Lots to Say: Super Bowl Champion Clay Matthews

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Bobby Bones Show – "Lots to Say: Super Bowl Champion Clay Matthews"

Episode Details

• Title: Lots to Say: Super Bowl Champion Clay Matthews
• Host: Bobby Bones
• Guest: Clay Matthews
• Release Date: April 16, 2025
• Produced By: Premiere Networks

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Introduction

In this episode of The Bobby Bones Show, host Bobby Bones engages in an in-depth conversation with Clay Matthews, a celebrated Super Bowl-winning linebacker from a renowned NFL family dynasty. The discussion spans Matthews' early life, collegiate journey, professional career, personal experiences, and transition into life after football.

Clay Matthews' Family and Early Life

[01:25] Bobby Bones: "Clay Matthews, the one and only Clay Matthews. This guy comes from a family dynasty of NFL football..."

Clay Matthews opens up about his illustrious family background in the NFL, tracing his lineage back to his grandfather, Clay Matthews Sr., and highlighting the careers of his father Clay Matthews Jr., his brother Bruce Matthews, and his cousins and brother Casey Matthews—all of whom have made significant marks in the NFL.

[02:06] Matthews: "Super Bowl winning linebacker. You know, he's an incredible person and also an incredible player and a friend of mine."

College Football Journey

The conversation delves into Matthews' college years at the University of Southern California (USC), where he and Matt Castle were teammates. Matthews shares anecdotes about their early days, struggles to secure starting positions, and eventual breakthroughs.

[04:10] Matthews: "I remember the first time I met you, you weren't even at USC yet. Kyle and I had a day off..."

He recounts a memorable paintball experience orchestrated by Matt's father, which showcased the competitive spirit that both Matthews and Castle carried into their football careers.

[05:11] Matthews: "190 pounds soaking wet does not look like the man he is today..."

Discussing his transformation from a walk-on to a standout player, Matthews emphasizes the importance of perseverance and personal growth during his college tenure.

NFL Career with Green Bay Packers

Matthews discusses his entry into the NFL as a first-round pick by the Green Bay Packers, detailing the unexpected nature of the trade that brought him to the team and his initial experiences.

[10:17] Matthews: "I wasn't flustered or, you know, the money, the fame, whatever that comes with it, it was just like, all right, this is cool..."

He highlights his adaptability and work ethic, which contributed to his immediate success and eventual accolades, including becoming the Packers' all-time sack leader.

[12:07] Matthews: "My third year. So that was my, I redshirted..."

Explaining the scholarship process as a walk-on, Matthews underscores the significance of earning his place through consistent performance and dedication.

[14:36] Matthews: "Baker, Mayfield, J.J. Watt. These guys were walk-ons who have gone on to do amazing things..."

He reflects on the value of walk-ons in college football, acknowledging their role in building resilient and versatile teams.

Transition to the Los Angeles Rams and Later Career

After an illustrious tenure with Green Bay, Matthews transitions to the Los Angeles Rams, sharing insights into adjusting to a new locker room environment and proving his worth once again.

[52:56] Matthews: "I thought it was great. I felt like I could play another five, six years..."

He describes the camaraderie and challenges of joining a new team, working alongside elite players like Aaron Donald, and embracing a fresh start despite the eventual release due to organizational changes.

Personal Life and Post-Retirement Activities

Beyond the gridiron, Matthews discusses his life off the field, including his dedication to family and his passion for farming and sustainability.

[57:14] Matthews: "We were fortunate to get about 200 acres close to town. And I've always loved the outdoors..."

He elaborates on his farming projects, such as planting chestnut trees and reintroducing wildlife to his land, highlighting his commitment to environmental stewardship and community.

[62:51] Matthews: "But it also helps that the narrative around athletes is like, you're an idiot..."

Addressing personal development, Matthews emphasizes the importance of hard work, humility, and passing on knowledge to his children without succumbing to external pressures or stereotypes.

Reflections on Football and Legacy

In reflecting on his career, Matthews shares memorable moments, challenges, and lessons learned from competing against some of the NFL's greatest quarterbacks, including Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers.

[39:17] Matthews: "I don't think I ever, I might have jumped off size once in my 11-year career because of going against Aaron every day in practice..."

He pays tribute to his peers, acknowledging their influence on his professional growth and the mutual respect that defines relationships within the league.

[30:22] Matthews: "It's cool. I'm just thankful Reggie White didn't play his whole career there..."

Discussing achievements, Matthews expresses gratitude for his time with the Packers and the enduring friendships forged through shared successes and challenges.

Closing Remarks

As the episode winds down, Matthews and Bobby Bones engage in lighthearted banter and playful interactions, highlighting Matthews' personable nature and continued enthusiasm for both football and life beyond the sport.

[68:28] Bobby Bones: "We're gonna do something fun here. Matt, I want you to blind rank your USC 2004 teammates..."

The conversation concludes on a warm note, reinforcing the strong rapport between host and guest and leaving listeners with a comprehensive understanding of Clay Matthews' multifaceted life and career.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• [02:06] Matthews: "Super Bowl winning linebacker. You know, he's an incredible person and also an incredible player and a friend of mine."
• [05:11] Matthews: "190 pounds soaking wet does not look like the man he is today."
• [10:17] Matthews: "I wasn't flustered or, you know, the money, the fame, whatever that comes with it, it was just like, all right, this is cool."
• [14:36] Matthews: "Baker, Mayfield, J.J. Watt. These guys were walk-ons who have gone on to do amazing things..."
• [57:14] Matthews: "We were fortunate to get about 200 acres close to town. And I've always loved the outdoors..."
• [39:17] Matthews: "I don't think I ever, I might have jumped off size once in my 11-year career because of going against Aaron every day in practice..."
• [30:22] Matthews: "It's cool. I'm just thankful Reggie White didn't play his whole career there."

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This episode offers listeners an engaging and comprehensive look into Clay Matthews' life, providing valuable insights into the dedication, resilience, and versatility required to excel both on and off the football field.

Transcript

[Greg Rosenthal]

Lowe's knows that taking on more projects should be rewarding. That's why loyalty members get more every day with rewards for every home or business purchase. Plus shop weekly member deals and get access to free standard shipping. So what are you waiting for? Join for free Today Lowe's we help you save loyalty program subject to terms and conditions. Details@lowe's.com Terms subject to change. What's up, everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bobby Bones]

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

[Matt Castle]

We got lots to say.

[Bobby Bones]

We got lots to say.

[Matt Castle]

We're glad you're here and we hope you stay. Cause we got lots to say.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, we got lots to say.

[Matt Castle]

Now here's Bobby and Matt.

[Bobby Bones]

You can intro our guest.

[Clay Matthews]

Oh, our guest. The one and the only Clay Matthews. This guy comes from a family dynasty of NFL football. It starts with his grandfather, Clay Senior, who played in the NFL. His two oldest sons, your father, Clay Junior and Bruce, both were first round draft picks, played 19 seasons in the NFL. You have three cousins that played in the NFL. You and your younger brother Casey, both played in the NFL. You obviously have an incredible career. Six time Pro Bowler, NFC Defensive Rookie of the year. Is that correct?

[Matt Castle]

Defensive rookie of the Year and NFC Defensive Player of the Year?

[Clay Matthews]

Yes, 100%. I was just about to say that.

[Bobby Bones]

No notes, by the way.

[Clay Matthews]

No notes.

[Bobby Bones]

Castle's got no notes.

[Clay Matthews]

Super bowl winning linebacker. You know, it's. He is incredible. He's an incredible person and also an incredible player and a friend of mine. Welcome to show Clay Matthews. Yes.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah. So my question is, Castle and I were talking and he was like, hey, I should hit up Clay. And I said, be awesome. And he said, I'll see him at a school board meeting or something to that effect.

[Matt Castle]

How.

[Bobby Bones]

How do you guys know each other now?

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, Well, I mean, I think if we want to talk about how we know each other now, we got to go back to how we first met each other.

[Bobby Bones]

Sure. So that's college Right.

[Matt Castle]

That's college.

[Bobby Bones]

We gotta. We got it. We got the Trojan helmet up.

[Clay Matthews]

Trojan love, baby.

[Matt Castle]

For those who don't know, Matt and I were on the same University of Southern California football team. And what's great is how our stories. And I've got to sing Matt's praises. And one of the reasons why I remain friends with Matt until this day, for many reasons, but one of them being the similar trajectory that we took in college in that Matt, I'm sure when you'll have to fill me in, was at one point, maybe third string, second string, just could never crack the starting line. It was playing behind Heisman Trophy winners in Carson Palmer, Matt Leinert, and obviously, he goes to the NFL and has tremendous success and couldn't be more proud of him. You guys like Ryan Khalil, you know, guys who were, you know, kind of had to sit on the bench, and we all went through this thing, but just by chance, we. I grew up in Southern California, much like Matt. Matt's career took him around. And I don't want to speak for you, but obviously he settled out here in Nashville. And then you played for a lot of teams.

[Clay Matthews]

Just a few.

[Bobby Bones]

Oh, okay.

[Clay Matthews]

Mark him down.

[Matt Castle]

He played more. More years than me, so. And then we were just. When I retired, we were still in Southern California, and we're your typical Covid family. We just took a look around and realized that's not where we wanted to raise a young family. And we moved out here, and my older brother Kyle, who also played with Matt at the time at usc, was out here, so we want to be closer to family. Just so happened Matt was out here and his family. We had a, you know, a relationship from. From years past, and kids ended up going to the same school, and the rest is history.

