Quinton, Joel, Shelby and Jordan on being Husbands! | EP 7 | Dawgs Only

Host Rodney McLeod has Quinton Jefferson, Joel Bitonio, Shelby Harris, and Jordan Hicks join this episode of Dawgs Only to talk about being in the NFL, being a father, and work/family balance!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's going on? Everybody? This O g Rod Welcome to
the Dogs Only Podcast.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
Got a pleasure to sit by some fellow ogs, you
know myself. I got Joel right here, got Shelby Big
Q and then Jordan Hicks joining me today to talk
about what it means to be a Foxer.

Speaker 1 (00:19):
What's going on? You know, we got to start our
episode off the right way. We gotta do some check ins.

Speaker 3 (00:24):
Everybody doing good, man, I'm good, just uh, you know,
season getting rolled now. We're ready for the regular season,
so all that stuff in the past and uh, gonna
play some real football now.

Speaker 4 (00:34):
Man. I'm doing straight, believe you know. My five year
olds just started kindergarten, so I'm mentally just like broken down.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
But you know I'm doing good.

Speaker 5 (00:47):
Though not saying, you know, football season rolling back in
especially now it's a love bullets trying to lock in.
My oldest daughter actually back in Seattle today starting her
first day of eighth grade and to me, my first
season away from her. So it's going to be you know,
we're dynamic and seeing how that works out.

Speaker 6 (01:05):
But I mean alive and blessed. Yeah, man, I'm We're
good man. I'm settling in families here, kids are off
the school today. Was actually there at they're at the
school right now for orientation right now. So yeah, life's moving, man,
But football is good. Life's good, feels good.

Speaker 1 (01:24):
Yeah, yeah, man.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
Man, I gotta start things off with Shelby. You know,
we just finished camp, right, and we know this time
of year what this means for a lot of us.
You know, some people it's our season continues. For others,
unfortunately that would be the last time, right, And you
push out a tweet saying it's truly a blessing to
make the fifty three. Never have taken it for granted.

(01:47):
I remember the years I was wishing for this. So
can you enlighten us a little bit on you know
what that with that tweet? And what is making this
fifty three man roster?

Speaker 1 (02:00):
Right? This is year number eleven? Eleven? Man? What does
that mean? Man?

Speaker 4 (02:05):
It's just you know, during this time, you see some
people never you know, recover from this. You know, it's
a it's a time where you know, you know, there's
make or break, and then some people would break and
then they never make a team ever again. And I
remember my first couple of years I made the fifty
three my first year and then the next two years
I got cut and I'm talking about I remember they

(02:26):
used to come up with that graphic hold on my
fifty three and they would break my heart because I
wasn't on it, and I just remember, like so I
remember those days. And that's why even that's kind of
what those treats are for. Is it's just also to
you know, appreciate it, but then to tell the people
that haven't made it, like things can change from because
from year two and three to eleven, obviously we're still kicking,

(02:47):
and it's just a it's truly a blessing every year
to make it, because you know, you have to be
the best of the best, and sometimes, you know, you
could feel like you had a great preseason and it
still doesn't come together. And so you just gotta keep
keep on truck and keep on kicking because this league
is you know, it works in mysterious ways. You just
have to keep the faith and keep going.

Speaker 1 (03:07):
Yeah, now that's real for you guys. We got nine, ten, twelve, eleven, eleven.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
Again, how does for you guys right like you just
finish you know camp as well? Does it feel the
same as it did in year one like that level
of appreciation and gratitude, Like, how does it feel for
you guys.

Speaker 3 (03:31):
Yeah, it's always a blessing anytime you can make the team.
It's definitely different your first few years. I feel like
there's such a filling out process of what's happening. You
don't understand. I remember my first camp, we had like
fifteen O line guys. I think we cut nine of them.
We kept six guys from the original. We signed a
few guys off other teams. But you didn't realize like,
oh my gosh, it's like real world stuff, like guys

(03:53):
lose their jobs now. It's not college where you can
kind of stick around for a few years and build
that development. So it was a shock. So you get
a little bit more used to that. But it's this
week is never easy because you see guys that have
put in the time, have put in the work, and
they're just like, you don't have a spot, you know,
And so I think what Shelby said and just just
keeping these guys motivating and being like, hey, if you
make the practice squad, if you are still in this league,
like it's impressive stuff. So you know, it's definitely different

(04:16):
from that point but I try and be more of
a mentor and be like, hey, you put in the work,
like teams are going to respect that and see that,
and you know, you should be truly proud of what
you've done to some of those guys that are, you know,
getting released and signing with other teams.

Speaker 6 (04:28):
Yeah, yeah, I just I was gonna say. I think
on the flip side, it's really cool to see those
rooks and those second year dudes or guys who haven't
made the team yet before actually do it right and
to pour into them and let them know, like, bro,
you just accomplished something that's off the chain, right. So
I think that's a humbling experience for me, Like every

(04:51):
time I see a dude do it for the first time,
it takes me back to that moment of like, you know,
I was drafted third round of Philly, but like there
were moments we had a stacked linebacker room. I didn't
know where my position was going to be, if I
was going to get that call or not, you know,
And so it takes me back to that that that
time and really helps me appreciate every single year that

(05:13):
you make that fifty three, no, no doubt, Like everybody said, like,
I know we're a little older, you know, so every
year we make it.

Speaker 5 (05:18):
I feel like it's a blessing cause you know how
it is like literally every year they're trying to replace it.

Speaker 1 (05:23):
You hear it.

Speaker 5 (05:23):
You know you're in there competing with these you know,
a guy just turned twenty one in our room.

Speaker 1 (05:28):
I'm like.

Speaker 5 (05:30):
Crazy, you know, it's crazy. You know, you wrap your
head around and it's a blessing. I'm like, we're still
able to go out here and compete with these young men,
you know, because it is a young man's game and
a lot of younger guys. Seen some guys in the
locker room you actually had to remind him like, yeah,
you made the fifty three. But they don't take a
minute to really relax because I'm like, the work has
just begun, you know. It's that worth. It's a week

(05:52):
to week league. You know, one bad game, you can
be free agent that next week. You know, so it's
like you got to come with it. We can and
week out and the work is work still need to
be done. You know, that's not the end. That's crazy
because my oldest daughter is seventeen. Yeah, like we got
twenty one and my oldest seventeen. It's insane. It's insane perspective.

Speaker 2 (06:13):
Like I know, I shoot in the locker room now,
I feel myself, you know, on the outside looking in
at a lot of conversations, music selections. I know all
you guys can can definitely relate. But nah, I mean
you got to take great pride and keeping that seat, man,
you know, because it's hard to do. We know how
this league works. Every single year. You know, there's a

(06:35):
there's a circle of guys look that they're looking to
to replace, you know what I'm saying, to take over.
And uh so it's much respect to each one of
y'all man for man keeping that seat for as long
as you guys have and holding it down.

