November 11, 2025 • 17 mins
Nose tackle Poona Ford sits down with J.B. Long to talk about why he joined the Los Angeles Rams from free agency, the best parts about fatherhood, and his evaluation of his first year as a Los Angeles Ram so far.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
How's it going everyone? Hope you can make it to
Sofi Stadium this weekend for a first place collision between
Seattle and Los Angeles. Indeed, the Rams are set for
their biggest test of the season, and so am I
start your stopwatch and enjoy this edition of RAMS revealed
with punifour Well, Punta, good to sit with you. I've
(00:24):
been looking forward to this for a while. You maybe
not so much.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Well, I'm open to it, Okay.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
I just hear that you're a man of few words,
fair yea true by nature or just around the media.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
This in general playing I won't release much.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Okay, yeah, I won't say who, but I have a
little wager with someone in the facility that I can
get you to hit here for ten minutes that the
over unders like nine and a half. Thing. I got
a chance.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Maybe you might.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Know better chance than the centers you go up against
on a weekly basis. All Right, I got a little
bit of a nce breaker. Let's see where this leads. Okay.
I know there's a few things that you like to
talk about. We'll get to them eventually. But I'm going
to rank the best arms on the RAMS roster, and
you stop me when you get to yourself or where
you think you fit in. Okay, because I hear you
(01:11):
can spin it. We'll get to that next. Am I
right though?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Okay, Matthew Stafford, Jimmy Garoppolo, Stetson, Bennett Cam Curl.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
I feel like I got Cam. I ain't.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
I feel like both of Okay, all right, so we'll
just go right after the quarterbacks? With which hand right?
Because you can throw it both ways? Your ambidextross research research,
trying to get past this nine and a half minute.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Mark, Dad, I can throw both hands.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Okay? Do you do everything? Amber? Can you write with no?
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I write my left hand, sign an autographs left hand.
I guess you had a basketball in both hands.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Shoot a basketball with both hands, kick with both feet?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
No?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Okay. Do you feel that that ambidextrous nature allows you
to play football better? Does it help in the trenches?
Speaker 2 (02:03):
I feel like it does help because it like it
helps you be able to play both sides, like left
and right.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
You played both sides of the football growing up. Right.
You had some good offensive skills too. Taking a handoff
that's necessarily throwing it though. Huh Yeah, Okay, when's the
last time you threw a football for real?
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Uh probably like yeah, probably around high school. I'll say, okay, yeah,
I was supposed to have some like my own packages,
but I hurt my so to my senior year.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Okay, so that robs you of the offensive start.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Robbed me on my sign a little bit, man.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
I mean you're giving me some ideas though, like a
little red zone RPO package, the mesh point poona coming
downhill with a chance to flip at the end zone.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Maybe okay, just let me lead block. I feel like
I like that more lead block.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Okay, so just true formation full back paving the way
for Kiren or put in Shawn's here. See what he says,
He's opening new things, apparently. What do you make of
this new free tight end identity that the Rams are
role with.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
I feel like tiles are great. I'm gonna leave that.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
To leave that to them.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
YEA.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
What kind of stress does it put on a defense
when you're flipping between eleven personnel with Pooka and Avante
Adams and then you're loading up with three tight ends
and having to deal with that presentation.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
I feel like it just allows you to stay balanced
as an offense. Really, you'd be able to like, I guess,
move the ball around and also like run it.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Yeah, pretty good offensive day and that win at San Francisco,
how'd you enjoy that? What did the Rams do well?
What can they do better between now and Seattle?
Speaker 2 (03:33):
I don't know. I feel like they was, you know,
hitting on Austinlanders, but for this game important. I feel like,
see how I got a good run defense, and I
feel like it's gonna be important for us to get
a run game going this week.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Yeah. As we approach the midway point of this season,
how would you evaluate your performance your first campaign as
a RAM.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
I thought it's been pretty good, like you were winning,
so that's always great. Love winning. I don't like losing.
I don't take losing pretty well.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Okay, but I ask you about yourself myself? Yeah, I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
I'm not really wanting to talk about myself.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
I can tell I'm trying to get there though. But
they're winning because of you, not not necessarily come on
pot of the last I think seven opponents only six
or you've held six below one hundred yards rushing.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
I mean that's not just me to it's kind of
like collectively all of us together. But you know, that's
just like the chemistry they have. Everybody like, you know,
play for one another.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
You're the tip of the spear though. What about that
chemistry in that defensive line room?