[Clay Matthews]

It's pretty. It's pretty funny because I remember the first time I met you, you weren't even at USC yet. Kyle and I had a day off, and we came out to Westlake, and we came out to West Lake, to your home there. And we're sitting there, we're just messing around. And your dad goes, hey, let's go out and paintball. And I was like, you want to do what? And he's like, let's go out and paintball. So we go get these paintball guns, and we get all suited up, suited and booted, ready to get out there. And they've got this large landscape out on the. It was a huge, massive hill, right?

[Matt Castle]

Yeah.

[Clay Matthews]

And so all of a sudden, his dad, Clay Jr. Comes out and he's in a full wookie suit. Like he's ghillie suit.

[Matt Castle]

He made it himself.

[Clay Matthews]

He made it himself. And I'm like, oh, he's for real. Now when you're 6 5, like 245, he looks like a tree moving in the woods. Right. But he is shooting us all over. So we went out and paintballed that whole entire afternoon. And then obviously Clay came to USC soon thereafter. And the amazing part about this guy is he comes in, he's a walk on. He's what, 190 pounds soaking wet.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, not a lot.

[Clay Matthews]

190 pounds soaking wet does not look like the man he is today. And so I remember after I graduated, I came back about two off seasons later and I go into the weight room to get a workout in and I see this guy and he's got this beautiful hair, it's pulled back, he's like snatching 225. And I said to her, strength and condition coach, I said, coach Carlisle, who is that? He goes, that's Clay Matthews. I was like, oh my God. The guy had completely transformed himself, grown into his own body. And then at that point, his career took off.

[Bobby Bones]

Did you grow or did you work?

[Matt Castle]

It was both. I mean, I was a late bloomer. That's just a nice way of saying I went through puberty late. I got to school probably around 220, although it was all in my legs. And physically I was not mature and not ready to play for the best team in the country at that point. Team that was littered in five star recruits and blue chip athletes. But every year I just kind of stuck with that. I put on about five pounds and I just got sharper mentally and physically to the point where, you know, I was there for five years too. So by, by my third year, or I should say my fourth year, started getting in games where, you know, I'd play in garbage time and sharpening my craft. And then my last year, I know you'd ask a question, but I'm just hijacking this real quick. But my last year, Everson Griffin came in and Pete Carroll had said at the time he could play in the NFL right now. So I got no chance at playing. So they moved me, they knew I had talent. And Brian Cushing was playing in front of me, who went on to have an amazing career as well. First round pick. We put in a bear defense, 02 threes, but two standup outside linebackers. It was me and Kush, we played outside backer and I was rotating in every third series. And fortunately, a couple games into the season, they recognized that I had some ability to rush the passer and be disruptive, and that's when I took over. But to answer your question, it was a little bit of both maturing late and just kind of sticking with it.

[Bobby Bones]

Your whole family played football. Were they all bigger at the age when you say you hadn't developed yet?

[Matt Castle]

No, actually, no. My uncle and father very much were. Same trajectory, you know, they were just late bloomers and they didn't come into their own until college and obviously into the NFL.

[Bobby Bones]

Did you have any scholarship offers? You, I say you walked on, but smaller schools.

[Matt Castle]

None. Zero.

[Bobby Bones]

No way.

[Clay Matthews]

Yeah, it's incredible.

[Matt Castle]

In fact, I, I, I didn't either.

[Bobby Bones]

We have that in common.

[Matt Castle]

That's great.

[Bobby Bones]

I got no offers either.

[Matt Castle]

Well, did you, did you lie to people too? Because I remember going in there as a, you know, it's such a, the locker room is so unique and as a, as a walk on coming in, there's a, there's a stigma and, and some of it's true about being a walk on, it's not, I, I, I, you know, I hold it up now as a badge of honor, but at the time you don't want people to know, so I lied to people. I was like, well, I got Idaho, Arizona State. I picked the low hanging fruit in the PAC 10 at the time, I just, I think I said Arizona, Arizona State and Idaho and that, you know, I kind of slipped in the crowd right there. But I, I didn't have any, you.

[Clay Matthews]

Know, growing up in the, the family that you did, did you have a normal childhood or at what point did you realize that Matthew's name holds a lot of weight and did that put added pressure on you growing up and how, how was that for you as a kid?

[Matt Castle]

Honestly, it didn't add any pressure on me whatsoever. I think just growing up where I went to my father's games on Sundays, whereas, you know, he worked on the weekends, Whereas most work a 9 to 5 or Monday through Friday, that I kind of grew up around it and I was immune to it, so to speak, and that it didn't phase me now when I got older in high school there, you know, oh, what happened? Or you going to play in the NFL. But I never looked past the day, you know, the present, you know, playing in the NFL, playing in college, I just kind of fell into it. I fell into being a walk on. I got my ass kicked when I got there and I wanted to quit and I Just kind of stuck with it. But as far as my childhood, my dad was not like, you know, some of these golf dads you see or some of these. These baseball dads you see nowadays that are just like, you're gonna be great. He was just like, if it works out, works out. Tried to get me in the Gold's Gym out there in Agora. I was like, dad, I want to do this, you know, and it. It really took until my junior year in high school that I made a commitment to, you know, bettering myself, getting bigger, you know, faster, stronger, all that. But I had. It had to come from within. And obviously, I would assume for most boys, their greatest role model is their father was no different for me. So, you know, watching him, I was like, well, shoot, I hope to one day play in the NFL, but I never, you know, my childhood wasn't different from anyone else's.

[Bobby Bones]

What if you'd have wanted to be an accountant and skateboard?

[Matt Castle]

You would have allowed me to. Yeah. He just. His biggest piece of advice was, it doesn't matter what you do. Just be great at it. Just give it, you know, max effort and you'll be all right. And that's what I tell my kids now. It's like, you don't have to play in the NFL. You don't have to, you know, but just. But just be great at whatever it is you do. Give it your all and. And you will be great when you do that.

[Clay Matthews]

Yeah. So you get drafted to Green Bay, you're a first round pick, you play really one season at usc and you go in and you hit the ground running. They actually traded Brett Favre to get that pick and go up. Did you even realize that when that happened at the time? Or are you just like, I can't believe I'm a first round pick after one year of playing. And then you hit the ground running.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, it was pretty wild. I remember. If we're going to relive my college experience, let's just fast forward to the fifth and final year, which is all that really matters. I didn't start for the first three games, and I played really well as a situational pass rusher. I had a few sacks, force fumbles, fumble recovers. We're playing really well. But once again, Everson was in front of me and we had a loss on Thursday night to Oregon State, our only loss of the year. And fortunately, we went back in on Monday. We're getting ready to play Oregon, and Pete looked at me, he's like, hey, you're in the starting lineup. Don't let me down. And so that was kind of it. Now I had spent four and a half years on the bench, so I was, I wasn't giving up my spot right then. So I, you know, I just, I was like the, the, the new girl on campus, you know what I mean? Like, whereas a guy like Kush had five years of tape and for people to break him down and say, oh, what about this? He maybe have more miles, you know, on the tread. And for me, I think there was curiosity. But at the end of the day, when it came down to a gm, they're going to want somebody who's proven. And so for me, I knew there was a possibility of going first round because of or what I believed in myself. I just needed one person to believe in me. And fortunately it was Green Bay. And like you mentioned, Matt, they gave up, I think two thirds and a second round pick and, and that far trade they got. So. But to me, I, you know, I'm still so naive and so Green, where I'm just like, all right, this is cool. I didn't even know Wisconsin was on a map. Green Bay. And so for me, my, I wouldn't even say my head was spinning. I just didn't know what I was getting myself into. And I think that that helped a lot in my immediate success because it was just business as usual. I wasn't, you know, flustered or, you know, the money, the fame, whatever that comes with it, it was just like, all right, this is, this has been my life, you know, from my entire childhood.

[Bobby Bones]

The one year that you walk on in your red shirt. So three years you're playing special teams. You got special teams player of the year those years. When did you get a scholarship, though?

[Matt Castle]

My third year. So that was my, I redshirted. My first year was my redshirt sophomore year on the first day of training camp. So usually they wait until. For us. You were walk on too, weren't you? Or.

[Clay Matthews]

No, no, I earned a scholarship.

[Matt Castle]

Okay, well, speak for yourself. I'm sorry. Well, so normally what they do, and this, this is, it's not even a dirty secret, but they wait. You have to have a gpa, your team has to pass, you know, some gpa. And you know, athletes aren't always the brightest. And so I'm lumping myself and Matt in there. And, and so they usually wait for the walk on because the walk ons usually get into school based on their merit and you know, they usually apply themselves in the classroom, but. And so they wait until the last week of, you know, before training camp starts. And they usually have about four or five scholarship, and they give them to the guys who are in their last year. It's actually, it's really moving. I love seeing when guys get scholarships nowadays. When they bring them in, they. They do a wholesale. It's. It's so rewarding. And I remember when I got my scholarship, I. I was, you know, I wasn't really emotional, but hearing my parents joy when I called them just fired me up. Like, I. And so now when I see that, like, walk ons, you know, because like I said, there's a negative connotation that comes with it until you get through it. And a lot of those guys, you know, they belong with the frats and they just want to party and they want to be a part of the football team. But there is a lot that goes into it and a lot that people don't see that the red shirts, I think, are black shirts, as we call them, the scout team. Just getting your head beat in. And so it meant a great deal, and I'm still proud that I was able to earn it that way.