Speaker 1 (06:50):
Yeah, we're gonna we're gonna have flip flip the script
real quick. You know.

Speaker 2 (06:54):
Now obviously we just finished training camp, so uh you
guys excited about about the season ahead.

Speaker 4 (07:01):
Yeah, man, you know, we get to play football and
we have to get paid for it.

Speaker 2 (07:07):
And like, true, is not what I'm talking about, bro,
that's not I'm really disappointed in you.

Speaker 1 (07:15):
The season.

Speaker 2 (07:16):
Yeah, it's the season of fatherhood.

Speaker 4 (07:21):
Man.

Speaker 2 (07:21):
That training camp is over, bro, Trading camp is over
you feel me. The long guy was just time to
put it in a clocking that work. You talk about
your girl, your daughter to school this morning, it's time.

Speaker 4 (07:34):
You know.

Speaker 1 (07:34):
It's just like that.

Speaker 4 (07:35):
But also the same thing with Q though, like my
oldest daughters in Denver, and you know, so ever since
I got traded to Seattle and then we came here,
like she was in high school. So I don't believe
in especially a girl, I don't believe in moving and
kids in high school. You got to like let them
be where the where to settle at, you know what
I mean? Suchial mental health. You know, we always talk
about mental health and stuff, and with kids and everything nowadays,

(07:58):
you want them to be as comfortable as they can be.
And so my oldest states in Denver because my in
law is blessed, blessed enough, they moved to Denver into
our neighborhood and so she just goes with them, you know.
So we're lucky with that, but then all the other
ones are with us. But it's uh yeah, man, it's
going too fast. It's going too fast. Like I just

(08:18):
I was literally just looking at pictures of my of
my five year old when she was like one and
now she's already going to kindergarten. And the thing I
was telling Q yesterday, I was like, you know, now
you have to you know, deal with other people's parenting,
you know what I mean, because you like, before they
go to school, it's you, and then when they go
to school, they have to deal with other people's parenting,

(08:39):
and that's when you get the bullion issues get you know,
all these different issues. And that's what I get worried
about because you know, obviously like you ride for yours,
but then you know, it's just what are you, like,
how do you deal with those those moments when they
come home crying, when you know somebody called them this,
or you know, somebody tried to put like you know,

(09:00):
somebody trying to bully him. You know, this is where
you know you've really got to shine as a parent.

Speaker 1 (09:07):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know I mean this.

Speaker 2 (09:10):
You know, for you guys, it's this is definitely an
elite group of athletes, right Like you guys have a
lot of awards and accolades behind you know, each of
your names. But I think it hits different when you
can say you're an elite dad. Yeah, and you know,
as a new father, you know, I look up to
you guys and salute you, you know, just in our

(09:32):
conversations and seeing how you go about your day to
day and how you've been able to where that hat
of being a dad for so long throughout the NFL.
You know, it's very challenging, I believe, but it's also
rewarding in the same breath.

Speaker 1 (09:52):
You know.

Speaker 2 (09:52):
Recently, for me on my journey, I've been reading this
book called A Kingdom Man, you know, as I approached
like fatherhood, and it talks about, you know, how God
created us as man to lead, you know, and lead
and not more of a dominant or coatola manner, but
lead to inspire wisdom into others. Right, and then we've

(10:13):
also seen how the evolution of fatherhood has shifted over years. Right,
at one point in time, a dad was just a disciplinarian, uh,
financial stability, a provider, somebody that was you know, very
masculine and just uh and maybe maybe even say his

(10:35):
role was just asleep, right, like that's it. But now
it's kind of shifted, like we now co parent equally
with our spouse and uh, we're emotionally available for our kids.
You talk about taking your kids to school, you talk about,
you know, helping them through a difficult time, or even
that moment when you walk out that practice field you're

(10:56):
holding their hand.

Speaker 5 (10:57):
Right.

Speaker 2 (10:58):
So, for for you guys sitting here today, what does
a father being a father mean to each of you?

Speaker 5 (11:08):
A father to me is, like you said, somebody's just present,
you know. You know, it might've been like a point
in time, like you said, where it was you're just financially.
Financially you're the bread winner. But now it's a little
more layer, especially now just our kids the day and
age you're growing up with, dealing with, like they're exposed
to a lot of things early, whether it's social media,

(11:29):
YouTube and everything kind of influencing them and just influencing
their self esteem whatever. So I feel like now we
definitely have to just be a little more emotionally present.
You know. I take pride in my son. He's six
years old, six years old, and he's able to tell
me how he feels and speak to me like about
his emotions, because I know when I was six even,
I mean, it might have even took me to like

(11:49):
a few years ago to really be able to emotionally
respond and tell somebody how I'm feeling, you know, and yes,
just a different time. You know, I'm dealing with I
got three black young girls, and you know they're exposed
to YouTube and seeing things on YouTube and really just
trying to whop their minds and let them know that
they're beautiful and being confident and still confident in themselves

(12:10):
because they're trying to measure themselves against some stuff they
see on YouTube or Instagram or something, and try and
tell them like you're enough and everything. It's a lot layered,
like you said, like and I know this game is
demanding and it's a lot of strain on us, but
it's one of those I know, I can't take work
home and then even though it's a long day here,
you know, it doesn't matter. Like once I get home
and I step in that door, it's the job's not done,

(12:33):
you know, it's second job being a dad, say, and
just being present, you know, put my phone down. Think
we were all discussing. I think before, was that yesterday
or the day before, just talking about like being present.
You get home, put your phone down, you know, give
my wife that time, get my kids that time, cause
it's not stop. And like I said, like it doesn't
matter about how much money you bring in if if

(12:53):
at the end of the day, like I said, you're
just not there for your kids, even off season. I
try to prolong it. I'm like, man, I want to
be uh my son's games and coaching them and in
the flag football and being at my daughter's games. Like
being there, like that's what really matters, not really about
the financial part, Like just being there showing them that
that they matter what they're doing is just as important

(13:14):
as Sundays because it is at the end of the day,
you know you're building the next generation. You got to
pour into them, like I said, not just financially, just
the emotional part is just as important.

