The $20M Mistake NFL Teams Make: RB Alex Mattison Reveals All | Alex Mattison DSH #1014

Summary

Digital Social Hour: The $20M Mistake NFL Teams Make: RB Alex Mattison Reveals All | Episode #1014

Release Date: December 25, 2024

In the latest episode of Digital Social Hour, host Sean Kelly sits down with Alex Madison, a dynamic running back for the Oakland Raiders, to delve deep into the intricacies of the NFL, focusing on the often-overlooked challenges and strategic decisions surrounding the running back position. This engaging conversation spans Alex’s professional journey, the evolving landscape of the NFL, and his personal life, offering listeners a comprehensive understanding of both the sport and the person behind the jersey.

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Transitioning Teams: From the Vikings to the Raiders

Alex Madison begins by discussing his recent transition from the Minnesota Vikings to the Oakland Raiders, highlighting the abrupt nature of such moves within the NFL.

“It’s wild how my career in Minnesota ended so abruptly. I had no heads up, none at all.” (09:33)

He reflects on the sudden decisions made by franchises, emphasizing the lack of stability players often face despite being veterans.

“You could be having a loving conversation one day, and then the next week, they're shipping you away.” (00:07)

Alex appreciates the opportunity to represent the Raiders, expressing enthusiasm about his new environment.

“It's one of those seasons that's just a lot of adversity, but a lot of football left. So we're looking forward to the next opportunity.” (00:39)

The Running Back Position: Rising Challenges and Devaluation

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the declining valuation of the running back (RB) position in the NFL. Alex provides a nuanced analysis of why this trend is occurring, attributing it to the league’s evolving dynamics and strategic shifts.

“The value of the running back position is a lot higher than it actually is. On paper right now, it's been devalued so much.” (07:42)

He compares the earlier days, when RBs like Jerome Bettis and Adrian Peterson were esteemed as workhorses, to the current era where teams prefer a "running back by committee" approach.

“When you look at it from a standpoint of where the game's gone, you have the likes of Justin Jefferson and all these receivers that are top tier...you have to spend money somewhere else.” (14:36)

Contracts and Career Longevity: A Business Perspective

Alex delves into the financial and contractual aspects affecting running backs, shedding light on the precarious nature of their career longevity.

“The average for a running back is two and a half years. It’s scary because you're training your whole life for two and a half years.” (11:54)

Using Dalvin Cook as a case study, Alex illustrates how even elite players face uncertain futures despite their on-field performance.

“Dalvin Cook, elite player still to this day, just unfortunate. The way that the situation played out is he was slotted to make a certain amount of money...they just cut him out of the last two years.” (17:42)

He critiques the standard rookie contract lengths, advocating for shorter agreements that better align with the average career span of running backs.

“I think it should be shorter. I would say two to three years.” (30:30)

Navigating Team Dynamics and Coaching

Alex emphasizes the importance of team chemistry and effective coaching in achieving sustained success in the NFL. He contrasts this with the NBA, where star players often have more control over team compositions.

“Playoff football is a different type of football. It comes down to like the small things then.” (34:43)

He praises teams like the Kansas City Chiefs for their meticulous attention to detail and cohesive team structure, likening them to the San Antonio Spurs of the NFL.

“They have good guys, but they don't ever have like stacked receiving rooms...they just do the details really well.” (35:54)

Personal Life: Balancing Professional Demands and Family

Beyond the gridiron, Alex shares insights into his personal life, highlighting the challenges of balancing a demanding NFL career with family responsibilities. He speaks candidly about his commitment to maintaining his health and supporting his family.

“It really comes down to priorities. How are you going to balance this life with trying to be the best husband, father, best friend, provider?” (24:11)

Alex also discusses his dedication to physical well-being through practices like acupuncture, which not only aids his athletic performance but also enhances his overall quality of life.

“It's a blend of not just like the ancient technique of acupuncture...but really a little bit deeper with the muscle tissue and breaking down your fascia.” (26:35)

Community Engagement and Future Endeavors

Concluding the episode, Alex highlights his philanthropic efforts through the I Am Gifted Foundation, focusing on mental health awareness and community support.

“We try and just continue to bring home that message and, and bring about mental health awareness. Make sure that everyone knows that they have a gift within.” (37:25)

He invites listeners to participate in upcoming events, such as a scavenger hunt at Sunrise Children's Hospital, fostering a sense of community and giving back.

“The next event, we will be at the Sunrise Children's Hospital doing a little scavenger hunt with the kids and trying to put some smiles on their faces.” (38:12)

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Key Takeaways:

1. NFL Team Dynamics: The abrupt nature of player trades and team changes underscores the volatile environment of the NFL, especially for veteran players.
2. Running Back Valuation: The RB position has seen a decline in average career length and valuation due to strategic shifts favoring other positions like quarterbacks and wide receivers.
3. Contractual Challenges: Standard contract lengths often do not align with the average career span of running backs, leading to financial and career uncertainties.
4. Importance of Team Chemistry: Successful teams prioritize chemistry, effective coaching, and attention to detail over simply accumulating star players.
5. Personal Balance: Balancing a demanding professional career with personal life requires strong prioritization and dedicated self-care practices.
6. Community Involvement: Engaging in philanthropic efforts provides athletes like Alex Madison a platform to give back and support important causes.

