November 29, 2023 • 51 mins
On the latest NFL Players: Second Acts podcast, Peanut is solo for this interview with 3-time Super Bowl champ Devin McCourty. The former New England Patriots safety talks to Peanut about not just playing for Bill Belichick but having fun fooling Bill with his twin brother Jason. He also shares the inside stories of Tom Brady’s trash talk during their practice battles, and what it feels like to get “Mossed” by Randy. And Devin explains why out of his three Super Bowl rings – the one from Super Bowl LI is his favorite. After completing his successful 13-year NFL career, Devin talks with Peanut about his immediate transition to his current role on NBC’s Football Night in America. The guys share their horror stories of on-air screwups, and why they work to be as great in the media space as they were on the field. And Devin reflects on his mom’s sacrifices for his success, and why she’s absolutely on his personal Mount Rushmore.
0:00 – show open
1:13 – Devin on who is the better twin
2:49 – Devin on learning the ropes of broadcasting from his brother Jason
3:31 – Devin on fooling people as a twin
5:37 – Devin on fooling Bill Belichick
6:42 – Devin on why Super Bowl 53 is his favorite of the three he’s won
8:44 – Devin on playing for Bill Belichick
11:10 – Devin on Tom Brady trash talking skills
13:32 – Devin on when he knew it was time to retire
18:57 – Devin going straight from football to broadcasting
26:58 – Devin on the NFL’s Broadcast Bootcamp experience
29:32 – Peanut and Devin on their on-air screwups
31:48 – Devin on his business ventures
34:27 – Devin on his 5-year plan in media and business
36:49 – Devin on his welcome to the NFL moment being meeting Tom Brady
39:49 – Devin on practicing against Randy Moss
44:09 – Peanut and Devin on the toughest QB’s they faced
47:38 – Devin on who is on his personal Mount Rushmore
51:38 – end of show
*NOTE: Time codes are approximate
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm Devin mccordy and this is NFL Players Second Acts Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Let's go.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
What up everybody. I'm Peanut Tooman and this is the
NFL Players Second Act Podcast. And I'm a little solo
today right now. My co host Rome was supposed to
be here, but yeah, he double booked and he left
me alone. But that's okay. Thank you all for tuning in.
Please give us a rating, give us five stars. We're
here in the iHeartRadio Steals in New York. It's going down.
(00:39):
I got a great guess. His bio was like super long,
so let me read this off. Played thirteen years in
the NFL, all with the New England Patriots, started two
hundred and five games during his time there, three time
three time All Pro, three times Super Bowl winning champion.
Now he's part of the Football Night and America crew
on NBC Sunday name Football Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
(01:02):
Devin mccordy to the show. So, uh yeah, man, what's
what's going on? We had your brother on the show
not too long ago. And first thing, first, who's the
better twin? That was one of the things we asked him.
He basically said, like and you can. You can tell
us if this is right or wrong. But he was saying,
(01:23):
he said he goes first on everything, like like Rutgers
wanted him and they only went They only wanted him
because or he went to Rutgers and he was trying
to get you to Rutgers too, So like we're just
trying to figure out who's the better twin? How competitive
were y'all? Like set the story straight and you get
the last word too, so you know.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
I can't lie. He told some truths in there.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
He he definitely goes first on something, some things on purpose,
like he got married first. I wasn't in a rush
to go do that, but sent him out to the
NFL First Test Awards.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Let me know what it's like.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
I went back to school, had a better year than
he ever had at Rutgers. Then I became first rounder.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
So he does it first, but I do it the best.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
That's how we That's how we explained it. He probably
leaves the second part out, uh because that's just how
he is. But it's been an awesome journey and it's
been funny to see how things work out. I got
to high school and football wise, I played on varsity
first as a sophomore. He played on varsity first and
basketball as a sophomore, and then going to college, every
school that you know offered him didn't offer me. Boston
(02:26):
College didn't offer me, Kent State didn't offer me.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
They thought he was better. Uh.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Then fast forward to the NFL. I'm a first round pick.
He's a sixth round pick. Uh.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
So the book is still out.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Now we're in a new space and life and media,
and we're still trying to figure.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Out now who's better on TV?
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Super competitive and always cheer each other on and motivate
each other, but competitive.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Now he was saying, y'all hold each other accountable. So
this is the whole media gig that you were speaking of, Like,
how how has that been going for you?
Speaker 2 (02:56):
It's been awesome.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
And I think a lot of that was due to him,
you know, asking questions watching him last year on Good
Morning Football, even his two auditions. You know, I watched
I was in LA and I would wake up early
and watch them and then give them feedback even though
I had zero experience. I was just giving my honest,
you know, fan feedback of watching the show. And then
you know, during the year, as he was doing different things,
(03:19):
travel to London, to Germany, and he was just telling me,
like all the things that were coming up, learning into
some of the words from the production side of it.
So he's really helped me a lot moving forward and
doing what I'm doing now.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
So one of the things that we spoke about was like,
have you ever had the opportunity to fool somebody?
Speaker 1 (03:38):
We we didn't get to do that in classes because
they put us in all the same classes. So until
we like decided our major in college, we had the
same classes high school, same classes. Uh, so it didn't
benefit us. And then once we picked our majors, I
can't take your test, you can't take my test. But actually,
my brother's wife, the first time she came to our
(04:00):
our dorm room in college, I went to the door
and was like, hey, babe, what's up. Try to act
like it. And she never met me or anything. But
Facebook was out by then and she went off Facebook
and studied the pictures to make sure. So when I
came to the door, she was like, your next way
fatter than Jason's.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
I know this isn't Jason.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
So the different times we've tried that, people make sure
they kind of study us. And I would say the
people that you would want a trick, make sure that
they could tell the difference. We've done it like in
seventh grade of switching the signed seats and class and stuff,
but nothing like nothing major in different times. If like
one person had to do something, we'd give each other
our license if you had to show your idea and
(04:39):
just be like, hey, do that. But it wasn't like
a big deal or anything.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
But he was so he was saying, when you got drafted, yeah,
I think you was getting You was nervous, right, you
was nervous and you needed a minute, just so you
went upstairs, take a shower, bath whatever, bathroom, take whatever,
have a drink and then they ended up calling you,
and he was on the phone with mister Kraf.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah, we ain't have enough time, So like, you can't,
you can't, you know, it's draft that you can't just
not answer your phone or try to run all the
way to the bathroom to hand the phone, and the
phone like just goes a voicemail.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
That's a bad look for you. So he can't.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
He answered the phone and mister Kraft was like, hey,
you know Robert Kraft, owner the New England Patriots. We
want to make you a Patriot and he was like, man,
appreciate it. And he so we'll put coach Belichick on
the phone. And that's as he was walking, he was like,
all right, let me let me hurry up. I don't
want to talk to Bill. That seems like a scary sight.
So yeah, man, Jason actually got drafted to the New
England Patriots as he was already a member of the
(05:35):
Tennessee Titans.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Oh that's hilarious. So he also said when when he
finally when he finally end up going to uh, New
England with you, which I think that's that's like a
dope story in itself, Like y'all identical twins, y'all on
the same team. Could Bill tell y'all apart?
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Bill? Bill still probably can't tell us apart.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
And I mean, we meet people now and they're like,
are you guys really identical?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
You don't, you don't look a like.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
But we were running hills one day during training camp
and we just happened to have the same long sleeve
shirt color under our jerseys. But given like, we have
different number of jerseys on and we're running up the
hill and Bill seasons and he's like, can you two
a holes wear different colors? Like we know your twins,
We get it, And we both started dying laughing. And
(06:21):
for the rest of the season, we just wore the
same shirt under our jersey every single day. And I
would go up to him and be like, hey, coach,
don't you tell us we got to make a harder
practice than it is in the game, And he would
just kind of look at me wanting to curse me out. So, yeah,
we played games a little bit on him. But I
will say everybody else in the organization can pretty much
(06:42):
tell us apart.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
But I want to talk about the Super Bowls. You
won three super Bowls. I've lost two super Bowls. They
both suck. I've never gotten over losing the super Bowl.
You've had the luxury of winning three of them. Joints, Right,
What's been your best super Bowl or which one has
been the most meaningful to you?
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (07:01):
You know, but even as you say you lost too,
I lost too too, And that's it sucks and it's sad,
but that's what you think about most of the time. Yeah,
I won three and still think about, like, man, I
could have we could have had five if we just
or I just did this or that, but no, it
was it was definitely, you know, super Bowl fifty three
to win over the Rams. And I think two part
(07:23):
one is, you know, playing with your twin brother. We
used to growing up before Pop Warner games. We would
go out in the street, We'd run through our plays.
We'd be throwing the ball on like deep post routes
to just get ready for the game. And then you
fast forward. Now you're at the pinnacle of your career,
like you made it to the NFL, which is already awesome,
and now we go out there Super Bowl Sunday and
(07:45):
we're doing our We're doing our five that we've been
doing since we were kids on the biggest stage.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Was awesome.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
And then, you know, as you mentioned, watching him at
the end of the game, kind of soaking all in
after the year before being on with sixteen in Cleveland,
having two win seasons, three wins, three win seasons in Tennessee,
never had played in a playoff game in his life
until his tenth year.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
It was just it was cool for me.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
I felt like I kind of got a chance to
step back and just watch him and you know, watch
him and his wife kind of celebrate that was was
a lot of fun. So yeah, that that Super Bowl
was pretty special.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
And I like, I like how y'all. I like how
y'all celebrated that though, because he ran and he not,
you know, he gets to pass, he gets the PBu
and he was the first one to congratulate him. But
the way y'all did it, though, it was like it
was it was very subtle. It was like real chill.
So yeah, I enjoyed that.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
I kind of was looking at him like, man, if
you would have listened to me, you would have got
there earlier and got an interception.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
But you don't want to listen to your safety. Yeah,
he was running up the middle.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
So Bill Belichick seems like he's a very fiery guy.
A lot of people when I was in Chicago, people
used to talk about Lovely Smith. How Lovely was just
like even kill every time, didn't yell, didn't scream, never cursed.
You know, we were losing one time and he was like, guys,
we're playing, like crap, what the heck is wrong? Like
(09:08):
he just was like like a black ned Flanders all
day through and through. So but he would he would
kind of let his guard down with us as far
as you know, like his personality, like we as players,
we really got to see the true lovey Smith, And
I mean a beautiful personality, beautiful man. Is Bill that way?
Has he or does he let his guard down like
(09:28):
with his players? Does he show like a personality?
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Nah, he can be like that, but I think I
think it's kind of twofold. When he's in front of
the media, the only thing he's thinking about is I'm
only gonna say and do what helps our team win,
So he doesn't feel there's a need to get up
there and run through game plans or be funny or
do any of those kinds of things. But I think
(09:51):
guys see right away. Usually your first ever squad meet,
and because I've talked to players who've been on other
teams where head coach might come in to start the
day five minutes, they're in and out and they're straight
to meetings. Our squad meetings could be thirty minutes, forty
five minutes, an hour, Like I've been in there for
an hour. And when you get in there, you get
(10:12):
the full game of the Bill, you get the dry
humor where you're like the whole meeting rooms dying laughing.
You get some phrases that like I can't repeat on
the podcast, but like he'll say it and he'll.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Be like, did Bill Belichick really just say something like that?
Speaker 1 (10:28):
So, and then I think for me being a captain
for twelve years, we saw a different side when we
be in the captain's meetings and he could have something
on his desk and Tom might ask him.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Like who gave you that? Like what is that?
Speaker 1 (10:40):
And he just goes into talking about his family or
growing up with his mom and how much football he
actually watched with his mom. And he told us like
one time, like his dad gets all the credit as
a football coach, but he said, most of my weekends
my dad was coaching, so I spent time with my
mom watching the game of football and talking about the
game of football.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
So a lot of times we see that different side.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Of him, I think, just naturally in our meetings, you know,
the big meetings, but also in some of those smaller
meetings that I've had with him through the years, in
the captain's meetings.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
So you talked about Tom right in those meetings is uh,
he doesn't seem like a trash talker. So I remember
we played we played y'all and we played y'all in six.
We go up there and he does like a quarterback
scramble and Brian Urlacker misses the tackle. I remember watching, Yeah,
(11:31):
Brian Urlacker misses the tackle, and you know Tom goes
goes right whatever, He gets another of.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
His most legendary runs.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Yeah, he gets another couple more yards and then he
gets up and he's all fiery. Now, I personally didn't
hear the trash talk, But what kind of what kind
of trash talker.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Is is Tom Brady?
