It's another episode of Pats from the Past podcast Matt Smith along with Brian Moore, and we're pleased today to be joined by the latest member of the Patriots Hall of Fame. You know him is number ninety three in your school board. We know him is number one in our hearts, ladies and gentlemen, Richard big C.
H Yeah, big C's here. Guys. How are you thank you for having me?
Thanks for joining us, Richard, Yeah, no, for.
Sure, absolutely, I'll say this.
I know we were supposed to do it about a week ago and just a quick story, yeah, no, no, no, it was my birthday, right, so I had a surprise where my wife surprised me, just with a few friends that came over. And you know, I'll say this, I wasn't expecting it. I know we had it. We were scheduled for that Tuesday morning to come on, but that night, one glass of wine kind of led to another and then before you know it, like the wine shifted to a little tequila and then it was like, you know what.
So I didn't want to come on and not be able to give the fans the full Big Sea experience.
So anyway, I'm here.
I'm happy to be here, and it's been a long time coming, but I'm glad to be joined by you guys.
So maybe what we should think about doing Brian is let's schedule this for his next birthday and do it and do it for the birthday. That might be the real big sea experience.
I know that, you know what, We could go virtual and have cameras here and the whole deal.
Right, love it. We should.
You should have hit Tylav, You should have hit Ty Law for some v one vodcast.
No, no, this is a true story. So last year.
For my birthday, which was my fortieth, right, so I just turned forty one, but Thy Law, Dian Branch and the guys, they came down and we had a live man. Actually it's the exact same band that performed for a tile Lost Hall of Fame induction.
Yeah, so it was. It was beautiful and all.
The guys came and celebrated and it was a really great time. So next time we do something, I'll have to have the camera crew and give the fans a little experience.
Right, And now you have a band for your Hall of Fame induction when that eventually comes with it better.
Eventually eventually, and you know what, I don't want to say it prematurely because it's it's always a difficult deal to get in. But I'm I'm just I'm humbled in honor to even be mentioned among you know, the elite and the great to ever play the game. So you know,
I humbly accept that. And when that time comes, I'm sure we're already and celebrate and you know, get to tell some really great stories and share, you know, because I look at it really like this, like to be honest personally, like I really myself, like I don't really like to reflect the whole lot. But I also think it's opportunity in time to really thank the people that has helped you along the way, just you know, from.
Parent, coaches to teammates, just to really get.
You to understand like it is that you accomplished, and it's the opportunity to tell them thank you, you know. You know, so that'll be what that's for for me personally, just because like I said, I don't I don't know, I kind of shout away from talking about myself a whole lot, but you know, I just have to look at it as you know, it's an opportunity for me to just tell you know so many thank you and and and what they meant, and how instrumental they work.
Well, we'll certainly enjoy at least next year putting a red jacket on you if the goal, if the goal is still not there yet, well, the red one's nicer.
Anyway, I've heard that.
You know, here's the thing. I don't discriminate. I'll take the red, I'll take the goal. I'll say, you know, any jackets y'all want to throw on Big C at this point.
I'll take it.
When when Andre Tippitt said to me one day, he goes, why why did you pick red?
I go, what do you mean, ren? I go, that jacket's way nicer than the gold.
He goes, ship, that's the triple triple I always called Tip. I called him tipp and I called him triple triple log. You know, when I was drafted to doing you know, this was back in the old pro stadium, right and uh, tipically like.
We used to have Meaty down in the dungeon.
Uh it was like right across from the wait room, Tip coming out and had on my you know, karate suit and pants and kind of talking about past rush.
And that sort of thing. So I've always called him a triple log.
You know, that's always been our relationship, just because you know, he's, uh, he was always so great for so many years and you know, just a legend not only in you know, for the Patriots, but just a legend of the game of football.
Well, and you know, Richard, I I talked him about you last year, and you know, he raved about you as a player in support of your Hall of Fame induction in Canton. And Coach Belichick also had as you know, flattering things to say, called you and Vince will Fork the two best linemen he's ever coached. And he's been in the league for forty five years. I mean, coach those sack pack teams of the Baltimore Colts in nineteen
seventy five. So, I mean, what does that mean to you when Coach Belichick makes a comment like that.
It's hard to kind of take it all in.
You know, it really is, just because you know how much admiration and respect that I have for Coach Belichick, and you know, just just being a defensive minded guy like I learned so much under Coach Belichick just in terms of preparation and what it means to really prepare and what it means to be discipline and fundamentally sound and not just being a super talented guy.
But you know, when you can add.
Talent along with great work ethic, along with study habits, along with being a great teammate, you know, like that's when greatness truly happens. And I was just very fortunate that I was drafted by the Patriots because I was.
The young guy coming in, right, Like it was a veteran lated team, you.
