May 3, 2021 • 52 mins
Welcome to Getting Real with Grady Jarrett, a podcast in which Atlanta Falcons DL Grady Jarrett and co-host Kelsey Conway “get real” on anything from football, lifestyle, and beyond. Grady’s mom, Elisha Jarrett, joins the show to discuss their special mother and son bond, family life, and who Grady is on and off the field. 0:00 Intro 2:12 Grady Growing Up 17:07 Contract Extension Celebration 20:37 Life Off the Field 25:16 Clemson & Family 28:47 Appreciating Each Other 34:46 What’s Next for Elisha 36:32 Keeping Family Close 44:17 Contract Extension
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Yo, what's up, guys, it's Grady Jared. Welcome to my podcast,
Getting Real with Grady Jared, with me and my co
host Kelsey Conway, talking about football, life everything in between.
This week we got a very very special guest, someone
who's near and dear to my heart, someone who's you know,
always around, being seen, you know, with me here and
there later. Very very special to me was my mother,
(00:29):
Alicia Jarrett. And I'm super super excited about this conversation obviously,
so you can get another inside look at me and
her relationship and you can learn a little bit about
the woman to raise me and to the man I
am today. So here's our conversation with Alicia Jarrett, Well greedy.
When we first decided to do a podcast together, I
(00:51):
think the guest I was most excited to have on
is the guests that's joining us today, and that is
the one and only Alicia Jarrett. You're one her full
mom who is just awesome in every way, and I
can't wait to hear about your childhood stories together, how
you developed your bond. But wow, we have Alicia Jared
(01:11):
on the show today. How exciting, right, Yeah, super exciting
and super exciting. A little nervous and no telling was
about to go down. But no, I'm super excited. This
is an honor, this is a dream come true, and
I'm happy to have um my mom Alicia Jared the
Mama Jared on my podcast and ready to get to it.
You know, let the fans everybody know a little bit
(01:33):
about you know, our relationship and um you know what
she has meant to me and my career, in to
other to other people as well, um, not just myself,
you know, being a mother to others, being that figure
for mother guys, even going all the way back to
high school and park ball. So um so I'm excited
to let the world no one share, um share a
little bit what I get to experience every day in
(01:55):
my life. Yeah. And for those who don't know, and
they'll they'll get into the story just how close they are.
But it's rare if you know Grady that you don't
know his mom. She is so involved in every aspect
of his life. So Alicia, let's just start with let's
go down memory lane a little bit here. What stood
(02:16):
out about Grady as a kid? Ooh, what's stood out
about Grady as a kid? Well, Kelsey, first, thank you
all for having me on the show. I am super
excited to be here, and I am super proud of
the both of you for getting this up and going.
(02:36):
I think it's going to be an amazing opportunity for
people to to learn a lot about you know, different
different healths that you'll have on your shell. So congratulations
on the show, Grady. And I called Jarrett still very Yeah,
why I just I've started off calling Jarrett all his
(02:59):
life and all this if I've just called him by
his last name, Jared. Um, he was a he's a
was a very docile kid. He was very um, humble,
very quiet um, but very ambitious. He's always been a
competitor um and uh, he's always been very resilient. But
(03:22):
with that resilience, see, he's also been very empathetic at
the same time. And it's it's rare that you find
somebody so competitive at a young age and still very
uh empathetic. And uh, that's that's that's definitely Jared. He's
a humble person. Give him a little example, maybe what
(03:45):
you mean, but so yeah, I can give an example.
So he wants me to give an example, I can
give you a couple Okay, So we'll start off at
the at the park's early early on one. Um, I
think it was since maybe his second year playing UM
(04:05):
Warner Roberts football, and he uh, he was a big guy,
so he would they called him truck. And they called
him truck for a reason because he would truck down
the players. I mean he was just he put him
on the ground and but then he turned around and
he look and then he'd go back and he picked
him up. And you know, coach was like, Okay, your
(04:27):
job is to put him on the ground. You don't
have to pick him up. But he did that, and
he did that often. You know, he wanted to make
sure that he was doing his job, but that he
was also not hurting, you know, really hurting somebody too.
So but another example of his competitive competitiveness. He um,
he's he's broken one of my TVs. He since replaced them.
(04:49):
But I knew that, I knew that first story was coming.
I didn't know you about to put he was. He
was playing they I think it was the Nintendo game
back then, and the game was beating him. No, no,
this is not what happened. You. I was actually playing
(05:12):
the midtime She mentioned me playing the vial game. Was
playing my cousin and we were playing, um, uh the
baseball game when when you you hit him out, the
real dramatic baseball game. And uh. So he I was pitching.
He was pitching me the ball, and I kept hitting
home runs by home runs and then so he so
for many stop hitting home runs. You can make the
(05:33):
batter the picture hit you with the ball on the
thing so you can just walk and so so he
was slowing down my points. So he just hit me
with the ball. Make my guy. While I said, man,
stop stop making stop doing that, like I want to
come on out of stop being scared. So he did
it again. I said. I was like, I was like,
how I don't, don't do it again, Like, please, don't
do it again. So he did it again. I was like, man, stop,
(05:55):
like throw that through the control and I was like
and then all sounds so like we was waiting. So
I'm nervous, you know, because my parents get home, because
both my parents going, and then my little sister at
the time, now when she was younger, she was, oh
my gosh, she can wait and killing somebody. So as
soon as they gotten as soon as um they got
in the house, Jair the TV. That's all we was
(06:21):
disciplined kids, so I had to be handled with. So, hey,
I feel like I was. Probably my brother would probably
say the same thing about me. I'm the youngest of three,
and there's definitely sometimes I ratted him out, and now
I talking on him like why did I do that?
She's not there yet, she's not why she why did
she do that? So when you look at you mentioned
(06:48):
the traits of what Grady was like as a kid,
when did his football career really start? And when did
you know, Okay, my son is not you know, a
high school football player. He actually you know, could have
could have a career doing this. Yeah. Sure, So Jared
(07:08):
played multiple sports. He uh, of course football. Uh, he
played baseball where he excelled. He played basketball. Um, you know,
he ran track or did the shot put in track,
and and he wrestled again where he excelled. Uh, and
where I knew in football he would. Um. I really
(07:31):
thought that he would have a definitely a college career
and possibly a professional career in baseball because he was
really really good in baseball. Um, but it was probably
uh going into his ninth grade year for football. He
(07:51):
played both sides of the ball. And you know, anybody
that knows when he knows, I'm a mama bear. And
so I was like, you know, they need to get
somebody else out there, because my boy playing both sides
of the ball and whatever whatever, and and but as
you as you as you learn the game, and and
and I'm you know, very blessed. I've been around it
(08:13):
for a long time. Um, you know that that's a
that's a positive, right, And so probably, um, you know,
he had this motor that just kept going and kept
going and kept going and kept going, and that motor
then turned into drive. Right. He wanted to do things
(08:35):
better and better and better each and every time. And
he he loved to be challenged. Um. The high school
had had a coach that had been there for years
and years, and then when Jared went into the ninth grade,
the coach changed. Well, this particular coach didn't believe in
(08:57):
uh freshman's being on the varsity team, right, And so
Jared and I kind of discussed it, and I said, well,
you know, we're not gonna argue with his rules. You
just have to do better than the people that's on
the varsity team. And he did, you know, we had
a meeting. The coach said, listen, I don't want no
(09:18):
no mama, daddy, grandmama, Grandpapa coming up to me telling
me to put the freshman kid on my varsity team.
It's not happening. I would happen to be the president
of our booster club at the time, and I was,
you know, not gonna argue with coach, right, But I
watched him at practice every day, and I knew that
eventually he was going to be on that varsity team.
(09:41):
And it was about the third game, in maybe the
fourth game in his freshman year that he started on
the varsity team. And he's never he went straight you
know through, but his motor and his drive, his inner
competitive spirit led me to believe that definitely he was
going to be playing on the collegiate level, and that
(10:02):
he was going to be very competitive and his drive
would definitely get him to the next level. Have you
too always been as close as you are now? Yeah?
I would definitely say so. Um um, I mean, you know, uh,
(10:23):
I don't even you know, well, like I got to
always tell everybody like a far on the football side
of things, Um, you know, I'll never remember the game
you know my mom not being there were involved or
um you know or you know, more than the game,
a piece of class work or whatever it is. It's
super super involved. And um, you know, she motivated me
(10:44):
because I've seen like how hard she worked for us
growing up, and it's just something that you know, I
took pride in and also was you know, fortunate enough
for her, you know not to have um baby me
or like you know, spoon fed me. Like because it's
like some of the a lot of the things, the
lessons that I've learned and things persevere and overcome was
(11:06):
really just um you know, basically like versus if say
something don't go my way, versus you know, passing me
back telling me it's okay. So like you gotta figure
that out, you know what I'm saying, Like you gotta
go work like the world not gonna feel sorry for you.
And that's one of my biggest things that I that
I just you know, I try to teach people, whether
it's some personal relationships and friendships, talking to kids or whatever.
(11:28):
You know, everything is so you know, you know, feel good,
it's okay, it's okay. It's gonna be trying to next time.
But versus looking yourself in the mirror in fact, figuring
out what you gotta do better to be better, and
and and and and I just think that's that's something
that was just instilled with me by my mom. But like,
I mean, we can go whether it's you know, through
the college recruiting, um, you know, we hit the road
(11:48):
going to camps um trying to um, you know, get
more attension or scholarships or whatever. But she'll tell you like, like,
you know, um, when we was coming like coming, you know,
it's easy to look now where we were at in
in as a as a professional and see the same
people that you know didn't believe in you or like
(12:09):
look down and you like really laughed at you, like
saying you're wasting your time coming here and patch your
back beyond all man. And I tell her, I mean,
you know, we don't sit there and talk about I
mean we like I always said, you know, my success
is about proving the people that believe in me right, right.
