August 6, 2022 • 37 mins
On the latest episode of Pats from the Past, we visit with Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Richard Seymour, as the countdown to Canton, Ohio is in full force. Highlights from the conversation include: Is the Patriots defense of the early 2000’s finally getting the recognition it deserves? How surprised he was when he opened the door to see a Gold Jacket clad Ty Law. His unique way of teasing Law in comparing the 2022 HOF class with Law’s 2019 class and more.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
It's time for another episode of Patch in the Past podcast.
Matt Smith down in beautiful Swanee, Georgia, home of number
ninety three Richard Seymour, who in just a few short
months will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Thanks for letting us come down here, and really want
to thank you for your time.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Greatly appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
No, well, actually I was glad to get you out
of what I know. It's not snowing, not yet. Yeah,
it's not snowing, so it's good for you guys to
come down and get some of this Georgia's son.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Yeah, and we can understand why you would want to
make this your home beautiful. It's a beautiful home.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
No, thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
We're just going to have a conversation here Richard and
talk about football and the Hall of Fame deal. When
did it become apparent to you? Do you remember when
it was me and I really love this, I love football.
Do you remember was there a time where it sort
of clicked for you, like this is something I really
love to do.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
As a kid, I'd say that as a kid, I
remembered football was really big in our family and my
dad's played my uncle's. It was really big in our community.
I didn't play when I was younger because I was
too big to play with kids my age. But also
at the same time, my dad didn't want to push
(01:21):
me up to play with the bigger kids because he
was afraid that was gonna take my confidence away. So
long story short, I didn't end up playing until high school.
And I told the story when I got inducted into
the Patriots Hall of Fame that the first time my
mom took me to play football, I didn't even get
out of the car and I was in the eighth grade.
I was going to play against the high schoolers. And
(01:45):
you know, I still tease her about that to this day.
But believe it or not, I knew I was destined
to do it because I had the passion. I had
the love. I knew. I thought I had the ability.
I mean, I didn't know where I compared to other
guys that played my position, but I knew I had
the passion and the drive. And I think in life,
(02:07):
no matter regardless of what you do, if you if
you have a relentless determination, you have a drive. You know,
I had the support system from my family so I
had everything that I felt like it took, but I
still didn't get out of the car.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Some of them had to push out of the car.
As you told everybody back in August, Yeah, when did
you so you said you thought you could be good
at it? When did you know you were good at it?
What was there a moment you said you know what
I belonged.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
I think in high school it was.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
I think it was around my junior year because when
I got to high school, like, I played basketball all
my years that well, my first three years I played basketball,
but most of my classmates they were actually taller than
me when I first got to to high school. So
my freshman and sophomore year they were taller than me.
But my junior year, if you look at those pictures,
(03:05):
my junior year, I just hit a growth spurt, and
I think every I think my body started to catch up.
I started getting the weight room and started to do
you know, agility drills and start to train in my body.
And then once that happened for me, it was like, Okay,
I think I can be pretty special because all of
(03:27):
the other stuff was there, I just wasn't physically ready
to do it. But once all of it came together.
It was like, I think I can be pretty decent
at this and.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Help you understand if you wanted to take it to
the next level.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah, no, certainly, so I'll back up for step.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Even before I got to Georgia, So my senior year
of high school, my dad got me a trainer. And
the trainer that I got, I mean he worked at
University of South Carolina at the time, but he would
also train guys on the side as well. So my
dad got me the trainer and by the way, he'll
be at the my induction speech. But he gave me
(04:06):
a lot of confidence because he trained college athletes and
he said, hey, Richard, you having a unique ability. I've
seen a lot of guys if you push yourself and
you train hard and you work hard in the summers,
you know, I've seen like guys who went on to
the next level. And I'm just telling you, you have
an ability to stand out, and you know, so I
(04:29):
took that. I think that gave me a lot of
confidence at that time.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Motivation.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Yeah, no, certainly, it was a lot of motivation.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
And I just I've always been a competitor and I
love to compete. I hate to lose, but I still
had a lot to learn, and when I got to
the University of Georgia, I think I just started to
hone in on those skills.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
So he had come from the University of Georgia, one
of the top ten national champions this year.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
But say that again, champion. There we go, all right,
thank you, But it's a.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Legitimate college football program. And I remember the video of
you walking up the stairs at the old Foxborough Stadium
and Coach belichicks at the top to shake your right.
Are you looking around at that point in time and
go holy smokes? Like I thought I could drafted into
the professionally? Did you think about that when you got there?
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Right?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Well, no, here's the thing, so obviously, you know you
you think about recruiting now, and you look at the
facilities across the country that are not yeah no, I mean,
I mean they have every recruiting tool that you could
desire at these Power five institutions, and you know, brother,
it's Oregon, you know, USC Georgia, Tennessee. I mean, the
(05:42):
weight rooms are crazy. So when I first got to
New England in the old Foxborough Stadium, I was like, wow,
it seems like I'm taking a pay cuts. But but
needless to say, you know, right next door, you know,
mister was building Gillette Stadium, and I was very fortunate
(06:05):
at that time to walk through it when the foundation
was still going in and I still remember, you know,
mister Kraft saying, hey, you're going to be a really
big piece and a part of the foundation you know
that's going in here.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
So that was pretty special.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Can you look back at that now? I mean, when
you're going through it, you're trying to figure out, you know,
I hear people talk about, you know, when you're buried
in the weeds, your rookie what's going on? But if
you look back on it now and you could see, yes,
you were a part of something that built that whole
thing that twenty years now after the fact, you were
one of the bed rocks and the foundations of that
(06:40):
whole thing. Can you look back at it and with
a little bit more perspective when you were buried after
you know, your rookie year and your second year moving
into that place.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Yeah, I think I can look back and reflect now,
you know, because as a player, you never look back,
you never reflect. It's always the next year, you know,
never rested on your loyals, you know, like for us,
it was you know, you know, I think it started
at the top and Coach Belichick and mister Kraft and
had we had all of the right ingredients and we
(07:11):
had the right players, and you just name it even
I mean even to the fans, like it was important
to the fans and the community there that you know,
the support that we got all around the board, and
it was important. And so you know, for us as
as players, you know, I was very, very very fortunate
to be on a team with a lot of veterans
(07:31):
that taught me what it meant to be a pro
and showed me and they lived it and walked it
by example. And I can just go on and just
name you know, from Troy Brown with him again, is
Teddy Brook.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Had played the same position? Was Willie and Anthony Pleasant
especially There's two guys. How how important were they to
help this young little buck coming from the University of Georgia.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Yeah, no, certainly.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
You know, I tell everybody I was talented, but I
still needed to learn what it meant to be a pro.
And I was, like I said, I was very fortunate
to you know, come to a team with you know,
all of the ingredients in place from and here's the
thing a lot of people forget, but we were coming
off of five and eleven season, So it wasn't like, hey,
(08:15):
you coming, because anytime you're top picking the draft, you're
going to a team where you know, yeah, I me
the it's the reason that they got the top ten pick.
So for me, I couldn't have rode a better strip.
You know, from mister Kraft to Coach Belichick. You know,
at the time, Drew was the franchise quarterback. You know,
(08:38):
all of the star warks on defense, and you know,
Willy was the first guy to welcome me in. And
I remember getting there even before I met Coach Belichick.
