Delanie Walker Enters The Inside The Bus Hall Of Fame | Inside The Bus

Summary

Bussin' With The Boys: Delanie Walker Enters The Inside The Bus Hall Of Fame | Inside The Bus

Episode Date: October 3, 2025
Guests: Delanie Walker, hosted by the Inside the Bus crew (Jared, JP, Coupe, Garrett, others)

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Overview

This milestone 20th episode of Inside the Bus is a deep-dive with Delanie Walker, legendary NFL tight end and iconic Tennessee Titan. Walker is celebrated as more than just an athlete—he’s “one of the boys,” an influential figure both on and off the field, and a key contributor to a locker room culture that transcends football. This episode explores Walker’s journey from Los Angeles to the NFL, focusing on adversity, adaptation, the value of real relationships, and funny, unfiltered behind-the-scenes stories. The conversation ranges from his legal troubles in high school, wild college experiences, uphill climb through JuCo, the NFL draft process, and transformative relationships in San Francisco and Tennessee—including his bonds with legendary Titans and 49ers, and his role as a culture shifter wherever he landed.

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Key Discussion Points

1. First Impressions and Locker Room Culture

[00:50 – 04:01]

• Delanie’s first impression of the crew:
  • “All y’all have something different about y’all, but similar… all white, definitely all white, for sure. But y’all just do something different. Y’all carry yourself different. But when y’all get around each other, y’all kind of almost have that same thinking mindset. And I like that.” (Delanie, 01:10)
• Delanie feels more at home and “accepted” in the back of the bus, preferring real, open conversations to superstar ego talk (03:31).
• He draws parallels between hanging with the show’s hosts and his college days—a sense of camaraderie beyond background and culture.

2. Humble Beginnings: LA to JuCo to Central Missouri

[04:24 – 13:23]

• Admits to being a star athlete in high school, but legal trouble (felony assault and battery) restricted his opportunities:
  • “I couldn’t leave the state of California for two years. Pretty much did the juco route. But when I was in juco, man, I was just. I was still around the same people… They didn’t care for my future and I didn’t care for my future as much as neither.” (04:24)
• Central Missouri’s unexpected opportunity:
  • “First off, never heard of Central Missouri. Never thought I would be in Missouri. Madomly white school… if you black, you either play sports or shit, you want to be white.” (05:28)
• Hilarious reflection on adapting to college life in Missouri:
  • “I wanted to learn how to talk to white girls. I’ve never talked to a white girl before, right? … So he’s like, you know what? Move in with me and my roommate… I never drank Natty Light. Fireball. Chewing. My whole attitude changed on life. I realized I was stuck in a box, man. My whole life I’d been stuck in a box.” (05:44 – 07:49)

3. Culture Shock, Transformation, and Embracing Change

[08:44 – 13:23]

• Story of the makeover:
  • “He was like, dude, you not gonna get no white girls out here like that… Trust me. We gotta take you to Abercrombie Fit… Everything was tight. These shoes on with them. Oh, the Sperry’s coming together now.” (08:44 – 10:17)
• Brings Missouri trends home, changes his friends’ fashion:
  • “Delanie was remotely gentrifying his old neighborhood.” (JP, 12:44)
  • “Go a size down. I always, like, if you get too much, go a size down… Once I got put on, it was over with.” (Delanie, 12:55)

4. Reflecting on Adversity & Growth

[13:11 – 24:43]

• Walker's perspective on hardship:
  • “I would not want to take that route… it was hard because of me… people sit here and be blaming other people all the time, but it was really me. I could have chose not to hang with the homies. I could have went to school every day, right? But I didn’t want to at that time.” (13:23)
• Willie Fritz, his Central Missouri coach, challenged Delanie both harshly and constructively:
  • “He said, prove me wrong. Show me who you really are.” (15:01)
  • “I left Central Missouri, like, fuck that dude… I think I would say year three in the NFL, everything he was teaching me was coming to life.” (16:02 – 16:42)
• The impact of extra care from position coaches, especially Coach H.

5. Grind to the NFL: From Underdog to Draft Prospect

[20:02 – 28:57]

• Not expecting to make the league, then realizing his true potential in D2:
  • “I just wanted to get away from the city… I go up there, first year, I go nuts… I was out of shape. First year, I couldn't pass the conditioning test, couldn't even lift 200 pounds.” (20:24 – 22:16)
• Mentions a supportive booster who provided a job and a place to stay, allowing Walker to focus on developing.
• The moment fame started to knock:
  • “By the second game of the season, I had come out in the ESPN Magazine as a sleeper, and the whole school passed out. Magazine. It was crazy.” (26:46)
• Navigating agent relationships and bowl game politics with honesty and confidence.

6. NFL Draft Process and Position Switch

[32:43 – 43:27]

• The wild process of choosing an agent, taking chances, and risking friction with coaches and university admin.
• Transition to the NFL, invited to the combine, and unexpected position change:
  • “No, it was like, better than sex.” (Delanie, on getting the NFL combine invite, 38:50)
  • “We moving you to tight end… You ever heard of it? … We’re gonna cut your ass.” (43:02 – 43:25)
  • Early struggles: “I was a receiver. I was a pussyfoot receiver… Now I would worry about getting my toes stepped on, like, hurting my hands.” (48:17)

7. Building Bonds & On-Field Chemistry

[49:13 – 55:14]

• His relationship with Vernon Davis:
  • “People thought I was like, his homie. They didn’t think I played for the Titans… If somebody tried to press Vernon, I’ll run over and start fighting.”
• Wild, unfiltered stories about NFL social life, Vernon’s parties, and legendary weekend blowouts in DC.
• His gratitude and respect for teammates:
  • “Every time we went out to, like, food, bottles, whatever, Vernon paid for it. So I was like, damn, I’m thankful… that I walked into this room with him.” (51:46)

8. Tennessee Titans Era: Becoming a Star, Challenges of Rebuilding

[55:17 – 63:02]

• On arriving in Tennessee:
  • “Only thing I remember about the Titans, they came to San Francisco and beat our ass… I didn’t care. I didn’t say nothing about their record. I’m like, Chris Johnson. That’s all.”
  • Facilities and culture shock: “We didn’t have a cold plunge. They didn’t have a hot tub… I was eating McDonald’s every day at lunch.” (56:32 – 57:13)
• On early Titans struggles—and the eventual rise:
  • “You grew such a name for yourself. And like to this day there are lifelong Titans fans that are like, if we could just have a Delanie Walker still back playing.” (Coupe, 59:01)
• Analysis of Titans’ front office, key player picks, rise and fall.

9. Quarterback Controversies & Marcus Mariota

[63:03 – 65:16]

• Mariota’s humility and leadership:
  • “He don’t say much, right? But he takes the blame… I loved him because he never blamed nobody. He always was like, I gotta be better.” (63:19 – 65:16)
• The organization’s pressure on quarterbacks; parallels to other franchises’ struggles with protecting and developing them.

10. Standout Games, Career Milestones, and Leadership

[66:25 – 74:49]

• Favorite NFL game: 49ers vs. Lions
  • “They trusted me on that play, that feeling has to be insane. It changed everything. That right there opened the door for me.” (67:03)
• Reflections on Jim Harbaugh’s leadership:
  • “He was like, you know how you get rid of snakes? Burn the grass… In a few weeks, that person that’s next to you right now, he may not be next to you next week.” (70:17 – 70:33)
  • “He made us work… One time… he said, Seattle right now, they at the water park. Arizona did a softball baseball game… But you know what the 49ers are gonna do? We going to get these 70 plays. Let’s go.” (73:17 – 73:39)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On adapting to new cultures:
  “My whole life I'd been stuck in a box, and I never experienced anything fun… Life is bigger than where we all come from, right? Everybody got to value differences because we don't know how that person grew up.” (Delanie, 07:49)

• On pushing through adversity:
  "People sit here and be blaming other people all the time for, like, situational stuff, but it was really me. I could have chose not to hang with the homies… but I didn’t want to at that time." (13:23)

• On NFL combine invite:
  “No, it was like, better than sex. That feeling that sex is the best… But this. This feeling that I got, knowing that… you put in the work, it's gonna all come to you.” (38:50)

• On NFL position change:
  “You could either be a David Boston, or you’re gonna be a tight end… I never played the position… I’m gonna go out there, I’m gonna be the best non blocking tight end I can be.” (41:12, 43:27)

• On the challenge of NFL coaching:
  “He normalized me from being bothered by getting cussed the fuck out. At first I used to get mad… but then it started to just be like, okay, that's normal.” (47:26)

• On Vernon Davis & teammate bonds:
  “People thought I was like, his homie. They didn’t think I played for the Titans… If somebody tried to press Vernon, you know what I’m saying, I'll run over there and just start fighting him.” (49:28, 49:45)

• On Titans’ early struggles:
  “We didn’t have a cold plunge… I was eating McDonald’s every day at lunch.” (56:32 – 57:13)

• On Jim Harbaugh’s infamous “bone” (reward) fake-out:
  “He said, Seattle right now, they at the water park… Arizona did a softball baseball game. But you know what the 49ers are gonna do? We going to get these 70 plays. Let’s go.” (73:17 – 73:39)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Delanie’s first impressions of the ‘bus’ crew — [01:10]
• LA to JuCo to Central Missouri: background/story — [04:24]
• Culture shock and college life transformation — [05:44 – 08:44]
• Abercrombie & Sperry’s “makeover” story — [08:44 – 13:23]
• Reflecting on adversity, Willie Fritz’s tough love — [13:23 – 16:42]
• Small college, big dreams: the grind to NFL — [20:02 – 28:57]
• NFL combine, position switch, early struggles — [38:50 – 43:27]
• Vernon Davis stories, NFL brotherhood — [49:13 – 55:14]
• Arriving at the Titans, facilities shock, culture differences — [55:17 – 57:13]
• On Marcus Mariota's leadership — [63:19]
• Favorite game of career: 49ers-Lions, Super Bowl run — [66:25 – 67:03]
• Inside Jim Harbaugh’s wild team culture leadership — [70:17 – 74:49]

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Final Thoughts

Delanie Walker’s episode is equal parts hilarious and profound. The arc of his career exemplifies personal growth—navigating rough environments, resisting easy shortcuts, and ultimately thriving through openness to change, relentless work, and meaningful relationships. His view of the NFL locker room as a “melting pot” echoes the show’s tone: honest, irreverent, and heartfelt. The episode is a rich tapestry of behind-the-scenes anecdotes, hard-earned lessons, and contagious locker room energy—a must-listen for anyone who loves football, underdog stories, or authentic conversations about life.

