Seahawks Stories: Jordan Babineaux

Jordan Babineaux's life is filled with big plays both on and off the field. He joins the Seahawks Stories podcast with Robert Turbin to share stories from his playing days as well as life after football, which arguably keeps him busier than ever. Today’s show: From D2 to NFL starter (10:24), the beginning in Seattle (18:56), coding on screens and blowing up screens (30:02), Big Play Babs (36:26), a family business (43:00), and Pivot to Win (51:06).

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to Seahawks Stories, taking you behind the scenes
with your favorite current and former Seahawks play fake drop back,
go to throw a d kind of man, it's metcap
HiT's down, down down Seahawks powered by Seahawks dot Com.
Turbin in the backfield with Wilson, who goes out on
a shotgun. Look out here come from left. Russell steps up.

(00:22):
Now he's got to scramble. Now he tups to Turbin
midfield forty five forty down here sign like thirty twenty five,
puts his head down on a run by Turbin. He's
all the way down to the Chargers twenty one yard line,
a thirty two yard pickup. Now, here's your host, super
Bowl forty eight champion, Robert Turbin. Well so, well, so,
well up. Everybody is your boy. RT. Robert turban aka Turbow.

(00:48):
You know what it is, Episode number two of Seahawks Stories.
We got a special guest in the building. I'm gonna
let the highlight go ahead and introduce my man sitting
there next to me. Right now, the field goal will
be spotted at the nine yard line, showing nineteen yard
field goal by Grammatica there's the snap, the spot. Romo's

(01:12):
gonna run it in he's head. He got down. He
hasn't got there. I can't tell I he fumbled. I
think the ball is down and there's a matter of
fact he is. He's down on the one. Unbelievable. Romo
can't get the spot down. Something happened when he put
the ball down on the ground. It was a bad hole.

(01:35):
It just slipped away from Jordan Babbino comes from behind
and save a game winning touchdown if he comes up
short on about the one and a half yard line,
first down, Seahawks. Oh my goodness, the one and no lye.
Jordan Babino did two seven joining us on the show today.
What's something my man, that's got a good question for you.

(01:57):
I know this is episode two, But do you always
say like here with special guests, like or is like
everyone special to you? Or you just say that because
I'm here? Now? You know what, I don't say special
guests every time. I appreciate what I'm saying. Yeah, I
mix it up because you are the Jordan Babbin. No, man,
there's only one in you. I'm saying. Man, you're doing good.

(02:17):
You know, life is good. I'm staring outside traffic on
the four or five. But it's a sunny day usual. Yeah. Yeah,
Well they're doing a lot of construction. Like I'm hanging
out with you. Yeah, we're killing yesterday. You were on
that golf course hitting the ball. Yeah, we was on
the golf course. I don't know, you know, listen, I struggled.
I ain't gonna lie. You know, I'm trying to get
on your level. But I know any time I go

(02:39):
anywhere with Jordan Babin, no, I'm good all day. You
know what I mean, They're bro good. Uh, you're coming.
That's all I need to know. You're coming. Come on,
that's going up. Hey, man, appreciate you coming on to
the show that they you heard the highlight one of
the legendary moments in Seahawk history, probably one of the
most you know, influential plays of your career as well.

(03:00):
Let's get into it man. You know it was a
you know, big time game playoffs playing against the Cowboys
Tony Roma. They anticipating going to the Super Bowl that season. Man,
take us into just the preparation of that game and
that play in itself. You know, one thing about that
play every time I hear. I gotta control my breathing

(03:23):
because it's like, I mean, like you can hear the
excitement in the play call, and certainly we all know
what what what what, you know what the outcome was
and what happened, but it's like, damn, what a moment.
Yeah know, that's That's one of those moments I feel
like something was bound to happen, like negatively for the Cowboys,
Like did you just was there something in the air
that was like we're gonna either block this thing, it's

(03:45):
gonna be a funnel, Like did you believe something like
that was bound to happen? Okay, you want the truth, Okay,
So I will tell you that was an play for me.
That was that was that moment. It's like, you know,
it's like did that just happen? Like I'm and yeah,
in a matter of two second, kins right, It's like
that just happened, and that was my responsibility. So you
saw the desperation to get to Romo before he got

(04:07):
around on the other side. That was you know, I mean,
that was a remarkable play. And especially growing up in Texas,
you know, there was always something about something special about
playing the Cowboys, and uh, you know, several times throughout
my career when we played the Cowboys, you know, something
magical would happen, something similar. And I remember in the

(04:29):
preseason game, I picked up a fum boy and returned
it for a touchdown. You know that play right there,
and you know there Drew Bledsoe interception that led to
the game winning Josh brown field goal. There was always
a moment when we played the Cowboys that it was
just something special would happened. And I think, I don't
I don't know what it was unique about the Cowboys.

(04:50):
You know, if we played them every every week, I'd
probably be a pro bowler, you know, but you know,
growing up in Texas, you know, I still go home
and you know, all family and friends still talk about
that moment. And uh, you know one thing that I
think is unique about being a player, and certainly you
had this experience many times, is that when I hear

(05:10):
fans talk about, you know, specific play in my career,
I asked them where they were and who they were
spending you know, who they were spending time with in
that moment, Because just as it was unique for us
and they can and we can recall it, so so
can they, right and you know, oftentimes it's you know,
a loss or a win of a big bet, but
but they always can remember that moment where they were

(05:30):
some people who were at the game or hanging out
with family watching the game on the tele on the tudlecast.
And uh, you know, so that that little connection between
fans and players. Always try to make that when I
speak to fans about my career. Yeah, take you to
a place in time, right, It's like hearing the old
school song or something. Yeah. Absolutely, and not that's beautiful. Man.
Speaking of growing up in Texas, I'm curious that you ever,

(05:52):
you know, don't ask Hell no, I wasn't like Cowboys fans,
Well did you want to play for the Cowboys? Growing up?
I wanted to play for any team who wanted to
pay me to play for the team. And oddly enough,
like and look now in the NFC West, you know
it's it's I say this to kind of mumble it,
but I was a forty ninist man, I'm growing up. Yeah, yeah,

