February 7, 2024 • 27 mins
Welcome to Unbreakable! A Mental Wealth podcast hosted by Fox NFL Insider Jay Glazer. On today’s episode, Jay welcomes Pro Football Hall of Famer and San Francisco 49ers General Manager John Lynch for part two of their incredible conversation.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is Unbreakable with Jay Glacier, a mental wealth podcast
build you from the inside out. Now here's Jay Glacier.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome into Unbreakable, a mental Wealth podcast with Jay Glazer.
I'm Jay Glazer. And before I get to my guest today,
my guest boy, you know, you know, as a Hall
of Famer in the NFL, he should be up for
the Hall of Fame for GMS ex baseball player, my
drinking buddy. And you'll get in that a little bit.
But before we get to that, if you, like many people,
you may be surprised to learn that one in five
(00:34):
adults in this country experience mental illness last year. I
have far too many fella receive the support they need. Carolyn,
Behavioral health is doing something about it. They understand that
behavioral health is a key part of whole health, delivering
compassionate care that treats physical, mental, emotional, and social needs
in tandem. Carolyn, behavioral health raising the quality of life
through empathy and action. All right, Welcome into Unbreakable, a
(00:55):
Mental Wealth podcast with Jay Glazer. And I'm not going
to wait. My guest here. He's done unbelievable job with
this Hall of Fame football career, Super Bowl winner, unbelievable
job as a general manager, making that jump, unbelievable teammate
of mind when he was a Fox Sports as well,
And that is the one and only forty seven read
John Lynch, how are you brother?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I'm doing great, glazy. This is this is kind of
awkward because you and I are usually just shooting that,
you know what, and to be on this kind of
formal setting, it's just awkward. But I do have to
say up front, I heard you reading you know that
that read about mental health.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
I just can't tell you. I don't know if I
tell you this enough.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
How proud I am of you for the contribution you're
making this so many who suffer with you know, something
that afflicts so many people in our country, and something
that for so often wasn't something that was talked about,
that was just kind of pushed to the to the
back door, and I think people like yourself who are
bringing it to the forefront, you know, still living a
fun life, a life that people want to live, and
(01:53):
showing people that you know, you can't struggle and still
have a real fulfilling life and the amount of people
you've helped. I hear it from people. I know you
hear it from people. I know how home Linden is
to you. But kudos to you, man. I love you
for it. I love you for a lot of things,
but I do love you for that. Yeah, man, you
can make my us cry.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Man.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
I appreciate it, dude. And it's funny because you know,
John and I've known each other for twenty something years
and he seen me do a lot of crazy shit.
But back then, let you we just said, like, oh,
Glazier's crazy, right. We never knew depression anxiety great, I
never called it that. Just you guys just didn't know.
I don't know. Did you know how much pain I
(02:29):
was in? You know I was crazy, But did you
know how much pain I was in?
Speaker 4 (02:31):
I never did.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
And you know, it's something I think about a lot
in my current role as a GM, A lot of stuff.
And I remember Tony Dungee used to tell me this,
You'd be shocked the amount of stuff that comes over
our desk. What we know about players that players would
never know. And I always prided myself plays.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
You know this.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
I prided myself and I care about people, and I
like it's a quality that I think my parents instilled
by their actions. They were people who gave a lot
to their community, to their family.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
We always had people random living in our house. I
mean it was just that.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
That's how our family was. And I always pride myself
on being a great teammate. It was probably as important
to me as anything. But now that I know all
the people that struggle on a day to day basis
with issues, everybody has issues, and as a teammate, man,
I look back and I try not to have regrets,
but I do have regrets that I didn't know more
about my teammates and how many of them might have
been struggling. I hear about it now as they've left football,
(03:24):
and some of these things come to the forefront, or
maybe it's more comfortable, but I heard about our own
players on a day to day basis, not necessarily mental health,
but just the day to day struggles that people have.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
So what's the difference in the baseball and a football
locker room in the culture.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Well, first of all.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Being in the minor leagues, man, it's the minor leagues
is a trip now. I mean you go to spring
training and they're basically babysit because you know only so
much you can do. Like in training camp, the day's full,
you know, NFL training camp, right, Yeah, NFL training camp.
We used to have two practices. We don't anymore, but
you still have a full day of meetings. Baseball like
their babysit minor league kids because they don't want you
(04:01):
going back to the hotel.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
And they're and their high school kids.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
You're up right, Yeah, got high school and there's kids
from third world countries, you know. And baseball there's so
much more downtime. Even if you're hitting in the lineup,
then you go hang at the fence and you're hanging
with your guys, so you.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Talk a lot.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Football you're working, you know, there's a lot more work.
So I do think there's an element like you have
much more bancer and talk and with baseball, but football,
that bond's a little tighter, just because what we talked
about earlier, it's so hard.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Yeah, and then football is just yeah, work, work, work, work,
work and hard work. Like you're saying, you're doing two
days and people don't you know. Now we look at
it and you guys have walked fourteen padded practices a
year or whatever it was, And yeah, I don't want
to sound like there's old, you know, gruff guys, but yeah,
like we'd go in and you guys would have two
or three hour full padded practices a day and just
(04:50):
what you did, and you got your body ready for battle,
for combat.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
But you know, and there was something to be learned
from that, and I think the mental toughness.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
You know.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
I had a trainer of pet Gosk. You you met Pete.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Pete was an old Marine, and you know, Pete grinded
us at San Diego. A lot of NFL players would
go there and the physical work was great, but Pete,
a couple of times a year there was this just
hillacious workout where you didn't know when it was going
to end. We'd work out with Seau and Basselli and
Gil Bird, some of the Hilly Ray Smith, the Old
Chargers and all these guys would come. A lot of
(05:22):
my teammates would come join us, but Pete inevitably the
old Marine in them. There was a workout that you
we went early. We'd go five thirty or six in
the morning, and you knew it was on and then
know when it was going to stop. Pete wouldn't tell
you and His message every time was, guys, your body
won't let you down. Your mind will if you allow
it to. But that's the lesson you learned today. And
(05:43):
he kind of knew from training with guys, the guys
that punked out and the guys that would keep going, like, man,
that's that's my competition.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
It harden you, you know, And I know that's a
lot of you know what fighters go through, but to
know and.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Man, that helped me, you know, in hot games in
Tampa when I'd be staring across like I'm just getting
started because I've been to those dark places before.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Now I think we're a lot smarter in training. We
wear GPS and we say, Okay, this guy's load is
too much, you know. You know, I don't know if.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
It's smarter though, because we weren't as many injuries back there,
because you got your body ready for battle. And like
you guys have always fucking laughed at me when I've
told you about sparring, and you guys all think I'm
crazy when I tell you this. But and by the way,
exactly what you're saying, Lichi. This called the Unbreakable Mental
Wealth podcast, but also the training system I created the unbreakable.
