Green Light with Chris Long - Grady Jarrett! 2023 Falcons Defense, Adversity on the Way to the NFL, Falcons vs Patriots SB & Ray Lewis

Episode Date: June 1, 2023

(2:56) - Macon's Response to Raw Room, the Strongest Frog Ever and Lopsided NBA Finals (24:55) - Grady Jarrett talks the Atlanta Falcons, Playing the Patriots in the SB, Roughing the Passer vs Brady, Being Trained by Ray Lewis, New Falcons Jerseys and Adversity He's Faced on the Way to the League (1:09:03) - Oakley Block: Al Pacino vs Robert De Niro, Beluga Spy Whale and Jeff Van Gundy's 'No Halftime' Idea presented by Oakley Have some interesting takes, some codebreaks or just want to talk to the Green Light Crew? We want to hear from you. Call into the Green Light Hotline and give us your hottest takes, your biggest gripes and general thoughts. Day and night, this hotline is open. Green Light Hotline: ‪[phone]‬ Send any Talent Search submissions to: [e-mail] Include any video of your talents, takes and bits as well as a little bit about yourself. Love hearing from the Green Light fans. Also, check out our paddling partners at paddleva.com to get your canoes, kayaks and paddleboards so you're set to hit the river this summer. Green Light Spotify Music: https://open.spotify.com/user/951jyryv2nu6l4iqz9p81him9?si=17c560d10ff04a9b   Spotify Layup Line: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1olmCMKGMEyWwOKaT1Aah3?si=675d445ddb824c42   Green Light Tube YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/GreenLightTube1   Green Light with Chris Long: Subscribe and enjoy weekly content including podcasts, documentaries, live chats, celebrity interviews and more including hot news items, trending discussions from the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, NCAA are just a small part of what we will be sharing with you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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today. Welcome to the Greenlight Podcast. Thanks for joining today. We've got Atlanta Falcon, defensive Lyman, Grady Jarrett. He's jumping on from Flowery Branch in Atlanta. And give us the load out on the 20-23 Eagles piggyback on some of the things we talked to Arthur Smith about last week. He will talk the Falcons versus Patriot Super Bowl they played in, kind of his arrival game with three sacks. He'll get into roughing the passer play against Brady last year and everything he's been through on his NFL journey. But to kick off the show, we've got Macon in studio, and so we'll kick it off with Macon's response to Raw Room. Make you got a hello today? Jackson, Tennessee. Hello! Why Jackson?

A proper Tennessee city. A few miles east of Memphis. Shots fired. I ain't scared of none of you hoes. I ain't never shed a tear. In yo hood bumping, riding with a 12 case of Miller light beer. That's a 3-6. That's shout out to my friends at the Raw Room.

Now, I know you've had a chance to respond. So layup line, weak-ass bitch. weak-ass bitch and you know I don't know if I pulled those exact words from weak-ass bitch which has been read before on the podcast but that is that is for sure 3-6 ain't no doubt about it now may I the question that was posited who would win a cage match is the lowest form of content creation talking about who Who would win a hypothetical fight causes my eyes to roll to the back of my head on account of overwhelming and unyielding boredom? Okay?

You understand? And yet 10 days later, here we are talking about it. So kudos to our friends in Memphis. If indeed that is where they are located. They said they were going to have a bag of chips on your laptop. Yeah. So as it pertains to the green light of it all, like Kendall. Roy, I am the second eldest boy.

Okay? I'd be the second person entering that cage. I am the co-pilot. So we can have all this talk of Kyle and Nate and Bo and they played football and that's great. But I'm the second person entering that cage. Now I pause here to discuss the specific comments made about me. famously the lebitard program posted a picture of me of my face of this picture that everyone likes to make fun of and i don't understand it you can you can pull it up you google my name it comes up is it because my

cheeks are flush that everybody makes fun of it is it just because i'm wearing a coat in a tie i think it's because you look like the final boss of the whites i do look white in it that's for sure Yeah. And the haircuts, my haircut, the face is my face. There's not much I can do about it. Yeah. And I cross my legs when I sit. All this toxic masculinity out there, these men are so, are so threatened by a man who can cross his legs.

Yeah. I'm going to make a bit of a self-call, and I'm going to credit Darren Bates with having an amazing gift. the only other person who has IDed this in their lives is my wife. Now, I listened to the program after I saw these shots being fired. I wanted to hear what the other commentary was. They were trying to pull back and grab a movie, a character that perhaps looked like me. They were talking about the Santa Claus with Tim Allen.

Eventually they got to it, and it's elf. and I'm going to show you a picture, Chris, which I don't really get embarrassed by many things, but I've always held this back because I don't know. It's almost a little, I can't handle the truth, okay? This looks more like me than I look like me, okay? It's Will Ferrell as elf, but there's a, what's it called when you throw it back? there's a flashback to when elf is little. A boy.

All right. Are you ready? Yeah, I'm ready. Does that look like anybody you know? Yeah, it looks like a boy version of you. Can we check in and see where the actor is now? Isn't that amazing? Yeah.

Yeah, that looks a lot like you. And if indeed that's what Darren was referring to, yeah. They couldn't really spit it out dancing around Tim Allen. Oh, like Tim Allen. Well, they're high on drugs there. he has amazing he Darren Bates might be the most amazing

facial guy you know around and I knew what I was saying okay so I don't care for the content I don't care for the slander Darren doesn't like that I wear a hat and then I cross my legs

who's next you know if crossing legs is a crime I don't care I don't care about the fight stuff you know cowboy and I are lovers not haters love is love that's my response to raw room good statement thanks hey I got a St. Louis it was really well put thank you I think on all counts perhaps a bit meandering no it was good

St. Louis Memorial dude I gotta tell you about this fucking frog man okay so went camping Saturday night with the kids on the James River and a lot of our clothes got wet So Sunday on like four hours of sleep. And by the way, I was up till three in the morning just hammering Angels Envy sitting on my Yeti. It was, you know, like kind of a half moon, perfect night. It was awesome.

So I'm a little hungover and I'm scrambling to clean the RV. And I'm grabbing every trash bag in the RV. And there's this trash bag that's kind of full. And I guess I go and throw it in the trash. And later that night I went out with a flashlight and found it in the trash. and brought it inside and all the clothes are soaked so they got they got to wash and they got to wash probably twice if you soak them in vinegar it gets that nil-duey smell really yeah so we'll try that next time but we run two hot loads and uh meg finds a fucking frog clinging to the window of the fucking washing machine

at the end of load two so the frog survived two loads at like fully hot. He was just clinging to the window and I could not believe it. The frog was still alive, alive and well, and they released it into the wild. Is that insane or what? What were the odds that the frog would last two hot loads

in a high efficiency washing machine? Like, was he plus 400? Well, that's what saved. Did the high efficiency of it all? You know what I'm saying? Honestly, though. I would have never guessed that they could survive something like that. How hot do you think it got? Do we, hey, cowboy, how hot do washing machines get on the

hot cycle? Yeah, get back to us on that. But the frog, I want to give him the St. Louis Memorial Award. Not a lot of people saw him. My family didn't see him. 130 degrees fan high. Yeah, so he was in a hot tub. He was in like a scolding hot. Yeah, hot top. Real hot. And actually, I think they do hang on in hot tubs on occasion. Yeah, so shout out to that frog. That was insane, dude. I just want to shout him out. Are the clothes next to the door not getting very washed? No, they're tumbling in the middle of the wash. Oh, I understand. The doors on the outside. No, no, I understand. Frog's just up there like a fucking magnet on a fridge. Did Meg hand it? Did she hand it? She doesn't like touching frogs. I don't blame her. I handle

the touching of the frog. Oh, you did? Yeah, I handle the touching of the frog. Okay. And then where exactly did you release? Just out in the yard. Okay. Somewhere away from dogs. Oh. All right. Near a tree. Speaking of game seven, because that was the whole point of this thing, I had to find the shirt. And maybe that's why Jason Tatum rolled his ankle because Luke didn't find his shirt. I'm not going to lie to you. I would love to show you a picture of a turtle. Why? Because it was an amazing, it was an amazing turtle that I saw that actually drove past.