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Oh, I feel like it's pretty good, you know, me
being just in the room, it's kind of interesting. This
is a fresh for me. But uh, Couz Gibson kind
of like challenge me to like to lead the guys
a little bit, and that's what I can be kind
of trying to do.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
When you say it first, it's the first time you've
been kind of the senior statesman in a position group. Yes,
I mean, I'm not trying to date you, but I
know you got a birthday around the corner absolutely, thirty
next week.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Yep, thirty thirty.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
All right, what kind of present you're hoping to get yourself?
Speaker 2 (05:00):
M hmm, I don't know. I don't know. To be honest,
I'm not really big on my birthday because I'm always working.
I've been working on my birthday since like forever as
I remember. Yeah, it just be nice. It's like just
chilled my family and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
You'll be out here installing something on a Wednesday. Yeah, Well,
how about Nathan Winn. We'd love to get that for you.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
That'd be a great birthday present.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Back to your position group for a second. Who are
you closest friends with here just a few months into
your RAMS tenure. Oh?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Probably, I say Merch Probably, Like that's why I like
hang out with a lot him and.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Uh, Bill, what do you like about Merch March?
Speaker 2 (05:38):
I mean, like, you know, he's a one of the
bigger personalities on the team. But I don't know, but
I know much for a long time. Like I hosted
him at Texas on his official visit, so but yeah,
I know much for a long time. And that's probably
that's probably why we, uh hang out so much.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Yeah, because he can talk the whole time.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
You just listen right as a chill laugh, you know,
chime in whenever.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
What was Laurel Murgison like as a prep recruit in Austin, Texas.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I mean it's kind of quiet, I guess at first,
but I don't know. I kind of knew he was
to come in there.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Yeah. Yeah, you were ahead of your time, man. You
could have made some money in this nil era down
there in Texas right now.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
And pretty cool. I just really wanted the card that's it.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Well, I hope you've been able to pick one out
for yourself now that you've made a nice long career
in the National Football League. Aside from the money, what
was it about this opportunity with the Rams that attracted
you in free agency? Uh?
Speaker 2 (06:40):
You know, just uh, just the opportunity to really play
under Cos McVeigh, you know, being playing against him since
my time in Seattle, I always thought he was a
great coach and there's someone I could see myself playing for.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
A great coach because he made life difficult for you
as an opponent or.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
I mean, not get into that he did, but like yeah,
just like just his style as a coach, Like he's young, energetic,
and that's just something that you know, makes you want
to play for a goal like that.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
I am always curious when players have been on the
opposing sideline, what's the perception of McVeigh and the Rams
from afar versus the reality now that you're inside these walls.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Just being on the other side. I was like, I
don't know, like we kind of like hated each other
as far as like you know, being division rivals and
stuff like that. But it's just like, man, I'm like
especially like going together his office. I'm like, man, it's
like the scheme is crazy. The scheme is crazy. So
that's really my biggest thought on him, Like playing against
(07:43):
him back in my early career.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Is there one moment or one game that stands out
from your time in this rivalry Seattle against Los Angeles
that still sticks with you? Uh?
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Yeah, probably for my rookie year. It was like a
Vela was like a scuffle at the end of the
game when what they were playing in the Colosseum. Still,
that's probably what really stick that to me. Well from
what I.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Remember, Yeah, it was a pretty prominent defensive tackle involved
in that scuffle if I recall.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Yeah, I wanted to meet him, but I guess he
had that my first U Yeah, that was my first game.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
So you're trying to meet Aaron Donald maybe someone you
looked up to admirers.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
And mom bought me his jersey in college.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Your mom bought you Aaron Donald's You still have it, Yeah,
get him to autograph it.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Uh. I don't know, really, I'm not really to.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
That, not into that, No, but he did inspire you.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Of course, like being one of those you know, short
a defensive line in the league, especially like to do
what he done and accomplished. It's just it just gives like,
you know, shout the guy's hope.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
So you're in the Colosseum thinking maybe I'm going to
meet this guy and he's too busy beefing with your
offensive line up. Man, all right, that gives me a
flavor to this this game coming on Sunday. I like that.
