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Hey everybody.
This weekend, the Jets Woman bark on their first draft with GM Darren Mugy and head coach Aaron Glenn. The organization will also celebrate the twenty fifth anniversary of a franchise altering draft class. The Jets became the only team in the Common Draft era to make four first round picks. Bill Parcells and personnel director Dick Haley drafted defensive end Shawn Ellis, edge John Abraham, quarterback Chad Pennington, and tight
on Anthony Becked. Ellis, a Tennessee product, went number twelve overall. Abraham starred South Carolina, went right behind at number thirteen. Pennington was taken eighteenth, and Becked went twenty seventh. While the four first rounders were unprecedented, the Jets also got a fifth ace in the two thousand class when they
selected wide receiver Lavernias Coals in the third round. It was Woody Johnson's first draft as an owner, and the Jets grabbed five players who would line up in forty two playoff games for the Green and White, plus five hundred and fifteen regular season contests. On this very special installment of the Official DUTs podcast, we look back at the jets historic two thousand draft class. Sean, what are your thoughts on this being the twenty fifth anniversary of the two thousand Jets draft class?
Amazing when you peel back everything and you understand what that class for the Jets really was. I mean, you know, for us to you know, have as long a career as we had, you know, it's amazing. So that's the word I I summing up with with, amazing.
So what were your memories of the pre draft process coming out of Tennessee.
Well, for me, it was just I remember flying to New York a lot. I remember me being up up in New York a lot and didn't understand why. I mean, after I went through the first couple of process and then it was like I was up here every other weekend, you know, so, so I kind of when it actually happened, me getting drafted by the Jets, it all made sense then, you know, they were just trying to figure out what they wanted to do.
So do you remember, do you recall those interactions you just said you were up here a lot up in the Northeast and New York. Who were you talking to during.
Well, parsel a lot? Yeah, I had meeting with a parcel who was a GRO. I mean it was him. The GM at the time was Terry, Terry Bradway. Terry Bradway, Yeah, it was him, you know, talk to him a couple of times. So it was just I guest to me, I was talking with my wife yesterday, I was like, remember all the times I was flying up here. I kind of felt like they were just trying to hide me from going to other teams. Really if it just
be stuck up in the hotel. I meet with him that morning and I don't see them again for two days.
So Terry was actually Terry was actually hired in two thousand and one, and then HERM. Edwards was hired as head coach in two thousand and one. But you're right, the architect of that draft in two thousand was Parcels. Yes, for you, coming out of school, you would won a national championship with the volunteers. You knew you were gonna go early in the draft. What was that presence? Like those interactions like with Parcels?
It was just great to the point, you know, he was truthful with me. He saw a vision for me. He bleed in my talents, and he just told me just stay the course. So you know, on my projection where I'm going and everything could be fine for me. So you know, I just wish he could have stayed the whole time, you know, doing our career.
You know, yeah, because the rookie season of two thousand you played under l Grow and then Herbs was hired in oh one and then Herm was on board from oh one to five?
Where were you draft weekend?
You know how typically people get together, maybe have the folks at their house and gather.
What did you do?
I was in asking me and John we had a draft party together in Columbia, South Carolina, So our families met up in Columbia. We rented out this sports bar, and we had a family night there and that's where it all went down.
Yep.
How many people were there do you think.
Might have been? I know it was a lot.
It was a lot of my family members, a lot of my my neighborhood from where I'm from was there.
So for me, it had to be over with two hundred people.
Hey, So was there an element of surprise though?
Because the Jets had to move up to get you at twelve they moved up for spots to get that selection right.
Now, it was it was a surprise.
They didn't like hint one way or another, like we're going to take you, you know, But when it happened, it made sense, you know, because I spent so much time up there and well in New York.
So actually I thought I was going higher.
I thought I was going higher, and but you know, the chips failed away at failed all right.
So you said, this is so interesting that you had a draft party with John Abraham. Now Abe ends up being selected one pick after you. He attended South Carolina. With that being said, what was your relationship like with Abraham at the time.