Notable Quotes:

• “You could be having a loving conversation one day, and then the next week, they're shipping you away.” — Alex Madison (00:07)
• “The average for a running back is two and a half years. It’s scary because you're training your whole life for two and a half years.” — Alex Madison (11:54)
• “Dalvin Cook, elite player still to this day, just unfortunate.” — Alex Madison (17:42)
• “We try and just continue to bring home that message and, and bring about mental health awareness.” — Alex Madison (37:25)

Stay Connected:

Follow Alex Madison and stay updated on his endeavors through his foundation and upcoming community events. For more insights and in-depth conversations, subscribe to Digital Social Hour and never miss an episode.

Transcript

[Alex Madison]

Or franchise, whatever the best move is for a coach, owner, a gm.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

They look at those things and they make a decision. It's like that, you know, you could be, you know, having a loving conversation one day, and then the next week, they're shipping you away.

[Host]

Damn. It's like that.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

It's crazy.

[Host]

No heads up.

[Alex Madison]

No, I mean, it's. It's wild.

[Host]

All right, guys, Running back for the Raiders, Alex Madison. Thanks for coming on, man.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, appreciate it. Thank you for having me.

[Host]

First Raiders I've had on the show.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Hey, I like that.

[Host]

Gotta represent.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, I appreciate it.

[Host]

How's the season going so far?

[Alex Madison]

It's going. It's. It's going. It's. It's one of those seasons that's just, you know, a lot of adversity, but a lot of football left. So we're looking forward to the next opportunity. Just got to keep chipping away, keep. Keep grinding.

[Host]

Absolutely.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah.

[Host]

Has it big been a big change from the Vikings?

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

I mean, the biggest change, of course, is the weather. It's like, night and day, super hot. I love it. I'm from California, San Bernardino, California. So being back on the west coast feels amazing. Feels good. But, yeah, it's just a little different. Just different way that things are, you know, all the different teams around the league have different ways that they do things, different way that they have, you know, their lifts versus, you know, their scheduling, where it's like, here we practice earlier in the day than Minnesota was later in the day. So just little things like that that are different.

[Host]

All right. You got to memorize all the plays, too.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, that too.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Luckily, the system that we're in now is a system that is like a combination of the systems that I've been a part of in Minnesota, So pretty familiar with, like, the different schemes and everything like that. So that's a good part.

[Host]

Oh, nice. Yeah. So there were some similar plays and stuff.

[Guest]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

The only difference is, like, some of the verb, but, I mean, there's some that's the same, and you listen to it and you're like, I wonder if that's the same as what it was.

[Host]

Right.

[Alex Madison]

And it is. And then there's sometimes where there's, like, a word and you think of what it was in Minnesota. Right. And, no, that word is a different play here. So, yeah, you just kind of got to learn how to disconnect them.

[Host]

Have you ever played against a team where they found out your plays and they kind of knew you were what you were about to Do.

[Alex Madison]

I've never. I've never known for a fact, but I've. I've lined up and they're like, okay, yeah, he's doing this. And I'm just like, how would they. Like, how do they know that? But, you know, it comes down to, like, being a football player comes down to prepping all week. They've probably seen when they line up in this formation and it's third and eight, they're either doing this or they're doing that. So, like, you get down to it, and that's what they do a lot of, like, coin flips when it comes down to formations and things like that.

[Host]

That awareness, Right.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

So do you have to change the plays throughout the season? Like, the words, what you call them stuff?

[Alex Madison]

Sometimes.

[Guest]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

You get to a point where you either add in new stuff or you start to switch up your verbiage a little bit. I've seen that a lot with, like, snap counts.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Like, if you're lining up and you're like, we're going on this count, they know what that snap count is, so they start to jump the count. They start to, like, get a feel for it. So you have to switch it up all the time.

[Host]

Yeah. Because I see the guys that get the most sacks, it almost seems like they know what's coming.

[Guest]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

And I mean, it's funny because sometimes you'll have guys that line up and they, like. I don't know how guys do it because, like, I'm in a mode where I'm, like, thinking to myself about all the different things that I have to do, where I'm going, what my alignment is, what my aiming point, what the defense is doing. But there's guys will be on the side of the ball. They're lined up, and they're just, like, talking mess and just like.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

It's funny because, like, I'll be there and I'll. If I do a point. Oh, you're. You're not. That's a fake point. And I'm like, damn. Like, how you even.

[Host]

You're locked in.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah.

[Host]

Yeah. There's people trying to talk to you, right?

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

Talk smack or whatever. Get in your head.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

You ever let the. That happen?

[Alex Madison]

I don't. It doesn't affect me.

[Guest]

Yeah, it.

[Alex Madison]

It doesn't affect me. There was a time I remember Jamal Adams. He got mad at me because I had, I think, an explosive screen, and he tried to make the tackle, and I kind of broke his tackle, but ended up out of bounds. So when I Got up, he was like, talking mess. And I honestly couldn't understand what he was saying. So I like, looked at him and asked, I said, what? And he, like, tried to like, you know, continue to talk mess. And I was just like. And just kept going. And I could tell he was, like, frustrated that I didn't talk back to him. But it's funny to me because, like, it doesn't faze me.

[Host]

Yeah, well, some people use it to play better. They get, they like to get riled up, right?

