1-on-1: Payton Wilson - May 10, 2024

Missi sits down with Payton Wilson to discuss his connection with Bill Cowher, his play style and overcoming injuries

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
With the ninety eighth pick in the twenty twenty four
NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select Peyton Wilson, mine backer
NC States.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Peyton Wilson just shutting the door.

Speaker 3 (00:14):
I want to tackle by Peyton Wilson. He's over double
digits from a tackle standpoint for the fifth time this season.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Love mixed Patton Wilson.

Speaker 3 (00:27):
Stand at C State. Hey, welcome to Pittsburgh and congratulations.
I know you talked about Bill Kauer after you were drafted.

Speaker 4 (00:37):
You have a chance to catch up with him at all.

Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah, he sent me a few texts. We text back
and forth, just you know, congratulating me, and you know,
I was just thanking him for all his you know,
wisdom and con words and encouragement over the last few years.
Got to know him pretty well over the last few years,
you know, with the n C State connection and now
you know, Pittsburgh Steeler connection.

Speaker 4 (00:56):
What's the best advice he gave you?

Speaker 2 (00:58):
You know, just to continue to stay focused and continue
to you know, be the hard worker that I am.
You know, every day, just come in and be the
same person. Don't change no matter how well or how
bad it goes. Just continue to work hard. And keep
your head down and try to be the best that
you can be.

Speaker 3 (01:12):
Five ten years from now, when you think about the
day you were drafted, what's the one snapshot that's always
going to be in the back.

Speaker 4 (01:18):
Of your mind.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
Just the people I was celebrating it with. You know,
I'm not the flashiest person in the world. To just
having my parents, my mom, my dad, and my girlfriend.
They are the people that mean, you know, the most
to me in the world. Just you know, that memory
will always be in my head. And you know, talking
to coach Tomlin on the phone, it was I mean,
it's a childhood dream, So I mean it's a moment
that I'll never forget.

Speaker 4 (01:38):
You know, it's not a life you strike.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
You are our type of guy and glad to work out.

Speaker 3 (01:43):
Man.

Speaker 2 (01:43):
We're just excited about getting up here.

Speaker 3 (01:46):
You're familiar with Pittsburgh because of your brother when he
played for the Pirates. What do you know about the
city and is there anything that really.

Speaker 4 (01:53):
Stood out just the times you've had a chance to
visit here.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
I mean, the only things that really stood out to
me was, I mean, it's a super clean city. My
brother stayed in the Strip District, so I know that
over there really well. I think there's like a breakfast
diner called Kelly Oh's that we really enjoyed. But you know,
just super excited to be back here and you know,
get to explore it myself.

Speaker 3 (02:12):
Patrick Queens seems pretty excited when the Steelers drafted you.
Have you touch base with him or any of the
other defensive guys.

Speaker 2 (02:18):
Yeah, he shot me a text, you know, just congratulating me,
and I hit him back. You know, just can't wait
to get to work with him and learn from one
of the best in the game, you know.

Speaker 3 (02:25):
T J.

Speaker 2 (02:25):
Watt texted me, Cameron Hayward texted me. So just a
few guys reached out and you know, I'm just excited
to get here and get to work with those guys.

Speaker 3 (02:32):
During your interactions with the Steelers through the entire pre
draft process, what did you learn about them and why
you would be a go to fit playing here.

Speaker 2 (02:40):
I mean, I think when you just turn on my tape,
you see a guy playing with his hair on fire,
playing every snap like it's my last, just because you know,
that's how I was raised and that's how I want
to play the game, and I think that fits this
brand of football, you know, growing up watching the Steelers. Just,
I mean some of the biggest, meanest, baddest defenses you've
ever seen in your life. So just I mean, I think,
the fittest, perfect and I can't thank everybody enough that

(03:01):
was part of the decision.

Speaker 4 (03:03):
You mentioned the injuries adversity.

Speaker 3 (03:05):
How did that change you or did it not change
you as a person and a player?

Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, I mean I think as a person that just
helped my faith grow, you know, super religious family. Jesus
Christ is everything to me. So just you know, continuing
to understand that He has a plan for me and
no matter what it is, that I'm going to be
okay with it. So and then, you know, on the field,
I really learned that I was taking everything for granted,
you know, just you know, the opportunity to play football.
You never really know until it gets taken away from

(03:29):
you and you watch people do what you love to
do and you're not able to. So just you know,
continuing to play every single snap like it's my last
does it.

Speaker 3 (03:36):
Almost let you play more free where you're just you're
not really overreacting or thinking too much.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah, I mean, just every play you love, you know,
you don't I got to go do this. I gotta
go do this. Now I get to do this, you know,
I get to go work out, I get to go train,
I get to you know, eat five times a day
to try to be as big as I possibly can.
But it's just a blessing and you know, you don't
really understand everything that goes into it until it's taken away.

Speaker 3 (04:00):
Said that you were religious about your maintenance programs and nutrition.

Speaker 4 (04:03):
What what does that look like to play at the
highest level you can?

Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah, well, I mean in college for me, I mean
it was Monday and Thursdays I was maintenance on the knees,
and Tuesdays and Wednesdays I was you know, hitting my shoulders.
But it's just I'm gonna get in here and I'm
gonna meet with athletic trainers and try to just lay
down a plan that's kinda between maintenance programs and nutrition
to help me have a long, sustainable career.

Speaker 3 (04:25):
You played a ton of sports growing up. How did
you stick with football and why linebacker?

Speaker 2 (04:30):
I mean I played a lot of sports, but football
was always the main one. Played wrestling, played lacrosse, but
football was always the one that I loved the most.
And you know, in high school, I played a ton
of positions, but just thought I was the best at linebacker.
Just loved defense, Love hunting people down and trying to,
you know, get the ball back.

Speaker 3 (04:45):
Is there something stealers fans don't know about you that.

Speaker 4 (04:48):
You want them to know?

Speaker 2 (04:50):
Now, I'm a pretty simple guy. Just faith, family, and
football is everything to me. You're gonna get everything that
I could possibly give for as long as I'm here,
and you know, as long as I play this