Welcome into the Official Jets Podcast. I'm Erica on here at one Jets Drive, joined by former Jets running back Blah Paul BP. How are you.
I'm doing well. What's going on? Eric?
Well, you know what, let's start right there. What's going on? Next week? We're going to Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine. So the NFL offseason really heads into another gear. So you were a fourth round pick out of Louisville way back in twenty eleven. What are your combine experiences?
What were your So my combined experience, I went in, I was injured. I had a hamstring injury, and you know, by my agent, I was told to kind of shut it down. And during that time, you know, you, I was a guy that I was late brown, mid round type of guy, and I was just trying to get my draft right up. So he was like, listen, don't don't let any of the scouts kind of push you into doing something that's gonna, you know, jeopardize you, you know, getting hurt worse than what you are or or affected
anything that you have going going into the draft. Were sitting down, So the only thing that I did was the bench. But it was it was. It was a good experience for me. Uh, it was dreaming. I would say that it was very draining, but a very good experience to see guys, you know, from around the country to come participate in something that they've been dreaming, you know about, all their lives and just compete and build relationships going on into our careers.
So you did the bench how many times? With two twenty five?
For two twenty five, I did eighteen. I was like, I was like in the middle of the pack, you know, I wasn't.
Uh.
I think Shane Veren, who was one of the smallest backs at the time, had the highest number. I think he hit like twenty five, and I think everybody was shocked. But I was like in the middle of pack with my repetition.
So was that an all pr for you?
I was expecting to get twenty plus, But you know, when I got injured with the hamstring, it kind of set me back with my training because I was more focused on like just rehabbing it and trying to get back healthy. So it kind of took away from everything else like preparing for the draft.
You know, like my speed, my strength.
I was just mainly trying to hill up, and you know, I was kind of upset that I was shooting for twenty twenty plus, but you know, I was okay with eighteen obviously now nine years and with the New York Jets, I was still pleased with eighteen reps.
What's it like when everybody's around and watching you. You were only able to participate in the bench, but just that moment where all eyes are on you and there's a lot of noise. As far as just that performance.
Honestly, it was very encouraging because everyone in the group, in the running back group, we had about third the eight guys for the guys, and everyone was cheering for each other. So it was it gave you an extra juice to you, that extra energy to go out and just compete.
Man.
The high level energy that not only do the players were given, but the coaches were encouraging players. They do a good job of encouraging players, giving good instructions on what to do at the combine. So you know, going through that whole process, man, it was really no pressure on you as far as worrying about criticism or anything, but it was more so just going against yourself and just being the best that you could be in your results.
I was talking to somebody the personnel department yesterday Blau, and he said that NFL teams now are allowed to have forty five formal interviews. I think back in twenty eleven was probably thirty. Were the Jets one of your formal interviews in Indianapolis or was it an informal interview?
New York Jets actually interviewed me at the Senior Bowl, they interviewed me at the Combine, and they actually flew me in for, you know, an interview down the flown Park. So they were one of the very few teams that interviewed me multiple times. And I kind of had this idea that they really liked me and I was going to be a New York Jet at the time. I was hoping to be a New York Jet, especially when Rex Ryan being there and Mike Tanemahm and Anthony Land.
But you know, it was definitely like I said, man, it was draining. It was back to back. But man, I really enjoyed all three of my interviews with the New York Jets because of the energy that Rex Ryan brought in everyone. I mean, every interview with him was it was same energy but just different questions and it just kept you on age. And you know, I was excited to be a Jet. Honestly, I was hoping to be a Jet at the time.
We all know he's got such a larger than life personality. But what made you gravitate towards.
Him, It was just him him saying, Hey, listen, I don't want you to come be anyone else that that ever came through this, this National Football League. I want you to come be you. We're drafting you because of you. And uh, you know that's that's that very well with me.
And I was able to relax in most of my interviews with the New York Jets, you know, having everybody and you know, I don't I don't know if people realize you have the GM in there, you have position coaches, you have all these different people in the department and the organization sitting in these in these interviews. But in the New York Jets interview, I felt the most comfortable.
I don't know why.
I don't know, you know, I don't know if it was Rex just you know, he don't he doesn't give you a.
Chance when you walk through the door. He's Rex Ryan.
As soon as you walk through the door, and uh, you know, even if you're a quiet guy like myself, he brings that out of you. And you know, but it made it made me comfortable with you know, just relaxing and.
Talking about football and just talking about life.