[Bobby Bones]

The three videos that make me emotional are one, in order at number one, Military family. Surprising.

[Clay Matthews]

Yes.

[Bobby Bones]

Like, those always get me, like, absolutely. Number two, when they offer a player a scholarship, basketball or football, mostly, it's like the team's gathered round. It's the end of a practice, and they're like, everybody gather round then, Chris. Oh, okay. So that's awesome. And number three, my new one is when players get called up to the majors. Oh, man, they'll bring them in the office. They'll be like, matt, been really playing consistent for us. We've got some. We got five good innings out of you last week, and we need to have this tough talk. And he's like, coach, am I going. Am I going down? You're going to the bigs. Every time I get sad, it's like happy, sad tear.

[Matt Castle]

That's awesome. Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

I'd probably cried if I'd seen that, though.

[Matt Castle]

We're just getting more mature, you know.

[Clay Matthews]

Talking about the walk on in itself. And now that they've expanded the scholarships for the football programs and they say that the walk on is going to go away. Do you think that that is going to hurt college football a little bit? Because guys like you, and we've seen it throughout our career, guys that develop a little bit later.

[Matt Castle]

Baker, Mayfield, J.J. watt. These guys were walk ons who, you know, have gone on to do amazing things well, yeah, I mean, obviously, having gone through it myself, those guys, I mean, you can laugh, but they're the cornerstone of some teams because those are the guys who give the looks during the week that we get to practice against. And you need those guys. There's a role for those guys. And not everyone's gonna go on to be a first round pick and have an amazing NFL career, but, yeah, I, I don't think it'll ever go away, Matt. I know, I know. I've heard that because of, you know, today's nil, but which also leads to a separate conversation about, you know, the reason why I got to where I'm at is because of the struggle that I had to deal with. And I don't mean in the sense of, you know, my socioeconomic class and how I grew up, but just kind of what I had to overcome and scratch and claw for. And nowadays, when you're able to transfer and you're bidding yourself to the highest bidder, it's, you know, I'm curious about the resiliency of these athletes moving forward when they get to the next level. It's gotta be tough for the NFL when you're looking at guys who, you know, are jumping around. Obviously, talent will supersede everything else, but at the end of the day, like, when push comes to shove, it's the fourth quarter, it's a tie game. Like, I want guys who are battle hardened and tested foreign.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up, everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the king of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101 free agents will have it covered for you. With all new episodes every Thursday, keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Clay Matthews]

Who are some of the guys that, when you first came in the league, took you under their wing and you'd say had an impact in your career of showing you how to be a professional?

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, well, those are, those are the guys who I still, and I tell everybody this. A guy like you I already mentioned, Ryan Khalil, Sam Baker, Lindell White, as a matter of fact, you know, he was always good to me because, like, I. The. Not the NFL locker room, the collegiate locker room, the NFL locker room is, you know, it's A little more inclusive of, you know, because you've all gone through, you know, the collegiate ranks, you've all, you know, made it, so to speak. But in college it's very separating to your superstars, your mid level guys, your, you know, your tier threes like myself. And so those guys who had Lofa Tatupu, Matt Grudigood, guys who had successful but looked out for me, Frosty Rucker, Mike Patterson, Sean Cody, actually, I guess there was a great deal and that helped because my brother had played with Matt and before me, so he had a few friends on the team say, hey, can, you know, look out for my brother. And I still got my head beat in, but I, I had guys in my corner and everybody who I had mentioned, I still hold them in such high regard because, you know, they didn't have to treat me any specific way. It could have just treated me like everybody else. But they were great to me, looked out for me and, you know, took care of me.

[Bobby Bones]

If I'm in California and I grew up a California kid, there are two places I don't want to play now. I want to play anywhere in the NFL. That's amazing. But I want to go to Buffalo. I don't want to go to Green Bay because freaking cold. Like it's different level. It's like alien. It's like Mars minus 100 degrees cold. That to your body does what? That's a transition, right?

[Matt Castle]

You know, it's a transition, but I don't know, there's something about it too. I, it's, it's mental war games. You know, you see these guys coming from Florida, they got their ski mask on, their shirt off in pregame. You're like, you ain't, it's like a four hour game. You're not handling this. But I also found like being the kid from California with the long blonde hair, like, obviously, oh, are you gonna handle this? I felt like I had to go over and beyond of like, so I was a guy pouring water in my hair, icicles at the tip of my hair. And I, but I loved it. I, you know, and then naturally I played into my, you know, my Nordic roots and, and everything. But now Green Bay and, and now Buffalo, with the success they've had, yes, they are small market teens, but the.

[Bobby Bones]

Not even the market, the cold.

[Matt Castle]

But you gotta, it's both teams are playing in the cold. So at that point you're in the same elements, whether it's your footing, you're route running, passing the ball, it just comes down to you Know who wants it more and who's mentally tough. And when you, when you live in that.

[Bobby Bones]

But you have to live there.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, but I mean, like, I'm a wimp.

[Bobby Bones]

Can you see, Clay? I'm just a big pud.

[Matt Castle]

Well, yeah, I mean, but if you live there, you'd. You'd be blue collar.

[Bobby Bones]

I wouldn't live there. I'd just retire.

[Clay Matthews]

One of the coolest games I've ever been in. We went there with Detroit. It was negative five at game time. And I'm like, what? You couldn't even spit. It would just stick to your face mask. I'm like. And were you one of those guys that would put stuff on underneath or you were just sleeveless?

[Matt Castle]

Only one game did I wear a. A long sleeve. We were in Chicago, it was like 7 degrees. I had the flu. That game. You talk about Michael Jordan's flu game. I was trash that year. I was so bad. Shaking on the sideline and like, that was the only game I ever wore. But no, I mean, once you start playing, once you get to the sideline too, they give you the parkas and the beanies and they wrap you up and you got the heaters. It's.

[Bobby Bones]

It's not that bad at a point though, because I did a lot of hunting growing up. I'm rural Arkansas, so we hunted a lot. But there was a point where none of that stuff. Once you're already cold, you're just cold. Like, you're just cold. You can put all the stuff on. You're just cold. I'm also.

[Matt Castle]

All right, well, but that's when you're. The mental comes in.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, I don't know.

[Matt Castle]

Well, you can develop that. There's still time.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah.

[Matt Castle]

I don't think we can send you off to the frozen tundra.

[Clay Matthews]

Well, yeah, we should just start developing that mental toughness for you.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, I got it in different ways, just not that way there. I'm curious. Whenever, let's say, things started to work for you and you're constantly double teamed or you're constantly the target or you're always. I mean, Mike's on you all the time. Like, you are the center of what they have to pay attention to. Do they have to start moving you around like they do a receiver in order to get them open? So people aren't always chipped running backs always chipping you. So they're always double teaming you. When does that come into play with you in the NFL?

[Matt Castle]

So my first, my rookie year, I wasn't double teamed until week 17. We played the Arizona Cardinals and I think Kurt, we were actually going to play them the next week in the wild card round. And so Kurt Warner was the quarterback. They played him for like seven plays. He sat out, we beat the brakes off. Matt Liner was actually got some good hits on him. But we, we won like, you know, 42 to 20 or something. So we went in the next week thinking we're gonna kick their ass. And you know, I was, I was having, I was, I was rushing pretty good that game. And I remember the next week we went out there, they started double teaming me and chipping me with a back. And I remember being so flustered because I had never been double teamed before and I was like, you, you guys stop. You know, like you just, it's not fair, you know, this, that was my first time. And from that point I was double teamed. But the one thing you realize is like, there's no point bitching and complaining about it. It just comes down to like, you look at the greatest pass rushes, Miles Garrett, J.J. watt, Jared Allen, guys of our generation as well. Like, that's not an excuse. The greatest players are expected to be double teamed, whether it's a receiver or a D, you know, whatever it is, and they're expected to make the play. So, you know, your mentality has to continue to shift as you progress in the league. So that next year, 2010, was the year we won the Super Bowl. I ended up having another pretty good season and you know, I just had to continue to, to elevate my, my mental.

[Bobby Bones]

Are you moving around a lot though, so they can't find you? Or at least it's harder to find you?

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, you know, I felt like I could do it all. I felt like you could line me up over the center, guard, tackle, whatever it is. And I was able to have, you know, some shake, strength, everything to allow myself to free myself up. Yes, because when you stay on the edge, sometimes it gets, you know, they can find ways to work around you. You know, you could run away, run to there. There's ways to negate a pass rusher. But when you're playing off the ball back or you're moving around in different gaps, running games with others, it's harder to locate that guy, but you have more opportunities to make plays.

