The All-Pro Philly Players Show w/ Oren Burks - 12/30/24

Jerrold Colton is LIVE from Chickie's and Pete's in Marlton, NJ with #Eagles LB Oren Burks! They discuss another big win against the #Cowboys, heading into Week 18 set as the #2 seed in the NFC, and more.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
If you can wager on it, We're talking about it.
It's the Gambler, The Fox Sports Radio, The Gambler. Fox
Sports Radio in Philly is the Gambler. The Gambler, Philly's
home for all things sports gambling, coming to you live

(00:21):
from Chicky's and Pete's in Marlton, New Jersey, every Monday Night.
It's the All Pro Philly Players Show. Now Here are
your hosts, Gerald Colton and Eagles inside it Dave Spadero.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

Speaker 3 (00:38):
Welcome to Chicky and Petz in Marlton, New Jersey.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
I'm Gerald Colton.

Speaker 3 (00:42):
My co host Daves Spadero has another engagement and important one.
I got upstage by Merle Reesel, legendary voice of the Eagle,
so I have to accept that.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
But but I am thrilled to be here.

Speaker 3 (00:53):
It is our eleventh out of twelfth victory Monday in
Chickens and Pizza. Over the last three months that it's
been a fantastic season every week with a different Eagles
player during a spectacular two thy twenty four season. As
we come to the end of the calendar year, and
yesterday was a beautiful victory. Any victory over the Dallas
Cowboys is always great, but this one forty one to

(01:15):
seven at link of Financial Field, moving the Eagles to
thirteen and three and clinching the NFC East for twenty
twenty four. When you start the season, that's one of
the goals. There's still many goals to go. But we've
had such a great year and such great guests from
the Eagles, and our timing couldn't be better for this
one yesterday. If you watch that game, the leading tackler

(01:35):
for the Philadelphia Eagles and the guy who forced a
very big fumble still early in the game when it
was still in doubt, number forty two or in Berks, Hello, Ward.

Speaker 4 (01:46):
How's it going. How's going?

Speaker 2 (01:47):
It's great, and it's great to have you here. And
we really have had a great year.

Speaker 3 (01:50):
And one of the things that we've really enjoyed is
what a great group of men you have the Philadelphia
Eagles are and you know what passionate fans Philadelphia has.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
But this is a team, in my opinion.

Speaker 3 (02:04):
That very much deserves to be rooted for, and we
could be really happy to have it as our team
and to really bask in the glow of what you're doing.

Speaker 2 (02:13):
On the field.

Speaker 4 (02:14):
Absolutely.

Speaker 5 (02:14):
I feel like for me coming in as a free agent,
that was one of the first things I recognize is
how close the locker room was, how close the guys
bonded off the field and really got along. So that
special culture is what you're seeing on the field weekend
and week out.

Speaker 3 (02:27):
But you feel that, I mean you really really really
feel that. You feel a unity, and you feel like
you're having fun and you root for each other. So
I mean, there were so many different hero sub heroes
of yesterday's game and throughout this season, and from my standpoint,
it is and I've watched a lot more football than
you've been around for it, and a lot of Philadelphia

(02:48):
Eagles teams, I really believe in championship teams, other teams
that got to Super Bowls, a lot of division winners.
I really believe this is the deepest Philadelphia Eagles team
I've ever seen. And you've had so many things where
goes down, another guy steps in and look, this is
your first year. As he goes I'm sure a lot
of fans weren't that familiar with you. And then you
step in and you don't skip a beat.

Speaker 4 (03:08):
Yeah, Yeah, that's what about for me from the day in,
day and out.

Speaker 5 (03:13):
We just believe that, like next man up mentality, you
just gotta be ready when your opportunity comes up. And
just really fortunate, you know, we have a really great
linebacker room with Zach Bond and the Kobe leading the
way and Trotter coming along as well, like he's a
local guy. So I feel like just the culture that
we built, you know, just in a short amount of
time that ditting to know each other has been really special.

Speaker 3 (03:31):
So well, it's great to have you here. And the
other three guys you mentioned in Zach, Nikobe, and Trotz
have all been guests. So it's about time we got
you and I could have advance for a better week after
You really were one of the real stars on the
field yesterday for the field off the egals.

Speaker 2 (03:46):
So let's go back to yesterday just a couple of things.

Speaker 3 (03:49):
I'm not going to dissect the entire game because it
was an annihilation in the end, but like many NFL games,
it certainly doesn't start out that way, and it didn't
start out beautifully other than the fact that the weather
and you're you're kind of a Northeast guy, Virginia is
not really northeast, but it's close enough and pretty surprising.
December twenty ninth weather at Lincoln Financial yesterday.

Speaker 5 (04:09):
Yeah, when you look at the schedule and you see
those late games here, you know, you know we're going
to be in for something, some wintery mixes, some you know,
cold games. But we were fortunately, you know, have a
little bit better weather than this guy. So I was
expecting the rain, so I was ready to go regardless.
But no matter of the circumstances, Like I played in
Green Bay like it was negative twelve, like that kind
of stuff, and just find a way to play.

Speaker 3 (04:31):
Yeah, I mean, green Bay's cold like nothing else. So
no matter what, this is like beach weather for you.
But by the same token it normally it's cold. It
was coined for grain all week and then all of
a sudden, it's a sixty five degree sunny day on
December twenty. And on top of that, those Kelly Green
uniforms looked really great in that sunshine.

Speaker 4 (04:50):
Yeah, they're iconic, man.

Speaker 5 (04:52):
That was one of the things I was looking forward to,
you know, becoming the Eagle is playing in the Kelly Greens.
You know, I remember last year, last couple of years
with the nine and seeing them playing in those those
uniforms and like, man and those are cleaning so or.

Speaker 2 (05:04):
I look at the Eagles and Kyle Kelly Green and to.

Speaker 3 (05:09):
Me, it's just a spectacular look and it's a it's
it's just I don't know, it's a mass of something
that it adds so much to me aesthetically to the game.

Speaker 2 (05:18):
As you as players, do you care about that? Do
you actually feel that?

Speaker 5 (05:22):
Yeah, I feel like it's just a tip of your
hat to the history of the organization, all the players
that come before you that you know, make this thing great.

Speaker 4 (05:30):
And I've been lucky to be a part of a
historic organization.

Speaker 5 (05:32):
My whole career was Green Bay or San Frando here
with the Eagles, and I feel like that history like
that brings true with me, Like I really appreciate the
history of the game and all the players have paid
the way for us to play what we're doing right now.

Speaker 3 (05:44):
It's a great segue for me to mention somebody. And
I'm not sure how familiar you are with this guy,
but a really iconic Eagles linebacker passed away this past week.
It was Bill Bergie.

Speaker 4 (05:56):
Do you know that name?

Speaker 3 (05:58):
Bill is an Eagle Hall of Famer and then he
played on the nineteen eighty NFC championship team. He's a
guy who's really a whisker away from being a Hall
of Famer. I think he could have been. He's got
a historic case. Just a quick background. I am a
sports attorney agent and I used to teach sports law
over at Rutgers Law School and a casebook. A case

(06:22):
in our casebook is the Cincinnati Bengals versus Bill Bergie.
He signed a contract to play in another league that
it was a UFL in the seventies. After his contract
with the Bengals expired, they sued him, went to court,
the league wound up folding. The Eagles picked him up
in a trade from the Bengals, and that's how he
went up here. And so he actually came to my
sports law class so we could discuss the case of

(06:44):
Phil Bergie.

Speaker 2 (06:44):
Getting sued by the team he was playing for.

Speaker 3 (06:47):
And it's really long if we're here to talk about
you and your current Fieldelphi Eagles. But he was a
fascinating guy and I would say he was one of
the genuinely toughest, but nicest and most honest people I
ever met. He was just he and you probably see
you guys like this. His personality was like he played.
He was an in your face, tough guy and just
just a great, great guy and a real Philadelphia type

(07:09):
of player. And he'll be missed the person And as
you will find out and probably have already, Bill Bergie
was one of many former Philadelphias that.

