On this week's Next Man Up, year 2 cornerback Mike Sainristil pulls up to talk about all the plays he's been making this season! Sainristil breaks down his sophomore season with the Commanders and how he's dealt with the highs and lows of this season.
For our legend, Chris Thompson pulls up to discuss his time at Washington. Thompson opens up about dealing with injuries his entire career and how he's overcome his regrets.
All that and more on this episode of Next Man Up!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Take away all the factors of why we are where
we are. It's what are you going to do now?
Speaker 2 (00:06):
And you know, there's people that make it happen, and
there's people that just sit back and just let things
be what they are.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
From what I know about this team is there.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
It's a group of men, a group of people who
find a way to make it happen. And I still
have belief that we go out and do that and
it'll be a great story, you know, once we do
do that.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
The next nomber of podcast is presented by Lansdown Resort.
From kickoff to check and you Score, Game, change and
get away in the heart of Lounders. Lansdown Resort, proud
partner of the Washington Commanders.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
Welcome into the Next Man Up. I'm your host, Brian
Corb Junior, and I'm sitting here with a year two
guy when everybody say he the oldest soul in the building,
Welcome in and our next man up, Mike. He's saying
it so it's a good brother. Hey you doing, Bro,
Appreciate you having me and I appreciate you. Bro's it's
been dope to see you and year two well from
you yourself. Man, what has been different about year two
(00:57):
as opposed to year one.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
I think I would just say for myself, like just
being in a different role.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Now. You know, last year I was primarily outside. This year,
I'm inside.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
So just making those adjustments to the game, because you know,
the slot is a whole different ballgame. You know, your
mindset changes, the players you're involved in change, the communication
is different. So like just making those adjustments has been
I would to say tough for me, but just just
an adjustment period, you know what I'm saying. But it
(01:29):
was kind of it's just me going back to what
I got drafted here for. You know, I got drafted
as a nickel corner more than a corner nickel or
whatever they but yeah, I played primarily nickel in college.
So just gave myself back in that mindset.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
When did you find out you would be moving into
the slot, Like what part of the off season or
last year did you find out that you would have
to make this pivot in this adjustment.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Kind of really just you know, when when they told
me that, you know, I'm playing nickel. It wasn't really
a time period where it was like, Okay, I started
taking more reps at nickel as opposed to playing corner,
you know what I mean, it was just a we
need you in the slot, so that's what it was.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
So did you not have really an off season to
kind of adjust mentally to the fact that you would
be moving inside, because, like you said, but that's a
whole nother ball game, even though you've done it before,
going back and forth and back and forth, it takes
some time to make that adjustment.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I mean, I was taking reps at both, studying both
same like I was doing last year, just being ready
to be wherever they needed me to be at. So,
you know, this year with us drafting tray Mar Shan
getting healthy, unfortunately he just got hurt. We brought in
a few guys, so I kind of just you know,
just continuing to study both corner and nickel and just
being ready for whichever one they told me I was.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Going to be at.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
It's got to be a boosting confidence too, right, because
somebody can't be moved around unless they really got it
like that, unless they really have a skill set, like
some people can only play in the slot, some people
can only play outside. You have a versatility, which we
knew when we drafted you that you'd be able to
do that. Man, that has to be a little bit
of boost confidence. Even though I was tough man, right, No,
nobody likes inconsistently. Everybody wants to just stick to the
same things. But I know it has to give you
(03:06):
a little ego boost at least saying you know what, man,
I could do it wherever you need me.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, to think, like, I know, there's value in being
able to do both. So just making sure that whichever
one I'm at, I'm producing. You know, I'm still making plays.
Don't matter to me whether it's inside or outside. Just
I just know that when I'm out there, when I'm
on the field, that's when I could, you know, be
my best. Just don't matter where I'm at, Just let
me be out there and just let me help the
defense make plays.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Has the game been able to slow down for you? Right?
Like everybody talks about a year two how the game
slows down, But when you're moving from position and position
and doing different things and your roles changing a little bit,
have you still been able to see that game slow
down for you in real time? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
I'll say it is because you know, at the end
of the day, like offenses. In my opinion, I think
they can only do so much. Like and in the NFL,
it's a copycat league. So like whatever happened Week one,
there'll be a team that's going to study your things
and they're gonna try doing something that hurts you when
we want. It could be week twelve, it could be
(04:05):
week six, it could be week seventeen, don't matter. Like
things show up again and again. So I think just
over time, when you have the film study, when you
get the reps, everything just slows down because you realize, okay,
what concepts of offense is trying to do. You get
a feel for offensive coordinators, and then you start putting
teams and buckets of you have this team that runs
(04:27):
twelve personnel, and there's a family trio of coaches who
have that in their background. And then you just like
I said, you just put those things in the buckets
and it just allows you, you know, allow you to
not being out there trying to stop everything because you can't,
you know what I mean. So once you just slow
the game down a little bit, just take a piece
by piece, I think that's when you're able to just
go out there and play fast.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
And all those things you mentioned. That's so many things
to keep in your mind in real time while you're
on that field. But it's worked out for you, man,
you being a student of the game, it's worked out
for you. Three in it. Seven's already just got one,
which we had two lastlast year in the regular season.
We talk about it a lot on Game Day Live.
Mikey just seems to be in the right spot at
the right time. And that's easy for us to say,
(05:09):
But I know that's not circumstantial. That is because you
are so prepared. Man. How much pride do you take
when you are in those positions? Man, when you can
make that interception, that game changing play, get that ball back,
Like Joe what Junior says? Man, how much proud are
you taking that?
Speaker 2 (05:22):
I think it's just for me. It's really not even
a pride thing. It's just like, I know I'm doing
my part in helping this team have you know, success,
and it's not for my own that like I get
happy about the interceptions or you know, takeaways. It's like,
I know I got an interception. Now the offense could
(05:43):
go out there and be great. Five could go out
there and do his thing. He can get the ball
to the playmakers. It gives an energy boost to the
team and boosts the moraley the defense, Like don't matter
when we're out there, Like I could do it, the
other corners can do it. To say, like, and it
does really don't matter, you know what I'm saying. But
for me, it's just how can I continue to just help,
(06:04):
whether it's a turnover, whether it's a play that changes
the course of the game. And like I said, it's
just the way I look at it is just doing
my part of you know, doing my part of the
defense to help this team be successful at the.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
End of the day. And it's been interesting watching this
year because it's easy to be smiling in brotherhood when
things is going well. But now when you have a
season where there's highs but there's also been some lows.
That's new for you in the NFL because your rookie
year was not like that. When you look at this
year and the lows you've had to deal with, man,
has it been tough. How have you found the ways
(06:40):
to deal with that? Because again, this is very very
new for you.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
I think you know, when you when you think of adversity,
you can't think of you know, any tougher way to
be dealing with it. We've dealt with injuries, losses, things
not going our way, so like it's kind of like,
you know, you win your backs against the wall, what
are you going to do to you know, get out
that get out that corner? And really all you can
(07:03):
do is just lean on the people around you.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
All.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
We have each other, We needed each other, and we're
the only ones that could, you know, get ourselves out
of the position that we're in.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
That's something d Qusman saying.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
But that's the truth of you know, the situation is,
you know, take away all the factors of why we are.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Where we are, is what are you going to do now?
Speaker 2 (07:24):
And you know, there's people that make it happen, and
there's people that just sit back and just let things
be what they are. And from what I know about
this team is it's a group of men, a group
of people who find a way to make it happen.
And I still have belief that we can go out
and do that.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
And it'll be a great story.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
Uh you know once we do do that and the
story's not done. Just shit, man, You talk about those
people that carry that right, that's Marshaun Lattimore and you
mentioned him where we lost them for the season. How
does that impact this defense? And how do you feel
avoid like that because I know you've been watching Marshaan
way before you ever a command or ever before he
was a commander.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Yeah, you know, first thing I did after the game
was I sentiment TEXTA said, I got you, bro, like.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Just letting letting him know, for one, like his brothers
have his back.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
And I think that's you know, that's what this team
embodies is you know, we all have each other's backs,
we all play for one another, and you know, losing
him it definitely, you know, it hurts just like anybody
else that we've lost. But you know, personally for me,
like just seeing his bounce back and just the consistency
he had this off season to get back to where
(08:33):
he was. And it's funny k C game he had
wre he wore a pair of gold cleats and you know,
to me, first thing I thought it was, you know,
Marshon Lattimore with the Saints, and I was like, Okay,
I see what type of time you are, Like you're
trying to dig back in that old back goes out
gets an interception played the phenomenal game, and it's funny
(08:53):
that day I was watching like all his old highlights
and it's just I don't know, like life works, God works,
and mistake various ways. It was cool for me to
see him do that, and I think, you know, our
fans even felt it, like, hey, like that's the guy
that we know, you know what I mean, And just
you know, like I said, I was just it was
(09:14):
good for me to see as a younger guy, to
see him fighting to get back to who he's been
in the dominant, you know guy that he's been in
this league, the you know, top two, top three corner
and best corner in the league at the time. So,
like I said, it hurts to lose him, but you know,
he knows that we got his back out there, and
losing him affects the entire defense, right especially the rest
(09:35):
of the defensive backs because now again you got to
go through an adjustment, you got to go through a change.
How has knowing that he won't be out on that
outside anymore affected just your week of preparation and how
you're going about preparing for this game against the Detroit Lions.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Really, I would say it like.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
All I know is that he's not out there more
than it is like dang, like who's going to be
out there?
Speaker 1 (09:58):
But the next man, you know, next time, Like.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
I know that every guy in the room prepares at
such a high level, so it really doesn't matter who's
out there. Like we all attacking approach the game the
same exact way. We all study, so like I'm just
as confident in the next guy as I was in Marshall.
So you know, whoever's going to be, you know, I
know he's gonna be ready when the time comes.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
And we know we're seeing the Detroit team that got
a little bit of extra motivation, especially some extra motivation
against you because you got not one but two interceptions
the last time we played the Detroit Lions, knowing that
you were able to have that almost that coming out party, right,
because when you do things in the regular season and
we do it in the playoffs, it's a whole nother ballgame.
You did it in the playoffs, you won all the
fans over that you had it won just yet does
(10:45):
that matter though? Does that matter coming into this game?
Does that success that you were able to find, does
that mean anything? Now that we're in this season.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Ah nah, just like the success we had last year
as a team, don't matter.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
It's a new team.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
It's a new mindset, new focus, new energy, and you know,
same thing for the lines, Like it's a whole new mindset.
