We were presented by win Back Betty is a team of sport put together at win Bat. Eric Allen here at one Jets Drive, joined by Jets Cornerbacks coach slash defensive assistant Senior defensive assistant Tony ODNTO. So great to have you up here.
Five. I appreciate what's going on. How you doing?
I'm doing great. Hey, let's take this back to nineteen ninety nine.
Goodness ninety nine nine.
Tony Odin the head coach of Army's JV team.
Uh, that's right, that's right. Now, what was that experience like? Oh, it was phenomenal. The year before I was the defensive coordinator for it on the person that had the head coach roll before moving on. So I was elevated for that year. But it was phenomenal. I tell people all the time talk about my experiences at West Point. It was. It was precious. I felt like you were a part of something special. You know, you got the future leaders
of the world there. But they're normal guys. You know, before I went there, I thought they were gonna be all was normally laughed it jumping it. There are us, there are brothers or sisters there us, But It was awesome.
It was a great opportunity for me to look at things from a global perspective as opposed to a position specific perspective, you know, trying to bring everybody together, talk to them pregame, uh, halftime, you know, making slight adjustments, communicating with the offense during the game as well as the defense. So it was great. But it's fun, you know.
It wasn't a lot of I put pressure on myself because you want to do well, but it wasn't like it was on TV or anything like that, you know, so the pressure wasn't as high as it is in the higher, higher stakes games. But it was unbelievable perfect. I loved it. I loved What Point. I love it.
How different is it coaching man at West Point who everybody is going to have to when they're done go and serve well.
Fortunately, when I coached there, we weren't at war, you know, so, and we hadn't been for a while, so it wasn't one of those things that was on the foremost in front of their minds. You know. Obviously they knew it was always as possibility those things could happen, but you just felt like you're a part of something special. It made me a better coach because of their work ethic that they have to have internally before they even come, and also the work ethic that they're taught while there.
They're very very intelligent, they're forward thinking, they're problem solvers. So I always had to have my meetings right. You know, if I said something in the meeting room, I better back it up on the field. They would call me out in a minute in a good way. So but it makes me made me become a better coach, more detailed, be able to develop an economy of words when coaching, you know, not rambling and those kinds of things. But it was it was awesome experience, priceless.
Priceless, and then your career took off. Obviously those are the early stages of your career. But what did you like about the position being the coach, being the guy?
It was? It was good, but you know, there was nothing that I was doing, or we were doing, or the coaches before me who had that position that was anything different than what were already doing. You know. Uh, in that role, you want to make sure you're complimenting what the our varsity guys were doing. So their defenses were the same calls were the same, but it just felt different being in front of the room when all
odds are on you. You know, it's totally different. It's different when you're in the backing room as supposed to in front of the room, when they're listening to you for motivation and looking to you for answers and looking to you for game time decisions, you know, accepting penalties and
those kinds of things. But like I said before, because it wasn't a uh high pressure game, even though I put pressure on myself because I wanted to do well, I didn't feel it externally, right, you know, which adds a whole nother variable to it, you know, But it was, it was, It was excellent. Like I said, it was a prices experience for me to have the opportunity to do so. It was. It was. It was also.
Some would make the argument that Robert sala is not in this seat right now had it not been for too in two thousand and five. Can you talk about that specific experience with you and Robert early on in your NFL coaching careers.
Right Well, first of all, say he probably would because of the man he is, he probably would be in that seat. He was just probably had to find a different avenue. It wouldn't have been in that instance. But I was coaching college after I lest West Point a couple of years found myself at Central Michigan. When I was there, he was already there as a graduate assistant assistant, and I believe I was in two thousand and three at the time. Going into the two thousand and four season.
I had a chance to talk to him and watch some of the things that he did from a preparation standpoint in that supportive role. I thought it was pretty sharp and innovative. I learned from it. I used some of the things that he taught me on the computer, and then I I got an NFL with the Houston Texans for that year, and to make a long story short, I replaced two people, so I had a heavy workload.