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

Like Michael Jordan type stuff.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, definitely. There's, there's some guys, I mean, there, there were some guys Travathan playing against him when he was in Chicago. He's one of those guys, like, all game long.

[Host]

Yeah, he's just yapping out there.

[Alex Madison]

Just yapping. Doesn't have any, it has nothing to do with you, maybe, but he's just yapping all game long.

[Host]

Well, I, I, I hoop a bit and I actually play better when people start talking.

[Guest]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

See, and sometimes it does like, you know, it's like, okay, you want to, you want to talk? All right, let's do this. I, I, I, I get that feeling. Sometimes guys will do like, extra stuff after the play where they kind of like land on you and give you a little, like, nudge and call you certain words, whatever, and it's like, all right, bet. Yeah, so that's kind of what I do. I just tap into mode. Just like, all right, bet.

[Host]

That must hurt, man, when you're at the bottom of a pile with eight dudes on you.

[Alex Madison]

Oh, man, it's worse when there's like a defensive lineman. Those guys are 300 plus pounds, and they will purposely, like, dead weight on top of you because it like, really just, it drains you when you get tackled. And they might not have even like, hit you hard or anything, but if they, like, feel you under them, they'll just, like, drop their weight for as long as they can.

[Host]

Yeah, see, this is the stuff people watching don't even realize.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, no, it's, it's horrible. It happened to me like twice last game.

[Host]

Oh, man.

[Alex Madison]

They're just like, squeeze. They got a good grip on you and they just kind of like lean up and just like, let their dead weight fall until someone comes and like, pushes them off.

[Host]

Yeah, because they got to be helped up, right?

[Guest]

Yeah, yeah.

[Host]

And yeah, because then next play you're probably gassed.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, yeah, but it's, it's one of those things you gotta tap in. Like, there's a difference between, like, being in shape and being in football shape. And that's what the difference is. Like, you gotta be able to take hits, hit people and keep going. Next play, next play, next play.

[Host]

Absolutely.

[Alex Madison]

And you can't just, you know, run. You know, people can run laps all they want to and be in shape, be conditioned and all that, but there's like that extra different type of football conditioning when it comes down to, like, taking hits and getting a guy, four people laying on top of you, and then you got to get up and get on the ball and run again.

[Host]

Right?

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

This is why injuries are so common.

[Guest]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

That fatigue sets in and your body.

[Host]

Just does what it does, especially your position.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah.

[Host]

I feel like almost every starting running back is dealing with something.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

It's day in, day out. It's like, is, how does my hip feel? How does my ankle feel? How does my. It's just always something that she's like, week to week, just gotta get better, get better, get better.

[Host]

It's gotta be one of the most vulnerable positions, if I had to guess.

[Guest]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

I feel like other than. Other than, like, the linemen, like, we get touched every play, really, like, for the majority of the part where like 97% of the game we're getting touched, whether that's picking up a blitz, catching the ball at the backfield, or running the football, we're. We're having to deal with some contact.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Guest]

Damn.

[Host]

You must have a fearless mindset then. That's crazy to think about 97 of the time you're getting touched up. Yeah.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

And that's why, like, for me, I, like, always try and, like, fight for a little bit. I tell people, you know, that the value of the running back position is a lot higher than it. As. As it is. It's a lot higher than it actually is. Like, on paper right now, it's been devalued so much. But, I mean, you see guys like Saquon and, you know, even, you know, a great duo over in Detroit with David Montgomery and Gibbs, like, like bringing that value back to the running back position. Because there's more than just running the football, is running the ball, catching the ball, picking up blitzes, all of those things that we do on a, you know, every down basis, that's like, we're really like workhorses.

[Host]

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. I grew up in Jersey, so as a Giants fan, losing Saquon was. Was tough.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

Oh, that one. He's a beast.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

No, they let him out.

[Alex Madison]

I thought going to end up being like a lifetime Same. Just go ahead and retire as a. As a Giant.

[Host]

But that's rare these days.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, it is. But I mean. I mean, it worked out for him. He's doing a great job right now.

[Host]

Yeah, I'm happy for him. But. Yeah, the. The business side of. Of the sports industry is. Is tough. It's ruthless. Right. Like, they'll just trade you if it. If they want to make money or whatever. So.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, that's one. That's one thing I learned, too. Just like, it's a business. It really is. Like, at the end of the day, whatever's the best move for a franchise. Whatever the best move is for a coach, owner, a gm. Yeah, they look at those things and they make a decision. It's like that, you know, you could be, you know, having a loving conversation one day, and then the next week they're shipping you away.

[Host]

Damn. It's like that.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

It's crazy.

[Host]

No heads up.

[Alex Madison]

No, I mean, it's. It's wild the way that. The way that my career. My career in Minnesota ended was pretty abrupt.

[Host]

You had no heads up?

[Alex Madison]

None at all.

[Host]

Wow. And you were there for four years, right?

[Alex Madison]

Five.

[Host]

Five years. So you were like one of the vets on that team?

[Guest]

Yeah, yeah.

[Alex Madison]

And I had another year of my deal, and it just kind of, you know, they decided that they were going to go in a different direction.

[Host]

Did they tell you a reason ever?

[Alex Madison]

Not. Not in. Not to the depths of, like, really understanding what the reason was.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Kind of left me and my agent up in smokes when it comes down to, like, figuring out what the pinpoint reason was. But just one of those things that they just said, you know, they. They feel like they want to go in a different direction. And it was like the least expected call that I got.

