IN THE BONUS with Doug Gottlieb

Doug Gottlieb is live on Radio Row in New Orleans ahead of the Big Game! Doug interviews a loaded cast of past and present NFL stars.

Guests include:
Cameron Dicker
Terron Armstead
Tedy Bruschi
Damar Hamlin
Champ Bailey
Solomon Thomas
Trey McBride

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, this is the Doug Gottlieb Show.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
Here's in the bonus with Doug gottli.

Speaker 1 (00:10):
What up, Doug Gottlieb Show. In the bonus Fox Sports? Ill,
what a pod we got for you today? What an
absolutely great pod we have for you today. You'll hear
from Cameron Cameron Dickert. That's Dickert, the kicker, right. Tron
Armstead will join us the All Pro with the Miami Dolphins,

(00:34):
formerly of the New Orleans Saints. Teddy Bruski, three time
Super Bowl champion, will join us. You hear from him,
and tomorrow Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills. Of course you
know who Damar Hamlin is. Solomon Thomas will join us.
Champ Bailey and join us, And of course Trey McBride
will be our guest star tight end for the Arizona Cardinals.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Who what a pod? What a pod?

Speaker 1 (00:53):
I am gonna get quickly? Give you something on the
NBA trade deadline. We talked a little bit of this
on the radio show, but I think it's important. Am
I crazy or is? While this has been a boring
NBA season, one of the reasons it's boring is we
really don't know who's gonna win this thing, right, Like

(01:15):
Cleveland's been great and Oklahoma City has been great, and
yet until they're great in the playoffs, we have a
hard time thinking they're actually great. But now you have
the Warriors seemingly better and more competitive. The Lakers, I
didn't think they were gonna win. I still don't think
they're gonna win, but it's gonna be interesting. And you know,

(01:35):
now a very offensive minded team with Mark Williams. Let's
see what Dallas does now that they're going to be
fully healthy. They hadn't had Luca in quite a minute.
I still think San Antonio is at least a year
away from being competitive. But you add into a team
like Oklahoma City and teams like Houston, these young teams
that haven't accomplished anything in the playoffs yet two teams

(01:58):
made up of guys that have made they having it together.
And I'm kind of in on the playoffs, kind of
in on the NBA on a weekend in which we're
celebrating the National Football League. All Right, with that, let's
catch up with the La Chargers star kicker, who was
made famous in twenty eighteen when he made the game
winning kick against Oklahoma and the Red River Rivalry thanks

(02:21):
to a call on Fox Sports. Here's Cameron Dicker. I
think Gus Johnson is personally responsible for this guy becoming
a national celebrity. What he doesn't know is he walked
into the only national sports radio show in the history
of the medium which is hosted by an actual Charger fan,
a Big twelve alum, and our producer is a Charger

(02:45):
fan as well.

Speaker 2 (02:45):
He's Camra Dicker. He's Dicker at the.

Speaker 1 (02:47):
Kicker from the LA Chargers and about the University of Texas.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
How are you man?

Speaker 3 (02:52):
Doing great?

Speaker 2 (02:52):
Doing great? Thanks for having me. Let's go back.

Speaker 1 (02:55):
It's twenty eighteen. It's the Red River Rivalry yep. And
you make the game when he kicked.

Speaker 2 (03:02):
The beat o U at the Cotton Bowl.

Speaker 1 (03:04):
But as big as that is at Texas gay in
that game, what did Gus's call do to kind of
amplify it?

Speaker 2 (03:14):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (03:14):
I mean the nickname was kind of I've had the
nickname for a while, but the nickname was born for
everybody else that day, it was It was pretty awesome.
I think you had all the fun videos. I remember
the Bob Menery video was hilarious about it, and so
there was all the guys that, like, I mean, it
was became like a household name, fun name after that.

Speaker 1 (03:32):
I know, how old were you? You're like seventeen at
the time, eighteen years old?

Speaker 3 (03:36):
Kind of crazy.

Speaker 1 (03:36):
Okay, what's it like in Austin eighteen years old? You
kicked the game winner to beat O you.

Speaker 3 (03:44):
That night was the Connor McGregor fight, I think against
Kaviebe and I'm so bummed.

Speaker 2 (03:48):
I should have thought about it.

Speaker 3 (03:49):
If it was going to happen to do the McGregor
walk after it, I should have done it. But I'm
not a celebrating guy, and so I knew I missed
out on that opportunity. But we just literally went and
watched a fight and then I went to bed. Okay,
nothing happened, And.

Speaker 1 (04:01):
Really that's such a it's such a disappointment to somebody,
but that's I know. I mean, as a former athlete,
I do get it, Like get back. You're like, dude,
I got nothing.

Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (04:09):
We rode the bus home and I was like, dude,
I'm tired. I don't want to do anything with over
my buddy's dorm. And we just watched it and then
I was like, all right, see you tomorrow. We had
workouts the next morning.

Speaker 1 (04:18):
Hey, I want to ask you, sark Uh grabbed the
kicker this year? How was it? I think it was
in the quarter final, right, and he grabs him and
he pulls him over and he does he like, I
believe in you thing. Yeah, it strikes me as the
wrong thing to do, even if it comes from the right.

Speaker 3 (04:36):
I think it's coming from the right place.

Speaker 2 (04:37):
Right.

Speaker 3 (04:38):
But for me, my thing was always like the other
specialists would know this and would keep guys away. So
I think it's also on like other people around there
to not be like, hey, have a little heads up
here and stay away. But it's something he's done a
couple times whenever it's been big kicks, which I don't know.
It's not been an issue in the past, but now
that it's in this big of a stage, it becomes

(04:58):
an issue when it misses.

Speaker 1 (05:00):
Is there like a is there a feeling among kickers
where you actually feel bad for a dude even if
you don't like like it's an A and M guy
or I don't know, it's an OU guy, or in
the NFL, if it's you know, a Chiefs kicker or whatever.
When when a guy blows a kick is do you

(05:20):
sympathize because you've been in that position.

Speaker 3 (05:23):
I want all the kickers, even if they're kicking game
winners against US, I want them to be making their ticks.
I'm never wishing anybody misses, just because it's like, it's
a tough business to be in, tough business to stay in,
and so you don't want that to happen and be
a reason to get out.

Speaker 1 (05:37):
Kicking is such a unique crap. So Tom Tellesco's you're
from the former GM of the Charger's a good friend
of mine, and his thing was always like they had
Young Way Coup. They had Young Way who as a rookie,
and his thing has always been like, you're almost better
getting a kicker on his second team than his first
team because they all kind of got to work through
some stuff. What is it like when you get to

(05:58):
the NFL Because you were incredibly accomplished college kicker, right,
kicking in pressure situation after pressure situation. But what is
it like to kick in the league in terms of
how different is it for me?

Speaker 3 (06:09):
It's honestly been a little easier. I think operations are refined.
You have coaches who know a little bit more and
then you just have guys that are like they're ready
for you, and you're you're tighter in so you don't
have to kind of aim from the sides as much.
Every kick's almost a straight kick. And so I mean
it's just been fun. I've kind of I've enjoyed football

(06:29):
a lot more now just because I think my mindset
of just kind of like, hey, going out there having
fun and just enjoy the moments. Falls here, they.

Speaker 1 (06:37):
Get to kick in a dome. How much does obviously
kick in so far? How much does that? And it
is weird? Does it have wind?

Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, it's open, super strange, so like when it rains,
it rain will also come.

Speaker 1 (06:48):
Yeah, that part is but I'm just talking about like
in kicking wind, is there a wind tunnel at your back?
It doesn't feel like it would come sideways.

Speaker 3 (06:54):
No, it comes from so we have both end zones
of so it'll come through one way or the other.
And it maybe is like changes a yard or two
on a ball. Nothing nothing too bad. We haven't had
a bad windstorm.

Speaker 1 (07:04):
But do you get the do you get the extra
distance that the people talk about from the dome effect
from being indoors?

Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (07:11):
I think, yeah, you just have the consistent distance for sure,
so you don't have to like think about it as much,
and that it doesn't swirl or have side to sidewind
every kick. Again, you kind of just play it like
you know how to.

Speaker 2 (07:21):
Okay.

Speaker 1 (07:21):
So, uh, Jim Harbaugh comes in as your coach. What's
your first interaction with him?

Speaker 3 (07:27):
Like, it was funny. I invited him to church his
like first week there. So I brought him out to church.

Speaker 2 (07:32):
What church?

Speaker 3 (07:33):
It was Watermark, Orange County when we were still in
Orange County.

