Green Light with Chris Long - Zach Allen! Denver Broncos, Sean Payton & His All-Pro Season! George Pickens Traded to the Dallas Cowboys!

Episode Date: May 9, 2025

Some heat today from Green Light! First, Chris breaks down the George Pickens trade and what it means for both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys. Then Zach Allen, pride of the Denver Broncos, joins Chris. The fellas talk about the success of the Broncos in 2024, especially the defense, led by an All-Pro season (and a Pro Bowl snub) from Zach. Zach also talks about Sean Payton's coaching style, Bo Nix's emergence, DPOY Patrick Surtain II, the popularity of the Broncos throwback uniforms and the importance of having a great DLine group chat. Broncos Country - Let's Fly! (00:00) - Intro (7:23) - George Pickens Trade (26:23) - Zach Allen on Denver Broncos 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠the website⁠⁠⁠⁠ for everything merch wise and enjoy for 25% off your entire order in celebration of the 2025 NFL Draft! sitewide! 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. Green Light's ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can catch all the latest GL action: 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

Quick, like, side notes. So, like, talk about, like, with his stories and everything. This was this year, you know, like, those media, like, kind of, like, meetings. You do the TV production meetings. I had, so they're Friday. So everyone's like, oh, it's fast Friday. You know, like, let's kind of get out of here. Like, my Friday's, like, I'm doing all my body work.

Like, I got, like, two, three hours worth of body work stuff. I remember finishing. I text, like, our media guy, like, hey, like, just finished up. He's like, yeah, Sean's still going. I think it was, like, another hour and a half. And, like, Sean went after practice. It was like four and a half because like him and Nance are like best buds, like Romo. And then I start and then he like came back and said, oh, I forgot one more story.

I just want to go to John. I need to go to. I got my family. I want to go to bet. 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 beth 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 $1,500 in bonus bets. Just make sure you use bonus code greenlight when you sign up. Welcome to the Greenlight podcast. Broncos Country, Let's Fly. You saw him on the title.

It is Zach Allen, one of the premier defensive linemen in the NFL, one of your boys' favorite. And it's a great episode for you today. great conversation with Chris. Zach and Chris talk to Broncos, Sean Payton, that defense they have up there and those throwback uniforms, the best uniforms in sports. To start things off, though, Chris talks about the George Pickens trade. George's headed to Dallas, Jerry World. We'll see if that offense with Dak, C.D. Lamb, and now George Pickens can really click next season. Chris breaks it down, what it means for the Cowboys and the Steelers. It's a great little episode for you today. Enjoy it, and we'll catch you next week.

The biggest circus act in football is headed to the biggest circus in football. Jerry's world. Next time we see George Pickens try to hurdle a guy but decide to like rip his face mask off in one fell swoop at the same time, it's going to be in front of 100,000 people and a bunch of Ford trucks and a giant, I mean, this is where George Pickens supposed to be playing football. and I'm not even a Cowboys fan like this is good for football

this is good for football I don't know if it's good for the Cowboys I don't know if it's good for the Steelers we'll hash out what that all means in a minute after that we've got Zach Allen Zach Allen one of my favorite players in the NFL he has truly just continued to level up throughout his career and then had his big breakout season if you want to call it that last year

eight and a half sags over 40 hits I mean, puts him in really rare air when it comes to disruption of the quarterback, like looking at last year. And certainly it's a good defense to be on. Like you're playing with PS2, Moss, Vance has, and the Broncos have collected a number of dogs on that defense, and they play off each other really well. But in my opinion, the guy that makes things go up front is Zach Allen. And that includes Benito.

I think Benito is fantastic and was a defensive player of the year candidate, but this guy, Zach Allen, in my opinion, is one of the most underrated players in football. And I had never met the guy. You know, we messaged a little bit on Instagram.

I know he listens to show, watches the show from time to time. Just a fantastic fucking guy. I could have lined up next to him for 10 years. When the interview turned off, we talked another 20 minutes. I don't think that's a lot of. ever happen on this show.

Love Zach Allen. Love Zach Allen. We love the Broncos. Cowboy Reed legitimately loves the Broncos. He would marry the Broncos. Have we asked Denver Broncos fans this, this, uh, luxury suite? Sweet, we have not. Oh, this is perfect because this is my go-to. All right.

Denver fans, if you had a suite to the biggest game of the season at Mile High Stadium, they don't call it that anymore, do they? What do they call it now? Like some sort of, some banking term? What is it? Investco. In power, well, it's still in power field at mile high. So named after a retirement company.

This is the dumbest. NFL stopped doing this shit. It should be called mile high, pure and simple. But you have a luxury suite at mile high for the biggest game of the season. You have five tickets that you can fill your. your suite with and they have to be former broncos and what we're doing here is we want good players but we want vibes too so uh they could be your your favorite player growing up or they could be somebody you thought was just an electric hang who would it be i would put brandon lloyd in there

brandon lloyd i played with him in st louis brandon lloyd used to walk his cats around the neighborhood on a leash my kind of guy you know if you're going to own a cat do that I've probably put Brandon Lloyd in there. I enjoyed hanging out with Akeep Taleb. We were draftmates, and shoot, we go way back to the Rookiee Symposium 2008. So, yeah, those are a couple of names I put in there. Probably Jake Plummer, right?

Jake Plummer's fantastic. You can bring a couple shrooms to the hang. You can bring the boomers. You know why he's there. You know why I'm here. And I'll leave the next two to your imagination, but y'all need to fill this suite with five Broncos all time, current, all time. Who's it going to be? Thanks for listening to the pod.

We've got a really good 45 minute kind of hang with Zach Allen here. And, you know, do me a favor of Broncos fans because we are trying to grow this little podcast. If you know people who might not listen to this podcast and are Broncos fans, I'm going to be shameless. Send this motherfucker to five people. send it to five people or something bad will happen to you you know those things on the internet where they'd send you something really stupid and they're like hey send this to a hundred people or you're going to get run over by a car that's the kind of juju i'm putting on you send this to five people please thank you for listening so you're going to love zach allen too if you're a brongo's fan you're

going to love this uh this interview in a moment but before we get to that i just got to talk about george pickings right i'll go up this morning 730 the news had been out for now. My group chat was firing at like 6.30 in the morning. They're trading people before we can get the kids off to school, which actually makes for an easy open, right? I can come in and get my work done. Whatever happens the rest of the day isn't going to be as big a deal

as the Dallas Cowboys making a blockbuster trade. The offseason that we said, hey, like, the Cowboys aren't doing dick. Like, they're not worried. Like, Jerry Jones is just, I don't know what you call the strategy that they were employing. They weren't doing anything, right? On the heels of a season where, you know, famously you say, hey, no thanks to Derek Henry, that sort of thing.

I think they're putting together a pretty good offseason here. I'll get to that in a minute. Here's what it looks like from the Steelers side of things. I think number one, it signals that their aspirations aren't real lofty this year. Like, okay? and I don't know what came first, the chicken or the egg, right? Like, I don't know if it was,

hey, George Pickens, if we were staring an open window in the face and a talented roster in a season where we think we can win the AFC North, like, hypothetically speaking, let's say the Steelers were ready to compete this year. Would they make this trade? I don't know.

