Austin Ekeler

Carlos talks to American professional football player for Los Angeles Chargers Austin Ekeler about his journey into the NFL, his work ethic and his upbringing in Colorado.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Austin Ekeler grew up in the small town of Eaton, Colorado,
and knew at a young age he was destined for more.
He went on to play Division to college football at
Western Colorado as a running back, putting up some impressive
stats on the field. He later went on to be
signed as an undrafted free agent to the Los Angeles
Chargers after the NFL Draft and has been continuing to

(00:23):
make a name for himself. On this episode of The
Carlos Watson Show podcast, Austin Ekeler reflects on his journey
into the NFL, his work ethic, and his upbringing in Colorado.
Hey Austin, Hey you got me live there? Yeah? Yeah,
can you hear me? I can hear you. What's going on? Okay?

(00:46):
Where are you San Diego or elsewhere? Oh no, no, no,
we haven't in San Diego for five years now. But
you know what, though, that is so reflexive for me
to say that. That is so funny, like something just
arey's deep inside of you and it doesn't matter. It's
like I had a friend today talk about the Oakland
Raiders even though obviously they did what they did in Vegas. Yeah,

(01:07):
that is so funny. So you actually you never were
in San Diego. You always were with the l A Chargers.
I've always been an l A Charger five years. Yeah,
people forget you know, it's funny because even rast will
be you know, like the San Diego I mean LA Chargers,
you know, like it's better to just everyone. And at
this point, so it's it's been a transition, but you
know we're slowly getting there. We gotta win some more
games and then it'll be stuck. All right. Now, now

(01:31):
let's get into the prediction game for two seconds. That
your boy Herbert look good last year? He's had a fluke?
Was that just like a good year too? And then
all of a sudden everybody can figure him out and
he's gonna start having troubles. Hey, I mean I think
the time will tell, right, Like that's an aspect of
this game. That is the great part of it, right,

(01:52):
Like you have an opportunity to prove it. You know,
we don't know, you know, we don't know. We only
know is what's been done. And what's been done is
like you said, ever had a great you know, come
out last year and now you know I'm one of
his teammates but wait, we gotta go out and do
it again. You know, it's coming down to going out
and doing it. We did it, you know last week
first Washington. You know, he came out. It was very confident.
Loved the way he was running offense, throwing the ball,

(02:15):
making big time throws and that's what it's expected of
him and himself. Um, and he was doing it. So yeah,
looking forward to being his back field buddy. You know,
I love the way you say that. You didn't immediately
jump in and be like he's got it. You're like,
you still have to prove it. I love that, el man.
I love that element. All right. Now, why did you
end up in Division two? Why did you end up

(02:37):
playing Division to college football instead of being at Ohio
State or it you know, Alabama or somewhere. Hey, if
I could answer that, you know, i'd be a scout
right Like, I don't know, I don't I don't know. Um,
here's the thing. Come coming out of high school, had
a great senior year, solid junior year. Um, I think

(02:58):
I was like twenty two in the nation, like of
all high school all divisions, like rushing like touchdowns, had
like forty three touchdowns. It was average like ten yards
to carry um had solid grades. It wasn't like I
was big headed or anything. Wasn't like a personality issue.
But I think the biggest thing that led to me

(03:19):
being overlooked was just the size of my town in
the location. You know, I'm in some two stop like
town in the middle of Colorado, out in the plains.
You know, there's not many prospects coming out from from
the one stoff like town out in Colorado, eating Colorado.
Definitely loved that small town field. But as far as
recruiting for you know, college football, wasn't really the hot spots.
So I think that's the biggest thing that played into

(03:42):
you know, just Austin I get looked at. And so
it came down to I went to the school that
wanted me to play running back, even just for the
smaller schools, smaller schools or even like, hey, you know,
we'll bring in you can you know, find out how
you fit in the team, maybe move to corner or
see where you just fit in as an athlete. And
I wanted to play running back because that's what I've
done since I was you know, I can remember and uh,
Western State, you know, Western State cultaud of university at

(04:04):
the time. Now, Western Colorado, you know, gave it, give
me a chance to play running back, and so ended
up Division two. Wait, so like, stay on this with
me for a second, because the same is true of
your boy, Josh Allen Trey Lance. Like they're all these
guys nowadays that are not in if you will, the
best known programs and are in one Double A, or
in Division two or even Division three. And we're supposed

(04:28):
to have even more information than we used to have, right, So, like,
how is this happening where a guy can rush for
forty three touchdowns as a senior have a good junior
year as well? Like did any of the top schools
even talk to you or did they literally just like
you know, bueller anyone? Like what what what happened? I
had not one Division one school come and talk to me,

(04:49):
Not one I even had. I even had a cousin
and coach for the University of Nebraska at a time. Um,
he let me know, He's like, hey, like myke, he
asked me what my hundred forty yard or my hunter
yard dash? Time you want to meet? It was like
eleven point one. He's like, I need you tend to
like a ten point eight, you know. So it's just
like maybe my measurables or whatever. It's like the thing
is what they couldn't measure. It was what was the

(05:10):
most important, and that was my determination in my heart
right because I I dedicated so much time to making
myself is the best person that I could be for football, um,
and just my athletics in general. Right, I was a
three sport athlete. UM. And that's something they can't measure.
That might be the most important thing, you know, someone's heart,
Like how much are they willing to give to the game.
They might not be the most talented, but hey, are

(05:31):
they gonna work through it? And do they have something
they can that you can work with? Um? And I
think that was what was overlooked for me, Like they
don't have enough time a scouts to sit down and
talk to me, know my backstory, know my motivation, you
know why I'm even motivated? UM. And I think that
gets overlooked. And that's why you see people go to
these smaller schools. But then they you know, they persevere
and they overcome and they pushed through, you know, the adversity,

(05:54):
and they rise to the top because of the person
that they have or they are. You know, there's definitely
some luck that plays into it as a well, like
this is a game of life, right, so there's a
lot of outside factors and things that we can't control,
but for the most part, we can control, you know,
our attitude, our mindset towards our passions. And that's what
really led me to get the point that I'm at
right now. And when did you know that you thought

(06:15):
you had a real shot at the NFL. I mean,
I'm sure you always wanted it, but when did you
say to yourself, Hey, Austin is gonna actually play in
the league. I think I think the most important thing
even today is that I didn't know. I didn't know.
I didn't even watch the NFL until like my junior
year of college. Um, because I was so I was

(06:37):
so focused even high, still so focused on the opportunity
at hand. What's right in front of me is the
most important opportunity that I can even possess because it's
right here. I have to take advantage of this. And
even in college is the same way. Look, I'm in college.
Let me try to dominate and do the best that
I can in college, whether it be at academics, like
I was like, I canna have a call American. I
took my my studies very seriously, and then when it

(06:58):
came to athletics, same because these are my two opportunities
that I had in education and athletics, and so I
put everything in my my will into this stuff, um,
and so it was just like, hey, take advantage of this,
and then opportunities would come from that. I didn't know
that at the time. That was just how my mind works.
That's just how I worked, That's how I was raised.
I was raised to work hard and not really ask
questions about it, just work hard. And so that's all