You know, it ain't ever been It's never been about
and they say or hed or nothing, because at the
end of the day, they're gonna come back to you
(12:30):
and try to start you love anyway so UM, you
know you just you just gotta um you know, so
those just lessons that I just learned, you know, um,
being with her. But I feel like, you know, we
always had a close relationship and you know, just you know,
just get yet I didn't get better right mine? Yeah
yea yeap, So for sure, UM, I think kell s that. Um,
(12:57):
your question is, you know, have we always been this close?
I think anyone that knows my family know how the
bond between my son and I, Um, I mean it's
a life it's a life time bond the son. The
bond between a mother and son, I think is a
special bond. And for us, UM, that bond is unchanged
(13:19):
by people, time, distance, Um, you know, it's it's the
pure as love. And UM you know I will and
have forever supported him. Um. While I'm his largest cheerleader,
I'm probably his worst critic. Right where we keep everything
really really real, right, um, getting real with getting really
(13:45):
read absolutely absolutely absolutely and uh it's an understanding of
any situation and forgiving of any mistake is our relationship.
And that's that's how you can you know, kind of
that's how I would kind of cocoa up. Yes, So
I've fortunately been able to get to know you both
(14:08):
having worked for the Falcons for the last couple of years.
And something I think that the fans know about you,
Mama Jared, is that you have You're not just oh,
I go to the home games. Right, you haven't missed
up until COVID. I remember you telling me this, you
had not missed one of gradies games. Then that is
(14:30):
high school, that is college, that is NFL. That is
so you hit the road when he hits the road.
I've seen you at training camp practice at Flowery Branch
at nine am in the morning. I mean, you don't
miss you don't miss anything. And like, I think it's
funny that you know, you talk about how you're his
(14:51):
biggest critic. Kind of reminds me of the movie The
Blindside when Sandra bullocks in the stands and she's like
calling the coach and she's like run the day all
because because Dabo told us that when he when you
were up there for the summer camp or Grady got recruited,
you know, you were coaching him hard in those defensive
(15:13):
line drills. And I think the way that you balance
that love but also you know, keeping it real. I
think it really shows in the way that Grady is
as a person and I for you as a mom.
Is that the most rewarding part. The most rewarding part
for me in regards to Jared is the man that
(15:34):
he's turned out to be. I mean, he is just
such a man of integrity and character made something to him.
He's a man that cares, you know, for for people,
you know, even people outside of our family. He's a
he's a giving person. And you know, when I look
(15:58):
and hear stories about Jared, I say, that's my son,
right and and proud is is not a large enough word,
you know to express the emotion that I feel, you
know when I when I hear people um talk about Jared.
(16:20):
But he's definitely made me proud and and he's he
has a long way to go right, I mean life.
I'm hoping that you know, God blesses him with many
many years. Um. But I I am good to pat
myself on the back and say job well done, and
(16:43):
and continue my prayers that God continues to carry him.
I mean, he has morals, values, he knows right from wrong.
I'm a proud, proud mama for sure. I love that.
So I wanted to ask you guys question, Grady, when
you get in the NFL, everybody always talks about the
(17:04):
biggest goal is to get to that second contract. Uh.
When you signed your extension with the Falcons and it's
with your hometown team, you made it to the second
contract set up for the future. What did you guys
do to celebrate? And Alicia, if you would expand a
(17:27):
little bit on from your perspective, what that moment was like, Um,
for you and Grady to celebrate that together. Um. Yeah,
so I'll pick up on that. Um, you know that
that time was a it was a really really great
time for you know, me and my family just to
be in that position, you know, to to to be
able to be blessing that position. And uh, you know
(17:51):
it was a lot of things going on during that
time on the side and know whether too, Um you
know the time it was. You know, it's just you know,
being franchise tag and the way that the deal worked out. Um. Uh,
I'll just say this to say, you know, it's it
went all the way down to the wire. Um, when
(18:11):
we were you know signed, you know, having our discussions
or whatever they may be. But um, you know when
they when things got nervous and just just didn't know
how things gonna shake out. You know, we uh we
put our foot down together and you know, we let
we let God take care of the rest, and he
blessed us. But at the same time, uh, you know,
I don't think there was I mean, we celebrated obviously,
(18:33):
we always celebrate our compliment, but we knew it was
just the beginning. Like like for for me, it was
a motivation fact like like this, like I mean, this
is just I mean, it's just getting started. At the time,
for me, I had no Pro Bowls, you know, and
no All pros, and I felt like the best football
is ahead of me, and here I am, you know,
two two seasons left three years going on three years
(18:54):
later after my deal, you know, and I had a
Pro Bowl every year since I signed my deal and
all Pro. I think I should have been an All
Pro againing year, honestly, And uh, I only continue to
I only you know, pray to continue to get better
and work for that. So for me and for my mom,
we knew that and we know that. I mean, I
just think the things that just can please other people,
(19:14):
it's just it's we really were really hard to please.
We are and we just I mean like it's it's
it's just motivated factors to the wheels fall off. It's
just more it's like, you want to be better, you
know what I'm saying. You want to prove that. You
know that that that you never get complacent, you know
what I'm saying, Like, uh, and that's one of the
biggest things you know that I've learned in my household growing.
(19:35):
I'm never get complacent. You know, you never arrived. And um,
that's why I do continue to get better and try
to strive and get better and every every you know,
every every aspect of my life and just continue to grow.
So U. But as far as uh, you know, celebration, celebrating,
I think we went out. We went out to eat something.
We were tired. We said we were going, but we
(19:56):
were tired. Yeah. We we went back to work exactly.
We went back to work, you know what I'm saying.
We went back to where we handle some stuff in
the um personal life with families, getting stuff set up
about certain things and handling the business off the field.
And but you know, once we you know, dotted, all
the eyes take across all the tis it was worktime again,
(20:18):
you know, and and I think I just that just
goes to show for itself, like, uh, you know, it's
just just uh, you know, it was fun. H. So
we've talked a lot about what you guys do together
in terms of your support Alicia in his football career,
but that is just such a small part of who
(20:38):
Grady is and what he does. I think we're gonna
have a whole episode of this podcast dedicated to what
Grady does and continues to do in the community in Atlanta.
But you are there at everything, not just his sports
heat every community event and everything that's important to him
(20:59):
is important to you. So will you guys let us
in on a little bit of some of the things
that you guys do together that's off the football field.
Off the field, Um, we're into a lot of things definitely,
you know, being big in the community, especially where I'm
from Monta Carrns, Georgia. Um. Um. We first started with
doing a football camp and and and um an anti
(21:22):
bullying campaign. You know, big Man Don't Bully. And that
was a big touching thing for me because you know,
just shooting support for kids and and and so they
can treat each other better. And this was a time
where it was a lot of um, you know, there's
a lot of cyber bullying stuff going on, was real popular,
I mean like not popular, but was real prevalent on
(21:42):
social media at the time. And then there were some
kids around the country, you know, hurt themselves dealing with bullying.
So at the time, I was you know, looking and
praying for a cause. That was something that came to
me and we just took that and ran with it. Um.
Over time, you know, big man don't bully, and we
were doing so much other stuff in the community, we
just transformed our whole umbrella of things to into Grady Gifts,
(22:03):
which is what we do now. And whether that's um
and Grady Gives, got his hand a little bit of everything,
you know, anything you think about um from holidays, you know, um. Um,
Like I said, awareness, empowering the youth hospital yep, yep.
So um you go ahead, yep, um, just like Jared
(22:25):
was saying, UM, and Gready Gives is certainly the umbrella
of of what he does and and and I think
that the big thing here, Kelsey, is that he really
does so much that um, you know, the Falcons has
no clue and because he doesn't do it to be recognized. UM. UM,
(22:46):
like I said, the the literacy awareness, UM focus that
he has. Uh, he's been given the key to our city.
He's been given a Grady Jarrett Day in our city
of Kanyers. They we were a tenth We celebrate that. UM.
They retired his high school football jersey. Right now, this spring,
(23:11):
we will break ground on the new team center and
it's called the Grady Jarrett Team Center. We're really really
excited about that right now. Also, UM, the Senate has
a bill that's where they're going to name all of
the um you know, the post that identifies the county.
(23:32):
They're getting ready to put Grady you know, home of
Grady Jarrett on those posts. Uh. So it's it's it's
it's a it's a big thing. And we certainly UM
appreciate people that do recognize. But the reality is, you know,
the things that he does when he goes to the hospitals,
he goes to the hospitals to put a smile on
someone's face, you know, and and he's so good at it.
(23:54):
You know, he's he's I call him gentle giant because
the kids and even even older people that's in the hospital.
They just love when he comes by and it just
brightens their day. Um, he goes back, he's he's keynotes,
called to be keynote speaker several times for you know,
his high school, the black history programs for even the
(24:19):
state legislators have called them, you know. And and so
he does a lot. And the good thing is that, um,
he enjoys doing it. There's still a lot of work
to do. Um, getting us a whole bunch of stuff
is coming to my mind right now. We I think
he gave seven different families. Um, he bought the Christmas
(24:40):
for all their kids. I mean, just it just it's
just endless. And again it's just to make somebody's you know,
smile for if it's just a little short, you know,
a period of time. Yeah, Grady and I talked a
lot about just the position that he's in in the
fact that he can impact people's lives and he takes
(25:03):
that responsibility very seriously. So you can tell with all
of what you guys do, but you also not just
what he does in the community. But man, you're a
pretty big Clemson fan. We saw that, we saw that
you were at the spring game with him, and for
sure you guys are on vacations. We see on Grady's Instagram,
we see you're around with him, So it seems like
(25:25):
you guys do a lot together. Um. You were at
Hayden Hurst charity event right behind Grady and the pictures.
