Green Light with Chris Long - Jonathan Allen! Joining The Vikings, Jayden Daniels & The Tush Push!

Episode Date: April 4, 2025

Jonathan Allen joins the Green Light Podcast to talk about joining the Minnesota Vikings, how hard it was to leave the Washington Commanders, his comfort level playing against some of the best teams in the NFC North, and even tells a fun story about his college recruitment from Virginia Tech. Enjoy! (00:00) - Intro (1:23) - Becoming a Minnesota Viking (5:55 )- Vikings Defense (13:20) - Jayden Daniels (16:20) - Washington Commanders & Facing the Eagles' Tush Push (21:12) - Watching Film (23:45) - Playing Against The Philadelphia Eagles OLine (28:35) - Favorite Play (30:20) - Career Goals Green Light Podcast March Madness Tournament! Click the link below to fill out the form granting you entry into the GLP bracket! Prizes include 1st place $500, 2nd place $250, 3rd place $100 in Bet MGM gift cards. Must be 21+ to be eligible for a prize. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScbnomKvB7t2zNKqvKNMstq_P2HClxciUC95moAHD-mDIKcyg/viewform 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]‬ In need of sweet threads to vibe like Chris and the fellas? Check out https://greenlightpodcast.org/ for everything merch wise and then some! Also, check out our paddling partners at Appomattox River Company to get your canoes, kayaks and paddleboards so you're set to hit the river this summer. https://paddleva.com/ Green Light's YouTube Channel, where you can catch all the latest GL action: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgxWFAA-wuB7osdiAJyLOcw 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

Some of the best games that I've ever played in my career, I haven't gotten a sack on. I've gotten quarterback hits, but I haven't gotten a sack, man. A sack, people don't understand how hard it is, man. If you play 700 snaps and you get 10 sacks, you're one of the best in the NFL. In the world. But just think about it, 10 sacks out of 600 reps. The percentage is so low. You got to beat your man.

The quarterback has to hold the ball. You can't hit them below the knees or above the waist. The coverage in the back end has to hold up. Once you get there, I'm tackling dude like Josh Allen, who's 6-5, 240, running a 4-5. So that's a whole new set of challenges. So there's so much that goes into it. Welcome to the Greenlight podcast presented by BetMGM. If you haven't signed up for BetMGM yet, use bonus code Greenlight.

And you will get up to a $1,500 first bet offer on your first wager with BetMGM. Here's how it works. Download the BetMGM app and sign up using bonus code Greenlight. Deposit at least $10 and place your first wager on any game. If that bet loses, you will receive up to 15. $1,800 in bonus bets. Just make sure you use bonus code Greenlight when you sign up. Welcome to the Greenlight podcast. Jonathan Allen and Chris chop it up about Jonathan joining the Minnesota Vikings in free agency.

Jonathan's excitement of playing the Vikings defense with Brian Flores and the D-Line with all the additions they made this offseason. They also talk about Jonathan's commander days, how he thought he would stay in Washington forever, playing with Jaden Daniels and his superhuman powers. the NFC Championship game in Philly. They discuss the tush push and have plenty of fun. A great episode, a good interview. Make sure to come back next week.

We've got a great one with Bo and Rob Garnkowski and Cambrate chopping up in Tampa Bay. Enjoy the weekend. We'll catch you next week. All right, I'm joined now by a brand new Minnesota Viking and Eagles fans are going to be excited to hear that he's not in the division anymore because he was hell to play against. For everybody in that division, Jonathan Allen, Welcome to the show, dude. Thanks for having me.

I appreciate it. Super excited. How does it feel to get ready to wear LSU colors? It's weird. It's weird. I really envision my entire time in the NFL being on the commanders. So this is definitely an adjustment, but I mean, it's the NFL. You know how it is.

Very few people play their entire career with one team. You're always changing, always adapting and adjusting. So it's definitely going to be a change, but I'm excited. I really am. Yeah, you got to be psyched, man. We were just talking offline. we got to go up there last year for training camp and I was blown away by the facility, man. You talk about like, I remember when I visited Washington and free agency and not to dog the facility back in 2016, but it wasn't much going.

