December 2, 2025 • 16 mins
TJ Hockenson with Paul Allen 12-2-25
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ladies and gentlemen, formerly of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes,
then by way of the Motor City Kiddies. Now he's
one of ours, ladies and gentlemen. And my man played
with his hair on fire in the Cappuccino Capital. You
talk about somebody caring about trying to find a win
two away from me and up here on the stage
of Chiels, Can I get a witness and a raucous
(00:21):
round of applause for t J Hocking Send TJ.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
I'll be doing all right.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yeah, thanks a lot for helping. We greatly appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
And I meant what I said, You gave absolutely everything
you had Sunday before you got here, you know I was.
I was kind of in a roundabout way defining when
when you play a skilled position tight end, wide receiver
running back to a certain extent, they can hand it
to them. But from the catching standpoint, you can be
(00:56):
ten of ten on point. You can do everything right,
you can practice right, you can watch all the film
situations right, you can find the perceived L on the
defense and expose perceived L. But you're reliant on others
helping to get it to you. That that's what makes
football the ultimate team game, and it it It may
(01:17):
not have worked out Sunday at Seattle or with the
previous games, but overall, how are you handling this? Because
this is just what's happening right now at the four
and eight. It's it's just so different than than you
and so many have seen, you know what I mean,
So like, how do you handle that?
Speaker 4 (01:37):
You know, I think it's obviously, uh, it's it's been
a tough year for us. You know, there's a lot
of you know, things that each game presents and and
things that you can do differently. But I think, uh,
the biggest thing is a you know, a competitor and
and somebody who loves this game and and loves this
(01:58):
organization and and loves me, and uh, playing in Purple
is is just going out there and trying to give
everything you have, every opportunity you're given. And I think
that's what a lot of guys are trying to do
and and and the strain to finish and and you know,
you watch the tape and there's a lot of guys
flying around that's offense defensively, and I just think, you know,
(02:21):
we talk about it a lot. It's a funny shape
ball and and things don't go your way, you know,
whether it's turnovers or you.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Know, other things.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
And but it's just putting, you know, positive stuff on
tape and not you know, showing that you know, I'm
not down on this season, and no one's down on
the season, and it's just continuing to push forward to
build this thing.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
You know, the way we talk about every single.
Speaker 5 (02:47):
Year very well described what has it been like throughout
this season, whether okay, into the season, JJ McCarthy is
going to start and we're gonna put all of our
support behind number nine. He gets hurt, then it's Carson
Wentz and then you see JJ back. Now we see
Max Brosmer most recently, just kind of the ebbs and
flows from your position, specifically TJ in terms of at
(03:08):
some times being kind of a mentor just here's what
I want from the kids, or here's what helps with
the kids, working with Carson, and just kind of balancing
that that quarterback kind of carousel that's taking place for
you this year.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Yeah, I mean it's happened in the past.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
I mean we've we've had you know, different guys at
the position, but I think you know, the biggest thing
is just believing in every single guy that's out there,
and we have every single time we've stepped on that field.
You know, the person in the backfield, the person that's
leading the huddle, we've truly believed in and we thought
we were going to come out with a win.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
And I think you know that.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Says a lot about our team, that says a lot
about the culture. But you know, it just hasn't gone
our way, and there's it truly sucks to be able
to come here and you know, not have those wins
for you guys or for us as a team.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
So it's been difficult.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
But I think you know, there's a there's a lot
of positives to this team, even though the record hasn't
shown it. There's a lot of things that you know,
we're doing well and we're showing that we can do.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
But it's it's just pushing it.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Over the goal line and and and really trying to
score points and and help our defense and the in
ways we can and and and believe in the guys
and that we have in the in the huddle, and
that goes beyond our record, and it goes beyond other things.
