February 27, 2025 • 19 mins
On this episode of Rams Iconic, Rams Legend defensive tackle Michael Brockers joins D’Marco Farr to discuss what he learned from Aaron Donald, his favorite memories from the 2018 Super Bowl season, and what he thinks of the Rams’ young and opportunistic defense.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to Rams Iconic, presented by eighteen hundred Tequila, the
best taste in tequila. Please drink responsibly. I'm DeMarco Farr
and this is the podcast where we catch up with
the greatest players in franchise history. My next guest played
eleven seasons in the National Football League, nine with the.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Saint Louis and La Rams. In those nine seasons, I
love this.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
One hundred and thirty eight games, twenty eight sacks, forty
eight big tackles for loss, the fourteenth overall pick in
the twenty twelve NFL Draft. Please welcome back, Big Michael Brockers.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
What's up, man, man?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
I'm good, man, I'm good. How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
I am good? Bro?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Do you know I told you this before? You know
you're one of my favorite Rams of all time?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
You know this right?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
I didn't, but I'm glad to hear it.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
I mean, when you talk about being a pros pro,
how to do it, how to show up on time.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
How to work hard, how to lead men.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Every time I saw you get off the bus and
I just looked at your demeanor, I knew the Rams
are going to be dialed in that day because of you.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
That's crazy, bro. Thank you, bro, especially from you, especially
from you, Bro.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
Let's not take anything away from what you had done
for this organization, but man, that's an honor.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Do you remember the twenty twelve draft. Do you remember
what that was like? The feeling you had when you
got drafted, when your name was called.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Man that it was crazy.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
That twenty twelve draft was so like locked in because
everybody kind of knew, like you don't really know, but
in that year, it was like Andrew, look RG three,
you know, Luke Keighley, this guy, that guy, you know,
and the list goes on. So honestly, I didn't know
what to expect going in. I know I was a
(01:42):
young guy. A lot of teams had questions on my maturity,
things like that.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
You know, I showed very well.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
I'm I just you know, I went into each interview
being myself and I think I left the impression on
each team. But going into the draft, I didn't have
a clue who wanted to draft me. I was just,
you know, leaving it up to God. At the end
of the day, were you shocked when your name came
off the board?
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Because I think I looked while you were at LSU,
did you have like fifteen starts, turned pro and then
went in the first round.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Yes, yes, red shirting my first year.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
My second year I rotated because we had some juniors
and seniors in front of me. My third year was
my redshiw sophomore year, ended up starting, played that full season,
went onto the National Championship, lost that game, and then
went into the draft.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Did you always dream about playing in the league.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Always dreamed about playing the league, always dreamed about playing,
you know. For me, I grew up in Houston, Texas,
so in a nineties, so we didn't have any oilers.
So our big team in Texas was the Cowboys during
that time. But for me, you know, Dallas was my team.
So I had a bunch of dreams, you know, telling
my grandmother, Oh man, I'm gonna play for.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
The Cowboys and this and this and that.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
So for me, you know, I definitely had dreams of
laying in the NFL for sure.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Well, you played against the Cowboys, so that all works right,
So there you go. Did you feel any sort of
pressure once you got to Saint Louis, I mean, you
were the first pick in the less neat era.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Did you feel any sort of pressure?
Speaker 4 (03:13):
I came into a team that didn't put any pressure
on me. But I think I put a lot of
pressure on myself personally because I took being drafted in
the first round as a high hunter. I didn't come
in there thinking like, you know, you know, you should
have drafted me. I was totally shocked at the Rams
drafted me. You know, at the end of the day,
I want to show them, you know, why they drafted me.
(03:35):
I wanted to, you know, get on the field, make
plays to show to show my worth.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
And that's the one thing.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
I think, that's the one thing I was telling you
about over the years, because when you were drafted, the
first thing I said was, well, it's obvious what type
of ball Jeff Fisher wants to play? These big dudes,
and then all of a sudden you started to lean up.
The first d lineman I ever saw with skinny jeans
aws was you. It was you, actually, I mean, so
(04:02):
that commitment to making yourself better physically, talk to me
about that.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Man.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
So, first of all, I want to just shout out
to a d ad really helped my career, just seeing
his passion, his work ethic. I think it really started
like my third third or fourth year AD's playing. He's
you know, he going to the Pro Bowl, things like that.
And I ended up calling him like after the season,
and it couldn't have been two two, three weeks after
(04:30):
the season. I just wanted to see what he was
up to. I called him and he's like, hey, I'm
working out. I'm like, you're working out. We just like
we played a game not too long ago. You need
to let your body rest and he's like, nah, man,
you know I need to keep my body you know,
in tune and shape things like that, and it clicked.
