Club Shay Shay - Best of Nightcap - Shannon Sharpe & Chad Johnson’s best stories from their NFL playing days

Episode Date: July 17, 2024

Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson made their names off their stellar play on the football field, and their NFL careers with the Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens, and Cincinnati Bengals resulted in plenty of amazing stories. Check out some of the best stories Unc and Ocho have told on Nightcap, from Shannon getting his first paycheck in cold hard cash, Ocho’s gross home remedy for injuries, their times on Hard Knocks, and much more.03:40 - Unc didn’t do direct deposit05:19 - Ocho’s gross home remedy09:08 - Unc & Ocho flunked the Combine19:46 - Their biggest tests on the field30:44 - Locker room bets45:51 - Biggest hits they ever took51:23 - Hard Knocks & locker room pranks1:05:51 - Unc peed on the sidelines1:10:52 - Ocho was a clutch kicker1:17:02 - Learning how to handle NFL money1:39:37 - Unc & Ocho take the player survey1:44:56 - When the Ravens cut Unc1:47:50 - Pro Bowl stories1:58:00 - Carson Palmer called Ocho out(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.)#Volume #ClubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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I didn't like playing in the rain, but we don't use rain as an excuse. Because everybody is always practicing in the rain. And guess what? They're going to send checks. You're going to go get that check on Tuesday, Ocho. Yeah. Come rain, come rain. Before they started doing direct deposit, I always got my check, Ocho.

I needed to see it. I needed to see it. I didn't get no direct deposit. Ocho, I didn't have no direct deposit. I didn't have no direct deposit until I started Joe, I didn't have no direct deposit. I didn't have no direct deposit until I started working for Fox. They told me they wasn't going to send me my money. I had to get direct deposit. Prior to that, I had to go upstairs and get them checks.

I didn't even see my money. Wait, hold on, hold on, hold on. You didn't get direct deposit, so you went and got your check and what, took it to the bank yourself? I took it to the bank myself. Nah, that's too much. That's too much, man. I mean, one time I had I had deferred a lot of my money.

Hey, I deferred a lot of my money one time. Ocho, I had like $2.2 million. Right, right. I had it for like 30 days sitting in my drawer. The Broncos called me and was like, Shannon, did you receive that check?

Right. I was like, yeah. I said, it's in the drawer. They was like, do you mind cashing it? I forgot all about it. I put it in the drawer and forgot all about it don't you? And it was like 40 days and they called me and said

do you mind cashing it? Because hey even that's a lot they're like hold on we wrote something for two million and it hasn't been cashed. They said well you, you know, don't worry about cashing it. We're going to reissue you another one. Issue a new one, yeah.

Can you go cash that one? Would you get it? I was like, okay, I'll do that. Man, it's a funny, funny story. I've told this story all the time. And people always ask, man, how did you manage, you know, to have a career and have no injuries? And the funny thing about it is I had home remedies that I use.

And people, nobody believed me. Nobody ever believed me. No, you never had no angle spray? Yeah, I sprayed my angle before. But what I used to do for me is I used to get urine. Y'all stay with me now. I used to get urine and warm it up stay with me now. I used to get urine and warm it up.

Where that urine from? Where it from? Whoa, whoa, whoa. We're talking about timeout. I need a timeout. I need a quick explanation. Who urine? Yours?

No, I get mine and if it wasn't enough, if it wasn't enough of mine, I would have to get my teammates urine. I don't know. I hear you. I'm listening. I'm listening.

This is what, It work wonders though. I get enough urine to where I can, if it's enough in a bucket that I can warm up. I put my ankle that's swollen or the one that's sprained, warm it up really hot, sit my foot in the urine and the heat

and the toxins from the urine would absorb all the swelling, all the swelling out. And I swear, if I sprained my ankle, even if it was the highest, if I sprained my ankle on the Wednesday and we played Sunday, by the time I got to Friday,

I was able to do that fast walkthrough practice on Friday and play the game fully healthy Sunday. Nah, I'm going to have to miss that game. If I got to stick my foot in the bucket of urine, I'm going to miss that game. There's a reason, listen, you'm going to have to miss that game. If I got to stick my foot in the bucket of urine, I'm going to miss that game. There's a reason. Listen, you can't make the club in the tub. Yeah. You can't make the club in the tub, and that's one of the reasons why I played a full

career with no injuries, because I always had little remedies that would get me through. You can't make the club in the tub, and if it's pee, it ain't me. You on your own, though, Chokey. No, no. Oh, no no All that stuff They do it Ain't no big peeing going on

Ain't no peeing going on Nowhere I can't do that Look here I done had You know Hey what you say If it's peeing Adam had, you know, some squirrel. We got that squirrel? Hey, what you say?

If it's pee, it's what? If it's pee, it ain't me. I got to let you have that one, Ocho. You going to keep that remedy. Oh, you shouldn't even throw nobody that. Now, I've done the red clay. I've done the DMSO. I've done a lot of home-time remedies.

Boy, that DMSO will have your mouth smelling like goddamn shit. Boy, I don't play with that DMSO. Boy, I don't know. You don't know how much DMSO I've used. I had an old teammate that jumped together. I don't know if you probably know

Jumpy, but Jumpy, man, I don't know what. This joker sprained his ankle and that joker sprained his ankle. And that joker ankle by the size of a grapefruit. He had this stuff in a bottle. He say he got it from home because he Gullah. I'm talking about he Geechee. I'm talking about Geechee, Geechee.

I'm talking about like he probably only like one, two generations that got off the boat in Charleston. Yeah, he that kind of Geechee. He that kind of gullible. But Ocho, me and Burns, we watch him. He rubbed his stuff on his ankle and then turned it up and drank it.

Boy, what he had in there? I don't know what it was, but he was able to play on Sunday. Now, I know I'm country. I'm like, I'm corn-carving an outhouse country. it was, but he was able to play on Sunday. He was... Now, I know I'm country. I'm like, I'm corn-carving an outhouse country. Right. But he way more

country than me. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Way more country than you. Yes, yes, yes, yes. And that's saying something. Yeah. Yeah, man. Jumping, man. Hey, man, he was a great dude i love lady jumping so what what are some of your uh draft uh uh draft combine experience um i really can't remember

much it was so long ago i do remember that i did run in some bright bright bright yellow yellow tights which is which is weird uh i ran a four or five of the combine for some reason i didn't know i didn't know i don't know about that because john clayton said you need to work on that speed yeah yeah and i wasn't so that went four or five exactly listen i wasn't slow i ran a four or five and i stumbled i stumbled and still got i still was able to gather myself up and still run four or five but then when it was time for the drills i aced the drills and then obviously when once you once i put pads on, as you can see,

I play four, three, as opposed to what my 40 times said, which is really weird. I was nervous. I was nervous for one, obviously having to display my skills in front of all the owners. And it was a new experience for me. You got to understand, I hadn't been at the Division I level when I was there there i was at oregon state for four months and then now all of a sudden here come april i'm at at the freaking what's the name whose stadium is that again the colts yeah lucas oil yeah i was at lucas oil stadium and i'm in front of all these owners and was like oh my goodness i'm excited like i'm almost like i'm i'm thinking to myself like holy shit almost there. Like, you really finna get drafted.

I don't know where I'm getting drafted, but the fact that the matter is, I'm here at the combine. I'm going to get drafted. So, there's a little nervousness in me. And I didn't run a good 40 times, but it didn't matter because when it came to doing the other tests, I aced all those as far as running routes, cone drills, and all that other stuff. And the rest was history because you know what happened on Sundays.

It was on a show called That's Incredible. There used to be a show come on. I the rest was history because you know what happened on Sundays. That's incredible. There used to be a show come on. I think it was ABC. It was called That's Incredible. I know you don't remember because I was a kid when it came on. That's incredible? They would do like he raced a horse.

Right. Remember I raced, you didn't see why I raced a horse? You lost though. He beat the horse i won i won tell ash to pull it up and show you real quick listen that's how that's how i know i was really honestly on if i wasn't nervous that the combine i would have ran probably four one four two like that's the kind of speed i had huh that's what you do right no no no that's not what i do because it was in an unfamiliar environment it's like when you go on your first date you know the butterflies in your stomach you know how you're nervous yes that's how i felt because it was it was unfamiliar for me i didn't

know what it was like to go to the car vine i didn't play at a big division one school for four years and and i'm used to the crowd and all it it was it was all new did you play with it did you play with a college football? Yeah. Okay, then. So all that other stuff, I'll throw that out the window. If you can play football, you can play football. I went to Division I four months. Four months, I was gone. That's it. That's what you needed.

Guys, I know it wasn't Lucas or it was the RCA Dome. I get it. But we're saying it was in Indy. Right. Y'all just... They getting on you it was an Indy. Right, right. Man, y'all just. Wait. Is they getting on you about that?

Yeah. Come on, chat. We know. Chill, chill, chill, chat. It's an Indy. Chill. It used to be the combine used to be regional. So whatever region you in, you ran there before they brought it all to Indy.

I think they brought it to Indy like in 87. Right. 86, 87. I think that was the first year they had the combine. Everybody used to complain about the surface being spongy. Yeah. Being spongy. Until somebody told them, guys, there's always somebody that was going to run sub 4-3.

And it's like, ain't nothing wrong with the turf. I mean, my year, we had J.D. Williams, a DB out of Fresno State. He ran 4-2-9. What? Oh, yeah. He ran 4-2-9. What? Oh, yeah. He ran 4-2-9. Could he cover? Yeah, if he had a bed sheet over your bed.

That was the only thing he was covering, a bed with a bed sheet. It's all about controlling the speed and understanding leverage and positioning. I'm sorry, JD. He came out by you in the draft, too. He was first-round pick from Fresno State, Buffalo. I could talk about that all day, man. All day. Damn.

What did Christian Coleman ran? I think Christian Coleman ran 419. Listen, I know I beat that horse. Some people say, oh, you got a head start well hell he got one more leg than i do what you expect actually well he got two more legs than you no no no stay with me now he got he got a leg too though so he got five legs you only

hey well you caught that fast you caught that yeah yeah yeah he got he got five days so he still got you by two you caught that fat that was a good one you know what Ocho uh my draft look I had uh uh I had some Pegasus uh Nike Pegasus I read about 40 Nike Pegasus wait you're supposed to be light as possible Pegasus was heavy wasn't it yeah Ocho man I bro I ain't he oh man I bro I ain't know nothing about that bro I ain't have no money to go shoes you ain't had no waffle shoes no bro I oh Joe I ain't know nothing about that bro I ain't go all I did all I did I ran 100 meter sprints get ready I ain't do no shuttle drills I ain't do no vertical I ain't do no standing

long I ain't just I ain't know nothing what you ran so i just i think i read like a four six six or four six seven oh yeah that's fast now but for your side you all i know that's moving now all i know is that when we went to i went to the blue gray game which was on christmas day it was uh in mont Montgomery, Alabama. And then when I went to the East West Shrine, it was at Palo Alto. I just remember calling my brother and they had, you know, I said, ain't no receiver here better than me. Ain't no receiver better than me.

That's what you told him? I told him, I said, ain't none of them better than me. None of them. None, none, none, zero, zilch. We went one-on-one. We had the one-on-one drill right everybody everybody cooked them hey speaking of i went to the senior bowl i'd never forget one of my favorites will always be one of my favorite players always one of my favorite

players from mississippi state that goddamn fred smooth okay that goddamn fred smooth man one of the greatest personalities one of the greatest human beings I ever met, man. I don't get to see him as often as I'd like. But, man, every time I saw Fred, man, it was always love. When we played Minnesota, when we was in Minnesota, you talk about talking some shit. Man, we talked hella shit, man, before the game. I love Fred.

Man, Ocho. What up? Oh, man. Man. Ocho. What happened? Man, you know what they gave? Man, check this out, Ocho. What up? Oh, man. Man. Ocho. What happened? Man, you know what they gave you? Man, check this out, Ocho.

Yes, sir. Out of 100, what do you think my Conbrian grade was? Out of 100? Yeah. You? Yeah. Probably 68. I got an F. I got an F.

