Relations.
Prowd said they were trying to get something done in the off season. Is a good thing now because you're asking price, You're asking price got higher.
Or uh we was all I mean, I knew this where I wanted to be. So we was always in negotiations, like after the Super Bowl. So I mean, I was
hopefully we could have got something done earlier. But I'm I'm happy we got something done, you know, and I'm here and I remain here for the rest of my career, you know, So I wanted to I'd just like to think, you know, the Yorks, this whole organization, uh Kyle John, my coaches, you know, my teammates, you know, for pushing me every day, you know, just being able to play with you know, all these great guys.
You know.
I I had no no other option but to try and be great. So I just tiped my hat off to to my team. Why would you want to test the restricted free agency? Why were you this? I've been a West Coast guy my whole life. The camaraderie within the team, you know, all the players, my brothers, my family, m my family is from this side. Uh, So I knew it was a place that I could see myself, you know, long term.
A phone call that that the deal was done. But do you take time to kind of reflect on your journey to to get to that point and what what we're kind of the emotions of of that.
Uh. I was, I was. I was happy, I my uh when I heard my agent tell me the deal was finally done. You know, I was, you know, I I burst out into tears. You know it was you know that I I finally you know, able to change my family's life, you know, for for generations, you know. So it was just a blessing you look back at way like your draft day when it was oh yeah,
for sure. Uh. I actually was uh just telling uh Tig and Malick about it this morning, you know, just being you know drafted, you know in the fifth round, you know, going four rounds going by and not hearing your name. You know. I was just seeing Bleacher Report articles and stuff, you know with my name on it saying I was gonna be selected in the third round. So I was. I was happy for day two. So when that didn't happen, you know, day three, it started
to get a little scary for me. You know, I thought I was gonna be able to hold my composure, but no, I'll just I gave up honestly, you know. And then there was a four oh eight number calling. I didn't know which team it was because I thought the forty nine ers were in San Francisco, but I didn't. So when when I answered the phone, you know, it was it was John and I immediately just started screaming yes,
like it's finally happened. And after that it was, you know, it was just all up to me, you know, to just put everything into the plane.
Kind of was recounting the time and you've got him a fine, what do you remember about that?
I remember it was posted by accident, So when I posted it, I just seen my phone kept going off, you know, and I was like, I didn't post nothing on Instagram. So then when I look back, it was like it was everywhere. Then I seen the Sports Center and I was like, oh, this is bad. I might be yeah, I was. I was like I might be cut, you know, So I was nervous. I remember, h coach, see you, Corey Underling. I remember him calling me and
he was like, why did you post that? And I was like I didn't try to and he was like, oh man, and then five minutes later he called me back. He was like, you're good, You're good. It was a good post. But yeah, now I can finally pay Kyle back, you know, for Carter's tuition. Kyle mentioned that your rookie year, your confidence was a little bit down, and now that you're one of the more confident people, the most confident person on the team.
When did that really change for you?
That really took place when I had my son at that time, the season had just ended, he was about six months. I had moved to Arizona, and I felt like that was like my my growth, my growth stage. You know, I stayed. I stayed in that whole off season. I stayed, just stayed my head down, working really just putting myself in situations, watching film, like you know, with with our defense, making different calls and checks and seeing you know, like how teams attacked certain coverages and stuff.
And I felt like that that what elevated my game.
Congrats some of the new deal. There's nobody does it alone. Who were there some guys along the way. I know you worked at the mom bansitute. Who are some guys that kind of helped you get to this point?
I would say, my family, family and friends, you know, just pushing me to be great. You know, always I was. It was kind of like never like the people I had around me, they were never like I would say, haters or were like they always told me that you know, they look for for them for me to be great, you know, to push me to get to new heights. And they always was telling me like, oh you can't, you can't do this, like just as a way of a challenge, because I'm the person like I like to
be challenged. I'm like a competitive, competitive person. So when they would tell me stuff like that, I would like to try to prove them wrong. So I would say them they actually, you know, moted me to the player I am right now.
At the time that you were drafted, we learned that you had a connection with Richard Sherman, both being from LA How big of an influence has he been? And it just realized also when you were talking about the fifth round, he also dropped, yeah, ground, is that something that that you talked to Richard about? Oh?
Yeah, for sure. You know, he paved the way you know for guys like me in my in my area. You know, he was like one of the first to do it. So to see him get a big contract, it was like motivation to me to let me know that I can that I can do the same. And you know, I appreciate him also, you know, for just being that big brother and you know, uh calling me, you know when times weren't good and uh and just getting me through it and just telling me to be that dog. You said you'd be.
Wornting a rush to get a deal done. You were more focused on kind of solidifying yourself as a top corner in this league. Do you feel like this deal solidifies that that everybody else now agrees with yourself?
Oh? Yeah, for sure. I wanted to, you know, prove to you guys. You know, I was always the person you know, I would be confident and then speaking speaking aloud and saying stuff like I'm the best. But I wanted to prove to you guys first, you know, and prove to the world you know who I am. You can deal puts a target on your back or do you feel like it's already be Oh yeah, I mean I'm I'm happy if it did put a target on my back, because you know, I'm ready for anything.
On you. If you talked to him at all.
Oh yeah, I talked to Mooney. You know, he was I talked to him last night. It was he was excited for me, you know. I I was just telling him, can't wait to have him back, you know, so we can get this thing on the road and uh get a bowl. You know. But he was in good spirits and uh, you know he was happy for me. You know, we we talked about this all the time. He used to always tell me, I can't wait. I can't wait till you get paid, you know, change your life. Thank you