Washington Commanders cornerback Jonathan Jones is the Next Man Up! Jones talks about recovering from an injury that landed him on IR. How he has stepped up as a leader and how he plans to finish the season strong. Former Washington TE Niles Paul pulls up to talk about his days in Washington, converting from a WR to a TE and life after football.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I think you know.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Our record is what it is, like I said, but
we have a lot, a lot left to play for
and so I'm just excited to be a part of it.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
The Next Man Podcast is presented by Lansdown Resort. From Kickoff,
the Check, Can Score, game change and get away in
the heart of Lounders. Lansdown Resort, proud partner of the
Washington Commanders.
Speaker 4 (00:17):
Welcome into the Next Man Up.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
I mer whole brin Corwen Junior head with a very
special guest stepping up big time for us right now.
Jonathan Jones won a few Super Bowls. Now you hear
the Burgundy and gold. My brother's good to see you again.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Man, Man, I appreciate you. Good to see you, go
to see you think.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
You for meo of course.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Man, last time we sat here in these chairs, but
you were just signed, didn't know what to expect, but
you had big expectations for yourself.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Man, how far? How has this year gone for you?
So far?
Speaker 1 (00:41):
It's been good.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
I think the adversity obviously of the record is what
it is. But for me personally, I enjoyed being in
a new environment, something different. I feel like I'm growing
still as a football player, being in a new environment,
new systems. It's just still learning, still learning the best
that I can and just trying to trying to help,
you know, trying to health the team as much as
I can and be out there.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
How are you able to help them through this adversity though,
because we have so many young guys, especially that defre's
a back room who have not dealt with a losing
season yet, who have not dealt with losing really much.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Of their lives.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
You have seen the best success, but you also gone
through our times as well. How have you as a
VET helped them kind of maneuver this part?
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
I think the biggest part is just understanding just because
we're down in the season, that means is over and
then on top of that, still your job. I know
as a young player, you know, especially coming out of college,
you know if the season's over with, you know they're
ready for you know, next year, but you know here
you're still it's still your job, and so you still
want to put a good tape out there and continue
to build as a team, and so just trying to
(01:42):
teach those guys what it's like to be a professional
to come in every day and do your.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Job, and I gotta imagine they're really willing to listen
to you because they've seen you go through adversity in
real time. Being here get your first year of Washington,
you have big expectations. In week two, you suffer an
injury that puts you on injury reserve. Man, can imagine
that was easy to deal with because I know you
were very motivated. You were coming here ready to do
a job, ready to help take this team to the
(02:06):
next level. Man, how tough was it dealing with that
injury in that moment?
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Yeah, I mean it was tough.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
It was my first time, you know, my tenth year
going on like short term. I R during the season,
so it's a little difficult, a little different for me.
But just knowing, you know, great training staff to come back,
put in the hard word and just deal with that adversity.
I think your mind kind of shifts. You kind of
feel like you're away from the team for a little bit,
and so your parlorady becomes yourself and you know, getting
yourself healthy and being back out there for your team.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
How do you deal with that mentally? Right?
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Because yes, you want to stand this a job, Yes
you're professional, Yes, you've maybe deal with this.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
A couple of times.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
However, it's still a mental hurdle to get past when
you say, man, I've done all this preparation, I knew
I was ready. Now I got to sit out and
I can't do nothing about it. Man, how did you
deal with that mental because I think that is very
important for the young guys to hear who have never
dealt with it before.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Yeah, I mean the middle part is tough.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
I mean because when you're out and the team wins,
you want to be a part of it. You know,
you want to be part of the celebrations, you want
to be a reason why. And then when you're out
and they lose, you know you want to be a
guy to help. You want to see O doing what
could I've done? What could I have helped, you know,
in any way, shape or form. And so it's tough
mentally to just understand you on the sidelines, in the
stands basically and not being out there and able to
help your team. But you grow, you grow past that
(03:18):
and you understand that your mission at that point is
just be the best version of yourself get back healthy.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
So you can't contribute.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
And you said you've been on injury reserve four times
a year.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
No, No, that's the first time I've been on a
short time short time are Yeah, I've been on season
injury had a surgery once before, but never been you
know during the season that early in the season being
on IR.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
What year were you in your career when you dealt
with that first injury?
Speaker 1 (03:38):
It was that year six or seven?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Year six or seven. So now you're in year ten. Yeah,
that's a whole nother ballgame. Man, you're older now your
year ten, You're in a whole different spot. This is
different surroundings. What was this journey like, the road to
recovery like for Jonathan Jones? Can you kind of give
us a little insight on that?
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Yeah, I mean it's different.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
You know, I was in New England for nine years,
so you know that everyone knows who you are, they
know what to expect from you, and so when you're
in a new place, you always have those questions, do
they think that I'm going hard enough? Do they know
you know, do they really know me and know who
I am? So that's a mental you know, aspect of it,
and so just trying to do your best, you know,
proven to people who haven't you know, been around you
(04:16):
for years, who you are, what your character is, you
know what type of player you are, and just trying
to try and establish that.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Will get you through that doubt of yourself. Man, what
helped you in this moment get through that? Because it's
one thing. Yeah we're strong guys, we can get through stuff,
but we need a community. We need the right coaches,
the right facility, the right family to get us through that.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Who helped you get through?
Speaker 5 (04:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Family? Always family.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
You know, every time I leave this building and I
go home, going to a great support system, and so
that that makes it easy. That's always your biggest why
it is your family. And so when you go home
and your dad rest in peace. You know, had a
conversation with Kobe Bryant, and I always remember he would say,
you know, when you get home from work, your kids
don't care you're tired, they don't care you're injured, they
don't care what you have going on.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
You just dad. So you're clocking on dad mode.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
And so that gets you through it because you realize,
no matter what adversity I'm facing that work, they don't
want to deal with it, and they shouldn't have to since.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
You mentioned dad, I gotta ask you because not everybody's
dad's a pilot. Now everybody's dad as an NFL player,
but youth player, is you pilot? All partners at LANSDS
that resort like to know that you were spending some
downtime getting working on the field, but also spending downtime.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
I don't got to ask you how.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
You spend your downtown because your downtime's up in the air.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
You flying around? Man, what is that like? Bro? When
you get to have you got your family in the
plane and the man, how cool is that? That's gotta
be one of the flyest things in the world.
Speaker 5 (05:29):
It is.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
It's an amazing experience that the kids get to experience
and be a part of and just being able to
shrink the world. You know, I always say aviation is
a way to shrink the world. And there's places that
are about four or five hour drive that you know,
we can get to in thirty forty five minutes as
a flight, and so it really shrinks the world.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
They love it, you know, the kids really into it.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
We were landing and when the automations came on, I'm saying,
you know, airspeed, airspeed and my son goes, Daddy, what's
air speed? Just having the conversations, just being able to
explain and you know, and maybe they'll catch the bag,
you know, at a younger age.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
And I do do you ever get nervous up there?
Speaker 5 (06:03):
Man?
Speaker 4 (06:03):
Or honestly, you know what does a team ever get nervous?
Speaker 3 (06:06):
And sometimes I see you in the planet and I'm like,
they really let my man fly to going around.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
For has that ever been a conversation?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
It's not really nervous disrespect, you know. I think similar
to being out there on the football field. You don't
get nervous for injuries. You just respect that's a part
of the game. So with aviation, you respect. You know
what could happen and what could go wrong. You prepare
for those situations. So you feel confident and you have a.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Lot of confidence because you were able to come back
and what a month about a month's time and you
get back on that field. Man, how special was it
for you that first game back? Because with injuries, man,
nothing's promised. You might not even come back. You might
be gone for the whole year, like you said you
experienced before. Men, how special was that moment getting back
on that field?
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Yeah? Just to be back. Yeah, I love the game
of football. I'm always joking say, I don't remember life,
you know before playing football.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Started when I was four. So every fall for me
has been playing football. And so just to be back
out there with the team, be a part, you know,
the energy, the energy on the sideline, the conversations, you know,
the oceans, everything that comes with you know, a Sunday
Sunday game.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
So just being back out there it means a lot.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
You've had a few games before Spain, before the bye week.
How are you feeling now now that you've gotten kind
of your feet up onto you and be able to
show people, Hey, this is why they brought me here.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Yeah, feel good, feel good. I'm excited. You know, I
think you know.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Our record is what it is, like I said, but
we have a lot, a lot left to play for,
and so I'm just excited to be a.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Part of it.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
You said, you guys have a lot left to play for.
What did Jonathan Jones have to play for?
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Man? Just my career.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Honestly, you get to the back end of your career,
your job is to, you know, go out there still
put a good tape on film and just be a mental.
You know, show the younger guys what it's like to
be in year ten and pull them along and hopefully,
you know, years later when I'm on the couch, you
know there in year ten eleven, they called me and say, man,
you taught me this and I'm still doing.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
This because of you, And so just just that part
of it.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
Year ten is such a blessing.
Speaker 5 (07:52):
Man.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
I think to me that was what was most exciting
about being able to bring you in. Yes, you got
super Bowl pedigree, but you've been there, You've done that before.
And we have a secondary room that is very, very young.
We have a secondary room that's also struggling with injuries.
We have a couple guys on injury reserve that aren't
gonna be able to play again.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
How have you, as a leader helped the young guy,
especially a guy like Trey Amos, right, who.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Has never dealt with this before. How have you been
to help him kind of get through that part?
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Yeah? I reached out with him.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
My joke.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Saw him on a screwter and I told him when
I was on my scooter, man, I put a speaker
out front and I rode around means with a speaker.
But no, just understanding he's still young in his career
and just try to be that for it's a reason
for him to understand everything happens, you know, for a reason,
you know, even the negative things that we can't quite
put our fingers on it, there's a lesson in it.
And so just take that lesson, you know, focus on itself,
(08:35):
you know, come back a better player.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
And this show is called Next Man Up, and it's
something we've seen this team take pride and having that
next man up. Now, all of a sudden, you in
a world where you're the next man which is also
probably is a very unfamiliar role for you as well,
but now you get a real chance to showcase.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
It's because of all the injuries.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
Man, what are your expectations for yourself on this backstretch
of this season.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Yeah, it's an excellent opportunity, excellent opportunity to go out
there and just help, like help the team in every
way that we can. Just make play situational football and
just being a part of it and like I said,
getting some wins, stacking some wins and getting the energy back.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
And we've seen DQ take over play calling, right, we
know we all love Joey junior. But when your head
coach is getting in there with you guys and calling
that defensive play calling, it changes things. It seems like
it sparked you guys a little bit.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Man.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
How great is it to see DQ get back in
that defensive coordinator bag as well, which he really made
his bread and butter off of.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Man, he's a great, great coach, and so it's exciting
for me, like.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
I said, to be.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
In this league for a long time and see the
things that he's done, you know, as a coordinator, and
then having him as a coordinator now at this point,
just seeing his perspective of the game, how he calls it,
very very aggressive coach, and so as an aggressive player,
you enjoy that. And so just being under him, learning
learning a different aspect of the game, learning from him,
enjoying it.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
And Jonathan is my job to remind everybody that we
have the best fans in the NFL, but you are
coming from a fan base that don't play around. The
fans do not play around. But you've gotten to experience
what it's like on the road to see a Commanders fans.
