Guard Andrew Vorhees joins Cassie Cherigo to talk about the mental toll of missing his rookie season after a heartbreaking injury at last year’s NFL Combine, what his “redshirt” season looked like day-to-day and being at full strength heading into offseason workouts.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to the Lounge presented by Draft Kings. I'm Cassie
Cherigo and today I am joined by Andrew Vorhies.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Thanks for being here with.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Me today, absolutely thanks for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
So we're a few weeks away from the NFL drafts
and this time last year, your story was one of
the most talked about stories come out of the Combine
for fans that don't know you. Torir acl during drills
last year at the Combine and then kind of famously
at this point return the next day gutted out thirty
eight bench press reps. It was the most of anyone
last year at the Combine going into the Combine as
offensive lineman. Did you ever expect to become this sort
(00:35):
of viral sensation coming out of it? Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
No, took me by surprise, just as it did everyone else.
So unfortunately it was because something bad that happened. But
I was glad to make something good happen out of it,
and I think it's going to make me a better player,
just knowing that I've gone through that adversity and just
(01:00):
having kind of like all the support and stuff from
previous players and fans and friends, and I mean the
list goes on and on. So the support throughout that
entire tragic process, if you will, Could it have been
any better if that makes any sense?
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah, totally, that's awesome.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Was there anyone in particularly like jumped outy like, oh,
this is really cool that I heard from this person
at that time?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Yeah, I mean two people, so, like the more popular
one for the listeners is like JJ Watt, But personally
for myself, Tony Basselli he was a gold jacket player
in the NFL and he was a fellow USC trojan,
So hearing from him, just knowing that we kind of
(01:43):
had shared some similar background in the sense that we
both played at the same university together, that was pretty
cool for me, just because he's left such a significant
impact there in southern California and as well as in
the National Football League, So that was pretty cool for me.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Yeah, that's aweso.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
It's gonna be like, a'd be cool to kind of
follow in his footsteps in that way.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
When you came out of the combine, then what was
kind of your mindset going into the draft? Obviously it
wasn't it didn't go the way you wanted it to go,
So how did you kind of approach that.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Yeah. So I think surgery was at the end of
March and the draft was towards the end of April,
and obviously a lot changed. I was not expecting to
get hurt throughout the process, but the reality was I did.
And I don't know, like really, going into it, I
wasn't sure what was going to happen, right, You kind
of you have expectations going into it healthy and then
(02:36):
something like this happens, right, and it's just your life
completely changes. So I was just taking it day by
day really and just soaking it all in and just
trying to make the best out of the opportunity that
was laid in front of me. At the end of
the day, the event happened, the injury happened, right, and
it was all about how I was going to respond,
(02:58):
And I felt like I had a great response, and
that really set me up to propel me throughout the
rest of last year, and once I kind of started
again through the recovery process, right, just really allowed me
to accelerate and stuff. So I'm in a good position
right now, and like I've been telling everybody, my family
(03:18):
and friends, I'm just scratching off the days waiting for
football to start back up, and I joined the team,
So I'm really looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
I think a lot of fans share the sentiment of
scratching off the days until we're back at football, for sure.
The kind of the first thing on the calendar coming
up from a fan perspective is the draft. And so
now we know that the Ravens end up trading back
into the seventh round to select you after Eric Tacosta
Kun already had his end of the season draft press conference.
Were you aware that the Ravens like were seemingly done
(03:49):
at that point? What was kind of your mindset as
you know the seventh round is rolling on?
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Yeah? So I mean before I was selected, right, I
was a prospect for all thirty two teams. Know where
you're gonna end up, right Obviously as a senateth around
came around and I was still on the boards. Uh selfishly,
I don't know if that's the right word, but I
was kind of bummed out a little bit, if you will.
And you know, I mean now looking back after all
(04:16):
of it happened and seeing that mister DaCosta had his
press conference after he picked her our six round pick
last year, and knowing that he went back and he
traded into traded back into the draft for me was
it was pretty cool, especially now I'm a part of
the organization. I know what this organization is about, I
know the history of it a little bit now, still
(04:37):
got a lot more to learn as always, but I
thought that was pretty special. And so where the Raven
logo with pride and I'm just trying to do everything
I can to to represent the organization in the best
way possible.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
So what has the last year been like for you?