And what I really liked is how they they focus more so on the on the personal side than they did football. Like you know, the other ones were, Hey, as soon as you get in there, you're drawing up plays and you talk on football. Where you know, Rex was like, hey, you know what's going on? Relax, you know, water and all these I was like, wow, is this
you know what's going on? Because all these other ones you know, being full but man, like I said, Rex, Ryan did a good job of guiding those interviews.
What would what kind of advice would you give the guys or heading to Indianapolis next week who are about to embark on their NFL careers.
My biggest advice is just go in being yourself.
No one else can't be you, no matter how much preparation you do from you know, boardwork or uh, you know, from a performance standpoint on the field or anything like that. You know, obviously your medical records they handle themselves, because that's a big part of the combine them making a big investment on you. So obviously the medical side, but the biggest advice is go be, Go be you. You know, that's the easiest person that you can be in this
world is yourself. And uh, you know, eventually the team that really likes you. You know, all thirty two teams do not have to like you. All it takes is one team to like you, and that right team in drafts.
If somebody would have caught you in the hallway in Indianapolis back in eleven, in the spring of eleven that said you were gonna have a nine year career in the National Football League and all those years were gonna be with the New York Jets. What wood you had said.
I probably would have had to pinch myself. I'm like, nine years one team. I don't know who is this guy telling me this? But you know, obviously listen, it was it was very hard. You know, one thing that I tell tell my young players that are coached Harrol is, you know the thing about being a good player a great player is the consistency. And I think that's the that's the hardest part of being a professional is just
maintaining consistency throughout your career. You know, you can't look too far ahead, and when you get to a certain point, you can't look too far back. You have to just be president in the moment every day. It's a very brutal business and competitive business. You have to you have to be in that moment, man, and just cherish that moment.
So you join an organization where the Jets were coached by Rex Ryan Data appeared in the AFC Championship game in both nine and ten. Were you thinking that, Hey, listen, I'm not only going to a place that I wanted to go to, but this is a team that is going to be in the playoff mix every year.
Absolutely.
So when I sat down and Rex's office in Fluent Park and he put on his highlight tape of Play like a Jet, and he's highlighting all these players at the time that we were on the roster, and I'm seeing AFC Championships. I'm seeing you know, bar Scott's interview of Can't Wait, and I'm seeing Jericho Crotri Cartrie, you know, diving football after a growing injury, and I'm like, that's what i want to do, And that's that's that's what I want to walk to. I want to help this
organization continue that that that mindset. And you know, unfortunately, you know, I never I never got to the playoffs. But you know, at a certain point in time in my career, I knew that I wanted to stay a jat no matter what.
All Right, So twenty eleven, if social media platforms were to the height they are right now, how much more difficult would that have been for you? As far as Hey, I'm a rookie. I was just drafted in the fourth round. I only play in two games.
Honestly, I didn't even have social media at the time, Eric, Right, I was so focused that I was kind of like, listen, I got to get away from this. I was locked in every day, just a pressure of not knowing the you know, the security of your job and a guy that didn't play. I didn't play but a couple of games, and you know, I was seeing guys get cut left and right. So my main focus was not entertain anybody else outside of what I was handling. Uh, in the in the business, in the in the building.
With Danny and Tomlinson. You latched on to him right away. Didn't you I did.
He was he was. He was definitely a guy that just naturally had that leadership about him. Didn't have to speak much.
He was.
He was not a big talker. I think his actions, uh said more than his words. And when he spoke, he was the guy very few words, but when he spoke, he said.
He said a lot. And uh, you know a lot of guys listen.
So the biggest thing that I admire about l T is the fact that he didn't he didn't hate me. I didn't have to go through any rookie hazing. So uh, you know, I vouched to myself that day, that or that year that I would never do it to any rookie or you know, give a rookie of our time. He made me feel comfortable coming into the National Football League, and you know, I got an I got the privilege
that a lot of guys didn't get. They they didn't come into the business with a future Hall of Famer in front of them showing them how this thing is supposed to work out and how it works out if you do certain things. And you know, I take my hat off to Ludanian for that being the leader that he's been the consistency of not not only what he was doing on the field, but off the field as well.
So you experienced a career breakthrough. And we're going to around a little bit here on the pod. But twenty fifteen, when you guys are ten and five heading the Buffalo, you had an incredible game against the Patriots at home in overtime victory the week prior. Can you talk about your recollections of those final two weeks and also how much you actually think about fifteen.
