August 5, 2026 • 18 mins
Seahawks tight end AJ Barner sits down with Softy and Hugh to talk about his Super Bowl touchdown, discuss the tight ends on the Hawks, how AJ can improve this season, how he has no hobbies and didn't watch Hard Knocks Tuesday night and discusses which was better: winning a national championship or winning a Super Bowl.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Patriots sixteen, Seattle first and ten, leading twelve nothing, Donald
under center five on the defensive line.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
He gets the stats turn, Blight picks the handoff. Here
comes the Blitzidos, the prow in zone cut, touchdown, caught,
touchdown Bunner, the tight end over the shutter catch.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
In the corner of the.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Un zonne and we've got our first touchdown.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Of Super Bowl sixteen. And the Sea Hawks extend.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Their lead early in the fourth, eighteen to nothing. You know,
I always wonder a couple of things, Huweye. First of all,
back here at the Virginia Mason Athletics Center, Seahawk training
camp well underway. By the way, the NFL preseason starts tomorrow,
for God's sakes, in Canton, Ohio, at the Carolina Arizona
game in the Hall of Fame Game. I always wonder
two things when a call like that, at play like
(00:48):
that happens. Number One, did the player hear that call
before now? And did just save the ball? So AJ
Barner is with us here, Seahawk Tige eighty eight in
your score card. Number one, in his mom's heart, did
you save the ball? And if you heard that play
by play call.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Until now absolutely saved the ball. Good for you. Play
by play.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
I'm not sure who that broadcaster is, Harlan Kevin, Harlan
legend right facts. Okay, now I know the name, and
I was just say legendary voice. I'm not sure if
I've heard Kevin's voice over it. I probably have, but
I've definitely heard you know, multiple you know, recordings of it.
So yeah, no special moment for myself in the Seahawks.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
One more on that one. So you get you shift
receit over there, get the defense communicating, then you motion over.
They don't shadow, they bounce, and you fake the stretch
to the right. You had to know early on when
you cleared that linebacker single high defense, you had to
know like, oh my god, this is this is gonna
(01:52):
be a I'm about to score the first touchdown in
this game. You knew that four yards from the line
of scrimmage, did you not? I'm you know what's going
through your head?
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (02:01):
I felt like as soon as I cleared those linebackers,
you know, I felt like the ball was going to
be in the air, so I had to go find it.
But yeah, I think when you're in those moments, no
time to think, shoot, I think, you know is just
go make a play. But definitely when that call comes
into the huddle, it's like, all right, you know, here
we go. Yeah, you know, but you're trying to stay
present and just you know, stay you know, in the
(02:23):
moment and not make it too big because at the
end of the day too, you can have those plays
they get called and maybe you know, you don't get
the right look for it, and you can't let that
one play mess up the rest of the game where
it's like, shoot, that was my target and who knows,
you could have a play that you're not necessarily the
first look, but you know could end up for a
touchdown as well. So right, but yeah, absolutely, when I
could those linebackers knew the ball was going to be
(02:46):
in the air.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
You know, Aj Barner's with us, and he was. You know,
There's been a couple of moments in Seahawks' Super Bowl
history where it was time to pick up the phone
and call dad, right. Number one was for me. It
was Jermaine's touchdown to make a thirty six zip in
forty eight. Some say Percy Harvin's kickoff return, but I
think in this game, with the way the dark Side
was playing, it was your touchdown.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Does that ever resonate with you at all?
Speaker 1 (03:08):
That that was a play that people started kind of
maybe getting emotional, calling their moms and dads, hugging their
brothers all that.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Does that mean much to you at all? That?
Speaker 4 (03:17):
No, absolutely, I think you know, as the years go by, obviously,
you know, this is gonna be my third year here
in Seattle, and we have, you know, so much left
to accomplish here, and we're super excited to do that,
to run it forward and kind of turn the page
on that. But you know, I think as the years
go by and I look back, I think that moment
will be a bit special, more special, I mean obviously
incredibly special for myself in the twelves as well. But yeah,
(03:42):
I think absolutely I'm glad I could you know, share
that moment with the twelves and for people like you
guys and all the fans out there that were able
to you know, enjoy that moment and celebrate as a city.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
It was just my opportunity to do that. Well. The
cool thing was where I was sitting.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
I was sitting in a section mostly of Patriot fans
when you caught that ball, They got up and left.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
They said, the hell with us. I'm done. But you mentioned,
you mentioned that you have the ball? Does mom have it?