At the time, we were friends. You know, we grew up well, we didn't grow up together in the same neighborhoods. I'm from the upper State front of the lower State. But through football, you know, reading the papers and and the banquets, you know, the all star bankers for the state.
You know, we became friends.
And it just solidified when we became when we signed to the same agent, and then that built our bond even further.
All right, is there is there a moment there where you pick up the call, you're celebrating, you're awfully emotional, and then you find out that the next pick is Abraham?
What was that all? Like?
I think at the time both of us were standing there when it happened. So they called my name, so you know, obviously I'm hugging my mom and all that, right, and then while I'm doing that, he happy for me, and then he don't.
Even really get to hear his name called.
It was right, you know, he didn't expend for us to go back to back like that, and then he was our agents like him, Hell go the phone and that thing. You know he was going to He was coming to the Jets too, so it was just like, you know, amazing.
So you guys are celebrating. It's a festive atmosphere. And then a couple picks later, you hear that the Jets draft a quarterback out of Marshall named Chad Pennington.
What were your thoughts?
Well, I knew Chad, Well didn't know him. I knew him from Marshall throwing the random off. So that was like a big thing, right, the creed had with random off. So hearing his name, I was like, great. You know, I met Chad once in Tennessee, you know, just hanging out one night. We met, not knowing that he was gonna be my teammate. Like a couple months later and you know, they called his name. I was like, wow, Chad coming to the Jets too as well. So it was just crazy, man.
So Anthony completes it. He's the fourth first round pick. Did you think at that time that hey, we have a chance to put our imprint on the franchise or you just getting drafted is like, hey, listen, I just got to take care of my business and then see how everything transpliers down the road.
I mean pretty much, just you know, we just got me take care of my own business. It really didn't dawn on me until I guess later on with the significance was because we didn't have much detail on how everything went down. So once we came, once we came to the Jets, and then they started calling us the four Horsemens, and and you know we're taking pictures together. You know it don't understand that it was something special. But again, we was young, so we didn't know what we was getting into.
You know.
So what nickname did you like the best? You just mentioned the four horsemen. That's pretty cool.
Uh.
A lot of people always said four aces as well.
Well, I think at first of the four horses, right, yeah, I think at one point was or then it changed to the four ases.
How it was. I liked the four aces. What's up?
Okay?
Yeah, okay, So did you have any idea that you were picking up this stud in the third round? Lavernius Calls? Like on Draft weekend? Hey, you actually beat Florida State in the National title game. But did you know what kind of player Calls was going to be?
Yeah?
Yeah, I mean we watched a lot of tape on him, you know, coming up in that National championship game with him and Peter Ward, So just just getting familiar with him through game footage and they actually playing against him, and then when he got drafted, I was like, wow, you know, we got a good receiver then, you know.
So, yeah, outstanding receiver. Looking back now, as you guys have.
Had an opportunity to do, I think here in these days as we head to the draft, the twenty twenty five NFL Draft, what are you most proud of what you guys accomplished.
I guess we're coming in and getting a team to the playoffs on a on a regular basis, if you want to say, and just just just our you know, toughness that that we had considering everything that we went through with the coaching changes, with with you know, the whole dynamics of the Jets, and for us to still you know, stay levelheaded and stay committed to the game, you know, and kept working to try to get to a certain place in our careers, you know, with all
the injuries and whatnot. It was just our prowess just to keep just to keep marching forward.
Yeah, you made it look easier early on in your career rookie season, I think you had eight and a half sacks, and then you go all the way to twenty ten, your final year with the Jets. One of your last games was that divisional round victory over the Patriots when you had two sacks. When you look back at your career with the Jets, what stands out to you individually.
Individually? What stands out to me individually? I think individually for me is just my approach to the run game. I think for me, the way I like to play in the run game and playing in like multiple defenses, different positions within the line, having to sacrifice my game a lot, you know. I think I think that's you know, and still turn out to have a good career, you know. I think for me, that's that's the most.