Speaker 6 (13:24):
Yeah, I think I think we all can agree that
like going home and family life and having stability at home.
It's probably like I wouldn't be able to go out
on the football field and perform the way I want
to perform if at home, I know I'm not doing
what I need to do right. And to me, like parenting,

(13:45):
being a dad, being a good husband, like those things
are more important than what's happening on the football field,
right because that's gonna that's gonna fade, seasons gonna come
and go. You know, career is going to come and go,
but at the end of the day, your families would
will with you down. That's that's going to be there forever, right,
And so like being a dad to me, I actually

(14:05):
I didn't grow up with a present dad. My dad
they you know, my mom and dad split early, so
like I never had that manly figure in my life
to be a sounding board to be uh you know,
physically that emotional support, Like little boys like they need
that physicality from their dad. Didn't necessarily have, you know,

(14:29):
somebody to hit up be like hey, like what you
think about this? Boom boom boom. Right, that's those things
that I feel like I missed out on. I want
to be as I want to be that for my children, right,
I want to be somebody who brings awareness, like like
you said, to their emotions, to like what they're going
through and like what they're feeling and how to how
to navigate what's going on in their head. One of

(14:49):
the big things I'm doing right now is just trying
to help them control their emotions. Like I feel like
if you can't control what's going on in your own mind,
you can't control what's going on in your own heart,
right and talk to yourself and get yourself to a
place of positivity and negative negative areas, Like you can't
control anything in the world. Got to control yourself first, right,
And so like I'm trying to bring awareness to that
even at you know, five and six, Like you know,

(15:11):
little guys, they they just are all over.

Speaker 1 (15:14):
The place, right.

Speaker 6 (15:15):
It's like, bro, you got to if you could control yourself,
you can control anything in this world. So, like, you know,
just understanding and helping them through tough times. And you know,
I think you you brought up a good point. You
can't do anything if you're not present, right, and so
being present even in understanding that, like we gotta go
to work every day, you know, when your kids come

(15:36):
up to you and ask, like where you going. Got
to go to work, you know every single day.

Speaker 1 (15:40):
It's tough to leave.

Speaker 6 (15:41):
But like you know, that's that's you know, when you
get home, it's how do you maximize that time you
have with them to the fullest. So yeah, man, I
think it's it's we all know. It's a lot of layers,
but like that you hit it on the hell you
got to be there.

Speaker 3 (15:55):
They've both you know, explained really well, it's truly being like,
for me, a role model. You know, I just want
to show my kids. You know, I got three kids.
My daughter just started kindergarten as well this this week.
But just be a role model, like this is how
you treat your mom, you know, for me my wife,
and like this how you treat women, This how you
treat your brother and sister. Like I just want to
be a good presence for them, you know, play with them,

(16:15):
have fun with them, but but just be there. Have
them understand, like you can come to me for anything.
But it's still confidence in your kids. Like there's so
much bad stuff bringing down in the world. Like we
can be a positive instut we can bring you know,
confidence into them. And and for me, it was crazy
having kids. How the perspective switched. I used to football.

(16:36):
I mean it's still, you know a huge part of
my life. But you know, first five years in the league,
when I didn't have kids, I was I was like,
all right, football, I come home, I do football. But
now it's once I'm done here, like I go home,
like it's kids time, it's family time. They don't care
if we want or lost, Like, they don't care. They
just want to rest, like Dad, can we play tackle?
It's like we can play tackle. Like I'm hurting a
little bit, but we can play tackle, you know. So

(16:57):
it's such a different perspective on that. And for me,
it's so big, like learning to turn it off because
you come home it's like, man, I miss that blocker.
Have this happen and they don't care at all, like
they just want to play. You're their dad to them
and that that makes it so special. But it's such
a different dynamic and it adds a whole new perspective
to your life.

Speaker 4 (17:16):
Yeah, I would just say, you know, same as Jordan,
Like my dad wasn't wasn't around and he had a
whole other family five minutes down the road. And my
biggest thought was always like as a parent, you know,
give them everything that you didn't have. But I realized
why I just didn't have was a present that you know,
just being there listening, you know, being just immersed in you,

(17:38):
you know, in your family and you know try to
try to put the phones down, you know, you try
to just spend you know, quality time with your family,
your kids, your wife, everybody, like you got to you
gotta really go and make an effort, and like you
know what we're all saying, you got to figure out
a way to leave work at work. And so when
I get home, you know, I sit in my car
for a second and just like decompressed. And a big

(18:00):
way of how I like kind of keep myself calm
is I change the music I listen to. You know,
I don't really listen to rap anymore. You know, I'm
not drive here listening today, you know what I mean,
you know, but it's just, you know, it's just really
trying to like keep you know, keep your mindset clear.
And then when I go home, trying to give my
all to my kids and just you know, and some

(18:21):
days you don't get home till you know, seven, but
you know for the hour and a half that they're awake,
you know what I mean, Like you gotta you know,
you got to go and you know, be around, and
it's just you know, sometimes you know, just football stuff.
You realize, you know, you're really not around for much.
And so the off season it's really where you like

(18:41):
take you know, you take that step up as a
dad and it's like, all right, this is a is
me and the kids like running around and I always
feel like it's easier once your kids get out of
car seats, because you know, it's a lot trying to
move cars around. But like once you have you know,
once they're in boosters and you can switch them from
car to card, be like, you know, hey, let's go.
You know, you know you would me today, you know
what I mean. It's just trying to you know, just

(19:04):
be there and not like be a role model, just
be around and show them how you operate and just
you know, and like pour into them because you know,
I'm real big on like all my kids, you know,
being able to talk to us, Like y'all know I
like to talk, you know what I mean. But but
the thing is, like I want my kids to be
able to tell me anything. And you know it's you know,

(19:24):
you're dealing with you know, diapers, periods, like you know
what I mean. Like like because you know, my age
range is all over the place, you know what I mean.
So it's just you know, you just want like you know,
you've made it as a dad when your kids feel
like they can just pour into you and talk to
you about about anything that's going on, and you know,
it's just uh, you know, like I love my I
love my people like I love my tribe, and and

(19:47):
it's just all like anything, I'm always just like anything
I can do to to help you, I will, And
it's just, uh, you know, like that's why you know,
I always say like football is not the most important thing,
because when you have a family, like they are the
most important thing. And you know, obviously football with a
lot of our first loves and you know we're doing
all that, but then you know that love you have

(20:08):
for your family is different. There is a thing that's
like love is first sight. It's when your kid is born,
you know what I mean, Like that that instant, like
the the baby comes out, it's just like you know,
the tears start flowing and you're just like that, like
that's love at first sight. And that's what I really
truly think they mean when they say, you know you
can fall in love with some somebody at first sight.

(20:30):
It's when your kids are born, you know what I mean.
I think it's a truly special thing that why would
you miss it? And like the craziest part too, is
when you have kids, you realize you lose respect for
anyone that's out there in their kids' life because It's
like why would you miss Why would you miss something
so precious?