(06:12):
I mean, I was a forty Niners fan, but I
grew up in Wow. Well, here here's the thing. I mean, obviously,
you know, you look back at their winning pedigree there
was something unique about them. And uh, but but the
one thing about me in general, and it's kind of
like me, like I just go against the grain. It's like,

(06:33):
if everybody liked the Cowboys, well, who's the you know
who don't you know who's the Cowboys? You know, worst
team to play against? Right, So it was either the
Steelers or the you know, the forty nine Ers, and
I always just went against the grands. Like, man, that's now,
I don't want to be a Cowboys fan. Everyone's a
Cowboys fan, right, you know. Let me go to the
West Coast. So I became a Niners fan. Fell in
love with all of the forty nine grades, from you know,

(06:54):
Roger Craig to Merton Hanks to you know, Jerry of course,
and uh Steve Young. It's just I don't know so,
but I'm not a forty Nights fan. Anymortal tall that
you didn't do that, you didn't do the old school
Murden Hanks when the murder, you know what I mean,
you couldn't you couldn't imitate it the you know, the way,
the way that he did it. I think there was
there was there was another another player. So there's a

(07:17):
few players across the league that you would try to
imitate it. But I will tell you I was a
Billy White Shoes fan. I mean he just you know,
he getting that end zone and when they did the dance.
You know there are there are a few iconic dance
moves throughout the NFL. The Ikey shuffle um and you're saying,
you know, uh like that was the dirty Bird, the

(07:38):
Dirty Bird right Atlanta? And then uh, who was was
that Cold Pepper or Cold Pepper. I wasn't a big
fan of the Cold Pepper the role man, Come on, man,
it was it was you know. So it was like
you know, as a child, you know, you're playing in
Pop Water and and and uh you know, grade school
and you're like, well who who you know, if I

(08:00):
get an end zone with you know what I'm gonna do,
you know, to celebrate. And so anyway, just unique times,
you know when when you as a kid, we got
to see these you know, iconic figure sports figures you know,
play at that level. So it was fun. Man. I
remember as a kid scoring one of my first touchdowns
as a Pop Warner player, and I start high I

(08:21):
break away for you know, I start high stepping and
got flagged, said, man, this is what they're doing on TV.
You're doing the Prime tw I was doing the Prime
town a man. You know, we imitating as you should. Yeah. Yeah,
So high school ball, I mean, you grew up in college,
play high schoolball in Texas, then you go off to
Southern Arkansas University, small school. Talk about that experience, you know,

(08:46):
going to just that transition, leaving home, going to Arkansas
out of all places, and then playing college ball there. Yeah. Well,
one of the things that I didn't want to do
was go to school in Texas. Um. I mean there
was a few things. One you had to take a
special exam to get into college, to go to get
a step in into college in Texas, and then two,

(09:06):
I just wanted to get out. I wanted to go
see life. I wanted to have, you know, some different
experience outside of where I grew up. And at the time,
my brother was more heavily recruited than I was, and
he ended up going to the University of Iowa. So,
you know, I remember Carl Jackson was I believe, the
running backs coach for the forty nine ers at the time.
He had taken a role with coach Ferns at Iowa

(09:30):
and he grew up, like you know, maybe less than
an hour away from the house, just right outside of Houston,
and you know he comes to port author. In fact,
back up my senior year, he was our offensive coordinator
in high school, so he was in transition and Dirt
Winston was our defensive coordinator. Now, for those who were
football fans and Stillers fans, he was part of that

(09:54):
Still Curtain super Bowl winning pedigree back in the day.
So we had two professional coaches with experience coaching us
our senior year and we ended up making the playoffs.
I think it was the first time in maybe fifteen
years that our high school made the playoffs. Uh and
we beat Earl Thomas's Western Start team by the way

(10:15):
to do so. Earl wasn't there. He's a lot younger,
right right, um, a little shot absolutely bow right in
the real uh. So, coach Coach Jackson is in our
you know, in our living room, and he's talking convincing
mom that hey, let your country boy go. It's all
right to you know, let him go and experience life
a lot of bit. He ended up talking to talking

(10:36):
mom into a monster goals to the university of ide
when I go to Southern Arkansas and it was a
unique journey for me, you know, Division two, but you know,
I didn't know no better. I was happy to be
playing ball and you know, at the college level, and
they were gonna pay for me to do so, you know, um,
so have other opportunities small, right and and you know,

(10:56):
so looking at some of the HBCUs in Southern and
Grambling and certainly Texas Southern right during Houston Prairie View
all as you know, potential options. I went on this
recruiting visit, you know, and it rains leading and snowed
in the same day, all on the drive and it's
me and my mom riding in I don't know, nine

(11:16):
eighty four ninety six Toyota Corolla trying to figure it out.
But you know, we made it back home. But something
unique about that visit made me feel like that was
the place for me. And it's part of the story, man,
It's part of the journey, right. I mean, now it's
a lot different seeing Division two players get more opportunities.
I think it's probably probably more exposure at that level

(11:37):
now because the one thing that I was always told
is that they'll find you if you can play, they'll
find you. Now there's an interesting kind of dynamic to
the story or big shift, and I'll share this with you.
So my senior year, I reach out to Monster. I
called my brother Monster by the way, senior year of college.

(11:59):
Seeing year of college, I reached out to my brother Monster,
and I said, aster, coach, if I could come train
with you guys during the summer. Now Here here was
two things happened. I had one scout who was a
family friend. He said, you know, if you want to
play at the next level, playing Division two football, you
gotta you gotta be the best player on the field,
like no doubt you're the best player, like in terms

(12:21):
of competition. Right. And the other thing is you should
probably look at playing cornerback. So I was a natural safety,
gifted gift to playing natural safety. You know, come up
in Taaco and I can and I can. You know,
had you know, pretty decent cover skills. So I asked
my brother if I can come train with them at
the University of Iowa, and coach granted me permission. So
here I am training with what I call the talent

(12:44):
pool that the NFL is coming to recruit from. Right
and I'm like, just as strong, just as fast. Now
this is writing their BCS championship run. You know, fad
Fred Russell, you had Dallas Clark, Robert Gallery. You know,
they had they had a squad, you know, they were
in BCS Championship balls. Dallas Clark a long time tight