And I thought that's a log. Make a case for why this stays in the show. well I guess I would say that I would send it to the cowboy read and then boom social and then if deemed quality enough

it could become a social let's see the turtle well yeah that's that's the crux of the issue locating the picture of the turtle we don't have to no no I I'm really close I have found the turtle speaking of slow

ha hey so I drive by this. I think, oh, um, give me the turtle. Just give me the turtle. It doesn't need any more building. Tree bark sitting on a driveway. And I was like, nah. Damn, dude, that's a snapper. That's a snapper. That's a snapper. Did you know it was a snapper?

No, I did not. That's why. That's why. So if I had approached that turtle, it would have snapped at me? Yeah, it would have bit your finger off or something. What if I go from the back to lift it up by the shell? I can't get to me, that is a big ass snapper, dude. He's got, he's got, what does he have all over him? Leaves and shit? Yeah, he was all disguised. He's all camoed up. He's all real treeed up. He was VCAM mode.

He was like, keep it moving. You got to watch for the snappers. I saw about a two-foot snapper the other day. How big is this, would you say? It's about a foot. So that would snap. Mm-hmm. The jaws clamped down and obliterate any flesh in the way.

Cowboy, I'll send this to you. Okay, so game seven, boy, am I glad it wasn't even close. I mean, like, I had the heat. I had the under and I had the heat. and it was like 9-7 halfway through the first quarter. It was like marvelous. It was awesome, except for the fact that I had Jimmy Butler over 28 and a half points.

He missed a free throw with like four minutes to go, landed squarely on 28. But you can't win them all. But the heat, man, like what a fucking run. The question we were asking is like, would this be the most improbable championship in major sports history? And I know that like, you know, when you talk about history, and it's across four sports,

like you don't want to be a prisoner of the moment, but yeah, I mean, mathematically, I look at this thing, Matt. I mean, looking at the odds for the NBA finals, first off, you have to go back a while to find a five seed in there. I mean, if you take out the strike shortened season in 1998, the only other time there was an eight seed, that was my Knicks,

they went down four one to the spurs. Like, I think the Celtics were a five seed at some point, but you'd have to go back, like way back to find. And I don't think you have any sixes or sevens that made the finals. But the bottom line is if you look at the last like 10-15 NBA finals, like this, if you go off of Vegas odds, which I trust, the nuggets are minus 400 to win the series over the heat. I think, Matt, have you seen a number like that?

So yeah, it almost looks like a typo. Yeah. But really the Eastern Conference has been favored in each of the last, or sorry, the Western Conference has been favored in each of the last 10 years. in a row. Which is wild because I don't even like the West was so dominant for a while. The West was so dominant. And then I thought the playing field got leveled a little bit, but you look at that stat. They're still dominant. The Warriors were minus 320 to beat Cleveland in 2017. And we all know what happened there. I mean like the Warriors were also minus 280

to beat the Raptors and they lost them. Of course, I put an asterisk there because Kevin Durant blew as Achilles early in that series. But like... That's the only way that Miami can win is if something bad happens to one of Denver's key guys. You think it's that, it's that, sure. Absolutely, yeah. I would say it's more likely that Denver sweeps them than that Miami wins the series. Jeez, minus 3.30 Lakers bubble championship over heat.

So to put it in perspective, if you looked at like the NFL, Niners, Chargers, this is Niners Chargers. Like if you were a kid like me watching that game in 1994 or whatever it was, it was 18 and a half was the line. That's the biggest Super Bowl line I could find. Packers, you know,

minus 14 over New England, Drew Bledso, Reggie White, Cowboys Super Bowl 30 in Arizona minus 13 and a half over the Steelers. And then the Broncos, you don't get enough credit for this read. I didn't realize you all were 11-point dogs. against the Packers in the John Elway helicopter game.

Yeah, and then Elway took over. He's crazy. Now, I would have never known that at like nine years old, but my son might by the time he's nine. He was tracking the under the other night. But yeah, if you put it in perspective, I do think this would be the most unlikely championship in pro sports history.

And I don't know what to make of why the heat are so much better in the playoffs or why Jimmy's so much better in the playoffs because you can make an argument that this is the greatest single player postseason run in history. Even though Jimmy disappeared in a couple games late in that series, if you go off a points per game, there's a list here.

Dirk is the next closest guy in 2011. A lot of people would consider Dirk's championship run in 2011 where he beats the heat to be like the greatest individual run. the points per game differential for the playoffs was plus 4.7 for Dirk. Jimmy's almost six points up. You know, so he's been scoring at like an unnatural clip. And I got a shout out Caleb Martin, unbelievable.

Yeah. Like some of those plays that he's making looks like, you know, just an all-star level NBA player. No question. And he's not. I mean, like, again, so it's like Eric Spolstra deserves so much damage. credit like this is the biggest case for like don't hire a former player you know i'm not saying no former players can coach but like you have to weigh like building a culture against like hey what do the players want they want steve nash this year they want darvin ham they want you know like uh do you

want a placeholder or a real guy i know eric spolsters don't grow on trees but i totally agree but also in beating boston miami had the highest percentage on wide open three point shots of any team in playoff history. They made 58% of open threes. They're not going to be able to do that again. No, and, you know, they weren't prolific shooting the three in the regular season, so they've shot

at an unnaturally high clip. You know, if you look at this matchup, I think one of the things in Matt, you're the NBA head, but like they can't switch on Yokic. You know, like, BAM's got a... Bam is too small. Like, they're screwed in a couple different ways. I think what they'll

try to do is, like, play them straight up and force them to score and hold close on shooters. I don't see what other option they have. Well, they can kill the zone with them too. I mean, like, it's just a bad matchup. And then if you look at like Jimmy Butler, Aaron Gordon's a great defender. So there's a ton of, there's a ton of, I mean, like even with all the magic and they're riding this wave, like if you look at it on paper, it does feel like the clock strikes midnight

on these guys this time. And, you know, it might be a terrible finals, but it's been a great playoff. And I don't know what you'd rather have, like a playoff where there's not a lot of game sevens, there's not a lot of close games, but then the finals is great. Or this, you know, which is the way I think it probably plays out is, you know, Nuggets in five or something. I don't know. So, and don't get in foul trouble, bam.

You get in foul trouble. You get Kevin Love and fucking Cody Zeller, who looks like an American dad, dude. He's going to be Garden Yokic. Also check out the heat in terms of the play end. They lost to the Hawks by 11. They were down most of the fourth quarter to the Bulls. They were nearly bounced. They were down three with three minutes to go to the Bulls in that final playoff game.

And then you get the Bucks without Janus for a couple of games. You beat an okay Knicks team, but this is where they really turned it on against Boston. I mean, you go down the roster. It doesn't look totally crazy. You got Yokeach and Murray. You got Jimmy and Bam. And the supporting cast is MPJ, Aaron Gordon, Bruce Brown, KCP. And then guys who are really playing well.

Caleb Martin, Gabe Vincent, Max Truce, Duncan Robinson, not playing particularly well. I miss those two open shots. Kyle Lowry, Kevin Love, I mean, there are some dudes. If Hero comes back and you got Spoe, you got the culture. I think one, well, a couple factors. One, the Nuggets just beat the heat every time they play. They're not in one the last couple years against them. Seems significant.

And then the altitude. which, you know, gets talked about around. Of the seven-game series. Yeah. Game one is probably, actually, I think they say it hits you in game two, worst of all. But the Nuggets haven't lost a home game this postseason. So, yeah, I think it's a taller. I think what you said's right.

It's probably five, but minus 400 seems a little too steep to me. Does it? Yeah. Yeah. I might sprinkle a little bit on the heat. You know, it's done me well so far, you know? but I win no matter what because I got a big future on Nuggets to beat the heat and I have a big future on the heat to win.

So either way, I'm happy. Is this the end of the Boston wave? Dave Damashek brought this up on his podcast. And I think it's probably true. You know, our entire adult life, Boston's been on a heater. You've got six football championships, obviously, but you also throw in the three in baseball and the one in hockey, the one in basketball,

even though it feels like they probably should have had more championships in basketball. They've dominated the sports landscape, and they are never shy to tell you about it. But I think it's over. I mean, you have these two seven-game series that end in collapses. I mean, the Bruins were mathematically the best team in NHL history or something like that. And they lose a seven-game series, I think it was, to the Panthers.