Do you have it? Where is it?
Speaker 4 (04:07):
I have the ball. I'm going to keep the location
un disclosed. But yeah, I've been able to keep all
my touchdown balls. The equipment guys do a great job
of love it. Whenever you score a touchdown, you get
to keep the ball kless unless you throw it in
the stands or something which may or may not happen
(04:27):
sometime soon.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Well, AJ Barner with this looking back again, not just
at the Super Bowl, for the entire year, you guys
were in the twelve personnel. That really was a great
personnel grouping with the two tight end sets. You guys
had the second most amount of yards at five point
three yards per temp. You had the second best rushing
So you threw it. You ran it well with twelve personnel.
(04:52):
You got Elijah Royal, rookie first rounder coming in behind
and with you. There's a lot of third team personnel
in the league with the Rams and the forty nine ers.
Just kind of talk with Brian Florey coming in, talk
about the use of multiple tight ends that you expect
to see for us to see with the Seaharks this year.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
Yeah, I think you're seeing that because you know that
the tight end position is almost becoming a position where
each guy can create their own role in it. You know,
you have a guy like Kenyan Sadik, for example, who
got drafted in the first round from Oregon, who's you know,
a six to one guy at two thirty five, two forty.
Or you have someone like myself who's you know, six
(05:34):
six and two sixty in a little bit of a
different role. And I think with our with our room
here in Seattle. Uh, you mentioned Elijah. Elijah's one of
those guys that's extremely talented player that can really stretch
the field vertically, almost like your ex receiver from back
in the day. But now you have them as a
tight end as well and able to line up with
(05:56):
his hand on the ground, in the hip, in the
slot all the way out at number one. And then
you have guys like Eric Sobert and Nick Caller up
and Brady Russell who Brady might line up at fullback
and the next play he might line up at tight end,
and it kind of creates this confusion for defense and
adds an extra gap to the to the to the field,
and you know you can run, play action, keep a
(06:17):
guy in protection. So I say all that to say that,
you know, the position is really growing into a position
where you almost can carve out a role within the
offense that can be unique to yourself. And we're blessed
here in Seattle to have a really good position coach
and Mac Brown and have coach Flurry come in as well,
who has a lot of experience with tight ends, and
I think coach Mike as well is a guy that
(06:40):
you know, really values the tight end position. He knows
what that can do to a defense, how talented tight
ends play on the edge. And you know we're we're
really just scratching the surface here and we have high
expectations for the entire room this season.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Indeed, you do a J barner with this. Let's stay
there because I'm gonna I'm gonna share with you the
analysis that I that I give Dave about you, and
then you tell me your reaction to my analysis. So
what First of all, I say, Hey, we got the
tight end for Michigan. Oh not Colston Lovelin, the other guy.
We get him in the mid rounds Okay, So I'm like, okay,
(07:18):
all right, so let's see what he's got. And then
I said, watching him, And really, when I saw him
in practice, I was standing eight feet behind him. I'm
talking about you. When I say him, I'm talking about
a J.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Barner.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
I said, I had no idea to frame this guy.
The thin waist, the development through. He just looks like
an athlete through and through. Like I played with a
Pro Bowl tight ends in my career. I got a
little bit of an eye on a tight end. I said,
you have no idea that. I'll say, I had no
idea the athlete that was inside that mid round dude,
(07:49):
George Kittle was a fifth rounder, for crying out loud,
and they right. And so I have opened my eyes
to how good you are and what you can become.
Is that a fair analysis? And and and are we
just seeing the very beginning of a J. Barner in
in a in a star career.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Yeah, I really appreciate that.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
And I think, you know, I've definitely let that, let's say,
affect me a little bit in the past too, being
a guy that got drafted in the mid round and
being a guy that maybe wasn't a number one guy
in college and you kind of feel like, oh shoot,
maybe I'm not, you know, one of the best. You know,
But I think when you boil it down to really
(08:28):
putting your best foot forward and doing your job over
and over, and I think that's where I'm really gonna
take a step this year is really dialing into my details,
my process, and you know, not be focused on necessarily
the results that come from it, but the process that
goes into it and everything that I want to come
out of that will we'll be able to come true.