[Host]

Damn.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah.

[Host]

So that really hurt you at the time?

[Alex Madison]

Oh, yeah, yeah, it was. It was one of those ones. I mean, when it's the off season, like, I remember talking to my wife, like, I'm grinding for more in Minnesota. Like, I want to grind so that this next season coming up, we earn more years here. So, like, I can play as long as I can in Minnesota.

[Host]

Right.

[Alex Madison]

And we had just built a house and everything and had another year left and got a great workout in that morning, and later that day, you know, got a call from a coach and we're chopping it up, and then, bam. Dropped a bomb on me.

[Host]

So the coach is the one that tells you.

[Guest]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Alex Madison]

I mean, it depends. I know a lot of different situations. Sometimes, like, the Agent contact you and get a hold of you before. But for the most part, they do their due diligence and they. They do their respect and they talk to you man to man and just, you know, let you know what the situation is.

[Host]

Damn. That's nuts.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

Yeah. You thought your whole career was going to be there.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Or at least the majority of it.

[Host]

Right. Because that was your final contract year, you said. Right.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah. So I would have ended up. So this would have been the last year on that deal. Then six years in, hopefully get some more time there. And then like, hey, maybe at eight years we figure out if we're going to continue to be able to stay here or go somewhere else, whatever the case may be. But yeah, I was thinking it was going to. It was going to be a beautiful little picture in Minnesota for a little bit longer, at least.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Damn.

[Host]

Because the average career is pretty short, right?

[Guest]

Yeah, yeah.

[Alex Madison]

It's crazy.

[Host]

Like three or four years.

[Alex Madison]

So it was. Well, I would probably say that it maybe is around there collectively, but, like, looking at it from like a running back standpoint, it's down to two and a half.

[Host]

Whoa.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

Two and a half.

[Alex Madison]

And I remember when I was a kid, it was like four. The average was like four years for a running back. So you're like, okay, I want to go play four plus if I can do it. And now they say the average for a running back is two and a half.

[Host]

That's scary.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, it's wild.

[Host]

That's scary because you're training your whole life for two and a half years, basically.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah. That's why I was like, you know, my son, he will not play. He's going to be a receiver, db, quarterback, something else if he wants to play football. But yeah, running back position is like, man, right now it's rough.

[Host]

What do you think caused it to go from four to two and a half? Do you think the competition just got too much?

[Alex Madison]

I think it has something to do with the competition. It has something to do with the way that the league has changed, too, where you see, like, these super mega contracts with quarterbacks and receivers. Right. So it's kind of like you have to have a star receiver, have to have a franchise quarterback, and then you kind of plug the pieces in around that. Then the tight ends are starting to, you know, their value's going up because bigger body, a nightmare for matchups. So you look at these three positions collectively and you start to figure out, okay, what can we do with this? Well, you either get like a secondary Receiver that's like a secondary star receiver. So now you have two star receivers, a star tight end and a franchise quarterback. And then you plug a piece in at running back or you maybe invest in a top tier running back. But for the most part it's a little bit more of a running back by committee now where back in the day, you know, you had the workhorse back where it was like you look at Jerome Bettis, you look at, you know, even a little further, you got Stephen Jackson, Marshawn lynch and Adrian Peterson and Jamal Charles. Like you look at those type of backs and that type of game and it's, there's some, there's guys that can do it, right? There's, there's teams that can do it. But when you look at it from a standpoint of where the game's gone, you got the likes of Justin Jefferson and all these receivers that are top tier and people that are following up behind that. You're getting two or three very notable receivers per team now and the way that their demand is and the quarterback position with a franchise QB and how much you're going to pay it, you have to see the upside in that investment. So for me, I think it's just that the way the game has changed, it's kind of devalued the running back position a little bit just because the emphasis in these other position areas.

[Host]

Right.

[Alex Madison]

And you know, the running back by committee mentality, like you said, the, the competition has gotten a lot, I would say more leveled out where there's like a lot of top tier guys and there's a lot of guys that have to share the room. So you know, you go and you get two backs that are phenomenal. It's a win win. One back is tired, the next back goes in and he's also doing great. So when, when you can kind of do that in a running back room, they can kind of spare because it's like we got to go spend money somewhere else.

[Host]

Right?

[Alex Madison]

You got DNS that are getting paid now, really big safety's corners that are, you know, also getting those big contracts. So yeah, just overall I think it's just the, the value of other positions kind of jumping up so quickly. You kind of have to suffer somewhere else.

[Host]

I love how objective you are because you could be taking, you know, but you're like, this is really like insightful information.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, yeah, no, definitely. I mean, for me it's hard to take things personal in, in such a, a business network like you. Once you get to the point where I'm at where you understand like how much of a business it is. It's hard to take things personal. I mean, there's some things that rub you the wrong way. But, you know, you gotta look at it from the grand scheme of things. Right now is not our time. A few years ago, running backs were, you know, had their stamp in the league and it's like, okay, pay, pay, pay. You know, we need to invest in this guy, we need this guy, we need that guy healthy. You know, it was one of those things where it was a time where all the backs were, man, you want to have that back? And now it's like, whoa, you know, do we want this back or do we want step on dick? You know.

[Host]

So wait, the game's changed that much.

[Alex Madison]

In a few years? Yeah.