Speaker 1 (07:37):
Where's that down? I'm an Orange kind of guy, so
you can.

Speaker 3 (07:40):
It was over an Irvine area, like coast of May
maybe Coast of Mas area, kind of right in between,
right by the airport. Sure, And so I was like, okay, cool.
So I invited him to church and he goes he's
a Catholic man. This was like just a non denominational church.
And so he's in like a full suit showing.

Speaker 1 (07:57):
Up and yeah, Orange County dudes show up and flip flops.

Speaker 3 (08:01):
I'm usually the dude who shows up in flip flops.
I only wear flip flops places. And so I was
like going to show up in flip flops and I
was like, Okay, maybe I should be presentable today. Threw
on a pair of shoes with my shorts and like
summer shirt. But like it was also, what February or something,
doesn't matter.

Speaker 2 (08:18):
The weather's sixty five.

Speaker 3 (08:19):
Degrees, it's nice out and so he's in a full
suit and I walk in and I was like, oh,
this is weird. This is gonna be this is like
kind of a weird dynamic now. And so it was funny.
He and I talked. There was a guy who went
on stage barefoot and then in like a pink hoodie,
and I was like, this is hilarious, just like my
first interaction was bringing him here. And so we had

(08:40):
a great time, and then he had to leave early
for some meetings for interviewing other coaches, but it was awesome.

Speaker 1 (08:45):
What's he like with you guys? How much does he
you know? Because again he's old school, right, but also
an old quarterback and back then quarterbacks used to be
holders as well, and he's been to it. What what's
what's what's the level of interactions like between you two?

Speaker 3 (09:00):
He brings team camaraderie to an all time high. I
feel like he's a funny dude. He's like your friend's
dad who's like a weird, funny guy that just like
loves you so much. And so it's awesome to have
a coach that's so loving and that like pours into you,
and so having that around makes everybody's life easy and happy,
and so like for me, it's just kind of a
goofy relationship where it's just like, hey, he's a fun,

(09:23):
fun person to talk to him.

Speaker 1 (09:24):
It's interesting though, though, like he'll catch balls from herbie, right,
but why why won't he hold your kicks in in pregame?

Speaker 2 (09:30):
Right?

Speaker 3 (09:30):
I'm okay with it.

Speaker 2 (09:31):
Yeah, yeah, yep, we don't.

Speaker 3 (09:32):
We don't need that to happen, So don't worry. We can.

Speaker 2 (09:34):
We can take that off the table.

Speaker 1 (09:35):
What would you do, though, if if you get there
and you get ready, you're you're out there early, and
he's got his gloves on and he's and he's there
and he's ready, he's like, let's go, let's go annoy it.

Speaker 3 (09:45):
And if our punter was not there, I would have
that happen. But if our punters there and he tries
to go down there, I'm gonna politely say, hey, coach,
I need you to leave, Like I need you go
do something else.

Speaker 1 (09:56):
I've always wondered, though again I know that mostly that
hunters do it now in terms of holders, but it
does when there's a flubbed snap. Now you're leaving a
punters that you used to be the quarterback? Right? Is
there ever any thought to why doesn't the backup quarterback
be the holder?

Speaker 3 (10:13):
So everybody has like their second holder that they'll kind
of work through. Typically it is the backup quarterback, I
can tell you not nearly as good. It's you don't
get the same amount of reps. You don't get everything.
So like those guys know exactly where they're catching it
from the snapper.

Speaker 2 (10:26):
It's an art. The thing is art.

Speaker 3 (10:27):
The snapper knows exactly how many rotations it is before
it hits the guys there.

Speaker 1 (10:31):
Yeah, so they'll ever rotations for you guys.

Speaker 3 (10:34):
I think he's a three something. I don't know. I
don't even I stay away from it because I'm like, dude,
I don't need to know all your magic.

Speaker 1 (10:41):
Okay, So they all know the rotations and what else.

Speaker 3 (10:43):
They all know the rotations. They know exactly like so
everybody's at eight yards, right, they know like, Okay, So
depending on the holder. Some guys will catch it out here.
Some guys catch it here. So when you have multiple
holders changed st out of season, you'll see the snaps
a little bit off, so laces are off. So your
snapper knows with your guy, Okay, he knows he's going
to catch it at this spot just because they've worked
it so much. So it's just like becomes a muscle

(11:05):
memory for everybody at that point, and then it makes
my life easy.

Speaker 1 (11:08):
Okay, So what are your what are your thoughts when
you when you process? Okay, you gotta go out the
forty seven yard field goal left, hash like, take me
through your process.

Speaker 3 (11:19):
I jog on from way back behind everybody, and I'm
I just kind of do a dry swing there. Third down,
kind of watch the play unravel. Fourth down, start kind
of going on the field a couple steps until they
throw the field goal sign. If they don't, I run
back off, but then a long jog into the middle
and then I run straight down so I can kind
of see the uprights the whole way, and then just
your three steps back to over look up, deep breath,

(11:41):
breathe out, nod and go.

Speaker 2 (11:43):
So you know when he went to snap, Yeah, nod
and then our.

Speaker 3 (11:46):
Our holder will turn and do the flash.

Speaker 2 (11:49):
So do you know right right when your foot hits it?

Speaker 3 (11:52):
Yeah, pretty much, you know. Yeah, it's pretty pretty evident.

Speaker 1 (11:56):
Herbie caught a lot of heat because he I mean,
I thought he forced a couple in the playoffs. Obviously
he didn't play well. What's for people who are doubters
of Herbie? Because they I thought they just don't watch
the season, right, people don't watch the Chargers. What's it
really like in terms of not just how good he is,

(12:17):
but the locker room and the percentage of dudes that
are behind him.

Speaker 3 (12:21):
Oh, everybody loves him. He is your guy, Like he
is the dude for everybody, and so he's an incredible
leader for everybody. I mean, incredible quarterback. If you see
the guy throw, when you watch him throw, it's unlike
anybody else, just rifles. And so a lot of the receivers, like,
we'll talk about it on the side, and it's funny
to listen to because they're just like, Dude, I didn't

(12:41):
even see the window for this ball today, so I practiced.
They're like, I didn't even know the ball was coming
to me. I thought I was completely out of it.
This dude was covering me well and he still finds
the pockets and is just always there. So it's incredible
to see.

Speaker 1 (12:54):
I feel like you're and again you've earned it, but
you've earned this luck. Like to go from Austin to
Orange County was money, But how much of it changes
it in terms of vibe Being in LA.

Speaker 3 (13:05):
Now, Oh, it's awesome. I mean it's fun. I'm over
in Manhattan Beach area, so everybody's like Manhattan the South
Bay and it's I mean, you can't beat it. It's
an incredible area. And it's nice to be closer to
LA to be able to go do things if you
want to and people are in town. But it's awesome.

Speaker 1 (13:20):
Yeah, it's really really cool. Well listen, man can continued
success than you. Really appreciate you joining us, and look,
we expect next year the Bolts to be here. Just
you understand we're going to break that cycle day.

Speaker 3 (13:32):
Thank you.

Speaker 1 (13:32):
Thanks for listening to The Doug Gotleb Show podcast. Be
sure to catch us live every weekday three to five
Eastern twelve two Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your
local station for The Doug Gottlieb Show at Foxsports Radio
dot Com or stream us live every day on the
iHeartRadio app by searching FSR. It's the Doug Gottlieb Show
here on Fox Sports Radio. And he's been an All Pro.

(13:54):
Now differs an All Pro and Pro bowler. Obviously he's
been a Pro bowler, but the All Pro means you're
the best at what you do in the national football
Like we're talking about a dude from Pine Bluff, Arks
goes to Arkansas, Pine Bluff and makes it to the
very peak of the profession. Toront Arms said, Jordes is
here on the Doug Gottlieb Show.

Speaker 2 (14:09):
How are you.

Speaker 4 (14:10):
I'm doing well doing I'm doing even better now after
the intro.

Speaker 1 (14:12):
Oh really yeah, well, I mean it's just breathing your
it's like your bio, dude, like you earned that. That's
not me spicing it up in any way.

Speaker 2 (14:18):
I appreciate you.

Speaker 1 (14:20):
How challenging was the season?

Speaker 5 (14:22):
It was tough. It was tough. It was frustrating, losing
our quarterback early.

Speaker 1 (14:28):
It's crazy because again I'm sorry to interrupt. You guys
were awesome out of the gate. Yeah, like awesome.

Speaker 4 (14:36):
Yeah, yeah, no, it's tough, man, it's challenging.

Speaker 5 (14:39):
But yeah, we lost, We lost our starring quarterback, and
it was really hard to recover.

