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Best of Playing Days Stories Part 2: Going through Rookie HAZING?! + DeSean Jackson REFLECTS on Eagles Career!
00:36:22
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- [00:00]
Shannon Sharpe
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:05]
DeSean Jackson
Discover the art of adventure in Cedar City, Utah, Red rocks, epic trails and world class drama at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Take a short drive to Zion, Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks and Co op canyons. Then explore our high mountain views up at Brian Head Start Plenty now@Visit cedarcity.com.
- [00:20]
Chad Johnson
All right, check this out. Saquon Barkley is coming off his best year of his career, which ending in him becoming a Super bowl champion with the Eagles. And, and now he's gracing the COVID of Madden 26. Saquon was asked if he retired at the top of his game or go until the wheels came off. I'll probably be one of those guys that would be out of nowhere. I'll probably just wake up one day, whether it's the next year or two or four, and just be like, yeah, it's over. I don't think I'll ever lose that passion. The competitive nature is always going to be there. I like, probably my favorite player of all time is Barry Sanders. So probably similar to that. Maybe one day, like out of nowhere, I'll probably just be balling and just like, yeah, it's a quiz. T. Damn. We just talked about that because your situation, you just like out of nowhere, like, yeah, yeah.
- [01:07]
Shannon Sharpe
Not, not as sudden really. The ones in the inner circle, they, they knew the situation and I was trying to push through. I was looking for options to continue, but it's just, it's over for sure. Like, I knew it. Not as sudden as, like Barry Sanders or, or Calvin Johnson. Saquon is incredible hall of Fame talent. For sure. It'd be a. He, he can't walk away all, all of a sudden, he, we, we need, we need to see some more of that, man. That's a special talent.
- [01:32]
Chad Johnson
Well, the difference is between them situation and Calvin and Barry, they got tired of losing.
- [01:37]
Shannon Sharpe
All right, for sure.
- [01:38]
Chad Johnson
Situation where he's, I mean, you just went to the super bowl, now you start to lose. But Barry, Barry got to the NFC championship game in 91 and, and never got that close again. So Barry got tired of losing. Barry wasn't injured. I mean, you talking about. The guy had averaged 1500 yards for 10 seasons.
- [01:55]
Shannon Sharpe
No, for sure.
- [01:55]
Chad Johnson
The goat, Calvin, the same thing. Calvin like, bro, man, we ain't getting no closer. And I'm going out here and I'm doing all this to my body, right? What am I really doing this for when I don't really have a realistic chance of getting to and winning a Super Bowl. So I think that's the Difference. Saquon is in a different situation now. If he was at the Giants. And yeah, he probably just go like, one day I'm out of here. But in the situation where he is with that offensive line, without offense, with that defense. Nah, I don't, I don't, I don't. I don't think he just walks away.
- [02:29]
Shannon Sharpe
And the money different too.
- [02:30]
Troy Polamalu
Yeah, I mean the money different, obviously different. And obviously he just got paid. They gave him a nice, nice, nice.
- [02:36]
Chad Johnson
Nice 20 mil a year. Ojo.
- [02:39]
Troy Polamalu
Nice pay raise.
- [02:40]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes, sir.
- [02:41]
Troy Polamalu
For a running back for that position. Obviously with a position not as being as valued as it is now, but being somewhere now where they appreciate you for what you're doing and they showed you love. I don't see safe time retiring until he has that, that coming to, coming to grass moment, you know?
- [02:56]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [02:57]
Troy Polamalu
I can't do it like I used to.
- [02:58]
Shannon Sharpe
That's a fact.
- [02:59]
Troy Polamalu
I don't have that.
- [02:59]
Shannon Sharpe
I see it the same way.
- [03:01]
Troy Polamalu
Oh, I think that'd be the only time he actually called it quits when he realized his. You know what I can't get, I can't bend that corner like I used to. I can't hit. I can't hit that A or that, that B or C gap. That'll be it. How old is saquon, huh?
- [03:17]
Chad Johnson
Probably 26, 27, 28. Just turned 28. But here's the thing though. Oo, yeah. Lane, Johnson still there. My lotto still there. Jurgenson still there. Still there. So it's not like you see some of these, some of these guys, the offensive line get old and they starting to move them out. That's the best offensive line in football. They're not going. It's not like they're about to drop off a cliff in the next year or two. And they got them all in the contract. They just did Lane's contract. They just did My Lotta's contract just did. Dickerson contract. Jenkinson is a rook. It was on a rookie contract. Nah, he ain't going anywhere anytime soon.
- [03:57]
Troy Polamalu
Well, you know, it's funny when you think about it. As good as Saquon is and as good as that offensive line is, even if Saquon was a loser step.
- [04:05]
Chad Johnson
Say it.
- [04:06]
Troy Polamalu
Maybe, maybe in three years if that with an offensive line like that, he will still be able to do what he needs to do because that much better up front.
- [04:17]
Chad Johnson
So he won't be able to go 80 yards with anybody without anybody touching him. So now he might have to break a tackle two yards from the Line of scrimmage as opposed to running through those holes that my old slow ass could probably get five yards. I ain't gonna hit my head on the goal post like him, but I might get five yards, T. I gave.
