap on
the back, but I go play. Oh that's cool. And
are you the same way? Like if he gets you out? Yeah? Definitely.
Is anyone brave enough to talk trash to your defensive life?
I mean they travel with and then of the day
we just go ahead and get the business clue. So
(17:19):
is there any one quarterback you would just love to
sack more than any others? Probably jayn oh right, Jayla
hurts that that goes way back to Alabama. Yeah, And
it's just like, I don't think I've ever been able
to sack him. So I've been working. I've been trying
to get him. I didn't get him this year, but
(17:40):
next say, I'm gonna try to get him. I can
see how that's hard. I mean, he's smart, he's fast,
he you know, he sees it pretty well. So I'm
glad you brought him up because you know, one of
my favorite plays from your college career, and you know
which one I'm talking about. Yeah, they had used you
with some goal lines situations, you know, like to block
(18:02):
and stuff. You end up doing the toe drag swag
against against clubs out of the Sugar Bowls. Tell me
how that happened? How did that all take place? And
the play the play had been Uh, it had been
a thing like the whole year, so we're practiced it
every Thursday, and then we finally just pulled it out
in the playoff game. And I had just so happened
(18:22):
to have an interception like on the drive that it
was happening, And when we got down the hill was like,
what was your chance? I was like, all right, let's
do it, and they ended up throwing it to me.
How often did it work in practice anytime? That's why
we finally did it and I called it everything. So
did you ever have to do the toe tap and practice? Nah?
(18:45):
I feel like Jandla. I thought Jenda was going running in.
That's why he was holding this over. You did beat
Jay Limb's team this year in the game that they
hadn't lost. You know, nobody one guy did pick you
nationally to win on video. I gotta admit that I
actually did pick you guys to win that game, because
(19:08):
you know, sometimes I get them right, but very few
people picked you guys to win that game. Um. You
know what allowed you guys to to thrive that night?
Weak of preparation, Like we were the whole week, I
felt like we was gonna win, and then going into
the game, I feel like the whole team felt no
different than that, and we just were not there and
did what we felt. People thought it was crazy, but
(19:30):
I remember you played the Steelers, they were undefeated, same
thing in the middle the midst of your turnarounds. Did
it feel like that game? Kind of? I feel exactly
the same, honestly, exactly. They're saying. So, if you've beaten
the Eagles and you get in the playoffs, you gotta
feel like there's no team that you can't beat in theory.
(19:51):
I mean, I feel like the losses that we've had
that and we had another chance to redo them, well
we will probably get them, but that just goes those
are showed slow starts. Man, you can't you can't do
no with them. You just gotta play your best football
as soon as soon as the season start. So at
(20:11):
the end of the year, you're not scrambling trying to
put together a bunch of wins. Do you guys talk
about it like earlier in the season with each other, like, hey,
we can't start slow this year. Definitely, that was definitely
a focus this year because last year we started slow.
But I don't know what happened, man, we ended up
starting slow again. But we've been tying the things up
(20:32):
and use it every game as an opportunity to get better.
So they've been working out for us. So last year, Um,
you guys made that great run to get back in it,
and then a bunch of stuff happened and including you know, uh,
some tragic stuff and you guys, it finally all went
bad against the Cowboys. In that game, we all saw
(20:54):
you and Jay had your moment. It was, you know,
it was a rough night forever thing. Um at the time,
you remember your explanation was brothers sometimes fight, and I
know you guys are two competitors who care a lot.
How long did it take before you and and John
we're back to being cool? I mean it was cool
(21:16):
right after that. I mean, it's football, man, it's football
things happening. I get into an argument guys every day.
I read that you bench pressed four hundred and sixty
pounds in high school. Yeah. Man, I was a gym
freaking high school. Four six. I mean that's just a
little more than I bench pressed in high school. Tiny
(21:37):
bit more. It's cool, But did you what are you
still that strong? Are you strongly? Definitely? I'm definitely getting
afted in the weight room all the time. What's the
heaviest thing you ever lifted? Not not weights, but just like, hey,
I gotta move this big like plant or something like
what's probably like four wheelers and stuff, you know of
(22:00):
country stuff. Yeah, like four wheelers you lifted up. You
lifted it up. Yeah, to get on the back of
the truck. Yeah, we really pick up truck. You just
you're just like I'm gonna lift this up. Yeah. I
gotta technique to it. I gotta technique. Be careful with
that technique until you get paid at least. Uh, does
(22:22):
anyone block you with one guy? Or is it always doubles.
