July 16, 2024 • 35 mins
In this edition of Pats from the Past, Matt Smith and Paul Perillo sit down with former Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel. Cassell gives us the inside scoop on what really transpired on the 2 point conversion against Miami in the 2005 regular season final, how the 2008 season changed his professional life, and more.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
It's time for another episode of Pats from the Past podcast.
Matt Smith here alongside with Papaolo when we were pleased
to be joined by former Patriots quarterback Matt Castle. Matt,
thanks for joining us.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Absolutely glad to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Why are you here, Matt? What would bring you back
to Foxborough?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
What would bring me back to the Foxborough is not
just the people, the fans, but it's the tribute, Let's
be honest, it's the tribute the retirement ceremony for Tom Brady.
And you know, it was an incredible start to the
ceremonies last night when we all got together, a bunch
of teammates, old teammates and familiar faces coming back. So
we had a blast last night. We're looking to continue
it tonight.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
You're a busy man with a big family, with a
lot of responsibilities and everything like that, so it's not
the easiest thing to sort of I'm going to drop
everything I'm doing. But was it and I'm sure so,
I mean, I don't want to answer it for you. Challenging,
but was it an easy decision to make that I
wanted to be here?
Speaker 3 (00:58):
It was challenging, but it was deaf an easy decision
to make. I mean, Tom's a close friend of mine.
He's played an important role in my development when I
was young, and throughout the years we've stayed close. And
just the fact that we get an opportunity to celebrate
him tonight and send him send him out in the
proper fashion, and it'll be it'll be a fun, fun
experience for everybody.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
You talked about the event that you did on Tuesday night,
any particular teammate that maybe you hadn't seen, and you're like, wow,
it was great to catch out. I'm sure there were
a lot of them, but someone individually that stood out.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
You know, there's not one individual. The cool part about
it is the thing that you missed motes, and we
talked about this is.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
When you leave the game, you miss that locker room.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
And you had Logan Mankins, Matt Light, Dan Cope and
Lonnie Pax and Kevin Fox, Dion Branch, all these guys
that you've had these incredible experiences with, and we played together,
we competed together. But to come back all and get
into one room and be able to see those guys
and pick up where we left off and tell funny stories.
An old joke so that's what it's all about. And
(02:01):
it's the camaraderie that you really don't experience in other
walks of life, but you do in that locker room,
and so it's pretty unique.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
All right, let's start where it started in two thousand
and five, and here's a guy who played one of
the best programs in all college football. You didn't get
a chance to play a lot. What were your what realistically, Matt,
did you think was going to happen as you entered
the draft that year.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Honestly, I was just hoping to catch on as a
free agent and prove myself, maybe even get in a
practice because my expectations were, Hey, if I can get in,
hopefully I can get a chance to prove myself.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
And throughout the.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Process, I had a good pro Day and all that stuff,
and I had some workouts for about five different teams,
and I just thought, you know, there is potential here
that I will be a free agent somewhere. And then
all of a sudden, that last day of the draft,
I get a phone call. I was sitting down at
my agency's like, look, free agency is going to happen quick.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
We got to be prepared. We're getting fucked.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
We're started to field some phone calls from different team tams,
and next thing I know, Coach Belichick's on the line
and saying, hey, Matt, welcome to the new England Patriots.
We're going to take you next in the NFL draft.
And my jawge is dropped. I kind of even had
to ask him, are you messing with me? Because I
didn't think it was realistic, right, I mean, for a
guy that threw I think it was thirty two total
passes in college, I backed up to Heisman Trophy winners,
(03:20):
which probably you know, kind of helped me along the
way in terms of the perception of who I could
potentially be. But there wasn't any tape out there, and
so the fact that they took a shot on me
and gave me an opportunity, I'd be forever grateful.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
So when you got drafted, you know, I was. We
were still doing the newspaper back then, Matt, That's how
long ago it was. But you know, I had your
draft profile that year and I called Pete Carroll, who
was the head coach here my first year working for
Patriots dot Com, and I talked to Pete a little bit,
and he gushed about how agonizing the decision was between
(03:54):
you and Mattleiner, and how you guys had sort of
toggled back and forth, and you know, depending on the
day that he woke up, he was convinced you with
the guy right, and then it was him, and then
it was you. And do you think that maybe Pete
talked to a lot of NFL guys, maybe with his
obviously extensive experience, and maybe that sort of helped give
you a little bit of a push.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
I absolutely think he had an influence on just the
ability to know so many different people from a personnel standpoint,
and then at the same time, I remember on the
pro day, before we started our pro day, he would
go in and speak to all the scouts individually about
each guy, and so I know that we always had
a good relationship. And as agonizing as it was for him,
(04:35):
it was more agonizing for me to sit there and
have to wait and say, you know, I can't the
week before season getting called into that office and getting
the devastating news that what you've been working for, you've
been the backup for three years behind Carson. This was
I felt like it was my time to go, and
then to be told, look, we're going to go with
line art to start, but if he falters it all,
and you know, he took off that first game with
(04:57):
like a rocket ship and we go beat Auburn. And
then I was like, man, what am I going to do?
So I stuck playing. I went and switched over, played
a little tight end that year, played on special teams,
did all these different things just because I wanted to
play and be a part of it. But I was
kind of stuck in that catch twenty.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
That's why Belichick drafted.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Yeah, He's like, maybe he'll be on special teams. The
more you can do, right, the more you can do.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Okay, So you're here ostensibly. You know, it helped celebrate
Tom's career, and so one of the big things that
has happened throughout the years, or rookie comes in, you're
in the room with him. You know, what was your
first impression when you met Tom?
Speaker 3 (05:30):
You know, I pretty much introduced myself in the weakest,
nerdiest form and fashion when he came up. I said,
mister Brady Matt Castle, because you know, it's an intimidating environment, right,
and this guy just came off three Super Bowls. You
don't know how to like normally you go up and say, hey,
what's going on, man, Nice to meet you. I just
completely geeked out, went with a mister Brady and he's like, hey, Bud,
(05:50):
don't call me that, call me Tommy. I was like,
he might have me cut tomorrow based on the fact
that he doesn't want to be in the room with
somebody like that. But no, he was incredible from the jump.
I mean we got in there, and then soon thereafter,
as we started to get into the work outs that offseason,
he's noticed that, Look, I was one of those workout
warriors too.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
I like to go in there.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I like to work out, and he's like, hey, you
want to work out with me? So he kind of
took me under his wing at that point and from
that point on for the next.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Four years, we worked out every day with each other.
We were in every meeting.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
But for me, it was just incredible to watch the
professionalism day in and day out, and his leadership. And
it was not just with his words, but it was
with his actions. It's how he took care of himself,
it's how he interacted with his teammates, how he treated
one guy because he thought he could get the most
out of this guy like Welker, for instance, he could
(06:39):
yell at him all day long and Welker would just
continue to go, you know. And then there's other guys
that maybe like a raindy Moss, that he'd sit there
in the locker after practice and just have a general
discussion about stuff because how he approached people was different
based on their personality and the relationships.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
So it was just a.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Masterclass in being a professional quarterback. And then to watch
what he did week in and week out was just astounding.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
So you get to be part of that room with,
you know, the best that's ever done it, and you
also get to be coached by a guy who a
lot of people think is the best who's ever done it.
What do you remember about Bill specifically? But and I know,
Matt and I tell talk about that story that I
think you talked about in the Dynasty documentary about him
calling your mom.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Oh yeah, right, about being a dumb ass because I
missed the corner blitz that was my rookie year. Yeah,
it was the last preseason game. I didn't see the
week corner Blitz, which hey, they were pretty sneaky about it.
This guy's as well, but he definitely called me out
in the meeting the next day. He's like, you know, Matt,
let's make sure we go through the fronts and check
(07:44):
the corner blitz so I don't have to call your
mom and tell our dear missus Castle, we're sorry your
son's in the hospital because he's a dumb ass.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
And from the whole team, I was like, yep, I
deserve that one.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
But Bill Bill was he was incredible because he pushed
you to limits that you didn't know that you could go,
and he got the best out of each of his players.
But I always respected about Bill was he had you
better prepared for any situation situationally speaking, also just game
readiness than I've ever been around. And part of that
was even on Tuesdays, taking the time out of his
(08:15):
day on a Tuesday or off day, we'd come in,
we'd meet with him and you've probably heard the story.
We sit down, go through every personnel and their defensive
back end, safeties, corner strengths, weaknesses, summarize who they are,
then even maybe a potential matchup on linebackers, talk about
the defensive coordinator and also his lineage and where it
came from. Then we'd watch film on all these guys.
(08:37):
So by the time you came in on Wednesday, you're rolling.