It's a whole you know, yeah they have guys they
brought back whatever, but it's a whole new focus, whole,
new energy. The venue is a new venue or not
in Detroit wearing you know, our home stadium. So I
(11:19):
think it's just going to the film and just seeing
what they do, what they you know, how they're oc
likes to attack defenses and then look at you know,
what defenses play with the same style that we have
and how he's attacked that and this year years prior.
So again, like everything just comes down to film study,
preparation during the week and then on Sunday it's just
(11:39):
about going on and being who you.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
Are and Mike, you were excited to see you out
there on Sunday. And then closing. We have a new
sponsor and I try a new partner, and I try
to like always weave it in like craft fully and
be like, oh, how do you spend your downtime? It's
landsdown resort. But I know how you spend your downtown
because you show us how you spend your downtime. You
have a farm.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
How old are you?
Speaker 4 (11:57):
I'm twenty five, you are twenty five years old. My brother,
you are married man, your father you got a farm, bro.
Those are not things you see from a twenty five
year old that just became a millionaire, right, But you
choose to do that. Why do you choose to spend
your down time like that? And what do you get
out of that? To just kind of help you ease
up and level set.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Keeps me grounded, you know what I'm saying, Like just
when I leave here, being able to go home to
my family, my wife, my girls, Like, that's that's all
the peace I need in the world. And then I
step outside, it's just land, it's animals. In my opinion,
that's how we should be living, you know what I mean.
(12:35):
And I'm blessed to be fortunate enough to have that,
But you know, like I said, it just keeps me grounded.
And you know, just away from here, it's why I'm
able to hit that reset button and just you know,
I turn I turned the football guy off. When I
leave here, I'm all about my family when I get
home and just I'm here so much that that time
(12:56):
when that I have with them is just that much
more important to me because my wife is home all
day with the girls. It's like, I'm a need to
make sure when I'm home, I'm intentional with my time
with them.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
So I just take that very serious.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
It's been dope to see, man, and I appreciate you
sharing that, because I think a lot of people get
scared to share their personal life, especially somebody like you
who is in front of the public guy, right, so
many people have an opinion. Do you ever get reluctant
sharing that side of you, especially knowing that you're in
season right now? Is that ever make you nervous? Like
sharing that party?
Speaker 2 (13:26):
I would have said, it makes me nervous because regardless,
people are gonna have something to say, right. So it's like,
you know, and it's funny, like I'm one of the
people that if I see stuff on social media about
what people saying about me, I laugh at it, like
it's like because I really don't care, you know what
I mean, Like I am who I am. I'm not
going to change because you think I should focus more
(13:47):
on this or because I know the work I put
into my craft. So like sometimes I'll you know, post
stuff knowing people is going to say something, and it's
like okay, like I'll feed into it a little bit,
but i won't respond to them, but I'll do what
I'm doing just so you could feel like, Okay, here's
my chance to go and say something.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
You know, right right, But like we enjoy what we're doing.
My wife loves the content.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
She loves showing the side of her, and I'm all
about it, Like I support it one hundred percent. I
think she deserves to to, you know, be her own.
Like it's easy for I feel like you know, a
wife of a football player or an athlete whatever, to
get caught in that shadow. And I've always told her like,
look forget me. I want you to be you do
(14:32):
your things so I could support you the way you
support me, you know what I mean. Just us finding
that balance of you know, what works for us has
been super good for super healthy for us.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
And so yeah, baby, keep going.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Hey man, that's been dope. Man. Shout out to wife.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Man.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
It's been cool seeing you live in your truth man
and be able to just be the family man and
just be unapologetically you brother. I appreciate you. Man. In closing,
got the Detroit Lions. We talked about the fans. They've
got a lot to say. We're experiencing highs, we're experiencing lows. Man,
you just give them. Message to the best fans in
the NFL who are going to be at Northwest Stadium
Sunday night we take on.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
The Detroit Lines. Yeah, man, just you know, stick with us.
We know y'all love and support us. Oh man, you know,
just be ready to bring that energy on Sunday because
we're gonna need it. And you know we're just you know,
we're gonna go out there involve for y'all. So let's
let's continue being a family. Raise hell, Hey, Raise hell, baby,
command this family.
Speaker 4 (15:20):
Our next man up your two guy, Mikey saying it
so appreciate your brother.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Appreciate you, Hey.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
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They say your work defines who you are Monday through Friday,
nine to five. You are clocking in. What happens on
the weekend, what happens to your time? You could take
(15:49):
it easy, or you could use your time to get better.
In the US Army we think differently. Your time should
be used to improve the skills you do have to
learn some you don't with yourself in new ways, because
it's those days that truly define who you are. That's
how you make progress, That's how you make impact on
the world around you. It's your time. How you spend
(16:10):
it is up to you. It's your time. The US
Army Reserve Commander's family. Back to the show for our
next man up. We're welcoming in a Washington legend. It's
kind of crazy to call him a legend because if
you look at him right now on the screen, he
looks younger than me. Welcoming in former Washington player Chris Thompson.
Speaker 5 (16:30):
What's good, brother, what's going on?
Speaker 4 (16:32):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (16:33):
Man?
Speaker 4 (16:33):
I just appreciate your time. Man, thank you. We tried
to chop it up a couple of days ago and
the signal wasn't great. So you took the time to
come back on man, and it meant so much to
us because I got a feeling commanded. Fans are going
to be really excited to hear from me.
Speaker 5 (16:44):
Yeah, no, I appreciate it.
Speaker 6 (16:45):
Man, Every opportunity I can get to, you know, just
just give a word out to them.
Speaker 5 (16:51):
I'm all for.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
And it's crazy to think, like we've done a couple
of events together, but we've never actually had the next
man up before. And so I want to start at
the beginning because I just love betting able to tell
y'all stories, because I don't know the last time Washington's
gotten to hear from you, man, So let's start from
the beginning. Twenty thirteen, Man, fifth round of the NFL Draft,
you get the call from Washington. Man, what was that
(17:12):
moment like? And did a young Chris Thompson know what
was headed his way?
Speaker 6 (17:19):
To answer that last question, absolutely not. But it was
very exciting. I mean, obviously a dream come true. Just
it was nerve wrecking as well. Just what three days
of the draft. I get my call on the third day,
just kind of sitting there, my agent just kind of
(17:41):
telling me like, look, I don't even know if you're
gonna have a chance to even get drafted. Given the
fact that I had a back injury my junior year,
missed most of the season. Then I tore my ACL
my senior year. So he was just kind of like, look,
we're gonna sit here. We're gonna sit back and wait
and see if something happened. But if not, I'm well connected,
(18:02):
so I'll make sure you know, you have an opportunity
at camp. And then that third day come around and
coach Mike Shanahan called me and was like, how would
you like to be a Redskin?
Speaker 5 (18:18):
And I was like, I would love that obviously.
Speaker 6 (18:23):
But it was I mean, best feeling in the world,
just sitting there waiting on that phone call and finally
getting it. Just a great feeling. And then you know,
the prior year, we had made it in the playoffs,
lost the game against the Seahawks, and you know, I
(18:45):
think maybe one or two games away from possibly making
it to the super Bowl. So I was even hyped
and excited about that too, like, man, we get get
these young guys in, we come in and make an
impact on this team.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
Man, we got it.
Speaker 6 (19:00):
We really got a shot to make it make it
to the super Bowl, like my first year, Like I was,
I was super hyped about that, and you know, I
always knew, you know, what the fan base was like
and stuff like that, so I was just excited to,
you know, get to d C and and really get going.
And you know, at first it was it was a
little bit of a tough role, just kind of going through,
(19:21):
uh my rehab process and and everything. But I mean
the staff, the trainers, they did everything and just really
took their time, took.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
Their time with me.
Speaker 6 (19:33):
And I mean first first year, I really didn't expect
to play at all, and I end up making the
team and it kind of went from there.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
It's funny out before you had said that very last sentence,
I was gonna ask you, like, it's wild to think,
knowing what we know now, what you were able to accomplish,
you sitting there being like, oh man, I might not
even get drafted, having that doubt, like wondering, oh man,
am I even good enough to get drafted in these
first seven rounds? When does that switch? Does it switch
soon as the phone gets called? Where does that confidence
(20:03):
start to come in where you stop downing yourself as
much and you start feeling like, Okay, I actually belong here,
I'm supposed to be here.
Speaker 6 (20:11):
I think it's one of those things that I know
for me, it kind of came with time because there
was a physical adjustment period for me with that again
coming from the knee injury and stuff. I still had
a lot of doubts and I didn't really feel like
(20:33):
myself once I joined the team, and I didn't get
to practice, I didn't do any of the mini camps
or anything like that.
Speaker 5 (20:41):
So it really did take a while for me.
Speaker 6 (20:44):
And thankfully I had some phenomenal running backs Alfred Moore's,
Darrell Young. Those guys are really helping me throughout the
whole entire process. And honestly, the moment or the one
game that made me feel like all right, I belong
(21:04):
here was the one play that actually helped me make
the team that year, and that was our I think.
Speaker 5 (21:11):
It was our last preseason game.
Speaker 6 (21:13):
Against the Bucks, and Coach just threw me back there
on punk return. He was like, I want you to
go catch a couple of punts and I was like, man,
I ain't did this since I was in high school,
and I ended up I think the first one I left,
I kind of let just fall and roll for a
few yards and I kind of got cursed out about it.
Speaker 5 (21:36):
But it is what it is.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
And then my second opportunity, I ended up taking it
for a sixty nine yard touchdown and literally it was
so it was so weird because that was around the
time that I was supposed to pretty much play the
rest of the game, you know, being a young guy whatever.
I was supposed to play the rest of the game,
and my running back coach came to me and he
(22:00):
was like, he was like, you're done. And I was like, okay,
but I'm asking my teammates like what does that mean?
Speaker 5 (22:10):
And they were like, bro, you just made the team.
Speaker 6 (22:13):
And I was like I was like, ain't no way,
and they were like, bro, trust me, you just you
just made it off that one play and.
Speaker 5 (22:20):
I was like this is this is crazy. And I
mean that was really honestly the turning point for me.
Speaker 4 (22:29):
And when you talk about that moment where you're like, Okay,
this is real. Now I'm going to make this NFL roster,
I'm going to be on this team. Yes, that's a
big moment, but that's when all the work starts, right,
That's when everything gets going.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Man.