[Clay Matthews]

Wouldn't you say that was your biggest strength, though? That was your versatility? Because every, every time we played you guys, if he lined up in the same position, we, we would thank our lucky stars because we knew where he was going to line up. But he would move to off the ball linebacker. He'd be, like, he said, over our center and create some confusion there. And so you'd mess with the protection schemes. But you had that dynamic ability. I remember when we played you in Dallas, one of the hardest hits. I think I've told you this before, one of the hardest hits I've ever, ever took. You lined up at the weak sidelinebacker. Our running backs supposed to get you. And I just see you blitz off, and I was like, okay, here he comes. I'm waiting. I'm dropping back in the peripheral. I can kind of get. Feel you getting closer. I'm like, when is he gonna get picked up? And you just buy out me. Absolutely. Crush me in my ribs. Knocked the breath out of me. And I'm like, what just happened? My. My running back was supposed to. Which is a mismatch anyway. Right. Because it's a mismatch league. And I'm sitting there going, ah. And my running back comes back and goes, oh, my bad, dude. I just. I went out on the flare. I was like. He blitzed at the snap like he. There was no question whether or not he was coming. He didn't bluff. He didn't do anything. But that was a major strength of yours in terms of being a player and the versatility that you had because you could play so many different positions.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, well, I enjoyed it, too. It kept me kind of. It kept me engaged in the game. You know, when you line up on one side and you're always rushing, obviously, that's what I did very well, is obviously, you know, holding my edge pursuit in the run game and then, you know, trying to rush the quarterback. But when you go inside, a couple years when I played inside linebacker, it just. It unlocks, you know, a little bit of complacency that sometimes sets in when you play the same position and repetition kicks in. So for me, I felt that was a great shot, because I know there was times in my career where I was covering Jamal Charles out of the backfield. I was covering Gronkowski on a 7 route. Gosh, I'm blanking. Why am I blanking on the Chiefs tight end right now? I. I cover him at times.

[Bobby Bones]

Wow.

[Matt Castle]

I was on Tony. Yeah. Travis Kelsey. I did. I did play against Tony. I needed help with him, but, yeah, I mean, you know, and then I'd be lined up against Jason Kelsey at center and some of the best tackles, and I think it. Yeah, it helped myself out. It helped the team out and kept. Kept me engaged and it was just fun because it was, it was something new, something different. I took pride in being, being able to do it all.

[Bobby Bones]

There's always every draft, some body part that isn't quite big enough. Pickett had small hands. Now this year, the tackle at lsu, his arms aren't long enough. Right. And so I spent a few days talking about this. You ever have a short arm tackle where you're like, we got to go after this guy because he's got Tyrannosaurus rex arms?

[Matt Castle]

Well, I, I know the long arm tackles are a problem. I remember Tyron Smith, just from sc, he gave me the most trouble. I, I, I think I got regular arms, but I'd lean in with a one arm. He, he'd slam it down. I go in with a bull rush. He grabbed me. I was like, I'll go line up over the right tackle. But no, there, there's you, you do enough film study and your coach does a great breakdown of kind of what works. But for me, I always found that, you know, there's always that feeling out process of going against a new tackle or new lineman. And sometimes you can, you can get after him right away with the real elite players, you know, it takes some times and you have your battles against them, but no, I don't. I mean, you can sit there and look at the measurables, but not to be cliche, but, you know, if they got that dog in them, then it's like, you know, all's fair.

[Clay Matthews]

One of the cool things that I think we talked about over the years. You're a big UFC fan.

[Matt Castle]

Oh, yeah.

[Clay Matthews]

And so you also implemented that into your training over the course of the years. Like, you'd go in, you'd grapple, you'd learn. Do you think that that type of training really carried over into how you played the game? Especially like the hand battling and all that stuff?

[Matt Castle]

I mean, I, I'm going to say it didn't hurt. You know, it's hard to say. Yeah, it's just, I definitely think it did. I mean, I think mentally more than anything, because I remember the first day I went there, they asked me to jump rope for three minutes. My calf started locking up. Because, you know, in football you're exploding for, you know, 6, 9, 12 seconds, whatever it is, and then you get time to, to take some time off. But yeah, just kind of that, you know, understanding your body, grappling, hand work, you know, swiping, all that, I definitely think it helped in some regard, but I was always trying to find an edge in the off season, I'm sure much like yourself with. Whether it be boxing or. Or cycling or something like that, just to kind of as, you know, as you get long in the tooth, is just figuring out new ways to take your game to the next level, or your conditioning in the offseason, for that matter.

[Bobby Bones]

What about sparring? Did you spar while training?

[Matt Castle]

I, I. We had. We had a boxing coach, and we'd spar every once in a while, but he wouldn't. He wasn't allowed to throw head shots. We were allowed to throw at him, but then he'd catch you with, like, a liver or body shot. He'd put you down. But.

[Bobby Bones]

Do you ever think about trying ufc?

[Matt Castle]

No.

[Bobby Bones]

Mma?

[Matt Castle]

No. I just, like. I like having a beer on the couch and yelling about how that guy sucks, you know, and how I lost money on my bed, but you could.

[Clay Matthews]

Be the next Brock Lesnar.

[Matt Castle]

Brock Lesnar was. Let's go to the gills, you know, and I. I'm past my prime.

[Clay Matthews]

Oh, I would. I would actually love to see you in the Octagon. Who's your favorite fighter right now? Because I know that you watch this religious. You have broken off times where we were supposed to go out to dinner just because you're like, dude, I can't go out today.

[Matt Castle]

Saturday night.

[Clay Matthews]

Yeah.

[Matt Castle]

Did you watch a card last week? 3:14.

[Clay Matthews]

I watched.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah. I'm loving the fighting nerds right now.

[Bobby Bones]

I wanted. I really was hoping for Chan. Chandler lives here.

[Matt Castle]

I know he does. I know he does.

[Bobby Bones]

I've had him. I love him. I was rooting for him. Patty just overtook.

[Matt Castle]

So I've been. I've been watching Patty since he came in, and he almost had that. He should have lost to that decision. I don't know what his name is, but I feel like after that, when he started taking it seriously, and I've watched him, and I saw this matchup, and. And I didn't think it was gonna be close. I didn't. I didn't see that happening. And I know Chandler's a great guy, and I don't miss any, you know, disrespect, but I just think Patty's, you know, going to the next level. But the fighting nerds. I know next week we got protest and Ian, Gary. I think they're the hottest thing right now. Yeah, I love. I love talking UFC, and I feel like I've been watching it, so. 2019. I finished my last year in Green Bay, so I'm waiting around a few, you know, to see what happens. You Know with free agency, if they're going to resign me and basketball ended when I was still engaged with basketball. And UFC was the only sport that was on at the time. So I started was on every Friday or Saturday and then was. I found that it was on every week and I found. Okay, I watched this guy, he fought about three months ago, he's fighting again and then everybody has a story and it's great. I mean, I love it, I love it.

[Bobby Bones]

What about wrestling? You watch wrestling ever?

[Matt Castle]

When I was a kid, the attitude era. But I, I've kind of, you know, I just, my kids are starting to get into it a little bit. But myself personally, no, I would.

[Bobby Bones]

Sean, I was talking to Shawn Michaels yesterday. Attitude era. Like suck it.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

And after the interview, buddy of mine and I were talking and we were like, man, we got a lot of trouble doing what they, they did. Cuz it was all suck it. That's all we did when we were younger. Yeah.

[Matt Castle]

Peewee football. We. Yeah, you'd make a tack.

[Clay Matthews]

Oh yeah.

[Matt Castle]

You know, double X's over them. Yeah. Triple H. The best.

[Bobby Bones]

Talk about winning the super bowl the night of the win. Like what, what's that party like? Cuz everybody seemingly goes to different parties, has a different kind of night. What was your night like?

[Matt Castle]

Yeah. So Kid Rock performs at our, at our after party. It was cool, but once again I, I didn't, I didn't take advantage of the moment. I didn't get. There's like one picture of my family and I in the field.

[Bobby Bones]

You regret that?

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, absolutely. And NFL Network asked if I do an interview. Yeah, of course I'll do it. And I just, I missed out on so much. And then naturally I just figured, you know, I had this immediate success. The NFL, we're gonna do it again. 2011, we go 15 and one, you know, you know, we lose to the Giants. And after that point, we just had a hard time getting back. We didn't get back. But to answer your question, it was, it's all a blur. But I, I ended up exchanging numbers with Kid Rock and getting together with him in the off season and just, man, winning the super bowl, it just unlocks so much fun stuff and puts you on a different echelon of, of fame.

[Clay Matthews]

Now you're the all time leader in Green Bay packers history. It's a pretty significant deal. And when you were chasing that and when you became the all time sack leader, was that a moment in your career that you cherish and that you knew that, that, that that was the Pinnacle of, I mean, the Green Bay Packard, probably the most storied franchise in NFL history. And you just became the all time sack leader. It's a pretty monumental moment.

[Matt Castle]

It's cool. I'm just thankful Reggie White didn't play his whole career there. He had like, you know, 100 sacks in Philly, you know, how about 30 in the, the, for the Memphis show, you know, whatever it was. But yeah, it's pretty cool. Especially like you had mentioned just doing it for the packers organization. And I would, in the program they'd have like the top five leaders in every statistical category. And before the season I'd always rip out. Before week one, it was like sack leaders. And I was, it was Kabir Gabaja, Bamia, like Aaron Campman and stuff. And I had it up there and I was, I remember I started this when I was at like 30 sacks and I ended up getting, you know, a little over 80. And I'd always, I was chasing it. I was always chasing it and I always had that in mind. And so I, I knew when I broke it, it was, it was special and it was just a reflection of, you know, everything coming full circle. And like you, like I said, just doing it for that organization was, was really meaningful. And then of course, I think about all the sacks I missed and the ones where the quarterback got the ball off or they, they, they threw the ball in the dirt and got a grounding call. So. But yeah, man, those fun times playing ball.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up, everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the king of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101 free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Bobby Bones]

Haven't played ball your entire life, but also your dad and your grandpa, like, that's a lot of football. Whenever you finally stopped playing, was there a time where you were trying to figure out who you were as a person? Because it had been so football for so long.