I might have met Willy when I got picked up
from the airport and when I got when I was
born in it was a bubble in the back. But
he was the first guy that I met. And then
from that moment forward, like we've been together pretty much
(09:02):
ever since. And so like I said, but you know,
from Willidy, Anthony Pleasant, Bobby Hamilton, I mean you'd name
it like it wasn't no young guys like I was
the youngest guy, right, you know, on the team and
because I think I was twenty or twenty one years
old at the time, and so you know, for me,
(09:23):
you know, reflecting back on that, like it was such
special times and a lot of those relationships that I
cultivated then, you know, I still have to this.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Day as we record this a few days ago talking
about a special guy I'm going to assume was Romeo Crenell,
who is a defensive coach. Then as you're coming into
the league, Yes, how important was he do you think
to your development as a real molder in shape of men?
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Richard?
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Yeah, No, you know, coach coach Crenell, he had he
had a father like demeanor. I mean he was you know,
he didn't get very loud, he didn't, but you know
when he spoke like, he was very knowledgeable and even
like our relationship transcendent football, Like we spent time, like
(10:16):
our family spent time because we lived in the same
community in North Alborough, and so you know, his wife would,
you know, lead my wife as well. We'd have Thanksgiving dinners.
You know, my mom and his wife would hang out.
So it was a very unique relationship and I respected
(10:36):
him as a coach. He taught me so much, you know,
but I remember before one Super Bowl, I think we
were getting ready to play the Panthers, and I still
remember it to this day. It was this pregame meal.
He came in, he said, we're getting we just we
were eating the pregame meal to get ready.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
To go to the stadium that before the fight in
the pre game. Yeah, this is before. This is before that.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
But he said, hey, Richard, if you see something today,
you have the green light to take it. And I
still remember it like it was yesterday, because it was
like the third year in the league. Yeah, it was
my third year.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
That's a wouldn't you say that that's a pretty big statement.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
No, certainly it was. I mean that's why I still
remember it to this day.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
And you know, he was just a guy that meant
so much to me in my career just in terms of,
you know, the wisdom, the discipline, the understanding of the game.
He was once a defensive lineman himself, and so like
he was just able to talk to me in a
way that it related. And he's still a differend to
(11:42):
this day.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
What a career.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
What a career for a guy who never really was
in the spotlight or anything like that to be able
to put in the time that he did, all the teams,
all the players, all the success he had. Truly, he's
worthy of, you know, a huge tip of the cap,
right and had a big influence on you.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
No, certainly, I mean he was. You know, he's one
of the best coaches that I've ever ever played for.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
I don't know if they're like kids. You know, you've
got four kids, three super Bowl championships, and it's really
hard to ship that who's your favorite?
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Right, do you have a favorite? I don't necessarily have
a favorite. Yeah, right, they don't. They don't need to
see that, as everybody knows. I mean they're all different,
you know, different teams. You know every every year that
the journey is different. But for me, you know, the
(12:39):
most physical Super Bowl was definitely the Carolina Panthers. I
mean that game, I tell everybody to this day that
was the most physical game that I've ever played in
my twelve year career.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Did you expect that from them.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Well, we expected them to run the football, yep, But
it was like they played the game the right way,
like they were, they were tough. I mean you look
at the talent that they have, you know, so for
us to come out of there with a victory, Like,
you know, our offensive and defensive line had to be
you know, we had our work cutout for us.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
But we accepted the challenge.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Right, Okay, I don't know if you rate the you know,
so I'm sort of asking and ran them a little bit.
I think many people believe that of the run that
four is at oh four team is certainly among the
greatest teams in franchise history. So four versus seven, what
would Richard Seymour say? Was the better team?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Man?
Speaker 3 (13:38):
The team that won it? I mean, you know, I
mean the team that won it. I mean, yeah, look
to this point, I think you know, you give the
Giants credit. They were amazing. You know, every ball that bounced,
it bounced their way, like I mean, it went right.
But they earned it, like I mean, so no doubt
about that. You know, their defensive straight and you manure
(14:01):
and tuck and you know everybody, like they played the
game the right way, and so they'll give them credit.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Many coaches and players have a difficult time really expanding
on the victories. You know, the victories are great and
everything like that, but it's the losses that maybe stick
with them. Does your seven watch stick with you at all?
Does that game bother you at all? Or are you
able to sort of wash your hands and say, try
my best, they beat us, they were the better team
(14:29):
that day.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
And you move on.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Well, I think I don't. I don't watch any of
the highlights. I really don't watch the game of that
game at all.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
I haven't. I might have seen the play here and.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
There you were held on the uh yeah, yeah, yeah, No.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
I mean, but I watch plays and highlights of the game.
But I haven't just sit down and watched any of
the Super Bowls from start to finish, wins or losses,
wins or losses. I haven't watched not one game. But
I will watch highlights and plays.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Because what is it I played in the game. I
don't need to watch.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
It, you know what I mean? You certainly certainly. Well,
I'll say that I think I get more anxiety like
watching my kids play. Sure, they play sports, and like
I'm more intense and I feel it more because I
can't control it, or you know, you want to protect
them more, you want you know, it's it's a lot
(15:23):
of different things that are at play. But when you're
playing or when I was playing like I felt like, hey,
I'm prepared, I've done what I needed to do. I
can control, you know, to a degree, what goes on,
so I'm more at peace. But when I watch them,
you know, it's just it's totally.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
Different internal emotions.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
I remember my son, like this was his first year
of playing football, and you know, me and my wife
were going to the game and as the whistles, like
they had the coin toss. But I looked at her
and she looked at me, and both of our eyes
are warded up, just because the moment.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
It was pretty special.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
I want to give him credit for saying it. I
don't think he's it's necessarily original line. But in the
Patriots Hall of Fame induction, Teddy bruce K was talking about, well,
it was easy to play linebacker in our defense. Who
was in front of me? I mean, if Richard Seymour
is in front of me, I think you got a
chance to make some tackles. When you hear stuff like
that from guys like Brew, I think Maddy p said
(16:27):
it about not only you, but Vince Wolfork's going in
this year. Certainly you know you're not a stats guy, Richard.
You know if somebody's going to open up some sort
of a guide or go online or something like that.
They're not going to see a ton of stats. But
the people who know the game, guys who you played with,
people who coached you, when they talk like that, is
there a sense of pride when you go, well, so
(16:48):
he appreciates it. He appreciates all the stuff that I
did help make our team better. How does that make
you feel when you hear that?
Speaker 3 (16:56):
We're when I played the game at the end of
to day for for wins, and that was our most
important thing.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Brother, It was. It wasn't never about you know.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
The accolades or the Pro Bowls or you know, I'm
you know, for me, I think one, you know, it's
about a body of work. And it's also you know,
so I'm really proud of, you know, like being a
member of the All Decade team because that that says, hey,
you didn't do it like one year.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Or two years. You did it for a decade.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
And so for me, it's always humbling to get the
respect of your your teammates, your coaches, your competitors, you
know guys you played against those Those accolades for me
are really what matters most like at the end of
(17:53):
the day, like you know, regardless and and trust me,
the Hall of Fame is great, but it's not something
that I can control at the end. Today, it's writers,
it's voters, it's it's where they are, it's their understanding
of the game, and I totally respect it. But also,
you know, the guys that I was in the huddle
with and the guys that I competed against, you know,
(18:15):
people who were around you every day, right, Like, what
do they say about you? What type of person you were?