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Does he is? He does? He go hard in the
paint like like a Chad O Cho Sinko does he.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
Not funny like Chad? Like Chad is funny. Chad could
give you everything. Chack can give you a game plan
that he kind of comes in with the try. Tom's
a guy. He jumps over the middle like he had
to play. We played Baltimore one year where he jumps
over the middle and Ray kind of ray hits him
in the back. He kind of gets bent backwards when
he got up, like he's going crazy. But it's not
(12:18):
like always direct towards somebody. Now, it can be like
we've seen plenty of times him at Terrell Suggs walking
down the field, going back and forth, yelling at each other.
But Tom's more that like aggressive in the moment I'm
fired up. It's not a plan of like all right,
I'm playing I'm playing Peanut Tim. When I'm gonna come
with this plan of how to trash talk him, it's
I thought pass on him. He might have made a
(12:40):
look at me earlier. Now I'm going back at him,
like we saw with Tyron Matthew when they played in
the Super Bowl. It's more that kind of Monoy model
going back and forth. But he was like that in
practice and training camp all the time. Like I see
people talk about the kind of back and forth between
quarterbacks and defensive players on their team and training camp
and they're like it's a.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Respecting I'm like not. Now.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
When I was in New England, like Tom was gonna
fire you up and talk trash, and we's gonna talk
trash back to him.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Yeah, like that's the way the game goes.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
We was so we Curt. We were talking like I
was in I was in Carolina one one year and
we were doing our two minutes earl and I was like,
you know, we was like me and Thomas Davis was
going hard on Cam Newton like we were just like, man,
you suck what? And then it was just But I
think that's what makes that's what makes your team better
when when you guys can go at it and at
(13:30):
the same time you can hold each other accountable. So
your last game, you had three tackles, an interception, two
BBus and a fulm recovery and that was your last game.
Why did you feel it was necessary for you to retire?
When did you actually physically know because I'm looking at
I'm looking at that was like, man, that's a he
(13:52):
had a pretty good game right there, Like he's still
doing some stuff. Like me, I knew my body, my
knee I tore from ACL. I was like thirty four.
I was in year thirteen, Like, you know what, I
should probably give it up right about now. Ain't nobody
gonna pick up a thirty three year old cornerback with
a torn ACL, Like I think it's time to call
it quit. So like when did you when did you
know after having like what what looks like on paper
(14:14):
look looks like a really good game, Like when did
you know it was that time?
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Man, I think early in my career, I kind of
always felt like I would be the guy that didn't
really play as long as like physically possibly you could play,
because I just didn't. I didn't want to stay in
the game long enough that they could tell me when
you know, my kind of journey was over. So even
at some point during the year, I kind of felt like, man,
that's a good chance this my last year, even talking
(14:40):
to the defense a couple of times during the year
to motivating and kind of get the season going and
get back on the right foot. I think at the
time I told him like I was pretty sure this
is gonna be my last year.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
And I think that was strictly.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Not into the season, but like at some point in
the season, I remember talking to the guys and getting
them going and just national it came out like, you know,
this game's not.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
It's not gonna last forever for anybody. And I had.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Now that was my thirteen year, thirteenth year, all in
New England, and when you're in one place, you see
guys come and go, and you see, like I've seen
guys careers in way before they thought it would end.
So it gives you great perspective and I think once
the season was over, because I always told myself, like,
even how you might feel during the season, don't let
that go into the offseason. Kind of reassess and see
(15:28):
what you feel like in the offseason. And you know
you spoke about it earlier. For me, I was very fortunate,
you know, thirteen years, five Super Bowl appearances, three wins.
But every other year, for the first ten years of
my career, I played in the AFC Championship every year
except two times out of ten years I was in
the AFC Championship or the Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Time out, SA, say say that again. I don't think
y'all understand, like.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
How crazy that is.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Yes, say say that again. I need I need to
hear that again because I need to process that.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
First ten years I was in the AFC Championship eight
of those ten years. Other year we lost in the
divisional round to the Jets one year, and then we
lost to Tennessee and the wild card in twenty nineteen.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
So once you have that kind of career and now
the last like three years of your career is.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Like, all right, we made the playoffs, go to Buffalo,
get embarrassed, and then we're about to miss the playoffs
the next two years. So it was like, all right,
if I'm gonna play at thirty, I would have been
thirty six years old this year, playing year fourteen, and
I'm kind of like, all right.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
That, Like that's an old age. Now you out there
are still trying to compete.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
The only reason you're going to compete is to win
a Super Bowl, Like nothing else is gonna matter. Like
last year, I have four interceptions, I think seventy tackles,
like by stats wise, it was a good year, but.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
We didn't make the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
So for me, it was kind of like I'm going
through all of this and I felt like I didn't
really want to go play somewhere else. For six months,
I felt the energy to love that I got in
New England. I wanted to keep it that way. I
wanted to keep those routes and be one of those
guys I could say, you know, my whole career was
in New England. And then I didn't feel like going back.
What is going to give us an opportunity to play
(17:04):
in the Super Bowl. So ultimately I said, you know,
I have other passions and things I want to pursue.
I think this year is the year, and you know,
it's been a blessing that turned out awesome, rolling right
into what I'm doing now.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Yeah, so you are regarded as one of the great
dbs in the Patriots organization and they gave you an
amazing sendoff. Right, how do you feel or what does
it feel like being regarded as not just a great player,
but just like as a great teammate being there for
(17:38):
thirteen seasons? What does that feel?
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Man? It's awesome thing, especially because of how my journey started.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
You know, we started off talking about I got my
scholarship to Rutgers and this is not a joke strictly
because of my brother. We found out well maybe a
month ago when I actually committed, because we went on
a visit and they offered me that Sunday, Monday night,
I committed. You know, my brother was going to Boston
College the next weekend, so he didn't commit. So when
(18:06):
I committed, Coachiano went to the coach that our assistant coach,
Darren Rizzy. He yeah, he went to him. We just
found this out. He went to him and was like
once I committed. He was like, we didn't get the
one we wanted, and that the other one's gonna like pissed,
and you know, you think about that and then you
fast forward of playing thirteen years in the organization and
(18:29):
you know, finishing in the top five and in some
categories and kind of the send off I got and
how they kind of regard me. I just don't It's
not real to me because I never thought I would
have that kind of career on how it started. So
just hard work and believing in myself got me there.
But it's awesome to think of, you know, the ability
to go in the building and talk to ownership, you know,
(18:51):
Robert and Jonathan Craft and relationship I have with Bill
to be able to do that, it's pretty unique.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
We're gonna take a short break and we'll be back.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
In a minute.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
It Yeah, So when I retired, I went to work
with Fox immediately. I retired in July and then I
started working like a month later, Right, So you're kind
of did the same thing, Like you just retired, Why
why not take time off? Why go right into the
(19:20):
NBC Sunday Night crew? Like, why not take that time off?
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (19:24):
I think as athletes and you know, we've done that.
We've done that for so long and at a high level.
I didn't want to have that downtime. Like I retired
in March and made that decision, and you know, the
rest of March, April.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Beginning part of May. I'm kind of looking at my wife, like,
what we're gonna do.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
We ain't got no well, got no offers because I
didn't want to just be stuck at home. My wife
hates if I'm just stuck at home all day because
she's like, when you're at home, you still think you
were captain in this house. I'm the captain like you
over here trying to say what to do that that
doesn't work here. So I think being able to be
regiment and get right back into it. But also, no,
I don't have the schedule I had when I was playing.
(20:05):
I feel my schedule really doing nothing but passion projects
things that I enjoy, going to talk to high schools,
doing different things like that. So I think it's important.
I think one of the most important things is I
wanted I want my kids to see me work. I
want my kids to know that, you know, Daddy's not
just waking up dropping you off at school six five
(20:25):
and two, And I don't want them to think that
like you know, to do well in life, you just
sit on the couch and you know, do something for
a little while and then sit. I want them to
see me always work and always pursuing different things. So
when I challenge them that same way, they can see it.
And you know, I really believe people they don't follow
leadership because of what you say to them. They follow
you because they see what you do. And I want
(20:46):
my kids to see that from me.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
So how's the how's the gig been so far?
Speaker 2 (20:50):
It's been awesome. I think, like, what's what's.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
Been one of the hardest things you've had to overcome?
I mean, I know this first year, right, just I know,
I know you just kind of like right into it.
This your rookie season all over again. What's been the
hardest thing you've had to overcome?
Speaker 1 (21:02):
No, No, I think that's the first part, right, humbling
yourself to be like I am a rookie all over again.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
I know we're.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
Talking football and I played football, but you're a rookie.
Like there's a lot of things that you don't understand.
There's a lot of things like I say, great, a
lot like everybody naturally says that's a great catch. Oh,
great play and the producer coming like everything's not great, buddy,
and you're sitting there and you're like.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
What you means?
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Like you said great a lot and I'm like, no,
I didn't. And I go back and watch it, I'm like,
oh five times, Like that's five times in fifteen minutes.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
That's a lot.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
So I think that has probably been the biggest lesson.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
I think.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
For one, I was I was really nervous about joining
a team that was already established because you know, everybody
like they have their vibe, they know how it's kind
of moving, and I was just like the one new
guy being added. But that kind of went seamlessly, like
everybody's been real cool, welcoming. But I think that coaching
is the one thing that I think when you watch
(22:00):
TV you probably don't first know that that happens. But
it's the same thing as a player. We go, we
go out and do the show. We get the email
Tuesday night, the links for every part of the show.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
You go watch it.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
Wednesday or Thursday, jump on the phone with the producer,
all right, this is what you did, well, this is
what wasn't you know?
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Good? Do this? Do that?
Speaker 1 (22:20):
All right, let's plan for Sunday, so like it kind
of it rolls that way into the week.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
Doesn't it seem crazy? Well, I don't think it seems crazy.
This is what I was trying to tell somebody else.
I was trying to tell our producer, Thomas, Like, because
because we are athletes, and you've been an athlete your
entire life, you go out, you do something, you want
your coach to evaluate it, and then you're you expect criticism. Hey,
this was good, this was okay, this was great. I
(22:48):
need you to work on this. Like I'm constantly telling
him and everyone else like look, man, I'm I'm not
telling me like you will not hurt my feelings, Like
I run toward criticism because I really do want to
be good at this job, like this whole podcast. Like
I'm not a trained media personnel, Like help me, Like
this ain't this ain't my true nine to five. I
(23:08):
haven't been doing this for the last fifteen twenty years,
so like, let me know. And it's funny that a
lot of the athletes that I talked to that are
into media, like this is something that they do. We
go out, we perform, all right, let's watch the film.
Critique me what did I do right? How did I
get it? Can it? Can I be better? What I
want to be? Great? Can you? Can? You?
Speaker 2 (23:27):
You know?
Speaker 1 (23:27):
So I think it's now it's been awesome NBC. The
cool thing there is everyone works together. So our show
has a main producer, Matt Casey, and me and Matt
will talk all the time. But we get in studio
Fred Gadelli, who just went in the Hall of Fame
for everything he's done. He's produced John Matt and he
did NBC, you know, Sunday Night Football the games for
(23:47):
a long time. And then another guy, Jim Thompson. They'll
just come up to me and be like, hey, I
saw you did this last week here, so all right.
Now I got three guys telling telling me you know
what I can do better on a weekly standpoint. And
then Rob Hyland, who does the actual game for NBC. Randomly,
he'll call me and be.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Like, hey, I caught the I rewatched the show. You
know you did this well you did.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
So it's been awesome because now instead of having, you know,
one coach who might see things one way, I have
like four different people who tell me things. And then
I still have my brother who when he watches he
gives his input. So and that's one of the things that,
like you said, it's been different. I think from an
athlete standpoint, I think a lot of people think that
like we were like a little intimidating. They don't think
(24:32):
that they can tell us things like and be kind
of straightforward.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Yes, my brother told me that.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
He said when he interviewed for Good Morning Football, he said,
the first day he got there, he said, he told
them he knew he had two days. He was like, Hey,
I know I'm not gonna be perfect, he said, but
whatever I mess up on day one, please tell me
so I don't come back day two and do the
same thing and then you guys don't hire me because
you're like, man, he did this and this and this
(24:58):
each time he came on. He was like, if you
tell me, I got a chance to fix it, and
maybe that's why you do hire me. But if you don't,
like I would just appreciate any feedback from anybody in here,
like I don't even know everybody's role or what your
specialty is, but if you see something like please tell me.