I think about it a lot, honestly, And that I always mentioned is I think we were that team that if we got into the playoffs, no one wanted to play. I mean, we just had everything going in the right direction. Uh We we finally figured out our pieces on the offensive side of the ball, the defense was playing well. We had Eric Derker, Brandon Marshall on the outside, Chris Ivory and myself in the backfield. I mean we just we just was that team that you you had to
you had to always be ready to play football. I think we were the team that you just couldn't narrow in on one.
Or two guys.
It was just explosive from all different angles, and you know, to watch us put on that five game run, leading into you know, New England and beating them in the overtime. Unfortunately, I got injured in that game, high ankle, spring, couldn't play in Buffalo.
Wanted to play in Buffalo. Eric I actually asked, I wanted to play.
Yeah, I wanted to play in the game because I knew, Man, if we got in I knew what we could have done, because we were that team that was just late in the season that just became special. And you know, some teams they get into the playoffs and November some teams November guys getting put out of the playoffs, and you know, just the energy that the fans were bringing later in the season, not not just the home games, but the way I mean things were traveling, and you know, obviously
the love that you get around the city. You know, it was unmatched at the time.
Speaking of the special Blah, What are your thoughts on Breas Hall and what he was able to accomplish in year two after coming off in ACL and what's ahead for him.
I like I like Greece. I like his game. He could do everything.
I think he's a three down bag, a true three down back, a guy you can line up outside, you can hand to hand them off. He can run inside and outside, he can block, he can catch the ball. But what's the most impressive thing with me is the fact that Briese can create so many yards after contact, and that's what you need at a national football league because there's not gonna be many times where he's just running through an open hole. And I think he's one
of the most explosive running backs. When you get him to the second level. We can see this guy go to distance at any time, especially at his size twenty five. That's a big back that can you get up to twenty miles an hour, especially coming off in ACL. You know, just to see what he did, not many bats are able to bounce back like that off an ACL, but to see what he did coming off of ACL is very impressive and I'm excited to see.
What he has moving forward in his career.
What is his potential because you're talking about a guy who finished second in the AFC in terms of yards from yards from scrimmage, only behind Tyreek Hill. On the opposite conference, you're talking about Christian mccaff free, who a lot of people think is the best back in the league right now. But what is Bree's potential?
Honestly, you just named it.
You put him in the category with guys that have been consistent throughout their career and guys that are always mentioned at the top tier in their position. So you know when you mentioned bris Hall, I think he has that potential to go on and have a great career. And you know, if he stays healthy enough, I think he could be a guy that could get into the Hall of Fame, you know, because he's able to now touch the ball, especially with the way the game has evolved more going.
Sixty to forty pass now.
Back in the day, running backs were getting you know, four three hundred carries a year, where now guys are getting the worried more so about touches, and I think if you give bres Hall enough touches, he could be a future Hall of Famer.
Wow, you didn't retire that long ago. What do you think about the evolutional of the way backs are used, even compared to just a couple of years ago when you hung up the cleats.
I think the game has evolved.
I mean it's almost like black and white now, because when I first came to the league, it was power football, it was downhill football.
Linebackers were bigger.
Now you're starting to see smaller linebackers because they had their force to they're forced to cover backs out of the backfield. Now I think, I think running backs now need to eliminate carries and they need to think about touches. And I was told that years ago by Anthony Lamb, my running back coaches. He was like, hey, listen, don't worry so much about the carries. Worry about touches. Worry
about touches. You know, your yards per touch, not your yards per carry, and that will eventually come with success.
And now you're starting to see that.
Now you're starting to see more so the running back committee where you know, you kind of get away from the work courses because you rarely find a guy that has to come that can't, that can on the field for three downs, So you're forced to go out and get a guy that compliments him. So when you mentioned Bridge Hall, when you mentioned Christian McCaffery.
Those guys are rare.
The Saquon Barkley guys that can catch the ball, block through all these things, those are the rare guys.
Those are the guys that I.
Look at that position that need that need to be paid honestly and valued when you're talking about the running back position, because right now, you know the big thing is them undervaluing the running back position. Those are the type of special guys that you have to pay based on them, not just coming off the field.
You know what I mean, you're coaching at the high school level now, and I'm going to get to that in a second. But where are we going in the NFL game? Offensively? What do the playoffs tell you as far as like you're talking about space and touches regarding specifically the running backs, but there are ibs and flows right in the league that okay, we go from a
power game through a space game. When you watch Kansas City and San Francisco in the Super Bowl, or even Kansas City make the run, what do you think about the changes that are taking place right now?
