February 9, 2024 • 25 mins
On the latest NFL Players: Second Acts Podcast, Former All-Pro receivers Terrell Owens and Victor Cruz join Peanut and Roman. T.O. shares his fitness journey with the guys and, even at 50 years old, he mentions the possibility of playing in the newly-formed UFL. He also discusses his business ventures, and whether he can still run a 4.4 40-yard dash. Then, former NY Giants receiver aka “The People’s Champ” Victor Cruz joins the show. He talks about overcoming the odds to have a productive 6-year NFL career and the proudest moment of his playing career. He also shares how he was chosen to be mic’ed up for Super Bowl 46.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:10):
I'm Peanut Tooman and this is the NFL Players Second
Acts Podcast. I got my uncle Roman Harbor with me.
What's up baby, I'm used to that. I'm doing well.
I'm really enjoying myself, including being your uncle today. So
Wor's and foremost is all always thank our viewers, when
your listeners, wherever you pick up your podcast, whether it's
Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, what you have right here behind us.
(00:32):
Tell a friend, give us a five star rating, tell
a friend to tell a friend to do what Peanut,
Tell a friend exactly, hit that review, click follow, do
all the things that I'm telling you to do.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Peanut. We're here in Las Vegas, Super.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Bowl fifty eight. I like that radio row, Mandalay Bay.
I mean our set, great atmosphere. We're right here where
everybody has to come in. They got to see us,
we see them. We've seen so many great friends, former teammates.
We got guests for you all lined up that we're
gonna be rolling out the next few weeks with all
the interviews and all the content that we are collecting
right now. Was there a person that you were excited
(01:05):
to see today?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yes, it was Coach Prime.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Yeah, I was excited about that one.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
LT.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Lawrence Taylor. Yes, another's bad BOFO. I mean he still
scares people. I don't think anybody's messing with him. And
then of course t O because I had to give
him some shades because I know he's my guy. I'm
excited about our next guest. This guy is one of
the greatest receivers of all time, Top three top three
(01:33):
all time, one of the great receivers of all time,
inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in twenty eighteen.
He is now an entrepreneur in the fitness game and
he is here on behalf of Eminem's Ladies and Gentlemen.
Terrell Owens Toe Yo.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Te yo, I know your name, p nut Tillman. You
know what I mean. He's don't have pe nut in,
but it's penut butter.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Yeah, So I did that commercial. They just revealed the
full commercial. Had a chance to work with Smith. I know,
I just had lt On but fellow Hall of Famer
Bruce Smith, Damn Marino. They showed everybody had the chance
to share the screen with a phenomenal actress, Scarlett Johansson.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
It's called Johansson.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
So yeah, the premise of the commercial is like almost champions,
So she's almost had an Oscar in Oscar and us.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
We almost wanted to you guys. Yeah yeah, So you know,
obviously chocolates comfort food.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
So they got this ring of comfort you know, they
made out of chocolate, Eminems and stuff like that. So yeah,
peup peanut Eminem's Eminem's dot com. Go check out the
full commercial.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Look at that. We already got the plug right here.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Man, we get something.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Yeah cool, I got brought you.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
I got to know this because I know you personally.
So what's it like being fifty?
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Bro?
Speaker 1 (02:49):
I mean, you're already in phenomenal shape. I mean how
you holding on to yourself?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Man? You're still looking like you're ready he needs.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Hey.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Man, you know as you get olderbviously, body changes things
of that nature. I've been able to maintain my level
of fitness just by eating healthy. To be quite honest,
I'm not one of those guys just kind of just
let myself go. I'm always trying to be active. I
got my son is in you, just finished college. He's
training hopefully get on be on the NFL team next year.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Somewhere.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
My daughter's playing volleyball.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
And then my young nine year old she's active, so
I just try to stay stay active.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Man.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
You're still on the waffle house here and now, now
any worse that's a waffle house.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
I'm going.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
And people that follow my story, if you see the
hashtag and the number, people like, what is that number?
Speaker 3 (03:33):
That's the store numbers?
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Store number?
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Yeah, yes, I always tag that as well.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
I think that's the most interesting thing about Taryl that
people don't know is like, oh no, he and waffle house.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Oh yeah yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
And the thing is people like, oh, waffle house is nasty.
You can find healthy alternatives or options anywhere you can go.
So for me, like I said, I don't. I don't
eat all the other stuff. Like I go egg whites,
slice tomatoes, and I.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Gotta have me a waffle. Gotta have me a waffle.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
So yeah, they got all the sausage, egg and cheese,
all that stuff. They got all that, but I just don't.
I don't indulge.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Now, are there any other football leagues that we're going
to see you in that are fan controlled?
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Hey? You never know, man, they got this UFL, you
know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Now you can play in UFL right now, yeah. I
mean obviously like a whole season or like a quarter out.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Strategically, like I said, third down in red zone, third
down in red zone. I mean that's where again, like
I said, I would be a viable option. Like I said,
go out there and run. Honestly, I got to be risky.
I'm not going to run you fifty sixty seventy snaps.
But when you think about the advantages and obviously the game,
the teams that are playing in the Super Bowl today,
they are here today because they move the change in
(04:36):
third down, those critical downs, and in the red zone,
that's what that's what the paydoret is. That's where you
gotta score points. Look at the Ravens. What happened with
Zay Flowers? He couldn't get it right at the end zone.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
You know what I mean. Fumber the ball.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
That's where you that's where you move the chains, and
that's where you end up being in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
By putting points on the board.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Right now, money on the line. You're old Cho Sinko
in the forty who win in now?
Speaker 3 (04:57):
I would give me my money. Boy, if you bet
on him. You're not lost. You got lost.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
When's the last time you time yourself in the forty
because I seen you and a half two years. Yeah,
I've seen you run four four and what was it?
Speaker 5 (05:10):
Four four?
Speaker 3 (05:10):
What it's like about a four four three for four?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
My boy? Still rolling?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
What you got right now?
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Right now?
Speaker 1 (05:17):
I mean like a couple of minutes.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
It ain't no joke, though, you gotta say you gotta
stay active.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Question moving now, how do you stay busy off the field?
I know you've been you're an entrepreneur. You gottal type
eighty one, that's the line.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
So it's like, uh, I checked out the side like women,
so you're in a sex So it's like for women's
like hoodies, joggers, crop tops, leggings. I have a few
pieces of performance where obviously you got athletic. But again,
like I said, I'm trying to get more in the trendy.