(08:49):
So I appreciate the analysis for sure. I think the
sky's the limit and I think any guy that you
know has the confidence to believe in himself in this
league can really do something better. And I think I'm
really willing to put in the work day in and
day out because I've said it before, I love this
game of football. Unfortunately, I really don't have any hobbies
outside of that.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Which say, what do you do when you leave here? Yeah? Bro,
it's like watch film, you know.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
I mean, I just I'm it's sometimes to a fault,
like I've had the conversations with the Vets before, where
I need to find a hobby outside of ball because
sometimes the days get long in the offseason, but right
when it when it comes down to times like this
in camp, it's like what else would you rather be doing?
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Sure? So yeah, I'm excited for the future.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Well, this show is available on podcasts if you want
to listen.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Yeah, I mean, if you want.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
A hobby of just going through all kJ R podcasts,
we can send you a couple of copies of the show.
But Aj Barner's with us, you mentioned, you know, I
think I think everybody like right. Hugh Sam was on
with us there day and said a couple of things
in his toolbox he wants to kind of sharpen up.
We've talked to Mike about red zone offense obviously from
last year, but for you specifically, you mentioned there's a
couple of things that you really want to eight.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
What are maybe one or two of those things?
Speaker 4 (10:01):
Yeah, I would say kind of just the mentality that
I just kind of touched on. I think you know,
when you stay kind of what I touched on in
the first part of the show, right, you have a
moment where it's like, oh, this play gets called and
like this is my reception and get me going on
the game. You know what I'm saying as a young player,
you're really thinking like that. And I think now being
in year three, it's like, no, like any play should
be able to get me going. I should be able
(10:23):
to block the C gap and that and that starts
me on a row. I should be able to be
a third in the progression and get open and make
the play. I think when you when you start chasing
these plays and when you start chasing these outcomes, the
season is so long and these games are even longer,
that it starts to sup late away from you. So
I really just want to stay present and put my
best foot forward. And I think that's because I know
(10:45):
I have the talent. I know I have people that
believe in me here, and I know I'm gonna get
my opportunities. So I think if I can just be
ready for those opportunities and really make the most out
of anyone that.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
I have, that's really what it's all about.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
And I think when you win championships like we did
last year, at the end of the day, that that's
what you want to do. You want to win games,
So let's just let's just leave it there. I want
to have the best season that I can have personally,
with my process and the results will follow. And I
think as a team, I want to win a whole
bunch of games and do what we did last year.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
AJ Barner with this, AJ, did you watch Hard Knocks
last night?
Speaker 3 (11:20):
I did not. I didn't.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Most of the guys not watch it. Watch it.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Not sure.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
I have a personality, which you know, you guys know,
I'm sure you know I'll be on the show eventually
a little bit. But I just felt like I kind
of just want to lock into the camp and not
really fall into the storylines per se.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
But great show. I mean, I'm excited that they're here.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
And it's been a pretty seamless process too, Like it
don't be you know, we're used to the cameras being
around and on, so it almost feels like it's normal.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
So one of the things Mike McDonald, there was a
section there where the offense you guys had like a
McDonald's accounting twelve thirteen, fourteen plays in a row is
like fourteen to one. And I didn't really you know,
he didn't really like go off on the defense, like
get that red ass type of thing. Not implying that
(12:10):
he should. It's just an observation and So my question
to you is, is there have you ever seen him
just kind of like semi snap like, like he is
so pissed at either lack of focus, lack of effort,
lack of execute, whatever it may be. Yeah, is there
a red ass side to him that we don't see?
Speaker 4 (12:31):
Yeah, I mean you touched on the fourteen to one offense.
I mean the defense kicked our ass today, So that
goes back and I'll give them that. But it's always
fun competition there. But yeah, I think coach Mike does
a really good job of you know, when if you're
a player too, like the players will match that energy,
you know what I'm saying. If we don't see something
(12:53):
that's right, if someone's acting a certain type of way, like,
we really have players that will check that. So I
think coach Mike will absolutely do that. But we have
a culture here where you know, players will do that
as well. So you know this is live radio, by
the way, Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
I just say, you.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Know, that's okay, that's why we have a seven second delay.
By the way, if you hadn't won the Super Bowl,
maybe we don't let it get maybe let you get
away with that. But Aj Barner with us AJ before
you go. Uh, you won the national title at Michigan.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
You beat us.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
This guy forty years ago played football that you dub
won the Orange Bowls. So he's a Purple and Gold
through and through like I him as a fan. But
you broke our hearts a couple of years ago in Michigan.