So the next year they allowed me to bring someone else in, and there was no other person that I wanted to bring in other than him because of the impression that he left on me just within that two or three months that I was there with him at
Central Michigan. So he came in and obviously did an awesome job down there for us as a quality control coach in two thousand and five, like you mentioned, and then I left to go on to New Orleans Saints, and he stayed there and got better and better and better and exposed to more people, other coaches, other family trees, so they were able to see what I saw and what other people saw before he even got to Central Michigan that he wasn't starting to making.
Head starting to make in What was he like in five?
Because we say guy really energetic like Ford things, thinking, very progressive in some of the things that he would do. You didn't have to ask him to do much because it was already gonna get done. If he saw a need. We had questions in the staff room about doing certain things, he was going to research it. You come in the next day and it was done, you know, and done in such a manner that you didn't even think it
could be done that way. Yeah, you know, that's what you what you look for guys that are problem solvers, and he was that still energetic, understood his role and very supportive and did that to the to a great extent.
How insanely competitive is Robert Because I look at him today, if he's approaching mid forties, I'd say ninety ye right around there, Yeah, right around there, and he's about two hundred and twenty five pounds rocked up, rocked up, less than ten percent body fat, and a guy who on the golf course. He's a maniac, without question, a maniac. As far as whether it's peloton or inside the weight room. Can you talk about his competitive nature?
Every morning we have a little coaching workout group in the mornings and six fifteen, so he would get in there and then Cosarla comes in here. He doesn't work out in our group because he has his own special workout, but he's over there. He's over there competing against himself. Yeah, you know, trying to trying to do better than he did before or the week before he just had. He has a competitive spirit and he wants to do better each time. Like I talked about before, we have projects
or things of those natures. He wants to do it, but he wants to take it to the next level. Yeah, but that I think that permate permeates all parts of his life and his life, whether it's his family, whether it's his coaching, whether it's coaching style, coaching staff. You know, he's always pushing to get better? How can we get better? You know? And I think you see that passion come out a lot of times on the field, you know, which is which is awesome? Which is awesome?
So you just talked about the Saints. You're working on Sean Peyton's staff. You ended up winning a ring there, we did, we did. What did you take away from Peyton? What did you learn.
From Oh man, I don't think we have enough time to say that, because it's it's it's a ton of things just from a and he leaned on others. That's one main things that I learned that he would always talk about the people that he reached out to, some other championship coach, coaches that he had spent time with in his career, and he would always bring some of
their ideas into us. So I learned from that it's okay to go outside with your mentors and ask how did you do this, and to be able to be transparent and say I learned it, all right, we're gonna do this and I learned it from this person. And here's the why, you know. I think that is one of the one of the main things, along with a ton of other things that I brought in that I try to use as well. That I don't have all
the answers. I'll never have all the answers. And it's okay to use the resources that you have, you know, because there's a lot of people we're not reinventding will football's football. You know, they run the ball, we tackle them, they throw it, we knock it down or in accept it, you know what I mean. That's not gonna change. So some people have done that before us. So it's okay to ask those questions, you know, and now you take it and you modify it based off of what you
can do. And another thing one of many, once again that I learned from him, is using your pieces, your players that you have, and what can they do best, you know, and not ask them to do things that
they don't do well. Not that you're not gonna work on those things, but you're gonna maximize what they do best right now while you bring them up to speaking on those other things you know, and then use them in that way, you know, and try to find different ways to do the same thing, but make it look different to defense, make it look different to the offense, but you're doing the same thing. You know, using that guy's skills, you know. So it's a lot of things
I learned from a lot of them. Winning is another one I learned from.
Yeah, how fun is it going to be for you? Week five? You go to Denver and Peyton's calling plays across and you guys are going to be going to tell.
It's not our first time, you know, it's been been many many times before. Actually when I left there, I went to Jacksonville and our very first preseason game was back in the dome, you know, and we won that game game, but we want it, and I think it's probably fifty to fifty in the games that we've played, even when Drew was there, we still we had some success, and obviously they had some success as well. I'm kind of used to that part, you know, kind of detached
myself from that. You love to see beimfore the game, shake his hand and obviously check on his family and those kinds of things probably reminisced on some of the tough times that we had early early on there. But it's it's gonna be awesome in that aspect. And it's a funny story. When I was at my last year in Miami, head coach there the last preseason game, he will pick someone to be the defensive coordinator. So I was a defensive coordinator for that game. And that's from
day one. So right after our third preseason game, we take it over. So we we did the meetings, we did all the game prep we did, we did, we did everything, and it was challenging because you still had to coach a position, you know as well. In that game was in the Dome against New Orleans when Sean Payton's calling the plays, you know, so I'm like, once he knows I'm the quarter, I know he's gonna try to light me up.
