We were presented by went Bet. Betting is a team sport. Bet Together went Bet. Eric Ellen here inside the studio, joined by Jets Special Teams coordinator Brandt Boyer on the eve of training camp. It is finally here. How was your summer? Summer was awesome. Did a ton of fishing and it sat out, sat on the river and I think I just was explaining to Youd of thirty days. I think I was in my camp or on a river and we traveled all over Wyoming and Montana and everything,
did some fishing. It was great. Did fly fishing You take a lot of videos and photos while you're out there? Yeah, I do. I've got a ton on my phone. So it was a great time. Go with a bunch of buddies and take my kids out all the time on there in Utah and and um. So it was good. Called a bunch of fish and seeing a bunch of wildlife. And it's like my yoga. My wife calls it all the time. Fair enough. So what kind of fish did you catch? All trout? All trout? Yeah, so brown's cutthroats, rainbows,
everything like that. So it was awesome. When know we'd spend five or six days at one place, go three or four to the next place, and wherever's fishing, good, we go. You know. So it was it was it was a good time. Are you able to get your mind completely away from football during this absolutely, Like that's the only time when I can totally separate and and uh, you know, rejuven h in, get you back ready for
the grind that's gonna happen here starting starting today. You know, at what point do you start getting at itch where like it's getting closer and your body clock for somebody like you, you have to there's got to be changes that happened. Because he played in the league as well. Yeah, this is twenty three years I think in the league, so as a player and as a coach, and and uh, you know, you start thinking about it in that last
week or two. You know, it's good to get away in the first couple of weeks, but then you start missing the guys and stopping, you know, start missing being on the grass and everything like that. And uh, you know, while it's good to have a vacation, you know what we're here for and we're here to win and try to win a super Bowl, and and uh, you know, I really miss that when when you're off so along, you get start getting bored a little bit. And I mean it's hard to think that you can get board
fishing every day. But um, I really enjoy it, like really enjoy coaching, being on the grass and getting these young kids, you know, trying to get them right and working with the kids and and uh, and I think that's that's the awesome part of the job. This roster has changed a lot since we last talked in this space. We were in Mobile, Alabama at the Senior Bowl in January, and a lot of people think in terms of offense defense rightfully, so, but that's gonna impact your unit, your
units as well. Yeah, anytime that that there's huge turnover and everything like that. We had a really young group last year, um, first year in the system. Guys came up, came in and did a pretty solid job. You know, there's a lot of things that that I would have liked to cleaned up from last year. But you know, it's exciting to have all these new kids in and and uh, you know, a bunch of new veteran players, a bunch of new young guys, and you know, and
infusing a life so to speak. And I think that, you know, you have some really really talented kids. I think you have some some grinder guys that that are that are that are smart and and uh, you know, can learn the system right away and can adjust to what we're teaching and from their old systems and stuff like that. And I think that, you know, I'm really looking forward to to getting started with these guys, that's
for sure. You're all pro kick Returner took to social media recently was not happy with his Men strength number they gave him fifty three. Yeah, so Braxton put out on social media said he basically doesn't mind, but it was he had a post with himself benching with the shirt off, and you know, Burials is pretty it's pretty jacked. Yeah,
he's pretty jacked. What I'll say to that is better be underrated than overrated him, right, And so you know, I think he's everybody sleeps on him and everything and and uh because of a short stature and stuff like that. The kid has one hell of a football there and does a great job for us. I know that he's such a nice dude. He's so well liked inside the locker room, and I know you love his approach. Um do you see the chip in terms of more so
on the field than the way he interacts with others. Oh, absolutely, I think that. You know, anytime a guy has doubted as much as he is and you don't be honest with you, I felt like that in my career, and and uh, that chip on your shoulder never leaves you and and you always have something to prove. And I think that's probably what makes him work so hard and
what makes him great. And I think that, you know, the harder he works and the more he keeps thinking about that, the better he's going to be in his career. And you've seen him just every year he's gotten better and better and better, and and uh, you know, I don't see any reason why he won't continue to do so.