[Host]

Wow.

[Alex Madison]

I remember my second year was in the backfield with Dalvin Cook and he resigned an extension with, with the Vikings, five year deal. And you know, that, that was the time, you know, it was him. Nick Chubb, Derrick Henry, Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, all those guys were signing, I think Zeke, all those guys were signing extensions around the same time, big extensions. And that was like where the running back position, I think hit that peak where big contracts, big long term extensions. And then after that you start to see some of the guys don't make it to the end of the deal because, well, not even that, just the way that it, it plays out. I mean, Dalvin Cook, elite player still to this day, just unfortunate. The way that the situation played out is he was slotted to make a certain amount of money. They didn't want to pay him that much money because either they couldn't because of the cap or they needed to spend money elsewhere. So, you know, we're going to have to, we're going to have to part ways. All his guaranteed money was up. It was a lot of different things where you look at the business aspect of it, but he's coming off of four years in a row, thousand yard season, four Pro Bowls in a row. I mean, since I've been there, I've seen nothing but elite out of him.

[Host]

Yeah, that's what I heard of.

[Alex Madison]

You shake hands and say, hey, we, you know, we're gonna have to cut our losses because.

[Host]

So he didn't get the money?

[Alex Madison]

No, I mean, well, he, he had all his guaranteed money. I think there might have been a little bit of guaranteed money left that they probably took a hit on. But for the most part, all of his guaranteed money was up on the front End. So, you know, they just cut him out of the last two years. And, you know, it's one of those things.

[Host]

Wow.

[Alex Madison]

Real. Real business, like, real business, like.

[Host]

Yeah, it's cutthroat, huh?

[Guest]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Host]

And the game changes so quick. And in the NBA, it's all shooting now.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

Like, even the bigs have to shoot, man.

[Alex Madison]

I think. Who was I looking at that was pulling up? And I was like, why Cat?

[Host]

Yeah, he's pulling up like eight shots a game.

[Alex Madison]

I was like, yo, is this like I thought he was. And I was like, I thought he was a big. And I was like, wait, no, he is a big. He's just pulling up from three point line. It's crazy.

[Host]

I mean, you got to adapt. You probably had to change your game, right? Over the years.

[Guest]

Yeah, yeah.

[Alex Madison]

And that's. That's the name of the game, especially in, like, professional sports is like the times change. Every, every now and then, like, you'll see like a big shift in the game. You'll see just like, oh, whoa, hold on. This is. This is new. This is something that I, you know.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Haven't really seen much of, but now everyone's doing it. Everyone's doing it. So now you have to get good at that. When it came down to, for me, I would say, like, there was a. A time where the way that tackling was really, you know, back when I was in College, around 2017. So, yeah, 2017, 2018, like, the big thing was like the Gator roll tackle where they're grabbing guys, rapping and rolling. Then it kind of shifted. And now you see guys just like trying to lunge and throw their bodies without really wrapping up. So now you have a different type of mentality where it's like, well, now I can break tackles a different type of way for me, giving away, I guess, a little bit of a secret, but, like, the way some of the. Some of the backers play it, some of the safeties play it, I know that they're going to come down and, you know, when they dip their arms, they go back. So a lot of times what I do is I'll initiate contact and spin out of tackles.

[Host]

Oh, wow.

[Alex Madison]

Because they can't get their arms to wrap before that contact breaks. So there's. There's little things like that that I paid attention to that I look at and, you know, helps your game.

[Host]

That's super smart. So you're pretty. Like you're analyzing the way people are tackling.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, definitely.

[Host]

I didn't know you were like, researching that type of stuff.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, it's one of those things you look, you know, you watch enough tape, you look at some guys, you know, who likes to tackle low. So, you know, like, okay, this game is a hurdle, opportunity game. You know, some of the guys that, you know, they come downhill. So what you can do with that is, you know, my momentum, I'm gonna use it against them where they think they won. But, you know, if I kind of like press the brake and, and hit a spin move or press the brake and. And use a stiff arm, like, they're out of control. So, yeah, it's a. It's a bunch of that. That I look at. I look at different tendencies, different things, and then even from a broad perspective of like, what's going on.

[Host]

Right.

[Alex Madison]

I noticed, you know, before the hip drop rule came in, I was like a big advocate for like, yo, like, how is it legal to tackle someone like that?

[Host]

The hip drop was.

[Alex Madison]

It's. It's when you grab someone kind of like up top and you drop your hip to the ground, and that's how you. That's how a defender would tackle a runner that's trying to run past them. They grab them and drop their hip to the ground, Drop all their weight.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

And that is putting a runner at a position to suffer a lower leg injury. And I was a victim of that in college. Tore all the ligaments in my left ankle.

[Host]

Damn.

[Alex Madison]

In championship game, linebacker grabbed me and just dropped all his weight and got me good and tore all the ligaments my ankle. And so once I saw that happening, and there was a couple guys last year that were out for the season after it, and so they're looking at, you know, okay, we gotta make a rule change. Because now guys are really just starting to tackle like that. You got a big 300 plus pound D lineman that just grabs you and drops all his weight. I mean, good luck. You're most likely gonna get injured. So for me, I learned how to protect myself against stuff like that. My pad level with just kind of like living to see another day. That is crazy.

[Host]

Yeah, yeah. People don't even know this is going on in your head.