Like I said, hoodies, things that Native Street where just comfort,
you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Just comfort. I would know this.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
If you could play for any quarterback in today's NFL
right now, who would it be and why.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
I obviously go with one of the guys, Both of
those guys that are playing in the Super Bowl right now,
especially Patrick Mahomes just this ability obviously to play inside
the pocket and he can play outside. The protest when
you look at my career. Unfortunately I didn't get to
play my tenure with Steve Young, but you think about
how he was early on his career obviously pocket passer,
but when he got out of pocket, he can make
(06:22):
plays with his feet. Obviously, scramble drill, you know for
a defense that's a nightmare. Obviously trying to get uncovered
guys to uncover. I made literally a living because I
understood the scramble drill and understanding of the rest that
the quarterback is under. When they get out of the pocket.
All they looking for is your team color. They looking
for the opposite color for you to for your team
to throw the ball to. So that's what I did.
(06:43):
I tried to get in the visibility of the quarterback
so they can get me the ball so I can
do what I do. I call it, m ya, make
yourself available when that quarterback is out.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Of the pocket.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
And you did a hell of a job doing that
your whole career. I know you're busy, you gotta run.
Appreciate you stopping giving them some eminems. Shout out to
Eminem's again. The next guest that we're gonna be rolling
out and showing out to you is Victor Cruz. Now, yes,
(07:13):
this was recorded on Thursday before the Super Bowl and
Honors Night where he will be talking about his prestigious honor,
which is the Captain Morgan Fan of the Year Award
that he's been glorious and been to the really the
campaign manager the last three years. The last three years
of rolling that out and rewarding that to a fan
throughout the year, pretty crazy.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
I can't wait to show it to you guys. Here
it is.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
We're here with our next guest. He's Salceled.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
I made that up.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Saltled his way into the hearts of Giants fans during
his career, made the Pro Bowl, he's an All Pro.
Since leaving the team, he's been on TV. He's an analyst, model, entrepreneur,
and he's here on behalf of Captain Morgan and gentleman
Victor Cruz.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Man, that was pretty good. Yeah, man, you know I'm.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Trying, you know, I'm trying to get back into TV
now like this dude. You know, yeah, because he butchered sauced, well,
it's made up.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Worse.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
You can say, however, you that's what I'm saying. I
was like, he's sauced. I blame that on Thomas, our producer.
But anyway, man, what's what's with this joint right here?
Speaker 2 (08:20):
What is this? So?
Speaker 5 (08:21):
This is the Fan of the Year trophy for this
year's Fan of the Year. Man, a bunch of nominees
from all over the country.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
I saw the commercial was great. It's incredible, right, it's
on the commercial describ.
Speaker 5 (08:30):
Just highlighting all of the Fans of the Year and
just all the things that they go through, the process pregaming,
the pregaming like it's really intense, like the things that
they do.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Like you think we love football growing up, this is
a different level different.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
So and then on Saturday, we'll have all of the
fans of your nominees pull up to the Sports Illustrated
party and come hang out with us. So they're gonna
be flipping out, They're gonna have a blast, they're gonna
be going crazy.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
I remember, I mean, I've done this.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
This is what my third year in a row doing
the Fan of Your experience, and I'm always surprised every
year at the level of fandom of these Fans of
the Year.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Nominees were like their second to none.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Tell me this, have you ever seen like a weird
random tattoo from one of.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
These But that's the light. That's the least you see. Well,
the crazy one.
Speaker 5 (09:12):
I've seen, you know, wearing Green Bay Packer helmets, like
under the armpit. I've seen them on their close to
their hearts, like obviously like chess joint.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
I've seen like there.
Speaker 5 (09:22):
I've been to these people's homes where their houses are
just decorad decorated, like not even just man caves type stuff,
like the whole crib is decorated of their favorite teams,
and the lineage goes back to like their dad's dad's dad,
Like it's it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
All right.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
So what was your because we always have one, we
like to go through this with different guys, what was
your first like welcome to the NFL moment, Like, man, okay.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
This is the league.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Okay, that's good because you crushed preseason. Yeah, crushed it.
Nobody came out of nowhere.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
I remember this, Yeah, And I think the biggest thing.
Speaker 5 (09:55):
I think the biggest thing actually came before I got
into the I was in the league already.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
It was my freshman year. My rookie year.
Speaker 5 (10:02):
Obviously the second year when we won the Super Bowl, but
my first year was you know, we played. I played
that year, I got her, I was on I yard
finished the year out, but that summer going into the
next year, it was a lockout and Eli.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Didn't have anybody to throw to.
Speaker 5 (10:16):
He lived in New Jersey, obviously, he didn't go back
home to Mississippi or like New Orleans where he's from.
So he's he's at home and I get a call
and I look at my phone, like Eli, Manny, like
this gotta be like a type bo he must be
having the wrong number. He calls me, He's like, Yo,
I need somebody to throw to. Can you pull up
to Hoboken this morning and come and just throw with
me and whatever? And I'm just like yeah, Like I'm
(10:39):
like nervous, you know. I pull up and we're in
a dog park outside of his crib in Hoboken, New Jersey,
throwing the ball at seven thirty am. And he's given
me kind of the tricks of the trade of our offense.
Things he likes within the offense, things he wanted to see,
and just different plays he likes to run. Like I
could tell that this was like I needed to cherish
this moment because I'm a step ahead of other people
(11:01):
right now and I need to just pay attention. And
that led to us having a great report when the
season came and I got my opportunity and.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Took advantage of me won a Super Bowl that year.
Speaker 5 (11:10):
So like, that moment really just prepared me for like
a what the NFL is and what an elite level
quarterback throws? Like I have blisters on my thumbs, they
have gloves on or nothing.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
I just pulled.
Speaker 5 (11:22):
I ain't even had no gloves, bro, And I'm just
like catching the ball and I'm like, oohard, I just.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Got to throw it back.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
And yeah, So it was that was That was one
of the biggest moments for me.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
But what was one of the greatest memories that you've had?
We've all been to Super Bowl? We we fifty. I
played in what two.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Bould you go to?
Speaker 2 (11:39):
I only counted when I won? Okay, whatever?
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Smart forty forty forty six, Right, what was the best
memory you had in Super Bowl forty six?
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (11:48):
Man? I think the best memory obviously the things leading
up to it, right, the stuff with the teammates and
the locker rooms practices.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Those are always memories. But I mean, to score a.
Speaker 5 (11:56):
Touchdown in that game, and like with model to do this,
it was about but we called it now you called
it and it was funny because you know, from my
van flashing like that, I'm looking and I not.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Only am I looking for the ball, but the linebackers
odds are right out.
Speaker 5 (12:12):
I mean, I'm like, if he looks back, he got
an interception, but I gotta stay focused. So it hit
me and babbled it and then I called it catch.
But what people don't know is that, like my godfather
and high school football coach were like five rolls up
from right where I scored the touchdown, so the dance
and score and I look up and pointed at them
and they up clapping going crazy like that was That
was one of the biggest memories. To see two guys
(12:33):
that watched me grow up and then to be there
for one of the biggest moments in my career was
pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
All right, What was it? How did you get chosen
to be miked up for that game?