Honestly, just from an offensive standpoint, the creativity that these offenser coordinators or are just calling and creating. They're just putting defenses and minds, and you know they have to account for so much. From a from a defensive standpoint, it's not just line up playing football anymore. It's so many different things that offensive coaches are starting to do is find ways to get creative, to get the guys
that are going to help you win the ball. And that's causing, uh, that's causing stress for defenses that we saw. And you know, obviously that Super Bowl, that Super Bowl game, if you look at the total yardist sometimes the points don't add up to it. I think Kansas City still had four hundred and fifty yards of total offense in that game, and you know, obviously San Francisco had around three eighty. You know, even with the low scoring game that it was going into, you know, over time, it
still was a good game plan from defensively. So now I think the defenses are starting to adjust to the creativity that these offenses are thrown out. And then I kind of see in a couple of years that the offensive side of the ball start reverting back to the old school mentality, bringing in the fullbacks and you know, getting down here running the ball more and causing those smaller linebackers to now run field on a fullback that's
you know two point fifty. And now you're talking about smaller linebackers versus fullbacks, and I kind of see a shift of it probably reverting back to the old school way here and here in a few years.
I love the game within the game thirty thousand foot view. Where are the Jets as a team heading into the twenty twenty four offseason.
I think the New York Jets are a few players away from being mentioned in the Super Bowl contending for twenty twenty four. I think there are a few players away. I think last year we all were excited about having Aaron come in. I think everybody was excited about that, and we all know when you're talking about mentioning a Super Bowl continuing team, you have to have a quarterback where you bought that in. And then obviously the injury
started to happen, which everyone deals with. I think the biggest thing for the New York Jets is now to just make sure that the pieces on the offensive side of the ball will help complement the defense, because those
guys are playing so well. You're talking about a defense that now finished again in the top five, you know, throughout the year, so you know, I would love to just see on the offensive side of the ball that unit helped complement the defense, and then you could just talk about Super Bowl contending for the New York Jets next year.
Pieces offensively, what do you want to see.
I think, just on the offensive side of the ball, I think you have to go young at the offensive tackle spot. I think you bring in another receiver that can help Garrett Wilson take some attention off of him, so now you know he can go out and you can get that one on one match versus you know, him having to deal with double coverage and you know, obviously, I think the backup quarterback position is very important, especially when you're talking about an older quarterback coming off of
an injury. That usually says guys down longer than it. You know, he was trying to come back. I know the rumors that were going on, but you still need to have that talent margin when the guy goes down that the drop off isn't so steep. I think when you look at the paper from last year, the New York Jets had a roster that I think player for player we were one of the best teams. Obviously the injuries, but just from having a quarterback, I think it's the
biggest piece. All Right, he's the commander, he's the chief. He has to be the commander. In chief on the offensive side of the ball, just like an inside linebacker on the defensive side of the ball. And we saw the leadership that CJ. Moseley had and then kind of ripple around him as to why our defense was so good, because you have to have a guy that's a commander in the middle leading on each side of the unit.
So just honestly, those three pieces that I like to see moving forward, and I think the New York Jets continue to go into the right direction.
You didn't have any quarter quarterback stability when you played. When you look at Rogers and you wonder about the potential of him guiding this offense with those young stars, the breist Halls of the world, the Garrett Wilson's at the tight end position. I really like what Tyler Konflan gave you. From a production standpoint. The Jets are really
high on Jeremy Rutgert as well. You mentioned addressing the offensive line, But did you ever think during your career, like, man, what would it be like playing with a guy like Rogers?
You know, I asked myself that, and you know, that was one of the biggest things that I wanted to do in my career, has played with a guy that was considered a franchise quarterback, the guy that was consistent throughout his career, guy that you know when you stepped on the field, he gave you a chance to win every week.
And you know, obviously I didn't have that.
You know, we had a bunch of moving pieces at that position unfortunately. But you know, that's definitely something that I think that a lot of players take for granted. It's having a quarterback like that, that home name that is you know, it's going to be secure every year and you're not looking for the next guy.
Every year and trying to bring the guy in like that.
And I think if we had a guy like that in New York, I think we would have won a lot more games than we did throughout my career.
