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Learn more at AMU Apus Edu. Steady Through Every Mission Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle is a production of the NFL and iHeart podcasts. We got lots to say.

B (2:19)

We got.

A (2:20)

Lots to say we're glad and we hope you stay Cause we got lots to say yeah, we got lots to say. Now here's Bobby and Matt.

B (2:36)

Hey, welcome back.

A (2:37)

Matt Castle, Bobby Bones and Eric Decker. Eric, good to see you, buddy.

B (2:42)

Yeah, thanks for having me over.

A (2:43)

You're the first athlete I think that I've known ahead of you getting here. Usually Matt just shows up with somebody.

C (2:48)

That's a true statement. Who's showing up this week?

A (2:50)

Yeah, it's like, I don't know. Meet my friend, Randall Cobb. Hey, Randall. Or yeah, I thought he was you at my front door.

C (2:58)

And there's some resemblance.

A (3:00)

Well, no, you just kind of suck at following through to tell people where to go, I think.

C (3:03)

Well, I told him the address. I figured he would text me. And I said, didn't I say, text me when you get here?

B (3:08)

No, you didn't.

A (3:08)

Didn't I say, well, that's my fault.

C (3:10)

I was in the middle of texting him. He's usually late to things. I just know this from.

A (3:14)

He was extremely early.

C (3:15)

Yeah, shockingly. Shockingly.

A (3:18)

And I thought it was you at the front door. And I said, hey, just.

B (3:20)

Here's the address for today. You can get there at 12:45 and we'll start at 1.

A (3:24)

Nothing else.

C (3:26)

Find your way wherever. You know, smell. Smell the studio.

A (3:29)

Well, I saw him through the window and I just did a.

B (3:31)

Woo.

A (3:32)

Like a finger whip. How was he? Didn't know what that means. I thought it was you.

C (3:35)

And I've never come to your front door. You probably thought I had to go to the bathroom. You're like, no, bro, you got to go in the back.

A (3:40)

Yeah. So good to see you.

B (3:42)

We made it. Yeah.

A (3:43)

Yeah, we've. You and I have been together in different circumstances. Never like a sports show. Always something more pop culture or country music. Right?

B (3:52)

Yep.

C (3:53)

Yeah. When did you guys first meet?

A (3:55)

The summer of 62. We were both a young gentleman. Did you guys ever play together?

C (3:59)

We did for the Tennessee Titans for two years. Two years of the greatest years of my life.

B (4:04)

One year. But who's one year?

C (4:06)

Yeah. 17, right? That's what I mean.

B (4:07)

17. Yeah.

C (4:08)

One year.

A (4:08)

Did you guys win?

B (4:09)

How.

A (4:10)

What was that year for you guys?

C (4:11)

Actually, we went to a playoff. We went to the playoffs.

B (4:13)

We beat the Chiefs.

C (4:15)

The Chiefs in the first round. And then we went to New England and kind of got beat down a little bit. But it was overall a successful year for us. And that was my second year. That was Mariota's third season, right?

B (4:28)

It was, yeah. A lot of coaching changes, I think. But I got a great story from that year between me and Cassie.

A (4:35)

I'm here for it. I'm like the.

B (4:37)

Let's get into it.

A (4:38)

I'm like the girlfriend who wants to hear all the stories about their before.

B (4:42)

Yeah. Yeah.

A (4:43)

That's kind of a weird analogy.

B (4:46)

That's why I love Matt, though, because, you know, there's, you know, there's no boundary, I guess. Well, anyways, it's like week eight, nine, we're in Pittsburgh Thursday night, I think. Or it's a. It's a prime time game. And I had these packages leading up. And so my story was I was kind of hurt in training camp and then try to like, come along and just kind of struggled really all season, to be honest. But that, that game, I felt like I had more packages for me, and then we didn't ever got to them, so. So I'm on a sideline the whole time. It's third down, go in quick, you.

A (5:12)

Know, and then were you playing on the inside? Were you playing the slot more?

B (5:14)

Yeah, at that point I was playing slot more. We had some injuries, so I was kind of moving around a little bit. But Rashard Matthews played outside. For the most part, I was inside. Well, it's the fourth quarter, two minute drill, and I'm like, you know, in a sense, mentally checked out. Cause I'm like, well, this, this thing, this didn't go how I thought I was going. And the receiver coach is like, all right, get in. Yeah, young guys need to come out. You need to get in. I'm like, no, no, keep the young guys in there. You want them play all game, keep them in there. And I don't know if someone got in Castle's ear.

C (5:41)

So he came up to me, he goes, hey, Cass, you got to help me out. He's like, decker. Decker won't go in the game. I said, what the. I was. Because. Because I'm sitting there and look, I'm just one of those guys. I was like, what do you mean he won't go in the game?

B (5:54)

Right?

C (5:54)

Because in my. My point of view was Marcus was banged up, he had the AC joint, which a lot of people didn't know. And it's the fourth quarter, we're grinding away, we're getting beat pretty suddenly. But then I go over and I'm in a rage.

A (6:05)

You're not in the game.

C (6:05)

I'm not even in the game.

A (6:06)

They come to you on the sideline to say.

C (6:08)

Because they know, like, look, I've. I'm a veteran guy. I've got. And he's a veteran. So I go up and I blow a gasket. I literally go up and said, he's in my face. I'm in his face. I said, I'll beat your. I can't believe you wouldn't go in the game right now. Are you kidding me? You're quitting on. And look, I didn't Know all the circumstances. I just was in a rage. Then he comes back at me. We got to get separated on the sideline.

A (6:30)

Oh, this is real.

C (6:31)

Yeah. Like, we are going to go fist the cuff. So then this is at the end of the game, right? So we go in. I'm hot. And so I get back on the bus. I'm always on the third bus. I'm sitting in the back. And we've got the beers back there. We got Ben Jones, we got the group. And deck usually sits. What about the middle or so? So he's walking to the back of bus and I'm sitting down and I was like, oh, no, I'm getting up for this because we're about to go. Because I thought he was coming back to confront me and we were about to go to blows. And so I get up and I stand up in the middle of thing. And so now I'm looking like, is he going to swing on me? What's he going to do? And I'm getting ready to go. And he sticks out his hand. He goes, cass, you were right and I'm sorry. And then literally we sat down together and had a full conversation for about 20, 30 minutes about it and gave both of our point of views better understanding for what each of us were going through at that point. And that got squashed, but it made us closer.

A (7:23)

Is that the only time you ever got into it with your own teammate on the sideline?

B (7:26)

No, for sure. That was one of the biggest ones, though, because, you know, it was critical time in the game, but we were kind of blown out and, like, young guys were in the whole game, like, just keep them in there. And so when he came over, I was already. Already pissed off how the game was going. And so we just. Yeah, we were exchanging, but there's.

A (7:43)

You weren't mad at him, you're mad at the situation. He was just the person that was going to suffer from you.

C (7:47)

Yeah, I was the messenger and I was mad.

A (7:50)

I never thought of you as being like the enforcer, though. What a new. I look at you different now?

C (7:54)

Well, I was a guy that could absolutely. I didn't shy away from confrontation and I'd let somebody know where they would stand. And I think that's what people appreciate about me, too. I wouldn't hold back my feelings or emotions or anything like that. But at the same time, if it was go time, they would know that I'm ready to go.

A (8:14)

I've often talked about how when I see people fighting with each other, how if they Keep their helmets on. You can actually do a lot more fighting with the helmet on, especially if you're just verbalizing it. Because we can't tell. Yeah, like, if you keep the helmet on, you can say whatever you want, as aggressive as you want. Because we can't tell because of the mask. In basketball and baseball, you can't do that because there is no mask. So I feel like there's probably a lot of these type of situations without us knowing. Because you're not touching each other and you can scream at each other if you leave the helmet on. Would that be accurate?

B (8:43)

I think so. I mean, it depends on the season, too. Like training camp, you got that all the time. And it's usually offense, defense, kind of back and forth just because you're tired, you're. You're banged up and just. It's hot and you're just like ready to be done with what you're doing. And so there's been plenty of times that it's gotten into a physical altercation, but a lot of times it is, you know, chattering back and forth and, you know, especially on the sideline, too. We're all competitors, and so, you know, we want to win. We think things should go a certain way. You know, communication, you know, in a sense as a warrior is like, you're going to come full force aggressiveness. And so that just. It comes off that way. But at the end of the day, I mean, like, I love Cass, and our confrontation was like a growing moment for us because we're able to overcome it, you know? Right. And I think that happens a lot throughout the league and teams go ahead.

C (9:28)

No, I was like, I was going.

A (9:29)

To talk about something else.

C (9:30)

No, you definitely get into like, I.

A (9:32)

Don'T want you to fight now. Like, I'm just like, training camp.

C (9:35)

Training camp's awesome for a quarterback because all the big guys and even wide receivers, DBs, it's so competitive and it gets just so methodical day in and day out, going up against each other. They know your offense, you know their defense. And then guys get scrappy. But from a quarterback perspective, when they get in a fight, it almost is entertainment because I'm sitting there like, should I break this up or should I watch these guys go kind of, you know, I'm not going to go get in the mix and like throw blows or anything. But it's an entertaining part of camp and it happens every single year. But usually you get more verbal altercations than anything else. I do remember one scrap, though, during training camp. I was with Kansas City, and we had Thomas Jones and Jonathan Bald Jonathan. It's not Baldwin. Maybe it is Baldwin. Jonathan Baldwin. He was our first round pick. And so he's sitting there and Thomas and him start mouthing off back and forth, and we're throwing medicine balls off of, like, the blocks. And so you sit down and throw out. And so finally he got to a point and Thomas Jones had had enough. And he was a full version. Veteran guy, like 12 years in, didn't take off anybody. He turns around and chucks this medicine ball into Jonathan's face.

B (10:40)

Wham.

C (10:40)

From point blank range. And they go full scrap in the weight room. And I was like, what is going on right now?

A (10:46)

No pads, by the way. They're lifting their shorts and shorts.

C (10:48)

They're lifting. Jonathan, of course, throws a blow, hits him, breaks his thumb out for the first six weeks of the season. So it's like one of those where you're like, look, guys, we got to know when to get in these things and when not to. But if it hurts the team, that's.

B (11:01)

When it becomes back to Geno Smith. Broken jaw in the locker room.

C (11:05)

Oh, yeah. Were you there for that?

B (11:06)

I was in the locker room.

A (11:07)

Tell the story.

B (11:08)

Yeah. Oh, man. Well, it was over. It's nonsense. So I forget the defensive player's name, but he was invited to Geno's camp that summer for kids, and he decided not to show up. And so Gino was mad. Gino was yapping at him. Actually the other way around. Excuse me. This defensive player was having a camp for kids. Gino supposed to come. He didn't. He canceled while in training camp. It was an issue, I guess. And so all of a sudden, they're yapping away and Gino comes over and says something. He turns around and clocks him in the jaw where. I mean, he had surgery. Closed jaw. He was out. We had Fitzpatrick come in. They kind of changed the season for us. 2015 New York, because we had a successful season with Fitzpatrick. But, man, just like stupid stuff like.