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Because I went back and watched the YouTube, Like you
were talking, you were just so excited, like pure excitement.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Just out here.
Speaker 5 (12:49):
I didn't even know that I was miked I think
he might have told me, but I got so many
things going through my head.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
I was completely forgot that I was miked up.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
Thank God, say nothing too crazy, but like that was
all very genuine and very very excited. I mean, I'm
a twenty four year old, twenty five year old kid
that just fulfilled his dream, like you know, you dream
about it, like playing on the street with your friends
and the red cars that end zone and you in
the super Bowl like on you know, so like to
actually do it in real life was was life changing,
(13:16):
I thought.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
I think one of the most exciting parts when I
watched the YouTube video of you during the Super Bowl
was when for when Mario Manahan made that catch down
the sidelines bananas right, and you just went crazy.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
And it wasn't even your one foot two foot Yeah,
yeah it was. It was a good narration that you gave.
Speaker 5 (13:34):
What I'm like, because you know, there's moments and then
obviously going into that game, you know, you don't know
the football gods is gonna be on your side. Is
the second time we playing the same team. They got Brady,
they got welk or they got everything they've had over
there to be successful over the last years, and you
guys just got hot in the play and we just
hit it right. So I don't know if this is
like NFL guys like all right, this is their turn now,
and I'm like, not this one because I'm I'm just
(13:54):
my first one, Like don't let them be a guy,
let them get the next year or something. So you
just don't know, and there's always a play that changes
the momentum. It was the David Tyree helmet catch, right,
it was you know, Julian Edelman.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Toe catch on it.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
Like, there's always one that shifts the joint. So I knew, Mario,
if this was a catch, this was going to be
the one that shifts the joint. So I'm watching and
you know, they obviously challenged it or whatever, so I'm
looking at it and I'm like one two get Like
it was just such a real moment, and I knew
that that play could be the one that changes the momentum.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
So, speaking of moments six years, what was your proudest
NFL moment.
Speaker 5 (14:35):
Proudest NFL moment Probably my first catch in the preseason,
like to have a one handed catch up the sideline
in MetLife Stadium, Moms in attendance.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
You were single digit number two in the first three Yeah,
who is this guy that's crushing it?
Speaker 5 (14:52):
Right? You know they give you the single digit number
when I don't think're gonna make the team. You know,
they just like, we ain't got a number for you yet.
So take what you had in college and live with it,
you know what I mean. So so to have a
one handed touchdown up the sideline kind of trip regain
my balance going up the sideline against the Jets at
the crib, I lived twenty minutes down the road, like
all those things culminating, was like, Okay, this is a moment.
(15:13):
And then to proceed to have two more touchdowns the
rest of that game and then kind of just be like, Okay,
I belong here, you know what I mean, Like I
could play at this level and really do it at
the high level and see where it takes me.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Like that was that was a moment for me.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
I don't think enough people understand is when you have
a great preseason game, like everybody else in the league
is put on notice and then like.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Bro, you they can't cut you no more. Like yep,
like he balled out.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
You get three interceptions in a preseason game, you scored
three touchdowns.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
You made the team that year, absolutely, and we gonna
find a way. They gonna figure it out.
Speaker 5 (15:45):
They're gonna eve been playing special you know, they do
the special teams thing, trying to find your niche. Yeah,
and I just wasn't a special team's guy on any either.
I just wasn't that guy.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
You know.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
I tried. I tried to do it, but you know,
I got an opportunity. Some guys were hurt and some
guys didn't play that Week three against Philly, and I
got my shot man and I ended up with three
catches on hundred yards, two touchdowns. And they was like, Okay,
we don't need to put you on special teams. You
got a niche out here. We need to put you
out here so you can use the athleticism and use
your kind of you know, spontaneity while I'm out here
(16:17):
playing and creativeness.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
And go out there and perform.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
All right, let's talk about the just transition, because you know,
this is the NFL Player's Second Acts podcast, So let's
talk about this second act that you've been on. You've
been a TV analyst. You've done like you're doing right now.
You said you want to be an actor. You said
you want to be a TV host before you show
got messed up during COVID.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
But golf's let's go there, guy's paying attention, looking at
the jut. Damn, he's watching things like golf has changed.
Just it's such a life sport. Yes, And I'm gonna
be honest. It's my daughter that really got me open
to it. I heard he's been playing since she was five.
She's twelve now, and I went to go. You know,
I wasn't going to watch her do the lesson, and
(16:57):
I wasn't even into it when she was five. Yet
it wasn't til she was like seven eight and I
took her to her lesson. And my daughter's very energetic, rambunctious,
loves to talk loud or moving around. And we get
to the course and she's like that that I want
to warm up a little bit before the lesson starts.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
I'm like cool.
Speaker 5 (17:13):
She dropped three balls on the putting green, grabbed her putter,
was like quiet, calm down, like.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Hit three, And I said, this is the sport that
gets you to shut up.
Speaker 5 (17:22):
Oh, I'm doing this with you, like we're doing this
together and you've never seen her like that. I had
never seen her just be locked in like that, And
I was like, I want to play this game with
you because you know, I just want to go on
this journey with you and see and see where it
Lanza is. So I started taking lessons, realized very quickly
that I need to take a lot more lessons I
figure this thing out.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
But once you hit one flush, it's nothing better.
Speaker 5 (17:44):
Oh my god, there's nothing better to recreate that moment
every did ever since Bru. And I've threw that addiction
and through me getting better over the years pretty pretty
fairly quickly, because again I'm addicted, right, I can't go
how much coffee play a year? I mean last year,
and these are just the games that I lock you know,
on the grant.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
I have the app.
Speaker 5 (18:03):
I played thirty six rounds of golf last year and
those are the ones that I just put into the app,
right right, I played maybe fifty something total. Like, because
I'm traveling here, golf clubs is with me right now
in the hotel. I'm never traveling without them. I'm playing
against sa quand tomorrow. So like a game so it's
always the competitiveness is still there, but the camaraderie is
(18:24):
what I love the most. And then you get the
opportunity like I got the opportunity to play at Marco
Simone and at the Ryder Cup, at that pro am
and be in Italy and like play golf in the
you know, in the Illis spot in Italy, Like yeah,
you can't beat some of those things, man. And it's
just opened up so many more doors and resources and
just people that it's really been a game changer.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
From the amazing thing to me, what I learned is
that if you're like halfway decent, I don't need you
to be in the sevens, but if you be in
the upper eighties low nineties, like we can play, you
can get around and then like you would get invited
to so many other people because people love to play golf.
The first thing I earn first lesson before I even
swung a golf club, my instructor said to me, he
was like, I need you to remember two things.
Speaker 5 (19:06):
I need you to play fast and have fun. And
I was like, okay, I could do that in the beginning.
