Rams legend Kenny Young joins D'Marco Farr to reflect on his journey from Louisiana to Los Angeles, his college days at UCLA, winning a Super Bowl in honor of his late father, his memorable pick-six against the New England Patriots in 2021, and many other highlights from his time in horns.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Welcome to Rams Iconic, presented by eighteen hundred Tequila, the
best taste in tequila. Please drink responsibly. I'm your host,
DeMarco Farr, and this is the podcast where we catch
up with former Rams legends and talk about their time
in horns. My next guest played parts of four season
or started parts of four seasons for the UCLA Bruins.
A Bruins standout had over three hundred car wrecks or tackles,
(00:29):
depending on how you want to put it. Played five
seasons in the National Football League three right here for
the LA Rams. Please welcome in to Rams Iconic. Kenny Young,
what's up man?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Hey man, I'm so happy to be on this show.
We had a lot of good stuff to talk about
and good singing man.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Good seeing you too. Man. You're looking all good, like
you can still play or coach?
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Tell us need I got a quarter left in me?
Speaker 1 (00:53):
A quarter? Okay? How about two? How about a heck?
How about a fool?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
I'm bass?
Speaker 1 (00:57):
I only play bass, Okay, do me a favor. Okay.
So we have a crack research team, and I did
my research, so I know where you're from from. I'm
just curious as to how you pronounced it? So what
city were you born and raised?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
A home on Louisiana?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Okay, how do you pronounce New Orleans? Is it New Orleans?
Knowleans or New Orleans or New Orleans? How do you
pronounce it New Orleans? News New Orleans? That tells people
where you're from, depending on how you pronounce that. So
growing up there Louisiana, I'm curious, how did you get
out west to play football? How did you come out
(01:34):
to u C l A F from Louisiana, you know
the MACA.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
For a long time, I just was would be grateful
in high school that I get a scholarship from LSU
and I just go right down the road. I didn't
realize how well I was going to excel at football
my junior senior year, after I told my ankle, you know,
just located my ankle and I fractured it in two
spots and had to get a plate and screws in it,
and it's like, look, man, you might not be able
(01:58):
to play football again. So I I told myself, I said,
for the rest of my life, I want to play basketball.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
That was my favorite sport.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
I wouldn't have been I've been d a D three
point guard for sure, but that would have been by it,
but my aids and my basket would have been in football.
So yeah, I trained for about six months on just
saying once my ankle got better, and yeah, LSU wound
up offering me.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
My first offer was.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Old Miss, and then when old Miss offers you, it's
like all of them start calling, you know. And LSU
called me like the day after and I had like
seven of the offers from SEC schools and then it
just took off. UCLA came in a picture, Jim Moore
was over there, Jimurry Junior and Jeff Albrick, who's the
DC at the Falcus right now. They did a phenomenal
job of recruiting me from down here. Eric Yarber who's
(02:44):
our receivers coach at the Rams, he has some connections
of some guys back there, and you know, they kind
of made it for like home and family. So you know,
to me, I want to go play ball right away,
and uh, you know, starting to have a lot of
success and you SLA gave me a chance of starting
for four years and you know, being a team captain
and doing all that other good stuff and helping the
program for jamor Oh.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
You're all dialed in? Was it a culture shock for
you coming out West?
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Yeah, it was. I was a country boy.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
I grew up on, you know, catching alligators, catching crabs,
craw fish in the ditch, perchase hatfish. I'm a country boy, DeMarco.
I will always be that, And yeah, coming out of
LA was definitely different. The biggest issue was trying to
say the plays on a microphone to the players because
they didn't understand what the heck I was saying.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
So whenever I call.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Plays, people like, can you what you say it again?
Because when I'm tired? My whole New Orleans accident came out,
so U s LA. The guys was like, man, look,
we appreciate you as the leader, but you got to
learn how to slow down or put some space between
your words because I don't know what you're saying. It's
not like you're saying them, but gumboy and crawfish you
to tell us to play. So I had to learn,
(03:53):
you know, when I'm tired, how to you know, work
on my tone. And that's really the reason why I
went to UCLA to debate and to learn the way
that all to yourself so I.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Could get the place to the guys in time.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Okay, So that leads me to my next point. Now,
I'm gonna say this with a little bit of surprise
and shock, but it's not because of you. It's just
I'm mad. I didn't know that while you were here,
you were actually on UCLA's debate team. Yes, sir, get
out of town. How in the world did you get
hooked up on the debate team.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Man, that was a professor by the name of Honorable
Keith Fink. I took like four of his classes in
summer and he was like, hey, man, look, you probably
have a mic in your face for the rest of
your life if you go, you know, play pro ball.
And he said, I want you to be able to
speak well when the cameras are on you. And he said,
it's not when things go well, it's when you know,
(04:42):
they try to throw a curveball and you don't know
how to handle those questions. So he said, look, join
the debate team. If you don't like it, you know,
you could drop out of it. But he said, I
think you got a career at this, so just give
it a try. And so I said, you know what,
I'll dedicate a winner program to debate team, and then
we placed third my first time ever debating the tournament
here in Riverside. Wow and yeah man. We talked about
(05:04):
different topics. I learned how to debate, i learned how
to deliver a pitch. I've learned how to learn win arguments.
I've learned how to lose arguments. And I've learned how
to be respectful of you know, information that people present
before me, where the opponent or whatever it is. So
it taught me a lot of lessons about how to speak.