- [04:33]
Shannon Sharpe
About three or four yards, huh? Fall forward. I gave about three, four.
- [04:37]
Chad Johnson
Them. Them licks hurt. I can imagine. Now I ain't. I. I hadn't gotten hit on in man in two decades. Yeah, I shatter like ice. You know how you drop ice out the cup, hit the floor?
- [04:48]
Troy Polamalu
You got, you got to remember they not hitting like we was back then. Now it's different.
- [04:51]
Chad Johnson
Oh, they. Oh, no, no. I don't forgot how to take a hit. You see you, you, hey, you start losing. Hey, you know how it is, T. When you go, like when you leave the season and you come back and you got to go to training camp, you got to relearn those stuff don't tingle like they did. Like once you get going like training camp and now you go to the season, they don't tingle them. And not 20 years, man, I be getting. Hey, I run them the shallow cross. It's a zone.
- [05:20]
Troy Polamalu
You running through the zone.
- [05:22]
Shannon Sharpe
Hey, they gonna get fine. They gonna get fine, though. They might hit you, but.
- [05:25]
Chad Johnson
But I won't be fine. They might get fine, but I won't be fine.
- [05:30]
Shannon Sharpe
That's the word for sure. Yo, Ocho, you switch it up on me, man. You usually have on the Cartier shades. I got seven pair of Cartier shades over. I was gonna be Ocho tonight and.
- [05:40]
Chad Johnson
You didn't let me hold.
- [05:42]
Troy Polamalu
Come on now, let me see what you got.
- [05:44]
Shannon Sharpe
Whatever you need, you know what I mean? We in there.
- [05:46]
Troy Polamalu
I'm Ocho right now we have a.
- [05:47]
Chad Johnson
Very special guest tonight. He's a three time Pro Bowler, he's an all pro, and he once made the Pro bowl as a returner and a wide receiver. Here he is, ladies and gentlemen, the head coach of Delaware State, Mr. Desean Jackson D. Jack. Thanks for joining us, bro. We'll get to you in just a second. Please make sure you hit that subscribe button. Please make sure you hit the like button. And guys, go subscribe to the Nightcap podcast feed. Wherever you get your podcast from. We want to thank each and every one of you for supporting us. Good, bad or indifferent, highs and lows. You've been riding with Ocho and I from the very, very beginning and we can't thank you enough. Everything that you've been, you've seen us been able to accomplish, all the awards behind us, the NAACP Image Awards, the BET Awards, all the awards. It's all because of you, is because of your eyes, your ears and your word of mouth. Ocho and I and the Nightcap family cannot thank you enough. Please make sure you check out Shay by laportier. We have it in stock now. If you can't find it in a city or state near you. Ordered online, but we are coming to a city or state near you. But in the meantime, order it online. We'll ship it directly to your door. Is the best tasting BSOP cognac on the market. Don't take my word for it, Try it. I promise you you will not be disappointed. Go follow my media company page on all of his platforms. Shay, Shay Media and my clothing company, 84. With 84 being spelled out, that link is pinned in the chat. Supplies are limited and once they're gone, they're gone. So please grab yours while supplies last. D Jack, let's get right into it, bro. Head coach, Delaware State, bro. If somebody said, okay, give, I'm going to give you a list of players, former NFL players that were. That were all decade players, that were Pro bowl players, all pro players. I will give you a list of 10 guys. Name the guy that you think was most likely to become a head coach on any level. D. Jack, I can honestly say I wouldn't have put you at the top of the list. D Jack, what made you decide to become a head coach?
- [07:49]
DeSean Jackson
I was gonna say, damn, you wouldn't have put me out there, man. Damn.
- [07:53]
Chad Johnson
Not at the top of the list.
- [07:56]
DeSean Jackson
Hey, no, I mean, I mean, honestly, for me, you know, the opportunity presented itself, obviously. You know, I retired in 2022. I played in Baltimore, and after that year was over, I retired and I walked away feeling like I left everything out there in between the white lines. So for me, I sat around for a whole year, didn't contemplate on nothing. I was like, you know what I deserve after all the fruits of these labors, all the hard work I put into it, I deserve to sit around for a whole year and not do nothing. I Woke up at 2 o' clock if I wanted to. Took the kids to school, I partied, I hung out. I did just regular things that I wanted to do after all these hard years of working out. So after that year, I was like, you know, I gotta get my butt off this couch and go get. Go get some income. You know, me and Lashawn McCoy, we had our podcast trying to figure out if I was going to do the media side of it. You know, and for me, it was just like I really didn't know which way to go. And I started coaching. I went out. My older brother was a high school football coach, and I went out there and I coached with him, man. And I fell in love with coaching, man. So the Delaware State thing just kind of honestly fell in my lap after my first year of coaching. Last year, at the end of the year, it kind of just fell on my lap. Big bro.
- [09:01]
Troy Polamalu
Hey, has it, has it been a. Has it been a difference? I know, being able to coach at a high school level with your brother. Has it been a difference in transition? Has it been difficult, you know, coaching at the. At the collegiate level now? Or have you been able to adjust to it somewhat?
