Best of the Bus: Patriots Training Camp Tour Ft. Mike Vrabel, Drake Maye & More

Summary

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Bussin’ With The Boys – “Best of the Bus: Patriots Training Camp Tour Ft. Mike Vrabel, Drake Maye & More”

Episode 341 | January 31, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Will Compton and Taylor Lewan kick off their NFL Training Camp Tour with a stop at the New England Patriots. The Boys climb aboard a “pseudo bus” at Patriots camp, catch up with new (returning) Head Coach Mike Vrabel, rookie QB Drake Maye, linebacker Robert Spillane, and receiver Mack Hollins. The ep is classic Bussin’ chemistry: blending irreverent football nostalgia, current NFL grindshop wisdom, heartfelt moments, and relentless ball-busting—all with a focus on how new leadership is shaping the Patriots, and what the next generation of Pats stars bring to the table.

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Key Guests, Themes & Vibe

• Mike Vrabel – On returning to coach the Patriots, transition after Titans firing, building organizational culture, and his infamous coaching methods.
• Drake Maye – On his rookie year, being drafted by NE, the transition to the NFL, and learning under Vrabel.
• Robert Spillane & Mack Hollins – On their unlikely paths, veteran perspective, training camp culture, and what makes this Pats locker room unique.
• Overall Tone – Locker room banter, honest reflection, practical football knowledge, and relentless “for the boys” camaraderie.

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[02:00] The Vrabel Era Begins: Reflections, Firing & Fresh Starts

Transition after Titans:

• Will & Taylor open with jokes about team meetings, being on time, and Vrabel’s infamous no-nonsense style.

• Vrabel discusses getting fired from the Titans after expectations he’d get more GM power:

  “You just get fired. …You walk upstairs… give me an hour and I’ll be out of here. Just want to talk to my staff.” (05:15, Mike Vrabel)

• Not much conversation or discussion: “No, at that point...I just said, give me an hour. I’d like to talk to my staff and I’ll box my stuff up.” (05:21, Mike Vrabel)

Coaching “Consultant” Year in Cleveland:

• Vrabel shares how coaching briefly for the Browns reignited his passion and allowed him to reconnect with the fundamentals of coaching:

  “I loved just getting back to coaching...helped the O-line. ...You realize that you miss it, you know?” (06:43, Vrabel)

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[07:00] Coaching Philosophy: Lessons & Adjustments

On Distractions and Growth:

• Vrabel talks about learning to let go of the "small minority" and focus on those who want to improve. On avoiding distractions:

  “Distractions are unavoidable. It’s how we handle them. …Sometimes I let…the small majority affect all the other positive stuff.” (07:01, Vrabel)

Culture & Individuality:

• Vrabel outlines his evolving approach to building a winning culture:

  “We can have different personalities, we can have different mentalities... If ultimately their mentality is about the culture that we want to have here, I think that’s what I’ve learned.” (17:02, Vrabel)

• Admits he struggled earlier in his career with accepting players who were different off the field, and letting go of the “my way or the highway” mentality.

On Joking & Seriousness:

• Taylor and Will discuss Vrabel’s unique ability to flip between roasting players and being serious in meetings—a dynamic that keeps everybody on their toes:

  “If it’s funny, laugh. …You do like to flip on a dime.” (25:55-26:14, Lewan & Vrabel)

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[08:38] New England: Interview & Transition

• On what it felt like to interview with the Patriots:

  “After the season...that’s when it heats up. …The timing was right and had an opportunity to come back here.” (08:38, Vrabel on NE job)

• Interview process pretty standard, despite the prior relationship with Kraft family. Also took Jets & Bears meetings.

• Return to New England feels fitting:

  “Some of those guys you can get. Some…you can’t. …Just trying to give the players everything that they need. …We’re big on connection...” (20:39, Vrabel)

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[21:45] Locker Room Stories, Family, & Player Development

• Fun stories about the Lawan and Vrabel families, coaching generationally, and dad/coach hats.
• Vrabel reflects on his regrets about parenting while being a football coach, and how he’s tried to separate “dad” advice from “coach” advice with his sons now:

  “There were things that I regretted…the way I handled it…got past that and had another opportunity…It was a good conversation.” (15:15, Vrabel)

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[23:06] Football Wisdom: What Gets You Beat

• Classic Vrabelisms on preseason “what gets you beat” meeting tape:

  “Not being able to take advantage of bad football. …Two-minute execution... Ball security. …Fundamentals are important.” (23:21, Vrabel) “Don’t do dumb shit to hurt the team. …Or a softer, gentler version is making great decisions on and off the field.” (23:58, Vrabel)

• Details on how much fun and camaraderie they inject in scrimmage/draft events, emphasizing the importance of enjoying the process.

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[32:00] Vrabel, Will, Taylor – Inside Jokes & Football Geekery

• Exchanges about O-line technique, pod drills, making fun of Taylor’s tape, and slicing seven routes.
• Memories of landmark plays, including Will dropping a would-be game-winning interception but making up for it on special teams.
• Roast of Taylor’s drills:

  “You got overextended and then got jerked. It wasn’t a dumb drill. It was bad technique.” (31:27, Vrabel to Lewan)

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[38:40] Chasing Banners, Coaching Legacies:

• On what Vrabel would do for another banner:

  “Obviously, another banner up there...That’s why we’re doing this… to win championships...You guys know this spiel.” (38:35, Vrabel)

• Will and Taylor reflect on Vrabel’s legacy and how proud they are to see him helm the Patriots.

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[40:04] Drake Maye: Rookie Mindset & The NFL Transition

Early Pats Experience with Vrabel

• Drake Maye shares advice for talking to media, per Vrabel’s rules:

  “Speak for myself. No talking about injuries. No talking about expectations. …No talk about scheme.” (40:37, Maye)

• Humble about being compared to Josh Allen:

  “I got a lot of work to do...I’m just trying to be myself.” (41:07, Maye)

• On being nervous pre-draft, playing YMCA pickup basketball to burn off nerves—gets razzed by the boys in classic fashion.

Rookie Year Adversity

• Thrown into fire early due to injuries/season issues; leans on Jacoby Brissett for mentorship.

• Hints at hitting the rookie wall:

  “After the bowl season, you go straight to training…a long year for rookies... You get out of meetings at 5 o’clock and next thing you know it’s dark outside and 15 degrees.” (55:44, Maye)

• On celebrating touchdowns (or lack thereof), Vrabel’s pet peeves:

  “He just…Which I agree. …It’s hard to get in the end zone…Just getting excited. …There’s so much mental game going on…” (46:34, Maye)

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[59:44] Robert Spillane: Underdog’s Journey to Pats Captain

From Rookie Tryout to Multi-Million Deal

• Outlines his path: undrafted, multiple practice teams, finally catching on in Pittsburgh, making his mark with a legendary goal-line stop on Derrick Henry.

• Details being written off (by the Steelers, Raiders), only finding real trust again with the Patriots:

  “No, they didn’t [want me back]. …It hurts, and it adds to that chip on the shoulder. But...go out to Vegas...and ball.” (68:14, Spillane)

• The moment in Pittsburgh:

  “My first career start against the team that cut me two years prior…All that worked up inside me and I was able to make a nice play on the goal line.” (65:17, Spillane)

• How he kept faith:

  “If I didn’t have that chip on my shoulder, I wouldn’t be here today.” (64:41, Spillane)

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[76:06] Mack Hollins: Vibes, Barefoot, and Vrabel’s Edge

• On his signature cut-off shirts: Started for sweat in Miami, now “pure style.” (76:06)
• Contrasts the heat and grind of Miami/Buffalo to training in New England; loves how football-obsessed Buffalo is.
• Famous for walking everywhere barefoot (even in snow), inspired by “Melbourne Muscular Therapy” after a career-threatening groin injury.

On Vrabel:

• Respects Vrabel for having "done the shit he tells us to do," and calls out how Vrabel's coaching edge is still there:

  “He’ll get the competitiveness out of me…I love talking shit. …He still has it.” (82:48, Hollins)

• Pet peeve: Thinks Vrabel’s gotten “soft” on guys because of CBA/time restrictions, but it’s forced, not natural:

  “Sometimes he gets soft on the guys now...I think he really wants to, like, spaz on dudes...he wants to let it out, but I don't think he's allowed to anymore.” (83:10, Hollins)

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Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• Vrabel on getting fired:
  “You just get fired. …give me an hour and I’ll be out of here.” [05:15]
• Vrabel on culture:
  “If ultimately their mentality is about the culture…that’s what I’ve learned.” [17:02]
• Vrabel on ‘don’t do dumb shit’:
  “Just try to build an identity around our effort and the way that we finish…Don’t do dumb shit to hurt the team.” [23:21, 23:58]
• Drake Maye on media keys:
  “Speak for myself. No talking about injuries, no expectations, no scheme.” [40:37]
• Spillane on underdog attitude:
  “I tell myself, you’re undrafted. It’s time to go. Earn it.” [60:41]
• Spillane on Pittsburgh goal line stop:
  “You got to bring it all. If you take a slight second of the playoff, [Henry’s] scoring a touchdown.” [65:17]
• Hollins on Vrabel’s edge:
  “He still has it, …and it’s great.” [83:05]

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Notable Segments & Timestamps

• [07:01] Vrabel on distractions, coaching adjustments
• [17:02] Philosophy on culture and personality
• [23:21] What gets you beat (“don’t do dumb shit” segment)
• [38:35] Chasing banners and coaching legacy
• [40:37] Drake Maye’s coach-approved media checklist
• [41:07] Maye humble about Allen comparisons
• [55:44] Maye on rookie wall and NFL grind
• [60:41] Spillane’s underdog fuel
• [65:17] Spillane vs. Derrick Henry story
• [83:10] Mack Hollins on Vrabel, coaching style under new CBA

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Final Thoughts

This episode is a treasure trove for Pats fans, NFL insiders, and anyone who loves the soul of pro football. It’s full of genuine camaraderie, hard-won wisdom, and the kind of barstool stories and vulnerable truths you rarely get from formal pressers. Vrabel sets the tone as a no-frills, big-picture coach, and guys like Maye, Spillane, and Hollins show the human side of the league’s brutal journey. Expect edge, laughter, inspiration—and a reminder that, in the NFL, the bus always rides on.

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For more highlights, merch, and live show info, check out bwtb.com.

Summary by Bussin’ With The Boys Podcast Summarizer

Transcript

[A]

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[A]

Your Business Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen.

[C]

This is episode 341 of Bus with the Boys. We are officially in our training camp tour. The first stop the New England Patriots. We had Drake May, Matt Collins, Robert Spillane and Mike Vrabel himself. He comes back on what is now known as a pseudo bus. We check out the practice. We hang out. They have treated us like absolute kings during this whole entire thing. They've been amazing to us. Please do me a favor. Subscribe, unsubscribe or Resubscribe and if you like this hat, bwtb.com you can get all the merch there. Also, September 19th, live show at Rococo theater in Lincoln, Nebraska, right before the most prestigious trophy game in all of college football, the bus and bowl. We'll see you guys there. Big hugs, 10 of kisses. Please enjoy this fun episode.

[A]

All right, we're good.

[B]

Be like busing with the boys.

[C]

Hanging.

[B]

With the fellas, betting on a game.

[C]

No woman's gonna tell us what to do. And I bet over here just drinking beer and making that noise, baby.

[B]

I'm hanging with the fellas, bussin with the boys, bro. Everything was ready.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Oh, good.

[A]

8:20, set up, ready to go. She's talking brave stories like the hat.

[B]

Did we got a hat? You can leave me with a hat.

[A]

You're not a big hat guy.

[B]

Well, I might be. I like the rope.

[A]

We'll get you. We'll get you hooked up.

