December 11, 2025 • 46 mins
For the first time ever, our Next Man Up is Terry McLaurin! Our WR1 pulled up to talk about his controversial offseason and how he stayed locked in on the main thing. McLaurin also helps us preview this weekend's NFC East Matchup against the New York Giants.
For our legend, Gary Clark pulls up to talk about Terry, the Commanders and being a part of the team as media.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
To be completely honest with y'all. Like you can fool
the public to a certain degree, like you can put
on a certain persona or sometimes you even get over
on the front office or people in around the league.
But those people in the locker room, they know who
you are on an every single day basis. They know
the work that you put in or the work you
don't put in. They know the kind of character you are,
They know the type of teammate you are. So that
was never in question for my teammates. So at the
(00:21):
end of the day, what people may have said about
me on the outside never affected me at all because
A I know who I am, I know who Christ
has called me to be, and B I also know
my teammates and the people who see me on every
single day basis know who I am and what I've
proven to be.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
The Next Man in a Podcast is presented by Lansdown
Resort from Kickoff to check, can You Score, Game, Change
and get Away in the heart of Louder, Lansdown Resort,
proud partner of the Washington Commanders Command this family, Welcome
into the Next Man That Buying Your host Brian Corbor Junior,
and I'm very honored to welcome in on Next Man Up.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
First time on the show. First time me.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
And you have ever sat down for interview period welcoming
in or wide Receiver number one.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Terry McLaurin was good, brother, what's up, Bro? I appreciate
you having me man.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
I appreciate you pulling up, man, because what a year
you've had.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Yeah, what an off season you had, for sure, and
I know you.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Got a story to tell, and that's what we care
about here Next Man, that we want y'all to be
able to tell y'all stories because everybody want to talk
for y'all, for sure. The media want to tell these stories,
but we very seldom get to hear from y'all in
the space that's safe, right, So this is a safe space.
But we're gonna start in the beginning, sure, because again,
your off season, Man, it was tough.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Yeah, And I know it was tough for you because.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
You were away from your team and I know there's
nobody that wants to be on the field more than
Terry McLaurin and with his teammates man in your wars Man,
what was this off season like for you while you
were dealing with the contract things and just everything going on.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Yeah, it was definitely challenging and really unexpected honestly, Like,
you know, my plan was to be here and everything
like that, but obviously, you know, sometimes the business kind
of gets in the swing of football, and so you know,
just going through that process, I just try to take
it day by day. There's really no like road map
or or because somebody did this way, then you got
to do it that way. Is just really trying to
(02:00):
I was really trying to lead on my faith in
the Lord and listen to my support system and also
just have good conversations with the people in the building
to see could we come to a resolution. So it
took longer than expected, but the end result ended up
what we all wanted. So you know, I was just
happy to get back. But it was definitely some unknowns
going through that process, and I'm just I was just
(02:22):
glad to get to the other side.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Man, there was so much going on. You've never been
in that real position before like that. This was very
different for.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
You, right, Definitely like I was. I was in some
similar like in twenty twenty two with the previous staff,
but this one definitely prolonged, like through camp and so
basically missed all the camp, and that was different than
the last time. Like last time, I think I maybe
it was like leading up into a camp and then
I was able to get it done and then I
(02:48):
was in there for camp. So this was just a
little different, like missing out on the football. I was
in great shape, you know, working out the off season,
that's what I do. And but like when the football
stuff in the business kind of mixed like that, like
it's it was just hard, you know, but at the
end of the day, like it worked yourself out, you
know what I mean, Like I was positive about it.
(03:09):
It wasn't it wasn't something that I was like dwelling
on every single day. But you know, you you play
this game, uh, to to live out your dream, but
also to be able to provide a life for your
family and yourself. And each player just wants to be
able to, you know, be valued and earn their value
through their performance and the other intangible things that they
(03:29):
bring off the field too. So uh, at the end,
it ended up working out. It's a lot of things
in life just don't go as you plan, and so
you got to be able to be flexible and it's.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Easy to go into a dark place with all those
things because it's so much negative, there's so much noise.
But I saw positive in it because while you're going
through this, while you're not around, while you're not even
to speak for yourself, you got guys in the building
that speaking for you, Jade and Daniels speaking for you.
You got saying Tana Mars going on ESPN say it
behave that man to me that spoke to the man
that you are. Because it's easy to turn your back
(03:59):
on somebody that you feel like, isn't there right, that
didn't happen here?
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Man?
Speaker 2 (04:03):
What was that support like for you in love that
you got from your teammates, from the legends and the
people that truly know who Terry is.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
I think that's a great point, Like it allowed me
to really be centered when I was going through this
process because on the outside looking and not a lot
of people know like the ins and outs of what
goes on with a contract and what both sides are
going through, my side and the business side, the front
office and everything like that. And you know, at certain
(04:30):
times you kind of feel alone in it, especially when
you want to you know, you just want to play football.
But at the end of the day, to have the
support from my teammates meant everything to me because I
was somebody who I've kind of always showed at the
burden on myself. You know, I've been the leader. I've
been the guy who's supporting people or picking them up.
So it was a different space to where I needed
(04:50):
to lean into support a little bit more like I didn't.
Every day wasn't a day where I could just feel
so great in and feel like I had it all together.
And so to have the support for my teammates meant everything.
Because you can't fool, like to be completely honest with y'all,
like you can fool the public to a certain degree,
like you could put on a certain persona or sometimes
you even get over on the front office or people
(05:13):
in the around the league. But those people in the
locker room, they know who you are on an every
single day basis. They know the work that you put
in or the work you don't put in. They know
the kind of character you are, they know the type
of teammate you are. So that was never in question
for my teammates. So at the end of the day,
what people may have said about me on the outside
never affected me at all because A I know who
I am, I know who Christ has called me to be,
and B I also know my teammates and the people
(05:34):
who see me on every single day basis know who
I am and what I'm proven to be. And so
to have their support and knowing that everything that you know,
I was pushing for and trying to get done, like
they were fully in supportive and they were like, you
deserve it. And so when you have those type of
people back in you who know you like people on
the outside that necessarily don't mean as much. So at
(05:55):
the end of the day, it ended up working out.
And I think it was just tough. You missed out
on the camaraderie, you know what I mean, Like I was.
I was in the building, but I'm rehabbing, I'm trying
to work on the business side. But you missed being
out there a practice, you know what I mean. You
missed the energy there, the team travels, when they went
to the UH to New England, the preseason game, that's
all part of the team building that you kind of
miss out on. So part of it you kind of
(06:17):
just feel like you're missing out. But I was constantly
supported by guys telling me that I'm really a part
of this team and they can't wait for me to
be back. So and then to have guys like Tanner,
you know what I mean, to have my back. He's
had my back since I've been here, so he didn't
have to say what he said, especially on a public
platform like that. So I just really appreciate that. But
also he's telling the truth, you know what I mean. Like,
(06:39):
at the end of the day, I don't think people
stick their neck out and vouch for you if there's
not any truth or support behind that, for sure, And
so for people to go out on their own to
say that about me and to have my back really
meant a lot.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
And you earned that though, right by being a solid person.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Like you said, we see you every day, yeah, so
we would know if you weren't solid. You know how
solid you are, and it was just great to see
that you got what you deserved, got your bag, make
it back on that field. But since sometimes when it rains,
it poor, yeah, because you get back on that field
and then very quickly, yeah, you suffer an injury that
takes you off the field again. Man, with the off
season you had with missing being on that field with
your teammates. Man, how tough was it to be, Like, dang,
(07:16):
you have another obstacle to get over.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Yeah, that was really hard because I thought once I
got through the contract situation, I was just ready to
get all right. We were ready for the season and I
felt good going into the season. And you know, I
feel like the quick turnaround with Green Bay didn't necessarily
help the situation. But at the same time, like injuries
are part of the game, I just think the timing
of mind was unfortunate because leading up to this process, like,
(07:40):
guys really blessed me, and I've been extremely healthy, you know,
and I've never missed this amount of time of football
in my entire life, and so it was definitely a
new challenge and it allowed me to see a different
side of being kind of broken physically, but being poured
into like spiritually and mentally and other areas in my
life life that helped me become better when I step
(08:02):
back on the field. And so, you know, the injury
was really tough because it was it was a pretty
significant injury to my quad and something that just was
very unexpected. But I just tried to take a day
by day approach and and and just get back as
quick as I can. But at the same time, like
you don't feel like yourself when when you're out, you
know what I mean. It was out with the contracting,
(08:23):
you know, the ankle stuff, and then you missed a
time with the quad. So uh, it was just a
lot of ups and downs. But like man like, my
faith really grew during that time, Like like I really
found joy in the midst of difficulty, and I think
I was somebody who's my circumstances sometimes dictated my happiness.
(08:44):
And I think there's a difference sometimes between happiness and
joy that I've learned. Happiness is sometimes more dictator on
your circumstances if things are going good or things are
going bad. I think joy is something that's deep within
that comes truly from a spiritual gift from the Lord
that no matter what my circumstances look like, I'm gonna
be good, I'm gonna be okay, and He's gonna continue
to provide for me like he always has. And so again,
(09:06):
it was just a time that I really leaned into
my support system and they really picked me up because
it was very unknown territory from the contract to being
hurt there was two things that A I never anticipated
and be I have never been through. But to be honest,
like I wouldn't trade it, like I wouldn't change anything,
because I wouldn't be sitting here today with a new
perspective with a new sense of a just peace and gratitude,
(09:29):
not because of the money that I got or the
like my ability to get back on the field. I
think it was just like seeing myself grow through tough,
tough times, allowing other people to see me go through
tough things and they see I still coming in this
building with a smile on my face. I'm still supporting
the young guys in my teammates when I'm not out there,
and I'm still being a present presence while I'm on
(09:50):
this team and not letting my my circumstances get me down.
So I can't take all that credit. I definitely give
that credit to God in my support system. And you know,
it was just good to finally, you know, step back
out there.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
And I appreciate you being honest and open because I
think a lot of people don't realize like they understand like, Okay,
he's found a way to get bad, found a way
to recover.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
He's found a way to still smile.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Yeah, But in order to find that joy, in order
to find that faith, you got to get to some
dark places. You got to go through some things. You
gotta go through doubt, you got to go through sadness.
Why me, in your role to recovery man, how did
you keep yourself from getting to those dark places?
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Leaned on your faith?