Speaker 4 (14:45):
It was hard to it was hard to put up points.

Speaker 5 (14:47):
The defense was, you know, trying to keep us a flow,
but ultimately we weren't able to get it going. And
then we get to a back and we start to
get a rhythm, and then we lose them again for
a couple more games, and it just it was such
a that was like the story of the season, you know,
it was up and down. We had we had a
stretch where we fought, fought our way back and got
back into the playoff picture looking good, feeling good, and
then down again.

Speaker 2 (15:07):
So it was it was tough.

Speaker 1 (15:08):
What the Eagles kind of do. The Eagles kind of
walked in with some swagger. It felt like that changed
your trajectory as well.

Speaker 5 (15:14):
No, for sure, that's I mean, that's confidence. That swagger
comes from confidence.

Speaker 2 (15:17):
You don't.

Speaker 5 (15:17):
You don't just walk around feeling like you're the clean
us in a room without you having some confidence, you
know what I mean. So they have that, they have
that they have they have a culture, they have an
environment over there that they know what they want to be,
what they want to look like.

Speaker 1 (15:29):
Yeah, but it's interesting. As much as they do have that,
they also have this kind of weird sort of dysfunction
like A. J. Brown wanted to yeah, Jalien wanting to
throw the ball more, and then the coach kind of
putting out fires at press conferences. It is kind of
a weird vibe on the offensive side.

Speaker 2 (15:44):
It is.

Speaker 5 (15:45):
And but all those things are amendible when you're winning. Yes,
all those things multiple multiplied. And they sing that in church.
Brother No, for sure they do if they lose that.
They were to lose a couple of games around that
time with the A J. Brown, Jalen Hurts and all,
it would have been destruction. And I think that was
more so their path last year, their storyline last year.
They started off extremely well and then they ran into

(16:07):
those bumps in the row compound with losses and it
blew up and they were first round exit this year.
With the with the wins, you can you can improve,
you can fix relationships, you can get happy and healthy
while you're winning.

Speaker 1 (16:19):
How do the Chiefs keep doing it? I mean, I
know we can say culture, I know we can say
Pat Mahomes, but look, you know how this how this,
how this deal works, is the more you win the
harder it gets, the schedules harder, the challenges when you
lose pieces as well. Right, it's like Detroit, you win.
Everybody wants your coordinators, everybody wants your players. How have
they consistently done.

Speaker 2 (16:38):
This that total by end they have?

Speaker 5 (16:41):
They have they have a culture, they have an identity,
They know exactly who they are and how they want
to win games. They are incredible in situational football, late
game situations.

Speaker 4 (16:52):
They execute at a very very high level.

Speaker 5 (16:54):
So that's why they they're able to win these close
games all the time. Is last second, last possession games
all the time. And outside of that, the reason I
believe they're able to consistently win year after year is
they plan for the future. They stay young, stay as
young as possible. They have their core pieces Travis Kelce,
Chris Jones, Pat Mahomes, but they literally have.

Speaker 4 (17:15):
Someone on the roster to replace almost every other position.

Speaker 2 (17:18):
You know what I mean.

Speaker 5 (17:18):
So they lose snead and they have another god jump
in and he's looking great. They lose left tackle, they
draft one day, you know what I mean. So they
plan for the future. They really invest in the office
of line as well. Andy Reid, is you know, one
of the greatest coaches ever, probably top three in the
NFL history.

Speaker 1 (17:34):
Let me ask you about some of yourself to Armstet,
Johnny us Here, Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio, we talked.
I talked in the intro from Pine Bluff all the
way to being an All Pro. But you've been in
two cities, which to a lot of guys that'd be
challenging once you make it right, you're in Miami. There's
lots of distractions, Like people worry about Vegas, Like Miami's
had that for fifty years, right, same thing here? Yeah,

(17:56):
how have you maintained your level of consistency on and
off the field and not got in the big head like, bro,
you get to be an All Pro and eighteen, there's
a lot of guys that would change, right, there's a
lot of guys that would go Hollywood a little bit.
How have you maintained your kind of personal balance staying grounded?

Speaker 2 (18:17):
Man?

Speaker 1 (18:18):
Really just studying how how do you stay grounded when
everybody's telling you how great you are.

Speaker 5 (18:22):
It's honestly for me, it's in my makeup where I
come from, you know, being from e Saint Louis, Illinois,
I came from a rough area going to Arkansas Pine Bluff,
dealing with those challenges shorting of lack of resources. So
I get here to New Orleans and I'm blessed with
the situation I had In New Orleans.

Speaker 2 (18:36):
I had some some really good O g's.

Speaker 5 (18:38):
In my office and line room, but I had a
Super Bowl win ahead coach who was demanding on a
daily basis that from Pine Bluff to the New Orleans
Saints is the level of play I had to go
up to.

Speaker 4 (18:50):
Every day was like a game, and it was hard.

Speaker 5 (18:54):
It was challenging, so you really didn't have much time
allotted to go out or try to venture off and
to do other things. Champagne was tough. He was a
borderline military style in my first few years, and I
feel like it was perfect for me to instill those
principles to really have a process. So for me, I

(19:15):
took those my same process down to Miami as well.
I got the entire office line in on every off day,
we're working, we're on the field, we're studying, we're improving
our technique, and that process is just like it's ingrained
in me.

Speaker 2 (19:29):
And I never wanted to be comfortable or content.

Speaker 5 (19:33):
So when I did have my All Pro year, which
I feel like I'm supposed to have had a couple more, yep,
that I was, you know what I mean, finished third
and voting. But it's all right, just never being satisfied man,
because this window closed right for every player, you know.

Speaker 2 (19:45):
What I mean.

Speaker 4 (19:46):
So I wanted to maximize it as much as possible.

Speaker 1 (19:48):
You have a group of you got some skill position dudes.
And I mean obviously everybody knows Tariq and does the
podcast and some of the things he says. Does that
Does that change at all the locker room?

Speaker 6 (20:07):
No?

Speaker 5 (20:08):
I think after the last game he said some things
that that has to be.

Speaker 2 (20:14):
Mended.

Speaker 5 (20:15):
He has some work to do to to to really
like show and prove to the guys and to the
organization that he's all in.

Speaker 4 (20:23):
I know he's, I know he is, you know what
I mean. I know him personally.

Speaker 5 (20:26):
I was with him right after he said those things,
and I'm not excusing him for anything. He said, Tyreek
Hill is uber competitive and all you know is winning,
and that's all he desires as well, you know what
I mean. So the frustrations that we felt that the
fan base felt of an up and down season, like
we're starting the season off feeling like we're a super
Bowl contender to not making the playoffs, that's a lot.

Speaker 2 (20:45):
That's a lot, and so.

Speaker 5 (20:46):
Those frustrations for him, he vocalized, but as a leader
and the captain of the team, you can't like, you
cannot you cannot be impulsive and.

Speaker 2 (20:54):
Just go off the rail.

Speaker 1 (20:55):
But I guess my question is can you fix that
in the same locker room?

Speaker 4 (20:58):
I believe so, But it's going to come from Tyreek.

Speaker 2 (21:01):
I know.

Speaker 1 (21:01):
But you know what, you know what happens though, right
Mand walks in the locker room and or you know,
you got small meetings whatever, you guys go out to
eat and he's like, my bad, and he owns it.
But there's always going to be guys like yo, yeah,
but that's how he how he really feels, is what
he said. Does that Can that actually in your mind? Right?

Speaker 2 (21:19):
You've been through it all? Ye? Right?

Speaker 1 (21:21):
Can that really be mended?

Speaker 5 (21:22):
And it has to come from Tyree his effort, his willingness,
his desire to mend that, you know what I mean,
It's really from no other no other place.

Speaker 4 (21:31):
It has to come from him.

Speaker 5 (21:32):
He has to show improve every day to the guys
that he's fully committed, he's fully bought in as a leader,
as a player, as a you know what I mean.
And it has to come from him. There's nothing I
can do or say. It's nothing that the GM can
do or say, Hey, guys, we're going to forgive Tyreek.
Oh No, he has to be the one to put
in that effort and show that he's you know what
I mean.

Speaker 2 (21:51):
Yeah, no question.

Speaker 1 (21:52):
Hey man, listen, I can only tell you that when
we knew we were going to have you, you are,
without any question, one of the most respected men in
the league. Appreciate how you carry yourself and how you play.
It's an honor and a pleasure to have you.

Speaker 2 (22:04):
I appreciate you.