[B]

I like it. Carter likes them.

[C]

Do you remember what you said to me when you. When I was late for a team meeting one time?

[B]

Yeah. Thank God you're rich.

[C]

And then what happened?

[B]

I find you.

[C]

Yeah. No other words were talked about.

[B]

That's it. It was great. We moved on.

[C]

And so we're here. We were early to be early.

[B]

I was on time. 9:20, Stacy. 920, Stacy. Thank you, Stacy.

[A]

Welcome to busting with the boys again, dude.

[B]

Third time as a charm.

[A]

Good to see you back on your feet.

[B]

Thank you. Yeah, I don't think I was ever off my feet, but.

[A]

Well, Tennessee.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

There's like a little Browns.

[C]

Consultant.

[B]

Consultant.

[A]

We've all been fired.

[B]

It was shit canned. Yeah.

[A]

Go ahead, Taylor.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Don't get scared now. Ask the hard stuff. Let's go. Back on my feet.

[C]

What took place in that conversation that led because when the season ended, everyone's like, braves is going to get extension. The rumor is that Braves is now going to go from an HC to actually have a little more of a GM role as well. Maybe a little more power in the building. And then you walked into a meeting and you walked down.

[B]

They're like, no, that wasn't a meeting. Those aren't meetings. You just get fired.

[D]

You just get fired.

[C]

They just called you and fired you?

[B]

No. You walk upstairs. Yeah. You just.

[A]

How'd you handle it?

[B]

I just said, give me an hour and I'll be out of here. Just want to talk to my staff.

[A]

I feel like you wouldn't be a fun guy to fire.

[B]

No, it was. I meant again. They make. Everybody makes decisions and any question. No, I got the point. I get the drift.

[C]

So there was never like a, hey, what do you think could have happened differently? Obviously the agent round trade happened.

[B]

No, no. At that point. No, there was no. Again, it was no discussion. I heard the message and I just said, give me an hour. I'd like to talk to my staff and I'll box my stuff up.

[A]

Just spin the cup nod.

[B]

No, I don't spit.

[A]

How close were you to coaching in college? Because there are rumors throughout Ohio State, not very close.

[B]

Not very close.

[A]

There are rumors about you potentially being the defensive coordinator at Nebraska. Remember when I texted you, I was like, hey, would you have interest?

[B]

And what I text, I'd even text back.

[A]

Or no, I forget what you said.

[B]

No, not very close. No. And I love my time in Cleveland, you know, I mean, I love being on the offensive side of the ball. I loved just getting back to coaching. Helped the O line. You'd have loved it. I bet you were in there all.

[C]

The time telling guys to wall off on the backside of duo. Just get in the way.

[B]

You're in the backside, inside out, deuce near footed.

[A]

Was there anything during that time with Cleveland?

[B]

Side hand and a sternum.

[C]

Gotta have it there.

[B]

A little leverage, man reach, take him on the angle. You find them.

[C]

Are you running the same offense in Cleveland?

[B]

There were some similarities.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Was there a time like just having that year in Cleveland to where you found or reignited some passion that you had that when you were. You were at first ed coach all the expectations, all the pressure, and then you kind of just go into a consulting role and kind of having more fun?

[B]

I think that that's probably. There's some truth to that. I think there's some reality to that. I think you realize that you miss it, you know, and that you want to do it, that there's nothing else that you want to do.

[A]

Do you have. What do you feel like you learned from the first time as a head coach now coming into New England?

[B]

Well, I mean, I think we learn stuff every day. I mean, it's just there's going to be things that come up every day. Situation, injuries, you know, I mean, we always talk about distractions are unavoidable. It's how we. We handle them. And so just staying flexible, staying consistent, you know, focusing on the guys that want to improve, that are taking a message and those things that sometimes I let the, you know, the small majority affect all the other positive stuff.

[A]

Yeah, you'd always say, you can't fuck up my Friday. But sometimes.

[B]

Sometimes they try. No, I mean, they tried. Taylor tried and all. Everybody tried.

[C]

I think sometimes you still got something more unintentional.

[B]

I probably did. But it was a good message. It was a good tagline.

[C]

How did you do that? Development of you and Jameis Winston running at the start of every practice.

[B]

So they would go routes on air, right? And then they would go. And I was like, I can. I mean, I'm. I could push these guys a little bit, just goof around. I'd wait till the last guy thrown and take off running and just trying to have some fun down there in the greenbrier down in West Virginia. Have you ever seen what a spirit that guy has?

[C]

I was gonna say, have you ever met a guy.

[B]

Never that loves you think it's like, you know, two, three days in. This is a shtick, right?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Three, five sec. A week, two weeks. You're like, it's impossible to stay in character this long. This is actually really who this guy is.

[C]

He's the best method actor of all time.

[B]

Yeah. I'm like, now this is just a stick. And I'm like, nope, this is. I loved it. It was awesome.

[A]

When did it feel like New England was going to be a real possibility for you?

[B]

Well, I mean, just going through the process of interviewing and having teams reach out.

[C]

He's doing the thing right now.

[B]

The coach talk.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

No, I mean, I think after the. After the season, like, that's when it heats up. You know what I mean? That's when people call, how about this?

[A]

How about this? So we get. So. Cause the co. Yeah, yeah. The interview process, everything else. Are you leaving a good inter. Are you leaving, like, after you have a good interview and you're just think, man, what if I become the head coach of the Patriots? Like, hey, three banners up there. You reminded us all the time to where.

[B]

No, I didn't.

[C]

Sat in every single chair in this meeting room.

[B]

You guys, you guys, we juice it a little bit.

[C]

Listen, just stay in front of your guy. Listen, what do I know? I've done it before.

[B]

No, that is not true.

[A]

But what are you talking about?

[B]

Hang on, don't listen. It's not my shit.

[A]

But legit, legit, like whether you're flying back or you're driving and you're just thinking, what if I'm the head coach of the New England Patriots?

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I think that that goes through and I think that the timing was right and had opportunity to come back here. Probably prior as an assistant, didn't feel like, that was something that I wanted to do or that was what was best for me at that particular time. And then I think the timing was. Was right.

[C]

Was the interview process a little bit different with the Patriots because you have the relationship with Kraft? Called them up, say, hey, what are you thinking?

[B]

No, I mean, they were all about the same half a year.

[C]

He's like, I think I can do that.

[B]

They were all about the same.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I mean, as far as. Actually, I met with Chicago, met with the jets, and then met with the Patriots and had talked to other teams, but didn't end up taking those interviews.

[C]

Did any other teams offer you say.

[B]

Hey, offer without an interview?

[C]

No. Like you. You. You end up talking to those couple other teams?

[B]

Oh, no. I mean, I think that. That we. After meeting here, I think that it happened pretty quick over the next couple.

[C]

Days when you go out to practice and it's like, you know, fans can come in, the Gen pops watching. They're excited. Do you ever hear anything about the 2019 season when you build Belichick, Bill Belichick? No.

[B]

I mean, I don't hear anything about that specifically from the fans. Yeah, I mean, people are excited. I'm glad that they're excited and they come out and it's a good environment. We had a bunch of fans in the stadium on Friday. There'll be a bunch up there today. They heard you guys were coming.

[A]

They did, didn't they?

[B]

Yeah, they did.

[A]

I sent a tweet. I put out a tweet.

[B]

I hooked up with your boy Frank. Give her interview. Frank the Tank.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. How smart is that guy?

[C]

Frank's awesome.

[A]

He's an encyclopedia.

[B]

I mean, it was like, just couple.

[A]

Times, you're walking, you're like, where? You know, where might this go?

[B]

We just talk sports.

[A]

Yeah, he is an encyclopedia.

[B]

Knew everything about all the. About the age that I grew up and Browns back then.

[C]

Every high school, crazy, everything.

[B]

That was fun.

[A]

Dude, I'm so fired.

[B]

What else, kids? Everybody good?

[A]

Everybody's great, man. Everybody's great.

[B]

You done with. You done it, too? Or how many more we have in?

[A]

Uh, we're up in the air right now, but we're open to a third one. We're open to a third one.

[B]

How's the Lawan crew? Did you guys go to Canada?

[C]

Went to Canada. Just got back on the 21st. Wynn Willow turned 8 and 5. So when just watched Harry Potter for the first time yesterday before we got in the plane.

[B]

Winnie big. What's that make her? Third grade?

[C]

Yeah, third. Well, second Grade, second grade. The whole back.

[B]

Held her back.

[C]

Held her back.

[B]

She got the little Juan.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Little Juan brain.

[C]

She starts reading a little bit. I said, I think to myself, you know what? We're gonna do you the favor that never happened for me.

[B]

Me.

[C]

We're gonna hold you back a little bit.

[B]

Good.

[C]

Get you dialed in.

[A]

Yeah, it's. It's. It's tough because you risk. You go again. You get three girls.

[B]

It's Tony Deuce four.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And he's the guy that chased. He was obviously chasing the boy. Got the two. He's like, all right, we'll do one more.

[B]

He's like, yeah, we'll have a little football player. Okay. Or not. Then again.

[C]

Yeah. Can't just get it right like you did the first time and second time.

[B]

And the second time.

[C]

How the boys doing? How's harder?

[B]

Tyler's actually at BC helping out O. Line intern.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. You helped out in the spring, and then they asked him to come back help for the season.

[C]

Nice.

[B]

So he's grinding, figuring out that. Figuring out the old.

[A]

The coaching grind.

[B]

Yeah, like, just the whole, like, you know, when you play, you. You don't worry about. You see the diagrams, right? You don't realize where those run diagrams came from or where the. The defense. Right? And so it's on Vizio. And he's like, dad, the first time I said, hey, all the filmmakers, all these cards on Vizio. He goes, I was there for four hours. I think I got three cards done. He's like, there's got to be a better way for this. And then he figured it out, and, you know, and then Carter's back in Nashville.

[A]

How often does Tyler.

[B]

Looking for a job?

[A]

What is he doing?

[B]

He's looking for a job. He graduated from Tennessee Tech, played baseball, and is looking for a job.

[C]

Is he called the Pats?

[B]

No, he's not coming. He's not leaving Nashville.

[C]

He's not leaving. He's staying.

[A]

You know, he ain't trying to get.

[B]

No.

[A]

He.

[B]

He. He loves Nashville. He'll be up here for the games. But he just loves room.

[C]

Like, he went for a summer and was, like, hanging out in the equipment.

[B]

He would. Yeah, but he.

[C]

It was awesome.

[B]

He not. He passed chasing jocks around. Everything else, laundry is.

[A]

Tyler. Does he pick your brain a lot in the.

[B]

You know, he was asking about coverages as an offensive lineman. I think as a young one, you don't really worry too much about coverage. And now that he's drawing cards, he just wants to know, you know, Coverages and rotation and whether the weak safety's down or the weak safety's pressuring, Is he outside the end? You know, all the things that we would talk about. You know, I think he's just understanding the game. I think he's excited about helping the young players. He was a developmental player, and so he's like, I get to work with the threes. There's some young guys that I think have potential. So I think that there's some excitement there from. From helping those guys.

[A]

Does he want to coach, Coach with you one day?

[B]

I don't know about that. You know, I mean, I just. I think he wants to see if he wants to coach and if he's willing to go on this journey.

[C]

What was the conversation like with him? Because I was. When we. For before we're going, I was trying to catch up on what he was up to, and I just saw that July 30, he was on injury reserve in 2024 and assumed like, okay, he's out.

[B]

So he and Tyler just decided that he didn't want to do the practice squad again. That had been his, you know, his decision. And again, I. That's. That was his path. And I think he realized that he, you know, missed football, loved football, wanted to be around it, and finished his degree and in the process of doing that, helped out in the spring. And then, you know, they asked him to come back for the season.

