The Vikings Audible: Eric Kendricks & Jordan Hicks On Developing Instincts, Playing Against Hostility | 2022 - Week 2

Hicks Fellas. Thank you for joining first and foremost. Secondly, Eric, you've been a part of the show I think three or four times last year, first time with a guest. So you know august thing I was. I was telling the backstage he'd better not mess it up. So we've already had our conversation. We're good to go. He's prepped, We're ready, all right, whoa like like? We all know we start this thing off of trivia, but today we want to do it a little bit different. We want

to do two truths and a lie. So Eric, we're gonna start with you. We got a cute card in front of both of you. Guys. There are three sentences on that card. Jordan, it is up to you to figure out which two sentences are true and which one is a lie. All right, let's greeted out. What are the two truths in one lie about Ali and I's wedding This summer, we gave our guests the option to where pajamas at our On our wedding day, I crowd surfed and spilled juice on my tuxedo during the reception.

We hired on site tattooed artists for the reception. Uh, the lie is the on site tattoo. Did you do that? We did that? You did? That is the lie that Ali crowd surfd. She did crowd I didn't crowdsurfed. I missed it, but I saw the pictures in the video. She might be a little easier to lift up. Yeah, I guess she was just feeling it and crowdsurfed in her address where people getting tatoos at your wedding, people

were getting tattoos. Parents were getting tattoos. M it's the one on your hand right when, right here on my finger, And then I got another one right here, number two? Second sibling? Nice? What was the best tattoo? The best tattoo? You know? Any tattoo stories? There are some good ones. I don't even know. Like some people just left with tattoos. It's like I'm hoping these people were sober when they

got these tattoos, right, I mean exactly what. Honestly, you know people will always remember our wading because they have a tat exactly. Wow. I have a lot to think about with my upcoming one man, I got yeah, Dan, two truth and a lie about my playing days. Number one, I got locked inside US Bank Stadium with your brother Mike after winning the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles. Number two, I won the second ever Dick buckis my senior year of high school UM. And number three, I

started my master's degree in advertisement while in college. I believe you're getting locks in the US Bank because I feel like it could be easily confused. I guess how to get out of the stadium, and that's the lot. But we feel like I've never gotten out of the stadium by myself. It's always been I've always been yeah right, So I don't know how I would get out of the stadium, but anyway, I would think the buckas thing is a long buckus is the truth? You won the

second bookas in high school. Yes, won the second buckats in high school. The lie is the first one with your brother you really yeah, we we we did not get locked in. We had a big time celebration, a lot of champagne, a lot of cigars. But uh, in our stadium, in your stadium, in the in the locker room as well, in the same locker room, home locker room. Uh. But yeah, we were escorted it out with everybody. Good memories from there, Huh. Yeah, it's a good time. It's

pretty cool. That's this past game is the first time I was back playing a game in that locker room. Was it did come funning back to you at all? Yeah, I mean it's it's kind of been like a process of of like when I signed here and then you know, we had a practice in the stadium and that was like the actual first time I've been back and then playing on the field, it was kind of Yeah, coming out that same tunnel, it was. It was interesting. Yeah, it was very interesting. It was fun. Were you at

that Super Bowl game? Since it was I didn't Okay, I didn't go to the Super Bowl. I didn't really want to be there with the like we had just lost. Yeah, I wanted to watch my brother, but I didn't want to be there around anybody else. I wanted to watch it on TV. I want to rewind it and be able to watch every like, Oh, let me see this play again, let me see it again, let me see the fourth time. And I just sat there by myself,

and I enjoyed watching it by myself. One of the only super Bowls I've ever watched through and through, through and through. Amazing your family connection. You're not watching the Super Bowls. I don't know. It's been some good ones, not even for the commercials. Sometimes I don't know everybody good. Well, you guys are from the same draft class, yeah, and Eric Hendricks, Eric, you were thirty five picks or thirty nine picks before Jordan. Yeah, but obviously being the same position.

Did you guys know of each other or anything about each other interact with each other before this? Yeah? I know for sure. I knew about him obviously because I played with his brother yea, and we came out the same year, so it was, you know, you always kind of keep up with your draft class, especially your position.

