Club Shay Shay - Ndamukong Suh

Episode Date: February 22, 2021

On episode 22, Shannon welcomes in 5-time Pro Bowler, 2010 Defensive Rookie of the Year, & Super Bowl LV Champion, defensive end Ndamukong Suh. Suh dives into it with Shannon on what it’s like to be a Super Bowl champion in his 11th season in the NFL. They revisit key moments from the 2020-21 seaso: from Tom Brady coming to Tampa Bay, to learning from their mistakes in their regular season loss against Kansas City, plus a recap of the Bucs’ Super Bowl win.  Drafted by the Lions in 2010, Suh joined the Dolphins in free agency in 2015. After being cut from Miami, he joined the Rams, playing against Brady in the Super Bowl before joining Tampa Bay. He retraces each step of his career, discussing what it was like to play at each organization. Suh also touches on his business acumen, from stocks and investing to his real estate company. He talks about mistakes he made, and lessons he learned from his mentors and parents. Suh may have grown up playing soccer with his father, former Cameroon national team player Michael Suh, but he’s an elite defensive end with a deep knowledge of the game.#DoSomethinB4TwoSomethin & Follow Club Shay Shay:                                                                 https://www.instagram.com/clubshayshayhttps://twitter.com/clubshayshayhttps://www.facebook.com/clubshayshayhttps://www.youtube.com/c/clubshayshay Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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And the guy that's coming by today for drinks and conversation is a five-time Pro Bowler, a three-time first-team All-Pro. He was the 2010 Defensive Rookie of the Year. He's a member of the 2010 All-Decade team. And now, last but not least, he's a Super Bowl champ in Dominick's suit. the price. Want a slice. Got to roll the dice. That's why all my life I've been grinding all my life. And Dominic, how does Super Bowl champ sound now? It sounds amazing, truthfully. One of my last steps

in my career to achieve. I've been super blessed to have received a bunch of different individual accolades as Pro Bowls and All Pros and, like you said, all-decade teams. So to be able to get a Super Bowl in my 11th season, it's long overdue. That Super Bowl, it sounds different. It hit different when they're saying – they used to say, well, he's a Pro Bowl player. He's an All-Pro, this or that.

But when they say now, and Dominick can sue, Super Bowl. Yep. Super Bowl champion. pro this or that but when they say now and dominican sue super bowl yeah super bowl champion that's that's that's a great ring to it without question so let's start with this with this season let's just start at the beginning of the season with the offseason because you sent a shock way through because tom brady decided to come to tampa When you heard the news that Tom Brady has decided as a free agent to choose Tampa, what was the first thing that went through your mind? I think the first thing for me, thinking about Tom coming to Tampa Bay,

was that, one, I was still a free agent, so a hell of a job for him and had an opportunity to get down to Tampa and them doing a great job and Jason Light and then the ability for myself to get signed a week or so later and knowing that majority of our front seven was coming back intact. I was excited about that, knowing that he's the type of elite quarterback that's going to give us rest

and time to make plays and obviously become an elite defense as we became. So you get there, the pandemic hit, so it's not going to be a conventional offseason. You're not going to have the OTAs. You're not going to have the mini camps. A lot of things are going to be Zoom. So you get down there, you get to the training camp, and you start practicing.

Did you like, hold on, we might have something special here. Yeah, when we got into camp and the COVID and the whole offseason was definitely thrown out of the window. And then we obviously get into camp and understand where we wanted to accomplish, obviously, being in the Super Bowl. But there was a ton of work ahead of time. So we needed to move forward, kind of move things in hypervote mode to adjust and adapt to all the different changes, protocols and whatnot. We were going to be a challenging season nonetheless, but it was great because it made us that much more closer. We spent more time on our off time together with everybody. So I think it was a great situation for us.

And even though it was difficult, it was a lot more difficult for other people. And we just needed to kind of focus in and dive into our particular tasks and be successful. You start the season. You get off on a good stretch. I think you start the season six and two. Then you hit a little lull in the middle of the season. You lose three straight, and then you catch five. When did you know you had something special in Tampa?

I think we've always felt that we had something special, but there were some key moments where I looked at, for example, from a defensive perspective when we were down by, I think it was 21 points or something like that in Atlanta late in the season. We knew that we couldn't give these games up. We couldn't relax, even though we knew that team was very talented. They just weren't able to finish games out. And then truthfully, as we got into the playoffs, just understanding like,

hey, we got to do what we do as a defense and that's stop the run and make plays. And really, that's what we started to do. Started creating those turnovers, started executing at a high level. And that was what I think our bye week really allowed us to do. We got to review our tape and see the good, bad, and really the ugly of our defense make those changes, and we found ways to be successful. A lot of people point to the turning point of your season is when you played Kansas City, who you later faced in the Super Bowl in revenge of that loss.

You got down 17-0. Tyreek goes for 203 in the first quarter. He ends with 269 and three touchdowns. Patrick Mahomes seemed to do no wrong. What did you learn from that game that helped you in the Super Bowl just completely dismantle that offense? It's as simple as this. Don't spot people with 17 points.

We can be in the game, let alone we can stop people. Because like you said, we gave them in a lot of ways, 17 points. Granted, they earn it. They got a great elite talent over there. But at the same time, we had so many mistakes as a defense. We, in essence, didn't even put up a fight for those 17 points. Right. And transition and go into that second half.

And we ended up losing that game by three points. Transition and going to that second half, and we end up losing that game by three points. It was really from a factor of we didn't have enough time. If we don't do that and don't have those particular issues, knowing that we're playing them in the Super Bowl and we had two weeks, Coach Bowles is going to put up an amazing plan.

That's obviously what he did, and all we need to do is go out there and execute. When you look at the game plan, that was totally convincing. You guys are not a cover two team. You guys are a pressure single high safety team. Come get people. You still came and got him.

But basically, you lined up in cover two. You put hands. You played the shell. You let Devontae David play a boxing one on Travis Kelsey. And you guys eat. You get eight. You, JPP, Shaq Barrett, you, Vita Bale. When you're looking at this game play, you're like, hold on.

We're just going to play cover two. We're nickel defense. They're going to run us out of this. What were you thinking when Todd put the game plan up? You see we're playing nickel defense, and we're playing cover two with a soft shell normally teams try to run you out of that defense.

Yeah, being in a six man boxing, knowing that it's a front four and really front seven, six to take care of the run game and obviously get out of the pass. I'm salivating at the mouth because I know the whole game plan is on us up front

and primarily myself as an interior guy. So let's call it what it is. The pressure's on y'all. Y'all either going to get the job done or you're not going to get the job done. And that's really how we want it. And that's the one thing I respect about Coach Bowles. He understood from the standpoint of saying, like, I understand who my hostas are.

I understand where we may need to make some changes and put ourselves in a better situation from a coverage perspective. But then we move to our defensive line. You got myself, JPP, Vita Vea coming back off an injury, Shaq Barrett, Will Golston, all the guys in our room. Y'all go win this game for us. And really, I love that situation because that's what I grew up in in my first five, six years when I was

in Detroit and then moving on to Miami and whatnot. It's up to the front four and the front seven for y'all to shut down the run and create havoc. And then obviously the secondary is going to come into play. They're going to put their hands on receivers and make plays. And that's what they did. But did they kind of play

into your hand? Because you know, they do what they do. They throw the football. They don't really run the football. You're like, you know what? They're going to try to beat us at our strength. They're the number one rush team. We're the number one, number two passing team. We're going to throw the ball. We're going to show them. So they kind of fed

into what you wanted them to do. Yeah, no question. Watching film, being able to go back, watch pretty much the whole season of what they like doing and looking at the percentages, the numbers, all those particular details, they want to pass the ball. They've got a great quarterback. He wants to gunsling and have fun, get Tyreek running down the field.