[C]

Was there any type of conversation between you and him where you're like, yeah.

[E]

I know you don't want to do.

[C]

The practice squad again?

[B]

There was. There was like, a coach and a dad conversation.

[C]

Gotta wear different hats. I'm sure that was a tough for you to go back and forth in that.

[B]

Well, it wasn't. I think a while ago it had. I mean, I told you there were some things that I regretted, you know, growing up. When they were growing up, there was things that I regretted the way that I handled it and was, you know, borderline embarrassed with things that, you know, just not being able to differentiate the coach and the. Being demanding. And then dad. And so, by the grace of God, got past that and had another opportunity. And so it was a good conversation. It was, hey, here's what I would say to you as a. From a coaching perspective. Here's what I would say to you as a dad. And so he made his decision, and I think he's really happy about it. And, you know, see where this goes, this coaching thing goes for him.

[A]

Yeah, I like Tyler, dude.

[B]

Oh, he don't yeah, he's harmless. The other one works hard. The other one is out of his mind.

[C]

He's going to. He's going to catch fire here.

[B]

Plenty of ink, and they're, you know, I mean, they. They love the ink guy. I mean, they could thank Taylor for. For hooking him up. Joey, right?

[C]

Joe, he was in town this past week.

[A]

That is right. Anytime Joey's in town, I feel like Carter's over.

[C]

So at first it was. I think you were like, hey, Carter wants to get some make. You got a guy, he comes in, right? So we kind of got them hooked up, and then eventually it became, Joey, text me and be like, hey, I'm coming into Nashville for a weekend. I'm like, what are you doing here?

[B]

He's like, I think Tyler had him come to Atlanta, too, for a couple guys.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Joey just out there doing mercenary work for other guys, ripping it up.

[A]

I got a question for you.

[B]

Come on.

[A]

You. Are you. You're big on culture and painting a clear vision, whether it's a weekly game plan or whether you're coming in for the first time as a head coach and kind of painting how the organization is going to be. What is the best advice you've received on building culture? Whether you've been a fly on the wall witnessing something, or you've kind of learned in conversation with a former coach.

[B]

Here's what I've learned. I've learned that we can have different personalities, we can have different mentalities, and sometimes. What's that, buddy?

[C]

That's a bar.

[B]

I just sometimes get caught up that people may be different than me. I think I struggle with that early on. And now I've realized that if the mentality is the same, how they maybe act off the field or what their personality is or they may not be, I would say that we all kind of have this similar personality, right? Pretty close. But there's a lot of people and players that are successful that don't, and I have to be okay with that. If ultimately their mentality is about the culture that we want to have here, I think that's what I've learned.

[A]

Would you say that's what you've learned? Is that growing pains as a head coach, or is that more earlier in your assistant coaching?

[B]

No, I mean, I think as a head. Like, as a head coach. Right. Whether it's, you know, just players that have different personalities but still got their job done and did it the way that we asked them to do it, you have to be okay with, you know, kind of what their Vibe is just walking around. Let them. Yeah, they got to be them.

[A]

You excited to have Cardi b a couple games this year?

[B]

I don't.

[D]

I thought that.

[B]

I don't know. I haven't seen her yet. I haven't. Well, I'm sure we'll go. We'll double date. I'm sure we'll double date.

[A]

Eugen Cardi Friday out there.

[B]

We'll see. I don't know.

[C]

There's a level of excitement when you heard one of your players is dating a. A famous lady. Like, oh, we have our own Taylor Swift now.

[B]

Yeah, I guess so. I meant, I don't, you know, I. I don't.

[C]

You see the revenue from this past year, 16 billion extra in revenue.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And I started trending upwards in Kansas City.

[B]

You know, I don't know. I mean, I'll see. I don't mean I try to meet everybody's family that comes and a lot of people come out. If she's here, I'll say hi. I don't see how that goes.

[C]

Fair enough. You.

[A]

There was a big.

[C]

We talk about this on the podcast. Is 2018 rapes was a lot different than 2022 rapes. What variable are you are. Is. Are the New England Patriots players getting. Are like. Because you go walk into a place that has those banners on the wall.

[B]

Probably somewhere between those two.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, I think you just learn and again, you're just trying to set things and make sure that again there's. There's an individual role that the player is trying to create. And then there's the. The idea of building a team. And I have to try to combine those two. Right. So do you evaluate treatment and all those things?

[C]

Like, if you walked in the Titans facility and the culture was very, like, all over the place, very sporadic. We didn't really have an identity of who we were. When you walked into here, was there, like, did you get the same sense of, like, culture?

[B]

I needed to. I felt like it was important to make sure that all those systems and the programs and everybody around the players was sound. Right. That that was. There was a structure there that the support systems was sound and cleaned up. And then we focused on the players, you know, because the players aren't around in February, everybody's gone. So it's like operations and video and equipment and training and player engagement. All these things that were set up that I wanted the players when they came back, that they were, you know, they were. They liked what they saw. They believed in the program that we were building. And then and then now we're. We're focused on the. On the football side of it.

[C]

When you're going and you get the call and you're like, all right, I'm going to be the head coach of the New England Patriots. Were you essentially like Ron Burgundy getting the band back together when you went and got Stretch and Frank and all the boys popping up? Rolled over.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Rolling over. Calling Stretch like, hey, I mean, get it.

[B]

And I was, you know, some of those guys you can get. Some of them you can't. Some guys are under contract. But again, those people are important to me, and I hope to the players, they were part of our success. And certainly, you know, stretches. He already had a feature article in the Boston Globe. I heard him. There's another one coming down the pipe.

[C]

I heard his ears getting big, huh?

[D]

He is.

[C]

He's starting to feel himself a little bit in that office right next to yours. He's looking for a window.

[B]

He's getting a window. We're building a new building. He got a window next door.

[C]

That article came out. Those were his demands.

[B]

But, no, he's.

[D]

He's.

[B]

You know how important Stretch is, and he's the best. You know, Frank and Ryan and all the assistant coaches we were able to get. Big T and Hoss. Hoss. I think Hoss does a fantastic job. The O line room's got three good coaches in there, so just trying to give the players everything that they need. And, you know, we're big on connection, and we think that's important, and. And hopefully we can continue to do that.

[A]

How about Bob Spillane? Bobby getting another stint with Bob Spillane, him being undrafted?

[D]

Not.

[B]

I told him the other day. I told him the other day. I was like. I said, after you knocked the shit out of Derek, I said, have you. You stop hitting? He's like, what do you tell. He gets serious. You know. Remember when he smoked Derek on the groin? And so then I was like, after you smoked Derek, I said, you haven't hit anybody since then. He's like, what are you. I was like, dude, I said, you're too easy, man.

[D]

Just relax. I was just.

[C]

Calm down.

[B]

He's like, you try to get my blood pressure up all the time.

[A]

No, but that's been awesome to see. He signed, what, like, a 33 million dollar deal?

[B]

Yeah. I mean, just that everybody's got their own journey to the National Football League.

[A]

And I know you've used your meetings.

[B]

Yeah. We don't care how you got here. All we care about is what you do.

[A]

When you're here, I cut your ass back.

[B]

Bobby. It was a rookie minicamp tryout. Yeah, I mean, those are like. You're doing those as, like, favors. Like, get the guy a hat and a T shirt and send them on his way. And now here he is, just came.

[C]

In doing his thing, signing a contract. Got Harold. Who else you got?

[B]

Jack, Dr. Gibbons, Dr. Gibby.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Which crazy. Now we have Gibson and a Gibbons. We have Antonio Gibson. So It's Gibby and Dr. Gibby.

[C]

One didn't go to Jack's.

[A]

Got the doctor.

[B]

Get every answer in the book. That guy.

[C]

You. Every year around this time, you pop up a film, the. That gets you beat. Film from the year prior. What are, like three or four key plays you saw in last season that you pull up in the screen? You're like, guys, this is the shit that gets you beat.

[B]

Not being able to take advantage of bad football. Right. Two minute execution. Those are big ones. Guys throwing the ball to the official, you know, celebrating after a gain as the clock's ticking and you're 30 yards from field goal range, ball security. Right? All those things. I mean, it's the same stuff. It is the same stuff. Just try to build an identity around our effort and the way that we finish. You know, I think Taylor will remember it's hard to finish when you're looking back for the ball or you're directing traffic and all those things we talk about.

[C]

Absolutely.

[B]

But taking care of the football, right? Being able to take care of the football. I still think fundamentals are important. I think technique's important. Offensive line is a technical position, you know, and then again, whether it's don't do dumb shit to hurt the team, or a softer, gentler version is making great decisions on and off the field. I don't know. We had some opportunities to have a scrimmage on Friday. Guys got excited, you know, taunting free 15 yards, pointing in somebody's face, you know, throwing the guns up. All that stuff. Just things that, you know, we're just. It's hard to be that good for all that stuff to. To not matter. That stuff has to matter. And we'll get there. I'm confident that we will.

[A]

There's always some good Friday tape.

[B]

Yeah, we're not there yet. We're so far from Friday tape just because, you know, we're at the ground floor, you know, we'll break out the first one. We did have a good meeting. We split the teams up. We had a draft and we put together, like a draft reveal, right. For this scrimmage on Friday night, we had like a draft reveal. So we split the coaches up, had two separate head coaches they drafted. Stretch and I were like the commissioners of the draft. And then they had. We put all these funny pictures of these guys from high school and all this other stuff. And I was like Johnny Carson going through, like, on the reveal. And they had the draft music. And, I mean, the guys had fun. Like, some. Remember when you didn't know if I was, like, joking or not joking? So I would be like, you can laugh. We're still on stage. We're still there, where I'm like, if it's funny, laugh. And I mean, I kind of go back and forth and they're not sure when I go to the joke. So I let it loose the other day. A lot of laughs. And it was. It was needed.

[A]

Well, because you'll be caught in the middle of a. You're breaking down film and team meetings and you're roasting and it's like, you know, you're like holding in your laughter because, like, this is a serious moment. Then when you throw a joke, it's.

[B]

Like, yeah, then laugh. Right.

[C]

Are we allowed to do this now? Is it because you will. You do, like, to flip on a dime.

[B]

You'll sit there and you'll head on a switch.

[C]

Right, Right. You'd be like, taylor, what are we doing here? We pay you. How much? I'm like, this is awful. You're terrible. Blah, blah. And you'll be like, saying all these things. You'll be like doing your podcast with your boy Will. My right, Will.

[B]

That is my catch astray here.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

What are we.

[A]

What are we doing?

[E]

So we get.

[D]

It's a.

[B]

It's.

[C]

It's a process. It's a process.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

How many show are you guys traveling a lot.

[C]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Where were you before this?

[A]

So we had some time off. What was our last.

[C]

We knocked out tight end you at the last week of June.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And so then I went to Canada.

[B]

You guys were basically the ball boys for that thing, weren't you? I saw you, like, run around.

[A]

Yeah, whatever. They needed water.

[C]

Right?

[B]

I know.

[C]

No job too big, no job too small.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

What's going on?

[B]

I mean, it just looked like. I mean, every. Every clip you guys were there, like, with water, towels. It was hot.

[A]

We're there to serve, man.

[B]

I look like it. You were serving.

[A]

We're giving back to the youth ball washing. You said Taylor Swift is going to be there. Yeah, we can.

[D]

Yeah, we can.

[C]

We can hang out. We can hang out.

[A]

We can open. We can.

[B]

There's a couch. Sure, we'll go. Our cameras are there. Okay, good.

[A]

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[A]

Can we bring all this?

[E]

Yeah.

[B]

And then what other teams? You been to any other teams?

[C]

This is the first star.

[A]

You're our first one. Then we got maiden voyage, huh?