(07:19):
I knew. And so when I got to time where
it's like, hey, there's NFL scouts my senior year coming
to my practices, and I was like, oh, the next
opportunity might be shown itself, right, And I still continue
to do what I've been doing, taking advantage dominating at
this Division two level, because that's what they want to
see when you're in a smaller school, right, not as
much competition, um, And then looks like, you know, another

(07:40):
opportunity might be present itself, and then it did. So
so but they didn't draft you. You went undrafted, right,
So so so what do I need to know about
the fact that they came and saw you and they
still said, I got a good look at the kid
from eating you know, let somebody else have the I'm good.
So you know, I ended up getting the A and
he kind of laid it out for me. Um, He's

(08:02):
like he looks a lot of teams like you. Um,
they want to know why you went D two, Like
why are you in division two? Like are you not smart? Right?
Are you? Are you missing it in the books? Um?
Like your personality sucks? Like what is it? Like they're
looking for some something the poke at that's like, oh,
they can put their finger on it and then it
never it never showed up. And so like, oh, it's
gotta be something as measurables, like is he slow? So
I trained. I literally dropped out the last semester of

(08:25):
my senior year, um, just to go train for Prode
because like I told you, like, I'm all in. That's
like my my work ethic. I just go all in
on what I'm you know, involved in at the time. Um,
And so I went and trained for protect so I
should make sure all my MEASUREABS bowls were on point.
I destroyed my pro day right, it had amazing measurable
So then it was like, okay, this guy's real. Um,
Like I did that, sat down and did all the

(08:46):
you know, the interviews and went through their psychological things
that they do for like football like you and just
like personality test um. Everything checked out. So I was like, Okay,
you know, he's got a chance, Like, uh, he's got
a chance to you know, get sign not necessarily drafted. Um.
And there might be some politics into that, just because
even if they do see me at the same level
someone else, say someone would like to l s U

(09:08):
and I went to Western State, Right, they were at
the same level as far as how they value us.
But this guy went to a bigger school, so they
might draft him seventh round and pick me up in
the free agency. So that's kind of how it played
out for me. You know, I didn't get a call
on draft day, but the last during the last round,
which is where I thought if I did get drafted,
that's where I would go. I got a call from
the Chargers, which is my number two team that I

(09:29):
wanted to go to, saying hey, if you don't get
picked up, we'll take him as a free agent, and
then didn't end up getting picked up and then immediately
became a charger. All right, Now stay with me here, Austin,
stay with me. Now you go to camp. You're not
six ft tall? They say you're five tin How tall
are you? Really? Come clean with me on five eight? Okay?

(09:50):
Five eight and five as is when I was measured
in that Okay, all right, So you go into camp,
you're five eight, and you're in there with a bunch
of other Greek. God right, you've got people who were
six one two at a quarter coming out of Ohio State,
l s U, all these other programs running four fours,
four fives, all these kinds of things. Is my man,

(10:12):
Austin from Eaton, Colorado? Is he intimidated? That's what I
need to know. Not I wasn't intimidated, um by the
fact that all these people came from different UM places
and that they well know. I think the thing that
was intimidated can't do it like to myself. It's more
of an internal thing, UM. Not necessary that people there
was like do I do I have what it takes

(10:32):
to compete at a high level? UM? And I kind
of had a little glimpse UM when I was training
for Pro Day UM and training for you know, a
team that I did get signed. So I went back
to my group that I was involved with UM and
then at that time everyone was on a team or
still trying to get on a team. So it's kind
of like people that were in the league were still around.
I saw also around the atmosphere, right, So it wasn't
that I was intimiated by the guys, like great group

(10:54):
of guys, like everyone trying to work hard, everyone's trying
to make a living. UM, so perfect atmosphere for competition.
But it was like, hey do I really have and
as far as measurable, as far as the weight room,
I was stronger than everyone in my Pro Day group,
Like that's that's that's just like what I'm known for.
Like if you ask anyone the charges like my literally
my nickname is pound for pound to kind of like
the pound for pound like strongest kind of tea, right

(11:15):
because I just I find therapy and working out. Right,
I might be five eight, but I'm probably gonnautlift you
in any type of lift kind of type of thing,
and definitely if you take weight into account. Um, and
so that's kind of like my like my strength that
I have. You know, I'm a shorter body, but I'm stocky, right, Like,
I got great you know, balance, and it's really hard
to take me down at my little short my short

(11:37):
leverage we call it built with leverage in the NFL.
Hit up. But yeah, so coming in, Yeah, I'm more intimidated,
just say, hey, this is a new opportunity. What's the
more intimidate intimidation thing that is unknown to me because
I wasn't really planning to even go to the NFL.
I was planning to go in to my business degree. Um,
so that was the intimidating uh factor. So so what

(11:58):
is the moment in training camp where you start to
think maybe I'm gonna make it? Was there a run?
Was there something someone said? Was there a moment? Was
there a moment when you start to kind of go,
hold on, wait a minute, all five eight to me
may end up in the league. So yeah, for me, Matt,
who my journey? So I come into a situation here's

(12:20):
why I even wanted to go to the Charge in
the first place. Letting a new coaching staff at leads
into your answer your question that a new coaching staff
coming in, so all the politics are out the window.
No one knows anybody as far as coaches the players,
so everyone has to like prove themselves again, right. Um.
And there's a lot of younger backs in the backfield
for the Chargers besides Melvioln Gordon. So I came in,
I was six string. I was there's five people in

(12:42):
front of me. And if you don't anything about football,
we keep three running backs, so three of us aren't
making it right. And uh, if if you know anything
else about running football even more, um, there's no six
string offense. Like you don't that you don't go out
there with the six stringers run some plays. You know
there's first string in their second string. And then if
you're anything else on the scout team. So I got

(13:02):
a lot of people I gotta go through before I
get a rep. Um. So my reps were very limited, um,
and so I took that very seriously. So every single rep,
like the first huddle I got into, the first play,
I threw up because I was so nervous because I
cared so much. My stomach was just like not feeling good.
I was like, oh, here we go, Like I'm finally
getting an opportunity. Um. And a lot of the times

(13:24):
I was on the scout team for like special teams,
which is like kickoff stuff like that, right, um. And
that's where I started to get noticed. It's because when
it was a hundred percent go, my mindset was turned on,
like no one can block me, no one can get
by me. And I was out there producing um and
started to show up. And it started to show up.
And I remember coach Lynn, you know, uh, Anthony Lennard,
head coach at the time, come into one of our

(13:45):
special teams meetings, like dang hey, Coach Steh is our
special team co who's at number three. It's like that's Austin.
That the man. He's giving us a hell of a
look out there, and he's like, okay, okay, And that
was like my first glimpse of like, you know, I
might be getting somewhere. Um. But here's the thing. My
reps like never changed. I never I never moved from
six string ever in the entire entire o t A,

(14:06):
s entire preseason, um, all the way up until cuts.
I never moved from six strings. So I didn't know.
But the one thing that I didn't know is I
was given literally everything I could. There was nothing more
that I could have done to take advantage of the opportunity.
I studied as many hours as I could. I told
my family. I was like, I know you guys are
all excited for me, but I need you guys to
not talk to me right now because I need to
do everything that I can to take advantage of this opportunity.