Same thing with Travis Kelsey and all the guys from there. And the thing is, if he can't throw the ball and we're in his face and making him run left and right versus coming straight down here and stepping up in the pocket, he's going to have a hard time being able to get the ball to those guys. So basically it was you, Vita Vey, and Golston because you knew Shaq and JPP because they're working against backup tackles. You know they're going to make him step up.

So now it's your job, the three guys inside, to collapse the pocket that don't give him an avenue to step up. No question. And being a veteran, being able to understand rush lanes, all those different particular pieces, we're running games and or baiting them in certain areas and any right-handed quarterback knows that if I'm running to my left, I

got to set up, turn, and get my throw in. If you can't do that, you're running to the sideline to go make some uh to get some yards and that's what he did earlier on the game and we had some spy situations where we got guys coming right in his face and push him in that particular direction so the game's going on um you guys go three and out you guys get uh the offense go three and out you guys get the ball they get the ball you force them to three and out, you guys get the ball, they get the ball, you force them to three and out. When did you know in that game that it's going to be a long day for these guys?

It's going to be very, very difficult for them to get the ball in the end zone. It's going to be even more difficult for them guys to beat us. I would say knowing in that game pretty early on, probably midway through the first quarter and early into the second, and me and Shaq were on a particular play. And I don't know if you got a chance to watch all the different highlights or even remember, but I told Shaq, I'm going to cover you on this. Come underneath, do your special spin move, and I'm going to come out on the outside.

And he got right to Mahomes, and I'm coming full tilt, and Mahomes just throws it out the sideline. And for me, that was a real telltale to say, all right, we got them right where we want to. We can rush them straight. We can run our games, and we can create havoc as we particularly choose and play. I watched, you know, obviously with Tom being in Tampa,

we see a lot of Tampa games. But correct me if I'm wrong, Indomitian. It seems to me that you got stronger in the playoffs. Your play, I mean, a sack and a half, it was just like you were like, you look like the Detroit Indomitian Sioux, those four games in the playoffs. No, I think when I look at it from a standpoint, it's a long season. It's very grueling. You're dealing with injuries,

dealing with all the different types of things and everybody has to deal with that. And so I moved into the game and being able to study more, be around, been around the league for 11 years. Now, knowing what I'm looking for, I can heighten and understand where I, where I wanted, what I, how I can affect the game and really how I can help other guys around me affect the game. That's one of the things that I changed about my game is understanding to say, like, I can dominate and beat people one-on-one, but most of the time I'm not going to be able to get

those opportunities, even at this particular age. And so the better the guys are around me, the better I'm going to be, because if they're creating havoc, then that allows me to get freed up because the eyes are looking over there and then I can take my punches and make big plays. And that's really what it comes down to. I'm looking at, and I don't know if people know this, you're the only man to have a postseason sack with four different teams. I don't even know if you knew that. That's a very elite company because it seems to wherever Ndamukong Suh goes,

the defenses are better. The players around him, they seem to D-line. Their play seems to pick up. What do you think? What are some of the keys that have contributed to your long-term success? Yeah, I think some of the keys for my long-term success has always been the people that have taught me since a young age. Jim Washburns, the Chris Kocereks, the Jim Caldwells of the world that I've

been around and the education that they've given me and saying, like, really, you are an elite talent. You're going to always going to be able to maintain that, especially the way you take care of your body and the type of team that you have around you. But at the same time, that's great. But if you can't get the guys around you to buy in and have that mindset and focus, you're going to get null and voided in a lot of aspects. And so really my big focus over the last handful of years, going after this team goal of trying to win a championship, is make sure the guys around me are just as good, or if not better, because then I can really then elevate my own particular game and focus on myself after they've been taken care of.

When you look at your path, you're one of the few teams that had to go it the hard way. You had to win four games on the road, three. I mean, even though the Super Bowl was played in your building, theoretically it was supposed to be a neutral site game, but you had to do it the hard way. You had to go to Washington. Okay, Washington, we're going to throw that one down.

But to beat Breeze, to beat Aaron Rodgers, and to beat Patrick Mahomes, you're talking about three guys that have won Super Bowl MVPs. You're talking about two guys that have won regular season MVPs. What was your thought process once you guys made the playoffs? B.A. gets in there, okay? We're in the playoffs. What was some of B.A. Bruce Arians, your head coach,

what was some of the things that he said that was like, okay, guys, it's time to go win a championship? What was some of the things that made you feel comfortable that you had the team to go get the job done? I mean, I understand the talent that we had first and foremost, but the way B.A. laid it out for us was as simple as this. Focus on the task at hand. Stop looking at the future.

Stop looking at all of the things that could have been, would have been, all the different scenarios, looking at how the playoff picture could really unfold. We laid our own bed and we put ourselves in the fifth place of the playoff seat. And that was due to some losses, some different things that happened. Obviously, losing twice to New Orleans did not help us and losing to LA so forth and so on. So being in the fifth seed we knew that's the best we could do. We got to go take care of business against Washington because if we don't do that there's no way we're getting to being able to have an opportunity to come home and play our own in our own backyard for the Super Bowl. So right

let's take care of business against Washington then New Orleans obviously steps up and from a New Orleans perspective, it kind of goes into that same Kansas City bucket to where we start out slow. We don't do our things right. We make too many mistakes offensively, defensively, special teams-wise, and that's why we're in a terrible position. And it really was an embarrassing loss at home, and it's something that we wanted to have the opportunity.

And for me, I was wishing that we had them and got to go back on the road to go play. That's the only way to win a championship if you're going to do it. And then, of course, my good old friend Aaron Rodgers and his crew, you know, I got to go up to Green Bay. We took care of them at home. But we got to go up north and take care of business there. And I hadn't been there in a long time. So that felt amazing to go up there and take care of business.

And then be able to come home. And like you said, avenge that loss against Kansas city, understanding that that's a good team, but a team that we can definitely beat. And we match up pretty well against. When you talk about Tom Brady and you hear the Patriot way, what are some of the things that, that Tom did in the locker room or some of the things that he's said or the way he practiced that

what is the patriot way? I truthfully don't know what the patriot way is. You've heard about it though, right? I've heard about it. I've had friends that have played there and the Brandon Cooks of the world that played there and played together in LA, but I really don't care

what the patriot way is. I'm not going up there. But I really don't care what the Patriot way is. I'm not going up there. I don't plan on going up there. I want to be able to stay in Tampa and have an opportunity to go win another Super Bowl. But to answer your question about Tom, Tom, in my opinion, everybody puts him on an elite pedestal, which he deserves. And he's earned that right in all those different particular pieces. But at the end of the day, he's just just another guy and that's how he carries himself and with that with him carrying that self you see he bring his lunch pail just like another man brings his lunch pail into work each and every

single day so you can't do anything but respect that and if you haven't gotten your own mathematics of ways of moving forward why not follow somebody who's proven? And it's easy when he's next to you or you can walk across the field or walk into the same locker room and just ask questions or do those different things. And I think that's what's great for the young guys and even for the guys like me who've never won a championship until now and had the opportunity to have conversations with him and compete against him.

And it goes both ways because he asks me questions, I ask him questions, and that's the great thing about it. He's very humble and he's very hardworking, which I got a lot of respect for people like that. So did he give a Super Bowl speech? Did he give a playoff speech? Was there something that he said that's like, Dominick Kinsu's ready to run through a wall,

he's ready to storm the beach in Normandy. Quite, not fully quite as we went through the playoff scenario and season, but before that Super Bowl game, he definitely gave a chilling speech, and it was pretty much about honor. You guys win this game, and the way he just laid it out, you guys win this game, not only yourself, but your family and anybody who's attached to you will always be honored because of this game.