Speaker 1 (20:49):
Man, that's real. Yeah, what I mean, what I heard
from each of you.

Speaker 2 (20:53):
Guys is is availability, right, being present. But something that
also stood out to me is ensuring that they.

Speaker 1 (21:03):
Some of that Q said.

Speaker 2 (21:04):
He talked about how he wants to make sure that
they realize that I love them more than I love ball, right,
and how do you demonstrate that? And we know how
much like this game takes away from us, like we
sacrifice so much and a lot of that are the

(21:25):
times you talked about how your kids away, you know,
first day of eighth grade. You know, like maybe there
are guys that we know that might not be able
to make it to that delivery room because of responsibilities here.
So like, how do you guys like ensure that that

(21:46):
that presence is felt.

Speaker 1 (21:48):
And maybe it's not it's.

Speaker 2 (21:50):
Not done in the traditional manner because of what this
job demands, but it works in your family dynamic, you know,
for your kid is and your wife to know, like, man,
this is this is that being available, This is that
pouring everything and owing to you guys.

Speaker 5 (22:07):
I would say, because I mean, you hit it on
the head, like there's nothing traditional, traditional about the way
we go about things in the NFL players just an
athlete's life. But I think, like you said, like the
number one currency, like I said, like and the thing
that's the most valuable in this world that again, even
it's more valuable to money is time. So like I said,

(22:29):
just no matter what if it's like I said, an hour,
thirty minutes, just giving your time, you know, that's the
most important thing you can do. And they can said
like the number one currency, because like I said, if I
give somebody my time, that means I really appreciate your value.
Because again, the time I'm giving, whether it's five minutes
or an hour, never get it back, never give it back.

(22:51):
So it's like like I said, giving your time and
just being there in any capacity, whatever it is, whatever,
Like I said, your day, especially our day to day
gives like it's it's the most important thing. Like like
I said, I get home my wife, I'm like, man,
I'm tired. Body hurts, Hey baby, what is it? Just talk?
Let's talk? Or she want to watch a show. I know,

(23:11):
I'm tired. I can barely stay away. I'm like, all
I'm gonna get this hour to watch the show. My
son come up to me like, hey, Dad, can we
play toys five minutes? Shoot, I'm tired. I know I
really don't want to, but if it's gonna make your
day for me, give me this five minutes? When to
give this five minutes? My daughters want to talk to
me about like preppy style or like the new lip
class that came out. I really don't care, but I'm like,

(23:33):
but I'm gonna act like I care because that's what
you care about, you know. Yeah, it's giving that time.

Speaker 4 (23:39):
It's like good. It's really like I always say, this
is like getting on the ground and play with them,
you know what I mean? Like that's like that like
obviously time like time everyone knows because we don't have much.
But you know, it's when you get on the ground
and you know, my son like like my son's like,
I'm going to tackle you when I get home. I'm like,

(23:59):
we do, but just gonna hurt, Like you know, I'm
gonna tag me. But then also my daughter's like, you
don't play, you know, play with my barbies? Yeah, you know,
I'm gonna listen it Like it's getting on the ground
and getting dirty with them and playing with them and
it's just, you know, really just that's the main way
we can. Like, you can buy your kids whatever the
hell you want to, but that doesn't matter, you know
what I mean. What they want to do is you

(24:21):
can keep buying them all this stuff over and over
and over again, they still gonna keep asking to spend
time with you. And I think with a kid, that's
the number one way to show them you care. And
I remember it was one time I was sitting outside
waiting for my dad to come, and I was sitting
on the stoop or whatever, and he never showed up,
and all I wanted was his time. And that stuck
with me because I'm like, I'm never gonna make my
kids will never feel like that. You know, my kids

(24:43):
will always know Dad was there. You know, Dad loved me.
Dad shows up to everything you can. Like, when we
get this time off, I'm going to my daughter's softball game,
you know what I mean. Like it's like any chance
I get, you know, I'm gonna go be Dad. On
Mondays after practice, I go to my Mondays after work,
I go to my but my son and my daughter's
SoC practice. You know what I mean, Like any chance
I can to be around you you will.

Speaker 1 (25:04):
I will.

Speaker 6 (25:05):
How many times you buy your kids a new toy
or something and they play with the box, right, they
don't care about the toy what we're talking about, right,
But that's I mean, that's it.

Speaker 5 (25:15):
Man.

Speaker 1 (25:15):
I try to be intentional.

Speaker 6 (25:16):
We all try to be intentional and just you know
what your kids want to do, right, They'll tell you
what they want to do, how they want to play. Right,
it's taking five to ten minutes out your day to
do it. I know, one thing I try to do
with my kids is just do the nighttime routine. Like
I enjoy the nighttime routine with my kids because who
knows what time I get back, Like I might get back,
dinner might be done. You know, wife, you done held

(25:37):
it down and you know they kids are bathed and
it's time for bed, right, and it's like all right.
Like every ever since my first kid was born, my oldest,
it was nighttime.

Speaker 1 (25:46):
Routine, like I got.

Speaker 6 (25:47):
I got the nights during the season for sure, so
you know, reading, praying together, just talking Like sometimes I'll
just lay in the bed and just talk to them
five minutes.

Speaker 1 (25:57):
I was a day.

Speaker 6 (25:58):
You know what you get into, you know, tell me
what happened, blah blah blah. Right, just just making them
feel like, you know, I care and having those conversations
of intentionality.

Speaker 3 (26:08):
Yeah, I'm the same way. Every night. We were reading,
for sure. So we get home and I'll do a
few books with the kids. I think Shelby made a
great point. Off season dad is a real thing, Like
an off season. I feel like I have to double
my my time because it's like, man, I missed some
of these these moments. But truly, like when you're a
young guy, like off days, Like some of these young
guys you talk to, they're like, oh, I slept in

(26:28):
until ten or eleven. It's like my off days are
kids and wife days. You know, we wake up, we
enjoy it, you know. Now my oldest in school, but
we used to go to breakfast every off day, you know,
and things like that, just to enjoy those moments and
make those a little bit more special because you know,
it's like, hey, I'm working, but I also want to
be with you guys. But I think the nighttime routine
is huge because no matter what time I get home,
I can always be a little bit part of that.