You know, our MMA system and our gym Our whole
(06:34):
thing is about pushing people's breaking points, pushing your breaking points.
Pushing your breaking points. Folks, if you push your breaking points,
hire and hire and hire each time, then your job
is Everything else becomes easier. And we'll always start guys off.
Let's say on like a three minute around doing something,
and we'd have them to do this thing called thirty
thirty thirty. Every thirty seconds we have you're doing something else,
because nothing, unless you're a marathon runner, nothing is just stable.
(06:59):
Let's go with the whole whole time for you know,
two hours whatever it is, right, or twenty minutes or anything.
Every thirty seconds. Let's change it up. And I would
just start people off for three minutes and then would
push these football players, but over time. Next time we
would do four minutes, and then four thirty, and then five,
and then by the time I set in the training camp,
we would all have done a twelve to fifteen minute round.
(07:19):
And I would always tell guys, look back and as
we go out, and said, look back, at your first
time you do this, you could barely get through three minutes.
Now you're at seven and you're laughing at three. So
the only thing that has changed is your mind here, right,
And because you came in in great shape, we've gotten
you in great shape. It's just we've just pushed your mind. Now,
think of this. I said this fifteen minutes. The hardest
thing you've ever done. Absolutely, I said great. So when
(07:42):
you're in that football field, you're in training camp, I
don't want you to say to yourself, shit, this isn't
hard as shit Glazer put me through. That's hard. That
makes football easy. And that's what a lot of people
aren't willing to do in trying to go after greatness,
whether it's in business, whether it's in schooling, whether it's
in you know, athletics, whatever it is. But that's the
whole point is you push your break in point so
everything else becomes easier, and then you could put your
(08:04):
level of pace on it too, and you're letless pace
and you're not always thinking about Man, when am I
going to guess out?
Speaker 3 (08:10):
I think it's Jimmy Johnson. There's this great speech he
games and I know he's given it. I've seen it
on TV. And you know, fatigue makes cowards about don't
be a coward you know, and I don't think he
made that quote up.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
It's so tex Boxing. Yeah, it's so true.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
And you know, but that's I do think like part
of our success here with the Niners, you know, a
world where everyone's pulling back, and we try to be
smart on the cutting edge. One thing we do we
maximize our padded practices. We practice hard, and it's almost
like the Miami Heat and basketball. You go play for
pat Riley and Eric Spolstra, You're going to work and
you're not going to be out of shape, and if
you're willing to buy in, you're going to have a
(08:47):
lot of success.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
And you know, we try to be cutting edge. We
try to.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
Listen to all the signals, but we're also we're going
to work and we're going to try to be unbreakable
and we're going to try to push through limits because
I think you have to to have that have that
six us.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
I mean, look at you right, you know, I'd always say,
you know, there's two John Lynch's. There's forty seven Red,
which is the guy who plays in the Bucks and
the Broncos, and then there's you know John Lynch, who's
the you know, he's the guy in your Brooks Brothers
catalog with this sweater over his shoulders. But it's that
that little difference, that work ethic, that mindset that you're
(09:22):
willing to go through, that a lot of people are.
And I bring this up. I'll never forget. There was
a player we were coaching this team and his player
comes to me. He says, we're coaching them in our
unbreakable and then a program and he says to me, man,
I got drafted right about the same time J. J.
Watt did, and look at JJ what he's doing. I said, hey, bro,
the secret success. It's not a secret. He said, what
(09:43):
do you mean. I said, find out who the best
is and do more than them. That's it. So if
JJ is the best, okay, let's put you through more.
He goes, well, I can't do that. I go, you
just said that. You can't figure out why JJ has
gotten so great and you have it. He goes, yeah,
but his workoutsre ridiculous. I'm like, but we really have
this conversation right out. You came to me, is said,
why have my career passed me by? And I'm telling
(10:05):
you this is how and you're still like, oh no,
but I can't do it well, you're just answered it
yourself and you could grasp it.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
That's the reality. Not everyone's willing to do it. They
think they might be, but are you willing to do it?
And then some people might do it for a day
or for a month. It blows my mind every year, like,
oh man, our guys are working. Yes, it's the first
day of training camp. Let's see in ten days you're
going to start to see them separate, you know. And
it's like the guys that are the good players, they're
going on day twenty while other guys have tailed off
(10:35):
or they start being inconsistent, So there's no substitute.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
It's consistency, it's it's the quality of your work. It's
the routine. I've always felt like, you know, the.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Best players I've played with Derek Brooks, I could tell
you when I played with them, where he'd be at
Tuesday at eight forty five. You know, there was just
a routine that these guys generate where it becomes what
they do every day, and the best they start separating
themselves by stacking days stack and minute stacking.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
And when you do all that, all of a sudden,
you the gap has widened up.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
And Tom Brady Peyton manning those days they outwork the competition. Yeah,
they're talented, They're they're immensely talented, but a big part
of their talent was the fortitude the disco planet to
outwork everybody and to out smart them with the way
they work.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
It's not just it's not just the filgal partment. I'd
bring up Brad to them all the time also, and
it's just like, hey, it's how do you sleep, how
do you trade? How do you watch film? And like
I would sit there all those early years where strahanm
would drive me back to New York City every day
because I was broke and I couldn't afford you know,
bus fair and tunnel fair, so every day i'd have
to sit. I'd go to it either way from a
giant stadium to get done treatment or lifting, or or
(11:42):
watching film, or we'd go back to this place first
and then he'd drive me in the city and you'd
watch them watch no watch from watch film and I'm like, dude,
you're killing my social life. How want to go back
in the city to go out? But it'd just be
hours and hours and I'm like, what do you watch it?
And He's like, it's just for that little tell me
that one little thing that could help him in the
game to figure something out before the snap. But it
(12:05):
was hours of film work. But that's what it takes
to put in to be great. Those things that a
lot of people like when people come and break the
bust and say, hey, we'll change your brandkids lodge if
you buy him, We'll change your grandkids lotch we'll change
your whole life, but you change your grandkids lunch because
you get paid more than you ever could have dreamed of.
Mutsuld be the hardest fucking thing you've ever done in
your life. You have to be willing to do it
and not quit when we push you, and ninety five
(12:27):
percent like yeah, and they're fucking gone. You know. It's
that elite five percent.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
We change when people talk about like badass. I bring
up Brady. I remember watching this video. We do some
brain training here and you can watch videos and the
more you keep your focus, the picture stays clear. But
if you get if your mind starts wandering, the picture scrambles,
so it basically change.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Will be really scrambled.