I thought we had a shot at halftime by the way,
until Bike through that pick by the way to start
the second half. And I remember I was talking to
off the air. I said, when we talked to you,
said you can do that, you can have that, but
you owe us a freaking super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
And you got it.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
So you're back to even now or even?
Speaker 1 (13:52):
But what, honestly for you, like, what was more satisfying
winning that championship with Jim Hobbar or winning the championship
with another former Chicken guy and McDonald?
Speaker 4 (14:01):
Yeah, I think absolutely the Super Bowl for sure. Okay,
And like you said, we're even now. We gotta we
gotta plus the score, that's right. So I want to
see I love the people here. Sorry for my BS remark.
You man, I figure our audience has probably heard that
the time or two.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
You're the man great stuff. Man, I appreciate you coming over.
Don't be a stranger. We'll talk to all right, A J.
Barnert with us right there on the radio show. And
I don't know, Hugh, I mean, you're a you're a
big fan of this guy, right, and we saw him
come on last year. I think it was the was
it the Thursday night game against the Rams or no,
was the the game in l A. I think when
he had like eleven targets, ten catches in that game
(14:41):
against the Rams kind of his coming out party and
then really just seemed to be kind of a guy
that defenses had to be concerned about in the second
half of the year and the Super Bowl. And I mean,
I'm hoping for I'm looking almost expecting a big jump
from him this year.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
How about you?
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Yeah, I think that the confidence is there, the swag,
as I said, the frame you know there there is
a correlation to uh, body profiling. In fact, John Schnyder said,
body profiling is a huge part of what we do.
And and and I guess you know, most of the
guys that see him on TV and they kind of
look the same to me as when I see him
(15:18):
up close. But he's one of the ten percent of
guys where where When I see him up close, I'm like, oh,
I didn't have an idea. I mean, he's got a
narrow waste. I mean, he's got an ass like Carl
Lewis hamstrings. You know, he's got the high calves that
are that are features of guys who can run, the
relatively skinny ankles, which is features of guys who can run.
(15:40):
When I say relatively, I mean by tight end standards,
I mean this guy has a twitch and a frame.
And yet I mean he's a big freaking dude. He
can maul you in the run game. So so I
I just think there's a lot of meat on the
bone there for this guy just coming into things. And
if we touched on the mid round part of it,
(16:00):
and yet for years you might have said, hey, Travis
Kelsey is the premier uh receiving tight end in the game,
but the best, most versatile George Kittle, who was a
fifth rounder from out of Iowa. So here's a here's
another mid rounder from a Big ten school and and
to me, it fits and so uh yeah, go get it.
He's got a got a tight end offensive coordinator. Uh,
(16:23):
the league is coming into more tight end presence. I
think he's gonna have his best year this year and uh,
you know, develop into a you know, if not a
Pro Bowl guy, a guy, you know, kind of a
Pro Bowl ish type of guy on an annual basis.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Sure, well, there's a lot of guys on this offense
that are gonna need the football man. I mean, Tory
Horton is one of them. Rashid Shaheed's one of them.
J Sends one of them. Jadarian Price even as a
pass catcher, I think may end up being one of them,
and are running back obviously he's one of them. Elizah
Royo is one of them. So I just I don't know.
I wonder if it's gonna be hard to put up
(16:58):
big numbers in this offense just because of how much
talent is here. But should we be more focused maybe
on the economy, you know, of those numbers versus the
overall total volume.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
I think the efficiency is all you know is what
you're looking. But you know there's got to be a
certain volume for efficiency to matter. I mean, if you know,
who cares how a fishing you are, if you're you know,
at ninety one yards. So but I think that the league,
particularly against the Seahawks, the forty nine Ers, the Rams,
(17:32):
they were trying to knock Mike McDonald out of his
personnel decisions. Uh, you know he had, you know, Nickel
with Nick emm and worry As being the Nickel Sam.