Speaker 2 (07:19):
Was still at every game, at every game.

Speaker 3 (07:22):
He never he never left the area, never moved away,
never missed a Sunday. And then he got sick recently
and unfortunately passed away right past Christmas. But what a
great guy and one of the many legendary and you
will find that once you're an Eagle, you're an Eagle forever.

Speaker 2 (07:35):
Now, you played in other places that.

Speaker 3 (07:37):
Are like that, and in the forty nine ers and
the Green Bay package, but we hope to claim you
as and when if you win the super Bowl here,
then there's no.

Speaker 4 (07:43):
Question that's that's the goal. That's the goal for There's.

Speaker 3 (07:46):
Something about you know that championship team that you are
together forever.

Speaker 2 (07:50):
But I'm sure you've seen it already.

Speaker 3 (07:51):
There are a lot of a lot of former players
that are around the organization and are always been. But
let's let's go back to this team or a big
rip to Bill Burgie though, and just one other thing
that was ironic about Bill Bergie. His son was a
great lacrosse player and played injury lacrosse and where the
same number Bergie was sixty six for the Eagles, his
son Jake was sixty six for the Philadelphia Wings and

(08:13):
in Wells Fargo where the Flyers and six years play,
his numbers hanging from the rafters. You're tired by the
Philadelphia Wings, a great Philadelphia family. Now let's get back
to the current Eagles and Oran Burks so or you
have not been here a long time year in your
seventh year in the NFL.

Speaker 2 (08:28):
Right, which is a lot.

Speaker 3 (08:29):
I mean the curve in the NFL is generally three
plus years, so you're like twice twice the lifespan and
with what I saw last yesterday on the field, a
long way still to go. But it's your first year
in Philadelphia. And how have you found the city of
Philadelphia to be and being a Philadelphia Eagle.

Speaker 5 (08:48):
Yeah, it's just a great sports city, like grown up
outside of DC. Like you're like hear about like the
passion that these fans have here and just from the
Phillies to the Sixers, the five like, it's just organizations
that you know, are competing.

Speaker 4 (09:03):
To win at the highest level.

Speaker 5 (09:05):
So I was excited to get here, excited to be
closer to home and just add value wherever Iica and
this team has been, you know, right at the cusp
of win the Super Bowl the last couple of years,
and hopefully we can get over that help this year.

Speaker 2 (09:18):
And you've been really on the cusp as well.

Speaker 3 (09:20):
I mean you played and started in the Super Bowl
last year for the San Francisco forty nine ers, and
you played against Philadelphigos in the conference championship two years ago.
So we'll get through all that history and how you've
interwoven with Philadelphia and how you've been a part of
a winner most of your career. You've been This is
how many division championships for you in seven years?

Speaker 4 (09:40):
This is my six out of side of the area.

Speaker 3 (09:41):
So six division championships in seven years. A lot of
guys go through a career and never get won. And
that you're getting kind of used in. It doesn't happen
every year.

Speaker 4 (09:49):
I'll say, I never get used to it, like I
always take it.

Speaker 5 (09:52):
You know, like like you said, there's a lot of
guys that go to the whole career and don't have
the opportunity.

Speaker 4 (09:56):
So I don't take it for granted.

Speaker 5 (09:57):
Man, it takes a lot of work and being on
the right team and just really busted with that.

Speaker 3 (10:02):
But nonetheless, none of those six division championships have wound
up with a super Bowl championship.

Speaker 2 (10:07):
Came close.

Speaker 3 (10:08):
I mean, you guys could have gotten any closer last year,
had a lead in overtime.

Speaker 4 (10:12):
And I don't.

Speaker 3 (10:14):
Want to bring up bad memories, but some of us
don't like the forty nine ers. We'd rather see you
win as an Eagle. But let's go back to yesterday.
It really was a magical day for a lot of
reasons at Lincoln Financial Field. Didn't start off great for
the first few minutes, but you're starting a game for
the first time as a Philadelphi Eagle.

Speaker 2 (10:33):
Tell me how that felt, How juice you are to
step out on that field at the start of the game.

Speaker 4 (10:36):
Yeah, it was excited.

Speaker 5 (10:37):
Just a huge opportunity, you know, to step up when
the Kobe comes down, and I feel like anytime you
suit up, like no matter what the oppointment is, they're
NFL players and they you know, they're they're fighting for
their jobs, fighting for their families, and you know that
you're gonna get their best, so we got to give
our best as well. So I feel like it took
us a while to kind of get our groove, but
once we did, we were rolling. And you know, it's

(11:00):
it's really a lot to say about the defense. Like
from from the jump when they said that I was
gonna be starting, like you got guys like Read and
some of the other players that were really like, you know,
feeding into me, like give me like confidence to go
out there and play just just in the fo state,
like not thinking too much and just playing fast and physical.

Speaker 4 (11:17):
And we got a great D line. So that's that
helps out my job a lot.

Speaker 5 (11:20):
You know, having Jayleen Carter and Jordan Davis and stuff
guys like that up front that eat up those blocks
and I can just run around and make plays. But
it really is a collective effort just to go out
there and put our vestball out there.

Speaker 3 (11:31):
From the outside, you can tell how close you are,
and it looks so much like.

Speaker 2 (11:36):
Everyone is rooting for everyone else.

Speaker 3 (11:38):
You don't necessarily feel that from every team, whoever it is,
they're they're jumping up and down, they're congratulating you. I mean, look,
Tanner McKay, another guy who's here this year. Your whole
group looked like they couldn't have been happier. AJ Brown
was so excited he fired that touch his touchdown fans
into the crab which which of course was another great
uniting moment.

Speaker 2 (11:59):
And of course, no matter what, Big Dom winds.

Speaker 5 (12:01):
Up in the middle of every there he's he's an enforcer,
make sure everything, you know, goes smooth. And he got
the ball back for for Tanner, that's a big moment
for him and Aj you know, uh gave his gave
his word to the fan that he'd give him will
something after the game. So you know, it's again it
comes down to the team effort. Everybody collectively come together
for a comic goal.

Speaker 3 (12:19):
So and a number of our guests this year, our
first time parents within the last few months of a
club that you are also a part of. We had
Rick Levado, Tanner McKee, Zach Bond and now yourself there
we go.

Speaker 2 (12:33):
So which is so, how was first Christmas as a father?

Speaker 4 (12:36):
Man? It was amazing, It's amazing, just a lot of
great memories.

Speaker 5 (12:38):
Was able to go back home to Virginia see my
family and my grandparents, my aunts and all this stuff.

Speaker 4 (12:44):
They were excited to see her.

Speaker 5 (12:45):
So she's literally sitting in the middle of our living
room and everybody's just watching her having a great time.
And she's the first grandchild in our family. So, uh,
just just really blessed to be around family. Uh they're
really really Unfortunately the game is the day off. We
ended up moving the schedule around a little.

Speaker 3 (13:00):
But those moments you'll never forget, Like all those first
year pictures will be so memorable, and each year will
get better, actually gets more and more aware of what's
going on, and at some point you realize that Santa
claus Is are real, but you got a few more
years when it comes. So in the preparation, you know,
you you dress every game, you're playing special teams.

Speaker 2 (13:23):
It still has to be different. Know where you're starting,
yes and no.

Speaker 5 (13:27):
I feel like I always prepare as a starter, just
mentally year seven. Like I've been in situations like like
the Super Bowl, like I was starting, but I wasn't
playing a huge role at first, and Drake Greenlow goes
down and I have to end up playing significant steps
in the Super Bowl. So I feel like for me
getting into year seven, I always prepare like I'm the start,
making the checks, making sure I'm on everything, and if

(13:49):
my time comes, I'm ready for it. If not, I'm
better for it next week. So just continue with the
same process. It's just allowed me to sustain my career
and the special teams as well, it has been huge,
Like just getting on the field added value. Finding ways,
you know, to bring guys along as we have a
lot of younger guys and special teams this year and
they didn't really play in college or high school, you know,

(14:10):
so just finding ways to bring those guys along as well.