Everybody's driven by different things. You were intrinsically motivated. What do you think about Rogers specifically next year, because there's gonna be a lot of people counting him out bottom line, because he's forty, he's going to turn forty one in December, he's coming off an achilles injury, and he's starting a new with the Jets. Yes, he was here last year, but he played four snaps before going down.
Honestly, I think he lives for this type of you know, doubt and everyone counting him out. And you know, honestly, if he looks at it that way, then there's no pressure. And you're talking about a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers with no pressure him just going to play football.
That could be scary for a lot of people going forward.
I think when you talking about a healthy Aaron Rodgers moving forward with good defense, that could get scared for
the National Football League. And I think those people are trying to put that out on him because they are afraid that the New York Jets will be in a positive topic next year of winning, because everybody wants to label the New York just in the negative, in a negative bracket every time, every year that I dealt with it in my in my nine years that I was there, and now being a fan, been coming up on four years been retired, I'm still hearing the same old Jets.
Whereas that Aaron Rodgers story, if he stays healthy, he is just scary. And now you're going to have to start mentioning the New York Jets on you know, the winning side of the bracket.
Why is that? Do you think that people label the Jets something or maybe for a team that hasn't been in it since ten as far as the postseason is concerned, like a lot of people are looking at the Jets and saying, hey, that's a team that I want to fail, even though the team has not been in the postseason in twenty three. As a guy, I mean since twenty ten,
obviously just finished in the twenty twenty three campaign. As a guy who's now living down south in Kentucky, why do you think the Jets always carry that target on them?
I think because you've seen the patterns that we had over the time. You know, even when we were in good, good position to pull out some games and climb.
Into the playoffs, we found a way to lose.
And that was a consistent pattern over my nine year career and still is a pattern that we're seeing. Last year, even with the injury of Ann Rogers, the New York Jets were still in position to run off games and sneak into the playoffs, and they found each week to lose, found a way to lose instead of finding a way to win.
And I talked about.
That with Patrick Mahomes and everybody was like, who do you have winning the Super Bowl? I said, well, you can't go against a guy that's a winner, you know. I know Cam Newton talked about he's a game manager, game changer. I said, well, Patrick Mahomes is game He's a winner at the end of the day. And that's what you want, and that's what that's the mentality that has to come through. And I think you have a few guys on that team that has that have that mentality.
Now you just have to continue to build the pieces around them that you know, those guys that come into those free agents, that you get, those draft picks that you get when they walk through the door, that they're following, those guys who are considered leaders and winners in the building, in the organization.
So getting back to Rogers, how does he change the dynamic because I know a lot of people will debate about his postseason success, but he does have one ring and he is a four time NFL MVP. So when times get tight, I mean, isn't that a guy who can get you past that next turtle, get you to the finish line?
Yes? Absolutely, And you're talking about a guy that's been consistent for the amount of years he's been in the league, always being at that top tier. And like I said, the hardest thing that you can do with this league is be consistent. That what makes you good, great a professional. The longevity of your career is all about consistency. And I think when you talk about Aaron Rodgers, when you mentioned Aaron Rodgers in his position at an all time, you have to put him with some of the best
quarterbacks to ever play this game. And a lot of guys don't have that opportunity. And for the New York Jets, guys that are in that organization aren't used to that.
They weren't used to that.
And so now hopefully when you can have a full season with Aaron Rodgers, those guys can kind of see, even when tight games get tight, that you can see the competitiveness and the winner in him, and it kinds of shifts the attitude of some of those guys in that locker room.
Yeah, that's what I was just going to ask you, is somebody who was here, who is a member of this organization playing inside the white lines. It's got to change everything. If you do have this guy, if you are in a third quarter or the fourth quarter, and you are in a tight game knowing that he's done it before, because maybe when you played, are you thinking that you're trying to think positive thoughts, but at the same time, you've seen this story before.
Yes, absolutely, And you know you've been I've been in situations where we get down to a certain point there's almost a high doubt that we come back because we just didn't have that right guy in position to lead us back. That we know even if we're in this position, we believe in that guy. Aaron Rodgers is that guy.
We know that even with him being down, that he can rally a team, and the consistency and respect that he has throughout the league from his performance that he had over his career, I think you can, especially with a young team, you can get him to pull those young guys in the right direction. And now, weekend and week out, you can go into a game knowing that you have a chance, even all the way down to the last play of the game, that you have a chance to win a football game.
