The Josh Innes Show - JIS Classic: Charles James On Radio Row

Episode Date: July 7, 2025

Former Texan DB Charles James joined us on Radio Rowan 2017. I don't know why, but I feel like he said some wacky stuff during this segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Gambling problem? Call 1-866-531-2600. Or visit connexontario.ca. Please play responsibly. And we are live from Radio Row, thanks to our friends at Gallery Furniture. Let me flip this on for you. Bada-bing. Jim went out hunting.

He was able to find Charles James. Charles, how you doing, man? I'm good, man. How y'all doing? I like your chains, man. Hey, man, I appreciate it, man. Now, how much those chains set you back? Like, be real with me.

Shoot me straight. We're boys here. Oh, man. They ain't set me back at all, baby. I would never make a purchase that's going to set me back. So, wait, you just go to one of those stands in the mall that have like the knockoff jewelry? No, man. Like they have the state of Texas on them and stuff like that?

Nothing knockoff, baby. Shout out to my man AJ the jeweler. It cost plenty. Uh-huh. So. It's real. So what the hell you been up to, man? And for me, I'm just taking it day by day, man, but I know this offseason is definitely

crucial for me. I want to get back to where I know I can be, which is a good-ass football playing this league. So let's go back to, you got cut, I guess was it the day or two after the Green Bay game? Yeah. And that's been kind of an angle locally that people have said is Charles James scapegoat. Do you believe that you were a scapegoat?

Man, you know, I don't know. Because the thing about it, nobody would give me the real answer if I was. Well, so what was the answer they gave you? I mean, the typical, you know, they want somebody with some size. Yeah, so that's what they did. So they brought you in, and they said, all right,

did you know you were getting cut when they called you in? Is that something you know automatically? Is it out of the ordinary to be called in? Yeah, at that point in time, it kind of is. You know, when somebody brings you up and they say, hey, man, we want you to see the GM or the head coach in his office, it's like, well, this ain't high school. Especially after the game against Green Bay, the snow.

Like, that moment, you slip in the snow. People are going to slip in the snow. It's not easy to play in the snow, right? But you fall down. They score the touchdown there. How many days after that were you cut? So maybe that next day? Was it Monday or Tuesday?

I think it was Monday. So you go to work, you walk in. Because we've all been fired. When I got fired at my last job, I worked in Philadelphia. Right. Radio station, Philly. I walk into work. I'm sitting there to sit at my desk.

And you know when the boss says, hey, can you just come to my office for a second? I'm like, I know I'm getting fired. I literally knew I was getting fired. So they sat me down and said, we're firing you with cause. We need your key card. And I said, fine. And I got up and walked out.

So who comes to get you in that situation? Just like a lackey or somebody like that? Like a locker room assistant? Yeah, basically. So a locker room assistant walks up to Charles James and he says, coach or the GM needs to see you? Right. So he says, was it coach or GM or both? Yep, both. Okay, so he says Rick

and Bob need to see you right now. Whose office do you go to? I go to the damn GM's office first. So you go to the GM's office. Rick's in there, he stands up just like you see in Hard Knock. Hey Charles, have a seat for a second man. Does he give you the hug, the hand, hey have a seat. Oh man, you know, that's second, man. And does he give you the hug, the hand? Hey, have a seat, bro. Oh, man, you know, it's all genuine, man. One thing about the business, man, for me, you know, I don't really take anything personal, man.

You know, I'm a guy that I know how it go. You know, I went on draft, you feel what I'm saying, but at the same time, been in the league, this is going to my fifth, this is about to be my fifth year now. So, I mean, at the same time, whether they was going to cut me or not, I knew I was going to get another job. Because I know what type of player I am as a person. I know what type of player I am from the get-go.

So for me, it was like, OK, well, if they cut me, I'll get another job. Yeah. You know, I'll be done with the NFL when I'm ready, not when somebody cut me. I respect that. Now, how do you get that other job, though? That's when tape don't lie.

Mm-hmm. You know what I mean? So who have you talked to? Oh, you don't do it. So let me tell you, so what you doing? What you doing right now You know what I mean? So who have you talked to? Oh, you don't do it. So let me tell you what you're doing. What you doing right now? What do you mean? So do you do research?