Speaker 3 (14:14):
So what did it feel like winning the NFCAS Championship
and going into that locker room as a team to celebrate.

Speaker 4 (14:21):
Man, it feels awesome and it's a lot of hard
work that goes into it.

Speaker 5 (14:23):
And you know, we talked about that being the first goal,
you know, once you get into the season, is it
taking care of your division and then you move on
to bigger and better things.

Speaker 4 (14:31):
But just checking that box right there, it.

Speaker 5 (14:33):
Just gives us a lot of confidence going into the
next couple of games, into the playoffs, and we're clicking
on all cylinders right now. You got to get guys
healthy a little bit. But I feel like for the
most part we're in a great spot.

Speaker 3 (14:44):
I heard somebody, I think it was Saquan say in
a quote that he didn't even know that a division
championship hat was a thing.

Speaker 2 (14:51):
So, so, do you still have all six of your.

Speaker 4 (14:54):
Championship I do. I haven't been in a drawers.

Speaker 5 (14:56):
I'll add this to the collection with the shirt and
the head and T shirts. I got sick to him now,
so it's been been cool. Someday I'll put that in
my man cave and framean or do something cool with it.

Speaker 4 (15:04):
But I know exactly where they are in my house
right now.

Speaker 2 (15:07):
We want you to get that Super Bowl champion hat.

Speaker 3 (15:10):
You'll never wear those other ones again, but those are great,
great souvenirs and great keepsake. So at the start of
this game, because I'm really curious to mentality, and I
hear how and.

Speaker 2 (15:23):
Believe very much that you prepare like you're going to start.

Speaker 3 (15:25):
I mean, the week before Jalen goes down and you
know he's picking's got to go right in there and play,
and you know the guy hasn't played really meaningful downs
all year and he's right in there in the first quarter,
so you always have to be ready.

Speaker 2 (15:38):
You never know when that chance is going to be.

Speaker 3 (15:40):
But I gotta believe you like winning the toss and
deferring so that you get on defense first.

Speaker 5 (15:48):
Yeah, I've always been a fan of deferring, and then
you know, get that kickoff out the way.

Speaker 4 (15:52):
One is a special teams guys like I like to
hunt and get out there.

Speaker 5 (15:55):
But defensively, I feel like you sent the tone just
just with that first drive, like they to style play,
let them know it's gonna be a long day, you
know that kind of thing. And then and then you
get the ball back at the half and on offense,
so like it's it's a double way. I feel like
it's definitely the way to go. If I were a coach,
I'm deferring every time, if well, defensive guys especially, But it.

Speaker 3 (16:15):
Really has worked out mathematically where it winds up you
get that possession at the end of the first yet
and want to start the second one.

Speaker 2 (16:22):
It's amazing how many games you've gotten.

Speaker 3 (16:24):
Those two scores and kind of put it away without
that kind of movie for sure. All right, So it's
also got to feel good to get that first hit in.
And you got that first hit and that second hit
and the third hit right away. I mean that first
drive was not necessarily ideal defensively because they did move
it on you, but they weren't getting big chunks a
small trip. But you got a bunch of tackles right away.

(16:45):
And I actually actually think you got cheated. I think
you got more than they credited you for.

Speaker 5 (16:50):
Hey man, I'm just happy to make plays when when
my time comes, you know, just do my job.

Speaker 4 (16:54):
And like you said, like that first hit kind of
gets out of the way.

Speaker 5 (16:56):
You're like, I'm playing football, so getting very back into
the flow of things.

Speaker 3 (17:00):
But it's still better to get hits on a sixty
degree day than those twenty degree days, right, Yeah, the.

Speaker 4 (17:04):
Hits feel a little different when it's called her out,
for sure.

Speaker 3 (17:07):
It was a little chili last week in watching and
not too cold, but a little chili.

Speaker 2 (17:11):
And by the way, so playing in Washington.

Speaker 3 (17:13):
Which is really near where you grew up, how many
tickets do you need for that game?

Speaker 4 (17:17):
I let my dad, my dad handle it.

Speaker 5 (17:18):
I had a set number of people that I was
paying for tickets, and then I was like the rest
of you, like I would love to have you, but like,
I can't be playing for.

Speaker 4 (17:25):
Free out here.

Speaker 3 (17:26):
So people don't realize that on the road you don't
even get one COMP ticket.

Speaker 2 (17:31):
At home you get two. And so when you can't
take care of.

Speaker 3 (17:34):
All the people you want to come support you, so
you can maybe get them tickets, but they got to
pay because otherwise those games will cost you a fortune.

Speaker 5 (17:41):
It's up over the years. You know, we've got seventeen
games plus playoffs.

Speaker 4 (17:45):
It's like that. That definitely adds up well. And super
Bowl tickets.

Speaker 3 (17:49):
People have no idea because again you only get two
comps and those costs thousands of pieces, very expensive. It's
a good problem to have, but people have to understand,
all right. So getting back to yesterday, so you immediately
get involved. But Dallas was moving the ball and the
last week didn't end on a great note in the

(18:09):
first drive. But CJGJ, who couldn't have felt good about
how last week ended for him, and he was certainly
missed when he went out of the game, came.

Speaker 2 (18:16):
Up with a huge play.

Speaker 4 (18:17):
Yep, yeah, he's just a playmaker.

Speaker 5 (18:19):
He finds a way to take the ball away with
this interception force fumbles. He plays a lot of passion,
a lot of emotion, and sometimes I gets the better room,
but other times that it fuels us, you know, like
I feel like he's really somebody who can rally around
and got a ton of respect for his game and
the way that he goes about it, and yeah, just
a fun player to watch the shore.

Speaker 3 (18:39):
He's fun player to have as a fan because he
was on the team that beat you in the conference
championship in twenty twenty two and lost in the Super Bowl.

Speaker 2 (18:47):
He was not on last year's team, and I felt he.

Speaker 3 (18:49):
Was sorely missed and totally front off his bid to
him brought him back. So he's really been a huge,
hugely valuable piece of this team. And the other part
is one of the biggest stats in football. I've got
the playbook here and always go to the statute there,
and there's just a few that almost always will tell
you who won the game. Turnover the number one. Now
for some reason the week before that one did it

(19:11):
work out? Yeah, I've never seen a team get five turnovers,
rush through two hind of yards and not win the game.
But an you know, there's aberrations on there, but in general,
the turnover battle will decide the winner, and yesterday's was
four zero, and you're gonna win most football games that way.

Speaker 4 (19:25):
So that's the odds are.

Speaker 5 (19:26):
In your favorite one, you got four turnovers to say,
so that's why we could keep hinting on defense and
offense protects it and then you know the turnover differentially
explosive plays. Those are the things that you know, really
ultimate lead to wins in the long leadstuff.

Speaker 2 (19:40):
And you weren't here last year.

Speaker 3 (19:42):
Weren't wasn't a great turnover season for the Eagles, and
you saw it kind of tickets toll. It started off
this year not getting turnovers, and then it has just steamrolled.
I think it's twenty three in the last ten games,
which is you're gonna win. You're gonna win those games,
and clearly it's got to be a point of emphasis.

Speaker 2 (19:56):
I have no path for you.

Speaker 5 (19:57):
Was like you said, we started slow, you know, in
turn the turnovers, and we knew that we were playing
good defense and we kind of were picking up Vic's
scheme and coming together as a team. But once we
started to emphasizing that in practice, you see it coming
into portion in the games. Punching the ball out taking
interceptions and they come in bunches, you know, like everybody,
that's the saying that everybody says, but I truly believe that,

(20:20):
like once you kind of have that momentum going when
you take the ball away, once you're like, hey, we
might as well do it again. You know, it ended
up working out well for all offense. So we just
kind of feed off each other's energy in that sense.