I think in that conversation they clicked, like this guy's
(04:50):
the best defensive tackle in the NFL and he's willing
to sacrifice, you know, his time for the game.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
And from that moment, my.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Dead cation really changed to the game, you know, learning
how to be a pros pro like you said, and
just staying on top of my game. I felt like
if I wasn't working out, somebody was getting better than me.
That's that's what continue to drive me and working out.
I think moving from nose tackle to three four end
also is what what made me, you know, slim down
(05:20):
and trim down. But you know, learning from Ad staying
on top of my game, standing strong in the weight room.
That was the big key to, you know, the longevity
of my career.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Seven years together, you and A D. It was like
Brockers ad A D and Brockers, I mean two years
after you Did you know anything about him? Before he
was drafted? Did you know anything about which is crazy.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
I didn't know anything about him personally. But before the
draft in twenty fourteen, I was watching just draft picks,
you know, just I'm trying to see, you know, who's
the next guy, right, and I'm watching his guys his
highlight and I'm like, it's fourteen minutes. I'm like, you know,
fourteen minutes, it's gonna be full of flo it could
(06:01):
be full of like fluff, you know.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
And no, it's it's play after play after play of highlights.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Right.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
There's no cut scenes, there's no there's no extra slowdown,
there's this just plays after plays.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
I'm like, bro, this man highlight tape.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
It's fourteen minutes long and as ad tackle and it's
nothing but plays. There's no you know, extra music in
the background or anything like that.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Yeah, just straight plays.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
So before I knew he was going to be a
force to be reckoned with when he came in to lead.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
I mean, I always wanted to know what were those
defensive meetings, like like on Monday or in practice, you
him and Hindo and you you guys see some stuff
like Wow, did you see what this guy just didn't?
Speaker 2 (06:47):
What was that?
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Like? Yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
It gets this effect because you see him do it,
and you're like, man, if I could just jump the snap,
read the keys, I can do that same thing. I
try to do it. I get himmed up double team.
You know, I'm like, you know what, you know, I'm
gonna do my thing. I'm gonna let you do your thing, only.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
For the special, no doubt.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
One of my favorite ad moments is when he put
the helmet on back in Seattle and went out there
and tried to get on the center in Seattle.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Yeah, where were you for that? Because I know you
two roll together. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
I didn't think he was serious.
Speaker 4 (07:19):
I'm one of them guys that goes into the locker
room after the game, not one of those guys that
puts his helmet on to go back into some you know,
some action after the game.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
I didn't think he was serious.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
He literally takes his pads off, puts his helmet back on,
and goes back on the field looking for the center,
and I'm like, bruh, you know, I just knew he
just was it was done. It was he snapped at
that moment whatever because I think he made a play,
got interception, and then the center kind of dragged him
down whatever, a little awkward, and he was pissed. You know,
he thought this guy was trying to take his career
(07:52):
away from him, so he was.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
He was livid that day.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Actually, I'm kind of glad you went in the locker
room because you might have doubled them, and the dude
deserves it.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Anyway, I was out there.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
So you go from we all do this if you
stay in the league long enough. Coaches get fired and
coaches get hired. So you go from Jeff Fisher to
Sean McVay. What was your first thought when you said,
here's my head coach. He's thirty years old. What was
your first thoughts?
Speaker 4 (08:14):
My first thought was this dude's kind of young. I
wonder what kind of coach is he going to be?
You know, you at that point in time, you know,
you kind of learn the name of the game, especially
when you know, new coaches come in, old coaches leave
and you start to see, oh, is this guy like
an ego guy? Is he a guy who is his
way or the highway.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Type of deal?
Speaker 4 (08:34):
And you know, McVeigh totally changed that whole perspective. He
came in really wanted to help us because before that,
you know, the defense was rolling and we just we
just wanted a little offense to kind of help us out,
you know. And when he came in, he was like, man, guys,
if you just believe in my system, believing what I'm preaching,
(08:55):
I will get you there.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
We will win games. And I promise you that.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
And you know, he held us accountable and I love
that he treated us as men.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
It was always a conversation. It wasn't a a you're
gonna do what I tell you.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
It was more of a you know, if the guys
are feeling, you know this a certain way, we might
go to big Wit.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Big Wit talk to letting.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
So it was always a thing where it was it
was always not a negotiation, but you could work through
things because we're all men, you know, we could be
honest with him as a coach, and he was approachable.