“You put in the work, it’s gonna all come to you.” (Delanie, 38:50)

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(For comments, recommendations, or to catch the next Hall of Fame-level story, hit up the Bussin’ With The Boys crew!)

Transcript

[Delaney Walker]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Jared]

Welcome back to episode 20 of Inside the Bus. Jared's got he. This episode 20, we had. We had to have one of the greatest guests of all time, a future hall of Famer, Titans hall of Famer, and just one of the overall, just.

[Delaney Walker]

One of the boys.

[Jared]

Give it up for Delaney Walker.

[Delaney Walker]

Thank you, thank you. Thank you for having me.

[JP]

I think, hands down, our face favorite, without a doubt of the talent, without a doubt from day one, always has shown love. He always comes to the back, chops it up. There's a lot of stories that Delaney has for us that can't be shared on podcast, but he is here. He has created and added to the culture of the back of the bus more than for sure, more than anybody for sure.

[Jared]

And that's why this. This question that I was gonna. I was talking about before, I feel like this question is only for Delaney and like, he can only answer it. What was your first impression of each guy in the back? Since you've been. You've been around us so much, you've hung out with us so much, you come in the back and just chop it up. What is your first impression of each of all of us?

[Delaney Walker]

That's a good question. To be honest with y', all, because all y' all have something different about y', all, but similar. You know what I mean?

[JP]

Right?

[Delaney Walker]

All white. Definitely all white. For sure. All white. But y' all just do something different. Y' all carry yourself different. But when y' all get around each other, y' all kind of almost have that same thinking mindset. And I like that. But my. The first thing about you guys was I said what I thought about y'. All. Were y' all go getters, bruh? Because I can remember from the beginning, I don't know if y' all was getting paid to do this or what not.

[Coupe]

But y' all not just clarify.

[Delaney Walker]

Like, y' all were grinding, you know, just seeing the videos that were coming out. And honestly, like, I can remember the first. I don't know how many people worked on that first episode, but that first episode went crazy. And I think I got even more popular over. Fuck, what was it? It wasn't the IV story draft, the tight. No draft. The tight end. He won't fucking play. Like, that shit went crazy, right? And then I realized, like, these dudes get it. You know what I'm saying? Y' all get what makes shit works. Cause even the content now people be like, who, man, you crazy. You funny how you put that together. And I'm like, it ain't me. It ain't me. It's these dudes that when you see them, you probably wouldn't even think they were doing that type of shit.

[JP]

We look like athletes.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Y' all kind of. Y' all got athletic abilities, you know what I'm saying? For the most part. Yeah, for the most part. I mean, Jared only Jared is the gangster. You know, he didn't play. He didn't play sports. He.

[Coupe]

You know, he's got the most black in him.

[Jared]

I think he pulled up to the rolling with the.

[Delaney Walker]

With the burner. You know, he. He willing to sacrifice his life. He was not. But all you guys, man, y' all seem like y' all was like college dudes. And then y' all has. Y' all was hungry to be successful. And that's why I like. I like y'. All. I feel like I kind of relate to y' all more than I relate to Will and Taylor. I. I don't know why, but that's what I feel right. Like, because after we get done with the show, it's like I don't care about talking to them. You know what I'm saying? I come wanna talk to y' all in the back. Cause the conversations are more real, I think.

[Jared]

I feel like you're just back at college, hanging with a bunch of white dudes again, just talking about random shit.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, that's what it feel like, to be honest with you. It's like I can. I know I'm older than everybody in here, but, like, when I come around you guys, I feel like I'm one of y'. All. And that goes to y' all just accepting me, you know what I'm saying? I know I'm crazy as hell for. And the stories we talk about. Then sometimes I get y' all to open up about personal stuff. And that's what I like about it. Because we kind of. We throw punches at each other and keep it moving.

[Coupe]

Love the A. So while we're kind of on the topic of. We remind you of maybe those college days. Give us a little background story for anyone who's not aware of where you're from and. And how you got to where you were in college. And then. Then we can kind of go from there. Because I know there's going to be a few listeners and maybe this is their first time hearing from you. But majority, probably 99% have heard everything. But let's take you through. Like, everyone heard. Yeah. For the 1 percenters.

[Delaney Walker]

Oh, yeah. So first Off, Start off, I'm from Los Angeles, California, long story, but I'm going to give you all that shirt, short version, highly recruited in college, but I got. I mean, in high school, but I got in trouble. I got a felony salt and battery coming out of high school. So I couldn't leave the state of California for two years. Pretty much did the. The juco route. But when I was in juco, man, I was just. I was still around the same people, you know what I mean? And they didn't care for my future. And I didn't care for my future as much as neither. Because if I did the things that I did, obviously I didn't. But I had another opportunity, man, thank God for Central Missouri State. They saw something in me, was like, look, we want to give you a shot. We want you to come up here to Central Missouri. First off, never heard of Central Missouri. Never thought I would be in Missouri. So I get to Missouri madomly white school, you know what I'm saying? Like, well, I get there and cats like, if you black, you either play sports or shit, you want to be white.

[JP]

You didn't own Sperry's at the time, so.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, I didn't know. I was like, okay, it's either one. Shit, I guess I will choose to play sports for right now, but so I get there. I stay in the dorm for the first year. I. I ain't really meet a lot of people, but then I met this guy named Corey bringas white guy, you know, Corey still my dog. I still. I still talk to him every once in a while, but. So he plays safety. And I was like, damn, man, I want to learn how to talk to white girls. And he like, what you mean? Yeah, he like, what you mean? I'm like, I've never talked to a white girl before, right? So, like, it's coming from where I live. It wasn't too many white girls. And if it was a white girl in our neighborhood, she was fucking busted, ratchet, disgusting. I ain't talking to that. You know what I'm saying? She talking black and all that bullshit. I don't want that. So he's like, you know what? Move in with me and my roommate. So it was three of those dudes living in his house. And he was like, you want to move in with us? So I said, yeah, let's do it. I move in with him. I never drank Natty Light. I man, fireball chewing. I mean, I went up in there and my whole attitude changed on life. Like, I realized I Was stuck in a box, man. My whole life I've been stuck in a box, and I never experienced anything fun. And then when I got to Central and I lived with Corey and them, they took me snowboarding. They took me to the beach. They took me. They pretty much showed me what I was missing out my whole entire life. And I love hanging with them. Like, it was. I remember, like, some, like, the fraternity dudes would come, like, man, why are you always messing with white boys? Like, why you always hang with those white boys? And I'll be mad like, they're my dogs. Like, you know, I'm saying they're my roommates and my boys. Like, any day you want to test them, you're gonna have to chop it up with me. Because they show me love. And I never seen that before. You know? Like I said, I come from the hood, so, like, we've been always tall. You gotta be careful. You gotta do this, Be careful around them and. But when I got there, it was like they didn't even see it that way. They were just like, bro, we brothers. You know what I'm saying? And I love that about them. Cuz I was different, you know, they had to relate to me because I was totally different. And then I was saying things I've never seen before that made me just be like, damn, why they doing this? You know what I'm saying? Not understanding it, but being there made me understand life is bigger than where we all come from, right? Because everybody got to value differences because we don't know how that person grew up. And they opened my eyes to a lot of stuff, man, and I was thankful. And then that goes to your question on why I hang. Like, hanging with y'. All. Cause y' all give me those vibes. Like, it's the same. It's like, I don't care where D come from. I don't care who he is. He cool with us. He act like us. I fuck with him. And that's what I'm used to. So anytime I can relate to that, I kind of. I guess I cling on to it. You know what I mean? Hell, yeah.

[Garrett]

That's a mix of right there.

[JP]

So it's real.

[Coupe]

I remember back in the day, I don't know, a couple of years ago, you talked about how when you first got there, those boys took you out, like, shopping and got you, like, new clothes. You got it. You got at least tell that story.

[Delaney Walker]

Yes, very. Like. Like, I told half of it when I told I wanted to get white chicks. And he really was like, dressed like that. That's how he told me. Like, you look like a LA hood movie. You know, I was wearing, at this time, I was wearing jabot size 42. I was wearing five xt's. Like, the tee came down to my knees.

[JP]

Ankles barely showing.

[Delaney Walker]

Ankles. Like, I'm talking about double. I'm wearing boxers, basketball shorts, jeans.

[Garrett]

Ready for anything.

[Delaney Walker]

Ready for anything. I'm ready for anything. You know? I'm ready for anything. So he was like, dud, dude, you not gonna get no white girls out here like that. I'm like, I'm pimping. You know what I'm saying? He like, nah, trust me. We gotta take you to Abercrombie Fit. Is that how you say Abercrombie Fitch?

[Coupe]

Yes, it is exactly how you say it.

[Delaney Walker]

So he take me there. I walk in there, I'm like, ain't nothing in here gonna fit me. Like, that's what I was thinking. Cause, you know, you walk in, you know the first thing you see the white boy with his shirt off, right? The, the, he got the jeans on, no belt.

[Coupe]

That was back when Abercrombie, like, the marketing for it was literally just shirtless, ripped jeans. Like, it smelled so insane.

[Garrett]

Amounts of cologne. Cologne was crazy.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, that's when I went in there and I'm like, dude, be for real. Like, be for real. And then he was like, don't worry. You know what I'm saying? Try these on. I come out, like, then they kind of tight, you know what I'm saying?

[Garrett]

Everything was tight.

[Delaney Walker]

Everything was tight. But he go, put these in, put these shoes on with them. I'm like, oh, the Sperry's coming together now. Hey, the boy looking all right, he was like, try these rainbows. I'm like, man, don't wear open toe sandals. You know what I'm saying? I just never done that before. I've never wore sandals without socks, right? You know what I'm saying? So, like, when they shot me those, I tried to slide them on with the socks.

[Coupe]

I'm like, they probably started clowning you.

[Delaney Walker]

They like, what you doing? I'm like, yo, the socks, the thing, the thongs, they won't go through. So they like, you gotta take your socks off. I, I, I ain't gonna carry it. It took me a while to really buy into the no socks. But when I did, we had went to a day party.

[JP]

Barefoot first Darty.