You know how to think critically, and you know how
to how to deliver messages.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
I mean, I assume you must have stood out as
an athlete in that realm. I mean, I wonder how
did they treat you, because I'll say this, as athletes,
especially in college, you know, there's scholarship guys, there's walk
on guys. Sometimes the walk on guys get treated a
little bit different on the field than the scholarship guys.
I imagine were you in that kind of same vein
as a debater you kind of stood out? No, not
(05:46):
at all, Like I.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Was like the little media guy that's you know, handle
all the production and all the sound bites and all
that stuff, like, yeah, they didn't.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
They just thought I was a human being. And I
think I went.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
I went night sessions, so like six thirty, six thirty
to eight already every night we would go and debate
at Professor Miller's office.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
But yeah, that's what it was.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Man. I would show up, I would show get ready
to kick butt.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
You know. We had team members.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
We always swapped to swap out teams, and it was
it was a way for me to get away from,
you know, carrying the world so much between sports and
school because you clas the school where you have to
go to class, you have to study, you have to pass.
You know, you don't make twenty tackles in they say, okay,
you just.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Get an a.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
So I wanted to know, call for my nichel as
a person, like, yo, this is something cool is at nighttime,
you know, and I want to try it out. And
I thank god that I did do that because it
has made a huge step in my life. I mean,
you know, speaking with people handle my temperament, you know,
when there was disagreements just everything.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I think it helped me out a lot.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
And honestly, I think it's helped me to become a father,
because you have to learn how to communicate as a father.
And I think that's that attributed my success, based on
my ability to speak and to think critically.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
I wish you would have told me that years ago.
I lose every debate in my house. Why daughter, my
nine year old wife Florida, So I absolutely, Oh my God,
teach me something. And I read this. This is also awesome.
You're the answer to a trivia question, and what an
awesome responsibility. And I can see why you're the last player,
regardless of sport, to wear the number forty two at
(07:18):
UCLA Jackie Robinson's number. I mean that had to be huge.
Did you understand the gravity of that when you put
that jersey on?
Speaker 3 (07:27):
No.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
I wore a number actually in high school at John Curtis,
and I had won three state championships in it, and
then I won the MVP as a defensive defensive player
in a super Dome my senior year. So it's your number, Okay, yeah, yeah,
it's something that's been with me since high school, since
since River Ridge, Louisiana.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Okay, yeah, it.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Was carried over man and then Jamorrow. I remember, I
remember like it was yesterday. We were staying at the
Langham Hotel and his ritual was he ran in like
a professional league. He's like, look, we'll go to the
stadium so y'all can feel it the night before the game,
and then you know, we'll we'll throw footballs and talk.
Coach Yarber is actually on the team too, Coase Yarbor
and uh, we're walking back to the buses. He said, look, Anny,
(08:10):
good news and bad news. I'm like, man, come on,
bad news is uh you can't nobody could wet his
number again. And said, good news is that you're the
last athlete that could at a number for the rest
of your college career. So put it in a better
place than you found it. And I said, all right,
bet cool, I have a reason to, you know, come
to prepare every every single day, be a leader, and
(08:33):
put this jersey in a better place than I have it.
Jackie Robinson obviously is a you know, a icon legendary
for not just what he did in sports, but academically
and in the community as well. And just like I
think the number one thing I take from it just
the courage and the belief that you have to have
at that time for him and me carrying over until
the way I conduct business as as athlete, you know,
and it has followed me.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Man, I don't wear that number in shame.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
You know. I've never missed class. I've never missed meetings.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Is always been about pushing that jersey to a better
place than I found it. And that was a promise
to myself my sophomore year, which Jim Mora told me.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
That I think you've done that. Okay, So it's not
added pressure. Every athlete deals with pressure. I hate said
the pressure is a privilege. Did you feel any added responsibility?
Like I can't cut it loose because I'm the Jackie
Robinson guy. You know what I mean. I can't punch
you in the face because I'm wearing this number.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Man, Listen, my goal when I went to UCLA was
two things. One never drop out. Two, if I go there,
I am not going to allow Los Angeles or anything
when I go to LA to disrupt who I am
as a as a man and who I want to
inspire to be. So I mean, since my first day
(09:44):
on campus to my last day of campus, I didn't
drink alcohol, I didn't indulge in parties. I had in
my mind that I am a pro player. I just
haven't signed the contract yet.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
And I conducted myself. Maybe it's my you know, my
mature skills, how the way I was raised. But I said,
if I could go to LA and not change who
I am and keep my roots and with the lessons
have taught me, then I'll be all right. And then
that's what it was. So yeah, I never thought. It
wasn't pressure, It wasn't nothing. That just you have to
wake up to be who you is and every day
you get a chance to show that.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
And that's that was my resume. Let's jump to the Rams.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
So twenty nineteen, you're in Baltimore, you get the call
that you're being traded. So Baltimore a great franchise, great
football team. What did you know about the Rams in
twenty nineteen.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
I didn't know much. I didn't know nothing. When I
got the call. I actually I was walking to my
car and tapped me on the shoulder.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
I said, oh damn. Turned around.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
He said, yep, buddy, gim wants to have a conversation
with you. So that happened, and then literally within three
four hours from that conversation, I was on a plane
to Los Angeles, and I remember, I remember jocking, you know,
wound up reaching out to me. First reached out to me,
and he said, hey, man, look I'm super excited to
have you. Actually, I did a thirty day visit with
(11:01):
him with the RAMS for the draft process, so I
had new a lot of those familiar faces already from
the beating in the process. And yeah, it was one
of those things where I'm like, look, this is my life.