- [09:14]
DeSean Jackson
Yeah, no, I mean, great question. I feel like for sure, it's definitely been an adjustment. It's a lot of things. It's different. It's a lot of things that I was blind. I was blinded. Like, I didn't know. I was in the dark, you know, as. As far as me, honestly, me, I never, like, I played all these years, you know, and I played obviously in college. I was never one of them dudes. It was like, when I get done, I'm gonna go coach. So. So, so unk. You kind of are, right?
- [09:37]
Chad Johnson
But at the end of the day.
- [09:39]
DeSean Jackson
Like, now I'm in this position. I remember when I was in high, I mean, college, in the pros, I said I would never coach, obviously. Cause I knew how much time my college coaches and my NFL coaches put into it. So for me, I think the biggest thing is the off the field stuff, the X's and O's to me is easy. Cause, you know, I was. I was a. A student of the game. And I always, when it came down to football, I'm very football smart. I just think from like the compliance, the admissions, like getting kids into school, you know, in the NFL, you ain't got to worry about school. We going out there and playing. We ain't got to worry about if the dudes got a three point or higher, they going study hours. Like, are they doing what they supposed to do? Because, you know, so I was far removed from that side of it. So now being in this position, it's like I gotta almost be a father to 90 cats.
- [10:25]
Chad Johnson
DJ when you look at it, you know, talking to Coach prime and talking to a lot of people that were great at a particular craft, be it a basketball coach or be a basketball player, football player, baseball, for me, I think the hardest thing to do is because you put work into it. But it seemed like football came easy to you. You would bless God, bless you with God, get with speed out of the yin yang. You were very, very elusive. And the thing, when I talked to Coach prime, he's like. Because I don't look at them kids and I expect them to be me. What has been the hardest thing as far as, like, because you were a great player, you went to Pro bowl, you an all Pro, an all decade player. What's been the hardest thing to like to coach a player and not say, well, son, you should have picked that up. That's easy. How do you separate that to, like, make sure you understand that they're not desean Jackson. They are who they are and you are who you are.
- [11:13]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah.
- [11:15]
DeSean Jackson
Honestly, the hardest challenge has been, you know, over my career, the accolades, the stats, the Pro Bowls, All Pros, everything I accomplished, for me, it did come easy to me. So running fast, catching the football when the ball's in my hand, doing the things that, you know, the characteristics that I did, it came easy to me. So it's unfortunate to say, after I look back at my career, if I would have put in an extra pushup, if I didn't cut a rep short, if I would have put more time into my craft, just imagine how much more I would have like, or how better I would have been at my craft. So for me being in this position now, the things I may not have done or the things I made, it took the shortcut out. I'm not allowing my players to miss that because I know the success I had. And I'm like, man, if I would have did the extra. And like, and not just thought it came so easy to me, like, if I would have put the work in, just imagine where I would have been sitting at. So for me, I think the toughest thing has been for me is like, damn, I played at this high level. I cut corners. I didn't always give my all because it came easy. But for me, now I'm like, look, don't go do what I did. And what else is crazy is I see my players doing things I once did, and I'm trying to coach them, like, hey, don't do that. But I'm here to go. Me, 10, 20 years ago, I was the one did that hose hair stuff they doing.
- [12:37]
Chad Johnson
Yeah.
- [12:37]
Troy Polamalu
Hey, the funny thing about it, when I think about it, you know, being a competitor, Jack, you a competitor, and you not too far removed from the game of football. You just retired in 2022. You're still able to. To put cleats on, lace him up and get out there and play. How are you able to control yourself? Because I ain't played in a minute.
- [12:55]
DeSean Jackson
Yeah.
- [12:55]
Troy Polamalu
And put me in a structured environment like that, my crazy ass gonna have on a pair of cleats. Trying to demonstrate and teach and actually be in the way, as opposed to being.
- [13:04]
Shannon Sharpe
Being a.
- [13:04]
Troy Polamalu
Being a teacher and being a coach like you are. Do you ever get antsy and want to put your cleats on sometimes and show players what it should look like?
- [13:11]
DeSean Jackson
Yeah, for sure. 100%. Yeah, 100%. So, like, honestly, man, I'm 38 years old. Some of these guys obviously anywhere from 19 to 24, 25 years old. So in this role right now, man, like, I still train, I still work out, I still run. Like, I'm telling my players, like, there ain't too many head coaches that's gonna strap it up with you around 150s with you, like, we on the track, like, you know? Cause me, the reason why I was able to play so long, because I always utilize the track in the off season. So my players, we just was out on the field today. We had two, three hundreds. We had one 200, and we had three 150s. And I'm out there running them with them. I may not be in the front with them, but I'm. So for me, that's been the challenge, man. Because, you know, when I go out there, we do the cone drills, we went through it, and I gotta show these dudes. Cause some of these dudes taking five, six steps to get out their breaks. And I'm like, dog, you never. Five, six, bro. They take it, bro. Some of these dudes is. You know what I'm saying? It's crazy, because another thing, when I got here, some of these dudes. And no disrespect to the coaches before, but I'm like, bro, how did some of y' all give scholarships to a Division 1 school, bro? Who. Who gave y' all scholarships? So, like, for me, it's just, like, I'm trying to. I'm trying to put my eye on it. And I know for us to win right now, this is not a rebuilding process. We got to win right now, and I know what it takes. So some of these guys, they just don't fit the criteria. So sometimes I do got to get out there, Ocho, and put them. Please let them know I can still rent a bench route. I can still rent a curl. I can still take the top off. Yeah. We still do this big dog. Yeah, I like it.