[Delaney Walker]

Hey. It was like that I, I was a new student and I already had been here. Everybody is like, hey, who are You. I'm like. I'm like, hey, I'm number three. Wait, you're number three? Oh, my God. You know, after that, I'm swimming. I'm blowing them back. I'm blowing them back. I'm. Hey, I'm in. I'm going to Navy Blue. I'm going to all the spots. Like, oh, yeah, it is time to wear a little tighter jeans. I'm out here killing Old Navy. Old Navy.

[Coupe]

Well, it's so funny. It literally feels like. Like it'd be like a movie. Like the reverse. Like. Like, I don't know what it'd be, but it's like, just two white dudes taking this dude from, like, LA Central. And they're like, we're gonna deck him out. And then all of a sudden, you just take over the town.

[Delaney Walker]

Take over. I mean, I'm wearing. I go back home, Cat's like, man, what the are you wearing? Like, my homie's like, what are you wearing, bro?

[Garrett]

I'm like, oh, bro, pastels on.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. I'm like, yo, this is it. I'm telling, like, hey, this is it. This how you bust down? I'm like, we going to go to Ontario Mills. Watch how many white bitches I bust. They like, swear to God, Can I cuss? Yeah. Yeah. So I'm like, let's do it. We go to the meals. I'm. I'm like, hey, there. I'm just walking up. They like, you tripping. I'm locking up the white girls. How you doing? They're like, yeah. Oh, you like these? Yeah, you know, I got these in Missouri. They don't have them out here yet. Like, right? Killing them, busting. And my homies, they start switching. They start switching. They like. They Send me a V8. These go. I'm like, oh, yeah, yeah. That was gone.

[JP]

Delaney was remotely gentrifying his old neighborhood.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, they all dressed like me now.

[Coupe]

That's so funny.

[Garrett]

God, that is funny.

[JP]

Go a size down.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, go a size down. I always, like, if you. If you. If you get too much, go a size down, I say, and find the stretchy ones, they bust. So I. Once I got put on, it was over with. They couldn't tell me nothing at the school.

[JP]

Dude, isn't it crazy? Like, would you change your journey at all?

[Delaney Walker]

Nah. Nah.

[JP]

And then in that, crazy, because I'm sure in those first two years, like, if you're. When you're in Juco or when you're leaving high school knowing you can't go to big school, it's probably like, man, I wish I could do this differently.

[Delaney Walker]

But then you get forward.

[JP]

It's like, no, that was the best thing that could happen.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, I feel like it was the best thing that could have happened to me. But honestly, if I was to say, like, that route I took, no, I would not want to take that route. You know what I'm saying? Like, it was a hard, it was hard, but it was hard because of me. You know what I'm saying? Like, people sit here and be blaming other people all the time for, like, situational stuff, but it was really me. I could have chose not to hang with the homies. I could have went to school every day, right? I'm saying I could have done those things, but I didn't want to at that time. So was it the right thing for me? Maybe. You know, I mean, because going to Central opened up my eyes. Because Willie Fritz, that was my head coach at the time, he, he coaching at Houston right now. He was on me, owe me. At first, I, I didn't like Willie. Like, I didn't, I didn't understand him, you know, I didn't know what he wanted from me as a.

[JP]

You thought he just probably hated you?

[Delaney Walker]

I thought he just hated me cuz I was from California. Cuz the first thing he told me, and I'm sure he probably tell everybody this now, cuz I made it. I come in, he goes, one thing I, I got to tell you, I go, what? He go, I hate people from California. Damn. I, I, I, I was took him back.

[Garrett]

Missouri.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, I was took him back. I said, oh, okay. He said, you want to know why? I said, sure. He says, three reasons. Three reasons. Y' all smoke dope, y' all rape, and y' all gang bangers. He didn't say. He said, he said, yeah. He said everything. He said, y' all rapists? Pretty much. He was like, y' all rapists. And I'm like, I'm not two of those things.

[JP]

Here's where you got it all wrong.

[Delaney Walker]

Here's where you got it all wrong. But, you know, he told me that. He said, prove me wrong. Show me who you really are. Yeah. I walked out of that room like, fuck this dude. I ain't even gonna lie. I said, man, fuck Willie Fritz. I got on the phone and I called my juco coach. I said, I made a mistake. I want to leave. He said, d, you can't leave like, you, you there. You signed the paper. If you leave, you going to have to sit out a year. I'm Like, God. Oh, fuck it. I'm like, okay, whatever. I'm. I'm gonna take. I'm gonna bite this bullet. And then it was every day, Willie just picked on me. Picked on me, picked on, picked on me. But it like now, as. As the. As the picture clears, he was just trying to make me a man, right? Like I was a big ass kid coming into a place where they teach you how to become a man. But I was fighting that, right?

[Garrett]

At what point do you think you realized what he was like, how hard he was on you, was for the right reason? Or did you leave Central Missouri still being like that dude?

[Delaney Walker]

I left Central Missouri. Like, fuck that dude. Yeah. I was like, fuck Willie Fritz. Like, I don't want nothing to do with Willie, but I think I would say year three in the NFL, everything he was teaching me was coming to life, right? So I was like, God damn. Willie told me about this. Willie told me about this. Willie said this was gonna happen. You know, it was just like life lessons was flashing through my eye. And he cared about me. I. And growing up where I grew up, I didn't know that's how another man would care for another man, you know, because I never seen it like that before. Like, he was hard on me, but he pushed.

[Garrett]

Interesting style, but.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, yeah, but he pushed me. Like, I. Like, I didn't get it, what he was doing. Like, I ran every day on Wednesday, me and him, he'll come get me at 5:30 in the morning and we will run, right? And he will run with me though, but beat me, like, just beat me just bad. And I'm like. And he was like, until you can beat me, we gonna do this all the day. I'm like, oh, damn. You know what I mean? So I did it until my senior year. And then finally my senior year, I don't know, he just. I guess I kind of woke up. I stopped being as crazy in my senior year, and he kind of left me alone. But when we lose a game, he'll be like, you know, he'll come up on the board and he'll be like, y' all know why we lost. And then he'll call somebody. He'll be like, hey, Greg, why did we lose this game? And then he'll be like, oh, man, we had too many turnovers. He'd be like, nope, that's not it. He'd be like, yeah, why would we lose this game? He'd be like, oh, man, we didn't tackle well in the red zone. Nope, that's not it. He'd be like, I'm gonna tell y' all why we lost this game. Cause Delaney did not play well. That's crazy. Like, damn.

[Coupe]

Were you, like, head above shoulders, the best guy on your team?

[Delaney Walker]

Team? Oh, yeah. Had to be. Yeah. Yeah. Had to be crazy watching the game. No, it was nuts.

[JP]

That lines were crazy.

[Delaney Walker]

Was crazy. I was going ham. But, you know, he knew.

[Garrett]

It's gonna be so hard to sit in there and hear that.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. Over and over, bro. I would sit there. I mean, we only. We only lost two games. My. We lost one. We lost one game my first year, and then we lost two games my second year. And, yeah, it used to be tough, bro. I'll be sitting in the meeting, bro. Like, I wouldn't even. I'll be zoned out. I'll just be zoned out, like. Cause my receiver, coach Thuran H. Used to tell me, like, don't let it get to you, because if you let it get to you, he won.

[JP]

Yeah.

[Delaney Walker]

And I'm like, I don't know what that mean. Like, he getting to me.

[Garrett]

That's like the perfect, like, coach in your position room to, like, kind of combat what the head coach is saying, but also being like, listen to him. But don't let it. Yeah. Like.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, don't let it. Don't let it win. Yeah. Yeah. And he would do that all the time at third. Coach H. Hell of a coach, man. He used to. Him and his wife and his kids, they would bring me to dinner every week because he would be like, man, I know you can be a good kid. I see it, right? Like, you're a hell of a player, but that needs to carry over off the field. So they would just. We would have dinner. I would sit with his family, talk to his wife. She, you know, have conversations with them. Just. They'd be like, how you feeling? What's going on? Like, true care. Yeah. Just like. And I know Coach H wasn't going to tell the head coach because I didn't told him stuff. And he ain't never went back. So I kind of had trust in this man and. And. And him and Willie, you know what I mean? He hired Darren H. Just to coach me. He literally told me, like, I hired this guy so he could coach you. And I'm like, what?

[Garrett]

Where is that Coach H. From?

[Delaney Walker]

He had just came from Arizona State, so. And he knew about me because I had took a trip up to Arizona State. So there H Knew about me. So that's why he came out there.

[JP]

Another Great story from Delaney.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, yeah. ASU visit. Oh yeah, that was, that was lit.

[Coupe]

In your journey, like from juco into Central, did you know you were always going league bound? Or was there like a moment when like you get in trouble, you go juco and you're like, maybe this dream is no longer attainable and you're just kind of just trying to live out the last few years of a football career. Like, at what point were you like, oh, like I'm gonna go to the NFL and like, this is gonna be a career for me?

[Delaney Walker]

That's a good question. I'm be honest with you because, like, every time I got in trouble, I'm like, damn, I'm probably not gonna go to the league because this is gonna carry, this baggage is gonna carry with me. And then I'll go to juco and I'm like, I'm not thinking about the league, but then I'll ball out. And then coaches be like, bruh, you can go to the league. Like, and then I'll hear that again. Like, oh, yeah, I'm the shit again. You know what I'm saying? Like, it was like hearing it. And then I didn't get the grades to go to the usc, which I was supposed to go to, but I didn't get the grades. Yeah, because it was me and Mike Williams. That's who they want. It was like, Mike Williams and you on the other side. I'm like, hell yeah. Like, I was in that. But that didn't motivate me. See, that should have motivated me to get the grades. But see, I was still running these streets thinking I was somebody I wasn't. So then I go to Central now at D2, I'm like, I'm not going to the league. Like, this a rap, like, you know what I'm saying? I remember my mom say, just go get a degree and make something of yourself. Because you know D2, right? Like, yeah, all right, well, I'm do that. I just wanted to get away from the city too. So I go up there, my, my first year there. I go nuts, though. I go nuts. I don't even know where this came from. You know what I'm saying? I'm just, I'm out there playing on just, just athletic ability.

[JP]

Right?

[Delaney Walker]

You know what I mean? I wasn't, I was out of shape. Like, I did the conditioning test. I didn't even pass it the first year I got there. I ran it every day. And they just was like, dude, that you, like, you done have you. I didn't pass it. The first year, I, I couldn't. The first year I couldn't pass it. I couldn't even lift 200 pounds.

[Coupe]

For real?

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. I couldn't even live 200 pounds. I know.

[Jared]

It doesn't even make sense.