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Yeah, exactly exactly.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
But watching this Amazon program on Brady and It's like
one of the most big because I know what that
guy went through and the way he committed not only
on the field but in his diet and his pliability
and everything that he was doing. But he looks in
the camera and he goes, if you're going to compete
against me, better be willing to give up your life.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
Because I've been doing it for the last eighteen years.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
And man, Steel faced and it was like, damn, I'm
really proud about what the way I committed. But like,
I never was that guy who was bringing toughwear in
so that I was eating perfectly. I ate well, but
I didn't go to the lengths and the Shannon Sharps
that Tom Brady.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
I wasn't eating avocado ice cream.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Yeah, but they did that in their body. But you
did an awful lot of stuff also for your will. Ye,
like you found that other guy on that field, which
a lot of people can't do. You went to a
different place which a lot of people can't do. You know,
I've never asked you that was that innate when you
got on that field, that your hands started shaking and
you clicked over that we called you forty seven rend
Me and Mike Tomlin and Rende Barber And was it
(13:50):
innate or was it something that you learned.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
I think it was innate, I really do. I do
think a lot of it. I think some of it's learned,
but there is something innate, you know. My parents always
tell me, like in the Catholic schools used to get
threeport guards, like there would be something called like no
self control. I would always get that check because my
leg was always bouncing. I was a competitor, like I
(14:14):
not only wanted to complete the test and get one
hundred percent, I wanted to be first. I wanted to
turn it in first. And literally my dad was my coach,
and you know, he kind of instilled and these days
a lot of it would be called cruelty, but you
know I would go four for I was a really
good youth baseball player, and I would go four for five,
and my dad had this way of it wasn't cruel.
(14:37):
It sounds cruel, but instead of celebrating going four for five,
Hey Johnny, what what happened on that fifth at bat?
Like how come we didn't get a hit there? You know,
what were you? What were you thinking? And so that's
what I was striving for was excellence, and I was
a pleaser. I wanted my parents to be proud. And
then I love to compete. And you know, I was
that kid who sometimes would I get out and I'd
(14:59):
throw my helmet, and I remember my mom being up
at arms, like, how are we gonna how are we
What are we gonna do with this kid? John is
my dad's name too, like big John, Big John? What
are we gonna do with this kid? My dad tells me,
now he used to tell it, Kathy. We can teach
him how to control it. You can't put that into him.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
So it's a good, wow, awesome. Yeah, he's got it.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
And I I hear from them that, oh I love that.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
I always did.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
I'll let other people speak, but I tend to be
a I like people like I like talking to people.
I like making people happy. So I'm pretty happy. Go
lucky guy, I say hi to everybody. I enjoy helping people.
But when I get on that field, there there's another side.
And but if people ask, did you consciously go no,
it just happens, and you know it sometimes whenn't happen
(15:46):
until the national anthem, the coin to the flyover. But man,
you're exactly right, that hand starts going. That's my teammates,
do it?
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Sap.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
He used to say, Oh lord, he's there's forty seven,
he's there. You know.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
He's arrived. But look, I know you got you know
you're building a super Bowl team here. But I just
want to get back to this. Is one of the
things I am I'm really proud of with guys like
you and my other friends in the league is when
I did come out start talking about all those mental
health stuff, some guys it took them a little later
to get caught on, like come on, you know, because
part of the problem was people like me when I
(16:23):
would train our athletes and I would say, you're hurt,
you're tired, don't show it, don't show it, don't show.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
It right right.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
And meanwhile here I am with mental health, like no,
no fucking show it all, say it all, like be vulnerable. Shit.
So it's complete opposite of everything I was coaching in
mixed martial arts to our athletes, and now I'm trying
to get everybody else to it. But so it takes
people in sports a little bit longer some guys, but
you were early on are like, glease, tell me more
about this, tell me why, tell me about this depression,
(16:51):
tell me about this anxiety. Tell me. Or I would
just calling and say I'm struggling. You wouldn't ask like
why what are you? You would try and figure out
like is there a trigger? But you were one of
the first guys to really start trying to pick my
brain about it so you could be there for your
players and other people in your organization. You were ahead
of your time. Dude. I don't know if I've told
you that, but you were, and I know, and we
(17:11):
don't think get specifics by no. And I've been really
proud of the times you've told me that, You've told
me that it's helped you with guys who were struggling.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
I think, first and foremost, not just saying this, I
truly care about our players. I mean I really do.
I know what they do, know what they put their
bodies through. I know the investment that they put in.
We put a high quality on wit. We call it
what it takes and what we've learned. We don't miss
much on talent because we've Kyle and I. The continuity
is so good, the relationship is such good that permeates
(17:42):
throughout our scouting system.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
We're very clear and what we're looking for. So we
don't miss much on talent.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
Where we've missed because everybody misses, it's usually saying, you
know what, that guy he hasn't been very dependable at
that school.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
Well, sometimes the kid's just not dependable. And so we
put a lot of emphasis.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
And so we have high character people because how do
you build the culture. You surround yourself with great people,
and now can we improve it? Can we improve work ethics?
Can if you put some people that maybe haven't always
understood timeliness and all that, if you put them in
a room full of people who get that, can you
raise the boat?
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Sure? But we have high quality people. That's not to
say they're not going to have struggles, and we've had that.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
And I think through knowing people like you who have
been open and upfront and then going through pain myself.
I told you the story at Demetrius deposed, Junior stay
out and the thin Man. I was these guys best friend,
and I didn't always know the pain. I got to
be better and trying to identify these things. So the
only way is to educate yourself. How do you help people?
And I think the most important thing I've learned. You've
(18:40):
told me just be there for them and let them know.
I mean, I think it's a great thing in the
NFL that like, we're required to have a therapist on
site and part of our organization. We have a tremendous
one and he'll be the first to tell you that
he's not for everyone. He's not going to connect with everyone,
and sometimes we send people to other but the fact
that we're there, we recognize. And if you know your
(19:02):
players well, you know when they're hurt. So at times
it's self serving. Obviously, if players are feeling good about
there and things are good at home, they're going to
go play well.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
But really it's more about just caring about the people.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
And you know, if you just keep your awareness about you,
if you talk, if you communicate as an organization, you
can hit some things off. And I hope we all
kind of take that looking out and having any We
talked a lot about having each other's back. That's the
forty nine er way. Ronnie Lott talks about that a lot,
having each other's back. We want to have each other's back,
and if you're doing that, it's on and off the field.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
I think also you got two things. You're one if
you're playing this level of the NFL. Dude, we've talked
about everybody in there's crazy. You can't be great, and
I have some crazy you have to. It's again we've
outworked the world that you've done playing in the NFL.
I tell these guys who retire like you play in
the NFL, that's not who the fuck you are. What's
behind your ribcage and between years that got you to
(19:55):
beat out millions and millions and millions, that's who you are.
That's not just there on a when the uniforms on
are off. But as a result of this too, Man,
a lot of the crazy that we have, and those
of us with anxiety, Lench, You're like, we make up
a lot of shit in our head that's not there.