C (11:50)

You'Re saying, well, that was. That's pretty extreme. I can't believe you didn't come to my camp.

B (11:54)

Huaba.

A (11:55)

It does make sense. Just the environment of. You've got competitive people, obviously you've got a lot of testosterone. You've got people that are not only. You're competing against each other. The first part of the year, too. Like, I can see where you could. Really?

C (12:08)

Yeah.

A (12:08)

And the. And the weather sucks almost everywhere.

C (12:11)

Everywhere.

A (12:12)

So with that, I can see that there are probably a Lot of fights. But with you, both of you guys, was it always. It's going to happen, but let's make sure it stays inside the locker room. We don't share this outside of the locker room 100%.

C (12:23)

And nowadays I think that it's probably more open just because of social media. Somebody says one thing or tells an agent and it gets out, especially if somebody's hurt, like in Gino circumstance, there's no hiding that he's out. For the first part of the season, there was no hiding Jonathan Baldwin breaking his thumb, hitting somebody, and that comes out. But for the most part, I've been in the locker room where there's been altercations and blows thrown and all that stuff. Where it's in house, it's handled in house. There might be some kind of fine conduct, detrimental, something like that, but usually it's not released out into the media unless somebody squeals and somebody says something, which you know, then the coach is going to identify it or try to identify it and address it before it gets out of control.

A (13:03)

I was talking to yesterday, PJ Fleck, the head coach of Minnesota.

C (13:06)

Row the boat.

B (13:07)

Row the boat.

A (13:08)

So. And I really like that guy. You like him?

B (13:11)

He's elite.

A (13:11)

Obviously you have a. At least an emotional relationship. That's why you went to school, right? Yeah, I was trying to convince him to come down to Arkansas. We need a coach now. It's just. I was letting him know what the weather's like, a little more temperate. The fall colors are beautiful, and I think he's pretty happy up there. Minnesota, though, man, that's cold, like. And everybody that comes in to play, especially even with Castle playing in Kansas City, I just stay and talk about how cold it is. Like, that's a different kind of cold. Right. When it gets later in the year, it is.

B (13:37)

I mean, I grew up there, so.

A (13:38)

It'D be a wide receiver, too.

B (13:39)

Yeah, but you. I mean, when you. When you live there, you're raised there, you don't know any better. My vacations were Wisconsin, South Dakota, like, that stayed in the cold. I didn't leave the Midwest. I didn't know there was not a beach warm weather in the South. Uh, but no, you're right. I mean, it definitely. Six months out of the year now is unbearable for me. Like, I could never live there or raise my family there. It's a beautiful place in the summer, but it does get really tough. And I think it maybe speaks to the character of. Of those that survive. Like, my parents are in their 70s. And they're still in. I'm like you, you choose to be here, but it's their community, you know, I think it just, it builds the character and happy for them, but I could never do it.

A (14:20)

What do you think about him? You know?

B (14:22)

Yeah, I love pj. You know, he was down here recruiting last year. We had dinner and I'll get up to a game every like once a year. Usually I'll try to make it up there for the fall. But I love just his character, his story. You know, he gets the most out of his guys and Minnesota is kind of like a farm system. I feel like for the Big Ten, like it's hard to keep really good players. And so he really does suck the most out of his guys and he gets some good athletes. You know, we've had skilled guys over the last five years and usually it's not hard to get big guys in Minnesota, but just fun to see them play. And I think his energy is so infectious. It's kind of spread throughout the whole campus really. And so I'm happy for his success. You know, not much expectations for Minnesota because of the Ohio States, the Michigan's, the usc, now Oregon's. But what they're doing at Minnesota has been incredible.

C (15:12)

Just had a big win though against Nebraska.

A (15:14)

Hugely owned Nebraska. Seven and one against Nebraska. He did say though he's like one of seven against Iowa.

B (15:20)

Yeah.

A (15:20)

He said to be fair that he might own Matt Rule, but he gets owned by Iowa.

C (15:25)

Coach Barron.

A (15:26)

Yeah, they're going to play this week. When you guys played Iowa, I mean was that you guys biggest rival?

B (15:31)

Who was it? Wisconsin? Iowa were the biggest. I beat Iowa once and never beat Wisconsin.

C (15:36)

So what were you guys playing for? What was the trophy?

B (15:38)

It was.

C (15:38)

I know you had a trophy.

A (15:39)

100 pound pig, right?

B (15:41)

Iowa game. Yeah. Then the axe for the Wisconsin game. But the pig. Yeah, for the Iowa was. Was huge. I remember. You know that thing weighs probably 300 pounds too. So the first time I won it.

A (15:50)

It'S like, wait, it was £300.

B (15:52)

I felt like it was £300. I don't know.

C (15:53)

But he lifted up by himself one arm, did overhead presses.

B (15:58)

I think the golf cart was brought over just to throw it on it. But no, it was. Those games are fun because it makes it more special. You know, it's a big rivalry and to have something to play for and showcase, you know, in the facility, it's cool.

C (16:11)

So in growing up in high school, you were three, three sport athlete. What was the coldest that you played in High school into a football game because you guys are playing, obviously, when the weather starts to turn.

B (16:21)

Yeah, I think we kind of ended well. State tournament was in November, but that was in the Metro Dome when it was around.

C (16:26)

Oh, really?

B (16:27)

So we were inside then. But I would say a game in Fergus Falls, which is like northern Minnesota, late October, you know, just kind of like probably New England. Whereas single digits, maybe zero degrees, with the windshield of, you know, negative 10, negative 15.

C (16:42)

And you probably didn't have the equipment.

A (16:43)

Like you have in New England. You're getting paid and they got.

C (16:47)

And they've got equipment people that'll be like, hey, dude, wear these three sleeves and you'll actually.

B (16:51)

Heated benches. Yeah.

C (16:53)

You know anybody that's ever lost a toe or a finger in that conditions?

B (16:57)

Luckily, no.

A (16:58)

That's a good question, right? Yeah, whenever. Why'd you go to Minnesota? Was it easy?

B (17:03)

Well, it was the only scholarship I got, so my plan was from a small town in rural Minnesota. I was going to go to a Division 3 school. St. John's was a big program at the time. And, you know, I was kind of a homebody. Didn't go to any camps, didn't really showcase myself, but got invited to one day Gopher camp and like, all right, why not? I'll go down. So I went down and on the spot, Glenn Mason offered me a scholarship. Was like, I'll take it. Like, I had nothing else.

A (17:31)

But what about basketball or baseball? I assume the three are baseball. Unless it's like lacrosse or something. I don't know if they have three sports.

B (17:36)

Yeah, baseball, basketball, baseball, swimming. They didn't have full time. Excuse me, full scholarship at the time. Basketball, you know, maybe division two, Division three types type offers. You know, it was always lower tier offers. And I was like, you know what? I'm just gonna stay close to home. That was kind of always the mindset. I wanted to play all three sports in college, so that felt like that was the route I wanted to go. And, you know, I'm happy that I really changed directly and went to Minnesota because it obviously changed my life.

A (18:02)

When did you start actually catching balls? Because you have the record there, right, for receptions at Minnesota?

B (18:06)

Yeah, I think I still do. I know Tyler Johnson was. Was catching up somewhere.

A (18:11)

Were you looking to his first and second yards?

B (18:13)

First in reception, second in yards.

C (18:15)

Okay, first and receptions. Let's go.

A (18:17)

When did you start catching balls?

B (18:19)

Freshman year. Freshman year? Yeah.

A (18:20)

Did you play immediately?

B (18:21)

I rushed. So I rushed. My first year actually was close to getting in. So my receiver coach made Me leave my helmet in the locker room because he didn't want me to burn my.

A (18:30)

Burn it. Was it a four game back then?

C (18:32)

We need you down the road.

B (18:33)

It was. No, once you play one one down you're.

A (18:35)

That's crazy.

C (18:36)

Was it one down back then?

B (18:37)

Yeah, I thought it was three games. Well, it's four now.

C (18:39)

You're right, you're right. You have to redshirt before the third game if you haven't played yet. Yeah, yeah. That's wild.

B (18:45)

It was like we were ranked my retro year, close to top 10, top 15. But we were playing Penn State at Penn State and we got wrecked. But it was kind of in that time range where he wanted to. To throw me in and luckily I didn't. But it was good development that first year because, I mean, what a change of pace from high school to college.

C (19:03)

Talk about the development that go you went through from coming in as a freshman. Probably a little bit raw. And then this is big time football. And the development from year one to year two and then as you advance through those years.

B (19:16)

Yeah, yeah. That first year was tough. First of all, I put on £15 because the buffets during training camp were phenomenal. So I thought I had asthma. All of a sudden I was just fat. But it was, you know, the grind of practices and then balancing the school as well. There was a time after the season because I restored. It wasn't playing. I was a practice dummy and it was five degrees outside. We had five o' clock workouts. I had a moped. I'm there with my snowbill helmet on and my snow.

A (19:45)

Dumb and dumber frozen.

B (19:46)

Seriously.

C (19:47)

Yeah, it's not.

B (19:48)

I lived a half a mile from the facility, maybe a little further than that. But I'm riding, like, what am I doing? Like, what? Like, do I really want this? And I was questioning if, like this was my future. And so I had kind of a come to Jesus moment. And man, it was just that grind in the off season was so hard. I'm like, I'm just gonna stick with it, stick with, stick with. And I stuck with it. So my rest shirt year, I started to play special teams, started to play receiver, had kind of a position and had success. And at that point I was like, you know what? I think I can play with these guys. And started to build confidence. And I had a lot of older guys that were great mentors. Matt Spaeth played in the league and won a championship at Pittsburgh. Logan Payne was older receiver who kind of took me under his wing. And so those Guys were really helpful in just my development early on of building confidence and understanding, you know, what it takes to be a football player in the Big Ten. And so as the years kind of chugged along, I just had more confidence that, okay, I can play, I can play. And I built my strength up. I got a little faster, did some offseason workouts with Larry Fitzgerald, and like, just being around that environment was like, I love this. This is what I want to do.

A (21:04)

At what point did you realize that if you set a goal to play the next level, it was possible?

B (21:10)

Probably my best year, sophomore year, there was, you know, pro caliber DBs on other Big Ten teams, and I was having success against them. I was like, I can play with these guys. I think I can make it to the next step up. So that was kind of like the lead into the confidence. That's everything about an athlete is just having confidence in your ability and performing at a high level. So that was probably the turning point halfway through my sophomore year when I was having success.

C (21:41)

And then you also played baseball in college, right? And how did that work with off season training and.

B (21:46)

Yeah, it was awesome. Yeah.

C (21:47)

Did you get out of it?

B (21:48)

I got out of it, Yeah.

C (21:49)

I played one year in college. I was like, this is amazing. No spring ball.

