Welcome into the Official Jets podcast. Eric on here at one Jets Drive, joined by Jet tackle Morgan Moses. Does it feel like you never left?
Man? It feels like home, man.
You know, obviously being around the guys, the energy, obviously hearing everything about Aaron Rodgers, what he brings to the table. Just to be able to be around a guy that's you know, been in so many meaningful games, so much football and just see how he takes command of the offense. But just being around the guys, man, it's just, uh, it's been fun. Man, I'm excited.
So when you.
Stepped out of here post twenty twenty one, did you think you'd ever be back?
I look, man, it was it was crazy because like you know, I never really wanted to leave because it was I was I believed in the culture that was being set here, you know, at coach Sala being a great coach, Like he's one of those coaches that where you just want to run through the wall for right, and that family atmosphere that he brings, man, is hard
to find. So when you can get that in any organization, man, like eat football's easy, right, it just becomes the game that you fell in love with when you were four or five years old. You just come to work and you put a helmet on and you enjoy the game with your guys. So just being able to be back in the fold and be here and knowing that I have a mission that was not accomplished when I was here in twenty twenty one, it set some standards for me.
So I'm excited to be here and I'm excited to just to give back.
But could you see something developing in twenty twenty one because you guys took a couple of months. No way, that was a tranere.
Hey look, i'm gonna tell you this, man, I'm gonna tell you this. And then one thing about it, Like we lost a lot of games in twenty twenty one. You know, everything was kind of new, you know, new quarterback,
new system, you're kind of learning everything. But the energy, man, the energy that was put into the into everything we did, you knew like all we had to do is flip the roster a little bit, right, And then that following year was like Sauce Gardener, Garrett willisend Jermaine Johnson in the first round, and it's like three foundational first round picks, right,
that you can move on for it. And then like, you know, I've always been a fan, so I've watched a lot of football game and then you get the quarterback, right, you get Aaron Rodgers and you're like, look, this is it and just to have you know, see after you know what play for him go down is just like a blow to the face. But it's exciting, man, seeing him running around now healthy, you know, commanding the offense and just bro just being able to watch him throw
the football. Man, it's like, dude, it is flawless. Man, it's a work of art. But no, man, we're here now, man, we're here.
Well, speaking of culture, what were the past two years like for you in Baltimore? Because talk about a winning culture. Predominantly they're there at the end of the day in January, you can pencil, you pen the Ravens in. They're gonna be playing postseason football.
One hundred percent.
Man. And I think that's part of the growth process that I went through, right, Like you know, everybody, you know, you always say that God always has a plan, right, and so I think that plan was, like when I left here in twenty twenty one, is I went to Baltimore and I got to learn how a functional organization really does, like what it takes to go out there and compete at a a super Bowl level every day in practice, the tension, the details being challenged against the defense every day.
Right.
And now that I've been there for two years and I got to see how that was done every day on a high level through an organization that's been i mean the playoffs for what the last twenty years. You know, I can bring more even more to the table because I've been there. I've been there one game from the
super Bowl. I know what that tastes like. And obviously not making it to the super Bowl, like you, you become even hungrier, right, So being able to have that that you know, face those those things, face that adversity, losing that game against Kansas City and still you know, going into year eleven and still having that, you know that that edge to go out there and do it, do it some more to be able to bring that foundation here.
I'm looking forward to it.
So what's the backstory with the torn pack in Week four?
And who knew about it?
Oh?
Man, you have to ask John Simpson about that. Man.
But we're playing Cleveland and I'm just like I'm blocking moles Garrett and I'm just like, yo, some the first thing, I was like, no, Lie, I was like, I'm having a heart attack.
Really, It's like it was like no, live, Like, bro, I'm having a heart attack. I can't breathe.
And then I went back in halftime and they're like, yeah, bro, I think you like strain your peck. So obviously I didn't finish the game and I went and got an MRI that next day and they're like, yo, you tore sixty percent of your peck. And so I'm sitting there like all right, and everybody's like, hey, man, just shut it down.