And he feels like that was the difference in him
getting the job, because the things they did tell him.
He was able to kind of correct some of them.
(25:20):
And now that they watch it and they're like, all right,
we could tell this guy, give him feedback and he
can go get it done right away, because that is
something as athletes. To make a living in football, you
have to take whatever you're told in the meeting room
and change it and fix it asap, not you know,
in three games you gotta fix it a sap or
they get ridy and bring somebody else in.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Now, has there been any rookie hazing on your part?
Being Rooke like, do you gotta do anything crazy? Marie
ant try to navigate. Ain't nobody try to hate you?
Speaker 2 (25:47):
They didn't.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
But one day I brought it in, like I brought
in my suits and I had my big box and
Maria she's walking down the hallway. She was like, dang, rookie,
they'll get somebody bring your box in for you. And
I was like, I'm a rook I gotta get it
the hard way. But now it's funny. So on the show,
Maria six to two, Simsy six ' five, yep, yeah, yep,
(26:08):
Chris Sims six ' five, and Jason Garrets.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Like six two and a half six, three, five eleven.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
So anytime we standing behind the desk or I'm in
my seat, they got a little cushion or I got
a little step stool thing.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
So every time we get there, Maria's.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
Like, oh, they put your little step stool out there.
So they all kill me on my height, they all
make fun of me. So but again that's like being
back in the locker room. Like getting a new team
has probably been the best part about being in the
sports media and doing the job because you know, we
got group texts that will send funny stuff like different
things that happen, and it's cool getting that. Cause you
(26:44):
do you you lose the locker room. Even though you
still keeping contact with guys, you're not in the end anymore,
Like you're not getting the memes because of what just happened,
like what coach said in the meeting room, like you're
you're not a part of that anymore. So kind of
filling that gap has been I think it's been huge
for me, especially mentally and emotionally having that.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
So one of the things that I regret was I
never got a chance to do the broadcast boot camp,
Like I filled out the application two times for whatever
reason they just told me. No, I don't know whose
job it was. If you're listening like I don't, well, Tracy,
if you listening, I blame you. I'm terrible at media
(27:22):
because you never let me get on the broadcast boot Camp.
So if y'all have it, I would love to get
on it sometime. Maybe it's too late because I got
my own show. So my question to you is, did
you one did you do the broadcast boot Camp? And
two what would you give? What advice would you give
to another player who is about to retire or recently
(27:43):
retired who wants to get into the broadcast business.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Yeah, well, for one credit to you, no broadcast boot
camp and got your own show.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
That's a slight flex right there doing that.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
But yes, I got to do the broadcast boot camp
same year with my brother. And the advice I would
give anybody that is even thinking about doing media, even
if it's in the back of your mind and you're
not sure whether you're about to retire or it's still
early in your career, sending your application as many times
as possible to you get accepted, because, for one, the
(28:14):
coaching points and everything that everyone tells you from day
one you're sitting there, you're just learning, and then the
producer sit with you is huge, like the development and
hearing things that you've never heard before on how to
get better, what to do. And then the second part
is the relationships. Like everything that I've done since going
to that boot camp came from me texting somebody.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
That is already out of network.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Whether it was when I you know, during my bye week,
going on NFL today at CBS, was because I formed
a relationship where Drew Calency, who's a producer, text them like, Hey,
got the BUYE week, Hey would you want to come in?
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Sure? I got to go do that.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Like each time you get to do those things, that's
a rep, that's an audition. So I think that's where
the boot camp was huge. And the first day you
get there they tell you that. They tell you like, Hey,
the people we have here, they're not just like you
know they used to just they're live in it. Yes,
they're they're producing shows that we all watch on Sundays
or Thursday. Get their information. Talk to them during the
(29:16):
networking events that we have at night, when we're sitting
around having a drink and eating spark conversation, talk, telling,
me your interest, tell them what you would be willing
to jump on. So I think what the NFL did
with that boot campus, I mean, it's it's awesome, and
it gives you the opportunity to go on NFL Network,
which is another audition.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
So yeah, it really changed my whole outlook.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
So when I was doing I did Fox Sports for
a year or a season and we did live TV,
and for whatever reason, I stopped listening, like my I
had a squirrel moment moment, and I'll start listening to
somebody else and I stopped paying attention. And it was like, so,
what do you think, Charles, And I went, yeah, the
Denver Raiders and the Oakland Broncos. I think that's what's
(30:01):
gonna happen. They gonna win and they gonna be great
cut and I was And after I said it, I
was like, did I just what did I just say?
I said, the Denver Raiders and I just looked at them,
and I remember Michael Strahan and he came over and
he was like, look, we all make mistakes, man, Like
at the end of the day, like it's live TV,
you gotta make fun of yourself, like it's it's people
(30:24):
will respect you moral, they'll live at you more. It'll
be a better rating if you if you make fun
of yourself. So my question is, have you been on
live TV and have you well not, have you been
on live TV. While being on live TV, have you
had like a colossal failure, not like that.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
But I've said the wrong words or something.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
And like I think when I went on Good Morning
Football for the week, I think they asked me a
question and I was like, I'm gonna be in the middle,
and like, let's say it was like rate it from
you know, I mean one to eight or one to ten.
I think it was one to eight, and I was like,
I'm gonna be in the middle. I'm gonna be a five.
And my brother's on there with me. He goes the middle, five,
(31:08):
what kind of math are you doing? And we just
started laughing and bantering back and forth. And it's funny though,
because when they said it, I honestly don't remember if
they said one to ten or one to five, Like I.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
Like, whenever they whatever they said, I had that.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
Number in my head, and my in my head, I'm like,
I'm in the middle, And then I thought about it,
I'm like, damn, I don't think I was listening to
the actual number they gave and like you said, you
just laugh. I mean, Michael Strahan was one of the guys.
Even the producers showed me. They were like, like, you
can see the way he just controls and like can
control the room with just how he kind of goes.
He can be serious, he could be funny, he could
(31:43):
be like he could just do everything.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
I mean that's why.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
He's obviously had the type of success he's had, not
just in sports media, but uh mainstream media as well.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
Yeah. So Michael Jenkins good friend of mine. We had
him on the show a couple of times or a
few months a few months back. I know you've recently
partnered with him in a broad Street ventures, right. I
want you to just like tell me about why you
wanted to get involved with his organization. And I know
you guys it's a financial firm and there it's black
(32:17):
and brown people funding, Like, tell tell me a little
bit more about that.
Speaker 2 (32:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
I think one of the cool things is just the
relationship with malt. You know, we we came out.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Of high school. I just got a copy of the book.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
We came out of high school the same year so
you know, myself, my brother Malcolm, we all played in
an All Star game together and that kind of started
the journey and then you know, we all ended up
making it to the NFL. And you know, first we
started we I collabed with him and got into Players Coalition,
which him and Airquon Bold and started, which was all
about you know, the community, black and brown people, whether
(32:51):
it was you know, police, community relations, economic advancement, education.
We were already doing those things and then he came
to me and was like, hey, I want to set
up Venture Capital Fund where you know, it's all black
and brown lead and we go out and we invest
and do different things, and we're gonna be able to
invest alongside some of the bigger firms who are gonna
(33:12):
let us in and give us that access. And you know,
for me, I was still learning about even what that means,
like what is a VC firm? Like what do they do?
So that opportunity to learn and to do. And I
give Malcolm a ton of respect because he goes and
you know, he does new things, like he's very fearless
and how he goes out and accomplishes things. So you
(33:34):
mentioned his book starting that Player's coalition, starting a VC fund,
like doing all these things. Like, we don't grow up
naturally knowing people who are just doing these things, so
we don't have that example to see every day. And
Malcolm has turned that into he has turned into an
example for all generations, younger kids from his hometown in Piscataway,
(33:54):
younger kids who love the NFL and love football. He's
a franchise e as French and like he isn't does
so many different things and I think that's awesome. So
he's been a guy that obviously is a peer of mine,
but I've looked up to.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
Him and seen some of the things he's done.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
So it was awesome getting to join him and be
a part of Broadstreet Ventures.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:14):
So yeah, I think it's dope and I love the
I love the message that it sins and it creates
for other young and black and brown people, UH players
currently that they can see like, hey, you don't just
have to be football. We're not just athletes. We could
be in the business world as well. Where do you
see yourself in the next five years with TV and
(34:35):
or your business adventures?
Speaker 1 (34:38):
Yeah, I think I think the great thing about the
TV stuff is I'm at where I kind of had
a goal to be.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
I got in Envision have.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
An opportunity to be on Football Night in America on
Sunday Night at NBC. The first year I was done,
Like I just I didn't see that. I'm thinking, you know,
get in, get in where I fit in, wherever somebody
hires me, and then ultimately try to get to NBC
and you know, so being there.
Speaker 2 (35:02):
I want.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
I want to be able to do the cool things,
like an NBC in two years will have the Super Bowl.
Like that's gonna be a goal that I get to
check off. Being a part of the pregame show for
a super Bowl like that is like I'm sitting there,
I want to exactly So, I'm like, I want to
be at the kind of best that I can possibly
(35:23):
be when I get there. This year, I'm in year one,
Like by year three, I want to be able to
feel super comfortable, be able to do more things that
I can't really do now or I'm not doing so,
being able to have a feature story interview somebody possibly
for the Super Bowl, like doing different things like that.
I want to get better at everything else that comes
(35:44):
along with the job. But in five years, I hopefully.
I'm still at NBC doing what I'm doing, and I
think from a business standpoint, I really have tried to
take this year and I think even next year to
continue to learn more and more. Before I left Boston,
one of the things I was very intentional about is
building up some of the networks and friendships that I
have with people outside of football that you know, are
(36:06):
very successful in the different business things that they do.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
So I'm learning a little.
Speaker 1 (36:11):
Bit more about I'm on a couple of nonprofit boards,
but I'm learning more about, you know, for profit boards
and different things like that, meeting people who have done that,
you know, kind of as a livelihood and done it
for a long time. So I want to I want
to be learning, and I want to in five years hopefully,
like I'm in the beginning stages of doing something new
(36:31):
that involves me and my brother and our families and
starting something new. I don't know what it is right now,
but we both have really decided like we want to
really learn more and more and possibly take like some classes,
so everything's not strictly on learning from somebody else, but
also kind of you know, put more in the bank
of your own knowledge.
Speaker 3 (36:52):
Yeah, So my rookie year two thousand and three, I
get drafted by the Bears and go to training camp
do my thing, and it's rookie hayz in time. So
I got taped up putting his laundry cart, or I
got put in his loundry basket. Ted Washington didn't like
Ted at the time because all he did was his
(37:13):
pick on rookies. All he did was pick on rookies,
and he put me in his cart, and I mean
it just it was a long story short. It was embarrassing.
And then yeah, he's a very large human being. And
then he got traded to New England and I was
so happy my rookie year. I was like, thank God
because he's not here to pick on me and he
goes to New England. Was the Super Bowl, So that
(37:33):
was kind of like my welcome to the welcome to
the league rookie moment, right, welcome to the NFL as
a as a rookie. What was your welcome to the
NFL moment your rookie year when did you know like, oh,
this is this is the league. Whether it be a
hit or whether it was something like hazing, Like, what
was that moment for you.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
It was. It was me and Tom my rookie year.
It was kind of not like it is now, but
it was an off season kind of when you got
in were you know, it started earlier and and events
would kind of be there maybe a little early, but
then events would get kind of a break and not
necessarily all be there. So there was no lie when
I first got there. Events wasn't there. Randy Moss, Tom,
like a lot of the older guys, they just didn't
(38:12):
come back yet. So the first week Tom comes back finally,
you know, as a rookie, as Tom Brady. I'm not
like I'm about to go out there and strike a
conversation with Tom. You're just like, man, like I'm in
the locker room Tom, and I'm.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
Like, yo, it's Tom twenty ten. Yep.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
I'm like that's Tom. That's Randy Moss. Like I had
some mos sneak, like I had the mosses the turf shoes.
