LISTEN | CB Bless Austin on Growing Up in Queens & Acting Aspirations (9/15)

this spot with Bless Austin. I like that you referred to him as the King of Queens, not in the interview, but Bless Austin, for those who don't know, is from Queens. And then he goes to Rutgers. He's a local guy, right, Like, how do you not love a local guy, especially with the story of two A c l tears six round pick starts on the physically unable to Perform list as rookie has a halful of starts. Last season Flashed gets benched and now the starter for the Jets. New York Kid.

He went to high school campus Magnet that used to be Andrew Jackson of course in Queens, and he played a lot of positions there at Rutgers. NFL. Folks were talking about him early in his career, but you mentioned he had a couple of knee injuries, worked so hard to overcome, uh that, and then he gets drafted in the sixth round. And then he comes in his rookie season. He starts a number of ball games, flashes, experiences a couple of lows, but he is a different player this year.

I think he brings a New York mentality to the edge. He's tough, he's in your face. He's also supremely intelligent, and he's a gifted ballplayer who's gonna take advantage of his talent and his opportunities. And he was responsible for one of two force fumbles on Josh Allen on Sunday. I think it was pretty nice tackle up ends him. Then we've talked about this with him, but I don't know if you see it, but on the broadcast for you, you start to see Bless Austin like crawl upfield on

all fours. So I think he's pretty physical cornerback. And he had that hit on Hunter Renfro last year against the Raiders. Oh my god, we were watching that hit against the Raiders Renfro. I was worried about him. A monstrous shot, a body shot, and like, oh man, I don't know if he's gonna be able to get up from that, but hey, that's what you want from anybody, and to have that kind of physicality and outside you like it because he's rangy, he's fast, he's physical, and

he's tenacious. He just gets after and he loves to play. So blessed Austin could start for him, and also great start for Marcus may I thought he played his best professional game against the Buffalo Bills. They're gonna need those guys this weekend against a San Francisco forty Niners team that is coordinated by Kyle Shanahan, and he throws a lot of different things at you, a lot of more ships and formations, and he loves his athletic lineman and

his fast running backs. So the Jets have to tackle and be on point this weekend against a Frisco team that's going to be coming in here with an adject they're losing their opener real quick. On the forty Niners, did you see Trent Williams absolutely demolished a middle linebacker. That doesn't surprise me I didn't see the man. I I gotta show you to play. Let's let's just say I saw Raheem. Most of you can get in the open field on a pass route, and he got into

the end zone in about three seconds seventy six yards. Yeah. So the good news for the Jets secondary and Bless Austin is that the forty Niners are pretty banged up at receiver right now. Samuel on I are their first round pick. Brandon I, you did not play. So those guys kind of similar to the Jets, maybe more banged up at receiver than the Jets are right now. Yeah, and you can make the argument at this point in time that Bless Austin is the Jets top outside cornerback,

especially after one week. We'll see what happens. It feel bad for Pierre to see her because he's a guy who's had success in the national football He was but was battling that hamstring injury for most of training camp and came back against the Bills. He was replaced in the lineup by Nate Harriston. So some movie pieces back there. But Bless Austin is a guy who's progression. We're going to continue to track here in year two, and I think the arrow has really pointed up, and like you said,

I think he's gonna become a fan favorite. Yeah, I definitely think so. And enough talking about Bless Austin. That's here from number thirty one, now joined by the Pride of Queen's Jets quarterback Bless Austin. Blessed. Thanks a lot for joining us here on the podcast. So I just want to start off with a kind of a lighthearted question. I spoke to fellow Queen's native Fullronzo Fatakasi about this last season. What do you say to people that don't fold their pizza? As a native New Yorker, I mean,

don't I don't place people in boxes. I'm a pretty open dude, So I don't say much of them rock out how they want to rock out. That's pretty nice to you. Well, how do you rock out when you go back to Queens and maybe you see people you want to school with? It campus magnet? Uh, what is it like? What is the reaction when Blacks Austin goes home? I mean, I'm not gonna sit here and say it's like a whole big parade, you know. You know, I'm pretty normal to the guys I went to school with.