I don't know if they would. Only they know how bad it is internally. I don't think they would make that trade. So I think while discussing what George Pickens is probably doing disruptively in that locker room is relevant, I think the most relevant thing to me is that the Steelers don't think they're going to be very good. And I would agree. I hate to say that. And I'm sure like these Pittsburgh Steelers aggregators, as they love to do,

are going to scoop these quotes up. and turn them into a real negative thing. But like you said it, not me. Like the Steelers, your favorite team said it, not me. Your favorite team said it. We are not going to be that good this year. If they are very good this year, I will be shocked. Like, if this is a playoff team, make Mike Tomlin coach of the year.

All right, like, just looking at the roster right now and post-draft, post-first, second, third wave of free agency. Like if you haven't done it, when are you going to do it? No quarterback. And if I were a quarterback, I don't know if this is where I want to be. If I was Aaron Rogers, I don't know if this is where I want to be. Okay. Trade it away, arguably, your number one receiver.

Some people might think, hey, D.K. Metcalf was that guy as soon as he walked in the building. But I think the guy with the highest ceiling as a receiver, shit as a player in the National Football League. On that offense, George Pickens, got the highest ceiling. on that offense. You trade him away. Najee Harris is in L.A. it's a lot of change for an offense that wasn't real explosive anyways.

And I don't think their group up front is a bunch of world beaters, although they have incrementally improved that group. Right. But if I were a quarterback and I were sitting around and I was like, hey, do I want this job or do I want some other job?

Or maybe I should just like chill out for a year? Like I might chill out for a year. Like I think this would be, be, I mean, to call it a lateral move for Aaron Rogers would be optimistic, I'm not really sure where they're going this year. Okay, so to me, it's an indictment on where the Pittsburgh Steelers see themselves as being in the big picture. And I would agree with them.

Listen, as a player, I don't want to use the word tanking, right? Because they're not quite tanking. like and honestly tanking can be a very subtle a subtle thing right it's not usually like very overt it's a subtle thing a move like this signals to me that hey we are tired of being in qb purgatory like the lack of aggressiveness at quarterback this year we are tired of being in qb purgatory since Ben Rothesberger hung it up. At some point, the Rooney family walks downstairs and says, Mike, this ain't cutting it in a conference where you have to have one of them guys.

We don't have one of them guys, and we keep throwing Kenny Pickett, Russell Wilson, and whoever else at the wall hoping it sticks, and ending up picking in the middle of the first round every year. The thing that we take a lot of pride in, never dipping below that that ugly 500 line like we don't we don't go sub 500 here in pittsburg we find a way to go 9 and 8 we find a way to go 10 and 10 and 7 we find a way

in the olden days to go 8 and 8 that shit ain't cutting it it is the wise thing to sit this one out and i say that as a former player and it sucks to say that because the people who suffer are the players like the players are going to suffer 53 guys guys are going to suffer through sitting on a team that doesn't have real aspirations this year. Like, and they'll say all the right things. Like, no one's ever going to say that outright. But you know what time it is when you suit up for this team, I feel like. And that sucks.

But if you're a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, you have some patience. What you're doing is you're kind of entering the sweepstakes next year. This is something you haven't been in in a while. So that's the point. And so I think this says that Tomlin has some time, right? Like, I don't think Tomlin's okay with this if he's year to year. And I think this says that the Roonies are like, hey, man, we ain't doing this anymore. Like, take a year.

We're not going to be mad at you. Right. And I think it also says that it might just say, I might just be, I might be out over my skis and the result might look like tanking, but the motivation might purely. be hey this guy's the biggest fucking headache we've ever dealt with now famously pittsburgh dealt with a b for a while right and kept that whole thing either they kept it under wraps or he wasn't who he became late in his career whatever it was like pittsburgh has developed this reputation for taking chances on guys that might be high maintenance and making it work like

tomlin seems to be able to get the best out of them but either that stopped happening or they've had enough right like or the talent and the production while the talent has been fantastic and the production has been very good although i think due to his talent he could produce even more the effort that sort of thing it just it just leaves too much to be desired um and we're not going to put up with a b type antics with george pickens type production like right like he's a thousand-yard receiver i think he's got his ceiling is the hall of fame physically what's in his body but the lack of effort to me the turning it on and turning it off thing that sucks and you're not you're not fielding a roster that has like a bunch of vets like in today's

NFL vets are harder to come by anyways but this Pittsburgh offense like who are the vets like Isaac Samaloo who doesn't say two words he's a great vet you know fantastic player tough dude lead by example, but who are the guys that are going to keep George Picking straight? Is it going to be D.K. Metcalf? So I think like all told Pittsburgh is looking at this thing and saying like, number one, I don't think we're that good. Number two, this guy's not good enough to act the way he acts. Number three, we don't have the vets in this locker room to get this guy straight.

Let's get something for him right now. But I think it signals that they're ready to move on in general. Not just move on from George Pickens. let's get out of this era of Steelers football. Short-term pain for long-term gain. I've been hearing that a lot lately. Let's apply it to the Steelers. Yeah, dude, like Deontay Johnson was a thousand-yard receiver.

They said, hey, fuck this shit. We're not dealing with you. And they were right because he hasn't been able to stick. So if I'm the Cowboys, the scariest thing about this deal is the fact that Steelers are usually right. They were right about A.B. They were right about Deontay Johnson. I mean, yeah, A.B. was a big part of Tampa's Super Bowl.

Like AB still had some real good football in his body, but AB also, like, not soon after walked off the field in New York. You know, AB also burn up his feet in Vegas and, like, told them to fuck themselves. Like, that experiment was combustible. It just, it blew up, right? So, like, for the most part, I think the Steelers are right about when to get out on a guy. I think that's the scariest thing for the Cowboys. But if I'm the Cowboys, maybe you think a fresh start will do this. this guy some good, right?

Like, they have real threats outside. C.D. Lamb and George Pickens are scary. If they're locked in, right, CD is locked in. But if George Pickens is locked in playing his best ball, giving great effort, I mean, you talk about a forgiving group of targets for a quarterback, and Dax's a very good quarterback. Like, this is a forgiving group of guys to throw to, right? The catch radius is huge.

The toughness at the catch point is huge. the hands. And I think one thing Dak Prescott does a really good job of is throw the back shoulder. I can see that a hundred times, right? George Pickens catching a back shoulder ball.

And I think the biggest question I have is, are they going to be able to protect well enough to do what I think they want to do, which just throw the ball 40, 50 times a game? Right? Because don't forget, you've got Tolbert, who kind of came on.

And the guy, I really like this guy as a wide receiver and Turpin. Like, Turpin, you thought coming in, Just purely a gadget guy. I think he proved that he can do a little bit more than that. And I think now that he doesn't have to always be a feature guy, right? Like, you can get the best out of him. You know, you can really use him in ways that you feel like would be best using a guy like Camante Turpin.

So don't forget Jake Ferguson, right? Like, they have a lot of weapons outside and DAC is competent, you know? And this is the last hurrah, man. like there ain't no more contracts after this. I don't think. And I think for Jerry, he's looking at this like the last hurrah. He's not getting any younger. So you make an aggressive move like this.

It's funny what one trade can do. All of a sudden, Cowboys fans probably feel like, hey, we're trying to win. Right? But they also signed Dante Fowler this offseason. So like, they've done a couple things quietly in free agency that I like. You know, I mean, just read. They've been active. They traded for Joe Milton,

for Kair Eelam for the bills, which that's a nothing thing. I'm running on a list here. Traded for Kenneth Murray. Signed Dante Fowler, signed Sally Thomas, who's a really good vet, kind of tweener, defensive lineman can move around. Good leader. Javante Williams, who's had injuries in Denver. But, you know, we really liked him coming out.