I'm like, Alicia's everywhere where. Grady is absolutely listen outside
of the support of him, um um, and he'll tell you,
you know, community things I've done all of all of
(25:47):
my children's lives, so um and it's something that we
enjoy doing. But let's talk about Clemson for a minute. Hey,
that's that's that's my stumping ground. Listen. He's represented to day. UM.
But we some of our best years was spent at Clemson,
and we have developed lifelong friendships with Petebet Clemson. The president,
(26:14):
Jim Clements is a very good friend of ours. And
of course, UM coach Dabl Sweeney and Kathleen and a
lot of the coaches and I mean Jared still has
you know, some of the people that um that you
know it was in the cafeteria that are really really
good friends. Clemson is home. Clemson will always be home
for us, and so we certainly we certainly enjoy Clemson,
(26:38):
but we have a tight knit family. We love to cook.
Look now that he cooks, I certainly have turned over
the reins for him to do it, and he's a
very good cook. You know, we don't miss our family vacation.
Sometimes here recently when you know, things out a little
bit open, Uh, he and his siblings have taken vacasions,
(27:01):
But we don't miss our family vacations. We enjoy you know,
just spending time together. And then he and I will
we will still a day or two away and you know,
just kind of catch up on life and things like that.
And those are priceless moments for me. Cal say, those
are things that I I not only want my family
can continue to do, but I want my children's families
(27:23):
to do some of those same rituals. So yeah, it's
got yeah, back on you know the clempsion topic. Um, definitely,
staying closer to the university has been been good, even
if even if I make it up you know, just
one one time a year. It's also appreciated because you know,
I know, when guys get away from school, they can
stay away for so long, and um, it's good. Just
(27:44):
gonna show your face, show love and it's been We've
been fortunate because coach we need the whole coaching staff
for the most part, it's still intact from when I
was there, so it feels good and um and also
with it just been you know, two hours up the
road from Atlanta, that was always good. And um, I started,
like I got when I went up there. I started
because I don't know people know, but I'm into like
(28:04):
like water sports and stuff, you know, boating, um jet
ski and stuff like that. So they got an a
lot of nice lakes up there, so we'll go. We'll
go up there sometime with the fam and just hang out.
So um. So yeah, yeah, definitely definitely spending the time
has been has been a great, great family place too.
So yeah. And this is a college town. Everything is
about it, you know what I'm saying, Like everything eclipsion
(28:27):
is about eclipsion. You know. Yeah, you're you're doing I
don't know how it was a Cincinnati. Yeah, there's not.
It's not warm. It's not warm enough to do all that.
But Grady, before before we let your mom go, I
want to put you on the spot. And then Alicia,
I have a question for you. Grady, what do you
(28:49):
appreciate most about your mom and Alicia, what do you
hope when people say I met Grady Jarrett or say
the name Grady Jarrett, they say about your son. So great?
You want to go first, y'all go first. UM. What
I appreciate most about UM my mom is up. Yeah
(29:16):
you better still make a crowned thing. Not just what
I appreciate most is UM. It's just really her commitment,
her commitment to UM, to to our family, to me,
to my sisters, to UM, getting getting a job done,
whatever the job may be. UM, commitment to being the
(29:38):
best that she can be at all times and even
even UM the commitment to keeping us at our best hotel.
It's just and it's just like a it's a it's
a unpologetic, unapologetic, unwavering love support and m expectation for
you to be the best at your in your and
(30:00):
you know, UM, the best you can be. You know,
it's not about the next person. Never, it's not about
doing this out doing this or whatever it may be. UM,
you being the best you can be and UM. And
then also just you know, always remember standing close to
your roots and UM. But the commitment and then the
support that she gave gives to me is just um,
it's super special and I know for a fact that
(30:23):
you know, it's not regular and um and she always
tell me all the time, like you know, you're not regular,
you know, and and and um and that's not to
be um cocky or arrogant, but it's just to believe
in the truth and knowing that you're different and um
and accepted, not even accepting that, thriving in that, you know,
being proud of that, and um and just really never
(30:46):
let me sell myself short and believing in me when
like nobody else did you know. So UM. So yeah,
that's definitely like, UM, something that I always hung my
hat on and motivated me because you know, we always
can no matter you know, how much time we go
without seeing each other, which at most of you are
probably not seeing each other maybe a week because of um.
(31:08):
But um, you know when we always come back and
come to and just reflect on you know, how far
you know we we came and and just how far
we have to to go as well. And that's just
not um in in football or sports and financially whatever
it may be, but just as on the journey, just
enjoying the journey, you know what I'm saying. And I
and I try to always bring my family back to Um,
(31:31):
just just remember that we are blessed and we got
when it's a journey that we own, and um, it's
gonna be up. So it's gonna be downs, but at
end of the day, we always got each other. And
um that's something that my mama stealed in us at
at you know, at a young age. And um she
just never relent from that. And um she and like
I said, like she said, she and Mama bear and
(31:51):
um she she she always you know, want to look
out for the best interest for all all her kids.
So and um so um yeah, I just I mean,
I could go all day to be honest, So I
love that. What do you hope when people say they
met your son or they say the name Grady Jareded,
how do you hope that people define your son? So
(32:16):
one word that I've I've always used when I am
talking to my son or about my son is undeniable.
I told him early early in his life to become
undeniable and be so undeniable that people don't have a
choice but to put you on the spot where you
(32:40):
want to be right. And I think that he's done
a great job and is continuing to to become the
full definition of undeniable. I think when people hear the
name Grady Jarrett, um, they hear a person of strong commitment,
(33:04):
high character, uh, integrity, a person that that um is
a leader both on the field and off the field,
a leader UM at home. You know, he's the son,
but he's certainly the anchor of my life, right UM.
I think that UM, people hear the name Grady Jared
(33:29):
and hear that this is a person that has a
balance uh and understand that you know, you just don't
get things by things being given to you. That you
have to work very very hard for them. That you
have to be persistent, You have to be dedicated and determined, um.
(33:52):
And you have to be you know, faithful um in
in you know your drive, um Jared is I mean,
he's he's a person that looks at the glass half
um full instead of half empty. Uh. And that is
going to take him a very very long way. UM.
(34:16):
I am crazy proud of this, you know person and
and you know that's that's my guy. Well, Alicia, thanks
so much for joining Greedy and I and we both
would like to wish you a happy Mother's Day because
we know that's coming up, so greedy you want to
stay Happy Mother's Day before we head out, Yep, yep, yep,
(34:39):
it's always a mother day. Happy Mother's Day, muncle. And
before we end, why you want to, um, tell tell
people about some of the stuff you got going on
coming up a little bit to keep out alled on
for um what you've been working on. Oh? Absolutely absolutely so. UM,
I too have a show that we're working on. It's
called Inside the Shield with NFL Moms host Alicia Jared
(35:04):
and I too have a co host in Rob Vodka,
and we have started some of our teasers. You'll be
able to see a lot of our teasers actually running
through Draft weekend. And so I'm really really excited about that.
And basically what the show is about, it's a it's
a platform for not only NFL Moms, but high school moms,
(35:26):
collegiate moms to come on and basically kind of tell
the stories about you know, their sons, share their experiences
and things like that. From this concept, I'm actually also
writing a book and it's going to be a guide
to parents. Basically, I'm still trying to work on the
(35:46):
name of it. We have a lot of the believe
it or not, We have a lot of the chapters
of the book done, but we're still trying. I keep
tweaking the name because I want the book to say
you will not destroy what I built, right, And that's
where the sport agents for the financial advisors or you
know whatever. So but it's it's a parents guide to
(36:07):
how to you know, do do this? Uh, do this
journey if you will. But yeah, so thanks for let
me share that. Appreciate that. That's awesome. I can't wait
to see Alicia. Hopefully we are able to see you
soon at practice and games, hopefully things be a little
bit normal. But appreciate you coming on and getting real
(36:28):
with Grady Jarrett. Well, Grady, aren't mom's just the best? Yeah,
especially when yo one like mine. Yeah, she's she's pretty awesome.
So I gosh, there's so many good stories she shared
about you. But like I said in the conversation with her,
you don't know you without knowing your mom. And for you,
(36:51):
you got drafted by your hometown team, and obviously that's
cool for a number of reasons, right because going to
play for the team you grew up watching. But the
element of the fact that your family was going to
be able to be around and be able to be
at things that you know, had you been drafted by
(37:12):
another team, she probably wouldn't be able to. I'm sure
she she wouldn't miss a game, but just you know,
being able to Sundays after the game go over to
her house or have her over at the house. How
how cool was that for you to be able to
have that that factor when you realize, Okay, I'm going
to be playing for the Falcons. Yeah, you know, it's
very cool. It's very cool. It's a blessing and um,
(37:33):
but you know, playing so close to home, um, you know,
you gotta know how to handle it, and you gotta
be the right type of person, you know. But for me,
it was definitely a blessing and um actually in the
time when I got drafted, if you do know my
draft story, um or house burn caught fire for me
in that moment, it was the only moment in life
where um, we didn't, um really know the next move
(37:59):
because you know, you did, like you don't know how
how what's gonna shake out. You know, my family has
never been this place. We've always been um, the steady,
consistent family where you know, people come in and take
you know, we take care of them. And it's just
been being out of that position. And and then for
me to be able to get drafted to the Falcons,
it was cool because it allowed me to stay close
(38:21):
to my family, um during such a hard time and
such a time and decision. But um, um, so playing
playing at home, it's been a it's been a blessing,
Like like you said, UM, whether it's um, just the
simple thing of after a game going out to the
house I grew up in, you know, to go have
(38:42):
to go have dinner with the family, spend spend time
and being able to um, you know, you know my mom,
whether I was here or and um playing for the
Hawaii whoever, if Hawaii had a team, my mom. Now
I wish the problem would be back there. That's pretty fun.
