Throwbacks with Matt Leinart & Jerry Ferrara

Episode: Greg Olsen Talks Youth Sports, Miami, Cam Newton, what he misses most about football and evolution of the TE
Date: November 13, 2025

Overview

This episode features former NFL star tight end and current broadcaster Greg Olsen. Leinart and Ferrara welcome Olsen for a wide-ranging, energetic discussion spanning youth sports and parenting, Olsen’s coaching philosophy, the evolution of tight end in football, his days at Miami, stories from the Panthers' Super Bowl run, memories with Cam Newton, and what he misses most about playing. The conversation is candid and packed with relatable parental anecdotes, athlete insights, and plenty of laughter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Current State and Prestige of the Tight End Position (00:29, 51:58)

• Opening Reflection: The tight end position has transformed from a default spot for athletes who didn’t fit at other positions into a marquee role filled by lifelong tight ends.
  • "I think what we're seeing now is kids are playing tight end their entire lives...Some of the biggest stars in the game are tight ends." – Jerry (00:29)
  • Greg calls this the "best era of tight ends," noting a cultural shift where kids now aspire to play tight end, in part due to media-friendly stars like Travis Kelce and George Kittle.

Notable Quotes

• Greg Olsen: “Some of the most recognizable faces in the league are tight ends...There's a higher value placed on the position because they realize if you get the right guy, his ability to move the needle is maybe greater than it's ever been.” (52:33)

2. Youth Sports, Parenting, and Coaching Philosophies (02:17, 16:19, 23:38)

• Greg reflects on his passion for coaching youth sports and the mission behind his podcast “Youth Inc.”
• Coaching Youth vs. Pros: The importance of tailoring drills and expectations to a child’s development stage rather than running a “mini-NFL practice.”
• Balancing Athlete/Parent Identity: Matt asks about the tricky balance between being a dad and an ex-pro athlete—a line Greg admits he sometimes has trouble managing.
• Prioritizing Effort Over Results: Greg insists on teaching kids to connect results with effort, preparation, and process instead of just outcomes.

Notable Quotes

• Greg Olsen: “Connect the dots...There’s a cause and effect. Our job as parents and coaches is to connect the two—both when it’s good and when it’s bad—and develop those habits over time.” (25:19)

3. Social Media’s Impact on Young Athletes (19:37)

• Greg details the challenging role of social media in adolescent sports and relationships, both as a danger (“one wrong post, one wrong message”) and as something parents must equip kids to handle, rather than avoiding altogether.
• He emphasizes teaching resilience and coping with failure—reminding children that “no one posts when you miss the game-winning layup.”

Notable Quotes

• Greg Olsen: “Social media has created this idea that everyone is good and they’re only ever good...You are going to fail, everyone’s going to have bad days.” (21:07)

4. Dream Athlete Youth Coaches (08:18)

• Matt and Jerry debate which pro athletes would make the best youth coaches. Names include Steph Curry, Mahomes, Daniel Cormier, and Greg Olsen himself.
  • Jerry: “Steph Curry would be my number one pick. Relatability...what he’s done with the three-point shot, basically equalizing it.” (10:03)
  • Matt: “Mahomes is one for me...multi-sport athlete...and Daniel Cormier—you know, we’re not raising softies in my house.” (11:40)

5. Coaching Kids: Practice Details and Attitude (17:44)

• Greg’s meticulous approach: every minute of practice logged in a file, complete with drills, schedules, and focus areas for each session.
  • “I could literally tell you every period, every minute from June 4th to October 14th. Every practice. Every play we ran.” (18:09)
• Olsen on winning titles, participation trophies, and age-based expectations: He adapts his competitive philosophy to different children and ages, citing his own varied household experiences.

6. Navigating Social Change from High School to Major D1 Football (36:41, 39:39)

• From Jersey to Miami: Greg describes going from a “bubble” of New Jersey high school football (no inter-state games, no social media) to the hurricane of attention and expectation at the University of Miami—during one of its greatest eras.
• “My first practice, I break the huddle at the Orange Bowl...the defense is Antrel Rolle, Vince Wilfork, D.J. Williams, Jonathan Vilma—first round picks everywhere. I’m lucky they let me play on scout team.” (44:03)

