August 14, 2023 • 8 mins
Wayne Larrivee sits down with former Green Bay Packers linebacker Erik Walden to reminisce about being signed as a free agent by Green Bay (1:16), talking about his relationship with Kevin Greene (1:50) and the end of the 2010 season (3:00).
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
For more than a century, the Green Bay Packers have
been a benchmark for football excellence. Thousands of players have
helped pave the way, and we're here to tell you
their stories. I'm Wayne Larravy. This is the Packers alumni
spot White. Former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is fond
(00:23):
of saying it took some seventy players to get the
Packers through a Super Bowl season in twenty ten. Injuries
ravaged the roster that season, and the Packers had to
literally hit the streets to find players. Two notable in
season acquisitions were defensive lineman Howard Green from the Jets
and outside linebacker Eric Walden, who came to the Packers
(00:46):
after being waived by Miami earlier that year. Twenty ten.
You didn't start with Green Bay. You were elsewhere and
there was a big build up for that Packers team
that year. But as the season unfolded, injury after injury
after injury, and by late October there was a need
(01:09):
and they needed somebody to commit an outside linebacker and
you got the call when you got here. What were
your impressions?
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Very cold, freezing, but uh rest of the piece to
the great Kevin Green he just you know, kind of
kind of told me when the rundown with the injury situation,
great opportunity for me here, and you know, I just
came into an open oills and kind of risk took
care of hisself.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
What tell me about Kevin Green or what was it
like to play for him? Because he to me, I
mean just a little bit. I knew him. I obviously
I knew him, but not in a football sense. But
he was energy personified. I mean, I can't imagine playing
for a more intense guy.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Right, more like a big brother, Like you said, the
energy every day go hold you to a high standard.
You know, very competitive and you know, I've seen a
lot of you know, like you said, a lot of
similarities each other as far as the mentality and the
attitude we pursue a game. And it was just a
pleasure in honor to you know, be able to be
coached by awd Man, one of the great legends.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
So when you got here, did you realize or did
it take long to realize that this team was heading
places despite all the set packs they'd had. Physically, Yeah,
you had to pick over things quick.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Obviously, what you said, it was a lot of injuries,
so they needed a need and you know, if you
was able to feel the need, seen a lot of
potential throughout practice, you know, throughout the season, and luckily
we was all able to jail together and put it
together and have a good run.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
The season came down to Week seventeen at lambeau Field
against the art travel Chicago Bears. It was winter go
Home for the Packers, and the Bears decided, even though
they had clinched all their spots in the playoffs and everything,
they had decided to play their starters. They didn't want
to see the Packers in the playoffs. Tell me about
that day. What do you remember from that day, because
(02:57):
it was probably one of the best days of your NFL.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Can definitely one of the best. My best game, I'll say,
uh uh. It was just like you said, a great opportunity.
We needed to win to get in the playoffs. Oppositely,
the win didn't mean much to them. They didn't rest
their starters, which we we kind of suspected they would.
We came out I think it was a ten to
seven game. Defense played stellar. It was kind of battle
(03:21):
back and forth between the offenses, and you know, we
was able to prevail man to get that playoff berth.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
So once you get in, what was your expectation. What
did you think at that point in time super Bowl?
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Cause I was you know, coming from the mother teams
and getting cut and fired. I was like, what the
greatest scenario to come here off the street showing the
Packers get in the playoffs and winning the Super Bowl.
So that was like my only mission at that point.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Well, you had to feel great about yourself at that time,
I mean, because your performance against the Bearers the week
before was a major reason why the Packers made it
in right right right.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
But at the same time, we didn't really have we
have time to dwell on that. You know, it was
a bigger picture now, So you know, with them bringing
me in man and the type of players we had,
with the coaching staff, it was just, you know, it
was a good mix for everybody.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
So you get through Philadelphia and Michael Vick chasing him around,
and then you go to Atlanta. You're playing the number
one seed, the Falcons on a Saturday night in the
Dome in Atlanta and everybody was fired up. Was that
really the point where you, guys, in your opinion, became super.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
I think so. I think so going to Philly and
getting a big win, and then I feel like we
just dominated Atlanta. You know, it was a lot of
hype coming to that game, Like you said, number one seed,
we're the sixth seed, we don't have a chance. And
I feel like once we kind of that second half,
we came out and dominated and then we'd like, hey man,
we got a shot just as anybody else to bring
(04:51):
this thing home. And so we just used that momentum
and kind of carried it for us.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
You know, I remember, you guys got down fourteen to
seven in that game, and then late the first half
the game is you know, you guys are up by seven,
twenty one to fourteen. Remember Tremont Williams, I don't know
if you were on the field for it, picked off
that pass right before halftime, took it to the house.
Now it's twenty eight to fourteen. That's when I said,
oh my, this team's got this team special. They're going places.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Big play by Tremont. He was able to pick it
off and take it all the way back. And then,
like you said, at that point, we just really wanted up.