But just like being at home seat Commanders fans, have
you seen anything like this right, because we understand Patriots
is one thing, but these Commander fans are something different.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
Man.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
They were in Spain. It droves hundreds thousands of people
in Spain. Have you seen anything like that before? No,
it's a little bit different.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
It's a combination of the passion of New England with
the swag of like the Atlanta you know, being being
a Georgia boys. So it's that great combination of passionate
for football. But then from swagger to it.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Y're certain we get to play in front of the
best fans in the NFL Sunday night Man, so prom
Tom Action. It's the Denver Broncos. They are a tough team,
one of the best in the AFC. Man, what could
fans expect not only from Jonathan Jones but from our
commanders on Sunday Night football.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
They're good football team and they're on a good winning streak.
You know, they do a lot of things well, and
so our team is just dominating.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
You know, be physical.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
I think with the team like this, you have to
establish your physicality early in the game and if we
can come out be physical offense, defense, special teams, you know,
run the ball, stop the run, and be very very physical.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
You know what do we want to do?
Speaker 4 (10:57):
Johnthrey. We appreciate your time. Brother. We know you're very
very busy.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
I know you've had a very interesting season. But it's
great to see you back on that field.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
Man.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
God is good, You're a healthy man. The family guid
the flyer everything Man. We are here with Jonathan Jones.
Next man of Appreciate you, brother, man, appreciate you.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
Commanders Family. We hope you have been enjoyed. Next man up.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Before we go any further, we have to pay some
bills now. Events d C is a proud partner of
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and cultural events in the nation's capitol. From the Walter E.
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Speaker 4 (11:35):
See how we make DC happen at Events DC.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Hey, Marylanders play multi Match from the Maryland Lottery, Maryland's
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you a chance to win a jackpot starting at five
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play responsibly. They say your work defines who you are.
Monday through Friday nine to five, you are clocking in.
What happens on the weekend, what happens to your time.
(12:01):
You could take it easy, or you could use your
time to get better. In the US Army we think differently.
Your time should be used to improve the skills you
do have to learn some you don't to put yourself
in new ways, because it's those days that truly define
who you are. That's how you make progress, That's how
you make impact on the world around you.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
It's your time. How you spend it is up to you.
It's your time.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
The US Army Reserve Command his family back to the
show for this next man up. We got a Washington legend,
and we know you have not heard from in quite
some time. Definitely was one of the better tight ends
we have had played for us for a long stretch.
And he's also an Omaha native. My guy went to
(12:47):
the University of Nebraska, just like myself. Welcome me in Noiles, Paul,
what's up, Realve.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
What's good?
Speaker 4 (12:53):
I'm chilling man.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
It's wild to be sitting here talking to you because
when I was in high school, senior high school, moved
to Omaha and I went to school out there, and
there was this legend of Miles Paul and who you
were not only as a Husker, but what.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
You were for Omaha North Omaha's finance.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
You know, you was the one represent Omaha before Bud
ever really got his shah.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
Man.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
So this is kind of crazy to be sitting here
rap with you, but I appreciate you taking the time.
Speaker 6 (13:22):
Yeah, man, I just it never really hit me about how,
you know, till other people kind of you know, talk
to me and tell me about it, and how like,
you know, influential and impactful it was for me in
that time, in that moment, not being one of the
first guys. Obviously we had so many grapes to come
out of Nebraska, like a mom Green like that and
(13:42):
the Rose Johnny Rogers and like, so, you know, it
never really hit me that, you know, the influence that
I actually had and the impact I had and to
you know, I hear it. So you know, for you
to say that, man, I appreciate you, man, because it's
just it's just, you know, I was just a kid
from Omaha on a mission, and I love to see
(14:03):
everybody be successful, especially if you're from Omaha like that,
you know that's where.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
But that's what's the crazy part.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
I think that's what made you so famous out there
was that there wasn't anybody that was coming from Omaha
that made it through what you had made it through.
A lot of folks don't know anything about Omaha, Nebraska
and how rough it truly is, how rough it was
where you came from, Bro, Like, people don't think about
Nebraska and thin metal detectors in the schools right Like,
(14:31):
people don't even think about that. So like you being
around and being able to be that person that made it,
I feel like you gave all of us that like,
oh man, we can do it too, like oh yeah,
you know what I'm saying, Like and I'm not even
from Omaha, but being out there and see somebody like you, Man,
So again, thank you, Bro. I had to make sure
I gave you them for hours off the writ because
we got a lot of Omaha people watching right now.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
And it's wild.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I told Roy, I said, I don't think y'all realized
how many Nebraskans y'all made Washington fans because in your
draft class. Three Huskers got drafted, and I feel like
after that there was just a resurgence of where you
see Washington Redskins stuff all over Nebraska.
Speaker 4 (15:07):
And I think a lot of that has to do
with y'all.
Speaker 6 (15:09):
Yeah, I mean it makes sense because it was actually
it went, it went from and during my time there,
I was able to play with will Compton, Spinster, Long,
DJ Golds, Royal hell Loo, so.
Speaker 5 (15:21):
We had a nice hand for it was. Nebraska had became.
Speaker 6 (15:25):
A staple in the Washington locker room with you know,
how we conducted ourselves. So it was it was, it was.
It was good times, man, and and I definitely saw,
you know, the change, and it was like it was
definitely more Washington fans and uh, you know mall.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
At the time.
Speaker 6 (15:40):
And I always appreciate it, just the love and support,
uh I know, just being you know, a Nebraska, Nebraska
kid that went to Nebraska and then you know, you
got a bunch of kids from Nebraska, not from the
Braska that played for Nebraska ended up at d C.
Speaker 5 (15:53):
And the love was still there, you know.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
And I love I don't think it's going anywhere, man.
And let's start from the beginning, right because we're both
Husker alum and I remember this major major games and
you being so heavily involved. I mean, we have not
been as good as y'all were since, right like y'all
were the ones to make it to the conference championship.
We ain't been back since. How did what you accomplished
(16:16):
in Nebraska prepare you for life.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
In the NFL?
Speaker 5 (16:21):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (16:22):
I mean I think I think my whole experience in Nebraska,
from being a freshman year to burning my red shirt
for one play to play one catch and maybe a
couple of returns, to to like, you know, going through
what I went through as far as the adversity I faced,
just you know, being humble, constantly being humbled at Nebraska
(16:43):
and having you know, to go through it a little
bit to prepare myself for what it meant to be
a pro. And I think that was you know, my
own you know, a lot of that was my own
choices and decisions I made and things I was into.
But you know, I was, I was, I was you know,
the hometown tied kid was troversal and uh, you could
have did a better job of focusing when I was
(17:04):
on that field and and and being my best and
presenting my best self at all times.
Speaker 5 (17:09):
But you know, that was a college of young college kids.
So I feel like I had to go through you.
Speaker 6 (17:13):
Know, those moments to make me you know, who I
was able to turn into, which was just you know,
with Washington, I was a football player. It didn't matter,
you know, where they was going to put me. I
was able to come there and start a receiver. My
my rookie year, I got started a couple of games
that Reekar didn't really you know, get the production that
we wanted. But then you know, to come in they
(17:35):
brought in a bunch of receivers. Coach Shanahan asked me
to move the tight end.
Speaker 5 (17:39):
Uh. I did it without hesitation, understanding that.
Speaker 6 (17:42):
I'm undersized and I had great he was able to
have great coaches like Sean McVay, like West Phillips and
UH player coaches who they're not they weren't coaches at
the time, but they helped me in my journey through
the tight end process, which was logan passing, UH and
and cool like those guys really helped me navigate my
way through being the tight end and gave me the
(18:04):
confidence to go out there and do it.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
Man and That's definitely what I want to talk to
you about is that transition, because it's not an easy transition.
And Logan Paulson speaks highly of you all the time.
He does my show with me on Command Center, he
speaks about you all the time. But first things first,
I want to know what it was like when you
got drafted by Washington, right, because again, you omahak kid,
you stay in Braska to go to high school out there.
I mean you go to high school there, then you
go to college out there to stay in Nebraska.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
Now it's time to lead. Now it's time to go
across the world. Man to Washington, DC.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Man, did you know anything about Washington? Had you ever
even really left Nebraska like that? Outside of traveling for school?
Speaker 6 (18:39):
I traveled for you know, I was able to. I
was a three sport athlete growing up, and we traveled
a lot. But it was never like I never traveled
freely for like vacation purposes or like I had never
been to DC. I had never been to the DMV.
I didn't know anything. So, you know, being an Omaha kid,
I was, you know going out there was it was
(19:00):
definitely it was a culture shot. It was like, all right, like, Okay,
it's a little different I here. You know, they call
it Chalcolm the City for a reason, and it was
it was, you know, honestly, it was some of the best,
like just being out in DC in the area, some
of the best years of my life, not just because
I was playing football, just because of everything, like being
(19:21):
able to experience that and even you know, my brother,
I had a brother that lived with me and some friends.
Everybody moved out there because it was just such an
incredible place to be. And I would definitely, you know,
if I wasn't on you know, my mission here right now,
and omaha, uh, that would be home.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
And just know, even if you don't live out here,
it's still home here. You still got nothing but love
out here. All the fans, I love to see you,
and we know whenever you pull back up, it's gonna
be all love.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Man.
Speaker 6 (19:48):
Yeah. Every every time I do come back though, it's
always love. So I always appreciate it. Like I think
I came back for Tim. Tim brought me back for
the It was the draft, the draft party up there
at the I don't know, I forgot the name of it,
but it was it was a cross from the MGM
so they brought me up different draft party and I
(20:09):
had a good time. It was love, like fans remembered me.
I was like, okay, yeah, this what's up?
Speaker 5 (20:13):
Man? Like this was it was always love.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
And it's crazy because you've gotten to witness two of
because we're not going mentioned, We're not go mins Jacksonville. Right,
we'll talk about Washington and the Huskers right now, you got.
Speaker 4 (20:24):
To play for two of. To me, the most.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Passionate fan bases, right, Like, there's something about the Husker
fan base, right, most sold out games, the way we travel,
the way we love, the way we hate sometimes too,
right because Usker fans'll give it to you kind of
wild too.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
It's very similar to what you see out in DC.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
It's so crazy seeing all of these different lessons getting
to talk to you all, and none of y'all are
from here, but so many have made this home.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
It feels like home there.
Speaker 5 (20:51):
Man.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
When you looked at that ran skin at the time,
fan base, Man, did it remind you a little bit
of this Husker fan base because how locked in they
are on their team?