Speaker 4 (20:30):
God.

Speaker 3 (20:30):
So, speaking of punching the ball out number forty two
with Eagles leading fourteen to seven in the first year,
punched the ball real well and forced a turnover that
was very critical to me, and that you got it
in positive territory and kicked the field goal to make
it seventeen to seven. Yeah, So that was you. That
was That had to be one of your big plays
so far in Eagles Greed.

Speaker 5 (20:51):
Yeah, it definitely was, you know, just taking repetitive blows
at the ball and that went. I like was just
tackling at the level ball and ended up knocking it out.
And it's funny like those the ones that you're like
intentional about really punching sometimes you don't get it out,
and the ones you're just like making a regular tackle
and just trying to just get to the level of the ball.
Those are the ones that come out, so you just
got to keep keep going at it.

Speaker 3 (21:11):
We are speaking with Eagles linebacker at number forty two
or In Birks his first year in Philadelphia's seventh year
in the National Football League, and from what we saw yesterday,
plenty plenty more to go. But or in that punching
the ball the way you're describing it, I don't think
people know how forceful that is. I watch it all
the time. I literally don't know how guys hold on

(21:31):
the ball period.

Speaker 5 (21:33):
Seriously, Yeah, I feel like our offense guys I can
give him a town of respect. Like where Crianni has
been a point of Infhai is always having the ball
like tucked away and just knowing where the defenders are
coming and know that they're trying to push the ball out.
So for us, there's so many different types of punches.
You can have the over the top, you have the
upper cut like, you have the rake like, there's just

(21:53):
so many different ways you can kind of find ways
to take the ball away. But you just got to
know when to use it and just be aggressive at
the same time. Like sometimes you just make a big
hit and the ball comes out. So any boxing training
a little bit. I did a couple off seasons of
training and everything, But I feel like it's just a mentality,
just just knowing that, you know, I have to take
the ball away, like that's gonna help my team in

(22:15):
the best way. So it's just just the mentality every
play trying to take it away.

Speaker 3 (22:19):
How good is that field? Would you punch it right
on and you see it come loose?

Speaker 4 (22:22):
H absolutely no, No greater feeling.

Speaker 2 (22:24):
So I guess it was Carter jumped on it right?

Speaker 4 (22:27):
Oh, yeah it was is Jordan Davis? Jordan Davis?

Speaker 3 (22:31):
Yeah, which is But so it's a great team effort.
It seems to me it's more important to punch it
out than get it.

Speaker 2 (22:36):
But either way, you a way. It's nice to get
your hands on.

Speaker 3 (22:41):
The ball, especially for the defensive player from a special
team standpoint, which has been a lot of what you
have done in your career and for a lot of
guys listen, that.

Speaker 2 (22:51):
Keeps gets you in the league and keep you in
the league.

Speaker 3 (22:53):
So it's it's a great thing. Obviously, you like playing
it because you play with a lot of passion and fire.

Speaker 5 (22:58):
Yeah, I mean, I feel like earlier in my career,
I was I was kind of going in and out
and playing time, and then ultimately I was just like,
you know, I'm going to establish myself as a great
special teams player. I didn't really know that was you know,
you could really sustain your career with it.

Speaker 4 (23:13):
But like I just knew that I wanted to add value.

Speaker 5 (23:15):
I didn't want to be just a guy, you know,
on the sideline, just not really contributing to the team.
So I started like making tackles and plays later and
I was I just really like embraced that role. I
feel like that's the biggest difference is like some guys
embraced that special teams roles.

Speaker 4 (23:28):
Some guys don't.

Speaker 5 (23:28):
They want to be, you know, just strictly offensive defense,
which is nothing wrong with that, But for me, I
knew that, like I wanted to add value wherever I could,
and that's been like a calling car for me. Even
like getting my second contract, it was pretty much off
of the special teams deal because I didn't get a
ton of time defensively, and my role is kind of
blossomed from there. Ended up being like a starting linebacker

(23:49):
with the Niners and I've always just like, know the
special teams my calling car or something that I kind
of laid my hat on, and like I said, we
have a lot of younger guys on special teams here
with the Eagles and bringing those guys along and having
that same mentality of like wanting to do it, playing
fast and physical and then just knowing that it affects
the games and ways that you have no idea, Like

(24:09):
the spield position is a huge thing, and then momentum,
you know, just making a big play play on kickoff
the field the defense, You're like, oh, like there, it
brings a little bit more juice out there.

Speaker 4 (24:19):
So I really enjoy it.

Speaker 2 (24:22):
It's great.

Speaker 3 (24:22):
And you know one of your special teams coach is
Tyler Brown. Hailes right here for Marlton, New Jersey. He
went to Cherokee High School and his father used to
be the mayor of Marlton.

Speaker 4 (24:33):
So yeah, so we are.

Speaker 3 (24:35):
We are in Brown territory for sure, and a real
great coach, a great up and coming young coach. So
I expect we'll have a long, long career in the
Natural Fotball League. Now, I have one quick question before
I take our first break. If we're going special teams.
Obviously there's new kickoff rules this year. How much difference
has it made it It aesthetically from the outside, it

(24:55):
still looks so bizarre to me, so, but from playing
it instead of running all the way down, you know,
really sixty yards or whatever you have and it's a
lot shorter distance.

Speaker 2 (25:03):
How's it affected you and coverage and your play?

Speaker 4 (25:07):
It definitely has effect that.

Speaker 5 (25:08):
I feel like early everybody was just kind of trial
and error trying to figure out, you know, how to
play to the different rules, of different techniques that you
can use, and ultimately, like I said, like comes down
to mindset, playing fast and physical and wanting to do it.
Those are the things that I think like as a
special scenes player, those are the three things you have
to have. But what it looks like, it looks at
a little different these years, But I don't know, we'll
see if they keep it. I feel like their objective

(25:30):
was to get more returns, and you know, especially earlier
in the year, everybody just kicking out at the back
of the end zone and you're getting the ball at
the thirty So it's like, I don't know, it changes
the game in ways that you know, we didn't anticipate,
but we'll see, you know, how the rules committee sees
it going into next year.

Speaker 3 (25:45):
I understand the reasons for it, certainly from the safety standpoint.
So you in actually covering those kicks and making those runs.

Speaker 2 (25:52):
Has it been less impactful on your body?

Speaker 4 (25:54):
Yeah, I would say over the over the course of
the year for sure.

Speaker 5 (25:57):
I know, like in past years, like this time of
the year, my Hampshire are about to fall off the bone,
you know, just getting those sprints in your game after game.
But this year it is a shorter distance, so that definitely,
you know, helps a little bit. But I think it's
it's just I don't know, it's just that it doesn't
feel like real football sometimes. You know, when we're out there,
you got that momentum just running full speed, and you know,
you obviously don't want those big blows where you have

(26:19):
a lot of concussions, you know, off of a kickoffs
was But there's I feel like there's ways that we
can find a healthy compromise, a middle ground with that.

Speaker 3 (26:26):
So but like I got to think that in covering kickoffs,
when you're going turning around right away and then playing
in the defense has to be a lot harder if.

Speaker 2 (26:35):
You're run that long field than it is.

Speaker 4 (26:37):
You're a little winded.

Speaker 2 (26:39):
Anyway.

Speaker 3 (26:40):
And then the last thing I have on before I
break is Dallas has like a record setting all time
kick returners. As Dallas is coming in, you look at
the team and I see a team that's sputtering, has
had a rough year, even though they want to wear
that last five. But you know, that kind of guy
can make a difference. You know, you guys did a

(27:00):
great job shutt him down. Most of the props go
to your kickers for not letting return the ball, but
a nice job and he had. That had to be
a point of emphasis. Let's not let him beat us. Yeah,
it definitely was.