You understand why we're implementing certain past schemes and concepts,
who we're trying to attack on specific routes, who are
trying to take advantage of And so you just had this,
You had this confidence going into game week, understanding why
we're doing certain things.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
And there was never that wait, what what are we doing?
And if there was, it was answered right and so.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
And the other thing I always appreciated about Bill was
he he was always held everybody to the same standard
of accountability. It wasn't like a if you're this guy
and your big name, you're off limits. And I've been
around that that type of program before too. No, it
was look, if you're Tom Brady or if you're a
free agent, it doesn't matter. If you've messed up, I'm
(09:24):
gonna call you out. We're gonna correct it here. It
might not be something that you know, everybody everybody's cup
of tea like to sit there and get it in
the meeting room, but at the same time, it's set
us level of expectation and a standard for everyone Paul.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Mentioned the room, Matt, and so your rookie year is
three time Super Bowl champ Tom Brady, right, your offensive
coordinator who wasn't a coordinator by name is Josh McDaniels at.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
That time, because Charlie had just right, Charlie just like.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
And ninety seven year old, not Ginny, but with the mullet.
Doug Flutie, Dougie. What was that quarterback room like that?
Speaker 2 (10:01):
It was wild.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Actually, when I first got here, there was five guys
on that depth chart. So they put up the depth
chart and I'm going, gosh, I got some work to do.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
It was Tom.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Brady, Rohan, Davy, Doug Flutie, Chris Redman, and then myself,
I was like, man, these are a lot of veterans
and I am a low man on this tolt him pole.
But the cool part was as it all worked out,
you know, I was able to establish some credibility there
in preseason and make the team. But then Doug was there.
And Doug was hilarious because Doug was forty one, right,
(10:30):
he's forty one. He almost had a daughter that was
my age. He would drive into the facility and have
this huge trans am with this eagle on the front
of it, like living in the eighties. Oh, he's beautiful
and he's like a little kid though he would talk
about his heart. He'd play in this hardball baseball league
on the weekends. He'd go down the finway all the time,
the shagged balls with his glove, with his glove, I mean,
(10:53):
he loved it. And so the stories were just unbelievable
day to day. And the only time that it really
started to see his age where when those night meetings hit.
And sometimes you kind of look over and you're like,
is done nodding.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Off right now? I think he might be He's like, gosh,
I feel you now.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
I'm forty two and I'm sitting there. I can't believe
he was still playing at that time.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
I remember this, and you're never gonna remember this.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Well.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
You remember the drills, but I remember doing a story
video story because I was intrigued. Who am I'm a moron?
But every game pregame, Castle and Flutie yep would do
this contest, an accuracy contest where they'd be sitting there
and they'd try.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
To hit the colposts right the crossbar.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
I didn't know that, and it was so cool to
see you guys like really competitive, like hey, these might
be the only throws are gonna get all late. We
get really into it, and was it just it was
an accuracy test.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
There was an accuracy test, So you tried to hit
the crossbar.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
We'd start the fifteen yard line, go back to twenty
twenty five, thirty. I think we might have even got
to about the forty is when we and whoever whoever
collectively hit the crossbar from all those spots one and
we do it before every game. It was just a
fun little ritual and it was something that he just
was like, hey, cast you, let's play. And I was like,
all right, let's do it. And then it started to
(12:07):
become a tradition where we did every pregame we'd go
out there and throw.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
So most Patriots fans would probably say that the most
memorable thing that FLUTEI did was the game that he
had you know, the drop kit, right, Yeah, so that
game is really memorable for Matt and I also because
you played a big role on it at the end,
right I did so that that that finale against Miami.
I'm trying.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
I'm trying guy, you too.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
He can speak for himself too. But I just it was,
you know, sort of playoff seating at play. And I
know that Bill Belichick would never maybe intentionally not want
to win the game, but it certainly seemed we tied
the game into like the last minute or so. It
was you took him right down and the two point
conversion to tie the game. Oh yeah, see, I didn't remember,
(12:55):
children No.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
But the other thing is that I remember because I
was remember looking at the tape, is the sideline tape
is they score immediately they bring the huddle over the
field and there's Bill and there's you know, Tom and
everything they're talking about. And it's like, yeah, it's obvious
that there's they want to talk about this, and it's
not like necessarily, what's the best play to score here?
Speaker 3 (13:15):
On?
Speaker 4 (13:16):
No?
Speaker 3 (13:16):
You know what the interesting part was was it was
a two point play that we had practiced it. It
was a go on the outside and Bam was supposed
to set him up, stab inside and come out, and
it was a sprint out and they basically were having
a conversation. You like this play. I was like, let's
go for it because we knew that they were going
to pressure us, right because that was Saban's mentality, and
so it was more of a movement play instead of
(13:37):
sitting back there and having to throw like a fade
route something. And he was my number one read. And
I'll tell you what I came out. I saw him
wide open, and my eyes got big, and I sailed
that ball. And everybody still this day says coach Belichick,
you know our seatings were going to improve? Tell us
the truth throat over his head. No, he honestly called
that play to score. I don't think there was any
(13:57):
part of him that did ever even considered like, let's
throw this away.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
He never said that to me.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
That's a good soldier.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
So it's a great soldier. But it's also breaking news.
Who says we don't break news on the pats as
because I will guarantee you that ninety nine percent of
Patriots fans think, absolutely you hit the CBS scene on purpose.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
I appreciate that. Yeah, it was an eran throw.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
So I was going to ask you if there was
something specific that was talked about. Listen, we might not
really want to go overtime in this game. But no,
it was just and that.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Was the beauty of the play itself. Was people thought
that because if we go to overtime, We've got to
play next week in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
I get all that, but there was none of that
discussion on the sideline.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
It's hilarious and still this day, everybody's like, no, we know,
we know, tell me, tell me the truth.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Is that the power of Belichick? Though, I mean, really,
when you think of it, here's somebody who literally like
jerks like us aren't there. We can sit there and
have an opinion, but he's in the huddle. They bring
him over to the sideline. Here's the call. He says,
the I was wide open. I should have hit him.
I sailed the throw. It hit the CBS and video board.
And we're sitting here because we think that Belichick's pulling
(15:07):
puppets and everything like that. Okay, match, sure play this
like what was like a place jingle.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
You know, it's that's funny, it's it is the truth. Though,
I'm telling you guys, that was the right play.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
That's hilarious. Let's go forward a year, Matt to two
thousand and seven, which, for many, many reasons, is the
seasons that should be celebrated here in New England. Maybe
not with the banner, but but should be celebrated in
New England. How good was that team? As one who
had a chance a front row seat to see.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Greatness there, it was unbelievable.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
I mean, even going into that offseason, I think the
expectations started to rise. But also we had all these
new toys. We had the Ferraris on the outside. We
have Randy Moss, we have Wes Welker, Dante Stall, where
Tabar Gaffney or Shake.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
I mean we were loaded.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Tight end room was outstanding, Daniel Graham and Ben Watson,
so we had a full compliment.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
And throughout that offseason I was like, man, we're really good.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I mean because I had been there and we had
we always were successful, but this was a different breed
of team. And then we got to that first week
against the Jets and I was like.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Oh man, it's what I expected.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
But I didn't know that it was going to happen
that quick where we just dominated teams, probably until about
what week eight nine, when we finally had a game
against Baltimore where we had to come back.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
We had the throw to Jabar gaff.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
And probably coach game in Indy that year. You guys
were down ten, I think, and Tom had to bring
him back. Bulker scored to get it closer. Then Funk
I think scored the game when he.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
Touched Yes there there. That was a game too. So
later in the season, like we started to get a
little bit better competition, but the season itself was just
a masterpiece in terms of the confidence level that Brady
had throughout the year. The chemistry that he had with
all those guys, particularly with Randy and Welk was was
(16:57):
just incredible to see in person and to see their
work ethic week in and week out. And then even
you go to week sixteen against the Giants, and I
was supposed to play in that game, right, I was
getting reps that week. They're like, hey, be prepared probably
about the first quarter or so second quarter you're going
to go in this game because we were locked up,
and all of a sudden, that game started, and the
(17:17):
intensity was like a playoff game. I mean, it was
unreal because we couldn't improve our seat obviously, and could
they nor could they, And the anticipation was, Okay, we're
gonna go out here, We'll play our guys and then
get ready for playoffs.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
And then all of a sudden.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
This first quarter ends and I vividly remember Tommy coming
to the silence saying I'm not coming out of this
fucking game, and to a man, all those guys were like,
let's go. And there was something more than just week sixteen.