[D]

This is it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Virgin territory.

[E]

We are.

[A]

He was always. Once. Once you got hired, it was circled. We got to get out.

[B]

It's funny. Like, I don't.

[C]

Go back up.

[B]

Like, all you have to do is just text daddy. I'll text you back whether you guys can come. You know.

[A]

Jokes. But we met. We. We texted or we met Victoria out at the draft. She was awesome.

[C]

Veronica.

[A]

Oh, Veronica, I'm so sorry. That was.

[C]

Hey, it's all right. Hey, it's all right.

[D]

Hey, you're gonna.

[C]

You're gonna muscle through that. But we met them at the draft, and they were really excited.

[E]

They were.

[C]

Obviously Seemed like you may have seeing some nice things. So we were like.

[B]

I showed that clip where.

[D]

Where.

[B]

Will you showed him the. The clip that I sent about the cost fumble on the goal line?

[A]

Oh, yeah, I told him about it. I didn't run a meeting and show him. I wanted to, but. You showed the team.

[B]

No, I didn't show the team.

[C]

No, you showed any man reaches.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[C]

Man reaches from, like, I don't know, like, 1890.

[B]

We had a pod drill in there.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

O. Probably not good, then. Yeah.

[B]

Oh, you know what? It showed the fit drill, and you got overextended and you got jerked. Remember the fit drill? The, you know, rock set?

[C]

Which. Can I be honest with you, now that we're on the other side. Yeah, I think that's a dumb drill.

[B]

I don't. I think the pass is good, right? Because, again, you're staying level.

[C]

Like, I'm never in this position.

[B]

I didn't mean to stay level. No, no, I'm talking about. Not on that. Not on the cutoff, not on the cut. On, like, just the rock set. Right where we snap out.

[C]

Also, it. Also a dumb drill.

[B]

Well, again, because you got overextended and then got jerked. It wasn't a dumb drill. It was bad technique, because if you.

[C]

And I are both going at each other, we're going and we're fitting and then we're setting, but they Already know what's happening, and they know as soon as I set.

[B]

Right. But I didn't say get overextended and get.

[C]

No, yeah.

[B]

Shoulders out over.

[C]

There's a technique involved.

[B]

All I'm saying.

[C]

All it is inside the.

[B]

The jerk and the transition, then you want my.

[C]

You want my base to be a little weight, but. Yeah, a little bit more of a.

[B]

Yeah, you were kind of out over.

[C]

Your skis, but you did show. Did you show any man reaches?

[F]

Yeah, I did.

[B]

I mean, I think we showed love.

[C]

If you could do this.

[B]

You did. Yeah. Couple pools out on the corner. His highlights were like talking shit to a Cornerback that was 35 years old.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Run it again, Taylor. We can only run so many tossed cracks again. I don't know how you get on the corner.

[D]

Sorry.

[B]

I don't know how you get on the corner.

[E]

Truck.

[C]

Truck.

[B]

We can only get you on the tower so many times. Gonna have to block the end a couple times.

[C]

No, no, no. It's.

[B]

Taxi.

[C]

Let's not do that.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

Oh, I loved it. Perimeter playing, man. It was just fun to kind of be out there, feel like an athlete for a little bit. It was nice. What have you seen from.

[B]

Remember the. The Thai Sambrello 4? I cut off. I was like, this is how we supposed to do it.

[C]

I showed everybody, actually. Great on the four eye.

[B]

I know.

[C]

Great on the four eyes.

[B]

So we're showing some of that. We showed you on the backside.

[D]

Thanks.

[B]

Getting vertical, you know, Cincinnati stretch cut behind you.

[C]

All right, good.

[F]

Yeah.

[C]

Don't worry, you know, you just.

[B]

I just don't call you and tell you every time.

[C]

You just hope you made enough.

[B]

We put pressure. Will slice in the 7 Clinic tape.

[A]

He didn't finish. He's got to catch the ball.

[C]

Can you explain slicing the seven real quick for the viewers that are sitting.

[A]

Here just transitioning out? We were mugged up, too. We were down in the line of scrimmage, and they had, you know, it was double. Double near gun or weak side. Bunch and running back went flat. So you just know Ertz is about to run a seven route. We're an ot. We're trying to make. We're trying to win this game.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Third down.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And around the sticks. Once I saw the flat route, I'm like, oh, I'm gonna slice up under. So I'm inside. I'm trying to go through the low hip to slice underneath the tight end. Slice it. Ball hits me in the hands, I drop it. However, third down. We're off the field. We Go down. Corey Davis catches a touchdown. We all celebrate in the corner for the protection. For the boys.

[C]

Yeah, for the boys.

[B]

That was crazy.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

That game.

[C]

What you need to do, Mitch, on that clip is you just need to have it on Michaels Mike's face as he's talking, because you could just see the smile. Will's explaining the entire situation.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

Proud. Very proud.

[B]

But we had. You've heard the story of his recruiting trip, Right. We had breakfast at the hotel, and then we basically did the deal. I was thinking about when, you know, we basically negotiated that contract over breakfast. Me and you the same agent, right? Yeah. It just. It wasn't a very big contract.

[C]

Hey, that was the most good one.

[A]

The most I had in my career, though.

[E]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

That was bad season. You thought you were throwing out nickels. He was picking.

[A]

But then they drafted Rashawn in the first round. I'm sitting at a bar in Germantown. I'm like, fuck me.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah, I know what time it is.

[C]

Going back to the draft.

[B]

Yep.

[C]

And I'm sure I'll get a very Probably. Yeah, I'll get the answer. We're probably all expecting to get when the A.J. brown trade happened.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And there you see the video. You see you stand up.

[B]

No, I mean, listen, that. That is.

[C]

But also two days before that, you're like, as long as I'm the head coach of this team, AJ Brown will be a wide receiver.

[B]

I didn't want to. Obviously, nobody wanted to have him walk out of there. You know, I mean, the contractual terms weren't going to, you know, it just. It didn't work out, and it's disappointing. The thing that I am most proud of is just still the relationship with AJ and players that I've coached, whether it be you guys or other players that, you know, continue to text or check in on or just think about when they're in the summer or what they're doing or their families or you see that they're having kids. Like, I think that's. That's important. And I'm glad that that's still something that happens. Right. That there's still some sort of relationship after, you know, after coaching him, allegedly.

[A]

There's some footage out there of.

[C]

Will.

[A]

Campbell, you getting put on your back from old Will Campbell.

[B]

I mean, I'm almost 50. I'll be 50 in, I don't know, 12 days, 10 days.

[C]

Did you expect that, though?

[B]

No, I just. You know what I mean, it was a 4i.

[A]

Right.

[B]

I was going into Four Eye, and it was the Backside cut off and he got going and I caught my foot. I didn't get my second step in the ground. What am I gonna do? Hop back up? Like, we'll get knocked out.

[A]

You probably loved it too. Did you hear?

[B]

You want to say that? I loved it. I just was like, that was a good rap.

[A]

But I just, you know, give him a pat.

[B]

Yeah. Let me just get back on the line. Let's go again.

[A]

I mean, you gotta get one back.

[C]

On that next one. Oh, yeah.

[B]

I mean, it happens. He was more of a three that.

[C]

Next time we gotta shade it in a little bit.

[B]

Pad back.

[C]

Yeah, it's not.

[B]

It's not like, you know, I was fine. I popped back up. Everybody else thought, you know, I mean, thought it was a bigger deal than I did.

[C]

You're seeing. A lesser man would have stayed down.

[A]

I mean, he would have never done that to me.

[B]

Yeah, you're right. I mean, it was a good. It was a good block. He got into it, got the backhand, then the sternum, and I didn't get my second step on the ground and I ass over teakettle.

[C]

Yeah, it was like six, seven yards. It was. It was awesome to see. We need that clip.

[B]

Have you seen it?

[A]

He showed it to us.

[B]

But Will showed you a clip.

[C]

Hold on.

[A]

Somebody did. Somebody did.

[B]

You're snitching. He showed you the clip.

[C]

We haven't seen anything.

[B]

He has it on his phone.

[C]

We haven't seen.

[A]

JP showed me the clip.

[B]

Jp he was probably all gassed up. I'll get him back. Don't worry.

[C]

That's what I'm afraid of.

[B]

He was.

[A]

Hey, where's Will? He was gassed up.

[B]

He was pumped.

[A]

He was pumped.

[C]

He was juiced up.

[A]

He said, hey, boys, once I get done with this little two minute drill, I'm sorry, I'm laying it all out there, Willie. Well, he's like, once I get done, I gotta show you guys a clip that I think you'll enjoy.

[B]

Yeah, I bet.

[A]

And he had me over there and.

[C]

I was like, I started to walk out and we're like, hey, you said you had a clip for us. I'm like, I don't. Came over. How are you trying to get it out, man? Come on in.

[B]

They laid it on the line. They laid it on the line for me. I gotta go on the show.

[A]

You gotta come on the show.

[C]

Yeah. Good to see you, man.

[A]

Good to see you, man.

[D]

I'm fine.

[C]

I just wanted to bust ball.

[D]

Okay.

[C]

Oh, you don't wanna.

[E]

Oh, okay.

[D]

That's Fine.

[A]

We only have them for. I think we.

[B]

Stacy's got the time limit. It's time.

[A]

How about Victoria?

[C]

At the time we have.

[A]

Veronica. Veronica.

[D]

I know.

[C]

That was a. That was a.

[B]

Come on.

[A]

Sorry. Come on. I got. I got local media, Bud Light. You know how everybody, anybody would do anything for a Bud Light. An ice cold Bud Light. What would Coach Vrabe.

[B]

Free shout outs.

[A]

What would Coach Grable do anything for?

[C]

Can't say family.

[B]

Can't say family. I mean, obviously, another banner up there. Like, that's.

[A]

What would you do if I had a banner?

[B]

We've. We've discussed this already.

[C]

Yeah, but what else.

[B]

What else would I do?

[A]

Yeah, for the banner.

[B]

No, I'm work every day. I meant cutting off any more appendages. You know what I mean? Like, that's. That's why we're doing this. You know, other than to provide for our families. It's to win championships. Like, you guys know this spiel. We've been through this. You guys are trained. You guys are trained rats.

[C]

Would you really cut it off?

[A]

He already said on the second one, he's. We asked what he did.

[C]

Well, yeah, because we went to the AFC championship.

[B]

Stacey said. That's it. Boys, I want an honest evaluation of practice. What? I gotta go. I gotta work.

[A]

Can I tell you something?

[B]

I want an honest evaluation of practice.

[A]

Obviously you.

[B]

And if I'm missing anything, let me know.

[C]

Let you know.

[A]

Obviously you got to create the evidence and build the legacy and everything else, but I'm legitimately so juiced that you were the head coach of the Patriots just because you were a hell of a player at Ohio State. You were a hell of a player in the league with the three banners and the three Super Bowls. And I hope. I hope. Hang on, hang on. This one's for Jen, too. I hope you take time to just have perspective of how fucking cool it is.

[B]

Well, I may appreciate that. I will try to stop and smell the roses along the way. I hope you guys come back for a game. Promise. Okay. Proud of you.

[A]

Can I get a.

[B]

Can I get a headset?

[A]

I'll stay out of the way.

[B]

You can have stretches.

[A]

Okay.

[F]

Love you.

[C]

I love you too.

[A]

Drake May, welcome the bus with the boy.

[C]

Oh, Jesus, Crumble.

[A]

Start it again. Start again. You know what?

[C]

Keep it where it's at.

[A]

You set him up. You set it up.

[C]

Did you slap his leg?

[A]

No.

[C]

Okay. Drake, May, what's going on? How you doing?

[D]

Hanging in there. All right.