(13:04):
end for the Coats, and Robert Gallery office in alignment
for the Raiders. Yeah, and actually he played here in
Seattle up with the Seahawks. So so so I knew
this was my level of competition. But when I left,
when I after that, you know that six week or whatever,
it was immersion of strength and conditioning. I go back
to Southern Arkansas my senior year, I returned kicks, I
made Special Teams Player of the Year, UM, you know

(13:27):
All American at cornerback, and went on to play in
a Division two UM All Star game where I got
exposure to I believe, you know, twenty something plush teams
throughout the NFL and had a chance to work out
in front of you know, pro scouts. So that was
really the pivotal moment for me in college, going train
with my brother that summer, you know, going into my

(13:48):
senior year, how did Southern Arkansas feel about that? I
mean because nowadays I don't think even you're even allowed
to do that, right? Did they feel some type of way?
We probably broke all the rules. But here's the thing, Yeah,
I mean, look and how was this and how was
their offseason program so much different than Southern Arkansas. I

(14:11):
had a vision. Here's the thing, and Division to college,
you know, the resources don't even compare the Division one.
We were lifting weights in the barn. Okay, So when
you look at the resources for Division one, I mean
there's a pre workout meal or shake or nutrient right
or supplement whatever it was, a post workout, you know,

(14:33):
they're they're like, like the catering to the athletes is
just at a different level. I mean it's it's really
many pro if you really think about it, and you
know so so you know, their care for the for
the player and for the body was just completely different
based on resources alone. So that was that was one
thing too, um from an education factor, right, I learned

(14:55):
something different, right, how to really take care of my
body and you know how the body moves and octionality
and you know, you know how one movement you know,
supports the other right, So you you got a different
education experience into health and wellness as well. And again
no knock against the vision two. It's just that in
terms of competition, like the dollar, the dollars just different, right.

(15:16):
So um, and then I was really clear about, you know,
giving myself the best chance, you know, to pursue that
childhood dream. And I shared it with my coaches, you know,
everyone was a part of it. I even go further
that that spring of my senior year in college, so
before the summer, no, this was this was now now
the season's over where I make all American. Here I am.

(15:38):
My last semester at college, I had uh. I went
talked to my counselor. I said, well, how many hours
do I need to graduate? So I wanted to make
sure I was on track to graduate. I wasn't coming
back and I needed twenty three hours to graduate. Wow,
I I made sure. But but here's the thing. I

(15:59):
had two professors throughout twenty you know those twenty three hours.
It was all like print journalism and you know communication.
I had my senior project, etc. And at the same time,
I was gaining the interests of you know, small agents,
and I did my twenty three hours while training for
a pro day in Atlanta and delivered on all of it. So,

(16:21):
you know, in terms of in terms of you know,
working online and submitting work by email, and I did
that my senior year in college just to ensure one
I wasn't coming back like appreciate it, thank you. I'm
glad that all you did for me was great. But
I got stuff to do and it's and it's somewhere,
and uh yeah, I was pretty relentless about about about

(16:41):
doing that and giving myself a chance to play at
the next level. I mean, I ain't trying to date
you and nothing, but you might have been ahead of
your time with the online school, you know, going to
college at that time. Online school, I knew, man, they've
been doing it well. It worked out for you end
up going to Seattle as an undrafted free agent, and
of course you want to talk about your experience with

(17:02):
the Seattle Seahawks in that locker room, and you know,
we've already alluded to some of the big games that
you've been a part of, but the draft process in itself,
you know, going through those three days or however long
it was during your time, Uh, talk about that experience, uh,
and then getting aside as an undrafted free really trying

(17:24):
to date me. Man, they didn't have they didn't have
sixteen rounds look um, So it was pretty unique and
interesting love Interestingly enough, I had a scout from the
Detroit Lions come to Southern Arkansas to work me out
because the first time that that's happened in quite a while.

(17:48):
And I also got invited to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
uh practice. I think it might have been a camp
practice or something, but they flew me in and uh,
and I got a look tour and experience. You know,
I got to you know, this is when Derek Brooks
and you know, Ronde Barbara was there and Brian Kelly
was corner like this was this was Tampa too. Yeah, yeah,

(18:09):
you know as we know it as we know it today.
And the the the change of the guard, so to speak,
was the big corner, the big style corner, who can
get hands on receivers, play this cover to cloud corner
and still be a part of the run support. That
was my profile and that was attractive to the Bucks.
So in my mind I was like, okay, Bucks, you know,

(18:31):
maybe like sixth rounds I started getting a little attraction
to the Bucks. You know, although their training facility was
Oh when I was about like southern Arkansas, that weather
had to be nice out there. Yeah, man, it was
really nice. But you know, I mean that was that
was it was exciting. You know, it didn't it didn't

(18:51):
matter to me. It was like, just give me a
jersey and a chance, you know. So, uh, the draft happens,
you know, the big you know fiasco with Eli Manning,
and I don't know, I guess a player can just decide,
now you can draft me, but I don't want to
play for your team. Send me where I want to go.
Eli ends up in you know, New York. But m

(19:13):
you know, I get this call from from Seattle and
it may have been day or two or day three whatever,
and it's like, you know, we're not gonna draft you,
but we have you high up on our board as
a priority free agent. Okay, whatever the hell that means,
just signed me up and send me a ticket. I'm
on the way right and uh, and so it happened.
You know. Here I am sitting on the couch or
kind of laying on the couch. I was kind of

(19:34):
watching the draft. Maybe I wasn't, but I was. You know,
It's like, hey, I just need a chance, and just
so just give me a chance. You didn't really mind.
You weren't really disappointed about not getting drafted in any
of the seven rounds. You're just like, hey, whatever opportunity comes,
I'm good. Didn't care, didn't care. I just I just
need to get in. I don't care who and where.