They don't kind of put me on the pedal school. So it feels real good going home just because of that alone. You know, it feels like home as it should. So I love going home. I love being the Queen's. So who was your team growing up? I'm not gonna lie it with the Giants, Like I went to the Giants parade when they want the Super Bowl and I was younger and everything, so that was a squad. And who were your favorite players? I was a big fan

of my Brashel and I like Antonio piss Man. He was such a dog on the field and his r Q was amazing. So I just love, you know, watching him buill out too. You know, I know I'm a DV, but I like watching all the other positions as well. Bless from where you're from in Queens, is there like a split Jet Giants or is it just random? Because obviously certain parts of the five boroughs are split, but Queens is what, Like, I know, it's Mats, but it's a football split. I mean it's so it's so yeah,

it is exactly splits me. And it's so diverse. Man. You've got people that moved from all over the place and moved to New York City. So I'm telling my I've seen Philly fans watching some redskin fans. I've seen chards of fans in New York City. I mean it's weirds. Like it's it's crazy. It's so weird because you know, everybody just comes from all over the place in New York City. Bless, you played some core her back in high school. What were you like as a QB A

signal caller say. I like to say, like I was Lamar Jackson before he really burst, Like I really believe I was like that. You know, I was able to really drop back, let it go, and then screamble out the pocket whenever it was necessary. So I mean that's how I like to think of myself. I'm not gonna say that's the case, but when I think of myself when I did it, that's what I think. How much did you love having the ball in your hand? I

mean sometimes I love this, sometimes I disliked it. I mean for some reason, man, at QB, you you take the craziest shots. Man. I mean when I played any of the positional offense, I didn't take as bad as hits as I did when I played quarterback, So that was fun while I lasted. You seem like a guy though, who definitely loves the physicality of the game. That's interesting that the guy you looked up to growing up was a linebacker, Antonio appears. Do you think you play like

a linebacker on the outside. I mean, Lin'm back, that's a that's a different type of beasts right there. So I'm not gonna disrespect that position at all. But um, I definitely do having physical component to my game, no doubt about it. That's something we brought ourselves in, brought ourselves on in the dB room. I mean, just going

off of that though. Last season against the Raiders you had that hit on Hunter renfro and then even against the Bill you up end Josh Allen and then I think you liked it a little bit because I saw you crawling up the field on all four. Yeah. Man, I just when I'm out there, I'm a different person. Man. I really invite vite violence, man, to be really honest with you. So when I'm out there, I'm a different person.

I can't really explain it, but some things when I get out there on the in between the white lines. Are you a talker on the field, I gotta imagine you have to be if you're playing the cornerback position and you know a lot of one on one and that quarterback you were playing early in the season a week one Josh Allen, he doesn't mind talking and blesses from queens, so he definitely knows how to talk on the field. I'm not gonna lie, man, he kinda uh. I loved it. I love the fact that he was talking.

Man gave me a little he gave me a little rock star bob to him. He was talking trash back to me. So it was like, well respect when he started talking to trash back. I loved it. Bless Um and high school, though didn't fifty Cent and LLL cool J both go to your high school but back in the day, yeah, they definitely do. And are you a fifty guy or you an LLL guy? Or do you more so when to go to somebody else that I

don't even know when to your high school? I mean that that's two different errors of music and two different sounds. So I love both. But I feel like it's a time and place for both of them, you know, to fit in. So I can't really side with one or the other. It's just a different vibe with both of those guys. What about jay Z? Where does he fit in the equation jay Z? Jay Z is from when you really want to, you know, sit back and get get legs it and get taught something. When you want

to get educated. That's what jay Z for, you know. He he's one of those guys that he rapped about every different phase in his life, even though to now is it's just successful entrepreneurs. So he's definitely one of those guys you want to listen to when you're feeling, when you feel like being motivated. Bless, when did your love of like the arts come into play? Because not only are you big music guy, but we had talked

before last season about your post football career acting aspirations. Yeah, I mean, I'm just like, I love aesthetics, I love I love the artists of everything, the beauty of everything. So you know, acting, I feel like that's something that everybody has a natural skill of. They just don't want to admit to themselves that they do. Because at every point of somebody live their life, they live before and they sold the whole act and nobody wants to, you know,

admit that they have the ability to act. But I feel like we are doing something that we should tap into. But did you do any of that in high school? Maybe? It was definitely, um, not high school. High school. I didn't go to the high school that specified and like arts, so you know, I went to a business entrepreneurship you know, high school, so we we just learned more about entrepreneurship and in the business realm of things, which I loved.