Speaker 5 (21:00):
Oh yeah, no doubt, no doubt. It was the passion
everything the same. It was. It was pretty much to
go from the Husker atmosphere to you know, DC.
Speaker 6 (21:09):
To see the love and the support that you have
and like the commitment and then the fans, and to
be able to be out there meeting the fans and
seeing how you know, like oh like this this this serious,
you know, and you know, to go to be able
to go and experience different programs to see like okay,
like it was different than DC. You know it was
(21:30):
the Washington commanders, Like the fans were different.
Speaker 5 (21:33):
Like you just don't find that anywhere.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Else, you really don't, man, And then you putting that
work on that field to get that fan base though, right,
Like it wasn't like they were just cheering for just anybody.
Now you you went out here and dig your thing,
and like you said, you even changed positions, which I
know you said that you were willing to do because
you just wanted to get out there and play.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
But it's not easy.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
It's not easy to change the position that you played
all through college, you played a little bit in NFL.
Now you have to make an adjustment. Like you said,
you're oversea verse size, right, you had to walk up.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
Man.
Speaker 4 (22:03):
I remember watching you go through that.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Man, I think you gained like forty fifty pounds of muscle, like.
Speaker 4 (22:08):
You put in that work. Man, Can you just talk
about what that transition was like for you?
Speaker 5 (22:12):
Oh Man, I had had a great strength coach and
Chad ingle Heart.
Speaker 6 (22:16):
Was uh I believe he's it was not ingle Heart.
Chad he there and now he's a strength coach there.
Now I think it's ingle Heart. I forgot his last name.
He hit been mad at me, but you know, we
really hit it as far.
Speaker 5 (22:27):
As you know, weights.
Speaker 6 (22:28):
And then I had you know, I had a nutritionist
and we were putting on pounds and you know, coach
Shanahan told me at the time, this is where you
wanted me to be. I was two fifteen, around two
fifteen to eighteen at the time, and I was able
to jump up to about two forty forty five was
two forty five I ended up getting the two fifty
was the heaviest I got too. But that took That
(22:48):
was like the next year when I was able to
like fully you know, that was throughout the next couple
of years when I was able to fully incorporate myself
as a you know, as a true tight end and
less less of a receivement tight end.
Speaker 5 (22:58):
So it was tough though. It was definitely tough car
carrying all that weight, having to figure out what was
too much, what was too what was what was too
much or what was not enough for me to hold
my own in the block but not lose my speed.
So it was it was, you know, it was some
trials and tribulations.
Speaker 6 (23:16):
And I felt like, you know, when I when I
finally found a good rhythm, which was I want to
say twenty fifteen that you know, with that preseason, you
know it was me, j Reed, Logan, We were you know,
I think we were just one of the better tight
end rooms out there just collectively, and we battled through
camp and you know, I was able to be named
(23:37):
or starter and I broke my ankle and that was
just like, you know, it was like I finally.
Speaker 5 (23:42):
Got that moment. I finally got that moment to you know,
because that was always.
Speaker 6 (23:46):
My goal no matter what I did, I was, I
was gonna do what I needed to do for the team,
but I always I wanted to.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
Have you know, those personal accolades too.
Speaker 6 (23:53):
But you know, it was, it was, it was tough
times and then it was a humbling experience to just
you know, understand how the business works, and you know
just every year, you know, re kind of reinvented myself
and having to do what I needed to do to
be on that team.
Speaker 4 (24:10):
How did you deal with those tough times though? Man?
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Because dealing with tough times, you chase your dream. You're
working a job, like, you're trying to pay for bills,
you're trying to take care of your family. You're also
away from your family in a whole nother area that
you're not familiar with. Man, I don't think people really
understand with everything you guys are dealing with in real time,
and then you throw an injury on top of it.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
Don't even think you've you.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Had dealt with an injury at that magnitude at least
before them.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
Man, how did you deal with that?
Speaker 5 (24:36):
Oh? Man?
Speaker 6 (24:37):
It was rough at first, but I had a great
support system in my family, like my siblings, you know,
they all came out supported me and helped me and
helped me through the surgery.
Speaker 5 (24:46):
I started.
Speaker 6 (24:47):
I started going to therapy shortly after that, just because
you know, you do find yourself when you you know
it's your first major surgery and like you're down, like
this was a point time where I have been playing
football consistently for the last you know, ten ten years
of my life and then to have it just taken
away like that, and now I'm not doing anything but
(25:07):
just trying to rehab and it.
Speaker 5 (25:09):
It would have been easy for me to kind of
fall into.
Speaker 6 (25:12):
Kind of a deep depression, but I tried to motivate
myself through it and was like, hey, I'm gonna come
back better than never.
Speaker 5 (25:19):
You know.
Speaker 6 (25:19):
And that was always my goal was to get back.
And then you see the business aspect of it, like
break my ankle. You know, j Ree balls Out had
a year and I always knew j Reed was going
to be, you know, the guy because he was just
amazing and I learned so even though he was a year,
a couple of years younger, I learned so much from
him just as a receiving tight end. But you know,
(25:41):
he has a breakout year. They bring in Vernon Davis,
who was you know, Hall of Fame tight end in
my opinion, but you know, so it was like, okay,
so now the topic goes from moving me from tight
end to fullback, and I'm like full back like tough,
you know, so I'm like, yeah, I can do it.
Speaker 5 (26:03):
Like, and we had already.
Speaker 6 (26:04):
Been doing a little plays where you know, the emotion
and tight end in the backfield and you just insert
on blocks, so they knew I can do it. I
just you know that just it sounds crazy, right to
go from receiver to an undersized tight end to you know,
a fullback, like what you know what that was? Like
I said, it was a humbling experience. But for me
(26:24):
and what Washington meant to me, it was I would
have did whatever I had to do, like I was
going to play whatever position I had to play on
that field to you know, get on the field and
have an impact.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
I mean the fact that they moved you around, I
think to me, I remember watching it real time because
I'm a young broadcaster covering you guys, covering the Huskers,
and of course everything now is due. We have to
talk about it as some capacity because you are missed
Husker at the time, right, You're the one that made
it to us, right, so we're talking about you, and
I'm watching you go through the real time, and I'm like,
I know this is probably tough for him, but it
(26:58):
also shows how valuable this young man is. Because they
could go get another tight end. They can go get
a fullback. But they said, you know what, we want
to keep you on this roster and find ways to
use all your unique skill sets. Did you feel that
way in the time, though, when they're moving you around,
did you feel like, hey, man, well, hey, at least
I got a job.
Speaker 5 (27:15):
Yeah. I mean yeah, I mean I did. I was.
Speaker 6 (27:18):
I was like, you know, I was very like, okay,
even from when coach shannan said he wanted to move
me to tight end.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
You know, I wasn't oblivious to the guys they brought in, like.
Speaker 6 (27:27):
The Pierre Garson's and I'm like, oh, Dante Starwarth like
these all right, So they I took it as a
sign of respect, like, hey, they want to keep me
on this roster, like they like, I am valuable and
they want to find ways to you know that I
can be I can help, I can help produce for
this team.
Speaker 5 (27:47):
And uh. And they did that.
Speaker 6 (27:49):
And they, you know, from coach you know, from coach Shanahan,
the coach McVeigh, the coach gruten. Uh, they they all
found ways to you know, implement me in the game plan.
And I have always appreciated that because they could have
just you know it could have just moved on and
found somebody else, which was you know the nature of
the business.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
And now that I talk to you've name dropped so
many different tight ends and I could ask you about
all of them and what it was like playing with them.
But I personally, and I feel like our fans personally
want to know too, what was Logan Pauls in life?
Speaker 4 (28:20):
Like the Logan I know now.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Has one pair of shoes, wears the same shorts and
shirt and shirt almost every single day, very.
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Very like, very very calm.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
Watch his film all day.
Speaker 6 (28:33):
He changed it all because Logan Logan, to me, he
not only was you know, to me, he was a
great tight end. I loved, you know, Logan, like I said,
he helped me through this process of being able to
block and help me understand. But Logan was, like you know,
just a genius in those ways of helping you understand.
Like you know, he never came down on me.
Speaker 5 (28:54):
He never. I don't ever remember a time but Logan
was upset we would be in the game.
Speaker 6 (28:58):
And you know, Logan with that from be like like
I said, he was, he was a coach.
Speaker 5 (29:02):
He was he was a coach.
Speaker 6 (29:03):
He's a players, he's calling out you know, blocks for
me blocks, He's going He's making my job easy. So
you know, it became an appreciation because we all co
existed so well together, you know, and we understood each other.
Speaker 5 (29:17):
And I think that was the importance of like having
a good tight End room.
Speaker 6 (29:21):
And even when it was cooly in there, when Chris
and and Fred, like we all was kind of would
navigate through it. But Logan was always the one who
was like the dad, like the dad of the tight
Ends group, who was you know, he had all the
answers and when we watched the film, he was Logan
was going to hold you accountable, and it it pushed
you off to the time, right, but Logan was always
going he was consistent in holding you accountable, challenging you,
(29:43):
and he would never leave you out to dry. So
I had I always have a great love and respect
for Logan in our time, uh with the commandagers, because
we both were going through it. You know, we both
was fighting for to get on the roster and uh,
I mean to stay on the roster and to keep
our jobs. And like when you know, he it was
like when you're not you know, exactly the one or
the guy, he just you're fighting for rosters by you know,
(30:05):
that's we you know, you kind of go through it together.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Logan still carries that undrafted free agent with him everywhere
he goes, and it's a beautiful thing because he's just
such a hard worker. But when we look at like
pictures of like, cause we know Logan now got the haircut,
the family got a dad. But when we look at
pictures of Logan back in the day, he looks like
a monster. Like he looks like somebody that was getting
in the fights, the noses broken.
Speaker 4 (30:28):
He looks crazy.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
Man, was Logan really calm on the field, because I
just can't imagine him like flipping that switch.
Speaker 4 (30:34):
But then when you look at those pictures, you say, oh,
this was a crazy MF.
Speaker 5 (30:38):
Logan.
Speaker 7 (30:39):
Logan, I'm not going to say like like he was
very methodical or like very like detailed, robotish in a
way in how he operated on the field.
Speaker 6 (30:51):
But when he did do something, you know that he
was proud of, like he was cave man. He was
like he was like a caveman about it when he
you know, when he and he did have a big
catch or had a big block, but like everything was
pretty stoic, with Logan like he you know, he would
we would have conversations on the sideline which would be
a little more emotional, like god, man, this just happened.
Speaker 5 (31:11):
This is happening on the field like it was like
he was locked in.
Speaker 6 (31:15):
And like I said, he was always mister dependable, Like, hey,
if you if you don't know what the exact block is,
Logan was definitely gonna let you know if you needed
the call, Logan was gonna get you a call. And
you know the way he practiced, the way the standard
he said and said the tight End Room helped in
my development while I was in there. So, like I said,
I just I'm always great appreciative the film.