(39:02):
But I'll say that to say but you know, it's
been a blessing to be able to have her at
the game. And you know, you see before the game,
we always do a fist bump. You know that means
that means that's just you know, just our little our
little thing we do. UM, I mean not go all day.
But I mean it's it's been a blessing. It's been
a blessing being able to to be home and um
(39:23):
stay so close to the community. And it helps um
because you know along with um, you know, in this
life being a professional football player and um, when you
got a lot going on, whether it's in the community
and you know a lot of things are expected of you.
You know, you got agents, financial people, UM, you know,
playing whatever, has to have that buffer for somebody. For
(39:46):
moms who's so involved. She helps me with that. She's
like like she really like another like another like agent
or something to me like almost because um, she just
helped me that buffer for me, and UM, I need
that for that that whether it's mental, um, you know protection.
Sometimes sometimes I do, we do. She ain't gonna like this.
Sometime I do have to be like all right, man,
(40:06):
I could do it like I got I got this,
I got this, you know what I'm saying. So, but
I'm much rather always it's like it's like a coach,
right he say like I'd rather tell you to slow
down to speed up, you know what I'm saying. So, UM,
so I always know the effort and the commitment is
always gonna be there. So, I mean, so I don't
know if you know this story, but your mom reached
(40:29):
out to me before your first home game this season,
and she called me to tell me what she was
gonna do with the rest of your family. So, for
those who didn't see the story out on Atlanta Falcons
dot com or to see the pictures on our social
media channels, Alicia has never missed one of Gradis games
(40:52):
and when COVID happened in the NFL decided they were
still going to have a season. The first couple of games,
there were no fans allowed that man, no families were allowed,
just the teams. Well, your mom didn't know what to
do because she's never not been at one of your games,
but she but she was determined to make sure that
(41:15):
she still got to have that eye contact with you
and saw you before your game. She was determined to
do it. So she rounded up all of your family
and they surprised Grady where the players park at the
same spot every every game, and she knew where you parked.
So Alicia and the rest of your family made signs
(41:39):
with your numbers sayings. I mean, it was probably like
fifteen to twenty people that showed up on a bridge
that overlooked for a Grady part all in ninety seven jerseys,
so that when Grady came from the hotel to his
parking spot, when he got out of his car and
looked up to go into the stadium, he got to
(42:01):
see his mom and the rest of his family wearing jerseys.
And I just remember seeing those pictures and I got
the chills, and I'm like, that is that is so cool?
And I don't know if you knew that your mom,
but your mom called to let to let me know
so that we could notify people to be able to
take pictures of that. So you guys had that moment forever.
(42:24):
That's how That's how much she thought that through. When
you got out of the car, how shock for you.
And I was I was super shucked. I didn't even realize,
like because I'm just pulling in, I'm backing into my spot.
I don't even know if I if I pulled in
the parking lot just like look forward and went in here,
don't call me, I won't even know. But I got
I backed in the spot and looked up. I'm like,
(42:45):
what the world, I'm like, oh my god like this
it was. I was like, what in the world, But
it was it was fun. I kind of looking back
on it, I was kind of thinking, like some might
be up because like, um, you know, whether it's whether
it is was you know, my sister, like my mom
and my girl like texting me like I'm like, what
are they trying to see? Like whell I man like whatever,
(43:06):
But I'm like all right, whatever, And then I answered
my phone call. I used to talk that. That used
to be my thing. I used to call the mom
before the game and uh, I'm like, all right whatever.
So they tripped it day whatever they must first game,
they must be whipped out of shape, you know what
I'm saying. But no, that was definitely a special moment
um and you know, it got a little, it got
not a little a lot emotional for me and um,
(43:28):
but it's just it's just you know, just how how
grateful I am for that. And I was like, man,
I gotta go. I gotta go off of the game,
like I just gotta go. Okay, So you know, I
so I played really good. I had like two sacks
and um, some of the stuff. We end up losing
the game, but I feel good. About it, and then
Cloud knew that she be at home watching. I'm like, well, yeah, already,
you know, I gotta gotta go and say that that's hard.
That was. That was a hard day for her. That's
(43:50):
hard to day. Yeah, that was. It was. It was
really cool to watch that whole thing go down. And
I'm glad that year Emily has the pictures forever because
what a what a cool moment, and that shows what
your family is all about. I definitely appreciate you helping
us with the Yeah, of course, um so I asked
(44:10):
you and your mom this, But I want to go
a little bit more in depth here. Your contract extension.
You talked a little little bit about how things went
down to the wire and like I said, the NFL players,
the goal is to get to that second contract and
not everybody that Not everybody gets there, and you know
how hard it is. You talked a little bit about
(44:31):
how you're just tired, so you didn't really do to celebrate.
But what was your first purchase after you signed that
contract extension? Man, I can't really I don't even know
my first first one, but I'll tell you I got
some stuff I definitely did. I bought I bought a
new car. I actually bought two new cars, to be honest.
(44:53):
I bought a because I bought a g Wagon and
then a car always wanted when I was um just
you know, as a kid, you just grow up. I
wanted a rose Boy. So I got a race and
um and that was like with the black the black
on black black badge with the um red seats, uh starlight.
(45:16):
I got that. And then, um, I was living in
the house out in um out in Sugarloaf. I was
actually still I actually still still own this place, but
I don't stay there as my main residence in my
um I rented out now but um but I was
staying there. But when I got the kind of like
I want to move back to Buckhead, so I bought
(45:37):
me a condo down there and Buckhead and stayed there.
And then um then I just I just resold that
and I got a place another place now but um
um and then far as far as like then I'm
able to buy, well, I might did this before before
my contract. I bought my mom a car for Mother's Day.
(45:57):
Um when you're this might have been my fourth year
in the league. So so I had a little a
little bit of something. Um, now what I got a
little bit something, but I knew I had a little
some company into so about about her that car for
a Mother's Day? And um, I see let's see what
like like like you know, I'm a Mercedes Ambassador. So
(46:18):
um all my all my family got like Mercedes, like
um my little sister, my big sister, I got two
of them. My mom got once you want another one?
About to trade it? You know, I'm not about to
just keep behind. But uh but yeah, so um that
was that's a little that's a little song, a little
song song. I always I always love to ask that
(46:41):
question because you know, some sometimes the answers reveal really
great stories, like you know you're saying, you buy your
carm you buy your mom a car for Mother's day, Um,
you know mother Some I love. I can't get enough
of the stories of when people that get drafted or
reach a second contract they buy mom a house, Like
(47:01):
I just think those stories are so heartwarming and just
I can't get enough of those. So that that's why
I wanted to ask you that. Yeah, but going back
to that that process for you were you you said
you're a little bit nervous walk us through a little
bit of what that process was like and just how
(47:24):
excited you were when it was done that you were
signed by the team that you were drafted by, you
didn't have to go anywhere, and oh, by the way,
you were paid at the top of your position. Yeah yeah,
so um yeah, I was definitely share a little bit
of that story. So, um it was the last day
(47:45):
for franchise tag players to be to sign a deal,
and UM, well I was at the I was at
my agency office and um me my agents that I
have that I have, and there's a couple of the
um and then my mom was there and they were
(48:05):
we we had a number in mind for what we
wanted to do um or agree to and if and
I was so confident in myself that I was willing
to turn down a lot of money to play on
a one year deal. Um and because I knew that
my best football was ahead of me and I and
I you know, and we were just really um, we
(48:28):
really believe in ourself, you know. And then as I
see ourselves as me, my my whole team, agents, financial people,
and you know, I was so willing to better myself
that you know, we had um, they gave a final
you know, um offer on what they wanted to do,
and um, you know I wasn't and I wasn't sold
(48:49):
on it, and and uh, I said, I played on
the franchise tad like I'm like like I said, like
I it is what it is, and you know, I
you know that, you know whatever. Some more time passed,
but at the end of the day, you know, it's
almost getting reported, like still no deal for Gritty Jerry
on the day, so it looked like he might just
be under the tag blah blah blah blah. And we
(49:12):
went down to they had to sprint too. After um,
the Falcons and US came to agreement. Um, we literally
had the Um the girl in office literally had to
go sprint to the factor machine room to facts the
paperwork over to the to the NFL offices because if
(49:33):
you don't get any about the four o'clock, then his void,
you know. And um. So so it was just really
it was really like a a like an intense moment,
like it was just it was just really like putting
faith in like you know, if you you know, you
put your mind, set your mind or something and what
you want, and uh, it was just really am a
(49:54):
sweet deal for both sides, and and and and um,
I mean it was just something that you just to
you know, turn down, especially at that at that moment
in time. You know, Um, I was, you know, fifty
thousand dollars off from being a second pay highs the
defense tackle and in in in the whole league, you know,
and uh and then so you know, and then also
(50:17):
that just set us up for you know, future stuff
going forward. And um, it couldn't work out any couldn't
work down any better with a better place, better organization,
better team owner. And I was, uh, sincerely like blessing,
like any any time I spoke. But and this is
not me just you know, um blowing horn whatever, just
(50:38):
blowing smoke. Blowing smoke is like it's really been been
um great here, Like I'm thankful for it, like um,
because you know, you hear so much horror stories about
other other other other places and stuff, so I definitely
don't take it lightly. And you know, I have you know,
seeing teammates come and go, and I look around seeing pictures.
Now you know, I'll be the only one left for
(50:59):
some the pictures and I'll just be like you know,
that's how you know, quick. This turnaround is in NFL,
you know, so every day is a blessing, you know,
and I wouldn't want to do it any real. Um,
as you know that's right now. So I mean as
it's so's it's it's fun and uh yeah, well we
know that your mom was probably the happiest of all.
(51:21):
So just like your mom said, you know, she's proud
of the hard working, compassionate person that you are. So
we just wanted to wish everyone that's listening that's a mom.