And especially I now know from all the players I've
trained and the paranoia that we have. And I think
(20:16):
the paranoia drives a lot of us, but it does
like it gets us to think, man, I'm getting caught on,
I'm gonna not have this position we're getting fired with.
And you guys, it's hard for you guys to know
that about us. They're all everyone in them there. Your
best players have insecurities. That's like, oh fuck it, it's
gonna end tomorrow. And it's just my thirtieth year doing
this shit. I still go through it. You know, every week,
(20:37):
got off a big scoop on Sunday. Fock, I'm Yesterday's.
It's just not it's not accurate. But you've been able
to Again, we've talked about it more. But I'm just
letting you know. It's there. It's in your locker room.
It's every day. There might be fifty three guys in there,
but there's two hundred personalities and a thousand thoughts that
raise their head. And all those thoughts seem real to us.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
And you know what, play is the thing I've learned
more than anything. And I haven't really proud of our
league and our organizations. This organization gets it as much.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
And this isn't me. This is our ownership.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
What you do for the players once it stops, because man,
as much as you say, that's not who you are,
that's what they know.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
And their day's been planned form.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
Yes, they're very disciplined people, but they've been given a
schedule their whole life, and all of a sudden, the record.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
Just stops boom.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
And it's like so many of these guys and I
tell them like don't don't Freese, don't sit there and
just lay in bed, because like, get out, go volunteer
at your boys at girls club.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
And I know as teams, the more.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Opportunities just an alumni weekend where we have guys here,
they feel a purpose, they feel a connection, they feel like, hey,
I'm still loved. I'm appreciated for all that hard work.
You know, I'm limping, but the team that I played
for still appreciates me. And I think it's good for
them just to be out. And so this league, you know,
Tracy Perlman, our friend, is doing wonderful things at the
(21:52):
league with the Legends community and each of the teams,
they're taking more active role. And that's so important because
so many of these players feel like abuse, like, man,
I gave my life for this organization and I'm kind
of forgotten. And I think this league Baseball is like
really good, Like they all their old guys come back
to spring training and their ambassadors for their team. Football
(22:13):
hasn't been as good. It's kind of more like we
got to keep these guys outside. We're going to run
this team, and man, there more of those guys we
can have around.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
It's good for the organization and it's great for them,
and I think.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
These players too. Yeah, they need to go get I
tell you guys all the time us get something, but
don't jump with the first thing because it may not
be great. Don't just do something because you've earned the
right and you've laid the blood and sweat out there.
You got that money. Enjoy your fucking life. Like exhale,
don't jump jump with the first thing. But yeah, we
got to fill your schedule. You need a structure, you
(22:44):
need to do something, and that's where it gets scary
for a lot of these guys. Last question I asked
all my guess this, it's the Unbreakable Mental Wealth podcast.
Give me the one moment in your life, it could
be your career, in personal life, whatever, it is one
thing that could have broken, you should have but didn't,
and as a result, you came through the other time
(23:04):
of that tunnel stronger for the rest of your life.
Speaker 4 (23:07):
Oh man, good, Yes, it's yeah, You're make me think
a lot. You know.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
This is where my gratitude I talked a lot about
it because your Hall of Fame speech. She plays the
thing here you're identifying as as athlete. You don't spend
much time reflecting or any time because you're always onto
the next deal. But when you have to write a
Hall of Fame speed, it makes makes you think a lot.
And you know what I the first thoughts that I
really started thinking about is the gratitude I had for
other people that believed in me before I believed in myself.
(23:36):
So what I'm talking about. I was drafted to Tampa,
you know, in the third round, and Sam Wisch and
this team and I go to the worst organization at football,
and I had a Floyd Peters was our defensive coordinator,
and God blessed Fly Peters, good man, but he didn't
want to take Sam Weis, the head coach wanted to take.
So I didn't know all this when I was drafted.
But Floyd tried to make my life miserable. He was
(23:56):
an old school coach. All he called me was rookie,
and even when I played well, he would tell me
everything that I did wrong. And I'm saying I'm real right.
I left a promisee baseball career with the Florida Marlins
to follow my passion. Now I'm on the worst team
in all the sport and I can't get on the field,
Like what did I do?
Speaker 4 (24:15):
And I thought about going back to baseball, But then
thank god, there were people.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
And early on it was a teammate like Hardy Nickerson
or Martin Mayhew who later came back and worked. And
then later on it was Tony Dungee and her Edwards.
All these people said things like, no, man, you stick
with it because you're going to be her Dwards was
the first one who said you're going to be Hall
of Fame football player. I didn't think bad about myself,
So I think probably most proud about persevering through being
(24:39):
on a real bad team not having success. And I
couldn't have done it without people my wife first and foremost,
who was with me the whole time, who.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
Never, never once didn't believe in me, and you get me.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
But those people that stuck with me and said, no,
you're gonna because it was my life, it was my passion.
It wasn't my life, my family least my life. My
faith is my life, but it's a very much part
of my life. And so the people that stuck with
me and then to fight through and bust through those
walls and be unbreakable and come out, you know, getting
into the Hall of Fame, winning a Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (25:12):
I mean that's I'm blessed man.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
A man, I'm blessed to have you as a brother.
I appreciate it so much. I know you guys are
so busy, man, trying to build this two ball team upside.
I mean, I can't tell you how much I appreciate
you taking the time.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
Brother.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
This is good. Like I've never interviewed you when you played.
Speaker 3 (25:29):
Yeah, we come along a way since since the first time.
I remember the first time I heard about Jay Glazer.
We were on a plane flight from Tampa to play
the New York Giants. We had a rookie. We had
a deal where our eldest vet sat in the exit
bos well. We had Tom Tupa who was in his
nineteenth year, a punter.
Speaker 4 (25:45):
We had a rookie.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
I'll leave his nameless, but decided that a punter's not
going to sit in the exit. Bro he's an offensive tackle,
big man, and he said in the exit. I remember
Brooks called, bitch, I need your help. So I went
told to this rookie, hey out of the exit row.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
That's too but you.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Said it wrong. You said stronger than that. Talk about
that seat and get your heads back of the right.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
I said that after he said he wasn't moving, and
I said you move or and then it broke into
a scuffle and we get off the plane. You know,
A source tells me that John Lynch got into a
flight on the plane and I'm like, who is this guy?
And how does he know what happened on our plate?
I felt so violated. This is a team, this is
(26:29):
our plate.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Hey, hey man, I built my own team. You know,
I got my Blaze Mafia around and that's who it is.
We all build each other up.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
Man.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
That is funny, that's right, because it's the first time.
I so you have to like, how the fuck did
you get that? I don't know you? And I'm like,
how fuck I know you? I'm fucking telling you how
I got.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
And I know who. I'm not gonna need it. One
of my best friends in the world. He just went
into the Hall of Fame. He warn't up for twenty
John Lynch.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Man, I appreciate you so much, brother man.