You know, I had buried my dad. That's what a
lot of people don't know. You buried your father, my
dad the month before I went to training camp in
twenty eighteen for the Raven. So I'm a rookie. I
(11:23):
don't know how to, you know, balance a check book.
I don't know how to pay bills.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
I don't know how to juggle all these new things
in my life.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Right.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
So yeah, I had a lot going on, man, and
I'm like, you know, well, this is really about to happen.
And then I went to Los Angeles, did my duration there,
but on my dad deathbed, all last conversations, that's the
reason why what his ring my dad before he died,
pointing his finger at me and said, son, I am okay,
you go live out your dreams and win a super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
You hear me?
Speaker 2 (11:54):
And mind you, my dad is like a carrot, right,
like just laying there, tubes tied to him, just you
could just see his soul wants to leave his bydey.
I mean, he ain't got no muscles in his face.
He's just bones pretty much. And he said, you go
win a Super Bowl. I'm gonna be okay. And DeMarco
when I tell you, I got back on that plane
and I just caught a whole news. You know, I
(12:16):
don't know what took over me, man, But from there
until the day I was gonna finish my career. You know,
my point is going to the Rams and being there
for three years. It changed my life because I knew
that defense in twenty twenty one was a special defense
coming off a twenty twenty two season when we finished
top two, top top three, and a lot of categories
arguably number one defense with Brendon stalely So winning a
(12:38):
Super Bowl in twenty twenty two, it was a tribute
to my dad. And though I got traded, it was,
you know, to me with warning because it's like man,
you know, things come when you seek through and just
you know, follow the plan. So that's kind of my story, man. Yeah,
I had a lot go on before that, but I
had to overcome a lot to even get to the Rams,
and I was grateful that lets you know, took a
(12:59):
chance on me and seen value at me and able
to help out a lot of those guys that are
amazing themselves.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Man, that's what a story I tell people all the time.
There's a lot going on inside those helmets that you
don't know, and a lot of these guys won't tell you.
Jump the Week fourteen and that defense absolutely freaking loaded
two guys in particular, Jalen Ramsey Aaron Donald on the
football field at the same time as just a defensive
(13:24):
player's dream. So Week fourteen, you guys are getting ready
to play the New England Patriots and they're hot. Cam
Newton as the starter, I guess had his best week
the week before, stomp the Chargers forty five to nothing,
so they're feeling pretty good about themselves. Cam, I think
scored twice in the ground through a touchdown pass and
they had two returns for touchdown, so they're feeling sky high.
You're getting ready to lock horns with them on Thursday night.
(13:47):
In so far, was there anything different about that warm
up on Thursday night.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Yeah, it was the whole what four days prior to that,
I think it was. I think it was like the
warm up was more calm, But I think it was
the work that was done because we had a short
week and less like, Look, we got to take care
of bodies, but make sure we take care of minds,
and you know, we have to be the tougher team
on Thursday, Thursday night, and we have to get this dove.
He said, don't let COVID be a distraction. Don't let
(14:14):
you know, any external thing be a distraction. We have
to get it. So for me, I was at a
point where I was hot, you know, getting familiar with
the scheme, getting familiar with, you know, the way things
are ran, the way I fit.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
I you know, have to conduct myself.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
And I think it was my preparation, just my ailly
prepare And you know, being in week fourteen, you did
it for thirteen weeks already, you know what they expect,
you know how team's trying to attack you, and actually
that play that happened, what you're going to mention Sue, Yeah,
actually vision that happening, Like there's a clip of him
actually doing that. And when the guy motioned from the slot,
he threw a screen into the into the boundary in
a high red zone. So I already had it in
(14:49):
my mind, and I'm like, wait, this is not about
to happen, right, This ain't about to happen this Please,
don't think it's about to happen.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Give aver Donald, get him, every Donald, get him, get him,
get them.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
And then I catch the ball before you know it,
Jill Ramsey and Aaron Donald blocking for me for what
eighty eighty five yards whatever it was. I had seen
it happening already, So when it happened, I'm like, man,
what just happened? Joel Berry text me said, man, great, gang,
you made every tackle. That probably was the most perfect
game ever, Like, good job, dude, keep it up. And
then that that just took a whole nother roof to
(15:18):
my career. Honestly, it really did, because it gave me
a sense of confidence that you know, I had needed
at that time in my career.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
For sure, Kenny, for a moment in time, you were
the best player on the field that day. You were everywhere.
You were absolutely, I mean, considering the guys you're out
there with, you were the best player on the field.
And that play, I keep saying, Aaron blew the thing up.
Why would you throw that cam? And I did wonder.
I'm glad you said that. How did Kenny know where
the ball was going because it looked like he threw
(15:45):
it to you, not to the running back. I mean,
how did you know you envisioned that before the game?
You saw that all that go ahead? Yeah, water Bank.
He was underneath center, I believe.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
And then he motioned the guy and then I'm like
I had seen it like a day or two before,
as like a dream or something like. I was preparing, like, okay,
whenever they do jet motion, need you go run the
ball or run a screen to the bounder in this formation?