- [14:44]
Chad Johnson
I like it. Dj look, you love Philly. I don't me personally and, and I'm, I'm considerably older than you. I'm almost 20 years older than you. But I followed your care career and I know you love Philly. Philly loved you because Philly love guys that, that love what they do and you love what you did. You get in the crowd, up, you're like, hey, get it up, get it up. Hey, I'm about to bring this thing back. You get a touchdown, you run back within to the end zone. I don't think you ever wanted to leave Philly. You had a very public falling out with Chip Kelly.
- [15:17]
DeSean Jackson
Yeah.
- [15:17]
Chad Johnson
What was that like? Knowing that. You know what, I never wanted to leave Philly, but I'm gonna have to leave Philly, man.
- [15:25]
DeSean Jackson
I mean, man, I go back, man, in 2013, man, that, for me, that, that was one of the toughest things I've had to face in my life. When you talk about adversity, when you talk about trials and tribulations, I mean, everything Philly meant to me, obviously. My family is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, so I grew up a Pittsburgh Steeler fan. So when I got a chance to get drafted by the Eagles, you know, I had some Philly, I had some family that actually lived in Philadelphia because it's down the street from Pittsburgh.
- [15:51]
Chad Johnson
Absolutely.
- [15:52]
DeSean Jackson
So. So for me, man, it was a bittersweet thing. And like now looking back, Harold Carmichael is the all time Philadelphia leader in yards, all time. And he had like 6, 800. I'm at 6,300 as far as Philadelphia and Philadelphia years. And I played five years and I came back and played two years, so. Or no, I think it was six and then eight. So a total of eight years. But in my whole career, 15 years, I got 11,000 plus yards. So if I would have stayed there my whole career, I'm shattering here. Harold Carmichael, recorder, no disrespect, because I think Harold Carmichael is, you know, one of the best receivers that played for the Eagles. But I look back, you know, Devonte Smith, you got A.J. brown, you got all these dudes that, you know, their accolades, they coming up them charts and it's like, man, if I would have stayed there, man, them charts would have been hard for anybody to chat, to be real. And you know, them dudes are ballers, you know what I'm saying? Devonte, I think he's, you know, him and AJ together, I mean, obviously, you know, when me and Macklin was There Jeremy Macklin was there. We did some crazy things. I know to was a guy that comes up, but I mean, honestly, man, what I felt like, what I've done in Philadelphia, all the big plays, me and Michael Vick, I can even go Back to Donovan McNabb, Nick Foles. I mean, I played with so many great quarterbacks. But I think that Philly breakup, man, for us as a team, what Chip Kelly did, man, like, he dismantled, I think a team that obviously could have been a Super bowl team. Now, we had. We would have still had to go out there and, you know, earn that and do that. But 2017, I think had a lot of credibility to the, to the old times of the Philadelphia. Like, if you go ask Brandon Graham, Kelsey Lane Johnson, like all them dudes would tell you, like, you know me, Michael Vick, Shady McCoy, Jeremy Macklin, Brett Selleck, like all them core guys or guys that when we left, they just kind of took the pedigree and kind of just took it off. Just how when I was drafted, you had McNabb, you had Westbrook, you had Brian Dawkins, you know, like, that's the core of Philadelphia. We turned into the court. Yeah, Trotter, you know, we. We turned into that core Philadelphia. So 2017, a lot of that we carried over. You know, they took that on and won a Super Bowl.
- [17:57]
Chad Johnson
What was, what was the, what was the environment like when. When Kelly was there? Because it seemed like they had a lot of issues. You had the issue with the receiver and at the, the concert. I don't know. Were you there then?
- [18:09]
DeSean Jackson
Yeah, yeah, I was there when Riley Cooper said the.
- [18:11]
Chad Johnson
Riley Cooper said what? He said Chip had Mike to get up in front of him and, and accept his like, whoa, whoa, whoa.
- [18:18]
DeSean Jackson
Yeah, yeah. Don't.
- [18:19]
Chad Johnson
Don't put that pressure on me. Hey, I got to see some things before I start accepting apology. Hell, I ain't even heard him say that. He apolog. He apologized. And you talk about Mike Vick said, no, Mike ain't said nothing. What was the type of environment that he fostered with when he got there? D.J.
