Lots to Say: 3x Super Bowl Champion Matt Light and Mock NFL Draft!

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Bobby Bones Show – "Lots to Say: 3x Super Bowl Champion Matt Light and Mock NFL Draft!"

Episode Information:

• Title: Lots to Say: 3x Super Bowl Champion Matt Light and Mock NFL Draft!
• Host/Author: Premiere Networks
• Release Date: April 23, 2025

---

Introduction to Matt Light and His NFL Career

In this engaging episode of "The Bobby Bones Show," host Bobby Bones and co-host Matt Castle welcome former NFL star Matt Light, a three-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots. Matt Light, renowned for his prowess as a left tackle, shares his remarkable journey from an underdog draft pick to a celebrated Hall of Famer.

Draft Story: The 2005 NFL Draft

The conversation kicks off with a nostalgic look back to the 2005 NFL Draft, a pivotal moment in Matt Light's career.

• Bobby Bones [01:27]: "2005 was the year Aaron Rodgers slipped down to 24th overall. And that is the comparison when anybody doesn't get drafted. It's the comparison to Aaron Rodgers that day."

Matt Light recounts the uncertainty he felt leading up to the draft, mentioning his minimal expectations:

• Matt Light [02:44]: "There wasn't a lot of expectations for me in terms of where I was going to fall. I was just hoping that I'd get on a team."

In a surprising turn of events, Light was drafted by the Patriots, a moment he describes as surreal:

• Matt Light [03:58]: "The reality of that actually happening, I thought, was more just him saying it than actually going to do it. So I did have that in the back of my mind, but then went down to my agent's offices later that day because he said, it's all going to move really fast."

Rookie Experience and Early Career in New England

Matt Light delves into his immediate transition from draft night celebrations to rookie minicamp:

• Matt Light [05:57]: "I went home, we had a barbecue... And then the next day, I jump on a flight and we go out to a rookie minicamp. So we literally hit the ground running."

He reflects on the camaraderie among rookies, likening it to high school friendships, before the influx of veteran players added a new dynamic:

• Matt Light [06:44]: "It was kind of like you're in high school and you go there and it's all the guys that were drafted."

Memorable Super Bowl Moments and Career Highlights

The discussion shifts to Matt Light's illustrious career, highlighting his Super Bowl appearances and key moments:

• Matt Light [20:59]: "You never said anything negative to me about it. You were just like, hey, Castle, you got this."

He shares poignant memories from his first Super Bowl season, including personal challenges and pivotal games like the iconic "Snow Game" against Oakland.

Leadership and Team Dynamics

Matt Light emphasizes his role as a leader within the Patriots, detailing his interactions with coaches and teammates:

• Matt Light [26:01]: "You always took pride in that. But in addition to that, you made it fun in an environment."

He recounts humorous anecdotes, such as pranks played on Coach Belichick, showcasing the lighter side of the team's rigorous environment:

• Matt Light [26:39]: "I remember Matt Patricia calling me... Belichick was pissed. Like piss pissed. He was in the doghouse for weeks."

Dante Skarnakian: The Formidable Offensive Line Coach

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to Matt Light's relationship with his offensive line coach, Dante Skarnakian:

• Matt Light [35:59]: "He demanded that every single time that you stepped in the meeting room, every single time that you went out in the field, that you gave it everything that you had."

Light praises Skarnakian's relentless coaching style, which fostered a tight-knit and disciplined unit:

• Matt Light [36:14]: "He'd dog cuss you. I made up an entire booklet of his sayings... It's the funniest stuff ever."

Light Foundation: Purpose, Activities, and Impact

Transitioning from his playing days, Matt Light discusses the founding and mission of the Light Foundation:

• Matt Light [44:50]: "We officially formed the Light foundation in 2002. ... We serve about 7,500 kids annually."

The foundation focuses on outdoor-based programming aimed at developing strong leaders and decision-makers:

• Matt Light [46:37]: "It's outdoor based programming... We host kids from all over the country."

Reflections on Retirement and Life After Football

Matt Light shares insights into his decision to retire, emphasizing family and personal health as key factors:

• Matt Light [42:55]: "I had 13 major surgeries throughout my playing career. ... I was able to walk away from the game."

He reflects on the importance of cherishing moments with teammates and creating lasting memories:

• Matt Light [46:51]: "If you're a football player, remember to take the time to do things with the people to the right and the left of you. ... You'll never regret it."

Mock NFL Draft Discussion

Towards the end of the episode, Bobby Bones, Matt Castle, and Matt Light engage in a lively mock NFL draft game, testing each other's knowledge of players and their college affiliations. This segment adds a fun and competitive element to the episode, highlighting the hosts' camaraderie and deep understanding of the NFL landscape.

• Bobby Bones [54:00]: "At number seven, Derek Henry. He is the double quarter pounder with extra everything. No frills, just meat, strength and violence."

• Matt Light [54:48]: "He can run the ball, he can catch the ball, he can split out wide. He can also play tight in a block."

The mock draft includes humorous and insightful comparisons of players to fast-food menu items, showcasing the hosts' creativity and NFL knowledge.

---

Notable Quotes:

1. Matt Light [02:44]: "There wasn't a lot of expectations for me in terms of where I was going to fall. I was just hoping that I'd get on a team."
2. Matt Light [26:14]: "He demanded that every single time that you stepped in the meeting room, every single time that you went out in the field, that you gave it everything that you had."
3. Matt Light [44:50]: "We serve about 7,500 kids annually. It's outdoor based programming... We create strong leaders and strong people."

---

Conclusion

This episode of "The Bobby Bones Show" offers a comprehensive glimpse into Matt Light's NFL journey, leadership qualities, and philanthropic efforts through the Light Foundation. The blend of personal anecdotes, career highlights, and interactive segments with the hosts makes for an engaging and informative listen for both long-time fans and newcomers alike.

---

Additional Information:

• Light Foundation: For more details on Matt Light's philanthropic efforts, visit Mattlight72.com.

Tune In: For more episodes and insightful discussions, listen to "The Bobby Bones Show" on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcript

[Greg Rosenthal]

Lowe's knows that taking on more projects should be rewarding. That's why loyalty members get more every day with rewards for every home or business purchase. Plus shop weekly member deals and get access to free standard shipping. So what are you waiting for? Join for free Today Lowe's we help you save loyalty program subject to terms and conditions details@lowe's.com terms subject to change.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

The 40s and free agents Podcast with Daniel Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft.

[Greg Rosenthal]

We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

And how teams with new coaches should approach the draft.

[Greg Rosenthal]

So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down once all 257 picks have been made.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pod podcasts.

[Bobby Bones]

Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle is a production of the NFL and iHeart podcasts.

[Matt Castle]

We got lots to say we got.

[Bobby Bones]

Lots to say we're glad you're here.

[Matt Light]

And we hope you stay Cause we.

[Bobby Bones]

Got lots to say yeah, we got lots to say now here's Bobby and Matt.

[Matt Castle]

Hey, everybody.

[Bobby Bones]

Tomorrow night' draft. So we're definitely going to do some draft talk, but I want to go back to 2005. And why should we go back to the 2005 NFL Draft? Well, that's when you were drafted, my friend.

[Matt Light]

That's right.

[Bobby Bones]

Against all odds.

[Matt Light]

Against all odds.

[Bobby Bones]

They were going to make Miracle two and it was going to be your draft story.

[Matt Light]

It is. It is Miracle to. They're actually going to make a story right now. We're going to do a movie.

[Bobby Bones]

So 20 years later, the year Matt Castle was drafted and the year that Rogers sat in the green room forever, that's mostly what I remember.

[Matt Light]

100%.

[Bobby Bones]

I guess that's all of what I remember because I don't remember.

[Matt Light]

You really? You weren't watching.

[Bobby Bones]

I really wasn't now. Yeah, I wasn't.

[Matt Light]

I say that all the time. The commentators came on when my name came up and they drafted me and they're like, okay, we don't have really anything on this guy. Through 32 passes, he backed up Carson Palmer and Matt Leinert never had a start. So I. Yeah, congratulations, New England high ceiling guy, though. High ceiling cord worker.

[Bobby Bones]

2005 was the year Aaron Rodgers slipped down to 24th overall. And that is the comparison when Anybody doesn't get drafted. It's the comparison to Aaron Rodgers that day. It was also, again, the same year you were drafted. So question number one. What do you remember most about that whole week, like, leading up to that draft? What comes to mind?