No. And getting to see Minnesota, I mean, that's some state of the art shit right there. And right down they got aquapana in the refrigerators. You're drinking like $50 water at the facility. Were you blown away when you went and visited? I was. I mean, the one thing we're always told in college is once you get to the NFL, the facilities aren't nice. Everything's not as nice. Like, as far as just how much money is being spent on the players, college, one of the top programs is usually the best. But man, when I came here and I seen they have kombucha and they just had all the drinks in the fridge and the facilities, I was just like, wow.

Like, I feel like I've been cheated my last eight years. I'm like, these guys over here living like this is incredible. Dude, I was blown away. I started stretching. I was like, maybe I got to come. couple more years than me if I could play up here. And for you, especially coming from Bama, where everything's like a pro, like, it's what a pro facility should be, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, I love it. I mean, I think as you get older, you realize that the day in and day out work you put on your body is just as important as the film study and the weightlift. And so just talking to these guys up here and just how they just really focus on giving you to perform at your best when your best is needed. I was just like, man, I love that. You talk about the, I heard you talk about the culture.

And that being a big part of, you know, what was going to make that decision for you in free agency. When you've been with one team for a long time, you don't know what it's like other places. But what was it about this culture that set them apart, in your opinion? Yeah, no, I mean, the commanders had a really great culture last year, and that was the hardest part about leaving. And when I was going into free agency, I told myself that I want to choose a team that has an established culture. I mean, I'm sure you know there's nothing worse than going to work and being around the guys where only they're to collect a paycheck, only there for their own personal numbers. And there's nothing wrong for wanting that.

But I don't feel like you've got to choose winning in that. And when you hear Coach O'Connell and Coach Flores just talk about the culture and how they do things day in and day out, I'm like, that's refreshing. That's the kind of guys I want to be around. That's kind of the coaches that I want to play for. I want to play hard for it. So I'm just so excited. I can't state enough how great the culture has been from how they treat their families to how they treat the players.

It's just incredible. You said something that, you know, kind of, like I was wondering with you for seven years, I remember I have the date here, October 22nd, 2023, that famous postgame rant from you where you're like, I'm tired of this shit. It's been seven years of this. And as a guy who played for a lot of losing teams, the first eight years of my career before I changed teams, I know how you feel. And I'm wondering how hard it was when ownership changes, it looks like it's going the right

direction. You got that dynamic rookie quarterback who's going to be incredible. And you're like, damn, I got to leave now. I bet it softens a blow to go to Minnesota. But is part of you like, geez, they got their shit together and now I got to go? Yeah, for sure. I mean, again, I've always thought I was going to finish my career in Washington. And in the perfect world, I probably would have finished it there. But, you know, God has other plans for me. And I always just remember Co-Saving saying that on the other side of something that's challenging, uncomfortable, difficult is usually what you've been looking for all along. So I mean, there's just an opportunity for me to grow. I don't think I could have found a better organization and team to come to for what I wanted,

like my agent and my financial got already in Minneapolis. So I was going up there every year, two, three times a year. My wife loves this. She already has a bunch of friends out there. She's from the Midwest. So honestly, this is probably the dream situation. Man, that's awesome. Who are you most excited to play with? Because it feels like they already had a really good defensive line. I feel like you're the missing piece. but also they're adding a lot of beef up front, man. They brought a couple big old linemen in. And obviously you and Hargrave, who was a hell of a player in Philly and, you know,

had a stint in San Francisco. You look up and down that line. Is there somebody your psych to line up next to the most? Yeah, man, I'm excited to play with Jvonne Hargraves. Like, we've known each other for a good little bit. We've always been competitors since he's been in Philly and I was in Washington. So to be able to play with him is exciting. And J.G. and Van Ginkwo, I mean, these are just great.