You know who you're talking to? I know who I'm talking to. So then you have another job by then. I understand. I'm just saying, I meant, who were you talking to? Like, how did it go down after the whole thing went down is what I'm saying. Oh, no, man.

So immediately, so like, who's calling? Like, the second you're cut, I should have worded that differently, but the second you're cut, right, the. So immediately, so who's calling? The second you're cut, I should have worded that differently, but the second you're cut, the phone starts ringing, your agent's on the phone. And he goes, listen, I got blank, blank, and blank lined up. They're ready to go. No, it's almost to a sense, you know, you got to wait.

It's like, by the NFL being a different business, you have to wait, boom, you got to go through clear waivers and things like that. So it's one of those things to where, boom, you clear waivers and things like that. So it's one of those things to where, boom, you clear waivers and things like that. Then, if you're not claimed or whatever, whatever, then there becomes a lineup of teams. Fortunately enough, the Indianapolis Colts

came calling a week later. And the rest is history, man. So that's how it is in this business, man. As long as you got good tape, man, you'll never die in this league. And we're talking with Charles James. So whenever you go to the Colts, what's the difference between the way that organization is run and the way the Texans are run?

What are the biggest differences you see? For me, to be honest, I'm just going as a thing of, OK, I'm going to go here and try to be the best player I can be. I'm not really there to basically police an organization and say, oh, well, this is this and this and this. I'm coming there to play football, period. I'm not going there to, police an organization, say, oh, well, this, you know, this is this and this and this, and I'm going to play football, period. I don't I'm not going there to, you know, they got to run the organization, not me. I'm just there to play ball. You know what I mean? I'm there to help the team win. That's all I'm there for. I'm not there to be the guy. Do you believe if the Texans had a better quarterback, they could have been in the Super Bowl? I think that if some some plays would have went differently in Patriots game, that they would have won that game.

And why did those plays go wrong? Hey man, it's just how it was had. You never want to blame, try to blame it on one guy or this and that. Of course, everybody's going to say quarterbacks is what you need. Well obviously, people are going to put the eyes on the quarterbacks. That's the star of the team, theoretically. That's the guy making the money. Gets too much blame, too much credit, right? But I mean, if you're eyes on the quarterback, because that's the star of the team, theoretically. That's the guy making the money, gets too much blame, too much credit, right?

But I mean, if you're playing on that defense, they were the number one defense for the year. You were on that defense for a large part of it. Do you get frustrated when you're on the defensive side of the ball, and you're doing your job, yet you're having to win these 17-14 type games every week, because the offense isn't doing their part?

It's a team sport. So at the same time I mean of course you could be like oh well you know try to point the finger and things like that but you know that's not something you do because there's been times where in games where the defense has gave up points. I mean number one defense doesn't mean you haven't gave up points sure you know so it's been times you know where we've gave up points and you know they've they've come back to spring for you you know I've seen it that was a Sunday night game against the Colts yeah they came back and won the damn game you know, I've seen it. What, that was a Sunday night game against the Colts? Yeah.

They came back and won the damn game. You know what I mean? What's that locker room like after that game against the Colts? It's live, man. You just came back and won. So you're thinking, at this point, you're thinking you're winning every game

the rest of the way out. Because at that point, Brock really hadn't shown anything. Then last six minutes, bang, bang, division win. Sunday night football, live locker room then. Things are going nuts. Nuts, it's phantomonium in the locker room. Because, you know, you just Football. Live locker room then. Things are going nuts. Nuts. It's pandemonium in the locker room. Because you just come back and win a game like that where you're down maybe, was it 14, 17?

17 points? I think it was 14. OK, maybe 14 points. And you come back to win a game like that in the fourth quarter, Brock comes back, leads the guys down the field, putting points on the board. I don't give a damn what nobody said. He put points on the board. And they't give a damn what nobody said. He put points on the board.