Robert Jones, Peyton Turner, who's spit in the guy's face last year. Miles Sanders, who once was a running back for the Eagles. Paris Campbell Okay Resigned Ossa Diggizua Sidique Trah I'm just naming guys now If you're a Cowboys fan

Are you getting excited yet? I really do think it's been Like they've had a better audience If you look at their draft You know you go get Tyler Booker If he pans out That's really going to help Listen the story's not

Story's not over on Guyton right Like Guyton was a rookie Offensive tackle in the NFL I liked him coming out Maybe he can develop I think that's the biggest question when it comes to this offense is like can they protect and I think a lot hinges on Tyler Booker but they've been very good at drafting offensive linemen right so um they've been as good at drafting offensive linemen at Pittsburgh has been at collecting crazy ass wide receivers like the calling cards of these two franchises so I don't know I'm not like I'm not trying to blow smoke up Cowboys fans asses but the way that defense played at the end of the season in the some spots. You know, I'm always stuck on that Tampa game. If they can play with that effort and that intensity right now, I know you lost one of your big leaders and best players in Tank Lawrence.

Jordan Lewis is now in Jacksonville. And by the way, he had a great tweet. He said that this confirms that God wanted me in Jacksonville because him and George Pickens fucking hate each other. Wasn't it Jordan Lewis who picked a ball off in that barn burner of a Sunday night game that was delayed like three hours. Cowboys, Steelers. He picked the ball off and Pickens just ran up to him, ripped him down by his helmet. Like, what the fuck are you doing, dude?

So Jordan Lewis is happy. He's like, I'm happy. I'm not in Dallas because we'd fight every day. But listen, the best part maybe for the Cowboys, they're going to get a player who wants to get paid. This is his contract year. Okay, he's making three five for one year. but if you pay him, I think you'll be happy to do that

because that'll mean that this guy was fantastic this year. And I think when you are trying to get the best out of a player, you've got to know what levers you're pulling. The contract year lever is almost undefeated. You are going to get the best version of that player. Whether the player thinks that they're turning it up a notch during the contract season or not, it's inherently just a thing that happens, man.

Like when a player is facing a situation where the next 20 weeks of football defines their financial future for life. Like the kind of contracts that are being signed now for life. If George Pickens goes for 1,500 yards, his grandkids will be covered. Man, like, it's life-changing money, right? So I think you're going to get a motivated best behavior version of George Pickens. And if you can't, then he truly. isn't worth it and that would be a huge shame because there's nobody in the media and i'm not being

hyperbolic maybe ryan clark because i think he said something when he compared him like justin jefferson and people were like nah bro and i was quietly like i kind of know what he means because i'm a huge george pickens fan the guy physically has a lot of tools and i'm not just talking about hey time at the combine like vertical jump like 40 yard dash like three cone dro whatever. I'm talking about the innate athletic traits, ball skills, understanding of space, coordination, like he's got it all, but he's not giving it 100%. He has not to this point in this career. And if he does, look out. A guy could set the fucking league on fire. I just can't relate to that, right? Like I can't imagine having that kind of fucking talent and just saying, I'll turn it on

and turn it off. The Cowboys are banging on him, turning it on and keeping it on. All right? So Steelers ripping the Band-Aid off. I get it. I'm all about it. It sucks. If this guy turns around, it has a great career, right? Like, but Steelers have a track record of knowing what to do and when to do it. And for the Cowboys, you have to make a move like this. You do. It's low-risk, high reward. Here's the risk. He shows up, and he's kind of, of a cancer. And if he is, it's going to be on the leadership on that team. You got a veteran quarterback. You know, you have a veteran quarterback. Maybe Micah Parsons will set him straight. I want to see George Pickens on the Michael Parsons podcast. That's what I want to see. George and Micah both have the same

agent, the agent that Jerry Jones said he didn't know who he was, a couple of press conferences. go he knows him now it's not all sunshine and glory hole sometimes you forget the name of the agents so anyways did we met what did we miss anything in this situation no no i don't think so um i agree i think for the cowboys makes a ton of sense you mentioned the tackle play it couldn't end up being great but going into the year with guyton and terence steel it's questionable and and the same goes for the running game. It's their uncertain commodities entering the year. So for them, there's a world where quick game is their running game, you know, with pickings outside opposite CD and, you know, Dak, maybe he's throwing the ball 50 times like you said if they can't run the rock. So for them,

you know, wanting to win now, you know, with Jerry, his timeline being what it is, it does make a ton of sense from a from a football standpoint yeah and i'm rooting for schottenheimer man i'm rooting for shoddy shot he was in st louis with me and you know nobody's career went well in st louis for the most part so um i'm certainly looking forward to seeing him get a shot at head coach i mean he's been a coordinator in this league and long-time coach and he's a good dude so i'm rooting for shoddy uh as much as uh former eagle eagle's sort of sort of kind of eagles fan could be are they going to be like the new seattle Seahawks, like this year's Seattle Seahawks, like offensively, it's either going to be fireworks or it's going to be like, what the fuck is their identity and they can't protect this guy?

Like, I don't know what the in-between is, you know, and so certainly they're thinking about the upside of this trade. And the upside is getting a very hungry, very talented young receiver to get his shit together. And man, if he does, he's going to set the league. He's going to set the on fire. But there's a reason Pittsburgh shift them out of town. So anyways, Steelers fans, it's going to be it might be a different kind of year.

But a little short-term pain for long-term gain. All right, this is cool. This is one of our favorite players in the league. I'm not going to bullshit you. This is a guy we're always pulling for and we love watching play. Zach Allen of the Denver Broncos, especially Cowboy Reed's psych. Welcome to the show,

Zach. Yeah, I appreciate. Thanks for having me yeah dude uh great having you on the first question that i wanted to ask is how does a guy get second team on a pro but they don't put them on the damn pro bowl what's like what what's your reaction when you hear that news yeah so they uh yeah because the pro bowl came out first and i think the voting closed like a couple days before we played Cincinnati which was and that I guess that was kind of my big national breakout game. So, um, you know, when I came out, I kind of had a feeling like, you know what, like, you know, not as big of a name.

My big game kind of came later in the year. Like, if I had that week three or something like that, then maybe you'd get a different kind of story. Uh, but no, everyone, like, reached out really supportive. But I told them, like, look, honestly, like, if I did all pro, like, all is forgiven, you know, type of thing. So, um, the fact that I got that was pretty special. But yeah, no, the Pro Bowl thing.

You know, obviously it sucks. Like, you know, you grow up treatment of wanting to go and everything like that. But it was actually kind of interesting because I was just curious. I was looking up and like guys that I looked up to growing up that played the position, you know, like Fletcher Cox, Gerald McCoy, guys like that. And like it's actually kind of pretty consistent. It's like they made all pro before they made Pro Bowl. So it's kind of like you just got to break out.

And then, you know, maybe hopefully I could steal one on the back half of my career when I don't deserve it. so we'll see. That's so real, though. Like, you know, sometimes it is, and you mentioned all pro is the catalyst for why you might get it the next year or whatever. But like sometimes just getting in the Pro Bowl once will get you in the second and third time. So if you can just get that first one. And I mean, you pointed out a really interesting thing. You went off right after the voting.