And Tom comes up to me one time we're in
an Ota practice and we're kind of I think I'm
going to run during a break or a special teams
or something, and he's like, hey man, hey man, I'm Tom.
We're excited to have you here? And I'm like, what's up, man,
(38:49):
I'm Devin. Yeah, I'm happy to be here too. And
as soon as I got home that night called my mom.
I was like, ma, Tom Brady knew who I was. Was like,
it was just like the guys you watched growing up,
and now I'm sitting here in a locker room next
to him. And then you know, you had that moment.
(39:09):
Then the next moment was the first time I got
first team reps in practice and You're in the huddle
and Draw Mayo is our middle linebacker. He's given a call.
I'm looking at events like I'm looking at all these
guys and I'm like, all right, dude.
Speaker 2 (39:21):
Don't mess up.
Speaker 1 (39:22):
Don't mess up and have somebody get on you or
say anything.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
But I was very lucky.
Speaker 1 (39:26):
Brandon Meriwether and James Sanders were yep, Chicago, yup. Those
are my two vets at safety, and they you should
tell me everything.
Speaker 2 (39:36):
Get me right.
Speaker 1 (39:37):
Actually, Meriwether told me he was like my rookie year,
Rodney Harrison was still on the team. He was like,
you lucky, he said, because hot Rod, he said, he
would have killed killed you every chance he got as
a rookie with the hazen. So I lucked out that
Rodney retired by the time I got there.
Speaker 3 (39:52):
What were those practices Like with Randy Moss your rookie year,
tell me, tell me, give me a story about Randy
your rookie year.
Speaker 1 (40:02):
Simple beat to sleep Rent my rookie year. You know,
you out there, and Randy was a guy that you
could do one on ones and he might he might
go hard, but most of the time, like in one
on ones, Randy wasn't tripping. Like you go there, you
might jam him, or he might run a comeback and
you all over him and Tom throws it out of
bounds and you know, inside you kind of like like like, man,
(40:24):
we went, we went to our stadium practice. We have
all the season ticket holders come in stadium practice, so
you know, so the first time you in this stadium
and it's it's not packed, but you got a nice
little crowd in there. Like third play about outside release,
he sticks.
Speaker 2 (40:42):
His hand up. I'm running with him, about to play
their hands. This dude just.
Speaker 1 (40:49):
Late hands, catches a touchdown, crowd goes nuts. I'm like,
well that's another that's a story. Rookie rookie first round
rookie corner against beat by Rent.
Speaker 2 (40:58):
He did that twice.
Speaker 1 (40:59):
Then we get in the zone. Uh, they bunch us up.
Meriwether starts making a check. I've never heard the check
ever since I've been there for the three weeks or
whatever i've been there.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
He makes the check. I'm like, trio, what is trio?
Hike seven route?
Speaker 1 (41:16):
Randy Mass touchdown? Come to the sideline.
Speaker 2 (41:19):
Bill's like, what the fuck are you guys doing. I'm like,
they made a check that we ain't going over yet.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
Meriwether was like, yeah, that's my bad. We ain't put
that in yet. And I'm like then it was just
so it's a call that they have, but as a rookie,
the coaches wanted to wait, so we didn't put it in.
All it was was lock combo. So like I knew
lock combo, Like I knew we had a call for
it in college. I just didn't know the Patriots called
(41:46):
for it. So when he said it, I'm thinking, like,
maybe they ain't got nothing to do with me. Just
stay locked on your guys. So I stay locked on
my guy. I don't play the combo touchdown. So it
was a It was a pleasure going against Randy because
it built me up for the season, like I had
already got beat so many times and training camp that
(42:07):
you kind of like I developed that mentality to just
go out there. And then week one we played Sinci
when To got there.
Speaker 2 (42:14):
So you had Chad on one side and To on
the other side.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
So for the corners, you wasn't getting away from anything
like you first played the game nine routes of too.
I break it up and I tell people, like, if
he catches that ball, because he it was one of
those where he reached back, try to go on top
of my head and I break it up with like
three fingertips, and I'm like, man, my career probably would
have been different if he catches that. First first player
of your career is a forty four fifty yard bomb.
(42:40):
But now those those battles and then you're going against
Randy with Tom, so every ball is exactly where it
needs to be.
Speaker 2 (42:48):
Oh I learned.
Speaker 1 (42:50):
I was like, man, some of these these reps I'm
seeing in practice, they not gonna be like that in
the game.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
This is this is the best I'm gonna get in practice.
Speaker 3 (42:57):
Like ever you like two Hall of famers on the
same team in practice, like, how how do you not
get good?
Speaker 2 (43:02):
Like that's exactly yep.
Speaker 1 (43:04):
And then Tom used to give me little tricks of
the trade of what he would read what, because you know,
like the great quarterbacks Like Tom, he's like, every quarterback
reads the weekside safety. He was like, but I'm trying
to find a nickel. Where's a nickel aligned? What is
he doing when it's cover two or cover three? There's
one corner like playing offense. He's like, I'm looking at
all of that in a secondary I'm trying to find
he said.
Speaker 2 (43:23):
The great quarterbacks, he said, we.
Speaker 1 (43:24):
Watch film all week to find the guy. He said,
there's usually one guy that's to tell that tells everything.
He said, Now my job every week is to find
that guy and then use them once we get on
game day. And I was like, dang, and I used
to learn how to try to manipulate and move my
alignment just to mess with the quarterback. From talking to him.
Speaker 3 (43:43):
Musa Muhammad, he made me a better He made me
a better corner. Brandon Marshall made me a better corner
like we used to Devin, like we used to battle.
I didn't have the quarterback like you had, but I'm
I'm really jealous about the Yeah, man, I'm just I'm jealous.
I'm envious to that, like you got to Yeah, I'm
I'm jealous that you got to go against Randy every day.
I played him on twice a year, and then he
(44:04):
left and then he went to New England and then
he went to Oakland. But uh, yeah, we had a
couple of battles when he was there. I think I
kind of patted myself on the back because we played
y'all in six and I picked Tom off twice in
a game. But it wasn't like on the corner. I
got him off of PBUs, meaning like it hit somebody
(44:24):
else hit it and then I tipped it and I
got two of them. But that's like my bragget I
take it, I take it. Those are my bragging rights.
I got two picks off Tom. Actually I got three,
but it was one was a Presis game and it
didn't count. We played y'all and I was in Carolina
in twenty fifteen, y'all came to Carolina. I got to
pick one. Lineman threw me to the sideline. I got
a concussion and that's all I remember. That's the worst.
Speaker 2 (44:47):
But yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (44:48):
Think Tom was probably the Tom and Aaron Rodgers are
probably the two toughest quarterbacks that I ever had to
go against, And probably more so Aaron Rodgers because I
saw him every I saw him twice a year, and
dude was like, dude was legit, Like he he is him.
He is that dude torn Achilles center or not. He
can slang that thing. He is a gun slanger. Like
(45:10):
who Yeah, Who's Who's the toughest quarterback you ever had
to go against?
Speaker 2 (45:15):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (45:15):
First for me would be Tom, like you said, I
think daily, But then it was it was Peyton man
playing against Peyton my rookie year. I my rookie year.
That end the week, it was like, all right, we
got the Peyton rules. I'm like Peyton rules. They was
(45:36):
like yep, I don't care. Bill came in at he
I don't care what you think or what you think
you need to do to play better, or he said
this is the rules. If you don't a by by him,
you're not gonna play this week. And I'm like, yo,
what the corners of the line.
Speaker 2 (45:49):
At three yards?
Speaker 1 (45:50):
Safety's at twelve yards every single play, don't move up
and down, don't stay like that Cover two, You're fine,
that's your alignment.
Speaker 2 (45:59):
Cover three.
Speaker 1 (45:59):
We're gonna run out from there, man and man, we're
gonna stay there. So right away I go to my
corner coach man the man were staying at I said,
I've always been taught that's no man's land, like standing
at three yards. He was like, so what we gotta do.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
Is Payton Manning And I'm like, y'all serious right now?
They was like, we're dead serious.
Speaker 1 (46:17):
That's how every coverage is going to be played from
the same exact shell, and there will be no movement
until he snaps the ball. And that's how we played
when we played him when he was an indie. Then
he went to Denver, we did the same thing, no
matter what. That was the alignment and you don't move
from it until the snap. And I'm like, dude, we're
(46:37):
doing way too much. So we come out there. First
half my rookie year, we got twenty one points. I
think it's like twenty one to three or twenty one zip. Well,
like we're getting that indy. Second half came and he
realized what we were doing. Next thing, I know, we
had to get a last minute interception on the two
minute Drive and won twenty one twenty four. It were
like I remember walking out of the game and I
(46:58):
was like, yo, that dude, Like it was just unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (47:03):
And I got an interception that game.
Speaker 1 (47:04):
So I was like, man, I'm like my rookie year
I picked off Philip Rivers and Peyton Manning.
Speaker 2 (47:11):
I'm like, you can't. Oh.
Speaker 1 (47:15):
And I love watching Philip Rivers, like his energy, how
he was. And then I met him on a pre
draft visit and you know, like I'm just some rookie
and he's walking into the building and he stops me
as a full conversation, what school did you go to?
How'd you like to visit? I'm like, damn, Philip Rivers,
like you're pretty cool, Like I'm a fan of yours.
Speaker 2 (47:34):
Whatever.
Speaker 1 (47:35):
So yeah, man, Peyton Manning was. He was definitely he
was a problem.
Speaker 3 (47:40):
All Right, That's what's up. That's what's up. So Mount
Rushmore it's got four people on it. Who would your
Mount Rushmore be for you? And it could be you know,
someone who's had major influence in your life, a coach,
a teacher, a friend, a brother, or a cousin, someone
who's had great influence in your life.
Speaker 1 (48:00):
My mom would definitely be there. My j Mack, my
twin brother would be there.
Speaker 3 (48:07):
Why your mom?
Speaker 2 (48:09):
My mom?
Speaker 1 (48:10):
So my father passed away when I was three, so
my mom there was three of us. We have an
older brother, and she raised all three of us solo.
And this I think while my mom is Mount Rushmore
and why. And the biggest thing I learned from her
was sacrifice. My mom for me and my twin brother
to go to high school. We wanted to go to
a private high school. So she was like, if y'all
(48:32):
really want to go, like, your grades got to be up,
you got different things that you got to keep and
and I'll keep you in there.
Speaker 2 (48:37):
So we do that.
Speaker 1 (48:38):
We almost had to leave my junior year financially, but
she somehow, like we were talking about it, kind of
looking at public schools that we would go to, and
then she came back and was, oh, now we're good.
I ain't even know what that meant, like we're good.
And then my sophomore year in college, my mom was like, Hey,
I'm gonna file for bankruptcy.
Speaker 2 (48:57):
And my mom basically spent all their money.
Speaker 1 (48:59):
She had got hurt on her job, so she was
collecting disability. She took out a lump sum for disability
so she could pay off our tuition. And that's what
we did. And for me, like that is the ultimate.
That's what being a parent is. That's what I've always
learned for parenthood is whatever you can do, you do.
And my mom used to tell us kids don't actually
(49:20):
be brought in this world to adults. Bring him in
and that's your job to take care of them. So
she would be top of the top of the mountain
right there, and then I would go, yeah, man, I
would go with.
Speaker 2 (49:35):
Kevin falk Is a guy.
Speaker 1 (49:37):
When I got to New England, his locker was right
next to mine, and he had a lot to do
in my career.
Speaker 2 (49:43):
I think just coming in.
Speaker 1 (49:45):
He was in his thirteenth year as a running back,
and he was like, man, you gotta build a routine,
and you gotta do your routine every day. Man, come on,
just come getting a sauna with us. So I hated
the sauna and I would get into sauna every day
because I'm like, man, Like watch Kevin Fault when he
was at LSU, Like I remember because I thought he
was related to Marshall Fault and he was a returner
and was killing and so just following him and what
(50:09):
he was able to teach me throughout the years. And
you know, I think the last person I'll put on
my mouth restaurant would be my wife. I think her
ability to allow me to be the best version of
myself and in our life a lot of times, you know,
me playing football, me doing what I do now, what
I need to do usually comes first, and I try
(50:31):
not to take that for granted. For like how we plan,
like how we used to plant our off seasons, or
how we plan this like Sundays we don't we can't
do anything because I get picked up and I'm in
the studio all day, Like all of those things for
one person to always have to kind of take a
back seat tours. And you know, my wife was a doctor.