So I think That was my biggest things about McVeigh
when he first started. I appreciate the way he came
in because you know, he wasn't real egotistical. His door
(09:40):
was always open, you know, in the facility, so you
could always go in there and talk to him.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
It didn't seemed like he was above their team or anything.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
He was definitely he made hisself more part of the
team each and every day.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
It was immediate from from my eyes, going from one
regime to the next, and his first practice, you could
tell things are going to be different. Just by how
you guys were out there and behaving. You can tell
things are going to be different. And it's it's tough
when a head coach says, if we do X, Y
and Z bra on win games, are gonna make it
to the super Bowl. You guys actually did make it
to the super Bowl in twenty eighteen. You got any
(10:15):
memories about that game, that journey going into that moment
against the Patriots.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Man, it was a great year.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
I think that you know, New Orleans game was you know,
the you know, the top game for me as far
as like that year, because you know, we were in
New Orleans, they're they're fans are going crazy.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
You know, we had the big the big.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
Play, you know, the no call that you know the
Saints are steal sick about.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
You know, they are still sick about their play. But
you know that was the the game.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
I felt like that was, you know, because we're going
into enemy territory.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Uh we we are down.
Speaker 4 (10:59):
Twenty one on the seven I think, you know, in
the game or something like that. So for me, I'm like, man,
for us to come back from here, we can do anything.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
And were going to that game.
Speaker 4 (11:10):
You know, we playing the goat in itself, and we
didn't you know, quite finish the job.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
But for me, man, you know, defense, we.
Speaker 4 (11:17):
Played a hell of a game to keep that team
at thirteen points, you know, with all these you know,
great players, I thought we played a tremendous game. We
just needed to finish on the offensive side to win.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Going back to New Orleans, when Zerline laces that one,
it's in the air.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
What were you thinking? Man?
Speaker 4 (11:37):
I was just thinking, this is crazy, Like this, this
is what going to the Super Bowl feels like, you know,
because you see it.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
And then also I'm a realist.
Speaker 4 (11:46):
I understand that a lot of players play this game
and never get this feeling.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Never even feel the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
So for me, lucky enough for me, I get to
feel this feeling and playing in the playoffs and going
to the big game.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
I mean to be a ball player.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
And you know that's like you know one of your
you know dreams come true where you can go to
the big game and have the opportunity to win a championship.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
And there's videos, your highlight videos and the players you make.
I love it when d line makes players, when you
sack people, tackles for lost, all that stuff gets my goat.
But the part of the video when you're talking to
your teammates before the game in the huddle, going around
to everyone and you can feel the passion. It was real,
it was from the heart and you were speaking to
(12:31):
every single member of your football team.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
I need you.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
We need each other to win football games. Talk about
that pregame stuff when you're talking to your teammates.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Man, you know, this game of football is an ultimate
team game, and not one person can win a game.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
We need everybody.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
And you know a lot of people like to think that,
you know, special teams are just a part like no,
they're a really big part of this game.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
You know, and I'm an very inclusive person. Man.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
I like to include everybody, the kickers, the backup kicker, everybody.
I want everybody to feel important because you never know
when your numbers gonna be called. Man, this is a
one hundred percent injury sport. You know, you don't know
when the next guy is gonna be up. So everybody
needs to be in their playbook. Everybody needs to have
that feeling of, you know, revving up your engine because
you never know if you're going to be needed. So
(13:19):
that was kind of my speech and in you know,
my tone to every game because I know everybody's going
to be needed to win this, you know, to win
these games.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
These are tough games to win in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
I remember when you came in. Quinn was here, Chris
Long was here. You were the young pup. Yes, watching
you guys grow and mature. Uh now watching what this
current group of young Rams defensive line are doing. Brayden
Fisk is a baller sewing machine. Legs never stops. Jared Verse,
I don't know what to make of this. Do He
came out the gate talking now he's Rookie of the year.
(13:52):
He backs it up. You've seen these guys play. What
do you think their future is?
Speaker 4 (13:57):
Man, it's it's bright, especially when you go about it
the way less Need goes about it. If you if
you notice anytime he has a full rebuild where he
feels like he has to, you know, change the team,
where does he start.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
He always starts in the trenches.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
He starts with the big boys up front, and you know,
most importantly, he starts on the defensive side. He starts
on the defensive side, and then he picks his you know,
his pieces on the offensive line. But to see that
and it's still working, and he has a formula, I'm
not I'm not sure what it is, but it's definitely
a formula where they go out to get some of
the best talent in that defensive line that other people
(14:35):
aren't looking at, and they making them better. So I'm
loving what the organization is doing. Let's Need, he's doing
a phenomenal job and loving to see that. You know,
the big boys up front get some love.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
For sure.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
You have a clone here.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
He's a little bit shorter, but he reminds me of
you and Kobe Turner, a straight up leader and a
baller all at the same time. Yeah, So I'm glad.