And it's almost as if Sean McVay is just saying,
why you can play Nickel when I go thirty, you know,
three tight ends and only leave one wide receiver. And
you know Emon Worri is so versatile that they did
(17:54):
and so so and the forty nine ers have a
little bit of that. So I feel like, you know,
like a pendulum. I think we're swinging back into a
two or three year era where tight ends are really
going to proliferate offensive personnel groups.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
Let's do this. We're gonna break teestimonials four nine four
five one. You want to vent on the MS, whatever,
hard knocks reaction whatever man four nine four or five one,
Tacomadots text line brought to by The Emerald Queen Casino.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
We'll do that next.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Larry Stone will join us at five right here on
ninety three three KJRFM
Patriots sixteen, Seattle first and ten, leading twelve nothing, Donald
under center five on the defensive line.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
He gets the stats turn, Blight picks the handoff. Here
comes the Blitzidos, the prow in zone cut, touchdown, caught,
touchdown Bunner, the tight end over the shutter catch.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
In the corner of the.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Un zonne and we've got our first touchdown.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Of Super Bowl sixteen. And the Sea Hawks extend.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Their lead early in the fourth, eighteen to nothing. You know,
I always wonder a couple of things, Huweye. First of all,
back here at the Virginia Mason Athletics Center, Seahawk training
camp well underway. By the way, the NFL preseason starts tomorrow,
for God's sakes, in Canton, Ohio, at the Carolina Arizona
game in the Hall of Fame Game. I always wonder
two things when a call like that, at play like
(00:48):
that happens. Number One, did the player hear that call
before now? And did just save the ball? So AJ
Barner is with us here, Seahawk Tige eighty eight in
your score card. Number one, in his mom's heart, did
you save the ball? And if you heard that play
by play call.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Until now absolutely saved the ball. Good for you. Play
by play.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
I'm not sure who that broadcaster is, Harlan Kevin, Harlan
legend right facts. Okay, now I know the name, and
I was just say legendary voice. I'm not sure if
I've heard Kevin's voice over it. I probably have, but
I've definitely heard you know, multiple you know, recordings of it.
So yeah, no special moment for myself in the Seahawks.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
One more on that one. So you get you shift
receit over there, get the defense communicating, then you motion over.
They don't shadow, they bounce, and you fake the stretch
to the right. You had to know early on when
you cleared that linebacker single high defense, you had to
know like, oh my god, this is this is gonna
(01:52):
be a I'm about to score the first touchdown in
this game. You knew that four yards from the line
of scrimmage, did you not? I'm you know what's going
through your head?
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (02:01):
I felt like as soon as I cleared those linebackers,
you know, I felt like the ball was going to
be in the air, so I had to go find it.
But yeah, I think when you're in those moments, no
time to think, shoot, I think, you know is just
go make a play. But definitely when that call comes
into the huddle, it's like, all right, you know, here
we go. Yeah, you know, but you're trying to stay
present and just you know, stay you know, in the
(02:23):
moment and not make it too big because at the
end of the day too, you can have those plays
they get called and maybe you know, you don't get
the right look for it, and you can't let that
one play mess up the rest of the game where
it's like, shoot, that was my target and who knows,
you could have a play that you're not necessarily the
first look, but you know could end up for a
touchdown as well. So right, but yeah, absolutely, when I
could those linebackers knew the ball was going to be
(02:46):
in the air.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
You know, Aj Barner's with us, and he was. You know,
There's been a couple of moments in Seahawks' Super Bowl
history where it was time to pick up the phone
and call dad, right. Number one was for me. It
was Jermaine's touchdown to make a thirty six zip in
forty eight. Some say Percy Harvin's kickoff return, but I
think in this game, with the way the dark Side
was playing, it was your touchdown.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Does that ever resonate with you at all?
Speaker 1 (03:08):
That that was a play that people started kind of
maybe getting emotional, calling their moms and dads, hugging their
brothers all that.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Does that mean much to you at all? That?
Speaker 4 (03:17):
No, absolutely, I think you know, as the years go by, obviously,
you know, this is gonna be my third year here
in Seattle, and we have, you know, so much left
to accomplish here, and we're super excited to do that,
to run it forward and kind of turn the page
on that. But you know, I think as the years
go by and I look back, I think that moment
will be a bit special, more special, I mean obviously
incredibly special for myself in the twelves as well. But yeah,
(03:42):
I think absolutely I'm glad I could you know, share
that moment with the twelves and for people like you
guys and all the fans out there that were able
to you know, enjoy that moment and celebrate as a city.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
It was just my opportunity to do that. Well. The
cool thing was where I was sitting.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
I was sitting in a section mostly of Patriot fans
when you caught that ball, They got up and left.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
They said, the hell with us. I'm done. But you mentioned,
you mentioned that you have the ball? Does mom have it?
Do you have it? Where is it?