Yeah, that's right. And the Celtics are about to pay Jalen Brown $300 million even though he can barely dribble. But I think they still, if you keep that together and it's Tatum and Brown, I still think they're there in the same spot next year. But football, I mean, you got,

it's chaos up there. You know, they'll be better, but like you tell me they're a contender, I don't know. When was the last Boston championship? It would have been maybe the Patriots? the Bruins. Yeah. I don't know enough about hockey. Bruins might run it right back.

Yeah, they could. But yeah, hey, the bills come due. It's started. It started in college. Well, you and me were hanging out that night and you were Red Sox fan. They won the whole thing. Yeah. Came back from what, 3-0 or? 3-0 and the LCS, yeah. So anyways. Hey, and let me be the first and only one to wish the two loves of my life a happy birthday. One, the head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers, Mr. Tony Bennett. Two, last but not least, my lovely wife Kate, both June 1st birthdays. And now I'll let you get back to the Atlanta Falcons portion of the broadcast. All right.

So let's go to Grady Jarrett. He's one of my favorite players in the league. 2016 when we played them in the Super Bowl. Try to put myself in his shoes for a second. You know, three sacks plays a magnificent game. Three sacks on the goat. On the goat. It looks like they're going to win the game.

But what should be the happiest day of your life turns into, you know, probably one of the lowest moments of your life and 283 and all that stuff. So the rebuild that's followed it, I mean, he's had to play on some bad teams. Got a lot of respect for the guy. Looking forward to talking to him. Cash app. The easy way to send, spend, save, and invest with friends. Cash app helps you connect effortlessly with your finances and with your people, and that's money.

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check us out. Do you have good arm length? I feel like you probably have better arm length than height because people are focused on height. How's your arm length? People be sleep on me, man. They really be sleep on me. That's what I'm saying.

I'm a good solid season one. You know, everybody wants to be six through your all that stuff. But good, I'm going to touch that wall over there. All right, so we were just talking offline, me and Grady. The first time I ever played Grady was the Super Bowl when he went off. just an absolute dominant performance. Sack the goat three times. And since then, he's been one of the dominant players on the inside in our game.

And one of my favorite players to watch. So I want to welcome Grady Jarrett to the show. How you doing, dude? I'm doing good. I'm doing good. First off, that practice field, but glad to be on the pod now. Yeah. Yeah, you're like a vet now, dude. It's crazy.

I saw you turn 30 recently. Happy birthday. And, uh, yeah. So, so what's that like being the elder statesman? You know, it's a real, really year. nine came so fast, man. I remember when I was younger, like, you know, year two, three. I'm like, dang, you know, it's taking a minute. I'll talk to some of my teammates like year six. I'd be like, year six. I'm like, man, man, you get old. But now I'm coming into year nine, man, I'm feeling good.

And I'm just, I'm just really enjoying where I'm at, you know, in my career. So it's like, the more I played, the more I'm enjoying it. So that's, that seemed like it's a good, good trait, you know what I'm saying? So, I mean, I'm just taking to how it come. Do you have to do anything differently now that you didn't do, you know, when you were 23, for your body or preparing for the season as you've become kind of like one of these vets over 30. Yeah, man, I think you definitely got to do

things differently as far as, especially on the recovery side of things, but also with that, I think learning your body more, you know, as your career progresses, I think that's got me feeling better now at this point. My toughest years as far as physicality was is definitely like my first and second year, man, dealing with injuries and trying to overcome that.

And, but, you know, once I kind of got, I don't know if y'all, I mean, it's probably, I used to wear like this long arm brace, It's like my elbows should be all banged up. I remember you had the mind. My knees would be hurting and stuff. But now, you know, over time, you learn how to, you know, treat the things and train the right way, you know, so you can get over, you know, just a little, you know, illnesses and stuff like that. So, I mean, as I get older, man, I just feel like, you know, just learning the body better.

It's just bigger than doing something different. Do you have vets that you remember when you came in the league that were like, yeah, this dude's solid. He's helping me. This is how I would want a vet to act. And do you remember those guys? Did you try to be that better in presence on this? Yeah, without a doubt. So my first year I played with a nose tackle by the name of Paul Solia.

And he really showed me what it is. So, like, you know, to show the young players love, you know what I'm saying? And just, you know, show them the way and, you know, show them like, you know, if you work hard, you can achieve this type stuff, you know what I'm saying? And I caught Paul towards the end of his career. So he was playing well, but, you know, still just, you know, it's big vet. You know what I'm saying?

But then as far as on the field with a vet, how they went about their business was Jonathan Babineau, somebody really watches a young player, just the way he just approached the game, always taking notes, you know, in year 12, year 13, and he's just like the first one in line every time we're doing drills, doing indie, and just always, you know, he would ask questions and stuff.

But even though even when it was the time that he was making the transition to being more of like a support role player versus a starter, he was always the type just to show love and just show the younger guys like myself, you know what to do and just and just how to go about your business from somebody who had a lot of success you know and so for him to be that for me it's something that still has an impact on me so those two guys Paul Solio and Jonathan Babineau were really good impressions on me dude you mentioned Jonathan Babineau who's a great player and Paul was a dog too but like I was just with Jordan

Babineau two weekends ago at my golf tournament and I'm not a golfer but I do the tournament because It's a lot of fun, and I ride along in the whole thing. The drinks are good, the music's good. I get to see some of my buddies. I saw you're having your, I think it's Grady Gives back weekend. And there's a golf tournament in that thing. Are you a golf? So it's funny you say that.

So, yeah, so I definitely got the Grady Gives golf tournament coming up. So the first year, you know, when I'm getting to all the charity work and, you know, everybody do golf tournament. So, you know what, I'm going to go to my hometown and do a golf tournament out there. I go out there, set it up. And, you know, for me, golf is cool, but I can't be on the course all day. man and I'm not like the best golfer and so I'm like you know I don't want to do a whole golf tournament so instead of doing that past couple years we've been taking it to top golf you know what I'm saying so everybody like top golf you know I'm saying so it's easy and it's easy to have sponsors come and have fun because you know you do your sponsorship and you get a bay for you and your company you all get to play you know have drinks have food you get to interact with a lot of different people from different companies or different charities whatever may be and you're kind of all in this one area you're kind of all in this one area you're you know, versus, you know, you got somebody on hold five,

a whole 10, hold. So for me, especially being in the Atlanta area, we got like three top golfs. So it's a good event that I like to do to raise money for my foundation, Grady Gives. And, you know, the first time, actually, we met in person was probably at the Man of the Year's stuff and one of the best philanthropists in the league right here.

So check out the work that Grady's Foundation does. He's awesome off the field, just like he is on the field. But you've got a lot of celebrities you can choose from to have to this golf tournament probably like with Atlanta and the music scene and with some of the athletes like who are some of the people that might slot there man we got uh in the past we don't have a lot of the hawks players come through um you know the entertainers here in the city they stay so busy so they kind of be like last minute if they do show up or something like that you know what I'm saying so that's the thing when you're booking something like this you're your your person's

like hey three weeks out like is ludicrous coming like no that's going to happen like the night Yeah, it got to have my night before. Like, if I just had my birthday, I just had my birthday party, man. And we had a Young Droke perform at the birthday party. This is all me knowing the high. It was all, everything was surprised to me. But I think we were supposed to have like two chains or something.

My mom said, she said, well, he got double book. He got to be in Dubai tomorrow. So he can't come to your birthday. So I'm like, all right. Well, that's the game. You can't go bad with Yon Droo show enough, that's an Atlanta legend. So I was happy to have, you know, whoever that was. So with the entertainers, man, they're so busy, you know.

But I'll definitely have a couple of teammates come by, former and current teammates, some ATL legend players and stuff like that. There's easiest because guys stay local, you know, and then I have like Ray Lewis come through a couple of years, Air Reid come through. And so those are like some of the old vests that's like being closer to my life that like to support me and stuff. And at this point, I'd be having to, you know, he'd be booking on me the next day too. So I understand everybody to be busy. But at the end of the day, you just kind of come show love for Grady Gibbs. And it'd be all good. So this weekend, a buddy of mine runs a lot of nonprofits here in Charlottesville,

and they're doing like a bike drive at the outdoor basketball court. We have a City League basketball league out here, and there's games Saturday night, and GZ's coming because him and my buddy are cool. I don't know if you've met Gizi yet in Atlanta. Yeah, so I was wondering we do something called Layup Line here, where we kind of kick it off with a song sometimes. We had your head ball coach, Arthur Smith, pick a song last week. He did some Bruce Springsteen.