Speaker 4 (22:41):
When you think back then, what was your goal at
that point once you had finally made the NFL, right,
cause that was the goal. Right. It's hard to see
past that until you actually do it. But now you're
in the NFL, now you're realizing, okay, man, not only
am I going to make this team, but I might
even have a role as my career progresses. Yeah, what
was your goals for yourself back then? Do you remember that?
Speaker 5 (23:02):
Not really? Honestly, Again, like it's just me being a
young guy.
Speaker 6 (23:08):
It was number one to just do whatever I can
to make the team. And then it was really just
to prove them right. And why they drafted me because
they knew they could have I'm sure they knew they
could have waited to pick me up as an undrafted
(23:32):
free agent or whatever. But the fact that you know,
like I said, I think I played maybe twelve games
my last two years, and even with that coming off
a knee injury, back injury, or a spinal injury, y'all
still decided to give me a shot.
Speaker 5 (23:51):
And it was just the biggest thing was to just
prove them right.
Speaker 6 (23:57):
And you know, I honestly knew that I still didn't
feel like myself at that time. I wasn't running nothing,
nothing about me physically felt good. Honestly, and I was
just really trying to grind and get myself back to
(24:18):
that version of me that they decided to draft off
two season ended injuries, and it took. It took, it
took a while. It definitely took a while. And even that,
even that rookie year, I mean I only did special teams.
I think I'm not sure how many players I even
got on offense, but basically just a return guy, and
(24:39):
it honestly did not go well.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
And I ended up.
Speaker 6 (24:43):
Getting hurt again, hurt my shoulder and had to have
had to go on I R and have a season
endo surgery, and so it was just like, all right,
here we go again. You know, now I gotta battle
this and I gotta again. I'm still trying to prove
like you did, y'all didn't make a mistake by drafting me.
(25:04):
So that was really the probably the biggest, uh, the
biggest goal was to really just get healthy and prove
the organization right because.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
Historically it's almost unheard of for a running back that
has multiple injuries at alone one injury in college to
still get drafted, because we understand how this game goes.
When you do get drafted, knowing that you maybe not
one hundred percent, but also knowing that you have already
had to deal with two bad injuries. I got to
imagine a young Chris Thompson is just like, dude, listen,
I don't ever want to get injured again. I don't
(25:35):
ever want to see an injury while I'm in the NFL.
I have to imagine that's where your mindset was at,
right it.
Speaker 6 (25:41):
Was, and I will tell you from experience that is
they that is the worst mindset you can ever ever
have playing football, because if you play ball with that mindset,
you're absolutely gonna get hurt again. And you know that
(26:01):
was kind of one of those things too that as
I got older, I started realizing the power of the
mind and what you say, what you think, is how
you're going to react and play and practice. And if
I'm out there trying to play injury free, something some
(26:22):
kind of freak accident or whatever is gonna happen. And
you know, I think, again that was me being a
young guy like I gotta stay healthy, I gotta prove
him right.
Speaker 5 (26:35):
All of that was actually having like a little small.
Speaker 6 (26:41):
Freak accidents happened that hit my rookie year that just
caused me to have my shoulder injuries seemed like it
seemed like it was nothing. And honestly, I didn't even
tell my coaches until like after the game what happened.
I just continue to play through it. And it was
because I was one just in fear that, look, I
(27:06):
might get cut because they.
Speaker 5 (27:09):
Already drafted me and I wasn't ready.
Speaker 6 (27:11):
Now I get here and I'm still not ready to play,
and I honestly was trying to just just grind it
out for a while until I really couldn't fight it anymore.
But yeah, you cannot go into playing, especially football, playing
the game of football with that, with that type mindset,
(27:32):
because it's not gonna end well.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
When you're carrying that, it's like it's haunting you, right,
It's like your biggest fear. Probably, so when you do
suffer that injury rookie year and then honestly deal with
injuries pretty much your whole career, Man, how do you
deal with that mentally? Because that has to be the
most deflating thing. Again, it's your biggest fear and now
you're facing it, now you're in it in real time. Man.
What was it like dealing with that?
Speaker 5 (27:57):
Oh? Man? It was Uh, it was. It was tough.
Speaker 6 (28:01):
It was tough, and you know it was of what
seven years I was on the team, I was healthy
for once.
Speaker 5 (28:10):
I played one sixteen game season, and.
Speaker 6 (28:15):
That was very frustrating because again, like it's just little
freak stuff happening.
Speaker 5 (28:24):
And I can remember every injury that I had.
Speaker 6 (28:29):
Because because it was just so like it was just tough.
I'll just say that it was just tough. And literally
my shoulder. I did my shoulder twice. I remember both
plays that that happened. I mean, obviously my ankle, and
(28:49):
I think I probably took my ankle injury probably the
worst because I was I would say at that time,
like I'm literally in the prime of my career. I
was twenty six years old as a backup. I wasn't
even starting. I think I was top five in all
purpose yards in the league and everything, and it was
(29:13):
just again, a freak accident happening. A guy chasing Kirk
Cousins and just happened to roll into my ankle while
I got my back turned and I'm blocking, and and
it's like, man, can I can I ever get a break?
Speaker 5 (29:29):
And that was the most frustrating part because out.
Speaker 6 (29:33):
Of all that time there, It's like the fans only
got a glimpse of what I could be and they
fell in love with that, which is why I well
forever love that fan base, because I mean they they
(29:53):
showed me love like no other, and I never fully
gave them the real version of They saw that for
like eight games and twenty seventeen of like, all right,
that's the Florida State guy that we drafted. But you know,
it was always everything was always like short lived.
Speaker 5 (30:11):
I mean even the year after that.
Speaker 6 (30:14):
I mean, we brought Adrian Peterson in and that first
game me and him we had against Arizona, we had
I think we had like two hundred and almost three
hundred total yards.
Speaker 5 (30:27):
Me and him just combined that game and I was like,
all right, I'm bad. And then it just just went
downhill from there.
Speaker 6 (30:36):
It got broken ribs and just all kinds of stuff happening,
and I'm like, can I ever get a break? But
you know, I look back on it now and I'm like,
I guess that was just kind of part of my journey,
and it's just a story that I have that I
can tell and you know, be able to speak to
(30:59):
kids and just basically give them that story of me
just continuing to fight and never never giving up. And
you know, I think the biggest part of that is
finding and my running back coach was on me about
this all the time, is.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
Being great at what makes you you.
Speaker 6 (31:24):
Don't try to be anybody else, don't try to don't
try to do too much. Figure out what it is
that you do well, and be great at that. And
once I truly like tapped into that, I realized that
what I am and what I brought to the football team,
(31:49):
what I could bring to the organization, even just as
a person, is hard to find.
Speaker 5 (31:55):
And I still even talk.
Speaker 6 (31:57):
To my running back coach, coach Jordan, and he's like,
every time I talk to him, he like, man, I'm
still trying to find a Chris Thompson.
Speaker 5 (32:07):
And I even tell my son about it, and he like,
what does he mean?
Speaker 6 (32:10):
And I just kind of break it down to him
on what he means by that, and I'm like, I,
you know, I figured out what it was about me
that made me who I am and I felt like
I really truly tapped into that. And again, injuries caused
(32:31):
me not to what a reason that I, you know,
couldn't consistently show that. But that was one of the
things that kept me around as well, because you don't
see guys staying on the team for seven years and
was hurt for six of them. But when you bring
something special, they're gonna keep you around and continue to
(32:53):
trust and believe in.
Speaker 4 (32:55):
And I appreciate that insight so much. And that's why
I love being able to talk to the legends because
I mean this. I mean, you seen what's happened to
our current commanders, right. There's injuries across the board, and
a lot of times you're not prepared for that. A
lot of times you don't know how to deal with
those things because like you said, it haunts you. It
can get very very dark. And even whils I'm talking
to you now and you took like a big sigh
(33:15):
and talked about it, I don't feel like the fans
got the scene. Yeah, do you ever shake that? Man?
Does it still haunt you to this day? Do you
have regrets? I mean, you can't control being injured, right,
but like you said, there are still positives. A man
plays seventy years for an organization. Like you said, even
though you're injured for six that kept you around for
a reason. That's a very positive outlook to have after
the fact, but when you're in it, when you're living it,
(33:38):
I gotta imagine, man, it's really really tough to ever
shake that that monkey, that monster on your back.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
Yeah, it's tough.
Speaker 6 (33:45):
It's tough, and I mean I still my wife will
tell you I still deal with it at home.
Speaker 4 (33:52):
And.
Speaker 7 (33:55):
She she brings up the years pretty often and she knows, like,
I love it, but I have a limit with how
much I want to talk about it because it's still
you know, it's still like.
Speaker 6 (34:13):
Hurts me because I even look at, you know, the
bigger picture of things, obviously, like I played football my
whole life because I love it, but it also helped,
you know, me and my family financially very well. And
it's kind of one of those things where because I
didn't you know, I wasn't available a lot, and these
(34:38):
injuries pretty much cut my career short.
Speaker 5 (34:41):
You know, it affected it affected my pockets as well.
Speaker 6 (34:45):
And I think that's the part too that hurts that
I don't like to where I don't like to talk
about it a lot because it's like.
Speaker 5 (34:56):
I there was.
Speaker 6 (34:59):
A lot that was left out there, and even going
back to that seventeen season, Like you know, for me,
it's not it's it's never been about the money, but
it's like I wanted to experience what it was like
to maybe have even even have the chance of being
talked about making a making a Pro Bowl and things
(35:23):
like that, and it was like that was that was that.
Speaker 5 (35:27):
Potentially that year, you know what I'm saying, And it
was just like boom, that is just over. It's just
over and done with. So it's it's still tough. And
even you know, my friends and stuff here, they're always.
Speaker 6 (35:45):
Like, man, you you walk around and you just act
like you aren't who you are, and I'm like, partly,
you know, that's me, that's just that's just who I am.
Speaker 5 (35:55):
But it's also like, you know, I tell and.
Speaker 6 (36:00):
Stuff like I don't I don't feel like I failed,
but I I feel like I still didn't.
Speaker 5 (36:08):
I still wasn't able to give or show my all.
And that part right there is what like honestly still
still bothers me.
Speaker 4 (36:19):
And you're human. You're allowed to have those real moments,
and I appreciate you being transparent and sharing it because again,
there's going to be NFL players for years and years
to come. That have to go through the same type
things that have delt with injury. We see it all
the time, and you were really ahead of your time,
like you were really that like real like embodiment of
that change of pace back, that third down back. And
(36:40):
I know it doesn't always feel like it, but I
hope that this interview, when you see the comments and
people showing you love, that you do realize you were
still able to accomplish so much more than other people. Right,
Like the average lifespan for running back I think three
or four years in the NFL. You got eight of them, right,
seven of them with the same franchise.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Man.