I think they both made all pro last year. So, I mean, those two guys alone, you know what they're about. And being able to play for Coach Floor is just like, just like the mad scientist, as Coach O'Connell calls him, just like his mindset on one week, you're a three, four, next week, you're a four, three, you're bringing two, you're dropping eight, nine, like, it's just all over the place. So I'm excited to be able to plan that scheme and, you know, see how I can help this team improve. Isn't that funny the way you just put it because, like, you're talking about a scheme, but the scheme changes with him to suit whoever you're playing.

So, you know, one question I have for you was, do you prefer an otter and even front, but you're going to get plenty of both. And you're also going to get a lot of calls right before the damn ball snapped because that defense has layers to it. Have you talked to B-Flow yet about your role? And also, have you gotten an idea of how in-depth the system is for him? Yeah, you know, we talked a little bit,

And he definitely wants to create space inside. I mean, he's able to generate a lot of one-on-ones for his guys, which has a defense-alignment. That's like a dream situation. As far as a scheme, it's a lot. But that's good. I feel like the more adaptable you are as a defense, the harder it is for offenses to get a beat on you.

And I mean, at the end of the day, we play defense a line, man. As long as you're going the right way and you're doing it violently and physical, you'll be right 99% of the time. One thing I noticed about that group is they always rushes a team well. You know, and you know this. It's not just can you win your one-on-ones? y'all got to work together and the guy next to you has to understand, hey, if I'm high, I'm rapping, if John's high, I'm going to wrap underneath.

It becomes a feel thing. You don't even have to talk about it. Like when me and Fletch played, I just look at Fletch and we know what was going on. How long does it take to get that going and how exciting is it to play with guys that seem to already be in that mindset together? It's awesome. I mean, it'll definitely take some time, but the older you are, the more experience you are, the more adaptable and easy to adjust your game.

it is and since we're a pretty veteran group of fun i think we'll be able to you know get things going relatively quickly and like you hit the you hit the nail on the head like when i think about rushing and getting i think about that video cam jordan was speaking about how sacks are an inflated number now obviously sacks are super important but i always tell guys that sacks are situational you mean if you look at a game and i had two sacks that doesn't necessarily mean i had a great game you know what i mean like if i beat my guy every time but the quarterback gets rid of it quickly that doesn't mean I had a bad game, you know what I mean? So it was hard to just focus on sacks.

And it's tough because that's why we get paid. But, I mean, rushing as one as an interior guy, and we're able to get the quarterback to move off his spot, make them have to hitch and try to, you know, run outside or get to a second. That just helps everybody else. And when the ends are collapsing the pocket from the outside and we're getting that push inside,

you know, I like to say the quarterback decides we get to sack at that point. Yeah, the quarterback does decide. And, you know, what you said, it definitely rings true like sacks are certainly a measure of success but there's no there's no substitute for watching the tape yeah and and seeing hey what what went on in this game and you know I'm sure you've had these days where you walk out and maybe you got a goose egg next to your name and people are like my my least favorite thing I'd hate to hear was I didn't hear your name called all game on the broadcast I'm like who gives a flying you know what about the broadcast they're

watching the ball yeah I mean unless you know someone who's played defense aligned at a high level, most people don't know what they're looking at. Now, in today's age, you can look online and you can find people on Twitter who are trying to coach the position up. But even with my family, like, I had to coach them up. Like, just because I don't get a sack doesn't mean I'm not affecting the game. Some of the best games that I've ever played in my career, I haven't gotten a sack on.

I've gotten quarterback hits, but I haven't gotten a sack, man. A sack, people don't understand how hard it is, man. If you play 700 snaps and you get 10 sacks, you're one of the best in the NFL. in the world. But just think about it, 10 sacks out of 600 reps. The percentage is so low. You got to beat your man. The quarterback has to hold the ball.

You can't hit them below the knees or above the waist. The coverage in the back end has to hold up. Once you get there, I'm tackling dude like Josh Allen, who's 6'5, 240, running a 4-5. So that's a whole new set of challenges. So there's so much that goes into it. That is, I don't want to say that is not important because obviously it is. Like if you go out in the game and have four sacks,

you had a great game. But there's so much that goes into it that the everyday fan doesn't understand. And honestly, I don't even blame them because there's just so much, you know what I mean? Yeah, it's hard to blame them. I mean, and the fractions of the time are a big one you talked about the back end holding up.