I was going to say, if you had one GZ song that you like that you want to kick off the interview with, what you got. Jeezy, you know what? I like that. I get a lot of that. You get a lot of that. You talk about money, and I get a lot of that. You feel me? So that one always gets me going.

And that's just one of the more, not recent, but it ain't like the old trap-a-dive-d-jee-you-know-all-know-all-know-old. I don't know if they're ready for that. saying so. No, that's my age. That's my age. That's my age. You know? Yeah.

No, I, I, I would go, go crazy remix with Jay Z because that was like, and when I was in college, believe it or not, that was like the anthem, man, uh, GZ. I don't know if, uh, I mean, he's been great his whole career, but like when I was in school in like 2005, he had it absolutely. He got on lock. He got on lock for a long time, man. Yeah. So, so, hopefully we get to hang out with Jizi this weekend.

supposedly we're going to get to just hang out with them and watch some basketball. But I guess my question was, you know, I talked about man of the year and us meeting there. But the first time I played against you, you just put on such a great performance in that Super Bowl. And I felt like it was a big coming out party for you. But I also kind of tried to put myself in your shoes because, you know, that game didn't go the way y'all wanted it to. And I remember being a halftime, you probably sitting in that locker room in a whole different frame of mind than me. I was like, man, we just blew the Super Bowl, you know, in front of you. For me, I'd never been in the playoffs and that sort of thing.

But this was your coming out party. And for it to end that way, I do feel for you. And I was wondering how hard it was as a team and for you to get up off the mat. And the years that followed it have been tough too at times. But it looks like y'all are turning around. What's that process been like and how hard was that mentally to get over that game? Yeah, man, it was definitely tough. You know, it's kind of one of the things that a lot of people joke about this, this and that.

And a lot of what is what would have happened by it? that day you can't control, you know, outcome when something happens, so you can only focus on going forward, you know? And so for me, instead of me being down and be like, oh, I wish we won, so I could have did this and everything for me would have been different if we just won the game. Like, I just was like, you know what, at the end of the day, I proved to myself that, you know, I can compete in this league on a big stage and that I just gave me the confidence just to be the best me I can be. But, you know, the years following that, you know, a lot of time people forget about the year after that. We was the only team in the NFC to go back to the playoffs

that year. Yeah, we played again. We played again, you and me. And then we, would you in Philly that year? We lost in Philly that year. That was a tough one too. We lost on like the crazy, the ball popped up, off the chest and they converted the first down. So that we made it back. Before the half. But it's just been after that, it's been tough. You know, it's been a tough grind.

But at the end of the day, I just know that all these years, you know, just trying to get over the hump, get over the hump. It's going to pay off. And I feel like that time it is now, you know, here in Atlanta. And, you know, for me, I just never lost faith. And I'm glad that I didn't because or just try to run and go find, you know, the answer somewhere else or go to this. I just want to, you know, stay ten-told down, you know, where I'm at,

and get us back to where I know we need to be, you know what I'm saying? So I take pride a lot playing in Atlanta, and I just know that our best days of football are still coming. And I just think it's just a really good time for us to, you know, get over that hump. And I love the new coach, man. We had Arthur on, as I said, and we had one question for you. You want to ask you about? Yeah, how old do you think Arthur Smith is, Grady? I know the answer to that.

You know the answer. I was wondering if you do the answer. But yeah, he'll tell you himself, though, man. He could be a little deceptive, man. You know what I'm saying? But, but I mean, but then you get to talk and interact with him. You're like, oh, yeah, he wanted the guys, man. He wanted the guys.

Dude, I played against him in college. I didn't realize that he was at UNC when I was in Virginia. And we were reading through his bio. I'm like, dude, this guy's one of us. I mean, my generation, but he's so mature. What's he like, though, just as a head coach? Like, you've had a few. you know, like what are his pet peeves?

What, what does he love? Like, if you're going to, if you're going to piss him off, what do you got to do? If you're going to make him happy, what do you got to do? You know, his biggest pet peeve, man, his entitlement. He don't like guys who feel like stuff is old to him. Guys who don't work hard who complain and got a excuse for every answer. Why you didn't do this? Why you didn't do that?

He don't play about that. But things he really like are guys who grinded out without, even like, without the accolades or without the, you know, guys who getting the pat on the back. You know, to do good, you've got to feed somebody ego. He don't like that. But we don't like that around here anyway either. But he's definitely got that culture instill to where everything that you get is going to be earned. And no matter, you know, where they're, you know, number one player of death chart or, you know,

the last guy just trying to make it on the bubble, man. So, and everybody's going to have an opportunity, you know, and he big on, you know, guys not being comfortable. You know, he gets, and also with that, you know, it gives a lot of guys opportunities, you know. So if you got a practice squad guy, you might find out Saturday night, you're going to be. up ready to play. You go do what you got to do. And that might be a career change of opportunity for you. So at the same time, while you keep it tough trying to keep guys on the toes, you're giving a lot of opportunities. So that's what I really do appreciate about Coach Smith. And just the more time I get to spend one of them going on the third year with them now, I mean the relationship,

friendship, you know, it's always a business. But, you know, just a bond between two guys is just continue to grow, you know, and, you know, I'm excited about it and just, you know, keep it fresh. You know what I'm saying? I'd enjoy my first head coach, coach, Coach Quinn had a good time, you know, but, you know, Coach Smith was a different vibe. And just because it's different, I don't mean it's, you know, bad, you know what I'm saying? So it really forced me to grow as a player, you know what I'm saying? I've been able to play in a lot of different defensive schemes that I didn't play in my first six years, you know, playing on Coach Peas last year.

I played all across the defensive line from zero to five, you know what I'm saying? And now, you know, having a new decor that I get to play, you know, in some of the same roles, the different roles. But I enjoy the challenge of it because it keeps me fresh, keep me going. monotony to my career. I never got to figure it out. You know what I'm saying? So always learning and trying to get better.

I mean, it's been a perfect marriage. Dude, you mentioned guys that had to work and might hear Saturday night that they'd be up. We got a mutual friend in Stephen Means. Yeah, that's my brother. Means was, dude, Mienz was like guys would be petrified in practice. I mean, he would just crack your skull. At practice and walk through, like every day fighting with the offensive line. He did not.

here. But you know what, man, I got Stephen a whole bunch of extra years here, though. And then he became a starter. He became a starter here for two years, you know? And that's something that he just, he just was so inspirational to me. You know what I'm saying? And you know how Means is the passion that he talked with and play with. It's just really, really get the juices going, man. So, so yeah, man, that's definitely, that's a brother to me. Dude, Mains was such a legend in Philly. The fans loved him because they come to preseason games and he just ball out and everybody respected him. I remember he had this walk-off. off sack at the end of the preseason.

The fireworks went off and he did his like hammer thing and hit it right with the fireworks, dude. I was like, man, this is the biggest moment. He had the signature dance, everything. Well, not the dance. A celebration. The celebration, yeah, because I don't think of the dance. Yeah, no, no, no, no.

And then Bates, obviously. Darren Bates. Yeah, yep, yep, yep. And he's got the raw room going. Shout out to the raw room. We love the raw room. You talked about different schemes. You know, I know.

I know you're dominant as a three. Like, you know, that's where you can hit it and get it. And, you know, but playing up and down the line, was there any spot that was more challenging to learn? Was it a five? Is it getting into zero? Is it a shade? Like, where did you have the biggest learning? I think I always been the most comfortable within the zero to three range.

You know, coming through college, I was basically mostly a nose, two-eyed, and then I played. Then I switched over the three technique more in like my third year. you're in the league, like mainly. And then, so in that, I play so much in between that three. So areas of growth for me definitely was going from like four-eye out to like fives and stuff like that. But as a run defender and a pass rusher, you know, so it was a, I forgot what year was it. I was doing a lot of outside five technique rushing and I just had to learn and get good at it.

And I really enjoyed it. And then also just in a like in a base front playing like a head-up four or something like that. I mean, he's not my favorite, but if I got to do it, I got to do it. You know what I'm saying? and so, you know, I like the guy like hit it and get it, but at the same time, you know, being disciplined with my footwork hands

and, you know, reading versus always attacking, attacking, attacking, attacking. It's something that I had to grow and, you know, learn to love too, you know, so. And so it's like, and then being a, quote-unquote, smaller defensive tackle sometime, being putting myself in positions to where I don't give them certain angles on me to get movement.