You know she stopped she stopped practicing as a doctor,
and she wanted to take care of the kids, like
(50:53):
all of those things I think is why we're married too, Right.
I talked about my mom in sacrifice and what she
was able to do and how you sacrifice, and my
wife is the same way. So yeah, I think those
people have I think had a huge impact in my
life and continue to have a major impact and play
a role in, you know, my everyday success. So yeah,
(51:15):
those people have been unbelievable for me.
Speaker 3 (51:18):
Sounds like a pretty good mountain man. That's it. You're
off the hot seat, man, that's you. You You killed it,
You killed it. Thanks for coming on the podcast. We
appreciate it. It was awesome. Hey I'm Peanut Tubman. That's
never mc cordy. Make sure y'all tune into Apple podcasts
Our Heart Studios. We out here in New York.
Speaker 2 (51:36):
That's it.
Speaker 3 (51:37):
We out
I'm Devin mccordy and this is NFL Players Second Acts Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Let's go.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
What up everybody. I'm Peanut Tooman and this is the
NFL Players Second Act Podcast. And I'm a little solo
today right now. My co host Rome was supposed to
be here, but yeah, he double booked and he left
me alone. But that's okay. Thank you all for tuning in.
Please give us a rating, give us five stars. We're
here in the iHeartRadio Steals in New York. It's going down.
(00:39):
I got a great guess. His bio was like super long,
so let me read this off. Played thirteen years in
the NFL, all with the New England Patriots, started two
hundred and five games during his time there, three time
three time All Pro, three times Super Bowl winning champion.
Now he's part of the Football Night and America crew
on NBC Sunday name Football Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
(01:02):
Devin mccordy to the show. So, uh yeah, man, what's
what's going on? We had your brother on the show
not too long ago. And first thing, first, who's the
better twin? That was one of the things we asked him.
He basically said, like and you can. You can tell
us if this is right or wrong. But he was saying,
(01:23):
he said he goes first on everything, like like Rutgers
wanted him and they only went They only wanted him
because or he went to Rutgers and he was trying
to get you to Rutgers too, So like we're just
trying to figure out who's the better twin? How competitive
were y'all? Like set the story straight and you get
the last word too, so you know.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
I can't lie. He told some truths in there.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
He he definitely goes first on something, some things on purpose,
like he got married first. I wasn't in a rush
to go do that, but sent him out to the
NFL First Test Awards.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Let me know what it's like.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
I went back to school, had a better year than
he ever had at Rutgers. Then I became first rounder.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
So he does it first, but I do it the best.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
That's how we That's how we explained it. He probably
leaves the second part out, uh because that's just how
he is. But it's been an awesome journey and it's
been funny to see how things work out. I got
to high school and football wise, I played on varsity
first as a sophomore. He played on varsity first and
basketball as a sophomore, and then going to college, every
school that you know offered him didn't offer me. Boston
(02:26):
College didn't offer me, Kent State didn't offer me.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
They thought he was better. Uh.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Then fast forward to the NFL. I'm a first round pick.
He's a sixth round pick. Uh.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
So the book is still out.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Now we're in a new space and life and media,
and we're still trying to figure.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Out now who's better on TV?
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Super competitive and always cheer each other on and motivate
each other, but competitive.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Now he was saying, y'all hold each other accountable. So
this is the whole media gig that you were speaking of, Like,
how how has that been going for you?
Speaker 2 (02:56):
It's been awesome.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
And I think a lot of that was due to him,
you know, asking questions watching him last year on Good
Morning Football, even his two auditions. You know, I watched
I was in LA and I would wake up early
and watch them and then give them feedback even though
I had zero experience. I was just giving my honest,
you know, fan feedback of watching the show. And then
you know, during the year, as he was doing different things,
(03:19):
travel to London, to Germany, and he was just telling me,
like all the things that were coming up, learning into
some of the words from the production side of it.
So he's really helped me a lot moving forward and
doing what I'm doing now.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
So one of the things that we spoke about was like,
have you ever had the opportunity to fool somebody?
Speaker 1 (03:38):
We we didn't get to do that in classes because
they put us in all the same classes. So until
we like decided our major in college, we had the
same classes high school, same classes. Uh, so it didn't
benefit us. And then once we picked our majors, I
can't take your test, you can't take my test. But actually,
my brother's wife, the first time she came to our
(04:00):
our dorm room in college, I went to the door
and was like, hey, babe, what's up. Try to act
like it. And she never met me or anything. But
Facebook was out by then and she went off Facebook
and studied the pictures to make sure. So when I
came to the door, she was like, your next way
fatter than Jason's.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
I know this isn't Jason.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
So the different times we've tried that, people make sure
they kind of study us. And I would say the
people that you would want a trick, make sure that
they could tell the difference. We've done it like in
seventh grade of switching the signed seats and class and stuff,
but nothing like nothing major in different times. If like
one person had to do something, we'd give each other
our license if you had to show your idea and
(04:39):
just be like, hey, do that. But it wasn't like
a big deal or anything.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
But he was so he was saying, when you got drafted, yeah,
I think you was getting You was nervous, right, you
was nervous and you needed a minute, just so you
went upstairs, take a shower, bath whatever, bathroom, take whatever,
have a drink and then they ended up calling you,
and he was on the phone with mister Kraf.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah, we ain't have enough time, So like, you can't,
you can't, you know, it's draft that you can't just
not answer your phone or try to run all the
way to the bathroom to hand the phone, and the
phone like just goes a voicemail.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
That's a bad look for you. So he can't.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
He answered the phone and mister Kraft was like, hey,
you know Robert Kraft, owner the New England Patriots. We
want to make you a Patriot and he was like, man,
appreciate it. And he so we'll put coach Belichick on
the phone. And that's as he was walking, he was like,
all right, let me let me hurry up. I don't
want to talk to Bill. That seems like a scary sight.
So yeah, man, Jason actually got drafted to the New
England Patriots as he was already a member of the
(05:35):
Tennessee Titans.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Oh that's hilarious. So he also said when when he
finally when he finally end up going to uh, New
England with you, which I think that's that's like a
dope story in itself, Like y'all identical twins, y'all on
the same team. Could Bill tell y'all apart?
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Bill? Bill still probably can't tell us apart.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
And I mean, we meet people now and they're like,
are you guys really identical?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
You don't, you don't look a like.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
But we were running hills one day during training camp
and we just happened to have the same long sleeve
shirt color under our jerseys. But given like, we have
different number of jerseys on and we're running up the
hill and Bill seasons and he's like, can you two
a holes wear different colors? Like we know your twins,
We get it, And we both started dying laughing. And
(06:21):
for the rest of the season, we just wore the
same shirt under our jersey every single day. And I
would go up to him and be like, hey, coach,
don't you tell us we got to make a harder
practice than it is in the game, And he would
just kind of look at me wanting to curse me out. So, yeah,
we played games a little bit on him. But I
will say everybody else in the organization can pretty much
(06:42):
tell us apart.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
But I want to talk about the Super Bowls. You
won three super Bowls. I've lost two super Bowls. They
both suck. I've never gotten over losing the super Bowl.
You've had the luxury of winning three of them. Joints, Right,
What's been your best super Bowl or which one has
been the most meaningful to you?
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (07:01):
You know, but even as you say you lost too,
I lost too too, And that's it sucks and it's sad,
but that's what you think about most of the time. Yeah,
I won three and still think about, like, man, I
could have we could have had five if we just
or I just did this or that, but no, it
was it was definitely, you know, super Bowl fifty three
to win over the Rams. And I think two part
(07:23):
one is, you know, playing with your twin brother. We
used to growing up before Pop Warner games. We would
go out in the street, We'd run through our plays.
We'd be throwing the ball on like deep post routes
to just get ready for the game. And then you
fast forward. Now you're at the pinnacle of your career,
like you made it to the NFL, which is already awesome,
and now we go out there Super Bowl Sunday and
(07:45):
we're doing our We're doing our five that we've been
doing since we were kids on the biggest stage.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Was awesome.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
And then, you know, as you mentioned, watching him at
the end of the game, kind of soaking all in
after the year before being on with sixteen in Cleveland,
having two win seasons, three wins, three win seasons in Tennessee,
never had played in a playoff game in his life
until his tenth year.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
It was just it was cool for me.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
I felt like I kind of got a chance to
step back and just watch him and you know, watch
him and his wife kind of celebrate that was was
a lot of fun. So yeah, that that Super Bowl
was pretty special.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
And I like, I like how y'all. I like how
y'all celebrated that though, because he ran and he not,
you know, he gets to pass, he gets the PBu
and he was the first one to congratulate him. But
the way y'all did it, though, it was like it
was it was very subtle. It was like real chill.
So yeah, I enjoyed that.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
I kind of was looking at him like, man, if
you would have listened to me, you would have got
there earlier and got an interception.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
But you don't want to listen to your safety. Yeah,
he was running up the middle.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
So Bill Belichick seems like he's a very fiery guy.
A lot of people when I was in Chicago, people
used to talk about Lovely Smith. How Lovely was just
like even kill every time, didn't yell, didn't scream, never cursed.
You know, we were losing one time and he was like, guys,
we're playing, like crap, what the heck is wrong? Like
(09:08):
he just was like like a black ned Flanders all
day through and through. So but he would he would
kind of let his guard down with us as far
as you know, like his personality, like we as players,
we really got to see the true lovey Smith, And
I mean a beautiful personality, beautiful man. Is Bill that way?
Has he or does he let his guard down like
(09:28):
with his players? Does he show like a personality?
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Nah, he can be like that, but I think I
think it's kind of twofold. When he's in front of
the media, the only thing he's thinking about is I'm
only gonna say and do what helps our team win,
So he doesn't feel there's a need to get up
there and run through game plans or be funny or
do any of those kinds of things. But I think
(09:51):
guys see right away. Usually your first ever squad meet,
and because I've talked to players who've been on other
teams where head coach might come in to start the
day five minutes, they're in and out and they're straight
to meetings. Our squad meetings could be thirty minutes, forty
five minutes, an hour, Like I've been in there for
an hour. And when you get in there, you get
(10:12):
the full game of the Bill, you get the dry
humor where you're like the whole meeting rooms dying laughing.
You get some phrases that like I can't repeat on
the podcast, but like he'll say it and he'll.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Be like, did Bill Belichick really just say something like that?
Speaker 1 (10:28):
So, and then I think for me being a captain
for twelve years, we saw a different side when we
be in the captain's meetings and he could have something
on his desk and Tom might ask him.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Like who gave you that? Like what is that?
Speaker 1 (10:40):
And he just goes into talking about his family or
growing up with his mom and how much football he
actually watched with his mom. And he told us like
one time, like his dad gets all the credit as
a football coach, but he said, most of my weekends
my dad was coaching, so I spent time with my
mom watching the game of football and talking about the
game of football.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
So a lot of times we see that different side.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Of him, I think, just naturally in our meetings, you know,
the big meetings, but also in some of those smaller
meetings that I've had with him through the years, in
the captain's meetings.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
So you talked about Tom right in those meetings is uh,
he doesn't seem like a trash talker. So I remember
we played we played y'all and we played y'all in six.
We go up there and he does like a quarterback
scramble and Brian Urlacker misses the tackle. I remember watching, Yeah,
(11:31):
Brian Urlacker misses the tackle, and you know Tom goes
goes right whatever, He gets another of.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
His most legendary runs.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Yeah, he gets another couple more yards and then he
gets up and he's all fiery. Now, I personally didn't
hear the trash talk, But what kind of what kind
of trash talker.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Is is Tom Brady?
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Does he is? He does? He go hard in the
paint like like a Chad O Cho Sinko does he.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
Not funny like Chad? Like Chad is funny. Chad could
give you everything. Chack can give you a game plan
that he kind of comes in with the try. Tom's
a guy. He jumps over the middle like he had
to play. We played Baltimore one year where he jumps
over the middle and Ray kind of ray hits him
in the back. He kind of gets bent backwards when
he got up, like he's going crazy. But it's not
(12:18):
like always direct towards somebody. Now, it can be like
we've seen plenty of times him at Terrell Suggs walking
down the field, going back and forth, yelling at each other.