7. Cam Newton & Panthers Stories: Super Bowl Run, Huddle Dynamics, & Locker Room Camaraderie (59:04, 60:16, 63:42)

• Greg shares stories from his career with Cam Newton and the Panthers.
  • His role as de facto “play caller” in the huddle due to Cam’s adjustment to complex NFL language: “I would finish...sometimes would, like, finish the play.” (60:16)
  • On Cam’s secret: “In real time, his feel and vision...his real time processing was his secret sauce.” (62:19)
• What He Misses Most: The camaraderie, improvisation, chaos, and camaraderie of the NFL huddle—now largely lost as college offenses eschew huddles entirely.
  • “When that huddle is the right guys...man, there’s nothing better than that. I miss that.” (65:32)

Notable Story

• The Snap in Seattle (67:43):
  • Olsen recounts the chaotic game-winning touchdown catch in Seattle—no one was ready, clock winding down, pure improvisation and instinct. “Nothing about that was the way you teach it...It’s never perfect. But there’s beauty in the chaos that is addicting.”

8. The Future of the Tight End & “Tight End U” (69:10)

• Tight End U, co-founded by Olsen, has become a thriving tradition bringing together elite and aspiring tight ends.
• Unlike some exclusive “star player” only camps, it welcomes everyone from Hall of Famers to hopefuls hoping to make an NFL roster. Quarterbacks of any age or fame are welcomed to throw, including “old camp arms” like Leinart or Fitzpatrick.
• The camp’s philosophy: help everyone, even a practice squad player, take the “next step.”

Notable Exchange

• Greg: “Not everyone has to be Kelsey. If a practice squad guy comes and something sparks, he can make the 53...there’s always another level.” (71:16)

9. Broadcast Life & Dealing with Sports Fans (72:34)

• Olsen discusses the “Philly fan experience” from his broadcasts—hyper-passionate, sometimes crossing into personal. He maintains a respect for passionate fanbases despite the online intensity:
  • “I love so much about the Eagles, their roster...but sometimes you’re like, ‘oh my God, they truly hate me.’” (73:01)

10. Listener Segment: Hollywood Trivia with Annie Agar (77:22)

• The back half features the recurring “Twisted Tea Trivia” segment with Annie Agar, featuring fun banter, Hollywood questions, and playful competition between Matt and Jerry.
• Key laughs: Jerry pulls through on a few obscure Hollywood questions, with Matt playfully protesting some “impossible” trivia.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Greg Olsen (on youth coaching):
  "There is kind of an art and a science to how to coach age-appropriate sport. What can we get the kids to know? That’s the only thing that affects the game.” (29:48)

• Matt Leinart (on multi-sport parenting):
  "We're not raising softies. In our house...you have full reign to defend yourself. Who not better than Daniel Cormier to come over and teach?" (11:51)

• Greg (on social media’s danger):
  “We all have said things in the locker room or with our buddies that we probably wouldn’t say outside...there is no such thing as a secret. Things are serious.” (21:07)

• On the state of the tight end:
  “Now, you can make an argument outside of quarterback, some of the biggest stars in the game are tight ends.” (52:33)

• On the Panthers’ iconic play at Seattle:
  "No one's aligned, no one really knows what the play is. We're snapping the ball before anybody's even ready to block — and we caught a 40-yard touchdown to win the game." (67:43)

Timestamps for Essential Segments

• 00:29 – The rise of the tight end position
• 08:18 – Dream athlete youth coaches
• 16:19 – Coaching youth: practice planning details
• 19:37 – Social media’s influence on youth sports
• 23:38 – Balancing parent and sports role models
• 29:48 – How to be a great youth coach
• 36:41 – Transition from small-town kid to Miami Hurricane
• 39:39 – The decision to leave Notre Dame, Miami stories
• 51:58 – Evolution and current state of the tight end position
• 59:04 – Cam Newton, play-calling, and the huddle life
• 63:42 – What is missed most: camaraderie and the chaos of the NFL huddle
• 67:43 – Iconic Panthers-Seahawks touchdown story
• 69:10 – The rise of “Tight End U”
• 72:34 – Life in the broadcast booth, dealing with Philly fans
• 77:22 – Hollywood movie trivia with Annie Agar

Tone & Style

The episode is lively, self-deprecating, and authentic. All hosts share personal stories, admit their own parenting and coaching “mistakes,” and approach even NFL strategy and locker room tales with humility and humor. The friendship and mutual respect—both as athletes and parents—shine throughout, translating big-league experiences into relatable, everyday lessons.

Final Takeaway

This conversation underscores how the lessons of football—dedication, resilience, preparation, and mastering chaos—travel from NFL huddles to local youth leagues and back again. Greg Olsen exemplifies both old-school grit and modern adaptability, making this episode a must for parents, coaches, and football fans alike.