Speaker 2 (10:29):
I know you leave on the people that you love,
But again that's a lot easier said than done.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Sure, in real time.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
I think I gave my spell. I gave myself space
to be human too, Like I believe that we're all
blessed with human emotions. And so there was days I'd
be a little more frustrated than others. There's days I
felt disappointment or or feel like, you know, am I
gonna be able to get back to the level that
I feel like I can to be to get back
to the season. And you know, you kind of allow
(10:57):
those feelings to like you sit with them, but you
don't dwell in them. I think I'm not. Once I
feel those feelings, like I kind of lean into my support.
You know, I'm a very big advocate for you know, therapy.
I've been seeing a therapist for four years now and
that's really helped, you know, me cognitively as well to
deal with my circumstances. So I think when you go
(11:17):
through difficulty, it's really important to find a system that
is healthy, that allows you to work through those difficulties
so you get to the other side without losing yourself
and just know, like giving yourself grace to have bad
days and know like it's not going to always be perfect,
but also realizing that the Lord has brought you through
the first time. He's the same guy that had you
(11:39):
on the mountaintops, and he's the same guy that brought
you through the last valley. So when I have that
type of perspective and I have the support that I have,
I just knew it was just about God's timing, And
I think it allowed me to really surrender to the
process and not try to rush it, and just each
day was something different. Each day was a new gift
or new joy or or something that in my rehab
(12:02):
process I wasn't able to do on a Monday, but
by that Friday I was. It was a step in
the right direction. So it's just being very grateful of
the small wins along the process of getting back to
ultimately getting back on the field.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
And I got to imagine this locker room, this building,
watching you go through this in real time. There's a
lot of parallels to what the team's going through this season. Right,
things didn't go the way they expected. Things aren't going
the way we expected. But getting able to watch you
get through those valleys, get through those hard times, getting
those dark times. Now you're back, Yeah, and as soon
as you get back on that field, you can make
(12:35):
your impact felt many How have you been able to
help these young guys and to help the Jade and
Daniels is the guys that have never been through these
type of hard times in the NFL? How have you
been able to help them get through this season that
did not go how any of us expect.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Yeah, I think that's a great question because I'm seven
years in the league and I feel like I've seen
it all, you know what I mean. I've been last year,
especially here, you know what I mean, being in one place,
I've seen it all, from the highs of winning to
the lows of you know, losing my rookie ear we
won three games, you know what I'm saying. So I've
been in this space before, and the parallel between what
(13:07):
I was going through personally, I think it gave me
perspective to be able to bring that into this locker
room and into my meeting room with the receivers. As life,
you know what I mean, Like when you go like
what we're going through as a team, the season not
going the way we want, adversity with injuries, ups and downs,
like that's life, you know what I mean? And so
what are you going to do in those situations? You
(13:29):
really have one or two choices. You can you can
give up and feel sorry for yourself, and or you can,
you know, surrender to what the process is and learn
from it. But also, like I think, you can allow
the circumstances what you're going through to change who you are.
Like if you're a person who's a leader, if you're
a person who's a hard worker, if you're a consistent person,
(13:52):
you have to be that all the time. It's easy
to do that when you're winning and things are great,
But when things aren't going your way, how are you responding?
Are you still putting the same time and working on
your body? Are you still watching the same film? Are
you still being a great teammate and spending time with
the guys in the locker room. The great thing about
that is we have those type of guys in this
locker room, and it's just about put it out there
on the field and finishing football games, you know what
(14:14):
I mean. And over the last few weeks we putting
ourselves Last week wasn't a great showing, obviously, but the
week before that, like you know, we put ourselves in
a situation to win, and we just didn't come out
on the winning's side. So I think just coming back,
I was really of the mindset of just trying to
bring the best version of myself. I felt very like
free coming back because I was in the space of like, Okay,
(14:37):
I missed a lot of the off season, you know,
with the contract stuff, I've missed time with my quad,
like to a certain degree, like what can go worse?
Speaker 3 (14:45):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Like, you honestly get to a space of I think
we get so I'll speak for myself, like sometimes the
fear of the unknown can have you shaken. But once
you go through that worst scenario and you see that
you're okay, that guys carry you like it gives you
strength to be able to handle the next obstacle because
guess what, like football wise, like you may lose another game,
(15:06):
you know what I mean, and life, you're going to
go through another challenge. What I went through this this
past year twenty twenty five, Like I'm gonna go through
other challenges in my life. But what I learned through
this season of my life and in this season of
football is going to carry me to next season and
also the next challenges that come in my life. And
so I'm better off for it. And so that's why,
you know, you really come out stronger on the other
(15:29):
side when you go through adversity. And so now I
don't really resist it as much as I used to
when I was a little younger in the league or
just a younger person, you know, being thirty years old.
Now I have a wisdom about me. But wisdom comes
from challenges, it comes from adversity. And so I haven't
been able to do this alone. And I think that's
the challenge that I try to tell people moving forward,
(15:52):
like it's you can't go through this life alone. Like
we were pooring and put on this earth for communion,
for fellowship and just to be able to help people
and to serve others, and so during this time I
found myself being served and serving others, and so I
think it's allowed me to have those type of conversations
with younger guys of this their first year in the league,
(16:14):
and you know, it's it's a lot going on, and
Jaden going through his injury, him and I have unbelievable
conversations just off the field about how you know he's
a man of faith, of how we get to the
other side and grow and be better lights of who
God has called us to be and what we're what
we're going through, because oftentimes what you go through is yes,
(16:35):
for you to grow, but it's for also for you
to be able to take what you've gone through and
help the next person.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Terry, we appreciate your honesty and vulnerability.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
Is so great to see you back on that field, man,
because we know you worked hard to get there.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
And in closing, we still got a season, we still
got names of man. Were still a giant. Now we
call Tan of the Giant slab, but we were looking
at it showing up as against the.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Giants, My guy, you get busy against the as well.
Just give a message to the fans not only to
the but just to all of us on what the
locker room is feeling right now as we head to
NFC East opponent in the New York Giants, and what
can we expect from more Commanders against the Giants.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Yeah, I think when you step into NFC East football,
and I think the way the schedule is curated this year,
we finished the last four games with NFC East opponents,
and I've always said, like the record really doesn't matter
when you come into the NFC East, Like the best
team that day is going to win the football game,
you know what I mean. I've been on teams where
(17:29):
we may have the better record than the other team
and we lost, you know what I mean, and vice versa.
And so I think this mindset of this team right
now is to come out with a physicality that's going
to be able to withstand four or five quarters, being
able to take care of the football because we're in
December now and we don't know what kind of weather
gonna get. It's gonna be cold, you know what I mean,
(17:50):
So taking care of the football and then a defense standpoint,
like the other offense they may be feeling cold too.
So there was a great opportunity to try to create
turnovers physic with physicality, punching at the football againting turnovers
with interceptions and stuff like that. So just creating, like
being able to function and control chaos. I think that
is the teams that have success in the Ndseas. And
(18:11):
so with the Giants going on the road, you know,
we know they're going to be a tough opponent. They're
a scrappy team. You know, Jackson Dark has given their
team a lot of energy, and you know they still
have a really strong front on their defense and their
back end plays off of that. So we know it's
going to be four or five quarters where we got
to go out there and take this game like it's
(18:33):
not gonna be given to us at all. But I
think we got to play a lot better complimentary football.
And so that's our goal this week at first, take
care of the football, create turnovers, and play complimentary football.
That means scoring in the red zone for on offense, defense,
creating some three and out situations, and flipping the field
if you're on special teams you know what I mean,
really playing like a downhill style of football. But it's
(18:54):
going to start with the physicality and I think we
all know that. So I think that's why today you
know what I mean, we're late in December, or we're
in December and we're full paths ready to go today.
You know what I mean, because that's the type of
football that it takes to have success in the NCS.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Terry, we appreciate you, Bro. Congratulations on all your success.
Congratuations are making it back on that field. Man. We're
so happy to have you and a leader like you,
and hope you enjoyed your first time on Next Man Up.
And don't be strange, it wasn't too bad. I appreciate you.
Commands family, our next man up, our wide receiver one,
and our leader of this offense.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
Terry McCain, appreciate your time.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
I appreciate you, Bro.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Commanders Family, We hope you have been enjoying Next Man Up.
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Speaker 3 (20:52):
Now, far next man up.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
We have a legend that joined us last season, but
it's coming back. For more, has been doing more media
stuff with us and is one of the best Washington
wide receivers to ever grace the field.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Welcoming in my guy, Gary Clark. Gary, how you doing, brother?
Speaker 4 (21:06):
What's up? B see what's happening? Man?
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Hey man, I'm happy for your time. Man. I appreciate you. Man.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
You know, we have a current big name wide receiver
on the show, so I said I had to match
him with the best we had available, man, and that
is you, Gary Clark. Man like Gary Terry that it's
a beautiful combination. And I personally know how much you
value and appreciate what Terry does.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
On that field.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Oh one, I'm so glad to see that he's back
and back out playing soon. As soon as he came
back onto the field, he made an immediate and immediate,
you know, impression on the team, showing that you know,
when Terry's on the field, good things happen. So I'm
glad to see that he's back in action. And I
only wish he could he would have been able to
come back soon.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
And I feel like you have a different appreciation of
everything Terry has been through this year, from the contract
negotiations to getting back on the field, from dealing with injuries,
from coming back again. You have been in the shoots,
you have done gone through all of those things and more.
What was it like watching Terry navigate through all of this,
Because again, he's not just a great man on the field,
(22:10):
he's clearly a great man off the field as well.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
This is so true what I loved about Terry. There's
a lot of guys who I don't want to say
milk their injury, but someone's go ahead and say milk
their injury. And Terry's not that guy. You know, Terry
came back as soon as he can humanly possible for
him to come back. He came back and played. Obviously,
he has a strong pain threshold that allows him to
do those things. And what I love about the guy
(22:36):
is he understands the game of football. He understands his
position extremely well. Again, I'll go on the records say
and I think he's one of the top five receivers
in the National Football League without a doubt, and I
don't care about the other four be quite honestly. I mean,
he goes out and he plays hard, great leadership, He
has all the quality that you won't and your captain
(22:57):
on a football team.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
And you would know that.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
I look at Washington and all the legends and the
people that are currently here too. This is one of
them places where some of the best wide receivers have
rocked the Bergney and gold. They've played for us, and
I want to take it back a little bit because
we haven't got a chance to talk about it, at
least not on this platform. Was Art Monk's jersey retirement,
because to me, it was so special to see him
honor that way. But it was even more special to
(23:22):
see the posse back together.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
You are.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Monk and Ricky Sanders and y'all took the time to
Grace's with y'all presence on Game Day Live, which to me,
all the things I've gotten to do in my career,
being to sit there with y'all and do that interview
with y'all on Game Day Live phenomenal.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Man.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
I'll never forget it. It's not something I take for granted,
especially because I don't remember the last time I've seen
all three of you guys do an interview in that regard,
Do you remember the last time y'all three had gotten
together like that and dine an interview like that.
