Listen: Arthur Maulet (12/11)

I really did it. I tried to see what I was best at. What do you what were you averaging as far as gross and then I honestly couldn't tell you, but I definitely had like five or six inside the twenties, like only two or three yard Okay, And does does Boyer know that you were a punter? No, he doesn't know. I try not to, you know, try to take anybody's job. You think I'm pretty good. Yeah, I definitely could a

little trickery too. That's they saw that. Yeah, I saw I fake punt run for first down in your school. That is interesting. The soccer background, Well, what got you going in that direction? Um? Actually, man, I didn't play football to my senior year in high school. Senior year, yeah, I didn't. I was a basketball soccer guy. Um, and then it kind of translated perfect to the football field because with soccer I need the endurance to footwork. I

played striker and I played goalie. And then the basketball was a real defensive guy and I played points. So it just worked hand in hand with football as being a defensive back. So it kind of like helped me out a lot. But that's late in your career. That's got to give a lot of people hope out there who are young athletes, aspiring scholar athletes, maybe on the collegiate level, But what made you make that transition? Senior year of high school, I was a senior. I wanted

to try everything. Me and my friends were sitting down on the bench. One day, He's like, man, come play football. I'm like, let's do it. Yeah. I did it, and I loved it. I loved it. It's nothing's like football. You have to take all eleven to be able to be successful. And other other sports I played, like soccer and basketball, one individual can get hot and you can win. With football, everybody has to be on the same page.

To win. So that's your brotherhood and his camaraderie. So I love it, and you loved being a dB from day Wanner? Is that something that I play safety and defensive back and I did punt return, So I mean I loved it. I mean I wasn't getting hit, so that was the great part about I was doing the hitting. And it was high school Like, if you're an athlete, you're gonna you're gonna be successful. So were you a

physical soccer player? Because I don't think a lot of people give soccer players enough football without passed To be honest, yea it is. Um, Yeah, I definitely was. Um that's why they had me at striker than forward and it was pretty dope. How about using your head? Almost got one? What were you running in high school? I ran a fo or four, But it's crazy when I went to the combine, I ran a four six. Nobody would ever guess when I tell them, like, all my teammates be like,

what you're run your forty four six? But the real like what so how this? Well maybe that goes. Maybe that's why the reason I didn't get because that reason like four six five, four six six. How much did you prepare for the forty yard dash itself, because to me, it's all about technique, right, it's not necessarily about speech, it's about your Yes, it's about the start. And then I had horrible starts as soon as I it was my first time running the forty at the NFL Combine

on the laser, Like, like, how would you prepare for that? Right? So, uh, first two steps I popped straight up and that was a wrap. All right? So I wanted to ask you about this. I just wanted to check the name before. I didn't want to. I didn't want to mess it up here. You said you're basketball player. I was watching this video and I think if I miss pronounced name, I'm sorry. Assistant basketball coach Mike Hagan said that your

senior year you weren't shooting too hot. You worked on your shot, and then you made a buzzer beater in the state championship. Uh three for the win? Is that true? Yes? Yes? All right? So I want to know more about that moment where you probably like two point three seconds left. Um, we get the ball at half court. Uh, I passed it into one of my teammates. Is funny you were you were? I was inbounded. So this is before I

took the shot. I'm passing into one of my teammates and we crossed the half court and he's about to travel in our coach cause the time, all time time we're like, oh crap. So uh, we get somebody else to inbound the ball. And like I tell me from like bro, if I'm in a corner and nobody's there, I know I can't that shot, but good on it for so long. So I wrap around the key and I'm opening the corner. He throws it to me. Susan and Swiss. Where do you guys play that? We played

at home? We played in Louisiana at our stadium, so it was pretty dope. What was it like for you growing up in New Orleans? A lot of people go down there, a lot of tourists. Obviously in New Orleans has been through a lot over the years. For someone who comes from there, Um, how would you describe that area? It's one of a con man. The culture there's is so totally different from everywhere else. I would say, if you haven't been, go, Like for a tourist, if you

haven't been, definitely go. Man. Um, the food is great, the people are nice. Um, there's so much that you can get into. I mean I lived there all my life, literally, and I haven't been to all the restaurants there. I'm a big foodie, so that's a challenge to me. Um, there's a lot of good food. I love it, man, I love a culture there. People are great. Food is great, and that's all I need. I mean, I love it.