Know, Willie McGinnis and Teddy and you know Rabel came in that exact same year that I was there. You know, Anthony Pleasant, Bobby Hamilton, Otis Oti. You know, Oti is like ty Low. You know, like I could just keep going because like those are my guys, and you know, like I was, but like I was the young talented guy that came in, but like I was just able
to soak up so much knowledge. And you know, obviously when I went out to the Raiders, like it like I looked at it for me as it was an opportunity where I could just share.
The knowledge that I've learned.
Because then when I went to the like I was the older guy, right, I was the older guy, and I was still able to share the knowledge and experience.
Like that for me, you know, really what the game is all about. It's about people.
It's about relationships, and it's about sharing knowledge and so you know, they passed it on to me, and it's about paying it forward to others. And you know, like I said, Coach Belichick to be such a genius in terms of you know, his knowledge of the game. And you know, I remember when I was being recruited without even recruited, I'll say that, being scouted out of.
The University of Georgia, right line on Vike Tel.
He comes in and he was he was asking me like could you play the three four defensive end? Because I was an interior guy my full time at Georgia, and he was asking me, could you play the three four defensive end? And I was like, uh, yeah, sure. But at the time, I didn't know if I could play that. I didn't know like what they did. I didn't know nothing about to gaffing. I just you know what, if it's on the football field and it's on the defensive line, yeah I can do it.
That's that was my mindset.
But I really didn't know but he was like, would you want to come to a system that you know does that? And I told him like, yeah, of course, of course I could do that. Of course I'll be you know, but I didn't know. But like I was, you know, just able to learn so much from Romeo Cornell just about defense and you know, so you know, I don't want to keep going.
I can get long windings. It's so fun to talk about with my guys, for sure.
No, I mean, but one of the things we just brought up there Richard, that you know, just to help maybe educate fans a little bit, can talk about too gapping and I'll play any place on the defensive line line or whatever you guys want. The irony about that is is that you were asked to do something. You were asked to subjugate your ego. You were asked in essence, to play a position that wasn't going to provide you
with a lot of statistics. And you know, we talked, we began this conversation about talking about Hall of Fame. So the guy, these stats aren't there, the flashy sack numbers aren't there. You've got to know a little bit about football to realize, well, this is what Richard Seymour was asked to do, and nobody was better than doing it. So you got to know a little bit about the game to realize what your skill level was and what you were being asked to do.
Yeah, yeah, no, absolutely, I think you make a valid point there. You know I always say.
This, like the real football heads and the real people who were close to the game, they really understand, like it didn't even something that we even have to discuss. But I will say this just in terms of like the overall stats and you know, we would always talk about.
Like stats are for losers and that sort of thing.
Not really, but like that was the mindset, like we really didn't care about who got the you know, the the Pro Bowls and who was recognized as you know, potentially up a defensive Player of the Year. Like we wanted to win, like we were like true champions, Like whatever it takes to win, whoever has to sacrifice what, Like that's.
What we were all about.
You can have a guy, just take a just take a I'll put it to most fans like this, like just take a prime time receiver, like they could be in the game and probably maybe have one or two catches that game. But the way they dictated coverage is the way that other teams had to game plan for what they brought to the table and how many other guys were able to succeed. Like those are the things
that matter to champions day to day. Like that is absolutely but like in my mind, like you know, like I said before, like it's a difference between stats and impact, and you know, I think at the end of the day.
Like, uh, you just want to win.
And you know, I think at the end of the day, it's a privilege and the honors or play the game that we love and you know, you get it, paid money to do it, and you know, opportunity people that you've probably never come in contact with and have a relationship. So I'm just really grateful, to be honest, I'm grateful for all the lessons that I've had and everything that the game is afforded.
Richard, I talked to you last year and you said this, and this is going back to Coach Belichick. His information was next level. He made me understand football as a whole. It wasn't just about playing my position. I understood how the pieces fit together. I understood why things happened. I even learned to understand what the offensive players on the other side were looking for on our defense. Right, can you can you give us an example or give some more detail on why that was important.
I'll say this, just the terminology and how smart coach Belichick was.
Like he would talk to the defense basically in the defensive.
Language and you know, the deep line and the linebatterers know the secondary. Then he would talk to the offensive line and everybody. You know, languages is sort of different. It's almost like you're speaking French, Chinese and everyone else.
And he's able to do it so effortlessly. But one thing that they stood out to me that I don't know if a lob uh no, it's purse a great motivator without hammering that point home, you know, like he would just say look and give him nuggets about you know, what the other team is thinking and how they're kind of preparing for you and and that sort of thing. But it was always enough that when game time came. I don't know if it gets enough credit. I know he gets a lot of credit for exits, right and
fully so. But he was a great motivator of men, and you know he always left no stone unturned and in terms of preparation, like you know that obviously that's you know, he'll go down as the greatest.
But he never let his foot off. And I think, no matter.