Speaker 5 (27:10):
I feel like he's a spark for that team played
him a lot of years over the years in the league,
and he can he can take anything and make it
and make it a touchdown some kind of way. So
you definitely just have to, you know, play together, stay
in your lane and be aggressive, you know, just not
letting them get a little little in. She can take
it a mile. So's that was definitely a point of
emphasis this week.

Speaker 3 (27:30):
All Right, we're going to take a short break. Here
we are at chick and Pets in Marlton, New Jersey.
We'll be here till seven o'clock. If you're nearby, stop
on in great festive atmosphere here. Games on the TV
is always Chickis and Pets, where the players go. Peach
Heroch in his staff do such a great job hosting.
A bunch of your guys were over at the South
Philly spotty after the game yesterday and.

Speaker 2 (27:48):
With their families and able to enjoy now.

Speaker 3 (27:50):
The holidays kind of are tough when you're playing football
games in between, but a lot of families together and
it's just been great. We love it here and appreciate
them having us every week. We will be back and
continue on, and I want to get into your journey
that led you from Virginia to Vanderbilt, to Green Bay,
to San Francisco and finally Philadela.

Speaker 2 (28:13):
You're listening to the All Pro Philly Players show.

Speaker 3 (28:15):
Our special guest or in Burds of the Philoffa Eagles,
I'm Gerald Colton.

Speaker 2 (28:19):
Will be back on Fox Sports a Gambler.

Speaker 1 (28:21):
The Gambler, Philly's home for all things sports gambling.

Speaker 3 (28:42):
We welcome back to Chicken Pizza, Marleston, New Jersey. The
All Pro Philly Players show live on Fox Sports a Gambler.
We're here every Monday from six to seven, and we
just had a fantastic season. Eagles now thirteen to three
NFC East champions and our special guest a big part
of yesterday's victory or in burn Exploring. We covered a
lot of territory in our first segment, but there's a

(29:04):
lot I want to go to the background because everybody,
everybody in the NFL has a story as to how
they got there, and it's really they're all incredible. And
one of the things that we love doing here every
week is really getting to know the players and why.

Speaker 2 (29:17):
I talked to even earlier, what a great group of.

Speaker 3 (29:19):
Guys you have and have fun it is to root for,
and you know, look, there's all sorts of stereotypes against athletes.

Speaker 2 (29:25):
And everybody on the Eagles that I meet is so smart.

Speaker 3 (29:28):
And you've got Stanford guys, and you've got Georgia guys
and Batma guys and Vanderbilt guys.

Speaker 2 (29:34):
You even have Houston Christian.

Speaker 3 (29:38):
School in jayl by way of Cornell and just such
an interesting array and interesting backgrounds. But Vanderbilt has not
historically been a hotbed of prospects, especially coming out of
the SEC.

Speaker 2 (29:50):
But plays real, real good football.

Speaker 3 (29:52):
So talk about growing up in Virginia and then when
you realize that football could be your thing.

Speaker 4 (29:59):
Yeah, Actually, it's a funny story.

Speaker 5 (30:01):
I didn't start playing football until my freshman year in
high school and one of my buddies just kind of
dared me to come out for the team. Before that,
I was a basketball guy, and I had a lot
of cousins that played basketball that were over than me,
and I thought that was gonna be my path, you know,
was playing college ball.

Speaker 4 (30:14):
It was gonna be basketball and over my high school career.

Speaker 5 (30:18):
By my junior year, I knew that kind of falling
in love with football, and I started getting to my
office with that and my you know, idea of like
what could happen. My potential was just just blossomed, you know,
and I really fell in love with the game of football.
Got a ton of offers for football, and I thought
I was going to stay in state. I was in
Virginia or a Virginia tech guy, but opened up my

(30:38):
recruiting and ultimately found Vanderbilt just very academically sound in
school in the city of Nashville playing in SEC. I
felt like it was the right right blend of all
those things, and it was a great decision for me.
I found my wife there in Nashville. We lived there
during the off season as well, and just just loved
the city in Nashville so much. And what a bonus
sad is me?

Speaker 4 (30:58):
You know like that.

Speaker 3 (31:00):
But obviously academics are important to you, and at what
point as you're playing football, and and I understand most
people would choose playing basketball over football. And we had
two weeks ago Cooper de gene in here who was
high reels, unbelievable you versus Cooper who wins.

Speaker 4 (31:20):
I feel like I have a more complete game. I
could size him up a little bit, but he's He's
an explosive guy for sure. I've seen his plays.

Speaker 2 (31:26):
You know. I would love to stage that game with
Charity Charity one on.

Speaker 5 (31:31):
We have some pretty good hoopers on the team. I
feel like Zach Vond as well. He's a good basketball player.
Who else Zach Vond? He was a really good player
in Wisconsin. So uh yeah, I think you got some
guys that you can get out there and put on
the show.

Speaker 2 (31:42):
Love it.

Speaker 3 (31:42):
Now, you got some real big bodies too. I don't
know that they can move as well as these, but
still it be. It'd be real interesting. And they used
to be.

Speaker 2 (31:50):
I don't know if they still do it. The Eagles always.

Speaker 3 (31:52):
Had a charity team that would go around during the
off season.

Speaker 2 (31:55):
I don't think they do it as much because it's
it's it's all about injuries now and all stuff. They
keep it limited. All right.

Speaker 3 (32:02):
So you're coming out of high school and you choose Vanderbilt,
and I understand that choice now, the choice is today
and not very long after you played college up on me.
That choice now come down to a lot of money
because the NIL world. Now, back in the day, you
were probably not getting money for Vanderbilt, but your other
SEC teams might have been getting them. No matter what,

(32:24):
Saving wants to protest now. But this nil world, what
do you think of it?

Speaker 5 (32:29):
Yeah, it's definitely a different world to navigate. It's actually funny.
Me and Jordan Matthews are on the NIL board for Vanderbilt,
so we're you know, just learning like what that entails
and you know how to do things in a sustainable way.

Speaker 4 (32:43):
I feel like right now it's kind of.

Speaker 5 (32:44):
An arms race of like just raising money, just trying
to get get in the player's hands, which I definitely
agree with. Like during my time, I thought the name,
image and likeness was something that players should be able
to take advantage of so they can transition to the
professional life. But I feel like the the parameters of
what it looks like have been just like kind of
a wild West.

Speaker 4 (33:04):
So it'll be interesting to see how.

Speaker 5 (33:05):
Over the next couple of years the rules and regulations
around it will kind of like tailor down to something
that's a little bit more sustainable and grow in the
game in ways that are helping guys you know, get
degrees first of all, in the second of all, like
putting money in the pocket in the right way, or
they can manage it and you know, ultimately have a
great career in college because that's what everybody wants, who
want a competitive game. So I don't know, I'm still

(33:28):
kind of good in the feel for when I think
about it, but for all means, like for the guys
get paid.

Speaker 3 (33:34):
Man, I gotta believe where in Burks was getting a
big number right now if he were coming out of
High Schlle or if you were in the transfer portal already,
any such thing, and you know, look, we could get
it a big, big thing on the NIL. I just
know that the NCAA, as they do with a lot
of things, screwed it up by not getting ahead of
it before the NCAA ruled and allowed players to make
money of their name image like this, which they always

(33:56):
should have been able to.

Speaker 2 (33:57):
Very much a pro players guy.

Speaker 3 (34:00):
By the same token, this is not what I was
designed to do, which was to pay players to really
go to schools and pay players to transfer. And it's
gotten a little SALAMMI guys are just quitting at halftime
of Bowlgate. So we're not in the best state of
college sports right now, but they're getting They're getting there,
just doing Now there's going to be bidding awards.

Speaker 2 (34:19):
On keeping guys in college with the coming to the NFL.

Speaker 3 (34:22):
So all right, now, let's take you back to you're
coming out of Vanderbilt in twoenty eighteen.

Speaker 4 (34:29):
YEP.