I think the most important time of the year is the end of the year. And who's playing their best ball in December? So it's kind of like a missed opportunity for the league. to highlight players that are playing their best at the end of the year doing the voting ahead of that period. Yeah, because, yeah, I mean, I just, I think there's a lot of, you know, I don't think, I'd be pretty shocked if you found anybody that's kind of like saying they're doing it probably 100% the right way, whether it's with the voting or the events

itself. Like, there's probably a lot that needs to change and get improved. But, yeah, like you'd say, you'd wish guys kind of had that full body of work. Because I remember my last year in AZ with Jay, I think he had like last three weeks like you said December I think he had like six or seven sacks something crazy and ended up with like 12 13 sacks in his final year and he's a big name and he didn't make it like obviously Arizona's not a big market but you think j jay wad up the 12 sack year would get in so yeah it's just I don't know yeah like

you said like you would kind of wait to see guys play like there's still like two three more games but yeah yeah well I think the most important thing is dude everybody knows you you were unstoppable this year i mean like i just want to read you a stat i don't know if you know this if you heard this stat but uh here are the players with 40 plus hits since 2006 in a single season

j j watt t j watt nick bosa aaron donald zack allen how's that sit yeah no i think uh yeah anytime you could be throwing up with those guys it's pretty special you know and honestly like it's funny because I feel like when the hits were going on everyone's like wow like look at all these hits look at all these hits I'm kind of like well fuck like let me get some some sacks out of you know

just get like one or two of them turn into a sack but honestly it's funny because now like I'm starting like watch the tape back everything like that um just the guys that we were rushing with like there's times where like literally we're cutting each other off like there's one play in Cincinnati where like Nick Benito hit an inside stack have and he's coming over and like at the last second like boxed them out like anybody on any play could kind of get it so when you rush with four guys it's awesome but also too you know quarterbacks know they got to get the ball out or you're just going to you know you're going to lose lose that other on the race to somebody else but no it's pretty special and yeah the big

goal right now is just to kind of make sure it wasn't like a one-time thing you know kind of get the repeatability out of that I think maybe jay was the only one on that list I probably did a couple time or something like that. So we'll see how it plays out. Listen, I think you make a great point that people should understand when it comes to rushes is like sometimes being in a group that's four deep, there's less food to go around. And, you know, guys are winning. And if you play with good players, they might beat you to the ball. And, you know, I remember a bunch of times Robert Quinn running right by me. You know, win a rush clean and I'm watching Quinn or William Hayes run by or getting

boxed out and that type of thing. But you guys rushed really well as a unit. It felt like you could trust y'all's group to rush for and go, right? But it also felt like y'all, y'all rushed together really well. How long does that take as a unit to get the games down to get the field down? Somebody be the balance up guy, somebody's the speed guy, like whatever it is. How long does that tape as a specific group to get that going? Yeah, I think the big thing was when we signed JFM. So Jay and I, like we kind of knew of each other, I'd say, like followed us each other on Instagram,

kind of both had been working with BT Jordan and kind of, you know, similar crowd texting each other like, hey, good job or something like that. Congrats on a contract type of thing. But then when he came over, you know, really, I think it was like during training camp, we spent a week together in Dallas, and we just kind of started getting a head start of it.

And like I know like with JJ kind of took me and him probably like that whole first year to really learn how to rush off each other, not to just be, like, yelling, like, what we're doing, kind of, like, almost, like, just having that second sense of, like, hey, like, let's run it now. I'm not even going to communicate anything,

you know, or just play off each other with JFM. That kind of, that was, like, third week of camp. Like, we were really kind of hitting our stride. It was pretty rare how comfortable we got on the inside. And then with Nick and with Coop, they're so athletic that they can read it. like perfectly because I'm a guy that likes to play like pretty vertical pretty quick

but also too like it's just we had a really unselfish group like that was the big thing like whoever was getting the center slide like we knew like look like you got to eat this one and then we would even try to work like you know like hey I'll work inside and you know if I get washed I'll pick for you on that so you can get a loop or you know if like Nick was getting chipped or like on my side it was like I like let's let's get you some action too on this so you're not just you you know, getting that. So, um, that was a cool thing. It was like almost like, you know, if you're like pressing for sacks and being selfish, you'll never get them. But if you, like,

go into it with like the right heart, heart and right mindset, like, then everybody eats. Yeah. So it was pretty special. Yeah. Because teams, they would even try to full, full turn slide it, block it up with seven, eight. And it's like, look, we're rushing with four. If you got to block us with eight, then we'll be fine. We got Pat or Tan. So, yeah, that's a big one. That's a big one. That helps to have that guy. And it also helps, I feel like coming into last year, you guys are all really good players. And, you know, you had an incredible year, as did Nick, and not take anything away from the other guys because they were great too. But there's no, like, quote unquote, star yet, right?

Like, you guys are all dudes trying to ascend to a level. And so there's nobody that's like, I get to eat all the food. I get the one-on-ones. I want this. I want that. You guys are all working together. That showed on the field. Yeah, that was a big thing.

I think it was kind of like, I mean, we're all, like, we're a young team. Like, Jay's the oldest one out of us. He's 28, so it's not that old. And yeah, like, I think it was kind of cool because J.F. and I both hit contracts. Nick was young and Cooper Young, like, trying to hit theirs. So for us, it's like, look, like, we got ours. Like, just don't screw us over, you know.

And they honestly, like, it was just like, just the group's really close. The team's really close. It's, it's really, like, refreshing. almost kind of feels like college again like yeah we're always hanging out outside of it always talking things through guys just have the right mindset it's not like like you said like you've probably been on teams you know i've played with some guys where it's like look like we're gaming everything up and on like the sheet it's got his number on it's like well that's great you know I'm going from a stand-up zero to a cop outside like you know on the other side yeah cross-ed six

gaps like this is going to be freaking awesome a lot of fun yeah yeah yeah I'm glad I'm out here here you know but we um uh yeah there's no like it's just it's it's a good group and um always staying in like even now like you know we're kind of spread out a little bit now obviously with the offseason always talking always texting you know sending each other ideas so it's it's been a lot fun sending each other memes and shit yeah just a stupid shit bro they did my group chat has to like it's a must oh my god it's we got we got some characters man we got Like, yeah, like any and DJ Jones are two of the funniest teammates I ever had. So, like, yeah, I mean, you'll see.

A couple guys on our D line, I won't say who, but they did a joint trip to Turkey. So we're going to have some good hairlines this year, yeah. No. While we do this interview, I'm going to try to guess who it might be. You can trust me. It ain't going to be that hard. It's like to be that hard. Okay.

It's so funny, dude. You know that you can get that. done in the states, but they just want to go to Turkey. Yeah, we're a fiscally responsible B-Ly. There we go. Yeah. Let me tell you, hey, Art, we have a D-Line group chat from 2012. Still exists to this day.

That's awesome. Y'all need to keep that thing going. Caldow, I know you had a question about Nick. Yeah, like another DPOI candidate on your defense. You mentioned he's great to play with. One play in particular, everyone knows it. The Colts, second and seven from your 40 passback. across the field, he steps right in front of Anthony Richardson.

You had a front seat. Like, was he just a blur coming out of your peripheral vision? Yeah, well, so they did that, yeah, they did that throwback pass thing. I remember, like, my second year against San Francisco, they did that. And so, and I've been with Vijay my whole career. So VJ's like, look, if they're rolling out or something, like, I don't need you, roll back. So I think I'm the smartest guy in the world. Like, I'm going backwards.