Speaker 3 (31:37):
I love hearing Man. He talks about you, jess as
highly man. When I told him I was going to
be interviewing you, He's like, tell my buddy, I said,
what's up. I love Noiles man, so that I had
to make sure I ask you about Logan because that's
our guy and he's a very interesting character.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
Man.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
And play with Logan, Pauls and the Vernon Davis and
Jordany's you do all of these different things. You played
for Washington for years, right you accomplish a dream, you
switch positions.
Speaker 4 (31:58):
What do you remember most from your time in Washington?
Speaker 6 (32:01):
Uh, I think one of my one of the more
more prouder moments was being named the captains out there
and then uh, I think facing that adversity, breaking my ankle,
coming back and uh battling through that and you know,
getting back on that field and making the transition to fullback.
(32:24):
I think that was that year that twenty sixteen seventeen
years wasn't wasn't my best year statistically, but like it
was my proudest year when I want to.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
I won the award, uh for they give it out
every year for.
Speaker 6 (32:38):
The name of it. I got it up serious for
when you're injured and you come back, and uh I
forgot the I got the name of the reward. They
happened every year in Baltimore. It's like an annual thing.
But uh I won the award where you know, injured players
come back and the teammates. My teammates respected me. I
think that you know that twenty sixteen in two thousand
(32:59):
and seven season was one of my more prouder seasons
just because I you know, I did had to swallow
piece of humble pie. You go from you know, being
named the starter to being third or fourth from the
depth chart as a tight end to be in the
starting fullback and I'm like all right, cool, like you
know this is this is how I'm gonna get on
the field.
Speaker 5 (33:17):
And we had a great season.
Speaker 6 (33:20):
I mean, I one of it was one of the
more exciting years because to see you know, Vernon in
his prime and like going how fast he was, to
see how you know, how shifty j Ree was and
his routes, and to see how we all were just
kind of growing through through the years. I mean through
that time, through that season. I was that was probably
one of my more favorite years and more memorable years
(33:41):
at uh yeah, at in DC.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
And football has brought you so much, man, I mean,
it gets you out of Omaha, it gets you to
one of the biggest colleges in the world, gets you
to the NFL, and and like you said, Chocolate City, right,
it's taking you so far, but you're still doing things
with football.
Speaker 5 (33:58):
Man.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
You decide to go back to Omaha and now you're
coaching your father.
Speaker 4 (34:03):
Man, what has life been like for now? Is Paul?
After all?
Speaker 5 (34:05):
Life life has been different? Man.
Speaker 6 (34:07):
So I was I had Originally I had retired and
I was in Jacksonville, Florida. I felt like, you know,
I was part of the Golden Girls. You know, this
was the life I got. I'm going to the beach
like you know.
Speaker 5 (34:18):
I'm not. I'm good.
Speaker 6 (34:19):
I'm doing a bunch of you know nothing, just enjoying
retirement and did this my whole life. And I spent
I think I spent, like I want to say, after
I was done with Jacksonville, I stayed there for about
uh maybe three or four years or maybe like about
five years.
Speaker 5 (34:36):
I stayed in Jacksonville, and.
Speaker 6 (34:40):
Something was missing in my life and I was completely
separated from the game. And you know, people have been
asking me to coach down there in Florida and asking
me if I want to do that, and I was like,
I think the only way that I would have coach
is if.
Speaker 5 (34:54):
I come back home and do it, because.
Speaker 6 (34:57):
You know that to me, that just would make the
most sen was to be able to help those you know,
those kids in my community and the you know, the
boys who you know at the time with me understanding,
like the boys who kind of grew up looking up to.
Speaker 5 (35:11):
Me and and like.
Speaker 6 (35:15):
That a listen and I could really have the most
influence on and I think coming here.
Speaker 5 (35:19):
Was that was that was the most logical reason.
Speaker 6 (35:22):
And coaching up at you know, North and coach Martin
reaching out to me because he was my high school
coach and we stayed we stayed in touch. You know,
he would come to the games. He you know, he always
had my back, He always spoke to me. He was
my high school. Like I said, he was my high
school football coach. So he's still the head coach here.
And he called and like we would be in touch,
and you know, he was like, hey, I would love
if you came.
Speaker 5 (35:43):
And coach for me.
Speaker 6 (35:43):
And I was I couldn't, you know.
Speaker 5 (35:46):
I was like, yeah, well let's do it.
Speaker 6 (35:48):
So I packed up left Jacksonville and moved back to
Omar and started coaching up at North and just getting
you know, my feet wet in that aspect where I
was like just trying to figure out who I am
as a coach and what I want to be and
like if this is something that I am that I'm
like truly capable of, because I never.
Speaker 5 (36:08):
Really wanted to be a coach like that, Like.
Speaker 6 (36:12):
It just it just never it was something that I
just was like I tr you know, coach, Like it
was never in me, but to go.
Speaker 5 (36:21):
Through this process and be like, okay, figuring out who
I am as a coach and.
Speaker 6 (36:26):
You know, how I can best impact my community and
these kids and get them to understand like what it's
like and get them prepared for the next level of
what the college and what the league looks like and
sharing those stories with them and sharing information with them
that helped them, you know, kind of through their journey.
Speaker 3 (36:43):
And it's been fun watching from afar because like, I've
seen you through so many different levels, right of all
the different things you've accomplished, But when I watch you
be a coach, it seemed like it hits a little different.
I'm like, man, is this the thing he enjoys the most?
From your mouth? Nows what has been the most rewarding
part about your journey when it comes to football.
Speaker 5 (37:07):
When it comes to football coaching or just what I mean?
Speaker 3 (37:09):
Because I feel like that all goes in hand, right,
you playing and it's all football, right, coaching, playing, All
those different things go hand in hand, right, Like I
mean to you, what is the most rewarding I feel
like to me when I watch you, I'm like, I
feel like he gets something more out of helping these kids.
Speaker 4 (37:25):
Chase their dreams than what you did from even chasing
your own.
Speaker 5 (37:28):
Yeah, I mean, I mean.
Speaker 6 (37:32):
It was it was definitely exciting moments throughout my career
to where it was like yeah, like the memorable I'm like,
you know, I'll never forget that, being like MVP and
the big plays and the opportunities, big hits, like, but
there is to me at this point, nothing more rewarding
than seeing a kid that you worked with, a kid
(37:52):
that you helped, you know, develop, or had your hand in,
you know, in a part of their development successful and
chase their dreams and and be successful at it and
can achieve that.
Speaker 5 (38:05):
So it's you know, there's nothing like, there's no prouder
moment in that and.
Speaker 6 (38:10):
Like, which is why I asked the question, is because
because I also coached track too, so I think, you
know up here, I've I've read track all my life,
so up here, I kind of use track as the summer.
We don't have a we don't have spring ball for
your high school, so I kind of used track as
the summer I mean the spring program for our football
boys and putting them through that so that is like,
(38:32):
you know, there is there's there's reward and seeing like
boys you know, do things and and implement there like
the things you talk them or get faster and get
stronger and like achieve the things that they set out
to do and be successful, you know, and they're all right.
And I think that is that's that that that's that's
(38:52):
a whole different feeling than when it when it's like
self like self just you out there doing it all
your own, which is something be proud of.
Speaker 5 (39:00):
But I find myself proud of those moments with the kids. Now.
Speaker 3 (39:04):
I was, man, it's so crazy sitting here talking to you,
because I was kind of telling Rory the same thing.
Like I got to Nebraska my freshman year. Y'all were seniors, right,
So my entire broadcast sports journalism career has been covering you,
has been covering Roy has been.
Speaker 4 (39:19):
Watching you guys.
Speaker 3 (39:20):
So I remember, you know, and then I also went
to high school out there, so like I remember young
wild Noles, right, I remember the legend that was Noiles
Paul in Lincoln, Nebraska, right. And then I remember seeing
NFL player nows because you would come back or you know,
we had similar friends so I would see you out
in Houston at All Star weekend or we would just
kind of cross passing different ways. And I'm just a kid,
(39:41):
So you ain't paying me no min but I'm watching
and I'm and I'm following.
Speaker 4 (39:45):
This story in this thread. And then to see you
here talking to you now.
Speaker 3 (39:48):
Man, as a dad of coach brouh, it is crazy
to just sit here. I'm like, man, this this dude
is really gone fully full circle.
Speaker 4 (39:56):
Man.
Speaker 3 (39:56):
And God is so good and it has been so
dope to watch your journey and I know you're just
getting started because I can only imagine the things you're
going to accomplish as a as a as a coach,
and as a father and in closing brother for all
the Washington fans that have watched you, that had the
Noles Paul Jersey that supports you to this day, Man,
how do you want the fans to remember?
Speaker 4 (40:15):
Now's Paul the redskin, the Washington player.
Speaker 6 (40:19):
Uh A tough, a tough team player that was willing
to do anything you had to.
Speaker 5 (40:26):
And uh uh, you know I put my body on
the line and you know I was able to.
Speaker 6 (40:33):
I was able to, you know, grind out some good
years there and we and I would just want them
to be just be proud of the player that I was,
like you had, like I you know, I had. I
had a good surrounding team obviously, with the guys like
Logan and and the Renzo Alexander and Santana Moss and
those guys was around me.
Speaker 5 (40:51):
So I would just want to be respected for the player.
Speaker 6 (40:54):
That I was, and you know, the things I was
able to accomplish and and what I was able to
really do out there.
Speaker 3 (41:00):
I have no doubt the fan base is proud of you, brother.
I hope you take the time to be proud of
yourself and everything you accomplished. I know a lot of
times when you're still going through it, when you're still
trying to do different things and you're looking out for others,
it's easy to forget the things that we've already accomplished
and all the dreams you already hit. Man. So I
hope you're proud of yourself as well command as family.
Our next man enough for true Washington Legend honestly exemplifies
what it means to be a next man up. My
(41:23):
guy Husker a lum now it's Paul, appreciate you brother.
Speaker 5 (41:26):
I appreciate you to go.
Speaker 3 (41:28):
Command is family. We hope you enjoyed this episode of
Next Man Up. Remember you can stream all of the
Next Man Up episodes right now on the Commander's YouTube
page or the audio wherever you get your podcast. Thank
you so much for supporting the Next Man Up podcasts.
You allowed us to be nominated for not one, but
two People's Choice Podcast towards Best Male Hosted and Best
Black Male Hosted Podcast. And that's all because of the
(41:51):
best fans in the NFL. I appreciate y'all so much
for supporting us. It's crazy to think we're already in
season three of Next Man Up and we have a
lot more to go to Make sure to subscribe to
the command on this YouTube page so you don't miss
any of our content.
Speaker 4 (42:03):
I'm Ran Cower Jr. And this is Next Man Up.
Speaker 3 (42:06):
This show was filmed at the Big Bear AI Command
Center Studio. Big Bear AI offers Mission Ready AI for
a rapidly evolving world, proudly protecting the Washington Commanders and
its fans.