That dynamic with Abraham. Can you speak to that?
And do you ever wonder what it would have been like if you could have played a little bit longer with him as well?
Oh? Yeah, yeah, definitely.
I think we could have could have end up been, you know, to the best defensive ends in the league at that time, if not in the history of the game. You know, times, the times that I was able to really play defensive end, I think.
He was gone then, so are you?
Yeah, so I only played defensive end like really twice, like real defensive end. You know, all the rest of them like two gapping and three four defense for me. So, like I said last night, that was a learning curve coming in as a rookie not understanding what really three four really entails the traditional three four.
So that's what I was saying. I had to like stay.
Out to practice every day just to get the stands just the concept of what I was supposed to be doing down, you know, because I struggled a little bit, you know with that defense. You know, because I was an attack guy. I was like to get off the ball, like to use my size and speed and to come and having to be a three to four end.
It was like so frustrating. It was so frustrating.
Because you got to be unselfish and that with that position, because you're taking on blocks. I mean, bottom line is, hey, a lot of the time your job is to free up other people.
Frail for other people.
And then you know when you see the numbers, you know, me getting aim and half sass that year, it was like incredible, you know because to me, I'm like, now I should have had I should have had double digits. I missed a couple, but you know, just just to fight through all that and still be productive in the past game. You know, I definitely had my eyes set for when herm came in right, because I'm like, cool, finally I get to go back the end. I could
to play my position. Me and Abraham will be bookings. So we show we showed flashes when both of us out there, like we could really put pressure on the quarterback. Then her and Kane he moved back to d tackle and you know, again I had to go through another change, had to gain weight, do all that, and it just
wasn't good for me. And then finally they moved me back outside, went on way out of shape, and my numbers suffered within those two years, and then finally got back on track and get to the Pro Bowl had double. So I mean, if me and Abe could have like just could have just left us alone and just let us play left and right, I think it would have been like awesome.
How unique was Abe in terms of his past rushing proworths. And also do you think that he should be considered for the Hall of Fame when you look at the the totality of his career.
Yeah, I honestly why not?
Because if you look at his numbers, his numbers is up there with the best of so, I.
Mean he should he should be. It's shocking to me that he's not.
So I don't know what's the you know, the politics in that, but yeah, his his speed, his ability to get low and bend the corner, you know, and to get inside was like second to none.
Huntington, he really took the league by storm there in two thousand and two when he took over for Vinnie.
Uh.
Your memories that two thousand and two season where you guys started out of the gates slow, you make the quarterback change, and then Pennington leads you guys to a division title.
Yeah, yeah, that was that was That was a rough start, you know at the beginning of that season, but we battled back and then when Chad came in, he just let us you know, he didn't he didn't wave it one bit, you know, he said.
You know, he go do his job, he can help us get out the hole. And we just followed him. You know.
The defense we had a good defense that year as well, so and to go and play against the Coats and win that game, you know, was was you know huge to have a playoff game at home. We haven't had that in a while, so to win a playoff game at home against the Coats, against Manning and to blow them out like that was like huge.
That's the last time the Jets had a home playoff game, you know that, right?
Yeah? Yep?
It felt like throughout your career here with the Jets, like almost every other year and then Rex gets here or her and following the old eight season in oh nine, ten back to back runs the FC championship games.
What were those respective runs like for you?
Oh?
Man, it was considering where where the organization you know, it had been, and where we was at that at that time, and getting too to those two FC championship games.
Man, it was, it was, it was you know.
Lovely just say it was lovely considered considering everything that the Jets went through and to be able to be knocking on that door like that, it was just like, you know, time, it's been too long, it's time for us to get there. It's time for us to get there, and just to you know, just to urge and wanting to get to the Super Bowl and win it for our fans, you know, that was all in my mind, you know at that time, you know, we fell short, but we had a we had a major run those.
Years, you certainly did.