It go down in history and it's something that you should take great pride in. But if you don't give your all, you'll never be able to have that honor. And obviously, you know what it feels like to be a Super Bowl championship and be honored. So I think guys took that to heart and really said like we want to go get this honor and really make history because nobody's ever done it and be the first to do it when at home right that's the ultimate honor that you could ever ask for you mentioned Aaron Rodgers

earlier there's a situation that transpired now you guys were in the same division for a number of years uh the nfc north had some battles and there's a some back and forth and there's something that transpired this year when you guys played the regular season and i don't know what was said and maybe you can clear it up but aaron thought that you and he would go you know have a conversation and let bygones be bygones and you, you know, we go have a conversation after the game. He's like, you go hug, hug it out, bro, man. And so did something get lost in translation? What happened?

What confused Aaron? Yeah, so I think Aaron expected me to come to his locker room and see him after the game. And if anybody knows me, I'm right on my bike, my Kaiser bike right after the game and if anybody knows me uh i'm right on the uh my bike my kaiser bike right after the game i'm getting my legs prepared for the next practice on wednesday and then i'm getting in the cold tub and getting prepared from that standpoint so funny enough i actually asked tom of all people to see what time because i was the quarterback shake hand and do all that stuff i didn't go about my business i either did my job or didn't do my job when it came to the game. My job was to piss him

off and win that game. So that was your so you did your job. Yeah. And so yeah, we did have that conversation in the middle of a play and really I didn't have really the focus or want to go and have a conversation

post game. Like I said, I'm worried about my body getting to the next game and going from there. And so I reached out to him, we exchanged some messages. And actually after the game NFC championship game, I, because I knew it was going to be a long haul before we got on the buses, I ran up to him and said, let's connect in the off season. He said, for sure. And really at the end of the day, I'm going to always want to piss off Aaron

and make him not want to be my friend on the football field. So is it particularly him or is it all quarterback? Or because you – Without question, all quarterbacks. Even Tom. I'm trying to piss Tom off during practice. Because that's my job. That's my focus.

I'm obviously not going to hit Tom and whatnot, but when it comes to creating a relationship and having that, I don't think me and Aaron ever had that opportunity. And we have some mutual investments and opportunities where we could have crossed paths, but I think it's at this particular age when it's off field, we'll definitely try and find a time and I'm open to definitely connect. So I'll leave it there, and really the ball's in his court. There were some issues, you know, early in your career. You played – there were some times that I believe that you were right on the edge, and there were a few times that I believe you stepped over the edge.

Do you believe that you stepped over the edge with some of the things that you've done on the field? I definitely think I've had some high emotions and definitely not been in true character to who I am. I think when I look at myself and two amazing parents that have raised me, one, my mother from Jamaica, my father from Cameroon, I was raised really well. And that translates off the field.

On the field, I've had some high emotions and take full accountability to those things. But at the same time, I play, we play in a very aggressive and dominating sport. I always want to impose my will. And so I'm going to play right up to the edge. And I think as you look throughout my career, I've continued to increase and get better and better at that. And the NFL sees that I've been within the lines and I remain in the lines, and there's no issue. So I think for me, some people are going to love me, some people are going to hate me,

but I'm going to continue to play at a high level, and that's where my focus is. When you're right there, how do you know, like, well, if I do this, because there have been times, I'm sure you know, as a defensive player, you really can maim an offensive player if you really want to. So you know, you're like, you just don't know. I can really do something bad to you right now,

but I'm going to let it go. I'm just going to bring it. Because when I watch you and Dominic, you bare self to wrap the quarterback up. You normally shiver him. You're like, I want you to feel these bows. I ain't going to drop my weight on you because they're going to say personal file. They're going to fine me $25,000, $50,000.

I'm just going to knock the you-know-what out of you. Yeah, I tell quarterbacks that I'm not necessarily friends with but cordial with, maybe just do me a favor and go down to the ground when I'm near you. I have no desire to hurt you. I just want to do my job, the ground, trying to punch the ball out. And if I can't do it because you're wrapping it up, I don't like being on the ground. I like it.

90% of the time. I understand that sometimes I got to go to the ground, but I'm trying to be upright and run through you, move on to the next place where I can go do it again. And so with that question, obviously, like you mentioned, the rules have changed. Protecting the quarterbacks can go low, can go high, and can't land your weight on them.

So my best thing is I've been blessed with a lot of strength so I can push you as hard as I can to the ground and we can go from there. You like the monetary side of playing in the 2000s, but you really love the 80s and 90s style of football where you can really impose your will because, as you said, defense is about imposing your will. It's about breaking another man's will. Yeah, that's what all the old heads have told me that I've connected with and had good conversation with.

I said, man, you play like us. And really, I take great pride in that. When they tell me that, I mean, they paid homage, and I want to pay homage to them and continue to carry on their legacies and just saying, like, I'm really doing this from the standpoint of I want to be elite and I want to be the best, but I also respect the game. Gronk comes back out of retirement after a year he was doing the wwe uh ab was going

through some legal issues at the time he comes in leonard fournette had just had gotten released by the jags and those are the guys that score all your touchdowns in the super bowl obviously when you signed a when you signed ab because he's probably the guy that's coming with the most baggage, what was your thought process and what was he like in the locker room? Once he got there. Man, I've known a B for a long time. We, you guys were in the same draft together,

same draft class and everything. So I didn't know him early on his career was probably like two or three years after we were both been in the league at Nike. We had these combines and things at Nike. So definitely knew him. Good dude. Always had great relationship with him. And so for me, it was easy.

It was like, what's up, bro? How you doing, man? Glad you're part of our team. I know you're super talented. This is just the way we like to run things. It's how BA expects expectations. And obviously BA was very public of what his expectations were of AB.

And he followed through. So I give very public of what his expectations were of A.B., and he followed through. So I give him all the credit for doing that. And I think that's really all he needed is to understand what was expected of him. And that's really 90% of the people in the world. Give me my expectations, what you need from me, and then let me go and be an adult. And that's really what he did. And also, another guy that was in your draft class with JPP, did you ever expect – I mean, it doesn't happen normally.

Guys that are – you know, you and JPP were first-round draft picks, obviously. But that doesn't normally happen that later down the road, here we are 11 years later, you, A.B., and JPP, you're on the same team and you win the Super Bowl together. Yeah, no, it's crazy, man. JPP coming in here, obviously, I tell him all the time, you in the offseason, go live in the bubble for me. I love when you do that. Just go live in the bubble for me. I love you to death. Just go live

in a bubble. In August, we're going to be cool. Everything's going to be fun. And he's a great talent. Fun-loving dude. We enjoy our time together and obviously making plays and a lot of respect for each other. Both coming, like you said, being first-round picks. And really, he's just a special

talent. I mean, to be gifted the way he is, and I'm, to be gifted the way he is and I'm excited to be able to have an opportunity to play with him again and hopefully go get another chance to win. What's Gronk like? Is Gronk, I mean, we see Gronk, you know, spike the football.

We see him fun loving. He's like a big college frat guy. Is he like that off camera? There's no difference to Gronk is out to the outside world and to us. Just a fun loving dude, enjoys football, loves being really the life of the party. And even just sometimes he just wants to just talk and have a good conversation, but he's still animated and has fun. And I think that's a great thing about him.

He has a great personality and he shows it and it makes play. So more power to him. 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 Claibon, Steve Weiss, Nick Shook, Jordan Rodrigue from The Athletic, and of course, Colleen Wolfe.