- [18:35]
DeSean Jackson
Oh, man, @ that period of time, just. I'll go back before the Riley Cooper, you know, that situation. But like, when, When Chip Kelly first came in, for those who don't know, he literally came in. You got Pro Bowlers. When I tell you I was a Pro Bowler, Vic was a Pro Bowler, McCoy was a pro Bowler. Jeremy Mackin was, you know, a thousand yard receiver. I mean, we had got Brett Selleck. I mean, we had Guys, and I ain't even talking on the defensive side, we had guys that were ballers. When Chip Kelly came in there, he literally had a meeting, and he said, there's no starters. So you telling me you coming into a team that got them type of names that I just said, and you saying no one's a starter? Like, we literally was not starting. Like, everybody just was going, and we didn't have no first stream, no second. Like, it was crazy. So hold on, Jack, what is he trying to prove?
- [19:25]
Troy Polamalu
He's coming into a team with a bunch of Pro Bowlers that have been playing for a long time and telling y', all, y' all have to earn your position.
- [19:30]
DeSean Jackson
You feel me, bro? Buddy was. But. But. But Buddy was. He. He lost his. But, like, day one, Buddy lost power trip. It was a power trip. And, like, he came from Oregon, where he has success. But I'm gonna be real. Like, everything he was doing, we was like guinea pigs. We was like lab rats. Like, he was like, oh, put a heart monitor on at night time. I want to know how many hours you slept. When you come to work, I want you to pee in a cup, and I want to see how hydrated you are. I'm gonna put trackers on you. I need to know how many. Like, it was just crazy. And, like, I ain't gonna lie. I was. When me and McCoy, we was there, I mean, Vic was. He had to play the role because, you know, he was coming off a situation. But me and Shady McCoy, we was like, hey, bro, we ain't doing that. It's some we just not gonna do. And so. So. So to go back to that situation with Righty Cooper, I mean, I can remember that meeting like it was yesterday. He literally. He said the comments. And one thing about Riley Cooper, like, Roddy Cooper, he wasn't racist. You know what I'm saying? I just think he got into a situation, intoxicated. Somebody said something to him, and he just slurred that out. But, like, Roddy Cooper was actually a good dude, man. You know what I'm saying? Like, I had a great relationship with him, and when it happened, I just knew. I'm like, bread. Not like that. But it did happen. It did come out. And however it came out, he may felt the way he felt. So for us, before we accepted any apologies, we, like, we gotta really see that this is sincere. So I think, you know, he tried to force that on us. He tried. They tried to patch it up. They tried to do a team meeting and cover it up. But it was like when we got in trouble, you ain't patching nothing up for us. So why you. Why you gonna go patch it up for him? So it just, the team did. It didn't settle right for the team.
- [21:08]
Troy Polamalu
Hey, when you think about coaching, coaching colleague, coaching football in general, as a coach, is this something that you view it's something you want to do long term? Do you. Do you envision and do envision doing it 20 plus years and maybe transitioning from college to the NFL?
- [21:25]
DeSean Jackson
He said 20 plus. He said 20 plus.
- [21:28]
Chad Johnson
I mean, hey, hey, DJ, let me get through the first year and I get back at you, you feel me?
- [21:34]
DeSean Jackson
Man, I, I ain't gonna lie, but I didn't got a few grades, bro. I've been already stressed out. Where they got me at the university, man. You know, it's hbcu, man. We got a lot of, you know, resources. We got a lot of options. Yeah. Underfunded, accomplished, right here. So long term, man, I'm not gonna lie to you, I. I definitely love the seat I'm in right now, man. To be able to have the success I had on the field and now to be able to be a head coach where I control everything from top to bottom, you know what I'm saying? Like, I ain't even no power trip type of dude, but just to have this control and to be able to say, like, that's a resemblance of me, I mean, it's a great feeling, man. Every day I wake up, I'm rejuvenated. I'm excited to go in there because I'm gonna be real with you. Uncontroll. Like, I didn't think it was gonna be this. I didn't think I was gonna have this much fun doing it, bro. Because I thought about the hours. Yeah. When I get, when I get in there, I get in there about 7, 8 in the morning, and by the time I look up, it's like five, six o', clock, and the day's already going. You look up, you're like, where did the time go? So it's really like when you enjoying something and you, you and you passionate about it, it don't seem like work, bro. And like, honestly, like the meetings, I'm a head coach, so, like, I got an offensive coordinator, they, they run the meetings. I got a defensive coordinator, they run the meeting. So I just get to dibble and dabble and I don't gotta sit in a full meeting. I don't gotta do through installs. I don't gotta go Like, I just gotta be a leader of men. And at the end of the day, I'm gonna make sure my coaches. That's why I surrounded myself, and that's why I respect prime so much, because I feel like. And this day, I'm not taking away from nothing that coach prime does as a head coach, but he's more. To me, he's more of a leader of men. And he, you know, his intelligence is smart, but he put people around him for him to have success. And I just followed the blueprint that big bro put down.
- [23:13]
Chad Johnson
Shador says that when he's a vet, he'll have rookie organize his locker. Take a look. Take a look at this video, guys. I'm a vet.
- [23:23]
Shannon Sharpe
What I'm gonna do, I'm gonna have.
- [23:24]
Chad Johnson
A rookie organize my locker every day before he leaves. If Flacco told me to do this.
