Club Shay Shay – Best of NFL News Part 1: Jets’ Ownership, Marcades Lewis’ 20th Season, and NFL Real Talk

Podcast: Club Shay Shay
Episode: Best of NFL News Part 1: Jets’ ownership the real problem in New York, Marcades Lewis joins Broncos for 20th NFL season
Date: November 1, 2025
Host: Bucky Brooks (Shannon Sharpe not present in this segment)
Guests: Mercedes Lewis, Cam Curl, Ocho, Joe

Episode Overview

This packed episode of Club Shay Shay dives into hot NFL topics and features deep conversations with current and former players. The hosts and their guests discuss team dynamics, coaching philosophies, the impact of NFL ownership (with focus on the New York Jets), and the extraordinary career of tight end Mercedes Lewis, who just signed with the Denver Broncos for his 20th NFL season. The episode’s tone is casual, insightful, and full of locker-room candor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cam Curl on Defensive Success and Team Continuity (03:13–13:25)

Defensive Continuity Leads to Success

• Cam Curl describes how the Rams' defensive unit's continuity has elevated them, highlighting that this is the first time in his career that the entire secondary has remained intact for consecutive seasons.

  “This is the first time I done seen… bring back a whole secondary unit… that just helps us play even faster…” (04:50–04:55)

Adaptability Within the Scheme

• The system is tailored to player strengths:

  “I feel like the system… the scheme we got is built around our players…built for our skill set.” (04:28–04:37)

• Curl says coaches encourage instincts, not robotic play:

  “They do emphasize… not being robots... They don’t want to take the football instincts away…” (05:40–06:01)

Cam’s Mindset as a Late-Round Pick

• As a 7th-round pick, his mentality was: prove yourself every day:

  “I gotta take everything to the next level, you know what I’m saying? Just to try to make this team…” (08:41–09:04)

Difference between Defensive Systems: Washington vs LA

• LA’s defense is much more complex and emphasizes disguise:

  “It’s a way more complex defense... we run tons of different coverages… real complex.” (10:00–10:20)

Practicing Against Elite Offensive Talent

• Cam talks about daily battles with guys like Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, and Matthew Stafford:

  “It’s amazing to see in practice for sure… just makes us a lot better as a defense.” (12:07–12:34)

Memorable Moment:

• Lighthearted banter about whether Cam could have tackled Ocho if they played against each other:

  Ocho: “You think you would have been able to hit me?”
  Cam: “Yeah.” (06:42–06:44)

2. Mercedes Lewis Reflects on 20 Years in the NFL (18:27–44:44)

The Call to Denver

• Lewis describes the unique experience of not being signed immediately in the offseason, and how he got the unexpected call from the Broncos’ GM, George Paton.

  “I come back from Joshua Tree… I get a call from a Denver number… the GM left a message like ‘Yo, big dog, give me a call. This is George Paton, GM at the Broncos. Want to talk to you for a second.’” (19:17–19:49)

Longevity, Motivation, and Routine

• Lewis never envisioned 20 years in the league—10 years seemed like a dream at first. His mentor, coach John Embree, set him on the right path:

  “He said, ‘I came to UCLA to coach you.’ Gave me a whole rundown of… my family knew where I was from… that kind of, you know, lit a fire under me.” (21:21–22:41)

• Key for his longevity? Developing a consistent year-round routine and committing to personal bests every day.

  “My in-season workout recovery does not change from my out of season… I don’t take it off.” (32:31–32:55)

Breaking Down the 20-Year Barrier

• Only a handful of NFL players (mostly kickers and specialists) have played 20+ seasons in league history—Lewis joins that illustrious list as a tight end, a physically demanding position.

  “There have only been…13 players to play at least 20 years or more. Most of them, as you could imagine, are kickers… and now Mercedes Lewis is on this list.” (35:16–36:09)

Endgame? This Is the Final Season

• On the record, for the first time:

  "This is it." (28:22–28:24)
  Lewis commits that year 20 will be his last, sharing the mental challenge of waiting for a call and coping with not being in a training camp for the first time.