But I didn't go to high school that categorized in that. But in like junior high and elementary, I did act in some plays what place. Yeah, we got to know detail. The issue is it was so long ago and I was young. I can't really remember the content, like the context of those plays, like what it was about and who I was supposed to be, Like, I can't remember it. So I just don't want to go throwing out things that's you know, inaccurate. Okay, all right, that's fair. Um

what about what about a deal like though? And if you or somebody that likes the arts, do you have a couple of favorite movies? Um? I like Wolf of Wall Street. I love Wolf of Wall Street. I mean I love to act in in there. I love the scenery, I love the you know, you feel like you're in the movie when you're watching it, you know. Um, So

that's definitely one of my favorite movies. And the then motivates you too somehow, some way, you know, just the fact that you see guys really trying to, you know, do whatever they can to make it to the top. It's like, you know, they got a little hit and motivation, and then you kind of got a scene in a positive way though, don't do what they did, of course, but yeah, yeah, let's keep it, Let's keep it clean. What is he just talked about it? You're such a

positive guy. What was your favorite scene in The Wolf of Wall Street? Uh? I love when he um when he told the business he was leaving and he decided to stay. I love that part because like he wasn't he didn't decide to stay out of his own interest. It's because how much love he actually had for the works who was working for him. So it's kind of cool to see him like make that sacrifice, even it was for even though it was for a bad reason,

it was kind of cool to make. It was kind of cool to see him see the bullets make that sacrifice working. You know in the uh, in the unfiltered version of this podcast, E A and I are gonna need your rendition of that scene that maybe after or done recording here you can give us a rendition. But moving on to the football field, you know, and you mentioned jay z as like a form or a music to listen to when you want to be educated. And so much has been made, uh that Steelers game in

your career about that teaching moment. Can you tell us just more in detail what was going through your mind at that time and then now how you look upon that moment. Yeah, so basically you know your rookie. Yeah, you know sometimes when you when you study the game playing, you can become a robot if you don't be critical and um aware of certain situations. So you know, within that play, you know what I was thinking was, you know, you had split rules, you know what the receivers lined

up and based off the formation where rowdies running. But what I didn't think of was the situation in the game in which they needed to score. So you know that's something that as a rookie, you know, you're not thinking of You're not thinking of situation in the game, You're just like, I gotta make sure I don't make this mistake, you know, and I'm trying to make this play, but you're not thinking of I gotta make make sure that this play don't happen to stop myself from putting

my team in a bad position. So that's the certain things that that I don't go through your mind as a rookie, and that got exposed that play. So you know that was a learn unless it no doubt I didn't see it as that then, of course, you know, but you know, reflecting on it shortly after I saw it is then and took advantage of that moment and learn from it. You put the word in you were one of the jets of best players in the season opener against the Buffalo Bills. There's no doubt about that.

But what was that moment like in training camp the big boy fade during the high red zone and they eight line the offense lines upper shot Perriman inside and you're all over it and you get the interception. Was that a play that occurred for you in slow motion? Um, no doubt about it. You know from the split, you know where he was lined up. You know and and the receiver and received. You know, he was lined up

at three. You know, that's not somewhere way. He traditionally lines up as an X. So just knowing that to understanding the situation where he was that on the field, I kind of felt the play coming. So I was able to already determine how I was gonna look for the ball based on how you ran the route in a position I was gonna be, and so it kind of put me a step ahead and make the play. E A just said that you were one of the

best Jets on Sunday against the Bills. How would you evaluate your season opener and what was it like for you to go from a six round pick to start on the physically unable to perform list your rookie year to starting week one for the New York Jets in your second year. Um, I kind of don't get I don't honestly when I say boxes, I keep it moving.

I don't really get too settled on it. So, you know, even after when I was drafted, pretty much was all right, next, like you know, next, and then after no getting back and practicing, it was, you know, practice, make the roster. The next you know next move, so I don't get too you know, soaking on the on the moment. I just you know, check the box and move on, because

it's just so much more than I'm trying to do. Hey, blast, I think a lot of people might have said, hey, football is not for me, this is not bound that happened for me after those two knee injuries at Ruckers. But what kept you going and how did that path help you actually to where you are today? So I mean on the first one definitely was kind of catastrophic to my mental because I just didn't know how my

body was gonna react after surgery. I never had a surgery before up to that day, so I was just trying to confuse on you know, how I was going to react, and I just couldn't foresee myself at the time, you know, running and cutting as well as I did before the injury. So it was some some like I was. I was nervous at the time the first time around,