It's got to be exciting because, well, there's a couple things that make it a Russia's dream up there. The guys you're playing with, they're not run by the quarterback guys, right? Like, they're going to be at eight yards and four step ups and they're going to play with power. Granard plays with power. And then you got some guys that play up in coverage

and they're aggressive. And then the third thing I love, is it is you can't hear yourself think in that building. It's going to be so fun. It's going to be so fun. I remember we played there in 2019 on Thursday night, and I just thought that was one of the coolest experiences, actually got to sack that game.

And it was just, I just always remember saying, like, man, it would be so cool to play here more often. So it's getting in your head. Yeah, look at it. Yeah, look at that, man. That's awesome. So, you know, stop in play action pass,

power running teams. You know, like, there are some teams, namely Detroit in your division, that the run game is a big part of it, and they're going to keep you off your rhythm by play action and those type of things and a lot of motion, and it feels like Gibbs and those guys are going sideline to sideline a million miles an hour.

What's the key to slowing down to Detroit? Like you just went in and did it. You guys just went in and did it in the playoffs. And then when it comes to transitioning, getting those opportunities when they come and play action, what's the key to actually converting? I think the easy answer is obviously turnovers. You get turnovers.

You win the game for the most part. I think the hard answer, especially for the inside guys, is don't get bored. When you play a team like Detroit, it can get very boring with a lot of the outside runs, the passes, the trick plays. You really don't have a chance to get there. But I always tell my guys, three or four plays a game, you're going to have a great opportunity to make a big play. But you can't get bored with the rest of the game. Because a lot of times, you're just playing double teams. They're playing dual.

They're outside zone. Your backside, just being disciplined. And that's what it is. They test every single player's discipline. So as a defense attack, I always say, don't get bored. And when you get your opportunities, you've got to make them count. No question. And then sometimes don't make shit up when you're going to,

it's the third quarter and you don't have one on your name yet. Yeah, I'm telling you. It's a challenge, man. Yeah. It's a challenge, man. When the game's been going on for like 40 plays, you have no tackle, no nothing. You're like, man, I don't want to affect the game. And the minute you swim the gap, 60 up the middle, especially with those running backs.

No question, man. What was that like going up there? I mean, if, you know, I was talking to Ertz throughout the season, and Zach was so confident, and obviously having Jaden helps, but it just felt like coming into that game, you didn't buy the hype. And I don't know if, like, you remember getting on the bus or meeting before the game. Was that the sense in the group that, like, hey, we don't buy the hype. We don't care who it is.

They put their pants on like us. I mean, that's the way the game played out. Yeah, no. We felt like going into that game was going to be a game in the trenches. And I felt like we liked our odds in the trenches. And we just knew that physically we felt like we could do what we wanted to do. And obviously, that comes with the confidence of having a whole season behind us, having a great season. And to be honest, when you have a guy like Jayden Daniels, it was we have him and you don't.

And we knew we could rely on him. I mean, he showed he can make the big plays when it counts. When they're able to bring more than you're able to block and you can still scramble for 40 yards, it makes a challenge. Well, it's like it's like the end of the Tampa game with the game on the line, the quarterback run option. I mean, I hate to be a left end playing that kid. What do you do? What do you do? Honestly, you just take your shot. That's all you can do. Take your shot where you make the play.

Is he really that like his stride in person? You know, Zach called him the fastest guy in the field at times. It felt like when you see him in practice open up, is it like a deceptive stride that he's got? You remember in like Pee We football when every team will put their most athletic player quarterback. Yeah. It's like that. But then he also is a great passer.