Speaker 4 (23:49):
It's been a long long time, to be quite honest.
I mean we probably have done it since we all retired,
but I can't tell you when long ago it must
have happened for us at all three be in the
same room. But it was a great It was a
great weekend for Art Monks. So glad to see that,
you know, what we all knew should happen finally happened
(24:12):
under this administration. So it was a great It was
a great opportunity for us to get back and personally
showcase to Art how much we how much we love him,
how much we it's great to be able to be
on the field with him at the same time. How
much pressure he took off of myself and Ricky and
hopefully we took pressure off of him as well that
came to playing that position a receiver. And it was
(24:34):
just a great weekend. It was just a great weekend.
His family was there. It was just a great time.
And the fans came out, you know, the night before,
fans came out and celebrated, you know, at the MGM. So,
I mean, it was it was quite It was quite
the weekend. You know, We've been grateful to got to win,
of course I'd have made it spectacular, but uh, since
(24:55):
we didn't get a win, it still made the weekend
spectacle because we had art marketing the.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
House and it It's wild to even think that y'all
had not been together in those regards, like doing those
interviews and things like that, because from my vantage point,
when I looked at y'all and watched y'all, I said, Oh,
here's that chemistry they had on the field.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
This is the trio right here.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
It felt like when I'm watching you guys, like that
chemistry is just never going anywhere. Does it feel like
that sometimes for you being in in those moments where
you look to your right, you look to your left,
and you got your boys right there like it was back.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
In the day.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
Yeah, it's like everything Tim's always just kind of fall
back into place, you know, Art being quiet, smiling, the
jugged leader, me doing a majority of the talking. That's
what I did at the time, and Ricky Sanders with
his spectacular self just being there to showcase to Art
and to those around for that weekend how special the
(25:49):
posse really was. I mean, to this day, and this
is not don't be bluntly honest, everybody knows. I'm a
bluntly honest person. There's no trio that's been just haven't
been there yet. It It just hasn't. Some great trios
out there, don't get me wrong, some great players out there,
but nothing to the ability of what three of us
(26:09):
was able to do on the football field. I mean,
at any given time, one of us was going to
be open. It's just what it was. Our quarterback always
had an option, always had an option.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
And I think that when you look at the way
the game's changed today, I don't know if you'll ever
see a trio like that, at least not for an
extended period of time, because guys is out here getting
their money, Gods is out here getting bags. They want
to be the top paid wide receiver. It is so
hard to find that, right, Like you look at the
Bengals and they got T Higgins and Jamar Chase, but
they weren't able to keep the trio going. Man, do
you think they'll ever be wide receiver trios like that? Again,
(26:40):
with such a changing and ever evolving game, Because I
know you stay very very closely tapped into the game.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
Still, I think it could be. I think it all happens.
It all depends on the head coach, would be quite honest,
I think the head coach has a lot to do
with this. When Joe was here, three of us stayed together.
When Joe left, the three of us broke up. I mean,
that's kind of how it was. I mean, and don't
(27:06):
get me wrong. All NFL players they deserve to have
the best salary they can have, the most that they
can get. But we al was willing to take a
cut and pay when we was playing together. It's just
so to make sure that all three of us was
able to generate revenue for one another. And we all
three like myself and Ricky, you know, we just kind
of aligned ourself because we wanted to play together and
(27:28):
we wanted to play for Joe. It came down and
we really wanted to play for Joe, and we wanted
to win more Super Bowls and we knew that we
can't way we could do that is yet the three
of us stayed together as well because by the time,
by the end of our careers in Washington, the passing
game was first a running game, a second and the
posse was the first course meal. Just what it was.
(27:48):
You know, you couldn't. I mean, it's hard to believe it.
You can't single us. It's just you just couldn't.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
You was dead.
Speaker 4 (27:56):
If you try to, one of us will be open.
You know, like when you got receivers who take it
as an insult if you don't at least double team them,
you take it as an insult. That tells you how
good you're record receiving core is because they just if
you double Art, don't double me. I'm like, are you idiots?
And if you double me and don't double Art, Art's like,
(28:18):
what are your idiots? He double us and don't double Ricky.
Ricky's like, in a nice way, why would you do that?
He's not going to call you an idiot because Ricky
is just not that way. But but I mean, celebrating
Art Monk is always a great thing. I'm so glad
that he finally had his jersey officially retired. I mean,
no one's really wore his jersey since he since he
(28:39):
stopped playing. But the habit officially retired was a big
deal and it's well deserved, and I'm glad he was
able to have that happen to him while he's still
here with us. That's that's always great to get your
accolades in why you're still with us. You know, it's
great to get it no matter what. But any accolade
I get, I want to be breathing. Why to enjoy it?
(29:03):
I don't give you. I'll be fine and beginning after
I've passed, but I would rather have it while I'm
still breathing. And it's nice to see Ark Monk got
to add it while he's still here with us.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Nice to have your flowers when you're still around to
smell it. And I got to run back a little
bit because you said something I thought was very interesting.
I want you to elaborate on it, because you said
it was about the coach. You said, what Coach Gibbs
was gone? We were gone, we broke. What about Coach Gibbs?
What about the change when he does leave? What affected
y'all to make it like that? Because I think that
that's such a great perception of what happened with you all.
(29:37):
And I love when I talk to the legends, and
especially the way that they herald Coach Gibbs and the
things that they talk about and the things they give
them credit for. I find it very interesting that you
gave him credit for keeping you guys together.
Speaker 4 (29:48):
I mean just the respect we all had for Joe.
You know what, when you see a person who understand
players personality, and you can't treat everybody the same because
we're all different players. Everybody has a different type of personality.
He understood our personality. He knew there are certain things
he could say to me that he could not say
to Art or Ricky, certain things he could say to
(30:10):
Art that he could not say to me. He knew
how to motivate each each one of us in a
different way. And that's why we were so such a
good team all those years. Quite honestly. He understood how
to let us manage the strategies that he gave us
and let us tweak them to make them game ready.
And anytime you have a person who's willing to at
(30:31):
the time he's at the time he was considered the
best coach in the NFL, he just was considered the
best coach in the NFL. And I have somebody who's
willing to allow players to tweak their strategy because he
knows each player's position, they play it a certain way.
That's huge, because you know, football is not something that
you can just put into a whole doesn't fit that way.
(30:53):
It doesn't fit that way. Everybody's not the same player,
you know. That's why when Terry's on the field, you
get a different feeling when he's on the field because
he's a different vibe. I'm not saying that the next
guy's not as good or bad as Terry. I'm saying
it's just different vibe that Terry has when he's on
the field. There's certain things that you can expect Terry
to do that automatically he does. Soon as he came back.
(31:13):
Automatically he did what we see him do all the
time that he's on the field. He brings a type
of emotion and passion to the game that players thrive to.
When Terry plays good, the team plays good, you know.
And the same thing when the posse played well, nine
out of ten times we all played well, that's a win.
That's a w coming into the column just what it was,
(31:36):
you know, and having a coach who understood that, who
understood not to break us up, understood that this is
what we're going to do. And and as soon as
they try to break us up.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
I left.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
When I went to Arizona, you know, as soon as
they told me, you know, Art was not going to
be the starting receiver. And nothing against Desmond. Desmond's a
good guy, good person, great analysts and all of that.
But he ain't us. Never was just not just what
it is. I mean, great return guy. I mean they
shouldn't use him as a return guy. Then you got
to be missed. But you're gonna do that. He would
(32:10):
have been a much better player on a different team.
He'd have been a much better player on a different
team because he wouldn't have to set. He would have
got to play immediately. He didn't get to play immediately
with us, which could have been a good thing for
him if you take back and study us while you're
waiting to play. Now, A lot of players don't do that,
especially when he's a first round pick. When we get it,
you know, one of the top picks in the draft.
(32:31):
I mean, I don't get me wrong, I get it.
But when I heard that, you know, leave the posse alone,
you go into the season. In other history, well, we'll
we'll bow out when it's time to bow because that's
that way. If we're not balling, take me out the game.
I don't have a problem with it. We're still balling though,
(32:52):
So leave us alone. Go work with something else, Go
go talk to some other people, but leave those three
receivers alone because that slot was done. And you saw
soon as soon as all left too went to Phoenix,
there was never the same again. I mean, quite honestly,
we haven't had We've had some good receivers in Washington
(33:15):
since we left, but with Terry, you have a great
receiver in Washington since we left, just same type of player.
And Kinnor got a little bit of all three of
us in one. So I hope that Terry next year,
Terry will be back fully healthy, ready to go and
get it done, and you know, the commanders be back
in a hunt.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
I love for hearing you talk about this because now
I'm wondering if you or any of the possive, if
y'all have ever even talked about it.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
Do you guys feel like y'all had more to do together?
Speaker 2 (33:42):
Do you feel like you were able to finish your
plate with what the three of you were able to
do because of the way that you ended up having
to go to Phoenix and the way that things played.
Speaker 4 (33:51):
Out, Yeah, I mean, I mean it would have been
interesting to see if we all would have been able
to stay together, because literally, like after I left and
went to Phoenix, Ricky and Art was together one more
year and then that kind of split up. I think
Art went somewhere, maybe I don't know when, to the
jests Philadelphia, Ricky came to like Miami or Atlanta, I
(34:14):
mean something like that, and we all just we all
just kind of scattered. And their offense, honestly, they hadn't
been the same until last year in terms of being
a receiving corps that was going to strike fear into
your hearts, you know. And and I think the commanders
(34:35):
will get that again because they got some They had
some really good receivers that they have on the team
this year. I think those receivers have the possibility of
becoming great receivers as long as they put in the work.
But I know with Terry, Terry will get those guys
together and make sure that they do put in the
work so they do become a great receiving corps, not
just a good receiving corps where they are right now.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
How hard is it to deal with the year like
this because you mentioned last year's offense and we knew
what that that was, that was dynamic. It was incredible,
magical moment after matage.