You know, what what work ethic did you have? How
did you treat other people? You know, it's more in
my mind that you know, that's those are the real
things that I embrace and you know, feel validated by.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
You mentioned body of work. And we're here for the Patriots.
I think most people associate Richard Seymour as a New
England Patriot with the championships and everything like that. You
got traded to a team that wasn't the New England Patriots.
Certainly from a team success standpoint, it's not a comparison,
but the way you continue to play in uh, you know,
(18:59):
you were in Oakland at the time. I can't remember
where they were, but you still had a responsibility. You know,
you were trying to do just as well obviously as
you were in New England, but the team didn't have
that much success. Do you look back at that point
in time where maybe the team wasn't as successful but
you did everything in your power and okay, maybe you
weren't on Sunday Night football every week like you were
(19:19):
in New England everything like that. But there's where your
pride really needs to come into play, because you were
on a team that maybe wasn't as successful as one that.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
You would come from.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
Well, you know, for me, I look at the big picture, right.
I was very fortunate to play in New England with
a lot of great players that taught me so much
about the game right and then also going to Oakland,
I was also able to share that knowledge. So the
fulfillment that I got from because my heart has always
(19:53):
been I want to be able to share the things
that I have. You know, whether it's financially or whether
it's knowledge, it's insight when you can bridge the gap
and make the game better by transferring that knowledge to
younger guys who were just as hungry like I mean,
when's and losses.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
That's happened.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
But I mean that's that's that's not lights right like
you want to like I had, I had an opportunity
to affect guy's lives and had and wanted them to
take you know, that knowledge and that wisdom that was
passed to me and I was able to transfer to
them and hopefully they were able to give it to others.
(20:33):
And so at the end of the day, that's really
what it's all about.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
One of those guys. And we're going back to England
here and he just got inducted into the into the
Patriots Hall of Fame. You had a young buck play
Wilfork and was able to play with him.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
You know.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
What was he were you able to maybe do some
of those things mentoring you know, you weren't the same position.
But here's another freak athlete sort of like yourself. There
are many people who move as big as the two
of you guys do and can do what you What
was it like mentoring him and seeing him grow?
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Well, I tell everybody all the time, So me, uh,
Big Vince and Ty Warren, we were the original big three.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
I know they got you know, original big three like it.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
So yeah, no, Memphis is so big, and Vince was
the biggest of the biggest, so you know, I know
they got all of the big threes in basketball now.
But but but I'll say this, you know, it wasn't
I enjoy when you know, younger guys they are hungry
(21:38):
for knowledge, like they're looking to you, like, hey, tell
me this, or what do you think about this? How
did you guys do that? Like, So it's not that
I had to seek Vince or tie out like they were.
They were in the meeting rooms asking questions. They were
hungry for knowledge, and they were just kind of saying, well,
here's how we did you know certain things, or when
we got this look from when the tight end was
(21:59):
here in the back was over here, you know, getting
a lot of runs this way, or it might be
some calendars and whatnot.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
So it's easy to help guys that care that they
wanted that they want to be helped.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
They want to be helped, they're looking you know, So
it's easy when it's you know, that's the mindset.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
I can't imagine you sort of touched on this. There
isn't anybody who goes to play football and says I
want to be in the Hall of Fame. I mean,
you get maybe some guy is confident enough to right,
that's not a goal your goals to win when your
career was over. Was there ever a time did you
need to be prodded into thinking about it? You know?
Was there every time? Like jeez, I wonder if somebody's
(22:41):
going to think that I merit consideration for that once
you Did you ever think about that when your career
was over?
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Not really?
Speaker 3 (22:50):
And even here's the thing, even when my first year
of eligibility and you know, I made the semi final
list or you know, I don't know, I think I
made it in the top guys or something like that.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Like it wasn't something that.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
I was, like, I don't know, I didn't give it
much thought or you know, just because in my mind,
and trust me, it's a tremendous honor and you know,
I mean, it's it's their leader, elite, and you know,
so like I'm honored to stand alongside the greats of
the game. But again, I've always as a player been tought, hey,
(23:25):
control what you can control and.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
The things that you can't. Like it is what it is.
And so you know, but you know, again I said,
I embraced it.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
I am, you know, and I feel validated by you
know at all, and it's a tremendous honor.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
When Ty went in, did you think about it anymore?
Like did you say, Okay, maybe now some of these
people are recognizing, right, we had a great defense. You know,
we had a great defense. So Ty sort of has
been knocking on the door here for a little bit.
You know, maybe they're going to recognize, if not necessarily you,
(24:03):
maybe they're going to recognize these other people and that
side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
Yeah, no, I felt I firmly feel like, you know,
it takes a lot to win a Super Bowl, right
and to accomplish what we did in the time span.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
That we did.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
And like I said, it's the pillars from ownership, coaches,
you know, general managers, the team that we put together,
and then to do it on a year in and
year out basis. I firmly believe we should have more guys,
you know, knocking on that.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Door, speaking and knocking on the door when time knocked
on the door, were you surprised? Did you have any inkling,
was anybody here in on the on the joke or
were you legitimately surprised? When you saw him on the ship.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
I was legitimately surprised when I saw him at you know,
I've had a few words with my wife after like,
but I will say it made.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
It extra special. It was so cool, like Tie, what Tie.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
Was the one to come and knock on the door,
and you know, we had a journey together and so
like you know when winning Super Bowls and you know,
practice and year in and year out, you know, we
had the same financial what we still do have the
same financial you know. So it's just a lot of
you know, we're intertwined in a certain way, and you
(25:35):
know we're you know, my family. We went to see
you know, Ties entrainment and then for him to come
in the gold jacket and you know be a presenter
for me like that, that was really special.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
What was it like? Can you think back and I
mean that day must have just been a whirlwind for you.
What was like like emotionally for you that day?
Speaker 3 (25:57):
Yeah, you know, you think about the journey. It's not
necessarily about me. You think about the people that have
sacrificed so much for you.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Brother.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
It's practices and taking you, you know, different places and
you know, just you know, traveling and just everything that
it took to you know, because a lot of times
we just see the final product, but you know, just
to understand the story, you know, behind it. You know,
I'm really excited to you know, give a speech in
(26:31):
honoring so many people. That's meant so much to me.
And that's the special part.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
Did you think about what your dad would have said.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Yeah, he'll want the gold jacket. That's my jacket. That's
what I was.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
That's certainly what I would say. But but again, you know,
just think about, you know, all of the hard work
that went into it, everything that I've learned, you know,
from my mom and my dad, And my dad was
my hero or growing up. I want you know, he
taught me the value of of of of hard work.
And I feel personally that football is a game of values,
(27:10):
you know, discipline, toughness being intertwined in a way where
you know, everything that's important to you, you have to
it calls so much in or in order for you
to play at.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
An elite level year in and year out.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
And so for my family to have taught me all
of those values and my mom giving me the compassion
and the loving and the nurturing side and my dad
the tough love and you know, uh taught me the
value of your word. And in terms of your word
is your bond. If you don't, you know, you know,
(27:48):
lean on that like you don't have anything, Like it's
more important than anything. If you give your word on something,
you know, you honor that. And so like those were
the values for me growing up. And so you know,
I just wanted to operate and you know, leave a
legacy that to to honor.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Them as a parent. You know, you talked about Tiny
and Vince. It's not all Richard Seymour. Because if Richard
Seymour or the Patriots are going to do well, then
Tie's got to do well, and Vince has got to
do well, and the secondary's got to do well. It's
the ultimate meritocracy football. You've got to rely on somebody else.
