1-on-1 with Jaquan Brisker - March 22, 2026

Jaquan Brisker talks to Missi Matthews about what it means to be back in Pittsburgh playing for his hometown team and more

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:18):
What is it like just sitting here in the Steelers' facility,
a place that you did not grow up that far from.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yeah, I feel like it's crazy, you know, to be here.

Speaker 3 (00:27):
It's amazing just to you know, be you know, in
the presence of you know, legends of if you think
about like the just the blueprint of everything. You know,
there's still city, you know what it means, you know
everything behind it. I feel like it's a it's a
real moment. Like I walked in here, I did. I
got to chill, especially looking at the trophies. I mean
I've seen too, but you know, just seeing the history

(00:48):
you know of everything, and you know the fans and
what it means to the city, you know, the the
city champions and things like that. I feel like it's
it's amazing.

Speaker 1 (00:57):
So what did football mean to you growing up up,
specifically in high school and as you Furthered your career.

Speaker 3 (01:03):
Yeah, I feel like I started playing football around with
four or five years old, and in Pittsburgh.

Speaker 2 (01:08):
You know, football is you know huge.

Speaker 3 (01:09):
You know, you look at you know the roots of it,
you know all the legends I passed through here. You
look at the Hall of Famers, they really came from
Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh, so just being you know, growing up there,
just knowing you know how important football is and going
to a powerhouse like Gateway, like you said, you know,
just being around you know a lot of great athletes,
you know a lot of legends that's passed through there,
and you know things like that.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
So I feel like I mean football and meant a
lot to me.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
Awesome. I want to show you something and you can
just press play.

Speaker 3 (01:41):
Oh my gosh, let's see what this kids talk about,
jackoen Brisker.

Speaker 4 (01:46):
I play safety and receiver and I go to gate
with high school.

Speaker 2 (01:51):
And it's gonna go high in the air and.

Speaker 4 (01:58):
Thirty going by touchdown. I've de tribed my player as
physical athletic and I can make plays whenever when my
team needs me to make plays. I won number three
because my brother passed and he played.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
I gave it also and he had.

Speaker 4 (02:17):
Number three, So I'm winning number three for my brother.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
That's crazy with the ball back in my hands.

Speaker 4 (02:28):
My favorite music artist is Meek Mill. He's like a
serious rapper and that he's the best. My favorite athlete
would be Earl Thomas because he has to pass it
for a game. He takes a game serious and he
flies around the ball. My favorite homemade mill would be.

Speaker 2 (02:45):
My mom makes it. It's her and I like, yeah,
that's still true.

Speaker 4 (02:52):
True my energy colon brisker and that's my blitchick spot.

Speaker 2 (02:59):
Like, we'll have to get you a copy. That's hilarious.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
What do you think that kid in that video would
be saying right now if he was sitting in this.

Speaker 3 (03:10):
Chair man, You know, being a kid from the city
of Pittsburgh and being in this position, you know, we're
just blessed. We're just humble. You know where we came from,
you know the work we had to put in to
get here and to being a hometown playing you know
for the city, you know in front of fans, you know,

(03:31):
for my family, people like for the last name back
of my jersey. You know, it's it's crazy. I feel like,
you know, that kid, you know, he knew he had
a future, but he just didn't know how you know
it would you know, how it would continue.

Speaker 2 (03:45):
So that's crazy.

Speaker 1 (03:47):
You answered a lot of questions in their favorite foods,
different things. Are all those still true?

Speaker 3 (03:51):
Yeah, maybe not the favorite rapper, but everything else.

Speaker 1 (03:54):
Is pretty much in terms of telling people that you
were going to sign with the Steelers.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
Who did you call first?

Speaker 1 (04:03):
And what family members and friends got to know?

Speaker 2 (04:05):
My mom?

Speaker 3 (04:06):
My mom was the first one I called. I'm like,
Mom and stealing.

Speaker 2 (04:09):
She's like you sure, baby, She's like, oh my god,
I'm so excited.

Speaker 3 (04:15):
And then I had to tell my mom, had to
tell my father, had to tell, you know, my friends,
my brothers, you know, sisters, things like that. Really, my
whole family and everybody was just so excited. I was like,
this is meant to be. And I and I thought
the same thing. I said, it is meant to be.
You know, I felt love, you know, immediately, and obviously

(04:35):
you know, grew up here and things like that. So no,
I feel like it's gonna be an amazing journey for sure.

Speaker 1 (04:41):
In terms of Joey Porter Junior, did you tell him
or did he somehow find out?

Speaker 2 (04:45):
To be honest, he was. He was already ringing like
what are you going to do? What are you going
to do?

Speaker 1 (04:51):
He was recruited.

Speaker 3 (04:51):
Yeah, he's recruited. So I'm like, I'm probably gonna be
a stealer. And he kept calling. Then he called my agent,
He's like, what's going on? So when he called my agent.
I'm like, yeah, it's serious. So that, like I said,
me and Joey talk all the time. So I called
him on face sound like I'm about to being stiller
for real. I'm like, let's go start.

Speaker 2 (05:11):
Let's good. You know, we were so excited. It was
it was a great moment.

Speaker 1 (05:14):
So how cool would that be that you played in
college together and now you're doing it at the next level.

Speaker 3 (05:21):
I mean, it's amazing because in college, you know, we
were young, but we were still you know, great teammates,
but you know, we performed on the field, and then
now you know, we try to train with each other
every year, so just moving forward being able to play
with each other is it's going to be amazing. Like
he obviously got older, he's more mature. We got a
lot more swagger and things like that, and you know,

(05:44):
we make plays and that's what the city needs.

Speaker 2 (05:47):
So it's gonna be amazing getting back with Joey.

Speaker 3 (05:48):
And you know, I missed playing with him and I
always told him we need to link up.

Speaker 2 (05:52):
And now it's now it's here, So it's gonna be amazing.

Speaker 1 (05:54):
It's perfect last one for you. What are you bringing
to this team, to this defense.

Speaker 3 (06:00):
I'll say leadership, some swagger, passion, you know, no care
for the game, and a lot of playmaking ability, just
you know, being around the football and helping my teammates elevate,
you know, get better. You know, a lot of you know,
trash talking to but things like that. Just a lot
of a lot of different things. And I feel like,
you know, my teammates would love me for and you know,

(06:22):
once they know feel my presence, and you know, once
they start making place to they gonna see how happy
I get for them. So once they just see what
type of team I am, I feel like everybody's.

Speaker 2 (06:31):
Gonna be happy.

Speaker 4 (06:32):
Well, welcome home.

Speaker 1 (06:32):
I don't get to say that often.

Speaker 2 (06:34):
Appreciate that. Thank you.