Speaker 3 (34:30):
As you're at Vanderbilt, at what point do you realize
that I can play in the NFL?

Speaker 2 (34:35):
Did you know what going in?

Speaker 4 (34:37):
Not necessarily going in?

Speaker 5 (34:38):
Like I said, I was a basketball guy, so I
still kind of developed my love for the game in
football and my path in college was very like up
and down.

Speaker 4 (34:46):
Like I read shirted my freshman year, so.

Speaker 5 (34:48):
I didn't play, and then I changed positions. I came
in as a linebacker. He's got James Franklin who's now
at Penn State. He was my coach my freshman year.
He ends up coming to Penn State. We get Derek
Mady and and uh they changed my position from linebacker
to safety.

Speaker 2 (35:03):
Uh.

Speaker 5 (35:03):
So I played safety for two years free and strong,
and then I played the outside hybrid and then inside
my last year. So I played a million different positions
in college. And uh, throughout all that, I was just
always wanted to be a guy that added value.

Speaker 4 (35:17):
That a guy that uh.

Speaker 5 (35:18):
Just find a way to make plays wherever you put
me on the field, and that ultimately has helped my
my toolbox, you know, once I got to the league.
Just having the athleticism and uh that that dB background
to to play to make plays and run around. So
I don't know, it's just it's just crazy to think
I think I feel. I feel like it was like
my sophomore year, I had a really good year of safety.
I had like I think had four picks that year

(35:40):
or something like that.

Speaker 2 (35:41):
So what should you grow or get bigger.

Speaker 4 (35:44):
I struggled with Wade honestly until like I got into
the league.

Speaker 5 (35:48):
I was always like that that light guy in the
in the box with as a linebacker, and uh, I
was always like eating PB and Jay sandwiches and shakes
and everything. But no matter what, I couldn't keep waiting.
But uh, that slowed. My missiles is down a little
bit now, so I'm still probably a little bit lighter,
but finally in that two thirty range. But yeah, I
don't know, I just wanted to get out there and

(36:09):
make plays.

Speaker 3 (36:10):
Well, before I take you out of Vanderbilt, we got
to talk about probably the most significant thing that happened
to you.

Speaker 2 (36:15):
There, and that is meeting your wife. Absolutely, how did
that happen?

Speaker 5 (36:18):
Yeah, So we were both involved in fellowship with Christian
Athletes Organizational campus and we did a joint fellowship involved Belmont,
Vanderbilt TSU lived still a bunch of schools there in Nashville,
and I was one of the leaders for the Vanderbilt
group and she was one of the leaders for Belmont.
So that's how we initially met and kind of hit
it off from there.

Speaker 2 (36:37):
So and got married pretty young.

Speaker 4 (36:39):
Yeah, we got married at twenty four engaged.

Speaker 5 (36:42):
Gay served my rookie year when we were in Green Bay,
and there was definitely the best decision I made for
my career in my life.

Speaker 3 (36:48):
Man, it's the most important decision really of your life.
I have three sons that just got engaged within the
last few months, and all we made excellent.

Speaker 2 (36:56):
Choices and their father maybe didn't.

Speaker 3 (37:01):
You learn, you learn from mistake. So coming out your
combine workout was pretty spectacular and as you look at
or you go over that past where you played all
different positions, I think it shows what an amazing athlete
you are. And there's not a whole lot of guys
your size and a linebacker could run like you can
and jump like you can.

Speaker 5 (37:22):
So I definitely made some money during the combine and
that was I was a laid ad for the senior goal.
So I had like one day of practice, I walked
through in the game and make some money there in
the in the game, and I felt like my draft
stock just rose, like as as off season kind of
went into into play, and once the GM's and coaches
got to me, me see who I am as a
person as a leader, and.

Speaker 4 (37:42):
That it ultimately helped me get drafted in the third round.

Speaker 2 (37:45):
So let's go over those numbers, though, four.

Speaker 4 (37:47):
Sixty I was, yeah, four five nine, Yeah.

Speaker 3 (37:50):
I mean at your size, because you you were a
shade over six three I think, and like two thirty yeah, range,
and that's that's that's moving.

Speaker 2 (37:58):
And then but but then numbers that were really eye
poppy to me.

Speaker 3 (38:01):
Where you're broad in your high jump, I mean when
you talk about basketball as your thing, your explosiveness was incredible.

Speaker 2 (38:07):
You had to be able to dunk pretty good. Yeah, yeah,
for sure, because I.

Speaker 3 (38:10):
Think I think I saw like ten eleven on the
broad and like thirty nine on the vert, which is
that you're and you look like you've got pretty good
reach as well, so you can probably stand and down
two handed.

Speaker 4 (38:23):
Yeah, absolutely, yeah, Yeah, that line helped me out.

Speaker 2 (38:25):
With John Jansen. How about you.

Speaker 3 (38:28):
On a stool, on a on a chair, I mean
on a ladder anyway, and then you wind up going
pretty high in the draft, and especially when you say
you were a late riser, so that workout had to
have a lot to do with it. Also, to me
shows how scouting is not an exact science. But you
went in the third round like in the in the

(38:49):
top hundred, like in the eighties.

Speaker 2 (38:50):
Yeah, were you surprised? Were you expecting it? I mean
there's a you don't you don't.

Speaker 3 (38:55):
Really know what to expect during that draft process, So
what were you thinking?

Speaker 4 (38:58):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (38:59):
I feel like I just kind of set realistic expectations
for myself. Like my my ceiling was third round, my
floor was like maybe fifty seven, so you know, you
just never know where you can gonna land.

Speaker 4 (39:11):
And I felt really confident with.

Speaker 5 (39:12):
The training program that I was in, you know, doing
well in the combine, doing well the Senior Bowl, and
then interviews and local days.

Speaker 4 (39:19):
I felt really good about.

Speaker 5 (39:20):
That process and it ultimately ended up being right at
my ceiling.

Speaker 4 (39:24):
So I was kind of surprised.

Speaker 5 (39:25):
I knew there was an option to be in a
second day guy, and I was just around my family
and friends at home and got the call and it's
one of the days I've changed your life forever. So
really really fortunate, you know, to go to a historic
organization like the Packers and start my career there.

Speaker 3 (39:40):
So there's two huge things about going in that second day.
Is one, you don't have to wait another day, and
number two, the money's a lot different around that's going on.
So how did that feel when you got back? Who
gave you the call?

Speaker 4 (39:54):
Was it?

Speaker 2 (39:54):
Was it Mike McCarthy at the time.

Speaker 4 (39:56):
Yeah, Micha McCarthy was the head coach at that time.

Speaker 2 (39:58):
Yeah, who you would meet up with again?

Speaker 4 (40:00):
Yeah? Absolutely? And the game is eagle, you know.

Speaker 3 (40:04):
And then how was being a Green Bay Packer one
of the real historic franchises in this sport in a
place that's very different than anyone else or else you
would probably ever live. I mean for people who have
never been there, it's really hard to imagine, but you've
got this small little town in Wisconsin where for football
games you park on people's lawns and it's right across
the street from the stadium and it's pretty wild. But

(40:26):
they treat people great there, and it's it's really something
special being a Packer, isn't it.

Speaker 4 (40:30):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (40:30):
Absolutely, It's very very kind organization. And I feel like
just the mentality going in, just knowing the history there,
it was really just fortunate to you it will be
kind of part of something that was that was great.
And uh, yeah, I just really loved my time there
in Green Bay. It was a very place for me
to start my career and kind of learn what it
meant to be a pro. I always say it's like

(40:52):
a grown up college town there. Like on game day,
it's crazy, like you said, like everybody's on lawns and
eating trees, curves and spotted cal years and stuff like
that and just enjoying each other and coming from all
the different parts of Wisconsin, very much likely to hear
like I come in for the games early and everybody's
already tail getting you know here at the link and
it's just creates a playoff atmosphere even for regular season games.