And uh, he's always been, you know, somebody that I've always watched and really respected, and um, you know, it's been been dope being able to be here and you know, get to know him and get to play with him, So thanks bro absolutely. I'll also you know, um, I remember Jordan. Obviously we UCLA. We beat Texas that year, we went to the Combine and I remember us to just chatting at the combine, us like inside backers and stuff like that. Um, we got drafted. You know, I've

always watched him on film. He's the guy gets to the ball. Um has always had an ability to like get to the rock and make plays. Um. And yeah, now we got to play together. So it's pretty dope, all right, Jordan. What what similarities do Eric and his brother Michael have on and off the field? Okay, yeah, curse the foremost. They have a ton of energy, and it's it's part of like we've got the same man mannerisms, they talk the same, but their energy level is like

through the roof and they are. It's it's funny because you when I first got here, it was like they're they're very different in their own ways and their own respects, but they're also very similar. So when I got here, it was like I see Mike in you, but you guys are really different. But yeah, their energy levels through the through the roof they have. There are several scouting reports that said, Jordan played similarly to your brother when you guys were going through the draft process. How do

you see that reflected in how Jordan plays? Yeah, I feel like we all just kind of like, Um, you know, I think we're all traditional linebackers are kind of like two sixty two fifty, So you know, we're all kind of like unders side compared to the norm. I guess you could say more backers are not like that nowadays than not. But uh, um just are are are running to the ball and are not giving ourselves up in plays that we don't have to really give our give

up on. Um. I think that's what we kind of all, um relate relate to Jordans. I know I'm getting a little off script here. I know you know a lot of fans know of Eric being here for so long, but the for fans who don't know who you are as the person, like, how would you describe yourself and like your story? I know what you're from, Colorado, moved to Indiana. You've moved a lot of different places before football. This football thing worked out for you. Yeah, Um, A

lot of my story revolves around moving as a young kid. Um, basketball was my first love. Um, really didn't take football serious until junior year of high school and when I really realized I would had a future in it, went to the University of Texas and uh, at seventeen, went

you know, my of miles across the country. Left Ohio and dealt with some injuries there, got drafted third round, had a good senior year, got drafted third round, had some injuries early in my career in Philly, and uh, you know, obviously we came here when the Super Bowl went to Arizona and now I'm here, So in a nutshell, has changed your pace helped you get to this point in your career? I mean, I mean from different states, to different universities to life, Like, yeah, how has that

shaped who you are today? Yeah? You got to learn to adapt, right. I feel like I've got a fairly good ability to adapt and to blend in and jail with my circumstances and make the most of it. And a lot of that comes from moving meeting new people. Football wise, I was I've been in a lot of different schemes through college. I had four different defensive coordinators and then got to the league and have I think

I've had three or four in the League. So I've seen a lot of different football, had to learn a lot of different things. So you know, ultimately you come in and now you learn differently. You learn in concepts, right, rather than oh, this is my job, this is you know. I think that's what makes great players. That learning process was something that Eric you had to kind of not re learn, but but it is something new for you

this year. And obviously having Jordan in a three or four earlier in Philly before and you now maneuvering into that. I guess the La territory. I guess you could say, how has it been being able to have him to as a sounding board within your room? No, I think you nailed it. I think that you know, um, Jordan's been through a lot of defenses, like he's just explained, and he has the ability to adapt and kind of take what he knows from this team and apply it

to us right now. Whereas when you know, the new different defense got introduced to me. You know, I've been playing in the system for eight years. You know, I've been kind of had drilled into this one system and

things weren't clicking as easy for me. But he can kind of understand where I was at because he had played in a similar defense in that in that regard, and then he was able to you know, mess the two and we were able to communicate on those kind of terms because he sees things very similar to how I see things, and it's been real, real smooth. I would say, don't don't let him short change it though. He is one of the smartest backers I've been around, So his instincts and ability to pick it up is

like top not top notch. Is what we're going to end segment one on because segment two I want to get into the nitty gritty of who you guys are and why you guys are here, So stay tuned. We'll be right back. More on the audible presented by three M from the Field to the roof and everywhere in between. Three M, the official science partner of the Minnesota Vikings, is here. Visit Vikings dot com slash Skulls Science to

learn more. We are back. This is the audible presented by three M, the official science partner of the Minnesota Vikings. Gabe Henderson here along so I Tatum every from Vikings dot Com. We got Eric Hendricks, Jordan Hicks, our two guests on the show and I Tatum brought up a good point earlier. You guys are both drafted in the same draft in twenty and fifteen, and I was doing some resource until that, and I was like, all right, let's see how how the numbers stack up against all

the other linebackers selected in the draft. Oh, we got we got people. Yeah, you guys both lead your draft class in tackles, in sacks and interceptions. Nice. Nice in our whole draft class. Well, I think so you're number one in sacks. Yeah, you're number three, Eric, but everything. Oh, you guys are one in two. What do your credit what do you credit that success too? That's far in your career health, right, yeah, that's that's obviously number one.