It was something more than just competitive. They knew what
was at stake going sixteen and h And when Brady
said that, I was like, Okay, maybe I'm not going
(17:55):
to play in this game. But it was the back
and forth of that game was unreal and the intensity
of it. It really was like another playoff game before
we even start.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
And that was one of the few games that you
didn't get to play that year because you had so many,
like thirty eight to fourteen games. Right, you got a
lot of work there.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Right, got a lot of work and got in a
bunch of those ball games because we're just blowing out
a ton of teams and it was just like, well,
Castle's going in here.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
When you look back at THO that and you probably
don't get a lot of reps in practice because Tom
gets all the reps. But do you get any reps
where maybe you're thrown to Randy, maybe you're thrown to
West And what did that do from a development standpoint,
you don't know where your career is going to go.
At that point, you're backing up the greatest quarterback. He
was probably that at the time. What was that like
to be able to work with those guys to help
(18:39):
you down the road when you finally did get a shot.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
Yeah, you know, some of it was individual drills, you know,
every now and then I'd get a bone and get
to throw to those guys. And the big development part
for us was sometimes preseason. Right preseason, I got to
start that fourth preseason game. I got to go and
there was times where they let me go with the starters,
and so you develop a little bit of chemistry there.
But and then, like I said during training camp, is
really they'll give you some reps with the ones occasionally,
(19:04):
and so that was pivotal for me to develop a
little bit of chemistry with those guys. But overall, I'm
telling you, if Tommy wanted to throw a ball, like
sometimes Josh would put me in to throw one of
these past concepts that we have that he's run a
million times, He's like, hey, let me get this.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
I'll be like, come on, bro, let me have one throw,
you know.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
But I mean, so you don't get that much time
on task with those guys, but in the offseason and
that you get a little bit more, and that was
pivotal in terms of just kind of developing those relationships
for sure.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
What was it like the following year. You know, you
obviously expectations sky high again in eight, right, and then
Tom he goes down first quarter, ten minutes into the game,
and all of a sudden you're thrust into it. What
was your mindset like going into that.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Well, I was lucky and fortunately because that preseason taught
me he was dealing with a little bit of a
foot injury, So I got to start a few more
games than I normally would have probably played a little
bit more in the preseason, So I remember that that
was helpful in terms of just getting yourself prepared to
play because of those games. I always say that was
for a guy like me who was a backup, was
such an important aspect of my development because it's live games,
(20:11):
live bullets, and now you might not have the same
competition is going up against the ones all game long,
and you can see that as your career gets older,
those ones like I got to play in the preseason,
now they're down to two. But that development was huge.
And then Week one hit and I was back in
the position I normally I'm sitting there watching and I
remember that play like it was yesterday when Randy caught
the ball down inside and he fumbles, and I'm watching,
(20:33):
but I hear the hush come over the stadium and
then I look back and I see Tom down. And
I've seen Tom down a few times. He's one of
the toughest guys I've ever played with. But the fact
that he wasn't getting up and that the doctor was
out there meant something was a little bit more intense here.
And then to watch him go in the locker room
and Bill just casually come over and say, Castle, get
your helmet, you're going on.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Just like that. It was no there was no panic,
there was no like, let's make this bigger than it is.
It's just like matter of faculty.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Hey, get ready to go, and then they then they
punt it down to the one yard line and we
start going. We run the ball and Randy runs a
route that he wasn't supposed to. He's supposed to run
the quick post. Patrick's surtain jumps inside. He runs right
by him, just because He's a savvy vet and saw
it and I come up off the fake anticipating the
inside posts and he's ten yards behind Patrick's urtain went
right by him and going down, and I was like,
(21:22):
all right, I'll just throw it out there. See what
happy He catches it and goes fifty six. So but
I don't know if it really set in until after
that game, right when the media attention that week, the
noise that was coming outside the building. Every media outlet
was trying to get an interview about you know who
you're going to bring in, want to do a sit down,
(21:43):
you haven't played all the different storylines behind my career,
And that's when I had to, like, I had to
try to decompress a little bit and then you know,
getting back in the building though, that week was huge
for me because once you're in this building, the routine
is the same week week out. And that's one of
their strengths is that once you're here, it's a work
(22:04):
work like mentality. You're gonna come in, we're gonna do
the same thing.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
We're gonna get prepared.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
We're not gonna talk about who's here, who's not, whoever's
playing is getting ready to go, and so they did
a great job of just kind of keeping me on
tasks that week.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
That Monday, Like, I don't know that it was a
gong show, okay, but I'm sure Peoli was making calls
and all that, you know, like you said, five alarm fire, Chris,
sim's this guy, that guy are all coming in? What's
going through your mind at that?
Speaker 3 (22:30):
Like?
Speaker 1 (22:30):
And then maybe more importantly, what did it mean to
you when I don't know if anybody came up to
you and said, hey, Matt, it's you. We're riding with you.
Can I just add to that real quick before you
answer it. My recollection is that they had some visits
planned and Bill pulled the plug on him and just said,
I don't I think the thought process that Bill probably
(22:52):
had was he doesn't need any veterans coming in looking
over his shoulder.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
It's him.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
We're going with Matt, and he doesn't need that. Is
that true? Am I making that up?
Speaker 2 (23:01):
You know what it might have been.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
I tried to stay out of that as much as possible.
I was like, I had enough on my plate to
be honest with you. But the fact that they didn't
bring somebody in, and now that would create more noise
and more chatter even inside the locker room. Who's going
to be playing? Is Castle your guy? Are they gonna
have a quick plug on him where they're gonna pull
him as soon as he has any any issues, you know,
(23:23):
with the team. And then we won those first two games.
We get boat raced by Miami, We go out, we
beat San Francisco, we get beat by San Diego. So
we kind of had that back and forth. And I
remember right after San Diego, coming home from that trip,
Bill coming in and talking to me and just saying, Hey,
you're doing fine. We're on the right path, and I
don't want you thinking about this or the other. Just
(23:44):
keep doing what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
You're our guy.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
And that gave me confidence when he said I've got
your back, You're our guy. And he told me that
straight to my face, saying, look, you don't get a
lot of that from Bill. You don't get a lot
of reassurance. It's do your job all that stuff. But
the fact that he did say that well kind of
was a turning point for me because I think the
next week was Denver and we went out and had
a heck of a night and from there we started
to play some good ball.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
I'm going to go back though to week two on
your first start, and you know, there was, oh my gosh,
Matt Castle, this Matt Castle that it wasn't a work
of art, noce. You went down there and you beat
the Jets, and I just remember favorously seeing the locker
room video and telling and saying, we got to use this,
we got to use this, and they're rolling the eyes
and everything like that. But the famous quote, Matt, they
said you hadn't started a game since the f and
(24:29):
seventh grade. Well, I guess you started one now. And
the genuine emotion that your teammates felt for you and
the smile on your face at that time, And that's
not the easiest spot to get in. It's an NFL team,
It doesn't matter who it was. You must have had
a tremendous amount of pride.
Speaker 3 (24:44):
Oh man, I mean that's one of the most memorable
parts of my entire career, just coming in your first start,
going up against one of your idols, Brett Favre. Who's
the first guy to run across the field to shake
my hand. Wow, first guy he comes up. He says, Hey, congratulations,
I'm so happy for you with this big smile on
his face, and I was like, I used to wear
the Brett fav cleats in high school, like it was.
(25:05):
And then to go into that locker room and to
see the faces and have those guys rally around me
the way that they did, the hugs, the yelling, the screaming,
and it was just that special moment in sports, you
know that you've worked for and that you dream about
as a kid to be in that locker room and
then all of a sudden it happens and you win
a game. And my career didn't go exactly the way
(25:28):
that I wanted to, but the fact that I was
sitting in the New England Patriots locker room being the
starting quarterback for my first start and winning was pretty special.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
That is well, first of all, I'll tell you that
game was the only time I ever really got yelled
at by Patriots Personelk because again, we still did the
paper then, and we used to put picks in the
paper and we all picked the Jets. Yeah, it was
like three of us, right, and we got back on
the bus. We're on Bus four at the time, and
you know, all your video guys, Jimmy undressed me. How's
(26:01):
that pick? And you know, I'm teasing Jimmy d who's
longtime video coordinator here for the pageots. He's apologized a
million times sort of that. But I was like, Jimmy,
I just I just picked who I thought was gonna win.