(41:14):
And uh, that's that's what you want to play in
the league for. You want to You want to be
in organizations that that love the team. They're passionate about it,
and they like to have fun watching you out there.

Speaker 3 (41:24):
So well, I will say this, Kelly Green does blow
away Packer Mustard or whatever they.

Speaker 2 (41:29):
Heck that is. But I'd be fright Ley Vanderbilt at together.

Speaker 3 (41:32):
By the way, Nick Saban, who us from outside aren't
usually big Nick Saban fans either love Alabama or the
program in the history, or you don't. And to some extent,
some of the stuff he says seems I don't know
high horse stuff and probably not exactly true, but boy
did Vanderbilt make him.

Speaker 2 (41:49):
Eat his words this year.

Speaker 4 (41:50):
Absolutely. He said something.

Speaker 5 (41:53):
Around the loans lines of the easiest place to play
in the sec IS and then at Vanderbilt, and we
ended up getting to win there.

Speaker 4 (41:59):
So I was telling you earlier.

Speaker 5 (42:01):
It happened during our bye week, so I was actually
back home in Nashville and was at the game, was
honored as alumni of the game with my family, and
that ended up being a historic win for the program.
And really really proud of the guys this year, really
stepping up. They ended up winning their bowl game in
Birmingham as well against a really good Georgia Tech team.
So the program is setting in the right direction. Clark

(42:21):
Lee has been doing a great job building it the
right way and really confident in the future of the programming.

Speaker 3 (42:27):
All Right, we don't have a ton of time off.
We we're gonna have to take one more break. But
before I leave Green Bay, because we still have to
get you through San Francisco going back to Philadelphia. But
before I leave Green Bay, there's two guys that were
part of your time there that I'd like to hear about.

Speaker 2 (42:41):
Number one is Mike McCarthy. I know him a little bit.

Speaker 3 (42:44):
He is a super, super nice guy, and I think
that's helped him in his coaching career. I know that
Jerry Jones really likes him. But how was it playing
for him as your first first coach of the NFL.

Speaker 4 (42:56):
Yeah, it was great.

Speaker 5 (42:56):
He's definitely a great coach and you can see why
they had sustains that success while I was there. That
year ended up not being the great year. He ended
up losing his job and we didn't make the playoffs
for the first time in a couple of years. But
you know, you could see why the systems that he
had in place, you know, led to long term success.

Speaker 4 (43:13):
And he had a great group of coaches around him
as well.

Speaker 5 (43:15):
They're very knowledgeable at the game, and I felt like
that helped me as a pro, just like learning the
game on the higher level of the details of it.

Speaker 4 (43:22):
So, yeah, just speak highly of him.

Speaker 2 (43:24):
And did he see Did you get to see him
yesterday on the field at all?

Speaker 4 (43:27):
Uh?

Speaker 5 (43:27):
In passing? I didn't really say anything to him, but
it's been a while. Said there was an assistant linesbacker
coaches there, linebacker coach.

Speaker 4 (43:34):
I had a closer relationship with him, So.

Speaker 3 (43:35):
I did say something to him and the other guy
I got to ask you about You might not have
punch you want to say, but one of the guys
who I think is one of the best players, best
quarterback I've ever seen, and has become a little bit
of a enigmazed time to go on and probably lost
a lot of fans. You have to be so popular
as your career. He still, I'm sure has a bunch,
but it's been a very weird few years. Tell us

(43:56):
what Aaron Rodgers was like and what he was like
as a teammate.

Speaker 5 (43:59):
Yeah, it was like, thank you to have him as
a lockermate. He was right next to me for my
last couple of years there in Green Bay. And phenomenal teammate,
phenomenal person. He's very passionate and he's very thought out.
Even if you don't agree with his opinions, you know
as well got out and you can respect that. And
just the way that he treated people in the building.
I just have a ton of respect for him and

(44:20):
the way he goes about his business. And he's playing.
He's been playing at a high level for a long
time and it's not many people that can play as
long as he has and do it at the level
that he has.

Speaker 4 (44:29):
So yeah, I just love playing with him. He's a great,
great leader.

Speaker 3 (44:33):
He tried to get you to do a Hiawaska trip
with him, No, I was. You know, he's a He's
a really fascinating guy. And I don't think he's quite
done yet. Eddie hallis and we're having so much fun
talking to Orrin. Burke's starved Yesterday's Eagles game number forty
two of the NFC East champions and we'll be back
to bring him to San Francisco and then ultimately up Philadelphia.

(44:56):
We returned for our final segment. You aren't listening to
the All Pro Player Show on Fox Sports Gambler. We
are live from Chicken Peach in Marleton, New Jersey. Be
back after.

Speaker 1 (45:05):
This sprats totals all the prop that's in the tweens.

Speaker 2 (45:09):
It's the Gambler. Welcome back to Chicken PiZZ in Marleton,
New Jersey.

Speaker 3 (45:20):
The All Pro Philly Players show the home stretch for
not just this week before the twenty twenty four calendar year.
But don't worry, there's plenty of football left and plenty
of shows up. We'll be here next Monday and every
Monday as long as the season goes, and.

Speaker 2 (45:35):
We hope we have a show in mid February.

Speaker 3 (45:38):
Absolutely, so still a long way to go and we're
hopeful for a lot more fun.

Speaker 2 (45:43):
As long as the season has been, there's still is
a lot of football left.

Speaker 4 (45:46):
Yeah, it really is. It really is.

Speaker 5 (45:47):
I feel like at this point in the season, for me,
I always have to recommit myself, you know, to being
that ultimate goal because I did kind of get into
the mundane task of week the week, but the playoffs
is different. It's a different for different intensity and that
detail has.

Speaker 4 (46:02):
To be you know, step it up a little bit.

Speaker 3 (46:04):
So got so, after finishing your first four years in
Green Bay, you're then a free agent and it takes
that loll I mean, which is as we spoke of earlier.
As you are now in year number seven, it's only
three plus years as the average career, so to reach
free agency, it really takes a while because the rookie
contract is for four years for most guys.

Speaker 2 (46:24):
The top of the first round fit around.

Speaker 3 (46:26):
Is a little different and free agents are little but
most of the guys it's four years that through the
rest of the draft and certainly in the third round.
So when you finally became a free agent, why San Francisco,
how that happened?

Speaker 4 (46:36):
Yeah, ended up being just the right fit.

Speaker 5 (46:38):
I was looking for something in the great city, have
an opportunity to come in and compete, and I had
a familiarity with some of their players and some of
their the coaching staff. I trained with George Kittle during
the offseason in Nashville, so knew him that way, and
a couple other guys i'd you know, seen throughout my
career earlier.

Speaker 4 (46:55):
It just felt like a right fit.

Speaker 5 (46:56):
And I had a great time there, you know, for
my two years there during my contract, and ended up
playing a lot more defense than I think anybody anticipated
going into it, but just.

Speaker 4 (47:05):
Kind of carved out a role there throughout my time there.
So we just really appreciated it.

Speaker 3 (47:10):
When you talk about, as I mentioned earlier, that the
NFL Draft is an inexact science. You arrived a year
after the last pick in the draft party. He was
picked by San Francisco, and he had kind of a
meteoric successful first year that ended in the conference championship
here in Philadelphia happily for US Eagles, and you weren't

(47:33):
niner yet, so you didn't really care that. But how
was he up close? Because I still can't tell from
the outside. And there's a lot of talent there and
they've had a lot of success and certainly went to
the Super Bowl last year, and we'll talk about that
in a second, But what about that guy?

Speaker 2 (47:49):
Is he that guy? Is he in the elite category?

Speaker 5 (47:52):
I absolutely believe. So just first the started of who
he is as a person. We were in Bob study together,
so he really got to know peelback, the layers and
who he was.

Speaker 4 (48:00):
And he's just a phenomenal guy.