- [23:31]
Shannon Sharpe
Every day, I would do it.
- [23:32]
Chad Johnson
I go to him every day and I said, hey, bro, you good?
- [23:35]
DeSean Jackson
You need anything?
- [23:36]
Chad Johnson
Right hand. Because it's respect. You feel me?
- [23:39]
DeSean Jackson
I feel that.
- [23:43]
Chad Johnson
So when you came in as a rookie, what did the vets have you do to run?
- [23:47]
Shannon Sharpe
Events were pretty. Pretty good to me, man. Jerry Evans, Ben Grubb, Zach Streep, Those guys were pretty good to me.
- [23:53]
Chad Johnson
Yeah. Yeah.
- [23:54]
DeSean Jackson
Okay.
- [23:54]
Shannon Sharpe
Get them breakfast every Saturday. Food for the plane, snacks, toiletries. I had to bring that type of stuff to the facility. Deodorant, body wash, all that good stuff. So trying to find a ride to Walmart because Uber didn't exist in. In 2013, so trying to find a ride to Walmart, get the stuff for the guys, and haul it into the facility. But they were. They were pretty. They were pretty smooth on me.
- [24:18]
Chad Johnson
Yeah, that's what it was. I mean, they want breakfast, sandwiches, they wanted donuts, they wanted chicken to come. They wanted Popeye to come to the plane. I'm like, come on, guys. Y'. All. Y' all know, man, and back then, you know, we drove. We know we drove. Drove to the airport, but we had our own hangar. So you drive up, go get on the. Walk up and get on the plane, man. You know, bet I was driving so fast, driving reckless, man, trying to. I want a rookie contract, man.
- [24:48]
DeSean Jackson
I can't.
- [24:48]
Chad Johnson
I can't afford no 1200, 1500. Fine, man. Damn.
- [24:51]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah.
- [24:54]
Troy Polamalu
I remember them days. I. Wide receiver group. I mean, obviously the vets. When I came in as a rookie in Cincinnati, man, it was love, you know, There was a certain amount of respect that I showed and a certain amount of respect that they showed as well. But you remember Darnay Scott.
- [25:08]
Chad Johnson
Yeah, I do. Yeah.
- [25:09]
Troy Polamalu
Hey, Darnay Scott. Danny Farmer was there at the time. Ron Dugan, Pdub. Pdub was there, and it was all love. It was nothing to that magnitude. Like some of the stories that I heard.
- [25:21]
Chad Johnson
Nah, we. We think the receiver room have the.
- [25:23]
Shannon Sharpe
Hardest time with that. The receiver room is always that.
- [25:27]
Chad Johnson
That they could be trying to book the receiver be trying to book.
- [25:31]
Shannon Sharpe
It's. It's always a hard time with that. We had a situation in Miami last year, Not a big situation, but Tyree. Tyreek Hill had bought one of the rookies a Christmas gift, and the rookie didn't like it. Really? Like, no. I mean, it's cool, but, you know, you tight. You Tyree. I expected you to give me something better, you know, something bigger. You make it 30M's a year. You know what I'm saying? And Tyreek was really hurt by that. Like, he was really upset that he got in.
- [25:59]
Troy Polamalu
Hey, what did he get him?
- [26:00]
Shannon Sharpe
I'm trying to remember. It was like. It was like a. Like a Gucci cologne set or something like that. Some type of designer cologne set. And this is this young boy. He 21 years old in Miami. Man, he probably don't even have no cologne. He don't wear no cologne. He don't want that. He wanted Tyreek Devon something with a little bit more. A little more splash to it. Yeah, that was.
- [26:21]
Chad Johnson
And plus, you know, you gotta sing at. At training camp. And not no damn fight song either. Ain't nobody go to your school but you. So you gotta sing something. Whoever the latest is now, like, probably not to be Kendrick Lamar, Drake, or whomever the hot rapper is right now. Back then, you know, RB was still big when I was coming up and guys singing. Teddy, the guys were singing. Luther was singing Barry White. Hey, they did the thing y' all have. Did y' all have a rookie show, T?
- [26:52]
Shannon Sharpe
Oh, for sure. For sure. Mike McDaniel, he was. He was big on that. And Sean Payton was, too. Back in New Orleans, we would do the song, most of the guys would do R B. Old school R B. I feel like the. And you guys probably have a different song, but I feel like that undefeated song, when the rookie starts singing it in that rookie show, the whole crowd gonna join in is Fantasia. When I see you, it's over. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah he start that. You get to the first 30. He get through the first 30 seconds. He won because everybody gone. Yeah.
- [27:22]
Troy Polamalu
Hey, you know what? That song. That song right there is like, when the swag. Surfing song.
- [27:28]
Shannon Sharpe
Come on.
- [27:28]
Troy Polamalu
It don't matter where you at or what you doing.
- [27:31]
Shannon Sharpe
Sure.
- [27:31]
Troy Polamalu
Everybody joining in.
- [27:33]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah. You gonna grab somebody?
- [27:34]
Chad Johnson
Swag.
- [27:35]
DeSean Jackson
Yeah.