Speaker 4 (26:49):
But I really think that like what they would what
people don't realize is ninety percent of the time you
want to spend with your kids is before the age eighteen.
After that and they're gone in school, gonna have careers,
to have their own family. You can't you know, you
can try to fix the wrongs of the past, but
more likely, like what you do now is going to

(27:10):
stick with them for the rest of their life. And
so you know, move wisely, you know what I mean,
Like like you can you can always play that video
game afterl they go to sleep, you know, And that's
what I you know, I'm a gamer, so I always
like have to remember, like you know, they this is
like a valuable time for them. I can turn a
game on after you know what I mean, go play

(27:31):
Like it's like you gotta really, like, you know, intentionally
take that time to be, you know, to be with
your kids. And you know, just like everyone says, like
I feel like reading, you know, doing all that stuff
is it's such. It's it's you know, doing something that
you all love to do and doing it together at
nighttime is it's you know, it's a special thing. So

(27:51):
all the other stuff can wait, you know what I mean,
it's you know, we gotta you know, we gotta be that.

Speaker 5 (27:57):
Yeah, yeah, I think Joe what you said is, uh,
it's key as well. I mean because on top of
being dad a lot of times said it's being just
a good husband. Like you said, we only get one
day a week off reality and like that might have
been like my second or third year actually might have
been my second year in the league. I think I
hit Mike b I was like, hey, bro, like you're

(28:19):
trying to get a jump on you know, some past
rush stuff. It was like on a Tuesday, and you know,
I came to the league with a family, and he
told me, he said, bro, don't ever hit me on
a Tuesday. He said, don't you got a wife. He said,
spend some time with your wife on a Tuesday. And
I hit me. I was like, dang, it's good advice, man,
it's good advice. You mean you got one day a week.
It's like, man, just like Tuesday, don't ask me about no,
what's the run for the week? What are the past

(28:41):
rust play? Like Tuesday, like get that to your wife,
take her to breakfast, just because that's literally that's the
only day we get. So it's like that's the day, Like, hey,
if I can just take one day to set football
side and just pouring to you, this is the day.
Whatever you want to do, whether we just go to
a museum or something, but just he said, taking that time,
just be like I said, the good husband, because sometimes

(29:03):
that's get lost in the.

Speaker 1 (29:04):
Wash with kids.

Speaker 5 (29:05):
You know, you still have a spouse you made a
commitment to, and you got to, like I said, be
intentional because it we only got a lot of amount
of time, you know, and like said, take that day
to really to just be with your partner and give
them that same again attention as well. Because we all
know your wife happy you know, meals, cook house clean,
everything running well, the wife not happy. Don't none operate.

Speaker 4 (29:29):
Like it really, like you know, it gets lost in
you know everything that like when you have kids, you
know a lot of people their marriages will struggle because
you're putting all your time into your kids and you're
not pouring back into your spouse, you know what I mean.
I think it's it's something that you know that we
all can we all can get better at you know
what I mean obviously, but it's you know, it's something

(29:50):
that's so you need to be intentional about it.

Speaker 1 (29:53):
Part of that right, Like your kids if you're if you.

Speaker 6 (29:55):
And your wife aren't doing well, right, your kids feel that, right,
So like the whole house runs better when you're when
when wife, you know you and the wife's relationship is
on the right path, right, So like, you know, I
think that's gotta be priority. Obviously we're talking to this
conversation about kids, but like that's the priority and everything
falls in.

Speaker 1 (30:15):
Line under that, you know what I mean.

Speaker 2 (30:17):
I had to check myself recently. You know, this is
a new world for me. But you know, I have
a daughter and I found myself. You know, she's only
twelve weeks old. But something I was doing on a
on a consistent basi in the morning, like she wakes up,
I'm like, good morning, gorgeous, right, And like I saw
like a couple of days when it two and my

(30:37):
wife's looking at me like you ain't gonna say what
about me? You ain't like you don't say that to
me every morning. So I had to check myself. That
was a that was a moment in time where I said, okay,
like wow, like I need to like this level of
love righte that obviously I give it to my wife.
But it's now done in a different manner. When it

(30:58):
comes to my daughter, I have to make sure I
reciprocate in that same way. And so one thing that
I've started to do is be intentional about man, just
saying thank you, just at the end of the day,
right knowing like I've been away for so long, whether
it's workouts or now into the season mode, just like, man,
thank you for man, like taking care of our daughter,

(31:19):
like making sure she had everything because she's doing so much,
and just holding it down and just like those those
words alone, man just means so much. But yeah, it's everything.
It's definitely and and something that I know I've heard
you mentioned a lot, Q is you know, speaking about

(31:41):
you know, a significant other and letting guys know, man,
that's probably the one of the more important decisions that
you'll ever make, is who you choose, you know, in life,
like your partner.

Speaker 5 (31:53):
Yeah, I mean, it's the most I feel like it's
the most important decision you can ever make. I Mean,
there's a reason why we all said we can come
up here and operate the way we do is because
we all made great decisions when it came to when
it comes to our partners. You know, I can go
to practice and go to camp and literally lock in,
just focus on the task in hand, because I know
back home, everything's taken care of. You know, she didn't

(32:16):
moved the house unpacked, the house really moved like two
three houses. Like I said, she's in Seattle right now,
setting up our house a Seattle, making sure my daughter
and everything's taking care of first day at school, on
top of still making sure tapping on my parents and
making sure stuff's good here. While am I I literally
don't have to worry about anything. And peace. I mean
just yeah, you're at peace, and that's a blessing. So

(32:36):
it's like, how can I not again. On the other hand,
like I said, just show my appreciation, whether it's just
saying thank you, whether.

Speaker 1 (32:42):
It's send her some flowers.

Speaker 5 (32:45):
It's the little gestures, you know, just telling them again
because it is a thankless job. You know, we get
pats on the back, you get great job, you gotta
get tweets, you get paid. They get nothing in reality,
you know, And so it's just making them realize, like
what you're doing is important because again without our wives,
like again, none of this is possible. You know, I

(33:06):
can't go out there and play free. So it's like
just yeah, like I said, just let them know.

Speaker 4 (33:11):
You gotta show them love because they can lose their identity,
you know, just like it's just like it's the routine, okay, kids, kids, kids,
you know, you got to pour into them so that
they remember who they are and so they don't forget
who they are, you know what I mean. It's just
you know, you obviously you said this is about fatherhood,
but like fatherhood, part of that is you know, your wife,
you know, you know what I mean, like your wife

(33:32):
or your spouse, you know what I mean. It's just
you know, poor to them and that. And that's kind
of where I struggle sometimes because you know, y'all know
I like to talk trash all the time, and I
got to turn that off like a little bit where
I go home, and you know what I mean, it's
be in that mode like and i'd be like little
bit like oh my bad, Like you know what I mean, Yeah,

(33:53):
let me let me chell out that song like that's
on me. But you know what I mean, it's just
we get so we be so on edge, not on edge,
you know what I mean, Like just we'd be so
just running crazy in our mind over here at work
that like you know, you realize, like you got to
soften up when you go home, and you gotta be
you really got to make an effort to be a

(34:13):
different person, like when you go home and turn off
the little like that football like you like, that's that's
what kind of keeps us in this and it keeps
us still going.

