A Conversation with Jets Legend Thomas Jones (2/2)

that moment like for you? Sixteen years? Man? Why do you have to say that mass six? Hey, listen, you're still that's crazy man, you know, I mean, my time in the Jets was so great and you know with the jetson and York, um that it feels like it was yesterday. So to to actually hear sixteen years, it's surreal. Um,

how do you find out about the deal? So? I was, you know, I was obviously I was in Chicago and and we had just uh played in the Super Bowl, and uh, you know, I was having some issues with with with the management in regards to just you know, renewing my contract, give me a new contract. Uh, you know, whether or not they were going to trade me or not. Um, you know, just business stuff. And I just so happened

to be in New York with my publicist. Uh. There was a a fashion show at that time that bt UH produced called Ripped the Runway, and so they had reached out to my publicist because they wanted me to to actually be a part of the fashion show, and um and model some of the some of the clothes, the clothes, and so I was in New York for the fashion show, and UM, I knew that we were in conversation with several teams for potential trade, but I was I was headed to the rehearsal for the Rip

the Runaway fashion show and my phone rang and it was my agent, Drew Rosenhouse. And the first thing he says is, Hey, where are you. I said, Oh, I'm in New York and he goes, are you serious. I'm like yeah, I'm like, I'm in New York. I'm headed to a rehearsal for a fashion show. He goes, You're not gonna believe this. Uh, the Jets want to trade for you. And I was like, what, you know? It was just because I was assuming that we were going to get something done in Chicago. We just I just

played in the Super Bowl. You know, we had a great team. You know, we had great nucleus. I figured, okay, they'll bring me back, um. And he said they wanted to trade for me. And I said, okay, well that's great. I guess you know, I don't know all the details, but um, you know, yeah, tell me more. So he goes, well, the fact that you're in New York is great because they were gonna fly you into New York immediately, like today, but you're already there. How far away are you from

Long Island? Um? And I was like, well, I'm in Manhattani in the city. He was like, okay, well, how soon can you get to Long Island to the jet facility? And I was, you know, I didn't know, but I asked the driver and he said we can get there is traffic and maybe an hour of traffic. And say, okay. So me and my publicists we found out that the Jets want to trade for me in a in the suv headed to rehearsal for a fashion show in New York.

So it's crazy amazing. Listen, you have you had so many intrasts off the field, and we're gonna get to what you're doing now. But did your head starts spending at that time, like, Hey, this is gonna be a cool opportunity to play with the Jets, but maybe I can get into some things off the field and maybe those experiences are gonna me post career. Yeah, definitely. I mean, Chicago is a great city. There's a lot of opportunities in Chicago outside of football. Um, you know, the New

York is It's New York. You know, it's it's it's uh the mecca. You know, of of of opportunities, you know, and so um, at the time, I was really focused on, Okay, what is my football career gonna look like? Um, you know if I'm traded here. Um. But also I love New York City. I went to college with a lot of guys out of from New York that I became really good friends with. I spent a lot of time in New York. Um throughout my NFL career, even up to that point, and so, um, I was excited about

the opportunity to play in New York City. Um. But you know, being into fashion and being into other things that I that I was interested in outside of football. I mean, that would have been the perfect place for me to be traded to from Chicago. But did you get in UM introduced anybody in the film world in New York at that time? Well, I played for the Cardinals for three years, and so I was very close

to Los Angeles, forty five minute flight away. Uh, And so I spent a lot of time in l A. Because honestly, you know, I wasn't really a big fan of Phoenix. Uh. I was coming from Virginia, coming from the East Coast, So I was I was a culturally Uh I was. I was a little more comfortable being on the East Coast. Um. Phoenix was a great city, beautiful city. But at that time, you know, I was young one, you know, fresh ayed of college. You know, I was used to a certain type of energy, East