And they got to give them the same time where they want to basically discredit them, say, ah, well, he's throwing picks. Give him his credit and say, when he was in the game, in that game, he made plays so we can win the football game. So I think that, like I said, if some things would have went differently in that New England Patriot game, I feel like they could have won because I feel like they had them to a sense.

Now, how about this? You were here last year when Hoyer was here. We'd all be drunk. Right? And I'd like to be there right now. Exactly. So you feel what I'm saying? No, I get what you're saying, but do you think Hoyer was better than Osweiler?

Man, I don't get into all that, man. I don't get it. I wouldn't be doing my job if I weren't asking. Oh man, hey, I'm with you now. I ask the questions, but you know, I don't get in all that, man. So what do you do for a good time? What does Charles James do for fun? You go to the movies, you hang out?

What do you do? I play video games. What do you play? I play Xbox, play PS4, Madden. You seem like a guy that would kind of use yourself on Madden a lot, man. I do. I create myself on Madden.

Well, luckily enough, I don't have to create myself no more. So I could just put myself in, you know what I mean? Dump myself in. You know, they probably put on Madden? Well, luckily enough, I don't have to create myself no more. So I could just put myself in, you know what I mean? Dump myself in. You know, they probably put them on Madden. They hit me with the fourth corner, put myself first automatically, everybody else on the bench. So you're checking Julio Jones? No question.

I'm checking everybody. But you know, I play with you to ride jet skis. Really? Where do you ride jet skis? When I'm back home in Florida, man. And where in Florida do you live? Orlando. I like.

I went to Orlando for the first time last year. I went to Disney World. You go hang out at Disney World? Yeah, man. Disney World cool, man. Yeah. There's this thing where you go drink all the beers of the world or something.

We didn't do that when we went, but that sounds like a party. I've never been there. I've never been to there. Now, do you drink beer, or do you just drink like liquor? No, man. I'm a liquor guy, man. So what's your liquor of preference? Man, you got Hennessy. You got to start off with the like liquor? No, I'm a liquor guy. Yeah, so what's your liquor of preference? Man, you got Hennessy, you know, you got to start off with the hen though.

Then I'm a Serox guy, so I'm a Hennessy Serox guy. Then I get funky, I got to have me a crown now. Yeah, see I go with clear liquors. I do vodka, like vodka cran. I'm dainty. Okay, Serox cranberry type night. Okay, gotcha. Yeah, that's what I do, vodka cran. Vodka water because I'm trying to watch my figure, so I drink vodka water with a couple lemons in that bad boy. Problem is I'll do like 20 of them.

I'm like, dang, and then I'm done. You know what I'm saying? Because it doesn't hit me right away. So if I'm drinking, I'll think I'm fine. Then I'll have like seven or eight of these in a row, and then done. Right. OK.

OK. I got you. No, yeah, I'm not a beer guy. I'm a liquor guy. See, I do a little beer, a little bit of that. I'll tell you a story that makes me sound layman cool at the same time, now that we're boys and we're hanging out. And this is Charles James.

So I went to Tao in Vegas once, where the Kardashians hang out. I was there with Indy Kalu, who works here in town. He used to play for the Texans. OK, OK. Yes, Indy. And he brings me to this party with him and Jamie Sharper, right? And they're like, all right, we're going in here.

I'm a goofy white dude. I'm like, hey, guys, what are we doing? So I'm in Tao, and Michael Strahan's in there. And they go, Josh, that's Michael Strahan. And they had just been pouring, like, all right, we're going in here. I'm goofy white dude. I'm like, hey guys, what are we doing? So I'm in Tao and Michael Strahan's in there. And they go, Josh, that's Michael Strahan. And they had just been pouring like, you know, dark liquor down our throats. And I don't handle dark liquor well, but they're like, open up, we're having this party.

They go, dude, that's Michael Strahan. I said, no. So I walk over and I gave him like, not a bro hug, but I like hugged him, like both arms around him and like rested my head upon his chest. And they were like, dude, dude, you really screwed up there. Like Michael Strahan's like, who the hell is this dude?

Why is this dude with us? So then they made me leave. So then I left Tau. So I was cool because I was at Tau. And then I was lame because I got kicked out of Tau for giving a really affectionate hug to Michael Strahan. Yeah, he probably didn't like that too much. You boys with Odell, right?