I go, I said, I picked us to win the
super Bowl last year too.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
I didn't. I didn't hear.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
I didn't hear yelling at me when I got that
one wrong, you know, so it just kind of we
got to laugh out of it. But I'm really that's
a great story about Brett Farv because Matt and I
talk about the second time you played far of that year,
and I know it ended in a loss in overtime,
but that may have been the best game, you know,
that season for you. I mean, I know you had
a couple of four hundred yard games there back to back,
(26:42):
but that was an unbelievable performance you guys had offensively.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Was the best throw of your career.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
It was one of them, for sure. I mean, it's
up there for the way. I mean.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
The crazy part about that game is Thursday night game,
so you know, the week is just chaotic and you
come in you're putting together a game plan. We had
like a full game plan set up of different checks
at the Lion scrimmage, just that and the other. And
if you did remember, they got out to a substantial
lead pretty early. I think they were up fourteen, and
then we just said we're going two minutes. So we
(27:13):
went two minutes the rest of that game, and then
it was that last minute drive that we went on
and I just remember he caught it on ty Law,
which I was giving him crap about that last night,
and I was like, oh, yeah, cast well, I picked
you off from my last pick of my career.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
I was like, I don't remember that one, but I
do remember this one, sure.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
But I just remember Randy saying, I'm going to post
him up because it was one of those plays.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
It was the last play of the game.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
He had to get in the end zone, so everybody
was supposed to go get in the end zone, and
I was going to try to buy some time and
see it. And I just remember Randy sitting there in
the corner and he had him posted up like this
with his big white pile and his glove, and I
was like, I'll give it a shot, and he tippy
toed that thing and I was like, I don't I
didn't know if he was in or out. But the
crowd erupted and then they came back and it was
like man, and then I was like, just give us
(27:59):
the ball. They couldn't stop us offensively. If we got
that ball, we're gonna go down. We're gonna win that game.
And then they got it, and they had a third
and like fifteen and converted and went down kicked the
field goal, and that was one of the more devastating losses,
just based on where we were in the season and
also the fact that we felt we had it. Just
the momentum had shifted so dramatically.
Speaker 4 (28:22):
This is a nerd keller.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
Yeah, and fifteen right over the ball to a little handkraut.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
Right, This is a nerdy one for me. But I remember,
you know, one of the times going back there and
seeing in the football facility and Bill and Bears are
you know, getting pictures after win. Oh look at this picture.
Oh look at this play. Look at this play. And
you remember seeing the picture of the throat to Randy
and I'm sitting there going it's one of the greatest
pictures I've ever seen, Like here's the ball, Matt's throwing it.
(28:51):
Randy's right there. It's the great still picture. And I'm going,
why would that picture? How is that picture not on
the walls here at j Lede Stadium, Bears looks at egos.
That's the game, dude.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Yeah, okay, yes, that's the thing is those pictures only
go up after victory. Yeah, and some of them are
You're like, gosh, that was such a good play. Oh yeah,
we lost that game. Never mind, Okay, moving on right
next one.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
So what I would think?
Speaker 1 (29:19):
No, sorry, Paul, but I mean you speak about this
a lot, and we've talked about this a bunch. We
talk about probably the greatest coach in the history of
the NFL, who's got more Super Bowls than anybody else
with the Patriots, with the Giants, the way that he
talks about that twenty and eighteen, it's a lot.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
He has a lot of pride in that.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
He has so much pride in that team. And you
didn't make the playoffs. You know, terrific weather conditions in Buffalo. Wait,
you're waiting for somebody, you know, you need this to happen,
that to happen, and it doesn't, and it doesn't work
out for you. Guys, when you look back on that year,
it sucked that you didn't make the playoffs, But do
you look back at it, and you know what, for
guy that only had thirty something snaps in college to
(29:57):
come in and take over the greatest player in the game,
you know what, we gave it a ride. We gave
it a ride.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
Yeah, you know, it's not until you go and you
kind of look back and just especially the circumstances, right,
and what you're thrust into the stress of the just
the position in general, but also where we were as
a team and coming off the year that we had
the year before, and then to.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
Go out and.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Really I didn't know what I was capable of, and
this team obviously didn't know because I hadn't played. And
to go out and to accomplish what we did that season,
and also the teams, like the teammates that I had
to rally around me the way that they did. I
couldn't have done it without those guys. And to go
out and not get that opportunity playoffs was more than disappointing, right,
(30:45):
just because I thought we were playing our best football
at the end of the year, and I think that
we probably could have get given it a pretty good run.
But at the end of the day, it was one
of those seasons that I was, you know, I'll be
forever grateful that I had that opportunity. At the same time,
we accomplished a lot considering what what the circumstances were
to start the year.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
It's funny, right at the day after that game, you know,
we get back because the plane ride home was like,
you know, we're watching the Miami Jets game. But Vince
Wilfolk were sitting right where Matt is and Ty Warren
was here, and I was where you are, and we
were talking and we finished up the interview, and you know,
we got done and I kind of said that I go,
you know, geez, you know, you guys feel like it
(31:27):
would have been dangerous, you know, like they had the
whole the whole talk was like how disappointing, Like we
came so far and Matt did so well and he
led us and he put us in position in eleven
and five. It's a great year, you know, it's too bad,
and so we get done and I looked at them,
I was like, you really think we could have been dangerous?
I'm like, go, and I think we're out of gas too.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
I was like, WHOA.
Speaker 4 (31:48):
I wasn't expecting that answer.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
Yeah, guys, come on, come on seriously.
Speaker 4 (31:53):
Now, I'm sure everybody would have rallied and everything, but
that was just sort of my mind's eye. Vincent and
Ty were like, yeah, I think we got you know,
I think we squeezed every ounce of wins that we
had that year. I mean it was I think Matt's
characterization of the way Bill talks about that team is
really accurate. I think he was really proud of that team, right,
because I think he even at some point in the
(32:15):
nearer maybe nine to ten, No, it was probably eleven
when Peyton got hurt and was out for the whole
year in Indy and they went to and fourteen, and
I think he had a couple of cracks like, We're
not one of these teams that our starting quarterback gets
hurt and the season unravels.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
And I think there's a lot of pride in that.
Speaker 4 (32:33):
And I think it was a lot of pride in
you and what you did. And I know, question, I
think that sort of came through when when Bill talks
about it.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Right. Final one here for me, Matt in the PostScript,
maybe to your patriot's career. This is the way I
see it. I don't know if I'm right or wrong,
but it almost seems like they did you a solid,
you know, and here's an opportunity. It's not a parting gift.
It's business. After all. Let's not get carried away and anything.
But giving you an opportunity to go to Kansas City.
How did you like sad that you're New England, But
(33:00):
here's a fresh opportunity, fresh off of what you did,
to try to then go and have the career that
you want to.
Speaker 3 (33:06):
Have, right and he really I owe all the credit
to the coach Belichick because even after that season, I
don't know if a lot of people realize they franchised
me and I couldn't have signed that thing quicker.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
So I signed it. I was like, man, okay, great,
So I signed.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
It, you know, and really not understanding what my future
was going to hold at that point because Tom was
coming back at some point. He's coming back, and I
knew that that was obviously he's Tom Brady and that's
what's going to happen. But I didn't know where I
was going to go. And then Pioli got the job.
Josh McDaniels goes to Denver, there's talk about potential Denver,
and then the trade goes through to Kansas City, and
(33:43):
I was like, it's a fresh start. But at the
same time, there was so many adjustments that had to
be made because the Patriots do it one way right,
and so when you get to a new city with
a new team, a team that had been struggling for
quite some time and then come in, the expectation of
are different, and so there was an adjustment period there.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
But I was forever grateful.
Speaker 3 (34:04):
That he put me in a position to go sign
that deal and go play for Kansas City and give
me another opportunity to be a starter in this league.
And and I give him all the credit for just
the development and what he did, his belief in me,
giving me that opportunity and let me ride that thing
out early in the season. And then also he was
also one of those guys that was there and when
(34:25):
I'd see him call him anything like that, he would
always pick up He's just been tremendous.
Speaker 4 (34:29):
And you got a chance to play in the playoffs.
I mean, people, you know, I think forget just how good.
You played that first Pro Bowl. I thank you.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
For our first year. Huh, Billy Belichick, That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (34:46):
So I got to come see all the boys there too,
So I mean it was that was a cool experience too,
to go out there and coach Belichick be be our coach.
But the funny part is we get into the first
meeting and they're talking about what we're gonna run. I'm like,
I know this offense is gonna be great, and they're
completely different offense. They change it to a number system.
I never played in a number system in my life.
I'm sitting there going, Gosch, what what the hell is this? Like,
(35:08):
didn't even run the offense. I was laughing, just going Okay, well,
we'll have to figure it out when we get out there.
Speaker 1 (35:13):
That's great, Matt, thank you so much for your time
as going forward, having brief time tonight.
Speaker 2 (35:18):
Thank you. I'm looking forward to it. It'll be a blast.
Thank you for downloading this podcast.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
Subscribe on Apple, google Play, and everywhere else you listen.