B (21:53)

No spring ball. Yeah. So we played always, like in a New Year's Eve bowl for football. So after that, I take a week off and then go right into baseball. And then our season kicked off like February when we started playing games.

A (22:04)

So what position did you play?

B (22:06)

Outfield, center field. And then so March rolled around, April, we're out there just, you know, batting practice, throwing some. Some balls, doing a couple catching drills, and you hear the music pounding because the football practice facility is right next to our baseball stadium. And so, man, just, I'm like, thank you, God. I'm not over there.

C (22:23)

Did you ever feel like you were losing that competitive battle, not being in spring ball as a young guy, like, growing up feeling, yeah, well, man, I'm playing baseball. They're. They're grinding right now. Is that going to hurt me in the depth chart or my playing ability?

B (22:38)

I didn't, no. I thought I was pretty confident in where I was at, I guess in that particular room with receivers. But I think I just enjoyed. It's such a different challenge, right? I mean, baseball is such a different challenge. It's a different mentality. It's just a different environment. And I was thriving in that because it just was fun and it wasn't as physical. It wasn't as you know, it was a mental game for sure. Playing 60 plus games in a year is a lot of with baseball, but it just the mental part of like having to recover from injuries all the time and try to like, you know, get through every day for to get to Saturday for the game. So I didn't have the like, oh crap, my behind or am I trailing someone? I was like, I'm going to be present, I'm going to enjoy this baseball. And then when summer comes around, I'm going to get back on the grind and earn.

C (23:23)

For me, it was like a mental release too. Like getting away from the grind of the constant, where am I on the depth chart, you know, the grind of spring ball. I'm competing constantly where you go out and you play a game that you love. It was almost like a reset button. So then when you came back to football, it was like, okay, I'm ready to go for the fresh. Yeah, you're refreshed and mentally you're ready to go.

B (23:45)

That's my biggest thing, you know, with my kids too. And my oldest is actually a specialized athlete. But like playing multiple sports is such a nice balance because not only does it challenge different skill sets and you got to learn leadership or teamwork within different teams in sports, but it's like it is reset button. It's, you know, focusing on football and the fall. Then you go to basketball in the wintertime and then baseball. It's like otherwise you get burnt out. That's the scarcity part of it is like, you know, who can last playing one sport for four years unless you're getting paid a bunch of money, which now college athletes are. But that was, that was my struggle was just like I felt like I would get burnt out coming summertime, like, oh, spring ball's just over. Can we just get a break and you know, just back to the workout.

A (24:29)

Was there a consideration to keep playing baseball after college versus football?

B (24:34)

I had a conversation. I just wasn't as developed, I think as a hitter. So I was not sure I wanted to take that path. And also I loved football because it was more structured. You played one game a week, you're at home, you travel maybe a couple days, three days at the most. Where baseball, you're on the road a lot and you may not ever make it to the major leagues. You get caught in the minor leagues, you're on the bus. The lifestyle is completely different. I always knew I wanted family again. I'm a homebody guy. I like consistency, I like structure. So football gave Me that I did go through the draft process with baseball and talk to teams, and I just felt like, you know, this probably isn't for me because they wanted me to play summer baseball and get more at bats and kind of just work that craft, and I wasn't willing to do it.

C (25:18)

But you got drafted, right?

B (25:19)

Twice I did, yeah. But I mean, 50 rounds you're going to, you know, hey, you got drafted.

C (25:23)

Dude offered you a bus ticket and a free meal ticket to Cracker Barrel.

B (25:28)

Yeah. Oh. After I asked for, like, guaranteed money, like football in the second round, they're like, I'm like, okay. But yeah, Twins, Milwaukee Brewers. So it's pretty cool. I mean, hometown team to draft.

A (25:40)

Are you just a magnet to cold places? And it's like, yeah, let's look at. Let's look across the board. Who do best in cold weather? Well, Decker plays everything, so let's just. Hockey, they're trying to draft in the NHL.

C (25:51)

We can develop that skill set.

A (25:53)

What was a pre draft process like in football for you?

B (25:55)

Well, my. My senior year in football, I had a Liz Frank sprain, so like a midfoot tear of the metatarsal. So I had hardware put in. I was out. This is December. I had surgery. So I was out for eight months. So I was out during combine. I was out during kind of the whole pro day and draft process. I did a bunch of, you know, obviously going to pro day, doing the interviews and doing kind of the mental part of it, but it was nerve wracking because I'm a white guy from Minnesota playing a skilled position that, you know, there's not a lot of us. So I didn't know what to expect. I visited a lot of teams. There's a lot of interest, but all I had to do is just kind of focus on getting healthy. And that's where actually I was in Arizona training. I met demarius Thomas. There's a group of us training down there. And he also tore his fifth metatarsal during. During workouts. And so we really bonded through kind of that process of being in the athletic training room and having to do our rehab and PT and just kind of get back on the field in a sense. So I think when I look at it was something I needed. I needed a break. I was burnt out from playing football baseball for the two years in college, and I just was like, oh, man, I go right into training now. So it kind of gave me a break to kind of re, you know, configure my brain on, like, what kind of the Goal was next for me.

C (27:16)

And it sounded like you studied for the Wonderlic test because you got like, what, one of the highest test, I mean, test scores ever on the Wonderlic.

A (27:24)

Can I say that's so annoying. That's unbelievable. But it's also, it's like both of you, both of you just. I mean, I leave some for everybody else. Like athlete, good looking guys like you playing multiple sports. I'm over here, like, gotta do Quiz Bowl. Like, it sucks. Never. Never got a girl until later. Like, leave some for the rest of us.

B (27:44)

I think Bobby's doing just fine.

C (27:47)

Right now. Let's be honest.

B (27:49)

Everyone knows who Bobby Bones is.

A (27:50)

You crushed the Wonder Lake, dude.

B (27:52)

Yeah, I think I got 40 something. I don't know.

C (27:54)

It has it right here. And I was like, what? I. I mean, I've spent a lot of time with you, just never took you for an intellectual. Scored the seventh best Wonderlic test of all time during his pre draft process with a 43.

A (28:08)

Was it? Did you. Did you study? I took the act. I crushed it.

B (28:12)

Yeah.

A (28:12)

But I studied how to take the test more so than tried to learn everything that the test might have taught me. Did you prepare for the Wonderlic or just walk in and go, I kind of got this.

B (28:21)

I mean, they gave us some like, you know, practice questions and stuff.

C (28:26)

Really? It must have been really good tutors.

B (28:29)

But I remember like, you know, spending hours on like how to take the one or the length. They gave us advice, like, all right, you know, you're gonna waste a lot of time reading the full paragraph. Kind of read the first sentence in the last sentence and figure out, you know, what you're trying to solve.

C (28:43)

Yeah, picks B.

A (28:45)

You guys had different tutors. I think your best option for you is to pick me.

C (28:49)

When I came in, I was late to showing up because they didn't tell me what time I had to be there. Said around nine. Well, they're already taking the test. We had like 20 minutes left of the test or whatever. And the guy's like, okay, yeah, you're not really on my list. But go in there and take the test. Start grinding.

B (29:03)

I don't have any idea what I got.

A (29:05)

But as like a.

B (29:06)

What was your score?

C (29:07)

I have no idea.

B (29:08)

You never even told me.

A (29:09)

You don't know.

B (29:09)

You still don't.

C (29:10)

I really don't know. I.

A (29:11)

But we could probably find.

C (29:12)

This would be great. Castle gets a 10 out 47. One of the lowest.

B (29:17)

1993.

C (29:19)

1993.

A (29:21)

You being like a white guy, though, like, you know, high motor High motor, sneakily athletic technician.

B (29:28)

You kind of had to get Gruden's grinder. I got that award, yeah.

A (29:32)

What did you do? Interviews. Like the pre draft interviews?

B (29:35)

I did, yeah.

A (29:36)

And how did those go?

B (29:37)

Everything went great. I mean, the interviews went great. And that's why I think leading up to the draft, I thought I had a lot of opportunity.

A (29:43)

And what were they telling you that you might go if you go first overall?

B (29:49)

First overall? Yeah, I think, you know, it was kind of in the second round.

A (29:56)

Like, that was like the window, like somewhere in the second round.

B (29:58)

Yeah, because there was teams that were looking for a skill position and early. And so not a first round draft pick. The second round, especially being injured, you know, I thought that was kind of high as well, but that was my expectation. So anyways, it was like Denver was on the list. They moved up, got Demarius, Seattle got Golden. Tate, man, went down the list. There was like nine or 10 teams that all picked receivers that I thought I was going to. I'm like. So all of a sudden, mid third round came around, I'm like, I got 150 people at my house. I'm like, expectations were high. I'm like, oh, man, I just got out of the house, took a walk down the road, like, this may not happen for me. What do I tell my family and friends? Like, can you guys just please go? Or can we come back and try this? Get the hell out of here.

C (30:41)

Yeah, let me have a moment.

B (30:43)

And so there was a lot of nerves. You know, there was obviously the anticipation, the excitement. Then all of a sudden it was like the anxiety and the unknown feelings that were kind of setting in. Middle of third round. It was day two at the time, and finally got a phone call there towards the end of third round.

C (30:57)

And who was it?

B (30:58)

It was Denver.

A (30:59)

Who was the person? Who was the person?

B (31:00)

It was Josh McDaniels. Coach McDaniels. And just I remember where I was. I was in the back porch with a couple friends, having a few beers and trying to, you know, cool down a little bit. And yeah, it was like a 303 number that popped up. I'm like, hello. And changed my life.

A (31:16)

Was that the Tebow year?

B (31:17)

It was first. First pick in that Tebow. Yeah, Thomas. Both in the first round.

C (31:24)

Oh, so you were there during the Tebow years?

B (31:27)

Oh, I was, yeah. Yeah.

C (31:29)

Because. Right. Because Kyle Wharton came in that year.

B (31:31)

Yeah, right.

C (31:32)

Kyle Orton was there. He started. But the. All the chatter around everything was Tim Tebow, because he's such a Figure everybody knew him from Florida and what he did, the national championship. And he went about things a little bit differently and just his personality and who he was. But talk to us about that.

A (31:47)

And when that frenzy.

B (31:48)

Wild. It was wild. Yeah. My first year I played with Kyle and I still say to this day, like, Kyle Oren throws like the best, the best ball. It's unbelievable. Just a perfect spin. So catchable. And Tebow came in towards the end of the year because McDaniels got fired. And so there's just the obviously transition going on. But that second year, Kyle stars. But yeah, from the first mistake. Tebow, Tebow. And it was, it was hard in the locker room because there's some division, you know, between the quarterbacks and, you know, guys, they want to choose who is their guy. Just like, let's just go and play football, you know, but you can't really do that. So come week three, maybe week four. And I was having a great start of the season. I had like four or five touchdowns the first three games with Kyle, like we were kind of had a connection and. But the San Diego game, we just were struggling the first half. We're like, all right, Tim, go in. And Tim comes in the game, second half and marches down for like one of those crazy.

C (32:40)

I remember that game.