Yeah, that's my guy, man. How did you guys become buds? So his rookie rookie year I was still there with the Giants and you know it's one of those things to where you know of course he has a you know outgoing personality which is me to a sense at the same thing and you know he was always he would always come by the locker and hang out or whatever things like that and you know we just basically kind of hit it off from that way and then he was a receiver and then he was a first-round guy and I wanted to see what he you know what he had so you know of course I've seen him every day receive a cornerback type thing and you know that's when I knew like he was

going to have it but the thing about it was a lot of people rip Odell off you know when he was dealing with injuries as a rookie a lot of people ripped Odell off when he was dealing with injuries as a rookie. A lot of people was ready to call him bus because he wasn't playing and he wasn't practicing as much as people liked. And the guy comes out. He misses six games.

Rest is history. Yet nobody's talking about the catch. And nobody's bringing up those stats. He's killing people. Yeah. He's killing people. Why. He's killing people. Why does he get so mad? You know what I mean?

My issue with Odell, and I don't know him personally, but I'm an LSU guy. I went to school there, so I like Odell. It's just that he's very high and then very low. When things are great, it's dancing. When it's bad, he's punching holes in walls. Is there a middle ground for Odell in there anywhere? Well, I don't know anybody who gets happy.

I mean, I don't know anybody who's dancing when they're losing. Sure, but not everybody punches the wall and puts a hole in. To me, it feels like he's. OK, have you ever been in a situation where you want to punch something? Oh, yeah, and I've done it. So listen, that's why we're talking.

Because I feel like, yeah, we're human. But I guess because he's under this big microscope. Exactly. But I've also never fought the kicking net either. I guess it's easier to point that when you're dancing and having this great time than you're punching holes. There's got to be, even for your own mental health, a little bit of a balance.

I'm trying to do that. Odell's a very emotional guy. He wears his heart on his sleeve. He wants to win. I don't. The thing about it, some stuff, it could have been overboard at times. Yeah, it probably could.

But at the same time, when you're going out there, you're giving it all. He may come up with a loss. Yeah. Like, you're going to want to explode sometimes. I think everybody got to think about it. He's still young. Yeah.

The guys probably, if not the most seen guy, the face of the entertainment business. If not, like. He's one of the babies on the cover of Madden. If not the biggest. Like in the entertainment period. Like, Odell doesn't fly regular. He doesn't fly coach.

He takes a private jet. Do you? Yes! We fly coach. We fly coach. We're flying frontier. Spirit, you hear me? That dude doesn't, he's a different dude.

You know what I mean? But at the same time, I feel that sometimes he lets his emotions get the best of him. And at the same time, I feel like it's something that will come with maturity and something comes where a teammate will come bring him along and say, hey, maybe Victor Cruz, maybe Eli, things like that, and be able to grab him around the arm

and say, hey, look, man, I know you'd be frustrated, but I've reached out to him to try to just talk to him because the thing about it is, the world hate to love you sometimes. If you ain't got no haters, you ain't popular. Exactly, you feel me though, you feel me though. That's my Twitter bio. You know what I mean?

So it's like, in the end, everybody's gonna love it when O'Dell's dancing, but as soon as he's, see the thing about it, they make it seem like entertainers aren't human. Sure, or athletes or anybody. Like I always said that, like we look at people and like it's just okay to rip these people in person or whatever because they're above you because they play sports, you know?

Now listen, I'm guilty of it, we all rip athletes. He's like, it's cool. Yes. You feel what I'm saying? I'm human because at the end of the day, just because I'm a football player, it doesn't say like where I have to be, or I have to say the right thing. Because at the end of the day, you're human.

And when you're human, you give human-like responses. Now, there is a thing to where, OK, you try to be a professional. And then that's where that come in, to where you don't respond that way, but you try to be a professional. Absolutely. Talking with Charles James.