I'm glad you're paying attention to these young dudes. All right,
So this is my favorite part of Rams. I kind
of like I do this with everybody we have on
It's my favorite play, my favorite play. So when you
go back, I got some in mind of you, reckon shot.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
But I want to know what is your favorite play
while you.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Remember of the the the the Rams, the Saint Louis
or La Rams Man.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
I already have a play. I would this we were
playing in Saint Louis.
Speaker 4 (15:20):
This is we're playing Saint Louis, maybe twenty fourteen, twenty fifteen.
I don't I don't recall, excuse me, so Atlant Seattle.
You know, when I got to the Rams and playing Seattle,
it almost was like, you know, when I first got there,
they they were like bullies. They were the bullies, and
we were like the little bros on the block, and
(15:41):
they were just beating up on us. And I took
that in, you know, to the to heart, you know,
and I was like, no, no more of this, no
more of them just coming in here, you know, yawn
and then you know, beating us, you know. So for me,
I took it to heart that every time we played Seattle,
it's gonna be a hard park game.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
So we're playing in Saint Lewis, Seattle's.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
You know, fourth and two, fourth and one, playing on
going down to score, and we just lost to him
previous I think, you know, three to nine or six
to nine or something the previous year before at home,
and I was just like, man, we got to do something.
So so early in the game, Greg Williams called a
call where I was supposed to do a stunt and
(16:24):
I didn't do the stunt correctly. So I came back
to the sideline. I was like, Greg, please call that
call again. It won't happen again. I'm gonna make that play.
So fourth and two, game on.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
The line, Seattle.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
Seattle has Besmo Marshall Lynz in the backfield, and uh,
you know, Greg calls his play and I'm like thank you.
You know, I'm like, no, I'm gonna make this play
this time. I'm not gonna, you know, not show up
for my team. So, you know, snaps the ball, I
run my stunt, end up bouncing off the tackle, making
the play in the backfield.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
You know.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
At the same time, Miss it's a greatness gets off
his block, so we both end up tackling Martin for
a lost Ad ends up staying up. I don't know
freak reason. He ends up, you know, athletically standing up
after the play. And I'm on the ground and I'm
I swear we're we're not going to the playoffs or anything, Tomarco,
(17:19):
We're I think we're five and something, six and something.
But the way I felt after that game, because I
knew that was a game, you know, stopping.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Drive, I felt like we won the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
That was my greatest play, making that play on Marshall
Lynch in Saint Louis to kind of show them like,
you know, things are changed, you know things are changing.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
And from then on it did change.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
That was a year after they didn't give him the
ball on the goal line in the Super Bowl, right,
and the very next year you gotta.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Stop on four.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
I remember that like it was yesterday, and it started
something new. Uh So, I'm looking, are you wearing camo
right now?
Speaker 2 (17:58):
You?
Speaker 4 (17:58):
Man? I mean to show the people how cold it
is down here in Houston.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
Man, I got my.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
Camo jacking on, trying to stay warm going in and outside,
you know, going outside, it's like twenty some degrees. So yeah,
I got my huntfit on right now.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
So retired done, not coming back the ball.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Yeah, retired done. Man, I'm good.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
I like to see the young guys, you know, take
it from here and you know, go off the to
the races with it.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Coaching. What are you gonna do next?
Speaker 3 (18:28):
Maybe?
Speaker 4 (18:29):
Man, maybe I definitely would have been telling my wife
like I would, you know, love to coach. But you know,
I just know how much time it takes to coach
and to be a big, you know, good coach, and
I want to be you know, if I do coaching,
I want to be good at it. So I told him, Man,
give me a couple of years, let me get my
foundation with the kids later, you know, foundation, and once
we feel like, you know, they're done with us as
(18:50):
you know, parents.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
You know it's gonna get that time. You know they're
gonna get sixteen.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
They were like, oh yeah, mom, Dad, get out of here.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
At that time.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
I'll probably want to, you know, go into coaching. So
I'll probably just you know, doing this. I set myself up,
you know, maybe finished school things like that, so I
can have those accolades to get me in those positions.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
Well, stay home, family, time. I know if you do
become a coach, you're gonna be a great one.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Man.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
It was so much fun watching you grow up, watching
you become a monster, and just really following your career.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
It really hurt.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
When you left, but I am so happy we caught
up with you again on Ramsey Iconic.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Man, thanks for joining me, man.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
Man, thanks for having me on. Thank you, DeMarco.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
All right, that's a wrap on this episode of Ram's Iconic,
presented by eighteen hundred to the Kilo, the best taste
in Tequila, Please drink responsibly. Hope you enjoyed our convo
with the one and only I mean that, Michael Brockers.