And it's the same guy. I think it's number sixteen,
whoever they was was a slot e motioned and I'm like, uh,
these lining are too high. Ain't no way, ain't no way.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
I think it is.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Home and McVeigh almost pulled a hamstring running fifty yards.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Yeah, I had seen it in my head. And that's
the thing about you know, ball like once you the
best with the best. It's all about muscle memory, you know,
little sound bites of little information.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
A guy in emotion and the changing the trajectory of
a play. It really is. You know, you have to
be prepared for those moments.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
No doubt. The game is one Wednesday and Thursday. You
know that, Thursday, Friday, and there it is. But I
would say this, once you caught it and then turned
north and south, you had Aaron in front of you
and Jalen, you better score, you better score.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Come on now exactly, Yeah, I better score it. I
better not go to the ball.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Are humble?
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Are fall are? They're gonna beat my butt?
Speaker 2 (17:02):
But yeah, I mean, like honestly, just to see, like
you're talking about guys that Jellen Ramsey arguably you know,
top two corner for the past eight years, nine years
of his career, Aaron Donald, a remarkable guy, like you know,
the best player in my opinion, to ever play this
game in the past fifteen years. To see the spirit
of those guys celebrate with a teammate and beat them
(17:25):
for a teammate more than it is when they celebrate
with everything to me and when people don't realize Jellen
Ramsey and Aaron Donald. The way those guys play is
one thing. But the way those guys prepare and approach,
practice and practice and walk through it's remarkable. Like they are.
There's no one that can test away those guys practice.
(17:47):
They're the hardest working guys. They're smart, they're intelligent, and
they know how to bring guys together. But to fill
all that energy, man, and to celebrate it was no
fans by the way, right, that was not it was
not a song in the stand, So it was pretty
like awkward, right, But it was a moment to celebrate,
a moment to be together, a moment to you know,
(18:09):
defensive touchdown, Like you know, we picked off Cam Newton,
the two guys you know leading away from me. Man,
that felt amazing, and I knew that's the type of
guys we had. That's why I said that. Twenty twenty season,
twenty twenty one season, those two years, those guys in
the locker room was remarkable, and it triggered down through
the whole defense.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Special man. Every when Jalen was in uniform here, I
would just look at him. I can tell something is
burning inside. I don't know where it's coming from. And Aaron,
we played the same position, yet you play it so
much better than I did. How was that possible? You
know what I mean? My god, you're a forklift. It's incredible.
But I can tell how much you love the game.
I can tell how much you you're still around the game.
(18:44):
Are you still coaching? You were a GA at UCLA.
Are you still coaching now? Do you still want to coach?
Speaker 3 (18:50):
I was, I was still coaching.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
I was say, you sell it for a season and
then I was at wait far at prior to that
during recruiting, and I just I just made a season.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
On what you say, l.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
A, Okay, I mean, so thing you want to do,
I mean get into ball. And like you said, celebrating
your teammates is huge, and I think that's lost in
today's game.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
But go ahead, yeah, no, yeah, like I said, right
af the ball. I just want to get around football,
be around it and help those guys that wik forest
and you sell it as much as I can. And
you know, it's a way to pay tribute to those
guys and help them understand the process of what it
takes to get to the next level. And to go
in that journey was remarkable. I think it helped my career,
and I think it got me to see both sides
of things. Do I want to be a coach? Do
(19:27):
I want to be a GM You know, that'll be
amazing right to be one of those things, or at
least to figure it out. But that experience for Shore
gave me, you know, some confidence to go on either
one as a scout or whatever and do my thing.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
I think I'll feel pretty fulfilled.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Yeah, Or you can join dump in the media and
use those debate skills. Yo, come on, let's argue a
little bit. Man. Bring that ring up so I can
see it. When you look at that ring, what's the
first thing that pops into your head?
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Grit?
Speaker 1 (19:59):
Just grit, grit and luck, That's what I would say, Okay,
hell luck, explain that real quick.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Preseason this year, there's going to be on paper, the
best team from quarterback to receivers, to running backs, to
defense to coach, the whole nine yards. Right, I've gotten
a chance to beat the greatest quarterback of all time,
Tom Brady. I'm undefeated against him. I've gotten to play
with him my last year in Tampa Bay. And to
(20:31):
be able to be able to have this, you have
to go fight the biggest lion in the jungle in
order to take crown of the Jungle, and to realize that,
you know, you got to get a few scars on you,
you have to go against you have to do some
crazy things. And I think the whole accumulation of my
time with the Rams has always been about being hungry
(20:52):
every day, but also being lucky to be able to
play with these guys with the locker room that's so special.
That allows you to be yourself, but also go come
at the high level to where they know that you've
got their back, they know that you're prepared and get
your homework, tell all of them to have success.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
So that's why it's lucky. That's why it's great. Kenny Man,
I enjoyed it, Bro. Thank you for stopping in the
Rams Iconic. This has been special. I wish I would
have known all this while you were here. No, I'm
glad I didn't because i'mbout to bug you before the game.
But this has been amazing. Man, Thank you for joining us.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Thank you Man. Appreciate y'all. Go Rams, Go Rams.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
That's a wrap on this episode of Rams Iconic, presented
by eighteen hundred quila the best taste in tequila. Please
drink responsibly. I hope you enjoyed our conversation with you
one and only, Kenny Young. I'm DeMarco far We'll catch
you next time.