And so let's say after Odell, they lose to Green Bay in the playoffs. They lose. And there's a story. And 10 minutes later, there's a hole in the wall. Like, do you call him after a game like that and say, dude, you played your ass off? Or, like, say he had a big drop in that game. Early in the game, there's a big drop. Like, do you know after you see that, that if they lose, it's not going to be pretty after the game for him? I could pretty much tell him when it's not going to be pretty. Like, they had the whole

incident and things like that. Like, I can can tell, like I said that when the thing came out and it was like, well, you know, he was on the boat and doing whatever, whatever. I tell all, I was like, well, if he drop a pass, it's a wrap. It's over, yeah. You know what I mean? It's the same thing, you know,

I feel like it's the same thing with me wearing socks. You know? Everybody loves to talk about your socks. Oh yeah, it's great. You know, oh yeah, he's all this. As soon as I mess up and get a bad play, like get this dude out of here. Like, this is so stupid. Yeah, it's great. You know, oh, yeah, he's a, as soon as I mess up and get a bad place, get this dude out of here. Like, get this.

The stupid sock. That's the socks guy. This is so stupid. You know, so you have to take it for what it is, man. Were you going out with a shirt off in the snow? Hey, that was perfect. You know people blew that up? Oh, yeah.

But you knew they would. You knew if, like, and it worked that way. You fell down. So they're like, this dude's out here with no shirt on. But the thing about it, I'm like, it's cool. But the thing about it, I don't let that, people don't dictate my joy. I dictate my own joy.

I wish I thought the way you do. People dictate my damn joy. And then I get, I'm like, Odell, I'm here hitting walls and stuff like that. Like, I get mad. But the thing, that's, I'm never not saying that I don't get upset because I'm human. What's the most, like recently,

when you get upset about something that someone says, like do you read Twitter and someone says something you feel compelled to have to answer? No, man. Look, that's a good point because guys on Twitter, they'll blow it up and be like, hey, man, you're this, you're that, man. I just think about where I was.

I just think about where I'm at, where I used to be. They'd be like, hey, man, you suck. Hey, man, I bought my mom a BMW for Christmas. You feel me? You feel me? But then you throw that back at them. I don't throw that. I would.

If I bought my mom a BMW, I'd'd be like, ha-ha, scoreboard. That's a lose-lose for you. You do that, then they're like, oh, yeah, big deal. But the thing about it, it's not even to say that. It's like, man, why am I wasting my time responding on you, dude? We're in two different classes. We're in two different classes, you know what I mean? To a sense to where I care about what you think, I know how I, I dictate my own joy. My joy is not responding back to you on Twitter. Not saying I

haven't responded to a guy, but if I do man, I have to be bored. I have to be bored. See, I wish I could get to that level. Right now I could look at Twitter and respond to somebody. They would be like, Charles, you suck. You haven't done anything, man. Look, I'm going on year five. Year five. Undrafted. I was a walk on in college, you hear me? Yes. I was undrafted. I'm going into year five, the average, two and a half, three years in the league.

And here you are in year five. So I'm cool. That's a fat change, you got your mom a BMW, you're playing with yourself on Mad. I'm good. Hanging out with Odell Beckham. Why am I mad? You see what I'm saying?

Why am I, that's why I say like sometimes I say sometimes, hey, I may get bored. And it's like, OK, dude, you're ugly. You know what I mean? OK, dude, you're a bum. OK, but it's. The chicks slide up in your DMs now that you're Charles James now. Man, they been sliding in my DMs.

You hear me, man? How often you get chicks sliding in your DMs? What do they say? Do they send pictures, just straight up, like, hey, here I am. Let's go? Man, I get it all, man. But I don't expose nobody. I'm not asking you to expose any names.

No, no, no. I'm just saying I get it all. You get pictures? I get it all. Unsolicited pictures. I get it all. Unsolicited pictures. They send you. They say, oh, that's Charles. That's the boy with the socks. I get it all. But hey, man, hold on. Ben had a name for them before them socks. Now, you know, you know what's crazy?

What's that? People thought I was a rookie. On Hard Knocks? On Hard Knocks. Yeah, because you were not a household name. Right, right. But how much did that help? I mean, that made you a name, right?