Speaker 4 (35:03):
I don't know, hmmm, that really happened to me in Washington.
I don't, I don't. I don't know, like I mean,
I think, don't get me wrong. We have some seasons
where we didn't play that well. We have season. I
think we had a season where went seven to nine
or eight and eight, something like that. I just think
a lot of the players we just didn't stand for it.
(35:25):
I mean, we just sitting, you know. And I don't,
I don't I want, I don't want to be that
guy who judges other players or other other other other
teams of the Burgundy and Gold. But you know, the
only thing that I would wish that I that some
of the guys wouldn't do, is after a tremendous loss,
after you just got your butt beat by a team,
whether they're better than your teeth or not better than you.
(35:48):
I don't. I don't get the hugging. And I don't
I don't get that especially. I mean, I don't. If
I had a season like this, I'm not hugging nobody.
There should be some type of disruption. There should be
some type of conflict that you see happen because you're losing,
you're supposed to be mad. There's supposed to be some
(36:09):
fighting on the sidelines. There's supposed to be some fighting
a practice, trying to figure out what are we doing wrong,
to help to motivate, because when you fight your brother,
it's out of love. For the most part, you're trying
to get something out of them. You're trying to get
something out of them, or trying to get something out
of me. When you know, I got yelled at when
I played just because my teammates are trying to get
me to play better. I'm not taking it personally, so
(36:30):
I don't want to fight them. I've been like, you
know what, I didn't get my button gear. I'm not
playing the way that I need to play. I'm not
doing my job. So I think next year, going into
the season, as long as everybody's come to an agreement,
we're going to do our job. That's the key, each person,
each teammate. I'm going to do my job to the
best of my ability. You'll see a different commander's team
(36:54):
and you'll see them back what they was like last year,
the year before, when they was making a run. The
key is you want to make a run at the
super Bowl every year, a run at it. So that
means you want to get into the playoffs all the time.
You know, you want to get into the playoffs all
the time. Even though I played in Washington, were getting
the playoffs all the time, we missed it. Like I
think three years we didn't get in the playoffs while
(37:14):
I was there. Out of my eight years in Washington,
there was three years we didn't get in. But two
of those years we went ten and six. We should
have got in because ten and six usually gets you in.
Because when we got in on nine and seven in
ninety two out of seven we got in, So we're
still good football teams. And that was just an adjustment
and we didn't get in as that was Joe's transition
(37:36):
in front of a running game to a passing game
where we was past first run second and once we
came past first run second, we're right back in the
playoffs again. It's just an adjustment period that you all
go through, because you could have if something's working, you
could have used it until it don't work anymore as
you should. You could have it, use it and U
school I'm going to fix it if they wrote you know,
(37:56):
but what Joe had the ability to do is once
we found out that it was broke, he fixed it
and we have something. We have a whole new look.
You have a whole new look. It's hard to stop
a whole new look. It's just it. And especially when
you got guys as arrogant as we were, Like, I
need the players to be arrogant. I need to be
(38:17):
arrogant just on the football Field'm not talking about off
the football field. On the football field, you arrogant because
you put in the work, you put in the practice,
you did the things necessary for you to be a
great player. So you can tell you a pont of
what you're gonna do. It ain't nothing you can do
about it. I didn't mind telling on defensive back what
I was gonna do. What are you gonna do? You'll
stop me? No, that's not gonna happen. I like, I
(38:38):
like my chances. Did I get stopped sometimes? Yes? But
if we're gonna go like percentages wise, I'm gonna be
at least seven out of ten. I'll take those odds.
I'm not trust I'd rather be ten out of ten.
But I'll take seven out of ten because I'm one
of those sevens. Is gonna be me scoring a touchdown
on your butt, So at the end of the day,
I'll take it.
Speaker 2 (38:58):
He talked about that attitude and pride you carried, right,
But when I look and I talk to all of
you guys, are at Monk, Ricky Sayders, Brian Mitchell, just
name all these guys. All of y'all had that innate confidence, attitude,
hunger to be the best. Do you see that in
today's game, Because when I do talk to y'all, I'm like, man,
this just seems so rare to have so many different
(39:20):
people argue to be the best at their positions have
the same mentality and being on one accurt.
Speaker 4 (39:28):
Well, I have you see it on certain teams. You've
seen it on certain teams in the league, like I've
seen Kansas City have it. Kansas City had it for
not so much this year, but again, there's no years
that you're just not going to be the guy. But
for the most part, they've been the guys that they
could count on coming back and coming back and coming back.
(39:49):
When you come back and come back over and over
and again, you got dogs on your team. You gotta
be a dog. I mean, this is not youth league,
is not high school, is not college anymore. You know,
it's different rules now. Like I'm not gonna be a
gentleman on the field. No, that's not gonna happen. It's
just not you know, if you punch me, I'm gonna
(40:10):
put you back. Well, I'm just gonna punch you to
start with. It's gonna be one or the other. Like,
I'm playing the game to win the football game. And
football was played that way, and when you play it
that way, you tend to win more games. I mean,
it's just what it is you have to have. But
you can only play that way if you've put in
the work to be able to play that way. I mean,
you can only play that way if you put in
(40:32):
the work and the burgundy and go. They have some
great players on their football team, they really do. It's
just a matter of them figuring out a way to
make sure that they played together. And that's up to
the players. That's one hundred percent up to the players.
Like coach GiB never once had a call a meeting
from us all to come together. The players did it.
We did it ourselves. We held ourselves accountable, and hopefully
(40:55):
the commanders are holding theirselves accountable for what they got
to do because the hasn't been bad, and a lot
of people try to blame. I'm no, because you know
when I do look at it. No, same coaches, same
coaching strategy. You know, if you don't like to play,
that's called, you change it. If you don't like the defense,
(41:16):
that call, you change it. Because we have that ability
to do them. They give us the ability to do
those things. That's called being a football player. It's being
called and be like, Okay, we're going to make sure
that we run the right play because we're the players,
We're the people on the field. We're there instantly. We
know we're seeing what they don't see upstairs. Yet they
(41:39):
can do best they can, but we see it first.
So if I don't do my job and let the
quarterback know, hey, by the way, I can run this
route to get open on this guy because this is
what he's weakend. And I thought I'm seeing it in
the game, I'm not seeing it. Just throw me the ball.
I'm not telling you to do that. What I'm saying
is over the first quarter, I've seen what this guy's doing.
(42:00):
This is where he's weak at. So this is where
you need to throw me the rock too, you know,
And everybody on our team would do that at the
end of the day and unselfishly or think Ricky Sanders
was having a great game. I'm me and Areta told
her be like, say, Slick, we're going to take the
pressure off of you, so you can continue to kill
this guy. Whoever they put on you, you were killing him,
(42:22):
so continue to kill him so we get this win,
you know, because you want to be the guy. But
she also want to win first. Anytime we won a
football game you had, we had no problem celebrating that together.
Speaker 3 (42:34):
None.
Speaker 4 (42:34):
The only time you ever seen Nivers get upset is
if we lost a football game and then we felt
like we weren't utilized the way that we should have
been utilized. But anytime we won, nobody cared about any other.
I didn't care about our status. Art didn't care about
my stats. Ricky didn't care about his Ricky never cared
about his stats. Ricky, Ricky is just a great guy
all the way around. But if we lost and you
(42:58):
didn't give us a rock, we had a problem. Man,
THO was gonna be a complaint, but typically we tend
to get the game to get the block the next week,
so it's always good.
Speaker 2 (43:10):
Hey, Gary, That's why I appreciate your opinion so much
and why I've enjoyed being able to do these game
day preview shows that we've been able to do this
season and seeing you get more into the fold with
the media and talking about the team, because it's one
thing for us to talk about it, but you won
the Super Bowls. You were one of the best to
ever do it. You played with some of the best
to ever do it. So I so appreciate your vantage
(43:31):
point and I hope you've been enjoying it too.
Speaker 3 (43:33):
Man.
Speaker 2 (43:33):
Have you enjoyed getting to do our game day preview
shows when you do every home game from DC Prime?
Have you enjoyed being able to put your analyst hat
back on and break down the game and look at
this game, especially with the way that the team has
evolved and changed.
Speaker 4 (43:48):
What I really love about it is the people that
I get to do it with that allows me. It's
just like when I played, Like, the best thing about
football is your teammates. Always has been that way. The
best thing about host football cap it's my teammates and
a new teammates like yourself that I had a chance
to work with. Now, it's all about your teammates that
make something exciting to do. For example, if we didn't
(44:10):
like each other on the show, we would not want
to go do that show. But we do like each
other on the show. We love the Hostyle, We love
everybody who puts us together, from the people behind the
scenes to the people in front of the mic, like yourself.
I mean, it's just a great team that you guys have,
and that's why it's enjoyable for me to do it.
I mean, because I love the people that are there.
And the food's pretty good too.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
Hey man, we eat good. And I'm grateful to just
be a part of the team. Man, Grateful y'all allow
me to be a part of it.
Speaker 3 (44:38):
And we kick it.
Speaker 2 (44:39):
Man, we have a good time there. So command this
face if you haven't pulled up yet for our DC
Prime game Day preview shows. That is every week.
Speaker 3 (44:46):
Of a home game.
Speaker 2 (44:47):
We only have one left, Gary, which makes me sad,
but I have a feeling they're gonna let us run
it back and maybe do it every week next year.
Speaker 3 (44:55):
Gary. We appreciation so much. We would it would? Man,
That is good.
Speaker 4 (45:00):
You know it wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (45:02):
We were good luck for a little bit.
Speaker 4 (45:04):
You could go on.
Speaker 3 (45:06):
Gary, We appreciate your time so much.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
Man, thank you for always being willing to pull up
and Man, can't wait to see you again.
Speaker 3 (45:11):
Gary.
Speaker 2 (45:11):
We appreciate your insight. Commander Family, our Next Man Up
Washington legend, one of the best ever. Do it my god,
Gary Clark, appreciate you.
Speaker 4 (45:19):
Brother. Thank you, brother. Have a good one now you too.
Speaker 2 (45:21):
Man, Command is 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 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
(45:42):
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 make sure to subscribe to
the Commander's YouTube page. So you don't miss any of
our content. I'm Roankow Jr. And this is Next Man Up.
This show was filmed at the Big Bear AI Command
(46:03):
Center Studio. Big Bear AI offers mission ready AI for
a rapidly evolving world, proudly protecting the Washington Commanders and
its fans.