Walk the life you're in the football, basketball, you know, all winners kind of have the same drive, have the same motivations and work ethic and disciplines and fundamentals, like all of those things are important. Brother, you're in business, in school, you need all of those qualities to really succeed. And you know, I learned so much and I'm able to not only you know, so I was blessed in that regards to play for a lot of great coaches, a lot of great teammates that I just learned from.
So you know, I know I'm you know, repetitive and saying, but like I'm really truly grateful.
I remember the team meeting room before the Philadelphia Super Bowl thirty nine because we put a camera up on like a stack of glasses, glasses in order to shoot it in the infamous. School will be out in Philadelphia on Tuesday. The kids won't be in school on Tuesday. The parade route for the parade in Philadelphia is going to be jets flying over cause you're interested in that, just just in case you're interested, just in case you'd be interested in that subtle way, but probably very effective.
But yeah, no, absolutely, it's it's all of those little moments I remember kind of getting ready to go.
And this was that year they uh, you know, would have had LT and had you know, all of.
The guys and you know, merriment off the edge and you know, brand their prime and you know, it was kind of like they were already teeing up the tickets for you know, family members of getting what and how they kind of you know, making arrangements and that sort of thing.
But it was just a way of just subtly.
Your attension but having a holes of knowing how to make the hairs on the back of your next stand up because we're all competitors.
At the end of the day, Like it doesn't take much.
To say okay, they said this, okay, well all right, I know, I don't know how much I'm sleep tonight because I'm gonna be ready to go.
But the thing is, the thing is about that, Richard, is that like it's not like you guys were six and twelve versus you know, six and ten, Like you guys are fourteen and two, fourteen and two, twelve and four and here's Rodney Harrison coming in after the game.
They gave us no respect.
They got like, what do you mean they didn't give you respect? You guys are like divisions.
You you were nine point favorite, right, but it marked with guys like that, right.
You gotta keep that, Edd, you gotta keep that.
It just always like anytime you're just settling and you feel like, you know, we should we lay it out there, like it doesn't happen that way.
It really doesn't.
Like you have that mentality where some time we might have drum up some things. And but I think that always kept us at a level to compete, uh, year in and year out. It had us so ready to go. And you know, I think at the end of the day, I think it's a difference when uh, I think it was the female coach from Duke, you know, or in North Carolina. I forgot which one, but you know, she made an interesting point and I was just kind of like, no, she.
Hit it on the head. You know.
It was if you're getting ready to run a race and you know, or you gotta run sprints, or something like that, and and the coach told you to do it.
Okay, you do it, and you know, you work hard and you kind of get it done.
But you know, but the teammates out there with you and and y'all running them together, it's just an extra Like you're not gonna beat me. I'm gonna just let you know that. Like, and that's what we always had. Like it was just the ability to compete weekend and week out, and we always understood as a team what our ultimate goal was.
And you never wanted to be the guy to let your brother down.
And you know, it was a true bond, like we hung out together, we cared about one another. Like it was a culture that we created there when I got there in two thousand and one and we were coming off of five and eleven season. But from that point moving forward, we created a culture that I'm telling you that it's a bond that you know, we still talk
to this day. And that's why I said, like the relationships that I have with Rodney and Willie and you know, you know Vince and like I said, Ty Warren, like Jarvis, like I mean like like those are lifetime relationships. But we all had that same commonality that we didn't want to let each other down, Like our families hung out together and our kids we would always you know, go to dinners and do you know.
So it was like like the friendships.
It was so authentic and so real and we cared about one another. And when you create something like that, like it's so special, and it's hard in life, you know to find that, Like you always in search of, you know, something to bring out that that monster inside of you, like just to compete at a level that is really unheard of, Like like I could, I could get really emotional about it, really so.
Richard, I just one one follow up on Bill. So as great as he is, and you've talked a lot about, you know, the genius of Bill Belichick as a star player on a roster, on a football roster, how hard is it sometimes to be just treated as one of fifty three?
Like does that wear on you?
Well?
I think at the end of the day, like.
I look at it twofold right in one regards, I think it always keeps the edge, like it always keeps you raise your sharp in terms of you know what, like no excuses are going to be had, like in order for us to meet in order for you to maximize the talents that you have and also as a team to ultimately compete at the highest.
Level week in and week out.
Like I think you have to have that right so on one, like I totally understand it, and I always looked at it like this, I wanted you to coach me hard, like I wanted to know what if I did something wrong, tell me, and I want to correct it, because I would always say, like, help me, help you, you know what I mean, Like that was my mindset, Like I didn't want to leave in stone lift and turned either I prepared and I put in more work
than my opponent, Like that's what gives you confidence. What gives you confidence at the end of the day is knowing that I put him more work than the guy in the across from me, so I should kick his ass, like and that's how I felt about it at the end of the day. I felt like I should do that because I'm prepared to do And I'll say this, like in my mind, the way that you show me that you value what I bring to.
The table, Like that's why we all have contracts, Like you get you get paid to punt the value that you bring to the team.