Speaker 1 (22:05):
Thanks for listening to The Doug Gotleb Show podcast. Be
sure to catch us live every weekday three to five
Eastern twelve two Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your
local station for The Doug Gottlieb Show at Foxsports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every day on the
iHeartRadio app by searching FSR. It's the Doug Gottlieb Show
here on Fox Sports Radio. And I'm joined by two

(22:27):
people that I don't think actually need an introduction, but
I'll do so anyway because it is. It is radio
as well as on our digital feed on our YouTube channel.
Teddy Bruski of course, three time Super Bowl champion, and
then Mr Hamlin, who I don't know anybody who knows
anything about sports who doesn't know about his story kind

(22:47):
of have to both join us here on behalf of
a global healthcare leader. Let me start with you, Teddy. Yeah,
where were you when when he went down in Buffalo?

Speaker 2 (22:57):
Ow?

Speaker 3 (22:57):
I was home. I was home watching the game.

Speaker 7 (22:59):
Yeah, home watching the game, saw it and you know,
just a moment that affects not only my life, but
a lot of people that were watching it, pretty much
everyone that was watching Yeah, yeah, yeah. Brought the whole
sports world together in terms of wishing and praying for
a players.

Speaker 1 (23:15):
Well being, which was tom I'm the same place.

Speaker 2 (23:18):
I mean, I'm we're both old enough to remember.

Speaker 1 (23:21):
I'm obviously a basketball guy when Hey Gathers went down, right,
and you just sit there and you like, you know,
I don't pray for football and basketball success for people, right,
but you just sit there and you're thinking, like, get
up tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (23:35):
What's this been like? Like?

Speaker 1 (23:37):
This journey in terms of like, I don't know, you
probably want to just get back to every day life
and being a ball and being a football player, right,
But I'm sure everywhere you go people stop you and
pull you aside and want to want to wish you well.

Speaker 2 (23:50):
What is that like for you?

Speaker 1 (23:51):
Emotionally?

Speaker 8 (23:52):
Definitely, it's it's a journey, you know, it's it's it's
a space. I'm trying to navigate in between, like, you know,
just tryna be in the moment, you know, this moment
won't last forever, and then also using my platform for.

Speaker 2 (24:08):
A better purpose.

Speaker 8 (24:09):
And you know something I'm now passionate about, which is,
you know, I I've always been a believer you grow
through what you go through. So to be able to
experience my experience, I have a new passion of you know,
wanting to help others. And you know that's how I
met Teddy, and you know that's that's what we're here,
you know, on behalf of Abbot and the Heart Mates.
Through that program, I've been able to like be a

(24:31):
part of a community of people who have been affected,
you know, by all kinds of different cardiovascular conditions. And
I've been able to you know, be heard and hear
others and to have that that community within the chaos
of the world, you know, people pulling you this way,
people pulling you this way. It's been it's been tremendous

(24:53):
of keeping me grounded, you know, being able to just
allow me to just feel human again in a way
through all the chaos.

Speaker 7 (25:01):
Do you let me just say, just the Heartmats program.
I mean, like when I was coming back from my stroke, Yeah,
I wish I had some people to talk to.

Speaker 4 (25:09):
Like someone that.

Speaker 7 (25:12):
Other stroke survivors, other people that have put the device
in their heart like I did. Like I have an
Abbot device in my heart and I've had it in
there for twenty years.

Speaker 2 (25:21):
So it's just a.

Speaker 7 (25:22):
Connection with Abbot and Heartmats that is so special to
both Damorro and I. So of the form this Heartmates community,
I mean, and we're also in different areas here, like
because Tomorrow and I we wanted to get back to
play in professional football, professional football, and like we wanted to,
I mean, Damar wants to win a championships. What he
wants to do, We've got bigger goals than just just

(25:43):
coming back to play football again.

Speaker 2 (25:44):
We hope that.

Speaker 7 (25:46):
I mean, like I was hoping to be the player
that I was before and to see Damorrow make those
interceptions this year and see the Bills do well and
see him ball out the way. I mean, I'm texting
him as soon as he makes a play like man,
that's it.

Speaker 3 (25:58):
That's it.

Speaker 2 (25:59):
So it's just that everyone can cheer for. Let's we'll talk.
We'll talk to the football in the second.

Speaker 1 (26:04):
But I do want to ask you if you talked
about just getting back to being a human, have you
gotten to the place where it's not in conscious thought
when you're playing?

Speaker 2 (26:13):
How about your health?

Speaker 8 (26:15):
I don't know if that'll ever be a thing, you
know what I mean, everybody, we don't know if there
will ever be a time where it's not in you're
conscious some way somehow, whether it's one percent or ten percent, sure,
but the number has decreased extremely from last season to
this season. That's why I was able to just be

(26:37):
free and play football. And you know, last year was
really a year of milestones, you know, putting my mouthpiece
again and put my helmet on again, shoulder pants on again,
tackling again, seven on seven again, practice again, playing in
the game again.

Speaker 2 (26:52):
So it was like a year of milestones.

Speaker 8 (26:54):
In a year for me to be able to shape
myself and really see what I wanted to do with
the league. You know, I game my hunger again throughout
that twenty twenty three season for me to be able
to do what I did this year. And you know,
I feel like I'm still only at like an eighty
percent of you know, what I can be. You know,
I do feel like I'm still you know, coming back

(27:15):
in a way. So I'm super excited to continue on
in my career and reach my full potential of that
extra twenty percent that I still feel like I have
in a team.

Speaker 7 (27:24):
In my opinion, you're looking at the comeback player of
the Year for this season. He should be because some
some comebacks take a little bit longer.

Speaker 1 (27:32):
Yeah, okay, I mean it's like I mean.

Speaker 2 (27:34):
In the way that he played this year.

Speaker 7 (27:37):
I mean, I don't I don't know how the voting
is gonna go, but I mean, this is your comeback
player of the Year for this year.

Speaker 2 (27:41):
In my opinion.

Speaker 1 (27:43):
Okay, So as a champion. As a champion, how did
the Bills get over that?

Speaker 2 (27:47):
From that hump?

Speaker 7 (27:50):
How do the Bills listen? There always comes a point
in any game. I mean, they've got the players that
can match. They've got the players that can branch right
up with the chi terms, offense, defense, special teams, whatever
it is. Inside four minutes, can you make the place
that's what's going to be next year. I don't think Josh.
It's all about Josh Allen and what he does and

(28:11):
what he needs to do. It's about the defense. No,
it's when they're in this situation again executing better than
they did.

Speaker 2 (28:17):
And I think if they would feel that way.

Speaker 7 (28:19):
I know I've talked tomorrow at this sort, he's not
at this head right here, right, that's just when the
game's on the line.

Speaker 1 (28:24):
That's when you have to do it.

Speaker 2 (28:27):
Is there.

Speaker 1 (28:30):
I'll just give you a quick insight. So I'm a
college basketball coach as well. My team's lost nineteen games
row okay, yeah, we got young group, injured, best player
Len's scoring the country has been out for two months,
and we just it feels like we get to a
point to where the guys are like, oh here we
go again, right led in all these games and it's
a mentality. I only asked this because it was I

(28:55):
don't know what four years ago was the thirteen seconds
right and there's always that that.

Speaker 2 (28:59):
Thing here rookie season.

Speaker 1 (29:00):
Right, Are you able to get past the here we
go again, that mental thing that something's gonna go wrong
instead of something's gonna go right.

Speaker 2 (29:14):
Yeah, I think that's all the mindset thing. You know.

Speaker 8 (29:17):
Our mindsets aren't shaped like that. We we we knew
who we were all season, and we leaned on that
and we went in to the game confident, and you know,
we we went in with the mindset of playing three
offenses to attack and uh we no one, no one
thought twice about the what ifs, you know. I think
I think that's a mindset thing, and just being able

(29:37):
to have that power over your mind and stay in
the right mindset for the task got hand, you know,
and we knew what we needed to do to go
in there and win. You know, it just necessarily didn't
shake out our way at the end of the game.
And I don't think we necessarily even need to change
anything up of who we are and you know what

(29:57):
we're about.

Speaker 2 (29:58):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (29:58):
I think, like ted said, man, I think it's just
about making those plays.

Speaker 2 (30:02):
Remember at a toime, comee.

Speaker 1 (30:03):
And just running back, running back real quick. Teddy about
heart mates, what you people know about heart mates.