To be completely honest with y'all. Like you can fool
the public to a certain degree, like you can put
on a certain persona or sometimes you even get over
on the front office or people in around the league.
But those people in the locker room, they know who
you are on an every single day basis. They know
the work that you put in or the work you
don't put in. They know the kind of character you are,
They know the type of teammate you are. So that
was never in question for my teammates. So at the
(00:21):
end of the day, what people may have said about
me on the outside never affected me at all because
A I know who I am, I know who Christ
has called me to be, and B I also know
my teammates and the people who see me on every
single day basis know who I am and what I've
proven to be.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
The Next Man in a Podcast is presented by Lansdown
Resort from Kickoff to check, can You Score, Game, Change
and get Away in the heart of Louder, Lansdown Resort,
proud partner of the Washington Commanders Command this family, Welcome
into the Next Man That Buying Your host Brian Corbor Junior,
and I'm very honored to welcome in on Next Man Up.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
First time on the show. First time me.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
And you have ever sat down for interview period welcoming
in or wide Receiver number one.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Terry McLaurin was good, brother, what's up, Bro? I appreciate
you having me man.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
I appreciate you pulling up, man, because what a year
you've had.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Yeah, what an off season you had, for sure, and
I know you.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Got a story to tell, and that's what we care
about here Next Man, that we want y'all to be
able to tell y'all stories because everybody want to talk
for y'all, for sure. The media want to tell these stories,
but we very seldom get to hear from y'all in
the space that's safe, right, So this is a safe space.
But we're gonna start in the beginning, sure, because again,
your off season, Man, it was tough.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Yeah, And I know it was tough for you because.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
You were away from your team and I know there's
nobody that wants to be on the field more than
Terry McLaurin and with his teammates man in your wars Man,
what was this off season like for you while you
were dealing with the contract things and just everything going on.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Yeah, it was definitely challenging and really unexpected honestly, Like,
you know, my plan was to be here and everything
like that, but obviously, you know, sometimes the business kind
of gets in the swing of football, and so you know,
just going through that process, I just try to take
it day by day. There's really no like road map
or or because somebody did this way, then you got
to do it that way. Is just really trying to
(02:00):
I was really trying to lead on my faith in
the Lord and listen to my support system and also
just have good conversations with the people in the building
to see could we come to a resolution. So it
took longer than expected, but the end result ended up
what we all wanted. So you know, I was just
happy to get back. But it was definitely some unknowns
going through that process, and I'm just I was just
(02:22):
glad to get to the other side.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Man, there was so much going on. You've never been
in that real position before like that. This was very
different for.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
You, right, Definitely like I was. I was in some
similar like in twenty twenty two with the previous staff,
but this one definitely prolonged, like through camp and so
basically missed all the camp, and that was different than
the last time. Like last time, I think I maybe
it was like leading up into a camp and then
I was able to get it done and then I
(02:48):
was in there for camp. So this was just a
little different, like missing out on the football. I was
in great shape, you know, working out the off season,
that's what I do. And but like when the football
stuff in the business kind of mixed like that, like
it's it was just hard, you know, but at the
end of the day, like it worked yourself out, you
know what I mean, Like I was positive about it.
(03:09):
It wasn't it wasn't something that I was like dwelling
on every single day. But you know, you you play
this game, uh, to to live out your dream, but
also to be able to provide a life for your
family and yourself. And each player just wants to be
able to, you know, be valued and earn their value
through their performance and the other intangible things that they
(03:29):
bring off the field too. So uh, at the end,
it ended up working out. It's a lot of things
in life just don't go as you plan, and so
you got to be able to be flexible and it's.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Easy to go into a dark place with all those
things because it's so much negative, there's so much noise.
But I saw positive in it because while you're going
through this, while you're not around, while you're not even
to speak for yourself, you got guys in the building
that speaking for you, Jade and Daniels speaking for you.
You got saying Tana Mars going on ESPN say it
behave that man to me that spoke to the man
that you are. Because it's easy to turn your back
(03:59):
on somebody that you feel like, isn't there right, that
didn't happen here?
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Man?
Speaker 2 (04:03):
What was that support like for you in love that
you got from your teammates, from the legends and the
people that truly know who Terry is.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
I think that's a great point, Like it allowed me
to really be centered when I was going through this
process because on the outside looking and not a lot
of people know like the ins and outs of what
goes on with a contract and what both sides are
going through, my side and the business side, the front
office and everything like that. And you know, at certain
(04:30):
times you kind of feel alone in it, especially when
you want to you know, you just want to play football.
But at the end of the day, to have the
support from my teammates meant everything to me because I
was somebody who I've kind of always showed at the
burden on myself. You know, I've been the leader. I've
been the guy who's supporting people or picking them up.
So it was a different space to where I needed
(04:50):
to lean into support a little bit more like I didn't.
Every day wasn't a day where I could just feel
so great in and feel like I had it all together.
And so to have the support for my teammates meant everything.
Because you can't fool, like to be completely honest with y'all,
like you can fool the public to a certain degree,
like you could put on a certain persona or sometimes
you even get over on the front office or people
(05:13):
in the around the league. But those people in the
locker room, they know who you are on an every
single day basis. They know the work that you put
in or the work you don't put in. They know
the kind of character you are, they know the type
of teammate you are. So that was never in question
for my teammates. So at the end of the day,
what people may have said about me on the outside
never affected me at all because A I know who
I am, I know who Christ has called me to be,
and B I also know my teammates and the people
(05:34):
who see me on every single day basis know who
I am and what I'm proven to be. And so
to have their support and knowing that everything that you know,
I was pushing for and trying to get done, like
they were fully in supportive and they were like, you
deserve it. And so when you have those type of
people back in you who know you like people on
the outside that necessarily don't mean as much. So at
(05:55):
the end of the day, it ended up working out.
And I think it was just tough. You missed out
on the camaraderie, you know what I mean, Like I was.
I was in the building, but I'm rehabbing, I'm trying
to work on the business side. But you missed being
out there a practice, you know what I mean. You
missed the energy there, the team travels, when they went
to the UH to New England, the preseason game, that's
all part of the team building that you kind of
miss out on. So part of it you kind of
(06:17):
just feel like you're missing out. But I was constantly
supported by guys telling me that I'm really a part
of this team and they can't wait for me to
be back. So and then to have guys like Tanner,
you know what I mean, to have my back. He's
had my back since I've been here, so he didn't
have to say what he said, especially on a public
platform like that. So I just really appreciate that. But
also he's telling the truth, you know what I mean. Like,
(06:39):
at the end of the day, I don't think people
stick their neck out and vouch for you if there's
not any truth or support behind that, for sure, And
so for people to go out on their own to
say that about me and to have my back really
meant a lot.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
And you earned that though, right by being a solid person.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Like you said, we see you every day, yeah, so
we would know if you weren't solid. You know how
solid you are, and it was just great to see
that you got what you deserved, got your bag, make
it back on that field. But since sometimes when it rains,
it poor, yeah, because you get back on that field
and then very quickly, yeah, you suffer an injury that
takes you off the field again. Man, with the off
season you had with missing being on that field with
your teammates. Man, how tough was it to be, Like, dang,
(07:16):
you have another obstacle to get over.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Yeah, that was really hard because I thought once I
got through the contract situation, I was just ready to
get all right. We were ready for the season and I
felt good going into the season. And you know, I
feel like the quick turnaround with Green Bay didn't necessarily
help the situation. But at the same time, like injuries
are part of the game, I just think the timing
of mind was unfortunate because leading up to this process, like,
(07:40):
guys really blessed me, and I've been extremely healthy, you know,
and I've never missed this amount of time of football
in my entire life, and so it was definitely a
new challenge and it allowed me to see a different
side of being kind of broken physically, but being poured
into like spiritually and mentally and other areas in my
life life that helped me become better when I step
(08:02):
back on the field. And so, you know, the injury
was really tough because it was it was a pretty
significant injury to my quad and something that just was
very unexpected. But I just tried to take a day
by day approach and and and just get back as
quick as I can. But at the same time, like
you don't feel like yourself when when you're out, you
know what I mean. It was out with the contracting,
(08:23):
you know, the ankle stuff, and then you missed a
time with the quad. So uh, it was just a
lot of ups and downs. But like man like, my
faith really grew during that time, Like like I really
found joy in the midst of difficulty, and I think
I was somebody who's my circumstances sometimes dictated my happiness.
(08:44):
And I think there's a difference sometimes between happiness and
joy that I've learned. Happiness is sometimes more dictator on
your circumstances if things are going good or things are
going bad. I think joy is something that's deep within
that comes truly from a spiritual gift from the Lord
that no matter what my circumstances look like, I'm gonna
be good, I'm gonna be okay, and He's gonna continue
to provide for me like he always has. And so again,
(09:06):
it was just a time that I really leaned into
my support system and they really picked me up because
it was very unknown territory from the contract to being
hurt there was two things that A I never anticipated
and be I have never been through. But to be honest,
like I wouldn't trade it, like I wouldn't change anything,
because I wouldn't be sitting here today with a new
perspective with a new sense of a just peace and gratitude,
(09:29):
not because of the money that I got or the
like my ability to get back on the field. I
think it was just like seeing myself grow through tough,
tough times, allowing other people to see me go through
tough things and they see I still coming in this
building with a smile on my face. I'm still supporting
the young guys in my teammates when I'm not out there,
and I'm still being a present presence while I'm on
(09:50):
this team and not letting my my circumstances get me down.
So I can't take all that credit. I definitely give
that credit to God in my support system. And you know,
it was just good to finally, you know, step back
out there.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
And I appreciate you being honest and open because I
think a lot of people don't realize like they understand like, Okay,
he's found a way to get bad, found a way
to recover.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
He's found a way to still smile.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Yeah, But in order to find that joy, in order
to find that faith, you got to get to some
dark places. You got to go through some things. You
gotta go through doubt, you got to go through sadness.
Why me, in your role to recovery man, how did
you keep yourself from getting to those dark places?
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Leaned on your faith?
Speaker 2 (10:29):
I know you leave on the people that you love,
But again that's a lot easier said than done.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Sure, in real time.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
I think I gave my spell. I gave myself space
to be human too, Like I believe that we're all
blessed with human emotions. And so there was days I'd
be a little more frustrated than others. There's days I
felt disappointment or or feel like, you know, am I
gonna be able to get back to the level that
I feel like I can to be to get back
to the season. And you know, you kind of allow
(10:57):
those feelings to like you sit with them, but you
don't dwell in them. I think I'm not. Once I
feel those feelings, like I kind of lean into my support.