- [27:36]
Shannon Sharpe
You gotta grab somebody, everybody. Yeah.
- [27:39]
Chad Johnson
That's New Orleans. What is that? Here we come to get you. Here we come to get you. That was New Orleans. Bad New Orleans.
- [27:51]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah, that Superdome used to rock, man. I missed. I missed them. I missed that place. I missed those fans. It was crazy.
- [28:00]
Troy Polamalu
Matter of fact, I think you went to Arkansas. Pine Bluff.
- [28:02]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes, sir.
- [28:03]
Troy Polamalu
As a matter of fact, when I was at Lake. You know about Langston University, right?
- [28:06]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah.
- [28:08]
Troy Polamalu
When I was at Langston, we played Arkansas. Pine Bluff. They came on down. Was it Coil or Stillwater? Whichever one it is, this back in 1990, 1997.
- [28:21]
Shannon Sharpe
We played Langston my freshman year, and Langston beat us, bro.
- [28:25]
DeSean Jackson
Real.
- [28:26]
Shannon Sharpe
It was bad. It was bad.
- [28:27]
Chad Johnson
I know y' all took the bus. Cause we took the bus everywhere. It didn't matter if it was three hours or if it was 12 hours. You on that bus?
- [28:34]
Shannon Sharpe
I was on that bus. Who's on that bus?
- [28:36]
Chad Johnson
Paired up and. Well, see, and the way we did it is like the starting offense and the starting defense on one bus, and then the backups on another bus.
- [28:52]
Shannon Sharpe
We did offense?
- [28:53]
Chad Johnson
No. Hell, no. Starters on one bus and the backups on another bus. What the hell you mean?
- [29:00]
Shannon Sharpe
If you ride the bench, you ride this bus?
- [29:01]
Chad Johnson
Huh? Yeah, you're right. Exactly.
- [29:04]
Troy Polamalu
Oh, by segregation.
- [29:06]
Shannon Sharpe
Oh, yeah. That's crazy. How they supposed to get better, man? They can't sit and talk to none of y'.
- [29:09]
DeSean Jackson
All.
- [29:11]
Chad Johnson
Cause we back there playing cards, you know, spades, we playing cards. We. We. You know, we. Hey, we own one at the back. The back of the bus. You know what I'm saying? We act. As a matter of fact, we wanted to go to the back of the bus. But, hey, all of us, it wasn't nothing special because all of us was black. We had what. Our kicker was white. So it wasn't no thanking. I'm sure it's the same thing with you guys. Did y' all have a white kicker or punter? Both.
- [29:35]
Shannon Sharpe
White kicker and punter. That's it.
- [29:37]
Chad Johnson
Oh, yeah.
- [29:38]
Shannon Sharpe
And a linebacker. We had a. Yeah, we had a linebacker, too. He was a bad man.
- [29:42]
Chad Johnson
But that's what, you know. But you miss that? I missed, you know, taking over, you know, going to Tuskegee, going to. Where's Burlington, North Carolina? Just, you know, you taking a bus. I mean, it ain't no plane. It doesn't matter if it was like, I Said if it was an hour to Georgia Southern and Statesboro, or you going to Tuskegee or you going to North Carolina, it didn't matter. Spartanburg, South Carolina, it didn't matter. You on that bus?
- [30:09]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah, we would take. We take that 10 hour bus ride to Houston for Prairie View, Texas Southern. We'll take the 10 hour bus ride to Alabama A and M, Alabama State. My first flight in my life was. We got paid to come play utep. So we flew down to utep. They paid us to beat on us.
- [30:27]
Chad Johnson
Yeah, well, that was my first time trying to think what if. Oh, first time on a flight. I think I went to black college. All American. I think I went to Pittsburgh. I think maybe I flew to see my brother play.
- [30:44]
Shannon Sharpe
Oh, yeah.
- [30:45]
Chad Johnson
But other now. But now you wouldn't take it. You would. But you missed that because guess what? We could stop by a convenience store. They was like, man, the guy was like. Cause I was the capitalist. D sold the man like, man, Sharp, man, I'm hungry, man. Have Coach Davis to stop by the convenience store. I'm like, I like, Coach, man, I'm hungry, Coach, can we stop by convenience store? Coach David looked at me and said, all right, home, we gonna stop. But you responsible for him. He already know what they were gonna do. Yeah, they gonna clean the store out. Oh, y'. All.
- [31:15]
Troy Polamalu
Y' all had that nil money back then.
- [31:17]
Chad Johnson
No, we had no nil money. That's why he told me I was responsible for him, to make sure they issue their pockets. That's why he told me I'm responsible for. And I'm standing to the door. Hey, take it out. How that go?
- [31:38]
Shannon Sharpe
Look, he ain't stop everybody. Ocho, I did. Yeah, yeah. You ain't see everything, but I tell you.
- [31:44]
Chad Johnson
But let me tell you what I wouldn't do. Cause I was one of the few guys that had a vehicle. And people like, man, to this day, they like, man, Shaw wouldn't give nobody a ride, bro. I know who had stuff would follow him out the store. I know who a bag of potato chips, soda, honey buns, ish. Would follow you walk out the store behind you. So no, you not getting to my car. Cause everybody knew who I was and what I drove, man. I just know they got in the car with Shannon. It was Shannon Sharp. They ain't gonna say nothing else. It was Shannon Sharp. Oh, no.