Let me talk about those measurables real quick, and we'll
come back to the Seahawks. According to listing like shortest
defensive linemen in the league five eleven and changes that
(09:11):
sound about right, yep, but show us the wingspan six
foot eight.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I don't know, man, it's been a while. I haven't
done it since like college.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Okay, how does that play? Why does that matter?
Speaker 2 (09:21):
They're just like it helps me, like like I say,
like early, it helps me get separation from the lineman.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Yeah, what are the other ingredients that have allowed you
to overcome being an undersized, undrafted defensive lineman to make
it this far?
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Just like you know, being like shorter and being overle
like get under the Tyler offensive line, like a lot
of them are pretty much all of them are tiler
than me, so like it's easier for me, like to
get up under him and like them not being able
to move me and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
I'm sure it crossed your radar what Jason Kelsey.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Said about you, right, Yeah, everybody sent me that.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah, for those who didn't catch it or don't know
what I'm referencing there, he says, when you play somebody
shorter with longer arms, like, I've negated every technical advantage
I could have. I hated playing Puna. Is that like
the highest compliment that, of course Hall of Fame Center
could offer you?
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Yeah, it was. It was honor.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
That's terrific. All right, let's go to the Seahawks. What's
it like preparing for a first place showdown against the
team that raised you at SOFI Stadium.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Uh, it's just I don't know, you know, being out
the side because like this is my first time playing them,
you know, since I left, And I don't know, I'm
just you know, we've got two really good teams going
up against each other. I'm just and not just me,
but like everybody is looking forward to the challenge.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
What are your recollections of your time in the Pacific Northwest?
Fond Memories Uh.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Yes, I mean I kind of love it up there,
like the weather, it wasn't as bad as people like
said it was, but like it's just whatever you make
of it. So I enjoyed my time there.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Grateful of course, because they gave the opportunity. You got
an extension, right, I think before anyone else in your
class drafted or otherwise got an extension, you were first.
So what did that mean to you that they invested
in you in your future?
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Just like you know that they believed in me and
like believe what I could be as a player, And
that was just like a good feeling.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Let me ask you about your name, Poona. Will you
share with us the origins of that nickname?
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Origin? I tell you, like like this is something like
Grandma gave to me. But like I don't know. I
got like a few different names.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
I'm open open, Like which one do you tell me?
Speaker 2 (11:32):
I do you know my real name?
Speaker 1 (11:34):
I don't know if the pronunciation is correct, but Kaylin
Nikia Ford Junior.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
I just asked for my first name. That's the whole thing.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Oh you don't want you don't want your government name?
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Just put it out there, man, we can edit it.
I don't care.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Okay, no social Security number though, no.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
But yeah he said it right, Okay, surprisingly thesually people
would be like Kylon or something, but nice, kaylin, I lose.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
A lot of fifty to fifty bets, but I got
that one, all right. So Poona comes from.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
My grandma and then my mom she called me pun.
And like my mom and like my sisters, my little brother,
they all called me pun. And then like my grandma's
believe the one that gave me pulling, they both just
come me Pooh.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
At what point did you decide to just run with
it and like have that be your roster name.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
I don't know that kind of just chose me, like
that's what people have been calling me, like my entire life. Yeah,
and so that's just what it was.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
And where are you from? Family origins geography, North Carolina,
South Carolina. You and Tyler Davis connect through South Carolina too.
Speaking of another defensive lineman.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Yeah, yeah, but he came to our camp one year,
him and like another player I think it was like
Exavier was or something, but a couple of Crimson guys then,
like like I said, like my cousin was doing that
camp for a while. So I used to have like
a lot of top guys. Like one year we had
like Ezekiel Elliott. Like that's alone, I said. Christian Lookers
(13:01):
was there one year. It's just like a lot of uh,
just a lot of like South Carolina schools. But it
was nice to cross paths with them.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
You've been in the Pacific time zone a long time now, though,
Do you feel like a West Coast guy at this point?
Do you like it out here?
Speaker 2 (13:14):
It's all right, but you know, I stay true to
my roots.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
That'll always be a home.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
What's after football for you?