How much of an appreciation did you have for back because he's a guy kind of put us hard, hat on, want to work, not a lot of flashy numbers, but he's a guy much like you on the offensive side of the ball.
Is you knew what you're gonna get from Anthony in terms of being a blocker.
Oh yeah, I mean I had to go. We was baling every day, me and Anthony. So we go hard at We went hard at each other, you know, just just him. The pride that he took into the ring game, the same pride I took him to defending the run. So you know, so we had our battles, you know, doing doing practice and things like that. But a man is Anthony Beck is a hell of a guy, you know, smart guy. You see what he's doing now coaching. So
he was definitely a person that loves the game. He came out, he workes, you know, screamly hard, and you know, he was just a great teammate to have.
All right, So you when you up to the league, when you were drafted by the Jets, you come into Weaview Bank Hall on the campus of Hofster University and one of your defensive teammates is a cornerback by the name of Aaron Glenn.
What was it like to have Aaron as.
A teammate and now twenty five years later, what is it like for you, big cat, to know that Aaron Glenn is leading the Jets.
Oh?
Man, it's great. You know, I'm excited for him. I hope he's able to do everything that he set out to do with the team and lead them, you know, to the premised land. But walking into that locker room, you know, first my first experience of ag is like he always the life of the locker room, always always talking, always.
You know, yaffing, stirring to pot up with people. You know.
Then you go out there on the field. He challenged you all day long. You just hear his voice all day long in practice and to get into meet rooms. Then you realize, like, man, this dude knows his stuff, you know what I'm saying, Like, you know, the coverage, he like he knows everything. And just to be able to, you know, experience it as a rookie and seeing that it just stepped up all game up even more of how professional that we have to be.
So he left a huge impression on you from the get huh oh.
Yeah. I don't even really think he knows it, but yeah he did.
Yeah, and then when you heard the Jets it hired him and he's gonna be leading them to start the twenty twenty five season. You mentioned that before. I mean, how much like do you have a family feel now? Even more so to the Jets because this is.
The team that drafted you.
You were a first round pick, but Aaron Glenn was the first round pick of the Jets.
In ninety four.
Like, he's the guy who has blood, blood sweat and tears into this thing.
Here he is again, here is again. Yeah.
Man, Like I said, it's awesome, you know, for him to come back around and to get his his head coach and start with the Jets. I mean, I feel like, just it's just blessing in disguise, you know. I think it's one of those it's one of those feelings of you know, it's just I can't explain it. I'm excited for him myself, So I can't wait to see him on the sideline, you know, doing doing his thing, doing what you do. So I just can't wait to see him, you know, I haven't seen him in a while, so
I asked about him a lot. I run into Ray Mickens a lot, so you know him, and Ray Mickens was really real cool. So I talked to him a lot. Ray and asked him about AG a lot. So the fact that he even went into coaching years ago, I knew then, like if.
Like that was his his passion. His passion was the coach.
Maybe he didn't realize that he was in the league, but he was always helping and coaching play as a teammate. So it just see him now. It just transitioned to him being a head coach. It's great.
The two thousand draft was foundational for the Jets organization from a National Football League perspective. A guy, a skinny dude out of Michigan was drafted in a sixth round by the New England Patriots.
That was Tom Brady.
Your thoughts on him going in the sixth round the same draft that you went in the first round with three of your future teammates and John Abraham, Anthony Beck and Jet Pinnington of.
Course, Yeah, Well, the drift really didn't know much about Tom right, I didn't really know much, but I wish I wouldn't have been hustling to chase him down out of bounds.
I wish I would have. I wish I would have been loafing on that plate.
So so you're talking about Drew Bledsell two thousand and one season, right, You know that was a tough moment for Jets fans because you guys ultimately won that game. I was on the field that game was ten to three, Curtis Martin had more than one hundred yards, and you guys played fantastic defense.
Yeah yeah, yeah, So to be able to be it, well, Mo did the major damnage to the hit. But I feel if I wouldn't never tried to script the ball out the back, he would have saw mode and it just went out of bound.