I got a 37. Real? A size that gave me one out of 100. Speed, they gave me 62 out of 100. Agility, they gave me 10 out of 100. Quickness, they gave me 36 out of 100. Overall rating. Who's your overall? What would they give you?

My overall was 37. You see? I thought you was hell when you was well. I was sick that day. Can Ash find mine? Hey, look at this, y'all. Look at what they gave your boy. Is that what they gave your boy. It's L.

They gave you an F. Fine, Ochoes. We're going to finish. Hey, now think about that. You see? Now see, they based everything, run, jump. All I know is that I got, I'm number 267. I can run upstairs right quick and get that gold jacket.

I'm 267 in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Now, let me tell you who's in my draft class. Emmitt, Hall of Fame. Cortez Kennedy, Hall of Fame. Real deal. When you say I, Hall of Fame. Myself, Hall of Fame. Johnny Randall, Hall of Fame.

Greatness. Johnny Randall was undrafted. He was? Yes. Ah, Ocho while you over there kiki keying that's what you got a F2 you got a 37 a 38

you got a 38 hey but hey at least I got one higher than you and that F hey listen hold on that F on there stand for fabulous because that's a jet lag turned out. Fabulous. They got you at 40.

They got you a 4'6". Steady long jump. They got you 120 inches. Yeah. That's good. No, that's 10 feet. Man, I don't know. Size, they gave you a 46 out of 100 speed they gave you 41 out of 100 agility they gave you 43 out of 100 and 60 they gave you 50 out of 100 now that's how you know

they don't know what the hell they talk about agility agility the one thing we were some slow but oh joe you know what we about we'll go ahead chalk it up we were so smart to come back hey give me the name of the person who motherfucking made that goddamn grading system man hey don't go back and run it because you're gonna be worse than you were 20 years ago oh i could i could oh well no no no i listen i've been training for boxing and soccer right now so i could run i could run by the four six right now still who who the fastest who who has the fastest 40 time as a boxer because it don't matter because you can't run fast and that's square man they got me how the hell did man look here oh joe was just meant to be how the hell they got me that kind of hurt that kind of hurt a little bit that a little bit. Because that's how they really felt and they thought about me, man.

I got an F. I ain't seen an F in a long time. Damn, you shouldn't have showed me that. That F, that A. I told you. That F stands for fantastic or fabulous. Man, they got a blunt failure. Man. got a blunt failure. Man,

how are we going to get a 37 out of 38? This is the problem. The people that they have in positions of power that are judging these players don't know what the hell they're talking about or what they're looking for. That's why they need my eyes. They need my eyes at the combine.

What you call them? Say, Hayes, McClendon, donated $10. I want to give you all an Ocho Munch bank for putting in work. My question for both of you is, was DBs,

okay, what DBs gave y'all fits in your day playing? Well, the guy I think that made me come to Blair I am is Albert Lewis. Long, 6'2", he was 6'2", could play inside, could play outside, came from Grambling State, feathery. He constantly gave me a different look. He made me.

He forced me to become what I became because I knew if I could beat him, I could beat anybody. Right. to become what I became because I knew if I could beat him, I could beat anybody. Right. And so he had the most impact that says, okay, in order for you to be what you think you can be, you have to consistently beat him.

Right. And I knew I was legit when he was in Kansas City and the Raiders signed him. He was their number one, he was their number one free agent because I was cooking the Raiders. Yeah. They had nothing, Nobody could do anything with me.

T-Mac, Eddie Anderson, none of them. Washington, none of them. They couldn't see me. I cooked them all. So they went and got Albert. He slowed me down, but he ain't stopped me. He slowed me down,

but he ain't stopped me. Michael asked, better safety, Steve Atwater, Troy Palomaro, Ronnie Lott. They're all different. Different. Because you do realize Ronnie came in as a corner. Ronnie was an all-pro at corner. Yeah.

So people don't realize that. He moved to safety. They were different. Atwater was a true strong safety. Strong safety. Like Brian Dawkins. Like B-Dawg. Like B-Dawg.

And although Troy, they did, Troy was so skilled. He lined up everywhere. Everywhere. He'd be at the line of scrimmage. Scrimmage. And he's supposed to be in the hole. Or he's supposed to be in the 2D. I'm like, bro, why?

I mean, my last year was his rookie year. Because he and Ed, if I'm not mistaken, came out the same year. Yeah. No, Ed came out my last year. Troy came out. Did they both come out in 03? I think I played against Ed one year. I think I played against Troy one year, too.

It might have been. Did one come out in 02 and one other came out in 03? Or both came out in 03? Both came out in 03? Troy came out in 03. Ed came out in what? 02? I think Ed came out in 02.

Because Ed, I didn't play with Ed. I left Baltimore after the 01 season. Right. And I think, so what year did Ed come out? 02. Ed came out in 02. But for me, the best safety that I ever broke down, that I ever played against, that I ever saw was Ed Reed.

Yeah. For me, it was Ed and Troy. Ed and Troy. Unbelievable. And the fact of the matter was they did things, I call it exotic coverages. They did things that were very confusing that no other team could do because of the way the defense was constructed. There was no weakness.

There was no weakness in the secondary. There was no weakness at the front line. And they did some of the craziest stuff. Just like you mentioned, Troy, we don't know what the damn coverage is because everybody at the goddamn line of scrimmage. Everybody. And as soon as the ball snapped, everybody running to where they're supposed to be. And you got to hold the ball because you don't know what's going on. And previously, somebody asked a question about what DB gave you the most fits.

And for me, it really wasn't a DB in itself outside of what Revis did. But early in my career, the good battles where I had to tie my shoes tight, Ike Taylor, Lee Barden. Who else, man? Who else? Chris McAllister used to choke you out. Chris McAllister. Like, you out. Chris McAllister. Like you got, you got to be on, you got to be, you got to be on your A game.

I had to be on my A game every time. Um, I mean, those, those, those are some that I can remember. Those battles were really, really good. They were really, really good with them. It was, it was back and forth, back and forth. Yeah. The thing for me, Ocho, is that when we play physical corners was not getting to a physical battle with them. no no because now

every time right but see me I wasn't gonna lose it but then I get I forget trying to go I'm supposed to be trying to catch a pass right instead of just beat the hell up out to DB and a lot of times like we play James hasty and hasty I know you're gonna see this him bro I just be like I mean sometimes

I would just go out there like hey I don't even want to catch the pass I just want to go out there and fight it i just want to go out there and try to run slap over the top of it i want to don't even throw me no don't even throw the ball my way don't even look at me because i ain't looking to get over i'm just looking to run right over i'm just gonna run and when he don't move i'm gonna put my helmet right up on this chin right oh james dc even though we home boys yeah it was just something about like okay i know he wasn't gonna be dirty with me and i wasn't gonna be dirty with him right but bro kansas city just like bro you at kansas city so i know we home boys i'm gonna throw that ish out the window for

the day for the day i ain't gonna cut you i ain't gonna cheap shot you but you know you're gonna get this work though oh yeah and if i get a chance to crack back i'm gonna try cheap shot you but you know you're gonna get this work though oh yeah and if i get a chance to crack back i'm gonna try to deplete you you gotta get him out of there i gotta get i owe you i gotta get him um but they were so different troy probably was the most athletic yeah most definitely uh ronnie probably had the most impact. But see, the thing is that when they played back then, Ronnie would have been suspended. You can't hit people like

Ronnie was hitting people like Ed Warden was hitting people. They would have been out of the league. Suspended, they would have been out of the league. You see Kareem Jackson? You see how Kareem Jackson is about to miss six games? Again? Yes. Let's talk about Ocho.

They suspended him for hitting Joshua Dobbs. It was a third and one, and they ran a quarterback power. Kareem Jackson comes, and he'll send me this chest with his helmet. I saw it. Ocho, you're not afforded the same protection as a runner, as a receiver, as a quarterback in the pocket. He's a runner. It's 31. You no longer get those protections.

So what do you do? What do you do? On 31, I'm not going to let you fall forward. And he's like, if I hit him in his leg, he's going to fall for the first down. He's like, I'm going to hit him in his mouth. So as a defender, what do you do? He's I'm going to hit him in his mouth. So as a defender, what do you do?

Because they've handicapped, they've handicapped the game to a point where it makes no sense. You just can't, you can't do anything. You can't. And my pushback is as a runner, you're not afforded the protection as a receiver in the air or a quarterback that's in the pocket. You don't, you are a runner. Right. So what am I? So how am I supposed especially ultra we coming this way it's 31 if i tackle you at the legs what you gonna do you gonna fall for the first down for the first down i'm trying to hit you up top to keep you that's why like guys tackling the guy around the uh around the legs on the one yard

line right he's gonna fall in the end zone. For a touchdown. Exactly. So I'm going to try to keep him getting that first down. I will hit you in your mouth. And you're a runner. Yeah. Duck. The advice I got for a quarterback,

when you see a safety like Kareem Jackson come barreling down, duck. Yeah. Makes no sense. You don't want to get hit slide. I don't know what to tell you. Makes no sense not not not in that situation not in that situation no he's a runner he's not afforded protections

of a defenseless receiver he's not afforded the protection of a quarterback that's in the pocket he's running the football he's a running back you would have never the question is would you ever call that play if it was a running back? No, because that's what Joshua Dobbs is. The moment that he has, it's like a power, quarterback power, and he tucks that ball in his arm. He's a runner. He's a runner.

He's a runner. That's crazy. And me too. I'm a runner too, and I'm trying to run through his ass. Paul, but I've tried to hit it. That's what I – oh, he coming. I'm trying to hit him dead in his mouth. You're not going to get this first down. It's going to be fourth down.

Y'all got to go four on four. But I'm going to hit you dead in your chest as hard as I can. You're going to get fined. You're going to get suspended too. Oh, sure. Because what you're telling me, if your quarterback, if you're a coach, don't care any more than to have you run it. If he's not protecting you, why should I?

Why should I? Exactly. What did Tom Brady say? It's not the defensive player's job to protect the offensive player. Offensive players, yeah. So if that's what you think of you. What the NFL is doing is the NFL is now putting the defensive players in harm's way because now you're going to start trying to tackle in a way that you can't tackle, a way that you haven't been able to play all your life and start trying to do something you're not supposed to do,

and you're going to hurt yourself. And you remember, Ocho, when they started by the heads and guys started hitting guys in the knees and tearing the ACLs. Yeah, tearing the ACLs. You can't win. You can't win for losing. You can't. You can't. You can't win for losing. You can't. You can't.

You can't win for losing. Wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast, NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal. Five days a week, you'll get all the latest news, previews, recaps, and analysis delivered straight to your podcast feed by the time you get your coffee. No dumb hot takes here, just smart hot takes. We'll talk every single game, every single week,

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the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, you know there's a lot of bets going on, man. There done been bets between teammates. I mean, not teammates. Yeah. But, hell, teammates, friends, yeah. Yeah, but nobody know.

Nobody know. Nobody knew. Hell, I bet know. Nobody know. Nobody knew. Hell, I bet Alpha Williams 25,000, but I would have more touchdowns if he had sacks. Golly. Man, guess what? Who won? I broke my collarbone week four.

He tore his Achilles week five. So we settled. I went to, he wanted 12,000. So I said, we can settle. He had one sack. I had no touchdowns wanted 12,000. So I said, we can settle. He had one sack. I had no touchdowns. So we settled. What you had to pay him?

He said, I tell you what. He said, I want $12,500. Right. Guess what this joker wanted? What he wanted? Don't say food. Susan B. Anthony dollars. Susan B. Anthony? Yeah. Susan B. Anthony dollars. Susan B. Anthony?

Yeah. He wanted those quarter dollars. So I had to go to the bank and get... Because he wanted to inconvenience me. He wanted my pride. Oh, okay, okay. So when I go put that order into the bank, can I get $12,500 of Susan B. Anthony?

Do you know how hard it is to get those damn things? So he made it difficult. Yes. And they was heavy as hell. Hey, let's go. Hey, listen, I like the bet though. I like it. Because that's the way we bet it.