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Mm? I don't know. I got like a I kind
of got an idea, but like I'm not really in
the rush. Yeah, to be honest, but probably go back
home just you know, be a dad and just enjoy
my family.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
I'm coming right back to fatherhood, I promise. But how
many more years do you want to do this?
Speaker 2 (13:42):
They let me?
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Man?
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Why was my body lets me? So? We'll see.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
It's kind of a thankless task, isn't it. But you enjoyed.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
I did enjoy it, man. I love the game. I
love the locker room parate and just you know, just
going out there on Sundays having fun with the guys.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
How do you measure success? Like, how do you leave
a few old feeling like you thrive that you had
a great day.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
A win first and foremost, just you know, just like
just not giving up, like you're not having a hound
of yacht rusher. That's that's a win for me personally.
I'm not really too big in the stats, but just
those that's what I'd like. Jase game mofa pretty much.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
When you do get rewarded with a chance to rush
the pastor to get vertical, and you racked up some
sacks last year, take a career high. You're in the
box score this year as well, what does that feel
like as a reward?
Speaker 2 (14:32):
It feels good, you know, it makes you like, you know,
we want to get more. But like like you try
not to chase sacks because it's like you don't want to,
like you feel me abandon like your focus on like
what the entire goal is.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
But you can celebrate the success of others, like when
V eight or Agent zero or Kobe get a sack,
you know that you played a role in that, either
earning them the right to rust the pastor by occupying
an offensive line. Who's got the best sack celebration.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
I think Kobe does the conductor, yes, hands down.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Who needs to work on it?
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Mmm. I don't know if everybody got their own little
celebration that fits him, but yeah, Kobe has the best.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Fist kicks down that door. Pretty good Destiny all right,
I said fatherhood would be our finishing topic. I want
to go there. Tell us about your daughter, Pud.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
What do you want to know?
Speaker 1 (15:25):
What's your name? How old is she?
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Kensley? Kensley? She's four years old.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Their birthday was October tenth, not too long ago.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Okay, so a fall birthday, like yourself just celebrated a
fourth birthday. What did you guys do to celebrate?
Speaker 2 (15:39):
She she came out here earlier, but like that was
when we had to go to Baltimore, so I wasn't
abstually able to get to celebrate her actual birthday. But
she h, we just like we just hear, like we
make cakes and stuff like that, and like we go
to play places, parks whatever. She's just an active baby.
She likes she does a lot. She's very active.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Does she understand what her dad does for a living?
Speaker 2 (16:03):
I don't know yet, but like she comes to the
games and she. I think she enjoys it, especially like
when she see her like she sees herself on like
the big screen. She's about there a few times.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
She just she loves it on the infinity screen. It's
so far. Oh, that's that's special. It's very cool. Was
a trip to Baltimore helpful and getting some time with her,
reconnecting being on the East coast for a full week.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Oh yeah, it's pretty It was pretty cool. It's just
like different though, just you know, being away from your
actually home and like in a hotel for like a
whole week.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Practicing at Camden Yards. What was that? Like?
Speaker 2 (16:36):
I'm like to see like a actual baseball state and
be inside of it, and like the locker rooms are
like way different than ours.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
That made an impression on you. I can tell. Are
you expecting that?
Speaker 2 (16:46):
I respect honestly. And they have like great shower pressure,
like the water pressure and.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Showers Camden Yards unexpected.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
It is impressive.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Okay, So you guys split up offensive defense right, one
in each clubhouse, one in each weight room. Yeah, and
the showers were a great takeaway. When they tell the
story of the twenty twenty five Rams and how this
winning streak started, and what led them to success. Do
you think Camden Yards in shower pressure will be a footnote? Uh.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
I wouldn't say just that, but just like just you know,
being out in Baltimore together as a team, that's pretty cool.
We did a few things we would like try some
restaurants and stuff like that, just some like real coarate.
So I feel like that was kind of a buildings.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
So okay, so a second training camp of sorts. There's
some merit to that that that helped. Yeah, all right,
well you're way past the ten minute mark. Mission accomplished.