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 Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm watching you guys at the parade. You know, Tom makes an entrance the way Tom Brady should make an entrance. You pull up on a $2 million yacht.

You let everybody know I'm Tom Mofo Brady, and I'm here. And it also seems like everybody was on that avocado tequila because they was having a good time. They were throwing the trophies at B8. Your ass is not going anywhere. You bringing bringing your ass back and you bringing this one what was what was the parade like what was that like knowing that the 53 guys that on that roster and the front office and the personnel a very diverse group you got todd bowles black defensive coordinator you got byron ledwich black offensive coordinator you got got Byron Ledwich, black offensive coordinator.

You got Keith Armstrong. You got women on the staff. Talk about that moment of celebration. You're at the parade and you see people that are on their bowls and you guys are just celebrating. I mean, truthfully, it was a great moment for that entire team to kind of let

their hair down. Just to really say, look at what we've been able to do to come together in August through all these trials and tribulations. And granted, it's nothing to what the outside world has been dealing with. But for us, we went through tremendous and we all did it together. We all put our own time and energy into this, made all these particular sacrifices to get to this moment. Let's truthfully enjoy this.

And that's what we did as a particular team. Got on those boats and I'm telling you this. The city of Tampa came out and showed out and gave us the ultimate love you could ever have for winning the championship. And I mean, that was a great feeling. I was sitting there with my pregnant wife trying to keep her in the shade.

She wanted to turn up and have shots of water and all types of stuff. So it was a great time. You mentioned your wife, you're expecting twins in the very near future, correct? Yes, sir, we're expecting twins at the end of March. So do you know boy, girl, two boys, two girls? We know, but we're not telling anybody.

You're not telling anybody? We know the sexes and we know the names. We just kind of started finalizing those particular things. I'm excited for them to come into the world. And really the biggest thing is I wanted them to come into this world as champions. So I'm glad I got that done, and I'm excited. Well, you might have to stick around a little longer in order for them to understand what dad does

and what dad has accomplished. So you might have to stick around about four or five more years and win a few more of these things. There's no question. The way I feel right now and the way I'm getting ready to start these workouts on Monday, I think I definitely got that into me. So I'm going to have to have you call Mr. Light and make sure he knows that

and take care of you Hey Dominic but you know how this thing works you know how free agency is you know when you were a free agent leaving Detroit Miami backed the Brinks truck up and said you sign your name to a check now you got Shaq Barrett

now guys that make the most money are quarterbacks the next guys that make the most money is edge you got Shaq Barrett. Now the guys that make the most money are quarterbacks. The next guys to make the most money is edge rushers. Shaq Barrett is a prime in his prime edge rusher. Somebody's going to throw a boatload of money. Levante David concerning what he did with Travis Kelsey. Somebody's going to throw a boatload of money. Chris Godwin. He's a big time receiver in his prime. Somebody's going to throw a boatload of money. And Dominick and Sue, man, that joker had a sack in every playoff game. Somebody's going to throw a boatload of money. What's going to go into your decision of going back to Tampa when somebody said, well, Dominick, we got two years, three years,

at $35 million, $36 million. And Tampa said, well, Dominick, we got like five or six for you, bro. Yeah, I think that's going to be a situation where I got to sit down with my family, what makes the most financial sense. But at the same time, where we want to be cold weather, hot weather, all the different things. You done got

down to Tampa. You done got some. You done got down to Tampa. Hey, I got family in Minnesota now with my wife, and we were just up in negative 20-degree weather. I've dealt with it all. But truthfully, yeah, it's going to be – I'm representing my own self, so there's a lot of different checks and balances that I go through,

contracts, all those different particular pieces. I've got great resources that give me all the data, and I think it really – when it comes down to it, any particular team, if they really want to keep a group together which the Tampa Bay team and that ownership did an amazing job this past year so I expect for them to continue to do an amazing job and keep us all together so we can all continue to grow together and even get that much more better and have another opportunity to go on with how how long have you been representing yourself because the thing that I've always got you know how this thing goes.

They tell you all the things that you can't do. Well, you know we take care of you over here at Dominican. You don't have to practice on Wednesday and Thursday when you let you take half the reps. And you know you're only playing 55% of the snaps. And you know you're not the same in Dominican as you was in Detroit. You know that's coming. You got to go look at those stats

because I definitely don't play 55%. I play a lot higher than that. No, I'm saying that's what they're going to say. Yeah, for sure. And I definitely follow that and understand that. And I've been looking at, I represented myself last year in my contract there and I've had great representation

that's helped me at the same time. I've always been involved in my conversations. I'm a hands-on particular person, and that's what I do on my outside business, outside of sports. So definitely understand all those nuances, all the different pieces that's going to go into that. I think we're going to have some good conversations.

I actually got a message from Mr. Light last night, so I'm excited for it. I'm looking forward to the opportunities that are going to be afforded to me and also see what free agency has to offer and really kind of go from there because you always want to have negotiating power. You know how this ends. You know when you hit that market.

You know ain't no turning back. You know how that goes. It's like when they get you into that store, they know if they can just get you into the store, you know it's over. Yeah, for sure. So I hope you get to the store, you know it's over. Yeah, for sure. So I hope I get to the store. When you talk about Tampa, the Bucs have won two

championships, and they did it behind a dominating, suffocating defense in 2002, and you guys had a dominating, suffocating defense in 2020. What's it like? Who are you like? 0-2 2020. All day 2020.

I'm always going to bet on myself and bet on the dogs that I know were with me. I got total respect for Derrick Brooks and all those guys. Yes, Sam. See me right. They had a monster over there, Brooks. I mean, they had a monster. No question.

Got a ton of respect for the cats and the way they played. And like I said before, they had a monster. No question. Got a ton of respect for the Cats and the way they played. And like I said before, they paved the way. But the new age, we found some creative ways to be successful and get it done during COVID, all the different things. They got to go party and enjoy their lives. I was stuck at home 99% of the time. Right. Let's go back where it all started from for you in Detroit.

You're the second pick in the draft, and I thought coming out of college, I thought you had the greatest college season that I had ever seen for a defensive player. I thought, I said, you know what, he's going to be the first guy to win. He's going to be the first defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy. Yep. First thing, did you think you were going to win the Heisman? Were you disappointed you didn't win the Heisman Trophy. Yep. First thing, did you think you were going to win the Heisman? Were you disappointed you didn't win the Heisman?

Because all you got to do is just go back and look at that big 12 championship game against Texas. If that's not the greatest defensive performance that's ever been on tape, I want to see one better. Yeah, without question, I thought I was going to win that Heisman Trophy, and I was pissed off when I didn't. I not gonna sit here and lie to you I was still mad that I didn't get an opportunity to win that or they saw that I didn't deserve it because won AP of the year got the Lombardi and the Gursky all the different pieces that are all elite awards and have pulled a ton of weight, but I also understand, as it is in the NFL,

offense, all those particular pieces, Alabama's first Heisman Trophy win. So I get it. I understand it, but I mean, I think if you put bodies of work together, anybody, even a blind man, could have figured that

one out. You started off in Detroit, and you get off to a great start. I think you had 10 and a half sacks, defensive rookie of the year, first team all pro. What was it like in Detroit? And did you think like, you know what, you're looking around, you got Calvin Johnson, you got Matthew Stafford on the offensive side. You're like, okay, we got a pretty good defense.

Are you disappointed that you didn't win more in Detroit? Yeah, without question. I think the first year was a lot of growing pains and kind of getting guys that weren't really built for the winning ways and understand how, how to win and kind of moving that out the locker, keeping a core, core group of guys bringing that winning mentality in, which I've always expected to win each and every single game. for keeping a core group of guys, bringing that winning mentality in, which I've always expected to win each and every single game.