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Not being able to be on the practice field obviously
not on the game field either. Coming in as a
rookiees kind of different than everyone else in your draft class.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
What has that been like for you?
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Yeah, so a lot of people have kind of said
it's like a red shirt year, and it really was.
So have the opportunity to sit in throughout all of
our meetings, pretty much do everything except for actually put
cleats and shoulder pads and helmets on and all the gear.
But so I got to learn football from some amazing players.
(05:25):
We have an incredible offensive line room, incredible coach, incredible
position coach, incredible coordinator, credible head coach. So Uh, just
got to really absorb and learn football from a different lens, right,
being that I wasn't actually on the field and doing
all that, and then just a ton of weightlifting. So
I've got to be really close with all the Strint coaches.
(05:49):
They're a great group, have total belief in everything that
they do, and and I feel like I've really bought
in and I think they're going to have a huge
impact on on my kind of sort of return to
play and just really helped set a foundation for myself
as I returned.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Was it ever a question for you that you were
going to be here every day in meetings or was
that like just kind of a guarantee you know, you
wanted to be here, you wanted to get that experience
under your belt.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Yeah, I mean I didn't even consider it as an
option of not being here. Did all my rehab here,
and like I said, I was every bit of part
of this team except for putting the pads on. I
felt like, so that was something important to me too.
I just I wanted to be around and I want
being a rookie, right, I wanted to make myself known
(06:36):
and not just be a name on a piece of
paper or come in starting this offseason, guys back, who's
this guy? So yeah, I was glad I was here
for the entire year.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Did you still feel like you were able to kind
of take part in that because you were in the
meeting rooms, you were doing everything set the practice field,
just like that bonding of that first year for you.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Yeah, I mean our room specifically right with you know,
Kevin Zeitler's not here anymore, but you just talk about
such a veteran guy who's been been in the NFL
for so long, he really understands the significance and the
importance of kind of creating a brotherhood, especially in the
offensive line, which that's one of the most important position
(07:20):
groups on the field when it comes to playing together
and being a brotherhood. So, you know, just having examples
like that in the room and just everybody else really
buying into kind of the brotherhood mentality was awesome. So yeah,
I felt every bit of part of the bond in
the room specifically, and especially on the team as well.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
This is a fun locker room this year. I feel like,
did that feel like that for you coming out of college.
I think it's always a different kind of perspective for guys,
you don't have that like college atmosphere, But to me,
like this locker room this season kind of seems like
closer to that than other locker rooms we've had.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah, I mean, just like you said, coming out of college,
you just don't know what to expect. You're dealing with
a bunch of professionals, guys in their young thirties, families kids.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Yeah, different times in their life.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Absolutely different seasons for sure. But yeah, no, it felt
like we were really close. It felt pretty similar to the
college locker room in a sense that we just spent
so much time together and stuff. So that was really
fun to be a part of this past season with
that team specifically.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Yeah, did not being able to step out on the
field take a toll on you mentally? Like how did
you kind of handle that throughout the year.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
It was definitely a bomber, especially like when camp rolled
around and we started putting the pads on and stuff,
and I definitely missed it. But I think kind of
having the right headspace going into training camp, being that
my injury was in the middle of spring, I kind
of had a lot of time to kind of cope
and really put myself in the right headspace, as I
(08:55):
was saying, So it was unfortunate. I really missed it.
I missed football more than ever right now, which is
I'll use it. I'll harness that. Yeah, he'll propel me
again right during this off season and going into next season.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Who did you kind of lean on in that time
you talked about from like the spring to training camp
to kind of help you get in that right head space.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Yeah, I contribute a lot of that to my wife, Samantha.
She really helped me out through all that. She's been
there with me now for we've been married for six years,
so we got married young in college, so she's been
there for the entire journey and process, and she's been
nothing but uplifting and encouraging through all the ups and downs,
(09:38):
the ebbs and flows, if you will, but specifically through
my ACL injury at the combine. She really was my
rock and I couldn't be more thankful for her and
just proud of her commitment to supporting me throughout my journey.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
That's awesome. I love that. Props to her.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
We appreciate that she's there for you in that way.