Looking back, it was like it's I was forposed to
grab him. As we stay on that that that trending
and we should be good.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Okay, so the bear's greatest fear was realized. You guys
were coming in for the NFC Championship game. Tell me
about that day in Chicago.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
There was another freezer out there probably what like I remember,
like fourteen degrees or something like that. Something really cold,
but very competitive game. It really just came down to
who wanted the most. You play a division opponent twice
in the season and then you're fortunate enough to play
on the third time in the playoff standing. There really
too many trick or plays. You know each other, You
(06:04):
know each other Tennessee. So it's really about who wanted
the most. And I feel like we wanted the most
and we was able to prevail.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
That was quite a game. I mean, bj Raji intercepts
their third string quarterback, Caleb Haney, returns it to the
end zone. I'm figuring this has got to be over.
If your nose tackle intercepts h and returns to the
house for a touchdown and you don't win, then it'll
never be your day. But it was. But it came
(06:30):
down to in the end, they were driving for the
tying score. And again I'm not sure if you were
on the field or not. I bet you were. Caleb
Haney threw it over the middle and that rookie Sam
Shields came out of nowhere and intercepted, and that was it.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Finally, definitely, definitely Unfortunately I got hurt like the second
quarter he ankle sprang so but you know, I was
I became a fan. The cheering my team mons, but yeah,
they was. They was driving and I can remember I
think she'd had two that game. Yeah, two picks that game.
But I'm know he made a heck of a play
and shoot, that was kind of a nailing the Coff
(07:05):
Super Bowl.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
What do you what do you take from that? What
do you remember?
Speaker 2 (07:08):
There a great experience prior all week because I knew
I was't gonna be able to play. I think you
hit like Tuesday Wednesday, I'm trying to do everything, rehabing,
but at the same time, you're still trying to enjoy
that week, you know, being out there in Dallas. Tremendous week,
media coverage, all type of gifts. But at the end
of the day, yeah, I was a little disappointed. You know,
(07:31):
you couldn't hit the team. It's one of the biggest
games ever. So you know, it's just somebody had to
live with. But you know, fortunate and blessed got a
ring and what a heck of an experience, and.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
You were a big part in getting them there. That's
the thing you know that was huge. You played with colts,
you played around the league. That type of thing. What
separates green Bay from your experience and the rest of
the league.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
I think just then environment and just that family oriented man.
You feel like family. You know, whether you've been here
since preseason or OTAs or if you got in the
middle of the season, it just feel like that family
vibe is something that can't be replicated like other mental
a lot of places. Not to take away any other organizations,
(08:20):
but green Bay just feel like family. Bring you with
open owns.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Walton played a key role for the Packers on the
way to Super Bowl forty five. Today, Eric runs what
he calls Daddy Daycare at home and works logistics in
the trucking business.
For more than a century, the Green Bay Packers have
been a benchmark for football excellence. Thousands of players have
helped pave the way, and we're here to tell you
their stories. I'm Wayne Larravy. This is the Packers alumni
spot White. Former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is fond
(00:23):
of saying it took some seventy players to get the
Packers through a Super Bowl season in twenty ten. Injuries
ravaged the roster that season, and the Packers had to
literally hit the streets to find players. Two notable in
season acquisitions were defensive lineman Howard Green from the Jets
and outside linebacker Eric Walden, who came to the Packers
(00:46):
after being waived by Miami earlier that year. Twenty ten.
You didn't start with Green Bay. You were elsewhere and
there was a big build up for that Packers team
that year. But as the season unfolded, injury after injury
after injury, and by late October there was a need
(01:09):
and they needed somebody to commit an outside linebacker and
you got the call when you got here. What were
your impressions?
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Very cold, freezing, but uh rest of the piece to
the great Kevin Green he just you know, kind of
kind of told me when the rundown with the injury situation,
great opportunity for me here, and you know, I just
came into an open oills and kind of risk took
care of hisself.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
What tell me about Kevin Green or what was it
like to play for him? Because he to me, I
mean just a little bit. I knew him. I obviously
I knew him, but not in a football sense. But
he was energy personified. I mean, I can't imagine playing
for a more intense guy.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Right, more like a big brother, Like you said, the
energy every day go hold you to a high standard.
You know, very competitive and you know, I've seen a
lot of you know, like you said, a lot of
similarities each other as far as the mentality and the
attitude we pursue a game. And it was just a
pleasure in honor to you know, be able to be
coached by awd Man, one of the great legends.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
So when you got here, did you realize or did
it take long to realize that this team was heading
places despite all the set packs they'd had. Physically, Yeah,
you had to pick over things quick.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Obviously, what you said, it was a lot of injuries,
so they needed a need and you know, if you
was able to feel the need, seen a lot of
potential throughout practice, you know, throughout the season, and luckily
we was all able to jail together and put it
together and have a good run.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
The season came down to Week seventeen at lambeau Field
against the art travel Chicago Bears. It was winter go
Home for the Packers, and the Bears decided, even though
they had clinched all their spots in the playoffs and everything,
they had decided to play their starters. They didn't want
to see the Packers in the playoffs. Tell me about
that day. What do you remember from that day, because
(02:57):
it was probably one of the best days of your NFL.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Can definitely one of the best. My best game, I'll say,
uh uh. It was just like you said, a great opportunity.