All right, let me throw a couple things at you. How would you rate the Jets offseason needs? You talked offensively, you said tackle, you want to get another playmaker with Garrett Wilson receiver. Defensive side of the ball, just some tinkering, I think I think everybody would agree with. But defensive tackle because you got a number of guys who were up next to Quinn Williams and then the safety position.
Amongst those with inspiring contracts, you're talking Jordan white Hat, Ashton Davis, Chuck Clark, and then you also mentioned backup quarterback. How do you rank those needs? Tackle, receiver, backup quarterback, defensive tackle, safety.
I think you have to go with finding an offensive tackle first, first and foremost. First and foremost, finding an offensive tackle. We know what the defense is handled over the last two years. Know they have their leaders set in place on that side of the ball. I think it's time to now set the pieces on the offensive side of the ball.
So I think you.
Need to go out and find your tackle. You need to go out and find your receiver, a veteran receiver that's still consistent, that's able to run every route on the on the route tree and be a leader, and you have a relationship with Aaron Rodgers and also lead a unit. You need to also go out and get that backup quarterback, that a guy that who can come in be a backup quarterback. Something happens. We know that this is the National Football League is one hundred percent
injury rate. That this guy can step right in and pick up where Aaron Blue Rodgers left off, even if it's not as good as it was, but it gives you a chance each week to go in and compete on a Sunday or a game day. And also a guy that you can probably put the future in his hands. Knowing that Aaron Rodgers only has a couple more years.
You can get this guy to kind of sit behind Aaron Rodgers, learning from Aaron Rodgers, and you know when it's time to pass the tours that he's ready to step in to be your franchise quarterback in the future.
Would you draft one. I'm not saying a ton overall, but you have five draft picks. Would you draft one in terms of just trying to develop down the line with one of your later picks?
Now, I wouldn't draft the quarterback.
I think the New York Jets have been doing that for a very long time now and it hasn't been a successful pick that we've seen, even even with early picks. We're seeing them move on from those guys after you know, the rookie contract or even before before that. So I think you need to go out and find you a guy, a solid guy and free agency, a guy you know, a younger guy kind of going into that year three, year four, or maybe a guy that you know.
Has has has a little respect around the league.
A guy that can step in and help you win that isn't going to you know, pretty much hit the cap space or take up too much money from that come in that accepts the role of being coming in knowing that it's not his team just yet, but coming in learning under Aaron Rodgers.
Do you envision a scenario where they sign a tackle on free agency and then perhaps even draft won ten overall because you're talking about a young tackle and maybe one of those guys are there at ten. I know most people think the point it's anyway. The consensus is Joe alt out of Notre Dames, he's probably the cleanest prospect. But Fishano from Penn State, he's getting a lot of love. I know Fuaga from Oregon State was not just down
there at the senior ball and he performed well. Would you like to see a scenario where hey, you address tackle on free agency, but you also come back in the draft.
Yeah. Absolutely, I think you have to go get a guy that you know.
Obviously you want to have a solid veteran and then you want to go get a young guy for the future.
You absolutely do.
I think when you look at the way to gain from the way I broke it down, the way I analyzed it from, you know, just my perspective, that was the biggest struggle was the tackle spot. You know, you know, moving guys from the left side to the right side, So just the consistent piece of just finding a tackle. We know how important that is, especially with these premier rushers and you know, we know Aaron Rodgers want to sit back and throw the ball. We need to protect
them as much as possible. So you need to go out and get some solid guys that can protect those premiere areas rushers.
Each week, you.
Envision a scenario where you're getting a receiver in free agency prior to the draft. I know a lot of people are looking at guys like t Higgins, who me, I don't think he's going to be available because I think you're talking about sixty million in cab space Cincinnati has.
I can't envision a scenario where he's out there. I know a lot of people also have dream scenarios about Mike Evans, but there are a lot of receivers that are going to be on the market, including Calvin Ridley, and the list goes on.
Yeah, honestly, my pick would be Mike Evans. And the reason I like Mike Evans is because how consistent he's been with the number of quarterbacks throughout his career. He wasn't in a system where he was with one quarterback and then we see him go somewhere else and not be the same guy like he's been that same piece in Tampa, even with the moving pieces at quarterback. So I think you bring a guy in like Mike Evans to play with Aaron Rodgers and be able to compliment a young Garret Wilson.