[Guest]

Yeah, yeah, it's great.

[Alex Madison]

I mean, like, if I see a big D lineman free, it's like, I'm gonna try and do what I can, but if he grabs a hold of me.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Just let my body weight go and, and relax and just like, we'll live to see another down.

[Host]

Yeah, well, there's a lot on the line with, with you. Like, if you get a major injury like that could end your career.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

So that's scary, right? Yeah, it's a lot of pressure.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Especially at this point, too. Like, you know, I'm six years in. I got to do what I can to stay healthy, make sure I'm out there on the field, make sure I get my chance, the best chance to keep going.

[Host]

Just had a baby last month, right?

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

Congrats.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

Appreciate the first one.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, it's my second.

[Host]

Second. Nice.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

So, yeah, it's. It's. It's beautiful. He's. Yeah, he's. He's given us a run for money. Everyone asked me, they're like, how are you getting good sleep? And I'm like, yeah, for the most part. For the most part. But, you know, babies are babies, you know, but it's amazing. He's healthy, and my daughter, she's 2, so we just got a nice perfect mixture right now.

[Host]

Love it. Man, I can't wait to have kids.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

Getting married next year.

[Guest]

Oh, yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Congrats.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Okay.

[Host]

We're seven years in, so.

[Alex Madison]

Nice.

[Host]

It's almost time for kids.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

That's beautiful. Yeah, that's beautiful. Were you high school sweethearts?

[Host]

College.

[Alex Madison]

College.

[Host]

Yeah. We met in college. I didn't know her in high school. It was a different town in Jersey.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Okay.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Hometown, though.

[Host]

I grew up. Yeah. Pretty much.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

In Jersey.

[Alex Madison]

That's dope.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Me and my wife, who we. High school.

[Host]

Oh, nice.

[Alex Madison]

High school together and.

[Host]

Yeah, that's irreplaceable, man.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

I've learned that with my relationship because I see all my single friends struggling right now, but this girl's been with me from rock bottom, man. Same with you.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

My rock.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

We just hit 10 years a couple weeks ago.

[Host]

Congrats.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Appreciate it.

[Host]

That's rare these days, man.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, it is. That's why, you know, I'm. I'm glad that she's here with me by my side through all the journey she's seen. I mean, she was here before his first offer rolled in.

[Host]

Wow.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

So beautiful. It is. What. What do you think? How do you think you've been able to make that work out? Being a professional athlete and balancing that?

[Alex Madison]

I mean, it really comes down to priorities. Comes down to how are you going to balance this life with trying to be the best husband, father, best friend, provider? It's. It's hard.

[Host]

Yeah. It's hard because you travel a lot.

[Guest]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

It's hard because the. The schedule, the way the schedule is, the way that you have to, like, I, I do. I mean, a lot of people are different. I do a lot of taking care of my body. So, like, I know that part's also hard because, like, in season, even after practice, right. Like, I might be home and then I gotta a recovery session where I got to go get acupuncture. I got to go do this. And so that part I know is hard, like on a spouse, because it's like season. It's just like going, going, going, going. And we just really get an off day, right. To be with our family. And even on my off day, I'm doing like boxing in the morning.

[Host]

Wow.

[Alex Madison]

Then I'm doing like anything like, like great opportunity like this to come sit down with you and talk. Then later in the evening, I'm going to do another like, acupuncture soft tissue massage session. So it's also just one of those things where, like, I just love and appreciate and respect her patients. And especially dealing with, with the toddler and a newborn right now is definitely hard.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

I told her. I was like, yeah, we got to stop with the season babies because it's definitely one of those, one of those times of the year where it's just like full fledged chaos.

[Host]

Right?

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

You're probably working 80 hours a week.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah.

[Host]

You know?

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

I gotta try out some acupuncture. You're making me want to try it.

[Alex Madison]

It's good.

[Host]

Yeah, it's good. I was scared of it, but.

[Alex Madison]

Have you ever done needles?

[Host]

No.

[Alex Madison]

It's. It'll change your life.

[Host]

Really?

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

It's that effective?

[Guest]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

I mean, you gotta have the right person shout out to Hillary out in Minnesota. She is phenomenal.

[Host]

Oh, you go all the way there for it.

[Alex Madison]

No, I. So when I was there, you know, I was there for five years, I was able to just, you know, have that relationship. Got acupuncture twice a week. Maybe more if I, if I was like, really banged up from the game.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

But I've been able to. Now we have, you know, such a great relationship where she can make trips and in between the Viking schedule and our schedule, she makes it work where, you know, she's not working, she can come out and I can get my body right.

[Host]

That's cool, man.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

So you got a spiritual side to you.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, Yeah, I gotta, I gotta make sure I'm right.

[Host]

Yeah. Because acupuncture is like, on the more spiritual side of things, right?

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

And she does a. She does a good mixture of like, sports, acu. So it's, it's a blend of not just like the ancient technique of acupuncture where they kind of just like hit trigger points.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

But really a little bit deeper with the muscle tissue and breaking down your fascia using like the tens stem unit and fire cupping and using a little bit of that, you know, soft tissue manual therapy as well. So a big mix of just like getting in there and making sure that everything's working and flowing. Great.

[Host]

Wow. Love it, man. You're gonna be playing into your 30s, I think.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, I'm. Look, I'm, I'm trying to make it as long as I can. I'm trying to. I feel good now, you know, having a great season.