You know what I mean? So it's like he truly is a dual threat. You know what I mean? I mean, athletic-wise, it's going to be tough to find a guy on the defense who can one-on-one make that play. That's why it's so important to play as 11 as one. Everyone has to be so disciplined with the cutbacks. Everyone has to be a forced player, has to be guys running back.

side. It really is a 11-on-one effort. And when you get there, you got to be a sure tackler. I thought y'all's group last year was a lot of fun to watch. I've always liked Fowler, and I was excited to see him have that success. And I'm a big Armstrong fan. Yeah. I think he's a dog. And I thought the play he made in Detroit in the Red Zone was one of the biggest of the year. Yeah. You know what I mean? Getting the ball off golf in a game where it's going to go back and forth. I mean, they got some great players there, you know? Yeah. I think we had times where we struggled last year, but that's the thing about the NFL. You could do everything right for 10 plays and on the 11th play.

One guy messes up and 60 out the gate. And that's kind of what we struggle with, just popcorn defense. One mistake here, one little mistake there, but then you go back and you look at the film and it's like, we had five mistakes. But, I mean, I tell fans all the time, the difference between winning and losing is probably five or six plays. If they swing the other way, who knows what the momentum is going to be like, just how. It just changes everything. No question. I was going to ask you about the NFC championship game.

I was up there watching in Philly. And, you know, it felt like y'all's game plan was, we're going to possess the football. And, you know, we're going to make the most of our possessions and come up a little short on offense in a couple situations. That team was so good. They're like a wave. Once they get on you, it's really hard.

The one question about that game I had, and hopefully you can look back and chuckle a little bit about this one sequence, can you take me inside the moment, where they're tush pushing and you guys are jumping and saying fuck it, we'll do it again, we'll do it again. I mean, that play is pretty, I mean, we all know it's pretty much unstoppable.

And me being the noseguard right over the ball, it's like I'm a sacrificial lamb, dude. Like I'm not, like, I'm dang near laying on the ground before the play, just like whatever happens happens. I mean, it's just such a tough play is like you have to try to get any advantage you get. So up and over the pile, maybe hitting Jalen Hurst dissuades them from doing it.

I mean, I mean, the whole league is searching for an answer to that place. So I think, I think we stopped it a couple times last year more than anybody else. So, I mean, best advice, just don't let them get on the one-yard line.

Yeah, like don't let them get in third and short or fourth and short, like get more aggressive on third and medium, maybe. I don't know. Yeah, exactly. You have to. Or they just,

they put it in the league meetings they're proposing to get rid of it. Do you think they should get rid of it? It depends. I just think. what is the goal? Are we trying to produce the best product? Because if you're asking my opinion,

I think it's just an ugly play. Not safe. Chris Jones got hurt. In 31 cities. Yeah, you know what I mean? Like, it just, uh, Chris Jones got hurt in the Super Bowl because of it. I say just get rid of it.

That's just my head. All right, we got one vote in the column of get rid of it. Here's another thing I would like to get rid of it. Maybe now that you're gone from Washington, you can agree with me, is that freaking stadium is like a public safety hazard. they the the damn stands were falling on jalen hurts there was human feces coming out of pipes rumored a couple years ago what do we got to do to get a new stadium in washington and did you ever feel unsafe playing in that stadium i never felt unsafe and i'll give a lot of credit to mr harris he came in and he did a lot of renovations yeah problem is you know how it is in dc the politics i think dc owns rfk so you have to go through them and then you have to go through the government and there's just

There's so much going on, and we're, like, already landlocked in that area. We're playing in Maryland. We're practicing in Virginia with D.C. It's just so much going on. I can't imagine how long it's going to take. I'm probably going to say 10, 15, 20 years to get a stadium. I mean, who knows? You'll come back and be recognizing the new stadium, and you'll be like, damn, this is state of

the art. Why don't we have that? But right now, I think it's, I think it's dangerous. That's just me talking. John didn't say it. I said it. I think it's damn dangerous, and they should put a new one up. The last player I wanted to ask you about in Washington is,

I think this guy, Sanristill, am I saying his name right? Yeah, Mikey Sanristel. Is he a dog or what? He's an animal, dude. Like, I never forget. Coach Saban called him. I don't know how he said. He everything said, like, pound over pound, the best player in the draft or his favorite

playing the job, something like that. I mean, he's 5'10, I don't know how much he weighs, maybe 180, and he's just a dog. I love Mikey. I love, I love playing. beside him. It was so fun. Is he pretty versatile? Did he seem to be a guy's first year that was willing to do whatever for the defense? It's kind of the idea I got about him. I mean, he's almost like a Swiss Army knife. He could play corner, which he did.