Yeah, but he didn't. So that hit led to Brady coming in.
So unbelievable because the connections are everywhere, right, because the Jets ultimately were able to select you because Belichick resigned as head coach at NYJ and he went on to New England of course, right right, right, So, so what do you think it's going to be like Draft weekend? Looking back now twenty five years, will you tune into the draft to see what the Jets are doing in your former teammate and Aaron Glennon in his first draft.
Yeah, I'm definitely gonna be watching.
Yeah yeah, I mean I watched the draft every year. I try to, you know, try to pick and you know who the Jets you choose. I try to play the little draft guru game a little bit.
All right.
So this is good man, this is good, big cat. And who you going with number seven?
Uh? I think I'm gonna get the kid from Michigan, the defensive tackle.
Oh, Mason Graham.
Mason Graham.
Yeah, yeah, of course you lineman.
Yeah yeah, because you know Quinn Williams. He needs some help. He needs some young help. He needs some young help.
All right. So before we get you out of here, I got a favor.
What would you say, looking at the camera here as we talk, what would you say to a draft pick who is going to be selected by the Jets next weekend, after they're taken by the Green.
And White, after they take it by the Green?
Right?
Yeah, if you had a message, a heartfelt message from Sean Ellie.
Oh well, it may not be pertaining football so much.
It's just life, that's fine.
Yeah, whatever advice you want whatever congratulations you want.
My I would say, keep your circle small, right, and that even means your family members sometimes, Well, you got to keep that circle small. And you have to understand that it's a business and that every year you're required to produce.
Right.
So with that being said, you have to eliminate certain things from your life. And I think coming in as a rookie, you still have the baggage of college habits. You have the excitement of getting new money and all that goes all the you know, drummer that goes with that. So my advice would be to just eliminate all the scratch Try to eliminate all discratchings, keep your circle small, just focus on the craft that hand, and keep your head down.
There's no light at the end of the tunnel.
When you do see light, you can walk out of it, hold your head high and say I gave it all that I have that I had, and you could just ride off into the sunset.
I love that before you ride out into the sunset. What about playing for the Jets organization? What would you say to a draftee about playing for this place and plane for Aaron Glenn.
Well, playing for the Jets is an ultimate experience in itself. You have you have fan base that love you and they hate you too, so it's a love and hate relationship. So long as long as you're giving them what they want, they're going to love you. And and and that's you know, they're the type of fans that a hold you accountable and show you love it at the same time, Aaron Glenn, you're getting a coach that's going to be that's going to hold you accountable, that's going to work as hard
as you going to work. And and as a team, you're going to have a great time with them because he's a fun guy, and he's a guy with no nonsense.
He's idle.
So you know, you just go in and just do your work and just do what he asked you to do. Just meet all your requirements and you'll be fine.
Awesome advice and and we're gonna get you out with this one.
Snowball in Seattle.
Your recollections tell us what you saw leaning into it, and then what prompted.
You to have that kind of interaction with the fan. I want you to have phone with this.
Yeah, well, standing on the field getting getting hit with snowballs while we're playing in the game, you know. So that was frustrated, right, and then we go to the sideline, We're getting hit with snowball. So when the game was over with, So when the game was over, I'm like, okay, all right, walking out, walking out. They still hitting us, So I'm gonna join the party. I'm gonna join the snowball fight. When I went to go pick up the
snow I didn't intend for it. I didn't realize it was that big, right, So I'm reaching out, like I'm gonna just make me a snowball.
So when I grabbed it and it, you know, and I picked I.
Just said forget it and I went and just throw it in the stands and ran off.
So it was all in fun. I felt like I had to get my lip back.
The Jets fans to this day are still saluting you for that, right.
Oh yeah, I loved it.
Yeah, yeah, that was That was That was fun.
Was actually that was well, it wasn't too fun for us, but the game itself, but planning that environment was fun.
It was fun.