I'm DeMarco Farr. Thanks for watching. We'll catch up with
you next time.
Welcome to Rams Iconic, presented by eighteen hundred Tequila, the
best taste in tequila. Please drink responsibly. I'm DeMarco Farr
and this is the podcast where we catch up with
the greatest players in franchise history. My next guest played
eleven seasons in the National Football League, nine with the.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Saint Louis and La Rams. In those nine seasons, I
love this.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
One hundred and thirty eight games, twenty eight sacks, forty
eight big tackles for loss, the fourteenth overall pick in
the twenty twelve NFL Draft. Please welcome back, Big Michael Brockers.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
What's up, man, man?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
I'm good, man, I'm good. How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
I am good? Bro?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Do you know I told you this before? You know
you're one of my favorite Rams of all time?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
You know this right?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
I didn't, but I'm glad to hear it.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
I mean, when you talk about being a pros pro,
how to do it, how to show up on time.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
How to work hard, how to lead men.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Every time I saw you get off the bus and
I just looked at your demeanor, I knew the Rams
are going to be dialed in that day because of you.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
That's crazy, bro. Thank you, bro, especially from you, especially
from you, Bro.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
Let's not take anything away from what you had done
for this organization, but man, that's an honor.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Do you remember the twenty twelve draft. Do you remember
what that was like? The feeling you had when you
got drafted, when your name was called.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Man that it was crazy.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
That twenty twelve draft was so like locked in because
everybody kind of knew, like you don't really know, but
in that year, it was like Andrew, look RG three,
you know, Luke Keighley, this guy, that guy, you know,
and the list goes on. So honestly, I didn't know
what to expect going in. I know I was a
(01:42):
young guy. A lot of teams had questions on my maturity,
things like that.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
You know, I showed very well.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
I'm I just you know, I went into each interview
being myself and I think I left the impression on
each team. But going into the draft, I didn't have
a clue who wanted to draft me. I was just,
you know, leaving it up to God. At the end
of the day, were you shocked when your name came
off the board?
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Because I think I looked while you were at LSU,
did you have like fifteen starts, turned pro and then
went in the first round.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Yes, yes, red shirting my first year.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
My second year I rotated because we had some juniors
and seniors in front of me. My third year was
my redshiw sophomore year, ended up starting, played that full season,
went onto the National Championship, lost that game, and then
went into the draft.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Did you always dream about playing in the league.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Always dreamed about playing the league, always dreamed about playing,
you know. For me, I grew up in Houston, Texas,
so in a nineties, so we didn't have any oilers.
So our big team in Texas was the Cowboys during
that time. But for me, you know, Dallas was my team.
So I had a bunch of dreams, you know, telling
my grandmother, Oh man, I'm gonna play for.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
The Cowboys and this and this and that.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
So for me, you know, I definitely had dreams of
laying in the NFL for sure.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Well, you played against the Cowboys, so that all works right,
So there you go. Did you feel any sort of
pressure once you got to Saint Louis, I mean, you
were the first pick in the less neat era.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Did you feel any sort of pressure?
Speaker 4 (03:13):
I came into a team that didn't put any pressure
on me. But I think I put a lot of
pressure on myself personally because I took being drafted in
the first round as a high hunter. I didn't come
in there thinking like, you know, you know, you should
have drafted me. I was totally shocked at the Rams
drafted me. You know, at the end of the day,
I want to show them, you know, why they drafted me.
(03:35):
I wanted to, you know, get on the field, make
plays to show to show my worth.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
And that's the one thing.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
I think, that's the one thing I was telling you
about over the years, because when you were drafted, the
first thing I said was, well, it's obvious what type
of ball Jeff Fisher wants to play? These big dudes,
and then all of a sudden you started to lean up.
The first d lineman I ever saw with skinny jeans
aws was you. It was you, actually, I mean, so
(04:02):
that commitment to making yourself better physically, talk to me
about that.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Man.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
So, first of all, I want to just shout out
to a d ad really helped my career, just seeing
his passion, his work ethic. I think it really started
like my third third or fourth year AD's playing. He's
you know, he going to the Pro Bowl, things like that.
And I ended up calling him like after the season,
and it couldn't have been two two, three weeks after
(04:30):
the season. I just wanted to see what he was
up to. I called him and he's like, hey, I'm
working out. I'm like, you're working out. We just like
we played a game not too long ago. You need
to let your body rest and he's like, nah, man,
you know I need to keep my body you know,
in tune and shape things like that, and it clicked.