It's it's really the culture and and really what we're
trying to build.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
So, uh, it's it's been tough.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
I won't lie to you, but uh, you know, we
all believe in nine. We all believe in you know,
we believed in Carson when he when he came out,
and last week. I mean, I don't think you could
have talked to a guy before the game that didn't
say they believed in Max and and what he's shown
and what you know he's done in practice, and and
(04:55):
how he was able to lead that huddle. I think
everybody had confidence in what he was able to do.
It just it just didn't go our way.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Hey, when so this is toys for tots?
Speaker 1 (05:03):
All right? So how old are you? Thirty ish? Twenty eight? Okay,
so let's go back. I don't know, let's go back fifteen,
maybe seventeen years, like not TJ the tot. But you know,
before you got into big time high school football, Division
I football, drafted very high in the NFL, You've had
a terrific career when you were when you were a
(05:25):
youngster following your favorite team, how much did you care
about it? Like those Sundays when it came to who
was your favorite team.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Growing up, I was only two hours away from Kansas City.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Here we go is the Chiefs, Okay, so that I
mean there might have been some Matt Castle in there.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
You know, there's there's the dog Days.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
There you go.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
But nevertheless, every every Sunday at noon or eleven forty five,
there's TJ. There's TJ with his family and his friends
around the TV. We got a TV time out or
a quarter break or a halftime, there's TJ and his
friends outside playing catch. I mean, how much did you
genuinely care about it when you were young? But rooting
for your team?
Speaker 4 (06:05):
Yeah, I love I love the game. You know, that
was something my dad grew up a Minnesota Vikings fan.
We always went to the Chiefs games just because that's
how close we were. But you know, you love the game
and you love watching players do their thing on Sunday.
And that's something that I still hold with, you know,
I mean, not everybody is able to go to a
game every single week, and so to be able to
(06:30):
be between the white lines and try to give a
show for for those people that are showing up or
you guys that are showing up, and that that truly
still means something to me and and just trying to
give my all every single game no matter what, you know,
what kind of record we have. So yeah, I love
being around the kids. I love being here at Shields
during this event.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
So appreciate you guys having me.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Yeah, And you know, I'm not trying to be master
motivator here or anything or like turn this into a
motivational preach. But I mean for you, not for you,
but for anybody who at four and eight, eight and
four fifteen and one or one in fifteen has problems
finding that extra whatever it takes. Forget the cash, forget
(07:12):
the Pro Bowls, forget the whole all of the shiny
toy aspect of it. It's those when you were the
Chiefs fan and how important it was to you, because
it's incredibly important to a lot of people, and especially
a lot of kids, and if it doesn't go the
right way, they're saddened, you know, not probably throughout the week.
(07:34):
And if it goes great, well then they're super happy.
But you know, I've always found that to be with
some players, that just that X because you guys are
always looking for that extra little bit when the body sore,
the mind's tired, and the kids you know, who count
on that every single week.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
I think that would be it, you know what I mean, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
No, it is.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
I remember, you know, looking up to my idols in
the league and looking and going to those games, and
even though they were you know too and whatever, I
was excited to be there.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
I was excited to see that everybody.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
And and so I think that's kind of the same
mentality that I go into a game with, is doesn't
matter what we're doing, I'm gonna try to get this
do everything. I kind of get this win this week
and and help my team do that. And it is
the ultimate team sport. You got to have all eleven
and and you know, we've just missed here or there
(08:30):
or whatever it is.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
And we we'll get this thing back on track.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
But you know, I always appreciate the fans, and I
always appreciate you guys showing up. That's awesome at US Bank.
And it's a lot of fun to play here. And
it's a lot of fun to play for you guys.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
A couple more for GJ. Hawkinson, Nordo.
Speaker 5 (08:47):
So with uh with five games left in this season,
you know, and it's funny you went down that road
when you were a kid, you latched onto players, right,
the guys that you idolized, and they could have been
a two win team. But anytime that person makes a play,
your lose in your mind in the living room or
if you're at Arrowhead, and just the beauty of that
connection there. So with five games left, I'm just curious
within the locker room now now that you're here and
(09:09):
you play between those white lines. We were talking in
the first segment, like, wow, Dallas Turner a few sacks
in a row here, Wow the season Jalen Redman's having Wow.