You know, you're hitting it all around you like, let
me pick this thing up and be tried the next team.
But I ain't about to be back here in one
hundred times. As you get better, though, you start to
understand the game, and you understand how to hit balls,
and you understand like, I'm a g outside of the rough,
in the bushes, because that's where you get the most practice.
(19:26):
The first two years. Is like I'm gonna hit it
out of these buchets. I'm gonna hit it out of
there always, so I can get that practice. Now when
I get in trouble, there's a certain confidence to get
out of that. Or if I have a window, I
know how to hit it out of that. The same
in life, right, same thing I tell my daughter is like,
you get into these troubles in life, you gotta find
that window to hit it out of. You gotta find
that little safety net for you to say, Okay, how
(19:46):
am I going to plan myself to get out of
this jam that I'm in. It's no different in golf
than in real life. I stay whooping your butt in
golf every time we go. I stay, I stay, Oh
my god, room is terrible. Room is terrible.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
But speaking of entrepreneurship, I know you got an investment
in the East Side Golf. What do you like about their brand?
Speaker 5 (20:03):
Oh Man, Well, first of all, I just love that
there are two young brothers that are just figuring it
out and stuff with them and just venturing off into
a world that doesn't have many people like us in it.
So because of that and because of their authenticity, right,
they're real golfers, Like they're really nice with it. Obviously
Elaja one is still trying to become pro and do
all of those things, like they're really real about it,
(20:24):
not just two guys.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Trying to make some money off some golf.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
Like, these guys are really passionate about the sport and
walk and that's.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
What really kind of gravitated me to them.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
And then obviously having two guys to just talk to
about the game that have done it at a very
high level and through the college ranks and all of
that good stuff. It's just good to have guys like
that in my back pocket. And then from a business perspective,
I just saw the growth of golf from when I
got into it around the COVID year or whatever and
just to now it's grown exponentially. And I kind of
(20:52):
saw that early on, and I was like, let me
get behind these brothers and see just where it goes
and just have have a some cool stuff to rock
when I'm out there playing and then be be behind
something that's authentic and see, uh and just kind of
see where it takes me.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
I just ordered the shirt I didn't know nothing about
until you came on and I'm looking at the bio.
I was like, oh, he's like, what is that?
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Okay? And you still think he beat me in golf?
He didn't even know about.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
He said, it's starting to be a little shaky now.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
The facts ain't starting to shake up.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
To be honest, exactly. You see, I didn't say nothing.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
I'm like, it'll play itself out exactly.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Roy never beat me in nothing. That's why you crying now,
that's look at him, look at them tears. That's why.
That's why he cried.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Now.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
He cried every time. I'm right, every time I left anyway, No,
so last thing, and I want to get you know,
after this, and I want to bring back up this
Captain Morgan thing, and so for you to be the
league spokesperson and that man, uh, that that represents the
fan of the year for the last three years.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
You say, sir, like, what is that? What does that.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
Responsibility come with? And how does that make you feel?
Because i know, you know, playing in New York has
it it's on advantages, but you're from there being a
part of that and now doing this and being a
part of the NFL.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
Let's talk about that.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
Well, it's pretty incredible, right because if you look at
my journey, right, I've always kind of prided myself on
being the people's champ. Like I'm I'm grown, I grew
up right down the road from Giants Stadium. I'm the
guy with twenty five family members at the game off
from Pattison moving around. You're gonna spot them when you
see them type of thing. You know who they are
when you walk through the stadium. And I've always been
(22:28):
just mixed in with the people. So I've always you know,
when I'm at the mall in Jersey or I'm moving around,
I'm moving around normally, so people see me and they
kind of go, you just walk around here, No, I'm like, yeah,
like the same thing I used to do when I
was a kid walking around.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
It's no different for me.
Speaker 5 (22:43):
So to be to always be, you know, to always
carry myself as a people's shamp as a man of
the people, in my opinion, to be able to represent
Captain Morgan and represent the fans of the year, it
just made sense because I'm always interacting with the fans
all year long, every day, no matter if I'm in
New Jersey or if I'm in CALIFORNI on you if
I'm in Vegas, like the fans are everywhere, so to
be able to represent all of them and to be
(23:04):
able to hand them this award and be like, thank
you for your fandom and thank you for your love
of this game that I grew up loving my entire
life like, it's a pretty big honor for me and
something that I don't take lightly.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Yeah, I know, I said that was my last question,
but I lie. Okay, see what's.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
He always lying? I'm telling you that's what next for
Victor Cruz because you do a lot of different things,
and I know you got a lot of different goals,
but I want to know personally because I.
Speaker 5 (23:27):
See you on TV. But yeah, what's next for you
in your mind? I mean, I think it's so many things.
I think it's continuing to navigate all these spaces. I
always look at my life in pillars. Right, sports is
one pillar, the entrepreneurship is one pillar me and the
TV space is one pillar. So as long as all
those things are moving at the same time, I always
want to be in those things together. Now, one may
(23:48):
show his head and be like, Okay, this is a
big deal that's risen up from one of these pillars
that you should take seriously for a minute and kind
of put push those things to the side. Then when
those things come up, I'll do that and and you know,
approached those things accordingly. But I just want to move
all those pillars together. I remember somebody told me a
lot of little checks always add up to one big one.
So as long as I can continue to do that
(24:09):
and continue to provide for my family and my little
one at the crib, like we're good to go.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
That's what's up, right, Man, appreciate you coming on the podcast,
you Captain Morgan and yeah, I can't wait to see
who the Fan of the Year is.
Speaker 5 (24:23):
Yeah, man, I'm excited. Thank for you too. Man, I've
been fans of you guys forever. I'm just happy y'all
ain't picking me off. You know, I'm a receiver. Glad
these guys have never intercepted me, never had to deal
with trying to chase them down from behind after a pick.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
So thank you.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
We in New Orleans we used to love seeing the
Giants because we had Eli's numbers, so like it was
never good.
Speaker 5 (24:41):
I mean, we played that one time and this might
have been just after you and we was man. By
the time we looked up the game started, we were
amped up and Drew Brees scored on us like four times.
I looked up it was twenty seven six. I said, man,
this over for a start. And then I looked around
at the crowd. I was like, wonder what the crowd's doing.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
And I looked at the crowd.
Speaker 5 (24:58):
Everybody was partying like they wasn't even I'm worried about
the game. Had her back turned with an umbrella, like yeah,
we're hanging out to day. I said, oh yeah, let's
get on the body man. No point in playing this
one out.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
So blessed to have t O and Cruise on the
show man. They did an awesome job. Dude, Why you
just catch me off guard like that? It was like quiet,
so okay. Anyway, I didn't know I had to look
at you. I didn't know I had to look at you,
but you looked at me right. You were like, go,
this is live TV and this is what we do,
my god, and so look. Thank you for always tuning in,
all of our viewers, all of our listeners.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Wherever you pick up.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
Your podcast that was Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio. Please tell a
friend to tell a friend, to tell a friend, and
you give us a five star rating, click follow, give
us a review and we will see you later too,
Cruise appreciate y'all. Thanks,
I'm Peanut Tooman and this is the NFL Players Second
Acts Podcast. I got my uncle Roman Harbor with me.