Happy Mother's Day. Grady. I don't know if you want
to give a shout out, but happy Mother's Day to
you all listening, and we appreciate you tuning into another
(51:41):
episode of Getting Real with Grady Jarrett YEA happy Mother's
Day to all, um, much love and excitement for you all.
Yo, what's up, guys, it's Grady Jared. Welcome to my podcast,
Getting Real with Grady Jared, with me and my co
host Kelsey Conway, talking about football, life everything in between.
This week we got a very very special guest, someone
who's near and dear to my heart, someone who's you know,
always around, being seen, you know, with me here and
there later. Very very special to me was my mother,
(00:29):
Alicia Jarrett. And I'm super super excited about this conversation obviously,
so you can get another inside look at me and
her relationship and you can learn a little bit about
the woman to raise me and to the man I
am today. So here's our conversation with Alicia Jarrett, Well greedy.
When we first decided to do a podcast together, I
(00:51):
think the guest I was most excited to have on
is the guests that's joining us today, and that is
the one and only Alicia Jarrett. You're one her full
mom who is just awesome in every way, and I
can't wait to hear about your childhood stories together, how
you developed your bond. But wow, we have Alicia Jared
(01:11):
on the show today. How exciting, right, Yeah, super exciting
and super exciting. A little nervous and no telling was
about to go down. But no, I'm super excited. This
is an honor, this is a dream come true, and
I'm happy to have um my mom Alicia Jared the
Mama Jared on my podcast and ready to get to it.
You know, let the fans everybody know a little bit
(01:33):
about you know, our relationship and um you know what
she has meant to me and my career, in to
other to other people as well, um, not just myself,
you know, being a mother to others, being that figure
for mother guys, even going all the way back to
high school and park ball. So um so I'm excited
to let the world no one share, um share a
little bit what I get to experience every day in
(01:55):
my life. Yeah. And for those who don't know, and
they'll they'll get into the story just how close they are.
But it's rare if you know Grady that you don't
know his mom. She is so involved in every aspect
of his life. So Alicia, let's just start with let's
go down memory lane a little bit here. What stood
(02:16):
out about Grady as a kid? Ooh, what's stood out
about Grady as a kid? Well, Kelsey, first, thank you
all for having me on the show. I am super
excited to be here, and I am super proud of
the both of you for getting this up and going.
(02:36):
I think it's going to be an amazing opportunity for
people to to learn a lot about you know, different
different healths that you'll have on your shell. So congratulations
on the show, Grady. And I called Jarrett still very Yeah,
why I just I've started off calling Jarrett all his
(02:59):
life and all this if I've just called him by
his last name, Jared. Um, he was a he's a
was a very docile kid. He was very um, humble,
very quiet um, but very ambitious. He's always been a
competitor um and uh, he's always been very resilient. But
(03:22):
with that resilience, see, he's also been very empathetic at
the same time. And it's it's rare that you find
somebody so competitive at a young age and still very
uh empathetic. And uh, that's that's that's definitely Jared. He's
a humble person. Give him a little example, maybe what
(03:45):
you mean, but so yeah, I can give an example.
So he wants me to give an example, I can
give you a couple Okay, So we'll start off at
the at the park's early early on one. Um, I
think it was since maybe his second year playing UM
(04:05):
Warner Roberts football, and he uh, he was a big guy,
so he would they called him truck. And they called
him truck for a reason because he would truck down
the players. I mean he was just he put him
on the ground and but then he turned around and
he look and then he'd go back and he picked
him up. And you know, coach was like, Okay, your
(04:27):
job is to put him on the ground. You don't
have to pick him up. But he did that, and
he did that often. You know, he wanted to make
sure that he was doing his job, but that he
was also not hurting, you know, really hurting somebody too.
So but another example of his competitive competitiveness. He um,
he's he's broken one of my TVs. He since replaced them.
(04:49):
But I knew that, I knew that first story was coming.
I didn't know you about to put he was. He
was playing they I think it was the Nintendo game
back then, and the game was beating him. No, no,
this is not what happened. You. I was actually playing
(05:12):
the midtime She mentioned me playing the vial game. Was
playing my cousin and we were playing, um, uh the
baseball game when when you you hit him out, the
real dramatic baseball game. And uh. So he I was pitching.
He was pitching me the ball, and I kept hitting
home runs by home runs and then so he so
for many stop hitting home runs. You can make the
(05:33):
batter the picture hit you with the ball on the
thing so you can just walk and so so he
was slowing down my points. So he just hit me
with the ball. Make my guy. While I said, man,
stop stop making stop doing that, like I want to
come on out of stop being scared. So he did
it again. I said. I was like, I was like,
how I don't, don't do it again, Like, please, don't
do it again. So he did it again. I was like, man, stop,
(05:55):
like throw that through the control and I was like
and then all sounds so like we was waiting. So
I'm nervous, you know, because my parents get home, because
both my parents going, and then my little sister at
the time, now when she was younger, she was, oh
my gosh, she can wait and killing somebody. So as
soon as they gotten as soon as um they got
in the house, Jair the TV. That's all we was
(06:21):
disciplined kids, so I had to be handled with. So, hey,
I feel like I was. Probably my brother would probably
say the same thing about me. I'm the youngest of three,
and there's definitely sometimes I ratted him out, and now
I talking on him like why did I do that?
She's not there yet, she's not why she why did
she do that? So when you look at you mentioned
(06:48):
the traits of what Grady was like as a kid,
when did his football career really start? And when did
you know, Okay, my son is not you know, a
high school football player. He actually you know, could have
could have a career doing this. Yeah. Sure, So Jared
(07:08):
played multiple sports. He uh, of course football. Uh, he
played baseball where he excelled. He played basketball. Um, you know,
he ran track or did the shot put in track,
and and he wrestled again where he excelled. Uh, and
where I knew in football he would. Um. I really
(07:31):
thought that he would have a definitely a college career
and possibly a professional career in baseball because he was
really really good in baseball. Um, but it was probably
uh going into his ninth grade year for football. He
(07:51):
played both sides of the ball. And you know, anybody
that knows when he knows, I'm a mama bear. And
so I was like, you know, they need to get
somebody else out there, because my boy playing both sides
of the ball and whatever whatever, and and but as
you as you as you learn the game, and and
and I'm you know, very blessed. I've been around it
(08:13):
for a long time. Um, you know that that's a
that's a positive, right, And so probably, um, you know,
he had this motor that just kept going and kept
going and kept going and kept going, and that motor
then turned into drive. Right. He wanted to do things
(08:35):
better and better and better each and every time. And
he he loved to be challenged. Um. The high school
had had a coach that had been there for years
and years, and then when Jared went into the ninth grade,
the coach changed. Well, this particular coach didn't believe in
(08:57):
uh freshman's being on the varsity team, right, And so
Jared and I kind of discussed it, and I said, well,
you know, we're not gonna argue with his rules. You
just have to do better than the people that's on
the varsity team. And he did, you know, we had
a meeting. The coach said, listen, I don't want no
(09:18):
no mama, daddy, grandmama, Grandpapa coming up to me telling
me to put the freshman kid on my varsity team.
It's not happening. I would happen to be the president
of our booster club at the time, and I was,
you know, not gonna argue with coach, right, But I
watched him at practice every day, and I knew that
eventually he was going to be on that varsity team.
(09:41):
And it was about the third game, in maybe the
fourth game in his freshman year that he started on
the varsity team. And he's never he went straight you
know through, but his motor and his drive, his inner
competitive spirit led me to believe that definitely he was
going to be playing on the collegiate level, and that
(10:02):
he was going to be very competitive and his drive
would definitely get him to the next level. Have you
too always been as close as you are now? Yeah?
I would definitely say so. Um um, I mean, you know, uh,
(10:23):
I don't even you know, well, like I got to
always tell everybody like a far on the football side
of things, Um, you know, I'll never remember the game
you know my mom not being there were involved or
um you know or you know, more than the game,
a piece of class work or whatever it is. It's
super super involved. And um, you know, she motivated me
(10:44):
because I've seen like how hard she worked for us
growing up, and it's just something that you know, I
took pride in and also was you know, fortunate enough
for her, you know not to have um baby me
or like you know, spoon fed me. Like because it's
like some of the a lot of the things, the
lessons that I've learned and things persevere and overcome was
(11:06):
really just um you know, basically like versus if say
something don't go my way, versus you know, passing me
back telling me it's okay. So like you gotta figure
that out, you know what I'm saying, Like you gotta
go work like the world not gonna feel sorry for you.
And that's one of my biggest things that I that
I just you know, I try to teach people, whether
it's some personal relationships and friendships, talking to kids or whatever.
(11:28):
You know, everything is so you know, you know, feel good,
it's okay, it's okay. It's gonna be trying to next time.
But versus looking yourself in the mirror in fact, figuring
out what you gotta do better to be better, and
and and and and I just think that's that's something
that was just instilled with me by my mom. But like,
I mean, we can go whether it's you know, through
the college recruiting, um, you know, we hit the road
(11:48):
going to camps um trying to um, you know, get
more attension or scholarships or whatever. But she'll tell you like, like,
you know, um, when we was coming like coming, you know,
it's easy to look now where we were at in
in as a as a professional and see the same
people that you know didn't believe in you or like
(12:09):
look down and you like really laughed at you, like
saying you're wasting your time coming here and patch your
back beyond all man. And I tell her, I mean,
you know, we don't sit there and talk about I
mean we like I always said, you know, my success
is about proving the people that believe in me right, right.
You know, it ain't ever been It's never been about
and they say or hed or nothing, because at the
end of the day, they're gonna come back to you
(12:30):
and try to start you love anyway so UM, you
know you just you just gotta um you know, so
those just lessons that I just learned, you know, um,
being with her. But I feel like, you know, we
always had a close relationship and you know, just you know,
just get yet I didn't get better right mine? Yeah
yea yeap, So for sure, UM, I think kell s that. Um,
(12:57):
your question is, you know, have we always been this close?