Speaker 4 (04:07):
I have the ball. I'm going to keep the location
un disclosed. But yeah, I've been able to keep all
my touchdown balls. The equipment guys do a great job
of love it. Whenever you score a touchdown, you get
to keep the ball kless unless you throw it in
the stands or something which may or may not happen
(04:27):
sometime soon.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Well, AJ Barner with this looking back again, not just
at the Super Bowl, for the entire year, you guys
were in the twelve personnel. That really was a great
personnel grouping with the two tight end sets. You guys
had the second most amount of yards at five point
three yards per temp. You had the second best rushing
So you threw it. You ran it well with twelve personnel.
(04:52):
You got Elijah Royal, rookie first rounder coming in behind
and with you. There's a lot of third team personnel
in the league with the Rams and the forty nine ers.
Just kind of talk with Brian Florey coming in, talk
about the use of multiple tight ends that you expect
to see for us to see with the Seaharks this year.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
Yeah, I think you're seeing that because you know that
the tight end position is almost becoming a position where
each guy can create their own role in it. You know,
you have a guy like Kenyan Sadik, for example, who
got drafted in the first round from Oregon, who's you know,
a six to one guy at two thirty five, two forty.
Or you have someone like myself who's you know, six
(05:34):
six and two sixty in a little bit of a
different role. And I think with our with our room
here in Seattle. Uh, you mentioned Elijah. Elijah's one of
those guys that's extremely talented player that can really stretch
the field vertically, almost like your ex receiver from back
in the day. But now you have them as a
tight end as well and able to line up with
(05:56):
his hand on the ground, in the hip, in the
slot all the way out at number one. And then
you have guys like Eric Sobert and Nick Caller up
and Brady Russell who Brady might line up at fullback
and the next play he might line up at tight end,
and it kind of creates this confusion for defense and
adds an extra gap to the to the to the field,
and you know you can run, play action, keep a
(06:17):
guy in protection. So I say all that to say that,
you know, the position is really growing into a position
where you almost can carve out a role within the
offense that can be unique to yourself. And we're blessed
here in Seattle to have a really good position coach
and Mac Brown and have coach Flurry come in as well,
who has a lot of experience with tight ends, and
I think coach Mike as well is a guy that
(06:40):
you know, really values the tight end position. He knows
what that can do to a defense, how talented tight
ends play on the edge. And you know we're we're
really just scratching the surface here and we have high
expectations for the entire room this season.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Indeed, you do a J barner with this. Let's stay
there because I'm gonna I'm gonna share with you the
analysis that I that I give Dave about you, and
then you tell me your reaction to my analysis. So
what First of all, I say, Hey, we got the
tight end for Michigan. Oh not Colston Lovelin, the other guy.
We get him in the mid rounds Okay, So I'm like, okay,
(07:18):
all right, so let's see what he's got. And then
I said, watching him, And really, when I saw him
in practice, I was standing eight feet behind him. I'm
talking about you. When I say him, I'm talking about
a J.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Barner.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
I said, I had no idea to frame this guy.
The thin waist, the development through. He just looks like
an athlete through and through. Like I played with a
Pro Bowl tight ends in my career. I got a
little bit of an eye on a tight end. I said,
you have no idea that. I'll say, I had no
idea the athlete that was inside that mid round dude,
(07:49):
George Kittle was a fifth rounder, for crying out loud,
and they right. And so I have opened my eyes
to how good you are and what you can become.
Is that a fair analysis? And and and are we
just seeing the very beginning of a J. Barner in
in a in a star career.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Yeah, I really appreciate that.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
And I think, you know, I've definitely let that, let's say,
affect me a little bit in the past too, being
a guy that got drafted in the mid round and
being a guy that maybe wasn't a number one guy
in college and you kind of feel like, oh shoot,
maybe I'm not, you know, one of the best. You know,
But I think when you boil it down to really
(08:28):
putting your best foot forward and doing your job over
and over, and I think that's where I'm really gonna
take a step this year is really dialing into my details,
my process, and you know, not be focused on necessarily
the results that come from it, but the process that
goes into it and everything that I want to come
out of that will we'll be able to come true.
(08:49):
So I appreciate the analysis for sure. I think the
sky's the limit and I think any guy that you
know has the confidence to believe in himself in this
league can really do something better. And I think I'm
really willing to put in the work day in and
day out because I've said it before, I love this
game of football. Unfortunately, I really don't have any hobbies
outside of that.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Which say, what do you do when you leave here? Yeah? Bro,
it's like watch film, you know.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
I mean, I just I'm it's sometimes to a fault,
like I've had the conversations with the Vets before, where
I need to find a hobby outside of ball because
sometimes the days get long in the offseason, but right
when it when it comes down to times like this
in camp, it's like what else would you rather be doing?