Like, so if we're compensated and all of that, like the business is handled and and done with, Hey, let's get to work, Like.
That's my mindset. Let's get to work. All the business is taken care of, Like let's.
Move forward in terms of what does it take to be the best period? Like you know, like I don't want to put no feelings and all of that stuff involved, would it like coach me hard?
We could?
And here's the deal, Like I might not agree with everything that went on, or you might not agree with everything that I want to do, but we have the same common goals, like to be the best and to win, Like that's why we win this business.
That's why we want to do what we got to do. So you know, that's that's how I look at it.
You can need more of that in life. By the way, we should be able to agree to disagree peacefully and respectfully and as long as there's a common goal at hand. But so Richard Seymour didn't mind being coached hard, and Willie McGinnis didn't mind being coached hard, and Lloyd mlloyd didn't mind being coached hard. But would you admit Richard,
that that style that's not for any for everybody. And when you talk about the bond that you have with these people, the reason why it's a special bond is because this place isn't for everybody, and some people, quite honestly couldn't deal with everything that went into doing it, which made I think maybe what you guys accomplished and for how long the organizations has been able to be successful such an unbelievable achievement.
No, it really is.
And uh, you know, like you said, like I mean, I don't want to get speaking for other people, and uh, you know, but I just know in terms of speaking for myself, like you know, you're taking care of me on my business side.
Man, I want to be coach Stard and I want to be prepared.
So I'll leave it at that, But I also say that there was a point that I while you were talking. I didn't want to cut you off, but I kind of I'll follow back up and it'll come to.
Well, listen, you just turned forty one. That's a senior moment.
Yeah, you already forty one, and look at it's happening already.
Well, I want to know what the coach's reaction was when you and a wide receiver showed up late for either coming off the buy or mini camp and what it was.
You got to tell that story.
Oh, David pat there you go.
So me and David Patton, we're from South Carolina and we went to the same high school and you know, we were but we were all on by that week. So you know, we went home and you know, hanging out and I didn't even know it, but when it was time to come back, we were on the same flight coming back, but we had a stop in h d C.
Right, And so I was.
Like, so when we got on the plane, I'm sitting there, I'm chilling and then for you know, just like to see the cross from me, David.
Oh we're on the same flight coming back. Oh cool.
So we just got to talk and just kind of you know, uh, you know, just talking about whatever. And then so but during our stop to in d C, you know, and I lay over there, just a quick layover. But it was at night. But I don't know if it was a storm or I can't exactly remember why the what the delay was all about, but they canceled the flight going back to Providence, right, So we couldn't catch the flight. So David was like, man, let's get
in the car. Like it's a I don't know if it's an eight hour drive or whatever the.
Case might be.
And I was like, well, Dave, like coach Belichick is gonna have to understand the flights are canceled, like we got to stay overnight and catch the morning flight. But David was like, this is what David said. See, you're a first round draft pick. I's it. I can't take that chance. I'm not gonna take that risk. If I got a drive, David was like, I'm gonna be there. So I said, uh, you know what, we're from South Carolina together. I understand. I won't let you drive alone.
Been a good teammate, right, but he hey, let's go ahead and go. So I'm like, all right, we'll we'll we'll get a rental car and we'll we'll get on the road and head on up.
We'll drive on them.
So we get the rental car and you know, we set out to head on up to Boston that night, but so we moud have went I don't know, two hours.
And David was like, well, you know what, let's just gas up again.
Let's you know, get some you know, doughnuts and coffee and some snacks while we you know, we're going to the store. And I'm just like, well, I'm a little sleepy, so why don't you go.
Ahead and take the first leg. I'll kind of catch up on some rests.
Once I get rested, then I'll take over and then you can rest so we'll be ready to go. So David goes in the store and I'm kind of laying in the passenger seat, just kind of got my seat reclined, pumps the gas, he got it, snacks.
He gets in the.
Car, and I'm sleep At this time. I wake up. We're still at the pump. David's knocked out beside me. Right, It's like it's like five in the morning. We were sitting there for like four hours. But we got up and I'm just like, oh, David, here was the story that he told me. He was like a man, See, I can do this trip all by myself. Like you just my passenger. I'll get us up there. It's all
good man. I look over, David's knocked out. I'm just like, oh, my good So anyway, we get on the phone to Bears and kind of let him know what's going on and told him, Uh, we'd be a little late coming in, but we anyway, we missed the meetings, but we made practice, so all was well, and Coach Belichick totally understood and
was understanding. But every time I see David, you know, at the front I got inducted into South Carolina Hall of Fame and David was in the crowd, and I had to rhyb him about this exact same and his wife was there and everything. He got to telling me like, I'm a distance driver and I've done this before, so it was It was definitely a fun moment, and I always give him hard time about it.
So I think I love that story. It's a classic, and it is something I want David to tell it. I want to hit David's side.
His version of.
It was.