What are must do is for people who go down there, because you just said your foodie, So give a couple of restaurants. And also what about some history. What are they taking? Um? So seafood definitely, that's uptown New Orleans. So I was born and raised. Then you got like you got like Neo's is a great spot to go. You got your best creole cuisine, you have like a to fee, you have your crawfish, you make you want

to go back home now. Then like if you want like seafood platters, you go to Mr. Eds and anything that you want there in the city you can get. It is popados in the south too. Yeah, but that's like more like fast food. Yeah, but that's more like Texas's not even by us. And we were talking before about your gumbo, your recent seafood only guy or trending that way. First of all, tell us about the gumbo. Ok, what what's your what's your rest be? Without giving away

too many secrets, here, nice little gumbo base. Obviously, I have to get everything. The tricky part about is I have to get everything next day shipped up to here. Are two day shipped up to here, like I can't even get it from up here, so it will be a lot of like Zadaran stuff, uh, keen crabs, Crawfords, tales, all types of crazy stuff like that. But it has to be frozen the next day ship up here, like I can't get it up here to make it, so

it's dope. How often do you find yourself cooking? Not too often because you know, you know, Marcus and the fellas are taking care of you downstairs. Yeah, they're taking care of me. Man. Marcus is a really good cook actually, man, so I love it. Um. Yeah, you have to let you know you're not eating meat right all right? Well he made land the other week. It was really good. It was like, I don't know if if either of you like lamb. I've had it. I like it, I've

never had You've never had lamp. It's, uh, you never had lamb tips come on the way Marcus makes them. They're they're amazing and yeah, and it was just yeah, so Marcus is a chef here, I got I got a bone to pick with him though. About six months ago, no, maybe it's about even a calendar year, he says, you don't need the red meat, man, stop stop eating the red meat. So now, over the last couple of months, you know what he's been doing. He's been doing basically

the Keto diet. He's been eating nothing, but basically you're no carbs. Wait wait wait, wait wait, that is mean he eats red meat though he is he is though he's eating the red meat. Oh yeah, he's Yeah. I thought he's just eating chicken and fish. No, I think he's definitely eating red meat. I've seen it go yeah yeah, man, So I gotta imagine listen, I use such an interesting background because playing soccer, he decided you're gonna play football

senior high school. There are a lot of guys in the National Football League who played community college ball man. Yeah that was rough Yeah, yeah, community college Juco was rough man. Because obviously I didn't play football for a long time. And that's when I really found my passion for the game. Uh, it's kind of like similar to the NFL. It's a fifty two man roster Juco um and at the staters you only get four slots on each side. So far the state on on offense for O,

the state on defense. So where did you go to school? I went to Copia Lincoln in Mississippi, and Mississippi one red light, a diner, a family dollar, and a gas station. That's it. The closest McDonald's wildfle House was like thirty minutes away. I didn't have a car. It was horrible. And Juco is where eat greedy came to life, right because you had four meals that would last year a weekend, Yeah, the whole weekend. They'll get out on Thursday. So I

had Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Those those meals. Was that's what all I had. I didn't I didn't have a job or anything. So that will help make sure they cook some a little bit different for me for the weekend that I could eat and won't get bored about it. Was it hard for you to keep? It was tough? Yeah, I can honestly say what were you playing that. I was playing a corner. I don't know about what was you. I was probably like one seventy five.

I was a shrimp. Man, that's a little shrimp. One seventy five, one year, two years there before Memphis comes calling. How did that all work out? Um? Actually? Man? Uh yeah? Two years of Juko transfer to University of Memphis. But I had like a lot of offers. I had a person to work out with Obama. I was actually about to go there, but the way my grades were in transcripts were coming out of high school and Juco, it

didn't mesh. So I told myself I wanted to be a big fish in a small pond and play right away, exactly coming from Juco. You know what I'm saying. So I chose Memphis, man, and we flipped a program around and there have They have a great program now and we're probably gonna play our first in first New year Evilo this year? Why Memphis? Like, well, what made you feel? Okay?