Speaker 5 (34:24):
I was gonna you're gonna say, I was gonna say,
just for everybody question, like is there anything that like
I think you alluded to, like you said you take
time in the car. Is there any tricks that y'all do?
I guess to like, because almost say, you have to
flip a switch, because like what we do by nature,
like especially what we're like in the trench, you gotta
put your hands on the man and striking man, like
you got to be in a different frame of mind.

(34:44):
So is it, like I guess there's any tricks that
y'all do to flip a switch?

Speaker 3 (34:49):
To me, it's to drive home, like I got like
a twenty five minute drive so that calms me down,
and then really just stay away from the phone because
like the social media and stuff, that's where you see
everything and like the stuff. So me like if I
put my phone down, which it's always a struggle. Like
sometimes you have your phone and you're just like, oh,
I can check this real quick. But if I get that,
then really football's out of it because no one's texting
you about things. You're not seeing things on social media.
So it's a drive home and just like keep my

(35:10):
phone away because then what's happening is happening in the house.
You know, I don't see any of that other outside
news or anything like that.

Speaker 1 (35:16):
I'll get my wife.

Speaker 6 (35:18):
My wife will call me on the way home, and
I'm like, yo, I need this time, Like I'll talk to.

Speaker 1 (35:23):
You when I get to the house.

Speaker 6 (35:24):
Right, Like this twenty minutes that I got right here
is sacred for this moment of when I get home, right,
So like just clear in mind.

Speaker 1 (35:34):
That's a clear mind when you get in the car. Yeah,
I'm the same way.

Speaker 2 (35:38):
You know, I like to I got like a twenty
twenty five minute drive home and it's either no music
or to you know, shelves point is something very you know, mellow,
soothing to the mind.

Speaker 1 (35:50):
And then you know when I.

Speaker 2 (35:51):
When I get home, I can be you know, all
the way present, but I do me and my wife
really enjoy that time of like dinner time is like
our time to like just talk about the day, talk
about feelings, what's going on where we kind of disconnect
from from everything.

Speaker 1 (36:07):
Like that hour hour like is precious.

Speaker 4 (36:10):
So I remember like when me and my wife were
like when you know, when we were young, going on
dates and stuff, and I remember my biggest rule always,
like when I was going on like days with women members,
if they whip out their phone during the day, I
won't be with them because it's like it means you
can't talk. And I kind of still have that same
mindset even when we're at dinner like or even when
we're like you know, eaven as the family, like no phones,

(36:31):
put the phones down, and this is where we're sposed
to talk, you know what I mean. Remember remember the
TV shows at the dinner tate when this is where
you finding out all you know, all the all the teams,
all the stuff. But then also like when I come
in the house, I just try to be as happy
what's going on, like you know what I mean, Like
you know, just like kind of like you're trying to
trick yourself too, because everybody, you know, we've everyone has

(36:52):
tough days at work. Everyone, you know, everyone, everyone has
these long days work. It's just like, man, I just
want to and so it's like you know, one trying
to away, not to bring it home, you know what
I mean.

Speaker 1 (37:02):
And and I.

Speaker 4 (37:03):
Realized back in the day, like like that's why I'm like,
you know, I'm harping on the music. Music was really
like mess your mind up when you go. When you go,
like when you're listening to aggressive music, you're not gonna
be able to calm down, you know what I mean.

Speaker 2 (37:15):
What a question I have for you guys, like what
are some either like childhood traditions that you guys you know,
have like stuck with that now you implemented into your
own family dynamic, or maybe you've created new traditions of
your own.

Speaker 1 (37:32):
M Man, we didn't have. I didn't have any really
childhood traditions.

Speaker 4 (37:36):
It was just kind of just trying to make it,
you know what I mean, just trying to get like
get by. And like the thing is, though, like my
grandma just used to when we were playing. I remember
like she was just just sit out there and like
you know, it wasn't phones or anything like that, so
she was just like chilling, like she'd be doing her
cross for puzzles and you know, rest of soul. But

(37:57):
it was just like you know, I'm gonna let you play,
but just know I'm here, you know, And it's kind
of like the kind of the same thing is just
like just being around, just being present. I guess it's
is the one thing because I would just say, like
my like I look at when I think of parenting,
and it's not like, you know, it's grandparents, Like my
grandmother was really like my heart, you know what I mean,

(38:18):
So if I could just be her, you know what
I mean, Like you know, it's like it's it's discipline,
but there's love behind it. And I always say, whenever
I have to discipline my kids, always make sure like
we sit down and we talk after like do you
know why? Like do you know why you just got unpunishment?
Do you know? Do you know why what just happened?

Speaker 5 (38:36):
And when we talk and we go through it.

Speaker 4 (38:38):
So because discipline, like you know, discipline or anything without
you know, at any explanation is kind of cruel. You know.
You gotta really like you know, they're they're they're growing
and you gotta and this is another way you teach
them about their feelings and communication because the nash you
gotta just you know, talk to them about why, because

(38:58):
so that they don't think, oh, daddy's just being me,
Mama is just being mean. No, there's a reason I'm
trying to raise you to be the best you can. Bet.

Speaker 3 (39:05):
I think tradition wise, just a family dinner like I
think my family did together. I mean, when you have
sports and stuff, it's different, like everybody's traveling. But when
we're at home together, like everybody sits at the table,
we eat dinner, we talk, you know what I mean,
it's our time, like kind of you said, like that
hour where you have nothing to worry about. It's probably
like ten minutes with our kids now, But you know
what I mean, like we try and be together. We

(39:25):
try and be president in that moment. And my family
did that when I was a kid too, unless we
were you know, traveling for sports whatever.

Speaker 1 (39:31):
Yeah, the same.

Speaker 6 (39:32):
I mean I didn't have a ton of family traditions
grown up, but the same thing, like dinner time is
sacred time. We read together every night, like I said,
we pray together every night. I think I think just
having whether it's five, ten, minutes of just that routine
every single night. Right, there's nights you know if we

(39:53):
don't read, if like the book's not out, you know,
and there's like been no talk and no initiation of
hey we're gonna read. It's like that are we reading?
You know what I mean?

Speaker 1 (40:01):
Like are they know?

Speaker 6 (40:03):
They know what to expect, right and so, and if
anything's out of whack, they pick it up, they pick
up on it. So yeah, just just those little moments.

Speaker 1 (40:12):
Man.