Like you think about your guys that are out there
at this stage of the season. Four wins, maybe the
playoffs aren't in the mix, but it's like still celebrating
those moments and even as a pro kind of latching
onto your guys and celebrating successes within these games.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
One hundred percent.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
You know, there's a lot of guys on our defense
that are playing really well, and you know, as an
offensive player, you know, I look at that as as
we got to help those guys as much as we can.
But you know, you do have to you do have
to acknowledge those things, and you know, Dallas Turner and
Dalen Redmond. You know, all these guys that are are
playing really well, you will you know, those are fun
(09:58):
to watch and those are fun too. You know, see
those guys do their thing at the highest level. You know,
there's making no mistake about it. We're playing the best
guys at this at this lead in this world, at
this position, at their position, whatever it is. And uh,
you have to show out every single Sunday and you
you you still have to you know, do your job
(10:19):
and you're the highest You're playing at the highest level.
So there's no room for air, there's no room for slacking,
there's no room for you know, bringing it down at all.
Not So I think that's a lot of fun to
be able to watch those guys every week and take
those positives and it's just really stacking on that and
from from game to game, from year to year, and
(10:41):
that's what we're trying to do.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
That's, uh, that's team leadership stuff right there. I mean,
it's like when people are looking for leaders that they
may want to catch a glimpse on a sideline of
like Peyton Manning or Tom Brady rolling up and down
the offensive line and they're cussing and they're mad, and
they'll look at that leadership right there. He's trying to
pull the best out everybody.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Lately.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Leadership, leadership hits in so many different ways. And having
been around TJ now since twenty twenty two, middle of
that season, in fact, his first game for Washington for
Minnesota was against Washington.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
He've been here like.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Three minutes, got targeted like eleven nine to eleven times
in the first game, and they won the game, and
it was just so great to see it. And you
know what else was great to see despite the loss
at Seattle, just simply because when you have young quarterbacks,
there's going to be inconsistency. I'm gonna start here with this.
(11:33):
Josh Oliver is the other tight end who plays a
lot like TJ. You because of circumstances, injuries, youth, whatever,
it's been a treaty. Maybe not executing it for you
because you might want to run down the field and
do your thing every single time. It's been a joy
watching you adapt this year, and it was some last
(11:54):
year too, but I mean like being handcuffed to a
tackle or having to do different things as much you've
had to play the Josh Oliver roll a little bit
as much as you have. This year, it's been it's
been a learning experience, hasn't it.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
Uh Yeah, I mean it's uh, it's been a different year,
There's no doubt about it. But you know, it's it's uh,
it's been fun to be able to It's always fun
to be able to play this game. There's you know,
there's no doubt about it. There's no uh, you know,
I I've I've wanted to do this since I was,
you know, five six years old. So it's it's always
(12:29):
a blessing to be able to step between the white
lines and be able to be in that locker room
and be able to be in that huddle, even in
Seattle when it's it's really loud, you know, it's just
it's just a core group of guys and whoever's in
that huddle, you know, again, we have the belief in them.
So you know, I've tried to do everything everything, uh,
you know, in my in my power to win games.
And I think that's every single guy on the field,
(12:51):
and I just don't think sometimes you know, we have
uh that that strainer all eleven on the same on
the same page.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Yeah, So you know it has been different, but you have.
Speaker 4 (13:05):
To be able to adapt to things like this, and
you have to be able to step in between the
whites and give everything you have. And I think that's
what every single guy on this team is doing. It's
just it just hasn't hasn't won our way unfortunately.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
And lastly, in a team game where I mean, you
got to get A to get to B to get
to C and guy's got to do D right then
E right, just to get five yards to make it
second and five. And that's the complex beauty of football.
And you know, so it's difficult to take one thing
and say this is the most important thing with this team.