You know, you did what you were supposed to.
And I'm like no, Like, look because I believed in the work that we put in all training camp, right, Like, you go through training camp, which is like a war, right for guys, Like, and you're bleeding on the field, your sweat, blood and tears with these guys and the last thing you want to do is feel like you're giving up on them. And I just told them, hey, look, just give me some time. Man, give me some time.
I'm gonna figure it out. And you know I missed that one that first game that was like the first game I missed in my career, which was like a humbling experience because like I had to understand, like, hey, this is a marathon and not a race. And you know, I was able to power through it with you know, just great pt doing things on my own, knowing how to you know, navigate, and you know, I was able
to finish the season with the torn peck man. So it was hard, man, like trying to hide it, to hide the strap, you know, wearing long T shirts in the game and trying to tape it the same color, things like that, just so you know, all these great defenders that you go against every Sunday wouldn't notice.
But I was able to battle through it. Man.
It made me a better person. It made me dig deep, and I you know, simply, man, I just didn't want to give up with my guys. And that's always been my my thing in the league is just like you know, give it you all until you can anymore.
Can you speak to the pain though, I mean, you're a tough guy. You said it felt initially like what the hell's going on here? But you played the rest of this season, dude.
It was with the torn pack it was some days man.
It was some days after games man, where like I couldn't lift my arm and like, thank God, Like my kids are like my children like they love me so much, man, They're like, Daddy, what you need, man, I'm like thank you. Like, but it was days where like I couldn't you know, I couldn't lift my arm. And be honest with you, I didn't miss any practice, is like, because like my makeup is like I got to practice, Like I'm not this guy that's like been blessed where I can just
go out there and not practice and just ball out. Like, so I was practicing going through it, man, and I just think like over you know, over the time, man, Like I think we got to like week thirteen and I was already like back single arm bench in one hundred and fifteen pounds on it, single arm. And so like the work of just going through the PT like staying up late night, having doctors come in into the house work on me, physical therapy and things like that
really helped me push through. So it's it's it was a journey, but you're come on, yeah, yeah, sing along with a torn peck.
Oh.
As far as Baltimore's concerned. I talked to John Harball about you. He loved you, Yeah, he said, in a perfect world, he'd still be here, but obviously football is a business. What did you learn most from him in a couple of years you were there.
Dude, I'm gonna tell you this, man, Like, and I had no idea, like right when I left here that Baltimore was going to be the landing spot, right. But I remember him calling me and the first thing he said was like, man, and he said something like isn't God something?
And I was like, hold on, man.
The first thing he said to me is he's talking about God, right, And he remembered this, you know, like his memory goes back. He's like, remember we worked we worked you out in the drive pass us about three or four times, and like we loved you.
We just couldn't couldn't get you here.
And now you know, nine years later down the road, we got you here. And so it was meant to be. But like just being able to go to an organization that was that was so solid from head to toe. Man,
how they treat everybody in that building. How it was so much fun to come to work and and not have to deal with everything outside, just come in and just really, you know, play football, right, And that's the key, right, Like, when you have that opportunity where everything else is taken care and you can walk into the building, you can focus on football, like you become a better football player naturally.
Because you can focus on those things.
So the things that he's done over the course of the years, man, he I mean the years he's been there, I think it was like sixteen years or something like that. What he's the values, the foundations that he set for that football team, it's been outstanding and you know, you can see why they go out there and play play like that every Sunday, you know, and it's been a pleasure to be able to be a part of that.
You know, we didn't win it all like we were supposed to, like we thought we were gonna do, but we did some great things about the season.
You know, we got an.
MVP quarterback and Lamar Jacks who was one of a con We led the league in rushing, all those all those things that you know, you set out in the beginning of the season say hey, we want to be this type of team.
We became that.
We just fell short at that time, but it was. It was a wonderful time being there.
Man.
For you personally, what did the win over Houston mean? Because you now, as far as your career is concerned, five playoff games, but that was the first one that you were able to experience victory.