Well led to do a couple of great years because after you know, slow ending to that season two thousand and eight and you guys got going to nine to ten for two of the most memorable seasons in franchise history.
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
Hey man, this was fun.
All right, man? Thanks for having me.
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Abe.
It's been twenty five years since that historic two thousand draft, class man, What has the past couple of days been like thinking about that?
That a quarter century has gone by?
Well, you know the funny thing is, I've been thinking about it since probably twenty twenty three. You know, you know those years are coming about. I'm like, dag, it's almost twenty five years, and you know, and I wasn't even thinking about myself. I was thinking about the two thousand draft Tom Brad. I'm like, whonder we gonna do? Tom Brady's gonna be twenty five other hold ons, I was in that draft too, I sai, hold on, we had four draft, I said, So. I actually put it
on my Instagram page. When I really start and realizing I'm like it close, Well, I called Tracy perlmant first. You know, I'm being a little brad. I was like, Tracy, so what y'all doing for you? You know, it's twenty five years for first round pick. Come on, what you're gonna do? So I went to Instagram and said it
all so. But I was trying to tell everybody I could before, like let's do something like you know, let's do something, you know, just make the guys feel good because you know me Chashwan not saying it won't happen again, but you know that was that was something special that happened in the NFL.
So who brought up the idea, Hey, maybe you guys should have a draft party together?
There in you both just happened to have the same agent.
Did he come to both of you guys and say, hey, listen, I got a good idea, let's bring everybody the same spot.
It went great that day, though, like I tell people, that is one moment besides that, in the sack moment I wish I could have again, like just being drafted. You know how it is, man, when you get on the show and you're just your name is being called.
People don't understand like that feeling like you will never really get unless you're an entertainer, unless you're somebody who does something you know that well, you know how people are now, people do so crazy stuff on IGI just for attention, But I ain't never felt like it, even though they boo the hell out of me, I still
was like just happy as hell, you know. And you know, because you know a lot of us kids at the time, I was twenty one, I'm thinking all my problems was solved, and you know, being being an adult now, like I wish I'd had a little more. I wish I'd have stuck around you more. I wish I'd have listened to you more. I wish I would have talked to y'all more and like tell you how I feel, because I still had a lot of growing up do as a man.
But were you you were able to actually celebrate the moment because Sean was telling me that here you are, he gets drafted, he gets the call from the Jets, and you're congratulating him, and then a matter of seconds it's you was getting drafted.
I mean, like I said, it was it was a consistent euphoria because you know, it's like if you're watching your kid do something, even if it's your brother or your friend or somebody like and like I said, it's like a connection we had like we first met each other. It was like we were best friend, like d D. So when he got his name, I called, I'm like yeah, yeah, yeah,
So I'm waiting. I'm like, okay, cool, So I probably go to San Francisco or Carolina because the Jets did not contact me until the day before and it just it just happened. I happened to be home and they asked for my contact number because I really my friend was like my roommate at the time, because I stilled in a roommate. He was like, Hey, New York. On the phone, I'm thinking it's the Giants. I'm just being real.
I thought.
I was like, oh, I said, I think that was the Jets. After I got talked to him and then it came down. So my celebration was it was just it was like just having a big rush of relief. Man, you know, playing four years, losing twenty one straight games, you know, putting it leaving it all in South Carolina. Man, it just ready to get it started. So like when Shawn name was called, I was excited, and then they like they leaned over just like this, oh John, hold
hold on, they're taking you at thirteen. And I was like, what so you know it's literally Sean. Like right after they said Sean name, his mom is family, everybody in the site, and they just he literally just leaned like this, hey John, somebody get John. And I seen him like trying to get it because I was in the bathroom trying to get ready and trying to calm down because I ain't known what's happening. You get picked at thirteen, I said, what so I had to go right back to the bathroom.
I had to go right back to the bathroom.
I'm like, I broke down. I broke down, and then they called my name and I gave my mom a hug, and like I said, like I wish I wuld I wish we had iPhones. Then I wish we had the memories like that could be just taped the whole time, because that's something like when me and Sean will always share together.