Speaker 4 (35:26):
Like the show, Please rate and review us.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Listener comments and ratings
Speaker 1 (35:30):
Help keep us high on the podcast rankings so new
listeners can find us be sure to check patriots dot
com for more news and more podcasts.
It's time for another episode of Pats from the Past podcast.
Matt Smith here alongside with Papaolo when we were pleased
to be joined by former Patriots quarterback Matt Castle. Matt,
thanks for joining us.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Absolutely glad to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Why are you here, Matt? What would bring you back
to Foxborough?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
What would bring me back to the Foxborough is not
just the people, the fans, but it's the tribute, Let's
be honest, it's the tribute the retirement ceremony for Tom Brady.
And you know, it was an incredible start to the
ceremonies last night when we all got together, a bunch
of teammates, old teammates and familiar faces coming back. So
we had a blast last night. We're looking to continue
it tonight.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
You're a busy man with a big family, with a
lot of responsibilities and everything like that, so it's not
the easiest thing to sort of I'm going to drop
everything I'm doing. But was it and I'm sure so,
I mean, I don't want to answer it for you. Challenging,
but was it an easy decision to make that I
wanted to be here?
Speaker 3 (00:58):
It was challenging, but it was deaf an easy decision
to make. I mean, Tom's a close friend of mine.
He's played an important role in my development when I
was young, and throughout the years we've stayed close. And
just the fact that we get an opportunity to celebrate
him tonight and send him send him out in the
proper fashion, and it'll be it'll be a fun, fun
experience for everybody.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
You talked about the event that you did on Tuesday night,
any particular teammate that maybe you hadn't seen, and you're like, wow,
it was great to catch out. I'm sure there were
a lot of them, but someone individually that stood out.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
You know, there's not one individual. The cool part about
it is the thing that you missed motes, and we
talked about this is.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
When you leave the game, you miss that locker room.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
And you had Logan Mankins, Matt Light, Dan Cope and
Lonnie Pax and Kevin Fox, Dion Branch, all these guys
that you've had these incredible experiences with, and we played together,
we competed together. But to come back all and get
into one room and be able to see those guys
and pick up where we left off and tell funny stories.
An old joke so that's what it's all about. And
(02:01):
it's the camaraderie that you really don't experience in other
walks of life, but you do in that locker room,
and so it's pretty unique.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
All right, let's start where it started in two thousand
and five, and here's a guy who played one of
the best programs in all college football. You didn't get
a chance to play a lot. What were your what realistically, Matt,
did you think was going to happen as you entered
the draft that year.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Honestly, I was just hoping to catch on as a
free agent and prove myself, maybe even get in a
practice because my expectations were, Hey, if I can get in,
hopefully I can get a chance to prove myself.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
And throughout the.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Process, I had a good pro Day and all that stuff,
and I had some workouts for about five different teams,
and I just thought, you know, there is potential here
that I will be a free agent somewhere. And then
all of a sudden, that last day of the draft,
I get a phone call. I was sitting down at
my agency's like, look, free agency is going to happen quick.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
We got to be prepared. We're getting fucked.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
We're started to field some phone calls from different team tams,
and next thing I know, Coach Belichick's on the line
and saying, hey, Matt, welcome to the new England Patriots.
We're going to take you next in the NFL draft.
And my jawge is dropped. I kind of even had
to ask him, are you messing with me? Because I
didn't think it was realistic, right, I mean, for a
guy that threw I think it was thirty two total
passes in college, I backed up to Heisman Trophy winners,
(03:20):
which probably you know, kind of helped me along the
way in terms of the perception of who I could
potentially be. But there wasn't any tape out there, and
so the fact that they took a shot on me
and gave me an opportunity, I'd be forever grateful.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
So when you got drafted, you know, I was. We
were still doing the newspaper back then, Matt, That's how
long ago it was. But you know, I had your
draft profile that year and I called Pete Carroll, who
was the head coach here my first year working for
Patriots dot Com, and I talked to Pete a little bit,
and he gushed about how agonizing the decision was between
(03:54):
you and Mattleiner, and how you guys had sort of
toggled back and forth, and you know, depending on the
day that he woke up, he was convinced you with
the guy right, and then it was him, and then
it was you. And do you think that maybe Pete
talked to a lot of NFL guys, maybe with his
obviously extensive experience, and maybe that sort of helped give
you a little bit of a push.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
I absolutely think he had an influence on just the
ability to know so many different people from a personnel standpoint,
and then at the same time, I remember on the
pro day, before we started our pro day, he would
go in and speak to all the scouts individually about
each guy, and so I know that we always had
a good relationship. And as agonizing as it was for him,
(04:35):
it was more agonizing for me to sit there and
have to wait and say, you know, I can't the
week before season getting called into that office and getting
the devastating news that what you've been working for, you've
been the backup for three years behind Carson. This was
I felt like it was my time to go, and
then to be told, look, we're going to go with
line art to start, but if he falters it all,
and you know, he took off that first game with
(04:57):
like a rocket ship and we go beat Auburn. And
then I was like, man, what am I going to do?
So I stuck playing. I went and switched over, played
a little tight end that year, played on special teams,
did all these different things just because I wanted to
play and be a part of it. But I was
kind of stuck in that catch twenty.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
That's why Belichick drafted.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Yeah, He's like, maybe he'll be on special teams. The
more you can do, right, the more you can do.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Okay, So you're here ostensibly. You know, it helped celebrate
Tom's career, and so one of the big things that
has happened throughout the years, or rookie comes in, you're
in the room with him. You know, what was your
first impression when you met Tom?
Speaker 3 (05:30):
You know, I pretty much introduced myself in the weakest,
nerdiest form and fashion when he came up. I said,
mister Brady Matt Castle, because you know, it's an intimidating environment, right,
and this guy just came off three Super Bowls. You
don't know how to like normally you go up and say, hey,
what's going on, man, Nice to meet you. I just
completely geeked out, went with a mister Brady and he's like, hey, Bud,
(05:50):
don't call me that, call me Tommy. I was like,
he might have me cut tomorrow based on the fact
that he doesn't want to be in the room with
somebody like that. But no, he was incredible from the jump.
I mean we got in there, and then soon thereafter,
as we started to get into the work outs that offseason,
he's noticed that, Look, I was one of those workout
warriors too.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
I like to go in there.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I like to work out, and he's like, hey, you
want to work out with me? So he kind of
took me under his wing at that point and from
that point on for the next.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Four years, we worked out every day with each other.
We were in every meeting.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
But for me, it was just incredible to watch the
professionalism day in and day out, and his leadership. And
it was not just with his words, but it was
with his actions. It's how he took care of himself,
it's how he interacted with his teammates, how he treated
one guy because he thought he could get the most
out of this guy like Welker, for instance, he could
(06:39):
yell at him all day long and Welker would just
continue to go, you know. And then there's other guys
that maybe like a raindy Moss, that he'd sit there
in the locker after practice and just have a general
discussion about stuff because how he approached people was different
based on their personality and the relationships.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
So it was just a.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Masterclass in being a professional quarterback. And then to watch
what he did week in and week out was just astounding.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
So you get to be part of that room with,
you know, the best that's ever done it, and you
also get to be coached by a guy who a
lot of people think is the best who's ever done it.
What do you remember about Bill specifically? But and I know,
Matt and I tell talk about that story that I
think you talked about in the Dynasty documentary about him
calling your mom.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Oh yeah, right, about being a dumb ass because I
missed the corner blitz that was my rookie year. Yeah,
it was the last preseason game. I didn't see the
week corner Blitz, which hey, they were pretty sneaky about it.
This guy's as well, but he definitely called me out
in the meeting the next day. He's like, you know, Matt,
let's make sure we go through the fronts and check
(07:44):
the corner blitz so I don't have to call your
mom and tell our dear missus Castle, we're sorry your
son's in the hospital because he's a dumb ass.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
And from the whole team, I was like, yep, I
deserve that one.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
But Bill Bill was he was incredible because he pushed
you to limits that you didn't know that you could go,
and he got the best out of each of his players.
But I always respected about Bill was he had you
better prepared for any situation situationally speaking, also just game
readiness than I've ever been around. And part of that
was even on Tuesdays, taking the time out of his
(08:15):
day on a Tuesday or off day, we'd come in,
we'd meet with him and you've probably heard the story.
We sit down, go through every personnel and their defensive
back end, safeties, corner strengths, weaknesses, summarize who they are,
then even maybe a potential matchup on linebackers, talk about
the defensive coordinator and also his lineage and where it
came from. Then we'd watch film on all these guys.
(08:37):
So by the time you came in on Wednesday, you're rolling.
You understand why we're implementing certain past schemes and concepts,
who we're trying to attack on specific routes, who are
trying to take advantage of And so you just had this,
You had this confidence going into game week, understanding why
we're doing certain things.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
And there was never that wait, what what are we doing?