Yeah, man, it was. It was exciting, man.
And like, let me tell you something, like when you're doing something like that and you get to.
Enjoy it, like really enjoy it.
Like it's fun going out there preparing for a play playoff game knowing that like you have the opportun community to dominate a team. It's it's it's it's unmatched feeling, right, And that was my first time going to the playoffs, and and really like that was our I think that was Baltimore's first home playoff game that they had won. And so like that was another mark that you know, out of history in that organization that we had, we had facing that we had you know, got off the board.
But like just in the way we won that game, Like I don't know if you remember if you watched it, Like we ran the ball like twenty times straight to sell that game. And that's what like you want as an offensive lineman, right, you want to say hey, man, when the game's on the line, it's clutch toime. We want the ball in breist Hall's hands. We want the ball and our running backs hand finishing moving forward. And it was it was no unmatched feeling.
Man.
You can't you can't. You can't put it. You can't put a number on that.
All right, So what can you tell us about John Simpson Because free agency starts here. Joe Douglas kind of under the radar, he scoops up this guard from Baltimore.
I'll tell you this, John ke came from We had got him like mid year.
And Baltimore from the Raiders, and you know, ups and downs as a player, and he'll he'll tell you this, like he was trying to figure it out whether you had good coaching at the Raiders or not, whatever the case is. John was this quiet guy, like like the guy that you see now that walks around that can't be quiet.
That wasn't John.
Like I tell everybody, like I don't even remember John when he first got to Baltimore. Like I tell John all the time, like you had dreads when you got to Baltimore, Like he had these long dreadlocks, and like just to see like a guy come in buy into the culture first of all, right, which is hard to do, right, to buy into a winning culture, to like forget everything that you learned and like, hey, like I got to
relearn how to play football this way. And like when we went into that, you know, last year, when we went into the season, like the question was like, who's gonna play left guard? Like there's nobody on the roster that like they felt like was the comfortable like playing left guard? And just to see him day one walking there and just man that position and say, look, I'm gonna be this guy, be this guy for a long time.
And you know, thankfully that he got here, you know, because now it's like I got somebody that that I'm comfortable with, like that I know he knows, but just being able to see the makeup in the transition that he made, you know, the strategy made throughout the year.
Man, he's a special player.
Man, how much noise is this happening inside the trunches? Because you're such a good dude. You got a lot of personality. But at the same time, man, you love the hand in hand combat. And I'm talking about you specifically in Simpson, because there are some NFL films clips of Simpson saying, you know, getting after dudes, and I know you gotta love that, dude.
I'm telling you, it's like it's one game, no Lie, And I want to say it was Cleveland because I was on the sideline. I think it was the Cleveland game. I got hurt and I see John run across the line. He's pulling and he smacks this d n no Lie, And I look at Coach, I said, I said, Coach, I think John's dead. Like he smacks this guy. He like folds on the ground like coach, like me and some of the other guys are sitting on the side.
I'm like, you know, I think John Sole left his body and he just pops up and like he gets in the huddle and he's just ready to go. But that's the type of guy he is, man Like, it's a guy that's gonna run through a wall. And I think there's no better place to be than here to play for a coach like Coach Salah, where like you're
gonna run through a wall every day. And I think when the biggest thing is like accepting that challenge, right, accepting that, like, hey, I got to go against somebody great every day in Quinn Williams a great defense, and that's gonna challenge me every day to be the best that I can. And when you have that going back and forth on the offense and defensive line, this guy's the limit, right because at the end of the day, no matter what skill positions you have throughout the league,
the game is one up front. It's never changed. It's been like that for one hundred years since football has been you know, been here. Like it's one in the trenches. So when you have guys that are really really ready to compete at that level and really leave it all out there, you know, that's the difference.
All right from a tackle perspective. What does Tyrone Smith bring to the table?
What makes him different? Dude?