[Matt Castle]

I honestly think I've been fortunate to be in the position I am because growing up in that family, watching my dad separate himself from football, he immediately went into coaching and raising five kids. And so for me, it's Been very much the same. I thought it was pretty telling. I signed a two year deal with the Rams. I thought I played very well in 2019. They released me after my first year. Seattle and Denver solicited offers, but I had just moved back to California where we're going to, you know, we built this home, we're going to live there. And, you know, offseason rolled around training camp and I was eating fatty meats and beers in the back and, you know, the offers they were coming at me with weren't moving the needle. And I thought it was pretty telling. And I found myself becoming more and more involved with the kids, their school schedule, homework, you know, helping take the pressure off my wife for what she's been sacrificing for so long. So I felt that pressure more than anything else. And so I knew it was, I knew I was done.

[Bobby Bones]

Never like identity crisis where you're like.

[Matt Castle]

No, no, no, no. And I think, you know, we've been so. I've been so busy too, you know, coaching them up, building a home, moving to Tennessee, new school, that for me, I mean, obviously, are there times that we think, hey, I still got it. I, I could, I should, maybe I should have kept playing or, or I could still play today, but for me, I just found I just kind of slipped into dad life and that's kept me busier and probably more stressed out than ever playing ball. So, no, no identity crisis. I've had enough things on my plate to where I'm not sitting around with, you know, idle hands.

[Clay Matthews]

What's the biggest part of the game that you miss the locker room.

[Matt Castle]

It's cliche, but just, that's why I enjoy getting together with you. You know, it's like retelling these stories and, and just shooting the breeze, you know, because it. Once you go back in normal society and you, and you, you know, you meet the dads from, you know, from school and whatnot. It's just different. It's different.

[Clay Matthews]

You're not allowed to say the stuff that we used to.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, absolutely. There's no race, color, religion in the locker room. It is just everyone. You, you take guys from Southern California to like the Northeast to Miami to Oregon, and you're all working towards a common goal and you put everything to the side. And so some of my best friends are guys where you grow up, be like, I don't, I don't know if we'd really click, you know, and, and that's just so great about the sport and why, I'm sure we Believe it's. It's. It's the greatest sport, but. Yeah, I mean, just the locker room.

[Clay Matthews]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

I want to ask about Reggie Bush. So you're playing defense while he's there as a running back. You have to tackle him in practice.

[Matt Castle]

Well, I wasn't allowed to tackle him. I think him and Matt got those special gold jersey. Matt. Sorry. Matt Leinert got those special.

[Bobby Bones]

What jersey did you get? Like the.

[Clay Matthews]

They gave me one, but I don't know if it was fully. Fully gold.

[Matt Castle]

Got it.

[Clay Matthews]

Okay. If you guys need to hit a quarterback, hit Castle.

[Matt Castle]

Now, Reggie was a. Reggie was good to me as well. But, yeah, he. He was. He was dynamic and just. Just built like a man, you know, like in college, everybody's coming into their own. You know, you got big guys, but just. He was on a different level and, and he showed that weekend and wake out and I mean, obviously I didn't, you know, I can't speak on Barry Sanders at his time in college and greatest, you know, players. But he argued. He's in the conversation.

[Bobby Bones]

I think, to me, he's the greatest running back I've ever seen.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah. I mean, I was on the sideline, like, for the Fresno game, Fresno State, like, just. I mean, watching it, it's just. It's remarkable. At the time, you just take it for granted, you know, especially those teams as well. Really? I mean, how many first round draft picks, guys who went on to the NFL, Just the offensive line that. Heisman Trophy winners. Just remarkable.

[Clay Matthews]

Last year, you were inducted into the Green Bay hall of Fame. That had to be a pretty cool experience for you, your family, to go back to be celebrated. Talk a little bit about that day and what, what every. Everything that you went through on that day.

[Matt Castle]

Well, I don't know about you, but, you know, anytime a team decides to move on from you, there's that human element where, like, screw them. Like, they don't know what they're missing. It's just. It's natural. It's, you know, it's. It's our insecurities. It's whatever. So going back there and bringing my kids back there at a point where they're not little babies and they could appreciate everything. I remember them well, actually. My wife told me they walked into the packers pro shop and there were some, like, shirts of me on it flat. My youngest, like, picked it up and he was embarrassed, you know, because it just, you know, I'm just dad to them, you know, I just. I don't have a job. I just sit on the couch, you know, I'm that dad to them. But it was pretty cool. And then the ceremony was phenomenal. And getting back to that locker room, the amount of former teammates that showed up was remarkable. And it was just. It was. It was awesome. I think thoroughly enjoyed my time in Green Bay. Couldn't have asked for a better organization to go to. The success we had, the players I was with, the place to raise a family. I mean, there's just something about Wisconsin that I'll forever hold close to my heart. And I love when I get to go back there. I'll actually be back there for the draft, as a matter of fact, so. But it's. It's awesome. I love it.

[Bobby Bones]

From what I've learned about you, from other folks that know you, you're a pretty studious player. Meaning you're. You're studying. You had to play a lot of places, so you needed to know a lot of the players. You need to know a lot of formations. But what quarterback did that back to you that knew everything you were doing, just as you were almost doing everything they were doing?

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, well, I. I had the hardest time getting after Drew Brees. I mean, he just was. He was so calculated with where he was going. We played because Peyton was in the afc. I think we played him once when he was with Denver, and he just. I think we were six, zero. They were six, zero. He shredded us. But Drew Brees, just being in the nfc, the top of the nfc, you know, one. You guys always play each other and it was always fun, you know, like Aaron Rodgers versus Breeze. But I just. And then they had, like, bushrod and some of these guys who. I just. I had the hardest time getting. I remember I finally sacked one. I pushed him off. I mean, like, as if I was mad because I finally got to him. But he was a stud. All the. All the guys you hear about. I mean, you. When you get to the NFL, you see these guys like Charles Woodson and stuff when they're hanging around the facility. So five, six o'clock, and you're young and you're just. You're out of there. And that's 95% of the locker room does that. You see the guys who hang around, you know, take care of their bodies, who are in the film room, you're like, oh, I. I get why he's good. He puts in the extra time. And those guys like Breeze and them are. Obviously, they've earned everything because of what they gave to the game.

[Clay Matthews]

Do you think you learned a lot being on the opposite side of Aaron Rodgers because he's one of the greats of all time in my opinion in terms of quarterback play. But you know the old phrase iron sharpens iron, but you got to go and see his greatness day in and day out. Talk to us a little bit about him as a player and what he brought to that team as a leader and also just what you saw on a day to day basis.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, well, first off, I don't think I ever, I might have jumped off size once in my 11 year career because of going against Aaron every day in practice, just the hard count of practice all the time. So good. He. And then it finally towards the latter part of my career in Green Bay, he would go on four. He always, it was either, you know, a silent, you know, knee up, 1, 2, 3. And then it was 3. Man, the clock's already at zero at that point. But just such a stud. I remember early in my career, it was my rookie year, I had to carry the tight end on a seam and had my hand up in perfect position. He put it right through me. You just, you kind of laugh, you know, you laugh because obviously in a game that it just, it won't happen. Like you're not going to play against a better quarterback who can put the ball right where it needs to be. And yeah, I mean, I love Aaron. I love everything about him. I love the mystique around him and I'm so fortunate. I, I wouldn't have the success and the platform that I got if I wasn't, you know, with him. We would win the super bowl that year. So, yeah, he's a stud. I love him and, and I'm interested to see what happens next year.

[Clay Matthews]

You think he's gonna play?

[Matt Castle]

I don't know. I thought for sure he was gonna sign with Pittsburgh, you know, and then nothing's happening right now.

[Bobby Bones]

Costa Rica, they put him on the clock though, with, they're like, hey, you don't sign, we're going to probably go get Shadur.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

But kind of had that little deal here.

[Matt Castle]

Maybe if Aaron wants to play and you know, they'll take him. You can sit here and oh, we're going to play, we're going to be a hard ass. But like he still got it. I watched him last year and you actually look at his stats. I know the narrative of everything else that goes on around him. But I mean, he still got it. The team, the jets just looked a little, I mean, it was hard to watch him last year, the jets, that is But I still think he's got it. But at this point, like, I don't care. He's 40 something years old. He's done it all four time. MVP. MVP. If he wants to walk away or, you know, do whatever it is that he wants to do, like, more power to him.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up, everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the king of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Bobby Bones]

That Achilles injury, though, seems to be the worst injury when it comes to coming back at a reasonable, in a reasonable amount of time. When it's a leg injury like acl, hamstring, all of it sucks, right? That Achilles. And that's what he was dealing with, right? Him Cousins had it.

[Clay Matthews]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

It seems to take about a season and a half even at a rapid rate. And I think that's part of the reason he started to play better the second half of last year is because I think it takes a minute. You ever have an Achilles injury at all? Anything?

[Matt Castle]

No. I was fortunate. I got a, I had a, I got a lab. A significant labral tear that I need to get fixed. Got a little arthritis in my left knee. I had surgery on my right thumb, but I fortunately never nothing too severe. That, that put me on ir, so that's good news. I was actually, when you said that, as far as Achilles, do you remember Adrian Peterson's year he came back? Dude, we played him obviously for a week. He's my, like one of my favorite players ever playing. I just, I got. You knew he was going to rush for at least 100, probably two, and you just tried your best to get him down. It was. He was such a great guy too. Like, I, I don't know, I have such fond memories of like, you know, everyone's like, oh, you must hate him. Like, I just, Dude, I love, I love playing against like the best. You know, not to say like, obviously I want to win, but like, I love playing against the Benson the best and I'm just in awe of like what they're able to do for him to rush for 2,000 yards or whatever. It was. Fortunately, we stopped him like six yards shy. Yes. You know, we helped.