And like you said, we've got the Calvin Johnsons of the world, Matthew Stafford playing at a high level amongst Pettigrews and great defense, Devondre Levy, all those type of guys, and Kyle Vandenbosch. So I look at it from a standpoint, especially in 2014 when Jim Caldwell came in there, we should have definitely had a championship run at some point in time. And it was definitely disappointing that it ended the way it did, and I didn't get a chance to play more in Detroit.

But I understand it's a business. I will forever be indebted to that city, and I love that city to death. And that's why I spend time back there. I mean, I got on the plane right after the Super Bowl parade and my first stop was Detroit. So that's how close it is to me. And I always love that place.

Everybody that was in Detroit, or they speak very highly, they speak in glowing terms of Jim Caldwell. What was it about him? Jim Caldwell. I mean, there's so many positive words that I could say about him. He's just an amazing human being, just the way he carries himself, the way his wife carries, she carries herself and them as a family. And then the way he teaches us and handles us as young men and grown men in that particular manner. And the way he set up the organization and I was very surprised when he got fired

and to be the winningest coach in that history of that organization was definitely disappointing to see that even though I wasn't there. I'm still close to him and reach out to him for guidance on certain things and just things that I need to work through. But yeah, Jim Caldwell is one of the best human beings I've ever been around, especially in football. Okay. You, you, you spend your time in Detroit. Things are not going well. You become a free agent.

What was some of your thought process of when you became a free agent, how did you decide to, you know, end up in Miami? Obviously they, they, but there are a lot of teams that threw a boatload of money at Indomitian Sioux. Yeah, there was. And truthfully, Miami wasn't the highest. Oakland was. Oakland offered me a lot higher than per year

to go there, and I declined to go there. And so when I looked at all the different situations from a tax perspective, from a playing perspective, city perspective. Weather perspective. Weather perspective. A nightlife perspective.

For sure. Because I'm still young looking for my wife, even though she was right in front of my face. And really just looked at it from the standpoint of being able to go down there and be able to be a cornerstone of a team and understand that we may be in a little bit of a rebuild year, but it wasn't much, much, much of one at all. Especially when the next year after I had signed there, we go to the playoffs and we go and try and make a run in the AFC.

So from my standpoint, I just wanted all the lines to be at the start, all the lines to all the starts to be aligned, excuse me, and then be able to have a relationship with the ownership group. Cause I learned a ton from Mr. Ross and that front office as well, front office as well from a business perspective. And I love real estate. And obviously Mr. Ross is one of the best in the world at that. So is that what you're trying to do? Like when you go into a situation, yes, I'm coming here as an employee. Yes. I'm coming here to provide a service,

but it seems to me as I'm, if I'm reading the tea leaves correctly, if I'm reading what you're saying correctly, you also try to like get close to the ownership to see, because it seems like to me, you're like a business, a businessman. And you're trying to like, okay, yeah, I'm a millionaire, but I'm trying to get on their level. They billionaires. I'm trying to get like the, that. No, there's no question. I'd be sitting here and wondering if I didn't say, why not? I don't want, I don't need to recreate the wheel. I just want to understand and be educated of how they got themselves to that particular position. And one of the real estate being one of my passions and Mr. Ross owns related in New York and being able to have an opportunity to shadow underneath them and learn from them. That was one of the

best decisions that I made. And the same thing when I translated to move over to L.A. after I left, after I got cut from Miami. Were you surprised that you got cut? No, I wasn't. To be honest with you, I had some inklings and some, obviously heard the whispers. And me and that head coach were not getting along from a perspective of, he didn't like me, and that's what it really was and I guess he didn't like the relationship that I had with

some with certain people so he had the decision-making power to make that move and so after that transpired moved to LA had an opportunity for a championship there that obviously didn't work out but I was around all my mentors and really a lot of people don't really get this I think when people are at their best is when they can compartmentalize and when I'm at my best I compartmentalize football is here business is here social life is here and I have all three of those things in LA and I was being able to play at a very high level and like you said playoffs turned on i got to a whole another year because i had my team with me i had everything that i needed to be comfortable and playing at a high level and that's that was exciting to me so well clearly the best player that you've ever played alongside

the defensive side is aaron donald are you surprised that they didn't make a pitch to try and keep you would you ever like to have stayed in la because i mean you and ad in that interior you guys were eating yeah no question uh i was a little surprised i didn't make an offer uh the following year and and really the previous year especially when they offered me a two or three year deal uh and i was betting on myself to obviously be able to get to the market and get a a bigger and better deal and more long-term. But like I said, it's a business. I understand all those different particular pieces.

I got a great relationship with the Kroenke family. Still speak to them this day and have total respect for their decisions and what they do on that particular offense and team. So I wish them the best unless we're playing it. As a defensive tackle, playing alongside Aaron Donald for a year, what makes him special? Aaron Donald is one of those guys that has an elite talent from the standpoint of his individual piece.

He knows how to beat guys. He knows the different reads. He studies very hard. He's an early riser and a late worker. So I got a lot of respect for him and his individual play and what he's able to do. And I think when you pair him with a guy like myself, who, like I said, I'm on the older age of my side,

but I still got great talent. And I know the better guys there are around me, the better they're going to be, the better I'm going to be. And I think that showed out in that particular season. Yeah, so you like, okay, A.D., go get that double team. That means I get the one-on-one with the left or the right guard. So you go ahead and do your thing, A.D. You go get that double team with the center and one of them guys,

and I'm going to get the E. I'm going to get the E one-on-one. Exactly. And then really when you go back and look at that film, they started sliding to me and letting him get the 101 and trying to you got to pick your poison. Who are you going to take?

That's really where it is right now. We're trying to create in Tampa Bay last year with myself and Vita. And then you got the two edge guys. You got four hostages you got to deal with. Unless you're bringing in max protection with chippers and then releasing, good luck.

So, okay, let's go to college. University of Nebraska. Now, obviously, you had opportunities to go to a lot of different places. Why did you choose Nebraska? Because the Nebraska that you went to wasn't the Nebraska of the 70s and the 80s and the early 90s.

That was a different type of Nebraska. Yeah, it was the same thing being able to go into Miami in my later career, but going into leaving high school and going to Nebraska, I wanted to be a part of something special and be a cornerstone of that and create that. And so that class that came in in 05, wow, it's a long time, was really that that class was to bring Nebraska's greatness back. And I think that and had top defense is,

and unfortunately didn't be able to get, we won our division championship a couple of times, but we didn't get to, we got cheated against Texas as Texas, as you alluded to. You said the time – that time expired, huh? They paused the clock. I, again, don't like going to the ground. Pushed the quarterback out of bounds. Look at the clock.

It says zero. And then magically a second came back and they got to kick a field goal. So, let the outside world make the decision, but I'm just saying. Your senior year, 85 tackles, 12 quarterback sacks, 28 quarterback hurries, 24 tackles for losses, 10 pass breakups, three block kicks, and an interception. You're a historian of the game.

You know other great defensive players that played in college football. Is that the greatest college football season for a defensive player? I mean, I think there would be a lot of arguments of why not. And when I look at it from a standpoint, I'm very proud of it. And at the same time, I couldn't have been able to do it without the Jared Cricks of the world and the Prince of Mucamaras and all those guys that I played with. And so it's just as much pride as I take in that particular season that I had individually. Zach Potter, like I said, Jared Crick, Prince of Mucamara, all those guys had a huge hand to that.