I feel like that's a win for me. I want
to win for you. To celebrate your thirtieth birthday, Punah,
thank you for giving us a little peak into what
makes you a great defensive lineman and a father. We
wish you and your daughter all the best. Glad you're
(17:50):
with us here in Los Angeles.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Go get the Seahawks, Yes, sir,
How's it going everyone? Hope you can make it to
Sofi Stadium this weekend for a first place collision between
Seattle and Los Angeles. Indeed, the Rams are set for
their biggest test of the season, and so am I
start your stopwatch and enjoy this edition of RAMS revealed
with punifour Well, Punta, good to sit with you. I've
(00:24):
been looking forward to this for a while. You maybe
not so much.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Well, I'm open to it, Okay.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
I just hear that you're a man of few words,
fair yea true by nature or just around the media.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
This in general playing I won't release much.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Okay, yeah, I won't say who, but I have a
little wager with someone in the facility that I can
get you to hit here for ten minutes that the
over unders like nine and a half. Thing. I got
a chance.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Maybe you might.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Know better chance than the centers you go up against
on a weekly basis. All Right, I got a little
bit of a nce breaker. Let's see where this leads. Okay.
I know there's a few things that you like to
talk about. We'll get to them eventually. But I'm going
to rank the best arms on the RAMS roster, and
you stop me when you get to yourself or where
you think you fit in. Okay, because I hear you
(01:11):
can spin it. We'll get to that next. Am I
right though?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Okay, Matthew Stafford, Jimmy Garoppolo, Stetson, Bennett Cam Curl.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
I feel like I got Cam. I ain't.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
I feel like both of Okay, all right, so we'll
just go right after the quarterbacks? With which hand right?
Because you can throw it both ways? Your ambidextross research research,
trying to get past this nine and a half minute.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Mark, Dad, I can throw both hands.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Okay? Do you do everything? Amber? Can you write with no?
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I write my left hand, sign an autographs left hand.
I guess you had a basketball in both hands.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Shoot a basketball with both hands, kick with both feet?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
No?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Okay. Do you feel that that ambidextrous nature allows you
to play football better? Does it help in the trenches?
Speaker 2 (02:03):
I feel like it does help because it like it
helps you be able to play both sides, like left
and right.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
You played both sides of the football growing up. Right.
You had some good offensive skills too. Taking a handoff
that's necessarily throwing it though. Huh Yeah, Okay, when's the
last time you threw a football for real?
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Uh probably like yeah, probably around high school. I'll say, okay, yeah,
I was supposed to have some like my own packages,
but I hurt my so to my senior year.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Okay, so that robs you of the offensive start.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Robbed me on my sign a little bit, man.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
I mean you're giving me some ideas though, like a
little red zone RPO package, the mesh point poona coming
downhill with a chance to flip at the end zone.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Maybe okay, just let me lead block. I feel like
I like that more lead block.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Okay, so just true formation full back paving the way
for Kiren or put in Shawn's here. See what he says,
He's opening new things, apparently. What do you make of
this new free tight end identity that the Rams are
role with.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
I feel like tiles are great. I'm gonna leave that.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
To leave that to them.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
YEA.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
What kind of stress does it put on a defense
when you're flipping between eleven personnel with Pooka and Avante
Adams and then you're loading up with three tight ends
and having to deal with that presentation.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
I feel like it just allows you to stay balanced
as an offense. Really, you'd be able to like, I guess,
move the ball around and also like run it.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Yeah, pretty good offensive day and that win at San Francisco,
how'd you enjoy that? What did the Rams do well?
What can they do better between now and Seattle?
Speaker 2 (03:33):
I don't know. I feel like they was, you know,
hitting on Austinlanders, but for this game important. I feel like,
see how I got a good run defense, and I
feel like it's gonna be important for us to get
a run game going this week.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Yeah. As we approach the midway point of this season,
how would you evaluate your performance your first campaign as
a RAM.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
I thought it's been pretty good, like you were winning,
so that's always great. Love winning. I don't like losing.
I don't take losing pretty well.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Okay, but I ask you about yourself myself? Yeah, I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
I'm not really wanting to talk about myself.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
I can tell I'm trying to get there though. But
they're winning because of you, not not necessarily come on
pot of the last I think seven opponents only six
or you've held six below one hundred yards rushing.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
I mean that's not just me to it's kind of
like collectively all of us together. But you know, that's
just like the chemistry they have. Everybody like, you know,
play for one another.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
You're the tip of the spear though. What about that
chemistry in that defensive line room?