What's up baby, I'm used to that. I'm doing well.
I'm really enjoying myself, including being your uncle today. So
Wor's and foremost is all always thank our viewers, when
your listeners, wherever you pick up your podcast, whether it's
Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, what you have right here behind us.
(00:32):
Tell a friend, give us a five star rating, tell
a friend to tell a friend to do what Peanut,
Tell a friend exactly, hit that review, click follow, do
all the things that I'm telling you to do.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Peanut. We're here in Las Vegas, Super.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Bowl fifty eight. I like that radio row, Mandalay Bay.
I mean our set, great atmosphere. We're right here where
everybody has to come in. They got to see us,
we see them. We've seen so many great friends, former teammates.
We got guests for you all lined up that we're
gonna be rolling out the next few weeks with all
the interviews and all the content that we are collecting
right now. Was there a person that you were excited
(01:05):
to see today?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yes, it was Coach Prime.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Yeah, I was excited about that one.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
LT.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Lawrence Taylor. Yes, another's bad BOFO. I mean he still
scares people. I don't think anybody's messing with him. And
then of course t O because I had to give
him some shades because I know he's my guy. I'm
excited about our next guest. This guy is one of
the greatest receivers of all time, Top three top three
(01:33):
all time, one of the great receivers of all time,
inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in twenty eighteen.
He is now an entrepreneur in the fitness game and
he is here on behalf of Eminem's Ladies and Gentlemen.
Terrell Owens Toe Yo.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Te yo, I know your name, p nut Tillman. You
know what I mean. He's don't have pe nut in,
but it's penut butter.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Yeah, So I did that commercial. They just revealed the
full commercial. Had a chance to work with Smith. I know,
I just had lt On but fellow Hall of Famer
Bruce Smith, Damn Marino. They showed everybody had the chance
to share the screen with a phenomenal actress, Scarlett Johansson.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
It's called Johansson.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
So yeah, the premise of the commercial is like almost champions,
So she's almost had an Oscar in Oscar and us.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
We almost wanted to you guys. Yeah yeah, So you know,
obviously chocolates comfort food.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
So they got this ring of comfort you know, they
made out of chocolate, Eminems and stuff like that. So yeah,
peup peanut Eminem's Eminem's dot com. Go check out the
full commercial.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Look at that. We already got the plug right here.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Man, we get something.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Yeah cool, I got brought you.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
I got to know this because I know you personally.
So what's it like being fifty?
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Bro?
Speaker 1 (02:49):
I mean, you're already in phenomenal shape. I mean how
you holding on to yourself?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Man? You're still looking like you're ready he needs.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Hey.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Man, you know as you get olderbviously, body changes things
of that nature. I've been able to maintain my level
of fitness just by eating healthy. To be quite honest,
I'm not one of those guys just kind of just
let myself go. I'm always trying to be active. I
got my son is in you, just finished college. He's
training hopefully get on be on the NFL team next year.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Somewhere.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
My daughter's playing volleyball.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
And then my young nine year old she's active, so
I just try to stay stay active.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Man.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
You're still on the waffle house here and now, now
any worse that's a waffle house.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
I'm going.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
And people that follow my story, if you see the
hashtag and the number, people like, what is that number?
Speaker 3 (03:33):
That's the store numbers?
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Store number?
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Yeah, yes, I always tag that as well.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
I think that's the most interesting thing about Taryl that
people don't know is like, oh no, he and waffle house.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Oh yeah yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
And the thing is people like, oh, waffle house is nasty.
You can find healthy alternatives or options anywhere you can go.
So for me, like I said, I don't. I don't
eat all the other stuff. Like I go egg whites,
slice tomatoes, and I.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Gotta have me a waffle. Gotta have me a waffle.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
So yeah, they got all the sausage, egg and cheese,
all that stuff. They got all that, but I just don't.
I don't indulge.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Now, are there any other football leagues that we're going
to see you in that are fan controlled?
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Hey? You never know, man, they got this UFL, you
know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Now you can play in UFL right now, yeah. I
mean obviously like a whole season or like a quarter out.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Strategically, like I said, third down in red zone, third
down in red zone. I mean that's where again, like
I said, I would be a viable option. Like I said,
go out there and run. Honestly, I got to be risky.
I'm not going to run you fifty sixty seventy snaps.
But when you think about the advantages and obviously the game,
the teams that are playing in the Super Bowl today,
they are here today because they move the change in
(04:36):
third down, those critical downs, and in the red zone,
that's what that's what the paydoret is. That's where you
gotta score points. Look at the Ravens. What happened with
Zay Flowers? He couldn't get it right at the end zone.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
You know what I mean. Fumber the ball.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
That's where you that's where you move the chains, and
that's where you end up being in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
By putting points on the board.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Right now, money on the line. You're old Cho Sinko
in the forty who win in now?
Speaker 3 (04:57):
I would give me my money. Boy, if you bet
on him. You're not lost. You got lost.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
When's the last time you time yourself in the forty
because I seen you and a half two years. Yeah,
I've seen you run four four and what was it?
Speaker 5 (05:10):
Four four?
Speaker 3 (05:10):
What it's like about a four four three for four?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
My boy? Still rolling?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
What you got right now?
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Right now?
Speaker 1 (05:17):
I mean like a couple of minutes.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
It ain't no joke, though, you gotta say you gotta
stay active.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Question moving now, how do you stay busy off the field?
I know you've been you're an entrepreneur. You gottal type
eighty one, that's the line.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
So it's like, uh, I checked out the side like women,
so you're in a sex So it's like for women's
like hoodies, joggers, crop tops, leggings. I have a few
pieces of performance where obviously you got athletic. But again,
like I said, I'm trying to get more in the trendy.
Like I said, hoodies, things that Native Street where just comfort,
you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Just comfort. I would know this.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
If you could play for any quarterback in today's NFL
right now, who would it be and why.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
I obviously go with one of the guys, Both of
those guys that are playing in the Super Bowl right now,
especially Patrick Mahomes just this ability obviously to play inside
the pocket and he can play outside. The protest when
you look at my career. Unfortunately I didn't get to
play my tenure with Steve Young, but you think about
how he was early on his career obviously pocket passer,
but when he got out of pocket, he can make
(06:22):
plays with his feet. Obviously, scramble drill, you know for
a defense that's a nightmare. Obviously trying to get uncovered
guys to uncover. I made literally a living because I
understood the scramble drill and understanding of the rest that
the quarterback is under. When they get out of the pocket.