but after recovering and bouncing back. Honestly, the second time it happened, it it was kind of, uh, just like wiping sweat off my forehead as far as like thinking about me bouncing back, I had no doubt in my mind I was gonna be able to do it, just nona understanding my body more after the first time around. So I didn't really have a down in my mind about continuing to play. The only the only understanding was like, all right, uh, did I shave it a year or

two both of them after having them surgeries. That was my only concern. I'm one of those guys I wish I could play tims forty something like, dang, I have

to now pack it up at thirty six. So hey, listen, Tom Brady's doing a trough praise is doing it your teammate Frank course dirty seven years old playing running back, So why not bless Austin playing cornerback at forty Acting will always be there, blast You know, you can go as long as you want in football and then can transition to acting whether you're forty fifty however, old rightly um for you, though you had talked about checking off boxes and one after the other, whatever is right in

front of you. What's next for you? Though? Entering this season a week too, you know, we got san Fran this week, so I'm just literally paying sense into the days and how much work at plenty each day because after at the end of the day, when that adds up, in affects how you play on Sunday. So that's that's how I usually do do my business. I just pittens on one day at the chum. What do you know about the forty Niners here at this stage of the week.

It's early a non traditional opponent for the New York Jets. But I'm sure you watch the Super Bowl, and part two of this is you are a local guy. This is the Jets season opener. How odd is it going to feel being at my life stadium without those fans in attendance? I mean, to be pretty honest with you, man, when I'm out there, I'm so locked in. Honestly, forgot

the fans was that they on Sunday. You know. I was so locked in and pumped up and and and just happy to be playing the game period that I couldn't even remember that the fans weren't there until the game was over. So, um, it's definitely gonna be different, no doubt. I'm not gonna say that the fans don't

make a difference at all, because they definitely do. And it's definitely I mean energies is different when they're there, but I'm quite sure when the game starts, it's gonna be you know, the thought is gonna be out my mind. What about the Niners, Yeah yet, um what I do know of them, They're very complex offense, and they got a genus in the offensive coordinator, coach Shannon so And they got some very athletic players on it with the

offensive side of the ball. Man. You know George Kittle, you know, I know Debo, you know he got banged up a bit in the off season. But you know, they got some other guys that I went against Pettiston in college, so you know, I know he's there. You know, he's a great dude. Man. They got some rohem moster man. You know, they got a lot of talent on that side of the ball, and just you know guys that well and tagged. They played with each other for a long time. Super Bowl team. I mean, let's lose a

great football team, man. So I'm just happy to be able to go against those guys, you know, I just I love this game, be able to play against the best of the world. Hey, Plus, we wish you a lot of luck this weekend. But I wanted to ask. Yeah, I remember just talking about Levian about coming back to camp and great ship us body fat BLUs. Austin looks like he put on muscle and this offseason, and I want to know what your body fat is. It's four. It's actually it's four. Did you put on a couple

of pounds of muscle on the off season? I mean, yes, I did, but I was always playing at this size. It was just now clear cutting in Dave. What people forget is I was bouncing those little a c L surgery, so I was kind of building from the ground up again. You know, I'm talking about after surgery. I'm wearing one one seventy and I have to build back up to

what I play at, which is huntred. So you know, that's something that you know, people people didn't get to see, but now you know, they see, they see the word that I was able to put in in the wild season. All right, blessed. Last question here, I'm curious as a Giants fan growing up from Queens, you're obviously no stranger to Jets fans. What did you what did you think of Jets fans growing up? Because Jets fans can be

ruthless especially in Queens. I mean, honestly, I kind of I love the Giants growing up, but I've had both sides of the fence because when when the Jets was in those two AMC. Shaporships, best believe, I was in front of my TV the Jets on, so you know, I didn't think anything of it at all. And then you know when they when we had the rail in Antonio Crimarti. I mean those are guys I was watching growing up, so I didn't think anything of Jets fans at all, all right, spoken like a true New Yorkers.