(28:28):
It's not just you. And isn't that a great lesson
that you can teach your kids whatever they want to
do in life, Like it's you know, in order to
be successful in something, you've got to collaborate and you've
got to lean on this person and lean on that person.
And that, to me is really what the true beauty
of football is because It's the ultimate team game, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
Yeah, No, it's it's certainly a team game, and you
need everybody and you know, it's about you know, leadership,
it's about discipline, it's about the fundamentals, it's about doing
things the right way. It's also about you know, you're
not always going to see out of eye either, right,
So how do we handle when things are not going right?
Speaker 2 (29:05):
Because we're all doing well when you know, hey, you know,
we win it.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
But now when when things aren't going your way or
whether it's practiced, you know, can we adjust like because
at the end of the day, that's really what separates
in my mind, like the good from the great. And
can we be disciplined enough to understand how other teams
are trying to attack us or what's going on? And
(29:31):
you know, as coach Belichick said, hey, ignoring the noise,
blocking things out, and focusing in on doing your job.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Because every team's got talent, right every time, You've got
a lot of good players and everything like that. So
it's how you differentiate that talent is what separates the
winners from the people who don't win.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
No, certain you need to get well, I don't know
who it is, but I heard it not, So.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
I'm gonna pause. Okay, have last.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
Few months been more hectic than you could have imagined,
because it's like, like I mentioned, there's a lot of
people like me are coming asking for your time. There's
a lot of demands on your time because if this isn't.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
There, Yeah, no, it is. But I I welcome it.
You know, I'm honored by it. You know, it's a
part of it's a part of the deal.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
You know. Yeah, I enjoy it actually, you know.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
I mean it's you know, I'm this is my twelfth
year of being out of pro sports.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
And by the way, you look like you could, I
don't know if you could give it like seven snaps.
Speaker 3 (30:40):
Well, you know, I think I some third down, third
down packages. That's all I got for you. Don't put
me in on the run situations right now. We've got
to know their past exactly. That's it. But you know,
I you know, like I said, I'm honored by it.
And uh, you know, I embraced the.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
Moment, have posed for the bust yet.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
I have Actually I had to sit for eight hours.
Speaker 1 (31:05):
I was going to say, that's supposed according to people
what they say, and you look at it. You can
call time. What is it like?
Speaker 3 (31:12):
Yeah, well I talked about it, so I was thinking
in order to do the bus I'm like, man like,
technology is.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
So good these days.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
They could just take you know, a three D scan
on my head and eyes and everything and then kind
of put it together. But the artist side of it
just like, hey, if you really wanted to look real
and look like you, so I said, for eight hours,
so hopefully it looks good.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
And I don't mean this from a vanity standpoint, but
your likeness is being immortalized and it's going to be
in a museum for the rest of time. That's important
and has that sort of thing like your kids and
their kids at some point time can go, let's go
take a look. That's got to be pretty cool, ye
(32:00):
think that you know, you.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
Know, uh, we've been to Canton uh several times since
you know, my induction, and you know, each time we go,
just finding out more about Canton and how they honoring
and protecting your legacy and telling the stories. You know,
the people there are really special. You know, we've we've
(32:23):
met some really great people that you know, just the
archives and you know, finding out more about the game.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
And you know and who they.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
Are, and also the people are can'ton like it's a
big deal for them as well.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
And so.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
I'm I'm honored to be a part of the family.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
And you know, even my.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
My classmates, for it's an exclusive club, and my classmates
that are are going in with me, we said it.
So it's myself, it's Brian Young, you know, Tony BASSELLI,
Leroy Butler, coach, Dick Vermeil, you know RK McNally. I said,
you know, hey, I'll take our class and a bar
fight anytime.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
I like it.
Speaker 3 (33:06):
Me, Bran Young and Tony Boselliah, I feel pretty good,
I teased, I said, Ty had they had the Prima Donna,
you know him and Bailey and all of the guys
and and and you know, I tease Champ all the
time as well, because you know, we went to college together.
And so I said, you know, hey, we'll take y'all
in the bar fight any day.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
You have a supreme confidence, uh and a very level personality,
very thoughtful person I don't think this seems like something
that might happen to you. However, do you think you'll
be nervous that day? Do you think you'll have butterflies.
Speaker 3 (33:44):
I'm sure I will. I'm sure I will. I mean
I had butterflies when I came and gave my uh
my speech at at the Leette Stadium.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
That was a nice little rehearsal for you.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
Yeah. But here's here's the thing.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
So my speech, my speech I spoke for the Patriots
was twenty one minutes, right, I have to narrate to
six minutes, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
So I said.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
By the time I said Mom, I love you, Dad,
I love you, my wife, my kids, you know, thank you,
you know, New England, my Oakland, I'm pretty much done
after that.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
But you know, I.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
Firmly believe that words would never show my true gratitude
and appreciation for what football has given me and my family.
And also I tell everybody all the time too that
I'm really for me personally. I'm also excited because I
(34:45):
did things in my mind the right way, and you know,
regardless of the Super Bowls and the Pro Bowl, like,
all of that's amazing, But I like, I never compromised
who I was as a man or a person to
do any of it, you know, so I can look
myself in the mirror and be happy with you know,
(35:05):
the man that's staring back, and so you know, to
your point, will I be nervous and cant I'm sure
I will be when I get the gold jacket, you know,
just because I respect and I identify and I can understand.
You know, I'm standing alongside the heroes and the greats
of the game and going to be you know, my aunt,
(35:28):
I'm be honored forever and my grandkids and great grandkids,
and you know, so when you think about that, like,
that's a lot to take in, but I'm excited to
do it.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
If seventeen year old Richard Seymour could see today's Richard
Seymour and see what he's become, what do you think
he would say to today's Richard Seymour Or what would
Richard Seymour today said to the seventeen year old Richard.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
Man hindsight, I don't know, you know, yeah, I think
I will probably say to my younger self, you know,
make sure you prioritize the time that you spend and
the people you spend it with. I think that's really
(36:15):
important in life because it's you know, in my eyes,
I think life's really about relationships, you know, I think
that really sums up. You know a lot for me,
you know, my faith, my family and the relationships that
I cultivate. I think that's you know who I am.
Speaker 1 (36:35):
On August sixth, twenty twenty two, Richard Seymour will go
into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Can't wait for it.
I think all of New England feels like it's an
honor much deserves a bit delayed, but can't wait for
the process. I hope you have fun during it. I
hope you enjoy kind of the arduous process going through it.
(36:56):
But congratulations and best of luck for what's going to
be a very special weekend for you. And thank you
so much for your time.
Speaker 2 (37:03):
Well, thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
And like I said, for me, I mean, I know
I'm the one going in Canton, but you know, it's
so many people that have done so much for me,
and it's really for them.
Speaker 2 (37:15):
Thank you for downloading this podcast, Subscribe on Apple, Google Play,
and everywhere else you listen. Like the show, Please.