[A]

Oh, dude, we're doing great.

[C]

Give me Josh Allen vibes. Already off the top. I'll be honest with you. You got a nice little personality.

[D]

He's a heck of a player.

[C]

Heck of a player. Give me the team keys when you're talking to the media.

[D]

Talking to the media, yeah. Per variable team keys.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Speak for myself.

[C]

Yep.

[D]

No talking about injuries.

[C]

That's correct.

[D]

No talking about expectations. Right.

[C]

What's that?

[D]

No talk about scheme.

[C]

Don't talk about scheme. Is there another one?

[A]

You're on it.

[C]

You seem like there was one more. That was all of them.

[D]

No comparisons. The same. It's kind of expectations comparison.

[C]

Yeah, no comparison.

[D]

Same type thing. Same as when you all played.

[B]

What's that?

[D]

Same one.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[C]

Yeah. Do you see yourself a lot in Josh Allen? Do you guys think you're very similar football players, both mobile, tall, handsome, you.

[D]

Know, white quarterbacks, you know, he's the mvp. I think the comparisons are. I got a lot of work to do, you know, with kind of even being in the same, you know, stratosphere or atmosphere as Josh. So luckily he's in the division, so we got some good matchups. Looking forward to. But really, comparisons, I'm just trying to be myself. And hey, at the end of the day, if some people think that, that's a lot of, you know, respect for him. But I got a lot of work to do for that.

[C]

Let's pivot real quick on the sports, though. I apologize for interrupting you, Will. You and Josh Allen, one on one, pick up basketball. Who's winning that game?

[D]

I'll take myself as a. Hooping and hoops for sure.

[C]

Who do you think? Josh Allen, the night before the draft was in a YMCA playing pickup basketball.

[D]

Pat. Did Pat tell you that?

[C]

We have our sources.

[D]

Exactly.

[A]

Time out. Time out. What are we talking about?

[C]

So Drake, the day it was in Detroit, correct?

[D]

Yeah, in Detroit.

[C]

The day before he gets drafted. First round pick by the New England Patriots. He's at an indoor gym at a YMCA playing pickup basketball with a bunch of gen pop.

[A]

Just trying to get WAR stats. What was your numbers?

[D]

My brothers were in there, so we had some good competition, but just get the nerves you're going, you know, you.

[A]

And the brothers pick.

[D]

I don't know if will. Yeah, you know, kind of being at the draft, you know, being there, I'm not sure.

[C]

You get nervous. You get nervous whether you get. Whether you're there where the draft's happening or you're sitting at home, it doesn't matter.

[A]

Yeah, I mean, I was nervous. I had nerds for three days.

[C]

Let me ask you Let me ask you something. It was there a piece of you ever throughout, like, when you're going to the draft process day one hit, you're like, what if, though?

[A]

100%. I want to say Bill Belichick got some projected guy. He was like, in the lower rounds, and he drafted him in the second round. And on the first. On the first night, the Chargers called me being like, I kind of forget what the hell the conversation went. But I'm like, maybe I'm a day two guy.

[C]

No shit.

[A]

Then they drafted Manta Tayo.

[C]

Damn. Man's head.

[A]

He's a great player. Great player. I played longer, but he's a great player.

[C]

Yeah, he had the build, though.

[A]

Yeah, he had the build on him. Sturdy.

[C]

Were you surprised that the Patriots drafted you?

[D]

I think I was just pumped, you know, kind of the feelings. You just want to get drafted somewhere. So I was really just pumped. I think I knew there's a chance possibly here, you know, what a great legacy this place has been. And hopefully we're trying to get back to that.

[A]

What's the first several months been like with Coach Rabel?

[D]

Yeah, it's been awesome. I mean, y' all know it's. It's hostile now.

[A]

Oh, we know it's awesome.

[D]

You gotta bring. You gotta bring it and leave your egos at the door. I'm sure y'.

[C]

All.

[D]

I'm sure you checked y' all a few times with personalities of y', all, too, but I think, you know, we watch old film with Big Taylor was in there watching Padre. We watching you over there.

[A]

How was he doing?

[C]

Yeah, how'd I do?

[A]

How I doing the Padre?

[D]

I think you may got hurt or something. Who knows?

[C]

Oh, damn.

[A]

You know, and I. When Brave was answering the question, talking about how he had a drill up of you and positive you got over leverage. I'm thinking to myself, you know, Ray was just loving the fact that he could kind of just body bag you in front of some other.

[C]

And the fact that it's like, that's not for anybody else. I know five people on this football team. That was for Braves and Stretch.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

And Hoss.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Kind of laugh. Be like, look at that idiot right there.

[D]

No, but I saw the first pitch, dude, come on, bro. You kind of look like good form. You like a little bit of Randy Johnson and then just let it go.

[A]

A little too early. It was kind of.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

I had to bring my show, you know, redemption coming.

[D]

Really.

[C]

I don't know if we can say the date yet, but it is this month. I'll be catching Redemption.

[D]

Where was that? What game was that at?

[C]

The redemption?

[D]

No, the game that you just threw.

[C]

Oh, that was at. In St. Louis.

[D]

Yeah, St. Louis.

[C]

And Buddy, I'll tell you this. I was.

[D]

How the nerves. Free nerves.

[C]

No, I was like, I'm about to rip this.

[D]

Really?

[C]

I'm about to throw this thing. High 60s.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Which was good for me. And I walked out there, Buddy was standing behind the mountain. Go. Just so you know, I'm going to rip this thing. He was like, didn't even say a word. And then that happened. I was like, oh, my God. I'm still in disbelief.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

And I think I'm, like, kind of getting the yips now, too. Like, I go play catch and I'm like, I'll put a couple in Will's chest and then there'll be one. Oh, Buddy. I practice.

[A]

I make well every day, really.

[C]

I get. I get to the shop, we do work, and then I'm like, come play catch with me.

[D]

That's really bad.

[A]

So we'll see. We'll see.

[C]

Have you ever thought.

[D]

No. I thought about throwing a curveball or something one time.

[C]

You've thrown at a first pitch?

[D]

Yeah, I haven't thrown one, but if I did, I'd throw a curveball or something.

[A]

You a baseball guy growing up?

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

Baseball guy.

[A]

You have a whole family of them?

[D]

I got a bunch.

[A]

I saw one story where it was like, what was it? People magazine, where your mom would make like, 36 eggs for you guys.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Just be a war.

[D]

We got some big dudes, big fellas rolling around. So a bunch of hooligans.

[C]

Who's most athletic in your family, you think?

[D]

Probably Mom. I'm speaking for my mom.

[C]

But, you know, Dad's punching air right now.

[D]

My dad's. He's old and fat now.

[A]

So you give it to yourself over the other brothers.

[D]

Yeah, yeah. They'd say the same.

[A]

They would.

[D]

Yeah. They know what's up.

[A]

Or they just pound in the steering wheel right now as they listen.

[D]

No, no, my brother is definitely going tune in. My brother's a big fan of the bus with the boys.

[B]

Let's go.

[C]

Patrick playing the Titans, I think. Was Collins there? Was Pat Collins there?

[D]

Yeah, he was there.

[C]

We came down just to go meet his brother. Just, like, because he was that big of a fan of us. And I was like, yeah, I'll go down there for sure. Absolutely. And we met the night. That night before. At the Peg Leg Porker.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Troy Nunes.

[D]

Exactly.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Bring it back. To vapes. I need a pet peeve.

[C]

What pisses you off about Mike Rabel?

[E]

Or.

[A]

Or how about this? What? Instead of what pisses you off about Coach Vrabel, what would piss Coach Vrabel off about you? Or what would be a pet peeve of raves that he has of you.

[D]

Not celebrating after we score?

[C]

That did go viral, didn't it?

[D]

Yeah, he just. Which I agree. I mean, it's hard to get in the end zone.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

I think you saw the clip. We didn't score enough of them last year, so. Just getting excited. I think it's. There's so much mental game going on in the game, you know, within practice playing qb. So just getting excited when you do something good, that's tough. You know, I think I need to do a better job of that.

[A]

Well, it goes through your brain when you score.

[D]

It's hard to simulate, you know, in practice when it's actually a real touchdown game. You know, it's easier to run down there with the boys, but, you know, the old lines got to run down there like, oh, I gotta run 15 yards back along. Yeah, it's tough for those guys.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Cruising over there.

[D]

Exactly.

[A]

Celebrating after touchdowns. Yeah.

[C]

The. I saw you throw a few touchdowns today in the red zone.

[D]

Try to.

[C]

And I didn't see you run into the end zone and celebrate.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

So is that a coachable, coachability thing or is that just. Hey, we're in. This is not a team, period.

[D]

No. Yeah, it was one on 1 7, I think. Still get some excitement. For sure. What were the things that y' all did back in the day? He got mad at.

[A]

Oh, got mad at me.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Everybody just being on social media.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

He'd bring up posts every now and then.

[D]

He put up.

[A]

Yeah. There was one time where it was like Darren Bates was injured, and so he was sitting out of walkthrough, and in my brain, he was just getting one over. I'm like, oh, you're just. You're just wanting to chill, like you ain't in that bad of shape. So I. I bought this neck brace on Amazon, and then I, like, took a video because he had, like, the yellow jersey on. I'm telling him, hey, throw this on. Throw this on board the neck brace. And we're kind of busting his balls in the locker room, and I'm videoing it. I put it up on social and he texted me later that night, and he said, you think this was smart? And, dude, fear just filled the entire part of my body as I'm sitting there looking on how I should respond. Back to Variable. Kind of like, is he kind of messing with me? Should I, like, send a joke back? Because we all know he's playing like, it's all good, and he put it up in the TV the next day. My asshole was. Was tight. My asshole was tight.

[C]

You walk in that TV room, it's really the first one when you come back for OTAs, because everyone's kind of done their thing. Maybe you post something in January. He knows. John Stryker knows, and he will show. Mike Raymond. Yeah, he is on it, dude. He is dialed in, I think.

[A]

Yeah, he's the op.

[C]

I don't think you understand how much of a win it is for you guys to have Stretch on this team just yet. Like, you guys will realize how big of a win it is to have, but he's definitely the op. I had a time. Bill o' Brien got fired from Houston, and I was commenting on how I was, like, fired up about him getting fired, and Vrabes like, called me and chewed me out for, like, five minutes about how disrespectful that is. And I don't know, Bill and all this stuff. And that was. Walking in the next day was very difficult. It was. It was scary. But I saw him the next day, he, like, pat me on the ass and walk down the hallway. So he's kind of always doing this, and you just don't really know what to do.

[A]

He bullies you until he knows you're broken a little bit.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

And kind of stepping on egg, walking on eggshells. And then that's when he buddies you up, and he's like, why aren't you laughing? It's a joke. And it's like, Christ.

[C]

Well, he was. He was sitting here with us before Yalls practice being like, you know how it is. They don't know that I'm joking yet and stuff like that. So, you know, I'll tell them, hey, if it's funny, you can laugh in the team meeting room. I'm thinking we're still there. Like, we've known you since 2018. We're still, like, kind of when he walks in the room, like, what kind of day are we having? Yeah, that's how Brave likes it.

[D]

I saw that. I saw the clip of you y' all about to fight in the bus. You like your chances, you think against rape?

[A]

Yeah, I don't know. I got too much respect to.

[D]

To.

[A]

To think that I could take him.

[D]

It's almost like, as a friendly Gesture.

[A]

Yeah. And then it got a little.

[C]

He's got a little real, and it's.

[A]

Kind of like he's just got the power dynamic of father, son, you know what I mean? It's like, hey, Will, do you think you can whoop your old man? It's like you just don't. You don't really go there mentally. And then when he bulks up, it's kind of like he's a long. Oh, he's a specimen. Hands to scratch his knees a little bit.