I think you can't you can't make plays if you're not on the field, right, instincts, instincts. I think it's

for sure. You you too, you yea? Yeah, yeah. I feel the love between you two, which is really great because I think at the end of the day, when you think about joining two p full, I mean, you work together, you have to communicate, you have to be in this together, and knowing each other in your history and coming into this has to help but what have you learned about each other maybe in the short time you have that you didn't know before. And I'll start

with you Jordan, it could be even something personal. Yeah, I mean we've had the opportunity to hang out off the field as well. Um, so I've I've you know, my wife, I've got a family, my wife and three kids. UM, me and my wife. We all go to dinner with his wife, him and his wife, and you know we've been able to connect off the field and get to

know each other in that direction. Um and really, you know that builds even more connection on the field, right, That type of stuff off the field builds connection on the field. So, uh, that's been dope. Yeah, I would say this. I was gonna say the same thing. You know, he's got his super dad, you know, he has kiddos at home. But also he's been a husband. He's been a husband longer than I have, you know, so definitely, you know, talk about the good, the ups and downs,

and it's great drama. Sometimes. Yeah, it feel like it's like a whole venting session. It's like you got you gotta quick vent all of it. You need those people in your life got to it and It's been what six months, right, I think when this show airs, it'll be six months since you signed this all season for being a Minnesota Viking. And during that short span, like Tatum just said, you guys have built that bond. But one thing that I know, I believe it was you, Jordan.

You said this all season is like you guys, non verbal communication. It's next level. So like for fans who don't know what non verbal communication is for a linebacker, what does that look like? It looks like we both know something at the same time. You got it, We're good and it just happens. I mean, we've we had to play a practice. We're a man. Usually a man you don't work together, and it just so happened that you take my guy, take your guy, and it just

worked out. It's like there's times when you got you got you playing with people that don't see it that way at all. When you know, you know, when you know, you know, you know, you know, you gotta a big picture always you know. It's a it's a feel thing for sure, but then it's sometimes it's like a panic situation where you're lined up and you're like and you just make that look and then you know, you know, he's panicking just like and then it's like, okay, cool,

like we're both panicking. We might be able to figure this out. Yeah, so there's a sense of calm in the panic. Okay, you always got to stay calm, right, Okay, it's never really panic. It's just a lot of that nonverbal communication comes in those moments though, you know what I mean, In the two minute, in the fast pace and the it's like you just gotta react and we

work off each other. How much have you talked to Eric about this Monday night football game and return to Philly someplace that obviously it's pretty special to you, Jordan, Uh, we've talked, We've talked about it. Yeah, obviously, Um, he's been on this side of it, you know, obviously more than I have, so he honestly knows knows more about it, uh, and what to expect. This will be my first time back playing there, um since I've left. So yeah, it's

gonna be a dope experience for me. Yeah, you think it'll be like, you know, I don't know, I'm I'm it'll be It'll be a definitely a weird feeling being back in the city. The city is the city is one of a kind, um, and when you've been a part of it, it's you kind of have some type of pool towards you understand. You feel like you understand it because it's one of a kind. Um. But yeah, in terms of being there in the stadium, I really I'm not sure. It's probably I know what it's gonna be.

It's gonna be angry, Yeah, hostile, it's gonna be, um, blue collar, it's gonna be. I think it's it's it's I love playing there. It's great. Like obviously, um, it's not a home game by any means. I love playing at home. But there's something about football when you're on the road. You know, you're in a hostile environment. You know, chips are stacked against you, and you get to go with your go out there with your brothers who've been you know, training with, working hard with and you guys

get a real opportunity to prove yourself. Like it. It's beyond like you know, football, it's beyond like making plays, getting first down touchdowns. It's like, you know, it's fan base versus fan base. It's you know, it's monoi mono. It's pretty dope. Is there a sense of like, what is the I guess that I want to I don't want to say feeling, but what is that that thing right that when you go back home to either your hometown or your former team, that it kind of gets

you up a little bit. I remember last year we played the Chargers and you were like, we had you on the audible. You just had this this energy about you. You can I can never play bad in California. I just refuse to pay. It's like I have to bring it,

you know. So it's like that's just how I feel, you know, It's just what I just any type of motivation I can get to get into go into the game, and any type of chip I can have on my shoulder or like you know, I was I think like the last game, I drove my grandpa's viper to the game, and I really used that, Like I really was thinking about, man, this is my grandpa's viper, Like I get to be able to drive this to the to the game. It was my dream to go to you know, play football,

and you know, own this car. Now I'm like I'm doing it like bringing my family to the game a little bit, you know what I mean? It's like any type of like motivation you can you can bring. I feel like do it. You've been playing now for a while, Jordan, is there something similar that do you have done to help that motivation? Something that because you mean when you start to play for I'm sure you gotta start creative. Yeah. No, you You're always find trying to find that the way

to create that chip. Um, I mean, this is gonna be I won't have to really do much for this game. This is gonna be pretty. And it was actually that way when I was in Philly, always playing in Dallas, right, it was always that same way. Um, I always had my best games against Dallas. But just because I knew, you know, coming from Ut, everybody's watching. Everybody is is Texas fans. So um yeah, I mean I don't know.