Welcome to Rams Iconic, presented by eighteen hundred Tequila, the
best taste in tequila. Please drink responsibly. I'm your host,
DeMarco Farr, and this is the podcast where we catch
up with former Rams legends and talk about their time
in horns. My next guest played parts of four season
or started parts of four seasons for the UCLA Bruins.
A Bruins standout had over three hundred car wrecks or tackles,
(00:29):
depending on how you want to put it. Played five
seasons in the National Football League three right here for
the LA Rams. Please welcome in to Rams Iconic. Kenny Young,
what's up man?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Hey man, I'm so happy to be on this show.
We had a lot of good stuff to talk about
and good singing man.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Good seeing you too. Man. You're looking all good, like
you can still play or coach?
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Tell us need I got a quarter left in me?
Speaker 1 (00:53):
A quarter? Okay? How about two? How about a heck?
How about a fool?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
I'm bass?
Speaker 1 (00:57):
I only play bass, Okay, do me a favor. Okay.
So we have a crack research team, and I did
my research, so I know where you're from from. I'm
just curious as to how you pronounced it? So what
city were you born and raised?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
A home on Louisiana?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Okay, how do you pronounce New Orleans? Is it New Orleans?
Knowleans or New Orleans or New Orleans? How do you
pronounce it New Orleans? News New Orleans? That tells people
where you're from, depending on how you pronounce that. So
growing up there Louisiana, I'm curious, how did you get
out west to play football? How did you come out
(01:34):
to u C l A F from Louisiana, you know
the MACA.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
For a long time, I just was would be grateful
in high school that I get a scholarship from LSU
and I just go right down the road. I didn't
realize how well I was going to excel at football
my junior senior year, after I told my ankle, you know,
just located my ankle and I fractured it in two
spots and had to get a plate and screws in it,
and it's like, look, man, you might not be able
(01:58):
to play football again. So I I told myself, I said,
for the rest of my life, I want to play basketball.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
That was my favorite sport.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
I wouldn't have been I've been d a D three
point guard for sure, but that would have been by it,
but my aids and my basket would have been in football.
So yeah, I trained for about six months on just
saying once my ankle got better, and yeah, LSU wound
up offering me.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
My first offer was.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Old Miss, and then when old Miss offers you, it's
like all of them start calling, you know. And LSU
called me like the day after and I had like
seven of the offers from SEC schools and then it
just took off. UCLA came in a picture, Jim Moore
was over there, Jimurry Junior and Jeff Albrick, who's the
DC at the Falcus right now. They did a phenomenal
job of recruiting me from down here. Eric Yarber who's
(02:44):
our receivers coach at the Rams, he has some connections
of some guys back there, and you know, they kind
of made it for like home and family. So you know,
to me, I want to go play ball right away,
and uh, you know, starting to have a lot of
success and you SLA gave me a chance of starting
for four years and you know, being a team captain
and doing all that other good stuff and helping the
program for jamor Oh.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
You're all dialed in? Was it a culture shock for
you coming out West?
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Yeah, it was. I was a country boy.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
I grew up on, you know, catching alligators, catching crabs,
craw fish in the ditch, perchase hatfish. I'm a country boy, DeMarco.
I will always be that, And yeah, coming out of
LA was definitely different. The biggest issue was trying to
say the plays on a microphone to the players because
they didn't understand what the heck I was saying.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
So whenever I call.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Plays, people like, can you what you say it again?
Because when I'm tired? My whole New Orleans accident came out,
so U s LA. The guys was like, man, look,
we appreciate you as the leader, but you got to
learn how to slow down or put some space between
your words because I don't know what you're saying. It's
not like you're saying them, but gumboy and crawfish you
to tell us to play. So I had to learn,
(03:53):
you know, when I'm tired, how to you know, work
on my tone. And that's really the reason why I
went to UCLA to debate and to learn the way
that all to yourself so I.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Could get the place to the guys in time.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Okay, So that leads me to my next point. Now,
I'm gonna say this with a little bit of surprise
and shock, but it's not because of you. It's just
I'm mad. I didn't know that while you were here,
you were actually on UCLA's debate team. Yes, sir, get
out of town. How in the world did you get
hooked up on the debate team.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Man, that was a professor by the name of Honorable
Keith Fink. I took like four of his classes in
summer and he was like, hey, man, look, you probably
have a mic in your face for the rest of
your life if you go, you know, play pro ball.
And he said, I want you to be able to
speak well when the cameras are on you. And he said,
it's not when things go well, it's when you know,
(04:42):
they try to throw a curveball and you don't know
how to handle those questions. So he said, look, join
the debate team. If you don't like it, you know,
you could drop out of it. But he said, I
think you got a career at this, so just give
it a try. And so I said, you know what,
I'll dedicate a winner program to debate team, and then
we placed third my first time ever debating the tournament
here in Riverside. Wow and yeah man. We talked about
(05:04):
different topics. I learned how to debate, i learned how
to deliver a pitch. I've learned how to learn win arguments.
I've learned how to lose arguments. And I've learned how
to be respectful of you know, information that people present
before me, where the opponent or whatever it is. So
it taught me a lot of lessons about how to speak.