(14:29):
Just like I was doing in college, now I'm doing
it at the highest level, so it's even even more
of a of a factor for me to be focused. UM.
So I told them to chill, like, let's talk after camp.
Um dove in. You know, I was staying after practice.
I was going up to coaches, um, just asking advice. Hey,
what do I gotta do. I remember breaking down to
one of my running back coaches literally just I was

(14:50):
crying because I was crying because I was like, man,
I'm six string. I feel like I'm I'm doing well,
but I don't I don't move up, Like what am
I doing wrong? Like I felt like I was doing
something wrong and he's like, not that you're doing anything wrong,
It's just that we had to get other guys reps too.
And when it comes down to the total pole, you're
getting whatever is left over at the end um and
that's just that's the way of the league right now.
So just continue just to make sure you know what

(15:11):
you're doing when they get in. So that was that
was frustrating to me. And then finally in preseason games,
I started to get some opportunities and I was making
some tackles on special teams, I was running the ball. Well,
it wasn't that I was doing anything crazy. I was
just being consistent and I was doing my job right.
And I did that consistently enough in the four games
that we had preseason games where I get like a
handful of reps that at the end of the day,

(15:32):
like I remember reporter asking me, like, you know, you
played well in this last game. How do you feel
like it's gonna, you know, play out. I was like,
all my ships were in. That was that was everything
you're gonna get out of Austin neckwork. That was me.
And so I was like, hey, if if if that's
not enough, then literally I'm not built out for this,
Like I'm not built out for it. And you know,
it came down to it end up making the team
man ended up making the team and then that's where

(15:54):
the journey started. Wow, all right, man, you got me inspired.
Ready to go? Tell me a little bit more. Now,
how many running backs did they keep the year that
when they kept you for the first time? Did they
keep you and two others? Or do they keep so? Yeah,
there was two of us or three of us on
the active roster and then one on the practice squad.
So I ended up making those three. So yeah, they

(16:15):
did end up cutting half of us. Yeah. Wow, And
how did you find out that you had made it? Like? Literally,
did you get an email? Did someone come back and
tell you that they have a list on the wall
and your name was on it? Like how did you
find out? So in the NFL is kind of ruthless, right,
It's like there's no easy way to fire people, cut people,
you know, if if they didn't do anything wrong. You know,
these are all guys have been grinding, been putting everything

(16:37):
into you know, this opportunity. Um, so cut day is
always the worst, even today, even that like I'm established,
like no, I'm I can't cut and something crazy happens.
And but we call these guys the reapers, right, the
reapers come around um. And so we'll be working out
or we'll be at the hotel, and if you get
a call, it's like one day, like, hey, cuts are
happening on this day and they have to be all
everyone has to be finished with their cuts by two o'clock.

(16:59):
So if you past two o'clock, you made it. Um.
And so we're either working out and then the Reapers
coming we called reapers and actually read like that's not
the real name. We just call him that from players.
But the Reapers come in right and they like, hey,
come up, bring your surface, you know, come talk to Tom.
You just know, man, like you're getting cut. Um. So
I never got that call, and I never got tapped
on the shoulder to come out of practice or workouts.

(17:22):
And then like one o'clock, one o'clock, our PR guy,
Arthur hi Tower, gives me a call. Man. He's like, hey,
it's gonna be the first to congratulate you. And I
was like, wait a minute, not two o'clock. Yet. He's like, hey, man,
if you made it this far, you're not getting cut.
So I just want to let let you know you
need to find a place to stay. Congratulations. Um. And
that's how I found out and immediately I called my mom.

(17:42):
We're both crying, like, oh, let's go, like we got
it three. But then I knew, you know, my journey
was just beginning, like now I have to continue to
prove myself and you know, but I was established, right,
it was just like boom, opportunity, like taking advantage of right,
it's just now onto the next opportunity kind of thing out. Man,
oh man, awesome, that's crazy. Now for me, I wouldn't

(18:04):
have been in the weight room. They couldn't have reached me.
If they wanted to cut me. They couldn't reach me.
They would need to get secret service c I a
special ops. They couldn't reach me. You cannot cut me.
That's the nice way of them doing it right, Right,
at least they give you an explanation, you know, um,
and a lot of times, you know, there's a lot
of there's a practice squad and all that stuff. So

(18:25):
there's a lot of opportunity for guys to come back
and make a squad. But yeah, for me, hey, luckily
it'd never been to that that situation. Obviously be able
to just to you know, provide enough value of the
team that they want to keep me around. So to
keep that going. Wow, all right, now go back and
talk to young Austin. Um, now that you've been in
the league several years, what are gonna be the two
or three things that will surprise him the most? And

(18:46):
I mean that as broadly or as narrowly as you
want it, Like what he's gonna surprise him like whisper
in his ear he's still at Western State, and be like, dude,
you're gonna make the league, and here're gonna be the
three things. And even though you've been playing football forever,
even though you've been thinking about the NFL, these are
gonna be the two or three things that are gonna
surprise you, either positively, negatively, or just be like, oh,

(19:06):
I never imagined that I would say. One thing that
just like sticks out to me is that, look, I'll
look Austin like the younger Austin like, guess what you're enough?
Like you're enough, Like your mindset that you have right
now is what's gonna take you to places you never
thought you were gonna be. Like what you have right now,
Do not change that about yourself ever, ever, because if

(19:28):
you do that, then you're not gonna be true to yourself.
And to your roots when you grew up around and
you're not gonna be true to the people in your
town that believed in you and gave you this confidence
to go forward and say, hey, like you hear the
stories of people not believe me. I had a bunch
of people that believed in me. And I came from
a situation where I would work hard every single day.
That was just the fact of my That was just
my life that I got dealt, you know, working you know,

(19:49):
out in the ranch right like I was in the right.
I was a ranch hand, right, and so I knew
the definition of hard work. Um. And it's like you're enough,
like the minds that you have, the past and that
you have, it's gonna take you. And not only that,
but it's gonna be contagious. It's gonna be contagious to
people around you. Um, just because of how much how
much passion you put into things, people are gonna see

(20:10):
them be like man, like that's that's special. Like you
continue to be yourself and what else is gonna surprise?
But what else is he not gonna see? Or just anything?
Because that's I didn't look forward. I always had an
idea of where I wanted to go, but I never

(20:31):
like really bought into it yet because I was always
focused on the time being right and because I think
if we get too if we get too far up
in the head of ourselves, like give it like a
fantasy land and almost like lose sight of hey, take
care of business right here at first, you know, like
we we hear this younger generation like, oh, people always
take things for granted. It's like I don't. I don't.
That's why I do so much to connect with the

(20:53):
people that have got me to this place, into the
community that supports me to this day. I do so
much to connect with them because their support has gotten
me to this level. Their support has helped me get
through college, get through these passions, get through these opportunities
to keep going. And so I hold that near and
dear to my heart, and so that like everything's gonna surprise.
Because he's younger, Austin is only focused on the time

(21:16):
that he's in right now. Like I remember, even going
back one day, I was looking at Mike like my
old Facebook post and it was always about like inspirational
quotes about how you know you need to get up
every day and you know, be the best version of yourself,
you know, to take advantage of opportunities, you know, connect
surround yourself with the people you know that you're life
minded and want to be as passionate about things as
you are. And I was like, man, I'm proud of