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Oh, I feel like it's pretty good, you know, me
being just in the room, it's kind of interesting. This
is a fresh for me. But uh, Couz Gibson kind
of like challenge me to like to lead the guys
a little bit, and that's what I can be kind
of trying to do.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
When you say it first, it's the first time you've
been kind of the senior statesman in a position group. Yes,
I mean, I'm not trying to date you, but I
know you got a birthday around the corner absolutely, thirty
next week.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Yep, thirty thirty.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
All right, what kind of present you're hoping to get yourself?
Speaker 2 (05:00):
M hmm, I don't know. I don't know. To be honest,
I'm not really big on my birthday because I'm always working.
I've been working on my birthday since like forever as
I remember. Yeah, it just be nice. It's like just
chilled my family and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
You'll be out here installing something on a Wednesday. Yeah, Well,
how about Nathan Winn. We'd love to get that for you.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
That'd be a great birthday present.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Back to your position group for a second. Who are
you closest friends with here just a few months into
your RAMS tenure. Oh?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Probably, I say Merch Probably, Like that's why I like
hang out with a lot him and.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Uh, Bill, what do you like about Merch March?
Speaker 2 (05:38):
I mean, like, you know, he's a one of the
bigger personalities on the team. But I don't know, but
I know much for a long time. Like I hosted
him at Texas on his official visit, so but yeah,
I know much for a long time. And that's probably
that's probably why we, uh hang out so much.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Yeah, because he can talk the whole time.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
You just listen right as a chill laugh, you know,
chime in whenever.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
What was Laurel Murgison like as a prep recruit in Austin, Texas.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I mean it's kind of quiet, I guess at first,
but I don't know. I kind of knew he was
to come in there.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Yeah. Yeah, you were ahead of your time, man. You
could have made some money in this nil era down
there in Texas right now.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
And pretty cool. I just really wanted the card that's it.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Well, I hope you've been able to pick one out
for yourself now that you've made a nice long career
in the National Football League. Aside from the money, what
was it about this opportunity with the Rams that attracted
you in free agency? Uh?
Speaker 2 (06:40):
You know, just uh, just the opportunity to really play
under Cos McVeigh, you know, being playing against him since
my time in Seattle, I always thought he was a
great coach and there's someone I could see myself playing for.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
A great coach because he made life difficult for you
as an opponent or.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
I mean, not get into that he did, but like yeah,
just like just his style as a coach, Like he's young, energetic,
and that's just something that you know, makes you want
to play for a goal like that.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
I am always curious when players have been on the
opposing sideline, what's the perception of McVeigh and the Rams
from afar versus the reality now that you're inside these walls.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Just being on the other side. I was like, I
don't know, like we kind of like hated each other
as far as like you know, being division rivals and
stuff like that. But it's just like, man, I'm like
especially like going together his office. I'm like, man, it's
like the scheme is crazy. The scheme is crazy. So
that's really my biggest thought on him, Like playing against
(07:43):
him back in my early career.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Is there one moment or one game that stands out
from your time in this rivalry Seattle against Los Angeles
that still sticks with you? Uh?
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Yeah, probably for my rookie year. It was like a
Vela was like a scuffle at the end of the
game when what they were playing in the Colosseum. Still,
that's probably what really stick that to me. Well from
what I.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Remember, Yeah, it was a pretty prominent defensive tackle involved
in that scuffle if I recall.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Yeah, I wanted to meet him, but I guess he
had that my first U Yeah, that was my first game.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
So you're trying to meet Aaron Donald maybe someone you
looked up to admirers.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
And mom bought me his jersey in college.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Your mom bought you Aaron Donald's You still have it, Yeah,
get him to autograph it.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Uh. I don't know, really, I'm not really to.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
That, not into that, No, but he did inspire you.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Of course, like being one of those you know, short
a defensive line in the league, especially like to do
what he done and accomplished. It's just it just gives like,
you know, shout the guy's hope.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
So you're in the Colosseum thinking maybe I'm going to
meet this guy and he's too busy beefing with your
offensive line up. Man, all right, that gives me a
flavor to this this game coming on Sunday. I like that.