Speaker 7 (30:10):
Abbot dot com slash heart mates is where you go
to join I mean, Damar and I are there. We
actually send you a contract actually, so that that it's
almost like we want to sort of relate it to football.
We've had a draft row the draft draft bis, yeah,
first round draft picks and everything. You sign a contract
and what it says is to lend support to survivors
basically I'm paraphrasing it there, and you join this community

(30:33):
caregivers also because being a stroke survivor. And then there's
my wife also during the whole i mean Tomorrow's family
during the whole rehabilitation shows this there's a whole different
aspect of what they're going through, and caretakers can also
you know, lean on themselves with stories. It's a wonderful community, all.

Speaker 1 (30:50):
Right, it sounds like an incredible thing. Well, listen Tomorrow.
We hope to see you next year playing in this game.
And Teddy, I know you played and won this game,
so it's great to catch up with you both.

Speaker 2 (30:58):
Thanks so much for being our guest, Thanks for having us,
Thanks for.

Speaker 1 (31:01):
Listening to The Doug Gotleb Show podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday. Three to five Eastern twelve
two Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station
for the Doug Gottlieb Show at Foxsports Radio dot com
or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app
by searching FSR. It's the Doug Gottlieb Show here on
Fox Sports Radio. And this is the cool thing about

(31:23):
doing having this gig for as long as I've had
this gig, is you get a chance to catch up
with a guy who you're in college at the same
time you watch them become a Hall of Famer, and
now you get to say, like, hey, what are you,
what's up now, and what's your life like now, and
kind of reflect on an unbelievable career. He was a
how many times you're an All Pro? It's like a

(31:44):
few times, eight times, nine times All Pro. That's the
best in the business. Let's just say less than ten.
But he's also a Hall of Famer, so that doesn't
matter in terms of your career. You got plenty of
chances to reflect, Like when you close your eyes and
you think of things, what thoughts passed through your mind,
because all of we we have lots of spectacular plays

(32:05):
that you made that we think of what do you
think of?

Speaker 9 (32:07):
I think of you know, a lot of good moments,
but it was a grind. You know, when I look
at the guys on Sunday, Saturday, whatever day they're playing,
I just think about what they did all week to
get ready, and that's what shuts me down. Like, Okay,
I'm so happy to be on the other side.

Speaker 1 (32:23):
Right, it's not the game, it's.

Speaker 6 (32:26):
The grind of it.

Speaker 3 (32:27):
You know.

Speaker 9 (32:28):
People see the games, but they don't realize. I mean,
we really got paid to practice, Like that's where all
the time went into.

Speaker 6 (32:36):
So I don't miss that part of it.

Speaker 9 (32:38):
I mean, of course I loved it when I did it,
but right now that that was the worst part of it.

Speaker 1 (32:43):
When I reflect, if you could, if you could tinker
with the rules for defensive backs, would you, would you
change it? And if so, how yeah?

Speaker 6 (32:52):
No illegal contact? How about that? Yeah?

Speaker 9 (32:55):
So we can touch and bump and do everything we
can't till the balls in the air.

Speaker 1 (33:00):
What about on the underthrown Like my least favorite one
is the purposely underthrown ball where the wide receiver pretends
like he's coming back to get it and the cornerback
is in man to man and has to turn around
to see the ball and as soon as they act
like they're going back to get it to PI, would
you continue? Is there a way to fix that?

Speaker 6 (33:20):
No, it really isn't.

Speaker 9 (33:21):
And I think that's what makes that position so unique
is you have to be.

Speaker 6 (33:25):
Good at staying calm.

Speaker 9 (33:28):
And what I mean is when that ball is in
the air and you see that guy coming back, you
got to be able to turn your head, slow your
feet down, locate the ball and not make a pass
in afference. I mean it's almost impossible. But I think
that's why corners should be paid the big bucks because
it's that hard.

Speaker 1 (33:46):
I think it paid pretty well.

Speaker 9 (33:48):
They're not where they should be. They should be better, but.

Speaker 1 (33:54):
It has to come from somewhere. So is the quarterbacks
are overpaid? No, the receivers are okay, But the defensive
ends are really well paid.

Speaker 9 (34:02):
Yes, they are, right, and they should be. They affect
the quarterback, right.

Speaker 1 (34:05):
It's all about It's all about the quarterback. Like he
like guy who he gets open for the quarterback, guy
who can shut down the guy compressure the quarterback, and
then guy who can help shut down the quarterback.

Speaker 9 (34:15):
Right, well, right, but you know the glamour positions on offense. Right,
So for defensive player, you want somebody who can affect
the quarterback at a high clip. So they're kind of
hard to find. It's a unique position. But even harder
to find is a good corner. So when you look
at guys like PS two and you know, these guys

(34:35):
that are really good, I mean, it's they're.

Speaker 6 (34:38):
Hard to find, they're hard to come back, they are.

Speaker 9 (34:40):
They really affect the game in a way that you
may not notice in real time, you know. So it's
it's one of those things like maybe they're maybe the
receivers are paid well, the corners just should be paid better.

Speaker 1 (34:51):
Okay, Well one of the things that's cool about corners though,
is that corners you still have your faculties when you're done.

Speaker 6 (34:55):
Yeah, right, for the most part.

Speaker 1 (34:57):
Yeah that is some stuff hurts, right, yes, but you know,
ain't like running backs, ain't like linebackers.

Speaker 9 (35:04):
We're not making ten tackles a game and we're not
banging every play.

Speaker 6 (35:08):
So yeah, that's a good point.

Speaker 2 (35:10):
What is positive athlete?

Speaker 9 (35:12):
Positive athlete is a recognition platform. So what we do
is we recognize athletes men, women, girls.

Speaker 6 (35:19):
Boy, it doesn't matter in high.

Speaker 9 (35:20):
School that have high character, hard working, accountable, all the
things that lead to them being a good pro. We
highlight them, we recognize them. But on the flip side,
we give them leadership tools, you know, things that they
will need.

Speaker 1 (35:37):
How do you identify them.

Speaker 9 (35:39):
Well, they're identified by their coaches, parents, so that's how
they nominate.

Speaker 6 (35:43):
So you go to positive athlete dot org.

Speaker 9 (35:45):
You can nominate them as a coach, a parent, anything,
anybody in the house. At the high school level, you
want to nominate as many as possible. I mean, people
think when you give sports awards it goes to the
elite of what they do on the field. We're highlighting
the ones that do things great off the field. Maybe
they're just a great teammate, great in the classroom. That's

(36:05):
inspiring to me because now it motivates that kids that's
on the fence about playing. Now they want to play
because they have a chance to be recognized for some
of the other things that they're great at. They might
not be great at that sport, but they're great at
other things, community work, you know, everything, just leadership in general.
So I think it's good that we highlight them because
on the flip side, when you think about these corporations,

(36:28):
who do they want to work for them?

Speaker 6 (36:30):
They want former athletes more or.

Speaker 9 (36:32):
Less, but they're hard to find. They're hard to get to.
You know, where do you find them? And that's what
we're trying to create.

Speaker 1 (36:40):
What's it like to be a Hall of Famer?

Speaker 9 (36:43):
It's great, man, It's you got to think this was
a dream of mine to be to have that gold jacket.
I never was shy about that early in my career,
first year, second year, it doesn't matter. I would always say, yeah,
I want to have a Hall of Fame career.

Speaker 2 (36:58):
But.

Speaker 1 (37:00):
Everybody said, lots of people say it. Enough, should do it,
I know, but give that speech to be recognized, to
have the bronze bust.

Speaker 9 (37:08):
Yeah, right now that I'm here, yeah, I mean, it's
it's sort of surreal because I just ran into Steve Atwater.
I grew up watching him, right, And of course I've
had my run, I've had my run ends with him
being with the Broncos. But now did I see him
and I know that we're on the same team. I
never played with him, but we happened to be on

(37:29):
the same team. Now in the Hall of Fame, I
got in right before he did it.

Speaker 6 (37:33):
Was. It's just perfect.

Speaker 2 (37:35):
Man.

Speaker 9 (37:35):
Now, I got all these teammates that I never actually
laced them up with, and then a few that I
did that.

Speaker 6 (37:40):
Have got the gold jackets.

Speaker 9 (37:41):
A lot of guys, I mean, Darryl Green, Bruce Smith,
John Lynch, Brian Dawkins. I mean, I played with a
lot of great ones, man, and they were Hall of
famers in those moments when I played with them. They
could have shut it down at those times and still
got that gold jacket. And that's that's what's perfect about it.
I saw them when they already accomplished the something.

Speaker 2 (37:59):
What do you do with the jacket? Like?

Speaker 1 (38:00):
Where where is it in your house?

Speaker 6 (38:02):
It's in my closet, but it's like the rest.