B (32:41)

Just Hail Mary finishes. And that's what the season was, though. We had eight wins of overtime. Like Prater kicked a 65 yarder and Tebow ran for like 60 yards one time Marion Barber fumbled it like magically and we scooped it up and scored. Just like all these things like inter. Was it intervention or no intervention?

A (33:05)

Divine intervention. You guys are doing different things here.

B (33:11)

Yeah. Yes, that.

C (33:14)

Well, how about that year you guys came to Kansas City? So I'm in Kansas City.

B (33:18)

That was the year.

C (33:18)

Yeah, we're playing at arrowhead. They threw two passes in the game, rushed the ball 40. So it was like 16, 10 late in the third. That was the game I broke my hand.

B (33:28)

Yep.

C (33:28)

And then you guys ended up winning. I think you caught a touchdown pass that game, didn't you?

B (33:32)

Of the two balls I caught, it was. He was 3, 4, 8. And I caught one of them for like a 50 yard touchdown. But we ran the ball 60 times.

C (33:43)

It was unbelievable.

A (33:44)

So watching that season and seeing all those miraculous things happen, it seemed game after game, but it's happening to you in the locker room. Are you guys even like what is happening?

C (33:56)

And also did you start going to Bible study?

B (33:58)

Yeah.

A (33:58)

Like, was it weird for you guys too to keep winning games? Like that.

B (34:01)

Oh, of course it was. I mean, it was just. It was the talk of the town. But then it was chatter in the locker room as well. Like, as long as we got Tim, something's going to happen miraculously in the fourth quarter. And it really did. I mean, week after week after week. And what was crazy, as we got towards the end of the season and the parking lot for the players, you had to walk outside through the tunnel to get down the locker room, and people would kind of, you know, stand around, ask for autographs or take pictures. Well, all of a sudden, these churches started coming and they're singing homilies and they're like, you know, wow. Like, praise and Tebow, in a sense. And so playoff game against Pittsburgh Steelers, first round. I mean, there was 400 probably people singing homilys. Dude, it was wild, but he was so polarizing, you know, and like, I think he. He really transformed the fan base for what he accomplished on the field, but more so kind of who he is, obviously, and his character. So it was like one of the. There's books written about it that season because it was just wild. You never see it again. But it was a fun, fun journey to be a part of.

A (35:04)

Was he polarizing, though, in the locker room, or was it just what was happening outside?

B (35:07)

I think more so just the outside and kind of what noise, I guess, was being created. I mean, Tim's a great guy. Like, what you see is what you get. He's just. He's super energetic. He's super positive. He works really hard. You know, one thing I say about good quarterbacks is, like, you're able to, like, hang out off the field. He didn't do that as much. You know, that was one thing where we struggled with was like, well, who's really Tim? You know, we never got that time outside of the locker room, but in the locker room, he was a leader. You know, he was a guy everyone leaned on and fouled. So a lot of respect for what he's accomplished in his football career, but more so who he is.

C (35:45)

Okay, so then Peyton comes in. Is it the.

A (35:48)

Not familiar with this guy? Who's this guy?

C (35:49)

Who's that guy? Peyton Manning. Oh, Manning, Manning, Manning. He comes in, what, the year after?

B (35:57)

So, yeah, 2012.

C (36:00)

He came in 2012. Now, what was that transition like? It was everybody just.

A (36:04)

Were you so hyped to have somebody throw the ball?

C (36:06)

Let's go.

B (36:06)

Well, I remember, yeah, being at my apartment, and our receiver coach at the time, Adam Gase, called me. He's like, hey, Payton's in town. He's coming to the facility. You should pop by.

C (36:16)

I was like, the sheriff.

B (36:17)

Yeah. Yes. Okay. And so kind of had to, like, find an excuse to get to the facility. Cause, I mean, the media was just waiting out there, tens and twenties, because.

A (36:28)

Everybody'S wondering where he's going to go. Was it San Francisco? Was it, like, there was the few teams they thought he would go to.

B (36:32)

Cameras are following him everywhere. Right. And so snuck into the facility, got to meet him. You know, I think what really sold him was probably the young talent that we had, you know, I mean, no, Sean Moraine all the time in the running back room. Demarius, obviously, myself. You know, he brought in Wes Welker and Brandon Stokely for two consecutive years. They had, you know, young Julius Thomas, tight end, good offensive line. So I think he felt comfortable with kind of where the team was heading. And, you know, he brought his own system in for the most part. But I really think Damaris is probably a big factor in why he chose Denver. Our defense was really good at the time, too, so he knew he didn't have to do too much, though we did. So it was. It was a. It was a fun time because, you know, yes, we went to the playoffs and we had this, like, miraculous year with Tebow, but more so, this was like football that I'm used to having a Hall of Fame quarterback, never going to say no.

C (37:41)

How much of the offense changed from the point that he got there to when the season started? Was it. He implemented everything that he knew of, and was there subtle changes at first or was it a wholesale change?

B (37:52)

Well, you know, Michael Coy was the offensive coordinator, so we originally kind of had a similar style offense. And then when Tebow came in, we started going to like, you know, Wing T. I felt like Navy.

A (38:05)

You're watching old films in Navy.

C (38:06)

Or the triple option?

B (38:07)

OU Triple option. There was some option for sure. We ran some option, so it changed a little bit. So when we went back to, I guess, the original offense, I think more of the verbiage probably changed. A lot of the formation stayed the same. I think some of the line calls stayed the same. But, yeah, he kind of put his touch on everything. So it was a lot of work. You know, from the point that he signed and the off season started of implementing the offense to getting on the field and walking through it, I mean, it changed dramatically to training camp, and we started playing fast. Being in Denver, having kind of that advantage with the altitude, we had a value menu so it was like 1 through 10, and we went to the line and we just played super fast and we went quick and everyone knew what the routes were. Receivers, tight ends, stayed on one side. So we just kind of flipped him so we could just. Just go. And man, it was a lot of fun.

A (38:54)

Yeah, you scored a lot of fantasy points for players in Denver. Like, it just seemed like you were getting the ball a lot. Is that when you felt like the most fluid, like we were thriving the most, was that few years with Peyton in Denver?

B (39:06)

Yeah, I mean, of course I was younger, I was healthy, and then, you know, I just. It was just not easy. But it felt easy in a way because we would just play so fast and he spread it out. I mean, we have still, I think, all the offensive records from that 2013 season. But you got to think Demarys Thomas had 10 plus touchdowns, I had 10 plus touchdowns. Wes Walker had 10 plus touchdowns. Julius Thomas had 10 plus touchdowns. Noshon Moreno had 10 plus. So the ball was spread out, but we just played so fast and we had like 75, I think, offensive plays on average, you know, which is pretty high. It got to 80s and 90s sometimes in certain games, but like, Peyton just knew, you know, what the defenses were doing at that time and could put us in the right position. And so all you had to do is just get. Get to your spot. And man, we practiced so much as well during the week with certain.

A (39:58)

Nuances.

B (39:59)

Thank you. Great. Yeah.

C (40:01)

Great nuances. Who cares?

A (40:04)

Wonderleg.

C (40:06)

At least it wasn't a spelling test.

B (40:10)

Yeah, can't talk, but I can use this. But like the red zone stuff, you know, like we practice the red zone third down so much, where we were just. We were just automatic.

C (40:19)

Welker told a great story about when you. And he pranked. Oh, yeah, Peyton, go through that story because it's a good one.

B (40:27)

It's phenomenal. Yeah. So there was a cover Sports Illustrated cover in training camp. We were shooting it, and so it was Peyton, myself, Demaryus and Wes Welker. And so the idea was just to get, I guess, you know, us in our uniforms, but we wanted to kind of spice it up a little bit. So we told our media guy at the time to kind of put some cameras in. We're like, hey, listen, we're going to come in and say we want to do the Bo Jackson style picture. Shoulder pads, you know, no jersey. Let's show some skin off. Let's make this risky. And so we get him on board and he goes, all right, Peyton here's kind of what they want. And he shows an example of it. Peyton goes. He goes, come here. No way are we doing this. What is this? Is this a Playgirl or something? He just, like. He brought him to the side, just started, and we got a video of all of it, and you catch the vocals a little bit. But so we sat there for about 10 minutes just trying to sell it. We're like, let's just get one picture. He's like, I'm not taking this damn jersey off. So we got a picture of us with our shirts on, like, being all silly and stuff. And he's there, like, pissed off. But then, you know, Wes is just like the biggest goofball. So he's just. He was the one that leading the charge. And we felt like, man, we're just like these rookies in a sense to Peyton. So, like, Wes was a developed or a veteran at the point. Just like he. He's. He's. He can do whatever he wants. And so we're just going to follow his lead. And, man, he. He. He led us down a fun path there with that prank.

A (41:53)

Could you hang with Peyton outside of the locker room? You know, you talk about Tebow was difficult because that really wasn't his thing. Was Peyton a little more like that?

B (42:00)

He was. He was. Yeah, he was just a man's man. So on the field, I mean, he was a sheriff. He was, you know, very. Everything had to be perfect. But off the field, he was a lot of fun. He did a good job of getting guys to go to dinner, spending time outside of the facility. And that's what I appreciate about him is, you know, Peyton's just good old boy in a sense. And so I learned a lot on the field with them, but also enjoyed and learned a lot with him off the field.

C (42:31)

So you go from Denver, you got Peyton Manning, things are rolling, and then you become a free agent and you decide to go to the Jets. What went into that decision? Were there other opportunities and what was that transition like, going from where you were?

B (42:42)

Yep.

C (42:43)

With everything kind of going the right direction. But then you go to the Jets. Talk to us about that.

B (42:47)

Yeah. Yeah, that was tough. I love Denver. That was kind of where my heart was. And again, homebody, I felt like I've kind of started my community and that's. I had my first child and that's where I wanted to be. And I was willing to take. Take, you know, a haircut on my contract and just to stay in Denver because, again, I love the community, but it just. It didn't work out with. With the team and John Elway. And so as I was shopping around, you know, that draft class is really good, so I don't think teams are jumping at receivers. I talked to Cleveland for a little bit. I thought I actually was going to Jacksonville.

C (43:22)

Warm weather.

B (43:22)

The warm weather could have. Could have done it, but, you know.

A (43:25)

New York, it was just repulsed by it. He's like, I can't go somewhere where it's over 70.

B (43:29)

Stay in the north something. Stay in the. And New York probably had the most interest at the time. And so I went there. You know, I was in this. This headspace. Just had a new baby, didn't know what to expect. Loved the idea of New York. I thought Gino was that, like, was actually a player too, you know, at that time. And what I learned was, you know, as he matured, he became a player, but he wasn't there yet. So it was. It was crazy transition because when you show up, expectations are so high. And John Isaac was the GM at the time. He's like, Listen, we got $80 million cap. We're going to go and spend it. I'm like, awesome. I'm on board for that. Like, I'll sign and be part of this team. And so ended up signing, really no one else. And I'm, to be honest, not a number one receiver. You know, I'm not a demarious Thomas or Julio Jones or, you know, any of those guys at the time. So I'm like, well, I need, you know, my Batman. You know, I need my guy that I'm going to play with. And they didn't bring anyone in. There are really no skilled guys they brought in. So it was a tough transition, but it was, you know, a growing experience for me just to be part of a new team with some veteran guys on the line and defense that have been there for 10, 10 years. But, yeah, I love Denver. I would have stayed there my whole career. But it's part of the game.