[Matt Castle]

Right.

[Matt Light]

There wasn't a lot of expectations for me in terms of where I was going to fall. There wasn't the anxiety of, am I going to fall into late first round or early second? Because I was just hoping that I'd get on a team. To be quite honest with you, as.

[Bobby Bones]

A free agent, did you think if. Okay, let's say it's the day before the draft, and I came up to you and I said, hey, what are the odds you get drafted at all?

[Matt Light]

Yeah, I'd say 5%.

[Bobby Bones]

Really?

[Matt Light]

I mean, I had workouts with teams, but every one of those teams was already communicating that they would like to bring me in as a free agent. So that was kind of understood that I would have an opportunity to get into a camp. Now, I will say this. The last day of the draft, which was a Sunday, the first phone call I woke up to was a 508 area code. I pick it up. It's Scott Pioli. Scott expresses their interest in me coming in as a free agent, which was exciting to say the least. But he also said, if we do draft a quarterback, we're going to take you late. The reality of that actually happening, I thought, was more just him saying it than actually going to do it. So I did have that in the back of my mind, but then went down to my agent's offices later that day because he said, it's all going to move really fast. So I got down there in, like, the late part of the sixth round, started watching, started taking phone calls from the Titans and the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Diego Chargers, all from a free agent standpoint. And then he came and said, somebody's on the line for you. I thought it was probably another coach or somebody like that. And it was Coach Belichick welcoming me to the New England Patriots and said, we're going to take you next in the NFL draft. Congratulations. And I was like, I totally thought he was kidding. I didn't even know it was truly Bill Belichick calling me. They just got off their third Super Bowl. It's pretty dope. And, you know, it was one of those surreal moments where it just all kind of came full circle. And that's why I went against all odds. And every. All the naysayers, even the coaches had said, matt, you should look for another profession. And I was like, this is awesome.

[Bobby Bones]

He's like, miracle, too. That's what we're doing here. When Rogers was slipping in round one, were you watching the draft then at all? Or were you just in your own bubble, waiting to see what happened later on?

[Matt Light]

I was definitely watching the draft at that point. And it was that uncomfortable setting, right? The cameras just kept showing him the frustration. And I think Alex smith went number one overall of the 49ers. And there was that discussion between the two of them, and then it just started to snowball effect for him. But he went to the Green Bay packers. And I just remember also him going, there was still Brett Favre there. Like, they drafted a quarterback in the first round. And everybody was like, what are they doing? Why did they just take. Little did we know, a few years later, he's going to step on the field and be a Hall of Fame quarterback.

[Bobby Bones]

Well, little do we know, too. The Jordan Love situation would present itself to what the Aaron Rodgers situation was, right? When they're like, why are they drafting another quarterback when they have Aaron Rodgers by drafting Jordan Love? And funny how I mean all that. If Rogers just would have ended up with the Vikings, it had been the greatest, most perfect far variant, oh, a hundred years. Like, it's just. Just history repeating itself fully. So when you go to the Patriots and they draft you, do you leave the next day? Like, how quick do you get on a flight to actually go to work?

[Matt Light]

It was within a one or two days. I think that maybe it was the next day, to be honest with you. I went home, we had a barbecue, which was such a cool moment for me because I went back to my house and my family was there, My close family, friends, my high school coaches, everybody was there. And we celebrated all together because they all had a piece. And me getting to where I finally was and just to celebrate the moment. And then the next day, I jump on a flight and we go out to a rookie minicamp. So we literally hit the ground running. And there was different rules back then. Not. Not as restrictive in terms of a schedule, in terms of phase one, phase two. So we hit the ground running, full pads, rookie minicamp, rock and roll for three days, roll right into the vets showing up later on the next week.

[Bobby Bones]

I guess it's a little less intimidating to go to a rookie camp when it's all of your own, instead of walking camp where it's also the adults. Right?

[Matt Light]

100. It was kind of like you're in high school and you Go there and it's all the guys that were drafted. Maybe some guys that were on practice squad last year come to help create bodies. But I remember even coaches out there with a bag acting like they're a defensive line. So you feel pretty good about it. Then all of a sudden reality strikes and the rest of the team comes out and you say, oh, this is a little different. Speed of the game's a little different.

[Bobby Bones]

Can you name the quarterback drafted one pick before you to the Kansas City Chiefs?

[Matt Light]

One pick before me to the Kansas City Chiefs. Who would that be? He went to the Kansas City Chiefs.

[Bobby Bones]

Quarterback?

[Matt Light]

No, not Tyler Thigpen.

[Bobby Bones]

He's from Tulsa.

[Matt Light]

Tulsa.

[Bobby Bones]

He went to Tulsa.

[Matt Light]

Couldn't tell you.

[Bobby Bones]

James Killian from Tulsa. James Killian went one pick before you to the Chiefs.

[Matt Light]

Man, they could have got me earlier.

[Bobby Bones]

Little do they know. They would have got you later.

[Matt Light]

Yeah, they could have got me later.

[Bobby Bones]

They would have got you later.

[Matt Light]

And they did.

[Bobby Bones]

2005. The number one song at this point, Mariah Carey, We Belong Together.

[Matt Light]

Love that song.

[Bobby Bones]

Do you know it?

[Matt Light]

Probably if you played it for me.

[Bobby Bones]

We belong Together.

[Matt Light]

Does that do anything that you know? I just love listening to you.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. The first YouTube video was published on the same day as the NFL Draft. First YouTube video ever. April 23, 2005. The highest paid quarterback at the time was Peyton Manning. 14 million per year. He had signed a seven year, $98 million contract extension with the Colts, which included a $34.5 million signing bonus. And the number one.

[Matt Light]

How times have changed.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, and the number one movie was Star Wars Episode 3, Revenge of the Sith. You Star wars guy. No, I wish I were now. I wish I were because there's this limitless content.

[Matt Light]

Limitless content. And also I could totally see you at like one of those Star wars deals where they come together and they dress up as wookies and their favorite characters.

[Bobby Bones]

Why would you say you could see me doing that?

[Matt Light]

Because, I mean, once you're committed, you're fully committed.

[Bobby Bones]

And that I'll take as a compliment. But it didn't feel complimentary at first.

[Matt Light]

No, it's definitely a compliment. Yeah, I would like to go there one time. Just the people watch. I think it's would be.

[Bobby Bones]

I get enough. My people watching on Tick Tock. There's enough.

[Matt Light]

There is. There are some good people watching.

[Bobby Bones]

Have you seen the Kool Aid man trend on Tick Tock by any chance? So the Kool Aid man, the commercial and the cartoon that we know, his thing was he Would bust to a wall and go, oh, yeah, yeah. And so bricks would go everywhere. Now there's a trend where kids will find wooden, like picket fences and run through them. And then when they get to the other side, there's someone there with a phone recording they run through. It's so funny. They run as hard as they can and lower their head to run through the wooden fence. And then they go, oh, yeah. It's so stupid. But it is my favorite TikTok Tre and ages.

[Matt Light]

I love it. I mean, because I'm a big physical comedy guy too. So anytime you kind of push the envelope. Maybe not. I don't want to see anybody get really get hurt. But I do like to watch people run through stuff and just do stupid, stupid things.

[Bobby Bones]

My wife and I were in bed, she was mostly asleep. And I'm watching the Kool Aid man trend and I'm laughing so hard the bed is shaking. She's like, what are you. Why are you laughing so hard? And I tried to explain it to her. She was like, that's the stupidest thing I've ever seen. Like, she did not feel my humor.

[Matt Castle]

Really?

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, didn't feel it at all.

[Matt Light]

I'm a big physical comedy anytime they show the clips where people slip on.

[Bobby Bones]

Ice outside their house, I can't do that anymore though.

[Matt Light]

So. Good. It's so.

[Bobby Bones]

I'm not judging you. I've just fallen so many times now that it hurts me to watch other people fall. And when you get older, the falls hurt worse.

[Matt Light]

Yes.

[Bobby Bones]

And longer.

[Matt Light]

True.

[Bobby Bones]

I mean, that's the end. That's the injury part of getting older. It's not so much that it hurts worse. It doesn't heal as fast.

[Matt Light]

No. You're on the shelf for a while.

[Bobby Bones]

So if I fall on ice, if a 14 year old does it. Not that bad. If I do it, it's a. It's two months.