[Clay Matthews]

You're not getting that record, bud. Have you ever. Have you ever shook his hand?

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Clay Matthews]

It's the most amazing handshake I've ever had in my life. I can't remember in terms of. It just makes you feel like less of a man because it is such a strong grip. Like he comes in and put it here. In the old vice.

[Matt Castle]

We played against age. Were you. You were on that 2004 team? No, yeah, no. USC team. Sorry.

[Clay Matthews]

Oh, yes.

[Matt Castle]

Adrian Peterson. When we played Adrian Peterson in the.

[Clay Matthews]

Orange bowl and they were just.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah. Running like a horse.

[Bobby Bones]

And so I know he was a.

[Clay Matthews]

All white. All white uniforms, too, with like just.

[Matt Castle]

Massive legs and probably no socks. Just. Yeah.

[Clay Matthews]

Just a freak of nature.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah. But anyways. Well, I was a big fan of his, so I remember we were at the Pro bowl one year. He shakes my hand. Maybe I looked past how strong it was. He's like, hey, can my son take a picture with you? I was like, what? You know, I was like. I felt so flattered. Yeah, but I love A.P. he's a dog.

[Bobby Bones]

What are you doing now? Do you still have any sort of competitive spirit in you where you have to feel that?

[Matt Castle]

I tell you what. So last year, my five year old, my youngest, he was playing flag football. So I offered a coach and, you know, I'm over here, I go home, I'm bitching and complaining of 5 year olds. They don't fall. We won our first game, like 33, 31. And I just was so fired up. I told my wife, I was like, I get why people go back into coaching because if you can't do it physically, but you have all this, this wealth of knowledge as you get older and you just want to pass it on to some. You just want to give it to somebody because you have so much to give. And so I'm finding that I'm doing that with my children in sports, specifically my youngest in flag football. So we're. We. We ran the table last year and we're 40 this year. So I got. I got play cards drawn up, laminated. On game day, we're.

[Clay Matthews]

Oh, you're serious.

[Matt Castle]

Oh, yeah. The kids keep contained. I try and explain to them, like, don't give up, contain. But I will say this, like, yeah, I'm one of those guys, but the kids all have a blast and I make sure we have fun. I'm not one of those, you know, sports dads where it's like, because we played a team my first year, they were blitzing every play. We're down like 40, some nothing. I just bit. My time would be like, hey, you know, nice sportsmanship. I'm over here. Like, hey, don't grab this guy's flag, let him score, you know, So I like to think I, I still got a heart in there.

[Clay Matthews]

Now, does your son actually listen to you?

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, but the problem with my kids is they're so competitive. I see your kids at school and they're just phenomenal. They're so. His kids are so nice and well beyond. I think that's the ultimate compliment, ultimate minders.

[Bobby Bones]

Like, like anybody's. Like, he has the most well mannered children. Matt does.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

And he's the exact opposite. Like, he spits on the floor. I don't know where they get it.

[Matt Castle]

But he's got, he's got one, he's got one boy who's got a sparkle in his eye. And he always comes up to me.

[Clay Matthews]

Yeah, I named him after you, bro.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah. Yeah. He's got a son named Clay. And he's like, I watch perfect too. You know, like, he's just, he's. I, I think I'm friends with more of the kids at the school than I am the parents there, just because they're, they're at that great age. But yeah, my kid, they, they. I never listen to my father too. Like, I always put up a, what does he know? You know, I just, I was that kind of type of kid. And they're so competitive though, if they can't get something right away, whether it's schoolwork, homework, gymnastics, dance, football, like, they're just, they like melt down. I used to be the parent. Like, this kid's awful. He's so. But I'm like, no, it's because they care. It's because they care. I was the same way. So if you can focus that energy into a positive, then it'll take you to great places. But don't let it, you know, you can't quit. You gotta, you know, stick with it. So I'm always having those battles, like, stop crying all the time, you know. But listen, you got other kids who are out there just happy to be there, whereas my kids are like, no, we want to win 100 and nothing. So I'm trying, trying to navigate that parenting that, that fatherly advice of like, let's win, but let's also have fun and let's be great, but let's not. Let's. It's okay to lose. But don't lose, you know, I'm. It's. It's a struggle.

[Bobby Bones]

Did you ever go to a sports psychologist?

[Matt Castle]

I never did because that's the thing.

[Bobby Bones]

Even Matt and I were talking about this. That is an option now.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

I think mental health's a bigger deal now than it was when we were younger, just in general. And did NFL teams even provide them? Did you choose not to go or did you just. They were. They weren't there.

[Matt Castle]

They might have offered it up like my last year, too. And I don't, you know, if you need to see one, that's fine. I've got no beliefs one way or the other on that. I just felt like I was. I was sharp, I was there, I knew what I needed to get done. And I had a. You know, my father at home who, you know, always. I'd have those calls with him. You know, I remember we lost my rookie year, went 4 and 4. We lost to the 0 and 7 Creamsicle, Tampa Bay Bucks and Josh Freeman. And I remember Kevin Green, my coach was. Since passed. He's. I lost contain. And he leans in my ear, he goes, you lose contain one more time. Like I'm. He. He was right. He wrestled for a little. He's like, I'm sitting your ass. Yeah, I'm just like, just hot, fired up. So I called my dad like that night, and he's like, all right, here's what you need to do, you know, so just a little X, Y and Z next week, rip off two sacks. Like Monday Night Football, the NFC defensive player that we, you know, like one of those. Just like always trying to. To prove myself. But I went off on a tangent. I forget what the question was.

[Bobby Bones]

No, it was just like, like going to a sports like, oh, yeah.

[Matt Castle]

No, I feel like you had one.

[Bobby Bones]

In your family, though. I mean, if you're family.

[Matt Castle]

Well, that's what I mean. I always had somebody to talk to. And like, I just. I grew up around it. So to me, like, nothing was knew. You knew the pitfalls, you knew the traps, you knew what was expected, you knew what you had to do in the offseason. Like, I never. I knew to stay away from, you know, drugs, alcohol, partying. Like, I was very straight edge and I was focused because my definition of success was when you went to a stadium and everyone was wearing your jersey, cheering your name, doing your sack celebration, and when you went to the opponents and they were booing you, you know, and that's. That. That's what was fun to me. The Accolades that came along with it. And that meant you had to work hard and, you know, kind of stay straight. But, you know, I think it worked out.

[Clay Matthews]

You're just a mental steel trap. I definitely saw sports psychologists. I was like, hey, I'm struggling this season and he's your quarterback.

[Matt Castle]

That's different.

[Clay Matthews]

Go through the mental anguish of the position because it can be the highs of all highs, but it can also be the loneliest position because everybody's eyes are on you. And if you make that critical mistake or throw that critical interception, it just, you feel empty inside because you let down everybody. Where I feel like there's other positions that can get by with a mental mistake or they miss their block, but not everybody notices that. But they notice every single bad play that a quarterback has. And sometimes it's just answering those questions over and over about whether or not you're going to be at the organization next year, this, that and the other. And so sometimes having a sounding board and get somebody just to give you that perspective of, look, this is their job, this is what they're going to do, they're going to ask the tough questions. But I always felt like it was something that benefited me more than it ever hurt me. Like, I know that I can be mentally tough and play that game, but there was times where, yeah, it was like, I just need to talk to somebody.

[Matt Castle]

If I lost, contained, you're right. I could hide behind like 10 other guys. Like, well, the defense should have bailed me out. But you throw a pick and you're like, receiver ran a wrong route. Like, you're still the guy who's got the QBR or the one interception on his. Yeah, I gotta. I got a quick story for you. I remember we grabbed lunch in Manhattan beach probably after my rookie year. Was 2009, the year that Tom Brady went down with ACL, or was that 2008? Yeah. Okay. So then before my rookie year, we sat down, it was you and your wife, and we were at some restaurant, I forget down there. But he had come home and. And Matt, you had success that year, but you guys didn't make the playoffs. And I'm like, well, Matt, you should be starting over. Tom Brady, I remember telling him this. And Matt actually, you know, because he's been a part of the busy. Well, no, he should get his job back. He had to. You know, me not understanding how it works. Once I got to the league, I go, even as a first round pick, I'm like, oh, I got elevated to the top. But you did well Though you went off to Kansas City, made you a little bag, and, you know, we're on your way. You know, who would have thought.

[Clay Matthews]

Who would have thunk it?

[Matt Castle]

Well, that's what's great, Matt. I just. You know, I love the. How your. How your. Your life just took off, your career and everything. Just a big fan of you, you know.

[Clay Matthews]

Ditto. Ditto, my friend. It's just been fun to just bro out here.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

I'm like, in the middle.

[Matt Castle]

That's.

[Bobby Bones]

I'm just catching bro by. You guys are bro. And I'm just sitting. I'm just trying to take some of it. I'm trying to breathe in the bro. Would you get nervous?