I think you know.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Our record is what it is, like I said, but
we have a lot, a lot left to play for
and so I'm just excited to be a part of it.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
The Next Man Podcast is presented by Lansdown Resort. From Kickoff,
the Check, Can Score, game change and get away in
the heart of Lounders. Lansdown Resort, proud partner of the
Washington Commanders.
Speaker 4 (00:17):
Welcome into the Next Man Up.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
I mer whole brin Corwen Junior head with a very
special guest stepping up big time for us right now.
Jonathan Jones won a few Super Bowls. Now you hear
the Burgundy and gold. My brother's good to see you again.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Man, Man, I appreciate you. Good to see you, go
to see you think.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
You for meo of course.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Man, last time we sat here in these chairs, but
you were just signed, didn't know what to expect, but
you had big expectations for yourself.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Man, how far? How has this year gone for you?
So far?
Speaker 1 (00:41):
It's been good.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
I think the adversity obviously of the record is what
it is. But for me personally, I enjoyed being in
a new environment, something different. I feel like I'm growing
still as a football player, being in a new environment,
new systems. It's just still learning, still learning the best
that I can and just trying to trying to help,
you know, trying to health the team as much as
I can and be out there.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
How are you able to help them through this adversity though,
because we have so many young guys, especially that defre's
a back room who have not dealt with a losing
season yet, who have not dealt with losing really much.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Of their lives.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
You have seen the best success, but you also gone
through our times as well. How have you as a
VET helped them kind of maneuver this part?
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
I think the biggest part is just understanding just because
we're down in the season, that means is over and
then on top of that, still your job. I know
as a young player, you know, especially coming out of college,
you know if the season's over with, you know they're
ready for you know, next year, but you know here
you're still it's still your job, and so you still
want to put a good tape out there and continue
to build as a team, and so just trying to
(01:42):
teach those guys what it's like to be a professional
to come in every day and do your.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Job, and I gotta imagine they're really willing to listen
to you because they've seen you go through adversity in
real time. Being here get your first year of Washington,
you have big expectations. In week two, you suffer an
injury that puts you on injury reserve. Man, can imagine
that was easy to deal with because I know you
were very motivated. You were coming here ready to do
a job, ready to help take this team to the
(02:06):
next level. Man, how tough was it dealing with that
injury in that moment?
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Yeah, I mean it was tough.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
It was my first time, you know, my tenth year
going on like short term. I R during the season,
so it's a little difficult, a little different for me.
But just knowing, you know, great training staff to come back,
put in the hard word and just deal with that adversity.
I think your mind kind of shifts. You kind of
feel like you're away from the team for a little bit,
and so your parlorady becomes yourself and you know, getting
yourself healthy and being back out there for your team.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
How do you deal with that mentally? Right?
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Because yes, you want to stand this a job, Yes
you're professional, Yes, you've maybe deal with this.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
A couple of times.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
However, it's still a mental hurdle to get past when
you say, man, I've done all this preparation, I knew
I was ready. Now I got to sit out and
I can't do nothing about it. Man, how did you
deal with that mental because I think that is very
important for the young guys to hear who have never
dealt with it before.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Yeah, I mean the middle part is tough.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
I mean because when you're out and the team wins,
you want to be a part of it. You know,
you want to be part of the celebrations, you want
to be a reason why. And then when you're out
and they lose, you know you want to be a
guy to help. You want to see O doing what
could I've done? What could I have helped, you know,
in any way, shape or form. And so it's tough
mentally to just understand you on the sidelines, in the
stands basically and not being out there and able to
help your team. But you grow, you grow past that
(03:18):
and you understand that your mission at that point is
just be the best version of yourself get back healthy.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
So you can't contribute.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
And you said you've been on injury reserve four times
a year.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
No, No, that's the first time I've been on a
short time short time are Yeah, I've been on season
injury had a surgery once before, but never been you
know during the season that early in the season being
on IR.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
What year were you in your career when you dealt
with that first injury?
Speaker 1 (03:38):
It was that year six or seven?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Year six or seven. So now you're in year ten. Yeah,
that's a whole nother ballgame. Man, you're older now your
year ten, You're in a whole different spot. This is
different surroundings. What was this journey like, the road to
recovery like for Jonathan Jones? Can you kind of give
us a little insight on that?
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Yeah, I mean it's different.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
You know, I was in New England for nine years,
so you know that everyone knows who you are, they
know what to expect from you, and so when you're
in a new place, you always have those questions, do
they think that I'm going hard enough? Do they know
you know, do they really know me and know who
I am? So that's a mental you know, aspect of it,
and so just trying to do your best, you know,
proven to people who haven't you know, been around you
(04:16):
for years, who you are, what your character is, you
know what type of player you are, and just trying
to try and establish that.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Will get you through that doubt of yourself. Man, what
helped you in this moment get through that? Because it's
one thing. Yeah we're strong guys, we can get through stuff,
but we need a community. We need the right coaches,
the right facility, the right family to get us through that.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Who helped you get through?
Speaker 5 (04:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Family? Always family.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
You know, every time I leave this building and I
go home, going to a great support system, and so
that that makes it easy. That's always your biggest why
it is your family. And so when you go home
and your dad rest in peace. You know, had a
conversation with Kobe Bryant, and I always remember he would say,
you know, when you get home from work, your kids
don't care you're tired, they don't care you're injured, they
don't care what you have going on.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
You just dad. So you're clocking on dad mode.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
And so that gets you through it because you realize,
no matter what adversity I'm facing that work, they don't
want to deal with it, and they shouldn't have to since.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
You mentioned dad, I gotta ask you because not everybody's
dad's a pilot. Now everybody's dad as an NFL player,
but youth player, is you pilot? All partners at LANSDS
that resort like to know that you were spending some
downtime getting working on the field, but also spending downtime.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
I don't got to ask you how.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
You spend your downtown because your downtime's up in the air.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
You flying around? Man, what is that like? Bro? When
you get to have you got your family in the
plane and the man, how cool is that? That's gotta
be one of the flyest things in the world.
Speaker 5 (05:29):
It is.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
It's an amazing experience that the kids get to experience
and be a part of and just being able to
shrink the world. You know, I always say aviation is
a way to shrink the world. And there's places that
are about four or five hour drive that you know,
we can get to in thirty forty five minutes as
a flight, and so it really shrinks the world.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
They love it, you know, the kids really into it.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
We were landing and when the automations came on, I'm saying,
you know, airspeed, airspeed and my son goes, Daddy, what's
air speed? Just having the conversations, just being able to
explain and you know, and maybe they'll catch the bag,
you know, at a younger age.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
And I do do you ever get nervous up there?
Speaker 5 (06:03):
Man?
Speaker 4 (06:03):
Or honestly, you know what does a team ever get nervous?
Speaker 3 (06:06):
And sometimes I see you in the planet and I'm like,
they really let my man fly to going around.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
For has that ever been a conversation?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
It's not really nervous disrespect, you know. I think similar
to being out there on the football field. You don't
get nervous for injuries. You just respect that's a part
of the game. So with aviation, you respect. You know
what could happen and what could go wrong. You prepare
for those situations. So you feel confident and you have a.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Lot of confidence because you were able to come back
and what a month about a month's time and you
get back on that field. Man, how special was it
for you that first game back? Because with injuries, man,
nothing's promised. You might not even come back. You might
be gone for the whole year, like you said you
experienced before. Men, how special was that moment getting back
on that field?
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Yeah? Just to be back. Yeah, I love the game
of football. I'm always joking say, I don't remember life,
you know before playing football.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Started when I was four. So every fall for me
has been playing football. And so just to be back
out there with the team, be a part, you know,
the energy, the energy on the sideline, the conversations, you know,
the oceans, everything that comes with you know, a Sunday
Sunday game.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
So just being back out there it means a lot.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
You've had a few games before Spain, before the bye week.
How are you feeling now now that you've gotten kind
of your feet up onto you and be able to
show people, Hey, this is why they brought me here.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Yeah, feel good, feel good. I'm excited. You know, I
think you know.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Our record is what it is, like I said, but
we have a lot, a lot left to play for,
and so I'm just excited to be a.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Part of it.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
You said, you guys have a lot left to play for.
What did Jonathan Jones have to play for?
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Man? Just my career.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Honestly, you get to the back end of your career,
your job is to, you know, go out there still
put a good tape on film and just be a mental.
You know, show the younger guys what it's like to
be in year ten and pull them along and hopefully,
you know, years later when I'm on the couch, you
know there in year ten eleven, they called me and say, man,
you taught me this and I'm still doing.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
This because of you, And so just just that part
of it.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
Year ten is such a blessing.
Speaker 5 (07:52):
Man.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
I think to me that was what was most exciting
about being able to bring you in. Yes, you got
super Bowl pedigree, but you've been there, You've done that before.
And we have a secondary room that is very, very young.
We have a secondary room that's also struggling with injuries.
We have a couple guys on injury reserve that aren't
gonna be able to play again.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
How have you, as a leader helped the young guy,
especially a guy like Trey Amos, right, who.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Has never dealt with this before. How have you been
to help him kind of get through that part?
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Yeah? I reached out with him.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
My joke.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Saw him on a screwter and I told him when
I was on my scooter, man, I put a speaker
out front and I rode around means with a speaker.
But no, just understanding he's still young in his career
and just try to be that for it's a reason
for him to understand everything happens, you know, for a reason,
you know, even the negative things that we can't quite
put our fingers on it, there's a lesson in it.
And so just take that lesson, you know, focus on itself,
(08:35):
you know, come back a better player.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
And this show is called Next Man Up, and it's
something we've seen this team take pride and having that
next man up. Now, all of a sudden, you in
a world where you're the next man which is also
probably is a very unfamiliar role for you as well,
but now you get a real chance to showcase.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
It's because of all the injuries.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
Man, what are your expectations for yourself on this backstretch
of this season.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Yeah, it's an excellent opportunity, excellent opportunity to go out
there and just help, like help the team in every
way that we can. Just make play situational football and
just being a part of it and like I said,
getting some wins, stacking some wins and getting the energy back.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
And we've seen DQ take over play calling, right, we
know we all love Joey junior. But when your head
coach is getting in there with you guys and calling
that defensive play calling, it changes things. It seems like
it sparked you guys a little bit.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Man.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
How great is it to see DQ get back in
that defensive coordinator bag as well, which he really made
his bread and butter off of.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Man, he's a great, great coach, and so it's exciting
for me, like.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
I said, to be.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
In this league for a long time and see the
things that he's done, you know, as a coordinator, and
then having him as a coordinator now at this point,
just seeing his perspective of the game, how he calls it,
very very aggressive coach, and so as an aggressive player,
you enjoy that. And so just being under him, learning
learning a different aspect of the game, learning from him,
enjoying it.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
And Jonathan is my job to remind everybody that we
have the best fans in the NFL, but you are
coming from a fan base that don't play around. The
fans do not play around. But you've gotten to experience
what it's like on the road to see a Commanders fans.