(21:37):
that kid like that. That became me right that that
kid like inspires me. You know, younger Austin still inspires
me today. Now your boy lt I knew, uh la,

(22:03):
Damian Tomlinson previous charger running back, charger great, maybe the
greatest charger running back, maybe the greatest charger of all time.
Uh and terrific human being. And years ago I got
a chance to go visit him and his wife and
talk a little bit, and he surprised me, he said, Carlos,
He said, I think of several things matter for success
in the NFL that might surprise you. One, he said,

(22:24):
is being married. He said, I know you wouldn't think so,
but he said, he said, I think that that the
difference between great and out of the league is so
thin that you need every ounce of focus you have.
And he said, for the most part, guys who aren't
married and are out in the club's party and doing
other stuff they in the end are gonna lose that

(22:46):
little bit of edge. And and guys who were married
or who are settled, like that's a huge advantage that
I was surprised here him say that I would agree.
You would agree with that? I would agree? Do you
want me? I agree? Please? Because here's the thing, man,
This game is about consistency, and how do you how
do you become more consistent? You gotta put in repetition.

(23:08):
You gotta go practice, you gotta get in the weight
room extra, you gotta get in the playbook extra. You
can't have distractions. The more you're distraction, the less consistent
you're gonna get. There's only a select few people that
can just show up and do this stuff right. And
those people are getting paid ridiculous amounts of money because
they're special. Like for the most part, that's not everybody
in the league, right, everyone else. Guess what we gotta
put in the world. We gotta put in the reps

(23:30):
for I would say ninety nine percent of the league.
There's the one per centers of the league that are
really really special. And so I see that like you're married,
you're held down, Like for me, I'm not necessarily married,
to like another person. But I think my passion to
connect it to the community is kind of the same
type of ideas. Hey, I have something that I can
commit to in my free time that keeps me focused.

(23:51):
Um so yeah, I would agree because it's literally the
edges this big, the edges this big between me and
h fourth or fifth string running back making it I
was just a little bit more consistent than he was, right,
and you have to go take another man's job and
guess what if he's more consistent or been playing in
the league longer and has more tape, they already have
the upper edge. So you need everything that you can get, uh,
and you don't want to give him any piece of

(24:12):
bad films. So the consistency part, yeah, I agree with.
Are who are some of the one percenters? Who are
some of the people who they just they could show
up and they just have more than everybody else. See,
I wouldn't even say I have those guys on my team, right, Like,
here's the thing, because like Keenan Allen, probably the best
guy on our team, Uh, definitely offensively, but the work

(24:35):
that he puts in is unmatched. It's unmatched. And the offseason,
this man he runs routes. I think he runs routes
to every single day, right, Um, So I would say
like even the one percent therese they're they're not gonna
be They're not gonna be big superstars. They're probably gonna
be guys that are probably on the bubble um. So
because I I just think of me saying that, like,
because you're gonna get flushed out. You're gonna get flushed out.

(24:57):
This league is gonna flush you out real quick if
you're if you're not putting in the time. So um, yeah,
maybe it's maybe s those tweeted the bubble guys, right,
the bubble guys that are on the way out, like
or maybe getting a little more distracted or maybe you know,
just have a little bit more athletic ability than everyone
else and like hey they's hanging around. Um because I mean,
if I if I even say anyone right and I'm saying, oh,

(25:18):
this person doesn't work hard type of thing, So I
can't I can't even go down that don't don't don't
work hard, but talk about athletic um, just athletic freaks
of nature. Who are the best pure athletes you've either
played against, played with, played around where you're just like, hey,
even though we're all professionals athletically, that guy is just

(25:40):
on a different level than the rest of us. Immediately
comes to my mind, Derwin James, he's on our team,
he's our safety, has been hurt for the past two years.
But oh my god, this man's he's like six three.
I know he can outrun me, and I think I'm fast.
This man is like six three, like two twenty. Uh.
Derwin j Aimes so strong, takes on blogs, can run,

(26:03):
can jump, agility, tackle, you can basically do everything. And
it's like the fact that he's so big too, just
like how like how are you able to do this?
Like another one is that stands out to me is
that dk metcalf Um. Just he dudes like two thirty five.
He's running you know, almost sub you know ten, you know,

(26:25):
a hundred meter dash at two thirty five? Are you
kidding me? I'm just like man at six five two
six five, two thirty five receiver out there. Uh, there's
a there's a lot of freaks, you know, a lot
of people that are just like, Wow, you're absolutely gifted.
And the fact that you're taking those gifts and putting
work behind it just elevates those people right and just
shows really like how amazing the human body can be

(26:46):
and what really good genetics and hard work combined can
really push people to do. Um, that's why I love
about the NFL. And it's it's not always about being big, right,
Like look at me, I'm five eight, but like I'm strong.
Like I even put out a challenge the other day
as the four or five squad challenge, So fourner five
pounds of a bat busted out thirteen times. Um, still
haven't had a competitor, just by the way, So if

(27:07):
you're listening out there, you know, send me something, uh,
four or five squad challenge. But I think that's what
the NFL is so great. That's why it's so great
because it brings out a lot of different athletes, but
a lot of different types of bodies, and it brings
us all together to and puts us on a platform
where we can use to help our communities. Do you
ever see someone coming at you so strong, so fast,

(27:28):
like a Dorwin James, where you've gotten nervous or you've
hesitated a little bit because you're like that is six three,
that's two twenty, that's four four and they are coming
with lethal intention. Hey, I played the position called running back,
so we're just natural born, just fearless, you know, competitors
like it doesn't matter how big you are, we gonna

(27:49):
we're trying to run through your face. Right like I'm
five eight, but you go watch me run and you
watch me run through people like I remember even Melvin Gordon,
my uh, the guy that was in front of me
before you know, he ended up not getting signed by
the Denver Um. He hit me up like man, he's
still just running through people. Man. Even the rookies come
through here. You know, they're like, damn man, you run
like you're two forty. It's like, hey, why do you

(28:11):
think they keep me around here? You know what kind
of thing? So as far as my mind and never never,
like if you're there's definitely people that come down and
come down here. I remember Ruben foster Um a few
years back. He played for San Francisco forty Niners. Uh,
just freak athlete at at linebacker. He probably hit me
the hardest I've ever been hit. But still I just
have to like this hardened. But he just hit me

(28:32):
so hard. I remember just kind of coming to like
whoa um kind of kind of moment right getting up
off the ground, it was like, Wow, it's got absolutely drilled.
But shoot, I've been playing this game for so long.
I feel like that just becomes part of the game now.
Like it's not often, it's not often that I get
hit that hard because it's almost like an art. It's
like an art, and that's how I've got, you know,
this far in my career. It's an arts not getting

(28:53):
hit right, Like there's a there's a way to get
tackled or to not get tackled. And so the only
time you give me like that is when I can't
see you. So if I can't see you give me,
then you got lucky. But most of the time I
got my awareness, and yeah, I can avoid it. And
it would say more about that. You mean, you're saying
that guys will look to tackle you, would hit you
really hard if you see them coming. You're saying you