Coast energy. So it was like a culture shock for me when I when I was drafted by the Cardinals. So I spent a little more time in l A because it was a little more lively, a little faster pace. So I've met a lot of people in the industry music and film while I was in Los Angeles. I had a lot of relationships UM. From that that my time in Arizona. So, um, New York in l A are the two biggest you know, uh places for entertainment,

and so we kind of go hand in hand. So um, yeah, I met a lot of people in l A that we're working in New York and you know, by coastal back, back and forth. So I had a lot of relationships in New York and the entertainment industry at that time too. How would you describe those three years? Oh seven and Jets fans will relate to this right now. Quarterback instability for you and oh seven, tough year. Then you produced on the ground. Oh hey, Brett Farve comes in and

the team. I remember over time victory in New England. The following week you went to Tennessee, undefeated Titans team and you put put a thumping on them. Eight and three. Look like a super Bowl favorite. But then it fell apart down the stretch. Uh. Let's talk about those first two years first, as you got your feet on the ground here, Yeah, I mean the first year was was growing pains. You know, it's part of building a team,

you know. Um, I think the year before that they had gone to the playoffs in two thousand six, the Jets went to the playoffs, and we actually played the Jets that year in those six in New York. We beat but I think we want like ten to three year or something like that. You ran for over a hundred yards in that game. I think, yeah, yeah, yeah. We actually played back to back games. We played the Giants and then we flew back to New York and

played the Jets and back to back weeks. Um. So you know, they had a really good season that year. You know, they made it to the playoffs and so they had a good nucleus. I think. You know in seven, um, Chad Pennington ended up being injured and um, and we had a lot of young players that had to come in and make plays. And on offense and defense, I know, UM, the offensive line was young. You know, we kind of had like a musical chairs going on with the offensive line.

So I don't think we had too much stability there. Um. And also on offense, UM, you know, we actually cut all of the fullbacks and so um we were using the tight ends uh to run ice so and certain plays that traditionally a fullback would be in. So UM, there was some growing pains there. I think I had one rushing touchdown and was one shovel pass touchdown. Uh, but I had over eleven hundred yards and over three

hundred carries. So I took a beating that year. But you know, as part of the running back position, and you know what I mean, you get the ball, you know you're gonna get hit. Hopefully you can wear defenses down and in the second half, you know that's um, they're tired of hitting you. And and you know, some creases open. Um. So it was a tough year for me, coming off of a Super Bowl year in the last two seasons where I was in the playoffs to being four and twelve and and not really having a lot

of production. But I knew if I had some help coming in the next year, which was a way, then I could get back to my old Chicago self. And that's what happened in olate Farve came in, Um, you know, gave us an opportunity to throw the ball down and field, which stretched the defense. Now it's not eight nine in the box every week. Brought in some incredible offensive lineman Damian Woody. Allen Fannica brought in one of the best,

arguably the best fullback in the history the NFL. Tony Richardson, Um, I mean he's known for leading running backs to the Pro Bowl thousands of our seasons. Um. And then you know, we we just came together at the right time, you know, in that in that o a season. So uh yeah, draftly different seasons, but also draftly different teams and drastically different experiences for sure. Oh nine. Was that magical from your perspective? I mean what the team did you? Yourself?

I think four hundred yards, fourteen touchdowns on the ground, and you were the definition of a workhorse man that that was. That's a running back to dream that year to have a great defense that's gonna get you the ball back and uh, you know, have a great offensive line, green fullback. Um. Even though you have a young quarterback, uh you know who's learning on the go. UM. You know, that still puts a lot of the owners on us

the running back to to produce. And so any running back worth the granted salt once that situation, Uh, they want to be in that position where they're getting carries a game. UM. That's that's why you're in the NFL. You're in the NFL to get the ball to produce. UM. And so that year was probably the most fun I've

ever had. And also I think it was I was thirty one, I think thirty one, So I felt like I had finally earned the right, uh to be the guy, because every year up until that point, it felt like there was always someone they were trying to replace me with or figuring out how we can supplement him, as opposed to saying, hey, this is the guy. So I think that season was the first year I felt, hey, I'm gonna be able to get more the majority of the carries, um, and I have fully the way of

the offense on my shoulders. You were here three years twice your teammates voted to you most inspirational. What does that mean to you personally that you had that kind of respect from the guys in the room, your peers. It means everything, you know. I mean, you're with these guys every day. You're in the locker room, you're uh, you know, you're in training room. Um, you know, you're in the practice field. You know we're traveling together. Um,

you know we're having pregame meal together. Uh, and we're going to battle on the field. And so um, out of all the guys on the team. For the guys to vote you as the most inspirational player or person on the team, that's the biggest accolade that you could receive. Obviously, the nfls about wins and losses and championships, but internally, UM, what is the infrastructure of the team, what does the leadership look like? UM? What does the accountability look like? Uh?