You know, I'm a very big advocate for you know, therapy.
I've been seeing a therapist for four years now and
that's really helped, you know, me cognitively as well to
deal with my circumstances. So I think when you go
(11:17):
through difficulty, it's really important to find a system that
is healthy, that allows you to work through those difficulties
so you get to the other side without losing yourself
and just know, like giving yourself grace to have bad
days and know like it's not going to always be perfect,
but also realizing that the Lord has brought you through
the first time. He's the same guy that had you
(11:39):
on the mountaintops, and he's the same guy that brought
you through the last valley. So when I have that
type of perspective and I have the support that I have,
I just knew it was just about God's timing, And
I think it allowed me to really surrender to the
process and not try to rush it, and just each
day was something different. Each day was a new gift
or new joy or or something that in my rehab
(12:02):
process I wasn't able to do on a Monday, but
by that Friday I was. It was a step in
the right direction. So it's just being very grateful of
the small wins along the process of getting back to
ultimately getting back on the field.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
And I got to imagine this locker room, this building,
watching you go through this in real time. There's a
lot of parallels to what the team's going through this season. Right,
things didn't go the way they expected. Things aren't going
the way we expected. But getting able to watch you
get through those valleys, get through those hard times, getting
those dark times. Now you're back, Yeah, and as soon
as you get back on that field, you can make
(12:35):
your impact felt many How have you been able to
help these young guys and to help the Jade and
Daniels is the guys that have never been through these
type of hard times in the NFL? How have you
been able to help them get through this season that
did not go how any of us expect.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Yeah, I think that's a great question because I'm seven
years in the league and I feel like I've seen
it all, you know what I mean. I've been last year,
especially here, you know what I mean, being in one place,
I've seen it all, from the highs of winning to
the lows of you know, losing my rookie ear we
won three games, you know what I'm saying. So I've
been in this space before, and the parallel between what
(13:07):
I was going through personally, I think it gave me
perspective to be able to bring that into this locker
room and into my meeting room with the receivers. As life,
you know what I mean, Like when you go like
what we're going through as a team, the season not
going the way we want, adversity with injuries, ups and downs,
like that's life, you know what I mean? And so
what are you going to do in those situations? You
(13:29):
really have one or two choices. You can you can
give up and feel sorry for yourself, and or you can,
you know, surrender to what the process is and learn
from it. But also, like I think, you can allow
the circumstances what you're going through to change who you are.
Like if you're a person who's a leader, if you're
a person who's a hard worker, if you're a consistent person,
(13:52):
you have to be that all the time. It's easy
to do that when you're winning and things are great,
But when things aren't going your way, how are you responding?
Are you still putting the same time and working on
your body? Are you still watching the same film? Are
you still being a great teammate and spending time with
the guys in the locker room. The great thing about
that is we have those type of guys in this
locker room, and it's just about put it out there
on the field and finishing football games, you know what
(14:14):
I mean. And over the last few weeks we putting
ourselves Last week wasn't a great showing, obviously, but the
week before that, like you know, we put ourselves in
a situation to win, and we just didn't come out
on the winning's side. So I think just coming back,
I was really of the mindset of just trying to
bring the best version of myself. I felt very like
free coming back because I was in the space of like, Okay,
(14:37):
I missed a lot of the off season, you know,
with the contract stuff, I've missed time with my quad,
like to a certain degree, like what can go worse?
Speaker 3 (14:45):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Like, you honestly get to a space of I think
we get so I'll speak for myself, like sometimes the
fear of the unknown can have you shaken. But once
you go through that worst scenario and you see that
you're okay, that guys carry you like it gives you
strength to be able to handle the next obstacle because
guess what, like football wise, like you may lose another game,
(15:06):
you know what I mean, and life, you're going to
go through another challenge. What I went through this this
past year twenty twenty five, Like I'm gonna go through
other challenges in my life. But what I learned through
this season of my life and in this season of
football is going to carry me to next season and
also the next challenges that come in my life. And
so I'm better off for it. And so that's why,
you know, you really come out stronger on the other
(15:29):
side when you go through adversity. And so now I
don't really resist it as much as I used to
when I was a little younger in the league or
just a younger person, you know, being thirty years old.
Now I have a wisdom about me. But wisdom comes
from challenges, it comes from adversity. And so I haven't
been able to do this alone. And I think that's
the challenge that I try to tell people moving forward,
(15:52):
like it's you can't go through this life alone. Like
we were pooring and put on this earth for communion,
for fellowship and just to be able to help people
and to serve others, and so during this time I
found myself being served and serving others, and so I
think it's allowed me to have those type of conversations
with younger guys of this their first year in the league,
(16:14):
and you know, it's it's a lot going on, and
Jaden going through his injury, him and I have unbelievable
conversations just off the field about how you know he's
a man of faith, of how we get to the
other side and grow and be better lights of who
God has called us to be and what we're what
we're going through, because oftentimes what you go through is yes,
(16:35):
for you to grow, but it's for also for you
to be able to take what you've gone through and
help the next person.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Terry, we appreciate your honesty and vulnerability.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
Is so great to see you back on that field, man,
because we know you worked hard to get there.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
And in closing, we still got a season, we still
got names of man. Were still a giant. Now we
call Tan of the Giant slab, but we were looking
at it showing up as against the.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Giants, My guy, you get busy against the as well.
Just give a message to the fans not only to
the but just to all of us on what the
locker room is feeling right now as we head to
NFC East opponent in the New York Giants, and what
can we expect from more Commanders against the Giants.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Yeah, I think when you step into NFC East football,
and I think the way the schedule is curated this year,
we finished the last four games with NFC East opponents,
and I've always said, like the record really doesn't matter
when you come into the NFC East, Like the best
team that day is going to win the football game,
you know what I mean. I've been on teams where
(17:29):
we may have the better record than the other team
and we lost, you know what I mean, and vice versa.
And so I think this mindset of this team right
now is to come out with a physicality that's going
to be able to withstand four or five quarters, being
able to take care of the football because we're in
December now and we don't know what kind of weather
gonna get. It's gonna be cold, you know what I mean,
(17:50):
So taking care of the football and then a defense standpoint,
like the other offense they may be feeling cold too.
So there was a great opportunity to try to create
turnovers physic with physicality, punching at the football againting turnovers
with interceptions and stuff like that. So just creating, like
being able to function and control chaos. I think that
is the teams that have success in the Ndseas. And
(18:11):
so with the Giants going on the road, you know,
we know they're going to be a tough opponent. They're
a scrappy team. You know, Jackson Dark has given their
team a lot of energy, and you know they still
have a really strong front on their defense and their
back end plays off of that. So we know it's
going to be four or five quarters where we got
to go out there and take this game like it's
(18:33):
not gonna be given to us at all. But I
think we got to play a lot better complimentary football.
And so that's our goal this week at first, take
care of the football, create turnovers, and play complimentary football.
That means scoring in the red zone for on offense, defense,
creating some three and out situations, and flipping the field
if you're on special teams you know what I mean,
really playing like a downhill style of football. But it's
(18:54):
going to start with the physicality and I think we
all know that. So I think that's why today you
know what I mean, we're late in December, or we're
in December and we're full paths ready to go today.
You know what I mean, because that's the type of
football that it takes to have success in the NCS.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Terry, we appreciate you, Bro. Congratulations on all your success.
Congratuations are making it back on that field. Man. We're
so happy to have you and a leader like you,
and hope you enjoyed your first time on Next Man Up.
And don't be strange, it wasn't too bad. I appreciate you.
Commands family, our next man up, our wide receiver one,
and our leader of this offense.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
Terry McCain, appreciate your time.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
I appreciate you, Bro.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Commanders Family, We hope you have been enjoying Next Man Up.
Before we go any further, we have to pay some
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Speaker 3 (19:38):
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From the Walter E.
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(20:11):
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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 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
(20:33):
you don't, to put yourself in new ways, because it's
those days that truly define who you are. That's how
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Reserve Command his family Back to the show.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Now, far next man up.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
We have a legend that joined us last season, but
it's coming back. For more, has been doing more media
stuff with us and is one of the best Washington
wide receivers to ever grace the field.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Welcoming in my guy, Gary Clark. Gary, how you doing, brother?
Speaker 4 (21:06):
What's up? B see what's happening? Man?
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Hey man, I'm happy for your time. Man. I appreciate you. Man.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
You know, we have a current big name wide receiver
on the show, so I said I had to match
him with the best we had available, man, and that
is you, Gary Clark. Man like Gary Terry that it's
a beautiful combination. And I personally know how much you
value and appreciate what Terry does.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
On that field.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Oh one, I'm so glad to see that he's back
and back out playing soon. As soon as he came
back onto the field, he made an immediate and immediate,
you know, impression on the team, showing that you know,
when Terry's on the field, good things happen. So I'm
glad to see that he's back in action. And I
only wish he could he would have been able to
come back soon.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
And I feel like you have a different appreciation of
everything Terry has been through this year, from the contract
negotiations to getting back on the field, from dealing with injuries,
from coming back again. You have been in the shoots,
you have done gone through all of those things and more.
What was it like watching Terry navigate through all of this,
Because again, he's not just a great man on the field,
(22:10):
he's clearly a great man off the field as well.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
This is so true what I loved about Terry. There's
a lot of guys who I don't want to say
milk their injury, but someone's go ahead and say milk
their injury. And Terry's not that guy. You know, Terry
came back as soon as he can humanly possible for
him to come back. He came back and played. Obviously,
he has a strong pain threshold that allows him to
do those things. And what I love about the guy
(22:36):
is he understands the game of football. He understands his
position extremely well. Again, I'll go on the records say
and I think he's one of the top five receivers
in the National Football League without a doubt, and I
don't care about the other four be quite honestly. I mean,
he goes out and he plays hard, great leadership, He
has all the quality that you won't and your captain
(22:57):
on a football team.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
And you would know that.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
I look at Washington and all the legends and the
people that are currently here too. This is one of
them places where some of the best wide receivers have
rocked the Bergney and gold. They've played for us, and
I want to take it back a little bit because
we haven't got a chance to talk about it, at
least not on this platform. Was Art Monk's jersey retirement,
because to me, it was so special to see him
honor that way. But it was even more special to
(23:22):
see the posse back together.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
You are.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Monk and Ricky Sanders and y'all took the time to
Grace's with y'all presence on Game Day Live, which to me,
all the things I've gotten to do in my career,
being to sit there with y'all and do that interview
with y'all on Game Day Live phenomenal.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Man.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
I'll never forget it. It's not something I take for granted,
especially because I don't remember the last time I've seen
all three of you guys do an interview in that regard,
Do you remember the last time y'all three had gotten
together like that and dine an interview like that.