But just like being at home seat Commanders fans, have
you seen anything like this right, because we understand Patriots
is one thing, but these Commander fans are something different.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
Man.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
They were in Spain. It droves hundreds thousands of people
in Spain. Have you seen anything like that before? No,
it's a little bit different.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
It's a combination of the passion of New England with
the swag of like the Atlanta you know, being being
a Georgia boys. So it's that great combination of passionate
for football. But then from swagger to it.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Y're certain we get to play in front of the
best fans in the NFL Sunday night Man, so prom
Tom Action. It's the Denver Broncos. They are a tough team,
one of the best in the AFC. Man, what could
fans expect not only from Jonathan Jones but from our
commanders on Sunday Night football.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
They're good football team and they're on a good winning streak.
You know, they do a lot of things well, and
so our team is just dominating.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
You know, be physical.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
I think with the team like this, you have to
establish your physicality early in the game and if we
can come out be physical offense, defense, special teams, you know,
run the ball, stop the run, and be very very physical.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
You know what do we want to do?
Speaker 4 (10:57):
Johnthrey. We appreciate your time. Brother. We know you're very
very busy.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
I know you've had a very interesting season. But it's
great to see you back on that field.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
Man.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
God is good, You're a healthy man. The family guid
the flyer everything Man. We are here with Jonathan Jones.
Next man of Appreciate you, brother, man, appreciate you.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
Commanders Family. We hope you have been enjoyed. Next man up.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Before we go any further, we have to pay some
bills now. Events d C is a proud partner of
the Washington Commanders. Events DC is the premier host of meetings, entertainment, sporting,
and cultural events in the nation's capitol. From the Walter E.
Washington Convention Center to care First Arena. We create experiences
that entertain employ serve as an economic engine, and elevate
guests from around the world.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
See how we make DC happen at Events DC.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Hey, Marylanders play multi Match from the Maryland Lottery, Maryland's
only in state jackpot game. A two dollar ticket gives
you a chance to win a jackpot starting at five
hundred thousand dollars. Drawings Mondays and Thursdays. And remember please
play responsibly. They say your work defines who you are.
Monday through Friday nine to five, you are clocking in.
What happens on the weekend, what happens to your time.
(12:01):
You could take it easy, or you could use your
time to get better. In the US Army we think differently.
Your time should be used to improve the skills you
do have to learn some you don't to put yourself
in new ways, because it's those days that truly define
who you are. That's how you make progress, That's how
you make impact on the world around you.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
It's your time. How you spend it is up to you.
It's your time.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
The US Army Reserve Command his family back to the
show for this next man up. We got a Washington legend,
and we know you have not heard from in quite
some time. Definitely was one of the better tight ends
we have had played for us for a long stretch.
And he's also an Omaha native. My guy went to
(12:47):
the University of Nebraska, just like myself. Welcome me in Noiles, Paul,
what's up, Realve.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
What's good?
Speaker 4 (12:53):
I'm chilling man.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
It's wild to be sitting here talking to you because
when I was in high school, senior high school, moved
to Omaha and I went to school out there, and
there was this legend of Miles Paul and who you
were not only as a Husker, but what.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
You were for Omaha North Omaha's finance.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
You know, you was the one represent Omaha before Bud
ever really got his shah.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
Man.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
So this is kind of crazy to be sitting here
rap with you, but I appreciate you taking the time.
Speaker 6 (13:22):
Yeah, man, I just it never really hit me about how,
you know, till other people kind of you know, talk
to me and tell me about it, and how like,
you know, influential and impactful it was for me in
that time, in that moment, not being one of the
first guys. Obviously we had so many grapes to come
out of Nebraska, like a mom Green like that and
(13:42):
the Rose Johnny Rogers and like, so, you know, it
never really hit me that, you know, the influence that
I actually had and the impact I had and to
you know, I hear it. So you know, for you
to say that, man, I appreciate you, man, because it's
just it's just, you know, I was just a kid
from Omaha on a mission, and I love to see
(14:03):
everybody be successful, especially if you're from Omaha like that,
you know that's where.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
But that's what's the crazy part.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
I think that's what made you so famous out there
was that there wasn't anybody that was coming from Omaha
that made it through what you had made it through.
A lot of folks don't know anything about Omaha, Nebraska
and how rough it truly is, how rough it was
where you came from, Bro, Like, people don't think about
Nebraska and thin metal detectors in the schools right Like,
(14:31):
people don't even think about that. So like you being
around and being able to be that person that made it,
I feel like you gave all of us that like,
oh man, we can do it too, like oh yeah,
you know what I'm saying, Like and I'm not even
from Omaha, but being out there and see somebody like you, Man,
So again, thank you, Bro. I had to make sure
I gave you them for hours off the writ because
we got a lot of Omaha people watching right now.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
And it's wild.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I told Roy, I said, I don't think y'all realized
how many Nebraskans y'all made Washington fans because in your
draft class. Three Huskers got drafted, and I feel like
after that there was just a resurgence of where you
see Washington Redskins stuff all over Nebraska.
Speaker 4 (15:07):
And I think a lot of that has to do
with y'all.
Speaker 6 (15:09):
Yeah, I mean it makes sense because it was actually
it went, it went from and during my time there,
I was able to play with will Compton, Spinster, Long,
DJ Golds, Royal hell Loo, so.
Speaker 5 (15:21):
We had a nice hand for it was. Nebraska had became.
Speaker 6 (15:25):
A staple in the Washington locker room with you know,
how we conducted ourselves. So it was it was, it was.
It was good times, man, and and I definitely saw,
you know, the change, and it was like it was
definitely more Washington fans and uh, you know mall.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
At the time.
Speaker 6 (15:40):
And I always appreciate it, just the love and support,
uh I know, just being you know, a Nebraska, Nebraska
kid that went to Nebraska and then you know, you
got a bunch of kids from Nebraska, not from the
Braska that played for Nebraska ended up at d C.
Speaker 5 (15:53):
And the love was still there, you know.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
And I love I don't think it's going anywhere, man.
And let's start from the beginning, right because we're both
Husker alum and I remember this major major games and
you being so heavily involved. I mean, we have not
been as good as y'all were since, right like y'all
were the ones to make it to the conference championship.
We ain't been back since. How did what you accomplished
(16:16):
in Nebraska prepare you for life.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
In the NFL?
Speaker 5 (16:21):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (16:22):
I mean I think I think my whole experience in Nebraska,
from being a freshman year to burning my red shirt
for one play to play one catch and maybe a
couple of returns, to to like, you know, going through
what I went through as far as the adversity I faced,
just you know, being humble, constantly being humbled at Nebraska
(16:43):
and having you know, to go through it a little
bit to prepare myself for what it meant to be
a pro. And I think that was you know, my
own you know, a lot of that was my own
choices and decisions I made and things I was into.
But you know, I was, I was, I was you know,
the hometown tied kid was troversal and uh, you could
have did a better job of focusing when I was
(17:04):
on that field and and and being my best and
presenting my best self at all times.
Speaker 5 (17:09):
But you know, that was a college of young college kids.
So I feel like I had to go through you.
Speaker 6 (17:13):
Know, those moments to make me you know, who I
was able to turn into, which was just you know,
with Washington, I was a football player. It didn't matter,
you know, where they was going to put me. I
was able to come there and start a receiver. My
my rookie year, I got started a couple of games
that Reekar didn't really you know, get the production that
we wanted. But then you know, to come in they
(17:35):
brought in a bunch of receivers. Coach Shanahan asked me
to move the tight end.
Speaker 5 (17:39):
Uh. I did it without hesitation, understanding that.
Speaker 6 (17:42):
I'm undersized and I had great he was able to
have great coaches like Sean McVay, like West Phillips and
UH player coaches who they're not they weren't coaches at
the time, but they helped me in my journey through
the tight end process, which was logan passing, UH and
and cool like those guys really helped me navigate my
way through being the tight end and gave me the
(18:04):
confidence to go out there and do it.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
Man and That's definitely what I want to talk to
you about is that transition, because it's not an easy transition.
And Logan Paulson speaks highly of you all the time.
He does my show with me on Command Center, he
speaks about you all the time. But first things first,
I want to know what it was like when you
got drafted by Washington, right, because again, you omahak kid,
you stay in Braska to go to high school out there.
I mean you go to high school there, then you
go to college out there to stay in Nebraska.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
Now it's time to lead. Now it's time to go
across the world. Man to Washington, DC.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Man, did you know anything about Washington? Had you ever
even really left Nebraska like that? Outside of traveling for school?
Speaker 6 (18:39):
I traveled for you know, I was able to. I
was a three sport athlete growing up, and we traveled
a lot. But it was never like I never traveled
freely for like vacation purposes or like I had never
been to DC. I had never been to the DMV.
I didn't know anything. So, you know, being an Omaha kid,
I was, you know going out there was it was
(19:00):
definitely it was a culture shot. It was like, all right, like, Okay,
it's a little different I here. You know, they call
it Chalcolm the City for a reason, and it was
it was, you know, honestly, it was some of the best,
like just being out in DC in the area, some
of the best years of my life, not just because
I was playing football, just because of everything, like being
(19:21):
able to experience that and even you know, my brother,
I had a brother that lived with me and some friends.
Everybody moved out there because it was just such an
incredible place to be. And I would definitely, you know,
if I wasn't on you know, my mission here right now,
and omaha, uh, that would be home.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
And just know, even if you don't live out here,
it's still home here. You still got nothing but love
out here. All the fans, I love to see you,
and we know whenever you pull back up, it's gonna
be all love.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Man.
Speaker 6 (19:48):
Yeah. Every every time I do come back though, it's
always love. So I always appreciate it. Like I think
I came back for Tim. Tim brought me back for
the It was the draft, the draft party up there
at the I don't know, I forgot the name of it,
but it was it was a cross from the MGM
so they brought me up different draft party and I
(20:09):
had a good time. It was love, like fans remembered me.
I was like, okay, yeah, this what's up?
Speaker 5 (20:13):
Man? Like this was it was always love.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
And it's crazy because you've gotten to witness two of
because we're not going mentioned, We're not go mins Jacksonville. Right,
we'll talk about Washington and the Huskers right now, you got.
Speaker 4 (20:24):
To play for two of. To me, the most.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Passionate fan bases, right, Like, there's something about the Husker
fan base, right, most sold out games, the way we travel,
the way we love, the way we hate sometimes too,
right because Usker fans'll give it to you kind of
wild too.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
It's very similar to what you see out in DC.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
It's so crazy seeing all of these different lessons getting
to talk to you all, and none of y'all are
from here, but so many have made this home.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
It feels like home there.
Speaker 5 (20:51):
Man.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
When you looked at that ran skin at the time,
fan base, Man, did it remind you a little bit
of this Husker fan base because how locked in they
are on their team?