A (44:46)

Did you feel like the media in New York, did you feel immediately that it was different?

B (44:50)

Tremendously different? Yeah. I mean, we had Thiebaud and the polarizing experience that year. Peyton comes into town again. Media frenzy. But it's a different type of media than it is in New York. And obviously Page Six or the press that New York can garnish was. Was different for sure. And at that point, I had a reality show for a couple of years, and so that was another pop culture they're going to pull from. And Try to ruffle the feathers a little bit.

C (45:18)

You started that when you're in New York, so.

B (45:20)

No, that was when. In Denver.

C (45:22)

You started a reality television show in Denver.

A (45:25)

You know, he had a show with Jesse.

C (45:26)

Yes, I remember that. I didn't know it was.

B (45:27)

That. It was my last year in Denver. Yeah. Leading up to our wedding. Well, I lead up to our wedding and to having Vivi. You know what's so crazy about reality TV is so the super bowl year, we were filming, but we stopped filming, like, January, February, playoffs, and super bowl, and we had to go back and film. Like, we're like, me and demarius went and acted like, we're going to the Super Bowl. We had a film.

A (45:51)

Like.

C (45:53)

We'Re gonna get this done.

B (45:54)

Oh, man. So it's just like, how did you do that? I mean, just. It's just a job. You show up and you go, let's. Let's do it.

C (46:01)

So there's some acting involved in that.

B (46:02)

In that type of reality? For sure there is. Yes.

A (46:05)

And even if there's. Even if it's real, just from my experience doing a few things, it's set up in a way of even if you're not acting, they're putting you in a place that they want you to be. So they're getting a result that they want.

B (46:17)

Yeah. I mean, it's very structured. We actually just fired the first production team because they were like, hey, let's try to, like, create some fights here. And we're like, no, that's not the storyline we want to tell. But leading up to a wedding, you're going to get your, you know, food tasting, your venue spot, you know, flowers. You can do all the things that lead up to a wedding. Well, that's where they put us in the spot. Everything within that's organic.

C (46:39)

And do they pay for that?

B (46:41)

They pay for all of it. Yeah.

C (46:42)

Oh, thank you.

B (46:43)

Yeah, but it's definitely like, a job. You show up and you kind of got a sheet like, all right, we're going to hit, you know, 1, 2, 3, 4 things today, and you got.

A (46:51)

To finish it in time so you can get to the next thing. Yeah, so they can set up. You should get your show. It's fun.

B (46:55)

Hell, no.

A (46:56)

You don't want to show.

C (46:57)

You don't want to show me in the sprinter van picking up kids.

A (47:00)

Get in.

C (47:01)

Who do you want the conflict with today? Don't worry.

A (47:03)

Don't get in the conflict versus each other with your 42 kids.

C (47:06)

Yeah, like, my oldest son's got my Other son, a headlock. Oh, stop it.

A (47:10)

I would feel if I were in New York or if I were anywhere and I was led to believe that I was coming in and they were going to give. Put weapons around me and they did not put weapons around me, I would feel there would be resentment building in me from the beginning, even if I didn't want it to be. If they were like. Or if I were like. They were like, hey, we're going to build you a podcast studio and we're going to invest all this money in you. And they gave me one microphone. I'd be like, no, no. You promised me all this technology. I feel like I would be resentful of that. Did you feel that a bit in New York?

B (47:36)

Well, I would say, you know, it was disappointing. Like, Rex Ryan, again, is the reason why I went there. Rex is an awesome guy, and I think he's a players coach. And, you know, he kind of was handcuffed that year, so he got fired. And I think that was like, did I make the right choice? Kind of conversation? And, you know, I'm a loyalist, so I'm sticking to the decision I made, but definitely with disappointment. Not necessarily resentment, but disappointment and thinking like, hey, well, you say one thing. Do what you say. You know, that's just one person kind of leading the charge as gm. Everyone else doesn't really have much say in that. So year two, we had regime change. Todd Bowles come in. I love Todd. And we started to build the team up. We had a great defense at the time, so we always were in games. Just that we needed some skilled players and started spending a little bit more on skilled guys. Brandon Marshall came in and, you know, we. We made kind of the changes that were supposed to happen the year prior.

C (48:36)

Was Brandon Marshall one of the more intimidating human beings you've ever met in your life?

B (48:39)

Oh, man.

C (48:40)

Because I see him, and he is a man.

B (48:43)

He is one.

C (48:44)

But two, he's got the personality. Like, I don't want to take this guy off.

B (48:48)

He's. He's a beautiful person. Because initially I was intimidated and scared of him because, you know, what does it read, Lisa, read from prior, Just, you know, kind of his stature. He's a big guy, and he can carry himself in a kind of like, whoa, you know, polarizing way, but he's super deep. Like, he is. Like, he knows who he is. He's done a lot of work on himself. He's very smart. And we had so many good conversations in the receiver room, so we bonded and had A really good relationship, but initially I was definitely scared of him. And he plays that way on the field. I mean, he. He has a screw loose, I'm sure, but he, you know, he. He goes crazy and it's. It's fun to be on his side and not on the other side.

A (49:33)

How'd you end up in Nashville, Tennessee? Titans.

B (49:36)

Yeah. So. And for the Titans? Well, New York, let's see. My third year going in my fourth year, I was there all the way through minicamp, and so I had season ending injuries with my hip and my shoulder. I had surgery on. And so I recover. I get to and of kind of off season workouts, minicamp, and all of a sudden, Willie Johnson decides he wants to cut everyone over the age of 30. So it's like June 14th, 15th, somewhere in that range, and we all get canned and like, oh, great. That's. That's awesome. So talked to my agent like, where are the options? Where can I go? And Tennessee was home at the time. We've been in Tennessee since 2011, so this is 2017. I'm like, it'd be great to play close to home. Well, John Robinson was with the Patriots, who, you know, at the time originally was looking to draft me in 2010, and we just kind of hit it off. It worked out. They had needed the extra receiver, and so I talked to a few different teams, but that was kind of who I was focusing on because I wanted to be close to home.

A (50:43)

That feel good to be able to play here at home?

B (50:45)

It was. No, it was awesome. And I was actually feeling the best I've felt for a long time, probably since the super bowl year physically. And then just the excitement of being home, sitting in my own bed, my own house, and being able to go to work and kind of have that balance. And then a lot of familiar faces in the locker room were really helpful in that transition, especially late, because I jumped right into training camp and then unfortunately, again got hurt in training camp. It was like the story of my life towards the end of my career. So it was like a very volatile year for me. I mean, it was tough. Probably the worst year I ever had in terms of performance and stuff. But just it was great to be again around a lot of guys that I'm friends with for life now because we have kids the same age and our kids go to school together and so got to share life in the locker room with these fellows.

C (51:36)

You know, it's crazy about that season. Like you said, you get hurt going to training camp, and a lot of people don't understand how tough that is for especially skilled players and wide receiver in particular, just from conditioning, all that. But I'll remember, remember the first game, I think it was the first game. And so we used to do this thing where if it was even numbers, whether it's protection, say it was 64, it was 74, whatever it might be, or if it's a run, say it's the 30s, 38, 36, that's all on two. If it's an odd number, it's on one. So we get up there and it's early in the game and we call an even number run, which means it's on two. But if you haven't done it like you should have seen during the off season, guys are jumping off all the time. Well, Dex out there looking at the ball and it's lady, lady, so hot, hot, right? It's on two, he jumps on one, he comes over the sideline and it's the funniest thing, he looks at me, he goes, cass, when do you know it's on two and when do you know it's on one? Because we would not call cadence in the huddle, it was now assumed that because of the process of going through it in the repetitions that we had during the off season, which you weren't, that he wasn't, he wasn't part of to a certain extent, right.

B (52:44)

But not, not probably.

C (52:46)

So he goes, how do you know it's on 2 and 1? I said, what the dude? He's like, dude, I missed a lot of training camp. I was like, even numbers on two, odd numbers on one. He's like, oh, I got it. Thanks.

A (52:59)

Was it a hard decision to go, I'm done.

B (53:03)

At the time? No, I think after I processed it and walked away six months later, probably, yes, because I think I still had more of the tank. But I think I was so emotionally and mentally checked out from all the injuries in the last three years of my career that I just, I didn't want to do it, you know. And I went to New England the year they won the super bowl. And I was like, that was actually like the frosting on the cake. Bill Check camp at the age of 33. I was like, I don't think I have it. You know, I'm banging heads with these 22 year olds. I'm like, I'm used to like the, the vet car, like ah, stand on the sideline, get ready for the season. And it was a reality of. I don't think I was all in, you know, mentally and physically. And I was kind of already halfway checked out. I had my third child at the time back in Nashville and just was missing my family. And. Yeah, I mean, it was. It was again, easy at the time I decided to retire. But then it was super hard at six months after was like, did I. Did I really give it everything I had?

C (54:05)

But do you have any regrets looking back?

B (54:08)

I don't now, no. I mean, I think I've worked through all that. I think I struggled with losing the game, in a sense, losing my identity and what my value, in a sense was. But now as I guess five years longer than that, seven years out, and just more of a mature person. It was the right time and I made the right decision and I'm happy with my decision. I don't regret anything.

C (54:33)

What's it like being a sex symbol?

A (54:35)

Yeah.

B (54:35)

Yeah.

A (54:35)

Because it seems like you guys get it on all the time too. There's just kids popping out. Like every time I load up, there's like a new baby. A new baby, new baby.

B (54:42)

Just a piece of meat. While I'm with Castle. So I gotta try to keep up, you know, he's got that sprinter van full of kids. I gotta. That's the goal. I don't. Yeah, I guess. You know, really, my wife is my sugar mama and she's the social queen. So I'm just a piece of meat, Bobby. It's all I am.

A (54:58)

I wish I could be a piece of meat once in my life.

C (55:01)

Hey, being a piece of meat's not that bad.

A (55:02)

Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like, I'm like Quiz bowl, you know, I had to do my whole life. So I know you guys did the. The show, the Special Forces. Yeah, Special Forces. And Randall. It reminds me because Randall was over here.

B (55:13)

Yeah.

A (55:14)

So that's. That looked like a tough show.

B (55:17)

It was hard.

A (55:18)

How hard was it for real? Because we talked about. We've both done reality stuff and we know some of it's weirder, harder, easier than what you actually see. What was that show really like?

B (55:27)

That was a real show with reality, I guess, in a sense, tied to it. I mean, everything they put us through was like real training, you know, of what they would do. Now there was like hiccups sometimes with production or, hey, it's 12 hour break, you know, we need our camera guys to take a lunch break or union.