(19:55):
Just I just need to get in and I'll show
you so you interesting. I mean, it's just like Seattle
was the perfect place for me. And even despite looking
at all of the investment that had made that defensive
back you know, prior to me coming here, drafted Marcus
true Fund first round a year before drafted Ken Hamlin's

(20:16):
second round the same year as Marcus drafted bowl Were
in two thousand and four. I don't care, like put
me in, right, I mean, the only difference between me
and you know, a player like like that is their
investment in the player. But in terms of skill level, confidence,
you know, athleticism, you know, mindset approach, let's go line

(20:40):
me out. So so anyway, that was a draft process
for me, and like I said, I just needed to
get in, and you know, very fortunate that it was
the Seahawks, you know who who drafted me. And I'll
pause for a moment because there's interesting how I even
got to Seattle. Well, tell us, tell us, I wanted
to give you a chance. You know, I don't know,

(21:01):
maybe there was something that you wanted tell us. So
I get to Seattle and uh. Ray Rhodes was a
defensive coordinator at the time, and he brings me into
his office and he says, um, you know, if you know,
right right from the country, right, he's from right outside
of that. Come come on then and talk to my office.
I talk to you from minute, okay, And uh, you
know Ray kind of you know, the kind of that

(21:22):
old man talk with. You know, you gotta three seconds
gotta go by for you to like put it all together.
It's like, oh he said that, yeah, and then he
respond right because all the words sound the same. They
just run on love love coach Rose by the way. Uh.
He brings me into his office and he's like, uh,
you know why you're here, right, It's like it's like, uh,
you know, so we're just talking about my story and
growing up in Port Arthur, et cetera. He said, Um,

(21:45):
he said I'm gonna you tell you they didn't want you,
just like that devil. Just I'm telling you now, Raised,
that's that's if you know, that's that's who he is.
That's who he is. You say, I still on the
table for you, now, still on the table for you.
I just want you to know, he said. The only
reason that you hear he said, there was a there
was someone in player personnel that reached out to him

(22:07):
and said, Ray, you gotta check out this kid. Now.
He may have been went to a small school and
he may not be the fastest, but he's a player
and I want you to check it out full circle.
Uh you know who that that player is. I mean
that that scout or that personnel per personnel was it

(22:29):
was High Tower. High Tower is here now on the Seahawks.
I think he's may have an advisor role. Wow. Um,
but we I mean we laugh at we laugh, we
laugh about that story. Now, Like Ray was, like, the
only reason you hear and I gave you a chance
is because you're from Texas. I was. You know, it
don't matter how but I'm gonna show you right. I'm

(22:51):
going to prove you're right. And ever since day, Ray
Rose took me on this wing. I mean I would
come in here and you know, we would do like
five thirty meetings just to learn earned the tape so
I can catch up on that, you know, that learning curve,
you know right away. And you know, again, I was
really grateful to have people like Coach Roads around me
early in my career. How was that rookie year for you?

(23:14):
That first season? You know, training camp, all the newness, um,
you know, talk about some of the struggles you may
have had and maybe some of the guys that took
you under their wing, you know, and and kind of
taught you along the way. Well, we were really young again,
I said, you had Truffont and Hamlin were both starters,

(23:35):
right the first and second round draft picks, but they
were just second year players. We had a second year
defensive back coach in Terrell Austin and the rest of
our secondary I mean, I don't think we had anyone
over three or four years. Chris Richard was was was
my teammate. Wow, yeah, I'm not dating you, am I

(23:57):
dating myself to you? To you? I mean because he
was on the coaching staff with you. Chris Rashaw was
was my teammate, right, and and honestly, here and I
were battling for that that six defensive back position. So, um,
you know, my rookie year was being and undrafted obviously,
you know how it goes. You don't get much reps, right,

(24:18):
So every rep to me on the practice field was
my game. I wasn't there's there's no playing around like,
I wouldn't here to make friends. I wouldn't here to talk.
I'm out here to win every player on the football field, right,
And so my practice was my game. And you know,
I just like I was cool just being the soloists.

(24:39):
I was just rolling the loan, right, I'd come into
meetings early, I'd get to the practice field early. I'd
stay late. I hit my way, you know, right, So
I was and I stayed the hell out of the
training room, you know, like that was you can't make
the club in the tub, right. That stuck with me.
So um again it was um, you know, it was

(25:01):
about that, that that grind and that that never give
up attitude of just that my approach to everything though,
you know, the weight room, the meetings, practice, um, you know,
learning the game, learning the playbook, and um, you know,
I think you know, one of my greatest gifts and
skill set is was my football IQ. Like I played

(25:23):
every position I could. I could draw up every player
on the defense and tell you what they should be,
what their role was. And so that really was something
that helped me, particularly as a corner, right because the
one thing that you need to know as a cornerback
is where's my help and my inside or outside and
um and so that was you know that that football
IQ and ability to you know, to play multiple positions,

(25:47):
you know, really really was attractive. And um yeah, I
ended up making a practice squad and for me, I
was like, hey, yeah, you know right, because the practice
squad was just a stepping stone. All of this was
just a step stone, right, It was just a stepping
stone because I knew what my end goal was, you know,
I wanted to be a starter, yea, And once it
being started at the end of the day, and eventually

(26:08):
you did become a starter and for Seattle from OZ
four to do twenty ten, And it sounds like, man,
you were just grateful for each moment. Man, like you
didn't have You didn't really approach things with like any expectations.
You were just taking things literally. Day by day and
it led you to get to where you wanted to go.
But I'm interested and curious. You know, you talk about

(26:30):
making the practice squad as a rookie, eventually you became
a starter. What was that moment like for you? Not
just becoming a starter, but you know when did you
like know in your mind like Okay, I got this now,
yeah you know what I'm saying. Yeah, so I had

(26:51):
success even as a rookie free agent in the preseason,
right and whatever little reps that was, whatever special teams reps,
that was you know, success and uh, you know, I
just you just do things that just jump out, like
you gotta you gotta show out when when you put
that tape on on, you know, next day, you like
like you're waiting for that play, like wait till wait
till you see what I did homeboy on that lay right,

(27:14):
you know. Right. So it's so you know, you're always excited. Um,
And I'll never forget my first game. My first game,
man was lambeau Field preseason man, talk about that, right,
I mean I don't even you know, and that was anyway,
that was just a surreal moment for me. Um, you know,
I uh, I think it's well, I know, it's a

(27:35):
lot different the way coach Carol runs the program now
and and maybe maybe this this little unique across the league.
But on the practice squad, Coach Holmgren, you couldn't be
on the sideline. You're in the game. No, like you
can't be on the sideline. So I and and honestly,
I was a little pissed off. So honest you say,

(27:56):
you say, who were one of the veterans that took
me under their wing. One was Bobby Taylor, So the
veteran who came over from Philly. Obviously he was with
Ray Rose when he was the head coach there. He
comes to Seattle and adds a little um little veteran
ship here, you know, for us here. But he took
me on this wing. And you know, if it wasn't
for BTS, you know, inviting me into a suite, I
probably wouldn't have win too games. Like I'm not watching

(28:18):
the game in the stands, Like hell no, like I
should want I should be on the sideline. But let
me just tell you, the way coach Honer ran the
program was very different and how things are today, and man,
it really is just no think about that, right, So
you were really separated, you know, the practice squad, but
you're a part of the team. I know it was

(28:40):
very difficult. But you know what I also talk about,
you know, Ray Rose, I appreciate the coach Hogering's approach, right,
I mean there was no rookie hazing, you know, and
he was all about the business. I couldn't have I
couldn't have needed that more, right, someone to keep me,
you know, just keep me in check, like like we
ain't hit the playing around and this is serious business.