Speaker 5 (21:00):
Oh yeah, no doubt, no doubt. It was the passion
everything the same. It was. It was pretty much to
go from the Husker atmosphere to you know, DC.
Speaker 6 (21:09):
To see the love and the support that you have
and like the commitment and then the fans, and to
be able to be out there meeting the fans and
seeing how you know, like oh like this this this serious,
you know, and you know, to go to be able
to go and experience different programs to see like okay,
like it was different than DC. You know it was
(21:30):
the Washington commanders, Like the fans were different.
Speaker 5 (21:33):
Like you just don't find that anywhere.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Else, you really don't, man, And then you putting that
work on that field to get that fan base though, right,
Like it wasn't like they were just cheering for just anybody.
Now you you went out here and dig your thing,
and like you said, you even changed positions, which I
know you said that you were willing to do because
you just wanted to get out there and play.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
But it's not easy.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
It's not easy to change the position that you played
all through college, you played a little bit in NFL.
Now you have to make an adjustment. Like you said,
you're oversea verse size, right, you had to walk up.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
Man.
Speaker 4 (22:03):
I remember watching you go through that.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Man, I think you gained like forty fifty pounds of muscle, like.
Speaker 4 (22:08):
You put in that work. Man, Can you just talk
about what that transition was like for you?
Speaker 5 (22:12):
Oh Man, I had had a great strength coach and
Chad ingle Heart.
Speaker 6 (22:16):
Was uh I believe he's it was not ingle Heart.
Chad he there and now he's a strength coach there.
Now I think it's ingle Heart. I forgot his last name.
He hit been mad at me, but you know, we
really hit it as far.
Speaker 5 (22:27):
As you know, weights.
Speaker 6 (22:28):
And then I had you know, I had a nutritionist
and we were putting on pounds and you know, coach
Shanahan told me at the time, this is where you
wanted me to be. I was two fifteen, around two
fifteen to eighteen at the time, and I was able
to jump up to about two forty forty five was
two forty five I ended up getting the two fifty
was the heaviest I got too. But that took That
(22:48):
was like the next year when I was able to
like fully you know, that was throughout the next couple
of years when I was able to fully incorporate myself
as a you know, as a true tight end and
less less of a receivement tight end.
Speaker 5 (22:58):
So it was tough though. It was definitely tough car
carrying all that weight, having to figure out what was
too much, what was too what was what was too
much or what was not enough for me to hold
my own in the block but not lose my speed.
So it was it was, you know, it was some
trials and tribulations.
Speaker 6 (23:16):
And I felt like, you know, when I when I
finally found a good rhythm, which was I want to
say twenty fifteen that you know, with that preseason, you
know it was me, j Reed, Logan, We were you know,
I think we were just one of the better tight
end rooms out there just collectively, and we battled through
camp and you know, I was able to be named
(23:37):
or starter and I broke my ankle and that was
just like, you know, it was like I finally.
Speaker 5 (23:42):
Got that moment. I finally got that moment to you know,
because that was always.
Speaker 6 (23:46):
My goal no matter what I did, I was, I
was gonna do what I needed to do for the team,
but I always I wanted to.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
Have you know, those personal accolades too.
Speaker 6 (23:53):
But you know, it was, it was, it was tough
times and then it was a humbling experience to just
you know, understand how the business works, and you know
just every year, you know, re kind of reinvented myself
and having to do what I needed to do to
be on that team.
Speaker 4 (24:10):
How did you deal with those tough times though? Man?
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Because dealing with tough times, you chase your dream. You're
working a job, like, you're trying to pay for bills,
you're trying to take care of your family. You're also
away from your family in a whole nother area that
you're not familiar with. Man, I don't think people really
understand with everything you guys are dealing with in real time,
and then you throw an injury on top of it.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
Don't even think you've you.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Had dealt with an injury at that magnitude at least
before them.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
Man, how did you deal with that?
Speaker 5 (24:36):
Oh? Man?
Speaker 6 (24:37):
It was rough at first, but I had a great
support system in my family, like my siblings, you know,
they all came out supported me and helped me and
helped me through the surgery.
Speaker 5 (24:46):
I started.
Speaker 6 (24:47):
I started going to therapy shortly after that, just because
you know, you do find yourself when you you know
it's your first major surgery and like you're down, like
this was a point time where I have been playing
football consistently for the last you know, ten ten years
of my life and then to have it just taken
away like that, and now I'm not doing anything but
(25:07):
just trying to rehab and it.
Speaker 5 (25:09):
It would have been easy for me to kind of
fall into.
Speaker 6 (25:12):
Kind of a deep depression, but I tried to motivate
myself through it and was like, hey, I'm gonna come
back better than never.
Speaker 5 (25:19):
You know.
Speaker 6 (25:19):
And that was always my goal was to get back.
And then you see the business aspect of it, like
break my ankle. You know, j Ree balls Out had
a year and I always knew j Reed was going
to be, you know, the guy because he was just
amazing and I learned so even though he was a year,
a couple of years younger, I learned so much from
him just as a receiving tight end. But you know,
(25:41):
he has a breakout year. They bring in Vernon Davis,
who was you know, Hall of Fame tight end in
my opinion, but you know, so it was like, okay,
so now the topic goes from moving me from tight
end to fullback, and I'm like full back like tough,
you know, so I'm like, yeah, I can do it.
Speaker 5 (26:03):
Like, and we had already.
Speaker 6 (26:04):
Been doing a little plays where you know, the emotion
and tight end in the backfield and you just insert
on blocks, so they knew I can do it. I
just you know that just it sounds crazy, right to
go from receiver to an undersized tight end to you know,
a fullback, like what you know what that was? Like
I said, it was a humbling experience. But for me
(26:24):
and what Washington meant to me, it was I would
have did whatever I had to do, like I was
going to play whatever position I had to play on
that field to you know, get on the field and
have an impact.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
I mean the fact that they moved you around, I
think to me, I remember watching it real time because
I'm a young broadcaster covering you guys, covering the Huskers,
and of course everything now is due. We have to
talk about it as some capacity because you are missed
Husker at the time, right, You're the one that made
it to us, right, so we're talking about you, and
I'm watching you go through the real time, and I'm like,
I know this is probably tough for him, but it
(26:58):
also shows how valuable this young man is. Because they
could go get another tight end. They can go get
a fullback. But they said, you know what, we want
to keep you on this roster and find ways to
use all your unique skill sets. Did you feel that
way in the time, though, when they're moving you around,
did you feel like, hey, man, well, hey, at least
I got a job.
Speaker 5 (27:15):
Yeah. I mean yeah, I mean I did. I was.
Speaker 6 (27:18):
I was like, you know, I was very like, okay,
even from when coach shannan said he wanted to move
me to tight end.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
You know, I wasn't oblivious to the guys they brought in, like.
Speaker 6 (27:27):
The Pierre Garson's and I'm like, oh, Dante Starwarth like
these all right, So they I took it as a
sign of respect, like, hey, they want to keep me
on this roster, like they like, I am valuable and
they want to find ways to you know that I
can be I can help, I can help produce for
this team.
Speaker 5 (27:47):
And uh. And they did that.
Speaker 6 (27:49):
And they, you know, from coach you know, from coach Shanahan,
the coach McVeigh, the coach gruten. Uh, they they all
found ways to you know, implement me in the game plan.
And I have always appreciated that because they could have
just you know it could have just moved on and
found somebody else, which was you know the nature of
the business.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
And now that I talk to you've name dropped so
many different tight ends and I could ask you about
all of them and what it was like playing with them.
But I personally, and I feel like our fans personally
want to know too, what was Logan Pauls in life?
Speaker 4 (28:20):
Like the Logan I know now.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Has one pair of shoes, wears the same shorts and
shirt and shirt almost every single day, very.
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Very like, very very calm.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
Watch his film all day.
Speaker 6 (28:33):
He changed it all because Logan Logan, to me, he
not only was you know, to me, he was a
great tight end. I loved, you know, Logan, like I said,
he helped me through this process of being able to
block and help me understand. But Logan was, like you know,
just a genius in those ways of helping you understand.
Like you know, he never came down on me.
Speaker 5 (28:54):
He never. I don't ever remember a time but Logan
was upset we would be in the game.
Speaker 6 (28:58):
And you know, Logan with that from be like like
I said, he was, he was a coach.
Speaker 5 (29:02):
He was he was a coach.
Speaker 6 (29:03):
He's a players, he's calling out you know, blocks for
me blocks, He's going He's making my job easy. So
you know, it became an appreciation because we all co
existed so well together, you know, and we understood each other.
Speaker 5 (29:17):
And I think that was the importance of like having
a good tight End room.
Speaker 6 (29:21):
And even when it was cooly in there, when Chris
and and Fred, like we all was kind of would
navigate through it. But Logan was always the one who
was like the dad, like the dad of the tight
Ends group, who was you know, he had all the
answers and when we watched the film, he was Logan
was going to hold you accountable, and it it pushed
you off to the time, right, but Logan was always
going he was consistent in holding you accountable, challenging you,
(29:43):
and he would never leave you out to dry. So
I had I always have a great love and respect
for Logan in our time, uh with the commandagers, because
we both were going through it. You know, we both
was fighting for to get on the roster and uh,
I mean to stay on the roster and to keep
our jobs. And like when you know, he it was
like when you're not you know, exactly the one or
the guy, he just you're fighting for rosters by you know,
(30:05):
that's we you know, you kind of go through it together.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Logan still carries that undrafted free agent with him everywhere
he goes, and it's a beautiful thing because he's just
such a hard worker. But when we look at like
pictures of like, cause we know Logan now got the haircut,
the family got a dad. But when we look at
pictures of Logan back in the day, he looks like
a monster. Like he looks like somebody that was getting
in the fights, the noses broken.
Speaker 4 (30:28):
He looks crazy.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
Man, was Logan really calm on the field, because I
just can't imagine him like flipping that switch.
Speaker 4 (30:34):
But then when you look at those pictures, you say, oh,
this was a crazy MF.
Speaker 5 (30:38):
Logan.
Speaker 7 (30:39):
Logan, I'm not going to say like like he was
very methodical or like very like detailed, robotish in a
way in how he operated on the field.
Speaker 6 (30:51):
But when he did do something, you know that he
was proud of, like he was cave man. He was
like he was like a caveman about it when he
you know, when he and he did have a big
catch or had a big block, but like everything was
pretty stoic, with Logan like he you know, he would
we would have conversations on the sideline which would be
a little more emotional, like god, man, this just happened.
Speaker 5 (31:11):
This is happening on the field like it was like
he was locked in.
Speaker 6 (31:15):
And like I said, he was always mister dependable, Like, hey,
if you if you don't know what the exact block is,
Logan was definitely gonna let you know if you needed
the call, Logan was gonna get you a call. And
you know the way he practiced, the way the standard
he said and said the tight End Room helped in
my development while I was in there. So, like I said,
I just I'm always great appreciative the film.