A (55:45)

They gotta take a break.

C (55:45)

It's unbelievable break.

B (55:47)

So we're sitting there on a cliff for like three hours in 100 degree weather. Because they got to take a lunch break. Cool. How about some water up here? No, but it was intense. I mean, the drill sergeants, now that we got to know them after the show, they're really good people. And what they've accomplished in their life is amazing. I got so much respect for the military men and women in our country, and there's a couple UK guys, too, of how they represented what the sacrifices they made. Because we got just a little taste of it, and it was real. I'm telling you, this last year show on Thursday with the tunnels, I mean, that. That was like something I've never done, would never want to do again. I mean, I've got ptsd If I ever get into like an MRI tube now just because tight quarters and getting stuck. I mean, saw Johnny, he tapped out. I think he just panicked. But the. The next couple episodes, you'll see just. I think it's the mental part of it. I mean, physically, yes, we can endure these exercises, but it's the. It's like from 5am and not knowing what you're doing all the way till midnight, basically, until they turn the lights off, because they can pull you out 11:30 and put you through this beasting, which is a night workout. So it's like that cortisol rush is just always going. And so you're just mentally, emotionally kind of fatigued. And so that was the hardest thing to balance, was just like, all right, we're here. Let's just get to the launch. And I know probably Randall said that because he always said it on the show. Let's get to lunch, let's get to dinner, let's get to the next thing. Because that's all you could really. That's all you really know, is that they got to feed you. So just show up and get some point. They're going to feed you.

A (57:24)

Why'd you do the show? Who do they come to?

B (57:26)

Both of you?

A (57:26)

They go to Jesse. They go to you. What happened?

B (57:28)

So actually, the first year they did it, they asked if I wanted to do it, and she was on tour, so I couldn't. And so Danny Amendola got casted and he did awesome. And I've always wanted to do it again. And I just kind of was like a has been. So I couldn't get on it. But they started doing the. The couple dynamic. And so Andrew and Sean got asked and then Housewives and Gia got asked to do and they needed another couple. So originally it was like 10 days out from the show. I think we were kind of a filler. And we're like, no, we can't do it. We had a trip to Italy planned, and it was like, to move all those things was a lot. And so we said no. They went to a different couple, they said no, came back to us, like a week out, and we're like, you know what? I've always wanted to do this as a once in a lifetime thing. Let's just do it. Because I always wanted to challenge myself in a different way. I just felt like not having football, obviously very fortunate and grateful for my life, but I needed something to have that kind of locker room feel. And so this was that opportunity to challenge myself. And luckily, I got Jess on board to do it, who I saw so much grit that I've never seen before. It was really fun. So that was the reason why I.

A (58:36)

Did Bear Girls with my wife. I did it myself. I did it by myself. And Bear and I went to Norway, and it was a really good episode, so much that Nat Geo offered me my own show from that episode. But before that show launched, they were like, hey, we want you to come back and do Bear Girls again. And I was like, man, I did it. I don't like. I don't like dying and stuff. Like, it wasn't my thing. I just. And I said, I've already told my whole story. Like, there's nothing for me to do. And they said, well, bring your fiance. At the time, my fiance, there was. There was no chance I was getting her on the show. Like, no chance. She does not like to do things in the public. No interest. She doesn't like to be on social media, much less she's going to go on a Disney plus, you know, NetGeo show. And so we were getting on the plane from another event, and I was like, hey. And I didn't want to ask. You know how you just don't even want to ask? Like, you have to ask, but. And I was like, they want. And she had just been in therapy the day before, and her therapist had told her, you're experiencing all the negative things that comes from being with him. Why don't you just take advantage of one positive thing? I happened to catch it on that day.

C (59:35)

Oh, boom.

A (59:35)

And she said, I'll do it. And so we did it. And when you say that about your wife, when we do this episode, I saw, like, determination, grit, all these things in a way that I'd never seen it before, that I was kind of blown away by. Because we're on top of, like, 300 foot rocks, having to rappel off and she's just killing it. And she's scared. But the greatest part was you're supposed to be scared, but she did it anyway. So I was able to see sides of her doing that. And I obviously knew her very well, but I would have never seen that side of her had we not done that. Did you feel that way with your wife?

B (60:08)

100%, yeah. No, I mean, we were together. We've been together, you know, for almost, I guess, 15 years. And she's birthed for my children and I know she's tough and, you know, she's a go getter. But to like be in that environment like you said, and see the grit and the determination and like, you know, the barracks that we slept in were just disgusting and having to wash her clothes in the sink and just eat, you know, crappy food. But her attitude to, like, not only accomplish things, but like dominate things was like, damn, who is this? You know, and it was, it definitely, I think, bonded us and made us closer because we saw each other in ways we never have. You know, this was kind of inside look for her to see me in like a locker room setting with other, you know, there's other athletes, but just other males. And, you know, there was. There's a perspective to it which was. Was special to have that experience together.

C (61:00)

Is it more intimidating knowing that you're going on a show that which is an elimination show and a tap out show with your wife saying, like, I've got to outperform her.

B (61:08)

Yeah.

C (61:08)

Because God forbid, I'm one of the first people to tap out. And she's like the last woman standing there.

B (61:14)

Well, yeah, I mean, she kind of set the expectations. Like, listen, I'm here for you. I'm not, you know, I think she didn't know what to expect from herself. And the idea was like, I'm going to go all the way. And so, you know, that was the expectations. But yeah, knowing that your wife is there, it's like, hey, well, you got to show up and you got to competitive. I'm the man. I got to be the man.

A (61:34)

You play pickleball now a lot.

B (61:36)

Oh, I love pickleball.

C (61:38)

He's obsessed.

A (61:39)

Well, we were walking through whenever you didn't tell him where to come.

B (61:41)

Right.

A (61:42)

We were up in the front of the property.

C (61:43)

Yeah.

B (61:43)

When you just.

A (61:43)

Yeah.

B (61:44)

And dogs are barking, I'm waving.

A (61:46)

He was like, build the pickle walk core. Or is it was it. I was like, yeah, we built it. And he was like, oh, he just Kind of gave it a second look and kept walking. And right before we're about to go on, he was going to say something, but I was like, hold it. Because I don't know what you were going to say about pickleball. I really like to play too. I've. I gotta have surgery on my ankle in a couple weeks. So. Do you? Yeah. What'd you do? I tore. I gotta. It's a whole thing. My ankle's been hurting, but it's been getting worse. Who knew if an injury hurt you shouldn't keep going. Who knew?

B (62:15)

Let me see. That's your body.

A (62:16)

You'll fix it.

B (62:17)

Hey, stop, stop.

A (62:19)

So this cartilage tear has gotten larger and larger and so now they have to go in, they have to put other cartilage, they have to put dead man cartilage in.

C (62:25)

Oh, really?

B (62:25)

Yeah.

C (62:26)

So it's a serious deal.

A (62:27)

Dead man. Yeah. So I haven't been able to play a lot, but I was playing.

B (62:30)

Talk about grit.

A (62:31)

Grit. Hey, I played in a 4.0 tournament. Singles with a torn dude.

C (62:36)

And didn't you win it?

A (62:37)

I won a 3.5. I didn't win the four because I got hurt means. But yeah. Yeah. Anyway, so what's that? So how, how often are you playing? Like what is that your competition now?

B (62:46)

I actually just threw my back out, so I'm getting back into it now.

C (62:49)

I feel like you tell me that every other week. I know my back. You should see him at the like little league games and stuff. He's literally sitting up there like this and I like stretching his back. So I'm like, dude, we got wife's around here. Like stop making us look bad. I'm like, you're either trying to show your grundle off to all the women, but like will you stop stretching in these like elaborate yoga stretches?

A (63:12)

Loosening up for another kid.

C (63:14)

Geez.

B (63:14)

Keeping me excited.

C (63:15)

My back, My back hurts.

B (63:17)

Savannah Bananas brought to the youth sport. It's my vice right now for sure. Besides my back doesn't hurt, which actually like two and a half weeks ago I was playing at five in the morning. The real serious about it with the P coaches here at our kids school and Mark Mariani.

C (63:33)

Mark's. Mark's in competitive.

A (63:35)

I've played with them before. He played with the Titans. Yeah, yeah, okay. I've played with him before.

B (63:38)

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So warm enough pickleball. Threw it out. But other than that, I'm playing a PPA tournament in November, so I'm excited about that.

A (63:46)

But play singles or Doubles.

B (63:47)

I'm gonna do doubles. Yeah.

A (63:48)

Do you ever play singles?

B (63:49)

I do play singles.

A (63:50)

I like singles because it's actually a workout.

B (63:52)

It is a workout. I mean doubles though. I'll play hour and a half and I'll burn like 1200 calories.

A (63:56)

Maybe for you, but for an athlete like me, it ain't worth it. You know what I mean? For an athlete like me, I. Yeah, I'm just sitting back, you know, hitting it like this. Then how far do you.

B (64:04)

That's why your ankle's hanging on.

A (64:05)

How far do you live from this house?

B (64:07)

Half mile. Oh, you're close. I'm real close.

A (64:10)

Oh, I didn't know that. Most of you rich people live in like Franklin so I figured you were down there with like rich boy over here.

C (64:16)

You guys are going to be fast friends on the pickleball court.

B (64:19)

Once we get that ankle right, we're going to. Yeah, there's some, some opportunity to talk about.

A (64:23)

You got a back. I got an ankle. That's we're even. So we can play injured. We just, we have one injury.

C (64:28)

Just rush the net.

B (64:29)

You just need a leaf blower back there. That's what I saw.

A (64:31)

I got one right there.

B (64:31)

Okay, good.

A (64:32)

Yeah. No, dude, I got a whole ground screw ready.

B (64:35)

Bobby, I need to talk to you and Matt. I told him about it already but there's this concept coming to town. It's a pickleball entertainment concept called Crush Yard. You know everyone's doing the facilities now, but this one is.

C (64:45)

Are you pitching them a business?

B (64:48)

I want to.

C (64:48)

For anybody out there. That's interesting.

B (64:50)

This is going to be off camera but he's like save it, save it. So Shark Tank as well. I'll bring the deck. But it's, you know, topgolf esque with pickleball. So you got the food and bev concept up front. You got golf simulators for those that want to golf but also the multi sport game for the kids. Keep them entertained while you can play pickleball in the back eight courts. Franchise concepts coming in, taking these big boxes and just kind of retrofitting this concept which from a cost savings is great but I love it.

A (65:20)

We're already in.

B (65:21)

I'm in it. Yeah.

C (65:22)

What are you looking for from an investment?

B (65:23)

I'm looking for you. Are you going to invest or not?

A (65:25)

What's the minimum investment you're looking for?

B (65:26)

I hearts involved. We need to buy a bonus, maybe shoot a couple shows in there. You know, Matthew already told about, you know, the concept and I can get them on Board. Well, actually I can get him on board now. Precious. Oh, Matt.