And usually when I hit it and get it, I can, you know, get through some of the stuff, but then just playing more strong and more with a better base and holding through some of the double teams and stuff. Do you have good arm length? I feel like you probably have better arm length than height because people are supposed to on height. How's your arm? People be sleep on me, man. They really be sleep on me. That's what I'm saying. I'm a good solid season one. You know, everybody wants to be six through your all that stuff. But good, I think good arm, I'm going to touch that wall over there. But no, but I got good arm leaf,

good hands. I got 10 these hands at the compound. You know what I'm saying? Yes, dude. Yeah. But other than, I'm not. But other than, that man for me you don't know of that I mean it's the it's the work

it's the motor it's the strength you know and for me my strength really is what helped me play in the inside a lot

a lot of guys may see me and I think it's like a little deceptive factor especially when they see me in person

they're like oh man you're smaller and I thought you're smart and they run up on me you know what I'm saying to catch a little

elbow you know a little little get a little to the throat real quick you know yeah

yeah yeah yeah did you did you watch Gino a lot I feel like, because Gino was one of the most dominant defensive tackles in my era

and probably aligned with you kind of like watching guys in college and that sort of thing. Gino was a beast, man. He was, I honestly didn't know how he did it sometime because as you probably watched him, I had a little funky stance, but it went by the time he got out of the stands, it was like, you know, but he had so much power like, and it was like one of the things where you'd be like, how was he moving this guy like that? But it was just, he would just get inside hands and just pushing back and they couldn't stop him. And he was just so quick up and down the line and just play relentless, man.

Just play relentless. And, you know, he had a good career like he did for, I mean, for a reason. You know, he was a special player. Yeah. And you worked the long arm good, too. So, I mean, like, you know, like, you know, like if you get stopped with that initial move, just shoot, head down, go to work, push and bet. Mm-hmm.

Yeah, no, it's a good tool to have in the toolbox. You did get paid, man. You talked about, like, staying at it and all that stuff. You got paid deservedly so. I love to see it. And I know I was looking at your Instagram and you had a picture in front of your, I think your house. Yeah.

And I was like, damn, dude, there's some nice houses in Atlanta, bro. Your house is pretty sweet. Oh, man. Man, I found a gym. Yeah. Yeah, dude. Especially in the COVID scare when prices was down. Yeah, you got it.

Much of market killing right now, but I had beat the wave, man. I beat the wave. So, um, yeah. So I mean, I'm enjoying it. But at the same time, it's still motivating for me. You know what I'm saying? Because just see the dreams come to reality and stuff. like that but uh but yeah man i'm definitely i'm definitely uh you know enjoying why man i'm always doing

renovation something at a house or fixing something you got a house like that you always got to fix some you know it's like a ongoing bill but at the end of day you know it all it's all it's all it's all worth man so that's why i just downsides this is my real estate agent right here i just downsize because i'm like man i don't like keeping track all that shit how far do you live from rick ross from rick ross some product kind of far he down he's down to fayetteville which is a good height you know i'm i live in Sandy Springs area and Rick Rosmore where he lived at

they got a lot of land out there see we got yeah he's like nice nice houses and stuff but you know you don't get like two acres or like eight and a half but down there

they're gonna you gonna get you know 30 40 acres you know have you been there haven't been there but I see videos up all the time man

he's got a yeah he got a heck of a crib out there your uniforms I know we're we're doing a little bit of addition by subtraction this year

with the gradients and people's hate on the gradients I like the gradients. You look good in the gradients, but not everybody. Man, I have a swag down pay. You got to go with the,

say, well, they was wearing it wrong. You got to go with the white cleats or the white gloves to go with the gradient. They were trying to wear the faded, red, fade. They was doing too much. You got to simplify the gradients, man. But it's all good. You know what I'm saying.

It is where it is, but I had like the gradients. How do you feel about them generally, the uni's, home away, all of it? What's your favorite? I think the favorite is, you know, I was part of the, when we had the old reds, I had liked those, the red and white bottoms and stuff like that. That style, like, when Mike Viggis played for us,

we wore that for, like, my first five years, I think. And then switch over, I was happy that we got the all-black. At first, the ATL right here kind of threw me off, but I grew up to love it. Details. And then I like when we do the white-black combo. I like the all-white. But, you know, the one that everybody didn't like was the gradients.

I was like, I thought those were pretty cool. Now, when I first seen them, though, when we was switching over to uniforms, I thought they looked a little like Pop Warnery or whatever, but I did grow to like it, though, you know what I'm saying? So, and then the throwbacks are timeless, you know, so everybody love to throwbacks. The throwbacks are the past.

You know, the throwbacks are timeless, and, you know, I love to wear it when we wear those. Yeah, no question. That defense you have there, it's a little like the NCAA transfer portal at the moment. It was acquiring talent from year to year, but talk about being the guy who's been there, the guy who now you introduce the newcomers to everybody in the building.

You have Calaisus there. You have Anyamata, a couple guys in the secondary Okuda Bates, Bud Dupree. How is it having all these new faces in the building all the once? And who are you excited about? Awesome. I'm really excited about all of them. I'm excited probably the most to play with David

just because we play so close to each other in the inside. And then just learning from Calais, you know, a guy that's been going on. year 16. I mean, and then also, you know, adding more depth and skill in the back end is going to help us as rushers up front as well. So, I mean, I mean, it's been a really great offseason, especially for the defensive side, which I'm super, super excited about. But I take pride definitely in being a main state here and, you know, hopefully to continue to pushing it for years to come. And so I just, you know, I just feel like as patience, you know, worked out with perfect timing

and hard work. So I think, I think it's time for us to really, you know, reap the rewards is just being patient and bringing in guys that's ready to compete right now, you know? Because sometimes, as you know, Chris, man, even if you get a high round draft pick rookie, man, it's still a learning curve, you know what I'm saying? Especially on the inside, you know what I'm saying? So to get a guy that's ready to go right now,

like David, you know what I'm saying, Calais? And so, I mean, it's going to be really good. David's a hell of a player, and I kind of wonder this because you probably don't see a lot of guys going from New Orleans to Atlanta or vice versa. How much did, like, you guys over? openly talk about it. And I got to say, it might be the best robbery in football.

It might not be the one that gets the most attention. But where do I feel the most hate? I feel the most hate during hate week. And I didn't even play there. What, what, cut, put me in your shoes that week. And what goes on that week between those two teams? You know, more than the teams, man, it's like the cities, man. Like, even like it's like all year round.

So I got family like in Bantan Rouge, so I go there a lot, whether I fly to the Walas or Bounder Rouge. And that year round, they got something. hate Falcon stuff, you know what I'm saying? And so when you, but even playing the game, it's just, it's just one of those games where no matter what the records are, it's going to be a good game, you know, no matter if, you know, you got two teams in a playoff hunt

or just, you know, maybe two teams both struggling. And it's a game that means a lot to so many people. And, but I think when you have a guy, like, you know, come over from like a rival team or something like that, I mean, yeah, I mean, you got to learn how to like the team, you know, I'll be there. So I don't know. That's on him.

So I'm going to breathe, you know, you mind the business that pay you, you feel me? So I think it'll be okay transition for it. What's it like, I mean, you know, my dad played the league, your second generation NFL as well. Like there's pressure that comes with that, man. And I think a lot of people might not think about it because you guys didn't play the same position. But, you know, there's definitely been pressure on you, I'm sure, growing up. and, you know, like going to college and playing ball and now in the pros, how is that shaped who you are?

You know, I think for me is a little different, you know, because the pressure for me really wasn't there on that end of it because though me and my dad do got a good relationship, I didn't grow up in that same household, you know? So for me, the man I called dad growing up was great senior. I'm great Jared second. And he, well, on himself was just on me to be my best as far as, you know, whether it's like being like, you know, always in shape or, you know,

my mom being on me, like, as far as like just, you know, being, like, you know, a good child, hard work and all that stuff like that. So the, it was, for me, I don't know if it was, I don't know if it was, I don't know if it was a little separated from the everyday part of it, you know what I'm saying? But at the same time, being a pro now, I can just really just, you know, enjoy it because it's, you know, it's just like, it's something like it's like a cool little, you know what same thing and the way fate works out, you know, for me to be, you know, here and being a second generation, Falcon, you know what I'm saying? I mean, I'm just going, you know, I'm a joy to ride.