Did he try to light you up in the preseason?
No, you know, we we we win winning, that's first thing. But I knew how the game was going, so I knew at some point he's gonna put the tricker and push the ball down the field, you know. So I kind of had the guys ready for that moment. He did try to push it down the field. He had a I think we either wanted or tied it. I know we didn't lose it. I do know that. Yeah, yeah, that.
So you mentioned breeze before. Now you're going out there in the practice field. And you guys have Aaron Rodgers blessed, yes, special, both of those guys special. Can you and you faced Rogers before?
I know that many many times, many times.
But can you talk about the similar between those two guys? I mean, and then we could talk about obviously there are obvious differences, but the similarities, what kind of kind of things they bring to the table.
That's a really good question. Don't want to compare them too much. I would say the things that I compare the most to both the quarterbacks, all right, they both know how to win. They both want Super Bowls, all right. The biggest thing I would say, one of the biggest things I would say, is that they have a presence about them that you really can't put your finger on. They are both leaders of men, and it comes naturally to them. They don't have to strain to lead. They
lead by example. They lead by just their presence and how they do things, you know, and people naturally gravitate to them and they watch them, and they're okay with that. They're okay in their own skin, you know, being them and being able to lead in their way. Definitely different types of leader leadership characteristics. They have but they're both are very positive, great teammates. Obviously I wasn't their teammates.
I wasn't Drew's teammate, but watching from a coaching perspective, all those guys love to play with and for him, they play hard for him. Yeah, you know, and the same thing, just with my limited experience watching Aaron right now, it's the same thing many he walks in. It's obviously instant credibility because of who he is, but it's just his presence. It's a very welcoming, engaging presence that it is permeated through the building, is permeated through the offense
and also through the defense. You know, he comes up and they ask questions of the defense, ask questions of our guys, and is willing to share that information. You know. Some of the biggest lessons that I learned from a secondary standpoint was talking to Drew really, you know, and some of the things that he looked at. And I use him every year with our guys, you know, same thing when I was with Stafford. Stafford was the same way in regards to being a great communicator and help
me out grow as a coach. Helped me out a lot growing as a coach in regards to some of the things they're they're doing, some of the reads they have, some of the whys, you know, and that to me will make the teams grow that willingness to share that information because it's critical. We're all trying to win, we're all trying to rent win, and uh, you know, those are some of the similarities.
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It's interesting you just mentioned Stafford, because as soon as you did, I started thinking about these great quarterbacks, Tom Brady if they were running New England. He goes to Tampa and wins the Super Bowl. Peyton, Peyton, manny as this unbelievable run in Indianapolis, goes to Denver.
Keep talking, wins the super Bowl, keep talking, Matt Stafford, Let's.
Puts up big numbers in Detroit and never experience that success. But then year one wins the championship.
That's pressure.
There's presidents here as president's. I mean, this has happened, This can happen, right.
It's not how pathetical it's happened. We've seen it, and we've seen in recent years. But you know, one of the things we talked to our guys about, and I talked to our group about, is that where's gonna We can't worry about that right now. You know. We just have to win today, you know. And before that, our smaller goal is to win this meeting, you know, and it starts with me. I have to win when I go into that room as a coach. You know, I
have to have a winning attitude. My meetings had to be done, and I have to prepare like I'm a winning coach so they can have an opportunity to learn from what I'm saying, all right, so they can win that meeting. And then after that we chalk that up and then we go out and win. I walk through from a communication standpoint and execution standpoint, a competitive communication standpoint, and then we go win that period, you know, and then you add that up at the end of the day,
and then you do. You earn the right for one more day to go out there and do it again, and you just keep doing and you just keep doing it. Then success happens and then we go have fun on Sunday.