That's incredible. Thank you for listening to the We are
coming to you from the Seat Geek Studio. We want
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You mentioned Kevinzeitler, and obviously he's departed from the Ravens.
There's a few pieces from your group that have left.
(10:38):
So what are your kind of goals going into the
season knowing that there is a lot of opportunity in
that position group.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Yeah, obviously I'm aware with the opportunity that lies ahead
of me. But at the end of the day, right
have to go and have to earn a job. Everyone
has to earn a job in that room. And so
I mean, right now, the competition looks a little different
because we're not in so I'm competing against myself every
day and I really have been my entire life. So
(11:07):
it's just try to be the best player, best athlete
I could be to then give myself the best opportunity
to kind of turn that into a position to play
right in the fall, because that's the goal at the
end of the day. But yeah, I'm just looking forward
to the opportunity to compete and really just looking forward
(11:27):
to getting back out there.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
This week at league meetings, coach Harball kind of talked
about your position group and he said that even in
a year like this where the Ravens are kind of
quote unquote rebuilding at the group, he has a lot
of confidence in your group because of having Joe d
Joe Delesandras for Ravens fans, our offensive line coach, just
because he has this track record of developing young talent.
(11:49):
So you've been in a meeting room with him for
the last year. What have you learned from him?
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Learned a lot about just details and a little saying
I heard back in college. Change the way you look
at things. The things that got begin to change. So
he really is a detail oriented coach and it shows.
I mean, we had one of the best rushing offenses
in the NFL last year, and I think it's a
huge credit to coach d and his commitment right to
(12:18):
just making us be the most discipline offensive line that
we can be day in and day out. So big,
big props to Coach D. And I'm looking forward to
to now getting developed by him when I get Mike
leates On out there. So really looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
I love watching him at practices. He's one of the
funniest guys here to me. Coach Tarba also said this
week that he expects you to be, you know, full
go come the off season workout program starting in a
couple of weeks. So how do you feel, you know, physically, mentally,
and emotionally kind of being able to really get back
in there for the first time.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
Yeah, I'm anxious, going back to what I said earlier,
just scratching the days off, you know, I'm physically I'm
I'm all already right, just spending day in and day
out with our training staff and our strength and conditioning coaches.
I couldn't be in any better physical conditions. So I'm
really looking forward to it, and I'm just it'll be
(13:13):
interesting to see write what it's like again because it's
been it's been.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
A while, Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
So outside of this incredible story, you know, you've had
this journey over the last year, what would you want
Ravens fans to know about you as the person outside
of you as the player with this remarkable, you know,
come back story.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
I just want the raven fan base to know that
no matter what, I'm just going to get my best
in all always. Again, it's such a privilege to where
this logo specifically in the NFL shield as well, So
I never want to take that lightly, and I just
want to let that be known through the way I
(13:52):
conduct and carry myself and play the game. I really
kind of want that to be the mark I leave
actually early on in my career.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
I know there's a lot of excitement to see you
on the field, and I know you obviously you feel
that way too.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Going back to college, I.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Did read this is on a little bit of a
different note that you did food tours when you were
in college with a teammates. So I want to know
if that's continued in Baltimore and if you have any
favorites so.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
It's continued not only through Baltimore, but kind of through
the East Coast a little bit in Northeast. So I've
been up to New York a couple of times, been
up to Philadelphia. So I've been adding a couple of
places here and there Baltimore. If you're a native and
you know of the Atlas group, we know that all
(14:38):
their restaurants are really good. So I went to the
Ruxton actually last week and they just opened up.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
It is really good, really good. This is free pub
for the Ruxton, but it is really good. Probably one
of the best meals I've had in a long time. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Yeah, So curating the list, is it what my college
one was in Los Angeles? Absolutely not. That thing is
an absolute beast. I think that that might because I
track it all on Apple Maps, Okay, and I just
log pins.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
Everywhere you give like a rating, like a score for no.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
I just kind of have places I have been, places
I want to go. Being in Los Angeles for so long, right,
it's a long list, long list, right, So just all
the all the the calumnists in Los Angeles who would
write stories and stuff. I'd be like, oh, that looks good,
or I got to try that, so I'd throw them
in the throw them in the maps, and yeah, I
(15:34):
mean the list is a beast.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
And I feel like Baltimore, like low key, is a
better food scene than people would expect coming here.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
There's a lot of good restaurants.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
I agree. And it's interesting too because you could be
in the city and then you drive thirty ish minutes
or so and you could be out in the county
and there's amazing outlets restaurants again in the county, so
there's gyms everywhere. And uh, it's been fun, especially this
last year, this last summer when being that I was
(16:06):
injured and had a little bit more free time than
the than the average Raven players, So I really got
to explore that again with my wife and that was
really fun for us to to kind of find a
bunch of places and there's a lot to experience out here.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Yeah, totally in your history buff two? Is that right?