So when I that was my first visit, in my my first official visit in last So when I went there, I went in the weight room and I saw hard they work because I work hard man, coming from junior college, and I was like, man, that's why I want to be period. Like I saw hard they worked. It's probably like twenty five degrees on the field. They had ice all over the turf and they're getting it in and I'm like, yeah, I won't be a part of this. How did that personal workout go? MA? It was actually

pretty good. Uh. They had like two other five stars in me, so it was just three guys were working out. I do the drills or whatever, and I'm done. They told me to stop early. They've seen enough and I ran my forty form. I ran the four four. I just didn't get the offer because of the transcript stuff.

I feel like maybe I'm wrong here. But to bring things full circle, when I watched the video about your assistant coach talking about you working on your jump shot two weeks straight and then it pays off, I feel like it's almost kind of like a small snippet, almost like a microcosm of you and your work, ethic and life. You work hard at basketball pays off Juco. Same thing,

Eat Greedy. Now you're in the NFL undrafted. What is it about the dirty work that you almost kind of like, I mean, you're talking about You're talking about yeah, and you. I mean, that's just a true testimony of where I come from. I mean, we're probably one of the poorest cities besides the you know what I'm saying, in New Orleans is very poor. Um, and it's just like, man, I came from worse. I can work hard and grind like this is nice, nice facility is good, hot tubs.

I work hard like man, that's nothing. That's that's the easy part. I mean I like it. Other people may not, but that's that's cool to me. Like as long as I can just keep my head down the working and focus on one goal, Like I feel like I could be successful with anything. With what I've been through in my past. Well you got the great work ethic. But maybe during the offseason to get a chance to go

down to Beal Street. What's it all about. I've been down the Bill Street probably like two or three times in college after big ones. But it's pretty cool. It's a lot of culture. They're good barbecue spotes down there. It's kind of like and that was another reason why I went to if it was kind of similar to New Orleans. M Bill Street is like Bourbon Street for New Orleans for Memphis, So I mean Bill Streets pretty dope? Did chet down there? Yeah? Jazz? I'm I actually make music. Yeah,

I make music. I don't wrap or anything like that, but I make instrumentals and beach like that more classical and uh, it's pretty dope. Where did that start? Actually? Junior college, I had an iPad and that's when uh, I forgot what it was called. Like they had loops and iTunes where you can make your own beach, and I was kind of messaging, Yeah, garage, man, that's exactly

what it's called. So I download a garage band and I was playing around with it and I enjoyed it because I don't really go out and do anything like that, so I'm like more a home body. I'm on Xbox and I'm making beach and that's what I do you talk to any of the all those because obviously a lot of guys have different music interests and interests on the team, but I feel like a number of the dbs, oh yeah, we we all listened to the same about

the same thing. Like I'm not going to say obviously, when people look at my playlist, they're like, are what are these people on your phone. But I definitely have their music too, Like I'm don't put me in charge of the OX card in the car, car and nothing like that, because you probably won't know what I'm listening to. So what are you listening to? Like? What? What are more underground guys? Um? More guys that basically rap about for rap, for purpose, um work, hard motivational rappers. That's

the type of music I listened to. But and when you say under an old school guys like jay Z, this type of guys and Eyes and all those guys, it's funny how you saying jay Z is old school, I guess he is. I think of him in terms of, wow, he's he's a couple of years older than me. But that's that's the time that that's sad time. Yeah, no doubt. What about geography and culture in terms of are you drawn to music down south as well? Oh yeah, a little bit. Obviously. I grew up to like Little Wayne

and those guys because I'm from there. But it's crazy because I like a lot of West Coast rappers um like Dom Kennedy um, and then up no rappers like jay Z, Biggie and all those guys. So It's just it's weird that the Southeast area with music. It's okay to me, but I've ventured off to the other places. Okay, So what was the first song growing up that you knew every single word too? That's tough. It has to be wheezy. Yes, it's definitely wheezy. I don't know. It's

Hustlers music by Little Wayne that I don't know. I can't spit out the lyrics, but I know the song. So so you started, you're on a career. You didn't get drafted because the start in the forty at the combine, but the slow slope. But the Saint signed you. What was that like for you going back home and getting your first opportunity to National Football League in your hometown.