[Matt Light]

Yes, but you do. You do feel for the old people that just completely lose it and then go down the stairs and stuff like that. But it is still somewhat funny.

[Bobby Bones]

Did you watch Wrestlemania at all?

[Matt Light]

No.

[Bobby Bones]

I know you're not a big wrestling guy now. I didn't know if maybe I've been to.

[Matt Light]

What was the one in Nashville that they had SummerSlam.

[Bobby Bones]

That was SummerSlam.

[Matt Light]

I took the kids of that. That was epic. Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns. That was a match. He came in on a tractor.

[Bobby Bones]

Who did?

[Matt Light]

Brock Lesnar. Oh, cool. Drove a tractor up, was putting him on the. What's it called? The lift there. Full fight. I mean, it Was awesome.

[Bobby Bones]

And that was in Titan Stadium, right?

[Matt Light]

Titan stadium.

[Bobby Bones]

They did two nights, WrestleMania, and it was in Vegas and it was where the Raiders play. But two nights, they sold 130,000 tickets.

[Matt Light]

Oh, my gosh.

[Bobby Bones]

Sold out both nights. It was crazy.

[Matt Light]

That's bad.

[Bobby Bones]

I've signed up for a pickleball tournament.

[Matt Light]

Yes.

[Bobby Bones]

Breaking news.

[Matt Light]

Breaking news, everybody. Hot off the press.

[Bobby Bones]

I've signed up for a pickleball tournament. I've never played a pickleball tournament before. So I'm going to be baptized by fire, as in, I will be playing a lot of people at once. I'm going to learn real quick how good I am.

[Matt Light]

Now, do you rotate through in the tournament or you just actually sign yourself up or you sign up with a partner?

[Bobby Bones]

So I'm playing singles.

[Matt Light]

Okay.

[Bobby Bones]

That's what I'm really excited about. I'm also playing doubles, but a friend of mine who were playing together, we were just like, let's just play doubles and see what happens. But mostly, like, I'm focused on the singles game because I can control that. So I don't know how it works. I'm just gonna show up. It's like 8:00. You show up. I don't know if it's round robin. I don't know if it's like double elimination.

[Matt Light]

When is this?

[Bobby Bones]

Two weeks.

[Matt Light]

Two weeks? If I'm free, I'm coming.

[Bobby Bones]

You're not coming. You don't need to count. Why would you not just cheer? Why does it have to go straight to heckle? Why would you not just.

[Matt Light]

Well, I'm gonna heckle the person that you're playing against.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, that we can do.

[Matt Castle]

You can still.

[Bobby Bones]

Signore, how often do you play pickleball at all?

[Matt Light]

I do play a little bit.

[Bobby Bones]

Let's go.

[Matt Light]

Well, you didn't say you wanted a parter.

[Matt Castle]

I want to play doubles.

[Matt Light]

I don't want to play singles and, you know, really exert myself. I want to try to get up near the box and just like slam it or something.

[Bobby Bones]

With the draft coming up, do you still get pumped up about watching it?

[Matt Light]

To a certain degree. I. I think it's always fascinating because you have all these different characters every single year. They. All the pronoun, pronosticators and everybody are like, guessing, oh, well, this is my mock dress. But you do you really know, other than maybe Cam Ward at the top. So I get excited, particularly in this year when there's so much uncertainty in terms of the quarterback position, wide receiver position. I mean, it is a very heavy class in terms of the defensive front, particularly edge and interior. But where do those, where do they value those guys and where are they going to go in the first round versus, say, a Shador Sanders, which is going to be a fascinating story all the way up to the first round to see where he potentially goes or if he goes in the first round.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

The 40s and free agents podcast with Daniel, Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft.

[Greg Rosenthal]

We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

And how teams with new coaches should approach the draft.

[Greg Rosenthal]

So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down. Once all 257 picks have been made.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Bobby Bones]

We're about to talk with Matt Light, three time Super bowl champion with the Patriots. First Team All Pro, three time Pro Bowler Patriots, all 2000s Team Patriots All Dynasty Team Patriots hall of Famer, 48th overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft. Your teammate. This is your buddy, which is super cool. You got him on. Give me a Matt Light story.

[Matt Light]

Matt Light story. I mean, there's so many to choose from. I do remember one where we were out as the offensive line and they invited the backup quarterback to go with him because Brady was too big time to go with us to like sushi or whatever. They got this little bus, right? So we get on the bus, so we go to dinner, get back on, and we're headed back to wherever we were going, to the bar. And all of a sudden, cops pull the bus over and they go on the bus and they're looking for Russ Hochstein, who is our backup, backup guard and was kind of our swing guy. They come in, fully arrest him, take him off. Nobody knows what's going on. Light set the entire thing up. So we're sitting on this bus while Russ is getting interrogated. They're making him walk around. He's like, I'm not even driving. What is going on? Like the full DUI test. Follow my finger, Light in the face. Just harassing the hell out of him. And then finally they're like, well, we know Light, you know, he's just busting balls. Dante Skarnekian had a pointer that he'd always use and he changed that out and it was the zapper. So it zap the out of him in the meeting room while he's and he's. Damn it Light. This, that and the other he did to Belichick too. He changed out Belichick's mouse. But that backfired because Belichick knocked over his coffees. Working on this document went blank slate. Belichick was pissed. Like piss pissed. He was in the doghouse for weeks. They had to come in, meet with him, all the different things. He might have even been fined. It's the funniest stuff ever.

[Bobby Bones]

How dominant was he as a tackle?

[Matt Light]

Incredibly dominant. You always felt great with him over there because he was so athletic. And that was the thing about left tackles. You have to be athletic to deal with guys like you said, the Dwight Freeney's of the world and Jason Taylor's. And so he was also one of those really smart players that wanted to know are we three by one? Are we two by two? Because when they would make their sets, he'd look for somebody firing off the edge. And he was just one of those players that would think about the game in a at a different level. Which I think as well helped him be as dominant as he was.

[Bobby Bones]

Here he is, Matt Light. We got lots to say.

[Matt Light]

Matty Light. This guy is a three time super bowl champion. Pretty all probably. He is a ex teammate of mine, one of my favorite people I've ever played with. He's in the Patriot hall of Fame. Welcome to show Matt Light. Yes sir.

[Matt Castle]

Cast dog. You, you're a beautiful man and I just gotta tell you it's been too long since we've been able to make some, some great memories. I, I hope you are well my friend and you had a great Easter.

[Matt Light]

Oh, you know what? We had a fantastic Easter. Just Easter egg hunting, doing all that. I know you were out shooting turkeys, weren't you? All weekend.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, we had our, our youth hunt in Rhode island and we had 10 incredible kids and man, it was awesome. Got to be in the outdoors, beautiful weather for the first time all year here in New England. So yeah, it was a great weekend.

[Matt Light]

Love that.

[Bobby Bones]

Hey Matt, Bobby here. First time that I got to meet you. So nice to meet you. But I've heard a lot about you. Whenever Castle and I first started doing this together, he was like, hey, I'm going out, gonna go matte Lights. We're gonna shoot a bunch of stuff with some big guns. That's all he said. Like that's my, that was my introduction to you was him going we' going to lights. We're going to shoot a bunch of stuff with big guns. Like, what are you guys doing up there?

[Matt Castle]

You know? So as you can probably guess, you have to be very careful when you. When you go into the woods with. With Castle. I mean, Matthew is very. You know, he's good with all the safety stuff, but, you know, he gets a little sidetracked from time to time. And, you know, it's always an adventure when I'm with Cast Dog and we're in the outdoors and we're having fun. But, you know, I grew up in the outdoors and hunting, fishing, you know, taking kids into the woods, doing things, nature, that's just kind of always been my thing.

[Matt Light]

Yeah, that is your thing. I remember the first time I was out in New England. You were the one that took me hunting to what we do, geese. And I almost hit you with a Canadian geese that was flying overhead. I shot it overhead. I probably shouldn't have. And it almost hit you going 30 miles an hour, headed down toward you. Special.

[Matt Castle]

And actually, what. What actually happened is, is that you. You shot a volley when they were about three times higher than when you could have killed them. So then when the next group came around, you waited until the very end, and you did hit one, which is kind of a miracle. And I remember you running out of the blind to avoid getting hit, but didn't say a word to me, which, luckily, I did not take that goose on the noggin, so I survived.