Speaker 1 (16:23):
So have you made have you hit all the DC
monuments all that, there's a lot of history in this area.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Yeah, I definitely enjoy history. It's just it's always been
interesting to me. So, I mean, I've I've been to
a d C. If you probably five or six times now,
been up to Gettysburg, Fort McHenry, Harper's Ferry, Philadelphia. I
mean it's a lot Boston, Lexington, Conquered list goes on.
I really enjoy that. So growing up on the West coast, right,
(16:50):
history is a lot different. It's a lot younger out there,
So being on the East Coast now kind of for
the first time living out here, I'm exposed to a
whole new world of history. So it's been fun to
learn and go sight see a lot of places that
really helped to help America and set the foundation for
the country. So that has been fun.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Yeah, it's a little bit of a silver lining this year.
You had a little more free time to be able
to explore some of those other passions outside football.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Yeah, I mean it's definitely history is one of them.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
All Right, Andrew, this has been awesome. I really think
Ravens fans will enjoy kind of getting to see this
peak about you know what this last year has been
for you, what you are like as a person.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
So we haven't gotten to hear from you a lot
in the past.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Year, so we're excited for you for this off season
program to get started in a few weeks and looking
forward to seeing you on the Fueld this fall.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Yeah, thank you again and I'm looking forward to it
as well and good.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Ravens ended on that it's perfect, thank you.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Yep, awesome,
Welcome to the Lounge presented by Draft Kings. I'm Cassie
Cherigo and today I am joined by Andrew Vorhies.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Thanks for being here with.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Me today, absolutely thanks for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
So we're a few weeks away from the NFL drafts
and this time last year, your story was one of
the most talked about stories come out of the Combine
for fans that don't know you. Torir acl during drills
last year at the Combine and then kind of famously
at this point return the next day gutted out thirty
eight bench press reps. It was the most of anyone
last year at the Combine going into the Combine as
offensive lineman. Did you ever expect to become this sort
(00:35):
of viral sensation coming out of it? Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
No, took me by surprise, just as it did everyone else.
So unfortunately it was because something bad that happened. But
I was glad to make something good happen out of it,
and I think it's going to make me a better player,
just knowing that I've gone through that adversity and just
(01:00):
having kind of like all the support and stuff from
previous players and fans and friends, and I mean the
list goes on and on. So the support throughout that
entire tragic process, if you will, Could it have been
any better if that makes any sense?
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah, totally, that's awesome.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Was there anyone in particularly like jumped outy like, oh,
this is really cool that I heard from this person
at that time?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Yeah, I mean two people, so, like the more popular
one for the listeners is like JJ Watt, But personally
for myself, Tony Basselli he was a gold jacket player
in the NFL and he was a fellow USC trojan,
So hearing from him, just knowing that we kind of
(01:43):
had shared some similar background in the sense that we
both played at the same university together, that was pretty
cool for me, just because he's left such a significant
impact there in southern California and as well as in
the National Football League, So that was pretty cool for me.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Yeah, that's aweso.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
It's gonna be like, a'd be cool to kind of
follow in his footsteps in that way.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
When you came out of the combine, then what was
kind of your mindset going into the draft? Obviously it
wasn't it didn't go the way you wanted it to go,
So how did you kind of approach that.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Yeah. So I think surgery was at the end of
March and the draft was towards the end of April,
and obviously a lot changed. I was not expecting to
get hurt throughout the process, but the reality was I did.