But Tom's more that like aggressive in the moment I'm
fired up. It's not a plan of like all right,
I'm playing I'm playing Peanut Tim. When I'm gonna come
with this plan of how to trash talk him, it's
I thought pass on him. He might have made a
(12:40):
look at me earlier. Now I'm going back at him,
like we saw with Tyron Matthew when they played in
the Super Bowl. It's more that kind of Monoy model
going back and forth. But he was like that in
practice and training camp all the time. Like I see
people talk about the kind of back and forth between
quarterbacks and defensive players on their team and training camp
and they're like it's a.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Respecting I'm like not. Now.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
When I was in New England, like Tom was gonna
fire you up and talk trash, and we's gonna talk
trash back to him.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Yeah, like that's the way the game goes.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
We was so we Curt. We were talking like I
was in I was in Carolina one one year and
we were doing our two minutes earl and I was like,
you know, we was like me and Thomas Davis was
going hard on Cam Newton like we were just like, man,
you suck what? And then it was just But I
think that's what makes that's what makes your team better
when when you guys can go at it and at
(13:30):
the same time you can hold each other accountable. So
your last game, you had three tackles, an interception, two
BBus and a fulm recovery and that was your last game.
Why did you feel it was necessary for you to retire?
When did you actually physically know because I'm looking at
I'm looking at that was like, man, that's a he
(13:52):
had a pretty good game right there, Like he's still
doing some stuff. Like me, I knew my body, my
knee I tore from ACL. I was like thirty four.
I was in year thirteen, Like, you know what, I
should probably give it up right about now. Ain't nobody
gonna pick up a thirty three year old cornerback with
a torn ACL, Like I think it's time to call
it quit. So like when did you when did you
know after having like what what looks like on paper
(14:14):
look looks like a really good game, Like when did
you know it was that time?
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Man, I think early in my career, I kind of
always felt like I would be the guy that didn't
really play as long as like physically possibly you could play,
because I just didn't. I didn't want to stay in
the game long enough that they could tell me when
you know, my kind of journey was over. So even
at some point during the year, I kind of felt like, man,
that's a good chance this my last year, even talking
(14:40):
to the defense a couple of times during the year
to motivating and kind of get the season going and
get back on the right foot. I think at the
time I told him like I was pretty sure this
is gonna be my last year.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
And I think that was strictly.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Not into the season, but like at some point in
the season, I remember talking to the guys and getting
them going and just national it came out like, you know,
this game's not.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
It's not gonna last forever for anybody. And I had.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Now that was my thirteen year, thirteenth year, all in
New England, and when you're in one place, you see
guys come and go, and you see, like I've seen
guys careers in way before they thought it would end.
So it gives you great perspective and I think once
the season was over, because I always told myself, like,
even how you might feel during the season, don't let
that go into the offseason. Kind of reassess and see
(15:28):
what you feel like in the offseason. And you know
you spoke about it earlier. For me, I was very fortunate,
you know, thirteen years, five Super Bowl appearances, three wins.
But every other year, for the first ten years of
my career, I played in the AFC Championship every year
except two times out of ten years I was in
the AFC Championship or the Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Time out, SA, say say that again. I don't think
y'all understand, like.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
How crazy that is.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Yes, say say that again. I need I need to
hear that again because I need to process that.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
First ten years I was in the AFC Championship eight
of those ten years. Other year we lost in the
divisional round to the Jets one year, and then we
lost to Tennessee and the wild card in twenty nineteen.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
So once you have that kind of career and now
the last like three years of your career is.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Like, all right, we made the playoffs, go to Buffalo,
get embarrassed, and then we're about to miss the playoffs
the next two years. So it was like, all right,
if I'm gonna play at thirty, I would have been
thirty six years old this year, playing year fourteen, and
I'm kind of like, all right.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
That, Like that's an old age. Now you out there
are still trying to compete.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
The only reason you're going to compete is to win
a Super Bowl, Like nothing else is gonna matter. Like
last year, I have four interceptions, I think seventy tackles,
like by stats wise, it was a good year, but.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
We didn't make the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
So for me, it was kind of like I'm going
through all of this and I felt like I didn't
really want to go play somewhere else. For six months,
I felt the energy to love that I got in
New England. I wanted to keep it that way. I
wanted to keep those routes and be one of those
guys I could say, you know, my whole career was
in New England. And then I didn't feel like going back.
What is going to give us an opportunity to play
(17:04):
in the Super Bowl. So ultimately I said, you know,
I have other passions and things I want to pursue.
I think this year is the year, and you know,
it's been a blessing that turned out awesome, rolling right
into what I'm doing now.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Yeah, so you are regarded as one of the great
dbs in the Patriots organization and they gave you an
amazing sendoff. Right, how do you feel or what does
it feel like being regarded as not just a great player,
but just like as a great teammate being there for
(17:38):
thirteen seasons? What does that feel?
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Man? It's awesome thing, especially because of how my journey started.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
You know, we started off talking about I got my
scholarship to Rutgers and this is not a joke strictly
because of my brother. We found out well maybe a
month ago when I actually committed, because we went on
a visit and they offered me that Sunday, Monday night,
I committed. You know, my brother was going to Boston
College the next weekend, so he didn't commit. So when
(18:06):
I committed, Coachiano went to the coach that our assistant coach,
Darren Rizzy. He yeah, he went to him. We just
found this out. He went to him and was like
once I committed. He was like, we didn't get the
one we wanted, and that the other one's gonna like pissed,
and you know, you think about that and then you
fast forward of playing thirteen years in the organization and
(18:29):
you know, finishing in the top five and in some
categories and kind of the send off I got and
how they kind of regard me. I just don't It's
not real to me because I never thought I would
have that kind of career on how it started. So
just hard work and believing in myself got me there.
But it's awesome to think of, you know, the ability
to go in the building and talk to ownership, you know,
(18:51):
Robert and Jonathan Craft and relationship I have with Bill
to be able to do that, it's pretty unique.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
We're gonna take a short break and we'll be back.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
In a minute.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
It Yeah, So when I retired, I went to work
with Fox immediately. I retired in July and then I
started working like a month later, Right, So you're kind
of did the same thing, Like you just retired, Why
why not take time off? Why go right into the
(19:20):
NBC Sunday Night crew? Like, why not take that time off?
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (19:24):
I think as athletes and you know, we've done that.
We've done that for so long and at a high level.
I didn't want to have that downtime. Like I retired
in March and made that decision, and you know, the
rest of March, April.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Beginning part of May. I'm kind of looking at my wife, like,
what we're gonna do.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
We ain't got no well, got no offers because I
didn't want to just be stuck at home. My wife
hates if I'm just stuck at home all day because
she's like, when you're at home, you still think you
were captain in this house. I'm the captain like you
over here trying to say what to do that that
doesn't work here. So I think being able to be
regiment and get right back into it. But also, no,
I don't have the schedule I had when I was playing.
(20:05):
I feel my schedule really doing nothing but passion projects
things that I enjoy, going to talk to high schools,
doing different things like that. So I think it's important.
I think one of the most important things is I
wanted I want my kids to see me work. I
want my kids to know that, you know, Daddy's not
just waking up dropping you off at school six five
(20:25):
and two, And I don't want them to think that
like you know, to do well in life, you just
sit on the couch and you know, do something for
a little while and then sit. I want them to
see me always work and always pursuing different things. So
when I challenge them that same way, they can see it.
And you know, I really believe people they don't follow
leadership because of what you say to them. They follow
you because they see what you do. And I want
(20:46):
my kids to see that from me.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
So how's the how's the gig been so far?
Speaker 2 (20:50):
It's been awesome. I think, like, what's what's.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
Been one of the hardest things you've had to overcome?
I mean, I know this first year, right, just I know,
I know you just kind of like right into it.
This your rookie season all over again. What's been the
hardest thing you've had to overcome?
Speaker 1 (21:02):
No, No, I think that's the first part, right, humbling
yourself to be like I am a rookie all over again.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
I know we're.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
Talking football and I played football, but you're a rookie.
Like there's a lot of things that you don't understand.
There's a lot of things like I say, great, a
lot like everybody naturally says that's a great catch. Oh,
great play and the producer coming like everything's not great, buddy,
and you're sitting there and you're like.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
What you means?
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Like you said great a lot and I'm like, no,
I didn't. And I go back and watch it, I'm like,
oh five times, Like that's five times in fifteen minutes.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
That's a lot.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
So I think that has probably been the biggest lesson.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
I think.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
For one, I was I was really nervous about joining
a team that was already established because you know, everybody
like they have their vibe, they know how it's kind
of moving, and I was just like the one new
guy being added. But that kind of went seamlessly, like
everybody's been real cool, welcoming. But I think that coaching
is the one thing that I think when you watch
(22:00):
TV you probably don't first know that that happens. But
it's the same thing as a player. We go, we
go out and do the show. We get the email
Tuesday night, the links for every part of the show.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
You go watch it.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
Wednesday or Thursday, jump on the phone with the producer,
all right, this is what you did, well, this is
what wasn't you know?
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Good? Do this? Do that?
Speaker 1 (22:20):
All right, let's plan for Sunday, so like it kind
of it rolls that way into the week.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
Doesn't it seem crazy? Well, I don't think it seems crazy.
This is what I was trying to tell somebody else.
I was trying to tell our producer, Thomas, Like, because
because we are athletes, and you've been an athlete your
entire life, you go out, you do something, you want
your coach to evaluate it, and then you're you expect criticism. Hey,
this was good, this was okay, this was great. I
(22:48):
need you to work on this. Like I'm constantly telling
him and everyone else like look, man, I'm I'm not
telling me like you will not hurt my feelings, Like
I run toward criticism because I really do want to
be good at this job, like this whole podcast. Like
I'm not a trained media personnel, Like help me, Like
this ain't this ain't my true nine to five. I
(23:08):
haven't been doing this for the last fifteen twenty years,
so like, let me know. And it's funny that a
lot of the athletes that I talked to that are
into media, like this is something that they do. We
go out, we perform, all right, let's watch the film.
Critique me what did I do right? How did I
get it? Can it? Can I be better? What I
want to be? Great? Can you? Can? You?
Speaker 2 (23:27):
You know?
Speaker 1 (23:27):
So I think it's now it's been awesome NBC. The
cool thing there is everyone works together. So our show
has a main producer, Matt Casey, and me and Matt
will talk all the time. But we get in studio
Fred Gadelli, who just went in the Hall of Fame
for everything he's done. He's produced John Matt and he
did NBC, you know, Sunday Night Football the games for
(23:47):
a long time. And then another guy, Jim Thompson. They'll
just come up to me and be like, hey, I
saw you did this last week here, so all right.
Now I got three guys telling telling me you know
what I can do better on a weekly standpoint. And
then Rob Hyland, who does the actual game for NBC. Randomly,
he'll call me and be.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Like, hey, I caught the I rewatched the show. You
know you did this well you did.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
So it's been awesome because now instead of having, you know,
one coach who might see things one way, I have
like four different people who tell me things. And then
I still have my brother who when he watches he
gives his input. So and that's one of the things that,
like you said, it's been different. I think from an
athlete standpoint, I think a lot of people think that
like we were like a little intimidating. They don't think
(24:32):
that they can tell us things like and be kind
of straightforward.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Yes, my brother told me that.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
He said when he interviewed for Good Morning Football, he said,
the first day he got there, he said, he told
them he knew he had two days. He was like, Hey,
I know I'm not gonna be perfect, he said, but
whatever I mess up on day one, please tell me
so I don't come back day two and do the
same thing and then you guys don't hire me because
you're like, man, he did this and this and this
(24:58):
each time he came on. He was like, if you
tell me, I got a chance to fix it, and
maybe that's why you do hire me. But if you don't,
like I would just appreciate any feedback from anybody in here,
like I don't even know everybody's role or what your
specialty is, but if you see something like please tell me.
And he feels like that was the difference in him
getting the job, because the things they did tell him.
He was able to kind of correct some of them.
(25:20):
And now that they watch it and they're like, all right,
we could tell this guy, give him feedback and he
can go get it done right away, because that is
something as athletes. To make a living in football, you
have to take whatever you're told in the meeting room
and change it and fix it asap, not you know,
in three games you gotta fix it a sap or
they get ridy and bring somebody else in.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Now, has there been any rookie hazing on your part?
Being Rooke like, do you gotta do anything crazy? Marie
ant try to navigate. Ain't nobody try to hate you?