Oh man, it was dope. Um. It was tough also, Um, I can honestly say because it was a lot of people that came up to me, a lot of people that wanted things obviously, um, but tickets definitely. I'm like, bro, I'm sorry, i can't do it. I'm undrafted and I'm not playing every week, so this can't come out of my check. But it was definitely a blessing though it motivated me to get on the field quickly. It motivated me to learn fast, and it motivated me not to be us about my craft. Is it true that you

texted Seohn Payton and he thought you were an intern? Yes? I was like, Yo, I'm ready, let's go. He's like, who is this? I'm like, it's hard to coach. Yo, I'm ready, let's go. You didn't even sign it. I ain't signed a contract and I'm like, let's go, man, go. So you were like jacked up obviously off coaches like did you like Peyton? It seems like, I mean, but but not only is he smart, it seems like a regular dude, Like he's a players coach man. He makes you.

He lets you enjoy your work. If you work hard and you and you do what you're supposed to, He's gonna let you enjoy your your benefits from it. And how loud is the super Dome. I'll tell you guys a quick story. So my first, my first playoff game was in the super Dome and we're playing Carolina. It was so loud. It's nervous. Remember that game. It was nervous, nervous, nervous. I'm running off the tunnel we get to the sundade of national anthem comes and not just after national I

just Taggan calls me Willie Beam, Willie Beam. Everybody left, every like, I'm like, I'm nervous, man, I'm nervous because it meant a lot to me obviously, but it was loud. I just I wasn't expecting. But how many game I was, of course, best of teams. Yeah, so every special team's out there. I was out there. You guys had a nice leading that game and then Cam made a charge. Yeah at the end. Yeah, but you grab that victory, and then who do you play? Who do you play?

In a round after that? Who do we do? Remember that we went to Minnesota, uh book and McFarland was talking about that last night, the Minnesota miracle. He kind of yes, I don't want to get off I don't want to get off track here. He kind of used that in the wrong uh phrasing, but it was a right phrase. But anyway, the Minnesota miracle. Jeez. Yeah, we losed to Minnesota, and then come back next year and we try to do it again and we lose with the p I Wow. Now I'm a Jet though, so

that doesn't matter. Have you ever have you ever been part of an ending like that where that that game is over, the you know over? Yeah? Are you like almost in shock though when it first happens? Are you I'm looking for every reason for him not to have score, and I'm like he had to step out. It had to be something like holding, something like no touchdown, go home. I think you guys win Super Bowl that year? Yes? Yeah? What about last year? I think last year too, could

have could have, but you weren't. You were in Indianapolis. Yeah, it was an indie for a while, like six games. That was my first time actually really playing real football, like on defense, corner um againting something. My first star was against OAR and Brady played pretty decent. Now, Rex Hogan is assistant GM here with Jets. He came from Indianapolis. How much you think that that kind of helps you in the process, Is that here's a guy who not only sure he's got game film on you, but he's

watching you at practice each and every day. Yeah it helps out a lot. Man. I think they know how hard at working and this, this this game means a lot to me. Um, and I want to win. I want to win and I want to win. That's that's my main goal. What is this season meant to you? Man? You've you've been out there on the field ten games. If we talked a little bit about your history and your truck, but now it's like, okay, this starts. Yeah,

this season, man, it means a lot to me. Um. I feel like a lot of people that was in my position, that would have been in my position when they did what I did, waited three years to kind of get to play a little bit and and earn some stripes and and do good. It means a lot to me. It shows me that, you know what I'm saying, I persevered through the tough times, and now that I'm getting more comfortable with playing and and and learning on the fly and starting and and being more experienced, that

I'll be good. Do you feel like because your first you're a football was as a senior in high school, you're almost learning more than what someone your age that started playing in sixth grade is learned. Yeah, I would say, Um, when I started late, especially when I went to junior college, I feel like I had a uh, I had to double up on my work, you know what I'm saying. When I went to Jucho. I had to train two times.