Dude, I've been blessed man like because, like I had Trent Williams for five six years in Washington and I got to see Tyron on the other side playing against Dallas a lot of my career for seven years and just to see like the makeup. And we can relate a lot, right because we both had the same offensive line coach and Bill Collahan, so we can we can relate a lot into like the world exactly and you see why, like like why a guy like Tyran is just like I.
Mean, his his his pastes are flawless.
Like I wish I could just bottle him up, put him in a refrigerator and like you know, and just like hey, like this is what a past that looks like. And just the consistency he plays with every every day
and in every game. And for me, I was excited when we signed him, right because I mean, I know, I'm a eleven year vet, but like at the end of the day, like I'm always trying to learn, I'm like, when we signed I'm like, great, I got a guy that's like technically sound in every in everything you want him to do, run block and past blocking, you know, he does it such at a high level. So for me, it's like, man, how many I can pick his brain to make myself better?
Right?
And just to be around him, Man, he's such a he's such a wonderful, wonderful person. Man, And he's gonna raise the bar for a lot of us. Man, just what he's done in his fourteen year career so far. You know, you want to say he's a walking Hall of Famer for sure right, So so.
Yeah, to your point, definitely two all fans tackles that you've played with, Yeah, one hundred with Trent, Yeah, and Tyron. Everything Tyron does when you watch him, seems like you're thinking to yourself, master technician, Like there's nothing clumsy by it.
There's no wasted move there's no wasted movement, like it's like watching it, like especially like his like when he's punching in past protection, like his hand placement is so solid and on point, like his pinpoint it's like throwing it's like throwing a dagger into the wall. Like you know, he's hitting the bulls eye twenty twenty out of twenty
one times. And the efficiency of how he plays the game, And it's no wonder why he's been in Dallas for so long, right, because it's hard to replace a tackle like that. So for him to be able to be here with us, it's a blessing man. So you know, you got him, you got John, two guys that have that that's proven themselves throughout the league, and obviously he's willing to do anything to keep on winning. So to be able to have them, it's a great addition to the office line all.
Right, I think you were a third round pick out of Virginia. What's your reaction there after signing with the Jets and Tyring coming on board as well, and the Jets in the first round get olu fashion And how do you as a veteran and established guys played more than a decade in this game, Morian. Not a lot of dudes can say that. Not a lot of just can say that, say, you know what, this is a good situation for him. I'm gonna help this.
Dude, I think right like, I think the number one thing is right like, and I learned this from tent It's like when you got an opportunity to play with a great TAPO for so long, right, all they ask for you to do is pass it down right, pass the torch now. And I think when you're able to like, I never want to be that guy that's like, I'm not gonna help nobody like, right, because at the end of the day, we all sit at the table together
and we all got to eat, right. So whether I help O Lou, whether I help Tiring Hi, I'll help Carter Warren, whatever the case is, They're gonna push me to another level because I see them getting better, right, And that's the beauty of this right, Like it's iron sharp and iron like offensive line and offensive line is the one position where like everything we do is on a shoe string, right, Like you want that shoe, that shoe string to go through the sneakers flawless and it's
smooth as possible. So it doesn't matter. Like in the trenches,
you're gonna have guys that are gonna get hurt. You're gonna have guys that you know, bust a shoelace and somebody got to go in for a couple of plays, and you always want whoever stepping in to feel so comfortable to the point that like they know the guys that they've been working with through training camp OTAs believe in them, and so when they go out there, they play with an intent that's flawless, right because they understand that like, I'm not a backup, I'm a guy that's
worthy to be on this offensive line.
These guys trust me.
I've worked my tail off for this moment, and whether it's for two plays or three games that I gotta fill in, I'm gonna be the best that I can. And you can trust a guy like that you know, so when you when you've been through the league ten eleven years and you able to you know, share that knowledge of the game, you know, it just makes everybody better.
Man.
You it's iron sharp and irons. You know that person pushes you. You push that person and you get the best out of everybody.
Do you like his talent and this approach? I know it's in the early impressions for you. It's like he's spent a ton of time with him. But you're a Virginia kid and he obviously grew up in Maryland, went to school and Gonzaga High School before playing collegially a pun state No.