You gotta hit the side because I'm sure he'll have a flip side to the story, but this is the true, authentic side.
So, Richard, one of the things you told me and and I go back, and I remember back in two thousand and three, after the lawyer had been cut and you guys got buried in Buffalo in week one and you went to Philadelphia for week two, and that was the week Tom Jackson suggested on ESPN that you guys hated your head coach, and that week, you know, you guys went out and hammered Philadelphia, And that week you really came out and took a strong stance in favor
of coach and really showed some leadership. And when I talked to you last year, you mentioned that, you know, you were proud of being named a captain in your second year at age twenty two. Important was that? And how do you when you reflect back on your career. Does that have a different perspective now that maybe than it had that?
Yeah, No, you know what I think, when you're playing and when you're in the game or anything, and like when you're trying to achieve success, you never really think of, you know, what you've accomplished, you know, because it's always about what's next, right, You never get a chance or you never really want to reflect.
I mean, I mean, obviously there's some moments.
Where you're kind of happy that you know, uh, you've had the success that you've had, but you know, you're always looking for that next uh thrill. You're always looking for that that next competition and challenge sou. But but now you know, I do have an opportunity to reflect because you know, I've been eight years now removed from the game, and you know, now I think about all the relationships and and everything that we've accomplished, and you know how special all of that really was, and in
the ponds that I've created over the years. So you know, I will say that, you know, one of the most one of the most proudest accomplishments in terms of playing for me is uh, you know, obviously being named a team captain at like I said, at the age of twenty two, and it's you know, a veteran laden team and you know, and and you know, those type things don't happen if you don't you know, take your craft serious and your teammates respect you, and and and management
respects you. And you can be an advocate for the players on the team. Uh and and because you kind of have a pulse of what's going on in the locker room.
And you want to share.
To management and to the coaches, like what what's that experience look like? And also to have management and coaches to trust you in terms of being one of the captains to kind of, you know, being an advocate and having a pose of the team. So it was a balance. But you had to be authentic and transparent in who you are as a person, for one, because I think
all of those things matter. Like everybody around has to trust who you are, Like they have to see your work ethics, Like it's not always about the speeches and all of that stuff is great, but like they have to see.
The day to day grind that you put in.
And you know, I'm just very fortunate that, you know, my coaches and teammates respected that, and also being named to a member of the All Decade team, because that shows in my mind, it shows it's not just one year. It's not just one game or one play. It's a body of work over the course of a career. And those are the things in my mind that I'm most proud of. And I get a little chance to reflect on that, and you know, it's pretty cool just to you know, reflect on it.
I want to go back to the twenty two year old elected captain and a team that has and I'm just naming a couple of strong personalities on the side of the ball that you played in in fifty five Willie mcguinnesson twenty fourth high Lot And what gave you the confidence Richard? As a twenty two year old kid, Now you're just coming off with Super Bowl, he had a good rookie year. What gave you the confidence to say, you know what, I can lead these guys. I can lead these guys.
Well, I'll say this, like, you know, it's a collective effort.
Like it isn't like you know, I was knocking on Willie's door, Hey, get up and let's get the workouts, you know what I mean, Like it wasn't really that, you know, but what it was is, you know, they just saw the dedication that you had, and they saw the talent that you had, and you know, you're you're a young guy and you're taking it serious, and you know, they just saw you coming off of a Super Bowl where you know, you had a really good game and
made it, you know, some line in that Pro Bowl lineman. So it was a lot of respect that I had. And like I said, I mean, like I really took my craft serious. I had a drive to be to not necessarily compete against others, but I always wanted to get better each and every day. And that's something that I always tried to do it. I'll also tell you this little quick story as well. I remember it was before the Rams Super Bowl in two thousand and one.
We were sitting in the cafeteria having pregame meal and all the d linemen, you know, we're together, and Romeo Cornell he's there with us, and uh, you know, he said, uh, you know obviously you know went through that season and and this is like we having pregame meal before we go and play the Great Show on Turf. You know who just beat us and the regular season. So you know,
it's it's it's the moment, you know, it's here. We're you know, we're kind of gearing up, you know, mentally getting ready to go.
And I remember we just got done eating and we just.
In Romeo, you know some of the guys that kind of went and got on the bus and me and Romeo just kind of sitting there and uh, you know, just talking a little, and he was just telling me. He says, see, you know, he would always call me. See he says, see, you know if you see anything today that you know, any any holes or anything that you see on the sideline or why are you in
the game. You know, I'm giving you the green light to kind of go and do what it is like within the defense, to go and to go and play.
And I just remember having that conversation with him.
It's like a shooter where in basketball that the coach is giving him the green light. And I just knew the team had a lot of confidence in what I saw on the field, just because of the preparation that we tried to put in, you know, uh during the year. So it's just little nuggets and little subtleties like that that.
Let me.