[C]

You saying. You saying brave is your daddy right now?

[A]

I'm saying he's got. That's the type of respect that I have for him as a human being, as a father. Yeah, yeah. Like, I see him as like a. A father figure. Yeah, yeah. We. So, you know, we swap text in the off season. He checks on the family and stuff. He's like a mentor of mine.

[C]

I love that.

[A]

So I just appreciate him.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

You know what I mean? So when, you know, hey, don't get sensitive on me. Braves, like, how would you say ship.

[D]

Is different with braves between the two of you?

[C]

He likes Will a lot more than me. Yeah, he, like, I.

[D]

He.

[C]

I think he definitely views me as, like, he coached me really hard when he got there, and I was like, he'll lighten up eventually. And it never really happened. And then I, like, got cut eventually, and it's kind of just not stopped. Yeah, Will was like. They brought Will in. He was doing the core four. He was like, light and did the Vrabel thing, and that went over really well. And then once Will was out of the building, Rabel was like, that's my guy. And I'm. I'm Will's buddy, but that Will's Rabe's friend. Does that make sense?

[A]

Taylor was an asset that they needed to produce at the highest level at all times. So when he get injured, I'm sure that kind of plays into the psyche of what his view was of Taylor. Like, I'm an asset, but I'm more of an asset. Like, you know, like one of those.

[C]

What was a jester, you know, first off, gestures. Gestures are the people that would entertain the king.

[A]

What's the animal that you keep? They just like, give you good vibes or therefore, you.

[C]

Golden retriever.

[A]

No support, emotional sport. Yeah. Like, my asset ability was like being the support animal in the lock. Locker room.

[F]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah. And Will, you know, just Will was a locker room guy. So Rabes would always be like, we're going to hold our high or our best Players to the highest standard or whatever. That's like his phrase. He always says. And he would call me in his office, hey, what's up, Braves? I'm trying to be buddies. Yeah, always trying to be buddies. No, he be like, come in here real quick. He pull up some film. We just sit in silence for a little bit while he play some. A couple plays of me like, not doing well. He goes, we hold our best players the. To the highest standard. Correct? Yes, sir. Is that the highest standard?

[E]

No.

[A]

All right.

[C]

I need you to play better next week. Yeah. Okay. And there'd be games, too. I like, walk away from games. I'm like, bro, I. That was a game.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

I kind of have myself a little.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

You know, I think like four or five players, if I really put that guy in the dirt, I was good at protection, blah, blah. I felt good about it. And as I'm like, truly feeling good about myself, I'm getting a text from Braves be like, need you to be better next week. And it was always. It was always that Will. I would. I would sit over and watch Will and Braves be like, how the. Do I get to that?

[A]

I just had to get a couple tackles on special teams.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Or slice of seven.

[C]

Yeah, slice.

[A]

Once. Once a game or something.

[C]

Because we. When he sat here, I was like, hey, man, you showing some man reaches. He's like, I should have pods. Drill shows you getting overextended on.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

On a play action. There's some good clips just killing me.

[A]

But that's kind of the. The difference in dynamic. But this is about this podcast.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

You're doing very well and asking questions about us. Now we're getting the fire.

[D]

More time with them than I have.

[A]

Take us through the process last year, being thrown into the fire because on the outside, it seemed like when you got drafted, you were going to be somebody who was kind of like, maybe groomed and on the sideline throughout the season. Yeah. Then the season was going the way it was. You had Coach Mayo. He was. He was in his first year. Then you kind of get thrusted and thrown into the fire. Was that something that you expected or what was the learning curve as that decision was made?

[D]

No, I think, you know, we had the Texans here at home, so it was a good, you know, front of home crowd. You get thrown to the fire. I think it's something that you're like, man, let's see what I got. I think it's. You go out there and you see Daniel Hunter, Will Anderson. You know, when you go out there in your first drive, and you're like, all right, this is the NFL. You know what I'm saying?

[A]

So specimens.

[D]

Yeah, exactly.

[C]

Especially Hunter.

[D]

Dude. Yeah, good guy. So I think, you know, from there, I think just ultimate confidence. I think that's what I think you kind of preach to yourself. You do all that practice, do all this training camp, go out there and just lie Bullets, see what. See what you got. And, you know, I think, you know, the biggest thing is these guys, and we still played hard. You know, I think we, you know, we're in some close games and, you know, season didn't go the way we wanted, but these guys fought hard. I think especially those guys up front. They fought for me hard, and, you know, the least I could do was get back and go out there and compete and, you know, leave it all out there. So that's my approach to it, and that's not going to change.

[A]

Was there ever a moment of discouragement during your rookie year? Like, as you guys are out there and you're performing, whether up to your standard or not, you guys are losing close games.

[D]

You know, once you really hit, I think kind of the, you know, 10 losses in a season, you know, it's tough. You got there and you're out there playing. You probably know, in the back of your mind, you're not gonna make the playoffs. You're out there playing a, you know, a gruesome game, and you're out there just battling. And I think that's really what. But you kind of find in these guys, like, who can I really go to war with? And I think that's what, you know, I was trying to approach it myself. Like, these guys are going to see me. Am I still competing hard and, you know, scrambling around and trying to make plays or just gonna throw in the dirt and get back up and punt? And so I think that's kind of. Is what I kind of used last year, as you obviously want to, you know, win, you know, more games this year, and that's our plan. So I think everybody feels good now. So it's. It's going into, you know, week one to see, you know, when the real Bullets go.

[C]

Time to remember that rookie wall. When you're sitting there in the middle of November, possibly, like, walking into December, you know, you're out of the playoffs. Like, you say, you're, you know, you. 10 losses, you're probably not gonna be the playoffs. Like, you will not make the playoffs with 10 losses. And you see these guys, you know, you're 21 years old. You got these guys that are in their 30s. They kind of know.

[F]

Yeah.

[C]

So you see guys kind of talking about Cabo San Lucas. All of a sudden, I'm going to go over here. What are we doing for a vacation? Like, like, what was that like from you? From. Like a. Just a going from college to NFL.

[D]

No doubt. It's different. I think even the first thing I noticed, these guys got families. You know, it's not the locker room in college where you're hanging out and going back to someone's place and, you know, watching football. Yeah, I think stuff like that. It's more like go back to your families and you leave here. And like I said, that rookie wall, kind of after, you know, after the bowl season, you go straight to training and then you go straight to the draft prep. So it's a long year, long years of these rookies. That's what I'm telling you. These guys on our team, you know, Will Campbell and those guys, it's a long year. And I think, you know, from there you give up here to Boston there been up here in the north and you get out of meetings at 5 o' clock and next thing you know it's dark outside and it's 15 degrees. I think that adds a whole different element of crazy, the morbidness up here of the winners. So I think that's really right around your teammates and, you know, when you are in the building, try to make it as, you know, enjoyable as you can. And I think definitely you see guys not like you said, not checking out, but knowing kind of what's. What's in the end and kind of the light, the end of the tunnel is not, you know, looking, you know, too bright. I think you can see that in the NFL, which is, you know, credit them. These guys want to, you know, have, you know, longevity in the years and, you know, credit their bodies and, you know, you can see injuries is a big part of the game. So there's two sides to it, but hopefully nine's end situation.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

When you got like your routine in your first year and you hit the wall and everything like that, what are some changes you're making for yourself and you're in your daily routine during the football season.

[D]

Yeah, I think that's a great question. You know, I think Jacoby Brissette was someone great for me to learn from, you know, a veteran this league played in a bunch of different offenses. He's the man, you know, just hanging out outside. We should go to dinner. I think it's different. I got my wife up here now in the season, so it'd be different having her up here. But really just it's about ball, I think, trying to change, trying to find what's worked, kind of find a rhythm throughout the weeks and hopefully if you, you know, get W in the win column, just try to repeat it. And if not, you got to change something, whether study more or less, get with the guys more or do something, do something different.

[A]

I have one more question for you and I want to take you back to college your senior year. You're Drake May. Hey, is he going to go first overall? This kid's a specimen. He's this, he's that. You start off 7,080-ranked 10 in the country. Is this Drake May kid? Is he about it? And then Virginia and Georgia Tech happen. What the fuck happened against Virginia and Georgia Tech?

[D]

It was same thing.

[C]

Those are the kind of questions you're getting a bus for the boys. Hard hitting journalism right there.

[D]

No, I think it was, it was tough. I think we twice, two years in a row. My last two years, two years I played, we lost to Georgia Tech at home. We were ranked 10th in the country. We were like nine and one. And then we lost Virginia that next year. We were like maybe seven or eight in the country at home. Yeah, I think it's.

[A]

Christ.

[D]

It was kind of the story of North Con football really. You know, when I was there, we just couldn't find a way to get over the hump, kind of get into that next category of wins and being that next kind of division of respect, you know, around the country for our football program. And I really think it was just unfortunate.

[C]

This is my last question. What was your welcome to the NFL moment? But you got to go. The thing you have to go is you have to be fast.

[D]

I think Daniel Hunter, I think we came out of halftime. I just threw a touchdown. My first touchdown was 147 and we getting empty. And yeah, I get strip sacked to start off the half, the first play. And then from there it was kind of like, you know, holding the ball in this league, you got to get rid of it.

[C]

So get rid of it, dude. Appreciate your time. Thank you so much. Yeah, appreciate you.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

We interrupt this episode because we are brought to you by neutral vodka seltzer. Have you tried neutral? If not, you are missing out. Neutral is so much better than any seltzer that I've tried. It's made with real vodka and real juice and that's what makes it delicious. Neutral comes in A variety of flavors like watermelon, orange, black cherry. There's also new flavors, lime and strawberry. Because neutral is the perfect drink to bring when hanging with friends. Because it is such a crowd pleaser. Whether you're watching, watching the game at a bar, watching in the backyard with friends, hanging out and grilling in the backyard with friends, or you're at a tailgate before, on game day, bring neutral seltzer. Keep it tasty with neutral. Back to this episode. Robert Spillane.

[C]

Give him a round of applause, huh? Come on.

[E]

I appreciate you guys having me on. Thank you.

[C]

Absolutely do.

[A]

Welcome to busting with the boys. I am personally fired up. I know Taylor's fired up as well. But just as an undrafted linebacker, you were a rookie minicamp tryout, like the gutter, the gutter of gutters. Rabe was kind of saying too. He's like the media camp trial guys, like, you just have them there to be bodies for the people. You bring in, the draft picks you bring in, the other preferred undrafted free agents that you bring in. You weren't one of those. You got what an offer coming out. Where'd you go to college?

[E]

To Western Michigan.

[A]

To Western Michigan, bro.

[C]

Stings.

[A]

And now all the way to just signing a three year, 33 million dollar deal to be with the Patriots. A second stint with Coach Vrabel. We are proud of you, bro.

[B]

Stoked.

[E]

Definitely come a long way. It hasn't been easy. A lot of trials and tribulations. You know, when you start as an undrafted player, they. They look at you as an undrafted player for the remainder of your career. So I still have that chip on my shoulder every day I go out there, I tell myself, you're undrafted. You know, it's time to go. Earn it.

[C]

When did you think you had. Obviously you tell you love ball and we tell a story. You've told the story in the podcast multiple times of us sitting after, I think it was Pittsburgh preseason exception reception. Had like seven, eight, maybe even 10 tackles. And you're kind of walking by and we're like chopping it up in the corner a little. We're a little banged up. And I'm like, hey, man, kind of did your thing out there and you kind of get a little nervous. You're like, I love football. And you kind of just kept it moving. And it's like we joked and laughed about it, but like, brother, that. Those are the guys that make it. The dudes that sit there and they're like, you have to truly love playing this game to be put in the position you were in the NFL, and now to be sitting where you are now. But at what point was it that rookie minicamp? Was it after your first year? When were you like, oh, I can. I think I can actually play in the NFL.