Speaker 4 (23:49):
It's been a long long time, to be quite honest.
I mean we probably have done it since we all retired,
but I can't tell you when long ago it must
have happened for us at all three be in the
same room. But it was a great It was a
great weekend for Art Monks. So glad to see that,
you know, what we all knew should happen finally happened
(24:12):
under this administration. So it was a great It was
a great opportunity for us to get back and personally
showcase to Art how much we how much we love him,
how much we it's great to be able to be
on the field with him at the same time. How
much pressure he took off of myself and Ricky and
hopefully we took pressure off of him as well that
came to playing that position a receiver. And it was
(24:34):
just a great weekend. It was just a great weekend.
His family was there. It was just a great time.
And the fans came out, you know, the night before,
fans came out and celebrated, you know, at the MGM. So,
I mean, it was it was quite It was quite
the weekend. You know, We've been grateful to got to win,
of course I'd have made it spectacular, but uh, since
(24:55):
we didn't get a win, it still made the weekend
spectacle because we had art marketing the.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
House and it It's wild to even think that y'all
had not been together in those regards, like doing those
interviews and things like that, because from my vantage point,
when I looked at y'all and watched y'all, I said, Oh,
here's that chemistry they had on the field.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
This is the trio right here.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
It felt like when I'm watching you guys, like that
chemistry is just never going anywhere. Does it feel like
that sometimes for you being in in those moments where
you look to your right, you look to your left,
and you got your boys right there like it was back.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
In the day.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
Yeah, it's like everything Tim's always just kind of fall
back into place, you know, Art being quiet, smiling, the
jugged leader, me doing a majority of the talking. That's
what I did at the time, and Ricky Sanders with
his spectacular self just being there to showcase to Art
and to those around for that weekend how special the
(25:49):
posse really was. I mean, to this day, and this
is not don't be bluntly honest, everybody knows. I'm a
bluntly honest person. There's no trio that's been just haven't
been there yet. It It just hasn't. Some great trios
out there, don't get me wrong, some great players out there,
but nothing to the ability of what three of us
(26:09):
was able to do on the football field. I mean,
at any given time, one of us was going to
be open. It's just what it was. Our quarterback always
had an option, always had an option.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
And I think that when you look at the way
the game's changed today, I don't know if you'll ever
see a trio like that, at least not for an
extended period of time, because guys is out here getting
their money, Gods is out here getting bags. They want
to be the top paid wide receiver. It is so
hard to find that, right, Like you look at the
Bengals and they got T Higgins and Jamar Chase, but
they weren't able to keep the trio going. Man, do
you think they'll ever be wide receiver trios like that? Again,
(26:40):
with such a changing and ever evolving game, Because I
know you stay very very closely tapped into the game.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
Still, I think it could be. I think it all happens.
It all depends on the head coach, would be quite honest,
I think the head coach has a lot to do
with this. When Joe was here, three of us stayed together.
When Joe left, the three of us broke up. I mean,
that's kind of how it was. I mean, and don't
(27:06):
get me wrong. All NFL players they deserve to have
the best salary they can have, the most that they
can get. But we al was willing to take a
cut and pay when we was playing together. It's just
so to make sure that all three of us was
able to generate revenue for one another. And we all
three like myself and Ricky, you know, we just kind
of aligned ourself because we wanted to play together and
(27:28):
we wanted to play for Joe. It came down and
we really wanted to play for Joe, and we wanted
to win more Super Bowls and we knew that we
can't way we could do that is yet the three
of us stayed together as well because by the time,
by the end of our careers in Washington, the passing
game was first a running game, a second and the
posse was the first course meal. Just what it was.
(27:48):
You know, you couldn't. I mean, it's hard to believe it.
You can't single us. It's just you just couldn't.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
You was dead.
Speaker 4 (27:56):
If you try to, one of us will be open.
You know, like when you got receivers who take it
as an insult if you don't at least double team them,
you take it as an insult. That tells you how
good you're record receiving core is because they just if
you double Art, don't double me. I'm like, are you idiots?
And if you double me and don't double Art, Art's like,
(28:18):
what are your idiots? He double us and don't double Ricky.
Ricky's like, in a nice way, why would you do that?
He's not going to call you an idiot because Ricky
is just not that way. But but I mean, celebrating
Art Monk is always a great thing. I'm so glad
that he finally had his jersey officially retired. I mean,
no one's really wore his jersey since he since he
(28:39):
stopped playing. But the habit officially retired was a big
deal and it's well deserved, and I'm glad he was
able to have that happen to him while he's still
here with us. That's that's always great to get your
accolades in why you're still with us. You know, it's
great to get it no matter what. But any accolade
I get, I want to be breathing. Why to enjoy it?
(29:03):
I don't give you. I'll be fine and beginning after
I've passed, but I would rather have it while I'm
still breathing. And it's nice to see Ark Monk got
to add it while he's still here with us.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Nice to have your flowers when you're still around to
smell it. And I got to run back a little
bit because you said something I thought was very interesting.
I want you to elaborate on it, because you said
it was about the coach. You said, what Coach Gibbs
was gone? We were gone, we broke. What about Coach Gibbs?
What about the change when he does leave? What affected
y'all to make it like that? Because I think that
that's such a great perception of what happened with you all.
(29:37):
And I love when I talk to the legends, and
especially the way that they herald Coach Gibbs and the
things that they talk about and the things they give
them credit for. I find it very interesting that you
gave him credit for keeping you guys together.
Speaker 4 (29:48):
I mean just the respect we all had for Joe.
You know what, when you see a person who understand
players personality, and you can't treat everybody the same because
we're all different players. Everybody has a different type of personality.
He understood our personality. He knew there are certain things
he could say to me that he could not say
to Art or Ricky, certain things he could say to
(30:10):
Art that he could not say to me. He knew
how to motivate each each one of us in a
different way. And that's why we were so such a
good team all those years. Quite honestly. He understood how
to let us manage the strategies that he gave us
and let us tweak them to make them game ready.
And anytime you have a person who's willing to at
(30:31):
the time he's at the time he was considered the
best coach in the NFL, he just was considered the
best coach in the NFL. And I have somebody who's
willing to allow players to tweak their strategy because he
knows each player's position, they play it a certain way.
That's huge, because you know, football is not something that
you can just put into a whole doesn't fit that way.
(30:53):
It doesn't fit that way. Everybody's not the same player,
you know. That's why when Terry's on the field, you
get a different feeling when he's on the field because
he's a different vibe. I'm not saying that the next
guy's not as good or bad as Terry. I'm saying
it's just different vibe that Terry has when he's on
the field. There's certain things that you can expect Terry
to do that automatically he does. Soon as he came back.
(31:13):
Automatically he did what we see him do all the
time that he's on the field. He brings a type
of emotion and passion to the game that players thrive to.
When Terry plays good, the team plays good, you know.
And the same thing when the posse played well, nine
out of ten times we all played well, that's a win.
That's a w coming into the column just what it was,
(31:36):
you know, and having a coach who understood that, who
understood not to break us up, understood that this is
what we're going to do. And and as soon as
they try to break us up.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
I left.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
When I went to Arizona, you know, as soon as
they told me, you know, Art was not going to
be the starting receiver. And nothing against Desmond. Desmond's a
good guy, good person, great analysts and all of that.
But he ain't us. Never was just not just what
it is. I mean, great return guy. I mean they
shouldn't use him as a return guy. Then you got
to be missed. But you're gonna do that. He would
(32:10):
have been a much better player on a different team.
He'd have been a much better player on a different
team because he wouldn't have to set. He would have
got to play immediately. He didn't get to play immediately
with us, which could have been a good thing for
him if you take back and study us while you're
waiting to play. Now, A lot of players don't do that,
especially when he's a first round pick. When we get it,
you know, one of the top picks in the draft.
(32:31):
I mean, I don't get me wrong, I get it.
But when I heard that, you know, leave the posse alone,
you go into the season. In other history, well, we'll
we'll bow out when it's time to bow because that's
that way. If we're not balling, take me out the game.
I don't have a problem with it. We're still balling though,
(32:52):
So leave us alone. Go work with something else, Go
go talk to some other people, but leave those three
receivers alone because that slot was done. And you saw
soon as soon as all left too went to Phoenix,
there was never the same again. I mean, quite honestly,
we haven't had We've had some good receivers in Washington
(33:15):
since we left, but with Terry, you have a great
receiver in Washington since we left, just same type of player.
And Kinnor got a little bit of all three of
us in one. So I hope that Terry next year,
Terry will be back fully healthy, ready to go and
get it done, and you know, the commanders be back
in a hunt.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
I love for hearing you talk about this because now
I'm wondering if you or any of the possive, if
y'all have ever even talked about it.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
Do you guys feel like y'all had more to do together?
Speaker 2 (33:42):
Do you feel like you were able to finish your
plate with what the three of you were able to
do because of the way that you ended up having
to go to Phoenix and the way that things played.
Speaker 4 (33:51):
Out, Yeah, I mean, I mean it would have been
interesting to see if we all would have been able
to stay together, because literally, like after I left and
went to Phoenix, Ricky and Art was together one more
year and then that kind of split up. I think
Art went somewhere, maybe I don't know when, to the
jests Philadelphia, Ricky came to like Miami or Atlanta, I
(34:14):
mean something like that, and we all just we all
just kind of scattered. And their offense, honestly, they hadn't
been the same until last year in terms of being
a receiving corps that was going to strike fear into
your hearts, you know. And and I think the commanders
(34:35):
will get that again because they got some They had
some really good receivers that they have on the team
this year. I think those receivers have the possibility of
becoming great receivers as long as they put in the work.
But I know with Terry, Terry will get those guys
together and make sure that they do put in the
work so they do become a great receiving corps, not
just a good receiving corps where they are right now.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
How hard is it to deal with the year like
this because you mentioned last year's offense and we knew
what that that was, that was dynamic. It was incredible,
magical moment after matage.