One hundred percent.
Man, obviously, you know what he's done in his four years in college or was it three years in college, whatever it was. You know, I think I read something that he didn't give up a sacking like three years or something like that. Right alone, just alone, is that's amazing? Right, And you always look forward, you know, an offensive line now right because like in college, like nobody really truly passes to anymore, the balls just getting spread out to all these skilled players.
Right.
The number one thing you want to look is you want to find a guy that's gonna fit the culture of the room, right, And he fits that culture.
Of the room.
You know, he's willing to learn, Like he's willing to you know, sit back and ask questions, and he feels comfortable and you know, being twenty twenty one years old coming into an NFL a league with grown men and understanding like, hey, this is not the same Like, you know, these are guys that have family to feed and there you know, this is not college where you know, I
got to take these things serious. But for him to be a sponge and ask question and learn how this thing goes, it's only going to benefit him in the long run. So just so, I mean, he's a great dude.
Man.
I look forward to, you know, working with him, and I look for it learning from him, right because at the end of the day, like there's some things that he's done in college that I probably didn't do ten eleven years ago, right, and so like and that's the beauty of it, Like football is always evolving. So whether you're old, young, whatever the case is, you can all learn from everybody.
You guys are a unique group. The offensive line. I always watched the rooms and see who's hanging out with who And I think offensive linemen are different, like in a good way. How quickly does it have to come together? As far as you got you you got Tyron at left tackle, you got Avt returning from injury, you got Joe Tipman at the center position, and John whereas you all are veterans, but you haven't played together.
Yeah, you know, And that's the thing, you know, that's the beauty of OTA's And you know, you know, training camp and things like that. OTA's is a little less contact and stuff out there, but you know, OTA's is for getting the guys together, you know, outside of the building, going to eat dinner. You know, I think the Fellas went to a concert, you know this week. That's things right that you're getting to know your teammates. You're getting
to know them outside of football. So when you go to war with them, you got no question about that guy.
You know.
It's like it's like the movie three hundred right, you do everything together, right, so when you go to war, when I'm standing at that battlefield, I have no question about John Simpson having my back. I got no question about Avt having my back. You know, it's pretty much, let's strap the helmets up and let's go man. You know, And so when you create that atmosphere between the line, and like I said, that's like the one position where like we never get a sub.
We never you know, it's no, hey, coach, I'm tired. Can I get out?
You know, we never get off the field. Like it's five you know, it's five people that work consistently together. So when you create that camaraderie in the offensive line, man, it's a beautiful thing.
Man.
Like I said, it's that shoelace that go through that sneaker that's flawless and goes through smooth.
What's the difference in blocking systems?
You know?
I think for me, I've been in a lot of systems, so like you know, being in this West Coast offense. You know, I had Sean mcvagh when I was in when I was in Washington, so I'm.
Very versed in that.
But just being around the league, and I think the thing about changing systems, right, it challenges you. It challenges you mentally, physically and all those things, right, because like it's another opportunity that I can learn more. And I think the biggest thing is like having a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers, that who sees the field so so well and can change you know, whether it's cover zero, cover two, cover three and we're in a run play and he
wants to get to, you know, a pass protection. For him to be able to do that like that, it's just like the mental aspect of like, Okay, I really got to hone in on those things. I got to learn his voice. I got to learn and start seeing things that he sees. And I think when you when you do that, it raises your IQ of football as well.
Can you speak to his football acumen?
Aaron, Dude, it's a dude.
It's I'm telling you, it's a It's a reason why he's been in the league for so long and then why he's been named with some of the greatest quarterbacks in the league.
The makeup that he does every day.
Man, just like to see him go out there and sling the ball around like he's ten years old, having fun and still doing that and as a as an older guy that's still trying to get to where he's at. Right, you see a guy go out there that's not complaining moaning about things. He's just going out there having the fun and let it rip. For a guy that's trying to get there, or the younger guys are trying to
get to that level. To see a guy like that go out there and do it every day, it's refreshing because then you get into your mind like, hey, I can do that, you know if he's still doing that at thirty thirty some years old, like I definitely can do that at twenty something, right, That's how the young guys see it.