Like, I don't think I'm picking it, but like, oh, I'm going to be like a linebacker split two, like, you know, like have this sick tackle. And then literally like that, it's just all of a sudden, you know, Nick does it, does the Marshawn Lynch in the end zone. And like, that was that game was crazy because if we lost that, that I think Indy, they controlled the destiny, not us. And we had Cincinnati Charger, like, we had a tough stretch kind of down, down the back half. And they had like Tennessee, New York, you know, Jacksonville. So it was kind of like. Yeah.

Yeah, well, and then the craziest thing in that game was Jonathan Taylor dropped the ball. Yes. Like that was like if they did that, they were up, I think, like two or three scores. Like, you know, nothing's really going our way. Last week we were at the draft with Bo Allen, went to Wisconsin. We interviewed Jonathan Taylor with a bunch of other Wisconsin running backs. The first thing like Bo said to him in the room, like, hey, Reed's a Broncos fan and Jonathan Taylor got that fucking game, dude, I dropped that ball.

Oh, you were going nuts, Cowboy Reed. Oh, dude, that was like, I was so sad, and Nate was just, like, rubbing my back. Like, sorry, dude, the ball was on the ground. I was like, much goal! Did you know, Zach? Did you know when it happened that he dropped the ball? Were y'all, how long did it take y'all to realize that?

Well, so I fucked up. I was on the backside, and I think, like, I just tried to, like, I got that, like, kind of like that bitch block from the tackle because I, like, jab, swam, Quinn. I'm thinking go down the line and then all of a sudden just my hips just get pulled back. And so like, you know, like I'm thinking like I want to make like an ankle tackle. Instead I go like that and then he just hits it for 50.

So we're going to PAT. I'm just like, I just fuck this up. And then like all of a sudden they're like, we're going to review. And I was like, I didn't think you could do review for holding calls. But hell yeah. And they're like, no, he dropped the ball. And I was like, are you shit in me? So then, like, that happened.

Like, clearly you can tell, like, there was, like, a different sense of life. And then the next play, I think the rest of the game, I just played a two-eye. I was like, I'm not going to get cut off backside. Yeah. Like, you know, like anything like that. Yeah, it was crazy. Dude, that's the worst feeling when they hit it downhill in your gap. It's just like, I don't know.

And to get bailed out like that, that's got to be the worst to the best feeling of all the time. Oh, that's the first time of my life I've been bailed out like that. Yeah. Like, wait on that. And then also, too, with just like the season. Like, we were all saying, like, afterwards, it's like, you know, this kind of makes up for how we lost in Kansas City. Because, like, Kansas City was like, oh, my God. So it's like, there is a God.

Oh, how about, bro. Yeah, dude. Take me back through that whole. Because you guys, you guys have beaten them in the past couple years. Like, last year, right? Like, when you were there. Yeah. So you guys look at Kansas City and you don't see, like, like, you're not going to treat them like God.

You, like, you can beat, you respect the fuck out of them, but you can beat them, right? And so, like, to get that close, how did it feel to have to walk off the field and say, hey, man, we blew that. Yeah, that one, it's funny. So we have a coach, Joe Vitt, the greatest, the best, the absolute best, like just old school Italian guy, New Jersey, everything. And he said, like, that game and the Cincinnati game, the way, like, we lost, Or like the, he said like two in his like top five or top 10, like in his entire life,

like craziest he's ever seen. And just to have them in the same season. But yeah, that one, yeah, I mean, like you said, we respect Kansas City. Obviously with what they've done. Like you can't argue with it. But no, I mean, it's just, yeah, like it's, it all starts with 15. And, you know, we do our best. We kind of, I feel like we kind of treat them a little bit different.

You know, obviously we use Nick as the spy a little bit more. you know, try to win with three and our dbs, you know, they really understand, like, kind of, you know, it's not the first act, it's the second act with them. So we do, you know, they play plastered through, they realize it's not a four to six second down. It's a six to ten second down. So it's just a mindset, like you said, yeah, we played them well past few years. I don't know if they've ever scored more than like 17, 18 points against us. So, but yeah, no, they just added some good pieces in the draft so we'll see but yeah when that when the kick got blocked like I don't know like the locker room after we had a guy he said he's like that lock group kind of felt like I've never

been in a Super Bowl but he was in San Fran's like that's how it felt when we lost to Kansas City in San Fran like after the like the Super Bowl because it's just like you're just yourself like I don't know I've never been a part of a game like that that was a tough one but conversely though yeah I just wanted to bring up a good memory this year what do you think was the biggest ass kicking y'all gave somebody this year and i got a i got an answer in my head but i don't know if you you share the same opinion which game did y'all really kick somebody's ass this year defensively i was going to say tampa was a good one that kind of got our season going yeah uh what was your answer the jats oh jets yeah i was some of the most physical football

And it was in the rain and everything. I just remember they had some pullers and shit and y'all were just murdering pullers. Yeah. Just murdering people. Well, that, so that whole, like, so, like, leading up, so we go, we go 0 and 2. Like, we play good ball. It just was, like, obviously, like, we had, like, whatever shit happens. But we play good ball, but we're 0.2.

And then we're playing Tampa and going west to east, you do the extra night. And then instead of going back to Denver, We did the Green Breyer for the week, and then we're going to, like, going to New York. So we were all like, look, and the Tampa just beat Detroit. I think they were 2 and O, right and hide. We're like, look, we can't fuck around. We got to get this one. Like, go down there, kick their ass.

And then we were like, because we were like, look, we're staying in the Green Breyer for a week. Like, we got to make, you're not going to, we don't want to, like, just be, you know, miserable at the Green Ryder. Like, it's already going to be a tough deal, you know. Come on. The Green Briarer is not so bad. Oh, my God. Well, we were there during a hurry. came. Oh yeah no, fuck that. So that was the thing. So the entire week, we always laugh because

so we got so we have a guy, P.K., uh, Sean's assistant, he always comes up after practice and he gives a weather report through the whole week. So he's like, guys, it's going to be, you know, 75, you know, 5% chance of rain, going to be sunny like in New York, like we're good. We're going to get through that and it just never stops. So like game day, we're all like, guys, you know, 75% chance, you know, like 75 degrees, 5% chance or meanwhile, it's just like, pouring rain. So it was funny because, like, just sleeping there was just tough, man. Like, is it haunted?

Yeah. I don't believe in, I don't believe in shit like that. We were, they put all the DeLyman, like the defense, we were all literally right next to the hospital there. So in the middle of the night, I don't know, there was this like screaming.

I don't know if it was a hospital. I don't know if it was ghost. You're eating breakfast in like a, like a bunker, like an atomic bomb structure. It was just like, I don't know. And the people were great. Like, we handled it well. Out to the earth, bro.

But, dude. Yeah, man. It was beautiful. I'll say it's beautiful. I mean, it was just raining the whole time. But it was like the shining. If you ever seen The Shining, it's a very old movie. But like, it's about a big haunted hotel.

Yeah. That hotel, we know it. Because it's not far from us as being haunted. So I'm really interested that you said it was possibly. Yeah. I don't know. I just, it just felt weird. Because they're like every president.

It's been like a hospital throughout every day. I don't know. It just felt weird. And I don't feel that way. So like, yeah. So by the time we got to New York, we were all like, look, like, we were so like just like, jacked up. Like, let's just get this done.

And then we go there. And obviously, like, there was kind of the, you know, the Sean Hackett stuff. Like that was still kind of a thing. And last year they kind of got us. So we wanted to get it back. And yeah, another crazy game. We missed a field goal. They missed a field goal.