Have you fellows about your rank with New Orleans?
They know, I don't talk about it.
You don't talk about goodness.
About the now. You know. Now, sometime I may go back and make reference to it. Someone else may make reference to it, but it's it's so long ago. Some of these guys, you know, may have been in middle school, elementary school.
Not long ago.
For me.
I remember that.
You remember, I remember too, Miami, that's right.
Yeah, it would be a pretty good player, pretty good team right there.
It was kind of funny because we we were winning and we get an interception, we ran it back for a touchdown. We're up by two scores and everyone's celebrating is in the fourth quarter, and I'm like, listen, congratulations, that's a good job right there. But we got it's Peyton manning over there. Can I celebrate too long right now because he's gonna go back down there. He doesn't care. You know, he can go down and score again. I can go score again and they win. So we got
to celebrate it, be happy about it. Good job that plays over. Let's move on to the next one. You know, we gotta we gotta get him back off the field. We don't want him with the ball in his hand at all.
What can you tell us on camera as far as how you celebrated that win.
Well, it was pretty subdued because it was really it was kind of a numbing feeling. I would say that I just remember being on the field. My wife came down the field and celebrate, and you know, you kissed the kiss the trophy. First of all, I'm like a mini German pobe, you know. So everyone's kissing his trophy, but I didn't care. I kissed the trophy too, So I let my guard down. But I tell you what, with aught of pomp and circumstances that were involved with that.
It really hit me when I got in the locker room, and even the celebration in the locker room initially, and you know, there was some liquid being poured on. People won't say what kind of liquid, but you know they shaking the throat, you know, you know maybe kids watching, they don't do it twenty one years old, all right. But it's when I started to take a shower. I looked up in the corner and they had a TV up there and it says new all the Saints. It was
Sports Illustrated. I believe you have won the Super Bowl. They were selling like the Memoravillia and the memberships to the Sports Illustrated, So you have won the super Bowl. And it finally hit me. I was like, wow, we won the Super Bowl, you know. And that's when that's
the moment I remember the most. My wife celebraking with her on the field and that moment, you know, and then looking at our places eyes, the moment, the feeling of relief, accomplishment, you know, all the blood, the sweat, the tears, and that's what I want for our guys here, you know what I mean, I want because I have done it before. Ou I want another. I got a bunch of fingers, only one ring and my wedding ring in that one, all right, I want it, but I
want it for them, you know. I want them to to remember these hard days in May, the hard days, that the hard nights, the soreness, and to have them have that success. A coach told me a long time ago, he said, we're gonna walk together today, but we're gonna live together forever. And that's what those moments bring. You know. That group of guys when we see each other is instant love. You can never take it away, you know. And that's what I want for our guys, you know,
that's what I'm that. That's a driving force to me. That's a that's a passion that I want them to have the success. I want them to be able to provide for their families, live their dreams, be financially provide for their families, all right, But but to win it is something totally different. It's an extra sauce. You know, it's special.
Speaking of sauce, man, inside my head is that you're inside my head right now? How cool is that for you as a coach to watch Aaron Rodgers invite Sauce out for a night on the town New York City to go to a fancy dinner and then they're sitting by Jessica Alba court side of the next game.
Right, yeah, he is. The course that he's on right now is kind of really unprecedented in a lot of ways, just because where we are in society in my opinion, in regards to like social media and just being available to people all the time, you know, and to have the success that he's had as a young person within that media market, this media market, and within the social media aspect of things, that elevates it more so. It's a lot on his plate, you know. But he's still
a young man that's still experiencing life. So to be able to see him have those moments to experience life as a as a young man, not a Sauce gardener, but as a young man. Now he's had that experience because he Sauce, you know, he was in that seat and with Aaron Rodgers because he's Sauce, but still have a young man experience with people you don't know, like new things, you know. That's interesting and fun to watch him grow as as a young man and he is.