You know, you're not living in the past. But your numbers across the board were so good last year kick return, uh um, kick return coverage and punt return of course, can you speak to that because by any measurement, you'd say you guys were top two in the league and each of those categories. Yeah, I think that, you know, obviously it's a guy. It's it's all about the guys. And and uh, can the guys block in space. Can they can they understand what we're trying to get get
done and and teach them. And the guys did uh last year, they did a fantastic job. You know. There's got to be some things that we really improve on this year. Some things I want to get better. Number one, we gotta get rid of the damn penalties. Committed way too many penalties last year. Um. But I thought the guys, you know, I think our double teams up to the safety need to get better. Some of our single work
needs to get better. Um. But I'm really excited about the group that we've got and the guys and they really take the coaching and and um, you know, for such a young group last year, UM, you know, I'm really excited to see where we can go a year two and hopefully we can keep um, you know a lot of these guys together and um, you know, I hopefully we can. How tough is it for you? In
another opening day? Another new kicker. I know sometimes people would just say it's just the name cure of the business, but Eddie came on board last year, goes eight for eight. And then you had Greg the leg who's Zeroline, who has one of the strongest legs in the National Football League. We're to see that competition playoff. Yeah, it's gonna be It's gonna be interesting to see how that plays out
because it was so close in the spring. Um, you know, it was neck and neck in the spring, and both of them kicked really well, and and um, you know, it'll be interesting to see how how those guys doing games. Eddie came in, did a great job. Greg's obviously been approven talent in this league. Um, they're both great guys. Having the locker room, I'd take either one of them right now. Um. And they they've they've done a great jobs since they've been here and adjusted to the room
as well. And you know, they've SNCD up really well with with Thomas and Bradon and and the operations, you know, quick and precise and and that's what we can ask for. And we'll see how it plays out during training camp.
And and you know, what it comes down to is who kicks and does well in the games, you know, And because I think they're very very similar, and both of them approached the game the right way, and both of them are very serious and and you know, really I think they they think their job is important, obviously, and they approach it that way. And and I really look forward to that competition for sure. The lines numbers over fifty yards fifty to fifty nine yards throughout his
career really something, Yeah, you're talking about in between. I think it's probably around fifty five for his career fifty nine and then Panero three for three in his career fifty plus. And I think a lot of people thought of him in terms of h he played at Florida. I don't know if he can play up here in the Northeast. He didn't find job for you guys, stop of stretch. Yes he did. Like I think what people
you know obviously don't know about eighties he had. He had some injury issues before he came here and and maybe he shouldn't even have kicked last year. Um, And he sucked it up and did a hell of a job for us. Um you know, came in and did a great job. And so he uh you know that that to me speaks to how important it is, um,
how how much he cares everything like that. And then you've got Greg who's been, like I said, a proven talent, um who's had a great career and it's gonna be it's gonna be awesome to see these guys go head to head during training camp. Yeah, how tough is it for you as a coordinator of special teams that there's just three games now because you just talked about, Hey, practice is important, but for us, we got away what you're doing under the light? Right, Yeah, I think you know,
it makes it hard with three games. You know, you used to have five, used to have four, whatever it is depending on the year, and and um, you know you could see them under the lights, but what you see is the big body of work, and you see their ball flight, and you see, um, how they adjust and how they handle the pressure situations. And that's what goes into the you know, when we sit down with Sla and Joe and and um, you know, that's the
decisions that we make as an organization moving forward. How how are we going to proceed with that position and that any position you know for for that matter. So, um, you know that's that's a cool part about the job is that you see how these guys compete head to head. And if one guy goes out there and bangs of four eight yarder and the next guy has a chance
to hit a fifty. Then then they compete with each other all the time, and and they kick the same same amount of balls, the same distances, the same hash marks everything every day that we kick and so and then and then you weigh all those factors in and you come up with with who gives you the best chance in the organization's eyes, right went but is not live in New Jersey, and they're bringing the excitement of the win Las Vegas to online sports betting, getting on
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If you're someone you know has a gambling problem called one seven zero seven one one seven at a luxury having a guy like Brandon man because their lines kickoff percentages last year was which is great in terms of touchbacks. But you do have Eddie here and then you do have a guy like Man who can come in for you as well. Yeah, like you know, I was speaking on on earlier Eddie's strength coming back this year, coming coming off that injury early early last year. Um, his
strength is way better than it was last year. Um. So those guys, all three of those guys, I would have no problem starting as the as the starting kickoff guy. Um. You know, I think they all can kick touchback saying all mortar to both sides really well, Um, I think that you know, they have a good arsenal on side kicks. Um, So I'd have no problem putting any of them out there. Can I ask you about del Shan Phillips. He doesn't get a lot of the headlines, but he was a
core guy for you last year. Can you talk what he brings the table across the board. I think that del Shawn has done one heck of a job. Um. You know, I think he's he's one of our obviously our top linebackers in production and everything like that. Um, what he does, he's a he's Basically, he's like a
silent assassin the guy. You know, he doesn't say much, um, but he comes out and he works every day and and um, you know, he does a really nice job and coverage phases and you know, there's some things I'd like to clean up with him, and being another year in this system and stuff like that, we can get
that addressed and everything. But for him to come in first year, all these new techniques that he's learning, um, take a leadership role in in the room a little bit um, you know, and and turn around and do what he did last year, I think he's You're going to see nothing but improvement from him moving forward, that's for sure. I'm not really excited about him. How about what you have on the outside. We talked about Justin Hardy in the past and his leadership role and everything
he brings to the table. But I wanted to ask you about Jeff Smith because he was flashing offensively during the spring. He's got a great story, former college quarterback. But uh, he's also a guy who I think has thrived under your guys. Absolutely, I think Jeff has done a great job. You know, you got Hardy out there, and then you've got Jeff, and you've got a group of guys who are gonna be fighting for those gunner positions.