I think anyone that knows my family know how the
bond between my son and I, Um, I mean it's
a life it's a life time bond the son. The
bond between a mother and son, I think is a
special bond. And for us, UM, that bond is unchanged
(13:19):
by people, time, distance, Um, you know, it's it's the
pure as love. And UM you know I will and
have forever supported him. Um. While I'm his largest cheerleader,
I'm probably his worst critic. Right where we keep everything
really really real, right, um, getting real with getting really
(13:45):
read absolutely absolutely absolutely and uh it's an understanding of
any situation and forgiving of any mistake is our relationship.
And that's that's how you can you know, kind of
that's how I would kind of cocoa up. Yes, So
I've fortunately been able to get to know you both
(14:08):
having worked for the Falcons for the last couple of years.
And something I think that the fans know about you,
Mama Jared, is that you have You're not just oh,
I go to the home games. Right, you haven't missed
up until COVID. I remember you telling me this, you
had not missed one of gradies games. Then that is
(14:30):
high school, that is college, that is NFL. That is
so you hit the road when he hits the road.
I've seen you at training camp practice at Flowery Branch
at nine am in the morning. I mean, you don't
miss you don't miss anything. And like, I think it's
funny that you know, you talk about how you're his
(14:51):
biggest critic. Kind of reminds me of the movie The
Blindside when Sandra bullocks in the stands and she's like
calling the coach and she's like run the day all
because because Dabo told us that when he when you
were up there for the summer camp or Grady got recruited,
you know, you were coaching him hard in those defensive
(15:13):
line drills. And I think the way that you balance
that love but also you know, keeping it real. I
think it really shows in the way that Grady is
as a person and I for you as a mom.
Is that the most rewarding part. The most rewarding part
for me in regards to Jared is the man that
(15:34):
he's turned out to be. I mean, he is just
such a man of integrity and character made something to him.
He's a man that cares, you know, for for people,
you know, even people outside of our family. He's a
he's a giving person. And you know, when I look
(15:58):
and hear stories about Jared, I say, that's my son,
right and and proud is is not a large enough word,
you know to express the emotion that I feel, you
know when I when I hear people um talk about Jared.
(16:20):
But he's definitely made me proud and and he's he
has a long way to go right, I mean life.
I'm hoping that you know, God blesses him with many
many years. Um. But I I am good to pat
myself on the back and say job well done, and
(16:43):
and continue my prayers that God continues to carry him.
I mean, he has morals, values, he knows right from wrong.
I'm a proud, proud mama for sure. I love that.
So I wanted to ask you guys question, Grady, when
you get in the NFL, everybody always talks about the
(17:04):
biggest goal is to get to that second contract. Uh.
When you signed your extension with the Falcons and it's
with your hometown team, you made it to the second
contract set up for the future. What did you guys
do to celebrate? And Alicia, if you would expand a
(17:27):
little bit on from your perspective, what that moment was like, Um,
for you and Grady to celebrate that together. Um. Yeah,
so I'll pick up on that. Um, you know that
that time was a it was a really really great
time for you know, me and my family just to
be in that position, you know, to to to be
able to be blessing that position. And uh, you know
(17:51):
it was a lot of things going on during that
time on the side and know whether too, Um you
know the time it was. You know, it's just you know,
being franchise tag and the way that the deal worked out. Um. Uh,
I'll just say this to say, you know, it's it
went all the way down to the wire. Um, when
(18:11):
we were you know signed, you know, having our discussions
or whatever they may be. But um, you know when
they when things got nervous and just just didn't know
how things gonna shake out. You know, we uh we
put our foot down together and you know, we let
we let God take care of the rest, and he
blessed us. But at the same time, uh, you know,
I don't think there was I mean, we celebrated obviously,
(18:33):
we always celebrate our compliment, but we knew it was
just the beginning. Like like for for me, it was
a motivation fact like like this, like I mean, this
is just I mean, it's just getting started. At the time,
for me, I had no Pro Bowls, you know, and
no All pros, and I felt like the best football
is ahead of me, and here I am, you know,
two two seasons left three years going on three years
(18:54):
later after my deal, you know, and I had a
Pro Bowl every year since I signed my deal and
all Pro. I think I should have been an All
Pro againing year, honestly, And uh, I only continue to
I only you know, pray to continue to get better
and work for that. So for me and for my mom,
we knew that and we know that. I mean, I
just think the things that just can please other people,
(19:14):
it's just it's we really were really hard to please.
We are and we just I mean like it's it's
it's just motivated factors to the wheels fall off. It's
just more it's like, you want to be better, you
know what I'm saying. You want to prove that. You
know that that that you never get complacent, you know
what I'm saying, Like, uh, and that's one of the
biggest things you know that I've learned in my household growing.
(19:35):
I'm never get complacent. You know, you never arrived. And um,
that's why I do continue to get better and try
to strive and get better and every every you know,
every every aspect of my life and just continue to grow.
So U. But as far as uh, you know, celebration, celebrating,
I think we went out. We went out to eat something.
We were tired. We said we were going, but we
(19:56):
were tired. Yeah. We we went back to work exactly.
We went back to work, you know what I'm saying.
We went back to where we handle some stuff in
the um personal life with families, getting stuff set up
about certain things and handling the business off the field.
And but you know, once we you know, dotted, all
the eyes take across all the tis it was worktime again,
(20:18):
you know, and and I think I just that just
goes to show for itself, like, uh, you know, it's
just just uh, you know, it was fun. H. So
we've talked a lot about what you guys do together
in terms of your support Alicia in his football career,
but that is just such a small part of who
(20:38):
Grady is and what he does. I think we're gonna
have a whole episode of this podcast dedicated to what
Grady does and continues to do in the community in Atlanta.
But you are there at everything, not just his sports
heat every community event and everything that's important to him
(20:59):
is important to you. So will you guys let us
in on a little bit of some of the things
that you guys do together that's off the football field.
Off the field, Um, we're into a lot of things definitely,
you know, being big in the community, especially where I'm
from Monta Carrns, Georgia. Um. Um. We first started with
doing a football camp and and and um an anti
(21:22):
bullying campaign. You know, big Man Don't Bully. And that
was a big touching thing for me because you know,
just shooting support for kids and and and so they
can treat each other better. And this was a time
where it was a lot of um, you know, there's
a lot of cyber bullying stuff going on, was real popular,
I mean like not popular, but was real prevalent on
(21:42):
social media at the time. And then there were some
kids around the country, you know, hurt themselves dealing with bullying.
So at the time, I was you know, looking and
praying for a cause. That was something that came to
me and we just took that and ran with it. Um.
Over time, you know, big man don't bully, and we
were doing so much other stuff in the community, we
just transformed our whole umbrella of things to into Grady Gifts,
(22:03):
which is what we do now. And whether that's um
and Grady Gives, got his hand a little bit of everything,
you know, anything you think about um from holidays, you know, um. Um,
Like I said, awareness, empowering the youth hospital yep, yep.
So um you go ahead, yep, um, just like Jared
(22:25):
was saying, UM, and Gready Gives is certainly the umbrella
of of what he does and and and I think
that the big thing here, Kelsey, is that he really
does so much that um, you know, the Falcons has
no clue and because he doesn't do it to be recognized. UM. UM,
(22:46):
like I said, the the literacy awareness, UM focus that
he has. Uh, he's been given the key to our city.
He's been given a Grady Jarrett Day in our city
of Kanyers. They we were a tenth We celebrate that. UM.
They retired his high school football jersey. Right now, this spring,
(23:11):
we will break ground on the new team center and
it's called the Grady Jarrett Team Center. We're really really
excited about that right now. Also, UM, the Senate has
a bill that's where they're going to name all of
the um you know, the post that identifies the county.
(23:32):
They're getting ready to put Grady you know, home of
Grady Jarrett on those posts. Uh. So it's it's it's
it's a it's a big thing. And we certainly UM
appreciate people that do recognize. But the reality is, you know,
the things that he does when he goes to the hospitals,
he goes to the hospitals to put a smile on
someone's face, you know, and and he's so good at it.
(23:54):
You know, he's he's I call him gentle giant because
the kids and even even older people that's in the hospital.
They just love when he comes by and it just
brightens their day. Um, he goes back, he's he's keynotes,
called to be keynote speaker several times for you know,
his high school, the black history programs for even the
(24:19):
state legislators have called them, you know. And and so
he does a lot. And the good thing is that, um,
he enjoys doing it. There's still a lot of work
to do. Um, getting us a whole bunch of stuff
is coming to my mind right now. We I think
he gave seven different families. Um, he bought the Christmas
(24:40):
for all their kids. I mean, just it just it's
just endless. And again it's just to make somebody's you know,
smile for if it's just a little short, you know,
a period of time. Yeah, Grady and I talked a
lot about just the position that he's in in the
fact that he can impact people's lives and he takes
(25:03):
that responsibility very seriously. So you can tell with all
of what you guys do, but you also not just
what he does in the community. But man, you're a
pretty big Clemson fan. We saw that, we saw that
you were at the spring game with him, and for
sure you guys are on vacations. We see on Grady's Instagram,
we see you're around with him, So it seems like
(25:25):
you guys do a lot together. Um. You were at
Hayden Hurst charity event right behind Grady and the pictures.
I'm like, Alicia's everywhere where. Grady is absolutely listen outside
of the support of him, um um, and he'll tell you,
you know, community things I've done all of all of
(25:47):
my children's lives, so um and it's something that we
enjoy doing. But let's talk about Clemson for a minute. Hey,
that's that's that's my stumping ground. Listen. He's represented to day. UM.