(29:14):
can do a martial arts move, and exactly, so every
single defender is like, oh, I'm just gonna clean Eckler's clock,
especially me because I'm five eight, you know, d pounds
and like the small sky in the field, So they
see me and they're like, oh, let's go. So there's
running as hard as What they don't realize is that
I squat the weight room. Um. So when they hit me,
they're like whack, and that just bounce off them because

(29:35):
they don't try to wrap me up like you when
you tackle you're supposed to like wrap my legs that right,
So there's like, oh, let me just blast them hit
him on the ground. They just really like this boom,
I just bounced back off just because my leg and
my balance is so strong. Um And so yeah, people
they just miss. There's like misread like how sturdy I
am at my stature, right, they think they just come,
you know, hit me like I'm some receiver you know

(29:56):
who doesn't go in there and squat and there's no
no shade receivers. But they anything like that, you know. Also,
so one of the other things that LT told me
that he said would surprise me about what it takes
to be great in the league running back, he said,
Carlson is gonna sound weird to you, he said, But
you have to kind of like pain, he said. He said,
he said, it sounds weird. You have to like pain,

(30:18):
not just be okay with it. But like it because
he said, when you watch game film, you'll see all
sorts of weird things happen with your neck, in your
arms and stuff. And he said, sometimes will so blow
your mind. He said, but you have to actually kind
of like it and therefore lean into it, because if
you don't lean into it, the other guy is and
you're gonna lose. Now, is that right or is that

(30:39):
right for you? About that like pain thing? Or is
that just an LT thing? Man? Even so, I go,
I got way deeper if you want to talk about pain.
I love adversity, like even even in life, like I
feel like we need to go through hard times because
hard times make us so much stronger. As people like
hard times, you absolutely don't want to go through them

(31:00):
just naturally, but the things that they teach you, the
lessons learned in hard times, I feel like stick with
you for life. And I feel like that's really what's
painted my picture of my mental just you know, stabilization
going forward and how why I'm the way I am
today because it's working through hard times, working out of
it and seeing the light at the end of the
tunnel and being able to work towards something. So for me, like, sure,

(31:21):
I physically get hurt in football, but I always know,
for the most part anyways, I'm probably gonna recover. So
just the physical injury from football does not scare me
at all, Like it's just part of the game. To me,
it's part of it having fun, right, and there's I mean,
we all have different different motives for playing the game, right,
you definitely have you definitely gotta know, Yeah, this game hurts.
His name, definitely hurt especially as they're running back, like

(31:42):
these people are like at least you know, everyone's at
least like thirty pounds heavier than me, and they have
paths on and they're running at me full speed trying
to hit me. Um So yeah, this day game definitely
put some battle scars on you. But for me, I
love that, Like I got scars all over my body
from this game. Um it kind of just paints the
picture of the kind of what have gone through, um,
you know, physically on this field and with this game,

(32:03):
but then also in life too, Like I feel like
it's it's deeper than that, right, It's deeper than that,
because if I feel like, if we all just go
through a time where like you have pure happiness all
the time, Like I like, you get used to that
and you almost get bored, right, And it's like for
your your life to have some real contents, real meeting,
some real oh behind the time where you're like, man,
I persevered, I went through time worth living. Like I

(32:25):
feel like you gotta go through some peace, you gotta
go through some valleys. And it's the same thing on
the field, like look for you to actually have, like
I feel like for me anyway, for me to have
like a career and like yeah, man, like hey, I
pushed through an overcome. I need some adversity, whether it's
whether it's injury, whether it's like I'm not asking get injured.
I'm just saying like, when this stuff comes, I'm not
scared of it, right, I'm ready to take it head on.
I'm ready to work through it. Um. And it to me,

(32:48):
it paints a better picture of what I want to
get at it as far as fulfillment, because it makes
me work through things instead of it all being oh
it was great forever. Um. You know, it makes me
work through things and it makes me a better person
and in the end, and also where do you think
that comes from? Do you think that you were born
that way, or did certain things happen as you were
growing up or what have you. But where did that

(33:10):
mindset come from? That definitely came from the way I
was raised. I just knew. I knew I wanted to
get out of my situation from the day I was
in my situation. I didn't have like the worst situation
growing up, but I just knew this was not the
life for me and I needed to get out of this. Uh.
And so I made sure, like, look, I've seen I've
seen people in my life have success and just throwing

(33:32):
the trash can, and I was like, that's not gonna
be me. I'm gonna take advantage. I'm gonna hold onto it.
I'm gonna continue to grow and continue to keep pushing um.
And so I set my mind. I didn't even realize
I set my mind to that until I got older
and started talking about it, because people started asking me
about it, like why are you the way you are?
I'm just like, why am I the way I am?
But it's it literally came because I saw a situation
was like, man, my mom's ex husband had everything in

(33:54):
the world, and this man made me work so freaking
hard for him. And then he just went through it
all away, and I was just like, why would you,
Why would you ever do that? You had things working
for it, and you just decided you just didn't want
it and you didn't care about anybody, And so like
that affected me, right, that affected me, and I was like,
I'm never gonna do that. I'm gonna take advantage. I'm
gonna continue to push. I'm gonna help people as well
on along the way so they can push through some

(34:15):
stuff too. And I think that it's instilled like that
hard work that I learned from going out and building
fence and being in sports and working on a ranch.
That's where my heart work mentality came from. But then
my passions came from trying to get out of a
situation that I wanted better for myself. And I put
everything I can in my power into those things. And
what happened to him? What do you mean he threw
it away? Yeah? I mean I don't want to get

(34:37):
too too into it, but he's just he's just not
not with us as far as our family anymore. Right,
You just you know, made decisions where he said he
just had better things he wanted to do. Um and
we weren't worth anything to him. So, um, he's the
guy that you know I was with, you know, since
I was like four years old. My dad was never
in the picture. He was even worse than this guy.
So it's like, look like I've had some some good

(34:59):
examples of good hard work, but bad examples of how
to carry yourself and continue to pursue through life. Um.
So that's just where my mindsets come from, and that's
where I've been ever since. So so why do you
think you took the positive lesson out of that, Austin?
Because you know, so many of us get traumatized by
various things, and unfortunately most of us, or maybe many

(35:20):
of us, take the wrong lessons out of that. Right
that that it breaks our heart, it breaks our spirits,
It reorients us towards bad behavior instead of, you know,
better behavior. Why do you think it instead of breaking you,
it sounds like it actually made you stronger. Maybe just
because I didn't have sympathy for him, I didn't have
sympathy for that. I was like, that's that's just BS

(35:42):
man Like it's BS like you felt bad and then
you felt bad about yourself, and then you just like, oh,
poor meat, and then you went and hidden the whole
or just took the easy way out. And I just
I think that was just to me and my mindset,
that was unacceptable and not just unacceptable, unacceptable to the
maximum level that you've literally changed my life and I
would never be like that, and it literally fact it

(36:05):
impacts me that much, and like literally to the to
this day, like even my kids, like I'm gonna be like, hey,
like you're gonna know nothing but how to work hard,
not not for anything. That's always for me. I didn't
work hard for money. Any work hard. I work hard
because that's the only option. That's the only option were presented.
You have to work hard, and that's gonna get you
food on the table. That's gonna allow you to you know,
to actually you know, go forward in life. So that

(36:26):
was the situation I was in. And so it's it's
helped me today because awesome, why you work hards because
that's all I've ever known. It's all I've ever known,
and that's all you've ever known. Guess what. It's contagious
and it keeps going and it just builds and it
builds and builds, and if you have direction with that,
with some education. Oh boy, let's go now. Now I'm

(36:46):
helping my community. Now I'm trying to connect. I'm trying
to help other people become passionate and find their passions
and continue to push for those as well. In life.