[Delaney Walker]

I couldn't lift 200 pounds.

[JP]

I did beat him in the air.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah.

[Coupe]

We'Ll get to that.

[Delaney Walker]

So they, they get there, they test me, I can't even lift 200 pounds. They like, what the. But you gotta remember, at juco, I didn't do nothing. And people, if people know me that went to Mount Sac, they'll tell you Delaney was a star. He barely came in the weight room. He barely did conditioning. I would show up to practice and, and practice, and that was it. And I leave. When they had workouts, I went home, jumped in the whip, went home. They never told me nothing. So I believe that's how I was. And then I got to Central and they smacked me in the face like, here, come on. Conditioning test. I'm running like, get in the weight room. I couldn't even lift 200 pounds. They like. And we brought all the players and we brought this dude in here to start. Yeah. But guess what? They put me on the field. I ain't need none of that. I'm out step arming, running cats over, like, wait room. I'm screaming at who? Who works out? Nobody. You know.

[Garrett]

I'm screaming, just think about how, like, what a cheat code it was once Delaney did work out and condition and everything.

[Delaney Walker]

That's what I'm saying.

[Jared]

I want to see. I wish you could find your, like, college highlights and stuff and just sit down. Just because I can imagine the people you're going against in Missouri. And it's like, this just isn't even fair.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. And some people will say, like, man, I played against. I see comments like, man, I played against. That shit wasn't even fair. He was like a man amongst giants. And it wasn't because my senior year, once I start working out and running.

[JP]

And lifting weights, four guys at least take you down.

[Delaney Walker]

No, I'm breaking all those. They'll tell you I'm stiff arming cats. I'm jumping over cats.

[Garrett]

I said, who in the weight room?

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. I start getting in that weight room now, if you go to Central, I hold all the records for wide receivers because I, I, I didn't that first year. I ain't okay. I was beat every game. I'm like, God damn, I can't walk. You know what I'm saying? It was just like, maybe I need to start working out, you know? And then I remember the off season. I didn't go home. Cause I didn't have no money. My mom didn't have money to fly me home. So they got me a job at this. At this dealership. But my job was just to drive brand new cars every week, right? So, like, just so I can have money. So, like, the dude would come in, and he also gave me a house to stay in. Like, yeah, the guy was hella cool. I guess he was like a booster for the. I wish I knew his name. To give him a shout out. I'm sorry, I don't.

[Coupe]

But he probably listening too.

[Delaney Walker]

So. Yeah, I'm sure his daughter. Cause his daughter. So his daughter lived in that house, and he brought her a new house. So they had moved out and let us move in there. And I met his daughter and stuff. And he would just be like, hey, come pick up a car and I'll drive it. And when I drop it off, he like, you think a college student buy this car? I'm like, oh, yeah, yeah, most definitely. You know this. I loved it. He'd be like, all right, now it's a minivan. Go check that out. So I'll drive different cars on off season. But I was working my tail off. Cause I was there. So they like, since you here, you need to come up here every day. So I would go up there every day watching film. It'd just be me and the coaches. I'd work out with them. They all run with me, like. Cause they knew the motivation. Like, if we can make this guy the player we know he could be, oh, man, he'll be unstoppable. So that my senior. I give all the credit to those coaches. And I'll tell y' all to this day, like, I still do. Cause they mo. They pushed me. They motivated me to get in the weight room to condition, to study defenses, Man, I'm telling y', all, when I first started playing, I didn't watch film. I ain't do none of that. I just went out there like, man, they can only do. They can only do four coverages. Cover two Cloud two, man. Like, man or three, right?

[JP]

And they can't cover me.

[Delaney Walker]

And they can't cover me. You know what I mean? So I looked at it as. I just knew the game. But once I studied it, oh, man, it was. Scouts start coming. I started seeing it because they used to be like, you put in the work, you'll start seeing the rewards, right? And I start Seeing the rewards, they'd be like, yo, look, Arizona, Arizona here, the 49ers here. I'll be like, for real.

[Garrett]

So was there ever. Okay, so you're talking about NFL after Central Missouri. Like, obviously you think, like, you ended with a good season. What was the process like going into the NFL? Like, combine, draft process, like, all of that. Were you just, like. Did anyone guide you in that direction? Or were you just kind of like, I don't know how this is gonna work, but I hope it does?

[Delaney Walker]

No. So, like, by the second game of the season, I had came out in the ESPN Magazine as a sleeper, and the whole school passed out. Magazine. It was crazy.

[JP]

I walked Around Camp Magazine 2 at that time was the magazine, the Magaz scene.

[Delaney Walker]

And I'm in there, like, I got my own kind of page.

[Coupe]

Like a sleeper wearing rainbows and abroad.

[Delaney Walker]

I'm like, yo, people like, yo, this shoe, right? Yeah, they like this shoe. I'm like, I didn't even know it was out. I'm like, oh, hell, yeah. Where you get this from? They like, oh, they handed them out for free. I'm like, they like, can you sign it? So I sign it, and I remember going to class and one of my professor go, why you here? I go, we ain't got class today. She like, no, you're about to be rich. I said, what? She like, yeah, the ESPN magazine, everyone's handing them out. I'm like, oh, yeah. I mean, yeah, no one's giving me any money yet. Yeah. I'm like. I'm like, it's just a magazine, you know? We still got two more games. Did you keep a copy of it? My mom. Yeah, my mom got a copy of it. Sick. And I'm sick to look back on, too. Yeah, it is.

[Coupe]

I feel like that'd be a moment, too, from, like, from how you've grown up. Like, every moment where you've gotten a little bit of notoriety, you kind of, like, revert back to, like, how you were. And then, like, you're sitting there and you're just like, why are you here? And you're maybe for, like, the first time, you're like, nah, like, this is the beginning. Like, I'm here because of this.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. Yeah. That's how I kind of felt. Because, like you said, every time I got a little bit of notoriety, I almost reverted back to being an asshole. You know what I mean? So at this point, I looked at it as an accomplishment, but I'm like, nothing happened. These are just words and pictures, right? Like, everybody took it and ran with it, but I didn't. And then when agents start calling me, it kind of almost start going off. I'm like, man, who the hell calling me from Houston? Who? Like, just crazy number. I answered, hey, I'm an agent, man. You seen you came out ESPN Magazine. What's your plans? I'm like, oh, I need to talk to my coach first. They like, oh, if you tell your coach, you know he gonna tell you. Don't talk to me, because we still had two games left. So I'm like, okay, I ain't gonna tell my coach lying. I go tell Willie.

[JP]

Smart move.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. Cause I just don't want to get in trouble because I heard people getting in trouble. Reggie Bush had took some money and all of that craziness. So I was like, hey, Willie, I'm having agents call me. Like, don't you talk to no agents. I'm like, I'm not. That's why I'm telling you, sir, like, out of respect. He's like, when you need an agent, I'm gonna have an agent for you. I said, okay, cool. I kind of took it as that and was like, cool. So the season over, the D2. The D2 bowl come out where all the top D2 players playing this bowl. And at this point, I'm talking to agents now because I'm like, shit, I need to figure out what's going on. Because Willie wanted me to talk to his guy, but I wanted to hear from other guys, right? So I called about three agents, and they said, do not play in that D2 bowl. They said, you're better than that. You're going to get accepted into the D1 Bowl, All Star bowl, whatever. I'm like, you sure? They like. Your name is buzzing. Do not play in that bowl. So long story short comes. I get invited to the bowl, they bring me up. They do the whole Dwayne Walker All Star Bowl, D2 Bowl. And then I get up like, hey, I just want to thank everybody. I couldn't do this without the O line quarterbacks, my other receivers. Like, I'm thankful, but I will not be playing in a D2 bowl. And Willie went nuts. He was like, we need to talk after this. So we going. He chewing me out. How you and I gonna represent the school in D2 Bowl? I said, I'm gonna get in a. I'm gonna be in a D1 bowl. He like, no. How you know? You ain't. They ain't handed them out yet. I'm like, I know for a fact I'm getting in one. He like, you been talking to an agent? I'm like, I have been talking to a few agents that told me that my name is buzzing. He like, they just saying that they want you to sign with them. They all just saying that. Don't believe them to make it to a D1 bowl. So when he said that, I was kind of like, what? Like, you don't think I'm that good? Like, I just don't want you to be highs. And then the lows come, and I'm like, okay, I'm gonna think about it, but I'm not. Don't sign the paperwork. Don't do nothing yet. So then I. My agent that I signed with, Vincent Taylor, I remember talking to him the most because he would just be like, look, you talented. It's up to you. He will always tell me, it's up to you. You do what you want. I only get paid when you get paid. Everybody else was trying to tell me this money, but he only honest one. So I said, can you come to Central? Can you come to Missouri and meet me? Can we meet in person? He said, I'm on. I'm on the plane. So he came over, we met in person, and he was talking about the D1 bowl. And he, I'll say, look, I have other agents told me I shouldn't play in the D2 bowl because if I get hurt, I won't be able to play in the D1 bowl. He said, that is true. He said, I've been hearing noise about you getting into this D1 bowl, but it ain't. They ain't pulled the list yet. I said, so do you think I should play in the D2 bowl? He's like, nah, I don't think you should. I think you're gonna be in this D1 bowl. So I'm like, okay, I'm run with that. I said, can you meet Willie Fritz? He said, oh, yeah, I'll definitely meet Willie. So him and Willie talked. He tell Willie to leave. He pulled me in. He said, I don't like that guy. I go, why? He's like, he's only about money. Look at him. He flashy. He got a purple suit on. I'm like, yeah, I kind of like that suit. Yeah, Yeah, I kind of like that. I think he looked clean. He like, no, you need to meet my guy. Don't sign with him until you meet my guy. Say, coach, just cause you. You. You put me in this position, I'm gonna meet your guy. I won't sign with him. So I go out and go, vince, stay here. I'm gonna meet with his guy tomorrow. I'm gonna make my decision. So we go to the steakhouse. Will he pay for all this stuff? His guy comes. My. His guy comes with daisy duke shorts on, Flip flops.

[JP]

Yeah, like the lady on a Saturday.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, yeah. I. I see him coming up. I'm like, that better not be him. This dude comes up to me. He comes up. I'm like, you the agent? He's like, yeah, I'm major. I work with Rod Green and all these other people that Rod went to the NFL, too. And I was like, oh, okay. He's like, look, man, you're not going to get in that D1 bowl, so you should play in that D2 bowl. I'm telling you right now. I really told me you had buzz. There's no buzz going on about you playing in the D1 bowl. I said, all right. That's all right. We're done. I said, hey, we're done. Thanks for coming out. I'll leave. He calls Will. What? You disrespect my friend like that? I'm like, well, he told me I wasn't going to go to D1 bowl. He said I wasn't going to get drafted. Like, I. If you don't. If he don't believe in me, I don't believe.