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, I was always nervous. I mean, it's an energy to me. Would you ask if I was nervous? I'd be like, no. But I believe it's a. It's a mixture of emotion, like adrenaline, like fear. You know, there's. There's so much into it. So I'm sure there's. There's some nerves. I'm gonna say there's nerves instead of being nervous, because I knew what to do. I put in the work. I was only nervous if I didn't, you know, if I cheated myself in film study or whatnot, and. But for the most part, you go in there and you did everything you can. You know, you guys leave it out there. There was. I mean, there was times where I literally wasn't on the stat column and, you know, had my best week of preparation. And, you know, the media and the fans are coming down on you. And there was a time I were calling my dad one time before a game. It was like, week 16. We're going out to Tampa Bay out of a torn bicep. My girl. I was coming off an adductor strain, and it didn't matter if we win or lose. We're playing Detroit the next week. We had to win. And my dad's like, man, you know, just. Just one of those fatherly advice. I go two and a half sacks. I have one of my best games. So it's like. It's. It's like baseball. It's like taking hits at the bat. Like, you know, you're gonna get your opportunities there, but there's no point in being in nervous. You just trust in your. You know, it's so cliche. Trust in your preparation. Know that you're. You know, you can get it done.

[Clay Matthews]

You were with Green Bay, obviously, your entire career until the tail end, right? And you go to the Rams. What Was that like for you? Because when you're with one organization for so long and now it's a brand new locker room, what was it like going in and having you talk about nerves?

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, yeah.

[Clay Matthews]

Like there's something to be said about that. Walking into a new locker room and having to reestablish yourself, even though you.

[Matt Castle]

No, you're right. I thought it was great. I thought it was great. I felt this, this new energy, this new, like, oh, I could play another five, six years. So I went there. Obviously, going back to la, warmer weather, the team is just coming off a Super bowl kind of, you know, hey, what's the Sean McVeigh guy all about? He's 33, I'm 33 at the time. And he gets in front of the team and, you know, and I was with Mike McCarthy for 10 years in green Bay and it's, you know, he's from Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, tough. And Sean, you know, just kind of representing LA and letting everybody be their individual and have their, their ego and whatnot. It was, it was completely different. But I found myself having to prove myself again. I really wanted to, especially my last year. I came off a career low in sacks. You know, we changed defensive coordinators. I'm like, I know I could still play and going there was so much fun. We didn't make the playoffs and underachieve, but I thought I did really well. And I'm like, man, next year we're going to be in sofa. I get a call, I got like prime Covid, like March, like, hey, man, we're moving in a different. I was like, what? Like, I was like, what do you mean? I should be asking for a raise. But you know, that's how the Rams just kind of, they're always moving pieces around. But yeah, I felt like I had to prove myself again. It was fun though and you know, it was really well. Aaron Donald, playing with Aaron Donald. I hadn't played with a, a guy like, even somebody like Julius. He was, you know, like he'd get double teamed and whatnot. And Charles played Woodson, played on the back end, but man, I went back to being a rookie again. I was singled the whole time. I had a lot of, you know, wins and pass rush, got my sacks up again. I go, oh, this is what it's like. But it was fun. I had a good time there. And you know, we all wish it could have lasted longer, but yeah, it was fun. I had a good time there.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm Teaming up with the king of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs, mock drafts to my top 101 free agents, we'll have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday, keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Bobby Bones]

I got to know Donald Driver a little bit from Dancing with the Stars, and after his career, he went to television, did that a little bit. You had a face that people knew, and you weren't a quarterback, which was rare. Did you think about getting into entertainment at all?

[Matt Castle]

Man, my agents were always pushing me, hey, you know, let's do. Let's do broadcasting. Let's do this. And I don't know, for me, I just, you know, not to get on this whole diatribe, but I just think it's dangerous, you know, I think I had immediate success, you know, in the NFL, and everybody put me on a pedestal, and everybody was quick to tear you down. And it's just. It's dangerous to put your, you know, beliefs in other people's words, whether that be through social media or, you know, people talking about what you're wearing, who you're dating, this and that. And for me, I just. I took a step back, and that's what, you know, people. What happened? What do you do all day? I'm like, man, I love it. I love going out, and nobody not and, you know, less people knowing who I am. I. I truly am loving the anonymity of. Of just kind of going out and just doing my thing. Now, I think a lot of people, they lose, you know, that roar of the crowd, they lose what they were. But for me, it's like, I've been there, done that, and this goes back to, you know, my upbringing, my father and stuff, and how he lives his life and being humble. And I can't say I was humble as him, but, you know, I just. I just am. Like, I'm okay. I'm at peace with my career. That's what he always said. I'm at peace with my career. You could sit here and say, oh, do you have any regrets? Do you wish you would have done things? Yeah, I mean, sure, but, like, I'm at peace with my career, and I'm good with it.

[Clay Matthews]

You're definitely at peace. But talk about your new passion. Which is. Seems to be farmland. Yeah, landy. You gotta tell them about some of the projects that you're working on, trees that you've planted.

[Matt Castle]

Oh yeah.

[Clay Matthews]

I mean just go, go for it.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah. So we were fortunate to get about 200 acres close to town. And I've always loved the outdoors. I've always wanted, you know, my own place. Unfortunately, it's close enough that I pretty much. You just. I was gonna go to the land today, but you. I had to put on jeans and whatnot to come up here. But man, honestly that's kind of, that's filled the void too of staying busy while the kids are at school. So we, we're building a barn, a cottage down there. We got a house close to town that you know with the kids and whatnot. But we got a four acre pond completely dredged or completely drained it dredged it deeper. Reintroduced Florida largemouth bass, sub species of bluegill back in there. We're just fishing out there. This past weekend, went down to Chattanooga, got me some boulders, planted some trees around it. We got the barn going up. I planted an orchard too with my brother and I. 107 chestnut trees. So for those who give, you know, afraid chestnut used to be the tree of the Appalachians. They were like that, supported the people here, the wildlife. That's what they built their barns, what they traded with. But blight came over from Asia, wiped them all out. I believe they're virtually extinct. But recently they've been able, within the past couple decades they've been able to put together the Chinese chestnut, which is blight resistance. And back breed it with the American chestnut. So it's like 15, 16American chestnut. So I just love the history of it. And on top of that too, it only takes about three to five years for chestnuts to start developing. They're super low in tannins, high in carbs, protein. So wildlife like turkey and deer, which I enjoy, hunt, hunting as you had mentioned, they enjoy it. You don't have to wait as long for oaks to, you know, the mighty oak to grow and produce acorns, which are obviously higher in tannins and whatnot. So yeah, I've, I've really dove into, you know, soil health, soil science, sustainability. And I love it. I love it. So I mean some people laugh but I'm like, I geek out over it. I just actually was just reaching to the orchardist down there at South Home, like, let me pick your brain. I, you know, I want to know what type of organic fertilizer we need to think about using. What about pruning?

[Clay Matthews]

So did you get beehives, too?

[Matt Castle]

I got bees. Yeah, I got bees out there as well. In fact, I got to put a new super on top because, you know, it'll be honey, It'll be honey season soon enough.

[Clay Matthews]

Do you, do you put on this full suit?

[Matt Castle]

I put on the full suit. It's. I miss that. I got the smoke, a little burlap that I like. I got this. It's, it's. I just get so hot. And then they always sting me, though. So I usually just like, just let them do their thing a little bit. Halfway through the year, I'm like, all right, we'll get honey next year. But, yeah, I got, I got lots of projects between just splitting firewood, cutting grass, just, you know, being a, just being an outdoorsman.

[Clay Matthews]

Most interesting man in the world.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Who knew?

[Matt Castle]

California kid. Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

All right, three final questions. Number one, anybody grab the hair purposefully, and you're like, dude, chill out.

[Matt Castle]

No, not purposefully. I, if I kept it slicked back and, and greased up and wet, like, I could have it behind my shoulders. But sometimes it hang right here in the front, and usually with tight ends, when you're fighting with them, it would get ripped out. I remember I'd go back, I'd always see like a, like one of those expensive hair salon whatever, and I'd come back after because I wouldn't get my hair cut in Green Bay. And they're like, oh, man, the hair's kind of beat up a little bit. They'd have to do some, some, some TLC on it. But, no, not that I know, but I've grabbed, I've grabbed dreads before in the game. I remember somebody from the Lions. I forget who it was. I even apologized. I'm sorry, man.

[Clay Matthews]

Ripped it right out.

[Matt Castle]

He stiff armed me, so I, like, grabbed his dreads and pulled him down. Like, I, it is what it is.

[Clay Matthews]

Part of the uniform.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

When you did your whole orchard thing, like, that's it. Because I, like, I need to play like, pickleball. I need to beat people up. I need to find stuff, some, some competitive edge. But that's yours now. Like, you're trying to grow the greatest farmland in the history.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Of Earth.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah. No, I, yeah, I love it. I, I, My uncle had about 50 acres outside of Houston growing up, and we go out there for Easter, and I always asked to operate the, the chainsaw and the tractor. Starting fires. I'd make Molotov cocktails with diesel, throw Them in there just like, you know, ticks, fire ants, all that stuff. So when I got my own, I just. I just kind of naturally took to it and I started acquiring, you know, implements and machinery and. And, you know, we're getting close to finishing our barn, and we'll have a hang out with the kids, because the kids get there for like, two hours. They. They walk up and down the creek, they go fishing, but they've got. I could stay there all day. And it's like, right in the heart of town. So you could take your side by side down to the. To the market down there, you know, country boy. Get you some cold ones.

[Bobby Bones]

How'd you do on your SAT or act? Whichever one you took.

[Matt Castle]

Not very good.

[Bobby Bones]

Really?