He's a phenomenal young man, and all our guys are. We have our room, our organizations have done a phenomenal job with the guys that that that they selected and brought into this building. They brought good people, good men. So all he's a reflection of everyone in our room, everyone on our defense, you know, and all the guys we have on our team. Just in general. He just one of the guys who've had some success that everyone's
kind of kind of gravitated towards. But he is a wonderful young man and as a phenomena upside, And I keep telling him people think they know what he is, and they think they've seen how good he can be, but they have no idea yet. Okay, we're just scratching the surface.
Why do you two hit it off immediately? I'm talking pre draft process, so I'm not talking about when you're on the staff. I'm talking about the whole process. Yeah, after pro day, he points to where you guys went for breakfast after his workout. Can you talk about you knew he was a special player, but there was more than that.
Well, when you talk to people, obviously we were selecting high and everyone of every coach in the building is, you know, hoping that they get their player picked at that time. So I know, when you select a guy with that type of pick, it has to be the right person, all right. Obviously we know about the athleticism and what he has to do from a performance standpoint, but that person has to be the right person for you.
As a coaching staff. We have to have a good connection and always say we're entering into a relationship right now, you know what I mean, kind of like a marriage almost, you know, I mean, We're gonna have to be able to work together. I'm gonna have to be able to work and talk and coach you, all right. So when we have those meetings as informal as it was for going to breakfast, we need we need to learn more
about each other as men. You know, you know some of the things that he wants out of life, the things that I want out of life. Because if all those things are aligned, we know about the talent, all right, you have to have that, and you learn more about the man, you know, because the man is right, the football is gonna be right if you get this the right person, all right, and he is right on the field and off the field, all right, the football is
gonna fall in line. So it's important. It was important for us, like it is for all coaches. Not that my philosophy is ain't different than anyone else's, but it was very important for me to get to know him as a human, get to know his family, get to see him around other people in this building and how they respond to him, how he responds to them, you know, how he treats them, because we want to bring the right person in the building. You know, I want someone.
I look for someone that if my daughter's around him, I feel comfortable with that, if my wife is walking down the hall, I feel comfortable with that interaction, you know. You know, and he checks checks all those boxes. But we hit it off well. Brought him here and he had dinner with us and with one of our coach's son, and just to watch. We were at dinners and coach Obrid the son came and to watch them connect and talk, and he gave him genuine attention, you know what I mean.
It was a one on one. I'm watching this, I'm like, that's a guy. That's a real guy. He wasn't like he was just like, you know, pacifying him talking to him. He was talking cause he was interested in what he had to say. You know, this is a high schooler, you know, so I knew we had the right guy. It was no doubt in my mind that he was going to be successful and we won't work well together.
So what's next for him? Because I know that was a problem moment for you in January when he gets the Defensive Rookie of the Year. Not only does he get that he's a pro bowler, he's the first team All Pro. I mean, he had all these three boxes, he checked them all. But what is next for him?
Well, I think with him and we've talked about it, So I'm not going to say anything on here that we haven't talked about. The guy's the limit for him. This s guy's a limit. But we got a couple of secret things that I can't tell you. No, it's just I know.
One thing he's talked about is interceptions, and and that's something that Roberts talked about as well as that he led the NFL PD He's incredible, that's right, But now it's he coming down with a few more.
Of them, right, And it's to me when you have a young player that's that's that's playing in general, all right, especially uh one that's playing at a high level. You don't want to tweak his technique too much, right, you know what I mean, because when you tweak something, there's a learning process and a learning curve in that, you know. So I wanted to make sure we that I sentuated the things that he can do well once again, not the things that he has to work on in those moments.
And we still worked on those things throughout the season, but we want I want to make sure I refine that technique to make sure the number one job for corners not to have them catch the ball. That's the number one job, pier point blank. Now the the extra meat on the bone or the icing on the cake, all right, is the interception, you know, And that's what we're gonna. We're gonna, We're gonna get to those, But it's it's so many other parts of his game. That's
one thing, you know, that's that's gonna come. There's no no doubt in my mind, zero doubt in my mind that those things are gonna happen if they continue to throw over there. But there's so many other things that we can work on. That's why I said that people think they saw a great player last year. If he continues to trend and put the work in that he is doing that we expect him to do, there's gonna be a little something extra in there.
Yeah, could certainly get the Drell Revas treatment because he's he's so good that people are gonna stay away from you.