So like we bet the locker room. I didn't want your money. I want your pride. Yeah. I want $500 in nickels. Man, Sean, come on, man. I want you to take your ass to the bank, ask the cashier could you get

$500 in nickels and when she asks you say Mr. Such and Such why you need $500 on nickels I want you to tell him I lost the bet to 84 I get Buffalo nickels I get $100 in Buffalo nickels I get $250 in dimes that's what I wanted

I wanted a what is it Canada half dollars we call them yeah I wanted those yes I want your prize everybody making money so what is it for me you lose $1,000 you gonna bring me $1,000 cash

no I don't want $1,000 cash I want coins pennies, nickels,s dimes buffalo nickels Susan B. Anthony quarters Kennedy half dollar Kennedy 50 cent what we call them in the South

golly you know we gamble everything we had a little poppy shot basketball thing in the locker room so we we betting per diem

hey bet everybody got their per diem lined we bet in per diem. Hey, bet. Everybody got their per diem lined up. The road per diem? Yes! Yes! We bet road per diem. Man, look. We're getting ready to go to practice.

Me and my homeboy Burns, he's like, we got, so you know, we've been there for a week, so I went upstairs, got my check, got his. I said, because we like to bet, don't even look at it. Put it down.

Okay, fine. Bet what it is. So I put my check down. He put his down. We shoot. We got to go to practice. We come back. Come on, let's get the ball first.

Hey, hold up. Me and Byrne shooting this. He shoot. He miss. I make it. Hey, hold up. Me and Byrne shooting this. He shoot.

He miss. I make it. So at that point in time, you get to open the check and see what it is. Right. So he opened my check. I opened his. His was like $1,400. Right.

Mine was like $70,000. Woo! He said, homeboy, you'd have been throwing up. I said yeah i think but that's but that's the chance that you make you don't look at the check you just bet yeah i'm cool with that y'all better than me boy oh we bet everything oh we bet everything oh boo ray in between you have played in between nah Nah What's that? In between You take two decks of cards I flip one

I flip both cards up It might be an ace It might be a five Uh-huh You gonna say In between If it comes in between The ace and the five

You win If you get hit on the edges You get double You have to pay double So if it's an ace or a five You win if you get hit on the edges you get you have to pay double so if it's an ace or five you pay double oh man i don't know we played on the way to super bowl right after guys what park got it like 50 grand 50 000 yeah oh we took super Oh, hey, Peter, I'm sorry. I got to give up this information. Oh, but we took we took a we took four Subo tickets. I will agree.

Oh, four Subo tickets and 10 grand. Oh, I was very generous. I know he was hot. Oh, Joe, I want to do old school car. 71 Chevelle. Yeah. I said, man, give me five grand. I said, because you go home and tell your wife you lost this car, it's going to be problems in your house. Oh, snap.

Yeah. Give me five grand. We'll call it even. And Mike used to tell him, say, look, y'all gambling with 84. Do y'all know how long 84 been playing? Right. 84. Okay.

I don't really like you guys gambling. Cause I don't want you thinking about your loss. 20,000, 30,000. Right. During the game. But if I rock with you, if I want a big sum of money off,

y'all like, bro, go ahead. Hey, just give me, give me five grand. We'll call it even. But I want it. Nice nice black chrome rims just got it it probably worked by 2025 yeah i said man give me five grand

you cool boy hey boy y'all listen i know i when whenever the gambling went on, locker room, training camp, we on break. Man, I ain't around none of that, bro. I ain't got time. Spending money, spending gambling. How you think the club chase shit came about? Ocho, you go ask anybody that played in Denver from 1995, 96, all the way, they closed it down when I left. When I came back, it came from, they closed it down when I left.

When I came back, it came from there. That's what we gambled. We played cards. We rolled dice. They played video game. We drank, smoked, all that within Club Shaysick. That's how it came to be. And I don't see how y'all do that, man. And people in the chat that gamble, people just in general,

like even when y'all was playing, even former teammates of mine, there was there was there's such an excitement and passion and joy in people's faces when they gamble here from me being from Miami, watching people gamble, playing spades, playing, I hate to say that word, but watching the boys play C-low. Like, what are we doing? I'm not doing nothing or losing my money to anything where I can't control it. Like, if I'm losing money, I want to be in control of it. I don't want any outside

variations of what I'm doing that cause me to lose my money. I can't do it. And then I remember I went to the casino with Rail and I'm talking to the man. I'm saying, sir, are y'all going to stop the man from continuing to gamble that much

money at the high roller table? Why are you allowing him to do this? That's what we do here. Yeah. Oh, no, I got to have it. We got to gamble, Joe. We gambling. Why do you think why you think no no no I gotta have it we gotta gamble Ocho we gambling why you think we don't have no windows

what the fuck you mean would the windows have to do anything ain't no clocks on the wall because they want you to lose track of time and they pumping in fresh oxygen

listen I learned all this just not too long ago when I was in Vegas for F1 you know I'm like man y'all

I gamble Ocho we gamble yeah every night there was not one night when I was in Vegas for F1. I'm like, man, y'all better be... Ocho, we gambled. Every night. There was not one night in Denver when I was in training camp that we didn't gamble. Ocho, we was going to bed. We got to practice at nine.

We didn't go into bed until like two o'clock, three o'clock in the morning. And y'all going to practice on four, five hours of sleep? Yep. And the last night, we stay up the whole night. Like, our

crew that normally, oh, you got to stay up the whole night. Oh, oh, we had a blast. Hey, we had a blast. Oh, and the last night, the rookies? Yeah.

Got to get them, Ocho. You got them? Yeah, I remember them. What? Man, look here. We go to the store. We get like 25 pounds of flour. We get like eight, nine, ten balls of syrup.

We cut the pillows open. Right. We got the tar and feather. Oh, not the tar and feather. Yeah. Oh, man. tar and feather. Yeah. Fire extinguisher. Oh. You know how hard that is to get off?

I do know. Oh, no. Think about how many guys came with pillow feathers in their head and only stuck on their back and on their neck. Hey, because you know I was cool. Hey, you know, hey, I get the key. I get the master key. In their sleep, fire extinguish them down,

book it up out of there. Oh, we did some damage. I know they were hot. But you know what Mike said? Hey, hey, I don't normally do this, but I know, you know, probably 84 has something to do with it and this team. Or if

some stuff popped off, they already know. Mike knew. Team building, we got this covered. Woohoo! Oh, that dorm was a mess. Going crazy. Yes, yes.

Hey, got to get them, Ocho. It's a part of it. Welcome to the Broncos. Yeah, most definitely. Most definitely. Most definitely. That's what I miss, Ocho. See, that's what I miss.

The fun. That's what I miss. The talent show. Did y'all have a talent show? Like the rookies had to put on a talent show? No, but hey, listen. That hard knock y'all have a talent show? Like the rookie that had to put on a talent show? No, but hey, listen. That hard knock y'all had? Yes.

Before we did ours? That talent show? Boy, when Buddy did Ray Lewis and Buddy did you, boy, I was in tears. I'm talking about in tears, crying. That was good. That was good. We had a talent show in Denver. But like I said, I didn't really know.

Like I said, when I was in college, we didn't really do the stuff like rookie stuff, hazing. They didn't cut nobody's hair and stuff like that. I'm trying to think what we did to the rookies. Because they got me. It was all fun. Like I said, I didn trying to think what we did to the rookies. Because they got me. I mean, it was all fun. Like I said, I didn't want to let nobody cut my hair. You know what I'm saying? We wasn't doing anything to demean anybody. We wasn't going to cut your hair

and foolishness like that. But I'm sure there were some things that we did. But that was all a part of it. That's what I miss. That's what I miss. If they could just let me. And I was like, Mike, if I could just go back, I didn't want to do meetings no more. That's what really got me out of the league. The meetings. I said, Mike, just let me practice.

Let me show up to practice. Let me play in the games. Your boy good. Your boy good. Ocho, those were the days, bro. I wish I could get those back. I wish I could do that. Obviously, I couldn't play anymore. But I just want to go hang around.

Just go hang. Now, my guys, after I left like three or four years, I just wanted to go back because a lot of the guys that I played with were still playing. Man, I said, man, I wish I could just go back there. They're like, Sharp, man, it ain't the same without you. Because you know I kept it live. Yeah.

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Everybody wanted to get on bus, too, because they, you know, the coaches, everybody, you know, the owner was on bus. Everybody, hey, Sean, what bus you getting on? Because, you know, we're going to keep it crunk. We bagging on somebody. Somebody want some bull jive today.

Oh, y'all get on the outfits? What? I got on a dude so bad, I made him took his outfit off on the plane. Got fired. Because Mike said, I told you, you got to wear. Made him take it and come up out of it. It was that bad? Made him come up out of it.

Well, shoot. But today's NFL players, boy, it's a fashion show. Yes. Boy, it is a fashion show. I made him come up. I made him come up I made them come up oh they

hey sharp man you see what such hey sharp come look what such and such got on I got to get him I got to get him the only person

that you could not get upset about their dress was Easy Ed Ed McCaffrey Ed McCaffrey that joke coming out there looking like a 4H camper their dress was Easy Ed. Ed McCaffrey? Ed McCaffrey. That's your coming out there looking like a 4-H camper. He gonna have on khaki pants and a blue blazer that he got

folded up that he taking out his duffel bag. Right. That's what Easy Ed got on. Every time. And some Doc Martens. Ed don't care. Ed don't care nothing. So we didn't even bother. Ed hadn't got to the point where I was like, why rag it on Ed? Ed don't care so we didn't even bother Ed they had to got to the point I was like

why ragging on Ed Ed don't care we didn't we didn't give people to actually care that if we rag on him oh oh I can make

hey me at the back of that plane yeah make him come slam up out of it Ocho back of the plane

where is that I remember I remember I remember going to the airport. You know, everybody got to meet at the stadium before you got to get on the bus. Remember, everybody used to bring Popeyes. Oh, yeah.

The rookies had to bring that for the bus. That's right. The rookies had to bring Popeyes. You know, I came with my own McDonald's. Man, them jokers have you go get, man, they go get ribs, make you go get ribs. Man, you gotta go get fried catfish. Man, Big Ted, Big Ted Washington was on my team

one year. Man, Ted had them rookies go and get Popeyes, mac and cheese, fried catfish. Right. Come on, dude. I remember them days. Yeah, but see, this is before your time. See, we used to, uh, could drive right up, park our cars and get right on the plane plane back up out for real we take yeah we never we didn't have to go like my

first my first four or five years we'd have to go to the airport go to a private hangar right park your car walk right up get right on the plane oh. I ain't never heard of that, boy. Yeah. That's new. Man. Oh, that was lovely. Lovely. And then, you know, you had to start getting there on time

because Mike was going to leave you. Mike was going to leave you if you wasn't number seven, number 30, number 84, maybe a few others. Because Mike, they asked, well, such and such, like, oh, we hold a plane. It's a charter flight. We leave when we want to. Anybody else? But I wasn't going to be late.

I already understood because I know guys looking. I'm not going to be late. Sports Addict just donated $20. Ask us to recall the hardest hit we've ever taken. Ooh, I know what mine is. Somebody caught you? I got caught.

I bet you got caught on the slant, too. Either a slant or a seam. I got caught on the overrides. I got two. Two. Rest his soul, Orlando Thomas. I ran a far cross. Yeah.

And check this out, what made it so bad. He picked it. So I'm looking for the ball like this. He jumps up, knee catching me in the chin. I'm out before I even hit the dirt. Wait, alcohol? Wait, alcohol? Out.

Out. Out. O-U-w-t out picked it but you know man but you know back there ocho they get a cup to the sideline a smelling salt little smelling salt look you know hey how many fingers i got up you know they ain't do but one or two you ain't got a 50 50% chance. Oh, two. Okay, you good. Go back in there. And then I got hit by the Raiders. I forget the linebacker's name.

We were in a two tight end set. Right. Tiger set, 12 personnel. And normally I'm playing wide. Normally I play Tiger, but I'm playing wide in this situation. Chamberlain's playing the Tiger. They walk the Sam Backer. Anytime they walk the Sam Backer,

what you thinking, Ocho, on another tight end? I'm thinking man. Man, yeah, obviously. That's the only reason he walked, though. Check this out. So the Tiger tight end is going to run a goal. I'm going to run a flat. It's cover two.