[Bobby Bones]

Hey, Matt, a question. So we've talked with Castle here many times about what it was like going in when Brady goes down, but a different perspective would be yours. What do you remember about that?

[Matt Castle]

Well, I mean, a lot. I mean, you're talking about a guy who, you know, not only commands, you know, the offense, but obviously the. Just the comfort and the confidence that you have, you know, when you have a guy like Tom Brady in the huddle, when that disappears, you know, there's a lot of question marks. And, you know, I'll tell you, as a teammate, I'm not just going to say this to make him feel better, but that was a tough position for Castle to be in, and Matt obviously had a heck of a season and stepped in and did an incredible job. And, you know, I mean, that's. I think if you look at it from the perspective of a backup quarterback, you know, that's a really difficult thing to try to articulate what it's like to be in his shoes. And for me, as an offensive lineman, I can tell you that everything changes, right? Like how the. You know, how the plays are being called at the Line of scrimmage, the checks, all that kind of stuff. But, man, it was an odd time. But the transition actually went a lot better than I think a lot of us expected. And, you know, we ended up having a hell of a season. You know, even with that. That rotation.

[Matt Light]

You never said anything negative to me about it. You were just like, hey, Castle, you got this. You were lying, huh? Is that the truth?

[Matt Castle]

No. I mean, I was. I was scared as hell for you. I figured that it was going to get really ugly really quick, to be honest with you.

[Matt Light]

So you won three Super Bowls. You participate in five Super Bowls. What's the most memorable of all those massive wins or losses from that super bowl runs?

[Matt Castle]

You know, I think the. The first one was such a whirlwind. It was my rookie season, and, you know, they had no idea who any of us were. I mean, not just because we didn't have our names on our backs, but because, like, literally no one knew who we were, and we weren't supposed to be there. It was 9, 11. You know, all the things that happened. I mean, our quarterback coach passed away during training camp. I mean, the. The adversities coming in as a. As a rookie. And then on top of that, all the things that we experienced throughout that season, you know, obviously, Drew Bledsoe going down. I mean, that one sticks out in my mind the most, and the impact that it had on my family. Right. My wife was pregnant. You know, we're pregnant with our first kid. We're just fresh out of college. And, you know, I just remember gearing up for that run. You know, we had the. The snow game against Oakland with the tuck rule. And I mean, there were just so many moments in that season where I thought, man, I can't believe this is actually happening. And then later in my career, I think. I think one of the moments that really stands out for me is looking back on just after the first super bowl loss against the Giants. And I guess that was whatever. That was. 0809. Whatever. No. Yeah. Somewhere in there.

[Matt Light]

2007.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, 2007. And I remember looking at Junior SEO in the locker room, and obviously, we were all really upset about how that game ended, and just thinking, man, here's a guy who's meant so much to the NFL, and he's had such an incredible career, and to. To not have that moment for him, I felt worse for him than I did for myself. So, you know, there are so many highs and lows when it comes to playing the game of football, and when you win A Super bowl, obviously, it's a wild time, but when you don't. When you don't actually make it happen in the biggest moment of your career, you know, I think there's things that you take away from that. And for me, it was just looking at some of these guys that I played with and just wishing for them that they had that moment.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

The 40s and free agents podcast with Daniel Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft.

[Greg Rosenthal]

We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

And how teams with new coaches should approach. Approach the draft.

[Greg Rosenthal]

So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down once all 257 picks have been made.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bobby Bones]

The draft coming up this week, you were a second round pick. Where did you think you would fall? And what was draft night like for you?

[Matt Castle]

Well, the draft for me was interesting. I was at the Neon Cactus, which is a country bar in West Lafayette, Indiana, at Purdue. And from what I remember, it was a pretty good moment. But I will say this, Bobby, it was the first time that I'd ever seen a draft in my life. So I had never, you know, never even thought about playing in the NFL growing up. And, you know, for me, I thought I was going to be a forest ranger. You know, I thought I'd be, you know, riding a horse through the woods. And I got this opportunity, and, you know, watching the draft for me was wild. It was an amazing experience. But I remember a buddy of mine came up to me right after I got picked, and. And the way I got picked, you know, was kind of interesting. You know, I get a call from Scott Pioli, the head of player personnel, and he's like, who are you talking to? And I didn't know that there was, like, you know, a little bit of gamesmanship. And when I told him who I was talking to, he's like, all right, don't. Don't go back over and talk to them. We're going to go ahead and draft you. And I'm like, great. Awesome. And then when I see my name come across the screen, I was like, oh, man, this is actually happening. And a buddy of mine comes running up to me and he's like, hey, man, you know how much money the guy made for a signing bonus in the 48th overall pick. And I'm like, I have no idea. He's like, dude, that guy got like over a million dollars. You're a millionaire. And I'm like, wow, that's amazing. I never thought about it, man. Like, it never entered my mind. And I. I guess in some ways I'm thankful for that, you know, I mean, I guess when you're ignorant, you know, it can be an advantage at times. But, man, it was a. It was a great experience. It was great experience for my family, for me. And, you know, from then on, I learned a lot about the NFL in a very short period of time.

[Matt Light]

You know, as a young guy coming into that locker room, it can be intimidating. But you're one of the best leaders I've ever been around, and you have this amazing ability to bring people together, and you always took pride in that. But in addition to that, you made it fun in an environment, as you well know, with Coach Belichick in New England, that can get a little bit stale. You feel the pressures consistently, but you always found ways to have fun. And some of these things are legendary, like the Bill. Bill Belichick with the Mouse and the exchange. You got to talk about some of the things that you did. And how in the world did you come up with these things, conceptually?

[Matt Castle]

Well, I mean, I do get it, honest. You know, my. My great grandfather started a club in my hometown, and it's the longest running club in existence. It's over 100 years old now, and it's called the Liars Club. And so I grew up watching my dad and my uncles prepare and my cousins prepare for these meetings once a year where they would prank someone. Now, this is way before, you know, all the stuff now that you see online or, you know, the punk or any of that kind of stuff. The jerky boys, like, you know, this. This goes way back, and it was a whole bunch of outdoors, and they got together and they would pull pranks. Like, they would have, you know, a sheriff arrest somebody as a peeping Tom. And then they bring him to the meeting, and he'd have to, you know, answer to his crime. And then they'd induct him into the Liars Club through some crazy ritual. And so I guess for me, it's just always been something that, you know, you don't prank people you don't like, right? So, like, whenever you're messing with somebody, it's because you actually appreciate them. Most people are like, dude, these people hate you that you've messed with. And I'm like, no, I'm like, I'll keep someone's car. And that sounds a little terrible these days with this whole, you know, Elon thing. But, like, I'm not gonna prank someone I don't appreciate or I don't love. And I always, I always took that to heart. And I guess some of these moments, you know, just came out of the fact that, as you know, we sit there in meetings all day long and you're losing your mind and you're just watching film and getting dog cussed by your coaches. And in the back of my mind, I'm trying to stay awake and I'm like, all right, how can I have fun with this? And as you'll remember, Matt, one of my favorites was in training camp, having the guys hold the signs as the camera guy is zooming in on the shot clock. And we're going through a two minute operation. And what's great is there was a day in and, well, at practice, after practice, we're watching film and I'm like nine years into the league and I'm like, wait a minute. During training camp, it's the only time that they allow civilians to be in our world. And they zoom in on the shot clock in a whole bunch of the. The spectators that come watch us, like killing ourselves and getting dog cussed by the coaches and sweating in 100 degree heat. They're all hanging out underneath this shot clock and we can see them. So we'd always be looking for somebody weird. And I'm like, I could have any one of my friends do whatever I want, and we have to watch it. This is going to be the greatest day of my life. This will be the only time that I actually stay awake in meetings. So I had a guy come and he had giant signs that said, like when Gerard Mayo was playing, right? Like, I love Mayo on my buns, or Tommy hit me in the spot, I'm open. You know, like just crazy, ridiculous stuff. And he's wearing Daisy Dukes. Like he. I said, get your worst pair of jeans, cut them off. You know about nut height and start doing high kicks and tie your shirt and a knot. And he did it to perfection. And I'll never forget Matt Patricia calling me. And he's dying. And he's like, you're an idiot. He's like, coach Belichick is not even acknowledging it and we're all dying watching this film. I love you.