Speaker 4 (26:57):
Appreciate so much. Love you, brother me
This is Unbreakable with Jay Glacier, a mental wealth podcast
build you from the inside out. Now here's Jay Glacier.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome into Unbreakable, a mental Wealth podcast with Jay Glazer.
I'm Jay Glazer. And before I get to my guest today,
my guest boy, you know, you know, as a Hall
of Famer in the NFL, he should be up for
the Hall of Fame for GMS ex baseball player, my
drinking buddy. And you'll get in that a little bit.
But before we get to that, if you, like many people,
you may be surprised to learn that one in five
(00:34):
adults in this country experience mental illness last year. I
have far too many fella receive the support they need. Carolyn,
Behavioral health is doing something about it. They understand that
behavioral health is a key part of whole health, delivering
compassionate care that treats physical, mental, emotional, and social needs
in tandem. Carolyn, behavioral health raising the quality of life
through empathy and action. All right, Welcome into Unbreakable, a
(00:55):
Mental Wealth podcast with Jay Glazer. And I'm not going
to wait. My guest here. He's done unbelievable job with
this Hall of Fame football career, Super Bowl winner, unbelievable
job as a general manager, making that jump, unbelievable teammate
of mind when he was a Fox Sports as well,
And that is the one and only forty seven read
John Lynch, how are you brother?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I'm doing great, glazy. This is this is kind of
awkward because you and I are usually just shooting that,
you know what, and to be on this kind of
formal setting, it's just awkward. But I do have to
say up front, I heard you reading you know that
that read about mental health.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
I just can't tell you. I don't know if I
tell you this enough.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
How proud I am of you for the contribution you're
making this so many who suffer with you know, something
that afflicts so many people in our country, and something
that for so often wasn't something that was talked about,
that was just kind of pushed to the to the
back door, and I think people like yourself who are
bringing it to the forefront, you know, still living a
fun life, a life that people want to live, and
(01:53):
showing people that you know, you can't struggle and still
have a real fulfilling life and the amount of people
you've helped. I hear it from people. I know you
hear it from people. I know how home Linden is
to you. But kudos to you, man. I love you
for it. I love you for a lot of things,
but I do love you for that. Yeah, man, you
can make my us cry.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Man.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
I appreciate it, dude. And it's funny because you know,
John and I've known each other for twenty something years
and he seen me do a lot of crazy shit.
But back then, let you we just said, like, oh,
Glazier's crazy, right. We never knew depression anxiety great, I
never called it that. Just you guys just didn't know.
I don't know. Did you know how much pain I
(02:29):
was in? You know I was crazy, But did you
know how much pain I was in?
Speaker 4 (02:31):
I never did.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
And you know, it's something I think about a lot
in my current role as a GM, A lot of stuff.
And I remember Tony Dungee used to tell me this,
You'd be shocked the amount of stuff that comes over
our desk. What we know about players that players would
never know. And I always prided myself plays.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
You know this.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
I prided myself and I care about people, and I
like it's a quality that I think my parents instilled
by their actions. They were people who gave a lot
to their community, to their family.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
We always had people random living in our house. I
mean it was just that.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
That's how our family was. And I always pride myself
on being a great teammate. It was probably as important
to me as anything. But now that I know all
the people that struggle on a day to day basis
with issues, everybody has issues, and as a teammate, man,
I look back and I try not to have regrets,
but I do have regrets that I didn't know more
about my teammates and how many of them might have
been struggling. I hear about it now as they've left football,
(03:24):
and some of these things come to the forefront, or
maybe it's more comfortable, but I heard about our own
players on a day to day basis, not necessarily mental health,
but just the day to day struggles that people have.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
So what's the difference in the baseball and a football
locker room in the culture.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Well, first of all.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Being in the minor leagues, man, it's the minor leagues
is a trip now. I mean you go to spring
training and they're basically babysit because you know only so
much you can do. Like in training camp, the day's full,
you know, NFL training camp, right, Yeah, NFL training camp.
We used to have two practices. We don't anymore, but
you still have a full day of meetings. Baseball like
their babysit minor league kids because they don't want you
(04:01):
going back to the hotel.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
And they're and their high school kids.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
You're up right, Yeah, got high school and there's kids
from third world countries, you know. And baseball there's so
much more downtime. Even if you're hitting in the lineup,
then you go hang at the fence and you're hanging
with your guys, so you.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Talk a lot.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Football you're working, you know, there's a lot more work.
So I do think there's an element like you have
much more bancer and talk and with baseball, but football,
that bond's a little tighter, just because what we talked
about earlier, it's so hard.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Yeah, and then football is just yeah, work, work, work, work,
work and hard work. Like you're saying, you're doing two
days and people don't you know. Now we look at
it and you guys have walked fourteen padded practices a
year or whatever it was, And yeah, I don't want
to sound like there's old, you know, gruff guys, but yeah,
like we'd go in and you guys would have two
or three hour full padded practices a day and just
(04:50):
what you did, and you got your body ready for battle,
for combat.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
But you know, and there was something to be learned
from that, and I think the mental toughness.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
You know.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
I had a trainer of pet Gosk. You you met Pete.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Pete was an old Marine, and you know, Pete grinded
us at San Diego. A lot of NFL players would
go there and the physical work was great, but Pete,
a couple of times a year there was this just
hillacious workout where you didn't know when it was going
to end. We'd work out with Seau and Basselli and
Gil Bird, some of the Hilly Ray Smith, the Old
Chargers and all these guys would come. A lot of
(05:22):
my teammates would come join us, but Pete inevitably the
old Marine in them. There was a workout that you
we went early. We'd go five thirty or six in
the morning, and you knew it was on and then
know when it was going to stop. Pete wouldn't tell
you and His message every time was, guys, your body
won't let you down. Your mind will if you allow
it to. But that's the lesson you learned today. And
(05:43):
he kind of knew from training with guys, the guys
that punked out and the guys that would keep going, like, man,
that's that's my competition.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
It harden you, you know, And I know that's a
lot of you know what fighters go through, but to
know and.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Man, that helped me, you know, in hot games in
Tampa when I'd be staring across like I'm just getting
started because I've been to those dark places before.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Now I think we're a lot smarter in training. We
wear GPS and we say, Okay, this guy's load is
too much, you know. You know, I don't know if.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
It's smarter though, because we weren't as many injuries back there,
because you got your body ready for battle. And like
you guys have always fucking laughed at me when I've
told you about sparring, and you guys all think I'm
crazy when I tell you this. But and by the way,
exactly what you're saying, Lichi. This called the Unbreakable Mental
Wealth podcast, but also the training system I created the unbreakable.
You know, our MMA system and our gym Our whole
(06:34):
thing is about pushing people's breaking points, pushing your breaking points.