Speaker 1 (38:05):
Of my It's just it's just it's just with the
other shoe coach.

Speaker 9 (38:07):
Yes, because you have the like the way I wear
it from time to time for real? Yes, No, no,
I bet you would, you know, but you know I
wear it to events.

Speaker 6 (38:18):
You know, I want it to be an inspiration because
have you.

Speaker 1 (38:22):
Ever gotten anything on it?

Speaker 6 (38:23):
Oh? Yeah, you got it's gotten dirty, you know, but
it's come out. You know.

Speaker 9 (38:27):
I haven't had any you know, permanent stains so far.
Let me not knock on wood. But you know that's
that's it.

Speaker 2 (38:33):
Man.

Speaker 9 (38:33):
I love to wear it in certain moments, but I
don't want people thinking I should wear it all the time, right, Like, No,
it has to be special moments when I know it's
going to resonate with the audience.

Speaker 6 (38:43):
So whoever I'm around.

Speaker 1 (38:45):
I do want to ask about that, sirr Bult, because
it's spun out of control on the very first snap,
very first, now, right, very first?

Speaker 6 (38:52):
Now, yeah, unfortunately.

Speaker 1 (38:54):
Does does the game change of that first snap doesn't happen?

Speaker 6 (38:57):
Maybe, but I'm not sure.

Speaker 9 (39:00):
You know, I'm a big believer in defense wins championships, yep.

Speaker 2 (39:04):
And we were weak on defense, yep.

Speaker 9 (39:05):
First, you had a thirty five year old corner starting myself.
You know, I probably shouldn't have been a starter. We
lost Chris Harris maybe the week or so before, which
hurt us a lot in the playoffs. Baron Miller was
out that year. We lost Kevin Vickerson, Dereck Wolf. Now
if you think about those names, they were on that
yeah Super Bowl fifty team. Yes, all those guys were healthy,

(39:26):
they had all the pieces and that's.

Speaker 1 (39:28):
Really why No, that was not really it was why
they won. Like Peyton couldn't throw that, they had no offense.
It was all defense and special teams. Yeah, but here's
here's what's crazy about that. So we were getting ready
for that game. The Super Bowls in New York obviously
are in Jersey, and I remember everyone was talking about
Peyton in fifty touchdowns. Yeah, this was the year, and

(39:48):
I was just like, have we thought about the fact that,
like the clich is, defense wins championships and on the
other side is one of the best defenses in the
history of the.

Speaker 6 (39:55):
Sport, one of the best ever.

Speaker 9 (39:57):
Right, Yeah, you can't match up against that defense without
a good defense. I know, we don't play against each other,
but we had to get stops. We didn't get stops.
They did, and it was just a nightmn from there.

Speaker 1 (40:11):
I gotta ask you this one question from the defense,
from the defensive side, when like we're watching as as
just fans, I don't understand how Kelsey gets open. He's
not fast. He's not fast anymore, right, and he's like
all these Antonio Gates at the end of his career,
couldn't run. Yeah, but those big old tight ends they
find a way and you sit there and stream at

(40:32):
the TV like they're going to Kelsey. They're going to Kelsey,
and yet he still catches the football. How does that happen?
How does that work?

Speaker 6 (40:39):
Smart?

Speaker 9 (40:40):
He has a quarterback that he's very in sync with,
but he also is able to push off when necessary.
He's deceptively fast. I mean he's not, of course, blazing fast,
but he knows how to kick it into another gear.

Speaker 6 (40:53):
He just understands football and when you watch.

Speaker 9 (40:56):
Him, he just goes to the open space and Mahomes
knows he's gonna be there. So when you're in sync
like that, anything can happen. And that's why he puts
up big numbers from time to time. And sometimes he
doesn't ye because there's ways to take him out of it.
But then you expose yourself to the exact you're worthy
and all the other weapons that they have. So it's
it's one of those things Pat Mahomes has done a
great job of doing, is utilizing the weapons around him.

Speaker 1 (41:19):
When when Peyton retired, most a lot of people consider
him the greatest like pure quarterback of all time, right
and then and then obviously Brady went on kind of
that last stretch, won some super Bowls, and that conversation
kind of went away. I don't know about the whole
rating rankings thing whatever like that stuff is lame, right,
But having been a part of that magical offensive season

(41:41):
and having played against him and played against so many
of the greats, like, what what do football players think
of Peyton and what made the sheriff so special?

Speaker 9 (41:52):
Well, I still consider him the best pure pocket passer
ever played, right, I still consider him that. But he's
not the most accomplished. I think when you look at
it yet, everybody's gonna put Brady up there. But when
you talk about what it means to be a leader
in a quarterback and be consistent, Peyton was it.

Speaker 2 (42:11):
He was it. He was my.

Speaker 9 (42:12):
Toughest opponent as a quarterback. People always ask who's your
toughest receiver. You know, I can individually say too, But
when I think about those moments I had to cover,
it was Marvin Harrison because he had Peyton. Now Marvin
was great in his own right, but when you have Peyton,
I mean it's ten times harder. So look, man, Peyton

(42:34):
is the best to me, and you know, I was
happy to play with him in my last two years.

Speaker 1 (42:38):
It's crazy because he couldn't really run, he didn't have
a great arm, and yet he just would pick you
apart with his brain.

Speaker 6 (42:47):
Right, that's it.

Speaker 1 (42:49):
It's similar to like even when you're thirty five, all right,
maybe at that point and the continuum you had lost
a step, but there is that spot where your football
intelligence and your overall human intelligence you had and he
had that Travis Kelce has, yeah, where it just allows
you to be maybe at your best, even if you're
not athletic, thinker best.

Speaker 6 (43:07):
If you can be around the game for ten plus.

Speaker 9 (43:10):
Years and you lose a little bit of your athleticism,
if you could just be around and have a chance,
that's what That's why he's so good because he outsmarts people.
And that's why Peyton was so good.

Speaker 2 (43:22):
Later.

Speaker 9 (43:23):
Yeah, he couldn't throw it. He couldn't even run it.
He couldn't throw it as hard, but he couldn't run it.
But he but he all thinks people. So he's a
step ahead of you every time, so you always plan catchup.

Speaker 6 (43:34):
I mean, that's that's why he was so good.

Speaker 1 (43:36):
He's one of the all time grades Champ Bailey and
it's positive athlete dot org. That's positive athlete dot org
and the goal is ninety nine percent of student athletes
who won't be going pro get the chance to prepare
for life.

Speaker 6 (43:48):
Yeah, so go positive athlete dot org.

Speaker 9 (43:51):
Any parent, coach, administrator could nominate any athlete at the
high school level as many as they want and they'll
be recognw It's for all the hard work they do
on and off the field, mainly off the field. That
high character, all those traits that companies really value is
what we're trying to build.

Speaker 1 (44:11):
Champ's great to catch up. Thanks for joining us.

Speaker 2 (44:12):
Man.

Speaker 6 (44:12):
Always good to see Douk.

Speaker 1 (44:14):
Thanks for listening to The Doug Gottleb Show podcast. Be
sure to catch us live every weekday three to five
Eastern twelve two Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your
local station for The Doug Gottlieb Show at Foxsports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every day on the
iHeartRadio app by searching FSR Doug Gottlieb Show here on
Fox Sports Radio. And past two years super productive with

(44:35):
the New York Jets. There's a lot to catch up
with with Solomon Thomas who joins us. How'd you characterize
this here?

Speaker 10 (44:44):
It was a tough year for sure, just a lot happening,
a lot outside the team's control. Head coach being fired,
GM being fired, you know, just a lot to deal
with outside of the game of football. So that was
tough for.

Speaker 1 (44:57):
You personally because Sala obviously he was part of the
staff at in San Francisco, right, I'm sure he's a
big reason why you came over. Yeah, and you know,
you go back to last year. I mean that was
the most productive five sacks in the year, as most
you had in your career. So there's a personal connection there. Yeah,
what's that like? When somebody who you'll are personally connected
to loses their job.

Speaker 10 (45:20):
It's hard because you know them as a human being
as well, Like so you know his family, his kids,
his wife, and you know that the struggles they're about
to go through, you know, and so you feel for them,
You hurt from as a human and you you love
him through it. But it's definitely tough. You know, it's
tough losing your head coach. It's tough losing you know,
somebody who's been a human being in your life, you know,

(45:40):
and you' it's someone that you want the best for,
and so you know, I want the best for Sala,
and I'm super excited that he's back in San fran
But during the season, I was definitely tough emotionally and
as a football team.

Speaker 2 (45:52):
It was it was hard to go through.