Let me talk about those measurables real quick, and we'll
come back to the Seahawks. According to listing like shortest
defensive linemen in the league five eleven and changes that
(09:11):
sound about right, yep, but show us the wingspan six
foot eight.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I don't know, man, it's been a while. I haven't
done it since like college.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Okay, how does that play? Why does that matter?
Speaker 2 (09:21):
They're just like it helps me, like like I say,
like early, it helps me get separation from the lineman.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Yeah, what are the other ingredients that have allowed you
to overcome being an undersized, undrafted defensive lineman to make
it this far?
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Just like you know, being like shorter and being overle
like get under the Tyler offensive line, like a lot
of them are pretty much all of them are tiler
than me, so like it's easier for me, like to
get up under him and like them not being able
to move me and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
I'm sure it crossed your radar what Jason Kelsey.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Said about you, right, Yeah, everybody sent me that.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah, for those who didn't catch it or don't know
what I'm referencing there, he says, when you play somebody
shorter with longer arms, like, I've negated every technical advantage
I could have. I hated playing Puna. Is that like
the highest compliment that, of course Hall of Fame Center
could offer you?
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Yeah, it was. It was honor.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
That's terrific. All right, let's go to the Seahawks. What's
it like preparing for a first place showdown against the
team that raised you at SOFI Stadium.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Uh, it's just I don't know, you know, being out
the side because like this is my first time playing them,
you know, since I left, And I don't know, I'm
just you know, we've got two really good teams going
up against each other. I'm just and not just me,
but like everybody is looking forward to the challenge.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
What are your recollections of your time in the Pacific Northwest?
Fond Memories Uh.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Yes, I mean I kind of love it up there,
like the weather, it wasn't as bad as people like
said it was, but like it's just whatever you make
of it. So I enjoyed my time there.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Grateful of course, because they gave the opportunity. You got
an extension, right, I think before anyone else in your
class drafted or otherwise got an extension, you were first.
So what did that mean to you that they invested
in you in your future?
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Just like you know that they believed in me and
like believe what I could be as a player, And
that was just like a good feeling.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Let me ask you about your name, Poona. Will you
share with us the origins of that nickname?
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Origin? I tell you, like like this is something like
Grandma gave to me. But like I don't know. I
got like a few different names.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
I'm open open, Like which one do you tell me?
Speaker 2 (11:32):
I do you know my real name?
Speaker 1 (11:34):
I don't know if the pronunciation is correct, but Kaylin
Nikia Ford Junior.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
I just asked for my first name. That's the whole thing.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Oh you don't want you don't want your government name?
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Just put it out there, man, we can edit it.
I don't care.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Okay, no social Security number though, no.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
But yeah he said it right, Okay, surprisingly thesually people
would be like Kylon or something, but nice, kaylin, I lose.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
A lot of fifty to fifty bets, but I got
that one, all right. So Poona comes from.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
My grandma and then my mom she called me pun.
And like my mom and like my sisters, my little brother,
they all called me pun. And then like my grandma's
believe the one that gave me pulling, they both just
come me Pooh.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
At what point did you decide to just run with
it and like have that be your roster name.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
I don't know that kind of just chose me, like
that's what people have been calling me, like my entire life. Yeah,
and so that's just what it was.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
And where are you from? Family origins geography, North Carolina,
South Carolina. You and Tyler Davis connect through South Carolina too.
Speaking of another defensive lineman.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Yeah, yeah, but he came to our camp one year,
him and like another player I think it was like
Exavier was or something, but a couple of Crimson guys then,
like like I said, like my cousin was doing that
camp for a while. So I used to have like
a lot of top guys. Like one year we had
like Ezekiel Elliott. Like that's alone, I said. Christian Lookers
(13:01):
was there one year. It's just like a lot of uh,
just a lot of like South Carolina schools. But it
was nice to cross paths with them.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
You've been in the Pacific time zone a long time now, though,
Do you feel like a West Coast guy at this point?
Do you like it out here?
Speaker 2 (13:14):
It's all right, but you know, I stay true to
my roots.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
That'll always be a home.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
What's after football for you?
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Mm? I don't know. I got like a I kind
of got an idea, but like I'm not really in
the rush. Yeah, to be honest, but probably go back
home just you know, be a dad and just enjoy
my family.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
I'm coming right back to fatherhood, I promise. But how
many more years do you want to do this?