You feel me? Like, but at the end of the day, it's not something that as negatively affects me in the pressure form, but something like, you know, to strive for, you know what I'm saying? Like, and then, but also, knowing that I got my own story too. So, um, so it's an interesting dynamic, but at the same time, uh, it's something that, you know, I take pride in it. You feel me? So it's just a cool part of my story. Do you, and one part of your story that I thought was really interesting, and I didn't know this about,

until I was reading about it before you popped on, but I did not know, and this is a low point, I'm sure, but draft night, you guys had that fire, man, and like, and as you're getting passed over, like the first night goes by, and you guys are dealing with a house fire. I mean, how tough was that? And then when you watch the draft now, is it hard to separate that memory from, like,

actually watching it and not feeling that way? You know what I mean? It was definitely something that was, like, super, like, just traumatized on going through that. Because especially for my family, we were always the family to be more stable, you know. And as family, you always got people, you know, got to look out for here and there, here and there. So for my family to be one going through it and being, like, this place during that time, it was really tough. And also with, you know, one, me already watching the draft, expecting to be taking high, you know,

first day passed, didn't, didn't get drafted. Second day come, you know, watching, you know, even like Coach Sweeney called me like that morning, like, what's the second and third round? Like, you know what, you didn't get picked yesterday, but congratulations, today's your day, blah, blah, this and that. I'm like, all right, yeah. So at the end of the day at worst, you know, nope, I don't get past the second third round or something like that. So around the second round time, you know, that's when we, the fire started, you know, so, so I think right then it's like fight or flight, you know what I'm saying? You got to get everybody out the house from like your draft party and stuff.

And then you take a second back, you're like, hold up. Like, this is like, this is happening right now. You know what I'm saying? And then by the same time, you got your little ticker on it. You got your phone on you because you want to get draft, you know what I'm saying? And so as that going on, you know, the fire, get everybody at the house. And, you know, you got some people crying over here. Some people just making sure everybody straight over here.

And then me, I'm kind of just kind of still locked in trying to, you know, watch the phone. And so time go by is getting dark outside, third round pass. And I remember, like, the Cleveland Browns was like the last week. third round they took a defensive tackle and um I was like you know I was frustrated I like slam my phone I just was like like super mad and then the next day um went out to my Covington is a town over from Conyers where I'm from and uh my cousins had a house there uh went to Covington to watch the rest of the draft fourth round pass defense as how it was getting taken defense tackles again taken and that by the time I'm like you know I I mean I was still sad about

the fire and all that but I mean I'm still I'm Like, you know, I'm still not drafted. So by the time, the time for me to get drafted, I'm on the floor, like, laid out, bro, like, like, like, just the point. I'm laid out. Like, I'm holding back tears. I don't even know if I'm holding back.

Like, I'm just, like, crying. Then by the time, my phone ring, and that was, like, Atlanta number, I can't really remember it was, like, 4-4 or 770. And I answered it, and it was, you know, Thomas Demetro all at the time, Scott Pioly, and, you know, Dan Quinn, that's who I talked to. They traded up to give me in the fifth round.

And once you get traded, Once you get pig, man, it was just such a relief. And then for it to be in Atlanta going through that, you know, with my family, not having to leave, you know what I'm saying? It was also just a big relief for everybody, you know, around, especially in my immediate family, like my mom, my sister's and my dad and stuff like that. And so once you get drafted, you know, usually, you know, you see everybody guys get drafted. They had the parties and, you know, you're looking good, you know, hanging out and stuff like that.

But, you know, we got put up in a hotel, you know what I'm saying? They sent us something like Falcons gear to suffice for a little while, but, you know, it was just, it was a weird time. But, you know, God paid it back tenfold, you know, me just staying down and just believing and believing in the process. And, you know, everybody just staying together as a family, you know what I'm saying, and just as our own little team, our own little unit. And, you know, here we are, you know, nine, ten years later, you know, just, I just couldn't, you know, put a better picture together. What's going on? It ain't been perfect, you know what I'm saying. but I'm still here where my feet were playing it at

and continue to, you know, just continue to grind it out. You know, I enjoy my story of being a fifth rounder and, you know, letting that be motivation to other guys, you know, who are low draft picks or undrafted guys and showing that, you know, you can still do it. You just got to believe yourself. It's a longer road, you know what I'm saying? But, you know, you never know how your mindset would be

if you do get fed too early. You know what I'm saying? If you go out of first-round jeopardy, everybody telling you how good you are. You know what I'm saying? And I always say, whether I was the, you know, first round pick or fifth round pick, you know, I would have the same mindset. I would do that.

But at the end of the day, you don't know that. You know what I'm saying? So the things that I've had to overcome have given me a drive and a will to never give up. You know what I'm saying? And to know that the best is always yet to come, you know, no matter how ugly it can be in a moment. And just you got to keep trusting the process and keep grinding it out. Let the rest take care of herself.

How big of the influence has Ray Lewis been on you? Because I didn't realize how tight of a bond you all had. I heard about some of the workouts. Yeah, man. The workouts just would be crazy growing up, man. So he's had a heck of an impact on me. He's been a part of my family since I was like five years old. Met through parents met through like Mitchell friends and stuff like that.

And he just will come around, you know, invite me and the family to the house and all that stuff. He'll stay at our house and he comes to Atlanta with kids and stuff. So like his kids are like we call each other cousins and everything. still hang out to this day. I mean, we see each other maybe once or twice a week now as a adult. But yeah, we talk all the time. But growing up, man, he was working out so early and just hard, man, and he really grinded

like as far as he used to have his house of Boca Raton. And we used to go down there for like spring break or something. You know, he used to spring break people hanging out, that or da-da-da. Man, we up early, running on the beach. He was like, you see that pole all the way down there? Run there and come back. Three-four times or something to come back and hit these

jumping jacks on the sand drills and all this stuff we 12 13 you know what I'm saying so then it's just you know it's just kind of building that that uh I guess work ethic you know you're just doing it as a kid but then as you get older and I get into college and I'm working with them then it ain't like I'm spending on weeks and weeks upon weeks just like you know maybe a week at a time or a couple days here and there but it's just pushing your body knowing how far you can really go you know when you go back to training with your team you know how much more you can really do you know what I'm saying so for me me to learn from one of the best to ever play the game, you know, my expectation of just, whether it's like learning for like a leadership standpoint or just, you know, you got guys, you know, they try to tell you the way to do something this way or, oh, you don't got to do that. You know, they're tripping. But when you hear like people who are the best of what they do, always striving to get better, you know what I'm saying? It's like for me, how can I ever think that I arrive, you know what I'm saying?

If the, you know, Hall of Famous and stuff, most of the ones I've met, they always thought it can get better and whatever faster it was. and never was satisfied, you know. So that's something that I, probably the biggest lesson that I picked up from just hanging around Ray, and, you know, he played for 17 years and, you know, and just it wasn't, it wasn't an easy feat. And to do that on a consistent level, you know, being a pro now, you see how hard it was, you know.

So your buddy Matt Ryan is going to be on TV. How do you think Matt would do on TV? Because Ray did some TV. How do you think Matt would do on TV? I think Matt would do on TV. I think Matt going to do good. He got the look, you know what I'm saying, everything. thing, you know what I'm saying? He's going to talk, you know, he's good talking with his hands.

He's always, when he would talk to us, he used to talk to him like this all the time. So when he got the mic talking, you're going to see him pointing the hand. But I'm sure he's going to do well, man. I mean, he's got just, whatever he do, he just do it to the best ability, man. So I'm excited to see him in his next road for him. And your quarterback now, Desmond Britter, you got to get a good hard look at him last year, because I know he probably ran a lot of scout team. Yeah, yeah, and you got to play against him.

but how has he developed and, you know, what kind of guy is? Yeah, man. So, I mean, just from the developmental standpoint, seeing him from a rookie, then now he looks like a totally different dude. I mean, he got a lot thicker and just, like, you know, more muscular. You can see more, like, just becoming a pro from like an early, early round draft pick to just in his demeanor.