Never you never know and something. But that's a that's always definitely. Don't want to compare those two guys because there are different and I coached Drell for one year down in Tampa. They are very different human have a different skill sets, you know, uh, very different skill sets where they both are are very very good obviously at what they do. So he's gonna he's gonna continue to grow his game, you know, learning football, splits, formations, situational things,
getting stronger, giving more tools. I always talk about giving guys tools and a two belt. Rookies usually have. I may give him two tools. You know, you got a hammer and the and the and the uh Phillips headscrew driver. That's it. That's it. And you mass that hammer, you master that Phillips. Hey, Okay, now you got a fat hole. Now you got a wrench. You know, okay, you're gonna you're not using that wrench. Well, give me that wrench back for a while. Let's go back to these three
tooths that we can use. Now, you can use that one. It's a slow burn. I think you have to take your time and teach the technique and get guys doing it to correct way first before you throw everything at him. You know, you master some things. You got that, Let's move on now. Some people can master it faster than others, so you have to be able to accelerate some of that growth in some of those techniques, in those tools. I got a bunch of toos in in my two box over here. I'm ready for him to use it.
I know you do. And I don't want to oversimplify this, but the scouting report I saw us coming out was he's long, he's physical, he's great in man press. Well, what became clear during his rookie season under you, under all Brick, under Robert is that he's thriving zone. Why why is he able to do that?
He's smart? He's smart. But you mentioned talking about like a West Point players. One of the things that they can understand formations because they are high level thinkers. You know, he is a smart player and he's also a problem solver. You know that's me. It's one of the things I look for. And the guys that would like the coach that are problem solvers because their offense is going to do something unscripted. They get paid money over there too.
You know, they're pride forul too. They're not gonna always give you exactly what you've seen on film. Most time they will, but they're gonna have a couple of wrinkles every game. And who are the guys that can problem solve on the film, on the field and recognize things quickly enough before they get to the sideline, Because the good offenses aren't gonna let dbs get to the sideline for us to make the correction right, They're gonna do
it within that drive. If you don't fix it on the field, that next first down or the next they're down, that same thing, or the play they're setting up, it's gonna come afterwards. It's gonna come next. So he can do that, he can problem solve, and he is smart, so he can't recognize informations and splits in the situation of the game and know that I'm not going to get this route because of the split, or it may be the same split right here, but he outside released
as opposed to inside release. I know I'm going to get in this, so I'm not going to play all those other things that could happen. I'm gonna play the two things that he can do versus that release. You know what, that makes sense?
It totally does. And I want to talk about a couple of your other guys, but you're a great coach, so you're explaining players and I'm digesting this. But one of the things that and tell me if this is the wrong way of viewing this, but one of the ways I viewed it last year with saw Us is that Stefan Diggs made a catch on you guys first play the game in matt Life Stadium.
And after the game move I'll know.
Yes, it stood out to me, said that's not what they do. They broke tendency there, and the more that he sees that over time like that will be another tool it that he has it as arsenal. But that just said to me that he knows exactly the way they're trying to attack you.
And that's that's one of the things that the growth, his growth is going to continue pretty quickly because of that. And I learned this from I learned from ReBs. Actually, certain players get certain things. You know, generically speaking, when you look at the film, we always talk about, Okay, here's what they do in this formation, in this situation. Relatively speaking, it may be these two things in this
maybe this these three things in this formation. All right, but it's only one thing when they do this this motion. That's very generic thought process and it's correct. But the other factor, the X factor of that is who is the individual that they're going against. All Right, certain individuals have a certain skill set that they're going to do certain things from. So even though you may have seen them do it on film, that guy's not gonna get that.
Like Reevers wouldn't get Carol routes, slant routes because he was a very patient at the line of scrimmage, so that even though they may have done it a hundred times on film, he's not gonna get that route. Right, there were certain routes we had to identify that he was gonna get. And it's the same thing with Sauce. There's certain routes that he even though we may see it on film that he's gonna get because he has some length, They're gonna do certain things to negate his length.