Speaker 1 (37:21):
Rate and review us.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
Listener comments and ratings help keep us high on the
podcast rankings so new listeners can find us.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Be sure to check Patriots dot com for more news
and more podcasts.
It's time for another episode of Patch in the Past podcast.
Matt Smith down in beautiful Swanee, Georgia, home of number
ninety three Richard Seymour, who in just a few short
months will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Thanks for letting us come down here, and really want
to thank you for your time.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Greatly appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
No, well, actually I was glad to get you out
of what I know. It's not snowing, not yet. Yeah,
it's not snowing, so it's good for you guys to
come down and get some of this Georgia's son.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Yeah, and we can understand why you would want to
make this your home beautiful. It's a beautiful home.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
No, thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
We're just going to have a conversation here Richard and
talk about football and the Hall of Fame deal. When
did it become apparent to you? Do you remember when
it was me and I really love this, I love football.
Do you remember was there a time where it sort
of clicked for you, like this is something I really
love to do.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
As a kid, I'd say that as a kid, I
remembered football was really big in our family and my
dad's played my uncle's. It was really big in our community.
I didn't play when I was younger because I was
too big to play with kids my age. But also
at the same time, my dad didn't want to push
(01:21):
me up to play with the bigger kids because he
was afraid that was gonna take my confidence away. So
long story short, I didn't end up playing until high school.
And I told the story when I got inducted into
the Patriots Hall of Fame that the first time my
mom took me to play football, I didn't even get
out of the car and I was in the eighth grade.
I was going to play against the high schoolers. And
(01:45):
you know, I still tease her about that to this day.
But believe it or not, I knew I was destined
to do it because I had the passion. I had
the love. I knew. I thought I had the ability.
I mean, I didn't know where I compared to other
guys that played my position, but I knew I had
the passion and the drive. And I think in life,
(02:07):
no matter regardless of what you do, if you if
you have a relentless determination, you have a drive. You know,
I had the support system from my family so I
had everything that I felt like it took, but I
still didn't get out of the car.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Some of them had to push out of the car.
As you told everybody back in August, Yeah, when did
you so you said you thought you could be good
at it? When did you know you were good at it?
What was there a moment you said you know what
I belonged.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
I think in high school it was.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
I think it was around my junior year because when
I got to high school, like, I played basketball all
my years that well, my first three years I played basketball,
but most of my classmates they were actually taller than
me when I first got to to high school. So
my freshman and sophomore year they were taller than me.
But my junior year, if you look at those pictures,
(03:05):
my junior year, I just hit a growth spurt, and
I think every I think my body started to catch up.
I started getting the weight room and started to do
you know, agility drills and start to train in my body.
And then once that happened for me, it was like, Okay,
I think I can be pretty special because all of
(03:27):
the other stuff was there, I just wasn't physically ready
to do it. But once all of it came together.
It was like, I think I can be pretty decent
at this and.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Help you understand if you wanted to take it to
the next level.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah, no, certainly, so I'll back up for step.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Even before I got to Georgia, So my senior year
of high school, my dad got me a trainer. And
the trainer that I got, I mean he worked at
University of South Carolina at the time, but he would
also train guys on the side as well. So my
dad got me the trainer and by the way, he'll
be at the my induction speech. But he gave me
(04:06):
a lot of confidence because he trained college athletes and
he said, hey, Richard, you having a unique ability. I've
seen a lot of guys if you push yourself and
you train hard and you work hard in the summers,
you know, I've seen like guys who went on to
the next level. And I'm just telling you, you have
an ability to stand out, and you know, so I
(04:29):
took that. I think that gave me a lot of
confidence at that time.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Motivation.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Yeah, no, certainly, it was a lot of motivation.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
And I just I've always been a competitor and I
love to compete. I hate to lose, but I still
had a lot to learn, and when I got to
the University of Georgia, I think I just started to
hone in on those skills.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
So he had come from the University of Georgia, one
of the top ten national champions this year.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
But say that again, champion. There we go, all right,
thank you, But it's a.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Legitimate college football program. And I remember the video of
you walking up the stairs at the old Foxborough Stadium
and Coach belichicks at the top to shake your right.
Are you looking around at that point in time and
go holy smokes? Like I thought I could drafted into
the professionally? Did you think about that when you got there?
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Right?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Well, no, here's the thing, so obviously, you know you
you think about recruiting now, and you look at the
facilities across the country that are not yeah no, I mean,
I mean they have every recruiting tool that you could
desire at these Power five institutions, and you know, brother,
it's Oregon, you know, USC Georgia, Tennessee. I mean, the
(05:42):
weight rooms are crazy. So when I first got to
New England in the old Foxborough Stadium, I was like, wow,
it seems like I'm taking a pay cuts. But but
needless to say, you know, right next door, you know,
mister was building Gillette Stadium, and I was very fortunate
(06:05):
at that time to walk through it when the foundation
was still going in and I still remember, you know,
mister Kraft saying, hey, you're going to be a really
big piece and a part of the foundation you know
that's going in here.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
So that was pretty special.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Can you look back at that now? I mean, when
you're going through it, you're trying to figure out, you know,
I hear people talk about, you know, when you're buried
in the weeds, your rookie what's going on? But if
you look back on it now and you could see, yes,
you were a part of something that built that whole
thing that twenty years now after the fact, you were
one of the bed rocks and the foundations of that
(06:40):
whole thing. Can you look back at it and with
a little bit more perspective when you were buried after
you know, your rookie year and your second year moving
into that place.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Yeah, I think I can look back and reflect now,
you know, because as a player, you never look back,
you never reflect. It's always the next year, you know,
never rested on your loyals, you know, like for us,
it was you know, you know, I think it started
at the top and Coach Belichick and mister Kraft and
had we had all of the right ingredients and we
(07:11):
had the right players, and you just name it even
I mean even to the fans, like it was important
to the fans and the community there that you know,
the support that we got all around the board, and
it was important. And so you know, for us as
as players, you know, I was very, very very fortunate
to be on a team with a lot of veterans
(07:31):
that taught me what it meant to be a pro
and showed me and they lived it and walked it
by example. And I can just go on and just
name you know, from Troy Brown with him again, is
Teddy Brook.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Had played the same position? Was Willie and Anthony Pleasant
especially There's two guys. How how important were they to
help this young little buck coming from the University of Georgia.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Yeah, no, certainly.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
You know, I tell everybody I was talented, but I
still needed to learn what it meant to be a pro.
And I was, like I said, I was very fortunate
to you know, come to a team with you know,
all of the ingredients in place from and here's the
thing a lot of people forget, but we were coming
off of five and eleven season, So it wasn't like, hey,
(08:15):
you coming, because anytime you're top picking the draft, you're
going to a team where you know, yeah, I me
the it's the reason that they got the top ten pick.
So for me, I couldn't have rode a better strip.
You know, from mister Kraft to Coach Belichick. You know,
at the time, Drew was the franchise quarterback. You know,
(08:38):
all of the star warks on defense, and you know,
Willy was the first guy to welcome me in. And
I remember getting there even before I met Coach Belichick.