And we were a dominant defense. We were holding people to nine points a game, except for, I think, one game against iowa state which i don't know how we gave up 35 points to them so uh it was a it was a great time i love college that state is amazing to me uh i wish i could get more time to go back there uh but it's definitely tough uh i try and go back and i'll also see the oracle of omaha as he's a close friend of mine so regardless regardless, I will always cherish those days in Nebraska. And in that time, I grew up as a young man a lot through those times. Let's talk about your home, your hometown, Portland, and growing up, what it was like growing up then as compared to what you see now with a lot of social unrest, a lot of race relations, that's not good. What do you remember most about growing up in Portland?

And what do you think about what your city is kind of morphed into currently? Yeah, I think Portland, as I grew up, I was kind of in a shell. up, I was kind of in a shell. My parents did a great job of focusing me just on school and athletics and kind of focusing my life from that perspective. So I didn't really get to see a lot of the outside world and all the trials and tribulations. I've heard about it, have read all about those different things. And I think the position that I'm in in my life right now, being a professional athlete, also a businessman, and being able to be in this community in my particular off season as my as I particularly choose, it's only right for me to give back because this community gave me so much to get to where I am. I want to be able to give back and help other young African American kids and really

just kids of all races and colors to the opportunity to be successful. And that's why I think I've, one, had my Sioux Family Foundation that my wife leads 90% of the time. And even though I'm very heavy handed into it as well. And then even mixing business and my philanthropic endeavors together, because we're building young black professional housing opportunities here in Portland, as well as working with the schools and our backpack programs, all the different things that we take pride in. My mom's a school teacher, so she's given back 30 plus years to the community just from a standpoint of that. So I take great pride in Portland and I've always going to represent it to the best of my ability and help build it up because it's a small city compared to Seattle

above us and San Francisco below us, but it's a very powerful city at the same time. Did you always – I mean, obviously you play football. Did you play other sports, or did you always want to be a professional athlete? Did you always want to be a businessman and a professional athlete? Which one kind of pulled more than the other? It's interesting. I grew up playing soccer since I was three. My dad was a professional in Germany,

so he instilled me since I came out of the womb with a soccer ball. Okay. That's what we call the real football in my family, as they call it in Europe. And then as I grew up and understood what my parents were doing from a standpoint of having rental apartments, and that's how you have the ability to go play sports because that rental income comes in. And that allows us to have additional discretionary income to be able to do things and have small travels. When my sister was in college to go visit her for a weekend, you've got to be smart.

You've got to be able to be put money away and let it grow for you. And so my parents were great at that and them learning really the hard way. So I didn't have to learn the hard way. So I take a lot of great pride from them. But at the same time, that's why I have great mentors as well to help me in my day and ages now that my parents gave me the basics. But they continue to grow and give me other advice as well. So I've always had the mindset to be great at sports. But at the same time, it's even more important for me to be well-rounded and be able to use my brain to be that much more effective in this particular world. started a real estate company with a partner of mine, one of the best developers and construction companies in the Pacific Northwest. And then being able to meet with different people like in recent Horowitz general Atlantic from VC and PE worlds.

Like that's where my mind said, I really start to salivate at the mouth when I'm not looking at quarterbacks. So you, I mean, I'm listening at your talk and obviously are you are you like this in the locker room do guys pick your brain because there are a lot of times that guys guys would pick other guys brain if they're getting to something like hey man what you reading i mean what you doing i mean how could i do guys pick your brain about your about your your your financial financial document yeah without question I've become a lot more open

and I guess more comfortable because I'm naturally an introvert. Yes, I can tell. I've kind of grown into being a little bit more open. So without question, I definitely talk to guys. A big hot topic was the GameStop piece

towards the end of the season that we had and throughout the playoffs. Talk about real estate, all the different things. And really, I just try to give guys the season that we had and throughout the playoffs, talk about real estate, all the different things. And really, I just try to give guys the experiences that I've gone through and what I've been to say. There's no right way and different way to do something. You've got to figure out what's best for you.

But I can tell you about my experiences and how I've been able to be successful, how I've made mistakes in some business aspects, because I think that's the best way to learn. You've got to take calculated risks. But at the same time, I've had mentors tell me, don't do this because I think you're going to do this, but you should also try it because if you fail, you're going to see and truthfully know why you failed and then be able not to repeat that in the future, but be smart of how much you may invest or do within that. And so I think that's one of the best things about a life and experiences in being in the locker room like that. And like the NFL,

you can share those and see and take great pride because my training partners that I'm with here in the off season with I'm even closer with them. And there's guys that play for the Texans in Jacksonville this past year. And so it's enjoyable for me. I like to pass on to the younger generation if I can. Has there been something that you like, I want to invest in this and didn't and have it explode? It's like, I'm kicking my own self. I'm kicking my own you know. I'm kicking my own. You know what? Because I should have. I should have did it. And I could have been 25,000 times what it is right now. Yeah, there's definitely a lot of those that I've passed on. And I think some of the best lessons are some of the best investments

that you haven't done. Because what made you think that's why I should have done it or not done it could have been something totally different. And that's where I think I've learned and being able to find some of those pieces. I mean, look at Bitcoin, for example, everybody's hot about Bitcoin, all these particular pieces. I had a deep dive on Bitcoin probably two, three years ago, put a little money into it. And if I would have kept it, but obviously would have five times, 10 times to where it is now. And I didn't do that. And so for me, I also didn't understand the securities and all the different pieces around it. And it was really just a trial for me to get, get my feet wet.

And so now understanding truthfully where blockchain is and all the different aspects that have going on, there are other opportunities in that same realm that I have opportunities to get involved now. But I'm way more educated and I can take that great experience that I had two, three years ago to be able to help me make those decisions. Not saying Bitcoin has passed because it's reached 50,000 in the last couple of days. I think it's going to continue to grow, but you still don't know.

That's a lot to get in at this point in time. Like you said, you had a great opportunity earlier. Yeah, but you live and you learn. And I think, like I said, I just wanted to have that exposure to just get a small taste of it. Is that, is that how, how do you approach football like you take that like you approach financials are you like studying your opponent is it oh man he's hitting heavy oh you for you finna run block oh he real light oh you about to kick up out of here oh you see man look at this they got offset backs i know y'all throwing the ball do you put that kind of

study in the film study like you do stocks and your portfolio and possible business adventures? There's no question about that. I definitely have tips and notes and I could go back to as probably as early as

2012 on notes. Like I got notes on one particular quarterback that's actually in my same division that I know when he's getting ready to snap the ball and it's held up for the last eight years right for me those different nuances and things that I can see on the film that I've learned from Jim Washburn as I mentioned before and Chris Kassur watching film like I've learned from Jim Washburn, as I mentioned before, and Chris Kassar watching film, like I'm that much more calculated on what I'm going to go look for in film from an offensive line perspective, from a quarterback perspective. And then even from, like you said, from a formation

perspective, I got tips and different things that I'm looking at for different teams and different coordinators and all the different pieces. So as i start to compile those different notes and all those different things i can go back and check those items and then and then cross reference them to make sure they hold up and then implement that in the game and then when i see 100 percent uh that it's working or even higher percentage just saying it's 80 90 i'm going to take that calculator risk to then go and say, I'm going to go make a play. So obviously you watch tape, you watch the game copy, which is in silent. But I would think you would be a guy that watched the TV copy

because you want to hear the quarterback's cadence. You want to hear what he's trying to dummy calls. And you want to hear when he says certain things, what does the line do when he did this?, what does the line do when he did this? And what did the line do when he did that? And what does the back do? And what does all that mean? So you watch a lot of TV copy also.