[Host]

Three touchdowns already, right?

[Alex Madison]

Yeah.

[Host]

What's the most you've had in NFL season?

[Alex Madison]

That is a great question.

[Host]

I'm surprised you don't know.

[Alex Madison]

I think five.

[Host]

Okay. So you might, you might beat that this year, man.

[Guest]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Host]

Let's go.

[Alex Madison]

I think I have. Yeah, you said three and one receiving. So if I can just continue to just wherever, whether it's in the air, whether it's on the ground, just continue to stack those, put points on the board. That's one of the great feelings is, you know, helping your team to a victory, helping your team score. So. Yeah, I look forward to that every.

[Host]

Time I touch the ball. Four already. Wow. Yeah. You're definitely going to beat it.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, I'm trying to.

[Host]

You might even hit 10.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Hopefully double digits. Yeah, double digits. I need that.

[Host]

That doesn't happen often for running backs, right?

[Alex Madison]

No, no, it's definitely one of those things that like you look at like a thousand yard season and double digit.

[Host]

Touchdowns, like, that's Adrian Peterson status.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

That dude was a machine.

[Alex Madison]

Living.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

Fantasy. Oh, my God. I was chilling. I knew I would win.

[Alex Madison]

No, he's, he's. Oh, man, he's awesome. He. He was one of my inspirations.

[Host]

Oh, yeah?

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

I feel that it was pretty crazy because I got to play against him. No, my rookie year when he went to. He was in Washington.

[Host]

I remember that.

[Alex Madison]

And we played them and I had a good game and it was funny. It was just like crazy. I remember it was like a scene in a movie. I'm walking and then like the circle kind of opens up and he's standing there and he's like, hey, man, look running out there like beast mode 2.0. And I was just like, yo, this is Adrian Peterson right now. And like he just shows so much love and respect and yeah, man, it was, it was crazy. I have I have a great picture and like, I got it framed and.

[Host]

Did you do a jersey swap?

[Alex Madison]

No, I still need to get his jersey. Actually. He, we ended up connecting because he ended up in Detroit. I don't, I think it was the next year and we connected and he's like, yeah, man, I'm going to get you a jersey. So I got to call him, I got to hit him up. He, he said, he, he said he'll give me a jersey. And I, I saw him actually last year and he's like, I ain't forgot about you. So I think it's still on his mind a little bit. Make sure I get one of those.

[Host]

He was still nice on Washington. Yeah, that's the crazy part because he was late 30s that year.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

In age for a running back, that's pretty old.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

No, he, he's definitely one of a kind. And I think. I don't know what, I don't know what it comes down to when it comes down to, like, if, like I said, it's a business. You never know when a back looks good and it's like, well, why isn't he still playing? I mean, there's a business to things. Like there's probably a minimum that you have to pay a guy like that to come be a part of your team and play. And you know, if we can go get a 21 year old, pay him.

[Host]

A fifth of the price, fourth round.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Then, you know, they start to kind of juggle those decisions.

[Host]

Yeah. Because when you get drafted, that's not guaranteed money, right?

[Alex Madison]

No, no. You still have to make the team and everything, but you are on a, on a deal. So like when you get drafted, you're on a four year deal.

[Host]

Oh, four years right off the rip.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

Wow, that's a pretty long contract for a rookie.

[Guest]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Which is like for us. You know, I look at it from a standpoint of being in it for a while now, and I think that it should be shorter. I think like that's where we're going with trying to make that agreement with the NFL and the NFL PA is trying to get those years shorter because I mean, like I said, running back average now is two and a half years.

[Host]

Right.

[Alex Madison]

So I'm signing a four year contract. The average for me to stay in this league is two and a half. Like it's not really making sense. And then there's guys that outplay, you know, their contracts. There's guys that'll come in and the first two years are balling Pro Bowlers Right. But you're locked into a deal for another two years.

[Host]

Damn.

[Alex Madison]

You know.

[Host]

Yeah. So it should be one or two years, right?

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, it should be. I mean, at least I would say two to three. I get the business standpoint from owners from teams and organizations. Like, it can't. It can't be that. That quick to get to a second contract. But I do think, like, you know, you make it three versus four, that's giving guys a better chance of, you know, doing what they. What they've always wanted to do. Set their family up for life and play. Play ball at a high level and also be compensated for it, because you.

[Host]

Also probably see really talented people, but just the wrong team for them.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, definitely. That happens a lot.

[Host]

Yeah. Which sucks, because they know they're good enough, but just the wrong system or the wrong team or the wrong coach.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

And then you see them go somewhere else and they flourish.

[Host]

Right.

[Alex Madison]

And, you know, they. They might have been with another team for, like, three years and end up in another situation. They're doing amazing. So it's one of those things, like I said, it's just.

[Host]

Oh, it's a lot of moving parts.

[Alex Madison]

It's a lot of moving parts.

[Host]

Has that ever happened to you, whether it was, like, high school, college, or pro or the coach you didn't agree with?

[Alex Madison]

Luckily, no.

[Host]

Wow.

[Alex Madison]

I've been blessed. I have never been a part of a situation where it didn't fit me or I disagreed heavily. I mean, there's probably times in a game, of course, where I'm like, yo, like, we should have done something else. I feel like everybody experienced that, but.