And I was always big on accountability and being a leader and leading by example. So to be voted most inspirational by my teammates, uh, it let me know that every day that I spent watching extra film every day, that I uh stayed in the weight room every day, that I uh was the last one to leave the facility. UM, every day that I was hard on a player because I wanted him to be the best that he possibly could be. And also, UM, I wanted to win. UM. And let me know that they appreciated that, and that

meant everything to me. So it doesn't get any better than that. How much did you appreciate the people in the building, Because what always struck me about you was your relationship with the equipment guys. That's not something that people on the outside sea, but during open locker room periods the media would be down there three four times a week for forty five minutes sessions and stuff like that, and you were always with the guys. One of my buddies,

Brendan Burger, was always around your locker. Yeah. I love those guys, man. I mean, but I've always been infatuated with just the game of football, um, the exits and ose um, the history of the game, but also the equipment and the cleats and the shoulder pads. And I've always you know, from a little kid I was. I was always intrigued by uh, the equipment and so um. In high school, college and in every NFL team I

was on. I was always spending a lot of time with the with the guys in the equipment room, building relationships with those guys. And I also appreciate the fact that they're the ones that are taking care of us. You know, they're the ones that are making sure our helmets have Aurian them. They're they're making sure that we have the right shoulder pads that fit um. I mean, they care a lot about us enough there too. You know, they're watching our our socks and you know our um

you know, shirts and thermals and and workout gear. I mean, you know, that's a very humble, humbling job, and I'm a very humble person. My mom and dad worked in the coal mins for nineteen years. So I think I always gravitate towards people who, um, you know, have jobs where they're um, they can easily be overlooked and easily be under underappreciated. I gravitate towards those people. Uh. And plus they're just good guys. Man. We had some great conversations. Man.

You know, I would get my lunch and a lot of times, UM, I wouldn't say I was dodging the media, but UM, I learned over my first three years in the NFL that sometimes you know, um, if you focus too much on the media and and they're going to

ask their questions, they have a job to do. Um. Sometimes you know, you have to you have to find that balance between being able to give interviews and and hear the chatter and then avoid the chatter, and so they equip The room was a good place for me to duck off with my food and and just sit back in there and just talk and laugh and joke, um, and build great relationships with those guys that I have to this day, win bet is bringing the excitement of

wind Las Vegas to online sports betting and casino play. Get in on all your favorite teams, players, and sports, from boosted parlays to live in game odds on every major sport. They have what you need to win. Jets fans in New Jersey. Sign up today and use promo code x Jets and after placing your first a hundred dollar wager, you will receive a hundred dollars to bet with. You will receive a fifty dollar free bet and a fifty dollar casino bonus. Again, the promo code is x Jets.

Offer subject to change. Offer only available in New Jersey. Terms and conditions apply. You must be twenty one or older to participate. Please visit wind bet dot com to view welcome offers available in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, Tennessee, and Virginia. You had a crazy work ethic you still do. With that being said, can you talk about the connection you had specifically with this fan base.

It feels like you played longer considering what you accomplished here in New York, just the three seasons, But can you talk about their attitude, their mentality, their expectations, and how you fit into that. Yeah, I'm from Virginia, but I've always been uh connected to New York, regardless of whether whether it's fashion, music, the energy. UM, I've always I've always felt like I was um had a had a piece of New York in me. Uh. So you know the New York fan base, man, I mean that's

the passionate uh. You know, they they're they're little rowdy at times, would need be UM, but you know they they're there. They genuinely want to win, and they genuinely want to be successful. And so I think you know, me being able to come to New York, uh and and be able to to play running back, you know running back there UM that position obviously since Churtis Martin. I mean it's one of the greatest of all timomy and it's big shoes to feel um. But New York

is where I was supposed to go. The energy is that's what I needed. I needed that, um, not to motivate me anymore than I motivate myself. But it's nothing like going out coming out of the tunnel in the Meadowlands and the New York Jets fans are sat j dts just just Jets and it's all Green. Um, just the mostique of the stadium, the mistique of the team. Um. Yeah, man, I mean it was a match made in heaven. You know what I mean? The New York Jets fan base.