Don't tell me the corner sat. The corner is the Sam backer. The quarterback didn't see it? Didn't see it. He's thinking, Ocho, he's thinking the same thing I'm thinking. They want the Sam. I'm like, I'm going to catch, Ocho, I see that. And then, Ocho, you know what I'm thinking?

I said, ooh, ooh, that mean the mic got to cover me? I'm going, I'm going to catch. Ocho, I see that. And then Ocho, you know what I'm thinking? I said, ooh, ooh, that mean the mic got to cover me? I'm going to catch this flat rock. I'm going to turn this thing up. Up for you. Ooh, oh, yeah. You know what I mean? You running hard, Ocho, you pumping that head on. Yeah.

Man, Ocho, I did this right here. Yeah. Ocho, he hit me so hard he knocked my helmet off bae wait he didn't knock you out though you got up yeah I got up

I got up I don't know how I got a couple of legs I got hit a dude Ocho I done took some legs I took one I caught a couple of things. I got hit a dude. Oh, I don't talk some licks. I took one. I caught a shallow cross. Ocho got a block and turned up. And by that time I had a fracture in my eye socket at the end of 95. So I was wearing a shield.

Right. So I caught it. I turned up. I didn't see dude. The safety came, hit me dead in the side of my head. He said, they say, hey, Red, that a way to bring the wood? And I'm thinking to myself, I'm laying on the ground, I said, what wood he broke?

Ocho, he cracked my shield like a windshield. You know how hard it was to crack a shield? He cracked it. That's crazy. He cracked it. We were playing the Browns. We were playing at home.

I'll never forget this. And a lot of people remember, this is the era during the time where I had the blonde mohawk. I'm in my prime now. I'll never forget. Two by two set. Okay. You know, when you got two receivers on one side and it's third down,

slant's coming. Oh, yeah. Double slant. Double slant's coming. Man, I run the slant. Carson, I don't know if the ball might have slipped out of Carson's hand by accident, maybe a tad bit. The ball was too high. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar couldn't have caught this ball.

What do I do? You jump for it. I still jump anyway, trying to go get it. I'll never forget this, man. Brian Russell. Brian Russell, the safety for the Browns at the time, hit me up under my chin. My helmet went flying one way. His blood

gushing. My jersey, I'm knocked out on the field. I'm knocked out cold. Like knocked out cold. I think he played for the Vikings too, Ocho. Check and see if Brian Russell played for the Vikings. Because I think he got me too, Ocho. He did? I think he did. No, Unc, Unc, listen. I was

knocked out. I'm talking about knocked out. Like when you're in the boxing ring and somebody knocks you out, you sleep? Yes. But I would sleep on the field. Then, I'm not sure what happened after that. In 2000, in 2002, he got me too, Ocho. Oh, that was him? Hey, he got

an unnecessary roughness. He talking about my bad. I said, what do you mean? You're bad. You dirty mofo. Oh, listen, he put his helmet right up under my chin on the scene. I had the stitches.

You can still see. You can still see with a gas. I had a big gas. Then after the game, the media wanted to interview me. I'm still concussed. Like, I'm sure if when they edit this and we talk about this,

you can see me after the game. I'm still concussed. All'm sure when they edit this and we talk about this, you can see me after the game. I'm still concussed. All I want to know is how did Lee Barden do? You can tell I'm still woozy. Dude, I've never, ever, ever, ever been hit like that again. Obviously, that's the hardest hit because I didn't see it coming. The stuff with Ray Lewis

and stuff, I see those hits coming, so you're able to tense your body and you embrace for it. That Brian Russell hit, nothing like that ever before. You and I were both on the show. I was in Baltimore in 2001

and we kicked off Hard Knocks. You were on the 5th and the 7th season. Talk about some of your experience with the cameras and having to try to offer the fans a glimpse and a day in the life of a player that's in training camp be it a veteran player well listen that that was one of the best experiences to me obviously allowing people to see what it's like inside inside of training camp seeing the way the work ethic that not just i put

in but but my teammates uh what goes into day-to-day practices, our schedules, as far as meetings, um, obviously the, the cutthroat part of the business, obviously, you know, when it's when it's time to get cut, but it was fun. It was very fun. Uh, just, just being myself, being authentic, being, being my, my organic organic self. And, um, I, I, I really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed it. It was the the birth it was the birthing of child please uh one of my sayings and kiss the baby and some other stuff like that and then just allowed people to see a different side of a different side of us outside of seeing the finished product on sundays at one o'clock and what i like to call the politically the politically correct interviews

that we do on sundays the games. I think that, that that's hard knocks is really good because the show, the different side of all the players. Yeah. It gives you an opportunity to the players getting ready. The meeting time, how much meeting time, the prep work guys,

getting massages and the guys getting in the cold tub and the guys doing things to get ready because you break it down, you break your body down. And then somehow you got to get it back together for the next day of practice. And the difficult side, some of these players' dreams will go unrealized. You made it there, but this is as far as it goes.

And the realization that my dream of being an NFL player is not going to materialize. And now I've got to branch back into the real world and get it. You had a great run. You were probably a pretty good high school player. Good to great high school player. Had a good, had a very good,

excuse me, college career. But that next level isn't going to happen to you. And sometimes watching the guy, because you get, you get close to some of the guys and you see how hard and how much work they put into it and then to realize that you know what it's over now yeah listen that's that's a tough job that's a tough job to do especially for coaches and when you get there when you hear that knock on the door you know and it's like

bring your playbook man that's man that has to be one of the worst feelings and the fact that obviously hard nuts has cut it out i think I think they cut out that part where they show people getting released now, right? They no longer show that. It's honest. It's just the truth of the business. And it's just the way it is. Obviously, my childhood dream, it wasn't even to be an NFL player. I wanted to be a veterinarian.

I wanted to be a marine biologist because I love dogs and I love killer whales. But the fact that grandma, obviously, with football being my outlet and something for me to do based on the area where I was in, because it's either you're playing sports. And there's no other route. I definitely want to be no academic scholar. I can be honest with you. I'm going to be honest with you. With your grades, you could have got in prison. Hey, listen, but listen, listen, grandma is the reason I was able to make it, man. And that day when I saw that name, when I saw that name go across that ticker.

Ticker? Yeah. She was the first one I went to, man. And I told her, I say, mommy, we made it. Man, she told me, listen, this is just the beginning of your journey. Right. This is the beginning of your journey right this is what it is and then and then it starts all back over again it's an entire different set of goals that i had to set and conquer yep you're absolutely right and that's what a lot of times i tell the guys i say this is the end this is the beginning so now this is step one you're here making the team now is it just good enough that you made a team what do you want to be i

didn't want to be a guy just a guy i wanted to be the guy i wanted to be dependent on i wanted guys i wanted people to have my jersey oh i wanted people to like throw the ball to sharp i wanted my teammates to say hey man get up man get up in the sharp get up in the sharp that's what i wanted to hear it wasn't good enough like i'm on the team oh yeah i play for the broncos marco yeah what position do you play you know do you start or what do you do no no no no no i i needed people to know i needed what when my grandmother turned the tv on my my sister would turn the tv on to the that the channel that we're gonna be on right that she knew her baby was out there yeah i, baby, I saw my baby. He had a good game. So for me, that was my goal.

That's what it was. Not just getting to the NFL because I've always dreamed, but now that I'm here, I can't go back. Right, right. Listen, I had no choice to go back because like my grandma told me, I got in trouble at Lanks University

and I got thrown out of school. And I told you, I came home on a plane and she said, I washed my hands with you. I've done all I can do and ship me to my mama. There was no coming back. So once I made it, once I got the opportunity in NFL, there were no more doors. There were no more doors I could walk through. I had no choice but to make it work. And of course I get drafted by the Bengals. At that time, we were the laughingstock of the NFL. And I got my homeboys in the hood. You know, we in Liberty city, we celebrating like, ah, Lee Ocho, but you went to the Bengals. They laugh and like, listen, give me a year or two and it won't be so funny. I said, give me a year or two and I will do all I can to make sure we're not the laughingstock of the league, but I will make us fun to watch again.

I will give that city and those fans something to be proud of. I will make people happy and feel OK wearing jerseys, Cincinnati jerseys outside of Cincinnati. And I think I just did that. Obviously, the end goal is to have a Lombardi trophy. But that's a team that's a team achievement and accomplishment I wasn't I fell short of that but everything else I lived up to but going back what was I going back to the reason I fought so hard was I didn't have to go back go back to visit but I wasn't going back to stay there was nothing there was nothing there was no gravitational pull and that's what I didn't't understand, Ocho. I had teammates in college when I got to Savannah State in 86.

And I remember there were guys, even I can remember, guys that were very talented. But they're like, man, Sharp, this ain't for me. Man, I got to get back home. I mean, be it was a girl. I mean, I had a couple of teammates that had girlfriends back home. And they were homesick. You serious?

Time out. Are you serious? Yeah. D8. Dead ass. Yes. They had to go back. I had a teammate that was so good.

He went to the league. I ain't going to call his name because I'm not going to embarrass him. But he wanted to come back and hang with his homeboys. He wanted to come back and hang with his homeboys. He wanted to come back and hang with his homeboys. You dead ass? He was good. His feet was as good as any DB that I faced.

I'm not saying he was the best DB that I faced even in the league, but his feet, the way he could get in and out of breaks, the way he could flip his hips, but he wanted to be with his homeboys. Help me. Help me understand. I've been playing the game of football since I was four years old. Having the dream, obviously, of reaching the childhood pinnacle of my dreams of being an

NFL player and getting the opportunity to do so. And his first thought was, I want to go home and hang with my homeboys. But see, that was your dream. I'm not so sure that was his dream. He happened to be good at it. He was good at it in high school. He was good at it in college. But, I mean, at a certain point in time,

you have to make up your mind. How good do I want to be? And do I want to make this a career? Right. Because you know once you get that level, everybody, everybody was all conference. Everybody was honorable mention, all America. This got a bucket. And see, the thing is, Ochoa, this is what I tell people.

Whenever you come to the Broncos or whenever you came to the Ravens, whatever award you won, we had to see what it deserved. Whether you were the Buckeyes, whether you were the Thorpe, you won a Heisman trophy, you were an all-american i needed to see why right right right right hey that's hard to picture man that's hard to picture i'm trying to wrap my head around even though even if that wasn't his dream to be able to reach the pinnacle of being one of the one percent like how do you say that and want to go back home go back home home and do what? How many homeboys you had in high school that was talented? That was better than me? Oh.

Yes. What? And dropped out to smoke weed or dropped out to sell dope. I know, I know people, I know people are going to see this. That's from, that's from Miami. I had so many people

from Miami Central, from Miami Northwestern, Keeling High School. I can go, I can go through so many high, so many schools where people were much better than I was. I was decent. I like to call it, I was a late bloomer. I was a late bloomer. There were some dudes that I knew were going to the NFL that were much better than me. And for whatever reason, I don't know what happened. Obviously, once I left the college,

we all lose track. At some point, we lose track of each other but dude they're people that i looked up to in high school to this day i can name them off i wanted to be like them growing up magic benton marquise cooper cedric cherry uh snoop menace uh lynn coleman um sent sent wait hold on hold on i can i can go it make i got chills just now right now think about some of them dudes man Tutu Atwell I can keep going it's so many dude I want to be like all them boys

and I look up to them and one of the reasons um not Cedric what's his role what's his name from New Orleans Samari? No not Samari. Samari played with me. Remember Samari was a senior and I was a freshman at BTI. He played receiver at Omar Road. Played receiver. I wanted to be like them.

And one of the things that kept me going was watching them play when I was younger. And I just wanted to make it. I just wanted to be like magic. You know, I want to be like magic you know I wanted to be like man oh my goodness Tyrone Butterfield Ronald Washington all these dudes like I'm like oh my goodness I want to be like them and I think the drive in me want to be successful like them is what got me to the NFL and still to this day I ain't seen these boys in so long but this is one of the few times I've been on a platform to tell them they probably don't see this. Man, I appreciate y'all because they is part of my motivation. I just would. I never saw him to be able to let him know. Yeah, I think the best part about hard knocks me get back on subject with the hard knocks is that.

