You didn't think that this was the right spot for you to.
Sign as a free agent.
So I've had a lot of respect obviously for Kyle and the organization, and then obviously playing against playing for the Cardinals last year and playing against UH San Francisco, and I think brought out like a perfect game, I
think at one incompletion. So when the opportunity presented itself to be a part of obviously what's been going on here, what's been built here over the last several seasons, but also being an offense and a scheme that and learned from the guy that really created it within the NFL, I jumped at that opportunity last.
Year, like for you in the world, and there it was going to the team. How was that? How does that go? Yeah? It was crazy.
It was I think craziest the simplest term to define it. It seemed like every uh, every time you know, you kind of got settled. It was like, okay, like let's go learn a new offense, learn new teammates, learn a new city, and try to get reacclimated to go out
and play good football. So it was definitely was a crazy experience, but I enjoyed every aspect of it, Like I enjoyed the opportunity to go out compete for much best foot forward every single week and get that opportunity to lead from the front, and so I enjoyed the experience, but ideally don't want to go through another crazy season such as that. But you know, I take it one day at a time and embrace each opportunity that I'm given and go out and make the most of them.
You know, the Cleveland system in the Minnesota, Arizona and Minnesota and the forty nine ers. Yes, similarities, definitely.
I mean there's always similarities, right Like it is football at the end of the day, and a lot of teams, especially those teams are running a similar esque system to what's going on here is I would say, like maybe a derivative of this, But they're all also different. They all obviously have different personnel and different ways to attack
the field. So to your initial question to making better, one hundred percent, because first off, you've got a chance to go out and you know, start and play with the ones. That's something I've been looking forward to throughout
my entire career, getting those real life game reps. Man, They're invaluable and then second, from a perspective standpoint, Yes, being able to be around different coaches that obviously have had a lot of success as head coaches and as OC's in the NFL was really cool and very unique to get the perspective of the offense to continue to add different tools to my tool bet as I go out there and try to compete whenever I get my opportunity on the field, watching the Super Bowl and sing
Jennings and yeah, those plays that bring back some emies, it did. I was so excited for him, man, I was, I think I will literally tweeted. I was like, Juan's about to be Super Bowl MVP when everyone thought, obviously the Niners here were gonna win last year's team. So I was so excited for him. I know a couple of plays you know right there, right and it's just the difference between wins and losses in the NFL, especially
on the Super Bowl in that stage. But I was so excited to see him go out and really, you know, Bijuwan Jennings on the biggest stage of football.
I remember when I was at Tennessee. He came in and he was a quarterback.
He was like my little brother, like we were doing squats together and everything. And so to see his maturation from coming as a quarterback to playing as a as a freshman in college at receiver to going five years at Tennessee man and coming here and earning every opportunity he's gotten and going out excelling to get on the biggest stage and do what he does. Man, it's been great to see his growth throughout his football career. I know he's just scratching the surface of the player.
He can be. For having him a Gilbert am I responsible.
So I was a I was going I was going to my junior year. He was a freshman, so I mean he had he had some time if he was going to play quarterback either way. But it was a great opportunity for him to get on the field to make an impact. And he jumped at that opportunity as he jumps at any opportunity, as you guys know.
So I want to say I was responsible.
I think it might've been something that was going to happen either way when he got to Tennessee.
But he's made the most of it for sure.
Where he threw a touchdown to you when you're watching the Super Bowl and it was obviously I think very reminiscent.
Obviously that went to running back. But you were the of course you'd be.
But how many similarities did you see?
I saw him everywhere obviously Tennessee media jumped at every single replay that they could make. And then I actually texted him, I think a couple of weeks after the game, because he was in Dallas and we were about to work out together. I was like, so, did they like ask you about your play from Florida? Like when when you threw the touchdown to me? So he said they didn't ask him about it, but I'm sure they got it from somewhere knowing he could make that throw across
the field. But it was cool to see, you know, he threw for him to you know, throw a touchdown the Super Bowl, you know, not mean you guys can say that, let alone not playing quarterback.
So pretty cool.
Memory from against Arizona last year talking about Brock on the other side that was actually on the anniversary of the Hail Mary to Jawan.
It was yes, I remember after the game. I don't think I think Jawan was out that game, but we got a picture because we had to get a picture to signify the anniversary. So yeah, I remember that for sure.
Allen's just in here talking about how everything is tied to the quarterback's feet in this system. Is that emphasized here more than the other stops that you've you've you've played played at.