(13:41):
I'm going to try it right now and just tell
me what you think about It is the single biggest,
most important facet of the twenty twenty five Minnesota Vikings
in the final five games, the maturation of JJ McCarthy
and just helping him get comfortable, helping him settle in
to you know, it's it's like we're watching Drake May
(14:03):
last night and I'm like, you go back a year ago. Well,
he wasn't like that a year ago, and the patients
were required with him and they're losing a bunch of games,
but and they added Digs and a few other free agents,
change the coach and stuff, but more has transpired for
those who were patient. Is that, in your estimation, the
single biggest key for the rest of the year and
(14:25):
moving into next year.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
I think, uh yeah, I mean I think, you know,
I think you know, JJ has the most talent I've
really seen from from anybody. I think it's just uh,
you know, putting those things together, going through his reads
and doing everything. And he's got a lot of guys
that he can trust, and we have a lot of
trust in him to be able to play his game
(14:46):
and do what we need to do to win. And
I think that's something that you see from this team
that maybe in years past, I've had some losing seasons
that uh, you know a lot of guys lose that
belief for or you lose that uh that edge in
the locker room, and that that's something that you you
haven't seen with this team. Everybody still has belief on
(15:07):
Sunday that we're gonna go to win this game. And
and that's truly special that I think that that shows
the culture that you that they've built here and that
we've built here and so there's nobody giving up. I
think these last five games, we we need to see improvement.
We need to continue to build towards next year and
or whatever.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Is to come the rest of the year. So J. J.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
McCarthy, he's my dog, he's one of my boys. He
lives right next to me, so he's over all the time.
I'm always talking to him, and it's awesome. We again,
we have a lot of belief in him, and I
think there's there's a lot of stuff that he's going
to take forward and and we all have that belief
in him.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
You know what, I thank you man, But let let
me share with the public. He's fantastic, as you just
heard from the heart T J. Hawkins and ladies and
gentlemen that shields for toys for tots, and he's gonna
go into shopping spray and we're gonna move on to
the ex sagment.
Ladies and gentlemen, formerly of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes,
then by way of the Motor City Kiddies. Now he's
one of ours, ladies and gentlemen. And my man played
with his hair on fire in the Cappuccino Capital. You
talk about somebody caring about trying to find a win
two away from me and up here on the stage
of Chiels, Can I get a witness and a raucous
(00:21):
round of applause for t J Hocking Send TJ.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
I'll be doing all right.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yeah, thanks a lot for helping. We greatly appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
And I meant what I said, You gave absolutely everything
you had Sunday before you got here, you know I was.
I was kind of in a roundabout way defining when
when you play a skilled position tight end, wide receiver
running back to a certain extent, they can hand it
to them. But from the catching standpoint, you can be
(00:56):
ten of ten on point. You can do everything right,
you can practice right, you can watch all the film
situations right, you can find the perceived L on the
defense and expose perceived L. But you're reliant on others
helping to get it to you. That that's what makes
football the ultimate team game, and it it It may
(01:17):
not have worked out Sunday at Seattle or with the
previous games, but overall, how are you handling this? Because
this is just what's happening right now at the four
and eight. It's it's just so different than than you
and so many have seen, you know what I mean,
So like, how do you handle that?
Speaker 4 (01:37):
You know, I think it's obviously, uh, it's it's been
a tough year for us. You know, there's a lot
of you know, things that each game presents and and
things that you can do differently. But I think, uh,
the biggest thing is a you know, a competitor and
and somebody who loves this game and and loves this
(01:58):
organization and and loves me, and uh, playing in Purple
is is just going out there and trying to give
everything you have, every opportunity you're given. And I think
that's what a lot of guys are trying to do
and and and the strain to finish and and you know,
you watch the tape and there's a lot of guys
flying around that's offense defensively, and I just think, you know,
(02:21):
we talk about it a lot. It's a funny shape
ball and and things don't go your way, you know,
whether it's turnovers or you.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Know, other things.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
And but it's just putting, you know, positive stuff on
tape and not you know, showing that you know, I'm
not down on this season, and no one's down on
the season, and it's just continuing to push forward to
build this thing.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
You know, the way we talk about every single.