All they looking for is your team color. They looking
for the opposite color for you to for your team
to throw the ball to. So that's what I did.
(06:43):
I tried to get in the visibility of the quarterback
so they can get me the ball so I can
do what I do. I call it, m ya, make
yourself available when that quarterback is out.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Of the pocket.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
And you did a hell of a job doing that
your whole career. I know you're busy, you gotta run.
Appreciate you stopping giving them some eminems. Shout out to
Eminem's again. The next guest that we're gonna be rolling
out and showing out to you is Victor Cruz. Now, yes,
(07:13):
this was recorded on Thursday before the Super Bowl and
Honors Night where he will be talking about his prestigious honor,
which is the Captain Morgan Fan of the Year Award
that he's been glorious and been to the really the
campaign manager the last three years. The last three years
of rolling that out and rewarding that to a fan
throughout the year, pretty crazy.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
I can't wait to show it to you guys. Here
it is.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
We're here with our next guest. He's Salceled.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
I made that up.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Saltled his way into the hearts of Giants fans during
his career, made the Pro Bowl, he's an All Pro.
Since leaving the team, he's been on TV. He's an analyst, model, entrepreneur,
and he's here on behalf of Captain Morgan and gentleman
Victor Cruz.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Man, that was pretty good. Yeah, man, you know I'm.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Trying, you know, I'm trying to get back into TV
now like this dude. You know, yeah, because he butchered sauced, well,
it's made up.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Worse.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
You can say, however, you that's what I'm saying. I
was like, he's sauced. I blame that on Thomas, our producer.
But anyway, man, what's what's with this joint right here?
Speaker 2 (08:20):
What is this? So?
Speaker 5 (08:21):
This is the Fan of the Year trophy for this
year's Fan of the Year. Man, a bunch of nominees
from all over the country.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
I saw the commercial was great. It's incredible, right, it's
on the commercial describ.
Speaker 5 (08:30):
Just highlighting all of the Fans of the Year and
just all the things that they go through, the process pregaming,
the pregaming like it's really intense, like the things that
they do.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Like you think we love football growing up, this is
a different level different.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
So and then on Saturday, we'll have all of the
fans of your nominees pull up to the Sports Illustrated
party and come hang out with us. So they're gonna
be flipping out, They're gonna have a blast, they're gonna
be going crazy.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
I remember, I mean, I've done this.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
This is what my third year in a row doing
the Fan of Your experience, and I'm always surprised every
year at the level of fandom of these Fans of
the Year.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Nominees were like their second to none.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Tell me this, have you ever seen like a weird
random tattoo from one of.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
These But that's the light. That's the least you see. Well,
the crazy one.
Speaker 5 (09:12):
I've seen, you know, wearing Green Bay Packer helmets, like
under the armpit. I've seen them on their close to
their hearts, like obviously like chess joint.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
I've seen like there.
Speaker 5 (09:22):
I've been to these people's homes where their houses are
just decorad decorated, like not even just man caves type stuff,
like the whole crib is decorated of their favorite teams,
and the lineage goes back to like their dad's dad's dad,
Like it's it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
All right.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
So what was your because we always have one, we
like to go through this with different guys, what was
your first like welcome to the NFL moment, Like, man, okay.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
This is the league.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Okay, that's good because you crushed preseason. Yeah, crushed it.
Nobody came out of nowhere.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
I remember this, Yeah, And I think the biggest thing.
Speaker 5 (09:55):
I think the biggest thing actually came before I got
into the I was in the league already.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
It was my freshman year. My rookie year.
Speaker 5 (10:02):
Obviously the second year when we won the Super Bowl, but
my first year was you know, we played. I played
that year, I got her, I was on I yard
finished the year out, but that summer going into the
next year, it was a lockout and Eli.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Didn't have anybody to throw to.
Speaker 5 (10:16):
He lived in New Jersey, obviously, he didn't go back
home to Mississippi or like New Orleans where he's from.
So he's he's at home and I get a call
and I look at my phone, like Eli, Manny, like
this gotta be like a type bo he must be
having the wrong number. He calls me, He's like, Yo,
I need somebody to throw to. Can you pull up
to Hoboken this morning and come and just throw with
me and whatever? And I'm just like yeah, Like I'm
(10:39):
like nervous, you know. I pull up and we're in
a dog park outside of his crib in Hoboken, New Jersey,
throwing the ball at seven thirty am. And he's given
me kind of the tricks of the trade of our offense.
Things he likes within the offense, things he wanted to see,
and just different plays he likes to run. Like I
could tell that this was like I needed to cherish
this moment because I'm a step ahead of other people
(11:01):
right now and I need to just pay attention. And
that led to us having a great report when the
season came and I got my opportunity and.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Took advantage of me won a Super Bowl that year.
Speaker 5 (11:10):
So like, that moment really just prepared me for like
a what the NFL is and what an elite level
quarterback throws? Like I have blisters on my thumbs, they
have gloves on or nothing.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
I just pulled.
Speaker 5 (11:22):
I ain't even had no gloves, bro, And I'm just
like catching the ball and I'm like, oohard, I just.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Got to throw it back.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
And yeah, So it was that was That was one
of the biggest moments for me.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
But what was one of the greatest memories that you've had?
We've all been to Super Bowl? We we fifty. I
played in what two.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Bould you go to?
Speaker 2 (11:39):
I only counted when I won? Okay, whatever?
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Smart forty forty forty six, Right, what was the best
memory you had in Super Bowl forty six?
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (11:48):
Man? I think the best memory obviously the things leading
up to it, right, the stuff with the teammates and
the locker rooms practices.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Those are always memories. But I mean, to score a.
Speaker 5 (11:56):
Touchdown in that game, and like with model to do this,
it was about but we called it now you called
it and it was funny because you know, from my
van flashing like that, I'm looking and I not.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Only am I looking for the ball, but the linebackers
odds are right out.
Speaker 5 (12:12):
I mean, I'm like, if he looks back, he got
an interception, but I gotta stay focused. So it hit
me and babbled it and then I called it catch.
But what people don't know is that, like my godfather
and high school football coach were like five rolls up
from right where I scored the touchdown, so the dance
and score and I look up and pointed at them
and they up clapping going crazy like that was That
was one of the biggest memories. To see two guys
(12:33):
that watched me grow up and then to be there
for one of the biggest moments in my career was
pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
All right, What was it? How did you get chosen
to be miked up for that game?
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Because I went back and watched the YouTube, Like you
were talking, you were just so excited, like pure excitement.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Just out here.