I think in that conversation they clicked, like this guy's
(04:50):
the best defensive tackle in the NFL and he's willing
to sacrifice, you know, his time for the game.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
And from that moment, my.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Dead cation really changed to the game, you know, learning
how to be a pros pro like you said, and
just staying on top of my game. I felt like
if I wasn't working out, somebody was getting better than me.
That's that's what continue to drive me and working out.
I think moving from nose tackle to three four end
also is what what made me, you know, slim down
(05:20):
and trim down. But you know, learning from Ad staying
on top of my game, standing strong in the weight room.
That was the big key to, you know, the longevity
of my career.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Seven years together, you and A D. It was like
Brockers ad A D and Brockers, I mean two years
after you Did you know anything about him? Before he
was drafted? Did you know anything about which is crazy.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
I didn't know anything about him personally. But before the
draft in twenty fourteen, I was watching just draft picks,
you know, just I'm trying to see, you know, who's
the next guy, right, and I'm watching his guys his
highlight and I'm like, it's fourteen minutes. I'm like, you know,
fourteen minutes, it's gonna be full of flo it could
(06:01):
be full of like fluff, you know.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
And no, it's it's play after play after play of highlights.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Right.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
There's no cut scenes, there's no there's no extra slowdown,
there's this just plays after plays.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
I'm like, bro, this man highlight tape.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
It's fourteen minutes long and as ad tackle and it's
nothing but plays. There's no you know, extra music in
the background or anything like that.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Yeah, just straight plays.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
So before I knew he was going to be a
force to be reckoned with when he came in to lead.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
I mean, I always wanted to know what were those
defensive meetings, like like on Monday or in practice, you
him and Hindo and you you guys see some stuff
like Wow, did you see what this guy just didn't?
Speaker 2 (06:47):
What was that?
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Like? Yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
It gets this effect because you see him do it,
and you're like, man, if I could just jump the snap,
read the keys, I can do that same thing. I
try to do it. I get himmed up double team.
You know, I'm like, you know what, you know, I'm
gonna do my thing. I'm gonna let you do your thing, only.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
For the special, no doubt.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
One of my favorite ad moments is when he put
the helmet on back in Seattle and went out there
and tried to get on the center in Seattle.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Yeah, where were you for that? Because I know you
two roll together. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
I didn't think he was serious.
Speaker 4 (07:19):
I'm one of them guys that goes into the locker
room after the game, not one of those guys that
puts his helmet on to go back into some you know,
some action after the game.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
I didn't think he was serious.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
He literally takes his pads off, puts his helmet back on,
and goes back on the field looking for the center,
and I'm like, bruh, you know, I just knew he
just was it was done. It was he snapped at
that moment whatever because I think he made a play,
got interception, and then the center kind of dragged him
down whatever, a little awkward, and he was pissed. You know,
he thought this guy was trying to take his career
(07:52):
away from him, so he was.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
He was livid that day.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Actually, I'm kind of glad you went in the locker
room because you might have doubled them, and the dude
deserves it.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Anyway, I was out there.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
So you go from we all do this if you
stay in the league long enough. Coaches get fired and
coaches get hired. So you go from Jeff Fisher to
Sean McVay. What was your first thought when you said,
here's my head coach. He's thirty years old. What was
your first thoughts?
Speaker 4 (08:14):
My first thought was this dude's kind of young. I
wonder what kind of coach is he going to be?
You know, you at that point in time, you know,
you kind of learn the name of the game, especially
when you know, new coaches come in, old coaches leave
and you start to see, oh, is this guy like
an ego guy? Is he a guy who is his
way or the highway.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Type of deal?
Speaker 4 (08:34):
And you know, McVeigh totally changed that whole perspective. He
came in really wanted to help us because before that,
you know, the defense was rolling and we just we
just wanted a little offense to kind of help us out,
you know. And when he came in, he was like, man, guys,
if you just believe in my system, believing what I'm preaching,
(08:55):
I will get you there.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
We will win games. And I promise you that.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
And you know, he held us accountable and I love
that he treated us as men.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
It was always a conversation. It wasn't a a you're
gonna do what I tell you.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
It was more of a you know, if the guys
are feeling, you know this a certain way, we might
go to big Wit.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Big Wit talk to letting.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
So it was always a thing where it was it
was always not a negotiation, but you could work through
things because we're all men, you know, we could be
honest with him as a coach, and he was approachable.