Speaker 5 (02:47):
Year very well described what has it been like throughout
this season, whether okay, into the season, JJ McCarthy is
going to start and we're gonna put all of our
support behind number nine. He gets hurt, then it's Carson
Wentz and then you see JJ back. Now we see
Max Brosmer most recently, just kind of the ebbs and
flows from your position, specifically TJ in terms of at
(03:08):
some times being kind of a mentor just here's what
I want from the kids, or here's what helps with
the kids, working with Carson, and just kind of balancing
that that quarterback kind of carousel that's taking place for
you this year.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Yeah, I mean it's happened in the past.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
I mean we've we've had you know, different guys at
the position, but I think you know, the biggest thing
is just believing in every single guy that's out there,
and we have every single time we've stepped on that field.
You know, the person in the backfield, the person that's
leading the huddle, we've truly believed in and we thought
we were going to come out with a win.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
And I think you know that.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Says a lot about our team, that says a lot
about the culture. But you know, it just hasn't gone
our way, and there's it truly sucks to be able
to come here and you know, not have those wins
for you guys or for us as a team.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
So it's been difficult.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
But I think you know, there's a there's a lot
of positives to this team, even though the record hasn't
shown it. There's a lot of things that you know,
we're doing well and we're showing that we can do.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
But it's it's just pushing it.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Over the goal line and and and really trying to
score points and and help our defense and the in
ways we can and and and believe in the guys
and that we have in the in the huddle, and
that goes beyond our record, and it goes beyond other things.
It's it's really the culture and and really what we're
trying to build.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
So, uh, it's it's been tough.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
I won't lie to you, but uh, you know, we
all believe in nine. We all believe in you know,
we believed in Carson when he when he came out,
and last week. I mean, I don't think you could
have talked to a guy before the game that didn't
say they believed in Max and and what he's shown
and what you know he's done in practice, and and
(04:55):
how he was able to lead that huddle. I think
everybody had confidence in what he was able to do.
It just it just didn't go our way.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Hey, when so this is toys for tots?
Speaker 1 (05:03):
All right? So how old are you? Thirty ish? Twenty eight? Okay,
so let's go back. I don't know, let's go back fifteen,
maybe seventeen years, like not TJ the tot. But you know,
before you got into big time high school football, Division
I football, drafted very high in the NFL, You've had
a terrific career when you were when you were a
(05:25):
youngster following your favorite team, how much did you care
about it? Like those Sundays when it came to who
was your favorite team.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Growing up, I was only two hours away from Kansas City.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Here we go is the Chiefs, Okay, so that I
mean there might have been some Matt Castle in there.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
You know, there's there's the dog Days.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
There you go.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
But nevertheless, every every Sunday at noon or eleven forty five,
there's TJ. There's TJ with his family and his friends
around the TV. We got a TV time out or
a quarter break or a halftime, there's TJ and his
friends outside playing catch. I mean, how much did you
genuinely care about it when you were young? But rooting
for your team?
Speaker 4 (06:05):
Yeah, I love I love the game. You know, that
was something my dad grew up a Minnesota Vikings fan.
We always went to the Chiefs games just because that's
how close we were. But you know, you love the game
and you love watching players do their thing on Sunday.
And that's something that I still hold with, you know,
I mean, not everybody is able to go to a
game every single week, and so to be able to
(06:30):
be between the white lines and try to give a
show for for those people that are showing up or
you guys that are showing up, and that that truly
still means something to me and and just trying to
give my all every single game no matter what, you know,
what kind of record we have. So yeah, I love
being around the kids. I love being here at Shields
during this event.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
So appreciate you guys having me.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Yeah, And you know, I'm not trying to be master
motivator here or anything or like turn this into a
motivational preach. But I mean for you, not for you,
but for anybody who at four and eight, eight and
four fifteen and one or one in fifteen has problems
finding that extra whatever it takes. Forget the cash, forget
(07:12):
the Pro Bowls, forget the whole all of the shiny
toy aspect of it. It's those when you were the
Chiefs fan and how important it was to you, because
it's incredibly important to a lot of people, and especially
a lot of kids, and if it doesn't go the
right way, they're saddened, you know, not probably throughout the week.