(29:01):
This is this this say no joke, man, you know.
So um anyway, I appreciate coach coach hogs, appreciate the
coach Hogrean style. But yeah, you know, you don't you don't.
You don't get to join the team on the sideline. So, uh,
twelve weeks into my rookie season. What normally happens during
the season. Someone gets hurt, banged up, acquisitions performance, something happens.

(29:24):
Boom abano, we're signing it to the roster. Wow, come on, man, yeah,
come on man. Now, I don't forget, but I don't
remember my first game. I had to go back and
look at it. I think we played the Buffalo Bills
and we lost. But but I ended up playing seven
games that that season and we made the playoffs a
wild card game to uh. Then I'm dating myself again

(29:48):
to Saint Louis Rams. Okay, and uh and we lost
in the wild card wild card overtime thriller playoff game. Yeah.
Taking a step back for a second away from football. Okay, Now,
rumor has it, Okay, you coded your own video game

(30:08):
when you're in high school? All right, in C plus plus.
I don't know what that means. So you're gonna have
to explain it to me no audience, Okay, So I
want to explain that. And then like, if you if
you didn't play football, like if you ended up not
being a football player, would you have probably become a
video game designer of some sort? You know what? I thought?

(30:30):
That was my dream? Honestly I was. I was so
infatuated with with games, and what I was more interested
in was how they work, you know, like you know
video games, like we don't normally think, oh, you pressed
the circle button, the running back makes a spin move
or you know triangle he you know, hurdles the defender.
I'm like, how does that work? Like you know what's

(30:52):
what goes into that. So I was I was really
intrigued with that. I knew early on I had a
gift right in terms of in terms of schooling and
and learning ability. UM. And so I was part of
this UM, this accelerated program that allowed that gave exposure
to uh, you know technology uh in high school and

(31:14):
UM one of these. So I took basic Basic. What
I mean, any programmer would tell you, like, basic is
just what it is. It's basic, right, I mean, it's
like prompts and then you know, followed by a keyword
and then it just and something happens. And then the
next level from basic was C plus plus. So we
had a chance to either go into robotics or continue

(31:34):
to go into program and the next again this is
this is uh like like nineteen ninety eight, nineteen ninety eight, right,
So I mean that's what it was back then. It
was you know, it was It's just it's just a
way to write language to get something to do something, right. UM.
And the game or the project that we had in

(31:56):
high school was Hangman. We had to create a Hangman game, Okay,
And so I wrote and coded a Hangman game and
it actually worked, you know. So I thought I was
going to college to study computer science, and even this,
I took a summer program at Zabra University in New

(32:16):
Orleans that that was centered around computer technology. Now this
is my junior year. I'm gonna bring the story way
back because you're like, damn, and this is kind of
like a damn moment. So going into my senior year
of high school, I was like, you know what, I
don't even want to play football. No more, like this
is what I wanted to do. And my mom was

(32:37):
very diligent about, like, no, you're gonna You're gonna finish
what you started. And it's your senior year with your brother.
He and I graduated high school together and we're you know,
obviously on the same team. It's like, you know, when
you when you want to have this moment, you know
with your brother's like, no, this is what I want
to do. I want to go to school, I want
to write programs, and I want to I want to
make games. Obviously I ended up playing football in my

(32:59):
scene in a year, but I still thought I was
going to do computer science at Southern Arkansas. So, uh,
what do I do? I I designate computer science as
my major, and boy I got a reality check fast.
Oh man. I quickly changed my major to broadcast journalists. Really,

(33:20):
oh man, quickly? What was it? What was it about?
It was everything? It was. How about the three different
types of uh pre wreck mathematics that you had to
get to a higher level of to get to calculus. Right,
it was like playing tricks statistics. It was I mean,

(33:40):
it was just it was It was tough. Did you
have because you because you mentioned you thought you was
gonna create video game? Did you have a mind like
a game, a type of game in mind that you
wanted to create? Uh, you know one of the games
that I really liked it most. It was Siphon Filter, don't.
I mean, look, I'm really dating myself, right. So it

(34:00):
was kind of like the old game of you know,
like a Black Ops or Squad or you know, Call
of Duty. Right, So you basically had a mission objectives,
you know, to go to the next stage. You do this,
dude on the way. It's like almost like a contra.
It's like an elevated contra. Right. It was fun, but
not necessarily man. And look I even look back at

(34:21):
the time to look back like great, like my football
journey was great, and I love that. But you know,
had i've been coding and doing that from you know,
nineteen ninety eight for twenty twenty plus years, I probably wouldn't, well,
not probably, I wouldn't be sitting here with you today.
I'd be you know, cubicle. Definitely not a cubicle. I
probably you know, you know, have been one of the

(34:43):
early parts of you know, some of these big technologies.
What we know is you'd be sitting pretty somewhere for real,
for it. I mean, not that you're not already doing that.
You're doing Babs. You call me pretty, sitting pretty, I
call you called me pretty. No, I'm talking about you know,
like that, you know, infrastructure around you. You know what
I mean, the compound. I got you, baby, I got you.