And if there was, it was answered right and so.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
And the other thing I always appreciated about Bill was
he he was always held everybody to the same standard
of accountability. It wasn't like a if you're this guy
and your big name, you're off limits. And I've been
around that that type of program before too. No, it
was look, if you're Tom Brady or if you're a
free agent, it doesn't matter. If you've messed up, I'm
(09:24):
gonna call you out. We're gonna correct it here. It
might not be something that you know, everybody everybody's cup
of tea like to sit there and get it in
the meeting room, but at the same time, it's set
us level of expectation and a standard for everyone Paul.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Mentioned the room, Matt, and so your rookie year is
three time Super Bowl champ Tom Brady, right, your offensive
coordinator who wasn't a coordinator by name is Josh McDaniels at.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
That time, because Charlie had just right, Charlie just like.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
And ninety seven year old, not Ginny, but with the mullet.
Doug Flutie, Dougie. What was that quarterback room like that?
Speaker 2 (10:01):
It was wild.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Actually, when I first got here, there was five guys
on that depth chart. So they put up the depth
chart and I'm going, gosh, I got some work to do.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
It was Tom.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Brady, Rohan, Davy, Doug Flutie, Chris Redman, and then myself,
I was like, man, these are a lot of veterans
and I am a low man on this tolt him pole.
But the cool part was as it all worked out,
you know, I was able to establish some credibility there
in preseason and make the team. But then Doug was there.
And Doug was hilarious because Doug was forty one, right,
(10:30):
he's forty one. He almost had a daughter that was
my age. He would drive into the facility and have
this huge trans am with this eagle on the front
of it, like living in the eighties. Oh, he's beautiful
and he's like a little kid though he would talk
about his heart. He'd play in this hardball baseball league
on the weekends. He'd go down the finway all the time,
the shagged balls with his glove, with his glove, I mean,
(10:53):
he loved it. And so the stories were just unbelievable
day to day. And the only time that it really
started to see his age where when those night meetings hit.
And sometimes you kind of look over and you're like,
is done nodding.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Off right now? I think he might be He's like, gosh,
I feel you now.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
I'm forty two and I'm sitting there. I can't believe
he was still playing at that time.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
I remember this, and you're never gonna remember this.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Well.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
You remember the drills, but I remember doing a story
video story because I was intrigued. Who am I'm a moron?
But every game pregame, Castle and Flutie yep would do
this contest, an accuracy contest where they'd be sitting there
and they'd try.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
To hit the colposts right the crossbar.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
I didn't know that, and it was so cool to
see you guys like really competitive, like hey, these might
be the only throws are gonna get all late. We
get really into it, and was it just it was
an accuracy test.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
There was an accuracy test, So you tried to hit
the crossbar.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
We'd start the fifteen yard line, go back to twenty
twenty five, thirty. I think we might have even got
to about the forty is when we and whoever whoever
collectively hit the crossbar from all those spots one and
we do it before every game. It was just a
fun little ritual and it was something that he just
was like, hey, cast you, let's play. And I was like,
all right, let's do it. And then it started to
(12:07):
become a tradition where we did every pregame we'd go
out there and throw.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
So most Patriots fans would probably say that the most
memorable thing that FLUTEI did was the game that he
had you know, the drop kit, right, Yeah, so that
game is really memorable for Matt and I also because
you played a big role on it at the end,
right I did so that that that finale against Miami.
I'm trying.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
I'm trying guy, you too.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
He can speak for himself too. But I just it was,
you know, sort of playoff seating at play. And I
know that Bill Belichick would never maybe intentionally not want
to win the game, but it certainly seemed we tied
the game into like the last minute or so. It
was you took him right down and the two point
conversion to tie the game. Oh yeah, see, I didn't remember,
(12:55):
children No.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
But the other thing is that I remember because I
was remember looking at the tape, is the sideline tape
is they score immediately they bring the huddle over the
field and there's Bill and there's you know, Tom and
everything they're talking about. And it's like, yeah, it's obvious
that there's they want to talk about this, and it's
not like necessarily, what's the best play to score here?
Speaker 3 (13:15):
On?
Speaker 4 (13:16):
No?
Speaker 3 (13:16):
You know what the interesting part was was it was
a two point play that we had practiced it. It
was a go on the outside and Bam was supposed
to set him up, stab inside and come out, and
it was a sprint out and they basically were having
a conversation. You like this play. I was like, let's
go for it because we knew that they were going
to pressure us, right because that was Saban's mentality, and
so it was more of a movement play instead of
(13:37):
sitting back there and having to throw like a fade
route something. And he was my number one read. And
I'll tell you what I came out. I saw him
wide open, and my eyes got big, and I sailed
that ball. And everybody still this day says coach Belichick,
you know our seatings were going to improve? Tell us
the truth throat over his head. No, he honestly called
that play to score. I don't think there was any
(13:57):
part of him that did ever even considered like, let's
throw this away.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
He never said that to me.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
That's a good soldier.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
So it's a great soldier. But it's also breaking news.
Who says we don't break news on the pats as
because I will guarantee you that ninety nine percent of
Patriots fans think, absolutely you hit the CBS scene on purpose.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
I appreciate that. Yeah, it was an eran throw.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
So I was going to ask you if there was
something specific that was talked about. Listen, we might not
really want to go overtime in this game. But no,
it was just and that.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Was the beauty of the play itself. Was people thought
that because if we go to overtime, We've got to
play next week in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
I get all that, but there was none of that
discussion on the sideline.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
It's hilarious and still this day, everybody's like, no, we know,
we know, tell me, tell me the truth.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Is that the power of Belichick? Though, I mean, really,
when you think of it, here's somebody who literally like
jerks like us aren't there. We can sit there and
have an opinion, but he's in the huddle. They bring
him over to the sideline. Here's the call. He says,
the I was wide open. I should have hit him.
I sailed the throw. It hit the CBS and video board.
And we're sitting here because we think that Belichick's pulling
(15:07):
puppets and everything like that. Okay, match, sure play this
like what was like a place jingle.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
You know, it's that's funny, it's it is the truth. Though,
I'm telling you guys, that was the right play.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
That's hilarious. Let's go forward a year, Matt to two
thousand and seven, which, for many, many reasons, is the
seasons that should be celebrated here in New England. Maybe
not with the banner, but but should be celebrated in
New England. How good was that team? As one who
had a chance a front row seat to see.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Greatness there, it was unbelievable.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
I mean, even going into that offseason, I think the
expectations started to rise. But also we had all these
new toys. We had the Ferraris on the outside. We
have Randy Moss, we have Wes Welker, Dante Stall, where
Tabar Gaffney or Shake.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
I mean we were loaded.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Tight end room was outstanding, Daniel Graham and Ben Watson,
so we had a full compliment.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
And throughout that offseason I was like, man, we're really good.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I mean because I had been there and we had
we always were successful, but this was a different breed
of team. And then we got to that first week
against the Jets and I was like.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Oh man, it's what I expected.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
But I didn't know that it was going to happen
that quick where we just dominated teams, probably until about
what week eight nine, when we finally had a game
against Baltimore where we had to come back.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
We had the throw to Jabar gaff.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
And probably coach game in Indy that year. You guys
were down ten, I think, and Tom had to bring
him back. Bulker scored to get it closer. Then Funk
I think scored the game when he.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
Touched Yes there there. That was a game too. So
later in the season, like we started to get a
little bit better competition, but the season itself was just
a masterpiece in terms of the confidence level that Brady
had throughout the year. The chemistry that he had with
all those guys, particularly with Randy and Welk was was
(16:57):
just incredible to see in person and to see their
work ethic week in and week out. And then even
you go to week sixteen against the Giants, and I
was supposed to play in that game, right, I was
getting reps that week. They're like, hey, be prepared probably
about the first quarter or so second quarter you're going
to go in this game because we were locked up,
and all of a sudden, that game started, and the
(17:17):
intensity was like a playoff game. I mean, it was
unreal because we couldn't improve our seat obviously, and could
they nor could they, And the anticipation was, Okay, we're
gonna go out here, We'll play our guys and then
get ready for playoffs.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
And then all of a sudden.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
This first quarter ends and I vividly remember Tommy coming
to the silence saying I'm not coming out of this
fucking game, and to a man, all those guys were like,
let's go. And there was something more than just week sixteen.