DONAFL is a business. And you talked about the trade between the Bears and the Jets. How difficult wasn't for you? The couple of months after all nine, you guys advanced ANFC championship game. I got a seventeen sixteen, seventeen to six lead over Peyton Mann and the Colts in their building. Uh me. You were such a big part of that team and what was building. And then the organization goes out and drafts Shawn Green and then before you know it, you signed a free agency with the Kansas City Chiefs

and you embark got a new start again. Yeah. I mean, that's that's the NFL. And you know, Sean Green was a great back, great friend. Um. I loved to share in the backfield with him. We had some great games. We dominated some teams, embarrassed some teams. Uh. You know, I remember the Raiders. We played the Raiders out there in in Oakland and oh nine, and we both had over a hundred yards. I think I had like a buck twenty. He had like a buck forty. I mean

the same game, you know. I mean that's pretty hard to do in the NFL against any NFL defensive. We dominated teams Sean and I and Leon Washington, you know before he was injured that year. Um. But that's the business of the NFL. And I was already prepared for that because of my experiences in Arizona and in Tampa, even Chicago, so um. A lot of times. Uh, you know, guys are emotional about the NFL business, but I never

took it personal because I understood that this business. First, I enjoyed my my my time with every which which um, which with which whichever team I'm on, um, And those are memories that I have, and then I take the experiences and I go to the next team. Do you have a favorite moment that you had here? Uh, the New England game Foxboro two thousand, Yeah, that was big man. I remember, um, you know, the Jets, because I mean I've been I played in five six different conferences and

so my roo key year. My first two years in the NFL, the years on Carton's Well, we were in the NFC East, and then two thousand two, I think is when they they switched up the divisions in them, we were in the NFC West. And so then on Tradie Tampa Bay we were in the NFC South, and I went to Chicago we were in the NFC North. And then I went to the Jets. We're in the NFC East, and then I go to Kansas City when the NFC West. So there's different rivalries and different divisions

that you kind of have to get used to. And so m after my first game in New York, Uh, what is the spive Gates five? A game against the Patriots, my first my first game as a Jet. UM. Yeah, I developed this like hatred for the for the Patriots UM. And I think then playing at Foxboro, knowing how big that game was, knowing what was on the line, the divisional league, UM, and being able to win in the fashion we did in overtime. I'll never forget that moment.

I remember sitting in my locker after the game and I was just emotionally and physically drained. I think I had over a hundred yards about thirty carries UM and I was just in my locker and I was just in tears, like I just couldn't like even moved, Like I remember Jericho Contry and uh and Shoddy came over to my locker and I was just like bawling, like I was just letting everything go because I gave I

had nothing left. And so that moment, to me was was a very very important moment for me in my career and definitely the biggest moment for me um personally as a jet That's awesome. We're taping this on Wednesday morning. Tom Brady made his retirement official a couple of hours ago. What were your thoughts when you heard that? Um, I wasn't surprised. It's hard to let the game go, man, especially when you play as long as as he played,

as long as I played twelve years. I mean, you know, you've given the majority of your adult life to this game, to this sport, to this job, to the fans, to the public, um, and transitioning is difficult. Um. You you play this game as a kid, and then you going to play the game as a man and trying to figure out what you love as much or what you're just as passionate about it's hard, and I understand how he can retire in and you know when I come back,

I can. I can fully understand that because at the end of the day, you know, this is who he is, this is his identity. So, um, I had Tom came out the same year with me. You know, we came out in two thousand draft and he's had an incredible career argue with the greatest quarterback of world time. UM, so you know I was honored to play against him, and UM, you know I wish you the best post football. This is a great transition because you made a change

yourself post career. Yeah, like you were known in your playing days as Thomas Jones, now you are Thomas Q. Jones. Can you talk about having another I don't want to say personality, but but persona reinventing yourself as you would say. Yeah, it was difficult. It was difficult. Once I retired in two thousand twelve, it was like, what am I going

to do now? Um, even though I was interested in so many other things outside of football, I still had to find something that I was organically passionate about, and I just so happened to fall into acting was not something that I just just dreaming of tin or that I even anticipated doing. It was just something that I fell into, um and it helped me in so many ways.