Speaker 2 (25:47):
They didn't.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
But one day I brought it in, like I brought
in my suits and I had my big box and
Maria she's walking down the hallway. She was like, dang, rookie,
they'll get somebody bring your box in for you. And
I was like, I'm a rook I gotta get it
the hard way. But now it's funny. So on the show,
Maria six to two, Simsy six ' five, yep, yeah, yep,
(26:08):
Chris Sims six ' five, and Jason Garrets.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Like six two and a half six, three, five eleven.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
So anytime we standing behind the desk or I'm in
my seat, they got a little cushion or I got
a little step stool thing.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
So every time we get there, Maria's.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
Like, oh, they put your little step stool out there.
So they all kill me on my height, they all
make fun of me. So but again that's like being
back in the locker room. Like getting a new team
has probably been the best part about being in the
sports media and doing the job because you know, we
got group texts that will send funny stuff like different
things that happen, and it's cool getting that. Cause you
(26:44):
do you you lose the locker room. Even though you
still keeping contact with guys, you're not in the end anymore,
Like you're not getting the memes because of what just happened,
like what coach said in the meeting room, like you're
you're not a part of that anymore. So kind of
filling that gap has been I think it's been huge
for me, especially mentally and emotionally having that.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
So one of the things that I regret was I
never got a chance to do the broadcast boot camp,
Like I filled out the application two times for whatever
reason they just told me. No, I don't know whose
job it was. If you're listening like I don't, well, Tracy,
if you listening, I blame you. I'm terrible at media
(27:22):
because you never let me get on the broadcast boot Camp.
So if y'all have it, I would love to get
on it sometime. Maybe it's too late because I got
my own show. So my question to you is, did
you one did you do the broadcast boot Camp? And
two what would you give? What advice would you give
to another player who is about to retire or recently
(27:43):
retired who wants to get into the broadcast business.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Yeah, well, for one credit to you, no broadcast boot
camp and got your own show.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
That's a slight flex right there doing that.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
But yes, I got to do the broadcast boot camp
same year with my brother. And the advice I would
give anybody that is even thinking about doing media, even
if it's in the back of your mind and you're
not sure whether you're about to retire or it's still
early in your career, sending your application as many times
as possible to you get accepted, because, for one, the
(28:14):
coaching points and everything that everyone tells you from day
one you're sitting there, you're just learning, and then the
producer sit with you is huge, like the development and
hearing things that you've never heard before on how to
get better, what to do. And then the second part
is the relationships. Like everything that I've done since going
to that boot camp came from me texting somebody.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
That is already out of network.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Whether it was when I you know, during my bye week,
going on NFL today at CBS, was because I formed
a relationship where Drew Calency, who's a producer, text them like, Hey,
got the BUYE week, Hey would you want to come in?
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Sure? I got to go do that.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Like each time you get to do those things, that's
a rep, that's an audition. So I think that's where
the boot camp was huge. And the first day you
get there they tell you that. They tell you like, Hey,
the people we have here, they're not just like you
know they used to just they're live in it. Yes,
they're they're producing shows that we all watch on Sundays
or Thursday. Get their information. Talk to them during the
(29:16):
networking events that we have at night, when we're sitting
around having a drink and eating spark conversation, talk, telling,
me your interest, tell them what you would be willing
to jump on. So I think what the NFL did
with that boot campus, I mean, it's it's awesome, and
it gives you the opportunity to go on NFL Network,
which is another audition.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
So yeah, it really changed my whole outlook.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
So when I was doing I did Fox Sports for
a year or a season and we did live TV,
and for whatever reason, I stopped listening, like my I
had a squirrel moment moment, and I'll start listening to
somebody else and I stopped paying attention. And it was like, so,
what do you think, Charles, And I went, yeah, the
Denver Raiders and the Oakland Broncos. I think that's what's
(30:01):
gonna happen. They gonna win and they gonna be great
cut and I was And after I said it, I
was like, did I just what did I just say?
I said, the Denver Raiders and I just looked at them,
and I remember Michael Strahan and he came over and
he was like, look, we all make mistakes, man, Like
at the end of the day, like it's live TV,
you gotta make fun of yourself, like it's it's people
(30:24):
will respect you moral, they'll live at you more. It'll
be a better rating if you if you make fun
of yourself. So my question is, have you been on
live TV and have you well not, have you been
on live TV. While being on live TV, have you
had like a colossal failure, not like that.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
But I've said the wrong words or something.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
And like I think when I went on Good Morning
Football for the week, I think they asked me a
question and I was like, I'm gonna be in the middle,
and like, let's say it was like rate it from
you know, I mean one to eight or one to ten.
I think it was one to eight, and I was like,
I'm gonna be in the middle. I'm gonna be a five.
And my brother's on there with me. He goes the middle, five,
(31:08):
what kind of math are you doing? And we just
started laughing and bantering back and forth. And it's funny though,
because when they said it, I honestly don't remember if
they said one to ten or one to five, Like I.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
Like, whenever they whatever they said, I had that.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
Number in my head, and my in my head, I'm like,
I'm in the middle, And then I thought about it,
I'm like, damn, I don't think I was listening to
the actual number they gave and like you said, you
just laugh. I mean, Michael Strahan was one of the guys.
Even the producers showed me. They were like, like, you
can see the way he just controls and like can
control the room with just how he kind of goes.
He can be serious, he could be funny, he could
(31:43):
be like he could just do everything.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
I mean that's why.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
He's obviously had the type of success he's had, not
just in sports media, but uh mainstream media as well.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
Yeah. So Michael Jenkins good friend of mine. We had
him on the show a couple of times or a
few months a few months back. I know you've recently
partnered with him in a broad Street ventures, right. I
want you to just like tell me about why you
wanted to get involved with his organization. And I know
you guys it's a financial firm and there it's black
(32:17):
and brown people funding, Like, tell tell me a little
bit more about that.
Speaker 2 (32:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
I think one of the cool things is just the
relationship with malt. You know, we we came out.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Of high school. I just got a copy of the book.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
We came out of high school the same year so
you know, myself, my brother Malcolm, we all played in
an All Star game together and that kind of started
the journey and then you know, we all ended up
making it to the NFL. And you know, first we
started we I collabed with him and got into Players Coalition,
which him and Airquon Bold and started, which was all
about you know, the community, black and brown people, whether
(32:51):
it was you know, police, community relations, economic advancement, education.
We were already doing those things and then he came
to me and was like, hey, I want to set
up Venture Capital Fund where you know, it's all black
and brown lead and we go out and we invest
and do different things, and we're gonna be able to
invest alongside some of the bigger firms who are gonna
(33:12):
let us in and give us that access. And you know,
for me, I was still learning about even what that means,
like what is a VC firm? Like what do they do?
So that opportunity to learn and to do. And I
give Malcolm a ton of respect because he goes and
you know, he does new things, like he's very fearless
and how he goes out and accomplishes things. So you
(33:34):
mentioned his book starting that Player's coalition, starting a VC fund,
like doing all these things. Like, we don't grow up
naturally knowing people who are just doing these things, so
we don't have that example to see every day. And
Malcolm has turned that into he has turned into an
example for all generations, younger kids from his hometown in Piscataway,
(33:54):
younger kids who love the NFL and love football. He's
a franchise e as French and like he isn't does
so many different things and I think that's awesome. So
he's been a guy that obviously is a peer of mine,
but I've looked up to.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
Him and seen some of the things he's done.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
So it was awesome getting to join him and be
a part of Broadstreet Ventures.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:14):
So yeah, I think it's dope and I love the
I love the message that it sins and it creates
for other young and black and brown people, UH players
currently that they can see like, hey, you don't just
have to be football. We're not just athletes. We could
be in the business world as well. Where do you
see yourself in the next five years with TV and
(34:35):
or your business adventures?
Speaker 1 (34:38):
Yeah, I think I think the great thing about the
TV stuff is I'm at where I kind of had
a goal to be.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
I got in Envision have.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
An opportunity to be on Football Night in America on
Sunday Night at NBC. The first year I was done,
Like I just I didn't see that. I'm thinking, you know,
get in, get in where I fit in, wherever somebody
hires me, and then ultimately try to get to NBC
and you know, so being there.
Speaker 2 (35:02):
I want.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
I want to be able to do the cool things,
like an NBC in two years will have the Super Bowl.
Like that's gonna be a goal that I get to
check off. Being a part of the pregame show for
a super Bowl like that is like I'm sitting there,
I want to exactly So, I'm like, I want to
be at the kind of best that I can possibly
(35:23):
be when I get there. This year, I'm in year one,
Like by year three, I want to be able to
feel super comfortable, be able to do more things that
I can't really do now or I'm not doing so,
being able to have a feature story interview somebody possibly
for the Super Bowl, like doing different things like that.
I want to get better at everything else that comes
(35:44):
along with the job. But in five years, I hopefully.
I'm still at NBC doing what I'm doing, and I
think from a business standpoint, I really have tried to
take this year and I think even next year to
continue to learn more and more. Before I left Boston,
one of the things I was very intentional about is
building up some of the networks and friendships that I
have with people outside of football that you know, are
(36:06):
very successful in the different business things that they do.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
So I'm learning a little.
Speaker 1 (36:11):
Bit more about I'm on a couple of nonprofit boards,
but I'm learning more about, you know, for profit boards
and different things like that, meeting people who have done that,
you know, kind of as a livelihood and done it
for a long time. So I want to I want
to be learning, and I want to in five years hopefully,
like I'm in the beginning stages of doing something new
(36:31):
that involves me and my brother and our families and
starting something new. I don't know what it is right now,
but we both have really decided like we want to
really learn more and more and possibly take like some classes,
so everything's not strictly on learning from somebody else, but
also kind of you know, put more in the bank
of your own knowledge.
Speaker 3 (36:52):
Yeah, So my rookie year two thousand and three, I
get drafted by the Bears and go to training camp
do my thing, and it's rookie hayz in time. So
I got taped up putting his laundry cart, or I
got put in his loundry basket. Ted Washington didn't like
Ted at the time because all he did was his
(37:13):
pick on rookies. All he did was pick on rookies,
and he put me in his cart, and I mean
it just it was a long story short. It was embarrassing.
And then yeah, he's a very large human being. And
then he got traded to New England and I was
so happy my rookie year. I was like, thank God
because he's not here to pick on me and he
goes to New England. Was the Super Bowl, So that
(37:33):
was kind of like my welcome to the welcome to
the league rookie moment, right, welcome to the NFL as
a as a rookie. What was your welcome to the
NFL moment your rookie year when did you know like, oh,
this is this is the league. Whether it be a
hit or whether it was something like hazing, Like, what
was that moment for you.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
It was. It was me and Tom my rookie year.
It was kind of not like it is now, but
it was an off season kind of when you got
in were you know, it started earlier and and events
would kind of be there maybe a little early, but
then events would get kind of a break and not
necessarily all be there. So there was no lie when
I first got there. Events wasn't there. Randy Moss, Tom,
like a lot of the older guys, they just didn't
(38:12):
come back yet. So the first week Tom comes back finally,
you know, as a rookie, as Tom Brady. I'm not
like I'm about to go out there and strike a
conversation with Tom. You're just like, man, like I'm in
the locker room Tom, and I'm.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
Like, yo, it's Tom twenty ten. Yep.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
I'm like that's Tom. That's Randy Moss. Like I had
some mos sneak, like I had the mosses the turf shoes.
And Tom comes up to me one time we're in
an Ota practice and we're kind of I think I'm
going to run during a break or a special teams
or something, and he's like, hey man, hey man, I'm Tom.
We're excited to have you here? And I'm like, what's up, man,
(38:49):
I'm Devin. Yeah, I'm happy to be here too. And
as soon as I got home that night called my mom.
I was like, ma, Tom Brady knew who I was. Was like,
it was just like the guys you watched growing up,
and now I'm sitting here in a locker room next
to him. And then you know, you had that moment.
(39:09):
Then the next moment was the first time I got
first team reps in practice and You're in the huddle
and Draw Mayo is our middle linebacker. He's given a call.
I'm looking at events like I'm looking at all these
guys and I'm like, all right, dude.
Speaker 2 (39:21):
Don't mess up.
Speaker 1 (39:22):
Don't mess up and have somebody get on you or
say anything.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
But I was very lucky.
Speaker 1 (39:26):
Brandon Meriwether and James Sanders were yep, Chicago, yup. Those
are my two vets at safety, and they you should
tell me everything.