But we some of our best years was spent at Clemson,
and we have developed lifelong friendships with Petebet Clemson. The president,
(26:14):
Jim Clements is a very good friend of ours. And
of course, UM coach Dabl Sweeney and Kathleen and a
lot of the coaches and I mean Jared still has
you know, some of the people that um that you
know it was in the cafeteria that are really really
good friends. Clemson is home. Clemson will always be home
for us, and so we certainly we certainly enjoy Clemson,
(26:38):
but we have a tight knit family. We love to cook.
Look now that he cooks, I certainly have turned over
the reins for him to do it, and he's a
very good cook. You know, we don't miss our family vacation.
Sometimes here recently when you know, things out a little
bit open, Uh, he and his siblings have taken vacasions,
(27:01):
But we don't miss our family vacations. We enjoy you know,
just spending time together. And then he and I will
we will still a day or two away and you know,
just kind of catch up on life and things like that.
And those are priceless moments for me. Cal say, those
are things that I I not only want my family
can continue to do, but I want my children's families
(27:23):
to do some of those same rituals. So yeah, it's
got yeah, back on you know the clempsion topic. Um, definitely,
staying closer to the university has been been good, even
if even if I make it up you know, just
one one time a year. It's also appreciated because you know,
I know, when guys get away from school, they can
stay away for so long, and um, it's good. Just
(27:44):
gonna show your face, show love and it's been We've
been fortunate because coach we need the whole coaching staff
for the most part, it's still intact from when I
was there, so it feels good and um and also
with it just been you know, two hours up the
road from Atlanta, that was always good. And um, I started,
like I got when I went up there. I started
because I don't know people know, but I'm into like
(28:04):
like water sports and stuff, you know, boating, um jet
ski and stuff like that. So they got an a
lot of nice lakes up there, so we'll go. We'll
go up there sometime with the fam and just hang out.
So um. So yeah, yeah, definitely definitely spending the time
has been has been a great, great family place too.
So yeah. And this is a college town. Everything is
about it, you know what I'm saying, Like everything eclipsion
(28:27):
is about eclipsion. You know. Yeah, you're you're doing I
don't know how it was a Cincinnati. Yeah, there's not.
It's not warm. It's not warm enough to do all that.
But Grady, before before we let your mom go, I
want to put you on the spot. And then Alicia,
I have a question for you. Grady, what do you
(28:49):
appreciate most about your mom and Alicia, what do you
hope when people say I met Grady Jarrett or say
the name Grady Jarrett, they say about your son. So great?
You want to go first, y'all go first. UM. What
I appreciate most about UM my mom is up. Yeah
(29:16):
you better still make a crowned thing. Not just what
I appreciate most is UM. It's just really her commitment,
her commitment to UM, to to our family, to me,
to my sisters, to UM, getting getting a job done,
whatever the job may be. UM, commitment to being the
(29:38):
best that she can be at all times and even
even UM the commitment to keeping us at our best hotel.
It's just and it's just like a it's a it's
a unpologetic, unapologetic, unwavering love support and m expectation for
you to be the best at your in your and
(30:00):
you know, UM, the best you can be. You know,
it's not about the next person. Never, it's not about
doing this out doing this or whatever it may be. UM,
you being the best you can be and UM. And
then also just you know, always remember standing close to
your roots and UM. But the commitment and then the
support that she gave gives to me is just um,
it's super special and I know for a fact that
(30:23):
you know, it's not regular and um and she always
tell me all the time, like you know, you're not regular,
you know, and and and um and that's not to
be um cocky or arrogant, but it's just to believe
in the truth and knowing that you're different and um
and accepted, not even accepting that, thriving in that, you know,
being proud of that, and um and just really never
(30:46):
let me sell myself short and believing in me when
like nobody else did you know. So UM. So yeah,
that's definitely like, UM, something that I always hung my
hat on and motivated me because you know, we always
can no matter you know, how much time we go
without seeing each other, which at most of you are
probably not seeing each other maybe a week because of um.
(31:08):
But um, you know when we always come back and
come to and just reflect on you know, how far
you know we we came and and just how far
we have to to go as well. And that's just
not um in in football or sports and financially whatever
it may be, but just as on the journey, just
enjoying the journey, you know what I'm saying. And I
and I try to always bring my family back to Um,
(31:31):
just just remember that we are blessed and we got
when it's a journey that we own, and um, it's
gonna be up. So it's gonna be downs, but at
end of the day, we always got each other. And
um that's something that my mama stealed in us at
at you know, at a young age. And um she
just never relent from that. And um she and like
I said, like she said, she and Mama bear and
(31:51):
um she she she always you know, want to look
out for the best interest for all all her kids.
So and um so um yeah, I just I mean,
I could go all day to be honest, So I
love that. What do you hope when people say they
met your son or they say the name Grady Jareded,
how do you hope that people define your son? So
(32:16):
one word that I've I've always used when I am
talking to my son or about my son is undeniable.
I told him early early in his life to become
undeniable and be so undeniable that people don't have a
choice but to put you on the spot where you
(32:40):
want to be right. And I think that he's done
a great job and is continuing to to become the
full definition of undeniable. I think when people hear the
name Grady Jarrett, um, they hear a person of strong commitment,
(33:04):
high character, uh, integrity, a person that that um is
a leader both on the field and off the field,
a leader UM at home. You know, he's the son,
but he's certainly the anchor of my life, right UM.
I think that UM, people hear the name Grady Jared
(33:29):
and hear that this is a person that has a
balance uh and understand that you know, you just don't
get things by things being given to you. That you
have to work very very hard for them. That you
have to be persistent, You have to be dedicated and determined, um.
(33:52):
And you have to be you know, faithful um in
in you know your drive, um Jared is I mean,
he's he's a person that looks at the glass half
um full instead of half empty. Uh. And that is
going to take him a very very long way. UM.
(34:16):
I am crazy proud of this, you know person and
and you know that's that's my guy. Well, Alicia, thanks
so much for joining Greedy and I and we both
would like to wish you a happy Mother's Day because
we know that's coming up, so greedy you want to
stay Happy Mother's Day before we head out, Yep, yep, yep,
(34:39):
it's always a mother day. Happy Mother's Day, muncle. And
before we end, why you want to, um, tell tell
people about some of the stuff you got going on
coming up a little bit to keep out alled on
for um what you've been working on. Oh? Absolutely absolutely so. UM,
I too have a show that we're working on. It's
called Inside the Shield with NFL Moms host Alicia Jared
(35:04):
and I too have a co host in Rob Vodka,
and we have started some of our teasers. You'll be
able to see a lot of our teasers actually running
through Draft weekend. And so I'm really really excited about that.
And basically what the show is about, it's a it's
a platform for not only NFL Moms, but high school moms,
(35:26):
collegiate moms to come on and basically kind of tell
the stories about you know, their sons, share their experiences
and things like that. From this concept, I'm actually also
writing a book and it's going to be a guide
to parents. Basically, I'm still trying to work on the
(35:46):
name of it. We have a lot of the believe
it or not, We have a lot of the chapters
of the book done, but we're still trying. I keep
tweaking the name because I want the book to say
you will not destroy what I built, right, And that's
where the sport agents for the financial advisors or you
know whatever. So but it's it's a parents guide to
(36:07):
how to you know, do do this? Uh, do this
journey if you will. But yeah, so thanks for let
me share that. Appreciate that. That's awesome. I can't wait
to see Alicia. Hopefully we are able to see you
soon at practice and games, hopefully things be a little
bit normal. But appreciate you coming on and getting real
(36:28):
with Grady Jarrett. Well, Grady, aren't mom's just the best? Yeah,
especially when yo one like mine. Yeah, she's she's pretty awesome.
So I gosh, there's so many good stories she shared
about you. But like I said in the conversation with her,
you don't know you without knowing your mom. And for you,
(36:51):
you got drafted by your hometown team, and obviously that's
cool for a number of reasons, right because going to
play for the team you grew up watching. But the
element of the fact that your family was going to
be able to be around and be able to be
at things that you know, had you been drafted by
(37:12):
another team, she probably wouldn't be able to. I'm sure
she she wouldn't miss a game, but just you know,
being able to Sundays after the game go over to
her house or have her over at the house. How
how cool was that for you to be able to
have that that factor when you realize, Okay, I'm going
to be playing for the Falcons. Yeah, you know, it's
very cool. It's very cool. It's a blessing and um,
(37:33):
but you know, playing so close to home, um, you know,
you gotta know how to handle it, and you gotta
be the right type of person, you know. But for me,
it was definitely a blessing and um actually in the
time when I got drafted, if you do know my
draft story, um or house burn caught fire for me
in that moment, it was the only moment in life
where um, we didn't, um really know the next move
(37:59):
because you know, you did, like you don't know how
how what's gonna shake out. You know, my family has
never been this place. We've always been um, the steady,
consistent family where you know, people come in and take
you know, we take care of them. And it's just
been being out of that position. And and then for
me to be able to get drafted to the Falcons,
it was cool because it allowed me to stay close
(38:21):
to my family, um during such a hard time and
such a time and decision. But um, um, so playing
playing at home, it's been a it's been a blessing,
Like like you said, UM, whether it's um, just the
simple thing of after a game going out to the
house I grew up in, you know, to go have
(38:42):
to go have dinner with the family, spend spend time
and being able to um, you know, you know my mom,
whether I was here or and um playing for the
Hawaii whoever, if Hawaii had a team, my mom. Now
I wish the problem would be back there. That's pretty fun.
(39:02):
But I'll say that to say but you know, it's
been a blessing to be able to have her at
the game. And you know, you see before the game,
we always do a fist bump. You know that means
that means that's just you know, just our little our
little thing we do. UM, I mean not go all day.