I knew that I had the full confidence of you know, the coaching staff, of the players. And like I said, I mean, I got stories for days. I don't want to be long winded.
So no, but on that on that story, specific, on that story specifically, Richard, would you say that racks words? I mean, is it fair to say that was your best game of the year, your rookie season. I mean, if people don't know about Richard seymore before the you knew about Richard Seymour after watching that game. You were dominant that game.
Yeah, yeah, no, No, I definitely give coach Carnell a ton of credit.
Just because uh, you know, I looked up to.
Him, like I mean, you know, he was the defensive line coach, and you know, I think you know, he was always with coach Belichick brother.
They were in Cleveland together and the Giants are.
But he gave me the confidence to say, hey, you know, I mean it was almost like I mean, you're talking to your coach and he's like, if you see something like go take it. You know, you know obviously within the defense, but you know, I just want to let you just just go and play like you have the ability, you have the talent, you have the knowledge, we've put in the study. You know, if anything happens, we'll deal with that after. But today, just go have fun, be enthusiastic,
and go play football. You know.
And like what coach telling you know, you.
Gotta think at that time, like like you said, I was, I was twenty one years old when when all of this took place.
I was.
I came in the league at twenty years old. I was twenty one at the Super Bowl and your coach telling you like it's giving you the green light to go and like that to me, like it was like the aha moment, Like Okay, son, Like you're ready to go. It was like that since in the Karate movie, like you go and do it, we got you, you know, so like I mean, I'm telling you, like I just remember riding to the game and just kind of thinking about,
like you're prepared for this moment. You're ready for it, like whatever it takes to go and put your best foot forward, Like that's what I was willing to do.
And you know, just think about it like I was a.
You know, I was a first round draft pick, but like football was being in our family, like I knew, I got you think about I.
Knew my family, I knew my friend.
Teammates that I played with in high school and coaches like because I remember when I was a kid watching the Super Bowl and here I am starting in the Super Bowl as a rookie twenty two years old, well twenty one at the time.
Like those are experiences and moments that you know, you dream of. You want to be in those situations.
That's a player and to have it come to pass, like you know, you just feel so blessed and you just so like like as a competitor, you just want to be in those situations, especially if you have the desire to want to be the best.
So can you believe twenty years have gone by and Rack is telling JJ Watt to just go out there and have done, Like you right, Like, you're not surprised if Bill's still doing it. You know, Bill's nuts, you know, and he's gonna do it. They're gonna have to drag him off the field. But are you surprised when you see that that Rack is still doing it and he was just named head coach the other day?
Yeah?
No, you know, I think it's also a testament to who he is and his knowledge, and like, you can't stay around this.
Game long if you know, you don't have the knowledge and can.
Motivate guys, you know, have a have a clear understanding of what's going on in the National Football League. And you know, I think, you know, it's just a testament to who he is. You know, So that all story, Like I was in the Bahamas, uh like two years ago. But anyway, like so me and my wife was there and Bill and his and we didn't even.
Know it, like we we U but I saw him.
He was just sitting down and I kind of came up behind him and Baron hugged him and you know, we were staying in the same hotel and h and we went out.
Dinner every night, like none of us was playing.
Like me and my wife we went to go and like just have a great time and kind of get away from the kids for a little bit.
But when we got there, had such a great time because Romeo and.
His wife was there and we went and had dinner every night and kind of hung out. And it's funny like, uh so, Coach Cornell he's there, and I'm playing in a poker tournament down there as well, and I ended up finishing third overall in that tournament, but it probably was because Coach was there and giving me some advice, like just because like poker too, it's also like a game where.
Like you have to be even killed.
You can't be too high, you can't be too low. You kind of got to like if like bad things are going to happen. But it's also about like how you respond, and like, so I give Coach, I got to give Coach Probably he probably gonna say, well, just send me a check in the mail.
So hopefully after you won, you bought him and his wife dinner that night.
Yeah, I'm telling you, I did. We had. We had a really good bottle wine to go with it too.
Good Richard, How the heck did you get into poker?
You know, I played with my dad growing up, you know, just for fun. Not on the level that I play down, but I just played and just you know, just a fun hobby that we just did kind of like with you know, with the guys, you know, and you know, you just kind of got a chance to compete and that sort of thing. But you know, once I, you know, I stepped away from the game, you know, you just kind of like playing.
With your buddies.
And then like I just knew, like I just had a natural ability that probably was just a little bit better than the guys that are playing against And and then I kind of got a lot.
More serious with it and ticket serious, and.
I already had natural qualities that that can make you kind of good at playing pok with just in terms of attention to detail. And I was already groomed in a lot of the areas that I see so many really talented players just blow up in moments that and I'm just like, oh wow, they just giving away chips right now. Just well, you know, So so I had a natural and I have a natural talent, and you know, so I tried to hone in on those skills and.
You know it didn't it didn't.
Uh, And it's very competitive, so like it was just a great outlet for me to still.