It helped me change my uh my mindset as this kind of O. C. D. Aggressive Island football player that um sometimes didn't know how to turn that off even when I wasn't on the field. UM two, a more open minded, um, more patient, uh, more understanding person that can you know, contribute to society outside of the NFL locker room. Uh. You know. It also helped me in regards to just some of the things as football players that we don't think about it. We don't um um

dwell on um personal traumas things of that nature. Um, you can't. That's not something that you think about as a football player. Vulnerability and weakness, that's not something you can think about as a football player. You don't get you beat. But as an actor, those are those are the most powerful tools, is vulnerability and weakness. So, yeah, it was a difficult transition, but I was very very fortunate to find acting. Yeah, you were very honest about

that and forth right. You said there was a time there that you didn't know what to do with your time when your career immediately ended. He said, Hey, listen, I was a guy socially drink, but you found yourself drinking and somewhat depressed right immediately after. And then you found that passion and like the Thomas Jones we all know and love, you jump when you go into something. There's nothing halfway about you. So so the other day you're texting me. I looked at the time stamp. It's

two forty three in the morning. So can you talk about your life now between Miami and Los Angeles and what you got go on acting? Producing? Also, you were involved and you still might be some application development. I don't know how you're doing it all, but can you talk about some of the projects that you're currently working. Well, yeah, yeah, yeah, I Kim Man. I'm a busy buy I have to be busy. And that's why I think football was gratefully

because there's always something to do. There's always more film to watch, there's always more ways to lift. Um, there's always more sprints to run. Uh, there's always more treatment, always more time in the colde to um and so um that work ethic that I as a football player, you know, I just moved all that energy and put it into this. And so yeah, I have a TV series called Johnson on Bounce TV that I'm the showrunner and executive producer and also one of the lead actors.

Um that's on Bounce TV. And so, um, you know, we're preparing as though we have a season three renewal. We haven't heard officially yet, but we're preparing as though we are. So if we you know, we do get the news, then we're already on the ground running in Atlanta is where we film. Um. I'm actually hosted a film festival in l a four day film festival, the Pan African Film Festival, which is a huge festival. UM. And I'm one of the host or the host of

the film festival. UM. And I'll spe speaking on several panels. One of the panels is athletes in Hollywood, which is for the interesting. Uh. There's a few athletes now that that have transitioned into Hollywood on myself. Matthew Cherry, who was an Oscar winning director. Uh Namdi Asoma played for the Raiders and uh he's been in some incredible films. Uh, Michael straighthand obviously UM Terry Crews. So it'll be a really really cool panel. UM have another series that's about

to be green lit now. I can't give too many details about it, but we're literally uh negotiating their numbers and and and that stuff now right like today. Hopefully the deal will be done by next week and then um I'll posted on my social media page. UM. I have a series of football series called Life After that's on video right now that follows the lives of twelve different NFL players and it showcases some of their the struggles and triumphs of retirement. My story is included as well.

UM So yeah, I also have a technology company. You know. I have a mobile app called cast Star for talent casting talent um. So you can download that apps. I mean anything that I feel is going to be challenging. Uh, it's gonna help me evolve and grow and learning things. I just I grab it immediately because I'm addicted to information. I'm addicted to knowledge, and I'm addicted to to to growing involving. Do you sleep, No, I don't I sleep. I'm a napper. I'm a napper. You know. I go.

I'm like you know, you know those people who never charged their phone and you're in the middle of conversation with an All of a sudden, the battery. The battery dies. That's me bad to me. The battery dies, and then you charge it up or full and then you go again. And that's that's what makes me happy. Okay, as far as acting is concerned, how do you avoid being typecast for certain roles because your former NFL running back, you're

a big dude, you got big pipes. I mean, you can't go through a security clearance without somebody flagging you for the guns man. Um. But but how how did you like get over that hurdle? Because I gotta imagine people are like, yeah, it's a big guy and he's a former football player, so we're just gonna make him the athlete, right. Well, I thought about that before I started acting, and um, I added my middle initial to

my stage name, Thomas Q. Jones. So hopefully we'll throw people off that new my name is a football player, at least until it had a chance to see me audition or see me on a show or in a film. Uh. And it worked because it's very easy to be type cast as an athlete because people they don't expect you to be able to do anything else, especially if you've had a great career. Uh, they don't expect you to

be able to do anything else as as well. And so, um, when I started my career, I was like, Hey, I want to come in this business as Thomas Q. Jones, the actor. I want to be known as that first, which means that everything I do in my life has to be towards Thomas Q. Jones. Thomas Jones, I almost have to forget him, at least for the time being, until I'm able to earn the respect of my fellow actors,

casting directors, directors, producers, and also the fans. For people to see me and say, hey, that's the character on the show and then say, oh, that was Thomas Jones from the Jets, you know. Um. So it took a while. It took a while, but but unfortunately, I think a lot of people now respect me as an actor. I've been in some really really cool projects and it's a really really really good performing too. So um, yeah, man, I feel like it's worked. What's it like being a