And I don't know, like really, going into it, I
wasn't sure what was going to happen, right, You kind
of you have expectations going into it healthy and then
(02:36):
something like this happens, right, and it's just your life
completely changes. So I was just taking it day by
day really and just soaking it all in and just
trying to make the best out of the opportunity that
was laid in front of me. At the end of
the day, the event happened, the injury happened, right, and
it was all about how I was going to respond,
(02:58):
And I felt like I had a great response, and
that really set me up to propel me throughout the
rest of last year, and once I kind of started
again through the recovery process, right, just really allowed me
to accelerate and stuff. So I'm in a good position
right now, and like I've been telling everybody, my family
(03:18):
and friends, I'm just scratching off the days waiting for
football to start back up, and I joined the team,
So I'm really looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
I think a lot of fans share the sentiment of
scratching off the days until we're back at football, for sure.
The kind of the first thing on the calendar coming
up from a fan perspective is the draft. And so
now we know that the Ravens end up trading back
into the seventh round to select you after Eric Tacosta
Kun already had his end of the season draft press conference.
Were you aware that the Ravens like were seemingly done
(03:49):
at that point? What was kind of your mindset as
you know the seventh round is rolling on?
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Yeah? So I mean before I was selected, right, I
was a prospect for all thirty two teams. Know where
you're gonna end up, right Obviously as a senateth around
came around and I was still on the boards. Uh selfishly,
I don't know if that's the right word, but I
was kind of bummed out a little bit, if you will.
And you know, I mean now looking back after all
(04:16):
of it happened and seeing that mister DaCosta had his
press conference after he picked her our six round pick
last year, and knowing that he went back and he
traded into traded back into the draft for me was
it was pretty cool, especially now I'm a part of
the organization. I know what this organization is about, I
know the history of it a little bit now, still
(04:37):
got a lot more to learn as always, but I
thought that was pretty special. And so where the Raven
logo with pride and I'm just trying to do everything
I can to to represent the organization in the best
way possible.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
So what has the last year been like for you?
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Not being able to be on the practice field obviously
not on the game field either. Coming in as a
rookiees kind of different than everyone else in your draft class.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
What has that been like for you?
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Yeah, so a lot of people have kind of said
it's like a red shirt year, and it really was.
So have the opportunity to sit in throughout all of
our meetings, pretty much do everything except for actually put
cleats and shoulder pads and helmets on and all the gear.
But so I got to learn football from some amazing players.
(05:25):
We have an incredible offensive line room, incredible coach, incredible
position coach, incredible coordinator, credible head coach. So Uh, just
got to really absorb and learn football from a different lens, right,
being that I wasn't actually on the field and doing
all that, and then just a ton of weightlifting. So
I've got to be really close with all the Strint coaches.
(05:49):
They're a great group, have total belief in everything that
they do, and and I feel like I've really bought
in and I think they're going to have a huge
impact on on my kind of sort of return to
play and just really helped set a foundation for myself
as I returned.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Was it ever a question for you that you were
going to be here every day in meetings or was
that like just kind of a guarantee you know, you
wanted to be here, you wanted to get that experience
under your belt.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Yeah, I mean I didn't even consider it as an
option of not being here. Did all my rehab here,
and like I said, I was every bit of part
of this team except for putting the pads on. I
felt like, so that was something important to me too.
I just I wanted to be around and I want
being a rookie, right, I wanted to make myself known
(06:36):
and not just be a name on a piece of
paper or come in starting this offseason, guys back, who's
this guy? So yeah, I was glad I was here
for the entire year.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Did you still feel like you were able to kind
of take part in that because you were in the
meeting rooms, you were doing everything set the practice field,
just like that bonding of that first year for you.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Yeah, I mean our room specifically right with you know,
Kevin Zeitler's not here anymore, but you just talk about
such a veteran guy who's been been in the NFL
for so long, he really understands the significance and the
importance of kind of creating a brotherhood, especially in the
offensive line, which that's one of the most important position
(07:20):
groups on the field when it comes to playing together
and being a brotherhood. So, you know, just having examples
like that in the room and just everybody else really
buying into kind of the brotherhood mentality was awesome. So yeah,
I felt every bit of part of the bond in
the room specifically, and especially on the team as well.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
This is a fun locker room this year. I feel like,
did that feel like that for you coming out of college.