You know how to think critically, and you know how
to how to deliver messages.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
I mean, I assume you must have stood out as
an athlete in that realm. I mean, I wonder how
did they treat you, because I'll say this, as athletes,
especially in college, you know, there's scholarship guys, there's walk
on guys. Sometimes the walk on guys get treated a
little bit different on the field than the scholarship guys.
I imagine were you in that kind of same vein
as a debater you kind of stood out? No, not
(05:46):
at all, Like I.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Was like the little media guy that's you know, handle
all the production and all the sound bites and all
that stuff, like, yeah, they didn't.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
They just thought I was a human being. And I
think I went.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
I went night sessions, so like six thirty, six thirty
to eight already every night we would go and debate
at Professor Miller's office.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
But yeah, that's what it was.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Man. I would show up, I would show get ready
to kick butt.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
You know. We had team members.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
We always swapped to swap out teams, and it was
it was a way for me to get away from,
you know, carrying the world so much between sports and
school because you clas the school where you have to
go to class, you have to study, you have to pass.
You know, you don't make twenty tackles in they say, okay,
you just.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Get an a.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
So I wanted to know, call for my nichel as
a person, like, yo, this is something cool is at nighttime,
you know, and I want to try it out. And
I thank god that I did do that because it
has made a huge step in my life. I mean,
you know, speaking with people handle my temperament, you know,
when there was disagreements just everything.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I think it helped me out a lot.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
And honestly, I think it's helped me to become a father,
because you have to learn how to communicate as a father.
And I think that's that attributed my success, based on
my ability to speak and to think critically.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
I wish you would have told me that years ago.
I lose every debate in my house. Why daughter, my
nine year old wife Florida, So I absolutely, Oh my God,
teach me something. And I read this. This is also awesome.
You're the answer to a trivia question, and what an
awesome responsibility. And I can see why you're the last player,
regardless of sport, to wear the number forty two at
(07:18):
UCLA Jackie Robinson's number. I mean that had to be huge.
Did you understand the gravity of that when you put
that jersey on?
Speaker 3 (07:27):
No.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
I wore a number actually in high school at John Curtis,
and I had won three state championships in it, and
then I won the MVP as a defensive defensive player
in a super Dome my senior year. So it's your number, Okay, yeah, yeah,
it's something that's been with me since high school, since
since River Ridge, Louisiana.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Okay, yeah, it.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Was carried over man and then Jamorrow. I remember, I
remember like it was yesterday. We were staying at the
Langham Hotel and his ritual was he ran in like
a professional league. He's like, look, we'll go to the
stadium so y'all can feel it the night before the game,
and then you know, we'll we'll throw footballs and talk.
Coach Yarber is actually on the team too, Coase Yarbor
and uh, we're walking back to the buses. He said, look, Anny,
(08:10):
good news and bad news. I'm like, man, come on,
bad news is uh you can't nobody could wet his
number again. And said, good news is that you're the
last athlete that could at a number for the rest
of your college career. So put it in a better
place than you found it. And I said, all right,
bet cool, I have a reason to, you know, come
to prepare every every single day, be a leader, and
(08:33):
put this jersey in a better place than I have it.
Jackie Robinson obviously is a you know, a icon legendary
for not just what he did in sports, but academically
and in the community as well. And just like I
think the number one thing I take from it just
the courage and the belief that you have to have
at that time for him and me carrying over until
the way I conduct business as as athlete, you know,
and it has followed me.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Man, I don't wear that number in shame.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
You know. I've never missed class. I've never missed meetings.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Is always been about pushing that jersey to a better
place than I found it. And that was a promise
to myself my sophomore year, which Jim Mora told me.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
That I think you've done that. Okay, So it's not
added pressure. Every athlete deals with pressure. I hate said
the pressure is a privilege. Did you feel any added responsibility?
Like I can't cut it loose because I'm the Jackie
Robinson guy. You know what I mean. I can't punch
you in the face because I'm wearing this number.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Man, Listen, my goal when I went to UCLA was
two things. One never drop out. Two, if I go there,
I am not going to allow Los Angeles or anything
when I go to LA to disrupt who I am
as a as a man and who I want to
inspire to be. So I mean, since my first day
(09:44):
on campus to my last day of campus, I didn't
drink alcohol, I didn't indulge in parties. I had in
my mind that I am a pro player. I just
haven't signed the contract yet.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
And I conducted myself. Maybe it's my you know, my
mature skills, how the way I was raised. But I said,
if I could go to LA and not change who
I am and keep my roots and with the lessons
have taught me, then I'll be all right. And then
that's what it was. So yeah, I never thought. It
wasn't pressure, It wasn't nothing. That just you have to
wake up to be who you is and every day
you get a chance to show that.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
And that's that was my resume. Let's jump to the Rams.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
So twenty nineteen, you're in Baltimore, you get the call
that you're being traded. So Baltimore a great franchise, great
football team. What did you know about the Rams in
twenty nineteen.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
I didn't know much. I didn't know nothing. When I
got the call. I actually I was walking to my
car and tapped me on the shoulder.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
I said, oh damn. Turned around.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
He said, yep, buddy, gim wants to have a conversation
with you. So that happened, and then literally within three
four hours from that conversation, I was on a plane
to Los Angeles, and I remember, I remember jocking, you know,
wound up reaching out to me. First reached out to me,
and he said, hey, man, look I'm super excited to
have you. Actually, I did a thirty day visit with
(11:01):
him with the RAMS for the draft process, so I
had new a lot of those familiar faces already from
the beating in the process. And yeah, it was one
of those things where I'm like, look, this is my life.