- [32:15]
Shannon Sharpe
Even if he had a little. Little honey bun, he gonna slide you a little Swiss roll or something.
- [32:20]
Chad Johnson
He might have $3, but he gonna come out of there with $5 worth of stuff. So. No, no.
- [32:26]
Shannon Sharpe
He got something for you.
- [32:28]
Chad Johnson
No, they didn't. No. Oh, no. In the mall. Never going to the mall with him. Absolutely not. T, what do you think about the locker room this season with Tua going through his third and fourth major concussion? How do. I mean, look, you can do all you can to try to protect the guy, but at some point in time, he's gotta protect himself. He has to know when the journey's over. You can't. At no situation should he be allowed. I don't know what he was thinking. That you gonna go head. That you gonna go head first on somebody knowing your history.
- [32:59]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah, yeah. No, he definitely. He has to be aware. There's no question about it. And he is aware. But even more. And now it has to be proven on a weekly basis that he understands his importance and impact to the. To the team, to the franchise, to the city. Without Tua under center, it's a different. It's a different team, it's a different look. But with him under under center, I strongly believe Miami Dolphins can win any game that he's a starting quarterback.
- [33:25]
DeSean Jackson
So.
- [33:26]
Shannon Sharpe
No, you're.
- [33:26]
Chad Johnson
You're absolutely. When it gets 30 degrees.
- [33:29]
Shannon Sharpe
Ah, here we go. Let's get it.
- [33:31]
Troy Polamalu
Let's get into it.
- [33:32]
Shannon Sharpe
Let's get into it.
- [33:35]
Chad Johnson
Go ahead. But with Tua. Go ahead with Tua.
- [33:38]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah. No, he has to know that. He has to know how much of a value piece he is and whatever it needs to do. But just knowing the guy, knowing how much he loved the game and the way that he prepares, man, it's that competitiveness against Buffalo this year. We're stagnant offensively. We get a drive going, and he's trying to extend on the third down and try to get another first down. It's just. He can't be the one to do it. You know what I mean? But it's just him being a competitor trying to wield a team.
- [34:04]
Troy Polamalu
Yeah, I think I talked uncle and I talked about this last year sometime when he went out. I just think he has to learn to fall a little better understanding when to especially. I remember that first down we went head first. He still got. He got up, but it was like one of the moments where you'd be.
- [34:21]
Shannon Sharpe
Like, ah, yeah, yeah, for sure. Hold your breath moment.
- [34:25]
Chad Johnson
You gotta know when the journey's over.
- [34:27]
Troy Polamalu
Yeah. Knowing when the journey's over. And then when he gets hit, knowing how to fall correctly, you know, especially when you go. When you go back and you don't try to do Your best. I know it's hard, but I was. It's something that I trained myself to do, is when you get tackled, you're going backwards. Try not to let your head hit the back, the back of the back of the ground as hard as it does. What I used to do is if I get hit hard and I know it's backwards or I'm going backwards, I would tighten my core and try to keep my head upright the best I can, the best I can. Just so I don't get that boom. That initial shock which causes.
- [35:03]
Shannon Sharpe
That's the one though. The one that you falling back. Hit the head. That's the one. Yeah, that's the one.
- [35:09]
Troy Polamalu
I do my best like I'm holding the ball, but I do my best as if I'm bear hugging, dude. You know, in a sense, obviously not literally bear hugging. I'm just saying trying to keep my body and my upper body and torso as close to him as possible, even on impact, just so most of the force isn't the back of the head bouncing off.
- [35:29]
Shannon Sharpe
How you feel about them guys on the sideline if they jump out of bounds or are you trying to fall for a few more yards? What you think about that?
- [35:39]
Chad Johnson
It all depends. In his situation, he can't do it, not even on four because he's too valuable. He gets the first down and he gets dinged. What have you done? Okay, you got the first down. Now your backup has to come in and finish out the ball game. Example, Peyton Manning. Once Peyton Manning hurt that neck, they never let him do quarterback sneak again.
- [35:58]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah.
- [35:59]
Chad Johnson
If you notice, they don't let Patrick Mahomes, since he hurt his knee, they don't let Patrick Mahomes do go straight into the line of scrimmage. You see you. You have to protect the guy.
- [36:07]
Shannon Sharpe
No, that's a fact. That's a fact. He's gonna have.
- [36:11]
Chad Johnson
They're not gonna let him do it. Obviously you wouldn't do no tush push with Tua. But second of all, bro, you got slide. It's okay. It's okay to slide. I'm not looking at no quarterback. Oh, he tough for what? You're not used to taking those licks like that. And they looking to punish you because you don't have the protection of the pocket. Cause once you leave that pocket, you a runner. So I'm gonna hit you like Derry Henry.
- [36:36]
Shannon Sharpe
Free game. Free game. This is an I Heart podcast.