I might have met Willy when I got picked up
from the airport and when I got when I was
born in it was a bubble in the back. But
he was the first guy that I met. And then
from that moment forward, like we've been together pretty much
(09:02):
ever since. And so like I said, but you know,
from Willidy, Anthony Pleasant, Bobby Hamilton, I mean you'd name
it like it wasn't no young guys like I was
the youngest guy, right, you know, on the team and
because I think I was twenty or twenty one years
old at the time, and so you know, for me,
(09:23):
you know, reflecting back on that, like it was such
special times and a lot of those relationships that I
cultivated then, you know, I still have to this.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Day as we record this a few days ago talking
about a special guy I'm going to assume was Romeo Crenell,
who is a defensive coach. Then as you're coming into
the league, Yes, how important was he do you think
to your development as a real molder in shape of men?
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Richard?
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Yeah, No, you know, coach coach Crenell, he had he
had a father like demeanor. I mean he was you know,
he didn't get very loud, he didn't, but you know
when he spoke like, he was very knowledgeable and even
like our relationship transcendent football, Like we spent time, like
(10:16):
our family spent time because we lived in the same
community in North Alborough, and so you know, his wife would,
you know, lead my wife as well. We'd have Thanksgiving dinners.
You know, my mom and his wife would hang out.
So it was a very unique relationship and I respected
(10:36):
him as a coach. He taught me so much, you know,
but I remember before one Super Bowl, I think we
were getting ready to play the Panthers, and I still
remember it to this day. It was this pregame meal.
He came in, he said, we're getting we just we
were eating the pregame meal to get ready.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
To go to the stadium that before the fight in
the pre game. Yeah, this is before. This is before that.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
But he said, hey, Richard, if you see something today,
you have the green light to take it. And I
still remember it like it was yesterday, because it was
like the third year in the league. Yeah, it was
my third year.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
That's a wouldn't you say that that's a pretty big statement.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
No, certainly it was. I mean that's why I still
remember it to this day.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
And you know, he was just a guy that meant
so much to me in my career just in terms of,
you know, the wisdom, the discipline, the understanding of the game.
He was once a defensive lineman himself, and so like
he was just able to talk to me in a
way that it related. And he's still a differend to
(11:42):
this day.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
What a career.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
What a career for a guy who never really was
in the spotlight or anything like that to be able
to put in the time that he did, all the teams,
all the players, all the success he had. Truly, he's
worthy of, you know, a huge tip of the cap,
right and had a big influence on you.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
No, certainly, I mean he was. You know, he's one
of the best coaches that I've ever ever played for.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
I don't know if they're like kids. You know, you've
got four kids, three super Bowl championships, and it's really
hard to ship that who's your favorite?
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Right, do you have a favorite? I don't necessarily have
a favorite. Yeah, right, they don't. They don't need to
see that, as everybody knows. I mean they're all different,
you know, different teams. You know every every year that
the journey is different. But for me, you know, the
(12:39):
most physical Super Bowl was definitely the Carolina Panthers. I
mean that game, I tell everybody to this day that
was the most physical game that I've ever played in
my twelve year career.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Did you expect that from them.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Well, we expected them to run the football, yep, But
it was like they played the game the right way,
like they were, they were tough. I mean you look
at the talent that they have, you know, so for
us to come out of there with a victory, Like,
you know, our offensive and defensive line had to be
you know, we had our work cutout for us.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
But we accepted the challenge.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Right, Okay, I don't know if you rate the you know,
so I'm sort of asking and ran them a little bit.
I think many people believe that of the run that
four is at oh four team is certainly among the
greatest teams in franchise history. So four versus seven, what
would Richard Seymour say? Was the better team?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Man?
Speaker 3 (13:38):
The team that won it? I mean, you know, I
mean the team that won it. I mean, yeah, look
to this point, I think you know, you give the
Giants credit. They were amazing. You know, every ball that bounced,
it bounced their way, like I mean, it went right.
But they earned it, like I mean, so no doubt
about that. You know, their defensive straight and you manure
(14:01):
and tuck and you know everybody, like they played the
game the right way, and so they'll give them credit.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Many coaches and players have a difficult time really expanding
on the victories. You know, the victories are great and
everything like that, but it's the losses that maybe stick
with them. Does your seven watch stick with you at all?
Does that game bother you at all? Or are you
able to sort of wash your hands and say, try
my best, they beat us, they were the better team
(14:29):
that day.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
And you move on.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Well, I think I don't. I don't watch any of
the highlights. I really don't watch the game of that
game at all.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
I haven't. I might have seen the play here and.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
There you were held on the uh yeah, yeah, yeah, No.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
I mean, but I watch plays and highlights of the game.
But I haven't just sit down and watched any of
the Super Bowls from start to finish, wins or losses,
wins or losses. I haven't watched not one game. But
I will watch highlights and plays.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Because what is it I played in the game. I
don't need to watch.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
It, you know what I mean? You certainly certainly. Well,
I'll say that I think I get more anxiety like
watching my kids play. Sure, they play sports, and like
I'm more intense and I feel it more because I
can't control it, or you know, you want to protect
them more, you want you know, it's it's a lot
(15:23):
of different things that are at play. But when you're
playing or when I was playing like I felt like, hey,
I'm prepared, I've done what I needed to do. I
can control, you know, to a degree, what goes on,
so I'm more at peace. But when I watch them,
you know, it's just it's totally.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
Different internal emotions.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
I remember my son, like this was his first year
of playing football, and you know, me and my wife
were going to the game and as the whistles, like
they had the coin toss. But I looked at her
and she looked at me, and both of our eyes
are warded up, just because the moment.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
It was pretty special.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
I want to give him credit for saying it. I
don't think he's it's necessarily original line. But in the
Patriots Hall of Fame induction, Teddy bruce K was talking about, well,
it was easy to play linebacker in our defense. Who
was in front of me? I mean, if Richard Seymour
is in front of me, I think you got a
chance to make some tackles. When you hear stuff like
that from guys like Brew, I think Maddy p said
(16:27):
it about not only you, but Vince Wolfork's going in
this year. Certainly you know you're not a stats guy, Richard.
You know if somebody's going to open up some sort
of a guide or go online or something like that.
They're not going to see a ton of stats. But
the people who know the game, guys who you played with,
people who coached you, when they talk like that, is
there a sense of pride when you go, well, so
(16:48):
he appreciates it. He appreciates all the stuff that I
did help make our team better. How does that make
you feel when you hear that?
Speaker 3 (16:56):
We're when I played the game at the end of
to day for for wins, and that was our most
important thing.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Brother, It was. It wasn't never about you know.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
The accolades or the Pro Bowls or you know, I'm
you know, for me, I think one, you know, it's
about a body of work. And it's also you know,
so I'm really proud of, you know, like being a
member of the All Decade team because that that says, hey,
you didn't do it like one year.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Or two years. You did it for a decade.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
And so for me, it's always humbling to get the
respect of your your teammates, your coaches, your competitors, you
know guys you played against those Those accolades for me
are really what matters most like at the end of
(17:53):
the day, like you know, regardless and and trust me,
the Hall of Fame is great, but it's not something
that I can control at the end. Today, it's writers,
it's voters, it's it's where they are, it's their understanding
of the game, and I totally respect it. But also,
you know, the guys that I was in the huddle
with and the guys that I competed against, you know,
(18:15):
people who were around you every day, right, Like, what
do they say about you? What type of person you were?