I mean, he's a phenomenal nickel. I'm sure he could play safety for a little bit if he needed to. I mean, these guys coming out of college are just so pro-ready nowadays, just because college is pretty much a pro at this point. I mean, it really is impressive. These guys, these rookies are coming in, spending so much money on their body. He's already have financial guys, nutritionists. They're just so more, so much more prepared than NFL than I was, and probably you were, like, coming in your little bit of your first time

having money, you had no idea what was going on. Like, you're just, I'll just head spinning trying to survive. These guys are coming in as pros. Well, all the stuff they do take care of their body, you just talked about it. It's like they're already in the league and their training regiments are already, but that's Bama, you know, like

at UVA, at Virginia, you know, we're still, we're still an ACC school here. It's still a little behind. He's still a little behind. So I was wishing when I found out that you were from Ashburn, I was like, what were we doing? We never called you? You guys did. But for the longest, I wanted to go to Virginia Tech.

And they took their offer away from me twice because they said I was too small. To this day, I never forget that. Yeah, you and I hate him now. Never forget that. All right, there we go. Yeah, good. All right. So you seem like a guy who really, like, you're obviously a great ball player and you know ball,

but like there's no in ball and then there's really paying attention and being on the details. And I wonder, how do you watch film? Like, what's your process? You got an opponent this week.

You obviously have two guards to look at a center. I don't know if they ever line you up in a five, but you might look at the tackles. But like, what's the sequencing for you in your prep week for people at home wondering how a great defensive tackle in the NFL prepares? I like to start out just by watching a game or two. I like to get a flow of,

of what do they like to do? I mean, obviously we get the breakdown of 45% inside zone out of 12 personnel, 13. Like, those numbers are great, but I like to watch the game. Like you watch the lines like, hey, man, they're going to attack your edges and they're going to try to cut it back. I like to see how just how they move, the offense line plays together. Once I get a feel for that, then I'm looking at the guys specifically, like, ha, he's really, really aggressive on his double team.

So if I can, I'm going to try to swim him and then that's going to soften them up. or he's not aggressive on double team, but he's not going to be able to be so on. So I need to play it straight up on pass rush. Is he a one-two combination guy? God, God, he's a two-hand puncher. Those are the best guys. Goodbye, dude.

Oh, my God, you get excited when he's a two-hand puncher. How does the center? Does he enter, does he declare early? God, I would love that. You run time games all day. So it's kind of just trying to get a feel for how they play. I mean, you look at Philadelphia, the thing that makes them tough is they play so well together.

And there's not a lot of room to take shots. You know what I mean? The guards are big, the inside guys that they've had Kelsey the whole time. So they play really well together. I'm looking, ah, this guy doesn't play well. Or that left tackle when he feels like he's going against a really good end, he's goosures out just a little bit more and he's out of there. He's not hand dragging.

So, you know, week to week, you kind of have an idea of who you're playing against if you've been in the league long enough and are you try to catch on the tendencies and, you know, try to pick out any little advantage you do. But I don't spend too much time on film because I feel like I start guessing at that point but yeah over thinking you can yeah yeah just enough so like okay this is the feel of what i'm getting this all i want to attack them this week and then i go from there yeah i feel like coming in a game with a plan and coming in and being robotic it's a thin line yeah like like you want to have a plan but you got to have your your curveball and your off speed pitches and like i can remember

thinking i was going to run a guy over because i saw it on film and then i can't yeah like you know what i mean like everybody's different yeah styles make fights Yep. And so, you know, I think one of the things that when you play Philly kind of sucks, I would imagine, is there's no fish. Like, you know, we used to sit in there and argue over who gets to rush over who and you being like the main dude. I bet you that was your choice a lot of the time. But like when you play Philly, it's like you said there's no weakness. There's really not.