Speaker 4 (36:57):
So I hope you do find, you know, peace and
solace the fact that you still accomplished so much and
you are so revered out here. I know it might
not always feel like it because you're out in Jacksonville
right now, but I hope when you do come to
the DMV and you come around your Burgundy and Gold family,
that you do feel that and feel that value because again,
you still were able to accomplish a lot. But I
(37:17):
know that's easier said than done for me, because we
all want to do more. Right. It's funny you mentioned ALFREDS. Morris.
We had him on the show not too long ago,
and he broke down in tears because even him, somebody
who would accomplished a lot as well, didn't feel like
he had done enough, didn't know what his identity would
be like after the game. Man, So like, I understand
how tough that is and how has it been being
(37:40):
a retired running back, Because it's hard when you carry
those things. You feel like you got unfinished business, like
you let food on your plate, right, and now you're
going to walk around with that for the rest of
your life because now you're retired. Now you're not going
back on that field no more. Man, has that been
tough to deal with? And how have you found ways
to just move forward in your life?
Speaker 5 (37:58):
I would say my first one or two years.
Speaker 6 (38:02):
Out, I couldn't even watch football and.
Speaker 5 (38:11):
That was tough because my son, I mean, he lives.
Speaker 6 (38:16):
And he eats and breeze football like he's just that's
all he wants to do. And he just used to
that did you see this?
Speaker 5 (38:26):
Did you see that? Did you?
Speaker 6 (38:27):
And I'm like, no, I didn't see it, and I
can't you know, I couldn't tell him like I don't, right,
now I really don't like watching football because it hurt
to watch it, and I would say probably like last year,
(38:47):
I really started to get over that and then I
was like, I don't even want to go back anymore.
Speaker 5 (38:55):
I don't miss it.
Speaker 6 (38:56):
I'm at that point now where I'm like, I do
not miss at all, just playing, like I miss being
around the guys in the locker room and stuff like that,
but the rest of it, I do not miss it
at all.
Speaker 5 (39:09):
And so now I'm watching I'm watching ball a lot more.
Speaker 6 (39:14):
Me and him, you know, College NFL, like Saturdays and
Sundays is just football on and going on pretty much
all day, and me and him just sitting down and
having conversations and stuff about certain things.
Speaker 5 (39:28):
And because he.
Speaker 6 (39:29):
Plays quarterbacks, so I got to kind of help him
break down the game in a totally different way. But
it's I've gotten over that part now, and then what
really kind of helps me get through now is.
Speaker 5 (39:48):
Just being dad.
Speaker 6 (39:50):
Just being involved like heavily in my kids' lives and stuff.
And again, like my son playing football, I'm at his
practices and stuff every day, so I'm still I'm still
involved in it. It's just the physical part of it.
You know, I that's the part I don't miss at all,
(40:12):
and so I'm still involved with him with that and
my daughter with gymnastics and stuff. We're at gymnastics practice
pretty every other day and so that's kind of been
helping me get through it. And actually lately I've been
just trying to be a little more active and been
(40:35):
kind of sort of getting back into my like level
of football training that I used to kind of do
when I was prepping myself, like during the off season
and everything, and that has.
Speaker 5 (40:47):
Been helping me. Helping me as well. Where I'm you know.
Speaker 6 (40:52):
Probably an hour and a half two hours worth of
work field on field and then weight room stuff, and
that's kind of been that's kind of been helping me too.
And although I'm dealing with a lot of some physical
injuries and issues or whatever from my playing days, I
still I just kind of be smart with it.
Speaker 5 (41:14):
But that has been helping me as well. And then
I just newly stepped into.
Speaker 6 (41:23):
Training guys and specifically trying to focus on like helping
training running backs and stuff, and that's this past Sunday
was like my first session that I had, and I mean, man,
I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
Speaker 4 (41:43):
That is that is just so great to hear, man.
It's great to hear that you found ways to heal.
It's great to know that you have been able to
lean on your kids, your family, you know, career pivots,
to be able to get past it, because so many
times people do not get past it. So many times
people do not find ways to heal. And it sounds
like you're healing. I'm just so happy for you, man,
I'm so happy. I can't wait to see and watch
(42:04):
you with the training and just continue to develop and
you know, continue your life, man, because you have so
much to live for. And I think it's really special
that you've been founding ways to get back to the game,
whether it's through your son, you know, the future of
the league, or just helping other kids and other futures
of the league be able to hone their skills. Chris
and closing, when you look back, when the fans look back,
(42:25):
when your kids look back. How do you want Chris
Thompson to be remembered? What do you want Chris Thompson's
legacy to be when it's all said and done.
Speaker 5 (42:36):
Oh, I think for me, the biggest thing has always been.
Speaker 6 (42:46):
How How did I make you feel? And that's the
part that I think about all the time, is at
some point there's gonna be I mean, every year, there's
going to be new guys, new guys coming to organization.
You're gonna fall and as fans, you're gonna fall in
love with new players.
Speaker 5 (43:04):
I mean, I might be one of the biggest fans
of our rookie running back right now, like the stuff
I saw in college, and he didn't again, like me,
he didn't even play a lot. He didn't have a
lot of you know, a lot of downs of football
played in college and everything. And I mean, he's out
there killing it right now. But it's just.
Speaker 6 (43:32):
I always wanted to treat everybody well and treat everybody
with respect, and that was one of the biggest things
for me. And I didn't care, you know, I was
one of those guys. I didn't care who you were.
I didn't care if you were the owner, I didn't
care if you were the janitor. I didn't care about
(43:54):
any of that. I'm gonna speak to you and talk
to you and have the same level respect for you,
regardless of who you are, what your job is. And
that was the most important. That's that has always really
been the most important.
Speaker 5 (44:12):
Thing for me.
Speaker 6 (44:14):
And I just got to say shouts out to my
wife too, because and this goes back to one of
violated questions, but she really helped me through this process mentally,
like more than I could even more than I can
(44:35):
even explain, and more than I can even thank her.
But she was also one of those people that always
like reminded me because even for a while I didn't
I didn't want to even.
Speaker 5 (44:50):
Go back to Washington.
Speaker 6 (44:51):
I would decline visits all the time, like, oh, I
can't make it. I can't make it because I got this,
this and that going on, and I literally had nothing
going on. And she was like, why why these people,
these people love you.
Speaker 5 (45:04):
What are you doing. You're just here, You're sitting at home,
You're not doing anything. There's no reason why.
Speaker 6 (45:11):
But it was again, I had to get out of
my own way and I had to kind of get
over that that pain.
Speaker 5 (45:20):
And you know, she helped me. She helped me with
that big time.
Speaker 6 (45:24):
And even you know, the whole legend of the game
and everything last year, like even with that, I almost
fought back with that too because I was still you know,
just kind of I still kind of had that feeling,
and she was she she really she really pushed me
and and I just had to shout her out for that.
(45:48):
But yeah, outside of what I did on the field,
I just always wanted people to remember me for how
they felt when when we met each other, even if
I just signed an autograph, like what, you know, hopefully I.
Speaker 5 (46:06):
Just made you feel good. And even in that.
Speaker 4 (46:08):
Small moment, man may just shout out to Wifey, shout
out to all those people that are just in our
lives that help us get through. You know, a lot
of times people just focus on the person, the star,
the athlete, but don't realize how much help we need.
You know, our wives go through so much while we
trace this greatness and trying to do things that nobody's
(46:29):
ever accomplished in our families, and they have to carry
so much weight. So definitely wanted to make sure I
acknowledge that man, shout out to Wifey. And it's so
crazy you mentioned these things because I was just talking
to a good friend of mine about social anxiety and like,
you know, having those moments where when you're when you
have that anxiety where you're like, oh, man, I don't
even want to show up because you're thinking of all
the things that could go wrong, and a lot of it. No,
there's no logic base behind it, but that comes from trauma,
(46:51):
that comes from going through things. So no, that's okay.
But also know Chris, that this is your home, brother,
like this is your home, and I'm sure you felt
that when you did the Legend of the Game. But
I know how anxiety is, man. It creeps up at
times you don't even expect it, even when you think
you passed it. And I just want you to know.
I want you to think when you do have that
anxiety next time, it's not for you to pull up
to the DMV. Know that you are going to be
(47:12):
amongst family. You're going to be amongst people that love
you and value not just what you did on the field,
but for all those things you mentioned, The way you
treated people, the way you made people feel, the way
you spoke, those are the things that truly matter, Chris Man.
We just appreciate you so much for your honesty man,
for your vulnerability, and just for sharing that story because
so many people are going through the things you're going through,
whether they're athletes or not. In real time. Chris, so
(47:33):
thank you so much, and again I gotta say it again. Brother,
Just know here in the DMV with the burgundy and gold,
you always got a spot in our hearts. Man, you
always got love and you always have a home here.
So don't be a stranger. We want you to pull
up pretty soon. Man. I want you to pull up
sitting next to me in this studio, in this chair
out here, brother, because that nostalgia does something for us. Man,
(47:53):
and you deserve to bask in all of your greatness.
Even if it wasn't what you necessarily expected, it still
was greatness.
Speaker 5 (47:59):
Brother.
Speaker 4 (48:00):
We appreciate you so much for your time.
Speaker 1 (48:01):
Man.
Speaker 5 (48:01):
Thank you all right, I appreciate you. Man.
Speaker 4 (48:03):
Hey, Chris man, bless you, bro. Command this family on
Next Man Up. Chris Thompson. Seven years in Washington, eight
year career and he's just getting started in life. Baby.
We appreciate you, man, Thank you, command this family. We
hope you enjoyed this episode of Next Man Up. Remember
you can stream all of the Next Man Up episodes
right now on the Commander's YouTube page or the audio
(48:24):
wherever you get your podcast. Thank you so much for
supporting the Next Man Up Podcast. You allowed us to
be nominated for not one, but two People's Choice Podcast Awards,
Best Male Hosted and Best Black Male Hosted Podcast. And
that's all because of the best fans in the NFL.
I appreciate y'all so much for supporting us. It's crazy
to think we're already in season three of Next Man
Up and we have a lot more to go. So
(48:45):
make sure to subscribe to the Commander's YouTube page so
you don't miss any of our content. I'm Briankowa, Jr.