[Matt Light]

Click.

[Bobby Bones]

That's awesome. When you were in high school, did you play tackle or did you play all over offense and defense?

[Matt Castle]

You know, I, I was always, I was always a bigger kid, right? Like, I had to go to the high school to get my helmet. You know, when I was in, like, peewee football, I was always on the line. But I think, I think for me, I mean, we didn't win many games in high school. I came from a very small school and we weren't that great, but I was always like an outside linebacker. And I guess I was more recognized on the defensive side of the ball than the offensive side of the ball. But I was always on the line. And for whatever reason, Purdue drafted or drafted me. They. Purdue brought me in. They wanted me to play tight end until they figured out that I'm not a great athlete. So they, they moved me to the, to left tackle.

[Matt Light]

Matt, you had some great battles with people over the years. Who's. Some of the guys that you went up against? Because when you play left tackle, you always saw the best who are. I know that there, there's stories out there, and you've expressed this to me, that you used to have nightmares against certain people. But who, who's the guy that you look across and go, I better bring my A game or this is not going to go well.

[Matt Castle]

You know, I think, I mean, ultimately, and I don't know, I think this guy should pay me at some point for saying all these nice things, because I feel like. I feel like I. I could probably describe him as a player as good as anyone, given the number of times that I had to face him and the number of times that I had to sit there in the week leading up to that matchup and tell myself, like, just survive one more. Just survive one more. This guy is so fricking good. But you know, Dwight Freeney and what he was able to do in Indianapolis for a very long time, and he had a good counterpart in Mathis. You know, those two were a heck of a one, two combination coming off the edge. But Dwight Freeney, I think, played the game at such a unique level. And I would go as far as to say this, if you're a defensive end in the National Football League and if you have one move that you can consistently win with, and consistently is. Is a relative term, right? It doesn't mean, like, you know, two out of every five you beat the guy. But I mean, like, when you watch film and you see him pull that move and he wins a time or two with it, that's consistently winning, right? Because if they're going to set you up for it and good defensive ends, it's a chess match, right? I mean, because they're both getting paid, both guys, the left tackle and the defensive end. And so when you look at Dwight Freeney and you go with that mindset and you say, okay, look at the perennial Pro Bowlers, look at the hall of Fame defensive ends or edge rushers, and what do they have in common? Well, they have one move that they consistently win with, and that. That can get you into the hall of Fame. What I would say about Dwight Freeny is, is he had three of those moves, and that's really unique. He had a spin move that was second to none. He had a dip and rip, and he could skin the edge as good as it gets, right? And a speed to power. Sorry, so speed, the power dip and rip and his spin move. Any one of those could make you look really bad at any given moment. But I would also say this. You know, especially early in my career in the AFC East, I had Aaron Shoble twice a year. There's a perennial Pro Bowler, you know, for Buffalo, I had John Abraham with the jets, you know, who was a phenomenal player. You know, had a little bit of a finesse game to him, but, you know, could bring it when he wanted to. And then, of course, Jason Taylor, who was an absolute terror down in Miami for many, many years. So, you know, I got. I got an education. Every time I went up against those guys.

[Bobby Bones]

If someone did get by you, was there something you yelled?

[Matt Light]

Watch out.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, like, what do you yell whenever.

[Matt Castle]

It'S like, oh, Bobby, you don't. I don't have to yell anything. But I promise you, Tommy is. Was yelling something either audibly or in his mind at some point, because as we all know, or maybe the world doesn't. I mean, Tommy's not going to run out of sight in a week. I mean, he's not the most fleet of foot. You know, we're not talking about Tommy Vick. We're talking about Tom Brady. And even saying that, right? The guy made us look really good. I don't know how he did it. I don't know how he knew the pressure was coming. He had eyes in the back of his head, as my offensive line coach said. But yeah, I mean, when you make a mistake at any of those positions up front, I mean, your quarterback's gonna let you know about it at some point.

[Bobby Bones]

But do you yell if he doesn't see and he did slip by you? Do you. Is there any, like, incoming? There was nothing, right? It was just. It was so quick. It wouldn't Matter.

[Matt Castle]

No, listen. I mean, when I'm running around, it's like a flabber. Lynch. Right. I'm having a hard time just breathing. Okay? So, like, I'm not yelling anything. That's why I didn't talk trash. I. I would have liked to have talked a little trash, but I was breathing too hard. I was sucking wind the entire game.

[Bobby Bones]

That's fair.

[Matt Light]

That's fair.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

The 40s and free agents podcast with Daniel Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft.

[Greg Rosenthal]

We've told you what last year's playoff team need to return to the postseason.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

And how teams with new coaches should approach the draft.

[Greg Rosenthal]

So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down once all 257 picks have been made.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Matt Light]

Now, you played for one of the best offensive line coaches, Dante Skarnakian, but he was a badass. I remember him getting after you and the entire unit. Like, what was that relationship like? And was he always like that in your meeting rooms, too?

[Matt Castle]

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I don't know that. I don't know how many times there. There have been stories where you go too deep into, like, the assistant coaches and what that world's like. Right. We talk a lot about head coaches. We talk about player personnel, people. But, you know, there's such a unique mixture of humans who occupy the entire staff and. And their personalities and what they bring to the table and really how they coach, how they lead. Right? You think about the people who have impacted your life and how they did it and how they were able to motivate you. And here's Dante Skarnickia. He's like five foot four. You know, he weighs, I don't know, a hundred pounds soaking wet. I mean, you know, he was always working out. He'd be in a swim X. He had more fur on his body. You know, that probably weighted him down than anything else. Hairy, hairy man. But, you know, what he did was he demanded that every single time that you stepped in the meeting room, every single time that you went out in the field, that you gave it everything that you had. I mean, he demanded that out of you. And what I really appreciated is that no one, no one got a pass. It didn't matter if you were the first round draft pick or the guy they brought in off the street. He's going to coach you up hard from start to finish. And because of that, we were a tight unit. But I'm going to tell you, it wasn't easy. I mean, he would dog cut you. I remember. I mean, I made up an entire booklet of his sayings, like, assize. I don't even know what that means. I've heard. I've heard people call that many a times, you're not worth hammered. You know, like he had some of the greatest Dante isms. Matter of fact, I made up the Dante Skarnekia mother effing instructional video, and we played it during training camp as a. Like one of those infomercials where you could learn how to, you know, dog cuss anyone, you know, to the best of your abilities.

[Bobby Bones]

A lot's being made now about arm length. You're seeing it now with the draft. Do you know your arm length and was that a factor or did they even measure you when you were going into the draft?

[Matt Castle]

I remember this. This was the measurement, like from your. Your thumb to your. Your pinky. And for whatever reason back then, that was a big deal. And now we've. We've elevated it to how long your arms are. Right. And I don't know, I find it. I find it interesting. It's. I guess maybe it's kind of like Moneyball or, you know, all these different metrics and how they're trying to evaluate people and come up with some other way to sound fancy. At the end of the day, I'd rather know how you use your arms versus how long they are. Right. I think. I think it'll probably die out within this. This calendar year, and we won't hear much about it anymore. But I think we should keep an eye on the guys that have the longest arms and see how well they do in the NFL this season.

[Matt Light]

That's exactly right. All right. What's the vibe like back there in New England? I know you're there in New England. You got a new sheriff in town. Our old teammate Papa Rabes. Have you had any interaction with him since he's been there? And what. What's the vibe like, Man, I can.