(35:04):
But no, I mean it was Look, I appreciate it all.
You're absolutely right. Every probably look at I mean, this
is probably not comparable, but I'm gonna try to metaphorically
put this together anyway. Okay, I worked at best Buy
in college, and I started in gaming, and then I
did little car stereo stuff. But I got over the
home theater. The home theater was I was okay and

(35:29):
for about a good five years. You can tell me
nothing about a TV LG, Panasonic LC. I knew were
all the details. Now, every time I looked at a
TV screen, I go to somebody house, look at the
flat screen. I'm looking at it totally different than just
the clear picture. I'm looking at all the details, the pixels.
You know. So for a minute, you probably for a

(35:51):
period of time, was you were looking at video games
probably different than the normal consumer. Uh yeah, yeah, it
was again, that was that was a fun time, man,
It was a unique experience. Got glad I had that
in the early part when I when I even like
some of my conversations now, you know, being outside of
football and establishing relationships in the business community, especially here

(36:13):
in Seattle, and I talked to like a bunch of
techies and gamers and coders and stuff, and I tell
them that they're like blown away that I knew C
plus plus and basic. Last, how did you getting back
to football? How did you get the nickname big play
Babs where it comes from? Yeah, well, I mean there

(36:34):
was just a few a few players that I made
in key games, and it always happened to, you know,
late in the ball game that would you know, help us?
I say, I won the game, but it would help
us win the game. And uh, I believe it was
uh you know the famous world famous Hall of Famer
John Madden, who you know gave it that level of

(36:59):
reverence and uh that we know it as today? Who
mentioned that on the broadcast? And yeah, that was that
we heard. We heard the play by play. Uh Steve
Rabel give you know his description of it. But on
the national broadcast it was John Madden. Wow. Who had
to call wow? So? Um, I mean that's another you

(37:22):
know kind of like yeah, you know what I mean,
like John Madden calling your game, man, talk to you know,
saying your name, Oh, it's gotta be big time. Um.
So you played for Seattle, oh four to ten, the
next two seasons of your career, you head over the

(37:43):
Tennessee two the better seasons of your career. Uh. Not
a lot of people on the outside understand what that.
You know, that transition is like not only you know,
changing careers out away from football, but changing teams. Uh.
So talk about that process for you, what it was

(38:05):
like and what it was like to play for a
new franchise. Yeah, you know, it was kind of a
very disappointing breakup in my eyes too. With the Seahawks,
you know, Jim Mora just become a you know, head coach. Um.
You know, we had a dismal season to say the lease,
and you know, there was a shift in in management
all the way up to you know, from GM all

(38:27):
the way down to president, et cetera, et cetera. Obviously
what comes about change. It's like, oh man, you feel
change in the building. So I'll never forget Tyler Winky
I believe was team president or the CEO, and he
had I think he was leading the next search for
the head coach and uh, you know they obviously landed
with coach Carroll. And and coach Carroll comes in and

(38:50):
you know, right in twenty ten was my last season here, um.
And you know there was also the year that they
drafted Earl Thomas first round and drafted Camp Chancellor I believe,
fourth the fifth round, you know, later in the draft.
And you know the year prior I had, you know,
I was in my contract where I had hit my

(39:10):
performance in cinemas and I was set to make you know,
the most money that you know I could make ever,
you know in my career and and then coach Carroll
comes in, and I had had a basically a competition
with lawyer malloy and uh so, so Carol comes in.
You know, you know about the hundred plus transactions that

(39:31):
he you know, he's famously known and Aguinness Book of
World Records for the most transactions by first year head coach.
I don't know I made that up, but maybe he is.
Uh And I was part of one of those, one
of those transactions, those roster cuts. So I was cut
brought back to you know, a day or two later,
but I was in a different role, so I was
no longer the starter. I had a supporting role. I'd

(39:53):
come in and passing situations, you know, special packages. So
I went you know, probably went from like, you know,
sixty seventy plays to about thirty plays, you know, depending
on you know, the team and the game plan. But
I was also tasked to teach the rookies how, you know,
how to play this game. So I mean I used
to have sessions with Earl and Cam and teach them
how to watch film and things like that. So I

(40:15):
guess you can say that the reason that they're kind
of had the success that they did in their career
where it's partly because of nap teasing. I could never
take that. I remember asking Earl Thomas as a young
player what he does like when he watched this film,
Like what is he watched for? You know? I'm like, Earl,
you know, can you He was like, I watched me.

(40:37):
Is that what you was teaching them? That's what you
was teaching him in there? Hey, let me just tell
you Earl first got here. Man, he was just he
was just raw talent. Man. He was just natural. And
all Earl know is seaball hit ball, seaball get ball,
you know, and but you know, I think I think

(40:57):
we all knew it was myself obviously a lawyer, had
a big impact on that, true font It's like man
once once he got it and you know, it clicked
for him and seeing the game a little different, Like
I mean, he was just gonna take off this this
He was just naturally gifted. So anyway, I'm down. I
got I got shipped out, went out to Tennessee. I
think they put us on a package deal, myself and

(41:18):
Matt Hasselback, so we both ended up landed on the
same team, and um, you know, it's just different you know,
and it's like, ah, you know, you know everything about it.
But that was okay because I knew I had to Personally,
I just felt like I had to earn my right to,
you know, to be in a locker room and be
a leader for this team. But my vision for you know,
what I wanted to do in terms of reclaiming my

(41:39):
my position as a starter was still the same and
I still had that ambition. So eventually I got a
chance to do that. And um, you know, while we
weren't as successful down in Tennessee, not making the playoffs, um,
it's still part of the experience and part of the journey.
I was still one of you know, very few people
who had a chance to play at this level. And
episode one of this season we had True Fund special guests.