Speaker 5 (12:49):
I didn't even know that I was miked I think
he might have told me, but I got so many
things going through my head.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
I was completely forgot that I was miked up.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
Thank God, say nothing too crazy, but like that was
all very genuine and very very excited. I mean, I'm
a twenty four year old, twenty five year old kid
that just fulfilled his dream, like you know, you dream
about it, like playing on the street with your friends
and the red cars that end zone and you in
the super Bowl like on you know, so like to
actually do it in real life was was life changing,
(13:16):
I thought.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
I think one of the most exciting parts when I
watched the YouTube video of you during the Super Bowl
was when for when Mario Manahan made that catch down
the sidelines bananas right, and you just went crazy.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
And it wasn't even your one foot two foot Yeah,
yeah it was. It was a good narration that you gave.
Speaker 5 (13:34):
What I'm like, because you know, there's moments and then
obviously going into that game, you know, you don't know
the football gods is gonna be on your side. Is
the second time we playing the same team. They got Brady,
they got welk or they got everything they've had over
there to be successful over the last years, and you
guys just got hot in the play and we just
hit it right. So I don't know if this is
like NFL guys like all right, this is their turn now,
and I'm like, not this one because I'm I'm just
(13:54):
my first one, Like don't let them be a guy,
let them get the next year or something. So you
just don't know, and there's always a play that changes
the momentum. It was the David Tyree helmet catch, right,
it was you know, Julian Edelman.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Toe catch on it.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
Like, there's always one that shifts the joint. So I knew, Mario,
if this was a catch, this was going to be
the one that shifts the joint. So I'm watching and
you know, they obviously challenged it or whatever, so I'm
looking at it and I'm like one two get Like
it was just such a real moment, and I knew
that that play could be the one that changes the momentum.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
So, speaking of moments six years, what was your proudest
NFL moment.
Speaker 5 (14:35):
Proudest NFL moment Probably my first catch in the preseason,
like to have a one handed catch up the sideline
in MetLife Stadium, Moms in attendance.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
You were single digit number two in the first three Yeah,
who is this guy that's crushing it?
Speaker 5 (14:52):
Right? You know they give you the single digit number
when I don't think're gonna make the team. You know,
they just like, we ain't got a number for you yet.
So take what you had in college and live with it,
you know what I mean. So so to have a
one handed touchdown up the sideline kind of trip regain
my balance going up the sideline against the Jets at
the crib, I lived twenty minutes down the road, like
all those things culminating, was like, Okay, this is a moment.
(15:13):
And then to proceed to have two more touchdowns the
rest of that game and then kind of just be like, Okay,
I belong here, you know what I mean, Like I
could play at this level and really do it at
the high level and see where it takes me.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Like that was that was a moment for me.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
I don't think enough people understand is when you have
a great preseason game, like everybody else in the league
is put on notice and then like.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Bro, you they can't cut you no more. Like yep,
like he balled out.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
You get three interceptions in a preseason game, you scored
three touchdowns.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
You made the team that year, absolutely, and we gonna
find a way. They gonna figure it out.
Speaker 5 (15:45):
They're gonna eve been playing special you know, they do
the special teams thing, trying to find your niche. Yeah,
and I just wasn't a special team's guy on any either.
I just wasn't that guy.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
You know.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
I tried. I tried to do it, but you know,
I got an opportunity. Some guys were hurt and some
guys didn't play that Week three against Philly, and I
got my shot man and I ended up with three
catches on hundred yards, two touchdowns. And they was like, Okay,
we don't need to put you on special teams. You
got a niche out here. We need to put you
out here so you can use the athleticism and use
your kind of you know, spontaneity while I'm out here
(16:17):
playing and creativeness.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
And go out there and perform.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
All right, let's talk about the just transition, because you know,
this is the NFL Player's Second Acts podcast, So let's
talk about this second act that you've been on. You've
been a TV analyst. You've done like you're doing right now.
You said you want to be an actor. You said
you want to be a TV host before you show
got messed up during COVID.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
But golf's let's go there, guy's paying attention, looking at
the jut. Damn, he's watching things like golf has changed.
Just it's such a life sport. Yes, And I'm gonna
be honest. It's my daughter that really got me open
to it. I heard he's been playing since she was five.
She's twelve now, and I went to go. You know,
I wasn't going to watch her do the lesson, and
(16:57):
I wasn't even into it when she was five. Yet
it wasn't til she was like seven eight and I
took her to her lesson. And my daughter's very energetic, rambunctious,
loves to talk loud or moving around. And we get
to the course and she's like that that I want
to warm up a little bit before the lesson starts.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
I'm like cool.
Speaker 5 (17:13):
She dropped three balls on the putting green, grabbed her putter,
was like quiet, calm down, like.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Hit three, And I said, this is the sport that
gets you to shut up.
Speaker 5 (17:22):
Oh, I'm doing this with you, like we're doing this
together and you've never seen her like that. I had
never seen her just be locked in like that, And
I was like, I want to play this game with
you because you know, I just want to go on
this journey with you and see and see where it
Lanza is. So I started taking lessons, realized very quickly
that I need to take a lot more lessons I
figure this thing out.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
But once you hit one flush, it's nothing better.
Speaker 5 (17:44):
Oh my god, there's nothing better to recreate that moment
every did ever since Bru. And I've threw that addiction
and through me getting better over the years pretty pretty
fairly quickly, because again I'm addicted, right, I can't go
how much coffee play a year? I mean last year,
and these are just the games that I lock you know,
on the grant.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
I have the app.
Speaker 5 (18:03):
I played thirty six rounds of golf last year and
those are the ones that I just put into the app,
right right, I played maybe fifty something total. Like, because
I'm traveling here, golf clubs is with me right now
in the hotel. I'm never traveling without them. I'm playing
against sa quand tomorrow. So like a game so it's
always the competitiveness is still there, but the camaraderie is
(18:24):
what I love the most. And then you get the
opportunity like I got the opportunity to play at Marco
Simone and at the Ryder Cup, at that pro am
and be in Italy and like play golf in the
you know, in the Illis spot in Italy, Like yeah,
you can't beat some of those things, man. And it's
just opened up so many more doors and resources and
just people that it's really been a game changer.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
From the amazing thing to me, what I learned is
that if you're like halfway decent, I don't need you
to be in the sevens, but if you be in
the upper eighties low nineties, like we can play, you
can get around and then like you would get invited
to so many other people because people love to play golf.
The first thing I earn first lesson before I even
swung a golf club, my instructor said to me, he
was like, I need you to remember two things.
Speaker 5 (19:06):
I need you to play fast and have fun. And
I was like, okay, I could do that in the beginning.
You know, you're hitting it all around you like, let
me pick this thing up and be tried the next team.
But I ain't about to be back here in one
hundred times. As you get better, though, you start to
understand the game, and you understand how to hit balls,
and you understand like, I'm a g outside of the rough,
in the bushes, because that's where you get the most practice.