Yeah, when I had my bad. No, no, no. We good. That's the one thing that we do. We get to talk about what we want to talk about. I mean, hey, look, people, you tune in for the football takes but you stay for the stories uh but i had good because i i thought like kind of like after we did it it kind of like a lot of other people wanted to get the limelight i give brian billick i give ozzy an credit for this it's about the players so goose myself uh rest in peace, goose race, uh, rod.

It was about us and let us give us an opportunity to show our personality because a lot of times it is about playing pranks. It is about playing jokes on one another and doing things. I wish you could like, if they could have a, uh, when we would, when,

uh, when I went back to Denver, how we used to steal teammates' car, drive them off for like a mile. You could see it in the distance. We leave the car running with the doors open. So now you look up there on the hill, you look up there like, man, man, Sharp, man, why you do that?

Man, I don't know what you're talking about, bro. I'm at practice. How I take your car way up there and leave it on running with the doors open man and then when they get out the battery dead you know what i'm saying or we would take their clothes right dip them in the cold tank and when they get out and put them in the freezer when they get out they still man ain't nobody did this but why sharp did everything why i gotta be the guy y'all blame me they got me good my rookie year i never forget i had i had is 300 is 300 and um first car ever first guy obviously i didn't have i didn't have a car until i got to the nfl i had a little smaller is 300 and they turned my car on roll

the windows down and somebody took the fire extinguisher and they sprayed the fire extinguisher and let it off in the car. So when I woke up the following morning, the entire interior is all white. So now I come out, I come out, I'm 38 hot. I'm like, yo, I go to coach. It was Dick LeBeau at the time. I go to Dick LeBeau. I say, coach LeBeau, man, somebody playing around with my car, man. I just got this. Like, what are we doing? And then he explained to me how it goes on in the NFL. You're a rookie. It's a part of the hayden. It's a part of the routine.

Boom. Same day. Same day. I go to practice. My clothes I wore to go to practice. I come in. They soaking in the cold tub. They done put my clothes in the cold tub. So now I'm hot and I want to fight and then until I find out

it's the god damn D-Lyman it's the god damn D-Lyman playing jokes and I ain't one of the part of that I ain't one of the part of that we do all kind of stuff I mean we guys be like we like to wait till the last minute we already got our pants on

so we know we gonna grab your pants, you know, because we like to wait until the last minute. We already got our pants on. And so we know we're going to grab your pants like they're late. So we're going to put powder or we'll put water in for your shoulder pants. So when you reach up there and pull them down, dump it on you. Or I nail the locker shut. So I go by and nail the locker shut. They can't get in it. What about the baby powder?

Oh, yeah. In your helmet? The baby powder in the helmet? Oh, you put the helmet on? Oh, we put a warm snicker bar in your helmet? Yeah. And you put it on? Oh. You'll be out there sweating chocolate and everything.

Man, listen. Hey, but that was it. I mean, look, that was the get through. But you knew who to do that to and who not to do that to. Who not to. Oh, yeah. Because it definitely caused a fight now. It get ugly now.

It definitely caused a fight. It get ugly now. So you knew who to play with and who not to play with. Shannon or Gil, have y'all had to take a dump while y'all played or had a teammate almost during the game? Nah. Nah. I mean, normally guys, like in the game, guys would pee on the sideline.

The trainer would just come hold a bag. We'd move in front of a piece of equipment, and we'd just pee on the sideline. If it was raining, the offensive lineman guy would pee in the pants. Just go, and it's wet. You don't know. But no, no, hell no. What's wrong with Sean? No.

Yeah. Guy would just pee on the sideline. I peed on the sideline a number of times. At least 10 times. On the sideline a number of times. At least 10 times. On the sideline? Yes. You just go in the bag. They just hold the bag and you pee in it.

And the crowd get to see? We kneeling down. They don't know. Oh, wow. Yeah, I'm saying. But no, no, hell no. No, we just run to the back. We just go to the back.

Like most of the people before the games, their nerves kick in. Whatever Red Bull or energy drink they took in and about to run through their body. So before the game, they running in the bathroom. Now, we was in those woods. I remember them guys had to go to the bathroom and they come back with no shirt.

They had no toilet paper. They used their shirt. They used their shirt. And they come back with no shirt. They had no toilet paper. They used their shirt. They used their shirt. And they come back and have to work the rest of the day with no shirt on. But that's not in the game. Nah. But NBA players bougie. We had players that wouldn't even use the restroom at the facility.

But see, that's the kind of players I'm talking about. Yeah, we wouldn't. No, no. See, I can't. Damn, I can't just go anywhere. Nah, they got the facility. But see, that's the kind of players I'm talking about. Yeah, we wouldn't. See, I can't just go anywhere. Me, personally, I'd rather go in the woods than go in the gym. I'd rather go in the woods than go in the airport.

You mix with me? What's wrong with you, man? Nah. I like to be free. I take off all my clothes. I go to the bathroom and I take off everything I got and throw it in the floor. I don't want nothing. I don't want nothing around my ankles. I want to be free. Oh, man. I'm just like, yeah, I'm

butt naked. Clothes piled up in the floor. All of them. Y'all up there laughing. I don't know who who I don't know what so I'm the only one that take off all the clothes to go number two in the bathroom I'm the only one we not we not six when we was six years old

we did I take off every last thing I got when we was six we did that we don't do that as a grown ass adult we try to get you try to get comfortable we try to get in and get out When we were six, we did that. We don't do that as a grown-ass adult. You're trying to get comfortable. We're trying to get in and get out. But see here, the thing, though, Gil, that came from when I was growing up,

we had to go in the woods. So you had to take off all your clothes because you didn't want to get none on your clothes. So you took off all your clothes, you put them in front of you, and you went to the bathroom. So as I got an opportunity to go in the bathroom, I just took all, I just thought that was just a natural regression. I took off all my clothes. So if I go to the bathroom,

I take off all my clothes and put them on the floor and I go to the bathroom, do what I do, put my clothes back on. I take off my shirt, my shorts, everything. I'll get down here like this. Yeah, let me go. Yeah, for sure.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. About to get busy on y'all. Oh, this is what. Yeah. Yeah. I take my aim. No more. By the time you get off your clothes, we done finished and got out of there.

This man. by the time you get off your clothes we done finished and got out of there this man Gil I'm telling when I first I had this like I would like I would I don't go to the bathroom like if we upstairs I go downstairs she's like where you going I'm like I'm going to get something to eat

and I go to the bathroom I don't tell her what I'm going I don't tell her what I'm going to get something to eat. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I go to the bathroom. I don't tell her what I'm going to do. But I have my clothes piled up. Hey, I'm comfortable. Come back upstairs. She's like, dang, I didn't hear you open the refrigerator. I said, yeah, I just got some cookies or something.

But nah, nah, nah, nah, not in the game. We ain't got to do no number two, but nah. I see. Hey, somebody, am I the only one? Nah, I ain't the only one. I ain't the only one. Yeah, yeah, but no, I take up, no, I take off everything. Shoes, socks, shirt.

Yeah, I don't got on nothing. I got to be, I got to be, I got to have it all. I got to be free. I got to be comfortable. Hey, that's funny as hell. I'm not going to lie. That's funny. I'm not going to lie. No, I don't fold no clothes.

I just pile them up and down. Just throw them right there in the bin. Finish. Yeah, yeah. I got to get, I get it. Wait, can you help me? Give me, give me a little bit more context and understanding. How is a video board affecting the kicks in any way?

He said because the stadium, it used to be there was no board. And so the kickers took into account the win. But this kicker is a rookie. He never kicked without the video board. So what is he taking into account? Oh, okay. I see what you're saying. I see what you're saying. I see what you're saying.

He's struggling. I think he's missed four of his eight field goal attempts. And so he's struggling. And so when you have the longevity that you have with Ben Terry, who's one of the two best, I think Tuck, he and Tuck are right there neck and neck. He's just had more opportunities in bigger moments. Right, right right right

you know the uh uh uh the tuck rule game he kicked the game with you know the game time uh uh field goal in the game winner in the super bowl he he's walked off two super bowls clutch yes so with that being said to to i'm just trying to figure out what kind of adjustment is he making the kicker needs to make when he never kicked in the old stadium without the board. We know that's that's funny that you do say that. I'm sure, obviously, in New England, in New England, that wind is gusty at times, especially this time of year. Actually, from this time of year all the way up until up until January is going to be windy. So what does a kicker need to do?

What does he need to do and adjustments that he needs to make? As a kicker myself, you do know I can't kick. So I can make a testament to this. Kick rocks with a bull jive. That's what you can kick. Kick rocks. I want you to go outside tomorrow. When you go outside to get in your car, I want you to take your shoe off.

And the first rock you see, I want you to kick it with your big toe. Why you – are you really – so you don't know nothing about my resume? You don't know I was a backup. So you know I was a backup kicker for Cincinnati for 11 years, right? You do know that, right? If our kicker ever got hurt, I was a backup. Good thing he never got hurt. So you don't act like you ain't seen me kick a field goal in the game

and kick off when he pulled his groin? I could kick off. Who couldn't kick off? Everybody kicked off in me let me let me state this one more time so you've never seen me kick in a game to me and we and we won the game based on one of the field goals i can one of the extra points no no you know no no i saw that in the preseason huh so wait what preseason regular season what does that? It's still in the game. It's in the game, right? It's in the game.

Are we doing that? But let me tell you what the kicker needs to do. What he needs to do is understand the wind, understand the trajectory and which is coming off that scoreboard because it's going to always be the same no matter what. When you're kicking that way, facing the scoreboard, all you got to do is adjust your steps. Adjust your steps, your steps your alignment take your finger do like this put in the air understand where it's coming from and make the

proper adjustments that's necessary and always kick away from the wind three to five inches when you kick and it will always veer back to the middle boom problem solved over joe why would he take advice from you would you take advice from him if he tell you how to run a dig why wouldn't you why why wouldn't he okay go ahead if he was telling you how to run a speed out or bang eight would you take advice from him i listened to him but let me can i finish let me tell you something okay why wouldn't he take advice from me because i'm to him, but can I finish? Let me tell you something. Why wouldn't he take advice from me? Because I played, I was a kicker in the NFL, and I'm perfect.

I'm perfect. I had perfect execution. I was Justin Tucker before Justin Tucker. I was Robbie Gold before Robbie Gold. Lead me on. Lead me on. Let me stand. No. Lead me on. Lead me on. Let me stand. No. I am tired.

I'm taking advice from people that did this or coached this for a living. That's not what you do. I did it for a living. I did it for a living. I did it in a precious situation and I was clutch. Don't take that away from me. Don't take that precious moment away from me. That meant a lot. That meant a lot to me a lot of a car with a clutch so you had a

so you you had a manual car okay okay so did you grind the clutch i mean you know i mean listen you know how to drive a stick listen it might not be important to you but the fact that my number was called to come out and kick a field goal to win a game whether it was preseason or not it could have been it could have been madden i don't care i was clutch and i'm one for one in life wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast nfl daily with greg rosenthal five days a week you'll get all the latest news previews recaps and analysis delivered straight to your podcast feed by the time you get your coffee no dumb hot takes here just smart hot takes we'll talk every single game every single week but i can't do it alone so i'm bringing in the

big guns from nfl media that's patrick claybon steve weiss nick shook jordan rodrigue from the athletic and of course colleen wolf This is their window right now. This is their Super Bowl window. Why would they trade him away? Because he would be a pivotal part of them winning that Super Bowl. I don't know why, Colleen. Catch the podcast, the NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal every day. Subscribe today and you'll immediately be smarter and funnier than your friends.