I try to honestly try to block out quite a bit of that and just clear my mind, um as much as I can, because you know, I've I give I get up. It doesn't matter how long I play. I get up for these games. And sometimes I just gotta tell myself to just take a breath, chill out, let's go go, go do your job. Because I know both of you guys love football, but Jordan, like, you're

so even killed. Yeah, that like my thing. When when I was going to the Green Bay Packers name, I was like, man, like, Jordan's so even killed, Like he hasn't said anything, hasn't done anything. And then when you sacked there and Rodgers, you like gave this spiss pump and I was like, Oh, let's dude, it's into it. So like, how would you describe your love for the game of football? Yeah, I mean football is Football has

been my life, you know what I mean. I mean, for since I always ask people, actually this is a question. I asked people, how long you've been playing football? Right, Because when you get to this point in the NFL, usually most guys have at least been playing for ten plus years, right, And the thing, you've been playing this game for a decade. For me, it's been twenty years. Right. I've been playing football in my life for over twenty years now. And it's like I haven't done anything for

twenty years, right, And this is it. And so football has been my life. And you know, I a lot to the game, a lot to my coaches and my teammates, and I love this game. I like I said, I get I get nervous. I get those butterflies before every single every single game. And as long as I've got that, I know there's there's that energy, there's that passion, you know that that you can feed off of. I agree right there, you still get nervous, Eric, Yep, absolutely, it's

good though. Yeah, it makes you feel alive, you know. That's what like anytime, anytime where I'm really out there and I'm like, you know, things maybe hard things, and you know, it's like nothing will replace that feeling when you're on the field for me at least, you know, and it's it's pretty special for sure. All Right, Well, let's leave the fans with a quick Philadelphia Eagles preview, right, Um, Jalen Hurts is the guy over there that everybody talks about.

Um for a defense or linebackers, where you're scheming Jalen Hurts, do you scheme him the way you scheme Lamar or is it more like a Toa or a Calu Murray? And why I would? I would say because because he is such a threat with his his legs, and the scheme is built for him to be able to pull the ball and run in the run game. Um, you definitely have to account for him, right, you can't go out there without accounting somebody to be on the quarterback run. So yeah, I mean you have to treat him like

a lamar. Um. I know, being with Kyler, he wants to sit in the pocket until he until he can't right, and he wants to he wants to throw for five hundred yards if he can. So, Um, yeah you might, you might have a better hands. I would completely agree.

I would say it's more like a lamar. You know, they have run plays designed pullers designed to block for him, um, play actions designed to get a mismatch for him to run the ball essentially where you know Kyler's you know, not not really don't have run plays built for him.

He may have a draw every once in a while where he drops back and then shoots to the gaps, but Kyler's more running on the on the pass, you know, then he makes his yards scrambling where it's like, you know, he's gonna have plays on Monday that are going to be designed for him to run the ball. Games. How much do they mean to you at this point in your career? Yeah, it's Monday night football. We've been watching Monday Night football since we were kids. Like, obviously a

huge deal. But you don't have to put any more pressure on it. We don't as players, we don't have to put any more pressure on it because it's a high pressure environment already. You know, we're already playing the NFL. Every game matters significantly. And the proof is gonna be when we when we when we walk out on the field Monday night, it's not gonna be that's gonna be the pressure. It's not gonna be us doing anything extra. You don't get too creative with that ship this time, right,

it comes naturally. Yeah. Well, if you've buy seen any any other any of the other episode as the audible with Eric Kendricks, he always has the same mass. You always have the same Mansinen. We ask, okay, what's the key to the game, and you like, sit up and you say, look, I'll tell you right now if you want to, Okay, do it. Yeah, the key for us vikings to win this game, this football game right here Monday night. There's a few things. Actually I'm gonna go

through them. First of all, on defense, we must hold them to a lower amount of points than our offense. Beautiful creates. Our offense must score or more points than our defense allows. That's beautiful. If those two things happen, then we win the game. That's just what That's just what has to happen, alright. Always on brand, Always on brand.

I love it, Jordan Eric Tatum, Always a pleasure. We appreciate you guys for tuning into another edition of The Audible presented by three M. We'll be back next week with two other of your favorite Vikings players. Thank you for joining us for this week's edition of the Audible. The Audible is presented by three M, the official science partner of the Minnesota Vikings