So I'm a special man.
He's genuinely having fun because he's an extension of the coaching staff. Like people ask me, what's it like watching him? Yeah, his arm's incredible, no doubt, and he sees the feel like nobody I've watched. But also he's got to bounce in his staff, and he loves being around the guys, right, And.
That's that feeling that like you know, you know that he loves football, right, there's no question man, Like even even me sitting back watching them and him doing the throws off the one foot, like, I mean, I'm not gonna say that I can do that, but I've definitely tried that with my kids, and.
Hey, I'm Aaron Rodgers today, but today I.
Think he's looking down the left sideline, so like y'all look towards the camera, he's looking down the left sideline and he throws the ball to the middle of the field pinpoint great accuracy.
Dude, And it's and it's like the way the ball just releases out his hand right and be able to be able to do that on one foot is just like right, like we look at we look at like Patrick mahoons. And I'm not taking anything away from Patrick Mahomes.
He's a great quarterback, great guy, I'm pretty sure, but like Aaron's been doing that for years years, you know what I'm saying, And like the velocity of the ball that that that he still has when it's just like, dude, this, I mean, you can't even you can't even like you can't compare it.
How interesting is this for you though? Coming off playing with one of the game's great dual threats and Labar and now coming to Aaron.
Uh, dude, that's uh.
I'm gonna tell you this, man, like you couldn't ask for any better situation as offensive line, right, like like to see like to be with Lamar, like I call him magic man. Like the only way you can explain it is like it's a video game. That's the only way you can explain it. Like the things he does in practice every day to see how he throws the ball, and everybody had these questions about like is he a
real true passer? And then you know, you finally got some receivers that that you can you can go in there and trust and things like that, and you just see the development that he had of like just taking the new offense we're in Baltimore, and then now just to go to like Aaron Rodgers who just likes been playing football.
For a very long time.
But just like like you said, like he's a coach on the field, right, Like like he's a coach, like what he demands, the excellence that he demands every day out of guys, and just like the position he puts players in to secede. Right, that's the key, right, It's like I can be a great football player, I can be a great leader, but the difference is can I make the people around me better?
And that's what he does.
That's a great point. What's spring and summer looking like for you? Because you're working off the side. Here's OTAs began. You had off season surgery, so what's the process is going to be like now for.
You, I'm feeling great man, honestly, man, Like I'm not gonna not gonna shoot myself in the foot here, but like maybe I will.
But if we had to play today, I would be playing. I'm just gonna say that.
Of course you would, like with a torn packla, of course you would.
I had to play today, I would be playing.
But obviously, you know it's a marathon and not a race, right, so you know, just taking the day by day, listening to the people that I need to listen to.
I feel great. I'm on this great regiment of you know, building upper body strength and things.
But just really be honestly to just being out there in practice and just running around the guys, whether it's.
Doing warm up, listening to the music and just laughing with the guys. Man, like you can't.
You can't beat that, right, So just the energy out here right, like I tell everybody, like, man, it sucks, man, I got to do past that's on air.
Like you know what I'm saying.
But like, uh, it's it's all the same thing, right, Like at the end of the day, like you're paying attention to the details you're around the guys, you're having fun, you're learning the guys, right, and so it's exciting, man, Like it's exciting just to get back.
It's excited to get back in the fold.
It's excited to learn the team, learn the teammates, and just go through this grind, man, because it's a beautiful thing. Once it's going, it's gone, right, So you got to cherish it while you can't.
Well at that point, believe me, you're a young dude. But by NFIL standards, you're an old guy. Yeah, at thirty three when you left the UVA, do you think that, hey, down the line, I could be doing this eleven twelve years later.
Dude.