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Sure? So yeah, I'm excited for the future.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Well, this show is available on podcasts if you want
to listen.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Yeah, I mean, if you want.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
A hobby of just going through all kJ R podcasts,
we can send you a couple of copies of the show.
But Aj Barner's with us, you mentioned, you know, I
think I think everybody like right. Hugh Sam was on
with us there day and said a couple of things
in his toolbox he wants to kind of sharpen up.
We've talked to Mike about red zone offense obviously from
last year, but for you specifically, you mentioned there's a
couple of things that you really want to eight.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
What are maybe one or two of those things?
Speaker 4 (10:01):
Yeah, I would say kind of just the mentality that
I just kind of touched on. I think you know,
when you stay kind of what I touched on in
the first part of the show, right, you have a
moment where it's like, oh, this play gets called and
like this is my reception and get me going on
the game. You know what I'm saying as a young player,
you're really thinking like that. And I think now being
in year three, it's like, no, like any play should
be able to get me going. I should be able
(10:23):
to block the C gap and that and that starts
me on a row. I should be able to be
a third in the progression and get open and make
the play. I think when you when you start chasing
these plays and when you start chasing these outcomes, the
season is so long and these games are even longer,
that it starts to sup late away from you. So
I really just want to stay present and put my
best foot forward. And I think that's because I know
(10:45):
I have the talent. I know I have people that
believe in me here, and I know I'm gonna get
my opportunities. So I think if I can just be
ready for those opportunities and really make the most out
of anyone that.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
I have, that's really what it's all about.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
And I think when you win championships like we did
last year, at the end of the day, that that's
what you want to do. You want to win games,
So let's just let's just leave it there. I want
to have the best season that I can have personally,
with my process and the results will follow. And I
think as a team, I want to win a whole
bunch of games and do what we did last year.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
AJ Barner with this, AJ, did you watch Hard Knocks
last night?
Speaker 3 (11:20):
I did not. I didn't.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Most of the guys not watch it. Watch it.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Not sure.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
I have a personality, which you know, you guys know,
I'm sure you know I'll be on the show eventually
a little bit. But I just felt like I kind
of just want to lock into the camp and not
really fall into the storylines per se.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
But great show. I mean, I'm excited that they're here.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
And it's been a pretty seamless process too, Like it
don't be you know, we're used to the cameras being
around and on, so it almost feels like it's normal.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
So one of the things Mike McDonald, there was a
section there where the offense you guys had like a
McDonald's accounting twelve thirteen, fourteen plays in a row is
like fourteen to one. And I didn't really you know,
he didn't really like go off on the defense, like
get that red ass type of thing. Not implying that
(12:10):
he should. It's just an observation and So my question
to you is, is there have you ever seen him
just kind of like semi snap like, like he is
so pissed at either lack of focus, lack of effort,
lack of execute, whatever it may be. Yeah, is there
a red ass side to him that we don't see?
Speaker 4 (12:31):
Yeah, I mean you touched on the fourteen to one offense.
I mean the defense kicked our ass today, So that
goes back and I'll give them that. But it's always
fun competition there. But yeah, I think coach Mike does
a really good job of you know, when if you're
a player too, like the players will match that energy,
you know what I'm saying. If we don't see something
(12:53):
that's right, if someone's acting a certain type of way, like,
we really have players that will check that. So I
think coach Mike will absolutely do that. But we have
a culture here where you know, players will do that
as well. So you know this is live radio, by
the way, Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
I just say, you.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Know, that's okay, that's why we have a seven second delay.
By the way, if you hadn't won the Super Bowl,
maybe we don't let it get maybe let you get
away with that. But Aj Barner with us AJ before
you go. Uh, you won the national title at Michigan.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
You beat us.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
This guy forty years ago played football that you dub
won the Orange Bowls. So he's a Purple and Gold
through and through like I him as a fan. But
you broke our hearts a couple of years ago in Michigan.
I thought we had a shot at halftime by the way,
until Bike through that pick by the way to start
the second half. And I remember I was talking to
off the air. I said, when we talked to you,
said you can do that, you can have that, but
you owe us a freaking super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
And you got it.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
So you're back to even now or even?