We needed to win to get in the playoffs. Oppositely,
the win didn't mean much to them. They didn't rest
their starters, which we we kind of suspected they would.
We came out I think it was a ten to
seven game. Defense played stellar. It was kind of battle
(03:21):
back and forth between the offenses, and you know, we
was able to prevail man to get that playoff berth.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
So once you get in, what was your expectation. What
did you think at that point in time super Bowl?
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Cause I was you know, coming from the mother teams
and getting cut and fired. I was like, what the
greatest scenario to come here off the street showing the
Packers get in the playoffs and winning the Super Bowl.
So that was like my only mission at that point.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Well, you had to feel great about yourself at that time,
I mean, because your performance against the Bearers the week
before was a major reason why the Packers made it
in right right right.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
But at the same time, we didn't really have we
have time to dwell on that. You know, it was
a bigger picture now, So you know, with them bringing
me in man and the type of players we had,
with the coaching staff, it was just, you know, it
was a good mix for everybody.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
So you get through Philadelphia and Michael Vick chasing him around,
and then you go to Atlanta. You're playing the number
one seed, the Falcons on a Saturday night in the
Dome in Atlanta and everybody was fired up. Was that
really the point where you, guys, in your opinion, became super.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
I think so. I think so going to Philly and
getting a big win, and then I feel like we
just dominated Atlanta. You know, it was a lot of
hype coming to that game, Like you said, number one seed,
we're the sixth seed, we don't have a chance. And
I feel like once we kind of that second half,
we came out and dominated and then we'd like, hey man,
we got a shot just as anybody else to bring
(04:51):
this thing home. And so we just used that momentum
and kind of carried it for us.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
You know, I remember, you guys got down fourteen to
seven in that game, and then late the first half
the game is you know, you guys are up by seven,
twenty one to fourteen. Remember Tremont Williams, I don't know
if you were on the field for it, picked off
that pass right before halftime, took it to the house.
Now it's twenty eight to fourteen. That's when I said,
oh my, this team's got this team special. They're going places.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Big play by Tremont. He was able to pick it
off and take it all the way back. And then,
like you said, at that point, we just really wanted up.
Looking back, it was like it's I was forposed to
grab him. As we stay on that that that trending
and we should be good.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Okay, so the bear's greatest fear was realized. You guys
were coming in for the NFC Championship game. Tell me
about that day in Chicago.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
There was another freezer out there probably what like I remember,
like fourteen degrees or something like that. Something really cold,
but very competitive game. It really just came down to
who wanted the most. You play a division opponent twice
in the season and then you're fortunate enough to play
on the third time in the playoff standing. There really
too many trick or plays. You know each other, You
(06:04):
know each other Tennessee. So it's really about who wanted
the most. And I feel like we wanted the most
and we was able to prevail.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
That was quite a game. I mean, bj Raji intercepts
their third string quarterback, Caleb Haney, returns it to the
end zone. I'm figuring this has got to be over.
If your nose tackle intercepts h and returns to the
house for a touchdown and you don't win, then it'll
never be your day. But it was. But it came
(06:30):
down to in the end, they were driving for the
tying score. And again I'm not sure if you were
on the field or not. I bet you were. Caleb
Haney threw it over the middle and that rookie Sam
Shields came out of nowhere and intercepted, and that was it.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Finally, definitely, definitely Unfortunately I got hurt like the second
quarter he ankle sprang so but you know, I was
I became a fan. The cheering my team mons, but yeah,
they was. They was driving and I can remember I
think she'd had two that game. Yeah, two picks that game.
But I'm know he made a heck of a play
and shoot, that was kind of a nailing the Coff
(07:05):
Super Bowl.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
What do you what do you take from that? What
do you remember?
Speaker 2 (07:08):
There a great experience prior all week because I knew
I was't gonna be able to play. I think you
hit like Tuesday Wednesday, I'm trying to do everything, rehabing,
but at the same time, you're still trying to enjoy
that week, you know, being out there in Dallas. Tremendous week,
media coverage, all type of gifts. But at the end
of the day, yeah, I was a little disappointed. You know,
(07:31):
you couldn't hit the team. It's one of the biggest
games ever. So you know, it's just somebody had to
live with. But you know, fortunate and blessed got a
ring and what a heck of an experience, and.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
You were a big part in getting them there. That's
the thing you know that was huge. You played with colts,
you played around the league. That type of thing. What
separates green Bay from your experience and the rest of
the league.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
I think just then environment and just that family oriented man.
You feel like family. You know, whether you've been here
since preseason or OTAs or if you got in the
middle of the season, it just feel like that family
vibe is something that can't be replicated like other mental
a lot of places. Not to take away any other organizations,
(08:20):
but green Bay just feel like family. Bring you with
open owns.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Walton played a key role for the Packers on the
way to Super Bowl forty five. Today, Eric runs what
he calls Daddy Daycare at home and works logistics in
the trucking business.
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