I've always believed in myself, right, Like, like I think the combine was like a hit to the face for me because like I like, I hate my combine experience, but like really yeah yeah, yeah, Like you know, I got ridden up as this guy that was gonna have a lot of injuries in his career, and then you know they were they were right, right, I had at all the surgeries in my career, but what they didn't measure was the heart, right yeah, and so uh you know, yeah,
like I think you know obviously being thirty three years old going to year eleven, but beyonest with me, I still still got five years in the tank, you know.
Yeah, Like that's how I feel. Even with the surgery.
Man, I feel I feel fantastic, man, so like, and I always tell myself, Man, as long as I can come to this game, and I feel like I can give back to this game, and I feel like I can still learn, And that's the thing, right, Like, I feel like I still have so much to learn about football now. I think when you have that mindset that you know, we I call it the growth mindset. Right, when you have that growth mindset, I mean, the things that you can accomplish is unbelievable.
Do you think with what you guys have, as far as the roster is concerned and priests behind you and the number of young running backs, that it's gonna be a pick? You're poison for opposing defenses Because we got a Hall of Fame passer back here. We got some weapons on the outside. We got Garrett, we had Mike Williams, we drafted Corely, we got already coming back. You know, I could go on Brownley's had a nice camp and made a catch out there today. But you know then
you have to stud in the backfield, priest. Whereas okay, you guys, if you're gonna load the box up against us, yeah, I got a Hall of Fame passer behind me. You to go, light box, We're gonna pound you all day long.
I think the craziest thing, right, because, like I said, I've been watching a lot of football at the Jets man, obviously rooting from them from Afar, and I like my question last year was like, yo, why guys Dalvin Cook not getting the ball right, Like, Dalvin's this great running back out of Minnesota, right. And then in training camp, I think it was like Breese Hall's first practice and he hit like twenty two miles per hour, and I.
Said, oh, oh, okay, that's why were you watching last year?
Were watching watching the heart Knucks like I was watching Heart Ducks, and I was like, okay, this guy just hit twenty two miles per hour, Like I understand why, right, And so like you know, obviously, man, the roster is
what it is, and obviously it looks great, right. Everybody can be the paper champion, right, Like we can run that script all day, right, But the beauty of football, Like, no matter what your team looks like, you gotta line up on Sundays, right, Like for example, like you see last year with the Cleveland Browns, Like down a quarterback with Deshaun Watson, then you get old school Joe Flat going there and they make a run. Right, That's the
beauty of football. Like, you know, you never know when when a team is going to hit the hot streak, So right now, you know, for us it's like being able to learn each other on this roster, understand these guys the strength and the weaknesses of your teammates, so you can feel that voiding and that way when we get out there September. You know against San Francisco is flawless, right, and the game is never flawless, right, You're always gonna make mistakes. But like, how can I learn from them
mistakes and not make those mistakes again? How can my teammates keep me accountable? How does my coaches know I take in information versus you know, being on the field or in the study room. All those things are things that you're learning right now. So when you get the training camp, you can hit the ground running. So like I don't want to get caught up in the paper
champ and of what the roster looks like. Because at the end of the day, we got we're talented, like we have talented group and obviously having air and healthy that makes a lot of difference. But that defense, dude, that defense, I mean, I mean to win seven games with that defense on the field ninety percent of the time. Like, you gotta be you gotta be excited about what's going to happen this year.
Right, So your feet right here in the moment. But have you thought it's somebody who has the experience of being here back in twenty one we thought what it would be like to win here, or you don't let yourself even get there and you say, hey, listen, take care of business.
It's hard, man, It's hard to like not think about it, especially because like you know, I remember the first time I ran out the tunnel and Met Life Stadium as a Jet and just to hear that chance, you know,
the Jets, just Jets. That's a fan base, bro, that's like been wanting like wins for a long time, right, Like it's it's it's hard to come across great fans in this league, great fans that are going to be uh, you know that's gonna stick through you, stick with you through, Dick and then and so just the the honor to be able to grace the field and try to give them that, you know, that victory or to give them that playoff appearance that they haven't had in a long time,
not only for ourselves but for the community, right, Like, I mean, you've seen how the Knicks, you know, you know, the Knicks took over and how New York was when the Knicks were in the playoffs, right, like for them to win you know, round one and you know, get into round two, Like, I mean, you win here, dude, life is different, right for everybody, everybody in this building, right, yeah, everybody because they've been waiting for it for so long.