Adapting and Giving Back

• Green Bay and Chicago: Lewis adapted to tough, cold-weather environments, changing roles, and contributed as a mentor and a “do-it-all” tight end.
• His training includes martial arts:

  “I’ve been training mixed martial arts now for 15 years. So… whether it’s jiu jitsu, muay thai, wrestling, judo…” (33:05–33:16)

Minimalist Mindset

• On life after football:

  “The older you get… I’ve been more of a minimalist… I realized that I don’t need a whole bunch to find joy. Like, I’m happy inside, you know?” (41:04–41:22)

Notable Quotes

• On setting an NFL record:

  “Once I got 18, I was like, I have to get 20.” (27:37–27:44)

• On staying in it:

  “You’re not staying in this league for as long as you have just for being a great leader. You've been dominant.” – Sean Payton to Lewis (29:44–30:06)

Fun Banter

• Ocho claims a black belt; Lewis and Ocho joke about sparring and martial arts skills. (37:14–38:52)

3. Ownership Woes and the New York Jets (49:12–53:13)

Jets Ownership Under Fire

• Bucky Brooks lays blame for the Jets’ historic struggles squarely at the ownership and management, particularly Woody Johnson's approach and public comments:

  “It’s easy to point a finger at Justin Fields or Aaron Glenn for the Jets’ troubles, but Robert Saleh seems to be the coach... How much blame should we place on ownership led by Woody Johnson for the long, long history of jets failure?” (49:12–50:22)

• Ocho: “Management is to blame as well for the long, long, long failures for the quarterback position with the Jets… It's always been the defense.” (50:22–50:35)

• On how public statements by ownership destroy confidence in young QBs:

  “...it has to hurt to know that your owner feels that way and I still got to go out there and play for him.” (51:44–52:00)

Broader Organizational Issues

• Discussion highlights that the Jets (like the Bears) have lacked organizational stability and vision—while owners like Jerry Jones get away with being outspoken, New York's failures are persistent.
• The panel notes it’s not just the coaching, quarterback, or bad luck; it's systemic.

4. Player Development, Trades, and NBA/NFL Parallels (53:13–63:12)

Talent Evaluation and Player Growth

• The conversation parallels how player talent can sometimes be missed or underutilized, referencing NBA stars like Jalen Brunson and James Harden as analogues to NFL players like Daniel Jones (who improved significantly after leaving New York).

• Ocho on NBA front office talent evaluation:

  “There’s a certain thing that we can see called the it factor… You can tell when a player is going to be special.” (58:11–58:40)

• Bucky Brooks: “Everybody gets to say that after the fact… I knew that boy was going to make it… I thought I told such and such that boy gonna make it.” (61:53–62:21)

Situational Development Matters

• Players' environments—system, teammates, leadership—can make or break that "it factor."
• The hosts argue that sometimes organizations don't nurture talent properly, leading to missed stars or busts.

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• Cam Curl on Defensive Instincts:

  “They don’t want to take the football instincts away from us... He lets us play how we play.” — Cam (05:40–06:01)

• Mercedes Lewis on Longevity:

  “Once I got to 15, I was like okay… I still feel really good.” (25:07–25:34)

• On Player Value and Development:

  “You’re not staying in this league as long as you have just for being a great leader. You’ve been dominant.” — Sean Payton to Mercedes Lewis (29:44–30:06)

• On Owner Interference:

  “It has to hurt to know that your owner feels that way and I still got to go out there and play for him.” — Ocho (51:44–52:00)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:13–13:25] – Cam Curl and the Rams defensive philosophy, continuity, and team culture
• [18:27–44:44] – In-depth with Mercedes Lewis: from free agency limbo to the call from Denver, lessons from 20 seasons, training regimen, and his impending retirement
• [49:12–53:13] – Critique of the New York Jets’ ownership and long-term issues
• [53:13–63:12] – Broad discussion: organizational versus individual talent, parallels to the NBA and lessons on player development

Tone and Style

Throughout, the conversation is authentic, informal, and deeply NFL "locker room" flavored—there’s a camaraderie rooted in shared experience and knowledge. Guests and hosts speak candidly about league politics, life after football, what it takes to survive in the NFL, and what’s broken about some franchises.

Summary

• For NFL fans and students of the game: This Club Shay Shay episode provides an insider look at why some teams never get it right (hello, Jets), what keeps a player in the league for two decades, and how culture and coaching philosophies directly impact success. Mercedes Lewis’ segment is particularly inspiring and loaded with wisdom for anyone pondering a long career in football or beyond.
• Don’t miss: Mercedes Lewis announcing this will be his final season (28:22), tales of martial arts cross-training, and the unsparing take on NFL ownership dysfunction.

If you’re interested in player psychology, career longevity, and what truly drives team success (or consistent failure)—this episode is a must-listen.