And this is Next Man Up. This show was filmed
at the Big Bear AI Commands Interstudio. Big Bear AI
offers mission ready AI for a rapidly evolving world, proudly
protecting the Washington Commanders and its fans.
Take away all the factors of why we are where
we are. It's what are you going to do now?
Speaker 2 (00:06):
And you know, there's people that make it happen, and
there's people that just sit back and just let things
be what they are.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
From what I know about this team is there.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
It's a group of men, a group of people who
find a way to make it happen. And I still
have belief that we go out and do that and
it'll be a great story, you know, once we do
do that.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
The next nomber of podcast is presented by Lansdown Resort.
From kickoff to check and you Score, Game, change and
get away in the heart of Lounders. Lansdown Resort, proud
partner of the Washington Commanders.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
Welcome into the Next Man Up. I'm your host, Brian
Corb Junior, and I'm sitting here with a year two
guy when everybody say he the oldest soul in the building,
Welcome in and our next man up, Mike. He's saying
it so it's a good brother. Hey you doing, Bro,
Appreciate you having me and I appreciate you. Bro's it's
been dope to see you and year two well from
you yourself. Man, what has been different about year two
(00:57):
as opposed to year one.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
I think I would just say for myself, like just
being in a different role.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Now. You know, last year I was primarily outside. This year,
I'm inside.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
So just making those adjustments to the game, because you know,
the slot is a whole different ballgame. You know, your
mindset changes, the players you're involved in change, the communication
is different. So like just making those adjustments has been
I would to say tough for me, but just just
an adjustment period, you know what I'm saying. But it
(01:29):
was kind of it's just me going back to what
I got drafted here for. You know, I got drafted
as a nickel corner more than a corner nickel or
whatever they but yeah, I played primarily nickel in college.
So just gave myself back in that mindset.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
When did you find out you would be moving into
the slot, Like what part of the off season or
last year did you find out that you would have
to make this pivot in this adjustment.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Kind of really just you know, when when they told
me that, you know, I'm playing nickel. It wasn't really
a time period where it was like, Okay, I started
taking more reps at nickel as opposed to playing corner,
you know what I mean, it was just a we
need you in the slot, so that's what it was.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
So did you not have really an off season to
kind of adjust mentally to the fact that you would
be moving inside, because, like you said, but that's a
whole nother ball game, even though you've done it before,
going back and forth and back and forth, it takes
some time to make that adjustment.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I mean, I was taking reps at both, studying both
same like I was doing last year, just being ready
to be wherever they needed me to be at. So,
you know, this year with us drafting tray Mar Shan
getting healthy, unfortunately he just got hurt. We brought in
a few guys, so I kind of just you know,
just continuing to study both corner and nickel and just
being ready for whichever one they told me I was.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Going to be at.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
It's got to be a boosting confidence too, right, because
somebody can't be moved around unless they really got it
like that, unless they really have a skill set, like
some people can only play in the slot, some people
can only play outside. You have a versatility, which we
knew when we drafted you that you'd be able to
do that. Man, that has to be a little bit
of boost confidence. Even though I was tough man, right, No,
nobody likes inconsistently. Everybody wants to just stick to the
same things. But I know it has to give you
(03:06):
a little ego boost at least saying you know what, man,
I could do it wherever you need me.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, to think, like, I know, there's value in being
able to do both. So just making sure that whichever
one I'm at, I'm producing. You know, I'm still making plays.
Don't matter to me whether it's inside or outside. Just
I just know that when I'm out there, when I'm
on the field, that's when I could, you know, be
my best. Just don't matter where I'm at, Just let
me be out there and just let me help the
defense make plays.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Has the game been able to slow down for you? Right?
Like everybody talks about a year two how the game
slows down, But when you're moving from position and position
and doing different things and your roles changing a little bit,
have you still been able to see that game slow
down for you in real time? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
I'll say it is because you know, at the end
of the day, like offenses. In my opinion, I think
they can only do so much. Like and in the NFL,
it's a copycat league. So like whatever happened Week one,
there'll be a team that's going to study your things
and they're gonna try doing something that hurts you when
we want. It could be week twelve, it could be
(04:05):
week six, it could be week seventeen, don't matter. Like
things show up again and again. So I think just
over time, when you have the film study, when you
get the reps, everything just slows down because you realize, okay,
what concepts of offense is trying to do. You get
a feel for offensive coordinators, and then you start putting
teams and buckets of you have this team that runs
(04:27):
twelve personnel, and there's a family trio of coaches who
have that in their background. And then you just like
I said, you just put those things in the buckets
and it just allows you, you know, allow you to
not being out there trying to stop everything because you can't,
you know what I mean. So once you just slow
the game down a little bit, just take a piece
by piece, I think that's when you're able to just
go out there and play fast.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
And all those things you mentioned. That's so many things
to keep in your mind in real time while you're
on that field. But it's worked out for you, man,
you being a student of the game, it's worked out
for you. Three in it. Seven's already just got one,
which we had two lastlast year in the regular season.
We talk about it a lot on Game Day Live.
Mikey just seems to be in the right spot at
the right time. And that's easy for us to say,
(05:09):
But I know that's not circumstantial. That is because you
are so prepared. Man. How much pride do you take
when you are in those positions? Man, when you can
make that interception, that game changing play, get that ball back,
Like Joe what Junior says? Man, how much proud are
you taking that?
Speaker 2 (05:22):
I think it's just for me. It's really not even
a pride thing. It's just like, I know I'm doing
my part in helping this team have you know, success,
and it's not for my own that like I get
happy about the interceptions or you know, takeaways. It's like,
I know I got an interception. Now the offense could
(05:43):
go out there and be great. Five could go out
there and do his thing. He can get the ball
to the playmakers. It gives an energy boost to the
team and boosts the moraley the defense, Like don't matter
when we're out there, Like I could do it, the
other corners can do it. To say, like, and it
does really don't matter, you know what I'm saying. But
for me, it's just how can I continue to just help,
(06:04):
whether it's a turnover, whether it's a play that changes
the course of the game. And like I said, it's
just the way I look at it is just doing
my part of you know, doing my part of the
defense to help this team be successful at the.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
End of the day. And it's been interesting watching this
year because it's easy to be smiling in brotherhood when
things is going well. But now when you have a
season where there's highs but there's also been some lows.
That's new for you in the NFL because your rookie
year was not like that. When you look at this
year and the lows you've had to deal with, man,
has it been tough. How have you found the ways
(06:40):
to deal with that? Because again, this is very very
new for you.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
I think you know, when you when you think of adversity,
you can't think of you know, any tougher way to
be dealing with it. We've dealt with injuries, losses, things
not going our way, so like it's kind of like,
you know, you win your backs against the wall, what
are you going to do to you know, get out
that get out that corner? And really all you can
(07:03):
do is just lean on the people around you.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
All.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
We have each other, We needed each other, and we're
the only ones that could, you know, get ourselves out
of the position that we're in.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
That's something d Qusman saying.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
But that's the truth of you know, the situation is,
you know, take away all the factors of why we are.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Where we are, is what are you going to do now?
Speaker 2 (07:24):
And you know, there's people that make it happen, and
there's people that just sit back and just let things
be what they are. And from what I know about
this team is it's a group of men, a group
of people who find a way to make it happen.
And I still have belief that we can go out
and do that.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
And it'll be a great story.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
Uh you know once we do do that and the
story's not done. Just shit, man, You talk about those
people that carry that right, that's Marshaun Lattimore and you
mentioned him where we lost them for the season. How
does that impact this defense? And how do you feel
avoid like that because I know you've been watching Marshaan
way before you ever a command or ever before he
was a commander.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Yeah, you know, first thing I did after the game
was I sentiment TEXTA said, I got you, bro, like.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Just letting letting him know, for one, like his brothers
have his back.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
And I think that's you know, that's what this team
embodies is you know, we all have each other's backs,
we all play for one another, and you know, losing
him it definitely, you know, it hurts just like anybody
else that we've lost. But you know, personally for me,
like just seeing his bounce back and just the consistency
he had this off season to get back to where
(08:33):
he was. And it's funny k C game he had
wre he wore a pair of gold cleats and you know,
to me, first thing I thought it was, you know,
Marshon Lattimore with the Saints, and I was like, Okay,
I see what type of time you are, Like you're
trying to dig back in that old back goes out
gets an interception played the phenomenal game, and it's funny
(08:53):
that day I was watching like all his old highlights
and it's just I don't know, like life works, God works,
and mistake various ways. It was cool for me to
see him do that, and I think, you know, our
fans even felt it, like, hey, like that's the guy
that we know, you know what I mean, And just
you know, like I said, I was just it was
(09:14):
good for me to see as a younger guy, to
see him fighting to get back to who he's been
in the dominant, you know guy that he's been in
this league, the you know, top two, top three corner
and best corner in the league at the time. So,
like I said, it hurts to lose him, but you know,
he knows that we got his back out there, and
losing him affects the entire defense, right especially the rest
(09:35):
of the defensive backs because now again you got to
go through an adjustment, you got to go through a change.
How has knowing that he won't be out on that
outside anymore affected just your week of preparation and how
you're going about preparing for this game against the Detroit Lions.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Really, I would say it like.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
All I know is that he's not out there more
than it is like dang, like who's going to be
out there?
Speaker 1 (09:58):
But the next man, you know, next time, Like.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
I know that every guy in the room prepares at
such a high level, so it really doesn't matter who's
out there. Like we all attacking approach the game the
same exact way. We all study, so like I'm just
as confident in the next guy as I was in Marshall.
So you know, whoever's going to be, you know, I
know he's gonna be ready when the time comes.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
And we know we're seeing the Detroit team that got
a little bit of extra motivation, especially some extra motivation
against you because you got not one but two interceptions
the last time we played the Detroit Lions, knowing that
you were able to have that almost that coming out party, right,
because when you do things in the regular season and
we do it in the playoffs, it's a whole nother ballgame.
You did it in the playoffs, you won all the
fans over that you had it won just yet does
(10:45):
that matter though? Does that matter coming into this game?
Does that success that you were able to find, does
that mean anything? Now that we're in this season.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Ah nah, just like the success we had last year
as a team, don't matter.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
It's a new team.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
It's a new mindset, new focus, new energy, and you know,
same thing for the lines, Like it's a whole new mindset.
It's a whole you know, yeah they have guys they
brought back whatever, but it's a whole new focus, whole,
new energy. The venue is a new venue or not
in Detroit wearing you know, our home stadium. So I
(11:19):
think it's just going to the film and just seeing
what they do, what they you know, how they're oc
likes to attack defenses and then look at you know,
what defenses play with the same style that we have
and how he's attacked that and this year years prior.