It's just been really, really well. But, I mean, the skill level, I mean, if you see him throwing a ball, see him running, he's just gotten so much better. and I think when he did get the opportunity to play last year, he showed, especially like being throwing the fire like he was, that he had enough, you know, worth all, whatever may be, to be able to be a good pro. So you take that and develop it over and over,

you know, then when it's his time to shine, which it is now, I'm sure you're going to do a really good job. So I'm excited to see him go to work. But he's a guy that, you know, some people, you know, they just got that little it about him. You know what I'm saying? Just that it factor. Whatever it is, you know, it's enough for, you know, coach and leadership here with the Falcons to believe in them to give them the opportunity to be our number one quarterback, and I think he's going to take it and run with it.

The flip side of the draft experience that you had is another one you had in a way this year where the Falcons are sitting there at 8. There's a really good detackle from Georgia sitting there. Some say the best player in the draft, and they say, we know what we have, we like what we have, we got our guy, and they go Bejjjjie. John Robinson, a year after going after guys, Kyle Pitts, Drake London, there's a lot of talent at the skill position. Talk about those guys. How are they going to be dynamic for that offense led by Desmond? Yeah, I'm just excited to watch it. I'm so excited to watch it come to life. And then with guys like Kyle, Drake, being older now, having that experience to just see them really be able to open and spread their wings more. And I'm excited to see what Bejohn got.

I mean, they were saying, like, one of the best, if not the best player in the draft. So, I mean, just being out here at OTAs, you know, you can't really see everything, but you can see, you know, moving skills, how guys got, you know, mindsets. And, you know, some guys, they're just different, you know what I'm saying? So, and I'm excited to really see him in full live action. So I think we got some good pieces. We've got some good pieces and some vets. We also add it to the team that are definitely going to have at its expense to get the ball to.

And we've got a really physical offensive line. they're good and great and run run blocking man they say some bs be good and past protection and I'm excited and hopeful that we you know open the offense and just just let it fly you know because more points of the score more opportunities we get to rush so hell yeah super super excited uh with the bye week we had arthur on we were talking about london and he was saying he made the decision because they give you an option when to do the buy i guess after london you guys did not take the buy You've played in London. What do you think about playing in London?

And then also, what do you think about coach's decision to push that by later? You know, I do like the decision to push it later because a bi week so early is like, he's got to come to practice anyway. Like, you know what I'm saying? The early by week is like it's really not even a buy week. And then so I'm glad that we pushed it. The only thing I really wish we did with the London game was we went for the whole week. You know what I'm saying?

I think we're going to leave like halfway during the week. But, I mean, the experience was really good when we went two years ago. and that we got a dub over there and just playing in front of that crowd over there is so funny because they like into it the whole game they're just yelling and stuff it might not even be on the right cue

but everybody got on every team is represented but for me it was cool to be in another country and see like big billboards of myself like you know what I'm saying Atlanta Falcons you know great Jared or like just being like being able to play in another stadium that's like

not even meant for you know US football or whatever and they turn it and convert it to a whole, you know, football field. So I'm excited to go to the other stadium that we were in Tomham, last time, Tom him. Yeah, the Spurs. Yeah. Okay, yeah, Wembley.

Yeah, I played at Wembley. Wembley's cool, but you got to wear those seven studs, bro. That's good. That's good to know. That grass is, because the soccer grass, they want it slick. They want it slick, so the ball skips across it, but it's not built for guys like you or me. So you got to wear the studs.

Well, at least check. Because I don't want you cussing me. second quarter. Like this motherfucker told me about his feet hurt. Yeah, exactly. At halftime. Okay, so then the other one would be

one of my favorite players, one of your college teammates, D. Hop, he's floating around. Are you excited to see him getting a new opportunity and, like, where do you think he'd be a good fit? I mean, I know you're not like an NFL analyst,

but is there uniform you'd love to see him? Yeah, I mean, I think he's going to do good wherever yet, you know what I'm saying? I'm excited to see him get a new start because everywhere he's been, whether he was playing with, like, you know, a top quarterback or not top quarterback because when he was he used to,

he had so many different quarterbacks, he was still putting up big numbers, you know what I'm saying? So, I mean, wherever he goes, he's going to be productive. And, you know, I thought about hitting him up. Look, come to that, but I am not, and I lead all that up to CP, Cordial passing the biggest recruiter we got.

Is he? Is he? Really? So, yeah, so wherever he ended up, I'm sure he's going to do well, and that's good to see him. still being highly productive one of the top receivers in the game still with him going into year, was it 10 or 11? Yeah. Yeah, he's 10, I think.

Who's CP hitting up? You got, it's like, it's probably a thread out there. It's just typing in like quarter Patterson recruiting anybody who's been a free agent or a coat from free agents to coaches, he'd be making them they, Twitter you get on Twitter and all that. I'd be like, hey, we ain't got nobody. He's talking about going to get yet. He's over. Oh, that's good. All right. Well, Yeah, yeah, take us through quickly, step by step, October last year, third down. You had to go and rough up Tom Brady.

You got a flag thrown on you. That was brutal. I couldn't even watch it. Yeah. Do you want to apologize or what? Man, please. That's one of the things, you know what? And I didn't even comment too much when I got on one of the NFL shows with Ray

and talked about it a little bit. But it was one of the things I was so blatant you didn't even have to say too much. You know what I'm saying? And so that kind of took care of itself. I am upset that I did get my sack taken. I was on a heck of a streak. I was like five sacks and four games. Like, you know, once you break,

once you get your strength broken, it's like, it took me like two games to get back another sack. So it was like, I was like, bro. And then the thing, other thing about it was, we was in position to go get the ball back and go try to score because we finally picked up some momentum.

So it was just such, so much stuff going on. But at the end of the day, you know, like I say, it was clean. team play, you know what I'm saying, all the in-between stuff, really for everybody else to talk about. But I think it was such an obvious, however it went that I didn't even have to say much about it.

Did Tom try to kick you? Come on, man, twice, man, you know what? You know, I always, you know, I always, you know, I always, he's mad at you about two times. Yeah, so it was like, you know, a lot of people, you know, and I respect Tom to the T, you know what I'm saying, love Tallinn and Coppena. Yeah. Compena against you always bring the best out of him, but I don't play them so many times.

so I'm not like scared to hit him. You know what I'm saying? These guys, they see Tom Brady and they be like, oh, I don't know. Yeah. I'm going to hit, you know, every time, you don't, legally, right? So he probably used to guys not really hitting them a lot. So, but I mean, the opportunity there, I'm going to hit you.

Yeah, it's a soft landing, too, you know, older guy. You know, heck of respect, but it is what it is. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I hate to end it on a sour note there with you getting a FedEx for a few, a few Gs there. But, yeah, man. Keep it up. Awesome watching your play. And hope you come back soon. Dude, good luck this year.

I appreciate you having me on up. Listen to the full podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other podcast streaming platforms. Wherever you want to get the podcast, you can get the podcast. Pretty simple. New episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Don't forget to like and subscribe for more content. Podcasts get pretty wild.

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Don't trust me. Try for yourself. I've worn a lot of sunglasses brands of my life and I can assure you Oakley is not only the best looking, but the best quality out there. Head on over to oakley.com, O-A-K-L-E-Y, for more information today. Welcome to the Oakley block. Matt, you're at the beach. I thought you were at the beach with your family, and you pop on Zoom and Macon's like, how's your lady friend?

And that's the question. Like, are you all going steady? Because she's at the beach. With your family. With your family. Yeah, I guess you could say that. Last night we were at the kitchen table. and my niece who's five years old was like,

are you guys boyfriend and girlfriend? Oh, nice. Tough one. How do you guys? And I was like, uh, yeah, I guess so. And then she got obsessed with the idea of a wedding for the next 30 minutes and continued to shout about it. So that was nice and fun.

That's good, yeah. Big assist from the five-year-old. Yeah, like a succession wedding. We'll film it. We'll pod from it. By the way, your take on succession because you weren't here the other day. day. I loved it. I loved it. Yeah. I thought it was great. I'm sad not to have it in my life anymore. Yeah. But I thought it was very well done. Yeah. Very well handled. Did you, did you, do you identify with any of the

characters? Well, that's an interesting question. You don't want to admit that you identify with any of them, but, you know, well, only in that I was led to the show by listeners of this one because they kept saying I was Greg. I was cousin Greg and I didn't know who cousin Greg was. That's how I found it. And yeah, I do see a similarity or two. Okay. Tall and strange. I don't know. I was just wondering. Um, and then Shiv a little bit, you know? Oh, she's my least favorite character. Because I'm a hot piece of ass. Hey, Matt. Hey, Matt. So, uh, like, listen, are you, uh, Are you doing like any extracurriculars on the sand or what's going on there? What's the what's the situation?