[Garrett]

Why would he talk to you if he doesn't think you're gonna go anywhere?

[Delaney Walker]

That's what I said, that he told me I wasn't gonna get drafted. He said, I'm probably gonna fall as a free agent, and I wasn't. And there's no buzz about me going to the D1 boat. So I said, okay, thank you. I said, thank you. That's all I needed to hear. He was the only agent that kind of came at me.

[JP]

I'm nervous to hear how this ends.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. Yeah. So. So then I. I, Willie, get at me. Boom, boom, boom. I go. I go to Vince's hotel. I'm like, where the paperwork I'm about to sign with you today. Like, I'm done with this shit. He's like, what happened? I'm like, it don't even matter. You know what I'm saying? It don't matter. Let's go. So I signed with him. He leaves. I tell Coach H first. I go, coach H. I signed with Vincent. He go, I like Vincent. Cause I even had Coach H meet him, and he was like, I like Vincent. Vincent was a good guy. So then he go, you need to tell Willie, though. I go, man, I'm scared to tell Willie.

[Coupe]

I've been freaking out.

[Delaney Walker]

I was scared just, like, pacing around the. He was like, don't call him. Go to his office. I'm like, go. Hey, bro, I'm scared to do. But.

[Garrett]

Holy.

[Delaney Walker]

That's scary. I was shook. I was shook, cuz after what I did to his friend, too, I'm shook. So I. I'm like, long story short, I'm like, all right, I'm doing it. I don't care, man. It is. I'm a senior. I'm done. Like, right? I go up in there. He. He waiting. Come on. I started sweating.

[Coupe]

You wearing the purple suit, going in.

[Delaney Walker]

There, your boy was sweating. As soon as he did like this, I come through the door. He like, God, I'm sweating. Go in confident. As soon as he does that, Ah. I'm like, damn. He just. He ripped me a new one. Like, how disrespectful am I to do his friend like that? I brought you here, I put you in this situation, and now you about to sign with this guy. I'm telling you right now, this dude is gonna end. He gonna mess up your career. I'm like, yes, sir. I hear you. Like, I always respect. I never. I'm like, yes, sir. Yes, sir, you right. That's something I'm gonna have to deal with if it happens, right? Like, okay, well, I'm telling you, he's like, you better not leave school. You better finish. I'm like, yeah, yeah, I'm gonna finish. So after that conversation, I go back to the house and I'm telling all my roommates, like, man, he just like, I need to finish this and that. But Vince was already telling me he about to fly me to Houston and start training. So I was like. I don't even know how to say this. And they was like, you should just go to Houston. Like all my roommates, like, fuck, don't even tell Willie, like, just leave. So if he see this. So then Vince was like, how you feel? You want to finish school or you want to go train? Because, like, I feel like you need to train. You about to play against D1 players. And I'm like, I'd rather go train. So then I moved to Houston and start training at Plex for eight months. And yeah. Yeah, I was living in Houston, not going to school. I was just training. And they sent my mom a bill. Central Missouri State did, but. But they. They took it back, though, after I. After my agent. And they lawyers got. They Took that shit back. But they sent my mom a bill. My mom got a bill for like 300 some thousand. Like, what is this? Holy shit. I'm like, what you mean? She's like, central Missouri just sent me a bill for 300,000. I said, I went to school for free. She said, I know, what is this bill? I'm like, hold on, send it to me. I got my agent Vincent on it. He's like, oh, hell no, that's not about to happen. And they, they pulled it back, said it was a mistake. They made a mistake. That wasn't supposed to been sent out to them. It was supposed to be picked up by the administration. They was going to pay for it. But somehow it got sent to my mom. And that pissed me off. I'm not even gonna lie. That pissed me off. And for the first few years, I ain't saying even Central. I wouldn't say Central even on Monday night games. I wouldn't even be like, oh, Central Missouri State Mules. Like, I would never. I was just like, Pomona High School, you know? Cause that's that. I feel like they did me wrong. But again, you know, like, I did them wrong. Like, it was vice versa. Like, he. He told me to stay in school and I did it right, you know? But that's tough. I needed to train, though. Like, I was training with all D1 players. Once I went to Plex, I was around all these top athletes and I was keeping up with them. So I'm like getting confident, like, oh, this ain't it, this ain't it. This ain't nothing. I'm about to. I'm about to shine. You know what I mean? So then I play in that D1 bowl game. Guess who? The head coach, Jim Harbaugh. Yeah. So, man. So Jim Harbaugh, the head coach, he loves me. He like, you do everything. I was doing everything with him and he was just like, dude, you should get drafted. Like, he would tell me that, like, you could play multiple positions. They had me at running back, tight end, receiver, all that. And so then I go to the combine. I got invited to the combine after that bowl because I put on. I played. They was like, who the hell is this Delaney Walker coming out of nowhere, making catches, making plays. I get invited to the combine.

[Coupe]

What's the feeling like when you finally get that invite and you're like all the you've gone through, whether it's self inflicted or like battling with coaches and just like the adversity. What's that feeling where you're just like. Like, I have an opportunity to the show.

[Delaney Walker]

No, it was like, better than sex. Oh, yeah. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, it was like, yeah, because you know that. That feeling that sex is the best.

[Garrett]

Feeling in the world.

[Delaney Walker]

But this. This feeling that I got, knowing that, because my Vince would say, you put in the work, it's gonna all come to you. Cause when he. I'll be like, man, I don't want to go to Houston and train. Like, trust me, you put in the work, it's gonna come. And I remember when he hit me like, d, you going to the Comeback? Look, I'm getting goosebumps on my legs already. Like, I'm like, what? He. Like, you made it. I, like, I'm tearing up. You know what I'm saying? I'm on the phone tearing up like, I can't believe it, man. I can't believe you was right. He's like, nah, it was all you. It wasn't me. I ain't do nothing. You did that. And I just. Just chill. Like, I'm like, God damn, I made it. You know what I'm saying? I'm crying. I'm telling myself, like, I made it. And then I called my mom, like, mom, I'm going to the combine. I'll be on tv. She like, wait, what? You go, you made it? I'm like, I made it. I. I'm. I'm going. I'm. This is my opportunity. I'm about to take advantage of. I'm getting drafted. And I just kept saying it like, I'm getting drafted. This is. They put me in. Yeah, they put me in. They made a mistake. Now I got to show up. And the journey just. You know, the journey taught came. You know, it came, and I've rolled that thing. Boy, I rode that. That Mustang like, I ain't letting go. You know what I'm saying?

[Coupe]

When you went to the combine, fired a receiver at this time?

[Delaney Walker]

Yes.

[Coupe]

So what. What point did you transition receiver to tight end? Was that a couple years into the league, or was that right when you went to 49ers?

[Delaney Walker]

You know what? I'm glad you said that. So, like, when I got to the combine, we had a trainer named Danny Arnold. Danny Arnold at the time was one of the best trainers in football. He goes, you may be a receiver, but I think you may play tight end.

[Jared]

How big were you at this time?

[Delaney Walker]

220.

[Jared]

So, like, 6, 2, 2, 20. 6, 20.

[Delaney Walker]

And he goes, I think they may put you at tight end. I go, man, why you think that? He, like. I just hear it's a lot of noise about you playing tight end. So he was putting me through the ringer of, like, working out. By the time I get to the combine, I'm 235.

[JP]

Pounds.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, I'm in there because he was like, you could either be a David Boston. Are you gonna be a tight end? That's what he used to call me all the time. David Boston. You David Boston. He used to say that. David Boston. I'm like, no, I don't take steroids, David Boss. I don't do that. But so he. He was saying that. And then I get drafted as a receiver with the 49ers because I. It was all through. They told me it was all because of my 40 time. My 40 time was good, so they drafted than me. What was it?

[Jared]

40 time?

[Delaney Walker]

447 or 449 type.

[JP]

Get Rick, Mitch.

[Delaney Walker]

So. And then I get to the 49ers. We two. Three weeks in, I'm playing receiver. I'm wearing number 17. We had Mike Martz as an offensive coordinator, and I was with Mike Nolan as a 17. Yeah, I was wearing 17. Close. Yeah.

[Jared]

17 to 46.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. Yeah. So 17. Right? And then I go in the locker room. I come in. So I go home. We come in the next day. I used to get there early because they wanted me to do a workout and stuff early. You know, rookies got. I get there and I'm like, damn, they moved my jerk. They moved my locker. Because I see 46 in my. So I'm like, damn, they moved my locker. And they like, no, no, no. You. You 46. You need to get your playbook and go see Mike Bart. I'm like, for what? I'm getting cut. They like, no, no, you're not getting cut. Go just go talk to him. So I go up there, he's like, I know. You saw the jersey. I was like, yeah, I don't really like that number. He's like.

[Coupe]

Go from 17 to 46. That's like.

[Delaney Walker]

That's like, I'm getting cut.

[JP]

I got about one more week left.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. Yeah. I'm like, I'm getting cut. Like, that's all I was thinking in my head.

[Coupe]

You were right, man.

[Delaney Walker]

I'm sorry.

[Coupe]

Finished school.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. So I was sitting there. I was like, jesus Christ. I. I said, I don't really like that number. Like, I literally. Because I'm think he was cool. Like, March was cool, but he wasn't cool right now. He's Like, I don't give a. I was like, oh, damn. Oh, we not cool right now. He's like, no, we moving you to tight end. The H back. You ever heard of it? I said, no, I never heard of. Said, well, you better learn. We're gonna cut your ass.

[JP]

All right, go 46.