[Matt Castle]

Tell you that it's. I think everybody's on pins and needles, right? I mean, we come off what. What's. What was a crazy season, you know, there for a lot of reasons, and. And now we have a guy that. People, they know who he is as a player. They. They understand that, you know. You know, he did. He did some amazing things down in Tennessee. And there I Think everybody's really optimistic about the impact that he's going to have on this organization. And I have, I've been able to go back and forth with Mike a bit, man, what, what a job he has ahead of him. And, you know, I think if there's anyone, if I, if, if somebody were to say to me, you know, right, right when the last season ended, who's the one person you would bring in here? I would have said Mike Brable. And the reason, as you know, Matt, he's uniquely qualified to deal with pressure. And, and I've said this about Mike forever. I said, mike Brable is the last person in the world that you would ever want to get into a war words with because he'll eat you alive. Like there's. He lives for the moment to prove you wrong. I mean, think about what that guy did as a player, right? Goes to Pittsburgh, gets sat on a bench. They're not utilizing him. Works his tail off, you know, does everything he can do. Belichick brings him in and he becomes an instant, you know, just leader in the locker room, a voice of reason, you know, a guy that we all leaned on and had this amazing career. So he's fought his way everywhere he's been. And I mean, I played against him at Ohio State in college, right? And I didn't like playing against him then, and I wouldn't want to coach against him now. And I, I say this. I'll leave you with. On this variable topic, one of my favorite Mike Vrabel moments. We're doing a fundraiser for my foundation in my Hometown in about 2004. Mike Vrabel comes and it's a stag night. It's a whole bunch of guys. We're getting together, we're having a good time raising money for the foundation. The mayor of my hometown gets up to read a proclamation, and if I would have known he was going to do this, I would have said, no way. You can't do this. And so he gets up and he's reading, basically saying, we're going to declare such and such day matlite day, right? And he gets to the word matriculate and he stumbles over it horribly. And obviously he didn't write this proclamation. Fast forward an hour and a half later, we're trying to raise money through an auction, and it's kind of stalling on one of our big items. Braves grabs the mic and he goes, hey, listen, we're here to raise money. He goes, I'll give anybody a thousand dollars right now if they can get the mayor of Greenville to spell matriculate. It was unbelievable. That's Mike Bravel.

[Matt Light]

He is unique in that sense that he's an intimidating figure, but like you said, if you get into war of words with him, he's going to go right for your jugular and make you uncomfortable and hurt your feelings. That's just who he is. So he. He'll handle the pressure of New England, without a doubt.

[Bobby Bones]

Two final questions for you, Matt, and I want you about the light foundation in just a second, because that's what Castle was talking about when he was talking about shooting. He really was talking about, like, the good that you do. But before I get to that, how did you know when it was time to hang it up, man?

[Matt Castle]

It's interesting. I think. I think we all come about it, you know, former players. I've talked to, some of these guys that I played with and guys that I've met in retirement, and. And we've kind of mulled this over. And it's interesting. I mean, there's guys that are lifers, right, that it's really difficult to step away from the game. What. And it doesn't matter if they're injured or they're feeling great. They just. They always want to play the game. And then there's guys like myself. You know, I had a lot of interest outside of it. I think, again, a part of it was the way I grew up and just being naive, I guess, to. To what the world, the NFL world was. Was really like. And so I can tell you that after my 10th season, I said, okay, I'm gonna do one more. And. And. And I'm gonna have as much fun as I can possibly have from start to finish. And. And I did.

[Matt Light]

And.

[Matt Castle]

And we went to the Super Bowl. We didn't win it. It was the fifth trip there in 11 years. And I just remember feeling, I mean, like, how blessed am I, how grateful, you know, should I be for all the people that, you know, work their butt off to put me in a position to do the things that I've been able to do and. And how great. And that was honestly the healthiest season I had in my entire career. I had. You know, I had 13 major surgeries throughout my. My playing career. And, you know, that was the healthiest I was. I was able to walk away from the game. And for me, it really came down to, man, I got kids that are closer to being out of my home than in my home. And that was kind of the final thing that made it easy for me to say, okay, last season, let's have some fun and go out on top.

[Bobby Bones]

I guess the Light foundation talk about that because I know that's something that you've made a priority and something even Castles bragged about. But tell me why you started it and what exactly you guys are doing.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah. So we officially formed the Life foundation in 2002. 2001 was my rookie season as Dante Skarneckia. My line coach would say, light, you don't know if the ball's pumped or stuffed. And I didn't. And then we go on to win a Super Bowl. And my grandmother was someone who, you know, when, when everybody else kind of wanted to get rid of me and my family, she was like, I may be the only one loves you, but I love you. And you know, remember to whom much is given, much is required. And, and those words were ringing in my head and, and, and I just said to my family, I said, hey, look. And I come from a family of educators. My mom taught music in a, in a local school system for 35 years. My dad is just an amazing human and, and can teach anything and everything. And I said, if you guys would join alongside of me, I want to, I want to create a non profit where we can work with kids and, and teach them and the things that, like, made me a better person, even though I tried screwing that up as much as possible and introduced them to the people who just blew my mind growing up and inspired me. And, and so we started that journey in 2002 and we do it all through the Light Foundation's Leadership Academy, where we host, you know, kids from all over the country. We serve about 7,500 kids annually. It's outdoor based programming, but it all falls under the idea that we need strong leaders and strong people that can make great decisions and inspire the people around them. And we've been doing that for a long time, Bobby. And I'll tell you, man, the people I've met through that world and the people we continue to meet and relationships that we form, whether it's a timber framing camp for kids or a football camp or a leadership camp, man, it's the best memories I've got.

[Bobby Bones]

Mattlight72.com we'll also put it in the notes here for the Light foundation if you guys want more information.

[Matt Light]

Yeah, Matt, you're the best man, and you're not only best teammate I've ever been around, but the impact that you're making outside is probably more rewarding than anything else.

[Matt Castle]

Hey, brother, I love you and what you're doing. And obviously, we had some of the best memories, I think. I think it was an era in the NFL that I'm not sure we'll ever get back to. Right. With social media and everybody want to do their own thing, I would just encourage people to remember this. If you're a football player, remember to take the time to do things with the people to the right and the left of you. When you're sitting in that locker room, you know, put. Put the cell phone down and make memories with those guys off the field the same way you do on the field. And, man, you'll never regret it, because, as you know, man, we. We experienced a lot of those moments, and they were special.

[Matt Light]

No doubt about it, man.

[Bobby Bones]

We appreciate you, buddy. Thank you for your time, Matt.

[Matt Light]

Thank you, brother.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, buddy. Love you.

[Matt Light]

Love you.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

The 40s and free agents podcast with Daniel Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft.

[Greg Rosenthal]

We've told you what last year's playoff team need to return to the postseason.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

And how teams with new coaches should approach the draft.

[Greg Rosenthal]

So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down. Once all 257 picks have been made.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bobby Bones]

All right, Kevin's got our game this week. Kevin, what do you have?

[Kevin]

Going back to the 2005 draft here? I want you to name where this player, notable player, went to college.

[Matt Light]

Boom.

[Bobby Bones]

I'm not good at these.

[Kevin]

Okay, so they're notable players, though.

[Bobby Bones]

Go. Castle first.

[Kevin]

Okay, Matt, are you ready? We're going to do five again like we did last week.

[Matt Light]

Okay, let's rock and roll.

[Kevin]

Okay, so we'll go through all five with Matt. First here, running back Frank Gore.

[Matt Light]

Ooh, Frank Gore. Where did Frank Gore go?

[Bobby Bones]

Can we steal? Like, if I don't know it and he knows it, can he steal my point?

[Matt Light]

Yeah, Miami.

[Kevin]

Oh, we got it. All right. One for one there, Matt.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, I'm an idiot.

[Matt Light]

Can I steal?

[Matt Castle]

Please, please.

[Kevin]

Okay, linebacker demarcus Ware.

[Matt Light]

Demarcus. Where he wasn't. I kind of want to say Kansas.

[Bobby Bones]

State, but I hope you say Kansas State.

[Matt Light]

I think I'm completely.

[Bobby Bones]

I'm begging you to say Kansas State.

[Matt Light]

I. I think that you're thinking he's Arkansas because you get a glow to you.

[Bobby Bones]

No, I don't have a glow to me. I Just know it, because I know him.

[Matt Light]

Okay, you can steal this one, then.

[Bobby Bones]

I know him because we did Dancing with the Stars together. And my final dance, he left me above his head like I was stacking potatoes. And he went to Troy, and He grew, like, 6 inches while in college.

[Kevin]

Ding, ding, ding.

[Bobby Bones]

Crazy story.

[Kevin]

Stole it.

[Matt Light]

Six inches. Yeah, he was a monster.

[Bobby Bones]

It was like Scotty Pippen at UCA when he. Before he went to the Bull. Scotty Pippen grew an inordinate amount, like, six, seven inches in college.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah. I didn't. But anyway, none of us did. Well, Matt might have.

[Matt Light]

That's a big Grossberry. Yes.

[Kevin]

All right, Matt, here we go. Number three, tight end, Heath Miller.

[Matt Light]

Asu. Arizona State.

[Kevin]

Final answer.

[Matt Light]

Yes.

[Bobby Bones]

Wrong. Arizona.