Keep doing your thing, and maybe Greg Williams won't let you cross over the hall and talk to Adam Gates a little bit and you can get it a little package of hey, so you can maybe play some quarterback. I'm not a fan. I'm not a fan of getting at tackled. I love doing it hitting, but I don't like it. All right, fair enough, Less, we appreciate the time. Thanks a lout man. Thanks appreciate it. Great to hear from Bless Austin. What do you think about this? We

talked him about his acting aspiration post football. So last year on the forty yard Stroll, I said, if you could have an actor play you in your own biography in a movie, who would you choose? And he chose Michael B. Jordan's What do you think about that? You think it's a good fit? Oh? Like it. I think you should be able to choose who's gonna play you in a movie. So what do you think it? Don't

listen to you asked me a question. The bottom line is, hey, if you ask somebody who should play you, they should know it better than anybody else. Yes, that is the perfect thing. Okay, So yeah, going back to football though for a minute, I do think that the arrow is pointing up for bless Austin like you said, And I think that a lot of fans are hoping he can almost out play where you get drafted, like, not a lot of six round picks end up being second or

starting corner their second season. I think that's a pretty big feat for somebody like bless Austin coming off of his dual surgery. Yeah, what do you think about his scouting report back in high school with him playing quarterback? He said he said he's got a game like Lamar Jackson. So the thing with Blesses that he's long. He's like you, I can see it. I mean, I can definitely see it. And you know, I didn't want to say this, but it's not like Queen's High schools. You're not chugging out

football team. Hey, take it easy. I'm a New Yorker. I can say this thing. Manhattan guy, I am. They're definitely no Manhattan can tell you. There's a couple of schools. But Rutgers is representing the National Football League by like six or seven players, and I think four of them are defensive backs. Do you think about the quarteries? I was, yeah, I was gonna say them Logan Ryan uh On, Harmon too as well. Right, we're just talking about all Patriots

or former Patriots. Former Patriots, no doubt about that. And we didn't ask him about them, accordies. But I'm sure blessed we'll exchange pleasantries with those guys when he's on the field with them. But uh, first things first for the Jets, after a tough game in Buffalo to open the season, let's see if they can take a step forward. I like the mentality of this kid. He's resilient, and that's what you need in the locker room. You need a bunch of less Austin's after what happened in Buffalo.

And I also really enjoyed what he said about having no fans in stands. He said, I I couldn't even tell. I'm so jacked up. I'm so into the game itself that I just tune everything else out. I am so focused and ready to roll, it doesn't matter me. You know this is gonna sound kind of strange. Josh Allen threw for over three hundred yards for like the first time since high school against the Jets team in Week one. He didn do that? Why only? I don't believe so.

But is it fair to say that Blessed Austin had a good game? Definitely like I think he did. He definitely had a good game. You look at where some of those yards were being picked up. They were across the way from him. Um. Again, he brought a physical mentality and he was out there and knocking people around. Um, yeah, he had a good game. Again, if you were getting game balls out and you don't do that after you lose by double digits on the road against the divisional opponent.

But we can, because we're sitting here a far apart from the locker room. The two game balls I give out. The number one would be to Marcus May and the second one would be to bless Austin, and then I give one to Jamison. Sorry, Jameson. I you know how anytime you go for seven receptions over a hundred yards and have a sixty nine yards score, yeah you get one to Okay, we're giving a game ball to Jamison anyway.

But I do think you're run. I think Blessed Austin had a good game, and I think that one that hit was awesome. The the upend over Josh Allen with the force and remember last season he had the Hunter Renfroe hit too, So I mean bless Austin likes lay the thunder on the outside a little bit. He's got good qualities for a cornerback that you want to have. Is that he's big, he's long, he can press the line of scrimmage. I also think you can find the

football and is of football acumen continues to increase. You know where you come in as a rookie. And McKay Backton said it after week one. The speed of the game, everything is just coming so fast right now. I think for a guy like bless Austin. What we're watching is it's all slowing down for him. Yeah, it's funny because in the NFL, playing fast is really slowing down. It's

kind of an oxy moron. And for Bless, you definitely saw that progression in the first game, and Jets fans and Bless hoping to see more of that over weeks two to seventeen. And another thing that I liked during camp was Denard Wilson. He wacks poetically about him and oftentimes you won't see a coach talk about a player like that. But the way he talked about a bless and the way he's taken to coaching and just his professional approach, that really stood out to me. Yeah, I

agree with that. And you saw the progression from last season week sixteen not being situationally aware to making a playing training camp and picking off Sam Donald, So that shows the progression that Blessed Austin made. And maybe you can get Jimmy Garoppolo this week, huh, and that I would be real nice. So we'll see what happens with Blessed Austin over the course of the two thousand twenty

regular season. But that's all we have here for this episode of the Official Jets Podcast powered by Amazon Web Services, Eric Allen, Ethan Greenberg, and we'll see you next week on a proper