Do you like the spot the Jets are in because right now people are going to write them off as opposed to last year where the Jets and I just wrote about this belile that the Jets headed to Indy and the quarterback hunt was on. In fact, I think the Jets had just met with Derek Carr because he was already a street free agent before going to Andy, and then Aaron Rodgers was under contract with Green Bay. But that was the point where Green Bay had said, hey,
we hadn't been in communication with him. They've been talking about Jimmy Garoppolo as well. Well, we know who's going to be the starting quarterback this year. But since the Jets finished seven to ten for a second consecutive season, I think we're sitting here in February and everybody's already written them off. I feel like they will be a little bit under the radar this year, as opposed to last year, where it was constant barrage of the media spotlight.
Yeah.
Absolutely, I agree with you.
I think you know you're talking about a forty ohod quarterback coming off in an achilles injury.
That talk is. I think everybody last year was like, oh, they'll go the.
Same old Jets again that we talked about, and now that's rolling over into next season. I think now, like I told you, I think Aaron Rodgers likes that position, and that's scary because he's a competitor and he doesn't have this pressure anymore. It's not that hot talk or Super Bowl contending and you know, they were the talk of the offseason, and I came up there for training camp and I saw the energy and you know, hard knocks being there and all this attention that was going on.
And I don't think you get that same thing with the New York Jets, which is a good thing, I think for New York because now they can really lock in on what they really want to do with all the outsiders or whatever, you know, the people talking from the outside looking in, I think it's a good time for you to focus on get those couple pieces that you need and then you know, let your play do the talking.
Hey, how much love did you have for the Jets internal documentary crew because one of their first long form documentaries was on twenty nine was on Blile Pole and look at where it's become where taken off to over the years.
Yeah, I appreciate you guys for doing that.
And you know, obviously I wasn't a guy that talked to to a team you guys much, but you know, I appreciate, you know, everything that you guys have done over years. And you know, obviously that documentary people still talk about it to this day, so I appreciate it.
Yeah, and Seth Bradley and crew. I mean doing a fantastic job with one Jets Drive and Flight in the past, and there's gonna be new offerings here this season. So it's very cool. And that was memorable for all of us down there on that shoot. Yeah, it's It's interesting, isn't it that Blau was so beloved inside the locker room and all the guys used to talk about you and you be around them, But when the media came by open media sessions, Blaugh wasn't frequently found in there.
And now and now I do it for a living. I'm talking to the camera and you know, I'm doing interviews that you know. I had a chance to go out, uh to Las Vegas and I was on radio row, so you know, it's almost like I came full circle. Everybody's like, man, I remember when you didn't even talk to the media. Now you do it for a living. And I said, well, I guess it was just a hidden talent that you know, I didn't tap into until I retired.
Uh, nothing you do surprises me. Legacy uniforms. Woody Johnson announced that Super Bowl Sunday night. What did you think about the white and how excited are you to see what the green and the black looked like.
I'm excited about him and it's just like I said, it's evolving and I like what, you know, what he's doing, and I like to see what he you know, be involved with social media. He's come out of his show too over the years, because I don't remember him being like that when I was there. But I like the uniforms. I actually liked the white ones last year that you guys opened up with versus Buffalo, and uh, you know,
I wish I would have played in those. I had a chance to play in the black ones for you know, my last year of retiring, but I want to see what the black ones look like.
Obviously, moving forward, all.
Right, your family's skipping your busy, you got three kids, but you also have a new appointment here as far as professionally is concerned, blob Pal is going to be an offensive coordinator. Is that correct? You need to tell us the school and how that all came together.
Well, I've been coaching them for about head coach at the youth level, philp ands his grade with my son mainly and you know, we went to the championship a couple of times actually, you know, lost some tough ones. But you know, I think it got to a point to where parents were coming up saying, hey, listen, you have these kids running all these concepts and schemes, and you know, when are you going to taket, you know,
your talent to the next level. And you know, my wife is talking like she was tired of hearing about football, and you know, I'm coaching her and I'm coming up with these different things. My son, he's tired of me grabbing him saying, hey, what do you think about this?
And they was like, you need to take this somewhere else.
And you know, the opportunity came when, you know office according to the step down at this high school here Saint Xavier, which is a preparatory school, all boys school, tremendous school, one of the top schools academically in the nation. It's a blue ribbon school. You know, the opportunity just fell
into my lap. And you know, I was one of the two guys that were interviewed and the coach looked at me from the philosophy and just the experience and said, hey, listen, you are what we need here for the future of this this high school. And you know, I've been here, been there now about a month, and I'm getting to know all the boys. Eric, you talk about three hundred boys man from varsity, JV and freshman football.