[Kevin]

Virginia.

[Bobby Bones]

I don't know. I didn't know who it was. I was just going that. You barely missed it, but you way missed it, so you let me know.

[Matt Light]

I way missed it.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, you let me know.

[Matt Light]

No, I'm on the opposite side.

[Bobby Bones]

I didn't know that one at all.

[Kevin]

That was a little tougher one. A little tougher one. All right, here we go. Linebacker Sean Merriman, 12th overall to the Chargers.

[Matt Light]

I know who he is.

[Matt Castle]

Okay.

[Matt Light]

Football player. I mean, I don't know where he went to college. I mean, my gosh. Can I get a conference? Phoning a friend. Can I get a conference?

[Kevin]

Yeah, it's on a. It's on. It's on a. Coast or acc, I should say. I think now, actually. Realignment. Yeah. Accident.

[Matt Light]

Florida Atlantic.

[Bobby Bones]

Stanford.

[Kevin]

No, Maryland.

[Bobby Bones]

Oh, you said now. I was thinking it was gonna be one of the big shifters.

[Kevin]

Well, yeah, I probably shouldn't have said that, because I got.

[Bobby Bones]

I didn't know the answer, man. Yeah.

[Matt Light]

This game's kicking my butt.

[Bobby Bones]

Me, too. I suck it up. Give me. Give it.

[Kevin]

I think you'll get this one, Matt. Quarterback Jason Campbell.

[Matt Light]

Oh, he went to Auburn.

[Kevin]

There you go.

[Matt Light]

Yeah, I actually played him. We played him in college. Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

That's cool.

[Matt Light]

So I knew that.

[Bobby Bones]

All right, what score now?

[Kevin]

Okay, he's got two.

[Matt Light]

You got one, Bobby.

[Bobby Bones]

Okay, I'm ready. Hit me up.

[Kevin]

Okay, first one up, running back Ronnie Brown.

[Bobby Bones]

Same.

[Kevin]

Which is Auburn.

[Matt Light]

Yeah, that was. I knew that one, too.

[Kevin]

Okay, what about cornerback Adam Pacman Jones?

[Bobby Bones]

Cincinnati?

[Kevin]

No.

[Bobby Bones]

Son of a guy.

[Kevin]

West Virginia.

[Matt Light]

Oh, West Virginia. Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

You didn't let him steal.

[Matt Light]

Oh, no, it's okay. I wouldn't have got that anyway.

[Kevin]

Yeah, he didn't sound very confident.

[Matt Light]

I didn't sound very confident. Oh, let me steal.

[Matt Castle]

Let me steal.

[Matt Light]

No, I'll Just do that. Okay. All right.

[Kevin]

Wide receiver Braylon Edwards.

[Bobby Bones]

My only recollection of Braylon Edwards is with the Browns Steel. Well, I'm not. Well, that's not my pick for college. I'm at least gonna throw something out there. Braylon Edwards. I'm just going to go to one of the factories if I don't know. Florida.

[Kevin]

Wrong.

[Matt Light]

Michigan.

[Kevin]

Yes, sir.

[Matt Light]

Yes, sir.

[Bobby Bones]

I had no clue. Good job.

[Kevin]

All right. Matt with three, Bobby with two. Two more players to go here. Linebacker Thomas Davis, Jr.

[Bobby Bones]

I have no idea. Thomas Davis Jr.

[Matt Light]

I'm not confident on this one either.

[Bobby Bones]

Florida.

[Kevin]

No.

[Matt Light]

Matt, don't even have a pick for you.

[Kevin]

Georgia.

[Matt Light]

Georgia.

[Kevin]

Tough one, but I figured it's SEC maybe.

[Bobby Bones]

Okay. I got to hit this to tie.

[Matt Light]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Go ahead.

[Kevin]

Running back, Darren Sprouls.

[Bobby Bones]

Oh, Kansas State. Boom.

[Kevin]

I got some bonus tiebreaker.

[Bobby Bones]

We'll buzz in with our name.

[Matt Castle]

Okay.

[Bobby Bones]

First one to get a point.

[Kevin]

Okay. Number one, safety and trail roll.

[Bobby Bones]

Bobby. Go Ohio State.

[Kevin]

Wrong.

[Bobby Bones]

I'm just picking factories.

[Matt Light]

When?

[Bobby Bones]

I don't know because I don't know.

[Matt Light]

No idea.

[Kevin]

Miami.

[Matt Light]

University of Miami.

[Kevin]

The heydays of the early 2000s.

[Bobby Bones]

Give us another one.

[Matt Castle]

All right.

[Kevin]

D.N. justin Tuck.

[Bobby Bones]

Matt's got his hand like a buzzer. He just buzzed on his seat.

[Matt Light]

No. Yes. I got it. Buzz.

[Kevin]

Say your name.

[Matt Light]

Notre Dame. Yeah. Boom.

[Kevin]

He got it.

[Matt Castle]

Yes.

[Bobby Bones]

No, you have to say your name like Castle.

[Matt Light]

Castle.

[Bobby Bones]

He's hitting the buzzer, and it's hitting.

[Matt Light]

The buzzer, but I'm, like, not confident enough. And I was like, wait, I'm just gonna keep tapping it. That's good. Maybe it'll delay it.

[Kevin]

Nice job, Matt.

[Bobby Bones]

You deserve that. Before we go, I do want to hit you with my. My boy band list was such a hit.

[Matt Light]

You crushed.

[Bobby Bones]

Thank you.

[Matt Light]

Yes.

[Bobby Bones]

My. My new list this week is I've made a list of seven NFL players if they were fast food menu items.

[Matt Light]

Fast food menu items. I like this.

[Bobby Bones]

At number seven, Derek Henry. He is the double quarter pounder with extra everything. No frills, just meat, strength and violence.

[Matt Light]

Well said. Yes.

[Bobby Bones]

And number six, Tyreek Hill hot wings from Popeyes. Fast, dangerous. One wrong move and you're sweating from all the holes.

[Matt Light]

That works.

[Bobby Bones]

For number five, Brock Purdy. He is the Wendy's $1 chicken sandwich. Now, you didn't expect much, but holy crap, did it meet all your expectations and more.

[Matt Light]

Oh, look at that. Playing to expectations and cheap is $1, and cheap $1. It's not going to be cheap soon.

[Bobby Bones]

That's correct.

[Matt Light]

It's going off the $1 menu.

[Bobby Bones]

Next up, Josh Allen. The Five Guys. Bacon cheeseburger. Big, aggressive. Probably going to leave a mess everywhere, but still worth it.

[Matt Light]

Solid, Solid. I would eat that.

[Bobby Bones]

At number three, Aaron Rodgers. The in and out, secret menu item. They need to ask the guy behind the counter. You know, like whispering. Need to chant something, maybe burn some sage to get it. But it's either amazing or it gives you food poisoning and you die. It's One of the two options.

[Matt Light]

Animal style.

[Bobby Bones]

Yes.

[Matt Light]

Yes.

[Bobby Bones]

Number two, Kirk Cousins. Kirk, is the plain McDonald's cheeseburger. Safe, familiar. You know, it's not going to win any awards, but somehow it's on the menu every year.

[Matt Light]

Every year. And they're just going to keep coming back for more.

[Bobby Bones]

And number one, Patrick Mahomes. He is the Chick Fil. A spicy deluxe with waffle fries. Flashy elite. Consistent. You don't even need to look at the menu. You just already know what the best thing is on there.

[Matt Light]

That was.

[Bobby Bones]

Thank you.

[Matt Light]

Well done.

[Bobby Bones]

Thank you very much.

[Matt Light]

Yes. Fast food menu items for the NFL players.

[Bobby Bones]

I had some really bad ones. I didn't.

[Matt Light]

Did you?

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, I got. When I do those, I have like nine that are terrible and one that.

[Matt Light]

I just hope hits no Taco Bell on that menu.

[Bobby Bones]

No. What would. Who'd be a player that'd make you take it down? Wait, I won't say that. All right, that's it. Thank you, guys. Thanks to Matt Light for coming on. You guys, check them out. Light foundation on Instagram and Twitter. Thanks to Matt Castle. Thanks to Reed, who's got this episode. And one more left. Is that it read? I think it is, yeah. Then you're out of here. Off to St. Louis. Off to St. Louis.

[Matt Light]

Man.