Like it was. It was nuts. It was nuts. Yeah, I was some crazy ones. That was a Hall of Fame rock fight, dude. I love a 10-9 game. You don't know how much I love watching low-scoring games,

and that was my favorite game of the year to watch all the defense play. So we said it earlier. We touched on this, 964 snaps. Most snaps in the NFL by a defensive lineman, and you missed the game, which is just, like, much respect for that. I mean, you played great, but, like, that to me, that's old-school shit, and not a lot of guys play that much anymore. does it have anything to do with where you call home now Denver?

Does that altitude thing really give you an advantage when you go elsewhere? Do you notice it when guys come to Denver? Then you see that monkey jump on their back in the second third quarter. What do you attribute all that endurance to that you have? Yeah, I think it's kind of a few things. Well, first, I think definitely the altitude. We notice that when we play C level, it's like, like, you could go for days, you know, and so it definitely affects.

I don't know, like other teams, yeah, I'd probably say, like, third, fourth quarter, they run out of gas. Because I think it's, like, after that 24-hour mark is when it's, like, that's when it kind of kicks in, like, for being there. So I don't know if any team, like, when we do the joint practices, first day is, like, competitive, second, third day in the preseason game, we're rocking because it's, because they're there for four days. So then by, yeah, after that first day, they're kind of puffing and puffing with it.

But no, I just, yeah, I, you know, I just always kind of, you know, it wasn't like intentional. It was just like, look, like I'm feeling fresh. Let me go. Like, I'm playing good ball. Kind of like I'm setting stuff up. And then, you know, I changed trainers a couple of years ago to out here in Connecticut to Ben Princess, Brian Elser. And like the stuff we do, like, we always say, like, nobody else is doing this. And honestly, like, when I show it to guys or team, like, I've had guys reach out, kind of like, hey, after this year, especially, hey, what do you do?

Like, guy come train with here. You're only, look, it's Connecticut and February, March, and April. Like, they're more than welcome to. Come on out. Send them the videos. Like, and it's just, you know, nobody's taking me up on it. Well, I think part of that's the geography. Everybody likes going to these warm places.

Yeah. Well, yeah, I don't blame. I'm like it's Stanford, Connecticut. it's not exactly like Miami Beach but you know it's great work you know a lot of it's yeah I mean it's the we we got a really good system going in place but it's uh yeah it's always funny though because I always joke with JFM and DJ because it's they're always like why do you take so many snaps it's like well when I look to come out I look over and you guys are already at the numbers so we only have five guys so it's not like I got a choice so yeah yeah

Yeah, I used to do. I used to, there's a certain amount of pride you take in doing it. I don't know about you, but like, there's a certain amount of pride in being like, I can do it. Whatever you need me to do, I can do it. And not only that, if you play 30 snaps a game, which happens to everybody, at some point when you're 35, they're going to be rotating you. And they're going to be like, hey, Zach, you're too old to do this shit anymore. But you might miss out on some of the instances where they do pat that ball and the hit turns into the sack, selfishly. right like yeah that's not your choice it's not your choice when they're going to take their shots

yeah well that's the thing every plays an op so that's the way i look at it is like look like you know like you said like i've talked to guys there were definitely teams like oh you were out we need to throw it like we were going to run it as much type of things like that so i was like okay like makes sense but you know i still you know every op is is something and then also too it's like you see guys like max crosbie everyone's you know kind of talk about their snap count. So this year, like just being like a competitor, it's like, all, let me do the same thing, but do it from a three technique, kind of just the, you know, just being, you know, trying to compete with that. And, you know, luckily it paid off. And, you know, we're getting the body back.

It's no question. Good. Ready to do another, another year of it. Hey, Zach, you mentioned earlier, whole career with Vance Joseph as your DC. How much has that helped you? And then also, like, I'm sure that's helpful in the locker room, too. You can help with terminology with the other guys, you know, It helps bring them up to speed, right? Yeah, no, Vijay, it's been awesome. Yeah, we have such a good relationship, especially now. It's funny because my first four years in Arizona, like, I thought he hated me. I was like, I was like a high pick.

The first two years, always injured, you know, kind of, you know, he probably, you know, all this stuff, like, you know. But, no, like, we've had such a good relationship, especially in Denver. Like, we just get each other so well. And like you said, like his scheme, it's, it looks like very, very, like, you know, like a lot and very complicated and everything like that. But honestly, like the way the terminology and everything that he, the way he teaches it, it makes a lot of sense. And that's the cool thing too.

Now being in the year, going into year seven, like this past year and even the year before, like we can have these open honest conversations of, you know, he's like, hey, I want to put this in like it's a non-negotiable. We got to get the guys on board with it. It's like, sure, let's do it. Or it's the other way where it's like, I'm telling him like, hey, you got to kind of take a little bit of stuff out. Like guys kind of feel a little bit over.

Like we have, he gets us so well. I think that's why this year, you know, we were able to play at such a high level because it's like, look, we got the guys, we got the talent. Let's just let them rip type of thing. I mean, I felt for, I felt for y'all's group last year when, you know, Miami comes to down. They put up 70. I don't think anybody would have thought y'all would have been as dominant as you

were at times this year. Like, what went into the transformation and how gratifying is it for Vance? Because I felt like he, he kind of unfairly. took the brunt of that loss and it was something that stuck around i don't know if you felt like the the like take me inside the fucking meeting room on monday after a game like that and then how did you guys get past it yeah i mean that one was tough like it's it's almost like you're in shock because like you know you're like the laugh like people still talk like people like you know probably 10 years 20 years from now people are going to be like oh you're like that's what they'll remember kind of

thing so we were all kind of like in shock like that that just happened and it was early in the year so we were still trying to figure out kind of you know who we were going to be who the guys were like it's a new totally new regime new everything you know shons in new defense everything so yeah it was definitely and then the crazy thing people don't remember is we played the bears the fall week and this is when everyone's like oh the bears you know they're gonna first overall pick you know they're no good everything like that i think we're down like 287 at half time so we're just like dude we just saw like it was like fuck like we can't do anything you know yeah luckily we ended up coming back from that and that kind of that kind of second half comeback kind of like kickstarted us

a little bit i remember that game um yeah i think for us it's just like you know guys realize like look like it's not just the old way is done like it's you're either in the like you're either in the in the boat with us or you're out type of thing and that's why i think you saw some kind of tough decisions it's like we're going all in with this like and the guys who bought in are still here guys who didn't are kind of gone and yeah i think that's why this year you know we had total buy-in from april you know guys were like look we're going to master this scheme we're going to master this installs and that's why it's paid off with sean peyton man like obviously i got to know him a little bit, you know, playing against the Saints.

I mean, shit, my last game, they beat us down there. And then I got to know him when he worked with my dad. He's been on this show. Funny story about Sean, we didn't know how much time we had with him as a guest. And he gets on and he's like, oh, no problem. I'm driving across Louisiana. Like, I'll stay on a while. Like three hours later.

Oh, he loves it, dude. He loves it. He's still on, dude. And it was the most entertaining three hours ever. So what were your, what were your, like, What were your thoughts when he when he kind of rolled the program out? Like were guys shocked it all by any of his ways of doing things? I know his camp is really hard.

And I know he can be a little bit of a hard ass, but he can also take it too. I saw it with Bo Nix. He likes that back and forth. What's your, what's your thought on Sean Payton a couple years into this thing? A quick, like side note.