But I mean it's it's been a blessing. It's been
a blessing being able to to be home and um
(39:23):
stay so close to the community. And it helps um
because you know along with um, you know, in this
life being a professional football player and um, when you
got a lot going on, whether it's in the community
and you know a lot of things are expected of you.
You know, you got agents, financial people, UM, you know,
playing whatever, has to have that buffer for somebody. For
(39:46):
moms who's so involved. She helps me with that. She's
like like she really like another like another like agent
or something to me like almost because um, she just
helped me that buffer for me, and UM, I need
that for that that whether it's mental, um, you know protection.
Sometimes sometimes I do, we do. She ain't gonna like this.
Sometime I do have to be like all right, man,
(40:06):
I could do it like I got I got this,
I got this, you know what I'm saying. So, but
I'm much rather always it's like it's like a coach,
right he say like I'd rather tell you to slow
down to speed up, you know what I'm saying. So, UM,
so I always know the effort and the commitment is
always gonna be there. So, I mean, so I don't
know if you know this story, but your mom reached
(40:29):
out to me before your first home game this season,
and she called me to tell me what she was
gonna do with the rest of your family. So, for
those who didn't see the story out on Atlanta Falcons
dot com or to see the pictures on our social
media channels, Alicia has never missed one of Gradis games
(40:52):
and when COVID happened in the NFL decided they were
still going to have a season. The first couple of games,
there were no fans allowed that man, no families were allowed,
just the teams. Well, your mom didn't know what to
do because she's never not been at one of your games,
but she but she was determined to make sure that
(41:15):
she still got to have that eye contact with you
and saw you before your game. She was determined to
do it. So she rounded up all of your family
and they surprised Grady where the players park at the
same spot every every game, and she knew where you parked.
So Alicia and the rest of your family made signs
(41:39):
with your numbers sayings. I mean, it was probably like
fifteen to twenty people that showed up on a bridge
that overlooked for a Grady part all in ninety seven jerseys,
so that when Grady came from the hotel to his
parking spot, when he got out of his car and
looked up to go into the stadium, he got to
(42:01):
see his mom and the rest of his family wearing jerseys.
And I just remember seeing those pictures and I got
the chills, and I'm like, that is that is so cool?
And I don't know if you knew that your mom,
but your mom called to let to let me know
so that we could notify people to be able to
take pictures of that. So you guys had that moment forever.
(42:24):
That's how That's how much she thought that through. When
you got out of the car, how shock for you.
And I was I was super shucked. I didn't even realize,
like because I'm just pulling in, I'm backing into my spot.
I don't even know if I if I pulled in
the parking lot just like look forward and went in here,
don't call me, I won't even know. But I got
I backed in the spot and looked up. I'm like,
(42:45):
what the world, I'm like, oh my god like this
it was. I was like, what in the world, But
it was it was fun. I kind of looking back
on it, I was kind of thinking, like some might
be up because like, um, you know, whether it's whether
it is was you know, my sister, like my mom
and my girl like texting me like I'm like, what
are they trying to see? Like whell I man like whatever,
(43:06):
But I'm like all right, whatever, And then I answered
my phone call. I used to talk that. That used
to be my thing. I used to call the mom
before the game and uh, I'm like, all right whatever.
So they tripped it day whatever they must first game,
they must be whipped out of shape, you know what
I'm saying. But no, that was definitely a special moment
um and you know, it got a little, it got
not a little a lot emotional for me and um,
(43:28):
but it's just it's just you know, just how how
grateful I am for that. And I was like, man,
I gotta go. I gotta go off of the game,
like I just gotta go. Okay, So you know, I
so I played really good. I had like two sacks
and um, some of the stuff. We end up losing
the game, but I feel good. About it, and then
Cloud knew that she be at home watching. I'm like, well, yeah, already,
you know, I gotta gotta go and say that that's hard.
That was. That was a hard day for her. That's
(43:50):
hard to day. Yeah, that was. It was. It was
really cool to watch that whole thing go down. And
I'm glad that year Emily has the pictures forever because
what a what a cool moment, and that shows what
your family is all about. I definitely appreciate you helping
us with the Yeah, of course, um so I asked
(44:10):
you and your mom this, But I want to go
a little bit more in depth here. Your contract extension.
You talked a little little bit about how things went
down to the wire and like I said, the NFL players,
the goal is to get to that second contract and
not everybody that Not everybody gets there, and you know
how hard it is. You talked a little bit about
(44:31):
how you're just tired, so you didn't really do to celebrate.
But what was your first purchase after you signed that
contract extension? Man, I can't really I don't even know
my first first one, but I'll tell you I got
some stuff I definitely did. I bought I bought a
new car. I actually bought two new cars, to be honest.
(44:53):
I bought a because I bought a g Wagon and
then a car always wanted when I was um just
you know, as a kid, you just grow up. I
wanted a rose Boy. So I got a race and
um and that was like with the black the black
on black black badge with the um red seats, uh starlight.
(45:16):
I got that. And then, um, I was living in
the house out in um out in Sugarloaf. I was
actually still I actually still still own this place, but
I don't stay there as my main residence in my
um I rented out now but um but I was
staying there. But when I got the kind of like
I want to move back to Buckhead, so I bought
(45:37):
me a condo down there and Buckhead and stayed there.
And then um then I just I just resold that
and I got a place another place now but um
um and then far as far as like then I'm
able to buy, well, I might did this before before
my contract. I bought my mom a car for Mother's Day.
(45:57):
Um when you're this might have been my fourth year
in the league. So so I had a little a
little bit of something. Um, now what I got a
little bit something, but I knew I had a little
some company into so about about her that car for
a Mother's Day? And um, I see let's see what
like like like you know, I'm a Mercedes Ambassador. So
(46:18):
um all my all my family got like Mercedes, like
um my little sister, my big sister, I got two
of them. My mom got once you want another one?
About to trade it? You know, I'm not about to
just keep behind. But uh but yeah, so um that
was that's a little that's a little song, a little
song song. I always I always love to ask that
(46:41):
question because you know, some sometimes the answers reveal really
great stories, like you know you're saying, you buy your
carm you buy your mom a car for Mother's day, Um,
you know mother Some I love. I can't get enough
of the stories of when people that get drafted or
reach a second contract they buy mom a house, Like
(47:01):
I just think those stories are so heartwarming and just
I can't get enough of those. So that that's why
I wanted to ask you that. Yeah, but going back
to that that process for you were you you said
you're a little bit nervous walk us through a little
bit of what that process was like and just how
(47:24):
excited you were when it was done that you were
signed by the team that you were drafted by, you
didn't have to go anywhere, and oh, by the way,
you were paid at the top of your position. Yeah yeah,
so um yeah, I was definitely share a little bit
of that story. So, um it was the last day
(47:45):
for franchise tag players to be to sign a deal,
and UM, well I was at the I was at
my agency office and um me my agents that I
have that I have, and there's a couple of the
um and then my mom was there and they were
(48:05):
we we had a number in mind for what we
wanted to do um or agree to and if and
I was so confident in myself that I was willing
to turn down a lot of money to play on
a one year deal. Um and because I knew that
my best football was ahead of me and I and
I you know, and we were just really um, we
(48:28):
really believe in ourself, you know. And then as I
see ourselves as me, my my whole team, agents, financial people,
and you know, I was so willing to better myself
that you know, we had um, they gave a final
you know, um offer on what they wanted to do,
and um, you know I wasn't and I wasn't sold
(48:49):
on it, and and uh, I said, I played on
the franchise tad like I'm like like I said, like
I it is what it is, and you know, I
you know that, you know whatever. Some more time passed,
but at the end of the day, you know, it's
almost getting reported, like still no deal for Gritty Jerry
on the day, so it looked like he might just
be under the tag blah blah blah blah. And we
(49:12):
went down to they had to sprint too. After um,
the Falcons and US came to agreement. Um, we literally
had the Um the girl in office literally had to
go sprint to the factor machine room to facts the
paperwork over to the to the NFL offices because if
(49:33):
you don't get any about the four o'clock, then his void,
you know. And um. So so it was just really
it was really like a a like an intense moment,
like it was just it was just really like putting
faith in like you know, if you you know, you
put your mind, set your mind or something and what
you want, and uh, it was just really am a
(49:54):
sweet deal for both sides, and and and and um,
I mean it was just something that you just to
you know, turn down, especially at that at that moment
in time. You know, Um, I was, you know, fifty
thousand dollars off from being a second pay highs the
defense tackle and in in in the whole league, you know,
and uh and then so you know, and then also
(50:17):
that just set us up for you know, future stuff
going forward. And um, it couldn't work out any couldn't
work down any better with a better place, better organization,
better team owner. And I was, uh, sincerely like blessing,
like any any time I spoke. But and this is
not me just you know, um blowing horn whatever, just
(50:38):
blowing smoke. Blowing smoke is like it's really been been
um great here, Like I'm thankful for it, like um,
because you know, you hear so much horror stories about
other other other other places and stuff, so I definitely
don't take it lightly. And you know, I have you know,
seeing teammates come and go, and I look around seeing pictures.
Now you know, I'll be the only one left for
(50:59):
some the pictures and I'll just be like you know,
that's how you know, quick. This turnaround is in NFL,
you know, so every day is a blessing, you know,
and I wouldn't want to do it any real. Um,
as you know that's right now. So I mean as
it's so's it's it's fun and uh yeah, well we
know that your mom was probably the happiest of all.
(51:21):
So just like your mom said, you know, she's proud
of the hard working, compassionate person that you are. So
we just wanted to wish everyone that's listening that's a mom.
Happy Mother's Day. Grady. I don't know if you want
to give a shout out, but happy Mother's Day to
you all listening, and we appreciate you tuning into another
(51:41):
episode of Getting Real with Grady Jarrett YEA happy Mother's
Day to all, um, much love and excitement for you all.
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