[Host]

Marshawn lynch experienced that. Yeah, exactly.

[Alex Madison]

But I've never been in a situation where it was like, I need to get out of here.

[Host]

That's good.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

That's good.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Luckily.

[Host]

Yeah. Because you can't really control that in the NFL, Right.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

I feel like the NBA, if you're a star player, you have some control maybe probably of where you get traded to, but.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

And I've seen, you know, from. From. From my perspective how crazy it is that, like, the way that some guys can, like, hey, we want to team up and go to this team.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

And they'll make it happen.

[Host]

Really?

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

I think the whole, like, Katie, Kyrie, and Harden.

[Host]

Oh, yeah.

[Alex Madison]

I feel. Well, I don't know. From my perspective, I. It felt like they, like, planned to all go there.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

I think. I think that's.

[Host]

You're saying Blake.

[Alex Madison]

Blake Griffin was there at the time, too, right?

[Host]

Yeah. Like, Crazy stacked.

[Alex Madison]

But it didn't work out.

[Host]

Didn't work out.

[Alex Madison]

It's too much star power or something. I don't know. Like it didn't work out, but. Yeah, it's like, it's crazy to see. I mean, I think those guys really. I mean, it's a smaller population.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

And you know, when you're just that guy, of course you can just kind of make some shots.

[Host]

Yeah. Does that happen in the NFL where a team just has so many stars in Thailand and they don't win?

[Alex Madison]

I. I think so. Trying to think of some teams for. For sure. But I mean, it definitely happens where they have the right guys, they have all the pieces, but they just don't pan out.

[Host]

No chemistry yet. Right.

[Alex Madison]

It's. I think it's a lot to do with the chemistry. You have to have good play calling as well. So, you know, if a coach is not a defensive coach or an offensive coach, whatever the case may be, there's. You can be a great team, you can even like dominate. But I always see those teams that don't have everything so much together, just have stars. They don't make it past first round playoffs, really.

[Host]

So you need everything. You need coaching, you need good gm.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

Chemistry. The small, the small things. Yeah, you need, you need some of those detailed pieces in between to get further. Because you can have a great season. You can have, you know, a lot of star power, a lot of guys that are Pro Bowlers and all that. But it comes down, I. I tell you, playoff football is a different type of football. It comes down to like the small things then.

[Host]

Absolutely. And the Chiefs have crushed that. Right?

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

And. And they do it, I mean, they do it without really, without like a lot of star power.

[Host]

Yeah, just Travis and Mahomes because. Yeah. They got rid of Tyreek, right?

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

I mean, they have good. They have some good guys, but they don't ever have like stacked receiving room stacked DBs. There's not really ever a situation where they're like super stacked. There's like a couple key star pieces, and I think they just do the details really well.

[Host]

Right. That's a good point. They're like the spurs of the NFL.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

You know?

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, exactly.

[Host]

Wow. Yeah, that's good to know.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

But it's, I mean, it's. It's one of those things, you know, you, you see it from afar. You got to respect and you gotta understand, like, what you have to do to beat a team like that.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

So, yeah, it's. It's one of Those things that if you love the game, you, you respect stuff like that when you see it.

[Host]

Absolutely. Have you played against them yet in the playoffs?

[Alex Madison]

Not in the playoffs. Regular season though.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

And you could tell they were a well oiled machine.

[Guest]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

It's just like, why. Sometimes you're just like, why, why did they just. How did that happen? Why did that happen?

[Host]

They blew you out.

[Alex Madison]

No, I, no, no, I've never, it's never been a blowout, but tight games or maybe you're up a couple scores and then all of a sudden it's like, yo, what? Like they're winning. I could have swore we were up and. Yeah, it's. It. It'll probably come down to the wire. I think they've been in nail biters like all, all season this year too.

[Host]

A lot of their games are close.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Alex Madison]

And look at them. They find a way to come out on top with the little things. So like you gotta try and. You gotta try and like beat a team like that from the gate, like out the jump. You gotta just tear them down, tear their mental. I mean it starts up top, you tear their mentality down and then execute, minimize all the different like penalties and all those things. Turnovers, you can have those. So. Yeah, it's. I'm excited to play them.

[Host]

Yeah, I can't wait to see that game, man.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host]

Well, dude, what's next for you and where can people keep up with you?

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, for me, I mean we're doing a lot of good stuff. We're doing a lot of good stuff in the community with my foundation. I am gifted foundation. So, you know, besides football, you know, I have a big passion for using that platform and using everything that I'm blessed to have to help others, serve others and give back and spread love and positivity in the world. And you know, we just through, through everything that we do, we try and just continue to bring home that message and, and bring about mental health awareness. Make sure that everyone knows that they have a gift within. They just have to find it, embrace it and use it to shed light in the world.

[Host]

I love that, man. Let me know the next event for the foundation. I'll be there.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, most definitely. Yeah, we'll be. Actually the next event, we will be at the Sunrise Children's Hospital doing a little scavenger hunt.

[Host]

I love it.

[Alex Madison]

With the kids and trying to put some smiles on their faces.

[Host]

Yeah, I'll definitely be there. And we'll link it below if anyone wants to donate. Thanks for coming on, man.

[Alex Madison]

Yeah, most definitely. I appreciate it.

[Host]

Thanks for watching guys. Check out the links in the description. See you next time.

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[Alex Madison]

Com.