So again, like everything just comes down to film study,
preparation during the week and then on Sunday it's just
(11:39):
about going on and being who you.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
Are and Mike, you were excited to see you out
there on Sunday. And then closing. We have a new
sponsor and I try a new partner, and I try
to like always weave it in like craft fully and
be like, oh, how do you spend your downtime? It's
landsdown resort. But I know how you spend your downtown
because you show us how you spend your downtime. You
have a farm.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
How old are you?
Speaker 4 (11:57):
I'm twenty five, you are twenty five years old. My brother,
you are married man, your father you got a farm, bro.
Those are not things you see from a twenty five
year old that just became a millionaire, right, But you
choose to do that. Why do you choose to spend
your down time like that? And what do you get
out of that? To just kind of help you ease
up and level set.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Keeps me grounded, you know what I'm saying, Like just
when I leave here, being able to go home to
my family, my wife, my girls, Like, that's that's all
the peace I need in the world. And then I
step outside, it's just land, it's animals. In my opinion,
that's how we should be living, you know what I mean.
(12:35):
And I'm blessed to be fortunate enough to have that,
But you know, like I said, it just keeps me grounded.
And you know, just away from here, it's why I'm
able to hit that reset button and just you know,
I turn I turned the football guy off. When I
leave here, I'm all about my family when I get
home and just I'm here so much that that time
(12:56):
when that I have with them is just that much
more important to me because my wife is home all
day with the girls. It's like, I'm a need to
make sure when I'm home, I'm intentional with my time
with them.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
So I just take that very serious.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
It's been dope to see, man, and I appreciate you
sharing that, because I think a lot of people get
scared to share their personal life, especially somebody like you
who is in front of the public guy, right, so
many people have an opinion. Do you ever get reluctant
sharing that side of you, especially knowing that you're in
season right now? Is that ever make you nervous? Like
sharing that party?
Speaker 2 (13:26):
I would have said, it makes me nervous because regardless,
people are gonna have something to say, right. So it's like,
you know, and it's funny, like I'm one of the
people that if I see stuff on social media about
what people saying about me, I laugh at it, like
it's like because I really don't care, you know what
I mean, Like I am who I am. I'm not
going to change because you think I should focus more
(13:47):
on this or because I know the work I put
into my craft. So like sometimes I'll you know, post
stuff knowing people is going to say something, and it's
like okay, like I'll feed into it a little bit,
but i won't respond to them, but I'll do what
I'm doing just so you could feel like, Okay, here's
my chance to go and say something.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
You know, right right, But like we enjoy what we're doing.
My wife loves the content.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
She loves showing the side of her, and I'm all
about it, Like I support it one hundred percent. I
think she deserves to to, you know, be her own.
Like it's easy for I feel like you know, a
wife of a football player or an athlete whatever, to
get caught in that shadow. And I've always told her like,
look forget me. I want you to be you do
(14:32):
your things so I could support you the way you
support me, you know what I mean. Just us finding
that balance of you know, what works for us has
been super good for super healthy for us.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
And so yeah, baby, keep going.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Hey man, that's been dope. Man. Shout out to wife.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Man.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
It's been cool seeing you live in your truth man
and be able to just be the family man and
just be unapologetically you brother. I appreciate you. Man. In closing,
got the Detroit Lions. We talked about the fans. They've
got a lot to say. We're experiencing highs, we're experiencing lows. Man,
you just give them. Message to the best fans in
the NFL who are going to be at Northwest Stadium
Sunday night we take on.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
The Detroit Lines. Yeah, man, just you know, stick with us.
We know y'all love and support us. Oh man, you know,
just be ready to bring that energy on Sunday because
we're gonna need it. And you know we're just you know,
we're gonna go out there involve for y'all. So let's
let's continue being a family. Raise hell, Hey, Raise hell, baby,
command this family.
Speaker 4 (15:20):
Our next man up your two guy, Mikey saying it
so appreciate your brother.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Appreciate you, Hey.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
Marylanders play multi Match from the Maryland Lottery, Maryland's only
in state jackpot game. A two dollar ticket gives you
a chance to win a jackpart starting at five hundred
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They say your work defines who you are Monday through Friday,
nine to five. You are clocking in. What happens on
the weekend, what happens to your time? You could take
(15:49):
it easy, or you could use your time to get better.
In the US Army we think differently. Your time should
be used to improve the skills you do have to
learn some you don't with yourself in new ways, because
it's those days that truly define who you are. That's
how you make progress, That's how you make impact on
the world around you. It's your time. How you spend
(16:10):
it is up to you. It's your time. The US
Army Reserve Commander's family. Back to the show for our
next man up. We're welcoming in a Washington legend. It's
kind of crazy to call him a legend because if
you look at him right now on the screen, he
looks younger than me. Welcoming in former Washington player Chris Thompson.
Speaker 5 (16:30):
What's good, brother, what's going on?
Speaker 4 (16:32):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (16:33):
Man?
Speaker 4 (16:33):
I just appreciate your time. Man, thank you. We tried
to chop it up a couple of days ago and
the signal wasn't great. So you took the time to
come back on man, and it meant so much to
us because I got a feeling commanded. Fans are going
to be really excited to hear from me.
Speaker 5 (16:44):
Yeah, no, I appreciate it.
Speaker 6 (16:45):
Man, Every opportunity I can get to, you know, just
just give a word out to them.
Speaker 5 (16:51):
I'm all for.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
And it's crazy to think, like we've done a couple
of events together, but we've never actually had the next
man up before. And so I want to start at
the beginning because I just love betting able to tell
y'all stories, because I don't know the last time Washington's
gotten to hear from you, man, So let's start from
the beginning. Twenty thirteen, Man, fifth round of the NFL Draft,
you get the call from Washington. Man, what was that
(17:12):
moment like? And did a young Chris Thompson know what
was headed his way?
Speaker 6 (17:19):
To answer that last question, absolutely not. But it was
very exciting. I mean, obviously a dream come true. Just
it was nerve wrecking as well. Just what three days
of the draft. I get my call on the third day,
just kind of sitting there, my agent just kind of
(17:41):
telling me like, look, I don't even know if you're
gonna have a chance to even get drafted. Given the
fact that I had a back injury my junior year,
missed most of the season. Then I tore my ACL
my senior year. So he was just kind of like, look,
we're gonna sit here. We're gonna sit back and wait
and see if something happened. But if not, I'm well connected,
(18:02):
so I'll make sure you know, you have an opportunity
at camp. And then that third day come around and
coach Mike Shanahan called me and was like, how would
you like to be a Redskin?
Speaker 5 (18:18):
And I was like, I would love that obviously.
Speaker 6 (18:23):
But it was I mean, best feeling in the world,
just sitting there waiting on that phone call and finally
getting it. Just a great feeling. And then you know,
the prior year, we had made it in the playoffs,
lost the game against the Seahawks, and you know, I
(18:45):
think maybe one or two games away from possibly making
it to the super Bowl. So I was even hyped
and excited about that too, like, man, we get get
these young guys in, we come in and make an
impact on this team.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
Man, we got it.
Speaker 6 (19:00):
We really got a shot to make it make it
to the super Bowl, like my first year, Like I was,
I was super hyped about that, and you know, I
always knew, you know, what the fan base was like
and stuff like that, so I was just excited to,
you know, get to d C and and really get going.
And you know, at first it was it was a
little bit of a tough role, just kind of going through,
(19:21):
uh my rehab process and and everything. But I mean
the staff, the trainers, they did everything and just really
took their time, took.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
Their time with me.
Speaker 6 (19:33):
And I mean first first year, I really didn't expect
to play at all, and I end up making the
team and it kind of went from there.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
It's funny out before you had said that very last sentence,
I was gonna ask you, like, it's wild to think,
knowing what we know now, what you were able to accomplish,
you sitting there being like, oh man, I might not
even get drafted, having that doubt, like wondering, oh man,
am I even good enough to get drafted in these
first seven rounds? When does that switch? Does it switch
soon as the phone gets called? Where does that confidence
(20:03):
start to come in where you stop downing yourself as
much and you start feeling like, Okay, I actually belong here,
I'm supposed to be here.
Speaker 6 (20:11):
I think it's one of those things that I know
for me, it kind of came with time because there
was a physical adjustment period for me with that again
coming from the knee injury and stuff. I still had
a lot of doubts and I didn't really feel like
(20:33):
myself once I joined the team, and I didn't get
to practice, I didn't do any of the mini camps
or anything like that.
Speaker 5 (20:41):
So it really did take a while for me.
Speaker 6 (20:44):
And thankfully I had some phenomenal running backs Alfred Moore's,
Darrell Young. Those guys are really helping me throughout the
whole entire process. And honestly, the moment or the one
game that made me feel like all right, I belong
(21:04):
here was the one play that actually helped me make
the team that year, and that was our I think.
Speaker 5 (21:11):
It was our last preseason game.
Speaker 6 (21:13):
Against the Bucks, and Coach just threw me back there
on punk return. He was like, I want you to
go catch a couple of punts and I was like, man,
I ain't did this since I was in high school,
and I ended up I think the first one I left,
I kind of let just fall and roll for a
few yards and I kind of got cursed out about it.
Speaker 5 (21:36):
But it is what it is.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
And then my second opportunity, I ended up taking it
for a sixty nine yard touchdown and literally it was
so it was so weird because that was around the
time that I was supposed to pretty much play the
rest of the game, you know, being a young guy whatever.
I was supposed to play the rest of the game,
and my running back coach came to me and he
(22:00):
was like, he was like, you're done. And I was like, okay,
but I'm asking my teammates like what does that mean?
Speaker 5 (22:10):
And they were like, bro, you just made the team.
Speaker 6 (22:13):
And I was like I was like, ain't no way,
and they were like, bro, trust me, you just you
just made it off that one play and.
Speaker 5 (22:20):
I was like this is this is crazy. And I
mean that was really honestly the turning point for me.
Speaker 4 (22:29):
And when you talk about that moment where you're like, Okay,
this is real. Now I'm going to make this NFL roster,
I'm going to be on this team. Yes, that's a
big moment, but that's when all the work starts, right,
That's when everything gets going.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Man.
Speaker 4 (22:41):
When you think back then, what was your goal at
that point once you had finally made the NFL, right,
cause that was the goal. Right. It's hard to see
past that until you actually do it. But now you're
in the NFL, now you're realizing, okay, man, not only
am I going to make this team, but I might
even have a role as my career progresses. Yeah, what
was your goals for yourself back then? Do you remember that?