And who doesn't want that listen now on the iHeartRadio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast but you know you know it would take to get the NFL players to come together like that? It'd be very difficult because, I mean, there are a lot of players, you know that? That when the offseason come, they've already run through really all their money. They really run through all their money. And a lot of people in the chat, you really don't understand this. It's like they can't wait till it gets in the season for those checks to start rolling in again and the fact that it doesn't matter that you're getting paid twice or three or four or five times

more as opposed to when we was playing if you're making more you're spending more yeah for sure you're spending more it don't change and sometimes it's goddamn almost like living check the check even if you're making millions that shit happens that's why the percentage of us when we're done playing within two years huh two years once them checks start rolling in boy you ain't got no money left i mean how many how many big how many cuban links you need oh joe okay you get you one you get you get you a little little bracelet to master your chain you straight right yeah do you need five Cubans? Yeah.

Do you need a house in Miami, one in Houston, and plus, you know, you got to have, hey, you know, you got to have, you know, what, Ocho, you don't talk about that. Yeah, I already know you at.

I already know you at. I'm with you when you're right. I'm with you when you're right. And they got a G-Wagon. They got a Cullinan. They got, you know what I'm saying? Hey, I'm just saying. You can only drive you is you can only drive one you can only drive one matter of fact this is this is a good scenario and a good case in point think about this chat stay with me real quick on this one right here think about everybody from shannon sharpe's era now think about all the players from

my era show me any of the players from my era or Shannon Sharpe's era that are still living the same exact lifestyle as if they're playing the game of football. Think about it. Driving all the nice shit, all the big... It's impossible to maintain that lifestyle

when checks of that magnitude stop rolling in. There's nothing else in this world where you can make $650,000 a week. Nothing. It's impossible. You can make $250,000 every Monday. $350,000 every...

It's nothing. It's impossible. These guys making $3 million a game. Yeah. And the funny thing about it is you make $3 million a game and you make it through me in a game and you think you know it's always going to be like this

so you're spinning unconsciously having fun fashion cars going here trips you know you got a bunch of chicks so you know you're tricking off

you're tricking off as well if you bring your homeboys with you you know they ain't paying for nothing Ocho oh they got entourages the entourages that's a lot you, you know they ain't paying for nothing, Ocho. Oh, they got entourages. The entourages, that's a lot of miles to feed. Ain't nobody paying for nothing. But when you look up

year and year six, when you look up year and year eight, oh, God forbid, you have an injury. Oh, shit. Ocho. Boy, listen.

That shit go fast. Whatever you make, whatever I make, I go ahead and take half of it, I put it in the bank. That's what I'm saying. I pay my taxes quarterly. I got tired of

writing three, four million dollar checks at the end of the year. I said, no, you take this quarterly. It would hurt my pride to see that. I'm like, I gotta pay that much? I'm like, what the? So, what I do is that, hey, whatever I make, I get $100,000. I get $200,000. I get half a million, $250,000 gold or $100,000 gold or $50,000 gold.

I set that aside. Now, this is what I got towards my expenses. Because Uncle Sam got to get, he got expenses. I got to pay Uncle Sam. He got a big old house. Yeah, he got a big old house in D.C., the big one. And then he got another building. I think they call it the Capitol.

And then they got the Pentagon. And we got all them stealth bombers and, you know, them F-16 Mahornets. I got to pay my part in all that. Right. I understand that. Also, Ocho, you got an agent. He'll get two to four percent. Oh understand that. Also, Ocho, you got an agent. He'll get 2 to 4%.

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, most definitely. You know what's funny? If we had somebody, I think the casual fan, you have to be a player to understand. The casual fans see the numbers at the end of the day and think, oh, my God. He signed for 250 or 300

or whatever it may be but when you break down the numbers and actually you get that chop in half what uncle sam take then you factor in your expenses then you think about what goes to your agent then you think about what you got left over it shrinks significantly regardless of what those numbers say going across that tick on ESPN it's a different ball game it's all smoke and mirrors I'm talking about the real like what you can touch

but see Ocho the best thing that I did I was I switched ages the agent that I have he represented John I remember asking John I said John who's your agent? He told me his name, Marvin Demoff. I said, you think he'd be interested in representing me? He said, I don't know, but here's his number. Gave me his number. I called

him. Had a meeting with him. He says, I'll meet you at the Pro Bowl. He asked me, what did I want in my future? I told him, I said, I want to live the same lifestyle that I have right now. He said, you have any kids?

I said, I got three. How old? I told him how old they were. He said, do you support anybody outside of your kid? I was like, my mom. I helped my mom out. My mom was still working at the time. I said, my grandmother, my sister, at the time, my brother had just retired.

I said, I take all that responsibility he says go home get me all your financials of how much you actually have get me everything that you spend and then I'll get back to you in 30 to 45 days

hmm brought him everything I had. Like, wow. I mean, you don't blow a lot of your money. I don't see boats. I don't see. At that time, Ocho, I had nice cars, but I didn't have a car note, so I had paid him

off in cash. Right. Right. No trips. He said, this is what we're going to do. He says, we're going to do this, this, this and this. He says, I want you to say that any time you have an appearance, he says, I want you to divide it up and put it in an account for each kid college. So we're going to do that every time you go do something, no matter how that's not yours, that's theirs.

OK, boom. He says now. Your contract is going to come up, you know, Hey, we're going to talk about this. We'll see what the market is. He said, this is what we're going to do. He said, the first, you know, it's half. Yeah. But I want you to take whatever you get, whatever we get, I want you to take a third and say, I'm not going to touch it for 20 years. get, whatever we get, I want you to take a third and say, I'm not going to touch it for 20 years. Okay? That was three years. We go

to Baltimore. I'm a free agent. I'm a free agent. I'm bouncing. I'm bouncing. You know what's coming. Seven-time Pro Bowler, four-time first team, seven consecutive Pro Bowler. I'm on the market. Yeah.

Whatever we get, Shannon. He said, I want you to take a third and put it away for 20 years. You can't touch it for 20 years. Hold on. I want you to think about it now. 20 years. I'm like, well, damn. What if something unforeseen? You know, brother, mom,

sister. He said, Shannon, I want you to put a third for 20 years. Man, Ocho, you know, so I went earlier this year and I was talking to him and he said,

I need, you know, give me your financials. I brought him all the financials. Ocho. Mm-hmm. You know what he told me? He said, go buy yourself something. I said, but 20 years and you ain't touch it?

Ain't touch it. I already know what it's looking like. You ain't got to tell me. it's looking like you ain't got to tell me you ain't got to tell me so that's why that's why when Fox did what they did O'Shea was straight

now Stephen A plus they had to do the payout but O'Shea they came by with his little light bulb I heard somebody over here need a little sifter. I said, yeah, you know, I had a little car broke down right inside the road.

I said, come on. Oh, triple S? Yeah. So now, so now I'm thinking, okay, I've got the kids and the grandkids. Right. I'm thinking, OK, I've got the kids and the grandkids. Right. I'm trying to get my grandson kid and his kid.

Right. But there wasn't no fancy. It wasn't no going on, no this and no extravagant stuff like that. No. My sister, hey, Shannon, get me, hey, I don't need no, you know. You know what I did, Ocho? I got my sister. I bought her. She told me she wanted a limited, this is why you know the Southern, you know, they don't speak correctly.

Right, right. I heard expedition. She said limited edition. Right. So at that time, the expeditions had just came out. I said, so I told her, I said, Libby, I got you expedition. She said, Shannon, what is that? I said, I wanted a limited edition.

She wanted an Explorer, but she wanted a limited edition Explorer. Limited edition Explorer. I heard expedition. So I went to the dealership and got it. Actually, Elway had a car dealership. I done went to the dealership and got it. The wrong thing. I done got the wrong thing.

She's like, Shannon, I don't want that. But just so happened, the dealership in my hometown, they had one on the lot. Right. So you just traded you traded the back i want it i want it i want it yeah i bet you do i bet you do want it so but but that was the that was the thing and so and that oh joe see i'm just watched like i've always been a provider and i understand that i'm the baby of the group and i'm you know yes sir but I'm the I take over I took

over everything because once my brother left now I got all the responsibility so that's my thinking that's why family I put family above everything and I don't play about my family my thing so when something if something's bothered my family it bothers me bothers you because i'm close like that and i gave my grandmother on a deathbed i got this and when i say i got it you got it hey my brother hey go to bed rest easy you ain't never got to worry about money let me go to bed sleep easy you ain't never got to worry about money hey guys i want to say this uh my sister had the surgery both her hips repaired she's already home. She's walking.

She's competitive. She's just trying to beat me because I was walking unassisted. The second time is six days with a repaired hip. So she's trying to beat me. She don't walk up and down the hall and she all around and everything. My cousin called me and said, I asked her how she was doing. She said, when I got there this morning, the living was already set up. She was already done giving herself up... I said, you see that

helpful? She's just trying to beat me. She make me sick. But that's how I am on show. So I say, and people are like, well, man, you... Bro. To what I make, to what I spend, the ratio is not even close.

It's not even close. You know mine worse than yours. But mine has always been like that. You know, it's a discipline that you learn very early. Very early. Because we heard the stories, Ojo. We've seen it. I've seen guys that I play with, man, and they down bad, man.

Listen, I think it might have been my first year. Might have been my first year. And I went second round, obviously, 30. I forgot what pick I went, you know? And I think my signing bonus might have been, what, maybe 1.5, 1.2, something like that. Lord. Oh, listen.

And you in Florida, there ain't no state tax so you got you know you know you yeah you know you i'm you're young you're young now and so i'm i'm thinking i'm having fun i'm having a good old time i look up off season come but i done ran through all that hey listen to me now i done ran through all that because I wasn't paying attention. And I hadn't learned to say no. And Chad, listen, family, y'all stay with me because I can tell y'all this. And I'm going to tell you where the discipline come from for me because it started early after that first year. The offseason that came, we got into the middle of the season.

We got about to maybe april or may i'd never forget i was with jerome stanley at the time but i had i had ran out what you hear me let me take my glass off because you know i play a lot i had ran out i ain't had nothing left so i talked to mr Mr. Stanley. I said, Mr. Stanley, man, I've been messed up. Doing no problem. Boom. Dennis Northcutt, Cleveland Browns wide receiver. In chat, if anybody in the chat knows Dennis Northcutt, I guarantee I'll tell you.

Dennis Northcutt had to give me $150,000. Might have been year one. Maybe, yeah, it had to be year one because i after that i was on point dennis dennis northcutt had to give me 150 grand so i can get through so i can get through the season get through the off season and when them checks started rolling in i shot buddy that money back um from that point on what you talk about cheap yeah man listen i became so financially conscious of everything i did started going to clevs i got that smart car probably in 2004 i treated myself the things that i got nice that was all if it wasn't a commercial money it wasn't if it wasn't tv money you know all that stuff i had

going off the field i ain't touched no more nfl checks from that point on when I couldn't make it through a goddamn offseason Ocho, I mean so you think about it, you got 1-5 you gotta realize I was making 63 my rent at Millpond I made 63,000 my rookie year Millpond, the rent was 5, hold on, first of all

you couldn't do like, you know how you gotta do a rent, you gotta do a rent like a year. But I got the apartment because I couldn't move in. But this is how God was looking out for me. My apartment wasn't going to be ready. So I made the team in August. My apartment wasn't going to be ready until the 1st of October.

I ain't got nowhere to stay. 1st of October? I ain't got no place to go unless I go to the hotel. Hotel, probably about 50 bucks a night. Everybody know Melvin Bratton. You may call him Fat Cat.

Fat Cat said, I got him the first two weeks huh right you take him the next 10 days bobby humphrey yeah ricky nack you bring it home so i slept with i slept with fat cat the first two weeks then i went to bobby humphrey they dropped me off me mail took it i got at that time i had no car just yet then i got my car in the process i'm living with b hump then hump as a matter of no i ain't got no car because i'm driving ricky the teals ricky the teal let me drive he had a four by four uh based out he let me drive he let me drive his front runner for five weeks i'm living with teammates so now october november december january february

march i gotta get six months i ain't living there so i'm paying a thousand dollars for a place i ain't even living i gotta go back and finish up my degree i stay in this place called Royal Oaks. And anybody in Savannah, you know Royal Oaks. Ocho, a thousand bucks a month. And I got a furnishing. And I got a place to go back to Savannah State. So I pay for my own tuition.