(42:05):
True Fin, I knew it. I knew it. Did True
Fund tell you how to help him make the Pro Bowl? Uh?
You know what? He mentioned that he made the Pro Bowl,
But he didn't mentioned nothing about baths. See, yeah, they
forget about the small people. Let me just okay, well,
then let me tell you how I helped you make
the probo Okay, it's like like, bab who you're part
of all of these great you know, contributions to these

(42:25):
great careers. You know. Yeah, look, True Fund man. It's
one thing about True man. I was blown away with
True Funds. You know, athleticism and skill set. This guy
had the best footwork in the league, and True would
always find himself in position. But he backed the ball down.
I go up to True I'm not kidding, I say,

(42:45):
True catch the damn ball. Yeah, he went on against
seven picks that make the Pro Bowl, So you could
thank me for that. I'll make sure to let him
know that, man. But uh, you know, one of the
one of the unique things about uh, the true font
family I should say is, you know, Marcus and both
his brothers all made it to the league played in

(43:06):
the NFL. You yeah, your older brother, you and your
older brother in your own unique way. Also both you know,
made it to the NFL. Very two different journeys, right,
but both played in the NFL. So what was that experience, Like,
what did that mean to you and your family? Yeah?
That was Thanks for bringing that up, man, That was
that was a special moment. And my brother was a

(43:28):
second round again. Some more circles. I mean, you see
how close knited than the NFL is uh. Jim Mora
was the head coach in Atlanta. My brother, my brother
was a second round draft pick bad coach Jill Moore.
Jim Mora comes to Seattle last part of my career
and the being my dB coach for two years before
we took the head coaching job. So, um, you know,
having you know that time when you know, when we

(43:50):
when we played against one another, I mean, that was
that was pretty special, you know, and you know, obviously
the joy and you know that we got to do
for you know, for our mom, you know, and it
was really big, big paybacks, you know what I mean. Like,
you know, when growing up in Port Artho, Texas, surrounded
by drug abuse and violence, you know, peer pressure, the

(44:12):
street seemed like a faster way to make money. Somehow,
you know, she helped us navigate that somehow, you know,
after the early death of my father at eight years old,
single mother, you know, had raised five kids to all
graduate high school and all graduate college and put up
you know, and two two sons in the NFL. Right,

(44:32):
that's you know, that's that's you know, that's special, right,
I mean, so you know, being able to you know,
have those moments when he and I competed against each other,
you know, you know, and that brotherly rivalryman was something
that went all the way back to middle school, you
know what I mean, Like to middle school, I'm like, hell, nah,
you're not gonna wind up me at anything, like I mean,

(44:54):
it didn't matter what we did, we always competed and
m you know, that was the early part of you know,
you know where it all started, you know, and without
realizing it, and it and it continued all the way through,
you know, through our professional career. And so he went
on to play for twelve years. You know, I had
a nine year career and enjoyed every bit of it.

(45:17):
Last two things I want to touch on because as
I've gotten to know you over you know, the last
couple of years, you're you're one of the big relationship
type guys, uh that I know, big on networking, big
on um, just connecting with people right and then and

(45:40):
then nurturing those relationships in your own way, whether it's
coffee or lunch or so you leave, you go to
Tennessee play for the Titans for a couple of years
and or they maybe they were their oilers, not just
playing and you come back to Seattle as a as
a non player, and so what was that experience like,

(46:04):
because you said you mentioned you left on kind of
you know, the terms weren't great when you left, you know,
so coming back as a non player, getting involved in
the pre and post game show, just just talk about,
you know, how you navigated that experience. Well, believe it
or not, it's been ten years, and this makes ten
years now that I've been on the other side of

(46:27):
the white lines. And here's a lesson. You know, I
don't think it's very few players who leave the game
on their own terms, and very few players continue to
have a strong or a healthy relationship with their former
club after you walk in there and maybe you're over
prompt maybe your promised something that they didn't deliver on,
or maybe you get into contract disputes, or you know,

(46:49):
you leave, you know, on a bad note. And the
one thing about me is that while I wasn't okay
with the decisions that made and how things ended in Seattle,
I knew that I was, you know, my level of
professionalism would outweigh how how I wanted to feel or
react emotionally. As like, now, okay, I understand it's a

(47:12):
business right, And so I kind of kept that where
it was, that's the decision and that's where they're going, right.
I wasn't bitter, I you know, I mean you hear
about the stories of people's storming now throwing chairs. I
mean there's look, there's some former players who can't come
into this building based on how their relationship you know ended. Wow.

(47:33):
And so I wanted to make sure that I was,
you know, as a person of character and professionalism, um,
you know, just navigating you know, the last few you know,
my last decade of being away from sports having essentially
been exactly what you're talking about, is how do I
maneuver or move into a new space where you know,
that's that I'm that really I'm starting over in many ways, right,

(47:54):
whether I'm choosing to go into broadcast journalism or you know,
become an entrepreneur or pursue a different career in a
different industry. There was a lot to learn, and I
was very truthful to myself about that, you know, and
essentially becoming a rookie again, my rookie year, it was
just a sponge. I wanted to know as much as
I need to know for me to be successful. And

(48:15):
my story of how I got into sports broadcasting was
after a game in Tennessee, I was interviewed by the
NFL Network and in the middle of and during the
commercial break, I'm talking to the producers, are like, well,
during the off season, I trained in the LA, Like,
I mean, would it would it be okay if I

(48:36):
just came in and did some work, you know, I
pay me and whatever it is when I'm not looking
for a contract I just want to start facilitating their
relationships now, because I knew transition was yet you know,
it was ahead of me, right whenever that was. And
that's exactly what I did. You know. So I was
working at the NFL Network without realizing that I wasn't
going back for year ten. And while I still was

(48:57):
kind of even even in my analysis, I still kind
of had the protection of the players, right. It wasn't
throwing guys under the bus, but I was trying to
be as truthful as I can. You know, I still
had the attitude or the mentality of a of a
of a player, right, you know, protect the team and uh.
And it wasn't until I really made that decision that Okay,
well I'm not going to sit around and wait for
the NFL to call. I'm just going to create my

(49:19):
own opportunities. And I ended up getting a contract with
the NFL Network for three seasons and then and it's
prior to me coming to Seattle, but I was still
living in Seattle, was coming up, and that was just
a week day gig for me. So I reached out
to the Seahawks, you know, Dave Pearson. You know, again,
I got feel strong about our relationships here and a

(49:41):
lot of people who were, you know, in position when
I was playing or now in leadership positions here and
making decisions and helping run an organization. And so I
just leveraged those relationships. So you want to talk about
full circle, I mean it's look, you know, you treat
people like people at the end of the day, right,
And it wasn't about you know, my bitterness or my
emotions toward me leaving franchise. That gave me an opportunity

(50:04):
to fill my childhood career, my childhood dreams. I was,
I was, I was thankful, right and and so you know,
now still I think this is here seven. You know,
time flies, turbo, time flies turbo, right, But but you know,
I've been in ambassador for the franchise in various ways.
And you know, not many people can say that they