Yeah, I would say it definitely is the biggest point of emphasis in our QB room, and it is emphasized a little bit more than other places. And it shows just with the efficiency, how efficient the offense has been over the last several years. Right Like when you have a quarterback in there that's very good with his footwork, it's reads, his decision making, it's decisive and gets the balls to get the ball to the best weapons in the in the league. It shows how successful this offense
can be and continues to be. So it is it is a big point of emphasis, and so us as a room collectively. I know, I just got here and Broxman here for going to a third year now, Brandon was here last year, but Tanner he's he's learning it
with me too. You know, we're all in there trying to refine our footwork, play with efficient feet, get clicked through our reads as efficiently as possible because we know we get the ball out of our hands, we got the ball in our playmaker's hands, then this offense can't be stopped. You remember, gotten more comfortable throughout one thousand percent,
You get more comfortable with reps. It's just the nature of anything in life, right, especially in football when you're learning a new offense and you know you have four offenses in your head at one time that you've learned the last ye in your sixty five days, So it's always a process. That's why I love training camp. You get a chance to come out, compete, put your best foot forward every day, but also get those reps that are invaluable to be able to grow and improve each
and every day. And so the goal is, you know, it's July thirty first right now, which is crazy to put things in perspectives, not even August yet, but the goal is, you know, when you get out there first preseason game, your leaps and bounds from how you feel right now just seven days in the camp, and as you get to the second preseason game, third preson preseason game, the confidence, the comfort level, the efficiency with your full work only grows so that by September first first week,
you're hit the ground running. You're ready to go play the best ball you can. So each day is an opportunity to grow and get better. Each day also is filled with new installs, so you're trying to process a new install and also not make the same as mistake twice from yesterday as well. But each day you get a ch opportunity to go out there, you improve, you grow, you get more comfortable, and then you go out and you play the best football you came in the fall.
You got hot last year games, the comeback game against Atlanta. I think I remember you want to say something like astronaut jobs did how often do you talk to him or did he contact you during that run? He got really hot with Minnesota and kind of just talk about the other side of you with the you know, space engineering and all that and how.
That helps you. Yeah, for sure, it it was a It was great to get the support from my former teammates. I got a lot of texts from a lot of guys that played with around the league, both during my time at Tennessee and some of my former teammates in the NFL. So yeah, it was really cool getting that support from former teammates. Man cause in general, especially as quarterback, right you put your best for a FOURD. You never
know when you're gonna get your opportunity. That goes for a ton of guys and their stories across the league. But the goal is whenever the opportunity comes, you're ready to take advantage of it. So it's good to be able to do that, and it feels good to get the support from the guys, and so obviously you want to harness that momentum and continue to improve. Then to your second question in regards to aerospace engineering, obviously is
a passion of mine. Is a very publicized passion of mine, and I think everyone knows about the story, which I love because it's what I love to do outside of football, and I've always had a passion and infinity for aviation aerospace engineering, and I try to use my platform to show that. You know, you can be anfl football player, but also if you're gonna be really good at something else and you have the time and work ethic, you can also do that as well. So yeah, it's important
to me. But you know why I'm here at camp Man, I'm focused on ball, and I'm in season. I focused on ball, and that's been the best quarterback it can be for our room and embracing whatever role that my spot entels, and then I get my opportunity to go out there and play the best ball I can this offseason in regards to that passion of yours.
So I was nine Cape Canaveral.
I went up to Cleveland for the eclipse, which was very unique. My current goal in that world isn't working on my pilot's license. So I started that actually during my time out here during OTAs, which was a lot of fun because it's beautiful. Fly out to the coast, fly out to the valley. There's a lot of airplanes in the air out here, that's for sure. I didn't I didn't notice that until I started training, But it's a great place to learn to fly, So started that.
But that'll be all in the back learning obviously for the season. But yeah, that's why I worked on this off season. So I'll continue to pick out different things throughout my off time in order to continue to grow and in that world. But while I'm here when it's football season in my time and attentions all in ball, oh, we're in my hours. Think I have thirty five of the forty you need to get your private pilot license and then you work to your instrument rating.
You keep growing from there.
So because I haven't taken my check ride yet, so it's probably just something I'll hold off for after the season, but maybe get some practice in, you know, go check out the mountains and stuff out here. But yeah, it's just uh, it's it's very cool. It's very pretty, very peaceful. A lot going on a little bit, but there's actually a lot of crossover. You get talk to f a A. You know, they repeat, they say a call, you got to repeat it back to him very specifically.
Got a lot of stuff going on.
It's just like you're saying in the pocket, you gotta call out one of coach coach coach Shanahan's plays. They get real wordy in there. So it's been good crossover between the two.
Like space ultimately, I like, I like flying planes.
You know, I think spacecraft, you know, they don't make them with wings anymore, so I don't. I think there's there's a lot of automation nowadays, you know, technology taken over different from the sixties and stuff. Yeah, you know, i'd be like it was like hand flying getting up there, so no flips or anything.
We don't do anything too crazy though. Yeah. Awesome, appreciate y'all.