And and obviously with Hardy's leadership and and the way that he has proven talent and and you know, he plays with a dog mentality all the time and gets after people and and uh, you know, I think he needed a heck of a job last year. Jeff. I don't think that you can anybody in this probably in this building, would would argue maybe had the best spring
out of any player that there is. Um you know, at least that that I've seen, you know, especially on special teams, and the way he works and the way he prepares and and he practiced like a man on a mission this spring, and I think that, you know, there's some bright things that are going to come out of that for Jeff. Um, you know, I really think so.
I think he's got you know, obviously he can run, he's got talent um, and he's a worker, and uh, I think he had just my own personal opinion, I think he had one of the best springs that there is. What changes for you and it's a tight end position because you you really depended on those guys last year West goes still on the roster. We know that, and he kind of is a slash fullback. I don't even know what we list them as offensively, but I know you lean on him a lot. What about some of
the additions as well. Yeah, I mean we we obviously try to get a lot out of our our fullback and and tight end positions, you know, because we keep five linebackers instead of six. So it really helps to have Nick Bowden here and guys like that that are tough guys, you know, really really smart guys. And I can just their chest pieces and I can put them everywhere and and uh conklin um us alma um. You know all those guys ya Boa comes in and does
a great job. So those are guys that I can move anywhere and and um they do a great job, you know. And they they've adjusted well of the scheme, and we'll see how it all fits, you know. I think that we've got a lot of work to do from here to the season, but the offseas and show promise on all those guys. I think that that it'll be exciting to see how how they progress. But he's a cool cat, a tough customer. Yeah, yeah, former college quarterback.
He's another former college quarterback. But man, he will get after you. Yeah, he will get after you. And and you know he's a guy I'd loved to play with and and uh, you know, we we've got a bunch of really really good guys in that room and he's one of them. And you know, he stands for everything that that that that I like and toughness and and you know, study and all the time and and being you know, having this this be you know if not one you know, other than your family, you know the
most important thing in your life. And that's what it needs to be, uh for for a six month period of time during the season, and the focus needs to be there and everything. And he's the epitome of of that that studies all the time and and prepares and works his butt off and lifts weights and watches his diet all the time and and and things like that. There's a a big group of guys here that we have here now that that are that are starting in
that mold. And I think that you're you're seeing just little progressions of how how this is getting better since I've been here. Um, and I think it's I think it's exciting to see little progressions. What do you see from Brandon last year? We talked about him before and what's his next step? Is a punner, I think. I think you know, obviously that injury setting back a little bit. Um, you know, it was very unfortunate. In the first game he gets run into and and um, you know, obviously
we can't have that stuff happen again. But I think that you've seen as as the year went on, um, you know, when he came back and uh and um, I think that by by the game, you could see him start to slowly get back into rhythm and slowly start making strides and and where I thought he was going to be towards the end of the year, I
thought he kicked really really well. Um and and even midway through the year, coming back from an injury like that, it's really hard, but but he did a really nice job of progressing every week, folks, in every week on where he needs to be. I think his hang times have gotten better, his directional ability has gotten better. Uh, since in this offseason. Um, I think he's you know, I think he's got as much talent as anybody in
this league. I really do that's that's true fact. And he can do so many things with on site kicks and kickoffs and and you know, I mean, hell, he can even long snap, to be honest with you, I mean it's crazy, you can tackle, you know. I mean he's a really really talented kid. And uh, and I think that that he's going to do an outstanding job for us this year. I really do. All right, so tell us the truth. Well, let's go inside the meeting room right now. It's time's time to see you ever
had a bad snap? According urals, we'll knock on wood. Um, you know, not many that I've seen. And he's as consistent, um and and as and as professional as you will ever find. And guys like that that will play, they'll play fifteen years, you know, and if not more. And so I think that he's just a pleasure to have in the room. He never says boo if unless you
ask him. And and he's taken off a little more of a leadership role, which I've asked him to do because he because he never buddy that in their respects him and knows how good a player he is. And and uh, you know the things that since since we've been here together. The things that I've asked him to correct,
he corrects it right away. There's never any any attitude back if you know, he understands that it's a professional business and we're trying to get the best out of him, and he gets the stuff fixed and and uh, he is an absolute pleasure and a good man to to to be around. That's for sure. You've got a good group.