So I think That was my biggest things about McVeigh
when he first started. I appreciate the way he came
in because you know, he wasn't real egotistical. His door
(09:40):
was always open, you know, in the facility, so you
could always go in there and talk to him.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
It didn't seemed like he was above their team or anything.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
He was definitely he made hisself more part of the
team each and every day.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
It was immediate from from my eyes, going from one
regime to the next, and his first practice, you could
tell things are going to be different. Just by how
you guys were out there and behaving. You can tell
things are going to be different. And it's it's tough
when a head coach says, if we do X, Y
and Z bra on win games, are gonna make it
to the super Bowl. You guys actually did make it
to the super Bowl in twenty eighteen. You got any
(10:15):
memories about that game, that journey going into that moment
against the Patriots.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Man, it was a great year.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
I think that you know, New Orleans game was you know,
the you know, the top game for me as far
as like that year, because you know, we were in
New Orleans, they're they're fans are going crazy.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
You know, we had the big the big.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
Play, you know, the no call that you know the
Saints are steal sick about.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
You know, they are still sick about their play. But
you know that was the the game.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
I felt like that was, you know, because we're going
into enemy territory.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Uh we we are down.
Speaker 4 (10:59):
Twenty one on the seven I think, you know, in
the game or something like that. So for me, I'm like, man,
for us to come back from here, we can do anything.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
And were going to that game.
Speaker 4 (11:10):
You know, we playing the goat in itself, and we
didn't you know, quite finish the job.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
But for me, man, you know, defense, we.
Speaker 4 (11:17):
Played a hell of a game to keep that team
at thirteen points, you know, with all these you know,
great players, I thought we played a tremendous game. We
just needed to finish on the offensive side to win.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Going back to New Orleans, when Zerline laces that one,
it's in the air.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
What were you thinking? Man?
Speaker 4 (11:37):
I was just thinking, this is crazy, Like this, this
is what going to the Super Bowl feels like, you know,
because you see it.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
And then also I'm a realist.
Speaker 4 (11:46):
I understand that a lot of players play this game
and never get this feeling.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Never even feel the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
So for me, lucky enough for me, I get to
feel this feeling and playing in the playoffs and going
to the big game.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
I mean to be a ball player.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
And you know that's like you know one of your
you know dreams come true where you can go to
the big game and have the opportunity to win a championship.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
And there's videos, your highlight videos and the players you make.
I love it when d line makes players, when you
sack people, tackles for lost, all that stuff gets my goat.
But the part of the video when you're talking to
your teammates before the game in the huddle, going around
to everyone and you can feel the passion. It was real,
it was from the heart and you were speaking to
(12:31):
every single member of your football team.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
I need you.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
We need each other to win football games. Talk about
that pregame stuff when you're talking to your teammates.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Man, you know, this game of football is an ultimate
team game, and not one person can win a game.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
We need everybody.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
And you know a lot of people like to think that,
you know, special teams are just a part like no,
they're a really big part of this game.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
You know, and I'm an very inclusive person. Man.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
I like to include everybody, the kickers, the backup kicker, everybody.
I want everybody to feel important because you never know
when your numbers gonna be called. Man, this is a
one hundred percent injury sport. You know, you don't know
when the next guy is gonna be up. So everybody
needs to be in their playbook. Everybody needs to have
that feeling of, you know, revving up your engine because
you never know if you're going to be needed. So
(13:19):
that was kind of my speech and in you know,
my tone to every game because I know everybody's going
to be needed to win this, you know, to win
these games.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
These are tough games to win in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
I remember when you came in. Quinn was here, Chris
Long was here. You were the young pup. Yes, watching
you guys grow and mature. Uh now watching what this
current group of young Rams defensive line are doing. Brayden
Fisk is a baller sewing machine. Legs never stops. Jared Verse,
I don't know what to make of this. Do He
came out the gate talking now he's Rookie of the year.
(13:52):
He backs it up. You've seen these guys play. What
do you think their future is?
Speaker 4 (13:57):
Man, it's it's bright, especially when you go about it
the way less Need goes about it. If you if
you notice anytime he has a full rebuild where he
feels like he has to, you know, change the team,
where does he start.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
He always starts in the trenches.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
He starts with the big boys up front, and you know,
most importantly, he starts on the defensive side. He starts
on the defensive side, and then he picks his you know,
his pieces on the offensive line. But to see that
and it's still working, and he has a formula, I'm
not I'm not sure what it is, but it's definitely
a formula where they go out to get some of
the best talent in that defensive line that other people
(14:35):
aren't looking at, and they making them better. So I'm
loving what the organization is doing. Let's Need, he's doing
a phenomenal job and loving to see that. You know,
the big boys up front get some love.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
For sure.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
You have a clone here.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
He's a little bit shorter, but he reminds me of
you and Kobe Turner, a straight up leader and a
baller all at the same time. Yeah, So I'm glad.