Speaker 1 (45:53):
You've been through a lot, right, the one year with
the Raiders and then you know, obviously Aaron's injury two
years ago, uh, this this year, and yet like you're
again and I don't want to undersell it or oversell it.
You're like the picture of stability as a guy, right,
Like part of the reason people want you on the
football team is because like you're just a solid, solid dude.

(46:14):
But what what what is that in terms of going
from San Francisco, which is done one way, to Vegas
to the Jets and all the turmoil?

Speaker 2 (46:24):
What's that? Actually?

Speaker 10 (46:25):
Like, you know, you learn a lot, You learn how
to navigate different situations, You learn how to navigate different
locker rooms and different cultures. My one year in Vegas
was crazy. You know, we lost our head coach very early.
We had a couple of key players get you know,
kicked off the team whatever you want to call it.

Speaker 2 (46:44):
And that was hard. And you come to the Jets.
That was the rugs, right, rugs are yeah, and then you.

Speaker 10 (46:47):
Go to the Jets and you lose, you know, you
lose a head coach, you lose a GM, you lose
a lot of games. You know, you could look at
it in a couple of different ways, But the way
I look at it, I've been able to learn how
to grow in these losses. I had to learn how
to be a leader in hard times and to uplift
my teammates, uplift myself, you know, no matter what circumstances

(47:09):
are going on around me, how to continue forward with intensity,
with discipline, and and find a way to persevere through
whatever going through. So you know, it's it's it's not
been fun losing. But I have learned a lot and
applied lessons in every single year, no matter the turmoil,
no matter the loss, no matter the situation, to build
myself to be the best team that I can be

(47:29):
for the next team.

Speaker 1 (47:30):
You work with big brothers and big sisters, right this
incredible work. What can you take from those lessons and
teach to young people?

Speaker 10 (47:39):
Definitely, you know I would love to teach them that.
You know, hey, you know right now, you may not
be winning. You may not be you know, getting all
the stats you want on the stat board, but there
are lessons to learn within the losing. You know, you're
as long as you're putting all yourself out there, being
your the best you can, showing up doing your job,

(48:00):
you aren't losing. You are actually learning and you're growing
and becoming a better human being. And as as long
as you say open minded to that and you push
yourself past that, you know there will only be growth.
And that's something that would I would love to pass
on to them, because sometimes you get too tied up
in the wins and lost calumn instead of like what
the process is going on. And sometimes the process can
can really be the dream because that's where the ups

(48:24):
and downs happen. That's where the persevering happens, and that's
where that getting past adversity happens, and that's like where
the real growth and real work happens.

Speaker 1 (48:30):
It's interesting, you know Coach Shaw's now back now back
in the NFL. Yeah, I know, I know. He's just
a stud human being. Yes, yeah, for people who don't
understand why so many revere him as a man you
having played for him at Stanford, what is it that
makes him special?

Speaker 10 (48:46):
He just curious to use a human being like he
looks at you as a human first over football player.
And I think that was always special in college. You know,
I think, no matter what, like if you agree with
him or didn't agree with him, like at the end
of the day, you respected him because he respected you
and he loved you as a human being, And so
I thought that was always the coolest thing about him.
And then he's just a brilliant mind, you know, very
smart dude, you know, very intellectual, and just just a

(49:09):
really good person to have in your have in your pocket.

Speaker 1 (49:12):
Okay, for you looking forward, how do you get how
do you get this thing back on track?

Speaker 3 (49:19):
You know?

Speaker 10 (49:19):
Uh? For me personally, like you know, I'll be a
free agent of March, you know. So you know I'm
excited for that.

Speaker 2 (49:25):
You know.

Speaker 10 (49:26):
I just want to keep playing football, and I keep
playing at a high level, you know I have. I
feel like I have a lot of great football left
in me. But I want to win, you know, I
want to win. I want to get a ring. You know,
I got to taste it.

Speaker 2 (49:37):
You know.

Speaker 10 (49:37):
My third year in San Francisco definitely didn't win, but
I was so close. So I want to find a
way to get back there. And I want to help
a team reach that goal, and I want to help
a fan base get their ring, and I want to
get a ring, and I want to go compete at
the highest level. So you know, right now, just you know,
starting to train, starting to get the body, body back healthy, mentally, physically,
refresh and just go attack this off season. Become the

(49:57):
best alum and I could be.

Speaker 1 (49:58):
What do you remember about What do you remember about
San Francisco?

Speaker 2 (50:02):
About the game the Super Bowl?

Speaker 10 (50:04):
H Man, it was the coolest atmosphere I've ever been around,
you know, like just like it was a different type
of energy, Like it was the twenty first, twentieth game
of the season, but it felt like the first, just
because just from the energy about being in the Super Bowl,
the coolest sporting that I've ever been to played in.
You know, even though we lost, it was It's something
I'll never forget. It was one of the coolest moments,

(50:25):
you know, and it was electrifying.

Speaker 1 (50:27):
You guys were your line was dominating, getting like Nick
was gonna be the MVP. Like you guys were dominating
the game. It just it's crazy how quickly I think
can kind of get away from you.

Speaker 10 (50:38):
It happened so fast, it really did it happen so fast?
And then like it was there's no looking back. It
was like you know, it's that you say, like eleven
minutes left in the game, you were super Bowl champs
and then just like that, you know, Pat Mahoons took over.

Speaker 1 (50:51):
Yeah, he's what Now, you've been in this league this long?
I mean, is it? Is it the consistency? Is it
the different and styles between all the Super Bowls? What
is it that impresses you the most about that group?

Speaker 2 (51:05):
Ah?

Speaker 10 (51:05):
Just the consistency to win in this league. People understand
how heart of this. They're just like, oh the Chiefs
one again, here we go. It takes so much discipline,
so much hard work, so much showing up every single day,
you know, the little things, taking care of your body,
eating right, recovering, you know, extra film work. You know,
people understand the work that it takes to win at
that level. So to be able to do it so

(51:27):
much and for him to you know, be looking for
a three p and his fourth ring is ridiculous. So
you know, I have nothing but respect for that. And
you know, when you're when you're in the game, you
respect that and you honor that best fans. I understand
it gets old, but at the same time you have
to respect the greatness.

Speaker 1 (51:43):
No, it's it's it's pretty impressive. Equally impressive your work
with the Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Why did you
get involved originally?

Speaker 10 (51:50):
You know, so it happened over a bye week my
first year in San France. Invited me down to an
event and then from them just kicked it off. You know,
I love the work they do. I love being a mentor,
being around you know, somebody you can impact, the influence,
you know, I believe we're all here to influence on
the people and make make their lives better and then
make an impact. And so, you know, just just been
able to, you know, have this connection with these groups.

(52:12):
And I have like a bunch of littles back in
Jersey that I've had, you know, a big connection with
and you know, got to know over the last three
years and like come to my Christmas event, my come
you know, I took him to a Broadway show. You know,
We've done all these cool things together, came to games,
you know. So it's been such a cool group to
be a part of, and you know, I'm just thankful
to get to know them and to keep learning and

(52:33):
learning about littles and getting to know them better.

Speaker 1 (52:35):
I'm sure they don't even they don't. They don't care
if you're winning or lose, right, They just they just
look at you as this giant, incredible father figure who
kind of wants to help guide them through life, and
so unbelievablewarding what you're doing. Look, man, it's an honored
to catch up with you. I know the type person
you are and I really really appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (52:51):
Yep, thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 1 (52:53):
Thanks for listening to The Dog Gottlieb Show podcast. Be
sure to catch us live every weekday three to five
Eastern twelve two Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your
local station for The Doug Gottlieb Show at Foxsports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every day on the
iHeartRadio app by searching FSR. It's the Doug Gottlieb Show.
You're on Fox Sports Radio. And kind of to be

(53:13):
joined by another Hooper who couldn't make it in hoop, right,
so he just became a football player and a Pro
Bowl tied end. He's Trad McBride. He joins us here
on The Doug Gottlieb Show. On Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 6 (53:24):
How are you.

Speaker 11 (53:25):
I'm doing great, man, Thank you so much for having
me on. Super excited for the super Bowl. It's gonna
be a great week and just a lot of fun
being out here.

Speaker 2 (53:32):
All right.

Speaker 1 (53:32):
Give me Rocking Protein. What is Rocking Protein?

Speaker 11 (53:34):
Yeah, you know, it's a protein company based in Arizona,
so right in my backyard. But just a phenomenal protein company.
They have that great taste, you know, it tastes like
a milkshake, doesn't have that chalky taste afterwards. But most importantly,
they got three great flavors, vanilla, chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.