I think it's always a different kind of perspective for guys,
you don't have that like college atmosphere, But to me,
like this locker room this season kind of seems like
closer to that than other locker rooms we've had.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah, I mean, just like you said, coming out of college,
you just don't know what to expect. You're dealing with
a bunch of professionals, guys in their young thirties, families kids.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Yeah, different times in their life.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Absolutely different seasons for sure. But yeah, no, it felt
like we were really close. It felt pretty similar to the
college locker room in a sense that we just spent
so much time together and stuff. So that was really
fun to be a part of this past season with
that team specifically.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Yeah, did not being able to step out on the
field take a toll on you mentally? Like how did
you kind of handle that throughout the year.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
It was definitely a bomber, especially like when camp rolled
around and we started putting the pads on and stuff,
and I definitely missed it. But I think kind of
having the right headspace going into training camp, being that
my injury was in the middle of spring, I kind
of had a lot of time to kind of cope
and really put myself in the right headspace, as I
(08:55):
was saying, So it was unfortunate. I really missed it.
I missed football more than ever right now, which is
I'll use it. I'll harness that. Yeah, he'll propel me
again right during this off season and going into next season.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Who did you kind of lean on in that time
you talked about from like the spring to training camp
to kind of help you get in that right head space.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Yeah, I contribute a lot of that to my wife, Samantha.
She really helped me out through all that. She's been
there with me now for we've been married for six years,
so we got married young in college, so she's been
there for the entire journey and process, and she's been
nothing but uplifting and encouraging through all the ups and downs,
(09:38):
the ebbs and flows, if you will, but specifically through
my ACL injury at the combine. She really was my
rock and I couldn't be more thankful for her and
just proud of her commitment to supporting me throughout my journey.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
That's awesome. I love that. Props to her.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
We appreciate that she's there for you in that way.
That's incredible. Thank you for listening to the We are
coming to you from the Seat Geek Studio. We want
to give a shout out to our friends at Draft
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(10:16):
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You mentioned Kevinzeitler, and obviously he's departed from the Ravens.
There's a few pieces from your group that have left.
(10:38):
So what are your kind of goals going into the
season knowing that there is a lot of opportunity in
that position group.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Yeah, obviously I'm aware with the opportunity that lies ahead
of me. But at the end of the day, right
have to go and have to earn a job. Everyone
has to earn a job in that room. And so
I mean, right now, the competition looks a little different
because we're not in so I'm competing against myself every
day and I really have been my entire life. So
(11:07):
it's just try to be the best player, best athlete
I could be to then give myself the best opportunity
to kind of turn that into a position to play
right in the fall, because that's the goal at the
end of the day. But yeah, I'm just looking forward
to the opportunity to compete and really just looking forward
(11:27):
to getting back out there.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
This week at league meetings, coach Harball kind of talked
about your position group and he said that even in
a year like this where the Ravens are kind of
quote unquote rebuilding at the group, he has a lot
of confidence in your group because of having Joe d
Joe Delesandras for Ravens fans, our offensive line coach, just
because he has this track record of developing young talent.
(11:49):
So you've been in a meeting room with him for
the last year. What have you learned from him?
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Learned a lot about just details and a little saying
I heard back in college. Change the way you look
at things. The things that got begin to change. So
he really is a detail oriented coach and it shows.
I mean, we had one of the best rushing offenses
in the NFL last year, and I think it's a
huge credit to coach d and his commitment right to
(12:18):
just making us be the most discipline offensive line that
we can be day in and day out. So big,
big props to Coach D. And I'm looking forward to
to now getting developed by him when I get Mike
leates On out there. So really looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
I love watching him at practices. He's one of the
funniest guys here to me. Coach Tarba also said this
week that he expects you to be, you know, full
go come the off season workout program starting in a
couple of weeks. So how do you feel, you know, physically, mentally,
and emotionally kind of being able to really get back
in there for the first time.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
Yeah, I'm anxious, going back to what I said earlier,
just scratching the days off, you know, I'm physically I'm
I'm all already right, just spending day in and day
out with our training staff and our strength and conditioning coaches.