Speaker 5 (23:02):
Not really? Honestly, Again, like it's just me being a
young guy.
Speaker 6 (23:08):
It was number one to just do whatever I can
to make the team. And then it was really just
to prove them right. And why they drafted me because
they knew they could have I'm sure they knew they
could have waited to pick me up as an undrafted
(23:32):
free agent or whatever. But the fact that you know,
like I said, I think I played maybe twelve games
my last two years, and even with that coming off
a knee injury, back injury, or a spinal injury, y'all
still decided to give me a shot.
Speaker 5 (23:51):
And it was just the biggest thing was to just
prove them right.
Speaker 6 (23:57):
And you know, I honestly knew that I still didn't
feel like myself at that time. I wasn't running nothing,
nothing about me physically felt good. Honestly, and I was
just really trying to grind and get myself back to
(24:18):
that version of me that they decided to draft off
two season ended injuries, and it took. It took, it
took a while. It definitely took a while. And even that,
even that rookie year, I mean I only did special teams.
I think I'm not sure how many players I even
got on offense, but basically just a return guy, and
(24:39):
it honestly did not go well.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
And I ended up.
Speaker 6 (24:43):
Getting hurt again, hurt my shoulder and had to have
had to go on I R and have a season
endo surgery, and so it was just like, all right,
here we go again. You know, now I gotta battle
this and I gotta again. I'm still trying to prove
like you did, y'all didn't make a mistake by drafting me.
(25:04):
So that was really the probably the biggest, uh, the
biggest goal was to really just get healthy and prove
the organization right because.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
Historically it's almost unheard of for a running back that
has multiple injuries at alone one injury in college to
still get drafted, because we understand how this game goes.
When you do get drafted, knowing that you maybe not
one hundred percent, but also knowing that you have already
had to deal with two bad injuries. I got to
imagine a young Chris Thompson is just like, dude, listen,
I don't ever want to get injured again. I don't
(25:35):
ever want to see an injury while I'm in the NFL.
I have to imagine that's where your mindset was at,
right it.
Speaker 6 (25:41):
Was, and I will tell you from experience that is
they that is the worst mindset you can ever ever
have playing football, because if you play ball with that mindset,
you're absolutely gonna get hurt again. And you know that
(26:01):
was kind of one of those things too that as
I got older, I started realizing the power of the
mind and what you say, what you think, is how
you're going to react and play and practice. And if
I'm out there trying to play injury free, something some
(26:22):
kind of freak accident or whatever is gonna happen. And
you know, I think, again that was me being a
young guy like I gotta stay healthy, I gotta prove
him right.
Speaker 5 (26:35):
All of that was actually having like a little small.
Speaker 6 (26:41):
Freak accidents happened that hit my rookie year that just
caused me to have my shoulder injuries seemed like it
seemed like it was nothing. And honestly, I didn't even
tell my coaches until like after the game what happened.
I just continue to play through it. And it was
because I was one just in fear that, look, I
(27:06):
might get cut because they.
Speaker 5 (27:09):
Already drafted me and I wasn't ready.
Speaker 6 (27:11):
Now I get here and I'm still not ready to play,
and I honestly was trying to just just grind it
out for a while until I really couldn't fight it anymore.
But yeah, you cannot go into playing, especially football, playing
the game of football with that, with that type mindset,
(27:32):
because it's not gonna end well.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
When you're carrying that, it's like it's haunting you, right,
It's like your biggest fear. Probably, so when you do
suffer that injury rookie year and then honestly deal with
injuries pretty much your whole career, Man, how do you
deal with that mentally? Because that has to be the
most deflating thing. Again, it's your biggest fear and now
you're facing it, now you're in it in real time. Man.
What was it like dealing with that?
Speaker 5 (27:57):
Oh? Man? It was Uh, it was. It was tough.
Speaker 6 (28:01):
It was tough, and you know it was of what
seven years I was on the team, I was healthy
for once.
Speaker 5 (28:10):
I played one sixteen game season, and.
Speaker 6 (28:15):
That was very frustrating because again, like it's just little
freak stuff happening.
Speaker 5 (28:24):
And I can remember every injury that I had.
Speaker 6 (28:29):
Because because it was just so like it was just tough.
I'll just say that it was just tough. And literally
my shoulder. I did my shoulder twice. I remember both
plays that that happened. I mean, obviously my ankle, and
(28:49):
I think I probably took my ankle injury probably the
worst because I was I would say at that time,
like I'm literally in the prime of my career. I
was twenty six years old as a backup. I wasn't
even starting. I think I was top five in all
purpose yards in the league and everything, and it was
(29:13):
just again, a freak accident happening. A guy chasing Kirk
Cousins and just happened to roll into my ankle while
I got my back turned and I'm blocking, and and
it's like, man, can I can I ever get a break?
Speaker 5 (29:29):
And that was the most frustrating part because out.
Speaker 6 (29:33):
Of all that time there, It's like the fans only
got a glimpse of what I could be and they
fell in love with that, which is why I well
forever love that fan base, because I mean they they
(29:53):
showed me love like no other, and I never fully
gave them the real version of They saw that for
like eight games and twenty seventeen of like, all right,
that's the Florida State guy that we drafted. But you know,
it was always everything was always like short lived.
Speaker 5 (30:11):
I mean even the year after that.
Speaker 6 (30:14):
I mean, we brought Adrian Peterson in and that first
game me and him we had against Arizona, we had
I think we had like two hundred and almost three
hundred total yards.
Speaker 5 (30:27):
Me and him just combined that game and I was like,
all right, I'm bad. And then it just just went
downhill from there.
Speaker 6 (30:36):
It got broken ribs and just all kinds of stuff happening,
and I'm like, can I ever get a break? But
you know, I look back on it now and I'm like,
I guess that was just kind of part of my journey,
and it's just a story that I have that I
can tell and you know, be able to speak to
(30:59):
kids and just basically give them that story of me
just continuing to fight and never never giving up. And
you know, I think the biggest part of that is
finding and my running back coach was on me about
this all the time, is.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
Being great at what makes you you.
Speaker 6 (31:24):
Don't try to be anybody else, don't try to don't
try to do too much. Figure out what it is
that you do well, and be great at that. And
once I truly like tapped into that, I realized that
what I am and what I brought to the football team,
(31:49):
what I could bring to the organization, even just as
a person, is hard to find.
Speaker 5 (31:55):
And I still even talk.
Speaker 6 (31:57):
To my running back coach, coach Jordan, and he's like,
every time I talk to him, he like, man, I'm
still trying to find a Chris Thompson.
Speaker 5 (32:07):
And I even tell my son about it, and he like,
what does he mean?
Speaker 6 (32:10):
And I just kind of break it down to him
on what he means by that, and I'm like, I,
you know, I figured out what it was about me
that made me who I am and I felt like
I really truly tapped into that. And again, injuries caused
(32:31):
me not to what a reason that I, you know,
couldn't consistently show that. But that was one of the
things that kept me around as well, because you don't
see guys staying on the team for seven years and
was hurt for six of them. But when you bring
something special, they're gonna keep you around and continue to
(32:53):
trust and believe in.
Speaker 4 (32:55):
And I appreciate that insight so much. And that's why
I love being able to talk to the legends because
I mean this. I mean, you seen what's happened to
our current commanders, right. There's injuries across the board, and
a lot of times you're not prepared for that. A
lot of times you don't know how to deal with
those things because like you said, it haunts you. It
can get very very dark. And even whils I'm talking
to you now and you took like a big sigh
(33:15):
and talked about it, I don't feel like the fans
got the scene. Yeah, do you ever shake that? Man?
Does it still haunt you to this day? Do you
have regrets? I mean, you can't control being injured, right,
but like you said, there are still positives. A man
plays seventy years for an organization. Like you said, even
though you're injured for six that kept you around for
a reason. That's a very positive outlook to have after
the fact, but when you're in it, when you're living it,
(33:38):
I gotta imagine, man, it's really really tough to ever
shake that that monkey, that monster on your back.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
Yeah, it's tough.
Speaker 6 (33:45):
It's tough, and I mean I still my wife will
tell you I still deal with it at home.
Speaker 4 (33:52):
And.
Speaker 7 (33:55):
She she brings up the years pretty often and she knows, like,
I love it, but I have a limit with how
much I want to talk about it because it's still
you know, it's still like.
Speaker 6 (34:13):
Hurts me because I even look at, you know, the
bigger picture of things, obviously, like I played football my
whole life because I love it, but it also helped,
you know, me and my family financially very well. And
it's kind of one of those things where because I
didn't you know, I wasn't available a lot, and these
(34:38):
injuries pretty much cut my career short.
Speaker 5 (34:41):
You know, it affected it affected my pockets as well.
Speaker 6 (34:45):
And I think that's the part too that hurts that
I don't like to where I don't like to talk
about it a lot because it's like.
Speaker 5 (34:56):
I there was.
Speaker 6 (34:59):
A lot that was left out there, and even going
back to that seventeen season, Like you know, for me,
it's not it's it's never been about the money, but
it's like I wanted to experience what it was like
to maybe have even even have the chance of being
talked about making a making a Pro Bowl and things
(35:23):
like that, and it was like that was that was that.
Speaker 5 (35:27):
Potentially that year, you know what I'm saying, And it
was just like boom, that is just over. It's just
over and done with. So it's it's still tough. And
even you know, my friends and stuff here, they're always.
Speaker 6 (35:45):
Like, man, you you walk around and you just act
like you aren't who you are, and I'm like, partly,
you know, that's me, that's just that's just who I am.
Speaker 5 (35:55):
But it's also like, you know, I tell and.
Speaker 6 (36:00):
Stuff like I don't I don't feel like I failed,
but I I feel like I still didn't.
Speaker 5 (36:08):
I still wasn't able to give or show my all.
And that part right there is what like honestly still
still bothers me.
Speaker 4 (36:19):
And you're human. You're allowed to have those real moments,
and I appreciate you being transparent and sharing it because again,
there's going to be NFL players for years and years
to come. That have to go through the same type
things that have delt with injury. We see it all
the time, and you were really ahead of your time,
like you were really that like real like embodiment of
that change of pace back, that third down back. And
(36:40):
I know it doesn't always feel like it, but I
hope that this interview, when you see the comments and
people showing you love, that you do realize you were
still able to accomplish so much more than other people. Right,
Like the average lifespan for running back I think three
or four years in the NFL. You got eight of them, right,
seven of them with the same franchise.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Man.