(37:11):
Austin talked to me a little bit about race. Because
you grew up black in small town Colorado. He assumed
there wasn't a ton of us there? Am I right?
It was by three three I'm not even exaggerating three
in my high school. Three people of color. Hey, what
the hell were you doing there? Number one? Like, what

(37:32):
were you doing there? And then number and then number two.
I don't want to make any assumption because maybe it
wasn't bad, maybe it was good. But but but but
tell me a little bit racially about your journey, you know, stressful,
uh positive? Just what it was like like, give me
a little bit of a sense of of your particular experience. Yeah, So,

(37:54):
I mean I ended up in a small town called
Just because my my act true father he was married
to my mom um and then just royally messed up,
locked away forever. So my mom wanted to get away
from that. Ended up meeting a guy um who was
my little brother's dad. Um. And then we moved to
small town Colorado, um, just to get away kind of
get a new start. And that's how I ended up

(38:15):
in eating Colorado. Um for all the way k through
to my mom was a school teacher. UM. My mom's
husband at the time built fence, like he had his
own fencing company. Like he wasn't he didn't graduate high
school or anything like that. He was so not really
well educated. But I definitely knew how to work hard
and kept himself and kept our family. Uh. Float you know,

(38:35):
he was a main source of income. Um. And that's
how I ended up in Colorado. You know, there was
only three other black kids including me here. You know, like,
so I'm growing up in a in a white community, right,
predominantly white community. UM. Hispanic population there as well. UM.
And so I mean for for me, I didn't know

(38:56):
any any other way like that was the way that
so there was no like racial thing that I went through. Um.
It was pretty accepting. UM, I guess as far as
UM just everybody or like I didn't really go through
anything or that stands out to me that was like, yeah,
this was the time in my life that I went
through or you know, it was tough just because they
saw me as different. Um, I didn't have that. That's

(39:18):
why I loved my town that I went to. Like
I had support of my town a hundred percent. Um.
Maybe it's because I was really good at sports, who knows,
and they liked watching me. I don't know whatever the
reason was, it doesn't matter. I should was showing respect
and I gave respect back. And that's how I was
raised as well. Um, you know, yes or no, sir,
all that stuff. Um. And so no, just the small

(39:39):
town to field like like for me to be, I
was on the outskirts to I lived like twenty miles
outside of town. So it wasn't like after school was
hanging out, you know with the boys, you know, in
the neighborhood. Like I would be done with practice and
drive twenty five minutes home, right because I gotta get home.
I go water the horses, I gotta go take care
of all of the livestock. Um, whether it's rain or snow,
it don't matter. I get home. Um. So that definitely

(40:01):
kept me locked in. I didn't really get distracted as much. UM.
Kind of just kind of isolated me a little bit.
Maybe that's maybe That's why the way I am the
way I am today to like, my my circle of
friends is like this big you know, like very small.
And I think that's part of it because I didn't
really have like a big social life other than sports
growing up. Uh. And so yeah, that's a little bit

(40:22):
about my background and how I came to be and yeah,
where I started out. And what do you find in
the NFL, Because because the NFL is predominantly black, Um,
but I assumed that most of the players didn't come
from small town Colorado. I assume that they came from Miami, Florida,
or they came from Dallas, Texas, or they came from
l A or what have you. So is there any

(40:43):
interesting racial dynamic for you in the locker room? Again? Positive? Negative?
It is absolutely. I wouldn't say it's positive or negative.
But it's just like kind of a culture shock for me,
you know, culture shocked to be around people that have
been in the cities more that because even when I
went to college, like predominant a white right, and it's
like in the mountains in Colorado, So we're talking to

(41:04):
people that are out here to ski, to ice fish too,
snowmobile like We're talking people from Oklahoma and Texas that
are going up there to the vacation house in the
summer type stuff. Right, another small town. So I was
never introduced to really like city life or even any
other type of culture besides small town Colorado. Right. So

(41:24):
definitely big culture shocks coming out of a coming out
of Colorado and just you know, being introduced to new
types of just slangs, new types of you know, the
way people you know care about you know, fashion, care
about how people spend money, different you know, people's education levels. Um,
it's just it's all just a mixing point. Right. That's
why the NFL is so great because it gives us

(41:46):
all an opportunity no matter where you came from. I
came from the sticks in Colorado. You come from you know,
Miami or Texas or a huge football towns and schools
and stuff like that wherever, Right, it gives us an
opportunity and it gives us a platform. Um. So yeah,
definitely culture shock for sure. So how much should people
try you? Because I know, having talked to t O
and lots of other guys, there's lots of fights in

(42:06):
the locker room and there's lots of there's a lot
of scrapping, and I assume they see a short guy.
He's from Colorado. He talks proper. I'm sure they came
after you. Did they come after you? No one came
at me. No one came after me, because, like I
think the NFL is definitely evolved, Like they're no like
hazy and all that stuff anymore like he used to be. Like,
he's definitely modernized. Um, like we all are earned this

(42:29):
together type of thing. But I didn't really talk much.
I gotta talk to me. I wasn't there to talk
to people. I was there to take people's jobs and
actually make a team. I was there. I was there
to take advantage of opportunity. So for me, it was like, look,
like we get talk, I'm not gonna be to you,
like I'm actually absolutely gonna be respectful, but I'm here
to do a job. Um. And so that's how that's
how it was for me, growing like growing into this,

(42:49):
and then I got established and then now it's obviously
my mindset's different. Now I'm actually trying to help my
younger guys, um, because I understand the power of the NFL,
and I'm trying to help people around me like, hey, guys,
you listen, everyone needs to use this and I'm showing
people how I'm using it and trying to help them
do that. So um no, I didn't really get tried
and they don't really step to me that. You know,
there's some personal bees. There's a portion and shoving, um

(43:10):
you know, especially when joint practices and stuff like that,
but not for the most part, we're all we're all
in this family together. And now talk to me a
little bit about using your platform. Like in your dream world,
what would you love to be true, what would you
love to do? What kind of things are you hoping
to have impact on? Yeah, in my dream world, I

(43:31):
would love to create enough resources, whether it be from
from whatever, create enough resources from donations, from some type
of you know, connecting business, from the foundation which I
have my own foundation, but collect enough resources and have
an impact in communities, especially small communities like my mind,
and just provide resources to people, whether it be things

(43:52):
to better their education, things to do stuff outside just things.
I think, whether it be technology, things that can help
people create skills or go through things experiences to create
skills for themselves that they can use in the future.
Because I think that's something that I had, um that
I didn't really realize until now thinking back on it,

(44:12):
Like Okay, what like why am I in the situation?
But well, I have resources. We're in a small town,
but we had enough to get by. I had to
wait room, I had, you know, a social life, I
had as you stuff for education. It's like I had
a chance, right, I had a chance, And so what
do I want to do? Well? I want to impact
people across the United States right now it started, but
eventually around the world, just giving them a chance. You know.