Compete, you know.
And I don't have to compete physically, you know, because those days have past. I may I may have a snap of two left, but that's about it.
But so when you said earlier, and I could I think I could see a little bit in your face and certainly could hear in your voice. You know, you've been out of the game for eight years and you know the camaraderie that you have that you know, it's hard to ever recapture that depending on whatever you're going to do next in life. And football was a big part of your life. But you have a lot of
life still to live. Does does the poker Tour and being on that at least give at least give you a little juice Richard to compete, you know.
And while you're.
No, I think, yeah, no, I think that's why you see a lot of guys that played sports, uh, you know, kind of venture over to something competitive or still try to be an arena that they can compete.
In, you know, because at the end of the day, like those.
Feelings like that's what made that's what made you great, Like just that drive and you know, you just want that outlet in some capacity.
And you know, poker is one of them for me.
But you know it's also you know, you know, angel investing in companies and you know, just being able to kind of have your.
Hands do it and dabble in.
You know, so like all of those type little those little things are fun for me. So you know, but the most important thing for me at at this point, well, especially when I stepped away from the game. And I also I'll say this, I also think it's empowering when a player can step away on his own terms because in this business, like you really don't have control over when you can step away from the game.
You know, it's very few guys that can say, you know, what.
I think I'm done, even if teams are kind of calling and in well what's your interest and that sort of thing. But you're empowered and it's a sense of liberation when you can make your own calls about what's next and what the next chapter of your life may look like.
And so.
You know, it's such a blessing when you know you can you know, just kind of decide what it is that you want to do and how you want to do that, and structure and have the right you know, people around around you and have the right team around you to help facilitate, you know, some of your desire. So you know, like I said, man, like you know, a lot of times you just look at it like, man, I just don't deserve all the blessings that have been
bestowed upon me. But I'm very grateful and honored that I've had so many people in my life to you know, help mold the person that I am. And you know, each day, as you know, you wake up with an excitement to continue, you know, making your your wife proud, making your mom and dad and all the the things that they've instilled in you as a as a young man.
You know, you also want to make them proud.
And so you know, like I said, you know, I have four kids that you know, I just want to teach and try to give them some of the same values that you know I've had.
So it's you know, I'm like I said, I'm very blessed and very grateful. Richard.
That would be remiss if I didn't ask you this, because I just read something the other day. You won three super Bowls in your first four years in the league and obviously had a great career here.
I just read something.
I think it was Sean O'Hara from the Giants who said the infamous David Tyree play that he just reached out and grabbed you by the throat.
Is that accurate?
He grabbed you by the throat on that play? As as as Eli was kind of getting away a little.
Bit feederal, come grab me on the thought now now, I said, tell him to come grab me on.
The throat now?
But did he do that in the moment?
You know what?
Like I mean, it's the game of football. Everything goes on in the trenches. But like, like you know, to say, like exactly how the play happened, Like, but I know he was holding the heck out of me. I don't know exactly where. I thought it was kind of like on the collar area and that sort of thing. But I thought the roof was going to throw a flag because I also had Eli in the grass, and you know, they always protecting the quarterbacks, and I'm like Okay, I'm
sure he's gonna blow it. But I do know I had a hand on him, Jarvis had a hand, and they were he was kind of trying to fight to get away, and you know, we had guys on our back and that sort of thing. So, like you know, it's in the field of play, that type stuff happens, you know.
I'm sure that I think his.
Quote was I think his quote was, yeah, I had nothing to lose. I mean, the game was on the line right there. I just grabbed him by the throat.
Yeah, I that that could very well be true. But like I don't, I don't.
I can't recall exactly how the play played out. Like you know, it's funny. It's a couple of games I just never watched. I don't even go through the film and look at them.
So yeah, I just you know what, it's a no, no, it's a few games.
It's a few games you.
Don't even watch ESPN, like, uh, you know, a month after those type games are over, it's like, you know what, we're not going to do that.
Let's let's just go outside and get the training and doing something else, you know. So that's what we are.
So we've talked a lot about your Patriot experience here, Richard, understandably showing your experience with Bill, but you also had a chance later in your career to be paired with one of the true greats, another true great in the history of the profession, and that's Al Davis.
What was it?
What was it like, you know, in your experience with being around mister Davis for the short time that you were able to be there in Oakland.
Yeah, I tell you, you know, I've played for two historic franchises, and I just go back and just say, you know, play for the Patriots, and then you know, also the Raiders. And I'll say this, like the Raiders were actually like a childhood favorite team growing up.
You know.
You just think about the silver and Black, you know what I mean, and just the mystique of that Raid as you know what I mean.
Like so.
Especially as a defensive lineman, As a defensive lineman, you know, it's nasty, it's tough, like you.
You like, we're the We're the like the D lineman. And I say this all the time, D linman, are.