Speaker 2 (39:36):
Get me right.
Speaker 1 (39:37):
Actually, Meriwether told me he was like my rookie year,
Rodney Harrison was still on the team. He was like,
you lucky, he said, because hot Rod, he said, he
would have killed killed you every chance he got as
a rookie with the hazen. So I lucked out that
Rodney retired by the time I got there.
Speaker 3 (39:52):
What were those practices Like with Randy Moss your rookie year,
tell me, tell me, give me a story about Randy
your rookie year.
Speaker 1 (40:02):
Simple beat to sleep Rent my rookie year. You know,
you out there, and Randy was a guy that you
could do one on ones and he might he might
go hard, but most of the time, like in one
on ones, Randy wasn't tripping. Like you go there, you
might jam him, or he might run a comeback and
you all over him and Tom throws it out of
bounds and you know, inside you kind of like like like, man,
(40:24):
we went, we went to our stadium practice. We have
all the season ticket holders come in stadium practice, so
you know, so the first time you in this stadium
and it's it's not packed, but you got a nice
little crowd in there. Like third play about outside release,
he sticks.
Speaker 2 (40:42):
His hand up. I'm running with him, about to play
their hands. This dude just.
Speaker 1 (40:49):
Late hands, catches a touchdown, crowd goes nuts. I'm like,
well that's another that's a story. Rookie rookie first round
rookie corner against beat by Rent.
Speaker 2 (40:58):
He did that twice.
Speaker 1 (40:59):
Then we get in the zone. Uh, they bunch us up.
Meriwether starts making a check. I've never heard the check
ever since I've been there for the three weeks or
whatever i've been there.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
He makes the check. I'm like, trio, what is trio?
Hike seven route?
Speaker 1 (41:16):
Randy Mass touchdown? Come to the sideline.
Speaker 2 (41:19):
Bill's like, what the fuck are you guys doing. I'm like,
they made a check that we ain't going over yet.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
Meriwether was like, yeah, that's my bad. We ain't put
that in yet. And I'm like then it was just
so it's a call that they have, but as a rookie,
the coaches wanted to wait, so we didn't put it in.
All it was was lock combo. So like I knew
lock combo, Like I knew we had a call for
it in college. I just didn't know the Patriots called
(41:46):
for it. So when he said it, I'm thinking, like,
maybe they ain't got nothing to do with me. Just
stay locked on your guys. So I stay locked on
my guy. I don't play the combo touchdown. So it
was a It was a pleasure going against Randy because
it built me up for the season, like I had
already got beat so many times and training camp that
(42:07):
you kind of like I developed that mentality to just
go out there. And then week one we played Sinci
when To got there.
Speaker 2 (42:14):
So you had Chad on one side and To on
the other side.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
So for the corners, you wasn't getting away from anything
like you first played the game nine routes of too.
I break it up and I tell people, like, if
he catches that ball, because he it was one of
those where he reached back, try to go on top
of my head and I break it up with like
three fingertips, and I'm like, man, my career probably would
have been different if he catches that. First first player
of your career is a forty four fifty yard bomb.
(42:40):
But now those those battles and then you're going against
Randy with Tom, so every ball is exactly where it
needs to be.
Speaker 2 (42:48):
Oh I learned.
Speaker 1 (42:50):
I was like, man, some of these these reps I'm
seeing in practice, they not gonna be like that in
the game.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
This is this is the best I'm gonna get in practice.
Speaker 3 (42:57):
Like ever you like two Hall of famers on the
same team in practice, like, how how do you not
get good?
Speaker 2 (43:02):
Like that's exactly yep.
Speaker 1 (43:04):
And then Tom used to give me little tricks of
the trade of what he would read what, because you know,
like the great quarterbacks Like Tom, he's like, every quarterback
reads the weekside safety. He was like, but I'm trying
to find a nickel. Where's a nickel aligned? What is
he doing when it's cover two or cover three? There's
one corner like playing offense. He's like, I'm looking at
all of that in a secondary I'm trying to find
he said.
Speaker 2 (43:23):
The great quarterbacks, he said, we.
Speaker 1 (43:24):
Watch film all week to find the guy. He said,
there's usually one guy that's to tell that tells everything.
He said, Now my job every week is to find
that guy and then use them once we get on
game day. And I was like, dang, and I used
to learn how to try to manipulate and move my
alignment just to mess with the quarterback. From talking to him.
Speaker 3 (43:43):
Musa Muhammad, he made me a better He made me
a better corner. Brandon Marshall made me a better corner
like we used to Devin, like we used to battle.
I didn't have the quarterback like you had, but I'm
I'm really jealous about the Yeah, man, I'm just I'm jealous.
I'm envious to that, like you got to Yeah, I'm
I'm jealous that you got to go against Randy every day.
I played him on twice a year, and then he
(44:04):
left and then he went to New England and then
he went to Oakland. But uh, yeah, we had a
couple of battles when he was there. I think I
kind of patted myself on the back because we played
y'all in six and I picked Tom off twice in
a game. But it wasn't like on the corner. I
got him off of PBUs, meaning like it hit somebody
(44:24):
else hit it and then I tipped it and I
got two of them. But that's like my bragget I
take it, I take it. Those are my bragging rights.
I got two picks off Tom. Actually I got three,
but it was one was a Presis game and it
didn't count. We played y'all and I was in Carolina
in twenty fifteen, y'all came to Carolina. I got to
pick one. Lineman threw me to the sideline. I got
a concussion and that's all I remember. That's the worst.
Speaker 2 (44:47):
But yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (44:48):
Think Tom was probably the Tom and Aaron Rodgers are
probably the two toughest quarterbacks that I ever had to
go against, And probably more so Aaron Rodgers because I
saw him every I saw him twice a year, and
dude was like, dude was legit, Like he he is him.
He is that dude torn Achilles center or not. He
can slang that thing. He is a gun slanger. Like
(45:10):
who Yeah, Who's Who's the toughest quarterback you ever had
to go against?
Speaker 2 (45:15):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (45:15):
First for me would be Tom, like you said, I
think daily, But then it was it was Peyton man
playing against Peyton my rookie year. I my rookie year.
That end the week, it was like, all right, we
got the Peyton rules. I'm like Peyton rules. They was
(45:36):
like yep, I don't care. Bill came in at he
I don't care what you think or what you think
you need to do to play better, or he said
this is the rules. If you don't a by by him,
you're not gonna play this week. And I'm like, yo,
what the corners of the line.
Speaker 2 (45:49):
At three yards?
Speaker 1 (45:50):
Safety's at twelve yards every single play, don't move up
and down, don't stay like that Cover two, You're fine,
that's your alignment.
Speaker 2 (45:59):
Cover three.
Speaker 1 (45:59):
We're gonna run out from there, man and man, we're
gonna stay there. So right away I go to my
corner coach man the man were staying at I said,
I've always been taught that's no man's land, like standing
at three yards. He was like, so what we gotta do.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
Is Payton Manning And I'm like, y'all serious right now?
They was like, we're dead serious.
Speaker 1 (46:17):
That's how every coverage is going to be played from
the same exact shell, and there will be no movement
until he snaps the ball. And that's how we played
when we played him when he was an indie. Then
he went to Denver, we did the same thing, no
matter what. That was the alignment and you don't move
from it until the snap. And I'm like, dude, we're
(46:37):
doing way too much. So we come out there. First
half my rookie year, we got twenty one points. I
think it's like twenty one to three or twenty one zip. Well,
like we're getting that indy. Second half came and he
realized what we were doing. Next thing, I know, we
had to get a last minute interception on the two
minute Drive and won twenty one twenty four. It were
like I remember walking out of the game and I
(46:58):
was like, yo, that dude, Like it was just unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (47:03):
And I got an interception that game.
Speaker 1 (47:04):
So I was like, man, I'm like my rookie year
I picked off Philip Rivers and Peyton Manning.
Speaker 2 (47:11):
I'm like, you can't. Oh.
Speaker 1 (47:15):
And I love watching Philip Rivers, like his energy, how
he was. And then I met him on a pre
draft visit and you know, like I'm just some rookie
and he's walking into the building and he stops me
as a full conversation, what school did you go to?
How'd you like to visit? I'm like, damn, Philip Rivers,
like you're pretty cool, Like I'm a fan of yours.
Speaker 2 (47:34):
Whatever.
Speaker 1 (47:35):
So yeah, man, Peyton Manning was. He was definitely he
was a problem.
Speaker 3 (47:40):
All Right, That's what's up. That's what's up. So Mount
Rushmore it's got four people on it. Who would your
Mount Rushmore be for you? And it could be you know,
someone who's had major influence in your life, a coach,
a teacher, a friend, a brother, or a cousin, someone
who's had great influence in your life.
Speaker 1 (48:00):
My mom would definitely be there. My j Mack, my
twin brother would be there.
Speaker 3 (48:07):
Why your mom?
Speaker 2 (48:09):
My mom?
Speaker 1 (48:10):
So my father passed away when I was three, so
my mom there was three of us. We have an
older brother, and she raised all three of us solo.
And this I think while my mom is Mount Rushmore
and why. And the biggest thing I learned from her
was sacrifice. My mom for me and my twin brother
to go to high school. We wanted to go to
a private high school. So she was like, if y'all
(48:32):
really want to go, like, your grades got to be up,
you got different things that you got to keep and
and I'll keep you in there.
Speaker 2 (48:37):
So we do that.
Speaker 1 (48:38):
We almost had to leave my junior year financially, but
she somehow, like we were talking about it, kind of
looking at public schools that we would go to, and
then she came back and was, oh, now we're good.
I ain't even know what that meant, like we're good.
And then my sophomore year in college, my mom was like, Hey,
I'm gonna file for bankruptcy.
Speaker 2 (48:57):
And my mom basically spent all their money.
Speaker 1 (48:59):
She had got hurt on her job, so she was
collecting disability. She took out a lump sum for disability
so she could pay off our tuition. And that's what
we did. And for me, like that is the ultimate.
That's what being a parent is. That's what I've always
learned for parenthood is whatever you can do, you do.
And my mom used to tell us kids don't actually
(49:20):
be brought in this world to adults. Bring him in
and that's your job to take care of them. So
she would be top of the top of the mountain
right there, and then I would go, yeah, man, I
would go with.
Speaker 2 (49:35):
Kevin falk Is a guy.
Speaker 1 (49:37):
When I got to New England, his locker was right
next to mine, and he had a lot to do
in my career.
Speaker 2 (49:43):
I think just coming in.
Speaker 1 (49:45):
He was in his thirteenth year as a running back,
and he was like, man, you gotta build a routine,
and you gotta do your routine every day. Man, come on,
just come getting a sauna with us. So I hated
the sauna and I would get into sauna every day
because I'm like, man, Like watch Kevin Fault when he
was at LSU, Like I remember because I thought he
was related to Marshall Fault and he was a returner
and was killing and so just following him and what
(50:09):
he was able to teach me throughout the years. And
you know, I think the last person I'll put on
my mouth restaurant would be my wife. I think her
ability to allow me to be the best version of
myself and in our life a lot of times, you know,
me playing football, me doing what I do now, what
I need to do usually comes first, and I try
(50:31):
not to take that for granted. For like how we plan,
like how we used to plant our off seasons, or
how we plan this like Sundays we don't we can't
do anything because I get picked up and I'm in
the studio all day, Like all of those things for
one person to always have to kind of take a
back seat tours. And you know, my wife was a doctor.
You know she stopped she stopped practicing as a doctor,
and she wanted to take care of the kids, like
(50:53):
all of those things I think is why we're married too, Right.
I talked about my mom in sacrifice and what she
was able to do and how you sacrifice, and my
wife is the same way. So yeah, I think those
people have I think had a huge impact in my
life and continue to have a major impact and play
a role in, you know, my everyday success. So yeah,
(51:15):
those people have been unbelievable for me.
Speaker 3 (51:18):
Sounds like a pretty good mountain man. That's it. You're
off the hot seat, man, that's you. You You killed it,
You killed it. Thanks for coming on the podcast. We
appreciate it. It was awesome. Hey I'm Peanut Tubman. That's
never mc cordy. Make sure y'all tune into Apple podcasts
Our Heart Studios. We out here in New York.
Speaker 2 (51:36):
That's it.
Speaker 3 (51:37):
We out
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