Speaker 5 (48:02):
Phenomenal he's a husband now, but he goes about things
the right way consistently, and you want to see guys
like that when I feel like from the situation that
he was, like as the last draft pick, he was
third or fourth on the on the roster quarterback position.
We had Trey Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo, and there was another
quarterback that was there as well, so he was getting

(48:23):
very limited reps. With the reps that he was getting
very early on in his career, he was very meaningful
and he was intentional about it. He commanded Hubble, well,
uh and when he got a shot, you know, throughout
the year, he really made the most of it. And
I feel like he's one of those guys that guys
can rally around because he he doesn't want to be
the main center of attention. He's all about the success

(48:43):
of others. And you have a great talent around him
with George Kittle, the DeVos and Brandon Ayuts and all
those guys, but I feel like he is the what
was kind of the missing piece to get all those
guys rolling those last couple of years.

Speaker 2 (48:55):
So all right, you mentioned Deebo.

Speaker 3 (48:57):
Diebo is one of the guys who I think is
real beast in the league, right, absolutely.

Speaker 2 (49:01):
And and there's a few others there.

Speaker 3 (49:02):
What about Christian mccafferdy though, who in some ways at
times it looks.

Speaker 2 (49:07):
Like the best playing league, but unfortunately has had the injuries.

Speaker 5 (49:09):
Yeah, yeah, I mean that's the reality of the league.
It's a violent game, so ultimately injuries is gonna be
a part of that. But just really respect the way
that he goes about his business. He's very he's like
a machine like he's always getting his recovery in. He's
always has the right mindset going into games, and he
just performs at a high level when called the pun
and yeah, just just really really smart guys.

Speaker 4 (49:32):
While he's the stand for guys.

Speaker 5 (49:33):
So he's back home in the Bay and it's just
been cool to be around, you know, some some of
the better players you know, throughout my career.

Speaker 4 (49:39):
And now we've got.

Speaker 5 (49:40):
Sakuan going for two thousand yards Like that's phenomenal in itself.

Speaker 3 (49:44):
So it's well, we're gonna We're gonna say on one
second and we're coming down the end. But but you
played with a great tight end in San Francisco and
a great tight end in Philadelphia.

Speaker 2 (49:52):
If I'm not mistaken, you have the same agent as
those guys.

Speaker 5 (49:55):
Also, I have the same agent as not with not
with Dallas are Kittle.

Speaker 4 (50:01):
Yeah, Zach Ertz was Zach right?

Speaker 2 (50:05):
I know he had a lot of tight ends. Yeah,
Zach got a great game last night. And then I
got into it a little with your coach last week.
We may be seeing that again, all right.

Speaker 3 (50:13):
And you had two seminal games while a forty nine
er against the Eagles, and that probably has a lot
to do with you being here where they watched your
own film so close and this guy's ever available, were
taking him, but you lost to the Eagles of the
conference championship in twenty two and then you kind of
started their downward slide last year in twenty three. What
were your recollections and feelings about the fildelph Eagles in

(50:34):
those games against him?

Speaker 5 (50:35):
Yeah, they were both times we played them, they were rolling,
you know, NFC Championship US obviously, you know, the game
to get into Super Bowl. So if you've been kind
of watching from afar and seeing the talent that they
had here, the physicality that they played with, and you know,
it just it just didn't work out for us. You know,
that game like party going down, and there was a
couple of other things that happened, but you know, they ultimately,
like the Eagles played a great game, They had a

(50:57):
great game plan.

Speaker 4 (50:57):
For us, and they ended up, you know, being the
better team that day.

Speaker 5 (51:01):
And when we came back, we kind of had that
mindset is like getting a little bit of payback, you know.

Speaker 4 (51:05):
And again, like the Eagles were rolling.

Speaker 5 (51:07):
I think they were like ten and one or something
like that at that point when we played them last year,
and I feel like everybody had that taste in their mouth,
you know, from the from the year prior to come
in and establish a dominance, you know, like over.

Speaker 4 (51:21):
The rest of the NFC.

Speaker 5 (51:22):
So yeah, it was just one of those games that
you have circled on your count at the beginning of
the year to want to get a little bit of payback.
So it's funny for me, you know, just being on
the other side of things. And that's just the flexibility
that you have to have as a pro. You know,
like you're never really like tied to one organization one
way or another, but you want to add value and
you know, playing big games, and that's what it's all about.

Speaker 3 (51:43):
So cans treat you a little differently when you're wearing
the Eagles jersey versus it's seeing they're playing against Oh yeah,
absolutely absolutely, But.

Speaker 2 (51:50):
We are really glad you're wearing the Eagles jersey.

Speaker 3 (51:53):
Last question on just I could talk to you for
a lot longer, but we got into so saquon past
two thousand last last night. It looked like an entire
team accomplishment. Even Staplan, arguably the best offensive line coach
in the league.

Speaker 2 (52:09):
I never saw him so animated and excited.

Speaker 3 (52:11):
It is such a joint accomplished by everyone, and of
course everybody loves sha Quon. Any thoughts on whether sa
Quand should just rest on his two thousand.

Speaker 4 (52:19):
Man, I'm just gonna leave that up to them and
the coaching staff.

Speaker 5 (52:22):
I know he's a team first guy, and I know
it'd obviously be great to break the record, but you know,
his ultimate goal is trying to win that Super Bowl.

Speaker 4 (52:28):
So we'll see. You know what they ended up coming up.

Speaker 5 (52:31):
With what they haven't asked you for the unspecial seasons.

Speaker 2 (52:38):
He is a team guy. I know there's a last
but to me, there's it's a no brainer.

Speaker 3 (52:41):
The two thousand was a great accomplishment and the record's
going to get broken anyhow some day because they're not
going out an eighteenth game, and it just what he
has done this season is so phenomenal, and I do
believe this is the best season any Eagles running back
ever had, and he is really the best running.

Speaker 2 (52:56):
Back ever to wear.

Speaker 3 (52:57):
I filled up Eagles uniform, which is saying a lot yeah,
And there's a whole lot of things about this team
that I think are best ever.

Speaker 2 (53:02):
So just looking.

Speaker 3 (53:03):
Forward, have a great last end of the season, a
regular season, and look forward to hopefully a phenomenal playoff run.

Speaker 2 (53:10):
We're so glad you're here.

Speaker 4 (53:11):
Absolutely, thank you man, happy to be here.

Speaker 3 (53:13):
All right, so this is the end, and I know
you don't drink, but we're gonna do a toast anyway.

Speaker 2 (53:17):
There we go, So grab a champagne glass. John Jansen,
our producer, grab a champagne glass.

Speaker 3 (53:22):
It's been a phenomenal twenty twenty four here at Chickens
and Peach, ever the FIDELFH Eagles, and just want to
toast to the incoming twenty twenty five. All the best
to you or in Burks, all the best of the
Philadelphia Eagles, and all the best of all of you
here at Chickens and Peach. Happy New Year, Happy New
Year is everyone here we go all be half for
the great staff here at Chickis and Pizza, our proprietor, Petzeroki,

(53:42):
our host. Thank you so much for having us throughout
the year. We look forward to the startup next year.
Next week and all the people who come out every week,
most of you, thank you very much and all you listen. Also,
thank Mike Bowers for setting us up. John Jansen get
us on every week. Who's back to the studio, John,
Nick McLean, thank you, Thank you always and thank all

(54:03):
of you for coming out so behalf of my partner
Dave Spandera, who is not here but has meant so
much just through the year, and he'll be back next week.

Speaker 2 (54:09):
Our special special guest.

Speaker 3 (54:11):
Warren Burke's look for number forty two doing with more
great things on the field. I'm Drel Calton saying thanks
for listening, thanks for scoring us, have a very happy
New Year and we'll see you next Monday night at
Chickens and Pizza.

Speaker 1 (54:22):
Morrowton Sprat's total and all the prop that's in the tweens.

Speaker 2 (54:26):
It's the Gambler.