[Delaney Walker]

It is just like that cold. I'm like, oh, he not joking, okay? Like, because he was joking. He used to joke a lot when I first got there, but now he. Now he being sick. So I. As soon as I get out, I get on the phone, vince, I'm about to get cut. You got to start looking for another team. He like, what do you mean? I was like, they just moved me to tight end. He go, okay. I go, I can't play tight end. He said, d, I never seen you fold for anything. You gonna fold today over a number? Well, over a position change. I said, man, I never played the position. I said, they got Vernon Davis. Like, you had seen this guy. He like six three, 270 pounds. Like I can't do what he's doing. He was like, I never seen you quit on anything. Show me. Show them who the fuck you are. I said, you know what, Vince, you right. I'm gonna go out there, I'm gonna be the best non blocking tight end I can be. Because that's. I didn't know how to block, right? So I get out there, I'm getting cussed out like a dog, bro. I'm missing every play. I'm stepping. What the hell are you doing? Oh, yeah, stepping the wrong way. One game, they put me in the game. I can't even believe it, right? They put me in a game that year for my rookie year as a lead blocker. I go the wrong way, you hear, Frank, guard, man, what the hell you doing? As he getting the ball. Cause I ran the wrong way. Way. Frank Gore screaming at me during the play because I'm going that way. I'm supposed to go that way because I ain't know what the hell I had. They threw me in a game. I don't even think I practiced this play one time, I'm like, what?

[Jared]

You didn't want to?

[Delaney Walker]

You didn't want to ask?

[Jared]

Like, hey, which way do I go?

[Delaney Walker]

Nah, nah, Jim Harbaugh said, who's got.

[JP]

It better than us?

[Delaney Walker]

Whoever.

[JP]

Delaney's supposed to be blocking.

[Delaney Walker]

But who Was Harbaugh the head coach your rookie year? No, no, it was Mike Nolan was the head coach my rookie year. Mike Morris was the office coordinator. And I don't know why they threw me in on the offensive play because I only played special teams. Really. And for some reason they was like, I was standing there to Pete Han. Pete. Pete Hayner was my coach. Position coach. He go, you in. I'm like, me. I'm literally like me. He like, get. Get the hell in there. I'm like, oh, run in. Oh. I'm like, I hear the play. I'm like, oh.

[Coupe]

That'S gonna be the scariest ever, bro. The whole stadium is just so loud. You're just like, is this gonna be it, right?

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. Was it? No idea. No idea.

[JP]

I feel you. Not no idea too. You're like, I don't want to be that guy.

[Delaney Walker]

I didn't want to be that guy. Just getting to play was the first time. No, it was Alex Smith.

[JP]

And then you have a legend like Frank Gore just like yelling at you mid play.

[Delaney Walker]

I'm like, oh. Like. So I go to the right, which I was already messed up. I was supposed to go to the left and motion to the right, but I went to the right, motion to the left. He probably, he probably. When he saw me on that side, he probably was like, okay, the clock must be down. Why is he over there? But once I motion, I. I hear him go, me. I hear him say something like that. I look back. I didn't block nobody neither, because it was nobody to block.

[JP]

This might be easier than I thought.

[Garrett]

Thought he was getting the ball.

[Delaney Walker]

I kind of ran my hands up. They like, why the you throwing your hands up? You ran the.

[Coupe]

God, they pull you out right after that?

[Delaney Walker]

Oh, they pulled me out.

[Coupe]

Is that the only play you play?

[Delaney Walker]

I got the whole time, that whole game.

[JP]

You're 46, you're 47 now.

[Delaney Walker]

I was like, oh, I'm getting cut. I'm going to get cut after this game. But I remember my tight end coach said, you lucky you a hell of a special teams player. Cuz they. I was telling him to get ready.

[Coupe]

Like even it's your lucky year. Do you think that Fritz, like all that that you had to like endure through college and him like frying you in front of the team, like almost set you up for success? Like. Because like every NFL coach is gonna dog cuss you if you mess up. So like, in a way, did it ever kind of be like, damn, like maybe like he was a great coach for me?

[Delaney Walker]

No, he was a great coach when he was on some NFL, he normalized me from being like bothered by getting cussed the fuck out. Like, because at first I Used to get mad when he cussed me out, but then it started to just be like, okay, that's normal. He's cussing me out. So then when they got to the NFL and the coach cussed me out, I'd just be like, well, he cussing me out. It's a good thing. You know what I'm saying? That's what I started thinking, like, will he want me here? Because he cussing me out, like, if I can't put you in the game because you don't know what you like. They will always say that, like, my first year. We can't put you in if you don't know what the hell you doing. And I just spoke back one time like, man, give me some reps, then. You know what I'm saying? And then he was kind of like, you want reps? All right, we're gonna get you fucking reps. And that's how I started.

[JP]

Who would you say was, like, your best. Your most influential role model, like, coach Wise? Oh, impact on you, Pete.

[Delaney Walker]

Pete Hayner. Oh, my God. Pete Hayner turned me into this dog. I was not. I was a receiver. I was a pussyfoot receiver. I would break tackles and stiff arm people, but I would never go st My head in there. Now I would worry about getting my toes stepped on, like, hurting my hands. I was like, a pretty boy.

[JP]

Yeah.

[Delaney Walker]

Receiver at the time. And so becoming a tight end, I would be blocking on my tippy toe. He's like, right, you scared to get your feet stepped on? Like, I step on your feet right now. Like, stuff like that. I'm like, what the hell? And he just. He would just make us. He made us dogs. Like, he. He just was like, we gonna hit. I don't care. We hitting every day. So we'll come out hitting just each other. Just because he was like, y' all gonna be tough. One thing we gonna be is the toughest dudes on this team, and Pete Hayner was that guy. He taught me how to play the position. He taught me how to be good at the position. He just was a great coach.

[Jared]

You talked about when you got drafted there and then they moved you to tight end, like Vernon Davis being there. And, like, obviously, we all know how tight you were with Vern, but is there any, like, Vern stories you can share that, like, you're able to share that?

[Delaney Walker]

It won't if you're putting down. Like you said, man, Vernon was like. Like that. We was. That was my dog. Like, honestly, people thought I was like, his homie. They didn't think I played for the Titans.

[JP]

Like your stories you tell with Vernon.

[Jared]

Yeah, so funny.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, they. They thought, like, I was the homie. Because, like, somebody tried to press Vernon, you know what I'm saying? I'll run over there and just start fighting him, like, you know what I'm saying? Because my dog was like. Like, Vernon would be like, we'll play a game. Say we just played at Candlestick. And he'd be like, bro, you want to go to Vegas? I'm like, like, right now? You're like, yeah, I got a private jet. Let's go. Don't bring no clothes. I'm gonna buy them for you. I'm like, what? Like, yeah, I'm gonna get all your. Don't worry. Let's go. And we'll go to Vegas. Turn up, he get a big old villa. You know what I'm saying? We packing that thing out. I mean, packing it out and clothes. My dog did a lot, you know, My dog would do all type of shit, but a story, If I could tell a story, man, we didn't.

[JP]

We actually really didn't do that much out there.

[Delaney Walker]

We used it. Like, Vernon, you know, with his situation, I'd never want to mess up what he got going on with his fiance and stuff. So, like, all. Everything we ever done was epic. You know what I mean? It was. We had fun. Was epic. Like, Vernon was me. And Vernon was like, I know I wasn't his brother. I could never take his brother's spot. Cause him and Vontae was like that, too. But, like, at that point, we was, like, bros. Like, we did everything together. I mean, everything.

[JP]

He gave you car, right? To drive around in?

[Delaney Walker]

Oh, yeah. He would let me drive his cars. But we had a. We had a white homeboy named Brandon. He gonna probably see this because he follow our content. And Brandon. Yeah, and he gave. He gave Brandon a Hellcat challenger. Yeah. Hellcat Challenger. Like, I wanted it. I wanted that. I wanted that car. Like, he gave it to me.

[Coupe]

Is there a moment you run around with Vernon where you're like, damn. Like, I'm so glad I'm a tight end.

[Delaney Walker]

Like, yeah. Oh, no. Every time we went out to, like, food, bottles, whatever, he paid for it. So I was like, damn, I'm thankful. You know what I'm saying? I'm thankful that I walked into this room with him. But the first time I met Vernon, he didn't know how to. To deal with me, because y' all know I'm kind of crazy. You know what I'm saying, so, like, the first time I meet Vernon, he shakes my hand, but he damn near break my fingers, right? And I'm like, damn, cuz, don't ever shake my hand like that. Jokingly with him. He looked at me like, what the hell? I'm like, nah, I'm with you, big dog.

[Coupe]

Like, you know, don't shake my hand.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. But then I was like, yo, for real, don't do that again, though, bro. Like. Because he caught my fingertips and he squeezed him, and I'm like, he's making.

[JP]

Sure you don't take his spot.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. I'm like, damn, bro, don't ever. I'm like, don't ever squeeze my. He like, what? I'm like, bro, I'm fudge with you. But no, but don't ever do that shit again.

[Jared]

I mean, that just kind of goes to show, like, because he's. He went to Maryland, but is he from the East Coast?

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, he from dc, but it's just.

[Jared]

Like, you being from la and.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah.

[Jared]

It's like, that's just the melting pot of the NFL.

[Delaney Walker]

Okay, I'm going to get your story, because I don't even care. Fog is what it is. Okay, so Vernon used to have.

[JP]

This is the one where you went to the gay party, right?

[Delaney Walker]

No, I had fun at that party. No, I wasn't with. So Vernon used to have the Burning David weekend in D.C. and I mean, like, these. These parties, blowouts, Crazy. So, like, Vernon used to have. We. He would rent out the whole hotel for all. All the athletes, all the friends and stuff. And. And downstairs, it would be like 50 girls waiting in the lobby. But whoever. I mean, like, I'm gonna say this happened in, like, 2008, y'. All. 2009, so even.

[Jared]

Long time ago.

[Delaney Walker]

Long time ago. Long time ago. And, you know, you take a girl up. So we all had two rooms.

[Garrett]

That's crazy.

[JP]

Hotel was at half capacity.

[Delaney Walker]

Sold out. Yeah, we all got two rooms. Go up. You take the one you've been chilling with all through half the day, Knock her down, go downstairs, find that other one you been talking to. Take them upstairs. I mean, I thought, I ain't gonna cat. I try. I almost moved to D.C. this was.

[JP]

Called up your agent. I need a trade.

[Delaney Walker]

I'm like, hey, no. I'm like, vernon, where should I get a house at? He like, oh, don't move here. I'm like, you sure? He like, don't do it. Cause Vernon, weekends was the best. Weekends I've never seen. I've never Been a part of anything like that other than his weekends. And I'm talking about every year. Every year, cats walking butt ass naked in the hallways. Not me. Not me. I don't get down like that. But some cats do. You know, I'm talking about. You come out, they just walking butt naked to their other room. You like, what the. No. Welcome to D.C. chocolate City.

[Garrett]

Is that what they're calling it?