leading man somebody's love interest. Yeah, it's cool, man. You know, it's like being number one on the depth chart, you know. Uh, it's like being a starter. Um, you know, I've always always, I've always had a high expectations. I expect to be the best. I expect to compete with the best. Um, can you talk about those roles? Yeah? Yeah, so you know, UM, my first breakout opportunity, I was on a show called Being Mary Jane, which was a huge show for BT,

starring Gabrielle Union and UM. I was cast to play one of her love interests back in two thousand and fourteen. Um and so, um, you know, obviously I hadn't acted extensively at that time, but um, the role was cool because it was actually a football player. UM and so I had to have some pretty intimate scenes with her. And you know, I wasn't I wouldn't say I wasn't. I wasn't nervous about the scenes. I just wanted people to take me seriously. I didn't want people to look

and say, oh, you know, I don't believe him. Uh. You know, there's certain people that make a transition, whether it's an actor into music or it's an athlete into into acting, and then they don't take it serious and then they go out there and then they kind of, um, you know, make a mockery themselves. You know, and I just didn't want to be one of those guys. So um it was a great experience. Gabriel was incredible, she

was dupe. She's a great actors, great person. Um and and after I did that, Rose was three episodes to give me a lot more confidence moving forward as a leading man, and it set my my my expectations they were very high at that point in regards to who I was going to be in Hollywood. I want to be a leading man. I want to be number one on the call sheet. Um and and so far that's been able to happen. We talked about it before briefly,

but straight out of time. Something was that a breakthrough even though that okay, this scene, you're not in the movie for fifteen minutes, but just being in a movie that was so well received, um and with so many actors who you respect, and it was so well uh put out. I mean, what did that mean to you? Personally?

It was? It was man, I had no idea that that movie was good to take off like that, And and I hadn't seen the film, so I didn't even know when my scene and I hadn't read the script because it's the role was so small that they just sent me my lines um. And then I did the audition and it was like fifty big guys in there, and the name of the character is large man. I mean it didn't there wasn't even a name for the guy. It was like a large man. He's gonna do this thing.

He's gonna walk up to this guy's and he's gonna say whatever. Um. So it was very like unexpected you even the audition. I went in and I was there for like an hour and uh finally got in and said my three lines and I walked out. And then the next day they called said, hey, we're like him for the role. And then um, you know, I'm out of Calabasas and I'm filming, and then you know, I left, and I didn't know who else was in the film I had. I didn't they didn't see me the entire script.

I only had like one page of lines um. So you know, when I started seeing all the the press and the memes straight out of Compton, straight out of and everybody's seeing where they're straight out of whatever their town is, the city is, and I started started seeing the momentum, I was like, oh wow, this is is pretty cool, you know, But I hadn't seen the movie.

They invited me to the premiere, and so I went to the premiere and I was sitting in the premiere with my manager and uh, I was watching the film and I was like, Wow, this is good. Um. Literally, I'm like, this is a good movie. Like, because I didn't know what was happening. I didn't know. I hadn't seen that. I hadn't read the script. And then it gets dark in the theater and then all of a sudden, I hear my voice because it was dark and so

I couldn't really see it's nighttime on the screen. So I'm like, then I hear my voice and like and the theater is packed. Everybody's in there. I mean the producers dre q F, Gary Grater director. I was actually sitting next to Kenya Bursts, the creative Blackish. He's sitting right next to me, and you know, I'm like, whoa, and I see my face and I'm like it was it was just a real moment. I'm like, that's me on the screen in front of all these people, um,

playing this role. And even though it was three lines, you know, it was a pivotal point in the movie and you could kind of hear after my character walked away. You can hear like the relief for the theater, and it was very powerful. It was like, whoa, that's how powerful cinema is. And I'm just sitting there and all of a sudden, people are like kind of looking at me. That's him, and you'll start whispering. So it was a cool moment. Man. It was kind of like a wow,

like you're really in Hollywood moment. Hey man, you've been so gracious with your time. I only got a couple more and now I'm gonna have you. I'm gonna circle back with you. We're definitely gonna have you on the podcast more. You're not gonna be a stranger character the Jets, um Luke Cage, Uh that series. You're rolling there working with those kind of actors. What was that all? Like?