(07:34):
And if it goes great, well then they're super happy.
But you know, I've always found that to be with
some players, that just that X because you guys are
always looking for that extra little bit when the body sore,
the mind's tired, and the kids you know, who count
on that every single week.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
I think that would be it, you know what I mean, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
No, it is.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
I remember, you know, looking up to my idols in
the league and looking and going to those games, and
even though they were you know too and whatever, I
was excited to be there.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
I was excited to see that everybody.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
And and so I think that's kind of the same
mentality that I go into a game with, is doesn't
matter what we're doing, I'm gonna try to get this
do everything. I kind of get this win this week
and and help my team do that. And it is
the ultimate team sport. You got to have all eleven
and and you know, we've just missed here or there
(08:30):
or whatever it is.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
And we we'll get this thing back on track.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
But you know, I always appreciate the fans, and I
always appreciate you guys showing up. That's awesome at US Bank.
And it's a lot of fun to play here. And
it's a lot of fun to play for you guys.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
A couple more for GJ. Hawkinson, Nordo.
Speaker 5 (08:47):
So with uh with five games left in this season,
you know, and it's funny you went down that road
when you were a kid, you latched onto players, right,
the guys that you idolized, and they could have been
a two win team. But anytime that person makes a play,
your lose in your mind in the living room or
if you're at Arrowhead, and just the beauty of that
connection there. So with five games left, I'm just curious
within the locker room now now that you're here and
(09:09):
you play between those white lines. We were talking in
the first segment, like, wow, Dallas Turner a few sacks
in a row here, Wow the season Jalen Redman's having Wow.
Like you think about your guys that are out there
at this stage of the season. Four wins, maybe the
playoffs aren't in the mix, but it's like still celebrating
those moments and even as a pro kind of latching
onto your guys and celebrating successes within these games.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
One hundred percent.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
You know, there's a lot of guys on our defense
that are playing really well, and you know, as an
offensive player, you know, I look at that as as
we got to help those guys as much as we can.
But you know, you do have to you do have
to acknowledge those things, and you know, Dallas Turner and
Dalen Redmond. You know, all these guys that are are
playing really well, you will you know, those are fun
(09:58):
to watch and those are fun too. You know, see
those guys do their thing at the highest level. You know,
there's making no mistake about it. We're playing the best
guys at this at this lead in this world, at
this position, at their position, whatever it is. And uh,
you have to show out every single Sunday and you
you you still have to you know, do your job
(10:19):
and you're the highest You're playing at the highest level.
So there's no room for air, there's no room for slacking,
there's no room for you know, bringing it down at all.
Not So I think that's a lot of fun to
be able to watch those guys every week and take
those positives and it's just really stacking on that and
from from game to game, from year to year, and
(10:41):
that's what we're trying to do.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
That's, uh, that's team leadership stuff right there. I mean,
it's like when people are looking for leaders that they
may want to catch a glimpse on a sideline of
like Peyton Manning or Tom Brady rolling up and down
the offensive line and they're cussing and they're mad, and
they'll look at that leadership right there. He's trying to
pull the best out everybody.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Lately.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Leadership, leadership hits in so many different ways. And having
been around TJ now since twenty twenty two, middle of
that season, in fact, his first game for Washington for
Minnesota was against Washington.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
He've been here like.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Three minutes, got targeted like eleven nine to eleven times
in the first game, and they won the game, and
it was just so great to see it. And you
know what else was great to see despite the loss
at Seattle, just simply because when you have young quarterbacks,
there's going to be inconsistency. I'm gonna start here with this.