So I got to get to know all these these guys' names.
And and uh, you know, kind of no personalities and stuff and put all the pieces together. But man, the kids have it's yes, sir and o sirs. Respect, art working. Uh you know, some of the things that you deal with with teenage boys you don't get from this school because these are the good group of kids, hard workers. They love football. Multi sports is insane, you know. So, uh, the opportunity was just a no brainer for me. And uh you know, obviously my son he'll actually go into that school.
Now.
I actually moved them into the it's a Catholic school, so I moved them into the Catholic community, and he'll come up and get a chance to play with me in high school.
All right, what's the offensive philosophy.
Of I want to I want to spread out the defense, actually spread out the defense, and I want to give my playmakers the ball in space. I want to force the defense to defend the entire field.
I want to try to attack leverage.
When I talk about leverage, I want to try to find grass and I want to try to create numbers, whether if it's one, you know, two on one, three on four, whatever it is. Is my philosophy is to to find the mismatches. Is not mainly to go down. He'll let you.
Like I said, I love Kyle Shanahan.
I love Andy Reeve's offense, and so I like the creativity of moving grinds around with motions and shifts and you know, different formations and you know, trying to get different guys the ball. And you know, my biggest thing is not having a team locking on one guy, but finding a way to get multiple guys to ball. That way, you can't narrow down on any tendencies that we have. And that's it.
Man.
They're smart kids. So you know, I'm able to do more. You know, you're talking about almost one hundred and something plays, you know, alignements, signmon and all that stuff. So, uh, to me, I think that's the biggest calling in my life right now, Eric is you know, teaching football to these young guys, and not only that, but just getting them ready for the future in their lives. Some guys going to play at the next level, someonet, but they'll
be prepared to go on for life. So that's my biggest thing, is just to give back the game of football.
This is awesome, Kyle. The way he approaches offense you mentioned him before, Do you like that, like the positionless offense, meaning that, Okay, we can have Debo lineup in the slot, we can have a lineup outside, we can have him lineup as running back where you don't have to put a position on a player. That they're all chess pieces. We're gonna move guys about around the formation and you I'm gonna have a counter for whatever you try to throw at me defensively, because I always have an answer.
Yeah.
Absolutely, I think it's about those moving pieces. I like to call that eye candy when you moving guys one way and going the other way. You know, like I said, it's just about finding finding every every play call is a prediction. I can only call the play based on what I saw on film, what you showed me, based on formations. So when I make a call, it's a prediction that you're going to line up in this and you're going to allow us to do this, and this.
My biggest thing is having a smart quarterback. And my quarterback is very smart, so he can go to the line of scrimmage with multiple players and he can get to if you come out and we're prepared for two high safety and you come out with a one high safety, he automatically knows that's either a Cover one or Cover three. We get to our beaters and now we can make
our articles. So we're You know, my my job as a play caller is to I can only predict eric, I can only put them in an alignment, and then the players have to go out and know what's going on. They have to know the assignment and the adjustments, and then they have to ultimately execute. No matter you can call it a perfect play. They don't execute, then you know, we all look bad. So you knowlayers can only do so much and coaches can only.
Do so much.
You look really happy. We're very happy for you. Can you can you talk finally as far as a message for Jets fans, as far as where they can find you, because you are in the podcast world. You just were in Vegas at the Super Bowl doing radio role. Now you're in oc down there in Louisville and a proud dad of three.
Kids honestly, and I'll be at I'll be at the combine as well. So actually, yeah, so i'll be that Monday through Wednesday. I don't know when you get there, but i'll be that Monday through Wednesday. I actually sit on the NFL Youth Advisory Committee down there, so it's mainly targeted high school and youth sports around the nation. So you know, we have our national meeting down there.
So I'll see you down there. But right now I'm doing my podcast, so you can catch me on the Believe network in the UH it suggests based pot podcast and it's called in Flight Snack and it was pretty much inspired by Rex Ryan, you know, on the Hard Knocks episode and it was like, let's get a snack. So in Flight Snack is the podcast on the Bleed platform. And if you're in the Louisville area, I don't know
at Kentucky area. I'm also on Sports Talk seven ninety radio station with Jerry Eve's talking sports early.
In the morning.
That's awesome, Hey man, great, catch it up. I'm gonna text you next week in Indy because I'm getting there on Tuesday.
Okay, I'll see you man. I look forward to it.
Thanks buddy,