B Do you realize history was at hand. That's unprecedented. Four first round picks because after yourself and Sean golf, of course a couple of picks later. Chad Pennington for Marshall is selected and then at the end of the first round Anthony Back from West Virginia makes it for.
Realistically. No, as I got older, yes, you know, I thought like maybe it was something that happened before, you know, because I wasn't really like you know, I played one year in high school and four years of college. So that's why I said, when I got to the league, I wish I would have talked to people like you more talk because you could have helped me out with
you know, the media. You could have helped me out with like John who need you to do this, Like we're not mad at you, but we want you to talk more like this, or be more spacific like this, we do want to see your life or give us more some time like things like that. I think I could have learned. And so when I got to the GETS, I didn't know anything about y'all. So that's why I was kind of quiet when I first got there. But I said, I know I could play my ass off.
I got booze, so let me show these people that I can play football. Let me tell these people like I was worth the pick. And I never really got into the Jets until maybe like maybe fourth or fifth year in there, because the first three years were kind of going like this. You know, I got hurt that one year, and the next year I'm all Pro Pro Bowl, the next year Pro Bowl. So the first three years were going like I'm like, good Lord, so I'm thinking i'ma be i'ma be one of the greatest Jets ever.
And then the DUI happened and it was just like, oh, well, still here.
Though, what what do you think the legacy this group should be?
The two thousand Jets draft class? How do you want them to this class?
Well, obviously the legacy is everyone ended up okay, like the end of our careers. You see Chazz working for the NFL. Sean is raising his great kids, and you see his son's guy balling out. La Vernius is raising his family now doing the little stuff with y'all, you know, always being around the Jets. Anthony Beck's a head coach, John Abraham is doing whatever he can now. So it's like everybody had a successful ending. Like you know, even though it was a lot of trials and tribulations, we
didn't end our careers. No one in their careers with the Jesus. Well maybe Laverarnius. But I'm like, but we all ended up good. Like it's nothing really bad. I mean besides, like I said, trials and tribulations you go through life. It's just men going through life.
Yo.
Why were you guys able to play at a high level for so long? Not just yourself, but when you put it together, the aggregate. You Pennington, he endured a lot in terms of injuries, and he kept on coming back two times NFL Comeback Player of the Year. You got Anthony back to played more than ten years in the NFL, and then Sean had that long run here before he finished off his career with the Patriots, and
Laverni has had two stints here as well. But it wasn't like anybody oftentimes you see the draft class a you know this where oh, well, this guy played year. This guy played fifteen games, he got hurt and he just didn't work out for him. Why were you guys able to endure and also play at such a high level for so long?
I can speak for me personally. I wanted to be the last man standing. And I think we all were like that. Like, I mean, like even Sean, even me and Lavernce. We made a little made a little pack. You know, the first person to do this, We're gonna have to pay them this, you know. So I think we just had that competition in US and it literally came from that draft because I watched Chad. Whenever I played Chad, I wanted to give Chad teams my best. Whenever I paid against Sean the Jets, I wanted to
give him my best. Whenever I had to see again, whenever I had to see Lavernes, I want to give him my best. Because being a first round pick in four, you always gonna be compared to which one was the best on them four. So you're like, oh, it was Abraham the best, Oh it was Chad the best, or he was the best? He the best. So I wanted to stay as long as I could. But I also want to be productive because I know where I came from. I knew what draft I came from. I knew I boomed.
I knew that people didn't think, and I think we all went throw ups and downs. Even with Beck you know, oh, you know, can he catch the ball? Ken He turned to a blocking tight end. At this Cole's had to leave, go to Washington, come back to the Jets. Sean started off slowly, then he picked it up in the middle of his career that he ended up going to New England. It was like we always had something go Chad with his injuries, like you said, came back, go to Miami,
have to see the Jets every other day. Dang. Then, So it's like all these competitions we always had in our head, and it always like every time we run each other, it'll be like I think Chad said it yesterday, like every time we was here, just like we just like seen each other yesterday, like all what's up, man, It's just like, ain't nothing changed. And I think that's
the that's the competition that we had. But like when you get drafted in a big loop like that, you want to be the best one out of that thing. It's just being four first round picks. You want to be like, I gotta be up there. I got at least match one of these guys. There'll be better.