Yeah, we actually took a nice little lighthouse trip. I'm sure that's what you meant. We walked up the lighthouse to the top. Saw the whole outer banks, beautiful. Are you standing straight? Was it standing erect? Yeah. It was that all the way above.

You want to say full mass. See the sound. See the ocean. Okay. Do you have a ring on? you might this might you be proposing during this trip no dog okay do your parents like her yes really yeah they do okay does she like your family she purports to who good word who does she like most who's her favorite family member excluding you um yeah excluding me uh probably probably

little niece Janie as mentioned before they've been doing some art that's good stuff that thread will stay um okay um so so uh read what i've found is that the audience likes hearing about our real lives you know yeah the ones you talk to uh-huh uh read do you want to do read around the world i would love to do read around the world you saw the other day that alpuccino will have a child with his 29-year-old girlfriend. Okay, Pacino's 83. Okay, this girl's 29. I'm not judging.

I just want to point a couple things out. Woman, yeah. Yeah, woman. She's in 1994, I think, is when she was born or somewhere around there. Okay, quick math. She was but an egg during scent of a woman. Yeah, her scent was a little yokey. Yeah, man.

Like this is to put things in perspective, I mean, would you say earlier about my age? My. Your NOR, her name's NOR in 00R. She is eight months pregnant at present, by the way. Your NOR, your being 38 years old would be currently minus 16. Yep. So in 16 years, that's when that person would come along for me. I don't know, man.

It kind of feels like a bit of one-uping because De Niro just did it. In fact, earlier I was like, didn't we just hear about this? Like, why is this news again? Well, it's because they have a rivalry. They want to see who's still throwing strikes. I would like paternity tests for both children when they arrive. You're casting doubt. Well, they got massive PR machines behind them.

Did you know Pacino was married to Beverly DeAngelo, the great Beverly DeAngelo? Of course, from Christmas vacation. Oh, really? Yeah. She's still with us? Reed? Reed?

Yes. Yep. Reed didn't know because she's still alive. Mm-hmm. Hey, how old are you, how old are you willing to be to have a kid? How old's oldest you would be and then have a kid? Well, it depends on the circumstance, I guess, but I could see 55, 60. Wow.

Yeah. I wouldn't want to do it, no, but like if I had to, I might be able to, you know, because then you get to at least see high school graduation. Yeah. You know, but if I wait till 82. How old was Big Howe? Big Howe was like 23, this old school, you know. My dad was 45.

My dad will turn 83 this year. We should call him and see what he thinks. About Al. People I talk to like it when you. call your dad. What do I say? What do you think about Al Pacino laying strong pipe at this age? Okay. My dad's never not answered. He'll call back. He'll call back. We'll ask him. Oakley Block is a work in progress. He's calling back. He's calling back. Yellow. Hey, sorry, I hit hold and accept and

put me off. Oh dear. Who were you on the phone with on the other end? G. Oh, how's G? He's all right. I just started. He called me and I just started talking to him. That's how it goes. Al Pacino is going to have a baby. What?

Yeah. Al Pacino is 83 years old. Gee. Damn. So at 45, I was just a young kid, right? That's right. His baby mom is 29. The age gap is 55.

for crying out loud. When this child graduates high school, Ow will be 101. Is he married? I don't think they're married, no. No, he's never been married, huh? Huh. Does he have other kids?

Yes, he does. Probably in the 60s. What do you think about an 83-year-old having a baby? Well, I think people ought to, unless they're hurting other people, ought to be. Are you impressed? Huh. I might say synonymous, those two words.

Surprised. Okay. Brad, it's Chris. Hey, Chris, how are you? Oh, I'm good. I'm real good. Good. You're not amazed, though?

Like, you're not partially impressed? Because this guy's 83. Like, everything's still working. Oh, you mean that it's equipment's in better, better shape than most of us well i didn't i'm not casting aspersions here well i'm only 82 that's good that's good i couldn't believe it i could not believe this guy's making babies still that's all i can't i mean it's almost i mean i should think it would be almost impossible but anyhow all right here's make it's good good to talk to you buddy

Good to hear your voice. I love your podcast. Thanks, man. Well, this guy here is a big part of it. Here he is. How's retirement going? I'm pretty busy. Mm-hmm.

Good. All right, Dad. Well, we'll talk to you later. Yeah, I got a guy. I got to go over the UVA. I've got an appointment of urology to get my plumbing checked out. Okay. All right.

Pacino got that done. All right. Goodbye. All right. you're you now my now my dad is debasing himself on this podcast you brought it up there's a russian spy whale yeah uh that's flying around the country it's right now it's uh yeah swimming around the yeah swimming around uh it's right now it's in sweden that's sweden swedishish authorities are trying to uh keep it in one place so they can get to it and help it out but uh it's

of Vladimir is it is its name how about Vladimir it's a play on words it's a combination of Vladimir Putin and whale right word for whale that's right and and this whale has gone viral

because it has picked up a woman's dropped cell phone in the water and swam it back up to her and also it a kayaker was motored around on the water and dropped its GoPro and this whale kind of stole it and was playing with it, then brought it back.

So here's the, here's the thing about this whale. Here's the thing about Russia. I'm kind of impressed, okay? Like everybody else flying these drones around, lasers and fucking satellites, and they're going, Paul Johnson, they're going Georgia Tech, you know, ground and pound, triple option. It's pretty impressive. It's very impressive.

You know, I also feel bad for the whale, on another hand, because like whales, they live to be like 60. So they average out like 40 to 60 years. And this whale is 13. So he's been at it for a few years now. If they enlisted him at like nine, that's tough. I mean, that's really tough. He's a kid.

You know, he doesn't have a choice. And both the United States and Russia have animal spying facilities or capabilities. We do? train animals. We do. Yeah, we do too. What are we trained? They train all kinds of animals.

They train like dolphins and they train military dogs, all types of stuff. Are they driving this whale? No, they're not driving it. It's just got like a fucking backpack on with... Because they say he's 13 or 14, but he hasn't seen another beluga whale since April 2019. It's kind of like the horses at the Kentucky Derby. They don't know they're fucking racing around a track and the whale doesn't know he's working for Russia. Right?

Well, some of these cats are saying he could be lonely. Oh, yeah, he's lonely. There's no whales there. Hormones driving him to find a mate or it could be loneliness. Yeah, the closest whale pod, beluga pod, is up by the North Pole. It's between the northern coast of Sweden and the North Pole. So you're saying they got this cat. It's all from an archipelago.

Stuck a bunch of shit on them. And then they're putting them in places where there can be no other balugas. Exactly. Okay. Yeah, it's kind of impressive. Yeah. We will be back Tuesday

No idea what we're going to do But a nice little break To make any guests you want to have on soon You know who I want to talk to is that Jeff Van Gundy Yeah You know we had Stan Jeff's got a lot of crazy thoughts about the new NBA Including eliminating halftime

Which is out there No dude you can't do that You can't eliminate halftime We would have no Chuck No Shaq No Kenny How good is that entire operation? No, Ernie.

They're awesome. They're the reason I'm okay with like the half being so. I'm fine with it. Yeah. So yeah, don't do away with halftime. Yeah. We need to have Jeff Van Gunny on to chastise him. We just had brother Stan on.

I feel like we see it at Jeff. We say, hey, Jeff, we just had Stan on, want to come on the show. NBA finals are over. Nuggets 1 and 5. I like to get your thoughts. I'd like to get Barclay on soon. Love to get Barclays. Recurring guests.

A lot of Eagles fans asked me, why didn't you get Dom? Dom had a meeting. He's a busy guy. He wanted to come on, but he had a meeting. He did promise me the very first interview. So we'll get that at some point in the future. Do you want to have anyone from the latest championship winning team? Ceramicotile.

Ceramico tile, yeah. Oh, did they ever call anybody? I spoke to the head coach last night. He said he was going to leave us a voicemail. Congratulations to them. By the way, I think we've Americanized Nicola. I think it's Nicola. I think it's Nicola Yolkich.

So keep an eye on that as the finals go on. Keep an eye. Nicola. Have a great weekend.