(44:34):
It's it's different, you know, in different situations here in America,
so where it's like hey, it's basically survival the fittest,
but you know, we call capitalism, um, you know, so
it takes people to help people. So I want to
get be someone that's in these situations and trying to
help people have a chance to even have skills, right
because if if you never have you know and after
school club with actual equipment, stuff like that, you're not

(44:56):
getting these opportunities to learn teamwork, learn self to to plan,
learn mental toughness, learned social skill, like you're not getting
those opportunities. And so that that would be my perfect world.
I'm already on my mission to get there through my foundation.
I've started, you know, a couple other businesses that are
trying to help people connect Um and ultimately the goal
is to make funds from those and push it back

(45:17):
to the Foundation and continue to just you know, incorporate
and push all of these different motives across what the
Foundation trying to do across the nation and helped provide resources. Austin,
have you met Kelvin beach Um yet? Do you know
Kelvin beach Um? I don't think I have. Kelvin's offensive
lineman for the Cardinals. You have to let me introduce
the two of you, guys. He's a terrific human being.

(45:40):
You guys have a lot in common. He grew up
in smalltown Texas instead of small town Colorado. He Um
barely got a chance to play a Texas tech even
then didn't get drafted to the seventh round, so we
had a similar situation. But he did end up getting
drafted in the seventh round. Um. I wasn't sure he
was gonna make it, but focus and brings that same

(46:00):
kind of hungry intensity that you bring, but by the
same token, is also thinking about the broader platform, and
he is one of the most thoughtful people I know.
And um, just something tells me that you guys would
enjoy meeting each other. You would find him to be
an outstanding human being, and you guys would just like

(46:20):
each other, I think, and so awesome. Um, We're always
looking for like minded people, always looking for like minded people,
because that's what it takes. It takes people with a
platform and people to care about people. Right. We have
a platform, we have the NFL platform that puts a
lot of eyes on us, right, whether it's because they
like our our story or the team that we play off,
whatever the reason, we have a platform, and so it's

(46:41):
it's a rare opportunity where I'll probably never be a
part of a platform this big. So for me, it's
a moment where I can capture and really implement my passion.
I'm passionate about people, right, and so I'm trying to
show that to people because people also care about people,
um to some to some point, right, And so I'm
trying to just attack that part of people in too. Hey, look,
we're trying to help people over here. You know, you

(47:02):
can be a part of this because it's for a
great or good for all of us. You know, it's
not you know about being selfish, right, you know, that's
what America has been built off of, selfish and right,
like being selfish, right, because that's how you continue to
be successful, right, And so that's how I grew up,
Like hey, I gotta get mine. And now I'm at
this point like, okay, well, I like I have enough,

(47:22):
like I can get by, like my my true happiness
is in helping people, not getting a bunch of resources.
So I need to gather resources to help people because
that's how America works. But that's just yeah, I need
people to care about people. And if I can connect
with people that are like mine like that, I think
we can lab together and make it even a stronger
motive and a stronger push across the nation. All right, now,

(47:43):
I'm gonna turn you a little bit of football. We're
gonna play a little football jeopardy here for a bit ready.
Oh no, oh, no, okay, I like you know, I
didn't watch the NFL to my junior. Uh that's all right, um,
other than your own teammates, So I'm not gonna allow
you to choose any of your own teammates unless you
have two, Who, in your mind is the best quarterback
in the league right now? I'm Brady? And why do

(48:07):
why do you say that? I can assume, but I
want to hear it from a player who's actually playing well.
Why do you say Brady? Because Tom Brady has been
able to be consistent for this long and it's not
because he's super athletic. Is actually not very athletic um
when it comes to like physically moving and jumping and
like moving, but the fact that he can he understands

(48:27):
the game so much that he doesn't even have to
really move much he can still have success. He can
protect himself by understanding what the defense is gonna do.
He has enough arm strength to put the ball where
it needs to be, doesn't It's not always a bomb
down the field like Western Antonio Brown is just dissecting
getting the ball out of the hand immediately. And to
have that knowledge of the game and actually be able
to go there and imply it in real time with

(48:48):
the teammates. He hasn't always had the best team, which
is another reason why I think he's the best quarterback.
And he still continues to do it now even at
like forty four or whatever he is forty three. Um
the fact even just watching this game that is like, man,
this guy's special, just how much he understands the game.
Pat Mahomes definitely, you know, second runner up coming, just
because he's more of the physical ability type guy, though

(49:10):
not necessarily like I just understand the game so much
that I'm just that good. Um. So yeah. Definitely Tom
Brady for just game knowledge, experience and consistently doing it
for as long as he has. Fastest player in the league.
Tyreek Hill not even close. Like even listen, my defense
even talks about him like, oh my god, Tyreek Hill.
We gotta play him twice twice a year, and he

(49:32):
literally changes the mindset of defensive players, like they know
he's going deep, and the fact that they think he's
going deep opens up everything underneath. And then the times
he's going underneath, you know, boom, he's chunky chunking yet
and then you forget about it or don't forget about it,
but then you're like, oh, and I gotta defend the underneath.
And then he goes to the top and Pat Mahomes
runs around and throws it as far as he can.
Tyreek Hill jumps up in the air and catches it

(49:52):
for eight yards like he did you know this last game?
Like Tyreek Hill. He just literally runs everywhere and just
gets open because he's so fast. Most talented defensive player
in the NFL today. Most talented defensive player, Oh, most
talented defensive player mm hmmm. Because it's like it's different

(50:19):
for defense because I feel like you have pass rushers
that are phenomenal that we're definitely gonna be chipping. Um.
But then you also have safeties like shoot, even one
of my guys, Darwin James, who's just unbelievable, Um, most talented,

(50:40):
Like even you have some of these linebackers man that
can run. I don't I honestly don't know. But let's
say you're now the GM of a team and you
got to decide, I'm getting pass rusher for sure? Who
are you taking? Um? Who am I taking? Number one? Overall?
Mm hmmm? And Donald Aaron Donald taking Aaron Donald? Okay, Yeah,

(51:04):
he just he just just run. He's just a disruptor
like you, literally, And the thing is he plays you play.
He'll play inside, He'll play one technique maybe not everyone
knows taking he'll play all the spots at d lineman
and not everyone can do that, right, and then when
he does that, you have to be able to slide
with two old offensive lineman to him every single time,
and if they get him one on one, it's not

(51:25):
looking good for you. Um, Aaron Donald. Well, you know
what's interesting is again he's another not very tall guy
for his for his position, but the boy is strong strong.
It might be a common thing in that strength category
right there. Alright, best running back in the NFL today,
best running back? Mmm, I wouldn't even say myself. Um.