My play made me a name. True. But people knew you from Hard Knocks. They go, oh, that's the funny dude from Hard Knocks. I mean, then they saw your game. But before that, if people didn't know who you were, they say, oh, that's the you from Hard Knocks. They go, oh, that's the funny dude from Hard Knocks. I mean, then they saw your game. But before that, if people didn't know who you were, they say, oh, that's the dude from Hard Knocks. Oh, yeah, no question.

Yeah, it definitely gave a boost to, let's see here, to where I was recognized as a face when I'm seen out. Like, when I go play something, oh, man, like, I know you. You're the guy. Hard Knocks, Sox, blah, blah, I loved you, blah, blah, you were great. Thanks. Like, you know what I mean? So guy. Hard knocks, socks, blah, blah, I loved you, blah, blah, you were great, thanks. So from that standpoint, he helped with marketing the socks and things like that, of course, when I did my own thing.

But I mean, before that, if I could do it all over, like it wouldn't be like, the thing about it was, I was just myself, man, and it just happened to come. You hitting any parties this week? Nah, man, I'm chilling, man, you know what I mean? I'm chilling, man, and it just happened to come. You hitting any parties this week? Nah, man, I'm chilling, man. You know what I mean? I'm chilling, man. I'm all partied out.

So you live in town or no? You got a place in town? Nah, yeah, I still got my place here. Yeah, so you're staying here this week or you rolling out? I don't know, man. I'm thinking about leaving, man. I'm all partied out, man.

I really just came. Nobody want to live in Indianapolis. Yeah. It's just cold. Yes. I lived in Indianapolis. Yeah. It's just cold. Yes. I lived in Philly, and that place is miserably cold. It's just like, I don't, the only thing is, it's like Indianapolis is cold.

It's really cold. But I mean, I don't know, man. I may just, I mean, I may just kick it around, just, you know, just to kick it, but I ain't really doing no parties or nothing like that. Charles James chilling, man. Back on my training grind, you know what I mean? And you know what I mean?

I'm ready for a big year in Indianapolis. Andrew Luck I mean that doesn't suck right? That dude can play. That dude is fire. What's he like in the locker room? What's he like in the locker room? I mean he's just a guy, he just chill. He doesn't act like he's better than anybody or anything like that like you know you know you gotta love guys like that so he's a leader when he's out there on the field I can tell you for that much and you know he's gonna make sure like everything's in line like he's a he's definitely a leader I can say that much. That is Charles James Charles good talking with you man good meeting you and best of luck to you in

Indianapolis you're gonna be going up against maybe Osweiler again next year so you should be able to make some plays be real you know you can make plays on that dude don't laugh you know you can make but on that dude. Don't laugh. You know, you can make you hope Osweiler still the court You know you hold where do y'all get this guy from you know, you hope he's the quarterback You know it you know cuz they get somebody that can throw Hopkins gonna be making them plays now, you know Hey Hopkins a dog man. They need to pay that man. Shout out to AJ Boye, too Yeah, he's gonna get paid. I don't know who's going to pay him if it's going to be here or someone. He's getting paid.

Oh, man. How good is Hopkins? Hopkins is, in my eyes, a top five, top ten receiver now. Top ten, easy. Yeah. Top five, easy. But he's got to get someone to throw in the ball. His numbers went in half.

And you know, I don't know, I'm not in the locker room. You've been in there. But if that were me and my numbers were cut in half I'd be like dude get this dude out of here because you go from 1600 yards to like 900 yards you know you care about your numbers who doesn't who doesn't care about because that's how you get paid delete that the Texans probably liked that his numbers went down because then they'll say well you only had 900 yards we're gonna pay that we're paying you less you know what I'm saying if you if you come off a back

to back 1600 yard seasons they they have to pay you. You only put up 900 yards. It's not your fault. The dude's not getting the ball. But, I mean, you gotta get a better quarterback. So you're not afraid. I know he's not afraid of Osweiler. He hopes Osweiler is still there. He hopes he's put... He said, throw at me, I dare you, Osweiler. You get three picks in a game. If Osweiler throws at you. That's Charles James. Get me out of here. Get me out of here. This dude's off the chain. It's the Josh Hittis Show. We're back after this.