It was something more than just competitive. They knew what
was at stake going sixteen and h And when Brady
said that, I was like, Okay, maybe I'm not going
(17:55):
to play in this game. But it was the back
and forth of that game was unreal and the intensity
of it. It really was like another playoff game before
we even start.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
And that was one of the few games that you
didn't get to play that year because you had so many,
like thirty eight to fourteen games. Right, you got a
lot of work there.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Right, got a lot of work and got in a
bunch of those ball games because we're just blowing out
a ton of teams and it was just like, well,
Castle's going in here.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
When you look back at THO that and you probably
don't get a lot of reps in practice because Tom
gets all the reps. But do you get any reps
where maybe you're thrown to Randy, maybe you're thrown to
West And what did that do from a development standpoint,
you don't know where your career is going to go.
At that point, you're backing up the greatest quarterback. He
was probably that at the time. What was that like
to be able to work with those guys to help
(18:39):
you down the road when you finally did get a shot.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
Yeah, you know, some of it was individual drills, you know,
every now and then I'd get a bone and get
to throw to those guys. And the big development part
for us was sometimes preseason. Right preseason, I got to
start that fourth preseason game. I got to go and
there was times where they let me go with the starters,
and so you develop a little bit of chemistry there.
But and then, like I said during training camp, is
really they'll give you some reps with the ones occasionally,
(19:04):
and so that was pivotal for me to develop a
little bit of chemistry with those guys. But overall, I'm
telling you, if Tommy wanted to throw a ball, like
sometimes Josh would put me in to throw one of
these past concepts that we have that he's run a
million times, He's like, hey, let me get this.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
I'll be like, come on, bro, let me have one throw,
you know.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
But I mean, so you don't get that much time
on task with those guys, but in the offseason and
that you get a little bit more, and that was
pivotal in terms of just kind of developing those relationships
for sure.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
What was it like the following year. You know, you
obviously expectations sky high again in eight, right, and then
Tom he goes down first quarter, ten minutes into the game,
and all of a sudden you're thrust into it. What
was your mindset like going into that.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Well, I was lucky and fortunately because that preseason taught
me he was dealing with a little bit of a
foot injury, So I got to start a few more
games than I normally would have probably played a little
bit more in the preseason, So I remember that that
was helpful in terms of just getting yourself prepared to
play because of those games. I always say that was
for a guy like me who was a backup, was
such an important aspect of my development because it's live games,
(20:11):
live bullets, and now you might not have the same
competition is going up against the ones all game long,
and you can see that as your career gets older,
those ones like I got to play in the preseason,
now they're down to two. But that development was huge.
And then Week one hit and I was back in
the position I normally I'm sitting there watching and I
remember that play like it was yesterday when Randy caught
the ball down inside and he fumbles, and I'm watching,
(20:33):
but I hear the hush come over the stadium and
then I look back and I see Tom down. And
I've seen Tom down a few times. He's one of
the toughest guys I've ever played with. But the fact
that he wasn't getting up and that the doctor was
out there meant something was a little bit more intense here.
And then to watch him go in the locker room
and Bill just casually come over and say, Castle, get
your helmet, you're going on.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Just like that. It was no there was no panic,
there was no like, let's make this bigger than it is.
It's just like matter of faculty.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Hey, get ready to go, and then they then they
punt it down to the one yard line and we
start going. We run the ball and Randy runs a
route that he wasn't supposed to. He's supposed to run
the quick post. Patrick's surtain jumps inside. He runs right
by him, just because He's a savvy vet and saw
it and I come up off the fake anticipating the
inside posts and he's ten yards behind Patrick's urtain went
right by him and going down, and I was like,
(21:22):
all right, I'll just throw it out there. See what
happy He catches it and goes fifty six. So but
I don't know if it really set in until after
that game, right when the media attention that week, the
noise that was coming outside the building. Every media outlet
was trying to get an interview about you know who
you're going to bring in, want to do a sit down,
(21:43):
you haven't played all the different storylines behind my career,
And that's when I had to, like, I had to
try to decompress a little bit and then you know,
getting back in the building though, that week was huge
for me because once you're in this building, the routine
is the same week week out. And that's one of
their strengths is that once you're here, it's a work
(22:04):
work like mentality. You're gonna come in, we're gonna do
the same thing.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
We're gonna get prepared.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
We're not gonna talk about who's here, who's not, whoever's
playing is getting ready to go, and so they did
a great job of just kind of keeping me on
tasks that week.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
That Monday, Like, I don't know that it was a
gong show, okay, but I'm sure Peoli was making calls
and all that, you know, like you said, five alarm fire, Chris,
sim's this guy, that guy are all coming in? What's
going through your mind at that?
Speaker 3 (22:30):
Like?
Speaker 1 (22:30):
And then maybe more importantly, what did it mean to
you when I don't know if anybody came up to
you and said, hey, Matt, it's you. We're riding with you.
Can I just add to that real quick before you
answer it. My recollection is that they had some visits
planned and Bill pulled the plug on him and just said,
I don't I think the thought process that Bill probably
(22:52):
had was he doesn't need any veterans coming in looking
over his shoulder.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
It's him.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
We're going with Matt, and he doesn't need that. Is
that true? Am I making that up?
Speaker 2 (23:01):
You know what it might have been.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
I tried to stay out of that as much as possible.
I was like, I had enough on my plate to
be honest with you. But the fact that they didn't
bring somebody in, and now that would create more noise
and more chatter even inside the locker room. Who's going
to be playing? Is Castle your guy? Are they gonna
have a quick plug on him where they're gonna pull
him as soon as he has any any issues, you know,
(23:23):
with the team. And then we won those first two games.
We get boat raced by Miami, We go out, we
beat San Francisco, we get beat by San Diego. So
we kind of had that back and forth. And I
remember right after San Diego, coming home from that trip,
Bill coming in and talking to me and just saying, Hey,
you're doing fine. We're on the right path, and I
don't want you thinking about this or the other. Just
(23:44):
keep doing what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
You're our guy.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
And that gave me confidence when he said I've got
your back, You're our guy. And he told me that
straight to my face, saying, look, you don't get a
lot of that from Bill. You don't get a lot
of reassurance. It's do your job all that stuff. But
the fact that he did say that well kind of
was a turning point for me because I think the
next week was Denver and we went out and had
a heck of a night and from there we started
to play some good ball.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
I'm going to go back though to week two on
your first start, and you know, there was, oh my gosh,
Matt Castle, this Matt Castle that it wasn't a work
of art, noce. You went down there and you beat
the Jets, and I just remember favorously seeing the locker
room video and telling and saying, we got to use this,
we got to use this, and they're rolling the eyes
and everything like that. But the famous quote, Matt, they
said you hadn't started a game since the f and
(24:29):
seventh grade. Well, I guess you started one now. And
the genuine emotion that your teammates felt for you and
the smile on your face at that time, And that's
not the easiest spot to get in. It's an NFL team,
It doesn't matter who it was. You must have had
a tremendous amount of pride.
Speaker 3 (24:44):
Oh man, I mean that's one of the most memorable
parts of my entire career, just coming in your first start,
going up against one of your idols, Brett Favre. Who's
the first guy to run across the field to shake
my hand. Wow, first guy he comes up. He says, Hey, congratulations,
I'm so happy for you with this big smile on
his face, and I was like, I used to wear
the Brett fav cleats in high school, like it was.
(25:05):
And then to go into that locker room and to
see the faces and have those guys rally around me
the way that they did, the hugs, the yelling, the screaming,
and it was just that special moment in sports, you
know that you've worked for and that you dream about
as a kid to be in that locker room and
then all of a sudden it happens and you win
a game. And my career didn't go exactly the way
(25:28):
that I wanted to, but the fact that I was
sitting in the New England Patriots locker room being the
starting quarterback for my first start and winning was pretty special.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
That is well, first of all, I'll tell you that
game was the only time I ever really got yelled
at by Patriots Personelk because again, we still did the
paper then, and we used to put picks in the
paper and we all picked the Jets. Yeah, it was
like three of us, right, and we got back on
the bus. We're on Bus four at the time, and
you know, all your video guys, Jimmy undressed me. How's
(26:01):
that pick? And you know, I'm teasing Jimmy d who's
longtime video coordinator here for the pageots. He's apologized a
million times sort of that. But I was like, Jimmy,
I just I just picked who I thought was gonna win.