Speaker 1 (13:52):
But what, honestly for you, like, what was more satisfying
winning that championship with Jim Hobbar or winning the championship
with another former Chicken guy and McDonald?
Speaker 4 (14:01):
Yeah, I think absolutely the Super Bowl for sure. Okay,
And like you said, we're even now. We gotta we
gotta plus the score, that's right. So I want to
see I love the people here. Sorry for my BS remark.
You man, I figure our audience has probably heard that
the time or two.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
You're the man great stuff. Man, I appreciate you coming over.
Don't be a stranger. We'll talk to all right, A J.
Barnert with us right there on the radio show. And
I don't know, Hugh, I mean, you're a you're a
big fan of this guy, right, and we saw him
come on last year. I think it was the was
it the Thursday night game against the Rams or no,
was the the game in l A. I think when
he had like eleven targets, ten catches in that game
(14:41):
against the Rams kind of his coming out party and
then really just seemed to be kind of a guy
that defenses had to be concerned about in the second
half of the year and the Super Bowl. And I mean,
I'm hoping for I'm looking almost expecting a big jump
from him this year.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
How about you?
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Yeah, I think that the confidence is there, the swag,
as I said, the frame you know there there is
a correlation to uh, body profiling. In fact, John Schnyder said,
body profiling is a huge part of what we do.
And and and I guess you know, most of the
guys that see him on TV and they kind of
look the same to me as when I see him
(15:18):
up close. But he's one of the ten percent of
guys where where When I see him up close, I'm like, oh,
I didn't have an idea. I mean, he's got a
narrow waste. I mean, he's got an ass like Carl
Lewis hamstrings. You know, he's got the high calves that
are that are features of guys who can run, the
relatively skinny ankles, which is features of guys who can run.
(15:40):
When I say relatively, I mean by tight end standards,
I mean this guy has a twitch and a frame.
And yet I mean he's a big freaking dude. He
can maul you in the run game. So so I
I just think there's a lot of meat on the
bone there for this guy just coming into things. And
if we touched on the mid round part of it,
(16:00):
and yet for years you might have said, hey, Travis
Kelsey is the premier uh receiving tight end in the game,
but the best, most versatile George Kittle, who was a
fifth rounder from out of Iowa. So here's a here's
another mid rounder from a Big ten school and and
to me, it fits and so uh yeah, go get it.
He's got a got a tight end offensive coordinator. Uh,
(16:23):
the league is coming into more tight end presence. I
think he's gonna have his best year this year and uh,
you know, develop into a you know, if not a
Pro Bowl guy, a guy, you know, kind of a
Pro Bowl ish type of guy on an annual basis.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Sure, well, there's a lot of guys on this offense
that are gonna need the football man. I mean, Tory
Horton is one of them. Rashid Shaheed's one of them.
J Sends one of them. Jadarian Price even as a
pass catcher, I think may end up being one of them,
and are running back obviously he's one of them. Elizah
Royo is one of them. So I just I don't know.
I wonder if it's gonna be hard to put up
(16:58):
big numbers in this offense just because of how much
talent is here. But should we be more focused maybe
on the economy, you know, of those numbers versus the
overall total volume.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
I think the efficiency is all you know is what
you're looking. But you know there's got to be a
certain volume for efficiency to matter. I mean, if you know,
who cares how a fishing you are, if you're you know,
at ninety one yards. So but I think that the league,
particularly against the Seahawks, the forty nine Ers, the Rams,
(17:32):
they were trying to knock Mike McDonald out of his
personnel decisions. Uh, you know he had, you know, Nickel
with Nick emm and worry As being the Nickel Sam.
And it's almost as if Sean McVay is just saying,
why you can play Nickel when I go thirty, you know,
three tight ends and only leave one wide receiver. And
you know Emon Worri is so versatile that they did
(17:54):
and so so and the forty nine ers have a
little bit of that. So I feel like, you know,
like a pendulum. I think we're swinging back into a
two or three year era where tight ends are really
going to proliferate offensive personnel groups.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
Let's do this. We're gonna break teestimonials four nine four
five one. You want to vent on the MS, whatever,
hard knocks reaction whatever man four nine four or five one,
Tacomadots text line brought to by The Emerald Queen Casino.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
We'll do that next.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Larry Stone will join us at five right here on
ninety three three KJRFM
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