(19:26):
The first two years. Is like I'm gonna hit it
out of these buchets. I'm gonna hit it out of
there always, so I can get that practice. Now when
I get in trouble, there's a certain confidence to get
out of that. Or if I have a window, I
know how to hit it out of that. The same
in life, right, same thing I tell my daughter is like,
you get into these troubles in life, you gotta find
that window to hit it out of. You gotta find
that little safety net for you to say, Okay, how
(19:46):
am I going to plan myself to get out of
this jam that I'm in. It's no different in golf
than in real life. I stay whooping your butt in
golf every time we go. I stay, I stay, Oh
my god, room is terrible. Room is terrible.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
But speaking of entrepreneurship, I know you got an investment
in the East Side Golf. What do you like about their brand?
Speaker 5 (20:03):
Oh Man, Well, first of all, I just love that
there are two young brothers that are just figuring it
out and stuff with them and just venturing off into
a world that doesn't have many people like us in it.
So because of that and because of their authenticity, right,
they're real golfers, Like they're really nice with it. Obviously
Elaja one is still trying to become pro and do
all of those things, like they're really real about it,
(20:24):
not just two guys.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Trying to make some money off some golf.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
Like, these guys are really passionate about the sport and
walk and that's.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
What really kind of gravitated me to them.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
And then obviously having two guys to just talk to
about the game that have done it at a very
high level and through the college ranks and all of
that good stuff. It's just good to have guys like
that in my back pocket. And then from a business perspective,
I just saw the growth of golf from when I
got into it around the COVID year or whatever and
just to now it's grown exponentially. And I kind of
(20:52):
saw that early on, and I was like, let me
get behind these brothers and see just where it goes
and just have have a some cool stuff to rock
when I'm out there playing and then be be behind
something that's authentic and see, uh and just kind of
see where it takes me.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
I just ordered the shirt I didn't know nothing about
until you came on and I'm looking at the bio.
I was like, oh, he's like, what is that?
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Okay? And you still think he beat me in golf?
He didn't even know about.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
He said, it's starting to be a little shaky now.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
The facts ain't starting to shake up.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
To be honest, exactly. You see, I didn't say nothing.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
I'm like, it'll play itself out exactly.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Roy never beat me in nothing. That's why you crying now,
that's look at him, look at them tears. That's why.
That's why he cried.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Now.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
He cried every time. I'm right, every time I left anyway, No,
so last thing, and I want to get you know,
after this, and I want to bring back up this
Captain Morgan thing, and so for you to be the
league spokesperson and that man, uh, that that represents the
fan of the year for the last three years.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
You say, sir, like, what is that? What does that.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
Responsibility come with? And how does that make you feel?
Because i know, you know, playing in New York has
it it's on advantages, but you're from there being a
part of that and now doing this and being a
part of the NFL.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
Let's talk about that.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
Well, it's pretty incredible, right because if you look at
my journey, right, I've always kind of prided myself on
being the people's champ. Like I'm I'm grown, I grew
up right down the road from Giants Stadium. I'm the
guy with twenty five family members at the game off
from Pattison moving around. You're gonna spot them when you
see them type of thing. You know who they are
when you walk through the stadium. And I've always been
(22:28):
just mixed in with the people. So I've always you know,
when I'm at the mall in Jersey or I'm moving around,
I'm moving around normally, so people see me and they
kind of go, you just walk around here, No, I'm like, yeah,
like the same thing I used to do when I
was a kid walking around.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
It's no different for me.
Speaker 5 (22:43):
So to be to always be, you know, to always
carry myself as a people's shamp as a man of
the people, in my opinion, to be able to represent
Captain Morgan and represent the fans of the year, it
just made sense because I'm always interacting with the fans
all year long, every day, no matter if I'm in
New Jersey or if I'm in CALIFORNI on you if
I'm in Vegas, like the fans are everywhere, so to
be able to represent all of them and to be
(23:04):
able to hand them this award and be like, thank
you for your fandom and thank you for your love
of this game that I grew up loving my entire
life like, it's a pretty big honor for me and
something that I don't take lightly.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Yeah, I know, I said that was my last question,
but I lie. Okay, see what's.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
He always lying? I'm telling you that's what next for
Victor Cruz because you do a lot of different things,
and I know you got a lot of different goals,
but I want to know personally because I.
Speaker 5 (23:27):
See you on TV. But yeah, what's next for you
in your mind? I mean, I think it's so many things.
I think it's continuing to navigate all these spaces. I
always look at my life in pillars. Right, sports is
one pillar, the entrepreneurship is one pillar me and the
TV space is one pillar. So as long as all
those things are moving at the same time, I always
want to be in those things together. Now, one may
(23:48):
show his head and be like, Okay, this is a
big deal that's risen up from one of these pillars
that you should take seriously for a minute and kind
of put push those things to the side. Then when
those things come up, I'll do that and and you know,
approached those things accordingly. But I just want to move
all those pillars together. I remember somebody told me a
lot of little checks always add up to one big one.
So as long as I can continue to do that
(24:09):
and continue to provide for my family and my little
one at the crib, like we're good to go.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
That's what's up, right, Man, appreciate you coming on the podcast,
you Captain Morgan and yeah, I can't wait to see
who the Fan of the Year is.
Speaker 5 (24:23):
Yeah, man, I'm excited. Thank for you too. Man, I've
been fans of you guys forever. I'm just happy y'all
ain't picking me off. You know, I'm a receiver. Glad
these guys have never intercepted me, never had to deal
with trying to chase them down from behind after a pick.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
So thank you.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
We in New Orleans we used to love seeing the
Giants because we had Eli's numbers, so like it was
never good.
Speaker 5 (24:41):
I mean, we played that one time and this might
have been just after you and we was man. By
the time we looked up the game started, we were
amped up and Drew Brees scored on us like four times.
I looked up it was twenty seven six. I said, man,
this over for a start. And then I looked around
at the crowd. I was like, wonder what the crowd's doing.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
And I looked at the crowd.
Speaker 5 (24:58):
Everybody was partying like they wasn't even I'm worried about
the game. Had her back turned with an umbrella, like yeah,
we're hanging out to day. I said, oh yeah, let's
get on the body man. No point in playing this
one out.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
So blessed to have t O and Cruise on the
show man. They did an awesome job. Dude, Why you
just catch me off guard like that? It was like quiet,
so okay. Anyway, I didn't know I had to look
at you. I didn't know I had to look at you,
but you looked at me right. You were like, go,
this is live TV and this is what we do,
my god, and so look. Thank you for always tuning in,
all of our viewers, all of our listeners.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Wherever you pick up.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
Your podcast that was Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio. Please tell a
friend to tell a friend, to tell a friend, and
you give us a five star rating, click follow, give
us a review and we will see you later too,
Cruise appreciate y'all. Thanks,
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