So like it's hard not to get caught up into it, man, But like, uh, you know, obviously we.
Got to take care of business. We got to do the things that we need to do. But you know, definitely how this fan base deserves it.
So how much you're gonna be benching when you get the.
You know, like, look, I'm not gonna get in this benching competition anymore.
You know, maybe what you're doing with the sets. No, No, you know, I'll definitely be, you know, back in the four hundred, so I can hear pretty soon. But you know, at the end of the day, it's just kind of taking one day at a time. Like there's days where I feel amazing and I'm like, you know what, I'm going to hit it today, and I gotta remember I got to remind myself like hey, slow down, brother, you know.
But like you know, and obviously being out here with these guys and make you feel that way, like it's like cause you're you know, you feel like you're missing a part of a big part of the season, you know. And I think Aaron said Aaron said told me the other day because I was like, I went in, I went in the training room. I was like, yo, I want to hit a bag today, and Aaron was like,
hold up, buddy, we don't need you right now. And I'm like, well, I got to listen Aaron said it, right, So I guess I'm gonna do my little pas sets on the air and stuff like that. But uh, just the culture around here, man, and you can see it in everybody's face, from the lunch people, from the custodians to everybody that works in this building, that like there's something very special here.
And they've been waiting for it for a long time.
And obviously last year with Aaron getting hurt, you know, the season was kind of you know, put down the drain. But just to be able to have that level of excitement back in the building, man, it's it's fantastic feeling.
How many times you faced Reddick before? Ooh uh.
See I faced Reddick the young young and he's still young. Don't get me wrong when I say this, like young Reddick in Arizona.
Okay, And when he was an Arizona using him it's like an off the ball linebacker that point, and.
That was like always the thing like like this, this dude is a special guy, right like. And then obviously, like you know, Bryce was the same way. Bryce Huff was the same way, right like, because I was here in twenty twenty one and he was like a practice squad fluxed guy that kind of like was on the practice was on the fifty three man roster, but like, dude gave you hell in practice every day, Like he
went balls to the wall every day in practice. And so you know, playing Hassan in Arizona you always felt like he was kind of like mishandled a little bit right, and then like he gets to Philly and you're like sixteen sacks, eighteen sacks, like like this dude is like he's a dog, bro, And I think like he said it, he said it well, went on his interview here when he first when he first got traded, It's like, Yo, we got some dogs in this locker room, right, And
when you got some dogs in his locker room, you can compete at a high level because they're gonna challenge everybody who's not a dog or not a dog yet in this locker room to be a dog. And when you have that, when you have that when I say iron sharp and iron, when you have that mentality throughout the locker room, I mean you can face anybody.
Got a lot of dogs here, Maria Moses. We're so happy you're back in the building. I know the fan base is pumped as well, and your family looking forward to coming back up north.
Of Well, yeah, man, the boys are excited, man, Like i They're like, they're like Dad, like we got to meet Lamar Jackson and now we get to meet Aaron Rodgers and Sauce Gardner, and I'm like, so they're excited it, man, Like, they're excited to be back here. Obviously we had a great, great time when we were here, you know, great family time. Just what they do as a as a team and involve the families, you know, the cookouts.
And things like that. It's always been great.
So I look forward to it, man, Like, my son is already like, Dad, like, you're gonna win the super Bowl this year.
I know it. I know it.
Mind you that, Like he cried his heart out when we lost last year, Like like he was asking me, like since the Houston game in the first round, Like, Dad, you're gonna take me to the super Bowl. Dad, You're gonna take me to the super Bowl. He told all his friends in school. They told all their kids, We're going to the super Bowl.
Unfinished business, Yes business, unfinished business. Good seeing always, man, Thank you, thank you, yes, sir,