[E]

I think our first practice as a team, when I got the veterans in there after rookie minicamp and I saw what the NFL was, I knew I had a chance to make it. I had that internal confidence right away that I am undrafted. I'm the ninth man on the roster, the 90th overall, the ninth in the linebacker core. And I feel like I can make myself good enough to be good in this league one day.

[A]

But you get cut, then you go on practice squad, you get cut. I believe in October, if I remember right. And then you end up signing with Pittsburgh in the next February, like, after the season's over. So you're. You know, technically, the saying is you're on your couch for the rest of the season. Did doubt ever creep in your mind?

[C]

Make sure you hit the mic a.

[A]

Little close to your face.

[E]

Yeah, it's hard. It's hard when you get cut and you spend four months at home. You go out to LA for a tryout, they send you home without giving you a call back. You go out to Denver for a tryout, they send you home without getting a call back, go out to Pittsburgh for a tryout, and just as we're walking on the field with six inside linebackers, they sign one of them, they take one of them upstairs and say, we're going to sign you in front of everybody. So I go out for the tryout, I leave without a call. I, in turn, decided to give them a call back and give them a piece of my mind and say, why the fuck did you bring me out here? What. What was the fucking point of bringing me out here if you already had your mind made up? And it was that energy, that fire that they saw in me, and two days later, they gave me an opportunity.

[C]

What are they saying on the phone? So you call them, you're like, hey, patch me into Mike Tomlin.

[E]

It wasn't Mike Tomlin. It was Kevin Colbert's son, the head. One of the head scouts that invited me to the tryout originally. And he called me, or I called him after the tryout saying, what was the point of you bringing out here? We just talked on the phone before I got out here. You want to give me an opportunity? And I felt like, that's bullshit. You guys signed a guy without even giving me a shot. And he just, oh, yeah, we're gonna, we're still looking at you. We're still looking at you. I'm like, yeah, bullshit, whatever. Didn't expect to hear anything back from them. Two days later, they gave me an opportunity to come in for a 90 man roster spot and kind of worked my way through practice squad, through special teams, and then got my opportunity to play defense when Devin Bush went down.

[A]

That. When you decided to call them and give them a piece of your mind, is it like your frustration was at an all time high when you're going out and doing tryouts because like doubt. Doubt being the wrong word, more of like discouraged that you're putting in all this work, you're persevering, you're staying resilient, you believe in yourself. Did it just get to a point to where it's like, I gotta, I gotta figure out why this isn't happening?

[E]

Yeah, without a doubt. I wanted answers. I wanted, I felt like I was wronged. I felt like I had the ability and the capabilities to one day be a successful player in this league. So it really bothered me that I wasn't getting that opportunity. And I honestly believe if I didn't have that chip on my shoulder, I wouldn't be here today.

[C]

Yeah, when you, when you go to the Steelers, you get on the 90 man roster, put the dark visor on, by the way, that was a nice touch. Those are very nice. Yeah.

[E]

Headaches.

[C]

Headaches, yeah. Yeah. It's what it's all about. You go and play the Titans again and there's a goal line stand and a lot of people, I believe there's a, there's another reporter, he's on espn, he talks about him and Derek Henry in the hole. He's taking Derek Henry. Allen, everyone always argues about it, but you actually stood Derek's ass up. No disrespect to Derek, we love Derek on the show, but you handle business. Was that like you're coming, you're coming out moment for sure.

[E]

My first career start against the team that cut me two years prior. Anytime you step on the field with King Henry, you have to give him respect and you have to bring it all. If you take a slight second of the playoff, he's scoring a touchdown. So I knew at that moment that it had to be there on the goal line with the team that cut me two years prior. All that worked up inside me and I was able to make a nice play on the goal line.

[C]

You were legit Boucher out there.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

I felt the excitement from Everybody in the stands. My whole family took a bus from Chicago to the game.

[A]

Oh, that's awesome.

[E]

I had a lot of friends on the Tennessee Titans still at that point. That showed me love after the game, so it was really a special moment for me.

[A]

You put your face in the fan. Did you feel it, like, as you were getting up to celebrate?

[E]

I definitely lost a few years of my life that day in that moment. Yeah, I definitely gave the good Lord a few years of my life.

[C]

You have. Did you feel it, like you had a sting or anything like that?

[E]

They call it a stinger, but when you can't feel half your body and.

[C]

You'Re like, no, shit.

[E]

I came off the field, Cam Hayward rips me off the ground. He's like, oh, spill. Sleeping.

[A]

Get off the field.

[C]

Yeah.

[E]

So I run off the field, and obviously you don't want to be wobbling coming off the field, so I'm like, oh, my shoulder sore. My shoulder. And I guess that's all part of playing in the NFL.

[A]

So. So when you go to. As you're going through the Steelers, you get cut, you go on practice squad, you get cut again early in the year, you get brought back the next week. Then when Devin Bush goes down with an ACL injury, you get your number called. And then that game, I think you go on, you have, like, you have a few good plays, and that next week, Tomlin's in the. In the press conference saying that you're going to be the starter. Take us through. Take us through that process and what that meant to here. Knowing that Coach Tomlin and the Steelers had that trust in you to continue to be the starter.

[E]

Yeah, knowing that they had that trust in me. It was all I needed to go out there and succeed, knowing I had the trust of the ten people around me. It's a very safe spot. When you're the middle linebacker of these defenses, you got 10 killers all around you. So it seems very chaotic and a lot going on, but for me, that's, like, where I feel the most calm. And having the confidence of the players and the coaches in that organization meant everything to me to go out there and succeed.

[C]

How'd they break the news to you? They call you in the office, they play a trick on you or anything like that?

[E]

Yeah. Tomlin called me in, and he said, it's time to start living like a pro. We need to get you some new outfits, we need to get you a new car. You're. You're our starting middle linebacker, so you need to come in looking like it. Playing like it. So it was kind of a fun moment for me and something I'll never forget.

[A]

Did you.

[C]

Listen, you go get yourself a nice little something.

[A]

Did you get a new car?

[E]

No, I didn't. And that's probably why they didn't keep me around too much longer.

[A]

So you went on. You signed a free agency with the Raiders. Did Pittsburgh not want you back?

[E]

No, they didn't. And it hurts to say that, and it hurts to feel like that, because you felt like you made all these great connections. You felt like you poured your heart on the line. You felt like you did everything to be a good team player. But at the end of the day, this is a business, and they don't always want you back. And it hurts. And it hurts, and it adds to that chip on the shoulder. But that's all I could do at that point, was go out to Vegas, my one opportunity, no one else was calling, and go out there and ball.

[A]

So who else was in the conversation when you were negotiating as a free agent ended up with the Raiders?

[E]

It was the Raiders.

[A]

It was just the Raiders.

[E]

The Raiders.

[A]

So when you were going into free agency, what were those conversations like in your exit meetings with the Steelers, like, as you're entering free agency?

[E]

Before I went into free agency, they told me, go out, test the market, See what you get. We're going to offer whatever they. They give you, and we want to make you a Steeler.

[A]

We love you in your brain. You're like, this is where I want to.

[E]

So I called them. Oh, I got an offer from the Steeler or from the Raiders. Like, I want to come back. What's the deal? And they were like, oh, good. Good luck. Have fun. So really, that's how it happened. And obviously, at the time, you're sick, you're moving across the country, but at the same time, you're so happy because somebody believes in you. And that's all you really need, like, to have Patrick Graham out there, to have Josh McDaniels out there, Antonio Pierce believing in me as the player and as a person, that's what gives me confidence to go out there and do what I do best.

[C]

What was it like when. So was it March when I saw you at ufc?

[E]

Yeah. Yeah.

[C]

Spillane, like, walks by me. Like, we kind of like. I don't. I'm just kind of walking, and he kind of like. He's like, hey, good to see you, man. Like, dad's me up. He goes, I'm going to be a Patriot. And just kind of Books it out of there. I was like, he's just. You just beaming, absolutely beaming about it when Braves calls you. Were you just so fired up about the full circle moment? Was he the one that called you or the GM call you?

[E]

Yeah, they offered the deal once free agency opened. And I knew I wanted to be a Patriot. I knew I wanted to get back with Coach Vrabel. I knew what type of person he is, willing to lay his life on the line for his players. And it's just an organization that you want to be a part of. It's a historic organization and a new emerging team with a lot of new pieces, and it seemed like a really good opportunity for me and my family.

[C]

How does it feel for you when you walk out and do a scrimmage last Friday and you see all six of those banners standing up there in the stadium?

[E]

Yeah, it's. It's. It's pressure. But at the end of the day, that's why we come out here. That's why we love doing what we do, and we love when these. These stadiums are filled out, sold out, rocking loud and excitement, and we're gonna have a lot of that this year. And I can't wait to see what Pat's Nation is all about.

[A]

Your second stint in free agency, same kind of question, like, when it was coming to an end with the Raiders, like, who is in the market for you before you ultimately decided on the Patriots? Like, were the Raiders wanting you back?

[E]

Not. Not really.

[A]

God damn.

[E]

Yeah. And I feel like locker room giving.

[A]

It his all out there with Max Crosby.

[E]

You have to ask Max because he went on the podcast and he said, you know, he's been in the office with the GM every day in the off season. So I don't know what happened, where the love loss was there, but at the end of the day, I have this opportunity here, and I'm going to do everything I can to be a good teammate here and perform for the Patriots.

[A]

Were there any other teams that were fighting for you before you decided here?

[E]

Yeah, there was.

[A]

Are you able to.

[E]

Do you want to hear about it?

[C]

So this is a podcast we do. We like to. We like talking to people.

[A]

Yeah. We like telling stories. This isn't like. This isn't like a professional espn. Sit down.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah.

[E]

I mean, there was a team in the west coast. There was a team that I had recently played for and one in the mountains, and they all showed big interest and were excited.

[C]

So Denver Chargers, Titans close.

[E]

That's very close.

[C]

The Titans call you.

[E]

It's Very close. Yes.

[C]

And then it was the Rams.

[E]

Yeah. We'll just say that's. That was close. That was very close.

[A]

Who was the closest outside of the New England?

[E]

I don't know. I mean, once. Once it. Once it came down to it and New England said and showed me that they wanted me to come out here, it was a done deal. I wanted to be here. Out of the four teams that were offering, I wanted to be part of the Patriots. So I'm glad that we got it done here and I'm excited to go out and perform, you know, splain.

[C]

When we're asking these questions, everything we've asked so far is harmless. But he's thinking to himself, what's that team meeting gonna look like when this podcast comes out and Braves goes splain? We not paying you enough?

[E]

You want to. No. I'm so excited and glad to be here.

[C]

And.

[E]

And we got a young team. A lot of free agents joined the team this year, so it's going to look a lot different than last year and we're just going to go out and continue to work.

[A]

What do you. I'll do my best to ask a question where you just won't give a answer.

[C]

No.

[E]

Are they all answers?

[A]

No, no, no, no. You got. The variable is to speak for yourself.

[E]

I don't want to say something stupid.

[C]

Yeah, no doubt.

[E]

I am not a trained podcaster, so.

[A]

None of us are.

[C]

These other, these other hypothetical teams that I may or may not have been close on, did they offer any of them offer the same amount as the Patriots?

[E]

Yes, they were right in the same ballpark.

[C]

Got you anymore?

[E]

They were right in the same ballpark as the Patriots.

[A]

Did you have a recruiting dinner with Braves?

[E]

Recruiting dinner.

[A]

Like did you come out here to visit and they very was courting you around once.

[E]

Once we signed.