(11:33):
Josh Oliver is the other tight end who plays a
lot like TJ. You because of circumstances, injuries, youth, whatever,
it's been a treaty. Maybe not executing it for you
because you might want to run down the field and
do your thing every single time. It's been a joy
watching you adapt this year, and it was some last
(11:54):
year too, but I mean like being handcuffed to a
tackle or having to do different things as much you've
had to play the Josh Oliver roll a little bit
as much as you have. This year, it's been it's
been a learning experience, hasn't it.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
Uh Yeah, I mean it's uh, it's been a different year,
There's no doubt about it. But you know, it's it's uh,
it's been fun to be able to It's always fun
to be able to play this game. There's you know,
there's no doubt about it. There's no uh, you know,
I I've I've wanted to do this since I was,
you know, five six years old. So it's it's always
(12:29):
a blessing to be able to step between the white
lines and be able to be in that locker room
and be able to be in that huddle, even in
Seattle when it's it's really loud, you know, it's just
it's just a core group of guys and whoever's in
that huddle, you know, again, we have the belief in them.
So you know, I've tried to do everything everything, uh,
you know, in my in my power to win games.
And I think that's every single guy on the field,
(12:51):
and I just don't think sometimes you know, we have
uh that that strainer all eleven on the same on
the same page.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Yeah, So you know it has been different, but you have.
Speaker 4 (13:05):
To be able to adapt to things like this, and
you have to be able to step in between the
whites and give everything you have. And I think that's
what every single guy on this team is doing. It's
just it just hasn't hasn't won our way unfortunately.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
And lastly, in a team game where I mean, you
got to get A to get to B to get
to C and guy's got to do D right then
E right, just to get five yards to make it
second and five. And that's the complex beauty of football.
And you know, so it's difficult to take one thing
and say this is the most important thing with this team.
(13:41):
I'm going to try it right now and just tell
me what you think about It is the single biggest,
most important facet of the twenty twenty five Minnesota Vikings
in the final five games, the maturation of JJ McCarthy
and just helping him get comfortable, helping him settle in
to you know, it's it's like we're watching Drake May
(14:03):
last night and I'm like, you go back a year ago. Well,
he wasn't like that a year ago, and the patients
were required with him and they're losing a bunch of games,
but and they added Digs and a few other free agents,
change the coach and stuff, but more has transpired for
those who were patient. Is that, in your estimation, the
single biggest key for the rest of the year and
(14:25):
moving into next year.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
I think, uh yeah, I mean I think, you know,
I think you know, JJ has the most talent I've
really seen from from anybody. I think it's just uh,
you know, putting those things together, going through his reads
and doing everything. And he's got a lot of guys
that he can trust, and we have a lot of
trust in him to be able to play his game
(14:46):
and do what we need to do to win. And
I think that's something that you see from this team
that maybe in years past, I've had some losing seasons
that uh, you know a lot of guys lose that
belief for or you lose that uh that edge in
the locker room, and that that's something that you you
haven't seen with this team. Everybody still has belief on
(15:07):
Sunday that we're gonna go to win this game. And
and that's truly special that I think that that shows
the culture that you that they've built here and that
we've built here and so there's nobody giving up. I
think these last five games, we we need to see improvement.
We need to continue to build towards next year and
or whatever.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Is to come the rest of the year. So J. J.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
McCarthy, he's my dog, he's one of my boys. He
lives right next to me, so he's over all the time.
I'm always talking to him, and it's awesome. We again,
we have a lot of belief in him, and I
think there's there's a lot of stuff that he's going
to take forward and and we all have that belief
in him.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
You know what, I thank you man, But let let
me share with the public. He's fantastic, as you just
heard from the heart T J. Hawkins and ladies and
gentlemen that shields for toys for tots, and he's gonna
go into shopping spray and we're gonna move on to
the ex sagment.
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