You know, I had buried my dad. That's what a
lot of people don't know. You buried your father, my
dad the month before I went to training camp in
twenty eighteen for the Raven. So I'm a rookie. I
(11:23):
don't know how to, you know, balance a check book.
I don't know how to pay bills.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
I don't know how to juggle all these new things
in my life.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Right.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
So yeah, I had a lot going on, man, and
I'm like, you know, well, this is really about to happen.
And then I went to Los Angeles, did my duration there,
but on my dad deathbed, all last conversations, that's the
reason why what his ring my dad before he died,
pointing his finger at me and said, son, I am okay,
you go live out your dreams and win a super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
You hear me?
Speaker 2 (11:54):
And mind you, my dad is like a carrot, right,
like just laying there, tubes tied to him, just you
could just see his soul wants to leave his bydey.
I mean, he ain't got no muscles in his face.
He's just bones pretty much. And he said, you go
win a Super Bowl. I'm gonna be okay. And DeMarco
when I tell you, I got back on that plane
and I just caught a whole news. You know, I
(12:16):
don't know what took over me, man, But from there
until the day I was gonna finish my career. You know,
my point is going to the Rams and being there
for three years. It changed my life because I knew
that defense in twenty twenty one was a special defense
coming off a twenty twenty two season when we finished
top two, top top three, and a lot of categories
arguably number one defense with Brendon stalely So winning a
(12:38):
Super Bowl in twenty twenty two, it was a tribute
to my dad. And though I got traded, it was,
you know, to me with warning because it's like man,
you know, things come when you seek through and just
you know, follow the plan. So that's kind of my story, man. Yeah,
I had a lot go on before that, but I
had to overcome a lot to even get to the Rams,
and I was grateful that lets you know, took a
(12:59):
chance on me and seen value at me and able
to help out a lot of those guys that are
amazing themselves.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Man, that's what a story I tell people all the time.
There's a lot going on inside those helmets that you
don't know, and a lot of these guys won't tell you.
Jump the Week fourteen and that defense absolutely freaking loaded
two guys in particular, Jalen Ramsey Aaron Donald on the
football field at the same time as just a defensive
(13:24):
player's dream. So Week fourteen, you guys are getting ready
to play the New England Patriots and they're hot. Cam
Newton as the starter, I guess had his best week
the week before, stomp the Chargers forty five to nothing,
so they're feeling pretty good about themselves. Cam, I think
scored twice in the ground through a touchdown pass and
they had two returns for touchdown, so they're feeling sky high.
You're getting ready to lock horns with them on Thursday night.
(13:47):
In so far, was there anything different about that warm
up on Thursday night.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Yeah, it was the whole what four days prior to that,
I think it was. I think it was like the
warm up was more calm, But I think it was
the work that was done because we had a short
week and less like, Look, we got to take care
of bodies, but make sure we take care of minds,
and you know, we have to be the tougher team
on Thursday, Thursday night, and we have to get this dove.
He said, don't let COVID be a distraction. Don't let
(14:14):
you know, any external thing be a distraction. We have
to get it. So for me, I was at a
point where I was hot, you know, getting familiar with
the scheme, getting familiar with, you know, the way things
are ran, the way I fit.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
I you know, have to conduct myself.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
And I think it was my preparation, just my ailly
prepare And you know, being in week fourteen, you did
it for thirteen weeks already, you know what they expect,
you know how team's trying to attack you, and actually
that play that happened, what you're going to mention Sue, Yeah,
actually vision that happening, Like there's a clip of him
actually doing that. And when the guy motioned from the slot,
he threw a screen into the into the boundary in
a high red zone. So I already had it in
(14:49):
my mind, and I'm like, wait, this is not about
to happen, right, This ain't about to happen this Please,
don't think it's about to happen.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Give aver Donald, get him, every Donald, get him, get him,
get them.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
And then I catch the ball before you know it,
Jill Ramsey and Aaron Donald blocking for me for what
eighty eighty five yards whatever it was. I had seen
it happening already, So when it happened, I'm like, man,
what just happened? Joel Berry text me said, man, great, gang,
you made every tackle. That probably was the most perfect
game ever, Like, good job, dude, keep it up. And
then that that just took a whole nother roof to
(15:18):
my career. Honestly, it really did, because it gave me
a sense of confidence that you know, I had needed
at that time in my career.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
For sure, Kenny, for a moment in time, you were
the best player on the field that day. You were everywhere.
You were absolutely, I mean, considering the guys you're out
there with, you were the best player on the field.
And that play, I keep saying, Aaron blew the thing up.
Why would you throw that cam? And I did wonder.
I'm glad you said that. How did Kenny know where
the ball was going because it looked like he threw
(15:45):
it to you, not to the running back. I mean,
how did you know you envisioned that before the game?
You saw that all that go ahead? Yeah, water Bank.
He was underneath center, I believe.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
And then he motioned the guy and then I'm like
I had seen it like a day or two before,
as like a dream or something like. I was preparing, like, okay,
whenever they do jet motion, need you go run the
ball or run a screen to the bounder in this formation?