[A]

You're saying before.

[D]

No.

[A]

If you came out here for a.

[E]

Visit or something, there was no conversation leading up to free agency. Once free agency hit, my agent called me at whatever it was, noon that day and said, you know, the Pats really want you. So I was excited to hear that. I've worked with Coach T in the past, our defensive coordinator. I've worked with Vrabel in the past, and it just seemed like the right fit for me and my family.

[C]

You. You have to play the Steelers and the Raiders, two teams that have elite pass rushers. What are similarities and some differences you see between T.J. watt and Max Crosby?

[E]

Yeah. Two of the best in the league, obviously. As you can see, those contracts, those Boys are living right, they are working hard. TJ is dominant, both on the left side of the ball, both have the freedom to do whatever they want on a play. You know, if you have a non dominant edge rusher, you tell them, set the edge. If you have Max and tj, you tell them do whatever the hell you want because we know you're going to make a play. So playing behind those guys has let me learn how to play behind people that like to swim gaps, like to find the ball. I think TJ has done a great job. Force fumbles, interceptions. Max has the best motor in the NFL. So he is unblockable for 90 snaps out of the game, which is unheard of for medi end.

[C]

I love it.

[A]

Bobby. We're getting, we're getting the, the wrap up signal. But dude, again, so proud of you. I think you are a fucking awesome example for undrafted guys being a rookie minicamp trial guy to get all the way into your third contract, which is massive, especially at the linebacker spot, man. And I wish you well this year, bro. Stay healthy.

[D]

Yeah.

[E]

Thanks for having me on. I appreciate it. Love you guys.

[C]

Love you too, man.

[A]

Proud of you.

[E]

Thank you, guys. Sorry, I hope I wasn't.

[C]

Let's get into this. That outfit, this.

[A]

You're.

[C]

You're obviously rocking something special. What is the. What's the reason for this?

[F]

So originally there was function behind it. So six years ago, I played Miami.

[A]

Yeah.

[F]

You know, it's 95 degrees, feels like 102. But the ends of this don't get wet.

[C]

Yeah.

[F]

When it's like flowing through, it'll sweat up here, but the whole shirt won't get wet. So I can dry my fingers. And then every training camp now I just do it.

[C]

I love it.

[B]

Yeah.

[F]

So originally the was function. Now it's pure style.

[E]

Yeah.

[F]

Because it's like 82 outsider.

[C]

How crazy is it going from a place like Miami to New England? And then you're probably in the train camp and you hear one guy whisper, man, it's hot out here today. What are you talking about? You have no idea.

[F]

I literally, the guy's like, it was like 93 the other day. I can't. I don't know if I can go. I'm like, what are you talking about? This is like if we got a 93 degree day in Miami, everybody was smiling ear to ear. Like, this is simple.

[A]

Yeah, it's gorgeous out here.

[F]

Yeah, it's super nice. Like, y' all haven't even changed your cleats because they're soaking water. Through yet.

[C]

Right. You start. You start walking up the field and your feet are literally squishy. That's a hot day.

[D]

Okay.

[F]

We had a hot day.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

How's it. How's the process been with. With Mike and the culture and everything here in New England?

[F]

It's been good. I think one of the biggest things, and I've been kind of in that New England style system of, like, work and get shit done, and I love that type of shit. Like, the guy who works hard gets rewarded. But having Mike, who is also played, so he understands, like, when he says some shit, it's like, okay, he's actually probably done it. He's done some of the shit that he's telling us to do, so it works out. It's like, okay, cool. I can hear where he's coming from because he could pull up some tape of him actually doing it. He's not just talking out his ass.

[C]

Yeah, it's grainy as hell. But he did do it for 14 years. How many times has he mentioned that he's played 14 years in the NFL? In team meetings.

[F]

Team meetings. I don't know. When he comes in the receiving room, it's straight to the touchdowns. It's like 10 for 10 or 12.

[C]

For 12, whatever it is.

[F]

Yeah. Even I can do it.

[C]

When he first got to the Titans, I think it was AJ's first year, he put up all the receivers and their stats from the year before, and it was like. I think all of them had like, maybe total 11, and then his was 12 for 12, 12 touchdowns.

[A]

He, like, he outpaced them. Was it. Until. I want to say it was in the middle of the second time around that I was there, like 20. 20.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

When the room finally passed him in touchdowns, which is. It was something that was.

[C]

That was a team that's big for the team.

[A]

How big, how. How finally do you look back on your last year with Buffalo? It seemed like you had a lot of fun. I feel like you were in the headlines a lot more. Obviously, you've talked, you've spoken about your feet at length. But it seemed like you guys had a really fun locker room in Buffalo.

[F]

Yeah, for sure, I had a lot of fun. The guys are great. Anybody who's played there kind of knows that's really all there is, is ball. And city loves you. And if you work hard, it like, kind of turns over. And we were winning games, and when you're winning games, no matter where you're at, it's freaking great. So, yeah, I had a great Time there, and I was able to be barefoot and wild and all that stuff, and they just embraced it. And, like, people started wearing no shoes in the snow, and I was like, hey, I'm not liable for any of that.

[C]

Yeah, you going no shoes in the snow?

[B]

Yeah.

[F]

On the. On the. Walk in. Yeah, walk in. No matter what the temperature is, I'm going barefoot. But if it gets below 35, grounding, it's just. I don't know. I think the word I guess people use would be the pussification of America. People are so soft now. Like, bro, do something hard for once. It's not even hard to wear no shoes, but, like, if it gets below 35, I'm not an idiot. Like, I'll put shoes on, but walking into games, no matter what, I have to be barefoot.

[C]

How long have you been doing this for?

[F]

Walking in the game's probably three, four years. So I got hurt seven years ago, started training barefoot. Found these guys in Australia called mmt. They showed up to Philly. I flew them out. Frigging barefoot off the plane. I'm like, what the fuck are you doing? Same way y' all look at me. That's how I looked at them. Started training with them, and then, like, three, four years ago, I was like, what's the point of the shoes now? I just don't pack them and shit. Other than bathrooms and airports is the only time I wear shoes, really.

[A]

So you.

[C]

You obviously go into a restaurant, they're like, excuse me, sir.

[F]

If I'm by myself like this, and if they kick me out, so be it. But if I'm with the group, I'm gonna wear shoes. Like, I'm not gonna screw the whole.

[C]

You don't want to mess up the whole.

[F]

Yeah, but by myself, I get kicked out of places all the time, so that's what Uber eats is for.

[A]

Stay at the house. You probably have to be so thankful you found this. You found this group in Australia.

[F]

Yeah.

[A]

When you did.

[F]

Yeah. I mean, I was, like, about to retire. Like, I couldn't walk for a year. Like, just came off the super bowl, just won a Super bowl, and then for six, eight months, couldn't walk. I was like, yo, I just was at the peak to can't do anything.

[A]

What was the injury again?

[B]

Groin.

[F]

So I had a groin. I had surgery three months later, tore the other side, had surgery again, and, like, couldn't walk, couldn't get back from it.

[C]

And what was these Australians, these barefoot Australians. What is the method behind having issues?

[F]

So they're called Melbourne Muscular Therapy. So muscular therapy is like their main thing, body work. But then they also do. So I was doing Wim HOF stuff. I was doing, like, breathing exercises, eye gazing, where you, like, sitting inches from each other and stare at each other's eyes. Literally the first thing they did when they got to my house, they blindfolded me, picked me up on their shoulders, and started carrying me around the neighborhood. And this is like Philly, and our season's not going too hot at the time. So now they see my weird ass doing this, and I'm like, what's going on? And they're like, we just want you to know that no matter what, like, we got you. And at that point, I was like, whatever, I'm about to retire. I'll do whatever y' all say. And then within like three months, I was back running again. And you know when you get hurt and you all of a sudden get that like, oh, I might be able to do this again? Yeah, it freaking changed everything.

[C]

Everything you're explaining to me. Sounds like the beginning of a cult.

[F]

Sometimes the cults are right, though.

[C]

Yeah, that. See, that's how you know you're a couple phases in. You're a couple phases in already.

[A]

I'm scared to even ask them.

[C]

Walking around.

[A]

I'm scared to even ask him which cult is right.

[C]

Right, Exactly.

[A]

You just gotta know you're koolaid.

[C]

Yeah, no doubt. But did you. So they're picking you up, they're walking around Philly, and all of a sudden you can you walk and feel great a few months later?

[F]

I mean, the bodywork is their main thing. So they did bodywork on me, I would say between six and eight hours a day for two weeks straight. So I'm getting 40 plus hours a week of, like, body work, holding muscles, just completely releasing all the tension in my body. In their mind, your body's kind of like a plumbing system and there's just clogs all over the place. So how can we help you unclog so everything flows properly? And that's what they did. Like, you know when you have a surgery, you wake up and your brain doesn't know what's going on. It just wakes up and is like, oh, shit. This is completely different than what it was. Now just. Just get fixed. Yeah, we're just so trained. Yep, you had surgery, so you're good. But your brain doesn't know. It went to sleep and it couldn't really control or had pain somewhere, and it wakes up and like, now it doesn't Know what's going on. So I think that second surgery just kind of shut everything down and they were able to get me back on.

[A]

For the last couple minutes. I would love to know what is your favorite thing about coach Vrabel and what is one thing you don't. Yeah.

[C]

That you think rapes could work on?

[A]

Yeah, you think you work on. There we go. Because I was like, man, should I say hate?

[C]

Growth mindset. Growth mindset.

[F]

I think he. What I love is that he'll get the competitiveness out of me. I love talking shit. I think he does too. And it gets that even though he's getting older and you kind of lose that. That T level and that. And that competitive. Like, I'm still a player.

[D]

Yeah.

[F]

But he still has it.

[A]

He's got the edge. Yeah, he still has it.

[F]

And you can get it out of him. And it's. And it's great things that he could work on or improve.

[A]

What pet peeve of yours.

[F]

I feel like sometimes he gets soft on the guys now, you know?

[A]

Oh, you think so?

[C]

Yeah, I think he gets.

[F]

I think it's more of a CBA thing than him, though. I think he wants to get us to work, but I think he's, like, kind of forced not to. And sometimes I look at him, I think he really wants to, like, spaz on dudes. You know, like if somebody came late how it probably was before the CPA changed a little bit and you couldn't be as strict to guys. I think he still has it in him and he wants to let it out, but I don't think he's allowed to anymore.

[A]

So you think he's lost his. If you think he's gotten a little soft.

[C]

Yeah. Right. So what you're saying is the pacification of America raves is a part of that?

[F]

No, not really. It's like, forced on him.

[C]

I mean, like, yeah, he's a pent up bull.

[A]

Yeah.

[F]

Like. Yeah, like, he really wants to just spaz on somebody for, like, coming late or, like, doing some shit that, like, constantly happens, but he just, like, not allowed to.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah.

[F]

And I can, like, see it because I'm front row and I'm like. I think he.

[C]

I think he's about to do it.

[F]

He's gonna do it, and he's like, I can't do it.

[A]

You look at him in, like, a way like you're kind of sad for him because he's conforming.

[F]

Yeah.

[D]

Like, he had.

[A]

Yeah, he has to let it out, man.

[B]

Right.

[F]

Because now it's like this Twitter age. Like, in 30 minutes, it'll come out that Braves yelled at somebody, and all.

[C]

Of a sudden, yeah, we got to shut the team.

[A]

When you see it in them, next time, you should just whisper, hey, Braves, do it. Do it. Let it out, bro. Do we got a. Are we good?

[D]

All right.

[C]

Yeah. Well, let's do your thing, man. We know you guys are on a busy schedule. We appreciate you taking the time.

[F]

Yeah, Appreciate it.

[D]

Yeah.