And I mean, Phillies had a great office lines. I've been in the league. I mean, when I first came in, it was Jason Peters. It was, oh, my gosh, I say his name wrong. The Samoa. Isaac Sam Malu. Yes, him. Was your rookie year 17?

Yes, the year they won the Super Bowl. Yep. So then you got younger Jason Kelsey. God, people don't, Brandon Brooks, the biggest human being I have ever seen. Like, he was just a monster. He was so big. There was no room.

It was just a nightmare. Then you had a young Lane Johnson. It was just, hey man, it's a dog fight. I think, I think Lane is as good as anybody in the league. I mean, like,

I'm trying to be chill about it. I think he's, he's probably the best tackle the last five, eight years, him and Trent. Yeah. I mean, you know, the media hypes up who they like. So, like, there's, like, the media opinion and then the fan opinion and, like, the player's opinion. And I feel like they very rarely, like, agree on certain things. But the way the media talks about Lane John, you're, like, honestly, you can't even hang on it.

Dude, I can tell you, I know probably hearing about him from the outside. And, like, I had to rush against him every day in practice. And, yeah, I was old. but like I've never played anybody like that like you know a guy who can wait for you at the spot like he's waiting for the bus dude and he's an underhand puncher so he absorbs power really well he's crafty he can one to you the whole thing and you know he's got stoutlin that coach you can tell oh my gosh and you're so well coach so the other guy's gonna ask about was Zach Martin with him retiring yeah that's probably a guy that I want to say keep you up at night but you're probably like it's Zach Martin week you just you just you just No, going into that week, it's like, all right, I probably shouldn't eat that cheeseburger. I need to be on my egg game this week. You can't really, ah, no, I need to be locked and I need to go to bed this week. I can't be messing around.

What made him so good? Man, it's just like, the guys who have enough power to absorb your power without, like, selling out, makes it so tough. And, like, I always sell people, like, offensive linemen don't need to beat you. They just need to lose slow. You know what I mean? They just need to get in your way long enough. And so like it's hard to beat him quick because he's not going to give you that opportunity,

but he's stout enough and has enough balance to where you're not just going to grab him and sling him by. You know what I mean? It's a grind. It's a grind. You know, some offense slam, and they get lazy at the top of the rush. So if the quarterback holds the ball past three seconds, their fees are not those guys. Those guys are from the time it starts, from the time of finish. They're just consistent.

And it forced you to be on your egg game. Yeah, it's nothing more embarrassing than when a guy is still blocking you and the ball is gone. Oh, my God. Just demoralizing. And, like, another guy like that back in day was Marshall Yonda. Oh, I heard about hell. Man, he was like he was, it was like he had, it was like he had adhesive on him. You know what I mean?

Yeah, he got through his own. At the end of the play, you're like, who the fuck just shoved me? You look to the right and it's, it's him. And he's just looking at you. He's not talking. You're like, oh, this is one of those guys a little off. Yeah, it's just like, all right, bro. He's going to be here all day.

Yeah, man. It's so funny. When you go against a guy like that, I'm like, if you let him grab you, you might as well try to bat a ball down. Your down's done. You're not coming off of that. Just don't jump. Oh, my God.

Just don't jump. All right, so two questions, flip side questions. What's your least favorite play of your career? And what's your favorite player, your career individually? My least favorite play, it was against the Eagles. And we were running a stunt. And I went to go smash Lannon Diggerson, and he slipped me, and I fell in the pain. But the way it looked.

It made it look like he threw me. So everybody on the line was like, oh, my gosh, look at the way John just got thrown. And I'm like, guys, come on. Like, I was running that way. I slipped. I was already off bound. Like, don't make it more than what it is. You're just like, oh, okay, guys, everybody gets God.