You know, what what work ethic did you have? How
did you treat other people? You know, it's more in
my mind that you know, that's those are the real
things that I embrace and you know, feel validated by.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
You mentioned body of work. And we're here for the Patriots.
I think most people associate Richard Seymour as a New
England Patriot with the championships and everything like that. You
got traded to a team that wasn't the New England Patriots.
Certainly from a team success standpoint, it's not a comparison,
but the way you continue to play in uh, you know,
(18:59):
you were in Oakland at the time. I can't remember
where they were, but you still had a responsibility. You know,
you were trying to do just as well obviously as
you were in New England, but the team didn't have
that much success. Do you look back at that point
in time where maybe the team wasn't as successful but
you did everything in your power and okay, maybe you
weren't on Sunday Night football every week like you were
(19:19):
in New England everything like that. But there's where your
pride really needs to come into play, because you were
on a team that maybe wasn't as successful as one that.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
You would come from.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
Well, you know, for me, I look at the big picture, right.
I was very fortunate to play in New England with
a lot of great players that taught me so much
about the game right and then also going to Oakland,
I was also able to share that knowledge. So the
fulfillment that I got from because my heart has always
(19:53):
been I want to be able to share the things
that I have. You know, whether it's financially or whether
it's knowledge, it's insight when you can bridge the gap
and make the game better by transferring that knowledge to
younger guys who were just as hungry like I mean,
when's and losses.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
That's happened.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
But I mean that's that's that's not lights right like
you want to like I had, I had an opportunity
to affect guy's lives and had and wanted them to
take you know, that knowledge and that wisdom that was
passed to me and I was able to transfer to
them and hopefully they were able to give it to others.
(20:33):
And so at the end of the day, that's really
what it's all about.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
One of those guys. And we're going back to England
here and he just got inducted into the into the
Patriots Hall of Fame. You had a young buck play
Wilfork and was able to play with him.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
You know.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
What was he were you able to maybe do some
of those things mentoring you know, you weren't the same position.
But here's another freak athlete sort of like yourself. There
are many people who move as big as the two
of you guys do and can do what you What
was it like mentoring him and seeing him grow?
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Well, I tell everybody all the time, So me, uh,
Big Vince and Ty Warren, we were the original big three.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
I know they got you know, original big three like it.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
So yeah, no, Memphis is so big, and Vince was
the biggest of the biggest, so you know, I know
they got all of the big threes in basketball now.
But but but I'll say this, you know, it wasn't
I enjoy when you know, younger guys they are hungry
(21:38):
for knowledge, like they're looking to you, like, hey, tell
me this, or what do you think about this? How
did you guys do that? Like, So it's not that
I had to seek Vince or tie out like they were.
They were in the meeting rooms asking questions. They were
hungry for knowledge, and they were just kind of saying, well,
here's how we did you know certain things, or when
we got this look from when the tight end was
(21:59):
here in the back was over here, you know, getting
a lot of runs this way, or it might be
some calendars and whatnot.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
So it's easy to help guys that care that they
wanted that they want to be helped.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
They want to be helped, they're looking you know, So
it's easy when it's you know, that's the mindset.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
I can't imagine you sort of touched on this. There
isn't anybody who goes to play football and says I
want to be in the Hall of Fame. I mean,
you get maybe some guy is confident enough to right,
that's not a goal your goals to win when your
career was over. Was there ever a time did you
need to be prodded into thinking about it? You know?
Was there every time? Like jeez, I wonder if somebody's
(22:41):
going to think that I merit consideration for that once
you Did you ever think about that when your career
was over?
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Not really?
Speaker 3 (22:50):
And even here's the thing, even when my first year
of eligibility and you know, I made the semi final
list or you know, I don't know, I think I
made it in the top guys or something like that.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Like it wasn't something that.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
I was, like, I don't know, I didn't give it
much thought or you know, just because in my mind,
and trust me, it's a tremendous honor and you know,
I mean, it's it's their leader, elite, and you know,
so like I'm honored to stand alongside the greats of
the game. But again, I've always as a player been tought, hey,
(23:25):
control what you can control and.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
The things that you can't. Like it is what it is.
And so you know, but you know, again I said,
I embraced it.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
I am, you know, and I feel validated by you
know at all, and it's a tremendous honor.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
When Ty went in, did you think about it anymore?
Like did you say, Okay, maybe now some of these
people are recognizing, right, we had a great defense. You know,
we had a great defense. So Ty sort of has
been knocking on the door here for a little bit.
You know, maybe they're going to recognize, if not necessarily you,
(24:03):
maybe they're going to recognize these other people and that
side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
Yeah, no, I felt I firmly feel like, you know,
it takes a lot to win a Super Bowl, right
and to accomplish what we did in the time span.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
That we did.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
And like I said, it's the pillars from ownership, coaches,
you know, general managers, the team that we put together,
and then to do it on a year in and
year out basis. I firmly believe we should have more guys,
you know, knocking on that.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Door, speaking and knocking on the door when time knocked
on the door, were you surprised? Did you have any inkling,
was anybody here in on the on the joke or
were you legitimately surprised? When you saw him on the ship.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
I was legitimately surprised when I saw him at you know,
I've had a few words with my wife after like,
but I will say it made.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
It extra special. It was so cool, like Tie, what Tie.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
Was the one to come and knock on the door,
and you know, we had a journey together and so
like you know when winning Super Bowls and you know,
practice and year in and year out, you know, we
had the same financial what we still do have the
same financial you know. So it's just a lot of
you know, we're intertwined in a certain way, and you
(25:35):
know we're you know, my family. We went to see
you know, Ties entrainment and then for him to come
in the gold jacket and you know be a presenter
for me like that, that was really special.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
What was it like? Can you think back and I
mean that day must have just been a whirlwind for you.
What was like like emotionally for you that day?
Speaker 3 (25:57):
Yeah, you know, you think about the journey. It's not
necessarily about me. You think about the people that have
sacrificed so much for you.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Brother.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
It's practices and taking you, you know, different places and
you know, just you know, traveling and just everything that
it took to you know, because a lot of times
we just see the final product, but you know, just
to understand the story, you know, behind it. You know,
I'm really excited to you know, give a speech in
(26:31):
honoring so many people. That's meant so much to me.
And that's the special part.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
Did you think about what your dad would have said.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Yeah, he'll want the gold jacket. That's my jacket. That's
what I was.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
That's certainly what I would say. But but again, you know,
just think about, you know, all of the hard work
that went into it, everything that I've learned, you know,
from my mom and my dad, And my dad was
my hero or growing up. I want you know, he
taught me the value of of of of hard work.
And I feel personally that football is a game of values,
(27:10):
you know, discipline, toughness being intertwined in a way where
you know, everything that's important to you, you have to
it calls so much in or in order for you
to play at.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
An elite level year in and year out.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
And so for my family to have taught me all
of those values and my mom giving me the compassion
and the loving and the nurturing side and my dad
the tough love and you know, uh taught me the
value of your word. And in terms of your word
is your bond. If you don't, you know, you know,
(27:48):
lean on that like you don't have anything, Like it's
more important than anything. If you give your word on something,
you know, you honor that. And so like those were
the values for me growing up. And so you know,
I just wanted to operate and you know, leave a
legacy that to to honor.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Them as a parent. You know, you talked about Tiny
and Vince. It's not all Richard Seymour. Because if Richard
Seymour or the Patriots are going to do well, then
Tie's got to do well, and Vince has got to
do well, and the secondary's got to do well. It's
the ultimate meritocracy football. You've got to rely on somebody else.