Now I get doubles and I get single blocks. You
just gotta know, like the past protection and what what
what kind of protection you're gonna get within the place
or they might single me up one player, they might
double me. It's just what you do with the opportunity
once you get that single, When you get that single
(22:43):
to your eyes, just get back sometimes like okay, oh yeah, definitely, definitely.
Have you had a chance to sack Tom Brady? Yeah?
I even got him a couple of times. What's that like?
I feel like it's an easy one because he just go,
he just go get it to He's not gonna he's
not gonna fight. So you much rather play against top
(23:04):
Brady that way. Oh yeah, he's not gonna he's not
gonna run. He's not gonna run away from you. I
can just go and give him. Who's the most frustrating
like lamarch accident? Who who's driving Patrick mahomessh mobile? Like
mobile quarterbacks they are problem in the NFL, man, and
(23:25):
if you don't take like, if you don't contain them,
they'll blow a game up. Daniel Jones is actually kind
of mobile, but you got him twice to this last one. Yeah,
he is. I just I just setting them up though,
so he couldn't go nowhere? How did you set um
up the way? I was rushing out penum PM penum
to what is his lamban and me so he can
(23:46):
run into them, and then we're gonna running into each other. Yeah,
because I think people don't realize, like, you know, they
see these big dudes and thank god, they're just trying
to run straight ahead and get around a guy and
sack a quarterback. You guys have a lot of strap
to g two a strategy scheme and rules and stuff
(24:07):
that you gotta take in some mind. And I'm sure
you and j have your own thing too, like there's
the whole there's the big picture games. But you two
know each other so well. I'm sure that. Yeah. No,
we we definitely help each other out sometimes when we
need it. U. He finally got some attention last year.
(24:28):
He got a Pro Bowl birth and you know, obviously
he got the contract. Does he support you that way,
like say, hey, it's your turn nowt uh. He's been
telling me, He's been telling me all year that, uh,
well since last year, I was gonna have a big
year this year and Uh, that is gonna be my time.
The only thing he ever asked me, He'd like, just
give me five all this when you get your money.
So I had to get to fired all the build
(24:53):
Uh hopefully you're gonna have a lot of five dollar
bills if all goes well. It sounds like just a
bunch of dirty work. But there's dudes diving at your legs,
and you know, it's obviously there's a lot of physical
you know, turmoil that goes along with that. Have you
ever minded that? Does that ever bum you out? Like?
(25:14):
Why I gotta do all this stuff? I mean, I
played nose guards at Alabama, so it's like I really
ain't get I really ain't get to recognition. I just
went out there did my job, honestly, So it's just
something I take take into mind when I go When
I go out there and play, it feels regular to me, honestly,
like playing double teams and linebackers flow. That's all I
(25:38):
did at Alabama and for me to be able to
bring it from here today, it's fun where Alabama practice
is hard, I mean in terms of going up against
you know, definitely we definitely worked real hard at Alabama.
I remember my first my first year there, we did
two days and two days. It was like the first
(26:00):
practice was hard and the second practice was hard. So
it was always getting it. And then they finally got
rid of two of days and I felt like that
was the best thing. So we hear all these stories
about coach Saban and what a good recruiter he is.
All you know, how to go with you was he
did he did he charm your parents? Did he? Really?
It was just I got I was. I used to
(26:22):
be an arbur fan, and then when I just started
being around like the coaches, the the team, just just
saying how hard they worked in it just seemed like
something I wanted to be a part of. Really in
high school, I knew it wasn't gonna be easy. Just
being there watching them conditions all the time. I was like,
I knew, I knew if I if I went there,
(26:44):
I was gonna had to put the work in. And
if you put the work in, it's no no other
reason not to just blow up. So well, you have
put in the work. I think you're gonna get rewarded
in a few months, uh financially, but I'm sure you
are more folks us right now on trying to get
the Commanders over the hump? Are you uh, you know,
(27:08):
do you allow yourself to kind of think about what
could happen this year with this team. I feel like
we just playing week by week right now, just trying
to because we lost so many in the beginning. Is
like every game and we play is is so important
to our season. So we just trying to take a
week while week. You ever watched Taylor Hideki and think like, dude,
(27:29):
maybe don't run right into the heart of the defense
like that, Like, don't be so crazy, man. I know
he gonna do whatever he gotta do to try to
get his job done. So whatever you do, you do. Yeah,
I feel like he might fit in on your defense
with that mentality, like he's like contact, Well, listen, man,
thank you so much for for spending some time with us.
(27:51):
It's really cool to to hear your take on you know,
what's been a really cool season, and uh, we'll be watching.
I appreciate I haven't Okay, thank you very much. H
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