So I talk about like with his stories and everything. This was this year, you know, like those media like kind of like, meetings you do the TV production meetings I had so they're Friday so it's everyone's like oh it's fast Friday you know like let's kind of get out of here and Sean it's always Friday's not really that fast like we're still getting ready which right you know it's good like it but it just you know whatever and I remember like I'm like my Friday's like I'm doing all my body work like I got like two three hours worth of body work stuff I remember finishing I text like our media guy like hey like just finished up he's like yeah Sean still going I think it was like

another hour and a half and like Sean's went after practice it was like four and a half because like him and dance are like best buds like Romo and then I start and then he like came back and said oh I forgot one more story I just want to go to John either I got my family I want to go to bet you know he loves it he loves it he loves it but no he's he just loves ball love stories and the stories are awesome it's not like you're just sitting there like like the stories are incredible. But no, he, like, he's the best. Like, honestly, like, it was, it was really refreshing because I think Arizona, we kind

of didn't have that. Like, he brought that structure. And I love Cliff. I'll speak nothing but great things about Cliff. But it's just, like, the guys we had, like, it was, like, Sean just knew exactly what he wanted. And he knew, like, look, I've won my shit works. And he owned that shit.

And, like, you walked around like this where it's like, okay, like, yeah, like, you know. I mean, it works. Like, it's crazy. The camp is hard. But your body, like, when you get to the season, like, week one, you're, like, flying around. Like, he takes care of you good. Like, he really invest in all.

He believes in the body work stuff, like, with Bo Lowry and everything. Like, he's like, look, get the guys, like, right. So, like, he's, like, the perfect balance of, like, he'll be a hard ass when he needs to. And, like, it's non-negotiable. We're doing this. But it's at the same time, he's like, look, like. you know because he played like that's a thing i don't think a lot of people realize like he was you know in camp with the bears a couple times like he he gets it so um but yeah now he's he's he's

he's a leader of men and you know we really you know we're fortunate to have him running you got to get broken down to be built up yeah yeah well i've only had the six days in a row of camp Arizona I mean I was getting an off day here and there but it was crazy because I was 23 years old Right loving it. God bless you know rookie I was it I think last preseason game my rookie year I didn't have to do it I was like oh this is the bad and then week one it's just like you know Bally bullets are flying damn yeah that you're ready but the six days it's like it sucks But like I feel like your body like gets used to it so like when you the season comes around you're like oh this is nothing you know so it's weird

I heard some stories man I heard some stories. How about him in Bo? Like, Bo seems to be this mature guy that I know he's not 30 years old, but sometimes I forget he's not. I mean, he played a long time in college, which factors into that. But also, he just looks a little bit older. Does he, does he kind of project that, that veteran presence at a younger age? Like, is that something you all picked up on? Yeah, no, he, when he came in, he, he knew, I mean, he's been around the game his whole life. Yeah. I think it's, dad's a coach, everything like that. You could tell he just like, he knew what he wanted and he wanted it a certain way.

And he's just, like, in the locker room, like, busting ball. Like, he's, he's one of the guys, like, gets it. Like, you can take it type of thing. Like, some quarterback that's like, all right, like, if you press too hard. Like, we always joked. Not to throw us straight, but Zach Gertz, love Zach to death. But, like, Zach, we had a joke. Like, if you can only make fun of Zach twice on Wednesday, if you did three times,

he wouldn't talk to you until Saturday. Yes. That's so fucking good. Yeah. Yeah. So it was like, there was a group, it was like J.J., Brett Fisher, Colt McCoy and I, it's like, look, like, has anyone said anything to him? Because we get two, you know, three strikes you're out type of thing. Like, Beau is not like, like, Beau is, Beau is the best.

Like, he can give it. And like, he gets, like, you know, like, he's the quarterback and stuff. So when you kind of bust his balls about that, he's always, he's a great dude. And, no, he, like, he's. like I said, like he just from day one, I was like, look, like, I know what I want. I can pick it up quick. Like, and he was calling out vets. Like, no, you got to run it this way.

Like, he's the real deal. That's huge. And Cowboy, he's throwing a Cowboys favorite player. Cortland Sutton. Yeah, I mean, it's just like so cool to watch, like, you know, it's been a minute just since having a rookie quarterback or a young quarterback in that room, just be able to rip it. But it was so awesome to watch last year. And then Cortland being able, I'm sure, like helping him along.

but also a vet presence for the whole team, right? Probably just like a steadying guy, the leadership across the board, like probably helpful for, and he was ripping, I don't know if you saw, but they went to the Nuggets game, and Bo Nix was ripping footballs,

and he almost scared Cortland. I think there was a video of Cortland, like jumping back, like, oh, dude, you almost caught that guy. But Cortland in your locker room, like how great is it to have, you know, that vet leadership? He's been around for a minute.

No, he's incredible. He honestly is like one of the greatest people I've ever met in my life. He's actually my neighbor. So, like, him and his wife, like, like, they're always hosting everything. Like, they're the sweetest people. And just, yeah, like, I think, yeah, I think, like, he was, he's been our captain, like, obviously the past few years, everything like that.

And, like, it's not even close. Like, he gets the most of it. Like, he's just, he's the guy. Like, he's good at everything. Like, this, like, gets it. Sweetest guy, everything. So, yeah, like, the locker room, though, like, coming into it was you know for bow it was like the perfect because everyone gets along everybody

there's no clicks there's no nothing everybody can talk to anybody um so for bow coming in i think that was huge because it was like for him he could just you know from day one just be himself it wasn't like you know i have to be something i'm not or i kind of got to hide or it's you know and all of us are kind of in that same age range like when i was in arizona it was like half the team was either in year 17 or half the team was on the rookie con like there was no in between so it's kind of like, you know, how am I going to, like, what are me and Andy Lee going to talk about? Like, you know, he's 42 years old. Like, I'm 21, you know, type of thing. Like, it's, it's, it's, it's just everybody does everything. Like, like, Akeeb Talib, he came and I forget, somebody asked him,

like, hey, like, what did you guys do in 15? Like, why was your defense so good? He said, we hung out all the time. All the time. Like, you know, like, honestly, he's like, we hung out, like, stop doing like extra football stuff just hang out it pays off and like we kind of took that to heart it's like oh he was right you know and like that's kind of what i think you saw this ascension this year and another like great skill guy that you have that has no ego it seems i met him at the super bowl is uh pastor tan i mean and probably the most boring player to watch in the league and i mean that's a compliment because like he just you don't even have to look at him like you know what's happening over there

Yeah. No, honestly, I've never, because I play with like Pat P. Bairn Murphy. Like what they give, what they put on Pat's table is it like insane. And like it literally will do the Wednesday depth chart meeting everything. And like the names are this. And Pat, you'll just follow him. And it's like, dude, that's like Shamar Chase. What are you talking about? You just go follow him.

What are I talking about? You know? And like, and you'll see like the other, like the problem is they know it. Like Cleveland, like the problem with Cleveland was they. to just motion. Like, it's like, they're running away. I've never seen anything like that. Like, it's, you know, like, people are like, you know, we don't even want, we don't

even want to deal with it. Like, we'll just put up people in the slot type stuff like that. So, no, and like you said, like, he's like the most humble guy. He's just a silent assassin. And he's, like, like, like I said, like, he's like super easy to talk to, just one of the guys. You never would know he's defensive player of the year, future Hall of Fame or anything. He's just, he's just there.