Had the president, had some of these presidents that I've been dealing with, they probably would say, well, come on back. But I had to pay. I paid no problem. It wasn't no problem. Even though I wasn't making money like that. Ocho, you know, NFL, people say you've been paying professionals this. You make a lot of money. But I wasn't.

Had a cell phone. Now, I don't know if you know this, Ocho, but people, if y'all know, back in the 90s, they had a roaming charge. So my phone was based out of Colorado. I brought the phone back to Georgia. Anytime my phone was based out of Colorado. I brought the phone back to Georgia. Anytime I power it up, I'm roaming.

$3, $4 a minute. And you know your boy big time. You know I've been so bad. I've been telling you what it is. I don't let your boy die. What you have? Right, right, right. I'm on my way. Hey, bro.

Hey. Man, what's going on? I called my brother. Bro, what's going on? called my brother bro what's going on He like I said man Your boy money jump funny He like what you mean Man don't you

Don't laugh I said boy your boy money jump funny I said man you know I said man I'm Trying to go back to school you know finish up my said, man, you know. I said, man, I'm trying to go back to school, you know, finish up my degree. Yes, sir. And, you know, he said, well, the first thing I

want you to do is turn that damn phone off. I'm like, all right. Right. Yeah, yeah, get that roaming off. Because the bill was like, the bill was like, I got that bill like $1,200 for a cell phone. Yes. Damn. In the 90s. $1,200 for a cell. Yes. Damn. In the nineties. Well,

now mind you, I'm still paying 500, five, 10, five, 25 at meal pond. I'm still paying. I got 1200.

I got like, uh, uh, a thousand. I think it was like 1029 at Royal Oaks. And I had to go to rental center because I ain't got no furniture. So I got a red furniture, furnished the whole apartment, like $250, $300 a month, and I got

to pay to go back to school. I ain't got no money coming in, though, Cho. Yeah. Hey, listen, I don't think people understand, man. I don't think people understand. Obviously, the money's a little bit different today. But again, if the discipline isn't there. I learned quick. I learned quick.

It took me one year. One year of, well, I finally made it. I went through it. Holy, I'm back at square one. And somebody else that had been playing got to send me enough just to survive during the offseason? Oh, no, boo-boo. I would never be in, I would never, ever, ever, ever

be in this situation again. Ever. I remember like yesterday. And I tightened up real quick. Hold your... Hey, Dennis, Dennis Northcutt, if you see this, I know you're going to see this.

Boy, I appreciate you because it's because of you that got me to get myself together. So... Never forget it. My... Going into my second year my second year get ready so now Ocho I'm a you know I first two years I made 63,000 I think I made 63 and then 73 got a $10,000 raise and so by this time we I got a I ain't got no contract. I ain't got no contract, Ocho. But I kept my place year-round this time.

So I'm playing. I ain't got no money coming in. You know, I'm spending. I'm going to Black College Beach. You know, you boy. You know, you boy doing that thing. Oh, freak, Nick. You know. Yeah. My brother called me. you boy oh freak Nick yeah my brother called me

he said look here this is really the only time in all my years my brother's ever cursed at me the only time ever he picked up the phone he called me I said what's up bro

hey what's up we good I could tell by the tone of his voice he wasn't in a joking mood I'm like what's up man this is what he said to me verbatim I'm not going to go broke fucking with you

and hung up I'm not going to go broke fucking with you. And hung up. That's the only time my brother has ever uttered a curse word at me. The only time. Right. Say no more. Yeah. Hey, listen.

I'm thinking, man, i'm gonna be i'm gonna be he's like bro and you know later he explains to me say bro you don't understand an injury here or something happened there that you not gonna you not gonna play in the nfl if if you were a doctor or a lawyer or had a normal occupation your career is not going to be as long as theirs. And you needed to understand that. Right? But he was the only one. If my sister would have called me, I'd say, get out of my face. But that was the only time.

And from that moment on, well, I ain't have no choice until I started having babies and, you know. Yeah. Oh, you ain't got no choice. That'll get you right. The three words. That'll get you right. The three words. I hate it. Three words

to this day and I ain't heard them since. I love you. Shannon, I'm pregnant. God! God! Woo! God! got the beat more careful okay let's look at this athletic release their annual player survey players were asked about their favorite stadium to play in

what do you think what do you think the number one stadium to play in was? The number one? Yes. This was easy for me. I got it. Because it was my favorite stadium to play in. You're number one or everybody else? No, it was theirs. The players, current players, anonymously were asked their favorite stadium. I'm trying to think.

I'm thinking I'm going to just go with the two loudest stadiums. That wouldn't be a favorite though. Arrowhead or the 12 man out there in seattle arrowhead was number one it was ah that's a good one that's us bank stadium which is minnesota stadium number two yeah it's loud but to go there and to see it's a sea of red yeah and they bring that bt b2 uh b2 bomber over and it's just like hovering and it's right there but you don't hear it until it gets past you and then it is rumbling the stadium is actually rumbling and all you see is red and when the and the uh national anthem and the home of the Chiefs. Yeah, I remember that. I remember that.

You can feel the wind of all those people saying, Chiefs. Right. Feel it. And it just gives you goosebumps. And you know you got to be on your best behavior. Now, when we played them. They're mile high.

But you have to understand, it was different. Because when I played them in the 90s, they were all a defensive team right they were loaded they had dt they had dale carter they had dale carter dt neil smith james hasty they had deron cherry martin bayless they uh dan salamu or joe phillips they were loaded on the defensive side and you know they had barry ward christian acoria so marty schottenheimer was the coach they run the ball you know marty wasn't gonna do anything crazy and then turn it over to his

defense and a and you see they get you backed up dt running the end zone and do this that's what y'all want to see and the fans go crazy oh yeah he's like that's what y'all want to see yeah okay they get you backed up ocho they get you backed up it got so loud they had to change the rules because Dan told us we went there one time and Dan says John if you can't hear just turn to the official and tell him you can't hear well why not go on silent count but that was before the silent there was no silent count we ended up we teams ended up going to the silent count but that was before the silent there was no silent count we ended up we teams ended up going to the silent count but they the official would make the crowd the home crowd quiet down so you could hear the snap and they said if you didn't uh quiet down they will start taking time outs

oh okay okay now we can't have that that's the whole purpose of having home field advantage right to have your crowd get into it. So they changed the rule and then everybody started going on the solid count. Okay. Uh, Arrowhead was number one, us bank stadium. The Vikings was number two,

the least favorite stadium to play in. Hmm. What do you think the players voted? I'm trying to think I, I would, I would go. Well, obviously the Raiders aren't at the black

hole so they they it's nice over there so the black hole wouldn't be trying to think least favorite i got both of these which fan base is really crazy maybe the eagles eagles eagles by the eagles or uh yeah the eagles no no not the eagles e the old Eagles when I played Eagles used to play at the vet right which was turf it was concrete with basically a carpet laid on top of it ouch it was terrible yes the players voted MetLife is

where the Jets and the Giants play oh that is a bad stadium and FedEx and FedEx field because remember they just had no cold they had no hot water just last just last week. So the toilet's been backing up from what I've heard. But when I played, I would say, Vet, the Eagles play, the old Astrodome,

they did away with that before you got into the league. Cleveland Municipal Stadium was a dump. Yeah. Yeah, it was a dump, Ocho. It was bad. It was really, really bad. Yeah. The most annoying fan base.

I know you're going to get this one. They crazy. You got to be the Eagles. Man, the Eagles threw snowballs at Santa. You know they ain't wrapped too tight. They say Santa ain't bring them-ish. So he deserved it. Yeah. Okay, the Eagles were number one, ish. So he deserved it. Yeah.

Okay, the Eagles were number one. Who's number two? Number two. Fan base is really crazy. Ocho, come on now. It's a good one. Because, I mean, the Bills. Nope.

No. Most annoying. Oh, annoying. Oh, okay. Oh, the Cowboys. Thank you. Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay the cowboys thank you okay okay okay okay okay thank you but you know but see i came along we didn't really know how annoying a fan base was because there's no social media so there was nobody on line oh y'all you suck cowboy nation and and eagles fly whatever

whatever the eagles fly because i think ravens flock, Eagles fly. There was none of that going on. So we didn't get it until you got there. But every fan base was rabid. For me, this is the way I approach the no joke. I was so secure in my job. I'm going to tell you. See, I talked to guys, and every guy that backed up me went to the Pro Bowl. Todd Heat, when I was in Baltimore, I left, me went to the Pro Bowl. Todd Heat, when I was in Baltimore,

I left, he went to the Pro Bowl. Dwayne Carswell and Byron Chamberlain, when I left, Carswell went to the Pro Bowl for the Broncos. Chamberlain went to the Pro Bowl for the Vikings. But we had that relationship. I know they couldn't get my job.

I was secure. But I needed them. If something happened to me, I needed them to know, damn it, even though they didn't have the physical abilities that I had, I needed them if something happened to me I needed them to know damn near even though they didn't have the physical abilities that I had I needed them to know the team couldn't miss a beat how selfish am I gonna be to withhold anything that could help them because people help me I

remember being in training camp and having a guy tell me the wrong route and I said if I ever got in that situation I would never do that to a player wait somebody told me the wrong route and i said if i ever got in that situation i would never do that to a player wait somebody told you the wrong route yeah it's my fault no no bro it's cutthroat we're both low round picks he's trying to make the team i'm trying to make the team okay oh he on that oh yeah he on that oh and i said i just swore i said lord if i'm fortunate enough to ever make it i'm gonna tell a lot of guys, I see guys coming in the huddle, and I can tell. You can tell when a guy coming in the huddle,

he don't know what the hell he got to do. I said, man, you got to come back. You hot now. You hot. Make sure you... You got this right, but if it's covered too, you got to release outside and run the fade. You know when a guy coming

there he don't know what the hell he doing so before and and and the thing that i like they were patient with me oh joe man i ain't know nothing let me tell you i'll tell you a true story oh joe dan reeve used to send the plays and he have a player you know i run a play i'll come back out next play he sent me in with the play so i'm tired now i don't got, you know, I run a play. I'll come back out. Next play, he sent me in with the play. So I'm tired now. I don't got tired. You know, when you get tired, Ocho, you know, fatigue will make cowards of us all. So Dan got his hand on my shoulder.

He tell me to play. I run in the ball game. I breathe. And John look at me. John said, what's the play? I said, I forgot. I'm out. I said I forgot I did oh y'all

I'm sorry oh y'all I would've gone why you forgot to play for the sidelines man Joe I forgot

you know I'm running I'm jogging yeah yeah yeah so I get in the huddle I'm down I'm down looking at y'all

y'all look at me he's like T what's the play I was like oh shit I forgot I'm down looking at John. John look at me. He's like, T, what's the play? I was like, oh, shit. I forgot. I did, man. I forgot.

Man, I didn't want to look over there, Dad, because I already know he was cursing. Yeah, he was hot. I said, oh, man. Man, waste of time out, man. He wasted time out. Les Steckle was the first coach that I took that when I made it, I took him and his wife.

Then Brian Periani came after Les, after Wade Phillips' staff left. So now I go to the Pro Bowl. I bring BP, his wife, Les, and his wife, Chris. And then I go to Baltimore. I make the Pro Bowl. I take Wade Harmon, my position coach, his wife. BP, his wife, Les, and his wife, Chris. And then I go to Baltimore. I make the Pro Bowl. I take Wade Harmon, my position coach, his wife. BP, his wife, who's still at the Broncos. Les Deco.

Okay. Put them up. I bring them out there, fly them out, put them up at the hotel, and we go do a dinner. You know what? I just want people to know I've never been naive enough to think that I got to where I am by myself. Right. So I wanted them to know that I appreciate what you had done for me. Right. Les Steckle was, he's probably, probably first to second coach Hall, who was my high school coach, he drove the bus for my mom.