And it's the same guy. I think it's number sixteen,
whoever they was was a slot e motioned and I'm like, uh,
these lining are too high. Ain't no way, ain't no way.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
I think it is.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Home and McVeigh almost pulled a hamstring running fifty yards.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Yeah, I had seen it in my head. And that's
the thing about you know, ball like once you the
best with the best. It's all about muscle memory, you know,
little sound bites of little information.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
A guy in emotion and the changing the trajectory of
a play. It really is. You know, you have to
be prepared for those moments.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
No doubt. The game is one Wednesday and Thursday. You
know that, Thursday, Friday, and there it is. But I
would say this, once you caught it and then turned
north and south, you had Aaron in front of you
and Jalen, you better score, you better score.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Come on now exactly, Yeah, I better score it. I
better not go to the ball.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Are humble?
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Are fall are? They're gonna beat my butt?
Speaker 2 (17:02):
But yeah, I mean, like honestly, just to see, like
you're talking about guys that Jellen Ramsey arguably you know,
top two corner for the past eight years, nine years
of his career, Aaron Donald, a remarkable guy, like you know,
the best player in my opinion, to ever play this
game in the past fifteen years. To see the spirit
of those guys celebrate with a teammate and beat them
(17:25):
for a teammate more than it is when they celebrate
with everything to me and when people don't realize Jellen
Ramsey and Aaron Donald. The way those guys play is
one thing. But the way those guys prepare and approach,
practice and practice and walk through it's remarkable. Like they are.
There's no one that can test away those guys practice.
(17:47):
They're the hardest working guys. They're smart, they're intelligent, and
they know how to bring guys together. But to fill
all that energy, man, and to celebrate it was no
fans by the way, right, that was not it was
not a song in the stand, So it was pretty
like awkward, right, But it was a moment to celebrate,
a moment to be together, a moment to you know,
(18:09):
defensive touchdown, Like you know, we picked off Cam Newton,
the two guys you know leading away from me. Man,
that felt amazing, and I knew that's the type of
guys we had. That's why I said that. Twenty twenty season,
twenty twenty one season, those two years, those guys in
the locker room was remarkable, and it triggered down through
the whole defense.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Special man. Every when Jalen was in uniform here, I
would just look at him. I can tell something is
burning inside. I don't know where it's coming from. And Aaron,
we played the same position, yet you play it so
much better than I did. How was that possible? You
know what I mean? My god, you're a forklift. It's incredible.
But I can tell how much you love the game.
I can tell how much you you're still around the game.
(18:44):
Are you still coaching? You were a GA at UCLA.
Are you still coaching now? Do you still want to coach?
Speaker 3 (18:50):
I was, I was still coaching.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
I was say, you sell it for a season and
then I was at wait far at prior to that
during recruiting, and I just I just made a season.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
On what you say, l.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
A, Okay, I mean, so thing you want to do,
I mean get into ball. And like you said, celebrating
your teammates is huge, and I think that's lost in
today's game.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
But go ahead, yeah, no, yeah, like I said, right
af the ball. I just want to get around football,
be around it and help those guys that wik forest
and you sell it as much as I can. And
you know, it's a way to pay tribute to those
guys and help them understand the process of what it
takes to get to the next level. And to go
in that journey was remarkable. I think it helped my career,
and I think it got me to see both sides
of things. Do I want to be a coach? Do
(19:27):
I want to be a GM You know, that'll be
amazing right to be one of those things, or at
least to figure it out. But that experience for Shore
gave me, you know, some confidence to go on either
one as a scout or whatever and do my thing.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
I think I'll feel pretty fulfilled.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Yeah, Or you can join dump in the media and
use those debate skills. Yo, come on, let's argue a
little bit. Man. Bring that ring up so I can
see it. When you look at that ring, what's the
first thing that pops into your head?
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Grit?
Speaker 1 (19:59):
Just grit, grit and luck, That's what I would say, Okay,
hell luck, explain that real quick.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Preseason this year, there's going to be on paper, the
best team from quarterback to receivers, to running backs, to
defense to coach, the whole nine yards. Right, I've gotten
a chance to beat the greatest quarterback of all time,
Tom Brady. I'm undefeated against him. I've gotten to play
with him my last year in Tampa Bay. And to
(20:31):
be able to be able to have this, you have
to go fight the biggest lion in the jungle in
order to take crown of the Jungle, and to realize that,
you know, you got to get a few scars on you,
you have to go against you have to do some
crazy things. And I think the whole accumulation of my
time with the Rams has always been about being hungry
(20:52):
every day, but also being lucky to be able to
play with these guys with the locker room that's so special.
That allows you to be yourself, but also go come
at the high level to where they know that you've
got their back, they know that you're prepared and get
your homework, tell all of them to have success.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
So that's why it's lucky. That's why it's great. Kenny Man,
I enjoyed it, Bro. Thank you for stopping in the
Rams Iconic. This has been special. I wish I would
have known all this while you were here. No, I'm
glad I didn't because i'mbout to bug you before the game.
But this has been amazing. Man, Thank you for joining us.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Thank you Man. Appreciate y'all. Go Rams, Go Rams.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
That's a wrap on this episode of Rams Iconic, presented
by eighteen hundred quila the best taste in tequila. Please
drink responsibly. I hope you enjoyed our conversation with you
one and only, Kenny Young. I'm DeMarco far We'll catch
you next time.
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