I'm glad you're paying attention to these young dudes. All right,
So this is my favorite part of Rams. I kind
of like I do this with everybody we have on
It's my favorite play, my favorite play. So when you
go back, I got some in mind of you, reckon shot.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
But I want to know what is your favorite play
while you.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Remember of the the the the Rams, the Saint Louis
or La Rams Man.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
I already have a play. I would this we were
playing in Saint Louis.
Speaker 4 (15:20):
This is we're playing Saint Louis, maybe twenty fourteen, twenty fifteen.
I don't I don't recall, excuse me, so Atlant Seattle.
You know, when I got to the Rams and playing Seattle,
it almost was like, you know, when I first got there,
they they were like bullies. They were the bullies, and
we were like the little bros on the block, and
(15:41):
they were just beating up on us. And I took
that in, you know, to the to heart, you know,
and I was like, no, no more of this, no
more of them just coming in here, you know, yawn
and then you know, beating us, you know. So for me,
I took it to heart that every time we played Seattle,
it's gonna be a hard park game.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
So we're playing in Saint Lewis, Seattle's.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
You know, fourth and two, fourth and one, playing on
going down to score, and we just lost to him
previous I think, you know, three to nine or six
to nine or something the previous year before at home,
and I was just like, man, we got to do something.
So so early in the game, Greg Williams called a
call where I was supposed to do a stunt and
(16:24):
I didn't do the stunt correctly. So I came back
to the sideline. I was like, Greg, please call that
call again. It won't happen again. I'm gonna make that play.
So fourth and two, game on.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
The line, Seattle.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
Seattle has Besmo Marshall Lynz in the backfield, and uh,
you know, Greg calls his play and I'm like thank you.
You know, I'm like, no, I'm gonna make this play
this time. I'm not gonna, you know, not show up
for my team. So, you know, snaps the ball, I
run my stunt, end up bouncing off the tackle, making
the play in the backfield.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
You know.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
At the same time, Miss it's a greatness gets off
his block, so we both end up tackling Martin for
a lost Ad ends up staying up. I don't know
freak reason. He ends up, you know, athletically standing up
after the play. And I'm on the ground and I'm
I swear we're we're not going to the playoffs or anything, Tomarco,
(17:19):
We're I think we're five and something, six and something.
But the way I felt after that game, because I
knew that was a game, you know, stopping.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Drive, I felt like we won the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
That was my greatest play, making that play on Marshall
Lynch in Saint Louis to kind of show them like,
you know, things are changed, you know things are changing.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
And from then on it did change.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
That was a year after they didn't give him the
ball on the goal line in the Super Bowl, right,
and the very next year you gotta.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Stop on four.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
I remember that like it was yesterday, and it started
something new. Uh So, I'm looking, are you wearing camo
right now?
Speaker 2 (17:58):
You?
Speaker 4 (17:58):
Man? I mean to show the people how cold it
is down here in Houston.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
Man, I got my.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
Camo jacking on, trying to stay warm going in and outside,
you know, going outside, it's like twenty some degrees. So yeah,
I got my huntfit on right now.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
So retired done, not coming back the ball.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Yeah, retired done. Man, I'm good.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
I like to see the young guys, you know, take
it from here and you know, go off the to
the races with it.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Coaching. What are you gonna do next?
Speaker 3 (18:28):
Maybe?
Speaker 4 (18:29):
Man, maybe I definitely would have been telling my wife
like I would, you know, love to coach. But you know,
I just know how much time it takes to coach
and to be a big, you know, good coach, and
I want to be you know, if I do coaching,
I want to be good at it. So I told him, Man,
give me a couple of years, let me get my
foundation with the kids later, you know, foundation, and once
we feel like, you know, they're done with us as
(18:50):
you know, parents.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
You know it's gonna get that time. You know they're
gonna get sixteen.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
They were like, oh yeah, mom, Dad, get out of here.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
At that time.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
I'll probably want to, you know, go into coaching. So
I'll probably just you know, doing this. I set myself up,
you know, maybe finished school things like that, so I
can have those accolades to get me in those positions.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
Well, stay home, family, time. I know if you do
become a coach, you're gonna be a great one.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Man.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
It was so much fun watching you grow up, watching
you become a monster, and just really following your career.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
It really hurt.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
When you left, but I am so happy we caught
up with you again on Ramsey Iconic.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Man, thanks for joining me, man.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
Man, thanks for having me on. Thank you, DeMarco.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
All right, that's a wrap on this episode of Ram's Iconic,
presented by eighteen hundred to the Kilo, the best taste
in Tequila, Please drink responsibly. Hope you enjoyed our convo
with the one and only I mean that, Michael Brockers.
I'm DeMarco Farr. Thanks for watching. We'll catch up with
you next time.
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