[Delaney Walker]

That's what they call it. Chocolate City.

[Coupe]

I feel like we're kind of like skipping ahead, but, I mean, you had. You have such a long career. We have to. We obviously have to get a little Titan suck in. When you got traded to the Titans, what was your initial thoughts?

[Delaney Walker]

I knew Chris Johnson. I. So when I got traded to the Titans, I'm like, so. Only thing I remember about the Titans, they came to San Francisco and beat our ass. Chris Johnson. Yeah. Chris Johnson went nuts. And Randy Moss, I don't even know. He had a field day that game with Collins. Y' all had Collins at quarterback. So I'm like, future friend of the show. Yeah. I'm like, okay, the Titans. I'm going to the Titans. I didn't care. I didn't say nothing about their record. And I'm like, chris Johnson. That's all I was like, they got Chris Johnson. We about to be cold in the. But then I got here.

[Coupe]

Ken.

[Delaney Walker]

Is that.

[Coupe]

Who was Ken?

[Delaney Walker]

It was. No, it was Munchack. So I got here and. And I realized it was de. Organized. Like, it was a lot going on that a lot of people don't see because you outside looking in. But it was the facilities going from.

[Coupe]

San Francisco to Nashville night and day.

[Delaney Walker]

I mean, we didn't have a. We didn't have a cold plunge. They. They didn't have a hot tub.

[Garrett]

What year did you come to the Titans?

[Delaney Walker]

2013.

[Garrett]

So we were 13.

[JP]

Not to have anything.

[Garrett]

Years.

[Delaney Walker]

They didn't have none of that. They didn't. The facilities were.

[Coupe]

It's like a YMCA locker.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. Not even.

[Coupe]

He's got a hot tub.

[Delaney Walker]

And it was. They was making the food outside. We didn't even have a kitchen or they was bringing it in. Yeah, they was. It was wild. I was eating McDonald's. I was eating McDonald's the first year. I would go to get McDonald's every day at lunch. Big Macs, Big Macs, double cheeseburgers with Mac sauce, no pickles. Come on.

[Garrett]

Damn.

[Delaney Walker]

So, like, it was. It was. It was. It was bad. But they were. They were growing. And that's why our record showed the way it showed, because it was just like, you know, Mr. Adams, he was, you know, he was older, he was getting old. He was to that point where, you know, he, he really didn't do day to day activities with the football team. I didn't, I only met him once, you know, when I first got. I only met him once. And this is what he said when we met him at the game we lost, I think, to the Jaguars. He come in, he goes, if we had a quarterback, we would have won that game with the quarterback, with the quarterbacks sitting right there in his face. I said, oh shit. I said, this owner crazy. He. And then they ran him up out of there, you know what I'm saying? They got him, took him out. And then people was like, man, he see now, you know, And I'm like, I mean, he was telling the truth. He was telling the truth. He made me see now. Cause he's saying stuff he shouldn't be be saying right in the player's face. But he was telling the truth though, you know what I'm saying? You know how old people, they can't. Oh yeah, they don't know people and.

[Garrett]

Little kids, they just say the truth.

[Delaney Walker]

They just say the truth. It don't matter who it hurts. He just said it. And they was like, that's the owner. I said, okay, that's, that's what's up. And you know, a few years later he passed away. But coming here, I really didn't have no thought. I just knew that it was a new opportunity for me to be good. And then we had Chris Johnson, like in my mind, I'm like, with Chris Johnson, I ain't got a block long, you know what I'm saying? So I was kind of thankful to have Chris Johnson on our team. And obviously, you know, it didn't work out the first few years for us, but you know, it started to develop.

[Coupe]

I feel like for your personal career, just as like a fan watching, like there has to be something said, like it was huge for you because you became a star in a low market city even though it wasn't the 49ers. And playing with like all those guys like you, you grew such a, like, name for yourself. And like to this day they are lifelong Titans fans that like, are like, if we could just have a Delaney Walker still back playing. And that's, that says something which is, I mean, it fires me up like sitting here interviewing you when like I'm in the stadium in like 2013, 2014, coming home from like college on like a random weekend. And I'm like, you know, I mean, at least we got like a couple dogs. That shit's cool. And like sitting here, it's like, damn, this is crazy.

[Garrett]

So you got here in 2013. When did Marcus get here?

[Coupe]

2016.

[Delaney Walker]

15.

[Garrett]

Because he was right after Taylor got here.

[Delaney Walker]

Yes.

[Garrett]

Started stacking.

[Delaney Walker]

We. We started stacking because you gotta think about it, like, Rustin was our GM at first, but Rustin was so used to having, oh, buddy who went to the Ram. Why can't. Why is his name.

[JP]

He's a coach. He went to the Rams.

[Jared]

Jeff Fisher.

[Delaney Walker]

Jeff Fisher. There you go. So they were so used to having Lewis rams. Yeah, the St. Louis Rams. So they were so used to having Jeff Fisher and his mindset. Because just Jeff Fisher was the. He was the mastermind of the Titans being successful. We. We all can say that. Like, good coach, great coach. I'm sure he was the one saying what players were going to pick because he's that kind of coach that's going to control the narrative. Right? But then you get Munchk Rustin, and then Wizard Hunt Rustin. Like the picks we were bringing in, you know, they were. Yeah, they were tanking. You know what I mean? It wasn't. It didn't look good, you know, for the organization. And then like, we. Rustin get fired. They hire. Y' all know who the next GM was?

[JP]

Robinson.

[Delaney Walker]

Robinson. I don't know why they slipping my mind right now. So we hired Robinson. Robinson comes in with this resume of like, knowing how to find talent, right? So he has Wizen Hunt, Mike Malarkey. Mike. Right. If you look at those three years, look at the draft picks we had. It shows who was really in control of the draft picks at that time. Because we was stinking it up. We was bringing Cats in and it was like, why the hell? Who is this dude? Like, where did he come from? And then it went to Marcus Mariota, Derrick Henry, Taylor Lawan, Taylor Lawan. I mean, the list goes on of Cats who was putting in work on the team. And then just. We started getting better. You know what I'm saying? But now we having that law again where we drafting Cats. They ain't doing nothing.

[JP]

Jack has the thousand yard stare going. As you're.

[Delaney Walker]

As. I'm thinking.

[Garrett]

Wait, you're thinking, wait, hold on. You're saying right now after that J Rob period, it started doing that again.

[Delaney Walker]

They started doing that after the J Rob period, it started doing that again. It was like, let's get seat fillers instead of opportunist players. You know what I mean? These cats come in and be like, I'm here. I'm good.

[Jared]

Just happy to be in the league.

[Delaney Walker]

I'm just happy to be here. You know what I mean? I'm happy to be here instead of those dogs, you know what I mean? Because if you look at Jeff, Jeff was Robinson. Yeah. People kind of forget that.

[Garrett]

Was that 2019?

[Delaney Walker]

Yes. Yeah.

[Garrett]

That was the draft here.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. People forget that. I'm like, that was Robinson, like, everything after Jeff.

[JP]

Yeah. Comparison. He did have better.

[Garrett]

Jeff and AJ in the same.

[Delaney Walker]

AJ And AJ The AJ Trade is.

[JP]

Truly the only thing that ruined him.

[Delaney Walker]

I know. That's what. That's what got him fired.

[JP]

One bad decision.

[Garrett]

What? Going back a little bit, like, when Marcus got there, obviously, he was what, number two pick behind Jameis. That first game against the Bucks, he went crazy.

[Delaney Walker]

Went crazy.

[Garrett]

Were you like, oh, like, this is the dude. Like, Marcus is for real?

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah.

[Garrett]

What was your relationship like with Marcus? I mean, obviously, you were his only target for a very long time when.

[Delaney Walker]

Marcus first got there. I love Marcus because he was the type of player, like, he don't say much, right. But he take the blame. He'll go out there, throw for 300 some yards, we lose. It's his fault.

[Garrett]

I could have played better.

[Delaney Walker]

I could have played better. I could have played better. But they didn't tell you. They didn't tell you. This dude dropped five passes. That dude fumbled the ball. And it would be like a trickle effect, but it always came back to Marcus. Cause Marcus would go in there and be like, it's my fault. If I would have threw for 400 yards, maybe we would have won. You know, it was one pass I should have thought about. I shouldn't have thrown it, you know? And then he'd take that blame. So I loved him because he never blamed nobody. He always was like, I gotta be better. You know what I mean? And I looked at it as, this is a guy who gonna die for you, no matter what. He can, and he know it's your fault, but he gonna go in that room and go, that was my fault. It was a bad pass. If I would have put it on the money, he probably would have caught it. He always did that, and I loved him for that. But he came into a organization where they. They are hard on quarterbacks. They're really, really hard on quarterbacks. Because we had great ones play for the Titans and the Oilers. So anytime that person, that quarterback is not playing at that level, that they Feel he should be playing. It always goes back. That's why he's still on the stadium. That's why the players that people compare everyone to, they still on the stadium, but all the other players, not. But those two players. Right? And you're gonna get compared to them every time. See, Derek Henry, he held that stigma. So no one ever said that. Nothing about Derek being as good as George, because he was. But now. Oh, we don't. We need an Eddie George.

[JP]

Right.

[Delaney Walker]

You know, we need a McNair, but, I mean, Cam Ward is doing this, but he has no help at all. Yeah. So, like, we. We put our quarterbacks in a blender because they get beat the up. Oh, y'. All. If y' all seeing what I see.

[JP]

Them and Joe Burrow running for their life.

[Delaney Walker]

Run for their life. Taking injuries. They shouldn't be taking injuries. Look at the injuries Joe Burrow has taken. Look at the injuries. Marcus has taken. Ryan Tannehill, Will Levis. Will Levis.

[JP]

He was never the.

[Delaney Walker]

But we. And then they get. They all play great, and then they start getting beat up. Beat up, and they like, oh, we gotta get rid of them. They suck. No, they good. They real good. It's just things around them is not playing to the same level. Yeah, but I love Marcus, man. Yeah, I love Marcus. He was a dog. Ryan Tannehill was a dog. I mean, Jesus Christ. I played with some good quarterbacks on the title. They may not get the recognition that they deserve, but, dude, good running backs. Some good running backs they are today. Yeah.

[Coupe]

So in the grand scheme of it all, between 49ers and Titans, can you pinpoint a singular game that you're like, this was my favorite NFL game ever.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, I definitely can. It was the 49ers versus the Lions. We were 4 and 1. The Lions were 5 and 0. They had Megatron and Matt Stafford. They had. They had some dogs over there. I mean, dogs. Vanderbosch. Oh, my. He used to wear the red contact lens. That shit used to creep me out all the time. Sue.