You have to especially if you want to be leaked, you have to be able to rush the passer you have to be able to stop the run. You have to be well conditioned in shape, Like it's like you're an elite box sir, Like you're using your hands. And I always say, like we're the toughest guys on the planet, Like I firmly believed that, like just in terms of like the size, the speed, the athleticism fighting against guys, but also have the speed and the agility to.
Chase down running backs and that sort of thing.
So you know, I just also want to give a perspective, like to play as a defense with the lineman in the black hole, like that was an experience in its own And you know, I always respected Al because when I got there, you know, he was like like he was older, but he recalled like plays that I had at the University of Georgia, Like he remembered like all of those things, and like so I just also just I felt like I was around such a wealth of knowledge in terms of being a pioneer and a legend
in the game, in terms of you know, GM you know, head coach ownership, like like Alt embodied.
All of those things.
And you know, for me also like going to Oakland, like I also got a chance to share my experiences that I learned in New England and all of the relationships and everything that I learned, Like I got to bring all of that with me. And I was also an advocate for the players because they respected me when I got there, just because.
The talent that I had.
But also like at that point, like I'm coming with three Super Bowls, I'm coming with you know, at that time five.
Pro Bowls, like all pros.
Like all of those things are coming along with me. So like when I stepped into the room, like they felt the weight of He's serious, like this is you know, we gotta we gotta, we gotta rise to a new level.
And I you know, as a as a player, that's.
All I want at the end of the day, Like I want people to care just like I care, like in business or whatever it is that you're doing in life, like you want people to care just like you do. And so the players felt that, but also management, you know, they would also pick my brain and the coaches also, uh would call me up and because they knew I had a post of the team in terms of you know, what the players wanted and how things should be organized
and that sort of thing. But you know, it was from the experiences that I had already learned from being in New England, right, And so you know that was really special to me because not only did I feel like a player when I was there, I felt like I was much more than a player, Like I felt like I was a part of of the culture and in terms of balancing the coaches and the players, and I was kind of in the middle, like trying to help facilitate getting us to the next level.
And so.
You know, like even now, like I still have a great relationship with Mark and you know we talk often just in you know, the direction of the team and that sort of thing. Yeah, no, it's super cool. Like, you know, here's the thing. You got to stop me now because I'll be long winning. I'll tell all the stories and we'll keep going and going. So just just if you want to go on to another subject.
I just want to know.
I just want to know when when Al Davis was remembering all those plays, if he ever brought up the tuck rule.
Ah, you trust me.
Everywhere I went in the Raiders facility, everybody, everybody at least once, they always talked about the tuck rule. And Richard all right, you can tell us now and that you know what I mean. It was always pretty fun.
And you know, hey, I just I kept my lips closed and I just would always tell them, hey man, we focusing.
On this game we got coming up this week, you know. But it was always fun. And I'll just say this, like I also respected.
Out on so many levels because not only was Al Davis like the coach and that sort of thing, but he also ushered in, you know, just when we have all of the unrests in the country and social injustices, and you know, like Al Davis.
Like he had you know, black scouts.
He also had black head coaches, hat black quarterbacks.
Like he was a pioneer for ushering in.
He just wanted to win. He just wanted the right people in place. So it was like I had so much respect for him, like in like to Al, like like black lives matter, like before it was cool now to be a part of the movement, like he lived it. He invitied it. He wanted change for everybody back then, even his team that was around him, Like it was white, it was women, it was blacks, it was you know,
everybody was there. So it was a culture of diversity and that really looks like America, and so like, I have a tremendous amount of respect for Al just because not only just football, right, it was so many other things that came along with it as well.
So, you know, so kudos to him.
Our guest has been Richard Seymour on this Path from the Past podcast. Richard, we could do this probably for hours and hours.
I see you know what, like I don't got hours and hours left. I see my kids they kind of looking at the window.
Yeah, well, I wanted I want to say thanks for your time.
Though, really appreciate it, enjoyed it. Yeah.
Sure, we can't wait until God willing this pandemic ends and we can move around the country a little bit freely and really really look forward to the day when we are putting a red jazz you knowing that a yellowjacket is coming very shortly after that. Richard, thank your time today.
Thank you, Joe, absolutely no, thank you so much.
And like I said, I've been I'm so grateful and happy to you know, to have put on a Patriot uniform.
It's taught me so much.
And to all the fans out there that's listening, like like I came to the Patriots at twenty years old, like I just turned forty one. Like it's a part of who I am. It's a part of my DNA. And I'm so grateful for you know, everybody that bought a.
Ninety three jersey.
You know, we need to do a signing up there and I'll sign them all for you. So thank you so much and thanks.
For having me on Love it Be while Richard Boom.
Thank you for downloading this podcast.
Subscribe on Apple, google Play, and everywhere else you listen.
Like the show, Please rate and review us.
Listener comments and ratings help keep us high in the podcast rankings so new listeners can and find us.
Be sure to check Patriots dot com for more news and more podcasts.