Speaker 5 (40:12):
Yeah, I think traditions. I don't know per se any
like traditions, but I mean I said, I had a
great dad, and like I said, I know they worked
weird hours and but again, like I said, at the time,
he did had gave it to me. So I just
I really just try to be like him. You know,

(40:34):
none of our parents are perfect. They have folks, you know,
you try to build on those. But literally I was like,
like I said, I just try to be like him
and just be there, Like I said, just be there.
I mean that's the curry thing, you know. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (40:45):
Yeah, no, I mean I think it's it's important like
whether you had traditions of your own as a child
that you now carried over to your own or you
started new ones. Uh, you know, I think you started
something in your family, right, like put down the phones,
Like that's something that now this is an era that
we live in, right, that your kids are going to

(41:07):
remember forever, Like this is a time for us to
like be a family and to indulge in one another
and build. And so you know, I just salute all y'all.
We're gonna kind of switch topics a little bit. You know,
this is our segment. We come in to the end
where you know, ask you guys about like that dog moment.

(41:28):
You know, if you just think about like one moment
in your life where you had to you know, channel
that inner dog in an adverse situation, you know what
would it be? You know, we know our journey hasn't
been an easy road, and you know, for a lot
of people, I think they can gain something from a

(41:49):
one percenter like ourselves being able to reach the mountaintop
and knowing that it wasn't perfect. But we still are
here and we've overcome, you knowrobably a lot more than
people know.

Speaker 1 (42:02):
I'll start off, mine's pretty fresh. Mine was last year.
Week It might have been week ten, Week nine, Week ten.

Speaker 6 (42:12):
I am going in for routine tackle and my leg
whips around and hits one of my teammates in the knee,
you know, right in my shin. So I've got I
got a foot long scar right on my shin. Story goes,
I had compartment syndrome. It's where blood swells up and
in this area doesn't have anywhere to go, so it

(42:33):
just continues to swell, continues to swell. Well, people lose
their legs over it, amputees, all these different things, right,
you can get drop foot, you can get infections, all
these different things.

Speaker 1 (42:44):
Yeah, it was crazy. So it happened fifth play of
the game.

Speaker 6 (42:47):
I ended up playing all the way till the first
drive of the third quarter, second half, and by the
time I came out, I had no flexion in my foot.

Speaker 1 (42:56):
It was completely drop foot. I had drop foot.

Speaker 6 (43:00):
I go in the training room obviously you know, trainers
are monitor monitoring it, and take off my pass, boom whatever.

Speaker 1 (43:08):
Sit down. Like I said, like, I had no movement
in it.

Speaker 6 (43:12):
But the pressure in there by far the worst worst
pain I've ever been in. Felt like my leg was
about to explode. Begging for pain pills, begging for for
you know, anything that they can give me.

Speaker 1 (43:26):
They were like, bro, you're tapped out.

Speaker 6 (43:27):
Like we can't give you, We can't give you nothing,
Like we've given you everything we can. I'm laying on
the table for about thirty minutes, game ends, you know,
and just excruciating. If I'm twisting, turn and trying to
get comfortable. There's nothing that can make it, make it
go away. They throw me in the back of a
of a UH ambulance and rush me to the hospital.

(43:49):
They give me, They give me, you know, ivy different
drips and all these different things.

Speaker 1 (43:55):
Nothing is taken the pain away.

Speaker 6 (43:56):
Like whatever the the ambulance had, the metal gray stuff
was crazy, didn't take it away. They had emergency surgery.
Slip me open. Like I said, I gotta. I got
a scar about that big right here on my shin
just to relieve the pressure.

Speaker 1 (44:14):
Right. They had to cut it open relieve the pressure. Boom.

Speaker 6 (44:17):
They said, if if we would have waited, you know,
less than an hour later, I probably could have had
permanent damage.

Speaker 1 (44:25):
Crazy.

Speaker 6 (44:25):
They had to leave it open for four days, uh
split wide open for four days. I'm on an ivy
drip of antibiotics for the for the uh you know,
infections and stuff and I was back playing in three weeks,
four weeks played, the last played, the last three games,
played the last three games, So like, you know, to

(44:49):
tie it back into kind of this topic, bro, Like,
as I'm going like I didn't you know, I woke
up from surgery and didn't realize how severe it was
until they told me had never heard a compartment syndrome
in my life. And you know, the doc was like, dude,
like you are, You're blessed, You're lucky.

Speaker 1 (45:04):
You have every doctor you needed right here in front
of you.

Speaker 6 (45:08):
And you know, as I'm going through this process and
laying in the hospital bed with my legs split wide open,
you know, for three days, all I'm thinking about is what,
you know, what am I going to be remembered? How
is this moment going to be remembered by my kids, right,
by my family, by those that love me?

Speaker 1 (45:27):
Right?

Speaker 6 (45:27):
How how am I going to impact others through this situation?
And like being a father, being a parent changes like
if I didn't have kids, like who knows, like it
would have been my own internal like motivation to try
and get back and like who knows, Like I don't know,
but being a dad and being like my kids are
going to see this one day and remember this moment

(45:48):
one day and see how their dad overcame, you know,
almost losing his leg, and then four weeks later was
back there on the field, dogging it out right, just
going going crazy. Right, That's that's that's the motivation, right
that being a dad can give you.

Speaker 1 (46:03):
That's real, that's real stuff.

Speaker 3 (46:05):
Early in my career, I played my whole rookie year,
but then my second and third year I had like
a bunch of high ankle sprains. I had a list
Frank that I have surgery on, and going into my
fourth year, I got an MCL and training camp, and
I was like in my head, I'm just like am
I injury prone? Like I've never been injured in my life,
and I just keep getting these things. So I just
had this like mindset reset where I was like, I

(46:26):
haven't had any control of these, Like I've gotten rolled
up three times to get high ankle sprains, like I
got stepped on to get my list Frank, and I
got rolled up again to get an MCL and. So
it was this mindset shift of like you can only
control what you can control, Like I can't go out
there every day worrying about being heard or injury prone.
Like I just had to play play my you know,
playing mind and I don't know if it actually helped
or not, but just like flipping my mindset to being like, hey,

(46:48):
you've done everything you can, like control what you can control.
Then I went, you know, and I had a nice
stretch of games where I didn't get hurt for you know,
six seven years. But it was just one of those
quick little mindset shifts, like I was feeling sorry for myself.
I kept saying, like, you know, why is this happening
to me? Like I don't deserve this, and it's like
at the end of the day, it's like, hey, you know,
you get what you're giving, but like you can control

(47:09):
what you can control. And that was kind of just
that switching in mindset and it really helped me, you know,
get through the early part of my career being kind
of injured and having those things that you know, I
didn't want to go through.