[JP]

Maybe even Sue.

[Delaney Walker]

Yes. Who was there? I. Wham. Blocked him like, four times.

[Coupe]

Was this home game or y' all in four fields?

[Delaney Walker]

It was a m. Four field. We five and one. They. They. They five and. I mean, we're four and one. They was five and. Oh. And it came down to the wire. I. I have ran a slant. They scored a winning touchdown in that game. I still talk about that because that game, I was playing phenomenal. I mean, I probably had, like, five special teams tackles. I Wham. Sued like five times, and we broke for big runs. And then it came all down to me to score the touchdown, and they never really threw me the ball. And for them to trust me on that play, that feeling has to be insane. Yeah, it changed everything. It changed every that day. We went on a Super bowl run, and I got, you know, like I said, I was a free agent, got paid. That, all that. That right there opened the door for me because they trusted me. They started putting me on more plays, more things. But then Jim Harbaugh did what he did at the end of the game, and that was like, that's my dog.

[Garrett]

Yeah.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah.

[JP]

Is that the famous, like, back slap?

[Delaney Walker]

And he chased him down. Then he chased him down. We always about to rumble all the way into the locker. The whole team, we all like, squaring up. Police come like that. And I won that game. You know what I'm saying? So it's like, I always. Anytime people talk, I'm like. I mean, I done had some hell of a games with the Titans, but that was probably the biggest.

[Garrett]

It took that next step for me.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, for me. You know what I mean? And for them to trust me. Because, like I said, we have Vernon Davis, Crabtree, Randy Moss, Mario Manningham, Frank Gore. I mean, any one of those dudes, they could have threw the ball, too. Well, say again.

[Garrett]

Your relationship with Jim Harbaugh. When he became the coach of the 49ers, you were already there, correct?

[Delaney Walker]

Yes.

[Garrett]

That first time y' all saw each other after him being your Coach at that D1 bowl, or is it just like, holy shit, look where we are?

[Delaney Walker]

No, he was like. He's like, when I saw you was on the roster, I was like, we know we got a player. That's all he said. Like, we know we got a player. He's like, I'll put this motherfucker everywhere. And he did. That's why I became the Swiss Army Knife, because he's so nice. He seems like, oh, we got a plan for you. I said, oh, yeah, I'm about to play more.

[JP]

What was it like when he, like, because y' all obviously weren't winning, so you had to make a coaching change. Like, when he came in, like, how instant did, like, the. The mood in the locker room shift, like, just in the organization? Because, I mean, y' all won, like, instantly when he got there.

[Delaney Walker]

Well, so when Jim Harbo got there and the way he made us work, people was mad. Cause he came on right after that lockout year. So we come back in and we going to work. Cats was, yeah, oh, we gotta get this dude. I don't know about this dude. I don't know about this dude. Like, Cats, that was the ring around the locker. So it got back to him somehow. I don't know. You know, you always got a snitch in the locker room. That's just part of the game. That's anywhere you go, it gets back to him. He go, we bring up practice. I mean, we just busted her ass at practice, too. This was a long, crazy practice. And he goes, we have snakes on this team. We like, what the hell? He just bring us up like, we got snakes on this team. He like, you know how you get rid of snakes?

[Garrett]

Cut the grass.

[Delaney Walker]

Burn the grass. Damn, that's. Burn the grass. He said, in a few weeks, that person that's next to you right now, he may not be next to you next week.

[JP]

And you'll know who.

[Delaney Walker]

And we like, oh, shit. Every week, cut, cut. Bringing somebody in. Cut. Bring somebody in. Cut. Bring somebody. He like, you seeing all the people that got cut, they wasn't right for this team. But everybody who came here that we brought in, they gonna put work on for this team. They may be starting. I don't give a fuck how much money you make, who you are, where you get drafted at, the best player gonna play. I'm sitting there like, God damn, thank God. Thank God it's my turn.

[JP]

There's nothing better than a good leader.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. I'm like, thank God, because I'm busting my ass and I'm not seeing the field. He comes in as like, I don't care who it is. And I remember he was like, you. But he made me work a lot. I had to learn everything the quarterbacks learned because I was the audible shift guy, move guy. And I loved it, though, because he gave me a lot of responsibility. But a lot of dudes will tell you they hate Jim Harbaugh because he make us work. You know what I'm saying? Like, one time, remember back in the day, NFL was big on. When we had real tour days, they were big on, like, taking players on, like, field trips. Like, you go to a water park, movie theater, something like that. So one day, we thinking we about to get a bone. Cause he's like, man, if y' all have a good practice, I'm gonna give y' all a bone. I'm gonna give y' all a good bone. Y' all gonna love this bone. We like, ugh.

[JP]

A lot of boning going on.

[Delaney Walker]

A lot of boning going on. So, like, we all like, okay. And then, hell of a practice. He called us up, man. That was one of the great practice. Oh, y' all gonna love this bone tomorrow. So we, like, all excited, like, where we going? Everybody like, where are we going, man? We all think he gonna take us. He probably gonna take us to some war reenactment shit. You know what I'm saying?

[JP]

Because that's where your love came from.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, I know. That's what he big on, too. So we get there, and we. We had the dress of the day. He used to put it on the board, like, the dress of the day. We like, oh, full patch. Where the bone at? We like. We thought it was gonna be like, no practice. It say, full pass. So everybody talking like, full fucking pass. Where the bone at? They like, oh, we probably gonna practice like, 30, 40 minutes. I'm like, oh, yeah, that's cool. That's even cool. We get outside. He like, hey, bring it up. Cause usually we stretch. So Jim Harbaugh lets you stretch on your own for 15 minutes, and then he blow the whistle and we start practice. So he. We ain't stretch. He just blow us up. We like, oh, yeah, he tricked us. Cause he liked that. Like, oh, yeah, y' all go change. Nah, he gonna. He go, I wanna tell y' all something. We go, yeah, he go, Seattle right now. They at the water park. They go, Arizona right now. They did a. They had, like, a softball baseball game.

[JP]

They may still be there.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah, he going through all our teams in our division. He go, but you know what the 49ers are gonna do? We like, what, Coach? We all excited. Where we going, Coach? What up, Coach? Yeah, coach. What we gonna do, Coach for it? Yeah, he like, we going to get these 70 plays. Let's go.

[Coupe]

Morale just killed.

[Delaney Walker]

Oh, my God.

[Coupe]

I don't want to work anymore, Coach.

[Delaney Walker]

He said it like that, then took off running to the other field.

[Coupe]

So we like, that is crazy.

[Delaney Walker]

That may have been the worst practice we ever. Horrible. Worst practice. Yeah. Did he ever take y' all anywhere ever? Yeah, he did. He took us. He took us somewhere. So after that, I think I want to say two practices after that, he took us to the movies. We watched what was. It was an army movie at that time.

[JP]

Maybe like, Saving Private Ryan. It could be.

[Jared]

I was going to say Fury.

[Delaney Walker]

No. Was it 30 nights? 30 days? 30. Zero dark dirty. Yeah, we see zero dark 30. Because he was really big into the military. We even had the. The president general, like, military dude come and speak to us. Yo. Like, he was big on that. So, like, we went watch the army movie, and then that message was like, you see how they never gave up when they backs was against the wall? They kept fighting because such a football coach.

[JP]

We got 70 more plays after the movie. Get your pads on.

[Delaney Walker]

Yeah. He's like, you see how they never gave up? He's like, we gonna be those guys. Because I know we gonna be down in the first quarter, we gonna be down in the second quarter, but who the hell we gonna be in the third quarter? And how will we finish the fourth quarter? I'm like, God damn. War mode. That's what I'm talking about. Like, yeah. And if you watch all our games, we be losing in the first half. But then the second half, we come back. We was the comeback kids. Everybody knew that. We come back and just beat your ass. We just out physical you. And he knew that. I guess he felt it. So he wanted us to see, like, when they was down on a look and they thought you all thought they was gonna die because it was just too many athletes coming after them, every angle. You know what I'm saying? But they locked and loaded. They got. They, they. They got their game plan. And aj, look, we gonna die doing it. We either gonna die killing them. Are we gonna walk away from this? You know? Yeah, we die. We die. And that's really what they did. They went out there, it's like, look, let's get it. So we all had that mindset, and we was all on the pill program. You know, talk about that later. So we were dogs out there. I think we're getting.

[Jared]

Yeah, our battery's running low in our audio thing, so we gotta.

[Coupe]

How long have we going?

[JP]

Hour 10.

[Garrett]

More questions.

[JP]

Hour 16.

[Coupe]

It feels like we're going for a minute. Yeah, bro, this has been. We really appreciate you coming on one. And even though we've heard a lot of these stories over and over, I feel like I heard a new piece in every single one of those stories where I was like, damn, there's so much more to every, like, story that you for, just for anyone's sake. But, man, it means a lot. Like, you are a guy and you've always showed so much love to us, so it's sick that you are the. The number 20th episode guest. And I'm sure.

[Jared]

I'm sure we'll have you back on.

[JP]

We've only ever for pro athlete guests. We've only ever had Titan or Titans, tight ends from the NERs.

[Delaney Walker]

True, true. No, you had grunk, didn't you?

[JP]

No, we had George conflict.

[Delaney Walker]

We just had George and you. I thought I saw George. I thought y' all had grunk for sure, though.

[JP]

That'll happen.

[Jared]

We'll get Vern, too.

[Delaney Walker]

Oh, yeah, yeah. No, Vern. Definitely Vern. Vern would love to come on here, cuz. He. He want to get his side of the story. He like, I gotta get my side of the story. I'm like, yeah, all right. 50 women.

[JP]

Damn good deal.

[Coupe]

Damn. You trying to sign us off, Coupe?

[Garrett]

See why I got to do this every week?

[Jared]

I brought us in, jp.

[Delaney Walker]

Sign us off.

[JP]

I did that last week. Garrett, sign us off.

[Garrett]

Thank you all for listening to another episode of Inside the bus, episode 20 with our guy, Delaney Walker. Go show some love. Hit the comments. Tell us who you want us to have next. You know, we appreciate you guys tuning in. Help us blow this thing up. Till next time.

[Delaney Walker]

Peace.

[Garrett]

Peace.

[Delaney Walker]

This is an I Heart podcast.