A (65:39)

Maddie. He's got so many names. Castle cast Matt. We did this video. They were like, hey, we're gonna come in and shoot Castle for like a Titans promo, like a commercial thing. And I, I love Matt. Like seriously, like the greatest guy hugs a little too much. But other than that, like the greatest guy.

B (65:56)

He's.

C (65:57)

He's not. He's a little.

A (65:58)

He's a.

C (66:00)

Invading my personal space.

B (66:01)

He'll give you a scruff rub.

A (66:02)

Yeah, I'm not tall enough. That's why I really would. He scruffs the top of my head. And so they were like, hey. And so I'm just talking about Matt. Just genuinely. And I'm like, I love him. Here's why. And I lead with things. Like he obviously knows the game. Like you don't play that long in the league without knowing the game at a certain level. And while we're doing the show and then I watched the clip back and the only things they used from me saying was like, like, yeah, he looks like a Greek God and he's always on time. Like they didn't use anything about football. Like that was the whole thing. And so.

B (66:34)

Beauty of editing.

A (66:35)

Yes. Not. Not my editing.

B (66:37)

Yeah.

A (66:37)

How'd you feel about that promo?

C (66:39)

I thought it was very uplifting from what you said. Yeah, I mean they definitely did not use any of the part about none.

A (66:44)

It was all football.

B (66:45)

Do you have Greek in you though? No.

A (66:47)

Well, I mean the God part of them.

C (66:48)

I know I've got my wife that's Greek and she rubs off on me a little bit. We celebrate Ricky's.

A (67:09)

It's now time for R the week in Preview presented by DraftKings. From first touchdown score to anytime touchdown. Props or the thrill of lockdown Live in game betting. Every snap is loaded with opportunity. Okay, we're going to go through the three biggest games in the NFL this week and make our picks.

B (67:24)

Let's go. Here we go.

A (67:26)

Six teams on buy this week.

C (67:27)

That's crazy. It's a good time to be on a buy though.

A (67:29)

Why?

C (67:30)

Just because it's about that mid season where you get that break and then kind of that end of the season push. I like it. Not even into the season. Midway through the season.

A (67:39)

Where do you like your buy if you get to pick a week.

C (67:41)

I've had weeks bye weeks in week three.

A (67:44)

Oh, that's like lunch at 9:30.

C (67:45)

I was like, dude, that's such a grind for so long. This is before they got two buys so you're just like, you're grinding for the rest of the time. But this is a good part of the season. About week seven, week eight, where if you're about mid midway, it's just a nice relief from season and you can kind of get a little healthy.

A (68:03)

Let's go. Vikings at Chargers on Thursday night. I do like the game for a Thursday night game, although there have been really good Thursday night games this year, which hasn't always been the case. So there's been solid one after the other. The weird thing about the Vikings is has there been a soft benching?

C (68:19)

I see. That's what I keep asking myself. I was like, J.J. mcCarthy sprained his ankle in week two. We're now in week seven. I don't know a lot of. I don't know how severe it is and I'm not trying to come up with a conspiracy theory or anything like that, but I think they allowed wins to keep going. He got the win in London, he's coming back and he's been up and down, but he's actually playing pretty well. And I think that they're waiting to see if he takes the reins and not, not just jumping out and saying, hey, JJ's starting as soon as he's healthy, because I believe he's probably healthy because he was suited as a 3 3rd quarterback this week. It's just a very interesting dynamic and how this whole thing unfolds.

A (68:56)

Vikings and Chargers, Chargers, not, not a great. Not, not a great last week.

C (69:01)

No, but those Colts, man, they were rolling.

A (69:03)

They are rolling.

C (69:04)

I mean, they're rolling and probably one of the best teams in football right now. Now I think their schedule gets a little bit harder. But the Vikings on the road against the Chargers, Chargers have shown some weaknesses there, especially on the defensive side of the ball. I thought that was going to be a strong suit, but they've, you know, haven't played as well recently. So I'm going with the Vikings.

A (69:21)

Wow. I'm going to go with the Chargers just because I think I can't. I don't want to say this. It'll offend you. So I don't want to say anything about the coaching. There's better coaching and with the Chargers, I don't. That'll be offensive to you, to your boy Kevin.

C (69:33)

You heard him, dude. You were on the show. I've got your back, doggy.

A (69:37)

Vikings school. I think for Jim Harbaugh to lose two in a row, that's probably rarer than even I think it is. I think the Chargers come back ready to go. I'm taking the Chargers. Next up, Cowboys at Broncos.

C (69:49)

Ooh, I think this is going to be a good game. I mean the way the Cowboys came out and offensively, defensively. But I put their better put together their best, best full game. I love the way the offense is playing, but they are going up against the Broncos whose defense is probably one of the best in the league, even though Giants went out there and put up a bunch of points on them. Ooh, this is tough. I'm going with the Cowboys.

A (70:13)

I'm going to go with the Cowboys and get the three and a half points as well. But I think I would take the Cowboys straight up just because they're just fun to watch. I don't like to root against teams that are so fun to watch. And CD Lamb look good, look good.

C (70:24)

George Pickens is awesome. The run games got going. If the defense holds up in any capacity, you know that they're going to score points.

A (70:31)

Packers minus three at the Steelers.

C (70:35)

Ooh, packers minus three at the Steelers.

A (70:38)

I'm going to go with Packers. I'm going to give up points. Packers over Steelers in Pittsburgh.

C (70:43)

Yes, I agree with you. I will go with the Packers. I just think that they're a better overall team. That was Michael Parsons went off.

A (70:48)

Oh yeah, three sacks.

C (70:49)

Yeah, that's what you want to see.

A (70:52)

Yeah, he was awesome.

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Yeah.

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B (71:41)

See dkng co audio.

A (71:44)

Yeah, we got lots to say. Do you watch a lot now? Are you able to stay involved or at least watch games and like as a fan?

B (71:53)

Yeah. Yeah. So my 10 year old boy loves football and so he kind of has me in it. I mean, he knows every player's name, which is unbelievable. But it's been fun to kind of watch the game through his eyes because it's innocent again, you know, it's just like the love of the game that sometimes wears off as you get older. So we got football on all day Saturday, all day Sunday and you know, we watch. You know, there's no team we really root for.

C (72:18)

But you don't root for the Titans?

A (72:20)

I don't think that's possible.

C (72:22)

It's hard right now.

A (72:24)

Do they play? Do they have points they haven't scored?

B (72:27)

Do they have points in the league?

A (72:30)

It's been tough.

C (72:31)

It's been tough.

A (72:31)

How was this weekend for you? Usc, Notre Dame?

C (72:34)

Ah, it's heartbreaking. No, it was an incredible environment. Obviously it's a rivalry that is a historical rivalry. And you know, when I was there, you kind of got a feel for it every single time you played Notre Dame. Pete Carroll did a tremendous job of teaching you about the history of the game and have guys like Marcus Allen and this guy Marv Goo, who is a legendary defensive coach, all these different players would come in and speak to us that during that week. So it was a big deal. And then to get back there in USC being 5 and 1, thinking they've got a chance, go down, have a few good series and then Notre Dame just beat us up physically up front and ran through our face and it was still close in the. We took the lead in the third quarter and then we give up the kickoff return and at that point it was all over.

B (73:19)

I was going to ask, do you feel, because obviously you're more involved in the game, that nil has changed like the university passion or the, you know, like campus passion?

C (73:30)

You know, it's very interesting because we were talking to some of the, even the Notre Dame players and particularly C.J. carr, their quarterback. And one of the legendary plays in the series was the Tush push or whatever you want to call it, right in that 2005 game when both of those teams are undefeated. Brady Quinn, Matt Leiner going back and for he had no idea what we were referencing. And I was like, wow. Like you'd think, you'd think that there was maybe, but he was a young kid, so I'm not putting it past him. I mean, I'm not saying that he's being disrespectful by any means, but I think some of the nil space now you come there for A paycheck. And you're going there without the same pride that you used to go to a university because you're picking it because that's your destination for four to five years, knowing that you're probably never going to leave that place. And so there's a pride that comes along with that. Now I feel like some of these players, and I'm not speaking about Notre Dame, USC or whatever, but some of it is more transactional than it is about the university itself.

A (74:23)

I was with, I don't want to say who it is, but I was with a power four head coach this weekend. One of my friends doesn't live here. But who is it? I can tell you off because what's her mascot? I think for the fans, obviously it hasn't changed. Like we still, we understand they're more mercenary type than they used to be. They may be there for a year, hopefully longer. But I was with this coach and it's just, even for them, it's just always asking for money. That's so much a part of the job now that they're still coaching, but a lot of their 24 hours in a day. There are so many hours that have to be dedicated to just glad handing asking for money that even four to five years ago that wasn't the case. So it's changed for everybody across the board and they try to hire general managers to take a little bit of that load off. But if you're a donor and I'm a donor, like I'm a big donor, fair donor in Arkansas, big donor, big better if medium donor, sometimes too big a better but loser. But loser. If you're a donor and the general manager is calling going, hey, I want to spend time with you, but you have a substantial amount of money, you don't want to talk to the general manager, you want to talk to the coach because that's who you're giving the money to. So the nil thing has been weird not just for players and I think everybody should get paid. By the way, I'm a pay people guy. Yes. But it's almost like where baseball is. And now they may end up a labor strike not next year, but the year after because the owners want a salary cap. The players are like, no way we're having a salary cap if they don't have some sort of structure on. It's weird to call it a cap. But if these third string offensive tackles are going into the portal now and just because the market on them, they're getting paid $700,000, and they're not even really playing. But that's the market to get a player. And how are they getting the money? It's not all revenue sharing, because revenue sharing just equaled it out. So all the teams were like, wait till revenue sharing. Then we'll have money. But if everybody's revenue share is exactly the same, well, you still have to get more money than your other person. So that's the coach spending hours of every day on the phone. It's a weird environment. Now college is.

B (76:33)

I couldn't imagine being a coach because, like you said, you're recruiting your own guys constantly. And you know, it just as an athlete and kind of. I fear the character building of these young guys is like, yes, you. You should get paid. I mean, it's. It's a lot of work, and you sacrifice your body and they make a lot of money off you. But at the same point, to just be able to transfer and go play somewhere else because you lost your job or it's getting too hard or you don't. It's like, okay, well, build some resilience. Like, fight.

A (76:59)

Yeah, life's not like that.

B (77:00)

Fight back. You know, like, hey, give it a shot. Because that's where I think, you know, I fear with kids coming up and my kids coming up is that, you know, what is that college environment look like? If they're going to be athletes, I want them to be tough. I want them to be respectful. I want them to, you know, be passionate about, you know, where you go, who you play for and the name on your back. But at the same point, don't just like. Like, go the easy route and just leave because, oh, it's too tough or he's not fair. He's picking someone else. Okay, well, everyone has a chance to earn a spot.