(28:28):
It's not just you. And isn't that a great lesson
that you can teach your kids whatever they want to
do in life, Like it's you know, in order to
be successful in something, you've got to collaborate and you've
got to lean on this person and lean on that person.
And that, to me is really what the true beauty
of football is because It's the ultimate team game, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
Yeah, No, it's it's certainly a team game, and you
need everybody and you know, it's about you know, leadership,
it's about discipline, it's about the fundamentals, it's about doing
things the right way. It's also about you know, you're
not always going to see out of eye either, right,
So how do we handle when things are not going right?
Speaker 2 (29:05):
Because we're all doing well when you know, hey, you know,
we win it.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
But now when when things aren't going your way or
whether it's practiced, you know, can we adjust like because
at the end of the day, that's really what separates
in my mind, like the good from the great. And
can we be disciplined enough to understand how other teams
are trying to attack us or what's going on? And
(29:31):
you know, as coach Belichick said, hey, ignoring the noise,
blocking things out, and focusing in on doing your job.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Because every team's got talent, right every time, You've got
a lot of good players and everything like that. So
it's how you differentiate that talent is what separates the
winners from the people who don't win.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
No, certain you need to get well, I don't know
who it is, but I heard it not, So.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
I'm gonna pause. Okay, have last.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
Few months been more hectic than you could have imagined,
because it's like, like I mentioned, there's a lot of
people like me are coming asking for your time. There's
a lot of demands on your time because if this isn't.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
There, Yeah, no, it is. But I I welcome it.
You know, I'm honored by it. You know, it's a
part of it's a part of the deal.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
You know. Yeah, I enjoy it actually, you know.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
I mean it's you know, I'm this is my twelfth
year of being out of pro sports.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
And by the way, you look like you could, I
don't know if you could give it like seven snaps.
Speaker 3 (30:40):
Well, you know, I think I some third down, third
down packages. That's all I got for you. Don't put
me in on the run situations right now. We've got
to know their past exactly. That's it. But you know,
I you know, like I said, I'm honored by it.
And uh, you know, I embraced the.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
Moment, have posed for the bust yet.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
I have Actually I had to sit for eight hours.
Speaker 1 (31:05):
I was going to say, that's supposed according to people
what they say, and you look at it. You can
call time. What is it like?
Speaker 3 (31:12):
Yeah, well I talked about it, so I was thinking
in order to do the bus I'm like, man like,
technology is.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
So good these days.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
They could just take you know, a three D scan
on my head and eyes and everything and then kind
of put it together. But the artist side of it
just like, hey, if you really wanted to look real
and look like you, so I said, for eight hours,
so hopefully it looks good.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
And I don't mean this from a vanity standpoint, but
your likeness is being immortalized and it's going to be
in a museum for the rest of time. That's important
and has that sort of thing like your kids and
their kids at some point time can go, let's go
take a look. That's got to be pretty cool, ye
(32:00):
think that you know, you.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
Know, uh, we've been to Canton uh several times since
you know, my induction, and you know, each time we go,
just finding out more about Canton and how they honoring
and protecting your legacy and telling the stories. You know,
the people there are really special. You know, we've we've
(32:23):
met some really great people that you know, just the
archives and you know, finding out more about the game.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
And you know and who they.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
Are, and also the people are can'ton like it's a
big deal for them as well.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
And so.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
I'm I'm honored to be a part of the family.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
And you know, even my.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
My classmates, for it's an exclusive club, and my classmates
that are are going in with me, we said it.
So it's myself, it's Brian Young, you know, Tony BASSELLI,
Leroy Butler, coach, Dick Vermeil, you know RK McNally. I said,
you know, hey, I'll take our class and a bar
fight anytime.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
I like it.
Speaker 3 (33:06):
Me, Bran Young and Tony Boselliah, I feel pretty good,
I teased, I said, Ty had they had the Prima Donna,
you know him and Bailey and all of the guys
and and and you know, I tease Champ all the
time as well, because you know, we went to college together.
And so I said, you know, hey, we'll take y'all
in the bar fight any day.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
You have a supreme confidence, uh and a very level personality,
very thoughtful person I don't think this seems like something
that might happen to you. However, do you think you'll
be nervous that day? Do you think you'll have butterflies.
Speaker 3 (33:44):
I'm sure I will. I'm sure I will. I mean
I had butterflies when I came and gave my uh
my speech at at the Leette Stadium.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
That was a nice little rehearsal for you.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
Yeah. But here's here's the thing.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
So my speech, my speech I spoke for the Patriots
was twenty one minutes, right, I have to narrate to
six minutes, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
So I said.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
By the time I said Mom, I love you, Dad,
I love you, my wife, my kids, you know, thank you,
you know, New England, my Oakland, I'm pretty much done
after that.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
But you know, I.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
Firmly believe that words would never show my true gratitude
and appreciation for what football has given me and my family.
And also I tell everybody all the time too that
I'm really for me personally. I'm also excited because I
(34:45):
did things in my mind the right way, and you know,
regardless of the Super Bowls and the Pro Bowl, like,
all of that's amazing, But I like, I never compromised
who I was as a man or a person to
do any of it, you know, so I can look
myself in the mirror and be happy with you know,
(35:05):
the man that's staring back, and so you know, to
your point, will I be nervous and cant I'm sure
I will be when I get the gold jacket, you know,
just because I respect and I identify and I can understand.
You know, I'm standing alongside the heroes and the greats
of the game and going to be you know, my aunt,
(35:28):
I'm be honored forever and my grandkids and great grandkids,
and you know, so when you think about that, like,
that's a lot to take in, but I'm excited to
do it.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
If seventeen year old Richard Seymour could see today's Richard
Seymour and see what he's become, what do you think
he would say to today's Richard Seymour Or what would
Richard Seymour today said to the seventeen year old Richard.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
Man hindsight, I don't know, you know, yeah, I think
I will probably say to my younger self, you know,
make sure you prioritize the time that you spend and
the people you spend it with. I think that's really
(36:15):
important in life because it's you know, in my eyes,
I think life's really about relationships, you know, I think
that really sums up. You know a lot for me,
you know, my faith, my family and the relationships that
I cultivate. I think that's you know who I am.
Speaker 1 (36:35):
On August sixth, twenty twenty two, Richard Seymour will go
into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Can't wait for it.
I think all of New England feels like it's an
honor much deserves a bit delayed, but can't wait for
the process. I hope you have fun during it. I
hope you enjoy kind of the arduous process going through it.
(36:56):
But congratulations and best of luck for what's going to
be a very special weekend for you. And thank you
so much for your time.
Speaker 2 (37:03):
Well, thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
And like I said, for me, I mean, I know
I'm the one going in Canton, but you know, it's
so many people that have done so much for me,
and it's really for them.
Speaker 2 (37:15):
Thank you for downloading this podcast, Subscribe on Apple, Google Play,
and everywhere else you listen. Like the show, Please.
Speaker 1 (37:21):
Rate and review us.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
Listener comments and ratings help keep us high on the
podcast rankings so new listeners can find us.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Be sure to check Patriots dot com for more news
and more podcasts.
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