Yeah, no question. And I'm sad that Phillip Rivers is no longer playing. One perspective, but I got calls on him and he knows it. There's times where we banter back and forth saying like, all right, I know what, I know what this call is. Keep, keep doing that. So I keep getting off the ball and getting to you. From my perspective. Yeah. I definitely watched the, the TV copies and it definitely helps. And I mean, shoot,

if guys didn't know that the centers are mic'd up every game, that's their own fault. So do you share, do you share that information? So was there something that you picked up mic'd up every game, that's their own fault. So do you share that information? So was there something that you picked up in the Kansas City game the first time you guys played them that you were able to relay with your teammates and say, hey, guys, when this guy does this, he's light over here. It's going to be a pass.

Did you tip some of your teammates off on that? As a collective group, yes. We do some things about the Kansas City game that were going to give us some edges in what they wanted to do. I'm assuming we're going to play them again next year. Obviously, I'm in Tampa, so I'm going to hold. You'll keep that close to the van? Yeah.

If you don't mind, Dominic, let's go back. Are you surprised – two things. Yeah. If you don't mind, Dominic, let's go back. Are you surprised, two things. Are you surprised Calvin retired as early as he did? And or are you surprised that they traded Matthew Stafford? Calvin, I'm definitely not surprised in how early he retired. I think he looked at it from a standpoint of how kind of Barry Sanders was in his particular career. And he was getting in that same lull, even though he got to see some success in getting to the playoffs and whatnot.

And then Matthew Stafford, it was a little surprising, especially how it seemed that they were wanted him to be their ultimate quarterback for the years that he was there. I think he was there for 12 years. Yes. For them to mutually agree to part ways was a little surprising, but also I could understand it from his perspective that he didn't want to go through a rebuilding situation. And no matter what, there was going to be some sort of that this particular year for them. Who is your favorite quarterback to sack?

Of all the quarterbacks that you've sacked, who do you take the most pleasure in sacking? Aaron Rodgers is top. What about Aaron that you love so much? I don't know. I think just because Aaron hates that I touch him and put him down to the ground. I think that's what I take the most great pride in.

And then it used to be Tom. I enjoyed hitting Tom. And then because me and Tom are teammates, I would probably say any former quarterback that I used to play against. So Matthew Stafford would probably fill that void. So of all the quarterbacks, if there's any quarterback that you didn't sack that you wish you're like, man, just one time I want to get a hit on him, just a one clean, nice, whoo, one of them hits that you're like,

who got with that? Who let him through? Yeah, there's actually two. And Brett Favre was one of those guys and I actually got to play against him earlier in my career when he was with Minnesota and I got him but I let go at the last second and my teammate and good friend Cliff Averill cleaned him up and got the whole sack so that one and then uh Peyton manning uh i mean he's obviously a great quarterback and i didn't get a chance to go against him uh at the end of his career so i wish i wish i got an opportunity

to go and go against him get a sack against him playing with the rams obviously when you play with the rams you get to the super bowl you facetime brady and so you you study in tape and you get get a, the opportunity to see like, man, we can be. So what did you take away from playing against him that you got an opportunity to see playing with him that you can see like,

now I understand why he's Tom F. and Brady. Now I understand why he wins. Now I understand why his teams win. Yeah, he analyzes and has the ability to understand how people want to really why he wins. Now I understand why his teams win. Yeah. He analyzes and has the ability to understand how people want to really attack him. There's nothing that he really hasn't seen or some form of something he

hasn't seen when it comes to formation coverage, the way people want to blitz and do these different things and whatnot. And he's being able to read and get the ball out very fast. That was my frustrating piece going against him he gets that ball out so fast when he was with the Patriots and it was like if our DBs weren't on that first read there was no chance I was getting there so it was almost eliminating us from from the game plan which definitely sucked and I wasn't a fan of and so being able to now be on the positive side of that and playing with him this past season and seeing those different pieces like it was it was great to

know that you have a quarterback that was going to be able to move the ball you're going to get quality rest from a standpoint of being on the sideline and being able to go through your adjustments and then be able to get that go out there get a stop and get the ball back to him and we did that for the most part until we got to some of the lulls in our season where we let, we wanted to give up points and not play sound defense. Give me your Mount Rushmore defensive players. You get, you know, there's only four. So I want to know, and they can be D-line, linebackers, corners, safeties.

I need, I need a Mount Rushmore defense. Man, that's a tough one for me because I'm not a huge historian when it comes to NFL football. I'm just going to kind of say the guys that I got a lot of respect for and I think have done the game huge justice from their position and obviously elite talents. So one I'd put on there was michael stragan okay uh i didn't see i've seen film of him uh and so i got a lot of respect for the way he played in lawrence taylor that's i was i was in the league with LT at the end. He was special.

Yeah, so those two so far. Man, I would have to say Reggie White. I mean, I got so much respect for him and a guy that I wish I could have met. I mean, that dude was special.

I watched him, and wow, he was some special. And how would I round it out? Ooh. Thinking my last one. Last one. Defensive-wise, man. Fourth one for me, I mean, Ray Lewis. Ray Lewis was something special.

Yeah. From a middle linebacker perspective. So I'd probably go with those four guys. You mentioned the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett, whobraska he's end all be all he is nebraska uh you got an opportunity so because it seems to me that what you do that when you go someplace you ingratiate yourself with either ownership someone that knows more about certain things than you do you pick their brains he okay, and you try to carry that out. As you mentioned, every time we mention defense, you talk about your coach, Jim Washburn.

And what he – so it's like you're like a sponge. Okay. Warren Buffett, how did this relationship come about? Yeah, Mr. Buffett, I was super fortunate enough to be a captain in my last year and last couple years at Nebraska and he was an honorary captain my senior year and so it was funny

we came off from warm-ups and one of the coaches grabbed me and was like, hey, do you know who Warren Buffett is? I'm like, yeah, I'm young, but of course I know who he is. And they were like, well well do you want to meet him he's going to go out and do the coin toss with you and whatnot so I said yeah for sure so I met him right before the game and that was really it and it was just a quick introduction and we'd been

to coin toss and then played the game killed Oklahoma my senior year senior night and then we moved on probably about six months later. A friend of mine was like, yo, you should just reach out to Mr. Warren, to Mr. Buffett, to see if he would meet with you and take a meeting. So I asked Coach Osborne, would he set it up? Because I knew they were close friends. And he said, happy to do it.

But I'm just unsure if he will take the meeting. He's kind of picky and choosy. Obviously, he's a very busy human being. He sent the email. We got connected. And he was like, yeah, happy to meet with you. Let's pick a time. So I got to his office about two hours ahead of the time waiting on him, just out of respect. And we sat in that in his office for probably like three hours just talking like I was talking to my dad and just soaking up how he just maneuvers and reads and how he carries on his day. He allowed me to shout up, shadow him whenever I wanted to. And that relationship has just been strong ever since I left and left that meeting till this day. I actually spoke to him yesterday.

So it's like I don't know how I built that relationship. It still boggles my mind when the phone rings and or an email comes across. So it's just a great relationship that I'm very thankful for. What are some of the, obviously you like to invest, you say you have building companies. What are some of your proudest investments? What are some of the things you like to invest. You say you have building companies. What are some of your proudest investments? What are some of the things you like? You had reservations at first, but you're like, man, I'm glad I did this.

I can really do this now. You know what? I can do this. Yeah. I mean, just talking about Mr. Buffett and one of the best things I learned from him was uh make sure you invest in people uh and that's one of the things that the smartest things i've been able to take from him and one of my most prideful things is is my relationship with uh the african-american men that i that i see as my great mentors the jay browns of the world uh the Junior Bridgemans of the world. I love food, so hospitality. Mr. Bridgeman is one of the best in the country at that.