(50:27):
still have an attachment to one of thirty two you know,
world sports franchises in the NFL. I mean it's it's
so again. Um yeah, I mean it's it's These are
another these are also real moments, you know, also real moments.
So I'm living a dream, Turbo, still living a dream.
I got I got one more for you, but you

(50:47):
got baby, and then we'll wrap up because we know
the difficulties of that transition, you know, out of football,
and you know you mentioned reaching out to NFL Network
and eventually getting that opportunity and talking to Dave Pierce
here at the Seahawks and eventually getting that opportunity to
be a part of the broadcast team. He wrote a
book all right, entitled The Pivot. Well just Pivot to Win,

(51:16):
Pivot to win, Pivot to Win. Just kind of get
into what inspired you to write the book and what
it's about, uh kind of in the next show for
our listeners. So look, so the full tide of the
book is, uh, pivot to win. Make the big plays
in life, sports and business. Hence the play our name

(51:37):
so um so how that came about in the essence
of it. So when I left the NFL, I mean
even while I played, I started I started a couple
of businesses. My brother and I we have something together
and then something here and I just kind of do
on our own. And one of the businesses that I
that I started was in transportation. And while I'm running

(51:58):
this business, while I felt you know, confident, work, ethic, drive,
willingness to succeed, I also realize, oh man, there's some
gaps right, there's there's there's just some gaps. Naturally, I
was like, I gotta go retool. So I go back
to pursue my NBA. I enrolled at Seattle University. I

(52:19):
do an executive NBA program, And at the same time,
I was trying to find a way where I can
leverage what I was already doing with the Seahawks. If
the Seahawks saw me as an ambassador for the franchise,
as someone that they can send out to speak on
behalf of the franchise, you know, help with their partner

(52:41):
experience or customer experience, fan experience, right engage with the
community to help enhance something. I'm like, well, there's clearly
a message there that I can share where now I'm
walking into a room, I can I can give a
you know, a keynote speech or you know, there's there's
something around my story and uniqueness of you know, making
it to this level of an the NFL. And and again,

(53:04):
it's not natural for someone to take the path that
I did. And while it may not have been, you know,
all that entertaining to me, because I mean really, I
still have this sense of humility. It's like that quiet confidence.
It was attractive. I was like, so, I so I'm
in this uh this leadership conference down in San Diego,
and my mentor, Darren Hardy, whom he says to it's

(53:28):
about a hundred business owners all across the world. He says,
if anyone is interested in writing a book, come back
before the lunch break, and I'll give you access to
my product, you know, my production team, my publishing team.
Like okay, well, sure, yeah, I'll write a book by
the end of the day. By the end of the day,
I'm standing up in front of a hundred people that
I don't know, and I'm like and next year, like,

(53:50):
you know, what's one big takeaway that it will had
to share one big takeaways, like, next year, I'm going
to write a book. Now, I didn't know what the
hell I was writing about, what the story is going
to be, the message da da da da da da da.
But I knew if I could hone in on that,
then you know, it can become a great marketing tool
to help do some of the things that I wanted
to do life after football. So again I end up

(54:11):
here in the book it's really about It's part memoirs.
So there's a part of it of growing up in Texas,
the path of Division two football and playing nearly a
decade in the NFL as an undrafted free agent. There's
one component of it. The other part of it, too,
is like there's something unique around you know, all of
our stories, not just mine. We all have a story.

(54:32):
We all deal with perseverance, we're all faced with challenges,
we're all faced with setbacks, right, but everyone don't respond
the same. So how can I help inspire someone else
who may be dealing with setbacks, challenges, or even a
negative attitude or approach to something to help them shift
their level of optimism to believe that something is possible.
So there's that component of it's self helping and personal development,

(54:55):
and then the transition in a way from football loss
of identity. And I think that's the big thing, right
because you've experienced it and and and and maybe you
can relate to it when you lose this level of
that's been it's been so much of a part of
who you are. Um, you're almost you're almost you're almost lost, right, Yeah,

(55:19):
you're right, you're you're like, oh, well, I've been told
what to do so for so long? When to be there?
How to do that? I had a routine, I had
familiarity with my surroundings and you know, and and I
could basically week to week, I know what I was doing. Well,
what happened when you take that away? Right? So, now
here you are, as let's say, an early fortunate right

(55:40):
late twenties or early thirties. Now you're having to deal
with a lot of things that people who graduated high
school with you, are graduated college with you. For the
last decade seven plus years, have been able to have
managed one, um, time management, you know, for two routine,
you know, relationship management. And it's just I mean I
can go down a gamut, right, I mean, how one

(56:02):
feels about themselves, right. I mean, I don't know how
you felt when when you when you weren't playing anymore,
but I felt like not a little less than but
I felt like this sense of belonging. I lost my tribe. No,
I mean I was looking the mirror for a while.
I didn't even recognize who I was anymore. I was like,
it's I don't even like, there's Turbot, but I don't
who who is Turbo? Yeah? Who is that guy? And

(56:24):
who am I? Who am I? Yeah? Right? And and
and so that that level of what you know, I
call it this you know, psychological roller coaster, right, of
both emotion, personal and self value? Um, you know physical right,

(56:44):
because I mean, look, the other part is that we're healing,
like our body is healing, right, It's it's my mind
is in a different space and I'm trying to figure
out who the hell I am, what the hell I
want to do? What am I supposed to be doing today?
And then who? Right? And there's there's so it's a

(57:06):
it's a big it's a big roller coaster to navigate,
and um, you know, so I also I want to
just put that in words and put that in in
the book so I can help players like yourself who
came after me, and I can share what that story
was and perhaps even in some way inspire other players
to find that transition faster. And so a lot of

(57:29):
the things that I'm even doing now, um, you know,
with helping former players is helping them identify get early
skills while they're playing so they can help so they
can pivot faster. And it's a lot different now. I mean,
you know, with social media and technology and brand awareness
and you know this. You know the programs, the NFLPA

(57:51):
and stuff, all of it, right, it's it's really helping
players transition a lot faster. Yeah, amazing man. Well they
might ever call JB because that's what I'm just about
to do. Appreciate you coming on the show, Big Play Babs.
Episode two in the books, y'all stay tuned next week,

(58:11):
episode three coming live. Not a special guest though, I imagine,
not a special guest though. Appreciate everybody listening. Tune in
next week. He's