I couldn't be in any better physical conditions. So I'm
really looking forward to it, and I'm just it'll be
(13:13):
interesting to see write what it's like again because it's
been it's been.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
A while, Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
So outside of this incredible story, you know, you've had
this journey over the last year, what would you want
Ravens fans to know about you as the person outside
of you as the player with this remarkable, you know,
come back story.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
I just want the raven fan base to know that
no matter what, I'm just going to get my best
in all always. Again, it's such a privilege to where
this logo specifically in the NFL shield as well, So
I never want to take that lightly, and I just
want to let that be known through the way I
(13:52):
conduct and carry myself and play the game. I really
kind of want that to be the mark I leave
actually early on in my career.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
I know there's a lot of excitement to see you
on the field, and I know you obviously you feel
that way too.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Going back to college, I.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Did read this is on a little bit of a
different note that you did food tours when you were
in college with a teammates. So I want to know
if that's continued in Baltimore and if you have any
favorites so.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
It's continued not only through Baltimore, but kind of through
the East Coast a little bit in Northeast. So I've
been up to New York a couple of times, been
up to Philadelphia. So I've been adding a couple of
places here and there Baltimore. If you're a native and
you know of the Atlas group, we know that all
(14:38):
their restaurants are really good. So I went to the
Ruxton actually last week and they just opened up.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
It is really good, really good. This is free pub
for the Ruxton, but it is really good. Probably one
of the best meals I've had in a long time. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Yeah, So curating the list, is it what my college
one was in Los Angeles? Absolutely not. That thing is
an absolute beast. I think that that might because I
track it all on Apple Maps, Okay, and I just
log pins.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
Everywhere you give like a rating, like a score for no.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
I just kind of have places I have been, places
I want to go. Being in Los Angeles for so long, right,
it's a long list, long list, right, So just all
the all the the calumnists in Los Angeles who would
write stories and stuff. I'd be like, oh, that looks good,
or I got to try that, so I'd throw them
in the throw them in the maps, and yeah, I
(15:34):
mean the list is a beast.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
And I feel like Baltimore, like low key, is a
better food scene than people would expect coming here.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
There's a lot of good restaurants.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
I agree. And it's interesting too because you could be
in the city and then you drive thirty ish minutes
or so and you could be out in the county
and there's amazing outlets restaurants again in the county, so
there's gyms everywhere. And uh, it's been fun, especially this
last year, this last summer when being that I was
(16:06):
injured and had a little bit more free time than
the than the average Raven players, So I really got
to explore that again with my wife and that was
really fun for us to to kind of find a
bunch of places and there's a lot to experience out here.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Yeah, totally in your history buff two? Is that right?
Speaker 1 (16:23):
So have you made have you hit all the DC
monuments all that, there's a lot of history in this area.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Yeah, I definitely enjoy history. It's just it's always been
interesting to me. So, I mean, I've I've been to
a d C. If you probably five or six times now,
been up to Gettysburg, Fort McHenry, Harper's Ferry, Philadelphia. I
mean it's a lot Boston, Lexington, Conquered list goes on.
I really enjoy that. So growing up on the West coast, right,
(16:50):
history is a lot different. It's a lot younger out there,
So being on the East Coast now kind of for
the first time living out here, I'm exposed to a
whole new world of history. So it's been fun to
learn and go sight see a lot of places that
really helped to help America and set the foundation for
the country. So that has been fun.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Yeah, it's a little bit of a silver lining this year.
You had a little more free time to be able
to explore some of those other passions outside football.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Yeah, I mean it's definitely history is one of them.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
All Right, Andrew, this has been awesome. I really think
Ravens fans will enjoy kind of getting to see this
peak about you know what this last year has been
for you, what you are like as a person.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
So we haven't gotten to hear from you a lot
in the past.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Year, so we're excited for you for this off season
program to get started in a few weeks and looking
forward to seeing you on the Fueld this fall.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Yeah, thank you again and I'm looking forward to it
as well and good.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Ravens ended on that it's perfect, thank you.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Yep, awesome,
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