Speaker 2 (53:49):
So whatever you're.

Speaker 11 (53:50):
Looking for, not only for professional athletes, for the weekend warriors,
the guys that don't work out as well, so for everybody.

Speaker 1 (53:55):
So you know all pre protein guys' just like protein
E protein protein protein app exactly.

Speaker 2 (53:59):
Yeah, I can't, so you know it feels you to
get going for sure.

Speaker 1 (54:02):
You know, it is interesting. Who do we have on yesterday?
Who is a former hooper tight end? God, I'm blanking
for a second, but it was interesting. We went through
the Antonio Gates and I played au hoop with Tony Gonzalez. Yeah,
you kind of go through all these different guys and
they're all hoopers and become tight ends or tight ends

(54:27):
that also play hoop. And it's interesting that there's a
you're young, but there's a huge group of those guys
that actually even at Kelsey right like, he was a
really good hooper, played a little bit.

Speaker 2 (54:37):
On Cincinnati's basketball team.

Speaker 1 (54:39):
And as those guys have lost some of their bursts
that you have and athleticism, they're still super solid, super consistent.

Speaker 2 (54:48):
What does that come from?

Speaker 1 (54:49):
Why is it that that hoopers become really good tight ends?

Speaker 11 (54:52):
You know, I think it's just the ball skills, you know,
the shooting the basketball, catching the ball.

Speaker 2 (54:57):
I kind of just a little bit correlate.

Speaker 11 (54:59):
You know, basketball you're trying to get around a defender
to get to the hoop, and then football you're trying
to get around a defender to score touchdown. So a
lot of it, you know, correlates. It's a lot of
the same stuff. But you know, a lot of the
basketball and football is very similar, especially in the tight
end position.

Speaker 1 (55:14):
What about Kelsey do you watch and go like, oh,
I got he's come music.

Speaker 11 (55:20):
Yeah, there's a lot man, he's a tremendous athlete, but
For me, it's his ability to get open and find zones,
you know, his ability to pick zones apart to get open.
Him and Mahomes have such a great connection. They do
so many great things. So watching him play, how he
runs routes, how he gets opens is something that I
try to take from him.

Speaker 1 (55:37):
How would you characterize your asses?

Speaker 11 (55:39):
You're close? You know, we were so close to getting
in the playoffs. We know, I feel like we were
a playoff team. We should have been there, but we
didn't quite get it this year. But I'm excited to
see where we can take it the next couple of years,
you know, with Kyler at the Helm and Jonathan gannon Monty,
the culture that they're building in Arizona.

Speaker 2 (55:55):
I'm excited to see where we can take this ge.

Speaker 1 (55:57):
And it's interesting, man, because you know, kind of the
early press conference, the early stuff, it was like, eh,
don't know, and then thought kind of overachieved a little
bit last year, and then this year it was solid
and consistent. What's he like on a day to day
for you guys, He's.

Speaker 2 (56:12):
Great, man.

Speaker 11 (56:12):
He does everything the right way. He gets us prepared
every single week to be successful. But yeah, those videos
kind of blew up early on. But you know, he's
tremendous man. The guys gets me ready to go. He's,
you know, a tremendous coach, and he's building that culture
the right way, and I'm excited to see where we
could take this thing.

Speaker 2 (56:29):
Are you a call of duty guy? Yeah? I can
get down with call of duty for sure.

Speaker 1 (56:33):
Okay, So who plays more call of duty?

Speaker 11 (56:34):
You or Kyler? It's funny, man, he gets a bad
rap with that stuff. You know, he really doesn't gain
as much as everyone makes him out to be. But
he's a he's a great player. Man, he's a good
a good game or two, but he doesn't he doesn't
gain as much as the media makes it out to be.

Speaker 1 (56:47):
I do wonder, okay. I mean, like I know Kyler,
he's a little bit smaller than me. And you know
there's always the diminutive running back where the linebackers and
the safeties can't see the guy, right, Yeah, what about
as a tight end when he's running around back there?
Can you always? Can you always see him when he's.

Speaker 3 (57:04):
Behind the line.

Speaker 11 (57:05):
That's funny, man. Not all the time, you know, sometimes
I'm back there looking for the ball. I know I'm open.
I know, I'm expecting the ball and sometimes I don't
see where, you know, and then all of a sudden,
just a missile comes from behind the line of scrimmage.

Speaker 2 (57:15):
You're like, damn. But a lot of times, you know, when.

Speaker 11 (57:17):
He's moving around, it's a little easier to see him
because he's not behind those six seven offensive lineman.

Speaker 1 (57:21):
I joke about the call. Do you think, because it
does feel like he took a step this year, what
by your estimation is the guy who works with him,
did he do differently and maybe better this season?

Speaker 11 (57:30):
Yeah, I think it's just a different offense now he's
got that was a second year in that system and
he just kind of understood it a little bit more.
But you know, he's he's first overall pick. He's a
baseball guy. You know, he's just a tremendous athlete. So
if you just get him ready to go and he
knows what he's doing, man, he's going to make plays
out there for you. So I love playing with him. Man,
He's such a great guy, and you know, love everything

(57:50):
about him.

Speaker 1 (57:51):
Percentage of time in which you have to block probably
seventy five percent route running, twenty five percent block in
that twenty five percent side and you're like, oh, man,
I gotta do this twenty five percent.

Speaker 11 (58:04):
Yeah, yeah, no, it does sneak a little bit, But
at the same time, it does help you in the
past game too. You know that those play action passes
different things like that. If you don't run and then
you go in there all of a sudden, it's a
red flag for some of those guys. But if you
can have a little success in the run game, that
that pass game really opens up for you.

Speaker 1 (58:19):
Now that you've been in the league, what are your
thoughts on how Kansas City is able to be so consistent?

Speaker 2 (58:26):
Right?

Speaker 1 (58:27):
I mean, this league is so much about up down
and look, Philly's been actually really consistent here. Another season
ended kind of prematurely considering how it started last year.
But the ability to be to consistent for a guy
who plays in this league, how are they able to
do it?

Speaker 11 (58:41):
It's it's phenomenal to see what Andy Reid and Mahomes
and those guys have done over.

Speaker 2 (58:46):
In Kansas City.

Speaker 11 (58:47):
You know how hard it is to win in this
league and how Andy Reid's done it year in and
year out for multiple organizations.

Speaker 2 (58:55):
Man, it's really cool to see. But it's hard to
be good in this league.

Speaker 11 (58:58):
It's hard to win and Homes and the Chiefs have
got it figured out and they're winning a lot of
football games.

Speaker 8 (59:04):
Man.

Speaker 1 (59:04):
I mean Colorado State flipped this thing this year and
they were good. But yeah, two years ago that game
against Dion in Boulder, right, and it's one of those that's,
honestly in post COVID that's one of the five most
memorable college football Yeah.

Speaker 2 (59:20):
No, that was awesome, man. And I remember I was
we were on in a way trip actually, I think
we might have been in Philly that week, and it.

Speaker 11 (59:27):
Was about one in the morning over there, and I'm
staying up trying to watch this game, and man, I
was just hoping that we could pull it out and
we came up a little short.

Speaker 2 (59:35):
That was one of those games I wish we could
get back. Yeah, I loved it.

Speaker 1 (59:37):
There's I mean, there were so many amazing plays and yeah,
I felt like they left some points out there, no doubt.

Speaker 2 (59:43):
All Right, So one more time rocking protein. Yeah? Are
you strawberry chocolate vanilla? That's a great question.

Speaker 11 (59:49):
I love all three flavors, but the vanilla one, man,
it tastes just like a vanilla milkshake.

Speaker 1 (59:53):
You can't go wrong, right, Plus you can always throw
in a banana or speeanut butter and then kind of
flavored out.

Speaker 2 (59:57):
Once you go strawberry, you're like, you're with strawberry. I
guess you could go strawberry banana, but the strawberry so
so dominant. Yeah, definitely, Trey Man.

Speaker 1 (01:00:07):
Awesome season, great to catch up, Thanks for joining us.

Speaker 2 (01:00:09):
Thank you.

Speaker 1 (01:00:10):
That's it for the end the Modus Podcast. We got
more for you tomorrow from Radio Row. In the meantime,
Thanks so much for listening. Remember to follow on social
media at Gottlieb Show, Twitter, at Gottlieb Show Instagram, and
of course you can check us out on a YouTube page.
And you download this podcast, why not download the entire
Radio Show podcast and the All Ball podcast.

Speaker 2 (01:00:29):
I am Doug gotlie