A (77:31)

What it's going to take is actual legislation, because right now you need it to get as bad as it possibly can because nobody's stepping in to fix it until it has to be fixed. There was the o' Bannon case went to the Supreme Court. Video game Charles o' Bannon played at ucla. His likeness was used. So they sued. Now players can get paid, right? That's the entire. That's the genesis of players getting paid now. And so if the NCAA is sued, they basically lose every lawsuit now, right? They just line up labor laws, right?

B (77:58)

Yep.

A (77:58)

They're going to lose. So there's going to have to be California. Yeah, yeah, there's going to have to be. It's going to have to get so bad that it's going to have to go to lawmakers and lawmakers only want to do things that make them look like heroes to the constituents. The days of lawmakers actually wanted to make a difference. Not really so much. It's just get reelected. So that's going to have to happen to where they want to actually make a difference and be seen. A union is going to have to be had.

C (78:23)

That's the most difficult part about this. Like who's going to organize a players union when it's such a small finite period of time for each of these players. And unlike the NFL where you got 32 teams, you've got 132 teams, then you have to have buy in by the players to say in order to make a players union, each of you have to give a certain amount of money into the pot each year that you're in school. But then that rolls over every four years. What does the leadership look like? Who's going to be the head of a players union for college? Which means you're going to have to go out and get some a high paying lawyer and be able to unionize and also organize enough to where the leadership at the top doesn't change so so quickly that you can actually do something and make make a difference difference in what's going on.

A (79:10)

I mean, I think in the end the reality of it is you can transfer. Once you transfer again, it's a year. It's old school like because back in the day if you transferred unless you went down, yeah, you got to sit a year. And I think there's going to have to eventually be some sort of cap because you're going to. And it's happening now where your players are making more than NFL players are their first couple of years. You know, yeah, it's, it's wild, especially.

B (79:34)

With endorsements and stuff too.

A (79:35)

But it has to get crazier before it gets fixed. And that's a weird thing to say because nobody's going to be motivated to fix anything that isn't wildly broken because there are 700 other things they've got to do. But yeah, it sucks and it's awesome as players and as I just talk, I just talk about this as a coach is why it's so fresh on my mind. It's also why I'm not going to be a D1 coach in case you guys are wondering.

C (79:53)

Definitely, definitely.

B (79:54)

I'm right there behind you.

C (79:55)

I don't want to be one either.

A (79:56)

Who's. Who's the best team in the NFL this Year.

B (80:00)

Great question. Detroit looked good yesterday.

A (80:06)

And against a good Tampa team, but, yeah, Tampa's missing so many weapons and. And they get one of their biggest ones back and he goes out with a shoulder and a concussion. Yeah, that's the hard part, is that I didn't see that.

B (80:17)

Yeah, yeah.

C (80:19)

Broke his clavicle.

A (80:20)

So he came back for like a cup of coffee and he's out again.

C (80:22)

Yeah, one one post route.

B (80:24)

Basically, man, he's been like the iron man, too.

C (80:26)

Chris Godwin's out. I mean, you've. And a Mecha Buka came back. He had zero catches. I mean, so they're very, very thin at the wide receiver position.

A (80:35)

Hey. Hey.

B (80:36)

Hey.

A (80:36)

How you feeling? You think your back's a little sore?

C (80:39)

But to any GM out there, he didn't say that. He's totally fine.

B (80:42)

We can edit that out.

A (80:43)

We bleep that out.

B (80:44)

We got about five plays. Yeah. You know what's crazy about just sports, but football especially is. I mean, you say who's the best team? Well, whoever is healthy, to be honest. I mean, especially at that level. You got guys, two skilled guys, Godwin and Evans out. I mean, that changed the dynamic of what Mayfield can do and what that offense can do. And so I just think it is ever changing, you know, in the league. And it's. It's whoever's kind of the healthiest at the end. Look at, like, Buffalo's kind of behind a little bit. We thought bigger things. Same thing with Kansas City. But, you know, Chiefs are coming back, though. They're roaring back. They stay healthy towards the end of the year. Those are teams that have, like, the experience that are going to be successful and be in the big game. So it's hard not to go against teams like that.

A (81:26)

Let me ask you about the mindset of somebody like a Travis Kelsey, who is in his 30s, mid-30s, obviously he's slow to half step. That's why he's not in as much. And you can see him being frustrated when he comes out at times, too. As you get older, is it a realization of, this is why I'm leaving, or is it, no, I can still do it? Why am I getting taken out of the game?

B (81:46)

Yeah, I mean, I think it's. It's an ego thing. We all got egos. And I mean, I was my lower 30s, but, like, as I was going through the process after I got cut from New York, I was talking a couple teams and like, oh, we'll use you in like a third down package, or we'll use you In a red zone package, it's like, I can still play. Like, I'm an every down player. I want to play. And like, you got to check yourself and check your ego and be like, hey. Well, it's obviously feedback for a reason. Like, you're losing a step or you're slowing down or your game's not the same. So I think it's challenging because mentally you feel like you're still that guy, but physically, you know your performance isn't.

C (82:23)

Yeah. And also, Travis Kelce, he's been a featured guy throughout his entire career. He's ultra competitive. Even going back to last year, he's a featured guy. So if the minute you start to buy into everybody saying, oh, well, he's lost a step, he's not that well, you lose your superpower because that confidence is why he is who he is. And while he might have lost a step, he's still better than 95% of the guys out there. And when they get. When he gets taken out of the game, that's just his personality. That's what's made him so good, is because of that drive, because of that tenacious attitude that he's like, dude, I can still get this done. I'll beat this guy all day long. So that's where that comes from. And I think that's why he's been so good and so elite for so long.

A (83:00)

Pick a quarterback in the league now you'd like to play with.

C (83:04)

I'm not in the league anymore.

A (83:07)

Yeah, Castle's off the list, in case you wanted to go.

B (83:09)

That was the alley oop. Yeah, he's cut me off.

A (83:11)

Who? Now do you see? And you're like, man, I'd love to play with that guy for whatever reason.

B (83:16)

I love dart. I think I'd love to play with dart. I just love that swagger. I love the quarterback. A little swagger. He can throw it, too, but he's just a. He's a competitor.

C (83:24)

You want to play with a rookie quarterback right now who just is. Rattles with his body, a veteran dude that's going to, like, see the game a little different. He runs more than he throws. No, I'm just kidding. You're right.

B (83:34)

But you know what? I'm looking at it from just like, who's going to give me that energy? Like, watch. Like, I get excited to watch him for a reason. I don't turn on the Kansas City games like I used to. Like, I'm excited to see the Giants play, but I think it's because he's polarizing. I mean, he's got this, this energy, this just aura about him that, like, the dude's gonna put his body out there, but he's gonna compete. And, like, that's all you want as a, as a, as a, you know, locker room buddy, someone that's going to compete.

A (84:02)

Pick a wide receiver you'd like to play with now that you watch Wide receiver.

C (84:06)

I mean, Justin Jefferson's pretty good. Jamar Chase is pretty good. Seattle Seahawks last night. What's his name?

A (84:12)

Jackson, Smith. And Jake.

C (84:13)

Oh, dude. He might be emerging as one of the top, if not the top wide receiver now. I just named.

A (84:19)

He finally got a quarterback to throw him the ball.

C (84:21)

But how good is that guy? I mean, the separation that he creates, the different types of route running, and his hands are automatic. I think this kid is special. So watch in that from a youth standpoint. I watched him last night and I'm going, man, he just keeps getting better and better. I think it's three straight games with over 100 yards.

B (84:37)

He's averagely 115 yards.

C (84:39)

He's been incredible. So those are kids like that. I mean, young guys like that who continue to get better. That's exciting.

A (84:45)

What sucks? And listen, so everybody knows I'm looking at the camera on this. We are. The NFL is our boss. We work for the NFL. I'm going to say this. We are literally paid by the NFL. You got to stop at the 9 o' clock central games. Yeah, I get it. More football all the time. I'm even okay with like the European games. You wake up, you're like, oh, I forgot there's a game. I. I couldn't watch any of it. So I'm looking at NFL.

C (85:10)

He says that with all due respect.

A (85:12)

Yeah. The most respectful way possible.

B (85:14)

What are the ratings, though? What other ratings can. Fantastic. Probably.

C (85:17)

I. I have no idea.

A (85:18)

I can't imagine. Imagine East Coast. It starts at 10 o'.

B (85:22)

Clock. Yeah. On a.

C (85:23)

On a school night.

A (85:24)

Crazy. On a school night. Okay, final question.

C (85:27)

Yeah.

A (85:28)

And you don't have to answer it. You complete the fifth of your cast. Who is the most annoying?

B (85:32)

Yes.

C (85:33)

This is such a good question.

A (85:35)

Just because personalities are different.

B (85:37)

Yeah, for sure. You know what? Like, I'm not trying to just play this guy, but I'm a pretty patient, patient man. I didn't have anyone that bothered me, annoyed me. I think it was a really good cast. As you can see the way they paint some people like Cody Brown or Jussie. He's gone now. How they painted them like you know, they are polarizing in their own right for what they've kind of been through, I guess, or who they are. But we all built individual relationships within, you know, that experience. And we had our comedians, you know, Ravi and Nick were hilarious. We had, like, our athletes that were quiet and just like, I'm going to do everything, like Randall and Sean. And then you had, you know, some pop culture people that were just kind of a good mix as well. So I truthfully don't have anyone that I was annoyed by. There were obviously people that had conflict. I did not have that.

C (86:34)

Who would you not invite to your house for dinner?

A (86:37)

Good one.

C (86:39)

Who would I not invite? You're so right down the middle.

A (86:43)

Well, he is a nice guy.

C (86:44)

I know.

A (86:45)

All the time. Which sucks, because I wouldn't.

B (86:46)

That's why I don't sit in front of the microphone. I know.

A (86:48)

I wouldn't believe him, except I've seen him be nice away from a microphone.

C (86:51)

I know.

A (86:51)

Yeah, I know.

C (86:53)

Sucks.

B (86:56)

Who did I not invite? Oh, man.

C (86:58)

But don't say me, because I wasn't on the show.

B (87:01)

You should do the show. Can we get Matt Castle signed up? Be great, Fox. Let's go. Honestly, I invite everyone.

C (87:08)

All right, here we go.

B (87:10)

All right.

C (87:10)

You guys are all good people out there.

B (87:12)

We need more love in this world, damn it. More love.

A (87:14)

Thank you, guys. Matt Castle, Eric, thanks for coming by, man. This has been awesome.

B (87:18)

Yeah, yeah.

A (87:19)

Kick off Kevin, Brandon Ray and Bobby Bones. We've had lots to say. We'll see you guys next week.

B (87:22)

Don't think this is the last time I'm invited over.

A (87:24)

This is the last time he's invited over. He'll be here tomorrow morning for pickleball. 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.

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Like how I'm more than just Peyton Manning.

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Insurance.

C (87:58)

Financial services.

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Insurance.

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B (88:01)

Now, when I say nationwide, you say is both. Nationwide is both.

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Nationwide is both for your insurance and financial needs. Nationwide is on your side.

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