(51:51):
You know a lot of people might say me, I
don't know, but see to me, I feel like as
far as production, that's how I really rate like a
running back. How productive are you? Definitely a Kamara last year? Um, Kamara?
Derrick Henry. There's different types of running backs too. Because
Derrick Henry, this dude can toke the rock thirty times
forty times a game. You know that he ran for

(52:12):
two thousand yards last year, which is unheard of for
a lot of years. Um. Now, and then you have
a guy like Kamara who could really do it all
or even Dalvin Cook. Um. But as far as best
just running back overall, I'm gonna say, I'm gonna say,
I'm gonna say Kamara just because it's more well rounded,
like like best runner, absolutely, absolutely, Derrick Henry, but best

(52:35):
well rounded Christian. Christian is another one up there, a
Christ McCaffrey, but he had a little injury last year,
so I'm just yeah, all right, all right, we'll see
how he does this year. But yeah, Kamara, Well wow,
all right. I um, I now want to do one
other question on this. What NBA player or Major League
Baseball player or tennis player or soccer player do you

(52:58):
think could come into the NFL today and be a star?
Mm hmm. People would say, like, oh, Lebron could be
coming to play tight end, but I think I honestly
think Russell Westbrook could come in and play a nasty
slot receiver. Just his agility is a quickness, his explosiveness
just well, yeah, Westbrook, I feel like he just the

(53:18):
way he plays. He's aggressive on the on the basketball
court too. You need that same aggression on the field.
I feel like there's a fit there, right, Yeah, yeah,
I love that. I love that. I agree with you
all that. It's funny. Michael Straight was saying to me, Um,
you know, everyone wants to say lebron can play, he said,
But it's a whole another thing. This is while stray
Hand says it when I get those paws on you,

(53:41):
he said. Everybody thinks they're okay with it until I
get those paws on you, and then you may or
may not. Let's stay with me on that. So it's
a whole different game. Then you gotta bring a mindset,
like people are trying to hit me, I have to
hit them first and hit them harder, right, and both
people are thinking that, so usually you're gonna have some collision. Yeah,
it's a whole a whole different a mental game when
it comes to the game of football. Yeah, yeah, all right.

(54:03):
I want to do uh, finally, a little bit of
rapid fire with you. Mind if I had do you
a little bit of rapid fire. But let's do it
real quick. What's your favorite movie of all time? Favorite
movie of all time? Um, probably my guy Will Farrell
step Brothers love it. It's a great one. I love that.
What's your karaoke song karioke song? Oh man, it's funny.

(54:27):
I just used to do a stream. I did a
karaoke stream one time. Requested by my stream and I
sang what did I sing? Um? Oh? My gosh, I
can't remember it. I can see if I could see
myself on the stage like this little virtual stage. They
get it's hilarious. Uh, come back to me on that one,

(54:49):
come back, okay, all right, Well, what's the most interesting
thing you've learned in this life about dreaming fearlessly and
realizing your dreams? Wow? We went from karaoke song it's
the deep dreams man, looking forward to let hit that
hit me with that one again? Here we go. So
you know it's hard to dream fearlessly and then more importantly,

(55:09):
realize those dreams. What's the most interesting thing you've learned
in this life about how to dream fearlessly and realize
those dreams? Man? I would say that, I would say
the dream itself. This might be a little off topic,
but I would say dream fearlessly. Absolutely. However, understand that

(55:32):
the dream getting there and realizing it isn't, in my opinion,
the total satisfaction. The actual satisfaction is putting in the
journey the right. It's always the journey here about the journey,
the journey and the talents and the work and the
passion that has to go into it is the real is,

(55:52):
the real contents, the real context, the real own behind
dreaming fearlessly and realizing those dreams. Um So, I would
say that's the most important thing is understanding that yes,
you definitely should dream fearlessly and you know, set your passions,
but then getting there is really what's going to be
the special part about that journey and what's your next dream?

(56:14):
What is Austin Ekeler's next stream, Austin Nechl's next team
definitely is always on my mind every single day is
to use the NFL platform as much as I can
to help others and to continue doing that when my
NFL career is done, because I know my NFL career
will be done and hopefully by then I've established myself enough.
It was like, yes, now I can continually help people

(56:37):
until my days come. Austin, if you could have dinner
with anyone dead or alive, who would you have dinner
with if I could have dinner with anyone dead or live?
Mm hmm mm hmm, probably am okay, right, yeah, yeah,
Martin Luther King just because man, like that's the guy

(56:59):
with a vision, that's the guy that's truly his whole, different, whole,
different topic, right, as far as trying to help people
as deep at a level as it can go, trying
to just help people have a well being, right and
even just have a chance to even have a chance, right, Um,
just talk about just his passion for people, because passion
for people, to me is one of the best values

(57:20):
that people can have. M You're so funny. I was
actually gonna ask you, and I'll ask you still, what
do you value most in this world? What do I
value most in this world? I would say, Ah, a
pursuance of a life that I feel like it's worth living, right,
That's what I value the most. Um. And in that

(57:45):
there's more details, and because that's different for everyone, but
in that pursuance for me is helping and connecting with people, right,
That's and that's my pursuance. That's what fulfills me. And
at the end of the day, I know if I
continue to try to help as many people as I can,
when my time comes, whether it's tomorrow, fifty years down
the road, none of us know. I want to make

(58:07):
sure I'm in a position and I am right now
where I'm like, Man, that was life, That you know what,
I try my best to help as many people have
the best life, and that in turn give me gave
me the best life, right because I just like it
keeps going back to it. But I just care about
people so much, right, I care about connecting, and so
that's what I would like other people. It's different for
other people, but the pursuance of a fulfillment that at

(58:29):
the end of the day you feel like, man, that
was special and better and better and looking for a
better run. Like I don't know how to end that one, sorry,
but man like, yeah, okay, I'm just gonna stop. No,
he ausome. I appreciate you. I appreciate your mindset, I
appreciate your desire to share with other people, and uh man,

(58:51):
I'm just I'm wishing you were just all the best
and I can I wish I could see your mom
because I can only imagine how proud she must be.
And I know you know that, um, but allow me
just to, uh, you know, tip my cap to her
because as tough as I'm sure you've been, I imagine
you know, given the journey it sounds like she went
to through well she's been through it for sure. Yeah,

(59:13):
for sure. Yeah, you gotta take care of Mom's always. Now.
You know, my mom she right now, like my little
brother and I are the only like stable men in
her life. And so you know we're her why you know,
we never forget that, you know, so we keep her
definitely deer and close to us. My little brother plays
it over at Wyoming, Um, so you know, football and

(59:34):
us just being together is is her passion in life
right now. So yeah, absolutely, family, family really because you know,
at the end of the day, family is really gonna
be there for you, you know, thicker thin um. It's
part of that community aspect that you know that I
just hold true to myself. It starts with a good
based family, right that you can come back to. Your
family doesn't have to be blood to me, right, it's

(59:55):
not in all these people are my blood fam families
like people that are like these are my people. Like
whatever happens, you know, I'm there for them, They're there
for me type of things. Amen, be safe and really good,
really good to me. I'm gonna route you on. I'm
gonna come to appreciate that. Man. Were you relocated at.
I'm in the Bay Area, I'm up in Mountain View.
So when you play the Niners. If you play, you

(01:00:16):
play the Niners this season. I don't playing this here. Yeah, okay, okay,
all right, well I'm gonna have to make a trip
down and catch up TV. Catch up. Let me know, man,
if you ever in town, they'll want to come to
the game. Let me know. I got you. I will,
I will, I definitely will. I appreciate you, man. Okay, okay,
take care, bye bye. Thank you for listening me to

(01:00:48):
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