[Bobby Bones]

With the wife who's gonna be a doctor. That's right.

[Matt Light]

We're gonna miss you.

[Bobby Bones]

I'm gonna miss you guys.

[Matt Light]

I'll be back. Maybe.

[Bobby Bones]

We'll miss you, Ray. We forget his name. We're already calling him the wrong.

[Matt Light]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We'll miss you.

[Bobby Bones]

Right, Kick off, Kevin. Nice job. And thank you everybody for listening. And if you're watching this on YouTube on one of the NFL feeds, the Bobby Bone show feed, if you don't mind, please go subscribe to Lots to say. We'll see you next week, everybody. We've had lots to say. Bye, guys. Why don't we do a top 10 mock draft?

[Matt Light]

Oh, gosh.

[Bobby Bones]

And we're just going to draft spots now. You can put the team beside them, but we'll see who does best. And we'll check back in next week. So let's say you draft shoulder at I'll just say three and let's say Shadur is not drafted by the Giants at three, but he is taken at three by somebody that trades up. You still get the point because you put him at three.

[Matt Light]

Fair.

[Bobby Bones]

Okay, so you want to go first?

[Matt Light]

I think it's the easiest one. The Tennessee Titans.

[Bobby Bones]

You can do your whole top 10 and I'll do one after you. Number one.

[Matt Light]

Number one for the Tennessee Titans. I've got Cam Ward. I, I believe that they're committed to this kid and that's going to happen. Cleveland. I believe Cleveland goes with Travis Hunter. They brought in Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco. They don't know what's going on with Watson but at the same time I think this guy is a special talent and he'll add a lot of value to that wide receiver room. Even though I do believe that he might be a better corner. I think he's going to come in Giants. I think the Giants are going with Abdul Carter. I don't know how you pass up on him because they brought in Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston. They have two veteran quarterbacks. Do they view Shador Sanders skill set so much better than those two guys? I don't know.

[Bobby Bones]

But Abdul Carter maybe, you know, broken foot, a little undersized.

[Matt Light]

Still good dude, I'm still good. Don't try to talk me out of that.

[Bobby Bones]

I'm not trying to talk yet. I'm just asking.

[Matt Light]

I mean I, I think I watched that kid play last year and he is special and he's also so versatile. Where he started out at linebacker at Penn State, he didn't move into to the defensive end position till this year. That just shows what type of special talent he is. Do you remember in the bowl game?

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah. Played with one arm completely. Yeah.

[Matt Light]

One is unbelievable. New England Patriots. I'm going with Will Campbell. Even with his short arms, I like this kid. He's a 5 year starter, 4 year starter at LSU since the day he stepped on campus. He is a really solid left tackle and they need help at the left tackle. Jacksonville. Jacksonville is a tricky one for me but I'm going to go with Mason Graham. I saw him play for Michigan last year. This guy is a beast in the interior part of the defense and he'll add a lot of depth there. Raiders. I'm going to go, I'm going to take a running back. First one off the board. Ashton Genty. I think that that with Geno Smith already There they've got some pieces, but they need a running, running game. And you know Pete Carroll and what he likes to do is he likes to control the time of possession with the run game. Marry that New York Jets. I'm gonna go with. Is it Mimbo?

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, I'm on Embo.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah.

[Matt Light]

He's a stud. I think that they need some help there for the New York Jets. Their right tackle left. I think this last off season got picked up by New England, so they're gonna want to fill that spot. Carolina Panthers. I'm going with Jalen Walker from Georgia, Edge, and then New Orleans. This is where I go. Like, do they take Shador? I'm going to go Shador Sanders to New Orleans at 10. How about that?

[Bobby Bones]

New Orleans. Wait at 9? You're at 9.

[Matt Light]

Am I at 9?

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah.

[Matt Light]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Who do you have a 10?

[Matt Light]

10? I got Chicago.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah.

[Matt Light]

And that will be. Is it Michael Williams? It's up to Edge Georgia.

[Bobby Bones]

Okay. We only have. We're only one off of each other the whole. The whole 10. Yeah. Yeah. It's. We're like. We don't know where they're going to go. And we were pretty much right on. I have Cammore at Tennessee. I can't see unless somebody offers a ton of everything to Tennessee, I can't see them trading out of Cam Ward. Travis Hunter at two with the Browns. I'd be curious to know if the Browns are going to end up grabbing a Kirk Cousins type player or if they're going to let Pickett run it to kind of Tank. Because if Pickett's your quarterback, you're kind of tanking the season.

[Matt Light]

And this guy was a first round pick. Just.

[Bobby Bones]

Can you pick it? Yeah. From Pittsburgh.

[Matt Light]

I mean, literally went to Pittsburgh, but surely worked his way out of that role. Started some games, got hurt and Mason.

[Bobby Bones]

Randolph ended up coming in, starting that back part of that year. So I do have Travis Hunter going to the Browns, but I'm wondering what they're going to do at quarterback because if they do nothing else other than Pickett and Flacco, they're purposefully losing.

[Matt Light]

Yes.

[Bobby Bones]

Because they can't get a free agent quarterback. And DeSean Watson will never play again. He'll never play again.

[Matt Light]

Not after a second Achilles. And the.

[Bobby Bones]

And with it with the owner saying we messed up by. By that contract, I would say so you can't really let him play again once you admit Abdul Carter, same Giants. He's awesome. I have Will Campbell, but here's the thing about Will Campbell going to the Patriots at 4. And I think Kevin probably likes that. Will Campbell goes to the Patriots. I think you definitely need some protection for your quarterback. But at his pro day, his arms measured longer.

[Kevin]

Yeah, I don't care.

[Bobby Bones]

No, I stretched him out. Oh, yeah.

[Kevin]

And then the combine, you're saying I'm not looking in the arms as much. I'm all about the film. Watch film, watch the games. Lsu, he was a stud.

[Bobby Bones]

He was a stud. But the narrative has been little arms. Tyrannosaurus rex.

[Matt Light]

Right.

[Bobby Bones]

But I would just like to say as much as I've also participated in that narrative, that I did see that at his pro day. They remeasured him and his arms were a little longer.

[Kevin]

Sounds like a little home field advantage.

[Bobby Bones]

Probably so. Yes, probably so.

[Matt Light]

That's why you go to your pro.

[Bobby Bones]

Mason Graham was one. It was the most dominant defensive tackle I saw anywhere last year. Jacksonville, we're saying there, Gentry, the Raiders, the. Oh, and I have Genti, the Raiders as well. Running back, the only change. And I'm not picking anybody but Genti, but I could see them drafting Shador as their pick. If, let's say, if the Pats end up taking Genti, I could see them jumping to Shador, but I could also see if that happens. New Orleans trading up because they're both. It's a race to Shador. Once Genti goes, it's a race to Shador for sure.

[Matt Light]

That's where the magic might happen right there with the trade outs, you know, draft capital, this, that and the other. Who's going to come up to get Shador members?

[Bobby Bones]

Awesome. I watched him play.

[Matt Light]

Yes.

[Bobby Bones]

When we talked to Missouri's head coach, Coach Drink, he was just raving about Membu. And that also is going to be a real program leader for them for him to get drafted. So high Carolina, anybody from Georgia is just awesome. They translate big time to the pros because they're basically. Basically playing the pros already. Shitter at nine. And then I have Tyler Warren for the Bears at 10. Tyler Warren, I like that because Tyler Warren did everything in high school. First of all, he was a quarterback once he went to college with Penn State, he was a tight end. They built offense, full offensive packages around him, but he also played a little quarterback. Tyler Warren can do it all, but.

[Matt Light]

He can do it all.

[Bobby Bones]

He can run the ball, he can catch the ball, he can. He can split out wide. He can also play tight in a block. So I have him going 10 to the Bears.

[Matt Light]

Love that.

[Bobby Bones]

So we're the same except for number and we bet $10,000 on this, so I'm feeling pretty good about it.

[Matt Light]

Cash money.

[Bobby Bones]

Yes, sir.

[Matt Light]

Get your bag.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, we got lots to say. Lots to say With Bobby Bones and Matt Castle is a production of the NFL and iHeart podcasts. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

The 40s and free agents podcast with Daniel Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 5 NFL draft.

[Greg Rosenthal]

We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

And how teams with new coaches should approach the draft.

[Greg Rosenthal]

So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down once all 257 picks have been made.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.