Yeah. He is. And the wide receivers lined up across him are just there. Yeah, literally. Yeah. That's about it, dude. A couple quick ones for you before we get out of here. If you had a choice and you could wear the throwbacks, would you wear them every week?

Oh, hell yeah. No, those things are incredible. Yeah. I get like, you know, you don't want to spoil a good thing. Like, you don't want to overuse it kind of thing. But I think if you wore those every week, it would be, I don't think anyone would get bored about it. Even if you brought back, like, the road one, stuff like that, yeah, it would be pretty sick. Yeah.

Is there a buzz the week that y'all are wearing those things? Oh, yeah. No, they'll, yeah, they pick out all the, like, they pick out the jerseys, like, and you, it's circle. Like, we're doing it. Like, and this year was cool because we did it versus, like, division rivals. Right. So, like, I think, like, Raiders and Chiefs. And they never kind of changed their jersey.

So it honestly, and they'll redo the feel like how it was with the orange crush. Like they'll do the same. Like there's no 50-yard logo. It's just, you know, the back end zone just got like the lines on it type of stuff. So it's like you really feel like you're playing, you know, in 1970. It's pretty sweet. Quinn Miners. What's he like?

What is that guy into off the field? What's he? What kind of guy is Quinn Miners? That's what I'm going. He's a great guard. I know that. But I'm really curious about what that dude is up to in general. That's the thing.

He is like the most interesting man in the world. But like in the locker room, like again, one of the guys. But the cool thing is he and I both like watches. I just don't have the balls to buy a watch. But so we'll be on the plane. And it's like a three hour flight. In the three hours, it's just him, Ben Powers, DJ Jones. And I just going through like all the watches.

and then like two weeks he comes in with the watch you're like dude what the fuck he's like he's like what i wanted to treat myself like it's just yeah but not he's yeah he's yeah like he's yeah like he's yeah like he's yeah like he definitely like his away time is his and he enjoys it and he's got his hobbies but he's got these two beautiful dogs he'll bring to the facility like i remember because we have the two workout groups during oTAs we had like an eight and a 10 yeah i do the 10 and he'd finish up at the eight o'clock and he just released these dogs into the field and these things are like i think malin wallers or whatever they're like they're like guard dogs and just seeing them run and they just

run right like you're like i don't feel safe right now no i mean why does he mean fucking the most ferocious dogs like dog he's running up on quin minors i was gonna say man he's but he is the like when i say the best guard of football it's not even close like going up and we played we played some guys this year like those training camp days like I've never like had to actually like be super focused on like just a regular fan block yeah because it just how strong he is and smart he is with his hands and stuff he's a freak yeah he's so you can really feel that play strength like he's he's athletic like he has it all and he's like I said like in the locker room like everybody loves him one of the guys always just for the team like really really good dude

Loves having his belly out. Yeah. He needs to. I let it breathe. It's got a mind of its own. Yeah. I just didn't, I didn't peg him as a timepiece guy, but that's, he's, he's certainly.

Oh, no, he's got style, man. He can, yeah. When he's, he's got a lot of shades on in his watch. He's, you know, he's ready to fuck some shit up. Yeah. All right. What's tougher tackling Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson? And what makes tackling those two guys tough?

I would say Lamar, I think. I've played I played him twice in college I've played him twice in the pros and I think I've gotten him like once maybe twice like he's just I mean yeah he's just

because the thing with Lamar the hardest hit I've ever had in my career was from Lamar in college was like we were both like racing to the sideline and like at the last second he lowered his head and I was seeing like everything was like a tint of green for like a week straight oh shit yeah dude he's like

he's like he looks like this like just skinny guy like I don't know what his bone density is that he concrete yeah yeah I mean he's just a ball player dude yeah yeah I mean Josh is no joke either because Josh is 250 you know I mean it's Derek Henry basically two point like similar yeah so but just Lamar I mean just for how many times I've played him just trying to get to him it's like okay yeah I'd rather go I'd rather try to chase down the guy that's going to at least give me a shot and it's going to be really hard to get him on the ground. Yeah. Then the guy might not touch.

Yeah, because I'm 295. So for me, it's like, all right, 295 versus 250. If I got a shot, like, I'll take my chances type of thing. Yeah. But, yeah, like, with Lamar, like, if he's even just like, sensitive, doesn't even see you, just, like, feels it. You're like, it's like, all right, you know, good luck to be, you know, Cooper, Benito, like, go get him.

Yeah, it's like somebody else. Yeah. All right. All right. All right. Last one for your brother. Uh, we got 2019. NFL draft.

I just saw this today. I didn't realize how many damn good D. Lyman were in there. Who's your favorite? Like, you know, you've got, like,

am I looking at this correctly? Nick Bosa, Quinn and Williams. Is this, is your draft? Yeah, this is my drive. Yeah,

I mean, freaking Ed Oliver, Josh Allen, geez, Brian Burns, Dexter, Lord, golly,

Jeffrey Simmons. Max Crosby was in the fourth. yeah i mean i don't know what the question is is that fucking unreal or what yeah well so that's the funny thing was like i i mean relatively like i felt like i thought i was going to be like you know maybe have a chance and like kind of like we're like seattle picked in that draft yeah like in the second round and i was kind of like these guys are going off the board and i'm like what the fuck and then you kind of realize like oh like yeah i mean it was a it's a tossa

You're a top 10 pick in another draft, bro. I'm just doing it. Yeah, but honestly, like, the way like those like rookie, the contract situation worked out for me, it actually benefited me because I didn't have that fifth year option. So it's almost like I could double dip a little bit where it's like I took the shorter term deal. I know all these guys would kind of get, you know, these big 20 plus, 25 plus deals. And then, you know, kind of prove myself a little bit more. and then, you know, the market only goes up type of thing. So, yeah.

For me, it actually, like, contract-wise played out. Obviously, like, when it happens, you're like, you know, fuck this, da-da-da-da. But in the long term, I mean, your career is just starting. So, yeah, it worked out well. Yeah. I lied. One last thing. Patrick Peterson just retired.

You got to play with him. I'll never forget the first time we ever played him. He was a rookie. He walked us off on a punt return for a touchdown after playing. like incredible defense for 60 minutes and uh you know you just knew he was going to be a hall of fame or what kind of vet was he to have because he seems like such a positive presence in a building and i think that's the one thing that that really makes me respect him is the way he seemed to carry himself what was it like walking into a locker room where he's one of the vets

and uh what are what are your parting shots on patrick peterson as he retires this summer yeah no like he kind of nailed it on the head like he's just always like positive got No matter like when things are going bad, like, you know, he kind of just like always kept us, you know, consistent. And it's like a young guy like coming in like, like I was like, you know, it's Patrick Peters. Like this is Pat P. Like I remember from the LSU days, everything. I mean, he's, you could make a case. He's like the original Travis Hunter. Like he had some offensive packages when he first came into the league type of thing.

And he was, you know, always like super like to myself, Jalen Thompson, Byron Murphy. be super open hey like you guys need anything you know we i lucked out i had some really good vets i had him at uh cori peters i had thorel sugs janler jones so it was really fortunate to learn from some really good pros kind of how to act and everything like that hell yeah man well zach dude we appreciate you coming on really really generous with your time but this flew by dude and and i hope you come on again and next year bro pro bowl all pro pro pro Super Bowl. Let's do it all, bro. All right? You don't have to, you don't have to anything about the last thing. That was for Cowboy Reed. So yeah. Do it all. Do it all. Bro. Love it, love it, love it.

Appreciate you, dude.