It's harder because these guys been doing this since there were small um, so I really never took days off after Thursday night game. We played on Thursdays in Juco, so it's a communital college. Everybody would leave. So Friday Saturday I would work out. I work out twice a day, left and run because I was small man, so I needed to figure out what would be best for me to be successful going into four year college and be

able to play in and get into the NFL. So I mean, I worked out my I worked my butt off. I can honestly say I just double worked. I had to. Everybody had it. When a guy told me, he said, man, you're not You're not going against the people just in junior college. You're going against everybody in the world that's trying to get to the league. And when he told me that, I'm like, yeah, you're right. I gotta double up. I gotta work. What was the draft day experience or

draft we got experience? Like for you did did your agents say, hey listen, got a chance, or you get some calls around six seventh round? What's happening? I thought I was going to get drafted. To be honest, my senior year, I had a really good season. I did the um NFL PA Bowl. I was a late transferred to the Senior Bowl. I did the Combine. I mean, so you you had to talk to a lot of teams. Just being at all those places, I felt like I

was gonna get drafted. So I actually had a draft outing at one of these restaurants in Memphis because I thought it was going to many people. It was. It was probably like a good twenty thirty. I didn't tell a lot of people, but um, I didn't get drafted. It was tough. But Sean Payton called me, I'm thinking I'm going to get drafted in the seven round. That like, we're gonna get you, We're gonna get you. But nope,

they didn't get me. And I signed free agency. But that kind of put a chip on my shoulder because the guys that I said it was getting drafted in front of me. I'm like, Okay, really, I know I can play. Yeah, I know I could play this game. Yeah, and listen. And that's the story. I think when you look at all these rosters in the National Football League, that's sure their first round picks, second round picks, whatever. But you really can build your rosters through getting guys

like you the undrafted. There's so many stories, so many stories of undrafted free agents have come and there are big time contributors from Look at the Kyle Phillips this year on your team, Lena defensive line tackles and tackles line of scrimmage. Everybody's talking about, Oh yeah, Tennessee doesn't have any of these players. And I'm like, you know any players. I don't know if Kyle Phillips looks okay? Did you ever? How big is Elvis down in Memphis?

Isn't that his thing? He's pretty I mean, he's all right, but I figured I figured he's like, he's definitely an icon down right. But what's the name the house? Isn't that in Memphis? Yeah? It is? It is? It is? Yeah, no doubt about What about the city? Um, you're living out here in Jersey. How often did you guys get a chance to get together? Maybe the dbs go out in the city, have a dinner and stuff like, we

go out every once in a while. I'm like I said, I'm when I go out, everybody's like, oh my gosh, what But now I'm more of a home body man, Like I just wish we were a little bit closer because I'm a foodie, like I already, you know what I'm saying. So what's your favorite kind of food? Then I try anything, man, anything, Yeah, I'm I'm I'm all game. It's good, it's good for you. And as long as

it's not red meat, white meat, and fish. Ye. When you start your holiday shop and Christmas around the corner, I started actually Monday, Cyber Monday, Black Friday. You got after it online. I had to. I had to. I got a big family. I'm gonna this is a five. So everybody, yeah, you're the you're the oldest, that's right, So this blends how old are they? One of their names. We got Juan, rob Brion, Kawanda, and Henry um there. So the youngest is eighteen and then everybody from eighteen.

So we're like, we're all close because like it was like mom, you're pregnant every other year, every two years, you know what I'm saying. So we were real closely each But let me ask you this, Uh, from your background, obviously as you should be proud of where you are now, how do you stay humble outside of giving back to the community. Oh man, I got a long way to go. Um. Like I said, I do this little thing, uh every year. I'm trying to see what I could do it up here.

It's called coats and cuts, So I'll give out coats because it's going to be freezing here. Man, obviously it's snow on the stuff. And I give our haircuts to the homeless. That's the one thing I do and I'm looking for somebody to help me out to do it this year up here up your jersey. I feel like you should talk to about that. And yeah, I'm gonna head Zadi goats and cuts, like all right, well, do you have anything else? Oh man, I'm actually getting hungry.

I'm thinking about gumbo. Alright, alright, Arthur, We appreciate you coming on the Official Jet Podcast, powered by an aws, bet, MGM, Casino Studio, rate US, review US, New York Chess dot Com, YouTube, Apple Podcast, SoundCloud, Google Play. We're everywhere, every everything. We got it all, we got it