And we're gonna have to see how roster cutdowns all turn out, because sometimes you lose a guy, um who might be the fifth or sixth guy in his positional group, but could have been maybe one of your core guys. And that's just the nature of the business. So you're one of those guys, quite quick thinker and also a guy who gets everybody up to speed. And your units last year really excelled. So everybody's looking forward to what
the next step is from a team perspective. Everybody universally across the board throughout the off season, externally not inside the building, has lauded the Jets off season uh as far as acquisitions and both free agency and the draft, and also looked at what kind of the teams set up last year. There's some growing pains, but you guys put your head down and went right through it. So what do you think is happening here? And you're two
under Robert Sala? Well, I'm really excited. You know. I've always said this, Um, you know that if I was a player again, I would love to play for Saul. And I'm not saying that, um for any other reason that I truly mean it. Um. You know, he's a guy, that's very sharp guy, he's always positive. Guys want to play for him. Um, you know. And then the synergy between him and Joe um and and the upstairs and the downstairs is better than I've ever seen since I've
been here. Um, it really is. And I think that that we're trending in the right direction. Hopefully that equates to wins. Hopefully that equations to you know, future success for for this organization. Obviously. Man, I think everybody in this room or in this in in our team room, is is in everybody upstairs and everybody in the building is tired tired of losing, and it's about winning and
losing games in this league. And and uh, you know, with the young guys that we brought in and things like that, I'm not gonna put any predictions on it or anything like that, but I really think that that you'll see an improvement on a week to week basis with it. It's a young group, um, and you'll see hopefully see improvements as we go, and the team's just getting better. And the longer that we can all be together and and coaching these guys and everything like that.
The longer these players are together, the more they're gonna learn the system, the more they're gonna they're gonna, um, you know, come together as as a unit as a team. And uh, I think that that's gonna do nothing. But but hey, dividends in the end. But it's not live in New Jersey and they're pretty the excitement of win Las Vegas to online sports betting, getting on all your favorite teams players in sports, from boost partlays to live in game odds on every sport. They have what you
need to win. Sign up today to receive a special offer risk free one thousand down the sports bet download the wind beat up now or visit w y N and Vett dot com to start winning. Winn bet and the Pistial Sports Book and gave me a part up the new York Jets office up to the change in terms of conditions at winbet dot com twenty one, the older president of New Jersey. If you're someone you know has a gambling problem called on seven zero seven one one seven when you start diving into the a f C.
North film, he got Baltimore, Cleveland, Surgh. I've done that a lot of Yeah. Yeah, So if Baltimore would be a quite a challenge right out of the game, because you know how much Harbor the emphasis A very good, very good team, very good unit, um you know, a very good return, a very good specialists. You know, they have the the young punter that's going to be really good. They have obviously I think one of the top kickers in the league, and they have some really good core
guys and and stuff. So it'll be a real good challenge coming out the gate. Do you like to join practices? I do, you know, because I think there's some things that that you can show um on t that you won't see other than in a game, you know what I'm saying. So Philly came in here last year and and they got after us on our punt unit, and and it was really good to show the speed of the game and what they're gonna they're gonna face when
we get into preseason and especially the regular season. Um, you know, the physicality and the speed that it's going to take and and uh to succeed in this league, and it is so fast for these young players, and and they don't understand how physical they have to be in their pad level and how they have to strike guys and and things like that until you get into situations like that to where you know, they came in and were really physical with us and and we didn't
handle it very well and and all of a sudden, and maybe it takes you getting punched in the mouth a little bit too to uh to understand that you gotta get your paths down, gotta get after people, gotta talk, gotta communicate, um, everything like that. So I think that absolutely. I think the more type of competitive situations that you can put them in and you're not going against each other all the time, than then, UM, I think I'm all for Yeah, last year Philadelphia, Green Bay this year
in Atlanta and then Acrosstown Giants for a day. So you guys are gonna benefit from both of those experience. Lastly, UM, you grew up in this league at a different time. What's your favorite training camp memory, favorite training camp memory. It could be off the field, uh favorite training camp memory. Well,
how about my least favorite? All right, we were we were we were in uh Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and for the Jaguars, I think it was ninety let's see, there was ninety five, I believe, and we go up there and they had heat warnings to keep your pets inside, right, and we were in full pads to three hour practices of the day, six days a week, two days. So it was full pads, full pads, full pads, full pads