He coached all my uncles, coached my aunts, and he coached me and my brother. So he's my favorite coach. But Les Steckle's probably a close second because the relationship that he and I have to this day, he calls me. He calls me every one of my kids' birthday. less hadn't coached me in 30 years he calls me every birthday for each of my kids now he calls me sweetheart that was him sweetheart he always every time sweetheart sweetheart i just want him to know i wanted bp to know i wanted wado to know bro these pro bowls these all pro y'all help this yeah invited them all now some of them came les came les stucco came i mentioned less in my speech bp came wado didn't get to come because he was coaching at the time invited Invited them all to the hall.

Because I appreciate it. I appreciate everything that I had accomplished up until that point as far as, you know, sports-wise, especially football. Those guys had a large part to do with it. And that was my way of saying thank you. Yeah, I think what I did, obviously, when I i made the pro bowls and the fact that was in hawaii i think the players today they will never understand what it's like to make the pro bowl and what a treat it was to make the pro bowl back then because it was it was an actual treat it was an actual treat in the trip family obviously i i took my i took my my kids my family i took my

coach my coach who was my trainer trainer throughout the offseason because he's responsible for who I was. He's responsible for the confidence. He's responsible for the bravado and really making me into the player I was. I took him all the time. Obviously, my grandma and my mom and my homeboys out the hood. My homeboys out the hood who I grew up with, I wanted them to have that experience and go on on that journey with me so I took them you know maybe one or two times other than that it was always you know my kids and my grandma my mom my my my sister she went the first two times my brother made it in 89 and 90 and she was done she didn't want to go anymore yeah um she's like it's too far to fly um she was excited she'd be excited for two days and then she's basically in a ready

to go home ready to go home so she's worried about she's worried about my grandmother because we got to have one of my aunts to come in and sit with my grandmother and you got to realize okay california to georgia the three hour time difference and there's another two hours so it's five hours so you thinking one thing and granny's already in the bed and so by the time you want to call this in the morning you you go into bed and granny's just in the bed. And so by the time you want to call us in the morning, you go into bed and Granny's just getting up. So after that point, so I never got a chance to bring her. My mom didn't really care to go.

So that was – it was just basically me and my coaches. I would take the coaches and, you know, a couple of times I would have a couple of teammates, which was cool. And then in 2001, one of my last year in Baltimore, to have Ray and Woody to go, that was fun. But it was always fun to get an opportunity to see the guys that you compete against and sit around and eat burgers and order the Mai Tais and the Blue Hawaiians and the drinks

and tell the story. And you get an opportunity to see coach belichick you see a peyton manning let their hair down now all of a sudden it's no more coach speak now all of a sudden it's just like they're having a great time hey sharper you want something hey but hey charlie and now we try to hey man what's your room number oh i'm such and such oh now you got oh yeah you messed up you never what's your room number? Oh, I'm such and such. Oh, now you got it. Oh, yeah, you messed up. You never give nobody your room number. You're going to charge me about $4,000 because I'm charging every drink.

Hey, charge in the room 609. 609. What you want? You want burger fries? You want a drink? Yeah. Your wife, your kids need anything? Oh, yeah, we get you.

Yeah, I remember that. I remember them days. Oh, they got you, boy. They got you, boy. They got you. they got you they got me yeah nah they got me what you call them uh you know i went over there back there you know it was the buffalo was heavy uh thurman thomas bruce biscuit uh cornelius bennett jim the jim kelly with jim kelly out i'm like jim you're not a rookie jim buying everybody jim kelly Jim Kelly, he might have been the greatest Pro Bowl teammate because he's there for everything. I don't know what he was with the quarterback,

but they just benevolent. They just, you want a drink? Bro, I don't need a drink, but okay. Okay. So you don't feel like I'm turning you down sure I'll take one but it's great and that's the best part about it

that's the thing that you know going to the Pro Bowl, meeting the guys get an opportunity to sit around and talk and meet their family, oh this is my mom this is my dad and take the pictures with their brothers and sisters that was a great experience for me. And seeing people out of that element.

Yeah, yeah. Out of that football element. Yeah. And actually, I think the first time actually seeing Ray Lewis, well, me and Ray knew each other for years, but seeing Peyton Manning. Yeah. Peyton Manning being, okay, this is not the same Peyton I saw throughout the season. This isn't the same Peyton that does the interviews.

okay this is not the same Peyton I saw throughout the season this isn't the same Peyton that does the interviews seeing Peyton Manning be Peyton Manning and not having to be politically correct yes yes questions with a mic in front of his face was one of the most enjoyable moments like oh shit these dudes are normal they know they just they just like they just like me you know in a sense and the fact that they always have to mask it once you're playing football and once you're putting that helmet on, like, ah, that has to be draining to actually change like a chameleon and be someone where you just can't be you. I'm trying to think. I think my last Pro Bowl, I think Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Steve McNair, rest his soul, might have

been my quarterback. Wait, you was there? Wait, where you was at? Okay, okay, okay. My last year in Baltimore. Okay, okay. 2001. My last year in Baltimore.

Oh, I had some great ones. I mean, I played with Marino, Elway, Kelly, Warren Moon. Oh, Joe Montana was my quarterback. What year? I think it was Danny, Joe Montana, and Moon. I had Elway, Kelly, Marino. Oh, I... God damn. Hey, you boy.

Hey, I went over to try to get me one catch that's all i want to do get me one catch let my grandma see me catch a pass and get out of that thing yeah oh oh oh joe let me tell you what happened one year in 96 my uh jacksonville had beat us so it was 90 uh jacksonville had beat us in the playoff and so it was me and Colts are the tight ends. Ben Colts. Ben Colts. Yeah. Now, you know, it's only two tight ends.

And we're running double tight. We're running two tight ends. Now, we got, I said, bro. Well, I said, come on, man. Now, mind you, I ain't got no contract. I'm a free agent. Right. Man, and I say, look here, man. Y'all need

to stop running this double tight stuff. I'm going to play the first. Ben's going to play the second. I'm going to take it to third. Ben, bring it home. They kept running double tight. I went and got me two bags of ice and put it on my knees. I said, Ben, you got it the rest of the way. He said, come on, Sharp. Don't do it.

Sharp done. Hey, don't play with that money, huh? I ain't even get my money yet. Don't play. Oh, no. Mm-mm. Mm-mm. Oh, man.

As a matter of fact, Dermot, Dermot and Dawson will tell you, he pulled his hamstring at the Pro Bowl and he was never the same. Wait, he was going full speed? Tried to catch somebody on the interception. I think he tried to catch time. Look it up. Jermaine Dawson. Yep.

Oh, man. But you have to understand, Ocho, back then, guys would, I mean, you know, back then, the winning prize was $10,000. The losers got $5,000. Right, right, right. So by the time you brought everybody over there, that 5,000 was gone. Hell, that 10,000 was gone. That's gone.

That's gone. Now, come third, come fourth quarter, oh, Brucie, Cortez, Seau. They going serious. Oh, they coming now. They ain't going. They coming. They done been bull-jobbing for three quarters.

Now the money on the line. Yeah. They coming. That's how we was, too. We was the same way. Yeah. Oh, it was. And, you know, in practice, you know, guys, you know,

T-time, T-time. Rest your soul, Junior. Say, man, I want to play tight end. Okay. Hey, he playing tight end. I'm playing linebacker. Coach Compton called a practice on. Because we had all the defensive players

wanting to play the position they all want to play offense and then he's like we're not getting anything done he called again

hey take it in okay we booked them out of there that's all it comes down to that's all it comes down to when you finally find that franchise quarterback

all you have to do is build around him because they they have the weapons. He has the support and cast. You got the running backs. You got the receivers. Deontay Johnson and God damn.

The attitude is terrible. The attitude is piss poor, Ocho. I mean, let's think about why they're upset. Understand why. You just mentioned it. That's unimportant. You just said it out yourself. You just said it yourself. O oh sure we've all been in situation where the quarterback was less than ideal

right right right but that's frustrating that's frustrating i'm sure you got upset too when your quarterback was less than well you got lucky well shit you had goddamn john anyway i did i had i had you was fortunate. Everybody wasn't as fortunate as you was when they played. I played 14 years. I had John for nine of those years. And also John missed half a season one year. But I understand.

But Ocho, here's the thing. For me, I always tried to put on a positive because I didn't want the younger guys to think that behavior was acceptable. Right, right, right. I always, I came to work. I was a professional at all times. I came to work on time. I went to meeting on time. I practiced hard.

I did what I was supposed to because I wanted to show the younger guys, this is what it takes to be successful. You want to have a long career. You want to win. This is what you need to do. Yeah, I got frustrated, Ocho ocho yes i want the ball yes i believe i can help this team out of this funk if i were to get the ball but i mean i just want to know what was pouting and throwing helmets and throwing water coolers what the hell was that gonna help that wasn't gonna be the ball it wasn't good to the ball but

being able to it's hard for receivers when you get frustrated yeah and you sometimes your emotions get the best of you you know i'm i'm trying to think have i ever ever gotten like that on the sideline i think maybe once yeah maybe once yeah once because i was one that didn't want to show up any of my teammates i didn't want to show exactly up. Exactly. So I was able to control it because I knew the camera was always on me. So I kind of kept it mellow, even though I was frustrated on the inside. Yes. And you could tell by my body language when things weren't going well. Or they were allowing another team to dictate whether I can get the ball or not.

And that shit really pissed me off. That shit really pissed me off. That grinded my goddamn testicles when they allowed another team to dictate whether I can get off or not. That bothered me. We did not game plan and have meetings for hours and hours and hours of practice and watch hours and hours of film to come out here on a Sunday and tell them, well, if you play this defense, we can't get the ball at 85. That don't sit right with me. That just don't sit right with me. Because if that's the case case then I ain't need

to goddamn practice you're gonna let them do me like that that's just my mindset and the way I thought you know but I mean that's neither here nor there but I just and and the thing is like I'm a big believer in that showing up the quarterback also um and that was never that never never that never that was the relationship that I had with John. I was never going to show him up. All I asked him, look, give me an opportunity to protect myself because I'm going to do my best to come down with it or it's going to be incomplete. And I'm never going to give up on a play.

And so he didn't like if he missed you. You like. Oh, matter of fact, yo, I did that once to Carson. We were playing the Steelers. He overshot a ball. He overshot it or it was out of reach and I was wide open and I took my chin strap

and I snapped that bitch as soon as the ball, you know, it was out of reach. Man, I walked back to the huddle. That nigga Carson said, man, if you ever motherfucking do some shit like that again, I won't throw your ass a ball the rest of the game. That's what, hey. Hey, that was a, you like catching football?

Yo. I like yo. He said, you won't get no more. Listen, I ain't never seen Nash snap on me like that. One time, I'll never forget, we was playing the Steelers. And the fact that when we're playing the Steelers. And the fact that when we're playing the Steelers, the balls and opportunities I'm going to get

are already slim to none because they, when I come out the huddle, they are making the defensive play call based on where I line up. So I already know the two or three balls or four balls I might get, I got to make the most do with them. Yeah, you got to make the most of them. Yeah, you got to make the most of them.

And when he missed that one, man, I snapped my motherfucking chin strap walking back to the huddle. And man, he came into my face mask and said, man, if you ever motherfucking show me up like that again, you'll never catch a motherfucking ball again. I ain't even say nothing. It was a primetime game.

It was a primetime game. was a primetime game yeah oh yeah I hope when we edit I hope somebody can find that clip that'd be a good reference yeah John didn't play that and so I always made sure I was like hey bro don't do that that ain't what we do

right I lost myself though that one time I lost myself that one time That is what we do. Right. So, yeah. I lost myself, though, that one time. I lost myself that one time. But see, that's the thing, though, Ocho, is that I didn't show him up. And when I dropped a pass or I did something, hey, we talked about it on the sideline or we talked about that in the meeting room. He's like, hey, I need you a little deeper on this one right here. I need you, you know, so forth and so on. We had a conversation because I know he didn't like me

to show him up, but he knows that you, hey, all that yelling and cursing. Yo, who all about you talking to like that? Yeah, I know that. Why you ain't talking to me like that? Man, please. So we had a great relationship. We had a great understanding of the things,

how we communicated with each other to get each other's point across. The Volume. Wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast, NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal. Five days a week, you'll get all the latest news and the best analysis delivered by the time you get your coffee. The show hits every single game every single week, but I can't do it alone,

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