But you just made it seem like he just manhandle me and just toss me. I'm just like, okay, that's not what. You know, like, you're rushing on a draw plan. They slap you in your back. Yes. It was like that. It was like, guys, he didn't just like, that's such an overhyped play. Like, okay, he hit a guy in his back and caught him.

I'm like, whatever. It's totally overhyped. And I'll even say it, like, my boy Lane, he got Vaughn Miller with that, like in 17, the year we were. And it was like a highlight play. And, you know, Vaughn's rushing. Like, Vaughn's trying to get busy and he's trying to get to seven yards. And Lane just slaps him in the back. I'm telling you, it looks way worse than what it really is.

It's like, okay, it wasn't that bad guys. He just caught me. Like, it was a draw play. The play call got me on that one. It happens to everybody. I'll probably say my favorite play is the sack I got against the Texans. I threw my hump in and kind of just drove the guard directly into the quarterback on top of the quarterback. And it was just one of those plays where get off felt perfect, pass rush move felt perfect.

Defense events crash, quarterback stepped right up into me. It was just a beautiful play. Nothing better than sinking a hump and actually getting a dude off the ground. Oh, man. It's just very few guys can do. You're one of them. It's like a golf swing when you make that contact and it's just pure. There's no better feeling.

Do you golf? I'm a big golf. That's all I do in Florida. Dude, okay, so next year I'm going to invite you to my tournament. I got my tournament in two weeks in VA here. So next year,

come by. I mean, please do. That's literally all I do. Oh, really? Okay. When I was looking at a house in Minnesota, my wife was getting annoyed because I was like,

doesn't have a golf simulator. Sorry. Have to buy it. Yeah, we're going to need the simulator because it's going to be so cold. Yeah, it's going to be freezing. So what's your, are you going to be,

when you play up in Green Bay, are you a sleeve guy or no? No, I've never been a sleeve guy. Like, I'm weird. Like, my rule is I can only have one piece of, like, apparel that's for swag. So either visor or sleeve, but more than one thing, the first time I, like, so if you look in the playoffs this year, I told myself that when I came back from my peck, I was going to have fun. I don't care. Like, it's just superstition.

Don't worry about it. And every single game, I start off with a sleeve. And by the second quarter, it's off. just because after one bad play, I'm like, I knew it. It's a sleeve. Shouldn't wore the sleeve. I'm trying to look too cool. I'm not focused on what I got to do.

So every game after I came back from entry. Yeah, so I'm with you, bro. Like if it doesn't feel right, nope. You got to get rid of it. Well, that's cool, man. I've enjoyed watching your play. And, you know, I can tell you got a lot of gas left in the tank.

The last question is, before we let you go. And thanks for being so generous with your time. Do you have any career goals when you look at it, like over the next five, seven years that you want to finish. Or there are numbers that you're chasing. I mean, obviously you want to win a ring and that sort of thing. But individually for you, what's a benchmark that you look at? Yeah, I would like to get to 100 sacks.

I'm at 41 right now. That's like the big number to like solidify yourself is one of the best pass rushers. So, I mean, based on the number I want to hit, I've already told myself, I need at least eight to nine more years, averaging about seven. If I can do that, that'll put me close to my number. So that's the plan. And you feel good, you feel good physically. You feel fresh and like you want to play a long time.

I feel good. Ever since, like, two years ago, I've always decided that I think I want to be like that guy that plays like 16, 17. Kind of like Clay is Campbell. I definitely see myself in that role, but, I mean, only God knows. You know what I mean? It comes down to how does my body feel. Laura Willing, if I win a Super Bowl in the next two, three years, who knows how I'll feel after that. But until I even get to that game,

I have to give everything I got to get to that opportunity. My prediction, you win a ring, you get to 100, and then you want to go play golf. You might not take seven, eight years, bro. Well, good luck to you. I hope you get it. And I hope you guys have a great year and come on again. And good luck, man.

Tell B-Flo, I said hello. Well, dude, appreciate your having me on, brother. Yeah, man. Thanks for coming on.