Pushing your breaking points. Folks, if you push your breaking points,
hire and hire and hire each time, then your job
is Everything else becomes easier. And we'll always start guys off.
Let's say on like a three minute around doing something,
and we'd have them to do this thing called thirty
thirty thirty. Every thirty seconds we have you're doing something else,
because nothing, unless you're a marathon runner, nothing is just stable.
(06:59):
Let's go with the whole whole time for you know,
two hours whatever it is, right, or twenty minutes or anything.
Every thirty seconds. Let's change it up. And I would
just start people off for three minutes and then would
push these football players, but over time. Next time we
would do four minutes, and then four thirty, and then five,
and then by the time I set in the training camp,
we would all have done a twelve to fifteen minute round.
(07:19):
And I would always tell guys, look back and as
we go out, and said, look back, at your first
time you do this, you could barely get through three minutes.
Now you're at seven and you're laughing at three. So
the only thing that has changed is your mind here, right,
And because you came in in great shape, we've gotten
you in great shape. It's just we've just pushed your mind. Now,
think of this. I said this fifteen minutes. The hardest
thing you've ever done. Absolutely, I said great. So when
(07:42):
you're in that football field, you're in training camp, I
don't want you to say to yourself, shit, this isn't
hard as shit Glazer put me through. That's hard. That
makes football easy. And that's what a lot of people
aren't willing to do in trying to go after greatness,
whether it's in business, whether it's in schooling, whether it's
in you know, athletics, whatever it is. But that's the
whole point is you push your break in point so
everything else becomes easier, and then you could put your
(08:04):
level of pace on it too, and you're letless pace
and you're not always thinking about Man, when am I
going to guess out?
Speaker 3 (08:10):
I think it's Jimmy Johnson. There's this great speech he
games and I know he's given it. I've seen it
on TV. And you know, fatigue makes cowards about don't
be a coward you know, and I don't think he
made that quote up.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
It's so tex Boxing. Yeah, it's so true.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
And you know, but that's I do think like part
of our success here with the Niners, you know, a
world where everyone's pulling back, and we try to be
smart on the cutting edge. One thing we do we
maximize our padded practices. We practice hard, and it's almost
like the Miami Heat and basketball. You go play for
pat Riley and Eric Spolstra, You're going to work and
you're not going to be out of shape, and if
you're willing to buy in, you're going to have a
(08:47):
lot of success.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
And you know, we try to be cutting edge. We
try to.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
Listen to all the signals, but we're also we're going
to work and we're going to try to be unbreakable
and we're going to try to push through limits because
I think you have to to have that have that
six us.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
I mean, look at you right, you know, I'd always say,
you know, there's two John Lynch's. There's forty seven Red,
which is the guy who plays in the Bucks and
the Broncos, and then there's you know John Lynch, who's
the you know, he's the guy in your Brooks Brothers
catalog with this sweater over his shoulders. But it's that
that little difference, that work ethic, that mindset that you're
(09:22):
willing to go through, that a lot of people are.
And I bring this up. I'll never forget. There was
a player we were coaching this team and his player
comes to me. He says, we're coaching them in our
unbreakable and then a program and he says to me, man,
I got drafted right about the same time J. J.
Watt did, and look at JJ what he's doing. I said, hey, bro,
the secret success. It's not a secret. He said, what
(09:43):
do you mean. I said, find out who the best
is and do more than them. That's it. So if
JJ is the best, okay, let's put you through more.
He goes, well, I can't do that. I go, you
just said that. You can't figure out why JJ has
gotten so great and you have it. He goes, yeah,
but his workoutsre ridiculous. I'm like, but we really have
this conversation right out. You came to me, is said,
why have my career passed me by? And I'm telling
(10:05):
you this is how and you're still like, oh no,
but I can't do it well, you're just answered it
yourself and you could grasp it.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
That's the reality. Not everyone's willing to do it. They
think they might be, but are you willing to do it?
And then some people might do it for a day
or for a month. It blows my mind every year, like,
oh man, our guys are working. Yes, it's the first
day of training camp. Let's see in ten days you're
going to start to see them separate, you know. And
it's like the guys that are the good players, they're
going on day twenty while other guys have tailed off
(10:35):
or they start being inconsistent, So there's no substitute.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
It's consistency, it's it's the quality of your work. It's
the routine. I've always felt like, you know, the.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Best players I've played with Derek Brooks, I could tell
you when I played with them, where he'd be at
Tuesday at eight forty five. You know, there was just
a routine that these guys generate where it becomes what
they do every day, and the best they start separating
themselves by stacking days stack and minute stacking.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
And when you do all that, all of a sudden,
you the gap has widened up.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
And Tom Brady Peyton manning those days they outwork the competition. Yeah,
they're talented, They're they're immensely talented, but a big part
of their talent was the fortitude the disco planet to
outwork everybody and to out smart them with the way
they work.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
It's not just it's not just the filgal partment. I'd
bring up Brad to them all the time also, and
it's just like, hey, it's how do you sleep, how
do you trade? How do you watch film? And like
I would sit there all those early years where strahanm
would drive me back to New York City every day
because I was broke and I couldn't afford you know,
bus fair and tunnel fair, so every day i'd have
to sit. I'd go to it either way from a
giant stadium to get done treatment or lifting, or or
(11:42):
watching film, or we'd go back to this place first
and then he'd drive me in the city and you'd
watch them watch no watch from watch film and I'm like, dude,
you're killing my social life. How want to go back
in the city to go out? But it'd just be
hours and hours and I'm like, what do you watch it?
And He's like, it's just for that little tell me
that one little thing that could help him in the
game to figure something out before the snap. But it
(12:05):
was hours of film work. But that's what it takes
to put in to be great. Those things that a
lot of people like when people come and break the
bust and say, hey, we'll change your brandkids lodge if
you buy him, We'll change your grandkids lotch we'll change
your whole life, but you change your grandkids lunch because
you get paid more than you ever could have dreamed of.
Mutsuld be the hardest fucking thing you've ever done in
your life. You have to be willing to do it
and not quit when we push you, and ninety five
(12:27):
percent like yeah, and they're fucking gone. You know. It's
that elite five percent.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
We change when people talk about like badass. I bring
up Brady. I remember watching this video. We do some
brain training here and you can watch videos and the
more you keep your focus, the picture stays clear. But
if you get if your mind starts wandering, the picture scrambles,
so it basically change.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Will be really scrambled.