for six six days in a row. And then you had like a um, you know, an off day, which was meetings and treatment all day and then with pet warnings and heat warnings to be inside, and we worked our tails off, I'll tell you that. So that was probably my I mean, you've got to be slugging down
water and gatorade the entire time. I mean, it is, you know, because because during the practices you're you have to lift and grab lunch and in that tour and a half hour window or whatever, you gotta lift, grab lunch, and then you know, try to get back to the to the dorm room and try to get a little sleep, you know, to try to rest before the next practice. And half the time you'd be laying there and cramping up all over the place and everything. I gotta get
ready for the next practice. So absolutely the worst. That's wild. You ever tell these dudes, not like, hey, when I was player, but do you ever remind them that we've come a long way as far as taking care of people's bodies with the nutrition, the rest, the health and other stuff. Where you guys are so productive of walked through walk throughs now and you're on the field maybe ninety minutes into contact is a lot less, right, I
tell them all the time. So they absolutely, you know, like I don't want to hear that you're tired, you know. And it's it's kind of funny because everybody, you know, I think all the older players, it's a whole different generation. And you probably couldn't do that anymore, you know, as good as these guys are now and as fast twist as they are and things like that, but the stuff that we were asked to do, these guys aren't being asked to do. And and it's and it's really good
for their health. And you know, it's all science now, based on science and how many yards they're running and everything like that, and it's fantastic what we've done here, I think. And and uh, you know they Ord and the what Braden and those guys Nicoliney and everybody in the String staff. They they go through that stuff and and how you have to you go high high and low days and things, and it's all based on science
and and everything. So so I totally understand it, you know, um, but it's not as physical as it used to be. And and it takes and that goes back to my point there. You gotta get calloused a little bit, I in my in my opinion, and you've got to be able to put on those pads and be able to go through those practices and those hard days that that you know, you're smacking each other every day and your sore and you gotta you gotta get cows and get used to that stuff. And and there's a fine line
between that and staying healthy. And and I think that the more we can keep these guys healthy, obviously it goes back to that thing when I said earlier that if you don't have any bullets for your gun. You you have no chance to win in this league, and you gotta stay healthy. And I think that the players have really adjusted well to the what they're doing here, and so I think that, you know, I think it's gonna be really good. It's a good blend of old school.
You've got to have that mentality and new school. Uh, as far as these advances are concerned. Um, do you ever look back at those videos the game tape and say, Wow, we played at a different speedback then you just mentioned
Absolutely absolutely. I think you know, Obrick and I say it in here all the time, like we we probably couldn't have played in this era, know, to two linebackers that didn't run very well or whatever, you know, and and uh, you know, but I mean, it's all they these guys are so fast, and they're and they're getting longer, and they're getting bigger, and and everything in the safety name Mazers that that you know, all this science and and all the things that the NFL's trying to do, um,
you know, keeping these guys safe as awesome. I really think so, because like I said, it's the long chevity of the product and and uh, and the product or the players and and um, you know, it is awesome to see these guys and it and it takes care of all these guys and and uh and that's that's you know, so you get your your premium you know, athlete on game day, and that's what you need. You know, if you're gonna win and lose games in this league,
you've got to have the best that they are. You know. Do you find a lot of parallels similarities with Brick, you guys said career your approaches. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Brick and I get along really well and and both were similar players and I think he started I held a lot more games than I did. But um, you know, yeah, great,
great dude, great staff. Um, you know, all the all the all the the players are awesome here and now and they've they've they've really done a great job of bringing in the right kind of players and workers and and um, like I think, you know, I'm really excited about where this is. This is transitioning seeing we'll see where it goes and hopefully that trans translates to wins. Enjoyed it. You've worked for three different high coaches here
at the New York Jets. That speaks to your achievements and also what you bring to the table each and every year. Last year, you guys add a very good year. But by your standards, you'll be reaching for something else. I know that, absolutely absolutely. If you're not, if you're not the best in the league, then it wasn't good enough. That's how that's how I think about it, all right, man,