Speaker 3 (31:37):
I love hearing Man. He talks about you, jess as
highly man. When I told him I was going to
be interviewing you, He's like, tell my buddy, I said,
what's up. I love Noiles man, so that I had
to make sure I ask you about Logan because that's
our guy and he's a very interesting character.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
Man.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
And play with Logan, Pauls and the Vernon Davis and
Jordany's you do all of these different things. You played
for Washington for years, right you accomplish a dream, you
switch positions.
Speaker 4 (31:58):
What do you remember most from your time in Washington?
Speaker 6 (32:01):
Uh, I think one of my one of the more
more prouder moments was being named the captains out there
and then uh, I think facing that adversity, breaking my ankle,
coming back and uh battling through that and you know,
getting back on that field and making the transition to fullback.
(32:24):
I think that was that year that twenty sixteen seventeen
years wasn't wasn't my best year statistically, but like it
was my proudest year when I want to.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
I won the award, uh for they give it out
every year for.
Speaker 6 (32:38):
The name of it. I got it up serious for
when you're injured and you come back, and uh I
forgot the I got the name of the reward. They
happened every year in Baltimore. It's like an annual thing.
But uh I won the award where you know, injured players
come back and the teammates. My teammates respected me. I
think that you know that twenty sixteen in two thousand
(32:59):
and seven season was one of my more prouder seasons
just because I you know, I did had to swallow
piece of humble pie. You go from you know, being
named the starter to being third or fourth from the
depth chart as a tight end to be in the
starting fullback and I'm like all right, cool, like you
know this is this is how I'm gonna get on
the field.
Speaker 5 (33:17):
And we had a great season.
Speaker 6 (33:20):
I mean, I one of it was one of the
more exciting years because to see you know, Vernon in
his prime and like going how fast he was, to
see how you know, how shifty j Ree was and
his routes, and to see how we all were just
kind of growing through through the years. I mean through
that time, through that season. I was that was probably
one of my more favorite years and more memorable years
(33:41):
at uh yeah, at in DC.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
And football has brought you so much, man, I mean,
it gets you out of Omaha, it gets you to
one of the biggest colleges in the world, gets you
to the NFL, and and like you said, Chocolate City, right,
it's taking you so far, but you're still doing things
with football.
Speaker 5 (33:58):
Man.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
You decide to go back to Omaha and now you're
coaching your father.
Speaker 4 (34:03):
Man, what has life been like for now? Is Paul?
After all?
Speaker 5 (34:05):
Life life has been different? Man.
Speaker 6 (34:07):
So I was I had Originally I had retired and
I was in Jacksonville, Florida. I felt like, you know,
I was part of the Golden Girls. You know, this
was the life I got. I'm going to the beach
like you know.
Speaker 5 (34:18):
I'm not. I'm good.
Speaker 6 (34:19):
I'm doing a bunch of you know nothing, just enjoying
retirement and did this my whole life. And I spent
I think I spent, like I want to say, after
I was done with Jacksonville, I stayed there for about
uh maybe three or four years or maybe like about
five years.
Speaker 5 (34:36):
I stayed in Jacksonville, and.
Speaker 6 (34:40):
Something was missing in my life and I was completely
separated from the game. And you know, people have been
asking me to coach down there in Florida and asking
me if I want to do that, and I was like,
I think the only way that I would have coach
is if.
Speaker 5 (34:54):
I come back home and do it, because.
Speaker 6 (34:57):
You know that to me, that just would make the
most sen was to be able to help those you know,
those kids in my community and the you know, the
boys who you know at the time with me understanding,
like the boys who kind of grew up looking up to.
Speaker 5 (35:11):
Me and and like.
Speaker 6 (35:15):
That a listen and I could really have the most
influence on and I think coming here.
Speaker 5 (35:19):
Was that was that was the most logical reason.
Speaker 6 (35:22):
And coaching up at you know, North and coach Martin
reaching out to me because he was my high school
coach and we stayed we stayed in touch. You know,
he would come to the games. He you know, he always
had my back, He always spoke to me. He was
my high school. Like I said, he was my high
school football coach. So he's still the head coach here.
And he called and like we would be in touch,
and you know, he was like, hey, I would love
if you came.
Speaker 5 (35:43):
And coach for me.
Speaker 6 (35:43):
And I was I couldn't, you know.
Speaker 5 (35:46):
I was like, yeah, well let's do it.
Speaker 6 (35:48):
So I packed up left Jacksonville and moved back to
Omar and started coaching up at North and just getting
you know, my feet wet in that aspect where I
was like just trying to figure out who I am
as a coach and what I want to be and
like if this is something that I am that I'm
like truly capable of, because I never.
Speaker 5 (36:08):
Really wanted to be a coach like that, Like.
Speaker 6 (36:12):
It just it just never it was something that I
just was like I tr you know, coach, Like it
was never in me, but to go.
Speaker 5 (36:21):
Through this process and be like, okay, figuring out who
I am as a coach and.
Speaker 6 (36:26):
You know, how I can best impact my community and
these kids and get them to understand like what it's
like and get them prepared for the next level of
what the college and what the league looks like and
sharing those stories with them and sharing information with them
that helped them, you know, kind of through their journey.
Speaker 3 (36:43):
And it's been fun watching from afar because like, I've
seen you through so many different levels, right of all
the different things you've accomplished, But when I watch you
be a coach, it seemed like it hits a little different.
I'm like, man, is this the thing he enjoys the most?
From your mouth? Nows what has been the most rewarding
part about your journey when it comes to football.
Speaker 5 (37:07):
When it comes to football coaching or just what I mean?
Speaker 3 (37:09):
Because I feel like that all goes in hand, right,
you playing and it's all football, right, coaching, playing, All
those different things go hand in hand, right, Like I
mean to you, what is the most rewarding I feel
like to me when I watch you, I'm like, I
feel like he gets something more out of helping these kids.
Speaker 4 (37:25):
Chase their dreams than what you did from even chasing
your own.
Speaker 5 (37:28):
Yeah, I mean, I mean.
Speaker 6 (37:32):
It was it was definitely exciting moments throughout my career
to where it was like yeah, like the memorable I'm like,
you know, I'll never forget that, being like MVP and
the big plays and the opportunities, big hits, like, but
there is to me at this point, nothing more rewarding
than seeing a kid that you worked with, a kid
(37:52):
that you helped, you know, develop, or had your hand in,
you know, in a part of their development successful and
chase their dreams and and be successful at it and
can achieve that.
Speaker 5 (38:05):
So it's you know, there's nothing like, there's no prouder
moment in that and.
Speaker 6 (38:10):
Like, which is why I asked the question, is because
because I also coached track too, so I think, you
know up here, I've I've read track all my life,
so up here, I kind of use track as the summer.
We don't have a we don't have spring ball for
your high school, so I kind of used track as
the summer I mean the spring program for our football
boys and putting them through that so that is like,
(38:32):
you know, there is there's there's reward and seeing like
boys you know, do things and and implement there like
the things you talk them or get faster and get
stronger and like achieve the things that they set out
to do and be successful, you know, and they're all right.
And I think that is that's that that that's that's
(38:52):
a whole different feeling than when it when it's like
self like self just you out there doing it all
your own, which is something be proud of.
Speaker 5 (39:00):
But I find myself proud of those moments with the kids. Now.
Speaker 3 (39:04):
I was, man, it's so crazy sitting here talking to you,
because I was kind of telling Rory the same thing.
Like I got to Nebraska my freshman year. Y'all were seniors, right,
So my entire broadcast sports journalism career has been covering you,
has been covering Roy has been.
Speaker 4 (39:19):
Watching you guys.
Speaker 3 (39:20):
So I remember, you know, and then I also went
to high school out there, so like I remember young
wild Noles, right, I remember the legend that was Noiles
Paul in Lincoln, Nebraska, right. And then I remember seeing
NFL player nows because you would come back or you know,
we had similar friends so I would see you out
in Houston at All Star weekend or we would just
kind of cross passing different ways. And I'm just a kid,
(39:41):
So you ain't paying me no min but I'm watching
and I'm and I'm following.
Speaker 4 (39:45):
This story in this thread. And then to see you
here talking to you now.
Speaker 3 (39:48):
Man, as a dad of coach brouh, it is crazy
to just sit here. I'm like, man, this this dude
is really gone fully full circle.
Speaker 4 (39:56):
Man.
Speaker 3 (39:56):
And God is so good and it has been so
dope to watch your journey and I know you're just
getting started because I can only imagine the things you're
going to accomplish as a as a as a coach,
and as a father and in closing brother for all
the Washington fans that have watched you, that had the
Noles Paul Jersey that supports you to this day, Man,
how do you want the fans to remember?
Speaker 4 (40:15):
Now's Paul the redskin, the Washington player.
Speaker 6 (40:19):
Uh A tough, a tough team player that was willing
to do anything you had to.
Speaker 5 (40:26):
And uh uh, you know I put my body on
the line and you know I was able to.
Speaker 6 (40:33):
I was able to, you know, grind out some good
years there and we and I would just want them
to be just be proud of the player that I was,
like you had, like I you know, I had. I
had a good surrounding team obviously, with the guys like
Logan and and the Renzo Alexander and Santana Moss and
those guys was around me.
Speaker 5 (40:51):
So I would just want to be respected for the player.
Speaker 6 (40:54):
That I was, and you know, the things I was
able to accomplish and and what I was able to
really do out there.
Speaker 3 (41:00):
I have no doubt the fan base is proud of you, brother.
I hope you take the time to be proud of
yourself and everything you accomplished. I know a lot of
times when you're still going through it, when you're still
trying to do different things and you're looking out for others,
it's easy to forget the things that we've already accomplished
and all the dreams you already hit. Man. So I
hope you're proud of yourself as well command as family.
Our next man enough for true Washington Legend honestly exemplifies
what it means to be a next man up. My
(41:23):
guy Husker a lum now it's Paul, appreciate you brother.
Speaker 5 (41:26):
I appreciate you to go.
Speaker 3 (41:28):
Command is family. We hope you enjoyed this episode of
Next Man Up. Remember you can stream all of the
Next Man Up episodes right now on the Commander's YouTube
page or the audio wherever you get your podcast. Thank
you so much for supporting the Next Man Up podcasts.
You allowed us to be nominated for not one, but
two People's Choice Podcast towards Best Male Hosted and Best
Black Male Hosted Podcast. And that's all because of the
(41:51):
best fans in the NFL. I appreciate y'all so much
for supporting us. It's crazy to think we're already in
season three of Next Man Up and we have a
lot more to go to Make sure to subscribe to
the command on this YouTube page so you don't miss
any of our content.
Speaker 4 (42:03):
I'm Ran Cower Jr. And this is Next Man Up.
Speaker 3 (42:06):
This show was filmed at the Big Bear AI Command
Center Studio. Big Bear AI offers Mission Ready AI for
a rapidly evolving world, proudly protecting the Washington Commanders and
its fans.
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