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Yeah, exactly exactly.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
But watching this Amazon program on Brady and It's like
one of the most big because I know what that
guy went through and the way he committed not only
on the field but in his diet and his pliability
and everything that he was doing. But he looks in
the camera and he goes, if you're going to compete
against me, better be willing to give up your life.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
Because I've been doing it for the last eighteen years.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
And man, Steel faced and it was like, damn, I'm
really proud about what the way I committed. But like,
I never was that guy who was bringing toughwear in
so that I was eating perfectly. I ate well, but
I didn't go to the lengths and the Shannon Sharps
that Tom Brady.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
I wasn't eating avocado ice cream.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Yeah, but they did that in their body. But you
did an awful lot of stuff also for your will. Ye,
like you found that other guy on that field, which
a lot of people can't do. You went to a
different place which a lot of people can't do. You know,
I've never asked you that was that innate when you
got on that field, that your hands started shaking and
you clicked over that we called you forty seven rend
Me and Mike Tomlin and Rende Barber And was it
(13:50):
innate or was it something that you learned.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
I think it was innate, I really do. I do
think a lot of it. I think some of it's learned,
but there is something innate, you know. My parents always
tell me, like in the Catholic schools used to get
threeport guards, like there would be something called like no
self control. I would always get that check because my
leg was always bouncing. I was a competitor, like I
(14:14):
not only wanted to complete the test and get one
hundred percent, I wanted to be first. I wanted to
turn it in first. And literally my dad was my coach,
and you know, he kind of instilled and these days
a lot of it would be called cruelty, but you
know I would go four for I was a really
good youth baseball player, and I would go four for five,
and my dad had this way of it wasn't cruel.
(14:37):
It sounds cruel, but instead of celebrating going four for five,
Hey Johnny, what what happened on that fifth at bat?
Like how come we didn't get a hit there? You know,
what were you? What were you thinking? And so that's
what I was striving for was excellence, and I was
a pleaser. I wanted my parents to be proud. And
then I love to compete. And you know, I was
that kid who sometimes would I get out and I'd
(14:59):
throw my helmet, and I remember my mom being up
at arms, like, how are we gonna how are we
What are we gonna do with this kid? John is
my dad's name too, like big John, Big John? What
are we gonna do with this kid? My dad tells me,
now he used to tell it, Kathy. We can teach
him how to control it. You can't put that into him.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
So it's a good, wow, awesome. Yeah, he's got it.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
And I I hear from them that, oh I love that.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
I always did.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
I'll let other people speak, but I tend to be
a I like people like I like talking to people.
I like making people happy. So I'm pretty happy. Go
lucky guy, I say hi to everybody. I enjoy helping people.
But when I get on that field, there there's another side.
And but if people ask, did you consciously go no,
it just happens, and you know it sometimes whenn't happen
(15:46):
until the national anthem, the coin to the flyover. But man,
you're exactly right, that hand starts going. That's my teammates,
do it?
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Sap.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
He used to say, Oh lord, he's there's forty seven,
he's there. You know.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
He's arrived. But look, I know you got you know
you're building a super Bowl team here. But I just
want to get back to this. Is one of the
things I am I'm really proud of with guys like
you and my other friends in the league is when
I did come out start talking about all those mental
health stuff, some guys it took them a little later
to get caught on, like come on, you know, because
part of the problem was people like me when I
(16:23):
would train our athletes and I would say, you're hurt,
you're tired, don't show it, don't show it, don't show.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
It right right.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
And meanwhile here I am with mental health, like no,
no fucking show it all, say it all, like be vulnerable. Shit.
So it's complete opposite of everything I was coaching in
mixed martial arts to our athletes, and now I'm trying
to get everybody else to it. But so it takes
people in sports a little bit longer some guys, but
you were early on are like, glease, tell me more
about this, tell me why, tell me about this depression,
(16:51):
tell me about this anxiety. Tell me. Or I would
just calling and say I'm struggling. You wouldn't ask like
why what are you? You would try and figure out
like is there a trigger? But you were one of
the first guys to really start trying to pick my
brain about it so you could be there for your
players and other people in your organization. You were ahead
of your time. Dude. I don't know if I've told
you that, but you were, and I know, and we
(17:11):
don't think get specifics by no. And I've been really
proud of the times you've told me that, You've told
me that it's helped you with guys who were struggling.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
I think, first and foremost, not just saying this, I
truly care about our players. I mean I really do.
I know what they do, know what they put their
bodies through. I know the investment that they put in.
We put a high quality on wit. We call it
what it takes and what we've learned. We don't miss
much on talent because we've Kyle and I. The continuity
is so good, the relationship is such good that permeates
(17:42):
throughout our scouting system.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
We're very clear and what we're looking for. So we
don't miss much on talent.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
Where we've missed because everybody misses, it's usually saying, you
know what, that guy he hasn't been very dependable at
that school.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
Well, sometimes the kid's just not dependable. And so we
put a lot of emphasis.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
And so we have high character people because how do
you build the culture. You surround yourself with great people,
and now can we improve it? Can we improve work ethics?
Can if you put some people that maybe haven't always
understood timeliness and all that, if you put them in
a room full of people who get that, can you
raise the boat?
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Sure? But we have high quality people. That's not to
say they're not going to have struggles, and we've had that.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
And I think through knowing people like you who have
been open and upfront and then going through pain myself.
I told you the story at Demetrius deposed, Junior stay
out and the thin Man. I was these guys best friend,
and I didn't always know the pain. I got to
be better and trying to identify these things. So the
only way is to educate yourself. How do you help people?
And I think the most important thing I've learned. You've
(18:40):
told me just be there for them and let them know.
I mean, I think it's a great thing in the
NFL that like, we're required to have a therapist on
site and part of our organization. We have a tremendous
one and he'll be the first to tell you that
he's not for everyone. He's not going to connect with everyone,
and sometimes we send people to other but the fact
that we're there, we recognize. And if you know your
(19:02):
players well, you know when they're hurt. So at times
it's self serving. Obviously, if players are feeling good about
there and things are good at home, they're going to
go play well.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
But really it's more about just caring about the people.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
And you know, if you just keep your awareness about you,
if you talk, if you communicate as an organization, you
can hit some things off. And I hope we all
kind of take that looking out and having any We
talked a lot about having each other's back. That's the
forty nine er way. Ronnie Lott talks about that a lot,
having each other's back. We want to have each other's back,
and if you're doing that, it's on and off the field.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
I think also you got two things. You're one if
you're playing this level of the NFL. Dude, we've talked
about everybody in there's crazy. You can't be great, and
I have some crazy you have to. It's again we've
outworked the world that you've done playing in the NFL.
I tell these guys who retire like you play in
the NFL, that's not who the fuck you are. What's
behind your ribcage and between years that got you to
(19:55):
beat out millions and millions and millions, that's who you are.
That's not just there on a when the uniforms on
are off. But as a result of this too, Man,
a lot of the crazy that we have, and those
of us with anxiety, Lench, You're like, we make up
a lot of shit in our head that's not there.
And especially I now know from all the players I've
trained and the paranoia that we have. And I think
(20:16):
the paranoia drives a lot of us, but it does
like it gets us to think, man, I'm getting caught on,
I'm gonna not have this position we're getting fired with.