Speaker 2 (13:42):
They let me?
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Man?
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Why was my body lets me? So? We'll see.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
It's kind of a thankless task, isn't it. But you enjoyed.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
I did enjoy it, man. I love the game. I
love the locker room parate and just you know, just
going out there on Sundays having fun with the guys.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
How do you measure success? Like, how do you leave
a few old feeling like you thrive that you had
a great day.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
A win first and foremost, just you know, just like
just not giving up, like you're not having a hound
of yacht rusher. That's that's a win for me personally.
I'm not really too big in the stats, but just
those that's what I'd like. Jase game mofa pretty much.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
When you do get rewarded with a chance to rush
the pastor to get vertical, and you racked up some
sacks last year, take a career high. You're in the
box score this year as well, what does that feel
like as a reward?
Speaker 2 (14:32):
It feels good, you know, it makes you like, you know,
we want to get more. But like like you try
not to chase sacks because it's like you don't want to,
like you feel me abandon like your focus on like
what the entire goal is.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
But you can celebrate the success of others, like when
V eight or Agent zero or Kobe get a sack,
you know that you played a role in that, either
earning them the right to rust the pastor by occupying
an offensive line. Who's got the best sack celebration.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
I think Kobe does the conductor, yes, hands down.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Who needs to work on it?
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Mmm. I don't know if everybody got their own little
celebration that fits him, but yeah, Kobe has the best.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Fist kicks down that door. Pretty good Destiny all right,
I said fatherhood would be our finishing topic. I want
to go there. Tell us about your daughter, Pud.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
What do you want to know?
Speaker 1 (15:25):
What's your name? How old is she?
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Kensley? Kensley? She's four years old.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Their birthday was October tenth, not too long ago.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Okay, so a fall birthday, like yourself just celebrated a
fourth birthday. What did you guys do to celebrate?
Speaker 2 (15:39):
She she came out here earlier, but like that was
when we had to go to Baltimore, so I wasn't
abstually able to get to celebrate her actual birthday. But
she h, we just like we just hear, like we
make cakes and stuff like that, and like we go
to play places, parks whatever. She's just an active baby.
She likes she does a lot. She's very active.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Does she understand what her dad does for a living?
Speaker 2 (16:03):
I don't know yet, but like she comes to the
games and she. I think she enjoys it, especially like
when she see her like she sees herself on like
the big screen. She's about there a few times.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
She just she loves it on the infinity screen. It's
so far. Oh, that's that's special. It's very cool. Was
a trip to Baltimore helpful and getting some time with her,
reconnecting being on the East coast for a full week.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Oh yeah, it's pretty It was pretty cool. It's just
like different though, just you know, being away from your
actually home and like in a hotel for like a
whole week.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Practicing at Camden Yards. What was that? Like?
Speaker 2 (16:36):
I'm like to see like a actual baseball state and
be inside of it, and like the locker rooms are
like way different than ours.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
That made an impression on you. I can tell. Are
you expecting that?
Speaker 2 (16:46):
I respect honestly. And they have like great shower pressure,
like the water pressure and.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Showers Camden Yards unexpected.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
It is impressive.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Okay, So you guys split up offensive defense right, one
in each clubhouse, one in each weight room. Yeah, and
the showers were a great takeaway. When they tell the
story of the twenty twenty five Rams and how this
winning streak started, and what led them to success. Do
you think Camden Yards in shower pressure will be a footnote? Uh.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
I wouldn't say just that, but just like just you know,
being out in Baltimore together as a team, that's pretty cool.
We did a few things we would like try some
restaurants and stuff like that, just some like real coarate.
So I feel like that was kind of a buildings.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
So okay, so a second training camp of sorts. There's
some merit to that that that helped. Yeah, all right,
well you're way past the ten minute mark. Mission accomplished.
I feel like that's a win for me. I want
to win for you. To celebrate your thirtieth birthday, Punah,
thank you for giving us a little peak into what
makes you a great defensive lineman and a father. We
wish you and your daughter all the best. Glad you're
(17:50):
with us here in Los Angeles.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Go get the Seahawks, Yes, sir,
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