He was one of the first to get these franchisees with the Wendy's and the other things. I think the Applebee's, he had a couple of them. I don't know how many he has now, but at one point in time, he had over 100. No, no question. He's very successful. And having been able to meet him in Louisville around the horse racing that was down there

the other day, probably about five, six years ago now, it was crazy. But yeah, just those relationships and being able to have the opportunity and invest alongside of them has been a great situation. I mean, Marcy Venture Partners is one of my greatest investments, just seeing how that is coming to light and being alongside, like I said, Jay Brown and Jay Z and the smart people that they have, that to me is some of the great decisions I have and then even like the one i'm probably most excited about is if i'm particularly picking one particular company i'd probably say ember technologies right now uh self heating technology uh and it's just going crazy uh with how successful they are and all the information that I've been able to

touch base and be close with with the CEO there, Clay Alexander, some of the special stuff he has up his sleeve for not only gifts for my team that I'm working on, but also just the ability to see what he's doing in the medical world and the logistic world with that company is super special. Talk about your foundation, Young Black Professional Housing Project. Tell us about that. Yeah. So here in Portland, like I said earlier, you have Seattle above us and you have San Francisco below us. And you just see the housing problems from the perspective of it's super expensive. And so I looked at it from the perspective of it's super expensive.

And so I looked at it from the standpoint of me and my partner, Joel Anderson, and he has a great construction company in Anderson Construction. The Young Black Professional Housing is an ability to kind of, it's a little reverse on low-income housing. So low-income housing is kind of always focused on people that are struggling, really don't have an opportunity. I guess the common person may see them as people that are on section eight in whatever it may be from that perspective. I look at young black professional housing as, I'm a young student. I just came out of college. I'm making maybe $30,000, $40,000 a year, but I'm working up in this great company to get to a hundred thousand dollar salary have equity all these different pieces so but yet i need to find somewhere to live and it needs to be nice and it needs to be from a perspective to where i can get

in proximity to where my my job is which is going to most likely for a big company be in a nice area aka the the rents are expensive. So my partner and the team and the architects that we're working with, we created, we want to create this housing and we have two sites right now that we're working with and hopefully come out in probably the next 18 to 24 months, just kind of depending on how the city works here in Portland, but have a great housing. It's basically collaborative living for the, for these young men and women to come there, have it's close proximity to a lot of the city core, the urban core, where all their jobs are going to be in their opportunities to grow are going to be.

And we're not going to, we're not going to have these high prices of market rate rent. It's going to be in a situation to where they can come in there, they can live there, they can get comfortable, they can get to their jobs, they can work. And then as they continue to move up, they can find and afford these better places. And then the next young Black professionals can come in and move forward and have that opportunity. So that's kind of how the mindset of that came. Is it going to be a term limit and how long they can stay there? Is it going to be like, say 12 months, 24 months, 36 months? We're working with actually some nonprofits that

have the ability to determine those particular pieces, which are going to be able to help us and identify what's going to be the best possibilities and policies for us to move forward with that. But I think from a term perspective, if they're doing everything that they need to be doing, they won't need to live there from a long-term perspective. It's going to be a short term, maybe three to five years, and then be able to move on to different housing. And really, the ultimate living in goal, and I think that's something that millennials haven't really looked at in the Gen Zs and Gen Xs. Everybody back in the day, especially baby boomers, wanted to go buy their house, build equity, have those opportunities, create generational wealth.

And a lot of millennials, like I said, are just renting at the end. They'll maybe be 35 and still renting. So I think as the tables turn a little bit, this is good. I think it'll be a good stepping stone for them you you mentioned I read where you said you would like to maybe own a professional basketball team down the line or is that something that you still would uh be entertained owning a being a partner in a professional basketball team football team MLB soccer I mean do you still have aspirations of being an owner in a sports team? Yeah, no question. I would love to have the opportunity to own a sports team.

I've been able to look at a handful of different opportunities, but just I don't think they made the most sense for me to be able to pull the trigger. But I would love to be a part of an ownership group or wholly own a team if I'm fortunate enough to be that wealthy and whatnot. And so for me, I would love to implement and create a patriot type way in a different way to where you empower the people around the organization to be able to be successful and move the moving direction. Having played in sports

I feel like I got a good pulse on how things work I like to immerse myself and understand how the janitors work but also to how the GM works and I speak to everybody the same and I would expect that in an organization to be able to do that if I was a part of one you when you you obviously you watch sports, basketball player. If you were to say in today's game, is there a basketball player that reminds Ndamukong Su of Ndamukong Su? That's a tough question.

Pick somebody. You got to say in this day and age, or can I? You can go back. You can pick any era. I'd probably say Charles Barkley if I'm somebody that I would say that's a basketball player that reminds me of myself. So Charles was one of those guys that was obviously very talented,

but I wouldn't say had restrictions or anything of that nature, but he obviously wasn't a huge big man. Right. He was undersized. You're not undersized in Dominick. Yeah. He imposed himself and made plays and was very successful. But I love the way he played.

And truthfully, in this day and age, I make fun of my best friend all the time. But basketball players are a little too soft for me. So, bang in like the old school way and whatnot. I also read that you're – I don't know if you still are, but you used to be a muscle car guy. Are you still into muscle cars? Oh, yeah. I still love muscle cars.

What do you have? What do you have? I got my 70 Chevelle. I love that. What you got? 396, 454, LS6? No, I got an LS3. Okay. I couldn't do the carburetor motor anymore because smelling like gas

all the time. Yeah, I just had to switch it out. It was just a little too much. If you could have any muscle car, any muscle car from a Cuda to a Super B to a Corvette to a Camaro

Chevelle, what would it give me a Dominican Sioux dream muscle car? I mean, I got my dream. I think the 70 Chevelle is just one of a kind. It's a beaut. I had a Cam car. I mean, I got my dream. I think the 70 Chevelle is just one of a kind. It's a beaut. I had a Camaro. I love that.

What year Camaro you had, 68, 69? Eight, of course. Ha, ha, ha, ha. And then, but if I were to switch it up and get it out of the Chevy way, I would probably do a Shelby. Okay. 429? 427?

Probably 427. But yeah, for me, I like to look at it. And obviously you got all the movies and the Shelbys and all that. That's my attraction there. But I love my 70s Chevelle. I love the Chevelle.

So let me ask you, you got bench seats or do you have bucket seats? Bucket. You know, you got the glide? You have the glide? What do you have? You have the glide? I got the glide. My boy has a stick shift up.

So, yeah, he likes the stick shift. I like the glide. Ferraris or Bentleys? Ferraris or Bentley. Ferrari all day. Ferraris are off the chain. California is my best. Oh, you're in California?

If somebody says, you know what, in Dominican, any Ferrari, any Ferrari, any year, you won't. Which Ferrari is aama Kinsu picking? The Cali Ferrari, but I'm trying to think what year that I did. I'm picking the 62 GTL. Okay. I just like the Cali model. The hard top.

Right. Being able to drop it and let the hair, let the fro... Man, Adomican, I really appreciate you stopping by for a few minutes, stopping by Club Che Che, having a drink, having conversations. Congratulations. Your life will never be... Hey, all that other stuff is fine and good.

Pro Bowls are fine. All pros are fine. But that Super Bowl champ, because guess what? 10 years, 15, 20 years, when you guys get back together, you will never forget that first one. There's something special about that first Super Bowl. Congratulations. Well deserved, bro.

No, I appreciate it, man. It's a true blessing, and I'm excited. I'm going to enjoy it for these next six months and then get back to work to hopefully get an opportunity to go win another one. Thanks bro. Best of luck. Wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast, NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal.

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