Speaker 4 (36:57):
So I hope you do find, you know, peace and
solace the fact that you still accomplished so much and
you are so revered out here. I know it might
not always feel like it because you're out in Jacksonville
right now, but I hope when you do come to
the DMV and you come around your Burgundy and Gold family,
that you do feel that and feel that value because again,
you still were able to accomplish a lot. But I
(37:17):
know that's easier said than done for me, because we
all want to do more. Right. It's funny you mentioned ALFREDS. Morris.
We had him on the show not too long ago,
and he broke down in tears because even him, somebody
who would accomplished a lot as well, didn't feel like
he had done enough, didn't know what his identity would
be like after the game. Man, So like, I understand
how tough that is and how has it been being
(37:40):
a retired running back, Because it's hard when you carry
those things. You feel like you got unfinished business, like
you let food on your plate, right, and now you're
going to walk around with that for the rest of
your life because now you're retired. Now you're not going
back on that field no more. Man, has that been
tough to deal with? And how have you found ways
to just move forward in your life?
Speaker 5 (37:58):
I would say my first one or two years.
Speaker 6 (38:02):
Out, I couldn't even watch football and.
Speaker 5 (38:11):
That was tough because my son, I mean, he lives.
Speaker 6 (38:16):
And he eats and breeze football like he's just that's
all he wants to do. And he just used to
that did you see this?
Speaker 5 (38:26):
Did you see that? Did you?
Speaker 6 (38:27):
And I'm like, no, I didn't see it, and I
can't you know, I couldn't tell him like I don't, right,
now I really don't like watching football because it hurt
to watch it, and I would say probably like last year,
(38:47):
I really started to get over that and then I
was like, I don't even want to go back anymore.
Speaker 5 (38:55):
I don't miss it.
Speaker 6 (38:56):
I'm at that point now where I'm like, I do
not miss at all, just playing, like I miss being
around the guys in the locker room and stuff like that,
but the rest of it, I do not miss it
at all.
Speaker 5 (39:09):
And so now I'm watching I'm watching ball a lot more.
Speaker 6 (39:14):
Me and him, you know, College NFL, like Saturdays and
Sundays is just football on and going on pretty much
all day, and me and him just sitting down and
having conversations and stuff about certain things.
Speaker 5 (39:28):
And because he.
Speaker 6 (39:29):
Plays quarterbacks, so I got to kind of help him
break down the game in a totally different way. But
it's I've gotten over that part now, and then what
really kind of helps me get through now is.
Speaker 5 (39:48):
Just being dad.
Speaker 6 (39:50):
Just being involved like heavily in my kids' lives and stuff.
And again, like my son playing football, I'm at his
practices and stuff every day, so I'm still I'm still
involved in it. It's just the physical part of it.
You know, I that's the part I don't miss at all,
(40:12):
and so I'm still involved with him with that and
my daughter with gymnastics and stuff. We're at gymnastics practice
pretty every other day and so that's kind of been
helping me get through it. And actually lately I've been
just trying to be a little more active and been
(40:35):
kind of sort of getting back into my like level
of football training that I used to kind of do
when I was prepping myself, like during the off season
and everything, and that has.
Speaker 5 (40:47):
Been helping me. Helping me as well. Where I'm you know.
Speaker 6 (40:52):
Probably an hour and a half two hours worth of
work field on field and then weight room stuff, and
that's kind of been that's kind of been helping me too.
And although I'm dealing with a lot of some physical
injuries and issues or whatever from my playing days, I
still I just kind of be smart with it.
Speaker 5 (41:14):
But that has been helping me as well. And then
I just newly stepped into.
Speaker 6 (41:23):
Training guys and specifically trying to focus on like helping
training running backs and stuff, and that's this past Sunday
was like my first session that I had, and I mean, man,
I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
Speaker 4 (41:43):
That is that is just so great to hear, man.
It's great to hear that you found ways to heal.
It's great to know that you have been able to
lean on your kids, your family, you know, career pivots,
to be able to get past it, because so many
times people do not get past it. So many times
people do not find ways to heal. And it sounds
like you're healing. I'm just so happy for you, man,
I'm so happy. I can't wait to see and watch
(42:04):
you with the training and just continue to develop and
you know, continue your life, man, because you have so
much to live for. And I think it's really special
that you've been founding ways to get back to the game,
whether it's through your son, you know, the future of
the league, or just helping other kids and other futures
of the league be able to hone their skills. Chris
and closing, when you look back, when the fans look back,
(42:25):
when your kids look back. How do you want Chris
Thompson to be remembered? What do you want Chris Thompson's
legacy to be when it's all said and done.
Speaker 5 (42:36):
Oh, I think for me, the biggest thing has always been.
Speaker 6 (42:46):
How How did I make you feel? And that's the
part that I think about all the time, is at
some point there's gonna be I mean, every year, there's
going to be new guys, new guys coming to organization.
You're gonna fall and as fans, you're gonna fall in
love with new players.
Speaker 5 (43:04):
I mean, I might be one of the biggest fans
of our rookie running back right now, like the stuff
I saw in college, and he didn't again, like me,
he didn't even play a lot. He didn't have a
lot of you know, a lot of downs of football
played in college and everything. And I mean, he's out
there killing it right now. But it's just.
Speaker 6 (43:32):
I always wanted to treat everybody well and treat everybody
with respect, and that was one of the biggest things
for me. And I didn't care, you know, I was
one of those guys. I didn't care who you were.
I didn't care if you were the owner, I didn't
care if you were the janitor. I didn't care about
(43:54):
any of that. I'm gonna speak to you and talk
to you and have the same level respect for you,
regardless of who you are, what your job is. And
that was the most important. That's that has always really
been the most important.
Speaker 5 (44:12):
Thing for me.
Speaker 6 (44:14):
And I just got to say shouts out to my
wife too, because and this goes back to one of
violated questions, but she really helped me through this process mentally,
like more than I could even more than I can
(44:35):
even explain, and more than I can even thank her.
But she was also one of those people that always
like reminded me because even for a while I didn't
I didn't want to even.
Speaker 5 (44:50):
Go back to Washington.
Speaker 6 (44:51):
I would decline visits all the time, like, oh, I
can't make it. I can't make it because I got this,
this and that going on, and I literally had nothing
going on. And she was like, why why these people,
these people love you.
Speaker 5 (45:04):
What are you doing. You're just here, You're sitting at home,
You're not doing anything. There's no reason why.
Speaker 6 (45:11):
But it was again, I had to get out of
my own way and I had to kind of get
over that that pain.
Speaker 5 (45:20):
And you know, she helped me. She helped me with
that big time.
Speaker 6 (45:24):
And even you know, the whole legend of the game
and everything last year, like even with that, I almost
fought back with that too because I was still you know,
just kind of I still kind of had that feeling,
and she was she she really she really pushed me
and and I just had to shout her out for that.
(45:48):
But yeah, outside of what I did on the field,
I just always wanted people to remember me for how
they felt when when we met each other, even if
I just signed an autograph, like what, you know, hopefully I.
Speaker 5 (46:06):
Just made you feel good. And even in that.
Speaker 4 (46:08):
Small moment, man may just shout out to Wifey, shout
out to all those people that are just in our
lives that help us get through. You know, a lot
of times people just focus on the person, the star,
the athlete, but don't realize how much help we need.
You know, our wives go through so much while we
trace this greatness and trying to do things that nobody's
(46:29):
ever accomplished in our families, and they have to carry
so much weight. So definitely wanted to make sure I
acknowledge that man, shout out to Wifey. And it's so
crazy you mentioned these things because I was just talking
to a good friend of mine about social anxiety and like,
you know, having those moments where when you're when you
have that anxiety where you're like, oh, man, I don't
even want to show up because you're thinking of all
the things that could go wrong, and a lot of it. No,
there's no logic base behind it, but that comes from trauma,
(46:51):
that comes from going through things. So no, that's okay.
But also know Chris, that this is your home, brother,
like this is your home, and I'm sure you felt
that when you did the Legend of the Game. But
I know how anxiety is, man. It creeps up at
times you don't even expect it, even when you think
you passed it. And I just want you to know.
I want you to think when you do have that
anxiety next time, it's not for you to pull up
to the DMV. Know that you are going to be
(47:12):
amongst family. You're going to be amongst people that love
you and value not just what you did on the field,
but for all those things you mentioned, The way you
treated people, the way you made people feel, the way
you spoke, those are the things that truly matter, Chris Man.
We just appreciate you so much for your honesty man,
for your vulnerability, and just for sharing that story because
so many people are going through the things you're going through,
whether they're athletes or not. In real time. Chris, so
(47:33):
thank you so much, and again I gotta say it again. Brother,
Just know here in the DMV with the burgundy and gold,
you always got a spot in our hearts. Man, you
always got love and you always have a home here.
So don't be a stranger. We want you to pull
up pretty soon. Man. I want you to pull up
sitting next to me in this studio, in this chair
out here, brother, because that nostalgia does something for us. Man,
(47:53):
and you deserve to bask in all of your greatness.
Even if it wasn't what you necessarily expected, it still
was greatness.
Speaker 5 (47:59):
Brother.
Speaker 4 (48:00):
We appreciate you so much for your time.
Speaker 1 (48:01):
Man.
Speaker 5 (48:01):
Thank you all right, I appreciate you. Man.
Speaker 4 (48:03):
Hey, Chris man, bless you, bro. Command this family on
Next Man Up. Chris Thompson. Seven years in Washington, eight
year career and he's just getting started in life. Baby.
We appreciate you, man, Thank you, command this family. We
hope you enjoyed this episode of Next Man Up. Remember
you can stream all of the Next Man Up episodes
right now on the Commander's YouTube page or the audio
(48:24):
wherever you get your podcast. Thank you so much for
supporting the Next Man Up Podcast. You allowed us to
be nominated for not one, but two People's Choice Podcast Awards,
Best Male Hosted and Best Black Male Hosted Podcast. And
that's all because of the best fans in the NFL.
I appreciate y'all so much for supporting us. It's crazy
to think we're already in season three of Next Man
Up and we have a lot more to go. So
(48:45):
make sure to subscribe to the Commander's YouTube page so
you don't miss any of our content. I'm Briankowa, Jr.
And this is Next Man Up. This show was filmed
at the Big Bear AI Commands Interstudio. Big Bear AI
offers mission ready AI for a rapidly evolving world, proudly
protecting the Washington Commanders and its fans.
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