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, I was always a try hard guy, you know, white guy. Try hard, walk on. Yeah, yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

High motor.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Clay Matthews]

Technician.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Of.

[Matt Castle]

No. So I. Yeah. My brother, Kyle. Kyle never. My older brother never applied himself. He's done very well in life. He's on commercial real estate here in Nashville, but all over as well. And he never applied himself. And he'll be the first one to admit this, and I think he scored. I'm making this up. Let's say it was a 1600 SAT, maybe like in the 1500s, you know, just kind of like. I remember my dad was disappointed at him. He's like, I'm disappointed because all these years you told me you were stupid or dumb. And like, you know, you're at. You just didn't apply yourself. Whereas me, like, I tried my hardest. If I got above a thousand, I was. I was like, yes. Like, just hit the threshold. But no, I was actually just telling somebody the other day why I did well at USC is because if you're an athlete and you sit in the front row and you try, they always give you the benefit of the doubt. I remember being in Spanish class. Spanish 4. I couldn't speak a lick of English. Reading capital Sita in Manhattan, you know, Little Red Riding Hood, Manhattan. Writing up essays. You just sit in the front and try. Just try.

[Bobby Bones]

That's all you do for life, though. Like, yeah, absolutely try. Like, that's 90. If you show up on time, you sit up in the front and you try. That's 90.

[Matt Castle]

But it also helps that the narrative around athletes is like, you're an idiot, which I'm leaning into. So if you really go in the front row and try, you're just like, yeah, I need your help. I got that. And I'm here to help you. So let's Just bump that C minus up to a.

[Clay Matthews]

Have your kids ever seen you in Pitch Perfect?

[Matt Castle]

I think my. I think my wife showed my youngest this scene. I think he got embarrassed again. But, no, I don't think they've seen it.

[Clay Matthews]

Oh, you know, we in our. In my car on the ride to school on Fridays. We do Pitch Perfect Fridays, and all we do is listen. We listen to the full album, and the kids love it. And they found you in the Pitch Perfect, and we watched the clip over and over, and they think it's the funniest thing.

[Matt Castle]

This is what I was saying. His son came up to. To me at school, and he's like, I watched you in Pitch Perfect, too. For those that don't know, I. I had a cameo in Pitch Perfect, too. Where The Packers. We had a group of me and some offensive linemen. We bat. We had a riff off.

[Clay Matthews]

Yes.

[Matt Castle]

Ended up losing, but nonetheless. Yeah, I get. I find more fans now who are fans of mine because of Pitch Perfect in my limited Hollywood career.

[Bobby Bones]

All right, final question. Do your kids ever just watch your highlights? You ever walk out? Your kids?

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, my. My. Yeah. My youngest. Yeah, they. They. My daughter doesn't care as much. She just wants to watch, like, Sabrina Lones. I think those are, like, dancing videos. Yes, they are. But, yeah, my boys will watch that. And they get all fired up, and then I watch it. I was like, that was a dog. You know?

[Clay Matthews]

Like, my kids catch me all the time watching my highlights, like, crying, like, oh, God.

[Matt Castle]

I just remember that. Remember that.

[Clay Matthews]

Kids, come watch this. They're like, I'm good. I'm good.

[Matt Castle]

Dad.

[Bobby Bones]

Clay, we really appreciate it, man. This has been awesome.

[Matt Castle]

Thanks for having me.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah. Thanks for giving us an hour. And. And it's pretty cool. You guys were, you know. Okay, let me ask both of you this question. Last. Last question. Do you cohabitate when you're two different sides of the ball in college? Like, do you ever, like, do you at all run together? See each other in the locker? I mean, be friends?

[Matt Castle]

Matt and I are very different. Like, this guy is Mr. Personality on the school board. Like, who? Like, I see him and sometimes I'll, like, roll up the window because I know I'm in for, like, a 30 minute conversation. Like. Like, he's friends with absolutely everyone. Me on the other. On the other side. Casey, my wife, talks to me, and she's just like, yeah, you just give off this look. Like you don't. You're not interested, and you don't want to talk to anybody. And I was like, all right, well, that's fair. So we have. You know, we're very different. So that being said, I think Matt was friends with everybody. Like, he could. He was just, you know, just a chameleon. Could fit in. Meanwhile, I'm just, you know, just doing my thing over here. But I. I don't know how you want to answer that question.

[Clay Matthews]

Well, it's interesting because when you're in the locker room, the defense and offensive guys aren't like, all. And defense isn't all in one section, and offense isn't. You're kind of intermixed. So it's this cool way in which you interact with your teammates now during meetings. Everything else, you're separate until you come together for a team meeting. But then that bond of being out in the field and doing all that, you go. And particularly in college, you got nothing else to do. You don't have any families to go home to. So we would go. Everybody would go out together. So you get a great mix of both. Both defensive and offensive player. Two of my best friends were Lofa Tatupu and Sean Cody when I was in school, and those are two defensive guys, and I'm the backup quarterback. Like, it just. It's such an interesting dynamic when you get into the locker room. And to his point, I would try to go along and talk to everybody just because that's my. I'm uncomfortable in silence. I just am.

[Bobby Bones]

And I'm uncomfortable, period. We went to super bowl together, and he got a good. Yeah, he got. Yeah, Matt got a good dose of me in real life, me on a microphone. I'm freaking. Life of the party.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

But in real life, and I just did. I just dipped like we were at a party together. And he just looks around. I'm gone.

[Matt Castle]

He's the mysterious one in the corner looking at his fingers. The chicks. What's up with your friend over there?

[Clay Matthews]

We walked into this commissioner's ball, and there's a lot of people. Don't get me wrong, it's intimidating for anybody, and I didn't really know a lot of people. And then I ran into Coach Belichick, and I went up and introduced me.

[Bobby Bones]

Matt was super kind.

[Clay Matthews]

We introduced our group and sat there, talked to him for a second. From that point on, did not see Bobby.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, I left. I just w. I quiet.

[Clay Matthews]

We were there for, what, 45 minutes before you. You just ghosted me and said. And then I got a text message. Hey, I'm back at the hotel, man. Sorry, I had to scoot Great to see you.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah. Not. Not that comfortable with people.

[Matt Castle]

I've got a similar story to yours. So our first year, we had a school function. Stars and guitars, and I dress in, like, a three piece. Haven't had a suit on in, like, years, you know, so we just didn't have to dress up for football or at least in a suit. And so I'm taking the escalator. First of all, parking was a nightmare. It's in downtown Nashville. And I'm taking the escalator up, and I look to my right, and it's just like, 500, like, a thousand people. And my social anxiety. I grabbed my wife. We literally hit the elevator, going right back down. We order, like, grubhub or doordash on the way home. So I'm, like, eating in our shoe. We're eating, like, the takeout sushi. I just couldn't do it. And this guy, I'm thinking it's like a. You know, like, you got to dress up. He's wearing, like. It was a disco theme, so I.

[Clay Matthews]

Think he's got a big Elton John I think I wore.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah, well, I'm sure you look great, but nonetheless, I just. Yeah. So I'm very much with you on that.

[Bobby Bones]

It's been awesome. Thanks again, Clay. It was awesome, too.

[Matt Castle]

Yeah. We got lots to say.

[Bobby Bones]

We're gonna do something fun here. Matt, I want you to blind rank your USC 2004 teammates, one of them being our guest this week, Clay Matthews.

[Clay Matthews]

Clay Matthews.

[Bobby Bones]

Okay, so I will give you a player. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. You have to insert them into a spot before you know who else is coming up.

[Clay Matthews]

Perfect.

[Bobby Bones]

Matt Leinert.

[Clay Matthews]

2.

[Bobby Bones]

Reggie Bush. Number one, wide receiver, Dwayne Jarrett. 4. Center Ryan Khalil.

[Clay Matthews]

3.

[Bobby Bones]

Our guest this week, linebacker Clay Matthews.

[Clay Matthews]

Clay Matthews, Number five. I love you, buddy. Number five.

[Bobby Bones]

All right, that's funny.

[Clay Matthews]

All right, Bobby. Right now we're gonna do the blind rankings of 90s country stars one through five. All right, go ahead. Okay. The Dixie Chicks.

[Bobby Bones]

It's tough. You want to go early, you don't want to give. I'm gonna go three just because they're gonna set the bar. Three. Dixie Chicks at three.

[Clay Matthews]

Reba McIntyre.

[Bobby Bones]

Oh, my gosh. This is tough because Reba's a legend. And once I thought Reba was inviting me to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry. I was on stage, she came out, she said, you wanna be a member? And I was so excited. And then I realized she was just saying, hey, thanks for covering you. Get off stage now. It was the whole thing. I'm gonna. Oh, I'm gonna go two.

[Clay Matthews]

Two Garth Brooks, one Brooks. And done.

[Bobby Bones]

Oh, they're gonna kill me. These are my friends. They're gonna kill me because they're my friends. I'm gonna put them at five because.

[Matt Castle]

Just.

[Bobby Bones]

Because. Yes, I can. Yes. And then who do I have it for then?

[Clay Matthews]

Joe Diffie.

[Bobby Bones]

Okay. Yeah. Rest in peace, Joe Diffie. I'm happy that he's a four there. Oh, man. Man, that bruxin's not gonna kill me. Okay, there we go. Thank you for listening to the podcast. Subscribe wherever you get your podcast, and if you don't mind, give us a little rating as well, and we'll talk to you guys again next week. 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 podcast.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up, everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal, and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs, mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday, keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.