I go, I said, I picked us to win the
super Bowl last year too.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
I didn't. I didn't hear.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
I didn't hear yelling at me when I got that
one wrong, you know, so it just kind of we
got to laugh out of it. But I'm really that's
a great story about Brett Farv because Matt and I
talk about the second time you played far of that year,
and I know it ended in a loss in overtime,
but that may have been the best game, you know,
that season for you. I mean, I know you had
a couple of four hundred yard games there back to back,
(26:42):
but that was an unbelievable performance you guys had offensively.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Was the best throw of your career.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
It was one of them, for sure. I mean, it's
up there for the way. I mean.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
The crazy part about that game is Thursday night game,
so you know, the week is just chaotic and you
come in you're putting together a game plan. We had
like a full game plan set up of different checks
at the Lion scrimmage, just that and the other. And
if you did remember, they got out to a substantial
lead pretty early. I think they were up fourteen, and
then we just said we're going two minutes. So we
(27:13):
went two minutes the rest of that game, and then
it was that last minute drive that we went on
and I just remember he caught it on ty Law,
which I was giving him crap about that last night,
and I was like, oh, yeah, cast well, I picked
you off from my last pick of my career.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
I was like, I don't remember that one, but I
do remember this one, sure.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
But I just remember Randy saying, I'm going to post
him up because it was one of those plays.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
It was the last play of the game.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
He had to get in the end zone, so everybody
was supposed to go get in the end zone, and
I was going to try to buy some time and
see it. And I just remember Randy sitting there in
the corner and he had him posted up like this
with his big white pile and his glove, and I
was like, I'll give it a shot, and he tippy
toed that thing and I was like, I don't I
didn't know if he was in or out. But the
crowd erupted and then they came back and it was
like man, and then I was like, just give us
(27:59):
the ball. They couldn't stop us offensively. If we got
that ball, we're gonna go down. We're gonna win that game.
And then they got it, and they had a third
and like fifteen and converted and went down kicked the
field goal, and that was one of the more devastating losses,
just based on where we were in the season and
also the fact that we felt we had it. Just
the momentum had shifted so dramatically.
Speaker 4 (28:22):
This is a nerd keller.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
Yeah, and fifteen right over the ball to a little handkraut.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
Right, This is a nerdy one for me. But I remember,
you know, one of the times going back there and
seeing in the football facility and Bill and Bears are
you know, getting pictures after win. Oh look at this picture.
Oh look at this play. Look at this play. And
you remember seeing the picture of the throat to Randy
and I'm sitting there going it's one of the greatest
pictures I've ever seen, Like here's the ball, Matt's throwing it.
(28:51):
Randy's right there. It's the great still picture. And I'm going,
why would that picture? How is that picture not on
the walls here at j Lede Stadium, Bears looks at egos.
That's the game, dude.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Yeah, okay, yes, that's the thing is those pictures only
go up after victory. Yeah, and some of them are
You're like, gosh, that was such a good play. Oh yeah,
we lost that game. Never mind, Okay, moving on right
next one.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
So what I would think?
Speaker 1 (29:19):
No, sorry, Paul, but I mean you speak about this
a lot, and we've talked about this a bunch. We
talk about probably the greatest coach in the history of
the NFL, who's got more Super Bowls than anybody else
with the Patriots, with the Giants, the way that he
talks about that twenty and eighteen, it's a lot.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
He has a lot of pride in that.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
He has so much pride in that team. And you
didn't make the playoffs. You know, terrific weather conditions in Buffalo. Wait,
you're waiting for somebody, you know, you need this to happen,
that to happen, and it doesn't, and it doesn't work
out for you. Guys, when you look back on that year,
it sucked that you didn't make the playoffs, But do
you look back at it, and you know what, for
guy that only had thirty something snaps in college to
(29:57):
come in and take over the greatest player in the game,
you know what, we gave it a ride. We gave
it a ride.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
Yeah, you know, it's not until you go and you
kind of look back and just especially the circumstances, right,
and what you're thrust into the stress of the just
the position in general, but also where we were as
a team and coming off the year that we had
the year before, and then to.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
Go out and.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Really I didn't know what I was capable of, and
this team obviously didn't know because I hadn't played. And
to go out and to accomplish what we did that season,
and also the teams, like the teammates that I had
to rally around me the way that they did. I
couldn't have done it without those guys. And to go
out and not get that opportunity playoffs was more than disappointing, right,
(30:45):
just because I thought we were playing our best football
at the end of the year, and I think that
we probably could have get given it a pretty good run.
But at the end of the day, it was one
of those seasons that I was, you know, I'll be
forever grateful that I had that opportunity. At the same time,
we accomplished a lot considering what what the circumstances were
to start the year.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
It's funny, right at the day after that game, you know,
we get back because the plane ride home was like,
you know, we're watching the Miami Jets game. But Vince
Wilfolk were sitting right where Matt is and Ty Warren
was here, and I was where you are, and we
were talking and we finished up the interview, and you know,
we got done and I kind of said that I go,
you know, geez, you know, you guys feel like it
(31:27):
would have been dangerous, you know, like they had the
whole the whole talk was like how disappointing, Like we
came so far and Matt did so well and he
led us and he put us in position in eleven
and five. It's a great year, you know, it's too bad,
and so we get done and I looked at them,
I was like, you really think we could have been dangerous?
I'm like, go, and I think we're out of gas too.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
I was like, WHOA.
Speaker 4 (31:48):
I wasn't expecting that answer.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
Yeah, guys, come on, come on seriously.
Speaker 4 (31:53):
Now, I'm sure everybody would have rallied and everything, but
that was just sort of my mind's eye. Vincent and
Ty were like, yeah, I think we got you know,
I think we squeezed every ounce of wins that we
had that year. I mean it was I think Matt's
characterization of the way Bill talks about that team is
really accurate. I think he was really proud of that team, right,
because I think he even at some point in the
(32:15):
nearer maybe nine to ten, No, it was probably eleven
when Peyton got hurt and was out for the whole
year in Indy and they went to and fourteen, and
I think he had a couple of cracks like, We're
not one of these teams that our starting quarterback gets
hurt and the season unravels.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
And I think there's a lot of pride in that.
Speaker 4 (32:33):
And I think it was a lot of pride in
you and what you did. And I know, question, I
think that sort of came through when when Bill talks
about it.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Right. Final one here for me, Matt in the PostScript,
maybe to your patriot's career. This is the way I
see it. I don't know if I'm right or wrong,
but it almost seems like they did you a solid,
you know, and here's an opportunity. It's not a parting gift.
It's business. After all. Let's not get carried away and anything.
But giving you an opportunity to go to Kansas City.
How did you like sad that you're New England, But
(33:00):
here's a fresh opportunity, fresh off of what you did,
to try to then go and have the career that
you want to.
Speaker 3 (33:06):
Have, right and he really I owe all the credit
to the coach Belichick because even after that season, I
don't know if a lot of people realize they franchised
me and I couldn't have signed that thing quicker.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
So I signed it. I was like, man, okay, great,
So I signed.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
It, you know, and really not understanding what my future
was going to hold at that point because Tom was
coming back at some point. He's coming back, and I
knew that that was obviously he's Tom Brady and that's
what's going to happen. But I didn't know where I
was going to go. And then Pioli got the job.
Josh McDaniels goes to Denver, there's talk about potential Denver,
and then the trade goes through to Kansas City, and
(33:43):
I was like, it's a fresh start. But at the
same time, there was so many adjustments that had to
be made because the Patriots do it one way right,
and so when you get to a new city with
a new team, a team that had been struggling for
quite some time and then come in, the expectation of
are different, and so there was an adjustment period there.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
But I was forever grateful.
Speaker 3 (34:04):
That he put me in a position to go sign
that deal and go play for Kansas City and give
me another opportunity to be a starter in this league.
And and I give him all the credit for just
the development and what he did, his belief in me,
giving me that opportunity and let me ride that thing
out early in the season. And then also he was
also one of those guys that was there and when
(34:25):
I'd see him call him anything like that, he would
always pick up He's just been tremendous.
Speaker 4 (34:29):
And you got a chance to play in the playoffs.
I mean, people, you know, I think forget just how good.
You played that first Pro Bowl. I thank you.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
For our first year. Huh, Billy Belichick, That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (34:46):
So I got to come see all the boys there too,
So I mean it was that was a cool experience too,
to go out there and coach Belichick be be our coach.
But the funny part is we get into the first
meeting and they're talking about what we're gonna run. I'm like,
I know this offense is gonna be great, and they're
completely different offense. They change it to a number system.
I never played in a number system in my life.
I'm sitting there going, Gosch, what what the hell is this? Like,
(35:08):
didn't even run the offense. I was laughing, just going Okay, well,
we'll have to figure it out when we get out there.
Speaker 1 (35:13):
That's great, Matt, thank you so much for your time
as going forward, having brief time tonight.
Speaker 2 (35:18):
Thank you. I'm looking forward to it. It'll be a blast.
Thank you for downloading this podcast.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
Subscribe on Apple, google Play, and everywhere else you listen.
Speaker 4 (35:26):
Like the show, Please rate and review us.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Listener comments and ratings
Speaker 1 (35:30):
Help keep us high on the podcast rankings so new
listeners can find us be sure to check patriots dot
com for more news and more podcasts.
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