You walked into that locker room in two thousand, there was a guy playing cornerback who ended up playing fifteen years in the National Football League. It was the first round pick of the Jets in nineteen ninety four.
His name was Aaron Glenn. What was it like to share a room with him then?
And now twenty five years later, it's all come full circle because AG's the head coach of the team that drafted both of you.
I tell everybody this the first when I first saw it, the first thing I felt was mvy. And it wasn't jealousy, it was envy. It was like, man, I know that's gotta feel good, but also I know our hard AG work. AG was nothing like me. Ag was nothing like Sean. He was nothing like Chad, not like Anthony. He was nothing like the Verneys. He was nothing like the five people that came in there. He had his ownly. He was a business wide. When you saw Ag, I always
just remember Ag with a briefcase. My mind just always takes it back to him having a briefcase whenever we do travel trips or somebody that you have a brief place for himself Like this dude was always business and the way he prepared, like you knew he was gonna
hear nobody. We won't worrying about that. But when it came to if he had to hit somebody, he would, But like when it came to covering and come to knowing people and come to like always manning up when it came to the best receiver, like he always wanted the best received. You always wanted the man the man coverage. And if you talk to Ag, because if you see him as a man, his stature is not that big, So the first thing you see is oh, and you try to talk to him like anything else you're gonna see.
He's about ten feet talk like he has he has a presence about him. Like I had a coach called Lou Hols. If you saw Lou hoas Lou Holst was probably a small guy. You know, he's real frail looking, but you had so much respect his aura would just walk in and you knew, like, I can't mess with
this guy. And that's how Ag is. And like I said, like I said yesterday, and I keep saying, if he has enough time to develop his team like he wanted, I can see him being just one of the best ever to come through the Jets.
Would it mean that much more for you as far as not just the Jets winning, but also because you speak in terms of family often, where you say, hey, Sean Allison, consider him a brother, and you talk about the organization in such high regard, would it be extra significant for you to say, Hey, Aaron was a teammate, a guy who I played with and now is going to lead the Jets to potentially to promise Land down the line.
You know. The funny thing is I say that about everyone I played with, no matter what part of life, even Quincy Carter. Quincy Carter has totally changed his life, and I tell it about it. I was so I played with Plinceton, New York. You know that. So people don't understand, like the biggest thing, the reason why I think I was always a little mixed up when I
played football. I was a bigger fan than I was a player, So like it would be hard for me to talk to Curtis Mark because it's freaking Curtis Martin if people don't understand that, like they let John y'all in the same league, or I'll see the white friendI even though we got to say, oh, this is the white Friendian, and I still feel that way to day.
I was just a big fan of the game. Like I always said, I was gonna go to the NFL when I was a kid, you know, when I played one year high school football, But it was like when I got there, it was still like like I got, I got the pleasures to be around Brian Cox, Marvin Jones. You know what I mean, I got kidim why to knock me on my ass a couple of times. This
stuff that people in life could never say. So when I give gratitude, now I give gratitude of being in the same space with all these men that I grew up watching and even afterwards I got to play with Julio Jones, Matt Ryan, Like this is one being got to be around all these people, and this is stuff when I talk to people, and like I used to be like, you know, man, just the locker room, But now I see how amazing my life has been. And
AG is gonna just take it to another level. And I think of the passion that he brings as a person, just just this much can get in that defense and the offense just follows. Because I believe in Justin Fields, man, I think Justin will be comfortable. I think he'll have somebody that AG can talk to him more like a dad, a brother, a friend. And AG liked to be clean and fresh, so he understand these young guys.
So let's let's be real.
Now you understands, understanding
M.