And you guys, it's hard for you guys to know
that about us. They're all everyone in them there. Your
best players have insecurities. That's like, oh fuck it, it's
gonna end tomorrow. And it's just my thirtieth year doing
this shit. I still go through it. You know, every week,
(20:37):
got off a big scoop on Sunday. Fock, I'm Yesterday's.
It's just not it's not accurate. But you've been able
to Again, we've talked about it more. But I'm just
letting you know. It's there. It's in your locker room.
It's every day. There might be fifty three guys in there,
but there's two hundred personalities and a thousand thoughts that
raise their head. And all those thoughts seem real to us.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
And you know what, play is the thing I've learned
more than anything. And I haven't really proud of our
league and our organizations. This organization gets it as much.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
And this isn't me. This is our ownership.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
What you do for the players once it stops, because man,
as much as you say, that's not who you are,
that's what they know.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
And their day's been planned form.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
Yes, they're very disciplined people, but they've been given a
schedule their whole life, and all of a sudden, the record.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
Just stops boom.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
And it's like so many of these guys and I
tell them like don't don't Freese, don't sit there and
just lay in bed, because like, get out, go volunteer
at your boys at girls club.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
And I know as teams, the more.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Opportunities just an alumni weekend where we have guys here,
they feel a purpose, they feel a connection, they feel like, hey,
I'm still loved. I'm appreciated for all that hard work.
You know, I'm limping, but the team that I played
for still appreciates me. And I think it's good for
them just to be out. And so this league, you know,
Tracy Perlman, our friend, is doing wonderful things at the
(21:52):
league with the Legends community and each of the teams,
they're taking more active role. And that's so important because
so many of these players feel like abuse, like, man,
I gave my life for this organization and I'm kind
of forgotten. And I think this league Baseball is like
really good, Like they all their old guys come back
to spring training and their ambassadors for their team. Football
(22:13):
hasn't been as good. It's kind of more like we
got to keep these guys outside. We're going to run
this team, and man, there more of those guys we
can have around.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
It's good for the organization and it's great for them,
and I think.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
These players too. Yeah, they need to go get I
tell you guys all the time us get something, but
don't jump with the first thing because it may not
be great. Don't just do something because you've earned the
right and you've laid the blood and sweat out there.
You got that money. Enjoy your fucking life. Like exhale,
don't jump jump with the first thing. But yeah, we
got to fill your schedule. You need a structure, you
(22:44):
need to do something, and that's where it gets scary
for a lot of these guys. Last question I asked
all my guess this, it's the Unbreakable Mental Wealth podcast.
Give me the one moment in your life, it could
be your career, in personal life, whatever, it is one
thing that could have broken, you should have but didn't,
and as a result, you came through the other time
(23:04):
of that tunnel stronger for the rest of your life.
Speaker 4 (23:07):
Oh man, good, Yes, it's yeah, You're make me think
a lot. You know.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
This is where my gratitude I talked a lot about
it because your Hall of Fame speech. She plays the
thing here you're identifying as as athlete. You don't spend
much time reflecting or any time because you're always onto
the next deal. But when you have to write a
Hall of Fame speed, it makes makes you think a lot.
And you know what I the first thoughts that I
really started thinking about is the gratitude I had for
other people that believed in me before I believed in myself.
(23:36):
So what I'm talking about. I was drafted to Tampa,
you know, in the third round, and Sam Wisch and
this team and I go to the worst organization at football,
and I had a Floyd Peters was our defensive coordinator,
and God blessed Fly Peters, good man, but he didn't
want to take Sam Weis, the head coach wanted to take.
So I didn't know all this when I was drafted.
But Floyd tried to make my life miserable. He was
(23:56):
an old school coach. All he called me was rookie,
and even when I played well, he would tell me
everything that I did wrong. And I'm saying I'm real right.
I left a promisee baseball career with the Florida Marlins
to follow my passion. Now I'm on the worst team
in all the sport and I can't get on the field,
Like what did I do?
Speaker 4 (24:15):
And I thought about going back to baseball, But then
thank god, there were people.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
And early on it was a teammate like Hardy Nickerson
or Martin Mayhew who later came back and worked. And
then later on it was Tony Dungee and her Edwards.
All these people said things like, no, man, you stick
with it because you're going to be her Dwards was
the first one who said you're going to be Hall
of Fame football player. I didn't think bad about myself,
So I think probably most proud about persevering through being
(24:39):
on a real bad team not having success. And I
couldn't have done it without people my wife first and foremost,
who was with me the whole time, who.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
Never, never once didn't believe in me, and you get me.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
But those people that stuck with me and said, no,
you're gonna because it was my life, it was my passion.
It wasn't my life, my family least my life. My
faith is my life, but it's a very much part
of my life. And so the people that stuck with
me and then to fight through and bust through those
walls and be unbreakable and come out, you know, getting
into the Hall of Fame, winning a Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (25:12):
I mean that's I'm blessed man.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
A man, I'm blessed to have you as a brother.
I appreciate it so much. I know you guys are
so busy, man, trying to build this two ball team upside.
I mean, I can't tell you how much I appreciate
you taking the time.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
Brother.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
This is good. Like I've never interviewed you when you played.
Speaker 3 (25:29):
Yeah, we come along a way since since the first time.
I remember the first time I heard about Jay Glazer.
We were on a plane flight from Tampa to play
the New York Giants. We had a rookie. We had
a deal where our eldest vet sat in the exit
bos well. We had Tom Tupa who was in his
nineteenth year, a punter.
Speaker 4 (25:45):
We had a rookie.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
I'll leave his nameless, but decided that a punter's not
going to sit in the exit. Bro he's an offensive tackle,
big man, and he said in the exit. I remember
Brooks called, bitch, I need your help. So I went
told to this rookie, hey out of the exit row.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
That's too but you.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Said it wrong. You said stronger than that. Talk about
that seat and get your heads back of the right.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
I said that after he said he wasn't moving, and
I said you move or and then it broke into
a scuffle and we get off the plane. You know,
A source tells me that John Lynch got into a
flight on the plane and I'm like, who is this guy?
And how does he know what happened on our plate?
I felt so violated. This is a team, this is
(26:29):
our plate.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Hey, hey man, I built my own team. You know,
I got my Blaze Mafia around and that's who it is.
We all build each other up.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
Man.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
That is funny, that's right, because it's the first time.
I so you have to like, how the fuck did
you get that? I don't know you? And I'm like,
how fuck I know you? I'm fucking telling you how
I got.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
And I know who. I'm not gonna need it. One
of my best friends in the world. He just went
into the Hall of Fame. He warn't up for twenty
John Lynch.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Man, I appreciate you so much, brother man.
Speaker 4 (26:57):
Appreciate so much. Love you, brother me
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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