Speaker 4 (47:22):
Yeah, I would say mine would be my third year. Well,
like in total, I've been cut like seven eight times
in my career. My third year, I wasn't on a
team for fifteen of the seventeen weeks like I was
just at home training at like seven eight workouts. So
I remember I had to work out with the Chargers.

(47:43):
This is when they were in San Diego. Mike McCoy
was head coach and it's crazy because he was the
OC in Denver the next year when I made the
team and everything. But I just remember, like you know,
I had like I have asthma, and so I had
like a respiratory infection, and so I went down there
and I'm like dying and I thinking I'm out of shape.
I'm like I just can't freethe and I just I

(48:04):
remember I called my wife after and this is like
this is like a six or seventh for workout, and
I'm just like, dude, I'm done, Like I'm not, I can't.
I just can't keep doing this, Like I'm never going
to get a chance like this is. You know, it's
bs like I know I can play, but I'm just not.
I'm not I'm not getting a fair shake. I feel like,
And she's just like, you're not a quitter. I'm telling you,

(48:28):
if it was not for my support system, I would
not be here. It out. She's like, you're not a quitter.
You know, Yes, you're disappointed, but we're back at it tomorrow,
you know what I mean. And then so it was
just and I remember I was like, you know, I
don't want to hear this right to it is right now,

(48:48):
but you know, then the next week I had to
work out with the Titans and it didn't work out.
But then I get to the airport and then the
Cowboys call and I went to practice squad there for
three four weeks, and then the next year I signed
with them outside the futures with diver and that was
there for five years, you know what I mean. So
like it was just a moment where like, you know,

(49:10):
I have I do, I truly have like the best
support system I could possibly have, not just like come
talking about my wife. Like that was a moment where
like I just thought I was done and I'm just
like man, like you know, and you catch yourself like
watching the games, and I felt, I feel awful saying this,
but hoping someone gets hurt because you want your shot,

(49:31):
you know what I mean. Like it's just like and
like and I hated feeling like that, you know what
I mean, Like like damn, like I really you know,
because you know the only way you're getting there because
it's it's not the old IR like where you can
bring somebody off. I mean, it's not the new IR
where you can bring somebody off. It's the old one
where somebody has to be out for the season and
so like, and then I caught myself really like, you know,

(49:52):
hoping that you know, because you have these certain teams
like oh, if one thing happens, you're you're there and
you just you know, you feel yourself like really and
something like damn, am I wishing bad on people? You
know what I mean? I was like until you know.
So then my wife like if it once, my wife
just been like, you know, you are good enough. You
know you are. Just because I was, I was in
a deep dark hole. And that's the thing that football

(50:12):
can kind of do to people. It can you know,
it makes your worth only so much. You know, your
worth is only football because and so it was, you know,
and I member, I couldn't even watch football that whole. Yeah,
I was like, I don't turn this off. I don't
I don't want to see none of this. Like, but
you know, if that was a deep dark time, you know,

(50:32):
getting just rejected over and over and over again, then
my first two years is getting cut over and over
and over again and just not you know, you know,
and then you know, that's why I said, it's truly
a blessing to be here because you know, eleven, you know,
eleven years later, well technically really ten years later, but
eleven years, eleven seasons later, we're still here. And so

(50:55):
you know, it was just you know, that was a
crappy time. But it actually also, like you know, Maket,
your real character have to come out and the people
around you real character. And that's why I always say,
like I'm lucky, I'm married to a real one, you
know what I mean, someone who she had my back one. No,
we didn't have much money to pay, but like she
was working, she's a you go focus on doing what

(51:17):
you need to do to get back to doing what
you love, you know what I mean. So that was, yeah,
that was that was probably I.

Speaker 5 (51:24):
Think you hit it on the head too, because it
is like those those dark dog moments. It's great to
have a great support system, and I know that kind
of separates guys you know, who don't make it through
those dark times and do you know, having great people
around you and it just helps with your mental because
like just when I think about my I guess dog moment.
I had a couple, but the one that sticks out,

(51:46):
you know. I'm in college, it's my going into my
junior year. I have three kids. We're in a one
bedroom with a den. I have torn Acl, my wife
working like for job, and I'm like, I gotta make
something shake. You know, I'm sticking tired of seeing her,
you know, running around like a chicken with her head

(52:08):
cut off. You know. You know she Yeah, like I said,
working like four or five jobs, working out our case,
daycare so we can get vout for the daycare, you know,
And I'm sitting up here like a useless soac of potatoes. Yeah, Acl, Torn,
And I'm just like, man like, I was like, I
got to make something happen, you know. You know it

(52:30):
is like I said, kids are hungry. They don't care
about the circumstances. They don't care about you know, Tory,
Acl Like they want food, you know. And yeah, I
was just like I said, just blacks again, and have
a great woman who's busting her tail. Offs said, breathing
life into me. God damn hand bathing me, you know
to Acl, she bathing me, making sure I'm good, helping

(52:51):
lift me up, helping me. We lived in an apartment
that had a nice set of flight of stairs. She
helped me up the flight of stairs. You know. My
parents would come. I'm in every now and then, checking
on me, like I said, breathing life into me. And
I mean everything turned out good, but just I know,
live in that moment. I'm just like, man, like I
gotta make something happen, you know, like I said, but

(53:13):
just it all comes down like it, just surround yourself
with great people, you know, whether it's great wife, great
family members, great friends. You know, just it helps you
know the absolute because it's a mentally draining sport and
it's a lot going to it, you know, a lot
of pressure, you know, perform, and just having good people
can make that make a little lighter, you know.

Speaker 4 (53:34):
Man.

Speaker 2 (53:34):
I salute each and every one of you guys man
for pushing through, remembering who each of you are and
sometimes to Jordan's point, man, what we go through is
not necessarily meant for us, but meant for somebody else's
view to.

Speaker 1 (53:51):
Be able to see how you respond.

Speaker 2 (53:53):
And I think you guys have all responded obviously the
right way.

Speaker 1 (53:57):
And being able to.

Speaker 2 (54:00):
Persevere allow you to sit here today. So man, this
was a dope conversation.

Speaker 1 (54:04):
Brouh.

Speaker 2 (54:04):
I appreciate you guys for really being champions of of fatherhood,
you know, recognizing your calling, embracing and accepting your role,
and really man standing on standing on business, standing on
character like where this world you know nowadays values everything

(54:25):
else but that. And so it's good to be amongst
a good group of real men, and so I appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (54:34):
That was it for today's show.

Speaker 2 (54:35):
We released the dogs and until next time, so Gi
Rod and I'll holl let you