That was it was great. Um, you know, shout out to Jail Coker that created the show for believing to me and giving me an opportunity to audition, but also um the roller auditioned for they it was it was ended up they ended up casting Theo Rossi. But he wrote in another character command You, He wrote that character in for me because that character was not in the

original breakdown for the shows. Obviously a character in the comic book, but um, budget wise, they were like, hey, you know, this character is kind of insignificant in the story because he was more shades you know friend, you know. Um, but Cho saw my audition and I was like, hey, this gotta be perfect for Comanche. Creative genius, creative mind. Um. But it was great working with Theo Rossi, one of the best in the business. Alfred Woodard one of the

best in the business. Um, you know, maybe have to bring my a game and and perform and dial in because I mean these are prose you know, while while I was playing in the NFC Championship game, you know, they're on set. No, they're you know, performing in uh you know and working with huge actors while I'm you know, running for a hundred yards against Buffalo or something. You know, It's like I'm doing something drastically different than what they're

both equally doing at the same time. So you know, I was the odd man out, but I loved it because he gave me out. Tony for forming the pressure. When they say action is spright lights man, it's like Hey, it's a night games, Monday night football, Sunday night football, Thursday night football, whole city, whole town, holds countries watching you know. So, Um, that rush was was in that dopamine release of like this is pressure, you gotta step up to the plate um that was. That was a great,

great feeling for me. So I love those type of moments where you know, I'm thrown in the mix and I have to because then it's exciting. Now it feels like a little bit like football again. You're a young dude. You got many chapters left in that book. But if somebody were to play Thomas Jones down the line in a movie, who what do you want that to be? There's there's there's this incredible young actor, young man on my show Johnson and he actually on my own soul Johnson.

My character, Omar Johnson is my character's name. He plays a father, UM that's having some marital issues and he has a son. And you know, we cast this kid to play my son um season one of the show, and we just hit it off immediately. He looks like me, He's got similar energies, very very smart, um, and he would be perfect to play me. His name's Kalle White. Okay, I love that, love that shout out. Okay, the Jets they're on the hunt for a veteran quarterback. They're committed

to finding a veteran quarterback this offseason. Any thoughts on that because we talked about your Jets three years here with the different quarterbacks and you want from one and of the spectrum to the other with far you know eight, then you go to Sanchez and O nine. What do you think about what their hunt here as they look for a quarterback. I mean, I think they need someone that can come in and play now, someone that's done it, someone that can push u Aac Wilson um because a

lot of times competition makes you better. You know, competition brings the best out of you. It did for me. I mean I was in constant competition at every team, and I think, uh, Derek carr Um, it's really good out in Oakland. You know, obviously didn't work out with him, but he's a very solid quarterback. Um. I don't know too much because I honestly, I don't really watch much football this time of year. I don't watch at all

because I have PTSD from losing the Super Bowl. So I don't really watch the playoffs, and UH see it on Twitter obviously, now you know the social media. But I don't really watch the games. You know, I'm usually doing something else. Um, but I know there's some really solid quarterbacks out there that could come in, uh in challenge Jack Wilson. You know, I think the kids got talent. You know, I think he's got talent. He's gotta he's got a lot of growing up to do. Man, this

is the NFL. Um. Nobody cares about your feelings. Nobody cares about um, you know, your maturation process. Um. This is a business. People want to win. They want to win now. Um, they don't you know, they're spending money on tickets now, and that spending money on tickets for you to lose now so you can win next year, you know. Um. And a lot of times young players don't really understand it because they're still young years old,

twenty two years old, you know. Um. But you know, someone to come in, a veteran to come in and challenge him and um, and it's gonna make the whole team better. Thomas Q. Jones, I appreciate you coming on the pod. Uh. You have a lot of fans here in New York. Still, the beauty of you playing with multiple teams throughout your career is that your tree has a lot of branches. And now I know a lot of people are rooting for you as your career continues

to ascend in Los Angeles, in Miami, in Atlanta. And and who's keeping your company out? You still got the dog and the cat? Is that right? Yeah? Yeah, they're still they're still rocking with me man. Nina my bulldog, she's uh, should be twelve this year. Uh. And Leo, I having my hairless cat, Leo, he'll be twelve this year too. Uh. So they're still going, Man, twelve years in the NFL. And and and they'll vote, they'll vote

be twelve. So twelve is a lucky number. Thanks so much, you gotta thanks for having me.