They're gonna do certain things, different things with the formations. They may have different emotions to it. They may try to use a double move to get him up off so they can try to create some space, you know. But the other factor is that is the player that's doing it. Not everyone can create space. Not everyone can create or have the speed to allow that separation on the double moves, you know what I mean. So that's
part of the growth. That one of the many things that he's gonna get better and better and better at because now he's gonna be able to make book on certain players, certain coordinators. This coordinator attacked me this way. So even though maybe a different year, this is how he attacks me potentially.
Yah, I have more chapters in that book.
I don't know that happens, may or not happen. I'm saying those are factors, you know, But that's coaching. That's but we, like I said, we have so many guys that that like DJ read is unbelievable. He but he gets different things at times when they want to go
over there and was going to get different things. Michael Carter, who is a probably one of the best problem solvers that I've ever been around, He's going to get if they want to go in that direction, they're going to do different things, different than if I was playing Nickel.
You've been awesome with the time. We got to let you get going, but I I got it two quick ones you just mentioned I'm I'm see the second and also DJ. Did you know you guys knew DJ was a good player? Yes, yes, and you let you had high expectations for.
Him, extremely high. Did you think he was gonna thrive that yeah, zero hesitation. I was with him for a seconds. Our room is built specifically. We have a smaller, quick, gritty, bite your face off, uh, DJ Reid, you know, who's highly competitive and serious, and we have another guy on the other side has a little length, mental speed, you know what I mean. So they compliment each other. You have MC as a problem solver, and he can do
it all, you know what I mean. He can play big boy ball and make big tackles like a linebacker. He can cover like a corner. He can go out there and run the defense and problem solve it. So we have a very good mixture of human beings and then we have Brandon Echos and we Bryce Hall, you know. And the other guy that works back there we work hand in hand is Ricky Manning Jr. He's the guy who's played in the league, you know. So it can coach the nickel, you know, better than anyone else that
I've I've been around, you know. So it's so our organization had done a good job of giving us the pieces to be successful, and now we just got to go out there and earn the right to do it one more time.
Can you talk about the opportunity this is where we're gonna end, Uh, the opportunity. How do you as far as with the league is concerned there? Then I talked to Ron Milton about this before. They're three black head coaches in the National Football League. That's for a fifth consecutive year. The league is trying to do something to change that. Can you talk about the program that you're going to be a part of this year and what that.
Means to you. Yeah, I'm I'm excited about it. It's Coaches in Front Office Acceleration program that we're going to pretty soon here and it's a way for us to kind of go and meet with the front office, you know, some owners and some general managers and and kind of find out and hear the process because we are in a lot of those meetings as assistant coaches, whether it be salary cap or just league business and those kind
of things. So I think getting a better appreciation for those kind of things can get you in position at least have a better understanding. If you are afforded the opportunity to interview for one of those things and they ask you these questions, you can have a better foundation to speak on because you have heard some of that stuff before. The other thing is, I think it exposes
and you. It's different when you shake someone's hand and you look them in the eye and you can get a chance to talk to them all right, they can get a pretty decent feel of the man that you are, the man that you can be, because now you have an intimate relationship with that person as opposed to just reading about it. So it allows some exposure. I think
it's a phenomenal thing that the NFL. They're being forward thinking in that they're being very deliberate and exposing both sides to each other, you know, and obviously haven't gone yet before. I understand is great dialogue between the owners and the other front office. It's great sharing of information
and ideas both ways. So we can't understand each other, we can understand the direction of the league, the direction of our society, and hopefully that will lead to other opportunities, whether it be for me or for the next person you know. To me, I think that I always look at things like if what I'm doing is obviously I want to be successful, and I want our players to
be successful. But I want the person that's going to replace me one day or coming behind me to be successful because I have not messed it up for them. You know what I mean that I have carried myself in a certain way that makes it easy for the next person to make a long story short. So well, it works out for me, hopefully it does. But if it doesn't work out for me, hopefully I would have opened the door, or at least not let a door close for the next man behind me because of me.
If that makes sense.
We're gonna have to catch up after that program, and maybe at some point in training camp we can all get in the progress report.
But t O.
This was a lot of fun.
No, I appreciate your time. Let's go j E t ets, jets, jets jets, let's go
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