Speaker 4 (35:03):
I don't know, hmmm, that really happened to me in Washington.
I don't, I don't. I don't know, like I mean,
I think, don't get me wrong. We have some seasons
where we didn't play that well. We have season. I
think we had a season where went seven to nine
or eight and eight, something like that. I just think
a lot of the players we just didn't stand for it.
(35:25):
I mean, we just sitting, you know. And I don't,
I don't I want, I don't want to be that
guy who judges other players or other other other other
teams of the Burgundy and Gold. But you know, the
only thing that I would wish that I that some
of the guys wouldn't do, is after a tremendous loss,
after you just got your butt beat by a team,
whether they're better than your teeth or not better than you.
(35:48):
I don't. I don't get the hugging. And I don't
I don't get that especially. I mean, I don't. If
I had a season like this, I'm not hugging nobody.
There should be some type of disruption. There should be
some type of conflict that you see happen because you're losing,
you're supposed to be mad. There's supposed to be some
(36:09):
fighting on the sidelines. There's supposed to be some fighting
a practice, trying to figure out what are we doing wrong,
to help to motivate, because when you fight your brother,
it's out of love. For the most part, you're trying
to get something out of them. You're trying to get
something out of them, or trying to get something out
of me. When you know, I got yelled at when
I played just because my teammates are trying to get
me to play better. I'm not taking it personally, so
(36:30):
I don't want to fight them. I've been like, you
know what, I didn't get my button gear. I'm not
playing the way that I need to play. I'm not
doing my job. So I think next year, going into
the season, as long as everybody's come to an agreement,
we're going to do our job. That's the key, each person,
each teammate. I'm going to do my job to the
best of my ability. You'll see a different commander's team
(36:54):
and you'll see them back what they was like last year,
the year before, when they was making a run. The
key is you want to make a run at the
super Bowl every year, a run at it. So that
means you want to get into the playoffs all the time.
You know, you want to get into the playoffs all
the time. Even though I played in Washington, were getting
the playoffs all the time, we missed it. Like I
think three years we didn't get in the playoffs while
(37:14):
I was there. Out of my eight years in Washington,
there was three years we didn't get in. But two
of those years we went ten and six. We should
have got in because ten and six usually gets you in.
Because when we got in on nine and seven in
ninety two out of seven we got in, So we're
still good football teams. And that was just an adjustment
and we didn't get in as that was Joe's transition
(37:36):
in front of a running game to a passing game
where we was past first run second and once we
came past first run second, we're right back in the
playoffs again. It's just an adjustment period that you all
go through, because you could have if something's working, you
could have used it until it don't work anymore as
you should. You could have it, use it and U
school I'm going to fix it if they wrote you know,
(37:56):
but what Joe had the ability to do is once
we found out that it was broke, he fixed it
and we have something. We have a whole new look.
You have a whole new look. It's hard to stop
a whole new look. It's just it. And especially when
you got guys as arrogant as we were, Like, I
need the players to be arrogant. I need to be
(38:17):
arrogant just on the football Field'm not talking about off
the football field. On the football field, you arrogant because
you put in the work, you put in the practice,
you did the things necessary for you to be a
great player. So you can tell you a pont of
what you're gonna do. It ain't nothing you can do
about it. I didn't mind telling on defensive back what
I was gonna do. What are you gonna do? You'll
stop me? No, that's not gonna happen. I like, I
(38:38):
like my chances. Did I get stopped sometimes? Yes? But
if we're gonna go like percentages wise, I'm gonna be
at least seven out of ten. I'll take those odds.
I'm not trust I'd rather be ten out of ten.
But I'll take seven out of ten because I'm one
of those sevens. Is gonna be me scoring a touchdown
on your butt, So at the end of the day,
I'll take it.
Speaker 2 (38:58):
He talked about that attitude and pride you carried, right,
But when I look and I talk to all of
you guys, are at Monk, Ricky Sayders, Brian Mitchell, just
name all these guys. All of y'all had that innate confidence, attitude,
hunger to be the best. Do you see that in
today's game, Because when I do talk to y'all, I'm like, man,
this just seems so rare to have so many different
(39:20):
people argue to be the best at their positions have
the same mentality and being on one accurt.
Speaker 4 (39:28):
Well, I have you see it on certain teams. You've
seen it on certain teams in the league, like I've
seen Kansas City have it. Kansas City had it for
not so much this year, but again, there's no years
that you're just not going to be the guy. But
for the most part, they've been the guys that they
could count on coming back and coming back and coming back.
(39:49):
When you come back and come back over and over
and again, you got dogs on your team. You gotta
be a dog. I mean, this is not youth league,
is not high school, is not college anymore. You know,
it's different rules now. Like I'm not gonna be a
gentleman on the field. No, that's not gonna happen. It's
just not you know, if you punch me, I'm gonna
(40:10):
put you back. Well, I'm just gonna punch you to
start with. It's gonna be one or the other. Like,
I'm playing the game to win the football game. And
football was played that way, and when you play it
that way, you tend to win more games. I mean,
it's just what it is you have to have. But
you can only play that way if you've put in
the work to be able to play that way. I mean,
you can only play that way if you put in
(40:32):
the work and the burgundy and go. They have some
great players on their football team, they really do. It's
just a matter of them figuring out a way to
make sure that they played together. And that's up to
the players. That's one hundred percent up to the players.
Like coach GiB never once had a call a meeting
from us all to come together. The players did it.
We did it ourselves. We held ourselves accountable, and hopefully
(40:55):
the commanders are holding theirselves accountable for what they got
to do because the hasn't been bad, and a lot
of people try to blame. I'm no, because you know
when I do look at it. No, same coaches, same
coaching strategy. You know, if you don't like to play,
that's called, you change it. If you don't like the defense,
(41:16):
that call, you change it. Because we have that ability
to do them. They give us the ability to do
those things. That's called being a football player. It's being
called and be like, Okay, we're going to make sure
that we run the right play because we're the players,
We're the people on the field. We're there instantly. We
know we're seeing what they don't see upstairs. Yet they
(41:39):
can do best they can, but we see it first.
So if I don't do my job and let the
quarterback know, hey, by the way, I can run this
route to get open on this guy because this is
what he's weakend. And I thought I'm seeing it in
the game, I'm not seeing it. Just throw me the ball.
I'm not telling you to do that. What I'm saying
is over the first quarter, I've seen what this guy's doing.
(42:00):
This is where he's weak at. So this is where
you need to throw me the rock too, you know,
And everybody on our team would do that at the
end of the day and unselfishly or think Ricky Sanders
was having a great game. I'm me and Areta told
her be like, say, Slick, we're going to take the
pressure off of you, so you can continue to kill
this guy. Whoever they put on you, you were killing him,
(42:22):
so continue to kill him so we get this win,
you know, because you want to be the guy. But
she also want to win first. Anytime we won a
football game you had, we had no problem celebrating that together.
Speaker 3 (42:34):
None.
Speaker 4 (42:34):
The only time you ever seen Nivers get upset is
if we lost a football game and then we felt
like we weren't utilized the way that we should have
been utilized. But anytime we won, nobody cared about any other.
I didn't care about our status. Art didn't care about
my stats. Ricky didn't care about his Ricky never cared
about his stats. Ricky, Ricky is just a great guy
all the way around. But if we lost and you
(42:58):
didn't give us a rock, we had a problem. Man,
THO was gonna be a complaint, but typically we tend
to get the game to get the block the next week,
so it's always good.
Speaker 2 (43:10):
Hey, Gary, That's why I appreciate your opinion so much
and why I've enjoyed being able to do these game
day preview shows that we've been able to do this
season and seeing you get more into the fold with
the media and talking about the team, because it's one
thing for us to talk about it, but you won
the Super Bowls. You were one of the best to
ever do it. You played with some of the best
to ever do it. So I so appreciate your vantage
(43:31):
point and I hope you've been enjoying it too.
Speaker 3 (43:33):
Man.
Speaker 2 (43:33):
Have you enjoyed getting to do our game day preview
shows when you do every home game from DC Prime?
Have you enjoyed being able to put your analyst hat
back on and break down the game and look at
this game, especially with the way that the team has
evolved and changed.
Speaker 4 (43:48):
What I really love about it is the people that
I get to do it with that allows me. It's
just like when I played, Like, the best thing about
football is your teammates. Always has been that way. The
best thing about host football cap it's my teammates and
a new teammates like yourself that I had a chance
to work with. Now, it's all about your teammates that
make something exciting to do. For example, if we didn't
(44:10):
like each other on the show, we would not want
to go do that show. But we do like each
other on the show. We love the Hostyle, We love
everybody who puts us together, from the people behind the
scenes to the people in front of the mic, like yourself.
I mean, it's just a great team that you guys have,
and that's why it's enjoyable for me to do it.
I mean, because I love the people that are there.
And the food's pretty good too.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
Hey man, we eat good. And I'm grateful to just
be a part of the team. Man, Grateful y'all allow
me to be a part of it.
Speaker 3 (44:38):
And we kick it.
Speaker 2 (44:39):
Man, we have a good time there. So command this
face if you haven't pulled up yet for our DC
Prime game Day preview shows. That is every week.
Speaker 3 (44:46):
Of a home game.
Speaker 2 (44:47):
We only have one left, Gary, which makes me sad,
but I have a feeling they're gonna let us run
it back and maybe do it every week next year.
Speaker 3 (44:55):
Gary. We appreciation so much. We would it would? Man,
That is good.
Speaker 4 (45:00):
You know it wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (45:02):
We were good luck for a little bit.
Speaker 4 (45:04):
You could go on.
Speaker 3 (45:06):
Gary, We appreciate your time so much.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
Man, thank you for always being willing to pull up
and Man, can't wait to see you again.
Speaker 3 (45:11):
Gary.
Speaker 2 (45:11):
We appreciate your insight. Commander Family, our Next Man Up
Washington legend, one of the best ever. Do it my god,
Gary Clark, appreciate you.
Speaker 4 (45:19):
Brother. Thank you, brother. Have a good one now you too.
Speaker 2 (45:21):
Man, Command is 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 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
(45:42):
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 make sure to subscribe to
the Commander's YouTube page. So you don't miss any of
our content. I'm Roankow Jr. And this is Next Man Up.
This show was filmed at the Big Bear AI Command
(46:03):
Center Studio. Big Bear AI offers mission ready AI for
a rapidly evolving world, proudly protecting the Washington Commanders and
its fans.
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